Category Archives: Current

Case Bets: Ho Tram, Shuffle(d) Master, Ameristar

Posted on November 18, 2008 by David McKee

Tout le monde may be at G2E (albeit 10% less le monde than last year, I’m told) but the big news is happening elsewhere. MGM Mirage has emerged as the “angel” for the Ho Tram Strip in Vietnam. It’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Shuffle Master | Comments Off

Casino Vote '08: Dan Lee's the big winner

Posted on November 5, 2008 by David McKee

JP Morgan has proclaimed Pinnacle Entertainment “the biggest winner this election day.” By voting to both lift the cap on buy-ins and the close Missouri to additional casinos, Show-Me State voters delivered a gift to Pinnacle CEO Dan Lee, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Current, Election, Gary Goett, Horseracing, Indiana, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Taxes | Comments Off

Winners & Losers

Posted on November 5, 2008 by David McKee

And now the obligatory post-Election, What’s-it-all-about-Alfie roundup … Culinary Union 1, Casino CEOs O: True, the Culinary tripped all over its own feet in the early going, leading to Democratic caucuses that weren’t so much “Barackular” as “debacular.” But D. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Ameristar, Atlantic City, California, Colorado, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Florida, Gary Goett, Harrah's, IGT, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Boyd Takes Sanity Pill

Posted on October 29, 2008 by David McKee

After insisting right up to the bitter end, and then some, on going full-tilt with Echelon, now on hiatus for 7-12 months, Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith is modulating his tone. According to Reuters, "He emphasized that Boyd remains 'committed … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Morgans Hotel Group, The Strip | Comments Off

Butera to NJCCC: Your people are dopes

Posted on October 23, 2008 by David McKee

Tropicana Entertainment has formally petitioned the New Jersey Casino Control Commission for the return of its former Atlantic City casino. Oh, to be in the room when the arguments are thrashed out! Short of conducting an exorcism of the spirit … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Current, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 10, 2008 by David McKee

“It really wasn’t about a quarter. It was really a matter of understanding the slot payout tables.” — Boyd Gaming spokesman Rob Stillwell, on the subject of a 25-cent dispute that began at The Orleans and ended in front of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Labor, Regulation | Comments Off

Monday morning levity

Posted on October 6, 2008 by David McKee

"TRUST IN THE LORD." At first I thought it was someone writing in, trying to save my soul. But, no, it's the headline of yet another e-mail scam,* in the vein of the (in)famous "Nigeria Letter." I just get a … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Current | Comments Off

Kansas, Round 2: It's Cordish!

Posted on September 19, 2008 by David McKee

OK, I was wrong. Incredibly wrong. As you’ll hear on the next Vegas Gang podcast, I stuck by my prediction that Kansas‘ largest casino contract, the one for the greater Kansas City area, would go to Mohegan Sun. Why? Biggest … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Current, Golden Gaming, Kansas, Mississippi, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Case Bets: South Point, Gustav, Monte Carlo, Gold Spike, Excalibur, etc.

Posted on September 2, 2008 by David McKee

Why does a holiday weekend suck? Because it means that instead of having to dig through three days' worth of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday (a depressing task under the best of circumstances), a Tuesday start means at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Downtown, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Mississippi, Monte Carlo fire, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Eastside Cannery update

Posted on August 28, 2008 by David McKee

Yesterday, I asked how William Paulos and William Wortman were able to bring in Eastside Cannery (which opens tonight) for 250 million clams — $425 million less than Station Casinos is splurging on Aliante Station. In today’s Sun, Liz Benston … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Harrah's, Station Casinos | Comments Off

America's biggest celebrity

Posted on July 31, 2008 by David McKee

Sen. John McCain‘s presidential campaign rolled out a unique tactic this week: complaining that McCain’s opponent is more popular and famous. I suppose you could call it “out of the box” thinking, though it seems a tad whiny to me. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Election, Pets, Politics, TV | Comments Off

Case Bets: Meow!; Dr. Death; Spineless Dems

Posted on July 29, 2008 by David McKee

Diss of the Day. “Having just raised the newsstand price for weekday and Saturday editions by 50 percent, the Las Vegas Review-Journal announced Monday it has eliminated sections of the paper as a cost-cutting measure.” — lead sentence of the … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Election, Environment, Politics, The Strip | Comments Off

Good riddance at Boyd

Posted on July 18, 2008 by David McKee

Former Nevada Athletic Commission chairman. Former Boyd Gaming director. Member of the 197-person "Midnight Jim" Gibbons transition team. Out-and-out disgrace. That'd be Luther Mack, who walked the plank at Boyd Gaming last week, not (as I speculated at the time) … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Mississippi, Regulation | Comments Off

Gambling > Gas Prices

Posted on July 8, 2008 by David McKee

Although a new Precision Opinion study of consumer attitudes vis-a-vis Las Vegas concludes that there's "a direct correlation between rising gas prices and reduced Las Vegas visitation," the news may not be as bad as it appears at first blush. … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current | Comments Off

Case Bets: Airport, Encore, Pahrump, Roadhouse

Posted on June 25, 2008 by David McKee

You know things are bad when McCarran International Airport offers space for three hotel-registration kiosks (ranging from 525 to 935 square feet, starting at $200/foot) and can’t find takers for all of them. Fifteen possible candidates were solicited and, when … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Quote of the Day; More MGM and Trop news

Posted on May 6, 2008 by David McKee

Cher: “[a] well-preserved diva-saur.” — The New York Post (Props to Jessica Roe for spotting this gem.) MGM Mirage 2.0? Two separate companies, one in hotels and one in gaming? Makes sense, especially with so much non-casino expansion into Dubai … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off

Understatement of the Century

Posted on April 2, 2008 by David McKee

"I understand that there's not a lot of respect for education in Southern Nevada." — David Schwartz, director of the UNLV Center for Gaming Research. For the full context, read Die Is Cast. Crazy Bonus Stat: 53% of Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Current | Comments Off

'Sin Fund' falls upon evil days

Posted on March 5, 2008 by David McKee

Not so long ago, journalists like yours truly, were hailing the early success of the Ladenburg Thalmann Gaming & Casino Investment Fund (GACFX). Unfortunately, since its apogee in the fall of last year GACFX has been in a steep decline, … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Laughlin | Comments Off

Neon Museum on hold

Posted on February 19, 2008 by David McKee

From the pages of the Las Vegas Sun … For want of $1.5 million, work on the long-awaited Neon Museum has ground to a halt. Mind you, this is a museum that would preserve many of the most evocative relics … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, International, Sports | Comments Off

More trouble for LV Trop

Posted on February 15, 2008 by David McKee

Its popular “Bodies” exhibition has become the focus of an ABC News investigation, with reports airing both on Good Morning America and tonight’s edition of 20/20. Veteran reporter Brian Ross raises some very disturbing questions about the provenance of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, The Strip | Comments Off