Geisha Story

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Resorts World has announced that the replacement for Mulberry Street Pizza, which closed Sept. 14, will be another New York-inspired slice shop. However, unlike Mulberry Street—an established Los Angeles brand—Amici New York Pizzeria is an entirely original concept created by the resort.

Instead of collecting rent from a successful tenant, Resorts World aspires to collect profits directly from pizza-hungry patrons. But since Mulberry Street was consistently among the busiest dining spots at the property, it raises an obvious question: Was its popularity driven by brand recognition, or simply by resort guests, late-night Zouk Nightclub revelers, and foot traffic seeking a quick slice?

To stack the odds in its favor, Resorts World is tapping major culinary talent: Executive Chef Ricky McCormick. McCormick, who currently leads the kitchen at Stubborn Seed on-property, previously held leadership roles at Michelin-starred Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas and multiple Gordon Ramsay venues.

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According to Multiples.VC, the average enterprise multiple (EV/EBITDA) of top US-listed gaming companies is currently 10x. Data from New York University last updated in January pegged the overall market average at 23.9x and 19.7x among EBITDA-positive firms, suggesting the sector is undervalued relative to other industries. In a report released Monday, Fitch Ratings said most North American gaming companies hold “Stable” outlooks with “adequate rating headroom” despite consumer headwinds.

Macquarie’s Beynon agrees with that sentiment, pointing to the relative stability of gaming companies through tough economic stretches such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Bankruptcies in the sector have been low relative to the broader market, he notes, and both land-based and digital companies have reason for optimism moving forward.

“It’s certainly not lost on us that this sector has underperformed for several years in a row just because it doesn’t have either the growth of say, tech companies, or the perceived free cash flow-insulated businesses, which we believe it does…We’ve thought there’s been value in the sector for a few years, particularly this year,” he told iGB.

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In the dossier, Spectrum unpacks Evolution’s review and vetting processes for potential clients. At the time of the report, Evolution required clients to provide certification of the beneficial ownership of 25% or more of the company. But Spectrum says it was not using “a viable process” as some documents provided by companies could be inaccurate.

“If red flags become known to Evolution during this onboarding process, Evolution should either determine not to do business with the company or undertake enhanced due diligence to resolve the red flags before engaging in business with the company,” Spectrum advises.

Within its investigation Black Cube named a number of Evolution employees which it had interviewed and reported to have provided information on the company that supported the intelligence firm’s claims.