Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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One city, two Plazas

Posted on October 7, 2008 by David McKee

  It's game, set and match to El-Ad Properties, after a Clark County jury ashcanned the remnants of Tamares Group's attempt to block El-Ad from building an oversized version of the New York Plaza on the Strip. (Parts of Tamares' … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, The Strip | Comments Off on One city, two Plazas

A.C. casino workers dissed (again)

Posted on October 6, 2008 by David McKee

Representative democracy seems to be too radical a concept for the New Jersey state senate's Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committe to enwrap within its parochial minds. It's sent back for redrafting a bill that would allow Atlantic City casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Politics, Wall Street | Comments Off on A.C. casino workers dissed (again)

Happy anniversary, you're fired

Posted on October 6, 2008 by David McKee

That was essentially the message conveyed to several dozen workers at MGM Grand Detroit as the hotel-casino passed its first anniversary. Such cutbacks are usually routine in the industry and this one affected but a fraction of a percentage of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Detroit, Gary Goett, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Happy anniversary, you're fired

Monday morning levity

Posted on October 6, 2008 by David McKee

"TRUST IN THE LORD." At first I thought it was someone writing in, trying to save my soul. But, no, it's the headline of yet another e-mail scam,* in the vein of the (in)famous "Nigeria Letter." I just get a … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Current | Comments Off on Monday morning levity

Tamares mines comedic gold

Posted on October 3, 2008 by David McKee

Nothing says "quality" quite like a Tamares joint. As the trial dubbed "Plaza Versus Plaza" winds down, Tamares Group — owners of the downtown Plaza — came up with a good one. The Lichtenstein-based company would have jurors believe "that … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Tamares Group, The Strip | 1 Comment

Macao: Not so fast?

Posted on October 3, 2008 by David McKee

Here’s a how-de-do, to paraphrase Gilbert & Sullivan. The head of the Travel Industry Council of Macau appears to confirm a report that many Chinese citizens will now be restricted to visiting the former Portugese colony on a quarterly basis. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Kansas, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: Not so fast?

Still more Trop follies

Posted on October 3, 2008 by David McKee

Just when I was ready to get behind Tropicana Entertainment CEO Scott Butera's quest to reclaim the company's eponymous Atlantic City casino, he goes off his meds, so to speak. He blustered that "Our creditors, our employees and our neighbors … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Still more Trop follies

Harrah's wants your two cents

Posted on October 3, 2008 by David McKee

Not as in your opinion, this time, but just to book a room. That’s right, guys, Harrah’s Las Vegas is offering two-cent Tuesdays. The catch is you have to stay in the Strip casino that most closely resembles an urban … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Harrah's, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Harrah's wants your two cents

Macao: Not so fast?

Posted on October 3, 2008 by David McKee

Here’s a how-de-do, to paraphrase Gilbert & Sullivan. The head of the Travel Industry Council of Macau appears to confirm a report that many Chinese citizens will now be restricted to visiting the former Portugese colony on a quarterly basis. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Kansas, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: Not so fast?

And this is *bad* news?

Posted on October 1, 2008 by David McKee

“Greyhound Racing Facing Extinction in Mass.” — headline in The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.) over a story chronicling the decline of dog tracks. Says one opponent, “Our economy should not be built on cruelty to dogs.”

Posted in Animals | Comments Off on And this is *bad* news?

Steamed at Suncoast

Posted on September 30, 2008 by David McKee

Every so often, both Jean Scott and I yield the floor to casino customers who have a beef with The Man. One such gentleman approached me today and, with his permission, I am reprinting his letter, which he has also … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dining | Comments Off on Steamed at Suncoast

Lipstick on a pig

Posted on September 30, 2008 by David McKee

That’s how Atlantic City Tropicana conservator Justice Gary Stein is trying to pass off a deal that continues to make a loud “Oink!” He’s trying to spin the media that his $700 million agreement with Cordish Co. is really an … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Regulation, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Lipstick on a pig

Case Bets: PR, Trump

Posted on September 30, 2008 by David McKee

Press releases are always manna on a slow news day but sometimes you get one (OK, many) that make you want to pull your hair. For instance, I received such a specimen late yesterday from an agency that shall remain … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Harrah's, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Case Bets: PR, Trump

The view from your window

Posted on September 29, 2008 by David McKee

That’s the name of a popular feature on the blog of Andrew Sullivan, who posts photos that readers send him from around the world. Well, if you happen to be my boss, Anthony Curtis, the view from your office window … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Comments Off on The view from your window

Pinnacle: "We're the boss here!"

Posted on September 26, 2008 by David McKee

“Pinnacle tells store owner to lower his price” reads the headline in the Press of Atlantic City, and it’s no exaggeration. Although the owner of the Atlantic City News Agency (a bookstore) has dropped the asking price for his property … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sports | Comments Off on Pinnacle: "We're the boss here!"

$150 million

Posted on September 25, 2008 by David McKee

That’s at least how much money was left on the table by Tropicana Atlantic City‘s state-appointed conservator, Justice Gary Stein, when he chucked out all the first-round bids last spring. One of the lower known offers at that time was … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on $150 million

Station gets it; In defense of Boyd

Posted on September 25, 2008 by David McKee

Kudos to Station Casinos for agreeing to give its employees first dibs on apartments to be built near Fiesta Henderson. This is a story that fell through the cracks recently but deserves to be highlighted. The land was originally set … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Morgans Hotel Group, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Station gets it; In defense of Boyd

Landry's vote set; IGT blues

Posted on September 25, 2008 by David McKee

Nov. 3 is the appointed day for Landry’s shareholders to vote on CEO Tilman Fertitta‘s $21/share buyout offer. The stock’s had a wild ride lately, hitting bottom at $12.42, following a precipitate dive during what might be called Hurricane Ike … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, IGT, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off on Landry's vote set; IGT blues

Boyd & Morgans: co-dependency and abuse

Posted on September 25, 2008 by David McKee

Where is your pride, Boyd Gaming? After being kicked in the teeth by Morgans Hotel Group last summer (when Morgans leaked the news of Echelon's suspension before Boyd's planned announcement), the casino company is crawling back for more. Today's announcement … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Morgans Hotel Group, The Strip | Comments Off on Boyd & Morgans: co-dependency and abuse

Mohegan Sun in Kansas: D'oh!

Posted on September 22, 2008 by David McKee

A reader in Oklahoma City points out an obvious reason — one which I somehow managed to completely overlook — why the Kansas Lottery‘s casino-selection panel didn’t go with Mohegan Sun, which I foolishly thought to be a prohibitive favorite. … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Kansas, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Mohegan Sun in Kansas: D'oh!