Latest News
Hard Rock International and NY Mets Owner Steve Cohen Officially Unveil Renderings of Metropolitan Park
New renderings of Metropolitan Park, the partnership between Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International, give New Yorkers a look of what turning empty parking lots into 25 acres of new public park will actually feel like. The $8 billion privately funded project is now moving forward with ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) New York City’s process for public approval of the development. The design and the layout were informed over three years of community engagement by Cohen and his partners with local residents, small businesses, Mets fans, and Queens community leaders to transform the area.
Metropolitan Park is a once in a life-time opportunity to transform the 50 acres of asphalt around Citi Field into an economic engine that will create 23,000 competitive-paying union jobs. This reimagined space will bring together neighbors, fans, and visitors to enjoy 25 acres of new public park space, improved public transportation and climate infrastructure, live music, a Queens Food Hall and a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino with bars, restaurants and a sportsbook.
âWe are very proud to present New Yorkers with the visualization of whatâs possible for a world-class city and its surrounding neighborhoods. Weâd like to thank our partners for working with us to create something truly transformative. We take great pride and the utmost care in bringing forth something that will create much needed jobs and memories that will live on for generations to come,â said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International.
âItâs time the worldâs greatest city got the sports and entertainment park it deserves. When I bought this team, fans and the community kept saying we needed to do better. Metropolitan Park delivers on the promise of a shared space that people will not only want to come to and enjoy, but can be truly proud of,â said New York Mets owner Steve Cohen.
Interviews
Propping up the prediction game for sports betting
GameplAI is harnessing the gains in automation seen in other tech sectors and bringing them to the sports betting industry, with more accurate pricing and automation which reduces the manual overhead of risk-management for trading teams. Its growing group of partners are benefiting from a series of never-before-seen, player-focused markets that engage fans both pre-game and in-play.
Gaming Americas caught up with their Co-Founder, Graham Savage, the man at the helm of a company on the road to becoming the premium supplier of automated and quantitative-driven sports solutions for the sector.
After GameplAIâs defining Q1 raise earlier this year, how have you been deploying the funds?
There are two core priorities for the deployment of our capital. The first is the expansion of our team. We have already doubled the size of the team since January and we are still looking to hire additional technology and sports-modelling expertise. The second strand is a focus on licensing. Given the global footprint of our expanding customer base, we are actively pursuing licences in multiple U.S. states in addition to emerging LatAm regions such as Peru and Argentina.
What does adding Marco Blume as an investor do for the company?
Marco provides fantastic insight and context in terms of what is most important to operators when assessing third-party products. Under his tenure, Pinnacle became a global leader in terms of sports product and pricing and this is the equivalent position that we are keen to assume within the suppliersâ sphere.
How do you see the supply market changing in the year ahead?
We see a strong emphasis being placed by operators on both in-play and props products. We feel this will be a dual responsibility to solve, with the onus being on companies like ourselves to create innovative products bolstered by compelling and accurate pricing, whilst our B2C partners will prioritise delivering intuitive and engaging front end UI to further embellish the product experience.
How were the Euros/Copa America for you and your recent operator deals?
We used both tournaments as a test bed. Betano, the premium online sports betting and gaming brand, launched a segment of the football player props product that we have developed in conjunction with Opta data. These markets proved to be hugely popular and we will roll out our extensive football props solution with Betano over the coming weeks.
In parallel, we launched a proof of concept of our football narrator product with a leading UK operator, which generates contextual markets in-play, relative to the most recent game state. These markets were really well-received by UK-based customers and we will look to broaden the scope of that collaboration, now that the domestic season has resumed.
What are the opportunities for GameplAI right now in the medium to long-term?
We have been very fortunate with the stature of partners with whom we are working. Their respective product and trading teams have been a fantastic support and resource for us – and working with people of that calibre will only serve to further enhance the quality of our product offering.
Broadening our international footprint is also hugely exciting and by the end of year we will be live with market-leading partners across three separate continents, which represents incredible progress in 12 months. We are hugely enthused at the prospects ahead and firmly believe GameplAI will be at the forefront of driving new product innovation in sports in 2025 and beyond.
Canada
Play Alberta, CSEC Extend Partnership
Teams under the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) banner have expanded their long-term partnership with Play Alberta, the provinceâs premier iGaming destination. As part of the agreement, the Flames will feature AGLCâs responsible gambling program, GameSense, on their home helmets and a Play Alberta insignia displayed on their home jerseys. The Stampeders, Wranglers, and Roughnecks will integrate the Play Alberta logo onto their uniforms.
âThereâs significant importance now to showcase meaningful responsible gambling efforts in the iGaming industry. Iâm proud of our initiatives to provide GameSense with such a visible platform. GameSense promotes healthy gambling habits online and in person and including AGLCâs responsible gambling platform over the course of this partnership is a huge accomplishment,â Kandice Machado, Chief Executive Officer at AGLC.
The agreement makes Play Alberta the exclusive sports betting and online gaming partner of the Flames, Wranglers, Stampeders, and Roughnecks. Through the partnership, Play Alberta and CSEC will develop unique partnerships and in-arena giveaways during the season.
âThrough GameSense, our partnership with Play Alberta equips our fans with the knowledge required if they wish to participate in gaming while they support their home team. We are both proud and excited to extend our relationship with Play Alberta that makes cheering for our teams that much more fun while also generating revenue to support the quality of life for Albertans,â said CSEC President and CEO Robert Hayes.
Alberta is the first jurisdiction in North America to partner with professional sports franchises and integrate PlayAlberta.ca and social responsibility branding onto uniforms. It upholds AGLCâs commitment to responsible play, raising awareness of GameSense and Self-Exclusion, resources that give bettors the tools they need to make healthy gambling choices.
In addition, proceeds generated through the website go toward the provinceâs General Revenue Fund. In 2023â24, $235 million was generated for programs and services that Albertans rely on every day through Play Alberta, an increase of more than $42 million from the previous year.
Canada
BCLC Partners with CFL as Official Sports Betting Partner in British Columbia
The Canadian Football League (CFL) and British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) have partnered to make BCLCâs online sportsbook â PlayNow Sports â the official sports betting partner of the 111th Grey Cup. BCLC, the only legal gaming operator in the province, is the newest Authorized Gaming Operator to partner with the league. The partnership builds upon BCLCâs commitment to football in the province â as both a longstanding supporter of the BC Lions and as an enthusiastic proponent of bringing the Grey Cup to Vancouver.
âBCLC is immensely proud to have PlayNow Sports as the official sports betting partner for the 111th Grey Cup. As a social-purpose company, BCLC works every day to generate win-wins for the greater good and serve in the best interests of the communities we call home. Weâre thrilled to help bring together BC Lions and CFL fans from across the country in the spirit of celebration and community at this yearâs Grey Cup Festival,â said Dan Beebe, BCLCâs Chief Operations Officer.
In celebration of Canadaâs largest single-day sporting event returning to B.C. for the first time since 2014, the CFL and BCLC are holding a special contest for fans in B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Grand Prize consists of two tickets to the championship game, two Grey Cup Festival passes, travel, accommodation, $500 in PlayNow Sports free bets and more.
âResponsible sports wagering, and the entertainment it provides, is an important part of the future of CFL fandom. Our work with BCLC allows fans to deepen their connection to the league, but more importantly, it strengthens our efforts to support British Columbians and the community through the valued programs and services they rely on every day,â said Tyler Keenan, the CFLâs Chief Revenue Officer.
The CFLâs province-specific Authorized Gaming Operator program works with partners to authenticate and regulate the leagueâs sports betting landscape. In 2023, the league complemented its existing wagering policies and by-laws with an enhanced Match Manipulation Policy. It is highlighted by an annual education component for all full- and part-time CFL personnel, including players, regarding their individual roles and responsibilities in supporting the leagueâs high standards for integrity and responsible gaming practices. All CFL personnel are strictly prohibited from wagering on league activities.
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