Category Archives: Tourism

Love Train

Posted on March 18, 2010 by David McKee

As in the flowering bromance between Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and mouthpiece-for-hire Sig “The Fixer” Rogich. The former, a longtime supporter of a proposed maglev train betwixt Las Vegas and Anaheim, switched his allegiance to Rogich’s Choo-Choo-to-Nowhere, by the strangest … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., California, Economy, Election, Herbst Gaming, Politics, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation | 10 Comments

Capping Macao

Posted on March 16, 2010 by David McKee

Compared to the acrimony currently flowing on the Strip, a stunning new policy directive from across the Pacific practically qualifies as “happy-talk news” … With casino revenues increasing at a jet-propelled pace, China has yet again applied the brakes to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, International, Macau, Plaza, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tourism, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Blast from the past

Posted on February 26, 2010 by David McKee

Since we’ve been talking about Archon Corp. this week — and because I didn’t want the last post of the week to be about feet — here’s an old ad for the Wet ‘n Wild water park, whose closure really … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Marketing, The Strip, Tourism | 6 Comments

New Donny in town

Posted on February 25, 2010 by David McKee

As in Clay, Donny Clay, played by the versatile Jason Alexander in The Donny Clay Experience. This delightful one-man show will be a peripatetic and hopefully long-lived visitor to Planet Hollywood … unless Gary Loveman‘s crony Frank Biondi (ex-Viacom CEO) … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Current, George Maloof, Harrah's, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Movies, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Sands & MGM previewed

Posted on February 16, 2010 by David McKee

Weighing in ahead of Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage conference calls, J.P. Morgan analysts have some early projections. They remain bullish on Marina Bay Sands, although it may now open in late May. (Incredibly, Morgan says this one-month discrepancy … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Economy, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 5, 2010 by David McKee

“Unfortunately, people come to hotels or motels to commit suicide, to commit crimes, to do drugs, prositution.” — former Queen of Hearts owner Ann Meyers, representing for the Nevada hotel industry. If that was her audition to be the new … Continue reading →

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

All aboard for Victorville

Posted on January 29, 2010 by David McKee

San Francisco will have the federal funds to build high-speed rail to Anaheim. (Doubtless the Bible Belters are already shrieking about hordes of “sodomites” descending upon Disneyland and corrupting its spiritual purity.) Las Vegans and Southern Californians, meanwhile, will have … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Harry Reid, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Tourism, Transportation | 2 Comments

Two minutes at Mandarin Oriental

Posted on January 27, 2010 by David McKee

It can’t be as cool as it looks, right? Trust me … it’s cooler.

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Dining, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Free but priceless

Posted on January 27, 2010 by David McKee

Skies are back to battleship gray in Sin City, as we’re pelted with another round of rainstorms. However … last week’s four-day deluge may ruined the week for locals and conventioneers but weekenders reaped the benefits in the form of … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourism, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Free but priceless

Paging Estée Lauder …

Posted on January 26, 2010 by David McKee

“Back to Vegas … just how would one combine hotel room disinfectant, smoke, glittery exotic dancer lotion, rental car upholstery cleaner and buffet food into a pleasant cologne? For authenticity, you’d also need an injection of White Shoulders that has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Marketing, Tourism | Comments Off on Paging Estée Lauder …

Ghost town

Posted on January 22, 2010 by David McKee

Economic forecasting is a forbiddingly tricky science but you still have to wonder what convinced MGM Mirage that there was either A) an unabated market for ultra-high-end retail in Las Vegas or B) that such demand as already existed could … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | 7 Comments

S&G readers are the best

Posted on January 22, 2010 by David McKee

How come? Well, here’s a fr’instance: I was chatting with one of our regulars yesterday and he volunteered an idea that gave me one of those, “Wow! I could have had a V-8” moments. In discussing beloved but hard to … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Bally Technologies, Downtown, IGT, Tamares Group, Technology, Tourism | 10 Comments

More from the mailbag …

Posted on January 22, 2010 by David McKee

Here’s some inside insight into what was happening during the most recent Consumer Electronics Show, during which Las Vegas Sands tossed some exhibitors from their Venelazzo suites because they were conducting product demos off the show floor. A show attendee … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Gibbons replaced!

Posted on January 21, 2010 by David McKee

So says the U.S. Postal Service, so it’s gotta be true, right? On my “Change of Address Confirmation,” under “Community Resources,” it lists the chief executive of the Silver State as “Gov. Jon Corzine (D),” followed by a Reno phone … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Tourism, Transportation | 2 Comments

From the mail bag

Posted on January 20, 2010 by David McKee

“How is that nobody seems to be giving (dis)credit where it’s due regarding the failure of the Monorail? It’s pretty simple — the damn thing is too far from the Strip. If you’re standing on the corner in front of … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on From the mail bag

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 13, 2010 by David McKee

“Atlantic City has a lot to offer visitors in addition to gambling. When the economy improves and people have more money to spend on entertainment, Atlantic City will draw more and more people interested in visiting our shops, enjoying a … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Steve Wynn, Tourism | 8 Comments

Sheldon the Barbarian & other news

Posted on January 11, 2010 by David McKee

Amid reports of vastly improved attendance at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show comes news of a typical overreaction by Las Vegas Sands. I know of one company that was doing off-site demos and fortunately wasn’t among the vendors turfed out … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Colorado, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Indiana, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 11, 2010 by David McKee

“However, weekend room rates at Aria are equal to or great than those at Bellagio in only 6/13 periods (46% of the time).” — from a J.P. Morgan room-rate survey. You just can’t beat a classic.

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

2.5 Cheers for Harrah’s

Posted on January 8, 2010 by David McKee

As erratically as it has been run since the departure of Phil Satre, they still get some things right at Harrah’s Entertainment … and not in the sense that a stopped watch is correct twice a day. For instance, Harrah’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Planet Hollywood, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 31, 2009 by David McKee

“The question is should they be used indiscriminately on little children and grandmothers … There’s no practical distinction between a full body scan and being pulled into a side room and being ordered to strip your clothing.” — Rep. Tom … Continue reading →

Posted in Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment