Category Archives: Cirque du Soleil

Accord in Kentucky; Atlantic City on the move; James Packer’s comeback

But there are still some stirrings of activity on the casino front. For starters, Bwin.Party has agreed to fork over $15 million to Kentucky. According to the company the payment “resolves the only remaining litigation … that stems from our … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Kentucky, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Accord in Kentucky; Atlantic City on the move; James Packer’s comeback

Station 2, Caesars 0; Death in Vegas

My expectation that Caesars Entertainment, leveraging its World Series of Poker brand, would outstrip Station Casinos‘ online-gaming offerings is looking unduly optimistic. Caesars Interactive hasn’t been able to get out of the driveway while Ultimate Gaming has gone virtually coast-to-coast. … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Slot routes, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Cirque du Soleil: “One”-plus

Media previews are a double-edged sword. They can be a cheap way of drumming up advance press but can also betray a project in trouble: Surf the Musical was obviously going to be dead on arrival. And it was. Given … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 3 Comments

Caesars: Cui bono?; Loveman woos Britney

Our question for the day is, “Who benefits?” Taking the long view of Caesars Entertainment to bundle a mixed bag of Planet Hollywood, its-casino-to-be in Baltimore and Caesars Interactive, in whose interest is it to purchase minority stakes, since CEO … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Gilbert, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Maryland: Who’s got the last laugh now?; Murren goes North, other companies look South

MGM Resorts International, that’s who. As predicted, a lawsuit filed to overturn last November’s casino expansion was laughed out of court. Judge Ronald A. Silkworth called the litigation “baseless,” which is a nice way of saying, “Thanks for wasting my … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, International, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Nebraska, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Texas, Tribal | Comments Off on Maryland: Who’s got the last laugh now?; Murren goes North, other companies look South

A Christmas wish list …

For those of us who missed it this year, the best Christmas tradition of which I know. First and most importantly … To you, the reader, who makes this possible, a year of happiness, health and wealth, whether material, intellectual … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Gilbert, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wayne F. Newton | 5 Comments

The bigger-than-ever loser; Shania’s rump rocks Vegas

If Sheldon Adelson played the ponies as he does politics, he’d enter a Shetland in the Kentucky Derby and put all his money on it to win. What could be better than knowing the Las Vegas Sands CEO blew $100 … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip | 1 Comment

New cowgirl in town; “Zarkana” opens quietly

There may be a new Cirque du Soleil production show at Aria but it’s been drowned out in the thundering hooves and comparable hype that marked Shania Twain‘s arrival at Caesars Palace. It was quite a sight: 20 horses and … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Parlez-vous *faux pas*?

OK, so Cirque du Soleil‘s Zarkana is certain to be a slam-dunk at the box office and a better financial performer than its predecessor, the unlamented Viva Elvis. However, does anyone find this invitation a bit culturally off-key? English and … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Hooters, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

“Zark-who”?

If you’ve been wondering where the pre-opening buzz for Aria‘s new Cirque du Soleil show, Zarkana, is … you’re not alone. I Get Paid for This author Rick Lax is puzzled by the strange, stealthy run-up to a show that … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on “Zark-who”?

LVA to Earth, LVA to Earth … come in, Earth

S&G readers have been reporting difficulties accessing LasVegasAdvisor.com and/or seeing this column in more than a rudimentary HTML version. Is this a widespread phenomenon? We’ve certainly been having computer problems up the wazoo here at LVA HQ and I apologize … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Get to the polls!

… as in the Las Vegas Advisor weekly poll. Tomorrow’s promises to be a real doozy. The question is,  What was the worst show in recent Strip and Downtown history? The dog kennel hasn’t been completely filled but I can … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, The Strip, TV, Wayne F. Newton | 6 Comments

Wipeout: “Surf the Musical”

All photos: © Scott Roeben Surf the Musical officially washed ashore last night at Planet Hollywood and one can only hope this bit of flotsam goes out with the next ebb tide. Although it’s not quite as craptastic as a … Continue reading

Posted in ABBA, Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Harrah's, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

Last weekend at The Mirage; “Jersey Boys” rumble

It was bound to happen: Not one, not two, but four douchebags trying to get tables at The Mirage‘s Carnegie Deli wearing nothing more than swimming trunks and flip-flops. That’s taking “casual” just a mite far. What’s the over/under on … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Dining, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Macao: Crossed fingers at Wynn; Confrontation at Melco

According to the Jornal Tribuna de Macau, by the end of the month, Wynn Resorts and the government of Macao “may sign” the long-awaited land tender upon which the fate of $2.7 billion Wynn Cotai rests. It “could be” a … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Hooters, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

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

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

Quote of the Day

“We said to Kevin [Antunes], ‘Listen, we don’t want to hear any accordions in ‘Beat It.’ … It’s gotta be Michael Jackson.’ We said to Jamie [King], ‘We don’t want any — and I don’t want to insult anybody — … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Sports | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

China to Cirque: “Pas encore!”

Cirque du Soleil® has laid another oeuf — or Las Vegas Sands has claimed yet another showbiz victim. Its resident show at Venetian Macao, Zaia™, is closing after a 42-month run. Either the touchy-feely, eco-friendly whimsies of Zaia™ were too … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Horseracing, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on China to Cirque: “Pas encore!”

One dynasty meets another

File this under ‘When camp icons collide.’ Yes, that’s Joan Collins, O.B.E. with showgirls from Jubilee! Between the show’s tenure and that of Ms. Collins, those are two careers characterized by unusually long legs — metaphorical and otherwise. Unfortunately, this … Continue reading

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on One dynasty meets another

Borgata or bust; ‘LVH,’ Jacko & Sinead

First, the good news: Borgata — accounting for more than one-fifth of the entire market share — continues to vastly outpace the rest of the Atlantic City market. Last month, it raked in $50 million for a 2% gain, driven … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment