Category Archives: The Strip

The Ribis Factor

Posted on May 21, 2010 by David McKee

Today’s a hectic one: four bylines due and not much time for S&G. However, I am the beneficiary of some number-crunching conducted by a reader, who’s been following the decline and fall of Colony Capital‘s two Atlantic City casinos under … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, Mississippi, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on The Ribis Factor

That’ll show ’em!

Posted on May 20, 2010 by David McKee

What do you do if a group of conventioneers is discomfited during their stay at your brand-new, “grand slam home run,” unfinished $5.7 billion megaresort? Sue the bastards! That ought to work wonders for Sheldon Adelson‘s convention traffic. (True, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, LVCVA, Marketing, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

Hey, Gary Loveman …

Posted on May 20, 2010 by David McKee

… would it effing kill ya to send CFO Jonathan Halkyard down to Home Depot and pick up some Sherwin-Williams to slap on the old Paris-Las Vegas balloon? (If you think she looks bad from this angle, you should see … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 7 Comments

Good grief!

Posted on May 20, 2010 by David McKee

Some day, in the not-so-distant future, MILF-y Archon Corp. underboss Sue Lowden may make a distinguished addition to the U.S. Senate. As the secretary-treasurer of a casino company (one that aspires to build a sports arena on the Strip), she’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Election, Harrah's, Politics, Sports, The Strip, Transportation | 4 Comments

Once before I go

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

… to the Tropicana Las Vegas, that is. As you can see from this video and the accompanying story, Onex Corp. is making good on its promise to reinvest in the dowager, its first significant makeover since the early Reagan … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Columbia Sussex, Current, Movies, The Strip, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on Once before I go

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

“Sir, it’s a line charge. It’s the privilege of phone service, even if you don’t use it.” — response of Sam’s Town and Palms desk personnel to a patron’s complaint about being charged a dollar a day for the phone(s) … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Economy, George Maloof, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Paging Gary Loveman …

Posted on May 19, 2010 by David McKee

When it comes to bankruptcy, the Fertitta Brothers are pikers compared to magician Steve Wyrick, whose eponymous “entertainment complex” went “Poof!” last Dec. 10. At the time, Wyrick harangued LVA for announcing the closure, saying his return was imminent. We’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Election, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Paging Gary Loveman …

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

“Run away! Run away!”

Posted on May 18, 2010 by David McKee

“We know there’s going to be drug sales and prostitution and that you can’t stop all of it,” is the rallying cry of the Nevada Gaming Control Board‘s top enforcer, Jerry Markling, basically running up the white flag even before … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, The Strip | 1 Comment

Andy Rooney is an @$$

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

Actually, I had a more sphincter-specific adjective in mind. I tuned the nasty old fart out years ago, when he approving noted the spread of AIDS. The CBS-TV in-house crackpot hasn’t stopped rejoicing in human misery since then. Here are … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Trop tour!

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

I’ll be spending late Wednesday with a hardhat atop my noggin, as I get a tour of the ongoing makeover at the Tropicana Las Vegas. The two big, outdoor signs have already been replaced, the marquee (left) is getting a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 4 Comments

Writing today

Posted on May 17, 2010 by David McKee

… on mostly non-S&G projects, so blogorrhea is at a minimum, alas. We’re also trying to work out the kinks in our system that would enable us to get that week-old Atlantic City piece out of the right-hand box without … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, George Maloof, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on Writing today

LV Hilton sagging

Posted on May 14, 2010 by David McKee

Tom Barrack‘s Colony C[r]apital may be running yet another casino into the ground. The Las Vegas Hilton reported earnings late today, swinging $5 million year/year from a profit to a loss. Food and beverage sales were steady but hotel rooms … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Economy, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

“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

“Maudlin’s Eleven”

Posted on May 14, 2010 by David McKee

Since the recent inclusion of an SCTV clip went over so well (the troupe really had the old Vegas sensibility down cold), another S&G film festival seemed in order. In this case, it’s the complete Maudlin’s Eleven. For some bizarre … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Movies, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

This just in …

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Casino regulators in Iowa have dealt a sweeping rebuff to Gov. Chet Culver (D). While the Hawkeye State’s Racing & Gaming Commission gave its nod to a casino targeted primarily at the South Dakota market, it backhanded three other proposals. … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Iowa, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, The Strip | Comments Off on This just in …

CityCenter, political football *du jour*

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Now that the all-too-inevitable “Who screwed up CityCenter?” unpleasantness between MGM Mirage and Perini Building has escalated into full-blown litigation and subcontractors fend for themselves, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) has been caught in the crossfire. His main rival, Archon Corp. … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., CityCenter, Current, Election, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics, The Strip | Comments Off on CityCenter, political football *du jour*

Resorts World lifts Marina Bay Sands

Posted on May 13, 2010 by David McKee

Strongly early numbers and performance from Genting‘s Resorts World Sentosa metaresort are fueling bullish sentiment regarding Las Vegas Sands‘ $5.7 billion Marina Bay Sands megalith (above), part of a multi-pronged tourism push. Sentosa did $243 million in revenue and $79 … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Genting, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Resorts World lifts Marina Bay Sands

Nevada: No recovery yet

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

“We hit the bottom and are slowly climbing out,” contends Nevada Gaming Control Board analyst Frank Streshley, trying to put the best spin on a flat March. There were definitely some silver linings. Who’da thunk Laughlin (2.5%), Reno (5%) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, California, CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, LVCVA, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sports, The Strip | 10 Comments

Not just another pretty face

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

Because of the relatively low base salaries drawn by CEOs of major casino companies, they’ve generally been exempt from mass-media scrutiny. However, the ways in which the compensation pot has been sweetened for Las Vegas‘ (or would that be China‘s?) … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, International, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments