Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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'Sin Fund' falls upon evil days

Posted on March 5, 2008 by David McKee

Not so long ago, journalists like yours truly, were hailing the early success of the Ladenburg Thalmann Gaming & Casino Investment Fund (GACFX). Unfortunately, since its apogee in the fall of last year GACFX has been in a steep decline, … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Laughlin | Comments Off on 'Sin Fund' falls upon evil days

Desperation in Florida

Posted on March 5, 2008 by David McKee

Is Isle of Capri‘s racino a disappointment (especially for horsemen)? Is Boyd Gaming taking Florida expansion off the table? Is Magna Entertainment threatening to close overextended Gulfstream Park? What’s a Florida lawmaker to do? Why, legalize every form of gambling … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Florida, Horseracing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Tribal | Comments Off on Desperation in Florida

Isle: Goldstein out, Perry in; Trump pummeled

Posted on March 5, 2008 by David McKee

Isle of Capri Casinos announced widening Y/Y losses today, along with the retirement of CEO Bernard Goldstein after 16 years at the helm. He gives way to board member James Perry, former CEO of Argosy Gaming and (briefly) Trump Entertainment. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Donald Trump, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Marketing, Mississippi, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Singapore, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Columbia Sussex strikes back

Posted on March 5, 2008 by David McKee

This could become a Hammer Studios-esque series of updates. Just contemplate the possible titles: The Curse of Columbia Sussex, Columbia Sussex Has Risen from the Grave, Taste the Blood of Columbia Sussex, Columbia Sussex and the Monster from Hell, Columbia Sussex … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Indiana | Comments Off on Columbia Sussex strikes back

'Terrible' timing

Posted on March 3, 2008 by David McKee

By golly, it seems like a mere nine days ago that a local newspaper story was reporting disproportionately strong lottery sales at a California-border store owned by Herbst Gaming. "Since taking over the store, the location's total lottery ticket sales have … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Herbst Gaming, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment | Comments Off on 'Terrible' timing

Columbia Sussex dodges bullet

Posted on March 3, 2008 by David McKee

Yes, Columbia Sussex is in default on $960 million in debt, says a Delaware court. But it's not in immediate default, giving the hotelier at least another month to wriggle out of that tight spot. However, a source for the Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Indiana, Kentucky, The Strip | Comments Off on Columbia Sussex dodges bullet

MGM Grand to make a big splash

Posted on February 28, 2008 by David McKee

Our "ace in the hole" source has caught wind of a major expansion of the pool area and water features at MGM Grand, extending toward the Signature condos. The official verbiage is as follows: The plans depict a recreational area … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Downtown, Indiana, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on MGM Grand to make a big splash

Train to nowhere

Posted on February 27, 2008 by David McKee

Just when it looks like the long-discussed magnetic-levitation train from Anaheim to Las Vegas (circumventing the parking lot that is I-15) is finally picking up steam — there’s an obstacle. Seems that bothersome local influence peddler Sig Rogich is throwing … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Politics | Comments Off on Train to nowhere

Racinos a bum deal?

Posted on February 25, 2008 by David McKee

They are if you’re a horse owner at The Isle Casino & Racing @ Pompano Park, which not only left trainers and owners out in the cold, as far as slot revenues are concerned, it just slashed purse amounts by … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Florida, Horseracing, Kentucky, Politics, Sports, Tribal | Comments Off on Racinos a bum deal?

Criticism of Yung begins to sting

Posted on February 25, 2008 by David McKee

Editorial pinpricks, like a Cincinnati Enquirer jibe about “pay to play,” evidently took their toll on Columbia Sussex CEO William Yung III. Defending his high-profile push for a Kentucky casino, which has included strewing more than $1 million in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Kentucky, The Strip | Comments Off on Criticism of Yung begins to sting

Ameristar scraps project: "Et tu, Missouri?"

Posted on February 22, 2008 by David McKee

Ameristar Casinos has pulled the plug on $100 million or more in renovations and expansion of its Kansas City riverboat complex, including the addition of a hotel tower, taking a $4.5 million write-down in the process. It cited a combination … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Election, Kansas | Comments Off on Ameristar scraps project: "Et tu, Missouri?"

Tropicanned

Posted on February 21, 2008 by David McKee

I've spent the morning at the Las Vegas Tropicana and may be too tired (and too dehydrated) to blog worth a damn. Jeez, that place is humid! Oh well, so as not to leave readers empty-handed, here's a copy of … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, The Strip | Comments Off on Tropicanned

Equal time for dogs

Posted on February 20, 2008 by David McKee

Given the groundswell of interest in the misadventures of Chubby, our would-be office cat, and Mojo, our fearsome ‘watch lizard,’ I’ve been asking around about other Huntington Press critters. Bethany Coffey, our marketing guru sans pareil, offers this contribution about … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Pets | Comments Off on Equal time for dogs

Labor troubles at Station, Trop

Posted on February 19, 2008 by David McKee

Ever since the Las Vegas Business Press was made subordinate to the business desk of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the latter had ‘dibs’ on any of the former’s stories it coveted — or so it was explained to me at … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Station Casinos | Comments Off on Labor troubles at Station, Trop

Neon Museum on hold

Posted on February 19, 2008 by David McKee

From the pages of the Las Vegas Sun … For want of $1.5 million, work on the long-awaited Neon Museum has ground to a halt. Mind you, this is a museum that would preserve many of the most evocative relics … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, International, Sports | Comments Off on Neon Museum on hold

New condo tower slated for Strip

Posted on February 18, 2008 by David McKee

Remember that second tower of Allure Condo Las Vegas that was supposed to be built, then was scrapped? It’s back … after a fashion. Developer Andrew Fonfa has consolidated the 2.3 acres where Allure Phase II was to have gone … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, The Strip | Comments Off on New condo tower slated for Strip

Clintons: 'Burn it down'; Save the Rio!

Posted on February 18, 2008 by David McKee

Well, actually that was the motto of Black Power activist Stokely Carmichael … but, in essence, that's the message coming out of the camp of Sen. Hillary Clinton, favored candidate of Harrah's Entertainment. I knew in my heart that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Election, Harrah's, The Strip | Comments Off on Clintons: 'Burn it down'; Save the Rio!

Columbia Sussex roundup

Posted on February 18, 2008 by David McKee

It’s difficult to figure out CEO William Yung III‘s endgame in his high-profile pursuit of a casino in Kentucky, as it could potentially further complicate the attempted sale of Casino Aztar in Evansville, Ind. So far, suitors have proven to … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Indiana, Movies, The Strip | Comments Off on Columbia Sussex roundup

More trouble for LV Trop

Posted on February 15, 2008 by David McKee

Its popular “Bodies” exhibition has become the focus of an ABC News investigation, with reports airing both on Good Morning America and tonight’s edition of 20/20. Veteran reporter Brian Ross raises some very disturbing questions about the provenance of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, The Strip | Comments Off on More trouble for LV Trop

Case Bets for St. Valentine's Day

Posted on February 14, 2008 by David McKee

Liz Benston crunches the numbers on the much-touted "40,000 new rooms" and finds only two-thirds that many. I mean, 26.6K hotel rooms isn't shabby but, if you threw the numbers together the way civic boosters do (mixing completed projects with … Continue reading →

Posted in Detroit, Downtown, Election, Louisiana, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Case Bets for St. Valentine's Day