Category Archives: El Cortez

All Atlantic City, all the time; Gone to the dogs; Mega-Jottings

Posted on June 20, 2023 by David McKee

Although terrestrial casino revenue dipped 2.5% last month, New Jersey casinos made out like bandits online, with i-gambling up 19% and sports betting leapt 33.5%. In Atlantic City the gross was $227 million at traditional casinos, as a sharp decline … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, DraftKings, El Cortez, Election, Entertainment, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ocean Resort, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Politics, Reno, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, Slot routes, Sports betting, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal, Vermont, Vici Properties, Virginia, Wall Street, West Virginia, WInd Creek, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Station goes off its meds; Hochul names casino pickers

Posted on October 4, 2022 by David McKee

Richard Schuetz writes today that “the reality of casino company board rooms is that they are overwhelmed with way too much testosterone.” That certainly seems to be the case at Station Casinos, which has announced seven projects to be executed … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Downtown, El Cortez, Failsinos, history, Indiana, Michael Gaughan, New York, North Carolina, North Las Vegas, Oklahoma, Palms, Regulation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Station Casinos, Tribal | 3 Comments

Industry waffles on Sisolak; Illinois ekes upward

Posted on August 8, 2022 by David McKee

Cynicism, thy name is Big Gaming. Whereas its chips were all in with Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) the last time around, now it has a dampened finger held upwards, testing which way the wind is blowing. The Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, DraftKings, El Cortez, Election, Ellis Island, FanDuel, Genting, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Nevada, New York, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, PointsBet, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Mulligan in Virginia; Caesars makes peace; Labor strife in Vegas

Posted on March 22, 2022 by David McKee

Richmond Mayor LeVar Stoney (D) is going to get his dearest wish: an electoral do-over for the Urban One casino proposal, which voters narrowly nixed at the ballot box last November. A year later, the electorate will get a chance … Continue reading →

Posted in Barstool Sports, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Culinary Union, Dining, El Cortez, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Health, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, Palms, Penn National, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, South Carolina, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, TV, Unite-Here, Virginia, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Mulligan in Virginia; Caesars makes peace; Labor strife in Vegas

Further growth projected for Vegas; Arizona sports betting upheld

Posted on September 7, 2021 by David McKee

As we await tomorrow’s reopening of Main Street Station, a set of projections comes from Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli that should have Las Vegas casino owners rubbing their hands with glee. Mind you, Santarelli might be erring on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Economy, El Cortez, Indiana, Las Vegas Raiders, Louisiana, Michael Gaughan, Missouri, Ohio, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Getting nasty in Florida; Police blotter

Posted on June 4, 2021 by David McKee

A “tortured artifice.” That’s what Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber (D) calls the new Florida gaming compact in a letter to the Interior Department. He urged them to reject the deal, not because of any issues with the Seminole Tribe, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Donald Trump, Drugs, Economy, El Cortez, Entertainment, Florida, G2E, Hard Rock International, Health, Horseracing, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Money laundering, North Carolina, Pansy Ho, Politics, Problem gambling, Seminole Tribe, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

It’s lonely in Massachusetts; A dose of realism

Posted on December 16, 2020 by David McKee

Massachusetts gamblers are night owls. When Gov. Charlie Baker (R) ordered casinos to close at 9:30 p.m. it took a big bite out of November revenues, particularly Encore Boston Harbor, which makes half its revenue after dark. At least you … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally, Charity, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, El Cortez, Entertainment, Florida, Genting, Health, history, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New York, Penn National, Rhode Island, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Massachusetts strong; Housekeepers under threat

Posted on September 16, 2020 by David McKee

Gambling win was down only 17% in Massachusetts last month for a statewide gross of $71 million. Plainridge Park posted $10 million for an average of $273/win/slot/day (it was $325 the previous August), dropping 16% on 16% less coin-in. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Economy, El Cortez, Environment, Health, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Baby steps in Massachusetts, leaps and bounds in Pennsylvania

Posted on August 18, 2020 by David McKee

Given that Plainridge Park didn’t reopen until July 8, and Encore Boston Harbor and MGM Springfield not for two more days after that, it’s wholly understandable that Massachusetts gambling revenue was down 44% last month. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, El Cortez, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street, Westgate LV, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Casino scandal in D.C.

Posted on June 25, 2020 by David McKee

Massachusetts‘ Mashpee Wampanoag tribe continues to fight on against a Trump administration decertification of their status, in a case that’s sticking to the White House like a tar baby. Whose market share would be most impinged by a Mashpee casino? … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Derek Stevens, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Downtown Grand, El Cortez, Election, Florida, Hard Rock International, Health, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Palms, Politics, Sports betting, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal, Twin River | 2 Comments

Crackdown in Vegas

Posted on June 25, 2020 by David McKee

Perhaps Las Vegas will not be the latest vector of Covid-19 after all. Having taken a wait-and-see attitude toward safety protocols during the shutdown, Caesars Entertainment was first out of the gate in cracking down on mask scofflaws. The company … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Downtown, El Cortez, Entertainment, Health, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Regulation | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 15, 2020 by David McKee

“Stayed at the D on the 6th of June, was a little taken back by the lack of social distancing and crowded conditions. The D was doing temperature checks of everyone coming through the doors but unlike the other casinos … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, Downtown Grand, El Cortez, Golden Nugget, MGM Resorts International, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Stevens doubles down; Bullish LV reopenings

Posted on May 28, 2020 by David McKee

Derek Stevens‘ 1,000-free-flights promotional gambit was such a wild success that the mogul has offered 700 airlifts more. But hurry: Stevens has extended his mega-comp to 12 additional cities, from Atlanta to Tampa. We only quibble about Stevens adding Boston … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Brothels, Cosmopolitan, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Economy, El Cortez, Golden Gaming, Health, Nevada, Sahara, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Big Hoosier handle; Caudill empire expands

Posted on October 11, 2019 by David McKee

Indiana sports books generated $35 million in handle last month, translating to $8.5 million in revenue, taxed at 9.5%. “Indiana’s sportsbooks are in their infancy, but their ability to capitalize on the Chicago market did not take long to produce … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Derek Stevens, Diversity, Downtown, El Cortez, Eldorado Resorts, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Penn National, Real Estate, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Terry Caudill, The Mob, The Strip, Wayne F. Newton, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Big Hoosier handle; Caudill empire expands

Churchill Downs’ bet pays off; Mob up at El Cortez

Posted on July 17, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan‘s Daniel Politzer expects Churchill Downs to be a winner thrice over in Illinois: first, a lower tax rate on table games, starting in 2020; second, a potential 800 additional gaming positions at Rivers Casino Des Plaines (which will … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, Downtown, El Cortez, Horseracing, Illinois, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Politics, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Taxes, The Mob, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Churchill Downs’ bet pays off; Mob up at El Cortez