Category Archives: Baseball

Super Bowl betting: Mack is back; Warren’s gambling problem

Posted on January 31, 2020 by David McKee

According to one online-betting site, Super Bowl odds are staying firm, with the Kansas City Chiefs 1.5-point favorites to win. “Last minute odds are some of the best,” it claims. Not when they’re as static as these. Speaking of “the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Dining, Donald Trump, Election, Environment, Hard Rock Hotel, Health, Marketing, Massachusetts, Sports betting, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | 1 Comment

Resort fees look ominously permanent; Goodbye, Hard Rock Hotel

Posted on January 20, 2020 by David McKee

Las Vegas is “a market notorious for some of the highest resort fees anywhere.” So writes Hotelsmag.com’s Juliana Shallcross. Big Gaming needn’t be too worried: The Hotel Advertising Transparency Act of 2019 has gone absolutely nowhere in the supposedly liberal House … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Baseball, California, Columbia Sussex, Economy, Florida, Hard Rock Hotel, history, International, Politics, Regulation, Resort fees, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Virgin Hotels | 1 Comment

Springfield: The boss hits town

Posted on January 17, 2020 by David McKee

After a worst-month-ever December at MGM Springfield, company CEO Jim Murren has apparently had enough. He flew into Springfield today to put a bit of stick about, as the Brits would say. His ostensible purpose is to hang out with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, GLPI, history, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Penn National, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on Springfield: The boss hits town

Churchill Downs fights horseracing reform; Mattress Mack doesn’t regret $13M World Series bet

Posted on November 4, 2019 by David McKee

Churchill Downs‘ third-quarter cash flow results were “softer than expected” according to J.P. Morgan analyst Daniel Politzer, who added the “the impact of this was likely mitigated by the company announcing a slew of updates/capital projects which helped placate investors, … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Baseball, Charity, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Culinary Union, Election, Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, Horseracing, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Texas, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Churchill Downs fights horseracing reform; Mattress Mack doesn’t regret $13M World Series bet

Churchill Downs in expansive mood; Cannery security faulted

Posted on October 31, 2019 by David McKee

Churchill Downs‘ third-quarter cash flow of $88 million was $7 million shy of Wall Street‘s expectation. The shortfall extended across all segments of CHDN business, although increased casino competition in Maine was one of the contributing factors. In terms of … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Boyd Gaming, California, Churchill Downs, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Security, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Churchill Downs in expansive mood; Cannery security faulted

Case Bets

Posted on October 30, 2019 by David McKee

Jottings: Bart Blatstein wants to subdivide the Showboat lot into five parcels. The idea appears to be to build a casino where the volleyball court currently sits, making an end run around the gaming restriction placed on the property by … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Election, International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Air guitar; Forgiveness urged for Steve Wynn

Posted on October 28, 2019 by David McKee

The much-anticipated opening of Hard Rock International‘s guitar-shaped hotel-casino in Hollywood, Florida, drew celebrities from Hollywood, California (Johnny Depp), as well as ones who would attend the opening of an eyelid (Kim Kardashian). Hard Rock hopes to recreate the iconic … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Australia, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, Florida, Genting, Hard Rock International, Hooters, Illinois, International, Japan, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Politics, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Scott Butera, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Cosmo does it again; Georgia ponders casinos

Posted on October 24, 2019 by David McKee

It happened again. Smoke billowed over the Las Vegas Strip from an electrical fire at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas last night. No one was injured, thank God, and the damage appears to be minor. But it’s the second fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Foxwoods, Georgia, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, IGT, Illinois, International, Lotteries, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Politics, Scientific Games, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation | 1 Comment

Caesars: What sauce!; Macao underwhelms

Posted on October 8, 2019 by David McKee

With more than a bit of nerve, Caesars Entertainment is jacking up resort fees again. Caesars Palace and Nobu Hotel will have $51.01 in levies (the highest on the Las Vegas Strip, I think; is this a status thing?), while … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, China, Economy, Macau, Michael Gaughan, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New Jersey, Politics, Problem gambling, Resort fees, Sports betting, Terry Caudill, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Terrorism at Trump; Police blotter

Posted on September 5, 2019 by David McKee

Trump International finally made it back into the news, although not in a good way. WSOP player Kenneth Strauss was arrested there on July 27 after allegedly tweeting terroristic threats, among other malfeasances. Strauss’ reign of error began at Red … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Donald Trump, Florida, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ohio, Philippines, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Vietnam, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 1 Comment

Vegas’ baccarat bonanza; New ‘link’ on Strip

Posted on July 31, 2019 by David McKee

Ever unpredictable, the Las Vegas Strip boomed  last month, as gross gaming revenue shot up 18% (propelled by baccarat) to $616.5 million. Statewide, gambling win leapt 11.5% for a grand total of $1 billion. Perhaps it’s coincidental—but surely not—that McCarran … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Aristocrat, Baseball, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Golden Gaming, Hawaii, history, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Vegas’ baccarat bonanza; New ‘link’ on Strip

Trouble in paradise; Hard Rock comeback

Posted on July 18, 2019 by David McKee

As faithful S&G readers know, we’re coming up on the re-tender of the six casino concessions in Macao. One of the enclave’s most prominent junket operators, Suncity, had hoped to oust an existing concessionaire and take over its casinos. (A … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Diversity, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Macau, New Jersey, New York, Philippines, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports betting, The Crown 18 | 1 Comment

Caesars: Buyers remorse; Cubbies want to lay some action

Posted on June 27, 2019 by David McKee

In a move that will surprise no one, Caesars Entertainment is reportedly ready to put Bally’s Atlantic City on the auction block and—failing that—to close it outright. It dodged a bullet when Revel opened (and closed) but luck might not … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Eldorado Resorts, Illinois, Macau, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars: Buyers remorse; Cubbies want to lay some action

Station diversifies; Caesars retrenches

Posted on June 19, 2019 by David McKee

Scott Roeben of VitalVegas continues to beat the mainstream media to the breaking stories in Sin City. His latest scoop has Apex nightclub at the Palms seeing a coup d’etat. Clique Hospitality is gone and now Station Casinos will try … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Culinary Union, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Tribal | 4 Comments

Encore firms up opening date; Bionic money

Posted on May 28, 2019 by David McKee

Global Gaming Business has revealed that Wynn Resorts was so desperate to exit Everett it even held talks with Boston Red Sox owner John Henry to bail it out from the megaresort. Even if the Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved that arrangement (a long … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Foxwoods, G2E, Genting, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, TV, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Encore firms up opening date; Bionic money

Rough April for Atlantic City; Britney to jilt MGM?

Posted on May 15, 2019 by David McKee

As always, Atlantic City proves to be a good-news/bad-news story. Gaming revenue there was up 8.5% higher last month but the love had to be spread thin, as same-store revenues fell 12%. Casinos grossed $207.5 million with slots up 6% … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 22, 2019 by David McKee

“The day the Cardinals show up with Bayer/Monsanto patches (or any others of that ilk) is the day I stop watching baseball.” — my mother, a lifelong baseball fan, on the news that the Oakland Athletics were wearing MGM Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Marketing | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 21, 2019 by David McKee

“The Rays have the right under the collective bargaining agreement to renew me at or near the league-minimum salary. They also have the ability to more adequately compensate me. as other organizations have done with players who have similar achievements to mine. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Current | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Eldorado explores Caesars takeover; MGM says ‘Play ball!’

Posted on March 19, 2019 by David McKee

Since corporate mergers, once begun, develop a momentum all their all own, it was inevitable that someone would step forward to explore a purchase of Caesars Entertainment, regardless of whether it is a good idea, risking a second bankruptcy. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, New York, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Eldorado explores Caesars takeover; MGM says ‘Play ball!’

Busy week for MGM; Adelson’s grim prognosis

Posted on March 12, 2019 by David McKee

Congratulations to MGM Resorts International on becoming the official casino sponsor of the Boston Red Sox (known around my house as “the Evil Empire”). I’m not sure how I feel about the MGM logo going up on the Green Monster, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Eldorado Resorts, history, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Laughlin, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Politics, Problem gambling, Real Estate, Regulation, Security, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, William Hill | 1 Comment