Saturday, November 18, 2006

Michael Jordan could become an investor in a slot-machine parlor in
Philadelphia, state gambling regulators were told Wednesday. The
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board concluded hearings on applications by five
groups competing for licenses in what could be the nation's largest city
with stand-alone casinos. Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. said
if it gets a license, Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment
Television, would be a partner. Johnson told regulators he would sell part
of his one-third stake in the slots parlor to Jordan, a partner of Johnson's
in the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. Attaching a celebrity's name would help
improve its draw, he said. The gaming board vote is Dec. 20.