Category Archives: The Strip

Still catching up in Margaritaville

Posted on June 28, 2010 by David McKee

Eight days of vacation have left me deep in the hole, research-wise, so I hope you’ll forgive the slender output of recent days whilst I plough through dozens — if not a hundred or more — of unread news stories, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Mississippi, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Still catching up in Margaritaville

Back from the North; Requiem for a President

Posted on June 25, 2010 by David McKee

My apologies to S&G readers for the prolonged silence whilst I was on vacation. It seems that wi-fi availability in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is even spottier than I feared (although it makes a good excuse to head down … Continue reading →

Posted in Detroit, Dining, Harrah's, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, WMS Industries | Comments Off on Back from the North; Requiem for a President

Your moment of Circus Circus

Posted on June 14, 2010 by David McKee

According to Vegas Chatter, visitors to the Circus Circus and Excalibur Web sites will get drop-down offers for Aria when they try to book stays at MGM Mirage‘s lower-end properties (a reflection of that heavy Circus Circus/Aria demographic overlap, no … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, The Strip | 2 Comments

That tricky Steve Wynn

Posted on June 11, 2010 by David McKee

As you probably saw on Twitter or LVA yesterday, Wynncore has quietly introduced a $20 “resort fee,” joining the parade of dishonor that includes practically everyone not named Harrah’s Entertainment or — believe it or not — Tamares Group. (Keeping … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Strip | 8 Comments

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

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

So long, Sue, and thanks for playing

Posted on June 9, 2010 by David McKee

It’s back to her day job for Archon Corp. Secretary-Treasurer Sue Lowden, whose political aspirations experienced an embarrassing meltdown that some would call karmic,  redefining “epic fail.” Now she can focus on repairing a corporate image which The Newspaper That … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Election, Harry Reid, history, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Michael Gaughan, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Movies, North Las Vegas, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

“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

This is what “recovery” looks like

Posted on June 9, 2010 by David McKee

Here’s our new business model: a Strip that hasn’t gotten past “dead cat bounce” yet and emaciated revenues elsewhere. Instead of longing for the snows of yesterday and invoking the magic number “2007,” the top minds in the industry are … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Harrah’s still pining for Macao

Posted on June 8, 2010 by David McKee

While we’re on the subject of white elephants today, Harrah’s Entertainment still has a little boondoggle in Macao in the form of a $577 million golf course. Cornered by a reporter at G2E Asia, Harrah’s Asian viceroy, Michael Chen, conceded … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, history, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Movies, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sports, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Recovery: Wait ’til next year

Posted on June 7, 2010 by David McKee

Executives at MGM Mirage haven’t exactly changed their tune but they’ve tweaked the lyrics a bit. Whereas they used to predict a second-half upturn in 2010, now they say 2011 is the magic number and that they’ve got the numbers … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Illinois, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Recovery: Wait ’til next year

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 6, 2010 by David McKee

“If you’re single and want a one-night, that’s the place to go.” — a friend’s assessment of the Hooters Casino Hotel.

Posted in The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Bargain-hunting at Harrah’s

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

But not in the way you might think … Harrah’s Entertainment is $557 million richer — which effectively amortizes the Planet Hollywood deal — after the swap of a 16% ownership stake to three investment firms for $1.2 billion in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Oklahoma, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Steve Wynn scores 50 grand

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

If this story, heard through the grapevine, isn’t true then it should be: Supposedly, on opening weekend at Encore Beach Club business was sufficiently brisk that bungalows were fetching as much as $20,000 apiece. One man was so desperate — … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Encore, Entertainment, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 3 Comments

Jason lives … at Station Casinos

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

Jason Voorhees (well, one of the many) is Station Casinos‘ general manager for the tribally owned Thunder Valley Casino, near Sacramento. No, I’m not making this up. Uncle Sheldon says … that convention business will be “80% of normal” in … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Current, International, Macau, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 3 Comments

“Yup, it’s in bad shape”

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

That’s what a correspondent wrote after seeing a ginormous photo of the sadly faded Paris-Las Vegas “balloon” marquee. For the grisly details click here. Planet Hollywood, this could be you. Just give it a few years. On the subject of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

Blast from the past

Posted on June 4, 2010 by David McKee

If you look carefully, you can find this at the southwest corner of the UNLV campus: I can’t recall a time when this still served as a water feature — something that’s out of the question nowadays — and it … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, history, The Strip | Tagged | 1 Comment

What is “brand equity”?

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

Isle of Capri execs break it down for us in this newly released video. Of course, the specific components of “brand equity” at Wynn Resorts would be quite different, as they would at Harrah’s Entertainment, etc. Isle was one of … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 4 Comments

Look who’s getting into the pool-party scene

Posted on June 3, 2010 by David McKee

If you seek a casino pool on the Strip that’s relaxing, quiet and douchebag-free, my experience says, “Try the Riviera.” After all, “tranquil” and “Vegas” needn’t be oxymoronic. But Riv management’s out to change all that … OK, one doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Marketing, Riviera, The Strip | Comments Off on Look who’s getting into the pool-party scene