Category Archives: Dining

Take that, Philippines!; NY casino out-brews rivals

Posted on August 8, 2018 by David McKee

Think you’ve got a casino, Landing International? Guess again. Ground had scarcely been broken on a $1.5 billion megaresort, which had been making headlines across the Pacific Rim, when Philippines despot Rodrigo Duterte unilaterally canceled the project. A flunky said Landing … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Genting, Hard Rock International, Las Vegas Sands, New York, Penn National, Philippines, Rhode Island, Singapore, Technology, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off

It’s Elaine’s company now; A legend passes

Posted on August 6, 2018 by David McKee

In a sudden and wholly unexpected development, Wynn Resorts has appointed Phil Satre to the board of directors as vice chairman. Since D. Boone Wayson is stepping down as chairman of the board at year’s end there’s every reason to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Elaine Wynn, MGM Resorts International, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

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

More woes for Wynn; Unlucky 13 in Macao

Posted on August 3, 2018 by David McKee

Update: All charges in this case were dismissed, as the alleged rape was found to be a fabrication. Wynn Las Vegas‘ status as the poster child for sexual assault on the Las Vegas Strip just got another boost. SoCal dentist Poria … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, Dining, Economy, Election, Georgia, Iowa, Law enforcement, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Politics, Sexual misconduct, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Sport of kings on wobbly legs; Sports betting races ahead in N.J., N.Y., flags in Pennsylvania

Posted on July 18, 2018 by David McKee

Were it not for racinos, we’d probably be talking about the sport of kings in the past tense. Handle at racetracks has fallen 50% in the last 15 years. However, slot machines have infused a billion dollars a year, keeping … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Cordish Co., DFS, Dining, Greenwood Racing, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Macau, New York, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 1 Comment

MGM: Time to buy; Arkansas casinos one step closer

Posted on July 11, 2018 by David McKee

As of today, Hard Rock Rocksino, in Ohio, is official part of MGM Growth Properties. However, until MGP finds a new tenant, Hard Rock International will continue to run the place. It’s a win-win for Hard Rock and MGP. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Atlantic City, Dining, Election, Genting, Hard Rock International, history, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Ohio, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

The name of the game; New look at Palms

Posted on July 5, 2018 by David McKee

We don’t cover lotteries much but Pennsylvania‘s has fought the state’s casino industry to a draw. The latter would like to see iLottery (powered by Scientific Games) immobilized, viewing it as a threat to online casino gambling. The Department of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Dining, Internet gambling, Marketing, Movies, Palms, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Station Casinos | Comments Off

Brand-new Palace; Slide at Sands

Posted on June 25, 2018 by David McKee

Although we’ve been talking about the $192 million Palace Station do-over for months, it’s finally on display and color us dazzled. Based on the Las Vegas Review-Journal‘s photo essay, we hardly recognize the old gal, looking frisky after her nine-figure … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, DFS, Dining, Genting, Greenwood Racing, Japan, Marketing, New York, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Overexposed in Macao; Hard Rock firing on all cylinders

Posted on June 19, 2018 by David McKee

If you’re a Wynn Resorts shareholder and you’re following rising trade tensions with China, you’ve a right to be nervous. Wynn derives 69% of its revenue from Macao, giving a certain truth to Steve Wynn‘s old quote that “We’re really … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Macau, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 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

Macao disappoints Wall Street; Tribal troubles

Posted on June 1, 2018 by David McKee

Wall Street was expecting 18.5% gaming-revenue growth out of Macao last month. It got ‘only’ 12%, the Street not having taken an abbreviated Golden Week into account. Furthermore, the enclave had a hard act to follow, its revenue having vaulted … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Dining, Economy, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Iowa, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nebraska, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Culinary girds for battle; Let’s get it on

Posted on May 10, 2018 by David McKee

Collective-bargaining-agreement talks between the Culinary Union and 34 casinos must not be going well. The Culinary fired off an e-mail blast yesterday, publicizing the fact that it will hold a strike vote May 22 and, should it pass, will hit … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Culinary Union, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Politics, Seminole Tribe, Sexual misconduct, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Park MGM to eclipse Bellagio?; Cleveland does not rock

Posted on May 9, 2018 by David McKee

Park MGM isn’t even open yet and Bloomberg has already drunk its bathwater. Think I’m exaggerating? A fluff piece declares that the casino-in-progress will “steal attention from MGM’s highest-end hotel, the Bellagio, as well as the most recent hotel to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dan Gilbert, Dining, history, Law enforcement, Lucky Dragon, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

MGM sets Springfield date; Adelson hits pay dirt

Posted on April 26, 2018 by David McKee

Even as it’s using MGM Springfield as a catspaw to potentially land Wynn Boston Harbor, that didn’t prevent MGM Resorts International from announcing a date certain for the Springfield opening. Mark August 24 on your calendars, for that is the day … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Detroit, Dining, Donald Trump, Entertainment, history, Horseracing, International, Japan, Louisiana, Macau, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Singapore, South Korea, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Icahn out, Eldorado in; Caesars balks at Hoosier fee

Posted on April 16, 2018 by David McKee

Carl Icahn was in a selling mood last weekend, cashing out of Tropicana Entertainment. The buyer was Eldorado Resorts, which paid Icahn $1.85 billion, then flipped nearly all the physical assets to Gaming & Leisure Properties for $1.2 billion. Not content … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Centaur Gaming, Charity, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Happy birthday, Ellis Island; SLS in, Sahara out for now

Posted on April 4, 2018 by David McKee

Congratulations are in order to Ellis Island Hotel Casino & Brewery (not in that order of priority) on 50 years in business. What started as two menu items has grown into a beloved locals hangout whose karaoke nights are the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Architecture, Atlantic City, Dining, Economy, Ellis Island, Greenwood Racing, Pennsylvania, Revel, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Harrah’s wins in Big Easy; Could Wynn Resorts beat Boston rap?

Posted on April 2, 2018 by David McKee

Harrah’s New Orleans is a step away from a major makeover, now that the Louisiana House of Representatives cast a veto-proof vote in favor of a 30-year license extension, a new hotel tower and an expansion of the hotel-casino’s amenities. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Cretins, DFS, Dining, Elaine Wynn, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Policy change roils Atlantic City; Stratosphere scheduled for makeover

Posted on March 16, 2018 by David McKee

In what we can expect to be a trend rolled out nationwide, Caesars Entertainment is using its Atlantic City casinos to experiment with cutting back on waitresses. It’s not like we didn’t have fair warning of this: One of the … Continue reading →

Posted in ACEP, Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Dining, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Scientific Games, Slot routes, Sports, Unite-Here, West Virginia | 2 Comments

Ruthless resort-fee robbery; Minstrel show at NY-NY

Posted on March 14, 2018 by David McKee

What do you do when occupancy declines? Why, raise the resort fees, of course! The odious levies went up 16% in 2016 and 11% last year, for an average of $34/night. Venetian/Palazzo recently upped its impost to $45 and other … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, Law enforcement, MGM Mirage, Resort fees, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 7, 2018 by David McKee

“We believe the most significant changes taking place during the Palms renovations will involve returning the property to its roots. In its heyday, the Palms was one of, if not the, place to be for dining and nightlife in Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Palms, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off