Wynn gets one step closer; Those insidious resort fees

Posted on September 1, 2015 by David McKee

“At moments like this, there is certainly a feeling of gratification and forward movement. It lifts our spirits and energizes us.” Thus spake Steve Wynn after Wynn Everett cleared another hurdle on its way Massachusetts Gamblingto completion. A 27-page memo from Massachusetts Energy & Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton found Wynn’s traffic plans to be in compliance with codified state environmental policy — meaning Wynn’s done all he can to mitigate the effect of his eponymous resort on traffic in the Everett area. Wynn’s allies at this point also include Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Macau, Massachusetts, New York, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 1, 2015 by David McKee

“We believe replacement activity will continue to plod along at trough levels and we see a more muted expansion pipeline in the US.” — Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli, in the course of upgrading Scientific Games from “sell” to “hold.”

Posted in Economy, Scientific Games, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

The Strip is all right

Posted on August 28, 2015 by David McKee

A 2% decline in July revenues on the Strip may not seem like good news but the casinos were competing against the anniversary of a very Baccaratgood month for baccarat last year. By comparison, this July saw players drop 35% less money onto the felt, although the house was relatively lucky, its winnings only 21% down. Looking ahead, J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff wrote, “we expect the market to continue to experience volatility in baccarat play given a likely slowdown in Chinese players.”

A slight uptick in coin-in plus tighter holds combined for a 9% increase in slot winnings. Players were luckier at Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Hard Rock International, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Marketing, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Seminole Tribe, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Strip is all right

SLS: Sinking less slowly

Posted on August 27, 2015 by David McKee

Judging by the looks of this going-out-of-business sale at SLS Las SLSVegas (and the exorcism of the Fred Segal name from the Web site), more rats are scurrying off Sam Nazarian‘s sinking ship. It makes me sorry my wife and I turned down a free-stay package this weekend (too busy): It may be our last chance to experience SLS before it’s gone.

Posted in Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip | Comments Off on SLS: Sinking less slowly

Maryland to players: Drop dead

Posted on August 27, 2015 by David McKee

If you suddenly find that you’re in a Free State casino and your gambling budget doesn’t go as far as it once did, you can thank the Maryland Lottery & Gaming Control Commission. It’s prepared to Great_Seal_of_Maryland_reversevote on a staff-recommended change that slot holds in the state be lowered from the 90%-95% range to 87%-95%. In a slight concession to players, holds are not being tightened to the 85% sought by casinos. Now I understand that casinos in Maryland are taxed to within an inch of their lives, but they’re big boys. They didn’t go into the state with their eyes shut. They knew the tax rate was (initially) 65% and they fought hard — and in the case of Penn National Gaming, dirty — to get a foothold just the same. They even got a tax break during the last election and they still want to sweat the percentages. It all adds up to a big “screw you” for the consumer.

Both the state and the industry are offering the rationalization that competition will Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Environment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, South Dakota, Tribal, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Atlantic City profits grow; Good and bad news for Caesars

Posted on August 26, 2015 by David McKee

Second-quarter operating profits in Atlantic City were up everywhere except for — you guessed it — Trump Taj Mahal. The Golden Nugget ACTaj swung from a $2 million profit in 2Q14 to a $900,000 loss, another testament to CEO Bob Griffin‘s inspiring leadership. Despite the drag exerted by the Taj, cash flow was up 28% in the market. The increased profitability is actually greater if defunct turkeys like Revel, the Atlantic Club, Trump Plaza and the martyred Showboat are added to the year/year splits. The Golden Nugget‘s ability to draw in refugee players from the closed casinos was reflected in a 902% increase (that’s not a typo) in profitability, nearly $8 million.

Resorts Atlantic City also continues to climb the ladder, up Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Genting, Georgia, Harrah's, history, International, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City profits grow; Good and bad news for Caesars

Caesars, O’Malley flunk key tests

Posted on August 26, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment got caught with its pants down by Howard Stutz, who wrote that the company “committed public
Loveman speaksrelations suicide” by lavishing a $200,000 bonus on General Counsel Tim Donovan. This is the same Caesars that is trying to stiff its junior creditors and the same Tim Donovan who — as Stutz pointed out — defended the company’s denial of pensions to 63 former employees. Moneybags Donovan isn’t exactly a Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Election, Entertainment, G2E, Harrah's, Maryland, Mohegan Sun, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

New Jersey loses again; From Russia with casinos

Posted on August 26, 2015 by David McKee


New Jersey‘s quest for sports betting came to a bitter, penultimate roadblock before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which deemed the Garden State’s repeal of its sports-betting ban to be a violation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The ruling was basically a rerun of prior Third Circuit edicts, with judges Maryanne Trump Barry and Marjorie Rendell frowning upon New Jersey’s law and Judge Julio Fuentes the lone voice of sanity, saying  Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, International, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Politics, South Korea, Taxes | Comments Off on New Jersey loses again; From Russia with casinos

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 26, 2015 by David McKee

“Indian gaming, unfortunately, is the 800-pound gorilla in every room, in every discussion, on every Indian policy, including recognition. Mostly recognition.” — lobbyist Arlinda Locklear, on how tribal policymaking in Washington, D.C., is complicated by politicians and interest groups who have the heebie-jeebies about gambling.

Posted in Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Back from vacation

Posted on August 26, 2015 by David McKee

My wife and I have just returned from four days’ vacation in Kanab, Utah. We spent our time there volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where we washed dishes, folded laundry, picked up poop, fed the inhabitants and socialized with Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, MGM Mirage, Pets, The Strip | 2 Comments

Caesars’ pound of flesh; SLS plays the Red Bull card

Posted on August 21, 2015 by David McKee

Banks and other lending institutions aren’t going to simply forebear while Caesars Entertainment ownership absconds with all the assets. No, they want equity if they’re going to forgive debt and drop caesarscasino_1lawsuits. And if those lawsuits drag the parent company into Chapter 11, so be it. Caesars’ attitude toward creditors has been at times disdainful, with advisor James E. Millstein telling a lawyer, “You’re deluding yourselves in thinking you’re getting that money anytime soon.” Millstein added that Caesars could lose whatever creditor support it has if litigation over potentially fraudulent asset transfers is permitted to go forward. (And, let’s face it, when Total Rewards is “sold” for $0.00, there’s something fishy happening.)

According to the Wall Street Journal, “a bondholder committee proposed a restructuring plan under which Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, SLS Las Vegas, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars’ pound of flesh; SLS plays the Red Bull card

The Penn National effect strikes again

Posted on August 21, 2015 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming is “making it rain” in Plainview, where it has spent $1.5 million with local vendors since opening. The Plainridge5workforce at Plainridge Park has gone from 100 to 533, with a $14 million payroll. And the state has already collected $10 million in taxes. This would seem like success beyond Deval Patrick‘s wildest dreams but now the dreaded Penn National Effect kicks in, management having engaged in its habitual exaggeration of projected revenue, forecast at $248 million but likelier to come in around $220 million. (See also Baltimore, Horseshoe.)

Area vendors have nothing but good things to say about Plainridge, while Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tourism | Comments Off on The Penn National effect strikes again

Those tight slots; A birthday for Horseshoe

Posted on August 20, 2015 by David McKee

When one reads that casino revenues were up in, say, Indiana, despite lower foot traffic, you’ve got to wonder how its done. Applied Analysis has the answer: Slot holds are at “all-time highs,” meaning that some of the economic recovery we’ve been seeing is artificially Parx slotsgenerated. The study was commissioned by the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, who are to be commended for essentially blowing the whistle on themselves. Except for Florida‘s drop from 9.5% to 6% hold, most states have seen 6% increases in hold since 2007, even as actual slot play fell by double-digit amounts.

Applied Analysis takes issue with Wall Street pundits on the subject of recent comebacks, saying, Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Baseball, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Indiana, Maryland, Penn National, Regulation, Tamares Group, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 5 Comments

Optimism at MGM; SLS: The Unhappy Blob

Posted on August 20, 2015 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International sent CFO Dan D’Arrigo to meet with J.P. Morgan analysts, who found MGM execs in an upbeat mood. “We’d characterize the tone of the meetings as positive and Crystals 4investor interest as high,” wrote analyst Joseph Greff. That’s partly because MGM’s bread and butter, convention-goers, have been coming to Vegas in force and October is on course to set a record for group bookings on the Las Vegas Strip. As for other strategic positioning, management is still working its way through the pros and cons of converting to a REIT. As for ongoing asset sales, Crystals (above) is still the property being most aggressively shopped, although the $1 billion price tag may explain why MGM hasn’t found a buyer yet.

MGM taketh away, planning to eradicate any remaining 3:2 blackjack from its Strip casinos, as well as trying to “capture” more resort fees. Thanks, guys. Greff projected that the company’s forthcoming Macao casino would make a “reasonable” Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Eldorado Resorts, Georgia, Harrah's, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 2 Comments

It’s Galaxy’s turn to take a hit; Tohono O’odham file suit

Posted on August 20, 2015 by David McKee

Add Galaxy Entertainment to the companies taking on the chin in the Macao economy. The casino firm just posted a 46% drop in cash flow Galaxy-Macau-e1352360709345-300x300for 2Q15. Leading by example, Chairman Lui Che Woo announced a freeze in executive salaries as the primary austerity measure. He also became the latest casino boss to say Macao has “almost hit bottom.” Hey, if enough CEOs keep saying it, somebody’s eventually bound to be right, no? Although China International Capital Corp. analyst Chris Kwai called Galaxy’s numbers “solid,” he’s not buying into the ‘build it and they will come scenario for 2016. “Individual new opening will not bring too much of an upside in the entire market,” he hedged. “But once it added up all the casinos next year, people will be more fond of going to Macao.”

Aside from the emaciated VIP play, Macao casino bosses also have to worry about a possible Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Philippines, Regulation, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on It’s Galaxy’s turn to take a hit; Tohono O’odham file suit

SLS: Closed by 2016?

Posted on August 19, 2015 by David McKee

That’s the stark implication of some remarks by owner Stockbridge Capital Partners about SLS Las Vegas, which continues to generate negative return on investment. Howard Stutz took a deep sls-picdive into the numbers and he must have required a bathysphere to find them. In 2Q15, SLS lost $49 million, for a grand total of $84 million year to date. Stockbridge made three cash infusions, for a total of $13 million, during the summer months, when one would expect SLS to be performing at its best.

Stockbridge said it would keep picking up the tab through Dec. 31, leaving the distinct impression that Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Dining, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, IGT, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Marketing, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Revel, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 19, 2015 by David McKee

“It is now safe to say the American casino industry has recovered, and the new normal is growth again.” — Fantini’s Gaming Report CEO Frank Fantini, on revenue upticks at Midwestern and tribal casinos.

Posted in Economy, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Massachusetts: Penn has a hit; Arms race in New York

Posted on August 19, 2015 by David McKee

First-month numbers are in for Plainridge Park and the racino run by Penn National Gaming took in an average of $467/slot/day Penn logo(including a $6.15 million gross its first week). That’s an absolute blockbuster figure in an industry where $200/day is the desired average. So they’re metaphorically off and running at Plainridge. It has Massachusetts all to itself for as much as three years but already some doom-and-gloom remarks are being made. “What they need to do is build up some kind of loyalty to keep people coming back after MGM’s Springfield casino and Wynn Resorts’ $1.7 billion Everett casino open with all the bells and whistles,” said Boston College boffin Richard McGowan.

Oh, don’t worry about that. Penn’s already Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off on Massachusetts: Penn has a hit; Arms race in New York

So long, Las Vegas Club

Posted on August 17, 2015 by David McKee

The countdown has begun toward a Wednesday closing of the Las Vegas Club. It’s surprising that it took five years for new co-owner vegasclub-pic2Derek Stevens to persuade Tamares Group to part with the casino, considering how flummoxed Tamares was at what to do with it. “There will be some demolition and renovation,” Stevens says, “several months down the line.” Reopening the Club will be complicated by the fact that Stevens bought neither Continue reading →

Posted in Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Downtown, Election, Internet gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 17, 2015 by David McKee

wilmott“I joked with people a year ago no one wanted to be in regional gaming and everyone wanted to be in Macao. And a year later, it has really flipped.” — Penn National Gaming CEO Tim Wilmott, whose company’s stock price has risen 70% in the last year.

Posted in Macau, Penn National, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day