Category Archives: MGM Mirage

Atlantic City casinos make less, profit more

In a paradoxical development, Atlantic City casinos reported a 61% increase in profitability in Q315. That largesse came even as gross gaming revenues only rose 5%. Cost-containment is credited with being the source of the bounty. Caesars Interactive swung from … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Dan Gilbert, Economy, Election, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Politics, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City casinos make less, profit more

DFS sued again; Penn disappoints, MGM excels

A Florida attorney seems to have found the soft underbelly of the daily fantasy sports industry: its investors. Ervin Gonzales, representing two Sunshine State punters, has filed a class-action lawsuit that names among its defendants all the major sporting leagues, … Continue reading

Posted in Florida, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sports | Comments Off on DFS sued again; Penn disappoints, MGM excels

Runaway costs in Springfield; Lucky Dragon not so lucky

MGM Springfield is turning into the worst of both worlds. Not only has the ‘wow’ factor been subtracted (“really the least interesting part of our project,” one exec contended), with the result that the casino-hotel looks more like a bank … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, California, Culinary Union, Downtown, Entertainment, Lucky Dragon, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Taxes, Transportation | Comments Off on Runaway costs in Springfield; Lucky Dragon not so lucky

Up and down the Strip

SLS Las Vegas is finally doing better, if by “doing better” you mean losing only $39 million in a full 3Q15 as opposed to the $46 million lost in the truncated (five-week) 3Q14. Stockbridge Capital Partners continues to have to … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, James Packer, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Autumn chill in Atlantic City; Christmas present for VictoryLand

For the first time in over a year, there are no casino closings to be factored into Atlantic City‘s gaming revenue, no more same-store comparisons. So how did the Boardwalk fare? Even with an extra weekend day, revenue dipped 3%. … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Good news in Massachusetts for DFS and tribe

Home team DraftKings (headquartered in Boston) got a vote of confidence from Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R), who opined that daily fantasy sports is a game of skill, not of chance. Last weekend, Baker tried a little DraftKings wagering himself … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Good news in Massachusetts for DFS and tribe

Phil Ruffin, International Man of Mystery; Another day, another DFS probe

So now we know where those The Mirage-is-for-sale rumors were coming from. Seems that the place really was not for sale, although Phil Ruffin wished it was, to the tune of $1.3 billion. And, as badly as MGM Resorts International … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, GLPI, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Phil Ruffin, International Man of Mystery; Another day, another DFS probe

Big month for Maryland; Much ado about Dotty’s

Developers of MGM National Harbor have to like what they saw when Maryland busted out its October revenue numbers: 9% growth (to $95 million), with all five casinos in the plus column. Horseshoe Baltimore General Manager Chad Barnhill is defecting … Continue reading

Posted in Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Dotty's, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, TV | 1 Comment

Bluhm thinks big in Massachusetts; Cautious optimism in Illinois

Never accuse Neil Bluhm of thinking small. His Mass Gaming & Entertainment has published some eye-popping projections as part of a 200-page casino application to the State of Massachusetts. Despite nearby competition from Plainridge and Rhode Island, Bluhm is projecting … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Bluhm thinks big in Massachusetts; Cautious optimism in Illinois

Packer on the move in Vegas; Impending strike in Detroit?

Formally speaking, Alon hasn’t broken ground but that hasn’t stopped James Packer‘s bulldozers and backhoes from moving earth around at the site of the planned megaresort, as well as leveling some of the landscaping Steve Wynn paid for to conceal … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Carl Icahn, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Fontainebleau, Genting, James Packer, MGM Mirage, SLS Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Packer on the move in Vegas; Impending strike in Detroit?

The (Nathan) Deal they can’t refuse; Decision time in Connecticut

Casino companies like to complain about high taxation … unless they’re trying to get into a jurisdiction, in which case they’ll agree to anything. In Georgia, they’ve upped the ante from a proposed 12% tax rate to 20%. It’s not … Continue reading

Posted in Foxwoods, Georgia, Massachusetts, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Caesars loses Ohio; Parking fees on the Strip?

In a lose-lose scenario, Caesars Entertainment is losing its management contracts at Horseshoe Cincinnati, Horseshoe Cleveland and Thistledown Racino. Even with the valuable Horseshoe brand, all three had been losing business in recent months. Caesars had long ago sold its … Continue reading

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Dan Gilbert, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Transportation | 1 Comment

Murren: Mission to Massachusetts

Hot on the heels of announcing a REIT conversion of MGM Resorts International and a boffo 3Q15, CEO Jim Murren sped out to Massachusetts to calm the waters in Springfield, where MGM’s serial reductions of its casino plan have stirred … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Economy, Foxwoods, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Reno, Wall Street | Comments Off on Murren: Mission to Massachusetts

MGM: The Murren roars

In one of the year’s least surprising surprises, MGM Resorts International announced that it is spinning 10 of its casinos off into a REIT and is in a hurry to do so, expecting the transaction to close in the first … Continue reading

Posted in CityCenter, Illinois, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Seminole resolution in sight?; Murren called on the carpet

Florida‘s Seminole Tribe is pursuing a two-track policy in the court of public opinion. On the one hand, it has announced “significant progress” in its talks with lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott (R, left). On the other hand, it is … Continue reading

Posted in Florida, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, Taxes, Transportation, Tribal | Comments Off on Seminole resolution in sight?; Murren called on the carpet

Caesars: (Almost) everything must go; More angst in Macao

Well, it had to happen eventually. In order to escape bankruptcy, Caesars Entertainment is putting Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. on the market. There are some who are calling this a bluff and others who can’t afford to get in on … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Economy, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Lawrence Ho, Louisiana, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Philippines, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Texas lottery gives guv Grief; The Incredible Shrinking Casino

Those cowpokes who run the Texas Lottery Commission have gotten a bit off the ranch. Of a proverbial fact-finding mission to the Delaware lottery, Executive Director Gary Grief said, “We were particularly interested to learn about your sports betting, Internet wagering … Continue reading

Posted in Delaware, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Texas | Comments Off on Texas lottery gives guv Grief; The Incredible Shrinking Casino

Adelson crashes MGM’s party; More trouble for DFS

Sheldon Adelson has a genius for sucking the air out of whatever room he enters. After MGM Resorts International laid the groundwork for a casino debate in Georgia, offering to invest $1 billion in an Atlanta pleasure palace, Adelson has … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Florida, Georgia, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip | Comments Off on Adelson crashes MGM’s party; More trouble for DFS

All’s well at Penn; Mulroy’s misdeed; Discomfort at Studio City

Penn National Gaming pleasantly surprised Wall Street, reporting third-quarter revenue of $739 million and $210 million in cash flow, exceeding projections by $8 million and $11 million, respectively. It paid out $109 million in rent to Gaming & Leisure Properties … Continue reading

Posted in California, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, GLPI, Illinois, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on All’s well at Penn; Mulroy’s misdeed; Discomfort at Studio City

Steve Wynn’s an unhappy camper

A decade ago, Steve Wynn would badmouth doing business in Nevada and warble sweet hymns to that capitalist’s paradise, China. How times change. On yesterday’s quarterly earnings call, Wynn was apoplectic about the Chinese government’s shifting policies in re Macao. “In … Continue reading

Posted in Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, International, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments