Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

Signs of the Times

Posted on July 22, 2009 by David McKee

Caesars Palace's jumbotron was hawking a poker "tournement [sic]" as of last night. Having an ex-Harvard boffin at the helm evidently doesn't raise a company's I.Q. level. You half-expect that sort of spelling gaffe on the marquee at Terrible's; at … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Riviera, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Signs of the Times

"Link" to Nowhere

Posted on July 21, 2009 by David McKee

On and off, over a four-year period, Harrah’s Entertainment teased journalists (and, by extension, the public) with hints of a really big project to be announced really soon … whenever they got around to it, that is. Well, the Harrah’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on "Link" to Nowhere

Facts are stubborn things

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

A big thumbs-up to a casino company in Central City, Colo., for making its case to players not with vague claims but quantifiable facts. Famous Bonanza & Easy Street Casinos shared with its patrons Colorado Division of Gaming Statistics data … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Kansas, Marketing, Regulation | Comments Off on Facts are stubborn things

The dream is dying

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

Just last week, UNLV‘s historical sage, Dr. Eugene Moehring, was taking a dim view of the fate of Las Vegas’ working class. Now comes the Wall Street Journal to back him up with some sobering reportage. Even at union salaries, Culinary … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Encore, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, LVCVA, M Resort, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Plaza, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on The dream is dying

Case Bets: M Resort, bad debt, Wall Street's bomb

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

After fairly flying out of the gate, M Resort has hit the wall. Unfortunately, CEO Anthony Marnell III's response to economic adversity has been to sweat the value propositions. Not only is M fretting about card counters (hands down, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, M Resort, Marketing, Regulation, Sahara, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: M Resort, bad debt, Wall Street's bomb

Wynn goes to Monaco

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

Maybe this just goes in the "pipe dream" category, but a Culver City architectural firm has posted renderings that indicate Steve Wynn is/was thinking of extending his brand to Monaco. A description is said to be "coming soon." In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Harrah's, International, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Wynn goes to Monaco

Trop makes a move

Posted on July 17, 2009 by David McKee

Impressionist Rich Natole has been calling around, letting media people know that his next two performances of Voices of a Generation at the Harmon Theater will be his last. He's set to reopen at the Tropicana Las Vegas on Aug. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Entertainment, The Strip | Comments Off on Trop makes a move

Case Bets: F'bleau, Adelson, Oscar

Posted on July 17, 2009 by David McKee

Whether it's the banks or the subcontractors, somebody's going to take a big screwing at Fontainebleau. That's the nub of a new lawsuit, whereby developer Jeffrey Soffer asserts that Turnberry West Construction (which he also owns) has superior repayment rights … Continue reading →

Posted in Don Barden, Downtown, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Oscar Goodman, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off on Case Bets: F'bleau, Adelson, Oscar

Vegas (isn't the only place that) needs Carmen Electra

Posted on July 17, 2009 by David McKee

Occasionally, S&G readers allow me to share their off-list bon mots with the general public. Such is the case with one Pacific Rim-based gentlewoman who’s familiar with the sights and sounds of Macao. Evidently, it’s a place where voluptuousness is … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Reno, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Vegas (isn't the only place that) needs Carmen Electra

Case Bets: Midnight Jim, Sands, "Peepshow", Hard Rock, Reid

Posted on July 16, 2009 by David McKee

Chronic ineptitude by Nevada's governor is endless fodder for comedy (like entrusting your re-election campaign to the former marketing director of a ski resort and political novice.) But it also has perilous consequences. For instance, his thoughtless decision to pack … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, Morgans Hotel Group, Oscar Goodman, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology | Comments Off on Case Bets: Midnight Jim, Sands, "Peepshow", Hard Rock, Reid

It's Gaughan

Posted on July 16, 2009 by David McKee

Congratulations to South Point owner Michael Gaughan, the 2009 inductee to the American Gaming Association Hall of Fame. An industry "lifer" who worked his way up from the Royal Inn to the CEO's chair at Coast Casinos, Gaughan has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, G2E, James Packer, Michael Gaughan, Tourism | Comments Off on It's Gaughan

To blog or not to blog?

Posted on July 15, 2009 by David McKee

That is the question for today. It's not the larger, existential question of whether the opinions of one curmudgeonly blogger amount to a hill of beans in this world, especially when even the village idiot has a cyber-soapbox. No, it's … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Technology, TV | Comments Off on To blog or not to blog?

It’s lonely in the bunker; Luxor gets its groove on

Posted on July 15, 2009 by David McKee

Two resignations made the news today. First, the publicist for Criss F. Angel took a hike. Given the choice between the much-reviled Angel and unlikely rising star (and reportedly much, much nicer person) Holly Madison, Fantasy flack John Flynn left … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off on It’s lonely in the bunker; Luxor gets its groove on

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 14, 2009 by David McKee

“Did these companies come in and make Harrah’s and Station better companies? Not really. In the case of Harrah’s, they have made things worse.” — T. Rowe Price portfolio manager Joe Fath on the effects of private equity buyouts on … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Harrah's, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Penn finally makes a move

Posted on July 14, 2009 by David McKee

Well, let's not get all excited yet. Penn National has bought a puny stake in Morris Goldstein & Assoc., a slot distributor. It's a bit of kabuki theatre whereby Penn and executives CEO Peter Carlino, President Tim Wilmott, CFO Bill … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Internet gambling, Macau, Penn National, Regulation, Riviera, Tourism | Comments Off on Penn finally makes a move

More Midwest notes

Posted on July 14, 2009 by David McKee

Continuing a trend of lower-than-projected returns across the Midwest, Iowa's riverboats were flat last month and racinos saw a 5% decline. All major operators lost ground but something is very wrong at Ameristar Casinos, whose Council Bluffs boat was way … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Detroit, Economy, IGT, Illinois, Iowa, MGM Mirage, WMS Industries | Comments Off on More Midwest notes

Competition forces sanity

Posted on July 13, 2009 by David McKee

While the Bible Belt may hold out until the bitter end, we may finally be seeing the demise of the "boats in moats" arrangement, a fig leaf that enabled Midwestern states to blushingly accept casino money. Illinois has started phasing … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Taxes | Comments Off on Competition forces sanity

Rough trade

Posted on July 13, 2009 by David McKee

May wasn't great for Las Vegas, to say the least, with hotel occupancy -6%, a figure somewhat amplified by the presence of 3% more hotel rooms. The local ADR of $96.96 would have been regarded as real money back in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Regulation, Slot routes, The Strip | Comments Off on Rough trade

"The mean reds"

Posted on July 13, 2009 by David McKee

Back at the home office, things still aren't up to speed. I'm caught between a cold and a stomach bug, so I feel pretty thoroughly depleted. On top of that, I'm trying to grappled with a sudden plunge into depression. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Current, Tourism | Comments Off on "The mean reds"

Trop and tribulation

Posted on July 8, 2009 by David McKee

A pair of New Jersey lawmakers are hopping mad about the costly, dubiously competent Tropicana Atlantic City trusteeship of Justice Gary Stein. The solons are particularly het up over the way Stein was feathering his own nest. "It is unacceptable, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Politics, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Trop and tribulation