Areas of Expertise
496 stories by Larry Henry
Las Vegas Tourism Agency Grants $500M Ad Contract to Local Firm
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board of directors on Tuesday awarded R&R Partners a $500 million advertising and marketing contract to promote the city and its casinos across the globe. The six-year advertising arrangement with Las Vegas-based R&R is the...
Edwin Edwards, Former Louisiana Governor Snared in Casino Scandal, Dies at 93
Edwin Edwards, a flamboyant, poker-playing former Louisiana governor convicted in a casino licensing scheme, died Monday. He was 93. The four-term governor died of respiratory problems at his home in Gonzales, just southeast of Baton Rouge, the state capital. He had been...
Smoke-Free Casinos Up for Shreveport City Council Vote
The Shreveport City Council is set to decide Tuesday whether to exempt casinos from a smoking ban in their northwest Louisiana city. In June 2020, the Shreveport City Council passed the Smoke Free Air Act, banning smoking in bars, casinos, and gaming...
Las Vegas Site for High-Speed Train Station Once Planned for Casino
A site near the Las Vegas Strip where a high-speed train company plans to build a terminal station was slated years ago for a casino. In 2012, Lone Star Funds received approval from Clark County to build a casino, hotel towers, and...
Louisiana Governor Appoints Control Board Members, But Not Chairperson
Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) has named two members to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, but not a replacement for the vacant chairperson position. The governor appointed Ashley Anderson Taylor of Hammond to the nine-member board and reappointed Claude D. Jackson of...
Las Vegas Tourism Brass Slated to Receive Pay Raises
The tourism official tasked with promoting Las Vegas globally is up for a pay raise that would bring his annual salary to almost $400,000. His legal counsel also could be getting a pay hike, raising her salary to over $200,000 a year....
Las Vegas Firm Wins Multimillion-Dollar Tourism Contract Renewal
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will retain Las Vegas-based R&R Partners as its primary advertising agency of record, according to a published account. The contract is expected to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition to R&R's main...
High-Speed Rail Company Buys Land for Southern Nevada Train Station
The train company planning a high-speed line connecting Las Vegas to Southern California has purchased land near the Strip for a terminal station. Brightline West has secured a 110-acre lot south of McCarran International Airport near the South Premium Outlets mall. Clark...
Sport Betting Legalization in Louisiana in Question After Director Resignation
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board soon will be at “a fork in the road” without a director to get sports betting up and running in the state, an industry lobbyist said. This may lead to a delay in legalization. Staff members from...
Tampa Racetrack Closes as Elsa Churns Toward Florida Coast
As Tropical Storm Elsa barreled toward the Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday, a Tampa horse track shut down its operations out of precaution. The Tampa Bay Downs racetrack announced on Facebook Tuesday that its Silks Poker Room and TGT Poker and Racebook...