Category Archives: Downtown

The verdict: Céline vs. Gladys; End is nigh for Sahara; Plaza 2.0

Posted on April 28, 2011 by David McKee

As Yr. Humble Blogger opines in this week’s Las Vegas CityLife, Céline Dion may be quite something but Gladys Knight is Something Else. If you’re a paying customer, Knight’s Tropicana Las Vegas show is by far the better value: longer, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Mississippi, Politics, Sahara, Tamares Group, The Strip | 2 Comments

Goodman and Station win Round One; MGM’s Free(dom) Ride

Posted on April 6, 2011 by David McKee

The Las Vegas electorate had a lovely parting gift for Victor Chaltiel and Sheldon Adelson. Which is to say that Carolyn Goodman didn’t win the Las Vegas mayoralty outright yesterday but is a relatively low hurdle away from inheriting husband … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Oscar Goodman, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Mob, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Station hearts Goodman … Carolyn, that is

Posted on April 4, 2011 by David McKee

In what may be a historic first, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta and their rival Texas cousin Tilman Fertitta all agree upon something: Carolyn Goodman‘s mayoral candidacy. As in, they’re for it. Once you lump together Zuffa (parent of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Downtown, Election, Florida, Golden Gaming, history, International, Jack Binion, Michael Gaughan, Oscar Goodman, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 2 Comments

Sheldon Adelson’s court jester yuks it up

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands-backed mayoral candidate Victor Chaltiel rolled out the following prank ad today … I’m not sure that there’s any percentage in going after the grandmotherly (but hopelessly vague) Carolyn Goodman in the snide fashion that is quickly becoming … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Downtown, Election, Florida, Harrah's, International, Laughlin, Macau, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Mississippi, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

“In the beginning was The Mob …”

Posted on March 30, 2011 by David McKee

Following several delays and even more advance hoopla, the Las Vegas Mob Experience is open. And it’s, as my wife said, “a mob scene” (pun intended). At last night’s grand gala, a PR guy was overheard saying that — for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Movies, Oscar Goodman, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 3 Comments

Caesars steals Riv’s thunder; Trouble in Adelsonia

Posted on March 24, 2011 by David McKee

Obviously, the headline from today will be approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission of a partnership between Caesars Entertainment and Israeli-owned, Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings. Since it is simultaneously getting permission to shack up with Internet casino operator 888 and opposing … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Downtown, Election, Florida, Harry Reid, Hawaii, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tamares Group, Wall Street | Comments Off

From the mailbag

Posted on March 24, 2011 by David McKee

Today’s “Question of the Day” about the future of the Sahara Hotel & Casino‘s monorail stop (and, by extension, the future of the Las Vegas Monorail itself) provoked a long and thoughtful response from an S&G reader. (By the way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Arizona, California, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Downtown, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off

Vegas in January: Dazed and confusing

Posted on March 10, 2011 by David McKee

It’s not as though there aren’t signs of hope for the Nevada economy. And even as empty storefronts continue to proliferate and housing prices tank in Las Vegas, there’s a “green shoot” or two, if you look for them. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cosmopolitan, Current, Downtown, Economy, history, IGT, Lake Tahoe, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Boyd: The rest of the story

Posted on March 9, 2011 by David McKee

There’s a bit of scuttlebutt going around about Boyd Gaming retracting coupon offers. To wit, from the S&G mailbag: “There’s this story going around, Suncoast/Boyd advertised in the [Las Vegas Review-Journal], and gave 10x points coupons for every Wednesday in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Lake Tahoe, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, TV | 5 Comments

“V”

Posted on March 8, 2011 by David McKee

That’s about the extent and substance of the campaign of Las Vegas mayoral aspirant Victor Chaltiel, a suddenly ubiquitous, Peter Lorre-like figure who has manifested himself as major civic figure as suddenly as if he’d been beamed down from space. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, International, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Politics, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Hooters in default; Rio robbed; Morgans out, Warner in?

Posted on February 24, 2011 by David McKee

From the “Could mean something, could mean nothing” File comes a Notice of Default, filed by the Bank of New York against Hooters Casino Hotel. The lenders are calling in a $130 million note on the 332-room hotel (arguably making … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Massachusetts, Morgans Hotel Group, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Sheldon Adelson, Man of La Mancha

Posted on February 17, 2011 by David McKee

Life’s being pretty good these days to Las Vegas Sands, thanks in part to better-than-expected convention traffic at Marina Bay Sands (offsetting tepid meeting/expo biz in Macao). In addition to eyeballing Florida, Texas, Massachusetts and Japan, CEO Sheldon Adelson has … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Downtown, Economy, Florida, Genting, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Oscar Goodman, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 2 Comments

Sound like anyplace you know?

Posted on January 13, 2011 by David McKee

Raving Consulting President Steve Browne has published a litany of signs of poor customer service. They’re all worth reading but three seem particularly applicable to present-day Las Vegas casinos: • If you expect your employees to pick up trash from … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Downtown, North Las Vegas, The Strip | Comments Off

Nevada’s November: rough sledding; Sunny Sheldon

Posted on January 11, 2011 by David McKee

If pressed for a prediction, I’d say 2011 will be a good year for the Strip, not so much for the rest of the Silver State. Just when I was feeling a bit queasy about November’s gaming revenues, Dr. David … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Cretins, Current, Downtown, Florida, Horseracing, Laughlin, LVCVA, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Uncle Carl’s Carpet Barn strikes again

Posted on December 29, 2010 by David McKee

You’ll never guess where high-end furniture and carpeting once destined for Fontainebleau has now turned up. The renovation explains the Buffalo Bill’s closure rumors from last autumn. So the trail of ex-F-blew furnishings now stretches from the Plaza in downtown … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Carl Icahn, Charity, Downtown, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, Tamares Group | 1 Comment

Hard Rock: No end of trouble on Paradise

Posted on December 28, 2010 by David McKee

Once again the blogosphere has caught the MSM napping. Report On Vegas informs readers that the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is having a rough time meeting its bills (this was the augury of doom for Barrick Gaming‘s short-lived stewardship … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Morgans Hotel Group, Pennsylvania, Sports, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 3 Comments

‘Twere the Case Bets before Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2010 by David McKee

In the casino industry, everything was stirring, including the mice. Cordish’s revenge. It’s a dish best served by opening Cordish Gaming‘s controversial Arundel Mills gambling hall late next year with a temporary, one-year casino. That means karma comes early for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Animals, Cordish Co., Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Singapore, The Mob, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Nevada: “Cautious optimism”

Posted on December 9, 2010 by David McKee

That’s how UNLV‘s gaming guru, Prof. David G. Schwartz, describes his reaction to the October revenue numbers, released today. The 11% autumnal bounce may be less notable for the fact that the Strip was up 16% than the fact that … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Downtown, Economy, history, International, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Pets, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Explore the “Schtrip” …

Posted on December 8, 2010 by David McKee

… from the comfort of your desk. A new application, 3DLasVegas.com, provides a virtual flyover of Sin City. (Caution: You must have Google Earth installed in order to use the site.) The cyber-tour also includes a booking engine, a followup … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Illinois: No end in sight; Boyd gets some love

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

“So much for a [gross gaming revenue] stabilization,” sighed analyst Joseph Greff in a J.P. Morgan investor note, after Illinois‘ casino revenues dropped 7% in November. Whenever you think the Land of Lincoln’s casinos have hit bottom, they sink lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Taxes | 3 Comments