Reasonable Online Expectations in the Las Vegas Business Press

Las Vegas Business Press, writing • • • , ,

In this week’s Las Vegas Business Press, I’ve got a piece about how we should be reasonable about our expectations for online gaming: Online or “interactive” gaming is coming to Nevada, likely in weeks, not months.Theres a great deal of uncertainty over what the advent of online poker will mean to Nevada. And, throughout the […]

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Las Vegas Business Press, writing

Outside perspectives & casinos in the LVBP

Las Vegas Business Press • • • ,

Here’s my latest LVBP column: In my capacity as director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, I recently helped to host a group of visiting MBA students from London’s Cass Business School here in Las Vegas. While in town, they heard presentations from strategic development, operations, and marketing

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Las Vegas Business Press

Mob Neighbors in Vegas Seven

Vegas Seven, writing • • • , , ,

I 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

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Vegas Seven, writing

Looking beyond baccarat in the Las Vegas Business Press

Las Vegas Business Press, writing • • • , , ,

I’ve got a new column in the Las Vegas Business Press today, about the possibly diminishing impact of baccarat: With the recent release by the Gaming Control Board of the December 2011 Gaming Revenue Report, we can understand what happened to Nevadas gaming industry in 2011, and where the state is headed in 2012.Overall, it

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Las Vegas Business Press, writing

Casino debt levels’ adverse effects in LVBP

Las Vegas Business Press • • • ,

My commentary piece on casino debt came out in the Las Vegas Business Press yesterday: Like households, all businesses take on debt as a part of their usual operations. Without borrowing money, it is difficult, if not impossible, to grow. Casinos are no different; for decades, theyve been borrowing money to build, expand and renovate.

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Las Vegas Business Press

Book Review: Screenwriting Tips, You Hack

book reviews • • • , ,

Xander Bennett. Screenwriting Tips, You Hack. 150 Practical Pointers for Becoming a Better Screenwriter. Amsterdam: Focal Press, 2012. 210 pages. I’ve never written a screenplay, but I still believe that Xander Bennett’s Screenwriting Tips, You Hack, has made me a better writer. I’m not being facetious here; Bennett’s book has given me a much better

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book reviews

UNLV Gaming Podcast, Update

Center for Gaming Research • • • , , ,

I’ve had a busy day at the Center for Gaming Research. First, I interviewed Rick Santoro, security consultant, and produced the interview into podcast form. The result was the 38 UNLV Gaming Podcast: Rick Santoro Santoro is a thirty-year verteran of casino security who has worked executive protection, conducted investigations, and managed security departments for

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Center for Gaming Research

The Rise of Chinese New Year in Vegas Seven

gambling & culture, Vegas Seven • • • , ,

In 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

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gambling & culture, Vegas Seven

Three Intriguing People from Vegas Seven

Vegas Seven, writing • • • , ,

The 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

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Vegas Seven, writing

Words of Caution in the LVBP

Las Vegas Business Press • • • , ,

I’ve got a new column in this week’s Las Vegas Business Press: Nor is this kind of chicanery limited to poker. MF Global was, until last November, a large global financial derivatives dealer, making its money on its traders abilities to correctly speculate on the upward and downward movement of prices for bonds, commodities, and

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Las Vegas Business Press

Nevada (Average) Casinos, 2011

Center for Gaming Research • • • , ,

I just posted three new reports over at the Center for Gaming Research. Together, they provide a snapshot look at the revenues and expenses of casinos in three very different Nevada markets. Here they are: Average Big Las Vegas Strip Casino, 2011  A statistical summary of the average Las Vegas Strip casino (with annual gaming

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Center for Gaming Research

November Revenue Run-down

Center for Gaming Research, Two Way Hard Three • • • ,

I had a busy morning yesterday. Every month, the day that the Nevada Gaming Control Board releases its monthly revenues numbers is a busy one. As usual, I prepared the historical summary for the month in question (November this time) and updated the rolling six-month summary. Here are the highlights and links. First, the monthly

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Center for Gaming Research, Two Way Hard Three

Book Review: No BS Social Media

book reviews • • • , , ,

Jason Falls and Erik Decker. No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing. Indianapolis: Que, 2012. 253 pages. This book, with a word that you still can’t say on the radio in its title, is certainly trying to be provocative. Beneath the swagger, though, there’s an intelligent, well-conceived manifesto for why

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book reviews

Looking back on Two Way Hard Three

Two Way Hard Three • • • , ,

In case you missed it, I’ve had two posts on Two Way Hard Three this week–each, in its own way, looking backward. The first, Biggest Story of 2011–Six Nominees, breaks down what I think were the six biggest stories of 2011. The second, The Las Vegas Hilton: Looking Back, takes a look…back at the history of the

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Two Way Hard Three