Category Archives: Current

Cantor’s new brand: Slots for tots

Posted on April 6, 2011 by David McKee

Other than as a medium for sports betting, mobile-gambling devices have resolutely failed to catch on in Las Vegas casinos. Provider/operator Cantor Gaming has made a few inroads but mostly at one-off properties like M Resort and the Hard Rock … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Internet gambling, M Resort, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip | 2 Comments

Goodman and Station win Round One; MGM’s Free(dom) Ride

Posted on April 6, 2011 by David McKee

The Las Vegas electorate had a lovely parting gift for Victor Chaltiel and Sheldon Adelson. Which is to say that Carolyn Goodman didn’t win the Las Vegas mayoralty outright yesterday but is a relatively low hurdle away from inheriting husband … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Oscar Goodman, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Mob, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Station hearts Goodman … Carolyn, that is

Posted on April 4, 2011 by David McKee

In what may be a historic first, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta and their rival Texas cousin Tilman Fertitta all agree upon something: Carolyn Goodman‘s mayoral candidacy. As in, they’re for it. Once you lump together Zuffa (parent of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Downtown, Election, Florida, Golden Gaming, history, International, Jack Binion, Michael Gaughan, Oscar Goodman, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 4, 2011 by David McKee

“Celebrity Apprentice is widely regarded as terrible and cheesy programming, but, actually, it has its moments. I recently saw an episode in which a former top model had a serious discussion with a fellow competitor about whether this was the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

If you don’t look like this …

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

… don’t even think about trying to book a hotel room on the Strip or in Downtown. Las Vegas doesn’t want you, although you might be permitted to stay out on the Boulder Strip or someplace really out of sight … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

The North Strip Story and Salvation Plan

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

Guest blogger Jeff in OKC returns, his previous dispatch on Downtown’s Western Casino having proven a smash hit; its fans included Western manager Anthony Santo himself. During his latest visit, he concentrated upon the north end of the Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, Cloverfield monster, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Making life easier, Deutsche Bank-style

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

As I posted yesterday, Deutsche Bank has decided to simply waive $756 million it owes … well, basically to itself for building The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, reducing the tab (on paper) from $4.1 billion to $3.3 billion. Wouldn’t our … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Harrah's, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Programming note …

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

As of now, the S&G “Comments” feature is working again. It mysteriously conked out last week, although it took me several days to cotton onto the problem. I just figured nobody was reading my shit. (The two scenarios are not, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Sports, Technology | 1 Comment

Sheldon Adelson’s court jester yuks it up

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands-backed mayoral candidate Victor Chaltiel rolled out the following prank ad today … I’m not sure that there’s any percentage in going after the grandmotherly (but hopelessly vague) Carolyn Goodman in the snide fashion that is quickly becoming … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Downtown, Election, Florida, Harrah's, International, Laughlin, Macau, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Mississippi, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Salvation for Illinois? “Golden Boys” strike again

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

According to lobbyists for MGM Resorts International‘s Grand Victoria riverboat, the smoking ban in Illinois has stove in casino revenues by 33%. Statewide, the average is -28% since 2008 — costing the state no small amount of tax monies — … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, TV | Comments Off on Salvation for Illinois? “Golden Boys” strike again

Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

It’s all over — until 2012, anyway — for Sheldon Adelson‘s heavy-handed push to ram a set of “destination resorts” through the Florida Legislature. A poison-pill amendment, attached at the behest of parimutuels, would let existing slot houses go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, International, Macau, North Las Vegas, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest

Woe on the North Strip

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

Owners of the Riviera and the Las Vegas Hilton published their respective annual reports and it wasn’t a good day for the north end of the Strip, where bargain-priced casinos fight a holding action against the market forces of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Colorado, Current, Economy, Goldman Sachs, International, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Woe on the North Strip

“In the beginning was The Mob …”

Posted on March 30, 2011 by David McKee

Following several delays and even more advance hoopla, the Las Vegas Mob Experience is open. And it’s, as my wife said, “a mob scene” (pun intended). At last night’s grand gala, a PR guy was overheard saying that — for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Movies, Oscar Goodman, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 3 Comments

New Jersey rides the Four Horsemen

Posted on March 30, 2011 by David McKee

… of online gambling. So writes IAM Corp. CEO Peter Karroll,  S&G‘s newest guest blogger. To wit: Recently in New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the legalization of online gaming, pointing to the prospect of backroom gambling shops popping up … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Problem gambling, Regulation | Comments Off on New Jersey rides the Four Horsemen

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 30, 2011 by David McKee

“When Wikipedia is kicking your ass factually, maybe you need to look at how you train your employees.” — Dr. David G. Schwartz, on the Las Vegas Mob Experience, now officially open (after many fits and starts) at the Tropicana.

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, history, The Mob, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Wynn makes the hit parade

Posted on March 28, 2011 by David McKee

For sanity’s sake, let’s turn from a buffoon (Donald Trump) to a serious individual. Namely, Steve Wynn, who’s been named to Barrons‘ list of the world’s 30 best CEOs. He’s up there surrounded by the likes of Warren Buffett, Jeff … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Genting, International, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn makes the hit parade

Crazy, party of one

Posted on March 28, 2011 by David McKee

It’s been years — if not decades — since Donald Trump was taken seriously. Why should his publicity-stunt “presidential campaign” be any different? If Winston Churchill had nothing to offer his countrymen but blood, toil, tears and sweet, Trump has … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Election, Sheldon Adelson, TV | Comments Off on Crazy, party of one

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 27, 2011 by David McKee

“Complaining about high gasoline prices in a free-market economy is a bit like doing the proverbial at the wind.” — Richard Quest on CNN‘s Your Money, last Saturday.

Posted in Current, Economy, Tourism, Transportation, TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Sahara Sam: Will he or won’t he?

Posted on March 25, 2011 by David McKee

An MGM Resorts International press release hailing the new SBE/M life partnership holds out a slim reed of hope that predictions Sahara Hotel & Casino owner Sam Nazarian will redevelop the site are more than just additional vaporware. (The Sahara … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Animals, CityCenter, Current, Florida, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Courting the curious

Posted on March 25, 2011 by David McKee

This is the fifth in a six-video series that The Cosmopolitan has been running on cable TV. But not on the usual casino-friendly channels like ESPN. No, the Cosmo has targeted the Sundance Channel and IFC for these spots. People … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Courting the curious