Pa delays vote on table games bill yet again.

[kewljason]

It has now been 2 months since Pa passed its 2010 budget. That budget calls for 200 million dollars in revenue generated from tables games. The problem is that the law as it is currently written prohibits table games in Pa. No problem. The Pa legislature promised to take quick action to change the law and have table games up and running in 6 months. Anyone familiar with Pa politics knew better. The vote on a bill allowing tables games was cancelled yet again today for the forth time. With only 3 sessions remaining before the month long holiday break, it seems likely to be pushed back to next year. I said from day one, that Pa would be lucky to have the games up and running by the early fall of 2010. Now I am wondering if they will make 2010 at all. Delaware almost assuredly will have table games first and at the rate they are going, Ohio, which says they are 2-3 years away, will dealing cards before Pa.

 

[peaegg]

Delaware almost assuredly will have table games first and at the rate they are going, Ohio, which says they are 2-3 years away, will dealing cards before Pa.

Is it public knowledge about when Delaware will start the table game? I thought I have seen April 2010.

 

[kewljason]

Is it public knowledge about when Delaware will start the table game? I thought I have seen April 2010.

I thought I had heard March but that was several months ago and haven't heard much since. I did read a small paragraph stating that their efforts to be prepared to regulate table games were going slower than originally thought. I have no idea what that means time-frame wise. The article hinted that they have big concerns about organized crime.

 

[cc218]

looks like there was some progress today. Halfway there, chances are it will get hosed up by the 2nd group of jackasses though. http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/2009/12/16/House-OKs-table-games-bill/stories/200912160201

 

[geneticfreak]

It sounds like the major difference between the house and senate bills is the addition of a third resort license, which is really not necessary since the first two are still not being used anyway due to local opposition. I think that part will be scrapped and the tables might get approved rather quickly now. There is building pressure to get it done since the tax revenue is such a major part of the 2010 budget. They need to worry about getting all 14 casinos open before adding more licenses.

 

[kewljason]

It sounds like the major difference between the house and senate bills is the addition of a third resort license, which is really not necessary since the first two are still not being used anyway due to local opposition. I think that part will be scrapped and the tables might get approved rather quickly now. There is building pressure to get it done since the tax revenue is such a major part of the 2010 budget. They need to worry about getting all 14 casinos open before adding more licenses.

Well that rather "quickly senerio" didn't happen this week. And now they have recessed for three weeks for the holidays.

 

[cc218]

Well that rather "quickly senerio" didn't happen this week. And now they have recessed for three weeks for the holidays.

yeah, they are rather retarded. things get bogged down for odd reasons. I read in one article that they are now bickering over how many poker tournaments a casino could have in a year. Some want to limit it to 12 for some reason. That is kind of retarded if you ask me, but this is Pennsylvania and why like to put up barriers to success.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

yeah, they are rather retarded. things get bogged down for odd reasons. I read in one article that they are now bickering over how many poker tournaments a casino could have in a year. Some want to limit it to 12 for some reason. That is kind of retarded if you ask me, but this is Pennsylvania and why like to put up barriers to success.

Oh no, you can be certain the politicians are just making sure they are getting their best offer from the casinos. That is the way business is done in America, nothing is free. It's a game of chicken now.

You saw the same thing with the smoking ban in AC, the city council did it for a week just to show the casinos they had the power and the balls to do it, then most assuredly the price for the council's "services" went up.

 

[cc218]

Oh no, you can be certain the politicians are just making sure they are getting their best offer from the casinos. That is the way business is done in America, nothing is free. It's a game of chicken now.

You saw the same thing with the smoking ban in AC, the city council did it for a week just to show the casinos they had the power and the balls to do it, then most assuredly the price for the council's "services" went up.

Point noted monkey. It's getting a little ugly now though. Gov Rendell is threatening to layoff 1000 state employees if table games bill isn't passed by the first week of january. We'll see how that plays out though, probably more posturing.

In any case, from what i understand the pittsburgh casino is not doing well at all because it is just slots and you can go to WV with tables and dogs/horses with a 45min or so drive.

 

[blackchipjim]

Penciltucky

I have long known the ability of the state of Pennasylvania to screw up the simplist of things. Anyone that hunted deer in that state full well knows how that state screws things up by regulations. :whip:

 

[cc218]

looks like it's gonna go through... by the time they get people trained and what not i would guess it will be summer time by the time they roll around.... http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/2010/01/06/State-House-approves-table-games-sends-bill-to-Rendell/stories/201001060187

 

[ChefJJ]

It's About Time!

6-9 months until operational is what some casino execs are saying for existing stores...not too shabby.

good luck :joker:

 

[geneticfreak]

The race is on now. I wonder who will be up and running first. Mount Airy has been one of the biggest pushers for quite a while, so they probably have a plan in place and were just waiting the the bill to pass. Sands has floorspace built in for tables and can have the install done rather quickly, their issue will probably just be training. I haven't been to Parx yet, but I would imagine they were thinking ahead just like Sands in their floor design. I also think Harrah's had an area that would be ready for a quick expansion. The next several months should be interesting.

 

[ChefJJ]

Don't know if you've been up to Hollywood @ Penn National or not, but their floor layout appears primed for tables...especially when you shove those Shufflemaster fake games out of the way. I'd imagine that this is par for the course for those joints that have been operating for a few years now.

 

[Sharky]

The race is on now. I wonder who will be up and running first. Mount Airy has been one of the biggest pushers for quite a while, so they probably have a plan in place and were just waiting the the bill to pass. Sands has floorspace built in for tables and can have the install done rather quickly, their issue will probably just be training. I haven't been to Parx yet, but I would imagine they were thinking ahead just like Sands in their floor design. I also think Harrah's had an area that would be ready for a quick expansion. The next several months should be interesting.

I suspect of of the 2 Pittsburgh area casinos will be first as the 2 WV casinos are less than 1 hrs. drive and employ many PA residents that can't wait to leave.

Also, I believe Mountaineer laid off over a 100 in Nov. as I see dealers that used to be in their high stakes rooms now dealing in Wheeling.