Category Archives: Regulation

New Jersey rides the Four Horsemen

Posted on March 30, 2011 by David McKee

… of online gambling. So writes IAM Corp. CEO Peter Karroll,  S&G‘s newest guest blogger. To wit: Recently in New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the legalization of online gaming, pointing to the prospect of backroom gambling shops popping up … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Problem gambling, Regulation | Comments Off on New Jersey rides the Four Horsemen

Wynn makes the hit parade

Posted on March 28, 2011 by David McKee

For sanity’s sake, let’s turn from a buffoon (Donald Trump) to a serious individual. Namely, Steve Wynn, who’s been named to Barrons‘ list of the world’s 30 best CEOs. He’s up there surrounded by the likes of Warren Buffett, Jeff … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Genting, International, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn makes the hit parade

Caesars steals Riv’s thunder; Trouble in Adelsonia

Posted on March 24, 2011 by David McKee

Obviously, the headline from today will be approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission of a partnership between Caesars Entertainment and Israeli-owned, Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings. Since it is simultaneously getting permission to shack up with Internet casino operator 888 and opposing … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Downtown, Election, Florida, Harry Reid, Hawaii, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tamares Group, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars steals Riv’s thunder; Trouble in Adelsonia

Err Trump

Posted on March 15, 2011 by David McKee

Failed gaming mogul Donald Trump appears to be running his presidential quasi-campaign with the same business acumen that made his casino empire what it is today. The incident is more funny than anything else because Trump’s wouldn’t-fool-an-infant scheme is lifted … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Iowa, Politics, Regulation, TV | 5 Comments

What makes Sammy run?

Posted on March 14, 2011 by David McKee

Scarcely was the ink dry on Sahara owner Sammy “The Naz” Nazarian‘s announcement of the property’s May 16 closure than rumors began to fly about his endgame for the old gal. At S&G, we’re pretty certain that “The Naz” (™ … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

R.I.P., Sahara (1952-2011)

Posted on March 11, 2011 by David McKee

Once the Riviera changed hands, the Strip casino for whom mortality seemed most imminent became the Sahara. The ‘death by a thousand cuts’ regime of nightclub impresario and absentee owner Sam Nazarian bled the place to the extent that there … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, history, International, James Packer, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Pansy Ho, Plaza, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Vegas in January: Dazed and confusing

Posted on March 10, 2011 by David McKee

It’s not as though there aren’t signs of hope for the Nevada economy. And even as empty storefronts continue to proliferate and housing prices tank in Las Vegas, there’s a “green shoot” or two, if you look for them. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cosmopolitan, Current, Downtown, Economy, history, IGT, Lake Tahoe, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

This just in: NV ponders ‘Net bets

Posted on March 10, 2011 by David McKee

While certain politicians and even casino executives continue to keep a finger in the dike that protects Americans from — gasp! — gambling online, the dike is fast crumbling around them. Nevada is the latest state to join the jailbreak. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Politics, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off on This just in: NV ponders ‘Net bets

Wynn hearts Pinnacle; Harrah’s demands aesthetic restraint

Posted on March 9, 2011 by David McKee

Now that former Mirage Resorts CFO Dan Lee is long gone from Pinnacle Entertainment, too, former Lee boss Steve Wynn seems to have changed his opinion about Pinnacle. While I (erroneously) thought that Pinnacle CEO Anthony Sanfilippo‘s erstwhile ties to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Current, Dan Lee, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Marketing, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 7, 2011 by David McKee

“Still, would it surprise anyone to find out if this really was how business was conducted over there? Secret investigations of your enemies? Bribes? Kinda exactly how I imagine things might work when billions are on the line and your … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, International, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Case Bets: Ferris wheel fetishists; Rail fail; “Aerotropolis” now?

Posted on March 2, 2011 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment better get a move on with that Ferris wheel it wants to build out back of O’Shea’s. A rival project, slated for problematic (and fairly blighted) land opposite Mandalay Bay received approval from Clark County. Then again, getting … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Dubai, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, history, International, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Silverton, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 18, 2011 by David McKee

“The problem with Stanley Ho is that he thought he is eternal. Nobody is eternal.” — Macao Gaming Inspection & Coordination Bureau Director Manuel Joaquim das Neves. Daughter — and MGM Resorts International joint-venture partner — Pansy Ho appears to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Stanley Ho | 1 Comment

Gary Loveman, not so visionary

Posted on February 18, 2011 by David McKee

Here’s a hypothesis for why the lenders holding the note on Colony Capital‘s underwater (more like submerged in Davey Jones’ Locker), market-lagging Atlantic City Hilton believe they can get as much as $75 million for the old place. If state … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology | 7 Comments

Dan Lee’s revenge & comeuppance for Penn in Louisiana

Posted on February 17, 2011 by David McKee

While the casino industry suffers no shortage of big egos, Penn National Gaming CEO Peter Carlino zooms past that, heading full speed toward arrogance. When not trying to use the political process to sandbag its competitors, Penn occasionally builds casinos. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Texas, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Sheldon Adelson, Man of La Mancha

Posted on February 17, 2011 by David McKee

Life’s being pretty good these days to Las Vegas Sands, thanks in part to better-than-expected convention traffic at Marina Bay Sands (offsetting tepid meeting/expo biz in Macao). In addition to eyeballing Florida, Texas, Massachusetts and Japan, CEO Sheldon Adelson has … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Downtown, Economy, Florida, Genting, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Oscar Goodman, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 2 Comments

Philadelphia’s cup runneth under

Posted on February 16, 2011 by David McKee

Returning to yesterday’s theme of exaggerated expectations of gaming revenues (decanted by casino operators, quaffed uncritically by politicians) we have a glass half-full/half-empty report from Pennsylvania. The salient statistic is that, once five-month-old SugarHouse (left) is factored out, slot revenues … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 3 Comments

Marina: Trump out, Tilman in

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

Our long national nightmare is over. Trump Entertainment Resorts has finally unloaded that pariah known as Trump Marina and for a pittance: $38 million. Just when it looked like Trump couldn’t give the place away, Landry’s Restaurants CEO Tilman Fertitta … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Regulation | 3 Comments

Las Vegas Sands: Who’s minding the store?

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

Investors would do well to ask that, not least because of CEO Sheldon Adelson‘s attitude of, ‘The buck stops here … except when it doesn’t.’ To hear Adelson tell it, everything that goes awry at Las Vegas Sands and Sands … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Genting, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Mob, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Las Vegas Sands: Who’s minding the store?

Plaudits for Navegante; The great Hard Rock caper that wasn’t

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

A frequent Hard Rock Hotel & Casino player, for one, is happy to know that Navegante Group is waiting in the wings to take the reins should Morgans Hotel Group continue to falter. (The owners of the HRH have until … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Golden Gaming, International, Marketing, Michael Gaughan, New York, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 2 Comments

A new “eye in the sky”?

Posted on February 4, 2011 by David McKee

Editor’s note: While I’m occupied on other fronts, guest blogger Alan Saway of software firm Quova takes up the slack, examining some of the infrastructural problems associated with Internet casinos. The Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 prohibited online … Continue reading →

Posted in California, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | 3 Comments