COLUMBUS, OH, March 25, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Opportunity vs. saturation in the Midwest will be debated in the opening session of the inaugural Mid-America Gaming Congress, to be held April 8 - 9, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency Columbus.
Joseph Weinert, Executive Vice President at Spectrum Gaming Group, a co-producer of the conference, will moderate the opening session, The Competition Landscape, on Wednesday morning. Weinert will lead the panel discussion on topics including:
- What is happening with gaming expansion and how will it play out?
- Are casino operators using regulations to their advantage vs. cross-border competitors?
- As tax revenue decreases in impacted states, will they seek more casinos … or alternative forms of gaming?
- Where is there saturation?
- Where is there opportunity?
Panelists include:
- Joseph Billhimer, President and COO, MTR Gaming
- Wes Ehrecke, President and CEO, Iowa Gaming Association
- John Finamore, Senior Vice President, Penn National Gaming
- David Frankhouser, VP Operations, Delaware North
- Randhir Jha, Senior Fiscal/Program Analyst, Indiana Legislative Services Agency
The Mid-America Gaming Congress is a must-attend event for gaming operators, elected officials, regulators, attorneys, vendors, developers, investors, and analysts who follow gaming in the Midwest. The conference launches on April 8 with the Welcome Reception, sponsored by and taking place at Hollywood Casino Columbus. The following day begins with an Opening Keynote Address from Jo Ann Davidson, Chair, Ohio Casino Control Commission, followed by a full day of discussion and debate regarding the gaming landscape across the Midwest. Timothy J. Wilmott, Chief Executive Officer of Penn National Gaming Inc., will deliver the Luncheon Keynote Address. The conference concludes with the Closing Reception, sponsored by and taking place at Scioto Downs Racino.
The Mid-America Gaming Congress is jointly organized and produced by Dickinson Wright and Spectrum Gaming Group and will address the critical issues facing the gaming industry in markets ranging from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin and Oklahoma to Kentucky. Additional topics to be discussed are:
- iGaming: What can be learned from jurisdictions where Internet gaming is currently legal? What can be expected in the short term and in the long term?
- Exploring Other Gaming Options: What are the various forms of non-casino, non-lottery gambling and other for-money games that are available to states? Where are the success stories – and the failures?
- Regulation: As states crave more gaming revenue, are regulations and regulators becoming more relaxed? To what extent is there – or should there be – cooperation among regulators in different states?
- Wall Street View: Which Mid-America gaming markets have the best near-term outlooks? Which gaming operators are best positioned for growth?
For the complete agenda and to register, visit www.midamericagamingcongress.com. To become a conference sponsor, contact Korbi Carrison at kcarrison@spectrumgaming.com. Please email events@midamericagamingcongress.com to be added to the mailing list for updates.