Category Archives: The Strip

Trump to bigfoot Connecticut controversy?

Posted on September 26, 2017 by David McKee

Could we see heavy-footed federal intervention in the MGM Resorts International vs. Connecticut tribes slugfest? Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim (D) hopes so. A supporter of Donald Trump‘s presidential campaign, he’s hoping the White House will stomp into the Nutmeg State fray, interceding … Continue reading →

Posted in DFS, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Geoff Freeman, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off

Hall of Fame game

Posted on September 21, 2017 by David McKee

Inductees to the American Gaming Association‘s Gaming Hall of Fame have sometimes been questionable (mobbed-up Clifford Perlman, for one) but this year’s foursome are unlikely to stir controversy. In a family affair, Paragon Gaming CEO Diana Bennett joins her late father … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, history, Hooters, International, Lake Tahoe, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Paragon Gaming, Riviera, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Mob, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 19, 2017 by David McKee

“The Lucky Dragon is a joke, went in there a couple weeks ago, and it was deader than an off strip Wednesday graveyard shirt [sic]. All the tables did not even have chip trays in them. I think there was … Continue reading →

Posted in Lucky Dragon, The Strip | 1 Comment

F-blew: Here we go again; Trop makes Hoosier history

Posted on September 19, 2017 by David McKee

Steven Witkoff hasn’t closed on the Fontainebleau sale yet, never mind receiving a gaming license, and he’s already being cast as the savior of the Las Vegas Strip. However, there are some dark clouds on Fontainebleau’s horizon. Despite the $1.3 … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Eldorado Resorts, Fontainebleau, Genting, history, Indiana, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Marketing, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Light at end of Atlantic City tunnel; Madonna gets played

Posted on September 14, 2017 by David McKee

There’s one reason to look forward to November in Atlantic City: Revenue comparisons will no longer have to include the dead weight of Trump Taj Mahal. Gaming revenues were up 3.5% on the Boardwalk last month but add the Taj … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Cosmopolitan, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Paragon Gaming, Scientific Games, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Blitzkrieg

Posted on September 13, 2017 by David McKee

(This is one in an occasional series of CEO interviews.) One of the products you’ll undoubtedly see at Global Gaming Expo is an 84-inch touchscreen, multi-game product called Jackpot Blitz. It’s an effort to bring fresh and younger players to … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Regulation, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Bye, bye, Vegas Club; Murren accepts minority status

Posted on September 13, 2017 by David McKee

One of our favorite sources, VitalVegas author Scott Roeben, is interviewed at length by Nevada Public Radio on what, if anything, the introduction of virtual reality to the Las Vegas Strip means for the big casinos. In part, Roeben says, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Downtown Grand, e-sports, Fontainebleau, Genting, Japan, Lucky Dragon, MGM Mirage, Palms, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Placidity in Indiana; Irma inconveniences card sharps

Posted on September 11, 2017 by David McKee

It was a flat August in the Hoosier State, as casino executives look toward Four Winds Casino in South Bend with trepidation. Perhaps it is the vampiric rise of slot routes in Illinois, but the northern tier of Indiana casinos … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Dan Lee, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, Florida, Full House Resorts, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Illinois lackluster, Ohio strong; New attraction for Strip

Posted on September 8, 2017 by David McKee

Illinois is coming off a flat August. The good news is that it’s an improvement on last year’s 2% decline. The bad news is that the lost business doesn’t appear to be coming back. Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli reports … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

New player in Japan; Culinary slams Trump

Posted on September 5, 2017 by David McKee

Even as the number of front-running Japanese cities for casino developers shrinks, Yokohama and Tokyo having evidently opted out, there’s a dark-horse developer entering the sweepstakes. Macao junket operator Suncity is pledging $10 billion against the prospect of a Japanese … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Genting, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Problem gambling, Regulation, The Strip, Vietnam | Comments Off

Fontainebleau plans take shape; Newton blitzes sports books

Posted on September 5, 2017 by David McKee

Fontainebleau continues to make news. First off, lead investor Steven Witkoff and his partners plan to re-name the unfinished resort. Good idea, as “Fontainebleau” brings nothing but bad karma and negative associations to anyone who frequents the Las Vegas Strip. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, history, Lawrence Ho, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sports, Station Casinos, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Icahn’s big score

Posted on August 31, 2017 by David McKee

Did Carl Icahn just take Steven Witkoff to the cleaners? It sure looks that way. Witkoff and his associates paid, according to Bloomberg, $22 million an acre for Fontainebleau. Yes, $22 million. That figure is so dazzling I had to … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Fontainebleau, Genting, Internet gambling, James Packer, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Politics, Steven Witkoff, The Strip | 1 Comment

Strip disappoints, locals casinos dominate; Indiana ignores tribal casino

Posted on August 30, 2017 by David McKee

Poor table play punished the Las Vegas Strip last month, driving revenues down 8%. Locals casinos, by contrast, were up 13%, possibly helped by some end-of-June coin lingering in the slot hoppers. But, if so, what’s the Strip’s excuse for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Charity, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lawrence Ho, Louisiana, Macau, Majestic Star, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, West Virginia | Comments Off

F-blew sold; Turmoil at Westgate

Posted on August 30, 2017 by David McKee

It’s official. Carl Icahn has the Fontainebleau monkey off his back. He found a couple of chumps, er, investment firms in the form of Witkoff Group and New Valley, who bought F-blew for a cool $600 million. When you consider … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Fontainebleau, Genting, LVCVA, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Wall Street, Westgate LV | 2 Comments

F-blew sale rumored; New Jersey legitimizes DFS

Posted on August 28, 2017 by David McKee

According to VitalVegas, Carl Icahn finally has finally hooked a big one and the upshot will be a long-delayed sale of Fontainebleau for $650 million. Uncle Carl has long since recouped his bargain-basement purchase price by selling off everything wasn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Downtown, Fontainebleau, Genting, GLPI, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, M Resort, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Palms, Penn National, Politics, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Taxes, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Wall Street, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Odds move toward Mayweather; MGM coy about Cotai plans

Posted on August 25, 2017 by David McKee

As Las Vegas gears up for the Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor clash of the tomato cans, rationality is starting to manifest itself in the betting lines. Several large wagers — two as big as $1 million — presumably from ‘sharps,’ began hitting … Continue reading →

Posted in Macau, Marijuana, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Coming soon to MGM Grand

Posted on August 25, 2017 by David McKee

While it’s standing pat on skill-based slots, MGM Resorts International is taking the plunge with virtual-reality social gambling. It’s teaming up with Aussie firm Zero Latency to place three games in

Posted in Australia, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off

Culinary frets over Hard Rock; Puck jilts Caesars for MGM

Posted on August 24, 2017 by David McKee

What does Bethany Khan know that we don’t? Although Brookfield Asset Management has said nothing overt about selling the Hard Rock Hotel, the Culinary Union is obviously convinced that a sale is imminent and is ringing the alarm bell. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Culinary Union, Dining, Drugs, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

How Conor McGregor is like Donald Trump & other news

Posted on August 23, 2017 by David McKee

Not since the election of Donald Trump have oddsmakers been poised to take such a shellacking as at this weekend’s showdown between tomato cans Floyd Mayweather Jr. and boxing debutante Conor McGregor. Despite Mayweather’s proven track record, sports books have … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, George Maloof, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, New York, PokerStars, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Westgate LV | Comments Off

SCOTUS sports betting throwdown spurs excitement; Trump’s Mafia ties resurface

Posted on August 22, 2017 by David McKee

Legal wonks are getting all worked up about the Supreme Court‘s upcoming hearing of Christie v. NCAA, with one saying it had the “markings of a sleeper blockbuster.” Wrote Virginia Solicitor General Elbert Lin and deputy Thomas M. Johnson Jr., “The parties … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Donald Trump, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Japan, Kazuo Okada, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Philippines, Regulation, Sports, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off