Category Archives: Economy

Quote of the Day

‘I think sometimes what I feel is better than what I think, unfortunately or fortunately.”—Donald Trump, on economic recovery.

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy | 3 Comments

Fauci on sports; Churchill Downs “on track”

Bad news, sports bettors. Given the absence of widespread testing for Coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci is backpedaling on his projections that professional sports could resume this year. (As Fauci has said elsewhere, a model is just a model; when you … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Baseball, Churchill Downs, Crown Resorts, Economy, GameCO, Health, International, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Lawrence Ho, Lotteries, Marijuana, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sports, Technology, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Strip clocked, locals stronger; Montana reopens first

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

Boyd doing well; What price Vegas?

Boyd Gaming posted net revenues of that were down 18% for 1Q20, reflective of mid-March casino closures. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff termed the results ones “that reflected relatively strong trends in the first two months of the quarter.” Since … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Hard Rock International, Health, Horseracing, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Resort fees, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Sacrificial rites in Las Vegas

Without pointing any fingers of blame, the Coronavirus pandemic has laid bare a feeble testing response and an inability to get a vaccine before the public until year’s end at earliest (which we should have been expecting all along). It’s also … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Health, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Phil Ruffin, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Wynn Resorts | 7 Comments

Twin River advances, Maverick retreats; Sands optimistic

Twin River Holdings is now a player in Atlantic City. It must have driven a hard bargain, too, picking up lowly Bally’s for $25 million, mere pocket change. It had Caesars Entertainment and Eldorado Resorts over a barrel, as keeping … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Health, history, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, Maverick Gaming, Regulation, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Twin River, Virginia | 1 Comment

New opening for ‘Net bets; Goodman still under fire

With gaming reeling—and tax revenues along with it—Internet gambling may start looking more attractive to states that have previously scorned it. Sports betting has taken the lead, with Colorado poised to enter that fray. However, Morgan Stanley analyst Thomas Allen … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Culinary Union, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Health, Internet gambling, Morris Bailey, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Penn National, Real Estate, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, TV, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wisconsin | Comments Off on New opening for ‘Net bets; Goodman still under fire

Rescue for small casinos; Stitt makes a deal (or two)

If at first you don’t succeed, Bill Miller, try, try again. Persistence for the American Gaming Association prexy paid off with a new set of Small Business Administration rules for Paycheck Protection Program loans that include all business that receive … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Cantor Gaming, Economy, Las Vegas Sands, Lotteries, Mattress Mack, Oklahoma, Pets, Sports, Sports betting, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | Comments Off on Rescue for small casinos; Stitt makes a deal (or two)

Sands shakes off doldrums; MGM sitting pretty

Las Vegas Sands posted a Covid-19 impacted 1Q20. Room rates nudged upward year/year from $263 to $266, at 87% occupancy, resulting in a decline in revenue per available room from $249 to $199. Sands was modestly down at the tables, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, CityCenter, Economy, Health, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Real Estate, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Hornbuckle, Sternlicht send conflicting messages; Virgin is ailing

Add MGM Resorts International to the short list of Las Vegas hoteliers announcing reopening strategies. In a five-minute video presentation, CEO William Hornbuckle summarized many of the company’s charitable efforts during the crisis (bolstered by a $500,000 contribution from Dubai … Continue reading

Posted in Charity, Downtown, Dubai, Economy, Georgia, Health, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, The Strip, Transportation, Virgin Hotels, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

More woes for Penn; “A slog” for Encore Boston

Covid-19 has claimed another casino casualty in the form of Resorts Casino Tunica. Ironically, the Penn National Gaming closure comes after an abortive March which promised to exceed the 2019 in Mississippi. Overall gaming revenues were at $110 million when … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, California, Crown Resorts, Economy, GLPI, history, International, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Penn National, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on More woes for Penn; “A slog” for Encore Boston

Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

Just when it seemed like casinos in Virginia were a done deal, some last-minute tinkering by Gov. Ralph “Blackface” Northam (D) could scupper the whole deal. Northam unilaterally amended the enabling legislation to redirect two-thirds of the tax collections from … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Economy, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virgin Hotels, Virginia, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

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

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

Quote of the Day

“We’re a long way off from huge gatherings. We can’t reopen things simply because our hearts say that we want to.”—Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti

Posted in California, Economy, Health | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Northam covets slot tax; CEO suddenly out at Foxwoods

In Gov. Ralph Northam‘s Virginia there are two inevitabilities: death from Coronavirus and taxation of black-market slot routes. Northam wants to legitimize the devices (their unsanitary properties notwithstanding) in order to collect taxes off them. He rationalizes the move by … Continue reading

Posted in e-sports, Economy, Foxwoods, Health, International, Internet gambling, Politics, Problem gambling, Resorts World LV, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Virginia, William Hill | Comments Off on Northam covets slot tax; CEO suddenly out at Foxwoods

Tribes reel under pandemic; Lawyers: It’s OK to cheat

Although as many as 17% of tribal casinos may still be open, according to the American Gaming Association, that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of pain in Indian Country. Meister Economic Consulting, the go-to source on tribal gaming, estimates … Continue reading

Posted in California, Cirque du Soleil, Derek Stevens, Economy, Health, Mohegan Sun, Prostitution, South Dakota, South Korea, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Small casinos still screwed; Hedge funds on the prowl

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

Midwest: Casinos, interrupted

For some arcane reason, Illinois has not reported casino revenue for March. But we have a couple of neighboring states’ data and can conclude with reasonable certainty that it tracks with the Land of Lincoln. After a March 17 closure … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, Economy, Elaine Wynn, Eldorado Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Internet gambling, Iowa, Macau, Missouri, Movies, Oregon, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Technology | 1 Comment

Union: Where there’s a will, there’s a way

Discontent with casino management is spreading from Las Vegas to the Gulf Coast and beyond. In a Unite-Here teleconference, local union President Marlene Patrick Cooper expressed the general sentiment, saying, “This is a disaster that’s 10 times worse than Katrina. They chose … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, China, Derek Stevens, Dining, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Health, Herbst Gaming, Mississippi, Movies, Nevada, Regulation, The Strip, Unite-Here, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Culinary issues demands; Outlasting Coronavirus

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