Category Archives: The Strip

Loveman waffles on Philly … again; Sands and Galaxy surge

Posted on September 2, 2011 by David McKee

After getting into, then out of the incompetent Lewis Katz/Ed Snider casino consortium in Philadelphia, “direct discussions” are being held by Caesars Entertainment to reenter the moribund project. Its backers are asking for — guess what? — yet another two-month … Continue reading →

Posted in Genting, Harrah's, Macau, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

What’s there to do in Las Vegas? Plus, Adelson screws the pooch again

Posted on September 2, 2011 by David McKee

Besides gambling? Why, I’m so glad you asked. As I point out in the new issue of Desert Companion (available in Planet Hollywood‘s Desert Passage Miracle Mile shopping mall and other places that host Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf franchises), … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Phil Ruffin, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

I’m shocked, shocked!

Posted on August 30, 2011 by David McKee

… to discover that there is gambling in this establishment. Of 38 video clips on Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas‘ You Tube channel, not one is devoted to the casino floor. Geez, you think this “hide the gaming” marketing approach might … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Entertainment, Marketing, Movies, The Strip, TV | 5 Comments

You can take the executive out of the casino …

Posted on August 30, 2011 by David McKee

… but you can’t take the casino out of the executive. Case in point, Smith Center for the Performing Arts Chairman Donald Snyder, former prexy of Boyd Gaming. One of the odder components of the $425 million multipurpose venue, known … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, Marketing, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on You can take the executive out of the casino …

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 30, 2011 by David McKee

“We have a waiting list of 2,000 names. So we are moving ahead with a second tower which will have a 35 percent price increase.” — Donald Trump, at the July 12, 2005 groundbreaking for Trump International. Needless to say, … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, history, Phil Ruffin, The Strip | 3 Comments

Caruso sings, Lerner hallucinates

Posted on August 29, 2011 by David McKee

Since I had one foot out the door en route to Albany when Caesars Entertainment held its Rick Caruso-led media blitz on Project Linq, I’m a bit late to the party. Some of my early reactions can be heard on … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Current, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sahara, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Down Memory Lainie, er, Lane

Posted on August 29, 2011 by David McKee

On Oct. 26, the erstwhile “Gossy Room” at The Palms will host a fundraiser for AFAN. Headlining the event will be Lainie Kazan, who — the press release informs us — is “widely known for her starring role in My … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Charity, Current, Entertainment, George Maloof, history, Marketing, Riviera, Silverton, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, TV, WMS Industries | 2 Comments

The lost weekend; Machine Gun Bloom

Posted on August 26, 2011 by David McKee

When casino revenues weren’t as bad as expected, earlier this summer, one Atlantic City property executive called it a light at the end of the tunnel. Elsewhere, S&G reader American Gaming Guru pithily remarked that the light was an oncoming … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, G2E, Genting, Harrah's, history, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Neil Bluhm, New York, Oscar Goodman, Slot routes, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism | 6 Comments

Thaw in Massachusetts? Hilton has left the building

Posted on August 25, 2011 by David McKee

After screwing the pooch in the previous legislature, it looks as though Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA) and state lawmakers are finally on the same page regarding casino expansion in the Bay State. Analyst Joseph Greff rates the solons’ chances of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally Technologies, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Genting, Horseracing, IGT, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming, WMS Industries | 2 Comments

Case Bets: Station, Isle, Cosmo, Loveman & the horsey set

Posted on August 16, 2011 by David McKee

Revenue growth accelerated at Station Casinos in 2Q11, with cash flow up 8.5% (compared to +4% for the year so far). Keeping room rates steady at an average of $71 appears to have boosted occupancy, up from 81% to an … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Missouri, Penn National, Pokergeddon, Politics, Racinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Ka-BOOM!

Posted on August 15, 2011 by David McKee

This just in: The race to become the first Strip hotel to be demolished without ever having opened has been won by … The Harmon. Details are sketchy but MGM Resorts International‘s decision will surprise few. Allegedly culpable Perini Building … Continue reading →

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

Next stop, Wynncore?

Posted on August 12, 2011 by David McKee

I guess a casino hasn’t truly “arrived” until Carmen Electra graces an event on its premises. This time it’s Palazzo‘s turn, as Carmencita hosts something nightclub thing or other. Which reminds me that Electra performed at Pussycat Dolls Burlesque Saloon … Continue reading →

Posted in Encore, Entertainment, Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | Comments Off on Next stop, Wynncore?

Hilton: worse than it looks

Posted on August 12, 2011 by David McKee

In the cold light of day (i.e., Chris Sieroty‘s Review-Journal coverage), the situation at the Las Vegas Hilton appears still more dire … if such a thing is possible. Remember that roughly a third of the LVH is owned by … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Colony craps out again

Posted on August 10, 2011 by David McKee

Gaming’s Mr. Magoo, the disaster-prone CEO of Colony Capital, Tom Barrack has done it again. The Las Vegas Hilton has defaulted on one of its loans (again), a too-familiar revelation where a Colony-owned property is concerned. Although it lost $1 … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Cretins, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Elvis & Eva have left the building

Posted on August 10, 2011 by David McKee

Two axes fell upon CityCenter in one day. It’s tough to decide which is more newsworthy. I’ll go with the Beso story because it has a not-so-hidden upside. Golden Nugget CEO Tilman Fertitta is feeling sufficiently bullish to plant his … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, International, Marketing, Massachusetts, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 1 Comment

Tourists behaving badly

Posted on August 10, 2011 by David McKee

While Navy SEALs are dying heroically in Afghanistan and putting Osama bin Laden on ice, one of their former colleagues has been trying to beat the rap for a rampage of random violence he conducted on the Las Vegas Strip. … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cretins, Current, Environment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip | Comments Off on Tourists behaving badly

Boob job

Posted on August 5, 2011 by David McKee

Bankrupt, 38-year-old Hooters Hotel got a two-month reprieve yesterday, as owners obtained a judge’s permission to keep spending creditors’ monies to keep the place open for an additional two months. That will at least give employees time to update their … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, Hooters, IGT, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 7 Comments

Kiss of death

Posted on August 5, 2011 by David McKee

All things must end. The forced exit of Jerry Lewis from the Muscular Dystrophy Association‘s annual telethon puts the penultimate nail in the coffin of an ancient Las Vegas institution. The telethon format is cumbersome and inefficient compared to emerging … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, The Strip, TV | 2 Comments

Casino Cacophony

Posted on August 4, 2011 by David McKee

As my growing freelance workload continues to limit my S&G time, I’m happy to yield the floor to University of South Carolina journalism professor — and frequent Vegas visitor — Augie Grant, who has another guest contribution to make. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Technology, The Strip | 3 Comments

Somebody sent us these …

Posted on August 3, 2011 by David McKee

It is difficult to say what looks phoniest about that picture: the cryingly obvious studio background of Venelazzo; the frozen grins on the faces of the agonized-looking models; or maybe it’s the fact that you could go into any Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Cretins, Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, International, MGM Mirage, New York, Oscar Goodman, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments