Category Archives: Harrah's

Strip rates bottom out

Posted on August 23, 2010 by David McKee

There was good news for hoteliers on the Las Vegas Strip today. Room rates for the second quarter and the first half of the third quarter average out to a 0% increase/decline from last year, following a -4% comparison in … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Crisis point in Atlantic City

Posted on August 19, 2010 by David McKee

If nothing else gets recalcitrant legislators off their duffs and behind Gov. Chris Christie‘s intervention on behalf of Atlantic City, maybe these numbers will. In the last quarter, only four casinos turned a profit. Harrah’s Entertainment‘s Showboat and Harrah’s Marina … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Penn National, Politics, Sahara, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Crisis point in Atlantic City

How green is Vegas?; Harrah’s thinks globally, acts locally

Posted on August 19, 2010 by David McKee

A lot greener than you’d think, says Las Vegas Sustainability Officer (yes, we have one) Thomas Perrigo. Among those companies getting recognition of leading the way in “green” initiatives is Harrah’s Entertainment, which has reduced its energy consumption by vast … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Florida, Harrah's, Marketing, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Peril on the Strip

Posted on August 19, 2010 by David McKee

You wouldn’t know if from the wrap on Luxor’s west side, but Angelica Bridges is out as Fantasy headliner, replaced by Lorena Peril (late of Sin City Bad Girls at the Las Vegas Hilton). This alone is sufficient to bump … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Caesars Cincinnati? Invaders repulsed at Gettysburg (again)

Posted on August 18, 2010 by David McKee

Here at S&G, we think the Caesars brand is more than worthy of the Queen City. Others don’t share our enthusiasm. Using the Horseshoe hoofprint doesn’t make sense, given that Harrah’s Entertainment rather expensively deployed that just downriver in Evansville. … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Kansas, Lyle Berman, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | 6 Comments

Suicidal in New Jersey

Posted on August 18, 2010 by David McKee

Atlantic City can just plain go to hell. That’s the message from several prominent — or simply loud — Democratic lawmakers who say Gov. Chris Christie‘s rescue plan for the city is spinach and to heck with it. Noisiest of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Rio: The final frontier?

Posted on August 13, 2010 by David McKee

Although I was hoping to keep this under wraps a few more days, reader Jeff_in_OKC connected all the dots this afternoon, so I’ll have to scoop myself. Here goes … At last week’s annual Star Trek Convention, the program contained … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, The Strip, World Series of Poker | 8 Comments

The Summer of Love(man)

Posted on August 12, 2010 by David McKee

It may be hard to believe in retrospect, but at the time of Harrah’s Entertainment‘s LBO, some analysts thought it would be partly amortized by selling off the company’s regional properties. That prompted me to write something to the effect … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Current, Detroit, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, Kansas, Marketing, Ohio, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Underwater at the Westin

Posted on August 11, 2010 by David McKee

If you’re having to go hat in hand to the bank to ask for a renegotiated home loan, take comfort in the thought that you’re hardly alone. Even plutocrats like Columbia Sussex CEO William J. Yung are having to plead … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Ameristar up for grabs

Posted on August 11, 2010 by David McKee

Having been in “stay the course” mode ever since the death of company founder Craig H. Neilsen, locals giant Ameristar Casinos is putting itself on the block. According to the New York Post, the company has hired an investment bank … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Atlantic City: It could be worse

Posted on August 10, 2010 by David McKee

Considering that table games were up and running in Delaware and gradually rolling out in Pennsylvania, it comes as a pleasant surprise to see that Atlantic City was only down 5% in July. Frankly, I was expecting much worse, especially … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, New York, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Technology, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Wasted … and the 77% solution

Posted on August 10, 2010 by David McKee

Not even the cachet of Carey Hart and occasional appearances by Pink were enough to keep Wasted Space going. The Hard Rock Hotel is calling it quits on the club, bumping it in favor of a race and sports book. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Morgans Hotel Group, Pennsylvania, Riviera, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

Case Bets: New Jersey; A lucky guy; Genting’s good fortune

Posted on August 9, 2010 by David McKee

Garden State Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) may have excluded sports betting as a new revenue source for the state’s besieged casino industry. As expected, state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D, left) tuned the governor out and continues to pursue legalization of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, International, Macau, New York, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, Tamares Group, Tourism | 1 Comment

Rising Sun; At Harry’s mercy

Posted on August 9, 2010 by David McKee

It’s not news that Japan has been mulling casino gambling for the umpteenth time. What is news is that the Diet — or rather, the General Assembly of International Sightseeing Industry Development Diet Member Association — has gotten very serious … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | 3 Comments

Gone baby, gone

Posted on August 5, 2010 by David McKee

“[T]he confidence that ­property prices and stock markets would permanently defy gravity” is a phrase that perfectly encapsulates how the casino industry got itself into its present pickle. In what other mindset could an industry convince itself that it could … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, history, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Ruffin: No bull

Posted on August 4, 2010 by David McKee

Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin and his beloved mechanical bull made a guest appearance on CNBC and, characteristically, pulled no punches. (Ruffin, that is. The bull had no comment.) Even as MGM Resorts International, Harrah’s Entertainment and Las Vegas Sands … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 6 Comments

The Tamares shuffle

Posted on August 4, 2010 by David McKee

Musical chairs continue at Tamares Group‘s downtown Las Vegas collection of crumbling casinos. Bobby Ray Harris is out as casino manager and Anthony F. Santo is in. Otherwise, it was the same old song and dance. $20 million worth of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Current, Downtown, Harrah's, history, International, Regulation, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments

East Coast winners, losers; Angle’s strange bedfellows

Posted on August 4, 2010 by David McKee

I’ve become well and truly tired of writing about Massachusetts and its political establishment’s inability to get its act together on casino legalization. Suffice it to say that with Gov. Deval Patrick and House Speaker Robert DeLeo (left) firmly entrenched … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson | 5 Comments

CityCenter: Can’t stop the bashing

Posted on August 3, 2010 by David McKee

Won’t someone please give Sharron Angle a hammer so she can go over to Aria and start smashing windows or something? (If it lets more light into that damnably dank casino floor, she’s got my vote.) The woman’s carrying a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Movies, Reno, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 30, 2010 by David McKee

“The WWW charges a resort fee? Ha ha ha ha ha.” — LVA reader “The Ump,” on Station Casinos‘ Days Inn at Wild Wild West Gambling Hall, which imposes a $4.95/night “local casino amenity fee.”

Posted in Harrah's, Station Casinos, Tourism | 4 Comments