Category Archives: MGM Mirage

Springfield: Ameristar pulls the chicken switch

Posted on December 3, 2012 by David McKee

In an even more surprising development than Steve Wynn getting voted out of Foxborough, the seemingly leading contender for a western Massachusetts casino abruptly withdrew from the fray last Friday night. In a stunning abdication, Ameristar Casinos CEO Gordon Kanofsky … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Springfield: Ameristar pulls the chicken switch

Vegas: Is recovery finally for real?

Posted on December 1, 2012 by David McKee

So says the Brookings Institute, which raised Las Vegas to 194th from 245th in GDP (now at $47K/year) and job growth over the last year, behind such feeder markets as Bakersfield, California and Monterrey, Mexico. That’s the first year of … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Iowa, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 1 Comment

If you’re staying at a Hilton …

Posted on November 30, 2012 by David McKee

Here’s a handy guide to using the online Las Vegas guidebooks written by yours truly — sort of a tourist’s extension of S&G, available through all Hilton-branded hotels and timeshares. Since these only concentrate on carefully selected highlights of Sin … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Capitol Hill and Internet poker: Too little, too late (as usual)

Posted on November 28, 2012 by David McKee

Despite support from an unlikely coalition that includes the American Gaming Association, the National Fraternal Order of Police and the National Association of Convenience Stores, federal legalization of Internet poker seems no closer in the 2012 lame duck session of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Harry Reid, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation | 3 Comments

Lou Lang up to old tricks; Dog-and-pony show at Sahara

Posted on November 20, 2012 by David McKee

For months, state Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), has been threatening to push an enormous gambling expansion through the Illinois Legislature during its lame-duck session. He says he’s “getting very close” but we’ve heard that kind of braying from Lang previously. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Carl Icahn, Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 4 Comments

A tale of two Penns

Posted on November 16, 2012 by David McKee

Update: Seeking Alpha’s Brad Thomas has run the numbers on the Penn split and doesn’t like the risk/reward scenario. Fifteen years and many consolidations ago, the casino industry was seized by a brain fever. It was set off by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cordish Co., Harrah's, history, Indiana, International, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

New cowgirl in town; “Zarkana” opens quietly

Posted on November 15, 2012 by David McKee

There may be a new Cirque du Soleil production show at Aria but it’s been drowned out in the thundering hooves and comparable hype that marked Shania Twain‘s arrival at Caesars Palace. It was quite a sight: 20 horses and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Pinnacle’s Vietnamese quagmire; Caesars’ South American pullback

Posted on November 12, 2012 by David McKee

Last Friday, Pinnacle Entertainment tiptoed out with a little bombshell that may have detonated into your e-mail or stock portfolio. In brief: Vietnam‘s planned Ho Tram Strip casino resort is in deep shit. As a 26% owner of the project, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Dan Gilbert, Harrah's, International, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Betting on our future; Wretched excess in Maryland; Penn perseveres

Posted on November 6, 2012 by David McKee

While the voters have not yet spoken (although they’re getting an early start here), the betting markets are feeling less restraint. While the amount wagered online on the results of today’s presidential election — $16 million, according to one source … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Election, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Politics, Tribal | Comments Off on Betting on our future; Wretched excess in Maryland; Penn perseveres

Election Special: Maryland, down to the wire

Posted on November 5, 2012 by David McKee

And now the biggie: Question 7. The quickest way to summarize this is to paraphrase what C.S. Lewis said of Christianity — that slot parlors in Maryland hadn’t been tried and found wanting but were an idea that had been … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, TV, West Virginia | 4 Comments

Third-quarter blahs: Ameristar, Boyd, MGM; Crackdown in Alabama

Posted on November 2, 2012 by David McKee

While nobody quite matched the $221 million loss posted by Caesars Entertainment, the gaming industry didn’t lack for underachievers in 3Q12, thanks largely to softness in domestic casino markets. Ameristar Casinos reported a $16 million profit, despite a 2% revenue … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colorado, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Environment, Harrah's, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Third-quarter blahs: Ameristar, Boyd, MGM; Crackdown in Alabama

Shadow-puppetry at the Sahara; TropiHilton of LV; Melco goes southerly

Posted on October 26, 2012 by David McKee

“Lightweight” might be a apt term to describe the braintrust forming around the SLS/Sahara project. So would “miscast.” Reporting to casino novice and owner Sam Nazarian, its president will be J.P. Morgan investment banker Sam Bakhshandehpour. His main qualification for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Shadow-puppetry at the Sahara; TropiHilton of LV; Melco goes southerly

Zynga counterattacks; Fail, Caesar; Adelson honored

Posted on October 25, 2012 by David McKee

If the Stalin organs of the Zynga PR battery had fallen silent, it was only to reload. As predicted yesterday, Zynga is regrouping around Internet gambling as its new strategy of choice. Zynga unleashed “announced an exclusive partnership [with Bwin.party] … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Pinnacle saves September in Louisiana; Echelon under wraps; The red-headed stepkids of Station, Sands and Caesars

Posted on October 18, 2012 by David McKee

Folks down in the Pelican State had better things to do than gamble last month … like clean up after Hurricane Isaac. This might account for a 5% year/year decline in casino revenues. Louisiana‘s gambling venues grossed $200 million last … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Pinnacle saves September in Louisiana; Echelon under wraps; The red-headed stepkids of Station, Sands and Caesars

Parlez-vous *faux pas*?

Posted on October 18, 2012 by David McKee

OK, so Cirque du Soleil‘s Zarkana is certain to be a slam-dunk at the box office and a better financial performer than its predecessor, the unlamented Viva Elvis. However, does anyone find this invitation a bit culturally off-key? English and … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Hooters, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

When money talks, few are deaf

Posted on October 12, 2012 by David McKee

When addressing the subject of Sheldon Adelson (must we?), the extent to which he has stolen Wynn’s thunder and lightning was made manifest by a lengthy Politico.com profile. Adelson (right, ca. 1998), who can often behave like a colicky infant, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Hail, Bill’s!; Trump slump; Back in the fold

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

In a typically ludicrous Gary Loveman brainstorm, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon is to become — wait for it — Caesars Drai’s. (Yeah, ‘WTF?’ and all that.) Although you’d have to be either masochistic or insane to loan money to … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Current, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hail, Bill’s!; Trump slump; Back in the fold

Black man frightens Steve Wynn, Part Two; MGM: Time to forget Harmon?

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

As Yahoo‘s Jeff Macke cuttingly puts it, he “found a real, live businessman who creates jobs,” thereby providing a Steve Wynn-to-sanity translation, courtesy of CIO Advisors‘ Hugh Johnson. If Wynn were truly being honest, he’d cut to the quick: He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cantor Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, International, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, North Las Vegas, Politics, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Black man frightens Steve Wynn, Part One

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

Update: Today, Wynn got into the act in the ongoing Big Bird charade. As Steve Sebelius points out, it’s meaningless posturing, nothing more. Life’s been good to Steve Wynn. How good? Well, if you or I talked like a crazy … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cantor Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Plaza, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | 27 Comments

USA Today’s best of the Strip

Posted on October 6, 2012 by David McKee

Pursuant to our last S&G dispatch, here are the USA Today choices for top attractions on the Strip (uniqueness and affordability being prime considerations). If you’re not staying at a Hilton property right now, you aren’t vouchsafed access to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Entertainment, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on USA Today’s best of the Strip