Category Archives: Neil Bluhm

Rivers Casino by the numbers

Now that you can play the slots in Pittsburgh, just what's on tap? J.P. Morgan has published the slot inventory of brand new Rivers Casino and the slot floor (which is 55% reel-spinning) breaks down by denomination as follows: Pennies: … Continue reading

Posted in Don Barden, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Technology | Comments Off on Rivers Casino by the numbers

Rough trade

May wasn't great for Las Vegas, to say the least, with hotel occupancy -6%, a figure somewhat amplified by the presence of 3% more hotel rooms. The local ADR of $96.96 would have been regarded as real money back in … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Regulation, Slot routes, The Strip | Comments Off on Rough trade

Michael Jackson, casino baron?

As the media rages down Memory Lane, here’s one from the Strange But True file: Michael Jackson partnered with Detroit entrepreneur Don Barden in a scheme to gerrymander a Motown casino into Barden’s hands. I covered the story for Casino … Continue reading

Posted in Detroit, Don Barden, Economy, Genting, International, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore | Comments Off on Michael Jackson, casino baron?

The Trop heist that wasn't

"An improvident indictment." That's what New Jersey officials are calling a case that was quietly quashed in May. Sacked Borgata veep John Conklin and two other men had been charged with plundering the Tropicana Atlantic City's database when they were … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Kansas, Neil Bluhm, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off on The Trop heist that wasn't

Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

Credit-default swaps, some of those financial instruments that have played hob with the U.S. economy, are making a cameo appearance in the tortured saga of Station Casinos. If you insured Station's debt, that insurance is worth more than the paper … Continue reading

Posted in Colony Capital, Don Barden, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

Credit-default swaps, some of those financial instruments that have played hob with the U.S. economy, are making a cameo appearance in the tortured saga of Station Casinos. If you insured Station’s debt, that insurance is worth more than the paper … Continue reading

Posted in Colony Capital, Don Barden, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

Big bounce in Pennsylvania

Casino revenues in the Keystone State leapt 14% from February of Leap Year to this year, at least at six of the state's seven casinos. (Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course is excluded; it wasn't open a year ago.) … Continue reading

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Harrah's, James Packer, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Big bounce in Pennsylvania

Wall Street swoons for Sands

That must have been some mighty tasty Kool-Aid that Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson was ladling out at the Reuters Travel & Leisure Summit yesterday. Had we not been hearing it from other news sources, one wouldn't put much … Continue reading

Posted in Don Barden, Macau, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wall Street swoons for Sands

Case Bets: Chicago, Wyndham, Harrah's

Anybody who still frets about "criminal elements" in Las Vegas casinos ought to turn their gaze toward Chicago instead, where such issues continue to dog the state's 10th casino license. The citizens of Waukegan lost their shot at a casino … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Neil Bluhm, Plaza, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Case Bets: Chicago, Wyndham, Harrah's