Category Archives: Tourism

New cowgirl in town; “Zarkana” opens quietly

Posted on November 15, 2012 by David McKee

There may be a new Cirque du Soleil production show at Aria but it’s been drowned out in the thundering hooves and comparable hype that marked Shania Twain‘s arrival at Caesars Palace. It was quite a sight: 20 horses and … Continue reading →

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

Missouri: Penn vs. Penn; Pinnacle debacle deepens

Posted on November 13, 2012 by David McKee

This just in: It’s another winning strategy from those gaming-industry masterminds at Colony Capital. God forbid you’re playing at the Atlantic Club and work up an appetite. Or did Tom Barrack hear about “Stiff of the Year” and wants to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Colorado, Dining, Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, Missouri, Movies, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Wake up with Loveman; More election aftermath

Posted on November 8, 2012 by David McKee

No sooner were Wall Street analysts uttering serious concerns about a slow post-Sandy recovery for Atlantic City than who should pop up on CBS This Morning but Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman, doing damage control … It’s hard to decide … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Dan Gilbert, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off

Atlantic City open for business

Posted on November 2, 2012 by David McKee

Actually, a few hardy souls — like fearless restaurateur Montgomery Dahm, who was semper fidelis to his fellow citizens — never closed. Add Tun Tavern to your list of must-see stops when you visit Atlantic City. Ditto Ducktown Tavern & … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Current, Dining, Economy, Election, Environment, Florida, Racinos, Revel, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 2 Comments

No-win situation; October surprise

Posted on November 1, 2012 by David McKee

You might say Mitt Romney was for gambling before he was against it. Both as a 1994 Senate candidate and later as governor, he advocated slot parlors and later VLTs in Massachusetts. (He also proposed to extort $75 million apiece … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cantor Gaming, Current, Election, Harrah's, International, Massachusetts, Regulation, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Hurricane Sandy: “It’s going to take years to recover”; ‘Unsafe sex’ at Sands

Posted on October 30, 2012 by David McKee

A natural disaster on the East Coast is fast becoming an industry-wide problem, its effects felt as far afield as Iowa, I kid you not. In light of the total havoc Hurricane Sandy has wrought upon travel, particularly by air, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, Genting, Harrah's, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Mob, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Cosmo: Yes, we have gambling!; Election Special 2: Palm Beach

Posted on October 30, 2012 by David McKee

For the umpteenth time, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has been obliged to go to the media and say, ‘Yes, we not only have gambling but we actually like it, we really do.’ It’s a message that got kicked under … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Election, Florida, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Shadow-puppetry at the Sahara; TropiHilton of LV; Melco goes southerly

Posted on October 26, 2012 by David McKee

“Lightweight” might be a apt term to describe the braintrust forming around the SLS/Sahara project. So would “miscast.” Reporting to casino novice and owner Sam Nazarian, its president will be J.P. Morgan investment banker Sam Bakhshandehpour. His main qualification for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, International, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Sahara, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

More slump at Trump; Home woes ease

Posted on October 25, 2012 by David McKee

Trump International is hawking bargain rates for the Yuletide season, including price-matching, Saks Fifth Avenue discounts, “guaranteed late check out” (translation: Please stay with us!) and more. The sheer plethora of discounts and giveaways hints at an increasing level of … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Illinois, International, Marketing, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Phil Ruffin, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

Pinnacle saves September in Louisiana; Echelon under wraps; The red-headed stepkids of Station, Sands and Caesars

Posted on October 18, 2012 by David McKee

Folks down in the Pelican State had better things to do than gamble last month … like clean up after Hurricane Isaac. This might account for a 5% year/year decline in casino revenues. Louisiana‘s gambling venues grossed $200 million last … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off

When money talks, few are deaf

Posted on October 12, 2012 by David McKee

When addressing the subject of Sheldon Adelson (must we?), the extent to which he has stolen Wynn’s thunder and lightning was made manifest by a lengthy Politico.com profile. Adelson (right, ca. 1998), who can often behave like a colicky infant, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Hail, Bill’s!; Trump slump; Back in the fold

Posted on October 10, 2012 by David McKee

In a typically ludicrous Gary Loveman brainstorm, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon is to become — wait for it — Caesars Drai’s. (Yeah, ‘WTF?’ and all that.) Although you’d have to be either masochistic or insane to loan money to … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Current, Detroit, Donald Trump, Florida, Harrah's, Illinois, International, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off

From the mailbag; Now for a word from our sponsor …

Posted on October 8, 2012 by David McKee

Update: Full sets of links are now available for the DIY version of my USA Today ‘best of Downtown’ and best of the Las Vegas Strip guides, below. Thank you for your patience. A reader in Arizona has run the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Harrah's, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

USA Today’s best of the Strip

Posted on October 6, 2012 by David McKee

Pursuant to our last S&G dispatch, here are the USA Today choices for top attractions on the Strip (uniqueness and affordability being prime considerations). If you’re not staying at a Hilton property right now, you aren’t vouchsafed access to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Entertainment, Environment, George Maloof, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off

USA Today: The winners (Downtown edition)

Posted on October 6, 2012 by David McKee

Since S&G readers can’t view my big Las Vegas guides (unless you’re sitting at a computer in a Hilton-branded property at this very moment), I thought I’d share with you who made the cut. And the Downtown elect are … … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, George Maloof, Michael Gaughan, Riviera, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism | 2 Comments

Bacchanalia at Caesars; I’ll take the Mubarak Suite, please

Posted on September 28, 2012 by David McKee

Despite rampant neglect elsewhere on the Strip, Caesars Entertainment continues to take good care of its namesake, Caesars Palace. A Wednesday-night visit disclosed that myriad schlock retailers had been banished, as Jay Sarno‘s toga party tries to keep pace with … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Entertainment, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, history, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sahara, Technology, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 4 Comments

Gomes alone; Mohegan Sun pink-slip-slidin’ away

Posted on September 28, 2012 by David McKee

Former Resorts Atlantic City underboss Aaron Gomes might want to change his travel plans. Scarcely had he announced his departure from his late father’s casino than his new gig, Sydney‘s troubled Star Casino, looks very doubtful. Gomes had planned to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Genting, Marketing, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Would you buy a used Monorail from these guys?

Posted on September 26, 2012 by David McKee

Let the record show that the American Gaming Association‘s daily SmartBrief is an invaluable one-stop shop for casino-related news stories, especially now that several of the leading Las Vegas-centric blogs have taken a dirt nap. However, if you can’t find … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Economy, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 5 Comments

History is a lie … just ask the NFL

Posted on September 25, 2012 by David McKee

Two things give me reason today to ponder the line of thinking which holds that history is a construct formed by the winners — an agreed-upon narrative that keeps up from asking too many pesky questions. First, tonight is the … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Sports, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 7 Comments

USA Today at last! (Sorta)

Posted on September 21, 2012 by David McKee

Remember those USA Today travel guides whose writing put me hopelessly behind the S&G 8-ball? (Two hundred and thirty-five e-mails still unread!) Well, if you’re staying at a Hilton-branded property (soon to include much of Trump International), you can view … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Donald Trump, Entertainment, Harrah's, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment