Category Archives: Movies

Penn survives bad quarter; Summer gaming recover possible

Posted on February 4, 2021 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming reported 4Q20 earnings today and they were down 23% from last year. Many reasons were cited, including lower consumer spending, casino closures in Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and new restrictions in Ohio and Maine. Oh yes, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Barstool Sports, Cretins, Dining, Health, Illinois, Indiana, LVCVA, Maine, Michigan, Movies, New Jersey, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sports, Sports betting | 2 Comments

Tribute to a bad man

Posted on January 12, 2021 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson‘s Horatio Alger success story came to an abrupt end today, when the Boston Globe broke the news of his death from lymphoma at age 87. Adelson had a good run in the industry, longer than most, and his … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Alabama, Architecture, Conventions, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Election, Florida, Galaxy Entertainment, Health, history, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, Marijuana, Movies, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports betting, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Mixed readings on Vegas recovery; Trump vs. Titus

Posted on December 22, 2020 by David McKee

How bad is it in Las Vegas? Well, the latest edict from MGM Resorts International is that The Mirage will be closed from Monday at noon to Thursday at noon, INCLUDING the casino. (We felt that news needed a bit … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Australia, Barstool Sports, Caesars Entertainment, CQ Holdings, Crown Resorts, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Downtown, DraftKings, Economy, GLPI, Health, Horseracing, International, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Nebraska, Nevada, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Las Vegas: First, the bad news …

Posted on November 27, 2020 by David McKee

It’s no wonder October was a bad month for the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown. Visitation to Sin City fell 49.5% and room revenue tumbled 61%. Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg could, for the sake of argument, be right that … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Cirque du Soleil, Conventions, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Jim Murren, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Movies, Real Estate, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Back from the Mountains

Posted on November 12, 2020 by David McKee

So we’ve returned from the Great Smokies—and brought bronchitis home with us. On doctor’s orders S&G is out of action today but will return tomorrow with an extra-large tranche of news. In the meantime, stay well and, as Wesley Snipes … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Health, Movies | Comments Off on Back from the Mountains

Sean Connery, 1930-2020

Posted on October 31, 2020 by David McKee

Sir Sean Connery, the man who did more than anyone to raise awareness of baccarat, has died in his sleep at age 90, in the Bahamas. That’s the way to go. In death, as in life, Connery was the epitome … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, history, Movies | 1 Comment

Vegas: Too much, too soon?

Posted on October 27, 2020 by David McKee

Did Las Vegas reopen too swiftly and too soon? Has it, in fact—as we asked and Las Vegas Sands President Rob Goldstein heavily implies—jumped the shark? It has for 1,200 Las Vegas Strip workers. In addition to 828 already-reported sackings … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Donald Trump, Economy, Full House Resorts, Health, Las Vegas Sands, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 27, 2020 by David McKee

“Donald [Trump]—I appreciate the free publicity for Borat! I admit, I don’t find you funny either. But yet the whole world laughs at you. I’m always looking for people to play racist buffoons, and you’ll need a job after Jan. … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Movies | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 21, 2020 by David McKee

“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”—Pope Francis, interviewed in the new documentary Francesco, which premieres … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Diversity, Movies | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Now for something completely different …

Posted on October 13, 2020 by David McKee

I lucked into this clip from MGM’s It Happened in Brooklyn and it’s too good not to share. Duetting with Kathryn Grayson, Ol’ Blue Eyes isn’t completely idiomatic in his Italian diction (surprisingly) but his classical musicianship is absolutely spot-on. … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, history, Movies | Comments Off on Now for something completely different …

Hiccups in Indiana, Missouri

Posted on September 11, 2020 by David McKee

Stimulus checks and pent-up demand only seem to go so far (except in Ohio). Gambling revenues in Indiana were down 10% last month, to $168 million. $5 million of that was table game play from Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, DraftKings, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, history, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Missouri, Movies, Penn National, Rush Street Gaming, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports betting, TV, Twin River | Comments Off on Hiccups in Indiana, Missouri

Culinary, Caesars, MGM make peace; IGT does a Kerouac

Posted on September 1, 2020 by David McKee

Instead of butting heads in court, the Culinary Union, Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International put their noggins together, and came up with a set of worker-safety protocols to implemented on a company-wide basis. That still leaves a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Golden Nugget, Health, IGT, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Penn National, The Strip, Transportation, TV | 1 Comment

MGM rushes where Caesars fears to tread; Cullotta croaks

Posted on August 21, 2020 by David McKee

“By the end of the year” is MGM Resorts International‘s new timeline for reopening Park MGM. Archrival Caesars Entertainment is proceeding somewhat more circumspectly with its casino reopenings. “Caesars will open its remaining Las Vegas properties in line with customer … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, China, Cirque du Soleil, Culinary Union, Dining, Donald Trump, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Movies, North Las Vegas, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on MGM rushes where Caesars fears to tread; Cullotta croaks

Caesars postpones casino sale; D.C. sports betting bombs

Posted on August 17, 2020 by David McKee

One Caesars Entertainment casino of many on the Las Vegas Strip remains theoretically for sale … but put your checkbooks away for the time being. While new CEO Tom Reeg has to make good on his promise to realize hundreds … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arkansas, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Election, Full House Resorts, Genting, Health, history, Las Vegas Sands, Mississippi, Movies, Ocean Resort, Oklahoma, Penn National, Real Estate, Regulation, Reno, Sahara, Singapore, Sports betting, Tribal, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

Wynn reinvents the buffet; Cash out, digital in?

Posted on June 16, 2020 by David McKee

We seem to have been overfearful in predicting the demise of the Las Vegas buffet. Wynncore‘s reopens on Thursday, making it the first to do so. But it won’t be the same old same-old. Yes, there will be 90 selections and, … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Delaware, Dining, Entertainment, Genting, Health, Horseracing, International, Louisiana, Money laundering, Movies, Nevada, Oklahoma, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, South Dakota, Technology, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Vegas casinos can reopen, sorta; Hard Rock returns

Posted on May 15, 2020 by David McKee

Want to go back to a Las Vegas casino? Now you can. In a well-meant directive that seems to be sowing a certain amount of confusion, the Nevada Gaming Control Board stated that during the current Phase I, casinos could … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Dining, Economy, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Lotteries, Maryland, Massachusetts, Movies, Oregon, Penn National, Real Estate, Sahara, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Virgin Hotels | 2 Comments

Carnage in Louisiana; Documentary slams MGM

Posted on April 22, 2020 by David McKee

Louisiana casinos grossed $97 million last month, having been closed on March 17. April appears to be a dead loss. Surprisingly, the Baton Rouge market was the least hard-hit although at -58% everything is relative. The 61% statewide plunge compares … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Penn National, Sahara, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Carnage in Louisiana; Documentary slams MGM

Midwest: Casinos, interrupted

Posted on April 14, 2020 by David McKee

For some arcane reason, Illinois has not reported casino revenue for March. But we have a couple of neighboring states’ data and can conclude with reasonable certainty that it tracks with the Land of Lincoln. After a March 17 closure … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, Economy, Elaine Wynn, Eldorado Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Internet gambling, Iowa, Macau, Missouri, Movies, Oregon, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Technology | 1 Comment

Union: Where there’s a will, there’s a way

Posted on April 14, 2020 by David McKee

Discontent with casino management is spreading from Las Vegas to the Gulf Coast and beyond. In a Unite-Here teleconference, local union President Marlene Patrick Cooper expressed the general sentiment, saying, “This is a disaster that’s 10 times worse than Katrina. They chose … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, China, Derek Stevens, Dining, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Health, Herbst Gaming, Mississippi, Movies, Nevada, Regulation, The Strip, Unite-Here, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Feds screw small casinos; Coronavirus detritus

Posted on April 7, 2020 by David McKee

Unless there’s a change in the rules in Washington, D.C., the current pandemic could cut like an economic scythe through small gaming operators and slot routes. The Small Business Administration has fallen back on a pettifogging old rule that businesses … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Dining, Economy, George Maloof, Georgia, Health, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Mississippi, Movies, Oscar Goodman, Slot routes, Sports betting, Transportation, TV | Comments Off on Feds screw small casinos; Coronavirus detritus