Category Archives: Regulation

Putting the cart before the racino; Men of eXit

Posted on March 21, 2012 by David McKee

VLTs in Ohio are still being litigated but MTR Gaming is rushing in where major operators fear to tread. It’s already begun conversion of Scioto Downs Casino & Racetrack to a 2,100-machine racino. The nomenclature is a bit premature but … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Hooters, Isle of Capri, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Tamares Group, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

Posted on March 20, 2012 by David McKee

There will be Ice Capades in Hell before Sheldon Adelson sets foot in Encore, I should expect. However, with J.P. Morgan holding an investor conference at Wynncore, it would be poor form of Las Vegas Sands — currently the darling … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

No cannibalization in K.C.!; Nebraska: Phhhhhttt!

Posted on March 19, 2012 by David McKee

February numbers are in for Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway and it lifted the entire K.C. market 24%, grossing $15 million in 26 days. Once the Hollywood effect is sifted out of monthly revenues, all other casinos were down only … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Harrah's, Horseracing, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Wall Street | Comments Off

Penn and Pennsylvania; Trop’s big screwup; Louisiana’s big month

Posted on March 16, 2012 by David McKee

A racetrack isn’t something you just pick up and relocate. However, Penn National Gaming has been given the go-ahead by the State of Ohio to “move” its Beulah Park and Raceway Park to, respectively, Youngstown and Dayton. They are presently … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dan Lee, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Dan Lee calls it quits; Who let Big Dawg’s out?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by David McKee

Having seen the handwriting on the wall, Dan Lee has sold his Creative Casinos of Louisiana to regional rival Ameristar Casinos for a measly $32.5 million. Bankers were having difficulty computing Lee + Lake Charles = Mojito Pointe. Financing prospects … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Georgia, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Wall Street | 4 Comments

R.I.P., Dennis Gomes; Casino avalanche in Michigan; Life after UIGEA

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

There are few real characters in the casino industry anymore. Dennis Gomes (1944-2012) was one of them. His recent death put a premature “full stop” on one of the most colorful and wide-ranging careers gaming has seen. After all, how … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Dennis Gomes, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Ohio, Penn National, Pokergeddon, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Wynn vs. Okada: Shooting the messenger; Ship of fools

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

Stung by accusations from Wynn Resorts that erstwhile Shareholder #1 Kazuo Okada had been greasing palms at PAGCOR, prompt action was taken by the Philippines House Committee on Games & Amusements. It promptly banned … Steve Wynn. This comical, “circle … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, International, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Penn National, Regulation, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Gaughan expands empire … and sundry other Case Bets

Posted on March 7, 2012 by David McKee

Having already taken charge of the hotel operations of the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa (for historical purposes, best known as The Resort at Summerlin) last summer, Michael Gaughan Jr. will now extend his operational control to its … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Georgia, Harrah's, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Tourism | Comments Off

Wynn vs. Okada: Payback Time

Posted on February 20, 2012 by David McKee

Looks like Kazuo Okada brought a knife to a gunfight with Steve Wynn. The latter has spent the last year having former FBI boss Louis Freeh and sundry investigators check up on Okada — and what a lot of dirt … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Florida, Genting, International, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Okada vs. Wynn, Round Two; Nevada wins, players lose

Posted on February 14, 2012 by David McKee

Having spent all weekend and most of yesterday laboring over an in-depth think piece for CityLife (a future-of-Vegas thing), I’ll admit to being pretty well fried. But the news never sleeps — much as one might wish otherwise, sometimes — … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Current, Dining, International, Macau, Marketing, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Fire sale at Caesars; Harvey vs. The Mob

Posted on February 10, 2012 by David McKee

Money problems at Caesars Entertainment are worse than we thought. According to the New York Post, the company is trying to shop as many as 10 Midwestern casinos in order to raise $500 million in development capital. The money would … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Harry Reid, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, The Mob, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

More bad news for Adelson

Posted on February 9, 2012 by David McKee

It’s hard to say which is funnier or more hubristic: Sheldon Adelson‘s ongoing conceit that he could buy the presidency of the United States or his arrant naiveté, thinking that such ham-fisted involvement in the electoral process wouldn’t bring him … Continue reading →

Posted in Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson | 2 Comments

From the mailbag: Florida

Posted on February 8, 2012 by David McKee

From the Sunshine State comes this dispatch from one of S&G‘s far-flung network of reader correspondents. This player is obviously quite familiar with the state of gambling in the great State of Florida … Mardi Gras Casino opened with $100 … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Singapore surges to all-time highs

Posted on February 7, 2012 by David McKee

Thanks to Marina Bay Sands (left) and Resorts World Sentosa, the city-state of Singapore posted record levels of tourism (13 million souls, a 13% increase) last year. While overall tourism-related revenues leapt 17%, entertainment spending — which of course includes … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Genting, International, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tourism | Comments Off

Bluhm, Boyd win in Illinois, everyone else loses

Posted on February 7, 2012 by David McKee

Well, not quite but the headline pretty much gives you January’s narrative in a nutshell. After backing out the contribution made by Neil Bluhm‘s new, category-killing Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, gambling revenue from the Land of Lincoln was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Current, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Adelson’s perfidy and big karmic payback

Posted on February 6, 2012 by David McKee

Last Saturday, Sheldon Adelson personally presided over the Special Supplemental Sheldon Adelson Presidential Caucuses (an event hijacked from the state GOP) at the Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus … and stepped in it again. Adelson’s footpads, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Election, Florida, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Caesars IPO: It’s baaaaaack! Adelson: I’ll take Taiwan

Posted on February 3, 2012 by David McKee

In a pathetically underwhelming announcement, Caesars Entertainment is planning to float an IPO of 1.8 million shares, priced to move at a modest $8-$10 per share. Which means, best-case scenario, that CEO Gary Loveman will raise $18 million, tops, from … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, G2E, Harrah's, International, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Epic failure in Florida; Epic blowhard in Vegas

Posted on February 3, 2012 by David McKee

Neither the very conspicuous efforts of Genting Berhad and Las Vegas Sands nor the quieter ones of Wynn Resorts and Caesars Entertainment were sufficient to overcome entrenched conservatism in the Florida Legislature. State Rep. Erik Fresen (R) waved the surrender … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 1, 2012 by David McKee

“The chief danger heralded by the Adelson-Gingrich relationship aren’t the particulars of [Sheldon] Adelson’s politics. It is the prospect of an individual being willing, able, and legally permitted to fund an entire campaign and essentially to purchase an elected office.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off

Case Bets: Okada in Manila; Big shots fall hard

Posted on February 1, 2012 by David McKee

Rushing in where angels fear to tread, Kazuo Okada (right) has broken ground on his $2 billion, two-casino megaresort in the Philippines. You may remember the project as a bitter point of contention between Okada and erstwhile BFF Steve Wynn, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Current, Encore, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Morgans Hotel Group, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn | Comments Off