Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

“Run away! Run away!”

Posted on May 18, 2010 by David McKee

“We know there’s going to be drug sales and prostitution and that you can’t stop all of it,” is the rallying cry of the Nevada Gaming Control Board‘s top enforcer, Jerry Markling, basically running up the white flag even before … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, The Strip | 1 Comment

“Trailer Stations” a-comin’!

Posted on May 18, 2010 by David McKee

If you’ve ever wanted to play in one of those eight-hour, slots-in-a-trailer casinos that United Coin sets up to help Company X preserve the gambling entitlement underlying a closed building or a vacant piece of land, here’s your chance. Three … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Slot routes, Tourism | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

“I recall a conversation with a prominent gaming executive when he was asked to support [then-Rep. Jim] Gibbons four years ago. He wondered why the state’s power elite would anoint someone who was quietly embarrassing in D.C. amid 435 members … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Andy Rooney is an @$$

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

Actually, I had a more sphincter-specific adjective in mind. I tuned the nasty old fart out years ago, when he approving noted the spread of AIDS. The CBS-TV in-house crackpot hasn’t stopped rejoicing in human misery since then. Here are … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Trop tour!

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

I’ll be spending late Wednesday with a hardhat atop my noggin, as I get a tour of the ongoing makeover at the Tropicana Las Vegas. The two big, outdoor signs have already been replaced, the marquee (left) is getting a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 4 Comments

Writing today

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

… on mostly non-S&G projects, so blogorrhea is at a minimum, alas. We’re also trying to work out the kinks in our system that would enable us to get that week-old Atlantic City piece out of the right-hand box without … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, George Maloof, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on Writing today

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

“Mark Manendo, 42, has never married and has lived with his mother for long periods of time.” — Assemblywoman Kathy McClain (D-NV) lobbing a creaky old form of sexual innuendo against her opponent in the primary. Judging by the locution, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Politics | 3 Comments

More X Train hype

Posted on May 16, 2010 by David McKee

Those folks behind the X Train have managed to snag some teevee time and the more they talk, the more their project sounds like empty hype: a lot of fancy promises upfront but little indication of from whence the startup … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Tourism, Transportation | 3 Comments

LV Hilton sagging

Posted on May 14, 2010 by David McKee

Tom Barrack‘s Colony C[r]apital may be running yet another casino into the ground. The Las Vegas Hilton reported earnings late today, swinging $5 million year/year from a profit to a loss. Food and beverage sales were steady but hotel rooms … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Economy, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

“The American consumer is toast”

Posted on May 14, 2010 by David McKee

If you think MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren sounds apocalyptic when he forecasts no major development on the Las Vegas Strip until circa 2020 (heck, Carl Icahn may keep Fontainebleau on ice until 2015) then get a load of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

“Maudlin’s Eleven”

Posted on May 14, 2010 by David McKee

Since the recent inclusion of an SCTV clip went over so well (the troupe really had the old Vegas sensibility down cold), another S&G film festival seemed in order. In this case, it’s the complete Maudlin’s Eleven. For some bizarre … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Movies, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

This just in …

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Casino regulators in Iowa have dealt a sweeping rebuff to Gov. Chet Culver (D). While the Hawkeye State’s Racing & Gaming Commission gave its nod to a casino targeted primarily at the South Dakota market, it backhanded three other proposals. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off on This just in …

CityCenter, political football *du jour*

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Now that the all-too-inevitable “Who screwed up CityCenter?” unpleasantness between MGM Mirage and Perini Building has escalated into full-blown litigation and subcontractors fend for themselves, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has been caught in the crossfire. His main rival, Archon Corp. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., CityCenter, Current, Election, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics, The Strip | Comments Off on CityCenter, political football *du jour*

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

“The original Lisboa project marks a rare occasion that SJM subscribed to the build-it-and-they-will-come theory of development that drives most of its rivals. The tactic usually involves spending borrowed money like a drunken sailor in an attempt to lead the … Continue reading →

Posted in Macau, Marketing, Stanley Ho | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Resorts World lifts Marina Bay Sands

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Strongly early numbers and performance from Genting‘s Resorts World Sentosa metaresort are fueling bullish sentiment regarding Las Vegas Sands‘ $5.7 billion Marina Bay Sands megalith (above), part of a multi-pronged tourism push. Sentosa did $243 million in revenue and $79 … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Genting, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Resorts World lifts Marina Bay Sands

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 12, 2010 by David McKee

“The gentleman involved in Neonopolis is a wonderful salesman. He has been to the club one time, and he has an amazing skill. I’ve had several meetings with him, and he has a very positive approach and he gets you … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment | 1 Comment

Nevada: No recovery yet

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

“We hit the bottom and are slowly climbing out,” contends Nevada Gaming Control Board analyst Frank Streshley, trying to put the best spin on a flat March. There were definitely some silver linings. Who’da thunk Laughlin (2.5%), Reno (5%) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, California, CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, LVCVA, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sports, The Strip | 10 Comments

Not just another pretty face

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

Because of the relatively low base salaries drawn by CEOs of major casino companies, they’ve generally been exempt from mass-media scrutiny. However, the ways in which the compensation pot has been sweetened for Las Vegas‘ (or would that be China‘s?) … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, International, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Mixed signals along the rivers

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

Last month’s results from Missouri are as might be expected. The opening of Pinnacle Entertainment‘s River City lifted state revenues overall (6%) but at the price of a fair amount of cannibalization — mainly at other Pinnacle properties, although it … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Mixed signals along the rivers

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

“Where financing was hard to come by before, it’s nearly impossible for today.” — Columbia Sussex Executive Vice President Joseph Yung (son of Bill). Yes, it would be … especially when you’re leveraged to the gills like ColSux.

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day