Category Archives: Sports

Wynn vs. Wynn II; T-Mobile Arena arrives

Posted on April 6, 2016 by David McKee

You’ve got to hand this to Elaine Wynn: She doesn’t give up easily. Her attorneys have filed their no less than fifth amended complaint and counterclaim. It references depositions from several Wynn Resorts board members, including former Nevada Gov. Bob Miller. It … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Entertainment, history, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Genting comes to Massachusetts; Trump impasse on the Strip

Posted on April 5, 2016 by David McKee

As the Mashpee Wampanoag were preparing to break ground on Project First Light, halfway around the world Genting Malaysia was revealing the details of its management contract with the tribe. Genting holds a seven-year pact, by way of its Genting … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Election, Genting, Geoff Freeman, Massachusetts, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Shady dealings in D.C.; New bromance between GLPI and Pinnacle

Posted on April 4, 2016 by David McKee

Voters in Washington, D.C., could find themselves voting on a casino initiative this November. A 9,000-square-foot gambling house has been proposed for Anacostia. It would have slots, blackjack and other table games but, strangely enough, no slots or electronic table … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Delaware, Election, Florida, GLPI, International, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

Sands, MGM butt heads over taxes; Adelson ships dealers to Singapore

Posted on March 25, 2016 by David McKee

Even before the ink was dry on yesterday’s poll numbers, Las Vegas Sands President Rob Goldstein was in front of the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee, stumping for a $1.3 billion, taxpayer-funded, NFL-ready stadium. The 65,000-seat facility would be built on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Showdown on the Boardwalk; Lies, damned lies and poll numbers

Posted on March 24, 2016 by David McKee

It’s war to the knife and knife to the hilt between Carl Icahn and Unite-Here Local 54 President Robert McDevitt over the labor situation at Trump Taj Mahal. (For the record, Donald Trump is now affiliated with the casino in … Continue reading →

Posted in ACEP, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Election, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Laughlin, LVCVA, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here | Comments Off

DFS in retreat; Pinnacle fights smoking ban

Posted on March 23, 2016 by David McKee

What Attorney General Eric Schneiderman couldn’t do, gun-shy payment processors have accomplished: Put DraftKings and FanDuel out of business in New York State. The two have said they will refrain from taking wagers from the Empire State through the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, Environment, GLPI, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sports, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | Comments Off

Virginia is for lovers … of DFS

Posted on March 14, 2016 by David McKee

Score a “win” for daily fantasy sports, as it was legitimized in Virginia. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) applied his signature to the Fantasy Contests Act, which places DFS under the auspices of the state’s Department of Agriculture & Consumer Service, effective July … Continue reading →

Posted in Geoff Freeman, Georgia, Indiana, Internet gambling, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, Sports | Comments Off

DFS advances in some markets, retreats in others; Caesars rubs your nose in it

Posted on March 2, 2016 by David McKee

Daily fantasy sports, the loud frat brother of sports betting, is close to a signal victory in Virginia. Both houses of the Virginia Assembly have passed DFS legalization with veto-proof majorities and sent the legislation to Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D). … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Kansas, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

End of Caesars bankruptcy in sight?; Seminole compact upsized

Posted on February 19, 2016 by David McKee

One year and millions of pages of documents later, we’re nearing resolution in Richard Davis‘ investigation of the Caesars Entertainment bankruptcy. His report on the company’s attempted restructuring is due at year’s end. At its heart will be several controversial … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Harrah's, Horseracing, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Steve Wynn, Technology | Comments Off

New Jersey resumes sports-betting push; Sheldon Adelson gets his man

Posted on February 18, 2016 by David McKee

New Jersey is hoping the third time is the charm in its attempt to get sports betting OK’d by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. With four major sporting leagues and the NCAA aligned against it, New Jersey’s is a … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off

Meet the candidates; Even when Adelson loses, he wins

Posted on January 28, 2016 by David McKee

One of the many first-ever things that Geoff Freeman has done to remake the American Gaming Association in his image is compile a voting guide for industry workers, walking them through the primary and caucus processes in their states, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Geoff Freeman, Macau, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

The 7% solution; Grief in Texas

Posted on January 26, 2016 by David McKee

Woe betide the “Borgata Babe” who loses or gains more than 7% of her body weight. Do it and you’re out the door. This archaic — to say nothing of sexist — policy was passively reaffirmed when the New Jersey … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Delaware, Election, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, Texas, Vermont | Comments Off

To park or not to park, that is the question

Posted on January 25, 2016 by David McKee

Jim Murren wants more than our money with MGM Resorts International‘s controversial new parking fees. He wants our gratitude. “I ask them to honestly reflect what it means to be a local and how the tourist economy has improved their … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Culinary Union, Economy, Harrah's, International, MGM Mirage, Sports, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off

Ground shifts on i-gaming in California; T-Mobile’s new trophy

Posted on January 7, 2016 by David McKee

California took one step forward and one step back in the field of Internet gambling. A bill to legalize online poker was scratched from yesterday’s legislative agenda. If it makes you feel any better, the opposition of six major California … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, PokerStars, Politics, Sam Nazarian, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off

Schneiderman tightens the squeeze on DFS; Caesars’ Korean woes

Posted on January 4, 2016 by David McKee

If you’re in New York State and lost money to FanDuel and DraftKings, you may be in line for a refund. At least that’s the case if Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has his way. He’s suing the two daily fantasy … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Internet gambling, New York, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, South Korea, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off

Penn charms Wall Street

Posted on December 3, 2015 by David McKee

JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff recently sat down with Penn National Gaming COO Jay Snowden and, of course, the big topic of conversation was Plainridge Park. Penn doesn’t see Wynn Everett — when it opens in 2018 — as a … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, Illinois, M Resort, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rhode Island, Slot routes, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, West Virginia | 1 Comment

DFS sued again; Penn disappoints, MGM excels

Posted on November 24, 2015 by David McKee

A Florida attorney seems to have found the soft underbelly of the daily fantasy sports industry: its investors. Ervin Gonzales, representing two Sunshine State punters, has filed a class-action lawsuit that names among its defendants all the major sporting leagues, … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sports | Comments Off

DFS: A patchwork of approaches

Posted on November 18, 2015 by David McKee

Although he’s been dissed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and the NCAA (because his bill would allow daily fantasy sports to include college athletes), state Sen. James Whelan (D, right) presses on in his attempt to regulate DFS … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Geoff Freeman, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports | Comments Off

Phil Ruffin, International Man of Mystery; Another day, another DFS probe

Posted on November 12, 2015 by David McKee

So now we know where those The Mirage-is-for-sale rumors were coming from. Seems that the place really was not for sale, although Phil Ruffin wished it was, to the tune of $1.3 billion. And, as badly as MGM Resorts International … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, GLPI, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Straub has new plan for Revel; Station cans Cactus Lane casino

Posted on November 4, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub can’t even heat Revel but he’s got his sights on becoming Atlantic City‘s biggest slumlord. The ever-unpredictable billionaire’s latest plan for the megaresort is to use it to house Syrian refugees. However, this homeless-hostel offer is good for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, Michael Gaughan, Regulation, Reno, Revel, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off