Category Archives: Atlantic City

Caesars ruins Atlantic City’s Christmas; Abandon ship

Posted on January 15, 2018 by David McKee

December put a bit of a chill on the Atlantic City casino economy, down 2% for the month, with an overall gross of $186 million. Over by the fireplace, Internet gambling was nice and warm, up 13%. Slot revenues were … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Dining, Florida, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Kazuo Okada, Law enforcement, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Regulation, Revel, Security, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | Comments Off

State of the Strip; Air Area 51

Posted on January 10, 2018 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli met with a number of casino companies recently and came away with a sanguine prospect for the Las Vegas Strip. As for the operators, “Overall, we felt commentary pertaining to the LV locals market, regional … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Sports, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Revel sold (again); Freeman slams Indiana bill

Posted on January 9, 2018 by David McKee

Glenn Straub wins our Liar Liar Pants on Fire Award hors concours for dissembling about any intentions to sell Revel while negotiating a deal to do precisely that. Give him credit, though, for raising the defunct megaresort’s value: The $200 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Iowa, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Revel, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Unlucky Dragon; Gaughan plays Lady Bountiful

Posted on January 8, 2018 by David McKee

Business at the semi-defunct Lucky Dragon casino must have really been sucking wind if it closed six weeks before Chinese New Year, which one would expect to be the property’s sweet spot. Lucky Dragon management is putting a brave face … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, International, Iowa, Japan, Louisiana, Lucky Dragon, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, The Strip, etc.

Posted on January 8, 2018 by David McKee

MGM National Harbor goes from strength to strength. Last month, it captured 40% of Maryland market share en route to a $56.5 million gross (for a property record of $1.8 million gross gaming revenue per day). Maryland Live, hanging onto … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dining, Economy, Entertainment, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Illinois, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Station Casinos, The Strip, West Virginia | Comments Off

Exit the Dragon

Posted on January 5, 2018 by David McKee

In a story broken yesterday by VitalVegas, the Lucky Dragon Casino has abruptly shuttered its casino and restaurants. It will attempt to limp along for six months of ‘reorganization,’ sustained by hotel revenues. Were the Consumer Electronics Show not in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dining, Economy, Genting, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Lucky Dragon, Marketing, Movies, Penn National, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Where’s the outrage?; Religion and slots mix

Posted on January 3, 2018 by David McKee

Donald Trump‘s move to take tips out of workers’ pockets and put them in managements hands has poked an 800-lb. gorilla, in the form of the AFL-CIO. It was wrong when Steve Wynn did it as business policy and it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Donald Trump, International, Macau, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

There’s new life at F-blew; Casinos neglect safety plans

Posted on December 29, 2017 by David McKee

Contrary to some of his early pronouncements about Fontainebleau, new owner Steven Witkoff isn’t sitting on his asset but is pursuing roughly $2 billion of the $3 billion that will be required to finish the eye, er, glittering megaresort. He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Fontainebleau, Genting, Golden Gaming, Indiana, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Nevada, Palms, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Steven Witkoff, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Strip’s Thanksgiving turkey; Sports betting overhyped?

Posted on December 29, 2017 by David McKee

Despite a neutral calendar (i.e., same number of weekend days) and a 2% increase in baccarat wagers, the Las Vegas Strip managed to plummet 25% in table game win, pulling overall revenue 6% downward. Had it not been for that game, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Delaware, Donald Trump, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Reno, Sports, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts, TV | 1 Comment

Revel bought? Straub says no; R.I.P., Keely Smith

Posted on December 19, 2017 by David McKee

Revel/Ten may have yet another name soon, now that wannabe buyer Bruce Defik has done what Glenn Straub wouldn’t: apply for a New Jersey gaming license. Straub continues to assert that there is no deal in place but “a court … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Detroit, Dining, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, history, Internet gambling, James Packer, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Wynn’s new frontier

Posted on December 14, 2017 by David McKee

Wynn Resorts made it official last night: It had paid just under $335 million for the old New Frontier site, which it is taking over from James Packer. The deal makes a fool of Packer, who paid $570 million for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cretins, Current, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Genting, Hard Rock International, James Packer, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Atlantic City: There’s life after Trump; Bluhm dominates in Pennsylvania

Posted on December 14, 2017 by David McKee

Finally liberated from year/year comparisons that included the dying Trump Taj Mahal, casinos in Atlantic City experienced 3% revenue growth last month. Internet gambling did even better, leaping 20%. For the lifetime of ‘Net betting in New Jersey, this brings … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Delaware, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Indiana, Missouri see happy days; Don’t count on Millennials

Posted on December 11, 2017 by David McKee

It looks like Penn National Gaming is picking a good time to acquire Pinnacle Entertainment, to judge by the healthy performance of the Missouri and Indiana markets (though it must be kicking itself for having missed the loophole that allowed … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Full House Resorts, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Marketing, Maryland, Missouri, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Sports betting makes its case

Posted on December 5, 2017 by David McKee

Yesterday saw the much-anticipated oral arguments in the case of Christie v. NCAAA, the legal joust that could lead to the downfall of the Bradley Act and open up the land to legalized sports betting. The arguments made before the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Florida, Geoff Freeman, Hard Rock International, Racinos, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sports | Comments Off

A taxing topic … but mostly good for gaming

Posted on December 5, 2017 by David McKee

As the Trump administration’s tax bill heads into the reconciliation process, it could spark a new era of fiscal responsibility. That’s if corporations behave as they are predicted to do in this analysis. It forecasts that, with the slashing of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Palms, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Favorable forecast for 2018; New look at Cosmo

Posted on November 29, 2017 by David McKee

Good news for casinos: “2018 is set to be a good year for gaming operators and suppliers globally amid a strong economic backdrop and a relatively benign new supply environment,” says Fitch Ratings analyst Alex Bumazhny, one of the more circumspect … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Case Bets

Posted on November 28, 2017 by David McKee

Council Bluffs, Iowa, isn’t reacting so well to the revival of a 2007 casino plan by the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska to open in nearby Carter Lake. First off, the proposed site was ostensibly intended for an as-yet-unbuilt tribal medical … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Harrah's, Iowa, Japan, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Curtains for Trump Plaza; Prez “downright dumb” about tribes

Posted on November 22, 2017 by David McKee

It’s dynamite time for Trump Plaza in Atlantic City — and about time. The pertinent question seems to be how owner Carl Icahn is going to get rid of this eyesore or, more specifically, how he’s going to pay for it. Rather … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Minnesota, Politics, Sam Nazarian, Taxes, Transportation, Tribal | 2 Comments

Caesars bets on Hoosier tracks; Trump precedent revisted

Posted on November 20, 2017 by David McKee

Centaur Gaming, benefactor of Mike Pence (not that it did them any good), is back in the news. Caesars Entertainment already owns the two most lucrative casinos in Indiana, is doubling down on its commitment to the Hoosier State. By … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 20, 2017 by David McKee

“Combined, the state’s legal online casinos now generate enough monthly gross revenue to rank as the fifth-largest casino in Atlantic City. Online gambling has accounted for nearly 10 percent of New Jersey‘s total casino revenue in 2017. And it appears … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Internet gambling | Comments Off