Daily Business Report: Monday, Feb. 20, 2023
Sports betting in California — second in size only to Nevada
CalMatters
In California, you can bet on a horse race, buy a lottery ticket, put money on poker in a card room and play slots at a tribal casino all in the same – potentially expensive – day.
Nevada, right next door, is undoubtedly the national capital of all things gambling. But after Nevada, California has the most slot machines of any state — one measure of the state’s betting industry.
The gambling industry, like many, took a hit during the pandemic. Nationally, commercial gaming revenue after winnings shrank by more than 25 percent, between 2019 and 2020. Then, in 2021, it came roaring back – even faster than the rest of the economy – and brought in more money than any previous year. Tribal casinos also had a record-breaking year in 2021.
When it comes to gambling in California, you have options.
Tribal Casinos
At 69 licensed tribal casinos you can play slots, lottery games, and card games, like baccarat and blackjack, where players bet against the house, as well as games like poker, where players bet against each other.
Card rooms
At 84 licensed card rooms, you can play games like poker and pai-gow, where players bet against each other. Card rooms can also offer some non-card game options, like drawings. They can’t offer games where players bet against the house.
Lottery
At about 23,000 retailers across the state, including convenience stores and gas stations, you can buy scratchers and fill out tickets for drawings, such as MegaMillions and PowerBall.
Horse racing
You can bet on horse races at one of the state’s four private horse racing tracks, one of its five racing fairs, or at one of its 23 simulcast locations, where you can watch the race on TV and place a bet. You can also place a bet from home – or anywhere – with online advance deposit wagering.
County-funded developments benefit
from new state affordable housing grants
Four affordable housing developments with $29 million in county funding have secured an additional $24.5 million through California’s Multifamily Finance Super Notice of Funding Availability program. The new funds were announced as part of more than $825 million in grants to accelerate affordable housing production across the state.
The four county-funded developments in the planning stages that are supported through the program will result in 359 units of affordable housing. The developments are Union Tower, The Iris at San Ysidro, Serenade on 43rd, and Rancho Bernardo Transit Village.
Union Tower will be a 94-unit building serving low-income families in National City. It was awarded $11.5 million through the new program.
The Iris at San Ysidro will be a 100-unit development serving people experiencing homelessness with serious mental illness and low-income families. It was awarded an additional $5 million.
Serenade on 43rd will provide 65 units for people experiencing homelessness, with and without a serious mental illness. This development was awarded another $3.7 million through the new program.
Rancho Bernardo Transit Village will provide 100 units for low-income families. It received an additional $4.4 million.
San Diego awarded more than $880,000 grant to
support residents seeking to enter cannabis industry
As part of an ongoing effort to promote equity in the local cannabis industry, the City of San Diego was awarded a statewide grant for more than $880,000 by the California Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). The money will support residents seeking to enter the legal cannabis industry in San Diego through funding grants to cover permit and license fees and associated start-up property costs while providing access to the cannabis industry workforce.
San Diego was among 16 cities and counties across the state to receive a combined $15 million in grants, funded through tax revenue generated from statewide recreational cannabis sales.
National City welcomes $100 million
Austal ship repair facility
NATIONAL CITY — Austal USA officially opened a 15-acre, $100 million repair facility that services small surface combatants and auxiliary ships at the south end of Naval Base San Diego in National City. The company currently employs 120 and expects to grow to 400 while evolving from a maintenance and repair facility to constructing small vessels to support the Navy’s focus on the Pacific. As it grows its workforce, Austal is committed to investing in the region through local hiring and community engagement.
City offers funds for artists to increase
awareness of regional issues
The City of San Diego and its regional partners have released a new grant opportunity for artists and cultural practitioners to inspire change within their communities.
Through the Far South/Border North program, grant award recipients will develop artistic content and carry out public campaigns that increase regional awareness of issues impacting San Diego and Imperial counties, including public health, energy and water conservation, climate mitigation, civic engagement, and social justice matters.
Spearheaded by the City of San Diego, Far South/Border North is a California Creative Corps arts program implemented through a bi-county regional collaborative and partnership with the Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties, San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition, and San Diego Foundation.
Grant guidelines and information sessions to assist potential applicants are available at farsouthbordernorth.com. Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22.
Stephanie Thompson named behavioral health
director at Gary and Mary West PACE
Stephanie Thompson is the new behavioral health director for Gary and Mary West Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), where she will oversee a new program of psychiatry and other geriatric behavioral health services for West PACE participants.
The new position was created to streamline behavioral health services for PACE program participants to literally meet them where they are—at West PACE in San Marcos or in the comfort of their homes—instead of working through multiple providers and locations.
Thompson started with West PACE in October 2021 as a contracted clinical preceptor and was promoted to behavioral health director in December 2022.
She lends a rich professional background of clinical experience to the newly-created position.
Gerald Joyce to become the next
president of the Salk Institute
The Salk Institute has named Gerald Joyce as its new president, succeeding Rusty Gage, who will return to his lab full-time. J
oyce was the institute’s senior vice president and chief science officer before his selection.
Over the course of his career, Joyce has served as the dean of the faculty at The Scripps Research Institute and director of the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, in addition to maintaining a lab at Salk since 2017.
The recipient of numerous prestigious awards, he is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Matthew Douglas elected shareholder
of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek
Matthew C. Douglas has been elected as a shareholder of the San Diego law firm Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek.
Douglas joined SCMV’s Business Department as an associate in 2017.
His practice focuses on corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, compliance with securities laws and general business matters.
Douglas represents private and public companies in a wide range of industries, including real estate, technology, finance, apparel, health care, food services and more.
He has extensive experience in advising companies at all stages – from startups seeking initial venture capital financing to established companies obtaining additional capital to pursue strategic opportunities or fund ongoing operations.
Fern Steiner reappointed to California Water Commission
Fern Steiner, 73, of San Diego, has been reappointed to the California Water Commission by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
She has served since 2020.
Steiner has been an attorney at Smith, Steiner, Vanderpool APC since 1987 and a shareholder there since 1993.
She was an attorney at Richard D. Prochazka APC from 1984 to 1987 and an attorney at Karmel and Rosenfeld from 1977 to 1984.
Steiner is a member of the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors and a Trustee for San Diego Youth Services.
She earned a Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School.
This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Steiner is a Democrat.
San Diego man wins a Carewell Caregiver Award
SAN DIEGO — Brandon Feldt, 19, of San Diego has won a $1,000 Carewell Caregiver Award (Gen Z Caregiver Hero) for putting his college education on hold to care for his mother full-time when she began to show signs of Frontotemporal dementia. The awards, given to six winners nationally, recognize family caregivers that go to exceptional lengths to care for their loved ones.
La Jolla Institute for Immunology
secures $17 million grant
SAN DIEGO — La Jolla Institute for Immunology is now the leading institute for human immunology data curation, analysis, and dissemination after receiving a grant of more than $17 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. With the funds, the institute will now co-lead the Human Immunology Project Consortium Data Coordinating Center with the Yale School of Medicine – marking the biggest human immunoprofiling effort in the world.
Cal State San Marcos expands
guaranteed admission initiative
SAN MARCOS California State University San Marcos will expand the number of school districts at which students are guaranteed admission if they meet certain criteria. The five new districts are Bonsall Unified School District, Guajome Schools, Hemet Unified School District, Poway Unified School District and San Dieguito Union High School District. College President Ellen Neufeldt will sign a memorandum of understanding with the school districts during the university’s annual meeting with local superintendents on March 1.
Encinitas makes Forbes Advisor Magazine’s
‘Best Places to Travel in 2023’
ENCINITAS — Encinitas is highlighted in Forbes Advisor Magazine’s “Best Places to Travel in 2023.” The coastal city was one of the top 50 destinations included in the magazine’s travel list and the only one in California to be spotlighted this year. Top picks ranged from the Canary Islands; Spain; Chattanooga, Tenn; and Bucharest, Romania; to Colorado Springs, Colo.; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Moorea, French Polynesia. The city was hailed as “a surfer’s haven.”
Dr. Lagina R. Scott recognized as a
Distinguished Medical Professional
SAN DIEGO — Lagina R. Scott, M.D., is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Distinguished Medical Professional in the medical field as a family physician. Scott has been in practice as a family physician with San Ysidro Health/Care View Clinic since December 2020 and also works on staff at Sharp Memorial Hospital. Scott earned a medical degree from the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. She completed an internship and residency in family medicine at the Family Health Centers of San Diego.
Cal State San Marcos hosts
Women’s Leadership Symposium
SAN MARCOS — Cal State San Marcos will host the Women’s Leadership Symposium on Saturday, March 4, providing participants an opportunity to connect, explore and engage in topics pertaining to women’s leadership and empowerment. All CSUSM students are encouraged to participate in the free event, which is from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in the USU Ballroom. Organizers are designing the day to provide participants an opportunity to learn more about their individual identities and the unique influences they have on their leadership style.
MiraCosta College accepting applications
for Citizens Bond Oversight Committee
OCEANSIDE — The Board of Trustees of the MiraCosta Community College District is seeking qualified, interested individuals to serve on a committee of community leaders, who will operate as the Independent Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (ICBOC) for the implementation of the District’s Measure MM college facilities bond program. If you wish to serve on this important committee, please review the committee Bylaws at miracosta.edu/icboc for more information about the committee’s role and responsibilities and complete the application.
