Category Archives: history

Hard Rock: Oh no!; Bellago bandit busted

Posted on February 3, 2011 by David McKee

Is there anybody who could probably run the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino worse than hapless Morgans Hotel Group? We may soon find out as Navegante Group has been announced as operator-to-be by NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. The latter, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Wall Street | 6 Comments

The sky is falling!

Posted on February 1, 2011 by David McKee

Or so you’d think, to hear the reaction to the news that Florida is contemplating bringing a micromanaged form of casino gambling to its fair shores. S&G readers are well rehearsed in the flaws of the bill being contemplated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Hawaii, history, Ohio, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Stanley Ho abdicates

Posted on January 26, 2011 by David McKee

So this is how Stanley Ho‘s world ends: Not with a bang but with the ancient casino vizier giving a televised address in which he laboriously delivered lines from a cue card and ceded control of his Sociedade de Turismo … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, G2E, history, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

The case of the ‘missing’ Moore; Waiting for Macao

Posted on January 20, 2011 by David McKee

Recent photo coverage of the makeover of CityCenter‘s famous/notorious “pocket park” made it appear as though the Henry Moore sculpture (best thing in CityCenter, IMO) had gone missing. Was MGM Resorts International retreating from its commitment to public after a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, history, Lake Tahoe, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Reno, The Strip | 1 Comment

Mr. Glick on Line 1!

Posted on January 13, 2011 by David McKee

Mr. Captain of Industry there is Allen R. Glick (1942- ), front man for the infamous Stardust skim. I’ll be spending some quality time with Mr. Glick’s curriculum vitae this afternoon, as he’s to be the subject of a forthcoming … Continue reading →

Posted in history, The Mob, The Strip | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 6, 2011 by David McKee

“Jim Gibbons … started out wanting to be governor because there was an office called governor and he was next in line. But instead of being changed by the experience, of rising above himself, his pride and his stubborn ideology, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, history, Midnight Jim Gibbons | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 5, 2011 by David McKee

“Suppose Prohibition of alcohol had just been repealed. The hypothetical owner of the first and only liquor store in a state would make a fantastic return on investment. But soon, if there were no government controls, there would be liquor … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, history, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 30, 2010 by David McKee

“I am not allowed to mail a lottery ticket from my home in Encino to a friend in Las Vegas, because federal law does not want the good people of Nevada hearing about the evils of California‘s legal gambling.” — … Continue reading →

Posted in California, history, Louisiana, Regulation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 17, 2010 by David McKee

“The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.” – H. L. Mencken

Posted in history | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Case Bets: Caliendo, ColSux & Sixty Votes’ latest

Posted on December 10, 2010 by David McKee

After 14 months on the job as Monte Carlo‘s resident headliner, Frank Caliendo is calling it quits, effective some time next spring. The impressionist and Fox Sports regular cited having to spend time away from his family and the rigors … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, history, Kentucky, Lake Tahoe, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sahara, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Nevada: “Cautious optimism”

Posted on December 9, 2010 by David McKee

That’s how UNLV‘s gaming guru, Prof. David G. Schwartz, describes his reaction to the October revenue numbers, released today. The 11% autumnal bounce may be less notable for the fact that the Strip was up 16% than the fact that … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Downtown, Economy, history, International, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Pets, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Cosmo rides the wave; Old Sixty Votes rides again

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

It may be $1.9 billion over budget and 2.5 years behind schedule but The Cosmopolitan appears to be hitting the market with perfect timing. That’s good news for the 5,000 employees who are furiously getting acclimated with the new megaresort. … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, history, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Steve Wynn has a Rembrandt and you don’t

Posted on December 7, 2010 by David McKee

Uploaded just a couple of hours ago, here is the Wynn Resorts CEO making his first Facebook video on behalf of Twyla Tharp‘s Sinatra: Dance with Me. Could the touring attraction become a permanent fixture of Wynncore? We can but … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, history, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Steve Wynn has a Rembrandt and you don’t

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 3, 2010 by David McKee

Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Steve Wynn … Unlike many other CEOs, Wynn expresses himself with clarity and a precise vocabulary that shows his English Lit degree is more than just a sheepskin on a wall.

Posted in Architecture, Entertainment, history, Marketing, The Strip | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 23, 2010 by David McKee

“We overpaid for it and the previous owners had totally given up on taking care of the property. They stopped replacing lightbulbs, they stopped putting in air-conditioning filters. When a filter was clogged it was just removed and no replacement … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., history, Sahara, The Strip | 10 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 20, 2010 by David McKee

“Sometimes dictators have good ideas.” — local eccentric Sharron Angle, lauding one of her intellectual role models. I swear, you can’t make this stuff up.

Posted in Current, history | 1 Comment

Tropicana memory lane

Posted on November 10, 2010 by David McKee

Heartfelt thanks to S&G reader Pete F. for sharing his video of the Tropicana Las Vegas‘ Tokyo Suite, circa 2005. That’d be in the waning days of the Aztar Corp. era, while the footage above was taken during the short-lived … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Current, Entertainment, history, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 12 Comments

Gaming’s big election night; Coming attractions

Posted on November 9, 2010 by David McKee

This just in: Fuming over a 5,000-vote-plus margin of defeat, opponents of a casino in western Maine are demanding a recount. Casino developer Black Bear Entertainment calls this “a needlessly divisive exercise.” Do I sense the subtle touch of Penn … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Downtown, Economy, Election, Environment, history, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn National, Racinos, Sahara | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 8, 2010 by David McKee

“In the face of all those challenges, like our Gilded Age forebears, we have a political system that manages to be both volatile and gridlocked — indeed, it may be gridlocked not least because it is so volatile. And, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, history | 4 Comments

Reality check

Posted on October 29, 2010 by David McKee

My wife and I have stopped answering the phone due to a deluge of robocalls on behalf of various candidates. (Please stop ringing us up, President Obama, and that goes for “Jack” at American Crossroads, too. Hit the road.) The … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, history, Marketing, TV | 1 Comment