Author Archives: David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on March 2, 2012 by David McKee

It’s not a quote so much as a whole heckuva lotta weirdness. Enjoy.

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, TV | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 24, 2012 by David McKee

“We said to Kevin [Antunes], ‘Listen, we don’t want to hear any accordions in ‘Beat It.’ … It’s gotta be Michael Jackson.’ We said to Jamie [King], ‘We don’t want any — and I don’t want to insult anybody — … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Sports | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Slave to SmithCoast

Posted on February 23, 2012 by David McKee

Those nice folks at CityLife must think I did all right by that last cover story because they’ve got me taking the lead on their media blitz vis-a-vis the impending (March 12) opening of the Smith Center for the Performing … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sahara, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Slave to SmithCoast

Wynn vs. Okada: The appraisal; Mob Experience returns … like you cared

Posted on February 22, 2012 by David McKee

Wall Street analysts are weighing in on Wynn Resorts‘ preemptive strike against Kazuo Okada last weekend. Surprisingly, J.P. Morgan‘s Joseph Greff rates it as a positive in re Steve Wynn‘s ambitions for expansion into Japan and says it doesn’t hurt … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cosmopolitan, Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Macau, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn vs. Okada: The appraisal; Mob Experience returns … like you cared

Malice at MotorCity

Posted on February 22, 2012 by David McKee

Melee at MotorCity Casino Hotel Caught on Tape: MyFoxDETROIT.com Guests at a MotorCity Casino restaurant got some unplanned entertainment: a floor show to go with their breakfast. The casino says the combatants — who obviously were getting in touch with … Continue reading →

Posted in Detroit | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 21, 2012 by David McKee

“I don’t believe in negative campaigning. I believe in saying that my opponents are very good people and I’m confident a lot of them would do a good job, but I would do a better job, and here’s why.” — … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson | 1 Comment

Wynn vs. Okada: Payback Time

Posted on February 20, 2012 by David McKee

Looks like Kazuo Okada brought a knife to a gunfight with Steve Wynn. The latter has spent the last year having former FBI boss Louis Freeh and sundry investigators check up on Okada — and what a lot of dirt … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Florida, Genting, International, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 20, 2012 by David McKee

“It is hard to value Caesars [Entertainment] based on traditional financial measures because it has consistently lost money since its 2008 leveraged buyout by a group led by Apollo Global Management and TPG Capital. It carries $22.5 billion of debt … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Pinnacle Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Las Vegas: What’s next?

Posted on February 16, 2012 by David McKee

If I had a crystal ball for Las Vegas’ future, I’d be a wealthier man. Not having one, I consulting some fellows far more perspicacious than myself. In no particular order they include Dennis Conrad, scholars Bill Eadington, Eugene Moehring … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tribal | 4 Comments

Sands’ new strategy: Blame Genting; Big Gaming backs Romney

Posted on February 15, 2012 by David McKee

First, the good news. Las Vegas Sands is signaling that it is not going to take its ball and come home from Florida, regardless of what lobbyist Nick Iarossi said last week. However, Sands’ emissary to the Sunshine State, Andy … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Florida, Genting, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Cosmo woe; MGM lurves Ameristar

Posted on February 15, 2012 by David McKee

As new casino boss Thomas McCartney tries to stabilize the sinking ship that is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, he’s tossed overboard some human ballast in the form of casino employees. (Thirty full-time dealers are alleged to have been pink-slipped.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Dan Lee, Dining, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Movies, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Okada vs. Wynn, Round Two; Nevada wins, players lose

Posted on February 14, 2012 by David McKee

Having spent all weekend and most of yesterday laboring over an in-depth think piece for CityLife (a future-of-Vegas thing), I’ll admit to being pretty well fried. But the news never sleeps — much as one might wish otherwise, sometimes — … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Current, Dining, International, Macau, Marketing, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 14, 2012 by David McKee

“It’s one of the imperatives of the Las Vegas hype machine that we never allow ourselves to dwell on our mistakes, publicly or privately. How many people remember Avenue Q at Wynn? Hairspray at Luxor? Columbia Sussex at the Tropicana? … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Entertainment, history, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 3 Comments

Crack is whack, Gary; Footing the CityCenter bill

Posted on February 13, 2012 by David McKee

It will be some time before we know what drugs were in Whitney Houston‘s system when she perished last weekend. More to our S&G purpose is the question of what pharmacological experiments Caesars Entertainment executives were conducting  when they entered … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Crack is whack, Gary; Footing the CityCenter bill

Idle worship in Vegas

Posted on February 12, 2012 by David McKee

Making a pilgrimage to Lourdes is so 20th century, especially when you can go to Planet Hollywood and worship at the feet of a Jersey Shore cast member. No word on whether last weekend’s manifestation of the inexplicable cultural artifact … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Lee, Nazarian go to market; IGT goes Disney

Posted on February 10, 2012 by David McKee

An S&G source says Creative Casinos CEO Dan Lee has arranged mezzanine financing and may soon go to the bond market to raise capital, presumably for Mojito Pointe for potentially for ventures elsewhere. The Lake Charles market draws heavy play … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Lee, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, IGT, International, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 10, 2012 by David McKee

“On my watch, we fought hard and prevented Massachusetts from becoming the Las Vegas of gay marriage.” — Mitt Romney, speaking earlier today. Unfortunately, Nevada voters have twice prevented Las Vegas from becoming “the Las Vegas of gay marriage.” Our … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Massachusetts, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Fire sale at Caesars; Harvey vs. The Mob

Posted on February 10, 2012 by David McKee

Money problems at Caesars Entertainment are worse than we thought. According to the New York Post, the company is trying to shop as many as 10 Midwestern casinos in order to raise $500 million in development capital. The money would … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Harry Reid, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Reno, The Mob, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Vegas’ December: Better than it looks?

Posted on February 9, 2012 by David McKee

If today’s numbers from the Nevada Gaming Control Board indicate that December was good for business — especially on the Las Vegas Strip (up 4% … 7% if you take baccarat out of the equation) — January ought to have … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Massachusetts, North Las Vegas, Reno, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Vegas’ December: Better than it looks?

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 9, 2012 by David McKee

“Is this the type of company people mean when they say government should be run like a business?” — Las Vegas Review-Journal reader “hermit,” on the subject of Caesars Entertainment‘s IPO.

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day