Category Archives: Dining

Cosmo woe; MGM lurves Ameristar

Posted on February 15, 2012 by David McKee

As new casino boss Thomas McCartney tries to stabilize the sinking ship that is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, he’s tossed overboard some human ballast in the form of casino employees. (Thirty full-time dealers are alleged to have been pink-slipped.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Dan Lee, Dining, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Movies, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Okada vs. Wynn, Round Two; Nevada wins, players lose

Posted on February 14, 2012 by David McKee

Having spent all weekend and most of yesterday laboring over an in-depth think piece for CityLife (a future-of-Vegas thing), I’ll admit to being pretty well fried. But the news never sleeps — much as one might wish otherwise, sometimes — … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Current, Dining, International, Macau, Marketing, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Adelson’s perfidy and big karmic payback

Posted on February 6, 2012 by David McKee

Last Saturday, Sheldon Adelson personally presided over the Special Supplemental Sheldon Adelson Presidential Caucuses (an event hijacked from the state GOP) at the Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus … and stepped in it again. Adelson’s footpads, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Election, Florida, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Trump: Get away

Posted on January 27, 2012 by David McKee

There are serial exaggerators and then there’s Donald Trump. An S&G reader forwarded an e-mail invitation to enter a contest whose grand prize is a two-night stay at Trump Toronto. Its touted value: $50,000. Considering that the winner’s airfare will … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Don Barden, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 2 Comments

Living on Vegas time

Posted on January 13, 2012 by David McKee

By way of Ian Sutton‘s Gaming Floor portal comes news that Les Artistes Steakhouse, late of Paris-Las Vegas, is fermé … toujours. Although the hotel-casino has only been open since September 1999, on Caesars Entertainment‘s in-house blog this constitutes “a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Sahara, The Strip, Tribal | 5 Comments

Trouble at Wynncore; ‘Phantom’ exorcised

Posted on January 12, 2012 by David McKee

Steve Wynn (no introduction required) and old pal — and major investor — Kazuo Okada are having a falling-out that spilled into the files of the SEC. Okada has lined up heavyweight Las Vegas law firm Lionel Sawyer & Collins … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Vegas’ newest low-roller joint; Is the Lion extinct?; Another classy Sands moment

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David McKee

Move over, Longhorn and Vegas Club. The spirit of Nevada Palace (R.I.P.) hath descended upon the Palms. If recent sackings of Bunny dealers portended a sea change at the former George Maloof property, during my latest visit I practically collided … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Dining, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 3 Comments

Pride and Pepto-Bismol

Posted on December 28, 2011 by David McKee

Santa Claus was a little over-generous this year, was my waning flu was topped off with a Christmas Night onset of acid reflux, in St. Nick-sized portions. Being almost 40 lbs. overweight, feeling the tightness in my chest, and with … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Current, Dining, history, Illinois, International, Macau, Singapore, The Strip | 5 Comments

A very Vegas “Nutcracker”; The vanishing Bob Earl

Posted on December 15, 2011 by David McKee

Well, slightly Vegas anyway. Holly Madison has managed to become the single most ubiquitous celebrity in town (unless you count food-stained wretch Robin Leach, which I don’t). This year, she’s gracing Nevada Ballet Theater‘s The Nutcracker, which is playing a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, The Strip | Comments Off

[your restaurant here]

Posted on December 8, 2011 by David McKee

Leave it to the marketing geniuses at Comme ça (in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) to come up with the dopiest — no, not “dopest,” dopiest — publicity photo of 2011. How do you publicize your fine, French bistro where … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Dining, Entertainment, Marketing, The Strip | 2 Comments

Casinos in Kentucky … soon?; Tenants to Sands: Let my people go!

Posted on December 2, 2011 by David McKee

Per S&G‘s prediction, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) wasted little time after winning reelection before resuming his push for casino legalization. You’d never think that he beat opponent state Senate President David Williams (R) like a drum at the ballot … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip | Comments Off

Sam’s Town: Sound and flurries

Posted on November 30, 2011 by David McKee

At the same time the cast of Viva Elvis™ was getting pink-slipped across town, Boyd Gaming was busting out its new-and-improved version of Mystic Falls, the amusement park centerpiece of Sam’s Town. (Or, to use the official nomenclature, “Mystic Falls … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Dining, Entertainment, Oscar Goodman, Station Casinos | Comments Off

Election update: Evening the score; A Wynn-Winn situation

Posted on November 21, 2011 by David McKee

It’s five o’clock in Shreveport … or soon will be. Voters in Bossier Parish handed the casino industry a belated 2011 “win,” balancing the ledger in an otherwise disappointing electoral cycle. A Margaritaville-branded casino (employing a Lake Charles boat purchased … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Dining, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Marketing, Pinnacle Entertainment, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

Bus ride of the damned

Posted on September 28, 2011 by David McKee

After hearing horror stories like this one, is it any wonder that would-be Las Vegas tourists choose to claw their way up and down I-15 by car rather than trust themselves to the tender mercies of mass transit? This just … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Dining, Marketing, Pets, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

In case you missed it

Posted on September 24, 2011 by David McKee

Our “Question of the Day” on the Margaritaville Casino, opening early next month within Flamingo Las Vegas ran before we got the design renderings from Caesars Entertainment. So, for those of you for whom the verbal descriptions of the sub-casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, The Strip | 2 Comments

Coming attractions

Posted on September 22, 2011 by David McKee

Yes, there’s all manner of excitement and intrigue going on in the gaming world — like Las Vegas Sands issuing a dividend to shareholders — but I’ve not had much time for the S&G beat. With everyone at LVA HQ … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Bon appetit!

Posted on September 21, 2011 by David McKee

New to Caesars Palace and just off the Augustus Tower lobby is Central, offering comfort food with a French twist, courtesy of chef Michel Richard. The missus and I tried it out the other night and can recommend the signature … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Harrah's, The Strip | Comments Off

Hotel Hell

Posted on September 19, 2011 by David McKee

Last weekend, my wife and I were subjected treated to what is undoubtedly — without any question — the worst hotel stay of our lives. So-called Affinity Gaming wanted to show off its $8 million retrofit of Primm Valley Resort … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, Station Casinos | 1 Comment

At long last, Octavius; Power plays at Hilton, Beso

Posted on September 14, 2011 by David McKee

Good news for whales and business travelers: The long-in-abeyance Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace has been finished inside and out, and will open for business on Jan. 2, 2012. The ginormous, high-tech hotel rooms are perfect for the customer with … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Internet gambling, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 1 Comment

Plaza & Riviera: Cheap new wine in old bottles

Posted on September 6, 2011 by David McKee

It’s an index of the desperation of local media to have something — anything — new to cover on the casino front that the slightest murmur from the Plaza was guaranteed to generate coverage. Plaza PR peeps did a masterful … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 7 Comments