Lights, Camera, Mesquite!

Posted on January 28, 2010 by David McKee

Call me Captain Video today. After 21, with Kevin Spacey doing his rent-a-Satan act, anyone would be understandably leery of movies about card-counting … especially ones directed by someone named Delaney Dragon. (Would he be any relation to The Eiger Sanction‘s spymaster Urassis Dragon?) However, Rough Hustle has a few things in its favor … although its generic straight-to-video title would not be among them. But the unglamorous, no-name cast supplies a veneer of neo-realism, as does the use of off-Strip and Mesquite locations. There’s no shortage of grunge in and around Las Vegas and, judging by the trailer, Rough Hustle practically wallows in it.

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Downtown, Mesquite, Movies | 1 Comment

Curtis pwns Cavuto

Posted on January 28, 2010 by David McKee

Neil Cavuto, a loud, whiny, obnoxious ass-clown and former Enron apologist tries to get our own Anthony Curtis to buy into his setup. Cavuto — as usual — doesn’t know what he’s talking about and Anthony does the impossible … renders Cavuto speechless. To the latter’s credit, Cavuto actually acknowledges that he’s been (pardon the pun) outfoxed — as opposed to his usual shtick of trying to yell his interlocutor into submission. The sound on our video feed is rather low, but at least that minimizes the effect of Cavuto’s habitual fingernails-on-chalkboard screech.

P.S.: Political journalists of all stripes need to refrain from using gambling metaphors, IMO. Not only do they quickly become trite, the journos usually get them wrong anyway.

Posted in Current, Election, Politics, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Case Bets: Words to live by, Mike Ensign, Danny Tarkanian

Posted on January 28, 2010 by David McKee

“Don’t have a lifetime of regret from sticking with a career that pays the bills; choose a vocation that fascinates you.” That’s one of several maxims passed down by the mother of Raving Consulting Vice President of Operations Christine Faria. Mom is celebrating her 86th birthday today and S&G wishes her many, many more.

Erstwhile casino executive turned senatorial bag man Mike Ensign just can’t stay out of the news. Jim Murren must be so glad this dope wasn’t given a seat on the MGM Mirage board after Mandalay Resort Group was taken over. Papa Ensign’s money-lugging antics certainly put the J. Terrence Lanni resumé-inflation ruckus into better perspective.

Presumption … thy name is Danny Tarkanian. I’m no Reaganite (though he was a masterful politician whose ham-fisted presumptive heirs keep making him look even better in retrospect) but this really takes the cake for self-aggrandizement. Shame on you, L’il Tark. imgad

Posted in Current, Election, Harry Reid, MGM Mirage, Politics | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 28, 2010 by David McKee

Gibber & Prez“[President Barack] Obama‘s team, content to have bailed out Wall Street, seem to now run the rest of the economy on a cash accounting basis. That’s bad, self-defeating policy.” — The Washington Note Publisher Steve Clemons, accusing the White House of setting a course “for the next three years [that] will essentially forfeit America’s growth future to China.” Good reading, as is Robert Reich‘s takedown of the “tiny … ideas” being proposed.

Posted in Economy, International, Macau, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Politics, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

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 stunning, wraparound vistas of snowcapped mountains circling the Vegas Valley. I have no idea if many (or any) tourists took advantage of the opportunity to scope out Red Rock Canyon but conditions for it were literally picture perfect.

bellagio-conservatory-chinese-new-yearIf you need respite from the happy madness at Bellagio, step into the Chinese New Year display that currently adorns the Conservatory. The artisans responsible have outdone themselves, whether crafting the topiary panda family or building the Ming Dynasty pagoda. The tiger looks distinctly stoned (Did Gary Loveman slip it some ‘ludes?) but, on the whole, this is a refreshing, mood-altering and — dare I say it? — spiritual space. Better still, coins flung into the Dings (the urns which hold the oversized joss sticks) eventually find their way to Habitat for Humanity. Kudos to MGM Mirage for remembering those who are homeless.

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

Head over to Twitter …

Posted on January 27, 2010 by David McKee

I’m in the nexus between one big research project and another, scrambling like made to catch up on news in the casinosphere. So the blogorrhea is suffering but the Twitter feed is jumping like a pack of jackrabbits. So check out @StiffsGeorges for a steady stream of news McNuggets and (hopefully) some decent snark. Or is “decent snark” oxymoronic?

Posted in Current, Technology | Comments Off on Head over to Twitter …

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 27, 2010 by David McKee

Casino Oceanus“Once visiting Oceanus, one can see why it is not having a negative impact on Sands [Macao] (the quality of properties are vastly different).” — J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff, politely dissing Stanley Ho‘s newest gambling den, built in a converted department store.

Posted in Macau, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Illegal casino bucks mar NV governor’s race

Posted on January 27, 2010 by David McKee

MontandonOK, with a candidate field that includes scandal-prone incumbent Midnight Jim Gibbons, you might ask, “What’s there to mar?” Well, how ’bout illegal overseas campaign cash funneled to former North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon (left) by the reclusive owners of a “failsino.”

To backtrack briefly, North Las Vegas has three undeveloped gaming-entitled parcels. One is held by Boyd Gaming, while another set, along I-15 near Lamb, is titled to Runvee Inc., a consortium of Hong Kong-based businessmen who dabble in Las Vegas real estate. It’s a nondescript assemblage of scrubland that various Runvee iterations have been sitting on since the Carter administration. Since its casino zoning is irrevocable, there’s nothing NLV can do to nudge, budge or blast Runvee into doing Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Election, Harry Reid, International, Midnight Jim Gibbons, North Las Vegas, Politics, Station Casinos | 2 Comments

Paging Estée Lauder …

Posted on January 26, 2010 by David McKee

tropicana“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 worn since 1945 by the little old lady vacationing from Topeka.” — from Monday’s Raving Consulting e-mail blast.

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 26, 2010 by David McKee

Lance Burton_Background“He’s gone all Criss Angel and it’s not for the better.” — LVA staffer’s comment on the gloomy, vampiric-looking Lance Burton who haunts the newish ads for his Monte Carlo show.

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 25, 2010 by David McKee

lady_gaga_ac“There’s [sic] still rumors about Lady Gaga signing with the Palms. Singing sensation Matt Goss has ended his four months at the Palms, so there may just be room available for someone new.” — Monti Rock III, from his latest e-mail blast. He thinks George Maloof‘s gonna stick Lady Gaga in “The Gossy Room”? Tell me another one.

Posted in Entertainment, George Maloof | 1 Comment

Ghost town

Posted on January 22, 2010 by David McKee

crystalsEconomic 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 be siphoned away from the (considerable) competition elsewhere.

This thought is prompted by a Thursday-night visit to Crystals. Had it not been for the media event at Tiffany & Co. (at which I accidentally baptized myself with half a martini), attendance in the mall would have fallen over 50%. Most of those strolling through were middle-class sightseers, just there to look, and the big draw was clearly the marvelous set of water cyclones at the center of the mall.

Consumption was conspicuous by its absence. The score at Roberto Cavalli was Salespeople: 4, Customers: 0. Maybe 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 find games like Sigma Derby, he suggested that a Downtown casino with floor space to spare (like the Plaza or Binion’s Gambling Hall) might clear out some of its Joe Average slot inventory in favor of a kind of Slot Machine Hall of Fame. It would feature games that don’t have mass appeal but still are remembered fondly. In addition to Sigma Derby, you could have Lion’s Share or some of the many, many, many themed slots that IGT, Bally Technologies and others poured onto the market in the early part of the decade — Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, S&H Green Stamps, etc.

It’d be gambling’s answer to the Pinball Hall of Fame, newly ensconced near the Liberace Museum. The Pinball HoF gives you the best time-on-device value in Las Vegas, in my humble opinion. Why couldn’t the casino industry take a page from its book? And, hey, if Downtown doesn’t pick up the gauntlet perhaps the Tropicana could be the one to give it a whirl. After all, that casino’s got “nostalgia” writ large. If you’re reading this, Alex Yemenidjian, just remember that S&G‘s advice is worth exactly what you’re paying for it.

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 writes …

“Interesting. The company [X] works for was in one of the hundreds of ‘Official CES’ demo rooms that held all of the high-end audio companies. CES has put the high-end audio exhibits in an off-site hotel for as long as I can remember because they need the private rooms to quietly demo their equipment. I’m guessing that the people kicked out were using other rooms at the hotel.

“However, also for as long as I can remember, there have been vendors showing off-site. What I don’t know is if they were paying the CEA some fee for this or just doing it on their own. My guess is that they were paying the CEA but wanted to be offsite so they could have more private meetings. These shows are incredibly expensive and it would be good to find a lower cost way for smaller companies to exhibit and hold meetings. Unfortunately the CEA has a ‘one size fits all’ mentality where you pay the same per square-foot cost for the convention center and then must pay the exorbitant fees for all the on-site services.”

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

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 22, 2010 by David McKee

“This is of serious concern to me and to the other commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan because, indeed, it conveys a perception that is absolutely contrary to what it is that we have sought to do. It is disturbing to us, frankly, that this was done … I can assure you that there is much greater sensitivity among our troopers about this kind of thing than, apparently, there is in whatever contractor produced those sights.” — Gen. David Petraeus, on the subject of references to 2 Corinthians 4:6, found embossed upon rifles made by Trijicom Inc. The latter will cease the practice, which was uncovered by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.

Posted in Current, International | 3 Comments

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 number. Wow, that Corzine sure landed on his feet! Or did he merely go from a budgetary frying pan to a fire?

Seriously, when the USPS transposes the governors of New Jersey and Nevada, and can’t tell me who my new (?) congressperson is, it’s a doggone miracle they can figure out where our mail is supposed to go.

Continued sh!tty with intermittent crappiness. That’s the forecast for Las Vegas. Those of you who stayed home to “game” aren’t missing squat. We’re in our fourth straight day of rain and you can’t even see the tops of the hotels, so pervasive is the overcast. Jets taking off from McCarran International Airport are scarcely airborne before they’re lost to view. The street outside S&G HQ is a literal torrent, rushing northbound and submerging at least half the roadway. Little did I know that you could get riverfront property in Vegas.

If you’re staying for the weekend and are in the mood for laughs, Las Vegas Little Theatre has them in plentiful supply with Don’t Dress for Dinner. Seats, however, are at a premium. This Franco-Anglo bedroom farce is doing so well LVLT has added a Sunday-night performance, making Don’t Dress probably the hottest ticket in Vegas.

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

From the mail bag

Posted on January 20, 2010 by David McKee
las-vegas-monorail
“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 MGM Grand and want to go to the corner in front of Bally’s, I’d guess the trip is quicker walking down the street than making your way through each casino. Even if you’re in the middle of the casino at MGM it’s quite a hike to the train. The Bellagio–CityCenter–Monte Carlo tram is similarly pointless, but at least that one didn’t cost hundreds of millions.”
Posted in CityCenter, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on From the mail bag

Loveman lays down the law

Posted on January 20, 2010 by David McKee

You can do whatever you like at a Harrah’s Entertainment property … provided it’s legal. CEO Gary Loveman explains, albeit with an uncharacteristic degree of opacity:

Posted in Harrah's | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 20, 2010 by David McKee

“[Oakland Raiders Coach Tom] Cable has pointed to the team’s improvement after [JaMarcus] Russell‘s midseason benching as proof that he deserves another year to get the Raiders back to the playoffs.” — No, it just proves that Bruce Gradkowski is the superior quarterback … and that Cable is scraping the bottom of the excuse barrel. Raider Nation deserves better.

Posted in Current, Sports | 2 Comments