Category Archives: Politics

Philadelphia’s cup runneth under

Posted on February 16, 2011 by David McKee

Returning to yesterday’s theme of exaggerated expectations of gaming revenues (decanted by casino operators, quaffed uncritically by politicians) we have a glass half-full/half-empty report from Pennsylvania. The salient statistic is that, once five-month-old SugarHouse (left) is factored out, slot revenues … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 3 Comments

Las Vegas Sands: Who’s minding the store?

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

Investors would do well to ask that, not least because of CEO Sheldon Adelson‘s attitude of, ‘The buck stops here … except when it doesn’t.’ To hear Adelson tell it, everything that goes awry at Las Vegas Sands and Sands … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Genting, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Mob, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Las Vegas Sands: Who’s minding the store?

Kyl: He’s outta there

Posted on February 10, 2011 by David McKee

Gaming executives may not be popping champagne corks at the news that Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is joining a mass exodus of incumbents prior to the 2012 election. However, they’re undoubtedly happy to be rid of a longtime thorn in … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Politics | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 10, 2011 by David McKee

“Our job is to constantly refresh the notion that we are humble, proud and grateful to be allowed to be part of that scene, and the way to do that in China is to take good care of your employees.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Politics, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 9, 2011 by David McKee

“If Gov. Brian Sandoval could take the state’s checkbook to a Money Tree store, maybe he could borrow the $1 billion that would at least get Nevada back to the budget amount approved by the 2009 Legislature. The Money Tree … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

A new “eye in the sky”?

Posted on February 4, 2011 by David McKee

Editor’s note: While I’m occupied on other fronts, guest blogger Alan Saway of software firm Quova takes up the slack, examining some of the infrastructural problems associated with Internet casinos. The Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 prohibited online … Continue reading →

Posted in California, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | 3 Comments

Burnt out at Marina Bay Sands; Winners in Atlantic City

Posted on January 28, 2011 by David McKee

Another day, another Las Vegas Sands executive falls by the wayside. In the case of Marina Bay Sands, it sounds like CEO Thomas Arasi has been burned out in what must have been a pretty intense 18 months at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, International, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

Fun with geography, Adelson-style

Posted on January 27, 2011 by David McKee

Thanks to a tip from reader detroit1051, S&G customers can avail themselves of this handy online tool. With it, you can pretend to be Sheldon Adelson, scissoring the State of Florida into 75-mile zones of exclusivity (because, being a super-patriot … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Florida, Politics, Sheldon Adelson | 1 Comment

The race for Florida is on

Posted on January 26, 2011 by David McKee

Emissaries from Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts were in Tallahassee to woo Florida legislators yesterday. Also present was Boyd Gaming, which owns property in the Sunshine State and understandably doesn’t want to see solons crafting a sweetheart deal for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Florida, Genting, Macau, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | 3 Comments

Another one bites the dust

Posted on January 25, 2011 by David McKee

Whoever gets the three resort casinos that Gov. Deval Patrick (D) wants to bring to Massachusetts, it probably won’t be Fall River and it certainly won’t be the Mashpee Wampanoags. The city has pulled a controversial land deal with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, South Carolina, The Strip, Tribal | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 25, 2011 by David McKee

“Lack of interest leads to not taking gambling seriously. Even a smart politician like Barack Obama can make the mistake of telling people not to waste their money going to Las Vegas — twice. Obama knows that Nevada is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Harry Reid, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Wynn makes friends abroad, enemies at home

Posted on January 21, 2011 by David McKee

Steve Wynn has long prided himself on his good relations with the Culinary Union. However, those could soon be a thing of the past if he and front man Jesse Waits continue to extend Wynncore‘s tip-confiscation policies to Culinary-repped workers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Adelson dealt a setback

Posted on January 21, 2011 by David McKee

Florida casinos, the latest pet project of Sheldon Adelson and new ally Gov. Rick Scott (R), got the back of the hand from Miami Beach‘s city commission. Since Miami Beach is the most desirable casino zipcode in the state, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Current, Florida, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Best-kept secret in Vegas

Posted on January 20, 2011 by David McKee

Best-kept secret in Vegas. It’s the pool deck at Cosmopolitan, according to an S&G reader who visited it after dark and found but four patrons hanging out on its shores. The missus and I checked it last night and, sure … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Massachusetts, Politics, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 5 Comments

East Coast escalation; A modest reprieve

Posted on January 18, 2011 by David McKee

While I’ve been sorting through the sordid life of Allen R. Glick, things have been heating up back east with regard to casino expansion. A Tuesday-morning dispatch from the analysts at J.P. Morgan ran down the salient developments. First, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Environment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on East Coast escalation; A modest reprieve

Saved!

Posted on January 12, 2011 by David McKee

Illinois‘ casino industry just dodged a bullet the size of a 747 when the lower house failed to bring a gaming-expansion bill to a vote last night. A new Legislature is sworn in today, sending this colossally bad and ill-timed … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 12, 2011 by David McKee

“Getting it done right and getting it done with quality is the better thing to do … You want to capitalize property tax relief, not political contribution relief.” — Pennsylvania House Republican spokesman Steve Miskin, addressing another probable delay in … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Nevada’s November: rough sledding; Sunny Sheldon

Posted on January 11, 2011 by David McKee

If pressed for a prediction, I’d say 2011 will be a good year for the Strip, not so much for the rest of the Silver State. Just when I was feeling a bit queasy about November’s gaming revenues, Dr. David … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Cretins, Current, Downtown, Florida, Horseracing, Laughlin, LVCVA, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Upsizing Illinois

Posted on January 7, 2011 by David McKee

Or would “capsizing” be the right word? Late Thursday, Wells Fargo released a study of the effects on Illinois‘ casino market if a massive expansion backed by state Democrats goes through. They’re under the gun, since the whole issue gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 6 Comments

Sheldon: I’ll take Florida

Posted on January 7, 2011 by David McKee

It’s amazing what a transformative effect a night’s stay at Venelazzo will have. After stopping by Sheldon Adelson‘s little pied-a-terre, Florida Gov. Rick Scott (left) has done a 180 on casino expansion in Florida. Now Scott, refreshed by an evening’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment