Category Archives: Entertainment

Scratch one Europoseur

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Hot off the wire from Harrah’s Entertainment: “The visionary force behind Club Fuego, ND, has opted to close the nightclub in order to pursue future projects in other formats. The closure is effective today [June 15].” Durr: Friends don’t let … Continue reading →

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Loveman in denial

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Harrah’s Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman continues his media-availability tour. In today’s installment, he grants an audience to the Las Vegas Business Press and insists that not only is everything as right as rain at Harrah’s but that the LBO he … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Riviera, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Loveman in denial

Case Bets: Colony Capital, Siegfried & Roy, Obama smacks poker players

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

“Bats hang over the doorway to the building that housed Mr. Jackson’s private arcade; guano stains the threshold.” That’s how the Wall Street Journal describes Michael Jackson‘s decaying Neverland Ranch. It gets even freakier from there, with the WSJ receiving … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colony Capital, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, Movies, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Case Bets: Colony Capital, Siegfried & Roy, Obama smacks poker players

ABBA plays Vegas

Posted on June 14, 2009 by David McKee

On Sept. 24, 1979, the Swedish superstars played the Aladdin Performing Arts Theatre (now part of Planet Hollywood, of course). Last weekend, eight songs from that one and only Vegas show belatedly surfaced. It’s an extraordinary document, both historically and … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Colony Capital, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood | 2 Comments

ABBA plays Vegas

Posted on June 14, 2009 by David McKee

On Sept. 24, 1979, the Swedish superstars played the Aladdin Performing Arts Theatre (now part of Planet Hollywood, of course). Last weekend, eight songs from that one and only Vegas show belatedly surfaced. It’s an extraordinary document, both historically and … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Colony Capital, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood | Comments Off on ABBA plays Vegas

Goodman for governor … again?

Posted on June 12, 2009 by David McKee

It’s been bruited since at least 2002 and it’s happening yet again: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is mulling a gubernatorial run for the umpteenth time. “Spoiler!”, cry some. I look at the uninspiring field (Montandon, Heck, Midnight Jim, Buckley, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Carl Icahn, Dining, Economy, Election, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Oscar Goodman, Politics, The Strip | Comments Off on Goodman for governor … again?

Planet Ho Towers peep show

Posted on June 2, 2009 by David McKee

As for Nov. 1, PH Towers — the Westgate condo component of Planet Hollywood — will be open for business. Time constraints preclude creating an entire photo gallery, so I’ll just direct you here. (Be warned that there’s some damned … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, The Strip | Comments Off on Planet Ho Towers peep show

Super-screwed at Santana

Posted on June 1, 2009 by David McKee

Morgans' gradual obliteration of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino continues apace, in this February photo. Actually, this was one of the few flattering angles to be found. Ever since Morgans Hotel Group plunged into the Las Vegas market, first … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Entertainment, George Maloof, Morgans Hotel Group, Station Casinos | Comments Off on Super-screwed at Santana

Under Attack II

Posted on May 22, 2009 by David McKee

Aside from being the title of ABBA's final single (and lamest music video), it's also the status of our Web site. Which means precious little blogorrhea, I fear. In the interim, experience an absolutely mind-boggling interview with Harrah's Entertainment CEO … Continue reading →

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"Fixations"

Posted on May 21, 2009 by David McKee

No, Guy Laliberté is not prancing around our offices in cap and bells, reducing staffers to helpless laughter with declarations of, "Criss Angel is not a magician … he is an artist!" Instead, cyber-gremblins have rendered our Web operations FUBAR … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Macau, MGM Mirage, Technology | Comments Off on "Fixations"

"Peepshow" buys a clue

Posted on May 18, 2009 by David McKee

"Peepshow" prime donne Kelly Monaco & Mel. B By now it's old news that Planet Hollywood's new resident spectacle, Peepshow, has gone topless for real. Though some question the move, to me it always seemed retrogressive and counter-intuitive to present … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on "Peepshow" buys a clue

Anybody seen my Cirque?

Posted on May 15, 2009 by David McKee

Last night’s media performance of The Lion King, unlike most Vegas media events, drew much of the local “A” list. KNPR-FM’s Dave Berns was there, as was man-of-all-media Steve Friess, along with large contingents from Fox 5 and Stephens Media, … Continue reading →

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Perp Show

Posted on May 14, 2009 by David McKee

If you're bald, weight 285 lbs. and have one arm in a cast, you're not exactly inconspicuous. So how was it that that such a hefty man was to infiltrate a VIP area of Planet Hollywood and bust into Peepshow … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Perp Show

Case Bets: B'way in Vegas; Trump bloviates

Posted on May 13, 2009 by David McKee

Opening night for The Lion King is three days away. Which means the New York Times is right on schedule with another hand-wringing piece about whether Broadway-style shows can succeed in Las Vegas. By now it should be obvious that … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Case Bets: B'way in Vegas; Trump bloviates

Case Bets: Caesars, Criss Angel, Lance Burton, Earl & Lani and Trent

Posted on May 13, 2009 by David McKee

Seen last night by an S&G source, Pit One at Caesars Palace empty save for one or two baccarat players. It’s just a small indicator of a larger disconnect that I hope to address later. PR flack Robin Leach has … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Case Bets: Caesars, Criss Angel, Lance Burton, Earl & Lani and Trent

A (much different) Gans question

Posted on May 8, 2009 by David McKee

Story after story on the tragic decease of Danny Gans has used one or another variant of this phrase, "named 'Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year' 11 years in a row." Most recently, it popped up in a Las Vegas … Continue reading →

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Updates: Pinnacle, Boyd, Foxwoods, Donald Trump & Criss Angel

Posted on April 22, 2009 by David McKee

Don’t wait by the phone if you’ve got a date with Pinnacle Entertainment. It has just pushed back the timelines on its Baton Rouge and Lake Charles projects by five months. It cited investor reluctance and warned more delays are … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Louisiana, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Updates: Pinnacle, Boyd, Foxwoods, Donald Trump & Criss Angel

Pinnacle: the untold story

Posted on April 21, 2009 by David McKee

Is waxing and buffing the Pinnacle Entertainment limo a prerequisite for scoring an interview with its CEO? This small masterpiece of selective omission is more interesting for what it elides than what it says. The article parrots Dan Lee as … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Pinnacle: the untold story

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 20, 2009 by David McKee

"I have to recognize someone special here in the house. Perez Hilton, please stand up. We have the world's biggest douchebag asshole in the house!" — MGM Mirage poster boy Criss Angel, at the end of last Friday's Believe, enraged … Continue reading →

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First, some good news

Posted on April 16, 2009 by David McKee

In a refreshing change of pace comes news of a casino that’s on schedule for its opening. OK, so it’s in Dodge City, Kansas, but we’ll take good news wherever we can get it these days. Whoever thought avionics firm … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming, Kansas, Labor, LVCVA, Marketing, Mesquite, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on First, some good news