Viva Blog Vegas!

happy birthday, mirage!

2009-11-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to my favorite place on the Strip! From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

MIRAGE MIRACLE: The Mirage turns 20 today
Steve Wynn's tropical-themed resort-casino had its critics but kicked off building frenzy
By HOWARD STUTZ

Twenty years ago, The Mirage was the CityCenter of its time...But with the city still recovering from the economic doldrums of the early 1980s, many financial experts didn't think The Mirage would succeed.

Some wondered if The Mirage would really grow the market. Most expected it would just steal customers from neighboring hotel-casinos.

Sound familiar? Read more.

I know the building boom ushered in my the Mirage has its fair share of critics—too big, too garish, too corporate. But there's no denying the Strip recovered as a result of the larger-than-life mega resorts and helped rebuild the market. Thankfully, the idea of Vegas being a family-friendly vacation spot is no longer the brand identity.

Here's a very telling quote about how Steve Wynn built a game changer:

"The '80s were not an easy decade for Las Vegas. Casinos started going after a family friendly market; and Circus Circus (Enterprises) was the most profitable casino company on the Strip, because more people were betting $100 a trip rather than $100,000."
—David G. Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

friday night tweets: the las vegas strip.

2009-11-21T18:45:00.000-08:00

I spent a couple hours on the Strip last evening. No gambling, but I wanted to take in the atmosphere and see if anything was abuzz. I Twittered most of it. And it goes a little something like this...

10:28 p.m.: Pretty quiet night on The Strip tonight. Just nursing a beer, myself...not in the mood to gamble.

10:31 p.m.: And FYI, Casino Royale is kinda scary. But I have no shame. I'll stand in line for a $1 Michelob!

10:40 p.m.: Cops on horseback riding down Las Vegas Blvd.? Shoulda had my camera put for that one. O'Sheas is quiet tonight too.

10:48 p.m.: THOROUGHLY unimpressed with the surly bartender at Imperial Palace's Sake Bar. A little courtesy goes a long way, sweetheart.

11:02 p.m.: Apparently I'm cool enough to get "VIP" passes to the Revolution Lounge tonight, while last week I was ignored...I know. It's dead tonight. But I am dressed rather smartly in my tragically hip untucked black shirt and black blazer, so there's that.

11:33 p.m.: The Mirage did not disappoint. Still my favorite Vegas casino.

here we go again.

2009-11-20T17:44:00.000-08:00

These stories will never go away, will they? From the cornfields of Nebraska, reported all the way across the Pond:

Las Vegas gambler sues Caesars Palace claiming casino plied him with drugs

A Las Vegas gambler who lost $112 million (£67 million) in a year, is suing the owner of Caesars Palace, claiming casino staff "milked" him by plying him with alcohol and prescription drugs. Read more.

Has anyone seen the Albert Brooks movie Lost In America? I'm reminded of that.

The complainant's lawyer alleges Harrah's is to blame because "Mr. Watanabe was an obvious gambling addict."

Sorry, Mr. O'Donnell, as a dealer and floor supervisor, I don't have the ability to see the addiction on 'em.

Not to be callous, but at some point, personal responsibility needs to kick in.

leaving on a jet plane...wondering when you're coming back to vegas!

2009-11-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

Not terribly shocking, really. From the Review-Journal:

McCarran passenger counts fall 1.3 percent in October
By HOWARD STUTZ

Passenger counts at McCarran International Airport fell 1.3 percent in October. More than 3.51 million passengers came through McCarran during the month, compared with more than 3.56 million passengers in the same month a year ago.

For the first 10 months of 2009, McCarran has seen passenger counts fall 9.4 percent over the period in 2008.

No real surprise that passenger counts are down this year. The real meat-and-potatoes comparison will be 2k10 numbers vs. 2k9 and even 2k8. That'll give the clearest indication if the economy is rebounding. We already know Strip development is going to remain halted. That's old news. Let's see if people are ready to occupy the rooms already waiting for them.

fourth-quarter las vegas: the good, the bad & the ugly.

2009-11-20T03:13:00.000-08:00

Quite a bit going on in the Valley this week. Local media's buzzing with the upcoming opening of MGM Mirage's CityCenter, Some telling quotes from a roundtable discussion at the Global Gaming Expo, and oh yeah, Station Casinos continue to lose money hand over fist.

You can read all about each issue at LVRJ.com, but here are the brass tacks:
Least Surprising Story of the Week
MGM Mirage and Dubai World received its gaming license for Aria, the one-and-only casino at the $8.5 billion, 67-acre CityCenter. Shocking, right? The joint will be open for business next month. Read more.

Boyd's Balls—Crystal or Otherwise—Still Ain't That Great
"If you look out over the next 10 years, you could probably count on one hand the number of new buildings we'll see on the Strip. Frankly, my crystal ball isn't that clear, but there will not be the tremendous amount of new buildings on the Strip." —Keith Smith, CEO, Boyd Gaming
Translation: "Anybody wanna buy a half-built casino?" I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but it's clear Boyd doesn't plan on finishing Echelon. They'll sooner buy a Strip property than complete what was to be the company's crown jewel. You know what that means? Expect to look at dormant Echelon and Fontainebleau sites for years! Read more.

Why, yes, Virginia, casinos also can lose money!
At first glance, it would seem implausible that casinos would lose money. But it's a competitive business, just like restaurants and bars and such. Some profit. Some don't. Station Casinos—catering largely to a local market—had to file bankruptcy. And who might be there to bail them out? Boyd Gaming. Guess we now know Bill Boyd tore open that mattress full of Echelon money and has new ideas for it, no? Read more.

Which is good? Which is bad? Which is ugly? You decide.

we want floyd! we want floyd!

2009-11-15T13:50:00.000-08:00

My first Fight Night in Vegas.

COTTO CONQUERED: Pacquiao in seventh heaven
12th-round TKO gives Filipino seven belts in seven classes
By STEVE CARP
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
The chants began as soon as Manny Pacquiao was declared the new WBO welterweight champion Saturday night.

"We want Floyd! We want Floyd!" many in the sellout crowd of 16,200 at the MGM Grand Garden demanded. Read more.

Here's the money quote on Manny Pacquiao: "...the first boxer to win seven world titles in seven weight classes."

Wow! Bring on Money Mayweather!

boyd creating distance from echelon?

2009-10-30T04:56:00.000-07:00

Telling, telling quote from Boyd Gaming's third quarter results statement:

Based on our current outlook, we do not anticipate that Echelon will resume construction for three to five years.

While Boyd claims to be committed to a Strip presence, their actions show all they're committed to is a dormant construction site. Unless, of course, they plan to divest from the project and look to purchase another Strip property. It would only surprise me because Boyd has never shown much interest in owning one of the larger Strip properties. But given MGMMirage's financial woes and all-in strategy with CityCenter, perhaps Boyd (or someone) could purchase a property on the cheap.

citycenter: game changer or sinking ship?

2009-10-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know of too many casinos that can make up a $4 billion shortfall overnight. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

THE STRIP: CityCenter valued below cost
MGM Mirage: Half-stake in project worth $2.44 billion

By HOWARD STUTZ
CityCenter is worth about half of what it cost MGM Mirage and Dubai World to build the massive Strip development, according to third-party valuation specialists.

In a statement to investors Tuesday, in which MGM Mirage said it was writing down more than $1 billion related to CityCenter, the company estimated the value of its 50 percent ownership in CityCenter at approximately $2.44 billion. The project's total construction budget is $8.5 billion.

"This decision and related market conditions led to the conclusion that the carrying value of the residential inventory is not recoverable," MGM Mirage said in a statement.

MGM Mirage said CityCenter was required to have unnamed third parties review its residential inventory for impairment because of the company's decision to reduce the cost of project's 2,400 residential condominiums by 30 percent.

Also, MGM Mirage's largest shareholder, billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, hinted he might divest himself from the company. Read more.

MGM Mirage
CityCenter

a one-way ticket to vegas.

2009-10-27T03:42:00.000-07:00

It's official. I'm moving to Las Vegas. After years of pondering, planning and thinking about it, it's now a reality.

I will be embarking on the cross-country journey on or around 9 Nov 09 and reporting for my first day of work in the desert on 16 Nov 09.

I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm ready to get this show on the road.

Stick around for more dispatches from the desert.

stick around.

2009-09-25T04:41:00.000-07:00

Stick around, kids. Things are about to get pretty interesting around here.

to share tokes or to not share tokes?

2009-08-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

The latest in the ongoing saga of the Wynn Las Vegas tip-pooling situation. From Las Vegas Review Journal:

THE STRIP: Wynn tip debate continues
In testimony, dealers argue that policy breaks state labor laws
By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY

Dividing dealers' tips only among dealers was an industry standard until Wynn Las Vegas changed its policy to include table-game supervisors, a Wynn dealer testified Tuesday before the state labor commissioner.

The dealer, Josephine Tang, who was a dealer at the Luxor, the former Aladdin, and the Gold Coast before joining Wynn in April 2005, was unable to say definitively during testimony how much her pay has declined since the new policy widening the tip pool to include floor supervisors, called casino service team leads, was implemented nearly three years ago. Read more.

hard rock hiring...soon.

2009-06-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Is this the beginning of a Las Vegas comeback story? Too soon to tell. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Hard Rock to hire 800 workers by year's end
Posted by Arnold M. Knightly

The Hard Rock Hotel will hire 800 more workers by the end of the year to complete staffing for the property's $750 million expansion, the property announced late Tuesday night.

The niche property, which will open two new hotel towers and other amenities, has already hired 400 workers this year.

The positions to be filled include on call dealers, housekeeping staff, bellmen, front desk and room reservation agents and environmental services attendants.

The Hard Rock Hotel will announce dates for job fairs to be held at the property through the summer soon.

danny gans dead.

2009-05-01T11:15:00.001-07:00

I am stunned by this...from the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Las Vegas entertainer Gans dies at home at age 52
Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans died at his home this morning. He was 52.

The cause of death is unknown.

Henderson Police spokesman Officer Todd Rasmussen said this morning they received a call about 3:45 a.m. from a woman inside the home at 761 Ricota Court in Henderson. The woman said that a 52-year-old male was having breathing problems. When officers and paramedics arrived they found the man unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

I remember my first trip to Las Vegas in 1999. Danny Gans was the headliner at the Rio and was largely considered one of the elite shows in Vegas (alongside the Cirque shows). He moved to the Mirage shortly thereafter and was one of the hottest shows on the Strip for years.

In many ways, Danny Gans is the last of the generation of performers; the true Las Vegas variety act. He preceded Celine Dion, who completely changed the Strip, ushering in folks like Elton John, Broadway musicals, etc.

As one friend of mine said to me, Danny Gans is completely lost on the new, younger generation of Vegas travelers. This 25-and-under set only cares about clubbing, bottle service, and being "young, drunk and fabulous."

It's too bad. I think Gans' premature death may also signal the closing of that era of Vegas acts.

one more word about the greektown.

2009-03-30T16:08:00.001-07:00

Looks like the Greektown could have a new owner, according to the Detroit Free Press:

Celani aims to buy Greektown Casino
BY MARY FRANCIS MASSON

Tom Celani, a Bloomfield Hills businessman and investor, is trying to buy Greektown Casino in downtown Detroit.
Advertisement

Celani, who was an initial investor in MotorCity Casino, has partnered with Plainfield, a Connecticut-based hedge fund, to bid for Greektown, which is being marketed to buyers through bankruptcy proceedings. Read more.

Call me a neophyte, but how a casino goes bankrupt is beyond me.

BEYOND me!

visiting detroit's greektown casino.

2009-03-30T13:16:00.001-07:00

I was in Detroit this weekend for a day trip to catch my first-ever NHL game. I'm a huge fan of the Detroit Red Wings, so it was great to take in a game at the venerable old Joe Louis Arena. Too bad the Wings lost.

I decided to park my car at the Greektown Casino and take the downtown people mover to and from the game, which was incredibly convenient (take note, big cities with traffic congestion issues!).

Aptly named for the neighborhood within which it resides, the Greektown Casino-Hotel boasts a 100,000-foot gaming floor with more than 2,600 slots as well as the full compliment of table games, 400 guest rooms in a 30-story tower, a nightclub and several restaurants from which to choose.

Obviously, the Greektown is shooting for weekend warriors to enter and never set foot outside the complex until they check out.

I was only there for a couple hours, but wandered the two-level gaming area to take it all in.

My first thought was, "Where are the video poker machines?" Instead of putting them among the slots, video poker is in its own, all-too-cozy room away from nearly ever other part of the casino. It's honestly kind of a strange location, if you ask me.

Greektown is one of the remaining ethnic neighborhoods in Detroit; something that's fading away in many big cities (and something you can't create out of corporate investment). The casino butts up against a street lined with Greek restaurants and businesses. It's very unique and worth the visit.

The casino itself wasn't bad, but didn't stand out at all, compared to other casinos I've visited in the Midwest. The table games pits seemed disjointed, if you ask me. The video poker room might be claustrophobic to some, but didn't bother me.

Overall, it's not bad. I'd have to go back and stay for a weekend to get a better feel for it all. I can't complain, though. I did win a few bucks. Their slot machines offer something I've never seen before in a casino for players club members: you have the choice of cashing out of a slot machine with a voucher or putting the money onto your players card; sort of like a debit card. Clever and I suppose convenient. But let's be real. They're trying to keep the money in-house. I'll take the cash, thank you very much.

opening the horizons.

2009-03-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Ostensibly, this blog is about the Las Vegas gaming industry. Lately, it's only been about being dormant. I'm working on changing that. I'm also expanding the discussion ton include topics on gaming around the country as well as the entertainment itself. Don't get me wrong here. I do believe many everyday Vegas travelers are interested in the business aspect of gaming. But they also want to learn more about casinos to determine vacations and weekend getaways.

Casino gaming is no longer a dirty little secret. It's regarded as entertainment just like movies, theater, dining and sports.

Consider this blog a window to the business side as well as the travel side.

Stick around.

citycenter in jeopardy?

2009-03-23T14:03:00.000-07:00

Is the Las Vegas Review Journal guilty of hyperbole, or are they predicting the death of CityCenter? Decide for yourself:

CityCenter future in doubt after Dubai partner sues MGM Mirage
By HOWARD STUTZ

The survival of the $9.1 billion CityCenter development was called into question Monday when the investment arm of the Persian Gulf state of Dubai sued MGM Mirage over concerns about the project’s viability.

According to the lawsuit filed in Delaware Chancery Court, Dubai World, a 50-50 joint venture partner in CityCenter, is asking for unspecified damages and wants to be relieved of its obligations under the companies’ agreement that was struck in August 2007.

Dubai World, which is financing its portion of CityCenter through its Infinity World subsidiary, contends that recent statements by MGM Mirage constitute a breach of the joint-venture pact and has put the project at risk. A spokesman for MGM Mirage was unavailable for comment this morning. As of noon PDT, MGM Mirage had not issued a statement about the legal action.

The lawsuit seemingly took MGM Mirage by surprise. Last week, during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings conference call, MGM Mirage Chairman and CEO Jim Murren was asked about the relationship with Dubai World. “Our relationship with Dubai World is outstanding and has been since August of ’07 when we consummated the joint venture,” Murren said. “They have been steadfast partners.” Read more.

mgm mirage break-up...start the clock.

2009-03-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Looks like MGM Mirage's day just got worse. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Dubai partner sues MGM Mirage over CityCenter

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Dubai state-run developer involved in the $8.6 billion CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip says it is suing partner MGM Mirage amid concerns about the project's viability.

Dubai World says subsidiary Infinity World filed the lawsuit in Delaware Chancery Court "to protect its rights and the best interests of the CityCenter project."

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MGM Mirage is struggling under more than $13 billion in debt as it pushes ahead on CityCenter, its largest casino yet.

Infinity says recent statements by MGM Mirage about its future viability constitute a breach of contract and put the CityCenter project at risk.

It says it's asking the court to relieve it of its obligations under the joint venture agreement.

The irony of a casino plowing forward with a semi-risky venture while accruing a mountain of debt is not lost on me. When they started this project, it looked like a license to print money. The economy was soaring. Vegas tourism was at an all-time high and the affluent, young crowd was streaming onto the Strip in droves.

All the major Strip operations could afford to charge high prices for rooms, dinner, entertainment, etc. They were trying to push all the penny slot players and nickel blackjack players downtown with all the other riff-raff.

But now, MGM stock is barely worth the paper it's printed on.

I'm not celebrating MGM's recent misfortune. It disappoints me to no end. But it's worth noting all the corporate monsters of the Strip have only themselves to blame. Goliath smote Goliath.

Start the clock on the breakup of MGM Mirage.

nhl in vegas, eh?

2009-03-13T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is a big deal to a hockey fan like me. From ESPN.com

NHL awards show moves to Las Vegas

NEW YORK -- The NHL is moving its annual awards show from Toronto to Las Vegas.

Part of a three-year deal with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced Friday, this year's show will be held June 18 at the Palms Hotel.

"Las Vegas specializes in shining the spotlight on outstanding performers," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. "It's innate energy offers an exciting setting for our celebration of excellence."

the strip for sale?

2009-03-09T04:04:00.000-07:00

Could the current recession spur a return to individual-owned Strip resorts? One former casino owner (and soon-to-be owner of Treasure Island) seems to think so.

From LasVegasNow.com:

One Casino Does Well, Despite Recession

(Phil Ruffin) believes his pending purchase of the Treasure Island is a great long-term investment, citing its attractive selling price of $775 million, its premier location on the Strip, its recent renovation, and its lack of debt.

In fact, Ruffin says debt is what's doing in the Strip's corporate conglomerates right now, "The problem is all that debt that is just piled on. They can't pay the debt service so all the banks are going to have to restructure that debt."

Ruffin says that will likely mean a dilution of ownership and a return, in part, to days past in Las Vegas, where there were more individual casino owners and a more personal touch, "You got a lot more personal attention. The owner was right there on the property and could make instant decisions. That's why I'll have my office located inside the TI." Read more.

Am I the only one who noted the irony of a casino being in debt up to its own eyeballs? Seriously! These places are licenses to print money! I digress.

I'll be interested to see if Harrah's and MGM-Mirage sell off any properties during the economic downturn. It's no secret Las Vegas is hurting right now. You don't even have to listen to Phil Ruffin talk of it. I know people on the front lines in Las Vegas and they'll tell you it's slow right now. Everyone's in survival mode.

I'd like to think it'll get better before the end of the year, but that's looking less and less likely.

I wonder if you'll see more folks like Phil Ruffin and Steve Wynn out there this year; individuals who want to own a piece of the Strip. Now may be the time for some prime real estate in the desert.

iGambling.

2009-02-16T14:16:00.001-08:00

Card counting goes hi-tech...and gives casinos yet another headache. From the AP:

Casinos are warned about card-counting iPhone app

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada gambling regulators have warned casinos in the state about a card-counting program that works on Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s iPhone and iPod Touch that illegally helps players beat the house in blackjack.

Card counting itself is not illegal under Nevada gambling laws, but it is considered a felony to use devices to help count cards.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board sent a memo to casinos last week warning them of the program.

In blackjack, certain card counting techniques help players determine when they are likely to win a hand and adjust their bets accordingly.

Nevada learned of the program from gambling regulators in California, where officials at an Indian casino found customers using it and tipped state authorities.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal

At the casino where I work, we learned about this app during a pre-shift meeting. I downloaded it on a break and haven't given it a complete once-over. So far, it looks like a tutorial more than an actual card counting app that a player could actively use during a live game.

But I could be wrong. I'm going to monkey with this program a bit more.

It's worth noting counting cards isn't something new. Casino pit bosses have been wary of it for decades. Many people know how to count cards. But most people don't know what to do once they get the count. That's where the advantage is.

But you knew that already.

it's hard out there for a casino employee.

2008-12-23T04:30:00.001-08:00

Looks like I picked a helluva time to get back into the casino industry, eh?

From Yay-hoo News:

Macau's Venetian sacks further 500 staff as credit crunch bites

HONG KONG (AFP) – Macau's giant Venetian casino owned by troubled Las Vegas Sands has sacked 500 staff, the company said in a statement, the latest sign of the firms's struggles to deal with the global credit crunch.

The Venetian, a massive hotel and casino complex billed as the cornerstone of a new Las Vegas-style strip, has cut the weekly working week for its casino workers, and laid off 500 staff, the firm said in a statement.

"The company has adopted a series of measures to control operating cost in all business areas, including letting go approximately 500 employees across all levels who are not Macau residents," a Venetian spokesman said.

"(These include) about 100 management-grade expatriate employees in gaming operations," the statement, released late Monday said.

It said many of the workers would be offered alternative employment at the firm's new casino project in Singapore. Read more.

I just like the use of the word 'expatriate'. It sounds very clandestine and espionage-esque.

going the extra mile.

2008-12-16T11:13:00.000-08:00

I got to thinking last night about what it's like to be a vacationer or business traveler coming to Las Vegas. The airport is always busy, we know that. But it's not an excruciating experience. In fact, I've always had good experiences at McCarran.

And while none of my hotel stays could be called bad, the one part of the trip I dread the most is checking into the hotel. Seriously, this can be a painful experience. I've stayed at numerous hotels on the Strip and it's always the same: stand in line, wait your turn, then stand some more while the congenial hotel rep checks you into your room.

But that's just it. You could spend up to one hour waiting to get into a room you already have.

I confess to knowing nothing about running a hotel. But in a world where competition for consumer dollars is getting tougher and tougher, perhaps this oft-overlooked portion of the traveling experience is in dire need of some innovative thinking.

Think about it. Most people book their rooms online or via a telephone call. If you don't pay for it in advance, you at least provide credit card information to cover the cost. So really, all your information is already in the hotel's system: how many occupants, smoking/non-smoking, room with a view, etc. But how often do you find yourself running over the same information when you get to the hotel? I don't blame the reps. They're just doing their jobs. But I think there's a better way to go about this.

So here's what I propose: It's time to do away with the tradition switchback lines for checking in and checking out. All services should be managed with concierge-level hosts who will cater to your needs from the time you check in to the time you check out.

Think about how you would feel if, when you arrive at the door, you are immediately greeted by a host who has a packet with your name on it, containing all your check-in info, sits down with you, goes over everything and shows you to your room? No standing in line. No leaning on a counter while a rep punches away at a computer. It's relaxed. It's personal. It's inviting. And while you're sitting there, a bellhop already takes your bags to your room, where you'll find an assortment of complimentary beverages and light snacks to greet you.

See, now on the other side of this—behind closed doors—the host is gathering information about the guests, learning their favorite restaurants, casino games, shows, etc. to continue to personalize their visit. So when the guests want something, the host already knows how and when to provide it. And when the guests check out of the hotel, it's more like something you'd expect from a host at a dinner party. Stress: warm, friendly, inviting.

And a week or so later, when that family is settled back into life at home, they receive a personal note from their host, thanking them for their stay and looking forward to their return. I know many hosts already do this, but this is for the people who seek out the host; not usually the other way around. I think it's time to turn the model upside down.

I am going to continue investigating great customer service and report more about it here.

Why? Because I'm of a mind that says we can always do better when it comes to providing top-level, personal customer service in the gaming industry.

frankie the snitch?

2008-10-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

Frank ~~"Lefty"~~ "The Snitch" Rosenthal? From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

'Lefty' Rosenthal was an FBI snitch
by JANE ANN MORRISON

Back before he was mayor of Las Vegas, when he was the city's leading mob attorney, Oscar Goodman insisted he didn't represent snitches.

He represented Frank Rosenthal. Now that Rosenthal is dead, three former law enforcement sources with first-hand knowledge confirmed what was long suspected. Lefty Rosenthal was an FBI informant, whether his attorney knew it or not.

While Rosenthal was alive, no one would confirm it. Nobody wanted to be the one who got Lefty whacked. Read more.

leave the kids at home!

2008-10-28T14:54:00.001-07:00

Oh for the love of Christ! From the Las Vegas Sun:

Parents arrested after 10-month-old abandoned at casino
By Mary Manning

Metro Police arrested the parents of a 10-month-old boy Friday after the baby was left in a stroller in front of the Imperial Palace hotel and casino for more than an hour.

Officers arrived at the hotel at about 5:35 p.m. Friday after two concerned tourists reported to security guards that the baby was alone in his stroller, police said.

Through video surveillance cameras, officers identified the parents who had abandoned the child, police said.

The parents were inside the casino gambling. When questioned, they told police they had left the baby after an argument. Both parents left the baby in his stroller on the sidewalk in front of the casino, police said. Read more.

And of course, it happened at the finest dump on the Strip, the ol' Imperial Palace. Lovely.

How many times do we have to cover this? Unless your children are legally able to get past a bouncer at ghostbar--or you're planning on selling them on the black market--DO NOT BRING THEM TO VEGAS!

Seriously, Las Vegas is NO place for children. Leave them at home!

You'd think this sort of thing is self evident. Apparently not.

"...eight straight months of declining revenue on the las vegas strip..."

2008-10-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

I shouldn't be so harsh on Boyd Gaming, though. It's not like they're alone in this economic mess. The Big Three in Vegas--Las Vegas Sands Corp., MGM Mirage and Wynn Resorts Ltd.--are getting clobbered in the markets.

From Bloomberg.com:

Las Vegas Sands, MGM, Wynn May Signal 'Ugly' 2009
By Beth Jinks

Oct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts Ltd. and MGM Mirage, the three largest U.S. casino companies, may signal an "ugly" year ahead as gamblers curb casino trips and betting from Las Vegas to Macau.

Eight straight months of declining gambling revenue on the Las Vegas Strip and tightened visa limits by authorities in Macau, the only place in China where casinos are legal, eroded third-quarter profits, said Dennis Forst, an analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets in El Segundo, California.

Shares of Wynn, controlled by billionaire Steve Wynn, have dropped 67 percent this year. Sands shares plunged 23 percent on Oct. 24, bringing its year-to-date decline to 94 percent and forcing it to relinquish its ranking as the biggest U.S. casino company by market value to Wynn.

No. 2 MGM Mirage, majority owned by Kirk Kerkorian, has fallen 87 percent. Penn has shed 79 percent, while Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. has lost 72 percent. Read more.

I'm no economist, but Vegas will come back. It may take a year or two, but it'll come back. Gaming/travel/tourism are not recession-proof industries, you know. What I'm most curious of, though, is which hotel-casinos in Vegas will fold. The Big Three have deep enough pockets to survive. Harrah's is THE biggest casino company in the world, so they're probably safe. But it's going to be the little guys and outliers who lose. Are there any left in Vegas? Not many, but a few.

2009 promises to be nothing if not exhilarating.

will boyd's echelon ever open?

2008-10-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

Things are not looking good for Boyd Gaming's mega-resort on The Strip, The Echelon. From Reuters:

Boyd Gaming sees Las Vegas project stalled thru 09

LOS ANGELES, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Casino operator Boyd Gaming Corp (BYD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Tuesday it does not expect to resume construction next year on its stalled Las Vegas Strip project and declined to comment on its fourth-quarter earnings outlook.

Boyd said in August it expected to halt construction of the partially built $4.8 billion Echelon project for at least nine months.

Chief Executive Keith Smith, speaking on a conference call, said the company is now looking at alternatives, including opening the project in phases, modifying its scope or entering into other partnerships.

Chief Operating Officer Paul Chakmak, citing uncertainty in the current economic environment, said the company would not issue its typical quarterly earnings forecast. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

This is bad. Very bad. The Echelon was slated to open in 2010. When the credit markets went kaput, they halted construction for the rest of '08. Now all of '09 is getting wiped out? Opening in phases or modified scope?

So much for building a competitor to its neighbor across the street, The Wynn.

notorious vegas legend dies.

2008-10-22T20:52:00.001-07:00

How on EARTH did I miss this? From the Los Angeles Times:

Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal dies at 79; sports betting expert inspired movie 'Casino'

Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, the onetime Chicago bookmaker who ran four Las Vegas casinos in the 1970s and whose turbulent life and near-death experience with a car bomb inspired the movie "Casino," has died. He was 79.

Rosenthal, who was barred from casinos because of alleged mob ties, died of a heart attack Monday at his home in Miami Beach, a Fire-Rescue spokeswoman told the Associated Press.
Read more.

In the annals of Las Vegas/casino movies, Casino is easily one of my favorites.

allegiant bucking the trend.

2008-10-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

Perhaps all is not lost right now on the Vegas tourism industry. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Allegiant revenue jumps despite financial downturns
By Benjamin Spillman

Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Company managed to increase revenue more than 35 percent in the third quarter despite operating a leisure-based airline at a time when the hospitality and airline industries are suffering from dramatic financial downturns.

Allegiant reported today that it earned $116.9 million in the third quarter, up 35.4 percent from the same quarter in 2007. However, profits on the revenue fell 4.2 percentage points to 6.9 percent, in large part because fuel costs were higher.

During a conference call with analysts company officials were upbeat despite dire predictions for leisure travel. They said lower fuel prices will give the airline more flexibility in the future and discussed several possibilities for increasing revenue further, including the potential to charge passengers for carry-on luggage. Read more.

I've always liked their model of providing direct flights to destination cities for secondary markets. I've also flown them a couple times. The first time was not that great, but the second time was very good. I'd fly them again.

dear vegas...you want me on that dice table. you need me on that dice table.

2008-10-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

While I'm keenly aware the Strip prefers its dealers to break in on the Strip, let me tell you firsthand the Midwest riverboats are not the minor leagues. I'm not arguing the action in Joliet is better than Bellagio, but the games, rules and procedures are taught the same across the board.

I've been a dealer for about two years total now (with a seven year sabbatical in between stints) and working the dice table on a riverboat is nothing to sneeze at. I've observed games at all levels and at several casinos and here are a few observations:

Riverboats Love Speed.
For better or worse (and I think it's worse), riverboat dice pits have an unhealthy obsession with speed. I know how it goes. More rolls = more money. But it's silly. Vegas dice tables move at a relaxed pace, but not too slow. The key difference is...

Midwest Dice Players Love Prop Bets.
Perhaps I'm not watching the right games at the right time in Vegas, but I have never seen the same sort of prop section on the Strip as I do at a Midwest riverboat. Sure, a Vegas game will have the obligatory hardway bets, a couple C/E bets, maybe even a Horn High 12. But come to the riverboat and you'll see one player simultaneously booking: $10 Horn High Yo, $9 hopping sevens and a $1 ace-deuce. THEN another player on the same game will have the easy eights hopping and a High-Low.

Every. Single. Roll.

Don't tell me Midwest games are soft. The players are prop action freaks...at their own peril.

Procedure Suffers Everywhere.
I know most dealers fancy themselves to be procedurally sound, but I think they all get bored. How many stickmen take their eyes off the dice? How many 21 dealers correct their own mistakes? This happens at EVERY casino.

Final observation...

I Can Deal Anywhere.
Let me tell you why: During my shift Saturday night I was dealing to every skill level of player, action from $40 buy-ins to players working black, all manner of prop betting and all manner of...well, etiquette.

While it was mentally taxing, it was not too much to bear. If I can deal that game in the Midwest, I could do it standing on my head at Paris, or Caesars or the Wynn.

Count it.

caesars palace: "what sagging economy"?

2008-10-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

Looks like the new Caesars Palace tower is ready for business. From Forbes:

Caesars Palace tops off sixth tower on Vegas Strip
By OSKAR GARCIA

Casino company Harrah's Entertainment Inc. topped off a 23-story tower at Caesars Palace on Tuesday as part of a $1 billion expansion at its flagship Las Vegas Strip resort.

The 665-room Octavius Tower is the sixth at Caesars and is part of an expansion the company hopes will help the hotel-casino compete with planned neighboring luxury resorts.

Gary Selesner, president of Caesars Palace, said expansion plans haven't changed, despite difficult economic conditions.

"This is all about the future," Selesner said. "We're building our capacity for the turnaround that will come, whether it's one, two or three years down the road."

Average Las Vegas hotel room rates for August were $107 per night, down 15.3 percent from August 2007. Occupancy was down, too, with 88.3 percent of rooms filled in August, down 2.9 percent compared with August 2007.
Read more.

I'm most struck by the last paragraph there, although Las Vegas is not going to go bust in the current economy. When the economy plunged after 9/11, many Vegas casinos and resorts merged to survive. There will be some fluctuation and lean times, but the economy will rebound.

I doubt anything could turn Vegas dark, quite honestly.

no bonus for mgm mirage.

2008-10-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

Looks like I picked a bad time to start thinking about moving to Vegas. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

MGM Mirage employees to miss bonus
Cash program out because company 'unlikely' to meet profit goals for 2008
By HOWARD STUTZ

MGM Mirage told its workers Monday that it was eliminating this year's cash bonus program, which is based on achieving a certain level of profitability.

"It is unlikely we are going to meet those goals this year," MGM Mirage spokesman Gordon Absher said.

The company's cash bonuses differed for all employees and the company did not say what the triggering points were for each level. Absher said the casino operator wouldn't say how much it was saving by eliminating the bonus program for 2008. Read more.

This isn't terribly surprising news. Vegas profits have been down all year. Nevertheless, it does show the economy is affecting everyone.

cinevegas turns 10.

2008-06-23T22:44:00.000-07:00

Doug Elfman of the Las Vegas Review Journal puts a pretty good wrap on CineVegas:

Unlike some others, celebs at CineVegas talented, classy

DOUG ELFMAN

Japanese artist and filmmaker Takashi Murakami points to one of his animated characters after arriving at a screening of "Planting of the Seeds" at the Wynn Hotel and Casino during the CineVegas Film Festival in Las Vegas on Monday, June 16, 2008.
AP Photo/Laura Rauch

For 10 days, actors strolled red carpets and private parties at CineVegas. When prompted, they told stories of their younger days as messy tourists in Las Vegas. But their admissions were hardly ripped from the pages of Pamela Anderson's diaries.

Sam Rockwell, star of 2002's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," confessed: "The last time I was in Vegas, I woke up in a lawn chair." But he didn't elaborate.

Gabriel Mann, a player in the "Bourne" thrillers, said his last visit here was 10 years ago, when "I lost all my money -- my money and my mind." Yet he declined repeated requests to explain this rap.

So even though CineVegas was a little crazier than usual -- with one Britney Spears sighting, an official party held at a strip club, and gobs of star-gazing parties stocked with free booze -- its stars were reserved actors showing art house fare to film lovers at the Palms. Read more.

$4 gas prices forcing gamblers to stay close to home?

2008-06-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

Howard Stutz at the Las Vegas Review Journal has my job! He writes a weekly column about the gaming industry.

Here's a little bit of today's Inside Gaming column:

No surprise, but gasoline prices of more than $4 a gallon don't bode well for regional casino markets. Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Andrew Zarnett said Atlantic City would suffer as gamblers stay close to home.

"Consumers will choose the convenience of Pennsylvania casinos over Atlantic City amenities," he said.

Potential casino patrons are spending more for necessities, such as gasoline and food, leaving fewer dollars for discretionary activities, including gambling.

Zarnett said casinos in Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana and Missouri are experiencing declines in visitation. Here's a little bit of today's Read more.

I made the rounds in Vegas this past May and all the talk among the employees in the pits was how its business was...well, in the pits.

Whether or not we're in a recession is a debate best left to the wonks on Meet The Press, but when people are paying $4 for a gallon of gas? Something's got to give.

jacko in las vegas?

2008-06-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

Looks like the talk of a Michael Jackson show in Las Vegas is back. From Reuters, by way of Yahoo news:

Michael Jackson in talks on possible Las Vegas act
By Steve Gorman 5 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson may relaunch his career as a Las Vegas act, thanks to the private equity group that recently bought the loan on his Neverland Ranch in California to help the pop star avert foreclosure.
ADVERTISEMENT

The investment firm Colony Capital is discussing with Jackson various repayment options for the $23 million debt, including a possible long-term engagement as the resident performer of a Vegas casino or nightclub, a source familiar with the talks said on Friday.

Colony Capital, based in Los Angeles, owns the Las Vegas Hilton and is a major shareholder in the Station Casinos chain. Read more.

space-age gaming at the rio.

2008-06-12T02:24:00.000-07:00

Harrah's is going after the millenials with new gaming options. From the AP:

Casino debuts new touch-screen bar table
By OSKAR GARCIA

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) (MSFT) and Harrah's Entertainment Inc. introduced a high-tech interactive bar table Wednesday that lets patrons order drinks, watch YouTube videos, play touch-screen games and even flirt with each other.

The tables offer Harrah's a new way to track its customers' habits and behaviors, adding to its sophisticated costumer rewards program that tracks users' gambling habits.

"Of all the goodies up our sleeves lately, this is one of the most dramatic," Tim Stanley, chief information officer of Harrah's, told The Associated Press. "The range of opportunities are fairly limitless."

The six rectangular tables with built-in 30-inch flat screens using Microsoft Surface technology were installed in a lounge at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, with custom applications built for Harrah's.
Read more.

I am very curious to see this in action. I may have to swing by the Rio in August to check it out. Touch-screen gaming isn't necessarily a new thing, but I'm going to bet (ha!) this system is much more sophisticated than the standard video poker consoles embedded in casino bars. The "flirt" option makes me laugh because I can see that being used by those who are working in "the oldest profession." I know. Hookers in Vegas? I'm shocked...shocked. :-)

revenues still down in vegas.

2008-06-12T02:12:00.001-07:00

No real surprise here...from the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Gaming revenues decline again

Gaming revenues in April decreased 5 percent compared with the same month a year ago, the fourth straight month in 2008 casinos took in less than they did in 2007. Gaming revenues were $1 billion, compared with $1.053 billion a year ago.

On the Strip, gaming revenues were $524.1 million in April, a 1.28 percent decrease compared with $530.9 in April 2007.

Gaming taxes collected by the state based on April's gaming revenues were off 3.5 percent from a year ago, the seventh month out the last 11 that gaming tax collections have shown a decrease.

A few years ago, when I was a dealer, we at the casino used to comment how casinos were recession-proof. That's not the case any longer. Although I would guess the riverboats and Indian casinos across the nation are hurting worse than Vegas as a whole. Just a guess, though.

Just a year ago the Strip was gearing up to skew high-end with lavish resorts catering to affluent people. That's not going to change, but the gaming side of things will have to skew toward "average" players until we come out of this poor economy.

Again, duhhhhh!

it wouldn't be the first time mediocre talent sold out in vegas.

2008-06-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

That's so crazy it might work! Mike Weatherford of the Las Vegas Review Journal has an idea that's begging to be picked up.

'Idol' should have home on Strip

With the "American Idols Live" tour headed for the Thomas & Mack Center on July 5, it once again begs the question, "Where's the permanent, sit-down version of 'American Idol' on the Strip?"

"It's crazy that it hasn't happened. Can you imagine? It would sell out twice a night," says Andy Walmsley. He is both the "Idol" set designer and a Vegas producer himself, albeit on a modest level, with "Laugh Out Loud with The Scintas" at the Las Vegas Hilton.

I've long accused casino entertainment types of being imitators, not innovators. But there is a disconnect between the big entertainment ideas -- some obvious, some less so -- and the current reality of casinos serving as innkeepers, collecting rent from the more humble likes of magicians and comedians. Read more.

changes abound for tropicana.

2008-06-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

I think the most surprising part of this story is Tropicana Entertainment is based in Kentucky. From the Wall Street Journal:

Embattled Tropicana CEO Steps Down

By TAMARA AUDI

Less than two years after emerging victorious in a billion-dollar bidding war that gave him control of the legendary Tropicana casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, William J. Yung III has stepped down as CEO of Tropicana Entertainment LLC.

According to a statement from the company, Mr. Yung stepped down this week. He will remain on the company's board of directors.

He is replaced by company president Scott Butera. Read more

water, water (not) everywhere...

2008-06-08T18:16:00.001-07:00

Right now we're fighting around the world for oil. In the not-so-distant future, don't be surprised if we go to war over an even more valuable resource: water. From the Gant Daily:

Are Water Wars in our Future?

By Lisa Duchene

"Freshwater access is a classic example of the tragedy of the commons," said Robert B. Packer, lecturer in political science at Penn State, who studies international political economy and the causes of war. "As with all common resources, unlimited demand and waste by some can lead to depletion of the resource for all. The hydroelectric dams that power the air conditioners of Las Vegas and Phoenix have depleted the waters of the Colorado River for agriculture. Heavy pesticide and fertilizer chemical use in agriculture has spoiled drinking water in many parts of the globe."

Now before you get all apoplectic about Vegas corporate interests depleting the planet, holster it. The Nevada tourism industry has been out in front of this crisis, leaning on the hotels and casinos to conserve water.

NPR did a story about it back in 2003: Las Vegas Copes with New Water-Use Limits

They also covered it last year during its Struggling Over Water series:

no hotel check-in at mccarran?

2008-06-08T11:21:00.001-07:00

Does anybody out there know why the major hotels removed their check-in desks from McCarran Airport's baggage claim area? I ask only because I thought this was a great idea when I noticed it a few years ago. I actually used it last year when check into Harrah's during my summer trip. It was nice to be able to go directly to your room instead of checking in at the hotel itself. It struck me as a nice amenity. Perhaps there wasn't enough traffic to warrant the cost of rental, personnel and resources to operate a satellite check-in desk.

McCarran's Web site only notes MGM Grand's airport check-in desk but I don't recall seeing it when I was there in May. But the baggage claim area at McCarran has been under expansion, so who knows.

dubai-dubai-doooooo.

2008-06-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas is proving itself to be a model for international gaming ventures. First Macau, now Dubai. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Dubai firm sets sights on LV hospitality: Investors aim to grow Light Group's brand

By BENJAMIN SPILLMAN

It's been less than two decades since business leaders in Dubai sought to transform the desert emirate into a leading global tourism destination.

Now an investment firm that grew from the roots of Dubai's transformation wants to reinvent hospitality in Las Vegas, long one of the world's top tourist spots.

"We should be able to do it better," said Mohammed Ali Al Hashimi, head of Zabeel Investments, a financial firm that recently bought a 50 percent stake in the Las Vegas-based Light Group.

Zabeel is a private company with a stake in everything from real estate to aeronautics and a property portfolio with an estimated $5 billion value, according to news reports. Read more.

Dubai is one of those places in the world I'd love to see some day. It's such a rich nation, I bet even the homeless people wear Armani.

labor dispute?

2008-06-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

Another labor dispute in Vegas? Hmm....from the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Walkout possible if MGM Mirage, Perini don't address workers' concerns

Union workers "will take action tonight," including a possible walkout, if MGM Mirage and Perini Building Co. do not take action by midnight tonight to address safety concerns at the $9 billion CityCenter construction site, Steve Ross, secretary-treasurer of the Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council, said today.

On Saturday, a sixth worker was killed on the CityCenter construction site since work began in early 2007. Read more.

If you haven't seen the CityCenter construction site, it's positively monstrous. It's like they're building a whole new city on The Strip.

nostalgic for old vegas.

2008-06-01T21:53:00.001-07:00

My first trip to Las Vegas was in February 1999. The Strip has undergone a magnificent transformation since that time, making my first trip seem like light years ago. What are the differences? How about:
* Paris
* Mandalay Bay (opened in March 1999)
* Wynn Las Vegas
* ~~The Aladdin~~ Planet Hollywood
* The Venetian
* The Palazzo
* The Palms (off Strip)
* The Encore (coming this year)
* The Echelon (coming 2010)
* CityCenter (coming 2010)

More importantly, the corporate culture has changed dramatically (thanks to 9/11 for the nudge). The separate entities began merging a few years ago, creating several mega-corporations. Long story short, Harrah's owns at least seven Strip properties while MGM Mirage owns 10 or 11, including the monstrous CityCenter.

Where am I going with all this? I was reading a bit about the Sands Hotel and Casino and it made me nostalgic for the Las Vegas I never knew personally. If I had a time machine I'd love to go back to Vegas in the 60s and 70s, when corporations of a different sort ran the town.

Don't get me wrong. I truly love what's become of Vegas. In the 10 years we've been dating, I've watched Las Vegas grow into an international entertainment destination. It's not just for gamblers anymore. But there's something magical about the Rat Pack days of Las Vegas that we'll never get back.

These days, we get Paris Hilton.

That just doesn't seem fair at all.

vegas on a shoestring.

2008-06-01T21:37:00.001-07:00

Thanks to a flabby US economy, the Strip casinos have to scale back their collective plans to cater strictly to the affluent, upscale travelers. From Sunday's Las Vegas Review Journal:

RELAXING DEALS, FUN DEALS, FOOD AND DRINK DEALS: Vegas on the Cheap
Sour economy could be sweet deal for savvy shoppers

By SONYA PADGETT

If there's anything positive about Las Vegas' struggling economy -- and that's a big if -- it's the return of the good casino deal.

While we're nowhere near the $3.99 all-you-can-eat buffets of yore -- yet -- there are some decent deals to be found, even for those whose budgets are tighter than a Rio cocktail waitress's uniform. Read more.

I observed the struggling economy in action when I was in Vegas last month. I had a chat with a ~~pit boss~~ table games manager at The Mirage who told me, "we're starting to pick back up right now."

She's a veteran of the Strip for many years, I gathered. I was somewhat surprised that the Mirage was feeling the pinch, since it's one of the more lavish destinations.

But that's the problem. When the economy is doing better, middle America has more disposable cash to throw around. And where better to throw money than the desert? But when gas is running twice as much as it was from four years ago...well, you get the point.

The economy will pick back up. And when it does, bye-bye deals.

coming back hard again.

2008-06-01T21:20:00.001-07:00

I've been neglecting this blog for far too long now. It's time to come in from the cold...or wherever the hell I've been. There haven't been too many developments over the past few months, but I did make a return engagement to Las Vegas in early May. Most of my time was spent playing video poker at the various Strip casinos, but I did take an opportunity to visit the Fremont Street Experience with a friend and future colleague in the desert.

We ambled in and out of the various casinos, taking in the ambiance, the action at the tables and the overall experience of Fremont Street. Compared to the Strip, you couldn't get any further away. Where the Strip is run by monstrous, lavish hotel/casino/resorts, Fremont Street has a decidedly more intimate, more relaxed flavor.

The Golden Nugget was the best of Fremont Street. It was a well-appointed, top-notch casino. The dealers were smooth and professional and the place was clean (something you can never overlook).

I compare the Nugget's dice dealers to the lumps on a streetside table at O'Shea's on the Strip. Now I love O'Shea's...LOVE it! Among the monolithic resorts on the Strip is this rowdy little joint that feels like a college party every night. Nevertheless, the dice dealers I witnessed at O'Shea's were simply checked out.

The stickman's eyes were everywhere but on the dice. The base dealers were simply going through the motions. And the boxman was giving his mediocre best. The best example is when a player threw in a bet for the dealers. "Hardways for the crew," he said to the stickman, who promptly booked hardway bets for the player.

"No," the player said. "For the crew."

"Huh?" said the confused stickman.

Shaking his head and physically slapping himself, the player looked at me with exasperation.

As a former (and soon to be un-retired) dice dealer, I know what it's like working a game. I know there are days you are mentally checked out. But when a player is betting for you, you give that player your best service. A crew bet is ALWAYS a bet! And for the base dealer and stickman to not book it is positively weak.

I could've tapped in and shown them how it's done.

I'll be back in Vegas in August, when the average temperature should be somewhere around 105° F daily.

I can't wait.

put out the fire.

2008-01-27T12:31:00.000-08:00

By now, I'm sure you've seen images of the fire at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. I've only been to the Monte Carlo a time or two, but I like it. It was very surreal seeing flames shooting out of the upper floors. I was at work at the time and someone came to me and said, "the Monte Carlo's on fire." Just like that.

Here's more about it from the Las Vegas Review Journal:

MONTE CARLO FIRE: Thousands return for belongings
Hotel-casino deemed safe and habitable, but not ready to reopen

By JOHN EDWARDS and LAWRENCE MOWER

Patricia Campbell returned Saturday morning to the Monte Carlo hotel room she had hurriedly abandoned about 24 hours earlier.

The 32-year-old Texan had stepped out of the shower Friday morning in her room on the 21st floor, to the sound of sirens. She walked to the window and viewed the massive fire burning unchecked on the hotel's facade, several stories up.

She quickly dressed and descended 21 flights of stairs. Read more.

hmmm....

2008-01-27T12:18:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm well aware that my blog header is no longer appearing. I'm not sure what the crap is the problem. I re-installed my 'comment' script and all holy hell seems to have broken loose.

Perhaps I'll figure it out soon.

news about wynn.

2007-11-11T22:36:00.001-08:00

This is of personal interest to me and others I know...

Rumors about Wynn Las Vegas and Encore

I'll be keeping my eye on this site a bit more closely.

halloween in the desert.

2007-10-14T22:34:00.001-07:00

I just pulled this from Las Vegas Review Journal:

Trick of Treat Flight Night
When: 8 to 11 p.m. Oct. 27
Where: Carnaval Court, Harrah's Las Vegas
More info: 702-369-5000
The evening will feature a $5,000 costume contest and drink specials throughout the night. Local rock stations KOMP 92.3 and 97.1 The Point will be on hand to award lucky listeners and their guests with a chance to win "trick" or "treat" flights. Provided by Allegiant Airlines, winnders of the "treat" flights will win a pair of roundtrip tickets anywhere Allegiant flies, while winners of the "trick" flights will be in for a faux flight of some kind.

Looks like my hotel will have a big, damn party going on outside.

But no. I am not taking a costume to Vegas.

imperial palace spared the wrecking ball.

2007-08-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

I've always said the Imperial Palace is like a cockroach: no matter how hard you try to kill it, it always comes back. It just doesn't die!!

Looks to be the case for the best bargain on The Strip, according to Inside Gaming over at the Las Vegas Review Journal:

The Imperial Palace has been spared the wrecking ball and is getting an upgrade.

Harrah's Entertainment is spending money and labor to enable the Strip casino's slot machines and amenities to accept the company's Total Rewards customer loyalty card.

The conversion is scheduled to finish by January.

Recent speculation had centered on the Imperial Palace's demise. Observers figured the land would become part of the company's larger Strip master plan.

The IP holds a place near and dear to my heart. It always will, even if I don't stay there any longer. And I think it's good you can still find a super-duper deal among all the lavish, high-end resorts on The Strip.

finally, jenny mccarthy and i have something to talk about!

2007-07-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Look who's going to be dealing at the Palms Casino's Playboy Club?

Actress Jenny McCarthy to Become First-Ever Celebrity Bunny Dealer at the Playboy Club Inside the Palms Casino Resort

LAS VEGAS, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Palms Casino Resort today announced that actress and New York Times best-selling author Jenny McCarthy will become the first-ever celebrity Bunny Dealer at the new Playboy Club atop the resort's famed Fantasy Tower. On Saturday, August 4, 2007, McCarthy will don the Bunny Dealers' vintage black costume complete with collar, cuffs and cottontail and deal live blackjack from one of the Club's 10 gaming tables. Read more.

This is great news for me when I finally meet Ms. McCarthy. I used to be a dealer. She's a dealer. We have something in common, bay-beeee! :-p

I've yet to venture up to the Playboy Club up there. My friend who works at the Palms has mentioned going next time I'm in town. From the outside, the Playboy Tower is pretty cool looking.

Playboy Club Las Vegas

bye-bye, sphinx: luxor renovation spelling the end of themed casinos?

2007-07-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

How do you avoid an Egyptian motif when you have a pyramid of a building? Good question. Either way, changes are abound for the Luxor. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

LUXOR'S NEW LOOK: FAREWELL TO EGYPT
The pyramid will stay, but changes inside are on the way

By HOWARD STUTZ

Luxor is working to get Egypt out of the pyramid.

Two years after acquiring the 4,500-room hotel-casino as part of its $7.9 billion purchase of the Mandalay Resort Group, MGM Mirage is giving the Luxor a new look.

The casino operator wants to transform the image of Luxor, which is named for a historic Egyptian city.

"We're not a British museum with ancient artifacts, we're a casino-resort," Luxor President and COO Felix Rappaport said. "This was a brilliantly conceived building from the outside. The pyramid always created a sense of wow and wonder, but the inside never delivered on that promise."
Read more.

I have only played at Luxor once, I believe. That was a couple years ago when I got my brains bashed in up one side of the Strip and down the other; except at Luxor. That was the only place where I was able to win a little bit of cash. Otherwise, I was nothing more than a walking ATM for the casinos.

I've always been impressed with the exterior of the Luxor, but paid little attention to the interior. Its location is good if you prefer MGM, Mandalay Bay and NYNY. I guess this renovation project means we can say bye-bye to the Sphinx out front.

As well, here's the Money Quote:

"The brilliance of the Egyptian theme is in the pyramid. Inside, however, it seemed a restaurant or bar was given a trite Egyptian name and the job was done. Las Vegas has moved beyond that overall theming in the last five to 10 years."—Felix Rappaport

Money Quote #2:

"It's the way the city is going. It's much less about these cartoonish-themed properties and more about attracting a younger, hip audience."—David Schwartz, director of UNLV's Center for Gaming Research

Amen! I fully intend to be in that "younger, hip" group for at least another 15 years...please, God, keep me young and hip. :-)

what will vegas be in 2011? bigger, better, more lavish.

2007-07-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

While this article in the Las Vegas Review Journal is overtly about Harrah's expansion of Caesars Palace and how the gaming company regards Caesars as the crown jewel of its properties, there's also a tremendous money quote that bears thought:

THE STRIP: Emperor's new clothes
Harrah's unveils plans for addition to Caesars Palace

By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY

When Harrah's Entertainment acquired Caesars Palace 25 months ago, employees were worried about the direction the new owners might take the high-profile property, according to general manager John Unwin.

"We were really concerned Harrah's was going to take us out of the high-end business," he said. "It took a year for the staff to really believe it would only be better."

But here's the money quote:

Approximately 28,000 rooms are expected to be added along the Strip by the end of 2011, according to an investors note from Wachovia Capital Markets gaming analyst Brian McGill.

Since the late 1980s, the Las Vegas Strip has been in a constant pattern of bigger, better and more lavish. Old-timers lament the progress as too theme park-ish; a criticism not lost on me, necessarily (even though my first trip to Vegas was 1999). I get it. The Strip is less personal and more corporate. But to the credit of company's such as Harrah's, the idea of customer service is not lost on them in the corporate era. At least that's been my experience.

It's a city whose primary economic driver is tourism. It's something taken to heart by every CEO, pit boss, casino host, restaurant server, cab driver (usually) and hotel employee. But it wasn't alwyas this way. I've noticed the transformation through the years from the more than occasional local who took glee in openly belittling tourists (a behavior that is as unnecessary as it is mean and stupid). It would seem the current trend is anything but biting the hand that feeds.

And that is always a good thing.

elvis is re-entering the building.

2007-07-08T08:29:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, the French are taking over America. They've mapped out a strategy that begins with complete and total domination of one of our most popular vacation spots: Las Vegas. And they're doing it through a bunch of unitard-wearin' contortionists. They've upped the ante by co-opting a Vegas and American icon

From Norm Clarke's column in the June 29 issue of the Las Vegas Review Journal:

NORM: Elvis show ideas falling into place

The first look at Cirque du Soleil's Elvis show at the $7.4 billion CityCenter is weeks away.

A storyboard outline presentation is scheduled for July 22, said Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO of Mirage Resorts.

"We've already broken ground for the showroom," which will be in the 60-story CityCenter hotel and casino near the Monte Carlo pool area, Baldwin said.

The production is a collaboration involving MGM Mirage, Cirque and Elvis Presley Enterprises, which is owned by Robert Sillerman, chairman and CEO of CKX, Inc.

Scenes from Elvis' films and memorabilia probably will be folded into the production, Baldwin said.

Cirque will start assembling the talent about 10 months before rehearsals start in the 1,800-seat theater in June 2009. CityCenter and the Elvis show will open in December 2009. Read more.

I've yet to see any of the Cirque shows on the Strip. I've heard nothing but great things about all of them; especially their latest, Love. It only seems fitting to produce an Elvis-themed show. And, to be perfectly honest, I want to see that show!

comin' up sevens.

2007-07-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

Apparently, lots of folks were feeling lucky (in one way or another) this weekend in Vegas. Hmm...I wonder why. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

7/7/07 adds up to lots of love: Couples, gamblers like their chances

By DAVID McGRATH SCHWARTZ

If there ever was a day made for Vegas, 7/7/07 was it.

Let the rest of the world spend the day worrying about global warming. This is Las Vegas, where two of its signature activities -- gambling and fast weddings -- got a boost on Saturday from triple sevens.

Thousands of couples got hitched, and industry leaders predicted 7/7/07 is likely to shatter records for the number of nuptials.

The gaming tally won't be known for weeks. Likewise for the number of newly betrothed.

But the line of cars waiting at the downtown drive-through A Special Memory Wedding Chapel stretched down the block. Read more.

See, I'm a "retired" dice dealer. In my game, sevens are bad...very bad.

keep your top on.

2007-07-08T08:06:00.001-07:00

Those prudes at the Venetian are spoiling all the fun! From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Keep your shirt on! That's what the operators of Tao Beach at The Venetian are telling women who want to lounge around Strip pools without swimsuit tops.

Despite the growing popularity of European-style sunbathing at hip Strip resort pools, The Venetian no longer allows women to lounge topless.

Tao officials weren't very revealing when it came to discussing the change.

"In the course of our operations at Tao Beach, we have found that the topless aspect was not vital to our success," a Tao representative said in statement.

But for women who prefer to go topless, pools at the Wynn Las Vegas, Stratosphere, Manadalay Bay, The Mirage, the Flamingo and Caesars Palace still offer the European experience.

c'mon ride the train.

2007-07-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

Looks like the monorail is starting to do better. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

LAS VEGAS MONORAIL: Ridership increases; June averages 23,790 per day

By OMAR SOFRADZIJA

More people were riding the Las Vegas Monorail last month than in any time since late 2005, but turnstiles still weren't spinning fast enough for the struggling rapid transit line to pay for itself.

In June, the monorail carried an average of 23,790 riders per day, the highest average since 25,788 people took the monorail each day in November 2005, according to statistics released Friday.

But at the current average of $3.77 in fares collected per passenger, the monorail would need a daily average of 32,625 riders to generate $123,000 in revenue needed to balance the monorail's books, according to an estimate made in 2006 by Fitch Ratings, a New York City-based credit ratings firm. Read more.

I've only taken the monorail twice in my trips to Vegas. It's not for lack of convenience or too high a price that I don't take it more often. It's great if you are trying to, as I was, get to Mandalay Bay in (relatively) quick fashion*. But most Vegas vacationers are more apt to stroll up and down the Strip, dropping in and out of all the casinos.

The monorail is great if you are trying to get from Point A to Point B, but that's not the nature of Vegas travelers, now is it? Having said that, the monorail could become a big money-maker if it connects to McKerran International Airport. That concept has been floated a time or two, but I wonder if that would help.

*—When I say "quick fashion" to get from Harrah's to Mandalay Bay via monorail, you need to consider what it takes:
* Take monorail from Harrah's to MGM Grand
* Exit monorail, make way out to Excalibur (not that easy, really)
* Take tram from Excalibur to Luxor
* Take ANOTHER tram from Luxor to Mandalay Bay

Quick? Hardly. Faster than walking? I suppose. But perhaps a cab would be quicker & cheaper next time.

the casino host: everybody's best friend.

2007-07-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

I talk a lot about returning to the gaming industry; too much, some might argue. I used to be a dealer and wouldn't mind doing that again in the desert, obviously. But there are a couple other jobs that interest me in gaming: communications director for a casino, OR casino host.

The last one, casino host, is the one that is most intriguing and sounds the most fun. I say 'fun' because it would be a tremendous challenge. Truth be told, I'd have to look long and hard before attempting that career path. For one, it's not easy. It's beyond being a salesman. You're constantly out there drawing people into your casino to spend loads of cash onsite. And you're only as good as your little black book.

Do I have a little black book? How do I get one?

I think it's the fact that it's all a big unknown for me that makes it so intriguing.

It makes me want to do it.

I sometimes wish I had looked more into it when I worked at Blue Chip. In fact, I still might recognize a familiar face or two there. Perhaps I should put in a phone call or two.

In the interim, here's an article from three years ago in the Las Vegas Review Journal:

LAS VEGAS JOBS: Casino Host

A casino host is like a genie in the bottle to hotel guests & gamblers: He has the power to grant wishes.

Hosts are the people who get to bestow those coveted comps - the free meals, free rooms and special treatment that make up for that busted hand of blackjack or not hitting the Megabucks jackpot after hours of trying. And they take care of special guests, making them feel welcome and pampered.

Who wouldn't want a job that makes you everybody's best friend?

"People think it's a great job, that all you do is shake hands and comp people," said Matt Sacca, director of player development for Green Valley Ranch. Read more.

my new favorite t-shirt.

2007-07-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

I so want this t-shirt!!!

wynn to dealers: i changed my mind.

2007-07-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

Remember the flap about the toke (tip) sharing policy instituted at Wynn Las Vegas? Apparently all sides are digging in their heels on this one; including Steve Wynn.

From KVBC, Las Vegas' NBC affiliate:

Wynn says tip sharing policy to stay despite unionization vote

A newspaper says casino mogul Steve Wynn will not change a tip-sharing policy that took money from dealers and split it with their supervisors. Anger over the plan implemented in September caused dealers at the Wynn Las Vegas resort to unionize.

Dealers voted 3-to-1 to unionize in May. But Wynn told the Las Vegas Sun all their vote did was give them the right to quit. He says thousands of qualified dealers in Las Vegas, and hundreds of part-time nonunion dealers at the casino would gladly fill the positions of those who walked off the job.

The new tip system implemented in September gives most front-line supervisors called "service team leaders" 40 percent of a full dealer's share, with craps boxmen getting 20 percent of a dealer's share of the tip pool.

The shares given from the tip pool, plus additional salary boosts increased supervisors' salaries from about $60,000 to about $96,000. Dealers' total take-home pay dropped from slightly over $100,000 to about $90,000.

In my opinion, there's plenty of blame to go around on every side of this issue. For starters, the dealers who were un-supervisable as a result of earning more than management should've been fired. Period. You don't respect the chain of command, you go bye-bye now.

Secondly, Wynn was correct when he said he correctly identified the problem and was wrong in his solution. But now, it's turned into a pissing contest between Steve Wynn and the dealers. The dealers won the battle but will lose the war.

I think the dealers were correct in protesting Wynn's decision to skim off their tips. I still feel it's an incorrect solution to the problem. What should've happened is management should've gotten a raise while the bad apples in the dealer pool were canned.

As Wynn himself said, there are plenty of qualified dealers in Vegas (and Indianapolis, I should mention) to fill those spots. There wasn't much need to rake off their tokes other than to be punitive.

The situation is only getting worse. Everybody's digging in. The dealers who voted to unionize are hurting for a new strategy to fix things.

body-movin', body-movin', body-movin', we be body-movin'.

2007-06-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

I'm heading to Vegas this week. Perhaps I'll check this out...from the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

'BODIES ... THE EXHIBITION' GETS UNDER THE SKIN WITH ITS LOOK AT HUMANITY

"Bodies ... The Exhibition" at the Tropicana gives a whole new meaning to seeing some skin on the Strip.

The display is made up of 18 specimens of preserved human bodies, some without skin, and more than 260 human organs and specimens. Healthy organs are placed next to diseased organs to illustrate the effects of various conditions.

The exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. -- with last admission at 10 p.m. -- at 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Admission for adults costs $26; seniors, $24; and children 12 and younger, $18. Nevada residents with identification pay $23.

I have a feeling I might have to fly solo to this one. I don't think most of the folks in my party would want to see this.

one-armed bandit, indeed.

2007-06-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

It's good to be Bally Technologies these days. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Bally Technologies Files Quarterly Reports; Revenues Up 31 Percent

LAS VEGAS, June 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Revenues for the fiscal 2007 period increased 31 percent, to $305.6
million from $232.9 million in the fiscal 2006 period ended Dec. 31, 2005. Further, current deferred revenue increased by $16.4 million to $63.5 million at Dec. 31, 2006 compared with $47.1 million at June 30, 2006.
Read more.

In other words, the house always wins.

ALWAYS!

...i'd still hate to see the electric bill for vegas.

2007-06-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

NPR aired an interesting piece yesterday concerning water consumption in the western states, particularly Nevada. THe focus of the story was on Patricia Mulroy, Las Vegas' "water czar."

For those who are not in-the-know, water has basically become a commodity; not just in the desert either. Some regions do not have enough water of their own and must buy water from elsewhere. This is why Las Vegas offers tax incentives for locals to forego a traditional lawn, in favor of non-water-dependent landscaping.

Outsiders might think the tourism is one of the key factors in high water consumption in Vegas. Not so, according to Mulroy. Here is Mulroy's money quote from the story:

"The entire Las Vegas Strip uses 3 percent of our water resources," she says. "And they are the economic driver in the state of Nevada, bar none."

Shocking, perhaps. But I still would hate to see the electric bill for the Strip. I digress.

Here's the rest of the story (including audio) on Patricia Mulroy and water in Vegas, Stakes High for Las Vegas Water Czar

wynn to unionize?

2007-05-15T03:53:00.000-07:00

It looks like the ongoing anger from the dealers at the Wynn is boiling over and has finally forced Steve Wynn to re-think his controversial decision. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

CASINO INDUSTRY: Wynn to deal with dealers
Resort says it won't challenge union vote

By HOWARD STUTZ

One day after a vast majority of its casino dealing force cast ballots in favor of union representation, Wynn Las Vegas executives seemed resigned to negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the New York-based labor organization that will speak for the workers.

The National Labor Relations Board has until next week to certify the results of the weekend election at Wynn Las Vegas, where dealers, in a vote of 444-149, asked to be represented by the Transport Workers Union of America...

Frank McCann Jr., who directed the organizing drive for the Transport Workers, said Sunday the property's roughly 700 dealers expect to see the casino eliminate the tip-pooling program that led to the labor unrest and subsequent union vote. In addition, McCann said, dealers want to have the right to divide their own tips and want job security initiatives...At the crux of the union vote is Wynn's decision to change how the casino splits tips among its dealers.

Wynn executives added certain managers and casino supervisors to the list of those who qualify to share in the casino's often-times lucrative tip pool on Sept. 1. Wynn dealers said that before the tip pooling program was started, they could earn $100,000 or more annually and the change was costing them as much as $20,000 a year.

Wynn Las Vegas management said it started the policy to correct a pay disparity that had dealers earning more than their supervisors. Critics argued Wynn Las Vegas should have raised managers' pay, not broadened the tip pool.

The tip-pooling program has not found its way into other Strip casinos. Read more.

In another article:

CASINO INDUSTRY: Dealers at Wynn resort ratify union
Vote for TWU representation approved by almost 3-1 margin

[THE MONEY QUOTE]
"I got it wrong, I hurt you and I apologize," Steve Wynn said. "Sometimes people with good intentions make mistakes."

You better believe he got it wrong. I fully understand the thinking behind the tip pooling measure. As one friend of mine who lives in the desert said: "the inmates were running the asylum." Dealers were making money hand over fist and wildly out-earning their supervisors. As a result, floor supervisors (pit bosses) were not able to manage the employees.

Wynn wanted to level the playing field. But his solution couldn't have been any more wrongheaded. He should've raised the compensation for floor supervisors and management and let them rein in the dealers rather than tax the dealers for making too much money.

It was a rather imperialistic move that could've and should've been handled differently. It's a dirty tactic to lift money out of the working classes' pocket—even when tht working class is getting paid rather handsomely—because the ownership class needs leverage against them. This never should've happened.

In fact, there were events all along the way that could've been changed to avoid the union vote, which is why Steve Wynn is making an impassioned and truly sincere 11th-hour plea.

Personally speaking, I don't think a union is in the best interest of the dealers at the Wynn and I think they need to seriously re-consider this measure. Yeah, I know. Steve Wynn should've fixed this before it got to that point, but still, two wrongs do not make a right.

You can hear Wynn's speech to his employees here, by way of Jon Ralston's blog, Vegas Pundit:

Steve Wynn's Speech

Wynn Las Vegas

Editor's note: For what it's worth, Wynn's stock has been dropping lately. Hmm...

murder at the pyramid.

2007-05-07T16:34:00.000-07:00

This is pretty scary and kinda pisses me off. From MSNBC:

1 killed in Las Vegas casino parking garage blast
Explosion occurs behind Luxor hotel; police say act was murder, not terror

LAS VEGAS - One man was killed and another person escaped injury Monday in an explosion of a small device left atop a vehicle outside a Las Vegas Strip resort, authorities said.

Police said the blast was not a terrorist act, but an apparent murder of a hotel employee.

"We believe the victim of this event was the intended target," said Officer Bill Cassell, a Las Vegas police spokesman, who called the victim an employee of the Luxor hotel-casino. The person who narrowly escaped injury was also a hotel employee, Cassell said. Read more.

I swear, this sounds like something more suited to CSI.

got a whole lotta money that's ready to burn...

2007-04-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas, here I come!

This is not a drill! Repeat! This is not a drill!

What: lasvegas2k7...trip #10 to the desert
When: Thursday, 28 June 07 - Monday, 02 July 07
Where: Harrah's, on the Strip
Why: Because I miss it, I love it. I can't get enough of it.

Perhaps this time around I'll actually float a resume or three to some folks on The Strip. I'm sure there's a marketing office onsite at Harrah's, right? Or perhaps my good friend Steve Wynn would hire me on the spot, no?

Okay, so Steve Wynn and I aren't really friends, but you never know.

This is my first time staying at Harrah's. I don't dislike the ol' Imperial Palace, but I'm ready to upgrade a bit.

One thing I look forward to the most? Drinks with my friend Heather at one of the lounges at the Wynn. Always a good time.

I'm not sure how much I'll gamble this year, but I plan on hitting some of the nightlife.

As of tomorrow, I'm in training. Woo hoo!

how will the blue-hairs adjust to this?

2007-03-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

Are slot machines about to get (another) facelift? From the AP:

High-tech slots could transform gambling

By RACHEL KONRAD, AP Technology Writer

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. - Engineers at PureDepth Inc. spent years developing tools for helping the military plot 3-D maps of war zones, eventually licensing top-secret technology to the U.S. Air Force and Navy.

But the Silicon Valley startup hit the jackpot in October when it inked a deal with International Game Technology Inc., the world's largest maker of slot machines.

Industry experts say a realistic digital video display is the final hurdle that will completely digitize one-armed bandits. The new displays by PureDepth and others — set to debut later this year — could profoundly change the $85 billion U.S. gambling industry and how it's regulated. Read more.

owning las vegas.

2007-03-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

How big is Harrah's in Vegas? By my count, they own and operate about nine casinos on The Strip, including a string of seven along one side of the street, thanks to a property swap with Boyd Gaming that led to the (re)opening of Barbary Coast under a new name. From the Mohave Daily News:

Harrah's takes over renamed Barbary Coast hotel-casino

By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY

The world's largest casino company officially got a little larger Thursday.

Harrah's Entertainment reopened the former Barbary Coast at 2 p.m. under the name Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon.

“This is very valuable for us,” said Ed Crispell, general manager of the Imperial Palace and, now, Bill's. “It is on one of the most famous four corners there is.”

In a low-key event, Crispell cut a ribbon before reopening the property at Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard South under new ownership.

Harrah's took ownership of the property Monday and promptly closed the casino around 2 a.m. although the hotel remained open. Bill's is named for company founder William Harrah, who died in 1978. Read more.

Harrah's Casino Hotels

leaving las vegas.

2007-02-28T19:51:00.000-08:00

Looks like The Montecito will be under new management next season. From CNN:

'Las Vegas' going on without Caan, Nikki Cox

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- NBC's casino drama "Las Vegas" is set to return for a fifth season in the fall without two of its stars, James Caan and Nikki Cox.

Caan wants to return to movies, while Cox's departure is said to stem from budget cuts. The show boasts a large ensemble cast and has moved from Mondays to Fridays, where viewership levels are lower. Read more.

I like the show well enough. It's kinda campy and goofy, sort of going for that Love Boat vibe. But you'd be surprised at how rarely I watch the show. I remember, during its first season, I was appalled at some of the dialogue. "He's in for 30-large," said a very serious pit boss.

30-large????

I've yet to hear an actual pit boss make that sort of statement without it trying to be corny. Nevertheless, it's TV.

Las Vegas the TV show

the imperial palace...surviving like a cock-a-roach.

2007-02-27T21:30:00.000-08:00

I've often compared the Imperial Palace—my home base of operations in Vegas—to a cockroach: despite all it goes through, it survives everything.

The ol' IP has been flirting with being shut down for years. And, for years, it defies the talk and keeps on truckin'. To be fair, the talk of closing the place down makes sense. It, along with a handful of other casinos right next door, have been gobbled up by Harrah's in recent years. And, let's be honest, they are anachronistic and falling apart, compared to the lavish palaces that have been going up on The Strip over the past 15-20 years.

The word on the street last year is the IP would be closing some time in 2k7. Well, according to the Las Vegas Business Press, the rumors of the Imperial Palace's demise may be greatly exaggerated:

Harrah's sends mixed signals: Experts predict stagnation in U.S., growth overseas

BY DAVID MCKEE

Retrenchment continued at Harrah's Entertainment, as the company announced the elimination of 230 jobs at corporate headquarters. The downsizing, which was revealed Jan. 26, was achieved through a combination of terminations, transfers and leaving open positions unfilled....

"Acquisitions would be close to nil," predicted Jeff Hwang, who follows the gaming sector for The Motley Fool. "Development would mostly be put off indefinitely, or even permanently in some areas."

Eadington looks to Harrah's oft-postponed announcement of a major, CityCenter-scale development that would unite its Strip holdings. "Very obviously, that's going to get slowed down, if not stopped," he said. "Harrah's Las Vegas, Imperial Palace, Flamingo, Barbary Coast, Bally's ... that's a lot of contiguous property that is pretty tired and obsolete. Those are pretty good candidates for tear-downs." For the moment, Eadington says, it's a wait-and-see situation on the Strip.

"It's kind of been broad-based generalities," Steinberg concurred. Read more.

In case you missed it earlier, Harrah's was bought out by Apollo Management, L.P. and Texas Pacific Group for a nearly $28 billion (yes, BILLION) back in December.

Looks like the new owners are focusing less on Vegas and American gaming expansion and more on the world.

Fine by me. I still get my free room at the ol' IP!

post mortem anger in vegas.

2007-02-25T23:52:00.000-08:00

Here's another account about the All-Star Weekend in Vegas, courtesy of the LA Times Vegas Blog:

Vegas Anger At All-Star Crowd

...Frontline workers on the Strip are not minimum wage workers but highly compensated professionals offering a mix of obsequiousness and hard work that is meant to give every tourist the VIP experience. So, Vegas workers will put up with a lot from tourists without complaining. Casino workers rarely confront troublesome customers rather they try to soothe things over. The sad truth is that the more obnoxious tourists can often bully their way into comps and other treats meant to keep everyone happy.

But the over-the-top "thug" behavior of the All-Star NBA crowd has left in its wake a boiling fury among cocktail waitresses, bartenders, security and other jaded pros of the Strip. Among the nightclubs where incidents seem to have taken place on the Strip are hot spots at Wynn, Mandalay Bay and freestanding Empire Ballroom. Off Strip, the topless bars proved a center for problems, too. Read more.

I've been to Vegas several times. Yeah, it's a fairly permissive city; the last bastion of all your great social addictions. But for all its catering to our favorite vices and Seven Deadly Sins, it's a fairly peaceful town. There's the occasional arrest on the Strip, but you never hear of shootings, brawls or other acts of violence.

I spoke to a friend of mine who's a dealer at The Palms who told me it was awful that weekend because of either thug behavior or rumored thug behavior.

Memo to David Stern: Your beloved league is beginning to lose fans and respect in droves. Here's the sad truth, Mr. Stern. You have only yourself to blame for this mess. By over-selling your league to the hip hop youth, you've created a monster. Lest we forget thug culture is celebrated by the hip hop community. And as long as it was making you money, you turned a blind eye to the reality that your fan base was getting turned off. See, Mr. Stern, thug culture is a lot like redneck culture. The difference is southerners do their best to distance themselves from redneck culture. They make fun of it. They laugh at it. They keep a safe distance from it. They don't celebrate it. In other words, you need to distance the league from thug culture or continue to watch the NBA die in a hail of bullets.

cheating the house.

2007-02-25T23:20:00.000-08:00

Cheaters never prosper? Think again. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Blink and you'll miss him: Casino cheat shows how subtle moves squeezed out cash

By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY

Richard Marcus claims to have made more than a healthy living cheating casinos all over the world.

It is a claim that has to be taken on faith because he was never caught.

"I looked at what I did as an art," said Marcus, who said his teams took casinos around the world for $20 million. "Let's face it, who's going to feel sorry for a casino?" Read more.

This cat does a little moral equivocating on his own life of crime, but I still can't help but be captivated by the stories. As a former dealer, we were always told to be on the look-out for scams. As a brand new dice dealer, I was part of a crew that got taken for about $80,000. It is not a day of which I am proud; except for one fact: I was the one who told my box man they were sliding the dice. Was I ignored? Sort of. See, I was dealing with a seasoned crew; a couple of which were (in my view) a-holes who didn't respect me. Therefore, nobody was going to listen to me. In fact, they wouldn't even let me tap in on stick, thinking I wasn't able to handle it. Ironically, that "seasoned" crew got taken left and right while I was the one leaning into my box man saying, "dude, they're sliding the dice....dude, they're sliding the dice!"

That was not a fun week for me at all. There were reports to fill out. I had meetings with the games manager. People got suspended. I was fearful of getting fired, honestly. I chose to go directly to the people in charge and ask them what was going to happen to me, if anything. In the end, nobody got fired. I think one person got suspended. And the dice pit was, for a short period, on edge for the scam.

I'm certain one of our regular dice players—a very nice guy, I should add—got permanent eviction for jumping in and collaborating with the scammers. It didn't immediately register to me that he was in on it because he didn't get involved until midway through the scam. He was a mid-level player. Next thing I know, he's throwing out a $500 chip on a hard eight. WTF? At the moment I didn't put two and two together, but he was booking bets with the scammers' money. I knew it was out of character behavior for him (one thing dice dealers are good at is anticipating players' action). So much so that when he first booked the bet I stopped and looked right at him and say, "huh?" Should I have caught on? I suppose.

What was the scam? It was so simple it was genius. It was a crew of about eight men. Some were wearing clothes purchased in our gift shop, emblazened with our casino logo on them. They were polite, calm, soft-spoken and friendly. They made certain to say please and thank you as well as call each dealer by name. And oh yeah, they were booking bets for the dealers; anywhere from $25-$100. In other words: they were softening the crew.

Second, they all spread out around the table and booked heavy action on the hard-ways. $100, $500 and so on. They booked their bets all out of sequence, so the stick man's head was always on a swivel, Hell, all our heads were on a swivel!

Third, everybody at the table passed the dice to the same shooter. Over and over again. It's not uncommon for a player or two to defer dice shooting duties. But an entire table? Rare!

Fourth, in addition to booking bets while the dice were in the middle, they'd book more bets when the dice was out. What does that do? Not too much, but it's an attempt at distraction. But here's what else they did while the dice were sent to the shooter: a few different players—one near the base dealer and another next to stick—would throw a fan of cash on the layout asking for action out of it. DISTRACTION! Not only does that force the base dealers and box man to quickly react, the player obstructs the view of the stickman just as the dice are thrown.

Fifth—and here's what makes the whole scam a success—the shooter is sliding the dice. Not both of them, but one of them. The rule on a dice game is the shooter must get air under the dice when he/she throws them. If not, the roll can be disqualified (a "no roll" is called immediately). So how is it three dealers a box man and a floor missed it? Everybody was distracted. I never saw photos from the game, but I would bet everybody's heads were in different directions when the dice were being handled and thrown/slid.

Like I said, they took us for about $80,000 and the dealers dropped a ton of tokes on that game. The casino considered withholding our tokes, but eventually dropped that idea.

It was a simple plan and it was executed nearly flawlessly. And it opened up a discussion in the dice pit that needed to be opened: who can call a 'no roll'? I was taught anybody on the game can call a 'no roll'. Some box and floor people told me I was wrong. Truth is, I was right. I was right all along. But nobody listened to me. I really hated some of those people on that shift because they were smug, condescending and swept up in their own high school drama that they failed to recognize I could deal circles around half of them.

I take solace in knowing that.

Okay, story-time is over. Get to bed! :-)

pac man fever.

2007-02-25T23:07:00.000-08:00

I knew things got out of hand at one strip club in Vegas during the NBA All-Star Weekend. I had no clue the entire town was feeling overrun by violence. Bill Simmons of ESPN.com wrote a fairly lengthy and detailed account of All-Star weekend:

Hip Hop Woodstock

Following up on the Minxx shootings, it looks like that case is still ongoing and fingers are getting pointed at an associate of Pac Man Jones. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Death threats alleged at club: Minxx owner says calls followed shooting

By DAVID KIHARA

The strip club at the center of a shooting involving NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones received multiple death threats last week warning employees to back off the Tennessee Titans cornerback, the club's co-owner said.

Robert Susnar, co-owner of Minxx, said the club's general manager received four threatening phone calls on Wednesday warning him to "leave Pacman alone" or face the consequences.

"They said, 'If you don't leave Pacman alone, we're going to kill you, your family and everyone in the club,' " Susnar said Saturday.

The calls were placed by an unidentified man two days after the shooting at Minxx that wounded three people, leaving one security guard paralyzed. The general manager told police about the threatening calls and has moved from his apartment because he didn't feel safe, Susnar said. Read more

Pac Man, it's time to take a page from Ray Lewis' book and not protect a trigger man.

new year's eve, vegas style.

2007-01-05T03:21:00.000-08:00

The Las Vegas Review Journal has some pretty cool New Year's photos.....it makes me misty. *sniff*

Check Out The Photos Here (I'm not sure if they'd like me posting their images over here, so I won't.)

ETA: Upon further review, I'm not so sure I'd want to be on The Strip for New Year's Eve, given the massive crowds. Holy smokes!!

...and I lied. I had to post this NYE image, for God's sake!!

That's just too precious a moment to miss!

operation: sands.

2006-12-24T22:34:00.000-08:00

I haven't been here in awhile, so it's high time I fire it back up. For starters, Merry Christmas!

Now that we've got that out of the way...

I've been doing some soul-searching of late. I've got some irons in the fire just now, but it appears some of them may be cooling off. So I'm beginning to think it's high time I put together a definitive game plan for getting to Vegas.

I was talking to a dealer friend of mine who works at The Palms. I told her my tentative plans are to arrive in the desert sometime in 2k8. What'll it take? Well, a job is the lynch pin to any Vegas plan. I will not move until I've got something lined up. My dealer friend is of a mind that I could—with assistance from the right "juicer"—make my way to The Strip as a dice dealer. The fact that I haven't dealt any action since May 2k1 makes me think I'd need about six weeks of intense training to get my hands back.

But any dealing gig is strictly a Plan B; a "get me the hell out of here and the hell over there" Hail Mary pass. My goal is to land as a PR practitioner at a major casino operation, PR firm or University. Those are my three industry areas of choice.

So let's say my plan—we'll call it Operation: ~~Desert Storm~~ Sands—has a D-Day of 1 July 08. That's about 18 months away. That means I've got to get crackin' at figuring out the cost of moving the animals, myself and my essentials to Vegas.

Let's break it down:
* Cost of a moving fan/shipping
* Fuel costs of driving the rig to Vegas
* First month's rent, security deposits, start-up costs

The latter two will be in the $2,000 range, easily. Perhaps I'll look into ditching/selling lots of crap before loading up the truck and heading west.

But again, the only thing that makes the plan go is a job. And that means I'll need to be ready to jump anytime after 1 Jan 08. So, in summation, I've got about 12 months to get my financials to a place where I can pull up the tent stakes and get outta dodge at the drop of a hat.

Yikes.

That's all for now. I'll have to wait and see what Operation: Plainfield yields.

the color of dinero.

2006-07-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

The Las Vegas Business Press has an interesting article about the new hot demographic for the gaming industry: Latinos.

Gaming execs to discuss burgeoning Latino market

BY DAVID MCKEE

They have seen the future and it speaks Spanish. That is the contention of many in the braintrust that has been assembled for the inaugural Hispanic Gaming Summit tomorrow, a one-day prequel to the annual Casino Marketing Conference, presented by Ascend Media Gaming Group and Raving Consulting Co. Still, with the casino business doing bigger numbers year after year, why worry about this particular subset of America?

"Long story short, that's where the young people are," stated Charles Anderer, Ascend's director of trade events, who added that the casino industry needs to "wean itself off a dwindling number of older players. They need to develop new market segments. (Latinos are) a young segment but will be maturing over the next decade."

We're in the learning curve. I include myself," said Charles Harrison of Harrison & Montoya, co-sponsors of the event. "We cannot just rely on caricatures of Speedy Gonzales and mariachis."

Harrison has been a casino general manager in Latin America. Read more.

That last quote is the money-quote. I can tell you first hand that people do NOT understand the Lation market....well, white people.

fly-fishin' w/ wayne.

2006-07-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

From the Review Journal:

Nothing says Nevada like ...
Iconic Strip entertainers sell state's outdoor offerings in ads

By CHRIS JONES

It's been 29 years since Elvis Presley last left the building, but state leaders are betting $1.25 million that the King still rules when selling Nevada.

Wayne Newton and some feather-clad showgirls have also chipped in on the Nevada Commission on Tourism's latest marketing campaign, which rides the coattails of some familiar Strip favorites when touting the state's outdoor recreation industry.

"The more we do in-house research and test these ads ... the more we realize that there are certain icons in Nevada that will always be recognizable," commission Director Bruce Bommarito said Tuesday.

"We'll try to use those icons to introduce the adventure side of Nevada," he added.

The first new print ad shows a tuxedo-clad Newton fly-fishing in Pyramid Lake. The caption reads, "Without him we didn't think you'd believe it was Nevada." Read more.

don't do it! i'm warning you! i mean it! don't do it!

2006-07-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

From the Review Journal:

LV council OKs homeless ordinance

The Las Vegas City Council this morning unanimously passed an ordinance that bans the feeding of homeless people at public parks. The law bans giving or selling food for a "nominal fee" to "a person whom a reasonable ordinary person would believe to be entitled to apply for or receive assistance" under state law. Councilman Steve Wolfson, who raised concerns that this would prohibit someone from giving a sandwich to a homeless person, said he felt comfortable with how the bill would be enforced after talking with City Attorney Brad Jerbic.

"The marshals will get specialized training on enforcement," he said. "If you bought a couple of burgers and wanted to give them out, you technically would be in violation but you wouldn't be cited."

So let me get this straight: you can't do it. It's against the law, but if you break that law, nothing's going to happen to you. Yeah, that's worth the time.

how much for the one on the right?

2006-07-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

Well, there you go, then. From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

Talkin' Dirty
Sex industry is topic at convention

By DAVID KIHARA

Wearing a T-shirt with the words "Will Work For Sex" on the front, Robin Head stood outside Palace Station and proudly said that she worked in the sex industry.

Head, who said she was the former owner of an escort service in Houston, was among 150 sex workers, business owners, academics and social workers who gathered in Las Vegas this week for a convention that brought prostitutes, pimps and professors together to talk about the sex industry. Read more.

double-down in the heartland.

2006-07-14T00:26:00.000-07:00

Some casino news closer to home. From the Indianapolis Star:

Casino school opens in French Lick

FRENCH LICK, Ind. -- The first round of training for future poker dealers at the new Orange County casino begins next week.

The French Lick Resort & Casino is scheduled to open in November, and officials have already offered jobs to about 350 people. Training for people who will run craps, roulette and poker tables begins Monday and will last for 10 to 12 weeks, while training for blackjack dealers begins in August.

The dealers were hired after a job fair in June, and another job fair was scheduled for August 18-19 to find about 600 more people to work at the facility.

"We couldn't be happier with the turnout we had for our June job fair," said Scott Spurlock, general manager of the French Lick Springs Resort. "With the additional job fair in August, we fully expect to have all positions filled before the resort and casino opening in November."

Hourly wages at the French Lick Springs Resort start at $8 an hour for housekeepers, but officials have said casino dealers may earn up to $50,000.

The French Lick Resort & Casino is a $382 million restoration and casino development project that includes the French Lick Springs Resort and the new French Lick Casino -- both scheduled to open in November -- and the West Baden Springs Hotel, which is slated to open in June 2007.

The resort and casino will include more than 650 guest rooms and suites, an 84,000-square-foot casino, 45 holes of golf and two full-service spas.

i am on the wrong side of the dice table.

2006-07-13T04:46:00.000-07:00

Reading the following article from the Las Vegas Business Press might make me re-think this whole gambling-as-a-hobby thing:

May gaming win is another monster

By DAVID MCKEE

Gamblers in Nevada lost over $1.1 billion in May, giving the Silver State its fourth consecutive month of billion-plus of casino revenues. In Nevada, only January 2006 was more lucrative. Despite healthy competition from other domestic and international gambling jurisdictions, Nevada casinos also registered yet another month of revenue growth, up 9 percent from May 2005.

For the fiscal year ending June 30, casinos' gambling win is up more than 12 percent. Read more.

on your own.

2006-07-13T04:45:00.000-07:00

I'm sure something of note can be said about Las Vegas...I'm just too tired to look it up.

Talk amongst yourselves for a little while.

from humble beginnings.

2006-07-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

Carlos Diaz works for Extra and has a Vegas blog? Wha??? I remember him 12 years ago when he was a local DJ here in Indy, moonlighting as a PA announcer at Indianpolis Ice hockey games. He then went on to ESPN and that's the last I ever recall. And now he's doing the Vegas thing. Huh.

I guess I don't watch much TV these days; well, celebrity gossip TV, that is.

capt. jack will creep you out tonight.

2006-07-11T23:39:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, this wax figure stuff kinda creeps me out. From Brett's Vegas View at the Las Vegas Leisure Guide:

Madame Tussauds at The Venetian has introduced a wax figure of movie star Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow from Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." to coincide with the international release of the new motion picture premiering this month.

chinese market "would fill every single hotel room for years."

2006-07-11T23:31:00.000-07:00

The Las Vegas Business Press has a pretty interesting story about the Vegas gaming industry and the one market everybody wants a piece of....China!

Dancing with dragons
Nevada courting Chinese tourists

BY ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY

One of the keys to a successful business is the ability to lure customers back while seeking out new ones. In Nevada, the business is tourism, and the ultimate prospective customer base is the growing middle- and upper-class of China.

According to a recent report by the World Tourism Organization, China is projected to have 50 million international travelers by the end of the decade, climbing to 100 million international travelers by 2020. Needless to say, Las Vegas desperately wants a cut of that market.

"This market is so huge for us," Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt said. "If only a small segment of that population would come to visit Las Vegas it would fill every single hotel room for years."

Sixty percent of visitors to Macau are Chinese, and Las Vegas officials are hoping to entice them to experience the Strip, not watching dragon boat races.

One of the great hurdles for tourism to the United States from China is that the U.S. does not have an "approved destination" status agreement with the Chinese government. That agreement would simplify visa and passport issues and the marketing process.

According to the World Travel Organization, the Chinese made 31 million international trips last year, but 91 percent were to Asian destinations. They tend to travel independently instead of in large groups. One of the places they visit in great numbers is the growing Asian gaming hub of Macau.

"What Macau is going to be doing in our hotel-casinos there is, basically, getting us a new audience," Hunt said. "Everyone wants to come to the real world, the mecca, and Las Vegas is the Mecca of gaming." Read more.

I swear, every major American industry can hardly contain itself over the prospects of gaining the Chinese market.

vegas.com and the vegas minute.

2006-07-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

After watching Vegas.com's Vegas Minute, I'm thinking I want to check out The Palms.

I wonder if my friend Heather can get me into ghostbar. Hmm....

mgm mirage appoints hr point-people.

2006-07-11T23:05:00.000-07:00

From the MGM Mirage Web site:

MGM MIRAGE Appoints Richard Vosburgh and Promotes Miriam Hammond as Senior Vice Presidents of Human Resources

LAS VEGAS, July 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MGM MIRAGE has announced the appointment of Richard Vosburgh as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Mirage Resorts. Vosburgh will oversee human resources at all Mirage Resorts properties including Project CityCenter, a $7 billion development project currently underway in Las Vegas. He will report to Bobby Baldwin, Mirage Resorts President and Chief Executive Officer.

According to Baldwin, Vosburgh's expertise will be a tremendous asset in helping the company address its current and future human resources needs. Project CityCenter will create 12,000 permanent positions when it opens in 2009.

“Richard's extensive background in recruitment, talent assessment, training, succession planning and organizational effectiveness will be essential in building a strong workforce that will provide first-class service to our guests,” Baldwin said. Read more.

Hmm...I wonder if Mr. Richard Vosburgh will Google his name and find my site...regard me as a witty, smart, forward-thinking and dashing young man who's worthy of a high-level communications position with MGM Mirage. Is it too early to start the sniveling?

oh yeah, boyd too.

2006-07-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

My former employer, Boyd Gaming, scheduled its conference call too:

Boyd Gaming to Report Second Quarter 2006 Results and Host Conference Call and Webcast on July 25

LAS VEGAS, July 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) announced today that the Company's second quarter 2006 conference call to review the Company's results will take place on Tuesday, July 25 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. The conference call number is 800.237.9752 and the reservation number is 89335850. Please call up to 15 minutes in advance to ensure you are connected prior to the call's initiation. The Company will report its results on the same day at approximately 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

The conference call will also be available live right here.

Following the call's completion, a replay will be available by dialing 888.286.8010 on Tuesday, July 25, beginning two hours after the completion of the call and continuing through Tuesday, August 1. The passcode for the replay will be 53493631. The replay will also be available on the Internet at www.boydgaming.com.

harrah's second-quarter conference call coming soon.

2006-07-11T22:56:00.000-07:00

Note to self....from Harrah's corporate Web site:

Harrah's Entertainment Sets Conference Call To Discuss Second-Quarter Results

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 6, 2006--Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:HET) will host a conference call Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to discuss its 2006 second-quarter results.

Those interested in participating in the call should dial 1-888-399-2695, or 1-706-679-7646 for international callers, approximately 10 minutes before the call start time. A taped replay of the conference call can be accessed at 1-800-642-1687, or 1-706-645-9291 for international callers, beginning at 10:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday, July 27. The replay will be available through 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, August 3. The passcode number for the replay is 2629464.

Interested parties wanting to listen to the conference call may do so on the company's Web site - www.harrahs.com - in the Investor relations section.

Hey, they're the biggest gaming corporation in the world. I think I want to listen in; especially since I'm considering purchasing some stock. You heard me.

need a pr flack, mr. kennedy, sir?

2006-07-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas Sands is calling in a heavy-hitter. From its corporate Web site:

Las Vegas Sands Corp. Adds One of Las Vegas' Top Executives to Management Team
Kevin Kelley Named Senior Vice President

LAS VEGAS, July 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) today announced that Kevin Kelley has joined the organization as senior vice president.

Bringing to Las Vegas Sands Corp. nearly 20 years of hotel and resort experience, Kelley was most recently president and chief operating officer for Hard Rock Hotel and Casino where in his 3 1/2 year tenure they achieved record revenues. Prior to this, he served with Station Casinos for over nine years where he held many positions including president of West Las Vegas operations overseeing all aspects of five properties.

"Kevin is truly a unique individual with experience in all aspects of hotel and casino management, and we are delighted to have him join the organization," said Bradley H. Stone, executive vice president of Las Vegas Sands Corp. "Our company is growing, especially overseas and Kevin's extensive knowledge will help the team execute our vision for the future."

Mr. Stone said the company's growth plans include, The Venetian Macao, which is currently under construction on the Cotai Strip(TM), as well as the development of other hotels in Asia's Las Vegas(TM), including a Four Seasons, Sheraton, St. Regis, Shangri-La, Traders, Hilton, Conrad, Fairmont and Raffles hotels. Additional projects include the recently announced Marina Bay Sands(TM) in Singapore and the $1.8 billion Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino, adjacent to The Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip. Read more.

To me, and this is a no-brainer really, the money-graph is that last one more so than the Kennedy hiring. All the big gaming companies are taking aim at the Pacific Rim. Nevertheless, the Palazzo shows they know where their bread gets buttered.

Either way, Mr. Kennedy, sir...need a PR flack? You can pay me 100 orange cheques per year. Is that asking so much?

g-rated vegas? gambling is next to godliness?

2006-07-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

Thank God Harrah's understands. From the Las Vegas Sun:

LOOKING IN ON: GAMING
Finding a family niche in an adult city

By Liz Benston

It's the thick of summer in Las Vegas, which means pool parties amid bikini-clad servers, afternoon boozing at extended happy hours and ¦ free kiddie movies and video games at the Four Seasons?

Bucking the Sin City image, the upscale, nongaming hotel has entered its fourth year of a family promotion that includes reduced rates for kids staying in a separate room and a package of perks to keep the young 'uns happy while Mom and Dad gamble.

Other Strip operators say they're not interested in luring families and won't be offering similar deals anytime soon.

"We are operating an entertainment business that is oriented toward adults," Harrah's Entertainment spokesman David Strow said. "We're pretty adamant about that."

I know, I know. Parents need to have fun too. I'm all for it. But it seems Vegas would be the last place I'd go if I had young children. From what I can see, there isn't much for little kids to do in Vegas. But I could be wrong.

Also from LOOKING IN ON: GAMING

The results from Harrah's annual survey of casino gamblers are in, and they suggest that, by some measure, gamblers are a bit more sophisticated - and less religious - than nongamblers...The survey, one of two major industry-funded gambler profiles, is intended to dispel myths about gamblers and has been a longstanding irritant to casino foes nationwide.

This year's survey says gamblers are more likely to have tasted various ethnic foods, used new technology, redecorated their homes and taken long trips, among other consumer-friendly activities.

Gamblers aren't much more heathen or hedonistic than the rest of the population, Harrah's contends.

Forty-four percent of gamblers said being a good parent coincided with their personal expression of success, compared to 40 percent of nongamblers.

Both gamblers and nongamblers volunteered time for social causes at the same rate, though a greater percentage of gamblers said they donated money to a social good. Read more.

what's next? a bridge tournament on tv?

2006-07-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

Well, they'll make a tournament out of anything these days, won't they! From PR Newswire:

PartyGammon.com to Stage First Ever $1 Million Backgammon Tournament
The First PartyGammon.com Million Will Draw 128 Competitors to The Bahamas, Half Qualifying Online-Event to be Filmed for Worldwide Television

GIBRALTAR, July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Offering the largest guaranteed prize pool in the history of backgammon, PartyGammon.com today announced that it will stage the PartyGammon.com Million at the famous Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in The Bahamas, on January 21st-25th, 2007. Half of the field of 128 players will be filled by online qualifiers
and the other half from players who directly buy-in to the tournament.

The location will be familiar to long-time backgammon enthusiasts because it was the venue where the World Championships of Backgammon was at its pinnacle of popularity between 1975 and 1978, when the legendary Paul Magriel reigned as the leading champion. That event has now moved to Monte Carlo, but the $500,000 guaranteed first prize of the PartyGammon.com Million is estimated to exceed this year's World Championship top prize five times over! Read more.

I haven't played backgammon in ages. I used to love this game! However, a TV show? Isn't it bad enough that we have 10,000 poker TV shows? Then again, those poker players are such lookers for TV! Ugh!

boyd needs a third-quarter rally.

2006-07-10T22:48:00.000-07:00

Looks like my old employer had a rough quarter. From the Las Vegas Business Press:

Report: Boyd's revenue will be worse than Street

BY DAVID MCKEE

Second-quarter revenue at Boyd Gaming will fall short of even Wall Street's lowest-end projections, predicts a Majestic Research report that shows play continuing to decline at South Coast Hotel & Casino and Boyd losing market share downtown, once its traditional stronghold. Wall Street's consensus on Boyd net revenue for April-June ranges from $614 million to $655 million, said Majestic Research, which foresees numbers 5 percent to 9 percent lower, falling somewhere between $585 million and $599 million...

Another riverboat facility, Blue Chip Casino & Hotel, Michigan, Ind., unveiled a $163 million expansion last January, prompting 38 percent revenue growth over early 2005. The novelty of an augmented Blue Chip may be wearing off, as revenue growth has slowed, albeit to a still-robust 24 percent in April and May.

Boyd declined to comment on the Majestic Research forecast, citing prohibitions against intra-quarter revenue commentary. In 10 of the past 14 quarters, Boyd has come in slightly above Majestic Research's profit projections.

The news was better for Harrah's Entertainment, with tracking data showing it on pace for $2.3 billion in net revenues for the second quarter. Highlighting that performance was the one-two punch thrown by Harrah's Las Vegas and the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, overperforming to the tune of 56 percent above average for the market. Read more.

Back when I worked at Blue Chip, we were Boyd's most profitable property. That always struck an odd chord with me, since we were a small riverboat in NW Indiana and Boyd has such deep Vegas roots. I think they represent "old" Vegas and are still trying to re-define themselves in an age where their end of the Strip is getting pummeled by the north end, where Harrah's owns nearly everything of consequence.

dream job, revisited.

2006-07-10T05:16:00.000-07:00

This is why R&R Partners is my dream job. From PR Week:

Harrah's taps R&R for branding mission

LAS VEGAS: In an effort to redefine and differentiate its recently merged roster of hotel properties, Harrah's Entertainment Las Vegas has teamed with R&R Partners to craft a series of brand-building PR initiatives.

There's no more news to go to, unless you're a subscriber to PRWeek. I read about this merger a couple weeks ago. What I wouldn't give to work for them on these accounts.

dream a little dream.

2006-07-09T23:48:00.000-07:00

My Dream Company

I love them already and want them to hire me!

reach for the sky...no, really.

2006-07-09T23:24:00.000-07:00

The "Manhattanization" of Las Vegas? From the Las Vegas Sun:

Sky is still the limit on Las Vegas Boulevard South

By Dan Kulin

The death of a proposal to impose height limitations on a small stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South is an important victory for those who want to see the burgeoning vertical development of downtown continue.

For both downtown developers and supporters of the Manhattanization of Las Vegas, the battle was over much more than the regulations for a half-mile stretch of one side of the boulevard. Rather, it was a fight to stop what some saw as precedent-setting restrictions on the one street they say should be the most protected from restrictions.

"If they would put height restrictions on Las Vegas Boulevard, then all the other stuff in the city and the county is up for grabs," local Carpenters Union boss Marc Furman said.

"If you can take a piece of Las Vegas Boulevard out of the picture, that sends a terrible message," Furman said. "It wasn't just about the three blocks. It was about Las Vegas Boulevard." Read more.

the maloofs confound me.

2006-07-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

The Maloof Brothers confound me. They seem to be an iconoclast to everything that's happening in Vegas. Harrah's, Wynn, Las Vegas Sands, and so on; all of the major gaming operations on the Strip are corporate and publicly traded. But not the Maloofs.

As you probably know, they own The Palms Casino in Vegas. Did you know it only has 600 rooms? Me neither. That seems awfully small when you consider the fact that my lovely Imperial Palace has over 2,000 rooms.

And The Palms is a pretty hip, trendy place. The Maloofs score big with the younger crowd, mainly because they've positioned themselves well to capture them. The Real World, Celebrity Poker Showdown, ghostbar, and so on. They found their niche and are hitting it.

Perhaps it's the fact that they're so successful with this casino while showing very little interestin self-promotion. In a town where egos drive the bus (read: Steve Wynn), the Maloofs don't seem to focus that much attention on themselves. I had to dig around to find a definitive bio about them (I found it at the ARCO Arena site, of all places).

Here's a little bit of what it said:

In addition to their gaming business, the Maloofs have exclusive proprietorship rights to the distribution of Coors Beer throughout New Mexico. The Maloof Companies also is the largest single shareholder in Wells Fargo Bank, which operates banks and branches in 23 states throughout the Western United States with over $200 billion in assets and 15 million customers.

And, of course, they also own the Sacramento Kings and Monarchs.

They hired a new PR director in February of this year, Larry Fink, who came from television production. Perhaps I'm being a jealous snob, but that seems odd. Then again, I'm sure the Maloofs' idea of PR is vastly different than mine. And I'm sure they know what they're doing.

So what's at the root of my befuddlement? I guess I wasn't expecting the Palms Press Room to be so lacking of tangible information, you know? After reading so many other gaming pages that have releases, contact info, investor information, etc, that the Maloofs' down-home approach shocked me.

I can't wait to hear from my friend Heather about dealing there. I'm waiting to hear what celebs she meets. Mostly, I can't wait to hear how brutal the action is!

the people's republic of wynn?

2006-07-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

According to INSIDE GAMING at the Las Vegas Review Journal:

INSIDE GAMING: Macau opening excites Wynn

Las Vegas developer Steve Wynn, enjoying the final stages of getting Wynn Macau ready to open, says: "For me, it's fun. I've never opened a (hotel-casino) this small before. The anticipation is keen." His newest property, and his first overseas, is a 600-room, fully integrated resort in the former Portuguese colony of Macau off the coast of China. It opens Sept. 5 with a VIP party; the doors open to the public just past midnight.

Read more INSIDE GAMING here.

closing bell, friday, 7 july 06.

2006-07-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Stock prices, as of Friday's close:
Boyd Gaming $38.52 DOWN $1.19
Harrah's: $66.70 DOWN $2.90
Las Vegas Sands: $73.81 DOWN $2.67
MGM Mirage: $38.74 DOWN $1.74
Riviera: $19.44 DOWN $.78
Wynn: $70.43 DOWN $1.68