Category Archives: Unite-Here

Election special: New Jersey, New York, Oregon

Posted on August 9, 2016 by David McKee

An MGM Resorts International executive with whom I spoke yesterday told me the New Jersey casino ballot initiative is trailing badly in the polls. We hope he’s right, especially as news of the closure of Trump Taj Mahal (and Glenn … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Charity, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Hooters, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Oregon, Politics, Revel, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Election special: New Jersey, New York, Oregon

Murren minces few words; Wynn Boston Harbor sets opening date

Posted on August 5, 2016 by David McKee

Commiting truth isn’t as rare in the casino business as in politics but MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren was startlingly candid in yesterday’s earnings call, crediting a surge in Las Vegas summer business to a Zika virus outbreak in Florida, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Entertainment, Florida, Foxwoods, International, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Riviera, Singapore, South Korea, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here, Wall Street | Comments Off on Murren minces few words; Wynn Boston Harbor sets opening date

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 5, 2016 by David McKee

“This titan of Wall Street is utterly incapable of making a decision unless it is mean-spirited and benefiting him alone. The great deal-maker would rather burn the Trump Taj Mahal down just so he can control the ashes. In the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Trump Taj: Everybody loses; Mixed bag for Boyd

Posted on August 4, 2016 by David McKee

Labor Day weekend will be the final hurrah for Trump Taj Mahal. Owner Carl Icahn has expressed his intent to close the struggling casino rather than continue to negotiate with striking Unite-Here Local 54. ““I would never have thought Carl … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Trump Taj: Everybody loses; Mixed bag for Boyd

Pinnacle dominates Louisiana; Trump settles Vegas case

Posted on July 22, 2016 by David McKee

Pulled under by the Shreveport/Bossier City market (-6%), June gaming numbers in Louisiana came in 3% off last year’s. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s Boomtown Bossier ($5 million) far outperformed the competition, up 11%. Hardest hit were the Caesars Entertainment properties, with usually reliable … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, GLPI, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Palms, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Pinnacle dominates Louisiana; Trump settles Vegas case

Big win for Wynn; Entertainer gets shrunken head

Posted on July 20, 2016 by David McKee

It’s never too late to count out litigious Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone but it looks like Wynn Boston Harbor may finally be inevitable. The casino project received a development permit from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Sore losers Mohegan … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Iowa, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Big win for Wynn; Entertainer gets shrunken head

Acrimony grows at Taj; Racism in Nebraska election race

Posted on July 14, 2016 by David McKee

As protests against Carl Icahn spilled over into New York City, his casino CEO, Anthony Rodio, sent ominously mixed signals about the future of Trump Taj Mahal. On the one hand, he offered a partial restoration of health benefits and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Macau, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Nebraska, Racinos, Regulation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Acrimony grows at Taj; Racism in Nebraska election race

Icahn leaves Taj workers nostalgic for Trump; Megaresort proposed for NYC

Posted on July 7, 2016 by David McKee

You can measure the acrimony between Unite-Here Local 54 and Tropicana Entertainment by the fact that striking workers at Trump Taj Mahal are using Donald Trump as a stick with which to beat Carl Icahn. By astutely negotiating a pact … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Carl Icahn, Charity, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, Genting, Georgia, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York, Regulation, Revel, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Icahn leaves Taj workers nostalgic for Trump; Megaresort proposed for NYC

Battling along the Boardwalk; Supreme Court gives tribes the brush-off

Posted on July 5, 2016 by David McKee

While the previous record for an Atlantic City casino strike is 34 days, the showdown at Trump Taj Mahal looks like it will go the distance. Neither Local 54 of Unite-Here nor Carl Icahn shows any signs of backing down … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Glenn Straub, Golden Gaming, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Slot routes, Taxes, Tribal, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 5, 2016 by David McKee

“Hundreds of dead mice were found in the kitchen of this building! If you like mice and roaches, stay at the Taj Mahal!” — Unite-Here Local 54 Organizing Director Benjamin Albert taunting customers — and citing Atlantic City Health Department statistics … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Environment, Mohegan Sun, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | 2 Comments

Strike at the Taj; Macao half-full or half-empty?

Posted on July 1, 2016 by David McKee

While Tropicana Entertainment managed to stave off at the very last minute a strike at its eponymous Atlantic City casino, Trump Taj Mahal was not so fortunate. In a 99% predictable outcome, roughly 1,000 Taj workers walked off their jobs … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Economy, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, Philippines, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Donald Trump, stiff; Partial labor peace in Atlantic City

Posted on June 30, 2016 by David McKee

One of the benefits of Donald Trump‘s current ubiquity is that it has belatedly spurred the press into debunking the myth that he was a successful casino operator in Atlantic City. A particularly damning Associated Press story connects the dots … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Galaxy Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Donald Trump, stiff; Partial labor peace in Atlantic City

Can Atlantic City withstand a strike?; Cosmo gets a complete makeover

Posted on June 27, 2016 by David McKee

While Atlantic City waits to see how long it takes Glenn Straub to get Revel reopened (we’re now at D-Day Plus Twelve and counting), Local 54 of Unite-Here is girding itself for a strike. It’s amassed a war chest and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, The Strip, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Can Atlantic City withstand a strike?; Cosmo gets a complete makeover

Little relief for Caesars; Atlantic City braces for labor strife

Posted on June 17, 2016 by David McKee

It’s out of the frying pan and straight into the fire for Caesars Entertainment. Federal bankruptcy court has put a temporary halt on litigation against the casino giant, giving it until Aug. 29 to cut a new deal with bondholders. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Eldorado Resorts, Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Slot routes, Sports, Taxes, The Mob, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Little relief for Caesars; Atlantic City braces for labor strife

Straub forges ahead; Caesars bankruptcy stymied

Posted on June 8, 2016 by David McKee

Glenn Straub still doesn’t have a new name for Revel but that’s not stopping him from reopening the casino — and on schedule, too. He expects to have 40% of the casino floor operational within a week. Straub will reopen … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dining, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Revel, The Strip, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Straub forges ahead; Caesars bankruptcy stymied

Raiders to Vegas? Don’t bet against it

Posted on June 2, 2016 by David McKee

The boulder that is Mark Davis‘ and Sheldon Adelson‘s attempt to move the [your city here] Raiders to Las Vegas is gaining momentum as it rumbles downhill. The growing support among NFL owners is not unconditional. Sin City would be one … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, history, LVCVA, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Oklahoma, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here, Wall Street | Comments Off on Raiders to Vegas? Don’t bet against it

New era at Trump Taj Mahal; Blasphemous gambling promo spanked

Posted on May 24, 2016 by David McKee

He’s been handed a small budget ($15 million) for the task at hand, but new Trump Taj Mahal boss Anthony Rodio has been charged with undoing the damage inflicted on the property during the Bob Griffin era. This includes “reactivating … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Dining, history, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, Technology, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

Wynn thinks even bigger; Showdown looming in Atlantic City

Posted on May 9, 2016 by David McKee

Perhaps to provide a diversion from a flat first quarter, Steve Wynn has been tinkering with the plans for Wynn Paradise Park, making them more grandiose. That modest little island in the middle of the lagoon has swelled into an … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Economy, Genting, James Packer, SLS Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

Strip disappoints in March; Genting pulls out of Macao

Posted on April 28, 2016 by David McKee

Just when Wall Street expected levels of revenue on the Las Vegas Strip to rise in March, business did a head-fake and dropped 4%. Again, “the Easter shift” is being blamed but stock analysts should have seen that coming. (A … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Genting, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Macau, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Reno, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, Wall Street | Comments Off on Strip disappoints in March; Genting pulls out of Macao

Showdown on the Boardwalk; Lies, damned lies and poll numbers

Posted on March 24, 2016 by David McKee

It’s war to the knife and knife to the hilt between Carl Icahn and Unite-Here Local 54 President Robert McDevitt over the labor situation at Trump Taj Mahal. (For the record, Donald Trump is now affiliated with the casino in … Continue reading →

Posted in ACEP, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Election, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Laughlin, LVCVA, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Showdown on the Boardwalk; Lies, damned lies and poll numbers