Oh what a difference a few weeks makes

So.

When I last touched my beat about a month ago, Foxwoods was still looking to build along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. The Casino of the Wind was a work in progress and the slot machine numbers were still off from last year.

Well, I guess EVERYTHING hasn't changed. And, despite me wondering if the crowds at both casinos weren't a little thin Sunday night and pondering their financial future in an economy that's turning around slower than these guys can whip a ferry into port, their scope overwhelmed a friend who is used to Midwestern tribal casinos. It led to an interesting discussion and more than a little playing of devil's advocate in regards to the nature and boundaries of tribal enterprises as well as the usual discussion of sovereignty and its intersection with federal agencies.

Yeah. Heavy stuff. So, we'll lighten the mood a little with this, the skies above Newport, R.I. and today's nomination for most interesting place to find casino advertising:

Where are you parked?

For the first time this summer, I had someone ask me where I was parked while walking to my car on the packed fifth floor of Mohegan Sun's Riverview Garage this evening so they could pull into my spot once I left.

Seems like a good sign, at least for a night when both Kansas and the Connecticut Sun were playing.

Casino roundup

Try as I might, I just can't write about everything, so here's a little bit of what's going on in the casino world today:

There's one fewer competitor against the Mohegan tribe to build a casino in Wyandotte County, Kan., but its not for fear of competition, Sands execs say, rather than partial concern of the viability of the market with pending changes in neighboring Missouri:

Here's what the Las Vegas Review-Journal has to say about it:

Las Vegas Sands Corp. on Wednesday scuttled plans for a $500 million casino complex near Kansas City, Kan., blaming the worsening credit markets and the potential that neighboring Missouri might soften its in-state gambling restrictions.

The company was competing for a single gaming license in Wyandotte County, Kan., and the move seemingly increased the prospects for Las Vegas-based Golden Gaming, which is seeking approval from the Kansas Lottery Commission to build a $662 million casino complex at a location in the Wyandotte County town of Edwardsville.

Mohegan Sun is leaving the fireworks to Mother Nature tonight

Turns out the forecast doesn't mix well with fireworks so tonight's regularly scheduled bang, boom, zoom fest has been postponed.

Mohegan Sun regrets to announce that the "Wild Wednesdays" festivities that were scheduled for tonight on the rooftop of the Riverview Garage have been canceled due to inclement weather. All scheduled events will now take place on Thursday, July 24th, starting at 5:00pm.

Now that's just plain silly

So, with another construction season about halfway done, hope of breaking ground on a casino — any casino, whether Foxwoods or Sugarhouse — in Philadelphia is once again dimmed by proposals by local and state politicians as well as opposition from neighborhood groups.

And it appears local pundits have gone off the deep end...

New Casino Solution: Move Them Underwater
July 15, 2008 – State officials yesterday offered a bold solution to the increasingly contentious casino-re-siting debate: submerge the planned SugarHouse and Foxwoods casinos beneath the Delaware River. "It seems to me that putting the casinos underwater would satisfy all parties," said Rep. Dwight Evans, speaking to reporters on Penn's Landing. "Foxwoods and SugarHouse would get to stay on the waterfront–and Philadelphia wouldn't have to look at them."

For those of you interested in Indian affiars

Turns out Canada also has a legacy of sending Indian children away from their home communities.

Check out the "Truth and Reconciliation" series from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation about First Nation children and residential schools. At best, it meant they were separated from their family and friends. At worst, it delivered them directly into harm's way.

Here's a in-depth look from at the Canadian situation, including apologies made as recently as June for the program that parted children and their parents up until the last school closed in 1996.

While I'm not sure if any of the children of Connecticut's tribes ended up in at the Carlisle school, both the Mashantucket Pequots and the Mohegans have a very generous education benefit for tribal members of any age who want to attend school.

Hey, I can expand, too

Not in the too-much-Johnny Rocket's or Junior's Cheesecake way but, if Connecticut's casinos can add on some real estate, so can I here at the casino blog.

In the next couple of weeks, I'll be adding information about books on our casinos and tribes, links on where you can find historical slot machine revenue for Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun as well as basic information about the casinos and photo galleries.

Oh, and if you've got requests for other stuff you'd like to see on the site, ship 'em along. I aim to please.