Category Archives: Atlantic City

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 5, 2009 by David McKee

"One of the reasons why we chose this mansion, instead of having something at one of the casinos, was because we wanted to match the glamour of a Playboy/Hugh Hefner party." — ex-Bunny Lois Sablich, explaining why a reunion of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Adelson's rescuer?

Posted on September 30, 2009 by David McKee

Meet Wilbur Ross. He’s an investor of all trades with an appetite for distressed assets. And he’s turning his sights to the casino industry. In particular, he’s drawn a bead on “companies [who] are also looking at selling assets in … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Horseracing, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Adelson's rescuer?

From the mailbag #7

Posted on September 30, 2009 by David McKee

Presumably foiled once again by the Comment-Eating Server, reader kerr_mudgeon writes: From the article about the A.C. contract settlement: "In his praise of the deal, Don Marrandino, the Eastern Division president of Harrah's, appeared to refer indirectly to tortured negotiations … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, Kentucky, Labor | Comments Off on From the mailbag #7

Adelson's rescuer?

Posted on September 30, 2009 by David McKee

Meet Wilbur Ross. He’s an investor of all trades with an appetite for distressed assets. And he’s turning his sights to the casino industry. In particular, he’s drawn a bead on “companies [who] are also looking at selling assets in … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Horseracing, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Adelson's rescuer?

Buy our casino, please!

Posted on September 29, 2009 by David McKee

Any well-furnished casino that doesn’t try to monetize its fine appointments is missing a revenue opportunity. However, it’s one thing to covet the lovely furnishings of, say, the Sky Lofts at MGM Grand. It’s quite another to check into a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Harrah's, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Buy our casino, please!

Crime doesn't pay; Wyden wimps out

Posted on September 25, 2009 by David McKee

Five dimes worth of damage, $40,000 bail — and all to wrest a measly two grand from some vending machines at Harrah’s Atlantic City. That’s the losing bet made by two security guards. Couple this with the floormen who destroyed … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, Wall Street | Comments Off on Crime doesn't pay; Wyden wimps out

From the mailbag #5

Posted on September 23, 2009 by David McKee

Our Comment-Eating Server has been at it again, so here are a few reader remarks that got devoured in cyberspace (where no one can hear you scream at your computer) … With regard to “Gambling Scandal Ensnares Eight More“: This … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Donald Trump, Environment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Labor, Regulation, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on From the mailbag #5

Atlantic City sucks …

Posted on September 22, 2009 by David McKee

… says the Motley Fool, in essence. Even Borgata, which posted a higher operating profit year/year, is deemed merely to suck less than everybody else. I’m not sure I’m with the Fools on this one. For instance, shouldn’t Sands Bethlehem … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colorado, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Atlantic City sucks …

Worst Trend Yet

Posted on September 17, 2009 by David McKee

This is the sort of bottom-feeding move you'd expect from Columbia Sussex but not from Hyatt. Suffice it to say that if casino-hotels try this cheapjack number in Atlantic City, Detroit or Las Vegas, there will be holy hell to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, Labor, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Worst Trend Yet

From the mailbag #5: Vegas Club, football, Atlantic CIty

Posted on September 11, 2009 by David McKee

Reader herbop reports on the latest thrift move by Tamares Group: “While other Downtown hotels are installing in-room safes, and removing complaint-causing daily fees for same, the Vegas Club Hotel has pulled out the installed safes from its rooms. When … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, International, Sports, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on From the mailbag #5: Vegas Club, football, Atlantic CIty

Blimps on the radar

Posted on September 10, 2009 by David McKee

Dipping into the dispatch box, S&G finds the following tidbits, courtesy of the nice people at J.P. Morgan: Alex Yemenidjian is serious about revamping the Tropicana Las Vegas. He's just inked a contract with Bally Technologies for a player-tracking system … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, CityCenter, Detroit, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Blimps on the radar

Optimism in Macao, euphoria at CityCenter

Posted on September 8, 2009 by David McKee

Relaxation of stringent visa restrictions from Guangdong Province came a full four months sooner than expected, starting Sept. 1. Now, residents will be able to visit Macao once a month instead of quarterly. While this has prompted J.P. Morgan to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, CityCenter, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Entertainment, IGT, Indiana, Kansas, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Optimism in Macao, euphoria at CityCenter

Meet the new Trop boss …

Posted on August 26, 2009 by David McKee

 … largely the same as the old boss. Tropicana Entertainment's diligent efforts to get back into the Tropicana Atlantic City have finally paid off. Thus (nearly) ends a prolonged interregnum during which no clearly superior alternativves emerged. Well … there … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Current, Regulation, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Meet the new Trop boss …

Cro-Magnon economics; Packer play?; Harrah's boycotted

Posted on August 26, 2009 by David McKee

Still snowed under with non-S&G commitments, but here’s a brief dispatch. First, with apologies to Woody Allen … “The federal stimulus package is so bad” “Yes, and such small portions.” That’s the sum and substance of this diatribe, penned by … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, International, James Packer, Pennsylvania | Comments Off on Cro-Magnon economics; Packer play?; Harrah's boycotted

Just what the doctor ordered

Posted on August 19, 2009 by David McKee

With Eastern Division President Carlos Tolosa calling it a day, Harrah's Entertainment is dispatching Atlantic City native Don Marrandino to try and turn things around out there. (No word on whether the Alizma triplets will accompany him eastward.) Marrandino's portfolio … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Just what the doctor ordered

Colony Capital strikes (out) again; Big Bleauh

Posted on August 17, 2009 by David McKee

Despite taking a 22% gouge out of expenses, Colony Capital and its Goldman Sachs sidekicks managed to convert a 2Q08 profit to a $10.5 million 2Q09 loss. Revenues were down $30 million (or 40%), half of that from diminished room … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, Laughlin, Mesquite, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Colony Capital strikes (out) again; Big Bleauh

I was just saying …

Posted on August 12, 2009 by David McKee

… to a colleague that, given Atlantic City‘s dismal July numbers, a plea for governmental assistance had to be just ’round the corner. Well, whaddya know? In at least five instances, Atlantic City’s casinos are run by companies that just … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on I was just saying …

Carl Icahn, comedian?

Posted on August 11, 2009 by David McKee

"As a result of [Tropicana Entertainment's] continued use of the Tropicana marks in interstate commerce, the Tropicana marks have achieved fame and notoriety and are associated in the minds of consumers nationwide with a consistent level of high-quality casino, entertainment … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Carl Icahn, comedian?

Case Bets: Ohio, Trump, Fahrenkopfian outrage

Posted on August 6, 2009 by David McKee

With racinos a done deal in Ohio, a suddenly frisky Harrah’s Entertainment is shopping around for a Cleveland-area track. If anything, I’m surprised competing companies haven’t beaten Harrah’s to the punch, but it seems to have sucker-punched its rivals. Good … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, Harrah's, Labor, Maryland, Ohio, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Ohio, Trump, Fahrenkopfian outrage

Get 'em while they're young

Posted on August 6, 2009 by David McKee

One of the Atlantic City Hilton‘s most valued players was a 19-year-old from Brooklyn. This baby whale was sufficiently lucrative to the Colony C(r)apital property that he received a comped stay and qualified as a “rated player.” Better still, A.C. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Entertainment, International, Regulation, Riviera, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on Get 'em while they're young