Category Archives: Current

HRH: When the Scheetz hit the fan

Posted on March 2, 2011 by David McKee

Thanks to the S&G reader who provided me with that ready-made headline. Yes, Morgans Hotel Group has closed the book on Scheetz’s Folly, the $770 million purchase of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The Sun‘s Liz Benston lays out … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Golden Gaming, International, James Packer, Kansas, Morgans Hotel Group, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Jane Russell, 1921-2011

Posted on March 1, 2011 by David McKee

A self-described “full-figured gal” who led a very full life, former film star and eternal sex goddess Jane Russell rode off to that big movie studio in the sky yesterday. She lent her ample charms to pictures that included The … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, history, Morgans Hotel Group, Movies | 3 Comments

Macao rally boosts Sands, Wynn & Melco; No “Triumph” at Hilton

Posted on February 28, 2011 by David McKee

Publicly traded casino operators in Macao got a dose of good news today. A late-month rally in play means another record month at the tables, a 51% increase from last year. Roughly half the $2.5 billion haul will be divided … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, Macau, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Macao rally boosts Sands, Wynn & Melco; No “Triumph” at Hilton

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 28, 2011 by David McKee

“They basically gave the middle finger to their database … Once an offer has been extended and redeemed, I don’t think you can welsh on it.” — Fine Point Group founder Randall Fine, on Sheldon Adelson‘s retroactive revocation of comps … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 2 Comments

Hard Rock: End of a (bad) era

Posted on February 25, 2011 by David McKee

Scheetz’s Folly, otherwise known as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, will soon be in new hands. After several addled years under Morgans Hotel Group, whose bright ideas included “building a hotel suite with an S&M theme and a human … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Morgans Hotel Group, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 2 Comments

Behind the curtain at Wynn LV

Posted on February 24, 2011 by David McKee

Freshly uploaded to the Web, here’s a look at how Wynn Resorts makes those truly baffling illusions at Wynn Las Vegas‘ Lake of Dreams come to life. As always, there’s Steve Wynn (& Co.) and then there’s Everyone Else.

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Hooters in default; Rio robbed; Morgans out, Warner in?

Posted on February 24, 2011 by David McKee

From the “Could mean something, could mean nothing” File comes a Notice of Default, filed by the Bank of New York against Hooters Casino Hotel. The lenders are calling in a $130 million note on the 332-room hotel (arguably making … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Massachusetts, Morgans Hotel Group, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Back from Chicago

Posted on February 24, 2011 by David McKee

My apologies to everyone who got tired of looking at Stanley Ho‘s wizened mug. S&G was on a brief, unannounced hiatus, as yours truly ventured to the cold but wondrous place that is Chicago, home to the greatest architecture in … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, Michael Gaughan, Penn National, Politics, Steve Wynn | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 18, 2011 by David McKee

“The problem with Stanley Ho is that he thought he is eternal. Nobody is eternal.” — Macao Gaming Inspection & Coordination Bureau Director Manuel Joaquim das Neves. Daughter — and MGM Resorts International joint-venture partner — Pansy Ho appears to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Stanley Ho | 1 Comment

Dan Lee’s revenge & comeuppance for Penn in Louisiana

Posted on February 17, 2011 by David McKee

While the casino industry suffers no shortage of big egos, Penn National Gaming CEO Peter Carlino zooms past that, heading full speed toward arrogance. When not trying to use the political process to sandbag its competitors, Penn occasionally builds casinos. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Texas, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Sheldon Adelson, Man of La Mancha

Posted on February 17, 2011 by David McKee

Life’s being pretty good these days to Las Vegas Sands, thanks in part to better-than-expected convention traffic at Marina Bay Sands (offsetting tepid meeting/expo biz in Macao). In addition to eyeballing Florida, Texas, Massachusetts and Japan, CEO Sheldon Adelson has … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Downtown, Economy, Florida, Genting, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Oscar Goodman, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 17, 2011 by David McKee

“[Y]esterday Celine Dion showed up and Vegas groveled at her feet. When she first came here in 2003, people wondered about her ability to sell tickets at prices that sailed as high as her irritating voice. Now she is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Ohio, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Philadelphia’s cup runneth under

Posted on February 16, 2011 by David McKee

Returning to yesterday’s theme of exaggerated expectations of gaming revenues (decanted by casino operators, quaffed uncritically by politicians) we have a glass half-full/half-empty report from Pennsylvania. The salient statistic is that, once five-month-old SugarHouse (left) is factored out, slot revenues … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 16, 2011 by David McKee

“Vegas is a different market. You can get a room in the finest hotels on the Strip for Holiday Inn Express prices. That’s why Sheldon Adelson is stomping his feet. The restaurants are not making their lease payments either. The convention … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Marina: Trump out, Tilman in

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

Our long national nightmare is over. Trump Entertainment Resorts has finally unloaded that pariah known as Trump Marina and for a pittance: $38 million. Just when it looked like Trump couldn’t give the place away, Landry’s Restaurants CEO Tilman Fertitta … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Regulation | 3 Comments

Las Vegas Sands: Who’s minding the store?

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

Investors would do well to ask that, not least because of CEO Sheldon Adelson‘s attitude of, ‘The buck stops here … except when it doesn’t.’ To hear Adelson tell it, everything that goes awry at Las Vegas Sands and Sands … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Genting, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Mob, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Las Vegas Sands: Who’s minding the store?

Gary Loveman … visionary?

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

At the risk of pumping additional hydrogen into his already zeppelin-sized ego, allow me to suggest that Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman, PhD. is actually onto something. But first would somebody clue him in that there has been casino gambling … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, G2E, Harrah's, Jack Binion, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Taxes, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Plaudits for Navegante; The great Hard Rock caper that wasn’t

Posted on February 15, 2011 by David McKee

A frequent Hard Rock Hotel & Casino player, for one, is happy to know that Navegante Group is waiting in the wings to take the reins should Morgans Hotel Group continue to falter. (The owners of the HRH have until … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Golden Gaming, International, Marketing, Michael Gaughan, New York, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 14, 2011 by David McKee

“We can debate whether Iraq now is in better shape than Egypt, but what is not debatable is David Brooks‘s assertion that Saddam [Hussein] would shoot anyone who dared protest in public, or in private, for that matter. He was … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Internet gambling, Sheldon Adelson | 1 Comment

Caesars too good for Cincy

Posted on February 11, 2011 by David McKee

Congratulations, Cincinnati, you’re getting a Horshoe-branded casino. Yup, the relatively low-key casino planned for the Queen City’s historic district is getting the most down-market of the company’s three brands. This despite the fact that there’s already a Horseshoe casino just … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Louisiana, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos | 15 Comments