Category Archives: Alex Yemenidjian

From the mailbag #9

Posted on October 22, 2009 by David McKee

One reader asks, regarding senatorial aspirant Sue Lowden‘s esteemed Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall: I’m confused (as usual, but…) – Isn’t the Pioneer NOT a gambling hall now, its shell hosting an ABC convenience store & various other small shops? … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Archon Corp., Downtown, Entertainment, Harry Reid, Laughlin, Oscar Goodman, Tamares Group, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on From the mailbag #9

Aria drives prices … down

Posted on October 16, 2009 by David McKee

Contrary to repeated assertions by J.P. Morgan, it would appear that MGM Mirage is putting out promotional specials for Bellagio … and very aggressively so. Note however, that Steve Wynn's masterpiece is maintaining its price point and Aria is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sahara, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Aria drives prices … down

Night of the living dead

Posted on October 15, 2009 by David McKee

Will the last person leaving the Riviera please take down the Charo in Concert, Abra-ca-Sexy! and Tom Stevens posters? Everything about last night's visit to the casino suggested a business that's died but doesn't realize it. Not that it helps … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on Night of the living dead

Case Bets: California crisis, M cutbacks, "Guiding Light" in LV, etc.

Posted on October 8, 2009 by David McKee

Ist California kaput? That’s the question posed by the The Observer and it makes for troubling reading. If Gov. Jim Gibbons (R-NV) is right that tourism from California is the carotid artery of Nevada‘s economy, then the Silver State is … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, California, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, M Resort, Macau, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on Case Bets: California crisis, M cutbacks, "Guiding Light" in LV, etc.

Case Bets: P'mousse, Wynn vs. Francis, Natole, etc.

Posted on October 1, 2009 by David McKee

Tucked away around the corner from the Sahara is local institution Pamplemousse. While there wasn't room for describing the massive crudité basket or the alleged "Mob booth," hopefully this chronicle captures some of the preserved-in-amber ambience of P'mousse. Steve Wynn, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Harry Reid, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Case Bets: P'mousse, Wynn vs. Francis, Natole, etc.

Trop, Sands purges continue

Posted on September 30, 2009 by David McKee

It’s official: “Pit Bull of Comedy” Bobby Slayton has snarled his last at the Tropicana Las Vegas. Thus endeth a brief, inauspicious reign by Anthony Cools over the Trop’s upstairs showroom. A well-placed source advises LVA that Beatles tribute show … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Trop, Sands purges continue

Hell no, they won't; Penghu punk'd; Barbarians at the gates (again)

Posted on September 28, 2009 by David McKee

Pay taxes, that is. Two Indiana racinos are pushing back against a tax rate that averages 38%. Considering that the two tracks — one run by Cordish Gaming — are the newbies on the Hoosier State scene, one could fairly … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Horseracing, Indiana, International, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hell no, they won't; Penghu punk'd; Barbarians at the gates (again)

Big Trop shakeup

Posted on September 24, 2009 by David McKee

During his absent-minded interregnum as Tropicana Las Vegas CEO Scott Butera nearly denuded the casino of on-property entertainment. Only the hasty re-signing of Xtreme Magic left the Trop with a show in the house. Over time, Butera’s people added a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, Horseracing, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Big Trop shakeup

Go ask Alex

Posted on September 23, 2009 by David McKee

Without further ado, we present S&G‘s much-hyped interview with Tropicana Las Vegas CEO Alex Yemenidjian, a trim, nattily attired man of impeccable manners and refreshing directness, as you will see. I led off with questions from the readership … Nelson … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Dining, Entertainment, Illinois, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 1 Comment

Ask Alex!

Posted on September 22, 2009 by David McKee

Tomorrow morning, I have scored some precious face time with Tropicana Las Vegas CEO Alex Yemenidjian. The ostensible topic of the media event is "Special Guest," er, Wayne Newton. But screw that. Let's find out what else is going on … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Columbia Sussex, Entertainment, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | Comments Off on Ask Alex!

Are you ready for some football? No!

Posted on September 21, 2009 by David McKee

Galaxy Theatres' multiplex at The Cannery has scrapped all its big-screen showings of Monday Night Football, it was announced today, one week into the NFL season. Perhaps the incessant jabbering of Jon Gruden sent patrons screaming out onto the casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cannery Casino Resorts, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, Sports, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Are you ready for some football? No!

Salvation for the Trop? Definitely!

Posted on September 16, 2009 by David McKee

From our Today's News pages: "As part of the fruits of its $125 million property-wide renovation, Tropicana Las Vegas today announced it's to open two new restaurants: Havana Go Go Cafe is a breakfast joint/cafe open daily at 7 a.m. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Dining, Entertainment, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Salvation for the Trop? Definitely!

Twitter, ergo sum

Posted on September 10, 2009 by David McKee

OK, so we still can't upload photos but we can sort of link, thanks to a workaround. In the meantime, Las Vegas Advisor is plentifully available on Twitter. We have … LVA_Tweet (1,791 followers). "This one aggregates [Question of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Entertainment, Harrah's, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Twitter, ergo sum

Blimps on the radar

Posted on September 10, 2009 by David McKee

Dipping into the dispatch box, S&G finds the following tidbits, courtesy of the nice people at J.P. Morgan: Alex Yemenidjian is serious about revamping the Tropicana Las Vegas. He's just inked a contract with Bally Technologies for a player-tracking system … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, CityCenter, Detroit, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Blimps on the radar

"Viva Elvis"

Posted on September 2, 2009 by David McKee

Yes, Viva Elvis will be the long-awaited, enshrouded-in-secrecy title of the Cirque du Soleil show scheduled to debut this December at CityCenter.* Wow, they must have had to really burn the midnight oil in Montreal to come up with that … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on "Viva Elvis"

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 22, 2009 by David McKee

“I have been pleasantly surprised by the tremendous reservoir of good will that exists in our work force … Considering how previous administrators have neglected the property, neglected the operations and neglected the employees, it was very refreshing to find … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Columbia Sussex, Labor, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Saving money? Buy the Trop!

Posted on August 14, 2009 by David McKee

If you're looking for a bargain on the Strip, what about buying the Tropicana Las Vegas? The Las Vegas Review-Journal found that Onex Corp. got $440 million worth of equity (or a 61% share) for a Filene's Basement price of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip | Comments Off on Saving money? Buy the Trop!

Saving money? Buy the Trop!

Posted on August 14, 2009 by David McKee

If you're looking for a bargain on the Strip, what about buying the Tropicana Las Vegas? The Las Vegas Review-Journal found that Onex Corp. got $440 million worth of equity (or a 61% share) for a Filene's Basement price of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip | Comments Off on Saving money? Buy the Trop!

New flavor of Tropicana; M is infectious; Penn is persistent

Posted on August 7, 2009 by David McKee

Alex Yemenidjian has busted out a new logo for his Strip casino: Hey, it’s a start. Still no word on a new evening show for the Tiffany Theater (and somehow I don’t think Dirk Arthur is going to cut it … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Election, Entertainment, Penn National, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on New flavor of Tropicana; M is infectious; Penn is persistent

A Trop by any other name

Posted on July 27, 2009 by David McKee

Icahn Capital, which purchased the Tropicana Atlantic City for $54 million, effectively, is projecting a conservative course for the property. Any sort of expansion is being ruled out for now, due to skepticism about “green shoots” of economic recovery. Speaking … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Problem gambling, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on A Trop by any other name