Category Archives: Environment

Revel’s Faustian pact; Hope fades in Florida

Posted on April 22, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub finally got what he wanted, the right to ixnay the contracts of all the tenants at Revel, aka Polo North. After much hesitation during the constipated bankruptcy sale, Judge Gloria Burns finally ruled against the leaseholders, meaning the brawl … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Environment, Florida, Glenn Straub, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Phua case goes “poof!”; Texas casinos a mission impossible

Posted on April 20, 2015 by David McKee

A federal case against an unlicensed, do-it-yourself sports book collapsed like a pup tent when a federal judge tossed out both the premise of an FBI search and, by extension, the evidence gathered therefrom. In a warrantless search, G-men cut … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Environment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Texas, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Tightening the screws on Macao; While we were in recess

Posted on April 15, 2015 by David McKee

In what may come as bad news to casino operators, the Macao government is placing a quota on the number of mainland visitors the gaming enclave will allow per year: 21 million. On the other hand, the government is pivoting … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Environment, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, LVCVA, Macau, Marketing, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Technology, Tourism | 2 Comments

Las Vegas’ robust January; Measles in a casino

Posted on March 2, 2015 by David McKee

January was good for the State of Nevada (+8%) but especially powerful for the Las Vegas Strip, up 15%. The casinos played lucky, with baccarat winnings up 68.5%, despite 13.5% less being wagered. Strip slot revenues were up 4%, even … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Fontainebleau, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, New York, North Las Vegas, Riviera, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Midwest casino follies

Posted on February 25, 2015 by David McKee

Indiana municipalities caught a break when the state House of Representatives voted against scrapping the state’s $3 admission tax, which goes to casino-hosting localities. That keeps $200 million in the kitty of jurisdictions like LaPorte County, home to Boyd Gaming‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Environment, GLPI, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off

Can New York casinos work miracles?

Posted on February 16, 2015 by David McKee

“Do I believe in it? I believe in it. I think Sullivan County is destined for an absolute true turnaround,” says Monticello restaurateur Bill Sipos, when asked about the potential impact of Empire Resorts‘ Montreign (left) on his area. The project … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Environment, Neil Bluhm, New York, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Fisticuffs in Idaho; Wynn woos Bostonians

Posted on February 12, 2015 by David McKee

Idaho‘s Coeur d’Alene tribe got a taste of its own medicine when four lawmakers penned a letter to Gov. C.L. Butch Otter and to the U.S. Attorney’s office charging the tribe with being out of compliance with its compact. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Horseracing, Idaho, Massachusetts, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, Transportation, Tribal | Comments Off

Straub’s time runs short; Smoke gets in Macao’s eyes

Posted on February 10, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub may be $10 million the poorer after yet another deal for Revel has come apart at the seams. Straub wanted to expunge any obligations to Revel tenants. Federal courts would not let him. And, upon that impasse, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Downtown, Economy, Environment, George Maloof, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, history, Macau, Revel, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Caesars on the defensive

Posted on January 27, 2015 by David McKee

It’s Chicken Little time at Caesars Entertainment, where the company is sketching gloom-and-doom scenarios unless the court system goes along with its preferred timeline for a prepackaged bankruptcy. “If you go to the earlier filing day, you likely jettison the [restructuring support agreement],” … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Delaware, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Illinois, Louisiana, Wall Street | Comments Off

Stir crazy in Massachusetts

Posted on January 23, 2015 by David McKee

For all the restrictions it has placed upon its casinos, there’s one restraint the Massachusetts Gaming Commission wants to ease. It has proposed raising the $600 ‘IRS lockdown’ imposed on slot winners: “a player will not be able to play … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Rhode Island, Taxes | Comments Off

Saving Atlantic City; Smokeless in Iowa

Posted on December 4, 2014 by David McKee

In an effort to solve the problem otherwise known as Atlantic City, policymakers are floating a variety of remedies. One would see the city’s casinos make a lump sum payment of $150 million for two years, in lieu of property … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Environment, Harrah's, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Taxes | 1 Comment

Icahn’s olive branch

Posted on December 1, 2014 by David McKee

As the clock ticks down toward a Dec. 4 bankruptcy hearing at which Trump Entertainment Resorts could be dissolved, Carl Icahn is nothing if not optimistic. He continues to believe he can recoup the $286 million in debt he holds … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Environment, Genting, New York, Regulation, Taxes, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 2 Comments

Linking to The Linq; Tribal Internet push

Posted on November 4, 2014 by David McKee

After an unhappy interregnum as The Quad, the former Imperial Palace officially becomes The Linq today. (What was up with that Quad nonsense anyway?) It might as well be called “The Millennial,” given the number of amenities targeted to that … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Dining, Donald Trump, Environment, GTECH, Harrah's, IGT, Internet gambling, Technology, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Wynn’s oysters schucked

Posted on November 3, 2014 by David McKee

Details of Steve Wynn‘s site-remediation plan are starting to emerge and they include rendering tainted soil inert by mixing it with cement. What they don’t include anymore are oyster beds to process polluted Mystic River water. Government officials nixed this … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Environment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, PokerStars, Politics, Steve Wynn, Terry Caudill, Transportation | 1 Comment

Boyd impresses the Street, MGM disappoints

Posted on October 31, 2014 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming pleased Wall Street with its 3Q14 results, of which Joseph Greff of J.P. Morgan said “margin improvement was notable and impressive.” He noted modest growth in the Las Vegas locals and downtown segments and better-than-expected regional numbers, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Genting, Hawaii, Macau, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sam Nazarian, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Election Special: What’s at stake; Fire sale at Trump

Posted on October 28, 2014 by David McKee

We know the big enchilada is Massachusetts, where repeal of the state’s casino law is on the ballot. It looks like it’s going to lose big-time, but anti-gambling sentiment runs deep in parts of the state. We’ve already been over … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Charity, Colorado, Election, Environment, Kansas, Marketing, Massachusetts, Racinos, South Carolina, South Dakota, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

JFK returns to Vegas, poker comes to Philly

Posted on October 17, 2014 by David McKee

Tourist attractions just haven’t been clicking for the New Tropicana Las Vegas. But it’s trying again with “The JFK Exhibition,” announced today. Although John F. Kennedy‘s connections to Las Vegas were part of the seamy underside of Camelot, that only … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Downtown, Environment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Oscar Goodman, Pennsylvania, The Strip | Comments Off

Caesars wins times two

Posted on October 10, 2014 by David McKee

Congratulations are in order twice over for Caesars Entertainment. The company is towering over its competitors in the social-gaming sphere, according to Eilers Research. While Zynga still rules Facebook and DoubleDown Casino has thrown a lifeline to International Game Technology, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Detroit, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, IGT, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Let the games begin

Posted on October 3, 2014 by David McKee

After New Jersey‘s attorney generally unilaterally declared sports betting to be legal in the Garden State, the U.S. Department of Justice and four major sports leagues expressed their displeasure by going to court, seeking a reversal of the edict. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Environment, Genting, International, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sports | Comments Off

Wretched excess; Caesars’ good deeds

Posted on September 24, 2014 by David McKee

As long as Las Vegas casinos continue to provoke untrammeled, excessive behavior at their pool parties, they’re going to make the police blotter. It seems that one MGM Grand guest got an unwelcome surprise when he passed out in a restroom. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Arizona, Cretins, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off