Category Archives: Current

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 20, 2010 by David McKee

“The numbers speak for themselves. We’re down over [25%] over the past two years. And I hear some people in town say, “Well, don’t panic” … well, when do we panic?” — state Sen. James Whelan, former mayor of Atlantic … Continue reading →

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

Louisiana treads (oily) water

Posted on July 20, 2010 by David McKee

It’s a rare day when one can report that a casino market was down year/year but did better than expected. If you were looking for serious Deepwater Horizon spillover into June’s casino numbers, you’d be surprised. Statewide, casinos were -4.5% … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Current, Dining, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Louisiana, M Resort, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Louisiana treads (oily) water

What’s that smell at Red Rock?

Posted on July 20, 2010 by David McKee

No, it’s not the ethical stench of the Station Casinos‘ LBO/bankruptcy/reorganization process. It’s the hazmat situation brought on by the careless handling of chemicals. Chlorine was pumped into an acid tank, causing respiratory irritation, a few hospitalizations — a no … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Environment, International, Macau, Marketing, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 1 Comment

Galaviz hearts Singapore — with caution

Posted on July 19, 2010 by David McKee

Analysts continue to do a 180 from their cautious outlook on Singapore five years ago. Among those raining plaudits on the early performance of the city-state’s two megaresorts is Jonathan Galaviz of Galaviz & Co. He estimates that Singapore will … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Genting, International, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Recovery? Not in the cards

Posted on July 19, 2010 by David McKee

Month after month of discouraging data from around the country makes it clear that any recovery in the casino industry is a long way off, perhaps years. Heck, just getting back to 2007 levels of prosperity doesn’t take into account … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 7 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 19, 2010 by David McKee

“[Las Vegas Review-Journal Editor Thomas] Mitchell told me Friday that I was cherry-picking stories to paint a negative picture of a paper he insisted plays it ‘fair and down the middle.’ I asked the editor whether his reporters might be … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election | 2 Comments

Veer-ing toward completion

Posted on July 16, 2010 by David McKee

With completion of Harmon Hotels having vanished into the mists of Time, the opening of Veer Towers effectively represents the end of CityCenter‘s rollout. (If and when the Harmon opens as something other than an office tower — one mooted … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal | 2 Comments

CityCenter: Stop the madness!

Posted on July 16, 2010 by David McKee

Just when I thought I was out of the Sharron Angle vs. CityCenter insanity, they pull me back in. As I feared, the mythical “CityCenter bailout” has become a meme in that echo chamber of misinformation and urban mythology, cable … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Election, Fontainebleau, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Taxes, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Your questions, answered

Posted on July 16, 2010 by David McKee

Paul Shanahan writes (in part): I think Fontainebleau would have looked much better if it was around 500 feet high instead of being close to 730 feet. It looks bulky and just kind of bizarre down there at the north … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Current, Donald Trump, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Michael Gaughan, Mississippi, Ohio, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob | 5 Comments

Wynn: I heart New York

Posted on July 15, 2010 by David McKee

As threatened, Steve Wynn is moving … but not to Macao. The mogul just dropped $24 million on a little pied-a-terre on Central Park South, in the city so nice they named it twice, New York, N.Y. (Corporate HQ, however, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Massachusetts, New York, Phil Ruffin, Plaza, Steve Wynn, TV | 2 Comments

Margaritaville on the rocks

Posted on July 15, 2010 by David McKee

Long-serving — and long-suffering — Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway has lost patience with Harrah’s Entertainment. He is convinced that the metamorphosis of Grand Casino Biloxi into Margaritaville Casino is kaput and that Harrah’s will tear down what little it has … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Animals, Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Encore, Environment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, Holy Cow, Indiana, International, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Movies, Pennsylvania, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Plaza, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 13, 2010 by David McKee

Via Sharron Angle, the gift who keeps on giving. She may be conflating (mangling?) the distressed-debt-buyback provision that Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) whisked through Congress — much to the relief of several big casino companies — with his cold-calling on … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Riviera: Non-story of the year

Posted on July 13, 2010 by David McKee

In what was 2010’s biggest foregone conclusion, Riviera Holdings filed bankruptcy yesterday. This has been coming a long time although the scanty news coverage leaves it unclear whether what’s taking place is the pre-packaged bankruptcy that would see the Riv … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Animals, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Pansy Ho, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Silverton, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Harrah’s checkmates Philly?

Posted on July 12, 2010 by David McKee

That $67 million note Harrah’s Entertainment holds on the site of the Foxwoods Wynn Resorts [your casino here] site in Philadelphia is turning out to be mighty valuable. The gambling giant is looking to roll that I.O.U. into an equity … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Harrah's, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off on Harrah’s checkmates Philly?

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 12, 2010 by David McKee

“I suspect we’ll be talking about growth in the next couple of months. I always think tomorrow is going to be better than today.” — Harrah’s Entertainment‘s East Coast chief, Don Marrandino, whistling past the graveyard that is Atlantic City, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Pennsylvania, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

It’s Sheldon’s world, we just live in it

Posted on July 9, 2010 by David McKee

Oh, how I envy Sheldon Adelson. My own hair grows thinner and grayer while his becomes thicker and darker. (The photo at left, shows Classic Sheldon, circa 1999.) But I digress … Adelson is one of the stars of an … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Florida, International, Macau, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

When her head stops spinning …

Posted on July 9, 2010 by David McKee

… where will Sharron Angle stand vis-a-vis the casino industry? She’s already raised the bogeyman of “undue [casino] pressure” — as opposed to “due pressure”? — in her now-scrubbed original Web site, which keeps coming back from the cyber-grave. The … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Mob, The Strip | 7 Comments

Green Monster meets Little Monsters

Posted on July 9, 2010 by David McKee

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Fans of Lady Gaga (like the missus) got an extended preview of Her Gaganess’ MGM Grand concert (Aug. 13) this morning on the Today show. (Good luck finding … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Technology, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

“I’m not dead yet!”

Posted on July 8, 2010 by David McKee

Taking its cue from Monty Python‘s interpretation of the death of Mary, Queen of Scots, management of the Riviera refuses to roll over and die. Its latest enhancement is somewhat out of the box as far as Strip watering holes … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 4 Comments

Sharron Angle, casino analyst

Posted on July 8, 2010 by David McKee

Reckless rhetoric. Last week, S&G called B.S. on senatorial aspirant Sharron Angle‘s faux solicitude for the unfinished casinos along the Strip. Turns out, if she had her way, there’d be at least one more: Aria, plus all the other components … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Donald Trump, Dubai, Economy, Election, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 6 Comments