Category Archives: Maryland

Lovemania comes to Cleveland

Looking like death warmed over, Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman took time from promoting the opening of Horseshoe Cleveland to try and spin the unloading of Harrah’s Maryland Heights as another brilliant masterstroke, rather than more evidence of the shambles … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dan Gilbert, Economy, Florida, Harry Reid, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Lovemania comes to Cleveland

St. Louis: Penn in, Harrah’s out

A ways back, the news broke that Caesars Entertainment — being well and truly on its uppers — was trying to shop as many as 10 Southern and Midwest casinos. The goal was to raise at least $500 million to … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Current, Election, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Iowa, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Sahara: Devils in the details; Does your mother know?

Barbara De Lollis had better re-cork the champagne. Wall Street Journal coverage of Sam Nazarian‘s much-hyped, $300 million Sahara loan raises grave doubts about the viability of the project, budgeted at $415 million. According to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Alexandra Berzon, … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Georgia, Harrah's, Harry Reid, International, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Hindsight is perfect in Maryland; Bluhm’s bust

If you want a vexing test of one’s intellectual consistency, try the Maryland casino industry on for size. It’s not growing fast enough to suit the state Legislature, which is chafing at the constraints imposed upon it — with not … Continue reading

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Maryland, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hindsight is perfect in Maryland; Bluhm’s bust

Maryland accord totters; Massachusetts cities get testy

Never say “never” but a pet casino project of Maryland Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Jr. is in critical condition. The sweetheart deal, which would gift-wrap a casino for National Harbor in Miller’s Prince George’s County (in return for … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Maryland, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Penn, Vegas to GSA: Thank you!; What price Victorville?

With so many fine hotels to choose from in Las Vegas, it’s no wonder that it took disgraced General Services Administration Regional Commissioner Jeffrey Neely no fewer than eight ‘fact-finding’ missions at a cost of $130,000 (or $16,250 per vacation … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Illinois, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Investor Week: The slot makers speak; More Ohio expansion

Themes! Themes! Themes! That was the promise made by WMS Industries, which plans to introduce no fewer than 55 of them between now and year’s end. I’d thought we were past the era in which slot manufacturers indiscriminately licensed every … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Shuffle Master, Slot routes, Technology, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 1 Comment

Ides of March: Caesars, MGM, Wynn court Wall Street

Evidently J.P. Morgan‘s Gaming, Lodging & Leisure Management Access Forum, being held this week at Wynncore, isn’t sufficiently important to merit the attendance of Big Gaming’s CEOs. If Steve Wynn couldn’t make the stroll from his office to Encore’s meeting … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Detroit, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 2 Comments

Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

There will be Ice Capades in Hell before Sheldon Adelson sets foot in Encore, I should expect. However, with J.P. Morgan holding an investor conference at Wynncore, it would be poor form of Las Vegas Sands — currently the darling … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

One born every minute

Wall Street‘s appetite for risk knows no bounds. True, year-end numbers from MGM Resorts International contain cause for confidence, including 8% higher domestic gambling revenue and 10% improved room revenues. However, MGM’s still sitting atop a $13.5 billion powder keg … Continue reading

Posted in CityCenter, Culinary Union, Current, Dubai, G2E, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on One born every minute

Fire sale at Caesars; Harvey vs. The Mob

Money problems at Caesars Entertainment are worse than we thought. According to the New York Post, the company is trying to shop as many as 10 Midwestern casinos in order to raise $500 million in development capital. The money would … Continue reading

Posted in Harrah's, Harry Reid, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, The Mob, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Caesars IPO: It’s baaaaaack! Adelson: I’ll take Taiwan

In a pathetically underwhelming announcement, Caesars Entertainment is planning to float an IPO of 1.8 million shares, priced to move at a modest $8-$10 per share. Which means, best-case scenario, that CEO Gary Loveman will raise $18 million, tops, from … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, G2E, Harrah's, International, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Gilbert’s Dixie deal; Linq begins; Musical chairs at Penn

Dan Gilbert‘s descent upon the Baltimore market, in tandem with Caesars Entertainment, isn’t exactly news but the revelation that it will operate under the Harrah’s imprimatur (relegated to tertiary status by Caesars CEO Gary Loveman) certainly is. Gilbert’s undergraduate career … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Genting, Harrah's, M Resort, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on Gilbert’s Dixie deal; Linq begins; Musical chairs at Penn

Miller Time in Maryland; The sorrows of Marrandino

No question about it, THE gaming-industry story of 2011 was both an economic and political one: How the Great Recession has essentially broken the back of anti-gambling resistance in the corridors of American power. We can see it up and … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Miller Time in Maryland; The sorrows of Marrandino

Ameristar goes East; Colony’s secret formula revealed

Yesterday morning, Wall Street was advised by Ameristar Casinos that the latter had forked over $16 million for land in Springfield, Massachusetts. Given that Ameristar has been in extreme-caution mode since the death of founder Craig H. Neilsen and the … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Movies, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal | 3 Comments

Foxwoods Philly: It’s history

Barring a huge reversal from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the long and mostly inept saga of Foxwoods Philadelphia has finally come to a conclusion. The politically juiced-in trio of Ron Rubin, Lewis Katz and Comcast Chairman Ed Snider (collectively known … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Don Barden, Harrah's, Illinois, Lyle Berman, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | 1 Comment

Quotations from Chairman Steve; Elvis catches fire

Perhaps due to his eagerness to get Wynn Cotai jump-started, Steve Wynn has become an even more pliant sock puppet for China‘s central government than was Sheldon Adelson. It must be a source of great amusement among the ruling elite … Continue reading

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Macau, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, TV, West Virginia | 3 Comments

10 Years in Two Minutes

Posted in Cordish Co., Economy, International, Maryland | 1 Comment

What if they gave a casino and no one came?

Such been the plight of Maryland, a state that’s experienced the curious predicament of having more casino licenses than applicants. It’s much the same as Kansas, where things have gone awful quiet. Now, Kansas is like a corn-fed Macao: You … Continue reading

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Donald Trump, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Macau, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Thaw in Massachusetts? Hilton has left the building

After screwing the pooch in the previous legislature, it looks as though Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA) and state lawmakers are finally on the same page regarding casino expansion in the Bay State. Analyst Joseph Greff rates the solons’ chances of … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Genting, Horseracing, IGT, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming, WMS Industries | 2 Comments