Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

Adelson’s new BFF; Icahn’s pricey purchase; Fertitta out of A.C.?

Posted on September 4, 2013 by David McKee

Politics making strange bedfellows and all that, S&G woke up to find Sheldon Adelson enjoying connubial bliss with President Barack Obama. Both are pushing for military intervention in Syria, swimming against the tide of American public opinion. And to think … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, International, Internet gambling, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Adelson’s new BFF; Icahn’s pricey purchase; Fertitta out of A.C.?

On the lighter side

Posted on September 3, 2013 by David McKee

Add Cedar Rapids to the list of cities offering a “Las Vegas flavor” to their citizens — at least if Cedar Crossing Casino goes through as planned, which will include a management team of Peninsula Gaming execs rendered homeless by … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Iowa, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off on On the lighter side

Party at Sheldon’s place; Backlash in Ohio

Posted on September 3, 2013 by David McKee

I didn’t know what “cocaine dancers” are but the Las Vegas Review-Journal says Palazzo’s nightclub, The Act, has them. (It seems to involve far more snorting than dancing.) Sheldon Adelson‘s peeps would like the “simulated drug use, bestiality and exotic … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Internet gambling, Ohio, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off on Party at Sheldon’s place; Backlash in Ohio

Foxwoods: Mo’ money; Hard Rock brings it on; Wishful thinking at Cosmo

Posted on September 3, 2013 by David McKee

Caved, shaken down, outfoxed: Take your choice of term as Foxwoods Massachusetts has seemingly capitulated to Milford selectmen and raised its downpayment from $18 million to $34 million. All it took was a few grumblings from the aforementioned selectmen and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Foxwoods: Mo’ money; Hard Rock brings it on; Wishful thinking at Cosmo

More turmoil at Sands; Pensions want a bigger slice of Caesars

Posted on September 3, 2013 by David McKee

David Sisk, the COO of Sands China, has resigned — the latest casualty of high executive turnover in Sheldon Adelson‘s fiefdom. You’d think that such instability in the upper ranks would give Wall Street an ulcer. But when Sands is … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Macau, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Wall Street | Comments Off on More turmoil at Sands; Pensions want a bigger slice of Caesars

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 30, 2013 by David McKee

“It certainly impacts my line of thinking in terms of what these licenses are worth.[Foxwoods] needs to package the best deal possible and, right now, they’re third in the list of three.” — Milford Board of Selectman Chairman William Buckley, … Continue reading →

Posted in Foxwoods, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

“George” deal for Palmer; Resorts World in peril; Walker’s fan dance

Posted on August 30, 2013 by David McKee

Mohegan Sun ran out its host-community agreement with Palmer and it’s pretty clear that no expense will be spared to close the deal, either now or in a couple of months at the ballot box. The Mohegans are promising the … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Horseracing, Illinois, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

“Ugly” month on the Strip

Posted on August 30, 2013 by David McKee

That’s the word that normally temperate J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff employedd to describe a July in with Las Vegas Strip winnings fell 14% (as opposed to 8% statewide; others had a different perspective). And since the month began and … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip | 1 Comment

Loveman, Loveman everywhere

Posted on August 29, 2013 by David McKee

Racetrack owner Richard Fields and Caesars Entertainment are wrapping up their deals with Boston and Revere with dispatch. And the latter are making out like bandits. In their zeal to close deals, Fields and Loveman may be overpaying for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Entertainment, Foxwoods, G2E, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Racinos, Rhode Island, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off on Loveman, Loveman everywhere

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 29, 2013 by David McKee

Now that we’ve had our National Feel-Good Moment of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, here’s a reminder to keep thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and not just shove him back into the history books.

Posted in history | 1 Comment

Paging King Solomon

Posted on August 28, 2013 by David McKee

In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker (R) finds himself conducting a tricky balancing act vis-a-vis tribal casino expansion. It’s difficult to decide whether he’s showing restraint or hiding under the mattress. You can make the case for both conclusions. He doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Illinois, New York, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Paging King Solomon

Coming to the Boardwalk

Posted on August 28, 2013 by David McKee
Posted in Atlantic City | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 28, 2013 by David McKee

“There seems to be some state officials who would like to dictate what kind of jobs are good for a particular area,” Cleveland County Chamber President Michael Chrisawn, responding to leading GOP legislators in North Carolina who are threatening to … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Sands pays The Man; Brothel bargains; Caesars goes to Boston

Posted on August 28, 2013 by David McKee

Uncle Sam is $47 million richer today after collecting an eight-figure settlement from Las Vegas Sands. Seems the latter had been operating on the outer fringes of legality when handling large sums of moolah from Zhenli Ye Gon. The latter, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Massachusetts, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Sands pays The Man; Brothel bargains; Caesars goes to Boston

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 27, 2013 by David McKee

“I believe if Dante were alive today and rewriting the ‘Inferno’ that the lowest places in hell would be reserved for those who commit cruelty to our animals and to our children.” — U.S. Attorney George Beck, announcing the arrest … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Animals | 3 Comments

Suffolk Downs a near-done deal

Posted on August 27, 2013 by David McKee

Boston has reached an agreement with the owners of Suffolk Downs. It would be the most “george” deal in eastern Massachusetts. Where Foxwoods Massachusetts would pony up $18 million in advance, Caesars Entertainment and Richard Fields offer $33 million, along … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Regulation, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Suffolk Downs a near-done deal

How much sin in Sin City is too much?; Woe and Ho

Posted on August 27, 2013 by David McKee

Wearing a strap-on dildo seems to be the outer limit of decency in Las Vegas. Any casino that hosts a nightclub is playing with fire to some extent but Las Vegas Sands well and truly burned its fingers with The … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harrah's, International, Macau, Ohio, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, The Strip | 2 Comments

Case Bets: Seneca scandal; Atlantic City brings on the girls; Still no help for Mashpee

Posted on August 27, 2013 by David McKee

Well, that didn’t take long. Scarcely was the ink dry on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s deal with the state’s gaming-enabled tribes than the Seneca Indian Nation stepped right into a scandal. $5 million of an $8 million development deal … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Case Bets: Seneca scandal; Atlantic City brings on the girls; Still no help for Mashpee

Ditched, dumped, divorced, dud; Mob Attraction on the move?

Posted on August 26, 2013 by David McKee

Once again, the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino has been the place where shows go to die. Tedious demi-musical The D* Word is going dark for good on Sept. 1. You’d never guess this self-ripoff from the author of Menopause … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, The Mob, The Strip | 1 Comment

Revel: It had to happen; Hard Rock on a roll

Posted on August 26, 2013 by David McKee

Revel Resort‘s somewhat disingenuous “You Can’t Lose” promotion was bound to attract a lawsuit and so it has. A pair of players are suing and, though the odds seem against them, it’s worth recalling that Revel’s disclaimer language tap-danced around … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Dennis Gomes, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Marketing, Massachusetts, Ohio, Revel | Comments Off on Revel: It had to happen; Hard Rock on a roll