Category Archives: Donald Trump

Monte Carlo, meet Park MGM; Wynn, Adelson, Barrack help Trump

Posted on June 3, 2016 by David McKee

In the end, MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren couldn’t decide between “The Park” and “The Park at MGM Grand” as the new name for Monte Carlo, so he dubbed it Park MGM, which sounds like someplace you leave your … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off on Monte Carlo, meet Park MGM; Wynn, Adelson, Barrack help Trump

Warm spring for Indiana; Trouble ahead for Packer and Ho

Posted on May 9, 2016 by David McKee

While Illinois casinos were flat last month, the action was livelier next door in Indiana. Admissions declined 4%, meaning that players were spending 9%, as casino revenues rose 5%. The percentage champion was Tropicana Evansville, up 17% on an $11 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Full House Resorts, Harrah's, Indiana, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Majestic Star, Melco Crown Entertainment, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 21, 2016 by David McKee

“As an institution built on the free discourse of sex, politics and culture, we have been following the question over [Donald] Trump’s endowment since Marco Rubio mocked Trump’s small hands back at the beginning of the year. Unlike other U.S. galleries, the EHM … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Icahn promises little, gets OK’d anyway; Tribal generosity in California

Posted on April 14, 2016 by David McKee

Carl Icahn is officially the owner of Trump Taj Mahal, having received the blessing of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. The OK was given despite Icahn’s having reneged on his promise of a $100 million capex infusion into the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Genting, International, Penn National, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Icahn promises little, gets OK’d anyway; Tribal generosity in California

Genting comes to Massachusetts; Trump impasse on the Strip

Posted on April 5, 2016 by David McKee

As the Mashpee Wampanoag were preparing to break ground on Project First Light, halfway around the world Genting Malaysia was revealing the details of its management contract with the tribe. Genting holds a seven-year pact, by way of its Genting … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Election, Genting, Geoff Freeman, Massachusetts, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Genting comes to Massachusetts; Trump impasse on the Strip

Trump: The art of failure, Part II

Posted on March 25, 2016 by David McKee

Donald Trump‘s current ubiquity is causing the spotlight to fall upon his many setbacks in the gaming industry. “If you look at anything that guy has done in this industry, he has a lead thumb — it’s the opposite of a golden touch,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Donald Trump, Foxwoods, Harrah's, history, Indiana, The Mob | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 22, 2016 by David McKee

“‘You don’t know anything! Your guys suck! I promote Mike Tyson! I promote heavyweight fights!’ And I notice the three shtarkers he’s with, in trench coats, two of them are putting on gloves and the other one is putting on … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, history | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 10, 2016 by David McKee

“We have no problem getting a gaming license, but we wanted to do something different here. We wanted a true luxury resort experience. It’s hard to have a high-quality product when you walk into ‘ding, ding, ding’ and there are people … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Missouri: No misery here; Trouble at Trump

Posted on March 10, 2016 by David McKee

Foot traffic in Missouri casinos was up 3%, as customers spent 4% more than last year, leading to an 8% increase in casino revenue. Both Pinnacle Entertainment and Penn National Gaming came in comfortably above Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Taxes, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | Comments Off on Missouri: No misery here; Trouble at Trump

The party’s over; DFS sniffs at Nevada regulation

Posted on March 8, 2016 by David McKee

It’s no party for two executives at Bwin.Party. The Austrian government has leveled charges of corruption, “breach of trust” and money laundering at Bwin’s Norbert Teufelberger and Manfred Bodner. The indictment was filed two months ago but is only now … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Dining, Donald Trump, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Regulation | Comments Off on The party’s over; DFS sniffs at Nevada regulation

Trump: The art of failure; Tribal gaming flexes its muscle

Posted on March 4, 2016 by David McKee

During a period (1995-2005) in which the Dow Jones Average Casino Index posted a 160% return on investment, Trump Hotels & Casinos ate dirt to the tune of a negative 89% ROI. By contrast, Boyd Gaming — unloved on Wall … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Donald Trump, Economy, Marketing, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Regulation, Scientific Games, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | Comments Off on Trump: The art of failure; Tribal gaming flexes its muscle

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 3, 2016 by David McKee

“[Donald] Trump has got to be the first presidential candidate who’s ever owned a business that sold porn, and certainly the only Republican to have ever (openly) hawked gay porn.” — Josh Androsky, reporting on a stay at Trump International, where … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Entertainment, The Strip | 1 Comment

End of an Atlantic City era; Has Macao bottomed out?

Posted on March 1, 2016 by David McKee

Last weekend saw Trump Taj Mahal pass into the hands of Carl Icahn, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Tropicana Entertainment. That is cause for optimism at the Taj, which has gone from being one of Atlantic City‘s three top … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MTR Gaming, Technology, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here, Wall Street | Comments Off on End of an Atlantic City era; Has Macao bottomed out?

Trump plotting Vegas comeback; Mohegan Sun gains Korean foothold

Posted on February 26, 2016 by David McKee

Even after his improbable spate of electoral successes, you have to wonder if Donald Trump is serious about running for president. His attention is already wandering to a market where the art of the deal has not panned out for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mohegan Sun, North Las Vegas, Phil Ruffin, Reno, South Korea, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

New Jersey resumes sports-betting push; Sheldon Adelson gets his man

Posted on February 18, 2016 by David McKee

New Jersey is hoping the third time is the charm in its attempt to get sports betting OK’d by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. With four major sporting leagues and the NCAA aligned against it, New Jersey’s is a … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off on New Jersey resumes sports-betting push; Sheldon Adelson gets his man

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 1, 2016 by David McKee

“[Donald] Trump insists that he’s a conservative, but in his pronouncements and policies, conservatism seems more of a rental — a three-story penthouse rental with Central Park view, to be sure — than an ideological home.” — Charles Krauthammer, on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Tribal headache for Connecticut; Wynn, Adelson eye New Jersey

Posted on January 8, 2016 by David McKee

Proposed new rules that would make it easier for tribes to gain federal recognition could have a seismic effect on the casino business in Connecticut. Three potentially recognized tribes could vie for as many as four new casinos. One says “four” … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Economy, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Tribal headache for Connecticut; Wynn, Adelson eye New Jersey

Another day in Adelsonia

Posted on January 5, 2016 by David McKee

After a weeks of ham-handed “managing” of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, controversial executive Michael Schroeder got the heave-ho, the apparent price of having brought unwanted attention to Sheldon Adelson‘s ownership. He was also an ethical cancer on the R-J, having … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Harrah's, Macau, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip | Comments Off on Another day in Adelsonia

Trump’s hocus-pocus; Tribal backlash in New York

Posted on January 4, 2016 by David McKee

If there is one thing that Donald Trump is good at, it is making dealings with creditors that come out in his favor. Perhaps this fuels his current mania that he can make the rest of the civilized world bend to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Internet gambling, New York, Regulation, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Trump: The art of disaster; Good November for Las Vegas

Posted on December 30, 2015 by David McKee

If Donald Trump proposes to run America the way he ran his casinos, God help us all. He built a Boardwalk empire in Atlantic City with a lot of hocus-pocus, debt financing and sky-high interest rates (14% for Trump Taj … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Laughlin, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Uncategorized, Wall Street | 2 Comments