Category Archives: Politics

Reno’s bright future; All-time high for Vegas sports books

Posted on November 3, 2017 by David McKee

We love Reno. It has a river in the middle of downtown, nearby mountains and all the charm that Las Vegas so desperately lacks. It also had a gambling market that was written off for dead 15 years ago. Times … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Eldorado Resorts, International, Nevada, Oklahoma, Paragon Gaming, Pennsylvania, Politics, Reno, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Pretlow tackles NY casinos; Zinke paralyzes Connecticut casino

Posted on November 2, 2017 by David McKee

Fearing a plea for tax breaks from New York State‘s three new, underperforming casinos, Assemblyman Gary Pretlow (D) has asked the state auditor to look into why they failed to meet their revenue projections. “It is critically important that we have … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Foxwoods, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off

Macao rockets ahead; SLS sale snagged

Posted on November 1, 2017 by David McKee

While we share Galaxy Entertainment Chairman Lui-Che Woo‘s circumspection about announcing a full recovery in Macao, gaming revenues continue to ignore the ‘stop’ signs. Last month they rocketed up 22%, which “blows past expectations,” according to Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli, … Continue reading →

Posted in GLPI, Illinois, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Racinos, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, SLS Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

“A gambling state without parallel”

Posted on October 30, 2017 by David McKee

It’s up to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) now. [Update: Wolf got off the fence with uncharacteristic alacrity and signed the bill.) The state House has passed the most sweeping expansion of gambling S&G has ever seen. It includes Internet … Continue reading →

Posted in Eldorado Resorts, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Slot routes, Sports, Taxes | Comments Off

Major casino expansion mooted for Pennsylvania; Big wins for Florida, Wisconsin tribes

Posted on October 27, 2017 by David McKee

Gaming expansion is creeping forward in Pennsylvania. The state Senate has passed and sent to the House a bill that would add 10 satellite casinos to the Keystone State. Eldorado Resorts‘ Presque Isle Downs would be juiced in for one … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Adelson’s construction boom; Make theirs Manhattan

Posted on October 26, 2017 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands still can’t be bothered to finish its St. Regis stump on the Strip, but it’s spending capex dollars like there’s no tomorrow in Macao. Sands will throw $700 million into redoing Sands Cotai Central as The Londoner, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Culinary Union, Genting, Law enforcement, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, New York, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

It’s about time; Pols attack Atlantic City

Posted on October 24, 2017 by David McKee

Twelve years after Hurricane Katrina, Midwest and Bible Belt states still require casinos to be built on the water. Exceptions have been made for casinos on Mississippi‘s Gulf Coast and one of Mike Pence‘s latter acts as governor of Indiana … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Election, history, Indiana, Louisiana, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, New York, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sports, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Trump goes to bat for Adelson; Connecticut tribes on the rise

Posted on October 18, 2017 by David McKee

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had never heard of Las Vegas Sands or MGM Resorts International before Donald Trump told him about them last February. Either that or Abe was politely feigning ignorance. (As long as was using his political office … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Foxwoods, Greenwood Racing, Japan, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off

Strange bedfellows indeed; Massachusetts responds to Vegas massacre

Posted on October 17, 2017 by David McKee

Ex-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence‘s anti-casino past came back to bite him in the keester this week. A lengthy exposé reveals that, even as Pence was publicly posturing about “no expansion of gaming” in Indiana — although Pence never clearly defined … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Centaur Gaming, Charity, Delaware, Donald Trump, e-sports, G2E, Gary Goett, Indiana, Internet gambling, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off

Ex-cons working casino floors?; Kansas casinos set record

Posted on October 13, 2017 by David McKee

You’d think casinos in Massachusetts, where job applicants far outnumber available positions, could get by without hiring convicted criminals. Think again. A bill before the Lege would open a loophole for people with criminal records to hold down jobs in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, G2E, GameCO, Harrah's, IGT, International, Kansas, Lawrence Ho, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off

Mandalay Bay mystery a labyrinth

Posted on October 6, 2017 by David McKee

As the clouds of war gather again over our great country, we’re finally gaining some clarity regarding Mandalay Bay shooter Stephen Paddock. He was that seeming oxymoron: a video poker “whale,” one who didn’t blanch at wagering $100 a spin. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Cosmopolitan, Downtown, Harrah's, Illinois, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Massachusetts, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Philippines, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Reno, Texas | Comments Off

Hot numbers in August; MGM Cotai postponed

Posted on October 2, 2017 by David McKee

Although visitation to Las Vegas was down 2% in August, room revenues and rates were both up 3% (with a hotel room costing you $125/night on average) and occupancy at 91%. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff credited the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McPherson … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Downtown, Economy, Fontainebleau, Foxwoods, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, North Las Vegas, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Reno | Comments Off

MGM gets potty-mouthed; New York casino flops

Posted on September 22, 2017 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International‘s casinos-without-gaming new ad campaign is playing to divided opinions. For instance, the company has 100,000 square feet of gaming at Bellagio but you won’t spot so much as a pair of dice in the ad, yet MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Genting, International, Lawrence Ho, Marijuana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Philippines, Politics, Sports, Tribal, TV | 2 Comments

Trying again in Kentucky; Trump Taj goes tits up

Posted on September 21, 2017 by David McKee

Casinos and Kentucky politicians have been like oil and water. But there’s nothing like a pension-fund crisis to focus people’s attention and the Bluegrass State faces a $33 million shortfall on its obligations. Hence a proposal for “limited” casino gambling, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Dining, Economy, Election, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Kentucky, Marijuana, Nevada, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, TV | 1 Comment

MGM Bridgeport … ?!?; Battle lines drawn in Maine

Posted on September 20, 2017 by David McKee

Poor MGM Springfield. It’s not even finished and MGM Resorts International is already off on a snipe hunt in Connecticut. Like Steve Wynn many years ago, it is proposing a casino for Bridgeport. MGM says it is prepared to invest … Continue reading →

Posted in e-sports, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, history, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, TV | Comments Off

Adelson cools on Japan; Revel mystery deepens

Posted on September 18, 2017 by David McKee

Details of Japan‘s casino-implementation bill are starting to trickle out: a blend of tax rates for mass-market play (22%) and VIP action (12%), a minimum gambling age of 20 and casino square floors no bigger than 15,000 square feet. Limitations like … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Japan, Marijuana, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Bye, bye, Vegas Club; Murren accepts minority status

Posted on September 13, 2017 by David McKee

One of our favorite sources, VitalVegas author Scott Roeben, is interviewed at length by Nevada Public Radio on what, if anything, the introduction of virtual reality to the Las Vegas Strip means for the big casinos. In part, Roeben says, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Downtown Grand, e-sports, Fontainebleau, Genting, Japan, Lucky Dragon, MGM Mirage, Palms, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Wynn scolds Japan; Dan Gilbert gets something right

Posted on September 11, 2017 by David McKee

Despite height restrictions and an indifferent (at best) local government, Steve Wynn seems hellbent on putting a casino in Tokyo. Like everybody else, he’s also looking at Yokohama and Osaka — likelier finalists in the Japan casino derby. In an … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dan Gilbert, Internet gambling, Japan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, South Dakota, Steve Wynn, Taxes | 1 Comment

Icahn’s big score

Posted on August 31, 2017 by David McKee

Did Carl Icahn just take Steven Witkoff to the cleaners? It sure looks that way. Witkoff and his associates paid, according to Bloomberg, $22 million an acre for Fontainebleau. Yes, $22 million. That figure is so dazzling I had to … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Fontainebleau, Genting, Internet gambling, James Packer, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Politics, Steven Witkoff, The Strip | 1 Comment

Kansas Crossing struggles; Their indecision is final

Posted on August 29, 2017 by David McKee

Here’s a man-bites-dog story to start your day. Kansas Crossing casino is shortening hours and reducing payroll. Apparently four casinos is one too many for the Sunflower State. Although expected to rake in $3 million a month, the casino has … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Genting, Internet gambling, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Slot routes, Taxes | 1 Comment