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Gaming & Hospitality

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Gaming and hospitality operations around the world have grown in complexity and scope. Our lawyers are very experienced in dealing with all aspects of gaming, casino and hotel operations, licensing, technology, legislation and regulations at all levels and public policy issues—all of which make gaming and hospitality law one of Bennett Jones' unique niche practices.

Gaming

With first-hand knowledge stemming from both our transactional experience and our work on boards of directors for major commercial casino operators, our firm has significant experience with the complex, highly regulated gaming environment. We have advised on applications for casino operator registrations and licenses and registrations by officers, directors, shareholders and other related parties as gaming and/or non-gaming related suppliers. We have developed corporate, tax and company organizations of ownership structures and ancillary agreements. From a project finance and development perspective, our work has involved financial structuring of casinos (including Canada's largest casino development, Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort), including negotiating and settling loan agreements and related documentation, gaming technology procurement, real estate law pertaining to construction, development, zoning and land use issues, and negotiating necessary operating and management agreements. Our firm has also advised governments and quasi-public sector entities on gaming policy, project development and technology transformation.

Our team helps clients obtain licenses from gaming regulators for casino operations and computerized gaming devices, handling all aspects of gaming project development, construction and government relations, related gaming technology and transactions, the commercial transactions to push government regulated gaming to the home, computer and mobile devices, and transactions associated with the management and governance of gaming-related operations. We also advise operators on compliance with and enforcement of applicable laws pertaining to gaming, casinos and casino operators, and provide ongoing counsel on the day-to-day operations of commercial and charitable casinos. We counsel suppliers in the gaming industry, advising gaming systems and software developers on protection, enforcement and commercialization of intellectual property, and are experienced in e-commerce and on-line gaming regulatory matters and the growing area of Internet gaming.

Our team is active in the International Association of Gaming Advisors, the American Association of Gaming Attorneys and the Gaming Committee of the American Bar Association’s Business Section.

Hospitality

Our team provides a wide range of legal services and strategic advice to hospitality service providers in connection with market access issues, long-term operating service agreements (including facility management, branding and managed service structures), whether it is a brand new venture or a take-over of an existing business.

We have decades of experience advising on all legal issues faced by the widest range of hospitality industry clients. This means that we are well positioned to not only safeguard their legal interests, but also to guide them as they make business decisions. Our broadly experienced team understands the business of the hospitality service trades, from business, tax, and customs/trade structuring, to real estate, operating contracts, leasing and construction, financing, human resources, merchandise sourcing, supply chain considerations, and then to the marketing/ merchandising/sales side of the business including competition, branding agreements, back-office infrastructure and IT solutions, marking and labelling, consumer product safety, advertising, credit/payment, and protection/exploitation of intellectual property.

Key Contacts

  • Richard  Burgos Richard Burgos, Partner
  • Craig R. R. Garbe Craig R. R. Garbe, Partner
  • S. Paul Mantini S. Paul Mantini, Partner
  • Related Lawyers

Select Experience

Gaming
Hospitality
Atlantic Lottery Corporation, in a class action in Newfoundland seeking disgorgement of profits through waiver of tort and restitutionary claims, brought on behalf of everyone who has played an ALC video lottery gaming terminal
Falls Management Company, in the development of the Niagara Gateway Casino Complex, including the negotiation of a long-term casino operating agreement with Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and a $700-million secured note construction facility
Falls Management Company, in the $1-billion sale of its Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited, in its acquisition of the Playtime group of companies for an undisclosed amount
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited, in its $200-million high-yield note offering in Canada and the U.S. as part of a $510-million refinancing
Gateway Casinos Entertainment Limited, in its refinancing US$535-million term and revolving facilities by way of a first lien C$390-million credit facility and second lien C$170-million private placement of 8.875% notes due 2017
The committee of first lien and second lien secured creditors, in the US$1.5-billion restructuring of Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited by way of a plan of arrangement
Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission, reporting directly to the founding Chairman, Alan Dunch, on matters related to anti-money laundering and gaming technology procurement and governance best practices
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc., in association with casino development matters in Bermuda
Corpfinance International Limited, in a $36.4-million project financing for the Stoney Nakoda First Nations casino in Alberta
The review of regulatory, commercial and financing issues involved in the establishment of off shore on-line gaming operations
Several gaming software developers, in connection with intellectual property protection, licensing, structuring, securities and financing matters
CHC International Inc., CHC Casinos Corporation, CHC Casinos Canada Limited, and Casino Rama Services Inc., in a $160-million term credit facility with the Bank of Nova Scotia and various other financial Institutions
CHC International Inc., CHC Casinos Corporation, CHC Casinos Canada Limited, and Casino Rama Services Inc., in CHC's application as a proponent for the Ontario government's proposed charity gaming clubs, which were to be initiated throughout the Province of Ontario
CHC International Inc., CHC Casinos Corporation, CHC Casinos Canada Limited, and Casino Rama Services Inc., the development of Casino Rama
CHC International Inc., CHC Casinos Corporation, CHC Casinos Canada Limited, and Casino Rama Services Inc., in the expansion of the Casino Rama complex and a $225-million loan from the Bank of Nova Scotia, which was used to fund costs incurred in connection with the expansion
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, in re-branding and licensing agreements for the $400-million redevelopment of Casino Windsor with Caesar’s World Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.
Private equity funds and companies, on a variety of private equity financings, including acting for Asian Coast Development (Canada) Ltd. in the initial financing for the development and construction of a US$4-billion casino resort in Vietnam
Four Seasons Hotels, in connection with hotel operation and management issues in respect of the Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver
KingSett Capital, and its subsidiaries, in its $186.5-million acquisition and financing, with its joint venture partners InnVest REIT and Ivanhoe Cambridge, of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto
KingSett Capital, in its $99-million acquisition and financing, with its joint venture partner, InnVest Hotels LP, of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Toronto
A publicly held company in the laundry and linen services for healthcare, hospitality and other commercial sectors, in its bought-deal short-form prospectus offering of common shares for gross proceeds of $34.84 million
Royal Host Inc., in its acquisition by Holloway Lodging Corporation
A privately held company in the real estate investment industry, in the implementation of a hotel venture arrangement and acquisition of a hotel and related senior debt financing and franchise agreement with Coast Hotels Limited
Holloway Lodging REIT, in its conversion from an income trust structure to a corporate structure by way of a plan of arrangement
Holloway Lodging REIT, in its acquisition of a 90-percent interest in the Holiday Inn Express hotel located in Stellarton, Nova Scotia
Royal Host Inc., in the approval at a special meeting of debentureholders of certain amendments to its Series C Debentures ($45.2-million outstanding), including the extension of the maturity date from September 30, 2013 to September 30, 2014
InnVest REIT, in its public offering of $75-million aggregate principal amount of 6.00% convertible unsecured subordinated debentures
Shareholders of Royal Camp Services Ltd., in its acquisition by Indianapolis based Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Company, Inc.
Starwood, in a $12.8-billion transaction regarding all competition law matters filings in its acquisition by Marriot
Northland Properties Corporation, Sandman Hotel Group, FRHI Hotels & Resorts (Canada) Inc., Marriott International Inc. and Marriot Hotels of Canada Ltd., in the Canada-wide class action on behalf of all Canadians who paid destination marketing fees as part of hotel bills, which the claim alleges were unlawfully charged
OMERS Realty Corporation, in its $90-million sale of the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel to InnVest REIT
Special Committee of the Board of Directors of CanaDream Corporation, in its acquisition by ATL Canada Ltd., an affiliate of Apollo Tourism & Leisure Ltd.
Holloway Lodging Limited Partnership, in its $50-million secured term loan and a $30-million revolving loan from Canadian Western Bank and ICICI Bank Canada secured by a portfolio of 10 hotel properties located across Canada

Recent Recognition

Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards Magazine
Recognized as the ecommerce law firm of the year - Canada

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