February slot revenues are off at local casinos

Connecticut's casinos weathered significant declines in their slot-machine winnings last month.

Foxwoods Resort Casino, including MGM Grand at Foxwoods, reported Monday that it won $51.6 million, 11.1 percent less than in February 2009. At Mohegan Sun, which kept $58.1 million, the decline was 7.7 percent.

Bad weather throughout the Northeast was partly to blame, Mitchell Etess, president and chief executive officer of Mohegan Sun, said.

"Considering the weather's impact, it's probably not as bad as it looks," Etess said. "The weather was far worse in some of our feeder markets than it was here. New York was shut down for a weekend."

In January, Mohegan Sun had its best month in more than a year-and-a-half, posting a 1 percent decline in slot win. Foxwoods, down 2.5 percent in January, had enjoyed five straight months of modest decreases.

Foxwoods said in a statement Monday that it continues to experience hotel occupancy rates "at or near 100 percent." It said more than 1 million people visited its casinos in January and February.

"While our February results have seen a decline, we are optimistic about the coming months," said Michael Speller, president of Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises, which operates Foxwoods.

Both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods offered high levels of free slots play in February.

More than $5.6 million in free-play coupons were played at Mohegan Sun, the most of any month in the casino's history, while Foxwoods provided slightly more than $5 million worth of free play.

Etess acknowledged that Mohegan Sun has stepped up its use of free play in recent months as has the industry as a whole. The casino distributes free-play coupons via mail, e-mail and occasionally in on-site promotions.

"It's a marketing tool that drives people to the casino and enables them to extend their visit," Etess said.

The recent increase in free play at Mohegan Sun reflects promotions aimed at patrons of Empire City Casino in Yonkers, N.Y., and Twin River in Lincoln, R.I., racetrack casinos that have made inroads in the Connecticut slots market. Mohegan Sun has been offering $100 worth of free play to card-carrying patrons of Empire City and Twin River who visit Mohegan Sun and sign up for a Mohegan Sun Player's Club membership.

February's slot results also show that Mohegan Sun kept nearly 8.1 percent of the $718.6 million wagered on its 6,400 machines. The Foxwoods casinos' "hold" was nearly 8.5 percent of the $610.4 million bet on its 7,300 slots.

Mohegan Sun's daily win per machine was $324.11; Foxwoods' was $252.21.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com