Category Archives: Westgate LV

How Conor McGregor is like Donald Trump & other news

Posted on August 23, 2017 by David McKee

Not since the election of Donald Trump have oddsmakers been poised to take such a shellacking as at this weekend’s showdown between tomato cans Floyd Mayweather Jr. and boxing debutante Conor McGregor. Despite Mayweather’s proven track record, sports books have … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, George Maloof, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, New York, PokerStars, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Okada in the cross-hairs; Oregon poker rooms (sorta) saved

Posted on June 22, 2017 by David McKee

Could it be? Dare we hope? Gamey gaming mogul Kazuo Okada is in danger of losing his Nevada license. (Steve Wynn is quietly celebrating somewhere.) Already he’s been suspended by his own company, Universal Entertainment Corp., and his dreams of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Greenwood Racing, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Japan, Kazuo Okada, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, Texas, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Raiders prompt magical thinking; Next stop: Yankton?

Posted on March 29, 2017 by David McKee

Boxing promoter Bob Arum has drunk deeply of the NFL-in-Vegas Kool-Aid, telling the Wall Street Journal, “Say [the Raiders] play the Giants. It’s going to bring 20,000 people coming from New York to watch the game, clutching fistfuls of money … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Florida, Japan, Law enforcement, Macau, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, South Dakota, Sports, Technology, Tourism, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Freeman attacks Yucca Mountain; Brawl in Connecticut

Posted on March 20, 2017 by David McKee

Back when Frank Fahrenkopf was its president, the American Gaming Association was little seen or heard, as Fahrenkopf played a flawless defensive game behind the scenes. Washington, D.C., never laid a glove on Big Gaming (although eugenicist and sometime Congressman Steve … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, Harry Reid, history, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Politics, Problem gambling, South Korea, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Westgate LV | Tagged Winnie the Pooh | Comments Off

Paris goes dark; A Bennett returns

Posted on November 4, 2016 by David McKee

In the first major Strip power outage in 12 years — the last was at Bellagio in 2004 — players at Paris-Las Vegas saw the entire casino resort go dark before their very eyes. Not even the auxiliary power kicked … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, Hooters, International, Lake Tahoe, Paragon Gaming, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Westgate LV | Comments Off

New player in Moulin Rouge saga; Jersey casino backers try to save face

Posted on October 14, 2016 by David McKee

There’s another entrant in the perpetual sweepstakes to redevelop the Moulin Rouge site. This time it’s British firm Psi Key Entertainment. It is proposing a 1,288-room hotel for the acreage. However, Psi Key’s redevelopment plans have to be taken with … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dining, Downtown, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Hooters, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Moulin Rouge, Palms, Politics, Station Casinos, The Strip, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Caesars dips toe in skill-based slots; MGM National Harbor snares Dylan

Posted on September 12, 2016 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment is going on the road, as it were, to test-drive its first foray into skill-based slots. It’s going to install six Gamblit Gaming slot carousels at Harrah’s Rincon, with 36 slated for Las Vegas deployment next year. The … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colorado, Cordish Co., Downtown, Environment, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Hooters, IGT, Internet gambling, Kansas, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, South Dakota, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV, West Virginia, Westgate LV, Wisconsin | 2 Comments

Icahn intransigent at Taj; Olympic betting a flop; Relief for Caesars

Posted on August 30, 2016 by David McKee

For someone who claims he’s trying to save Trump Taj Mahal, owner Carl Icahn sure acts like he’s hellbent on closing it. A counteroffer from striking Unite-Here that would cost the casino only $1.3 million a year to preserve health … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Harrah's, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

Big month for Atlantic City; Wanna be president?

Posted on August 12, 2016 by David McKee

Casino gambling revenue in Atlantic City was up 5%, to $258 million, last month and Internet gaming revenues pole-vaulted 39%, exceeding $17 million. Higher coin-in at the slots translated into a 3% growth in one-armed banditry while a 7% increase … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Election, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Unite-Here, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Strip still catching up; Nevada taking bets on the Olympics

Posted on July 21, 2016 by David McKee

While gaming companies on the Las Vegas Strip are fairly sanguine about 2016, a new report by Alex Bumazhny of Fitch Ratings takes a somewhat gloomier view. For one, he notes that revenue per available room “growth during the recovery … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Dining, Economy, Election, Geoff Freeman, Macau, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sports, The Strip, Westgate LV | 2 Comments

NHL makes it official; Isle opens new casino

Posted on June 23, 2016 by David McKee

Fortunately, it looks like we won’t have to worry about our NHL-franchise-to-be playing under a cliched name like “Las Vegas Gamblers.” Says majority owner Bill Foley, speaking of the league, “They’d prefer we don’t go in that direction.” Also, Foley seems … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Maryland, MGM Mirage, New York, Rhode Island, Sports, The Mob, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 2, 2016 by David McKee

“It used to be, when we talked about a pro team coming to Las Vegas, gambling was the No. 1 issue. Now it’s on the backburner.” — Westgate Las Vegas Sportsbook Director Jay Kornegay on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell‘s softening of … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Vegas philanderer meets grisly fate; Hot water for Westgate

Posted on March 21, 2016 by David McKee

Phillip Frank Panzica should have wiped that grin off his face. After being caught in Las Vegas performing public sexual acts on the Vegas High Roller, he pled out to a misdemeanor charge and had scarcely returned to Texas before … Continue reading →

Posted in Law enforcement, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, Texas, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Boston: Has Wynn finally won?; Massachusetts mulls i-poker

Posted on December 15, 2015 by David McKee

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh seems to have finally put his grandstanding aside and is making conciliatory noises about Wynn Resorts. Has the smackdown of his lawsuit against the Massachusetts Gaming Commission finally brought Walsh to his senses? Or is this … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Donald Trump, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Transportation, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Straub has new plan for Revel; Station cans Cactus Lane casino

Posted on November 4, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub can’t even heat Revel but he’s got his sights on becoming Atlantic City‘s biggest slumlord. The ever-unpredictable billionaire’s latest plan for the megaresort is to use it to house Syrian refugees. However, this homeless-hostel offer is good for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, Michael Gaughan, Regulation, Reno, Revel, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Lucky Horseshoe for Maryland; Old McDonald had a casino

Posted on August 6, 2015 by David McKee

What would have been a revenue-negative July for Maryland casinos turned into their biggest month ever, thanks to Horseshoe Baltimore. Gaming revenue rose more $23 million, with all that and more coming from the Caesars Entertainment property. While the casino is … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Cretins, Harrah's, Maryland, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, The Strip, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

New life for the Trop?; Paragon’s latest trophy

Posted on May 14, 2015 by David McKee

David G. Schwartz muses on the brave, new world at the Tropicana Las Vegas — soon with 100% more Penn National Gaming. He assesses it as a win for both parties. Penn gets a foothold at a strategic crossroads on … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Baseball, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, history, M Resort, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Transportation, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Crystals for sale again; Hit-and-run Sheldon

Posted on May 5, 2015 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International isn’t hurting for cash, having just posted a $170 million profit for 1Q15, far outstripping analysts’ projections (and despite an 11% falloff due to Macao). However, its Crystals shopping mall is back on the market, carrying a $1 … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Sports, The Strip, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Paradox at Revel; Further delay in Massachusetts

Posted on March 17, 2015 by David McKee

Florida developer Glenn Straub remains thwarted in his attempts to purchase Revel. His primary obstacle is Judge Gloria Burns, who seems bent upon charting a course for Chapter 7 liquidation. Although, out of 20 bids, Straub’s is the only one … Continue reading →

Posted in Foxwoods, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, Ohio, Regulation, Revel, Station Casinos, Westgate LV | Comments Off

The torments of Glenn Straub; Icahn wins another round

Posted on March 13, 2015 by David McKee

“I keep waiting for the elevator doors to open and somebody to walk out carrying bags of money. We keep hearing about people with money wanting to make bids. I haven’t seen them yet.” So said Glenn Straub, who continues to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cantor Gaming, Carl Icahn, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Horseracing, Idaho, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New Hampshire, Politics, Revel, Sports, Technology, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street, Westgate LV | 2 Comments