Category Archives: MGM Mirage

Case Bets: Sands bankruptcy?; California spite, Ted Binion still dead, etc.

Posted on October 24, 2008 by David McKee

The ‘B’ word. Yup, somebody finally said it. Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Steven Wieczynski blames The Big Sands Sell-off on fears that “Las Vegas Sands is in jeopardy of running out of cash and going bankrupt.” Sands stock closed … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, California, Election, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Sands bankruptcy?; California spite, Ted Binion still dead, etc.

Is Peter Carlino crazy?

Posted on October 24, 2008 by David McKee

Now I know that Penn National is all a-flush with cash these days and CEO Peter Carlino is probably feeling bullish. Still, in a recent visit to Vegas to assess possible casino acquisitions, he's alleged to have acted like he … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Downtown, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Riviera, Sahara, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Is Peter Carlino crazy?

Sunday at The Palazzo with Sheldon

Posted on October 22, 2008 by David McKee

OK, so the big fella wasn't actually there, to the best of my knowledge, but let's not allow pedanticism to get in the way of a Stephen Sondheim reference. The Better Half and I partook of a $119/night room special … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Sunday at The Palazzo with Sheldon

Buddy, can you spare six billion?

Posted on October 7, 2008 by David McKee

Chuck Monster of VegasTripping.com is a man of few words, but he doesn't miss much (and his Dodgers are four wins shy of the World Series). He's run the numbers on Dubai World's purchase of MGM Mirage stock and found … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Fontainebleau, International, MGM Mirage, Tamares Group, The Strip | Comments Off on Buddy, can you spare six billion?

Happy anniversary, you're fired

Posted on October 6, 2008 by David McKee

That was essentially the message conveyed to several dozen workers at MGM Grand Detroit as the hotel-casino passed its first anniversary. Such cutbacks are usually routine in the industry and this one affected but a fraction of a percentage of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Detroit, Gary Goett, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Happy anniversary, you're fired

Macao: Not so fast?

Posted on October 3, 2008 by David McKee

Here’s a how-de-do, to paraphrase Gilbert & Sullivan. The head of the Travel Industry Council of Macau appears to confirm a report that many Chinese citizens will now be restricted to visiting the former Portugese colony on a quarterly basis. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Kansas, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: Not so fast?

Macao: Not so fast?

Posted on October 3, 2008 by David McKee

Here’s a how-de-do, to paraphrase Gilbert & Sullivan. The head of the Travel Industry Council of Macau appears to confirm a report that many Chinese citizens will now be restricted to visiting the former Portugese colony on a quarterly basis. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Kansas, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao: Not so fast?

Case Bets: South Point, Gustav, Monte Carlo, Gold Spike, Excalibur, etc.

Posted on September 2, 2008 by David McKee

Why does a holiday weekend suck? Because it means that instead of having to dig through three days' worth of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday (a depressing task under the best of circumstances), a Tuesday start means at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Downtown, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Mississippi, Monte Carlo fire, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: South Point, Gustav, Monte Carlo, Gold Spike, Excalibur, etc.

Trop sale stumbles forward … sorta

Posted on August 18, 2008 by David McKee

If Justice Gary Stein, the state-appointed trustee for the Atlantic City Tropicana Casino & Resort, isn’t the most inept public servant in America, it’s not for lack of effort. Add nepotism to his string of failings, as his ever-less-credible pronouncements … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, Indiana, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip | Comments Off on Trop sale stumbles forward … sorta

Case Bets: Luxor, Excalibur, Cannery East

Posted on August 8, 2008 by David McKee

MGM Mirage has provided a little more insight into just how much it’s doing in terms of spending on renovations to Luxor and Excalibur. “We are spending around $100M in improvements on each of these properties this year, and we … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, James Packer, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Case Bets: Luxor, Excalibur, Cannery East

Robbing Luxor to pay (for) CityCenter?

Posted on August 6, 2008 by David McKee

No sooner had MGM Mirage brass sprayed Wall Street’s fire during yesterday’s earnings call than comes a new scare: Glenn Hausmann of Hotel Interactive Inc. reported that “A variety of industry suppliers who wished to speak off the record have … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Robbing Luxor to pay (for) CityCenter?

Case Bets: MGM Mirage, Ameristar, Penn National

Posted on August 5, 2008 by David McKee

It almost goes without saying right now that any earnings report is going to come in slightly below Wall Street’s consensus. That’s just the way the dice are bouncing these days. Such is the case with MGM Mirage, where Strip … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Detroit, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Mirage, Penn National, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: MGM Mirage, Ameristar, Penn National

Ola, Amigo!

Posted on August 4, 2008 by David McKee

As of yesterday, I'm a newly minted Amigo card holder, having joined Station Casinos' spinoff players club for its Fiesta properties. (Chalk up a very modest victory for Fiesta's spirited marketing efforts.) Why Station, having put nearly a decade of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boulder Strip, George Maloof, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on Ola, Amigo!

Ameristar: What makes sense?

Posted on August 1, 2008 by David McKee

Perhaps this is what happens when you outsource your business coverage to India, but Reuters had a story yesterday positing MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment as two of the likeliest buyers for Ameristar Casinos. Uhhh, I hate to break this … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Harrah's, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Ameristar: What makes sense?

Donald Trump: ass; David Snow: hero

Posted on July 28, 2008 by David McKee

Don't you wish you lived in whatever parallel universe is inhabited by Donald J. Trump? If you did, you could claim that your 60%+ unoccupied Trump International — which just sacked 20% of its workforce — is an incredible success. … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off on Donald Trump: ass; David Snow: hero

Gold Coast buffet update, etc.

Posted on July 21, 2008 by David McKee

I just heard from Boyd Gaming and they say that the corned beef/chicken choice at the Gold Coast buffet's carving station was the luck of the draw and not indicative of a cutback. Roast beef, turkey and brisket are still … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Lake Tahoe, MGM Mirage, Movies | Comments Off on Gold Coast buffet update, etc.

The Ameristar war begins

Posted on July 17, 2008 by David McKee

Just a quick hit on my way out the door to spend an evening prepping for The Dark Knight by watching Batman Begins … Ameristar's in play. No news flash there and, for the life of me, I can't figure … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Isle of Capri, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Ameristar war begins

Ameristar spurned, Wynn rewarded

Posted on July 11, 2008 by David McKee

What’s worse than being jilted? Being told you’re too ugly to to even date. That’s about what happened to Ameristar Casinos, which just got blown off by Crown Ltd. Then again, look at James Packer’s American holdings and pending acquisitions … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, James Packer, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Ameristar spurned, Wynn rewarded

Vegas Right Now = Bargain Country

Posted on July 2, 2008 by David McKee

While the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority may blanch from peddling bargain-oriented messages, we don’t. While it wasn’t that long ago that some of us were mourning the apparent demise of on-Strip bargains — or redefining said bargains as … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Harrah's, LVCVA, Macau, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Vegas Right Now = Bargain Country

Court smacks down ColSux; Pinball and Dragons

Posted on July 1, 2008 by David McKee

This just in: The legal appeal by Columbia Sussex of its New Jersey license denial has been ashcanned by an appellate court. In a 44-page ruling, the court sided with the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, writing — in part … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off on Court smacks down ColSux; Pinball and Dragons