Category Archives: Movies

Insufficiently “Awesome”

Posted on September 5, 2012 by David McKee

After seemingly endless previews (months of them, I believe), Sirc Michaels Productions has folded its second V Theater show, Awesome 80s Prom. Actually, to call it a “show” would be a misnomer. It was more of a semi-scripted “happening,” at … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Entertainment, Marketing, Movies, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Speed: The Ride … found!; Dueling Ferris wheels and Caesars’ wonderful life

Posted on August 17, 2012 by David McKee

Remember all those rumors that had the Sahara‘s now-vanished Speed: The Ride packed up and headed for Circus Circus? Not so! The good folks and inquiring minds at VegasChatter.com were sussing out some dormant South Strip developments and discovered … … … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Racinos, Rhode Island, Sahara, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Nevada: We’re skewed!; Dark Side of the Force

Posted on August 9, 2012 by David McKee

I always hate doing Nevada gaming numbers because A) it’s redundant with the coverage in the local dailies and B) almost every month you have to trot out the caveat that — as was the case in June — the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cosmopolitan, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Marketing, Mesquite, Movies, North Las Vegas, Reno, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Nevada: We’re skewed!; Dark Side of the Force

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 31, 2012 by David McKee

“I remember staying up  late many Saturday nights to watch Porky’s, Meatballs and Revenge of the Nerds on HBO. And like any, red-blooded, prepubescent male, I always thought there was way too much story between the shower scenes. This is … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Current, Entertainment, Movies, Planet Hollywood | 1 Comment

Wipeout: “Surf the Musical”

Posted on July 18, 2012 by David McKee

All photos: © Scott Roeben Surf the Musical officially washed ashore last night at Planet Hollywood and one can only hope this bit of flotsam goes out with the next ebb tide. Although it’s not quite as craptastic as a … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Harrah's, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

“Smurf The Musical”

Posted on May 30, 2012 by David McKee

That’s the LVA office nickname for jukebox tuner Surf The Musical, currently in rehearsal at Planet Hollywood. As many as 35 Beach Boys songs have been laid end-to-end to create a midget version of a Broadway musical. The show’s creators … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Harrah's, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 1 Comment

Lovemaniacs, rejoice!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by David McKee

A Friday computer glitch that destroyed half an S&G posting also accidentally closed “Comments” for “Lovemania comes to Cleveland.” Thankfully, LVA‘s Webmistress Jessica was able to rectify the situation with a few mouse clicks. Thanks also to the eagle-eyed Caesars … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, Movies, Ohio, Technology | 1 Comment

Weirdest “Little Whorehouse”

Posted on April 25, 2012 by David McKee

Living in Las Vegas podcasters Scott & Melissa Whitney checked out the Plaza Las Vegas‘ production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas are were, to say the least, nonplussed by Amateur Night antics too strange to describe. The bizarrie … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Movies, Tamares Group, Technology | 1 Comment

Sheldon Adelson, super villain

Posted on April 13, 2012 by David McKee

“Where’s the white cat,” asked an S&G reader when photos from the grand opening of Sands Cotai Central showed Sheldon Adelson doing a superb impersonation of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, “crumpets” in attendance. You can just imagine him sitting there, brainstorming … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, Movies, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | 7 Comments

Crash landing

Posted on April 12, 2012 by David McKee

Over the last two days, while I’ve been at home, supervising having the roof put back on our house (seriously!), some of you have been kind enough to send variations of this story. It will soon be the subject of … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, history, Movies, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on Crash landing

Aria: Take it again from the top, boys

Posted on March 22, 2012 by David McKee

Y’all remember that ‘consciousness-raising’ campaign MGM Resorts International announced on behalf of Aria, earlier this week. The first in a six-part series of videos, The Reveal, went live late this afternoon. Subsequent blipverts will include The Motive and Entrapment. (It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

R.I.P., Dennis Gomes; Casino avalanche in Michigan; Life after UIGEA

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

There are few real characters in the casino industry anymore. Dennis Gomes (1944-2012) was one of them. His recent death put a premature “full stop” on one of the most colorful and wide-ranging careers gaming has seen. After all, how … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Dennis Gomes, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Ohio, Penn National, Pokergeddon, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on R.I.P., Dennis Gomes; Casino avalanche in Michigan; Life after UIGEA

The whales of January; Shrinking Hooters

Posted on March 8, 2012 by David McKee

Baccarat win on the Las Vegas Strip began the year heavy ($194 million) and dramatic, up 199% from 2011. The whales were back in force, dropping 163% more than the previous January, putting $1.6 billion in play. An early Chinese … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Hooters, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Movies, North Las Vegas, Reno, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Vegas gets its groove back; “Zarkana” comes to Aria

Posted on March 7, 2012 by David McKee

In terms of quantity, quality and proximity, the Los Angeles Times is the closest thing Las Vegas has to a major metropolitan daily. (Hell, the Sacramento Bee puts the Las Vegas Review-Journal to shame.) Indeed, the LAT treats Sin City … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Architecture, Arizona, Boyd Gaming, California, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Vegas gets its groove back; “Zarkana” comes to Aria

Wynn vs. Okada: The appraisal; Mob Experience returns … like you cared

Posted on February 22, 2012 by David McKee

Wall Street analysts are weighing in on Wynn Resorts‘ preemptive strike against Kazuo Okada last weekend. Surprisingly, J.P. Morgan‘s Joseph Greff rates it as a positive in re Steve Wynn‘s ambitions for expansion into Japan and says it doesn’t hurt … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cosmopolitan, Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Macau, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn vs. Okada: The appraisal; Mob Experience returns … like you cared

Las Vegas: What’s next?

Posted on February 16, 2012 by David McKee

If I had a crystal ball for Las Vegas’ future, I’d be a wealthier man. Not having one, I consulting some fellows far more perspicacious than myself. In no particular order they include Dennis Conrad, scholars Bill Eadington, Eugene Moehring … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, New York, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tribal | 4 Comments

Cosmo woe; MGM lurves Ameristar

Posted on February 15, 2012 by David McKee

As new casino boss Thomas McCartney tries to stabilize the sinking ship that is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, he’s tossed overboard some human ballast in the form of casino employees. (Thirty full-time dealers are alleged to have been pink-slipped.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Dan Lee, Dining, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Movies, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 19, 2012 by David McKee

“Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.” — legendary animator and really cool dude Chuck Jones (1912-2002). Today, Circus Circus opened The Chuck Jones Experience, an interactive museum devoted to Jones and the veritable cosmos of characters to which his pencil … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, history, MGM Mirage, Movies, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 1 Comment

Sheldon Adelson, wuss; MGM pounces; Slipper-y logic; Enter whining

Posted on January 12, 2012 by David McKee

What manner of fool spends $5 million to disseminate a film that he’s never seen and whose content he claims not to endorse? Sheldon Adelson, that’s who. After his latest political favorite got clobbered in the New Hampshire primary, Adelson … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Ameristar, Cordish Co., Dan Lee, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Jack Binion, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | Comments Off on Sheldon Adelson, wuss; MGM pounces; Slipper-y logic; Enter whining

Blast from the Past

Posted on December 7, 2011 by David McKee

This week finds me up to my butt in page proofs of Rick Lax‘s forthcoming book, I Get Paid for This, a Michael Jackson The [sic] Immortal World Tour™ review for WizardOfVegas.com, profiles of developer Brett Torino and Mayor Carolyn … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Cirque du Soleil, Columbia Sussex, Downtown, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, history, James Packer, Lake Tahoe, Massachusetts, Movies, Tamares Group, The Strip | 1 Comment