Category Archives: Entertainment

Flamingo sale? Forget it!; Mega-Jottings

Caesars Entertainment formally took the Flamingo off the sale block yesterday, at least for the foreseeable future. CEO Tom Reeg cited ‘market conditions‘ (odd when the Las Vegas Strip keeps breaking records). There is also the complication that Vici Properties … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Conventions, Cretins, Dan Lee, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Full House Resorts, Illinois, Indiana, Lake Las Vegas, Louisiana, Maine, Marketing, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, South Carolina, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Rio, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, William Hill | 4 Comments

Philly Live shows life; Massachusetts sports betting wins; S.C. scandal

In a truly doleful sign of the times, Philadelphia Live has reinstated metal detectors at its entrance. Also, in a nod to Covid-19, aka The Disease That Couldn’t Be Cured, it is handing out free face masks to patrons. Good … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Cordish Co., Entertainment, Health, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, South Carolina, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Peace in Atlantic City; Storm over Vegas

Along with Resorts Atlantic City, the Golden Nugget (seen above in its Trump Marina days) has inked a new labor pact with Unite-Here, bringing to an end any uncertainty about a strike on the Boardwalk. Workers get substantial pay increases, … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Churchill Downs, Cretins, Current, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Gary Goett, Genting, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Singapore, The Strip, Unite-Here, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Jottings for a Tuesday

You know it’s a slow news week when today’s front-and-center lead story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal is that a Lotus of Siam will open in a refreshed Red Rock Resort. With nothing of pressing urgency in the press these … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Bally, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, California, Card rooms, Cirque du Soleil, Cordish Co., Dining, DraftKings, Economy, Election, Entertainment, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Jottings for a Tuesday

Atlantic City notes; MGM Singapore?; Mega-Jottings

Ocean Casino Resort has unveiled its pricey new sports book and our Atlantic City correspondent deems it nothing short of “spectacular! In the center is a circular bar, surrounded by TV screens. There is a set of steps (and elevator) … Continue reading

Posted in Arkansas, Atlantic City, Bally, Detroit, Dining, Entertainment, Genting, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Illitch Family, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nebraska, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Real Estate, Singapore, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal, Unite-Here, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Recovery slowing but still going; Singapore soars

Although gambling revenues in Maryland decelerated somewhat from May, they were still 1% higher than last June and 14% more robust than 2019’s, for a total haul of $163 million. It was basically a two-horse race, with MGM National Harbor … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Crown Resorts, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Penn National, Rush Street Gaming, Singapore, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Washington State, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Atlantic City casinos avert crisis; Congressional absurdity

It was eyeball-to-eyeball and Big Gaming blinked. Faced with probable, heavy losses of business, Borgata—the casino with the most to lose—was first to come to terms with Local 54 of Unite-Here. Terms with most of the majors were reached an … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, California, Carl Icahn, Chicago, Dining, DraftKings, Entertainment, GLPI, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, Ocean Resort, Politics, Real Estate, Rhode Island, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Unite-Here, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Nasal amputation in Atlantic City; Goodbye, Hawaiian Marketplace

We’re back from vacation at last and pick up where we left: Atlantic City. The drop-dead date for contract talks (basically July 1, a full month past the expiry of the collective bargaining agreement) is drawing nigh and no progress … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Dining, Entertainment, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Internet gambling, Kazuo Okada, Macau, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Real Estate, Taxes, Technology, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Nasal amputation in Atlantic City; Goodbye, Hawaiian Marketplace

Atlantic City souvenirs

We’re feeling under the weather today, so we’re subletting S&G to our East Coast bureau. It reports that Harrah’s Philadelphia, a casino with all the charm of a warehouse, is looking to change its image. Coming later this month, it … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Entertainment, Golden Nugget, Ocean Resort, Pennsylvania | Comments Off on Atlantic City souvenirs

Vegas Strip bullish, locals more bearish; Penn plummets

Nevada enjoyed a $1.1 billion gambling-revenue month in April, an 8.5% increase over last year. Powering this was the Strip with $593.5 million, a 23% improvement. Downtown, by contrast, suffered a setback, down 11% to $67 million. Utahns must have … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, China, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Hard Rock International, Health, IGT, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Sands, Laughlin, Macau, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New York, North Las Vegas, Palms, Penn National, Reno, Resorts World LV, Rhode Island, Station Casinos, The Rio, The Strip, Tourism, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wendover, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Steve Wynn, Commie stooge?; Resorts World LV jumps shark

If there’s one thing Steve Wynn loves almost as much as money (and women to whom he is not married) it’s the Red Chinese. He’s been warbling sweet nothings about them ever since he got a gig in Macao as … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, Barstool Sports, Baseball, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, DraftKings, Economy, Entertainment, Failsinos, FanDuel, Florida, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, history, Internet gambling, Macau, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Real Estate, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, The Strip, WInd Creek, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

MGM beats forecast, makes overseas play; California controversy

According to Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli, the 1Q22 numbers for MGM Resorts International were “better than forecast” in Las Vegas and regionally, nor as bad as expected from Macao. Losses from BetMGM were worse than anticipated. Santarelli predicted cash … Continue reading

Posted in BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, California, Canada, Card rooms, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Downtown, DraftKings, Economy, Election, Entertainment, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, Maine, MGM Resorts International, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Resorts World LV, Sports betting, Taxes, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street | Comments Off on MGM beats forecast, makes overseas play; California controversy

Chicago blew it; Times Square, anyone? Monday Mega-Jottings

Even as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) blunders forward with her megaresort campaign, more voices are being raised in criticism of how the Second City is going about the process. A Crain’s Business analysis determined that “Each location appears to … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Baseball, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, China, Crown Resorts, Derek Stevens, Election, Entertainment, Environment, FanDuel, Galaxy Entertainment, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Health, Illinois, International, Kansas, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, United Kingdom, Virginia | 1 Comment

FSE gets new look; Tilman’s big bet; Boyd beats The Street

Fremont Street Experience will now be ‘branded content’ or, to put it less politely, a big-ass billboard for slot companies. Well, one slot company: Aristocrat Gaming. It’s inked a pact with FSE to present “an action-packed new video … The … Continue reading

Posted in Aristocrat, Boyd Gaming, Charity, Chicago, CityCenter, Downtown, Economy, Elaine Wynn, Entertainment, Hawaii, Internet gambling, Marketing, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Politics, Real Estate, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Chicago tips its hand; Wynn loses; Thunder Down Under

Would somebody clue in Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) that Neil Bluhm‘s Rush Street Gaming is no longer the majority owner of Rivers Casino Des Plaines? That honor goes to Churchill Downs. But Lightfoot is using Des Plaines as a … Continue reading

Posted in ABBA, Animals, Architecture, Australia, Bally, Boulder Strip, Caesars Entertainment, California, Chicago, Crown Resorts, Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock International, Health, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Law enforcement, Macau, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Money laundering, Neil Bluhm, New York, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Star Entertainment, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

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

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

Almost everyone prospers in Maryland; Broader revival continues

There’s no sign of “normalization” of gaming revenues in Maryland, where February yielded $163 million, a 19% gain over 2019. Horseshoe Baltimore continued to be somewhat sickly, down 14% to $18 million while everyone else climbed. The silver lining was … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Downtown Grand, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Golden Gaming, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Scientific Games, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

IGT: Biz as usual; Borgata ups the ante; Mega-Jottings

Wall Street analysts were rather ho-hum about International Game Technology‘s 4Q21 earnings announcement. The company’s cash flow from lotteries were almost exactly as predicted ($335.5 million, revenue of $687 million) while gaming brought in $66 million (on revenues of $321 … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Chicago, Cretins, Crown Resorts, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Health, IGT, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Law enforcement, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, New York, Ocean Resort, Philippines, Politics, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Virginia, Wall Street | 1 Comment

MGM boffo; Establishment freaks out over sports betting

“Viva Las Vegas” was the headline on Credit Suisse analyst Ben Chaiken‘s recap of 4Q21 earnings from MGM Resorts International. Wall Street expected $2.8 billion in revenue and $705 million in cash flow. MGM delivered $3.1 billion and $821 million, … Continue reading

Posted in BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Conventions, Cosmopolitan, DFS, Donald Trump, DraftKings, Election, Entertainment, Florida, Hard Rock International, Hawaii, Health, Illinois, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Lotteries, Macau, Marketing, Mattress Mack, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New York, Problem gambling, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Everybody wins; ‘Adele’ debuts; Ohio and Maryland prosper

Let’s start the day with a rare, feel-good story about an invalidated jackpot. Normally, these things go the way of the house. But not this time. On January 8, at Treasure Island, a player named Robert Taylor was playing the … Continue reading

Posted in Apollo Management, Aristocrat, Bally, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Fontainebleau, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Palms, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, United Kingdom, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Everybody wins; ‘Adele’ debuts; Ohio and Maryland prosper