Category Archives: Entertainment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 19, 2013 by David McKee

… week, month, year! We don’t have Stew Man Group here in Las Vegas — but we should!

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

Resorts World LV: Look familiar?

Posted on March 5, 2013 by David McKee

A reader in Arizona asks the question that was on my mind yesterday and probably yours, too: “Is it just me … or does this look like just a copper/gold-colored version of CityCenter?” Agreed! (With a large helping of Mandalay … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Genting, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 3 Comments

Revel goes bust

Posted on February 19, 2013 by David McKee

In the most inevitable headline of 2013, Revel has — brace yourselves — filed for bankruptcy. It will become the latest in a long string of casinos that are owned and run by banks: Two-thirds of outstanding debt will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Marketing, Revel, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Caudill: Binion’s open for business

Posted on February 19, 2013 by David McKee

Ixnay those Binion’s Gambling Hall-closure rumors. Owner Terry Caudill rang up Anthony Curtis to say that it’s (mostly) business as usual at the Downtown fixture. “Neither the casino nor the steakhouse is closing,” he told Curtis. “We have minor projects … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Terry Caudill | 2 Comments

Crunch time

Posted on February 15, 2013 by David McKee

Photo by Susannah Smitherman As though S&G correspondence hasn’t been spotty enough of late, thanks to “Maloof Flu,” a number of other external factors will be impinging on your weekly flow of ephemera and arcana. Deadlines for USA Today, Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment | 1 Comment

Trump: And then there was one

Posted on February 14, 2013 by David McKee

What’s an Atlantic City casino worth? Not too bloody much, especially if the name of Donald Trump is emblazoned across the façade. Trump Entertainment Resorts has parted with unloved, unremunerative Trump Plaza and truly for a pittance — $20 million. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Reno, Revel, Tropicana Entertainment | 11 Comments

Caesars: Cui bono?; Loveman woos Britney

Posted on February 6, 2013 by David McKee

Our question for the day is, “Who benefits?” Taking the long view of Caesars Entertainment to bundle a mixed bag of Planet Hollywood, its-casino-to-be in Baltimore and Caesars Interactive, in whose interest is it to purchase minority stakes, since CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Gilbert, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 5, 2013 by David McKee

“A billion dollars will be spent on potato chips for Super Bowl Sunday, and that’s just at Gov. Christie’s house.” — a David Letterman joke about the avoirdupois of Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) … re-told last night by Christie himself … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Sports, TV | 1 Comment

Best Casino Ad Ever (Not!); Another Pinnacle boo-boo

Posted on February 1, 2013 by David McKee

If you live in the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area, you’ve probably had a stiff dose of this ad, which is in heavy rotation during the morning news shows. I don’t know whether to be impressed that a grind joint … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Entertainment, Marketing, Pinnacle Entertainment, TV | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Super Bowl, WMS, Bally, Wynn, Penn vs. MGM

Posted on February 1, 2013 by David McKee

“The twilight’s last reaming”?!?!? Christina Aguilera said it, I didn’t. Of all the proposition bets being made on Sunday’s “Big Game” (the favored Vegas euphemism), my favorite is how long it will take Alicia Keys to crawl through the National … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Bally Technologies, Current, Economy, Entertainment, IGT, International, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Scientific Games, Slot routes, Sports, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Case Bets: Super Bowl, WMS, Bally, Wynn, Penn vs. MGM

Vegas beyond the Strip … way beyond

Posted on January 29, 2013 by David McKee

Some of you — and you know who you are — get to Las Vegas several times a year but rarely have the chance to foray far past either the Las Vegas Strip or Downtown. (It’s the same with me … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Riviera, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Vegas beyond the Strip … way beyond

Cap-and-trade at Sands; SkyFail: The sequel

Posted on January 28, 2013 by David McKee

Ever since the government of Macao put a hard cap on the number of table games in the enclave, casino operators have been forced to do a certain amount of cap-and-trade. In order to stock up Sands Cotai, 200 tables … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Five weeks for Sahara Sam

Posted on January 25, 2013 by David McKee

That’s how much time Sam Nazarian has to scare up $115 million from overseas sources. If the deal isn’t done by Feb. 28, $300 million that’s currently in escrow quietly goes away. In exchange for offshore capital, Nazarian has to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, George Maloof, Goldman Sachs, International, Regulation, Sahara, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Maryland: Who’s got the last laugh now?; Murren goes North, other companies look South

Posted on January 23, 2013 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International, that’s who. As predicted, a lawsuit filed to overturn last November’s casino expansion was laughed out of court. Judge Ronald A. Silkworth called the litigation “baseless,” which is a nice way of saying, “Thanks for wasting my … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, International, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Nebraska, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Texas, Tribal | Comments Off on Maryland: Who’s got the last laugh now?; Murren goes North, other companies look South

SkyFail

Posted on January 17, 2013 by David McKee

It’s time we reluctantly stuck a fork in Howard Bulloch‘s South Strip Ferris wheel, Skyvue. It’s besieged by liens and unpaid bills, which Bulloch is going to cover by — wait for it — borrowing still more money. The developer … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Palms cops a plea

Posted on January 11, 2013 by David McKee

It’ll cost the Palms a cool $1 million and change to make problems with the Nevada Gaming Control Board go away quietly … unless the Nevada Gaming Commission decides a still-higher penalty should be exacted. (Unlikely, but possible.) According to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, George Maloof, Regulation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

New blog in town

Posted on January 8, 2013 by David McKee

It looks like S&G will have some competition in the leave-no-word-unminced department: Former Las Vegas Review-Journal Business Editor Doug Puppel has created Vegas WTF (test version). If you want to read about jailed high rollers and violence on the Strip, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Sports, The Strip | 1 Comment

A Christmas wish list …

Posted on December 24, 2012 by David McKee

For those of us who missed it this year, the best Christmas tradition of which I know. First and most importantly … To you, the reader, who makes this possible, a year of happiness, health and wealth, whether material, intellectual … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Gilbert, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wayne F. Newton | 5 Comments

Penn’s sucker bet; Lack of Rappaport; Running scared

Posted on December 20, 2012 by David McKee

Although Penn National Gaming‘s scheme to split itself into a REIT and a casino-management company hasn’t received one regulatory approval yet, top brass is already taking a victory lap. Gloated CFO William Clifford, he would “be picking up the phone … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Dark days at the Plaza

Posted on December 18, 2012 by David McKee

Last week’s abrupt cessation of three shows at the Plaza sent gloom and presages of doom through the theatrical community over the weekend. Lichtenstein-based Tamares Group was rumored to be pulling the plug on Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Bite … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Tamares Group | Comments Off on Dark days at the Plaza