Casino News - Page 13

MGM Mirage Taps Into Credit Line for CityCenterJust months ago MGM Mirage, with billions of dollars in cash at its disposal, was thought to be well braced for the recession. But last week's news that MGM Mirage has tapped the remaining money from a $4.5 billion credit line is adding anxiety among investors for the company's future.

Vegas board backs sale of Treasure IslandThe Gaming Control Board took 20 minutes to approve Ruffin's $775 million purchase of Treasure Island from MGM Mirage, sending the matter to the Nevada Gaming Commission for a final ruling on March 19. Ruffin said he will close the transaction on March 31 if he receives approval from the commission.

Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Hit with Credit DowngradeAs if the slumping gaming revenues aren't bad enough, the two major rating companies — Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service — have downgraded Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, and could do so again as the year progresses.

Comedian Lewis Black Performs at The Mirage May 23-24Lewis Black, best known for his regular segment ‘Back in Black’ on Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,’ will perform his hilarious stand-up routine for the first time inside the Terry Fator Theatre at The Mirage May 23 at 10 p.m. and May 24 at 9 p.m.

Gaming Stocks Hit Lowest Level Since 2003Gaming stocks sunk to levels during February that have not been visited since President Bush declared "mission accomplished" and Arnold Schwarzenegger was making movies rather than governing California. The average daily share prices of nine of the 10 casino operators and slot machine manufacturers charted by Las Vegas-based financial consultant Applied Analysis slipped in value during the month. Six of the companies, led by MGM Mirage's nearly 52 percent decline compared to January, recorded double-digit drops.

Melco Crown VIP Gambling Rises in MacauMelco Crown Entertainment Ltd., a casino venture between Australia's richest man and gambling billionaire Stanley Ho's son, rose the most in almost four months in Nasdaq trading after posting a narrower loss and saying China may ease limits on travel to Macau.

Vdara at MGM Mirage CityCityCenter Now Accepting ReservationsThis October, MGM MIRAGE will introduce its newest luxury boutique hotel on the world-famous Strip: Vdara Hotel. Vdara is now accepting reservations for Oct. 1, 2009 and beyond.

M Resort Set to Stand out From the Rest of the PackWith live cooking shows, personalized service and an 'old Las Vegas' mentality, M Resort plans to stand out from the rest of the Vegas casinos.

M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas Ready to Open Doors SundayM Resort Spa Casino will open to the public at 10 p.m., Sunday, March 1. Situated 400 feet higher in elevation than other resort-casinos, the M Resort has various amenities that will draw locals and tourists to experience the new property.

Pennsylvania Casinos Want Table Games LegalizedYes to table games at state casinos, but no to video poker machines in thousands of bars and clubs statewide. That was the view today of Timothy Wilmott, president of Penn National Gaming Inc., which runs a racetrack/casino 20 miles northeast of here plus several other casinos in other states.

Deusche Bank Discusses CityCenter Financing with MGM MGM Mirage and Deutsche Bank are in discussions that could give the casino company additional financing it needs to complete its CityCenter project in exchange for operating or taking ownership of the troubled Cosmopolitan project, sources said.

Thunder Valley Casino in California Continues Hotel ExpansionThunder Valley Casino in South Placer County will start up construction again after abruptly shutting down work on a one billion dollar expansion project.

PokerStars European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Schedule ReleasedPokerStars, the world's largest online poker site, today announced the European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Grand Final Season Five schedule – Europe's largest and richest seven-day poker extravaganza. The PokerStars Monte Carlo EPT Grand Final will run April 27-May 3, offering fourteen separate events making the Grand Final the most exciting poker festival ever held in Europe.

Heads-Up Poker Championship Competition is HeavyGet your tournament brackets ready! NBC's 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, the granddaddy of all heads-up poker tournaments, will take place once again at Caesars Palace Las Vegas on March 5-8. Now in its fifth year, this year's event will feature an array of many of the greatest poker players in the world.

Station Casinos Receives Offer From Boyd Gaming CorpBoyd Gaming Corp. has made a $950 million offer to acquire a significant portion of locals gaming rival Station Casinos, the company announced Monday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

MGM's CityCenter in Las Vegas Now Accepting Hotel ReservationsMGM Mirage will begin accepting hotel reservations Monday morning for rooms at two of the $9.1 billion CityCenter's properties, the Vdara hotel and condominium tower, and Aria, the project's centerpiece hotel-casino.

California Slot Player Wins Almost $3 Million at Table Mountain CasinoIt's not just the Oscars where the stars came out to shine today, Central California's Table Mountain Casino had their own star today, the winner of The World Poker Tour Jackpot, winning the largest cash slot machine jackpot ever paid out at Table Mountain Casino and one of the largest in California! This lucky player won $2,883,403.62.

Hard Rock Las Vegas Expansion Benefits From Economic SlowdownHard Rock hotel-casino construction project has benefited from the economic slowdown and plans to open some components ahead of schedule this year. The Hard Rock Hotel's $760 million expansion is capitalizing on the slowing construction industry by hiring some of the best construction workers and tradesmen others have let go.

M Resort Las Vegas Attempting to Generate 1990 Rio BuzzLongtime Las Vegas residents will remember the incredible buzz the Rio generated when it opened in 1990. Nearly two decades later M Resort is trying to generate the same buzz at the soon-to-open Vegas Destination.

Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Pennsylvania Ready for Test RunThe Meadows Racetrack & Casino is set on opening its permanent casino with more than 3,000 slot machines in April, now that it has scheduled a test run under state regulators' supervision.

Rio Offers Real-time Mobile Promotion Alerts to GuestsThe Rio is testing an opt-in mobile marketing campaign that sends customers text message alerts for real-time promotions to their cell phone during their stay at the hotel-casino.

iPhone and iPod Card Counter Download on Watch by Nevada AgentsUsers of iPhones beware -- state gaming agents are watching you. California gaming authorities tipped off their Nevada counterparts to a blackjack card-counting program that can be used on either the Apple iPhone or the Apple iPod Touch portable music player.

Massachusetts Gambling Supporters Gain Political AdvantageCasino supporters felt like they hit the jackpot yesterday after a staunch foe, state Rep. Daniel E. Bosley (D-North Adams), was ousted as chairman of the House committee that oversees gambling.

New eBay Video Slot Brings to Life Everyone's Favorite Internet MarketplaceIGN creates stunning new eBay video slot machine. With five vertical, 40-inch big screen reels this video slot is sure to establish a powerful presence.

Thunder Valley Casino Fires Top Management During Halted ExpansionThe top managers of Thunder Valley Casino were fired and the casino's general manager, Scott Garawitz, was placed on administrative leave. Day-to-day management of the casino will be taken over by Las Vegas-based Station Casinos, the management company that has operated the casino for the tribe during construction and the opening of the casino in June 2003.