Category Archives: Marketing

Case Bets: Station, Isle, Cosmo, Loveman & the horsey set

Posted on August 16, 2011 by David McKee

Revenue growth accelerated at Station Casinos in 2Q11, with cash flow up 8.5% (compared to +4% for the year so far). Keeping room rates steady at an average of $71 appears to have boosted occupancy, up from 81% to an … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Penn National, Pokergeddon, Politics, Racinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

The trailer was great but the movie tanked

Posted on August 14, 2011 by David McKee

All that’s missing is Megan Fox in a tank top. “OK, politics isn’t being devised for our entertainment — although given the dismal situation, finding the humor often seems the only way to get through the week.” — Paul Krugman, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Iowa, Marketing | 1 Comment

Pain in the ACH

Posted on August 12, 2011 by David McKee

In the shrinking Atlantic City market, where most of the casinos are operating in the red, it was inevitable that one or two of the so-called “parasitic” ones would bite the dust. While the ex-Atlantic City Hilton (preposterously rebranded as … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Harrah's, history, Marketing, Mississippi, Penn National, Regulation, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | 3 Comments

Elvis & Eva have left the building

Posted on August 10, 2011 by David McKee

Two axes fell upon CityCenter in one day. It’s tough to decide which is more newsworthy. I’ll go with the Beso story because it has a not-so-hidden upside. Golden Nugget CEO Tilman Fertitta is feeling sufficiently bullish to plant his … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, International, Marketing, Massachusetts, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 1 Comment

Boob job

Posted on August 5, 2011 by David McKee

Bankrupt, 38-year-old Hooters Hotel got a two-month reprieve yesterday, as owners obtained a judge’s permission to keep spending creditors’ monies to keep the place open for an additional two months. That will at least give employees time to update their … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Hooters, IGT, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 7 Comments

Oscar™

Posted on August 4, 2011 by David McKee

Considering that Sheldon Adelson would try to trademark the rays of the sun, if only he dared, who can blame Oscar Goodman for getting into the franchising game? According to Tamares Group‘s media rep, Amy Maier, the ex-mayor doesn’t own … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Marketing, Oscar Goodman, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group | Comments Off on Oscar™

Bingo returns to the Strip

Posted on July 22, 2011 by David McKee

Although it was my (much younger) wife who got me into playing bingo, let’s face it: Bingo is the archetypal — some would say stereotypical — game of the AARP set. In its latest move to attract a value-oriented, nostalgic … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, Marketing, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on Bingo returns to the Strip

Blast from the (recent) past

Posted on July 20, 2011 by David McKee

Lookee here what I found while rummaging through the body count of Carolyn Goodman‘s nascent political career: It’s everybody’s favorite ‘WTF?’ mayoral candidate Victor Chaltiel and family. The Sheldon Adelson protegé’s concern for the city of Las Vegas always seemed … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Election, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off on Blast from the (recent) past

If you liked CityCenter …

Posted on July 14, 2011 by David McKee

… you’ll lurve the “ghost cities” of China. Actually, they look more like something Sheldon Adelson would design — if Adelson were doing mile-long lines of cocaine, that is. He and others like him who own casinos in Macao better … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Downtown, Dubai, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, International, Jack Binion, Macau, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 2 Comments

Blast from the past

Posted on July 13, 2011 by David McKee

Thanks go out to reader Greg Askins for putting me onto this evocative TWA travel poster from 1965. Some of you might get a kick out of going back to a time when Yr. Humble Blogger was in short pants … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, history, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

“Family friendly Vegas” is back; Putting the “gone” in Longoria; A mess in Mississippi

Posted on July 13, 2011 by David McKee

Actually, it never left, as any casual visit to the Strip will prove. But, strapped for a marketing position, Trump International is going for the wholesome niche with a vengeance. Stuck with a lemon, Trump marketing execs are making lemonade … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Politics, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Anthony Marnell III answers your questions

Posted on July 6, 2011 by David McKee

Anonymous: What happened to the self-serve soda fountains? [They] actually became a Health Department issue. They’re very expensive to maintain and the public had basically worn them out. There were lots of problems with the syrup and things falling down … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, M Resort, Marketing, Penn National, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

So it begins

Posted on July 6, 2011 by David McKee

Slow news day: There wasn’t much worth noting yesterday, other than some preliminary numbers out of Pennsylvania (i.e., slot revenues). Table games money could change the picture but, so far, June is looking like a good month for Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Environment, M Resort, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 5, 2011 by David McKee
Posted in Marketing | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

A Tale of Two Resorts

Posted on June 27, 2011 by David McKee

As everyone knows, both Palms Casino Resort and M Resort recently changed hands, the former going to a pair of hedge funds and the latter to Penn National Gaming. Penn broke with industry tradition by keeping property CEO Anthony Marnell … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, George Maloof, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Laughlin, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes | 13 Comments

This is interesting …

Posted on June 20, 2011 by David McKee

A congressional candidate from Nevada has launched his campaign with this Red Scare-style (and somewhat jingoistic) blast at the nation upon whom some of the state’s largest employers — Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International — depend … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harrah's, International, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on This is interesting …

Where would Jesus play? Harrah’s!

Posted on June 14, 2011 by David McKee

In one of the most surprising press releases I have ever received, the 2011 Believe Crusade is coming to Harrah’s Tunica. Or rather, to “Harrah’s Mid-South Convention Center,” as the promotional materials euphemistically term it. Featuring every C-list African American … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, Marketing, Mississippi, Regulation, Reno, Tourism | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 14, 2011 by David McKee

“When a buffoon such as Donald Trump can flirt with running for president, and receive chin-stroking coverage, you know something’s gone wrong. Trump must have thought it was hilarious. And he didn’t have to spend a penny for all that … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, Marketing, TV | 6 Comments

After the flood; New captains at Tropicana Entertainment

Posted on June 8, 2011 by David McKee

What used to be the Horizon riverboat in Vicksburg is back in business as Grand Station (no relation to Station Casinos, in case you were wondering). While nearby riverboats owned by Neil Bluhm and Ameristar Casinos rode out the high … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Dennis Gomes, Harrah's, Indiana, Marketing, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Station Casinos, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on After the flood; New captains at Tropicana Entertainment

“[sic] semper tyrannis”; Sahara Sam’s rummage sale

Posted on June 4, 2011 by David McKee

One quickly becomes inured to mobile billboards in Las Vegas, lurching about the streets. (The billboards, not me.) But the one I saw this morning en route to work was an eye-grabber: “No mas en Stations [sic]” it read. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Culinary Union, Current, Downtown, Marketing, Sahara, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip | 1 Comment