Category Archives: Charity

Showdown over Philadelphia

Posted on January 29, 2014 by David McKee

“We need to offer something more than a casino,” said Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board member Gregory Fajt at yesterday’s hearings, at which The Provence and Hollywood Casino made their cases. The Provence promised to be something and Hollywood, almost defiantly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, Economy, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Penn National, Pennsylvania | Comments Off

Defining a Vegas recovery; Big push in New Hampshire

Posted on January 6, 2014 by David McKee

Which would you rather have: More visitors three years straight or more spending per capita? That’s the choice Las Vegas has to make as it defines its recovery. On the bright side, ADRs are catching up with supply, with which … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Charity, Current, Economy, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Penn National, Singapore, The Strip, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Poster cuts his losses; Showdown in Lansing

Posted on December 19, 2013 by David McKee

Gaming executive Tim Poster has bounced hither and yon, and now he’s asking to be bounced to the outer fringes of the casino industry. His attorneys will not be challenging the Nevada Gaming Control Board‘s finding of unsuitability and will … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off

Imbalances of power; Vegas to Israel?

Posted on December 6, 2013 by David McKee

It was another bonny month for Maryland, whose casino revenues grew 55% in November, up to $67 million. It’s not an apples/apples comparison, since neither Rocky Gap Casino nor table games were in play a year ago. Tables were responsible … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Cordish Co., Economy, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Illinois, Macau, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pets, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | 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

N.Y. claims first casualty: Steve Wynn; Walker’s waiting game

Posted on November 11, 2013 by David McKee

For the second time, Steve Wynn is pulling out of contention for the one remaining Philadelphia casino license. In a prepared statement, Wynn Resorts said its board had recently met, conducted a feasibility study and “decided that the best course … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Charity, Current, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Steve Wynn, Tomato King Procacci, Tribal, Wisconsin | 2 Comments

Indiana up and down; Garber agonistes

Posted on November 8, 2013 by David McKee

Casinos in Indiana grossed 3% less last month but still far outperformed ($193 million) neighboring Illinois and Ohio. Patron traffic was 9% down but visitor spend rose 7%. Penn National Gaming‘s Hollywood Lawrenceburg got absolutely hammered by new competition from … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Japan, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Freeman flunks; Casino insecurity; Between a Hard Rock and a good deed

Posted on October 8, 2013 by David McKee

It’s a good thing that American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman hightailed it to Barcelona this week to give a speech. During Global Gaming Expo, his signature achievement was to stake the AGA’s credibility on a Justin Timberlake movie. Freeman … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Charity, Delaware, Economy, Election, G2E, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Penn National, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

How Caesars does it

Posted on October 7, 2013 by David McKee

While we think the idea of a bake sale to reduce Caesars Entertainment‘s $23.5 billion debt is satirical, you never know. It wouldn’t be the most cockamamie idea ever to emerge from Gary Loveman‘s office. We asked one of our … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Harrah's, Missouri, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

More Tales of Trump; Tribes vs. Tribes

Posted on November 20, 2012 by David McKee

Penn Jillette, never known for circumspection, has a field day with Donald Trump in his latest tome, Every Day is an Atheist Holiday. Like any patriotic American, he can’t resist a pot-shot at Trump’s combover, which is described as resembling … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Charity, Donald Trump, Regulation, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

Adelson does damage control; Caesars IPO Part 2: Boom or bust?

Posted on February 8, 2012 by David McKee

It was “unfortunate” for Sheldon Adelson that he wore the uniform of the United States of America, the country that made him rich? Seriously? Not many of us would use our spouses as human shields. But then again, not many … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Charity, Cordish Co., Don Barden, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Macau, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Aquedud?; Trump, chump

Posted on January 19, 2012 by David McKee

I apologize for feeding you some incorrect info earlier when I erroneously stated that the Philadelphia market lost business (apparently to Atlantic City) last month. Nope, Santa Claus was good to every casino in the Keystone State, although he could … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Jack Binion, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off

Who says irony is dead?

Posted on September 9, 2011 by David McKee

Las Vegas Review-Journal newshound Norm(!) Clarke reports that, in January, the Nevada Ballet Theater‘s annual honoree will be … wait for it … Eva Longoria. What a concept: Fail miserably at business, get an award! S&G looks forward to future … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Fontainebleau, James Packer, Lyle Berman, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Sports | Comments Off

Down Memory Lainie, er, Lane

Posted on August 29, 2011 by David McKee

On Oct. 26, the erstwhile “Gossy Room” at The Palms will host a fundraiser for AFAN. Headlining the event will be Lainie Kazan, who — the press release informs us — is “widely known for her starring role in My … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Charity, Current, Entertainment, George Maloof, history, Marketing, Riviera, Silverton, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, TV, WMS Industries | 2 Comments

J. Terrence Lanni, 1943-2011

Posted on July 15, 2011 by David McKee

Just minutes ago, Las Vegas Sun reporter Rick Velotta posted the news that we’d been dreading for several years now. Former MGM Mirage CEO J. Terrence Lanni has died, presumably for the cancer from which he was revealed to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, Detroit, G2E, Harrah's, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 5 Comments

Atlantic City on the mend; Trump: Fish or cut bait?; Mike Ensign’s woes

Posted on May 25, 2011 by David McKee

My apologies for attenuated bloggery today but a swarm of deadlines presses upon me, including coverage of the demise of 104-year-old Huguette Clark, daughter of Sen. William A. Clark, from whom Clark County takes its name. You’ll find a lengthy … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dan Lee, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Oaf of Office III

Posted on April 22, 2011 by David McKee

… an occasional series. S&G keeps referring to Donald Trump‘s glass jaw — an obvious liability to his phony/delusional political aspirations. Obligingly, The Donald served up a characteristic hissy fit after Caesars Palace headliner Jerry Seinfeld canceled an appearance at … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Charity, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Marketing, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 3 Comments

The Flim-Flam Man

Posted on April 20, 2011 by David McKee

If anything salutary emerges from Donald Trump‘s “cynical branding exercise,” it’s that it may finally expose an epic “scam” once and for all. I refer, of course, to the Trump-generated myth that he is a successful casino operator. True, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Charity, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Indiana, Marketing, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Stanley Ho abdicates

Posted on January 26, 2011 by David McKee

So this is how Stanley Ho‘s world ends: Not with a bang but with the ancient casino vizier giving a televised address in which he laboriously delivered lines from a cue card and ceded control of his Sociedade de Turismo … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, G2E, history, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Another one bites the dust

Posted on January 25, 2011 by David McKee

Whoever gets the three resort casinos that Gov. Deval Patrick (D) wants to bring to Massachusetts, it probably won’t be Fall River and it certainly won’t be the Mashpee Wampanoags. The city has pulled a controversial land deal with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, South Carolina, The Strip, Tribal | 3 Comments