Category Archives: Marketing

“It was 20 years ago today …”

Posted on May 8, 2012 by David McKee

Well, not quite. But with the Southern Gaming Summit convening today in Biloxi, it’s as good a moment as any to look back on the quaint beginnings of what’s now a kind of American Riviera. Eleven casinos, 5,598 hotel rooms, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, history, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Mississippi, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on “It was 20 years ago today …”

St. Louis: Penn in, Harrah’s out

Posted on May 8, 2012 by David McKee

A ways back, the news broke that Caesars Entertainment — being well and truly on its uppers — was trying to shop as many as 10 Southern and Midwest casinos. The goal was to raise at least $500 million to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Current, Election, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Iowa, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 25, 2012 by David McKee

“Madam President, I’ll come home tonight … and there’ll be some mail there. A lot of it is what some people refer to as junk mail, but for the people who are sending that mail, it’s very important. And when … Continue reading →

Posted in Harry Reid, Marketing | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Worst operator of 2011; GSA’s wrong amount of wrong

Posted on April 4, 2012 by David McKee

Worst of the year? That’d be Grand Station Casino, a former Harrah’s riverboat in Vicksburg, and its owners, Delta Development & Investments. They managed to parlay a $3.25 million steal of a casino that could have gone for $35 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Culinary Union, Current, Economy, Harry Reid, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Mississippi, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Revel gets a rave review

Posted on April 4, 2012 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli took a jaunt down to Atlantic City to check out Revel, the biggest noise on the Boardwalk in almost a decade. He thought … well, let him tell it: “From the check in reception area, complete … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Dennis Gomes, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Genting, Harrah's, Marketing, New York, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Like I said …

Posted on March 28, 2012 by David McKee

That MGM Resorts International casino project in Massachusetts looked like a long shot to me — and so it was. After a high-profile launch, complete with a personal appearance by CEO Jim Murren, a dedicated Web site and a promised … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Election, Goldman Sachs, Indiana, International, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Choy challenges Vegas

Posted on March 28, 2012 by David McKee

This is the conclusion of a two-part interview with Riviera boss Andy Choy in which he answers questions submitted by S&G readers. Can the Riv survive if nothing is done with the Sahara, Fontainebleau or Echelon sites for another five … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, LVCVA, Marketing, Plaza, Riviera, Sahara, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 3 Comments

Andy Choy takes your questions

Posted on March 27, 2012 by David McKee

The music you play in the casino hasn’t changed for a very long time. It’s all sad, lost love, women complaining about bad, bad men, and very loud music. It makes me want to run out of the casino. Don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, history, Marketing, Riviera, Technology, The Strip | 10 Comments

Finally …

Posted on March 26, 2012 by David McKee

… a set-in-Vegas commercial that’s really funny (with the Plaza Las Vegas making a cameo appearance). This would make make me want to come here a lot more than that hopelessly twee “Bohemian Rhapsody” spot for The Cosmopolitan that’s making … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Downtown, Marketing, Tamares Group, TV | Comments Off on Finally …

Bad timing; The wrong amount of WTF?; Uncle Sheldon speaks

Posted on March 23, 2012 by David McKee

Surely the worst entertainment coverage in Vegas is Wayne’s World, penned by former Lance Burton flack Wayne Bernath. A copy of his April effort (pictured) is available upon request, as it’s sure to be a collector’s item — along the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Marketing, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Aria: Take it again from the top, boys

Posted on March 22, 2012 by David McKee

Y’all remember that ‘consciousness-raising’ campaign MGM Resorts International announced on behalf of Aria, earlier this week. The first in a six-part series of videos, The Reveal, went live late this afternoon. Subsequent blipverts will include The Motive and Entrapment. (It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Singapore: Many called, two chosen; Tunica catches a break

Posted on March 22, 2012 by David McKee

VIP junket operators are coming to Singapore, J.P. Morgan stock analysts reported. Actually, they’re already there in the form of “shadow junkets,” according to Singaporean media. And if Las Vegas Sands or Genting Berhad are knowingly dealing with illegal junketeers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Economy, Florida, Genting, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pokergeddon, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, South Carolina, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Technology, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Ides of March: Caesars, MGM, Wynn court Wall Street

Posted on March 21, 2012 by David McKee

Evidently J.P. Morgan‘s Gaming, Lodging & Leisure Management Access Forum, being held this week at Wynncore, isn’t sufficiently important to merit the attendance of Big Gaming’s CEOs. If Steve Wynn couldn’t make the stroll from his office to Encore’s meeting … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Detroit, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 2 Comments

Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

Posted on March 20, 2012 by David McKee

There will be Ice Capades in Hell before Sheldon Adelson sets foot in Encore, I should expect. However, with J.P. Morgan holding an investor conference at Wynncore, it would be poor form of Las Vegas Sands — currently the darling … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Louisiana, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Adelson minions visit Encore: Big Gaming courts Wall Street

Moody’s no longer moody on Vegas; Golden Gate upsizes

Posted on March 20, 2012 by David McKee

Caution, thy name is Moody’s Investors Service. So if Moody’s is bullish on the near-term future of Las Vegas, I guess we can well and truly believe that a recovery is here … well, on the Strip. Away from Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Dennis Gomes, Derek Stevens, Don Barden, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Gary Goett, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

End of an era; Butera: Down is the new up

Posted on March 16, 2012 by David McKee

Bunny blues. Given the travails affecting Hugh Hefner‘s eroding PEI empire — including a recent abandonment of its Chicago offices and spinoff of its Cyber Club — it was only a matter of very little time before the Palms’ franchised … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, George Maloof, International, Marketing, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on End of an era; Butera: Down is the new up

Dan Lee calls it quits; Who let Big Dawg’s out?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by David McKee

Having seen the handwriting on the wall, Dan Lee has sold his Creative Casinos of Louisiana to regional rival Ameristar Casinos for a measly $32.5 million. Bankers were having difficulty computing Lee + Lake Charles = Mojito Pointe. Financing prospects … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Dan Lee, Economy, Georgia, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Wall Street | 4 Comments

R.I.P., Dennis Gomes; Casino avalanche in Michigan; Life after UIGEA

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

There are few real characters in the casino industry anymore. Dennis Gomes (1944-2012) was one of them. His recent death put a premature “full stop” on one of the most colorful and wide-ranging careers gaming has seen. After all, how … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Dennis Gomes, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Ohio, Penn National, Pokergeddon, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on R.I.P., Dennis Gomes; Casino avalanche in Michigan; Life after UIGEA

Biloxi: Isle out, Landry’s in; Grind joints come to Atlantic City

Posted on March 5, 2012 by David McKee

Not even a rocky start in Atlantic City has cooled the ardor of Landry’s Restaurant CEO Tilman Fertitta for new casino acquisitions. Earlier today Landry’s announced that it had bought Isle Casino Hotel, putting Fertitta into the Biloxi market. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Downtown, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 21, 2012 by David McKee

“I don’t believe in negative campaigning. I believe in saying that my opponents are very good people and I’m confident a lot of them would do a good job, but I would do a better job, and here’s why.” — … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson | 1 Comment