All Star - Blog listing page

Driver Safety is among the top priorities for fleet managers according to a new study by PHH Arval, a fleet management services provider. While driver safety is, and should always be, a top priority, the full story includes reference to a number of additional financially related goals, including:

The Advertising Specialty Institute recently released:  “Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study:  A cost analysis of promotional products”.  The most significant findings of the Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study show advertising specialties are less expensive per impression (impression=calculated by multiplying the number of times an item is used by the number of people that see the item) than most other media and are very affordable and effective when compared to prime-time TV, radio and print advertising.

According to the latest Nielsen survey of adults with children under 12 in tablet-owning households, in Q4 2011 seven out of every 10 children in tablet-owning households used a tablet computer – a nine percent increase compared to Q3 2011.

Lost in all of the discussions about how much a prospective casino developer will invest in a MA casino ($500 million+), or what the license itself will cost ($85 million+) is the money spent chasing the license, which was revealed recently.  In an article by Steve LeBlanc of the Associated Press, it states that $11.4 million has been spent in lobbying efforts in the last 5 years in MA.  Far and away leading that list are the owners of Suffolk Downs, having spent $2.8 million making sure they are at the front of the bus.  The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, who appears to have no competition at the moment for the Southeastern MA license, spent nearly a million.  For MGM Resorts, the second largest gaming company in the world and a proponent of a Brimfield casino, only a mere $60,000 has been spent to date.  One thing is for certain; that number will skyrocket as the actual gaming commission is formed and official applications are filed.

What do you do when you have the most popular downloaded app or earth? You take the game to another dimension. Rovio is releasing Angry Birds Space on March 22nd. “One small fling for a bird. One quantum leap for birdkind,” reads the teaser on the new game’s website.

As Springtime approaches, we prepare to focus on what historically for us here in New England at least has always been the busiest time of the year for logo decorated product ordering.  April in particular is the busiest month of the year, and this has been true for over 30 years now.

In Counselor magazine’s December 2011 issue, predictions to watch for were revealed which may be key to impact the business climate in 2012.

After dropping our daughter off at JFK Airport in Queens last Thursday, my wife and I made our way over to the new $830 million Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct Racetrack, about a 15 minute drive with the right traffic conditions to the East side of Manhattan. As is typical with most racinos, a glitzy Las Vegas style building is attached to the aged and storied grandstands that front the original race track. Developer Genting New York did a nice job with this facility, and they have certainly taken a bite out of their Yonkers rival Empire City at Yonkers Raceway. Whether the pie gets bigger allowing both to flourish remains to be seen. One thing seems obvious to this writer, however. Electronic table games don’t cut it for the traditional table games player that still makes up a significant percentage of the gaming population. Surrounded by states with table games in PA, CT, and even in New York’s own Indian gaming facilities, legislation that allows them to compete in this area is sure to be considered.

A recent Forbes article speaks to a new wave of employee confidence to which company executives should take note.  In an economy that continues to struggle (with slight improvements) – employees are finding their confidence and slowly emerging from the “I’m just happy to have this job” fog.  Companies need to recognize that to motivate their employees to not just work harder but simply stay on the job – incentives are critical.

The Southern Gaming Summit is the premier gaming conference in the region featuring insightful educational sessions along with a dynamic exhibit hall showcasing the latest gaming products. Who Attends Southern Gaming Summit? Executives and officials from all types of gaming operations, including commercial and tribal casinos, racetracks, racetrack casinos and charitable gaming; Regulators and legislators interested in the gaming industry Local officials, including tourism and hospitality leaders, who understand the importance of the gaming and hospitality industries; Consultants and analysts who follow gaming and know the value of this large regional gaming market; and Gaming and hospitality industry suppliers who want to reach an audience of thousands in the exhibit hall. All of these professionals all come together in Biloxi, where Southern hospitality meets unparalleled educational and networking opportunities.