Category Archives: The Strip

Blast from the past

Posted on November 14, 2011 by David McKee

Today I’m busy on “Question of the Day,” Desert Companion and CityLife fronts simultaneously. As irrational compensation, here’s the one scene from Ocean’s Eleven that, more than any other, must be preserved for posterity. It’s also a nice look at … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., history, Movies, Sahara, The Strip | Comments Off on Blast from the past

It’s payback time

Posted on November 10, 2011 by David McKee

… or maybe not. Dealers at Wynn Las Vegas won a rare victory when Clark County District Judge Kenneth Cory (pictured) spiked Labor Commissioner Michael Tanchek‘s longstanding position vis-a-vis the tip-confiscation policy at the Strip resort. Asking for a third … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Pets, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on It’s payback time

Rule or ruin in Illinois; A new deal in Detroit

Posted on November 8, 2011 by David McKee

State Rep. Lou “Death Wish” Lang (D, right) continues to dare, then double-dare Gov. Pat Quinn (D) to veto what’s now a 2.6X expansion of the number of gambling positions in the state of Illinois. Lang has offered a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Dan Lee, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Indiana, International, Iowa, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Reno, Slot routes, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Sahara 2.0: Nazarian gets real

Posted on November 2, 2011 by David McKee

Chuck Monster had this right on the money: He called Sahara owner Sam Nazarian‘s bluff over and over and over again on the latter’s luxury-megaresort predictions for the aging, shuttered property. Today, the Clark County Commission took the wraps off … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Riviera, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Rock, Paper, City; Generosity at Caesars, shopping at Sands

Posted on November 2, 2011 by David McKee

While Massachusetts lawmakers sharpen their scissors in order to cut and paste two versions of the Lege’s casino-enabling bill, the city of Holyoke is happy to find itself between Hard Rock International and Paper City Development. The partnership has its … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Going home again; Hotel Hell: The sequel

Posted on November 1, 2011 by David McKee

Here’s a casino-development story with several personal angles. When I lived in Minneapolis and wrote from the since-defunct Twin Cities Reader, my publisher was R.T. Rybak. Now he’s mayor of the city and is trying to hold onto the perennially … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Isle of Capri, Lyle Berman, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

There’s life after the Mob Experience

Posted on November 1, 2011 by David McKee

So the Las Vegas Mob Experience has sacked 90% of its staff, cut ticket prices by 75% (making it a bargain play), had its malfunctioning “interactive” exhibits repossessed by a creditor, closed off the theme-park portion of the attraction and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Entertainment, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Mojito Pointe: Why MGM did it

Posted on October 25, 2011 by David McKee

Maybe they were just charmed by Dan Lee‘s babyish face (left) but leadership at MGM Resorts International can cite of plenty of other reasons for throwing in on Lee’s Mojito Pointe project … which may be rechristened with an MGM … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dan Lee, Horseracing, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip | 1 Comment

Detroit: one down, two to go

Posted on October 25, 2011 by David McKee

Workers at eternally struggling Greektown Casino didn’t need a translator to read the handwriting on the wall. Nearly 75% of them voted to ratify a new union contract last night. In return for modest financial incentives, employees will be shouldering … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Economy, The Strip | Comments Off on Detroit: one down, two to go

iTrump, scandal, Sachs and tax

Posted on October 21, 2011 by David McKee

Cyber-Trump. Faux ex-presidential candidate and NBC-TV comedy star Donald Trump has made his views known on Internet gambling … like anybody cares. Prepare for a shocker, folks. The Donald is — Gasp! — in favor of it. There was, of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Cretins, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Don Barden, Economy, Election, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

ColSux: They’re outta here!; Accord in Motown; Murren changes course

Posted on October 20, 2011 by David McKee

Those last few remnants of Columbia Sussex CEO William J. Yung‘s former casino empire continue to topple about him. The Kentucky-based oligarch, whose properties are notorious for their poor working conditions and even worse maintenance, has been reaping a gargantuan … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Dan Lee, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, G2E, Harrah's, International, Lake Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pets, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sports, Texas, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on ColSux: They’re outta here!; Accord in Motown; Murren changes course

MSM tunes Steve Wynn out

Posted on October 20, 2011 by David McKee

Has Steve Wynn jumped the shark? That is a question I never, ever thought I’d be asking. But an interesting thing happened in the wake of Winn Wynn Resorts‘ most recent conference call. Toward the end, he went on his … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Plaza, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 5 Comments

The King of Palm Beach

Posted on October 14, 2011 by David McKee

Florida‘s seven struggling, casino-enabled parimutuels could become eight, with the entry of a new player … While the courts have now made it possible for Don King to make an end-run around Palm Beach County voters, if necessary, by taking … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Florida, G2E, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tribal | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 13, 2011 by David McKee

“You can’t legislate everything in life. People [from Massachusetts] are gaming in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Las Vegas and Atlantic City.” — state Rep. Paul K. Frost (R-Auburn), speaking in support of Massachusetts’ nascent casino industry.

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Massachusetts, Politics, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

More Trop troubles; Adelson’s wins & losses

Posted on October 12, 2011 by David McKee

Update: The Trop has been hit with yet another defection — and it’s a biggie. A bit shy of two years into his tenure as president of the Tropicana Las Vegas, veteran executive Tom McCartney has given his notice. While … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Culinary Union, Harrah's, history, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off on More Trop troubles; Adelson’s wins & losses

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 7, 2011 by David McKee

“Tourists come here and think Vegas is fantasy land; they don’t think of us as a working-class city, but we are. They just think we’re here to clean up their vomit after they leave.” — Sannette Gutierrez to a reporter … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

As the foreclosure turns …

Posted on October 3, 2011 by David McKee

Although its cash flow improved 47% this year to date, Hooters Casino Hotel continues to dribble red ink — losses incurred, in part, by its ongoing bankruptcy soap opera. And although it has close to $10 million in the till, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Goldman Sachs, IGT, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on As the foreclosure turns …

Welcome to G2E

Posted on October 3, 2011 by David McKee

Gaming’s biggest show starts today, so S&G would like to welcome conventioneers with this public service announcement from ABBA and vidder frapistat.

Posted in ABBA, Current, G2E, The Strip | Comments Off on Welcome to G2E

Siegfried & Roy’s House of Horrors

Posted on October 3, 2011 by David McKee

Today is the eighth anniversary of that fateful night when a tiger named Montecore went postal on illusionist Roy Uwe Ludwig Horn, dropping a permanent curtain to the performing entity known as Siegfried & Roy™. Unwitting premonitions of Horn’s career-ending … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, history, MGM Mirage, Movies, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 3, 2011 by David McKee

“What is this ‘Million Dollar Piano’? It’s your basic Yamaha grand fancified with 68 LED screens that run the horizontal length of the piano and display images and patterns to compliment the digital screen behind [Elton] John and band. He’s … Continue reading →

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