Category Archives: Laughlin

Best Western Stratosphere?; Atlantic City rescued in nick of time

* Golden Entertainment will be facing a fait accompli when it takes over the Stratosphere and Aquarius Casino Resort from American Casino & Entertainment Properties. Outgoing owner ACEP has inked a pact with Best Western to manage the two flagship … Continue reading

Posted in ACEP, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Economy, Golden Gaming, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Japan, Kazuo Okada, Laughlin, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Philippines, Politics, The Strip | 1 Comment

Strip has a strong May; The robots are coming

Las Vegas Strip casinos posted a 3% revenue increase in May, led by a 12% upswing in baccarat revenue (on only 3% more wagering). Slot coin-in was up 4% but winnings were flat. Non-baccarat table games won 3% more even … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Louisiana, North Las Vegas, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Reno, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Strip has a strong May; The robots are coming

Stratosphere: From Goldman to Golden; Christmas tree for gamers in Pennsylvania

Goldman Sachs has had enough of the casino business. Either that or the price was right. Whatever the case, Golden Entertainment has just executed the greatest coup of its brief existence. It has purchased Las Vegas icon the Stratosphere. In … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Boulder Strip, Carl Icahn, Foxwoods, Golden Gaming, Goldman Sachs, Internet gambling, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Stratosphere: From Goldman to Golden; Christmas tree for gamers in Pennsylvania

Freeman: Sports betting is coming; Second thoughts on Paradise Park

It could be a case of wishing that legalization of sports betting will make it so. Or maybe Geoff Freeman is privy to intelligence that he’s not shared with the rest of us. Either way, he thinks a sports-betting repeal … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Carl Icahn, Dining, Donald Trump, Geoff Freeman, Goldman Sachs, history, Laughlin, Politics, Sports, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Baccarat bonanza on Strip

Despite being clocked at baccarat, Las Vegas Strip casinos took in 8% more last month, a jump Wall Street is attributing to the Easter holiday and the much-anticipated Con-Agg expo. Baccarat play was 6% down and casinos won 16% less. … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Baccarat bonanza on Strip

Penn gets bigger; Cool February in Nevada

Not many casino companies would double down on the Tunica market, let alone triple down. However, Penn National Gaming has an appetite for risk plus a track record of taking distressed properties and turning them around. So, in addition to … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Colony Capital, Downtown, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Maryland, Mesquite, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Reno, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Penn gets bigger; Cool February in Nevada

Huge January in Nevada; Georgia nixes casinos (again)

Sinusitis had us down for the count for a few days but we’re back with a fresh serving of S&G. First off, New Year’s was boffo for Nevada (up 12%) with the Las Vegas Strip pulling in 14% more than … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Georgia, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, New York, North Las Vegas, Politics, Reno, South Carolina, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Adelson out of stadium deal; Tepid December on Strip

It didn’t take long for Sandoval’s Folly, the mooted [your city here] Raiders stadium to blow up in the governor’s face. With characteristic irascibility, Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson withdrew from the project, taking his $650 million with him. … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cordish Co., Cretins, Downtown, Economy, Foxwoods, GLPI, Harrah's, Horseracing, Japan, Laughlin, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Adelson out of stadium deal; Tepid December on Strip

A legend passes; Packer flops in Vegas (again)

Before we get back to business, a few brief mentions. First, let us have a moment of silence for Strip icon and former Las Vegas casino owner Debbie Reynolds, victim of a fatal stroke.  Coming as it did a day … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, James Packer, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Melco Crown Entertainment, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip, Uncategorized, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Strip booms in October; Trouble in Tiverton

Not even a 16.5% decline in table wagers could hold back the Las Vegas Strip last month, as gaming revenues shot up 14%, to $563 million. Statewide, casinos didn’t do so badly either, up 11%. The one-armed bandits on the … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Foxwoods, history, Iowa, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lucky Dragon, Macau, Massachusetts, Mesquite, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Rhode Island, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Strip beats the odds; DFS settlement in New York

Not even a 26% decline in baccarat wagers could put a damper on a strong September on the Las Vegas Strip. The house played lucky, experiencing only 8% less baccarat winnings. Table gaming wagering was down 9% overall — and … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, New York, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip | 1 Comment

Live by baccarat, die by baccarat; Donald Trump, Stiff of the Century

With one less weekend this year and weak baccarat volumes, the Las Vegas Strip got hammered, down 15%. Statewide, gross gaming revenues were off by 5%. Late-July slot win that was reported in August softened the blow, contributing to a … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Donald Trump, Downtown, Election, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Reno, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Hot July on the Strip; Alon: Stayin’ alive

Whales returned to the Strip with a vengeance in July, with baccarat play spurring a 17% revenue increase. The month was probably even bigger but, due to a peculiarity of Nevada casino accounting, slot revenues from the last weekend of … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, California, Downtown, Entertainment, Genting, International, James Packer, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Marketing, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Reno, Scientific Games, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hot July on the Strip; Alon: Stayin’ alive

Stratosphere bucks consumer trend; New way to bet coming to Nevada

Better slot play, stronger restaurant business and greater hotel occupancy (which drove up rates) conspired to improve American Casino & Entertainment Properties‘ revenue and profitability in 2Q16. Net revenue — i.e., not profit — is on a 10-month upward roll, … Continue reading

Posted in ACEP, Animals, Boulder Strip, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Stratosphere bucks consumer trend; New way to bet coming to Nevada

Isaacs moves on; 50 years of Laughlin

Gavin Isaacs will be taking it easy, the CEO of Scientific Games is moving up to vice chairman, his CEO’s chair to be filled by former Norwegian Cruise Line executive Kevin M. Sheehan. If anybody’s earned the right to take … Continue reading

Posted in Aristocrat, Australia, Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Laughlin, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, North Las Vegas, Philippines, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Shuffle Master, Slot routes, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Isaacs moves on; 50 years of Laughlin

June in Vegas: The house won; Wynn gets spanked in Macao

While a 10% increase in June gambling revenues on the Las Vegas Strip fell short of some Wall Street analysts’ projections, it was a healthy month nevertheless. Slot winnings were up 10% ($253 million) on only 1% higher coin-in. Luck … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Reno, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on June in Vegas: The house won; Wynn gets spanked in Macao

Vegas: Weak on Strip, robust in locals play

One less weekend and a tough comparison with last year’s Mayweather-Pacquiao charade translated into a weak May for both the Las Vegas Strip, down 12%, and Nevada casinos in general, 4.5% off the pace. There were some sort of bright … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Vegas: Weak on Strip, robust in locals play

Lean April in Las Vegas; Boyd stands pat

April saw mixed fortunes the Las Vegas Strip. Although overall gambling revenue was only up 1.5%, winning percentages tended to favor the house by considerable amounts. For instance, although baccarat players wagered 21% more but house win was up 10%. “While … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Downtown, Economy, Election, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Law enforcement, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Lean April in Las Vegas; Boyd stands pat

Strip disappoints in March; Genting pulls out of Macao

Just when Wall Street expected levels of revenue on the Las Vegas Strip to rise in March, business did a head-fake and dropped 4%. Again, “the Easter shift” is being blamed but stock analysts should have seen that coming. (A … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Genting, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Reno, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, Wall Street | Comments Off on Strip disappoints in March; Genting pulls out of Macao

Unhappy Easter in Illinois; Money-laundering mess in Sparks

Easter, if you can believe it, is being blamed for a 2% decline in Illinois casino revenues last month. Argosy Belle continued to be the problem child of the state, down 13% (to $5 million). Slot-route competition continued to do … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Law enforcement, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Riviera, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment