Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on November 1, 2019 by David McKee

“Good riddance. It’s not like Mr. Trump paid taxes here anyway.”—New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), reacting to the news that Donald Trump is moving to Florida to take advantage of its lack of state income tax.

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Florida, New York, Taxes | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Vegas tourists, locals flex economic muscle

Posted on October 31, 2019 by David McKee

Both the Las Vegas Strip and Nevada casinos as a whole were up 7% in September, with locals action up a bullish 9.5%. “We think this data suggest less potential gaming-related risk to MGM’s 3Q19 results as well as [Station … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Conventions, Downtown, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Resorts International, Reno, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Vegas tourists, locals flex economic muscle

MGM: Everything must go

Posted on October 31, 2019 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International reported 3Q19 results and they were good enough to make the lion roar. Macao contributed $738 million, a 22% surge reflecting the ramp-up of MGM Cotai surely with $80 million in revenue. Also, CityCenter may be sucking … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Golden Gaming, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ohio, Philippines, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on MGM: Everything must go

Churchill Downs in expansive mood; Cannery security faulted

Posted on October 31, 2019 by David McKee

Churchill Downs‘ third-quarter cash flow of $88 million was $7 million shy of Wall Street‘s expectation. The shortfall extended across all segments of CHDN business, although increased casino competition in Maine was one of the contributing factors. In terms of … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Boyd Gaming, California, Churchill Downs, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Security, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Churchill Downs in expansive mood; Cannery security faulted

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 31, 2019 by David McKee

“The small part of ignorance that we arrange and classify we give the name of knowledge.”—Ambrose Bierce

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Station fixation; MGM Grand for sale (again)

Posted on October 30, 2019 by David McKee

Citing its own study, the Culinary Union is accusing Station Casinos of running unsafe workplaces. Sample: “Nearly one-fifth (18%) of survey respondents who have not received training in biohazards said they clean biohazards.” The study targets Boulder Station, Green Valley … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, Culinary Union, Dubai, GLPI, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Station fixation; MGM Grand for sale (again)

Case Bets

Posted on October 30, 2019 by David McKee

Jottings: Bart Blatstein wants to subdivide the Showboat lot into five parcels. The idea appears to be to build a casino where the volleyball court currently sits, making an end run around the gaming restriction placed on the property by … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Election, International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Massachusetts: No more casinos; Gilbert sells again

Posted on October 29, 2019 by David McKee

Citing an obvious saturation (already) in the Massachusetts market and the possibility of a tribal casino in Taunton or on Martha’s Vineyard, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission punted the award of the state’s final casino license into the indefinite future. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Dan Gilbert, Donald Trump, Genting, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Maryland, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Tribal | Comments Off on Massachusetts: No more casinos; Gilbert sells again

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 29, 2019 by David McKee

“I play the stock market of the spirit—and I sell short.”—Ellsworth M. Toohey (Robert Douglas), Mephistophelean architecture critic in The Fountainhead.

Posted in Movies | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Air guitar; Forgiveness urged for Steve Wynn

Posted on October 28, 2019 by David McKee

The much-anticipated opening of Hard Rock International‘s guitar-shaped hotel-casino in Hollywood, Florida, drew celebrities from Hollywood, California (Johnny Depp), as well as ones who would attend the opening of an eyelid (Kim Kardashian). Hard Rock hopes to recreate the iconic … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Australia, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, Florida, Genting, Hard Rock International, Hooters, Illinois, International, Japan, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Politics, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Scott Butera, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 28, 2019 by David McKee

“The real reason that we can’t have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse: You cannot post ‘Thou shalt not steal,’ ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery,’ and ‘Thou shalt not lie’ in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.”—George Carlin

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

State of 888

Posted on October 25, 2019 by David McKee

Recently we sat down with Yaniv Sherman, senior vice president for business development at 888.com. The following are some outtakes from our conversation. How is your sponsorship of the New York Jets doing and will we see similar partnerships in … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet gambling, New York, Problem gambling, Sports, Sports betting, TV | Comments Off on State of 888

This just in …

Posted on October 25, 2019 by David McKee

Somebody just drove their RV through the front doors of the Cannery. We don’t know if this was a demand for 3/2 blackjack or simply an accident. Judging by a photo of the scene, the doorway was insufficiently barricaded against … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 25, 2019 by David McKee

“Unlike the corrupt practices referenced by those diplomats in Sofia, the actual result of a sports game has become semantic to cyber-criminals. There is no need to fix a game, when you can dupe a gambler in to betting with … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Internet gambling, Sports betting, The Mob | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Louisiana gets soaked; Surrender flag waved

Posted on October 24, 2019 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming warned us that Deep South results would be weak, following two hurricanes, and they didn’t exaggerate. Flood-affected Louisiana casino receipts plummeted 11% in September. Boyd casinos got the worst of it, down 10.5%. New Orleans was flat but … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Crown Resorts, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Illinois, Isle of Capri, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Money laundering, Penn National, Regulation, Resort fees, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Mob, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off on Louisiana gets soaked; Surrender flag waved

Cosmo does it again; Georgia ponders casinos

Posted on October 24, 2019 by David McKee

It happened again. Smoke billowed over the Las Vegas Strip from an electrical fire at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas last night. No one was injured, thank God, and the damage appears to be minor. But it’s the second fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Foxwoods, Georgia, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, IGT, Illinois, International, Lotteries, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Politics, Scientific Games, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 24, 2019 by David McKee

“A world where news outlets categorically refuse to contact certain kinds of sources—a world where news outlets let third-party groups dictate the terms of their coverage—is a less informed, less accurate, and ultimately less democratic world.”—the editors of the Harvard … Continue reading →

Posted in Current | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Big Brother challenged in Joliet

Posted on October 23, 2019 by David McKee

If rampant facial recognition is such a good thing, how come music festivals like Coachella and SXSW are banning it? The casino industry could take a hint from this, especially as the rejection seems to be coming from much-coveted Millennials. … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, Illinois, Japan, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Technology, Tribal, Warner Gaming, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Scientific rebuffed in R.I.; Golden, Boyd deliver

Posted on October 23, 2019 by David McKee

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) doubled down on her commitment to International Game Technology to run the state’s lottery by rebuffing an offer from Scientific Games, in tandem with Twin River Casinos. The Scientific proposal promised 1,100 jobs or … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Conventions, Downtown, Environment, Golden Gaming, Hawaii, IGT, Lotteries, North Las Vegas, Palms, Rhode Island, Scientific Games, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Scientific rebuffed in R.I.; Golden, Boyd deliver

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 23, 2019 by David McKee

“There are bright people who work there, but they are not equipped to do deep-dive investigations. This is one small example. Put that on steroids. It won’t be just people from Illinois. They’ll be coming from Ukraine. They’ll be coming from … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois, International, Law enforcement, Macau, Money laundering, Regulation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day