Category Archives: Laughlin

Nevada: The recovery continues; Elsewhere: Not so much

Posted on May 10, 2013 by David McKee

After a boffo February, the Silver State also posted extraordinary numbers in March. As Deutsche Bank headlined its report, “Different Month, Same Tune.” Analyst Carlo Santarelli cautioned, “we believe the underlying trends are not as strong as the headline would … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Marketing, Missouri, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Revel, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

I-cahnned! River Palms sold; PokerStars out of A.C., Langford out to lunch

Posted on May 1, 2013 by David McKee

Subtract one casino from the Tropicana Entertainment portfolio: The River Palms Resort & Casino, in Laughlin, just went for $7 million today. TropEnt CEO Anthony Rodio isn’t pulling out of the Colorado River market altogether. He says the company will … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Colorado, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

Adelson’s accountant quits, reaction minimal

Posted on April 29, 2013 by David McKee

Pricewaterhouse Coopers, accountant to the stars — and Las Vegas Sands — tendered its resignation last week, news that Sands kept carefully under wraps until after the markets closed on Friday. After a brief, initial shock, Sands shares went back … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Laughlin, Macau, Massachusetts, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Massachusetts loses patience … as do Archon shareholders

Posted on April 19, 2013 by David McKee

As the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and Gov. Deval Patrick (D, right) continue to try and convince the federal government that their prepackaged arrangement for the Mashpee Wamps to get a casino in southeast Massachusetts isn’t usurious (17% of gross revenues … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Economy, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Massachusetts loses patience … as do Archon shareholders

December in Vegas: The house won; Sheldon of La Mancha

Posted on February 8, 2013 by David McKee

There are gambling markets … and then there’s Las Vegas. Players opened their wallets — oh, did they ever — and lost big. Casino winnings on the Las Vegas Strip were up 13.5% and Nevada casinos overall did 10% better … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, International, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Marketing, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Indiana: The good, the bad, the ‘meh’; Vegas: What’s that smell?

Posted on February 8, 2013 by David McKee

January casino revenues from Indiana present a conundrum. Although the state is still the most lucrative casino jurisdiction in the Midwest ($192 million last month), it’s hard to tell whether the half-full glass is filling or emptying. Foot traffic was … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Cordish Co., Current, Don Barden, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Laughlin, Mesquite, Minnesota, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

November in Vegas: The house lost; Players jilt Caesars in A.C.

Posted on January 10, 2013 by David McKee

There’s no other way of saying it (although many are trying). Strip casinos got their clocks cleaned in November as Lady Luck favored the punters, not the house. A 13% dropoff on the Strip was driven by a perfect storm … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Revel, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Nevada disappoints but Atlantic City bombs

Posted on October 12, 2012 by David McKee

If there’s a saving grace to August’s rather glum Nevada gambling win (-3%), it’s that the month ended on a Friday, so there may be some as-yet-unreported slot revenue that will fluff the September results. (That optimism must be offset, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Politics, Racinos, Revel, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

The biggest losers; The Facebook factor

Posted on April 30, 2012 by David McKee

There’s a new power player in gaming and it’s … Brookfield Asset Management? The Canadian lender is already calling the shots (along with Warner Gaming) at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, a $1.5 billion quagmire into which Morgans Hotel … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dubai, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Morgans Hotel Group, Pinnacle Entertainment, Steve Wynn, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 19, 2012 by David McKee

“It’s got some casinos but it’s pretty dirty … It was what it was.” — Laughlin, as described by a spectator at Saturday’s Texas Rangers/Chicago Cubs game at Cashman Field. (The Rangers vaporized the Cub bullpen, which surrendered 11 runs … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Laughlin | 1 Comment

Gambling makes strange bedfellows; Two kinds of Trop trouble

Posted on March 9, 2012 by David McKee

Earlier today, we witnessed the strange spectacle of a capitalist decrying the effect of market forces upon his business. It’s an indirect reminder that casinos are that rare issue which brings together the old maids of the far left and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Laughlin, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 1 Comment

The whales of January; Shrinking Hooters

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

Baccarat win on the Las Vegas Strip began the year heavy ($194 million) and dramatic, up 199% from 2011. The whales were back in force, dropping 163% more than the previous January, putting $1.6 billion in play. An early Chinese … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Hooters, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Movies, North Las Vegas, Reno, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Vegas’ December: Better than it looks?

Posted on February 9, 2012 by David McKee

If today’s numbers from the Nevada Gaming Control Board indicate that December was good for business — especially on the Las Vegas Strip (up 4% … 7% if you take baccarat out of the equation) — January ought to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Massachusetts, North Las Vegas, Reno, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Vegas’ December: Better than it looks?

Belated Christmas presents, Part II

Posted on January 11, 2012 by David McKee

If the good news keeps raining down like this, I might have to start using the R-word … as in “recovery.” In November, Nevada‘s $880 million gross was good for a 7% upsurge. The Las Vegas Strip beat the statewide … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 6, 2012 by David McKee

“Caesars [Entertainment] has comped me to a few meals, sent me show tickets, and invited me to slot tournaments. The company’s still convinced I want to ride a bus down to Laughlin and stay there for a few days, too, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Harrah's, Laughlin, Marketing, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

More treat than trick

Posted on December 9, 2011 by David McKee

October’s revenue figures for Nevada emerged today and it was a good month statewide ($961 million, +8%) and a great one for the Las Vegas Strip ($560.5 million, +13%). Mind you, October 1 was a Saturday, meaning that some Sept. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Borgata or bust; ‘LVH,’ Jacko & Sinead

Posted on December 9, 2011 by David McKee

First, the good news: Borgata — accounting for more than one-fifth of the entire market share — continues to vastly outpace the rest of the Atlantic City market. Last month, it raked in $50 million for a 2% gain, driven … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Monopoly over Miami

Posted on October 4, 2011 by David McKee

A recent visitor to Las Vegas from the Pacific Rim told me that Sheldon Adelson has worn out his welcome in Macao (which is on pace to eclipse all other gaming markets combined) and is fast doing so in Singapore. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Macau, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Monopoly over Miami

Hilton: worse than it looks

Posted on August 12, 2011 by David McKee

In the cold light of day (i.e., Chris Sieroty‘s Review-Journal coverage), the situation at the Las Vegas Hilton appears still more dire … if such a thing is possible. Remember that roughly a third of the LVH is owned by … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 2 Comments

A Tale of Two Resorts

Posted on June 27, 2011 by David McKee

As everyone knows, both Palms Casino Resort and M Resort recently changed hands, the former going to a pair of hedge funds and the latter to Penn National Gaming. Penn broke with industry tradition by keeping property CEO Anthony Marnell … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, George Maloof, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Laughlin, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes | 13 Comments