Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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‘Twas the night before Christmas Eve

Posted on December 23, 2011 by David McKee

For those of you who have to work on the holidays …

Posted in Entertainment | 2 Comments

I’ll be sick for Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2011 by David McKee

Alas, most of the work week has been lost to a sudden onset of the flu. After answering a few “Question(s) of the Day” I was a goner … even though news of the casino industry marches implacably onwards. Anyway, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 23, 2011 by David McKee

“Nothing optional — from homosexuality to adultery — is ever made punishable unless those who do the prohibiting (and exact the fierce punishment) have a repressed desire to participate.” — just one of the many stinging insights delivered by Christopher … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 20, 2011 by David McKee

“[Erin] Burnett, despite her youth, is a relic of a bygone age. She embodies ’90s ‘market populism,’ to use Thomas Frank’s phrase, now still surviving on our airwaves as a zombie idea. The idea of America as a mass ‘shareholder … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, TV, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Pennsylvania gives thanks; Aqueduct, superstar

Posted on December 16, 2011 by David McKee

This has been a terrible fortnight for S&G but, hey, we’ve got some good news from Pennsylvania. Last month’s gambling revenues were reported this morning and they’re up 12%, thanks mostly to the growing popularity of table games. (Atlantic City, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Economy, Genting, IGT, Illinois, Macau, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 2 Comments

Fun with math

Posted on December 15, 2011 by David McKee

There’s regular arithmetic and then there’s Walmart math. I mean, who ever knew that a 29% price increase constituted a “rollback”? Perhaps I shouldn’t be sharing this novel concept with the gaming industry, giving them ideas, but S&G readers deserve … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Marketing | 1 Comment

A very Vegas “Nutcracker”; The vanishing Bob Earl

Posted on December 15, 2011 by David McKee

Well, slightly Vegas anyway. Holly Madison has managed to become the single most ubiquitous celebrity in town (unless you count food-stained wretch Robin Leach, which I don’t). This year, she’s gracing Nevada Ballet Theater‘s The Nutcracker, which is playing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, The Strip | Comments Off on A very Vegas “Nutcracker”; The vanishing Bob Earl

Why is this man still smiling?

Posted on December 15, 2011 by David McKee

Colony Capital has a Nevada gaming license. Ronald P. Johnson does not, even though he’s been advising Goldman Sachs on its gaming operations for the past year. Big mistake. On Tuesday, a Clark County judge split the baby that is … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Don Barden, Economy, Goldman Sachs | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 15, 2011 by David McKee

“Dismissing the burgeoning number of Americans on the right who are suspicious of interventionism and hawkishness is intellectually suspect and unwise. A majority of Republicans now think that the Iraq War was a mistake. The general non-interventionist impulse on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, history, International | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 12, 2011 by David McKee

“Let me say this: Trees don’t grow to the sky. There is clearly a saturation point, and as you add additional competition, everybody’s total win will be going down.” — Rivers Casino owner Neil Bluhm, in reference to Illinois market. … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois, Neil Bluhm, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

‘Grimm’ reaper; Marathon ordeal; Last call for queries

Posted on December 12, 2011 by David McKee

Las Vegas made the Sunday funny pages this week. One could get all irate about Mike Peters‘ dig at gambling and the Strip. However, if he wanted to equate casinos with fleapits, he could have chosen more wisely than he … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Environment, Florida, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

What’s wrong with this picture?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by David McKee

TV watchers have  been getting a heavy dose of commercials from British Petroleum, promoting tourism along the Gulf Coast (which, not so recently, BP was responsible for befouling). What grabs my eye is that Margaritaville Casino & Restaurant COO Karen … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Mississippi | Comments Off on What’s wrong with this picture?

More treat than trick

Posted on December 9, 2011 by David McKee

October’s revenue figures for Nevada emerged today and it was a good month statewide ($961 million, +8%) and a great one for the Las Vegas Strip ($560.5 million, +13%). Mind you, October 1 was a Saturday, meaning that some Sept. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Borgata or bust; ‘LVH,’ Jacko & Sinead

Posted on December 9, 2011 by David McKee

First, the good news: Borgata — accounting for more than one-fifth of the entire market share — continues to vastly outpace the rest of the Atlantic City market. Last month, it raked in $50 million for a 2% gain, driven … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

[your restaurant here]

Posted on December 8, 2011 by David McKee

Leave it to the marketing geniuses at Comme ça (in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) to come up with the dopiest — no, not “dopest,” dopiest — publicity photo of 2011. How do you publicize your fine, French bistro where … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Dining, Entertainment, Marketing, The Strip | 2 Comments

Blast from the Past

Posted on December 7, 2011 by David McKee

This week finds me up to my butt in page proofs of Rick Lax‘s forthcoming book, I Get Paid for This, a Michael Jackson The [sic] Immortal World Tour™ review for WizardOfVegas.com, profiles of developer Brett Torino and Mayor Carolyn … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Cirque du Soleil, Columbia Sussex, Downtown, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, history, James Packer, Lake Tahoe, Massachusetts, Movies, Tamares Group, The Strip | 1 Comment

Only in Vegas

Posted on December 6, 2011 by David McKee

So you’re running in the Zappos.com Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and, as you pass the Riviera, your hamstrings burning you like a Donald Trump real estate scheme, you have a sudden urge to lay some bread on that … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Colorado, Donald Trump, Marketing, Massachusetts, Riviera, Sports, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Only in Vegas

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 6, 2011 by David McKee

“You had to have a kind of intuitive courage. I’m not well-suited to those kinds of decisions.” — Gary Loveman, to Bloomberg Businessweek, on why he thought $900 million was too high a price for getting then-Harrah’s Entertainment into Macao. … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, history, Macau | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

“Michael Jackson™”: Mortal?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by David McKee

As the reviews trickle in from Saturday night’s Las Vegas premiere of Michael Jackson The IMMORTAL World Tour™ we may be seeing an inversion of the Viva Elvis™ phenomenon. In the latter instance, the out-of-towners raved and local critics yawned. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Cirque du Soleil, Current, Economy, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on “Michael Jackson™”: Mortal?

Twin tragedies

Posted on December 5, 2011 by David McKee

That nexus in which the media and Big Gaming interact is conspicuously less populous today. First came the news that Sarah Ralston (1961-2011) had died a fortnight ago, following what is characterized as “a brief illness.” From 1995 until 2000, … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, history, Louisiana, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 6 Comments