Detroit casinos report nearly $114M in revenue during March
ven though the casinos MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino Hotel, and Greektown Casino continue working subject to capacity limits and other health protocols, striving to end the COVID-19 pandemic last month reported $113.8 million in monthly aggregate revenue.
Earnings from table games and slots at the three casinos rose 93% year-over-year. MGM Grand reported more than $43.2 million in monthly revenue, for an 80.6% increase from last March. MotorCity's revenue was up 107.2%, to more than $42 million. And Greektown's revenue was up 93.7% to $25.6 million.
From February, earnings rose 28.2%, which was the second full month casinos were reopened after an extended, state-ordered closure that began in November.
Just a few days before the release of March revenue numbers, a New York hedge fund announced that it planned to sell half of its ownership of Atlantic City's Ocean Casino to the Ilitch family. This deal would mark a significant expansion of the Ilitches' gaming interests; the family also owns MotorCity Casino in addition to its other entertainment, food and sports holdings.
According to the state gaming control board, the Detroit casinos paid $9 million in gaming taxes to the state in March, up from $4.7 million in March 2020. They paid $13.2 million in wagering taxes and development agreement payments to the city.
Fantasy contest operators reported $1 million in total adjusted revenues and paid $87,004 in taxes. For the first quarter of the year, the Detroit casinos' aggregate revenue was down 5.1% year-over-year while retail sports betting generated just under $7 million in qualified adjusted gross receipts. MGM Grand led the pack in March with a 39% share of the market. MotorCity followed with 38%, while Greektown came in at 23%.