Entertainment and Recreation Industries

Watkins Glen International will spend $3 million in upgrades, including four new grandstands. International Speedway Corp. has approved $3 million for capital improvements at Watkins Glen International.

Massive casino expansion plan in Illinois could trigger new competition for gambling dollars. Cash-strapped Illinois is considering a massive casino expansion in Chicago and elsewhere that could leave nearby competitors playing for smaller stakes.

A Cambodian court on Tuesday acquitted a Japanese photographer who had been jailed on charges of producing pornography after taking pictures of a married couple for a photo festival.

Study shows gamblers spending fewer hours, less money in Atlantic City casinos. The amount of time gamblers are spending in Atlantic City casinos is falling, and they're holding on more tightly to their wallets while they're there.

ESPN launches new website for women as blog, with larger site planned for spring. ESPN has launched its new website for women.

PricewaterhouseCoopers report: Asia to nearly match US in gambling revenue by 2014. A new report estimates that Asia's and Australia's fast-growing gambling industries will account for nearly as much of the world market as the United States by 2014.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The National Basketball Association said it agreed to buy the New Orleans Hornets from majority owner George Shinn after a deal to sell the team to minority owner Gary Chouest fell through.

Baseball executive Pat Gillick has been elected to the Hall of Fame, but controversial union chief Marvin Miller missed out again as did longtime Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

New Resorts Atlantic City owner: Love, positive energy part of plan to revive ailing casino. Asked about his plans to save Resorts Atlantic City, the first casino in the United States to open outside Nevada, new owner Dennis Gomes briefly touches on spruced up hotel rooms, guest suites and a snazzier casino floor.

New Resorts Atlantic City owner: Love, positive energy part of plan to revive ailing casino. Spruced-up hotel rooms, guest suites and a snazzier casino floor are part of Dennis Gomes' plan to save Resorts Atlantic City, opened in 1978 as the nation's first casino outside Nevada.

Entertainment giant The Walt Disney Company has sold its Miramax Films subsidiary to an investment group including Qatar Holding LLC, the group announced Friday.

Under Reid bill, casinos and racetracks would get first crack at online poker business. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing behind the scenes for lame-duck legislation that would allow poker games over the Internet but restrict initial licenses to casinos and racetrack operators that have been in businesses at least five years.

US entertainment giant Viacom asked an appeals court to overturn a judge's June decision to toss out its billion-dollar copyright lawsuit against YouTube.

Under Reid bill, casinos and racetracks would get first crack at online poker business. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing behind the scenes for legislation that would allow poker games over the Internet but would restrict initial licenses to established casinos and racetrack operators.

Residents of a US town built by The Walt Disney Company were shocked this week when their cartoon-like community was transformed into an action set by two shootings and a police standoff.

Former NJ casino dealer who said secondhand smoke caused cancer settles lawsuit for $4.5M. A former casino employee who said his lung cancer was caused by 25 years of exposure to secondhand smoke at work has settled a lawsuit against his ex-employer for $4.5 million.

Co-owner of Pimlico, Laurel Park will try to break impasse in Md. that threatens Preakness. The head of the company that co-owns Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park said Thursday that he will try to break the impasse threatening the future of the Preakness Stakes when he travels to Maryland next week.

Macau government denies Las Vegas Sands permission for resorts on 2 Cotai parcels. Chinese government officials have rejected plans by Las Vegas Sands Corp. to build on two parcels in the gambling enclave of Macau's growing Cotai area, the casino-resort developer said Thursday.

250 employees laid off at Trump Atlantic City casinos. Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. has laid off about 250 employees at its Atlantic City casinos.

Judge in Nevada dismisses antitrust claim brought by Bally against rival slot machine maker. A federal appeals court has dismissed a 6-year-old antitrust lawsuit between rival slot machine makers International Game Technology and Bally Technologies Inc.