Tribal casino among gifts handed to Blanco - 2004-01-19
An outgoing governor generally leaves his successor a few undesired gifts.

Mike Foster, for example, left Gov. Kathleen Blanco a big budget hole and an economy that keeps creating more unemployment. And, oh yes, the Jena Band of Choctaws, who could create another unwelcome drain on state revenue.

The tribe, 0-for-2 in its effort to build a reservation casino in Louisiana despite lots of cooperation from Foster, isn’t finished yet. The tribe said that it will likely concentrate next on central Louisiana.
Read the full story at The Advertiser

Ontario casinos take big hit - 2004-01-19
Hospitality and tourism factors in the Niagara region of southern Ontario were somewhat unlucky for two gaming operations.

Based on second quarter statistics compiled by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., attendance and profits at both Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls and slot machine operations at Fort Erie Racetrack were off, in some cases by as much as 28 percent. The OLGC's fiscal year runs April 1-March 31.

For the second quarter, ended Sept. 30, Casino Niagara took in $135.93 million (Canadian), down from $168.43 million for the same period in its 2002-03 fiscal year, a drop of 19.2 percent.
Read the full story at Buffalo Business First