Category Archives: Detroit

The wreck of the Sierra Rose; LVH: The smell of death; TWU (sur)renders unto Caesars

Posted on July 11, 2012 by David McKee

It was inevitable that this Lake Tahoe marine disaster would go viral. Besides, as an S&G reader astutely pointed out, the sinking of the Sierra Rose makes a tidy metaphor for Nevada‘s economy: a top-heavy S.S. McMansion now half-underwater due … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Hooters, Lake Tahoe, Riviera, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Everything’s coming up Penn

Posted on June 15, 2012 by David McKee

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

Massachusetts: Another one bites the dust; Sands Cotai: Hit or miss?

Posted on May 25, 2012 by David McKee

That Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe effort to obtain the coveted southeastern Massachusetts casino license is quickly being exposed as a thing of smoke and mirrors. Sure, the tribe can get a Class II casino on Martha’s Vineyard — it’s a done … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Donald Trump, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Horseracing, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Gilbert, Caesars hit Ohio speed bump; Maple Leaf misadventure; Rearranging deck chairs on the WesCas

Posted on April 20, 2012 by David McKee

Rub a dub-dub, three companies in a tub called Rock Ohio Caesars. In emulation of Nevada‘s built-first-license-later system, the Ohio Casino Control Commission is just getting around to mulling the bonafides of Horseshoe Casino Cleveland‘s shareholders. Little-publicized minority partner Lyle … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Detroit, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Iowa, Kansas, Lyle Berman, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Ides of March: Caesars, MGM, Wynn court Wall Street

Posted on March 21, 2012 by David McKee

Evidently J.P. Morgan‘s Gaming, Lodging & Leisure Management Access Forum, being held this week at Wynncore, isn’t sufficiently important to merit the attendance of Big Gaming’s CEOs. If Steve Wynn couldn’t make the stroll from his office to Encore’s meeting … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Detroit, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 2 Comments

Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

Posted on March 20, 2012 by David McKee

There will be Ice Capades in Hell before Sheldon Adelson sets foot in Encore, I should expect. However, with J.P. Morgan holding an investor conference at Wynncore, it would be poor form of Las Vegas Sands — currently the darling … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

R.I.P., Dennis Gomes; Casino avalanche in Michigan; Life after UIGEA

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

There are few real characters in the casino industry anymore. Dennis Gomes (1944-2012) was one of them. His recent death put a premature “full stop” on one of the most colorful and wide-ranging careers gaming has seen. After all, how … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Dennis Gomes, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Ohio, Penn National, Pokergeddon, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Malice at MotorCity

Posted on February 22, 2012 by David McKee

Melee at MotorCity Casino Hotel Caught on Tape: MyFoxDETROIT.com Guests at a MotorCity Casino restaurant got some unplanned entertainment: a floor show to go with their breakfast. The casino says the combatants — who obviously were getting in touch with … Continue reading →

Posted in Detroit | 2 Comments

Belated Christmas presents, Part II

Posted on January 11, 2012 by David McKee

If the good news keeps raining down like this, I might have to start using the R-word … as in “recovery.” In November, Nevada‘s $880 million gross was good for a 7% upsurge. The Las Vegas Strip beat the statewide … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Ameristar goes East; Colony’s secret formula revealed

Posted on November 17, 2011 by David McKee

Yesterday morning, Wall Street was advised by Ameristar Casinos that the latter had forked over $16 million for land in Springfield, Massachusetts. Given that Ameristar has been in extreme-caution mode since the death of founder Craig H. Neilsen and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Movies, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal | 3 Comments

Atlantic City: Fertitta struggling, Gomes triumphing, Boyd steady

Posted on November 10, 2011 by David McKee

No surprise that Borgata remains in a class by itself among Atlantic City resorts. It finished October at 0.0% deviance from last year, as flat as “flat” can be. The lone gainer in the market was Resorts Atlantic City, up … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Rule or ruin in Illinois; A new deal in Detroit

Posted on November 8, 2011 by David McKee

State Rep. Lou “Death Wish” Lang (D, right) continues to dare, then double-dare Gov. Pat Quinn (D) to veto what’s now a 2.6X expansion of the number of gambling positions in the state of Illinois. Lang has offered a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Dan Lee, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Reno, Slot routes, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Rock, Paper, City; Generosity at Caesars, shopping at Sands

Posted on November 2, 2011 by David McKee

While Massachusetts lawmakers sharpen their scissors in order to cut and paste two versions of the Lege’s casino-enabling bill, the city of Holyoke is happy to find itself between Hard Rock International and Paper City Development. The partnership has its … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Domino effects

Posted on October 31, 2011 by David McKee

“Prior to the official opening, a 60-minute opening ceremony was held outside of the main entrance to the casino, where local and state politicians patted each other on the back for finally getting the casino opened, a mere 10 years … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, Florida, Harrah's, Horseracing, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Slot routes, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

Is MGM Grand Detroit too successful for its own good?

Posted on October 28, 2011 by David McKee

From a labor-relations standpoint, yes. Although workers at Greektown Casino were quick to ratify a new collective-bargaining agreement, closely followed by MotorCity Casino, it was a different story across town. Employees of MGM Grand Detroit decided their union reps were … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Detroit: one down, two to go

Posted on October 25, 2011 by David McKee

Workers at eternally struggling Greektown Casino didn’t need a translator to read the handwriting on the wall. Nearly 75% of them voted to ratify a new union contract last night. In return for modest financial incentives, employees will be shouldering … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Economy, The Strip | Comments Off

Detroit: The art of the deal

Posted on October 24, 2011 by David McKee

Labor unions in Detroit will have a hard time selling the rank and file on their new pact with three Motown casinos. Despite enjoying an upward revenue trend, the casinos appear to be pleading poverty, requiring that workers pay a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, MGM Mirage, Ohio | 1 Comment

iTrump, scandal, Sachs and tax

Posted on October 21, 2011 by David McKee

Cyber-Trump. Faux ex-presidential candidate and NBC-TV comedy star Donald Trump has made his views known on Internet gambling … like anybody cares. Prepare for a shocker, folks. The Donald is — Gasp! — in favor of it. There was, of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Cretins, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Don Barden, Economy, Election, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

ColSux: They’re outta here!; Accord in Motown; Murren changes course

Posted on October 20, 2011 by David McKee

Those last few remnants of Columbia Sussex CEO William J. Yung‘s former casino empire continue to topple about him. The Kentucky-based oligarch, whose properties are notorious for their poor working conditions and even worse maintenance, has been reaping a gargantuan … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Dan Lee, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, G2E, Harrah's, International, Lake Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pets, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sports, Texas, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Big ‘boing’ in Pennsylvania; Labor strife in Detroit

Posted on October 18, 2011 by David McKee

Casino revenues last month in Pennsylvania must have been riding a pogo stick — up 13% from last year. That includes a 39% moonshot in table revenues. Leaders include Sands Bethlehem (22%, right), while Penn National‘s eponymous racino must be … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Detroit, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Taxes | Comments Off