Having trounced its opposition in last year’s election, Atlantic City continues on its roll, with its casinos posting a 20% increase in operating profit through June. “For three consecutive quarters now, 
the current operators reported double-digit growth in gross operating profits. They must be doing something right,” said New Jersey Casino Control Commission Chairman Matt Levinson. Yes, and they’re doing it without Glenn Straub, still in a titanic sulk over having to be licensed at Revel. Down at the Tropicana Atlantic City, the management team deserves a bonus, having increased Trop operating profits a stunning 105% ($35 million). Mohegan Gaming Entertainment is also showing results at Resorts Atlantic City, up 63% ($9.5 million). Tilman Fertitta wrested an extra 27% ($17 million) out of his Golden Nugget, while Borgata gained 22% for a whopping $129 million.
The news wasn’t all good, unfortunately. While volatile Caesars Atlantic City increased its operating profit 25% ($45.5 million), profitability fell at the two other Caesars Entertainment casinos. Harrah’s Resort ($50 million) slid 13% while Bally’s dipped 6% ($16 million).
* Macao is reeling from Typhoon Hato, which left five dead and 153 injured in the Chinese protectorate. Electrical power to the Cotai Strip™ was minimal but water infrastructure was not so lucky. Said Las Vegas Sands spokesman Ron Reese, “Our people on the ground in Macao said this was the worst typhoon they had 
seen in 20 years.” The casinos seem to have gotten by with minimal damage: a broken window Sands Cotai Central‘s Starbucks, “minor damage” at Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace, both of which remained open for business, ignoring a directive from the Gaming Inspection & Coordination Bureau of Macau. “All transportations — air, ground, sea — have halted, so customers who have checked out cannot leave yet,” said a Sands China exec, doubtless counting up the extra gambling revenue that could be made from the stranded guests.
One anonymous casino executive, however, fumed that “It’s like we have gone back to the stone age. People have to queue on the street 
for water? It is unbelievable to have no power and water more than 48 hours after. How can the government claim we are a first-world city?” Cancellation of ferry service and closing of the borders could really impact the bottom line.
The South China Morning Post blamed the “casino factor” for Macao’s tardy typhoon warning. Hato laid bare the failure of Macao’s infrastructure to keep pace with casino-fueled growth. “It’s 
a long-time story of incompetence and a lack of caring to find a solution,” said lawmaker Jose Coutinho, who added that casino-fueled prosperity led to complacency. For instance, a replacement for the city’s decrepit hospital remains on the drawing boards. It has been a higher priority for City Hall to dole out casino-tax revenues to residents. Will Hato leave a reordered sense of priorities in its wake or will Macao revert to the status quo? Our money’s on the latter.
Some, like contractor Wong Kit-wah, imputed darker motives to the calamity. Alleging public-sector corruption, he said, “Although this is a natural disaster the losses shouldn’t be so massive.”
* Pechanga Casino & Resort already has a gaming floor larger than that of MGM Grand. It’s adding 568 hotel rooms to grow to a total of 1,090, nosing out Harrah’s Resort Southern California to become the largest casino-resort in the Golden State. But I’ll let the pictures tell the story:
