Category Archives: Harrah's

Ruffin it; Atlantic City: up in smoke?

Posted on May 31, 2011 by David McKee

“Nightclubs — we just didn’t fare well with them. There are so many nightclubs. Everyone’s got just one or two. Ours were just marginal.” That’s Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin‘s argument for repositioning the pirate place for a mid-market, middle-aged … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, Kansas, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Morgans Hotel Group, New York, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

Good news from Vegas; Penn regulators roasted

Posted on May 31, 2011 by David McKee

Those tireless analysts at J.P. Morgan have been crunching numbers again and found that, during the June 19-25 period, Strip room rates are up 24% from last year, from average ADR of $148 to $183, driven by vastly — i.e., … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Good news from Vegas; Penn regulators roasted

“Rat Pack” on the move?

Posted on May 27, 2011 by David McKee

Rumor has it that The Rat Pack is Back is going to pull up stakes from the Union Plaza and take root at The Rio, where it will follow Larry Marshak‘s ersatz Platters/Coasters/Marvellettes revue in the Crown Theater. I’m not … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Sahara, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on “Rat Pack” on the move?

Actual celebrity to be sighted in Vegas

Posted on May 25, 2011 by David McKee

After scraping not just the bottom of the barrel but the underside of the barrel with the likes of Levi Johnston (evidently getting a famous person’s daughter knocked up makes you a celeb, in which case America has officially run … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Don Barden, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 2 Comments

Atlantic City on the mend; Trump: Fish or cut bait?; Mike Ensign’s woes

Posted on May 25, 2011 by David McKee

My apologies for attenuated bloggery today but a swarm of deadlines presses upon me, including coverage of the demise of 104-year-old Huguette Clark, daughter of Sen. William A. Clark, from whom Clark County takes its name. You’ll find a lengthy … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dan Lee, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, history, Isle of Capri, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Your moment of Carmen Electra; Don Barden, R.I.P.

Posted on May 24, 2011 by David McKee

It’s not purely gratuitous. Ms. Electra, late of MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris, has defected to Planet Hollywood. On June 4, she’ll participate in the inaugural performance at Pussycat Dolls Burlesque Saloon. Hopefully it will be at least as exciting … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Dining, Don Barden, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 5 Comments

Herbst Gaming: new name, familiar faces

Posted on May 23, 2011 by David McKee

No, the company hasn’t been dissolved. But with the various Herbst boys having been run off — plus the negative brand equity created by their eponymous casino firm’s financial collapse — new ownership decided it’s time for a new moniker. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, history, IGT, Illinois, International, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Atlantic City: Fertitta in, Trump out; Inside Pokergeddon

Posted on May 18, 2011 by David McKee

Trump Marina became “RUMP Marina” this week (watch the video), as workers began removing vestiges of the Donald J. Trump era from the property. New owner Landry’s Restaurants is wasting no time putting its Golden Nugget imprimatur on the last-place … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Penn National, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Atlantic City: Fertitta in, Trump out; Inside Pokergeddon

This won’t play in Vegas; Second wind for Sands

Posted on May 17, 2011 by David McKee

Steve Wynn is singing his “we’re a Chinese company” refrain again. This never goes over well on the home front when he does it and his threat to move corporate HQ to Macao was met with a general chorus of, … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Harrah's, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Kasich’s sneaky “juice job”

Posted on May 13, 2011 by David McKee

This just in (thanks in large part to a timely Tweet from Howard Stutz of the Review-Journal) … One of Ohio Gov. John Kasich‘s costly casino consultants just got caught with its hand in the cookie jar. While Kasich piously … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation | 2 Comments

The doctor will see you now

Posted on May 13, 2011 by David McKee

Although stock blogger Frank Curzio seems to be talking out of one of his lower orifices, his musings are too bizarre not to repeat. He floats the notion that Apple is so flush with cash it might entertain some retail … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, International, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on The doctor will see you now

Johnny Casino, thug; Truce at the Trop; The T-Word

Posted on May 13, 2011 by David McKee

Although the Mob may have left Las Vegas, its strong-arm tactics are still in use. Respected casino architect Paul Steelman found that out when he wouldn’t give a job to John Ensign‘s borderline-illiterate former chief of staff, Doug Hampton. Drunk … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Penn National, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Has Illinois finally bottomed out? Trop shakeup; Big markdown on Trump

Posted on May 6, 2011 by David McKee

Sorry to disappoint, but we won’t have the answer until June–August, three straight months with the same number of weekend days as last year. By that point we’ll know whether April‘s 2% increase was the beginning of a trend. Last … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

The undersea world of Gary Loveman

Posted on May 5, 2011 by David McKee

If you simply must gamble at a Caesars Entertainment casino in Tunica, you’d better bring a boat. Photographer Trey Clark has surveyed the scene and it looks like the damage to Harrah’s Casino Tunica will be especially costly. There go … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Mississippi, Wall Street | 5 Comments

John Kasich, casino killer

Posted on May 3, 2011 by David McKee

Aw, isn’t this great? After Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) made the ludicrous claim that Ohio voters didn’t know what they were getting into when they approved a casino initiative in 2008, his legislative allies are trying to up the ante. … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Kentucky, Lyle Berman, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Vegas’ highest-paid Elvis impersonator

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

Yes, it’s Steve Wynn. Although Wynn Las Vegas is claiming this video went viral over the weekend, I have a strong certainty that a certain F-bomb barrage across the street at Treasure Island racked up more views. Also, given some … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Movies, Pokergeddon, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Boyd exits Florida; Mixed messages from the Riv; The revenge of Adelson

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

Regardless of whether or not resort casinos are voted into law in Florida, one company that won’t be in the running is Boyd Gaming. The firm threw in the towel on the Miami market today. The Sunshine State “no longer … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Was Pokergeddon a setup?

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

In his latest column, “Prohibition Is Not Regulation” (an early draft can be seen here) gaming-law guru I. Nelson Rose rakes the Obama administration for choosing “to ignore the lessons of history and take worst aspects of the choices available.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Nazarian totally busted …

Posted on April 29, 2011 by David McKee

… by Chuck Monster, who’s learned that SBE Entertainment‘s deal with MGM Resorts International includes dumping the Club Sahara loyalty program database into the lion’s “low roller walled garden,” Circus Circus Players Club. Which is pretty much what S&G expected … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sahara, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 6 Comments

The verdict: Céline vs. Gladys; End is nigh for Sahara; Plaza 2.0

Posted on April 28, 2011 by David McKee

As Yr. Humble Blogger opines in this week’s Las Vegas CityLife, Céline Dion may be quite something but Gladys Knight is Something Else. If you’re a paying customer, Knight’s Tropicana Las Vegas show is by far the better value: longer, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Mississippi, Politics, Sahara, Tamares Group, The Strip | 2 Comments