Category Archives: Cirque du Soleil

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 8, 2009 by David McKee

"Forget the Cirque du Soleil show Zaia, which was quite good but played in a theater that was approximately 30 percent full on a Thursday night. And forget those poor saps trying to sell one high-end watch per day. As … Continue reading →

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Scratch one Europoseur

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Hot off the wire from Harrah’s Entertainment: “The visionary force behind Club Fuego, ND, has opted to close the nightclub in order to pursue future projects in other formats. The closure is effective today [June 15].” Durr: Friends don’t let … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Sahara, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Scratch one Europoseur

"Fixations"

Posted on May 21, 2009 by David McKee

No, Guy Laliberté is not prancing around our offices in cap and bells, reducing staffers to helpless laughter with declarations of, "Criss Angel is not a magician … he is an artist!" Instead, cyber-gremblins have rendered our Web operations FUBAR … Continue reading →

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"Peepshow" buys a clue

Posted on May 18, 2009 by David McKee

"Peepshow" prime donne Kelly Monaco & Mel. B By now it's old news that Planet Hollywood's new resident spectacle, Peepshow, has gone topless for real. Though some question the move, to me it always seemed retrogressive and counter-intuitive to present … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on "Peepshow" buys a clue

(Slots A) Fun Fact

Posted on May 15, 2009 by David McKee

I've just read that the 2008 cash flow for Slots A Fun, the crown jewel of what used to be Circus Circus Enterprises, was $2.8 million. Which means that current owner MGM Mirage could justify a sale price of $22.5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Don Barden, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, The Strip, Transportation, TV | Comments Off on (Slots A) Fun Fact

Anybody seen my Cirque?

Posted on May 15, 2009 by David McKee

Last night’s media performance of The Lion King, unlike most Vegas media events, drew much of the local “A” list. KNPR-FM’s Dave Berns was there, as was man-of-all-media Steve Friess, along with large contingents from Fox 5 and Stephens Media, … Continue reading →

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Perp Show

Posted on May 14, 2009 by David McKee

If you're bald, weight 285 lbs. and have one arm in a cast, you're not exactly inconspicuous. So how was it that that such a hefty man was to infiltrate a VIP area of Planet Hollywood and bust into Peepshow … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Perp Show

Case Bets: B'way in Vegas; Trump bloviates

Posted on May 13, 2009 by David McKee

Opening night for The Lion King is three days away. Which means the New York Times is right on schedule with another hand-wringing piece about whether Broadway-style shows can succeed in Las Vegas. By now it should be obvious that … Continue reading →

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Case Bets: Caesars, Criss Angel, Lance Burton, Earl & Lani and Trent

Posted on May 13, 2009 by David McKee

Seen last night by an S&G source, Pit One at Caesars Palace empty save for one or two baccarat players. It’s just a small indicator of a larger disconnect that I hope to address later. PR flack Robin Leach has … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Case Bets: Caesars, Criss Angel, Lance Burton, Earl & Lani and Trent

A (much different) Gans question

Posted on May 8, 2009 by David McKee

Story after story on the tragic decease of Danny Gans has used one or another variant of this phrase, "named 'Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year' 11 years in a row." Most recently, it popped up in a Las Vegas … Continue reading →

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Updates: Pinnacle, Boyd, Foxwoods, Donald Trump & Criss Angel

Posted on April 22, 2009 by David McKee

Don’t wait by the phone if you’ve got a date with Pinnacle Entertainment. It has just pushed back the timelines on its Baton Rouge and Lake Charles projects by five months. It cited investor reluctance and warned more delays are … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Louisiana, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Updates: Pinnacle, Boyd, Foxwoods, Donald Trump & Criss Angel

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 20, 2009 by David McKee

"I have to recognize someone special here in the house. Perez Hilton, please stand up. We have the world's biggest douchebag asshole in the house!" — MGM Mirage poster boy Criss Angel, at the end of last Friday's Believe, enraged … Continue reading →

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New category of Las Vegan

Posted on April 1, 2009 by David McKee

Europoseur: Only found on or near the Strip, sometimes impersonated by French Canadians (see Soleil, Cirque du). Occasionally demand to be addressed by their initials only, usually smoke cigarettes and are invariably able to generate fawning press coverage. Are known … Continue reading →

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Un-Believe-able discounts

Posted on March 30, 2009 by David McKee

Seen yesterday at the Luxor ticket booth: A video message promising 35% off Believe tickets if you stay at the King Tut place between Tuesday and Thursday (inclusive). Heck, just last week Luxor trotted out one of the most “george” … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Un-Believe-able discounts

A twist of Fator

Posted on March 17, 2009 by David McKee

We took in Saturday night’s opening of Terry Fator and his Cast of Thousands, as did quite a few C- and D-list celebrities, plus several MGM Mirage executives — no doubt enjoying 90 minutes’ respite from worrying about their company’s … Continue reading →

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Case Bets: Fasolt, etc.

Posted on March 12, 2009 by David McKee

A reader has asked how Fasolt got his name. I'm to blame for that, because he was called "Marble" when I met him. He was living in a foster home in Minneapolis, after a woman had thrown out her boyfriend … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Pets, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off on Case Bets: Fasolt, etc.

MGM Mirage: Uh-oh; "Off the box"

Posted on February 27, 2009 by David McKee

Following in the footsteps of Station Casinos and Harrah's Entertainment, now MGM Mirage is drawing its revolver, so to speak, to fund operating expenses. This is never a good sign. Earlier this week we learnt that all of Kirk Kerkorian's … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Donald Trump, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on MGM Mirage: Uh-oh; "Off the box"

What's the sound of stale?

Posted on February 6, 2009 by David McKee

It'd probably be very much like the dulcet tones of Danny F. Gans (pictured), who reassures prospective attendees to his Encore show not to worry: It'll be the same old same-old. Or, as he rationalizes it, "I'm trying to give … Continue reading →

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MGM CEO sez, "Make me an offer"

Posted on January 8, 2009 by David McKee

“We are certainly not looking to aggressively sell assets, but the point is that we do have assets that are attractive and we are going to be very responsive.” That's MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren's way of saying that he's … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cannery Casino Resorts, Cirque du Soleil, Economy, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on MGM CEO sez, "Make me an offer"

Deep Red: Encore

Posted on December 22, 2008 by David McKee

As much as casino-watchers have been vexed by the total media clampdown on all but the smallest scintillae of revelation about Steve Wynn‘s Encore, it was worth the wait. Or, to put it differently, Aria and Fontainebleau have just been … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cirque du Soleil, Cloverfield monster, Current, Dining, Economy, Encore, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Deep Red: Encore