Maryland casino business continues to boom, up 5.5% last month. MGM National Harbor led the pack with $58 million. It will, however, be a source of dismay to ownership that play 
continues to trend toward highly taxed (60%) slots and away from low-tax table games. In July the split was $32 million/$26 million. Rival Maryland Live is even more reliant upon the one-armed bandits, $34 million/$14 million. Slot revenue was up 17% at National Harbor and tables jumped 13%, for an overall gain of 15%. Maryland Live was up only 2%, thanks to a 6% decline at the tables. National Harbor averaged $1.9 million per day, a boffo day by any measure and one MGM would love to achieve from any of its Las Vegas Strip casinos.
This prosperity is not rubbing off on Horseshoe Baltimore, falling 11% to $20.5 million. Hollywood Perryville slid 7% to $6 million while table games continue to power Continue reading
million of which was generated by Rivers Casino alone. Rivers was one of the few revenue-positive casinos, up a point. Gamblers spent 6% more statewide but that wasn’t enough in the face of a 9.5% plunge in foot traffic. Reporting positive results were Harrah’s Joliet ($15.5 million, +1.5%) and … 
chairman. Since D. Boone Wayson is stepping down as chairman of the board at year’s end there’s every reason to expect that Satre will succeed him, in keeping with Elaine Wynn‘s express wishes. Concurrent with this change of events, Ms. Wynn has entered into a multi-faceted agreement with the board that expires when Satre’s term as chairman does.
postal on a couple of his customers. 
brothers and a fourth dentist are accused of doing to an unnamed woman last weekend. Ali Badkoobehi is charged with singling the woman out at a nightclub and enticing her up to a Wynn hotel room, where the proceedings are said to have taken place. (A finding of rape was confirmed by a hospital examination. The foursome, all of whom boasted douchey designer stubble, to the detriment of their professional images, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit sexual assault, sexual assault and first-degree kidnapping.
that it’s 
luck was on their side last month and most jurisdictions reported revenue-positive results. Room rates in Las Vegas, however, dipped 1.5% to an average of $126, with revenue per available room of $115. The numbers would have been worse without the Infocomm and American Water Works Association conventions, which brought 58,000 attendees to Sin City. Even so, midweek occupancy was down 3% for a monthly average of 90.5%.
and truly awful.” Said the CEO, “I first want to express my sincere regret that we did not spend more time explaining what we were trying to accomplish.” I don’t know what’s so difficult to explain about having a plethora of lawsuits dismissed. Instead of taking this opportunity to enlarge upon MGM’s legal strategy, 
mean, according to Bloomberg, “MGM will be able to use official NBA and WNBA logos and trademarks, and have access to official NBA data streams to create products like in-game betting.” It’s not such a big leap when you consider that MGM already owns and hosts the former San Antonio Stars of the WNBA. “It was very important that we were able to establish through a commercial relationship that indeed we should be compensated for our intellectual property and our official data,” remarked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver of the $25 million deal.
million. The house won big at baccarat, shooting up 12% only 1% greater wagering. Non-baccarat table games posted a sensation 19.5% increase, on 9% larger betting. Slots were the dark lining of the silver cloud, down 4.5%, despite 4.5% higher coin-in. Luck just wasn’t with the house on that one. Since June ended on a Saturday, some last-minute slot revenue is lurking in the July earnings report.
footprint across the country,” said CEO Keith Smith about new Boyd Gaming sports books in Shreveport, Biloxi and Valley Forge. What 
Adelson modestly when casinos were voted in by the Diet. Over at MGM Resorts International, CEO Jim Murren played the social-responsibility card, speaking one sort of language Japanese politicians like to see. Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox also tried to sound culturally multilingual, saying Wynn “is known worldwide for a unique culture of customer-focused hospitality known as ‘omotenashi.’ [I say that often; don’t you?] This important Japanese tradition of creating a unique guest experience makes it clear to us that Japan will develop 
betting market in the United States. Now that more jurisdictions across the country have begun offering sports betting, there could be no better time to hear his insight on the evolving state of play and the overarching benefits from this new sector of the American gaming industry.” — American Gaming Association Executive Vice President Sara Slane on why Van Pelt will find himself 
specific purposes of opening a CASINO [Horrors! — Ed.] — in 2007, that recognition was achieved via Congressional and Department of Interior intervention — and ILLEGAL contributions to federal officials.” Already we have a problem, because the Department of Interior did not ‘intervene’: It was performing its function of arbitrating tribal-recognition matters. The ad goes on to mention to 2009 conviction of former Mashpee chief Glenn Marshall for making illegal campaign contributions. Since Marshall 
of taking aim at newly expanded Pechanga Resort & Casino, as well as Palm Springs-area rivals Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa and Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. Meanwhile, Pala Casino Resort & Spa is opting out of this escalating warfare, putting a $170 million, 349-room hotel on hold. This is not a battle meant for the faint of heart (or light of wallet). While Pala has revamped its existing, 500-room hotel, “We’ll revisit it in full after we see how the summer goes. So far, it’s been very, very busy,” said Vice President of Hotel Operations Hassan Abdel-Moneim.
picketing the clinic of Station Casinos board member and veterinarian Dr. James Nave. (One might call it a knavish move.) The Culinary not only had the audacity to make its vendetta against Station personal, it actually sent out a press release with photos of the labor action. Since my sainted Grandmother McKee was a secretary to Samuel Gompers, it’s a cold day in Hell when I denounce a labor union. The devil must be reaching for his muffler even as I type this.
lauding them during this week’s earnings call, with JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff characterizing their performance — along with that of New Mexico‘s Zia Park — as “solid” and Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli reporting that they “experienced property records as marketing refinements drove meaningful margin enhancements.” Back East, Penn is nailing down sites for its two satellite casinos in Pennsylvania, from which it expects to achieve an impressive 
and you may recall when we first purchased this building, we promised we would not just paint it and put a guitar on the wall. How do you think we did?” — Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen