Category Archives: Tourism

‘Tis the season

Posted on December 23, 2009 by David McKee

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson cuts the ribbon on Boot Hill Casino. The gentleman at the rear in the red tie is the Kansas Lottery’s Ed Van Petten, taking time out from carrying water for Mike Ensign. Having been on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Don Barden, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Environment, Fontainebleau, Harrah's, Harry Reid, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Jack Binion, James Packer, Kansas, M Resort, Macau, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Oscar Goodman, Penn National, Pets, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 8 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 21, 2009 by David McKee

“No, we’re here to look at the art.” — sightseers, to a doorman in the North Valet area of Aria who’d asked if the couple was there to pick up a car. It’s a sentence probably not often heard heretofore … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

CityCenter: succes d’estime

Posted on December 18, 2009 by David McKee

Enough procrastination! Such is the immensity and information overload that is CityCenter, that it may be some time before this spectator can fully wrap his brain around what is — for better or worse — the Strip’s equivalent to that … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, CityCenter, Current, Detroit, Dining, Encore, IGT, International, MGM Mirage, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 7 Comments

CityCenter giblets

Posted on December 17, 2009 by David McKee

While I’m gathering my thoughts — and notes — from yesterday’s Orgy o’CityCenter (and trying to maintain a Cone of Deafness, as far as other commentators), here are a few stray tidbits: Even MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren can’t hide … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Cosmopolitan, Current, Donald Trump, Dubai, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 3 Comments

Rumpus @ The Rio, Vdara & other Case Bets

Posted on December 10, 2009 by David McKee

It’s shaping up to be a news-intensive day — and I have off-site commitments that will keep me away from the keyboard, but let’s see what we can cram in … “The kiss that rocked The Rio”: The steamy scene … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, CityCenter, Current, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Harrah's, IGT, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 10, 2009 by David McKee

“When the world ends, the Las Vegas headline will read: ‘World Ends: Experts Worry About Impact on Vegas Tourism.’” — Richard Abowitz, from his new blog, Gold Plated Door.

Posted in Current, Economy, Tourism | 1 Comment

Best Casino Commercial Ever

Posted on December 3, 2009 by David McKee

It seems like if you’ve seen one casino commercial, you’ve seen them all. Recent efforts by M Resort and Green Valley Ranch were state-of-the-art examples of the same old same-old. However, it was impossible not to be stopped in one’s … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, TV | 4 Comments

Aria, Vdara discounting already

Posted on December 3, 2009 by David McKee

In its discussions with J.P. Morgan analysts, MGM Mirage has regularly been boasting that Aria’s room rates are running higher (very, very slightly higher) than Bellagio. Being a skeptical fellow by nature, my instinct was that Aria was being propped … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Columbia Sussex, Current, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, George Maloof, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Silverton, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism | 6 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 2, 2009 by David McKee

“Boutique? Vdara is a 57-story, 1,500-room property. It is to boutique hotels what Dolly Parton is to petite women. “If a place can be lavishly understated, Vdara is that. It has abundant artwork and intriguing architectural lines, but no smoking … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

We *are* Dubai

Posted on December 2, 2009 by David McKee

“If anywhere is emblematic of the debt-fuelled extravagance of the past decade, it is surely [X], which strove to have the tallest, the biggest and the best of everything.” They’ve just got to be talking about Las Vegas, right? No, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Dubai, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, James Packer, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Plaza, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 6 Comments

CityCenter Fever

Posted on December 1, 2009 by David McKee

For all the trepidation about $8.5 billion CityCenter and its prospects, today’s opening of Vdara has been enough to set “the Internets,” the blogosphere, the teevees and even traditional newspapers aflame with excitement. After all, who can resist the scrotum … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Bally Technologies, CityCenter, Current, Economy, IGT, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation, The Strip, Tourism, TV, WMS Industries | Comments Off on CityCenter Fever

Is Adelson mad? Trump trumped & Kerzner booted

Posted on December 1, 2009 by David McKee

In an interview with Reuters, Sheldon Adelson said Las Vegas Sands might launch operations in India, Thailand and Japan as soon as 2010. Given the ropey financial condition of his company, the fact that Marina Bay Sands will open at … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Atlantic City, Current, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, International, Kansas, Macau, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

Back in Vegas

Posted on November 30, 2009 by David McKee

Just returned from Chicago last night and so far I’m showing few ill-effects [knock wood] from the swine flu vaccine that was administered to me at O’Hare International Airport. (Can’t get one at my doctor’s office, can get one at … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, CityCenter, Current, Entertainment, Illinois, Pets, Riviera, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Now *this* is a scandal

Posted on November 24, 2009 by David McKee

During the early years of tribal gaming expansion, Native Americans had to go to Malaysia and South Africa for their startup capital — and it came at a hefty cost. Now Mohegan Sun is reeling from the delayed effects of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, CityCenter, Economy, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 3 Comments

From the mailbag #12

Posted on November 20, 2009 by David McKee

A former colleague, a person of upbeat disposition and someone who, along with his wife, achieved the American Dream here, recently sent ’round the following dispatch. Were it coming from somebody who was a congenital naysayer, that’d be one thing. … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Economy, Michael Gaughan, Morgans Hotel Group, Planet Hollywood, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 11, 2009 by David McKee

“You’re going to get people who will come and sit here all day.” — Robin Leach, during a media tour of the new Crystals retail mall (above). Sit? All day? In Las Vegas? Unless they’re playing in slot or poker … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Case Bets: Strippers, Tomlin & no water in Macao

Posted on November 11, 2009 by David McKee

Being still deeply enmeshed in CityCenter-related materials (Kirvin Doak must be getting paid by the word, judging from the plethora of press releases it’s generated), I have to be a hit-and-run blogger today. Can’t go to the strip club? No … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, TV | Comments Off on Case Bets: Strippers, Tomlin & no water in Macao

Strip bottoming out

Posted on November 10, 2009 by David McKee

September’s Nevada gaming revenue numbers are in and the good news is that the Strip is only -4% year/year. (Strip revs were down all of ’08 but didn’t fall off the cliff until October, when they tumbled 26%.) This makes … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, Mesquite, Ohio, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Strip bottoming out

Wynncore: the best revenge

Posted on November 5, 2009 by David McKee

If Wynn Resorts legal beagle Kevin Tourek didn’t make a complete fool of himself with his self-aggrandizing cease-and-desist letter to VegasTripping.com, then VT.com owner Chuck Monster finishes the job with a lengthy and subtly humorous rebuttal. In a lightly ironic … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Encore, Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

“It’s a bargain hunter’s paradise”

Posted on November 4, 2009 by David McKee

So sayeth our own Anthony Curtis, toward the end of a superb MSNBC analysis of the impending impact of CityCenter. Other industry moguls, including Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn, take a cautious but hopeful view. Even the normally optimistic Bill … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Cordish Co., Economy, Kansas, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tourism, TV, Wall Street | 2 Comments