Ho renews ‘Dancing Water’; Florida hits high-water mark

Succeeding where Cirque du Soleil failed, Melco Resorts & Entertainment has extended the contract of aquatic spectacle House of Dancing Water. The production show, which premiered in 2010, was originally set to run 10 years but will last for an as-yet-unspecified length of time into the next decade. Franco Dragone remains artistic director but Melco is taking over management of the show, which will probably enable some cost savings. By contrast, “Elēkrŏn,” a car-stunt show at Studio City will close next month after lasting barely half a year. The House of Magic, also at Studio City, was another dud. No wonder Lawrence Ho was so happy to ink a new pact with Dragone, saying, “I feel privileged that Melco Resorts has had the opportunity to work with Dragone’s talented team for the last decade and I believe we will continue to deliver even more exhilarating performances for years to come.”

* 2018 was a banner year for Florida‘s non-tribal casinos, which grossed $569 million, the most ever. And if you ever wonder why Sheldon Adelson gave up on Florida, political problems aside, that revenue number may harbor a clue. The revenue was, nonetheless, a 4% increase from 2017 and marked the ninth straight year of growth. $199 million flowed through to the state in the form of taxes. American Gaming Association boffin David Forman pinned the Sunshine State success on strong local and national economies, and on the federal tax cut. While there hasn’t been either the market strength or the political willpower to bring the gambling powerhouses into the state, Eldorado Resorts is teaming with Cordish Co. to upgrade Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park (whew!) into a “must-see mixed-use entertainment and hospitality destination.” There’s a vote of confidence.

* Dropping a brand that never had much “pull,” Rush Street Gaming is going to re-dub SugarHouse Casino as Rivers Casino Philadelphia this autumn. The SugarHouse online brand will be going away, too. Not much to say other than it’s a good idea.

* Hard Rock International is extending its reach clear across the continent, teaming with the Tejon Indian Tribe to build a $600 million casino near Bakersfield, chock full of amenities. Given Hard Rock’s track record of building better mousetraps, we expect to be successful for the Tejon.