Category Archives: Entertainment

A good day for Caesars

Posted on September 26, 2013 by David McKee

In a preliminary victory for Caesars Entertainment, the vote on its Suffolk Downs racino proposal will be restricted to the East Boston ward. Sentiment is expected to run more heavily pro-Caesars there than in Boston at large. (The company plans … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Maryland, Massachusetts, Racinos, The Strip | Comments Off

New look for IGT; Bally thinks small; Why see Britney?

Posted on September 24, 2013 by David McKee

There’s a new logo in town and it belongs to International Game Technology. That futuristic type you see is emblematic of the slot-machine company’s ongoing reinvention of itself into an online-gaming provider. The firm may be rolling out new machines … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Entertainment, IGT, Illinois, Internet gambling, Scientific Games, Shuffle Master, Slot routes, The Strip, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off

Better times are here

Posted on September 16, 2013 by David McKee

Las Vegas remains lumbered with journalistic dinosaur Sherman Frederick, a grumbling, blogging old fussbudget who predicts doom and gloom as he tucks into his stewed prunes every morning. I’ve never run across anybody who rooted against their home town so … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, International, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Phil Ruffin, The Mob, The Strip | 1 Comment

Trouble in another paradise; Sheldon’s sex shoppe

Posted on September 14, 2013 by David McKee

Overruling Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley (D), a Bay State court has issued an injunction allow signature-gatherers to keep collecting voters’ John Hancocks on a petition to repeal 2011’s casino-enabling legislation. Considering the land purchases, to say nothing of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Linq looking good & other Case Bets

Posted on September 5, 2013 by David McKee

You can’t drive around the Vegas Valley these days without having a clear view of the Las Vegas High Roller, the Ferris wheel that is Caesars Entertainment‘s would-be tourism magnet, which seems to grow overnight. It’s an impressive sight, one … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Revel, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

On the lighter side

Posted on September 3, 2013 by David McKee

Add Cedar Rapids to the list of cities offering a “Las Vegas flavor” to their citizens — at least if Cedar Crossing Casino goes through as planned, which will include a management team of Peninsula Gaming execs rendered homeless by … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Iowa, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off

Foxwoods: Mo’ money; Hard Rock brings it on; Wishful thinking at Cosmo

Posted on September 3, 2013 by David McKee

Caved, shaken down, outfoxed: Take your choice of term as Foxwoods Massachusetts has seemingly capitulated to Milford selectmen and raised its downpayment from $18 million to $34 million. All it took was a few grumblings from the aforementioned selectmen and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | Comments Off

Loveman, Loveman everywhere

Posted on August 29, 2013 by David McKee

Racetrack owner Richard Fields and Caesars Entertainment are wrapping up their deals with Boston and Revere with dispatch. And the latter are making out like bandits. In their zeal to close deals, Fields and Loveman may be overpaying for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Entertainment, Foxwoods, G2E, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Racinos, Rhode Island, Steve Wynn, Tribal | Comments Off

Sands pays The Man; Brothel bargains; Caesars goes to Boston

Posted on August 28, 2013 by David McKee

Uncle Sam is $47 million richer today after collecting an eight-figure settlement from Las Vegas Sands. Seems the latter had been operating on the outer fringes of legality when handling large sums of moolah from Zhenli Ye Gon. The latter, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Massachusetts, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | Comments Off

Case Bets: Seneca scandal; Atlantic City brings on the girls; Still no help for Mashpee

Posted on August 27, 2013 by David McKee

Well, that didn’t take long. Scarcely was the ink dry on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s deal with the state’s gaming-enabled tribes than the Seneca Indian Nation stepped right into a scandal. $5 million of an $8 million development deal … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

Ditched, dumped, divorced, dud; Mob Attraction on the move?

Posted on August 26, 2013 by David McKee

Once again, the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino has been the place where shows go to die. Tedious demi-musical The D* Word is going dark for good on Sept. 1. You’d never guess this self-ripoff from the author of Menopause … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, The Mob, The Strip | 1 Comment

Hope for Caesars; Dopes at Boyd

Posted on August 15, 2013 by David McKee

Perhaps the best thing yet to happen for Caesars Entertainment‘s Suffolk Downs project was a gift from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The latter’s chairman, Stephen Crosby, said that surrounding-community agreements would play an important role in choosing which operator gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Macau, Maryland, Mississippi, The Strip | Comments Off

Mother’s Days

Posted on August 7, 2013 by David McKee

My mother, Rev. Linda Maloney (seen here with the best mascot in all of sports) is in town for the next 36 hours, so I’ll be powering down S&G for a day or so. Never having seen Hoover Dam up … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Tourism | Comments Off

Vegas: Remembrance of revenues past; Making the grade in Massachusetts

Posted on August 1, 2013 by David McKee

“I think we are having a limp-wristed sort of crawl out of a hole, but a recovery is a more robust word,” the one and only Steve Wynn said earlier this week. The numbers bear him out, as tourism continues … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

More Trop turmoil; Adelson’s new enforcer; Hart vindicated

Posted on July 24, 2013 by David McKee

That Alex Yemenidjian! He just can’t keep the Tropicana Las Vegas out of the headlines — and not in a good way. It’s kicking The One Group out, taking over Bagatelle Beach Club and converting into a by-invitation-only venue for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Entertainment, IGT, International, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off

Men of La Mancha; Delaware: Taxation without benefit

Posted on July 23, 2013 by David McKee

While the attempted boycott of his Venelazzo poker rooms fizzles, Sheldon Adelson continues to look overseas. However, his EuroVegas will be beaten to the punch, or so it appears. Rival project BCN World has the jump on him, at least … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Delaware, Dining, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, New York, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal | 3 Comments

“Peepshow” finally poops out

Posted on July 10, 2013 by David McKee

If you still haven’t seen whatever’s left of Planet Hollywood‘s oft-downsized Peepshow, you’d better hurry: The show is closing September 1. Frankly, I’m impressed that it lasted as long as it did — an impressive four years –considering that customers … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Movies, Planet Hollywood | Comments Off

A note of thanks; Going … going … Gore

Posted on July 10, 2013 by David McKee

As many of you know, Mount Charleston, on the distant outskirts of Las Vegas, is being consumed by a huge forest fire. Not only has the blaze threatened Siegel Group‘s Mount Charleston Lodge, it’s also displaced some of the many … Continue reading →

Posted in Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Entertainment, Environment, Louisiana, Pinnacle Entertainment, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Indiana: Half-full or half-empty?; ‘Priscilla’ faints

Posted on July 9, 2013 by David McKee

That’s the operative question after a contrariwise June in Indiana. The state’s casinos saw 17% less foot traffic, but those fewer players were spending more (up 6%). Even so, the Hoosier State’s racinos, casinos and riverboats were down 12% for … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Accord in Kentucky; Atlantic City on the move; James Packer’s comeback

Posted on July 5, 2013 by David McKee

But there are still some stirrings of activity on the casino front. For starters, Bwin.Party has agreed to fork over $15 million to Kentucky. According to the company the payment “resolves the only remaining litigation … that stems from our … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Kentucky, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off