Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

When in doubt, hire a chef

Posted on May 25, 2010 by David McKee

That increasingly dubious X Train project doesn’t have first dibs on Union Pacific tracks, after all. And the on-board gambling (which S&G never took seriously) has been ixnayed. So whaddya do when you need a quick jolt of publicity? Hire … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Dining, Marketing, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on When in doubt, hire a chef

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 25, 2010 by David McKee

“I wouldn’t do business with MGM again if they were the last owner on the planet,” — Tutor Perini Corp. CEO Ron Tutor, stating a resolve that will endure until the sands of time run out … or until MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

It never hurts to complain

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

We’ve been hearing the odd grumble or three about B.B. King’s Blues Club, but one intrepid LVA reader decided to go a bit farther than that. After posting it on our site, he forwarded his missive to various corporate powers … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 3 Comments

X Train derailed; Wynn trumps Trump

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

It may already be time to stick a fork in the so-called X Train, which would use existing rail lines to carry gamblers from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. According to The Associated Press, X Train is being sued by … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Columbia Sussex, Donald Trump, Downtown, Golden Gaming, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Case Bets: Macao, Maryland, Internet casinos

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

April was a bonny month for Macao, where overall visitation rose 13% and mainland Chinese tourism rose 17%. Now if only Peking would take its hand off the spigot known as visa quotas, we might have some honest-to-god year/year comparisons … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Cordish Co., IGT, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Macau, Maryland, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

“I would tell you that I have the same feelings about legalizing marijuana, not medical marijuana, but just legalizing marijuana. I feel the same about legalizing alcohol. The effect on society is so great that I’m just not a real … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Entertainment, Politics | 1 Comment

You have been warned

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

Yr. Humble Blogger will be rising shotgun again on the next edition of The Strip Podcast. A sinus headache is enough to sop me cold, so props to Steve Friess for soldiering on despite having one and a nasty cold … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Entertainment, Marketing, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

You read it here first …

Posted on May 21, 2010 by David McKee

“Mmm-hm,” muttered a Tropicana Las Vegas official when I asked if the exhibit which will be taking up half the newly vacated Trop pavilion (former indoor tennis courts that look like an airplane hangar) was indeed Antoinette Giancana‘s long-mooted Mafia … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, International, MGM Mirage, Technology, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on You read it here first …

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 21, 2010 by David McKee

“Fremont [Street] Experience was ahead of its time but now it’s having its renaissance … Now, if you go down there on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday [night], it’s the new Bourbon Street, only a lot cleaner.” — MEET CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown | 3 Comments

The Ribis Factor

Posted on May 21, 2010 by David McKee

Today’s a hectic one: four bylines due and not much time for S&G. However, I am the beneficiary of some number-crunching conducted by a reader, who’s been following the decline and fall of Colony Capital‘s two Atlantic City casinos under … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, Mississippi, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Ribis Factor

That’ll show ’em!

Posted on May 20, 2010 by David McKee

What do you do if a group of conventioneers is discomfited during their stay at your brand-new, “grand slam home run,” unfinished $5.7 billion megaresort? Sue the bastards! That ought to work wonders for Sheldon Adelson‘s convention traffic. (True, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, LVCVA, Marketing, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

The Hard Rock: fatal attraction

Posted on May 20, 2010 by David McKee

If you’d like to spend time playing casino games in solitude, you might try the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. For instance, while S&G does not condone this sort of thing, you could have fired off a blunderbuss in either … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Morgans Hotel Group | Comments Off on The Hard Rock: fatal attraction

Hey, Gary Loveman …

Posted on May 20, 2010 by David McKee

… would it effing kill ya to send CFO Jonathan Halkyard down to Home Depot and pick up some Sherwin-Williams to slap on the old Paris-Las Vegas balloon? (If you think she looks bad from this angle, you should see … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 7 Comments

Good grief!

Posted on May 20, 2010 by David McKee

Some day, in the not-so-distant future, MILF-y Archon Corp. underboss Sue Lowden may make a distinguished addition to the U.S. Senate. As the secretary-treasurer of a casino company (one that aspires to build a sports arena on the Strip), she’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Election, Harrah's, Politics, Sports, The Strip, Transportation | 4 Comments

Once before I go

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

… to the Tropicana Las Vegas, that is. As you can see from this video and the accompanying story, Onex Corp. is making good on its promise to reinvest in the dowager, its first significant makeover since the early Reagan … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Columbia Sussex, Current, Movies, The Strip, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on Once before I go

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

“Sir, it’s a line charge. It’s the privilege of phone service, even if you don’t use it.” — response of Sam’s Town and Palms desk personnel to a patron’s complaint about being charged a dollar a day for the phone(s) … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Economy, George Maloof, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

News flash: And then there were three

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

If you’re headed through Mesquite, take a good look at the former Si Redd’s Oasis, which Black Gaming CEO Randy Black wants to demolish — in a metaphorical demonstration of what he’s done to that market (another beneficiary of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Regulation | 1 Comment

Paging Gary Loveman …

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

When it comes to bankruptcy, the Fertitta Brothers are pikers compared to magician Steve Wyrick, whose eponymous “entertainment complex” went “Poof!” last Dec. 10. At the time, Wyrick harangued LVA for announcing the closure, saying his return was imminent. We’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Paging Gary Loveman …

Tribal gambling comes to Ohio?

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

Voter approval of a quartet of casinos last November theoretically opens the door to Class III tribal gambling in Ohio. However, this pitch from the Delaware Tribe is likely to bounce in front of the plate and roll all the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ohio, Oklahoma, Regulation, Tribal | 1 Comment

More political football at CityCenter

Posted on May 18, 2010 by David McKee

Due to the Las Vegas Review-Journal‘s bizarre campaign to secede from the Internet, we dare not even link to an excellent Howard Stutz rundown of MGM Mirage‘s attempt to gain the high ground in the fractious “Who screwed up CityCenter” … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Labor, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment