Category Archives: Tourism

New era at the Riv

Posted on April 25, 2011 by David McKee

It sure looks at lot like the old one, especially with Robert Vannucci still calling the shots over there, according to the grapevine: “Experience action-packed wrestling as Lil Macho Man, Tiny Terminator, Lil Rampage, Nasty Boy, Baby Chucky, Lil Devil … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Marketing, Movies, Pets, Riviera, Sahara, Sports, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 12 Comments

Meet $2 Million Mike; The Big Easier

Posted on April 25, 2011 by David McKee

Casino podcasts (MGM Resorts International‘s in particular) have been razzed in the past for a lack of content. No such gripes about Las Vegas Sands‘ latest offering, 10 minutes in the company of COO Michael Leven (who derives his nickname … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Oaf of Office III

Posted on April 22, 2011 by David McKee

… an occasional series. S&G keeps referring to Donald Trump‘s glass jaw — an obvious liability to his phony/delusional political aspirations. Obligingly, The Donald served up a characteristic hissy fit after Caesars Palace headliner Jerry Seinfeld canceled an appearance at … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Charity, Cretins, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Marketing, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 3 Comments

Marriott’s master plan?; Cosmo blows?

Posted on April 20, 2011 by David McKee

Last week, we were discussing United Coin‘s assertion that a Marriott-branded hotel-casino may be erected on the acre formerly occupied by the old Sport of Kings gambling parlor. I recently had a chance to scope out United’s Little Acre and … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, LVCVA, Sahara, Tourism | 4 Comments

Fire sale in Vicksburg; Win or loss for Gettysburg?

Posted on April 15, 2011 by David McKee

Update: An earlier version contained a gross error/AARP moment on Yr. Humble Blogger’s part. I have amended the story so that it contains greater “factiness.” Also, fellow Canadian firm Gateway Casinos is the likely operator-to-be. In a curt announcement, Tropicana … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Carl Icahn, Columbia Sussex, Current, history, Indiana, International, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 12, 2011 by David McKee

“I’m really encouraged by the summer. Bookings are great. The big news is, we’re all working together.” — Don Marrandino, president of Caesars Entertainment‘s four Atlantic City casinos. Cooperation on the Boardwalk? Now there’s a new (and welcome) trend.

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Harrah's, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Why is this man smiling? (And other Case Bets)

Posted on April 11, 2011 by David McKee

Because Sen. Harry Reid‘s decision not to importune lenders on behalf of Fontainebleau (unlike CityCenter) means he steered clear of a widening circle of litigation and recrimination, that’s why. Among those in the hot seat are hapless James Packer and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Current, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Economy, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Harry Reid, James Packer, Regulation, Sports, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | 6 Comments

Let’s do the Time Warp

Posted on April 8, 2011 by David McKee

Hallucinations are not considered a symptom of fibromyalgia but I sure thought I was seeing things yesterday when noon-hour TV newscasts led with Union Village. Somebody obviously thinks it’s still 2007, as they’re proposing a $1.5 billion, 171-acre hospital-cum-retirement-community complex … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on April 6, 2011 by David McKee

“Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we’ll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines.” — cheeky in-flight announcement, characteristic of the Johannesburg-based … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

If you don’t look like this …

Posted on April 1, 2011 by David McKee

… don’t even think about trying to book a hotel room on the Strip or in Downtown. Las Vegas doesn’t want you, although you might be permitted to stay out on the Boulder Strip or someplace really out of sight … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

It’s all over — until 2012, anyway — for Sheldon Adelson‘s heavy-handed push to ram a set of “destination resorts” through the Florida Legislature. A poison-pill amendment, attached at the behest of parimutuels, would let existing slot houses go to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, International, Macau, North Las Vegas, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Florida rejects Adelson; Mixed signals from Cosmo; Station’s quixotic quest

Woe on the North Strip

Posted on March 31, 2011 by David McKee

Owners of the Riviera and the Las Vegas Hilton published their respective annual reports and it wasn’t a good day for the north end of the Strip, where bargain-priced casinos fight a holding action against the market forces of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Colorado, Current, Economy, Goldman Sachs, International, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Woe on the North Strip

“In the beginning was The Mob …”

Posted on March 30, 2011 by David McKee

Following several delays and even more advance hoopla, the Las Vegas Mob Experience is open. And it’s, as my wife said, “a mob scene” (pun intended). At last night’s grand gala, a PR guy was overheard saying that — for … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, MGM Mirage, Movies, Oscar Goodman, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 27, 2011 by David McKee

“Complaining about high gasoline prices in a free-market economy is a bit like doing the proverbial at the wind.” — Richard Quest on CNN‘s Your Money, last Saturday.

Posted in Current, Economy, Tourism, Transportation, TV | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Sahara Sam: Will he or won’t he?

Posted on March 25, 2011 by David McKee

An MGM Resorts International press release hailing the new SBE/M life partnership holds out a slim reed of hope that predictions Sahara Hotel & Casino owner Sam Nazarian will redevelop the site are more than just additional vaporware. (The Sahara … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Animals, CityCenter, Current, Florida, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 25, 2011 by David McKee

“But when its control implants are damaged during a training experiment, the beast escapes to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for a taste of sun, sand, bikini babes, jet-skiers, spring breakers and beyond.” — And that’s a problem because … ? If … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

From the mailbag

Posted on March 24, 2011 by David McKee

Today’s “Question of the Day” about the future of the Sahara Hotel & Casino‘s monorail stop (and, by extension, the future of the Las Vegas Monorail itself) provoked a long and thoughtful response from an S&G reader. (By the way, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Arizona, California, Cannery Casino Resorts, Current, Downtown, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on From the mailbag

Adelson hits Florida speed bump

Posted on March 22, 2011 by David McKee

Gov. Rick Scott‘s big — and rather sudden — push to bring (more) private-sector casinos to Florida has run into a road block. The governor’s Tea Party base, of all people, is throwing up opposition … and not for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Genting, Horseracing, Isle of Capri, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, Tribal | 5 Comments

This just in … no, really

Posted on March 18, 2011 by David McKee

It only took four months but The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas finally has video of its opening night (plus its New Year’s Eve bash) online. Today. As in, like, moments ago. So if you couldn’t make it, this is what … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmopolitan, Current, Entertainment, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on This just in … no, really

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 16, 2011 by David McKee

“The employees I talked to last night (interestingly enough) didn’t have it in for [Sahara owner Sam] Nazarian. They had truckloads of blame for the management [Navegante Group] he put into place. One said ‘He spends $400 million on this … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Sahara, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day