I am waiting for another written offer from an internet software provider today, we met them in Vegas and they have given us a verbal offer. Our internet room is definaley delayed and I still have not made a firm decision who to go with. Its a lot more hassle setting up a deal direct rather that just doing a skin with a cage, but I'm getting used to wading through thick mud on this project. everytime I can see some light at the end of the tunnel, the lights go out!
Me, Aces, Chubbs and Nick are planning on playing the Blackpool main even this weekend. Its one of my favourite tournamants of the Uk calender, although my results there leave much to be desired. I hope Grovesner will let me continue to play their festivals when DTD opens, I really enjoy them and theres plenty of bantor. The DTD Poker Tour is into a loss now, despite me cashing in Dublin, lets hope Aces can get his first cash for DTD in Blackpool...........
Nick is getting really stressed out about the refurbishment of DTD, as he's got a number of other property projects running over the next 12 months in Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and London, so we'll be heavily reliant Redgates Contracting who are the same company that did the Broadway Casino in Birmingham. We have also retained the same designer as the Broadway usel, "Bob", whose a nice but slightly eccetric chap. These boys are not the cheapest, but we know what they are capable of. Although DTD will be going for a "vegas" theme, rather than the contemporary style of the Broadway, I think using these boys is a safer bet.
I never realised how much of my time this project would take up, maybe I am too hands-on and want everything perfect, but I really struggle to work any other way. I'm in Birmingham today to work through the DTD accounting procedures with Rebecca, my Finance Director. Although we've only spent £200k so far, my accounting records are pretty scrappy, and the Inland Revenue will be on DTD's case because its owned by me. In the last 4 years, I have had 2 personal tax investigations, 4 vat inspections, and 3 PAYE investigations. I have no doubt that DTD will be interrogated by the the tax office, so we need to get the financial records right from the start. Don't get me wrong, I believe in paying tax, not avoiding it, but I seem to get a disproportionate amount of attention form the government, they never find anything irregular, but seem hell bent of making my life difficult, or maybe I'm just paranoid.
Expense, expense, expense, DTD is burning all of my cash resources. When I first had this "club concept" at the start of my diary, the costs were under control and within my c"omfort zone". Now, everything is going over budget and for a qualified accountant, I have shown zero financial dispipline. I'm still not sure what the final DTD project cost will be, but believe me, it is going to really really hurt my financial situation. I guess in some sick way I need it to be like this, to get that adreneline rush that taking risks give you.
Never mind, tomorrow is another day,
Cheers Rob
