Category Archives: Louisiana

Lean Christmas in Louisiana; Greater vigilance in industry

Posted on January 22, 2016 by David McKee

Louisiana gaming revenues came in for a hard landing (-7.5%) as the Golden Nugget Lake Charles marked its first anniversary. The New Orleans market (-13.5%) took it worst, although Lake Charles was down 12%. The latter continues to be the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Economy, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Gaming forecast: Moderately sunny; Adelson + R-J = bad news

Posted on January 12, 2016 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli hung out along the Las Vegas Strip last week and “found few signs of caution as forward indicators remain favorable in most key areas.” Both New Year’s Eve business and convention calendars for the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off

Louisiana: Robbing Peter to play Paul; New disclosures from Genting

Posted on December 11, 2015 by David McKee

Were it not for the Golden Nugget Lake Charles, gaming revenues would have stumbled 7.5% downward last month. Add Tilman Fertitta‘s new showplace, which grossed $20 million, and you have a 15% increase in the Lake Charles market. But, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Rhode Island, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Caesars: (Almost) everything must go; More angst in Macao

Posted on October 27, 2015 by David McKee

Well, it had to happen eventually. In order to escape bankruptcy, Caesars Entertainment is putting Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. on the market. There are some who are calling this a bluff and others who can’t afford to get in on … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Economy, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Lawrence Ho, Louisiana, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Philippines, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Boyd: What’s not to like?; Poker cheat gets flushed

Posted on October 23, 2015 by David McKee

Try as it might, Boyd Gaming just doesn’t feel any warm fuzzies from Wall Street. J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff called the most recent quarter “very impressive,” with 3% revenue growth and huge increases in cash flow. Still, Greff wrote, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Environment, Harrah's, Hawaii, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, Penn National, Wall Street | Comments Off

DFS rose fast, fell faster

Posted on October 15, 2015 by David McKee

This just in: Nevada has lowered the boom on DFS operators. The fat’s in the fire for daily fantasy sports — and New Jersey might want to rethink its push for unregulated sports betting in the Garden State. According to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Geoff Freeman, International, Louisiana, New York, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Texas, TV | Comments Off

Fourth time the charm?; Paging Sheldon Adelson

Posted on October 14, 2015 by David McKee

Gaming-management company Foundation Gaming Group likes DiamondJacks Casino in Vicksburg, it’s buying the place outright — a change of style for Foundation, which prefers running casinos to owning them. There may be some nostalgia in the decision by Foundation COO … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Downtown, Genting, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip | 2 Comments

Big players accentuate the positive

Posted on September 29, 2015 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli has been a busy man these past few days, meeting with the top companies in gaming. In no special order … Boyd Gaming took the usual line on REIT conversion and acquisitions, basically saying, “If … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Colorado, Downtown, Economy, Florida, GLPI, Illinois, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sports, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off

MGM lashes out; Doldrums in Louisiana

Posted on September 18, 2015 by David McKee

It took a while but MGM Resorts International is pushing back against Connecticut‘s attempts to build a satellite version of its tribal casinos, to interdict gamblers who might otherwise play at MGM Grand Springfield. Although he didn’t hint at litigation … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Columbia Sussex, Foxwoods, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments

Isle trends upward; Free the Texas ponies!

Posted on September 2, 2015 by David McKee

Add Isle of Capri Casinos to the list of companies enjoying a positive turn in their fortunes. It reported an operating profit of $57.5 million, a 15% increase. The biggest cash cow was Isle Pompano Park, hauling in $42 million, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Horseracing, IGT, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Technology, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Optimism at MGM; SLS: The Unhappy Blob

Posted on August 20, 2015 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International sent CFO Dan D’Arrigo to meet with J.P. Morgan analysts, who found MGM execs in an upbeat mood. “We’d characterize the tone of the meetings as positive and investor interest as high,” wrote analyst Joseph Greff. That’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Eldorado Resorts, Georgia, Harrah's, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Boston: Smackdown for McCheese; Online gaming hopes fade

Posted on August 4, 2015 by David McKee

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh got a taste of his own medicine when a Suffolk Superior Court court judge put a beatdown on his sleazy legal tactics. Assertions by Boston attorneys, slipped in at the last minute, that the Massachusetts Gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off

Boyd gets Wall Street love; Louisiana expansion slows

Posted on July 24, 2015 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming doesn’t make Wall Street‘s hit parade very often, so this morning’s dispatch from Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli the more remarkable. “The improving regional [gross gaming revenue] climate and intense cost disciplines take our forecasts, and subsequently, our Price Target … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Caesars ups the ante; Packer: Fear and loathing

Posted on July 21, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment stock rallied today on news that the company had palliated its junior creditors by offering them a $200 million forbearance fee along with 10% ownership of the REIT, which it characterized as “a substantial improvement in recoveries.” Caesars … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Harrah's, James Packer, Laughlin, Lawrence Ho, Louisiana, Macau, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

MGM goes to Atlanta; Pechanga named #1

Posted on July 2, 2015 by David McKee

Instead of waiting for an incremental creep of acceptance of gambling in Georgia, MGM Resorts International is taking the bull by the horns. While it says that it is in the “very preliminary” stages of proposing a casino for Atlanta, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Economy, Foxwoods, Georgia, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off

Straub’s latest truce; Twin River readies for competition

Posted on June 10, 2015 by David McKee

Bitter foes Glenn Straub and ACR Energy Partners have agreed to make nice and keep the lights on (literally) at Revel, at least for the short term. The brinkmanship between these two parties had reached such extremes that ACR cut … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Environment, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Penn National, Regulation, Revel, Rhode Island, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off

Louisiana’s bonny April; Nevada Gold now with 100% more Nevada

Posted on May 22, 2015 by David McKee

Golden Nugget Lake Charles continues to be the outboard engine that speeds up Louisiana gaming revenues. The Pelican State was up 4% last month — but 13% when Tilman Fertitta‘s casino is added to the tally. It even made inroads … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Genting, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Slot routes, South Dakota, South Korea, Stanley Ho, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

MGM: The lion meows; GLPI: Still hungry

Posted on May 4, 2015 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International needed to increase net revenue this past quarter by 2% to meet Wall Street forecasts and offset inflation. Instead, revenue stayed flat and the Leo the Lion came in $33 million on cash-flow forecasts and down $12 … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Economy, GLPI, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Boyd shatters expectations; Dover Downs flounders

Posted on May 1, 2015 by David McKee

Compared to Steve Wynn‘s gloom — and sapped stock price — about Las Vegas’ immediate economic prospects earlier this week, Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith was bullish on Sin City. And why not? Boyd reported profits of 31 cents a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Delaware, Downtown, Economy, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Planet Hollywood, Racinos, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Sands, Penn and Pinnacle report

Posted on April 23, 2015 by David McKee

“Tough to find positives … worse than feared” were the attention-grabbing headlines on Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli‘s summary of Las Vegas Sands‘ first-quarter report. Of the crisis in Macao, he wrote, “While management remains optimistic with respect to cost … Continue reading →

Posted in California, GLPI, Indiana, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off