Dania Jai-Alai Casino Facility Temporarily Shelved Due to Minimal Slots Profits

On September 24th, 2007, Dania Jai-Alai has a permission to offer slot machines; the support of a Las Vegas based gaming organization and a good location at the Fort Lauerdale-Hollywood International Airport. But plans to replace the 54 year old facility with a new one are temporarily shelved for the moment.

The earliest time that the slot machines could be operating in Dania Beach will be on 2009, four years after Broward County voters decided to give permission to the four pari-mutuels to offer the slot machines. While three other pari-mutuels decided to offer the slot machines within months of receiving state licenses, Dania Jai-Alai's parent company, Boyd Gaming, observes from the side.

Boyd Gaming has abandoned their 2008 opening date for their casino facility. Blake Cumbers, Boyd Gaming's vice president said that there are unsolved issues that they need to focus their attention on so they have decided to cancel their opening date. Dania Beach officials commented that the officials of Boyd Gaming said that they still have an intention to pursue their casino plans.

Ivan Pato, Dania Beach's city manager said that Boyd Gaming has shelved their casino project for the time being because of the different problems and issues that the company needs to solve first. Analysts have been disappointed of the results from the new racing track casino facilities like the Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino, the Mardi Gras Racetrack and Gaming Center and the Isle Casino and Racing at Pompano Park.

The slot machines on the East Coast produced a total of $269 dollars in profits per day in August. The August results for all three racetrack casinos in Broward were way below the usual average. The slot machines in Gulfstream Park produced only $68 dollars in profit per day.

Joseph Weinert, the vice president of Spectrum Gaming Group, an international consulting firm that studies that gaming market said that there is usually an advantage of opening first but in the case of Broward County it seems to be more of a disadvantage to be the first one to open.

Cumbers added that their company will also carefully monitor the lawsuit filed by slots critics. The lawsuit aims to reject the 2004 statewide vote that allowed Broward County residents to vote on whether or not they wanted the slots. The Supreme Court of Florida is studying on whether the case should be heard or not.

Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Caroline Mitchell