Colony Capital LLC, a Los Angeles-based real estate firm, is considering a possible investment in the troubled City Center project in Las Vegas, according to people close to Colony and the City Center project. An investment could keep the USD 8.6 billion City Center project, owned by MGM Mirage and Dubai World, from bankruptcy.

State-owned Holland Casino, which has a monopoly on the Dutch casino market, wants to invest ‘hundreds of millions of euros’ over the coming 10 years, says company director Dick Flink in an interview with Monday’s Financieele Dagblad. According to the paper, 2008 was a difficult year for Holland Casino. Flink said the ban on smoking alone cost the firm EUR 35m in lost income...

Dubai’s investment arm was given permission to increase its ownership of MGM Mirage last week, but one of its executives said that won’t happen until market conditions warrant such a move. The Nevada Gaming Commission found Dubai World a suitable business and joint venture partner for MGM Mirage. Last year, Dubai World invested roughly USD 6 billion to acquire 9.4 % of MGM Mirage’s outstanding shares and a 50 % interest in the USD 9.1 billion CityCenter development, which is now under construction.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. announced that Sheldon G. Adelson, its Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and principal stockholder, and his family, have completed an investment in the company of USD 475 million in convertible senior notes in a private transaction. "My family and I are pleased to make an additional investment in Las Vegas Sands Corp. as the company advances its development plans both domestically and around the globe," said Adelson.

New York (AP) -- Morgans Hotel Group Co. slashed its capital commitment to the USD 4.8 billion Echelon mega-development Thursday, signaling another speedbump in the joint venture project with casino operator Boyd Gaming Corp. Last month, Boyd suspended work on the Las Vegas project after the capital market crunch prevented the company from obtaining financing for key portions of the development.

Toronto, Ontario - (Marketwire) - Clairvest Group Inc. today announced a USD 16 million investment to acquire 50% ownership in the Plaza Sol de Los Lagos casino being built in Osorno, Chile. Although Clairvest has made joint investments in casinos in Canada and Chile with other investors through Clairvest Equity Partners III Limited Partnership (CEP III), this purchase is a Clairvest-only investment as this would exceed current geographic investment limitations for CEP III.

The billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson reportedly met with Indian trade and tourism ministers on his way to Macau for the opening of the Four Seasons Hotel. Macau and Singapore are not the final destinations for Las Vegas Sands in Asia, he said. “We would like to build a Cotai Strip in India,” he says. In Macau, Adelson told an Indian reporter, “You could have the equivalent of Las Vegas.

Buy-out firms Apollo and TPG have written off around USD 600m (GBP 321m) of their investment in American casino business Harrah's, in the biggest ever known private equity markdown. The writedowns equate to more than 20pc of the value of the private equity houses' investment in Harrah's. Apollo and TPG, the private equity house that walked away from Bradford & Bingley last month, paid USD 17bn for Harrah's in January, but since then economic woes have hit US gaming companies hard.

When asked how he managed to get an investment certificate to build the USD 4.2-billion Asian Coast Development Ltd. casino and beach resort complex in Communist Vietnam -- one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in Asia -- Michael Aymong smiles and says: "Simple. You just have to want to try." The Toronto native now living in Vancouver then gives an analogy that any self-respecting Canuck would understand...

Juneau, Alaska - Southeast Alaska's regional Native corporation is continuing to push its investment in a second California casino. That's despite growing opposition from local residents, including the town's city council. Sealaska is working with a Pomo Indian group to develop the gambling resort about 90 miles north of San Francisco.

Hyatt hotel chain and investment group Liberman showed their interest in participating in Carrasco hotel casino tender process. The consortium looks to manage a five-star hotel in Carrasco with a private casino. The investment needed to refurbish this hotel will exceed USD 50 million and will be ready in two years, said representative of Liberman Group, Horacio Espósito. This group is dedicated to real estate investments in Argentina and is specialized in building five-star hotels, among other activities.

Investors have paid GBP 21.55 million for a car park, casino and shop unit, which is currently being built as part of the prestigious St Paul's Place development in the heart of Sheffield. Hanson Capital has bought the 520-space multi-storey car park, a 22,250 sq ft casino, which has been let to Stanley Casinos, and a 7,500 sq ft retail or leisure unit. The car park is being developed by CTP St James as part of the GBP 130 million mixed-use Heart of the City project and is due for completion in July.