Category Archives: The Strip

Adelson does damage control; Caesars IPO Part 2: Boom or bust?

Posted on February 8, 2012 by David McKee

It was “unfortunate” for Sheldon Adelson that he wore the uniform of the United States of America, the country that made him rich? Seriously? Not many of us would use our spouses as human shields. But then again, not many … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Charity, Cordish Co., Don Barden, Economy, Election, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Macau, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Adelson does damage control; Caesars IPO Part 2: Boom or bust?

Adelson’s perfidy and big karmic payback

Posted on February 6, 2012 by David McKee

Last Saturday, Sheldon Adelson personally presided over the Special Supplemental Sheldon Adelson Presidential Caucuses (an event hijacked from the state GOP) at the Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Educational Campus … and stepped in it again. Adelson’s footpads, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Election, Florida, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Caesars IPO: It’s baaaaaack! Adelson: I’ll take Taiwan

Posted on February 3, 2012 by David McKee

In a pathetically underwhelming announcement, Caesars Entertainment is planning to float an IPO of 1.8 million shares, priced to move at a modest $8-$10 per share. Which means, best-case scenario, that CEO Gary Loveman will raise $18 million, tops, from … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, G2E, Harrah's, International, Macau, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Epic failure in Florida; Epic blowhard in Vegas

Posted on February 3, 2012 by David McKee

Neither the very conspicuous efforts of Genting Berhad and Las Vegas Sands nor the quieter ones of Wynn Resorts and Caesars Entertainment were sufficient to overcome entrenched conservatism in the Florida Legislature. State Rep. Erik Fresen (R) waved the surrender … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Donald Trump, drama queen

Posted on February 1, 2012 by David McKee

His Trumpness will manifest himself to the assembled media tomorrow, shortly past noon, at Trump International, just off the Las Vegas Strip. Oooohhh, the excitement! The failed casino operator will make “a major announcement” that’s too major to be announced … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 2 Comments

Trump: Get away

Posted on January 27, 2012 by David McKee

There are serial exaggerators and then there’s Donald Trump. An S&G reader forwarded an e-mail invitation to enter a contest whose grand prize is a two-night stay at Trump Toronto. Its touted value: $50,000. Considering that the winner’s airfare will … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Don Barden, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 2 Comments

One dynasty meets another

Posted on January 23, 2012 by David McKee

File this under ‘When camp icons collide.’ Yes, that’s Joan Collins, O.B.E. with showgirls from Jubilee! Between the show’s tenure and that of Ms. Collins, those are two careers characterized by unusually long legs — metaphorical and otherwise. Unfortunately, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip | Comments Off on One dynasty meets another

Gilbert’s Dixie deal; Linq begins; Musical chairs at Penn

Posted on January 23, 2012 by David McKee

Dan Gilbert‘s descent upon the Baltimore market, in tandem with Caesars Entertainment, isn’t exactly news but the revelation that it will operate under the Harrah’s imprimatur (relegated to tertiary status by Caesars CEO Gary Loveman) certainly is. Gilbert’s undergraduate career … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Genting, Harrah's, M Resort, Maryland, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on Gilbert’s Dixie deal; Linq begins; Musical chairs at Penn

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 19, 2012 by David McKee

“Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.” — legendary animator and really cool dude Chuck Jones (1912-2002). Today, Circus Circus opened The Chuck Jones Experience, an interactive museum devoted to Jones and the veritable cosmos of characters to which his pencil … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, history, MGM Mirage, Movies, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 1 Comment

Wynn & Okada: The bromance sours

Posted on January 13, 2012 by David McKee

Today’s Wall Street Journal confirms yesterday’s S&G tea-leaf reading that Kazuo Okada was being a naughty boy, bruiting about possible Wynn Resorts involvement in the Philippines, even showing “designs similar to iconic Wynn casinos, according to people familiar with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Current, International, Macau, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wynn & Okada: The bromance sours

Living on Vegas time

Posted on January 13, 2012 by David McKee

By way of Ian Sutton‘s Gaming Floor portal comes news that Les Artistes Steakhouse, late of Paris-Las Vegas, is fermé … toujours.  Although the hotel-casino has only been open since September 1999, on Caesars Entertainment‘s in-house blog this constitutes “a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, history, Sahara, The Strip, Tribal | 5 Comments

Belated Christmas presents, Part II

Posted on January 11, 2012 by David McKee

If the good news keeps raining down like this, I might have to start using the R-word … as in “recovery.” In November, Nevada‘s $880 million gross was good for a 7% upsurge. The Las Vegas Strip beat the statewide … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Reno, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Sunshine State sap

Posted on January 10, 2012 by David McKee

Backers of Florida casinos, working under the rubric of Associated Industries of Florida, evidently take voters down there for simpletons. Their ‘See Spot Run’ pitch for casino-based destination resorts describes something that sounds very much like Venelazzo or Wynncore, then … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Florida, history, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on Sunshine State sap

Adelson: Whining our future; The online deluge

Posted on January 9, 2012 by David McKee

Apparently there’s no avoiding what has become the story of the day: Sheldon Adelson‘s $5 million dowry to presidential aspirant Newt Gingrich. It’s a gift that comes with a substantial pre-nup; if Gingrich falters in South Carolina, American Crossroads and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Election, Florida, George Maloof, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Hooters, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, The Strip, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 6, 2012 by David McKee

“Caesars [Entertainment] has comped me to a few meals, sent me show tickets, and invited me to slot tournaments. The company’s still convinced I want to ride a bus down to Laughlin and stay there for a few days, too, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Harrah's, Laughlin, Marketing, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Hans Klok, come back!

Posted on January 6, 2012 by David McKee

Sometimes one experiences an experience so awful that its sheer awfulness is awfully far beyond the power of words to describe. That’s what happened last night at the premiere of Vegas Magic Theatre at Gold Coast. (How bad was it? … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Florida, Isle of Capri, The Strip | 1 Comment

The Last Hoot

Posted on January 5, 2012 by David McKee

I’m whaling away on a couple of  non-gaming fronts today but I wanted to at least drop in and say that Hooters Casino Hotel goes on the block next month, so bust open your piggy banks. But seriously … Creditor-in-Chief … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, Hooters, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on The Last Hoot

Vegas’ newest low-roller joint; Is the Lion extinct?; Another classy Sands moment

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David McKee

Move over, Longhorn and Vegas Club. The spirit of Nevada Palace (R.I.P.) hath descended upon the Palms. If recent sackings of Bunny dealers portended a sea change at the former George Maloof property, during my latest visit I practically collided … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Dining, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 3 Comments

Best new casino-hotel of 1998 …

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David McKee

… goes to the Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace, which opened last month. It’s tucked far enough away from the casino floor to provide some mental lebensraum as well, and it has a dedicated check-in desk. Since it directly overlooks … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Donald Trump, Encore, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 4 Comments

Adelson vacillates; Macao triumphs; Name of infamy

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David McKee

Showing something less than his usual decisiveness, Sheldon Adelson continues to send mixed signals with regard to his intentions in his native Massachusetts. He’s re-upped with Boston-based lobbyist firm Donoghue Barrett & Singal. However, despite years of scouting the market, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Iowa, Macau, Massachusetts, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Adelson vacillates; Macao triumphs; Name of infamy