Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on November 12, 2015 by David McKee

“I hate slots. It’s all up to luck. It’s boring, and I can’t control what happens. The only time I would ever even consider playing is to pretend I am so I could score free drinks.” — Arizona State University student … Continue reading →

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

Tohono O’odham win again; Union tackles REIT craze

Posted on November 12, 2015 by David McKee

Forces opposed to the Tohono O’odham Nation‘s attempts to build a casino (due to open Dec. 20) suffered yet another defeat — the 18th, by the tribe’s count — when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out a particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Arizona, GLPI, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Tohono O’odham win again; Union tackles REIT craze

Same old same-old at Trump; F-blew finally up for sale

Posted on November 12, 2015 by David McKee

Perhaps the biggest question surrounding Trump Taj Mahal is whether, when Carl Icahn takes over, the management team he has publicly upbraided will get to keep their jobs, especially since Uncle Carl has perfectly competent people taking care of business … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Fontainebleau, Genting, Massachusetts, Penn National, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 2 Comments

Phil Ruffin, International Man of Mystery; Another day, another DFS probe

Posted on November 12, 2015 by David McKee

So now we know where those The Mirage-is-for-sale rumors were coming from. Seems that the place really was not for sale, although Phil Ruffin wished it was, to the tune of $1.3 billion. And, as badly as MGM Resorts International … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, GLPI, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Phil Ruffin, International Man of Mystery; Another day, another DFS probe

Catastrophe for DFS; Strong month for Missouri

Posted on November 11, 2015 by David McKee

Daily fantasy sports’ house of cards continued to topple yesterday when New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman ordered FanDuel and DraftKings to cease and desist from taking bets in the Empire State, home to 500,000 DFS players. According to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Regulation | Comments Off on Catastrophe for DFS; Strong month for Missouri

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 10, 2015 by David McKee

“I think if you classify it as gambling and you try to regulate it in the same fashion as online gambling, the industry ceases to exist. The model that exists today cannot exist under the kind of proposals that I’ve seen.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet gambling, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

SLS gets new patron; Mixed quarter at Caesars

Posted on November 10, 2015 by David McKee

Revolving doors continue to spin, metaphorically, at SLS Las Vegas. No sooner had Hilton Worldwide dropped the property from its Curio brand but Starwood Resorts Worldwide picked up part of the property and slapped its W hotel escutcheon on it. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, International, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

The woes of Scientific Games

Posted on November 10, 2015 by David McKee

Having devoured seemingly half the manufacturing sector, Scientific Games is having some digestion problems. J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff came off the 3Q15 conference call and promptly halved his price target for the stock “given SGMS’s high operating and financial … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific Games, Wall Street | Comments Off on The woes of Scientific Games

Big month for Maryland; Much ado about Dotty’s

Posted on November 9, 2015 by David McKee

Developers of MGM National Harbor have to like what they saw when Maryland busted out its October revenue numbers: 9% growth (to $95 million), with all five casinos in the plus column. Horseshoe Baltimore General Manager Chad Barnhill is defecting … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Dotty's, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, TV | 1 Comment

Caesars exiting Ohio with head held high; New Showboat setback

Posted on November 9, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment may have gotten the boot from its three managerial arrangements with Dan Gilbert in Ohio but it’s spending the waning weeks of its tenure putting up impressive numbers. Horseshoe Cleveland ($18 million) was up 4% and Horseshoe Cincinnati … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Marketing, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Taxes | Comments Off on Caesars exiting Ohio with head held high; New Showboat setback

Hoosier stasis; Last-minute scramble in Connecticut

Posted on November 9, 2015 by David McKee

Gaming revenues in Indiana were even with 2014 last month, as Hoosier State casinos pulled in $186 million. Foot traffic was down 9% and per-player spend rose 11%. So you’ve got fewer but bigger-spending gamblers: Is that a good thing or not? … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Foxwoods, Full House Resorts, Harrah's, Indiana, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos | Comments Off on Hoosier stasis; Last-minute scramble in Connecticut

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 9, 2015 by David McKee

“I don’t think either one of them has been at their best on this one. But, you know, they’re big boys. They can do their own business.” — Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby on the feud between Steve Wynn … Continue reading →

Posted in Massachusetts, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

As the Showboat turns

Posted on November 6, 2015 by David McKee

Will the Showboat have a new owner (Bart Blatstein) on Monday? Only its hairdresser knows for sure. Will Caesars Entertainment‘s removal of its gaming entitlement trump (pardon the pun) Trump Entertainment Resorts CEO (and civic villain) Bob Griffin‘s mandate that … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Revel, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

New blows to Adelson, SLS; Seminoles’ air war

Posted on November 6, 2015 by David McKee

Ex-Sands China CEO Steven Jacobs‘ wrongful-termination case will still proceed under the gavel of Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez. The Nevada Supreme Court, in an unpublished opinion, reaffirmed Gonzalez’s standing in the case and also ordered Las Vegas Sands to pony up … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Indiana, Internet gambling, Macau, Politics, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Taxes, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on New blows to Adelson, SLS; Seminoles’ air war

Bluhm thinks big in Massachusetts; Cautious optimism in Illinois

Posted on November 6, 2015 by David McKee

Never accuse Neil Bluhm of thinking small. His Mass Gaming & Entertainment has published some eye-popping projections as part of a 200-page casino application to the State of Massachusetts. Despite nearby competition from Plainridge and Rhode Island, Bluhm is projecting … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Bluhm thinks big in Massachusetts; Cautious optimism in Illinois

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 6, 2015 by David McKee

“We will show some love to the clown.” — Eldorado Resorts‘ CEO Gary Carano, promising to bring the Reno iteration of Circus Circus into the 21st century. Eldorado will also rebrand and add a Hampton Inn to its Scioto Downs … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Eldorado Resorts, Ohio, Racinos, Reno | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Packer on the move in Vegas; Impending strike in Detroit?

Posted on November 4, 2015 by David McKee

Formally speaking, Alon hasn’t broken ground but that hasn’t stopped James Packer‘s bulldozers and backhoes from moving earth around at the site of the planned megaresort, as well as leveling some of the landscaping Steve Wynn paid for to conceal … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Carl Icahn, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Fontainebleau, Genting, James Packer, MGM Mirage, SLS Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Packer on the move in Vegas; Impending strike in Detroit?

Georgia on their minds; DFS regulation gathers speed

Posted on November 4, 2015 by David McKee

There’s a new suitor in the crowd of casino companies eager to extend their brands into Georgia: the Seminole Tribe. It wants to build a Hard Rock International casino in 2018, opposite Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Atlanta Falcons will play. Hard … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Internet gambling, Minnesota, New York, Problem gambling, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Taxes | Comments Off on Georgia on their minds; DFS regulation gathers speed

Straub has new plan for Revel; Station cans Cactus Lane casino

Posted on November 4, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub can’t even heat Revel but he’s got his sights on becoming Atlantic City‘s biggest slumlord. The ever-unpredictable billionaire’s latest plan for the megaresort is to use it to house Syrian refugees. However, this homeless-hostel offer is good for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, Michael Gaughan, Regulation, Reno, Revel, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off on Straub has new plan for Revel; Station cans Cactus Lane casino

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 3, 2015 by David McKee

“There’s no arguing with City Hall. There’s no arguing with the government. There’s only begging and lobbying and more begging.” — Melco Crown Entertainment Co-Chairman Lawrence Ho on doing business in Macao.

Posted in Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day