Category Archives: Steve Wynn

“The Paddy Factor”

Posted on September 29, 2011 by David McKee

(For film buffs: “The Paddy Factor” was the working title of what became the classic gangster movie, The Long Good Friday … and the rest was history.) A new “Paddy factor” got flung into the Vegas equation this week when … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harrah's, Horseracing, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Movies, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

The Great Riverboat Robbery revisited; Wynncore Manila?

Posted on September 28, 2011 by David McKee

Under fire for the low property valuations it placed on Pinnacle Entertainment‘s River City and Caesars Entertainment‘s Harrah’s Maryland Heights, the St. Louis County Board of Equalization backpedaled … sorta. They accepted County Assessor Jake Zimmerman‘s increased valuation for soon-to-expand … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, International, Marketing, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off

G2E 2011: No big deal?

Posted on September 27, 2011 by David McKee

I’ve been debating whether or not to give Global Gaming Expo a pass this year and this morning’s dispatch from Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli didn’t exactly quicken my pulse. His prediction? A “quiet” G2E, due to slow growth in the … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, G2E, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

The great riverboat robbery; Pusateri’s revenge; Gaming’s top 12

Posted on September 21, 2011 by David McKee

Increased funding for education is always the big selling point whenever gambling laws in Missouri are liberalized. This week, schools are finding out what sort of Indian givers their casino benefactors are. Schools are among the public services that stand … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Bally Technologies, Boyd Gaming, Current, George Maloof, Harrah's, IGT, Isle of Capri, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Warner Gaming, WMS Industries | 3 Comments

How to get things done in Macao? Bribery!

Posted on September 12, 2011 by David McKee

OK, so it’s called “paying a premium,” but Steve Wynn finally pried 51 acres of Cotai Strip™ landfill real estate loose from Macao by forking over $193 million ($3.8 million an acre), plus annual lease payments. In return. he’s got … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Florida, Genting, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Loveman waffles on Philly … again; Sands and Galaxy surge

Posted on September 2, 2011 by David McKee

After getting into, then out of the incompetent Lewis Katz/Ed Snider casino consortium in Philadelphia, “direct discussions” are being held by Caesars Entertainment to reenter the moribund project. Its backers are asking for — guess what? — yet another two-month … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Harrah's, Macau, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

What’s there to do in Las Vegas? Plus, Adelson screws the pooch again

Posted on September 2, 2011 by David McKee

Besides gambling? Why, I’m so glad you asked. As I point out in the new issue of Desert Companion (available in Planet Hollywood‘s Desert Passage Miracle Mile shopping mall and other places that host Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf franchises), … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

Taking back (Harrah’s) America

Posted on August 16, 2011 by David McKee

Ever-vigilant in his watch over “The Borg” (aka Caesars Entertainment), Vegas Tripping author Chuck Monster has been keeping a gimlet eye on the revival of Project Linq. Granted access to internal Caesars documents, Mr. Monster reveals that the much-needed makeover … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Harrah's, International, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wall Street | 8 Comments

Boob job

Posted on August 5, 2011 by David McKee

Bankrupt, 38-year-old Hooters Hotel got a two-month reprieve yesterday, as owners obtained a judge’s permission to keep spending creditors’ monies to keep the place open for an additional two months. That will at least give employees time to update their … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Hooters, IGT, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 7 Comments

Vegas’ recovery? D.O.A.

Posted on August 2, 2011 by David McKee

In the wake of last weekend’s Grand Capitulation on the banks of Foggy Bottom (I’ll let you decide who capitulated to whom), the incipient Las Vegas recovery that was materializing in late 2011 is probably as good as dead. Even … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Economy, history, International, Macau, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 8 Comments

Twin births

Posted on July 29, 2011 by David McKee

There’s a new dolphin — as yet unnamed — at The Mirage. It’ll probably be a while before the little pup goes on public display. In the meantime, S&G congratulates The Mirage, and hopes mother and child are resting comfortably. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Whine and cheese

Posted on July 25, 2011 by David McKee

Steve Wynn‘s desperate cry for attention got him back onto cable news … if perhaps not with the degree of sympathy for which he hoped. I saw this segment yesterday while on the treadmill and thought I’d pass it along … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Steve Wynn, Taxes, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 22, 2011 by David McKee

“Steve Wynn‘s hatred of the president is just an old man getting back at his ex-wife.” — former (?) Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Communications Director Launce Rake.

Posted in Current, Economy, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Lost: Steve Wynn’s marbles

Posted on July 21, 2011 by David McKee

Oh Christ, Steve Wynn, grow up already. Busy Wall Street analysts were held hostage to a 433-word talk-radio tirade while they were probably itching to write up quarterly earnings reports. When other CEOs might have been bragging on an “amazing … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Economy, Florida, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tourism | 5 Comments

Dog Days

Posted on July 18, 2011 by David McKee

Heading into August, hotel rates along the Strip appear to be in the doldrums, judging by figures published today by J.P. Morgan analysts. Weekday rates continue to recover, typified by Caesars Entertainment properties, and weekend ones continue to decline. So … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Encore, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Movies, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

J. Terrence Lanni, 1943-2011

Posted on July 15, 2011 by David McKee

Just minutes ago, Las Vegas Sun reporter Rick Velotta posted the news that we’d been dreading for several years now. Former MGM Mirage CEO J. Terrence Lanni has died, presumably for the cancer from which he was revealed to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Current, Detroit, G2E, Harrah's, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 5 Comments

If you liked CityCenter …

Posted on July 14, 2011 by David McKee

… you’ll lurve the “ghost cities” of China. Actually, they look more like something Sheldon Adelson would design — if Adelson were doing mile-long lines of cocaine, that is. He and others like him who own casinos in Macao better … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, Downtown, Dubai, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, International, Jack Binion, Macau, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 2 Comments

Sheldon Adelson, stiff?

Posted on July 13, 2011 by David McKee

Why would a man whose company shells out $2.5 million a year for a personal security detail balk at paying an extra hundred grand? (Las Vegas Sands has an interesting defense: We didn’t break the law … and, if we … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Economy, Harry Reid, Macau, Regulation, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

ACH-ooo!; The Admiral’s last voyage

Posted on July 1, 2011 by David McKee

For the second time in a week, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has stripped its name from a Colony Capital casino-hotel. First to go was the Las Vegas Hilton, to be known next year as [your logo here]. Today comes news … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Harrah's, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

St. Regis … still stumped; Quid pro Qua

Posted on June 28, 2011 by David McKee

Last autumn, Las Vegas Sands COO Michael Leven floated the idea of capping its St. Regis failsino at its current five-story height, admitting that the skeleton was an “eyesore” along the Strip. The “Stump Regis” was the subject of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, California, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment