Category Archives: Nevada

Caesars: What sauce!; Macao underwhelms

Posted on October 8, 2019 by David McKee

With more than a bit of nerve, Caesars Entertainment is jacking up resort fees again. Caesars Palace and Nobu Hotel will have $51.01 in levies (the highest on the Las Vegas Strip, I think; is this a status thing?), while … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, China, Economy, Macau, Michael Gaughan, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New Jersey, Politics, Problem gambling, Resort fees, Sports betting, Terry Caudill, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Train shows promise; Culinary sabotages Station

Posted on September 25, 2019 by David McKee

* We’re hearing a bit more on the Virgin Trains USA electric railway to Las Vegas. The first shovels are to go into the ground in 2023 and the route will mainly hew to the I-15 median. Completion is expected … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Dining, Florida, history, Horseracing, Illinois, Kentucky, Marketing, Nevada, Palms, Racinos, Station Casinos, Transportation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Fertitta plays Cassandra; Reach for the sky

Posted on September 24, 2019 by David McKee

Although Atlantic City is coming off its best month in memory, Tilman Fertitta is predicting doom and gloom. “It’s not a nine-casino market, and I don’t understand why nobody realizes that,” he told The Press of Atlantic City. “You could say the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Derek Stevens, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Fontainebleau, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, LVCVA, Nevada, Pahrump, Reno, Steven Witkoff, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

‘Wynn-wash’ in Boston; MGM, Sahara soak customers

Posted on September 9, 2019 by David McKee

Encore Boston Harbor President Robert DeSalvio gives us the nitty-gritty (emphasis on gritty) of developing the Massachusetts megaresort. For instance, I’ll bet you didn’t know Wynn Resorts rented 600 railroad cards to—repeatedly—haul arsenic-tainted soil from the site, trucked off to Georgia, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cretins, Detroit, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock Hotel, Iowa, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, Nevada, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Resort fees, Sahara, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Technology, Terry Caudill, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Sports betting vexed in Massachusetts; Start spreading the news, they’re leaving today—and how!

Posted on August 30, 2019 by David McKee

Don’t expect sports betting in Massachusetts: Not now, maybe never. Why? Two words: Rhode Island. That state counted on $23 million in tax revenue from sports wagers—a ludicrous figure—and got $2 million. Bay State lawmakers are not only sobered by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Connecticut, Economy, Environment, Florida, Las Vegas Raiders, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New York, Politics, Problem gambling, Rhode Island, Sports, Sports betting | Comments Off

Baccarat hamstrings the Strip

Posted on August 28, 2019 by David McKee

July would have been a good month for the Las Vegas Strip were it not for a wipeout at baccarat: down 26% on 15% less wagering, so luck was definitely not with the house. Overall, Strip revenues were up 1.5% … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Churchill Downs, Downtown, Illinois, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Raiders, Laughlin, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Racinos, Reno, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off

Sheldon’s Sphere inflating; Nevada not keeping up with the times

Posted on August 22, 2019 by David McKee

Madison Square Garden is confronting a major cost overrun on its spherical event center near Venelazzo, meant to—among other things—aggrandize the ego of Sheldon Adelson. Shares of MSG were sent staggering by the revelation that the $1.2 billion cost had … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Jersey, Philippines, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

IGT deal puts R.I. guv in the hot seat

Posted on August 22, 2019 by David McKee

A sweetheart deal for International Game Technology—a no-bid, 20-year, $1 billion contract to supply the state lottery has landed Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) in hot water. The state Ethics Commission has voted to investigate the deal and, more … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, IGT, Massachusetts, Nevada, Politics, Rhode Island, Scientific Games, Transportation, Twin River | Comments Off

Like a Virgin; Chicago casino kaput?

Posted on August 18, 2019 by David McKee

The soon-to-be-ex Hard Rock Hotel is taking an enormous gamble. Instead of trying to operate during the rebranding-and-renovation phase from which it will emerge as Virgin Las Vegas, it is going to close down completely. You read that right. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Hard Rock Hotel, Illinois, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

California: Child brides and gambling don’t mix

Posted on July 17, 2019 by David McKee

One of the weirdest gaming stories ever is playing out in California. Both Ted Kingston and Joseph Kingston, 95% owners of Lake Elsinore Casino, are tied to the Kingston Group, a polygamist sect that the Southern Poverty Law Center has … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, California, Florida, Law enforcement, Nevada, New Jersey, Sports, Sports betting, The Mob | 1 Comment

Whales super-lucky on the Strip; New Jersey tops Nevada

Posted on June 28, 2019 by David McKee

Last month was the busiest in McCarran International Airport history, seeing 4,590,539 arrivals and departures. Unfortunately for the casinos, this did not translate into record prosperity. Far from it. Gross gaming revenue toppled 11% to $517.5 million. Slots were a bright … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Culinary Union, Downtown, International, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Law enforcement, Macau, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Las Vegas, Palms, Reno, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, William Hill | Comments Off

Caesars is dead, long live Caesars

Posted on June 26, 2019 by David McKee

After much flirtation, Eldorado Resorts has consummated its courtship of Caesars Entertainment. In a deal that values the latter at $18 billion (or $12.75/share), Eldorado will buy Caesars for $8.6 billion in cash, plus the assumption of debt. Two previous … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Charity, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Internet gambling, Nevada, New Hampshire, Regulation, Reno, Scientific Games, Station Casinos, The Mob, TV, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 3 Comments

Station diversifies; Caesars retrenches

Posted on June 19, 2019 by David McKee

Scott Roeben of VitalVegas continues to beat the mainstream media to the breaking stories in Sin City. His latest scoop has Apex nightclub at the Palms seeing a coup d’etat. Clique Hospitality is gone and now Station Casinos will try … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Culinary Union, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Tribal | 4 Comments

Arkansas casino nixed; Casino industry picks political winners, losers

Posted on June 17, 2019 by David McKee

Moving rapidly, the Arkansas Racing Commission unanimously granted a license to the Quapaw Tribe to build a casino in Jefferson County. (The tribe responded that it would be equally prompt in building $350 million Saracen Casino Resort. In the meantime slots … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Culinary Union, Dan Lee, Full House Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Palms, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Caesars deal takes shape; Carlino out at Penn

Posted on June 10, 2019 by David McKee

We hope Anthony Rodio isn’t getting too comfy in his CEO chair over at Caesars Entertainment. News reports have been heating up about at Caesars takeover, with Eldorado Resorts continuing to have the inside track and reportedly planning to replace … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, DFS, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, GLPI, Iowa, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Problem gambling, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 2 Comments

More Ho, less Packer at Crown; Wynn pays the piper

Posted on June 3, 2019 by David McKee

More Lawrence Ho at Crown Resorts means less James Packer, as the publishing heir sold down his stake to 25%, spinning the decision thusly: “I am still vitally interested in Crown’s success as a world-class resort and gaming business. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Cosmopolitan, Crown Resorts, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, James Packer, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Massachusetts, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

The value of a dollar & other Case Bets

Posted on May 28, 2019 by David McKee

If you’re making up your casino budget, you might want to stay away from Atlantic City or New York State, where a dollar has only the buying power of 87 or 88 cents. By contrast, the same dollar spent in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Economy, Hawaii, history, Indiana, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Sports betting, The Strip, TV, William Hill | Comments Off

Harrah’s wants its money back; Lucky Dragon investors grumble

Posted on May 22, 2019 by David McKee

They’ve got brass balls at Harrah’s New Orleans. Not only do they want an early extension of their terra forma monopoly, which expires in 2024, they want a big-ass tax rebate to go with it. At stake is a 2001 … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Louisiana, Lucky Dragon, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Nevada, Regulation, Reno, Resort fees, Taxes | Comments Off

Tribe trumps Trump; Rockford pleads for casino

Posted on May 20, 2019 by David McKee

Despite being thrown off the fast-track legislative calendar by a blast of hot air from Donald Trump, a bill to restore land-in-trust status to the Mashpee Wampanoags has sailed through the House of Representatives, 257-146 in a bipartisan win. “Without support … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Genting, Illinois, Indiana, Law enforcement, Marketing, Massachusetts, Nevada, Technology, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wisconsin | 2 Comments

Maddox’s mess; Big Gaming gets image-conscious

Posted on May 20, 2019 by David McKee

“Boston is not up for sale. I like that market. I found the land. I pursued that deal. I entered the agreement with the host community five years ago. I liked that market then. I like that market today.” So … Continue reading →

Posted in Lucky Dragon, Marijuana, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Penn National, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment