Category Archives: Colorado

Massachusetts: First one bites the dust

Posted on August 6, 2013 by David McKee

Turns out the Massachusetts Gaming Commission was damn serious about financial probity being grounds for disqualification. In a ruling on Plainridge Racecourse, it deemed that owner Ourway Realty displayed “a culture of fear and concealment pervasive in the operations,” including former … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Colorado, Cordish Co., Current, Environment, M Resort, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Regulation | 2 Comments

Vegas: Bullishness is back; Getting high at the Trop

Posted on June 18, 2013 by David McKee

While we’re still a few years from seeing Resorts World Las Vegas come to fruition, in the meantime, Genting Group would like to tease our interest. It’s asking Clark County for permission to build a couple of “preview centers” on … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Colorado, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, International, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism | 1 Comment

Big setback in Toronto; Wynn rebuffed; Cuomo’s winning streak

Posted on May 17, 2013 by David McKee

One of gaming’s biggest new markets went out with a whimper, not a bang, when colorful Toronto Mayor Rob Ford nixed a scheduled vote on whether to put a casino in the lakeside city, hoping to extract a $97 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, Tribal | 1 Comment

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

Posted on May 1, 2013 by David McKee

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

Ameristar: No surprises; Illinois, Iowa and Ohio all soft

Posted on February 7, 2013 by David McKee

A preview of Ameristar Casinos‘ 4Q12 report draws an about-what-we-expected reaction from Joseph Greff of J.P. Morgan. Ameristar narrowly missed most of Wall Street‘s expectations, a result Greff partially attributes to “sluggish … regional gaming spend.” Hardest-hit by the competition … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colorado, Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, MTR Gaming, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment | Comments Off

A tale of two Penns

Posted on November 16, 2012 by David McKee

Update: Seeking Alpha’s Brad Thomas has run the numbers on the Penn split and doesn’t like the risk/reward scenario. Fifteen years and many consolidations ago, the casino industry was seized by a brain fever. It was set off by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cordish Co., Harrah's, history, Indiana, International, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Missouri: Penn vs. Penn; Pinnacle debacle deepens

Posted on November 13, 2012 by David McKee

This just in: It’s another winning strategy from those gaming-industry masterminds at Colony Capital. God forbid you’re playing at the Atlantic Club and work up an appetite. Or did Tom Barrack hear about “Stiff of the Year” and wants to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Colorado, Dining, Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Missouri, Movies, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Election wrap-up: Winners & losers

Posted on November 7, 2012 by David McKee

But first, because it will never, ever get old … Also this, from @daveweigel: “[Florida] exit poll: Obama winning Jewish vote by 40 points. 40 points. Nice work, Sheldon Adelson.” We’ll tap dance on Sheldon’s head some more further down, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Colorado, Cordish Co., Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Florida, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Shuffle Master, Steve Wynn, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | 4 Comments

Third-quarter blahs: Ameristar, Boyd, MGM; Crackdown in Alabama

Posted on November 2, 2012 by David McKee

While nobody quite matched the $221 million loss posted by Caesars Entertainment, the gaming industry didn’t lack for underachievers in 3Q12, thanks largely to softness in domestic casino markets. Ameristar Casinos reported a $16 million profit, despite a 2% revenue … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colorado, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Environment, Harrah's, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Choo-Choo to Infinity … and beyond!

Posted on August 1, 2012 by David McKee

Our favorite welfare queen, Xpress West (née Desert Xpress) isn’t letting its plans be constrained by anything so mundane as reality. Original pitchman Sig “The Fixer” Rogich has crawled off into the underbrush somewhere but his Choo-Choo-to-Nowhere has found additional … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Colorado, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

Big Brother is triangulating you; Dark days for LVH, Riv; Pinnacle’s Lone Star play

Posted on April 26, 2012 by David McKee

Just to make sure you’re not piggybacking onto its mobile-gambling systems, Cantor Gaming is partnering with Locaid to provide “geo-fencing” for its pocket casinos, which can now be played damn near anywhere on a casino property. (The real endgame, however, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cantor Gaming, Colony Capital, Colorado, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Hooters, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Singapore: Many called, two chosen; Tunica catches a break

Posted on March 22, 2012 by David McKee

VIP junket operators are coming to Singapore, J.P. Morgan stock analysts reported. Actually, they’re already there in the form of “shadow junkets,” according to Singaporean media. And if Las Vegas Sands or Genting Berhad are knowingly dealing with illegal junketeers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Economy, Florida, Genting, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pokergeddon, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, South Carolina, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Technology, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Cosmo woe; MGM lurves Ameristar

Posted on February 15, 2012 by David McKee

As new casino boss Thomas McCartney tries to stabilize the sinking ship that is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, he’s tossed overboard some human ballast in the form of casino employees. (Thirty full-time dealers are alleged to have been pink-slipped.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Dan Lee, Dining, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Movies, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Only in Vegas

Posted on December 6, 2011 by David McKee

So you’re running in the Zappos.com Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and, as you pass the Riviera, your hamstrings burning you like a Donald Trump real estate scheme, you have a sudden urge to lay some bread on that … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Colorado, Donald Trump, Marketing, Massachusetts, Riviera, Sports, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

Hooters: What next?; PE fools and their money; Deal or no-Deal in Georgia?

Posted on November 30, 2011 by David McKee

It’s all over for the current administration at Hooters Casino Hotel. They’ve given up trying to fight efforts by Canyon Capital Realty Advisors to have the money-losing property sold via foreclosure auction. If Canpartners wins at auction, it may go … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Economy, Election, Florida, Georgia, Golden Gaming, Herbst Gaming, Hooters, Horseracing, Slot routes, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Aliante Station changes hands but little else; Amigo Adelson

Posted on October 21, 2011 by David McKee

Aliante Station is now formally the property of Texas Pacific Group, Standard General and Apollo Management. Two of those funds also own Caesars Entertainment, which might create some interesting “Chinese wall” situations. (Can’t have trade secrets passing back and forth, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colorado, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, International, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes | Comments Off

Shakedown at G2E; Riviera quits Colorado, Trump quits humanity

Posted on September 30, 2011 by David McKee

Our beloved casino industry runneth over with individuals, companies and even sovereign nations that have a vested interest in the legalization of Internet poker … and more. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX, left) knows this, which is why he’s coming to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colorado, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, G2E, Internet gambling, Marketing, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

The wild bunch

Posted on May 23, 2011 by David McKee

There’s no one more depraved than a politician looking to close a revenue shortfall. So we’ve learned from the drive-by shootings hailing from the amoral outlaw band otherwise known as the Nevada Legislature. As sage political pundit Obi-Wan Kenobi observed, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Colorado, Economy, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Taxes | 2 Comments

Woe on the North Strip

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

Owners of the Riviera and the Las Vegas Hilton published their respective annual reports and it wasn’t a good day for the north end of the Strip, where bargain-priced casinos fight a holding action against the market forces of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Colorado, Current, Economy, Goldman Sachs, International, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Plaudits for Navegante; The great Hard Rock caper that wasn’t

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

A frequent Hard Rock Hotel & Casino player, for one, is happy to know that Navegante Group is waiting in the wings to take the reins should Morgans Hotel Group continue to falter. (The owners of the HRH have until … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Golden Gaming, International, Marketing, Michael Gaughan, New York, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 2 Comments