Category Archives: Phil Ruffin

Casinos, DFS wrangle in Massachusetts; Harrah’s wins in Louisiana

Posted on May 31, 2019 by David McKee

Debate over sports betting in Massachusetts has brought out a ruction between Boston-based DraftKings, representing the forces of online gambling, and brick-and-mortar casinos, which want to be the sole purveyors of Internet sports bets, with maybe five to seven ‘skins’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, DFS, Entertainment, Genting, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Problem gambling, Rhode Island, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip | Comments Off

Ruffin’s move

Posted on May 14, 2019 by David McKee

Phil Ruffin is in the hunt for Caesars Entertainment … well, sort of. He said he’s interested in individual Las Vegas Strip properties, clearly anticipating some kind of sell-down to deleverage an Eldorado Resorts or Tilman Fertitta acquisition of the … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Arkansas, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Law enforcement, North Carolina, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Bowing to Wynn; Mixed views on Las Vegas

Posted on February 28, 2019 by David McKee

Today the Massachusetts Gaming Commission meets to finalize its disgraceful prostration, er, litigation settlement with Steve Wynn and presumably to lay the groundwork for levying some manner of fine on Wynn Resorts now that Nevada has set a $20 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Caesars Entertainment, California, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Raiders, Laughlin, Massachusetts, Mesquite, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Reno, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wendover, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Ruffin over Miami; Satre to state Wynn’s case

Posted on December 10, 2018 by David McKee

“I look forward to entering the Miami gaming market through this acquisition. We have exciting plans for Casino Miami that we will be revealing in the near future.” With those words Phil Ruffin took possession of the $155 million casino, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Florida, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, New York, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

MGM Springfield disappoints; Ruffin makes peace

Posted on October 17, 2018 by David McKee

Publicizing revenue expectations is a dangerous thing. Just ask the four new casinos in upstate New York. Or Bruce Deifik in Atlantic City. When you don’t make your number (the dreaded Penn National Effect) it opens you up for no … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Connecticut, Culinary Union, International, Law enforcement, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Problem gambling, Rhode Island, The Strip | Comments Off

New kink at Linq; Casino clash in Arkansas

Posted on September 11, 2018 by David McKee

That Vegas High Roller thing didn’t work out so well for Caesars Entertainment, so now it’s going to try shooting tourists down the Linq Promenade on a 114-foot-high zipline. This quick thrill will be priced at $20-$30 in the daytime … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Election, Entertainment, Horseracing, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Casa Shenandoah closes; Culinary escalates tactics

Posted on July 12, 2018 by David McKee

Call it a day for another Wayne Newton business venture. Mr. Las Vegas is closing Casa Shenandoah to the public, no reason given (although a recent break-in might have influenced the decision). “It is the Applicant’s intent that the property revert … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Downtown Grand, Election, history, Horseracing, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, Sports betting, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wayne F. Newton, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Wynn’s new frontier

Posted on December 14, 2017 by David McKee

Wynn Resorts made it official last night: It had paid just under $335 million for the old New Frontier site, which it is taking over from James Packer. The deal makes a fool of Packer, who paid $570 million for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cretins, Current, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Genting, Hard Rock International, James Packer, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Better times come to Atlantic City; Wynn Boston Harbor sets opening date

Posted on June 15, 2017 by David McKee

May’s gambling grosses are in from the Boardwalk and Atlantic City is up 2.5% since last year — 11% if Trump Taj Mahal is subtracted from the comparison. Terrestrial casinos pulled in $208 million, while Internet gambling grossed a further … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Golden Gaming, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, North Las Vegas, Palms, Phil Ruffin, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Sands Bethlehem sale fizzles; Packer peddles Alon acreage

Posted on May 25, 2017 by David McKee

For the second time, Las Vegas Sands has decided that Sands Bethlehem was too valuable to sell, especially after it set a state record for table game revenue. (Earlier, Sands was bruited to be in talks with Tropicana Entertainment to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Eldorado Resorts, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Trump keeps them guessing; Meet your new neighbor, Steve Wynn

Posted on April 4, 2017 by David McKee

Could the president of the United States build a Las Vegas casino? That’s regulatory terra incognito that Nevada regulators will have to explore as Phil Ruffin and Donald Trump continue with their plan to erect a Trump-branded casino next door … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Donald Trump, Economy, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Riviera, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip | Comments Off

Trump’s Vegas Castle?; Florida Lege speaks with forked tongue

Posted on March 24, 2017 by David McKee

Just a few months ago, the idea of a Donald Trump-branded casino on the Las Vegas Strip would have seemed like a joke. Trump’s brand equity in gaming had dwindled to zilch and the man himself was out of gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Internet gambling, Macau, Mississippi, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off

Straub: Name my casino!; RAWA breathes its last … for now

Posted on May 27, 2016 by David McKee

Glenn Straub has either thrown up his hands over the task of renaming Revel or is feeling the spirit of democracy. Either way, he’s taking suggestions from the Twitterverse as to potential new monikers, with a $10,000 for the winning … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, history, Internet gambling, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Revel, Sports, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Genting comes to Massachusetts; Trump impasse on the Strip

Posted on April 5, 2016 by David McKee

As the Mashpee Wampanoag were preparing to break ground on Project First Light, halfway around the world Genting Malaysia was revealing the details of its management contract with the tribe. Genting holds a seven-year pact, by way of its Genting … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Election, Genting, Geoff Freeman, Massachusetts, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Secrecy prevails in Nevada; Doubletalk Down Under

Posted on March 22, 2016 by David McKee

In a step backward for public transparency, the Nevada Gaming Commission has decreed that privately held casinos no longer have to disclose their financial performance. Not only will this spare SLS Las Vegas the embarrassments that are its quarterly reports, … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Charity, Cosmopolitan, Culinary Union, Harrah's, Phil Ruffin, Problem gambling, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Tracks questionable in Kansas, safe in West Virginia

Posted on March 18, 2016 by David McKee

“Wouldn’t we just be taking money from [Kansas Star Casino] and moving it to Mr. Ruffin’s pockets?” So asked state Rep. Mark Kahrs (R) of a controversial bill to permit a Sedgwick County vote on whether to convert Phil Ruffin‘s Wichita … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Election, Kansas, MGM Mirage, New Hampshire, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Racinos, Slot routes, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, West Virginia | Comments Off

DFS advances in some markets, retreats in others; Caesars rubs your nose in it

Posted on March 2, 2016 by David McKee

Daily fantasy sports, the loud frat brother of sports betting, is close to a signal victory in Virginia. Both houses of the Virginia Assembly have passed DFS legalization with veto-proof majorities and sent the legislation to Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Kansas, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

Trump plotting Vegas comeback; Mohegan Sun gains Korean foothold

Posted on February 26, 2016 by David McKee

Even after his improbable spate of electoral successes, you have to wonder if Donald Trump is serious about running for president. His attention is already wandering to a market where the art of the deal has not panned out for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mohegan Sun, North Las Vegas, Phil Ruffin, Reno, South Korea, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

MGM’s sudden Connecticut ardor; Labor peace in Detroit

Posted on December 8, 2015 by David McKee

Connecticut‘s government is trying to have an MGM Resorts International lawsuit dismissed, but MGM isn’t going away quietly. It’s targeted the no-bid process whereby a Mohegan Sun–Foxwoods Resort Casino joint venture was juiced into a third, off-reservation casino, location still … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Genting, International, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Phil Ruffin, International Man of Mystery; Another day, another DFS probe

Posted on November 12, 2015 by David McKee

So now we know where those The Mirage-is-for-sale rumors were coming from. Seems that the place really was not for sale, although Phil Ruffin wished it was, to the tune of $1.3 billion. And, as badly as MGM Resorts International … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, GLPI, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off