Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

The (real) Bridge of Sighs

Posted on April 7, 2009 by David McKee

… and if you look closely you can see Venetian Macao executives loyal to Brad Stone being led off to suffocate in the piombi or drown in the pozzi. OK, so I totally made that last part up; too many … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off on The (real) Bridge of Sighs

‘Golden’ customer service

Posted on April 7, 2009 by David McKee

Kudos to Mark Brandenburg, the managing partner of the Golden Gate. His frequent on-site presence and accessibility to guests really brightened the experience of some recent Vegas visitors. They’d had multiple bad experiences at Binion’s Gambling Hall and the Four … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Downtown | Comments Off on ‘Golden’ customer service

MGM Mirage sells family jewels

Posted on April 6, 2009 by David McKee

Desperation has well and truly hit the fan at MGM Mirage. The company’s Strip casinos may not be priced to move … but it’s said to be quite a different story where MGM Grand Detroit and Beau Rivage are concerned. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Economy, Illinois, James Packer, Macau, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on MGM Mirage sells family jewels

Mandalay Bay is best in LV

Posted on April 6, 2009 by David McKee

It may be tempting fate to mention this, but online voters like Mandalay Bay best among Strip casinos … or, at bare minimum, dislike it the least. Voters in the Steve Friess "Stripper Poll" on which casino most ought to … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Mandalay Bay is best in LV

Case Bets: Kansas update, Cordish's push, Penn's prudence, taxing sex

Posted on April 3, 2009 by David McKee

Details of Lakes Entertainment‘s just-under-the-wire entry into the Kansas casino derby are beginning to emerge — and it looks a bit half-assed. Particularly non-confidence-inspiring was the admission, “We’re going to go find the cash.” If somebody as flush as Phil … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Harrah's, Horseracing, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Case Bets: Kansas update, Cordish's push, Penn's prudence, taxing sex

Leper Colony

Posted on April 3, 2009 by David McKee

Or, in lieu of "Atlantic City Death Watch VII," maybe "Colony Death Watch." Scarcely had S&G dubbed Colony Capital's East Coast casino portfolio "Colony Crapital" than came affirmation in the form of the latest set of numbers from the Boardwalk. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Leper Colony

Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

Posted on April 3, 2009 by David McKee

Credit-default swaps, some of those financial instruments that have played hob with the U.S. economy, are making a cameo appearance in the tortured saga of Station Casinos. If you insured Station's debt, that insurance is worth more than the paper … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Don Barden, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

Adelson in the details

Posted on April 3, 2009 by David McKee

Nearly lost amidst a flurry of news stories about Las Vegas Sands hoping to jump-start construction on its stalled Cotai Strip™ (with the help of new equity partners) was this snippet from Sands' president of Asian affairs, Stephen Weaver. Rents … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Wall Street | Comments Off on Adelson in the details

Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

Posted on April 3, 2009 by David McKee

Credit-default swaps, some of those financial instruments that have played hob with the U.S. economy, are making a cameo appearance in the tortured saga of Station Casinos. If you insured Station’s debt, that insurance is worth more than the paper … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Don Barden, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Station Casinos, CityCenter, Pittsburgh, James Packer

The end of Viva

Posted on April 2, 2009 by David McKee

That’s one of the implications of Colony Capital‘s potential cash infusion into CityCenter. Since Colony owns 3/4 of Station Casinos and might find itself with a big piece of CityCenter, it’s an utter certainty that it wouldn’t go along with … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Goldman Sachs, International, MGM Mirage, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off on The end of Viva

The Company That Ate Itself

Posted on April 1, 2009 by David McKee

Perhaps it was with dry irony that the Las Vegas Review-Journal's latest Station Casinos story's subhead read, "Company blames economy, poached customers." And by whom might those customers have been poached? By Station Casinos itself! The company's imperial overreach has … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cannery Casino Resorts, Colony Capital, Economy, Herbst Gaming, M Resort, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on The Company That Ate Itself

New category of Las Vegan

Posted on April 1, 2009 by David McKee

Europoseur: Only found on or near the Strip, sometimes impersonated by French Canadians (see Soleil, Cirque du). Occasionally demand to be addressed by their initials only, usually smoke cigarettes and are invariably able to generate fawning press coverage. Are known … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Entertainment, The Strip | Comments Off on New category of Las Vegan

Hooters vs. Riviera

Posted on March 31, 2009 by David McKee

It's a race to Chapter 11 now, with Riviera Holdings in the lead. Its glandular-themed rival down the street is opting out of an interest payment and drawing down the last of its credit, never a promising sign. However, Riviera … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Economy, Harrah's, Riviera, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hooters vs. Riviera

Un-Believe-able discounts

Posted on March 30, 2009 by David McKee

Seen yesterday at the Luxor ticket booth: A video message promising 35% off Believe tickets if you stay at the King Tut place between Tuesday and Thursday (inclusive). Heck, just last week Luxor trotted out one of the most “george” … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Un-Believe-able discounts

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 27, 2009 by David McKee

"The point of convergence is the obligatory version of Louis Armstrong singing 'What A Wonderful World,' apparently required for an impressionist to obtain a Clark County business license." — Mike Weatherford on the common denominator between Danny F. Gans, Terry … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Trop snoozes, loses

Posted on March 26, 2009 by David McKee

Like a hot potato, the Tropicana Las Vegas continues to bounce from Columbia Sussex to Tropicana Entertainment and now maybe into the hands of Alex Yemenidjian. (This management-contract arrangement looks more like laying the groundwork for a sale … if … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, Marketing, Technology, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Trop snoozes, loses

The Unlucky Club & other Case Bets

Posted on March 26, 2009 by David McKee

Did somebody build the inaptly named Lucky Club  (above) over an Indian burial ground? A deprivation of access is but the latest indignity suffered by this North Las Vegas grind joint. While it was still the Speedway Casino, it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Lake Las Vegas, Marketing, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on The Unlucky Club & other Case Bets

CityCenter contest!

Posted on March 25, 2009 by David McKee

While building the Stratosphere, maverick casino owner Bob Stupak ran out of money, leaving the tower only partially erect. Wags were quick to dub the stymied Stratosphere “Stupak's Stump.” Stupak, of course, eventually finished the tower — although it proved … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on CityCenter contest!

Casino apocalypse

Posted on March 19, 2009 by David McKee

I'm deeply imbedded in other projects today. In the meantime, by way of In Business Las Vegas and GamingFloor.com (source of yesterday's Harrah's Entertainment time warp, too) here's the answer to the question, "How many casino failures can you pack … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Casino apocalypse

Death, taxes and Station Casinos

Posted on March 18, 2009 by David McKee

It’s all but certain that the unenviable steeplechase to be the first major gaming company to declare bankruptcy in 2009 will be won by … Station Casinos!* (On Tax Day, no less.) None of the company’s three rescue scenarios does … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Economy, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Death, taxes and Station Casinos