HISTORIC CASINO: Castaways closes - 2004-01-30
The Castaways shut down its casino and hotel Thursday, putting roughly 800 employees out of work at the 49-year-old property formerly known as the Showboat.

The closure of a second historic Las Vegas casino this month came after creditor Vestin Mortgage, acting under authority of a U.S. Bankruptcy Court order, notified Castaways owner VSS Enterprises it would enter the casino and collect its collateral backing a mortgage loan.

Industry insiders expect the bankrupt property to remain closed, forcing its workers to seek new jobs.
Read the full story at Las Vegas Review-Journal

Power of love is Cool - 2004-01-30
Once you find out that The Cooler has sex scenes with William H. Macy, how can you resist? This is a funny (although violent) film about the transformative power of love.

In The Cooler, opening today at the Princess Theatre, Macy plays a sad-sack guy named Bernie Lootz, a man whose luck is so bad, he's employed by a casino in Vegas just to spread the loser vibes around.

His bad luck is contagious. No high roller can ever continue a winning streak if Lootz is in the room; his mere presence is enough to turn anyone's luck to dirt.
Read the full story at Edmonton Sun