South Dakota commissioners approve licenses for new Silverado-Franklin Hotel & Gaming Complex operator

The South Dakota Commission on Gaming has approved the necessary licenses for the company buying the historic Franklin Hotel and Silverado gambling complex in the heart of Deadwood from Super G Investments.

The new casino operator was greenlighted during a special teleconference meeting on Monday. Operator and retail licenses were approved for SGMSD, LLC; and Jon Grant Lincoln was approved as key licensee, reports KELO.

Lincoln is the CEO of Strategic Gaming Management, a Montana-based business. Additionally, he is a consultant for California-based betting app ZenSports, which in 2021 exercised its Nevada gaming licenses to operate the Big Wheel Casino in Lovelock, Nevada, and The Book at Baldini’s in Reno, Nevada.

The agreement signed at the time called for Strategic Gaming Management to act as the slot route operator and receive a cut of the slot machine revenue. SGM was formed in 2009 for the purchase of Baldini’s Casino.

Lincoln and Charlie Skinner, a Las Vegas partner in SGM and president of Marker Trax, which specializes in managing and issuing cashless funds for casino players, filed paperwork for SGMSD with the South Dakota Secretary of State office and received approval on January 4, 2023. According to a summary held by the South Dakota Commission, Lincoln owns 99% of SGMSD and Skinner 1%, reports the cited source.

SGMSD must next submit copies of all proposed gaming contracts to the commission’s executive secretary. The secretary and the commission may approve or deny gaming contracts and require changes in the contracts before participation by the licensee is allowed.

The historic Franklin Hotel and Silverado gambling complex offers its guests live poker, blackjack and a large variety of slot machines, in addition to dining options and 81 rooms.