Category Archives: Harrah's

Trump’s hollow victory; Seminoles make new friends

Posted on March 10, 2015 by David McKee

In a display of either weakness or stupidity, Carl Icahn has caved in to Donald Trump and reached an agreement to keep the TV star’s name on Trump Taj Mahal. As anyone who’s followed the dwindling of the Trump empire from … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Florida, Harrah's, Marketing, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 3 Comments

Caesars’ pension woes

Posted on March 10, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment got the boot in a big way from the National Retirement Fund, which bounced the company’s three Atlantic City casinos from membership. It also demanded $462 million from the company for “alleged withdrawal liability.” Although the NRF voted … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Harrah's | Comments Off on Caesars’ pension woes

GLPI makes play for Pinnacle; Caesars aims to dismantle casino

Posted on March 9, 2015 by David McKee

Gaming & Leisure Properties‘ track record to date has been unimpressive, its big acquisition play being underperforming Casino Queen in East St. Louis. Contrast that with GLPI’s boastful talk that the phone would be ringing off the hook with purchase … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Mississippi, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Caesars wins some, loses some; Dotty’s drives Station batty

Posted on March 5, 2015 by David McKee

“I don’t have any authority to disband a committee that the U.S. trustee has appointed,” said Judge A. Benjamin Goldgar, handing a victory to the second-tier debtors in the Caesars Entertainment bankruptcy. Caesars had sought to have the creditors’ watchdog committee … Continue reading →

Posted in Dotty's, Harrah's, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars wins some, loses some; Dotty’s drives Station batty

Fly the friendly slots; New tax takes aim at slot routes

Posted on March 4, 2015 by David McKee

Unlike most states, Maryland hasn’t hit the saturation mark and a bill to put a slot route into Thurgood Marshall Airport will probably have little effect on that. The slots will only be accessible to ticketed passengers, with the idea … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Cordish Co., Dotty's, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Maryland, Michael Gaughan, Politics, Taxes, Technology, Transportation | Comments Off on Fly the friendly slots; New tax takes aim at slot routes

Naughtiness at Las Vegas Sands; Caesars makes bankruptcy plan official

Posted on March 4, 2015 by David McKee

Sands China could have some stateside problems. Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez is mulling whether or not to slap Sands’ wrist for tampering with evidence. The documents in question are part of a wrongful-termination lawsuit brought by former Sands China CEO Steven … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, IGT, International, Macau, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off on Naughtiness at Las Vegas Sands; Caesars makes bankruptcy plan official

Caesars’ wheel of pain

Posted on March 3, 2015 by David McKee

“Loveman ‘fascinated’ by complexities of High Roller,” read one of today’s headlines. Perhaps he ought to be more fascinated by the complexities of Caesars Entertainment‘s bankruptcy, of which he is the undisputed architect. The company announced quarterly earnings yesterday, losing … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 3 Comments

First big hurdle in Indiana cleared

Posted on March 2, 2015 by David McKee

Both the Indiana state Senate and Gov. Mike Pence (R) could still nix the deal, but the Indiana House of Representatives voted 76-19 to put riverboat casinos ashore and OK live dealers at the state’s Indiana Grand and Hoosier Park racinos. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Genting, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Macau, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, South Dakota | Comments Off on First big hurdle in Indiana cleared

Caesars quits Ohio; Adelson’s Iran problem

Posted on March 2, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment‘s portfolio is lighter to the tune of two Ohio casinos and a racino. The beleaguered company sold its 20% in Horseshoe Cleveland, Horseshoe Cincinnati and ThistleDown Racino to majority shareholder Rock Ohio Ventures, giving Dan Gilbert full control … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Gilbert, GTECH, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, IGT, International, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, Warner Gaming | 2 Comments

Straub still hearts Revel; Setback in Indiana

Posted on February 24, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub‘s abusive/co-dependent relationship with Revel AC continues, even though federal bankruptcy court has driven a stake through his $95 million purchase agreement for the beached whale of a casino. As Judge Gloria Burns, who has presided over the soap … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, history, Indiana, Lake Tahoe, Politics, Revel, South Dakota, Taxes, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Bigamy in New York; Bluster in New Jersey

Posted on February 24, 2015 by David McKee

Empire Resorts‘ Montreign Resort Casino project has two things in common with Rivers Casino & Resort and Lago Resort & Casino (well, three if you count the fact that none has been built yet). All were chosen from among 16 … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Cordish Co., Genting, Harrah's, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Scientific Games, Technology | 1 Comment

Caesars foe now its BFF; Suffolk Downs returns

Posted on February 20, 2015 by David McKee

Considering that it is the owner of Caesars Interactive and WSOP.com, one would hardly expect Caesars Entertainment to welcome PokerStars back to the U.S. market. But that is precisely what it has done, proclaiming that “we need to focus on where … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, World Series of Poker | 2 Comments

Tilman Fertitta’s blockbuster

Posted on February 19, 2015 by David McKee

When looked on Ye Olde Same Store Basis, gaming revenues in Louisiana are good enough, up 4%. Add Tilman Fertitta‘s Golden Nugget Lake Charles to the mix and revs shoot up 17%. No, that’s not a typo. The Nugget is … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Downtown, Entertainment, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Tilman Fertitta’s blockbuster

Good and bad news for Caesars

Posted on February 17, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment‘s last hopes for a Massachusetts casino are slipping through its fingers. A federal appeals court ruled in favor of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and cleared Chairman Stephen Crosby of any charges of untoward conduct. Judge David Souter ruled … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal | Comments Off on Good and bad news for Caesars

We’re Number One; Adelson goes Disney

Posted on February 13, 2015 by David McKee

Las Vegas is officially the epicenter of the nightclub universe. Seven of the 10 top-grossing clubs in Nightclub & Bar‘s 2014 survey are on the Las Vegas Strip. The honor roll is topped by XS Nightclub, followed by Hakkasan, Marquee … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Palms, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology | Comments Off on We’re Number One; Adelson goes Disney

Whither Bally’s?; Boffo January for Atlantic City

Posted on February 12, 2015 by David McKee

From publicly mulling a Horseshoe rebranding to talk of a new hotel tower, Caesars Entertainment has never seemed to know quite what to do with Bally’s Las Vegas, white elephant of its parade of Strip casinos. The Las Vegas Weekly‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Whither Bally’s?; Boffo January for Atlantic City

More trouble for Taj; Revel sale hangs by a thread

Posted on February 12, 2015 by David McKee

It seems that Trump Taj Mahal has been rather cavalier about reporting large transactions and suspicious financial activities to FinCEN. For instance, when customers’ names and Social Security numbers didn’t square, Taj management still didn’t pursue the discrepancies. The Taj ‘fessed … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Regulation, Revel, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on More trouble for Taj; Revel sale hangs by a thread

Hoosier State comeback; Surprise contenders in Ohio

Posted on February 10, 2015 by David McKee

In light of all the gaming growth being experienced in Ohio, results in Indiana are not quite as roseate as in Illinois or Missouri, say. But they’re beating analyst expectations by impressive margins. Crunching the numbers, Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Kansas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Could saturation have peaked?

Posted on February 10, 2015 by David McKee

It’s a banner day when casino revenues in Illinois grow 8.5%. It’s no illusion: In context, $115.5 million is a pretty good haul. A downward spiral in gas prices may already be showing up in slot hoppers and drop boxes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Foxwoods, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

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