Category Archives: Reno

SLS: House of Pain

Posted on July 8, 2015 by David McKee

Former Revel President Scott Kreeger, now running SLS Las Vegas, must feel like he’s gone from the frying pan into the fire. An unusually trenchant Howard Stutz column lays out the problems facing the new casino, a hipster joint sitting … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Carl Icahn, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Fontainebleau, Genting, Marketing, MGM Mirage, New York, Reno, Riviera, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Strip treads water in May; Penn a big hit in Massachusetts

Posted on June 26, 2015 by David McKee

For all the hoopla about the (fixed?) Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, Strip gaming revenues sent mixed signals. The game that matters most, baccarat, saw somewhat less play (-7%) but the house got beaten badly, its winnings down 36%. By contrast, all other … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Regulation, Reno, Transportation, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Good April for Vegas; Frankie the Fish and Sister Sandra

Posted on May 29, 2015 by David McKee

Baccarat play on the Las Vegas Strip improved by double-digit numbers for the second month in a row, up 14% in April, contributing to an 8% upward surge on the Strip. Baccarat revenues rose 5%, while all other table games … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, Marketing, Mississippi, North Las Vegas, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Vietnam | Comments Off

Paradox in Maryland; Otter saves “instant racing”

Posted on April 7, 2015 by David McKee

While its competitors dealt with a variety of revenue declines, despite posting a record amount of revenue, Horseshoe Baltimore was up in March, grossing a best-yet $25 million. On a statewide basis, revenue was 17% higher last month. However, casinos … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., GTECH, Harrah's, Horseracing, Idaho, IGT, Maryland, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, Tribal, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

The Strip: February disappoints

Posted on March 31, 2015 by David McKee

Las Vegas Strip casino revenues fell 4% in February, in a month that was mildly positive on a statewide basis, up 1%. Blame baccarat: Play was down 22%, although players took the house to the cleaners, with casino win down … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cosmopolitan, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Lake Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off

Celebrity Caesars investors get clipped

Posted on January 20, 2015 by David McKee

As the opposing sides entrench for an acrimonious battle over the assets of Caesars Entertainment, a few early losers are emerging. Unsecured creditor Robert DeNiro‘s Nobu in Caesars Palace is owed $459,964 and loud-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsay can yell all he … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Charity, Dining, Harrah's, Internet gambling, New York, Reno, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Flat at the Strat and other Case Bets

Posted on November 18, 2014 by David McKee

What a difference a year makes for American Casino & Entertainment Properties. Twelve months ago it was losing $9 million. In 3Q14, it posted a $600K profit. The reversal was achieved, in part, by squeezing customers with higher room rates … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Columbia Sussex, Kentucky, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Boyd impresses the Street, MGM disappoints

Posted on October 31, 2014 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming pleased Wall Street with its 3Q14 results, of which Joseph Greff of J.P. Morgan said “margin improvement was notable and impressive.” He noted modest growth in the Las Vegas locals and downtown segments and better-than-expected regional numbers, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Genting, Hawaii, Macau, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sam Nazarian, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Let the games begin

Posted on October 3, 2014 by David McKee

After New Jersey‘s attorney generally unilaterally declared sports betting to be legal in the Garden State, the U.S. Department of Justice and four major sports leagues expressed their displeasure by going to court, seeking a reversal of the edict. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Environment, Genting, International, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sports | Comments Off

USA Today: Those evil casinos!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by David McKee

With the gaming industry temporarily exhausted from over-expansion and saturation, USA Today has chosen this moment to pounce with an anti-gambling editorial. The graybeards on the USA Today editorial board clearly haven’t been paying close attention — racinos in Delaware, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Delaware, Downtown, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Neil Bluhm, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Reno, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Foxwoods: Woody exits; Eldorado’s big gains

Posted on September 18, 2014 by David McKee

Foxwoods Resorts Casino‘s financial problems could hardly be called “solved,” but CEO Scott “Woody” Butera plans to leave next month anyway for a non-gaming job. He will continue to advise Foxwoods from his new perch, though, even dickering with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Reno, Tropicana Entertainment, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Recovery in Vegas? It depends on where you stand

Posted on August 28, 2014 by David McKee

July was a mixed blessing for Nevada. Gambling revenue was up 5% along the Strip, down 4% among locals and essentially flat statewide. Strip casinos won big at baccarat, with player losses increasing 16% on 24% heavier play. Non-Strip baccarat play … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Isle of Capri, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, North Las Vegas, Reno, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Caesars’ unmagical empire

Posted on August 11, 2014 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment ” hasn’t posted a profit since late 2009″ and it kept that perfect streak alive today, more than doubling its 2Q13 loss of $212 million. The company lost $466 million — and I don’t think we can blame it … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Iowa, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Revel, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Great month for the Strip, for Louisiana not so much

Posted on July 25, 2014 by David McKee

Buoyed by heavy baccarat play, the Las Vegas Strip registered a 22.5% gain in June. The house played very lucky, too, with win up a staggering 155%. At the other end of the gaming spectrum, those slots must have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Hill, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Louisiana, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Reno, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Steve Wynn’s right-hand woman

Posted on July 10, 2014 by David McKee

Considered by many the logical successor to Steve Wynn, his envoy to Macao, Linda Chen, is more spoken of than seen. CNN offers us a rare glimpse of the woman who may well be calling the shots at Wynn Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Macau, Mississippi, Penn National, Regulation, Reno, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation | 1 Comment

Casinos get November surprise

Posted on June 24, 2014 by David McKee

In news that Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli called a “fiasco,” the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has decided to allow Bay State voters to decide whether or not to repeal the state’s casino law. Hardest-hit in a worst-case scenario would … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Reno, Sports, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Vegas: A return to the halcyon years? It looks that way

Posted on April 30, 2014 by David McKee

Las Vegas recorded its highest visitation numbers of all time last March, helping to drive gambling revenue 8% upward. We had 3.7 million tourists, 4% than the previous year. Despite fewer conventions, a 20.5% leap in convention attendance (with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Reno, Sam Nazarian, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Gambling: It’s not what it used to be

Posted on April 23, 2014 by David McKee

Nevada‘s casino industry is still in the Great Recession, if profits and losses are anything by which to go. Posting their fifth consecutive year of losses, they were $1.35 billion in the red, on $24 billion in revenues. No surprise, … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Planet Hollywood, Reno, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off

Big names flock to New York; Reno rebounds

Posted on April 14, 2014 by David McKee

It’s starting to get seriously competitive in upstate New York, where Neil Bluhm‘s Rush Street Gaming has been seen canoodling with a Schenectady casino project. Others who have been circling the upstate market with interest include newcomers Churchill Downs and … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, Economy, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Macau, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off

SLS makes a believer

Posted on April 10, 2014 by David McKee

It took a while but SLS Las Vegas has made a believer of me. The hotel crossed the Rubicon this past Tuesday when it began taking reservations. It also trotted out a handsome new Web site, one which gives an … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, history, Reno, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, The Strip | 1 Comment