University of Nevada Las Vegas| Gaming Studies Research Center | Dave Schwartz |
University of Nevada Las Vegas |
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Casino [ptz]
formerly the Gaming Studies Weblog |
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 Thursday, June 20, 2002 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: SLOW NEWS DAY....
But I can't slow down. I'm leaving for the 2002 Gaming and Casinos Asia Pacific Conference very very soon. So just a few notes. I'll try to post from the conference. We'll see how that goes. I've gone for a slightly new format on the main page. This should be easier on people who view in 800X600, and it is more compact. Email me (dgs@unlv.edu) if you have any interesting news, but I won't be checking my mail for another week (until I get back from Singapore). That's all for today.
Tuesday, June 18, 2002 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: WYNN'S IPO
You too can have a slice of greatness, or at least get the dividends of greatness. Casino mogul Steve Wynn is offering an IPO for Wynn Resorts to offset the $2.5 billion or so that he wants to build Le Reve and a Macau casino. Story here from the LV Sun. THE SILENT SOUND OF MONEY Las Vegans who gamble like coinless slots. Story here from the LV Sun. DOWNTOWN STRIKE TALK The union and casino reps are talking big. Story here from the LV Sun. ATLANTIC CITY, NJ: SANDCASTLE IS CRUMBLING This isn't really a gaming story, but it's a landmark I remember well from Albany Ave/the Black Horse Pike. It's a damn shame that this building couldn't be saved. Story here from the AC Press. MONOPOLY THEME Park Place Entertainment is redevleoping the Ocean One Mall--a landmark Atlantic City pier. That's a no-brainer. When I was a kid, that mall was the newest thing. Now, it barely hangs on. I think Gap is the only real store in it. The food court--the measure of any mall--has only no-name eateries. But hey, I actually taught hospitality management courses on the third floor for a semester, so it can't be that bad. So anyway, PPE is apparently going to give the pier a Monopoly theme--something that is apropos, because the game features Atlantic City street names. The thing I'm a little iffy about is that they want to use CRDA money--$$ that are supposed to redevelop the city, I thought--for the mall and a parking garage. Is this what people were thinking when they signed off on the whole idea of CRDA? Odds are, this thing will end in a total cluster before the day is out. Story here from the AC Press. THAT'S ALL for today. I'm getting ready for my trip to Singapore and the 2002 Gaming and Casinos Asia Pacific Conference. If you will be there, look me up--I'm the first day's chairperson.
Monday, June 17, 2002 UNITED STATES: NET GAMBLING RESTRICTIONS
Citibank has agreed to block online gambling transactions. Story here. In the US Congress, an anti-internet gambling bill is in the works. This one, though, might just pass; it appeases both anti-gamblers and casinos. Story here. Not a gambling story, but I've been getting shady emails ostenisbly from a West African government or group asking my help in laundering $25 million for the past few months, just like many people. So it is funny to see that, according to LVRJ "online guy" Al Gibes, some people actually fell for the con. VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: IGT SCANDAL Apparently IGT compensated Victoria's Office of Gambling for expenses incurred investigating IGT's conduct in Europe--to the tune of $200,000. This is apparently a big deal over there, but New Jersey casinos have to pay for their regulation, and applicants have to compensate the DGE for investigating costs in the Garden State, so I'm a little confused. Story here. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS According to state AG Jim Ryan, casino execs are in big trouble for being upset by that state's tax increase. Apparently an alleged meeting raises anti-trust problems. Story here.
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What is Casino[ptz]? In a sentence: "A weblog featuring news, notes, and opinions from the world of casinos and gambling." Casino is self-explanatory; ptz refers to a surveillance camera that can pan, tilt, and zoom, thus offering the operator a better perspective and more detailed shot. Casino [ptz] was maintained by Dave Schwartz, coordinator of the Gaming Studies Research Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. As of now, Casino [ptz] is not being updated. Instead, you can find Dave's wit and wisdom on his own website, www.dieiscast.com. \ Go there now, for casino carpets and more. The opinions expressed are those of Dr. Schwartz and not those of UNLV or any of its students, staff, or faculty. If you have any questions, please direct them to Dave at dgs@unlv.nevada.edu. ---------------------------------
Quizzes Test your knowledge with two quizzes I have devised for your enlightenment and entertainment. 1. Do you know gambling? If you've read this weblog, I'll bet you do. Take the... (view the Scoreboard) This quiz features ten questions about gambling, mostly in casinos.
2. Do you know casino history? Take the... (view the Scoreboard) This quiz features ten questions taken from the pages of Suburban Xanadu. If you've read the book, the quiz should be a snap. Or, take the quiz and see what you are missing. -----------------------
Classic posts Mystery
Creature from Maryland Dave's book quoted in Parliament Bird
gets Trumped Slots, urban design, and destination dreams Don't be afraid, the clown's afraid too Hastert blasts casinos/2 tiger tales --------------------------
In Memoriam
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Other blogs Alberta Gaming Research Institute Library Online Casino Legalization Blog
Email Dave if you want him to add your blog. --------------------------
Who is Dave Schwartz? Dave Schwartz is the coordinator of the Gaming Studies Research Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, which means that he spends most of his time at work doing three things: 1) Extending and improving the collection of books, journals, and primary materials about gambling known as the Gaming Collection. 2) Working on digital initiatives, such as this weblog and the GSRC site, that facilitate the understanding of gaming research and gaming issues. 3) Answering questions about gambling from media and researchers, or directing them to the answers.
Before coming to UNLV, Schwartz worked in the Atlantic City casino industry as a surveillance officer. He is also the youngest person known to have received a Ph.D. in History from UCLA.
Schwartz is the author of Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond, which is an intelligent, accurate account of the creation and legacy of the Las Vegas Strip. Click on the link for more information about this best-selling book, or just buy it from amazon.com. --------------------------
In his own words: "To answer the biggest question I get, no, I don't gamble. I know the odds and, having spent more hours than I care to remember watching people gambling, it doesn't excite me at all. So why do I study gambling? Because the industry and the interactions fascinate me. "Las Vegas is an interesting place to live, and my job gives me a good window on the city. In a typical day, I might go from talking about gambling books with a system player to answering a question from a reporter from a major newspaper to meeting with casino executives. So I think I can bring a unique perspective on the industry and the people who make it work." To learn more about Dr. Schwartz, go here. ---------------------------- The unofficial Casino[ptz] mascot
It's the mystery mammal, of course. Dave is currrently developing a "Mystery Mammals" cartoon idea. Hey, if "Father of the Pride" works, maybe animal cartoons will become the next big thing. ------------------------------ Just because Dave just likes these images, and hopes you do as well.
It's always important to remember your roots. Dave has chosen this image to constantly remind him just where he came from. It is a heraldic crest gone wrong.
Oh yeah, Dave also likes to see his name in lights. This is a genuine, non-photoshopped image...or is it?
Casino carpet is almost (but not quite) abstract art. This is from a real casino floor in a real Las Vegas Strip casino. Guess where and win a prize!
Here are some closing thoughts from Orff's Carmina Burana, "Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi" (Fortune, Empress of the World): O Fortune, Somehow I don't think you'll find that in any casino advertisements. But Carmina Burana would be a great casino show, particularly sectons 2 and 3, which deal explicitly with gambling, drinking, debauchery, and sex. The opera is almost an adaptation of the 13th century version of "what happens in Vegas (or, in this case, Beuren), stays in Vegas. Certainly it has all the elements of a great revue extravaganza. |
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