Category Archives: Harrah's

"Link" to Nowhere

Posted on July 21, 2009 by David McKee

On and off, over a four-year period, Harrah’s Entertainment teased journalists (and, by extension, the public) with hints of a really big project to be announced really soon … whenever they got around to it, that is. Well, the Harrah’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on "Link" to Nowhere

The dream is dying

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

Just last week, UNLV‘s historical sage, Dr. Eugene Moehring, was taking a dim view of the fate of Las Vegas’ working class. Now comes the Wall Street Journal to back him up with some sobering reportage. Even at union salaries, Culinary … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Encore, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, LVCVA, M Resort, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Plaza, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on The dream is dying

Case Bets: M Resort, bad debt, Wall Street's bomb

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

After fairly flying out of the gate, M Resort has hit the wall. Unfortunately, CEO Anthony Marnell III's response to economic adversity has been to sweat the value propositions. Not only is M fretting about card counters (hands down, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, M Resort, Marketing, Regulation, Sahara, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: M Resort, bad debt, Wall Street's bomb

Wynn goes to Monaco

Posted on July 20, 2009 by David McKee

Maybe this just goes in the "pipe dream" category, but a Culver City architectural firm has posted renderings that indicate Steve Wynn is/was thinking of extending his brand to Monaco. A description is said to be "coming soon." In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Harrah's, International, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Wynn goes to Monaco

To blog or not to blog?

Posted on July 15, 2009 by David McKee

That is the question for today. It's not the larger, existential question of whether the opinions of one curmudgeonly blogger amount to a hill of beans in this world, especially when even the village idiot has a cyber-soapbox. No, it's … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Technology, TV | Comments Off on To blog or not to blog?

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 14, 2009 by David McKee

“Did these companies come in and make Harrah’s and Station better companies? Not really. In the case of Harrah’s, they have made things worse.” — T. Rowe Price portfolio manager Joe Fath on the effects of private equity buyouts on … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Harrah's, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Competition forces sanity

Posted on July 13, 2009 by David McKee

While the Bible Belt may hold out until the bitter end, we may finally be seeing the demise of the "boats in moats" arrangement, a fig leaf that enabled Midwestern states to blushingly accept casino money. Illinois has started phasing … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Taxes | Comments Off on Competition forces sanity

Rough trade

Posted on July 13, 2009 by David McKee

May wasn't great for Las Vegas, to say the least, with hotel occupancy -6%, a figure somewhat amplified by the presence of 3% more hotel rooms. The local ADR of $96.96 would have been regarded as real money back in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Regulation, Slot routes, The Strip | Comments Off on Rough trade

Case Bets: CityCenter, W, Bernie Goldstein, Roger Thomas

Posted on July 7, 2009 by David McKee

Some rueful condo buyers are probably calling MGM Mirage‘s ultra-mega-super-duper resort “ShittyCenter,” judging by their ire. It’s difficult to know with whom to sympathize in this ongoing dispute. Condo depositors want to renegotiate prices (which range all the way up … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Current, Economy, Encore, Fontainebleau, G2E, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Case Bets: CityCenter, W, Bernie Goldstein, Roger Thomas

Harrah's goes to the dogs

Posted on June 30, 2009 by David McKee

Harrah’s Entertainment is poking its snout into the prospect of obtaining a management contract at bankrupt Twin River Casino, a dog track with VLTs in Rhode Island. The paraphrase of the explanation given by Harrah’s senior veep Jan Jones seems … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Colony Capital, Harrah's, Massachusetts, Politics, Problem gambling, Taxes | Comments Off on Harrah's goes to the dogs

The Trop heist that wasn't

Posted on June 26, 2009 by David McKee

"An improvident indictment." That's what New Jersey officials are calling a case that was quietly quashed in May. Sacked Borgata veep John Conklin and two other men had been charged with plundering the Tropicana Atlantic City's database when they were … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Kansas, Neil Bluhm, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off on The Trop heist that wasn't

Case Bets: California, Packer pickle, Macao pix, Holy Cow!, Singapore, RoboPoker, etc.

Posted on June 25, 2009 by David McKee

Editor’s note: An item involving Crown Ltd. contained factual errors, which have been corrected (as you’ll see). I apologize for the misinformation. My thanks to the reader who pulled my head out of my @$$. California gamblers stay and play … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, California, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Genting, Harrah's, Holy Cow, International, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Louisiana, Macau, New York, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Case Bets: California, Packer pickle, Macao pix, Holy Cow!, Singapore, RoboPoker, etc.

Don't do it, Alex!

Posted on June 25, 2009 by David McKee

Noooooooo! That was my reaction upon reading the Mike Weatherford shocker that the Tropicana Las Vegas may be putting many of its future entertainment eggs in the basket of Anthony Cools. The latter produced an ultra-craptacular topless show, Ooh La … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Don't do it, Alex!

Seven essential Web sites … and other news

Posted on June 25, 2009 by David McKee

Yes, you too can can be a gaming-industry blogger, with the help of but a few absolutely indispensable Web sites. The ones that I check Monday-Friday without fail (and, as they say on Dancing with the Stars, “in no particular … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Current, Entertainment, G2E, Harrah's, International, Macau, Movies, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Seven essential Web sites … and other news

By request …

Posted on June 24, 2009 by David McKee

'Tis another day of hopscotching betwixt the doctor and the dentist, which sure cuts into quality blogging time (as did a nasty attack of fibromyalgia yesterday). However, by reader request, we present this special, (not) exclusive S&G photo of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on By request …

Harrah’s Azov?

Posted on June 18, 2009 by David McKee

Bloomberg News reports the following: Harrah’s Entertainment, the world’s biggest casino company, may build a resort on the Azov Sea, Vedomosti reported Tuesday. Harrah’s may join U.S. construction company Asati in building a complex in Azov-City, one of four gambling … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Atlantic City, Charity, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Harrah's, International, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Sahara, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Scratch one Europoseur

Train to Nowhere II

Posted on June 15, 2009 by David McKee

Sig Rogich's choo-choo to nowhere won't really be the privately funded enterprise that it's being sold as, the Las Vegas Sun helpfully explains. Bottom line: Rail transportation is inherently unprofitable, so you and I will be ponying up for the … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Harrah's, Politics, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, TV | Comments Off on Train to Nowhere II

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

Making out like bandits

Posted on June 5, 2009 by David McKee

In Business Las Vegas has crunched the numbers in its annual survey of Sin City's most highly paid executives. Not surprisingly, the list prominently features two companies — Harrah's Entertainment and Station Casinos — whose overpaid leadership has steered them … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos | Comments Off on Making out like bandits