The Caesars Palace Coup

More about the book

The 2015 bankruptcy battle of Caesars Entertainment marked a historic and brutal corporate restructuring on Wall Street, featuring a fierce showdown between elite private equity firms and relentless hedge fund wizards. In a gripping narrative reminiscent of *Barbarians at the Gate* and *The Big Short*, the conflict unfolded across various high-stakes arenas—from the Vegas Strip to Manhattan boardrooms and Chicago courthouses, even reaching the halls of Congress. Key players included Apollo Global Management and TPG Capital on one side, and Elliott Management, Oaktree Capital, and Appaloosa Management on the other. The bankruptcy represented a modern twist on the classic casino heist, resulting from a $27 billion leveraged buyout and a series of complex financial maneuvers that allowed Apollo and TPG to seize nearly all of Caesars' prime assets, excluding Caesars Palace. Meanwhile, hedge fund lenders and bondholders had acquired the company's debt at a fraction of its value and were poised to reclaim what they believed was rightfully theirs, despite their internal disputes. This fierce battle highlights the cutthroat mentality of modern financiers, whose tactics continue to reverberate throughout Corporate America, shocking workers, politicians, and society at large. Financial journalists Max Frumes and Sujeet Indap delve into the ruthless strategies employed by distressed debt investors, shedding light on the high-stakes w