Category Archives: New York

Culinary, Caesars clash; Resort fees repel visitors

Posted on May 3, 2018 by David McKee

It’s collective-bargaining time in Las Vegas and the Culinary Union is dickering with Caesars Entertainment through the media. “Having rooms with a ‘Do Not Disturb’ on for days makes me shaky. I am constantly going into a room that staff hasn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, CityCenter, Culinary Union, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, LVCVA, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Palms, Resort fees, Security, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Study zings MGM; Galaxy resort vetoed

Posted on April 11, 2018 by David McKee

Allowing a fourth casino into Connecticut — and thereby abrogating its gaming compacts — could be extremely costly for the Nutmeg State. That’s the conclusion of a new study by casino pundit Clyde Barrow. He writes that the new casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Centaur Gaming, Economy, Environment, Foxwoods, Full House Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, Majestic Star, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Penn National, Philippines, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Taxes, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

No bailout for N.Y. casinos; Horseshoe Baltimore gets creative

Posted on April 6, 2018 by David McKee

There’s no question that upstate New York‘s new casinos drank their own bathwater when making their case to the state. Two of them are now squealing like stuck pigs, demanding that the Lege lower their tax rates. Never mind that … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Taxes | 1 Comment

Hard Rock out, Virgin in; Something of value

Posted on April 2, 2018 by David McKee

Sir Richard Branson hasn’t taken the door keys to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino yet but he’s already got a lot of fans in the Culinary Union. According to a Culinary press release, both Virgin Hotels and outgoing owner … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Hard Rock Hotel, Internet gambling, New York, Taxes | Comments Off

Las Vegas: Whales to the rescue

Posted on March 30, 2018 by David McKee

Las Vegas Strip gaming revenues far overshot projections for last month, finishing 11.5% higher, grossing $603.5 million. This is in large part due to baccarat revenues, a cosmic 82.5% higher on a staggering 59% increase in wagering, “likely reflecting some … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Genting, Lake Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Mesquite, New York, North Las Vegas, Reno, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Policy change roils Atlantic City; Stratosphere scheduled for makeover

Posted on March 16, 2018 by David McKee

In what we can expect to be a trend rolled out nationwide, Caesars Entertainment is using its Atlantic City casinos to experiment with cutting back on waitresses. It’s not like we didn’t have fair warning of this: One of the … Continue reading →

Posted in ACEP, Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Dining, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Scientific Games, Slot routes, Sports, Unite-Here, West Virginia | 2 Comments

Slots rule in Maryland, retreat in Pennsylvania

Posted on March 6, 2018 by David McKee

MGM National Harbor continued its domination of Maryland last month, with a 39% market share and $53 million gross. Less reassuring for MGM execs, high-tax slots are starting to pull away from low-tax table games, two categories which used to … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Economy, Genting, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Penn out of Jamul; Fuzzy math on the Strip

Posted on March 2, 2018 by David McKee

Casino companies rarely admit defeat but Penn National Gaming is bagging it where Hollywood Casino Jamul, near San Diego, is concerned. Hollywood Jamul’s debut was disastrous and Penn’s “essentially exiting” its management contract (as Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli put … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, Genting, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Cuomo’s experiment a dud

Posted on February 20, 2018 by David McKee

They’re going to be hurting for revenue in Albany. The Empire State’s three newest casinos have passed their first anniversary and are an aggregate $230 million short of their revenue projections. Yes, they’re generating new revenue (30% according to Moody’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Neil Bluhm, New York, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Florida is on the clock; Political football in New Jersey

Posted on February 14, 2018 by David McKee

In Florida, the clock is running fast on a court order that the state reach an agreement with the Seminole Tribe or kiss at least $250 million (possibly as much as $400 million in proposed legislation) goodbye forever. Part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, DFS, Florida, Genting, Horseracing, Internet gambling, New York, Politics, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, Taxes | 1 Comment

Tribal betrayal in Connecticut; Disappointing year in Schenectady

Posted on February 8, 2018 by David McKee

If the Mashantucket Pequots and the Mohicans feel they’ve been screwed they’re right to do so. Connecticut legislators, in a classic white-man-speaks-with-forked-tongue move, are proposing to tear up the bill that gave Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino a satellite … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Foxwoods, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Kentucky legislators try again; Del Lago: The dog ate our revenues

Posted on February 5, 2018 by David McKee

Kentucky is resuming its off-again/on-again flirtation with casino gambling. The reasoning was predictable. “The reason this idea has been on the radar for years is that we know we’ve been headed towards very bleak budgets. Well, we’re there now,” said state … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, South Dakota, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Wynn in a corner; Delaware may cut racinos some slack

Posted on February 2, 2018 by David McKee

Things have gotten so bad for Steve Wynn that he’s been reduced to asking his employees to support him in Sexgate. “In a family, people look after each other … They take care of the people they serve” he said, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Delaware, Dining, Genting, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

MGM Cotai gets rave review; Cracking the Millennial code

Posted on January 29, 2018 by David McKee

MGM Grand Cotai continues to miss opening deadlines, the latest obstacle being the government’s continued failure to issue a hotel license. “The licence application for the opening of the five-star hotel MGM Cotai and establishments inside the property is still … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Genting, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, New York, Regulation, Technology, TV | Comments Off

Lion attempts to devour Caesar; Louisiana casinos to come ashore?

Posted on January 19, 2018 by David McKee

That proposed takeover of Vici Properties by MGM Growth Properties looks stranger by the day. Since it would be a transaction between two landlords, it would not require Nevada regulatory approval. But it would not, contrary to its initial appearance, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Genting, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Disney teams with casino owners; Tribes on the march

Posted on January 11, 2018 by David McKee

In the strangest coalition I have ever seen, the anti-casino Disney empire has joined with the Seminole Tribe to author a proposal that would take casino approval out of the hands of the Legislature (which hasn’t done a great job, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Election, Florida, history, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Racinos, Technology, Tribal | 2 Comments

New York: Turning the page; Cal-Neva is on the clock

Posted on December 15, 2017 by David McKee

‘Wait three years’ is the new rationale coming out of Albany, now that three new casinos in upstate New York have failed to meet Year One revenue projections. Taking the glass-half-full perspective, state Sen. John Bonacic says that the casinos were … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

MGM National Harbor rules; Beating the eye in the sky

Posted on December 6, 2017 by David McKee

MGM National Harbor dominated Maryland yet again, garnering 39% of market share and grossing $50.5 million. The balance of revenue continues to creep toward the (punitively taxed) slot side of the casino, so MGM won’t be completely thrilled with November’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, Golden Gaming, Japan, Law enforcement, Lawrence Ho, Maryland, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip | Comments Off

Penn, Pinnacle nuptials in the offing; Connecticut sues Trump administration

Posted on December 1, 2017 by David McKee

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Pinnacle Entertainment and Penn National Gaming formally affirmed that they are in merger talks. Among the upsides, Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli cites the alleviation of forced asset sale in Pennsylvania, where the number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Foxwoods, Genting, IGT, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Scientific Games, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Favorable forecast for 2018; New look at Cosmo

Posted on November 29, 2017 by David McKee

Good news for casinos: “2018 is set to be a good year for gaming operators and suppliers globally amid a strong economic backdrop and a relatively benign new supply environment,” says Fitch Ratings analyst Alex Bumazhny, one of the more circumspect … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment