Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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That other Trop letter

Posted on February 14, 2008 by David McKee

S&G has obtained a copy of the 15-page complaint letter from the National Environmental Health Association to management of the Atlantic City Tropicana, alleging substandard conditions and service at the hotel-casino. Excerpts from this letter pretty much convicted the Tropicana … Continue reading →

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Another Baton Rouge bulletin

Posted on February 13, 2008 by David McKee

Columbia Sussex‘s mooted flip-flop of its Belle of Baton Rouge and Amelia Belle riverboats turns out not to have been a snap decision in the wake of a pro-Pinnacle Entertainment vote in Baton Rouge. Seems that the company has been … Continue reading →

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Big Love

Posted on February 12, 2008 by David McKee

Why does Mike Huckabee hate America? That’s one question posed in the ongoing fallout from Mitt Romney‘s bizarre equation between continuing his presidential campaign and abetting “surrender to terror”? Dangerous stuff, that democracy. It makes people vote for casinos and … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Election | Comments Off on Big Love

Polite Euphemism of the Week

Posted on February 12, 2008 by David McKee

" … the company [Columbia Sussex] lost its New Jersey gaming license in December when regulators questioned the company's stewardship of the Tropicana Atlantic City." — from a Las Vegas Review-Journal story on Pinnacle Entertainment's ballot box win in Baton Rouge.

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Somedays, it sucks to be ‘ColSux’

Posted on February 11, 2008 by David McKee

“Northern Kentucky hotelier William Yung III may be gambling on Gov. Steve Beshear and Covington to save his crumbling casino empire.” Those are the words of the Lexington Herald-Leader, catching readers up on the quickly evolving troubles of Yung, CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current | Comments Off on Somedays, it sucks to be ‘ColSux’

Pinnacle wins in Baton Rouge

Posted on February 11, 2008 by David McKee

Backed by 56% of local voters, Pinnacle Entertainment has received the green light for its “Riviere” project in East Baton Rouge. No doubt this means some long faces at Penn National and Columbia Sussex, both of which mounted a full-bore … Continue reading →

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A.C. Tropicana: let the bidding begin!

Posted on February 8, 2008 by David McKee

Justice Gary Stein, conservator of the Atlantic City Tropicana, has set Feb. 18 as the kickoff date for the formal bidding process. Although only two cash offers are on the table so far, Stein — with assistance of Bear Stearns … Continue reading →

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Trop letter link fixed

Posted on February 8, 2008 by David McKee

For technical reasons too tedious to describe, the PDF of the Las Vegas Tropicana's letter to the Las Vegas Sun was unavailable to S&G readers. However, our hard-working and unsung IT staff has rectified the matter. My apologies for the … Continue reading →

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How many months …

Posted on February 7, 2008 by David McKee

… does it take to fix an escalator? According to the Los Angeles Times‘ Vegas blogger, Richard Abowitz, there’s still a broken escalator at the Las Vegas Tropicana. I first read about this in the LVA forums weeks — weeks! … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current | Comments Off on How many months …

C.S. in KY: The other shoe drops

Posted on February 5, 2008 by David McKee

Yesterday, S&G reported on the role played — a public service, you might call it — by Columbia Sussex CEO William Yung III in helping to unseat former Gov. Ernie Fletcher, a one-man ethical and moral disaster area. Indirect beneficiary … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Election, Taxes | Comments Off on C.S. in KY: The other shoe drops

Bonus Case Bets: Tax rebate, Columbia Sussex, Gold Spike

Posted on February 4, 2008 by David McKee

Even the seraphic strains of Anton Bruckner‘s Seventh Symphony, as conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini are insufficient to quench my vexation at seeing the overmatched New England Patriots defense literally let victory (and mediocre QB Eli “My daddy don’t want me … Continue reading →

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Case Bets: Macao, California

Posted on February 4, 2008 by David McKee

According to Bear Stearns, higher VIP play and increased tourism pushed Macao's December gambling revenues above the $1 billion mark for the month — a 38% increase from last December. California may be too close to call for Super Tuesday … Continue reading →

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Columbia Sussex under siege

Posted on February 1, 2008 by David McKee

Columbia Sussex, owner of the Las Vegas Tropicana may have picked an inopportune time to stick its head over the parapet and lob a mud bomb at the Las Vegas Sun. (See previous entry, “When casinos attack.”) Seems the company’s … Continue reading →

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When casinos attack

Posted on February 1, 2008 by David McKee

I had to go dumpster-diving yesterday to retrieve what is without question the strangest casino ad I’ve ever seen. Since I don’t read the Las Vegas Review-Journal in its ink-and-paper form, I’d missed a full-page ad from the Las Vegas … Continue reading →

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No love for Landry's?

Posted on January 30, 2008 by David McKee

Any interest stirred up by CEO Tilman Fertitta‘s buyout offer for Landry’s Restaurants (owners of the Vegas and Laughlin Golden Nuggets) appears to be cooling. Given all the time and heavy investment Fertitta has put into the downtown Nugget, it … Continue reading →

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@#*& hits the Columbia Sussex fan

Posted on January 30, 2008 by David McKee

Those intimations of insolvency at the Las Vegas Tropicana are now swelling into full-blown accusations [second item] leveled at Columbia Sussex HQ in a $960 million lawsuit. And not just any old insolvent but “deeply insolvent.” Whatever detente CEO William J. … Continue reading →

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Quote of the week

Posted on January 30, 2008 by David McKee

 "We had to educate people that duct tape on the carpet was just not an acceptable standard." — new Binion's owner Terry Caudill, speaking of his tenure at the Four Queens

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A modest suggestion

Posted on January 28, 2008 by David McKee

This past weekend, I received a charitable solicitation from the Minneapolis-based Center for the Victims of Torture. The flyer listed a number of major corporate donors, including a whole slew of financial-services firms and even the Sam's Club Foundation. However, … Continue reading →

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That’s the spirit!

Posted on January 28, 2008 by David McKee

Let’s hand out a few kudos to people who are doing what one ex-felon would call A Good Thing: • Would you believe Binion’s Gambling Hall still hasn’t finished going coinless? That’s one of the things that’s predicted to change … Continue reading →

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Case Bets: So long, HET … and plenty more

Posted on January 28, 2008 by David McKee

According to Bear Stearns, the privatization of Harrah’s Entertainment closed on schedule. HET stock finished trading just three cents shy of the $90/share buyout price. Voters in Miami-Dade County will be asked whether to allow

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