‘Tis the season

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 road during Thanksgiving, I’d like to offer some belated thank-yous as part of the multi-holiday observance currently sweeping this great nation of ours (and all the ships at sea). So without further ado, thank you to …

… Steve Wynn, for getting Garth Brooks and letting Garth be Garth. The plane was worth it.

… Sheldon Adelson, just for being you.

… Gary Loveman, for going on Jon Ralston‘s TV show, saying it was smarter to take on $30 billion in debt than build a metaresort and managing to keep a straight face.

… Butler National, for showing that a Kansas casino could be built on the state’s terms and timetable, a test that many larger companies flunked.

… Alex Yemenidjian, for getting people talking about the Tropicana in a good way and bringing some excitement back to the place — even if that entailed Wayne F. Newton proving that Once is more than sufficient.

… Phil Ruffin, for putting some buzz back into Treasure Island and keeping people guessing what you’ll buy next and when (as in, “not a day too soon”).

… Jim Murren, for successfully bringing CityCenter from a bunch of bubble drawings to a curiosity-provoking metaresort. It was a rough ride but it got done (mostly). There’s much about which one can quibble but the grandeur of the overarching achievement cannot be denied.

… Frank III and Lorenzo Fertitta, for teaching us a valuable lesson in the perils of greed.

… Boyd Gaming, for showing that a decision much criticized at the time (mothballing Echelon) can make you look like a genius one year later.

… Peter Carlino, for having the wisdom to stop pursuing an LBO. We won’t talk about that Fontainebleau thing.

… William J. Yung III, for getting out of the casino industry — except in Nevada, unfortunately.

… Carl Icahn, for gettting back into the casino industry.

… the Isle of Capri Casinos management team, for turning around a casino company that looked like it was on a one-way voyage to Davey Jones’ Locker.

… James Packer, for providing a never-ending source of amusement.

… the TWU, for continuing to try and right a wrong at Wynn Resorts, even though the struggle has been long and discouraging.

… all casinos that are installing the latest in smoke-abatement technology. Your customers will thank you, your employees will thank you and — when other casinos are inundated with class-action lawsuits — your shareholders will thank you.

… the Obama administration for putting National Indian Gaming Commission Chairman Phil Hogen out to pasture and sending his draconian rollback of Class II gaming to a near-certain death.

… Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) for continuing to fight the good fight against the monstrosity known as UIGEA. Too bad that Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) is trying to prop it up. America has spoken, Harry, and it’s not with you on this one.

… Sue Lowden, for giving S&G an excuse to periodically look in on Hapless Harry’s 2010 reelection campaign.

… all the little-ish companies that could, even in this economy, like Cannery Casino Resorts and Ameristar Casinos.

… Neil Bluhm, for rescuing Donald Barden‘s budget-bloated Rivers Casino. If it’s not penciling out, Bluhm’s not the one at fault.

… Anthony Marnell III, for creating a billion-dollar resort that lived up to all the hoopla and then some.

… Stanley Ho, for sticking around to give Sheldon Adelson fits just a little while longer.

… Oscar Goodman — but only if he stops pussyfooting around and gets into the gubernatorial race.

… anybody who can figure out how to get Jack Binion back into the game. We need you, Jack.

… Donald Trump for … for … for … OK, I got nothin’.

… Anthony Curtis, Jessica Roe, Steve Sebelius, Andrew Kiraly (soon to take the reins of KNPR-FM‘s Desert Companion magazine), Mike Prevatt, Peter Mead, Krista Reiner, Mike Shackleford and all the other people who keep me from having to blow leaves for a living.

… the many — far too many to name — reporters, bloggers and aggregators who not only provide the fodder from which S&G grows but who also make me have to stay on my toes, day in and out.

… and, most of all, to you, the readers. You’ve supplied photos, links, anecdotes, citations, corrections and even the occasional rap on the knuckles. Thanks for keeping me honest. It cannot be said too often that S&G would not exist without you. In the words of Lily Tomlin, “And that’s the truth!”

P.S.: Thank you also, to Shadow (1992-2009). We miss you every day.

P.P.S.: In running through the category tags, it occurs to me that one could compile a copious “Thanks for Nothing” list, too — for those companies and executives who haven’t done squat to make the industry better in 2009. But that’s a list for another day.