I’ve got a news piece in today’s Vegas Seven about the paradox and problems of pitching Vegas as a party hearty/business friendly destination: The Las Vegas tourism business is a paradox these days. On paper, things look great: So far this year, visitation numbers are up by more than 5 percent from last year, when […]
Courting Business Travellers in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenIf you’ve missed it, I’ve got a post up at Two Way Hard Three that explains Landry’s purchase of Trump Marina and the return of the Golden Nugget to Atlantic City, with some bonus historical context: Landry’s Inc. a Houston-based company that owns a full spread of restaurant chains and Downtown Las Vegas and Laughlin’s
Landry’s Marina takeover talk in Two Way Hard Three Read More »
atlantic city, Two Way Hard ThreeRuth Brandon. Ugly Beauty: Helena Rubinstein, L’Oreal, and the Blemished History of Looking Good. New York: Harper, 2011. 304 pages. Ugly Beauty looks at two historic icons of the beauty industry and, through them, the underside of the selling of glamor. Helena Rubinstein became a brand name in the early 20th century thanks to her
Book Review: Ugly Beauty Read More »
book reviewsFor this week’s Green Felt Journal, I took a look at what went on behind the scenes to get Blue Ribbon Sushi open after the huge April 12 flood. Check it out in Vegas Seven: On April 12, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas witnessed a deluge. That evening, a cold water main broke and flooded
Blue Ribbon rebound in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenIn case you missed it, I posted a piece yesterday on Two Way Hard Three talking about Wynn Resorts and China: In today’s flurry of email headlines (which continue whether I’m in the office or not) I read a blurb saying that Wynn Resorts “has become”; a Chinese company. Certainly this is no surprise to
Wynn & China on Two Way Hard Three Read More »
news about gambling, Two Way Hard ThreeA while ago I posted that report on Nevada gaming revenue trends from 1984 to 2010. I decided to write an extended opinion piece about one facet of that report for the Las Vegas Business Press (not the Las Vegas Journal-Business Review): In general, the past quarter century has been good for Nevada gaming: revenues
Downtown as an example in the LVBP Read More »
Las Vegas Business PressEven though I’m ostensibly on leave right now, I’m still doing a surprising amount of work-related stuff. I’ve signed up to do a Focus Roundtable on Online Gambling this Thusday. Here are the details: WHEN May 18, 2011 WHERE Toll-free Dial-In Number: (866) 951-1151 International Dial-In Number: (201) 590-2255 United Kingdom +44 08003581576 Conference #
I’m doing a Focus Roundtable Read More »
what's newFor those who missed the live broadcast this week, the Lectures in History show featuring me is now available via streaming video from C-SPAN: University of Nevada-Las Vegas history professor David Schwartz specializes in the history of gambling in America. In today’s class, Professor Schwartz—who is also the director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research—focuses
Birth of the Las Vegas Strip on C-SPAN Read More »
what's newThis Thursday I have a new Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven. It’s about the implications of William Hill’s growing footprint in Nevada sports betting, which I think is noteworthy: With all of the sound and fury stirred up by the recent “Black Friday” indictments of three online poker operators, some major news that’s bringing
Goin’ mobile in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenIf you’re not completely sick of opinion pieces about online poker, here’s my two cents, from the Las Vegas Business Press: The recent Black Friday indictments in which federal prosecutors charged three of the world’s biggest online poker providers with fraud and violating the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act have rocked the poker world. In
Nevada’s destiny and online poker Read More »
Las Vegas Business Press, writingEarlier this semester, a camera crew filmed one of my GAM 495 lectures so it could be broadcast as part of C SPAN’s American History TV series. It will air this weekend: University of Nevada-Las Vegas history professor David Schwartz specializes in the history of gambling in America. In today’s class, Professor Schwartz—who is also
Me on American History TV Read More »
what's newWell, at least for a little while. Thanks to a much-anticipated arrival, I’m taking some family medical leave time off from my job at the Center for Gaming Research. I won’t be in the office for several weeks, though if you need to get a hold of me I will be checking email. I should
In this week’s Las Vegas Business Press, I look at what the continued reliance on baccarat means for Nevada: Since the second quarter of 2010, the fortunes of the Las Vegas Strip — and, by proxy, of Nevada’s gaming industry — have been tied to baccarat. The game’s had a presence in Nevada since the
Baccarat and gaming win in the LVBP Read More »
Las Vegas Business PressA little while ago, I had a really interesting conversation with J Barnard, who does a whole range of things at the Casino Royale. I thought he had a really interesting story, so I decided to share, via Vegas Seven: It’s not easy for the little guy on the Las Vegas Strip these days. Of
Old-School New Media in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenKeeping my finger on the pulse of Vegas entertainment, I decided last week to check out the official unveiling of the Blue Man Group interactive statue and write about it for Vegas Seven: Last Wednesday, with a T-shirt slingshot and plenty of Twinkies, a new colossus had its formal debut on the Strip. In front
Another Shade of Blue in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenFranz Kafka and Coleridge Cook. The Meowmorphosis. Philadelphia: Quirk Books, 2011. 208 pages. Book review Friday is back! This week, I’m taking a look at a little slice of fiction that merges modern man’s sense of alienation with kittens. Quirk Classics pioneered the literary mashup genre. Basically, you take a classic work of literature (e.g.,
Book review: The Meowmorphosis Read More »
book reviewsWhile answering questions about the impact of the Black Friday indictments on Nevada poker, I thought I’d take a look at what impact previous interdiction attempts (the passage of UIGEA, the implementation of UIGEA) had on Nevada poker. So I compiled a month-by-month summary of Nevada’s poker results for the past seven years. Because I
Updated 2004-2011 poker study up Read More »
Center for Gaming Research, news about gambling, Two Way Hard ThreeThere’s a Green Felt Journal in today’s Vegas Seven, focusing on what many slot players don’t see: To most players, slot machines are only screen deep. The spinning reels are what’s important. But there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that makes the action possible. Without back-end systems to track play and account for
Behind the reels in Vegas Seven Read More »
Vegas SevenSometimes I like to share things that I find while plumbing through the archives, just because. Yesterday I did just that at Two Way Hard Three: Working on my lecture for tomorrow about Las Vegas gaming in the 1980s and 1990s, I wanted to go back to some of the original sources. So I’ve been
Talking about Steve Wynn talking about Mirage at TWHT Read More »
Two Way Hard ThreeI wrote a quick review of some of Kirk Kerkorian’s earlier history in Las Vegas for Two Way Hard Three this morning: Kirk Kerkorian is stepping down from his position on the board of MGM Resorts International in June. It’s a significant milestone for Las Vegas gaming, since he’s one of the few remaining links
My take on Kerkorian leaving at Two Way Hard Three Read More »
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