Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on March 15, 2011 by David McKee

“Schumer is Stewie.” — former Providence, R.I. mayor, convicted felon and frequent Family Guy reference point Buddy Cianci in re Sen. Charles Schumer (R-NY). Damn! That’s the best endorsement I’ve ever heard, bar none.

Posted in Current, New York, Politics, TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

What $45 gets you in Vegas

Posted on March 15, 2011 by David McKee

As Dr. David G. Schwartz has more or less said, why drop $39/night at the SahaRiviCircus when the folks at Caesars Entertainment can fix you up with a Go Room and a Strip view for $45? (A friend of mine … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Harrah's, Marketing, Sahara, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on What $45 gets you in Vegas

What makes Sammy run?

Posted on March 14, 2011 by David McKee

Scarcely was the ink dry on Sahara owner Sammy “The Naz” Nazarian‘s announcement of the property’s May 16 closure than rumors began to fly about his endgame for the old gal. At S&G, we’re pretty certain that “The Naz” (™ … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 14, 2011 by David McKee

“It used to be that people were choosing between value and luxury. But since the recession they don’t have to choose: They can get value and luxury in the same place.” — David G. Schwartz, director of the Center for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Trains to nowhere?

Posted on March 14, 2011 by David McKee

Spurning of federal high-speed-rail money by governors like Rick Scott (R-FL), John Kasich (R-OH) and Scott Walker (R-WI) might mean some of the multibillion-dollar largesse would be rechanneled toward Sig Rogich‘s and Sen. Harry Reid‘s Desert Xpress, bound for Victorville, … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Florida, Harry Reid, Ohio, Transportation | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 12, 2011 by David McKee

“It might seem unfathomable to the guests who tote giant coolers stuffed with three days’ worth of provisions to their $39-a-night room that the Sahara was once one of the Strip’s great hotels.” — John Katsilometes, on the 59-year-old resort … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, history, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

R.I.P., Sahara (1952-2011)

Posted on March 11, 2011 by David McKee

Once the Riviera changed hands, the Strip casino for whom mortality seemed most imminent became the Sahara. The ‘death by a thousand cuts’ regime of nightclub impresario and absentee owner Sam Nazarian bled the place to the extent that there … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, history, International, James Packer, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Pansy Ho, Plaza, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 11, 2011 by David McKee

“Recall, Italy turned to gaming expansion rather quickly following its earthquake in 2009. While we don’t care to speculate on how these events will impact the process in Japan, we do believe investors may come to the conclusion that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, International | 2 Comments

Good news from an unexpected source

Posted on March 10, 2011 by David McKee

Atlantic City hit the big 3-0 in February: 30 straight months on revenue declivity, says J.P. Morgan (31, according to Wells Fargo). However, the rate of decline (1.4%) was the smallest since April of last year. With Genting Bhd‘s racino … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Station, Greenspuns part company

Posted on March 10, 2011 by David McKee

For quite a while the relationship between Station Casinos and Greenspun Corp. has been in the “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” category, as the two bickered over the ownership and management of their casino joint ventures. Today they’re Splitsville and … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Vegas in January: Dazed and confusing

Posted on March 10, 2011 by David McKee

It’s not as though there aren’t signs of hope for the Nevada economy. And even as empty storefronts continue to proliferate and housing prices tank in Las Vegas, there’s a “green shoot” or two, if you look for them. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cosmopolitan, Current, Downtown, Economy, history, IGT, Lake Tahoe, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

This just in: NV ponders ‘Net bets

Posted on March 10, 2011 by David McKee

While certain politicians and even casino executives continue to keep a finger in the dike that protects Americans from — gasp! — gambling online, the dike is fast crumbling around them. Nevada is the latest state to join the jailbreak. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Politics, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off on This just in: NV ponders ‘Net bets

Wynn hearts Pinnacle; Harrah’s demands aesthetic restraint

Posted on March 9, 2011 by David McKee

Now that former Mirage Resorts CFO Dan Lee is long gone from Pinnacle Entertainment, too, former Lee boss Steve Wynn seems to have changed his opinion about Pinnacle. While I (erroneously) thought that Pinnacle CEO Anthony Sanfilippo‘s erstwhile ties to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Current, Dan Lee, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Marketing, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Boyd: The rest of the story

Posted on March 9, 2011 by David McKee

There’s a bit of scuttlebutt going around about Boyd Gaming retracting coupon offers. To wit, from the S&G mailbag: “There’s this story going around, Suncoast/Boyd advertised in the [Las Vegas Review-Journal], and gave 10x points coupons for every Wednesday in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Lake Tahoe, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, TV | 5 Comments

“V”

Posted on March 8, 2011 by David McKee

That’s about the extent and substance of the campaign of Las Vegas mayoral aspirant Victor Chaltiel, a suddenly ubiquitous, Peter Lorre-like figure who has manifested himself as major civic figure as suddenly as if he’d been beamed down from space. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, International, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Politics, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 4 Comments

An Ensign afterthought

Posted on March 7, 2011 by David McKee

By spending tens of thousands of dollars to defend the (mis)conduct of Sen. John Ensign, not only do the CEOs of Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts appear to condone it, they open themselves to questions about their own views … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Macau, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Pay no attention to the man behind the bow tie

Posted on March 7, 2011 by David McKee

While high-speed rail might be no more than a partial solution to expediting access to resort cities like Las Vegas and New Orleans, at least one of its naysayers used to be a vocal advocate. Who? Why none other than … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Transportation, TV | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 7, 2011 by David McKee

“Still, would it surprise anyone to find out if this really was how business was conducted over there? Secret investigations of your enemies? Bribes? Kinda exactly how I imagine things might work when billions are on the line and your … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, International, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Banzai, Caesar!

Posted on March 7, 2011 by David McKee

Although it will be putting its noble name to on the soon-to-be-ex-Centurion Tower at sprawling Caesars Palace, Nobu Hospitality will only pony up an (unspecified) portion of the (unspecified) cost. Actually, the Associated Press and Las Vegas Review-Journal differ on … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Harrah's, International, The Strip, Transportation, TV | 2 Comments

“Hi, I’m John Ensign, your casino host”

Posted on March 7, 2011 by David McKee

In development that was a foregone conclusion to everyone but Sen. John Ensign (R) himself, the former casino executive and prospective heir to the Mandalay Resort Group fortune of Mike Ensign, announced his retirement from politics today. The former general … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Election, Florida, history, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip | 3 Comments