Category Archives: Current

The heat is on

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

Temperatures in Las Vegas yesterday peaked at 110 degrees — the earliest date on record for hitting that mark. Today it’ll “merely” be 102 … and don’t tell me it’s “a dry heat” because I just got back from doing … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Current, Morgans Hotel Group, Tourism | Comments Off on The heat is on

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

“There’s no question … that [the Obama administration has] basically focused too much on making things good for Wall Street and ignored Main Street, and now we’re paying the price for that. This is a structural problem. This is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, TV, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Recovery: Wait ’til next year

Posted on June 7, 2010 by David McKee

Executives at MGM Mirage haven’t exactly changed their tune but they’ve tweaked the lyrics a bit. Whereas they used to predict a second-half upturn in 2010, now they say 2011 is the magic number and that they’ve got the numbers … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Illinois, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Recovery: Wait ’til next year

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 7, 2010 by David McKee

“You have no private life at all. You can’t go down to the store to buy a couple of tomatoes without having to talk to five, six, seven people who want to tell you their unemployment check didn’t arrive today, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Midnight Jim Gibbons, TV | 1 Comment

Jane, stop this crazy thing!

Posted on June 7, 2010 by David McKee

Thanks to a bit of last-minute perfidy by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), it looks as though Nevadans — and, mark my words, taxpayers — will eventually be stuck with Sig Rogich‘s Choo-Choo to Nowhere, the train that boards in Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Current, Economy, Harry Reid, Technology, Transportation | 1 Comment

R-J cowers before kittens

Posted on June 7, 2010 by David McKee

Yes, a Web site that posts non-commercial items about cats and birds has become the latest target for The Newpaper That Must Not Be Cited and its errant anti-Internet jihad. Since the R-J‘s enforcer Righthaven LLC doesn’t send cease-and-desist letters … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Bargain-hunting at Harrah’s

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

But not in the way you might think … Harrah’s Entertainment is $557 million richer — which effectively amortizes the Planet Hollywood deal — after the swap of a 16% ownership stake to three investment firms for $1.2 billion in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Oklahoma, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Steve Wynn scores 50 grand

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

If this story, heard through the grapevine, isn’t true then it should be: Supposedly, on opening weekend at Encore Beach Club business was sufficiently brisk that bungalows were fetching as much as $20,000 apiece. One man was so desperate — … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Encore, Entertainment, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 3 Comments

Jason lives … at Station Casinos

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

Jason Voorhees (well, one of the many) is Station Casinos‘ general manager for the tribally owned Thunder Valley Casino, near Sacramento. No, I’m not making this up. Uncle Sheldon says … that convention business will be “80% of normal” in … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 3 Comments

“Yup, it’s in bad shape”

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

That’s what a correspondent wrote after seeing a ginormous photo of the sadly faded Paris-Las Vegas “balloon” marquee. For the grisly details click here. Planet Hollywood, this could be you. Just give it a few years. On the subject of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

What is “brand equity”?

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

Isle of Capri execs break it down for us in this newly released video. Of course, the specific components of “brand equity” at Wynn Resorts would be quite different, as they would at Harrah’s Entertainment, etc. Isle was one of … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 4 Comments

Look who’s getting into the pool-party scene

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

If you seek a casino pool on the Strip that’s relaxing, quiet and douchebag-free, my experience says, “Try the Riviera.” After all, “tranquil” and “Vegas” needn’t be oxymoronic. But Riv management’s out to change all that … OK, one doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Marketing, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on Look who’s getting into the pool-party scene

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

“The first requirement alone creates an oxymoron by requiring proof of ‘good moral character.’ If they had good moral character they would not be reporters in the first place.” — truer words were never spoken, in this case by Las … Continue reading →

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

There are fairies at the bottom of his garden

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

Trying to cling to state redevelopment subsidies, Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan says the city can have its cake and eat it, too. Given the obstacles outlined in this report — and in previous S&G dispatches — I’ll have whatever … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Massachusetts, Tribal | 1 Comment

Harrah’s $1.5B Bratislava bet; Marina Bay Sands booms; Falcons swoop upon Hilton, etc.

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

With almost no exception other than The Newspaper That Shall Remain Nameless, a $1.85 billion Metropolis project headed up by Harrah’s Entertainment has flown completely under the radar of the U.S. media ever since its announcement last October. Oh, some … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Environment, Genting, Harrah's, International, James Packer, Labor, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Rearranging the deck chairs

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

Although bankruptcy at the Riviera is more a matter of “when” than “if,” the only casino in town with three CEOs hasn’t stopped trying on the entertainment front: In a town that has Frank Caliendo and Terry Fator, any impressionist … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Don Barden, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Politics, gaming getting hopelessly muddled

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

Primary day in Nevada is less than a week away and that’s far too long for my taste. If I had a dollar for every robo-call I’ve received and every expensive-looking flier that’s found its way into my mailbox (and … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Election, Labor, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Poultry in Motion

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

PETA is not amused — but you will be as the Best.Casino Promotion.Ever rolls into Pittsburgh. We speak of course of the Tic-tac-toe-playing chicken, Ginger. Given a choice between working the casino circuit, being cooked for dinner or laying eggs … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Archon Corp., Current, Entertainment, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania | 3 Comments

Gulf Coast: Oh $#!%!

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

This just in: Blobs of tar are washing up on Mississippi‘s Gulf Coast shoreline and an oil slick has been spotted to the south of Pascagoula. It’s not the total wipeout for coastal casinos that was Hurricane Katrina but it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Environment, Mississippi | Comments Off on Gulf Coast: Oh $#!%!

Case Bets: Station, Macao, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Encore 2x, etc.

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

$864.5 million: That’s the magic number if you want to put in an opening bid on 11 Station Casinos properties (plus unspecified land and some tribal-casino-management contracts) come Aug. 6. Boyd Gaming‘s already made it clear that it’s good for … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment