Category Archives: WMS Industries

Illinois’ suicide pact; Donald Trump, freeloader

Posted on May 31, 2011 by David McKee

Whether you spent Memorial Day grilling some bratwurst or, like me, crawling around with Murphy’s Oil Soap and a cleaning cloth, we did no harm. That can’t be said for the Illinois House of Representatives, which opened a can of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Horseracing, IGT, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Taxes, The Strip, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

Burnt out at Marina Bay Sands; Winners in Atlantic City

Posted on January 28, 2011 by David McKee

Another day, another Las Vegas Sands executive falls by the wayside. In the case of Marina Bay Sands, it sounds like CEO Thomas Arasi has been burned out in what must have been a pretty intense 18 months at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, International, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

Upsizing Illinois

Posted on January 7, 2011 by David McKee

Or would “capsizing” be the right word? Late Thursday, Wells Fargo released a study of the effects on Illinois‘ casino market if a massive expansion backed by state Democrats goes through. They’re under the gun, since the whole issue gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 6 Comments

Election 2010: Around the horn

Posted on November 3, 2010 by David McKee

Let’s get to it, with some help from Wells Fargo gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli … Cordish Gaming won big in Maryland, where voters upheld an initiative to ratify the zoning of its Arundel Mills Mall casino project. Penn National Gaming, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, California, Cordish Co., Economy, Election, Harrah's, IGT, International, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

Singapore keeps on booming; Kudos to WMS, Golden Gaming

Posted on September 9, 2010 by David McKee

While it’s still a stretch that Sheldon Adelson is going to bank an annual $1 billion profit on Marina Bay Sands, as he predicts, he’s making money hand over fist there anyway. J.P. Morgan analysts say Marina Bay is on … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Golden Gaming, Marketing, Morgans Hotel Group, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Singapore keeps on booming; Kudos to WMS, Golden Gaming

Concord in Massachusetts; Mixed bag at Melco

Posted on July 30, 2010 by David McKee

It’s been leaked to the Boston Globe that a deal is at hand that would resolve the impasse currently holding casino-enabling legislation at bay. While still probably not to Gov. Deval Patrick‘s liking (he wants one racino, the compromise bill … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Bally Technologies, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, IGT, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Concord in Massachusetts; Mixed bag at Melco

Back from the North; Requiem for a President

Posted on June 25, 2010 by David McKee

My apologies to S&G readers for the prolonged silence whilst I was on vacation. It seems that wi-fi availability in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is even spottier than I feared (although it makes a good excuse to head down … Continue reading →

Posted in Detroit, Dining, Harrah's, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Back from the North; Requiem for a President

Chronicle of a Black foretold; River City looking good

Posted on March 2, 2010 by David McKee

Randy Black, that is. The CEO who ran the Mesquite market straight into the ground (with a sizable assist from the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission) and turned the former Si Redd’s Oasis into a slot route — … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Election, Harry Reid, IGT, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, TV, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 1 Comment

Aren’t we glad?

Posted on February 9, 2010 by David McKee

When given lemons, make lemonade. When hit with a throat infection, lay low and scrounge around for S&G fodder. So it is today — and I didn’t have to scrounge very far. While Las Vegas didn’t dodge too many bullets … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Carl Icahn, Dubai, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Indiana, James Packer, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

CityCenter Fever

Posted on December 1, 2009 by David McKee

For all the trepidation about $8.5 billion CityCenter and its prospects, today’s opening of Vdara has been enough to set “the Internets,” the blogosphere, the teevees and even traditional newspapers aflame with excitement. After all, who can resist the scrotum … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Bally Technologies, CityCenter, Current, Economy, IGT, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, TV, WMS Industries | Comments Off on CityCenter Fever

CityCenter dodges bullet

Posted on November 27, 2009 by David McKee

Morton Grove, IL. Lying low while Black Friday sweeps Chicagoland … You will remember that, when CityCenter teetered upon the brink of bankruptcy earlier this year, it was saved by a compromise that put the onus on MGM Mirage for … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Don Barden, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Indiana, International, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, WMS Industries | 4 Comments

Meet the new Cincinnati Kid

Posted on November 4, 2009 by David McKee

For our purposes, the main headline comes from Ohio, where Issue 3 passed amid heavy voter turnout — if not by the wide margin pollsters had forecast. (At least they didn’t screw the pooch like all those pollsters who had … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Current, Economy, Election, Horseracing, IGT, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, WMS Industries | 2 Comments

Optimism in Macao, euphoria at CityCenter

Posted on September 8, 2009 by David McKee

Relaxation of stringent visa restrictions from Guangdong Province came a full four months sooner than expected, starting Sept. 1. Now, residents will be able to visit Macao once a month instead of quarterly. While this has prompted J.P. Morgan to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, CityCenter, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Entertainment, IGT, Indiana, Kansas, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Optimism in Macao, euphoria at CityCenter

More Midwest notes

Posted on July 14, 2009 by David McKee

Continuing a trend of lower-than-projected returns across the Midwest, Iowa's riverboats were flat last month and racinos saw a 5% decline. All major operators lost ground but something is very wrong at Ameristar Casinos, whose Council Bluffs boat was way … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Detroit, Economy, IGT, Illinois, Iowa, MGM Mirage, WMS Industries | Comments Off on More Midwest notes

Loveman in denial

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Harrah’s Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman continues his media-availability tour. In today’s installment, he grants an audience to the Las Vegas Business Press and insists that not only is everything as right as rain at Harrah’s but that the LBO he … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Riviera, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Loveman in denial