Official Gaming Board Decision Thread

[skullman80]

I just want this to be over, one way the other. Get the license over with, and lets move on with Plan "B" if we have to.

Say a little prayer or a BIG one if you prefer

I'm not a religious person, but I will be saying one tonight.

[Sams_Dog]

I'll be checking the sites and/or tuning into any live internet radio news broadcasts tomorrow at work...nervous as Hell.

[relantel]

I'll be reading the thread at work tomorrow (still haven't been able to log-in since they switched machines on me back in April - got it set to allow lgp.com but every time I hit submit I am right back at the login screen - I often end up doing the jigsaws mid-morning and emailing myself the time to post when I get home)

I would take a beer to the office to put in my fridge, but that would be a jinx, so I won't. here's hoping for the best.

[Corban87]

I still have a feeling that PITG may some how sneak out with this. They had good revenue projections, pays for part of the arena, and develops the Hill. He is also the minority owner they are looking for and it seems he has no hardcore enemies like the IOC or FC. He is the easy way out.

I agree, but one HUGE aspect of their bid is their location why? Because the NFL and MLB are very concerned (don't want it) about the how close the casino would be to their stadiums.

So that is a couple of pretty big obstacles for Majestic to overcome.

[Corban87]

Here is an update from the Post-Gazette

T-minus one day ...

"The Penguins' future in Pittsburgh and the Isle of Capri's $290 million pledge to fund a new arena dominated the casino operator's final argument before the state gaming control board today on the eve of the expected award of the city's lone slot machine license. State gaming control board members pressed Isle of Capri attorney Mark Stewart on whether there were any loopholes that would permit a new Penguins owner to move the team even if Isle of Capri got the license. Mr. Stewart answered no, that the agreement between the Penguins and the Isle of Capri required any new owner to stay in Pittsburgh for at least 20 years if casino operator wins the coveted license."

Let's try to divine the gaming board's intentions from its line of questioning: The fact that the gaming board is even talking about the Penguins has to be considered a good sign for Isle of Capri. By law, the primary aspect of an applicant's bid that must be considered by the gaming board is the revenue that the casino will create for the state. Preserving a hockey team is not one of the goals of the 2004 gaming law, but from the beginning, Isle of Capri has tried -- successfully, in many ways -- to turn the "where best to put a casino" discussion into a discussion about how best to save the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the spring, dozens upon dozens of Pens supporters spoke at a PGCB public input hearing held in Pittsburgh. Neither of the two other casino applicants had such a measurable groundswell of support so early in the game.

If nothing else, the members of the gaming board will have hockey on the mind going into tomorrow's voting meeting, and you can be certain the Isle of Capri is happy about that.

http://www.postgazette.com/localnews/casino/journal.asp

Everyone who went to a meeting, a rally, wrote a e-mail, wrote a letter, and did anything to get the voice out should feel good about themselves! Like that article said "if nothing else, the members of the gaming board will have hockey on the mind going into tomorrow's voting meeting"

[Stoosh]

I was at the game tonight with a friend of mine who happens to be very well connected on both the state and local government levels. As we're both huge Pens fans, we were discussing the slots process and in the course of that discussion, the following tidbits were revealed. Most of this came from a source he has who is connected with both the slots license and involved with the arena proecss here (some of this might surprise you)...

1. No one knew who the frontrunner was for the Pittsburgh license heading into Wednesday. Every plan had significant pros and cons, and it's difficult to tell what the board is going to do. But if you read between the lines a little bit, one plan may be emerging.

2. Seems to think that the chances are incredibly good that the Pens will remain in Pittsburgh. More on that in a minute.

3. Forest City's plan has drawn a very significant amount of concern by the board because of their traffic issues and their revenue projections. The traffic concerns are very real because a poor traffic situation will increase the risk that people don't come back (or don't come at all). And the revenue projections from Harrah's...well...consider this...

4. According to my buddy's source, the board is concerned that Isle of Capri's revenue projections were inflated a little bit, based on the number of slots machines they were initially estimating for their parlor. They made an effort to adjust those numbers, but there are still concerns over the IoC's ability to hit those projections.

5. If they are concerned about the IoC's revenue projections, you can imagine what they think of some of those put forth by Forest City and Harrah's.

6. The most accurate projections all around belonged to the Majestic Star plan, and the biggest concern the board seems to have with that plan is the objection it's received from the Steelers and the Rooneys. Remember what I said about being surprised? Perhaps you can see what I might be getting at here.

7. There is some concern that the board will not have enough votes to make this decision tomorrow.

8. These people have some familiarity with the Balsillie situation as well. Apparently, the NHL took a much more hardline stance with Balsillie than most people know. Much of the dispute with Balsillie centered on the viability of Plan B. The league is adamant about keeping this team in Pittsburgh one way or another, so much so that in a meeting between the two, Bettman basically told Basillie something to the effect of, "Hope you like Pittsburgh because you're stuck there." No matter what the result of the gaming board, rest assured that all efforts will be made to keep the team here.

9. Again, there's no way to tell exactly who the board will pick and there seems to be an expectation that the decision may be delayed.

Take these for what they're worth...but I've known this guy since college and he's been a very close friend of mine for the last ten years. I have every reason to trust him, and Spoon can even vouch for this guy.

Time for bed...long day tomorrow.

[Corvidae]

If IoC wins, don't mind the naked drunk man running through Oakland. I'm very pale and skinny - you can't miss me. The sun will reflect off of my pasty body and blind motorists. It could be chaos.

With that said, don't be afraid. I doubt IoC will win.

[canaan]

ill be up late tonight constructing a series of plans involving assassinations and rub outs for board members i deem to be dirty/fixed...

[Corvidae]

ill be up late tonight constructing a series of plans involving assassinations and rub outs for board members i deem to be dirty/fixed...

So you're going to kill them all?

[canaan]

ill be up late tonight constructing a series of plans involving assassinations and rub outs for board members i deem to be dirty/fixed...

So you're going to kill them all?

oooh.....busted.....time for an alibi...

[DrBoni]

ill be up late tonight constructing a series of plans involving assassinations and rub outs for board members i deem to be dirty/fixed...

Well let me assure you, while Karsh may be dirty, he certainly is not fixed.

Oh, you were talking about something else.

[canaan]

haha...nice

[arizonahotrock]

Stoosh...

I'll try to be as incognito as possible here...but your buddy involved in "the politics" wouldn't happen to be one "Messie Black" would it?

Such poor, poor code...sigh.

[Guido]

I have such a terrible feeling about this. Like, I can see them trying to justify their giving the license to FC and how IoC was no good and was only about a new building that is only for the Pens.

I really can't see this bureaucracy allowing IoC to win. If they do, I, along with many, will be ecstatic. It's just that this situation has smelled since the beginning and that I fear it will continue to stink today.

go Pens.

[newarenanow]

Stoosh, maybe I'm reading it all wrong, but are you saying it could be a two horse race between the IOC and Barden, with Barden's only concerns being the Steelers? And that PITG could very well end up with the license.

The worst thing that could happen is a delay though. I just want an answer today so we can start celebrating for the IOC, or move forward with Plan 'B'. YOu know if they delay, it will be pushed off until after the holidays into January. That would be horrible for the PEns.

[newarenanow]

I still have a feeling that PITG may some how sneak out with this. They had good revenue projections, pays for part of the arena, and develops the Hill. He is also the minority owner they are looking for and it seems he has no hardcore enemies like the IOC or FC. He is the easy way out.

I agree, but one HUGE aspect of their bid is their location why? Because the NFL and MLB are very concerned (don't want it) about the how close the casino would be to their stadiums.

So that is a couple of pretty big obstacles for Majestic to overcome.

I never heard of the NFL and MLB protesting the casino as a league. The only person I heard gripe about it, and not even that loud was the Rooneys. Hopefully he pulls some weight at the state level.

[eastonpensfan]

I should have known. 3 pages about the "fix". Oliver North has taken over the board. Are all of you people the wackos who think that 9/11 never happened, too?

[newarenanow]

I should have known. 3 pages about the "fix". Oliver North has taken over the board. Are all of you people the wackos who think that 9/11 never happened, too?

There are a couple of insightful posts in this thread that aren't fixed related. I think Stoosh provided some pretty good insight.

[King Sid the Great 87]

From an objective stand point, the whole traffic issue is overblown.

I doubt that FC is expecting peak traffic during either rush hour times through the week. The majority of the business will likely occur on the weekends, when commuters aren't even in the city. Do you really envision 1000's of cars backed up across every bridge leading to Station Square?

Traffic will be bad at times, but its not going to be the 405 in california or the DC beltway.

[Waffles]

Well, I'm off to school boys.
LETS GO IOC!!!!

[eastonpensfan]

I should have known. 3 pages about the "fix". Oliver North has taken over the board. Are all of you people the wackos who think that 9/11 never happened, too?

There are a couple of insightful posts in this thread that aren't fixed related. I think Stoosh provided some pretty good insight.

True enough. Stoosh's posts were excellent and did point out the issues well.

[Bowser]

damn it, I said BREATHE!!!!!!!!!

[bill from turtle creek]

From an objective stand point, the whole traffic issue is overblown.

I doubt that FC is expecting peak traffic during either rush hour times through the week. The majority of the business will likely occur on the weekends, when commuters aren't even in the city. Do you really envision 1000's of cars backed up across every bridge leading to Station Square?

Traffic will be bad at times, but its not going to be the 405 in california or the DC beltway.

Actually, they're not. I often have had to meet someone at Station Square on weekdays around 6pm, and it's essentially impossible to get over that bridge and park. Forget about making a right hand turn into Station Square; you pretty much have to turn left at Carson and go into the lot from that side. And this is with nothing in particular happening at Station Square on a weekday evening.

[roller81]

From an objective stand point, the whole traffic issue is overblown.

I doubt that FC is expecting peak traffic during either rush hour times through the week. The majority of the business will likely occur on the weekends, when commuters aren't even in the city. Do you really envision 1000's of cars backed up across every bridge leading to Station Square?

Traffic will be bad at times, but its not going to be the 405 in california or the DC beltway.

but think about the traffic on those weekends.. friday and saturday nights, with all the clubs and stuff at station square..sundays with all the people that park there for steelers games...its just plain out stupid as hell to put something there that will cause even more traffic

[Stoosh]

AZhotrock,

I am not at liberty to divulge the identity of my sources. That said, yeah, pretty much. I'll leave it at this...somewhere there is a dumpster on fire, and somewhere Habib is being notified.