Deal or no deal? Is he or isn’t he selling the New Frontier? Owner Phil Ruffin really seems to be in two minds about the $1.5 billion deal and it seems to depend on who is doing the asking. Ruffin told one story to the Review-Journal and another to Reuters – on the same day.

He told the RJ: "There is no agreement and nothing is on paper … Everything is very preliminary. I think they (Elad Properties) are just kicking the tires and checking the place out."

He told Reuters: ""The contract has not been signed, but if everything goes OK, the deal could be signed in a couple of weeks."

He also admitted defeat on his Swiss-themed project, Montreux. Rising construction costs and an attractive 15-percent federal tax on capital gains and other factors have led to a decision to sell, he told the news service.

And as the Business Press reported Tuesday, the Elad deal will be an astronomical leap in Strip land prices. No wonder those MGM shares are jumping. It’s not all about Macau.