Category Archives: Donald Trump

Fan loses $506K shirt; Adelson cautions Trump

Posted on September 25, 2019 by David McKee

One incautious Cleveland Browns fan made the wrong kind of headline with a $506,000 bet on the team against the Los Angeles Rams. (The Browns lost, 20-13.) The wager was for the Browns to cover the spread, the most meaningful … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, China, Donald Trump, e-sports, Eldorado Resorts, Hard Rock International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Sheldon Adelson, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, Tourism | Comments Off on Fan loses $506K shirt; Adelson cautions Trump

Fertitta plays Cassandra; Reach for the sky

Posted on September 24, 2019 by David McKee

Although Atlantic City is coming off its best month in memory, Tilman Fertitta is predicting doom and gloom. “It’s not a nine-casino market, and I don’t understand why nobody realizes that,” he told The Press of Atlantic City. “You could say the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Derek Stevens, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Fontainebleau, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, LVCVA, Nevada, Pahrump, Reno, Steven Witkoff, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

Near-ideal month in Atlantic City

Posted on September 16, 2019 by David McKee

Atlantic City casinos were, despite an extra weekend day in August, up only 6%. But, more importantly, all except one either stood their ground or grew business. They grossed $286.5 million, with symmetrical increases in slot and table revenue. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Detroit, Donald Trump, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Full House Resorts, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Ohio, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Terrorism at Trump; Police blotter

Posted on September 5, 2019 by David McKee

Trump International finally made it back into the news, although not in a good way. WSOP player Kenneth Strauss was arrested there on July 27 after allegedly tweeting terroristic threats, among other malfeasances. Strauss’ reign of error began at Red … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Donald Trump, Florida, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ohio, Philippines, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Vietnam, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 1 Comment

Like a Virgin; Chicago casino kaput?

Posted on August 18, 2019 by David McKee

The soon-to-be-ex Hard Rock Hotel is taking an enormous gamble. Instead of trying to operate during the rebranding-and-renovation phase from which it will emerge as Virgin Las Vegas, it is going to close down completely. You read that right. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Hard Rock Hotel, Illinois, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Like a Virgin; Chicago casino kaput?

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 18, 2019 by David McKee

“The U.S., in short, has better reasons to covet Greenland than [Donald] Trump’s vanity or all the golf courses he could build there as the ice melts.”—Bloomberg columnist Leonid Bershidsky on why (in historical context) buying Greenland isn’t as wacky an … Continue reading →

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

Canaries in the coal mine, casinos in the slums

Posted on August 14, 2019 by David McKee

Stocks nose-dived yesterday after “an odd bond market phenomenon that has been a reliable indicator of economic recessions. Investors, worried about the state of the economy, rushed to long-term safe haven assets, pushing the yield on the benchmark 30-year Treasury bond … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Greenwood Racing, Illinois, International, Iowa, Law enforcement, Macau, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Taxes, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Rowdy night in Boston; Stitt’s standoff

Posted on August 13, 2019 by David McKee

All hell broke loose at Encore Boston Harbor in the wee hours of Monday morning. The first brawl broke out as nightclub patrons were leaving Mémoire. It was so bad that police had to call in backup. According to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Philippines, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 11, 2019 by David McKee

“And when you go back home, you’ll see it tonight on television. You’ll see it wherever you see it. Today, there’s so many forms of looking at things, it’s hard to believe. As soon as you pick one, another one … Continue reading →

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 1, 2019 by David McKee

And when you go back home, you’ll see it tonight on television. You’ll see it wherever you see it. Today, there’s so many forms of looking at things, it’s hard to believe. As soon as you pick one, another one … Continue reading →

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

Caesars is dead, long live Caesars

Posted on June 26, 2019 by David McKee

After much flirtation, Eldorado Resorts has consummated its courtship of Caesars Entertainment. In a deal that values the latter at $18 billion (or $12.75/share), Eldorado will buy Caesars for $8.6 billion in cash, plus the assumption of debt. Two previous … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Charity, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Internet gambling, Nevada, New Hampshire, Regulation, Reno, Scientific Games, Station Casinos, The Mob, TV, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 3 Comments

Harrah’s wants its money back; Lucky Dragon investors grumble

Posted on May 22, 2019 by David McKee

They’ve got brass balls at Harrah’s New Orleans. Not only do they want an early extension of their terra forma monopoly, which expires in 2024, they want a big-ass tax rebate to go with it. At stake is a 2001 … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Louisiana, Lucky Dragon, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Nevada, Regulation, Reno, Resort fees, Taxes | Comments Off on Harrah’s wants its money back; Lucky Dragon investors grumble

Tribe trumps Trump; Rockford pleads for casino

Posted on May 20, 2019 by David McKee

Despite being thrown off the fast-track legislative calendar by a blast of hot air from Donald Trump, a bill to restore land-in-trust status to the Mashpee Wampanoags has sailed through the House of Representatives, 257-146 in a bipartisan win. “Without support … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Genting, Illinois, Indiana, Law enforcement, Marketing, Massachusetts, Nevada, Technology, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wisconsin | 2 Comments

The biggest loser

Posted on May 13, 2019 by David McKee

Donald Trump‘s casino years are back in the news again, thanks to a New York Times exposé of his tax records that described the 1985-94 period as “an era of fevered acquisition and spectacular collapse.” During a two-year period in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Donald Trump, Entertainment, history, MGM Resorts International, Regulation, Sports, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Wynn: Massagegate

Posted on April 9, 2019 by David McKee

” … in dealing with these [Wynn Resorts] folks, you take a bite of sirloin, you take another bite, it’s still sirloin. It doesn’t vary.” — former Massachusetts governor William Weld. In the run-up (more like amble-up) to last week’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Elaine Wynn, Kazuo Okada, Massachusetts, Nevada, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Steve Wynn, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wynn: Massagegate

Gilbert sells to Hard Rock; Masters odds are out

Posted on April 8, 2019 by David McKee

Hard Rock International exited the Ohio market by one door, then reentered it by another. The tribal giant bought Dan Gilbert out of Jack Cincinnati and Turfway Park. REIT Vici Propreties will own the real estate of the casino and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, Donald Trump, Genting, Hard Rock International, International, Iowa, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, Maryland, Ohio, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal, TV | Comments Off on Gilbert sells to Hard Rock; Masters odds are out

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 20, 2019 by David McKee

“I just want to lay it on the line, that the country deserves better. The McCain family deserves better. I don’t care if he’s president of United States, owns all the real estate in New York, or is building the greatest … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Georgia, history | 2 Comments

Macao: Waiting to exhale; Trump gets favorable odds

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David McKee

Macao‘s government has announced—in what is not exactly a surprise—that it will extend the MGM China and Sociedade de Jogos de Macau concessions until June 26, 2022. This not only creates a level playing field for all concessionaires, it gives … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Election, International, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Service, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau | Comments Off on Macao: Waiting to exhale; Trump gets favorable odds

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 15, 2019 by David McKee

“I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers For Trump. I have the tough people but they don’t play it tough—until they get to a certain point and then it would … Continue reading →

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

Bowing to Wynn; Mixed views on Las Vegas

Posted on February 28, 2019 by David McKee

Today the Massachusetts Gaming Commission meets to finalize its disgraceful prostration, er, litigation settlement with Steve Wynn and presumably to lay the groundwork for levying some manner of fine on Wynn Resorts now that Nevada has set a $20 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Caesars Entertainment, California, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Raiders, Laughlin, Massachusetts, Mesquite, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Reno, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wendover, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment