I missed this yesterday, but my latest Green Felt Journal column is out in Vegas Seven. It’s about some of the unusual events taking place at the Silverton: Santa is floating inside the 117,000-gallon aquarium at the Silverton Casino and Lodge, his white beard billowing as the parrot fish and stingrays glide by. He’s taking […]
Silverton goes off-beat in Vegas 7 Read More »
life in vegas, news about gambling, Vegas Seven, writingIn my latest Las Vegas Business Press column, I talk about how the Cosmopolitan marks the beginning of an era on the Strip: With the opening of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, some observers believe we’;re seeing the end of an era. Unless the economy improves remarkably, it’;s likely the last new hotel-casino that will
Cosmopolitan will start an era in LVBP Read More »
news about gambling, Vegas Seven, writingI’m thrilled that two-thirds of my Cosmopolitan pre-opening trifecta are out. In today’s Vegas Seven, I’ve got two pieces about the soon-to-open casino. The first is a profile of John Unwin, the Cosmopolitan’s CEO: John Unwin’s not quite moved into his new office—the artwork’s still waiting to be hung and the shelves are mostly bare—but
Cosmopolitan coverage in Vegas Seven Read More »
news about gambling, Vegas Seven, writingA while back, some folks asked me what I thought the near-future held for Las Vegas gaming and tourism. After mulling over some of the LVCVA data for the past 40 years, I gave them six different scenarios. This might be nice for a wider audience, I thought. But, since I had a lot on
Projecting the future Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingWent looking for my Green Felt Journal column in the Local section of Vegas Seven’s newsroom this morning. I didn’t find it. “Well that’s not a good sign,” I thought. Then I took another look at the mouseover menu for News and saw that the Green Felt Journal now has its own dedicated section. Cool.
Five diamond party in Vegas Seven Read More »
news about gambling, Vegas Seven, writingFiring open the digital Las Vegas Sun today, I saw a breaking new story: New Years Eve packages for Cosmopolitan will be available for $5,600. Except that I first saw that story on vegastripping.com back on Sunday. It’s another sign to me of how the nature of news is changing: you’re just as likely to
Something for everyone Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingIn this week’s Las Vegas Business Press, I offer a long view of the Global Gaming Expo: The conference panels are finished though they have been recorded for posterity, and the last of the exhibit booths have been disassembled at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It is an appropriate time to consider how the industry
G2E evolves in the Las Vegas Business Press Read More »
Las Vegas Business Press, news about gambling, writingIt may be Thanksgiving, but it’s still Thursday, so a new Vegas Seven has hit the streets with its usual Green Felt Journal adorning the local news section. This week, I look at the mayhem that was the Global Gaming Expo, with a focus on a smaller exhibitor: The exhibitors are a diverse lot, as
Tales from G2E in Vegas Seven Read More »
news about gambling, writingEven though I’m having a phenomenally busy week, I can still post a link to my latest piece for Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven. It’s about the reaction at the M Resort to Penn National’s recent debt acquisition: On a recent Saturday afternoon, there was no sign that any change was imminent on the
M Resort reshuffle in Vegas Seven Read More »
news about gambling, Vegas Seven, writingThis week in the Las Vegas Business Press, I take a deeper look at the recent employment study I did over at UNLV: By the same token, examining the numbers isn’t just a dry exercise in statistics. It helps us understand what’s going on when people gain and lose jobs in the casino industry. And
Casino employment in LVBP Read More »
news about gambling, writingAnother Thursday, another Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven. This week, I tackle casino debt with the help of Eugene Christiansen: It’s no secret that casino companies are more debt-encumbered now than they’ve ever been. In 1990, the average big Las Vegas Strip casino (those earning more than $72 million a year in gaming revenue),
Talking Vegas debt in Vegas Seven Read More »
news about gambling, writingThe September gaming numbers are out, courtesy of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, and I’ve got my analysis of the historical trends up over at gaming.unlv.edu. Here’s the low down: For the second straight month, Nevada gaming revenues posted a year?over?year increase, but there are still several continuing weaknesses in the overall revenue picture, and
Head-scratching September in NV Read More »
news about gamblingAs a former casino employee, smoking used to be one of my major occupational hazards, so smoking in casinos in an issue that I’ve always been interested in. On one hand, governments telling people what they can do with their time and money seems like a manifestation of the nanny state. On the other, I’d
As you might have heard, unemployment’s been on the rise in Nevada. I figured it might be a good idea to take a look at the big trends behind the numbers. So I consulted the Nevada Gaming Abstract, a great source for data. With the help of my student employee, Tracy Liao, I was able
My latest report: Casino employment Read More »
news about gambling, what's newIn this week’s Green Felt Journal I look at how technology is changing the convention biz in Vegas: Getting conventions to come back isn’t going to be easy, though both the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority and several casinos are reporting more robust bookings next year. The challenge will be keeping these guests happy
Vegas convention tech in Vegas Seven Read More »
life in vegas, news about gambling, writingIt’s not every day that venting about the frustrating aspects of your job leads you to a column. But if you read my piece in the Las Vegas Business Press, you’ll see how I use some misconceptions about Las Vegas as an opportunity to set the record somewhat straight: Recently, for example, I received an
The complex Vegas story in LVBP Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingWell, son, when a mommy casino and a daddy casino love each other very much…oh, that’s not it. Basically, they come from gamblers, who graciously leave more than they take in bill validators and drop boxes in casinos across Nevada. But where exactly does most of this gambling take place? It seems obvious that a
Where do Nevada gaming revenues come from? Read More »
news about gamblingIt’s Thursday, so it’s time for another Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven. This week I look at the innovation of bilingual blackjack tables at Buffalo Bill’s in Primm: Richey has found that it’s a market loyal to casinos that offer good values for food and entertainment, something for which the Primm casinos are well
Bilingual blackjack in Vegas Seven Read More »
news about gambling, writingInteresting opinion piece from a Malaysian paper about the Singapore casinos: Since the opening of the two casinos in Singapore, some billionaires were reported to have lost a great amount of money while the two casinos were reported to have made impressive performances. Some suffered great losses while some made great gains. It is the
High rolling perspective from Singapore Read More »
news about gamblingIn my latest Las Vegas Business Press column, I dissect the August 2010 Nevada gaming numbers: And if your casino doesn't offer baccarat or high-end play, you might be out of luck. With only 22 out of the 329 casinos with nonrestricted licenses in the state 6.7 percent offering the game, only a few are
Baccarat doesn’t = back in LVBP Read More »
Las Vegas Business Press, news about gambling, writing