Category Archives: California

Up, up and away … slowly

Posted on May 7, 2014 by David McKee

I’ve been putting off writing about riding the Vegas High Roller. Not because it isn’t a powerful new icon for the Las Vegas Strip (it is). Not because the ride isn’t smooth as silk. (It is.) And not because Caesars … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Self-delusion in Illinois; Grave-robbing at Penn project

Posted on April 16, 2014 by David McKee

That’s a nice pair of rose-colored glasses that state Rep. Robert Rita (D) must be wearing. He says a 10,000-position Chicago megaresort will “capture the revenue in the Chicago market without creating the cannibalization and oversaturation.” In case he hasn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Illinois, Internet gambling, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Tribal | Comments Off

Murren on Japan; Blatstein’s big buy

Posted on March 31, 2014 by David McKee

It’s still a long haul until casinos are legalized in Japan, let alone built, but MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren is waxing confident. He notes that Japan’s tourism is expected to grow 100% by 2020 and another 50% by … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Japan, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, The Mob, Tourism | Comments Off

Upside down at Cosmo; Casino beggars; Tribal casinos set new record

Posted on March 26, 2014 by David McKee

If a 3% ROI is your idea of a good return on a casino, have we got the place for you: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. It continues to narrow losses and improved gambling revenues 25%. Last year, the Cosmo’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Delaware, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Kansas, Macau, New York, Oklahoma, Racinos, Singapore, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

Dramatic turnarounds in Massachusetts; Tribe-on-tribe conflict in California

Posted on March 19, 2014 by David McKee

Hopes that the Mashpee Wampanoags have for a casino got a big lift on March 12. That’s when Interior Department Solicitor Hilary Tompkins ruled that tribes not recognized before 1934 weren’t excluded from casino eligibility. In her interpretation of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Horseracing, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | Comments Off

Rebottling a genie

Posted on March 19, 2014 by David McKee

One would hate to think how many businesses in Clark County get by on the revenue from slot routes, rather than from their primary purpose. But county commissioners didn’t think to define “incidental” — an understandable oversight — when making … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Horseracing, Indiana, Internet gambling, Slot routes, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Jackie Gaughan remembered; New York’s bullish expansion

Posted on March 18, 2014 by David McKee

Verbal tributes to the late Jackie Gaughan continue to roll in and may not end with yesterday’s funeral. He was remembered as a man who said “Honesty, character and morals are 75 percent of the job. I can teach you … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Downtown, history, MGM Mirage, New York, Tribal | Comments Off

Rocky Mountain high roller; Playing spoiler in Boston

Posted on March 11, 2014 by David McKee

“Recreational horse racing to me is more appealing than recreational pot.” So says one of the backers of expanded gambling in Colorado, state Rep. Don Coram (R). “We’re opposed because the way the initiative is written it gives the owner of … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colorado, Election, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Regulation, Rhode Island, Tribal | Comments Off

Notes from Indian Country; Penn’s fast break

Posted on March 7, 2014 by David McKee

Native American casinos in Maine took a step toward realization when the lower house of the Legislature rescued pro-casino bills from seeming death in the Veterans & Legal Affairs Committee. The legislation “would allow the Passamaquoddy Tribe to build a … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Churchill Downs, Horseracing, Maine, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Tribal casinos good for your health? Bet on it

Posted on March 5, 2014 by David McKee

“Reservation shopping” used to be Us versus Them language, as the private sector sought to hold back tribal casinos. Now it’s been added to the arsenal of tribe-on-tribe verbal violence. Writes the New York Times, “casino-owning Indian tribes have emerged … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Environment, Politics, Tribal, Wayne F. Newton, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Case Bets: Sands, Galaxy Gaming, Penn and Churchill Downs

Posted on March 3, 2014 by David McKee

Every time Las Vegas Sands releases more information about the hacking of its Web sites, the news just gets worse. Now it turns out that whoever was behind the assault conducted a smash-and-grab raid of personal data. The potential for … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Churchill Downs, Iowa, Maine, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

The video poker king of Vegas; Adelson: Whodunit?

Posted on February 17, 2014 by David McKee

On the local video poker scene, it’s an arms race between Golden Gaming and the Dotty’s chain. With twice as many establishments at Dotty’s, Golden can legitimately claim victory. It recently snapped up a couple of Mom-and-Pop slot bars and … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Penn gets frostbite; Virginia passes up gambling

Posted on February 6, 2014 by David McKee

Caught between harsh weather and a tighter competitive squeeze, Penn National Gaming posted 4Q13 revenues that were 13% down from last year. The $645 million loss drew a surprisingly muted reaction from gaming analysts. The company is already drastically reducing … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Louisiana, Macau, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off

A cautionary tale

Posted on February 5, 2014 by David McKee

Many people think tribal casinos are a panacea, a ‘license to print money.’ They should read the sad story of the defunct Santa Ysabel Casino. It was damned by many factors, including a poor location, small size and an opening … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Tribal | Comments Off

Foxwoods shows persistence & other Case Bets

Posted on January 28, 2014 by David McKee

Foxwoods Massachusetts is back and going all in with a proposal for a $750 million facility in Fall River. This means there is finally a heavyweight contender for the southeastern regional license — albeit a company that voters tossed out … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Election, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, Ohio, Racinos, Texas, Tribal | 1 Comment

All stories lead to Massachusetts

Posted on January 24, 2014 by David McKee

Since it faces no competition in western Massachusetts, it was mostly theater when MGM Resorts International CEO James Murren presented the project to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The latter will have months in which to mull the enormous volume of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Adelson undeterred; Winners and losers

Posted on December 23, 2013 by David McKee

I’m not sure which part of this story is more alarming: That Affinity Gaming was the victim of a widespread identity-theft scheme for seven months … or that the company didn’t disclose it until late this year. It certainly makes … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, California, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Environment, Florida, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho | Comments Off

Delay in Wisconsin lengthens; Fast action in N.Y.

Posted on November 12, 2013 by David McKee

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) continues to make inscrutable, sometimes self-contradictory remarks about the hotly disputed Kenosha-area Hard Rock casino proposed by the Menominee Tribe for Dairyland Greyhound Park. What was a timeline of a week or two has now … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Charity, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, New York, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Big score for Station, little one for Caesars

Posted on November 7, 2013 by David McKee

Station Casinos has a big hit on its hands in the form of Graton Resort & Casino. So many customers turned out for opening day that the doors swung wide an hour early. Ninety minutes later, admittance was being rationed … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cordish Co., Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Case Bets: New York, Wynn, Packer, Atlantic City & Reno

Posted on October 30, 2013 by David McKee

In a positive omen for Tuesday’s casino vote in New York, shares of Castkills-based Empire Resorts (NYNY) leapt 29%, closing at $5.30/share. The company hopes to bring casino gambling to the Concord Hotel, although jostling for the probable two Catskills … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Current, Genting, Harrah's, Illinois, International, James Packer, Melco Crown Entertainment, New York, Reno, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 4 Comments