This week, my Green Felt Journal column in Vegas Seven is about Michael Gaughan, Jr., taking the reins at the Rampart Casino in Summerlin: This week, a reunion of sorts took place in Summerlin, as the JW Marriott Resort & Spa and the Rampart casino, which had operated as separate units for a decade, were […]
The Gaughan Also Rises in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas Seven, writingMy latest in the Las Vegas Business Press is inspired by a recent more at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas: Recently, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas announced a replacement for its Strip-front pop-up wedding chapel, itself a replacement for Droog, a quirky boutique chock full of intricately fashioned, completely impractical, outrageously expensive furniture. The new
Casino attractions that matter in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas Seven, writingI’ve got a Latest Thought about the Smith Center’s place in Las Vegas history in Vegas Seven: As a world-class, centralized home for the performing arts, The Smith Center brings something new to the Valley. But high culture itself goes back a long way in Las Vegas—even on the Strip. And to this day, the
High Culture History in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas Seven, writingThis week, the Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven takes a look at the World Game Protection conference, held at the M Resort: Right now, casinos around the world are under attack. They’re not besieged by outlaws with guns and masks, but they are facing a threat that’s no less daunting. Cheaters are working their
Protecting the Game in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenI didn’t have a chance to share this yesterday, but this week’s Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven is about the Mob Museum’s impact on its casino neighbors Downtown: The really interesting story in the wake of the Mob Museum’s Feb. 14 debut will be how the museum reacts to its downtown casino neighbors—and how
Mob Neighbors in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas Seven, writingI’ve got another piece in Vegas Seven today: a preview of the Fresh Beat Band’s concert (this Saturday!) at Planet Hollywood: When the Fresh Beat Band rolls into Planet Hollywood, it’s a fair bet that toddlers are going to go wild. The surprising thing is that, if you’re taking yours, you might end up having
Stomp the House in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenI’ve got the cover story in this week’s Vegas Seven. It’s a piece that I worked on a quite a while under the astute editorial eye of Greg Blake Miller, in which I come to grips with why people come to Vegas to see dead people: The Mob Museum’s Feb. 14 debut was another reminder
Live After Death in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas Seven, writingIn today’s Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven, I’ve got a piece about Chinese New Year’s impact on Las Vegas: Some people might consider the massive New Year’s Eve celebration—“America’s Party”—the ultimate night for Las Vegas casinos. True, that bash attracts more than 300,000 people each year. But ask the people charged with making money
The Rise of Chinese New Year in Vegas Seven Read More »
gambling & culture, Vegas SevenThe annual People Issue of Vegas Seven is out. I wrote three profiles for it: Aron Ezra: Wizard of Apps Ezra is VP of Mobile for Bally Technologies Fred Keeton: The Pathfinder Keeton is VP of Finance for External Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer for Caesars Entertainment Joe Asher: The Odds Ambassador Ashier is head of Brandywine Bookmaking
Three Intriguing People from Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas Seven, writingThis week Vegas Seven released its nightclub issue. Since that’s such a big part of the casino scene these days, I thought I’d tackle the question of how clubs rebrand in this week’s Green Felt Journal: In the wake of the Great Recession, nightclubs have been a crucial part of the identities and business plans
Reinventing the Party Machine in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenI don’t have a Green Felt Journal in this week’s Vegas Seven, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t contribute. This time out, I focused my gimlet eye on the fact that, several times over the past year, “local bloggers” beat the mainstream media to the punch: Looking back at the past year, several important casino
Breaking the Casino News in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenI had such a busy day yesterday I couldn’t share this, but I’ve got what I think is a fun Green Felt Journal in this week’s Vegas Seven. It’s all about cowboys: There’s still a perceptible drop in demand, which is why many casinos save major public-area renovations for the November-to-Christmas lacuna—witness the projects on
Our Annual Cowboy Makeover in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenIf your Turkey Day could be made any better by having another Green Felt Journal to read (or if you’re more of my many international readers for whom this is just another Thursday), you are in luck: this week’s treat from Vegas Seven deals with the question of poker rules, and an organization with a
Rounders’ Rules in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenI was tied up with jury duty Monday and Tuesday so I didn’t get the chance to share my Las Vegas Business Press column about the possible implications of The Cosmopolitan’s charging for wifi: When The Cosmopolitan opened last December, its managers consciously positioned it as an in-the-moment alternative to the traditional Las Vegas casino.
Cosmopolitan commentaries Read More »
Two Way Hard Three, Vegas SevenIn addition to the big George Maloof interview, I’ve got two other pieces in this week’s http://www.weeklyseven.com. The first is my usual Green Felt Journal column, in which I ask the question “How do you clean sheets from 250,000 beds, 365 days a year…and get a fascinating answer from Brady Industries’ Travis Brady: Keeping Vegas
Laundry and elevensies in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenI’ve got a big story in today’s Vegas Seven–an up-close-and-personal interview with Palms founder and chairman George Maloof: George Maloof isn’t where he was four years ago. Back then, he was riding an epic winning streak. He had just opened the Fantasy Tower at his Palms Hotel, complete with such only-in-Vegas accommodations as the Hardwood
Interview with a chairman Read More »
Vegas SevenIn the past few weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to have some very good conversations with people in the casino business that, I hope, have translated into good writing about the business. Here’s the first, a Green Felt Journal column about the challenges that Ramesh Sadhwani is taking on at Caesars Palace. From Vegas Seven:
Heavyweight Hospitality at Caesars in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenThe latest Green Felt Journal is out in Vegas Seven. I take a look at a few vendors at this year’s Global Gaming Expo and then talk about the bigger significance of the show: Purveyors to the gaming industry have three chances a year to show off their wares: the two Global Gaming Expos and
G2E smells sweet in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenInspired by a conversation with September Gaming Research Fellow Kah-Wee Lee, I wrote a Green Felt Journal for Vegas Seven about Singapore and Las Vegas: Imagine a casino-resort complex built by a world-renowned architect responsible for iconic buildings on multiple continents. From the start, it’s designed to be more than a mere gambling hall: It
Hiding Vices in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenMy piece on the Riviera is out in Vegas Seven as of yesterday. Busy day, so I didn’t have time to post this. It’s this week’s Green Felt Journal: As destroy/erase/improve gives way to rework/repaint/recycle, older Las Vegas hotels that a few years ago might have been imploded have gotten new leases on life. Over
Riviera’s Rebirth in Vegas Seven Read More »
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