Category Archives: Sahara

What makes Sammy run?

Posted on March 14, 2011 by David McKee

Scarcely was the ink dry on Sahara owner Sammy “The Naz” Nazarian‘s announcement of the property’s May 16 closure than rumors began to fly about his endgame for the old gal. At S&G, we’re pretty certain that “The Naz” (™ … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 14, 2011 by David McKee

“It used to be that people were choosing between value and luxury. But since the recession they don’t have to choose: They can get value and luxury in the same place.” — David G. Schwartz, director of the Center for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 12, 2011 by David McKee

“It might seem unfathomable to the guests who tote giant coolers stuffed with three days’ worth of provisions to their $39-a-night room that the Sahara was once one of the Strip’s great hotels.” — John Katsilometes, on the 59-year-old resort … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, history, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

R.I.P., Sahara (1952-2011)

Posted on March 11, 2011 by David McKee

Once the Riviera changed hands, the Strip casino for whom mortality seemed most imminent became the Sahara. The ‘death by a thousand cuts’ regime of nightclub impresario and absentee owner Sam Nazarian bled the place to the extent that there … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, history, International, James Packer, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Pansy Ho, Plaza, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Hard Rock: Oh no!; Bellago bandit busted

Posted on February 3, 2011 by David McKee

Is there anybody who could probably run the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino worse than hapless Morgans Hotel Group? We may soon find out as Navegante Group has been announced as operator-to-be by NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. The latter, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 14, 2011 by David McKee

“Our intent is to be a large capital facilitator to enable SBE to embark on a shopping spree through the rubble and wreckage of a stretched industry, and do those bold things that others would not consider.” — Colony Capital … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Economy, Sahara, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 13, 2011 by David McKee

“Sahara is a dirty hell hole. This is all you need to know.” — Vegas Tripping, naming the minaret-topped casino the worst on the Strip. Congratulations to Sam Nazarian and new minority owner Colony Capital, which really knows how to … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Harrah's, Sahara, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

Case Bets: Caliendo, ColSux & Sixty Votes’ latest

Posted on December 10, 2010 by David McKee

After 14 months on the job as Monte Carlo‘s resident headliner, Frank Caliendo is calling it quits, effective some time next spring. The impressionist and Fox Sports regular cited having to spend time away from his family and the rigors … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, history, Kentucky, Lake Tahoe, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sahara, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 10, 2010 by David McKee

“The Eighties called. They want their graphics back.” — comment overheard during the archaic video montage that precedes Striptease The Show at the Sahara, the seediest topless show in town (bottom of page).

Posted in Entertainment, Sahara, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 23, 2010 by David McKee

“We overpaid for it and the previous owners had totally given up on taking care of the property. They stopped replacing lightbulbs, they stopped putting in air-conditioning filters. When a filter was clogged it was just removed and no replacement … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., history, Sahara, The Strip | 10 Comments

Gaming’s big election night; Coming attractions

Posted on November 9, 2010 by David McKee

This just in: Fuming over a 5,000-vote-plus margin of defeat, opponents of a casino in western Maine are demanding a recount. Casino developer Black Bear Entertainment calls this “a needlessly divisive exercise.” Do I sense the subtle touch of Penn … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Downtown, Economy, Election, Environment, history, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn National, Racinos, Sahara | 3 Comments

13 is the loneliest number

Posted on September 23, 2010 by David McKee

Just because Missouri can have 13 casinos doesn’t mean it must. Or so contends Missouri Gaming Commission Chairman Jim Mathewson, hinting that none of the four pending applications might be accepted. He asks, “If all we do is take a … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa, Isle of Capri, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sahara | 4 Comments

Once before it goes

Posted on September 13, 2010 by David McKee

Today’s schedule is taken up largely with conducting an autopsy of the Liberace Museum, as well as transcribing an (unrelated) interview with Teller. In the meantime, for those of you who haven’t seen the Museum and can’t make it before … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, history, Sahara, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Western Passage & the new Rat (Rod) Pack

Posted on September 8, 2010 by David McKee

Let’s try this again … Today’s guest blog hails from the keyboard of reader Jeff_in_OKC who recently paid not one, not two but three (brave man!) visits to the Western Hotel, on the fringe of downtown Las Vegas. The Western … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Archon Corp., Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Laughlin, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Oscar Goodman, Sahara, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 12 Comments

Crisis point in Atlantic City

Posted on August 19, 2010 by David McKee

If nothing else gets recalcitrant legislators off their duffs and behind Gov. Chris Christie‘s intervention on behalf of Atlantic City, maybe these numbers will. In the last quarter, only four casinos turned a profit. Harrah’s Entertainment‘s Showboat and Harrah’s Marina … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Penn National, Politics, Sahara, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Crisis point in Atlantic City

An inspector calls

Posted on August 11, 2010 by David McKee

“You’re the hub right now, kid.” Thus spake a Los Angeles-based private investigator who’s hot on the trail of some possible malfeasance in the real estate world. It involves a couple of characters who were persons of interest in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sahara, The Mob, The Strip | 2 Comments

Chrome Dome

Posted on August 5, 2010 by David McKee

Last weekend, as I ploughed into a pile of analyst reports, court filings, etc., I came across a Clark County Commission planning report on Christopher Milam, Paul & Sue Lowden‘s proposed Silver State Arena. As you can see, it would … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Baseball, Current, Economy, LVCVA, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation, TV | 8 Comments

Margaritaville on the rocks

Posted on July 15, 2010 by David McKee

Long-serving — and long-suffering — Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway has lost patience with Harrah’s Entertainment. He is convinced that the metamorphosis of Grand Casino Biloxi into Margaritaville Casino is kaput and that Harrah’s will tear down what little it has … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Animals, Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Encore, Environment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, Holy Cow, Indiana, International, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Movies, Pennsylvania, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Plaza, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

“I’m not dead yet!”

Posted on July 8, 2010 by David McKee

Taking its cue from Monty Python‘s interpretation of the death of Mary, Queen of Scots, management of the Riviera refuses to roll over and die. Its latest enhancement is somewhat out of the box as far as Strip watering holes … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 4 Comments

Penn’s door prize: toxic waste!

Posted on June 29, 2010 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming got a little something extra when it bought an old General Motors site for its Columbus, Ohio casino: 81 sites’ worth of toxic waste, so much sludge it takes 3,000 pages to catalog. Penn didn’t have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sahara, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 3 Comments