Carl Icahn clings to dilapidated Trump Plaza like a child to a favorite toy. But he may be forced to face reality whether he likes it or not. It’s ‘Look out below’ for pedestrians passing the corpse of the casino, which is 
“shedding chunks of its tower,” reportedly making it a perilous venture to simply walk past the hulk. The place has been closed for six years and the underlying real estate would undoubtedly be more valuable without the Trump relic that sits upon it, but Icahn is curiously reluctant to part with his dinosaur. Now Mayor Marty Small (D) is taking Icahn to court to force him to demolish Trump Plaza. In time-honored political fashion, Small had planned to hold the announcement in front of the disintegrating resort but “we didn’t feel safe enough to stand near Trump Plaza.” So the press conference was held in Boardwalk Hall instead.
“An imminent hazard” was what City Licensing & Inspections Director Dale Finch called the tower. Elaborated the Philadelphia Inquirer, “Small said the city had video that showed chunks of the building’s stucco and concrete facade falling down onto Continue reading
available through July. The league stated, “following last night’s news that an NBA player has tested positive for coronavirus–and given that our leagues share so many facilities and locker rooms and it now seems likely that some member of the NHL community would test positive at some point–it is no longer appropriate to try to continue to play games at this time.” Although the Las Vegas Golden Knights do not 
Association of Broadcasters pulled the plug on its April convocation, scheduled for the Las Vegas Strip. “We knew that if we could not deliver on … expectations, we would not move forward. More importantly, keeping the community safe and healthy is NAB’s highest priority; therefore, we are deferring to the developing consensus from public health authorities on the challenges posed by coronavirus,” wrote CEO Gordon H. Smith, hinting at a possible online version of the NAB show. As convention cancellations go, this is a biggie and other dominos are now certain to topple.
bounce back). The market recouped much of Monday’s selloff, reacting positively to the news that the federal government 
on Virginia collegiate teams will be forbidden, a win for the education establishment. Otherwise it’d be all systems go for retail, Web-based and mobile sports wagering, as well as for casinos in the cities of Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Richmond (provided that the latter approve them through the initiative-and-referendum process). The casino-enabling legislation was part of 
Downs. Yes, there was an extra weekend day but that hardly explains the boom. It’s certainly taken JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff by surprise, as he reports double-digit increases at properties he had forecast would be flat. Caesars Entertainment dominated the state, whether in terms of dollars—$37 million (+19%) at Horseshoe Hammond—or percentage increase, as in 51.5% at new Caesars Southern Indiana, grossing $21 million. The two Caesars racinos raked in $25 million (Indiana Grand) and $18 million (Hoosier Downs), increases of 17% and 21% respectively. Also flexing some muscle was Belterra Resort, jumping 36% to $9 million, while Tropicana Evansville made 12% more for Eldorado Resorts, banking $13.5 million.
While governments in the U.S. haven’t gone as far as many European ones, which have been shutting down large-capacity venues (500 people or more), the words ‘state of emergency’ don’t exactly make one want to head on over to the casino. Explained the Boston Globe, “Declaring a state of emergency gives the governor and state officials more leeway in dealing with the outbreak. For example, they can cut red tape to quickly buy necessary supplies or hire workers to help local health officials. And the governor could deploy the National Guard to help with the state’s response, if needed.” (At least Twin River stock price was relatively unruffled.)
governor of a “take-it-or-leave-it” negotiating stance. Butler and his confreres won’t accept any solution that doesn’t define sports betting as a casino game and put it exclusively under their remand. Lamont wants to spread it amongst the tribes, the state lottery and the state’s OTBs. “This approach would benefit the tribes while also ensuring off reservation sports betting is publicly available and free of the legal challenges and delays that have prevented this from moving forward,” said Lamont spokesman, Max Reiss. Balderdash, replied Butler, threatening to withhold the tribes’ annual $250 million slice of slot-machine revenue. Reiss rejoined that the tribal proposal virtually invites litigation from spurned competitors. (The tribes also want exclusive rights to an online lottery.)
markets evidently aren’t buying the federal government’s 
the Sooner State’s tribes over revenue sharing (which he’s supposed to be doing), Stitt threatened to bring private casinos into the state. “Let me bring commercial casinos in, give out just four commercial licenses, and it would be $350 million to the state,” Stitt bragged. “I think there’s a win-win. There’s a win for the casino industry, there’s a win for the tribes, and there’s a win for the state of Oklahoma and education.” While the tribes aren’t averse to a fee increase, Stitt wants to hike it to at least 25% of gross gaming revenue (as high as Connecticut‘s, which exempts table games), while the tribes won’t submit to Stitt’s engraved position that their compacts expired last year.
tourist told the Los Angeles Times, “Fewer people means shorter lines.” I’m not sure the casinos see it that way. Then again, it would be nice if we didn’t have a repetition of their cavalier attitude toward the Great Recession. (“Shut up and play,” infamously counseled MGM Resorts International.) For now there are no signs of a Macao-style mass avoidance of the Las Vegas Strip, which speaks well to consumer confidence and the circumspection of local authorities. Still, as historian David G. Schwartz counsels, “The magnitude has yet to be seen.” And we’re already seeing downward pressure on room rates: A Sunday-night stay at the Flamingo has a base rate of $9 for Caesars Rewards members. At least Las Vegans don’t have to live in