Category Archives: Entertainment

Maryland: First, the good news; Here, kitty, kitty

Posted on October 7, 2014 by David McKee

Maryland casinos hit another monthly record — $82 million — boosted by Horseshoe Baltimore. Revenues at Maryland Live fell 10%, to $45.5 million — boosted by 50,000 customers over the Labor Day weekend — and Horseshoe raked in $22 million. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cordish Co., Entertainment, Harrah's, Maryland, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on Maryland: First, the good news; Here, kitty, kitty

Sinatra 1, Pandas 0

Posted on October 2, 2014 by David McKee

Euphemisms have a way of sanitizing everything. For instance, there are no longer mercenaries — instead they are “contractors,” which makes them sound like somebody you’d have install your pool deck. And in Las Vegas we don’t have celebrity impersonators, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, G2E, Massachusetts, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Sinatra 1, Pandas 0

Wynn: Think big; Genting: Spend big

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

When Steve Wynn opened The Mirage in 1989, it was the beginning of the end of the era when the casino was the dominant revenue source in Las Vegas resorts. Restaurants, shows and hotel rooms all became profit centers. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Florida, G2E, Genting, Harrah's, history, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New Hampshire, New York, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Wynn: Think big; Genting: Spend big

KOA gets the boot

Posted on September 30, 2014 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International is obviously planning something — we don’t know what — for the KOA Campground site at Circus Circus. That’s the logical conclusion to be drawn from yesterday’s announcement that KOA is packing up and taking over campsite operations … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Entertainment, G2E, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on KOA gets the boot

Wretched excess; Caesars’ good deeds

Posted on September 24, 2014 by David McKee

As long as Las Vegas casinos continue to provoke untrammeled, excessive behavior at their pool parties, they’re going to make the police blotter. It seems that one MGM Grand guest got an unwelcome surprise when he passed out in a restroom. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Arizona, Cretins, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Wretched excess; Caesars’ good deeds

MGM courts Japan; More Strip land hits the market

Posted on September 5, 2014 by David McKee

Taking a veiled stab at Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts International President William Hornbuckle said that a MGM megaresort in Japan would be “uniquely Japanese, not a copy of an integrated resort from Las Vegas or Singapore.” It … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Downtown, Entertainment, history, James Packer, Japan, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Riviera, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on MGM courts Japan; More Strip land hits the market

Sold down the river; Wynn makes critical offer

Posted on September 5, 2014 by David McKee

For sale: One casino riverboat, heavily used. Penn National Gaming asked for — and received — dismissal of a bankruptcy petition, opting to sell the Belle of Sioux City on the open market. You might think it would be difficult … Continue reading →

Posted in Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Iowa, Massachusetts, Penn National, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Sold down the river; Wynn makes critical offer

Opening tonight

Posted on September 5, 2014 by David McKee

By day I write about casinos and at night I dabble in theater. Here’s a very brief set of snippets from my latest project, David Mamet‘s Boston Marriage. Uncharacteristically for Mamet, it’s a sapphic intrigue that stars Jessica Hird and … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment | Comments Off on Opening tonight

Oh no, not again!

Posted on September 4, 2014 by David McKee

Trump Taj Mahal is heading back to a familiar bookmark: Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The casino is in violation of certain loan covenants and talks with creditors have proven unfruitful. The one creditor who really matters is Carl Icahn and he’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Election, Entertainment, Marketing, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Revel, Steve Wynn, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Cali Tribe goes rogue and other Case Bets

Posted on August 19, 2014 by David McKee

Legislative inaction be damned, the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel is going ahead with Internet poker. It’s already got a free play site but plans to go live with the real deal perhaps as early as next week. Isn’t that … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Dining, Election, Entertainment, International, MGM Mirage, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

The contradictions of Sam Nazarian

Posted on August 19, 2014 by David McKee

Is Sam Nazarian becoming a legend in his own mind? You have to wonder when you read that he’s had a statue of himself erected in the front of SLS Las Vegas. Sure, Bob Stupak did the same thing at … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Florida, Genting, International, Japan, Marketing, MGM Mirage, New York, Pennsylvania, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Tightening the screws in China; Comeback at Cosmo

Posted on August 15, 2014 by David McKee

  In view of the outflux of currency from China, the country’s symbol seems not so much a Great Wall as a giant sieve. This was symbolized recently by the attempt to control UnionPay cash transfers masquerading as purchases in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Tightening the screws in China; Comeback at Cosmo

Slump in Macao; Trump’s latest tantrum

Posted on August 6, 2014 by David McKee

July was unkind to casino operators in Macao, with revenues down 4%. Mass market table win was healthily up, 17%, and slot revenue increased, albeit by 4%. However, VIP revenues were 14% on 13.% less volume of play. This pulled … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 4 Comments

A Grand weekend

Posted on August 4, 2014 by David McKee

Thanks to the missus’ connections, we were able to swing a brief stay at the Downtown Grand last weekend. The liveliness of the atmosphere was at just the right level, not Fremont Street-manic. There are certain inherent design flaws that … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, history | 1 Comment

Megaflop at the Trop

Posted on July 23, 2014 by David McKee

Whatever the hold Mamma Mia! exerted over Las Vegas audiences, it’s gone — and so will be the show, closing Aug. 3 after an abortive, three-month run. It doesn’t figure: A previous incarnation at Mandalay Bay (which Mandalay Resort Group … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Alex Yemenidjian, Downtown, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, The Strip | Comments Off on Megaflop at the Trop

Boardwalk despair; Comings and goings on the Strip

Posted on July 22, 2014 by David McKee

It’s a dark day when you find yourself in agreement with Donald Trump, but such is the case with the famous Atlantic City boarding house owned by Vera Coking. Eight years ago, when he wanted to expand Trump Plaza, The … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Harrah's, Sam Nazarian, The Strip, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 1 Comment

Soft landing in A.C.; “Nocturne” put to sleep

Posted on July 14, 2014 by David McKee

Internet-gaming revenue continues to slip in New Jersey, down 9% from May. There are only three players of consequence: Borgata (36.5%), Caesars Atlantic City (27%) and Tropicana Atlantic City (18%). Still, Internet gambling continues to provide a cushion for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Mohegan Sun, Revel, Sam Nazarian, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | Comments Off on Soft landing in A.C.; “Nocturne” put to sleep

Too much amount of wrong; Big deal in Boston

Posted on July 9, 2014 by David McKee

Ownership at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has apparently lost its appetite for charmingly off-kilter variety show Vegas Nocturne. The show is not only rumored to be closing at the Cosmo but SLS Las Vegas has been mooted as its … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Sam Nazarian, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Too much amount of wrong; Big deal in Boston

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 1, 2014 by David McKee

“For Las Vegas, the route to growth and success is doing events as opposed to more slot machines. For a number of years, it will make a great opportunity to have events and then somebody it’s going to be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Gearing up for fights in Massachusetts, California and Arkansas

Posted on June 30, 2014 by David McKee

Expect a deluge of dollars to be spent opposing or supporting a casino-repeal ballot question in Massachusetts. Unlike political campaigns, ballot questions have no spending limitation attached to them. So far, the biggest amount spent on a ballot question in … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Bally Technologies, California, Election, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Shuffle Master, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Gearing up for fights in Massachusetts, California and Arkansas