Detroit casino watchdog (Dan Gustafson) quits to head nursing home group!

Dan Gustafson says he is stepping down as head of the state agency that oversees the city’s $1.23 billion casino gambling industry to lead a nursing home advocacy group.Gustafson, 47, is a former three-term Republican state representative from Haslett and has served as executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board since then-Gov. John Engler appointed him in 2002. The board was created to monitor and regulate Detroit’s three licensed casinos, which opened after a 1996 statewide vote allowed their creation. Gustafson will become president and chief executive of the Health Care Association of Michigan, which represents about 300 nursing homes. For the past 20 years, I’ve gone from election to election to either hold office or be appointed to an office, Gustafson said. I wanted something more stable so I wasn’t always looking over my shoulder to see who got elected to determine where my next job might be. Gustafson opposed the introduction of casino games in Detroit but said it has brought some positive changes. Detroit casinos have created thousands of jobs and are paying hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes to the state and city, he told The Detroit News for a story Friday. As long as the state can stay on top of the casinos and be very effective keeping out organized crime and keep the games fair and honest, the casinos are an asset at this point. The MotorCity, MGM Grand Detroit and Greektown casinos reported revenues of $1.23 billion in 2005 and $1.08 billion through the first 10 months of 2006. The state’s 12.1 percent betting tax brought in $149 million last year and $131 million this year through October.