In the course of correcting the record about former North Las Vegas mayor — and current gubernatorial aspirant — Michael Montandon (R) on a different Web site, I had to cause to dust off an old press clipping. Back when Montandon was mayor and taking a go-slow attitude toward casino expansion in NLV, Station Casinos claimed to be totally down with Hizzoner’s approach.
Well, that sure changed when Boyd Gaming was able to swap a gambling-enabled parcel it inherited from Coast Casinos and trade it for acreage within what was to have been Gary Goett‘s northern counterpart to Southern Highlands. (The gaming entitlement was removed from the former Coast site and transplanted to Goett’s.)
While this didn’t increase the number of prospective casino sites in NLV, it was evidently enough to get Station’s corporate shorts in a wad. Ergo the subsequent and ongoing insistence that it be allowed to build Losee Station on non-gaming-entitled land it held near the Goett project. Never mind that Station had benefited — twice — from the same kind of one-for-one tradeoff that enabled Boyd to move up to the 215.
Perhaps Station was incensed that Montandon had gone back his public stance regarding Goett’s Olympia Development Group: “Are they going to be allowed a casino on their site as well? I am not in favor of that.” However, since Montandon was able to preserve his goal of not adding casino sites by allowing Boyd to pick up and move, his position holds (slightly) more intellectual water than did Station’s ensuing umbrage. (You’ll also note from the article that Aliante Station [above] went from $450 million to an ultimate $662 million — a 47% cost overrun.)
As has been covered here, Station and Boyd conducted a proxy war in the last North Las Vegas mayoral election. Since Station’s candidate won, we could — economic development permitting — see a very different casino landscape in NLV. Then again, I’ve been told the problem with the locals market isn’t that people haven’t ceased going to the casino — that much is obvious — but that for every five bucks they used to drop, they’re now spending two. So whether Montandon’s go-slow policy remains in place or not, the economy has applied its own set of brakes to northward expansion.
Sue Lowden. As a political candidate, she makes a helluva casino executive. Or maybe not, if she thinks a 21-point loss translates into a victorious “sweep.” Since Lowden is Archon Corp.’s treasurer, you have to wonder how it keeps its books balanced, in light of Ms. Lowden’s mad math skillz.
Once is too much. Word through the Dancing with the Stars grapevine is that Wayne Newton was and continues to be very close to the professional dancers on the show, remaining good friends with former partner Cheryl Burke (left, on opening night) and putting up Kym Johnson in his guest house when she comes to Vegas to rehearse with the Flamingo‘s Donny Osmond. However, Wayne the Mensch is less of a pressing concern than Newton the Trainwreck. The Wayner’s Tropicana show is not merely bad, it is 
“There’s a sort of desperate, delusional Sunset Boulevard quality to this vanity project. At times it feels like we’ve all been cornered by ol’ Uncle Wayne and forced to watch home movies and the History Channel in his rec room at Casa de Shenandoah.” — Las Vegas Sun critic Joe Brown, 
The ravages of the depression on Nevadans’ wallets were felt, though, with locals casinos posting a 22% plunge (-28% on the Boulder Strip). At least the addition of Aliante Station cushioned the blow for North Las Vegas, down a mere 8% — and the only revenue-positive market of 2009.
“The best balance sheet in gaming.” That’s what J.P. Morgan analysts say about Wynn Resorts. They like it even more if Wynn’s Cotai Strip™ project gets built. They estimate it could add as much as $13 value per share. Wynn doesn’t have the biggest market capitalization or cash flow, but his debt schedule puts Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage to shame. He’s slated to be down to just under $1 billion in two years, when LVS and MGM will be awash in $11 billion and $12 billion in net debt, respectively.
“If not exactly humbled by the show’s critical drubbing and lackluster sales, [Criss] Angel, now the butt of jokes by most other Strip comics and magicians, seems less hubristic than he did a year ago. There’s less swagger and no chest-baring (Angel appears to have put on a few pounds). He looks like what he is — a cape-wearing Long Island schlub with a tragic Jennifer Aniston haircut.” — Las Vegas Sun theatre critic Joe Brown, reviewing an apparently un-“fixated” 
From our Today’s News feed:
If anybody’s holding a vote on Las Vegas’ dullest casino Web site, surely the runaway winner will be that for the Greek Isles. It’s so boring, so unimaginative, so Midwest riverboat casino of 12 years ago that it practically yawns in your face. Take, if you must, the page for resident magician Antonio Casanova. (Yes, he’s supposedly a descendant of that Casanova.)
America’s sixth-largest casino 
Riley opponents on both sides of next year’s gubernatorial race — including Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks (left)– are moving toward the position that Alabama should legitimize, tax and regulate e-bingo or at least put it to a vote of the people. Would-be Riley successor Judge Roy “Ten Commandments” Moore is all for 
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 
Elvis in, Bette out. You’ve got three months left to see Bette Midler in 