Category Archives: Massachusetts

Sheldon: “No money for you!”; Newton manse for sale (again)

Posted on August 27, 2020 by David McKee

So the leopard really can’t change its spots. According to court documents, liens have been filed against the MSG Sphere at Venelazzo. The $1.65 billion project is being sued over $3 million in supposedly unpaid bills. Reported the Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Dining, Diversity, Health, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, Massachusetts, Real Estate, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Tamares Group, The Strip, Transportation, Wayne F. Newton, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Keystone State casinos go begging; IRS: DFS is gambling

Posted on August 19, 2020 by David McKee

What if they gave a casino and nobody came? How about six casinos? That’s the problem faced by Pennsylvania, whose Lege over-optimistically authorized 10 satellite casinos, dollar signs dancing in their heads. The first couple of rounds of bidding were … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, DFS, Indiana, Internet gambling, Japan, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Baby steps in Massachusetts, leaps and bounds in Pennsylvania

Posted on August 18, 2020 by David McKee

Given that Plainridge Park didn’t reopen until July 8, and Encore Boston Harbor and MGM Springfield not for two more days after that, it’s wholly understandable that Massachusetts gambling revenue was down 44% last month. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, El Cortez, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street, Westgate LV, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Covid tourism at Bally’s; College football conundrum

Posted on August 18, 2020 by David McKee

When Bally’s Las Vegas announced that the Real Bodies exhibit would be adding “Covid-19 Content” we admittedly feared the worst: corpses of Coronavirus victims on display. While cashing in on Covid-19 is in questionable taste, Real Bodies seems to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, China, Dining, Diversity, Economy, Election, FanDuel, Health, Las Vegas Raiders, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Regulation, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Transportation, Westgate LV, William Hill | 3 Comments

New hope for Station; Raider Nation exiled

Posted on August 5, 2020 by David McKee

Station Casinos reported second-quarter results yesterday and JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff came away “encouraged” and “impressed.” He wrote of “less bad results in April and May and much better positive [cash flow] generation in June.” How so? In its … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Economy, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Health, IGT, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Cuomo stiff-arms casinos; MGM’s blame game

Posted on August 4, 2020 by David McKee

Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural was able to get some face time with Global Gaming Business … which is more than he’s been able to do with New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), much to Gural’s chagrin. He’s chafing … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Economy, Full House Resorts, Genting, Health, Illinois, Indiana, International, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New York, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Cuomo stiff-arms casinos; MGM’s blame game

Devil in the details

Posted on August 3, 2020 by David McKee

Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. held a conference call with stock analysts and it revealed more about Caesars Entertainment and, to a lesser extent, Penn National Gaming than the companies themselves were saying. Rents and income were described as “better … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Dining, DraftKings, Economy, GLPI, Japan, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Real Estate, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Watching between the lines

Posted on August 3, 2020 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle (rightly) brags on the company’s regional properties but subtly refrains from mentioning MGM Springfield. Is the groundwork being laid for a sale? We think so. Also, MGM Grand Detroit‘s long-awaited reopening comes Wednesday and … Continue reading →

Posted in Detroit, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Sports betting, TV | Comments Off on Watching between the lines

MGM: The lion mews; AGA: Betrayal by Miller

Posted on July 31, 2020 by David McKee

Second-quarter results for MGM Resorts International are in and the company got hammered pretty badly. Las Vegas Strip revenues fell 90% to $151 million, regional operations dropped 90% to $89 million and Macao grossed a feeble $33 million, down 95%. … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Conventions, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Golden Nugget, Health, Horseracing, Illinois, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Real Estate, Sahara, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Election special

Posted on July 29, 2020 by David McKee

Good news! The word “casino” is no longer toxic in politics. Why do we say that? Because Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D), a U.S. Senate aspirant, merely describes Sheldon & Miriam Adelson as “this billionaire couple” in a fundraising e-mail … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Donald Trump, Election, Georgia, Health, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, Sports, Sports betting | 1 Comment

Shopping the Trop; Nobu no-no

Posted on July 26, 2020 by David McKee

An unnamed hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip is being quietly advertised on private-equity forums. It’s listed as a “brand name” property that’s been in operation for over 30 years. The age would seem to suggest The Mirage (born 1989) … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, CityCenter, Connecticut, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Downtown, Election, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Health, Hooters, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maverick Gaming, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Real Estate, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Rio, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal, Twin River, Virgin Hotels, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Shopping the Trop; Nobu no-no

Cosmofusion; MGM Springfield wants new deal

Posted on July 16, 2020 by David McKee

There are some mighty mixed signals coming out of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The megaresort informed its thousands of employees that no layoffs are planned. However, it wrote the state that “The layoff and furloughs which began on or … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Health, Louisiana, Macau, Maine, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Encore Boston reopens and other good news

Posted on July 14, 2020 by David McKee

“It put a big smile on my face,” customer Marcia Hamilton said of Encore Boston Harbor‘s reopening last Sunday. We’ll have to take the smile on faith because employees and customers alike are required to wear PPE masks. Still, Encore … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Cretins, Dining, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Health, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Real Estate, Security, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Atlantic City protest fizzles

Posted on July 6, 2020 by David McKee

Well, that could have been a lot worse. The scheduled fireworks show at Mount Rushmore didn’t set off a forest fire and Boardwalk activist anarchist Steve Young failed in his goal to “shut down the city.” What did he accomplish … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Florida, Hard Rock International, Health, M Resort, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Unite-Here, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Bay State casinos to reopen

Posted on July 3, 2020 by David McKee

Although Massachusetts casinos are eligible to reopen on July 5, it’s looking far likelier that July 12 will be the dawn of a new era in the Bay State. One mandate certain to raise hackles is that players can no … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, California, Card rooms, Cosmopolitan, Downtown, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Health, history, Laughlin, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, Palms, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, Tribal, Twin River, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

All systems go at Ocean

Posted on July 1, 2020 by David McKee

Ocean Casino Resort CEO Terry Glebocki lays out how the former Revel weathered the Coronavirus shutdown, which is expected to lift tomorrow. Her first move was to suspend revenue-sharing agreements with slot manufacturers. After all, there was no revenue to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Health, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Scientific Games, Steven Witkoff, Texas, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Casino scandal in D.C.

Posted on June 25, 2020 by David McKee

Massachusetts‘ Mashpee Wampanoag tribe continues to fight on against a Trump administration decertification of their status, in a case that’s sticking to the White House like a tar baby. Whose market share would be most impinged by a Mashpee casino? … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Derek Stevens, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Downtown Grand, El Cortez, Election, Florida, Hard Rock International, Health, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Palms, Politics, Sports betting, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal, Twin River | 2 Comments

MGM changes mind on Aria; No appetite for deals?

Posted on June 8, 2020 by David McKee

Having told its entire Aria staff to look for new jobs, MGM Resorts International finds itself in the position of saying, “Never mind.” In an interview last weekend, CEO Bill Hornbuckle floated the possibility of reopening Aria by July 4, followed … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, CityCenter, Conventions, Current, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Hawaii, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, LVCVA, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Money laundering, Resort fees, Sahara, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Terry Caudill, The Rio, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV, Virginia, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Very green shoots; Miller takes the lead; “Crisis fees”

Posted on June 5, 2020 by David McKee

It’s an open question whether we’ve tamped down Coronavirus (keep wearing those masks!) but we seem to have turned a corner in the economy, a development that bodes well for the gaming industry. According to the Boston Globe, unemployment “unexpectedly” … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Derek Stevens, Dining, Diversity, Downtown, Economy, Health, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Resort fees, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Boyd comes clean; Penn Nat’l “upbeat”

Posted on May 20, 2020 by David McKee

“Boyd Clean” has been unveiled by eponymous Boyd Gaming and while nothing in it will come as a shock, it shows the company has been closely following what other companies are doing in terms of safety precautions. You’ll receive a … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, FanDuel, Health, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Resort fees, Sports betting, Wall Street | Comments Off on Boyd comes clean; Penn Nat’l “upbeat”