Category Archives: The Strip

From the mailbag

Posted on March 3, 2010 by David McKee

One S&G reader took great exception to some comments that Harrah’s Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman made to Reuters: “He said that hotel rates had got so cheap in Vegas — $89 a night for a room at a very nice … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, The Strip | 4 Comments

Sue Lowden, socialist?

Posted on March 2, 2010 by David McKee

Archon Corp. Treasurer Sue Lowden has been called unflattering things in her life (mostly by the Culinary Union) but I’ll bet my soul “socialist” was never among them. Until now. Rival Danny Tarkanian flung the “S word” at her yesterday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Election, Entertainment, Harry Reid, Politics, The Strip | 2 Comments

Macao’s big ass-month

Posted on March 1, 2010 by David McKee

Casinos in Macao blew way past expectations, raking in $1.6 billion last month (a 70% increase). Stanley Ho‘s SJM widened its lead on Las Vegas Sands, although the latter had more market share (20%) than MGM Grand Macau and Galaxy … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Economy, Environment, Florida, Genting, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Macao’s big ass-month

Sands backslides, backpedals in Pennsylvania

Posted on March 1, 2010 by David McKee

Wow, there’s nothing like the rumor of an in-progress sale to light a fire under Las Vegas Sands to restart its desultory Sands Bethlehem. Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson tries to imply that resumption of the hotel is contingent upon getting … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Lake Las Vegas, Macau, Massachusetts, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip | 6 Comments

Blast from the past

Posted on February 26, 2010 by David McKee

Since we’ve been talking about Archon Corp. this week — and because I didn’t want the last post of the week to be about feet — here’s an old ad for the Wet ‘n Wild water park, whose closure really … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Marketing, The Strip, Tourism | 6 Comments

Case Bets: Loveman & ladies’ shoes, CityCenter, Singapore, the Palms and Wayne Newton

Posted on February 26, 2010 by David McKee

Naptime in the casino. If American casinos are less frenetic than those of, say, Macao, the gambling culture in Singapore is very relaxed indeed. Fancy a catnap at your slot machine? No problem! Oh, to see the expression on Sheldon … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Genting, George Maloof, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 4 Comments

The Pioneer strikes again

Posted on February 25, 2010 by David McKee

Maybe Archon Corp. Treasurer Sue Lowden was right to play down her casino-industry involvement, after all (although gaming executives aren’t hated around here with anything like the passion reserved for bankers). Her family’s Laughlin grind joint, the Pioneer, occasionally makes … Continue reading →

Posted in Harry Reid, Laughlin, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 4 Comments

New Donny in town

Posted on February 25, 2010 by David McKee

As in Clay, Donny Clay, played by the versatile Jason Alexander in The Donny Clay Experience. This delightful one-man show will be a peripatetic and hopefully long-lived visitor to Planet Hollywood … unless Gary Loveman‘s crony Frank Biondi (ex-Viacom CEO) … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Introducing Planet Harrah’s

Posted on February 23, 2010 by David McKee

Newly Harrah’s-ized Planet Hollywood has got a new Web site. OK, it’s a little rudimentary by 2010 standards but we’re in the top of the first inning here. (If for some reason the page doesn’t show in your browser, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Cirque du Soleil, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Technology, The Strip, Wayne F. Newton, World Series of Poker | 12 Comments

Penn: “You stupid darkness!”

Posted on February 22, 2010 by David McKee

In one of my absolute favorite Peanuts strips, Charlie Brown finds Linus out in the night, carrying a taper. Asked to explain, Linus replies that it’s better to light a single candle than curse the darkness. Cut to Lucy, elsewhere, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Case Bets: Wynn in Philly, topless in Vegas, Pegasus crashes

Posted on February 22, 2010 by David McKee

It’s a slow news day in the industry, though not without its amusing elements. For instance, the Philadelphia Inquirer devoted a significant amount of ink to the weighty question of whether half-dozen casinos in the greater Philly area might be … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cannery Casino Resorts, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

‘Viva Elvis’: It’s here and …

Posted on February 22, 2010 by David McKee

… it’s one giant, steaming heap of merde. Cirque du Soleil is clearly just doing this one for the bread and it shows. Desert Companion Editor Andrew Kiraly‘s baneful summation of Cirque’s oeuvre as “arid pretension” never seemed more appropriate. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 20, 2010 by David McKee

“One [cowboy] draws a pistol and fires a shot into a campfire, which bursts into flames. It’s terrific fun, but when we think of Elvis, is a cowpoke spinning a flaming lasso something that springs to mind? I mean, if … Continue reading →

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

Skin(less) City

Posted on February 19, 2010 by David McKee

Before we get into the good (?) stuff, I should mention that S&G has been nominated as part of Las Vegas CityLife‘s “Best of the Valley” poll. I probably should have pimped this a week ago, when the poll went … Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Current, Detroit, Economy, Entertainment, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, The Strip | 5 Comments

Sheldon Adelson, TV star

Posted on February 19, 2010 by David McKee

There I was, wrapping up a two-day “staycation” with dinner at Metro Pizza when I looked up and … let’s say I’m lucky I didn’t choke to death from shock at what I saw. There was Las Vegas Sands potentate … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Current, Economy, Entertainment, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, TV, Wall Street, Wayne F. Newton | 1 Comment

Sands & MGM previewed

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

Weighing in ahead of Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage conference calls, J.P. Morgan analysts have some early projections. They remain bullish on Marina Bay Sands, although it may now open in late May. (Incredibly, Morgan says this one-month discrepancy … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Harrah’s: too big to fail

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

Take a good look at that fresh-faced man to the left. His name is Jonathan Halkyard and he’s the CFO of Harrah’s Entertainment. If he seems like a kid who’s running up a reckless tab on Dad’s credit card, blame … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, James Packer, Lake Tahoe, Melco Crown Entertainment, Ohio, Planet Hollywood, Racinos, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Harrah’s: too big to fail

Canaries in the coal mine

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

A minor brouhaha has been playing out in the pages of Howard Stutz‘s blog. Last Friday, Susquehanna Financial Group apparently sacked gaming analyst Robert LaFleur. “[D]ue to the departure of the analyst from the firm,” said SFG, with faultless deadpan … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

The Flying Dutchman of the Strip

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

Pity poor Rockstar: The Tribute. It briefly played Planet Hollywood‘s Wyrick Entertainment Complex last June, then got the boot. An announced revival at the Harmon Theater never materialized. A late-2009 move to the Riviera was ballyhooed. Guess what? Rockstar never … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Riviera, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

Now it’s Aria, too

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

CityCenter‘s new locals-friendly policy has extended to the Aria spa. Unlike the Vdara offer announced last week, this one is good Sun.-Thurs. only but still a 25% discount is not be sneezed at, is it? Hopefully, MGM Mirage has done … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Now it’s Aria, too