CdA Resort names gaming director

Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, located in Worley, has announced the appointment of Rick Williams as director of gaming.

Williams brings 22 years of experience in the casino gaming industry. During his career, he developed an understanding of gaming performance analytics and player behavior, according to a news release.

His career in the gaming industry began in 2001 as a gaming technician. Since then, he has held key director-level positions during the successful opening of four casino properties, the release said.

Recently, he was the senior director of gaming operations for Churchill Downs Incorporated, a Louisville, Kentucky-based company that operates horse-racing entertainment venues, online wagering businesses and casinos.

Williams was pivotal in designing the gaming floor layout for two historical horse-racing properties, the release said.

Paramount eyes sale of BET

Paramount Global is in talks to sell its Black Entertainment Television network to a management-led investor group, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

The potential buyers include BET Chief Executive Officer Scott Mills and Chinh Chu, a former Blackstone Inc. executive who runs New York-based CC Capital Partners, said the people who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private.

A price of a little under $2 billion has been discussed, the people said.

Chu has created a number of special purpose acquisition companies to acquire businesses.

Last year, he merged one with the photo archive Getty Images Holdings Inc. A spokesperson for CC Capital declined to comment.

Paramount, the parent of CBS, MTV and other channels, shopped the network earlier this year, along with the related channel VH1.

The company dropped the sale process after failing to get bids it was satisfied with.

BET, founded in 1980, has close ties with some of the most successful African Americans in entertainment.

Kenya Barris and Rashida Jones are investors in BET Studios, while Tyler Perry holds a stake in the BET+ streaming service.

Media mogul Byron Allen, who has also been pursuing the network, has said it should be Black-owned.

From staff and wire reports