Category Archives: Entertainment

Caesars, O’Malley flunk key tests

Posted on August 26, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment got caught with its pants down by Howard Stutz, who wrote that the company “committed public relations suicide” by lavishing a $200,000 bonus on General Counsel Tim Donovan. This is the same Caesars that is trying to stiff … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Election, Entertainment, G2E, Harrah's, Maryland, Mohegan Sun, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

SLS: Closed by 2016?

Posted on August 19, 2015 by David McKee

That’s the stark implication of some remarks by owner Stockbridge Capital Partners about SLS Las Vegas, which continues to generate negative return on investment. Howard Stutz took a deep dive into the numbers and he must have required a bathysphere to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Dining, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, IGT, Isle of Capri, James Packer, Marketing, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Revel, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Kabuki comes to Vegas

Posted on August 14, 2015 by David McKee

Here’s a preview of the half-hour Kabuki spectacle Fight with a Carp, which will play five performances at Bellagio over the next three nights. A special, 165-square-foot stage has been erected in the Bellagio lagoon for the show, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Japan, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off

Bluhm presses case in Massachusetts; Lawrence Ho tells it like it is

Posted on August 10, 2015 by David McKee

Despite having to wait at least until early next year to start building, a potential Brockton casino could be “up and running by 2018,” sometime in the second quarter, according to Neil Bluhm. “We are shovel-ready to go.” Unfortunately for … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Illinois, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Regulation, Sam Nazarian, Tribal | 1 Comment

Wynn splits expectations

Posted on July 30, 2015 by David McKee

Wynn Resorts split Wall Street expectations for cash flow in Macao last quarter, as well as on the Las Vegas Strip. Analyst Carlo Santarelli of Deutsche Bank said Wynn’s Vegas room revenue “wasn’t great” and characterized management’s projections as “a tad aggressive.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Macau, Massachusetts, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Baccarat blowout on Strip; Ader strikes again

Posted on July 28, 2015 by David McKee

Strip casinos had the impossible task of keeping up with last June’s baccarat tally (when revenues shot up 155%) and, as might be expected, fell off the pace. The volume of play plunged 43% and revenue tumbled 57%. As for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Planet Hollywood, Reno, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Pinnacle deal done; Christie’s tribal blind spot

Posted on July 21, 2015 by David McKee

After playing hard to get, Pinnacle Entertainment management finally succumbed to the embrace of Gaming & Leisure Properties. It’s a great deal on Pinnacle’s part: It sells its real estate to GLPI for 12.5 times cash flow, an unheard-of multiple … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, GLPI, Japan, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

SLS: The news just gets worse

Posted on July 17, 2015 by David McKee

Despite SLS Las Vegas having lost $183 million in its first eight months of operation, against pitiful revenues of $88 million, President Scott Kreeger insists that owner Stockbridge Capital is in it for the long haul. It has to be, Sam … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Politics, Racinos, Revel, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Taxes, Wall Street | 3 Comments

“Avenue Q” returns to Vegas

Posted on July 16, 2015 by David McKee

Puppet sex returns to Sin City! This Tony Award-winning musical got a bad rap when it played Wynn Las Vegas but it’s back at Las Vegas Little Theatre and is a smash hit. The first weekend sold out and tickets … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Stalemate with Straub; MGM’s new bauble

Posted on July 16, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub is sticking it to Stockton University but good. While the school tries to find a new buyer for the old Showboat, he’s refusing to let the university out of its purchase agreement with his KK Ventures. So far, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 2 Comments

What do you do …

Posted on July 13, 2015 by David McKee

… if you’re Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson? Naturally, you throw yourself a birthday party atop The Cromwell, with seemingly half the NBA in attendance. Then you file bankruptcy on Monday, before you’ve even had a chance to sober up. (Geez, better book … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Stale fare for New York; Web sites taken hostage

Posted on July 7, 2015 by David McKee

New York gaming regulators gave the state’s southern tier a second chance to submit plans for a casino — and they got leftovers. The only bidder was Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural (left) who essentially proposed a supersized, $145 million version … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Technology, Tribal | 1 Comment

Pushback against Adelson; Packer’s pretension

Posted on June 29, 2015 by David McKee

“Poker is an all-American game. It’s a game that I learned as a teen and continue to play today. Just like millions of other players I enjoy the strategy and skill involved.” So said Rep. Joe Barton (R) as he introduced … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Australia, California, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Big legal bill for Steve Wynn; SLS Las Vegas craters

Posted on June 24, 2015 by David McKee

In case Steve Wynn is having second thoughts that maybe it was a bad idea to try and muzzle stock-picker James Chanos, a federal court made it official. On top of two defeats in the courtroom, Wynn has been handed a … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Genting, James Packer, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Sheldon Adelson, SLS Las Vegas, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Penn primed for Plainridge launch; Little tribal traction in Maine

Posted on June 23, 2015 by David McKee

Are executives at Penn National Gaming getting high on their own supply … of slot machines, that is? The industry’s desired average for slots is $200 but Penn is predicting a sky-high $500/slot/day at Plainridge Park, which opens tomorrow, inaugurating … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Maine, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Rock in Rio flops; Tighter slots in Maryland?

Posted on June 17, 2015 by David McKee

According to Vital Vegas, the first Strip outing of Rock in Rio might be its last, as the music festival may have lost as much as $28 million. Vital Vegas puts attendance at a dreadful 130,000 (out of a possible … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Cordish Co., Current, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, International, Japan, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pets, Philippines, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, South Korea, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off

New life for the Trop?; Paragon’s latest trophy

Posted on May 14, 2015 by David McKee

David G. Schwartz muses on the brave, new world at the Tropicana Las Vegas — soon with 100% more Penn National Gaming. He assesses it as a win for both parties. Penn gets a foothold at a strategic crossroads on … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Baseball, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, history, M Resort, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Transportation, Westgate LV | Comments Off

April is the cruelest month for Atlantic City

Posted on May 13, 2015 by David McKee

Not only did players put dramatically less money onto the tables and into the slots but Atlantic City casinos had a run of bad luck last month. All of these factors contributed to a 17% decline. When the four closed … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Carey: raptures and wreckage; Vegas’ affordability tested

Posted on May 8, 2015 by David McKee

Our most giddy local gossip merchant experienced multiple verbal orgasms when describing Mariah Carey‘s Caesars Palace residency show. Even the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would have a hard time living up to this nonstop gush. (Helpful hint: If Carey … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Chicago casino push gathers steam

Posted on May 4, 2015 by David McKee

It’s been a while since we’ve heard about a casino in Chicago but that doesn’t mean Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D, below) has given up. Far from it. He’s looking at a $839 million pension obligation and a $300 million budget … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Economy, Entertainment, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Slot routes, The Strip | Comments Off