Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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A modest proposal; Boyd on the prowl

Posted on October 3, 2017 by David McKee

Warning: You’re probably not going to like this post. That being said, the catastrophe at Mandalay Bay demands a more proactive response from the casino industry. There is always a certain element of risk in life, but we can ameliorate … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, G2E, Geoff Freeman, history, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Palms, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on A modest proposal; Boyd on the prowl

Hot numbers in August; MGM Cotai postponed

Posted on October 2, 2017 by David McKee

Although visitation to Las Vegas was down 2% in August, room revenues and rates were both up 3% (with a hotel room costing you $125/night on average) and occupancy at 91%. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff credited the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McPherson … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Downtown, Economy, Fontainebleau, Foxwoods, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, North Las Vegas, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Reno | Comments Off on Hot numbers in August; MGM Cotai postponed

G2E: The show must go on; Real hope for Moulin Rouge site

Posted on October 2, 2017 by David McKee

A giant, unstoppable machine, Global Gaming Expo is opening as planned today, despite last night’s bloodbath at Mandalay Bay. G2E officials said they were “closely monitoring the horrific events” of last night, which I hope translates into a higher security … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, G2E, Geoff Freeman, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Moulin Rouge, Taxes | Comments Off on G2E: The show must go on; Real hope for Moulin Rouge site

Mass murder at Mandalay Bay

Posted on October 2, 2017 by David McKee

I’m angry today. Angry because, for whatever reason, Las Vegas has become the site of the biggest incident of domestic terrorism in U.S. history, as gunman Stephen Paddock  killed at least 50 people (subsequently updated to 58) at a Mandalay Bay concert … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, history, Hooters, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Transportation | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 2, 2017 by David McKee

“If I was.@realDonaldTrump I would activate every Food truck in the country,create blocks of 10,centralize kitchen, 20k meals a day per block” — one of a flurry of Tweets from Las Vegas chef José Andres, who’s on the ground in … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Case Bets

Posted on September 28, 2017 by David McKee

Rock in Rio having been one-and-done for MGM Resorts International, word is that the latter is pursuing the Kaaboo music festival for its mostly vacant outdoor-concert space up on Sahara Avenue. For the moment, Kaboo says it has “no plans” to … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Entertainment, Foxwoods, MGM Mirage, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Firebugs in Macao; New slots at Harrah’s

Posted on September 27, 2017 by David McKee

Already slowed by construction fatalities, jinx-prone Grand Lisboa Palace has now been ravaged by fire. The best that CEO Angela Leong could say about the casino’s late-2018 opening date was that it was now uncertain. Sociedade de Jogos de Macau … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, California, Economy, GameCO, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off on Firebugs in Macao; New slots at Harrah’s

Trump to bigfoot Connecticut controversy?

Posted on September 26, 2017 by David McKee

Could we see heavy-footed federal intervention in the MGM Resorts International vs. Connecticut tribes slugfest? Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim (D) hopes so. A supporter of Donald Trump‘s presidential campaign, he’s hoping the White House will stomp into the Nutmeg State fray, interceding … Continue reading →

Posted in DFS, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Geoff Freeman, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off on Trump to bigfoot Connecticut controversy?

Palms renovation weighs upon Station; Japan dithers on casinos

Posted on September 25, 2017 by David McKee

Calling Palms renovations “an issue that has been persistent all year and whose magnitude keeps surprising us to the downside,” J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff lowered revenue projections for Station Casinos for the remainder of the year, extending into early … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sports, Station Casinos, Technology, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 25, 2017 by David McKee

“I can’t imagine any scenario in which the tribal nations would agree to open up the compact on those grounds. I can’t imagine entering into an agreement with any entity that would endanger our agreement with the tribal nations.” — Connecticut … Continue reading →

Posted in Foxwoods, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Taxes | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

A picture worth 1,000 words

Posted on September 25, 2017 by David McKee

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jackie Robinson, exercising their First Amendment rights,

Posted in history | 1 Comment

MGM gets potty-mouthed; New York casino flops

Posted on September 22, 2017 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International‘s casinos-without-gaming new ad campaign is playing to divided opinions. For instance, the company has 100,000 square feet of gaming at Bellagio but you won’t spot so much as a pair of dice in the ad, yet MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Genting, International, Lawrence Ho, Marijuana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Philippines, Politics, Sports, Tribal, TV | 2 Comments

Trying again in Kentucky; Trump Taj goes tits up

Posted on September 21, 2017 by David McKee

Casinos and Kentucky politicians have been like oil and water. But there’s nothing like a pension-fund crisis to focus people’s attention and the Bluegrass State faces a $33 million shortfall on its obligations. Hence a proposal for “limited” casino gambling, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Dining, Economy, Election, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Kentucky, Marijuana, Nevada, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, TV | 1 Comment

Hall of Fame game

Posted on September 21, 2017 by David McKee

Inductees to the American Gaming Association‘s Gaming Hall of Fame have sometimes been questionable (mobbed-up Clifford Perlman, for one) but this year’s foursome are unlikely to stir controversy. In a family affair, Paragon Gaming CEO Diana Bennett joins her late father … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, history, Hooters, International, Lake Tahoe, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Paragon Gaming, Riviera, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Mob, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off on Hall of Fame game

Escalating war at Hard Rock; New slots flood the market

Posted on September 21, 2017 by David McKee

Leadership of the Culinary Union has gone thermonuclear on the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, filing a National Labor Relations Board complaint against owner Brookfield Asset Management. The latest broadside from the Culinary against Brookfield alleges that “the company has … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, G2E, GameCO, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Singapore, Technology | Comments Off on Escalating war at Hard Rock; New slots flood the market

MGM Bridgeport … ?!?; Battle lines drawn in Maine

Posted on September 20, 2017 by David McKee

Poor MGM Springfield. It’s not even finished and MGM Resorts International is already off on a snipe hunt in Connecticut. Like Steve Wynn many years ago, it is proposing a casino for Bridgeport. MGM says it is prepared to invest … Continue reading →

Posted in e-sports, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, history, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, TV | Comments Off on MGM Bridgeport … ?!?; Battle lines drawn in Maine

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 19, 2017 by David McKee

“The Lucky Dragon is a joke, went in there a couple weeks ago, and it was deader than an off strip Wednesday graveyard shirt [sic]. All the tables did not even have chip trays in them. I think there was … Continue reading →

Posted in Lucky Dragon, The Strip | 1 Comment

F-blew: Here we go again; Trop makes Hoosier history

Posted on September 19, 2017 by David McKee

Steven Witkoff hasn’t closed on the Fontainebleau sale yet, never mind receiving a gaming license, and he’s already being cast as the savior of the Las Vegas Strip. However, there are some dark clouds on Fontainebleau’s horizon. Despite the $1.3 … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Eldorado Resorts, Fontainebleau, Genting, history, Indiana, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Marketing, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Adelson cools on Japan; Revel mystery deepens

Posted on September 18, 2017 by David McKee

Details of Japan‘s casino-implementation bill are starting to trickle out: a blend of tax rates for mass-market play (22%) and VIP action (12%), a minimum gambling age of 20 and casino square floors no bigger than 15,000 square feet. Limitations like … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Japan, Marijuana, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 15, 2017 by David McKee

“I know that he always wanted to be referred to as mayor because of his love for the city. Our leaders today have to follow Jim’s way and take risks. He made things better for the residents of Atlantic City and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, history | Comments Off on Quote of the Day