Category Archives: Donald Trump

Strip clocked, locals stronger; Montana reopens first

Posted on April 30, 2020 by David McKee

Nevada casinos won $618 million in a Covid-19-truncated March, with the Las Vegas Strip leading the plunge with a 46% fall to $300 million. Las Vegas locals play was remarkably strong under the circumstances, down only 20.5%, although that number may … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Golden Gaming, Health, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Reno, The Strip, Wall Street, Wendover, William Hill | Comments Off on Strip clocked, locals stronger; Montana reopens first

MGM: Survey says …; Odds favor Harris for VP

Posted on April 27, 2020 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International wants your opinion … well, some of you anyway. In a survey obtained by Scott Roeben of VitalVegas, Leo the Lion poses an array of questions to Platinum- and Noir-tier customers. As Roeben says, it reveals more than … Continue reading →

Posted in Century Casinos, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, FanDuel, Health, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Sisolak vs. Goodman, Round Two; Wynn’s recovery plan

Posted on April 20, 2020 by David McKee

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D), while acknowledging that his state’s unemployment-aid infrastructure is swamped (although initial jobless claims declined to 58,641 last week), is taking a steady-as-she-goes approach to reopening the Silver State, relying heavily on medical advice. “This is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Caesars Entertainment, California, Charity, Conventions, Crown Resorts, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Health, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Politics, The Strip, Tourism, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Small casinos still screwed; Hedge funds on the prowl

Posted on April 15, 2020 by David McKee

Evidently someone got American Gaming Association President Bill Miller’s letter to Donald Trump before POTUS’ eyes. We say “evidently” because somebody (probably the White House), in an effort to be Solomonic, persuaded the Small Business Administration to effect a compromise. It … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Politics, Regulation, Scientific Games, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Culinary issues demands; Outlasting Coronavirus

Posted on April 13, 2020 by David McKee

In a Thursday media event, the Culinary Union called for casinos to continue paying their inactivated employees for as long as the Coronavirus crisis lasts. Said Unite-Here President D. Taylor, “The industry, obviously, is a very profitable industry. We don’t understand their … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Architecture, California, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Regulation, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Technology, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Culinary issues demands; Outlasting Coronavirus

Asking the Big Guy; Coronavirus: Where does it end?

Posted on April 8, 2020 by David McKee

Trading on his longstanding Republican Party connections, American Gaming Association President Bill Miller is leapfrogging the Small Business Administration and Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, to take his case straight to Donald Trump. The problem, as we outlined yesterday, is … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Arizona, Baseball, California, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Health, Japan, Macau, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Politics, Singapore | 2 Comments

Maryland craters; Penn takes Trop loss

Posted on April 3, 2020 by David McKee

Free State Gov. Larry Hogan (R) having closed casinos on March 16, revenue results were predictably dire, down 58%. That’s a measly $69 million gross. MGM National Harbor booked $26 million, a 58.5% slide, with slots down 62% and tables … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Politics, Real Estate, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Sanders enters casino fray; MGM execs play the market

Posted on April 2, 2020 by David McKee

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), perhaps in a move to reinvigorate his comatose presidential campaign, has waded into the dispute between the Trump administration and the Mashpee Wampanoag. The origin of the tribe’s newly dissolved, 321-acre reservation is clouded by tribal recognition during … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Health, history, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, International, Jim Murren, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Tribal, Twin River, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Las Vegas closed through April 30

Posted on April 2, 2020 by David McKee

Jottings: Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) is asking Donald Trump to declare the Silver State a ‘major disaster’ area. We agree, but Trump is being punitive toward ‘blue’ states so we doubt Sisolak will get his wish. The governor extended … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Downtown, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Health, Nevada, Terry Caudill, The Mob, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Case Bets & Mega-Jottings

Posted on March 30, 2020 by David McKee

Former casino operator and regulator Richard Schuetz has some very stern words for his former colleagues and their (slow) response to Coronavirus. Sample: “The point is, in many of our gaming states, there was little concern about the employees of … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Charity, Donald Trump, e-sports, Economy, Health, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, Nevada, Penn National, Real Estate, Regulation, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Case Bets & Mega-Jottings

Vegas in the time of Coronavirus; Trump squelches tribe

Posted on March 30, 2020 by David McKee

Las Vegas on lockdown is pretty spooky. It’s like a neutron bomb fell on the Strip, wiping out all the people and leaving the casinos intact. However, there may be a glimmer at the end of the April 17 tunnel. … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Donald Trump, Economy, GLPI, Health, history, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Twin River, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Stimulus is here, recovery … who knows?

Posted on March 26, 2020 by David McKee

It’s still not a done deal but what Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) calls “emergency relief” emerged from the Senate yesterday. A few jerks tried to hold it up with the preposterous argument that “the expanded unemployment benefits were overly … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, China, Conventions, Cretins, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Galaxy Entertainment, Health, International, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Politics, South Korea, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, TV, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Stimulus is here, recovery … who knows?

Quick stimulus update

Posted on March 25, 2020 by David McKee

Here’s a good rundown of the economic-stimulus bill. Republicans made some concessions (attaching strings to corporate bailouts) and Democrats made others (no forgiveness or deferment for student loans). It’s not yet clear how much of its wish list the casino … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Alex Meruelo, Donald Trump, Economy, Sahara, Taxes | Comments Off on Quick stimulus update

Wynn Resorts defended; Trump stiffs hotel employees

Posted on March 24, 2020 by David McKee

JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff came riding to the aid of Wynn Resorts this week. “COVID-19’s evolving impact has created a lot of share price carnage in the gaming and lodging sector, to state the obvious. Its impact should be … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown Grand, Economy, Environment, Florida, Health, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Problem gambling, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Poverty in the suites; Industry ramps up bailout pressure

Posted on March 23, 2020 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson is worth $28 billion today. Which doesn’t sound so bad until you consider that he was worth $40 billion before the Wall Street crash. That’s the literal price of owning 432,000,000 shares of Las Vegas Sands. Not that … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, California, Carl Icahn, Charity, China, Donald Trump, Economy, Elaine Wynn, FanDuel, GLPI, Health, history, Horseracing, Illinois, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Movies, New York, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Mob, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Poverty in the suites; Industry ramps up bailout pressure

Murren sacked

Posted on March 23, 2020 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International canned CEO Jim Murren yesterday, while nobody was looking, promoting Bill Hornbuckle acting CEO and president. Hornbuckle should have been Murren’s heir apparent but the exiled CEO had preferred to go on a candidate search. MGM explained … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Health, history, International, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Phil Ruffin, Sexual misconduct, The Strip | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 18, 2020 by David McKee

“The world is laughing at America’s politicians as we protect ships we don’t own, carrying oil we don’t need, destined for allies who won’t help.”—Donald Trump, about Saudi Arabia … in 1987.

Posted in Donald Trump, International | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 15, 2020 by David McKee

“This is a very contagious virus. It’s incredible. But it’s something that we have tremendous control of.”—Donald Trump

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

Crisis mode hits Las Vegas

Posted on March 14, 2020 by David McKee

Our country is still trying to grasp the ramifications of Coronavirus, as Broadway goes dark, Disneyland and Disneyworld are closed, The Masters and Boston Marathon are postponed, and cancellations of sporting and cultural events (here and abroad) comprise a list longer … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Dining, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Health, LVCVA, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Pets, The Strip, Tourism, Wynn Resorts | 5 Comments

Bad news for Golden Knights, MGM; Lady Gaga honored

Posted on March 12, 2020 by David McKee

T-Mobile Arena is going to be a lot quieter now that the National Hockey League has suspended its season indefinitely. It is leaving the door open to eventual resumption of play, asking constituent arenas to keep ice time available through … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, Health, MGM Resorts International, Sports, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Bad news for Golden Knights, MGM; Lady Gaga honored