Category Archives: Harry Reid

Hard Rock ups Atlantic City commitment; Japan inspires casino designers

Posted on May 31, 2017 by David McKee

Compared to Carl Icahn‘s half-a-loaf policies, Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen is Lady Bountiful, at least as concerns [Trump] Taj Mahal. We put The Donald’s name in brackets because it’s one of the first things to go, to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Election, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Harry Reid, International, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, SLS Las Vegas, Technology, Unite-Here | 1 Comment

SLS: What’s in a name?

Posted on May 30, 2017 by David McKee

Quite a lot, from the looks of things. Back in 2014, then-U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D) prophesied that, in a few years, nobody would be talking about the Sahara anymore; they’d all be talking about SLS Las Vegas. Guess not, … Continue reading →

Posted in Foxwoods, Harry Reid, James Packer, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

What’s in a name?

Posted on April 3, 2017 by David McKee

Quite a lot, if you happen to be the late Sen. Pat McCarran (D). Not only is Nevada‘s largest airport named after you (not inaptly — the anti-New Deal, pro-fascist McCarran’s signature achievements included splitting off the Air Force as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Donald Trump, Harry Reid, history, International, Movies, Politics, Sports, Steve Wynn, Transportation | Comments Off

Freeman attacks Yucca Mountain; Brawl in Connecticut

Posted on March 20, 2017 by David McKee

Back when Frank Fahrenkopf was its president, the American Gaming Association was little seen or heard, as Fahrenkopf played a flawless defensive game behind the scenes. Washington, D.C., never laid a glove on Big Gaming (although eugenicist and sometime Congressman Steve … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, Harry Reid, history, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Politics, Problem gambling, South Korea, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Westgate LV | Tagged Winnie the Pooh | Comments Off

More resort fees at MGM; Sands Bethlehem sold?

Posted on March 3, 2017 by David McKee

It was show time for the big boys at the J.P. Morgan Gaming, Lodging, Restaurant & Leisure Management Access Forum, starting with MGM Resorts International, which had to get started by explaining why fourth-quarter numbers had been “coming in well below … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Donald Trump, Economy, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Japan, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

The case for cannibalization; Hard Rock buys Taj

Posted on March 2, 2017 by David McKee

There’s still a big budget shortfall in Pennsylvania and state Rep. Mike Sturla thinks he has at least part of the answer: slot routes. Casinos can be expected to decry this proposed solution and some already are. But for Sturla … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Economy, Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Harry Reid, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Revel, Slot routes, Sports, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, West Virginia | Comments Off

Freeman gets Christmas wish; Florida lawmakers: Let’s make a deal

Posted on December 30, 2016 by David McKee

American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman could hardly have asked for a better present, all wrapped in a big, dollar-bill bow: The IRS has abandoned a set of proposed casino-reporting “reforms” that would have been intrusive, onerous and costly. (Of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Florida, Geoff Freeman, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, Taxes, The Strip | 3 Comments

The day after

Posted on November 9, 2016 by David McKee

This morning’s biggest winners are not politicians or pundits (certainly not the pollsters) but the punters who laid their money on a Donald Trump victory when sites like Betfair had him as a one-in-five underdog or worse. Their wallets are … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Election, Florida, Harry Reid, Horseracing, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Industry braces for post-Reid void

Posted on September 30, 2016 by David McKee

Why has Geoff Freeman become such an outspoken voice in favor of the gaming industry? In part to fill the vacuum soon to be left by retiring Sen. Harry Reid (D). One of the two candidates running to replace him, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos | Comments Off

DFS’ stormy seas; Glimmer of hope for Macao

Posted on March 4, 2016 by David McKee

By charging blindly into uncharted waters, the daily fantasy sports industry has made a shipload of trouble for itself. Case in point, defunct (or at least comatose) DFS site FantasyUp. The latter pulled the rug out from under its customers, … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Environment, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off

Reid delivers for REITs; Packer calls it quits

Posted on December 22, 2015 by David McKee

Sen. Harry Reid (D) may not see as well as he used to, but he’s still got plenty of ‘juice’ on Capitol Hill. He delivered an early Christmas present for campaign donor (and Caesars Entertainment co-owner) David Bonderman, in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Harry Reid, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Politics, Taxes, The Strip | Comments Off

All Adelson, all the time; Full House on the move

Posted on December 18, 2015 by David McKee

(Update: The Adelson-influenced meddling has already begun.) Now that Sheldon Adelson owns the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the paper’s prime topic of coverage has become … itself. There’s no shortage of entrail-reading, as pundits try to parse the casino mogul’s intentions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Dan Lee, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Macau, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Adelson’s new toy; MGM: ‘Zarkana’ out, architectural innovation in

Posted on December 17, 2015 by David McKee

Las Vegas‘ worst-kept secret is out: Sheldon Adelson is the new owner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He’s claiming that the clumsy subterfuge was needed so as not to “distract from the important role Nevada continues to play in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip | 4 Comments

Scott, Seminoles make a deal; Reid does Caesars’ bidding

Posted on December 8, 2015 by David McKee

Just things were threatening to get ugly between the Seminole Tribe and the State of Florida, Gov. Rick Scott (R) has emerged from the cone of silence to disclose a new, $3 billion revenue-sharing agreement with the Seminoles. The pact, … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

DFS: A patchwork of approaches

Posted on November 18, 2015 by David McKee

Although he’s been dissed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and the NCAA (because his bill would allow daily fantasy sports to include college athletes), state Sen. James Whelan (D, right) presses on in his attempt to regulate DFS … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Geoff Freeman, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports | Comments Off

Kirk Kerkorian, 1917-2015

Posted on June 17, 2015 by David McKee

Here in Las Vegas, the impact of Kirk Kerkorian‘s death is still sinking in. A man known for self-effacing personal habits left the world as discreetly as he passed through it in his Ford Taurus, leaving accomplishments that far exceeded … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Downtown, Harry Reid, history, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Loveman’s best decision; New face at Bellagio

Posted on May 18, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman‘s decision to pull out of the troubled Baha Mar metaresort may represent one of the best judgment calls he ever made. The $3 billion Bahamas resort has missed three deadlines to open and has received the … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Genting, Harry Reid, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sam Nazarian, South Korea, The Strip | 1 Comment

Et tu, Harry?; It’s a new era in Manila

Posted on May 12, 2015 by David McKee

Now that Sen. Harry Reid (D) has one foot out the door on Capitol Hill, he’s turning on the casino companies — particularly Caesars Entertainment — that helped him stay in power five years ago. Just when Sen. Lindsey Graham‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, Genting, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Kazuo Okada, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore | Comments Off

Steve Wynn talks, we listen

Posted on May 5, 2015 by David McKee

Elaine Wynn finds herself underwriting a Steve Wynn colloquy with Jon Ralston. (We may have “the Adelson primary” but we also have “the Ralston primary.”) Bet she didn’t see that coming. As for Steve, he can be combative, God knows, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Macau, Steve Wynn, Taxes, TV | Comments Off

Reid-Adelson lovefest; Massachusetts meddling

Posted on April 7, 2015 by David McKee

Now that he’s no longer standing for reelection, Sen. Harry Reid (D) has flung himself fully into the arms of Sheldon Adelson, calling for a ban on online gambling that might even extend to Nevada‘s fledgling I-poker industry (although Reid’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Harry Reid, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off