Category Archives: Maryland

Hooters out, Oyo in?; Crown in hot water

Posted on August 5, 2019 by David McKee

Hooters Hotel Casino, the brand that should have worked in Las Vegas but didn’t, may finally be on the way out. VitalVegas reports that hotelier Highgate may be rechristening Hooters with its Oyo brand. Highgate already operates hotels in the … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Australia, Crown Resorts, Detroit, Diversity, Environment, Hooters, Illinois, James Packer, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Money laundering, Paragon Gaming, Penn National, South Carolina, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip | 2 Comments

Strip buoys MGM, Sands

Posted on July 26, 2019 by David McKee

According to JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff, second-quarter results for MGM Resorts International “were better than (very subdued) investor expectations” on the Strip and in line with anticipation about Macao. Despite weak baccarat volumes in Las Vegas, the company performed “marginally … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Harrah's, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Singapore, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Encore Boston Harbor opens hot

Posted on July 15, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff has initiated coverage of Massachusetts and his first dispatch is a corker: Encore Boston Harbor generated $17 million in a single, debutant week of play. That includes $9 million of slot revenue. Wynn Resorts execs … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Genting, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Twin River, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Ohio prospers, others don’t; Labor trouble at Eldorado

Posted on July 11, 2019 by David McKee

Maryland continues to show signs of casino saturation. Revenue ($143 million) was down 4% last month. Not even MGM National Harbor ($57 million) was immune, off 4%. Slots were up 10% but table games got walloped, down 19%. Still, MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Florida, Full House Resorts, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Spectacle Entertainment, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Twain returns; Sports betting set for New York

Posted on June 17, 2019 by David McKee

Shania Twain‘s Colosseum residency was one of the shortest in memory but Caesars Entertainment evidently still has confidence in the midriff-baring C&W icon. It’s booked Twain into the cavernous Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood, starting Dec. 6, although you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Genting, Internet gambling, Maryland, New York, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Honeymoon in Illinois; Contraction in Maryland

Posted on June 7, 2019 by David McKee

Illinois lawmakers think casino gambling is a bottomless well of revenue, as witnessed by their recent approval of five new gambling houses and three racinos (just for starters). However, last month’s actual revenues were less than auspicatory. At $118 million, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Illinois, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Rush Street Gaming, West Virginia | Comments Off

The Sahara returns, hurray

Posted on June 4, 2019 by David McKee

Proving that you can’t keep a classic brand down, Alex Meruelo is ditching meaningless SLS Las Vegas and bringing back Sahara Hotel & Casino for the place locals never stopped thinking of as “the Sahara.” It’s too late to restore the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Carl Icahn, Dining, Environment, GLPI, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Solid month for Maryland; Casino sale aborted

Posted on May 7, 2019 by David McKee

Maryland casino revenues inched up to $145 million last month, led by MGM National Harbor with $61 million and 42% of market share. Maryland Live, no surprise, was second with 33% and $48 million (+2%). Horseshoe Baltimore grossed $20 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., GLPI, Golden Gaming, Illinois, Internet gambling, Iowa, Lotteries, Macau, Maryland, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, Nebraska, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Boyd, Churchill Downs garner raves; Indiana governor seduced

Posted on April 26, 2019 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming got a good review on Wall Street today, lauded both for slightly surpassing revenue expectations and for moving quickly to deleverage in the wake of the Valley Forge, Belterra and Ameristar acquisitions. Downtown continues to be Boyd’s bastion … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Charity, Churchill Downs, Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Florida, Hawaii, Horseracing, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Palms, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Rhode Island, Slot routes, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Around the horn

Posted on April 11, 2019 by David McKee

Gambling revenue hit a record amount in Maryland last month, up 9% to $164 million. The good news for MGM National Harbor was that winnings were up 4% to $64 million. The bad news is that this was driven by … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Gilbert sells to Hard Rock; Masters odds are out

Posted on April 8, 2019 by David McKee

Hard Rock International exited the Ohio market by one door, then reentered it by another. The tribal giant bought Dan Gilbert out of Jack Cincinnati and Turfway Park. REIT Vici Propreties will own the real estate of the casino and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, Donald Trump, Genting, Hard Rock International, International, Iowa, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, Maryland, Ohio, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal, TV | Comments Off

News briefs from around the globe

Posted on April 1, 2019 by David McKee

It’s the end of an era at Hard Rock Rocksino in Ohio. This week it becomes MGM Northfield Park, a completely uninspiring handle that reeks of insecurity. Dan Gilbert, if you’re ever going to make a run for the top … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Charity, Dining, Entertainment, International, Japan, Lake Las Vegas, Law enforcement, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Real Estate, Technology, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Illinois: Sunken treasure; Maryland finally maxes out

Posted on March 7, 2019 by David McKee

Like February 2018, last month was bad for Illinois casinos, sliding another 6.5% into the maw of slot routes. One outlier should be noted: Harrah’s Metropolis was and remains closed due to flooding, causing a 32% precipice in revenue, grossing … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Cordish Co., Eldorado Resorts, Illinois, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Rush Street Gaming, Slot routes, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

More Tamares tomfoolery; MGM evicts Hard Rock brand

Posted on March 4, 2019 by David McKee

Tamares Group has been up to its usual shenanigans, using the Plaza Hotel as a stalking horse. The latter slapped a quickie eviction notice on the Beauty Bar, citing multiple incidents involving repeated calls to Las Vegas Metro as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Election, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Palms, Sports betting, Station Casinos | 1 Comment

SJM Fok-ed up; Virginia approves casinos

Posted on February 28, 2019 by David McKee

Lucina Laam may be the most important person in Macao‘s turbulent casino history. As Wife #2 of Stanley Ho she bore Daisy Ho, Pansy Ho, Lawrence Ho and two other daughters not involved in the gaming biz. Now, in an … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, Donald Trump, Downtown Grand, Environment, history, International, Las Vegas Sands, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, New York, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Politics, Singapore, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, Technology, Tribal, Virginia | Comments Off

MGM, Eldorado, Churchill Downs looking up

Posted on February 28, 2019 by David McKee

Credit Suisse‘s Cameron McKnight flew out to San Francisco to meet with MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren. The biggest headline item would be the eccentricity of Murren choosing to meet in Frisco rather than at MGM HQ in Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, DFS, Eldorado Resorts, history, Horseracing, Illinois, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, MTR Gaming, Neil Bluhm, Ocean Resort, Resort fees, Rush Street Gaming, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Maryland booms, Illinois frozen out; Resort fees to rise … again

Posted on February 7, 2019 by David McKee

Business continues to boom for MGM National Harbor, which raked in $57 million last month, 12% growth and 41% of the Free State’s $137 million gross gaming revenue. Maryland Live‘s 34% market share translated into a gross of $46 million. Horseshoe … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Cordish Co., Detroit, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Illinois, Las Vegas Raiders, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Resort fees, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Next stop: Virginia; Lady Gaga erupts

Posted on January 23, 2019 by David McKee

Lawmakers in Virginia have voted a “mashup casino bill” out of committee, sending it along to the Senate Finance Committee for further scrutiny. The legislation would authorize five casinos in Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Richmond and Norfolk respectively and juices the Pamunkey … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Vietnam, Virginia | 1 Comment

Maryland impressive but Ohio spectacular

Posted on January 8, 2019 by David McKee

Gaming-revenue growth in Maryland cooled a bit last month, coming in at 5% up for a total of $148 million. It’s basically a two-casino market, with MGM National Harbor controlling 40.5% and Maryland Live at 34% and Horseshoe Baltimore an … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Golden Gaming, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, West Virginia | 1 Comment

MGM, Cordish clean up in Maryland; Pennsylvania a cash cow

Posted on December 7, 2018 by David McKee

It was another good month at MGM National Harbor, which grossed almost $2 million per day in November, an above-average take for the pleasure palace. Slots were up 15% (to $31 million) while table games leapt 46%, grossing $26 million. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DFS, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Illinois, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off