Category Archives: The Strip

While Atlantic City burns …

Posted on May 7, 2010 by David McKee

While Atlantic City burns, Gov. Chris Christie fiddles. After coming into office saying the right things about helping the state’s casino industry, Christie has spent most of first months in office dithering uselessly. Having waited until A) the Revel project … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Environment, Harrah's, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on May 7, 2010 by David McKee

“It could never have worked if we had done it in phases. We could never have created what I wanted, which is this urbanization that is going to be so vitally important and makes it so different from another resort. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 7 Comments

Illinois’ results are good, Sands’ are better

Posted on May 7, 2010 by David McKee

Praise be! Casino revenues in Illinois were actually flat (+0.5%) last month. It’s mainly a consequence of Penn National‘s Empress Joliet being back in the fray, raking in $40 million. (You’ll recall that, a year ago, its pavilion was but … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Harrah's, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip | Comments Off on Illinois’ results are good, Sands’ are better

Blasts from the past

Posted on May 6, 2010 by David McKee

Steve Wynn‘s been taking himself a mite too seriously of late, which makes me wonder whatever happened to this guy? At least the “hair helmet” look is a thing of the past. Sadly, so too is the Golden Nugget Atlantic … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Harrah's, James Packer, Marketing, Phil Ruffin, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Blasts from the past

Vegas’ secret shame revealed

Posted on May 5, 2010 by David McKee

Thanks to last night’s episode of Dancing with the Stars, all America knows that Cirque du Soleil has unleashed a campy, fugly Elvis Presley “tribute” show upon the Strip. (I wonder which of the six credited choreographers was responsible for … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

BoB still $29.99 … sorta

Posted on May 4, 2010 by David McKee

If you’re heading north out of McCarran International Airport on Swenson, be sure and have your digital cameras or cell phones at the ready. There, big as life, is a Harrah’s Entertainment billboard for the “Buffet of Buffets” (spotted at … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

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

Sickness, health & Shakespeare

Posted on April 30, 2010 by David McKee

No sooner was the S&G software restored to working order than Yr. Humble Blogger was laid low by either A) too much indulgence in Harrah’s Entertainment‘s “Buffet of Buffets” or B) my worst fibromyalgia attack in years. Given Vegas’ recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 28, 2010 by David McKee

“What, perhaps you ask, is ‘Gossiness’? Well, nobody exactly knows, except that it is very likely in coming years to be an Urban Dictionary entry synonymous with an act that thinks it can burst on the Vegas scene and expect … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, International, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Harrah’s red-headed stepchild

Posted on April 23, 2010 by David McKee

If we (you, me, everybody) had a dollar for ever time we heard a rumor that Harrah’s Entertainment was putting The Rio on the block, we could pool enough moolah to amortize CEO Gary Loveman‘s recent $100,000 pay cut. Our … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Atlantic City, Current, Economy, George Maloof, Harrah's, International, James Packer, Laughlin, Planet Hollywood, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 10 Comments

Ozzy has left the building

Posted on April 22, 2010 by David McKee

Rock-based revues and tribute shows are biting the dust left and right, according to our LVA research staff. As the Riviera (whose workforce has been allegedly reduced by 60%) creeps toward the grave, Masters of Rock preceded it last Saturday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Riviera, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Archonomics: Poultry in motion

Posted on April 22, 2010 by David McKee

All of cyberspace has been agog with Archon Corp. Treasurer Sue Lowden‘s chickens for health care proposal. Normally we’d chalk up this kind of Green Acres-inspired policy to spring fever and leave it at that — were it not for … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Archon Corp., Economy, Election, The Strip | 4 Comments

Steve Wynn may take his ball …

Posted on April 22, 2010 by David McKee

… and move to Macao. Or so he says. Given Steve Wynn‘s long track record of thinking aloud, I’d assign a low probability to this trial-balloon idea. Besides, in the U.S. the mogul can pop off at the government without … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Economy, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Harrah’s robbing Peter to buy Paul

Posted on April 15, 2010 by David McKee

When executives of Harrah’s Entertainment credit “hard-nosed” negotiating tactics for their success is reducing the company’s preposterous debt level, one suspects that threats of default and bankruptcy serve as the rhetorical equivalents of the rubber hose and brass knuckles. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Mississippi, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Riviera, The Strip, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Harrah’s robbing Peter to buy Paul

MGM pre-reports

Posted on April 14, 2010 by David McKee

Aria: Nice rooms; anybody there? First, the good news: A managerial shakeup at MGM Grand Macau yielded a $54 million swing in operating income, turning what had been a modest loss last year into a considerable profit in 1Q10. Also, … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Detroit, Economy, Illinois, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Stanley Ho, The Strip, Wall Street | 8 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 14, 2010 by David McKee

“Now, there’s an invitation I can’t refuse! Don’t think I want to be one of their freefalling guinea pigs.” — Las Vegan’s response to an invitation to become of one of the first to experience the Stratosphere‘s new 855-foot, 40-mph … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, The Strip, Tourism | 3 Comments

A “Titanic” offer

Posted on April 13, 2010 by David McKee

Through Sunday, Luxor is celebrating — if that’s the word — the 98th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. For instance, tonight you can swap your exhibit ticket for a free drink or appetizer at (where else?) Tacos … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on A “Titanic” offer

Betting on Adelson

Posted on April 13, 2010 by David McKee

Analysts at J.P. Morgan are downright bullish on Las Vegas Sands, raising their stock price target by over 25% (to $29/share). Their ebullience is motivated in large part by expectations for Marina Bay Sands, which they estimate will garner 55% … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, CityCenter, Economy, Indiana, Kansas, Lyle Berman, Macau, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Another day at Harrah’s

Posted on April 13, 2010 by David McKee

When you’re $19 billion or so in the hole, what’s another half-billion, right? Such is the case for Harrah’s Entertainment, which intends to issue $500 million in second-priority secured notes (soon upped to $750 million) due 2018. The notes are … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Another day at Harrah’s

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 12, 2010 by David McKee

“Then again, being unable to keep his hands off a lifeless hunk of plastic is just what [Spencer] Pratt does. [Heidi] Montag vowed to recapture his attention by having a Blu-Ray player installed in her left boob.” — Daily Fiasco’s … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cretins, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day