Author Archives: David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on December 9, 2016 by David McKee

“You know your industry is in trouble if the most current product you offer your 21st century patrons is bingo.” — gaming-law expert I. Nelson Rose on the casino industry’s struggle to adapt to changing times.

Posted in history, Marketing, Technology | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

What the Lucky Dragon means; National Harbor lifts all boats

Posted on December 9, 2016 by David McKee

The good Dr. David G. Schwartz ponders the significance of Lucky Dragon Casino and begins with one salient milestone: “Lucky Dragon is the first genuinely new property to open in the tourist corridor since The Cosmopolitan six years ago.” That’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Donald Trump, Genting, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Japan, Lucky Dragon, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on What the Lucky Dragon means; National Harbor lifts all boats

Racinos lap casinos in Ohio; “Golden Knights” kiboshed

Posted on December 9, 2016 by David McKee

Ohio‘s four main casinos performed weakly last month, with Dan Gilbert‘s Jack Cleveland ($16 million, -4%) and Jack Cincinnati ($15 million, -7%) still not validating their new brand. Ironically, the once-superfluous Thistledown Racino is saving Jack’s bacon, up 13% to … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Japan, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Taxes | Comments Off on Racinos lap casinos in Ohio; “Golden Knights” kiboshed

Macao: Big brother is watching; Quandary in Indiana

Posted on December 9, 2016 by David McKee

Just as it looked that Macao was beginning to climb out of one government-created crisis, along comes another. According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the central government was cutting the maximum withdrawal amount from UnionPay ATMs … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Full House Resorts, GLPI, Harrah's, Indiana, Macau, Majestic Star, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: Big brother is watching; Quandary in Indiana

Pennsylvania gets a second look; Tioga Downs debuts new casino

Posted on December 6, 2016 by David McKee

Funny that we should have been discussing Pennsylvania yesterday. Fitch Ratings analyst Alex Bumazhny made a field trip to Philadelphia and Bethlehem, and came away impressed by the $164 million expansion of SugarHouse. He concluded that its new features, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, Lucky Dragon, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Japan: Hold your horses!

Posted on December 6, 2016 by David McKee

Contrary to a press report over the weekend — and too credulously picked up by S&G — casino gambling is far from out of the woods in the Japanese Diet. True, it was voted out of committee in the lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Japan, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Japan: Hold your horses!

Running the tables in Pennsylvania; MGM woos Georgia (again)

Posted on December 5, 2016 by David McKee

Due to Pennsylvania‘s quirky habit of releasing slot and table game revenue numbers in staggered fashion, we don’t often comment on Keystone State gambling revenues. Fortunately, the Center for Gaming Research at UNLV consolidates the information into one handy-dandy report. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Aristocrat, Australia, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Georgia, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Hooters, Isle of Capri, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, SLS Las Vegas, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Running the tables in Pennsylvania; MGM woos Georgia (again)

Japan: The impossible happens

Posted on December 5, 2016 by David McKee

Just when even Wall Street analysts were giving up hope — and ahead of schedule — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe got a casino-legalization bill through the Diet. This isn’t the end of the process, although casinos are now legal, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Donald Trump, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Hard Rock International, Japan, Kazuo Okada, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Japan: The impossible happens

Caesars: No free ride; Straub sues New Jersey

Posted on December 1, 2016 by David McKee

In an utterly predictable move, Caesars Entertainment will begin charging for parking at its Las Vegas Strip casinos in late December, at the same when MGM Resorts International‘s paid-parking regime is expected to go wide, encompassing locals. (December 29 is … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Reboot for Wynn Palace; Does Trump still heart sports betting?

Posted on November 30, 2016 by David McKee

Gaming analysts confirm reports of a slow opening at Wynn Palace in Macao, likening its performance to that of the early days of Studio City — not the sort of comparison Wynn Resorts probably wanted to hear. Room rates have … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Economy, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Sports, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 29, 2016 by David McKee

“They don’t want to sit in front of a metal box with spinning wheels in a building the size of a warehouse.” — gaming-law expert I. Nelson Rose on millennials’ preference for mobile gambling. Pennsylvania lawmakers had the opportunity to … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing, Pennsylvania, Technology | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Strip booms in October; Trouble in Tiverton

Posted on November 29, 2016 by David McKee

Not even a 16.5% decline in table wagers could hold back the Las Vegas Strip last month, as gaming revenues shot up 14%, to $563 million. Statewide, casinos didn’t do so badly either, up 11%. The one-armed bandits on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Foxwoods, history, Iowa, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lucky Dragon, Macau, Massachusetts, Mesquite, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Rhode Island, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

End of a golden tribal era; Vegas Vic gets his due

Posted on November 29, 2016 by David McKee

Already gaming pundits are reading the entrails of the presidential election and predicting that while a Donald Trump administration could be Bad News for Internet gambling it will be Very Bad News Indeed for tribal gaming. Words like “disaster” are … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, history, Indiana, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Regulation, Tribal | 4 Comments

All right in Atlantic City; Trump: The Asia connection

Posted on November 28, 2016 by David McKee

Columnist Steve Ruddock recently took a deep dive into Atlantic City and found the water to be just fine, thank you. He didn’t just mean his hotel room at Resorts Atlantic City, which he deemed cleaner and better-maintained than many … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, International, Iowa, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Regulation, Revel, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Vietnam | 1 Comment

New stumbling block for Caesars; ‘Net betting powers New Jersey

Posted on November 23, 2016 by David McKee

Just when it looked like Caesars Entertainment was out of the woods in its bankruptcy reorganization the federal trustee intervened with an objection. At issue are the releases from litigation that Caesars wrested from creditors as part of the price … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on New stumbling block for Caesars; ‘Net betting powers New Jersey

Ducey: Let’s make a deal; Trump = legal sports betting?

Posted on November 22, 2016 by David McKee

It looks like the State of Arizona may be ready to throw in the towel in its losing fight against the Tohono O’odham Nation over its Desert Diamond casino. Gov. Doug Ducey (R) has inked a new compact with 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Arizona, Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Geoff Freeman, IGT, Lucky Dragon, Marketing, Politics, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on Ducey: Let’s make a deal; Trump = legal sports betting?

(Pot) Smoke gets in their eyes; Enter the Lucky Dragon

Posted on November 21, 2016 by David McKee

Just say “No.” That’s what Nevada gaming regulators are advising casinos who might be tempted to take advantage of the new legality of recreational marijuana in the Silver State. Bowing to federal law, the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Cordish Co., Downtown, Environment, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, Lucky Dragon, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Regulation, Sports, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on (Pot) Smoke gets in their eyes; Enter the Lucky Dragon

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 18, 2016 by David McKee

“1984. What does that year mean to us? In 1984, across Nevada and Atlantic City, it was the year when slot revenue began to exceed table revenue.” — casino consultant Michael Meczka, on the pernicious effects of corporate ownership on … Continue reading →

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

Trump Taj saves Atlantic City; Barrack resurfaces; Visiting Memory Lane

Posted on November 17, 2016 by David McKee

When we rounded up Atlantic City gaming numbers yesterday, we didn’t get into market-adjusted comparisons and thus buried the lead. The Boardwalk’s surviving casinos saw, on average, a 6% increase in gaming revenue, thanks to the Oct. 10 closing of … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, history, Internet gambling, Japan, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, PokerStars, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, West Virginia, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

Atlantic City: Golden Nugget now tops; MGM’s holy rollers

Posted on November 16, 2016 by David McKee

There’s a new leader in Atlantic City‘s Internet-gambling arena. Not PokerStars over at Resorts Digital. They’re still in last place. No, grabbing 24.5% of market share, Golden Nugget now heads the pack. Borgata has 22%, Caesars Interactive holds 18% and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Atlantic City: Golden Nugget now tops; MGM’s holy rollers