As prospects for The Drew continue to fade, Vital Vegas has obtained a cache of renderings of what it would have looked like had Steven Witkoff seen his dream realized. And what would that be? In two words, butt ugly. Witkoff needs $3.1 billion (and a new executive team) to finish his dream project, an incredible hulk that’s been looming unfinished over the Las Vegas Strip since before The Great Recession (that’s how antiquated it’s becoming). Would someone please put us all out of our misery and implode the wretched thing? Besides, does Las Vegas really need another 3,780 high-priced hotel rooms? Witkoff apologists insist he’ll have The Drew open by October 2023 and is already taking bookings. And if you believe that will happen, boy do I have a splendid bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.
Over in Atlantic City, relative newbie Hard Rock International is seeing newer, younger customers. Supposedly casinos were so yesterday for the under-40 set but when you can’t go to a movie or visit your favorite restaurants it’s literally a different game. Even Atlantic City abstainee Penn National Gaming says it is enjoying a greening of its player base, putting some of the credit on its contact-less and cashless gambling options. “The days of going to ATMs and getting cash to buy in at a blackjack table are over,” said CEO Jay Snowden (pictured). With elderly players staying home, Hard Rock Atlantic City President Joe Lupo thinks it will be a slow recovery. “With Covid, there will be a much longer time period before volumes get back to where they were. I think you’re going to see declines in casino revenue probably until next spring. We’re hoping, obviously, to get a reprieve from that indoor-dining ban. It’s not just about us. It’s about the entire New Jersey restaurant industry.” Yes, when you have 12 restaurants in one casino, Gov. Phil Murphy‘s crackdown is going to hurt.
Phil Ruffin, take note: Jamul Indian Village of California‘s casino’s fight with its insurer is a preview of what you’ll be up against. The insurance company for Jamul says the casino (seen above, during its brief Penn National era) must have suffered physical damage or property destruction for it to qualify for coverage under the “Interruption by Civil Authority” clause. Carrier Lexington Insurance Company is also alleged to be relying on a “pollution exclusion” to disqualify contagions as a cause for payout. For once, we understand where the insurance companies are coming from. Were they to have to shell out for every business that suffered losses due to the Great Shutdown, they’d be the next industry up on Capitol Hill, supplicating for a bailout. Responds Jamul Chairwoman Erica Pinto, “We have an ‘all risk’ policy, which was intended to cover any and all risks. We believe that includes losses related to the pandemic. There are no virus or other remotely related exclusions in our policy. In fact, Lexington added language when our policy renewed this July for ‘communicable diseases,’ so, clearly, they know they are wrong but still don’t want to compensate us for our losses.” Good point.
Is the Trump administration complicit with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) in trying to drive a wedge between the Five Civilized Tribes and their smaller brethren? The generally anti-gaming Interior Department allowed two new Stitt compacts to be gazetted, validating them through doing nothing. The compacts with Kialegee Tribal Town and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians are unlikely to fare any better with the Oklahoma Supreme Court than previous Stitt-negotiated ones did but the guv is like a dog with a bone where this issue is concerned. Prophesied Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Chairman Matthew Morgan, “The inaction is disappointing and will lead to more costly, time-consuming and needless litigation.” You can bet on it.
There Goes the Neighborhood Dept.: A large-scale Olive Garden (ruining Italian food since time immemorial) is planned opposite Park MGM. Well, Park MGM’s cool factor was nice while it lasted but nothing says “lowest common denominator” like an Olive Garden. The offending restaurant will sit where Smith & Wollensky’s once stood. Sniff!
I will never ever bad mouth a restaurant that gives you free salad refills, I will bad mouth all restaurants that give you tiny Mini-me portions that would not fill up my kitty cats stomach, and charge you for all side dishes… Of course I would not eat at an Olive Garden when I am on a vacation in Las Vegas, meals in Vegas to me should be highlights, events… But corporate comfort food has a place, and Olive Garden dishes it out in heaping portions…
Once the NBA playoffs reach the second round the ratings should improve. Having four NBA games in a row on the same day for the first week or so has been strange but it fits in well with this crazy Covid-19 year.
For several years there was a Chili’s on the Strip just north of where Olive Garden is going to open so it’s possible that these chain restaurants might be profitable on the Strip. I am not sure if the Chili’s is still there but the first time I saw it I was surprised until I realized it was part of the Hawaiian Marketplace.
The Drew’s renderings were not very impressive so it looks like that tall bland blue building will remain dormant for quite awhile. Back in 2005 when Glen Schaeffer was named CEO of Fontainebleau and the renderings were released it looked fantastic. Now not so much.