Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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“Green shoots” in gaming; Mega-Jottings

According to the American Gaming Association, 82 of 989 casinos in the United States have reopened, many of them in Louisiana starting today. But don’t take our word for it. Use the AGA’s Coronavirus tracker, which keeps you abreast of casino … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Conventions, Detroit, Dining, GLPI, Golden Nugget, Health, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, LVCVA, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Resort fees, Singapore, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

July resumption for Mass casinos; Room rates rebound

Casinos in Massachusetts now know when they can reopen … more or less. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) has laid out of one of the toughest reopening regimens in the U.S. It will proceed in four phases, each phase—beginning today—lasting three weeks. … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Oscar Goodman, Penn National, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on July resumption for Mass casinos; Room rates rebound

A comment on “Comments”

You can say what you like about me—it comes with the territory. However, I have to ask some of you to ‘make nice’ with others. Complaints have been lodged about flame wars in this forum and, as much as I’d … Continue reading

Posted in Current | Comments Off on A comment on “Comments”

Quote of the Day

“It’s the balance of something that’s a very difficult choice. How many deaths and how much suffering are you willing to accept to get back to what you want to be, some form of normality, sooner rather than later?”—Dr. Anthony Fauci

Posted in Current | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Cosmo to Hard Rock?; Caesars dwarfs Eldorado

VitalVegas is a veritable font of Las Vegas Strip scuttlebutt. Among its recent rumor-chases was the tantalizing hint that Planet Hollywood was going to go smoke-free. (Official word from Caesars Entertainment: “Untrue.” End of story.) Also, author Scott Roeben is … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Hard Rock International, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Real Estate, Seminole Tribe | Comments Off on Cosmo to Hard Rock?; Caesars dwarfs Eldorado

Quote of the Day

“The players union just will never get it. People dying, out of work, can’t pay their mortgage, no Senior proms, MLB abbreviated draft to disrupt lifelong dreams, and people need a diversion, and Tony Clark (head of the players’ union) … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Economy | 1 Comment

Vegas casinos can reopen, sorta; Hard Rock returns

Want to go back to a Las Vegas casino? Now you can. In a well-meant directive that seems to be sowing a certain amount of confusion, the Nevada Gaming Control Board stated that during the current Phase I, casinos could … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Dining, Economy, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Lotteries, Maryland, Massachusetts, Movies, Oregon, Penn National, Real Estate, Sahara, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Virgin Hotels | 2 Comments

Rodio steps up; A kinder, gentler restart

Unlike some leaders in our federal government, Caesars Entertainment CEO Anthony Rodio has the stones to be seen wearing a health mask in public, as he does in a new video message to Caesars customers. Without going into the exhaustive … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Health, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

Internet gambling hits Jersey high; Hard Rock back to Vegas

April was the worst of months and best of months for New Jersey. Sports books are estimated to have lost out on $450 million in handle while Internet casinos did better than ever, raking in $80 million. “Seeing New Jersey’s retail … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Dining, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Health, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, New Jersey, PokerStars, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

“The virus doesn’t give a damn about our impatient desire to get back to our way of life. Maybe I’d be more encouraged if the owners were offering more specifics about their logistics to prioritize the health of everyone involved.”—columnist … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Health | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

New York state of mind; Moody blues for Las Vegas

Like Massachusetts casinos, those in New York are not expected to reopen until July. Lago Resort & Casino General Manager Lance Young told journalist James Rutherford he’s monitoring reopening protocols as far away as Macao but has received no concrete … Continue reading

Posted in Economy, Health, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Lotteries, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Michael Gaughan, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Penn National, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on New York state of mind; Moody blues for Las Vegas

Adelson quits Japan; Caesars vague on relaunch

Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson has come through the Covid-19 crisis with two things most of us don’t have: A) a boatload of cash and B) a desire to acquire other businesses. The rumor mill says he has his … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Crown Resorts, Current, Georgia, Health, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Lotteries, MGM Resorts International, Philippines, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Vietnam, Wall Street, World Series of Poker, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

“If we go back to business as usual, we’ll go back to transmission as usual.”—Dr. Edward Nardell, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Posted in Health | 1 Comment

MGM’s seven steps; Culinary throws tantrum

Add MGM Resorts International to the roster of Las Vegas companies announcing reopening protocols. (Earth to Caesars Entertainment, come in Caesars … ) The company calls it a “comprehensive, multi-layered approach resulting from months of consultations and guidance from public … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Culinary Union, Dining, Donald Trump, Hard Rock International, Health, International, Japan, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Play ball!; Wall Street hearts casinos

Handwaving questions about maintaining player safety and how to recompense their employees, Major League Baseball rolled out a plan for belatedly starting the 2020 season around the traditional All-Star Break. The owners are not without their priorities: The sacred Designated … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Japan, Las Vegas Raiders, Resort fees, Sports, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Barrack screws up (again); Boyd reopens … somewhat

Colony Capital CEO Tom Barrack is back in the news and, as usual, not in a good way. His REIT has defaulted on $3.2 billion in loans secured by 157 hotel and healthcare properties. That’s three-quarters of his holdings. Prior to … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Colony Capital, Downtown, Economy, Health, history, North Carolina, Penn National, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

Boston buoys Wynn, Penn leans on Barstool

Wynn Resorts was one of three biggies to report 1Q20 results late last week and the Las Vegas Strip was the least of its problems. Wynn Las Vegas and Encore had net revenue of $324 million, down 19% from last … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Florida, Golden Gaming, history, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

“Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”—Marcus Aurelius

Posted in history | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Roy Horn, R.I.P.; Tourism on life support

Now every John Q. Public in America knows someone who has died of Covid-19. That someone is erstwhile magician Roy Horn, who died at age 75 of Coronavirus complications. Horn had been involuntarily retired from show business since 2003 when … Continue reading

Posted in Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Health, International, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Roy Horn, R.I.P.; Tourism on life support

Quote of the Day

“They’re gonna have to.”—Chris Christie, asked whether the American people would accept 3,000 Coronavirus deaths per day.

Posted in Current, Health | 1 Comment