Category Archives: Politics

More political football at CityCenter

Posted on May 18, 2010 by David McKee

Due to the Las Vegas Review-Journal‘s bizarre campaign to secede from the Internet, we dare not even link to an excellent Howard Stutz rundown of MGM Mirage‘s attempt to gain the high ground in the fractious “Who screwed up CityCenter” … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Labor, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

“I recall a conversation with a prominent gaming executive when he was asked to support [then-Rep. Jim] Gibbons four years ago. He wondered why the state’s power elite would anoint someone who was quietly embarrassing in D.C. amid 435 members … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

“Mark Manendo, 42, has never married and has lived with his mother for long periods of time.” — Assemblywoman Kathy McClain (D-NV) lobbing a creaky old form of sexual innuendo against her opponent in the primary. Judging by the locution, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Politics | 3 Comments

This just in …

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Casino regulators in Iowa have dealt a sweeping rebuff to Gov. Chet Culver (D). While the Hawkeye State’s Racing & Gaming Commission gave its nod to a casino targeted primarily at the South Dakota market, it backhanded three other proposals. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off on This just in …

CityCenter, political football *du jour*

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Now that the all-too-inevitable “Who screwed up CityCenter?” unpleasantness between MGM Mirage and Perini Building has escalated into full-blown litigation and subcontractors fend for themselves, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has been caught in the crossfire. His main rival, Archon Corp. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., CityCenter, Current, Election, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics, The Strip | Comments Off on CityCenter, political football *du jour*

While Atlantic City burns …

Posted on May 7, 2010 by David McKee

While Atlantic City burns, Gov. Chris Christie fiddles. After coming into office saying the right things about helping the state’s casino industry, Christie has spent most of first months in office dithering uselessly. Having waited until A) the Revel project … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Or maybe Excalibur …

Posted on May 7, 2010 by David McKee

Former Mandalay Resort Group boss Mike Ensign‘s payoff of his son’s mistress (which is under investigation for “structuring,” i.e., tax avoidance) is but one of many salacious matters that have brought Senate Ethics Committee staffers to Sin City. They got … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, MGM Mirage, Politics, TV | Comments Off on Or maybe Excalibur …

Massive defeat for Patrick in Mass.

Posted on April 15, 2010 by David McKee

Lawmakers in Massachusetts ran roughshod over Gov. Deval Patrick (D), overwhelmingly approving a four-racino, two-casino formula the governor opposes. They also resisted the urgings of those who would put the two, $500 million casino resorts out in the boonies, giving … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Macau, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Mob, Tribal | 2 Comments

Harrah’s robbing Peter to buy Paul

Posted on April 15, 2010 by David McKee

When executives of Harrah’s Entertainment credit “hard-nosed” negotiating tactics for their success is reducing the company’s preposterous debt level, one suspects that threats of default and bankruptcy serve as the rhetorical equivalents of the rubber hose and brass knuckles. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Mississippi, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, The Strip, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Harrah’s robbing Peter to buy Paul

Case Bets: St. Louis, Florida & antiques

Posted on April 15, 2010 by David McKee

It was the best of times … almost. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s opening of River City not only propelled a 9% increase in casino revenue in the St. Louis market, it gave the area “its busiest month ever.” While River City’s $15.9 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 9, 2010 by David McKee

“The late Chic Hecht, a lovely man who also said [Martin Luther King] had ‘not been dead long enough’ to merit holiday, makes Harry Reid look like Cicero.” — Jon Ralston, from his Twitter feed, on Nevada‘s famously malaprop-prone senator, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Entertainment, Harry Reid, Politics, Technology | 1 Comment

This just in: Wynn jilts Philadelphia

Posted on April 8, 2010 by David McKee

On Monday, Steve Wynn was making nice with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and vowing to glad-hand every civic leader in sight. He had a full set of renderings for how his Wynn Resorts makeover of the mortally wounded Foxwoods project … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Don Barden, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on This just in: Wynn jilts Philadelphia

Wynn delivers

Posted on April 6, 2010 by David McKee

Surprising as ever, Steve Wynn showed up in Philadelphia yesterday bearing a sheaf of renderings for his proposed casinos — three weeks ahead of schedule. Wynn’s final design looks a mite grander than the one he let Steve Friess photograph, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Architecture, Bally Technologies, Current, Economy, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 1 Comment

Could Steve Wynn jilt Philadelphia?

Posted on April 2, 2010 by David McKee

What’s Steve Wynn supposedly doing in Atlantic City this weekend and why is he allegedly kicking the tires on casino properties there? Well, it is a buyer’s market and half of Borgata is up for grabs (as would be Trump … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Entertainment, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 10 Comments

Wynn & the Ship of Phools

Posted on April 1, 2010 by David McKee

Whisking in just under the wire, Wynn Resorts submitted its financing package for the soon-to-be-ex-Foxwoods casino project in Philadelphia. Evidently Steve Wynn has thought better of slugging his new casino “SW,”* as reflected at left in the photo taken by … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cannery Casino Resorts, Macau, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | 7 Comments

Case Bets: Maryland, Foxwoods, problem gambling

Posted on March 23, 2010 by David McKee

It’s not even been 18 months since Maryland voters gave their assent to slot houses — a time in which the state has to erect a regulatory apparatus, vet applicants, and then wait for the latter to get up and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | 1 Comment

Tipping the scales

Posted on March 22, 2010 by David McKee

There’s a Nobel Prize in Economics (or something) for whomever can figure out how to disentangle gambling from politics. Case in point: Iowa, where Gov. Chet Culver (D, left) has a heavy thumb on the scales of regulation. Culver’s made … Continue reading →

Posted in Herbst Gaming, Iowa, Politics, Regulation | Comments Off on Tipping the scales

Wynn gets schooled

Posted on March 22, 2010 by David McKee

Having displayed a breathtaking and uncharacteristic ignorance of the facts on the ground vis-a-vis Philadelphia‘s two casino projects, Steve Wynn is being offered a one-on-one tutorial from Mayor Michael Nutter. The latter says he’s looking forward to learning about Wynn’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn | Comments Off on Wynn gets schooled

A Cosmopolitan by any other name …

Posted on March 22, 2010 by David McKee

… is still a long way from completion. A silly lawsuit has been settled, an extremely cosmetic change of name has been agreed upon (meaning that Cosmo The Casino is the de facto winner over Cosmo The Mag). We’re told … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Station Casinos | 3 Comments

Love Train

Posted on March 18, 2010 by David McKee

As in the flowering bromance between Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and mouthpiece-for-hire Sig “The Fixer” Rogich. The former, a longtime supporter of a proposed maglev train betwixt Las Vegas and Anaheim, switched his allegiance to Rogich’s Choo-Choo-to-Nowhere, by the strangest … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., California, Economy, Election, Herbst Gaming, Politics, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation | 10 Comments