Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on March 26, 2019 by David McKee

“The point is, anyone can state an opinion about a line with great confidence and authority when it is accompanied with complete financial immunity. It takes a truly talented group of people to put up numbers day after day knowing … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Astral sighting; Cuomo nixes Gotham casinos

Posted on March 25, 2019 by David McKee

Urban blight along the Las Vegas Strip could be (partially) giving way to new casino development. Resort entrepreneur Asher Gabay has found the Promised Land in Las Vegas, where he hopes to take a run at the boutique-hotel concept. His … Continue reading →

Posted in Connecticut, Fontainebleau, Foxwoods, Genting, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Tribal, Virginia | Comments Off on Astral sighting; Cuomo nixes Gotham casinos

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 25, 2019 by David McKee

“We’re not looking to be the fun police. That’s not our objective. Clearly, people enjoy betting on the bracket and doing office pools. I think the larger point just goes to the fact that a couple of things: No. 1, this … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Sports betting | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Louisiana chokes on smoking ban; Graham’s conversion

Posted on March 22, 2019 by David McKee

Gaming revenues were down 4% last month in Louisiana, mainly dragged under by the Baton Rouge market, plummeting 19%. Since the imposition of a smoking ban in Red Stick, casinos’ business has been 17% lower, a business catastrophe. Belle of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, history, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, South Carolina, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, William Hill | Comments Off on Louisiana chokes on smoking ban; Graham’s conversion

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 22, 2019 by David McKee

“The day the Cardinals show up with Bayer/Monsanto patches (or any others of that ilk) is the day I stop watching baseball.” — my mother, a lifelong baseball fan, on the news that the Oakland Athletics were wearing MGM Resorts … Continue reading →

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

Caesars: Running numbers; Showboat is back

Posted on March 21, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan‘s Daniel Politzer ran the numbers on an Eldorado Resorts buyout of Caesars Entertainment and finds it doable. His model is predicated on a $10.50/share purchase of CZR stock, currently trading at $8.56. That’s a pretty good deal for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, DFS, e-sports, Eldorado Resorts, Illinois, Internet gambling, Iowa, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Sands, Laughlin, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Missouri, Politics, Reno, Sports, Taxes, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 21, 2019 by David McKee

“The Rays have the right under the collective bargaining agreement to renew me at or near the league-minimum salary. They also have the ability to more adequately compensate me. as other organizations have done with players who have similar achievements to mine. … Continue reading →

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

MGM: The first shall be last … or something like that

Posted on March 20, 2019 by David McKee

Closing out the J.P. Morgan Gaming & Lodging Management Access Forum were execs from MGM Resorts International. The company’s four priorities were stated as 1) drive organic growth, 2) bring new properties up to speed in terms of revenue performance, 3) … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Raiders, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Palms, Reno, Resort fees, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 20, 2019 by David McKee

“I just want to lay it on the line, that the country deserves better. The McCain family deserves better. I don’t care if he’s president of United States, owns all the real estate in New York, or is building the greatest … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Georgia, history | 2 Comments

Going to the dogs

Posted on March 19, 2019 by David McKee

5 Tips to Get Your Canine Companion Ready for a Pet Friendly Las Vegas Hotel by Jessica Kane, special correspondent to Stiffs & Georges Las Vegas is a welcoming city when it comes to travelers with pets. For example, even … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Pets, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Going to the dogs

Eldorado explores Caesars takeover; MGM says ‘Play ball!’

Posted on March 19, 2019 by David McKee

Since corporate mergers, once begun, develop a momentum all their all own, it was inevitable that someone would step forward to explore a purchase of Caesars Entertainment, regardless of whether it is a good idea, risking a second bankruptcy. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, New York, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Eldorado explores Caesars takeover; MGM says ‘Play ball!’

Heavy action prophesied for March Madness; Death at Bellagio

Posted on March 19, 2019 by David McKee

“Unlike any other sporting event in the country, March Madness attracts millions who fill out brackets, make casual bets with friends or wager at a legal sports book, which Americans can now do more than ever before.” With those words … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, history, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Palms, Security, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tourism | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 17, 2019 by David McKee

“No one wants advice—only corroboration.” — John Steinbeck

Posted in history | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Gaming speaks: Penn, Boyd, Eldorado, Churchill Downs

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David McKee

One of the few CEOs to grace JP Morgan‘s hotel-and-leisure forum was Penn National Gaming‘s Tim Wilmot. He reported that the “regional consumer remains solid and trends are largely consistent with that seen 2018.” Furthermore, Penn is “seeing good growth … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Horseracing, Illinois, Japan, Kentucky, Marketing, Nevada, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Reno, Sports betting, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Gaming speaks: Penn, Boyd, Eldorado, Churchill Downs

Gaming speaks: Wynn, Sands, Scientific

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David McKee

Wynn Resorts exuded overconfidence in a meeting with JP Morgan analysts. It’s already booking revenue from Encore Boston Harbor without knowing it’s going to hang onto the license. It also expects new revenue to be driven by the debut of … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Illinois, International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Scientific Games, Singapore, South Korea, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Gaming speaks: Wynn, Sands, Scientific

Meet the REITs; Station’s full platter

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan analysts met with MGM Growth Properties CEO James Stewart and CFO Andy Chien, whose assured them that MGP had a full pipeline of deals. (Could MGM Resorts International inoculate itself against the Federal Trade Commission by running a … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Raiders, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Palms, Reno, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Macao: Waiting to exhale; Trump gets favorable odds

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David McKee

Macao‘s government has announced—in what is not exactly a surprise—that it will extend the MGM China and Sociedade de Jogos de Macau concessions until June 26, 2022. This not only creates a level playing field for all concessionaires, it gives … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Election, International, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Service, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau | Comments Off on Macao: Waiting to exhale; Trump gets favorable odds

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David McKee

“I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers For Trump. I have the tough people but they don’t play it tough—until they get to a certain point and then it would … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

MGM covets Caesars; Rio up for grabs … again

Posted on March 14, 2019 by David McKee

As Carl Icahn continues to up his stake in Caesars Entertainment, the already-tortuous saga has developed some new complexities. For one, outgoing CEO Mark Frissora has revealed he wasn’t jumped, he was pushed. “The board has stated that they would like … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, e-sports, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, LVCVA, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, New Mexico, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Atlantic City rallies, Pennsylvania snoozes

Posted on March 14, 2019 by David McKee

Given that a certain amount of cannibalization was inevitable with the debuts of two new casinos on the Boardwalk, a 5% February decline in same-store gambling revenue has to considered a pretty good result. The market overall was up a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, William Hill | 4 Comments