Category Archives: Architecture

Revel: It had to happen; Hard Rock on a roll

Posted on August 26, 2013 by David McKee

Revel Resort‘s somewhat disingenuous “You Can’t Lose” promotion was bound to attract a lawsuit and so it has. A pair of players are suing and, though the odds seem against them, it’s worth recalling that Revel’s disclaimer language tap-danced around … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Dennis Gomes, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Marketing, Massachusetts, Ohio, Revel | Comments Off on Revel: It had to happen; Hard Rock on a roll

Coming soon to a Sioux City near you

Posted on August 15, 2013 by David McKee

Don’t scoff: This is serious excitement by Iowa standards, enough to justify relocating the Milwaukee Wiener Shop. Virtually the only unhappy camper is Penn National Gaming, which had its Sioux City license taken away. Contractor Conlon Construction must be no … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Hard Rock International, Iowa, Penn National | 1 Comment

Massachusetts: First one bites the dust

Posted on August 6, 2013 by David McKee

Turns out the Massachusetts Gaming Commission was damn serious about financial probity being grounds for disqualification. In a ruling on Plainridge Racecourse, it deemed that owner Ourway Realty displayed “a culture of fear and concealment pervasive in the operations,” including former … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Colorado, Cordish Co., Current, Environment, M Resort, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Regulation | 2 Comments

Tilman’s Golden touch; Dotty’s gets respectable

Posted on August 5, 2013 by David McKee

Tilman Fertitta forked over $45 million to purchase Isle of Capri Biloxi. He is currently putting another $100 million into expansions and upgrades. From the look of things, he shouldn’t have any trouble making his money back. (Interestingly, parts of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Current, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Laughlin, Mississippi, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

Barton delivers; Penn takes the initiative

Posted on July 12, 2013 by David McKee

It was a somewhat mixed victory for the casino industry. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX, left) revived a 2012 initiative, in the form of his Internet Poker Freedom Act, legislation that he’s been promising for a couple of election cycles now. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Massachusetts: It’s where the action might be; Where there’s smoke, there’s Sheldon

Posted on July 9, 2013 by David McKee

Update/Correction: I’m reliably informed that dog racing (see below) is illegal in Massachusetts and will remain so, praise be. Also, Neil Bluhm is now wooing Millbury for a slot-parlor site. Except for Raynham Park, all slot-parlor applicants are under the … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Environment, history, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Oklahoma, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal | 1 Comment

Indiana: Half-full or half-empty?; ‘Priscilla’ faints

Posted on July 9, 2013 by David McKee

That’s the operative question after a contrariwise June in Indiana. The state’s casinos saw 17% less foot traffic, but those fewer players were spending more (up 6%). Even so, the Hoosier State’s racinos, casinos and riverboats were down 12% for … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

SkyVue kaput?; Wowing them in Massachusetts

Posted on July 3, 2013 by David McKee

That’s the unavoidable conclusion, despite the increasingly comical protestations of local developer Howard Bulloch‘s sidekicks. Caesars Entertainment‘s rival Ferris wheel may be in a terrible location, it may be progressing slowly but — but — it is progressing. SkyVue has … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Case Bets: Crystals, Baltimore, Mohegan Sun, Macao

Posted on June 27, 2013 by David McKee

Somebody’s finally found a good use for Crystals: as a museum. Daniel Liebeskind‘s design of the property would be more conducive to viewing art than to shopping and it never has trouble drawing lookie-lous. (Customers, eh, not so much.) Somebody … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Shocking! Just shocking!; Riviera: Choy gets the chop

Posted on June 24, 2013 by David McKee

Andrew Breibart heir Matthew Boyle has his bloomers in a twist over the fact that Nevada Sens. Harry Reid (D) and Dean Heller (R) have tweaked the immigration bill currently before the Senate to include an indefinite extension of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Genting, Harry Reid, Politics, Riviera, Tourism | Comments Off on Shocking! Just shocking!; Riviera: Choy gets the chop

Wynn gets serious in Massachusetts; Little racino bests Caesars

Posted on June 14, 2013 by David McKee

Steve Wynn is engaging a multi-pronged effort to clinch the favor of voters in Everett. Of course, if the Massachusetts Gaming Commission takes time off from generating paperwork to stop and be impressed by Wynn’s campaign, so much the better. Wynn’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Dan Gilbert, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Woody in Milford; Revel out of Chapter 11; Isle: Pay to play

Posted on May 22, 2013 by David McKee

Foxwoods Resort Casino CEO Scott “Woody” Butera didn’t close the sale with Milford voters earlier this week, but they didn’t slam the door on him either. Rather than prejudice the issue with a town-meeting vote, local sentiment favors a city-wide … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Current, Downtown, Economy, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Revel, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Woody in Milford; Revel out of Chapter 11; Isle: Pay to play

MGM: No time wasted

Posted on May 21, 2013 by David McKee

Say what you like about MGM Resorts International‘s plans for Monte Carlo and New York-York, the company isn’t letting any grass grow under its feet: As of 9 a.m. this morning, the Monte Carlo facade was merely walled off with … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 1 Comment

Penn cloning process proceeds

Posted on May 17, 2013 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming has filed paperwork with the SEC for an IPO that would enable you to buy into 19 Penn casinos, including flop Hollywood Perryville (shown). This Penn stalking horse would go by the incredibly generic name of Gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Harrah's, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Penn cloning process proceeds

Big vote in Beantown?; Penn National short-sheets Maryland

Posted on May 14, 2013 by David McKee

That’s what it could come to in Boston, if mayoral candidate — and current Suffolk County D.A. — Daniel Conley gets his wish. Rather than simply letting East Boston vote up or down on Caesars Entertainment‘s proposed conversion of Suffolk … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Election, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos | 2 Comments

Equivocal anniversary for Ohio; In Massachusetts, progress for MGM and Wynn

Posted on May 13, 2013 by David McKee

So, as Ohio marks the first full year of casino play, is the glass half-full or half-empty. Currently, much is being made of Horseshoe Cleveland having brought in less than half of greatly over-ambitious expectations (and 12% less than what … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Dan Gilbert, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tourism | 3 Comments

So long, Sahara and WMS; Bridge of sighs; Private equity’s newest gamble

Posted on May 10, 2013 by David McKee

Gone and soon to be forgotten is the fugly NASCAR Cafe (site of terrible customer service), one of Bill Bennett‘s dubious ‘enhancements’ to the Sahara during his ownership. Current owner Sam Nazarian is ripping the Sahara apart in earnest, although … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Dan Gilbert, Dining, Harrah's, history, Ohio, Regulation, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Scientific Games, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 1 Comment

Gaming suffers rare defeat; Big rush in Springfield

Posted on May 8, 2013 by David McKee

It’s a longstanding tradition in Iowa that voters, once they’ve voted to approve a casino in their county, never have second thoughts. Selling non-gaming counties on new casinos, however, is a different story. Take Norwalk County, for instance, where a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Election, Iowa, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New Hampshire, Politics, Tribal, Warner Gaming | Comments Off on Gaming suffers rare defeat; Big rush in Springfield

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 29, 2013 by David McKee

“Slot machines and blackjack tables have no power at all. What we are not building is a box of slots. We’re building a beautiful hotel that just happens to have a gaming room in the back.”– Steve Wynn, repositioning himself … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Massachusetts, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 1 Comment

The tale of Big and Little Caesars

Posted on April 23, 2013 by David McKee

If you have been waiting for the moment to sell your Caesars Entertainment stock and get out unscathed, even making a tidy profit, that moment is now. Actually, it was March 20 this year, when CZR hit an all-time high … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Florida, Harrah's, history, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments