Category Archives: Downtown

Headless owner in topless bar

Posted on September 8, 2008 by David McKee

“It is amazing how people get religion once they want a gaming license,” said then-Nevada Gaming Control Board member Brian Harris, back in December ’98, in one of the all-time-great casino-related quotes. Harris’ statement came in connection with the license-application … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Election, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off

Telemundo rescues Neonopolis

Posted on September 8, 2008 by David McKee

OK, so they’re now calling it “Fremont Square,” but it’s still like a fugly fortress-like concrete cube that was somebody’s perverse notion of a shopping center. However, the local Telemundo affiliate wants to move its broadcast and studio operations into … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Harrah's | 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

Sands: More is sometimes less

Posted on August 6, 2008 by David McKee

One of the advantages of availing oneself of Las Vegas' public-transit system is that affords me plenty of time to read corporate filings. Such was the case this morning, when I spent some quality time belatedly curling up with Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Don Barden, Downtown, Harrah's, Macau, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Ameristar: What makes sense?

Posted on August 1, 2008 by David McKee

Perhaps this is what happens when you outsource your business coverage to India, but Reuters had a story yesterday positing MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment as two of the likeliest buyers for Ameristar Casinos. Uhhh, I hate to break this … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Harrah's, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

We're no Pyongyang!

Posted on July 29, 2008 by David McKee

A story about an unsightly, unfinished ziggurat in Pyongyang, North Korea afforded an architecture critic an opportunity to throw a roundhouse right at Las Vegas. Lumping it together with Shanghai as the bad-architecture capital of the world, California Polytechnic State … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Columbia Sussex, Downtown, Harrah's, Michael Gaughan, Stanley Ho, The Strip | Comments Off

Case Bets: Orleans, El Cortez, Harrah's arena

Posted on July 16, 2008 by David McKee

I’m in the second day of stomach flu, so small portions are advisable … A “juice job” that followed two fatalities at The Orleans has come under federal scrutiny. In an unrelated development, Boyd Gaming board member Luther Mack has … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Harrah's | Comments Off

MTR in retreat

Posted on July 7, 2008 by David McKee

If MTR Gaming is still afloat today, it’s almost certainly thanks to the fact that its two remaining casinos — racinos in Chester, W.V., and Erie, Penn., enjoy oligopolistic market conditions where competitors are few and far between. A long … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Downtown, Labor, Pennsylvania, The Strip | Comments Off

Hole-in-the-wall casinos reviewed

Posted on July 3, 2008 by David McKee

In the current City Life, Lissa Townsend Rodgers visits a few of Las Vegas’ less publicized casinos, in search of $1 booze. The Gold Spike is lauded, provided your “goal is simply to get as drunk as possible as quickly … Continue reading →

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Barden: The comedy continues

Posted on July 3, 2008 by David McKee

Financing for Don Barden‘s stalled Pittsburgh casino remains, as ever, two weeks away. Barden’s people say they’ll have it by mid-July (conveniently, after the next meeting of Pennsylvania’s gaming commission), they’re “continuing to close” with Credit Suisse, and contractors are … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Pennsylvania | Comments Off

Lady Luck deal in offing

Posted on June 30, 2008 by David McKee

On Wednesday, the Las Vegas City Council is scheduled to vote on an agreement that may finally re-start development of the long-defunct Lady Luck Hotel & Casino. As you may recall, the Henry Brent Co. planned to convert half the … Continue reading →

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Turnaround for Lady Luck?

Posted on June 20, 2008 by David McKee

A reliable source sees some light at the end of the Lady Luck tunnel: “CIM took ownership of the timeshare property last Oct. as LL Timeshare. Just this month they’re doing the individual deed assignments.” Don’t get your hopes up … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, International, James Packer, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off

Blasts from the past

Posted on June 18, 2008 by David McKee

Snuggled inconspicuously in a recent El Cortez press release was the disclosure that the newly reconfigured ownership will include one Lonny Zarowitz. The aforesaid Zarowtiz figures briefly in John L. Smith's Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Harrah's, International, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV | Comments Off

Terrible news for Vegas

Posted on June 11, 2008 by David McKee

Comment is superfluous: This headline says it all. At least I won't have to explain anymore why I don't own a car.

Posted in Downtown, The Strip | Comments Off

Laughing my … off

Posted on June 3, 2008 by David McKee

What’s the best Vegas-related Web site? Too many too choose from, I say. But I’m definitively certain I’ve found the funniest. If you’re a fan of CheapoVegas.com, you’ll absolutely love its Casino Boy Graveyard. Yes, it’s a stroll down memory … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, The Strip | Comments Off

Bargains? Shhhhhhhhhhhh!

Posted on May 28, 2008 by David McKee

Liz Benston takes a look today at the newest message from the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority and finds the LVCVA “thinks it’s bad form to make references to ‘affordable’ and ‘cheap.’” Oh yes, God forbid anybody should think … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Downtown, Harrah's, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off

R-J to Vegas: "We're Podunk"

Posted on May 23, 2008 by David McKee

Warning: The following blog post contains ridicule of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and a Republican senator with good hair. No actual copies of the R-J were harmed in the writing of this post. ***** There I was, thinking that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Election, Politics, The Strip | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 14, 2008 by David McKee

“The Strip has done phenomenally well, but I think there’s a segment of the population that’s kind of getting ignored, the value-conscious customer who really can’t afford the kind of pricing the Strip offers these days.” — Binion’s and Four … Continue reading →

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A call to action

Posted on May 1, 2008 by David McKee

Remember that editorial about construction safety (or the obvious lack thereof) that I said the Las Vegas Sun ought to be writing — as opposed to printing a jeremiad about the Miley Cyrus photo flap? Well, it’s been written … … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, International, The Strip | Comments Off

Did he or didn't he?

Posted on April 22, 2008 by David McKee

While I'm somewhat skeptical of the claims of Richard Suen, vis-a-vis his relationship with Las Vegas Sands, if he wins his lawsuit in Clark County District Court, he'll probably have Sands executives to thank for it. They've been tripping over … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off