Charolette Richards, the founder of Las Vegas’s most popular wedding venue, has passed away at 89. The passing was announced by A Little White Wedding Chapel, the wedding factory she founded.

The chapel was established in 1951 and was created to provide couples with an affordable wedding in a beautiful location. Prioritizing simplicity, the venue quickly became popular and has wedded over 800,000 couples.

The chapel is also the place where a number of celebrities shared their wedding vows. This notably includes Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Britney Spears and Jason Alexander, Pamela Anderson, Rick Salomon and Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow, among many others.

The chapel also had a drive-thru called the Tunnel of Love which was created by Richards after a client failed to fit their wheelchair through the front door of A Little White Wedding Chapel. Following Richards’ retirement, the chapel renamed the Tunnel of Love to Charolette’s Way.

According to the venue’s statement, Richards passed away on December 13.

Richards Made almost a Million Couples Happy

Richards arrived in Vegas in the 50s, seeking to meet her husband who had told her he was working at the Stardust. However, this turned out to be a lie.

Richards began working at the chapel in the 50s, turning it into an affordable wedding venue for couples in love. She was offered this job by a concerned stranger who had seen her looking for her husband every day. This saved Richards from poverty and eventually turned her into the famed Wedding Queen of the West.

Last year, the Wedding Queen of the West finally stepped down, selling the chapel to Cliff Evarts in 2022. Evarts is another wedding specialist who runs downtown wedding chapels Viva Las Vegas and Vegas Weddings.

Brian Mills, president of the Vegas Wedding Chamber of Commerce commented on Richards’ passing, praising her for innovating Las Vegas’ wedding sector and providing happiness to almost a million couples.

Charlotte’s legacy extends beyond innovation; sometimes controversial, but always positive, Charlotte Richards created unforgettable experiences for countless couples. As we honor her life, we are inspired by her commitment to love and joy in the wedding industry.

Bruce Mills, president, Vegas Wedding Chamber of Commerce

Mills concluded that Richards’s legacy will serve as an inspiration to the entire wedding sector for years to come.

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The Queen Baton Rouge, a brand-new gaming establishment at the site of the former Hollywood Casino in Baton Rouge, has adopted Konami Gaming’s SYNKROS casino management system. As a result, guests can now benefit from the unique rewards and benefits offered by The Queen Casino & Entertainment at each of the company’s four properties.

The SYNKROS system will also benefit the Baton Rouge casino by providing its management with a selection of solutions, including an anti-money laundering system and an employee mobile application, among others.

The Queen Baton Rouge is one of The Queen Casino & Entertainment’s two properties in the city. Having opened after a thorough renovation process, the casino currently boasts a 100,000-square-foot footprint with a large gaming area and multiple dining options.

Visitors can enjoy 700 gaming machines and 18 gaming tables offering games such as poker, craps, blackjack and roulette. The property also has a DraftKings sportsbook for the sports betting aficionados.

In the meantime, The Queen Casino & Entertainment plans to also renovate Belle of Baton Rouge, its other property in the city. As the first casino in Louisiana, Belle of Baton Rouge has a location of huge significance to the company.

Konami Is Happy to Support Another Queen Casino Property

The Queen Casino & Entertainment has been using Konami Gaming’s SYNKROS technology since 2021. The former company’s president and chief executive officer, Terry Downey, commented on the launch of SYNKROS at The Queen Baton Rouge, noting that it would allow his team to offer seamless loyalty rewards to its customers.

Following the successful installs at Belle of Baton Rouge, DraftKings at Casino Queen and Casino Queen Marquette, Downey is certain that the technology would reinforce The Queen Baton Rouge’s business as well.

We hope that the attractive rewards and technology will encourage loyal members and new guests to explore these exciting gaming and entertainment destinations.

Terry Downey, president & CEO, The Queen Casino & Entertainment

Randy Caron, Konami Gaming’s vice president of system sales, also commented on the matter, noting that The Queen Baton Rouge is The Queen Casino & Entertainment’s fourth property to adopt the SYNKROS system.

Caron praised the casino company on the grand opening of its second Baton Rouge property:

We offer our sincere congratulations to The Queen Baton Rouge on its grand opening and look forward to continued partnership.

Randy Caron, vice president of system sales, Konami Gaming

Last month, Konami posted its Q2 results, which were bolstered by its gaming & systems vertical.

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From a peak of over a dozen riverboat casinos in Iowa, one of many final three floating playing homes shall be transferring to land quickly, leaving solely two riverboat casinos within the state.

Iowa Racing and Gaming Administrator Brian Ohorilko advised native media retailers that plans have been authorized Thursday for Marquette’s On line casino Queen to turn out to be a land-based operation.

Pari-mutuel canine monitor and horse racing have been approved in 1983, and the state lottery was created two years later. Riverboat playing was authorized by lawmakers in 1989. Racetracks started to supply slots in 1994, and the on line casino operations began transferring from water to land.

In April 1991 Dubuque’s Casino Belle grew to become the first riverboat on line casino in America and there have been ultimately as many as 69 floating casinos on rivers feeding the Atlantic Ocean. By 2004, riverboats have been allowed to function on moored barges somewhat than in open water. That improvement led to operators opening resorts and retail areas adjoining to the casinos. Iowa grew to become the eighth state by which BetMGM started to supply authorized on-line sports activities wagering in Could 2019.

Important New Funding

Talking in regards to the On line casino Queen, IRGA’s Ohorilko stated, “They’re proposing to speculate 12 million {dollars} right into a land-based facility that might join with their present barge space. They’d add a sportsbook and a brand new restaurant.

“With on line casino Queen transferring gaming to [a] land-based space that can go away simply Lakeside and Ameristar On line casino (Council Bluffs) because the two remaining gaming licenses that also have on line casino playing on a ship,” stated the administrator.

With the brand new on line casino connecting to the present barge space, it’s attainable that On line casino Queen might preserve its present handle of 100 Anti-Monopoly Street in Marquette.

With the sluggish however mass exodus of riverboat casinos to land, together with casinos in Sioux Metropolis and Davenport, Ohorilko says no enchancment in gaming income or footfall within the playing venues has been seen but. “The explanations for which can be quite simple — in that usually on a land base facility –, there may be more room to supply, not solely extra gaming however most significantly, extra non-gaming facilities,” for folks to spend their leisure funds on, Ohorilko says.

Extra Latest Gaming Fee Approvals

Latest regulatory approvals by the Racing and Gaming Fee embody a $31 million rework for Harvey’s in Council Bluffs that can embody a number of upgrades. “A brand new Movie star Chef Restaurant, a Man Fieri’s restaurant, renovation of all of their resort rooms, some extra house for gaming, simply to permit for a extra snug expertise for these visitors,” he says.

Q Casino in Dubuque was given approval for the primary section of a multi-million greenback renovation plan. Ohorilko says the revamp is required with the intention to correctly compete with close by gaming operations in different states.

“Nebraska has gaming, we’re beginning to see some building there, significantly within the Omaha market. And so, it’s actually vital for these Iowa amenities to place their finest foot ahead,” Ohorilko says.

Supply: Marquette casino moving to land, leaving only 2 casino boats in Iowa, Radio Iowa, January 27, 2023

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