Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

Western Passage & the new Rat (Rod) Pack

Posted on September 8, 2010 by David McKee

Let’s try this again … Today’s guest blog hails from the keyboard of reader Jeff_in_OKC who recently paid not one, not two but three (brave man!) visits to the Western Hotel, on the fringe of downtown Las Vegas. The Western … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Archon Corp., Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Laughlin, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Oscar Goodman, Sahara, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 12 Comments

Murren vs. Angle

Posted on September 7, 2010 by David McKee

Taking a moment from fluffing Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren finally pointed out the elephant in the middle of the room, Sharron Angle‘s laughably primitive grasp of economics. (Except Murren used a nicer word than … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, New York | 5 Comments

The fiendish plot of Dr. Stanley Ho

Posted on September 7, 2010 by David McKee

Launching a frontal assault on Las Vegas Sands, archrival Sociedade de Jogos de Macau has requested that the Macanese government repatriate Sites 7 & 8 on the Cotai Strip™, and award them to — surprise! — Stanley Ho. There’s no … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Election, Macau, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 7, 2010 by David McKee

“When concern for others’ feelings and welfare is missing, our activities tend to become spoiled. Through lack of basic human feeling, religion, politics, economics, and so on can be rendered dirty. Instead of serving humanity, they become agents of its … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity | 3 Comments

The Big Lie

Posted on September 6, 2010 by David McKee

As we’ve been taught, if you’re going to tell a lie then make it a whopper. Enter Republican Advocates President Jim Clark. Having called completion of CityCenter “throwing good money after bad”, Clark unloads this doozy: “The project is now … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Economy, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics, The Strip, Wall Street | 7 Comments

Labor Day Massacre in Atlantic City

Posted on September 6, 2010 by David McKee

Heading into the weekend, Trump Entertainment Resorts continued its reorganization by sacking six top executives. They were preceded by Trump Plaza General Manager Jim Rigot, who wasn’t pushed but gave his notice a fortnight ago. One of the Trump Six, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Kansas, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 6, 2010 by David McKee

“This Labor Day, if you find yourself drinking a cold brewski, cooking brats on the Weber, and complaining to your neighbor about your g.d. boss, your g.d. mortgage, and your g.d. Congress, well … you can think of those poor … Continue reading →

Posted in history | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 2, 2010 by David McKee

“You cannot keep putting up hotels with 3,000 rooms and expect not to smother one another. They will suffocate one another to the degree that 20 years from today, they will not be in business. Talk to me in 20 … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Economy, Entertainment, The Strip | 4 Comments

Rub-a-dub-dub, three gourmands in a tub

Posted on September 2, 2010 by David McKee

On Nov. 15, LVA will unveil Las Vegas’ 50 finest restaurants, as chosen by the troika of John Curtas, Max Jacobson and Al Mancini. Their collective judgment will be showcased in Eating Las Vegas. As our invaluable Heidi Olson writes: … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining | Comments Off on Rub-a-dub-dub, three gourmands in a tub

And then there was one

Posted on September 1, 2010 by David McKee

Scarcely had Steve Wynn and Victor Drai parted company than Wynn Resorts issued this curt declaration at 10 a.m. today: Cy Waits has been separated from the company and is free to pursue other interests. Wynn [Resorts] has no further … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments

M life … an insurance company?

Posted on August 31, 2010 by David McKee

Editor’s note: While I’m busy with other projects, S&G will be hosting a few guest bloggers. First up is Detroit_1051, who noted some discrepancies in the way MGM Resorts International handles its frequent-player program … A friend opened her mail … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Detroit, Dining, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Objects in the photo may be emptier than they appear

Posted on August 31, 2010 by David McKee

Booking site Oyster.com is having a bit of fun with the gap between perception and reality at some Las Vegas hotels. Take for instance, that photo which shows you the Mandalay Bay wave pool as though you would have it … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Colorado, Current, Downtown, Economy, Election, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 30, 2010 by David McKee

“I am a 70-year-old now housebound veteran with 100 percent service-connected disability. I have no attachable property or attachable income, so let them sue away. Frankly, with congestive heart failure, I did not expect to still be living this long, … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology | 2 Comments

Venetian Oriental delayed again; Wynn & Drai divorce

Posted on August 27, 2010 by David McKee

Worker-recruitment problems in Macao are worse than Las Vegas Sands has been letting on. The company has now re-postponed its $4 billion, 6,000-room Venetian Oriental into late 2011, with its second phase debuting in mid-2012. The company’s verbiage, however, raises … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Encore, Entertainment, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Eastside Cannery, muse

Posted on August 27, 2010 by David McKee

The neon-bathed casino on the Boulder Strip seems to have quite an inspirational effect on artists, as seen in the music video above. “ECan” has also impelled a poem from the pen of local playwright and author Ernie Curcio, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Cannery Casino Resorts, Entertainment, history | Comments Off on Eastside Cannery, muse

Sin City, look to thy laurels!

Posted on August 27, 2010 by David McKee

Warning: Adult content; viewer discretion advised. Boy, wouldn’t the Nevada Gaming Control Board go into apoplexy if, say, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino took a page or 12 from Casino Victoria, in Minsk. At least everybody seems to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, International, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation | 1 Comment

Reid wusses out; Sucker bets, Sheldon & strippers

Posted on August 26, 2010 by David McKee

UIGEA repeal? Forget about it. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has chickened out again. Pressed on the issue, he said he’d support the legalization of online poker but faintheartedly drew the line there. That still wasn’t good enough for some independent … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, CityCenter, Current, Dubai, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Harry Reid, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 3 Comments

Early returns are in

Posted on August 26, 2010 by David McKee

Not electionwise but with regard to Penn National Gaming‘s racino in Charles Town, W.V., and its Hollywood Casino in Pennsylvania. The introduction of table games is buoying revenues nicely. The overall result in especially impressive in Charles Town. Not only … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Harrah's, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, West Virginia | Comments Off on Early returns are in

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 26, 2010 by David McKee

“This next song is about a place where I like to drink. Whatever. I said it.” — Katy Perry, introducing “Waking up in Vegas” during her concert appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. And people ask my wife … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Old cats, new tricks

Posted on August 26, 2010 by David McKee

After one near-eviction, followed by a lengthy reprieve, magician Dirk Arthur and his big cats got the heave-ho from the Tropicana Las Vegas. Where’s tiger-loving illusionist to go? In Arthur’s case, it’s to the Strip’s biggest litter box, O’Shea’s Casino, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Animals, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, The Strip | Comments Off on Old cats, new tricks