Category Archives: history

Kentucky’s failure claims victim

Posted on October 6, 2014 by David McKee

Occasionally, as casino gambling tries to expand in the U.S., some innocent bystander gets taken down. That could literally be the case with the Bavarian Brewery Building, a crenellated fixture of the Covington, Kentucky, skyline since 1877. It 2008 it … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, history, Kentucky, Politics | Comments Off

Wynn: Think big; Genting: Spend big

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

When Steve Wynn opened The Mirage in 1989, it was the beginning of the end of the era when the casino was the dominant revenue source in Las Vegas resorts. Restaurants, shows and hotel rooms all became profit centers. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Florida, G2E, Genting, Harrah's, history, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New Hampshire, New York, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Sanguine at Penn; Serrano goes Italian

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

Executives from Penn National Gaming were hosted by J.P. Morgan analysts this week at Global Gaming Expo and gave a fairly mellow outlook on business. Nationally, commerce is seen as stabilizing but not having bottomed out yet, although Penn is “holding … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Election, G2E, Harrah's, history, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 26, 2014 by David McKee

“According to National Relief Charities, a nonprofit organization that assists Native Americans in the Plains and Southwest, ‘Over 500 treaties were made with American Indian tribes, primarily for land cessations, but 500 treaties were also broken, changed or nullified when … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, history, Politics, Tribal | Comments Off

Boston: Wynn takes a stand

Posted on September 16, 2014 by David McKee

Friday will go down as the day Steve Wynn told the Massachusetts Gaming Commission where it could get off. In a letter to the commissioners, Wynn “said Wynn Resorts would not alter the design of their proposed 27-story hotel tower in … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, history, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Transportation | Comments Off

Boston: Another agonizing delay; Loveman: Don’t worry, be happy

Posted on September 11, 2014 by David McKee

Just when it looked like the suspense would be ended over who’d get the Boston-area casino, the slow-moving Massachusetts Gaming Commission imposed another week’s delay on the process. Basically, commissioners want Wynn Resorts to do better than it has in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Genting, Harrah's, history, Marketing, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Transportation | Comments Off

New hope for Showboat, gloom for Atlantic City

Posted on September 8, 2014 by David McKee

While Revel and Trump Plaza go begging — and Trump Taj Mahal reportedly plans to close in November — suitors are lining up to woo Caesars Entertainment for the Showboat Atlantic City. Already Atlantic Properties Group has pitched the idea … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Harrah's, history, Japan, MGM Mirage, Revel, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

MGM courts Japan; More Strip land hits the market

Posted on September 5, 2014 by David McKee

Taking a veiled stab at Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts International President William Hornbuckle said that a MGM megaresort in Japan would be “uniquely Japanese, not a copy of an integrated resort from Las Vegas or Singapore.” It … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Entertainment, history, James Packer, Japan, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Riviera, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off

Hard Rock rocks Sioux City; Chris Christie’s mighty pen

Posted on August 11, 2014 by David McKee

Lost in the loud death rattle of Argosy Belle Sioux City was the opening of its successor — some would say usurper — Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. And, contrary to what naysayers would have you believe, it’s bringing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, history, Iowa, Oscar Goodman, Penn National, Politics, Sports, The Mob, Tourism, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

A Grand weekend

Posted on August 4, 2014 by David McKee

Thanks to the missus’ connections, we were able to swing a brief stay at the Downtown Grand last weekend. The liveliness of the atmosphere was at just the right level, not Fremont Street-manic. There are certain inherent design flaws that … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, history | 1 Comment

Shakeup at Downtown Grand

Posted on July 31, 2014 by David McKee

I’ll be staying at the Downtown Grand this weekend and it looks like I won’t be the only novitiate. Ownership has installed a new management team, too, casting a wide net. CFO Marie Ramsey comes over from the Tropicana Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Delaware, Downtown, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, New York, Racinos, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off

Wall Street: Viva Las Vegas

Posted on July 29, 2014 by David McKee

“Results could be lackluster, even if more states allow casinos, as is the case in Ohio, which we estimate cannibalized roughly one-third of its revenues from surrounding states.” So wrote Fitch Ratings Service analyst Michael Paladino, assessing the gaming industry’s national … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, history, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Racinos, The Strip, Wall Street, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Case Bets

Posted on June 25, 2014 by David McKee

Look what they found. Legislators in Delaware have “found” money to aid the state’s ailing racinos and, surprisingly, no sofa cushions were involved. $10 million will be used to help reduce the racinos’ costs to slot machine vendors by 75%. … Continue reading →

Posted in Delaware, Harrah's, history, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off

Revel to close, barring a miracle; Gaughan memorialized

Posted on June 19, 2014 by David McKee

That’s the message coming from top Revel Resort brass, who sent a letter to casino employees cautioning them that — unless the property can be sold by Aug. 18 — they all may be out of jobs: “If Revel is unable … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Economy, Fontainebleau, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, history, Massachusetts, Tribal | 1 Comment

Making MGM Springfield happen; Dinner with Isaacs

Posted on June 12, 2014 by David McKee

MGM Springfield is shaping up as the most architecturally interesting casino project not only in Massachusetts but the nation as a whole, a charming mix of the new and the old. The company had been planning a few nods to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Detroit, Dubai, history, International, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Scientific Games, Shuffle Master, Wall Street | Comments Off

A gentleman and a scholar

Posted on June 6, 2014 by David McKee

There are some blog entries one would rather not write. This is one of those occasions. Gentlemanly attorney Robert Faiss, who literally wrote the book on casino regulation in Nevada, died yesterday at age 79. In in an irony he … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Japan, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation | Comments Off

Station’s waning clout; Off the rez with SCOTUS

Posted on May 29, 2014 by David McKee

Station Casinos‘ insistence on re-litigating the issue of slot parlors in Nevada seems to have finally driven some officials to the end of their patience. Assembly Majority Leader William Horne (D, right), the industry’s primary water carrier, tried to plump for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Election, history, Missouri, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Tribal | Comments Off

Burton Cohen, 1923-2014

Posted on May 7, 2014 by David McKee

One of Las Vegas’ least pretentious and most beloved casino executives died yesterday when Burton Cohen expired at the age of 90. He kept his hand in until the end, serving on the MGM Resorts International board of directors. His manifold tours … Continue reading →

Posted in Delaware, Entertainment, history, MGM Mirage, Racinos, Taxes, TV | Comments Off

SLS makes a believer

Posted on April 10, 2014 by David McKee

It took a while but SLS Las Vegas has made a believer of me. The hotel crossed the Rubicon this past Tuesday when it began taking reservations. It also trotted out a handsome new Web site, one which gives an … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, history, Reno, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, The Strip | 1 Comment

In defense of Sheldon Adelson

Posted on April 4, 2014 by David McKee

A disclaimer: I tend to agree with Jeffrey Compton that Sheldon Adelson‘s “actions seem nothing but ego-driven overkill.” And by getting into bed with Bible Belt religious conservatives — to whom any form of gambling, not just on the Internet, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, history, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Macau, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off