Category Archives: Melco Crown Entertainment

Revel resurgent; MGM, Sands to Japan

Posted on September 10, 2013 by David McKee

For all the flack that it’s taken for its misleading “refund” on losses promotion, Revel Resort continues to woo customers back. Its revenues rose 2% in August, pushing the megaresort ahead of Showboat and into the middle tier of Atlantic … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Donald Trump, Harrah's, International, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

Rising son goes to Land of Rising Sun; The man who would be emperor

Posted on August 16, 2013 by David McKee

After a calamitous and incoherent venture into the U.S. gaming industry, James Packer has stuck pretty close to the markets he knows best: Australia and Macao. But he’s feeling his oats again, looking toward Manila, Sri Lanka (which I still … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation, Stanley Ho | Comments Off on Rising son goes to Land of Rising Sun; The man who would be emperor

Men of La Mancha; Delaware: Taxation without benefit

Posted on July 23, 2013 by David McKee

While the attempted boycott of his Venelazzo poker rooms fizzles, Sheldon Adelson continues to look overseas. However, his EuroVegas will be beaten to the punch, or so it appears. Rival project BCN World has the jump on him, at least … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Delaware, Dining, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, New York, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal | 3 Comments

Don’t tell Sheldon!; East Coast misadventures

Posted on June 4, 2013 by David McKee

As EuroVegas appears on the verge of collapse, recent bulletins pile another indignity upon Sheldon Adelson. When Barcelona‘s BCN World wanted to add a casino, it reached 3/4 of the way around the globe to recruit … Melco Crown Entertainment … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Taxes, Transportation, Tribal | 2 Comments

Bad day for Okada; Good month for Macao

Posted on May 30, 2013 by David McKee

It’s back to the starting point for Kazuo Okada, controversial former business partner of Steve Wynn and CEO of Universal Entertainment Corp. The latter’s attempt to enter the Philippines casino market (left) fell apart along with a deal with Robinsons … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, International, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Bad day for Okada; Good month for Macao

Pinnacle: The cost of the deal

Posted on May 30, 2013 by David McKee

Pinnacle Entertainment finds itself in an interesting pickle today: It’s awfully far into its Federal Trade Commission-blocked purchase of Ameristar Casinos to blow it up by, say, selling three or more Ameristar properties or otherwise triggering a fallout. And if … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, CityCenter, Current, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Pinnacle: The cost of the deal

Adelson: He’s taking it with him; Nevada casinos win one, in principle

Posted on May 29, 2013 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson continues to burn through company at what would — for most ordinary firms — be a frightful clip. Clark County District Judge Rob Bare tacked $31.6 million onto a $70 million jury award to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harry Reid, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes | Comments Off on Adelson: He’s taking it with him; Nevada casinos win one, in principle

Land of the Rising Hope

Posted on April 29, 2013 by David McKee

Every few years, brows are knitted earnestly in discussion of whether this will finally be the year in which Japan legalizes casino gambling. I’ve been hearing versions of this debate regularly since 2005, so you’ll pardon me if I suppress … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Genting, International, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Land of the Rising Hope

Cap-and-trade at Sands; SkyFail: The sequel

Posted on January 28, 2013 by David McKee

Ever since the government of Macao put a hard cap on the number of table games in the enclave, casino operators have been forced to do a certain amount of cap-and-trade. In order to stock up Sands Cotai, 200 tables … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

MGM Cotai clears final barrier; devil in the Maryland details

Posted on January 9, 2013 by David McKee

Although the government of Macao enjoys nothing better than to make casino owners wait and fidget for their land leases to be “gazetted,” today is MGM Resorts International‘s lucky day. MGM China received final approval for its Cotai Strip megaresort. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on MGM Cotai clears final barrier; devil in the Maryland details

Shadow-puppetry at the Sahara; TropiHilton of LV; Melco goes southerly

Posted on October 26, 2012 by David McKee

“Lightweight” might be a apt term to describe the braintrust forming around the SLS/Sahara project. So would “miscast.” Reporting to casino novice and owner Sam Nazarian, its president will be J.P. Morgan investment banker Sam Bakhshandehpour. His main qualification for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Shadow-puppetry at the Sahara; TropiHilton of LV; Melco goes southerly

Macao: “This is decent”; Massachusetts slams door behind Adelson

Posted on June 1, 2012 by David McKee

Macao casino revenue grew ‘only’ 7% last month, which is bad … if you were thinking monthly, large double-digit increases (21% over the past five months) were a sustainable norm. “This is decent,” J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff said of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, International, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: “This is decent”; Massachusetts slams door behind Adelson

Massachusetts: Another one bites the dust; Sands Cotai: Hit or miss?

Posted on May 25, 2012 by David McKee

That Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe effort to obtain the coveted southeastern Massachusetts casino license is quickly being exposed as a thing of smoke and mirrors. Sure, the tribe can get a Class II casino on Martha’s Vineyard — it’s a done … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Donald Trump, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Horseracing, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | Comments Off on Massachusetts: Another one bites the dust; Sands Cotai: Hit or miss?

People’s Republic of Steve; Sahara Sam’s big score

Posted on May 3, 2012 by David McKee

Although I was only joking when I suggested that Steve Wynn‘s long-sought Cotai Strip land grant would come in on May Day, some Communist Party bureaucrat wasn’t. After many false alarms, the 51 acres were finally ‘gazetted’ on May 1. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, Encore, Fontainebleau, Harry Reid, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Polished Nugget, burnished Wynn

Posted on April 27, 2012 by David McKee

In what might be called The Era of Deferred Maintenance, Landry’s Restaurants CEO Tilman Fertitta still believes in spending money to make money. That’s why he poured $150 million into the former Trump Marina and, consequently, the Golden Nugget Atlantic … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Mississippi, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Sauce for the goose; Wall Street hearts LVS, MGM & Melco

Posted on April 23, 2012 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson must have great and abiding faith in the American legal system … at least some of the time. He’s counting on it to cover his butt over in Macao, where erstwhile partners Asian American Entertainment have filed suit … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Economy, International, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Macao: Crossed fingers at Wynn; Confrontation at Melco

Posted on April 19, 2012 by David McKee

According to the Jornal Tribuna de Macau, by the end of the month, Wynn Resorts and the government of Macao “may sign” the long-awaited land tender upon which the fate of $2.7 billion Wynn Cotai rests. It “could be” a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Hooters, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Atlantic City: Fertitta struggling, Gomes triumphing, Boyd steady

Posted on November 10, 2011 by David McKee

No surprise that Borgata remains in a class by itself among Atlantic City resorts. It finished October at 0.0% deviance from last year, as flat as “flat” can be. The lone gainer in the market was Resorts Atlantic City, up … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 4, 2011 by David McKee

“Ferries don’t come to Macao during a typhoon but they don’t leave either.” — Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli, endeavoring to calm investor fears of “a broader slowdown in China” — anxieties that have driven MGM Resorts International, Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

G2E 2011: No big deal?

Posted on September 27, 2011 by David McKee

I’ve been debating whether or not to give Global Gaming Expo a pass this year and this morning’s dispatch from Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli didn’t exactly quicken my pulse. His prediction? A “quiet” G2E, due to slow growth in the … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, G2E, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on G2E 2011: No big deal?