People can only speculate what Trump’s election might mean for online gambling legislation.
Five people associated with the casino industry are on a 20-member committee tasked with planning Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration party. The committee is responsible for all POTUS-related events which happen on Inauguration Day.
The list of gaming-related committee members including Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn, Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson, his wife Miriam Adelson, Treasure Island casino owner Phil Ruffin, and Gail Icahn, who is the wife of Tropicana Entertainment’s Carl Icahn.
Tom Barrack Heads the Committee
The chairman of the committee is Tom Barrack, an investment banker and executive chairman of Colony Capital. Previously, Tom Barrack was the owner of the Hilton hotels and casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
The Inaugural Celebrations
Donald Trump and VP-elect Mike Pence are going to be sworn in on January 20, 2017. The swearing-in ceremony takes place outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington DC. Other celebrations take place at the National Mall, one of the centerpieces of Washington DC.
Later that night, a presidential gala takes place. The Inauguration Committee plans all three events. The event might be complicated in 2017, because protestors of Trump’s presidency seek to hold a 1,000,000-person protest in the capital that day.
“Our First Casino Owner in the White House”
The casino industry’s top executives seem proud that one of their own won the presidency. Ron Reese, a spokesman for Sheldon Adelson, said, “Well, we got our first casino owner in the White House.”
Steve Wynn and Sheldon Adelson were critical of President Barack Obama when he singled them out in 2009, during talks of a second bailout for Wall Street and Detroit firms. At the time, Barack Obama warned financial executives not to “take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer’s dime.”
The president’s words caused executives for Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Citigroup Inc., and Wells Fargo & Co. to cancel trips to Las Vegas at the time. Despite his ire with the President Obama at the time, Steve Wynn did not take sides in the 2016 presidential election. When asked whom he planned to vote for, Steve Wynn said he was friends with both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and he sang both their praises.
Steve Wynn and Donald Trump
Neutrality did not keep Steve Wynn off the list for Donald Trump’s inauguration committee. Despite being rivals for casino deals back in the 80’s, the two men have maintained a friendly relationship for decades.
In his 1987 book, “Art of the Deal”, Donald Trump described Steve Wynn: “His entire world has been Las Vegas and Atlantic City and gaming. He’s a great act. He’s a smooth talker, he’s perfectly manicured, and he’s invariably dressed to kill $2000 suits and $200 silk shirts. The problem with Wynn is he tries too hard to look perfect and a lot of people are put off by him.”
Sheldon Adelson and Donald Trump
As a top Republican donor, Sheldon Adelson took sides, of course. During the Republican National Convention in July, Sheldon Adelson snubbed Sen. Ted Cruz after his Wednesday night “Vote Your Conscience” speech. Donald Trump visited with Sheldon and Miriam Adelson that night and personally gave them his thanks. Before Trump won the nomination, Sheldon Adelson seemed to favor Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
Not every gaming executive went for their fellow gaming executive. MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying he knew both candidates and he found Clinton’s economic policies to be a better deal for the country.
Rat Pack at 1961 Presidential Inauguration
2017 will not be the only time that those with ties to Las Vegas casinos have had a role in a presidential inaugural. In 1961, Rat Pack members Frank Sinatra and Peter Lawford recruited fellow Las Vegas entertainers to perform at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy.
Performers might be more lacking this coming inauguration, as many of America’s most famous entertainers (Katy Perry, Pharrell, Beyonce, and Jay Z) worked on behalf of Hillary Clinton.
