Category Archives: Steve Wynn

Trump™: asset or liability?

Posted on May 3, 2011 by David McKee

If you’d like to wager on Donald Trump‘s sham presidential “campaign” and you like long odds Paddy Power is the place for you. It’s taking action on the 2012 presidential race and Trump is now a 33-to-1 shot, along with … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Entertainment, history, International, Marketing, Movies, Sports, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Steve, Steve, what gives?

Posted on May 3, 2011 by David McKee

Dear Steve Wynn: No this really isn’t about that truly unfortunate (to put it gently) wedding video that Wynn Las Vegas put on YouTube last Monday. Although, as Hunter Hillegas posted on Twitter, “That video kinda freaks me out. Also, … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cretins, Donald Trump, Dubai, Economy, Entertainment, history, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pokergeddon, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, The Strip | 4 Comments

Vegas’ highest-paid Elvis impersonator

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

Yes, it’s Steve Wynn. Although Wynn Las Vegas is claiming this video went viral over the weekend, I have a strong certainty that a certain F-bomb barrage across the street at Treasure Island racked up more views. Also, given some … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Movies, Pokergeddon, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Boyd exits Florida; Mixed messages from the Riv; The revenge of Adelson

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

Regardless of whether or not resort casinos are voted into law in Florida, one company that won’t be in the running is Boyd Gaming. The firm threw in the towel on the Miami market today. The Sunshine State “no longer … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Was Pokergeddon a setup?

Posted on May 2, 2011 by David McKee

In his latest column, “Prohibition Is Not Regulation” (an early draft can be seen here) gaming-law guru I. Nelson Rose rakes the Obama administration for choosing “to ignore the lessons of history and take worst aspects of the choices available.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Steve Wynn preaches austerity

Posted on April 29, 2011 by David McKee

On the subject of debt, Steve Wynn speaks with some moral authority, having been one of the very few casino moguls who didn’t snort credit like cocaine during the bubble years. However, his professed solicitude for the working man has … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Phil Ruffin, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Big Brother is watching you … at Cosmo; Trump vs. Trump

Posted on April 28, 2011 by David McKee

So much for that “right amount of wrong.” The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas put itself on the map with a batch of pervy-looking TV spots touting itself as the Ground Zero of decadence in Sin City. So how much wrong … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Donald Trump, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 3 Comments

Steve Wynn, victim?

Posted on April 27, 2011 by David McKee

Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com Is the casino mogul the victim of, as he says, “prejudice”? You decide. Dealers and nightclub employees whose tips he’s confiscated may not be passing him the crying towel, however.

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, International, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 4 Comments

Austerity, MGM style; Only in Nevada

Posted on April 25, 2011 by David McKee

Despite a decidedly underwhelming financial performance in 2009, MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren managed to take home $13.75 million in overall compensation. Last year, he had to make ends meet on $9.8 million. Snarkiness aside, this actually shows that … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, North Las Vegas, Politics, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Trump plays the Strip

Posted on April 25, 2011 by David McKee

It looks like Phil Ruffin tired of Mystere and needed a new clown show. In other news: Bad tidings for Steve Wynn; his presidential candidate of choice, Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) is folding his tent.

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Current, Donald Trump, Election, Entertainment, Marketing, Phil Ruffin, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 8 Comments

A tense time for Mike Ensign

Posted on April 23, 2011 by David McKee

His son’s resignation from the U.S. Senate isn’t going to get former Mandalay Resort Group big shot Mike Ensign out of the hot seat. As yesterday’s New York Times, the Senate Ethics Committee may yet refer its findings to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn | 2 Comments

‘Pokergeddon’ as it happens

Posted on April 15, 2011 by David McKee

Today’s Department of Justice/FBI surprise attack on PokerStars, Absolute Poker and Full Tilt Poker is a story that’s moving so fast that there’s scarcely time to mull or comment upon it. Almost nobody saw this coming, although Nathan Vardi of … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Current, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 15, 2011 by David McKee

“Online poker is toast.” — Hunter Hillegas, in a Tweet of enviable pithiness, summarizing today’s Department of Justice crackdown on Internet gambling firms Full Tilt Poker, scandal-prone Absolute Poker, and PokerStars. Full Tilt and PokerStars business partners Wynn Resorts and … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, International, Internet gambling, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn | 3 Comments

Caught between a skank and a Hard Rock; Kasich vs. casinos

Posted on April 11, 2011 by David McKee

Morgans Hotel Group may have skedaddled out of Las Vegas, tail firmly between legs, but it’s not free of trouble linked to its calamitous Sin City sojourn. During Morgans stewardship of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, it offered $300,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Iowa, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Blast from the past

Posted on April 11, 2011 by David McKee

Has Steve Wynn taken voice lessons? The unmistakable, mellifluous baritone that soothingly emanates from the mogul’s prerecorded messages to hotel guests and Web site visitors is a far cry from the high-pitched, nasal tones heard in this ancient TV interview. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, history, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Blast from the past

Let’s do the Time Warp

Posted on April 8, 2011 by David McKee

Hallucinations are not considered a symptom of fibromyalgia but I sure thought I was seeing things yesterday when noon-hour TV newscasts led with Union Village. Somebody obviously thinks it’s still 2007, as they’re proposing a $1.5 billion, 171-acre hospital-cum-retirement-community complex … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

As Steve Wynn said …

Posted on April 8, 2011 by David McKee

… you have to admire Donald Trump because it’s not easy to go bankrupt when you own three casinos. The years! The billions! The hairdos! His current ego-gratification tour is taking him to Arizona. I dare him to come on … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

The North Strip Story and Salvation Plan

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

Guest blogger Jeff in OKC returns, his previous dispatch on Downtown’s Western Casino having proven a smash hit; its fans included Western manager Anthony Santo himself. During his latest visit, he concentrated upon the north end of the Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, Cloverfield monster, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Sheldon Adelson’s court jester yuks it up

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands-backed mayoral candidate Victor Chaltiel rolled out the following prank ad today … I’m not sure that there’s any percentage in going after the grandmotherly (but hopelessly vague) Carolyn Goodman in the snide fashion that is quickly becoming … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Downtown, Election, Florida, Harrah's, International, Laughlin, Macau, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Mississippi, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

It’s all over — until 2012, anyway — for Sheldon Adelson‘s heavy-handed push to ram a set of “destination resorts” through the Florida Legislature. A poison-pill amendment, attached at the behest of parimutuels, would let existing slot houses go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, International, Macau, North Las Vegas, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest