Category Archives: Current

View from the top

Posted on June 26, 2010 by David McKee

Marina Bay Sands opened its SkyPark, as seen last Friday: Thanks to Ian Sutton of GamingFloor.com for the tip.

Posted in Architecture, Current, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore | 1 Comment

Married in Michigan

Posted on June 25, 2010 by David McKee

Last week, I departed for Michigan on a mission so secret its nature was known only to me. Last December, Where Las Vegas Editor Jennifer Prosser and I won a two-night stay at the stately Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Movies, Tourism | 19 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 25, 2010 by David McKee

“This is the first time anything vaguely like this has ever happened.” — Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, pooh-pooh-ing Deepwater Horizon in the June 19 New York Times and displaying the benefits of a short-term memory. Barbour, who’s normally a sharp … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Environment, Mississippi, Tourism | 1 Comment

Louisiana: the oil hits the fan

Posted on June 15, 2010 by David McKee

Forty days and nights of Deepwater Horizon put a stop to what looked like an incipient recovery in the Louisiana market. After being down 15% in January, revenue declines shallowed during the following three months (-6%, -5%, -1%). Then came … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Tourism | 3 Comments

MGM Mirage jumps the shark

Posted on June 15, 2010 by David McKee

A foolish band of MGM Mirage shareholders did its best imitation of a herd of sheep and voted through management’s absolutely dreadful idea of renaming the company MGM Resorts International. So June 15 marks the date that the Mirage Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 15, 2010 by David McKee

“Thomas Jefferson said it’s good for a country to have a revolution every 20 years. I hope that’s not where we’re going, but, you know, if this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, history | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 14, 2010 by David McKee

“Gaming industry observer William Thompson, a professor of public administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said IGT is a credible, Nevada-regulated slot machine company that would be very careful about legalities.” — Yes, the same carefulness toward legalities … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Current, IGT, Internet gambling, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

On semi-hiatus

Posted on June 14, 2010 by David McKee

If you notice an attenuation of S&G activity between now and June 25, it will be due to a family vacation on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including a couple of days on scenic, low-tech Makinac Island. I’ll be checking … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Tourism | 5 Comments

Your moment of Circus Circus

Posted on June 14, 2010 by David McKee

According to Vegas Chatter, visitors to the Circus Circus and Excalibur Web sites will get drop-down offers for Aria when they try to book stays at MGM Mirage‘s lower-end properties (a reflection of that heavy Circus Circus/Aria demographic overlap, no … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, The Strip | 2 Comments

Cool breeze from Macao; Harrah’s panty raid stymied

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

One of Stanley Ho‘s lieutenants has scanned the 2010 horizon and doesn’t like what he sees. Sociedade de Jogos de Macau division president Frank McFadden believes VIP play will soften in 3Q-4Q10, as stock-market losses take their toll (a viewed … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, James Packer, Kansas, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | 6 Comments

The best Deepwater Horizon commentary yet

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

While the obscenity known as Deepwater Horizon continues to hover ominously near the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, it remains one of those subjects so depression- and despair-inducing that even I can’t bear to write about it. (“Enjoy the resort offerings … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi | 4 Comments

That tricky Steve Wynn

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

As you probably saw on Twitter or LVA yesterday, Wynncore has quietly introduced a $20 “resort fee,” joining the parade of dishonor that includes practically everyone not named Harrah’s Entertainment or — believe it or not — Tamares Group. (Keeping … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip | 8 Comments

The skinny on Skinny’s

Posted on June 10, 2010 by David McKee

S&G reader Jeff_in_OKC paid a visit to United Coin‘s “Trailer Station” at Skinny Dugan’s Pub this week and files the following report from the scene of the (in)action: I lost one of the five dollars I invested. Lisa kept winning … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Regulation, Slot routes | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 10, 2010 by David McKee

“Hands down, he will be remembered by historians as our worst governor.” — former Nevada state archivist Guy Rocha, on Gov. Jim Gibbons, who made history by becoming the first Silver State governor ousted in a primary rather than a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, history, Midnight Jim Gibbons | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

So long, Sue, and thanks for playing

Posted on June 9, 2010 by David McKee

It’s back to her day job for Archon Corp. Secretary-Treasurer Sue Lowden, whose political aspirations experienced an embarrassing meltdown that some would call karmic,  redefining “epic fail.” Now she can focus on repairing a corporate image which The Newspaper That … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, history, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, North Las Vegas, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

“Complete disaster” at Marina Bay Sands

Posted on June 9, 2010 by David McKee

That’s what litigants allege about the premiere convention at Las Vegas Sands‘ $5.5 billion Singapore behemoth. In its countersuit to Sands’ opening broadside, the Inter-Pacific Bar Association essentially accuses Station of promising a five-star experience and delivering a Walmart one … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Economy, Pets, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off on “Complete disaster” at Marina Bay Sands

This is what “recovery” looks like

Posted on June 9, 2010 by David McKee

Here’s our new business model: a Strip that hasn’t gotten past “dead cat bounce” yet and emaciated revenues elsewhere. Instead of longing for the snows of yesterday and invoking the magic number “2007,” the top minds in the industry are … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Harrah’s still pining for Macao

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

While we’re on the subject of white elephants today, Harrah’s Entertainment still has a little boondoggle in Macao in the form of a $577 million golf course. Cornered by a reporter at G2E Asia, Harrah’s Asian viceroy, Michael Chen, conceded … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, history, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sports, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Sands Bethlehem breaks ground … again

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

No, that’s not a joke. Las Vegas Sands held a “grand re-groundbreaking” on the hotel portion of its white elephant, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. When money ran short, Sands ditched everything but the parking lot and casino, leaving the hotel … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Economy, Marketing, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

Trailer Station strikes!

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

That elusive critter, native to Nevada, the “Trailer Station”* was sighted earlier today by visiting S&G readers. United Coin had set up shop on W. Charleston Boulevard, in the former Skinny Dugan’s Pub. (This is a mandatory ritual for gaming-enabled … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Election, Politics, Slot routes, Station Casinos | Comments Off on Trailer Station strikes!