Category Archives: Sports

The Macao mystery; Regional roundup

Posted on January 25, 2018 by David McKee

Steve Wynn was exuding confidence this week that Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace wouldn’t be nationalized by Macao, telling investors, “We are so stitched into that community, with our employees and our company, that we feel comfortable in this situation.” On … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Freeman: Hands off!; Copperfield in hot water again

Posted on January 25, 2018 by David McKee

Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA, has been an early proponent of legalized sports betting. But his zeal has gone a little too far. The league proposes to help itself to an “integrity fee” of $1 out of every $100 … Continue reading →

Posted in Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, Japan, Law enforcement, MGM Mirage, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Like a Virgin

Posted on January 24, 2018 by David McKee

Back when Morgans Hotel Group paid a $770 million king’s ransom for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino it became the poster child for overpriced assets. Now that Brookfield Asset Management has had enough, it fits right in with Virgin Hotels‘ … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Hard Rock Hotel, Morgans Hotel Group, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Sports, Taxes, TV, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Lion attempts to devour Caesar; Louisiana casinos to come ashore?

Posted on January 19, 2018 by David McKee

That proposed takeover of Vici Properties by MGM Growth Properties looks stranger by the day. Since it would be a transaction between two landlords, it would not require Nevada regulatory approval. But it would not, contrary to its initial appearance, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Genting, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Possible breakthrough in Mandalay Bay shootings; Trump Int’l rated a “s***hole”

Posted on January 17, 2018 by David McKee

Authorities are hinting about an indictment coming down in the Mandalay Bay massacre but are being coy as to whom it will target. Information released thus far by those investigating the crimes suggests that — despite having been out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Centaur Gaming, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, IGT, Indiana, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Racinos, Sports, Technology, The Strip, West Virginia | Comments Off

SLS sale accelerates; New corruption worry for Macao

Posted on January 16, 2018 by David McKee

Lucky Dragon Casino‘s sudden demise had a dramatic effect on the sale of SLS Las Vegas, getting owner Stockbridge Capital Partners — no doubt newly aware of its precarious position — back to the bargaining table with Meruelo Group. According to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Entertainment, Genting, Law enforcement, Lucky Dragon, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off

Carnage in Pennsylvania; Fortune Cup takes on Sigma Derby

Posted on January 15, 2018 by David McKee

*Slot revenues at Pennsylvania casinos are in and if JP Morgan‘s numbers are correct they were terrible. According to Morgan analysts slot winnings dove 27%, bottoming out at $187.5 million. Worst off was Sands Bethlehem ($25 million), sinking 44%, followed … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Delaware, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

State of the Strip; Air Area 51

Posted on January 10, 2018 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli met with a number of casino companies recently and came away with a sanguine prospect for the Las Vegas Strip. As for the operators, “Overall, we felt commentary pertaining to the LV locals market, regional … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Sports, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Beauregard the Buzzkill; Arkansas tries for casinos

Posted on January 9, 2018 by David McKee

Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions has detected that Americans are enjoying themselves and it’s got to stop, forthwith. He’s declared war on marijuana-friendly laws across this great land, misguidedly making loco weed his department’s top law-enforcement priority. Beauregard is flying … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Boyd Gaming, Colorado, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Hard Rock International, Law enforcement, Macau, Marijuana, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Revel sold (again); Freeman slams Indiana bill

Posted on January 9, 2018 by David McKee

Glenn Straub wins our Liar Liar Pants on Fire Award hors concours for dissembling about any intentions to sell Revel while negotiating a deal to do precisely that. Give him credit, though, for raising the defunct megaresort’s value: The $200 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Iowa, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Revel, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Case Bets: Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, The Strip, etc.

Posted on January 8, 2018 by David McKee

MGM National Harbor goes from strength to strength. Last month, it captured 40% of Maryland market share en route to a $56.5 million gross (for a property record of $1.8 million gross gaming revenue per day). Maryland Live, hanging onto … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dining, Economy, Entertainment, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Illinois, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Station Casinos, The Strip, West Virginia | Comments Off

Pennsylvania towns shun casinos; Macao mobbed up

Posted on January 5, 2018 by David McKee

Mini-casinos are as popular in Pennsylvania as an outbreak of typhus. Some 936 towns have ixnayed the idea of hosting slot parlors in their back yards. Extant casino operators will have to bid at least $7.5 million (and have a site … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Charity, Churchill Downs, Economy, Foxwoods, Genting, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, LVCVA, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Regulation, South Korea, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Mob, Tourism, Tribal, TV | Comments Off

There’s new life at F-blew; Casinos neglect safety plans

Posted on December 29, 2017 by David McKee

Contrary to some of his early pronouncements about Fontainebleau, new owner Steven Witkoff isn’t sitting on his asset but is pursuing roughly $2 billion of the $3 billion that will be required to finish the eye, er, glittering megaresort. He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Fontainebleau, Genting, Golden Gaming, Indiana, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Nevada, Palms, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Steven Witkoff, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Strip’s Thanksgiving turkey; Sports betting overhyped?

Posted on December 29, 2017 by David McKee

Despite a neutral calendar (i.e., same number of weekend days) and a 2% increase in baccarat wagers, the Las Vegas Strip managed to plummet 25% in table game win, pulling overall revenue 6% downward. Had it not been for that game, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Delaware, Donald Trump, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Reno, Sports, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts, TV | 1 Comment

Rethinking riverboats in Louisiana; Santa hearts Boyd; High and dry

Posted on December 21, 2017 by David McKee

Baton Rouge is one of the markets that hews to the archaic practice of mandating that godless gambling be conducted over water. H2O has remarkable cleansing properties on filthy casino lucre, it seems. At any rate, even though L’Auberge Baton … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Current, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

MGM goes Gaga; Douchebags drop anchor at Caesars

Posted on December 21, 2017 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International gained an infusion of identity (and hipness) for ultra-generic Park MGM by signing Lady Gaga to a 74-concert residency, a real coup for MGM. Her Ladyship tweeted the news herself: “The rumors are true! I will have my own residency … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sports, Taxes, The Strip | Comments Off

New York: Turning the page; Cal-Neva is on the clock

Posted on December 15, 2017 by David McKee

‘Wait three years’ is the new rationale coming out of Albany, now that three new casinos in upstate New York have failed to meet Year One revenue projections. Taking the glass-half-full perspective, state Sen. John Bonacic says that the casinos were … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Wynn’s new frontier

Posted on December 14, 2017 by David McKee

Wynn Resorts made it official last night: It had paid just under $335 million for the old New Frontier site, which it is taking over from James Packer. The deal makes a fool of Packer, who paid $570 million for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cretins, Current, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Genting, Hard Rock International, James Packer, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Enter the Aces; Dan Gilbert, failure

Posted on December 12, 2017 by David McKee

With a breathtaking lack of imagination, MGM Resorts International has settled upon a new name for its almost-as-equally-new WNBA franchise. It will be called — wait for it, folks — the Las Vegas Aces. At least it wasn’t “Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dan Gilbert, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Alon: Packer out, Wynn in; Expert: Millennials suck

Posted on December 7, 2017 by David McKee

We guess Steve Wynn couldn’t stand looking at a vacant lot across from Wynncore any longer. The former Alon site will now be Wynn’s Next-But-One Great Thing. Back when it was still the Plaza site, Wynn publicly mulled building a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, James Packer, Marketing, Palms, Plaza, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment