Churchill Downs, Eldorado power Illinois; Atlantic City upgraded

Santa Claus was generous to Illinois casinos. Despite ever-increasing competition and an unfavorable calendar (one less weekend day) their receipts rose 5.5% last month. The gross was $124 million, with most of that ($94 million) coming from the state’s northern tier. Last year December was flat, despite nine weekend days, which makes this year’s performance even more impressive. Driving the increase among the northerly casinos were Rivers Casino Des Plaines and Grand Victoria in Elgin. At the former, Churchill Downs saw a 17.5% revenue spike to a market-leading $45 million. The latter, Eldorado Resorts-owned riverboat grew 10% to $14 million.

Those made up for a lot of unimpressive performances elsewhere. Empress Joliet slid 7% to $9.5 million, Hollywood Aurora was off 3% to $10 million and Harrah’s Joliet was down 2.5% to $15 million (still better than Grand Victoria). Mid-state, Par-A-Dice slipped 3% to $6 million, Jumer’s Casino Rock Island fell 7% to $5.5 million but Harrah’s Metropolis, way down in the south, was up 2.5% to $6.5 million. The St. Louis market fared moderately, with Argosy Belle falling 7% to $4 million but Casino Queen jumping 10% to $8.5 million. Guess the barbed wire can’t keep the gamblers away.

* Ohio casinos also bucked the unfavorable-calendar math, albeit less impressively. They were up 2% last month for a gross of $169 million. Casinos were down 2.5% but racinos more than compensated, up 6%. Only Hard Rock Cincinnati was particularly revenue-negative, down 8% on an $18 million gross. All other casinos were flat: Hollywood Columbus ($19.5 million), Hollywood Toledo ($18 million) and Jack Cleveland ($19 million). Leading the racinos in revenue was Jack Thistledown, up 12% to $12 million, while the top grosser was MGM Northfield Park, banking $22 million (+2%).

All racinos were revenue-positive. The smallest increase was Scioto Downs‘ 1% ($16 million), while Boyd Gaming‘s Belterra Park grew 9.5% to $8 million, Miami Valley Gaming leapt 8.5% to $16 million, Hollywood Dayton was up 7% to $10 million and Hollywood Mahoning Valley was also up 7% to $11 million. Given the success of Hard Rock, especially in the Buckeye State, its initial struggle in Cincy is hard to explain, although the surge of “historical racing” in Kentucky may have a little something to do with it.

* Spectacle Entertainment hasn’t been licensed for a Hard Rock-branded casino in Terre Haute yet but it’s feeling sufficiently confident to release renderings of the project:

* Then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie‘s 2016 state takeover of Atlantic City has been vindicated. Moody’s Investors Service raised the city’s credit rating two notches and attributed it to Trenton‘s oversight. Now so long as the casino industry doesn’t undergo another contraction …