Category Archives: Regulation

Pinnacle’s cockeyed optimist

Posted on August 29, 2012 by David McKee

Call me Nostradamus: As Hurricane Isaac essentially sits parked on the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines, I am again given cause to wonder what in Heaven’s name made Pinnacle Entertainment CEO Anthony Sanfilippo think he could hold the L’Auberge Baton Rouge … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Current, Environment, Louisiana, Mississippi, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on Pinnacle’s cockeyed optimist

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

Batten down the hatches!

Posted on August 27, 2012 by David McKee

Tropical Storm Isaac is charting a path across the Gulf of Mexico and, with aspirations to “hurricane” status, is on a collision course with New Orleans, the City That Couldn’t Catch a Break. So far, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dining, Environment, Harrah's, history, International, Louisiana, Mississippi, Politics, Regulation, Technology, TV | 2 Comments

Tilman Fertitta, Indian giver; Meet Charles S. Weinberg

Posted on August 21, 2012 by David McKee

When he took over the Golden Nugget and its Laughlin sibling, Landry’s Restaurants CEO Tilman Fertitta quickly developed a reputation among employees as a skinflint and micromanager. Whether or not the micromanagement has gone by the boards as Fertitta’s Nugget-branded … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Mob, Tilman Fertitta | 3 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

Choo-Choo to Infinity … and beyond!

Posted on August 1, 2012 by David McKee

Our favorite welfare queen, Xpress West (née Desert Xpress) isn’t letting its plans be constrained by anything so mundane as reality. Original pitchman Sig “The Fixer” Rogich has crawled off into the underbrush somewhere but his Choo-Choo-to-Nowhere has found additional … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Colorado, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

Good news for online gambling? Bad news for Rio

Posted on July 31, 2012 by David McKee

• Anti-gambling prick Rep. Steve King (R-IA) may find himself under investigation. Unfortunately, he’s not being investigated for being an anti-gambling prick. But it might remove one more obstacle to online poker. • The online-gambling world wet its panties last … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 18, 2012 by David McKee

“The minor was in contact with the four drink servers, at least two dealers, a floor supervisor and at least 10 other Harrah’s employees, none of whom asked for identification, the complaint says.” — from a Las Vegas Sun story … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harrah's, Regulation, The Strip | 5 Comments

Sigma Derby rides again; Revel vs. Maryland Live!, Round One; Idiocy epidemic at Trump Taj

Posted on July 3, 2012 by David McKee

Just when it seemed hope was lost … The D is reintroducing Sigma Derby to Downtown. In one fell swoop of utter brilliance, owner Derek Stevens has staked a prohibitive claim to Gaming Executive of the Year. To be completely … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Problem gambling, Regulation, Revel, Technology, The Strip | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 21, 2012 by David McKee
Posted in Regulation | 1 Comment

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 11, 2012 by David McKee

“We’re in the business of providing entertainment. We make a profit. If something manipulates that in an ill-begotten way, that’s not fair.” — The Meadows General Manager Sean Sullivan, whining about card counters. Casinos in Pennsylvania and Ohio are actually … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Casino John rides again; Mashpee ride to victory

Posted on June 10, 2012 by David McKee

As is my habit, I tuned in CNN‘s Your Money yesterday. No sooner was the TV on but there was Gov. John Kasich (R), taking justifiable pride in Ohio‘s having recently added 73,300 jobs. The inescapable irony — and fact … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Tribal, TV | 4 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

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

Macao: “This is decent”; Massachusetts slams door behind Adelson

Posted on June 1, 2012 by David McKee

Macao casino revenue grew ‘only’ 7% last month, which is bad … if you were thinking monthly, large double-digit increases (21% over the past five months) were a sustainable norm. “This is decent,” J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff said of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, International, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: “This is decent”; Massachusetts slams door behind Adelson

Holy Toledo!; D-Day in Massachusetts

Posted on May 29, 2012 by David McKee

Citizens of Toledo put on their best wife-beater and queued up for opening day at Penn National Gaming‘s brand-new Hollywood Casino Toledo. Sure, Revel had Beyoncé but H’wood Toledo had … Jamie Farr (plus ABBA impersonators). So there, Atlantic City! … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Architecture, Current, Dan Gilbert, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Tribal | 4 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?

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 24, 2012 by David McKee

“[C]oming through the back door, a two-headed monster of slot machines and mega-jackpots, both online, a monster … may completely overtake the conventional gaming industry. The lotteries, without any additional legislation or oversight, can offer, online, both slots and other … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Internet gambling, Regulation, Technology | 2 Comments

Case Bets: Sands, Caesars, Boyd, MGM & Wynn

Posted on May 24, 2012 by David McKee

After blowing a half-million dollars on lobbying in Massachusetts, cantankerous casino owner Sheldon Adelson took his ball and went home, as reported earlier. Las Vegas Sands‘ rather weak excuse: “[Boston] didn’t synch up with our business model.” Sands fails to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Horseracing, International, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment