Category Archives: Pennsylvania

No (M)irage this time: Penn enters Vegas

Posted on October 8, 2010 by David McKee

They’ve been busy little beavers at Penn National Gaming, which is — would you believe it? — now the third-largest operator in the U.S. Never mind that Penn bought a horse track in Ohio, on top of building two casinos … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Fontainebleau, Harry Reid, Louisiana, M Resort, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Texas, Wall Street, West Virginia | 7 Comments

Musical chairs at Trump (again)

Posted on September 29, 2010 by David McKee

High-ranking executive jobs at Trump Entertainment Resorts aren’t for “lifers.” Having steered Trump through yet another bankruptcy, CEO Mark Juliano is exiting stage right, “leaving to pursue other opportunities” — the latest executive to be purged. Nobody stays long atop … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | 2 Comments

Jump le sharque: Cirque bombs in Macao

Posted on September 28, 2010 by David McKee

After sinking a reported $150 million into Cirque du Soleil‘s Zaia, Las Vegas Sands may find itself in possession of a very expensive “loss leader.” According to The Australian, “attendances [sic] have been poor and tickets have been heavily discounted.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cirque du Soleil, Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Jump le sharque: Cirque bombs in Macao

Barrack 1, Bankers 0; Criminal stupidity

Posted on September 24, 2010 by David McKee

A skirmish over the fate of the Atlantic City Hilton ended in victory for Colony Capital. A Superior Court judge decided there were too many unresolved issues in the dissolution of Colony’s East Coast casino portfolio to warrant taking the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Lake Tahoe, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

13 is the loneliest number

Posted on September 23, 2010 by David McKee

Just because Missouri can have 13 casinos doesn’t mean it must. Or so contends Missouri Gaming Commission Chairman Jim Mathewson, hinting that none of the four pending applications might be accepted. He asks, “If all we do is take a … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa, Isle of Capri, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sahara | 4 Comments

Harrah’s does it again (and again … and again)

Posted on September 9, 2010 by David McKee

Hey, Gary Loveman, don’t let the doorknob hit you in the butt as you skedaddle out of Kansas for the second time.  Ever-fickle, Harrah’s Entertainment turned tail and ran from the Sunflower State on the very date its Wichita-area proposal … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, California, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Shuffle Master, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 6 Comments

The fiendish plot of Dr. Stanley Ho

Posted on September 7, 2010 by David McKee

Launching a frontal assault on Las Vegas Sands, archrival Sociedade de Jogos de Macau has requested that the Macanese government repatriate Sites 7 & 8 on the Cotai Strip™, and award them to — surprise! — Stanley Ho. There’s no … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Election, Macau, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho | 3 Comments

Labor Day Massacre in Atlantic City

Posted on September 6, 2010 by David McKee

Heading into the weekend, Trump Entertainment Resorts continued its reorganization by sacking six top executives. They were preceded by Trump Plaza General Manager Jim Rigot, who wasn’t pushed but gave his notice a fortnight ago. One of the Trump Six, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Kansas, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Early returns are in

Posted on August 26, 2010 by David McKee

Not electionwise but with regard to Penn National Gaming‘s racino in Charles Town, W.V., and its Hollywood Casino in Pennsylvania. The introduction of table games is buoying revenues nicely. The overall result in especially impressive in Charles Town. Not only … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Harrah's, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, West Virginia | Comments Off on Early returns are in

Last Resorts? Colony wins one

Posted on August 25, 2010 by David McKee

It still looks like Resorts Atlantic City is the casino most likely to close in that market, on pace to lose nearly $22 million this year. That’s the monumental challenge facing prospective new owner Dennis Gomes. In unadjusted dollars, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Pennsylvania, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Mothers of invention; Fernwood 2night

Posted on August 24, 2010 by David McKee

“Stacked” casino floors are a rarity in Las Vegas, usually necessitated by a limited footprint. That’s certainly the case with the Cosmopolitan, jimmied into a narrow slot just north of CityCenter (and often mistaken for part of that complex). However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Caesars Cincinnati? Invaders repulsed at Gettysburg (again)

Posted on August 18, 2010 by David McKee

Here at S&G, we think the Caesars brand is more than worthy of the Queen City. Others don’t share our enthusiasm. Using the Horseshoe hoofprint doesn’t make sense, given that Harrah’s Entertainment rather expensively deployed that just downriver in Evansville. … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Kansas, Lyle Berman, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | 6 Comments

Suicidal in New Jersey

Posted on August 18, 2010 by David McKee

Atlantic City can just plain go to hell. That’s the message from several prominent — or simply loud — Democratic lawmakers who say Gov. Chris Christie‘s rescue plan for the city is spinach and to heck with it. Noisiest of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Singapore packs ’em in

Posted on August 16, 2010 by David McKee

Results are in for the first quarter of a fully operational Resorts World Sentosa and they point to a $2.5 billion gross this year, $1.5 billion in cash flow and an ROI of 32% at the $4.74 billion metaresort. J.P. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Genting, history, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Atlantic City: It could be worse

Posted on August 10, 2010 by David McKee

Considering that table games were up and running in Delaware and gradually rolling out in Pennsylvania, it comes as a pleasant surprise to see that Atlantic City was only down 5% in July. Frankly, I was expecting much worse, especially … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, New York, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Technology, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Wasted … and the 77% solution

Posted on August 10, 2010 by David McKee

Not even the cachet of Carey Hart and occasional appearances by Pink were enough to keep Wasted Space going. The Hard Rock Hotel is calling it quits on the club, bumping it in favor of a race and sports book. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Morgans Hotel Group, Pennsylvania, Riviera, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

America’s growth market is … Detroit?!?!

Posted on August 10, 2010 by David McKee

Despite being in one of the two hardest-hit regions of America, Detroit has posted casino-revenue gains in five of the last seven months. It’s done this without significant new casino product (unlike Missouri, which is -4% once River City is … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos | 3 Comments

East Coast winners, losers; Angle’s strange bedfellows

Posted on August 4, 2010 by David McKee

I’ve become well and truly tired of writing about Massachusetts and its political establishment’s inability to get its act together on casino legalization. Suffice it to say that with Gov. Deval Patrick and House Speaker Robert DeLeo (left) firmly entrenched … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 26, 2010 by David McKee

“I found a business that has a good story. Despite all the attacks on the business, this is a business that’s never held its hand out, never asked for subsidies.” — former Penn National Gaming executive and would-be Gettysburg casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, history, Penn National, Pennsylvania | 1 Comment

Atlantic City: Christie’s coup d’etat

Posted on July 21, 2010 by David McKee

Last week, I tried to work up a piece entitled, “Atlantic City, R.I.P.” After all, the Boardwalk had just come off a catastrophic June, impacted by table games in Delaware. Since table games were in process of sweeping Pennsylvania, from … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Mob, Tourism | 6 Comments