Author: David Mckee

Take a long look at that rendering for Bally’s Bronx. You might never see it again. The project got smothered in the crib by the New York City‘s governing council, which voted 26-9 to deny it rezoning from Bally Links. Without that, the $4 billion pipe dream is as good as gone. Gone too are Donald Trump‘s increasingly faint hopes for $115 million “gaming event fee” should Bally’s grab the brass ring. But, contrary to Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim‘s borderline paranoia, the fatal blow was struck from the right, by Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato (R). She was against the project and brought 25 other votes with her. Hard cheese, Soo. The Bally’s boss was thunderstruck by the outcome and has said virtually nothing since that City Council shockeroo.

Continue reading Then There Were 7 …

Any child knows that ‘daily fantasy sports’ is a fancy name for sports betting. The primary fantasy at work is the notion that it ISN’T sports wagering. If you field the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers but swap out a measly player or two, you’re in clover. After all, the success or failure of your “team” is predicated on real-world stats as compiled by real-world athletes. It’s sports betting, plain and simple.

Continue reading DFS is SOL

Las Vegas, you’ve got a problem on your hands. During May, casino revenues across the rest of the United States went up, sometimes dramatically. What did the Las Vegas Strip do? It declined 4%. And Las Vegas locals’ business was flat with 2024. Maybe consumers have gotten fed up with being dinged $26 for a tiny bottle of water. Or maybe—and more likely—the consumer is “one with no visibility into the future and thus preference for smaller/experiential purchases over large outlays/vacations.” That’s the assessment of new J.P. Morgan gaming analyst Daniel Politzer and it’s spot-on. Given that there was an extra weekend day in May this year, gaming overlords are probably thanking their lucky stars things didn’t turn out worse.

Continue reading Strip Sags in May

As you read this, Rhode Island‘s legislature is on track to pass a smoking “ban” in casinos with so many loopholes as to be totally meaningless. Politicians will undoubtedly congratulate themselves on having taken a stand for public health but that’s just so much bullshit.

Continue reading Blowing Smoke

Although the name Jimmy Slonina probably won’t sound familiar, there’s a good chance you’ve seen him when you visited Las Vegas. He’s a veteran of long-running Le Reve at Wynncore and of Vegas Nocturne at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. He’s also had credits in Absinthe, O and Zarkana. Currently, he’s a lead performer in Mystere at Treasure Island. Except for a few nights last week when he was an involuntary guest of Las Vegas’ finest.

Continue reading See Vegas, Get Busted