Category Archives: Pennsylvania

Wynn Beantown?; Adelson likes it rough; “Chico Station,” etc.

Posted on July 15, 2010 by David McKee

“Two can play this game.” That’s the message coming from Steve Wynn. Since his former Philadelphia partners are now playing footsie with Harrah’s Entertainment, Wynn is turning his back on the City of Brotherly Love and shifting his gaze to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Horseracing, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV | Comments Off on Wynn Beantown?; Adelson likes it rough; “Chico Station,” etc.

Margaritaville on the rocks

Posted on July 15, 2010 by David McKee

Long-serving — and long-suffering — Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway has lost patience with Harrah’s Entertainment. He is convinced that the metamorphosis of Grand Casino Biloxi into Margaritaville Casino is kaput and that Harrah’s will tear down what little it has … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Animals, Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Encore, Environment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, Holy Cow, Indiana, International, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Movies, Pennsylvania, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Plaza, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Harrah’s checkmates Philly?

Posted on July 12, 2010 by David McKee

That $67 million note Harrah’s Entertainment holds on the site of the Foxwoods Wynn Resorts [your casino here] site in Philadelphia is turning out to be mighty valuable. The gambling giant is looking to roll that I.O.U. into an equity … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Harrah's, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off on Harrah’s checkmates Philly?

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 12, 2010 by David McKee

“I suspect we’ll be talking about growth in the next couple of months. I always think tomorrow is going to be better than today.” — Harrah’s Entertainment‘s East Coast chief, Don Marrandino, whistling past the graveyard that is Atlantic City, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Pennsylvania, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

It’s Sheldon’s world, we just live in it

Posted on July 9, 2010 by David McKee

Oh, how I envy Sheldon Adelson. My own hair grows thinner and grayer while his becomes thicker and darker. (The photo at left, shows Classic Sheldon, circa 1999.) But I digress … Adelson is one of the stars of an … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Florida, International, Macau, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Aqueduct: Penn screws the pooch

Posted on July 7, 2010 by David McKee

Since tout  le monde is fixated upon where LeBron James will play next season (is it OK for me to say I don’t care?), this seems like the moment to observe that Penn National Gaming bricked an easy layup. That’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation | 1 Comment

New casino pitched for Massachusetts

Posted on July 7, 2010 by David McKee

Even though the Massachusetts state Senate has opted to go with destination casinos, Suffolk Downs racetrack is putting its chips on a racino-centric bill currently before the assembly. The track has three things going for it: proximity to Boston plus … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Donald Trump, Horseracing, Macau, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson | 2 Comments

Honey, I forgot the license!

Posted on July 2, 2010 by David McKee

Despite a record of failure, failure and even greater failure, three cronies of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell still have a chance of holding onto the comatose “Wynnwoods” casino project in Philadelphia. Somehow, Wynnwoods (officially known as Philadelphia Entertainment & Development … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Honey, I forgot the license!

Aqueduct: Then there were three

Posted on June 30, 2010 by David McKee

As the contentious racino contract for Aqueduct Racetrack is rebid, the field has narrowed to three suitors, all of whom are in enviable cash positions. Penn National Gaming‘s bankroll has taken on Holy Grail status, Genting Bhd has a money-spinner … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Current, Election, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, history, Lake Tahoe, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

“Yer money’s no good here”

Posted on June 10, 2010 by David McKee

Update: The “does not accept money from casinos and unions” verbiage was reinstated late today. (It’s way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaay down at the bottom of the page. So why is “perception, by voters [of] undue pressure” by casinos a problem? Nevada‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Movies, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Technology | 5 Comments

Harrah’s still pining for Macao

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

While we’re on the subject of white elephants today, Harrah’s Entertainment still has a little boondoggle in Macao in the form of a $577 million golf course. Cornered by a reporter at G2E Asia, Harrah’s Asian viceroy, Michael Chen, conceded … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, history, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sports, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Sands Bethlehem breaks ground … again

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

No, that’s not a joke. Las Vegas Sands held a “grand re-groundbreaking” on the hotel portion of its white elephant, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. When money ran short, Sands ditched everything but the parking lot and casino, leaving the hotel … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Economy, Marketing, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

Jason lives … at Station Casinos

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

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

Poultry in Motion

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

PETA is not amused — but you will be as the Best.Casino Promotion.Ever rolls into Pittsburgh. We speak of course of the Tic-tac-toe-playing chicken, Ginger. Given a choice between working the casino circuit, being cooked for dinner or laying eggs … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Archon Corp., Current, Entertainment, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania | 3 Comments

N.Y. casino expansion pimped

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

Casinos in the Catskills have been touted as an economic panacea for nigh unto a decade. We all know the ensuing score: much hype, little accomplishment. Still, that has not prevented one New York gubernatorial candidate from dusting this idea … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Election, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on N.Y. casino expansion pimped

300

Posted on May 28, 2010 by David McKee

“This! Is! Sparta!” Well, no actually. It just means that our Twitter feed, @stiffsgeorges, has finally eked its way to the 300-follower mark. That may not be much to crow about but it’s a gratifying little increment of progress. Speaking … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Pennsylvania, TV | Comments Off on 300

Motley Crew

Posted on May 26, 2010 by David McKee

(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

Shel & Bill, together again; Coup for HRH

Posted on May 25, 2010 by David McKee

As though yoked by karma, Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson and former sidekick William Weidner — the Jon & Kate Gosselin of the casino industry — seem destined to remain unwillingly chained together through eternity. Most recently, they’ve been … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Morgans Hotel Group, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Shel & Bill, together again; Coup for HRH

Paging Gary Loveman …

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

When it comes to bankruptcy, the Fertitta Brothers are pikers compared to magician Steve Wyrick, whose eponymous “entertainment complex” went “Poof!” last Dec. 10. At the time, Wyrick harangued LVA for announcing the closure, saying his return was imminent. We’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Paging Gary Loveman …

“The American consumer is toast”

Posted on May 14, 2010 by David McKee

If you think MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren sounds apocalyptic when he forecasts no major development on the Las Vegas Strip until circa 2020 (heck, Carl Icahn may keep Fontainebleau on ice until 2015) then get a load of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments