Category Archives: Colorado

Wanna buy a casino?

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

Call 1-877-612-8494 and you could be the next owner of a Colorado conversation-starter that’s sure to impress your friends.

Posted in Colorado, Current, Economy | 1 Comment

Iowa is flat

Posted on November 4, 2010 by David McKee

Actually it’s not, if you’ve lived there (as I did for four wonderful years). However, Iowa‘s casino industry is, down one-tenth of a percent from October 2009. Actually, nine of the 17 non-tribal casinos recorded revenue increases, particularly the small … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Laughlin, Maryland, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Objects in the photo may be emptier than they appear

Posted on August 31, 2010 by David McKee

Booking site Oyster.com is having a bit of fun with the gap between perception and reality at some Las Vegas hotels. Take for instance, that photo which shows you the Mandalay Bay wave pool as though you would have it … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Colorado, Current, Downtown, Economy, Election, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Global Cash’s Access, Cosmo, Riviera, Oscar, Oregon & Banditry

Posted on August 25, 2010 by David McKee

Excessive Access? The casino industry gets closer and closer to the day when it simply hooks up a suction hose to your bank vault. While Global Cash Access doesn’t want to interface bank cards with slot machines — it would … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Current, Election, Environment, Harrah's, International, Marketing, New York, Oscar Goodman, Problem gambling, Regulation, Riviera, Technology, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV | 8 Comments

Rocky Mountain Low

Posted on March 10, 2010 by David McKee

The Great Recession continues to weed out the sick and the lame of the casino industry. As with Missouri‘s loss-limit repeal, similar measures in Colorado (detailed above) came along too late in the game. There’s only so much state governments … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Economy, Missouri, Regulation | Comments Off on Rocky Mountain Low

Skin(less) City

Posted on February 19, 2010 by David McKee

Before we get into the good (?) stuff, I should mention that S&G has been nominated as part of Las Vegas CityLife‘s “Best of the Valley” poll. I probably should have pimped this a week ago, when the poll went … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, The Strip | 5 Comments

Sheldon the Barbarian & other news

Posted on January 11, 2010 by David McKee

Amid reports of vastly improved attendance at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show comes news of a typical overreaction by Las Vegas Sands. I know of one company that was doing off-site demos and fortunately wasn’t among the vendors turfed out … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Colorado, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Indiana, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

We have (another) winner

Posted on December 18, 2009 by David McKee

Betcha they didn’t do this at Aria when the first decent-sized jackpot was hit. The gentleman on the right is Carlos Quintano, from Great Bend, Kan. Only 15 minutes after the doors of Boot Hill Casino & Resort* flew open, … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., CityCenter, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Tribal | 1 Comment

They took away the Reading Room …

Posted on December 17, 2009 by David McKee

… only to give us Assouline, a store that specializes in big books with lots of pictures and can found in Crystals. However, you needn’t bother shopping there unless you have money out the assouline. Or as a company exec … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, CityCenter, Colorado, Economy, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, The Strip, Tribal | 3 Comments

Case Bets: Ensign, Angelica Bridges & the smell of Vegas

Posted on November 20, 2009 by David McKee

Look for ex-Mandalay Resort Group boss Mike Ensign to play a supporting role in Nightline‘s Nov. 23 exposé of, among other things, the 96 dimes in hush money he channeled to the cuckolded husband of his son’s mistress. You’ve got … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colony Capital, Colorado, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Isle of Capri, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 4 Comments

Want your ass kicked?

Posted on October 5, 2009 by David McKee

Then go hang out at Stack. If they don’t like your looks, the in-house goons will be sicced on you. And Las Vegans wonder at the schadenfreude so many people feel with regard to Sin City’s current doldrums. No magic … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Dining, Election, Harrah's, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Want your ass kicked?

Atlantic City sucks …

Posted on September 22, 2009 by David McKee

… says the Motley Fool, in essence. Even Borgata, which posted a higher operating profit year/year, is deemed merely to suck less than everybody else. I’m not sure I’m with the Fools on this one. For instance, shouldn’t Sands Bethlehem … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colorado, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Atlantic City sucks …

Boyd, Ameristar stable; CityCenter schedule revised

Posted on August 5, 2009 by David McKee

Second-quarter results from Boyd Gaming and Ameristar Casinos gave continued reason to be sanguine about each company. Both reported profits (12 cents per share at Boyd, double that at Ameristar) and both missed their revenue targets by an aggregate of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colorado, Current, Downtown, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Boyd, Ameristar stable; CityCenter schedule revised

Facts are stubborn things

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

A big thumbs-up to a casino company in Central City, Colo., for making its case to players not with vague claims but quantifiable facts. Famous Bonanza & Easy Street Casinos shared with its patrons Colorado Division of Gaming Statistics data … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Kansas, Marketing, Regulation | Comments Off on Facts are stubborn things

Hooters vs. Riviera

Posted on March 31, 2009 by David McKee

It's a race to Chapter 11 now, with Riviera Holdings in the lead. Its glandular-themed rival down the street is opting out of an interest payment and drawing down the last of its credit, never a promising sign. However, Riviera … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Economy, Harrah's, Riviera, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hooters vs. Riviera

Colorado casinos: Four votes, four wins

Posted on January 21, 2009 by David McKee

After a statewide vote approved 'round-the-clock operation at Colorado's non-tribal casinos (along with a 20X increase in betting limits and a wider repertory of games), the measure wasn't home and dry. It had to be voted through in Cripple Creek, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Election, Isle of Capri, Penn National, Regulation, Riviera | Comments Off on Colorado casinos: Four votes, four wins

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 15, 2009 by David McKee

"For a casino worker, every day breathing second-hand smoke in the workplace is one too many. Everyone has the right to breathe smoke-free air — regardless of the color of their collar." — Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Executive Director Cynthia … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Illinois, Labor, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 15, 2009 by David McKee

"For a casino worker, every day breathing second-hand smoke in the workplace is one too many. Everyone has the right to breathe smoke-free air — regardless of the color of their collar." — Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Executive Director Cynthia … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Illinois, Labor, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 18, 2008 by David McKee

"[T]he fact that he's from a somewhat Western state is good." — a congressional spokesman, reacting to the nomination of Sen. Ken Salazar to head the Interior Department. Salazar is from the "somewhat" (but apparently not very) Western state of … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

McCain's destination revealed

Posted on November 6, 2008 by David McKee

Maybe you saw that B-roll of Sen. John McCain hitting the road in an emerald SUV yesterday, with Sen. Lindsey Graham riding shotgun, ostensibly en route to planning “legislative initiatives.” (I couldn’t find the footage in that “series of tubes” … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, TV | Comments Off on McCain's destination revealed