Category Archives: Rhode Island

MGM lauds Springfield as Mandalay Bay woes increase

Posted on July 25, 2018 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International is targeting Hartford (and five other media markets) with its initial TV spot for MGM Springfield, whose opening is now less than a month away. The ad, which you can see for yourself, has shoutouts to virtually … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Elaine Wynn, Environment, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Rhode Island, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, Taxes, TV, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Wynn Resorts fights back; Rage against the (slot) machine

Posted on July 17, 2018 by David McKee

Not taking charges of promising kickbacks lying down, Wynn Resorts has countersued Anthony Gattineri. The latter has thrown yet another spanner into the Encore Boston Harbor works by suing the company for an $18 million, under-the-table promise he says was … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, history, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Penn National, Rhode Island, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Wisconsin, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Penn, Caesars come together; Big bet in smallest state

Posted on June 19, 2018 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming swooped in and bought itself a nice little operating contract in Louisiana, the Margaritaville Casino Resort, for $115 million. Considering that the price translates to 5.5X cash flow, Penn got itself quite a bargain. It’s also a vote … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sports, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off

Mohegans sue for Wynn casino

Posted on June 4, 2018 by David McKee

Steve Wynn‘s failure to disclose a $7.5 million paternity settlement may have been the best thing that happened to Mohegan Sun‘s hopes in Massachusetts. The tribal megaresort is suing the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for failing to conduct ‘extreme vetting’ of … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Gilbert, Delaware, Economy, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Sports betting: A new era

Posted on May 15, 2018 by David McKee

Yesterday, the Supreme Court handed down its much anticipated ruling in Murphy v. NCAA and it was pure win for states and casinos itching to offer legalized sports betting, although there was some predictable disapproval. As Arizona Attorney General Mark … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Delaware, DFS, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Law enforcement, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Scientific Games, Sports, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Hard Rock and Ocean Resort: Two much?

Posted on May 11, 2018 by David McKee

“If Ocean Resort opens up and has the same difficulty as Revel did last time, do they get desperate and start throwing marketing money at the wall, and make everyone else have to do it, and margins go down, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Economy, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, history, Resort fees, Rhode Island | 2 Comments

Las Vegas numbers perplex; Macao shatters expectations

Posted on May 4, 2018 by David McKee

While Las Vegas, as mentioned earlier, is slogging through a 10-month visitation slump, you wouldn’t know it from March’s gaming-revenue numbers, which were 9% higher on the Las Vegas Strip ($574 million), although locals casinos took a 5% hit. Deutsche … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Colorado, Delaware, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Florida, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Las Vegas, Ohio, Penn National, Reno, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Culinary clashes with Fertittas (again), girds for Caesars labor talks

Posted on October 16, 2017 by David McKee

Always keeping the pressure on Station Casinos, longtime adversary the Culinary Union has rolled out a new Web site, FertittaMoneyWatch.org. Although its principal mission is to keep tabs on a nascent investment fund, Fertitta Capital, the site also promotes the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Culinary Union, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Japan, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

MGM sells National Harbor; High accolade for Turning Stone

Posted on September 7, 2017 by David McKee

MGM National Harbor continues to grow the Maryland casino market, while taking down its main competitors. (Would we call this a “category killer”?) In the meantime, the small casinos are doing just fine. Last month Penn National Gaming‘s Hollywood Perryville was … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Racinos, Rhode Island, Slot routes, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Murren also breaks with Trump; Adios, Vegas Vickie

Posted on June 9, 2017 by David McKee

So far, Donald Trump‘s proposal to zero out the Brand USA program is going over like a lead balloon with the gaming industry. Already American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman has dissed the decision. Now, in a CNN op-ed, MGM Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Rhode Island, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Unite-Here | Comments Off

Casino shootout in Manila; Twin Rivers shafts employees

Posted on June 5, 2017 by David McKee

“The work of the ISIS is more cruel and brutal.” With those words, Filipino despot Rodrigo Duterte downplayed a Manila casino shooting that was, in its own way, cruel and brutal. Degenerate gambler Jesse Carlos ran amuck in Resorts World … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Law enforcement, Lawrence Ho, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, Penn National, Philippines, Problem gambling, Regulation, Rhode Island | Comments Off

MGM’s big rake in Washington; Resort projects power Massachusetts

Posted on January 18, 2017 by David McKee

It should come as no surprise that Washington, D.C., the land of smoke-filled rooms where sleazy deals are made, should be deliver a bumper crop of players to MGM National Harbor‘s 39-table poker room. Even with a truncated month of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Donald Trump, Geoff Freeman, GLPI, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Singapore, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tourism, Vietnam, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Strip booms in October; Trouble in Tiverton

Posted on November 29, 2016 by David McKee

Not even a 16.5% decline in table wagers could hold back the Las Vegas Strip last month, as gaming revenues shot up 14%, to $563 million. Statewide, casinos didn’t do so badly either, up 11%. The one-armed bandits on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Foxwoods, history, Iowa, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lucky Dragon, Macau, Massachusetts, Mesquite, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Rhode Island, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Florida: Scott loses, big time; Coup d’etat in Atlantic City

Posted on November 11, 2016 by David McKee

Fourteen more years. That’s how long the Seminole Tribe can have exclusive rights to blackjack in Florida, thanks to a ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle. It’s a huge win for the Seminoles and not entirely unforeseen, given how … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Florida, Geoff Freeman, Georgia, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rhode Island, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Straub makes some odd choices; Tiverton still up for grabs

Posted on November 10, 2016 by David McKee

Glenn Straub won one round, lost another in his quest to revive Revel as Ten. On Oct. 18, he received a certificate of occupancy, paving the way for him to reopen the property. (Last spring’s effort was a Chinese fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Election, Glenn Straub, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Revel, Rhode Island, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Atlantic City saved

Posted on September 23, 2016 by David McKee

It’s all over. The fat lady hath sung. And Atlantic City lives to gamble another day. Discouraged by poll numbers that showed insurmountable support for the status quo in New Jersey, expansion PAC Our Turn NJ is closing up shop. That … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Cordish Co., Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Penn National, Politics, Rhode Island, Slot routes, South Korea, Transportation | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 10, 2016 by David McKee

“Everybody including Twin River, the competitor across the border 17 miles away in Rhode Island, projected that Penn [National Gaming] would do more than it’s been doing. Exactly why it isn’t, nobody’s quite sure. Whether it’s that you can’t smoke … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Penn National, Rhode Island, Taxes | Comments Off

Plainridge Park hits the one-year mark; Pennsylvania casinos spurn booze tax

Posted on July 27, 2016 by David McKee

Recording its first anniversary with a reported $160 million in revenue, against projections closer to $300 million, is Penn National Gaming‘s Plainridge Park a dud? Not so fast. The casino reports the highest win/slot/day by far of any casino for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Election, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Regulation, Revel, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

NHL makes it official; Isle opens new casino

Posted on June 23, 2016 by David McKee

Fortunately, it looks like we won’t have to worry about our NHL-franchise-to-be playing under a cliched name like “Las Vegas Gamblers.” Says majority owner Bill Foley, speaking of the league, “They’d prefer we don’t go in that direction.” Also, Foley seems … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Maryland, MGM Mirage, New York, Rhode Island, Sports, The Mob, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Study: Triads rampant in Macao casinos

Posted on March 3, 2016 by David McKee

Wow, what a shocker — not. A new study by T. Wing Lo and Sharon Ingrid Kwok of the City University of Hong Kong for the British Journal of Criminology reports that casino operators look for junket partners who have ‘dor’ or … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Law enforcement, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Regulation, Rhode Island, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Mob, Tribal | Comments Off