Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

"Peep" slow

Posted on June 22, 2009 by David McKee

Saturday night's 8 p.m. performance of Peepshow played to an audience one might describe as "pitiful." If the auditorium was even half-full, I'll eat my hat. Planet Hollywood has got to be beseeching the heavens that the curiosity/trainwreck factor of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on "Peep" slow

A-Yem to the rescue

Posted on June 19, 2009 by David McKee

“No corporate liposuction.” With those words, new Tropicana Las Vegas CEO Alex Yemenidjian not only coined the catchphrase of the year, he implicitly repudiated the policies of forerunner William J. Yung III, whose Columbia Sussex modus operandi was to solve … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Columbia Sussex, Current, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Labor, Regulation, Tamares Group, The Strip | Comments Off on A-Yem to the rescue

Harrah’s Azov?

Posted on June 18, 2009 by David McKee

Bloomberg News reports the following: Harrah’s Entertainment, the world’s biggest casino company, may build a resort on the Azov Sea, Vedomosti reported Tuesday. Harrah’s may join U.S. construction company Asati in building a complex in Azov-City, one of four gambling … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Atlantic City, Charity, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Harrah's, International, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Our LVA mascot; Menopause; Mob museum

Posted on June 18, 2009 by David McKee

Woe betide anyone who dares to plunder LVA HQ, for we are under the protection of a fierce — but beautiful — watch iguana. Mojo, as she is named, is at this moment sunning herself on the balcony of my … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Downtown, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Oscar Goodman, Pets, The Mob | Comments Off on Case Bets: Our LVA mascot; Menopause; Mob museum

MGM: Deal or no deal?

Posted on June 17, 2009 by David McKee

MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren is re-mulling asset sales of MGM Grand Detroit, Gold Strike (Tunica, Miss.) and Beau Rivage. But all Strip assets are definitively off the market (yes, even Slots A Fun). Since the Detroit and Tunica casinos … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, International, Jack Binion, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on MGM: Deal or no deal?

Macao” rises again?

Posted on June 17, 2009 by David McKee

Block out the shopworn, mostly useless generalities coming from Las Vegas Sands and groove to Macao's scintillating casinos, recoil from its thick blanket of smog, and take some heart from Credit Suisse's prediction of an upturn in VIP play in … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Economy, Environment, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao” rises again?

Scratch one Europoseur

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Hot off the wire from Harrah’s Entertainment: “The visionary force behind Club Fuego, ND, has opted to close the nightclub in order to pursue future projects in other formats. The closure is effective today [June 15].” Durr: Friends don’t let … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Sahara, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Scratch one Europoseur

Train to Nowhere II

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Sig Rogich's choo-choo to nowhere won't really be the privately funded enterprise that it's being sold as, the Las Vegas Sun helpfully explains. Bottom line: Rail transportation is inherently unprofitable, so you and I will be ponying up for the … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Harrah's, Politics, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, TV | Comments Off on Train to Nowhere II

Loveman in denial

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Harrah’s Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman continues his media-availability tour. In today’s installment, he grants an audience to the Las Vegas Business Press and insists that not only is everything as right as rain at Harrah’s but that the LBO he … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Riviera, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Loveman in denial

Case Bets: Colony Capital, Siegfried & Roy, Obama smacks poker players

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

“Bats hang over the doorway to the building that housed Mr. Jackson’s private arcade; guano stains the threshold.” That’s how the Wall Street Journal describes Michael Jackson‘s decaying Neverland Ranch. It gets even freakier from there, with the WSJ receiving … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colony Capital, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, Movies, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Case Bets: Colony Capital, Siegfried & Roy, Obama smacks poker players

ABBA plays Vegas

Posted on June 14, 2009 by David McKee

On Sept. 24, 1979, the Swedish superstars played the Aladdin Performing Arts Theatre (now part of Planet Hollywood, of course). Last weekend, eight songs from that one and only Vegas show belatedly surfaced. It’s an extraordinary document, both historically and … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Colony Capital, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood | 2 Comments

ABBA plays Vegas

Posted on June 14, 2009 by David McKee

On Sept. 24, 1979, the Swedish superstars played the Aladdin Performing Arts Theatre (now part of Planet Hollywood, of course). Last weekend, eight songs from that one and only Vegas show belatedly surfaced. It’s an extraordinary document, both historically and … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Colony Capital, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood | Comments Off on ABBA plays Vegas

Goodman for governor … again?

Posted on June 12, 2009 by David McKee

It’s been bruited since at least 2002 and it’s happening yet again: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is mulling a gubernatorial run for the umpteenth time. “Spoiler!”, cry some. I look at the uninspiring field (Montandon, Heck, Midnight Jim, Buckley, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Carl Icahn, Dining, Economy, Election, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Oscar Goodman, Politics, The Strip | Comments Off on Goodman for governor … again?

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 12, 2009 by David McKee

“We understand the economy has had a severe impact on the gaming industry. The [casino] companies have asked for temporary economic relief. And we’re asking for a variety of things too. Whether the two minds meet, we’ll see. But we’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Xanadu: the prequel?

Posted on June 12, 2009 by David McKee

Martin Stern‘s 1975 conceptualization of a Xanadu casino-hotel, as virtually reconstructed by Dr. David G. Schwartz, struck a familiar chord with one S&G reader. They quickly detected a resemblance between Welton Becket‘s 1971 Disney’s Contemporary Resort, built in modular fashion … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Election, Florida, MGM Mirage, Politics, Technology, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off on Xanadu: the prequel?

F'bleau: another triumph for Packer

Posted on June 10, 2009 by David McKee

James Packer sure knows how to pick ’em, doesn’t he? He’s just written off $250 million invested in (read: “wasted on”) Fontainebleau. His Crown Ltd. also took the opportunity to kick F’bleau while it’s down, stating it felt “no obligation … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Fontainebleau, James Packer, The Strip | Comments Off on F'bleau: another triumph for Packer

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 8, 2009 by David McKee

"From a purely employment standpoint, I think we are already in overcorrection territory. How long can you sustain that lower standard of employment before you really start to impact customer service?" — Jeremy Aguero of Applied Analysis, pointing out that … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Labor, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Making out like bandits

Posted on June 5, 2009 by David McKee

In Business Las Vegas has crunched the numbers in its annual survey of Sin City's most highly paid executives. Not surprisingly, the list prominently features two companies — Harrah's Entertainment and Station Casinos — whose overpaid leadership has steered them … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos | Comments Off on Making out like bandits

Gambling and hope

Posted on June 4, 2009 by David McKee

Andy Holtmann of Raving Consulting has a splendid essay on this very topic and the fine line that casinos must walk when playing to people's hopes. It carries particular weight as it's authored by someone who's taken a mighty wallop … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, Marketing, Transportation | Comments Off on Gambling and hope

Case Bets: Packer & Ho, Sands Bethlehem, MGM Mirage, Ameristar, Penn, Harrah's, etc.

Posted on June 3, 2009 by David McKee

• Smashing guitars — but not over each other’s noggins — James Packer and Lawrence Ho christened City of Dreams. The younger Ho downplayed expectations of foot traffic, saying his $2.4 billion megaresort could get by on far fewer visitors … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Iowa, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Packer & Ho, Sands Bethlehem, MGM Mirage, Ameristar, Penn, Harrah's, etc.