Category Archives: Downtown

Vegas beyond the Strip … way beyond

Posted on January 29, 2013 by David McKee

Some of you — and you know who you are — get to Las Vegas several times a year but rarely have the chance to foray far past either the Las Vegas Strip or Downtown. (It’s the same with me … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Riviera, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

Enter the Dragon

Posted on January 22, 2013 by David McKee

It’s not clear what Lady Luck owner Andrew B. Donner has on his mind but he’s been gobbling up obscure little hotels over on the east side of Downtown. It’s out past the defunct Western casino, so we’re talking way … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Economy, Tamares Group | 2 Comments

November in Vegas: The house lost; Players jilt Caesars in A.C.

Posted on January 10, 2013 by David McKee

There’s no other way of saying it (although many are trying). Strip casinos got their clocks cleaned in November as Lady Luck favored the punters, not the house. A 13% dropoff on the Strip was driven by a perfect storm … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Revel, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Pinnacle makes pricey Atlantic City exit; Fertitta’s Downtown mess

Posted on January 9, 2013 by David McKee

A Wall Street Journal story from yesterday evening reports that Pinnacle Entertainment has found a buyer for its 19 acres of Boardwalk land. These were cobbled together at huge cost — $270 million or $14 million an acre — by … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

Dark days at the Plaza

Posted on December 18, 2012 by David McKee

Last week’s abrupt cessation of three shows at the Plaza sent gloom and presages of doom through the theatrical community over the weekend. Lichtenstein-based Tamares Group was rumored to be pulling the plug on Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Bite … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Tamares Group | Comments Off

Blackout at the Plaza

Posted on December 14, 2012 by David McKee

S&G has learned — and LVA staffers have confirmed — that all main-stage shows at Tamares Group‘s flagship Plaza Hotel have gone dark until further notice. A promotional appearance by Best Little Whorehouse in Texas cast members at South Point, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Isle of Capri, Mississippi, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta | 4 Comments

Coming, going, gone …

Posted on December 13, 2012 by David McKee

This just in … One weekend of performances of Peepshow was all that Mrs. Ice-T managed to do before fleeing back to New York City, at least temporarily, according to an S&G source. So if you’ve got Peepshow tickets this … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 7 Comments

The bigger-than-ever loser; Shania’s rump rocks Vegas

Posted on December 3, 2012 by David McKee

If Sheldon Adelson played the ponies as he does politics, he’d enter a Shetland in the Kentucky Derby and put all his money on it to win. What could be better than knowing the Las Vegas Sands CEO blew $100 … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip | 1 Comment

If you’re staying at a Hilton …

Posted on November 30, 2012 by David McKee

Here’s a handy guide to using the online Las Vegas guidebooks written by yours truly — sort of a tourist’s extension of S&G, available through all Hilton-branded hotels and timeshares. Since these only concentrate on carefully selected highlights of Sin … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Wynn cashes out; X Train back on track; Newport Grand out of luck

Posted on November 19, 2012 by David McKee

Caught between the twin hazards of prospective higher taxes on investment income and the looming fiscal cliff, Steve Wynn made headlines today with his $750 million Thanksgiving special dividend, which ought to help pay for all those Black Friday purchases … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Downtown, Election, Penn National, Racinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, Transportation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

D, Trop try something different; Cannibalization comes to Ohio

Posted on November 12, 2012 by David McKee

Nothing says ‘November in Las Vegas‘ quite like a beach club. Yes, after unending delays, Nov. 16 is the date certain for the opening of Bagatelle Beach & Supper Club. If Bagatelle does, as promised, deliver “afternoons that transport guests … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Dan Gilbert, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, MTR Gaming, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, The Strip | Comments Off

Third-quarter blahs: Ameristar, Boyd, MGM; Crackdown in Alabama

Posted on November 2, 2012 by David McKee

While nobody quite matched the $221 million loss posted by Caesars Entertainment, the gaming industry didn’t lack for underachievers in 3Q12, thanks largely to softness in domestic casino markets. Ameristar Casinos reported a $16 million profit, despite a 2% revenue … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colorado, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Environment, Harrah's, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Harrah’s: “Legends” out, “Quartet” in

Posted on October 22, 2012 by David McKee

No wonder Harrah’s Las Vegas gave Legends in Concert an eviction notice a scant two days after a major promotional event. The venerable casino landed Million Dollar Quartet, which played a critically acclaimed but very limited engagement at the Smith … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 22, 2012 by David McKee

“I’m a Republican and I’m not voting for Mitt Romney at all! You want to know why? Because of these constant phone calls!” — unidentified, irate Las Vegas Philharmonic patron, overheard speaking to a telemarketer in a Smith Center for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Election | Comments Off

Splitsville: Harrah’s and ‘Legends’; Wanna buy used Hooters?

Posted on October 19, 2012 by David McKee

If you want to see Legends in Concert at Harrah’s Las Vegas, better get a move on: The tribute act and Harrah’s LV “have mutually agreed” to go their separate ways on Dec. 30. This doesn’t mean that Caesars Entertainment … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Hooters, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip | 5 Comments

Shame on you, Derek Stevens!

Posted on October 16, 2012 by David McKee

Vue Bar at The D used to be one of the stronger bargain plays Downtown. In the land of the $8 draft, Vue offered $1 pulls and a Blue Moon would set you back a whole two bucks. However, The … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Entertainment, Marketing | Comments Off

Nevada disappoints but Atlantic City bombs

Posted on October 12, 2012 by David McKee

If there’s a saving grace to August’s rather glum Nevada gambling win (-3%), it’s that the month ended on a Friday, so there may be some as-yet-unreported slot revenue that will fluff the September results. (That optimism must be offset, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Laughlin, North Las Vegas, Politics, Racinos, Revel, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

USA Today: The winners (Downtown edition)

Posted on October 6, 2012 by David McKee

Since S&G readers can’t view my big Las Vegas guides (unless you’re sitting at a computer in a Hilton-branded property at this very moment), I thought I’d share with you who made the cut. And the Downtown elect are … … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, George Maloof, Michael Gaughan, Riviera, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 2 Comments

Freudian slip and fall; Loveman’s shabby show

Posted on October 3, 2012 by David McKee

One week after he became S&G‘s Casino Owner of the Year for his “george” treatment of Green Bay Packer fans, Derek Stevens stepped on a PR banana peel. His Golden Gate and The D casinos are holding monthly drawings whose … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Doing the right thing, with a “D”

Posted on September 26, 2012 by David McKee

As in The D and its owner Derek Stevens, who is refunding bets made on the Green Bay Packers last Monday, when victory was literally stripped from their hands by nincompoop NFL scab referees. They’ve been likened to Foot Locker … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, history, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments