Category Archives: Carl Icahn

All right in Atlantic City; Trump: The Asia connection

Columnist Steve Ruddock recently took a deep dive into Atlantic City and found the water to be just fine, thank you. He didn’t just mean his hotel room at Resorts Atlantic City, which he deemed cleaner and better-maintained than many … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, International, Iowa, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Regulation, Revel, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Vietnam | 1 Comment

Trump Taj saves Atlantic City; Barrack resurfaces; Visiting Memory Lane

When we rounded up Atlantic City gaming numbers yesterday, we didn’t get into market-adjusted comparisons and thus buried the lead. The Boardwalk’s surviving casinos saw, on average, a 6% increase in gaming revenue, thanks to the Oct. 10 closing of … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, history, Internet gambling, Japan, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, PokerStars, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, West Virginia, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

Atlantic City: Golden Nugget now tops; MGM’s holy rollers

There’s a new leader in Atlantic City‘s Internet-gambling arena. Not PokerStars over at Resorts Digital. They’re still in last place. No, grabbing 24.5% of market share, Golden Nugget now heads the pack. Borgata has 22%, Caesars Interactive holds 18% and … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Atlantic City: Golden Nugget now tops; MGM’s holy rollers

Mixed signals from Atlantic City

Despite having an extra weekend day last month, casino receipts in Atlantic City were down 3.5%, largely driven by the Trump Taj Mahal. (Subtract the Taj from the equation and you’d have a flat year/year comparison.) Table game revenues were … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, PokerStars, Revel, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

Taj Mahal: Soon with 100% less Trump?; Sands jams up players

While the last vestiges of Donald Trump‘s ownership of Trump Taj Mahal were liquidated when Carl Icahn took over, it retained the name and continued to buy Trump Water. (The taste of douchebaggery?) What concerns politicians in Trenton is the prospect … Continue reading

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Architecture, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Charity, Cirque du Soleil, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Taj Mahal: Soon with 100% less Trump?; Sands jams up players

Trump Taj Mahal: End of an era; Wynn joins Atlanta pursuit

“It’s like saying goodbye to an old friend for the final time. I worked here and lived here, it was my whole life and now it’s closing. It’s all been taken away. My whole body is shaking.” So said longtime Trump … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, Election, Florida, Geoff Freeman, Georgia, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, history, International, Internet gambling, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Seminole Tribe, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

New obstacle for Icahn; Macao’s loss is Packer’s gain

Could Carl Icahn‘s real plan for Trump Taj Mahal be to close it on Oct. 10, then reopen it as a scab property? Not if state Sen. James Whelan (D) has anything to say about it. He’s advancing a bill … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Carl Icahn, Glenn Straub, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

Atlantic City saved

It’s all over. The fat lady hath sung. And Atlantic City lives to gamble another day. Discouraged by poll numbers that showed insurmountable support for the status quo in New Jersey, expansion PAC Our Turn NJ is closing up shop. That … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Cordish Co., Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Penn National, Politics, Rhode Island, Slot routes, South Korea, Transportation | 1 Comment

Round One to Adelson; Berman honored; Atlantic City winning in polls

Sands China has been getting mad props for its handling of the Parisian rollout last week. Compared to Wynn Palace‘s “passive” approach to the market (and despite a hailstorm of upbeat verbiage from Steve Wynn), analyst Christopher Jones wrote, “The awareness … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Election, Harrah's, history, International, Lyle Berman, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, Mississippi, Nevada, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 1 Comment

Atlantic City: Some win, most lose

Just when things were looking up, August casino revenues in Atlantic City fell 7%. Some consolation was to be derived from a 32% increase in Internet revenue, up to $16 million. Slot revenue of $167 million was down 5% on … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, PokerStars, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Atlantic City: Some win, most lose

Icahn intransigent at Taj; Olympic betting a flop; Relief for Caesars

For someone who claims he’s trying to save Trump Taj Mahal, owner Carl Icahn sure acts like he’s hellbent on closing it. A counteroffer from striking Unite-Here that would cost the casino only $1.3 million a year to preserve health … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Harrah's, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

MGM goes on the attack; Wynn’s new “masterpiece;” Isle out of Louisiana

This story pretty much writes itself. While MGM Resorts International cowboys up and makes it clear who’s sponsoring the ad — not hiding behind some phony-baloney PAC name like “Citizens for a Stronger Connecticut” — but the commercial is a … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Racinos, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Election special: New Jersey, New York, Oregon

An MGM Resorts International executive with whom I spoke yesterday told me the New Jersey casino ballot initiative is trailing badly in the polls. We hope he’s right, especially as news of the closure of Trump Taj Mahal (and Glenn … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Charity, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Hooters, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Oregon, Politics, Revel, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Election special: New Jersey, New York, Oregon

Murren minces few words; Wynn Boston Harbor sets opening date

Commiting truth isn’t as rare in the casino business as in politics but MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren was startlingly candid in yesterday’s earnings call, crediting a surge in Las Vegas summer business to a Zika virus outbreak in Florida, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Entertainment, Florida, Foxwoods, International, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Riviera, Singapore, South Korea, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here, Wall Street | Comments Off on Murren minces few words; Wynn Boston Harbor sets opening date

Quote of the Day

“This titan of Wall Street is utterly incapable of making a decision unless it is mean-spirited and benefiting him alone. The great deal-maker would rather burn the Trump Taj Mahal down just so he can control the ashes. In the end … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Trump Taj: Everybody loses; Mixed bag for Boyd

Labor Day weekend will be the final hurrah for Trump Taj Mahal. Owner Carl Icahn has expressed his intent to close the struggling casino rather than continue to negotiate with striking Unite-Here Local 54. ““I would never have thought Carl … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Trump Taj: Everybody loses; Mixed bag for Boyd

Pinnacle dominates Louisiana; Trump settles Vegas case

Pulled under by the Shreveport/Bossier City market (-6%), June gaming numbers in Louisiana came in 3% off last year’s. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s Boomtown Bossier ($5 million) far outperformed the competition, up 11%. Hardest hit were the Caesars Entertainment properties, with usually reliable … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Palms, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Pinnacle dominates Louisiana; Trump settles Vegas case

Acrimony grows at Taj; Racism in Nebraska election race

As protests against Carl Icahn spilled over into New York City, his casino CEO, Anthony Rodio, sent ominously mixed signals about the future of Trump Taj Mahal. On the one hand, he offered a partial restoration of health benefits and … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Macau, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Nebraska, Racinos, Regulation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Acrimony grows at Taj; Racism in Nebraska election race

Icahn leaves Taj workers nostalgic for Trump; Megaresort proposed for NYC

You can measure the acrimony between Unite-Here Local 54 and Tropicana Entertainment by the fact that striking workers at Trump Taj Mahal are using Donald Trump as a stick with which to beat Carl Icahn. By astutely negotiating a pact … Continue reading

Posted in California, Carl Icahn, Charity, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, Genting, Georgia, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Regulation, Revel, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Icahn leaves Taj workers nostalgic for Trump; Megaresort proposed for NYC

Battling along the Boardwalk; Supreme Court gives tribes the brush-off

While the previous record for an Atlantic City casino strike is 34 days, the showdown at Trump Taj Mahal looks like it will go the distance. Neither Local 54 of Unite-Here nor Carl Icahn shows any signs of backing down … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Glenn Straub, Golden Gaming, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Slot routes, Taxes, Tribal, Unite-Here | 1 Comment