Category Archives: Boyd Gaming

More political football at CityCenter

Posted on May 18, 2010 by David McKee

Due to the Las Vegas Review-Journal‘s bizarre campaign to secede from the Internet, we dare not even link to an excellent Howard Stutz rundown of MGM Mirage‘s attempt to gain the high ground in the fractious “Who screwed up CityCenter” … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Labor, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Mixed signals along the rivers

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

Last month’s results from Missouri are as might be expected. The opening of Pinnacle Entertainment‘s River City lifted state revenues overall (6%) but at the price of a fair amount of cannibalization — mainly at other Pinnacle properties, although it … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Mixed signals along the rivers

How ’bout “Frankie & Lon’s Shack o’ Slots”?

Posted on May 5, 2010 by David McKee

So, will $10 billion Viva precede or follow those condo towers next to Palace Station in the grand Station scheme of things? There are any number of gaming companies about which one can write with approbation. Station Casinos is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Case Bets: St. Louis, Florida & antiques

Posted on April 15, 2010 by David McKee

It was the best of times … almost. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s opening of River City not only propelled a 9% increase in casino revenue in the St. Louis market, it gave the area “its busiest month ever.” While River City’s $15.9 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Flat in IN, coming back in IL

Posted on April 8, 2010 by David McKee

Despite being 2.5% below last year’s casino revenues, J.P. Morgan is calling the results in Illinois the best out of the previous 16 months. In other words, the decline was the smallest since November of ’09.  The restoration of Penn … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Flat in IN, coming back in IL

This just in: Wynn jilts Philadelphia

Posted on April 8, 2010 by David McKee

On Monday, Steve Wynn was making nice with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and vowing to glad-hand every civic leader in sight. He had a full set of renderings for how his Wynn Resorts makeover of the mortally wounded Foxwoods project … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Don Barden, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on This just in: Wynn jilts Philadelphia

Could Steve Wynn jilt Philadelphia?

Posted on April 2, 2010 by David McKee

What’s Steve Wynn supposedly doing in Atlantic City this weekend and why is he allegedly kicking the tires on casino properties there? Well, it is a buyer’s market and half of Borgata is up for grabs (as would be Trump … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Entertainment, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 10 Comments

$290 million for Borgata

Posted on March 29, 2010 by David McKee

That’s what MGM Mirage’s half is expected to bring and it won’t happen until next year, according to J.P. Morgan‘s latest set of estimates. We could debate whether or not MGM should have started shopping the place a year ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on $290 million for Borgata

MGM & Stanley Ho: The consequences of desperation

Posted on March 23, 2010 by David McKee

Contrary to the confident prediction of Las Vegas Review-Journal Publisher Sherman Frederick, the ramifications of the report of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement on the relationship between MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho and father Stanley Ho have been as … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Wall Street | 1 Comment

A Cosmopolitan by any other name …

Posted on March 22, 2010 by David McKee

… is still a long way from completion. A silly lawsuit has been settled, an extremely cosmetic change of name has been agreed upon (meaning that Cosmo The Casino is the de facto winner over Cosmo The Mag). We’re told … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Station Casinos | 3 Comments

White-out in Atlantic City

Posted on March 11, 2010 by David McKee

Thirty-seven inches of snow in February was a problem Atlantic City could do very well without. While the white stuff takes some of the edge off the sobering realization that the Boardwalk is -34% since February 2006, you know the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on White-out in Atlantic City

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 11, 2010 by David McKee

“Guess putting up $25 million to found a law school doesn’t get you much love these days.” — unnamed Boyd Gaming executive, reacting to Fortune magazine’s low ranking of the company in, among other categories, “Social Responsibility.”

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Current | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Harrah’s monster month & other matters

Posted on March 11, 2010 by David McKee

So big it’s practically an island unto itself, Horseshoe Hammond had another blockbuster month, dominating all Indiana casinos with $47 million in revenue — a 7% increase. Excepting a 4% upturn aboard Don Barden‘s beleaguered Majestic Star II, that was … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Don Barden, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Harrah’s monster month & other matters

Fortune doesn’t favor the Boyd

Posted on March 10, 2010 by David McKee

Fortune, in the sense of “destiny,” supposedly favors the bold. Fortune, the magazine, holds no great affection for Boyd Gaming. Since the company is one for which I’ve long had high regard, it gives me no pleasure to report this. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Current, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Pennsylvania: Give Adelson a break; Harrah’s latest excuses

Posted on March 9, 2010 by David McKee

While principle dictates that Las Vegas Sands ought to be held to the terms of its agreement with the State of Pennsylvania, recent developments give one pause. Namely, why should Steve Wynn get favorable treatment enjoyed by no other casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Economy, George Maloof, Harrah's, Illinois, Louisiana, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Did my eyes deceive me …

Posted on March 8, 2010 by David McKee

… or was that the skeleton of Echelon which was used to illustrate Nevada’s economic woes in the TV spot that Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) is running this week? That’s no outrage in and of itself: Echelon was a casualty … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Chronicle of a Black foretold; River City looking good

Posted on March 2, 2010 by David McKee

Randy Black, that is. The CEO who ran the Mesquite market straight into the ground (with a sizable assist from the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission) and turned the former Si Redd’s Oasis into a slot route — … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Election, Harry Reid, IGT, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, TV, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 1 Comment

New Donny in town

Posted on February 25, 2010 by David McKee

As in Clay, Donny Clay, played by the versatile Jason Alexander in The Donny Clay Experience. This delightful one-man show will be a peripatetic and hopefully long-lived visitor to Planet Hollywood … unless Gary Loveman‘s crony Frank Biondi (ex-Viacom CEO) … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Case Bets: “Viva Elvis,” Loveman in Macao, Icahn in A.C., etc.

Posted on February 24, 2010 by David McKee

Viva Elvis vs. Love. The Sun‘s John Katsilometes pivots it to a question of “Whose music is better?” I’m not going there but I think he really nails why one show seemed right up Cirque du Soleil‘s alley while the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

This just in: Wynn goes to Philly

Posted on February 23, 2010 by David McKee

As of this moment (i.e., while I’m typing), Hunter Hillegas‘ blog has what neither the Las Vegas Sun nor the Las Vegas Review-Journal do: the breaking news that, yes indeed, Wynn Resorts is riding to the rescue of the hapless … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 5 Comments