Category Archives: Arizona

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 24, 2015 by David McKee

“I understand the desire to stick it to the tribe, given that it has outmaneuvered, well, everyone. But this lawsuit seems like a loser for the state … I haven’t seen any signs of plague ravaging the land. No frogs … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Racinos, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Indian givers on Capitol Hill; Revel powers up

Posted on April 27, 2015 by David McKee

Arizona‘s congressional delegation is willing to gamble $1 billion of your and my dollars to keep the Tohono O’odham Nation from having a casino. At the moment, Sen. John McCain (R) and his junior henchmen are plotting to stick their … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, South Korea, Tribal | Comments Off on Indian givers on Capitol Hill; Revel powers up

Shame on Arizona; Big plans for Gold Strike

Posted on April 24, 2015 by David McKee

With Gov. Doug Ducey opposed, along with a state gaming agency that refuses to OK its casino, the Tohono O’odham Nation has to decide whether to insist upon a December opening or bow to the state’s objections. Despite having lost time … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Tribal | Comments Off on Shame on Arizona; Big plans for Gold Strike

Super Bawl

Posted on January 28, 2015 by David McKee

Never mind that it’s one of the biggest weekends in Sin City, the National Football League continues to stick its fingers in its ears when it comes to casinos that dare whisper the words “Super Bowl.” Not only must Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arizona, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Regulation, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Super Bawl

Indian givers in D.C.; Mixed bag for Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun

Posted on January 19, 2015 by David McKee

Arizona‘s congressional delegation continues to single out the Tohono O’odham Nation for being too successful. Sens. John McCain (R) and Jeff Flake (R), and Reps. Trent Franks and Paul Gosar are trying yet again to legislate the Tohono O’odham’s $400 … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Economy, Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, International, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Tribal | Comments Off on Indian givers in D.C.; Mixed bag for Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun

Walk softly, carry a Talking Stick

Posted on December 3, 2014 by David McKee

There’s a new symbolic benchmark for the economic importance of tribal gaming in the U.S. What was the US Airways Center, in Phoenix, home of the Phoenix Suns, is becoming Talking Stick Resort Arena. It’s a testimony to the financial … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Dotty's, Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, Tribal | 1 Comment

Paid to not play?; More trouble for Trump, Caesars

Posted on November 24, 2014 by David McKee

Although the American Gaming Association came down against Massachusetts‘ proposed “managed play” system of regulating losses, casino companies are saying, “Not so fast.” Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts International and Penn National Gaming are all in favor of the idea of … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Friday Case Bets

Posted on October 31, 2014 by David McKee

America‘s second-largest casino market, Pennsylvania, has truly hit the jackpot, according to a new study by Oxford Economics. It addition to engendering 18,000 direct-employment jobs, casinos have generated economic impact of $6.2 billion and paid $2.4 billion in taxes, not to mention … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Economy, Harrah's, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Friday Case Bets

Boyd, Pinnacle speak

Posted on September 29, 2014 by David McKee

Both Boyd Gaming and Pinnacle Entertainment met with Wall Street analysts this week, everybody being in town for Global Gaming Expo. Boyd CEO Keith Smith and CFO John Hirsberg said they saw an abatement in negative business trends, now confined … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Louisiana, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Boyd, Pinnacle speak

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 26, 2014 by David McKee

“According to National Relief Charities, a nonprofit organization that assists Native Americans in the Plains and Southwest, ‘Over 500 treaties were made with American Indian tribes, primarily for land cessations, but 500 treaties were also broken, changed or nullified when … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, history, Politics, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Wretched excess; Caesars’ good deeds

Posted on September 24, 2014 by David McKee

As long as Las Vegas casinos continue to provoke untrammeled, excessive behavior at their pool parties, they’re going to make the police blotter. It seems that one MGM Grand guest got an unwelcome surprise when he passed out in a restroom. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Arizona, Cretins, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Wretched excess; Caesars’ good deeds

Can’t stop the consolidation

Posted on September 9, 2014 by David McKee

Continuing the shrinkage of the manufacturing sector, Global Cash Access is taking another chess piece — Multimedia Games — off the board. GCA will pay $1.1 billion for Multimedia, which specializes in VLTs for racinos and tribal markets.The price represented … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off on Can’t stop the consolidation

“You lost the war”

Posted on August 13, 2014 by David McKee

It took a contentious, fist-pounding meeting, but the Tohono O’odham Nation has a done deal with Glendale, Arizona. The $400 million casino project will pay the city $26 million over 20 years. “What we are being presented with tonight is peanuts … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, International, Taxes, Tribal, TV | Comments Off on “You lost the war”

Packer’s second chance

Posted on August 5, 2014 by David McKee

“You can’t be in the gaming industry and not have a special reverence for Las Vegas — that’s where it all began. While we fell short in past attempts to enter that market, we now have the ideal opportunity.” So said … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Cannery Casino Resorts, Donald Trump, Election, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sam Nazarian, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Tribal warfare; Happy ending in Pittsburgh

Posted on August 4, 2014 by David McKee

Congress is fiddling around the edges of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act but, for all the talk of reform, only ‘reservation shopping’ seems to be a real subject of concern. This political bogeyman is cited whenever a tribe wants to … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Don Barden, Pennsylvania, Politics, Tribal | Comments Off on Tribal warfare; Happy ending in Pittsburgh

Flake-ing out over tribal gambling

Posted on July 29, 2014 by David McKee

It must be nice to have two U.S. senators at your beck and call. That’s the case for tribal opponents of the Tohono O’odham Nation casino proposal. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) are introducing a bill that would make … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Flake-ing out over tribal gambling

Reversal in Phoenix; Flame out

Posted on July 17, 2014 by David McKee

So noxious to some in the Phoenix area is the idea of a Tohono O’odham Nation casino that Arizona‘s congressional delegation has actually tried to get a special law passed to stop it. For five and a half years, the Tohono … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Current, Dining, Downtown, Environment, Politics, Tribal, Westgate LV | Comments Off on Reversal in Phoenix; Flame out

Tribal power; A new contender in Japan

Posted on April 8, 2014 by David McKee

Talking Stick Resort may have only 752 slot machines and 51 blackjack tables but it’s powered an economic bonanza in the Scottsdale, Arizona desert. It’s the focal point of two baseball spring-training facilities (Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies), a 36-hole … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Baseball, CityCenter, Election, Harrah's, Japan, Melco Crown Entertainment, Nebraska, Racinos, Tribal | Comments Off on Tribal power; A new contender in Japan

Tribal casinos good for your health? Bet on it

Posted on March 5, 2014 by David McKee

“Reservation shopping” used to be Us versus Them language, as the private sector sought to hold back tribal casinos. Now it’s been added to the arsenal of tribe-on-tribe verbal violence. Writes the New York Times, “casino-owning Indian tribes have emerged … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Environment, Politics, Tribal, Wayne F. Newton, Wisconsin | Comments Off on Tribal casinos good for your health? Bet on it

More slots for the Sunshine State; Sheldon’s big payday

Posted on March 5, 2014 by David McKee

 A 453-page casino-enabling bill in the Florida state Senate just got a bit longer when Sen. Maria Sachs added language that would enable six additional counties (Palm Beach, Gadsden, Washington, Lee, Hamilton and Brevard) to have slots at their parimutuels. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Environment, Florida, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment