Category Archives: Marketing

Adieu F-bleau, hello Hollywood?

Posted on October 26, 2009 by David McKee

Look what just fell into the S&G mailbag: Beginning January 1, 2010 Penn National Gaming will partner with RPM Advertising to develop and execute a brand identity for Hollywood Casinos. The full service assignment will incorporate research, brand development, media … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Ohio slots slip sliding away?

Posted on October 19, 2009 by David McKee

A sample conducted by the tag team of TruthPac and Strategic Polling finds support for the Ohio casino initiative backed by Penn National Gaming polling below 50%. Casinos still have a slight edge (48%/43%, with 8% undecided) … so in … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Marketing, Maryland, Ohio, Racinos | Comments Off

A deal @ Vdara

Posted on October 19, 2009 by David McKee

Just as I said, CityCenter is becoming the mid-market epicenter of Las Vegas. Today's mailbag yielded a $129/night offer for Vdara, plus $50 in amenity credits — more evidence of the downward pressure CityCenter is exerting on the Strip. But … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off

Only in Nevada

Posted on October 16, 2009 by David McKee

To end the week on a note of levity: For the second time this year, both Gov. Jim Gibbons and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki got it into their heads to be out of state simultaneously. (One senses that they don't … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Harry Reid, Marketing, MGM Mirage, New York, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off

Aria drives prices … down

Posted on October 16, 2009 by David McKee

Contrary to repeated assertions by J.P. Morgan, it would appear that MGM Mirage is putting out promotional specials for Bellagio … and very aggressively so. Note however, that Steve Wynn's masterpiece is maintaining its price point and Aria is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sahara, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

Hope for Boardwalk?

Posted on October 13, 2009 by David McKee

As you know, S&G puts more stock in year/year comparisons than sequential ones, but the most recent set from Atlantic City affords a slender reed of hope. With the help of tighter slots, A.C. held its September decline to 6%, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Marketing, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Story of the Year

Posted on October 8, 2009 by David McKee

I want the movie rights to this. 'Nuff said. We're #1! For an overdue change, Nevada leads the nation in a good category (first item). And, if you scroll waaaaaaaaaaaay to the bottom, there's an interesting bit about and airfare-and-room … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, International, Marketing, Pets, Steve Wynn, Technology, Transportation | Comments Off

From the mailbag #8

Posted on October 5, 2009 by David McKee

“Doesn’t the IOC realise it will be winter in Brazil in August, 2016?” — comment Blackberried in by a reader, regarding the award of the ’16 games to Rio de Janeiro. Y’know, I’d been wondering about that myself. The average … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Election, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Oscar Goodman, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore | 1 Comment

Macao's blockbuster month

Posted on October 2, 2009 by David McKee

A flurry of good news to end the week, starting in Macao: September, the first month affected by a relaxation of severe visa restrictions imposed on the mainland, saw a 53% jump in Macanese gambling revenues. In terms of market … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

Buy our casino, please!

Posted on September 29, 2009 by David McKee

Any well-furnished casino that doesn’t try to monetize its fine appointments is missing a revenue opportunity. However, it’s one thing to covet the lovely furnishings of, say, the Sky Lofts at MGM Grand. It’s quite another to check into a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Harrah's, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

'Phantom' fans hit Vegas

Posted on September 17, 2009 by David McKee

Heaven knows, there are conventions for soap operas, sitcoms and every iteration of science fiction (I’ve been to more than a few of the latter). But a fan convention for a Broadway show? That’s unheard of. Yesterday, fans of Phantom … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, TV | Comments Off

Blimps on the radar

Posted on September 10, 2009 by David McKee

Dipping into the dispatch box, S&G finds the following tidbits, courtesy of the nice people at J.P. Morgan: Alex Yemenidjian is serious about revamping the Tropicana Las Vegas. He's just inked a contract with Bally Technologies for a player-tracking system … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, CityCenter, Detroit, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | Comments Off

From the mailbag #4: California, tech troubles & 'resort fees'

Posted on September 10, 2009 by David McKee

Reader Kerr Mudgeon is less than amused by a recent dig at the cuisine offered by Commerce Casino to California firefighters. He writes: "The firefighters can go to numerous other nearby eateries if they don't like the FREE meals offered … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

'Peepshow''s little Hitler problem

Posted on September 8, 2009 by David McKee

Congratulations (not!) to the producers of Peepshow, whose rent-a-headliner stratagem has finally blown up in their faces. They're replacing a Jew (Shoshana Bean) with a fan of the leadership abilities of — I kid you not — Adolf Hitler. Oh, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Entertainment, International, Macau, Marketing, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Singapore, Technology | Comments Off

"Viva Elvis"

Posted on September 2, 2009 by David McKee

Yes, Viva Elvis will be the long-awaited, enshrouded-in-secrecy title of the Cirque du Soleil show scheduled to debut this December at CityCenter.* Wow, they must have had to really burn the midnight oil in Montreal to come up with that … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Reality check

Posted on August 18, 2009 by David McKee

It's sackcloth-and-ashes time at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, which ran another "The end is nigh" story about falling gambling revenues. (The Aliante Station Effect appears to have petered out in North Las Vegas.) Yes, we're all the way down, down, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, North Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Tamares' animal cruelty

Posted on August 14, 2009 by David McKee

Man about town Steve Friess has all the gory details, plus video: Now that new owners have actually made the ex-Tamares Group dump the Gold Spike actually rather spiffy and friendly, the Vegas Club now takes the wilted palm of … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Downtown, Marketing, Tamares Group | Comments Off

Kitty rescue at Caesars; Stingy Station

Posted on August 14, 2009 by David McKee

As we were driving to LVA HQ this morning, we spotted a disoriented-looking little cat running through the Flamingo Rd./I-15 interchange, across from Caesars Palace. We were in a quandary about what to do until it turned and started ambling … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pets, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off

Case Bets: Hard Rock, Puck, Station, Greek Isles

Posted on July 29, 2009 by David McKee

Morgans Hotel Group has never seemed able to make up its mind about what to do with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (one of the stranger acquisitions of recent years). Then-CEO Ed Scheetz came in talking big about classing … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Morgans Hotel Group, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

Strange happenings at Penn Nat'l, Harrah's

Posted on July 29, 2009 by David McKee

While everybody's been focusing on the implosion of Station Casinos, the analysts at J.P. Morgan snuck out one of the more unusual (and entertaining) reports I've ever come across. They pored over Penn's 2Q09 filing and had some tales to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Station Casinos, Wall Street | Comments Off