Zynga recently filed an official application for an internet gambling license to the Nevada Gaming Control Board for a USA online Poker Room in 2013. Is this another move toward regulation?
Nevada sportsbooks lost $11.4 million on baseball in November -- the largest baseball loss in a month for the state's regulated books, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Here's the update, typed as he was talking, apologies if I missed anything. NO FURTHER SHUTDOWNS ANNOUNCED! Pause is EXTENDED through 1/15/2021.
Situation: We are at a critical point and here is why.
Encouraging news on vaccine: FDA granted emergency use. Western States panel approved.
First vaccine shipment on Monday, frontline healthcare workers to get immediate vaccination.
Did a test run for vaccine delivery process, will keep Nevadans posted.
Dr. Fauci predicted a surge on top of a surge, that's where Nevada is headed.
We are just now beginning to see the effects of the holidays. Small decline in cases and testing over the holiday, big surges now.
Seeing big increases in hospitalizations, 1700 Nevadans since Friday.
In Southern Nevada we have NOT peaked yet.
Protecting healthcare infrastructure is the main priority. Setting up hospitals in parking garages just in case.
No doubt our hospitals are seeing an increase in strain, as well as actual healthcare workers.
COVID deaths on the rise. 2539 Nevadans dead.
Statewide pause summary, talked about mitigation, capacity limits, etc.
As of November 30th, 74% Nevadans wore masks when leaving home. If we were at 95% compliance we would save more lives by Spring.
Noted that Nevadans are under stress, worried about health, jobs, school. Wants everyone to do what we can to reduce strain on hospitals.
EXTENDING CURRENT NEVADA PAUSE THROUGH JANUARY 15TH, NO ANNOUNCED SHUTDOWNS.
All current restrictions are still in place.
Sisolak says that if his health officials see cases rise more, he will shut more things down.
Sign an eviction moratorium in place tomorrow to protect Nevadans, through March 31st.
Better to leave Nevadans in homes versus in shelters and homelessness.
When people are evicted it becomes impossible to stay home, they will be forced outside and potentially spread COVID-19.
Talked about how tenants are still obligated to pay rent. Talked about rental assistance programs. Supported with federal assistance dollars, funds are low though.
Realizes this will be hard on landlords, asking landlords to continue to sacrifice and do more to help tenants. Promises to look into assistance for landlords.
Vaccine on the horizon, please continue to be strong. Fight the virus, not each other.
Says not a day goes by that he doesn't think about lives and our economic structure.
Acknowledges that we have record cases, but realizes that families are suffering, with little financing assistance.
Claims no winning options, picked whatever option hurts Nevadans the least.
Federal government has yet to grasp the complexity of our situation. Federal government says that states are not doing enough. Sisolak admits mitigation policies, our complete shutdown, would be best. However without funding and paying Nevadans to stay home, is not realistic. Says shutdowns don't work without people getting paid.
State is trying desperately to balance health and economy.
Families are teetering on the brink. We have lost 250,000 jobs, NV had highest unemployment rate in the country.
142,000 Nevadans have exhausted their UI benefits, won't be able to file again until March 2021, says NV needs more federal help.
State of Nevada had a savings account, a rainy day fund, which was their safety net. As of today, there is no more money. No more rainy day fund. CARES Act funding ends at the end of the year.
According to our state economist, another shutdown will put us in a just as bad or worse state than the Great Depression.
Says that if he could write a check to pay everyone, he would, but can't.
Gaming industry. Under the same or tougher restrictions as everyone else. Gaming Control Board is the most regulated business in the state.
When he thinks of the gaming industry, he loses sleep because under a state at home order, NV lost 250,000 jobs. Cooks, dealers, valet, entertainers, etc.
Gaming matters in this state. If we shut down again, state loses $52 million in tax revenue a month. That same revenue supports Nevadans, health, benefits, the safety we need. That's why he has kept the casinos open.
(Side note: so basically, casinos need to be open so that the state can fund UI and benefits for the State)
This week it was reported that NV has seen a 50% increase in opioid and drug death. Does not believe its a coincidence.
People won't be healthy if they lose their job, benefits, housing, etc.
Relied on the science and health officials to make decisions.
COVID-19 is the first and last thing he thinks about every day.
Praises healthcare workers for their sacrifices.
Says his blood boils when the federal government says that States do not do enough.
Says that everyone is stepping up, task force has gotten millions of masks and PPE. Had to do it themselves versus rely on the federal government.
Says federal government promised PPE, but help never came.
Invites McConnell to look at the hospital wards, foreclosed homes, to look at all affected Nevadans when he said citizens did not need the extra help.
Compromise is hard, but possible if both sides toss politics aside.
We must figure things out on our own, if not, more shutdowns will be forced.
Vaccine is on the way. Stay strong. Says he has made the best decision for our state all things considered.
Called upon all Nevadans to come together, again, to do this.
If we cannot control cases, he will impost further restrictions.
We are all frontline people, tired, worn out, ready to give up. We have a choice to think of things as every man for themselves, or to support each other and have each others backs.
Look after each other. Love our neighbors.
We face all challenges together. Nevada will make it through this. The end result will be based on how much we care for each other.
A Nevadan is testing positive every 40 seconds. 1 hour and 15 minutes a Nevadan dies.
Please, protect yourselves and one another by wearing a mask, washing hands, and socially distance.
Here's the update, typed as he was talking, apologies if I missed anything. NO FURTHER SHUTDOWNS ANNOUNCED! Pause is EXTENDED through 1/15/2021.
Situation: We are at a critical point and here is why.
Encouraging news on vaccine: FDA granted emergency use. Western States panel approved.
First vaccine shipment on Monday, frontline healthcare workers to get immediate vaccination.
Did a test run for vaccine delivery process, will keep Nevadans posted.
Dr. Fauci predicted a surge on top of a surge, that's where Nevada is headed.
We are just now beginning to see the effects of the holidays. Small decline in cases and testing over the holiday, big surges now.
Seeing big increases in hospitalizations, 1700 Nevadans since Friday.
In Southern Nevada we have NOT peaked yet.
Protecting healthcare infrastructure is the main priority. Setting up hospitals in parking garages just in case.
No doubt our hospitals are seeing an increase in strain, as well as actual healthcare workers.
COVID deaths on the rise. 2539 Nevadans dead.
Statewide pause summary, talked about mitigation, capacity limits, etc.
As of November 30th, 74% Nevadans wore masks when leaving home. If we were at 95% compliance we would save more lives by Spring.
Noted that Nevadans are under stress, worried about health, jobs, school. Wants everyone to do what we can to reduce strain on hospitals.
EXTENDING CURRENT NEVADA PAUSE THROUGH JANUARY 15TH, NO ANNOUNCED SHUTDOWNS.
All current restrictions are still in place.
Sisolak says that if his health officials see cases rise more, he will shut more things down.
Sign an eviction moratorium in place tomorrow to protect Nevadans, through March 31st.
Better to leave Nevadans in homes versus in shelters and homelessness.
When people are evicted it becomes impossible to stay home, they will be forced outside and potentially spread COVID-19.
Talked about how tenants are still obligated to pay rent. Talked about rental assistance programs. Supported with federal assistance dollars, funds are low though.
Realizes this will be hard on landlords, asking landlords to continue to sacrifice and do more to help tenants. Promises to look into assistance for landlords.
Vaccine on the horizon, please continue to be strong. Fight the virus, not each other.
Says not a day goes by that he doesn't think about lives and our economic structure.
Acknowledges that we have record cases, but realizes that families are suffering, with little financing assistance.
Claims no winning options, picked whatever option hurts Nevadans the least.
Federal government has yet to grasp the complexity of our situation. Federal government says that states are not doing enough. Sisolak admits mitigation policies, our complete shutdown, would be best. However without funding and paying Nevadans to stay home, is not realistic. Says shutdowns don't work without people getting paid.
State is trying desperately to balance health and economy.
Families are teetering on the brink. We have lost 250,000 jobs, NV had highest unemployment rate in the country.
142,000 Nevadans have exhausted their UI benefits, won't be able to file again until March 2021, says NV needs more federal help.
State of Nevada had a savings account, a rainy day fund, which was their safety net. As of today, there is no more money. No more rainy day fund. CARES Act funding ends at the end of the year.
According to our state economist, another shutdown will put us in a just as bad or worse state than the Great Depression.
Says that if he could write a check to pay everyone, he would, but can't.
Gaming industry. Under the same or tougher restrictions as everyone else. Gaming Control Board is the most regulated business in the state.
When he thinks of the gaming industry, he loses sleep because under a state at home order, NV lost 250,000 jobs. Cooks, dealers, valet, entertainers, etc.
Gaming matters in this state. If we shut down again, state loses $52 million in tax revenue a month. That same revenue supports Nevadans, health, benefits, the safety we need. That's why he has kept the casinos open.
(Side note: so basically, casinos need to be open so that the state can fund UI and benefits for the State)
This week it was reported that NV has seen a 50% increase in opioid and drug death. Does not believe its a coincidence.
People won't be healthy if they lose their job, benefits, housing, etc.
Relied on the science and health officials to make decisions.
COVID-19 is the first and last thing he thinks about every day.
Praises healthcare workers for their sacrifices.
Says his blood boils when the federal government says that States do not do enough.
Says that everyone is stepping up, task force has gotten millions of masks and PPE. Had to do it themselves versus rely on the federal government.
Says federal government promised PPE, but help never came.
Invites McConnell to look at the hospital wards, foreclosed homes, to look at all affected Nevadans when he said citizens did not need the extra help.
Compromise is hard, but possible if both sides toss politics aside.
We must figure things out on our own, if not, more shutdowns will be forced.
Vaccine is on the way. Stay strong. Says he has made the best decision for our state all things considered.
Called upon all Nevadans to come together, again, to do this.
If we cannot control cases, he will impost further restrictions.
We are all frontline people, tired, worn out, ready to give up. We have a choice to think of things as every man for themselves, or to support each other and have each others backs.
Look after each other. Love our neighbors.
We face all challenges together. Nevada will make it through this. The end result will be based on how much we care for each other.
A Nevadan is testing positive every 40 seconds. 1 hour and 15 minutes a Nevadan dies.
Please, protect yourselves and one another by wearing a mask, washing hands, and socially distance.
TEKK - Tekkorp Digital Acquisition Corp: Who's Who of Gaming Mgmt Teams!
Team has been involved in a substantial number of the digital media, sports, entertainment, leisure and gaming industries’ most significant merger and acquisition transactions, holding key positions at, and transacting with Scientific Games Corp, Inspired Gaming Group, FOX Bets, Ocean Casino Resort, Resorts International Holdings, PokerStars, DraftKings, Mohegan Sun, Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Harrah’s Entertainment,Tropicana Entertainment, Inc., TSG/Sky Betting & Gaming, Facebook, Inc, Wynn Resorts, Dubai World/MGM Resorts Here's all the Bios. These guys are stellar! TEKK closed at $10.30 today. Still cheap! If you don't like to read... you don't like to make money!!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matthew Davey — Chief Executive Officer and Director Mr. Davey has over 25 years of experience within the digital media, sports, entertainment, leisure and gaming ecosystems, as well as experience in the public sector. He is an experienced public company executive officer and board member. He has served in executive management positions across the gaming technology arena. Over the course of Mr. Davey’s career, he oversaw more than ten mergers and acquisitions and over $1.2 billion in debt and equity capital raised to support the companies he has led. Most recently, Mr. Davey was Chief Executive Officer of SG Digital, the Digital Division of Scientific Games Corp. (“Scientific Games”) (Nasdaq: SGMS). SG Digital was established following the purchase by Scientific Games of NYX Gaming Group Limited (“NYX”) (formerly TSXV: NYX), where Mr. Davey served as Chief Executive Officer and Director. The NYX acquisition provided Scientific Games with a vehicle to significantly accelerate the scale and breadth of its existing digital gaming business, including the strategic expansion into sports betting. In his capacity as Chief Executive Officer of NYX, Mr. Davey developed and implemented a corporate strategy that generated strong revenue growth. Mr. Davey shaped company strategy to focus on digital gaming supplier platforms and content that provided various gaming operators with the underlying gaming and sports betting systems for their online gaming business. In 2014, Mr. Davey oversaw the initial public offering of NYX, and his experience in the digital media, sports, entertainment, leisure and gaming industries helped NYX recognize momentum as a public company. After the public offering, from 2014 to 2018, Mr. Davey oversaw seven acquisitions which helped establish NYX as one of the fastest growing global B2B real-money digital gaming and sports betting platforms. These acquisitions included: • OpenBet: In 2016, NYX completed the $385 million acquisition of OpenBet. This was one of the more complex and transformative acquisitions that Mr. Davey oversaw at NYX. Through securing co-investments from William Hill (LSE: WMH), Sky Betting & Gaming and The Stars Group (formerly Nasdaq: TSG, TSX: TSGI), Mr. Davey was able to get the acquisition from Vitruvian Partners completed successfully, winning the deal against much larger and well capitalized competitors. By combining two established and proven B2B betting and gaming suppliers, NYX was well positioned to provide customers with exciting player-driven solutions across all major product verticals and distribution channels. This allowed NYX to become the leading B2B omni-channel sportsbook platform in the market and the supplier to over 300 gaming operators globally with an extensive library of desktop and mobile game titles, including more than 700 on NYX platforms and more than 2,000 on the OpenBet platform. • Cryptologic/Chartwell: In 2015, NYX completed the $119 million acquisition of Cryptologic and Chartwell. The acquisition provided NYX with more than 400 titles of additional leading gaming content, a broader customer base, and direct exposure to PokerStars and Intercasino, part of the Gamesys Group (LSE: GYS) — two of the world’s largest online casino offerings. • OnGame: In 2014, NYX completed the distressed acquisition of OnGame, a premier poker content, platform and service provider. This acquisition provided NYX with one of the best poker products in the industry, access to several regulated jurisdictions, and a valuable talent pool that was instrumental in the growth of NYX. The addition of OnGame further established a path for NYX to continue its growth in both European and U.S. markets. These acquisitions, together with meaningful organic growth, increased NYX’s revenue from $24 million in 2014 to $184 million annualized in 2017. During that time, Mr. Davey helped build NYX to have over 200 customers in the global gaming industry and a team of 1,000 employees. Mr. Davey’s success at NYX ultimately led to its sale to Scientific Games for $631 million in 2018. Mr. Davey joined Next Gen Gaming, the predecessor to NYX, in 2000 as the Vice President of Technology, was appointed as Executive Director in 2003 and named Chief Executive Officer in 2005. Prior to that, he was the Senior Consultant for Access Systems, a company that specializes in the provision of back-end software for licensed online casinos. Prior to joining Access, Mr. Davey worked for the Northern Territory Government specializing in matters pertaining to the internet and e-commerce along with roles in the Department of Racing and Gaming. Mr. Davey received a Bachelor of Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Northern Territory University, Australia (also known as Charles Darwin University). Robin Chhabra — President Mr. Chhabra has been at the forefront of corporate acquisition activity within the digital gaming landscape for over a decade. His prior experience includes leading corporate strategy, M&A, and business development at two of the global leaders in the digital gaming industry, The Stars Group (“TSG”) and William Hill, and a leading supplier, Inspired Gaming Group (Nasdaq: INSE). Mr. Chhabra served on the Group Executive Committees of each of these companies. From 2017 to May 2020, Mr. Chhabra served as Chief Corporate Development Officer at TSG and, from 2019 to August 2020, he also served as the Chief Executive Officer of Fox Bet, a leading U.S. online gaming business which is the product of a landmark partnership between TSG and FOX Sports, a transaction which he led. During that period, Mr. Chhabra led several transactions which transformed TSG into the largest publicly listed online gambling operator in the world by both revenue and market capitalization and one of the most diversified from a product and geographic perspective with revenues of over $2.5 billion. Mr. Chhabra’s M&A experience is extensive and covers multiple global geographies across the digital gaming value chain and includes the following: • TSG/Flutter Entertainment Merger: In 2019, Mr. Chhabra led the TSG M&A team that was responsible for TSG’s $12.2 billion merger with Flutter Entertainment (LSE: FLTR). The merger between TSG and Flutter Entertainment is the largest transaction in the digital gaming industry to date. The combination created the largest publicly listed online gaming company with approximately 13 million active customers and leading product offerings, which include sports betting, online casino, fantasy sports and poker. The combined entity includes some of the world’s most iconic digital gaming brands such as Fanduel, Fox Bet, Sky Bet, PaddyPower, Betfair, PokerStars and SportsBet. TSG/Flutter Entertainment is one of the most geographically diverse digital gaming and media companies with leading positions in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Germany and Georgia. • TSG/Sky Betting and Gaming (“SBG”): In 2018, Mr. Chhabra led the acquisition of SBG from CVC Capital Partners and Sky plc, Europe’s largest media company, in a transaction valued at $4.7 billion. At the time of the acquisition SBG was the largest mobile gambling operator in the United Kingdom and one of the fastest growing of the major operators having doubled its online market share in three years. The acquisition of SBG provided TSG with (a) greater revenue diversification, significantly enhanced expertise and exposure to sports betting just ahead of the judicial overturn of The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) by the U.S. Supreme Court, (b) a leading position within the United Kingdom, the world’s largest regulated online gaming market, (c) improved products and technology as a result of the addition of SBG’s innovative casino and sports book offerings and a portfolio of popular mobile apps, and (d) expertise in deeply integrating sports betting with leading sports media companies, positioning TSG to create more engaging content, deliver faster growth and decrease customer acquisition costs. • William Hill (LSE: WMH): At William Hill, from 2010 to 2017, Mr. Chhabra served as Group Director of Strategy and Corporate Development where he led several transactions which contributed to William Hill’s transformation from a land-based gambling operator in the United Kingdom to a leading online-led international business. Mr. Chhabra led William Hill’s entry into the U.S. sports betting and online lottery markets with the acquisition of four businesses, including the simultaneous acquisitions of three U.S. sportsbooks, Cal Neva, American Wagering and Brandywine Bookmaking, in 2011 for an aggregate purchase price of $55 million. These businesses ultimately led William Hill to achieve a leading position in the U.S. sports betting market with a market share of 24% in 2019. Additionally, Mr. Chhabra played a key role in structuring William Hill’s successful joint venture with PlayTech Plc (LSE: PTEC) in 2008. The combined entity created one of the largest online gambling businesses in Europe at the time of its formation and led to William Hill’s buyout of Playtech’s interest for $637 million in 2013. Prior to the transaction, William Hill had struggled in its attempt to establish a strong online gaming platform and a meaningful presence outside the United Kingdom. Mr. Chhabra has also successfully completed four transactions worth over $1.2 billion in Australia, the world’s second largest regulated online gambling market, and various partnerships in Asia. Additionally, he completed several technology and media related transactions, including William Hill’s investment in NYX, where he worked with Mr. Davey on NYX’s transformational acquisition of OpenBet. Prior to working in the gaming sector, Mr. Chhabra was an equities analyst and a management consultant. Mr. Chhabra received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Eric Matejevich — Chief Financial Officer Mr. Matejevich is a seasoned gaming executive with extensive experience in both the online gaming and traditional casino industries. From February to August 2019, he served as Trustee and Interim-Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Casino Resort (“Ocean”) (formerly Revel Casino, which had a construction cost of $2.4 billion) in Atlantic City, where he successfully led the management team through an ownership change and operational turnaround effort. Over the course of seven months, Mr. Matejevich managed to reduce the property’s weekly cash burn of $1.5 million to an annualized cash flow run rate in excess of $20 million. Prior to Ocean, from 2016 to 2018, Mr. Matejevich served as the Chief Financial Officer of NYX. At NYX, he focused his efforts on integrating the company’s many acquisitions and multiple debt refinancings to simplify its capital structure and provided liquidity for growth initiatives. Additionally, Mr. Matejevich was instrumental to the executive team that sold NYX to Scientific Games for $631 million. Prior to NYX, from 2004 to 2014, Mr. Matejevich was the Chief Financial Officer of Resorts International Holdings and later, from 2011, also the Chief Operating Officer of the Atlantic Club Casino, a property under the Resorts International Holdings umbrella — a Colony Capital (NYSE: CLNY) entity. As Chief Financial Officer, he provided managerial oversight for all finance functions for a six-property casino company with annual gaming revenue exceeding $1.3 billion, 10,000 gaming positions, 7,000 hotel rooms and over 11,000 staff members during his tenure. Mr. Matejevich led the transition effort to integrate a four-casino, $1.3 billion acquisition from Harrah’s Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment (Nasdaq: CZR). As Chief Operating Officer of Atlantic Club, he lobbied for and was successful in obtaining the first internet gaming legislation passed in the United States. The Atlantic Club was the sole New Jersey casino proponent of the legislation. Prior to serving in various gaming positions, Mr. Matejevich was a Vice President of High Yield Research for Merrill Lynch, where he managed the corporate bond research effort for the gaming and leisure sectors and marketed high yield and other debt transactions totaling $4.8 billion. Mr. Matejevich received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from The Wharton School and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. Our Board of Directors Morris Bailey — Chairman Over the past 10 years, Mr. Bailey has been a leader in turning around Atlantic City, as well as being among the first gaming executives to embrace online gaming and sports betting in the United States. In his efforts, Mr. Bailey partnered with two of the largest digital gaming companies in the world, PokerStars, part of the Stars Group, and DraftKings (Nasdaq: DKNG). In 2010, Mr. Bailey bought Resorts Atlantic City (“Resorts”) and initiated a comprehensive renovation which allowed for the property to be rebranded and repositioned. In 2012, Mr. Bailey signed an agreement with Mohegan Sun to manage the day-to-day operations of the casino. In addition to Mohegan Sun’s operational expertise and ability to reduce costs via economies of scale, Resorts gained access to their robust customer database. Soon thereafter, Mr. Bailey and his team focused on bringing online gaming to the property. In 2015, Resorts established a platform to engage in online gaming by partnering with PokerStars, now part of the $24 billion Flutter Entertainment, PLC (LSE: FLTR), to operate an online poker room in Atlantic City. In 2018, Resorts announced deals with DraftKings and SBTech to open a sportsbook on-property and online. For 2020 year-to-date, Resorts has performed in the top quartile in internet gross gaming revenue in New Jersey. Mr. Bailey’s efforts in New Jersey helped set the framework for expansion of online sports and gaming throughout the United States. In addition to his gaming interests, Mr. Bailey has over 50 years of experience in all facets of real estate development, asset M&A, capital markets and operations and is the founder, Chief Executive Officer and Principal of JEMB Realty, a leading real estate development, investment and management organization. Mr. Bailey has notable investment experience within the energy, finance and telecommunications sectors through investments in the Astoria Energy Plant, Basis Investment Group and Xentris Wireless. Tony Rodio — Director Nominee Mr. Rodio has nearly four decades of experience in the gaming industry. Most recently, Mr. Rodio served as the Chief Executive Officer and director of Caesars Entertainment Corporation (“Caesars”) (Nasdaq: CZR), one of the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment providers and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino-entertainment company, from April 2019 until its acquisition by Eldorado Resorts, Inc. in July 2020. Mr. Rodio led Caesars through its $17.3 billion merger with Eldorado Resorts, one of the largest transactions in the gaming industry to date. Additionally, Mr. Rodio was instrumental to Caesars’ expansion into the digital gaming industry and oversaw the implementation of new digital segments such as its Scientific Games powered retail sportsbook solution that now operates in various states throughout the U.S. From October 2018 to May 2019, Mr. Rodio served as Chief Executive Officer of Affinity Gaming. Prior to Affinity Gaming, he served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Tropicana Entertainment, Inc. (“Tropicana”) for over seven years, where he was responsible for the operation of eight casino properties in seven different jurisdictions. During his time at Tropicana, Mr. Rodio oversaw a period of unprecedented growth at the company, improving overall financial results with net revenue that increased more than 50% driven by both operational improvements and expansion across regional markets. Mr. Rodio led major capital projects, including the complete renovation of Tropicana Atlantic City and Tropicana’s move to land-based operations in Evansville, Indiana. Each of these initiatives, among others, generated substantial value for Tropicana. Ultimately, Mr. Rodio’s efforts at Tropicana led to its sale to Eldorado Resorts in 2018 for $1.85 billion. Prior to Tropicana, Mr. Rodio held a succession of executive positions in Atlantic City for casino brands, including Trump Marina Hotel Casino, Harrah’s Entertainment (predecessor to Caesars), the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort and Penn National Gaming. He has also served as a director of several professional and charitable organizations, including Atlantic City Alliance, United Way of Atlantic County, the Casino Associations of New Jersey and Indiana, AtlantiCare Charitable Foundation and the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming Hospitality & Tourism. Mr. Rodio brings extensive knowledge of and experience in the gaming industry, operational expertise, and a demonstrated ability to effectively design and implement company strategy. Mr. Rodio received a Bachelor of Science from Rider University and a Master of Business Administration from Monmouth University. Marlon Goldstein — Director Nominee Mr. Goldstein is a licensed attorney with nearly 20 years of experience in the gaming space. He joined The Stars Group (Nasdaq: TSG)(TSX: TSGI) in January 2014 as its Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary until his retirement from the company in July 2020 following the merger of TSG with Flutter Entertainment, PLC (LSE: FLTR). Mr. Goldstein also previously served as the Executive Vice-President, Corporate Development and General Counsel of TSG. Mr. Goldstein was also the senior TSG executive based in the United States and was one of the primary architects of TSG’s strategic vision for its U.S.-facing business. During his tenure, TSG grew from an approximately $500 million market-cap company to an approximately $7 billion market-cap company through a combination of organic growth and strategic mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Goldstein participated in numerous M&A transactions and capital markets offerings at TSG, including several transformational transactions in the digital gaming industry. Notable transactions in which Mr. Goldstein was involved include: • TSG/Flutter Merger: In 2019, TSG merged with Flutter for a $12.2 billion transaction value, the largest transaction in the digital gaming industry to date. • TSG/Fox Bet Partnership: In 2019, TSG entered into a partnership with FOX Sports to create FOX Bet in the U.S., a leading U.S. online gaming business. Wall Street Research estimates an approximate $1.1 billion valuation for Fox Bet post-partnership with The Stars Group. • TSG/Sky Betting & Gaming: In 2018, TSG acquired Sky Betting & Gaming, the largest mobile gambling operator in the United Kingdom at the time, for $4.7 billion. • TSG/CrownBet and William Hill: In 2018, TSG simultaneously acquired CrownBet and William Hill, two Australian operators, for a total of $621 million in a multi-part transaction. • TSG/PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker: In 2014, TSG acquired The Rational Group, which operated PokerStars and Full Tilt and was the world’s largest poker business, for $4.9 billion. Through his ability to legally structure large and complex transactions, Mr. Goldstein was integral to TSG’s vision of becoming a full-service online gaming company. Additionally, he assisted in structuring TSG’s capital markets activity, which generated liquidity for acquisitions and strengthened its balance sheet. Prior to joining TSG, Mr. Goldstein was a principal shareholder in the corporate and securities practice at the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig P.A., where he practiced for almost 13 years. Mr. Goldstein’s practice focused on corporate and securities matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, and financing transactions. Additionally, Mr. Goldstein was the founder and co-chair of the firm’s Gaming Practice, a multi-disciplinary team of attorneys representing owners, operators and developers of gaming facilities, manufacturers and suppliers of gaming devices, investment banks and lenders in financing transactions, and Indian tribes in the development and financing of gaming facilities. Mr. Goldstein brings experience and insight that we believe will be valuable to a potential initial business combination target business. Mr. Goldstein received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from Emory University and a Juris Doctorate with highest honors from the University of Florida, College of Law. Sean Ryan — Director Nominee Mr. Ryan is a digital media and technology operator with extensive global experience in online payments, e-commerce, marketplaces, mobile ad networks, digital games, enterprise collaboration platforms, blockchain, real money gaming and online music. Since 2014, Mr. Ryan has been serving as Vice President of Business Platform Partnerships at Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) (Nasdaq: FB), where he leads a more than 500 person global organization that manages the Payments, Commerce, Novi/Blockhain, Workplace and Audience Network businesses. Prior to his current role, Mr. Ryan was hired in 2011 as the Director of Games Partnerships to lead and grow the global Games business at Facebook. While the Director of Games Partnerships, Mr. Ryan focused on re-shaping Facebook’s games and monetization strategies to derive more value for Facebook, its users and its partners, including the addition of a Real Money Gaming offering in regulated markets. Mr. Ryan’s team helped accelerate a major trend in engagement through cross-platform games and therefore the opportunity to increase users through establishing games on multiple platforms. Prior to joining Facebook, Mr. Ryan created the new social and mobile games division at News Corp, an American multinational mass media corporation controlled by Rupert Murdoch. While at News Corp, Mr. Ryan led the acquisition of Making Fun, a San Francisco social-game start-up, that created News Corp’s games publishing division. Before joining News Corp., Mr. Ryan founded multiple digital businesses such as Twofish, Meez, Open Wager and SingShot Media. Mr. Ryan co-founded Twofish in 2009, a virtual goods and services platform that provided developers with data analytics and insights for individual application’s digital economies. Twofish was later sold to online payments provider Live Gamer, where Mr. Ryan served on the board of directors. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Ryan founded and led Meez.com, a social entertainment service combining avatars, web games and virtual worlds. The white label social casino gaming company Open Wager was spun out of Meez and was later sold to VGW Holdings, Mr. Ryan also co-founded SingShot Media, an online karaoke community, which was sold to Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: EA) and merged into its Sims division. We believe Mr. Ryan’s experience will be valuable to a potential initial business combination target and would provide an expanded perspective on the digital gaming landscape. Mr. Ryan received a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. Tom Roche — Director Nominee Mr. Roche has more than 40 years of experience in the gaming industry as a regulator, advisor and independent auditor. Mr. Roche joined Ernst & Young (“EY”) as a partner in 2003 and opened its Las Vegas office. He was subsequently appointed as the Office Managing Partner and Global Gaming Industry Market Leader. In 2016, Mr. Roche relocated to the EY Hong Kong office to supervise the expansion of the EY Global Gaming Industry practice in the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Roche has been integral to numerous transactions that have shaped the current gaming landscape, including: • Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN) initial public offering: Mr. Roche was the lead partner on Wynn Resort’s initial public offering, which raised $450 million in 2002. • Harrah’s Entertainment/Apollo Management Group & Texas Pacific Group: Mr. Roche headed the regulatory advisory services on the buyout of Harrah’s Entertainment, the world’s largest casino company at the time, for $17.1 billion. • Dubai World/MGM Resorts: Mr. Roche headed the regulatory and due diligence advisory services to Dubai World in its approximately $5.1 billion investment in MGM. Dubai World bought 28.4 million MGM shares, or 9.5 percent of the casino operator, for $2.4 billion. It then invested $2.7 billion to acquire a 50% stake in MGM’s CityCenter Project, a $7.4 billion 76-acre Las Vegas development of hotels, condos and retail outlets. • MGM Growth Properties (NYSE: MGP) initial public offering: Mr. Roche provided tax and structural transaction services to MGM Resorts in the creation of MGM Growth Properties, a publicly traded REIT engaged in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of large-scale destination entertainment and leisure resorts. MGM Growth Properties raised $1.05 billion in its 2016 initial public offering. Mr. Roche also directed EY advisory services to boards and management teams for profit improvement and technology related initiatives. In addition, Mr. Roche provided advisory support to the American Gaming Association on several research projects, including those specifically related to sports betting, the revocation of The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) and anti-money laundering best practices in the gaming industry. Equally, he has assisted government agencies in numerous international locations with enhancing their regulatory approach to governing the industry especially in the online gambling sector. Prior to joining Ernst & Young, Mr. Roche served as Deloitte’s National Gaming Industry Leader and as the co-head of Andersen’s Gaming Industry Practice in Las Vegas. In 1989, Mr. Roche was appointed by then Governor of the State of Nevada, Robert Miller, to serve as one of three members of the Nevada State Gaming Control Board for a four-year term, where he was directly responsible for the Audit and New Games Lab Divisions. As a board member, he spent a substantial amount of time assisting global jurisdiction regulators enact gaming legislation in the design of their regulatory structure. During his career, Roche has been involved in numerous public and private offerings of equity and debt securities. His background includes providing casino regulatory consulting services to casino licensees and to federal and state agencies including the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Nevada State Gaming Control Board, and industry associations such as the Nevada Resort Association and the American Gaming Association. We believe Mr. Roche’s highly regarded reputation as a gaming auditor and advisor in the gaming industry will be valuable for us and a potential business combination target. Mr. Roche is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is licensed by the Nevada State Board of Accountancy and Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California.
Investing News Morning Roundup – January 4, 2021 Welcome to 2021! What will the year bring? Given the strange trip that 2020 was, prediction for the coming year are….challenging. For sure, there will be vaccines and stimulus, other than that, it’s tough to imagine…. A Google union?The Alphabet Workers Union has launched Employees at Google and its parent Alphabet (GOOG) announced the formation of a new union, the Alphabet Workers Union. The new union said it will be open to all workers and contractors irrespective of role or classification. It said it will collect dues, have paid staff and elect a board of directors. The effort is being backed by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) union. The move comes as part of the CWA’s effort to unionize tech workers in a program it calls CODE-CWA. Googlers who opt to join the new union will also be part of the local CWA Local 1400. “We will hire skilled organizers to ensure all workers at Google know they can work with us if they actually want their company to reflect their values,” said Dylan Baker, a software engineer at Google. Silicon Valley has largely avoided unionizing efforts and a success at Google could portend a shift. The new union did not say if it will seek majority support among workers, did not say if it would seek to be recognized by Google and did not lay out a platform of issues it would focus on, yet. Can I get that content?Roku in talks to acquire Quibi’s content catalog Quibi launched in April with $1.75 billion in funding and a plan to produce high-end content for mobile phones. Its short life can be summed up in two words-crash and burn. The service shut down in October, unable to gain traction with viewers. Roku (ROKU) sells the most popular streaming player in the US and recently has been expanding into content. Roku launched the Roku Channel, an ad-supported app that features content from other producers. Roku is in talks with Quibi to buy its catalog of premium content. Such a deal would give Roku exclusive programming for the first time. Content like Quibi’s would be an important step in Roku’s desire to build its own content base. The news was reported by WSJ, but no financial terms were reported. Roku is in talks to license Quibi’s content for seven years. A bet on online gambling-MGM Resorts trying to acquire Britain’s Entain Wanna bet online gaming will keep growing strong? MGM Resorts International (MGM) does. MGM is seeking to acquire Entain (ENT), owner of the British gambling brand Ladbrokes. MGM presented an £8.09 billion takeover proposal, equivalent to $11.06 billion. Entain chuckled at MGM’s offer, balking at its undervaluing of Entain. Entain has previously been offered $10 billion. MGM has the financial backing of its largest shareholder IAC/InterActiveCorp (IAC) in making the bid. MGM presently gets a small percentage of its revenue from online gaming. A deal for Entain would create one of a few companies in the world with significant online and bricks and mortar gaming business. Entain is demanding a higher valuation before considering any offer and wants further information on the strategic rationale for a combination of the two companies. MGM and Entain are already working together. Since 2018, they have become exclusive partners on BetMGM, a small but growing online-gaming company both parties recently additionally funded. BetMGM, which uses Entain’s technology and MGM’s licenses and brands, is operating in more than 10 states, including Nevada, New Jersey and Indiana. Applied Materials ups bid for Kokusai Electric to $3.5 billion Applied Materials (AMAT) hiked its bid for Kokusai Electric by 59% to $3.5 billion, making its main shareholder KKR & Co. (KKR) very happy. The deadline to close the deal was extended an additional three months to mid-March. Applied Materials is the largest manufacturer of the machines that produce semiconductors. Applied’s original offer was $2.2 billion. The increase in the bid reflects the growing demand for chipmaking gear and the strong earnings prospects the combined companies will have. In a statement Applied Materials said the company “believes that the acquisition will provide substantial value for Applied’s shareholders. Over the past 18 months, Applied has observed a more favorable long-term outlook for the overall semiconductor equipment market, including positive trends in the memory market.” Applied said it is working on getting approval from Chinese regulators for the acquisition. Brookfield announced bid to take Brookfield Property Partners private Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM) announced an offer to take Brookfield Property Partners private in a $5.9 billion deal. Brookfield Asset owns about 60% of Brookfield Property Partners and is offering a 15% premium for the stake it does not own. Brookfield Property Partners has a market value of about $13.8 billion. The offer is being made due to the fact that Brookfield Property Partners consistently traded at a discount to its assets. Brookfield Asset’s CFO said, “We believe that is has been consistently for more than just the past year. We believed it would be a premium offering to the market given it has a unique global portfolio and some of the highest quality real estate in the world. But is has consistently struggled to trade at its net asset value.”
The Patriots demolished the Chargers 45-0 at SoFi Stadium, shutting down rookie quarterback Justin Herbert and the L.A. offense. Cam Newton accounted for 3 touchdowns and the Pats improved to 6-6. "Herbert was in 'La La Land,'" Bill Belichick said. "Literally, but mostly figuratively. Give me a week to prepare for a rookie quarterback, and I'll show you a rookie quarterback unprepared. "Now, Cam may not be a polished passer like Jared Goff, but Cam more than makes up for it with his running ability, and his fashion sense. Goff could never run over a linebacker, and he could never rock the hat/scarf combo like Cam. That's probably because Goff's not into beekeeper chic." The Rams beat the Cardinals, 38-28, as Jared Goff passed for 351 yards and a touchdown, while also adding a rush score. "Just when you think Jared's on the verge of getting benched," Sean McVay said, "he blows up. And just when you think he's ready to cement his status as an elite quarterback, he blows it. "Jalen Ramsey can lock down any of the NFL's best receivers. And some of their worst, which is what he'll see against the Patriots." Rams win, 24-20.
Houston @ Chicago (+1)
The Bears squandered a late lead and lost 34-30 to the visiting Lions. Mitch Trubisky fumbled deep in his own territory with under two minutes to play. Detroit scored the game-winning TD moments later. "All it takes is one mistake," Matt Nagy said. "But just to cover our bases, we made several. "I know this all makes me very unpopular. But as a head coach fighting for my job, I have to block out all that noise. But it's difficult. I don't even hear the whispers calling for my firing. That's because they're drowned out by the screams calling for my firing." The Texans lost 26-20 to the visiting Colts and dropped to 4-8, third in the AFC South. Deshaun Watson passed for 364 yards, but had no passing touchdowns. "That shows you how much I miss Will Fuller," Watson said. "Will was my favorite TD target until the NFL dragged him away from me with a PED suspension. But that's history now. The past tense of 'dragged' is 'drug,' so it all makes sense." The Bears go run-heavy and keep the ball out of Watson's hands. David Montgomery rushed for 122 yards and 2 scores. Chicago wins, 27-20.
Dallas @ Cincinnati (+3½)
The Cowboys lost 34-17 to the Ravens on Tuesday at M&T Bank Stadium. "Since my 'Gallagher-themed' comedy routine worked wonders to motivate my team at Minnesota," Mike McCarthy said, "we've decided to go to the well again with another prop comic inspired act. This time, Andy Dalton will play the role of 'Carrot Top.' "Andy spent nine season in Cincinnati, so Sunday's game in Cincinnati is a big one for him. As a Cowboy, he's in much the same situation he often was in Cincinnati — scrambling to make it to a playoff game he'll inevitably lose if he gets there." The Dolphins manhandled the Bengals 19-7 in Cincinnati, limiting Cincy to just 196 total yards of offense. "I believe we crossed midfield twice," Zac Taylor said. "And one of those was at the opening coin toss. "Five players were ejected from the game against the Dolphins. On a similar note, former Bengal miscreant Vontaze Burfict was arrested recently in Nevada on a battery charge. If there's anything that's surprising about that, it's that it didn't happen on a football field." Dallas wins, 31-20.
Green Bay @ Detroit (+7½)
The Lions upset the Bears, 34-30, wiping out a 10-point, fourth quarter deficit. After a late Mitch Trubisky turnover, Adrian Peterson's 5-yard TD run was the game-winner. "A.P.'s still got it," Matt Stafford said. "Just like the Department of Child Services, he's still making 'house calls.' "Michigan lawmakers urged the Lions front office to hire 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. I'm partial to our interim coach, Darrell Bevell. Anyway, if the Lions hire Saleh, and he's inevitably fired, do we really want to see the headline that says 'Tossed Saleh'd?'" The Packers blitzed the visiting Eagles 30-16 to improve to 9-3. Aaron Rodgers passed for 3 touchdowns, reaching 400 for his career. Rodgers reached the milestone in 193 games, fastest of all-time. "That's an average of over 2 touchdowns per game," Rodgers said. "That's the 'Rodger's Rate,' and any defense can get it, just as Jake from State Farm says. "Any time we face an NFC North rival, it's a big deal. It doesn't matter if it's a team with a losing record. If it did matter, we couldn't get pumped for hardly any division games." Packers win, 34-28.
Kansas City @ Miami (+7)
The Chiefs beat the surprisingly tough Broncos 22-16 at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce carried the load as K.C. improved to 11-1. "The Broncos defense always plays us really well," Andy Reid said. "I mean, really well. Their defense made our offense look practically like their offense." The Dolphins beat down the Bengals 19-7 in Cincinnati. Tua Tagovailoa passed for 296 yards and a touchdown, while the Miami defense dominated. "The Chiefs offense is the biggest challenge a defense can face," Brian Flores said. "They're like COVID-19 — you can only hope to contain it, and right now, if you think you can stop it, there's no shot." Chiefs win, 30-20.
Arizona @ NY Giants (+2½)
The Giants stunned the Seahawks, 17-12, in Seattle. With Daniel Jones nursing an injured hamstring, Colt McCoy passed for a score, and Alfred Morris had 2 touchdowns. "Colt's very name suggests he's a gunslinger," Joe Judge said. "Alfred's very name suggests he's an actuary. "We're 5-7 in the division, tied with the Redskins for first. And the Cowboys and Eagles are not out of it by any means. The bottom line is this: whichever team wins the division will have outworked three division foes for it, and screwed another more deserving team out of a playoff spot." Cardinals win, 24-20.
Minnesota @ Tampa Bay (-6½)
The Buccaneers had a Week 13 bye and are 7-5, chasing a wild card playoff berth. "I'm sure Tom Brady knows he has to play better if we're going to make a Super Bowl run," Bruce Arians said. "He'll be the first to tell you that in some games, his play has been unacceptable. Tom certainly knows the difference between 'unacceptable' and 'unacceptable.' Multiple interceptions in 2 consecutive games? Totally unacceptable. Almost $1 million is PPE loans from the government? Totally acceptable. "I know sometimes I can be hyper-critical, just as Tom can be hypocritical." The Vikings beat the Jaguars 27-24 in overtime. Dan Bailey's 23-yard field goal won it in OT, after he missed 2 extra points and the potential game-winner late in regulation. "I'm not gonna throw Dan under the bus," Mike Zimmer said. "But I'd like to kick him over it. "After a 1-5 start, we've won 5 of 6 to improve to 6-6. We are very much in the playoff hunt. In fact, if the regular season ended today, we'd be the No. 7 seed. So, we'd play the No. 2 seed at their place, where we'd be the hunted, and eventually, road kill." Buccaneers win, 34-23.
Denver @ Carolina (-3½)
The Chiefs beat the Broncos 22-16 at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night. "We didn't pull off the upset," Vic Fangio said, "but we held our own. Obviously, you don't want anyone else to hold yours, so we're happy to be able to do that. "Our quarterbacks have been sufficiently humiliated for not wearing their masks. Trust me, they felt it. For a few days, they were afraid to show their faces, or at least half of them, around here." Panthers win, 24-20.
Tennessee @ Jacksonville (+7)
The Browns destroyed the Titans 41-35 in Nashville, as Tennessee trailed 38-7 at halftime and was forced to abandon their game plan early. "We had to throw our game plan out the window," Mike Vrabel said. "That window was open, much like any Indianapolis receiver. "We're gonna re-group, and come out a better team. I'm confident Derrick Henry will have a big game. Over the years, he's had his way with the Jaguars. He's stiff-armed so many Jaguars, he's been diagnosed medically with 'stiff arm.'" The Jaguars hung tough at Minnesota before falling 27-24 in overtime. Jacksonville moved the ball well, but 4 turnovers ultimately cost them. "And speaking of 'turnover,'" Doug Marrone said, "or more specifically, lack of turnover, why am I still the head coach here? Will firing me negatively affect the structure and continuity I bring to the team? Heck no. They just don't want to fire me, and take the chance that an interim coach will actually win a game." Titans win, 31-26.
Indianapolis @ Las Vegas (+2½)
The Raiders shocked the Jets, 31-28, at MetLife Stadium, snatching victory from New York with a David Carr-to-Henry Ruggs 46-yard TD bomb with 5 seconds left. "What a finish," Jon Gruden said. "I just have one question. It's not, 'What was Gregg Williams thinking?' But, 'Can we collect the bounty for finally eliminating Williams?' I heard there was a fundraiser set up to pay that bounty. It was established by disgruntled Jets fans on a fundraising site called 'Go F@#k Yourself.'" The Colts moved back into a tie with the Titans in the AFC South with a 26-20 win over the Texans in Houston. Phillip Rivers passed for 2 touchdowns, and T.Y. Hilton had 110 yards receiving and a TD. "T.Y. finally had his breakout game this season," Frank Reich said. "And we need him to do his best Baltimore Ravens impression and keep having breakouts." Colts win, 27-22.
NY Jets @ Seattle (-13½)
The Seahawks struggled on offense and lost 17-12 to the Giants at Lumen Field. The Giants rushed for 190 yards and Russell Wilson had 2 turnovers. "The Giants came to our house and made some noise," Pete Carroll said. "With no fans allowed in the stadium, the Giants assumed the role of the '12th Man.' "Jamal Adams will be facing his former team and I know he can't wait. I know Jamal has something big in store for his former team. I'm not sure what, but it could be epic. Like, if he infiltrated the Jets sideline dressed as Joe Namath and told Adam Gase to kiss his ass." The Jets fell to 0-12 with an unfathomable 31-28 loss to the visiting Raiders. The Jets surrendered a 46-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left on a play in which defensive coordinator Gregg Williams called an all-out blitz. "That may have been the dumbest play call in football history," Adam Gase said. "That being said, I was totally on board. I'm sure Gregg has many more idiotic calls left in him. 'The tank is full,' so to speak." Seattle wins, 30-21.
New Orleans @ Philadelphia (+7)
The Eagles lost 30-16 to the Packers at Lambeau Field, dropping their fourth straight game. Carson Wentz struggled before he was replaced by Jalen Hurts in the third quarter. "It was a tough decision for me," Doug Pederson said. "Carson is the face of the franchise. It's a difficult decision for a coach to sit the face of the franchise. That decision can easily backfire, especially if the word 'on' somehow makes its way into that phrase." Saints win, 27-23.
Atlanta @ L.A. Chargers (+2½)
The Falcons lost to the Saints 21-16, failing to avenge their Week 11 loss in New Orleans. Atlanta fell to 4-8. "We're a better team than our record indicates," Raheem Morris said. "What that means is we're probably a 5-7 team." The Patriots embarrassed the Chargers 45-0 at SoFi Stadium. Justin Herbert was baffled by the Patriots defense, and had 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. "Call us the '49ers,'" Anthony Lynn said, "because we were run out of our own stadium. "I'm surely on the hot seat. That seat is not only hot, it's also attached to an 'eject' button. And after leading a team that scored zero points? That's certainly a fireable offense." Chargers win, 27-21.
Washington @ San Francisco (-3)
The Redskins stunned the unbeaten Steelers 23-17 at Heinz Field. Alex Smith picked apart the Pittsburgh defense with 296 yards passing and a touchdown. "Alex is excited to play his former team," Ron Rivera said. "He's pretty much wrapped up the NFL's 'Comeback Player of the Year' award. And judging by the state of the 49ers QB situation, they're likely to offer him the 'Come Back and Play Here Next Year' award." San Fran win, 23-19.
Pittsburgh @ Buffalo (-2½)
Josh Allen passed for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns as the Bills rolled to a 34-17 win over the 49ers in a game played in Arizona. "San Fran had no answer for Josh," Sean McDermott said. "But plenty of questions for him. Like, 'Can you recommend to us a quarterback just like you?' And, 'What's it like playing against a team with no discernible pass rush?' And, 'Was Brett Hull's skate really in the crease on the game-winning goal in Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals?' If so, get over it." Steelers win, 24-23.
Baltimore @ Cleveland (+1)
The Ravens beat the visiting Cowboys 34-17 on Tuesday night at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore rushed for 294 yards and 2 touchdowns. "We had nearly 20 players test positive for coronavirus," Lamar Jackson said. "The Cowboys had 11 players on defense test negative for effort." The Browns stunned the Titans 41-35 in Nashville to improve to 9-3. Baker Mayfield passed 4 touchdowns, all in the first half. "Baker looked like Patrick Mahomes out there," Kevin Stefanski said, "if he can do that for his next 42 games." Browns win, 31-28.
Cannabis Compliance Board In Action...Hefty Fines for Dispensaries in Nevada
As of July 2020 the state of Nevada has officially instated the Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) to take the control of overseeing the cannabis industry from the Department of Taxation and giving it to the newly formed group comprised of five individuals appointed by Gov Sisolak. The hopes for this would be to regulate the industry much like the gaming and alcohol industries are regulated here with a specific review board to dive into cannabis industry issues. This comes after much uproar in how the Department of Taxation has been handling cannabis licenses and regulations. Many dispensaries filed lawsuits last year against the State claiming there was clear corruption and collusion. Since the formation of the CCB we have seen the board come to action. Fining the dispensary known as Canopi (parent company CW Nevada) for 1.25 million dollars along with striping them of their 6 licenses. This comes after several allegations of the company not paying employees and hiding large amounts of cannabis off the books among other discrepancies in how the facility was run. The Board also has been laying down the hammer on COVID regulations, ensuring that all dispensaries are following the proper precautions. Allegations and complaints fall directly on their ears and the board has since filed suit to fine both Planet 13 dispensary and Nevada Wellness Center for not adhering to state restrictions and rules. Planet 13 was reported to have several employees not wearing masks inside the dispensary while Nevada Wellness Center was reported to have operated curbside pick-up in March when dispensaries were restricted from doing so. While it is still uncertain the extent to which the compliance board will affect the cannabis industry and how it currently operates, we can only hope that it serves to erase corruption, provide equal opportunity, and ensure that our cannabis industry is operating at a standard that both employees and customers can benefit from and be proud to be a part of. Gov Sisolak repeatedly says that he wants Nevada to be the "gold standard" for how a cannabis industry should operate. Cannabis Compliance Board is comprised of:
Former Gaming Control Board Chairman, Dennis K. Neilander
Former Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice, Michael L. Douglas
Las Vegas banker, Jerrie Merritt
To Be Announced - Medical Professional
To Be Announced - Cannabis Professional
Gov Sisolak will also be creating an 8 member Cannabis Advisory Commission who will make suggestions to the Cannabis Compliance Board. Comment below any thoughts, feedback, or further insights you have on this matter. Cheers!
Newly Instated Cannabis Compliance Board In Action...
As of July 2020 the state of Nevada has officially instated the Cannabis Compliance Board (CCB) to take the control of overseeing the cannabis industry from the Department of Taxation and giving it to the newly formed group comprised of five individuals appointed by Gov Sisolak. The hopes for this would be to regulate the industry much like the gaming and alcohol industries are regulated here with a specific review board to dive into cannabis industry issues. This comes after much uproar in how the Department of Taxation has been handling cannabis licenses and regulations. Many dispensaries filed lawsuits last year against the State claiming there was clear corruption and collusion. Since the formation of the CCB we have seen the board come to action. Fining the dispensary known as Canopi (parent company CW Nevada) for 1.25 million dollars along with striping them of their 6 licenses. This comes after several allegations of the company not paying employees and hiding large amounts of cannabis off the books among other discrepancies in how the facility was run. The Board also has been laying down the hammer on COVID regulations, ensuring that all dispensaries are following the proper precautions. Allegations and complaints fall directly on their ears and the board has since filed suit to fine both Planet 13 dispensary and Nevada Wellness Center for not adhering to state restrictions and rules. Planet 13 was reported to have several employees not wearing masks inside the dispensary while Nevada Wellness Center was reported to have operated curbside pick-up in March when dispensaries were restricted from doing so. While it is still uncertain the extent to which the compliance board will affect the cannabis industry and how it currently operates, we can only hope that it serves to erase corruption, provide equal opportunity, and ensure that our cannabis industry is operating at a standard that both employees and customers can benefit from and be proud to be a part of. Gov Sisolak repeatedly says that he wants Nevada to be the "gold standard" for how a cannabis industry should operate. Cannabis Compliance Board is comprised of:
Former Gaming Control Board Chairman, Dennis K. Neilander
Former Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice, Michael L. Douglas
Las Vegas banker, Jerrie Merritt
To Be Announced - Medical Professional
To Be Announced - Cannabis Professional
Gov Sisolak will also be creating an 8 member Cannabis Advisory Commission who will make suggestions to the Cannabis Compliance Board. Comment below any thoughts, feedback, or further insights you have on this matter. Cheers!
Given some of the disappointment in TSLA's battery day, and the lack of mentioning the magic letters of VALE or LAC, I thought I'd write up some further due diligence I dug up on LAC. I still think it's got a lot of promise, but I may be biased as I loaded up on it over the past few weeks. Thacker Pass Project First production Expectation Q3 – 2022 (LAC Website) Q1 – 2023 is also a possibility as the a record of decision by the environmental authorities must be issues by February 5th, after which LAC has said they’ll begin a 2 year construction phase (https://sierranevadaally.org/2020/08/28/thacker-pass-lithium-mine-draft-environmental-impact-statement-reaction/) Size: “The current exploration plan boundary encompasses approximately 3,550 acres. The project would involve expanding the plan boundary to approximately 18,000 acres, with an ultimate disturbance footprint of approximately 5,700 acres.” – Bureau of Land Management (https://www.blm.gov/press-release/bureau-land-management-seeks-public-input-proposed-lithium-nevada-corporation-thacker) This meets Elon’s comments about having permits to a mining site that is over 10,000 acres / the expansion may be a part of an agreement that allow the mining rights to his 10,000 acres. https://sierranevadaally.org/2020/08/28/thacker-pass-lithium-mine-draft-environmental-impact-statement-reaction/ This article is the most interesting one that talks bout the Environmental statement reaction (Same article referenced in the first production expectation section). The draft environmental impact statement was published July 29th and the public comment period ended on September 11th, 2020. Article says they spent the last couple of years creating processing method using sulfuric acid. Sulphuric acid has been used for hard rock extraction for decades, but this is a new way for sedimentary clay. They said the excess acidity is neutralized to produce gypsum and Epsom salt as by products. Note, the Tesla battery day made a point of saying that they had a way that was sulphate free inprocessinglithium, with doesn’t seem to be in line with the above, unless it is to be updated/released later; It’s also possible the I’m misunderstanding this as my mining / chemical knowledge is limited The proect is proposed to be a carbon-neutral mine operation; this seems in line with Tesla’s goals. The CEO, Alexi Zawadzki, made appoint of saying “Once the lithium is dissolved, it can be concentrated and purified to produce high-quality lithium compounds for batteries. Any excess acidity is neutralized to produce calcium sulfate (gypsum, also known as the main material in wall-board) and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt)” The article also said that an open pit is proposed with the remediation objective of back filling the hole; Elon made a big point his presentation that their mine would be putting the soil back into the land to return it to it’s natural state (aka remediate). Finally: ““LNC is evaluating financing options to build the Thacker Pass mine including a partner in the Thacker Pass project. Current regulations restrict certain countries, including China, from owning strategic minerals deposits in the USA and the Company will fully abide by these laws.” After all of the above, given Musk’s comment’s about Tesla itself obtaining Mining Rights and getting into the mining game, there is some speculation that Tesla could consider buying the mine from LAC (before and after the battery day) https://cleantechnica.com/2020/06/27/tesla-terafactories-lithium-securing-the-supply-chain/ https://youtu.be/C6cXu1Ln6rk?t=227 At this point, it’s a gamble (like everything here), but I’m holding my position. Given the above, and the fact that Ganfeng Lithium (TSLA’s current Lithium provider – see more details and DD @ https://www.reddit.com/wallstreetbets/comments/iss0ez/how_to_get_big_tendies_off_tsla_battery_day/ ) is the biggest owner at 16.55%, I’m happy to hold. There’s likely going to be some froth over the next little bit, but I think they’ve get a pretty good shot at being involved in the Tesla Mining project; even if they’re not, the approval of the mine and beginning construction on the project should provide some good PR and keep the stock on a profitable trajectory. Best of luck you beautiful bastards Holding shares Also, 4/16, 2021 15C
[Spoilers] The United States and Westward Expansion - Common Setting Discussions
A common trait Assassin’s Creed groups have is the constant theorizing about future settings, because historical tourism is one of the best parts of the series. This series of posts will act as a counter to my Mildly Obscure setting discussions, but rather than looking at a single point, I will be taking a broad setting that is popular and looking at several potential settings to explore within it. Today’s setting is the United States. I want to say that I personally am not a huge fan of the setting, and like WW2, worry about whether or not Ubisoft could actually tactfully do these settings, but due to the lore potential, I’m willing to discuss them. Most of these settings would suffer from issues that plagued Syndicate such as proximity to the modern-day causing fake events and characters to be made to avoid lawsuits, parkour issues from wide streets and small buildings, or painfully tall buildings, and poor weapon variety due to legal carrying restrictions. Shays’ Rebellion The American Revolution had a heavy toll on thousands of soldiers. Besides the loss of life and injuries, many men never received their full pay. In the early 1780s, this started to become a major issue, as men returning home from warlike Daniel Shay were being asked to pay large debts and taxes that they couldn’t afford because of the lack of pay. Many protests were held in Massachusetts from 1782 to 1785 against these taxes and to get the pay the veterans had earned. In August 1786, protestors organized to begin forcefully shutting down the courts. Government officials denounced the mob mentality but did nothing to stop it. Daniel Shays would start to organize more of these shutdowns and lead about 300 men to the Springfield Courts, which were then protected by William Shepard who held about 800 men at his command. After a day of demonstrations with no violence, Shepard led his men to the Springfield Armory due to rumors of the mob planning to attack it. By October of 1786 more protests had successfully shut down courts in Taunton, Great Barrington, and Concord. State officials now feared the violence and the potential for civil war and Samuel Adams worked with the state officials to draft a riot act to suspend habeas corpus and imprison the rioters without a trial while advocating for the execution of anyone who tried to rebel against the republic. With the new legislation in place, several of the movement’s leaders were arrested in eastern Massachusetts, causing 4,000 men to form an open rebellion against the “tyrannical state”. The open rebellion caused Benjamin Lincoln to be granted money to form a militia and march west on January 19th. By that point, Shepard had amassed a local militia of 1200 men at the Springfield Federal Armory (a place he was not technically legally allowed to defend as a local militia)and Daniel Shays had coordinated with Luke Day to advance on the federal armory. Due to correspondence being stopped by Shepard’s men, Shays didn’t know Day was running late by a day and arrived at the armory on January 25th with no support from the west. Shepard had 2 cannons fired as a warning shot which scattered Shays forces. General Lincoln managed to track the army down to Pelham on the 4th of February during a snowstorm and capture about 150 men. Shay went into hiding as Lincoln’s army melted away from lack of funding. By the end of February, the 3000 man army dwindled to less than 200, and during that time a force of 200 men regrouped to attack Stockbridge on early February 27th. The remaining army eventually caught up with them in the night at Sheffield leading to the bloodiest battle of the rebellion with over 30 men killed, and 150 captured. Shays’ Rebellion was ultimately a failure, but it had a large impact on the creation of the modern US constitution and the creation of a standing army. I also think it may be interesting if Shay Cormac had taken the name Daniel Shays during the Revolutionary War to act as a Templar mole searching for the Piece of Eden George Washington would find and that the “little revolution” he referenced at the end of Rogue was not the French Revolution, but him orchestrating Shays’ Rebellion against the new republic that the Templars largely fought against. Daniel Shays would eventually die in 1825, and while Shay would be very old by that point, it would make sense to be that late due to Shay’s relationship with his grandson Cudgel. War of 1812 America’s relationship with Britain continued to strain during the years following the Revolutionary War. Britain used its colonies in Canada to give supplies and aid to Native American tribes with the intent of those tribes attacking American settlers. By 1805 a confederation of Native Americans formed in the great lakes and would actively kill any European-American settlers. Leading this was Tecumseh who was the brother of the original mastermind of the confederation. This conflict would lead the American government to lead the Battle of Tippecanoe against Tecumseh in 1811, and hostilities only increased from there. During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain set up large blockades of ports to stop Americans from trading with the French. While enforcing this, British ships had killed dozens of Americans and impressed even more into service. On June 1st, 1812, President James Madison sent Congress a list of grievances the United States had with Britain, and 4 days later, Congress voted to declare war for the first time. The first stage of the war primarily took place in the North East US and Canada. I’d personally say that this should be the bulk of the main map with cities like Baltimore, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Montreal, Toronto, and Quebec. And then we could see the other primary theatres as smaller self-contained maps. William Hull initially led the charge into Canada in early July of 1812, only to be chased back out by Shawnee natives combined with forces of the British Major General Isaac Brock who then laid siege to Detroit in August. Following Hull’s defeat, General William Henry Harrison took control of the American Armies and led them to victory in several battles around the Great Lakes, primarily against the Tecumseh Confederacy. On October 5th, 1813, Tecumseh was killed at the Battle of the Thames. The next year was a constant back and forth between Americans and British fighting over forts along the Canada-US border with several notable sieges at York (Toronto), Niagra, Fort Erie, and Plattsburgh. To the west, a series of battles were fought from 1812 to 1814 along the Mississippi River reaching down to St Louis. The east coast of the US saw a lot of action during the war. Starting in 1812, the British set up a series of blockades around the US. The blockade ended up serving as a large way for Black Refugees to escape slavery and get to Canada where they’d be freed. It also gave partial control of the Chesapeake Bay, and despite attempts to fortify the Potomac River in 1813, by 1814 the British freed of the Napoleonic Wars sent more ships to the war in America, breaking through the fortifications. Their first major attack was the Burning of Washington DC in response to the Battle of York (Toronto) a year prior. The British then went north and led a land and naval battle at Baltimore (the naval bombardment of Baltimore was partially what inspired the lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner). During the battle, the British General Ross was killed, leaving command to Colonel Arthur Brooke who after finishing the battle, commanded his troops and ships to New Orleans. The Creek War was the southernmost war partially influenced by Tecumseh’s Confederacy. The Lower Creeks in Alabama had been trading partners for the US and Settlers, adopting many of their cultural practices, while the Upper Creeks controlled the rivers and were concerned about the loss of the culture and lifestyle to encroaching US settlers. Over the course of 2 years, General Andrew Jackson would lead US and Lower Creek troops against the Upper Creeks and ultimately gained 21 million acres for the US in what is now Alabama and Georgia. During this American General James Wilkinson took the city of Mobile and part of western Spanish Florida. At the end of 1814 and January of 1815, the British would lead multiple offenses against New Orleans and Mobile, losing each time. By that point, both the Americans and the British had sent delegates to Ghent to negotiate a stalemate. On December 24th the Treaty of Ghent was signed, but it wouldn’t be until February that the news reached America and the fighting ceased. The most lore we have is that every presidency was contested between Assassins and Templars and the first Templar President was Franklin D. Roosevelt. I do really like this period for opening up the capability of expanding Connor’s Story, tying up Shay, maybe meet Shay’s son. There’s a ton of lore possibilities here. We also know that the apple Connor dropped in the ocean was retrieved by the 20th century, so it’s possible that part of the heavy naval portion of this war and blockade was a British effort to search for the apple. Mexican-American War In 1836 the Texas Revolution saw Texas freed from Mexico to the chagrin of Santa Anna, the sitting Mexican President. 9 years later, the Texas Republic continued to face threats from Mexico which did not view them as sovereign; the United States, as a result, annexed Texas. Texas, however, still claimed more land than it owned, and Mexico refused to recognize this, leading to American President James K. Polk to send an emissary to Mexico City to negotiate to buy land on good faith while also sending American troops over the border with the intention of provoking an armed military response. It did, and after American troops were fired upon at Palo Alto, America declared the Mexican-American War on May 13th, 1846. The war itself was largely controversial, including Abraham Lincoln; and many northern abolitionists saw it as a way to strengthen slavery in the south. The first campaign of the war was to capture what became New Mexico. Santa Fe was captured by August of 1846 but rebels in the area led small assaults and raids for another year until the Battle of Cienega Creek. Following this, General Kearny marched his troops across the Sonoran Desert to California. It took 3 months for news of the war to originally reach California, and when it did, American troops planted flags in San Francisco. American armies would lead several battles just outside San Diego and Los Angeles, with small rebels popping up near San Francisco, but California was largely conquered by January of 1847. Throughout 1846 troops marched from San Antonio and Corpus Christi to be met with battles in Monterrey and Buena Vista. By March 9th, 1847 General Scott was ordered to bring the war to a close by President Polk by capturing Mexico City. Commodore Matthew C Perry arrived at Veracruz on March 24th and opened it up with a naval bombardment. Despite several soldiers coming down with Yellow Fever during the 12-day siege, General Scott pushed on to Puebla and then Mexico City with Santa Anna expecting the diseases to wipe out the army. After a stop at Puebla due to the sick, Scott marched on to the Battle for Mexico City, a week-long series of battles that left Scott the military governor of the city on September 15th, 1847. Santa Anna then attempted to besiege Puebla but failed due to the Battle of Huamantla lifting the siege in early October. Following the defeat, a new Mexican Government led by Manuel de la Pena y Pena ceded over military control from Santa Anna to General Jose Joaquin de Herrera. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2nd, 1848, with nearly 339 million acres of land given to the United States while the US paid $15 million dollars (approximately 5 cents per acre). Once again there’s next to no lore in this area, and we could see Shay’s son or Grandson be active during the war. That said, the United States was extremely aggressive during the war, and making assassins allied with either the US or Mexico could feel somewhat forced, as this was ultimately two countries fighting over land. The Civil War I personally don’t wish to discuss this setting too much, as I don’t believe Ubisoft could actually do this setting well, especially with the current lore. First of all, is the reasoning for the war. States' rights were ultimately the reason for southern secession; and slavery was the biggest of those concerns, and many smaller concerns revolved around slavery. Northern abolitionists had been sending over voters to commit voting fraud and try to force states below the Mason-Dixon line to not allow slavery. The Northern states refused to follow the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, multiple states were displeased with high federal spending, they had issues with the regulation of the banks which hurt southern states more than northern, Northern States ruled congress due to population density, and there were many questions about how the south would survive economically if slavery was abolished. While we all agree in the modern-day that slavery is wrong (and our assassin character should agree), people did not historically hold that view. And to be fair to their fears, following the civil war the southern economy did crash, affecting more than the 1% of land-owning slave owners. Even the now freed blacks had nowhere to go or anything to do because they spent their entire lives on plantations. This resulted in many blacks essentially becoming serfs for their former masters. Segregation and Jim Crow laws only increased after the civil war due to racism, and despite freed black men legally being able to vote, they rarely could because of new racist restrictions. The south wasn’t alone in enacting racist legislation though, as New York has been called the capital of Jim Crow. Northerners may have been against slavery, but that doesn’t mean they cared what came next. Templars were primarily behind the south and secession, while assassins backed the north and abolitionists. Abraham Lincoln’s election is what ultimately set off the secession despite not even being an abolitionist. He, despite being against slavery, agreed that it was sanctioned by the US constitution under the 10th amendment. He cared more about keeping the union together, and still, the south seceded. Lincoln couldn’t let that stand and put northern troops in Fort Sumter, squarely in southern territory. He loaded the fort with arms and rations enough to last a long siege. The newly forming Confederacy of the United States saw this as a threat and fired upon the fort. Just like with the Mexican American War, Lincoln could now claim that not only did he want to keep the Union whole, but the south fired first. Lincoln then (illegally) declared Martial Law in Maryland in order to make sure the capital (Washington DC) wasn’t surrounded by enemies. Despite the Assassins backing the north, we know from the movie that Assassins also supported the south. Perhaps this was similar to how General Lee was a general for the confederacy because of his family ties despite being against slavery? Perhaps Assassins and templars in the South agreed about very real potential issues with civil rights in the wake of slavery’s abolition and felt the solution could be worked out more diplomatically. We also know Templars controlled major parts of the North. William “Boss” Tweed was the boss of Tammany Hall and played a major part in the Democratic Party’s organization and the corruption in New York City. He was also a Templar master who worked with Cudgel Cormac (the grandson of Shay), to orchestrate the New York City Draft Riots in 1863. An assassin, Varius, worked for the Union and delivered a PoE to General Ulysses S Grant. John Wilkes Booth, a templar affiliate, assassinated Abraham Lincoln and then was killed by assassins 12 days later. Lincoln’s successor, Andrew Johnson, would go on to ratify the 13th through 15th amendments. His presidency was also about when the gilded age began, a period of 30 years marred by mass corruption and monopoly overreach during intense industrialization. Personally, I don’t think Ubisoft should attempt this setting. The rampant racism, the debate over what was a state right, the rise of organizations like the KKK, the bloody battles, and intense politics all still heavily impact the united states. Some men and women today can still say that their grandparents were freed from slavery between 1863-1865. The racism and corruption that poured forth in the aftermath can still be felt by many within the United States, even if such institutions have been since criminalized. The Civil War can be a very sensitive topic to people all across the United States, and it should be handled sensitively. I think there can be some very nuanced lore about the assassins and templars' roles during the war and why they chose certain sides. But ultimately I do not trust Ubisoft to handle this setting well. Unity nor Syndicate maturely handled themes of extremism or marxism well, and Origins and Odyssey have just blatantly ignored a lot of historical sexism and slavery. Freedom Cry was about freeing slaves and yet the slave ship you board shows a handful of men all chained separately and sitting up rather than the barbaric and cruel reality of the transatlantic slave trade that intended to spread disease and filth to break the body and mind of the slaves. Ignoring Injustices does not respect them or what millions of people went through. Cowboys, Outlaws, and Indians in the West The United States is incredibly beautiful, and the current games in this series have barely scratched the surface. Luckily, the westward expansion and wars America waged against the Native Americans are not only full of potential for fantastic (and tragic) stories but also can showcase a lot of America’s landscapes. Founded in 1850 by Allan Pinkerton in 1850 the Pinkerton Detective Agency was a private security force that rose to prominence during and after the civil war. They’re well known for investigating and causing the collapse of several unions, investigating murders, serving as bodyguards for Abraham Lincoln, and infiltrating the Molly Maguires (a secret Irish organization in Pennsylvania). They famously were hired to hunt down Jesse James, the Reno Gang, and Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch. Outlaws were common in the south around Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Some like Jesse James and Black Bart were from farther North. Outlaws would generally prey on stagecoaches, trains, and banks, easy targets for quick money. Local sheriffs would then form posses to track down and bring the outlaws to justice. In cases of more notorious outlaws, detective agencies like the Pinkertons may be involved. Recently, however, the Pinkerton Agency has sued Rockstar for their portrayal in Red Dead Redemption 2; so it may not be possible to use them and we may see another Syndicate situation with Ubisoft making up fake gangs and agencies. Some towns and settlements began to pop up that supported outlaws. And these old west towns weren’t just down south in Texas and Arizona but stretched all the way north to the Dakotas, most famously including Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane died. Some other famous towns include Tombstone Arizona and Cody Wyoming. Arizona was home to a number of towns like Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff which was close to the Grand Canyon. Las Vegas existed as a small settlement in what is now Nevada, only a little to the west of the Grand Canyon, but wasn’t founded officially until 1905. California is home to Death Valley and part of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts while also holding massive mountains and rolling hills covered in redwoods. To the east were cities like Albuquerque and John Cross ranch (now Truth or Consequences) in New Mexico, Amarillo, El Paso, Austin, Houston, and Dallas in Texas. North of Arizona is Utah, home of the Mormons and Salt Lake City, containing Arches National Park. Right next door is the rocky mountains and Denver that was founded during the gold rush. Wyoming contains Grand Teton, Devil’s Tower, and Yellowstone. Montana and the Dakotas are filled with forests and stunning hills and landmarks like the Badlands. Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa are largely flat open plains, home of large cattle ranches and cowboys, and easy targets for the outlaws while Louisiana is just a flat swamp. East of the Mississippi are still some plains until you reach the Appalachians which border the east Coast. The only place I’d say we should go that’s east of the Mississippi is Detroit, which was called the Paris of the West and home to the Pinkertons. Despite the fun lawlessness found commonly throughout the frontier as explored by Red Dead Redemption, America also had a much darker side. The westward expansion that exploded into the west following the Mexican-American War and the Gold Rush meant violently pushing Native Americans out of their land into reservations. This led to dozens of wars and battles in a series called the Indian Wars. I don’t have enough space to go into details about the wars, but between 1850 and 1900 there were well over 50 wars just west of the Mississippi between Native American tribes and the United States military. This is even ignoring the trail of tears in the southeast. Some of the more famous wars are the Sioux Wars and the bulk of these lasted from 1854-1890. They included some of the most famous American Generals and Native American leaders including George Cook, George Custer, Little Crow, Crazy Horse, and Sitting Bull. During the Great Sioux War Lieutenant Colonel George Custer and over 300 of his men were killed at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Years later in 1890, one of the most famous incidents occurred where Kicking Bull and Sitting Bull led to their deaths. The natives entered into Ghost Dance War, and during it, the US Army entered the native camp at Wounded Knee and after hearing a gunshot, massacred 350 native men, women, and children. Those are just 2 famous events, the map linked above under Indian Wars shows the locations of dozens more battles and forts. Once again, this setting would need a lot of care and respect to do it right and is something I’d be very concerned about Ubisoft doing well.
Today (5/26) at 5:30pm: Governor Sisolak to Discuss Phase 2 Reopening. Announces June 4 target date for gaming reopening.
Meeting will be live streamed from the Legislative Building. Link should be here later today. I'll try and post the direct video link when it's up. Here is the text from the press release found on nvhealthresponse.nv.gov.
Governor Sisolak To Discuss Phase 2 Reopening Next Tuesday, Sets Target Date for Reopening of Gaming in Nevada CARSON CITY, NV – Today, ahead of the holiday weekend, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced he will hold a press conference on Tuesday, May 26, to discuss the next phase in Nevada’s reopening plan, as outlined in Nevada United: Roadmap to Recovery. Saturday marks two weeks since Phase 1 began. Since that time, the LEAP and the Governor’s Office have been monitoring the first phase of reopening, analyzing data trends and evaluating potential plans for Phase 2. If Nevada's COVID-19 data continues to reflect positive or consistent trends through the Memorial Day Weekend, the Governor will announce a Phase 2 reopening date at the Tuesday press conference, along with business reopening and statewide continuing operation guidelines. Additionally, on Tuesday, the Nevada Gaming Control Board will be holding an informational workshop where state and local health and safety officers will provide an update regarding COVID-19 response measures at Resort Hotels. After presentations, the Board will consider any action necessary with regard to reopening plans. Gaming properties are required to submit reopening plans to the Board for approval seven days before reopening. Pending the evaluation of trends in Nevada’s COVID-19 data, along with the results of the Gaming Control Board meeting on Tuesday, the Governor has set a target date of June 4, 2020, for reopening Nevada’s gaming industry. Without a thoughtful and measured reopening of Nevada's gaming industry, all of the work that Nevadans have done to fight the spread of this viral pandemic will have been for naught. The Gaming Control Board remains resolute in ensuring that gaming operations in this State do not compromise the health and safety of Nevadans. In consultation with the Office of the Governor, as well as federal, state, and local health officials, the Board’s Policies aim to diminish personal contact and increase the level of disinfection in high-use areas, and the Board expects full compliance with these Policies by each licensee. The Board is firmly aware of its statutory duty to protect the public health and welfare of the Silver State's citizenry, while allowing the gaming industry to flourish through strict regulation. Gov. Sisolak reminded Nevadans to stay safe to stay open over the long holiday weekend, encouraging Nevadans to wear face coverings if in public, avoid large gatherings of ten or more and to practice aggressive social distancing by staying at least six feet away from other people.
Given some of the disappointment in TSLA's battery day, and the lack of mentioning the magic letters of VALE or LAC, I thought I'd write up some further due diligence I dug up on LAC. I still think it's got a lot of promise, but I may be biased as I loaded up on it over the past few weeks. The Thacker Pass Project First production Expectation Q3 – 2022 (LAC Website) Q1 – 2023 is also a possibility as the a record of decision by the environmental authorities must be issued by February 5th, after which LAC has said they’ll begin a 2 year construction phase (https://sierranevadaally.org/2020/08/28/thacker-pass-lithium-mine-draft-environmental-impact-statement-reaction/) Size: “The current exploration plan boundary encompasses approximately 3,550 acres. The project would involve expanding the plan boundary to approximately 18,000 acres, with an ultimate disturbance footprint of approximately 5,700 acres.” – Bureau of Land Management (https://www.blm.gov/press-release/bureau-land-management-seeks-public-input-proposed-lithium-nevada-corporation-thacker) The above meets Elon’s comments about having permits to a mining site that is over 10,000 acres. It could also be that the expansion may be a part of an agreement with Tesla that would allow Musk the mining rights to his 10,000+ acres. https://sierranevadaally.org/2020/08/28/thacker-pass-lithium-mine-draft-environmental-impact-statement-reaction/ This article is the most interesting one that talks bout the Environmental statement reaction (Same article referenced in the first production expectation section). The draft environmental impact statement was published July 29th and the public comment period ended on September 11th, 2020. Article says they spent the last couple of years creating processing method using sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid has been used for hard rock extraction for decades, but this is a new way for sedimentary clay in a more environmentally friendly way. They said the excess acidity is neutralized to produce gypsum and Epsom salt as by products. The project is proposed to be a carbon-neutral mine operation; this seems in line with Tesla’s goals. The CEO, Alexi Zawadzki, made appoint of saying “Once the lithium is dissolved, it can be concentrated and purified to produce high-quality lithium compounds for batteries. Any excess acidity is neutralized to produce calcium sulfate (gypsum, also known as the main material in wall-board) and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt)” The article also said that an open pit is proposed with the remediation objective of back filling the hole; Elon made a big point his presentation that their mine would be putting the soil back into the land to return it to it’s natural state. Finally: “LNC is evaluating financing options to build the Thacker Pass mine including a partner in the Thacker Pass project. Current regulations restrict certain countries, including China, from owning strategic minerals deposits in the USA and the Company will fully abide by these laws.” After all of the above, given Musk’s comment’s about Tesla itself obtaining Mining Rights and getting into the mining game, there is also some speculation from others that Tesla could consider buying the mine from LAC (some before and after the battery day): https://cleantechnica.com/2020/06/27/tesla-terafactories-lithium-securing-the-supply-chain/ https://youtu.be/C6cXu1Ln6rk?t=227 At this point, it’s a gamble (like everything here), but I’m holding my position. Given the above, and the fact that Ganfeng Lithium (TSLA’s current Lithium provider – see more details and DD @ https://www.reddit.com/wallstreetbets/comments/iss0ez/how_to_get_big_tendies_off_tsla_battery_day/ ) is the biggest owner at 16.55%, I’m happy to hold. There’s likely going to be some froth over the next little bit, but I think they’ve get a pretty good shot at being involved in Tesla's Mining project; even if they’re not, the approval of the mine and beginning construction on the project should provide some good PR and keep the stock on a profitable trajectory. Best of luck you beautiful bastards Also, 4/16, 2021 15C
The revised Nevada Gaming Control board regulations require licensees to have polices in place to address these issues. Prior to the regulation change, most major gaming companies likely had policies in place as a general best practice to address workplace discrimination and harassment that is unlawful under federal and Nevada law. “Board” means the Nevada Gaming Control Board as established by this chapter. (Added to NRS by 1967, 1038; A 2015, 1367) NRS 463.0139 “Capital lease” defined. “Capital lease” means a bailment, lease or similar transaction in which: 1. The lease is in writing; 2. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has been supportive of developing new and improved cashless regulations. One of former Chairwoman Sandra Morgan’s regrets as she resigned last week was not seeing ... Nevada casinos have received restrictions from the gaming board to help fight the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Nevada Gaming Control Board made the announcement Wednesday in a press ... The Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada Gaming Control Board are empowered by law to regulate Nevada’s gaming industry. Established in 1931 and bolstered by the creation of our agency in 1955, our evolving laws and regulations have been an integral element of the success of gaming in Nevada. The gaming industry is NRS 465.110 Disposition of evidence seized by agent of Nevada Gaming Control Board. _____ _____ GENERAL PROVISIONS NRS 465.015 Definitions. As used in this chapter: 1. “Cheat” means to alter the elements of chance, method of selection or criteria which determine: Nevada Gaming Regulation Regulation 5, Operation of Gaming Establishments. 5.170 – Programs to address problem gambling. As used in this section “licensee” means each person who is licensed to conduct restricted or nonrestricted gaming operations Live Entertainment Tax regulations administered by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Provisions concerning the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s administration of Live Entertainment Tax contained in Nevada Administrative Code §§ 368A.300 – 368A.540. The Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada Gaming Control Board govern Nevada's gaming industry through strict regulation of all persons, locations, practices, associations and related activities. Nevada Gaming Control Board details reopening procedures for casinos shuttered by COVID-19 Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette Journal 7/1/2020 More teachers getting vaccinated in push to restore normalcy
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![[LVRJ] Nevada gaming board recommends regulations on club personnel](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/lNzc4lHYUD_56T8Mbb9cf0N08KT7wjCpZz0N3DJbV9Q.jpg "[LVRJ] Nevada gaming board recommends regulations on club personnel")
