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California Casino Managers Bet on Local Business20 September 2001CALIFORNIA – Sept. 20, 2001— As reported by the (California) Desert Sun: "…Whether the national attacks will have as big of an impact on local casinos' bottom line as it has on residents' psyches remains to be seen. "Reaction by casino officials to the economic fallout to the attacks has ranged from increasing security to plans to intensify local marketing to simply waiting and letting the economic chips fall where they may. "…Spa officials now have the casino security detail on double shifts and guards posted at the entrances to search backpacks and handbags for contraband. "…Analysts predict Las Vegas casinos will take a dramatic hit because so many of their customers arrive via an airline industry that has been financially devastated by the terrorism. "The national outlook for locals' casinos is not as bleak. In fact, some experts predict that Americans will look closer to home for entertainment which would benefit the locals' casino market. "…Local casinos estimate that their customers number well over 10,000 daily valleywide, with more on weekends. "…Their success depends heavily on local traffic and day-trippers from the Los Angeles area. But a valleywide tourism slowdown this season could hurt the casinos, too. " …[Ken Kettler, general manager of the Agua Caliente Casino] said if there is a decline in tourism, it will be important for the casino to attract local and regional customers in places like Banning, Beaumont and Redlands. "…Kettler estimated that 60 percent of Agua Caliente customers are, `local, repeat,' business. "`We are going to count on those people,'Kettler said…" |