Category Archives: Pinnacle Entertainment

From the S&G Twitter feed …

Posted on April 5, 2010 by David McKee

It’s a crazy day here and I’m deeply enmeshed in reportage (hint: it involves Station Casinos) so I’d like to take up some of the blogging slack by once more pimping the S&G Twitter feed (@stiffsgeorges), which can also be … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Archon Corp., Bally Technologies, Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Technology, Wall Street | Comments Off

Could Steve Wynn jilt Philadelphia?

Posted on April 2, 2010 by David McKee

What’s Steve Wynn supposedly doing in Atlantic City this weekend and why is he allegedly kicking the tires on casino properties there? Well, it is a buyer’s market and half of Borgata is up for grabs (as would be Trump … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Entertainment, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 10 Comments

Case Bets: Pinnacle’s new CEO; Mr. Bit

Posted on March 15, 2010 by David McKee

S&G congratulates Anthony Sanfilippo, new president and COO of Pinnacle Entertainment. A former regional overseer for Harrah’s Entertainment (prexy of its Central and Western divisions), he’s familiar with the ground on which Pinnacle’s battles will be fought, including Lousiana, Missouri … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Harrah's, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Pets, Pinnacle Entertainment | 2 Comments

Chronicle of a Black foretold; River City looking good

Posted on March 2, 2010 by David McKee

Randy Black, that is. The CEO who ran the Mesquite market straight into the ground (with a sizable assist from the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission) and turned the former Si Redd’s Oasis into a slot route — … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Election, Harry Reid, IGT, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, TV, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 1 Comment

Case Bets: “Viva Elvis,” Loveman in Macao, Icahn in A.C., etc.

Posted on February 24, 2010 by David McKee

Viva Elvis vs. Love. The Sun‘s John Katsilometes pivots it to a question of “Whose music is better?” I’m not going there but I think he really nails why one show seemed right up Cirque du Soleil‘s alley while the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

“The worst riverboat casino in the world”

Posted on February 23, 2010 by David McKee

That’d be the President, symbolic flagship of Pinnacle Entertainment‘s fleet. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an excellent story, laying out the complexities surrounding the Missouri Gaming Commission‘s legally dubious move to shut the old ship down. There are no heroes … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Current, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation | 4 Comments

President-ial politics

Posted on February 12, 2010 by David McKee

You know January was bad in St. Louis when the lowly President‘s $2 million take was the only revenue increase in the area. While the Harrah’s Entertainment/Ameristar Casinos pair of Maryland Heights riverboats continues to dominate the market with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Harrah's, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off

Macao even more profitable than previously thought

Posted on February 10, 2010 by David McKee

If the Chinese government isn’t handing free money to casino operators in Macao, they’re getting the next best thing: free land. Due to the exceptionally slow-moving nature of Macanese governmental paperwork, casino developers have been able to build on their … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes | 4 Comments

Torino’s big gamble

Posted on February 9, 2010 by David McKee

At a time when the bottom has fallen out of Las Vegas Strip land prices what possessed Brett Torino to make an uncontested, above-market bid for a small and awkwardly configured piece of Strip real estate? Before we get to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Economy, Harrah's, International, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn | 8 Comments

Case Bets: Mohegan Sun, Alabama, Weidner, Dubai & a big bet on MGM Mirage

Posted on January 4, 2010 by David McKee

Could default or bankruptcy be in the offing for Mohegan Sun? The tribal supercasino’s attempts to get out from under an onerous fee arrangement with Sol Kerzner and Len Wolman are not only facing heavy weather, Mohegan Sun is also … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Carl Icahn, Charity, CityCenter, Current, Dubai, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Pelican State blues

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

November numbers are in for Louisiana and it’s the Pelican State’s worst gaming month in five quarters. Only the independent Eldorado Shreveport riverboat and Fair Grounds racino near New Orleans reported revenue growth. All major operators took it on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation | Comments Off

Case Bets: Pinnacle, Macao, Sahara & Mirage

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

No trouble in River City: The opening of Pinnacle Entertainment‘s River City casino complex has leapt forward from May to March. Bully for Pinnacle, if this means that the project is going to be finished ahead of schedule. If this … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, The Strip | 4 Comments

Wall Street hearts Penn

Posted on December 9, 2009 by David McKee

Table games having been approved for Charles Town Races & Slots by a 60/40 margin, stock analysts are lurving Penn National Gaming … so long as Penn’s infatuation with Fontainebleau turns out to have been a passing malady. While those … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, The Strip, Wall Street | 5 Comments

F-bleau: It’s Icahn’s … or is it?

Posted on November 24, 2009 by David McKee

True to form, Carl Icahn sprang when you least expected him to, sneaking up on Penn National Gaming in bankruptcy court to outbid it for the bankrupt Fontainebleau in the first round of bartering (a process that will drag into … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Carl Icahn, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, IGT, Louisiana, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Trouble in River City

Posted on November 9, 2009 by David McKee

In a shocking development that’s bound to set tongues a-wagging, Pinnacle Entertainment CEO Dan Lee has “resigned to pursue other business interests” (industry-speak for “Don’t let the doorknob hit you in the butt”). The buzz is that Pinnacle’s strategy was … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Louisiana, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos | 8 Comments

The evils of bingo; Wynn’s Aqueduct exit

Posted on November 5, 2009 by David McKee

America’s sixth-largest casino is in rural Alabama and it commands hotel prices comparable to CityCenter. Its 6,400 Class II devices mean that VictoryLand (above) is one gargantuan e-bingo hall. Due to the state’s patchwork set of laws, e-bingo is legal … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Cretins, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, New York, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes | 1 Comment

Much ado about something?

Posted on November 5, 2009 by David McKee

Vive le Roi! After much coy hugger-mugger, Cirque du Soleil has just announced the name of its Aria show is … wait for it, people … Viva Elvis. (I cannot decide if the uninspired logo, which looks like a Ronco … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 3, 2009 by David McKee

“We’ve been practicing for more than 30 years. I don’t think you need to remind anyone about that one any longer. Don’t let the dust from your vacant lot get in your eyes on your way out of town.” — … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Pinnacle Entertainment | Comments Off

Case Bets: CityCenter, Boyd odyssey, Massachusetts & the “Admiral”

Posted on November 2, 2009 by David McKee

There’s continued apprehension about MGM Mirage‘s $8.5 billion, 7,200-unit CityCenter, especially now that hotel rooms there are going for less than ones at either the Venetian or Encore. (Thinking positively: Who knew CityCenter was going to be so affordable?) Business … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Encore, Harrah's, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 8 Comments

Case Bets: Pinnacle, Pennsylvania, Harrah’s & Sands

Posted on October 30, 2009 by David McKee

Third quarter at PNK: 3Q09 numbers are out for Pinnacle Entertainment and the comparisons cover the spectrum from very good (Lumiere Place up 19%), good (+5% at L’Auberge du Lac) and lousy (-13% aboard Boomtown New Orleans). Once a free-spending … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments