Category Archives: Culinary Union

Arkansas to vote on casinos; Baldwin leaves MGM

Posted on October 16, 2018 by David McKee

Driving Arkansas Forward, the ballot initiative to legalize casinos in Arkansas, will continue to proceed now that the Arkansas Supreme Court has slam-dunked two challenges to the referendum. Religious group Ensuring Arkansas Future claimed that the ballot language was too ambiguous … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, CityCenter, Culinary Union, Election, Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Neil Bluhm, Politics, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Tribal, Vdara Death Ray, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

SLS gets new look; Automation targets women, minorities

Posted on October 10, 2018 by David McKee

Alex Meruelo has begun exorcising the unclean spirit of Sam Nazarian from SLS Las Vegas. In a giant gesture of faith, Meruelo will invest $100 million in a property makeover, starting with those oh-so-excessively-trendy hotel rooms. Next week Meruelo will get … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, CityCenter, Culinary Union, MGM Resorts International, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off

Hard Rock A.C. changes bosses; Westworld, the casino

Posted on October 3, 2018 by David McKee

It was our impression that Hard Rock Atlantic City was firing on all cylinders. Imagine our surprise to read that prexy Matt Harkness (pictured) was out and veteran Joe Lupo had taken his place. Harkness came to Hard Rock from … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Culinary Union, Hard Rock International, Idaho, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Law enforcement, Lucky Dragon, MGM Resorts International, Philippines, Regulation, Technology, Tribal | 1 Comment

Culinary, Stevens clash; House lumps sports betting with terrorism

Posted on September 27, 2018 by David McKee

Labor contracts with the Culinary Union have long since expired but three casinos continue to hold out. Phil Ruffin‘s Treasure Island is one but there’s been no animus from the Culinary on that front. Where Derek Stevens is concerned it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Architecture, California, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, Georgia, Law enforcement, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Tribal | 1 Comment

State of D-nile; Red-tag sale at Caesars

Posted on September 5, 2018 by David McKee

Xstal Campbell, a former dancing barmaid at The D, will be testifying before the Nevada Gaming Control Board today, along with other, unidentified casino workers. The subject will be sexual harassment. Ms. Campbell, who also will try her case before … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Marketing, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Intransigence at Station; Money madness in Illinois

Posted on August 24, 2018 by David McKee

Station Casinos‘ response to overwhelming pro-union votes at the Palms and Green Valley Ranch has apparently been not to negotiate but to go into a corner and sulk. Last week, the National Labor Relations Board wrote, “Respondent has been failing and … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, California, Culinary Union, DFS, Donald Trump, Illinois, Internet gambling, Palms, Politics, Racinos, Security, Slot routes, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Hellfire at Caesars; Slugfest on Boardwalk

Posted on August 6, 2018 by David McKee

When I read that two patrons at Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen had been injured, I assumed that the profane restaurateur had gone postal on a couple of his customers. Not so. However, if you’ve not partaken of the Rum Donkey, you’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown Grand, e-sports, Hard Rock International, Sports | Comments Off

Culinary loses sense of decency; Inhumanity in Macao

Posted on July 27, 2018 by David McKee

Terry Caudill and the Culinary Union have come to terms on labor pacts for Binion’s Gambling Hall and the Four Queens. The agreement awaits ratification by the 650 employees affected. In the meantime, the Culinary stepped way over the line … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Culinary Union, Downtown, Election, Internet gambling, Macau, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Pets, Philippines, Regulation, Station Casinos, Terry Caudill, Tribal, Washington State | 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

Busted!

Posted on July 13, 2018 by David McKee

Former New York Knicks great Charles Oakley fouled out big-time at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The veteran roundballer, who made $46 million during his playing career, wound up in the clink over a $100 casino chip. Oakley tried to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Culinary Union, Florida, Fontainebleau, Genting, history, Law enforcement, Macau, New York, Penn National, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, The Strip | 1 Comment

Casa Shenandoah closes; Culinary escalates tactics

Posted on July 12, 2018 by David McKee

Call it a day for another Wayne Newton business venture. Mr. Las Vegas is closing Casa Shenandoah to the public, no reason given (although a recent break-in might have influenced the decision). “It is the Applicant’s intent that the property revert … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Downtown Grand, Election, history, Horseracing, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, Sports betting, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wayne F. Newton, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Big business in Maryland; Pricey New York-New York goof

Posted on July 6, 2018 by David McKee

The gap between the haves and have-nots in Maryland widened last month, as the state’s gaming revenue boomed 14% upward. The good news is that every casino had a revenue-positive month. MGM National Harbor, of course, led the pack, grossing $59 … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, The Strip, Tribal, West Virginia | Comments Off

MGM labor pact approved; Juliano resurfaces

Posted on June 21, 2018 by David McKee

It’s unknown how much of a pay increase the Culinary Union extracted from MGM Resorts International but it was enough to persuade workers to ratify the new contract. As with the Caesars Entertainment pact, workers will be issued alarm buttons … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Kansas, MGM Mirage, New York, Pennsylvania | 1 Comment

Caesars agreement OK’d; New focus for Hard Rock

Posted on June 18, 2018 by David McKee

It’s official: Workers at Caesars Entertainment have approved a new collective-bargaining agreement, one that includes (unspecified) pay increases and a succession clause to protect jobs in the (unlikely) event Caesars sells its Las Vegas Strip properties to another operator. Details of … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Fontainebleau, Foxwoods, Genting, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Delaware leads the way; Las Vegas tourism rebounds

Posted on June 6, 2018 by David McKee

A Delaware sports book took 36 bets in its first 20 minutes of operation yesterday, making it the first state outside Nevada to capitalize on the Supreme Court‘s recent legitimization of sports wagering. “In New York, we would go right to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Culinary Union, Delaware, Florida, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Boyd downsizes on Boulder Strip; Freeman leaves AGA

Posted on June 5, 2018 by David McKee

Some of you may have wondered what Boyd Gaming was doing by owning two side-by-side casinos on the Boulder Strip — adding Eastside Cannery to Sam’s Town. The marketplace may have had some confusion, too. After all, locals do not … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Culinary Union, Dining, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Resort fees, Sports | 4 Comments

Caesars, MGM strikes averted

Posted on June 4, 2018 by David McKee

Yesterday the Culinary Union announced that a tentative pact had been reached with Caesars Entertainment, in the wee hours of Friday morning, the first such in the current round of labor talks on the Las Vegas Strip. “The historic new … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, e-sports, Harrah's, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, New York, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, SLS Las Vegas, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, World Series of Poker, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Strike deadline passes; Delaware first to take sports bets

Posted on June 1, 2018 by David McKee

As of last midnight, 34 Las Vegas casinos are operating without a Culinary Union contract. Negotiations are evidently going well enough for the strike deadline to pass without any picketing. However, just to show that it means business, the Culinary … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Delaware, Harrah's, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Racinos, Scientific Games, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Technology | 2 Comments

Culinary confronts Caesars

Posted on May 31, 2018 by David McKee

If Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli is any indicator, Wall Street is sanguine almost to the point of complacency about contract talks in Las Vegas. He calls the chances of a strike “low” although he thinks negotiations could drag on … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Culinary Union, Harrah's, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, Texas, Transportation, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

MGM optimistic on Japan; Culinary blasts casino owners

Posted on May 30, 2018 by David McKee

Japan is one big step closer to casino legalization now that its House of Representatives passed a bill putting problem-gambling countermeasures into place. This was a necessary step before the actual casino-implementation law could go before the Diet. “The pace of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Economy, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Singapore, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Unite-Here, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off