Category Archives: Regulation

Boyd exits Florida; Mixed messages from the Riv; The revenge of Adelson

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

Regardless of whether or not resort casinos are voted into law in Florida, one company that won’t be in the running is Boyd Gaming. The firm threw in the towel on the Miami market today. The Sunshine State “no longer … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Was Pokergeddon a setup?

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

In his latest column, “Prohibition Is Not Regulation” (an early draft can be seen here) gaming-law guru I. Nelson Rose rakes the Obama administration for choosing “to ignore the lessons of history and take worst aspects of the choices available.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Why Trump won’t run

Posted on April 29, 2011 by David McKee

Two words: Mob ties. Yes, Donald “100 Percent Clean” Trump did business — repeatedly — with a man he believed (or, best case, seriously feared) to be the murderer of Jimmy Hoffa. He also employed an individual identified by U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, history, Isle of Capri, New York, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments

Big Brother is watching you … at Cosmo; Trump vs. Trump

Posted on April 28, 2011 by David McKee

So much for that “right amount of wrong.” The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas put itself on the map with a batch of pervy-looking TV spots touting itself as the Ground Zero of decadence in Sin City. So how much wrong … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Donald Trump, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 3 Comments

Not priced to move; The end of Southern Highlands

Posted on April 26, 2011 by David McKee

Recently I was asked about the future of the Key Largo Casino, long defunct — a casualty of last decade’s condo craze. The photo above is some handiwork of Colliers International and I’ve borrowed it to illustrate the excellent geographical … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Gary Goett, M Resort, Penn National, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

A tense time for Mike Ensign

Posted on April 23, 2011 by David McKee

His son’s resignation from the U.S. Senate isn’t going to get former Mandalay Resort Group big shot Mike Ensign out of the hot seat. As yesterday’s New York Times, the Senate Ethics Committee may yet refer its findings to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | 2 Comments

Blockbuster month in Pennsylvania; Resurgence in Atlantic City; Douchebag of the Decade

Posted on April 20, 2011 by David McKee

You want good news? We’ve got your good news right here: Casino revenues in Pennsylvania rocketed 24% last month. (35% if you include SugarHouse but that’s an apples-to-oranges metric.) Since, on a same-store basis, slot winnings were just slightly down, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, Cretins, Current, Dennis Gomes, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tribal | 3 Comments

‘Pokergeddon’ as it happens

Posted on April 15, 2011 by David McKee

Today’s Department of Justice/FBI surprise attack on PokerStars, Absolute Poker and Full Tilt Poker is a story that’s moving so fast that there’s scarcely time to mull or comment upon it. Almost nobody saw this coming, although Nathan Vardi of … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Current, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 15, 2011 by David McKee

“Online poker is toast.” — Hunter Hillegas, in a Tweet of enviable pithiness, summarizing today’s Department of Justice crackdown on Internet gambling firms Full Tilt Poker, scandal-prone Absolute Poker, and PokerStars. Full Tilt and PokerStars business partners Wynn Resorts and … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, International, Internet gambling, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn | 3 Comments

Fire sale in Vicksburg; Win or loss for Gettysburg?

Posted on April 15, 2011 by David McKee

Update: An earlier version contained a gross error/AARP moment on Yr. Humble Blogger’s part. I have amended the story so that it contains greater “factiness.” Also, fellow Canadian firm Gateway Casinos is the likely operator-to-be. In a curt announcement, Tropicana … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, history, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Low-rolling at Aria; MGM ups China ante; That doggone Desert Xpress

Posted on April 14, 2011 by David McKee

A SoCal-based player kindly shared this image from the latest Aria/M life offer: My friend ran an experienced eye over the chips on the rail and concluded that it “must be the lowest-minimum craps table Aria has ever seen,” as … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Cantor Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Harry Reid, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, Pansy Ho, Problem gambling, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Low-rolling at Aria; MGM ups China ante; That doggone Desert Xpress

At the winner is … Isle of Capri; Big shakedown in Ohio

Posted on April 14, 2011 by David McKee

That ongoing Isle of Capri Casinos Comeback Tour comes to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, which won Pennsylvania‘s final “resort casino” license earlier today. Situated in the greater Pittsburgh area, the rural getaway is owned by lumber tycoon (and “george” political donor) … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | 6 Comments

Caught between a skank and a Hard Rock; Kasich vs. casinos

Posted on April 11, 2011 by David McKee

Morgans Hotel Group may have skedaddled out of Las Vegas, tail firmly between legs, but it’s not free of trouble linked to its calamitous Sin City sojourn. During Morgans stewardship of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, it offered $300,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Why is this man smiling? (And other Case Bets)

Posted on April 11, 2011 by David McKee

Because Sen. Harry Reid‘s decision not to importune lenders on behalf of Fontainebleau (unlike CityCenter) means he steered clear of a widening circle of litigation and recrimination, that’s why. Among those in the hot seat are hapless James Packer and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Harry Reid, James Packer, Regulation, Sports, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | 6 Comments

Marriott moots LV casino

Posted on April 8, 2011 by David McKee

Offering Sin City a slim reed of hope, Marriott International has let it be known — through “trailer station” operator United Coin — that it hopes to build a 3,500-room casino-hotel directly opposite the Las Vegas Convention Center. Considering the … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Florida, Harrah's, history, LVCVA, Mississippi, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | 5 Comments

Cantor’s new brand: Slots for tots

Posted on April 6, 2011 by David McKee

Other than as a medium for sports betting, mobile-gambling devices have resolutely failed to catch on in Las Vegas casinos. Provider/operator Cantor Gaming has made a few inroads but mostly at one-off properties like M Resort and the Hard Rock … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Internet gambling, M Resort, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip | 2 Comments

If you don’t look like this …

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

… don’t even think about trying to book a hotel room on the Strip or in Downtown. Las Vegas doesn’t want you, although you might be permitted to stay out on the Boulder Strip or someplace really out of sight … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Sheldon Adelson’s court jester yuks it up

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands-backed mayoral candidate Victor Chaltiel rolled out the following prank ad today … I’m not sure that there’s any percentage in going after the grandmotherly (but hopelessly vague) Carolyn Goodman in the snide fashion that is quickly becoming … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Downtown, Election, Florida, Harrah's, International, Laughlin, Macau, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Mississippi, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Salvation for Illinois? “Golden Boys” strike again

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

According to lobbyists for MGM Resorts International‘s Grand Victoria riverboat, the smoking ban in Illinois has stove in casino revenues by 33%. Statewide, the average is -28% since 2008 — costing the state no small amount of tax monies — … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, TV | Comments Off on Salvation for Illinois? “Golden Boys” strike again

Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

It’s all over — until 2012, anyway — for Sheldon Adelson‘s heavy-handed push to ram a set of “destination resorts” through the Florida Legislature. A poison-pill amendment, attached at the behest of parimutuels, would let existing slot houses go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, International, Macau, North Las Vegas, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest