Category Archives: Dan Lee

Steady in Indiana

Gaming revenues were flat in Indiana last month, especially in the south, and this is a good thing. Why? Because it means that the Hoosier State is absorbing the impact of competition from Ohio. Operators can also, thanks to Gov. … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Dan Lee, Harrah's, Indiana, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Steady in Indiana

Pence’s and Markell’s tunnel vision

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) may be swimming against the tide when he opposes casino reforms that he slimes as gambling expansions. For instance, for safety reasons alone, moving riverboat casinos ashore is an idea that was overdue 10 years … Continue reading

Posted in Dan Lee, Delaware, Indiana, Marketing, Ohio, Racinos, Taxes | Comments Off on Pence’s and Markell’s tunnel vision

Palace coup at Full House

When you strike at the king, you must kill him — and dissident investor Dan Lee (left) was successful in deposing Andre Hilliou from his throne at Full House Resorts. “I would also like to thank Andre and Mark for their … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Dan Lee, Entertainment, Indiana, Internet gambling, Marketing, Mississippi, New York, PokerStars, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Fire sale at Full House; Japan: Patience advised

In the casino world it’s pretty much unheard-of for a company to hang a “for sale” sign on itself without a suitor in view. Patti Hart did it successfully at International Game Technology, earlier this year. Now Full House Resorts … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Dan Lee, G2E, Genting, Harrah's, IGT, Indiana, Japan, Neil Bluhm, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off on Fire sale at Full House; Japan: Patience advised

Making sense of Pence; Dan Lee returns (again)

Taking a page from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker‘s playbook, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) is trying to have it both ways: oppose “expansion” of gambling but refuse to define aforesaid expansion. With riverboat casinos pressing to come ashore, Pence has … Continue reading

Posted in Dan Lee, Indiana, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, New York, Ohio, Palms, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics | Comments Off on Making sense of Pence; Dan Lee returns (again)

Tug of war in Massachusetts; Lee ousted … again; Gilbert’s Greektown struggle

Each with a casino nearly in the bag, both MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts want some legislative concessions from Massachusetts. Mohegan Sun is standing pat. MGM and Wynn want their $85 million licensing fee and a number of related … Continue reading

Posted in Dan Gilbert, Dan Lee, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Election, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Palms, Problem gambling, Regulation, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Tug of war in Massachusetts; Lee ousted … again; Gilbert’s Greektown struggle

Quote of the Day

“Whoever determined that 12 noon was the perfect check-in, check-out time was thinking of the housekeeping shift, not the guest.” — Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration professor of marketing Chekitan Dev, on the Palms‘ new, round-the-clock checkout policy. It’ll be … Continue reading

Posted in Dan Lee, Palms, The Strip | 1 Comment

Caesars to Empire State; Colony to Chapter 11

When Caesars Entertainment made a discreet donation to the pro-casino campaign in New York State, we should have known that something was up. Sure enough, state Sen. John Bonacic (R) says Caesars is interested in a Sullivan County casino. Then … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Foxwoods, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, New York, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Comeback for Lee; Penn, Mohegans get thumbs-up

Palms Casino Resort, which could use some casino-savvy brainpower at its helm, believes it has found it in new CEO Dan Lee. Out the door, unceremoniously, goes the much-bounced-around Joseph Magliarditi, who ricocheted to the Palms by way of M … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Dan Lee, Dining, Downtown, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, Palms, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Nevada: The recovery continues; Elsewhere: Not so much

After a boffo February, the Silver State also posted extraordinary numbers in March. As Deutsche Bank headlined its report, “Different Month, Same Tune.” Analyst Carlo Santarelli cautioned, “we believe the underlying trends are not as strong as the headline would … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Marketing, Missouri, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Revel, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Pinnacle makes pricey Atlantic City exit; Fertitta’s Downtown mess

A Wall Street Journal story from yesterday evening reports that Pinnacle Entertainment has found a buyer for its 19 acres of Boardwalk land. These were cobbled together at huge cost — $270 million or $14 million an acre — by … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

Pinnacle punks Penn, swipes Ameristar

We’ve learned two important things today. One, that the Mayan calendar is not the most reliable predictor of events. Two, that Ameristar Casinos‘ on-again/off-again talk about putting itself up for sale was back in “on” mode. Before hardly anybody got … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Election, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Zynga counterattacks; Fail, Caesar; Adelson honored

If the Stalin organs of the Zynga PR battery had fallen silent, it was only to reload. As predicted yesterday, Zynga is regrouping around Internet gambling as its new strategy of choice. Zynga unleashed “announced an exclusive partnership [with Bwin.party] … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Everything’s coming up Penn

As befits a proud papa, Penn National Gaming has been showing Wall Street analysts around its newest offspring: Hollywood Casino Toledo. The metrics are pretty awe-inspiring. Already the customer database is approaching 50,000 players and 47% of all slot play … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Dan Lee, Detroit, Don Barden, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, MTR Gaming, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal | 3 Comments

Penn and Pennsylvania; Trop’s big screwup; Louisiana’s big month

A racetrack isn’t something you just pick up and relocate. However, Penn National Gaming has been given the go-ahead by the State of Ohio to “move” its Beulah Park and Raceway Park to, respectively, Youngstown and Dayton. They are presently … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dan Lee, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Dan Lee calls it quits; Who let Big Dawg’s out?

Having seen the handwriting on the wall, Dan Lee has sold his Creative Casinos of Louisiana to regional rival Ameristar Casinos for a measly $32.5 million. Bankers were having difficulty computing Lee + Lake Charles = Mojito Pointe. Financing prospects … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Georgia, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Cosmo woe; MGM lurves Ameristar

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

Lee, Nazarian go to market; IGT goes Disney

An S&G source says Creative Casinos CEO Dan Lee has arranged mezzanine financing and may soon go to the bond market to raise capital, presumably for Mojito Pointe for potentially for ventures elsewhere. The Lake Charles market draws heavy play … Continue reading

Posted in California, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Lee, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, IGT, International, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Miller Time in Maryland; The sorrows of Marrandino

No question about it, THE gaming-industry story of 2011 was both an economic and political one: How the Great Recession has essentially broken the back of anti-gambling resistance in the corridors of American power. We can see it up and … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Miller Time in Maryland; The sorrows of Marrandino

Sheldon Adelson, wuss; MGM pounces; Slipper-y logic; Enter whining

What manner of fool spends $5 million to disseminate a film that he’s never seen and whose content he claims not to endorse? Sheldon Adelson, that’s who. After his latest political favorite got clobbered in the New Hampshire primary, Adelson … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Ameristar, Cordish Co., Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Jack Binion, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | Comments Off on Sheldon Adelson, wuss; MGM pounces; Slipper-y logic; Enter whining