Category Archives: Atlantic City

Boffo Christmas for Borgata; ColSux loses again

Posted on January 14, 2015 by David McKee

There wasn’t a lot of Christmas cheer to be had in Atlantic City, where citywide gambling revenues fell 13%. However, for the surviving operators, the take was up 7% on a “same-store” basis (i.e., discounting the casinos that have closed). … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Mohegan Sun, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Boffo Christmas for Borgata; ColSux loses again

Start making sense; Walker dodges a bullet

Posted on January 12, 2015 by David McKee

“Indianapolis is making it impossible to run cities,” complains Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who’s nettled by a proposal to eliminate the $3 admission fees Indiana casinos pay on behalf of their customers. The port authority of Hammond is run … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Horseracing, Indiana, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

That wily Glenn Straub

Posted on January 9, 2015 by David McKee

Freed by Judge Gloria Burns of encumberances, Revel is Glenn Straub’s for the taking — provided he’s willing to pay $95 million. Ir sounds like Straub’s position is softening. Although he has the power to evict Revel’s remaining tenants, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Indiana, Politics, Revel, South Dakota, Sports, Taxes, Transportation | 2 Comments

Buckeye State bullseye

Posted on January 7, 2015 by David McKee

Ohio casinos and racinos posted spectacular figures last month. By the calculations of Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli, revenues were up 37% (or 18% on a same-store basis). Horseshoe Cleveland, up 16.5%, was also the top grosser — $21 million, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, International, Japan, Maine, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Buckeye State bullseye

Revel: Straub vs. Straub

Posted on January 6, 2015 by David McKee

If Glenn Straub can’t have Revel, he’s determined to see that no one else can … including Glenn Straub. The sole remaining bidder for Atlantic City‘s $2.4 billion white elephant, Straub’s $95.4 million bid for it was accepted by bankruptcy … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Maryland, Penn National, Revel, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off on Revel: Straub vs. Straub

Atlantic City faces uncertain 2015; Wynn remakes Boston look

Posted on December 29, 2014 by David McKee

It can’t get any worse. That’s the cautious mantra emerging from the Boardwalk, where Atlantic City shed four casinos last year. Trump Taj Mahal is on life support provided by Carl Icahn and Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman has cast … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Economy, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City faces uncertain 2015; Wynn remakes Boston look

Big and Little Caesars strike again; Atlantic City’s monopoly in danger

Posted on December 22, 2014 by David McKee

Last weekend, Caesars Entertainment confirmed what we already expected: It will file bankruptcy for Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. next month, in what the New York Times called “an ignominious milestone for what was one of the biggest buyouts of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, New York, Politics, Wall Street | Comments Off on Big and Little Caesars strike again; Atlantic City’s monopoly in danger

Icahn saves Taj, kinda sorta

Posted on December 18, 2014 by David McKee

Trump Taj Mahal‘s fate seesaws by the day, if not the hour. According to the New York Post, Unite-Here Local 54 “got pretty much what it wanted” from Carl Icahn and “all work rules” will be reinstated. Icahn did persuade Local … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Economy, Politics, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 3 Comments

Taj at Icahn’s mercy; The wrath of Wynn

Posted on December 17, 2014 by David McKee

Trump Entertainment Resorts CEO Bob Griffin (below) has basically flung himself at the feet of Carl Icahn and begged the billionaire to keep funding Trump Taj Mahal “well into 2015,” while Unite-Here‘s appeal of a bankruptcy court ruling is adjudicated, maybe … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Morgans Hotel Group, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Taj at Icahn’s mercy; The wrath of Wynn

Atlantic City: Fertitta wins, Taj too close to call

Posted on December 16, 2014 by David McKee

Score one for the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City and its peppery owner, Tilman Fertitta. Its threat to “blow up” a property-tax reform deal was sufficient to bring about a compromise acceptable to all sides. Under the original bill and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Economy, Oklahoma, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City: Fertitta wins, Taj too close to call

Captain Loveman’s sinking ship

Posted on December 15, 2014 by David McKee

As was widely expected, Caesars Entertainment defaulted on a $225 million interest payment, setting the stage for a prearranged bankruptcy. Company spokesman Stephen Cohen said airily, “It’s clear Caesars has sufficient liquidity to make the payment, we just chose not to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Genting, Harrah's, New York, Regulation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Hope and change in Atlantic City

Posted on December 15, 2014 by David McKee

Not everybody is on board with Gov. Chris Christie‘s and state Senator Stephen Sweeney‘s plan for a new, fixed-rate payment system for Atlantic City casinos, in lieu of property taxes. Despite a floodtide of new revenue in recent months, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Revel, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Icahn: My way or the highway

Posted on December 15, 2014 by David McKee

If Unite-Here doesn’t cave in today, it’s curtains for Trump Taj Mahal. Or so says Carl Icahn, who wants the union to abandon its court fight to restore health and pension benefits breached by Trump Entertainment Resorts. If Icahn carries … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Icahn: My way or the highway

Migratory patterns in Atlantic City

Posted on December 12, 2014 by David McKee

Considerably less casino revenue continues to flow into Atlantic City, down 13% last month, but it’s not all bad. Thanks to the whale-sized “market correction” of multiple casino closings, there continues to be more money for everybody who’s left. October’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Mohegan Sun, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Stale thinking in Atlantic City; Big trouble in little Macao

Posted on December 10, 2014 by David McKee

New Jersey lawmakers, evidently oblivious to the recent spate of casino closings, have decided that what Atlantic City needs is more and smaller casinos, even though the pitfalls of a casino-based economy have been amply demonstrated. They’re dusting off 2011’s dud … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Macau, Regulation, Revel | 1 Comment

Indiana giveth, Ohio taketh away; Atlantic City fix finds wide support

Posted on December 9, 2014 by David McKee

Depending on whether or not you count free play as taxable revenue, Indiana was down 6% or 7% last month, with customers spending 3% more but visiting 9.5% less. Penn National Gaming‘s Hollywood Lawrenceburg took cross-border competition particularly hard, falling … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Harrah's, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

The war over Caesars

Posted on December 8, 2014 by David McKee

That Caesars Entertainment plan to subdivide itself into a REIT may be a one-week wonder: Creditors are reported to be balking at the structure. “The creditors want to make sure the REIT is structured in a way that protects them … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, Harrah's, Internet gambling, New York, South Korea, Station Casinos, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Trump Taj Mahal buys time

Posted on December 5, 2014 by David McKee

In the latest of many deadlines, Trump Taj Mahal has pushed its closing date back by another week, from Dec. 12 to Dec. 20. (Given that it has closed one of its hotel towers, we should not be surprised that … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Trump Taj Mahal buys time

Saving Atlantic City; Smokeless in Iowa

Posted on December 4, 2014 by David McKee

In an effort to solve the problem otherwise known as Atlantic City, policymakers are floating a variety of remedies. One would see the city’s casinos make a lump sum payment of $150 million for two years, in lieu of property … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Environment, Harrah's, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Taxes | 1 Comment

Chronicle of a bankruptcy, foretold

Posted on December 3, 2014 by David McKee

Dipping into Shakespeare, Howard Stutz endeavors to do justice to the Elizabethan complexity of the Caesars Entertainment bankruptcy. The fault is not in the stars but in Gary Loveman, architect of the disaster. When it was rolled out, back in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Fontainebleau, Genting, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, International, Macau, New York, Pennsylvania, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wisconsin | 2 Comments