Category Archives: Penn National

Pinnacle dominates Louisiana; Trump settles Vegas case

Posted on July 22, 2016 by David McKee

Pulled under by the Shreveport/Bossier City market (-6%), June gaming numbers in Louisiana came in 3% off last year’s. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s Boomtown Bossier ($5 million) far outperformed the competition, up 11%. Hardest hit were the Caesars Entertainment properties, with usually reliable … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Palms, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off

Strip still catching up; Nevada taking bets on the Olympics

Posted on July 21, 2016 by David McKee

While gaming companies on the Las Vegas Strip are fairly sanguine about 2016, a new report by Alex Bumazhny of Fitch Ratings takes a somewhat gloomier view. For one, he notes that revenue per available room “growth during the recovery … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Dining, Economy, Election, Geoff Freeman, Macau, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sports, The Strip, Westgate LV | 2 Comments

Casinos invest in Illinois slot routes; More turmoil in Adelsonia; MGM takes proxy war to Capitol Hill

Posted on July 11, 2016 by David McKee

After having spent four years being clobbered by slot routes (the installed slot base has reached 23,406 machines), Illinois casinos have decided they’d rather switch than fight. Investors in Rivers Casino have purchased a stake in lead operator Acel Entertainment … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Foxwoods, Glenn Straub, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Politics, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Vietnam | Comments Off

Happy ending for casino site; DFS not out of the woods in New York

Posted on July 11, 2016 by David McKee

There’s a happy ending to the saga of Bavarian Brewery, which had been purchased by Columbia Sussex a decade back in hopes that it would be Kentucky‘s first casino. The building has lain fallow ever since and ColSux has gone … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Geoff Freeman, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Sports | Comments Off

Shifty speculation in Massachusetts; Hoosiers spend more

Posted on July 8, 2016 by David McKee

Two Boston-area mayors are digging in against a slot parlor proposed for Revere. New Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone (below) have both voiced opposition to the project, which would be near Suffolk Downs (the ballot question is … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Full House Resorts, Harrah's, Horseracing, Law enforcement, Majestic Star, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

What’s the verdict, Jack, er, Dan?; AGA & NIGA join forces

Posted on July 7, 2016 by David McKee

Cleveland Cavaliers playoff games were good for Dan Gilbert‘s casino businesses. His Jack Cleveland casino was up 13%, to $16 million last month. It’s far too soon for a verdict on the “Jack” (as in “up yours, asshole”) brand, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, G2E, Geoff Freeman, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes | Comments Off

Riviera site to become a stadium?; Cordish, MGM face off in Maryland

Posted on June 28, 2016 by David McKee

It’s anything but certain that the [your city here] Raiders are coming to Las Vegas, but our civic leaders are moving ahead as though it were a done deal. The preferred site for a Las Vegas Sands-backed stadium, on Tropicana … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cordish Co., Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Louisiana, LVCVA, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

The meddlesome Adelson; Wynn Palace postponed again

Posted on June 27, 2016 by David McKee

“Essentially, Pechanga and its allies see no reason to compromise, even an inch,” wrote California Online Poker‘s Steve Ruddock of the intractable position of the Pechanga and Agua Caliente tribes, and their anti-PokerStars allies (who include Sheldon Adelson, meddling in … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, California, Churchill Downs, Election, Foxwoods, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

The perils of Packer; Straub misses deadline

Posted on June 15, 2016 by David McKee

There’s been another hiccup in the Alon saga, as billionaire James Packer is restructuring his Crown Resorts portfolio “to shield his Australian assets from a prolonged downturn in the Chinese gambling hub” of Macao, according to Bloomberg. Packer’s share of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Glenn Straub, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, Penn National, Revel | Comments Off

Penn has big plans for Trop; DFS sites feel the heat

Posted on June 14, 2016 by David McKee

High rollers aren’t spending as much as they used to at Penn National Gaming casinos, reports JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff, after meeting with CEO Tim Wilmott. Overall, Penn says its springtime revenues have been tracking with its expectations. Greff … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Colorado, Dining, Economy, Election, Florida, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Stanley Ho, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Indiana market battered; Foxwoods branches out

Posted on June 8, 2016 by David McKee

One less weekend of business hit Indiana casinos fairly hard last month. The state’s industry was down 7%, to $186 million. Patrons were spending more — a heartening metric — but foot traffic was off nearly 12%. However, even less … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Full House Resorts, Georgia, GLPI, Harrah's, Indiana, Majestic Star, Mississippi, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Texas, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Wynn disses douchebags; Showboat sails again

Posted on June 7, 2016 by David McKee

In a characteristic about-face, former nightlife enthusiast Steve Wynn is belittling Millenials (“sort of short on brains”), social media (“dim-witted time”), while conceding the importance of non-gaming revenue to today’s Las Vegas. Said Wynn of the nightlife generation, “we’re doing well … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Cretins, Economy, Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, history, Macau, Maryland, Penn National, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Hard May in Illinois; Buyer found for F-blew?

Posted on June 7, 2016 by David McKee

Casino patrons in Illinois are spending a bit more these days but there were 8% fewer of them last month, leading to a 6% revenue decline, partly due to one fewer weekend this year. On an individual basis, casinos tended … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Derek Stevens, Detroit, Downtown, Fontainebleau, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Atlantic City back on death watch?; Money problems at Moulin Rouge

Posted on June 3, 2016 by David McKee

Things are suddenly looking grim for Atlantic City: A new Monmouth University poll shows voters evenly divided on a referendum to end the Boardwalk’s monopoly on casino gambling, an erosion of public support for the resort city. Assessing the situation … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Problem gambling, Regulation, Riviera, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Dan Lee raises Hoosier hackles; Sioux City mess not done yet

Posted on June 2, 2016 by David McKee

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) has made it pretty clear that there aren’t going to be any new casinos on his watch, just riverboats converted to onshore facilities. Try telling that to Full House Resorts CEO Dan Lee, however. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Dan Lee, Full House Resorts, Indiana, Iowa, New Hampshire, Penn National, Politics, Racinos | Comments Off

PokerStars camel meets eye of needle; Penn loses last-gasp appeal

Posted on May 25, 2016 by David McKee

California state Rep. Adam Gray‘s online-gaming bill comes under some close scrutiny from analysts Steven Eichorn and Jeff Ifrah. As expected, there is no “bad actor” clause that would explicitly keep Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act scofflaws like PokerStars out … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Genting, Internet gambling, Iowa, Law enforcement, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Tribal | Comments Off

New era at Trump Taj Mahal; Blasphemous gambling promo spanked

Posted on May 24, 2016 by David McKee

He’s been handed a small budget ($15 million) for the task at hand, but new Trump Taj Mahal boss Anthony Rodio has been charged with undoing the damage inflicted on the property during the Bob Griffin era. This includes “reactivating … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Dining, history, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, Technology, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

Caesars’ slippery slope; Parx, Sands lead Pennsylvania

Posted on May 19, 2016 by David McKee

In 20 years of covering the gaming industry, I have rarely seen an example of looting a company so brazen as the “sale” of Total Rewards from Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. to parent Caesars Entertainment for $0.00. And since Big … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Louisiana, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Texas, Tribal | Comments Off

Balmy spring for Ohio, Missouri; Pinnacle beats estimates

Posted on May 10, 2016 by David McKee

Ohio had a particularly good April, with gaming revenue up 9%. Coin-in rose 8% at the slots while table game revenue was up 5% despite 3% less wagering. Penn National Gaming, Caesars Entertainment and Pinnacle Entertainment all posted revenue-positive months, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Warm spring for Indiana; Trouble ahead for Packer and Ho

Posted on May 9, 2016 by David McKee

While Illinois casinos were flat last month, the action was livelier next door in Indiana. Admissions declined 4%, meaning that players were spending 9%, as casino revenues rose 5%. The percentage champion was Tropicana Evansville, up 17% on an $11 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Full House Resorts, Harrah's, Indiana, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Majestic Star, Melco Crown Entertainment, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment