Tribe, Utopia Trade Barbs - 2004-02-12
There hasn't even been a formal start yet and already it's not a good one for the Mohegan tribe and New York-based Utopia Studios. The head of Utopia Studios said that Mohegan Sun casino is the real reason the state is taking so much time to dispose of the former Norwich Hospital property.

Utopia wants to build a $900 million entertainment complex on the property; Spaulding and Slye, a commercial real estate firm based in Boston, wants to build a retirement community and villas, though housing is not permitted by Preston's zoning. Gentile's comments, made on the first floor of City Hall several minutes after the state Office of Policy and Management announced a disposition process for the land, irked Mohegan officials.
Read the full story at GamblingMagazine.com

Horse industry faces deadline for casinos - 2004-02-12
Horse industry leaders have a deadline today on deciding whether they can back a proposal that may bring legalized gambling to race tracks but would also include off-track casinos.

They will meet today with House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, a Louisville Democrat and the second-highest ranking member of the House, who said last week he wouldn't file a bill this legislative session to legalize gambling unless it provided for free-standing casinos. That's the only kind of bill that would have a chance of passing the General Assembly, he said.
Read the full story at Cincinnati Post