Category Archives: Macau

Hail, Caesars; Some roads lead to Foxwoods; Bluhm disappoints

Posted on July 18, 2013 by David McKee

It’s not every day that Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman has a good idea. But when he does, it’s a real brainwave. Such has proven to be the case with Caesars’ purchase of social-gaming Web firm Playtika. The latter has … Continue reading →

Posted in Hard Rock International, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Mob, Transportation, Tribal | Comments Off on Hail, Caesars; Some roads lead to Foxwoods; Bluhm disappoints

Caesars: You only buy twice; To Russia with Ho; Land in (dis)trust

Posted on July 12, 2013 by David McKee

Do you already own stock in Caesars Entertainment? Congratulations. Thanks to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, you will have an opportunity to pay a second time for some of Caesars’ assets. Although it hopes to raise $1.2 billion from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Florida, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maryland, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 8, 2013 by David McKee

“In March, 26 year-old Xiao Ye Bai began serving a life term for stabbing a man to death in a crowded karaoke bar near the Strip. Prosecutors said Bai was a martial-arts trained enforcer for the Taiwan-based triad United Bamboo, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Macau, The Mob, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Gold strike in Maryland; Ghost train; ‘Sell’ order on Sands; Wynn cleared

Posted on July 8, 2013 by David McKee

That elastic band which is American consumers’ gambling budget may have tightened in Illinois and gone slack in Ohio, but it’s expanding nicely in Maryland, now that table games are part of the mix. Sayeth the Maryland Lottery, revenues for … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Gold strike in Maryland; Ghost train; ‘Sell’ order on Sands; Wynn cleared

This is your brain on B.S.

Posted on July 8, 2013 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson would have you believe that $100 million-$200 million in potential Las Vegas Sands revenue means nothing to him. And if you believe that, boy, do I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. (He’s probably more apt … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet gambling, Macau, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore | Comments Off on This is your brain on B.S.

Deal or no deal?; Two-face Trump; Good news for Adelson

Posted on July 3, 2013 by David McKee

This just in: Poker Stars has announced an agreement to offer Internet gambling in New Jersey via Mohegan Sun-run Resorts Atlantic City. This enables Rational Group to get a U.S. foothold without the inconvenience of buying a physical casino. Colony Capital … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Internet gambling, Macau, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Crystals, Baltimore, Mohegan Sun, Macao

Posted on June 27, 2013 by David McKee

Somebody’s finally found a good use for Crystals: as a museum. Daniel Liebeskind‘s design of the property would be more conducive to viewing art than to shopping and it never has trouble drawing lookie-lous. (Customers, eh, not so much.) Somebody … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Shifting Sands; Happy birthday, Hollywood Aurora

Posted on June 25, 2013 by David McKee

(Update: J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff vented frustration to investors over yet another “self-inflicted negative headline,” while remaining upbeat on LVS stock. He did not relate Kay’s departure to “any negative event … We note that Mr. Kay worked for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Macao: Light and darkness

Posted on June 17, 2013 by David McKee

If you read Bloomberg News last week, Macao is tantamount to Disneyland, at least if you visit Venetian Macao, which is “home to a fake grand canal, crooning gondoliers and brands from McDonald’s to Dior.” The amenity-laden style of Sheldon … Continue reading →

Posted in Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Mob, Tourism | 1 Comment

For sale: One mall, slightly used; Sheldon’s big buyback

Posted on June 6, 2013 by David McKee

Buried at the bottom of a J.P. Morgan analyst rep0rt on meetings with MGM Resorts International executives was a real corker: “[W]we would not be surprised to see MGM look to monetize some of CityCenter’s asset base, for example Crystals, … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on For sale: One mall, slightly used; Sheldon’s big buyback

Adelson’s troubles mount; Rage at Wynncore

Posted on June 5, 2013 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands has been losing one court case after another, whether in Macao or at home in Las Vegas. But the sands really hit the fan today with the revelation that Sheldon Adelson‘s company is under the scrutiny by … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Current, International, LVCVA, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Penn: Start making sense!; Casinos clean up in Lege

Posted on June 4, 2013 by David McKee

Casinos in Ohio have not been living up to revenue expectations. Given such a fallow market, what has Penn National Gaming decided to do? Break ground on two racinos, of course! One is in the Dayton area, the other — … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Dan Gilbert, Economy, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, MTR Gaming, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, World Series of Poker | 1 Comment

Wall Street visits Vegas: Wynn, Sands & MGM

Posted on June 3, 2013 by David McKee

Like the pig in a ham-and-egg breakfast, Deutsche Bank is committed to Las Vegas, while many of its brethren (like the chicken) merely hold an interest. However, DB’s $4 billion grubstake fortunately does not preclude analyst Carlo Santarelli from dropping … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, International, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wall Street visits Vegas: Wynn, Sands & MGM

Bad day for Okada; Good month for Macao

Posted on May 30, 2013 by David McKee

It’s back to the starting point for Kazuo Okada, controversial former business partner of Steve Wynn and CEO of Universal Entertainment Corp. The latter’s attempt to enter the Philippines casino market (left) fell apart along with a deal with Robinsons … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, International, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Bad day for Okada; Good month for Macao

Illinois: Not so fast!; Adelson pursues world domination

Posted on May 30, 2013 by David McKee

It really looked like the fix was in, the deal was done and existing casino operators in Illinois were about to thrown to the slaughter by legislators hungry for licensing fees. But the wheels of the grand plan are coming … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Illinois, International, Macau, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Pinnacle: The cost of the deal

Posted on May 30, 2013 by David McKee

Pinnacle Entertainment finds itself in an interesting pickle today: It’s awfully far into its Federal Trade Commission-blocked purchase of Ameristar Casinos to blow it up by, say, selling three or more Ameristar properties or otherwise triggering a fallout. And if … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, CityCenter, Current, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Pinnacle: The cost of the deal

Adelson: He’s taking it with him; Nevada casinos win one, in principle

Posted on May 29, 2013 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson continues to burn through company at what would — for most ordinary firms — be a frightful clip. Clark County District Judge Rob Bare tacked $31.6 million onto a $70 million jury award to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harry Reid, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes | Comments Off on Adelson: He’s taking it with him; Nevada casinos win one, in principle

The Caesars squeeze

Posted on May 28, 2013 by David McKee

While the emperor (CEO Gary Loveman) may have escaped the Ides of March this year, knots of discontented tribunes are gathering on the Forum steps, muttering darkly.  A cabal of hedge funds led by Silver Point Capital is looking at … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dan Gilbert, Economy, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Macau, Massachusetts, Ohio, Regulation, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Good news, bad news

Posted on May 22, 2013 by David McKee

Good news for Caesars Entertainment: Macanese gaming magnate Galaxy Entertainment Group wants to buy a golf course. Caesars has a $578 million one it desperately wants to unload. Bad news for Caesars, Galaxy wants a course that’s on nearby Hengqin … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, The Strip | Comments Off on Good news, bad news

Weidner returns; Casinos win tax fight

Posted on May 22, 2013 by David McKee

Y’all remember Baha Mar, that multi-billion-dollar project in the Bahamas that then-Harrah’s Entertainment exited during its IPO? At the time, Harrah’s insisted that there was no connection, but Baha Mar was one of several initiatives — including Margaritaville in Biloxi … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Environment, Harrah's, International, Macau, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Politics, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes | 1 Comment