Cairns – The proponents of a $4.2 billion mega-resort at Yorkeys Knob will open a second display office to cater for the immense community interest generated by theproject. Since opening last week, more than 1000 people have visited Aquis’ Cairns Central shop to find out more about Hong Kong investor Tony Fung’s plan to build the resort on 343ha of land north of Cairns. Mr Fung’s son, Justin Fung, last night met about 30 members of the Yorkeys Knob business community to discuss the proposal. He said there had been a positive response to the project after a “solid week…

NBC Miami – More than 800 slot machines fill the first floor of the Hialeah Park Casino. South Florida’s latest casino is located right beside the historical hotspot Hialeah Park Racetrack on East 32nd Street. Hector Santiago knows the racetrack well. “It’s a change from what it was 30 years ago,” he said. “I used to come to the track here. It looks nice.” Upstairs, it’s a full house in the poker room. With more than 20 tables, managers are already asking for more. Opening at 7 a.m. Wednesday, to a line outside, customers haven’t stopped coming in. So far,…

Gold Cost – Gold Coast City councillors today voted to continue their support for a cruise ship terminal and possible casino development despite protests from many residents. But recent confidential reports on the Broadwater made public in Gold Coast Bulletin reports and the protest from residents about hidden scientific studies appears to have caused division among councillors on the project. Councillors at this afternoon’s full council meeting were supposed to reaffirm “support of the State’s casino opportunity as part of an integrated tourism development that includes a cruise ship terminal”. A Bulletin report earlier today publicised the vote after southern-based…

Two factors produced the biggest smiles for investors in Las Vegas casino publicly traded companies as they pored over their earnings reports this quarter. Their companies either had a connection to Macau or are delivering — or are on the verge of delivering — real-money online poker. As the quarterly earnings season winds down, it is clear that the biggest winners this time were the companies that had a presence in Macau, and the bigger the presence, the bigger the score. Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International had good quarters, and, not surprisingly, all three are in…

ABC News – Italian fashion house Versace says it has signed a deal to build a luxury hotel at a casino-resort in Macau, the world’s top gambling market. Versace and Macau casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. said in a joint statement Tuesday that the five-star Palazzo Versace hotel will be part of the resort SJM is building in the former Portuguese colony. SJM, founded by billionaire Stanley Ho, received official approval in May to build a 2,000-room resort with 700 gambling tables. It will be SJM’s first resort on the Cotai Strip, modeled as Asia’s version of the Las Vegas…

Card Player – Some in North Carolina are considering letting a tribe within the borders of South Carolina make plans to open up a brand new casino in their state. The potential agreement is being considered by the administration of North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, according to the Associated Press. The tribe is the Catawba Indian Nation. If approved and then built, the casino would likely be located along Interstate 85 south of Kings Mountain. It would be in Cleveland County. The tribe, however, is keeping mum on the potential project. A spokeswoman for the Catawbas denied that they are…