Category Archives: Cretins

Goodbye, Trump Plaza; Vaccine news boosts Big Gaming

Posted on December 17, 2020 by David McKee

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small (D) has found a nifty way to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City: Auction off the right to push the button that implodes Trump Plaza on Jan. 29. Small hopes … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Charity, Conventions, Cretins, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Internet gambling, Iowa, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Vegas recovery a Mirage; Illinois closes … again

Posted on November 21, 2020 by David McKee

More from the Too Much, Too Soon? file: MGM Resorts International, despite its long pause in reopening The Mirage has evidently decided it jumped the gun. Hotel rooms there and at Mandalay Bay will be closed Mondays-Thursdays through December at … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Culinary Union, Dining, Economy, Environment, Health, history, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, Technology, The Rio, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Uneasy lies the head that wears Crown; IGT’s cautious future

Posted on November 19, 2020 by David McKee

Executives at Crown Resorts had better rethink that scheme to buy Sheldon Adelson‘s Las Vegas assets. The company, which has played fast and loose with money-laundering rules, has been provisionally denied permission to open its multibillion-dollar casino in Sydney. Regulators … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Cretins, Crown Resorts, Health, IGT, Las Vegas Sands, Lotteries, Money laundering, New Jersey, Ohio, Regulation, South Dakota, Sports betting, Taxes, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 17, 2020 by David McKee

“The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept.”—neuroradiologist and White House Covid czar Scott Atlas, encouraging resistance to anti-viral restrictions in Michigan, where cases are through the roof. (Casinos there close tomorrow.)

Posted in Cretins, Health, Michigan | 1 Comment

United States of Adelson

Posted on November 2, 2020 by David McKee

If you put your money on a Donald Trump upset special, you might still cash in big. Bloomberg reports that the Biden-Harris campaign is blowing it in battleground states like Pennsylvania and Florida. The short version is that black and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cretins, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Election, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Ocean Resort, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina | 2 Comments

Buy, sell, lease, buy, sell, lease …; Election: What’s at stake

Posted on October 28, 2020 by David McKee

In an elaborate transaction, Caesars Entertainment sold Tropicana Evansville to Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. for $340 million, after which the lease on the casino will revert to Twin River Holdings, which will pay $28 million a year for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Cretins, Delaware, Donald Trump, Downtown, Election, GLPI, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Racinos, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Twin River, Virginia | 2 Comments

Strip drags down Nevada; Station, MGM upgraded

Posted on October 28, 2020 by David McKee

Gambling revenue in September on the Las Vegas Strip plunged 39% to $355 million, driving the worst of a 22% decline in Nevada win. By contrast, Reno and Lake Tahoe were beacons of hope, up 3.5% and 36% respectively. Downtown … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Colorado, Cretins, Downtown, DraftKings, Economy, Indiana, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Law enforcement, Mesquite, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Jersey, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, Wendover | Comments Off on Strip drags down Nevada; Station, MGM upgraded

First Amendment 1, Sahara 0; Pennsylvania sets record

Posted on October 22, 2020 by David McKee

In what must have been an easy call for jurisprudence, a Clark County judge has ash canned the Sahara‘s frivolous lawsuit against Vital Vegas author Scott Roeben. “Ill-considered” was about the nicest thing Judge Trevor Atkin had to say in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Dining, DraftKings, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Ocean Resort, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sahara, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Twin River | 3 Comments

Maryland returns to normal; Caesars offloads assets

Posted on October 6, 2020 by David McKee

Pandemic? What pandemic? Maryland casino revenues were 1% above last September’s, indicating a resumption of normality, at least where gambling is concerned. The statewide gross was $149.5 million. That’s despite restrictions that include keeping the casino floor at 50% of … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Conventions, Cordish Co., Cretins, Delaware, Diversity, Economy, Election, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Health, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Reno, Sports betting, Tribal, Virginia, West Virginia, William Hill | Comments Off on Maryland returns to normal; Caesars offloads assets

Massacre anniversary brings accord; Stevens wants you

Posted on October 1, 2020 by David McKee

Let the healing begin. An $800 million settlement between MGM Resorts International and victims of the Mandalay Bay Massacre has been blessed by a Clark County judge. Said co-plaintiff Stephanie Fraser, “By the grace of God, myself and my family … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Jim Murren, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Security, Sheldon Adelson, TV | 1 Comment

Cretins amok in Alabama; Caesars: $2.7B for William Hill

Posted on September 29, 2020 by David McKee

There’s stiff competition for Troglodyte of the Year but Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has staked a prohibitive claim. He’s on a crusade to shut down the state’s three private-sector casinos and he won an important victory last week. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Sports betting, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, William Hill | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 27, 2020 by David McKee

“Where did they find these people—the seediest bar in New Jersey?”—my wife, reacting to a clip from Love Island, currently broadcasting from The Cromwell. Bad call, Caesars Entertainment.

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 1, 2020 by David McKee

“Be a good place to spread it. Gambling has killed more people and ruined more homes and destroyed more things in our society almost than liquor or pot or pornography. Gambling is wicked.”—Covid-19 super-spreader Rev. Todd Bell, responding to an … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Health, Maine | 1 Comment

New York game-changer; MGM sticks it to servers

Posted on August 27, 2020 by David McKee

What Jim Murren and Sheldon Adelson couldn’t do, New York state Sen. James Skoufis (D) just might. With four upstate casinos still closed and the state budget pummeled by the economic effects of Coronavirus, Skoufis is proposing that the state … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Economy, Election, Environment, Health, International, Jim Murren, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Unite-Here, Virginia | Comments Off on New York game-changer; MGM sticks it to servers

Sahara misbehavior; Tilman Time; Culinary caves to Big Gaming

Posted on August 6, 2020 by David McKee

Alex Meruelo has new troubles. He’s in deep fertilizer with the Nevada Gaming Control Board over safety violations at the Sahara. Meruelo’s facing a two-part disciplinary complaint. In one instance, the Sahara hosted a 153-person convention when state rules explicitly … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Economy, Health, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Reno, Sahara, Sports, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Sahara misbehavior; Tilman Time; Culinary caves to Big Gaming

Encore Boston reopens and other good news

Posted on July 14, 2020 by David McKee

“It put a big smile on my face,” customer Marcia Hamilton said of Encore Boston Harbor‘s reopening last Sunday. We’ll have to take the smile on faith because employees and customers alike are required to wear PPE masks. Still, Encore … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Cretins, Dining, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Health, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Real Estate, Security, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Vegas casinos can reopen, sorta; Hard Rock returns

Posted on May 15, 2020 by David McKee

Want to go back to a Las Vegas casino? Now you can. In a well-meant directive that seems to be sowing a certain amount of confusion, the Nevada Gaming Control Board stated that during the current Phase I, casinos could … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Dining, Economy, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Lotteries, Maryland, Massachusetts, Movies, Oregon, Penn National, Real Estate, Sahara, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Virgin Hotels | 2 Comments

Nevada begins reopening sooner than expected

Posted on May 8, 2020 by David McKee

What do brothels and casinos have in common? (Some would say you get screwed in both.) Neither can reopen during Phase One of Gov. Steve Sisolak‘s multi-stage resumption of business as usual in Nevada, starting tomorrow. Most of the continuing closures … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Cretins, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Health, Massachusetts, Nevada, Technology, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

MGM: Survey says …; Odds favor Harris for VP

Posted on April 27, 2020 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International wants your opinion … well, some of you anyway. In a survey obtained by Scott Roeben of VitalVegas, Leo the Lion poses an array of questions to Platinum- and Noir-tier customers. As Roeben says, it reveals more than … Continue reading →

Posted in Century Casinos, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, FanDuel, Health, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

Posted on April 21, 2020 by David McKee

Just when it seemed like casinos in Virginia were a done deal, some last-minute tinkering by Gov. Ralph “Blackface” Northam (D) could scupper the whole deal. Northam unilaterally amended the enabling legislation to redirect two-thirds of the tax collections from … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Economy, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virgin Hotels, Virginia, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy