Category Archives: Melco Crown Entertainment

Billion-dollar bonanza in Macao; Mob boss returns

Posted on June 24, 2015 by David McKee

Casino investment in the U.S. has largely been a bust for private equity firms. However, two funds — Silver Point Capital and Oaktree Capital Management — could be about to hit the jackpot in Macao. It seems that Melco Crown … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Singapore, Stanley Ho, The Mob, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Atlantic City rings the cash register; Adelson loses (again)

Posted on May 26, 2015 by David McKee

Operating profits in Atlantic City don’t tell the whole story: The Showboat was notoriously in the black when Caesars Entertainment closed it but the company said it was running at a loss … thanks to interest payments with which CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Et tu, Harry?; It’s a new era in Manila

Posted on May 12, 2015 by David McKee

Now that Sen. Harry Reid (D) has one foot out the door on Capitol Hill, he’s turning on the casino companies — particularly Caesars Entertainment — that helped him stay in power five years ago. Just when Sen. Lindsey Graham‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, Genting, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Kazuo Okada, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore | Comments Off

Ohio casinos: Half a loaf better than none; Brighter days for Macao?

Posted on May 4, 2015 by David McKee

Ohio cities are trying to use casino revenues to keep pace with Gov. John Kasich‘s austerity regime — and partly succeeding. “It is an important part of the budget, particularly when you look at the fact the state has eliminated almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Environment, history, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Philippines, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off

Macao casinos feel the heat; $41 million jackpot voided

Posted on April 27, 2015 by David McKee

When the government of Macao makes a suggestion, it’s more like an order. For instance, last week, Secretary for Economy & Finance Lionel Leong summoned representatives of all six casino concessionaires to a meeting in which he ‘requested’ increased hiring and … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Economy, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off

Reid’s heavy hand; Staying the course in Macao

Posted on March 26, 2015 by David McKee

Financing of SLS Las Vegas was made a little easier when Sen. Harry Reid (D) intervened on behalf of some of Sam Nazarian‘s all-important EB-5 visa investors. The inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security has identified four SLS … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, The Strip | Comments Off

Macao in freefall; A RAWA deal

Posted on March 3, 2015 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson can call Macao‘s doldrums “cyclical” until he’s blue in the face but there’s no mistaking that the gambling enclave is having serious problems. Actually, that’s a bit of an understatement when February revenue falls 49%. VIP play is … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Internet gambling, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off

Macao casinos squeezed again; Isle’s clean sweep

Posted on February 25, 2015 by David McKee

First, it was the corruption crackdown. Now, the Chinese government is reviewing visitation levels to Macao. As Macanese Secretary for Social Affairs & Culture Alexis Tam put it, “[T]oo many tourists impact residents’ quality of life.” That’s not music to casinos’ ears and … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Florida, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

One man’s toxic waste …

Posted on February 6, 2015 by David McKee

… is Steve Wynn‘s treasure. Reader thsully1 has supplied us with these photos of Wynn’s casino site in Everett. Mentally superimpose Wynn Las Vegas and decide if you’d like to go there or not. “The site is sandwiched in between … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Foxwoods, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Philippines, Sheldon Adelson, South Korea, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | Comments Off

Adelson gives himself promotion; Making Macao family friendly

Posted on January 23, 2015 by David McKee

With Edward Tracy retiring and Rob Goldstein only undertaking the presidency of Sands China on an interim basis, Sheldon Adelson has named himself CEO of Sands China in addition to Las Vegas Sands. This is viewed as a positive move, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Economy, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn | Comments Off

Start making sense; Walker dodges a bullet

Posted on January 12, 2015 by David McKee

“Indianapolis is making it impossible to run cities,” complains Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who’s nettled by a proposal to eliminate the $3 admission fees Indiana casinos pay on behalf of their customers. The port authority of Hammond is run … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Horseracing, Indiana, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

New Yorkers want a do-over; Another EuroVegas folds

Posted on December 29, 2014 by David McKee

Magnanimously, Traditions at the Glen partner — and losing casino bidder — Peter Walsh is throwing his support to racino mogul Jeff Gural. The latter is trying to pry New York‘s fourth and last new-casino license loose from New York State’s … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Delaware, Economy, Genting, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Racinos, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Death throes at Trump Taj; Casino clash in Maine

Posted on December 2, 2014 by David McKee

Even with a $5 million cash infusion from rich uncle Carl Icahn, that didn’t stop Trump Taj Mahal from going into Death Spiral Mode. Its greatest asset, its new(ish) hotel tower, has been closed and the casino will no longer … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, GTECH, Horseracing, IGT, International, Lawrence Ho, Maine, Melco Crown Entertainment, Penn National, Politics, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Working-class hero; Caesars courts Philippines

Posted on October 22, 2014 by David McKee

Having thrown its workforce to the wolves as part of its bankruptcy plan — one that may not ultimately save any jobs — Trump Entertainment Resorts has pissed off the wrong guy: state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D). Chief creditor Carl … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Economy, Genting, International, Kazuo Okada, Louisiana, Melco Crown Entertainment, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Revel, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Rocky Mountain low; Crouching Tiger, hidden ownership

Posted on September 26, 2014 by David McKee

A study by — you guessed — proponents of a racino in Colorado is projecting some hard-to-believe numbers, contingent upon Arapahoe Park being approved for casino gambling in November. They’re predicting $418 million in statewide economic impact, including $114 million … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colorado, Economy, Election, International, Kazuo Okada, Melco Crown Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

MGM courts Japan; More Strip land hits the market

Posted on September 5, 2014 by David McKee

Taking a veiled stab at Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts International President William Hornbuckle said that a MGM megaresort in Japan would be “uniquely Japanese, not a copy of an integrated resort from Las Vegas or Singapore.” It … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Entertainment, history, James Packer, Japan, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Riviera, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off

Case Bets

Posted on August 21, 2014 by David McKee

Any fears of antitrust litigation in the Scientific Games/Bally Technologies merger were put to rest yesterday when the two companies announced they had cleared the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act waiting period ahead of schedule. This is hardly equal to leaping the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Genting, Harrah's, Japan, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Ohio, Regulation, Riviera, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, TV | Comments Off

The return of the Strip; Panic over Macao

Posted on August 18, 2014 by David McKee

Las Vegas‘ recovery from the Great Recession is all but official. To be truthful, a number of us — myself in particular — thought we were being played for suckers when Sam Nazarian closed the Sahara and promised to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Fontainebleau, Genting, International, James Packer, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street, Westgate LV | 4 Comments

Las Vegas: From China, with money

Posted on August 13, 2014 by David McKee

As China pays closer scrutiny to VIP play — and where the money is coming from — it’s driven down the high-end action in Macao … and redirected it toward Las Vegas. Said Telsey Advisory Group analyst Chris Jones, “One thing … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, International, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

No gold rush in California

Posted on August 11, 2014 by David McKee

In a huge setback for Internet gambling, California‘s legislature is calling it a day. State Sen. Lou Correa (D) is not only withdrawing his i-gaming bill from consideration, he’s being termed out at the end of the session, so the cause … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Melco Crown Entertainment, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off