Category Archives: Election

Biden lobbies Station; Important victory for Flynt, casinos

Posted on October 21, 2019 by David McKee

George GOP donor Frank Fertitta III is unlikely to put missives from Joe Biden at the top of his in-box. Thus it was more of a theatrical gesture than a substantive negotiation when Biden wrote to the Fertitta, in an open … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Cretins, Culinary Union, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Konami, Lake Tahoe, Law enforcement, Maryland, Massachusetts, Palms, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Technology, The Mob, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Many fewer Vegas knots tied; Golden Nugget expands

Posted on October 14, 2019 by David McKee

One of Las Vegas‘ mainstays and signature stocks in trade, its wedding industry, is down 42% (yes, 42%) from its 2004 peak. Mind you, it’s still a $2.5 billion business. But the quickie-wedding trade may be hurting and that wouldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Cirque du Soleil, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Kentucky, MGM Resorts International, Real Estate, Shuffle Master, Sports betting, Technology, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Many fewer Vegas knots tied; Golden Nugget expands

This just in …

Posted on October 3, 2019 by David McKee

It took two years but there is finally justice for the victims and survivors of the Mandalay Bay Massacre. They have reached a $735 million settlement with MGM Resorts International. That tab could exceed $800 million if more plaintiffs opt … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Election, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Resort fees | Comments Off on This just in …

Odds favor Trump; Whistleblower scandal at Caesars

Posted on September 30, 2019 by David McKee

Donald Trump has an excellent chance of surviving both the present impeachment inquiry and the 2020 election. That’s not punditry: It’s oddsmaking. BookerMaker.eu places The Donald as a 10/1 long shot for being unseated. Ironically, Trump nemesis Nicholas Maduro of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Conventions, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, International, Internet gambling, Sexual misconduct, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off on Odds favor Trump; Whistleblower scandal at Caesars

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 25, 2019 by David McKee

“A democracy cannot function effectively when its constituent members believe laws are being bought and sold.”—Justice John Paul Stevens.

Posted in Election | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 18, 2019 by David McKee

“Fall River mayor wins slot on reelection ballot after arrest for alleged extortion.”—headline in the Boston Globe

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

Like a Virgin: Mohegan Sun comes to Vegas

Posted on September 17, 2019 by David McKee

It’s official: Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment will be the casino manager of Virgin Hotel Las Vegas. “Aligning the MGE brand with Virgin Hotels Las Vegas extends our growing reach into yet another legendary global entertainment capital. Together with Virgin Hotels, experience seekers all … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Culinary Union, Election, Entertainment, Genting, Hard Rock Hotel, Hard Rock International, International, Mohegan Sun, Problem gambling, Security, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

MGM Springfield plays rope-a-dope; Big break for Cordish

Posted on August 20, 2019 by David McKee

With MGM Springfield well short of revenue projections (and cutting jobs), President Michael Mathis was sent out to do PR damage control. “I feel good about the trajectory,” he claimed. He blamed Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun for the shortfall: We … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arkansas, Cordish Co., Delaware, Dining, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Iowa, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

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

Casino aspirants elbow for advantage; T-Rex derby in Washington

Posted on July 12, 2019 by David McKee

Full House Resorts and Spectacle Entertainment are jostling for position in Terre Haute—provided that Vigo County voters approve a casino for the city. But will it beat nearby Danville to the punch? “Pending a positive outcome on the referendum, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Connecticut, Election, Entertainment, Full House Resorts, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Mohegan Sun, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Slot routes, Spectacle Entertainment, Taxes, Virginia, Warner Gaming | Comments Off on Casino aspirants elbow for advantage; T-Rex derby in Washington

Ohio prospers, others don’t; Labor trouble at Eldorado

Posted on July 11, 2019 by David McKee

Maryland continues to show signs of casino saturation. Revenue ($143 million) was down 4% last month. Not even MGM National Harbor ($57 million) was immune, off 4%. Slots were up 10% but table games got walloped, down 19%. Still, MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Florida, Full House Resorts, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Spectacle Entertainment, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Eldorado backpedals; Casinos for Nebraska in 2020?

Posted on July 3, 2019 by David McKee

While the consummation of the Eldorado Resorts/Caesars Entertainment marriage has yet to occur, already Eldorado CEO Tom Reeg is walking back some of his prenuptial promises. “I think that there’s more Strip exposure than we would need to accomplish our goals … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Florida, Hard Rock International, Iowa, Japan, Macau, Missouri, Nebraska, Ocean Resort, Planet Hollywood, Seminole Tribe, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Encore plays it safe; Wynn is for the birds

Posted on July 1, 2019 by David McKee

“Fifty shades of beige.” That’s the Boston Globe‘s verdict on the hotel rooms at Encore Boston Harbor. “There was nothing unpleasant about it, but that meant nearly every design choice was incredibly safe. Before the hotel opened, Encore Boston Harbor … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Election, Environment, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, Technology, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Encore plays it safe; Wynn is for the birds

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 20, 2019 by David McKee

“The Old Farmer’s Almanac suggests that sometimes the mind can be taken off the debilitating effects of prolonged illness by trying to memorize an impossibly long text, such as the Constitution or the list of Democratic presidential candidates.” — Farmer’s … Continue reading →

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

Wall Street loves Wynn, Penn, MGM

Posted on May 15, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff issued a post-1Q19 bulletin in which he named Wynn Resorts (growth), Penn National Gaming (value for share price) and MGM Resorts International (event-driven revenue) as his top picks in the gambling sphere. Wynn got a … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Internet gambling, Iowa, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pets, Pinnacle Entertainment, Problem gambling, Racinos, Sports betting, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wall Street loves Wynn, Penn, MGM

Nebraskans hope fifth time is the charm

Posted on April 15, 2019 by David McKee

It’s try-again time for casinos in Nebraska. Ho-Chunk Inc. CEO Lance Morgan announced last week that ballot language had been filed with the secretary of state’s office to authorize casino gambling at the state’s horse tracks, generating a projected $50 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Horseracing, Iowa, Nebraska, Racinos, Tribal | Comments Off on Nebraskans hope fifth time is the charm

Free-market forces in Atlantic City; Wire Act flip-flop

Posted on April 10, 2019 by David McKee

As one might anticipate in a highly competitive free market, the upsized Atlantic City casino industry saw 15% less cash flow last year. This is only to be expected with the addition of Hard Rock Atlantic City and Ocean Resort. Far … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Florida, Hard Rock International, history, International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ocean Resort, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Tilman Fertitta, TV | 1 Comment

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

More Tamares tomfoolery; MGM evicts Hard Rock brand

Posted on March 4, 2019 by David McKee

Tamares Group has been up to its usual shenanigans, using the Plaza Hotel as a stalking horse. The latter slapped a quickie eviction notice on the Beauty Bar, citing multiple incidents involving repeated calls to Las Vegas Metro as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Election, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Palms, Sports betting, Station Casinos | 1 Comment