Along with Organizing Beyond Barriers, the Culinary Union is calling upon Trader Joe’s to stop carrying Gordon Biersch beer labels Josephsbrau, Black Toad Ale, and Stockyard Oatmeal Stout. Why? Because the “principals are Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, controlling 
owners of the Las Vegas-based casino chain Station Casinos.” Aye, there’s the nub of it. At the risk of pulling a Donald Trump and engaging in false moral equivalencies, do you think the Culinary would be as vocal about the Fertitta Brothers having “helped propel into power political leaders who attack immigrants, women, the environment, LGBTQIA+ communities, and working families”? Methinks the union doth protest too much. Now that it has a contract at Trump International, it doesn’t take on The Donald directly but goes after the lower-hanging fruit.
The quickest path for the Fertittas to make all this unpleasantness go away would be to hold union elections at all it Las Vegas-area casinos (save for Boulder Station, which is already unionized). Methinks the Culinary’s thirst for Black Toad Ale would be greatly increased.
* Now that Wynn Palace has redone its casino floor, Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli reports a ramp-up in mass-market play. This, accompanied by strong VIP performance at Wynn Macau constitutes a “favorable entry point” for those who might be on the verge of buying Wynn stock. “Accordingly, we think 3Q17 Consensus forecasts are beatable and we believe out period upward revisions will drive shares higher,” Santarelli predicted.
* The Cromwell is making a play for the value-conscious gambler. Among the new options it is touting are double-shoe 21, single-zero 
roulette, EZ baccarat (no more 5% commission for The Man) and that Holy Grail of gamblers, 3-2 blackjack. The new sports book is promised to be in place for NFL season. Said Cromwell General Manager Blake Segal, “we have extended that [high] level of service to the casino by providing a variety of games that have more liberal potential payouts for the guests.” Pair this with the success of Lucky Dragon and maybe smaller really is better on the Las Vegas Strip.
* Since revenue comparisons in Atlantic City still include last year’s trickle of money for Trump Taj Mahal. That means what should have been a 3% gain turns into a 4% decline. A 1% decline in slot coin-in turned into a 2% revenue decline, for a $179 million gross. Five percent less table play translated into 10% fewer winnings, for a gross of $65.5 million. Borgata grossed $76 million (a 5% decline), largely driven by severe bad luck at the tables — a 22% plunge — and despite a 3% increase in slot winnings.
Golden Nugget continued to dominate the online sphere, with 30.5% of market share (Borgata had 18.5%, good for $4 million). As for terrestrial play, the Nugget grossed $21 million, down 3%. All other casinos were revenue-positive, led by Resorts Atlantic City, up 14.5% to $20.5 million. The Tropicana grew business 13%, to finish at $37.5 million. Bally’s grossed $23 million, up 5%, Caesars Atlantic City raked in $33 million, up 5% and Harrah’s Resort was up 7% to $37 million. Now that the “parasite” casinos have been purged from Atlantic City, the outlook is most positive.
