Steve Wynn, showman; Caesars, de Laurentiis extend relationship

King Kong isn’t gone from Wynn Paradise Park. He’s been downsized from a massive animatronic to a float on the lake. (Somebody obviously told Steve Wynn the cautionary tale of ‘Disco Yeti‘ at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.) He’ll be joined there by giant spiders — thereby ensuring that my wife will never patronize the amusement park — part of an unusually cartoonish amenity for a Wynn Resorts property. Steve Wynn’s fertile brain spun forth a slew of ideas at a recent investor call: a carousel that will extend over the lake and parades. Of the latter, Wynn said, “It’s not the Rose Bowl parade. It’s a much edgier kind of thing.” One of the new ideas was described by Bloomberg as “LED-lit bumper cars that make crashing sounds and are chased around an oval by fake police officers. Participants who finish the course first will get prizes.”

Security concerns somewhat overshadowed the new bells and whistles. Wynn promised that entrances would be equipped with security devices which would effectively act as metal detectors without guests having to walk through one. “We profile everybody. We sniff the baggage in the baggage room.” While the mental picture of Steve Wynn sniffing baggage is an entertaining one, we’re sure he meant bomb-detection dogs. As for profiling guests, how would that have done any good against Stephen Paddock, whom Wynn himself has described as a “plain vanilla” customer?

* “What took you so long?” That’s the question some may be asking about Caesars Entertainment‘s decision to franchise Giada de Laurentiis. Not only will a GdL-branded fast-food restaurant open in Caesars Palace (Pronto by Giada) but Horseshoe Baltimore is scrapping JB’s Café in favor of GDL by Giada, set to open late next winter. “You can bring your family, but you can still have that center bar so it can be hip and cool,” said the diminutive TV chef, who described the cuisine as “antipasti and pasta, the way that real Italians eat.” Since GdL is a native Italian and we’re not, S&G isn’t going to argue that point.

As for extending her alliance with Caesars, GdL said, “I like to keep all my children under the same roof as much as I can, and I can try a new concept.” Although JB’s Café co-owner John Best is currently embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment, Caesars said JB’s was on its way out before things got nasty. Horseshoe Baltimore is going to be rife with TV chefs, with Gordon Ramsay on the way and Guy Fieri having two footholds at the casino.

* Howling that the dismissal of their lawsuit against the Ho-Chunk Nation was “outrageous,” the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans vowed to appeal to a higher (or at least a different) authority. “In this ruling, the judge has essentially said that it is perfectly fine to violate your gaming compact so long as you fly under the radar for six years. After that point, you can do whatever you want, even if it’s in blatant violation of the law. This is outrageous and should concern every single tribal nation,” fulminated Stockbridge-Munsee Chairman Shannon Holsey, who is also threatening to withhold $1 million in annual payments to the State of Wisconsin if it doesn’t stomp on the Ho-Chunk. At bottom, the Mohicans are trying to protect the Wasau market and hoping to use Gov. Scott Walker (R, pictured) as enforcer against the actions of the free market.

* Little has gone right for Hollywood Casino Jamul but it scored a victory over local bluenoses and was granted a permanent liquor license. “This decision is a big slap in the face to the community,” sniffed one prude. “We know that serving alcohol is a serious responsibility, and one that we do not take lightly,” said Jamul Indian Village Chairwoman Erica Pinto, who added, “The tribe and Hollywood are still committed to road improvements and we are working on right-of-ways.” Hollywood Jamul has scored another victory of sorts, in that all San Diego-area casinos have either incepted or announced major capex projects, setting off a casino arms race of sorts. Beverage service becomes official on Nov. 24.