Category Archives: The Strip

Clouds over Macao; What Sheldon wants, Sheldon gets

Posted on February 15, 2019 by David McKee

Cameron McKnight of Credit Suisse is projecting gambling-revenue flatness in Macao (despite higher tax returns) through 2019 and into 2020, despite a record amount of available credit in China. “Stronger credit data may partially assuage China macro concerns, as it … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Movies, New Jersey, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Bluhm’s big push; Gary dissed; Oscar betting debuts

Posted on February 11, 2019 by David McKee

Neil Bluhm isn’t waiting like some blushing wallflower for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to approve him for a casino in Brockton. He’s spent $430,000 on Beacon Hill to make his $700 million casino project in reality. To put that in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Indiana, Iowa, Law enforcement, Majestic Star, Massachusetts, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Monorail to the rescue of Grand Bazaar; Golden Nugget on the block?

Posted on February 8, 2019 by David McKee

We thought the Las Vegas Monorail was the biggest charity case on the Las Vegas Strip. However, the Grand Bazaar Shops — where Strip retail finally jumped the shark — is apparently even worse off. We say this because of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Maryland booms, Illinois frozen out; Resort fees to rise … again

Posted on February 7, 2019 by David McKee

Business continues to boom for MGM National Harbor, which raked in $57 million last month, 12% growth and 41% of the Free State’s $137 million gross gaming revenue. Maryland Live‘s 34% market share translated into a gross of $46 million. Horseshoe … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Cordish Co., Detroit, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Illinois, Las Vegas Raiders, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Resort fees, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 5, 2019 by David McKee

“When you get past all the glitz of Enigma—the ornately choreographed dancing, the elaborate stunts, the animations that play on the giant screen—you’re left with a show that fully embraces and celebrates the lifestyles of its audience. Enigma isn’t just … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, The Strip | Comments Off

New name, new push for Foxwoods/Mohegan casino; Nevada casinos robust

Posted on February 4, 2019 by David McKee

Tribal Winds. That’s what Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino are going to call their joint venture in East Windsor, Connecticut. The duo has already spent $14 million on the $300 million project. Both of the tribes involved are not … Continue reading →

Posted in Connecticut, Economy, Foxwoods, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Politics, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wendover | Comments Off

So long, Total Rewards; MGM goes to Yonkers

Posted on February 1, 2019 by David McKee

Despite one less weekend day than 2017, December was good for the Las Vegas Strip. Visitation was up over 2% and room revenues leapt 16% to an average of $104/room. This was particularly impressive given a 23% decline in convention … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New York, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Vegas: Locals outperform the Strip; Sisolak nuked

Posted on January 31, 2019 by David McKee

Nevada gaming revenue was up 4% last month, just a few hundred thousand shy of an even billion dollars, even though the Las Vegas Strip was relatively stagnant. Strong baccarat win by the house (jumping 14.5%) was offset by 3% … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Aristocrat, Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Downtown, Environment, IGT, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Nevada, Regulation, Reno, Scientific Games, South Carolina, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Pac-12 to Vegas?; Climate change rattles travel industry

Posted on January 30, 2019 by David McKee

Pac-12 football championship play could be coming to Las Vegas. I emphasize the “could” because there are several moving parts to this story, including the possibility that Las Vegas and Los Angeles are pawns in the conference’s attempts to shake … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, California, Environment, International, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off

Wynn: The settlement; Paddock explained, somewhat

Posted on January 29, 2019 by David McKee

We’re into Day Two of the Wynn Resorts settlement with the Nevada Gaming Control Board and some details are starting to make their way into the public discourse. Forbes enumerates the charges and they include: “Employee 1 claimed that in … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Genting, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Aguilera to hit the Strip; Arizona mulls sports betting

Posted on January 29, 2019 by David McKee

It’s a big week for announcements at Caesars Entertainment. While I admit I’d completely forgotten who Christina Aguilera is, she’s got enough pop-culture cachet to justify a Las Vegas residency, starting May 31 at the Zappos Theater (an improvement on … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Caesars Entertainment, Entertainment, history, International, Japan, Planet Hollywood, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

This just in: Wynn fined, settles with Resorts World

Posted on January 28, 2019 by David McKee

Although it seemed as though the Nevada Gaming Control Board had forgotten about its investigation of sexual harassment at Wynn Resorts, it was merely running silent, running deep. It came to the surface today with a settlement agreement whereby Wynn … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Genting, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Sands disappoints Wall Street

Posted on January 24, 2019 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands reported 4Q18 results yesterday and the result wasn’t what Wall Street had been hoping. Take the rapidly morphing reaction of Credit Suisse analyst Cameron McKnight. He went from “Good Read Thru” to “Disappointing 4Q Against Elevated Expectations” … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off

Next stop: Virginia; Lady Gaga erupts

Posted on January 23, 2019 by David McKee

Lawmakers in Virginia have voted a “mashup casino bill” out of committee, sending it along to the Senate Finance Committee for further scrutiny. The legislation would authorize five casinos in Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Richmond and Norfolk respectively and juices the Pamunkey … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Vietnam, Virginia | 1 Comment

Wall Street says the “R” word; The wrath of Rufus Peabody

Posted on January 17, 2019 by David McKee

Credit Suisse analyst Cameron McKnight has uttered the word most dreaded around Las Vegas: recession. He’s even come up with some projections. “Based on our long-term Strip model, we can see a recession scenario for the Strip in which revenue … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Indiana, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Cuomo bets on sports; Resorts World LV disowns own designs

Posted on January 16, 2019 by David McKee

It looks as though New York State will split the baby on sports wagering: Casino-based betting in 2019, mobile wagering in 2022. Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has baked what Credit Suisse analyst Cameron McKnight calls “a small amount of sports … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Baseball, DFS, Genting, New Jersey, New York, Problem gambling, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Indiana, Missouri have good months; Hands-free vibrators conquer Las Vegas

Posted on January 10, 2019 by David McKee

Casinos in Indiana grossed $187 million last month, a 3% increase. Caesars Entertainment would appear to have robbed Peter (Horseshoe Southern Indiana) to pay Paul (its two racinos). Horseshoe was down 8% to $20 million, while Indiana Downs cantered past … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Ellis Island, Full House Resorts, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Majestic Star, Missouri, Penn National, Technology, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

FanDuel fumbles; Cuomo beats Senecas

Posted on January 10, 2019 by David McKee

“It has been a dominant season for the Crimson Tide and our traders have seen enough.” With those words, FanDuel proceeded to pay out $400,000 to University of Alabama bettors, even though the national collegiate championship game had not yet … Continue reading →

Posted in history, MGM Resorts International, New York, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

MGM gets new admirer; Okada busted again

Posted on January 8, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan has initiated analyst-focus coverage of MGM Resorts International “as we see an increasingly favorable setup for 2019” that includes “relatively low expectations in Las Vegas.” Morgan analyst Joseph Greff applauded the upcoming pogrom of the MGM workforce, as well … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Kazuo Okada, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Philippines, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Lady Gaga vanquishes the Strip

Posted on January 3, 2019 by David McKee

“Energy and heart.” That’s what Lady Gaga has brought to the Las Vegas Strip, according to early notices of Enigma. If you’ve seen A Star Is Born, you know that the sky’s the limit for Her Ladyship’s talent (even though the … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New York, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off