Category Archives: Marketing

Wasted … and the 77% solution

Posted on August 10, 2010 by David McKee

Not even the cachet of Carey Hart and occasional appearances by Pink were enough to keep Wasted Space going. The Hard Rock Hotel is calling it quits on the club, bumping it in favor of a race and sports book. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Morgans Hotel Group, Pennsylvania, Riviera, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

Gone baby, gone

Posted on August 5, 2010 by David McKee

“[T]he confidence that ­property prices and stock markets would permanently defy gravity” is a phrase that perfectly encapsulates how the casino industry got itself into its present pickle. In what other mindset could an industry convince itself that it could … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, history, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Bad quarters for MGM, Boyd

Posted on August 3, 2010 by David McKee

Undershooting Wall Street‘s expectations for 2Q10, MGM Resorts International missed analyst projections and also took a big-ass writedown on CityCenter (above) consigning $1.2 billion to the dustbin. Hotel occupancy was up from 85% to 93% overall (although RevPAR slipped a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Business is booming … overseas

Posted on August 3, 2010 by David McKee

At some point, Peking may decide that Macao is overheated but for the moment it’s simply red-hot. Revenues vaulted 70% last month, to the tune of $2 billion U.S. dollars (or $25,435,856,924 Zimbabwean), the second-best number in Macanese history. Wynn … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Economy, Genting, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, Pansy Ho, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

The great Hilton showroom massacre (and other light news)

Posted on July 22, 2010 by David McKee

In true Colony Capital fashion, the Las Vegas Hilton continues to shed parts like a rattletrap car. Our LVA research team reports that Shimmer Cabaret fixtures Voices (“Starring the beautiful and talented Lani Misalucha“) and Sin City Bad Girls have … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Environment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on The great Hilton showroom massacre (and other light news)

Atlantic City: Christie’s coup d’etat

Posted on July 21, 2010 by David McKee

Last week, I tried to work up a piece entitled, “Atlantic City, R.I.P.” After all, the Boardwalk had just come off a catastrophic June, impacted by table games in Delaware. Since table games were in process of sweeping Pennsylvania, from … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Mob, Tourism | 6 Comments

What’s that smell at Red Rock?

Posted on July 20, 2010 by David McKee

No, it’s not the ethical stench of the Station Casinos‘ LBO/bankruptcy/reorganization process. It’s the hazmat situation brought on by the careless handling of chemicals. Chlorine was pumped into an acid tank, causing respiratory irritation, a few hospitalizations — a no … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Environment, International, Macau, Marketing, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 1 Comment

Wynn Beantown?; Adelson likes it rough; “Chico Station,” etc.

Posted on July 15, 2010 by David McKee

“Two can play this game.” That’s the message coming from Steve Wynn. Since his former Philadelphia partners are now playing footsie with Harrah’s Entertainment, Wynn is turning his back on the City of Brotherly Love and shifting his gaze to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Horseracing, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV | Comments Off on Wynn Beantown?; Adelson likes it rough; “Chico Station,” etc.

Sharron Angle, casino analyst

Posted on July 8, 2010 by David McKee

Reckless rhetoric. Last week, S&G called B.S. on senatorial aspirant Sharron Angle‘s faux solicitude for the unfinished casinos along the Strip. Turns out, if she had her way, there’d be at least one more: Aria, plus all the other components … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Donald Trump, Dubai, Economy, Election, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 6 Comments

“Project Linq”

Posted on July 1, 2010 by David McKee

I’m not sure anybody but Gary Loveman could come up with such a preposterous handle as “Project Linq” (alas, not “Linc,” as in Clarence Williams III on the Mod Squad, although that would be pretty cool) for Harrah’s Entertainment‘s street … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Marketing, Massachusetts, Politics, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | 6 Comments

Cosmo: Blueprint for failure?

Posted on July 1, 2010 by David McKee

Geez, I’ve not been feeling pessimistic about the Dec. 15 debut of the Cosmopolitan … until somebody forwarded me a copy of a Bill Lerner analysis of the property. Now I’m worried. After walking the place, Lerner found it to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Brad Garrett: Enter at your own risk; Bargains & magnanimity

Posted on June 30, 2010 by David McKee

First, the good news. After going null for two with Paul Rodriguez (PR nightmare) and Wayne Newton (artistic disaster), the Tropicana Las Vegas appears to have swatted an 0-2 pitch into the bleachers. Brad Garrett‘s eponymous comedy club is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, Marketing, Movies, Regulation, Reno, The Strip, Tourism, Wayne F. Newton | 1 Comment

Dick Cheney, casino headliner

Posted on June 29, 2010 by David McKee

It’s no joke. The ex-veep is part of a new entertainment regime at the Atlantic City Hilton. After nearly mismanaging the property into extinction, owner Colony Capital has given President Michael Frawley $20 million, which Frawley’s plowing into a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Marketing, Politics | 5 Comments

MGM Mirage jumps the shark

Posted on June 15, 2010 by David McKee

A foolish band of MGM Mirage shareholders did its best imitation of a herd of sheep and voted through management’s absolutely dreadful idea of renaming the company MGM Resorts International. So June 15 marks the date that the Mirage Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn | 4 Comments

Cool breeze from Macao; Harrah’s panty raid stymied

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

One of Stanley Ho‘s lieutenants has scanned the 2010 horizon and doesn’t like what he sees. Sociedade de Jogos de Macau division president Frank McFadden believes VIP play will soften in 3Q-4Q10, as stock-market losses take their toll (a viewed … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Harry Reid, James Packer, Kansas, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn | 6 Comments

Sands Bethlehem breaks ground … again

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

No, that’s not a joke. Las Vegas Sands held a “grand re-groundbreaking” on the hotel portion of its white elephant, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. When money ran short, Sands ditched everything but the parking lot and casino, leaving the hotel … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Economy, Marketing, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

What is “brand equity”?

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

Isle of Capri execs break it down for us in this newly released video. Of course, the specific components of “brand equity” at Wynn Resorts would be quite different, as they would at Harrah’s Entertainment, etc. Isle was one of … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 4 Comments

Look who’s getting into the pool-party scene

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

If you seek a casino pool on the Strip that’s relaxing, quiet and douchebag-free, my experience says, “Try the Riviera.” After all, “tranquil” and “Vegas” needn’t be oxymoronic. But Riv management’s out to change all that … OK, one doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Marketing, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on Look who’s getting into the pool-party scene

I stand corrected

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

Kudos to the reader who caught my boo-boo regarding casinos built over interstate highways: Regarding a U.S. casino sitting astride a highway, please note that John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks (outside of Reno) sits astride Interstate 80. He went on … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Marketing, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Missouri, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Reno, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on I stand corrected

So much news …

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

… so little time. East Coast casinos are stepping up their Asian-American marketing … and people are complaining? Don’t do it and you’re culturally insensitive. Do it and you’re predatory. This is one of those perception battles casinos will never … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Indiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments