Sodak Gaming Explained

Sodak Gaming
Foundation:1989

Sodak Gaming, Inc. was a gaming company based in Rapid City, South Dakota that distributed slot machines to Indian casinos and financed casino projects. It was acquired by International Game Technology (IGT) in 1999 for $230 million.

History

Sodak was formed in 1989 to supply equipment to gambling halls in Deadwood, South Dakota,[1] and soon became the exclusive distributor of IGT machines to tribal casinos.[2] The Promus Companies acquired a 20 percent stake in Sodak in November 1992. Sodak made its initial public offering in June 1993.[3]

Sodak purchased and refitted a riverboat and leased it to Gaming Supply Co., who opened it in December 1994 as the Miss Marquette casino, in Marquette, Iowa.[4] After Gaming Supply defaulted on lease payments, Sodak bought out the company for less than $5.5 million,[5] taking over operation of the casino in July 1996.[6]

The company moved into the South American market in an effort to diversify its revenue base.[7] In May 1995, it began establishing gaming halls and slot route operations in Peru, reaching a total of 1,300 machines by the end of 1996.[8] It opened a casino at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Quito, Ecuador in March 1996, followed by a gaming hall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 1996. In June 1998, Sodak announced its decision to divest its South American operations, citing a lack of profitability and an unstable regulatory environment.[9] [10] The ventures in Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil were sold off by the end of the year.[11]

Sodak agreed in March 1999 to be acquired by IGT for $230 million.[12] As IGT executives did not want to operate casinos, the deal called for Sodak to sell the Miss Marquette casino and its interest in a Louisiana casino project.[13] The Miss Marquette was sold to Lady Luck Gaming for $42 million.[14] [15] Sodak's partner in the Louisiana project, Hollywood Casino Corp., purchased Sodak's stake for $2.5 million.[16] [17] The acquisition of Sodak by IGT was completed in September 1999.[18]

Following the acquisition, Sodak continued to operate out of Rapid City as a division of IGT, focused on distributing products to Indian casinos.[19] IGT began a reorganization of its North American businesses in 2005, which included dispersing Sodak's operations around the country, and phasing out the Sodak name.

Notes and References

  1. News: Rapid City gambling company to be sold. Associated Press Newswire. Joe. Kafka. March 11, 1999.
  2. News: Promus acquires interest. Las Vegas Review-Journal. November 11, 1992.
  3. News: Dow falls 2.77 as economic news worsens. USA Today. Donna. Rosato. July 1, 1993.
  4. News: Miss Marquette boat overdue on Sodak pmnts. Select Federal Filings Newswires. November 16, 1995.
  5. News: Sodak Gaming/Buy: Valued at less than $5.5M in cash, note. Dow Jones News Service. May 21, 1996.
  6. News: Miss Marquette awash in red ink. The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, IA. AP. April 4, 1997. NewsBank.
  7. Form 10-K: Annual Report. Sodak Gaming. March 28, 1997. 20. EDGAR.
  8. Form 10-K: Annual Report. Sodak Gaming. March 28, 1997. 3. EDGAR.
  9. Sodak Gaming announces corporate restructuring. Sodak Gaming. June 18, 1998. .
  10. News: Home Depot builds outside N. America. Sun Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, FL. July 6, 1998. NewsBank.
  11. Form 10-K: Annual Report. Sodak Gaming. March 30, 1999. 20. EDGAR.
  12. News: IGT to acquire Sodak Gaming for $230 million. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Dave. Berns. March 12, 1999. NewsBank.
  13. News: IGT buying slot distributor in week's second gaming merger. Las Vegas Sun. Gary. Thompson. March 11, 1999. 2018-01-12.
  14. News: Casino sells for $42 million. The Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque, IA. August 6, 1999. Renee. Berg. 2012-06-24.
  15. News: Las Vegas company buys Miss Marquette. The Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque, IA. November 6, 1999. 2012-06-23.
  16. News: Hollywood Casino announces purchase agreement. Dallas Business Journal. April 6, 1999. 2018-01-21.
  17. Form 10-Q: Quarterly Report. Sodak Gaming. May 4, 1999. 8. EDGAR.
  18. News: Slot maker finalizes Sodak Gaming purchase. Las Vegas Sun. September 2, 1999. 2012-08-03.
  19. News: Sodak's role unclear in restructure. The Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, SD. Dan. Daly. March 9, 2005. NewsBank.