Category Archives: Sports

Five weeks for Sahara Sam

Posted on January 25, 2013 by David McKee

That’s how much time Sam Nazarian has to scare up $115 million from overseas sources. If the deal isn’t done by Feb. 28, $300 million that’s currently in escrow quietly goes away. In exchange for offshore capital, Nazarian has to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, George Maloof, Goldman Sachs, International, Regulation, Sahara, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 4 Comments

New blog in town

Posted on January 8, 2013 by David McKee

It looks like S&G will have some competition in the leave-no-word-unminced department: Former Las Vegas Review-Journal Business Editor Doug Puppel has created Vegas WTF (test version). If you want to read about jailed high rollers and violence on the Strip, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Sports, The Strip | 1 Comment

PNK piquing little interest; B.S. walks

Posted on December 26, 2012 by David McKee

‘Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house, shareholders were beginning to cool on the value of Ameristar Casinos stock. It closed ever so slightly down from Pinnacle Entertainment‘s $26.50/share offer price. Perhaps I was wrong and $869 … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Illinois, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Missouri, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Plaza, Regulation, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | 1 Comment

A Christmas wish list …

Posted on December 24, 2012 by David McKee

For those of us who missed it this year, the best Christmas tradition of which I know. First and most importantly … To you, the reader, who makes this possible, a year of happiness, health and wealth, whether material, intellectual … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dan Gilbert, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wayne F. Newton | 5 Comments

Black man frightens Steve Wynn, Part Two; MGM: Time to forget Harmon?

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

As Yahoo‘s Jeff Macke cuttingly puts it, he “found a real, live businessman who creates jobs,” thereby providing a Steve Wynn-to-sanity translation, courtesy of CIO Advisors‘ Hugh Johnson. If Wynn were truly being honest, he’d cut to the quick: He’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cantor Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, International, Louisiana, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, North Las Vegas, Politics, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Black man frightens Steve Wynn, Part One

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

Update: Today, Wynn got into the act in the ongoing Big Bird charade. As Steve Sebelius points out, it’s meaningless posturing, nothing more. Life’s been good to Steve Wynn. How good? Well, if you or I talked like a crazy … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cantor Gaming, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, North Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Plaza, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, The Strip, TV | 27 Comments

Freudian slip and fall; Loveman’s shabby show

Posted on October 3, 2012 by David McKee

One week after he became S&G‘s Casino Owner of the Year for his “george” treatment of Green Bay Packer fans, Derek Stevens stepped on a PR banana peel. His Golden Gate and The D casinos are holding monthly drawings whose … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Our brief national nightmare is over

Posted on September 27, 2012 by David McKee

Within 48 hours of the traveshamockery in Seattle, the NFL‘s imperious bid to break the referees’ union has collapsed. The league has agreed to terms that amount to total capitulation. Zebras 1, NFL -1 (counting collateral damage inflicted upon fans). … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Sports, TV | 1 Comment

Doing the right thing, with a “D”

Posted on September 26, 2012 by David McKee

As in The D and its owner Derek Stevens, who is refunding bets made on the Green Bay Packers last Monday, when victory was literally stripped from their hands by nincompoop NFL scab referees. They’ve been likened to Foot Locker … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Derek Stevens, Downtown, history, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

History is a lie … just ask the NFL

Posted on September 25, 2012 by David McKee

Two things give me reason today to ponder the line of thinking which holds that history is a construct formed by the winners — an agreed-upon narrative that keeps up from asking too many pesky questions. First, tonight is the … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Sports, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 7 Comments

Get to the polls!

Posted on August 7, 2012 by David McKee

… 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

Casino John rides again; Mashpee ride to victory

Posted on June 10, 2012 by David McKee

As is my habit, I tuned in CNN‘s Your Money yesterday. No sooner was the TV on but there was Gov. John Kasich (R), taking justifiable pride in Ohio‘s having recently added 73,300 jobs. The inescapable irony — and fact … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Tribal, TV | 4 Comments

Another quiet evening on the Strip; Big noise in Atlantic City

Posted on May 31, 2012 by David McKee

You might call it “UFC Smackdown”: Police were summoned to Wynncore in the pre-dawn hours of last Saturday to break up the proverbial “domestic disturbance.” Former Playboy model and current UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste (née Arianna Lopez) and boyfriend … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Entertainment, Revel, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 16, 2012 by David McKee

“I suppose there is something to be said for losing money without the inconvenience of leaving town, but that’s usually called property tax or alimony.” — pollster Peter Woolley on New Jersey citizens’ overwhelming support for sports betting. It’s symbolically … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Regulation, Sports | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Beaten in Beantown: Steve Wynn calls it quits

Posted on May 8, 2012 by David McKee

Just like that, another Las Vegas casino heavyweight has hit the canvas in Massachusetts. Election results in Foxborough spelled doom for Steve Wynn‘s proposed resort (below) and neither he nor New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wasted any time throwing … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, Tribal | 3 Comments

Gilbert, Caesars hit Ohio speed bump; Maple Leaf misadventure; Rearranging deck chairs on the WesCas

Posted on April 20, 2012 by David McKee

Rub a dub-dub, three companies in a tub called Rock Ohio Caesars. In emulation of Nevada‘s built-first-license-later system, the Ohio Casino Control Commission is just getting around to mulling the bonafides of Horseshoe Casino Cleveland‘s shareholders. Little-publicized minority partner Lyle … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Detroit, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Iowa, Kansas, Lyle Berman, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

The continuing adventures of Sheldon Adelson, Harry Reid and the GSA

Posted on April 14, 2012 by David McKee

First, the good news. Business is off and running at brand-new Sands Cotai Central, whose Himalaya casino (372 tables, 600 slots) opened last Wednesday. In total square footage, it overtakes Venetian Macao for status as the world’s largest casino (30% … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Current, Economy, Election, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Harry Reid, history, International, Macau, Massachusetts, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Stanley Ho, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Adelson to sign “Mormon”? What is “theD”?

Posted on March 7, 2012 by David McKee

Las Vegas‘ new performing arts palace, The Smith Center, has opened coveted the Broadway hit, The Book of Mormon. However, a heavyweight competitor could snatch Mormon from under Smith CEO Myron Martin‘s nose. Rumor has Las Vegas Sands in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip | 10 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 24, 2012 by David McKee

“We said to Kevin [Antunes], ‘Listen, we don’t want to hear any accordions in ‘Beat It.’ … It’s gotta be Michael Jackson.’ We said to Jamie [King], ‘We don’t want any — and I don’t want to insult anybody — … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, Sports | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

And then there were three; What’s next in Florida?; New problem for Illinois

Posted on February 6, 2012 by David McKee

While the rest of America was betting on a little thing we call the Super Bowl … Unless it can find somebody to relieve it of a fourth and final gaming license, in southeastern Kansas, the Sunflower State’s casino-expansion program … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Genting, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Taxes, Tribal | 2 Comments