Category Archives: Regulation

We like Paul LePage; Little Red Sheldonhood

Posted on June 9, 2011 by David McKee

Although Maine‘s governor says he’ll veto bills to authorize a pair of racinos and a Lewiston casino, that’s not why S&G gives him the thumbs-up. No, it’s because he’s thwarting legislators from playing favorites. Lawmakers are trying to do an … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, International, Macau, Maine, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off on We like Paul LePage; Little Red Sheldonhood

The Strip in April: Down and yet up; Gettysburg: The south loses again

Posted on June 9, 2011 by David McKee

According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, casino revenue in the state was down 2% in April … except that it wasn’t. Since the month ended on a Saturday, slot revenue from the last two days of April got slopped … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Lake Tahoe, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Strip in April: Down and yet up; Gettysburg: The south loses again

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 8, 2011 by David McKee

“It’s our job to take people and companies that are unsuitable and make them suitable.” — unnamed Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board administrator, explaining why his bureau has helped cover up drug-dealing and other criminal activity in order to help Keystone … Continue reading →

Posted in Pennsylvania, Regulation | 2 Comments

Loveman: Norton, you’re not the greatest; Another seesaw in Macao

Posted on June 3, 2011 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment Chief Marketing Officer David Norton, developer of Total Rewards, got his walking papers yesterday. The old “pursuing other interests” excuse was deployed; familiar industry code for “Don’t let the doorknob hit you on the way out.” Publicly, CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Economy, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

The ‘hot’ list that’s not; Grumpy old Fulton; A threat from Quinn

Posted on June 3, 2011 by David McKee

A sudden barrage of commissions has been getting between me and S&G. At the very least, I can get a few quick hits in before the weekend. For instance … Earth to Vegas.com … while I realize that Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV | 3 Comments

Sands: Pump up the volume; Nevada’s new casino tax; Cannery’s secret weapon

Posted on June 1, 2011 by David McKee

As in “VIP volume.” That’s what Las Vegas Sands has to do in order to monetize some of its Macao assets, according to a J.P. Morgan report that appeared this morning. In the course of meeting with Sands honchos, Joseph … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cannery Casino Resorts, Economy, Herbst Gaming, Macau, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Ruffin it; Atlantic City: up in smoke?

Posted on May 31, 2011 by David McKee

“Nightclubs — we just didn’t fare well with them. There are so many nightclubs. Everyone’s got just one or two. Ours were just marginal.” That’s Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin‘s argument for repositioning the pirate place for a mid-market, middle-aged … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, Kansas, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Morgans Hotel Group, New York, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Good news from Vegas; Penn regulators roasted

Posted on May 31, 2011 by David McKee

Those tireless analysts at J.P. Morgan have been crunching numbers again and found that, during the June 19-25 period, Strip room rates are up 24% from last year, from average ADR of $148 to $183, driven by vastly — i.e., … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Good news from Vegas; Penn regulators roasted

Illinois’ suicide pact; Donald Trump, freeloader

Posted on May 31, 2011 by David McKee

Whether you spent Memorial Day grilling some bratwurst or, like me, crawling around with Murphy’s Oil Soap and a cleaning cloth, we did no harm. That can’t be said for the Illinois House of Representatives, which opened a can of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Horseracing, IGT, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Taxes, The Strip, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 31, 2011 by David McKee

“[That’s] like saying that a third of the houses available are vacant, but let’s help the economy by building more houses.” — Illinois Casino Gaming Association Executive Director Tom Swoik, testifying against a bill that would more than double the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Illinois, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Atlantic City on the mend; Trump: Fish or cut bait?; Mike Ensign’s woes

Posted on May 25, 2011 by David McKee

My apologies for attenuated bloggery today but a swarm of deadlines presses upon me, including coverage of the demise of 104-year-old Huguette Clark, daughter of Sen. William A. Clark, from whom Clark County takes its name. You’ll find a lengthy … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dan Lee, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Young Turks at Lady Luck; Pokergeddon clips bill’s wings

Posted on May 24, 2011 by David McKee

Seth Schorr, son of Wynn Resorts COO Marc Schorr, has charged with the responsibility of bringing the Lady Luck Casino Hotel back from the dead. Schorr fils got started in the industry early (age 12, to be precise), spending his … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 5 Comments

Herbst Gaming: new name, familiar faces

Posted on May 23, 2011 by David McKee

No, the company hasn’t been dissolved. But with the various Herbst boys having been run off — plus the negative brand equity created by their eponymous casino firm’s financial collapse — new ownership decided it’s time for a new moniker. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, history, IGT, Illinois, International, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

The wild bunch

Posted on May 23, 2011 by David McKee

There’s no one more depraved than a politician looking to close a revenue shortfall. So we’ve learned from the drive-by shootings hailing from the amoral outlaw band otherwise known as the Nevada Legislature. As sage political pundit Obi-Wan Kenobi observed, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Colorado, Economy, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Taxes | 2 Comments

Atlantic City: Fertitta in, Trump out; Inside Pokergeddon

Posted on May 18, 2011 by David McKee

Trump Marina became “RUMP Marina” this week (watch the video), as workers began removing vestiges of the Donald J. Trump era from the property. New owner Landry’s Restaurants is wasting no time putting its Golden Nugget imprimatur on the last-place … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Penn National, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Atlantic City: Fertitta in, Trump out; Inside Pokergeddon

Kasich’s sneaky “juice job”

Posted on May 13, 2011 by David McKee

This just in (thanks in large part to a timely Tweet from Howard Stutz of the Review-Journal) … One of Ohio Gov. John Kasich‘s costly casino consultants just got caught with its hand in the cookie jar. While Kasich piously … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation | 2 Comments

The doctor will see you now

Posted on May 13, 2011 by David McKee

Although stock blogger Frank Curzio seems to be talking out of one of his lower orifices, his musings are too bizarre not to repeat. He floats the notion that Apple is so flush with cash it might entertain some retail … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, International, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on The doctor will see you now

Kasich screws casinos; Adelson screws the pooch

Posted on May 12, 2011 by David McKee

Our next-to-worst fears for Ohio have come to pass: Caesars Rock Ohio has temporarily pulled the plug on both its Cincinnati (above) and Cleveland casinos. It’s the latest escalation in a war between developers and state government, which wants to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Economy, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Kansas, Macau, Marketing, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 3 Comments

John Kasich, casino killer

Posted on May 3, 2011 by David McKee

Aw, isn’t this great? After Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) made the ludicrous claim that Ohio voters didn’t know what they were getting into when they approved a casino initiative in 2008, his legislative allies are trying to up the ante. … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Kentucky, Lyle Berman, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Steve, Steve, what gives?

Posted on May 3, 2011 by David McKee

Dear Steve Wynn: No this really isn’t about that truly unfortunate (to put it gently) wedding video that Wynn Las Vegas put on YouTube last Monday. Although, as Hunter Hillegas posted on Twitter, “That video kinda freaks me out. Also, … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cretins, Donald Trump, Dubai, Economy, Entertainment, history, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pokergeddon, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip | 4 Comments