Gambling News by Gambling Headquarters

As reported by the Las Vegas Business Press: "Las Vegas' casino industry sets the pace for people's entertainment dollars, but when it comes to supporting symphony orchestras, it may be trailing the pack. "When J.L. Nave III was executive director of the orchestra in Baton Rouge, La., he was able to count on the city's riverboat casinos for an influx of funds. ".Similar largesse is apparently not to be had from Vegas' casinos. Slot giant IGT has given the Las Vegas Philharmonic $3,000 some years. Boyd Gaming, whose former president, Don Snyder, is heading up the drive to build a performing arts center, is rumored to have donated $5,000, and Harrah's Entertainment has ponied up a like amount. Both Snyder and Harrah's communications czar, Jan Jones, are among those casino execs whose ears LVPO Executive Director Philip Koslow has found sympathetic.

"The MGM Voice Foundation has given $1,250 toward the youth concert series with which LVPO Music Director Hal Weller and Koslow hope to cultivate the audience of tomorrow. Of casino industry support in general, Koslow said, 'we're working to cultivate that to be more substantial.'

"In-kind support is coming in the form of hotel rooms that MGM Mirage will be donating for the 2006-07 season, Weller's last as music director. As in Baton Rouge, personal ties facilitated other in-kind donations. The Tropicana Hotel & Casino supplied room nights when LVPO supporter Barbara Gomes was on its board. Philharmonic co-founder Susan Tompkins' late husband, Andy, was an owner of the Lady Luck hotel-casino downtown, which did the LVPO's bookkeeping in the orchestra's early years."