We ran a similar question exactly a year ago today, but since some things have changed (and we received this question about it), we thought we'd tackle it again.
But first, a word from our sponsor. FYI, this year's Pocketbook of Values coupon package has numerous dining discounts, especially at the buffets, that are good for 50% off for single diners, not just 2-for-1s.
Also, you're right: It's safe to assume that all the casinos that fall under one corporate umbrella share information and, in fact, often have the same databases. It's not a stretch to imagine that competing casinos, as well, pass information back and forth, especially when it comes to surveillance, which, as we understand it, is a small, secretive (to the outside), but cooperative (to the inside) universe. We've in fact been in surveillance rooms and witnessed this happen and know that many competing casinos are all signed-up to the same database of "undesirables," which isn't just shared nationally but on an international level.
Harrah's owns: Harrah's, Imperial Palace, Flamingo, O'Sheas, Bally's, Paris, Caesars Palace, and the Rio, along with a bunch of land east of the Strip, including the little shopping center with Battista's Hole in the Wall restaurant and the old Bourbon Street property. In 2007, Harrah’s traded land it owned near the Stardust to Boyd Gaming in exchange for the Barbary Coast, which it renamed Bill’s Gamblin' Hall and Saloon. Harrah’s is also building another 1,000-room tower at Caesars. And the company is the process of completing its buyout by two private equity firms, Apollo and Texas Pacific.
And speaking of Boyd, it owns: the Fremont, California, Main Street Station, Sam's Town, Gold Coast, Suncoast, Orleans, along with the Jokers Wild and Eldorado casinos in Henderson. In 2007, the Stardust was imploded to make room for Boyd’s megaproject, Echelon Place, scheduled to open in 2010.
MGM Mirage is the mother corporation for: Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur, New York-New York, Monte Carlo, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Mirage, TI, Circus Circus, and Slots A Fun. It’s constructing Project CityCenter, is a partner in M Resort, under construction on the far south Las Vegas Boulevard, and owns the vacant lot on the northwest corner of Sahara and the Strip, where it’s planning another metaresort.
Station Casino boasts: Palace Station, Boulder Station, Texas Station, Sunset Station, Santa Fe Station, Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock Resort, Fiesta Rancho, and Fiesta Henderson, along with the smaller Gold Rush, Wildfire, Wild Wild West, and Barley’s. Aliante Station is currently under construction in North Las Vegas. Station Casinos is now owned by Colony Capital and Fertitta Colony, a private equity partnership.
The Tamares Group owns: Plaza, Vegas Club, and Gold Spike, which is currently for sale.
Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds owns: Arizona Charlie's Decatur, Arizona Charlie's Boulder, the Stratosphere, and part of the Las Vegas Hilton (with Colony Capital). Whitehall Street, a Goldman Sachs company, purchased Charlie’s and the Stratosphere from American Real Estate Partners, a Carl Icahn company.
Bill Wortman and various partners own: the Cannery and Nevada Palace, and manage the Rampart (the hotel is owned by Marriott). However, Crown Ltd., an Australian company owned by James Packer, is purchasing them.
TLC Gaming owns: Binion's and the Four Queens.
Columbia Sussex owns: Tropicana and Westin Casuarina (with Westin).
The rest of the major casinos in Las Vegas are one-property owners:
Planet Hollywood: OpBiz Casino Royale: Margaret Elardi El Cortez: Jackie Gaughan Fitzgeralds: Don Barden Golden Gate: Mark Brandenburg Golden Nugget: Landry's Hard Rock: Morgans Hooters: Hooters New Frontier site: Elad Group (building the Elad Plaza) Palms: George Maloof Riviera: Riviera Holdings Sahara: SBE/Stockbri Silverton: Edward Roski, Jr.?South Point: Michael Gaughan ?Terrible's: Herbst Gaming? Tuscany: Tuscany LLC?Venetian: Las Vegas Sands Corp. ?Wynn Las Vegas: Wynn Resorts, Ltd.
