Political Illusions of the Cajun Mafia
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Political Illusions of the Cajun Mafia

This book examines “robust” political corruption in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The book scrutinizes the transparency, schemes and co-conspirators involved in political corruption. It discusses how top elected officials use their power and public resources funded by local sales and property taxes to improperly target, retaliate and even maliciously prosecute the most ridiculous matters to further their personal agenda. The book examines in detail the types of public infringements involving corruption as well as the vast network of political connections to other various public schemes. The book is further evidence that political corruption in Louisiana is not only profound but more like organized crime controlled by mob bosses. Louisiana no longer will turn a “blind eye” and now demands zero tolerance for corruption and nepotism of elected officials.

This book examines “robust” political corruption in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The book scrutinizes the transparency, schemes and co-conspirators involved in political corruption. It discusses how top elected officials use their power and public resources funded by local sales and property taxes to improperly target, retaliate and even maliciously prosecute the most ridiculous matters to further their personal agenda.

The book examines in detail the types of public infringements involving corruption as well as the vast network of political connections to other various public schemes. The book is further evidence that political corruption in Louisiana is not only profound but more like organized crime controlled by mob bosses.

Louisiana no longer will turn a “blind eye” and now demands zero tolerance for corruption and nepotism of elected officials.

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29. The St. Louis-area casinos are differentiated, but <strong>the</strong> Respondents’ casinos are close<br />

substitutes for one ano<strong>the</strong>r. Lumière, River City, and Ameristar St. Charles are all large,<br />

high-quality, and high-service casinos. They <strong>of</strong>fer a similar number, type, and quality <strong>of</strong><br />

slot machines, table games, and amenities.<br />

30. In contrast, except for Penn Gaming’s Hollywood Casino, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r casinos in <strong>the</strong> St. Louis<br />

market – <strong>the</strong> Argosy Alton Casino and Casino Queen – are highly differentiated. Penn<br />

Gaming’s Argosy Alton Casino is a significantly smaller, lower-end, first-generation<br />

riverboat casino located in Alton, Illinois. When Pinnacle completes its hotel construction<br />

at River City, <strong>the</strong> Argosy Alton Casino will be <strong>the</strong> only St. Louis-area casino without a<br />

hotel. Casino Queen is also a small, lower-end casino with only a small hotel and<br />

recreational vehicle park. Casino Queen is located in East St. Louis, Illinois, which<br />

Ameristar St. Charles’s general manager described as “not <strong>the</strong> best part <strong>of</strong> town – as a<br />

matter <strong>of</strong> fact, you may not want to be <strong>the</strong>re in <strong>the</strong> cover <strong>of</strong> darkness.” Pinnacle’s former<br />

general manager at River City described <strong>the</strong> Argosy Alton Casino and <strong>the</strong> Casino Queen as<br />

“[i]nferior products with inferior <strong>of</strong>ferings with many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> same urban challenges.”<br />

31. The Argosy Alton Casino and Casino Queen are also competitively disadvantaged by<br />

unfavorable laws and casino regulations in Illinois. The State <strong>of</strong> Illinois taxes <strong>the</strong> Argosy<br />

Alton Casino and Casino Queen at a higher rate than Missouri taxes its casinos. The<br />

Illinois gaming license also limits <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> slot machines and table games at each<br />

casino, while <strong>the</strong> Missouri gaming license does not. Finally, Illinois law bans smoking at<br />

casinos, while Missouri law does not.<br />

32. Because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> acquisition <strong>of</strong> Ameristar, Pinnacle will no longer face <strong>the</strong> competitive<br />

pressure from a close competitor that has generated significant benefits for casino-services<br />

consumers in <strong>the</strong> St. Louis market. The Acquisition will reduce Pinnacle’s incentive to<br />

<strong>of</strong>fer better player reinvestments or discounts, comps, favorable hold rates and table odds, a<br />

wide variety <strong>of</strong> gaming options, and high-quality services and amenities at its St. Louis-area<br />

casinos.<br />

B.<br />

The Acquisition Increases <strong>the</strong> Likelihood <strong>of</strong> Coordinated Interaction<br />

in <strong>the</strong> St. Louis Market<br />

33. The Acquisition is also likely to increase substantially <strong>the</strong> risk <strong>of</strong> coordinated interaction<br />

among <strong>the</strong> remaining market participants in <strong>the</strong> St. Louis market. Under <strong>the</strong> Merger<br />

Guidelines, anticompetitive coordination need not rise to <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> explicit agreement. It<br />

may involve a “common understanding that is not explicitly negotiated[,]” or even merely<br />

“parallel accommodating conduct not pursuant to a prior understanding.”<br />

34. Post-Acquisition, <strong>the</strong> St. Louis market will be ripe for coordination. The Acquisition will<br />

leave just two competitors to Pinnacle, only one <strong>of</strong> which is significant and has a casino <strong>of</strong><br />

a similar size, <strong>of</strong>fering similar amenities as Respondents’ casinos. Post-Acquisition, <strong>the</strong>

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