Category Archives: Environment

The best Deepwater Horizon commentary yet

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

While the obscenity known as Deepwater Horizon continues to hover ominously near the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, it remains one of those subjects so depression- and despair-inducing that even I can’t bear to write about it. (“Enjoy the resort offerings … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi | 4 Comments

Harrah’s $1.5B Bratislava bet; Marina Bay Sands booms; Falcons swoop upon Hilton, etc.

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

With almost no exception other than The Newspaper That Shall Remain Nameless, a $1.85 billion Metropolis project headed up by Harrah’s Entertainment has flown completely under the radar of the U.S. media ever since its announcement last October. Oh, some … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Environment, Genting, Harrah's, International, James Packer, Labor, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Gulf Coast: Oh $#!%!

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

This just in: Blobs of tar are washing up on Mississippi‘s Gulf Coast shoreline and an oil slick has been spotted to the south of Pascagoula. It’s not the total wipeout for coastal casinos that was Hurricane Katrina but it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Environment, Mississippi | Comments Off on Gulf Coast: Oh $#!%!

How big is Deepwater Horizon?; How solvent is Archon?

Posted on May 28, 2010 by David McKee

This weekend, millions are fleeing a disaster of biblical proportions — I speak not of the epochal Deepwater Horizon spill but of Sex and the City 2. However, while we’re on the subject, Gulf Coast casinos can take at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Laughlin, Louisiana, Mississippi, Movies, Politics, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip | 4 Comments

While Atlantic City burns …

Posted on May 7, 2010 by David McKee

While Atlantic City burns, Gov. Chris Christie fiddles. After coming into office saying the right things about helping the state’s casino industry, Christie has spent most of first months in office dithering uselessly. Having waited until A) the Revel project … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Dept. of Wishful Thinking

Posted on March 26, 2010 by David McKee

Whatever became of Elad Properties‘ metaresort-sized Plaza project, built upon the ruins of the New Frontier? Reed Construction Data Project Research claims it’s on. Never mind that Elad’s not put so much as a shovel into the ground … or … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Environment, Gary Goett, Harrah's, M Resort, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, Phil Ruffin, Plaza, Racinos, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Dept. of Wishful Thinking

From one Isle to another

Posted on March 8, 2010 by David McKee

Let’s start the week with a salute to a company that’s doing the right thing. Between its Florida and Missouri operations, Isle of Capri Casinos employs some 170 citizens of Haiti. Their salaries go to support family members on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, Environment, Florida, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Missouri, Movies, TV | 2 Comments

Macao’s big ass-month

Posted on March 1, 2010 by David McKee

Casinos in Macao blew way past expectations, raking in $1.6 billion last month (a 70% increase). Stanley Ho‘s SJM widened its lead on Las Vegas Sands, although the latter had more market share (20%) than MGM Grand Macau and Galaxy … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Economy, Environment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao’s big ass-month

Synchronicity @ work

Posted on February 26, 2010 by David McKee

In more senses than one. Harrah’s Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman‘s fascination with fabulous feminine footwear has been the talk of the office at LVA, although I was more intrigued by the bad hair day pictured below. In describing it to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Environment, Harrah's, Marketing | Comments Off on Synchronicity @ work

The Flying Dutchman of the Strip

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

Pity poor Rockstar: The Tribute. It briefly played Planet Hollywood‘s Wyrick Entertainment Complex last June, then got the boot. An announced revival at the Harmon Theater never materialized. A late-2009 move to the Riviera was ballyhooed. Guess what? Rockstar never … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

‘Tis the season

Posted on December 23, 2009 by David McKee

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson cuts the ribbon on Boot Hill Casino. The gentleman at the rear in the red tie is the Kansas Lottery’s Ed Van Petten, taking time out from carrying water for Mike Ensign. Having been on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Jack Binion, James Packer, Kansas, M Resort, Macau, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Oscar Goodman, Penn National, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 8 Comments

Torrents of Greed

Posted on December 14, 2009 by David McKee

A few random musings … MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren can wax eloquent on the subject of sustainable development but I suspect that any pensées he might have offered Dubai World on the subject would have been pearls before swine. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, CityCenter, Current, Dubai, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Case Bets: Strippers, Tomlin & no water in Macao

Posted on November 11, 2009 by David McKee

Being still deeply enmeshed in CityCenter-related materials (Kirvin Doak must be getting paid by the word, judging from the plethora of press releases it’s generated), I have to be a hit-and-run blogger today. Can’t go to the strip club? No … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on Case Bets: Strippers, Tomlin & no water in Macao

Best idea of the week … or year

Posted on November 6, 2009 by David McKee

From our Today’s News feed: “Until now, MGM Mirage exercised a policy of having each property in the group compete with the others, as if they were totally independent competing entities. It was a strategy designed to keep salespeople ‘on … Continue reading →

Posted in California, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Plaza, Steve Wynn | 2 Comments

Case Bets: Reid, Goodman, Madison (Holly) & a kegger

Posted on October 12, 2009 by David McKee

As they say on Dancing with the Stars, in no particular order … Eight against Harry: For a speedy primer on the myriad challengers to Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), you can't go wrong with Jon Ralston's droll and speedy primer. … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Harry Reid, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Steve Wynn, Technology, TV | Comments Off on Case Bets: Reid, Goodman, Madison (Holly) & a kegger

East Coast antics

Posted on October 12, 2009 by David McKee

Wrong again. There I was, thinking the proposed $10 million upfront fee for table games in Pennsylvania was a done deal when the GOP-controlled state Senate upped it to $15 million (and if you don’t pay by June 1, it … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Horseracing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on East Coast antics

Case Bets: Reid, Goodman, Madison (Holly) & a kegger

Posted on October 12, 2009 by David McKee

As they say on Dancing with the Stars, in no particular order … Eight against Harry: For a speedy primer on the myriad challengers to Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), you can't go wrong with Jon Ralston's droll and speedy primer. … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Harry Reid, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Steve Wynn, Technology, TV | Comments Off on Case Bets: Reid, Goodman, Madison (Holly) & a kegger

Scarlett saved?!? & other Case Bets

Posted on October 1, 2009 by David McKee

Splendid news, lads (and lasses). Scarlett, Princess of Magic may return to the Riviera in nine months or a year … that is to say, whenever the economy eventually rebounds. This comes straight from Riv management. Of course, there's a … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Fontainebleau, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Scarlett saved?!? & other Case Bets

From the mailbag #5

Posted on September 23, 2009 by David McKee

Our Comment-Eating Server has been at it again, so here are a few reader remarks that got devoured in cyberspace (where no one can hear you scream at your computer) … With regard to “Gambling Scandal Ensnares Eight More“: This … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Donald Trump, Environment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Labor, Regulation, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on From the mailbag #5

Macao” rises again?

Posted on June 17, 2009 by David McKee

Block out the shopworn, mostly useless generalities coming from Las Vegas Sands and groove to Macao's scintillating casinos, recoil from its thick blanket of smog, and take some heart from Credit Suisse's prediction of an upturn in VIP play in … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Economy, Environment, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao” rises again?