Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Pinnacle punks Penn, swipes Ameristar

Posted on December 21, 2012 by David McKee

We’ve learned two important things today. One, that the Mayan calendar is not the most reliable predictor of events. Two, that Ameristar Casinos‘ on-again/off-again talk about putting itself up for sale was back in “on” mode. Before hardly anybody got … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Election, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, Wall Street | 1 Comment

If you can’t beat ’em … move to Ohio

Posted on December 21, 2012 by David McKee

Faced with an intractable Kentucky Legislature and ineffectual advocacy by Gov. Steve Beshear (D-KY), one parimutuel powerhouse from the Bluegrass State is setting up shop in Ohio. Today, Churchill Downs Inc. (in tandem with Delaware North Cos.) closed on its … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harrah's, Horseracing, Kentucky, Ohio, Racinos | Comments Off on If you can’t beat ’em … move to Ohio

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 21, 2012 by David McKee

“Ha! I’ll show those overcharging bastards at Office Depot! I’m going in TOMORROW to buy my new Mayan calendar, when it will be at least half price.” — Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Steve Sebelius.

Posted in Current | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Penn’s sucker bet; Lack of Rappaport; Running scared

Posted on December 20, 2012 by David McKee

Although Penn National Gaming‘s scheme to split itself into a REIT and a casino-management company hasn’t received one regulatory approval yet, top brass is already taking a victory lap. Gloated CFO William Clifford, he would “be picking up the phone … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Dark days at the Plaza

Posted on December 18, 2012 by David McKee

Last week’s abrupt cessation of three shows at the Plaza sent gloom and presages of doom through the theatrical community over the weekend. Lichtenstein-based Tamares Group was rumored to be pulling the plug on Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Bite … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Tamares Group | Comments Off on Dark days at the Plaza

Sorry, Ralph Lamb; Twain spoofed at IP

Posted on December 18, 2012 by David McKee

Las Vegas‘ most famous sheriff (mythologized weekly by Dennis Quaid on Vegas) was the victim of this, er, unfortunate Los Angeles Times gaffe … … which The Atlantic has selected as one of the best typos of 2012. I’ve had … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Marketing, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Sorry, Ralph Lamb; Twain spoofed at IP

Twain: Not the One

Posted on December 14, 2012 by David McKee

If I’d spent the last 20 years under a rock and didn’t know who Shania Twain is, I’d have spent Wednesday evening wondering who this person was, why she was headlining a Caesars Palace show … and couldn’t they have … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 3 Comments

Blackout at the Plaza

Posted on December 14, 2012 by David McKee

S&G has learned — and LVA staffers have confirmed — that all main-stage shows at Tamares Group‘s flagship Plaza Hotel have gone dark until further notice. A promotional appearance by Best Little Whorehouse in Texas cast members at South Point, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Isle of Capri, Mississippi, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta | 4 Comments

Drugs? Hookers? In our fair city?; It’s Vegaski, Comrade!

Posted on December 14, 2012 by David McKee

If your casino or club employs CLS Transportation, today would be a good day to call in sick and take the phone off the hook. Seems the limo fleet of CLS was taking Las Vegas visitors for a ride, running … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harrah's, International, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Coming, going, gone …

Posted on December 13, 2012 by David McKee

This just in … One weekend of performances of Peepshow was all that Mrs. Ice-T managed to do before fleeing back to New York City, at least temporarily, according to an S&G source. So if you’ve got Peepshow tickets this … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 7 Comments

B (Dis)Connected

Posted on December 13, 2012 by David McKee

After months upon months of unilateral disarmament, Boyd Gaming has decided to fight back against Station Casinos‘ hugely successful “We Love Locals” TV campaign. (We could discuss why Station felt the need to reassure Las Vegans that it liked them, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Marketing, Station Casinos, TV | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 11, 2012 by David McKee

I think this fellow is a bit hazy on the definition of “notoriety,” wouldn’t you agree?

Posted in Marketing | 4 Comments

“Soul” too soulless?; The Sunshine Boys

Posted on December 10, 2012 by David McKee

One weekend down, nine to go. Bear that in mind if you simply must see Faith Hill and Tim McGraw play The Venetian. The clock’s a tickin’. Since my knowledge of the McGraw-Hill oeuvre (separately and together) consists of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Plaza, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Wynn comes (back) to Massachusetts; Revel’s rattling tin cup

Posted on December 5, 2012 by David McKee

Despite several months of doom-and-gloom economic predictions from Steve Wynn, the mogul has decided to “buy American” again, not only returning to the site of previous skirmishes (Philadelphia) but also taking a second run at Massachusetts. S&G was no fan … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Marketing, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn comes (back) to Massachusetts; Revel’s rattling tin cup

Springfield: Ameristar pulls the chicken switch

Posted on December 3, 2012 by David McKee

In an even more surprising development than Steve Wynn getting voted out of Foxborough, the seemingly leading contender for a western Massachusetts casino abruptly withdrew from the fray last Friday night. In a stunning abdication, Ameristar Casinos CEO Gordon Kanofsky … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Springfield: Ameristar pulls the chicken switch

The bigger-than-ever loser; Shania’s rump rocks Vegas

Posted on December 3, 2012 by David McKee

If Sheldon Adelson played the ponies as he does politics, he’d enter a Shetland in the Kentucky Derby and put all his money on it to win. What could be better than knowing the Las Vegas Sands CEO blew $100 … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip | 1 Comment

Vegas: Is recovery finally for real?

Posted on December 1, 2012 by David McKee

So says the Brookings Institute, which raised Las Vegas to 194th from 245th in GDP (now at $47K/year) and job growth over the last year, behind such feeder markets as Bakersfield, California and Monterrey, Mexico. That’s the first year of … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Iowa, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 1 Comment

If you’re staying at a Hilton …

Posted on November 30, 2012 by David McKee

Here’s a handy guide to using the online Las Vegas guidebooks written by yours truly — sort of a tourist’s extension of S&G, available through all Hilton-branded hotels and timeshares. Since these only concentrate on carefully selected highlights of Sin … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Capitol Hill and Internet poker: Too little, too late (as usual)

Posted on November 28, 2012 by David McKee

Despite support from an unlikely coalition that includes the American Gaming Association, the National Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Convenience Stores, federal legalization of Internet poker seems no closer in the 2012 lame duck session of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Harry Reid, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation | 3 Comments

Cosmo, your consultant is calling

Posted on November 27, 2012 by David McKee

Judging by the low regard in which most casino companies’ social-media operations are held, I suspect somebody like this (simulated) consultant probably had the ears of many a gaming CEO.

Posted in Marketing, Technology | Comments Off on Cosmo, your consultant is calling