Although they enjoyed a same-store increase of 1% last month, Atlantic City casinos pulled in 14% less than last year at this time, grossing $191 million (more than some entire Midwestern 
states, it should be noted). Twelve percent less coin-in at the slots drove a 14.5% revenue decrease, while a sharp (22%) diminution in table play produced an 18% declivity. Borgata — grossing $56 million — spectacularly outperformed the slot market, with coin-in up 16% and table revenue off only 3.5%. Luck wasn’t with the house, as table play was incrementally up. Gambling revenue rose 9% for the month. Borgata also enjoyed the lion’s share (32%) of $13 million in Internet-gaming monies. Tropicana Atlantic City (23%) passed both the Golden Nugget (22.5%, but ascending rapidly) and Caesars Interactive (21%) for second place, as cyber-gambling continues to gain acceptance.
Over at Trump Taj Mahal, CEO Bob Griffin continues to pile-drive the casino into the ground, with revenues falling 23%, to $15 million. By contrast, the Golden Nugget shot upward 26%, for a $16 million gross. Resorts Atlantic City (above) remains the low man on the totem pole, grossing only $11 million, down 1.5%. Except for an 11% gain at Harrah’s Resort ($32 million), it was a bad month for the Caesars Entertainment properties, with Bally’s Wild Wild West down 11%, to $16 million, and Caesars Atlantic City 4% off, at $23 million. Unless Glenn Straub has something very special up his sleeve, it’s going to be difficult for Polo North (nee Revel) to make a dent in the current market.
Trump Entertainment Resorts, meanwhile, is flinging paperwork at Stockton University, trying to prevent conversion of the Showboat into a college campus. 
Perversely, Trump’s Griffin would rather have a casino next door, generating competition, than promote higher learning. His legal flunkies are emitting gas about Stockton being engaged in “breach of contract, unlawful taking, tortuous interference and civil conspiracy.” (Why is no one mentioning Caesars’ failure to revoke the covenant in question when it sold the Showboat?)
The bankrupt Trump company even has the nerve to hint at an interest in buying the Showboat, whining that “nobody from Stockton had the courtesy to approach Trump Entertainment regarding the fact that the Showboat Property was once again available for sale.” Oh, boo-hoo. You couldn’t keep Trump Plaza open. What makes you think you could run the Showboat?
* Penn National Gaming may have thought it was clear of its Lawrence Downs Casino & Racing Resort but legislators in Pennsylvania are not letting it go so quickly. They’ve asked the state attorney general to look into Penn’s withdrawal from the $225 
million racino. They accuse Penn of having “derailed the project … from the outset through fraud, and ultimately destroyed the project, all to protect Penn National’s own financial interest in its Austintown, Ohio casino.” The lawmakers not only charge Penn with having done a 180 on its ability to carry out the racino but that “the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Lawrence County and surrounding counties would be harmed by such actions in the form of lost tax revenues, economic stimulus and jobs.”
Meanwhile, Penn and track owner Endeka Entertainment are meanwhile thwacking each other with lawsuits, the latter accusing Penn of fiendishly scheming to undermine the track’s viability, pursuing both the Lawrence County and nearby Ohio projects simultaneously. The stakes are high for Penn, which risks a finding of unsuitability from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which could prompt scrutiny of the company in other states as well.
* Attempts by the Woodlands racetrack to become a racino were sufficient to make Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway cancel a planned hotel. Wannabe Kansas racinos are petitioning the Lege for 2,800 slots. However, lawmaker support appears to be slim and opposition from Gov. Sam Brownback (R) certain.
* Although it has already given slow-moving casino aspirants until May 26 to get their applications in, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission may procrastinate yet again. It is mulling an additional 45-day delay on the deadline. Although Brockton has all its ducks in a row, with its referendum scheduled for May 12, neither New Bedford nor Somerset is anywhere near so organized.
