Category Archives: Current

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 20, 2010 by David McKee

“Money is not everything in life. Happiness is much more important than money. After all, money is a good servant, but a very bad master. Perhaps that is a lesson that Steve Wynn should learn.” — former Wynn Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

NLRB deals Wynn a rebuke; The twilight of Stanley Ho

Posted on December 17, 2010 by David McKee

Steve Wynn has enjoyed so many victories in his long-running battle with his casino dealers that he was perhaps overdue for a loss. It came yesterday when the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Wynn Resorts had engaged in retaliation … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, Election, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Macau, Movies, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

Horseshoe Philadelphia goes into deep freeze

Posted on December 17, 2010 by David McKee

After four interminable years, that on-again/off-again casino project on the Philadelphia waterfront has been put out of its misery. Comcast‘s Ed Snider, his fellow juiced-in investors and putative savior Caesars Entertainment had the rug yanked from beneath them in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off on Horseshoe Philadelphia goes into deep freeze

Cosmo: Let the debate commence!

Posted on December 16, 2010 by David McKee

Leading lights of the blog world were on hand for last night’s Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas coming-out party and had pretty divergent reactions. Steve Friess is keeping his opinion of the property to himself but he’s among those who are … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, G2E, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Cosmo: Let the debate commence!

Cosmo: the morning after; “Sinatra” too sexy?

Posted on December 16, 2010 by David McKee

Although I’m still feeling somewhat the worse for wear from last night’s Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas opening-night bacchanalia, a quick observations are in order. Filled with people, Cosmo’s virtues are magnified, its vices minimized (with one glaring exception to which … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Encore, Entertainment, Macau, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, TV | 5 Comments

Cosmopolitan: Towers of Babel

Posted on December 15, 2010 by David McKee

It’s here and it’s a sensory overload. If the severe CityCenter six-pack is a convent of Carmelite nuns, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a drag queen. It’s unstintingly flamboyant, often fabulous, unremittingly outrageous and campy as all get-out. On … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, IGT, LVCVA, MGM Mirage, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 8 Comments

D-Day for Philadelphia

Posted on December 13, 2010 by David McKee

Investors in the stymied Foxwoods Philadelphia riverfront casino project have a date with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Thursday. That’s where they’ll make their last-ditch pitch to retain custody of the project. State legislators and other officials have voiced … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Vdara Death Ray | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 13, 2010 by David McKee

“Certainly Vegas interests will be well served by this, but this is first and foremost a consumer protection issue and an opportunity for job creation and revenue for governments. If lawmakers believe the status quo is acceptable, they’re not facing … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Atlantic City’s future: “Bleak”

Posted on December 10, 2010 by David McKee

Such is the prognosis from J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff after the November revenues rolled in from the Boardwalk. Basically, the double-edged sword that was table games in Pennsylvania and a casino in Philadelphia has swung, and lopped 12.5% off … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Cretins, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Morgans Hotel Group, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Caliendo, ColSux & Sixty Votes’ latest

Posted on December 10, 2010 by David McKee

After 14 months on the job as Monte Carlo‘s resident headliner, Frank Caliendo is calling it quits, effective some time next spring. The impressionist and Fox Sports regular cited having to spend time away from his family and the rigors … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, history, Kentucky, Lake Tahoe, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sahara, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Cosmo: The curious case of “the curious class”

Posted on December 9, 2010 by David McKee

It seems like David G. Schwartz is everywhere today. Las Vegas’ resident casino expert has not one but two stories out on The Cosmopolitan. From what he writes, Cosmo execs have convinced themselves they’ve reinvented the casino. It hinges upon … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Donald Trump, G2E, Harry Reid, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Nevada: “Cautious optimism”

Posted on December 9, 2010 by David McKee

That’s how UNLV‘s gaming guru, Prof. David G. Schwartz, describes his reaction to the October revenue numbers, released today. The 11% autumnal bounce may be less notable for the fact that the Strip was up 16% than the fact that … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Downtown, Economy, history, International, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Pets, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 9, 2010 by David McKee

“The pie is finite. Gaming is subject to the same laws of economics as every other industry and I think legislators have a hard time understanding that.” — Bill Eadington, director of the Institute for the Study of Gambling & … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Illinois | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Old Sixty Votes folds again; Butera’s blunder

Posted on December 8, 2010 by David McKee

Hey, Harry Reid, the casino industry called. It wants its money back. In all-too-predictable collapse, Old Sixty Votes threw in the towel on efforts to explicitly legalize online poker in the U.S. Since the issue is now dead for two … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Horseracing, IGT, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 8, 2010 by David McKee

“Even though Democrats still have the majority, the perception is that Republicans are in charge. And being the party of ‘no’ has worked in Republicans’ favor.” — gaming-law expert I. Nelson Rose, betting against legalization of Internet poker.

Posted in Current, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Politics | 1 Comment

Explore the “Schtrip” …

Posted on December 8, 2010 by David McKee

… from the comfort of your desk. A new application, 3DLasVegas.com, provides a virtual flyover of Sin City. (Caution: You must have Google Earth installed in order to use the site.) The cyber-tour also includes a booking engine, a followup … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Cosmo rides the wave; Old Sixty Votes rides again

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

It may be $1.9 billion over budget and 2.5 years behind schedule but The Cosmopolitan appears to be hitting the market with perfect timing. That’s good news for the 5,000 employees who are furiously getting acclimated with the new megaresort. … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, history, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Steve Wynn has a Rembrandt and you don’t

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

Uploaded just a couple of hours ago, here is the Wynn Resorts CEO making his first Facebook video on behalf of Twyla Tharp‘s Sinatra: Dance with Me. Could the touring attraction become a permanent fixture of Wynncore? We can but … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, history, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Steve Wynn has a Rembrandt and you don’t

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

2014 is the new 2007; Good news from Pennsylvania, Detroit

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

It will take Las Vegas seven years to return to its former prosperity. Or so concludes a new report from consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, which sees casino revenue improving in late 2011 (in line with a Moody’s Investor Service report that … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Plaza, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 5 Comments