Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Some Wynn, some of the time

Posted on October 12, 2012 by David McKee

Having been eclipsed both as a political mover and shaker, and — dare I say it? — casino developer by Sheldon Adelson, the suddenly ubiquitous Steve Wynn appears to be trying to regain the spotlight. His recent KSNV-TV marathon landed … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Current, International, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

You can’t cure stupidity

Posted on October 11, 2012 by David McKee

For the record, I wouldn’t know John Oceguera from a manhole cover and the amount of ‘truthiness’ in this ad is of no concern to me. But it’s in heavy rotation on Las Vegas TV stations and makes me grind … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Current, Election, Marketing, TV | Comments Off on You can’t cure stupidity

Steve Wynn attends vice-presidential debate in drag

Posted on October 11, 2012 by David McKee

Just kidding … but I made you look!

Posted in Cretins, Current, TV | 1 Comment

Revenue roundup: Ohio, Maryland, Missouri & Indiana; Mohegan Sun snow job

Posted on October 11, 2012 by David McKee

Let’s start with the new kid on the block … Ohio: September saw Ohio‘s two casinos and one racino rake in an aggregate $50 million. The ‘novelty factor’ has waned, along with vacation time, since June’s $58 million haul, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Dan Gilbert, Don Barden, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Taxes, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, West Virginia | 2 Comments

Hail, Bill’s!; Trump slump; Back in the fold

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

In a typically ludicrous Gary Loveman brainstorm, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon is to become — wait for it — Caesars Drai’s. (Yeah, ‘WTF?’ and all that.) Although you’d have to be either masochistic or insane to loan money to … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Current, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hail, Bill’s!; Trump slump; Back in the fold

Black man frightens Steve Wynn, Part Two; MGM: Time to forget Harmon?

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

As Yahoo‘s Jeff Macke cuttingly puts it, he “found a real, live businessman who creates jobs,” thereby providing a Steve Wynn-to-sanity translation, courtesy of CIO Advisors‘ Hugh Johnson. If Wynn were truly being honest, he’d cut to the quick: He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cantor Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, International, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, North Las Vegas, Politics, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Black man frightens Steve Wynn, Part One

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

Update: Today, Wynn got into the act in the ongoing Big Bird charade. As Steve Sebelius points out, it’s meaningless posturing, nothing more. Life’s been good to Steve Wynn. How good? Well, if you or I talked like a crazy … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cantor Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Plaza, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | 27 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

“The modern DJ is like a secular priest. People are looking for him to send them a message. A lot of people don’t have anything positive going on in their life, so when they come out, they are literally saved … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

And Columbus makes three …

Posted on October 9, 2012 by David McKee

Fittingly, Penn National Gaming chose Columbus Day to open its newest casino, in the Ohio city that bears the name of the man who didn’t quite discover America in 1492. With 3,000 slots and 100 tables, it’s loaded for bear. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Dan Gilbert, Dining, Economy, Harrah's, Indiana, M Resort, Missouri, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 3 Comments

From the mailbag; Now for a word from our sponsor …

Posted on October 8, 2012 by David McKee

Update: Full sets of links are now available for the DIY version of my USA Today ‘best of Downtown’ and best of the Las Vegas Strip guides, below. Thank you for your patience. A reader in Arizona has run the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Harrah's, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on From the mailbag; Now for a word from our sponsor …

USA Today’s best of the Strip

Posted on October 6, 2012 by David McKee

Pursuant to our last S&G dispatch, here are the USA Today choices for top attractions on the Strip (uniqueness and affordability being prime considerations). If you’re not staying at a Hilton property right now, you aren’t vouchsafed access to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Entertainment, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on USA Today’s best of the Strip

USA Today: The winners (Downtown edition)

Posted on October 6, 2012 by David McKee

Since S&G readers can’t view my big Las Vegas guides (unless you’re sitting at a computer in a Hilton-branded property at this very moment), I thought I’d share with you who made the cut. And the Downtown elect are … … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, George Maloof, Michael Gaughan, Riviera, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 2 Comments

Illinois: Cause for optimism?

Posted on October 5, 2012 by David McKee

Late last month, Bally Technologies landed a massive order of 4,000+ video poker terminals — VGTs in industry parlance — in Illinois. Y’all remember slot routes in the Land of Lincoln? They’ve taken so long to be put into place … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Current, Harrah's, Illinois, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Slot routes | Comments Off on Illinois: Cause for optimism?

Freudian slip and fall; Loveman’s shabby show

Posted on October 3, 2012 by David McKee

One week after he became S&G‘s Casino Owner of the Year for his “george” treatment of Green Bay Packer fans, Derek Stevens stepped on a PR banana peel. His Golden Gate and The D casinos are holding monthly drawings whose … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Bacchanalia at Caesars; I’ll take the Mubarak Suite, please

Posted on September 28, 2012 by David McKee

Despite rampant neglect elsewhere on the Strip, Caesars Entertainment continues to take good care of its namesake, Caesars Palace. A Wednesday-night visit disclosed that myriad schlock retailers had been banished, as Jay Sarno‘s toga party tries to keep pace with … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, history, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sahara, Technology, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 4 Comments

Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Posted on September 28, 2012 by David McKee

Former Resorts Atlantic City underboss Aaron Gomes might want to change his travel plans. Scarcely had he announced his departure from his late father’s casino than his new gig, Sydney‘s troubled Star Casino, looks very doubtful. Gomes had planned to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Genting, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 27, 2012 by David McKee

“There are a couple of douchey-looking guys over there. That’s probably the VIP line.” — me, to my wife, last night at Caesars Palace‘s new, $17 million Bacchanal Buffet. And guess what? I was right! When in doubt, follow les … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Harrah's, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Our brief national nightmare is over

Posted on September 27, 2012 by David McKee

Within 48 hours of the traveshamockery in Seattle, the NFL‘s imperious bid to break the referees’ union has collapsed. The league has agreed to terms that amount to total capitulation. Zebras 1, NFL -1 (counting collateral damage inflicted upon fans). … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Sports, TV | 1 Comment

Would you buy a used Monorail from these guys?

Posted on September 26, 2012 by David McKee

Let the record show that the American Gaming Association‘s daily SmartBrief is an invaluable one-stop shop for casino-related news stories, especially now that several of the leading Las Vegas-centric blogs have taken a dirt nap. However, if you can’t find … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

Doing the right thing, with a “D”

Posted on September 26, 2012 by David McKee

As in The D and its owner Derek Stevens, who is refunding bets made on the Green Bay Packers last Monday, when victory was literally stripped from their hands by nincompoop NFL scab referees. They’ve been likened to Foot Locker … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, history, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments