Category Archives: Missouri

Lovemania comes to Cleveland

Looking like death warmed over, Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman took time from promoting the opening of Horseshoe Cleveland to try and spin the unloading of Harrah’s Maryland Heights as another brilliant masterstroke, rather than more evidence of the shambles … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dan Gilbert, Economy, Florida, Harry Reid, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Lovemania comes to Cleveland

St. Louis: Penn in, Harrah’s out

A ways back, the news broke that Caesars Entertainment — being well and truly on its uppers — was trying to shop as many as 10 Southern and Midwest casinos. The goal was to raise at least $500 million to … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Current, Election, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Iowa, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Lies, damned lies and Illinois statistics; SJM: Still hanging in there

If state Rep. Lou Lang (D), the economic Rasputin of the upper Midwest, and his allies in the horsey set were actually conspiring to topple Illinois‘ casino industry in favor of quick-and-dirty racinos, they’ve done it cunningly. Frontal attacks on … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Slot routes, Stanley Ho, Wall Street | Comments Off on Lies, damned lies and Illinois statistics; SJM: Still hanging in there

Penn, Vegas to GSA: Thank you!; What price Victorville?

With so many fine hotels to choose from in Las Vegas, it’s no wonder that it took disgraced General Services Administration Regional Commissioner Jeffrey Neely no fewer than eight ‘fact-finding’ missions at a cost of $130,000 (or $16,250 per vacation … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Illinois, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Like I said …

That MGM Resorts International casino project in Massachusetts looked like a long shot to me — and so it was. After a high-profile launch, complete with a personal appearance by CEO Jim Murren, a dedicated Web site and a promised … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Election, Goldman Sachs, Indiana, International, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

There will be Ice Capades in Hell before Sheldon Adelson sets foot in Encore, I should expect. However, with J.P. Morgan holding an investor conference at Wynncore, it would be poor form of Las Vegas Sands — currently the darling … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

No cannibalization in K.C.!; Nebraska: Phhhhhttt!

February numbers are in for Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway and it lifted the entire K.C. market 24%, grossing $15 million in 26 days. Once the Hollywood effect is sifted out of monthly revenues, all other casinos were down only … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Harrah's, Horseracing, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Wall Street | Comments Off on No cannibalization in K.C.!; Nebraska: Phhhhhttt!

Cosmo woe; MGM lurves Ameristar

As new casino boss Thomas McCartney tries to stabilize the sinking ship that is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, he’s tossed overboard some human ballast in the form of casino employees. (Thirty full-time dealers are alleged to have been pink-slipped.) … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Dan Lee, Dining, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Movies, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Fire sale at Caesars; Harvey vs. The Mob

Money problems at Caesars Entertainment are worse than we thought. According to the New York Post, the company is trying to shop as many as 10 Midwestern casinos in order to raise $500 million in development capital. The money would … Continue reading

Posted in Harrah's, Harry Reid, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, The Mob, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

“Luck” you!; A new gaming bonanza?

Last week, Mandalay Bay hosted an advance screening of the pilot episode of Luck, which debuted on HBO last night. If it was hard to follow on the ginormous MBay screen, I cannot imagine how impenetrable it seemed on a … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, California, Horseracing, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Problem gambling, Racinos, South Carolina, Taxes, Tribal, TV | 5 Comments

The clueless Adelson; A happy birthday; Big Brother Penn

Yes, it’s yet another exciting episode of The New(t) Adventures of Sheldon Adelson. When, in typically unsubtle (read: crass) fashion, the casino potentate began pouring kegs full of money into the current presidential race, it was bound to set off … Continue reading

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Election, Environment, Harrah's, M Resort, Macau, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | 3 Comments

When executives attack: The Quickening

OK, you’ve heard the sound bites, read the correspondence, seen the over-the-top tactics. Now Station Casinos and the Culinary Union have to make their case to a higher authority: Jon Ralston. (Historical footnote: When Ameristar Casinos bought Station out of … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Archon Corp., Boulder Strip, Culinary Union, George Maloof, Missouri, North Las Vegas, Station Casinos, TV | Comments Off on When executives attack: The Quickening

Illinois: They shoot horses, don’t they?; Friday film festival

Score another round for Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D): By threatening a drawn-out negotiation process that would put casino expansion hard up against election season — with lawmakers facing the terra incognita of redrawn districts — he may have forced … Continue reading

Posted in Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Internet gambling, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Rhode Island, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Illinois: They shoot horses, don’t they?; Friday film festival

Meet Virginia McDowell, Part II: Tales of Trump

In terms of turning around Isle’s financial performance, do you feel the full 180 degrees have been achieved yet? We’ve had a couple off different priorities over the last few years, as far as our strategic initiatives. One was to … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Marketing, Missouri, Tourism, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Another domino wobbles; Western, R.I.P.; Fighting over pocket change?

Add South Carolina to the list of states that could be suddenly taking a more favorable view of casino gambling. What the United Keetowa Band of Cherokee Indians is pitching have to be compacted with Gov. Nikki Haley (R, right). … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Downtown, history, Internet gambling, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, South Carolina, Tamares Group, Tribal | 2 Comments

Meet Virginia McDowell, Part I

What are your plans for Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, in Pennsylvania? We’re still waiting for the appeal process to wind its way through the courts. The original plan called for to build on an existing facility on the Nemacolin property, which … Continue reading

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, G2E, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Texas, Tourism, Tribal | 3 Comments

Belated Christmas presents, Midwest edition

To quote Stephen Sondheim, everything’s coming up roses … or close enough, anyway. Last Friday, strong numbers out of Iowa — of a non-caucus ilk — showed the state’s casinos rebounding to the tune of 16% (on a $121 million) … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Dan Lee, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Sanguine Sands; Genting vs. Islamofascism; Arkansas vs. Missouri

Las Vegas Sands dispatched its international overseer, Rob Goldstein (right) and sidekick Dan Briggs to New York as envoys to Wall Street. As reported by J.P. Morgan‘s Joseph Greff, Sands’ outlook is sanguine, particularly with regard to the Singapore and … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Economy, Election, Florida, Genting, Goldman Sachs, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Missouri, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Jack Abramoff, human sewage; Massachusetts: It’s done

Victor Rocha says it best: “Jack Abramoff is still the scum off the earth.” The unrepentant ripoff artist — to call him a snake in the grass would be a slander upon serpents — claims his only failing was to … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, California, Don Barden, Election, Harrah's, history, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Movies, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, The Mob, Tribal | Comments Off on Jack Abramoff, human sewage; Massachusetts: It’s done

Rule or ruin in Illinois; A new deal in Detroit

State Rep. Lou “Death Wish” Lang (D, right) continues to dare, then double-dare Gov. Pat Quinn (D) to veto what’s now a 2.6X expansion of the number of gambling positions in the state of Illinois. Lang has offered a few … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Dan Lee, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Reno, Slot routes, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments