Category Archives: Current

Lost horizon

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Even as the window of opportunity is slamming shut, “Casino companies are finally starting to see [Internet gambling] as a possible growth engine for the industry and are hoping for congressional help,” writes Motley Fool columnist Travis Hoium. That’d be … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Macau, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

Ameristar’s altruism … and so much more

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Gaming regulators in Missouri got a little unsolicited advice from Ameristar Casinos as to where to put Casino License #13. Ameristar Vice President of Government Relations & Public Affairs Troy Stremming commissioned a study on the matter. Its shocking conclusion: … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Colony Capital, Cretins, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, New York, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Tribal, TV, West Virginia | 5 Comments

Case Bets: Maryland, New Jersey, Arizona & the Riv

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Although the Maryland public has warmed up to the idea of table games, casinos in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey needn’t lose sleep: Marylanders are at least two years — probably four — from voting table games into … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Election, Horseracing, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Politics, Riviera, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Ask Anthony?

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Former Harrah’s Entertainment veep and Santo Gaming founder Anthony F. Santo is six days into his stewarship of Tamares Group‘s downtown Las Vegas casinos. But he’s not putting all his eggs in Tamares’ basket. His company was handed the reins … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Reno, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

“The court has not reached this conclusion lightly. It is acutely aware of the perilous nature of the world in which we live. But the Constitution is the rock upon which our nation rests. We must follow it not when … Continue reading →

Posted in Current | 1 Comment

Days of Reckoning

Posted on October 5, 2010 by David McKee

Pinballing between projects, I’ll try to carom off the “blogging” bumper for a moment here … 1,075. That’s the magic number of feet below which Lake Mead cannot drop lest Hoover Dam should become inoperable — plunging Clark County into … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 5, 2010 by David McKee

“You want to see [Sen. Jim] DeMint, I have juice with him … I go to Washington, D.C. and want to see Jim DeMint, he’s right there for me. I want to see [Sen.] Tom Coburn, he’s right there for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Politics | 3 Comments

The Death Ray goes global

Posted on October 4, 2010 by David McKee

One of the most reliably entertaining news sites is Hong Kong-based NMA World Edition, which covers current events in a manner so imaginative and — shall we say — unrestrained by good taste that it makes Fox News look as … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Election, Harry Reid, International, MGM Mirage, TV, Vdara Death Ray | 2 Comments

Uncle Carl’s Computer Barn?

Posted on October 1, 2010 by David McKee

Thanks to the Vdara Death Ray, the big-ass garage sale Carl Icahn is holding at Fontainebleau has dropped off the news pages. But one blogger asks, What about those iMacs in every F-blew hotel room? To which I might add: … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Current, Fontainebleau, Technology, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Vdara Death Ray | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 1, 2010 by David McKee

“The Internet’s coupling of anonymity and controversy sparks a chemical reaction that produces plenty of stupidity, with heat as a common by-product. Mean-spirited just doesn’t seem to cover the deplorable viciousness that seems to pour from many comment threads.” — … Continue reading →

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

When Roger Thomas speaks …

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

… we listen. Here he holds forth on Wynn Resorts‘ newest objet d’art, in footage fresh off the Web. You may well find yourself trying to insinuate the phrase “lustrous patina” into your conversations after you watch this:

Posted in Architecture, Current, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on When Roger Thomas speaks …

My lucky day

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

No, not at the slots. Thanks to Dr. David G. Schwartz of UNLV’s Institute for Gaming Research, a man who clearly reads the fine print, I’ve just found out that I won two Nevada Press Association awards. (You have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn | 6 Comments

DIY Global Warming at Vdara

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

Vdara‘s newly infamous “Death Ray” has become the hot spot felt ’round the world: You can tell that Brian Williams is a nice guy because he says MGM Resorts International is “rushing to fix the problem.” If he were snarky, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Environment, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV, Vdara Death Ray | 3 Comments

What becomes a Hellmouth most? Gary Loveman’s hostage drama

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

Perhaps it’d be exiting the World Series of Poker Europe must faster and with far less bombast than he entered it. Muddled metaphor? Compared to the 1990s, the casino industry’s image problems really aren’t that bad, especially when you consider … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, G2E, Harrah's, International, World Series of Poker | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

“At the heart of much of the conservative movement bellyaching over health care reform has been this generational warfare — older people who think it’s fine and dandy to demand that the younger generations pay for their heart medications and … Continue reading →

Posted in Current | 2 Comments

Musical chairs at Trump (again)

Posted on September 29, 2010 by David McKee

High-ranking executive jobs at Trump Entertainment Resorts aren’t for “lifers.” Having steered Trump through yet another bankruptcy, CEO Mark Juliano is exiting stage right, “leaving to pursue other opportunities” — the latest executive to be purged. Nobody stays long atop … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | 2 Comments

Correction

Posted on September 29, 2010 by David McKee

Dave Kirvin of Kirvin Doak called and, in a most gentlemanly manner (certainly much better than I’d have handled it), pointed out an erroneous assumption in a now-deleted item about the Liberace Museum. Fortune reported that a PR firm was … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment | 2 Comments

F-bleau on ice

Posted on September 28, 2010 by David McKee

Back in June, when I toured the “new look” Tropicana Las Vegas, it was intimated that much of the convention-area furniture and the HDTV sets in the Paradise Tower had been obtained on the cheap from Fontainebleau, when the latter … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Penn National, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Jump le sharque: Cirque bombs in Macao

Posted on September 28, 2010 by David McKee

After sinking a reported $150 million into Cirque du Soleil‘s Zaia, Las Vegas Sands may find itself in possession of a very expensive “loss leader.” According to The Australian, “attendances [sic] have been poor and tickets have been heavily discounted.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cirque du Soleil, Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Jump le sharque: Cirque bombs in Macao

CityCenter gets a visitor, deploys Vdara Death Ray

Posted on September 28, 2010 by David McKee

He’s not just any sightseer but the type of East Coast tastemaker MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren hoped to impress: New Yorker architecture critic Paul Goldberger. Heretofore, Goldberger’s most memorable pronouncement in re Vegas came 13 years ago, when … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cretins, Current, Encore, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, history, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street | 4 Comments