Category Archives: The Strip

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 10, 2009 by David McKee

“It was intriguing to me that you can have a valley of 2 million people spread around the suburbs without the logical counterpoint that you would typically find in large metropolitan markets, having a large urban core.” — MGM Mirage … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 4 Comments

Strip bottoming out

Posted on November 10, 2009 by David McKee

September’s Nevada gaming revenue numbers are in and the good news is that the Strip is only -4% year/year. (Strip revs were down all of ’08 but didn’t fall off the cliff until October, when they tumbled 26%.) This makes … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, Mesquite, Ohio, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Strip bottoming out

Shows! Shows! Shows!

Posted on November 9, 2009 by David McKee

Another clutch of reviews by Yr. Humble Blogger has appeared on TheWizardOfVegas.com, though my notes on the current Wayne Newton fiasco at the Tropicana Las Vegas are of such dubious legibility that they may never see the light of day. … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 9, 2009 by David McKee

“Turns out Newton isn’t the only Wayne in town with shot vocal cords.” — DailyFiasco.com, reporting on Wayne Brady‘s cancellation of all remaining 2009 performances of Making %@it Up at the Venetian. We can’t imagine an under-the-weather Brady sounding worse … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Use found for The Harmon

Posted on November 8, 2009 by David McKee

Yes, “Dubai’s Diminuendo,” the “Harmonini,” Baldwin’s Bump, whatever you want to call it, has been given a purpose in life. Strip hotel guests awoke in the wee hours of Saturday morning to behold the following: If nothing else, the truncated … Continue reading →

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 6, 2009 by David McKee

“If not exactly humbled by the show’s critical drubbing and lackluster sales, [Criss] Angel, now the butt of jokes by most other Strip comics and magicians, seems less hubristic than he did a year ago. There’s less swagger and no … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Cretins, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Greek Isles, buy a clue

Posted on November 5, 2009 by David McKee

If anybody’s holding a vote on Las Vegas’ dullest casino Web site, surely the runaway winner will be that for the Greek Isles. It’s so boring, so unimaginative, so Midwest riverboat casino of 12 years ago that it practically yawns … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

Much ado about something?

Posted on November 5, 2009 by David McKee

Vive le Roi! After much coy hugger-mugger, Cirque du Soleil has just announced the name of its Aria show is … wait for it, people … Viva Elvis. (I cannot decide if the uninspired logo, which looks like a Ronco … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Missouri, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

From the Twitter feed

Posted on November 4, 2009 by David McKee

@VegasFunFacts: “McCarran Airport was named after former NV Sen. Pat McCarran, known for his anti-communism and for lobbying fed funds and projects for NV.” (Translation: Choke on it, China-loving, guvmint-bashing Steve Wynn.) @jccarcamo: “Republicans on a special committee considering the … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Election, Florida, MGM Mirage, Politics, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | Comments Off on From the Twitter feed

From the worst to the best

Posted on November 3, 2009 by David McKee

Having already polled LVA readers about the worst Vegas-themed movie (Mars Attacks! scored a stunning upset over Showgirls), we’re now going to ask them to choose the best gambling-themed film. So far, the suggested titles are: The Hustler, its sequel, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, The Strip | 3 Comments

Steve Wynn drinks his own bathwater

Posted on November 3, 2009 by David McKee

I’ll confess to having been sufficiently out of touch not to have heard about the “Wynncore” parody site on which blogger Chuck Monster was laboring. Anybody who’s used the sluggish Wynn Resorts Web site will appreciate the home page (“Loading … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Economy, Encore, G2E, Marketing, Mississippi, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 5 Comments

Dark days for the clown house?

Posted on November 2, 2009 by David McKee

During all the economic Sturm und Drang of the last two years, MGM Mirage has — to its great credit — not been shy about offering comps, discounts and promotions to keep people coming back. However, its latest promotional allowances … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Case Bets: CityCenter, Boyd odyssey, Massachusetts & the “Admiral”

Posted on November 2, 2009 by David McKee

There’s continued apprehension about MGM Mirage‘s $8.5 billion, 7,200-unit CityCenter, especially now that hotel rooms there are going for less than ones at either the Venetian or Encore. (Thinking positively: Who knew CityCenter was going to be so affordable?) Business … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Encore, Harrah's, Kansas, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 8 Comments

From the mailbag #10

Posted on November 2, 2009 by David McKee

I’m no longer a regular viewer of CSI, but someone who is spotted a glaring anachronism in the most recent episode: “Did anyone else notice the old (aka early 90s) nighttime air shot of the Strip?  It showed the old … Continue reading →

Posted in Harrah's, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Case Bets: ColSux, Wynn, Agassi, Lake LV, ‘Vega$’

Posted on October 30, 2009 by David McKee

Proverbial “flu-like symptoms” have me feeling light-headed and rather woozy (a delayed reaction to Wayne Newton?), for which the doctor prescribes a dosage of Case Bets … Another ColSux sale: Struggling hotelier Columbia Sussex has, for the not-inconsiderable sum of … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Downtown, Encore, Iowa, Lake Las Vegas, Louisiana, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, TV | 3 Comments

Signs of the Times

Posted on October 29, 2009 by David McKee

Oh, how I wish I’d had the presence of mind to snap a photo of the Tropicana Las Vegas marquee last night. It reads, in part: WAYNE NEWTON Once Before I Go NOW The concluding imperative makes the sign look … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, The Strip, TV | 6 Comments

Critiqued by Tomlin

Posted on October 28, 2009 by David McKee

When conducting interviews, I rarely think about how I’m doing them other than thinking that the questions are tumbling out sounding stupid or that I’m blathering on like the dreaded Charlie Rose (an excellent example of how not to interview … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, The Strip | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 28, 2009 by David McKee

“It’s not legal, and anyone who thinks this is legal is wrong. They are guilty of a misdemeanor if they do this.” — Steve Wynn, who’s not a lawyer but plays one in the newspapers. If he’d read a little, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 3 Comments

“Don’t panic”

Posted on October 28, 2009 by David McKee

Most of you will recognize that as a critical maxim from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s also what to do if you comments don’t appear straightaway on the S&G site. In our new setup they won’t post immediately … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, Sahara, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Boyd: A waiting game

Posted on October 27, 2009 by David McKee

That’s the economic forecast of J.P. Morgan analysts after Boyd Gaming came in slightly under its cash-flow projections for the third quarter. Borgata remained a bright spot, reaching record levels of market share in Atlantic City (a staggering 19%) in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Morgans Hotel Group, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Racinos, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 6 Comments