The Spirit Takes the Fifth ...

[ford91exploder]

Iger doesn't fear Indian gaming. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. It is one of the most profitable casinos in the country.

What Iger fears are destination resorts a la Vegas-style operating 225 miles to the south in Miami Beach because those could pull a large chunk of Disney's convention business away.

Iger and the Indians are actually on the same team on this issue.

Spirit

That Iger and the Seminole nation are on the same page makes sense, But once MGM/Sands/Wynn start a full court press to get gaming into Miami Beach - I just don't see how TWDC is going to be able to resist the oceans of cash for the small CAPEX that gaming requires.

I can see the Seminole Nation and Disney making common cause to ensure THEY are the ones to operate the gaming establishments. However you have much better connections in this area. Mine center around the spacecoast and aerospace industries so I'm simply speculating.

 

[DocMcHulk]

For folks looking for Star Wars news or an announcement, looks like you'll have a bit of a wait as Iger wants a large stage on which he can crow and announce additions for DL and TPFKaTD-MGMS will at once ...and maybe a television or film announcement as well.

I have NO idea when this will be. Got some educated guesses, but I am sure you all can spitball just like I can.

Is it possible they start building before the announcement?

 

[TP2000]

DLR news is that the plans for extorting Christmas ...I mean bringing MVMCP westward have been shelved 'for the foreseeable future'

Not sure who got cold feet, Colglazier or Crofton or both, but Anaheim regulars who have never had to pay extra for holiday entertainment won't for 2014 and the next few years.

Funny how the Al Lutz Miceage article today touched on this. It looks like who got cold feet was the marketing team after the industrial engineers showed how few people were watching the Christmas parade and fireworks compared to how many were riding Small World Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday.

An interesting read... http://micechat.com/48027-miceage-disneyland-update-rabbit-hole/

 

[JEANYLASER]

 

[Funmeister]

I don't gamble at Marvel themed machines to show my support.

If I may ask...support of what? Who are you showing this "support?"

 

[culturenthrills]

It's not that cozy relationship anymore. Remember how a single State Sen. defeated Disney's previous bill last term Because they had the audacity to donate money to his opponent?

That being said, the Walt Disney Company has no business doing anything related to casino gambling. It's the polar opposite of what Disney means.

Don't ever be surprised by the pettiness of Florida politicians. We are the state were a state senator held the entire state hostage until he got his new state university in Polk County along I-4 that nobody wanted.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Once again, your agenda doesn't fit the facts.

From the Times article...


No hypocrisy. In fact, just the opposite. Disney is working to align Marvel (and probably Lucas) with their stated policy.

Hold on here. Are you seriously arguing for Disney to be involved with the Casino Gaming business?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Don't ever be surprised by the pettiness of Florida politicians. We are the state were a state senator held the entire state hostage until he got his new state university in Polk County along I-4 that nobody wanted.

I know. I have to pass it every time i head to tampa.

 

[SirLink]

Maybe I'm missing the issue regarding gambling. This just feels like another non-issue kinda like alcohol served in MK or Starbucks on Main Street.

 

[71jason]

Spirit

That Iger and the Seminole nation are on the same page makes sense, But once MGM/Sands/Wynn start a full court press to get gaming into Miami Beach - I just don't see how TWDC is going to be able to resist the oceans of cash for the small CAPEX that gaming requires.

I can see the Seminole Nation and Disney making common cause to ensure THEY are the ones to operate the gaming establishments. However you have much better connections in this area. Mine center around the spacecoast and aerospace industries so I'm simply speculating.

Except that they've kept casinos off their ships--someplace I think they'd be far more socially acceptable than WDW. At the end of the day, I think it would cause more hassles than the free money could compensate for.

If Church Street Station drew a crowd away from Disney--just imagine a Vegas-style casino in, say, Volusia County.

 

[Nemo14]

Maybe I'm missing the issue regarding gambling. This just feels like another non-issue kinda like alcohol served in MK or Starbucks on Main Street.

Basically it's Disney being 2-faced about it. They fight it under the name of "family values" while profiting from it themselves. The truth is that they're not concerned about family values, but rather keeping the competition for conventions out of Miami.

 

[SirLink]

Basically it's Disney being 2-faced about it. They fight it under the name of "family values" while profiting from it themselves. The truth is that they're not concerned about family values, but rather keeping the competition for conventions out of Miami.

OK gotcha. So the question is why don't they build a casino on Disney property, obviously after the weird laws that you Yanks have get changed?

 

[wannab@dis]

Plenty of hypocrisy, old buddy.

Disney has continued to make gambling deals since Marvel was acquired. Disney never said a word about getting out of the business until reporters cornered them. Even then, from the way the story reads it is obvious to anyone who understands media that Disney's responses were late and forced. It reads like Disney couldn't buy someone off to kill the story, so they made a narrative up as they went along.

Considering that Disney's Celebration Place gang was contacting Florida media outlets and strongly 'suggesting' that there was no story and that it wouldn't be in their best interests to do stories of their own, I think I am right.

Marvel continued to make deals that were probably already in the pipeline. Licensing deals don't happen over night and my bet is anything completed after the acquisition was simply exercised options. It's fairly obvious that Marvel had many deals in place and deals in the pipeline. Business acquisitions do not cause an immediate change to the acquired company as that would invite chaos. The new subsidiary will continue to operate until they are slowly pulled into the parent company and policies are changed.

Everything has to be a conspiracy with you.

 

[wannab@dis]

Hold on here. Are you seriously arguing for Disney to be involved with the Casino Gaming business?

I think you misunderstood my post. I was not arguing for or against Disney being involved in gaming. I just noted that the article said that Marvel would not be signing any new gaming or licensing agreements and would be letting all old agreements expire. In other words, Marvel will be playing by the rules set by Disney to not be involved in gaming. There is no hypocrisy and no grand conspiracy as some try to claim.

As for my own opinion, I don't think Disney should be involved in gaming. It makes sense that policy should extend to their subsidiaries, new and old.

 

[disreport]

Sorry Spirit...just can't seem to care about this one.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I think you misunderstood my post. I was not arguing for or against Disney being involved in gaming. I just noted that the article said that Marvel would not be signing any new gaming or licensing agreements and would be letting all old agreements expire. In other words, Marvel will be playing by the rules set by Disney to not be involved in gaming. There is no hypocrisy and no grand conspiracy as some try to claim.

As for my own opinion, I don't think Disney should be involved in gaming. It makes sense that policy should extend to their subsidiaries, new and old.

I agree with your opinion. I was just trying to figure out what you were meaning.

I see it as hypocritical to be publicly against gaming or your image is publicly against gaming, while profiting off of it in the meantime.

Then again the only gambling I do Is with my life. I never gamble my money. If I must gamble, I'd rather use other people's money.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Sorry Spirit...just can't seem to care about this one.

You and the vast majority of the world. They have got everything covered with a thick blanket of reasoning and will not create any problems for them at all. Well, except for the overwhelming group of 10 or so that feel the need to find evil in everything and give them an excuse to exercise their righteous indignation.

 

[NowInc]

Iger doesn't fear Indian gaming. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tampa is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. It is one of the most profitable casinos in the country.

What Iger fears are destination resorts a la Vegas-style operating 225 miles to the south in Miami Beach because those could pull a large chunk of Disney's convention business away.

Iger and the Indians are actually on the same team on this issue.

I was actually going to post something VERY similar to that in here. For those who live in Florida (not just in Orlando), you know that the Seminoles have a VERY tight grip on the gambling market. I live across the street from one of their casinos, and less than 5 miles away, there are 2 more. ALL of them do exceptionally well (in fact, the rate at which they expand just shows how much throwing money at people can get done). There have been OTHER companies (one from Malaysia called Genting if I recall) starting to move in on South Florida, and due to our state laws being recently revised, any dog/horse track (as well as other specialty sports complexes) are allowed to have gambling as well. Disney is FAR behind in this market and I doubt they will be wanting in on it as its nothing new to Florida. (I left out the casino cruises as well). The large gambler/casino market only helps Disney here in Florida. We aren't vegas, so gambling isn't our biggest draw....but it IS a nice side perk from a presentation point of view. (I will also not mention the extremely lucrative OTHER popular business here in Florida that draws people...as its not Dis-Friendly )

 

[RSoxNo1]

That will never happen.

Safest bet you could ever make beyond Disney raising prices and adding more timeshares.

Right now, investing in Disney tickets may be a better investment than buying Disney stock.

 

[flynnibus]

In a sense Disney does have gambling on their ships... They have very popular Bingo games that you buy into and try to win the cash prizes. Bingo is just another form of regulated gambling.