American Wagering Inc., the Las Vegasbased parent of Leroy's Horse & Sports Place Inc., said last week it named a veteran northern Nevada gaming executive to begin looking for acquisitions among casinos and hotel properties in rural Nevada.
Bruce Dewing, who previously was president and chief operating officer of Sparksbased Holder Hospitality Group,will head AWI Gaming Inc.
At Holder, Dewing was involved in the acquisition and operation of 11 casinos, an AM radio station and a statewide slots route.
Victor Salerno, the president of American Wagering Inc., said his company's goal is to become the market leader in operating localsoriented casinos in Nevada and other wellregulated markets.
He said the company already has established a presence in rural Nevada properties through Leroy's, which owns and operates 60 sports books throughout the state.
AWI Gaming will analyze potential acquisitions on the basis of local demographics as well as financial benchmarks such as return on investment and requirements for new capital investment, Salerno said.
