Category Archives: Cosmopolitan

Aria: Take it again from the top, boys

Posted on March 22, 2012 by David McKee

Y’all remember that ‘consciousness-raising’ campaign MGM Resorts International announced on behalf of Aria, earlier this week. The first in a six-part series of videos, The Reveal, went live late this afternoon. Subsequent blipverts will include The Motive and Entrapment. (It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

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

Wynn vs. Okada: The appraisal; Mob Experience returns … like you cared

Posted on February 22, 2012 by David McKee

Wall Street analysts are weighing in on Wynn Resorts‘ preemptive strike against Kazuo Okada last weekend. Surprisingly, J.P. Morgan‘s Joseph Greff rates it as a positive in re Steve Wynn‘s ambitions for expansion into Japan and says it doesn’t hurt … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cosmopolitan, Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Macau, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn vs. Okada: The appraisal; Mob Experience returns … like you cared

Cosmo woe; MGM lurves Ameristar

Posted on February 15, 2012 by David McKee

As new casino boss Thomas McCartney tries to stabilize the sinking ship that is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, he’s tossed overboard some human ballast in the form of casino employees. (Thirty full-time dealers are alleged to have been pink-slipped.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Dan Lee, Dining, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Movies, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 6, 2012 by David McKee

“Caesars [Entertainment] has comped me to a few meals, sent me show tickets, and invited me to slot tournaments. The company’s still convinced I want to ride a bus down to Laughlin and stay there for a few days, too, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Harrah's, Laughlin, Marketing, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

[your restaurant here]

Posted on December 8, 2011 by David McKee

Leave it to the marketing geniuses at Comme ça (in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) to come up with the dopiest — no, not “dopest,” dopiest — publicity photo of 2011. How do you publicize your fine, French bistro where … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Dining, Entertainment, Marketing, The Strip | 2 Comments

Morgans: They’re baaaaaaack!; Un-win at Cosmo

Posted on November 18, 2011 by David McKee

Just when you thought it was safe to invest in Las Vegas again, the city went to bed last night to the news that masters of disaster Morgans Hotel Group had purchased nightclub operator Light Group. Given Morgans’ propensity for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Florida, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Sahara, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Hold that recovery!

Posted on November 17, 2011 by David McKee

Just when things were looking good … I mean, after many a premature prediction of economic recovery, room-rate trends on the Las Vegas Strip were looking like change in which one could believe. J.P. Morgan projections for the fourth quarter … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

A Stern glance

Posted on September 19, 2011 by David McKee

Posthumous congratulations to Martin Stern Jr. (1917-2001), father of the vertically integrated casino resort. He will be the recipient of the annual Jay Sarno Award at this year’s Global Gaming Expo. The choice of Stern has been such a closely … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, G2E, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sahara | Comments Off on A Stern glance

Assume the position

Posted on September 13, 2011 by David McKee

Whatever one thinks of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas‘ business plan, the $4 billion resort seems bound and determined to position itself as a lifestyle-oriented hangout for the upwardly mobile, with casino gambling just one amenity among many others. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Marketing, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Wishful Thinking 101

Posted on September 12, 2011 by David McKee

Do you ever have the feeling that CityCenter isn’t getting its message across? Incidentally, leave your cursor on the Harmon wrap for a moment and you’ll get an amusing — but wholly accidental — bit of snark from Cosmopolitan PR’s … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 3 Comments

Who says irony is dead?

Posted on September 9, 2011 by David McKee

Las Vegas Review-Journal newshound Norm(!) Clarke reports that, in January, the Nevada Ballet Theater‘s annual honoree will be … wait for it … Eva Longoria. What a concept: Fail miserably at business, get an award! S&G looks forward to future … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Fontainebleau, James Packer, Lyle Berman, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Sports | Comments Off on Who says irony is dead?

Plaza & Riviera: Cheap new wine in old bottles

Posted on September 6, 2011 by David McKee

It’s an index of the desperation of local media to have something — anything — new to cover on the casino front that the slightest murmur from the Plaza was guaranteed to generate coverage. Plaza PR peeps did a masterful … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 7 Comments

You can take the executive out of the casino …

Posted on August 30, 2011 by David McKee

… but you can’t take the casino out of the executive. Case in point, Smith Center for the Performing Arts Chairman Donald Snyder, former prexy of Boyd Gaming. One of the odder components of the $425 million multipurpose venue, known … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on You can take the executive out of the casino …

Case Bets: Station, Isle, Cosmo, Loveman & the horsey set

Posted on August 16, 2011 by David McKee

Revenue growth accelerated at Station Casinos in 2Q11, with cash flow up 8.5% (compared to +4% for the year so far). Keeping room rates steady at an average of $71 appears to have boosted occupancy, up from 81% to an … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Penn National, Pokergeddon, Politics, Racinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Casino Cacophony

Posted on August 4, 2011 by David McKee

As my growing freelance workload continues to limit my S&G time, I’m happy to yield the floor to University of South Carolina journalism professor — and frequent Vegas visitor — Augie Grant, who has another guest contribution to make. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

Dog Days, explained

Posted on July 19, 2011 by David McKee

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy As reported yesterday, July-September room rates for the Las Vegas Strip are looking soft (which is bound to degrade off-Strip ADRs, obviously). One possible explanation was, indirectly, floated … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Economy, The Strip | Comments Off on Dog Days, explained

Dog Days

Posted on July 18, 2011 by David McKee

Heading into August, hotel rates along the Strip appear to be in the doldrums, judging by figures published today by J.P. Morgan analysts. Weekday rates continue to recover, typified by Caesars Entertainment properties, and weekend ones continue to decline. So … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Encore, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Movies, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Warriors of The Cosmo

Posted on July 13, 2011 by David McKee

If you can’t get people to the art … bring Art to the people.

Posted in Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Warriors of The Cosmo