Category Archives: Maryland

For sale: One casino, slightly used; Golden showers in LV

Posted on July 26, 2011 by David McKee

Pity MGM Resorts International. It owns half of the top-grossing casino in Atlantic City and can’t give it away. Yup, as many feared, investor Leonard Green has slinked off into the tall grass, leaving MGM with 50% of Borgata it … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Cordish Co., Current, Entertainment, Environment, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 2 Comments

Has Illinois finally bottomed out? Trop shakeup; Big markdown on Trump

Posted on May 6, 2011 by David McKee

Sorry to disappoint, but we won’t have the answer until June–August, three straight months with the same number of weekend days as last year. By that point we’ll know whether April‘s 2% increase was the beginning of a trend. Last … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

At the winner is … Isle of Capri; Big shakedown in Ohio

Posted on April 14, 2011 by David McKee

That ongoing Isle of Capri Casinos Comeback Tour comes to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, which won Pennsylvania‘s final “resort casino” license earlier today. Situated in the greater Pittsburgh area, the rural getaway is owned by lumber tycoon (and “george” political donor) … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | 6 Comments

Macao rally boosts Sands, Wynn & Melco; No “Triumph” at Hilton

Posted on February 28, 2011 by David McKee

Publicly traded casino operators in Macao got a dose of good news today. A late-month rally in play means another record month at the tables, a 51% increase from last year. Roughly half the $2.5 billion haul will be divided … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, Macau, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | Comments Off

Philadelphia’s cup runneth under

Posted on February 16, 2011 by David McKee

Returning to yesterday’s theme of exaggerated expectations of gaming revenues (decanted by casino operators, quaffed uncritically by politicians) we have a glass half-full/half-empty report from Pennsylvania. The salient statistic is that, once five-month-old SugarHouse (left) is factored out, slot revenues … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 3 Comments

A new “eye in the sky”?

Posted on February 4, 2011 by David McKee

Editor’s note: While I’m occupied on other fronts, guest blogger Alan Saway of software firm Quova takes up the slack, examining some of the infrastructural problems associated with Internet casinos. The Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 prohibited online … Continue reading →

Posted in California, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | 3 Comments

Burnt out at Marina Bay Sands; Winners in Atlantic City

Posted on January 28, 2011 by David McKee

Another day, another Las Vegas Sands executive falls by the wayside. In the case of Marina Bay Sands, it sounds like CEO Thomas Arasi has been burned out in what must have been a pretty intense 18 months at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, International, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

What did I just say?

Posted on January 12, 2011 by David McKee

I’m one state closer to making the “under” on my over/under of states likely to put online wagering on the docket this session. Both houses of the New Jersey Legislature have given their approval to a bill that now goes … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Current, Election, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Taxes | 1 Comment

‘Twere the Case Bets before Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2010 by David McKee

In the casino industry, everything was stirring, including the mice. Cordish’s revenge. It’s a dish best served by opening Cordish Gaming‘s controversial Arundel Mills gambling hall late next year with a temporary, one-year casino. That means karma comes early for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Animals, Cordish Co., Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Singapore, The Mob, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Horseshoe Philadelphia goes into deep freeze

Posted on December 17, 2010 by David McKee

After four interminable years, that on-again/off-again casino project on the Philadelphia waterfront has been put out of its misery. Comcast‘s Ed Snider, his fellow juiced-in investors and putative savior Caesars Entertainment had the rug yanked from beneath them in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off

What if Loveman spoke and nobody cared?

Posted on December 2, 2010 by David McKee

That’s pretty much what happened after the Caesars Entertainment CEO’s damp squib of a “keynote” (more like a footnote) address to the Global Gaming Expo faithful. The disorganized, sometimes incomprehensible jeremiad laid an Imperial Palace-sized egg. For instance, why aren’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Election, Harrah's, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn National, Politics | Comments Off

Iowa is flat

Posted on November 4, 2010 by David McKee

Actually it’s not, if you’ve lived there (as I did for four wonderful years). However, Iowa‘s casino industry is, down one-tenth of a percent from October 2009. Actually, nine of the 17 non-tribal casinos recorded revenue increases, particularly the small … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Laughlin, Maryland, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Election 2010: Around the horn

Posted on November 3, 2010 by David McKee

Let’s get to it, with some help from Wells Fargo gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli … Cordish Gaming won big in Maryland, where voters upheld an initiative to ratify the zoning of its Arundel Mills Mall casino project. Penn National Gaming, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, California, Cordish Co., Economy, Election, Harrah's, IGT, International, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

Harrah’s to the rescue; Penn Nat’l bigfoots Maryland dispute

Posted on October 26, 2010 by David McKee

If — as appears to be the case — a deal to have Harrah’s Entertainment take over the stalled Foxwoods casino project in Philadelphia is all but done, hopefully it will render the question moot as to whether the casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Cordish Co., Current, Election, Harrah's, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off

Election special: What’s at stake

Posted on October 21, 2010 by David McKee

100% devoid of Nevada-related content! Leaving aside a local advisory question in Richmond, California, there are four races to watch. Voters in Maine have blown hot and cold on casinos in their state. Next month they’ll weigh in on whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, California, Cordish Co., Election, Isle of Capri, Maryland, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Wall Street, West Virginia | 1 Comment

No (M)irage this time: Penn enters Vegas

Posted on October 8, 2010 by David McKee

They’ve been busy little beavers at Penn National Gaming, which is — would you believe it? — now the third-largest operator in the U.S. Never mind that Penn bought a horse track in Ohio, on top of building two casinos … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Fontainebleau, Harry Reid, Louisiana, M Resort, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Texas, Wall Street, West Virginia | 7 Comments

Case Bets: Maryland, New Jersey, Arizona & the Riv

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Although the Maryland public has warmed up to the idea of table games, casinos in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey needn’t lose sleep: Marylanders are at least two years — probably four — from voting table games into … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Election, Horseracing, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Politics, Riviera, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Musical chairs at Trump (again)

Posted on September 29, 2010 by David McKee

High-ranking executive jobs at Trump Entertainment Resorts aren’t for “lifers.” Having steered Trump through yet another bankruptcy, CEO Mark Juliano is exiting stage right, “leaving to pursue other opportunities” — the latest executive to be purged. Nobody stays long atop … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | 2 Comments

Off to the races

Posted on September 10, 2010 by David McKee

Several gubernatorial jousts have serious implications for casino expansion in this great U.S. of A. In Ohio, Gov. Ted Strickland (D and once tipped as a possible vice-president) is trailing former Rep. John Kasich (R), based on poll results aggregated … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Texas, Tribal | 1 Comment

Suicidal in New Jersey

Posted on August 18, 2010 by David McKee

Atlantic City can just plain go to hell. That’s the message from several prominent — or simply loud — Democratic lawmakers who say Gov. Chris Christie‘s rescue plan for the city is spinach and to heck with it. Noisiest of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments