Category Archives: Atlantic City

Best Western Stratosphere?; Atlantic City rescued in nick of time

* Golden Entertainment will be facing a fait accompli when it takes over the Stratosphere and Aquarius Casino Resort from American Casino & Entertainment Properties. Outgoing owner ACEP has inked a pact with Best Western to manage the two flagship … Continue reading

Posted in ACEP, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Economy, Golden Gaming, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Japan, Kazuo Okada, Laughlin, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Philippines, Politics, The Strip | 1 Comment

National Harbor cleans up; A peek inside Resorts World Las Vegas

MGM National Harbor drove a 40% increase in Maryland gambling revenues last month. The $50.5 million gross at MGM was evenly divided between table games and slots. Since the latter are taxed at a far higher rate, MGM won’t be … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Cordish Co., Economy, Entertainment, Genting, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Racinos, The Strip, Tribal, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Glenn Straub, gaming’s problem child; Panic in New York State

“We’ve been shut down now for three years. As an abandoned building, we want the value of an abandoned building, not the value of a casino hotel,” said Revel owner Glenn Straub, defending his failure to pay Casino Reinvestment Development … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Foxwoods, GameCO, Glenn Straub, history, Marketing, New York, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on Glenn Straub, gaming’s problem child; Panic in New York State

The truly big game: Sports betting; Trump vs. tribes … or not?

Going out on a limb, I. Nelson Rose predicts the Supreme Court will rule in New Jersey‘s favor with regard to sports betting. As he notes, “[Chief Justice John Roberts] and the other conservative members of the Court would like … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Geoff Freeman, history, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | Comments Off on The truly big game: Sports betting; Trump vs. tribes … or not?

MGM rebuffed in Connecticut; Taking the Trump out of the Taj

For the second time, a federal court has ruled against MGM Resorts International in its attempts to wrest a casino license away from Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino. According to the Hartford Courant, the court held that “the company … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Foxwoods, GameCO, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Revel, Technology, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

The heat is on; As Vegas warms up, so does its economy

Two of the nation’s premier casino markets — Las Vegas and Phoenix — are grappling with Baghdad-size temperatures, with more to come, not for months but years. (See video embed.) Coping with the Las Vegas Strip, if you dare, mandates … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, Economy, Environment, Genting, Golden Gaming, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on The heat is on; As Vegas warms up, so does its economy

That wacky Glenn Straub; New York caves on ‘Net bets

Call it Revel, call it Ten but, whatever you do, call it “closed.” Because that’s what Revel is. Owner Glenn Straub is frittering away the prime earning weeks of the year while he fights with state and local officials, whether … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Cosmopolitan, Donald Trump, Environment, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Revel | Comments Off on That wacky Glenn Straub; New York caves on ‘Net bets

Wynn: Up in smoke; Mohegan by any other name

Wynn Resorts is pursuing a no-tolerance policy toward high-rolling customers associated with corporate cannabis. “I can confirm that I was permanently banned from gambling at Wynn Resorts on June 7, 2017 due to my role as Chairman and CEO of … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Downtown, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Law enforcement, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, South Korea, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Vietnam | 1 Comment

Better times come to Atlantic City; Wynn Boston Harbor sets opening date

May’s gambling grosses are in from the Boardwalk and Atlantic City is up 2.5% since last year — 11% if Trump Taj Mahal is subtracted from the comparison. Terrestrial casinos pulled in $208 million, while Internet gambling grossed a further … Continue reading

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Golden Gaming, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, North Las Vegas, Palms, Phil Ruffin, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Better times come to Atlantic City; Wynn Boston Harbor sets opening date

Adelson in the catbird seat; Lui has advice for Macao

We’re still a long way from requests for proposals for Japanese megaresorts but one source is already tapping Las Vegas Sands as a finalist. (Hardly a radical prediction, it’s true.) The tip comes from Morningstar Investment Management Asia analyst Chelsey … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Crown Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, Japan, Law enforcement, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Oklahoma, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Technology, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on Adelson in the catbird seat; Lui has advice for Macao

MGM, Caesars join forces; A casino in Cuba

There’s intrigue surrounding Atlantic City‘s H-Tract, which separates Borgata from Harrah’s Resort. That’s adjacent to 15 acres of land Caesars Entertainment has never developed. MGM Resorts International, for its part, has acreage which it has tried and failed to sell, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Macao resurgence continues; Skill-based slots get second wind

As Galaxy Entertainment CEO Lui-Che Woo is fond of pointing out, it will take two years of positive results before Macao can be said to have recovered from its revenue collapse. That being said, May’s results — 24% up — … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, GameCO, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Technology, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, Wayne F. Newton | Comments Off on Macao resurgence continues; Skill-based slots get second wind

Hard Rock ups Atlantic City commitment; Japan inspires casino designers

Compared to Carl Icahn‘s half-a-loaf policies, Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen is Lady Bountiful, at least as concerns [Trump] Taj Mahal. We put The Donald’s name in brackets because it’s one of the first things to go, to be … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Election, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Harry Reid, International, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, SLS Las Vegas, Technology, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

“The innovative machines were highly touted when they debuted in Atlantic City in November, and since have started appearing on other casino floors. But their initial reception is proving to be largely a bust. Price revealed that 21 of the machines … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Technology | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Strip survives baccarat drought; Gural reprieves Atlantic City

Las Vegas Strip gaming execs can breathe a sigh of relief that April’s 3% decline in revenue, while worse than expected, was as small as it was. After all, they were up against flat baccarat wagering and a revenue plunge … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Politics, Technology, TV | Comments Off on Strip survives baccarat drought; Gural reprieves Atlantic City

Executive shuffle at Station; Freeman’s bold agenda

Long-serving (some would say long-suffering) Station Casinos CFO Marc Falcone has had enough and will resign on May 31. He’ll still be at Station’s service thanks to a one-year consulting agreement — read “non-compete.” He’s served Station well, coming aboard … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Geoff Freeman, Hard Rock International, Law enforcement, Palms, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Executive shuffle at Station; Freeman’s bold agenda

Sands Bethlehem sale fizzles; Packer peddles Alon acreage

For the second time, Las Vegas Sands has decided that Sands Bethlehem was too valuable to sell, especially after it set a state record for table game revenue. (Earlier, Sands was bruited to be in talks with Tropicana Entertainment to … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Eldorado Resorts, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Sands Bethlehem sale fizzles; Packer peddles Alon acreage

Malloy: Stay the course; Wynncore automates

Although the courts may have the final say in the matter, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy has scotched the idea of an open-bidding process for a third Nutmeg State casino. He would prefer to keep the bird in the hand that … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Foxwoods, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology | 1 Comment

Borgata keeps Atlantic City afloat; No slots for Wichita

Atlantic City had a bit of adversity in April, down 3.5%. However, when last year’s Trump Taj Mahal grosses are removed from the comparison, the Boardwalk was up 4%. Market leader, by an astonishing margin, was Borgata, garnering $58.5 million, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Indiana, Japan, Kansas, Majestic Star, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Taxes, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Borgata keeps Atlantic City afloat; No slots for Wichita

Packer bows out; Adelson puts moves on Brazil

There’s now 100% less “Crown” in Melco Crown Entertainment. Colorful casino baron James Packer has sold his share in the company for $1.2 billion. Reuters describes the move as “ending a fraught offshore expansion and freeing up cash for new … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, James Packer, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, The Crown 18, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Packer bows out; Adelson puts moves on Brazil