Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on December 17, 2009 by David McKee

“So, are there any other new casinos opening?” — wire-service reporter, to UNLV Center for Gaming Research Director David G. Schwartz, at the end of a conversation about the debut of Boot Hill Casino, in Kansas. Ummm, heard of a … Continue reading →

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

Live from CityCenter

Posted on December 16, 2009 by David McKee

I’m filing in haste from CityCenter, where I have Aria, Vdara and Mandarin Oriental tours scheduled. Hopefully, I’ll be back at the keyboard later this afternoon. I poked my head into Crystals long enough to see very, very light pedestrian … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Dubai, Economy, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Sign of the Times

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

Seen on Saturday, at the top of the Riviera‘s giant rear marquee, in huge letters: “VERSAILLES THEATRE.” Mind you, the Riv doesn’t have anything (according to its latest press release) actually playing in that space, Ice having gone the way … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, The Strip | 8 Comments

A Privé by any other name …

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

Rose, the new nightclub in Mandalay Bay, hasn’t even opened yet and it’s racked up its first scandal. MBay is trying to rework Rose’s lease on more favorable terms, given that the club’s owners are some of the, er, colorful … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off on A Privé by any other name …

Big casino opening today

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

No, not Aria. That’s tomorrow. Today’s the first day of business for $48 million Boot Hill Casino & Resort, in Dodge City. Avionics firm (!) and relatively novice casino developer Butler National did what brand names Penn National Gaming, MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal | Comments Off on Big casino opening today

Pelican State blues

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

November numbers are in for Louisiana and it’s the Pelican State’s worst gaming month in five quarters. Only the independent Eldorado Shreveport riverboat and Fair Grounds racino near New Orleans reported revenue growth. All major operators took it on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation | Comments Off on Pelican State blues

Case Bets: Pinnacle, Macao, Sahara & Mirage

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

No trouble in River City: The opening of Pinnacle Entertainment‘s River City casino complex has leapt forward from May to March. Bully for Pinnacle, if this means that the project is going to be finished ahead of schedule. If this … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, The Strip | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 15, 2009 by David McKee

“Steve [Wynn] is a very interesting, creative guy and he has a wonderful view of the future and a view of the history which is not always aligned with my recollection of the history whatsoever or a lot of people’s.” … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Torrents of Greed

Posted on December 14, 2009 by David McKee

A few random musings … MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren can wax eloquent on the subject of sustainable development but I suspect that any pensées he might have offered Dubai World on the subject would have been pearls before swine. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, CityCenter, Current, Dubai, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 14, 2009 by David McKee

“Let’s stick to the cash.” — Steve Wynn, in response to Garth Brooks‘ offer to work for food money. Brooks was making a joke at the expense of his own avoirdupois.

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

Worth the money

Posted on December 14, 2009 by David McKee

Those three words are all you need to know about Garth Brooks‘ show at Wynncore. (Also, I’m pledged to cover it for WizardOfVegas.com, so I can’t spill all the beans here.) If you’re lucky — as we were — your … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Bonuses for F-bleau; MGM plants flag in India

Posted on December 11, 2009 by David McKee

When your hopelessly over-budget resort project is bankrupt, stuck in the mud, mired in lawsuits and is basically a total writeoff, there’s only one thing to do. Award year-end bonuses, that’s what. Fontainebleau Chief Restructuring Officer Howard Karawan wants to … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Genting, International, MGM Mirage, Penn National, The Strip | 6 Comments

That’s a mouthful

Posted on December 11, 2009 by David McKee

To wit, the Wild Wild West is soon to be rebaptized as Days Inn – Las Vegas at Wild Wild West Gambling Hall. (Uff da!) Which kicks the prospect of “Viva” years further down the road. I mean, you know … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, International, Maryland, Regulation, Station Casinos | 2 Comments

Tamares: the can’t-do spirit

Posted on December 10, 2009 by David McKee

Downtown has quite enough problems without Tamares Group‘s continued rubbishing of several former Jackie Gaughan casinos adding to the malaise. Now Tamares — or its casino-management sock puppet, BRH Gaming — has sent LVA the following, very depressing bulletin: “The … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Riviera, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal | 7 Comments

Rumpus @ The Rio, Vdara & other Case Bets

Posted on December 10, 2009 by David McKee

It’s shaping up to be a news-intensive day — and I have off-site commitments that will keep me away from the keyboard, but let’s see what we can cram in … “The kiss that rocked The Rio”: The steamy scene … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Harrah's, IGT, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 10, 2009 by David McKee

“When the world ends, the Las Vegas headline will read: ‘World Ends: Experts Worry About Impact on Vegas Tourism.’” — Richard Abowitz, from his new blog, Gold Plated Door.

Posted in Current, Economy, Tourism | 1 Comment

Wall Street hearts Penn

Posted on December 9, 2009 by David McKee

Table games having been approved for Charles Town Races & Slots by a 60/40 margin, stock analysts are lurving Penn National Gaming … so long as Penn’s infatuation with Fontainebleau turns out to have been a passing malady. While those … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, The Strip, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Walking in Vegas

Posted on December 9, 2009 by David McKee

“Walking on the Vegas Strip, I was struck by the smell of sewage wafting between two of the fabulously opulent hotels, and I wondered whether this might be taken figuratively as a kind of miasma for a city going the … Continue reading →

Posted in Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

Join the 104!

Posted on December 9, 2009 by David McKee

Just a quick programming note: If you’re not among the 104 — count ’em — Twitter followers of S&G, I’d recommend it for the following reason. There’s many a news story (like Stanley Ho‘s mysterious surgeries) that doesn’t even rise … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Stanley Ho, Technology | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 9, 2009 by David McKee

“[Steve] Wynn on Switch renovation: ‘There’s nothing worse than a dead porte cochere.’ I often think this, don’t you?” — Steve Friess, from his Twitter feed.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Quote of the Day