496 stories by Larry Henry
Revenue Slump, Layoffs Mark Difficult Year for Louisiana Gaming Industry
Slammed by hurricanes and COVID-19, the Louisiana gaming industry lost nearly a billion dollars in 2020 compared to the previous year. The industry also shed thousands of jobs. Through November 2020, gaming revenue was down more than $830 million statewide compared to...
High Speed Victorville, California to Las Vegas Rail Line Targeted for Spring Construction Start
Construction on a high-speed rail line connecting Victorville, Calif. to Las Vegas could begin this spring. Brightline West said in a status update this month the company is “on target” to begin building the $8-billion rail project this spring. The line would connect...
‘Pants on Fire’ Arsonist Linked to Reputed Philadelphia Mob Boss
Suspected Gambino associate Peter Tuccio pleaded guilty this week to felony extortion in torching a businessman’s Mercedes Benz in New York City. Tuccio has been linked to reputed Mob boss Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino. The 58-year-old Merlino was convicted of illegal betting...
Las Vegas Police Seek Suspects Breaking Into Slot Machines
Police in Las Vegas are seeking four people suspected of stealing cash boxes from slot machines in Southern Nevada. The suspects have struck at “several” casinos and bars in the Las Vegas Valley, police said. In pulling off the theft, one suspect...
Las Vegas Convention Board Votes to Spend Millions on People-Movers
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority this week agreed to spend $51.25 million on transportation systems to help convention-goers get around. The money that the LVCVA board approved Tuesday will be spent over three years on the Las Vegas Monorail and...
Mafia Trial Targets Deadly Italian Syndicate With History in Illegal Gambling, Vice
The biggest Mafia trial in 30 years is set to begin this week in Italy. On trial are 355 suspected members and accomplices of the 'Ndrangheta crime syndicate. This organization's reported criminal history includes murder, illegal gambling, and more. The trial is...
Las Vegas Hotel Room Rates Plunge With No In-Person CES Event This Year
With the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) being held virtually this week, hotel-casino room rates in Las Vegas have dropped by hundreds of dollars compared to last year. Last January, during the Consumer Technology Association’s CES convention, Wynn Las Vegas charged...
Las Vegas Era From Movie ‘Casino’ Gone Forever: Former Mobster
Near the end of his life last summer, former mobster Frank Cullotta said Las Vegas as depicted in the movie Casino will never come back. Dennis N. Griffin, who has written several books about the Mafia in Las Vegas, said the retired...
Georgia Lawmaker Champions Gambling Expansion in Peach State
A Georgia legislator says he will introduce a bill this year to allow sports betting in the Peach State. Ron Stephens (R) said a sports betting bill is one of three gaming measures he will file after the beginning of the session...
Baseball Stadium Not Slated for Site of Rio Casino Near Las Vegas Strip
A Major League Baseball stadium is not slated to be built where the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino is located near the Las Vegas Strip, according to a published account. An executive for Dreamscape Companies this week shot down rumors that a...
