Category Archives: Alabama

Cretins amok in Alabama; Caesars: $2.7B for William Hill

Posted on September 29, 2020 by David McKee

There’s stiff competition for Troglodyte of the Year but Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has staked a prohibitive claim. He’s on a crusade to shut down the state’s three private-sector casinos and he won an important victory last week. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Sports betting, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, William Hill | 1 Comment

Maryland rebounds; Penn wows Wall Street; Trump to play Lucky Dragon

Posted on August 6, 2020 by David McKee

In a near-miraculous development, Maryland gambling revenues were only 6% off the pace last month. Between cabin fever and the belated delivery of those $1,200 stimulus checks, we’re not entirely surprised that Free State punters had both the desire and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, Election, Florida, Georgia, Golden Gaming, Health, Internet gambling, Lotteries, Lucky Dragon, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sports, Sports betting, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | 2 Comments

Election special

Posted on July 29, 2020 by David McKee

Good news! The word “casino” is no longer toxic in politics. Why do we say that? Because Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D), a U.S. Senate aspirant, merely describes Sheldon & Miriam Adelson as “this billionaire couple” in a fundraising e-mail … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Donald Trump, Election, Georgia, Health, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, Sports, Sports betting | 1 Comment

Las Vegas: The first shall be last

Posted on July 15, 2020 by David McKee

Don’t stay up late waiting for business in Las Vegas to return to “normal” levels. Sin City is uniquely vulnerable to downturns in the U.S. economy (think of the Great Recession) and a trailing indicator of gambling’s health. The prime … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, China, Conventions, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, G2E, Hard Rock International, Health, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Ohio, Penn National, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

“Green shoots” in gaming; Mega-Jottings

Posted on May 18, 2020 by David McKee

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

Where do we go from here?

Posted on March 19, 2020 by David McKee

In the process of canceling its 2020 earnings guidance, Marriott International gave some oblique insight into how the casino industry is likely to cope with the Coronavirus quarantine. Occupancy, it said, had fallen to 25%, compared to 70% last year. … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Alabama, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Charity, Economy, Health, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Oregon, Penn National, Real Estate, Regulation, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Darkness at noon

Posted on March 17, 2020 by David McKee

Casino dominos continue to topple. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is the latest Las Vegas Strip casino to close thanks to Covid-19, “temporarily.” (Well, none of the closures has been permanent but there are different degrees of temporary-ness, MGM Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Connecticut, Cosmopolitan, Detroit, Dining, Foxwoods, Health, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, New York, Penn National, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Darkness at noon

Vegas vs. virus; Tribe puts $1 billion on table

Posted on March 4, 2020 by David McKee

Las Vegas is 20,000 attendees poorer now that Adobe Summit 2020 has pulled the plug on its convention. Although Sin City has been spared from coronavirus fears so far, withdrawals of this magnitude are at least as bad as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, China, Churchill Downs, Conventions, Donald Trump, Election, Health, International, Lotteries, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Real Estate, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Vegas vs. virus; Tribe puts $1 billion on table

“Empty gesture” in Macao; Big deals for Scientific, Hill

Posted on February 24, 2020 by David McKee

Casinos may have reopened in Macao but coronavirus cannot be so easily wished away. Fears of its spread hit U.S. stock markets hard, with the Dow Jones tumbling 840 points, ceding all 2020 gains. Overseas bourses are taking it hard, too, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Atlantic City, China, Culinary Union, Economy, Election, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Health, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Scientific Games, Singapore, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on “Empty gesture” in Macao; Big deals for Scientific, Hill

Pritzker whistles past graveyard, Ivey more cautious

Posted on February 11, 2020 by David McKee

Casino revenue in Illinois last year was down 1.5% from 2018—and 17% from 2012, the seventh consecutive year of declines. Despite this empirical evidence, Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) and his commissars for optimism remain hellbent on casino expansion, believing that … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Election, Health, Illinois, Law enforcement, Lotteries, Louisiana, Missouri, Penn National, Politics, Slot routes, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Case Bets

Posted on December 9, 2019 by David McKee

Las Vegas went into the crapper last weekend, with the opening of the Giant Poo Experience in Lyft Art Park. I’m not inventing this. The larger-than-life-size mock-excrement was sponsored by airspray Poo-Pourri. Explained the company, “For over a decade, Poo~Pourri has … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Downtown, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Japan, Lotteries, Marketing, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets

New life for Harmon Strip; Wynn Resorts vindicated, mostly

Posted on November 21, 2019 by David McKee

Could the Harmon Strip, mooted since the late Nineties, actually come to pass? The area has been a graveyard for resort projects, leaving the Hard Rock Hotel standing in splendid isolation. However … one Jeffrey Williams is applying for permission to … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Cantor Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Georgia, Hard Rock Hotel, history, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Silverton, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 14, 2019 by David McKee

“The need for additional money to support state programs is real, and the money will either come from more taxes or other sources. One of those sources could be legalized gambling, so why does Alabama always have to be the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Lotteries, Taxes | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Gilbert sells to Hard Rock; Masters odds are out

Posted on April 8, 2019 by David McKee

Hard Rock International exited the Ohio market by one door, then reentered it by another. The tribal giant bought Dan Gilbert out of Jack Cincinnati and Turfway Park. REIT Vici Propreties will own the real estate of the casino and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, Donald Trump, Genting, Hard Rock International, International, Iowa, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, Maryland, Ohio, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal, TV | Comments Off on Gilbert sells to Hard Rock; Masters odds are out

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 13, 2018 by David McKee

“It’s a shame that we can’t derive some revenue off the Alabama vs. LSU game.” — Louisiana state Sen. Ronnie Johns (R), on the Leglislature’s failure to approve sports betting.

Posted in Alabama, Louisiana, Politics, Sports, Sports betting | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

No bailout for N.Y. casinos; Horseshoe Baltimore gets creative

Posted on April 6, 2018 by David McKee

There’s no question that upstate New York‘s new casinos drank their own bathwater when making their case to the state. Two of them are now squealing like stuck pigs, demanding that the Lege lower their tax rates. Never mind that … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Taxes | 1 Comment

Sands Bethlehem (finally) sold; Stratosphere battered

Posted on March 9, 2018 by David McKee

Never underestimate the power of electronic bingo. It’s the capital derived therefrom that’s enabling the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to make a $1.3 billion purchase of Sands Bethlehem. The tribe is succeeding where Tropicana Entertainment and MGM Resorts International … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Florida, Foxwoods, Golden Gaming, International, Japan, Law enforcement, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Sands Bethlehem (finally) sold; Stratosphere battered

This just in: Cotai hot, Macao not; Seminoles thrash Gilbert

Posted on August 15, 2017 by David McKee

In today’s dog-bites-man story, a Wall Street analyst has belatedly concluded the obvious: that the casinos on Cotai will sap business from Macao proper. Global Market Advisors analyst Andrew Klebanow wrote, “What the industry can expect to see is a pattern … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Australia, Dan Gilbert, Georgia, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on This just in: Cotai hot, Macao not; Seminoles thrash Gilbert

#5,001

Posted on August 14, 2017 by David McKee

Yes, this is the 5,001st Stiffs & Georges post and let me start with a big  thank-you to all of you, the readers, for making it possible. If it weren’t for your support I’d probably have hung it up long … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, James Packer, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 5 Comments

Resorts World LV: It’s a go; Illinois pols spurn casino

Posted on May 24, 2017 by David McKee

As Alon fades into the sunset, Resorts World Las Vegas plans to ramp up in serious fashion. Resorts World President Edward Farrell has announced that construction cranes will be up by August at the latest and work will begin in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Genting, Illinois, Lucky Dragon, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Politics, Problem gambling, Reno, South Dakota, The Strip | Comments Off on Resorts World LV: It’s a go; Illinois pols spurn casino