Category Archives: Technology

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 14, 2010 by David McKee

“Gaming industry observer William Thompson, a professor of public administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said IGT is a credible, Nevada-regulated slot machine company that would be very careful about legalities.” — Yes, the same carefulness toward legalities … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Current, IGT, Internet gambling, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Lights, camera, Mafia!

Posted on June 10, 2010 by David McKee

Mel McGowan of bizarrely named Visioneering Studios sketches the broad outlines of an “immersive, interactive, experiential, multi-sensory journey.” (What you talkin’ about, Willis?) If the following is a demonstration of the technology that’s to be employed … … I fear … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, history, Oscar Goodman, Technology, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

“Yer money’s no good here”

Posted on June 10, 2010 by David McKee

Update: The “does not accept money from casinos and unions” verbiage was reinstated late today. (It’s way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaaay down at the bottom of the page. So why is “perception, by voters [of] undue pressure” by casinos a problem? Nevada‘s … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Movies, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Technology | 5 Comments

Detroit sets pace for Vegas

Posted on June 10, 2010 by David McKee

Here’s PR blurb that just fell across the cyber-transom: Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has signed a multi-product and systems agreement featuring sbX(TM), IGT‘s premier server based gaming solution; the majority floor share of games; plus an entire suite of IGT … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Detroit, Harrah's, history, IGT, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

“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 on “Complete disaster” at Marina Bay Sands

Sands Bethlehem breaks ground … again

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

No, that’s not a joke. Las Vegas Sands held a “grand re-groundbreaking” on the hotel portion of its white elephant, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. When money ran short, Sands ditched everything but the parking lot and casino, leaving the hotel … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, Economy, Marketing, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

Jane, stop this crazy thing!

Posted on June 7, 2010 by David McKee

Thanks to a bit of last-minute perfidy by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), it looks as though Nevadans — and, mark my words, taxpayers — will eventually be stuck with Sig Rogich‘s Choo-Choo to Nowhere, the train that boards in Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, California, Current, Economy, Harry Reid, Technology, Transportation | 1 Comment

R-J cowers before kittens

Posted on June 7, 2010 by David McKee

Yes, a Web site that posts non-commercial items about cats and birds has become the latest target for The Newpaper That Must Not Be Cited and its errant anti-Internet jihad. Since the R-J‘s enforcer Righthaven LLC doesn’t send cease-and-desist letters … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

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

Gary Loveman, pauper

Posted on May 26, 2010 by David McKee

Count Harrah’s Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman among the victims of the Great Recession. His total compensation for 2009 plummeted over 85%. The $1.9 million base pay is old news; the ex-prof also had to settle for a mere $3 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Horseracing, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Case Bets: Macao, Maryland, Internet casinos

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

April was a bonny month for Macao, where overall visitation rose 13% and mainland Chinese tourism rose 17%. Now if only Peking would take its hand off the spigot known as visa quotas, we might have some honest-to-god year/year comparisons … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Cordish Co., IGT, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Macau, Maryland, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

You have been warned

Posted on May 24, 2010 by David McKee

Yr. Humble Blogger will be rising shotgun again on the next edition of The Strip Podcast. A sinus headache is enough to sop me cold, so props to Steve Friess for soldiering on despite having one and a nasty cold … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Entertainment, Marketing, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

You read it here first …

Posted on May 21, 2010 by David McKee

“Mmm-hm,” muttered a Tropicana Las Vegas official when I asked if the exhibit which will be taking up half the newly vacated Trop pavilion (former indoor tennis courts that look like an airplane hangar) was indeed Antoinette Giancana‘s long-mooted Mafia … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, International, MGM Mirage, Technology, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on You read it here first …

More political football at CityCenter

Posted on May 18, 2010 by David McKee

Due to the Las Vegas Review-Journal‘s bizarre campaign to secede from the Internet, we dare not even link to an excellent Howard Stutz rundown of MGM Mirage‘s attempt to gain the high ground in the fractious “Who screwed up CityCenter” … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, Labor, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

“The American consumer is toast”

Posted on May 14, 2010 by David McKee

If you think MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren sounds apocalyptic when he forecasts no major development on the Las Vegas Strip until circa 2020 (heck, Carl Icahn may keep Fontainebleau on ice until 2015) then get a load of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 3 Comments

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 on From the mailbag

Harrah’s big buffet bungle

Posted on April 30, 2010 by David McKee

Let it be said at the outset that $39.99 for X number of meals at (most of) Harrah’s Entertainment‘s Strip buffets — up from $29.99 — is still one heckuva deal. If you can manage, say, breakfast, lunch and two … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Harrah's, M Resort, Marketing, Planet Hollywood, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off on Harrah’s big buffet bungle

Face of the Week

Posted on April 16, 2010 by David McKee

This haunting visage belongs to Chuck, a Russian Blue who was reader Detroit1051‘s faithful friend for over 14 years. He’s been gone from this earth a couple of years now but lives on in Detroit’s heart and as his Twitter … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Pets, Technology | 2 Comments

A “sudden malady” it was

Posted on April 12, 2010 by David McKee

Last week, when pondering the largely (in the case of the Las Vegas Review-Journal) or completely (in the instance of the Las Vegas Sun) botched coverage of the simultaneous Macao scandals afflicting Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage, I puzzled … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 9, 2010 by David McKee

“The late Chic Hecht, a lovely man who also said [Martin Luther King] had ‘not been dead long enough’ to merit holiday, makes Harry Reid look like Cicero.” — Jon Ralston, from his Twitter feed, on Nevada‘s famously malaprop-prone senator, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Entertainment, Harry Reid, Politics, Technology | 1 Comment