Category Archives: Entertainment

Gaming exempt from Wall Street love; Harry-come-lately

Posted on March 3, 2020 by David McKee

Gaming stocks responded indifferently to yesterday’s Wall Street rally. Wynn Resorts was up and down but ultimately flat, MGM Resorts International ticked up 2%, Las Vegas Sands was flat and Melco Resorts & Entertainment slipped a percentage point. So much … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Conventions, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Entertainment, Harry Reid, Health, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Oregon, South Korea, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Gaming exempt from Wall Street love; Harry-come-lately

Bennett returns, Aguilera leaves, Adelsons idolized

Posted on March 2, 2020 by David McKee

The Las Vegas Strip will be blessed for three nights in August, as Tony Bennett returns to The Venetian. He’ll play the 12th, 14th and 15th, with an assist from Antonia Bennett. Tickets start at $50, with a portion of … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Entertainment, Florida, Health, history, IGT, Indiana, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, Maine, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, Oregon, Planet Hollywood, Problem gambling, Scientific Games, Scott Butera, Sheldon Adelson, Shuffle Master, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

Reeg savages Caesars; Catskills rescue plan

Posted on February 24, 2020 by David McKee

Having rashly committed $500 million in reinvestments to the Louisiana market (he’ll have to build whole new casinos to spend that much), Eldorado Resorts CEO Tom Reeg has to make those forfeited savings back somewhere. Potential sales of Caesars Entertainment‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Animals, Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Lotteries, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Planet Hollywood, Resorts World LV, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, The Rio, The Strip | 1 Comment

Nevada #1 in sin; AGA targets black-market slots

Posted on February 18, 2020 by David McKee

There used to be a saying that Nevada was at the top of all the bad lists and the bottom of all the good ones. How do you feel about this one? WalletHub has ranked Nevada as the “most sinful” … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Baseball, Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Nevada, Problem gambling, Regulation, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Nevada #1 in sin; AGA targets black-market slots

The new China syndrome

Posted on February 11, 2020 by David McKee

Junket operators and gaming companies in Macao are donating $22.5 million to help find a coronavirus cure. Good on them. Would that we could say half that about the government of China, which has bungled a localized virus into a … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, China, CityCenter, Election, Entertainment, Health, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, Nevada, Oklahoma, Penn National, Rush Street Gaming, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on The new China syndrome

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 7, 2020 by David McKee

“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”—Albert Einstein

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MGM, Cordish boom in Maryland; Here come the robots

Posted on February 6, 2020 by David McKee

Turns out the Maryland market hasn’t quite been saturated, after all. January saw 6% growth in gambling revenue, led by MGM National Harbor‘s $58.5 million (+4%). Slots at MGM were up 10% but table win down 2%. MGM had 40% … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Japan, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Ohio, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Technology, The Strip, West Virginia | Comments Off on MGM, Cordish boom in Maryland; Here come the robots

Turnaround at Station; Suburban sexcapades

Posted on February 5, 2020 by David McKee

Things are looking up for Station Casinos. The latest dispatch from JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff was optimistic, citing “a market that should experience solid 2% to 3% [gross gaming revenue] growth and possesses the ability to harvest margin growth as … Continue reading →

Posted in Diversity, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, International, Kentucky, Las Vegas Raiders, Law enforcement, Mohegan Sun, Pahrump, Palms, Racinos, Real Estate, Regulation, Reno, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Case Bets

Posted on February 4, 2020 by David McKee

My head feels more disorganized than the Iowa Democratic caucuses (and that’s going some), so take a few Case Bets and call me in the morning … * Our salient recollection of Valentine’s Day in Las Vegas involves taking the … Continue reading →

Posted in Conventions, Dining, Election, Entertainment, FanDuel, history, International, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Scientific Games, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, TV, Virgin Hotels | 2 Comments

Super Bowl: Mack the Mark; Oscar odds predict upset

Posted on February 3, 2020 by David McKee

Yes, the Super Bowl has finally come and gone, and congratulations to those of you who took the under on the total points scored (51) and the number of times Mike Shanahan was shown on camera (0). If there was … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Entertainment, Florida, Hard Rock International, history, International, Marketing, Mattress Mack, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Super Bowl: Mack the Mark; Oscar odds predict upset

It’s Greek to them; Super Bowl odds amuse

Posted on January 27, 2020 by David McKee

Despite having lost its bid for the Hellenikon megaresort concession, Hard Rock International isn’t taking rejection lying down. “While we are disappointed by this news, we are more disappointed in the process. Hard Rock firmly believes it was wrongly disqualified … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Conventions, Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock International, Indiana, International, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Movies, New Jersey, Sports, Sports betting, The Mob, TV | Comments Off on It’s Greek to them; Super Bowl odds amuse

Year of the Rat off to bad start; NLRB spanks Station; JoBro!

Posted on January 24, 2020 by David McKee

Coronavirus has reared its ugly head in the United States, the second case being of a Chicago woman who started manifesting symptoms several days after returning from China. Reports the Boston Globe, “Doctors with the Centers for Disease Control and … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Culinary Union, Entertainment, Health, history, Illinois, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Year of the Rat off to bad start; NLRB spanks Station; JoBro!

Draft Day is coming; Station rebounds

Posted on January 23, 2020 by David McKee

As you know, the next NFL draft will be continued on the Las Vegas Strip. The official plan has been released and we don’t know whether to be impressed or to laugh. In what has to be the most fey NFL … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, China, Entertainment, Genting, Indiana, Japan, Macau, Movies, New Jersey, Palms, Sports, Station Casinos, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Springfield: The boss hits town

Posted on January 17, 2020 by David McKee

After a worst-month-ever December at MGM Springfield, company CEO Jim Murren has apparently had enough. He flew into Springfield today to put a bit of stick about, as the Brits would say. His ostensible purpose is to hang out with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, GLPI, history, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Penn National, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on Springfield: The boss hits town

Stitt robs public purse; Hard Rock blindsided

Posted on January 9, 2020 by David McKee

Oklahoma citizens may find themselves using the term “Indian giver” to describe Gov. Kevin Stitt (R). He’s planning to plunder the state’s rake of tribal gaming revenue to defend against a lawsuit brought by the state’s three biggest tribes. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Cirque du Soleil, Culinary Union, Election, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Japan, MGM Resorts International, Oklahoma, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV, Virginia | 2 Comments

Brandes’ big bet; Skill-based slots catching on

Posted on January 2, 2020 by David McKee

“We think it’s time for Florida to take it out of the shadows and into the sunshine,” said state Sen. Jeff Brandes (R). He was speaking of sports betting which, like daily fantasy sports, is currently illegal in the Sunshine … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Caesars Entertainment, Entertainment, Florida, GameCO, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tribal | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 30, 2019 by David McKee

“Slot players want to be in an energetic environment, but don’t want anyone in their personal space.”—The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Vice President of Slot Operations Kevin Sweet.

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Georgia solons mull gambling; DraftKings’ big deal

Posted on December 26, 2019 by David McKee

“I do think there’s momentum for something to happen this session,” state Sen. Brandon Beach (R, below) said of legalizing gambling in Georgia, although solons remain undecided on whether to add sports betting to the package they’ll be proposing. “We … Continue reading →

Posted in California, DraftKings, Economy, Entertainment, Georgia, Horseracing, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Neil Bluhm, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Georgia solons mull gambling; DraftKings’ big deal

S&G theme music

Posted on December 22, 2019 by David McKee

When I write these pages I’m usually listening to opera. And very often it is Piotr Illych Tchaikovsky‘s The Queen of Spades, which—in one sense—can be viewed as a cautionary tale of what happens when one takes their gambling obsession … Continue reading →

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Station faces the music; Atlantic City dissed

Posted on December 16, 2019 by David McKee

Imagine how much of a world of hurt Station Casinos would be in if DJs Marshmello and Skrillex hadn’t quit instead of having their high-priced sinecures ($60 million in Mr. Marshmello’s case) terminated, as happened to Ryan Raddon, aka Kaskade. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Internet gambling, Japan, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Oklahoma, Palms, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | 1 Comment