Category Archives: Racinos

Nevada disappoints but Atlantic City bombs

Posted on October 12, 2012 by David McKee

If there’s a saving grace to August’s rather glum Nevada gambling win (-3%), it’s that the month ended on a Friday, so there may be some as-yet-unreported slot revenue that will fluff the September results. (That optimism must be offset, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Politics, Racinos, Revel, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Revenue roundup: Ohio, Maryland, Missouri & Indiana; Mohegan Sun snow job

Posted on October 11, 2012 by David McKee

Let’s start with the new kid on the block … Ohio: September saw Ohio‘s two casinos and one racino rake in an aggregate $50 million. The ‘novelty factor’ has waned, along with vacation time, since June’s $58 million haul, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Dan Gilbert, Don Barden, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Taxes, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, West Virginia | 2 Comments

And Columbus makes three …

Posted on October 9, 2012 by David McKee

Fittingly, Penn National Gaming chose Columbus Day to open its newest casino, in the Ohio city that bears the name of the man who didn’t quite discover America in 1492. With 3,000 slots and 100 tables, it’s loaded for bear. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Dan Gilbert, Dining, Economy, Harrah's, Indiana, M Resort, Missouri, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Posted on September 28, 2012 by David McKee

Former Resorts Atlantic City underboss Aaron Gomes might want to change his travel plans. Scarcely had he announced his departure from his late father’s casino than his new gig, Sydney‘s troubled Star Casino, looks very doubtful. Gomes had planned to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Genting, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Louisiana better than expected; Arkansas casinos: Wait ’til year after next

Posted on September 20, 2012 by David McKee

“It could have been better.” That will be the refrain from Louisiana, up 1% last month despite some final-week disruption by an unwelcome visitor named Hurricane Isaac. Allowing for a few blips here and there throughout the state, including a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Louisiana, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Texas | Comments Off on Louisiana better than expected; Arkansas casinos: Wait ’til year after next

What the fuQ?; A dubious honor

Posted on September 19, 2012 by David McKee

Word around here is that Caesars Entertainment did an in-house survey on potential re-names of Imperial Palace — soon to become “The Quad” — and promptly dumped the poll results in the nearest wastepaper basket. Se non e ver, e … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, International, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Racinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Sunny summer in Pennsylvania; Stanley Ho seen!

Posted on September 18, 2012 by David McKee

Except for a 4% slippage in July, the motto around Pennsylvania might be, “Cannibalization? What cannibalization?” The Keystone State has shrugged off new competition from Ohio, from New York City, from Revel in Atlantic City, and even from within the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Dan Gilbert, Harrah's, Macau, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Sunny summer in Pennsylvania; Stanley Ho seen!

One pig, slightly perfumed; Loveman’s fire sale

Posted on September 17, 2012 by David McKee

Having waited too long and spent too much to ever get around to his long-rumored teardown of the Imperial Palace, the CEO/CFO/COB and prexy of Caesars Entertainment, one Gary Loveman, now finds himself perfuming a pig. Despite having more brand … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Florida, Hard Rock Hotel, history, Internet gambling, Iowa, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Ohio, Racinos, Reno, The Strip, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 3 Comments

Emperor Loveman’s new clothes

Posted on September 7, 2012 by David McKee

When I said a Caesars Entertainment bankruptcy was a matter of when, not if, little idea did I have how soon that might be. Earlier this week, Fitch Ratings Service lowered Caesars’ bond rating to “negative,” a veritable kiss of … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dan Gilbert, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 7 Comments

Isaac: Flood waters hit Beau Rivage

Posted on August 28, 2012 by David McKee

First, the good news: Since thousands of people are being adversely affected by Hurricane Isaac, still gathering strength, one of them is Donald Trump. The bloated bloviator has been promising another of his shocking revelations — too shocking to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Election, Environment, Florida, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, TV | 1 Comment

Speed: The Ride … found!; Dueling Ferris wheels and Caesars’ wonderful life

Posted on August 17, 2012 by David McKee

Remember all those rumors that had the Sahara‘s now-vanished Speed: The Ride packed up and headed for Circus Circus? Not so! The good folks and inquiring minds at VegasChatter.com were sussing out some dormant South Strip developments and discovered … … … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Racinos, Rhode Island, Sahara, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Journos muzzled in Sin City

Posted on August 17, 2012 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson couldn’t do it but Las Vegas Sun Publisher Brian Greenspun could. The hard-money-lending business in Las Vegas is a dodgy, high-risk one at the best of times and close scrutiny of it by Sun-related publications is especially touchy. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, New York, North Las Vegas, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, TV | 4 Comments

Everything’s coming up Penn

Posted on June 15, 2012 by David McKee

As befits a proud papa, Penn National Gaming has been showing Wall Street analysts around its newest offspring: Hollywood Casino Toledo. The metrics are pretty awe-inspiring. Already the customer database is approaching 50,000 players and 47% of all slot play … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Dan Lee, Detroit, Don Barden, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, MTR Gaming, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal | 3 Comments

Toronto: Move over, Jim and Gary, here comes Sheldon

Posted on June 8, 2012 by David McKee

No disrespect to Steve Wynn, but the human starter gun for any serious casino race is now Sheldon Adelson. Except for China, he’s not been in any casino-expansion movement for the long haul since he lost Mirage Resorts. And with … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Texas, Tourism | 3 Comments

Caesars in Boston

Posted on June 6, 2012 by David McKee

Oh, that Gary Loveman is hilarious! Sorry, folks, I had to stop that video so I could have a laugh when he boasted, “Caesars [Entertainment] stands for the ultimate in destination luxury resorts?” Since when? A bunch of forward-looking fellas … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Current, Harrah's, International, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Caesars in Boston

Insanity in Illinois, Philadelphia

Posted on June 1, 2012 by David McKee

If insanity is doing the same thing over and over (and over) and expecting a different result, then we have outbreaks of it in both the Illinois Legislature and the Philadelphia casino market. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers have the disposition of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Harrah's, Horseracing, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Ohio: Let the games begin!

Posted on May 31, 2012 by David McKee

How confident was MTR Gaming that it held a winning hand in the Ohio courts? Pretty darn confident, from the looks of things. It’s also quite impressive how quickly they whipped together that $152 million racino space at Scioto Downs … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Ohio, Racinos, TV | Comments Off on Ohio: Let the games begin!

Loveman heir abdicates; VLTs hit Ohio tomorrow; Wayne’s World II

Posted on May 31, 2012 by David McKee

Shares of Caesars Entertainment sank today on the news that CFO Jonathan Halkyard has quit, taking an equivalent position at NV Energy. Although the latter’s financial outlook is far rosier, with scant long-term debt, its revenue base ($611 million last … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Economy, Harrah's, history, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Wayne F. Newton | Comments Off on Loveman heir abdicates; VLTs hit Ohio tomorrow; Wayne’s World II

Beyoncé 1, Revel 0.5; Meet Harrah’s Philadelphia; Riviera realities

Posted on May 29, 2012 by David McKee

So the big, official, grand, this-time-we-really-mean-it opening of Revel Resort & Casino came and went … and all the media has been talking about is Beyoncé and how bootylicious she looks so soon after giving birth. (Seven-plus pages of YouTube … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Revel, Riviera, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | 5 Comments

Massachusetts: Another one bites the dust; Sands Cotai: Hit or miss?

Posted on May 25, 2012 by David McKee

That Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe effort to obtain the coveted southeastern Massachusetts casino license is quickly being exposed as a thing of smoke and mirrors. Sure, the tribe can get a Class II casino on Martha’s Vineyard — it’s a done … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Donald Trump, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Horseracing, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | Comments Off on Massachusetts: Another one bites the dust; Sands Cotai: Hit or miss?