Category Archives: Alabama

Florida tribe: Casinos or pot. Choose!

Posted on February 23, 2015 by David McKee

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) finds himself in just a bit of a pickle. He’s refused to negotiate with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, who want to extend their burgeoning empire of Class II casinos from Alabama into the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Florida, Internet gambling, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off

New day at the AGA; Illinois casinos feel the slot-route squeeze

Posted on January 14, 2015 by David McKee

For the first time, a Native American gaming enterprise has become part of the American Gaming Association, as Seminole Hard Rock Gaming has cracked what had been the lobbyist equivalent of a whites-only country club. It’s part of an image … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Illinois, LVCVA, Missouri, Penn National, Slot routes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Fire sale at Full House; Japan: Patience advised

Posted on October 22, 2014 by David McKee

In the casino world it’s pretty much unheard-of for a company to hang a “for sale” sign on itself without a suitor in view. Patti Hart did it successfully at International Game Technology, earlier this year. Now Full House Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Dan Lee, G2E, Genting, Harrah's, IGT, Indiana, Japan, Neil Bluhm, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off

Case Bets: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Alabama

Posted on September 15, 2014 by David McKee

Jumping the gun, the Menominee Nation has launched a site for job-seekers at its hoped-for Dairyland Park casino. The landing page promises “Opening Soon Pending Approval.” (Did you notice how they jumped over that pesky construction phase?) The Forest County Potowatomi … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, Racinos, Technology, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Boston: Another agonizing delay; Loveman: Don’t worry, be happy

Posted on September 11, 2014 by David McKee

Just when it looked like the suspense would be ended over who’d get the Boston-area casino, the slow-moving Massachusetts Gaming Commission imposed another week’s delay on the process. Basically, commissioners want Wynn Resorts to do better than it has in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Genting, Harrah's, history, Marketing, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Transportation | Comments Off

Narrow race in Massachusetts; Boffo biz in Alabama

Posted on September 2, 2014 by David McKee

No state that has ever approved casino gambling has repealed it in over 80 years. That being said, casinos are polling weakly in Massachusetts — with support hovering at 50% — and the opposition is getting cocky. A perversely worded … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Economy, Election, Florida, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Rhode Island, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Pacifism in Alabama; Flop in Florida

Posted on August 18, 2014 by David McKee

There’s nothing that trumps ideology like the need for tax dollars. Such is the case in Alabama, where budget shortfalls are bringing state government around to the idea of a gaming compact with Poarch Band of Creek Indians. No negotiations … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Dubai, Florida, MGM Mirage, Politics, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Strange doings in Alabama

Posted on July 18, 2014 by David McKee

Continuing its persecution of the Poarch Creek Band of Indians, the State of Alabama is taking them to federal appeals court. And it looks like state Attorney General Luther Strange might have a leg to stand on. He’s citing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Kansas, Oklahoma, Regulation, South Carolina, Tribal | Comments Off

Tropicana Bethlehem?; One acre and a casino

Posted on April 10, 2014 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands‘ waving of the white flag over its Sands Bethlehem casino may have finally yielded a buyer. Having stated publicly, however, that $1 billion was the asking price may have limited Sands flexibility to negotiate (not to mention … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Cannery Casino Resorts, Carl Icahn, Current, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Case Bets

Posted on April 4, 2014 by David McKee

In a risky play, the Missouri Senate voted upon and passed to the General Assembly a bill that would boost Show-Me State casinos’ ability to extend credit. Mind you, all the risk is on the casino. It could lend as … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Economy, Genting, Internet gambling, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Taxes | Comments Off

Monkey wrench for MGM; Klondike on the brink; Cheater’s justice

Posted on April 1, 2014 by David McKee

Remember that fast track that MGM National Harbor was on? Yes, forget about it. Politicians in Prince George’s County want to codify it into legislation that MGM Resorts International meet certain benchmarks of local hiring and minority contracting. (The company’s excellent … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Boulder Strip, Maryland, MGM Mirage, New York, Singapore | Comments Off

Walsh: My way or else; Sands Crimea?

Posted on March 27, 2014 by David McKee

Making yet another overreach, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh asserts that the only party which can decide whether Beantown is host community to Wynn Resorts‘ and Mohegan Sun‘s projects is … Boston. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, he says, has no … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New York, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 2 Comments

Upside down at Cosmo; Casino beggars; Tribal casinos set new record

Posted on March 26, 2014 by David McKee

If a 3% ROI is your idea of a good return on a casino, have we got the place for you: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. It continues to narrow losses and improved gambling revenues 25%. Last year, the Cosmo’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Delaware, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Kansas, Macau, New York, Oklahoma, Racinos, Singapore, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

D-Day in Philly; Al Sharpton’s casino-boss buddy; Angst in Maine

Posted on January 27, 2014 by David McKee

It’s death-grapple time in Philadelphia, where five competing proposals will be aired for the final time before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Even a supporter of casino expansion in the city, like Jeffries LLC‘s John Maxwell, concedes there will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Maine, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tomato King Procacci, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off

Etess, Wynn cross swords & other Case Bets

Posted on December 18, 2013 by David McKee

Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority CEO Mitchell Etess is A-OK with Massachusetts casino regulation, as he made clear in a recent interview. (Mohegan Sun is vying for a casino license at Suffolk Downs.) “I think everybody who got into this process … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Japan, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Adelson’s bogus poll & other fun with numbers

Posted on December 6, 2013 by David McKee

To hear Sheldon Adelson tell it, 70% of Americans share his die-hard opposition to Internet gambling. He even bought a poll from The Tarrance Group to prove its point. Unfortunately for the Sultan of Sands, the monarch has no clothes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Cretins, Economy, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | 1 Comment

Is Revel in play?; James Packer: Wanted man

Posted on November 11, 2013 by David McKee

I never would have believed it after a recent change of CEOs and a major redirection of Revel Resort‘s marketing efforts, but the casino could be put up for sale. The bottom having fallen out of the resale market for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Animals, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, International, James Packer, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

New casino in Alabama; Potential new scrutiny for Caesars; Second thoughts for Walker?

Posted on October 25, 2013 by David McKee

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange is throttling the life out of the Cotton State’s electronic bingo industry. But, thanks to tribal sovereignty, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians has been able to this to its advantage. When Wind Creek Wetumpka … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Current, Harrah's, Maryland, Massachusetts, Regulation, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 27, 2013 by David McKee

“I believe if Dante were alive today and rewriting the ‘Inferno’ that the lowest places in hell would be reserved for those who commit cruelty to our animals and to our children.” — U.S. Attorney George Beck, announcing the arrest … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Animals | 3 Comments

Third-quarter blahs: Ameristar, Boyd, MGM; Crackdown in Alabama

Posted on November 2, 2012 by David McKee

While nobody quite matched the $221 million loss posted by Caesars Entertainment, the gaming industry didn’t lack for underachievers in 3Q12, thanks largely to softness in domestic casino markets. Ameristar Casinos reported a $16 million profit, despite a 2% revenue … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colorado, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Environment, Harrah's, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off