Category Archives: Pennsylvania

Murren blasts hate groups; 21st century strippers

Posted on August 22, 2017 by David McKee

Reverberations from Charlottesville were felt on the Las Vegas Strip last week when MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren wrote to all employees, saying in part, “You have my commitment that we will vigorously and zealously continue to reject hate speech … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Culinary Union, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, GLPI, history, MGM Mirage, North Dakota, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Technology | Comments Off

Fertitta scourges Pelican State rules; Macao biz booms for Wynn

Posted on August 21, 2017 by David McKee

“Let’s not kid ourselves: that barge is concrete. It’s not going anywhere.” With those words, Tilman Fertitta launched one of several broadsides at absurd Louisiana regulations on casinos. Not only do Pelican State casinos still have to sit in water, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Environment, Foxwoods, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Japan, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Case Bets: Cosmo, Penn, California, Caesars, Boyd, etc.

Posted on August 15, 2017 by David McKee

It’s reinvention time at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, where management is investing $100 million-plus into upgrades of most of its rooms. If you don’t constantly reinvest in your resort project, you end up with Imperial Palace, er, Linq. (Given … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Technology, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Cuomo’s experiment disappoints; Caesars sweet on Japan

Posted on August 14, 2017 by David McKee

Whatever marketing studies drove the conclusion that upper New York State was ripe for gambling expansion have proven to be have been seriously off the mark. Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s three-casino addition to upstate gaming options are disappointing Albany with their … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Genting, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Japan, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Vietnam | 1 Comment

#5,001

Posted on August 14, 2017 by David McKee

Yes, this is the 5,001st Stiffs & Georges post and let me start with a big thank-you to all of you, the readers, for making it possible. If it weren’t for your support I’d probably have hung it up long … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, James Packer, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 5 Comments

Smoke in their eyes; Trump in Macao a “long shot”

Posted on August 11, 2017 by David McKee

Casinos in Baton Rouge are going to have to stub out those cigarettes and get ready for a smoke-free existence. The Metropolitan Council of the City of Baton Rouge & Parish of East Baton Rouge voted to approve an ordinance banning smoking … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Donald Trump, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Macau, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

House of Bamboo; Adelson beats The Street

Posted on August 9, 2017 by David McKee

It seems frivolous to be discussing casinos when the Korean peninsula could go up in radioactive flames at any moment, but we do what we must. While legalizing casinos in Japan was a slow and agonizing process, they could fade … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, GameCO, Genting, Georgia, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Trump’s Macao gambit; WPT goes to Japan

Posted on August 8, 2017 by David McKee

Donald Trump‘s policy toward China may be fairly unevolved at this stage, unless you count the agglomeration of additional trademarks in Macao. Technically speaking, the trademarks are registered to DTTM Operations (itself co-registered to The Donald), which operates from within … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Harrah's, Japan, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Dover downer; Connecticut rewrites the rules

Posted on August 2, 2017 by David McKee

Expect another request for tax cuts from Dover Downs after the Delaware racino posted a 96% decrease in second-quarter profits. (Slots are taxed at a usurious 43%.) While Dover Downs made $32,000, it suffered a 7% decline in casino revenues. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Delaware, Foxwoods, GameCO, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | 1 Comment

Revel sold? Sez who?; Wynn loses his shirt

Posted on August 1, 2017 by David McKee

Atlantic City may have seen the last of Glenn Straub. Last week, Global Gaming Business Editor Roger Gros took to Twitter to announce that Revel (aka Ten) had been sold, former exec Mark Juliano — late of Sands Bethlehem — … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off

Pennsylvania: Small is lucrative; Sleazy doings in Maine

Posted on July 24, 2017 by David McKee

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have passed an unbalanced budget but are still undecided on how (not “if”) to expand gambling to cover the shortfall. One late-entrant idea that is gaining more traction than anything else is the proposal of mini-casinos, 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Election, Foxwoods, Genting, Harrah's, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off

Starting over at the Taj

Posted on July 20, 2017 by David McKee

“I think that we were trying to copy what was happening in Vegas. Everything out there had a theme, and I think that is what we were trying to do.” So says former Trump Taj Mahal executive Steve Norton about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, history, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Two decades in Detroit; Juliano out at Sands

Posted on July 19, 2017 by David McKee

Can it really be 20 years since casinos were legalized in Detroit? (It’s been 18 years since MGM Grand Detroit opened.) Time flies and so does casino lucre — straight into city coffers. Then-Gov. John Engler (R) had to dragged kicking … Continue reading →

Posted in Detroit, Economy, history, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Adelson up to new mischief; DFS mega-merger kaput

Posted on July 17, 2017 by David McKee

If you don’t know Rep. Charlie Dent (R), you will soon. Sheldon Adelson has the Pennsylvania congressman by the short and curlies, holding expansion at Sands Bethlehem hostage to passage of Restore America’s Wire Act, his pet cause. Consequently, Dent … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Environment, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Macau, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics | Comments Off

Cuomo’s missed bet; Next stop, Vietnam

Posted on July 13, 2017 by David McKee

Resorts World Catskills still hasn’t weighed in and yet it’s already looking like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s bet on upstate casinos has crapped out. After an initial flurry of lookie-lous, the first three casinos are struggling to regain their … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Internet gambling, Iowa, Japan, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Vietnam | Comments Off

Slot routes thwarted in Pennsylvania; Crown 18 convicted

Posted on July 11, 2017 by David McKee

Gaming issues are holding the Pennsylvania state budget hostage. House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R) is saying ‘no deal,’ even as Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R) is remarking that an agreement is “more or less” in place. The latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Genting, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, The Crown 18, Wall Street | Comments Off

Good news across the Midwest; Pennsylvania blows it (again)

Posted on July 10, 2017 by David McKee

An extra weekend day may have made all the difference for Illinois, where gross gaming revenues rose 2% last month. The good news was spread pretty evenly throughout the market, except at Jumer’s Casino Rock Island, which slipped 6%, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Dan Lee, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Majestic Star, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Trailer Stations invade Downtown; DFS rejected in Delaware

Posted on July 5, 2017 by David McKee

If there’s one thing I’ve learned at Las Vegas Advisor it’s that our readers love Trailer Stations — or at least reading about them. So, had been inclined to spend your Fourth of July playing slot machines, you could have … Continue reading →

Posted in Delaware, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Genting, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Moulin Rouge, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, The Strip | Comments Off

Eyeball-to-eyeball in Pennsylvania; The tomato cans cometh

Posted on June 26, 2017 by David McKee

Pennsylvania‘s i-gaming legislation could fall apart, as New York State’s shamefully did (Gary Pretlow should change his name to Mr. Useless) but both houses are presently trying to find a satisfactory middle ground. Slot routes stick in the craw of … Continue reading →

Posted in Horseracing, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

MGM rebuffed in Connecticut; Taking the Trump out of the Taj

Posted on June 23, 2017 by David McKee

For the second time, a federal court has ruled against MGM Resorts International in its attempts to wrest a casino license away from Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino. According to the Hartford Courant, the court held that “the company … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Foxwoods, GameCO, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Revel, Technology, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment