Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

Walker finally acts; Pessimistic about Japan

Posted on January 23, 2015 by David McKee

After numerous delays, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) finally was roused from inaction on the proposed Menominee Nation casino for Kenosha. The governor’s response to the tribe was a firm “no,” predicated upon forecasts of revenue losses from the state’s … Continue reading →

Posted in California, International, Japan, PokerStars, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

The man who couldn’t make up his mind

Posted on January 22, 2015 by David McKee

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has become the Hamlet of the casino industry, torn between varying tribal interests and uncommitted to decisive action. He’ll have to make some decision on the Menominee Nation‘s Hard Rock International project in Kenosha by … Continue reading →

Posted in Hard Rock International, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

Straub wins again; Delaware, racinos at an impasse

Posted on January 22, 2015 by David McKee

Revel is Glenn Straub‘s — if he wants it. HQ nightclub, ACR Energy Partners and other Revel tenants saw their objections swept aside at a bankruptcy hearing yesterday. Judge Jerome Simandle wrote that “the court notes that, the palpable risk … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, Glenn Straub, Politics, Racinos, Revel, Taxes | 1 Comment

Mohegan Sun ambushes Wynn

Posted on January 22, 2015 by David McKee

Pursuing by lawsuit what it could not win on merit, Mohegan Sun has piled onto the scrum of litigation against the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for having awarded a Boston-area casino license to Wynn Resorts (which had no comment). Mohegan Tribal Gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

New chief at Resorts World; Pay cut for Wynn

Posted on January 21, 2015 by David McKee

In a change of horses that might kick-start development of dormant Resorts World Las Vegas, boss Christian Goode is out, replaced by Gerald Gardner, a former top aide to Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval. The groundbreaking for the project has now … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Cordish Co., Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Maryland, New York, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on New chief at Resorts World; Pay cut for Wynn

Straub holds Revel hostage; Caesars cutbacks begin

Posted on January 21, 2015 by David McKee

Revel continues to be a bone of contention. Utility supplier ACR Energy Partners is leading a group of creditors attempting to block the sale of Revel to Glenn Straub. The latter, they assert, could simply walk away from all contracts, claims, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Dining, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Revel, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Politicians desert Atlantic City; Cuomo dreams on

Posted on January 20, 2015 by David McKee

Despite four years of yeoman’s work repairing and altering Atlantic City‘s image, the Atlantic City Alliance is being abandoned like an orphan on the church steps. State Senate President Steve Sweeney (D, left) blamed the casinos for killing it off … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Harrah's, Marketing, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Politicians desert Atlantic City; Cuomo dreams on

Casinos slump in Illinois, boom in Arkansas

Posted on January 20, 2015 by David McKee

Never mind that Illinois casino admissions were down 1.4 million last year and the state’s gambling houses brought in $87 million less than in 2013. Politicians are preparing to try and ram another big gaming expansion through the Legislature, counting … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Economy, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, Technology | Comments Off on Casinos slump in Illinois, boom in Arkansas

Celebrity Caesars investors get clipped

Posted on January 20, 2015 by David McKee

As the opposing sides entrench for an acrimonious battle over the assets of Caesars Entertainment, a few early losers are emerging. Unsecured creditor Robert DeNiro‘s Nobu in Caesars Palace is owed $459,964 and loud-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsay can yell all he … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Charity, Dining, Harrah's, Internet gambling, New York, Reno, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Celebrity Caesars investors get clipped

Indian givers in D.C.; Mixed bag for Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun

Posted on January 19, 2015 by David McKee

Arizona‘s congressional delegation continues to single out the Tohono O’odham Nation for being too successful. Sens. John McCain (R) and Jeff Flake (R), and Reps. Trent Franks and Paul Gosar are trying yet again to legislate the Tohono O’odham’s $400 … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Economy, Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, International, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Tribal | Comments Off on Indian givers in D.C.; Mixed bag for Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun

Sands scores in Pennsylvania; More nonsense from Trump

Posted on January 19, 2015 by David McKee

Pennsylvania isn’t anywhere near done with building casinos but it is feeling market saturation. A $40 million decline in slot winnings pushed casinos to sub-2013 levels. The proliferation of casino product did not help. “When I came here six years ago, there were … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Donald Trump, Macau, Massachusetts, Michael Gaughan, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, TV | Comments Off on Sands scores in Pennsylvania; More nonsense from Trump

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 19, 2015 by David McKee

“At least we are not Detroit.” — Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian, trying to put a positive spin on the Boardwalk‘s lean times.

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

Caesars bankruptcy stymied; Big Total Rewards payday

Posted on January 19, 2015 by David McKee

Just when it looked like Gary Loveman & Co. were going to get away with murder in the Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. bankruptcy, U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin said, in essence, ‘Not so fast.’ Judge Scheindlin found the movement of assets … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, South Korea, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars bankruptcy stymied; Big Total Rewards payday

Loveman succeeds: Caesars bankrupt

Posted on January 15, 2015 by David McKee

Not wasting any time, CEO Gary Loveman put Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. into Chapter 11 today, filing the motion in Chicago to circumvent a Delaware lawsuit. (The reason for the Windy City filing may go a lot deeper than proximity … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Delaware, Economy, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off on Loveman succeeds: Caesars bankrupt

Atlantic City hangs in there; Mississippi mulls i-poker

Posted on January 15, 2015 by David McKee

When it comes to Atlantic City it literally is a question of whether the glass is half-empty or half-full. The city’s casinos are 48% off their 2006 high of $5.2 billion. In 2014, the decline was slowed somewhat by $123 … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Mississippi, Politics, Revel, Sports, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City hangs in there; Mississippi mulls i-poker

Boffo Christmas for Borgata; ColSux loses again

Posted on January 14, 2015 by David McKee

There wasn’t a lot of Christmas cheer to be had in Atlantic City, where citywide gambling revenues fell 13%. However, for the surviving operators, the take was up 7% on a “same-store” basis (i.e., discounting the casinos that have closed). … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Mohegan Sun, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Boffo Christmas for Borgata; ColSux loses again

Cuomo’s New York mess thickens

Posted on January 14, 2015 by David McKee

Bowing to pressure from New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), the Gaming Facility Location Board is starting the clock on a new round of bidding for casinos in the state’s thinly populated Southern Tier. It didn’t draw much interest last … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, International, James Packer, LVCVA, New York, Philippines, Regulation, South Korea, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off on Cuomo’s New York mess thickens

New day at the AGA; Illinois casinos feel the slot-route squeeze

Posted on January 14, 2015 by David McKee

For the first time, a Native American gaming enterprise has become part of the American Gaming Association, as Seminole Hard Rock Gaming has cracked what had been the lobbyist equivalent of a whites-only country club. It’s part of an image … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Illinois, LVCVA, Missouri, Penn National, Slot routes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Caesars’ hand forced; Pick a peck of Packer

Posted on January 14, 2015 by David McKee

Efforts by Appaloosa Management and others to push Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. into an involuntary bankruptcy have lit a fire under Caesars. The company is moving its planned bankruptcy filing up from Jan. 20 to tomorrow.  Appaloosa and cohorts Tennenbaum Capital Partners … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, James Packer, Movies, Philippines, Politics, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars’ hand forced; Pick a peck of Packer

Caesars’ shell game; Phua gambit backfires

Posted on January 13, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment continues to plow toward a Jan. 20 prepackaged bankruptcy filing, but it’s got a tough row to hoe. For one thing, it must get around the involuntary bankruptcy motion by Appaloosa Management, Oaktree Capital Management and Tennenbaum Capital Partners. … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, International, Regulation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars’ shell game; Phua gambit backfires