Category Archives: Churchill Downs

New era in Macao; Joy and misery in Louisiana

Posted on October 23, 2018 by David McKee

Beginning tomorrow, travel to Macao becomes much easier, as the Zhuhai bridge connecting Hong Kong and Macao officially opens. The ribbon is cut at 9 a.m. and several bus services are at the ready to make the half-hour run, compared … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, GLPI, Isle of Capri, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off

Churchill Downs stands pat; Borgata honored at G2E

Posted on October 11, 2018 by David McKee

JP Morgan analyst Daniel Politzer met with top execs from Churchill Downs and found a company pretty satisfied with where it is now. It “has yet to see any cracks in fundamentals at its regional casino properties or among its … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Entertainment, history, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Racinos, South Korea, Sports betting, Tribal | Comments Off

Maryland & other case bets

Posted on October 8, 2018 by David McKee

Growth in Maryland continued last month, if not at the spectacular rates we’ve seen previously. Gaming revenue rose 7% to $144 million. The leader, of course, was MGM National Harbor, jumping 10% to $54.5 million, which translates to $1.8 million/day. … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, California, Charity, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Florida, Golden Gaming, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New York, Penn National, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Technology, Tribal, West Virginia | Comments Off

Louisiana heats up; Pilgrimage to Plains

Posted on September 24, 2018 by David McKee

Louisiana gamblers were living large in August, leaving 9% more than last year in the slots and on the tables, some $212 million in total. This was especially good for Caesars Entertainment (+12%) and even more so for Boyd Gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, Georgia, GLPI, history, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Talking Stick mystery solved, sorta

Posted on September 18, 2018 by David McKee

Talking Stick is finally speaking, after having kept mum about a power failure that kept the casino closed for over a month and cost it god knows how many millions in revenue. It will reopen on Sept. 24 and promotions … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Entertainment, Indiana, Japan, Kentucky, Nevada, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Shelter from the storm; Eldorado enters Atlantic City

Posted on September 14, 2018 by David McKee

Looking for someplace to ride out the storm. Ocean Resort is full through September 15 but comped rooms will be available after that. “We completely understand the concern for families and the community during times like this, so we want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Carl Icahn, Charity, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Environment, International, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Reno, Rush Street Gaming, Technology, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Infamy on the Strip; Baton Rouge obliterated

Posted on August 20, 2018 by David McKee

“Mandalay Bay” is becoming a two-word synonym for infamy. Hotels’ Daily News Service recently bannered a set of dispatches with “What Security Looks Like in post-Mandalay Bay world.” (Subscription required.) As for what Las Vegas looks like in same, well, Lego … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Isle of Capri, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Resort fees, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Casino revenues surge (almost) everywhere

Posted on August 8, 2018 by David McKee

Maryland casino business continues to boom, up 5.5% last month. MGM National Harbor led the pack with $58 million. It will, however, be a source of dismay to ownership that play continues to trend toward highly taxed (60%) slots and … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Las Vegas Sands, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maryland, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Taxes, West Virginia, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Hypocrisy at Station; Gamblers flee smoke-free casinos

Posted on July 20, 2018 by David McKee

Station Casinos has claimed on at least seven occasions that, if its workers want to unionize, it will honor their wishes. The Culinary Union called Station’s bluff and the company has been talking out of the other side of its mouth … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Louisiana, Palms, Pinnacle Entertainment, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

The pleasant clink of coins

Posted on July 13, 2018 by David McKee

Only Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Lady Luck Nemacolin saw revenue declines at the slot machines last month. All other Pennsylvania casinos were revenue-positive, especially Parx Casino, up 10.5% to $35 million. Another overachiever was Valley Forge Resort Casino, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Greenwood Racing, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming, Slot routes | Comments Off

Churchill Downs deal goes south; Robocops at Pechanga

Posted on July 10, 2018 by David McKee

Early yesterday, Churchill Downs and Eldorado Resorts announced that they were deep-sixing the sale of Eldorado’s Lady Luck Vicksburg, although Churchill Downs’ purchase of Presque Isle Downs remains in play. Evidently, Churchill Downs was uncomfortable with Federal Trade Commission inquiries … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Caesars Entertainment, California, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marijuana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Security, Sports betting, Technology, Tribal, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Penn, Caesars come together; Big bet in smallest state

Posted on June 19, 2018 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming swooped in and bought itself a nice little operating contract in Louisiana, the Margaritaville Casino Resort, for $115 million. Considering that the price translates to 5.5X cash flow, Penn got itself quite a bargain. It’s also a vote … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sports, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off

Churchill Downs hearts casinos; Cleveland still not rocking

Posted on June 8, 2018 by David McKee

Churchill Downs is going all-in on sports betting, planning to leverage its (soon-to-be) access to the Pennsylvania and Mississippi markets, plus its relationship with the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. However, the sky-high tax rate (34%) in Pennsylvania may translate … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Hard Rock International, International, Kentucky, Law enforcement, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off

Sports betting: Winners and losers; MGM mulls more Strip buys

Posted on June 6, 2018 by David McKee

According to gaming-law expert I. Nelson Rose, the Supreme Court‘s ruling on sports betting goes far, far beyond gambling: “For the first time in American history, the U.S. Supreme Court expressly held that the federal government cannot order states, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Cordish Co., DFS, Dubai, Fontainebleau, Genting, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Law enforcement, Marijuana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Sports, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Adversity at Sands; Paging Katniss Everdeen

Posted on May 21, 2018 by David McKee

Some are blaming bad weather for two months of substantially reduced table-games winnings at Sands Bethlehem. But could casinos in the Catskills finally be having an effect? It’s hard to say, although one suspects the answer is “yes.” Sands Bethlehem tumbled … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, California, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Entertainment, Environment, Genting, Hard Rock International, history, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, New York, Pennsylvania, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Ohio good, Maryland better; The mystery of Carrot Top

Posted on May 8, 2018 by David McKee

Last month found the State of Maryland in good health when it came to gaming revenue, up 6%. Most of this was driven — one is tempted to say “of course” — by MGM National Harbor, vaulting 15.5% for an … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Environment, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation, West Virginia | Comments Off

MGM sets Springfield date; Adelson hits pay dirt

Posted on April 26, 2018 by David McKee

Even as it’s using MGM Springfield as a catspaw to potentially land Wynn Boston Harbor, that didn’t prevent MGM Resorts International from announcing a date certain for the Springfield opening. Mark August 24 on your calendars, for that is the day … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Detroit, Dining, Donald Trump, Entertainment, history, Horseracing, International, Japan, Louisiana, Macau, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Singapore, South Korea, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Japan “better than feared.” Mixed bag in Louisiana

Posted on April 17, 2018 by David McKee

How do evolving casino casino regulations in Japan look? Well, how does ‘not as bad as expected’ sound? Trust me, that’s good news. And don’t take my word: Take that of Morgan Stanley. Taxes will be set at 30%, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Galaxy Entertainment, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Japan, Louisiana, Marijuana, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Penn National, Philippines, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Bumpy month for Atlantic City; Stanley Ho has left the building

Posted on April 13, 2018 by David McKee

Winter has not been kind to Atlantic City, with gaming revenues down 3.5% in March ($193 million). At least Internet gaming is a bastion of strength, 17.5% more productive last month, with Golden Nugget dominating that sector with 34% market … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, The Mob, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

MGM owns Maryland; Rumble in Deadwood

Posted on April 5, 2018 by David McKee

MGM National Harbor continues to devour the Maryland market, hitting a record 40% market share last month, along with a best-ever $1.95 million/day in gross gaming record, for an overall gross of $60.5 million. Less pleasing for MGM execs: Slots … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Dakota, Sports, Taxes, Tribal, West Virginia | 2 Comments