Category Archives: Pennsylvania

Penn National exits major project

Posted on March 31, 2015 by David McKee

There’s one casino license left in Pennsylvania but favorite son Penn National Gaming won’t be the one developing it. “We are disappointed to be withdrawing from this project. However, given the continued softness in the economy and the level of market saturation … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Foxwoods, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off

Dr. Loveman’s voodoo; Reid hangs it up

Posted on March 30, 2015 by David McKee

Despite having wrought havoc upon Caesars Entertainment, Chairman Gary Loveman — looking alarmingly puffy and ill — manages to still find himself taken seriously as a talking head. He gave CNBC a dosage of his usual spin-doctoring. This includes one … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, Harry Reid, history, Japan, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Politics, TV, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Nugget drives Louisiana; Sauce for the goose in Pennsylvania

Posted on March 19, 2015 by David McKee

Subtract the Golden Nugget Lake Charles from last month’s Louisiana gambling revenues and they’re absolutely flat with 2014. Two wannabe REITs went in opposite directions. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s aggregate Pelican State casinos were up 9% while Caesars Entertainment got hammered, down … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Foxwoods returns to Massachusetts … maybe

Posted on March 6, 2015 by David McKee

In the slow-simmering competition for a southeastern Massachusetts casino license, Foxwoods Resort Casino has just turned up the heat. It will wed spinster KG Urban, which brings a waterfront New Bedford site to the nuptials, while Foxwoods will provide the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Foxwoods, Horseracing, Illinois, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off

Macao in freefall; A RAWA deal

Posted on March 3, 2015 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson can call Macao‘s doldrums “cyclical” until he’s blue in the face but there’s no mistaking that the gambling enclave is having serious problems. Actually, that’s a bit of an understatement when February revenue falls 49%. VIP play is … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Internet gambling, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off

First big hurdle in Indiana cleared

Posted on March 2, 2015 by David McKee

Both the Indiana state Senate and Gov. Mike Pence (R) could still nix the deal, but the Indiana House of Representatives voted 76-19 to put riverboat casinos ashore and OK live dealers at the state’s Indiana Grand and Hoosier Park racinos. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Genting, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Macau, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, South Dakota | Comments Off

Caesars foe now its BFF; Suffolk Downs returns

Posted on February 20, 2015 by David McKee

Considering that it is the owner of Caesars Interactive and WSOP.com, one would hardly expect Caesars Entertainment to welcome PokerStars back to the U.S. market. But that is precisely what it has done, proclaiming that “we need to focus on where … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, World Series of Poker | 2 Comments

Possible Pennsylvania cutback?; Prudes pressured Walker

Posted on January 26, 2015 by David McKee

Once casinos move to fill a vacuum, it’s difficult to push them back. But that’s what Pennsylvania state Rep. Will Talman (R) is trying to do. He’s proposing a bill to close Keystone State casinos nightly between 2 a.m. and … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Iowa, Macau, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Politicians desert Atlantic City; Cuomo dreams on

Posted on January 20, 2015 by David McKee

Despite four years of yeoman’s work repairing and altering Atlantic City‘s image, the Atlantic City Alliance is being abandoned like an orphan on the church steps. State Senate President Steve Sweeney (D, left) blamed the casinos for killing it off … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Harrah's, Marketing, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Sands scores in Pennsylvania; More nonsense from Trump

Posted on January 19, 2015 by David McKee

Pennsylvania isn’t anywhere near done with building casinos but it is feeling market saturation. A $40 million decline in slot winnings pushed casinos to sub-2013 levels. The proliferation of casino product did not help. “When I came here six years ago, there were … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Donald Trump, Macau, Massachusetts, Michael Gaughan, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, TV | Comments Off

Start making sense; Walker dodges a bullet

Posted on January 12, 2015 by David McKee

“Indianapolis is making it impossible to run cities,” complains Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who’s nettled by a proposal to eliminate the $3 admission fees Indiana casinos pay on behalf of their customers. The port authority of Hammond is run … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Horseracing, Indiana, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

New Yorkers want a do-over; Another EuroVegas folds

Posted on December 29, 2014 by David McKee

Magnanimously, Traditions at the Glen partner — and losing casino bidder — Peter Walsh is throwing his support to racino mogul Jeff Gural. The latter is trying to pry New York‘s fourth and last new-casino license loose from New York State’s … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Delaware, Economy, Genting, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Racinos, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Hope and change in Atlantic City

Posted on December 15, 2014 by David McKee

Not everybody is on board with Gov. Chris Christie‘s and state Senator Stephen Sweeney‘s plan for a new, fixed-rate payment system for Atlantic City casinos, in lieu of property taxes. Despite a floodtide of new revenue in recent months, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Revel, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Reid’s treachery and Adelson’s myopia

Posted on December 15, 2014 by David McKee

As predicted here, Sen. Harry Reid (D) stuck a knife in erstwhile allies Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International, embracing Sheldon Adelson instead. If Sheldon, who holds all the cards at this point, cedes to a carve-out for online poker, Reid … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off

Dotty’s loses, Genting hesitates, Penn adapts

Posted on December 4, 2014 by David McKee

Look at that picture. Seriously, keep looking. Does that seem like a tavern to you? A casino? Some curious hybrid? For years the Clark County Commission has been grappling with the vexing questions posed by the rapidly growing Dotty’s chain of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Dotty's, Downtown, Genting, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip | 2 Comments

Chronicle of a bankruptcy, foretold

Posted on December 3, 2014 by David McKee

Dipping into Shakespeare, Howard Stutz endeavors to do justice to the Elizabethan complexity of the Caesars Entertainment bankruptcy. The fault is not in the stars but in Gary Loveman, architect of the disaster. When it was rolled out, back in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Fontainebleau, Genting, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, International, Macau, New York, Pennsylvania, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wisconsin | 2 Comments

Big Ease; The Mirage, 25 years later

Posted on November 20, 2014 by David McKee

Even with 19 non-tribal casinos and racinos to support, the Louisiana market continues to rebound. It was up 4% last month, with even 2% growth in the crowded Shreveport/Bossier City marketplace. El Dorado was the second-highest grosser and the percentage leader … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Downtown, GLPI, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Revel: Brookfield bails, Straub back in; A few good men

Posted on November 19, 2014 by David McKee

Like its predecessors at Revel, management at Brookfield US Holdings found itself with an albatross around its neck: the cost-intensive Inlet District Energy Center. The standalone power plant cost the resort $1.25 million a month. Brookfield hoped to reduce those costs … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Foxwoods, Genting, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Pennsylvania, Revel, Sports, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Forcible restraint in Massachusetts; The big winners in Philadelphia

Posted on November 19, 2014 by David McKee

As you’ve read here earlier, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is eyeing the concept of “play management.” It’s a somewhat paternalistic concept wherein players pre-set a loss limit and are rewarded with free-play credits, points or other incentives for staying within … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Technology, Tomato King Procacci | 1 Comment

Philadelphia: No surprise here

Posted on November 18, 2014 by David McKee

As expected, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave the last Philadelphia casino license to a partnership of Cordish Gaming and Greenwood Gaming. The flashy Live! Hotel & Casino will nestle in the stadium area in the south part of town. “We’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Economy, Foxwoods, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania | Comments Off