Category Archives: Herbst Gaming

Union: Where there’s a will, there’s a way

Discontent with casino management is spreading from Las Vegas to the Gulf Coast and beyond. In a Unite-Here teleconference, local union President Marlene Patrick Cooper expressed the general sentiment, saying, “This is a disaster that’s 10 times worse than Katrina. They chose … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, China, Derek Stevens, Dining, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Health, Herbst Gaming, Mississippi, Movies, Nevada, Regulation, The Strip, Unite-Here, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Caesars flirts with Chapter 11; MGM sells relic

Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman has as much as said bankruptcy would happen over his dead body. Funeral services may be held in January. Caesars, y’see, has filed for an amendment on its debt that would give senior bondholders first … Continue reading

Posted in Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Illinois, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Slot routes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars flirts with Chapter 11; MGM sells relic

As Iowa goes, so goes America

If you need any evidence of the increasing American acceptance of casino gambling as an everyday activity, just look to Iowa. Two years ago, 69% of Iowans had gambled in the previous year. Now it’s up to 78%. Mind you, … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Herbst Gaming, Iowa, Problem gambling, Regulation, Station Casinos | Comments Off on As Iowa goes, so goes America

Illiterate and accused; Revel: Rewarding failure

People who state their career goal as “trynna get rich” should probably be arrested for crimes against the English language. In the case of Izyiah Plummer (right), though, the charges are much more grave: the July 21 armed robbery of Caesars … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Maryland, Planet Hollywood, Revel, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Illiterate and accused; Revel: Rewarding failure

Bad news for Riv; Losing your gaming license? Come to Nevada!

A spiffy makeover and a nostalgia-themed market position aren’t helping the Riviera as customers gravitate back toward higher-priced hotels. A bad neighborhood, while hardly a new phenomenon, isn’t helping. Having Echelon and Fontainebleau as your neighbors is akin to living … Continue reading

Posted in California, Current, Fontainebleau, Genting, Herbst Gaming, history, Marketing, Regulation, Riviera, Technology, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Bad news for Riv; Losing your gaming license? Come to Nevada!

Hooters: What next?; PE fools and their money; Deal or no-Deal in Georgia?

It’s all over for the current administration at Hooters Casino Hotel. They’ve given up trying to fight efforts by Canyon Capital Realty Advisors to have the money-losing property sold via foreclosure auction. If Canpartners wins at auction, it may go … Continue reading

Posted in Colorado, Current, Economy, Election, Florida, Georgia, Golden Gaming, Herbst Gaming, Hooters, Horseracing, Slot routes, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Going home again; Hotel Hell: The sequel

Here’s a casino-development story with several personal angles. When I lived in Minneapolis and wrote from the since-defunct Twin Cities Reader, my publisher was R.T. Rybak. Now he’s mayor of the city and is trying to hold onto the perennially … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Isle of Capri, Lyle Berman, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

Hotel Hell

Last weekend, my wife and I were subjected treated to what is undoubtedly — without any question — the worst hotel stay of our lives. So-called Affinity Gaming wanted to show off its $8 million retrofit of Primm Valley Resort … Continue reading

Posted in Carl Icahn, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, Station Casinos | 1 Comment

Thanks but no thanks

My birthday coincides with “Free Ride” day on the Desperado at Primm Valley Resorts. From 12:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., on August 16, you can be terrorized to your heart’s content. And terrifying it is: My wife and I tried … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, Tourism | Comments Off on Thanks but no thanks

Spinmeister Santo

Remember how the Union Plaza used to be on track for a “grand soft reopening” (love that phrase!) on August 24? Somewhere along the way, that target date fell by the wayside. Solution? Generate a blizzard of stories like this … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Carl Icahn, Current, Downtown, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Tamares Group, Technology, Tourism | Comments Off on Spinmeister Santo

Quote of the Day

“I learned a lot from my mom during her last year — mainly that it really, really sucks to be dependent, and even when your body betrays you, it doesn’t mean that you’ve lost your marbles. And instead of getting respect … Continue reading

Posted in Herbst Gaming, Reno | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Sands: Pump up the volume; Nevada’s new casino tax; Cannery’s secret weapon

As in “VIP volume.” That’s what Las Vegas Sands has to do in order to monetize some of its Macao assets, according to a J.P. Morgan report that appeared this morning. In the course of meeting with Sands honchos, Joseph … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Cannery Casino Resorts, Economy, Herbst Gaming, Macau, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Herbst Gaming: new name, familiar faces

No, the company hasn’t been dissolved. But with the various Herbst boys having been run off — plus the negative brand equity created by their eponymous casino firm’s financial collapse — new ownership decided it’s time for a new moniker. … Continue reading

Posted in Aristocrat, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, history, IGT, Illinois, International, MGM Mirage, Regulation, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

Goett … Goett … gone

In addition to his core site of 100 acres across from M Resort, would-be Olympia Gaming mogul Gary Goett is also shopping around an additional 260 gaming-enabled acres directly to the north. Goett’s asking price? A cool million an acre, … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Current, Downtown, Economy, Gary Goett, Herbst Gaming, International, Marketing, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

“This place has all the class of a 7-Eleven combined with the excitement of a Keno parlor and the desperation of a sports book. In other words, I loved it.” — VegasTripping.com‘s Chuckmonster on the Primm Lotto Store, just a … Continue reading

Posted in California, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Terry the Casino Slayer

When Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) was campaigning to reclaim his old office from Chet Culver (D), he argued against Culver’s casino-expansion plan, arguing that it was economically inadvisable. With the Iowa casino market not so much saturated as waterlogged, … Continue reading

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Current, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Penn National, Politics, Stanley Ho, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Terry the Casino Slayer

What makes Sammy run?

Scarcely was the ink dry on Sahara owner Sammy “The Naz” Nazarian‘s announcement of the property’s May 16 closure than rumors began to fly about his endgame for the old gal. At S&G, we’re pretty certain that “The Naz” (™ … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Cosmopolitan, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, M Resort, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, TV, Wall Street | 9 Comments

Hard Rock: Oh no!; Bellago bandit busted

Is there anybody who could probably run the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino worse than hapless Morgans Hotel Group? We may soon find out as Navegante Group has been announced as operator-to-be by NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. The latter, as … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Detroit, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming, history, Macau, MGM Mirage, Morgans Hotel Group, Regulation, Riviera, Sahara, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, The Strip, Wall Street | 6 Comments

Rooms at the top

It’s been a bumpy and expensive education in the Las Vegas casino business for Goldman Sachs. However, the banking house is giving its flagship property, the Stratosphere, a new look (and a new general manger to go with it). If … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Goldman Sachs, Herbst Gaming, Isle of Capri, Marketing, Steve Wynn, The Strip | 2 Comments

Uncle Carl’s Carpet Barn strikes again

You’ll never guess where high-end furniture and carpeting once destined for Fontainebleau has now turned up. The renovation explains the Buffalo Bill’s closure rumors from last autumn. So the trail of ex-F-blew furnishings now stretches from the Plaza in downtown … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Yemenidjian, Carl Icahn, Charity, Downtown, Fontainebleau, Herbst Gaming, Tamares Group | 1 Comment