That was quick. Affinity Gaming made room in the CEO’s office in order to give the job to Tony Rodio. Newly unemployed, Tropicana Entertainment having been dissolved into Eldorado Resorts, Rodio wasn’t on the bread line for long. Rodio had been at TropEnt for 
seven years, during which time the company’s titular property in Atlantic City rose to the second place in the market, a status to which it firmly grips. “Tony is one of the top executives in the gaming industry and I’m confident that he is the right person to drive Affinity’s continued growth and enhanced commitment to the player experience,” said Z Capital Partners CEO James Zenni, who made the hire. Without casting any aspersions on his predecessor, Rodio will be a shot in the arm for Affinity and somebody who can lead it into a new, bigger era.
* Stick a fork in Stadium Casino in Philadelphia. A variety of sources are reporting that Continue reading
market win was up 1% and VIP gross gaming revenue fell 22%. CEO Sheldon Adelson also consolidated his control of the company, which bought back $300 million worth of LVS stock. The company also made capital investments, both in converting Sands Cotai Central into The Londoner — up from $700 million to $1.35 billion — and adding casino space to St. Regis Macao, up to $400 million from $275 million (too bad Sands can’t or won’t finish its St. Regis in Las Vegas). The Londoner will have a staggered opening, spread across 2020-21. “There wasn’t much, if any, cautious 
to make the half-hour run, compared to the hour it takes to ferry to the gambling capitol from Hong Kong. Ironically, the ceremonial first bus will leave from Macao, specifically from Hotel Grand Lisboa, in a nod to former casino monopolist Sociedade de Jogos de Macau. Peninsula casinos to enjoy bus service include MGM Macau, StarWorld Hotel (Galaxy Entertainment) and Sands Macao. Primary stops on the Cotai Strip™ will be Venetian Macao, Galaxy Macau and MGM Cotai, which could use some extra business. Casino shuttles will not be allowed on the new bridge. Rather, city hall is trying to get the enclave’s six concessionaires to consolidate and cooperatively run shuttle serves. Good luck with that.
while Hard Rock is partnering with (new to me) GiG. At present, the Trop and HRH are asking for transactional waivers, which would permit six months of operation while the formal licensing process moves through channels. The Division of Gaming Enforcement, meanwhile, is 
play, McKnight doesn’t think this is the end of the story, mentioning activist shareholders, presumably ones who don’t feel like scoffing at $13/share offers while CZR is trading at $9.77. Global Gaming Business adds that “Fertitta is a cousin to Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, who own and operate Red Rock Resorts (formerly Station Casinos), based in Las Vegas. The relationship between the cousins has reportedly been tense for years.” That’s putting it nicely.
other and more pressing gambling concerns may take priority. In addition to Internet gambling there is the quick revenue fix that is sports betting. Also, legalization of daily fantasy sports is jostling for its place on the docket. That’s 
as some one who entered the industry as a novice and immediately began to strike gold. More recently, he’s been beating the pants off the competition in New Jersey for Internet gambling. (He was the first to have live, online dealers, an experiment that paid off big time.) We’ve butted heads with Tilman a few times in the distant past but have the highest respect for him and his track record.
Adelson can afford to buy a Congress but not a convincing toupee. The pro quo to Adelson’s quid was provided by a certain “short-fingered vulgarian” (™ Graydon Carter) who 
surpassed MGM’s expectations, gambling revenues were a different story. MGM’s target for Year One is $418 million. During its first full month of operation it grossed just a hair under $27 million, 
Court has slam-dunked two challenges to the referendum. Religious group Ensuring Arkansas Future claimed that the ballot language was too ambiguous and citizens wouldn’t know what a ‘yes’ vote entailed. Citizens for Local Choice complained that the wording was too vague. The high court wasn’t buying any of it, however. It said a ballot title “does not need to include every possible consequence or impact of a proposed measure … [it] sufficiently informs the public of the amendment’s purpose and scope and its consequences.”
prediction that two casinos will close this year but this gives him grist for his mill. Still, slots were up 8.5% and table games 5.5%. (Poker took a beating, down 15.5%.) Borgata ($60.5 million) was hammered, with table win plunging 25.5%, That dragged the casino’s performance down 13.5%, as slot win fell 8% too. The Caesars Entertainment portfolio tumbled 13.5%. Broken out by property, it was $23 million (a 23% dive) at Caesars Atlantic City, $27 million (a 14% declivity) at Harrah’s Resort and $17 million (down 6.5%) at Bally’s. Interesting that the grind joint (Bally’s) suffered least against the new competition.
amendment, which would make gaming expansion subject to direct popular vote, has 54% support at the moment. Trouble is, 
grossing $13 million. Caesars Entertainment‘s two new racinos didn’t impress, with Hoosier Park up 1.5% ($16 million), while Indiana Downs was flat at $20.5 million. Horseshoe Southern Indiana grossed $19.5 million, a 10% stumble. Horseshoe Hammond took in $32 million (glass half-full) but slipped 7% (glass half-empty). Ameristar East Chicago, however, was up 4% to $18 million.
regional casino properties or among its customer base. Management is upbeat on the company’s growth trajectory and is confident it can continue running its casinos at an efficient pace; it views its casino portfolio as underappreciated given the pace of both revenue growth … and EBITDA growth.” Management was skeptical of the trend to split companies into REITs and operating companies. Churchill Downs likes owning its real estate.