Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

Where do we go from here?

Posted on November 18, 2008 by David McKee

Let's say, for purposes of argument, that the casino industry has supped full on meta-megaresort development and needs several years to digest the feast. What then? The answer, to judge by yesterday's G2E panel of design, construction and development experts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Wall Street | Comments Off on Where do we go from here?

Case Bets: Ho Tram, Shuffle(d) Master, Ameristar

Posted on November 18, 2008 by David McKee

Tout le monde may be at G2E (albeit 10% less le monde than last year, I’m told) but the big news is happening elsewhere. MGM Mirage has emerged as the “angel” for the Ho Tram Strip in Vietnam. It’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Shuffle Master | Comments Off on Case Bets: Ho Tram, Shuffle(d) Master, Ameristar

Butera up to old tricks; Dog days for Ruffin; Fowl play

Posted on November 17, 2008 by David McKee

Grasping at straws in his attempt to wrest control of the Tropicana Casino & Resort back from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, the CEO of Tropicana Entertainment, Scott Butera, has seized upon a letter from state Sen. Richard Codey. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, G2E, Harrah's, Kansas, Marketing, Mississippi, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Butera up to old tricks; Dog days for Ruffin; Fowl play

Fire sale at Harrah's, MGM?

Posted on November 17, 2008 by David McKee

That was one of the bombshells dropped this morning at Global Gaming Expo. According to a member of a "state of the industry" panel of G2E's Casino Design track, Harrah's Entertainment has several unprofitable properties that were for sale. "Now … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Donald Trump, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, International, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Fire sale at Harrah's, MGM?

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 12, 2008 by David McKee

"I was ahead of the curve." — Columbia Sussex CEO William J. Yung, taking credit for being the first casino owner in Atlantic City to engage in massive layoffs and service reductions.

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Aristocrat @ G2E

Posted on November 11, 2008 by David McKee

Aristocrat Technologies previews its new slot products. Try not to get carried away by President Nick Khin‘s enthusiasm.

Posted in Aristocrat | Comments Off on Aristocrat @ G2E

Indiana: It's all relative

Posted on November 11, 2008 by David McKee

Sifting through my massive pile of unwritten Questions of the Day and unstudied analyst reports, we come to Indiana's October revenues. Ultimately, whether any particular metric is good or bad depends on context and perspective. To start with the big … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Pinnacle Entertainment | Comments Off on Indiana: It's all relative

Shut up yourself

Posted on November 10, 2008 by David McKee

New York-New York‘s obnoxious new ad campaign, “comes right out of an honest voice,” says ad exec David Angelo. “Stop your whining and have a great time.” It’s “an honest voice,” all right: That of Phil Gramm, who famously called … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off on Shut up yourself

Gaming bosses step up

Posted on November 7, 2008 by David McKee

While some casino companies we won’t name (coughBoyd Gamingcough) are responding this week to the bad economy with downsizing their workforce, others are setting a nobler example. Executives at both Isle of Capri Casinos and Trump Entertainment Resorts are literally … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, TV | Comments Off on Gaming bosses step up

Aztar sale flops

Posted on November 7, 2008 by David McKee

Tropicana Entertainment President Scott Butera had a $225 million deal to sell Casino Aztar in hand. Not good enough, he said. Thus, a second round of bids was solicited. The grand total number of offers received: one. This lays the … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Indiana, Mississippi, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Aztar sale flops

Sanguine in Singapore

Posted on November 7, 2008 by David McKee

Marina Bay Sands: proceeding on schedule. Las Vegas Sands executives huddled with Singapore officials yesterday earlier this week to, as JP Morgan puts it, “discuss topics … including the pace of construction.” In other words, they were bracing Singaporean leaders … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip | Comments Off on Sanguine in Singapore

Five years ago today …

Posted on November 6, 2008 by David McKee

 … Columbia Sussex came to town. Considering that CEO William J. Yung III purchased a dead, disreputable hotel-casino and put $90 million into reworking it into an attractive property (people whose judgment I trust swear by the comfiness of its … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Economy, Election, Macau, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip | Comments Off on Five years ago today …

McCain's destination revealed

Posted on November 6, 2008 by David McKee

Maybe you saw that B-roll of Sen. John McCain hitting the road in an emerald SUV yesterday, with Sen. Lindsey Graham riding shotgun, ostensibly en route to planning “legislative initiatives.” (I couldn’t find the footage in that “series of tubes” … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, TV | Comments Off on McCain's destination revealed

Winners! We've got winners!

Posted on November 6, 2008 by David McKee

Yesterday’s Columbia Sussex contest produced an unprecedented flurry of responses — and I learned a lot about the bond market, too. Our S&G readership is a veritable V-8 engine of knowledge. As you’ll recall, the question concerned the “defeasance” of … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Movies, Wall Street | Comments Off on Winners! We've got winners!

Casino Vote '08: Dan Lee's the big winner

Posted on November 5, 2008 by David McKee

JP Morgan has proclaimed Pinnacle Entertainment “the biggest winner this election day.” By voting to both lift the cap on buy-ins and the close Missouri to additional casinos, Show-Me State voters delivered a gift to Pinnacle CEO Dan Lee, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Current, Election, Gary Goett, Horseracing, Indiana, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off on Casino Vote '08: Dan Lee's the big winner

Columbia Sussex contest

Posted on November 5, 2008 by David McKee

I’ve got to confess that bond-market lingo is hardly my strong suit. So can anyone out there explain what this bulletin means for casino industry pariah Columbia Sussex? One loan remains in the pool: Columbia Sussex, which has been fully … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Election | Comments Off on Columbia Sussex contest

Winners & Losers

Posted on November 5, 2008 by David McKee

And now the obligatory post-Election, What’s-it-all-about-Alfie roundup … Culinary Union 1, Casino CEOs O: True, the Culinary tripped all over its own feet in the early going, leading to Democratic caucuses that weren’t so much “Barackular” as “debacular.” But D. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Ameristar, Atlantic City, California, Colorado, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Florida, Gary Goett, Harrah's, IGT, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Winners & Losers

Senate prediction: feeling good

Posted on November 3, 2008 by David McKee

I've been checking Intrade's election "futures" markets and, if you "buy" Sen. John McCain at 9.9 you could collect on the longshot of a lifetime. (I'm of the pessimistic "I'll believe an Obama win when I see it and not … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Election, Minnesota | Comments Off on Senate prediction: feeling good

Missouri amendment to pass: JP Morgan

Posted on November 3, 2008 by David McKee

Analysts at JP Morgan like the chances for a Missouri constitutional amendment largely bankrolled by Ameristar Casinos and Pinnacle Entertainment. While Ameristar stands to benefit in tangible ways, JP Morgan focuses on what it could for Pinnacle: a 15% increase … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Missouri amendment to pass: JP Morgan

'Show Me' more money

Posted on October 31, 2008 by David McKee

Missouri voters are being asked to approve a constitutional amendment, submitted by Ameristar Casinos executive Troy Stremming, which would make a couple of significant changes in how business is done in Show-Me State casinos. (The full version is here, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Election, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment | Comments Off on 'Show Me' more money