Category Archives: Station Casinos

Heard along the Strip

Posted on September 16, 2019 by David McKee

Circus Circus, the casino Jim Murren said he would never, ever sell (because his kids liked it so much) is reported to be on the auction block. The Murren kids are grown and MGM Resorts International has never formulated a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Cosmopolitan, Culinary Union, Eldorado Resorts, MGM Resorts International, North Las Vegas, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Problem gambling, SLS Las Vegas, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, World Series of Poker, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

‘Wynn-wash’ in Boston; MGM, Sahara soak customers

Posted on September 9, 2019 by David McKee

Encore Boston Harbor President Robert DeSalvio gives us the nitty-gritty (emphasis on gritty) of developing the Massachusetts megaresort. For instance, I’ll bet you didn’t know Wynn Resorts rented 600 railroad cards to—repeatedly—haul arsenic-tainted soil from the site, trucked off to Georgia, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cretins, Detroit, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock Hotel, Iowa, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, Nevada, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Resort fees, Sahara, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Technology, Terry Caudill, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on ‘Wynn-wash’ in Boston; MGM, Sahara soak customers

Terrorism at Trump; Police blotter

Posted on September 5, 2019 by David McKee

Trump International finally made it back into the news, although not in a good way. WSOP player Kenneth Strauss was arrested there on July 27 after allegedly tweeting terroristic threats, among other malfeasances. Strauss’ reign of error began at Red … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Donald Trump, Florida, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ohio, Philippines, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Vietnam, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 1 Comment

Massachusetts: Isn’t that special?

Posted on August 26, 2019 by David McKee

Although the Boston Globe gets a bit overheated about Tom O’Connell aspirations for a Region C casino they don’t get it wrong when they say O’Connell and associates “want to rewrite the rule book to suit their needs.” That means, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Hooters, Horseracing, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, New York, Oregon, Paragon Gaming, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Technology, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Massachusetts: Isn’t that special?

Case Bets

Posted on August 23, 2019 by David McKee

Despite the tepid attitude of Tokyo leadership, Las Vegas Sands has settled on it and Yokohama as its destinations of preference in Japan. Which leaves Osaka out in the cold (although it is not lacking for suitors). Sands lost no time … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Diversity, Galaxy Entertainment, Hooters, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Philippines, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Wynn, Station disappoint Wall Street

Posted on August 7, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff took a look at Wynn Resorts‘ second-quarter numbers and deemed them “a mixed bag.” The good news: Cash flow in Las Vegas, expected to be $109 million, manifested itself at $137 million. The sorta-bad news: There … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Golden Gaming, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Palms, Slot routes, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wynn, Station disappoint Wall Street

Wynn tops in U.S. casinos; Crown in hot water again

Posted on July 30, 2019 by David McKee

Steve Wynn got some love from the contributors to TripAdvisor, whose top-three-ranked casinos in America are Wynn Las Vegas, Encore and Beau Rivage, a vindication of Wynn’s spare-no-detail approach. However, Bellagio may be showing its age, clocking in at a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Crown Resorts, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Foxwoods, Golden Gaming, Indiana, Iowa, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Louisiana, M Resort, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, North Las Vegas, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Reno, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Ohio prospers, others don’t; Labor trouble at Eldorado

Posted on July 11, 2019 by David McKee

Maryland continues to show signs of casino saturation. Revenue ($143 million) was down 4% last month. Not even MGM National Harbor ($57 million) was immune, off 4%. Slots were up 10% but table games got walloped, down 19%. Still, MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Florida, Full House Resorts, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Spectacle Entertainment, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Rivers Casino’s threefold secret

Posted on July 8, 2019 by David McKee

It can be summed precisely as follows: location, location, location. Not only is Rivers Casino Des Plaines proximate to both Chicago and O’Hare International Airport, it sits at the nexus of two interstate highways, literally within a stone’s throw of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Illinois, Kazuo Okada, Macau, Penn National, Philippines, Rush Street Gaming, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Rivers Casino’s threefold secret

Touring Vegas; Bus to Nowhere; So long, Sammy

Posted on July 5, 2019 by David McKee

Paste Magazine is having one of those love/hate moments with Las Vegas that seem de rigeur for glossy publications. After a few preliminary digs at the Las Vegas Strip, it settles into a survey of the best places to go … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, history, MGM Resorts International, Reno, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Station Casinos, Terry Caudill, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Encore plays it safe; Wynn is for the birds

Posted on July 1, 2019 by David McKee

“Fifty shades of beige.” That’s the Boston Globe‘s verdict on the hotel rooms at Encore Boston Harbor. “There was nothing unpleasant about it, but that meant nearly every design choice was incredibly safe. Before the hotel opened, Encore Boston Harbor … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Election, Environment, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, Technology, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Encore plays it safe; Wynn is for the birds

Caesars is dead, long live Caesars

Posted on June 26, 2019 by David McKee

After much flirtation, Eldorado Resorts has consummated its courtship of Caesars Entertainment. In a deal that values the latter at $18 billion (or $12.75/share), Eldorado will buy Caesars for $8.6 billion in cash, plus the assumption of debt. Two previous … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Charity, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Internet gambling, Nevada, New Hampshire, Regulation, Reno, Scientific Games, Station Casinos, The Mob, TV, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 3 Comments

Station diversifies; Caesars retrenches

Posted on June 19, 2019 by David McKee

Scott Roeben of VitalVegas continues to beat the mainstream media to the breaking stories in Sin City. His latest scoop has Apex nightclub at the Palms seeing a coup d’etat. Clique Hospitality is gone and now Station Casinos will try … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Culinary Union, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Tribal | 4 Comments

Arkansas casino nixed; Casino industry picks political winners, losers

Posted on June 17, 2019 by David McKee

Moving rapidly, the Arkansas Racing Commission unanimously granted a license to the Quapaw Tribe to build a casino in Jefferson County. (The tribe responded that it would be equally prompt in building $350 million Saracen Casino Resort. In the meantime slots … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Culinary Union, Dan Lee, Full House Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Palms, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Arkansas casino nixed; Casino industry picks political winners, losers

Twain returns; Sports betting set for New York

Posted on June 17, 2019 by David McKee

Shania Twain‘s Colosseum residency was one of the shortest in memory but Caesars Entertainment evidently still has confidence in the midriff-baring C&W icon. It’s booked Twain into the cavernous Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood, starting Dec. 6, although you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Genting, Internet gambling, Maryland, New York, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Twain returns; Sports betting set for New York

Big month for Hard Rock Atlantic City; Sunset Station unionizes

Posted on June 14, 2019 by David McKee

Atlantic City‘s two heaviest hitters had a not-so-merry month of May. Borgata fell 15%, to $52 million, and Tropicana Atlantic City tumbled 18%, landing at $25 million and ceding second place for the first time to Hard Rock Atlantic City … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tribal | 1 Comment

Wire Act reversal reversed; China scare for Las Vegas

Posted on June 10, 2019 by David McKee

A federal judge dealt a major defeat to the Justice Department in its efforts to reinterpret the Federal Wire Act as a ban on Internet gambling. Nope, only sports betting ruled Judge Paul Barbadoro. The ruling is a boon to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Florida, Hard Rock International, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Lotteries, Marketing, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Palms, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tourism, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Wire Act reversal reversed; China scare for Las Vegas

Station loses another; Musk wins one

Posted on May 23, 2019 by David McKee

Despite a Trump-appointed majority on the National Labor Relations Board, it ruled against Station Casinos, voting unanimously that the company had failed to recognize and bargain with the Culinary Union vis-a-vis the Palms. “By failing and refusing since May 17 to … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, LVCVA, Palms, Station Casinos, Transportation | Comments Off on Station loses another; Musk wins one

Case Bets

Posted on May 17, 2019 by David McKee

Need a scorecard to keep up with the progress of sports betting? Never fear, the American Gaming Association has provided one. It shows sports-betting legislation on the docket in 15 states, including casino-averse Texas and Vermont. States that have rejected … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, California, Dining, Greenwood Racing, Illinois, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Palms, Pennsylvania, Pets, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos | Comments Off on Case Bets

The age of austerity?

Posted on May 16, 2019 by David McKee

While Station Casinos CEO Frank Fertitta III won’t be mistaken for a pauper anytime soon, he’s the most restrained of Las Vegas‘ top six gaming CEOs when it comes to compensation. On top of his $1 million base salary, his … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Lawrence Ho, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on The age of austerity?