Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

Cornrows and casinos

Posted on October 9, 2014 by David McKee

Those who argue that Iowa is saturated with casinos found plentiful ammunition in the latest set of revenue numbers from the state. True, Hard Rock Sioux City is doing far better than its predecessor, Argosy Sioux City. Also, Harrah’s Council … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, G2E, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Warner Gaming | Comments Off on Cornrows and casinos

Study: Casinos bring down crime rate

Posted on October 8, 2014 by David McKee

“La, la, la, I DON’T HEAR YOU!” That’s the sound of casino opponents reacting to a new study that shows a 9% decline in murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson in a 30-mile radius of Foxwoods … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Study: Casinos bring down crime rate

Funeral garb for Harmon; Death blow to Dotty’s?

Posted on October 8, 2014 by David McKee

Although it’s there to protect pedestrian, it’s fitting that the corpse of Harmon Hotel is shrouded in widow’s weeds. MGM Resorts International will be holding a protracted funeral for the first Las Vegas hotel to close without ever housing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dotty's, Golden Gaming, International, MGM Mirage, Politics, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Okada going slowly; Mixed news in Indiana

Posted on October 8, 2014 by David McKee

Kazuo Okada is butting heads with the Philippine government again. The latter says Okada has to have Marina Bay Resorts open by March of next year or forfeit a $2 million guarantee. Okada, whose project has been dogged by regulatory … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Kazuo Okada, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Okada going slowly; Mixed news in Indiana

Ohio: Success and saturation; The many excuses of Glenn Straub

Posted on October 7, 2014 by David McKee

Now that all four casinos and seven racinos are open, Ohio posted a spectacular year/year increase of 36% in gambling revenue. However, success came at a price, in terms of an 8% decline in same-store revenue, indicative of a saturated … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Revel, Wall Street | Comments Off on Ohio: Success and saturation; The many excuses of Glenn Straub

Maryland: First, the good news; Here, kitty, kitty

Posted on October 7, 2014 by David McKee

Maryland casinos hit another monthly record — $82 million — boosted by Horseshoe Baltimore. Revenues at Maryland Live fell 10%, to $45.5 million — boosted by 50,000 customers over the Labor Day weekend — and Horseshoe raked in $22 million. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cordish Co., Entertainment, Harrah's, Maryland, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on Maryland: First, the good news; Here, kitty, kitty

Macao glass half-full

Posted on October 7, 2014 by David McKee

Although U.S. casino executives are whooping it up that anti-corruption probes are being curtailed in China, the damage continues to be done, judging by last month’s numbers in the VIP sector. The latter was down 26% while mass market play … Continue reading →

Posted in IGT, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Technology, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao glass half-full

Kentucky’s failure claims victim

Posted on October 6, 2014 by David McKee

Occasionally, as casino gambling tries to expand in the U.S., some innocent bystander gets taken down. That could literally be the case with the Bavarian Brewery Building, a crenellated fixture of the Covington, Kentucky, skyline since 1877. It 2008 it … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, history, Kentucky, Politics | Comments Off on Kentucky’s failure claims victim

Most happy fella; Grumbling on the Boardwalk

Posted on October 6, 2014 by David McKee

Although Sheldon Adelson was laying covetous eyes upon the Meadowlands last week — and reiterating his risible drivel about the mystical power of brick-and-mortar casinos to deter problem gambling — for the time being Las Vegas Sands is upping its bet … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Dining, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock Hotel, Marketing, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Revel, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Most happy fella; Grumbling on the Boardwalk

Scandal brushes Wynn Boston

Posted on October 3, 2014 by David McKee

Federal and Massachusetts state authorities have filed charges against three men who sold land to Wynn Resorts for its Everett casino project. Mob associate Charles Lightbody, Anthony Gattineri and Dustin DeNunzio have been indicted on a spectrum of felonies that include … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip | Comments Off on Scandal brushes Wynn Boston

Let the games begin

Posted on October 3, 2014 by David McKee

After New Jersey‘s attorney generally unilaterally declared sports betting to be legal in the Garden State, the U.S. Department of Justice and four major sports leagues expressed their displeasure by going to court, seeking a reversal of the edict. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Environment, Genting, International, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sports | Comments Off on Let the games begin

Atlantic City: Dim hopes and massive debts

Posted on October 2, 2014 by David McKee

Brookfield Property Partners, new owners of Revel is planning to get back into the casino wars in Atlantic City. “Revel is a brand-new trophy asset on the beachfront, which we are acquiring at a substantial discount to replacement cost. We are excited about … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Economy, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Revel, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Sinatra 1, Pandas 0

Posted on October 2, 2014 by David McKee

Euphemisms have a way of sanitizing everything. For instance, there are no longer mercenaries — instead they are “contractors,” which makes them sound like somebody you’d have install your pool deck. And in Las Vegas we don’t have celebrity impersonators, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, G2E, Massachusetts, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Sinatra 1, Pandas 0

The next big thing

Posted on October 2, 2014 by David McKee
Posted in Bally Technologies, G2E, Technology, TV | 1 Comment

All Wynn, all the time

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee
Posted in Carl Icahn, Economy, Fontainebleau, G2E, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes | Comments Off on All Wynn, all the time

Wynn: Think big; Genting: Spend big

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

When Steve Wynn opened The Mirage in 1989, it was the beginning of the end of the era when the casino was the dominant revenue source in Las Vegas resorts. Restaurants, shows and hotel rooms all became profit centers. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Florida, G2E, Genting, Harrah's, history, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New Hampshire, New York, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Wynn: Think big; Genting: Spend big

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

“Boston’s a destination educationally, in terms of research, in terms of medical research and technology research. Boston is a little bit like Silicon Valley, and it’s a financial centre of major international proportions. Boston has got museums. It’s a serious … Continue reading →

Posted in Macau, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Revel: Straub loses

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

Bids are in for Revel and the white elephant goes to … Brookfield Asset Management, owner of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. (The fund is obviously fond of problem children.) Brookfield’s winning bid was $110 million, leaving stalking-horse … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Horseracing, Massachusetts, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Regulation, Revel, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 3 Comments

Sanguine at Penn; Serrano goes Italian

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

Executives from Penn National Gaming were hosted by J.P. Morgan analysts this week at Global Gaming Expo and gave a fairly mellow outlook on business. Nationally, commerce is seen as stabilizing but not having bottomed out yet, although Penn is “holding … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Election, G2E, Harrah's, history, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Sanguine at Penn; Serrano goes Italian

KOA gets the boot

Posted on September 30, 2014 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International is obviously planning something — we don’t know what — for the KOA Campground site at Circus Circus. That’s the logical conclusion to be drawn from yesterday’s announcement that KOA is packing up and taking over campsite operations … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Entertainment, G2E, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on KOA gets the boot