Category Archives: TV

Atlantic City, Trump Resorts play for time

Posted on July 6, 2015 by David McKee

Atlantic City can breathe a little easier: It’s bought a year’s reprieve from a ballot question which would revoke its casino monopoly. Technically, it could still get done if the Legislature votes it through by August 30. But it has … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Election, Genting, International, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Trump Entertainment Resorts, TV | 1 Comment

This just in … Trump dumped

Posted on June 29, 2015 by David McKee

Our long television nightmare is over.

Posted in Donald Trump, TV | Comments Off on This just in … Trump dumped

Mixed news from Atlantic City; More silliness from Trump

Posted on June 17, 2015 by David McKee

Atlantic City continued its paradoxical ways last month. The market as a whole suffered another big decline, down 10%. However, for individual operators, May was mostly good, with a same-store gain of 4%. (To see the blended impact of Internet … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Mohegan Sun, Scientific Games, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 2, 2015 by David McKee

“I want to thank the people at Fox who years ago took a chance on a quirky, little animated show about a bumbling dad and his family — which I saw and then created ‘Family Guy,’ ” — Seth MacFarlane, … Continue reading →

Posted in TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Steve Wynn talks, we listen

Posted on May 5, 2015 by David McKee

Elaine Wynn finds herself underwriting a Steve Wynn colloquy with Jon Ralston. (We may have “the Adelson primary” but we also have “the Ralston primary.”) Bet she didn’t see that coming. As for Steve, he can be combative, God knows, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Macau, Steve Wynn, Taxes, TV | Comments Off on Steve Wynn talks, we listen

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 1, 2015 by David McKee

“If you were planning to see the Duck Dynasty inspiration, Duck Commander Musical at the Rio, you best get the lead out. I’m hearing it’s operating on a wing and a prayer. It opened two weeks ago.” — Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Entertainment, Harrah's, TV | 1 Comment

Elaine Wynn has left the building

Posted on April 24, 2015 by David McKee

Votes are still being audited but the bottom line from Wynn Resorts‘ board election is this: Elaine Wynn is out and the company’s two preferred candidates have been reelected. “The manner in which the existing board has handled the company’s third-largest … Continue reading →

Posted in Macau, Politics, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Disney dives into gambling; Death at M Resort

Posted on April 6, 2015 by David McKee

Gambling really is the all-American pastime now that Walt Disney Co. is buying a $250 million piece of for-money fantasy league DraftKings. The agreement commits Disney to buy $500 million in advertising time and imagery on a variety of ESPN … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Harrah's, M Resort, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

Lone Star illegality; Showboat hits shoals

Posted on April 1, 2015 by David McKee

Texas lacks the will to legalize casino gambling, yet it shrugs off a black-market version of it that is estimated to generate $1.9 billion a year. Under Texas law, you can own slot machines so long as their “payout” is … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Derek Stevens, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Regulation, Sports, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, TV, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

The Strip: February disappoints

Posted on March 31, 2015 by David McKee

Las Vegas Strip casino revenues fell 4% in February, in a month that was mildly positive on a statewide basis, up 1%. Blame baccarat: Play was down 22%, although players took the house to the cleaners, with casino win down … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cosmopolitan, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Lake Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Strip: February disappoints

Dr. Loveman’s voodoo; Reid hangs it up

Posted on March 30, 2015 by David McKee

Despite having wrought havoc upon Caesars Entertainment, Chairman Gary Loveman — looking alarmingly puffy and ill — manages to still find himself taken seriously as a talking head. He gave CNBC a dosage of his usual spin-doctoring. This includes one … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, Harry Reid, history, Japan, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Politics, TV, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Dr. Loveman’s voodoo; Reid hangs it up

The wrath of Icahn; Cautious progress in Indiana

Posted on March 19, 2015 by David McKee

Using the power of the blogosphere, Carl Icahn opened an extra-large can of whup-ass on Unite-Here Local 54 today. While he fleetingly alluded to the ineptitude of Trump Entertainment Resorts management (“The bottom line is that, even without making exorbitant … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Illinois, Indiana, Politics, Slot routes, Trump Entertainment Resorts, TV | Tagged | Comments Off on The wrath of Icahn; Cautious progress in Indiana

What’s Pinnacle worth?; Trump dump

Posted on March 18, 2015 by David McKee

J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff has been running the numbers on Gaming & Leisure Properties‘ hostile-takeover bid for Pinnacle Entertainment and concluded — no surprise — that the current offer won’t get the deal done, even if Pinnacle leadership will … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Donald Trump, GLPI, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Sands scores in Pennsylvania; More nonsense from Trump

Posted on January 19, 2015 by David McKee

Pennsylvania isn’t anywhere near done with building casinos but it is feeling market saturation. A $40 million decline in slot winnings pushed casinos to sub-2013 levels. The proliferation of casino product did not help. “When I came here six years ago, there were … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Donald Trump, Macau, Massachusetts, Michael Gaughan, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, TV | Comments Off on Sands scores in Pennsylvania; More nonsense from Trump

Dotty’s on the spot again; Ralston unplugged

Posted on December 2, 2014 by David McKee

When Station Casinos and Golden Gaming say “jump,” Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak asks, “How high?” At least that’s the case when it comes to Dotty’s, a 102-outlet chain of slot parlors that exist within a gray area of state … Continue reading →

Posted in Dotty's, Golden Gaming, Mississippi, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Dotty’s on the spot again; Ralston unplugged

Quack Pack attack

Posted on November 13, 2014 by David McKee

Since it’s the altar on which A&E recently sacrificed Longmire, I don’t have warm feelings about Duck Dynasty, although the network itself goes one better, depicting Phil Robertson and his clan as bizarre backwoods cretins. With a pedigree like that, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Entertainment, Harrah's, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Quack Pack attack

Friday Case Bets

Posted on October 31, 2014 by David McKee

America‘s second-largest casino market, Pennsylvania, has truly hit the jackpot, according to a new study by Oxford Economics. It addition to engendering 18,000 direct-employment jobs, casinos have generated economic impact of $6.2 billion and paid $2.4 billion in taxes, not to mention … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Economy, Harrah's, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Friday Case Bets

Freeman strikes again

Posted on October 28, 2014 by David McKee

Here’s the latest chapter in American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman‘s charm offensive: an election-season ad push targeting a few key markets. One can certainly understand why these spots are running in Boston, even Dover (where the horseracing industry wants … Continue reading →

Posted in Delaware, Geoff Freeman, Indiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, TV | Comments Off on Freeman strikes again

Showdown at Chukchansi; Turnover at Caesars

Posted on October 14, 2014 by David McKee

As though the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino didn’t have enough problems, it’s been closed following an armed confrontation on the casino floor. U.S. District Judge Lawrence O’Neill ordered the shutdown, seconded by the National Indian Gaming Commission, which deemed … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Election, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Showdown at Chukchansi; Turnover at Caesars

The next big thing

Posted on October 2, 2014 by David McKee
Posted in Bally Technologies, G2E, Technology, TV | 1 Comment