One of the reasons that there isn’t more good news in this space is that there’s so much bad news to go around. Today, GamingFloor.com pulled aside the veil that has shrouded the mass firings at the Atlantic City Tropicana. According to the site, no fewer than 929 workers have been given the axe — [...]

"Big ups" to Trevi in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Not only are the food and wine excellent (I recommend the "Linguine al frutti di mare") but the design is chic and the prices are incredibly reasonable by Strip standards: $15 to $25 for an entree. But if you want to converse, best to [...]

For every casino CEO like J. Terrence Lanni, who comports himself in a manner befitting his standing and level of responsibility, there seem to be three others who carry on like spoiled brats. Exhibit A, Harrah’s CEO Gary Loveman, who displayed a truly loutish attitude in an American Gaming Association teleconference. The Gulf Coast’s casino economy [...]

A source informs me — and the Transport Workers Union confirms — that dealers at Wynn Las Vegas are ramping up for a union vote. This looks like the moment that will decide whether dealers can stick together for their communal good or whether Strip casino managements will be able to continue their heretofore successful [...]

Apparently never content to stop nickel-and-diming his dealers, Steve "Skeletor" Wynn has had his minions-for-rent at the law firm of Kamer Zucker & Abbott making mischief with the Nevada Labor Commissioner’s office. Among the scenarios KZ&A has been floating past the desk of Labor Commissioner Michael Tanchek are such ‘What ifs’ as … * What if employees [...]

Undoubtedly much to the surprise of some readers (to say nothing of my own), I had a very long and cordial conversation this morning with Jeff Simpson of the Las Vegas Sun/In Business Las Vegas. We agreed to disagree on a number of things, such as the frequency of as-told-to columns that convey the latest [...]

InBusiness Las Vegas editor Jeff Simpson’s latest column is hardly better than Wynn propaganda, alas. Seems that Wynn is no longer content to trot out the urban legend of the $90,000-per-year dealer (a creature who doth dwell amongst unicorns, centaurs, gryphons and minotaurs, from what I’ve gleaned). Now, Wynn accuses, his dealers of making "a bit [...]

Tuesday before last, the Nevada Gaming Control Board issued a bizarre letter to slot-route operators and other "restricted" licensees. When checking up on said slot operators, Control Board investigators had made the shocking discovery of "drug paraphernalia." The board, in essence, is threatening to strip the licenses from operators deemed to be selling said "drug [...]

Boy, is my face red! Last night, I erroneously scribbled that Isle of Capri had bought Casino Aztar Evansville from Columbia Sussex. D’oh! Two eagle-eyed readers (and counting) point out, what Isle of Capri bought was Casino Aztar Caruthersville, for the tidy sum of $45 million. This no doubt comes as a relief to the state [...]

That’s the sound of one hand clapping you hear, with regard to Ameristar Casinos‘ $675 million purchase of Resorts East Chicago, which Colony Capital had picked up from Harrah’s Entertainment in the fire sale that followed Harrah’s engorgement of Caesars Entertainment. While not openly criticizing the move, Deutsche Bank’s Bill Lerner pointed out, in a note [...]