Inside Gaming: A locals casino to bring back poker room
Live poker will return to Green Valley Ranch later this year when Station Casinos reopens its poker room as part of the property’s $200 million renovation project.
The 23-year-old 497-room Henderson resort is undergoing a major remodeling of its rooms, suites and meetings and conventions facilities. The remodeled poker room will be in its original location with 16 new tables and chairs.
No date has been set for the reopening, which is expected to include special giveaways and a reopening tournament.
High Hand Studios
A new Las Vegas manufacturing company will make its debut at next week’s Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.
High Hand Studios, founded by gaming executives Justin Beltram and Justin Arcemont who both once worked at Maverick Gaming, will serve the gaming industry with original equipment manufacturing with merchandising and signage.
Arcemont brings more than 25 years of gaming industry experience after working in senior roles at Pavilion Payments, Maverick Gaming, Aruze Gaming and IGT.
Beltram served as chief operating officer of Maverick and spent more than a decade with MGM Resorts International in leadership positions at Bellagio, Treasure Island and The Mirage.
IGA Chairman Stevens has died
Ernest L. “Ernie” Stevens Jr., longtime chairman of the Indian Gaming Association and one of the most influential voices in tribal gaming, died suddenly on Sept. 26. He was 66.
A citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Stevens led the IGA for more than two decades, championing tribal sovereignty and helping expand tribal gaming into a $43 billion industry. Colleagues and tribal leaders remembered him as a “warrior, statesman, and champion for all of Indian Country,” in the words of IGA Executive Director Jason Giles.
He was inducted into the American Gaming Association’s Hall of Fame in 2015 and into the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame for his achievements as a boxer. Beyond gaming, Stevens was known for his community activism and mentorship.
Stevens is survived by his wife of more than 45 years, Cheryl, five children and 20 grandchildren. The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin said it will fly its flags at half-staff until funeral services are held.
Bally’s still in hunt for NYC-area casino license, Coney Island project out
The race for New York’s downstate casino licenses is coming down the home stretch. The Coney Island project was voted down, while Bally’s casino proposal in The Bronx is moving forward.
On Monday, a local advisory committee rejected The Coney, a $3 billion casino plan backed by Thor Equities, after key Brooklyn lawmakers and community appointees voiced strong opposition. The 4-2 vote effectively ends the project’s chances, since a committee rejection is binding. Opponents argued a casino would threaten the boardwalk’s character and strain the neighborhood.
Meanwhile, Bally’s Corp. secured near-unanimous support from its Bronx advisory committee for a $4 billion development in Throggs Neck, anchored by a 500,000-square-foot casino, hotel and event center. Backers touted the jobs, tax revenue and long-term investments promised by the project, though some residents criticized the plan for taking away green space in Ferry Point Park.
The Bronx bid now advances to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board for consideration, joining MGM’s Empire City in Yonkers and Resorts World New York City in Queens. With the Coney Island project dead, the competition is narrowing for the three coveted licenses expected to be awarded by year’s end.
Bally’s is also expanding its footprint in Las Vegas. The company recently unveiled plans for a massive mixed-use resort surrounding the Oakland A’s $2 billion ballpark at the former Tropicana site. The phased project will include 3,000 hotel rooms, a casino, theater, retail and dining, and a 9-acre plaza connecting directly to the stadium, with the first phase timed to open alongside the A’s expected 2028 debut on the Strip.
Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
