Usher,JayZ and Entertainment News

I just came up with my wish list for artists I would like to see in 2013.  I was fortunate to
see several great performers in 2012. Beyonce was at the top of that list. Her shows at
Revel sold out in minutes and were attended by the First Lady, Michele Obama. Mary J.
Blige was a close second with a stellar perfomance at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia.
Mary killed it with assistance from D'Angelo. R. Kelly is coming in 33 days and I have tickets.
I will submit a review entirely devoted to that concert.
My top three artists I would like to see in 2013 include Usher, JayZ and Rihanna. My choices
are in the order of preference. The venue or city does not matter. My reasons for the three
performers chosen are below.

USHER - He has a really hot CD in Looking 4 Myself. It has 3 tremendous songs that include
"Climax", "I Care for You"and "Dive". The video for "Dive" has Usher submerged in water and
confessing his affections for new paramour.One of the best videos I've seen in awhile. He has
so many hits that a set would have to last close to 2 hours to include his best songs.

JAY Z - He is at the top of his game right now. I have never seen him perform in person. I am
long overdue.

RIHANNA- I have tickets to see her in March,2013. She is performing at the Wells Fargo Center
in Philadelphia. She is hot with a new CD and her reconcilaiation with Chris Brown. Rihanna is
featured promoting perfume and on the cover of several major magazines.She is one of sexiest
women alive and her concert will promote her risque side.

                                
                                          Follow me for more on Twitter at @GamingGuyM

PGCB & Philadelphia Gaming Entertainment News

This week saw the unveiling of the plans of Bart Blatstein to turn the site of the

former Philadelphia Inquirer Building into a casino hotel. The concept would

turn ironically turn the building from from that printed paper to making "paper".

It would include restaurants, shops and a spa. It would have approximately 125

hotel rooms.

PGCB or the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has issued a deadline of Nov.

15th  to submit applications for the 2nd license for a casino in Philadelphia. There

are at least two other developers that have express interest in obtaining the bid.

While Blatstein has partnered with the Hard Rock Casino, no other notable group

has come forth from the gaming world. This will change as the deadline comes

closer.

The table games revenue in Pennsylvania grew in the month of September. This can

be attributed to strong marketing by all the casinos and the addition of Valley Forge

Casino Hotel and Resort to the mix. The question is can this growth continue? New

Jersey is proposing mobile wagering and seeking to offer sports betting.Delaware has

pass online gaming but has not set anything in motion. Pennsylvania and Philadelphia

have done well with gaming revenue and jobs. The Commonwealth must now consider

some of the proposals that our neighboring states have to avoid saturation and cannibalization.

 

                                   Follow me on Twitter at @GamingguyM.

 

NFL News and Ray Lewis

Week 7 in the NFL had the Houston Texans rebounding  to dominating the Baltimore

Ravens, 43-13. They are now 6-1 for the season. The Ravens are rack with injuries,

notably the loss of Ray Lewis. The Giants and Redskins had a great matchup, with RGIII

going against Eli Manning. New York won 27-23. Manning seal the victory with a bomb

to Victor Cruz. Griffin is definitely a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

Dallas defeated the Carolina Panthers 19-14. Cam Newton demeanor after the game was not

indicative of what a leader should display. No one should embrace losing but you must speak

about the positives of your team's performance.

Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers have rediscovered the offense. They defeated the Rams 30-20.

Rodgers threw for over 300 yards and completed 30 out of 37.

The Patriots defeated the Jets 29-26.  The Patriots control the game until

the final 5 minutes. Poor play calling and a turnover at the two minute mark help the Jets get

back in the game.The game went into overtime with 5 seconds left on a 43 yard field goal.by

New England.Patriots scored on a field goal to lead off the OT. Sanchez fumble on the ensuing

possession to end the game.

New England is now in 1st place in the division.

My picks for the day included the Vikings -6, the Giants,Cowboys and Packers straight up.

my selections for the season are  22-9.

Ray Lewis suffered a season ending injury to his triceps last week. Ray Lewis is as close to

irreplaceable as Beyonce. He is the emotional leader of the team. For the past 17 years, Lewis

has not only been the face of the Ravens, but a cornerstone of the league.I personally enjoy

the passion that he has for the game. Lewis and Brian Dawkins have the same DNA. The ability

to play to the moment and be a game changer. Not many guys still playing after 12 years that

are a key part of the scouting report. Ray Lewis is still a force after 17 years. I wish him a

speedy recovery.

Follow me on Twitter at @GamingguyM.

 

Philadelphia Gaming Proposal

The gaming proposal of developer Bart Blatstein is gaining traction. Mr.Blatstein is hosting
an invitation only affair  for 150 guests. The vision is to have a second Philadelphia
casino located in the heart of downtown. The location is the old Philadelphia Inquirer Building.
The speculation is who is on his list of invitees. I have my 5 individuals that I feel make the
cut.
Mayor Nutter - He had the national profile coming off his speech at the Democratic Convention.
He is intelligent and willing to entertain a new revenue stream.
Ed Rendell - He is able to bring business organizations together throughout the region due to
his years of public service as a former mayor and governor.
Ed Snider - He has the support of Comcast and is the owner of the Flyers.He has interest in the
prior casino development group that could not agree on a location in Philadelphia. He would have
the desire to at least hear Blatstein's proposal.
John Dougherty - He is business manager of the Philadelphia Electricians Union. Any new construction in Philadelphia would give jobs to the region.
Paul Levy - He is the head of the Center City District. He represents the interest of the business owners,shops and hotels downtown. They would all benefit indirectly from any venue that would
drive foot traffic toward center city.
There are other proposals that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board must consider. The deadline is November 15th. There was a poll recently that question the need and the viability of another
casino in Philadelphia. I will keep you informed.

Follow me on Twitter at @GamingguyM
Check out prior blog posts on Beyonce, Rihanna ,Jay Z and casino related news on
thegamingguyproductions.blogspot.com

NFL Super Bowl 2013 features Beyonce in New Orleans

It was just announced that Beyonce will perform at halftime of this year's Super Bowl. This
will guarantee that this will be the NFL highest rated game ever. More viewers will turn in
just to watch Beyonce perform regardless of the two teams playing. Marketing and Commercials
during this game would be wise to include Beyonce, Jay Z ,Rihanna or any member of their
entourage to hawk products.
The speculation has started as to who will share the stage with Beyonce. She could conceivably
carry the entire performance. My wish would be a mini Destiny's Child reunion. That could set
the ground for a tour. Timing appears right since the three members of the group do not appear
to have any new CDs or albums pending that feature them as solo artists.
NFL is extremely creative and careful in selecting halftime entertainment. Since the wardrobe
malfunction between Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, the league has taken several precautions.
Beyonce is a safe choice for the National Football League. She is too classy to do something racy.
She will keep people tuned in at halftime. Any advertisement spots that are not sold will cost more
now. Beyonce and NFL are a winning combination. My question is can the game live up to the
hype of the halftime? Follow me for more on Twitter at @GamingguyM

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NFL news and Derek Jeter

At the close of weekend number 6 in the NFL, there is clearly no dominant team in the league.
Texans fell to the Green Bay Packers leaving Atlanta as the remaining undefeated team. No
team has the swagger of the Patriots during their undefeated regular season or the Packers who
went 15-1 last year.
Parity has found football with every team having a chance to win base on home field and game
plan. New England has displayed a Jekyll and Hyde personality with 10 games left. The Eagles
stumble into their bye week with two consecutive loses. In order for Andy Reid to return next
season, Mike Vick must step up his game. Reid would be wise to utilize LaSean McCoy more
and give the backup quarterback 30% of the reps with the 1st team during practice. This will
get Vick's attention.
Shout out to Derek Jeter for being the class act of MLB. His season came to an abrupt end due
to injury. The fracture of the ankle may limit him going forward as an everyday player, but I
envision his return. I had the pleasure of meeting him in a social setting and he was cool. He
even complimented me on my suit. Granted I do get compliments and it was a nice suit. But I
don't get that everyday from the captain of the New York Yankees. I hope he comes back and

is able to play at a level close to what expected from one of the best ball players of this era. Follow
me for more on Twitter.

Revel and Borgata Entertainment in Atlantic City

I just finish checking out the lineup for Revel and Borgata Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
I reviewed the pending attractions and events for October thru New Year's Eve. Unless
Revel has some pending announcements,Borgata clearly has the more impressive headliners
of the two.
Borgata has Jerry Seinfeld, John Legend, Maxwell,Darryl Hall and John Oates.Revel has
Aerosmith and Tiesto.
Borgata and Revel are having Halloween parties at their respective nightclubs. There are
prizes for the best and sexiest costume.
Both properties saw their gaming revenue numbers drop from the month of August. This
is part of the decline that most of Atlantic City is experiencing. The positive numbers are
reflected in hotel occupancy. Atlantic City is up 11% overall. This is largely due to Revel
and the infusion of 1400 luxurious rooms.
I will report more Atlantic City Entertainment and mention the New Year's Eve headliners
in a future blog. Follow me for Revel and Borgata updates on Twitter. 

 

Barclays Center and Jay Z's Blueprint

The Barclays Center opened October 1 with Jay Z as the headliner. He perform several sold
out shows,one featuring an appearance by his wife, Beyonce. The concerts were a culmination
of Jay Z's vision of bringing a professional sports franchise and an international venue back to
his beloved Brooklyn.
The Barclays Center holds 18,200 and cost approximately 1 billion dollars to build. The areas
near the Center have new condos,shops and restaurants. Inside, there are 37 Brooklyn vendors
that will offer a variety of food options that are reflective of the area.
The Barclays Center has high tech amenities that cater to the next millennium fan. The most
innovative development is the app that enable the users to order food from their seats.The mobile application also has the capacity to provide event information. There are over 700 HDTVs
throughout the venue.
Jay Z  help create 11 exclusive suites that are called The Vault. The cost to rent a suite annually
is over 500,000 dollars. Jay Z's clothing store,Rocawear is also scheduled to open in the Center.
Some of the artists scheduled to perform at the Center include John Legend, Journey, Justin
Bieber and Rihanna. The Brooklyn Nets will also play their home games in the Barclays Center.
I plan to go to an event there. I am giving it a recommend to all that read this.

Rihanna and Beyonce News

Rihanna and Beyonce were both in the entertainment news this week for starkly contrasting
reasons. Rihanna is the hot topic of discussion for being seen publicly with Chris Brown.
The same Chris Brown that she was involved with some 3 years ago. When it  comes to matters
of the heart, the choices are our own. So too,are the consequences of our actions. Everyone has
that person in their life that your mom said was not for you. The one that your friends said is
no good. But you dealt with that person anyway. You wanted them and you had to find out on
your own. So why if you have millions of dollars,are beautiful and adored by thousands, should
Rihanna be any different.
.
Beyonce made headlines for having a fundraiser for the President. One's political preference is
not the issue. The fact that most people under 30 will take away from this is the right to chose
and vote for our leaders is something that we should cherish and exercise. In other countries,
there is no choice. There is no option. Beyonce highlighted the American way. The right to make
a decision.

Since Rihanna and Beyonce are both in the spotlight, I thought I would take a moment and
compare them. Rihanna is younger, edgier and more risque. Beyonce is renown for business
ventures and theatrical performances. This includes several movies and a stunning concert
performance at Revel earlier this year that, I was privileged to attend.I have tickets to Rihanna's
concert in Philadelphia in March, 2013. I plan to give a review and take pictures of that event.

Rihanna was declared the sexiest woman alive by Esquire earlier this year. Beyonce was cited
as the most beautiful woman in the world by People Magazine. No loser between them in terms
of physical presence. I shared pictures of them side by side. You make your choice.

G2E 2012 Review

The G2E has concluded and the 30,000 attendees have returned to their respective jurisdictions.
The online gaming took center stage as operators and technology providers prepare for the next
frontier. Nevada is clearly the leader in both areas with legislation in place to operate at a state or
federal level. A federal law governing online gaming would generate more revenue and create
more jobs.
The networking and marketing opportunities the G2E provides are,in the words of Mastercard,
"priceless". This is the only time that all these different groups are together under one roof. Ballys
Technologies, IGT and Shuffle Master are prime with the latest product developments.This includes
slots, table games and tech support.
Within 5 years, a $22,000 slot machine could be replaced by an I pad that could produce  more
revenue at a fraction of the cost. A dealer could deal to 50 people at one time opposed to 6. The
leaders of the gaming and casino industry that embrace the technological advances will be the
winners. Follow me and I'll keep you abreast of the forthcoming trends.

G2E 2012 and Entertainment News

G2E 2012 winds up with a survey of gaming executive projecting the growth potential of the
industry. The consensus is that online gaming is a point of when and not "if". Most are of the
opinion that nothing will happen within the next year. Poker will be offered online first. The
most revenue will be come from slot and table games play. If sports betting is ever approved,
the pie will widen substantially. Any online play should mirror the brick and mortar operations
model.

R.Kelly has announced his "Single Ladies Tour. He will perform in Philadelphia on November
29. His opening act will be Tamia.

Kevin Hart is performing at the Well Fargo Center in December.

Philadelphia Sixers tickets went on sale last Friday. The Lakers game scheduled for December 16
is sold out.

James Bond is 50 years old. The movie series started with "Dr. No"  and continues with "Skyfall".
This is the 23rd installment. Daniel Craig returns to play the title role for the 3rd time. Adele  is
singing the movie theme song. The film opens November 9th.

G2E and Entertainment News

G2E started this week in Las Vegas. The emphasis the first two days were on Internet gaming

and technology advances. The key thoughts from the conference are that Sports betting is a good

3 to 5 years away at the earliest. New Jersey is waging a legal battle against the federal government

and the professional sport leagues for the right to allow sports betting.

The use of social media is continuing to advance the gaming industry. Facebook and Twitter are

being utilize to engage prospective customers. Gaming operators are now relying on third party

operators to manage retail outlets,restaurants and nightclubs. This allows the operator to concentrate

on the day to day gaming operations.

Organizations that embrace technology will advance and be the leaders of this millennium. The operators that are slow to change and innovate will lose market share.

 

John Legend canceled his concert tour scheduled to start this month. He gave the reason that his new

CD, Love in the Future, is not complete. Legend is keeping the concert appearance in Atlantic City

at the Borgata Casino.That show is scheduled for October 27.

 

Rihanna tickets went on sale Friday in Philadelphia. She is performing at the Wells Fargo Center on

March 14, 2013.

 

Jay Z is developing a game that will pit the Dream Team against the 2012 Olympic Basketball team.

This project will build on the speculation that Micheal Jordan and Magic Johnson would have

lost to the gold medal team led by Kobe Bryant and Lebron James.