Category Archives: Station Casinos

The casino Angle

Posted on June 29, 2010 by David McKee

Nevada senatorial aspirant Sharron Angle got off to an odd start a few weeks back by warning balefully of “unwarranted influence” from the casino industry. (Which is, after all, one of the Silver State’s two primary sources of revenue.) Then … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Politics, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip | 6 Comments

Your moment of Circus Circus

Posted on June 14, 2010 by David McKee

According to Vegas Chatter, visitors to the Circus Circus and Excalibur Web sites will get drop-down offers for Aria when they try to book stays at MGM Mirage‘s lower-end properties (a reflection of that heavy Circus Circus/Aria demographic overlap, no … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, The Strip | 2 Comments

That tricky Steve Wynn

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

As you probably saw on Twitter or LVA yesterday, Wynncore has quietly introduced a $20 “resort fee,” joining the parade of dishonor that includes practically everyone not named Harrah’s Entertainment or — believe it or not — Tamares Group. (Keeping … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip | 8 Comments

“Complete disaster” at Marina Bay Sands

Posted on June 9, 2010 by David McKee

That’s what litigants allege about the premiere convention at Las Vegas Sands‘ $5.5 billion Singapore behemoth. In its countersuit to Sands’ opening broadside, the Inter-Pacific Bar Association essentially accuses Station of promising a five-star experience and delivering a Walmart one … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Economy, Pets, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off

Trailer Station strikes!

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

That elusive critter, native to Nevada, the “Trailer Station”* was sighted earlier today by visiting S&G readers. United Coin had set up shop on W. Charleston Boulevard, in the former Skinny Dugan’s Pub. (This is a mandatory ritual for gaming-enabled … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Election, Politics, Slot routes, Station Casinos | Comments Off

Jason lives … at Station Casinos

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

Jason Voorhees (well, one of the many) is Station Casinos‘ general manager for the tribally owned Thunder Valley Casino, near Sacramento. No, I’m not making this up. Uncle Sheldon says … that convention business will be “80% of normal” in … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 3 Comments

“The CityCenter shuffle”; Atlantic City saved … for now

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

That’s what subcontractors are calling the maze of paperwork they’ve had to negotiate while laboring on MGM Mirage‘s $8.5 billion metaresort. When it comes to real estate and construction coverage in Las Vegas, there’s Tony Illia and then there’s everybody … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Economy, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

So much news …

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

… so little time. East Coast casinos are stepping up their Asian-American marketing … and people are complaining? Don’t do it and you’re culturally insensitive. Do it and you’re predatory. This is one of those perception battles casinos will never … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Indiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Riviera, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments

When bad things happen to bad people … plus Cher

Posted on June 2, 2010 by David McKee

Two of the three casinos that say they were stiffed for $822,000 by ex-Boston Celtic Antoine Walker are now owned by Harrah’s Entertainment. The unlucky third is Red Rock Resort. Back “in the olden days” (a Sue Lowden-ism that’s quite … Continue reading →

Posted in Cretins, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Sports, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

“There is little doubt such a division [of Station Casinos], if it were to occur in the absence of a rational and comprehensive business approach, could create economic disaster for many parties.” — Judge Gregg Zive, tipping his hand on … Continue reading →

Posted in Station Casinos | Comments Off

Case Bets: Station, Macao, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, Encore 2x, etc.

Posted on June 1, 2010 by David McKee

$864.5 million: That’s the magic number if you want to put in an opening bid on 11 Station Casinos properties (plus unspecified land and some tribal-casino-management contracts) come Aug. 6. Boyd Gaming‘s already made it clear that it’s good for … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

The bad guys won

Posted on May 28, 2010 by David McKee

Applying yet another tongue bath to the management and bankers who drove Station Casinos into a brick wall at top speed, bankruptcy Judge Gregg Zive has decreed Fertitta Gaming‘s $772 million* stalking-horse bid “an adequate floor” for the auction of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, North Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 3 Comments

How big is Deepwater Horizon?; How solvent is Archon?

Posted on May 28, 2010 by David McKee

This weekend, millions are fleeing a disaster of biblical proportions — I speak not of the epochal Deepwater Horizon spill but of Sex and the City 2. However, while we’re on the subject, Gulf Coast casinos can take at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Laughlin, Louisiana, Mississippi, Movies, Politics, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip | 4 Comments

Motley Crew

Posted on May 26, 2010 by David McKee

(Editor’s note: Whoever labeled the photo at left misplaced the captions. FF3 is the guy having the good hair day and brother Lorenzo is the one with the handkerchief in his breast pocket.) In my 15 years of following the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Downtown, Economy, George Maloof, Goldman Sachs, James Packer, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Station Casinos, Tourism, Wall Street | 6 Comments

X Train derailed; Wynn trumps Trump

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

It may already be time to stick a fork in the so-called X Train, which would use existing rail lines to carry gamblers from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. According to The Associated Press, X Train is being sued by … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Columbia Sussex, Donald Trump, Downtown, Golden Gaming, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Paging Gary Loveman …

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

When it comes to bankruptcy, the Fertitta Brothers are pikers compared to magician Steve Wyrick, whose eponymous “entertainment complex” went “Poof!” last Dec. 10. At the time, Wyrick harangued LVA for announcing the closure, saying his return was imminent. We’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Writing today

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

… on mostly non-S&G projects, so blogorrhea is at a minimum, alas. We’re also trying to work out the kinks in our system that would enable us to get that week-old Atlantic City piece out of the right-hand box without … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, George Maloof, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off

From the mailbag

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

A reader writes … “I have noticed a definite reduction of postings to this blog. Is there just nothing to write about or is everything going to Twitter? I don’t twitter and really miss the information from this blog.” Where … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Station Casinos, Technology | Comments Off

How ’bout “Frankie & Lon’s Shack o’ Slots”?

Posted on May 5, 2010 by David McKee

So, will $10 billion Viva precede or follow those condo towers next to Palace Station in the grand Station scheme of things? There are any number of gaming companies about which one can write with approbation. Station Casinos is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 9 Comments

BoB still $29.99 … sorta

Posted on May 4, 2010 by David McKee

If you’re heading north out of McCarran International Airport on Swenson, be sure and have your digital cameras or cell phones at the ready. There, big as life, is a Harrah’s Entertainment billboard for the “Buffet of Buffets” (spotted at … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment