Palazzo is currently hosting the second coming of Baz: Star-Crossed Love, a song-and-dance mishmash of iconic moments from such Baz Luhrmann epics as Gatsby, Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet. (What, nothing from Australia? Awwwww.) There’s even a 
passing nod to his first — and still best — movie, Strictly Ballroom. The good news is that Baz plays better in the reconfigured Palazzo Showroom than it did when shoehorned into Light at Mandalay Bay. The bad news is that it’s afflicted with the same heartlessness and ADHD mania as the movies themselves. For Baz’s new iteration, the showroom has been reconfigured with a multi-pronged catwalk that goes into and around the audience. More’s the pity that it’s used without much imagination. An overworked trope has one star-crossed lover, far upstage, addressing another who’s way out in the center aisle. They’re then brought together, with a long, white sheet usually involved. Another much-abused device is to have scenes from two different stories playing out simultaneously. Don’t go in expecting a linear experience.
There are are one or two standout performances, especially from Continue reading
million). Resorts Digital — aka PokerStars — is still bringing up the rear, but it’s closing the gap, having raised its market share to 16.5% (Caesars Interactive has 18.5% and Borgata leads the market with 23%.) Luck magnified table and slot revenues at Borgata. Table play was 7% down and revenues dropped 12%. Slot handle rose 1% and casino winnings were up 4%. The megaresort grossed $56 million for a 1% decline.
to share players and liquidity. “Even when you discount children and non-gamblers, it gives us access to a market that is very familiar with online gaming. That number is one-fifth of the total U.S. population,” said Division of Gaming Enforcement Director David Rebuck. Online casino games would be foreseeable but sports betting is out of court. However, not all New Jersey i-casino operators — who include GVC and 888.com (the latter is the only operator in the Nevada/Delaware compact) — offer online poker and you’re registered with one of those platforms you’re SOL.
Investors in Rivers Casino have purchased a stake in lead operator Acel Entertainment Gaming, although Rivers owner Neil Bluhm (right) is a slot-route opponent. (Unlike his dad, Andrew Bluhm took a flyer into slot-route investment, although it apparently isn’t going so well for him.) The news comes after Penn National Gaming bought out Prairie State Gaming and another route operator, Gaming & Entertainment Management, was swooped up by Jumer’s Rock Island Casino. Traditional gaming houses “see another revenue source out there and see a way to hedge their bets on the future. If you have a regional casino and you feel video gaming is eating your lunch, then you have the ability to be a part of it,” said Illinois Gaming Machine Operators President Michael Gelatka.
court, seeking permission to tear the antique brewery down. Its odds of prevailing got consistently worse but it found a win-win solution to its problem, selling the Bavarian Brewery to Kenton County, which will use it as office space. “In regards to the physical structure of the old Bavarian Brewery itself, we will make every effort to incorporate it into the planning for the new county administration building. We’ll learn a lot more in the months to come, but I’m confident that the old tower at the Bavarian Brewery will remain an iconic structure in Covington and Kenton County for many, many years to come,” said County Judge Kris Knochelmann. The county will tear down parts of the buildin
voiced opposition to the project, which would be near Suffolk Downs (the ballot question is worded in such a way that no other site in the state would be eligible). Wannabe casino owner Eugene McCain has spent at least $6.5 million snapping up land near the racetrack. “I am making offers on many properties, but this is not something I can presently address as these are private discussions and contingent transactions,” McCain told the Boston Globe from his hideout in Thailand. McCain has good reason to keep a low profile, since his colleagues 
the ace up its sleeve, the company has had difficulty cashing in on its value — until now. Forget Viva, forget the mixed-use development Station recently previewed for Wall Street. No, the Wild Wild West site, which comes with 100 acres of overdue-for-redevelopment real estate is suddenly a prime contender for a stadium — as is a parking lot northwest of the Thomas & Mack Center (which still might be too close to McCarran International Airport for the FAA‘s comfort). The presumptive favorite site, Trop 42, next door to McCarran, 
in 2004, Trump-owned casinos prospered while the rest of the market weathered a month-long strike. In fact, a picket line hasn’t been seen in front of a Trump-branded property since the last century. Said cocktail waitress Valerie McMorris, “We always had a contract. He never took away our health care, our pension, our wage break. In that regard, I feel he always had our backs,” drawing a contrast between Trump and Icahn catspaw Bob Griffin. Her sentiments were seconded by server Bill Rampolla: “Every time a contract came up for renewal, he was the very first one to sign the deal.” “I didn’t have any problems,” threw in a former Trump employee. (Strike breakers at the Taj, incidentally, will include Flo Rida, in case you needed an excuse to boycott him.)
in “up yours, asshole”) brand, which produced a 5% uptick at misbegotten ThistleDown Racino ($9 million) but saw a 13% dive at Jack Cincinnati, which grossed ($14 million). Another property that was a big miscalculation, Pinnacle Entertainment‘s racino Belterra Park, was up 16%, registering $6 million. At other tracks, Eldorado Resorts‘ Scioto Downs was flat, notching $12 million, while Hard Rock Rocksino continued to lead the state with $18 million, up 7%. Miami Valley Gaming gained 8%, for an $11 million score, while Penn National Gaming properties were mostly ‘meh,’ although even in a flat month Hollywood Austintown ($8 million) generated a remarkable $273/slot/day. Hollywood Toledo ($16 million) fell 6%, Hollywood Dayton ($7 million) lost a percentage point but Hollywood Columbus pulled the chestnuts from the fire with a $17 million haul, up 3%. As for that “Jack” thing, why didn’t Gilbert just re-brand as, say, Douchebag Cleveland and have done with it?
writers to pull off.) If the WSJ had its way, Atlantic City 
The alleged motivation is to keep up with Steve Wynn and his Wynn Paradise Park adult playground, slated to open four years hence. We’d miss 
against the casino application of the St. Regis Mohawks. Not man enough to oppose the tribe openly, Trump hid behind the bogus front of the so-called New York Institute for Law & Society. Sounds very prestigious and academic, doesn’t it? It boasted 1,200 “pro-family” contributors but, except for a couple of $20 checks, only had one underwriter: Donald Trump.
roaches, stay at the Taj Mahal!” — Unite-Here Local 54 Organizing Director Benjamin Albert taunting customers — and citing Atlantic City Health Department 
casinos in general, 4.5% off the pace. There were some sort of bright spots. Slot coin-in on the Strip was down 8% but the machines held tight, their winnings only 2% weaker than last year’s. But table wagering not only plummeted 24%, the house played very unluckily, off 20%, a number even worsened when baccarat is excluded. There was 28% less baccarat play and 18% less win.
subcontractors who got stiffed while working on Trump Taj Mahal and 
a Las Vegas Sands-backed stadium, on Tropicana Avenue, is looking