Category Archives: Penn National

Jason lives … at Station Casinos

Jason Voorhees (well, one of the many) is Station Casinos‘ general manager for the tribally owned Thunder Valley Casino, near Sacramento. No, I’m not making this up. Uncle Sheldon says … that convention business will be “80% of normal” in … Continue reading

Posted in California, Current, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 3 Comments

So much news …

… so little time. East Coast casinos are stepping up their Asian-American marketing … and people are complaining? Don’t do it and you’re culturally insensitive. Do it and you’re predatory. This is one of those perception battles casinos will never … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Indiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments

Harrah’s, Penn & pols play chess in Ohio

Even as Harrah’s Entertainment was closing its purchase of an Thistledown Race Track, lawmakers were moving to foreclose the prospect of racinos in that state. This doesn’t preclude Buckeye State voters for approving as many as seven racinos this fall, … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Harrah's, Horseracing, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off on Harrah’s, Penn & pols play chess in Ohio

Motley Crew

(Editor’s note: Whoever labeled the photo at left misplaced the captions. FF3 is the guy having the good hair day and brother Lorenzo is the one with the handkerchief in his breast pocket.) In my 15 years of following the … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Downtown, Economy, George Maloof, Goldman Sachs, James Packer, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Station Casinos, Tourism, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Gary Loveman, pauper

Count Harrah’s Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman among the victims of the Great Recession. His total compensation for 2009 plummeted over 85%. The $1.9 million base pay is old news; the ex-prof also had to settle for a mere $3 million … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Mixed signals along the rivers

Last month’s results from Missouri are as might be expected. The opening of Pinnacle Entertainment‘s River City lifted state revenues overall (6%) but at the price of a fair amount of cannibalization — mainly at other Pinnacle properties, although it … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Mixed signals along the rivers

Illinois’ results are good, Sands’ are better

Praise be! Casino revenues in Illinois were actually flat (+0.5%) last month. It’s mainly a consequence of Penn National‘s Empress Joliet being back in the fray, raking in $40 million. (You’ll recall that, a year ago, its pavilion was but … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip | Comments Off on Illinois’ results are good, Sands’ are better

Sheldon’s smokin’ (something)

If any other gaming CEO than Sheldon Adelson opened the most expensive casino ever ($5.5 billion) and projected it would recoup its tab in five years — requiring a return on investment well above 20% when you take operating costs … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, International, Macau, Marketing, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 2 Comments

Flat in IN, coming back in IL

Despite being 2.5% below last year’s casino revenues, J.P. Morgan is calling the results in Illinois the best out of the previous 16 months. In other words, the decline was the smallest since November of ’09.  The restoration of Penn … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Flat in IN, coming back in IL

This just in: Wynn jilts Philadelphia

On Monday, Steve Wynn was making nice with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and vowing to glad-hand every civic leader in sight. He had a full set of renderings for how his Wynn Resorts makeover of the mortally wounded Foxwoods project … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Don Barden, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on This just in: Wynn jilts Philadelphia

Case Bets: Maryland, Foxwoods, problem gambling

It’s not even been 18 months since Maryland voters gave their assent to slot houses — a time in which the state has to erect a regulatory apparatus, vet applicants, and then wait for the latter to get up and … Continue reading

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

First, the good news …

Congratulations to MGM Mirage for being named, for the fourth time in five years, to DiversityInc‘s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity.” Like predecessor J. Terrence Lanni, not only does CEO Jim Murren say the right things (“As long as I … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Economy, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on First, the good news …

Fortune doesn’t favor the Boyd

Fortune, in the sense of “destiny,” supposedly favors the bold. Fortune, the magazine, holds no great affection for Boyd Gaming. Since the company is one for which I’ve long had high regard, it gives me no pleasure to report this. … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Current, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 4 Comments

The good, the bad & the very ugly photo

For perhaps the first time in his career, Steve Wynn is being called “cheesy.” It’s in connection with his new Philadelphia casino project, the erstwhile Foxwoods. (If, has been mooted, it’s just called “S.W.“, that would be pretentious but not … Continue reading

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Economy, Harrah's, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Case Bets: “Viva Elvis,” Loveman in Macao, Icahn in A.C., etc.

Viva Elvis vs. Love. The Sun‘s John Katsilometes pivots it to a question of “Whose music is better?” I’m not going there but I think he really nails why one show seemed right up Cirque du Soleil‘s alley while the … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

Penn: “You stupid darkness!”

In one of my absolute favorite Peanuts strips, Charlie Brown finds Linus out in the night, carrying a taper. Asked to explain, Linus replies that it’s better to light a single candle than curse the darkness. Cut to Lucy, elsewhere, … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Economy, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Aqueduct: Penn got hosed

Despite its runaway hyperbole, this Empire State editorial makes a good point: The Aqueduct racino deal smells like a week-old fish and ought to be investigated. (It isn’t — but it should be.) Since all bids involved multiple players, sorting … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Downtown, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sahara, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 2 Comments

Planet Ho abdicates to Harrah’s

Sheraton Operating Corp. is bugging out of Planet Hollywood Resort — which has already lost some of its top management — and handing the keys to Harrah’s Entertainment. The latter will have something of a challenge filling the nearly 2,500 … Continue reading

Posted in Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, International, Marketing, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

From the S&G Twitter feed …

• Fertittas sell 10% of UFC to Abu Dhabi, new LV sugar daddy, presumably to stave off [Boyd Gaming] takeover of [Station Casinos]. http://tinyurl.com/yzhbmv2 • [Penn National Gaming] gets deadline extension in [Kansas]. http://tinyurl.com/yawfuqk • Aria room rates continue to … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Florida, International, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 5 Comments

Big payoff for Pennsylvania

Gov. Ed Rendell (D) and other state leaders have got to be feeling the love for the Keystone State‘s budding casino industry, which generated over $1 billion in tax revenue last year. That boffo return was achieved without table games … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, Indiana, Kentucky, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 2 Comments