Category Archives: Tourism

Casa Shenandoah closes; Culinary escalates tactics

Posted on July 12, 2018 by David McKee

Call it a day for another Wayne Newton business venture. Mr. Las Vegas is closing Casa Shenandoah to the public, no reason given (although a recent break-in might have influenced the decision). “It is the Applicant’s intent that the property revert … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Downtown Grand, Election, history, Horseracing, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, Sports betting, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wayne F. Newton, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Vegas’ tourism slump halts; Do the Time Warp

Posted on July 4, 2018 by David McKee

Las Vegas city fathers need to stop frowning on Electronic Daisy Carnival and embrace it. EDC saved their bacon in May, stopping a prolonged slide in Vegas visitation, which bottomed out and made the slightest of upward bounces. While occupied … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Boulder Strip, Downtown, Entertainment, Florida, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

Penn outperforms in Massachusetts; Horse sense in Indiana

Posted on June 28, 2018 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming had a happy surprise for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission when the latter dropped by Plainridge Park for a look-see. The racino, which the Boston Globe long tried to paint as a failure, has just come off its … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Centaur Gaming, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Indiana, International, Japan, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Marijuana, Marketing, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

“Cashless casinos” in China; Keeping score in Louisiana

Posted on June 20, 2018 by David McKee

Could Chinese players go for gambling if the winnings aren’t monetary? That’s the wager resort owners on the island of Hainan plan to make if the central government gives them a much-hoped-for exception. Just as players wager for trinkets in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, DFS, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Japan, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Slot routes, Taxes, Tourism | Comments Off

East Windsor, Take Two; MGM, Sands eat Ho’s lunch

Posted on June 15, 2018 by David McKee

“From the start, we pledged to create a world class facility that will be a draw for people throughout the entire region,” said Mashantucket Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler of the tribe’s satellite casino in East Windsor. Nice try, Mr. Chairman, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Foxwoods, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, TV | Comments Off

New Jersey ready for action; Strip club upstages Hard Rock

Posted on June 13, 2018 by David McKee

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) still plans to place his first sports wager at Monmouth Park tomorrow but Borgata is trying to crash the party. The megaresort issued a statement saying “we are moving ahead with all possible speed … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, Hard Rock International, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, West Virginia, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Delaware leads the way; Las Vegas tourism rebounds

Posted on June 6, 2018 by David McKee

A Delaware sports book took 36 bets in its first 20 minutes of operation yesterday, making it the first state outside Nevada to capitalize on the Supreme Court‘s recent legitimization of sports wagering. “In New York, we would go right to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Culinary Union, Delaware, Florida, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Macao disappoints Wall Street; Tribal troubles

Posted on June 1, 2018 by David McKee

Wall Street was expecting 18.5% gaming-revenue growth out of Macao last month. It got ‘only’ 12%, the Street not having taken an abbreviated Golden Week into account. Furthermore, the enclave had a hard act to follow, its revenue having vaulted … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Dining, Economy, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Iowa, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nebraska, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

MGM optimistic on Japan; Culinary blasts casino owners

Posted on May 30, 2018 by David McKee

Japan is one big step closer to casino legalization now that its House of Representatives passed a bill putting problem-gambling countermeasures into place. This was a necessary step before the actual casino-implementation law could go before the Diet. “The pace of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Economy, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Singapore, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Unite-Here, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Penn out of Jamul; Fuzzy math on the Strip

Posted on March 2, 2018 by David McKee

Casino companies rarely admit defeat but Penn National Gaming is bagging it where Hollywood Casino Jamul, near San Diego, is concerned. Hollywood Jamul’s debut was disastrous and Penn’s “essentially exiting” its management contract (as Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli put … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, Genting, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Eldorado sells down; Vegas tourists stay home

Posted on March 1, 2018 by David McKee

Churchill Downs continues to grow as a casino operator, cutting a deal with Eldorado Resorts to buy Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Lady Luck Vicksburg Casino in Mississippi for $229.5 million. That’s an above-average valuation for gaming assets … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Churchill Downs, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Casino envy in Pennsylvania; Gilbert Jacks off

Posted on January 16, 2018 by David McKee

Why do all the bridges in Lehigh County have a “100” rating? Because of the tax money pouring in from Sands Bethlehem. That’s causing some serious envy in Mercer County, which wants a mini-casino. “It’s almost an unfair advantage,” sputters Mercer County … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dan Gilbert, Harrah's, Marketing, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Tourism | Comments Off

Carnage in Pennsylvania; Fortune Cup takes on Sigma Derby

Posted on January 15, 2018 by David McKee

*Slot revenues at Pennsylvania casinos are in and if JP Morgan‘s numbers are correct they were terrible. According to Morgan analysts slot winnings dove 27%, bottoming out at $187.5 million. Worst off was Sands Bethlehem ($25 million), sinking 44%, followed … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Delaware, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off

Pennsylvania towns shun casinos; Macao mobbed up

Posted on January 5, 2018 by David McKee

Mini-casinos are as popular in Pennsylvania as an outbreak of typhus. Some 936 towns have ixnayed the idea of hosting slot parlors in their back yards. Extant casino operators will have to bid at least $7.5 million (and have a site … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Charity, Churchill Downs, Economy, Foxwoods, Genting, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, LVCVA, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Regulation, South Korea, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Mob, Tourism, Tribal, TV | Comments Off

The Deal of the Year

Posted on December 19, 2017 by David McKee

Ever-ravenous Penn National Gaming gulped down Pinnacle Entertainment over the weekend, paying $2.8 billion for a collection of top-quality gaming assets. Among other benefits, the deal strengthens Penn’s position in its home state, as it gets The Meadows racino, doubling … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Colorado, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, International, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Enter the Aces; Dan Gilbert, failure

Posted on December 12, 2017 by David McKee

With a breathtaking lack of imagination, MGM Resorts International has settled upon a new name for its almost-as-equally-new WNBA franchise. It will be called — wait for it, folks — the Las Vegas Aces. At least it wasn’t “Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dan Gilbert, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Indiana, Missouri see happy days; Don’t count on Millennials

Posted on December 11, 2017 by David McKee

It looks like Penn National Gaming is picking a good time to acquire Pinnacle Entertainment, to judge by the healthy performance of the Missouri and Indiana markets (though it must be kicking itself for having missed the loophole that allowed … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Full House Resorts, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Marketing, Maryland, Missouri, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

A taxing topic … but mostly good for gaming

Posted on December 5, 2017 by David McKee

As the Trump administration’s tax bill heads into the reconciliation process, it could spark a new era of fiscal responsibility. That’s if corporations behave as they are predicted to do in this analysis. It forecasts that, with the slashing of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Palms, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Caesars bets on Hoosier tracks; Trump precedent revisted

Posted on November 20, 2017 by David McKee

Centaur Gaming, benefactor of Mike Pence (not that it did them any good), is back in the news. Caesars Entertainment already owns the two most lucrative casinos in Indiana, is doubling down on its commitment to the Hoosier State. By … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

N.Y. struggles continue; Sweet deal for Mount Airy

Posted on November 16, 2017 by David McKee

For Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, the good news is that it’s turned a derelict locomotive plant into a shiny, new, $330 million gambling hall and that it’s spurred development of the nearby Mohawk Harbor residential community. The bad … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, history, Macau, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Tourism | 2 Comments