Category Archives: Tropicana Entertainment

The perils of Pence; Court prods Caesars

Posted on April 30, 2015 by David McKee

Indiana‘s casinos are now officially at the mercy of Gov. Mike Pence (R). The Hoosier State’s General Assembly passed a compromise bill that has something for the casinos (transplanting to terra firma) and something for Pence, namely a five-year moratorium on … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Riviera, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Tomato cans KO S&G

Posted on April 29, 2015 by David McKee

As a growing anticipation of mob violence grips Las Vegas in advance of the “Pretty Boy Floyd” Mayweather/Manny Pacquiao fight, I’m at work on a feature about fight security. That’s taken me away from S&G duty but I’ll back soon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Penn National, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Trump blocks progress in Atlantic City; Legal trouble for Penn

Posted on April 15, 2015 by David McKee

Although they enjoyed a same-store increase of 1% last month, Atlantic City casinos pulled in 14% less than last year at this time, grossing $191 million (more than some entire Midwestern states, it should be noted). Twelve percent less coin-in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Nugget drives Louisiana; Sauce for the goose in Pennsylvania

Posted on March 19, 2015 by David McKee

Subtract the Golden Nugget Lake Charles from last month’s Louisiana gambling revenues and they’re absolutely flat with 2014. Two wannabe REITs went in opposite directions. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s aggregate Pelican State casinos were up 9% while Caesars Entertainment got hammered, down … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Caesars pensioners find sympathetic ear

Posted on March 13, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment‘s cutoff of payments to several dozen pensioners drew the attention of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, taking up the bulk of Wednesday’s hearing. NGCB Terry Johnson member told Caesars attorneys, “The pensioners are an important matter that should not … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Honeymoon over in Atlantic City; Resistance in Connecticut

Posted on March 13, 2015 by David McKee

All the gains Atlantic City casinos had been making from the downsizing of the market came to an abrupt end last month. Gambling revenues dove 16% and same-store revenues fell 2% (yes, even the Borgata‘s). Luck simply was not on … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Riviera, Scientific Games, Shuffle Master, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 1 Comment

Tilman Fertitta’s blockbuster

Posted on February 19, 2015 by David McKee

When looked on Ye Olde Same Store Basis, gaming revenues in Louisiana are good enough, up 4%. Add Tilman Fertitta‘s Golden Nugget Lake Charles to the mix and revs shoot up 17%. No, that’s not a typo. The Nugget is … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Downtown, Entertainment, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Whither Bally’s?; Boffo January for Atlantic City

Posted on February 12, 2015 by David McKee

From publicly mulling a Horseshoe rebranding to talk of a new hotel tower, Caesars Entertainment has never seemed to know quite what to do with Bally’s Las Vegas, white elephant of its parade of Strip casinos. The Las Vegas Weekly‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Could saturation have peaked?

Posted on February 10, 2015 by David McKee

It’s a banner day when casino revenues in Illinois grow 8.5%. It’s no illusion: In context, $115.5 million is a pretty good haul. A downward spiral in gas prices may already be showing up in slot hoppers and drop boxes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Foxwoods, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Atlantic City hangs in there; Mississippi mulls i-poker

Posted on January 15, 2015 by David McKee

When it comes to Atlantic City it literally is a question of whether the glass is half-empty or half-full. The city’s casinos are 48% off their 2006 high of $5.2 billion. In 2014, the decline was slowed somewhat by $123 … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Mississippi, Politics, Revel, Sports, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Boffo Christmas for Borgata; ColSux loses again

Posted on January 14, 2015 by David McKee

There wasn’t a lot of Christmas cheer to be had in Atlantic City, where citywide gambling revenues fell 13%. However, for the surviving operators, the take was up 7% on a “same-store” basis (i.e., discounting the casinos that have closed). … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Mohegan Sun, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Rendering unto Caesars’ debtors; Missouri bounces back

Posted on January 12, 2015 by David McKee

Before Caesars Entertainment could file for bankruptcy, second-tier bondholders struck first. They have filed with a U.S. bankruptcy court in Delaware, seeking to supersede Caesars’ prepackaged bankruptcy. At issue are the controversial transfer of highly valuable Caesars assets into subsidiary … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Delaware, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Icahn saves Taj, kinda sorta

Posted on December 18, 2014 by David McKee

Trump Taj Mahal‘s fate seesaws by the day, if not the hour. According to the New York Post, Unite-Here Local 54 “got pretty much what it wanted” from Carl Icahn and “all work rules” will be reinstated. Icahn did persuade Local … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Economy, Politics, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 3 Comments

Hope and change in Atlantic City

Posted on December 15, 2014 by David McKee

Not everybody is on board with Gov. Chris Christie‘s and state Senator Stephen Sweeney‘s plan for a new, fixed-rate payment system for Atlantic City casinos, in lieu of property taxes. Despite a floodtide of new revenue in recent months, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Revel, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Migratory patterns in Atlantic City

Posted on December 12, 2014 by David McKee

Considerably less casino revenue continues to flow into Atlantic City, down 13% last month, but it’s not all bad. Thanks to the whale-sized “market correction” of multiple casino closings, there continues to be more money for everybody who’s left. October’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Mohegan Sun, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Big month for Isle; Sentence handed down on Caesars gang

Posted on December 10, 2014 by David McKee

Whether it’s that one less weekend day than last year or holiday shopping or whatever, Missouri was down again in November after tantalizing us with a revenue-positive October. The statewide decrease was 4%, with table revenues holding steady but slot revenues pulling … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Harry Reid, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Indiana giveth, Ohio taketh away; Atlantic City fix finds wide support

Posted on December 9, 2014 by David McKee

Depending on whether or not you count free play as taxable revenue, Indiana was down 6% or 7% last month, with customers spending 3% more but visiting 9.5% less. Penn National Gaming‘s Hollywood Lawrenceburg took cross-border competition particularly hard, falling … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Harrah's, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Big Ease; The Mirage, 25 years later

Posted on November 20, 2014 by David McKee

Even with 19 non-tribal casinos and racinos to support, the Louisiana market continues to rebound. It was up 4% last month, with even 2% growth in the crowded Shreveport/Bossier City marketplace. El Dorado was the second-highest grosser and the percentage leader … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Downtown, GLPI, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Hope on the Boardwalk

Posted on November 13, 2014 by David McKee

Down four casinos and counting, Atlantic City suffered a 9% dip last month but a 14% gain on a same-store basis. A 13% fall in slot win and a 12% decline in coin-in seems to have driven the slippage: In … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, PokerStars, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Missouri miracle; Guarded hope in Illinois, Indiana

Posted on November 10, 2014 by David McKee

Finally, there was good news for saturated gaming markets. Missouri was up 2% last month, although the result was a bit lopsided. The St. Louis market rose 3% while the Kansas City area slipped 2%. The latter appears to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Majestic Star, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Slot routes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off