Category Archives: Galaxy Entertainment

Donald Trump, stiff; Partial labor peace in Atlantic City

Posted on June 30, 2016 by David McKee

One of the benefits of Donald Trump‘s current ubiquity is that it has belatedly spurred the press into debunking the myth that he was a successful casino operator in Atlantic City. A particularly damning Associated Press story connects the dots … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Galaxy Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Donald Trump, stiff; Partial labor peace in Atlantic City

Case Bets: California, Florida, Minnesota, Macao

Posted on April 28, 2016 by David McKee

In a dramatic development, the six-tribe coalition that opposed letting PokerStars into California stood aside, clearing the path to unanimous approval by the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee of a bill by state Rep. Adam Gray that would legalize online poker in … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Election, Florida, Galaxy Entertainment, history, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Macau, Minnesota, PokerStars, Politics, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Case Bets: California, Florida, Minnesota, Macao

Galaxy thinks big; Hoping against hope in Illinois

Posted on March 9, 2016 by David McKee

Feeling the pressure to diversify the market appeal of his casino resorts, Galaxy Entertainment CEO Lui Che-Woo is talking vaguely about a theme park, “something special and high-tech,” similar to the movie Avatar. Note that James Cameron isn’t explicitly involved … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment, Illinois, Kentucky, Macau, Politics, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off on Galaxy thinks big; Hoping against hope in Illinois

Arc de scandale; New Illinois casino nominee

Posted on January 7, 2016 by David McKee

Macao is still reeling from an embezzlement scandal involving a Wynn Macau junket operator and now $13 million has gone missing from L’Arc, a sublicensee of Sociedade de Jogos de Macau and owned by SJM’s Angela Leong. This immediately raised … Continue reading →

Posted in Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Illinois, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Arc de scandale; New Illinois casino nominee

No Great Pumpkin for Las Vegas; Further woe for Macao

Posted on December 1, 2015 by David McKee

It was Las Vegas Strip casinos’ bad luck to have Oct. 31 fall on a Saturday, meaning that revenues (particularly from slots) from that weekend won’t be reported until the end of November. Consequently, Strip revenues fell 5% in October, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Law enforcement, Macau, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 1 Comment

All’s well at Penn; Mulroy’s misdeed; Discomfort at Studio City

Posted on October 22, 2015 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming pleasantly surprised Wall Street, reporting third-quarter revenue of $739 million and $210 million in cash flow, exceeding projections by $8 million and $11 million, respectively. It paid out $109 million in rent to Gaming & Leisure Properties … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, GLPI, Illinois, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on All’s well at Penn; Mulroy’s misdeed; Discomfort at Studio City

Steve Wynn’s an unhappy camper

Posted on October 16, 2015 by David McKee

A decade ago, Steve Wynn would badmouth doing business in Nevada and warble sweet hymns to that capitalist’s paradise, China. How times change. On yesterday’s quarterly earnings call, Wynn was apoplectic about the Chinese government’s shifting policies in re Macao. “In … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, International, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Baccarat slays the Strip; Do gambling and pot mix?

Posted on September 30, 2015 by David McKee

Lack of a Labor Day weekend had a minimal effect on Nevada statewide gaming revenues in August (-1%). Lower and luckier baccarat play — 17% less drop and 24% less winnings for the house — hurt particularly (especially when one … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, Macau, Maine, Massachusetts, Penn National, South Dakota, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Baccarat slays the Strip; Do gambling and pot mix?

Problem gambling’s poster girl; Smoke gets in Macao’s eyes

Posted on September 25, 2015 by David McKee

Meet Dianna Duran, secretary of state for New Mexico and, as of this week, America’s most prominent gambling addict. She’s been hit with a 64-count corruption indictment for, among other things, alleged money laundering and embezzlement. Duran is accused of … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Environment, Galaxy Entertainment, Macau, Problem gambling, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Problem gambling’s poster girl; Smoke gets in Macao’s eyes

A lesson from Ohio; Murren goes to Georgia; Big changes at Sands

Posted on September 16, 2015 by David McKee

Two years ago, Ohio was grappling with what J.P. Morgan analysts called “a sluggish ramp” for its casino industry. He may have been against casinos before he was for them but Gov. John Kasich‘s supersized version of predecessor Ted Strickland‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, Georgia, Harrah's, Horseracing, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on A lesson from Ohio; Murren goes to Georgia; Big changes at Sands

Tribe outfoxes Arizona; Macao is glutted

Posted on September 11, 2015 by David McKee

Rather than continue waiting for Arizona casino czar Daniel Bergin to reverse himself and give them permission to open a Class III casino, the Tohono O’odham Nation has done an end run. It will open with 1,089 Class II electronic … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Culinary Union, Galaxy Entertainment, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Palms, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Uncategorized, Wall Street | Comments Off on Tribe outfoxes Arizona; Macao is glutted

Bidding war in cyberspace; Adelson flexes Macao muscles

Posted on September 2, 2015 by David McKee

Having been outbid by GVC Holdings and jilted by Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Israeli-based 888 Holdings is upping the ante again in what is shaping up as the bidding war of the year. Meanwhile, Internet gamblers can look forward to a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Galaxy Entertainment, International, Macau, Neil Bluhm, New York, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho | Comments Off on Bidding war in cyberspace; Adelson flexes Macao muscles

It’s Galaxy’s turn to take a hit; Tohono O’odham file suit

Posted on August 20, 2015 by David McKee

Add Galaxy Entertainment to the companies taking on the chin in the Macao economy. The casino firm just posted a 46% drop in cash flow for 2Q15. Leading by example, Chairman Lui Che Woo announced a freeze in executive salaries … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Philippines, Regulation, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on It’s Galaxy’s turn to take a hit; Tohono O’odham file suit

Studio City in trouble; Tribal clash in Massachusetts

Posted on August 13, 2015 by David McKee

Melco Crown Entertainment is in Eeyore mood these days, darkly muttering about a “contingency plan” for Studio City if the Macao government doesn’t give it 400 table games. As far back as its 2014 annual report, the company was making … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Election, Galaxy Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Studio City in trouble; Tribal clash in Massachusetts

What’s up, Macao?; Strange plan from Full House

Posted on August 6, 2015 by David McKee

Lawrence Ho minces few words in an interview with Bloomberg News about the autumn opening of Studio City, the $3.2 billion rescue project of Melco Crown Entertainment. It’s difficult to decide what’s strangest about the project. Is it having Batman, … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Lee, Galaxy Entertainment, Indiana, Kentucky, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Ohio, Regulation, Transportation | Comments Off on What’s up, Macao?; Strange plan from Full House

Meet Galaxy Entertainment; The lion grumbles; Steve Wynn gets in touch with inner Scrooge

Posted on July 31, 2015 by David McKee

In Macao, “a pharaonic exercise in overbuilding” may be a canny strategy for a post-crisis economy. Once the Chinese government drives the money launderers from the Macanese temple and develops adjacent Hengqin Island into a family friendly plethora of resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Reno, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wisconsin | Comments Off on Meet Galaxy Entertainment; The lion grumbles; Steve Wynn gets in touch with inner Scrooge