Category Archives: Massachusetts

Mashpee casino blocked; Wynn: Doing more with less

Posted on August 1, 2016 by David McKee

Carcieri v. Salazar and the Indian Reorganization Act have come back to bite the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in the hindquarters. U.S. District Judge William G. Young has ruled against a Taunton casino project, siding with the contention of a group … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Eldorado Resorts, Foxwoods, Genting, Harrah's, history, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | Comments Off

Trailer trash in Boston; New crisis looms in Atlantic City

Posted on July 28, 2016 by David McKee

Massachusetts lawmakers may have thought they’d settled the question of casinos in the Bay State when they voted to baptize three resorts and slot parlor. However, thanks to a ruling by state Attorney General Maura Healey, a ballot question here … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Election, Horseracing, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson | 1 Comment

Analysts: Buy Penn!; Veteran columnist calls it quits

Posted on July 28, 2016 by David McKee

According to J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff, “meaningful contributions” from the Tropicana Las Vegas, Plainridge Park Casino and Illinois slot route Prairie State Gaming drove a 14.5% improvement in Penn National Gaming‘s cash flow last quarter. M Resort hit a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Illinois, M Resort, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Plainridge Park hits the one-year mark; Pennsylvania casinos spurn booze tax

Posted on July 27, 2016 by David McKee

Recording its first anniversary with a reported $160 million in revenue, against projections closer to $300 million, is Penn National Gaming‘s Plainridge Park a dud? Not so fast. The casino reports the highest win/slot/day by far of any casino for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Election, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Regulation, Revel, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Wynn Boston Harbor a ‘go’; Caesars’ big score

Posted on July 25, 2016 by David McKee

Depending on how peevish Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone is feeling, groundbreaking on Wynn Boston Harbor could be a week away. Wynn Resorts‘ acknowledgement of its latest victory contained just a hint of battle fatigue, saying the rejection of Curtatone’s arguments “hopefully … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Dining, Environment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tourism | Comments Off

Big win for Wynn; Entertainer gets shrunken head

Posted on July 20, 2016 by David McKee

It’s never too late to count out litigious Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone but it looks like Wynn Boston Harbor may finally be inevitable. The casino project received a development permit from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Sore losers Mohegan … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Iowa, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off

Station goes to Reno; Tohono O’odham trip themselves up

Posted on July 15, 2016 by David McKee

Continuing its sudden flurry of activity, Station Casinos is reviving its dormant Reno-area aspirations. The company is acting on its eight-acre parcel opposite the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, a strategic location if ever there were one. The $50 million-$70 million project … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Sports, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Israel moves toward casinos; West Virginia mulls ‘Net betting

Posted on July 13, 2016 by David McKee

We’ve been surprised that Sheldon Adelson isn’t overtly pushing for casinos in Israel, especially upon reading that the city of Eilat “smells and feels a little bit like a very small version of Vegas.” It’s well away from the rest … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Tribal, West Virginia | Comments Off

Happy ending for casino site; DFS not out of the woods in New York

Posted on July 11, 2016 by David McKee

There’s a happy ending to the saga of Bavarian Brewery, which had been purchased by Columbia Sussex a decade back in hopes that it would be Kentucky‘s first casino. The building has lain fallow ever since and ColSux has gone … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Geoff Freeman, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Sports | Comments Off

Shifty speculation in Massachusetts; Hoosiers spend more

Posted on July 8, 2016 by David McKee

Two Boston-area mayors are digging in against a slot parlor proposed for Revere. New Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone (below) have both voiced opposition to the project, which would be near Suffolk Downs (the ballot question is … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Full House Resorts, Harrah's, Horseracing, Law enforcement, Majestic Star, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

What’s the verdict, Jack, er, Dan?; AGA & NIGA join forces

Posted on July 7, 2016 by David McKee

Cleveland Cavaliers playoff games were good for Dan Gilbert‘s casino businesses. His Jack Cleveland casino was up 13%, to $16 million last month. It’s far too soon for a verdict on the “Jack” (as in “up yours, asshole”) brand, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, G2E, Geoff Freeman, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes | Comments Off

The meddlesome Adelson; Wynn Palace postponed again

Posted on June 27, 2016 by David McKee

“Essentially, Pechanga and its allies see no reason to compromise, even an inch,” wrote California Online Poker‘s Steve Ruddock of the intractable position of the Pechanga and Agua Caliente tribes, and their anti-PokerStars allies (who include Sheldon Adelson, meddling in … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, California, Churchill Downs, Election, Foxwoods, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 21, 2016 by David McKee

“It’s fun to see stuff get teared down, so …” — area resident Raiyanne Shepher, on the demolition prefacing construction of MGM Springfield.

Posted in Architecture, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage | Comments Off

The perils of Packer; Straub misses deadline

Posted on June 15, 2016 by David McKee

There’s been another hiccup in the Alon saga, as billionaire James Packer is restructuring his Crown Resorts portfolio “to shield his Australian assets from a prolonged downturn in the Chinese gambling hub” of Macao, according to Bloomberg. Packer’s share of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Glenn Straub, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, Penn National, Revel | Comments Off

Penn has big plans for Trop; DFS sites feel the heat

Posted on June 14, 2016 by David McKee

High rollers aren’t spending as much as they used to at Penn National Gaming casinos, reports JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff, after meeting with CEO Tim Wilmott. Overall, Penn says its springtime revenues have been tracking with its expectations. Greff … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Colorado, Dining, Economy, Election, Florida, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Stanley Ho, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

The end of an era; Aquinnah tribe beats the odds

Posted on June 7, 2016 by David McKee

Free parking on the Las Vegas Strip bit the dust yesterday, as MGM Resorts International starting charging for the privilege of using its casino-hotels, starting with Aria, Vdara, Monte Carlo and New York-New York. Today, parking fees hit the low-rollers … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Columbia Sussex, Kentucky, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Atlantic City back on death watch?; Money problems at Moulin Rouge

Posted on June 3, 2016 by David McKee

Things are suddenly looking grim for Atlantic City: A new Monmouth University poll shows voters evenly divided on a referendum to end the Boardwalk’s monopoly on casino gambling, an erosion of public support for the resort city. Assessing the situation … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Problem gambling, Regulation, Riviera, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Monte Carlo, meet Park MGM; Wynn, Adelson, Barrack help Trump

Posted on June 3, 2016 by David McKee

In the end, MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren couldn’t decide between “The Park” and “The Park at MGM Grand” as the new name for Monte Carlo, so he dubbed it Park MGM, which sounds like someplace you leave your … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off

Raiders to Vegas? Don’t bet against it

Posted on June 2, 2016 by David McKee

The boulder that is Mark Davis‘ and Sheldon Adelson‘s attempt to move the [your city here] Raiders to Las Vegas is gaining momentum as it rumbles downhill. The growing support among NFL owners is not unconditional. Sin City would be one … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, history, LVCVA, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Oklahoma, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here, Wall Street | Comments Off

Adelson bill makes unwelcome return; Downtown Vegas’ new face

Posted on May 16, 2016 by David McKee

His presidential aspirations having turned to dust, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) is back to doing Sheldon Adelson‘s business, resurrecting RAWA. He has appended to an unrelated spending bill the following language: “Internet Gambling—Since 1961, the Wire Act has prohibited nearly all … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, PokerStars, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off