Category Archives: California

Just another week in Vegas

Posted on October 17, 2012 by David McKee

D’ya remember that Flava Flav restaurant venture, just off “Crack Alley,” that sounded “too crazy to be true“? Nah, me neither. It quietly went bust earlier this year. Well, now the “aging reality TV star” is in a different sort … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, California, Cretins, Current, Dining, Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, The Strip | 8 Comments

Speed: The Ride … found!; Dueling Ferris wheels and Caesars’ wonderful life

Posted on August 17, 2012 by David McKee

Remember all those rumors that had the Sahara‘s now-vanished Speed: The Ride packed up and headed for Circus Circus? Not so! The good folks and inquiring minds at VegasChatter.com were sussing out some dormant South Strip developments and discovered … … … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Racinos, Rhode Island, Sahara, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Choo-Choo to Infinity … and beyond!

Posted on August 1, 2012 by David McKee

Our favorite welfare queen, Xpress West (née Desert Xpress) isn’t letting its plans be constrained by anything so mundane as reality. Original pitchman Sig “The Fixer” Rogich has crawled off into the underbrush somewhere but his Choo-Choo-to-Nowhere has found additional … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Colorado, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

He’s Gaughan and done it again

Posted on July 24, 2012 by David McKee

Where others in Las Vegas hold back, Michael Gaughan plunges boldly forward. Using its iView platform, Bally Technologies has been holding virtual horse races, streamed across the slot floors of various tribal casinos. Pechanga Resort & Casino in California and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, California, Current, Entertainment, Horseracing, Michael Gaughan, Pennsylvania, Technology, Tribal | 6 Comments

Starship to Victorville … and sundry curiosities

Posted on July 11, 2012 by David McKee

No, I don’t know who Cobra Starship is but their “#1Nite” (yes, that’s how they spell it) is the sort of bubble-gum pop that ought to stick to the top of the charts. It’s another entry in that can’t-fail music-video … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | Comments Off on Starship to Victorville … and sundry curiosities

“He’s just a stooge”

Posted on June 20, 2012 by David McKee

While I’m still on semi-hiatus, working on travel guides for USA Today (the Downtown one got submitted last night), here’s a reminder that when Caesars Entertainment persuades — “coerces” might be more like it — its lenders into writing off … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, California, Economy, Harrah's, history, Internet gambling, Ohio, Tourism, Wall Street | 3 Comments

SLS Las Vegas: Pretty pictures and propaganda

Posted on May 18, 2012 by David McKee

To celebrate the first anniversary of his cold-blooded, premeditated murder of the Sahara, nightclub owner Sam Nazarian trotted out freshly hired casino boss Rob Oseland, along with some models (no, not of the runway ilk) and even a rendering that … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, California, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Encore, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Plaza, Sahara, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 4 Comments

Internet gambling: It’s here, deal with it; Another delay in Massachusetts

Posted on May 16, 2012 by David McKee

It’s ironic that Sheldon Adelson is expending so much lungpower and cash to try and block federal legitimization of Internet poker and possibly other games. Washington has been left in the dust by individual states and, if it did try … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, California, CityCenter, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Shuffle Master, Slot routes, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | 2 Comments

Sahara: Devils in the details; Does your mother know?

Posted on May 4, 2012 by David McKee

Barbara De Lollis had better re-cork the champagne. Wall Street Journal coverage of Sam Nazarian‘s much-hyped, $300 million Sahara loan raises grave doubts about the viability of the project, budgeted at $415 million. According to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Alexandra Berzon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Georgia, Harrah's, Harry Reid, International, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

The continuing adventures of Sheldon Adelson, Harry Reid and the GSA

Posted on April 14, 2012 by David McKee

First, the good news. Business is off and running at brand-new Sands Cotai Central, whose Himalaya casino (372 tables, 600 slots) opened last Wednesday. In total square footage, it overtakes Venetian Macao for status as the world’s largest casino (30% … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Economy, Election, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Harry Reid, history, International, Macau, Massachusetts, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Stanley Ho, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 20, 2012 by David McKee

“The Garden City Casino looks about as modern as a box full of leisure suits and Shaun Cassidy eight-tracks, and players say they’re eager to see the new M8trix, advertised in a banner hung outside.” — San Jose Mercury News … Continue reading →

Posted in California | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

The whales of January; Shrinking Hooters

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

Baccarat win on the Las Vegas Strip began the year heavy ($194 million) and dramatic, up 199% from 2011. The whales were back in force, dropping 163% more than the previous January, putting $1.6 billion in play. An early Chinese … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Hooters, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Movies, North Las Vegas, Reno, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Vegas gets its groove back; “Zarkana” comes to Aria

Posted on March 7, 2012 by David McKee

In terms of quantity, quality and proximity, the Los Angeles Times is the closest thing Las Vegas has to a major metropolitan daily. (Hell, the Sacramento Bee puts the Las Vegas Review-Journal to shame.) Indeed, the LAT treats Sin City … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Arizona, Boyd Gaming, California, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Vegas gets its groove back; “Zarkana” comes to Aria

Lee, Nazarian go to market; IGT goes Disney

Posted on February 10, 2012 by David McKee

An S&G source says Creative Casinos CEO Dan Lee has arranged mezzanine financing and may soon go to the bond market to raise capital, presumably for Mojito Pointe for potentially for ventures elsewhere. The Lake Charles market draws heavy play … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Lee, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, IGT, International, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

From the mailbag: Florida

Posted on February 8, 2012 by David McKee

From the Sunshine State comes this dispatch from one of S&G‘s far-flung network of reader correspondents. This player is obviously quite familiar with the state of gambling in the great State of Florida … Mardi Gras Casino opened with $100 … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

“Luck” you!; A new gaming bonanza?

Posted on January 30, 2012 by David McKee

Last week, Mandalay Bay hosted an advance screening of the pilot episode of Luck, which debuted on HBO last night. If it was hard to follow on the ginormous MBay screen, I cannot imagine how impenetrable it seemed on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, California, Horseracing, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Problem gambling, Racinos, South Carolina, Taxes, Tribal, TV | 5 Comments

Another domino wobbles; Western, R.I.P.; Fighting over pocket change?

Posted on January 17, 2012 by David McKee

Add South Carolina to the list of states that could be suddenly taking a more favorable view of casino gambling. What the United Keetowa Band of Cherokee Indians is pitching have to be compacted with Gov. Nikki Haley (R, right). … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Downtown, history, Internet gambling, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, South Carolina, Tamares Group, Tribal | 2 Comments

Train robbery in D.C.

Posted on January 16, 2012 by David McKee

As the online-gambling gravy train begins leaving in the station, members of Congress are making one last attempt to derail it. After all, once New Jersey, Illinois, California, the District of Columbia and so forth set up shop as havens … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Columbia Sussex, Cordish Co., Current, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Train robbery in D.C.

Iowa’s biggest loser …

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David McKee

… is Texas. With the presidential aspirations of Gov. Rick Perry (R) tottering on their penultimate leg, that’s very bad news for Lone Star State lawmakers who’d like to pass casinos — or at least racinos — into law. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Oklahoma, Penn National, Racinos, Sahara, Sports, Texas, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Jack Abramoff, human sewage; Massachusetts: It’s done

Posted on November 22, 2011 by David McKee

Victor Rocha says it best: “Jack Abramoff is still the scum off the earth.” The unrepentant ripoff artist — to call him a snake in the grass would be a slander upon serpents — claims his only failing was to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, California, Don Barden, Election, Harrah's, history, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Movies, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, The Mob, Tribal | Comments Off on Jack Abramoff, human sewage; Massachusetts: It’s done