A formal schedule is far from complete, but the Video Lottery Facility Location Commission could soon start to consider proposals for Prince George’s County’s casino license.

Jaclyn L. Vincent, director of gaming research and chief of staff for the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, said there would “hopefully” be a meeting of the location commission in June, with site visits and public presentations of casino proposals tentatively scheduled for July.

The license is still expected to be awarded by the end of the year, Lottery officials said Thursday, despite the agency receiving one more bid than originally expected.

MGM Resorts International Inc. has proposed a resort casino with 3,600 slot machines and 140 table games to be built at the sprawling National Harbor mini-city near Oxon Hill. Penn National Gaming Inc. has proposed building a casino at Rosecroft Raceway that includes 140 table games and “at least” 3,000 slot machines — though the company only paid an initial license fee to cover 500 slots.

The surprise bidder was Greenwood Racing Inc., the owner of Parx Casino near Philadelphia. That company has proposed building a resort casino near the intersection of Indian Head Highway and Old Fort Road in Fort Washington with 4,750 slots and 170 table games.

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Here are a few government and politics headlines for Friday:

• The Gazette reports on Montgomery County’s transportation priorities.
• The Frederick News-Post reports on Frederick County’s transportation priorities.
• The Daily Record reports a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony will be held next week at the site of Baltimore’s future casino, despite multiple legal challenges.
• MarylandReporter.com analyzes Maryland’s legislative website.
• The Annapolis Capital reports Joanna Conti, a Democrat, plans a second run for Anne Arundel County executive.

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A rendering of Penn National Gaming Inc.'s plan for Rosecroft Raceway, if it wins Prince George's County's casino license.

The Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission plans to take a closer look at Penn National Gaming Inc.’s plan to split into two companies.

The Wyomissing, Pa.-based gambling company plans to cede control of its casinos (and other real estate) to a publicly-traded Real Estate Investment Trust called Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. The entity known as Penn National Gaming would retain the company’s operating assets.

In the split, Hollywood Casino Perryville would be owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties, freeing up Penn National Gaming — which would retain ownership of Rosecroft Raceway — to build a casino there if awarded Prince George’s County’s casino license by the Video Lottery Facility Location Commission.

State law prohibits a company from holding more than one casino license.

John W. Morton III, a new Lottery commissioner who also chaired a task force last summer to study expanded gambling, said he felt the commission needed “to be very careful.”

“The form I understand, with the REIT,” Morton said Thursday. “The substance, however, is something different.”

Penn National is one of three companies vying to build a casino in Prince George’s County, considered by many to be the premier location for such a facility in the United States.

MGM Resorts International Inc. has bid to build a resort casino at National Harbor. Greenwood Racing Inc. — owner of Parx Casino near Philadelphia and partners with the Baltimore-based Cordish Cos. in a casino bid in Philadelphia — is seeking to build a resort casino in Fort Washington.

“Obviously, there is a lot of personnel and financial resources behind these bids,” Morton said.

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Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Allegany County. (Alexander Pyles/The Daily Record)

A lot of Western Marylanders, casino experts, economists and stakeholders contributed to a story in Wednesday’s paper looking at the history and future of what is now called Rocky Gap Casino Resort.

Few had a more unique vantage point than Robert C. Brennan, executive director of the Maryland Economic Development Corp., which owned the property when it was called Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort.

Brennan spoke with The Daily Record at length this week about the lodge, a project that he said failed as a hotel, conference center and golf resort but succeeded from an economic development perspective, driving some tourism to Allegany County. Only a small percentage of Brennan’s comments fit into today’s story.

For one thing, Brennan said it was difficult to lure people from Maryland’s more densely populated core.

“Getting people to go west, in my opinion, has always been difficult,” Brennan said. “My analogy’s always been ‘during the summer months, 300,000 people pack Ocean City, and I would love to have just had a small fraction of those people experience the western part of the state.’ We never had the big marketing dollars to attract people.”

Read the rest of this entry »

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Here’s a few government and politics headlines for Wednesday:

• The Washington Post reports former Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. is in talks to become Maryland’s transportation secretary, a post left vacant since last summer.
• The Baltimore Sun reports Joseph P. Gill has been sworn in as secretary of the Department of Natural Resources.
• The Daily Record reports on the likely opening this week of Rocky Gap Casino Resort.

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A couple of Annapolis public relations pros confirmed plans to switch jobs this week, headlined by Gov. Martin O’Malley’s longtime aide, Raquel Guillory.

Guillory plans to join the Department of Business and Economic Development next month as assistant secretary, a role that will put her in charge of marketing and communications after serving as O’Malley’s communications director.

She’s the fourth high-ranking O’Malley staffer to depart since November, following Joseph C. Bryce (Manis Canning & Associates), Rick Abbruzzese (Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver LLC) and Matthew D. Gallagher (Goldseker Foundation).

Meanwhile, Jim Pettit announced Tuesday he would join the campaign staff of Harford County Executive David R. Craig, who intends to announce his candidacy for governor early next month.

Pettit had been working for Change Maryland under Larry Hogan, a cabinet secretary in the administration of former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. Hogan — thought to be a potential Republican candidate for governor himself — canceled plans to run for governor in 2010 after Ehrlich decided on a rematch with O’Malley.

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For those of you wondering about the answer to that age-old question, “What do judges wear under their robes?”, here’s one answer:

I usually just wear simple black pants and a shirt—very rarely a suit. There’s some freedom in that, especially since I have so little time in the morning.

That’s Baltimore City District Court Judge Catherine Curran O’Malley, also known as Katie O’Malley, Maryland’s first lady.

O’Malley shared this tidbit and other details about her personal fashion and being a working mom in the newest issue of Baltimore Style Magazine (which was recently redesigned and relaunched.)

O’Malley also posed in the latest spring styles for a photo spread shot all around Government House.

The first lady also confirmed she loves finding a good deal:

I am a bargain shopper. My daughters shop quality. I buy my makeup at CVS and they buy theirs at Nordstrom. I go to Old Navy and buy yoga pants while they go to Lululemon.

That’s not to say she disregards her daughters’ fashion sense:

If I walk downstairs and look ridiculous, they won’t let me go out.

And isn’t that what family is for?

(Photo courtesy of Baltimore Style Magazine)

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Here’s a few government and politics headlines for Monday:

• The Baltimore Sun compares Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both speculated to be interesting in seeking the presidency in 2016.
• The Frederick-News Post reports on a new law that should mean more business for Maryland wineries.
• The Daily Record examines Maryland’s myriad business rankings.
• Baltimore Style magazine features Baltimore District Court judge and Maryland First Lady Katie O’Malley.

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Here’s a few government and politics headlines for Friday:

• The Baltimore Sun reports on projects that will be paid for by the gas tax increase enacted on Thursday.
• The Baltimore Business Journal reports Penn National Gaming Inc. may be able to hold two Maryland casino licenses at the same time.
• The Washington Post reports Maryland’s legislative hearing on the Baltimore Detention Center will take place June 6.
• MarylandReporter.com reports that some state workers doubled their salary through overtime last year.
• The Annapolis Capital reports Del. Steve Schuh has been elected chairman of Anne Arundel County’s state delegation, replacing new House Minority Leader Nic Kipke.

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The Eye on Annapolis Podcast returns with a look at two of our favorite topics: casinos and elections.

Alex and I discuss the three bids for a Prince George’s County casino and why many believe any of the options would become one of the most successful in the mid-Atlantic.

We also look ahead to the 2014 gubernatorial election and the challenges presumptive candidate Doug Gansler would face against Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown in the Democratic primary plus sort out some Republican candidates.

Enjoy.

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