Category Archives: history

Trump takes with one hand, gives with other

Posted on March 28, 2018 by David McKee

The Trump administration has lent a new meaning to ‘Indian giver,’ seizing $10 million held in escrow by the Pojoaque Pueblo while the latter tries to negotiate a new compact with New Mexico. The Pojoaque Pueblo had been operating without a … Continue reading →

Posted in Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Downtown, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Racinos, Sports, Technology, Tribal, Vietnam | 1 Comment

Betrayal

Posted on March 22, 2018 by David McKee

Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino need to watch their backs. A bill to reopen the state’s casino-award process has made it to the floor of the Connecticut House. The word of the state, it seems, is not worth the … Continue reading →

Posted in Derek Stevens, Downtown, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Sports, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Betrayal

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 22, 2018 by David McKee

“It was like, ‘Wow, you’re going to build a bingo hall in a field outside of Worley?’ It was a wetland. There were ducks floating around. It seemed pretty silly at the time.” — Public Affairs & Cultural Tourism Director Laura Stensgar … Continue reading →

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MGM wins race in Macao; Wynn complaints proliferate

Posted on February 14, 2018 by David McKee

Whew! For a while it was looking as though MGM Grand Cotai wouldn’t make it out of the starting blocks in time for Chinese New Year. However, the megaresort opened yesterday, with room to spare before the all-important holiday. Architecturally … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, history, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Steve Wynn, West Virginia, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on MGM wins race in Macao; Wynn complaints proliferate

Caesars seeks to transform New Orleans skyline

Posted on February 7, 2018 by David McKee

Harrah’s New Orleans was built on the presumption that it would have neither hotel rooms nor restaurant, thereby not sapping the businesses around it. Through some clever — one might even say Machievallian — maneuvers by then-CEO Phil Satre, both … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Tribal | Comments Off on Caesars seeks to transform New Orleans skyline

Wynn: “The End of an Era”

Posted on February 7, 2018 by David McKee

That’s how Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli headlined his investor note alerting stockholders to the news that Wynn Resorts CEO/Chairman Steve Wynn has opted to step down. One can only speculate, but Carrie Geer Thevenot‘s long-buried Las Vegas Review-Journal report … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, George Maloof, history, Macau, Massachusetts, Nevada, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 5, 2018 by David McKee

“The main thing is the game itself. If only you knew how it carries one away.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky on the subject of gambling, his greatest weakness.

Posted in history, Problem gambling | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Wynn’s disgrace continues; Robots overthrow Las Vegas

Posted on February 1, 2018 by David McKee

It’s getting to the point that one wishes Steve Wynn would just go away quietly and take the saga of his sagging, septuagenarian genitals with him. But the news is rarely convenient like that. Fox News is reporting that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Economy, GLPI, history, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, Unite-Here | 3 Comments

New investigation of Wynn; Eldorado on the prowl

Posted on January 31, 2018 by David McKee

After several days of uncertainty, it’s definitive: The Nevada Gaming Control Board will investigate the allegations of sex abuse against Steve Wynn. In the past the NGCB has been only too willing to look the other way when prominent Nevada … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colorado, Downtown, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Florida, history, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Regulation, Reno, Sexual misconduct, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on New investigation of Wynn; Eldorado on the prowl

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 17, 2018 by David McKee

“You always hear people saying ‘Risking their life.’ He actually gave up his life for the betterment of all of us to be able to live in a free world and for us to be able to have a voice, … Continue reading →

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Quote of the Day

Posted on January 16, 2018 by David McKee

“Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” — Martin Luther King, from his Letter from a Birmingham jail, April 1963.

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Disney teams with casino owners; Tribes on the march

Posted on January 11, 2018 by David McKee

In the strangest coalition I have ever seen, the anti-casino Disney empire has joined with the Seminole Tribe to author a proposal that would take casino approval out of the hands of the Legislature (which hasn’t done a great job, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Election, Florida, history, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Racinos, Technology, Tribal | 2 Comments

Caesars gets bigger, Boyd gets smarter

Posted on January 3, 2018 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment doesn’t have a great history with IPOs. But it also has a considerable debt load that isn’t going away without drastic measures. To that end, REIT Vici Properties is mulling a stock offering that aims to drum up … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, history, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Regulation, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Revel bought? Straub says no; R.I.P., Keely Smith

Posted on December 19, 2017 by David McKee

Revel/Ten may have yet another name soon, now that wannabe buyer Bruce Defik has done what Glenn Straub wouldn’t: apply for a New Jersey gaming license. Straub continues to assert that there is no deal in place but “a court … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Detroit, Dining, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, history, Internet gambling, James Packer, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Revel bought? Straub says no; R.I.P., Keely Smith

The Main Event; Macao roars

Posted on December 1, 2017 by David McKee

Monday is the big day: Oral arguments in the Supreme Court over Christie v. NCAA. It’s an understatement to say the gaming industry is getting pretty excited over the hearing, which is expected to lead to a rejection of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Economy, history, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Mississippi, Nevada, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Main Event; Macao roars

Swings and roundabouts in Louisiana; Sexual harassment in Las Vegas

Posted on November 17, 2017 by David McKee

Now that S&G has been informed that it’s Louisiana that is the Bayou State, let’s take a look at how its casinos did last month. Overall, they dropped 2% for a $198 million gross. The headline item has to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, New York, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Westgate LV | Comments Off on Swings and roundabouts in Louisiana; Sexual harassment in Las Vegas

N.Y. struggles continue; Sweet deal for Mount Airy

Posted on November 16, 2017 by David McKee

For Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, the good news is that it’s turned a derelict locomotive plant into a shiny, new, $330 million gambling hall and that it’s spurred development of the nearby Mohawk Harbor residential community. The bad … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, history, Macau, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Tourism | 2 Comments

Case Bets

Posted on November 2, 2017 by David McKee

In an early Christmas present to gaming historians, the Center for Gaming Research at UNLV has unveiled the Harrah’s Entertainment Corporate Archives, focusing on the 1940-2000 period. In other words, it doesn’t just go back to the beginning but before … Continue reading →

Posted in GLPI, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Lake Tahoe, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Sports, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Case Bets

The future of Caesars; Larry Ellison buys Cal-Neva

Posted on October 25, 2017 by David McKee

Executives from Caesars Entertainment flew to New York to meet with Wall Street analysts and lay out their vision of the company’s post-bankruptcy future. According to Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli, internal research “displays a healthy Millenial participation rate, a long … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, history, Lake Tahoe, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Scientific Games, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

It’s about time; Pols attack Atlantic City

Posted on October 24, 2017 by David McKee

Twelve years after Hurricane Katrina, Midwest and Bible Belt states still require casinos to be built on the water. Exceptions have been made for casinos on Mississippi‘s Gulf Coast and one of Mike Pence‘s latter acts as governor of Indiana … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Election, history, Indiana, Louisiana, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, New York, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sports, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on It’s about time; Pols attack Atlantic City