Category Archives: The Strip

Strange bedfellow

Posted on October 20, 2010 by David McKee

Animus by casino dealers toward tip-confiscation by Steve Wynn is causing them to embrace this piece of work … Yeah, that’s a serious ad, not comedy skit. Travis Barrick likes to give the impression that he’d have busted that mean … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Election, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

The Big Lie rides again

Posted on October 19, 2010 by David McKee

If I ever — God forbid! — run for office in Nevada, I’m going to just make stuff up and lie my head off. After all, candidates on both sides of this year’s marquee races have set the “truthiness” bar … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Election, MGM Mirage, Politics, The Strip | 9 Comments

Fellini comes to Vegas

Posted on October 18, 2010 by David McKee

Here’s the one-minute version of Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas‘ surrealistic new teaser ad. I’m not sure who the target market is — the vibe is decidedly upscale but perhaps too arty, over the heads of the Speidi wannabes who frequent … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Cosmopolitan, Current, Marketing, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 5 Comments

Harrah’s on new spending spree

Posted on October 18, 2010 by David McKee

As predicted and dreaded by skeptical bond analysts, proceeds from Harrah’s Entertainment‘s semi-IPO of 17% of the company, it has been officially disclosed, will be rolled into retail therapy for CEO Gary Loveman. An anticipated $575 million will be used … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, George Maloof, Harrah's, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Dr. Loveman on the case; Death Ray designer stays mum

Posted on October 15, 2010 by David McKee

Confronted with an anemic patient — i.e., the Las Vegas Strip — attending physician Gary Loveman, Ph.D, has been prescribing a series of stimuli. (Possibly the only “economic stimulus” that all Americans can support.) Since customers are spending more selectively, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Vdara Death Ray | 7 Comments

Kerkorian’s mixed message; Winners & Losers

Posted on October 13, 2010 by David McKee

Earlier this week, Hudson Securities analyst Robert LaFleur — something of a maverick in the gaming sector — voiced doubts about MGM Resorts International‘s ability to sustain its debt covenants. With an overhang of $13 million in debt, few properties … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, International, Louisiana, M Resort, Macau, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Great moments in casino marketing

Posted on October 13, 2010 by David McKee

We associate Sega with video games but once upon a time, it was in the slot business. Those old machines do look awfully quaint unless … … you juxtapose a Sega one-armed bandit with über-mega-hot European sex goddess Edwige Fenech … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, history, Marketing, Movies, Pennsylvania, Technology, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Great moments in casino marketing

Singapore: Our whales lose more than your whales!

Posted on October 12, 2010 by David McKee

Think you’re so big, Las Vegas? Well, Singapore just went all “In your face” on Sin City. One area tycoon recently blew $50 million at Marina Bay Sands and/or Resorts World Sentosa. Not to be outdone, a Singaporean zillionaire dropped … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Genting, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tamares Group, The Strip | 2 Comments

Atlantic City: It could have been worse; Hard Rock changes its tune

Posted on October 12, 2010 by David McKee

OK, so September’s numbers from Atlantic City only represent one month of competition from SugarHouse, in Philadelphia. However, with every other casino in Pennsylvania having enjoyed two full months of table games, a 12% dropoff isn’t as bad as I … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 2 Comments

Celebrity justice; Harrah’s goes to the dogs

Posted on October 12, 2010 by David McKee

As you all probably know by now, Palms owner George Maloof was busted on a DUI last weekend. Under any other circumstances, it would be endearing to learn that the generally unassuming Maloof doesn’t have himself chauffeured about town. Lack … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Downtown, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Lake Las Vegas, MGM Mirage, Monte Carlo fire, Pets, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

The whales of August

Posted on October 8, 2010 by David McKee

Nevada had another big casino bounce — $944.5 million, its largest since February’s $947 million. However, some of the positive auguries are real and some are misleading. To get the big one out of the way, Strip slot revenues were … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Kansas, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Louisiana, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Reno, The Strip, Tourism, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Lost horizon

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Even as the window of opportunity is slamming shut, “Casino companies are finally starting to see [Internet gambling] as a possible growth engine for the industry and are hoping for congressional help,” writes Motley Fool columnist Travis Hoium. That’d be … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Macau, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

Case Bets: Maryland, New Jersey, Arizona & the Riv

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Although the Maryland public has warmed up to the idea of table games, casinos in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey needn’t lose sleep: Marylanders are at least two years — probably four — from voting table games into … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Election, Horseracing, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Politics, Riviera, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Ask Anthony?

Posted on October 6, 2010 by David McKee

Former Harrah’s Entertainment veep and Santo Gaming founder Anthony F. Santo is six days into his stewarship of Tamares Group‘s downtown Las Vegas casinos. But he’s not putting all his eggs in Tamares’ basket. His company was handed the reins … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Reno, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Vdara Death Ray, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Days of Reckoning

Posted on October 5, 2010 by David McKee

Pinballing between projects, I’ll try to carom off the “blogging” bumper for a moment here … 1,075. That’s the magic number of feet below which Lake Mead cannot drop lest Hoover Dam should become inoperable — plunging Clark County into … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 5 Comments

Uncle Carl’s Computer Barn?

Posted on October 1, 2010 by David McKee

Thanks to the Vdara Death Ray, the big-ass garage sale Carl Icahn is holding at Fontainebleau has dropped off the news pages. But one blogger asks, What about those iMacs in every F-blew hotel room? To which I might add: … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Current, Fontainebleau, Technology, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Vdara Death Ray | 4 Comments

When Roger Thomas speaks …

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

… we listen. Here he holds forth on Wynn Resorts‘ newest objet d’art, in footage fresh off the Web. You may well find yourself trying to insinuate the phrase “lustrous patina” into your conversations after you watch this:

Posted in Architecture, Current, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on When Roger Thomas speaks …

DIY Global Warming at Vdara

Posted on September 30, 2010 by David McKee

Vdara‘s newly infamous “Death Ray” has become the hot spot felt ’round the world: You can tell that Brian Williams is a nice guy because he says MGM Resorts International is “rushing to fix the problem.” If he were snarky, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Environment, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV, Vdara Death Ray | 3 Comments

Inside Icahn’s F-bleau rummage sale

Posted on September 29, 2010 by David McKee

Hmmmm … I hear tell Pinnacle Entertainment just upped the budget* on its Baton Rouge casino. Maybe it can amortize that increase by bargain-shopping at Uncle Carl’s Honkin’ Big Hotel Furniture Emporium (aka “Hot Carl’s Fabulous Fontainebleau Garage Sale”) right-cheer … Continue reading →

Posted in Carl Icahn, Economy, Harrah's, Penn National, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 2 Comments

F-bleau on ice

Posted on September 28, 2010 by David McKee

Back in June, when I toured the “new look” Tropicana Las Vegas, it was intimated that much of the convention-area furniture and the HDTV sets in the Paradise Tower had been obtained on the cheap from Fontainebleau, when the latter … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Penn National, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments