Category Archives: Riviera

A few days at the Riv, Part One

A big S&G ‘thank you’ to generous reader Jeff_in_OKC and his lovely wife Lisa, who shared the following observations from a recent Las Vegas sojourn, with a particular emphasis on the Riviera: Although I will pick some nits, I must … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, Marketing, Riviera, The Strip | 1 Comment

Behind the glamour …

Considering the number of resident spectacles, topless shows and convention gigs that require showgirls galore, you’d think casting directors would be receptive to the female form in all its wonderful variety. You’d think that. However, a former Jubilee! dancer and … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Riviera, The Strip | 2 Comments

Splitsville: Harrah’s and ‘Legends’; Wanna buy used Hooters?

If you want to see Legends in Concert at Harrah’s Las Vegas, better get a move on: The tribute act and Harrah’s LV “have mutually agreed” to go their separate ways on Dec. 30. This doesn’t mean that Caesars Entertainment … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Hooters, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip | 5 Comments

USA Today: The winners (Downtown edition)

Since S&G readers can’t view my big Las Vegas guides (unless you’re sitting at a computer in a Hilton-branded property at this very moment), I thought I’d share with you who made the cut. And the Downtown elect are … … Continue reading

Posted in Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, George Maloof, Michael Gaughan, Riviera, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 2 Comments

Taylor Hicks: Vegas’ newest star?; Adelson hates on Vegas

Last  night being my wonderful wife’s birthday, I took her out to dinner and thence to Taylor Hicks at Bally’s, now in the 10th week of an eight-week run (and, no, that’s not a typo). Big ups to Caesars Entertainment, … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Iowa, Marketing, Maryland, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 3 Comments

Get to the polls!

… as in the Las Vegas Advisor weekly poll. Tomorrow’s promises to be a real doozy. The question is,  What was the worst show in recent Strip and Downtown history? The dog kennel hasn’t been completely filled but I can … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, The Strip, TV, Wayne F. Newton | 6 Comments

Ch-ch-ch-changes at the Riv

CEO Andy Choy‘s makeover of the Riviera may be slowed by skepticism in the bond market but it keeps moving ahead. My Desert Companion profile of the Strip dowager has made print and, despite the long lead time, we were … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, Marketing, Riviera, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 6 Comments

The wreck of the Sierra Rose; LVH: The smell of death; TWU (sur)renders unto Caesars

It was inevitable that this Lake Tahoe marine disaster would go viral. Besides, as an S&G reader astutely pointed out, the sinking of the Sierra Rose makes a tidy metaphor for Nevada‘s economy: a top-heavy S.S. McMansion now half-underwater due … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Hooters, Lake Tahoe, Riviera, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Beyoncé 1, Revel 0.5; Meet Harrah’s Philadelphia; Riviera realities

So the big, official, grand, this-time-we-really-mean-it opening of Revel Resort & Casino came and went … and all the media has been talking about is Beyoncé and how bootylicious she looks so soon after giving birth. (Seven-plus pages of YouTube … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Marketing, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Revel, Riviera, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | 5 Comments

Casino codependency, Chris Christie’s cowardice & other Case Bets

It’s too bad Steve Friess isn’t here to write this next story, because it’s right up his alley. What do you do if your big-name headliner badmouths your casino and CEO on opening night? You re-hire him, what else? Like … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, LVCVA, Marketing, New York, Ohio, Politics, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Big Brother is triangulating you; Dark days for LVH, Riv; Pinnacle’s Lone Star play

Just to make sure you’re not piggybacking onto its mobile-gambling systems, Cantor Gaming is partnering with Locaid to provide “geo-fencing” for its pocket casinos, which can now be played damn near anywhere on a casino property. (The real endgame, however, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Cantor Gaming, Colony Capital, Colorado, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Hooters, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

“Less-than-Best Little Whorehouse”

Last night, fledgling SFS Productions rolled out The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at the Plaza Las Vegas and, true to its subject matter, it’s a emotionless copulation — to borrow a Pauline Kael line, it’s a practiced hooker with … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Tamares Group, Technology, Texas, The Strip, Tourism | 6 Comments

Choy challenges Vegas

This is the conclusion of a two-part interview with Riviera boss Andy Choy in which he answers questions submitted by S&G readers. Can the Riv survive if nothing is done with the Sahara, Fontainebleau or Echelon sites for another five … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, LVCVA, Marketing, Plaza, Riviera, Sahara, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 3 Comments

Andy Choy takes your questions

The music you play in the casino hasn’t changed for a very long time. It’s all sad, lost love, women complaining about bad, bad men, and very loud music. It makes me want to run out of the casino. Don’t … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Entertainment, history, Marketing, Riviera, Technology, The Strip | 10 Comments

Putting the best and worst foot forward

After months of confidentiality agreements and other top-hush nonsense, it’s official: Fitzgeralds Casino Hotel in downtown Las Vegas will become the D. Now, I can’t think that — let alone type it — without recalling the Family Guy episode in … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Derek Stevens, Dining, Don Barden, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 2 Comments

Ask Andy!

Now I know you guys have a high level of interest in — and affection for — the Riviera. How about if I told you that I’ll be interviewing Riv President Andy Choy tomorrow morning? And that he’s agreed to … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Riviera, The Strip | 15 Comments

Only in Vegas

So you’re running in the Zappos.com Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and, as you pass the Riviera, your hamstrings burning you like a Donald Trump real estate scheme, you have a sudden urge to lay some bread on that … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Colorado, Donald Trump, Marketing, Massachusetts, Riviera, Sports, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Only in Vegas

Sahara 2.0: Nazarian gets real

Chuck Monster had this right on the money: He called Sahara owner Sam Nazarian‘s bluff over and over and over again on the latter’s luxury-megaresort predictions for the aging, shuttered property. Today, the Clark County Commission took the wraps off … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Shakedown at G2E; Riviera quits Colorado, Trump quits humanity

Our beloved casino industry runneth over with individuals, companies and even sovereign nations that have a vested interest in the legalization of Internet poker … and more. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX, left) knows this, which is why he’s coming to … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Colorado, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, G2E, Internet gambling, Marketing, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Shakedown at G2E; Riviera quits Colorado, Trump quits humanity

Plaza & Riviera: Cheap new wine in old bottles

It’s an index of the desperation of local media to have something — anything — new to cover on the casino front that the slightest murmur from the Plaza was guaranteed to generate coverage. Plaza PR peeps did a masterful … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 7 Comments