Category Archives: The Strip

Nevada casinos to reopen; Ruffin stiffs workforce

Posted on May 26, 2020 by David McKee

Pending a decline in Coronavirus cases over this past weekend, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) is expected to announce a reopening of Silver State casinos, effective June 4, which should give them time to get their paperwork filed with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Hawaii, Health, history, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Phil Ruffin, Resort fees, Sahara, The Rio, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Westgate LV, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

New cop on the beat; Are we ready for some football?

Posted on May 21, 2020 by David McKee

There’s a new sheriff in town. Credit Suisse analyst Benjamin Chaiken made his debut today, issuing a sweeping series of reports, covering a number of tourism sectors. Let’s cut to the chase: “This is an unprecedented time for the sector, … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Health, IGT, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Real Estate, Scientific Games, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Riverboat casino scuttled; Station: Palms not for sale

Posted on May 21, 2020 by David McKee

Chalk up Nevada‘s second casino casualty to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Colorado Belle in Laughlin terminated its 400 employees and said it would not be reopening when Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) gives the go-ahead for resumption of play, expected to … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Dining, Economy, Florida, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Health, Laughlin, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Palms, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Wynn vs. Covid-19; Louisiana casinos reopen with a bang

Posted on May 19, 2020 by David McKee

Are high-rollers immune to Covid-19? Guess so. They’re the only ones who’ll be allowed to play craps when Wynncore and Encore Boston Harbor reopen. Truth to tell, blowing on dice seems kind of creepy in the age of Coronavirus, even … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, Economy, Entertainment, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Health, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, South Dakota, Sports betting, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wynn vs. Covid-19; Louisiana casinos reopen with a bang

“Green shoots” in gaming; Mega-Jottings

Posted on May 18, 2020 by David McKee

According to the American Gaming Association, 82 of 989 casinos in the United States have reopened, many of them in Louisiana starting today. But don’t take our word for it. Use the AGA’s Coronavirus tracker, which keeps you abreast of casino … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Conventions, Detroit, Dining, GLPI, Golden Nugget, Health, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, LVCVA, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Resort fees, Singapore, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

July resumption for Mass casinos; Room rates rebound

Posted on May 18, 2020 by David McKee

Casinos in Massachusetts now know when they can reopen … more or less. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) has laid out of one of the toughest reopening regimens in the U.S. It will proceed in four phases, each phase—beginning today—lasting three weeks. … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Oscar Goodman, Penn National, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on July resumption for Mass casinos; Room rates rebound

Vegas casinos can reopen, sorta; Hard Rock returns

Posted on May 15, 2020 by David McKee

Want to go back to a Las Vegas casino? Now you can. In a well-meant directive that seems to be sowing a certain amount of confusion, the Nevada Gaming Control Board stated that during the current Phase I, casinos could … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Dining, Economy, Georgia, Hard Rock International, Lotteries, Maryland, Massachusetts, Movies, Oregon, Penn National, Real Estate, Sahara, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Virgin Hotels | 2 Comments

Rodio steps up; A kinder, gentler restart

Posted on May 14, 2020 by David McKee

Unlike some leaders in our federal government, Caesars Entertainment CEO Anthony Rodio has the stones to be seen wearing a health mask in public, as he does in a new video message to Caesars customers. Without going into the exhaustive … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Health, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

MGM’s seven steps; Culinary throws tantrum

Posted on May 12, 2020 by David McKee

Add MGM Resorts International to the roster of Las Vegas companies announcing reopening protocols. (Earth to Caesars Entertainment, come in Caesars … ) The company calls it a “comprehensive, multi-layered approach resulting from months of consultations and guidance from public … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Culinary Union, Dining, Donald Trump, Hard Rock International, Health, International, Japan, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Play ball!; Wall Street hearts casinos

Posted on May 12, 2020 by David McKee

Handwaving questions about maintaining player safety and how to recompense their employees, Major League Baseball rolled out a plan for belatedly starting the 2020 season around the traditional All-Star Break. The owners are not without their priorities: The sacred Designated … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Japan, Las Vegas Raiders, Resort fees, Sports, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Barrack screws up (again); Boyd reopens … somewhat

Posted on May 12, 2020 by David McKee

Colony Capital CEO Tom Barrack is back in the news and, as usual, not in a good way. His REIT has defaulted on $3.2 billion in loans secured by 157 hotel and healthcare properties. That’s three-quarters of his holdings. Prior to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Colony Capital, Downtown, Economy, Health, history, North Carolina, Penn National, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

Boston buoys Wynn, Penn leans on Barstool

Posted on May 11, 2020 by David McKee

Wynn Resorts was one of three biggies to report 1Q20 results late last week and the Las Vegas Strip was the least of its problems. Wynn Las Vegas and Encore had net revenue of $324 million, down 19% from last … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Florida, Golden Gaming, history, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Roy Horn, R.I.P.; Tourism on life support

Posted on May 9, 2020 by David McKee

Now every John Q. Public in America knows someone who has died of Covid-19. That someone is erstwhile magician Roy Horn, who died at age 75 of Coronavirus complications. Horn had been involuntarily retired from show business since 2003 when … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Health, International, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Roy Horn, R.I.P.; Tourism on life support

Nevada begins reopening sooner than expected

Posted on May 8, 2020 by David McKee

What do brothels and casinos have in common? (Some would say you get screwed in both.) Neither can reopen during Phase One of Gov. Steve Sisolak‘s multi-stage resumption of business as usual in Nevada, starting tomorrow. Most of the continuing closures … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Cretins, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Health, Massachusetts, Nevada, Technology, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Creative responses to a crisis

Posted on May 7, 2020 by David McKee

Leave it to Derek Stevens to find a way to literally drive sports-betting business in Downtown. Starting this morning, Circa Sports began taking curbside sports bets at the Golden Gate. You pull up, flash your cash (or plastic) and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, e-sports, Economy, Health, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Vegas bingo on death watch; Nevada regulators dither

Posted on May 6, 2020 by David McKee

Bingo is such a staple of the Las Vegas locals casino that it seems unimaginable that it would go the way of the buffet and the dodo. But such may be the case. VitalVegas author Scott Roeben says he is … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Boyd Gaming, Crown Resorts, Downtown, Entertainment, Hawaii, Health, Idaho, James Packer, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Technology, Texas, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Shakeup at MGM, layoffs at Station

Posted on May 4, 2020 by David McKee

In a late-Friday night of the long knives, MGM Resorts International let go four property presidents. The official nomenclature is “laid-off” but we strongly suspect, given MGM’s history, that this prefaces a streamlining and centralization of authority. Out the door were … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, CityCenter, Culinary Union, Economy, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 5 Comments

Maddox gets ants in his pants; Sports start to stir

Posted on May 1, 2020 by David McKee

As part of the Business Roundtable at the White House, CEO Matt Maddox got to stump for Wynn Resorts‘ mid-pandemic reopening protocol. Maddox said that (amazingly) University Medical Center facilities “don’t have enough people to test. So I’ve signed a deal … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Economy, GLPI, Health, Reno, South Korea, Sports, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Strip clocked, locals stronger; Montana reopens first

Posted on April 30, 2020 by David McKee

Nevada casinos won $618 million in a Covid-19-truncated March, with the Las Vegas Strip leading the plunge with a 46% fall to $300 million. Las Vegas locals play was remarkably strong under the circumstances, down only 20.5%, although that number may … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Golden Gaming, Health, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Reno, The Strip, Wall Street, Wendover, William Hill | Comments Off on Strip clocked, locals stronger; Montana reopens first

Boyd doing well; What price Vegas?

Posted on April 29, 2020 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming posted net revenues of that were down 18% for 1Q20, reflective of mid-March casino closures. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff termed the results ones “that reflected relatively strong trends in the first two months of the quarter.” Since … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Hard Rock International, Health, Horseracing, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Resort fees, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment