Category Archives: Tribal

Pennsylvania: Give Adelson a break; Harrah’s latest excuses

Posted on March 9, 2010 by David McKee

While principle dictates that Las Vegas Sands ought to be held to the terms of its agreement with the State of Pennsylvania, recent developments give one pause. Namely, why should Steve Wynn get favorable treatment enjoyed by no other casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Economy, George Maloof, Harrah's, Illinois, Louisiana, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

The good, the bad & the very ugly photo

Posted on March 2, 2010 by David McKee

For perhaps the first time in his career, Steve Wynn is being called “cheesy.” It’s in connection with his new Philadelphia casino project, the erstwhile Foxwoods. (If, has been mooted, it’s just called “S.W.“, that would be pretentious but not … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Economy, Harrah's, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Macao’s big ass-month

Posted on March 1, 2010 by David McKee

Casinos in Macao blew way past expectations, raking in $1.6 billion last month (a 70% increase). Stanley Ho‘s SJM widened its lead on Las Vegas Sands, although the latter had more market share (20%) than MGM Grand Macau and Galaxy … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Economy, Environment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao’s big ass-month

Case Bets: “Viva Elvis,” Loveman in Macao, Icahn in A.C., etc.

Posted on February 24, 2010 by David McKee

Viva Elvis vs. Love. The Sun‘s John Katsilometes pivots it to a question of “Whose music is better?” I’m not going there but I think he really nails why one show seemed right up Cirque du Soleil‘s alley while the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

This just in: Wynn goes to Philly

Posted on February 23, 2010 by David McKee

As of this moment (i.e., while I’m typing), Hunter Hillegas‘ blog has what neither the Las Vegas Sun nor the Las Vegas Review-Journal do: the breaking news that, yes indeed, Wynn Resorts is riding to the rescue of the hapless … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Case Bets: Boyd speaks, Kansas stalls & problem gamblers get the shaft

Posted on February 23, 2010 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith weighs in on the subject of emerging markets. Significant by its omission: Florida. Boyd got its fingers burnt down there and knows better than some in the industry that it’s not the Land of Opportunity … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Detroit, Economy, Florida, Kansas, Lyle Berman, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, Tribal | Comments Off on Case Bets: Boyd speaks, Kansas stalls & problem gamblers get the shaft

Case Bets: Wynn in Philly, topless in Vegas, Pegasus crashes

Posted on February 22, 2010 by David McKee

It’s a slow news day in the industry, though not without its amusing elements. For instance, the Philadelphia Inquirer devoted a significant amount of ink to the weighty question of whether half-dozen casinos in the greater Philly area might be … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Sands in Singapore, casinos in Hawaii, Foxwoods’ prophecy

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

What a turnaround: Las Vegas Sands has finally ‘fessed up that India will be a top feeder market for Marina Bay Sands (left). There’s no shame in that — it simply gives S&G the opportunity to remind Sands that we … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Genting, International, Labor, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, Tribal | 3 Comments

Aqueduct: Penn got hosed

Posted on February 12, 2010 by David McKee

Despite its runaway hyperbole, this Empire State editorial makes a good point: The Aqueduct racino deal smells like a week-old fish and ought to be investigated. (It isn’t — but it should be.) Since all bids involved multiple players, sorting … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Downtown, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sahara, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 10, 2010 by David McKee

“If there was this kind of trepidation in Las Vegas, there’d be no Las Vegas.” — a reader’s reaction to the one-step-forward/two-steps-backward dysfunction that is ongoing in Kansas. Then again, it could soon be moot.

Posted in Kansas, Lyle Berman, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Pawlenty, in real time

Posted on February 4, 2010 by David McKee

As you may have already read, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) is coming to Venelazzo to dole out some markers to the local GOP that he could call in for a 2012 presidential run (native son John Ensign having obligingly … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Internet gambling, Labor, Minnesota, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Happy ending for “Aztar”

Posted on January 15, 2010 by David McKee

Here’s a feel-good story to help ring out the week. The Indiana Gaming Commission has approved Tropicana Entertainment as a suitable owner-operator for the Casino Aztar riverboat, berthed in Evansville. There are a number of contingencies, primarily the plunking down … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, Labor, Louisiana, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

From the S&G Twitter feed …

Posted on January 14, 2010 by David McKee

• Fertittas sell 10% of UFC to Abu Dhabi, new LV sugar daddy, presumably to stave off [Boyd Gaming] takeover of [Station Casinos]. http://tinyurl.com/yzhbmv2 • [Penn National Gaming] gets deadline extension in [Kansas]. http://tinyurl.com/yawfuqk • Aria room rates continue to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Florida, International, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 5 Comments

California, by the numbers

Posted on January 12, 2010 by David McKee

Capitol Weekly breaks down the vital statistics of California’s tribal-casino industry, in case you were curious. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) needn’t worry about additional slot capacity causing traffic jams and more crime: Golden State tribal casinos are mired in a … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, Politics, Tribal | 2 Comments

Big payoff for Pennsylvania

Posted on January 12, 2010 by David McKee

Gov. Ed Rendell (D) and other state leaders have got to be feeling the love for the Keystone State‘s budding casino industry, which generated over $1 billion in tax revenue last year. That boffo return was achieved without table games … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, Indiana, Kentucky, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 2 Comments

Sheldon the Barbarian & other news

Posted on January 11, 2010 by David McKee

Amid reports of vastly improved attendance at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show comes news of a typical overreaction by Las Vegas Sands. I know of one company that was doing off-site demos and fortunately wasn’t among the vendors turfed out … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Colorado, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Indiana, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

It could be worse … couldn’t it?

Posted on January 8, 2010 by David McKee

That’s what passes for optimism these days when confronted by ledgers like those posted by casinos in Illinois and Indiana for December. While the former’s 5% decline hardly looks like cause for celebration, it at least suggests the Land of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

2.5 Cheers for Harrah’s

Posted on January 8, 2010 by David McKee

As erratically as it has been run since the departure of Phil Satre, they still get some things right at Harrah’s Entertainment … and not in the sense that a stopped watch is correct twice a day. For instance, Harrah’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Planet Hollywood, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 5 Comments

Case Bets: Mohegan Sun, Alabama, Weidner, Dubai & a big bet on MGM Mirage

Posted on January 4, 2010 by David McKee

Could default or bankruptcy be in the offing for Mohegan Sun? The tribal supercasino’s attempts to get out from under an onerous fee arrangement with Sol Kerzner and Len Wolman are not only facing heavy weather, Mohegan Sun is also … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Carl Icahn, Charity, CityCenter, Current, Dubai, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Casino Jack, Harrah’s, Trump, Recovery?

Posted on December 30, 2009 by David McKee

It’s another sad chapter, in the tattered and disgraceful saga of Sun Cruz Casinos. As you recall, this now-idled cruises-to-nowhere fleet was briefly owned by Jack Abramoff, by dint of a tiny bit of fraud. That’s one of the many … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Station Casinos, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Case Bets: Casino Jack, Harrah’s, Trump, Recovery?