Category Archives: Boyd Gaming

Power shift at Ameristar

Posted on February 28, 2011 by David McKee

No longer will the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation be calling the shots at Ameristar Casinos. The financial needs of the nonprofit have led Ameristar Chairman Ray Neilsen to liquidate 83% of the foundation’s stake in ASCA for an above-market $17.50. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Indiana, Kansas, Marketing, Missouri, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Hard Rock: End of a (bad) era

Posted on February 25, 2011 by David McKee

Scheetz’s Folly, otherwise known as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, will soon be in new hands. After several addled years under Morgans Hotel Group, whose bright ideas included “building a hotel suite with an S&M theme and a human … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Morgans Hotel Group, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 2 Comments

Marina: Trump out, Tilman in

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

Our long national nightmare is over. Trump Entertainment Resorts has finally unloaded that pariah known as Trump Marina and for a pittance: $38 million. Just when it looked like Trump couldn’t give the place away, Landry’s Restaurants CEO Tilman Fertitta … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Regulation | 3 Comments

Hard Rock in foreclosure

Posted on February 1, 2011 by David McKee

Update: Taken by surprise, the Hard Rock’s owners swung into action with a countersuit. If you’re in New York City next Monday and have a little “mad money” in your pocket, like a hundred grand or so, you have the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Genting, Harrah's, International, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Pansy Ho, Regulation, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

The sky is falling!

Posted on February 1, 2011 by David McKee

Or so you’d think, to hear the reaction to the news that Florida is contemplating bringing a micromanaged form of casino gambling to its fair shores. S&G readers are well rehearsed in the flaws of the bill being contemplated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Hawaii, history, Ohio, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Burnt out at Marina Bay Sands; Winners in Atlantic City

Posted on January 28, 2011 by David McKee

Another day, another Las Vegas Sands executive falls by the wayside. In the case of Marina Bay Sands, it sounds like CEO Thomas Arasi has been burned out in what must have been a pretty intense 18 months at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, International, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

The race for Florida is on

Posted on January 26, 2011 by David McKee

Emissaries from Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts were in Tallahassee to woo Florida legislators yesterday. Also present was Boyd Gaming, which owns property in the Sunshine State and understandably doesn’t want to see solons crafting a sweetheart deal for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Florida, Genting, Macau, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | 3 Comments

Adelson dealt a setback

Posted on January 21, 2011 by David McKee

Florida casinos, the latest pet project of Sheldon Adelson and new ally Gov. Rick Scott (R), got the back of the hand from Miami Beach‘s city commission. Since Miami Beach is the most desirable casino zipcode in the state, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Current, Florida, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Nevada’s November: rough sledding; Sunny Sheldon

Posted on January 11, 2011 by David McKee

If pressed for a prediction, I’d say 2011 will be a good year for the Strip, not so much for the rest of the Silver State. Just when I was feeling a bit queasy about November’s gaming revenues, Dr. David … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Cretins, Current, Downtown, Florida, Horseracing, Laughlin, LVCVA, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Another headache for Blue Chip

Posted on January 10, 2011 by David McKee

Just when the up-and-down fortunes of Boyd Gaming‘s Blue Chip riverboat were on an “up” again, with a 1% revenue increase in December, Gun Lake Casino is preparing to open fire. The new tribal casino will be managed by Station … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Indiana, Station Casinos, Tribal | 1 Comment

Upsizing Illinois

Posted on January 7, 2011 by David McKee

Or would “capsizing” be the right word? Late Thursday, Wells Fargo released a study of the effects on Illinois‘ casino market if a massive expansion backed by state Democrats goes through. They’re under the gun, since the whole issue gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 6 Comments

Palms: Maloof out, Loveman in?

Posted on January 6, 2011 by David McKee

Now that Las Vegas has fallen about as far as it can, private equity firms are picking over the city like vultures sampling carrion. Don’t get me wrong: It’s a much smarter strategy than those PE bozos who bought in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Hard Rock: No end of trouble on Paradise

Posted on December 28, 2010 by David McKee

Once again the blogosphere has caught the MSM napping. Report On Vegas informs readers that the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is having a rough time meeting its bills (this was the augury of doom for Barrick Gaming‘s short-lived stewardship … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Morgans Hotel Group, Pennsylvania, Sports, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 3 Comments

Let it (not) snow!; BP screws casinos

Posted on December 27, 2010 by David McKee

With Atlantic City currently in white-out mode, casino executives must be studying next weekend’s forecast and hoping that it holds true. A few days of above-freezing temperatures ought to give the Boardwalk a chance to melt and shovel its way … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Macau, Marketing, Mississippi, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments

Pea soup in Vegas; Robosaurus attacks the wrong target

Posted on December 22, 2010 by David McKee

If you’re thinking of coming to Las Vegas for Christmas, I have one word of advice: Don’t. For the past week, Sin City has been steadily blanketed in rain, with no end in sight. It’s just miserable. (Instead of trying … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wayne F. Newton | 1 Comment

Ameristar: No Sale; Bad news for Caesars

Posted on December 15, 2010 by David McKee

It’s back to business as usual for Ameristar Casinos, whose board decided “a sale is not in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders at this time.” Which is a nice way of saying there’s no bidding war … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Harrah's, Iowa, Kansas, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Ameristar: No Sale; Bad news for Caesars

Atlantic City’s future: “Bleak”

Posted on December 10, 2010 by David McKee

Such is the prognosis from J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff after the November revenues rolled in from the Boardwalk. Basically, the double-edged sword that was table games in Pennsylvania and a casino in Philadelphia has swung, and lopped 12.5% off … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Cretins, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Morgans Hotel Group, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Nevada: “Cautious optimism”

Posted on December 9, 2010 by David McKee

That’s how UNLV‘s gaming guru, Prof. David G. Schwartz, describes his reaction to the October revenue numbers, released today. The 11% autumnal bounce may be less notable for the fact that the Strip was up 16% than the fact that … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Downtown, Economy, history, International, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Pets, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Illinois: No end in sight; Boyd gets some love

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

“So much for a [gross gaming revenue] stabilization,” sighed analyst Joseph Greff in a J.P. Morgan investor note, after Illinois‘ casino revenues dropped 7% in November. Whenever you think the Land of Lincoln’s casinos have hit bottom, they sink lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Taxes | 3 Comments

Murren: I heart CityCenter; Wynn: I heart China; Angle: I heart Latinos … plus Boyd’s new fragrance

Posted on October 29, 2010 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International and old ball and chain Dubai World have consummated a deal to extend $1.8 billion in CityCenter loans, a reworking that MGM CEO Jim Murren calls “a capital structure that’s much more … in keeping with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dubai, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Macau, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments