For the second time, a federal court has ruled against MGM Resorts International in its attempts to wrest a casino license away from Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino. According to the Hartford Courant, the court held that “the company could not show at 
the time the case was argued that it had specific development plans for the state.” Indeed, MGM’s solicitude for the Nutmeg State was quite sudden and did not manifest itself until the Hartford-area satellite casino was mooted by lawmakers. I’ll go farther and say MGM wouldn’t have such a chubby for Bridgeport if the words “satellite casino” had never been uttered. We’ve not seen opportunism on this scale since Penn National Gaming offered to close Hollywood Casino Perryville lock, stock and keno if it were given Laurel Downs instead.
The court’s decision leaves MGM’s hopes hanging by a thread — or a footnote, rather: “Our conclusion does not rule out the possibility that MGM’s alleged harm may at some future point become sufficiently imminent. That possibility, though, is at this time only hypothetical and we therefore need not address it.” MGM general counsel Uri Clinton was quick to say that his company would litigate further if Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) signs the bill, creating the “sufficiently imminent” harm. The bill, Clinton told the Courant, “violates the equal protection clause and commerce clause of the United States Constitution by authorizing two identified tribes — and no one else — to operate Connecticut‘s first commercial casino.” He dismissed the ruling as “a matter of timing” and predicted an MGM ambush down the road.
* When GameCo‘s skill-based slots were “initially heralded as the greatest innovation in casino gaming since video poker” can it be any wonder that “early field test results have fallen short of expectations,” resulting in their banishment from most Atlantic City casinos. (I believe they still maintain a Dunkirk-like beachhead at the Tropicana.) Not to be discouraged, GameCo CEO Blaine Graboyes is looking halfway around the world for his next foothold: Macao. As for the Boardwalk flop, Caesars Entertainment may bear some of the blame. Company exec Melissa Price admits, “People have to come find the games in a sea of 1,500 slots.” Perhaps if Caesars had done a better job of showcasing the games they would not have been such a disappointment.
* Speaking of Atlantic City, while Glenn Straub still can’t get out of the starting blocks at Ten/Revel, his rivals at Hard Rock International are pursuing an aggressive schedule, aiming to open a rebranded Trump Taj Mahal (with 100% less Trump) by next Memorial Day, just in time for high season. Clearly aware of how lackluster the Taj’s image had become, Hard Rock CEO Jim Allen is promising an entirely new aesthetic and experience. This will bring no cries of dismay from historic preservationists as the tacky-tacky Taj decor goes the way of the dinosaurs.
Hard Rock has big plans for the Taj, including the introduction of swim-up gambling and the addition of direct beach access. More 
controversially, perhaps, it hopes to introduce gambling to the resort’s restaurants. (Whether customers want gambling to be so inescapable remains to be seen.) Gaming regulators will have to weigh whether these innovations are kosher with state law or not. A waterpark and a pair of sports arenas are also on Hard Rock’s wish list. What will presumably be called Hard Rock Atlantic City is slated to have 2,400 slots and 130 table games. Former Trump exec Allen knows it’s not going to be cheap to de-Trumpify the resort, saying, “The amount of money we’re going to have to spend to remove all those minarets and all that purple… What were we thinking?” I don’t know but I like what they’re thinking now.
* S&G sends its best wishes to guest contributor Jeff_in_OKC, who celebrates a birthday today. May you spend the day in style, sir.
The “skill based” slots @ Caesar’s was at the entryway toward Bally’s, and the other issue was how unattractive the slot machines were.