Category Archives: Current

Calamity in Ohio; Adelson under a magnifying glass

Posted on January 27, 2012 by David McKee

Approximately 10 workers suffered injuries yesterday when a partial cave-in occurred during construction of Horseshoe Cincinnati. None of the injuries was life-threatening but one local lawmaker noted that the casino — and others like it — “certainly have been in … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Harrah's, Ohio, Sheldon Adelson, TV | Tagged | Comments Off on Calamity in Ohio; Adelson under a magnifying glass

Station Casinos: In your face

Posted on January 26, 2012 by David McKee

For a company that bridles at negative press coverage, Station Casinos has a genius for provoking it. Case in point: Its increasingly hysteria-tinged campaign toward the Culinary Union. Up until now, it’s been confined to a series of overwrought, unintentionally … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Current, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Marketing, Station Casinos, TV | 2 Comments

Illinois: Not cricket; Boyd’s not going to like *this*: Death Ray: The sequel

Posted on January 25, 2012 by David McKee

Hardly had the outlines for a gaming-expansion compromise been leaked from the Illinois governor’s mansion when state Speaker of the House Michael Madigan (D, right) nixed the idea — or at least the prospect of a deal getting done in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Election, Environment, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Vdara Death Ray | 3 Comments

When executives attack; Sheldon’s new beard; Wall Street loves it some MGM

Posted on January 24, 2012 by David McKee

Few YouTube feeds are more prolific and state of the art than that of Station Casinos (although they really ought to think twice about posting cell-phone footage online; it looks rinky-dink). However, what you will not see is an ad … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Culinary Union, Current, Election, Florida, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Texas, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

One dynasty meets another

Posted on January 23, 2012 by David McKee

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

Gilbert’s Dixie deal; Linq begins; Musical chairs at Penn

Posted on January 23, 2012 by David McKee

Dan Gilbert‘s descent upon the Baltimore market, in tandem with Caesars Entertainment, isn’t exactly news but the revelation that it will operate under the Harrah’s imprimatur (relegated to tertiary status by Caesars CEO Gary Loveman) certainly is. Gilbert’s undergraduate career … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Genting, Harrah's, M Resort, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on Gilbert’s Dixie deal; Linq begins; Musical chairs at Penn

Miller Time in Maryland; The sorrows of Marrandino

Posted on January 20, 2012 by David McKee

No question about it, THE gaming-industry story of 2011 was both an economic and political one: How the Great Recession has essentially broken the back of anti-gambling resistance in the corridors of American power. We can see it up and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Miller Time in Maryland; The sorrows of Marrandino

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 19, 2012 by David McKee

“Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.” — legendary animator and really cool dude Chuck Jones (1912-2002). Today, Circus Circus opened The Chuck Jones Experience, an interactive museum devoted to Jones and the veritable cosmos of characters to which his pencil … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, history, MGM Mirage, Movies, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 1 Comment

Aquedud?; Trump, chump

Posted on January 19, 2012 by David McKee

I apologize for feeding you some incorrect info earlier when I erroneously stated that the Philadelphia market lost business (apparently to Atlantic City) last month. Nope, Santa Claus was good to every casino in the Keystone State, although he could … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Jack Binion, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Aquedud?; Trump, chump

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.

What would Dr. King say?

Posted on January 16, 2012 by David McKee

The Colbert ReportGet More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive Nothing good, I’m thinking. But we’ll never know, so instead let us turn to a different pulpit, that of Stephen Colbert …

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Wynn & Okada: The bromance sours

Posted on January 13, 2012 by David McKee

Today’s Wall Street Journal confirms yesterday’s S&G tea-leaf reading that Kazuo Okada was being a naughty boy, bruiting about possible Wynn Resorts involvement in the Philippines, even showing “designs similar to iconic Wynn casinos, according to people familiar with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, International, Macau, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn & Okada: The bromance sours

Living on Vegas time

Posted on January 13, 2012 by David McKee

By way of Ian Sutton‘s Gaming Floor portal comes news that Les Artistes Steakhouse, late of Paris-Las Vegas, is fermé … toujours.  Although the hotel-casino has only been open since September 1999, on Caesars Entertainment‘s in-house blog this constitutes “a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Sahara, The Strip, Tribal | 5 Comments

Belated Christmas presents, Part II

Posted on January 11, 2012 by David McKee

If the good news keeps raining down like this, I might have to start using the R-word … as in “recovery.” In November, Nevada‘s $880 million gross was good for a 7% upsurge. The Las Vegas Strip beat the statewide … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Belated Christmas presents

Posted on January 10, 2012 by David McKee

Good news is busting out all over, starting in the unlikeliest place … Atlantic City. Ye Olde Boardwalk was up 4% last month, its first revenue-positive month in 15 quarters. Even a 10% fall in table drop couldn’t put a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Adelson: Whining our future; The online deluge

Posted on January 9, 2012 by David McKee

Apparently there’s no avoiding what has become the story of the day: Sheldon Adelson‘s $5 million dowry to presidential aspirant Newt Gingrich. It’s a gift that comes with a substantial pre-nup; if Gingrich falters in South Carolina, American Crossroads and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Election, Florida, George Maloof, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Hooters, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

The Last Hoot

Posted on January 5, 2012 by David McKee

I’m whaling away on a couple of  non-gaming fronts today but I wanted to at least drop in and say that Hooters Casino Hotel goes on the block next month, so bust open your piggy banks. But seriously … Creditor-in-Chief … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, Hooters, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on The Last Hoot

Vegas’ newest low-roller joint; Is the Lion extinct?; Another classy Sands moment

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David McKee

Move over, Longhorn and Vegas Club. The spirit of Nevada Palace (R.I.P.) hath descended upon the Palms. If recent sackings of Bunny dealers portended a sea change at the former George Maloof property, during my latest visit I practically collided … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Dining, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 3 Comments

Adelson vacillates; Macao triumphs; Name of infamy

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David McKee

Showing something less than his usual decisiveness, Sheldon Adelson continues to send mixed signals with regard to his intentions in his native Massachusetts. He’s re-upped with Boston-based lobbyist firm Donoghue Barrett & Singal. However, despite years of scouting the market, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Iowa, Macau, Massachusetts, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Adelson vacillates; Macao triumphs; Name of infamy

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