Category Archives: Penn National

Atlantic City: Fertitta in, Trump out; Inside Pokergeddon

Trump Marina became “RUMP Marina” this week (watch the video), as workers began removing vestiges of the Donald J. Trump era from the property. New owner Landry’s Restaurants is wasting no time putting its Golden Nugget imprimatur on the last-place … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Penn National, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Atlantic City: Fertitta in, Trump out; Inside Pokergeddon

Kasich’s sneaky “juice job”

This just in (thanks in large part to a timely Tweet from Howard Stutz of the Review-Journal) … One of Ohio Gov. John Kasich‘s costly casino consultants just got caught with its hand in the cookie jar. While Kasich piously … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation | 2 Comments

Johnny Casino, thug; Truce at the Trop; The T-Word

Although the Mob may have left Las Vegas, its strong-arm tactics are still in use. Respected casino architect Paul Steelman found that out when he wouldn’t give a job to John Ensign‘s borderline-illiterate former chief of staff, Doug Hampton. Drunk … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Penn National, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Goett … Goett … gone

In addition to his core site of 100 acres across from M Resort, would-be Olympia Gaming mogul Gary Goett is also shopping around an additional 260 gaming-enabled acres directly to the north. Goett’s asking price? A cool million an acre, … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Gary Goett, Herbst Gaming, International, Marketing, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 2 Comments

Kasich screws casinos; Adelson screws the pooch

Our next-to-worst fears for Ohio have come to pass: Caesars Rock Ohio has temporarily pulled the plug on both its Cincinnati (above) and Cleveland casinos. It’s the latest escalation in a war between developers and state government, which wants to … Continue reading

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Economy, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Kansas, Macau, Marketing, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Trump’d

With his sham presidential “campaign” disintegrating faster than a hydrogen-filled zeppelin, inept casino operator Donald Trump‘s much-hyped Sunday announcement turns out to have been a put-on, too. Trump lackey Michael Cohen is still trying to pump air into the deflating … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Election, Marketing, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Has Illinois finally bottomed out? Trop shakeup; Big markdown on Trump

Sorry to disappoint, but we won’t have the answer until June–August, three straight months with the same number of weekend days as last year. By that point we’ll know whether April‘s 2% increase was the beginning of a trend. Last … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

California bound; M changes hands and style

Yes, MGM Resorts International, Boyd Gaming, Las Vegas Sands, the great state of Illinois and I don’t know who all else have been reporting revenues this week, and Mississippi is under water.. And I’ve not had time to cover any … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Dining, Environment, Illinois, M Resort, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Movies, Penn National, Pets, Steve Wynn, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

John Kasich, casino killer

Aw, isn’t this great? After Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) made the ludicrous claim that Ohio voters didn’t know what they were getting into when they approved a casino initiative in 2008, his legislative allies are trying to up the ante. … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Kentucky, Lyle Berman, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Boyd exits Florida; Mixed messages from the Riv; The revenge of Adelson

Regardless of whether or not resort casinos are voted into law in Florida, one company that won’t be in the running is Boyd Gaming. The firm threw in the towel on the Miami market today. The Sunshine State “no longer … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Not priced to move; The end of Southern Highlands

Recently I was asked about the future of the Key Largo Casino, long defunct — a casualty of last decade’s condo craze. The photo above is some handiwork of Colliers International and I’ve borrowed it to illustrate the excellent geographical … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Gary Goett, M Resort, Penn National, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Meet $2 Million Mike; The Big Easier

Casino podcasts (MGM Resorts International‘s in particular) have been razzed in the past for a lack of content. No such gripes about Las Vegas Sands‘ latest offering, 10 minutes in the company of COO Michael Leven (who derives his nickname … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Blockbuster month in Pennsylvania; Resurgence in Atlantic City; Douchebag of the Decade

You want good news? We’ve got your good news right here: Casino revenues in Pennsylvania rocketed 24% last month. (35% if you include SugarHouse but that’s an apples-to-oranges metric.) Since, on a same-store basis, slot winnings were just slightly down, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, Cretins, Current, Dennis Gomes, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tribal | 3 Comments

Fire sale in Vicksburg; Win or loss for Gettysburg?

Update: An earlier version contained a gross error/AARP moment on Yr. Humble Blogger’s part. I have amended the story so that it contains greater “factiness.” Also, fellow Canadian firm Gateway Casinos is the likely operator-to-be. In a curt announcement, Tropicana … Continue reading

Posted in Bally Technologies, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, history, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

At the winner is … Isle of Capri; Big shakedown in Ohio

That ongoing Isle of Capri Casinos Comeback Tour comes to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, which won Pennsylvania‘s final “resort casino” license earlier today. Situated in the greater Pittsburgh area, the rural getaway is owned by lumber tycoon (and “george” political donor) … Continue reading

Posted in Economy, Election, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | 6 Comments

Caught between a skank and a Hard Rock; Kasich vs. casinos

Morgans Hotel Group may have skedaddled out of Las Vegas, tail firmly between legs, but it’s not free of trouble linked to its calamitous Sin City sojourn. During Morgans stewardship of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, it offered $300,000 … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Terry the Casino Slayer

When Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) was campaigning to reclaim his old office from Chet Culver (D), he argued against Culver’s casino-expansion plan, arguing that it was economically inadvisable. With the Iowa casino market not so much saturated as waterlogged, … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Penn National, Politics, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Terry the Casino Slayer

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

… some money after midnight: Evidently it’s not enough that gaming revenues and other casino-related retail taxes underwrite the State of Nevada. Lawmakers would extend a grubby mitt into the casino kitty and scoop up any unclaimed moolah. “[W]hy does … Continue reading

Posted in ABBA, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Horseracing, Louisiana, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Texas, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Gimme, Gimme, Gimme

More fun with geography; Langford & The Man; Caesars’ rough week

What’s in a mile? A lot more than you might think, especially if you’re a Maine legislator. Confronted with a pesky requirement that gambling venues in the Pine Tree State must have 100-mile exclusivity zones, some would redefine a “mile” … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Don Barden, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, Macau, Maine, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

What makes Sammy run?

Scarcely was the ink dry on Sahara owner Sammy “The Naz” Nazarian‘s announcement of the property’s May 16 closure than rumors began to fly about his endgame for the old gal. At S&G, we’re pretty certain that “The Naz” (™ … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments