Category Archives: New York

Hurricane Sandy: “It’s going to take years to recover”; ‘Unsafe sex’ at Sands

A natural disaster on the East Coast is fast becoming an industry-wide problem, its effects felt as far afield as Iowa, I kid you not. In light of the total havoc Hurricane Sandy has wrought upon travel, particularly by air, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, Genting, Harrah's, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Mob, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Zynga counterattacks; Fail, Caesar; Adelson honored

If the Stalin organs of the Zynga PR battery had fallen silent, it was only to reload. As predicted yesterday, Zynga is regrouping around Internet gambling as its new strategy of choice. Zynga unleashed “announced an exclusive partnership [with Bwin.party] … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Former Resorts Atlantic City underboss Aaron Gomes might want to change his travel plans. Scarcely had he announced his departure from his late father’s casino than his new gig, Sydney‘s troubled Star Casino, looks very doubtful. Gomes had planned to … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Genting, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Sunny summer in Pennsylvania; Stanley Ho seen!

Except for a 4% slippage in July, the motto around Pennsylvania might be, “Cannibalization? What cannibalization?” The Keystone State has shrugged off new competition from Ohio, from New York City, from Revel in Atlantic City, and even from within the … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Dan Gilbert, Harrah's, Macau, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Sunny summer in Pennsylvania; Stanley Ho seen!

Speed: The Ride … found!; Dueling Ferris wheels and Caesars’ wonderful life

Remember all those rumors that had the Sahara‘s now-vanished Speed: The Ride packed up and headed for Circus Circus? Not so! The good folks and inquiring minds at VegasChatter.com were sussing out some dormant South Strip developments and discovered … … … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Racinos, Rhode Island, Sahara, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Journos muzzled in Sin City

Sheldon Adelson couldn’t do it but Las Vegas Sun Publisher Brian Greenspun could. The hard-money-lending business in Las Vegas is a dodgy, high-risk one at the best of times and close scrutiny of it by Sun-related publications is especially touchy. … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, New York, North Las Vegas, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, TV | 4 Comments

Yanqui, go home!

Spain‘s banking system has joined a series of toppling dominoes that will likely prompt multiple, TARP-like measures and have the European Union mulling methods of preventing a run on the banks. Into this atmosphere of imminent catastrophe and 24% unemployment … Continue reading

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, Florida, International, Macau, New York, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tourism | 1 Comment

Toronto: Move over, Jim and Gary, here comes Sheldon

No disrespect to Steve Wynn, but the human starter gun for any serious casino race is now Sheldon Adelson. Except for China, he’s not been in any casino-expansion movement for the long haul since he lost Mirage Resorts. And with … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Texas, Tourism | 3 Comments

Atlas stumbled

Warren Buffett likes to say that we’ve already had class warfare in this country and his class won. Whilst laid up, recuperating from an ill-advised meal at Mizumi, I had reason to ponder this in connection with the recent stateside … Continue reading

Posted in Archon Corp., Bally Technologies, Culinary Union, Current, Dining, Economy, Election, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 7 Comments

Insanity in Illinois, Philadelphia

If insanity is doing the same thing over and over (and over) and expecting a different result, then we have outbreaks of it in both the Illinois Legislature and the Philadelphia casino market. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers have the disposition of … Continue reading

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Harrah's, Horseracing, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Macao: “This is decent”; Massachusetts slams door behind Adelson

Macao casino revenue grew ‘only’ 7% last month, which is bad … if you were thinking monthly, large double-digit increases (21% over the past five months) were a sustainable norm. “This is decent,” J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff said of … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, International, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: “This is decent”; Massachusetts slams door behind Adelson

Case Bets: Sands, Caesars, Boyd, MGM & Wynn

After blowing a half-million dollars on lobbying in Massachusetts, cantankerous casino owner Sheldon Adelson took his ball and went home, as reported earlier. Las Vegas Sands‘ rather weak excuse: “[Boston] didn’t synch up with our business model.” Sands fails to … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Horseracing, International, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Sheldon Adelson, quitter; A Grand goof

This just in: It was pretty clear that Sheldon Adelson was cool toward his home state of Massachusetts and he officially called it quits today. His excuse? Three casinos and a slot parlor will “dilute the market.” In other words, … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Current, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, The Strip | 5 Comments

Casino codependency, Chris Christie’s cowardice & other Case Bets

It’s too bad Steve Friess isn’t here to write this next story, because it’s right up his alley. What do you do if your big-name headliner badmouths your casino and CEO on opening night? You re-hire him, what else? Like … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Marketing, New York, Ohio, Politics, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Massachusetts: Now *this* is interesting; Bluhm’s shameless hypocrisy; Casino John

In an attempt to shave a few months off their casino-approval timeline, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is going to put the horse before the cart. (I guess you’d call it a “Massachusetts Miracle.”) Potential operators’ fiscal and ethical probity will … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Iowa, Kansas, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

A blast from the past

In one of history’s curious quirks, a battle in New York probate court involves a fortune that was partly made right here in Las Vegas. A pair of clarifications are in order. The late Huguette Clark (left) has 50 blood … Continue reading

Posted in Downtown, history, New York, TV | Comments Off on A blast from the past

New York State of mind; Atlantic City peace of mind; O’Shea’s, a piece of …

If the question of casino expansion were put to Empire State voters this November, the outcome would probably be adverse. That’s the conclusion of a Benenson Group survey. If the fact that Benenson is President Barack Obama‘s pollster of preference … Continue reading

Posted in Election, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, New York, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on New York State of mind; Atlantic City peace of mind; O’Shea’s, a piece of …

MGM: Riding the crazy train; Rendering unto Caesars

If somebody loaned you a few hundred million, unsecured, you want to come to Las Vegas and lay some big wagers, right? MGM Resorts International has been there, done that. So it’s looking elsewhere to place its bets. And why … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, International, M Resort, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 3 Comments

The continuing adventures of Sheldon Adelson, Harry Reid and the GSA

First, the good news. Business is off and running at brand-new Sands Cotai Central, whose Himalaya casino (372 tables, 600 slots) opened last Wednesday. In total square footage, it overtakes Venetian Macao for status as the world’s largest casino (30% … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Economy, Election, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Harry Reid, history, International, Macau, Massachusetts, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Stanley Ho, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Revel gets a rave review

Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli took a jaunt down to Atlantic City to check out Revel, the biggest noise on the Boardwalk in almost a decade. He thought … well, let him tell it: “From the check in reception area, complete … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Dennis Gomes, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Genting, Harrah's, Marketing, New York, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments