Category Archives: Technology

Xanadu: the prequel?

Posted on June 12, 2009 by David McKee

Martin Stern‘s 1975 conceptualization of a Xanadu casino-hotel, as virtually reconstructed by Dr. David G. Schwartz, struck a familiar chord with one S&G reader. They quickly detected a resemblance between Welton Becket‘s 1971 Disney’s Contemporary Resort, built in modular fashion … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Election, Florida, MGM Mirage, Politics, Technology, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off on Xanadu: the prequel?

Under Attack II

Posted on May 22, 2009 by David McKee

Aside from being the title of ABBA's final single (and lamest music video), it's also the status of our Web site. Which means precious little blogorrhea, I fear. In the interim, experience an absolutely mind-boggling interview with Harrah's Entertainment CEO … Continue reading →

Posted in ABBA, Entertainment, Harrah's, Technology | Comments Off on Under Attack II

"Fixations"

Posted on May 21, 2009 by David McKee

No, Guy Laliberté is not prancing around our offices in cap and bells, reducing staffers to helpless laughter with declarations of, "Criss Angel is not a magician … he is an artist!" Instead, cyber-gremblins have rendered our Web operations FUBAR … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Macau, MGM Mirage, Technology | Comments Off on "Fixations"

Trop snoozes, loses

Posted on March 26, 2009 by David McKee

Like a hot potato, the Tropicana Las Vegas continues to bounce from Columbia Sussex to Tropicana Entertainment and now maybe into the hands of Alex Yemenidjian. (This management-contract arrangement looks more like laying the groundwork for a sale … if … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Indiana, Marketing, Technology, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Trop snoozes, loses

Case Bets: MGM Mirage, Harrah's, Wynn, Shuffle Master, Taxes

Posted on March 17, 2009 by David McKee

As we wait for the MGM Mirage earnings report, signs of desperation mount. If the company is willing to cast away a pearl like new, costly and high-yielding MGM Grand Detroit, what isn’t sacred? Not even the corporate jet, provided … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Detroit, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Labor, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pinnacle Entertainment, Shuffle Master, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: MGM Mirage, Harrah's, Wynn, Shuffle Master, Taxes

Packer gets a discount; solving the I-15 problem

Posted on March 16, 2009 by David McKee

Though it can't seem to settle on a dollar figure for James Packer's renegotiated Cannery Casino Resorts purchase, this story makes one salient point: A $1.7 billion-plus acquisition could be converted into a 25% stake for $370 million-$390 million. That … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, California, Cannery Casino Resorts, James Packer, Technology | Comments Off on Packer gets a discount; solving the I-15 problem

More M Resort pix

Posted on March 11, 2009 by David McKee

Armed with my first digital camera (which the Significant Other won during the brief run of "The Real Deal" at the Venetian), we scoped out M Resort on opening night. If Encore marked the return of "the red casino," M … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Encore, M Resort, Technology, TV | Comments Off on More M Resort pix

Case Bets: Bank shot, Sin City Express

Posted on March 4, 2009 by David McKee

In today's Movable Buffet, Richard Abowitz speculates on the possible evolution (devolution?) of Las Vegas from a boomtown built on junk bonds to critical-care patient who's a ward of the banks. To Abowitz's mention of the bank-owned Cosmopolitan, I would … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Goldman Sachs, Morgans Hotel Group, Politics, Technology, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets: Bank shot, Sin City Express

"Sin City Express"

Posted on February 27, 2009 by David McKee

Expect to be hearing that catchy new canard a lot, not to mention the “Las Vegas to Disneyland” little white lie that Gov. Opie Jindal (R-LA) trotted out in his Tuesday-night audition for the 2012 presidential nomination. “Vegas to Disneyland” … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Louisiana, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip | Comments Off on "Sin City Express"

Joint 2.0

Posted on February 20, 2009 by David McKee

Yesterday, a large gaggle of local media traipsed through the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's in-progress new version of The Joint (or Joint 2.0, if you will). Those on hand included Mike Weatherford and Jason Bracelin from the Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Morgans Hotel Group, Technology | Comments Off on Joint 2.0

Head-scratcher at Shuffle Master

Posted on February 2, 2009 by David McKee

Come March 15, Shuffle Master CEO Mark Yoseloff finally gets to leave the company — something he’s wanted to do for a while but which has been stymied by the difficulty of replacing him. Just how difficult was it? So … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Australia, Regulation, Technology, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Head-scratcher at Shuffle Master

21

Posted on December 31, 2008 by David McKee

That's the number of predictions for 2009 issued by Spectrum Gaming Group, an Atlantic City-based outfit. They are, in no particular order: • Advancements in technology that impact revenues and cut costs will continue to be attractive to operators even … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Don Barden, Economy, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on 21