Category Archives: Carl Icahn

The wrath of PokerStars; Hart’s win; NV Internet poker: Too soon to tell?

That “thud” you just heard was the price of an Atlantic City casino hitting its lowest level ever. In litigation filed against Colony Capital, spurned buyer Rational Group said it was to have paid only $15 million for the Atlantic … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Harry Reid, IGT, Internet gambling, Politics, Station Casinos, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

I-cahnned! River Palms sold; PokerStars out of A.C., Langford out to lunch

Subtract one casino from the Tropicana Entertainment portfolio: The River Palms Resort & Casino, in Laughlin, just went for $7 million today. TropEnt CEO Anthony Rodio isn’t pulling out of the Colorado River market altogether. He says the company will … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Colorado, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

Icahn nixes Trump deal; Steve Wynn’s fugitive friend

If Carl Icahn holds the note on your life, you are in a world of hurt, my friend. Just ask Trump Entertainment Resorts, whose $20 million sale of wretchedly performing Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino suddenly looks very shaky. What’s … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Internet gambling, Oklahoma, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Texas, Transportation | 4 Comments

Revel: Don’t cry for him, Argentina; Are Twinkies the new Caesars?

Revel Atlantic City‘s day of deliverance is at hand: CEO Kevin DeSanctis has been ousted, along with Chief Investment Officer Michael Garrity. But there’s no need to shed tears over their fate. They will continue “developing amenity projects” for Revel … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Movies, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Resorts World LV: Look familiar?

A reader in Arizona asks the question that was on my mind yesterday and probably yours, too: “Is it just me … or does this look like just a copper/gold-colored version of CityCenter?” Agreed! (With a large helping of Mandalay … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Genting, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 3 Comments

Echelon no more: Boyd humiliated yet again; Caesars pulls another plug

If you’ll pardon my vulgarity, shit got real while I was tied up with other projects. Last week’s sale of excess baggage Dania Jai-Alai in Florida was just a tiny prelude to this morning’s blockbuster: Echelon is kaput. Instead, Boyd Gaming … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Florida, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, history, International, Kansas, Mississippi, New York, Plaza, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sahara, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 7 Comments

Pinnacle makes pricey Atlantic City exit; Fertitta’s Downtown mess

A Wall Street Journal story from yesterday evening reports that Pinnacle Entertainment has found a buyer for its 19 acres of Boardwalk land. These were cobbled together at huge cost — $270 million or $14 million an acre — by … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

A Christmas wish list …

For those of us who missed it this year, the best Christmas tradition of which I know. First and most importantly … To you, the reader, who makes this possible, a year of happiness, health and wealth, whether material, intellectual … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Gilbert, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wayne F. Newton | 5 Comments

Lou Lang up to old tricks; Dog-and-pony show at Sahara

For months, state Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), has been threatening to push an enormous gambling expansion through the Illinois Legislature during its lame-duck session. He says he’s “getting very close” but we’ve heard that kind of braying from Lang previously. … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Carl Icahn, Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 4 Comments

Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Former Resorts Atlantic City underboss Aaron Gomes might want to change his travel plans. Scarcely had he announced his departure from his late father’s casino than his new gig, Sydney‘s troubled Star Casino, looks very doubtful. Gomes had planned to … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Genting, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

“Eaten” by Las Vegas; Icahn’s hard bargain

Today is being spent at home, buried ‘neath page proofs for Eating Las Vegas 3.0 (with assistance from sibling kitties Leona and Rascal, the latter incredibly well-named). Tonight brings Tournament of Kings — which I’ve never seen — and Evil … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Current, Dining, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, MGM Mirage, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

“It was 20 years ago today …”

Well, not quite. But with the Southern Gaming Summit convening today in Biloxi, it’s as good a moment as any to look back on the quaint beginnings of what’s now a kind of American Riviera. Eleven casinos, 5,598 hotel rooms, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, history, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Mississippi, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on “It was 20 years ago today …”

The biggest losers; The Facebook factor

There’s a new power player in gaming and it’s … Brookfield Asset Management? The Canadian lender is already calling the shots (along with Warner Gaming) at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, a $1.5 billion quagmire into which Morgans Hotel … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dubai, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Morgans Hotel Group, Pinnacle Entertainment, Steve Wynn, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

The Trop and the truth; Crock of Vegas

Black Hawk Down author Mark Bowden has penned a gripping account of how veteran racetrack executive Don Johnson (no, not that one) cleaned the clocks of the Tropicana Atlantic City, Borgata and Caesars Palace Atlantic City, to the tune of … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Donald Trump, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

Gambling makes strange bedfellows; Two kinds of Trop trouble

Earlier today, we witnessed the strange spectacle of a capitalist decrying the effect of market forces upon his business. It’s an indirect reminder that casinos are that rare issue which brings together the old maids of the far left and … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Laughlin, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 1 Comment

Wynn vs. Okada: Shooting the messenger; Ship of fools

Stung by accusations from Wynn Resorts that erstwhile Shareholder #1 Kazuo Okada had been greasing palms at PAGCOR, prompt action was taken by the Philippines House Committee on Games & Amusements. It promptly banned … Steve Wynn. This comical, “circle … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, International, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Penn National, Regulation, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Sands’ new strategy: Blame Genting; Big Gaming backs Romney

First, the good news. Las Vegas Sands is signaling that it is not going to take its ball and come home from Florida, regardless of what lobbyist Nick Iarossi said last week. However, Sands’ emissary to the Sunshine State, Andy … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Florida, Genting, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Bluhm, Boyd win in Illinois, everyone else loses

Well, not quite but the headline pretty much gives you January’s narrative in a nutshell. After backing out the contribution made by Neil Bluhm‘s new, category-killing Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, gambling revenue from the Land of Lincoln was a … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Current, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

An old friend returns

Darn that Carl Icahn! He hasn’t been selling off any bits and pieces of Fontainebleau lately. (Say, whatever happened to all those in-room iMacs? How about donating them to the penurious Clark County School District, eh Carl?) So I don’t … Continue reading

Posted in Carl Icahn, Fontainebleau, TV | Comments Off on An old friend returns

Sahara 2.0: Nazarian gets real

Chuck Monster had this right on the money: He called Sahara owner Sam Nazarian‘s bluff over and over and over again on the latter’s luxury-megaresort predictions for the aging, shuttered property. Today, the Clark County Commission took the wraps off … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 5 Comments