Despite Scandal, Miss America Receives $4M Subsidy From Atlantic City’s Casino Reinvestment Development Authority

Miss America is staying in Atlantic City for at least another pageant.

Minus a stint in Las Vegas, skip America has long called Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall its house. That will continue for the 2019 competition.

Despite a scandal that shook up the business in December over derogatory emails sent and received by then-CEO Sam Haskell and two board members regarding previous Miss America winners, the pageant had been approved this week for $4.325 million in state financing. The New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) voted unanimously on Tuesday in favor of honoring the installment that is final of three-year, $12.5 million contract.

Dick Clark Productions was quick to drop the broadcast following the scandal emerged, and NJ Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-Atlantic) called on the CRDA to annul the funds.

‘I understand the CRDA had to fulfill its contractual obligation to the skip America pageant in 2010 and I also respect that,’ Mazzeo told The Press of Atlantic City. ‘However, as this contract finishes, we would urge the CRDA leadership to better use the over $4 million on endeavors that will bring a greater return on investment to Atlantic City.’

In a brief statement, the CRDA said it was ‘encouraged’ by the leadership change at Miss America and the 2019 competition’s ‘focus on women’s empowerment.’ No date has been set for the pageant.

The Miss America Organization board has been overhauled. Seven of the 10 members are now females, with former Fox News commentator and host Gretchen Carlson its chair and CEO.

Casino Reinvestment?

Founded in 1984, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority is a state agency that collects taxes from Atlantic City casinos and is to utilize the funds to invest in general public and projects that are private benefit the town and state.

According to its site, the CRDA ‘uses casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive enhancement in the lives of New Jersey residents statewide. In doing so, the CRDA has dramatically and positively modified Atlantic City’s residential, commercial, cultural, and landscape that is social while financially supporting quality-of-life improvement efforts.’

How making use of more than $4 million to help skip America in Atlantic City lives up to that mission is questioned by some area officials. The 2018 competition telecast on ABC drew just 5.6 million watchers, the lowest number in five years.

‘The CRDA has to seriously rethink and prioritize how it spends its cash, and it will begin with its subsidy to your Miss America Organization,’ Mazzeo declared in January.

CRDA Funding, Projects

The CRDA has several revenue sources.

Its funding that is primary stream historically been a 1.25 percent tax on gross gaming at Atlantic City casinos. However, during the town’s bankruptcy, those funds had been directed away from the CRDA and instead earmarked to help pay down financial obligation.

The CRDA also places a $5 per night hotel room tax, and $3 per day parking fee. The agency also taxes hotel that is total at nine %, alcoholic drinks three percent, and concert seats nine per cent.

The CRDA has invested, or as they prefer ‘invested,’ $10.4 million in improvements and renovations of Steel Pier. That features $6.4 million to create A ferris that is 200-foot wheel.

The Atlantic City Gateway Project has also received a $17 million investment from the CRDA. A residential and campus that is educational of University, the task is to open this fall.

Pennsylvania Casinos Set Monthly Record, Join Maryland, Ohio, and Michigan in Posting New Highs

Pennsylvania casinos generated more than $300 million in gross video gaming income (GGR) last month, the initial amount of time in state history that the threshold was passed.

Slot players waited for devices back in 2010 whenever SugarHouse Casino opened in Philadelphia, but Pennsylvania gambling enterprises never enjoyed a busier monthly than March 2018. (Image: Matt Rourke/Associated Press)

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) released final figures this week that showed table that is gross income at $79.54 million in March, and slots accounting for $221.35 million. Combined, GGR for the Keystone State’s 12 casinos was $300,516,011.

That quantity easily eclipses last March’s take by four percent. It tops the last all-time record monthly high 1xbet nasıl of $296.7 million, which was set in March 2013.

Parx Casino north of Philadelphia led the real way with $54.6 million in March revenue, a 10 percent premium regarding the property’s 2017 March haul.

Sands Bethlehem was next at $46.7 million, but that represents a 3.3 per cent year-over-year reduction. Sands Bethlehem is in the process of being sold to a tribe in Alabama for $1.3 billion.

Rivers Casino was third however the percentage gain winner that is biggest. The Pittsburgh casino saw GGR increase 11.1 percent to $33.5 million.

Philly’s two other casinos, SugarHouse and Harrah’s, were next respectively at $28.7 million and $24.7 million.

March Madness

Pennsylvania joins Maryland, Ohio, and Michigan’s Detroit casinos in posting record monthly highs in March.

• Maryland’s six casinos posted a combined $150 million in GGR, which easily surpassed its previous $141.1 million high set in March 2017.
• Ohio’s four land-based gambling enterprises won $81.7 million last month, and their state’s six racinos gathered $96.4 million. Both figures are monthly records.
• Detroit’s three casinos won $138.6 million, a lot more than $3.3 million more than the city’s previous most readily useful GGR mark.

March was unseasonably warm throughout much of the national nation, but also damp. Casinos also benefited from A saturday that is extra in 2018 in comparison to 2017.

In Pennsylvania, March was one of the snowiest periods of the 2017-18 winter, especially in main and eastern portions of the state. But temperatures that are warm the times surrounding the snowfall didn’t keep residents housebound long.

No Satellite Bids

Nine of Pennsylvania’s 12 casinos published monthly gains in March. Into the coming years, they could face extra competition when the so-called ‘mini-casinos’ begin popping up.

Under the state’s expanded gaming work finalized into legislation year that is last Governor Tom Wolf (D), as many as 10 satellite gaming venues can be built, with up to 750 slots and 30 table games each.

On Wednesday, the PGCB didn’t receive any bids for the venues. Five earlier auctions awarded Category 4 satellite licenses, with Penn National Gaming securing two regarding the 15-mile regional radiuses.

Headquartered in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Penn National was against the gaming expansion, but said it’s securing the satellite locales so that you can protect its Hollywood Casino close to the Harrisburg state capital in Grantville.

Unwilling to raise taxes, the GOP-controlled General Assembly got behind gambling in order to help bridge a state capital gap.

The legislation authorizes internet gambling and daily fantasy sports, airport terminal gaming lounges, slot machines inside certain truck stops, and creates a regulatory framework for sports betting along with the mini-casinos.

Elaine Wynn Vows Board Shake Up at Wynn Resorts, Expect Heads to Roll

Wynn Resorts’ shareholder that is biggest, Elaine Wynn ,wants an instantaneous shake up regarding the board that once backed a resolution, led by her ex-husband, Steve Wynn, to oust her.

Elaine Wynn says the Wynn is believed by her Resorts board requires to be ‘reconstituted immediately’ with new blood that doesn’t have loyalty to either her or her ex-husband, Steve Wynn. (Image: Associated Press)

The day after Ms. Wynn settled a longstanding battle that is legal the business and her former spouse, she penned to your board demanding it reopen the screen for shareholders to schedule new company and nominate new directors.

In a letter filed to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, she suggested a 60-day reinstatement of the nomination process ‘to allow a fully vetted nomination process that occurs’ in time for the business’s forthcoming AGM.

Ms. Wynn said she does not plan to seek a board position herself but believes sweeping changes to the corporate structure are needed. She would nominate blood that is fresh was separate of her, the company, and Steve Wynn in purchase to ‘restore the company’s reputation,’ she added.

Steve Wynn Procedures Down

We believe the business’s governance structure requires become reformed and that the board of directors needs to be reconstituted,’ she wrote. ‘This ought to be done immediately and undoubtedly before any product decisions are made that could affect the long-lasting interests for the shareholders.’

Ms. Wynn became Wynn Resort’s shareholder that is largest, with 9.25 percent, after her ex-husband sold his equity in the company last month to safeguard its gaming licenses from an escalating sexual misconduct scandal. Lawsuits from disgruntled investors have been mounting, claiming the board must have known about its chairman that is former and’s alleged behavior but failed in its duty to protect the company.

‘The nominees will be highly respected and, in most cases, have significant public company experience,’ wrote Ms. Wynn. ‘They would have the expertise that is requisite experience to help the company target both its possibilities and challenges. The nominees would help the board adapt to current guidelines with respect to variety and would be selected with a view to licensing that is applicable.’