Category Archives: Harrah's

Case Bets: Packer & Ho, Sands Bethlehem, MGM Mirage, Ameristar, Penn, Harrah's, etc.

Posted on June 3, 2009 by David McKee

• Smashing guitars — but not over each other’s noggins — James Packer and Lawrence Ho christened City of Dreams. The younger Ho downplayed expectations of foot traffic, saying his $2.4 billion megaresort could get by on far fewer visitors … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Iowa, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Wall Street | Comments Off

Reid rewarded, Trop rescued

Posted on June 3, 2009 by David McKee

… Sen. Harry Reid's (D-NV) efforts on behalf of the casino industry have not gone unrewarded. If you can follow this formatting garble, you'll see that his donors include not only Tim & Tom, late of the Golden Nugget, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Margaritaville wastes away

Posted on June 2, 2009 by David McKee

In an utterly (not) shocking development, the interminably protracted sale of Trump Marina has given up the ghost. This deal was on life support for months, so today’s bulletin merely ratifies the inevitable. The would-be reinvention of the Marina as … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Silverton, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

By request …

Posted on June 1, 2009 by David McKee

A reader from the heartland of this great country wanted to know whether LVA HQ provided a good vantage point for a United Way car wash at The Rio last Friday. Since I have but an obstructed view of The … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Charity, Harrah's, Labor, The Strip | Comments Off

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 →

Posted in ABBA, Entertainment, Harrah's, Technology | Comments Off

Oscar Goodman, Voice of Reason

Posted on May 21, 2009 by David McKee

Even as MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren and Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin are preparing to stomp out any incipient recovery in Las Vegas by jacking up room rates, words of restraint are coming from the unlikeliest of sources: Mayor … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Economy, Harrah's, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, The Strip | Comments Off

Surrender in Atlantic City?

Posted on May 20, 2009 by David McKee

Yesterday, I mis-reported New Jersey state Sen. James Whelan's proposal for downsizing the state's regulatory apparatus. He didn't call for elimination of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission in favor of the Division of Gaming Enforcement, merely an unspecified removal … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos | Comments Off

The MGM/Pansy Ho verdict: It's in and it's bad

Posted on May 19, 2009 by David McKee

After nearly four years of investigation, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has released its long-awaited “suitability” findings on MGM Mirage joint-venture partner Pansy Ho. As MGM itself reported to the SEC yesterday, “While the report itself is confidential, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

"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

"Another one bites the dust"

Posted on May 15, 2009 by David McKee

That’s how a reader informed me of Las Vegas-based Golden Gaming‘s decision to bail on Wyandotte County in Kansas. Considering that you’ve got Harrah’s Entertainment, Ameristar Casinos, etc. firmly entrenched across the state line in Kansas City, Mo., and Isle … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Penn National, Regulation, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off

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

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

Harrah's takes out the garbage; Yemenidjian's return

Posted on May 5, 2009 by David McKee

Congratulations — I think — to new Harrah's Entertainment General Counsel Timothy R. Donovan. A graduate of The Ohio State University, Mr. Donovan comes to Harrah's by way of the garbage industry. Considering that picking up the trash around Harrah's … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Harrah's, Indiana, Regulation, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

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

Exit, pursued by a bear market

Posted on April 17, 2009 by David McKee

Aside from the occasional murmur by Wynn Las Vegas prexy Andrew Pascal, executives at Wynn Resorts keep a low (read: invisible) profile. Even the most assiduous follower of the casino industry would have trouble naming Wynn’s CFO off the cuff. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Encore, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Garber to Harrah's? Apparently not

Posted on April 16, 2009 by David McKee

So is former PartyGaming PLC supremo Mitch Garber going to Harrah’s Entertainment or isn’t he? As of yesterday, it appears that the company is denyinga London Times report that it had signed Garber to head up a conglomeration of its … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Case Bets: Seminoles, Iverson, Harrah's, PartyGaming, Station's luck, etc.

Posted on April 15, 2009 by David McKee

Down in Florida, the tide may be turning in favor of the Seminole Tribe. Both the Florida Retail Federation and Restaurant Lodging Association have thrown their support behind the status quo, as represented by Gov. Charlie Crist‘s Class III casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Detroit, Don Barden, Florida, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sports, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Mandalay Bay is best in LV

Posted on April 6, 2009 by David McKee

It may be tempting fate to mention this, but online voters like Mandalay Bay best among Strip casinos … or, at bare minimum, dislike it the least. Voters in the Steve Friess "Stripper Poll" on which casino most ought to … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Case Bets: Kansas update, Cordish's push, Penn's prudence, taxing sex

Posted on April 3, 2009 by David McKee

Details of Lakes Entertainment‘s just-under-the-wire entry into the Kansas casino derby are beginning to emerge — and it looks a bit half-assed. Particularly non-confidence-inspiring was the admission, “We’re going to go find the cash.” If somebody as flush as Phil … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Harrah's, Horseracing, Kansas, MGM Mirage, Taxes, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Leper Colony

Posted on April 3, 2009 by David McKee

Or, in lieu of "Atlantic City Death Watch VII," maybe "Colony Death Watch." Scarcely had S&G dubbed Colony Capital's East Coast casino portfolio "Colony Crapital" than came affirmation in the form of the latest set of numbers from the Boardwalk. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn | Comments Off