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Panel: California's Casinos Pressuring Nevada Operators13 December 2001LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Dec. 13, 2001 –As reported by the Associated Press: "Stateline and northern Nevada hotel-casinos need to diversify their visitor base as increasingly larger and more-sophisticated Indian casinos compete for the same customers. "That was the consensus of a panel of tribal gambling experts who spoke Wednesday during the 18th annual Nevada governor's tourism conference at the Rio hotel-casino. "…`Tribal casinos can't compete with the Strip,' said [Bill] Eadington, director of UNR's Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming. "Indian casinos, however, already offer the same slot technology as Nevada, and all table games except craps and roulette, thanks to Proposition 1A that passed in March 2000 allowing Nevada-style gambling in California. "That means Reno and Laughlin resorts, for example, need to begin selling their regions to a more diverse clientele, including conventioneers and recreation-seekers, the experts said. "…Suggestions offered by panel members included the cleanup of downtown Reno and stronger marketing campaigns for special events, such as Reno's Hot Summer Nights or Laughlin's annual River Run. "By 2007, with the anticipated construction of several other key Indian casinos, Eadington estimates that northern California's casinos could exceed $600 million in cash flow on $1.8 billion in revenues. "…Rather than relying on beating the competition, some gambling corporations are getting in on the action. "Harrah's Entertainment Corp., for example, was the first casino company to embrace tribal gambling, said Carlos Tolosa, president of Harrah's Western Division and a panel member. "…Las Vegas-based operator Station Casinos Inc. plans to run a $100 million casino planned outside Roseville for the United Auburn Indian Community once it receives federal approval to open…" |