Liz Benston

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Ex-FBI director joins coalition pushing for online poker: Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011; Former FBI director Louis Freeh has joined Fair Play USA, a coalition backed by Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International that is pushing for Congress to adopt federal regulations allowing online poker.
Caesars outlines details for Octavius tower opening: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011; Caesars Entertainment today released details about its Octavius tower opening in January, the sixth hotel tower to debut at its Caesars Palace flagship and the resort's second tower in nearly seven years. Rooms in the 668-room tower will start at 550 square feet and feature velvet sofas, stone tables, marble floors, dark wood desks with embedded granite, and custom cabinetry with a "premium mini bar," the company said. Included in the 668 rooms are 60 suites and six luxury villas.
Station Casinos trying to win back gamblers, revamps Boarding Pass program: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011; Station Casinos was once a Wall Street darling, enjoying increasing profits by nailing a business plan that relied on local, repeat customers. And then Station’s fortunes collapsed, hit hard as the recession especially pummeled Las Vegas and locals thought twice about how to spend their discretionary money.
Second dolphin of the year born at Mirage habitat: Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011; A bottlenose dolphin gave birth last month to a calf, the second dolphin birth this year at the Mirage resort's dolphin habitat, the property announced today.
Nevada's outsourcing of slot testing likely to benefit manufacturers: Monday, Aug. 29, 2011; Slot machines and other high-tech forms of gambling equipment aren’t like toasters or floor lamps. They are more complicated — and crucial to the economy of Nevada.
Getting OK to implode the Harmon proving to be monumental task: Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011; When owners of old casinos are ready to pull the plug, they head to Clark County government offices for a demolition permit, detailing how and when the building should be taken down so as not to harm neighbors.
Gaming regulators unveil rules to oversee Internet poker: Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011; The state Gaming Control Board on Wednesday issued a draft of proposed regulations governing Internet poker, a first step in establishing a framework for licensing online poker operators by a Jan. 31 deadline.
Internet gambling’s new best friend? Conservatives: Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011; The argument that regulated online gambling could raise millions of tax dollars and generate thousands of jobs has gained steam with fiscal conservatives opposed to raising taxes.
Man's crusade against ladies' night will continue after new law takes effect: Friday, Aug. 19, 2011; Steve Horner, a former talk show host turned life coach and writer of self-help books, has gained recognition filing successful sex discrimination complaints against bars and other businesses nationwide. His contention: Ladies’ nights, or other promotions that reserve freebies and discounts for women, are discriminatory.
As Las Vegas gaming companies see gains, stock market brings uncertainty: Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011; Upswings in earnings among some Las Vegas casinos have many locals cheering a business recovery that’s reflected in actual spending data rather than ephemeral indicators such as consumer sentiment.
PT's Pubs creates program to engender loyalty from women: Friday, Aug. 12, 2011; Las Vegas has built a hospitality industry around the various marketing possibilities of the fairer sex, from scantily clad servers to ladies’ night promotions and subsidized nightclub entry fees for women — a win-win scenario for the women who take advantage of such discounts and the men they draw as a result.
Las Vegas hotels warming up to pets as guests: Friday, Aug. 12, 2011; When Mike Valles travels to Las Vegas for business several times a year, he brings his four buddies — Ivy, Harley, Honey and Cosby — with him. Although small and well-behaved, they’re not welcomed at many Las Vegas hotels.
Legal skirmish over flawed Harmon may never reveal defect blame: Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011; The stunted Harmon hotel at CityCenter stands as a constant reminder of the most startling construction defects case in Las Vegas: What was to be a 49-story tower is instead paralyzed and empty at 26 stories because of overwhelming construction flaws. Nobody wants to take the fall for what happened at Harmon.
Las Vegas tourists spending more, boosting MGM Resorts: Monday, Aug. 8, 2011; What explains the better-than-expected earnings gain reported Monday by MGM Resorts International?
Exodus of online poker players under way: Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011; Like many people who moved to Las Vegas seeking opportunity, Shaun Deeb is considering leaving town for greener pastures. But unlike the recession-triggered exodus of construction and hospitality workers, the sagging economy isn’t factoring into Deeb’s moving plans. In fact, he and a few hundred other people in town who share his vocation seem immune to the dips and turns in the economy.
Suit against Wynn tip-sharing policy dismissed: Monday, Aug. 1, 2011; Casino executive Steve Wynn has won another victory in his effort to maintain a controversial company policy of sharing workers’ tips with management.
Betting on Oscars and reality TV are no-nos, but what about on the end of the world?: Thursday, July 28, 2011; Wynn Las Vegas made headlines for offering real-money odds on who would win the World Series of Poker. It's the first Nevada casino to take advantage of a change in state regulations allowing wagers on nonsporting events. The Wynn isn’t the first Nevada casino to take bets on offbeat events, however.
Boyd narrows losses; CEO says company 'turning a corner': Wednesday, July 27, 2011; Boyd Gaming Corp. CEO Keith Smith said today his company, driven by improving results in Las Vegas, the Midwest and South, is finally “turning a corner” after three difficult years.
Peddlers, performers clogging the Strip are troubling to casinos: Wednesday, July 27, 2011; Concerns have escalated in corner offices up and down the Strip about smut peddlers and the X-rated litter their leaflets create along Las Vegas Boulevard as well as the proliferation of homeless people, costumed performers and unlicensed vendors.
MGM: CityCenter sound, apart from Harmon hotel tower: Saturday, July 23, 2011; MGM Resorts International stopped work on the Strip’s Harmon hotel in January 2009 after disclosing that contractors had made significant structural errors, including the improper placement of steel used to hold up the tower.
Public sector takes biggest jobs hit: Las Vegas unemployment rate leaps to 13.8 percent in June, state says; Friday, July 22, 2011; Unemployment numbers released Friday showed joblessness shot up to 13.8 percent in the Las Vegas area in June, the highest mark this year, reflecting the loss of thousands of government jobs — schools, university and municipal — because of the state’s budget deficit.
M Resort’s owners post strong second-quarter financials: Thursday, July 21, 2011; M Resort’s new owner Thursday reported double-digit increases in second-quarter earnings and revenue companywide that were driven by cost-cutting measures and a slowly improving economy.
Station Casinos allowed to proceed with lawsuit against Henderson: Thursday, July 21, 2011; A District Court judge today allowed Station Casinos to proceed with its lawsuit against Henderson over a land-use decision involving the Roadhouse, a defunct casino on Boulder Highway slated for redevelopment.
Casinos cutting back on floor supervisors, whose jobs evolving: Wednesday, July 20, 2011; If you’re playing blackjack, roulette or craps in a Las Vegas casino, chances are you will see a lot fewer folks in suits standing around, watching you and the dealer to make sure there’s no monkey business.
List: Disappearing Las Vegas casino jobs: Wednesday, July 20, 2011; New technology, cost cutting and an evolution in the way business is done in casinos has led to the demise of many job classifications.
Terry Lanni helped to shape gaming industry: Saturday, July 16, 2011; In an industry once known for crooks, toughs and juice, Terry Lanni — an unknown from a wealthy family in California — was recruited to bring legitimacy and professionalism to the casino business.
MGM, contractor spar over CityCenter's Harmon hotel: Tuesday, July 12, 2011; Three years after engineers discovered structural problems at CityCenter’s Harmon hotel, the parties involved in building the resort appear no closer to figuring out what to do with an empty, 26-story building.
May casino revenue numbers bring optimism to Las Vegas: Tuesday, July 12, 2011; Some casino companies in Las Vegas have been discussing slight improvements in business – without much to show for it. That evidence became obvious Tuesday when the Gaming Control Board reported the largest year-over-year increase in gambling revenue on the Las Vegas Strip since January 2008, before the recession took down the Las Vegas economy.
11 of Las Vegas' most notable casino name changes: Tuesday, July 12, 2011; or an industry often defined by similar offerings, from slot machines to swank nightclubs and signature cocktails, brand names are crucial to a casino’s identity. Every once in a while, names must change. Here are some of the more notable name changes among Las Vegas casinos over the past 30 years.
Logos are big no-nos at World Series of Poker this year: Friday, July 8, 2011; The start of the 42nd annual World Series of Poker main event this afternoon at the Rio has all the hallmarks of the world’s largest poker tournament during the heyday of the game in American popular culture, with throngs of eager participants and onlookers. This year’s crowd looks a bit different from last year, however.
Professor using software to get hospitality down to a science: Friday, July 8, 2011; Students at MIT and Stanford use high-tech devices to study nerve impulses in the human brain and subatomic particles in the solar system.
State eases licensing requirements for gaming companies eyeing Nevada: Wednesday, July 6, 2011; A Pennsylvania-based casino chain was looking for a way to crack the Las Vegas market, but that proved tricky. That’s because the process for obtaining a gaming license was long and tortuous. So Penn National Gaming bought 1 percent of a small manufacturer of slot machines.
Push for foreign Las Vegas visitation pays dividends: Friday, July 1, 2011; Las Vegas visitors from South Korea and China increased by 60 and 38 percent last year, respectively, while visitors from Canada, Australia, Germany and France increased by more than 20 percent for each country, the LVCVA said.
Hilton chain seeks to end license agreement with Las Vegas Hilton: Wednesday, June 29, 2011; The Hilton hotel chain has put the Las Vegas Hilton on notice that it intends to terminate its license agreement with the casino Jan. 1, which would force the property to give up the name it has held since the 1970s.
Cantor to run sports books at Venetian, Palazzo: Tuesday, June 28, 2011; Las Vegas Sands said Tuesday it has signed a long-term contract with Cantor Gaming to operate the race and sports books at the company’s Venetian and Palazzo casinos.
Caesars reaches beyond casino walls to bring in customers: Tuesday, June 28, 2011; The nation’s largest casino company has embarked on its most ambitious foray beyond the glittering world of gambling — by partnering with retail giants to get the attention of millions of shoppers for whom gambling, and even Las Vegas, might be an afterthought.
UNLV professor heralding Las Vegas as hospitality technology hub: Tuesday, June 28, 2011; Like many residents invested in the future of a town battered by recession, Mehmet Erdem likes to sell Las Vegas’ benefits whenever he gets the chance.
Silverton in ‘strange position’ of struggling to fill jobs: Monday, June 27, 2011; Although thousands of people are applying for jobs at the Plaza in downtown Las Vegas, the Silverton, on the south end of the Strip, is struggling to fill just 50 jobs.
Wynn, Netjets team up to give customers perks: Friday, June 24, 2011; Wynn Las Vegas recently announced a deal with NetJets Inc. to extend benefits to NetJets customers staying at Wynn or Encore hotels. Likewise, Wynn customers will receive NetJets perks.
Casinos could use slot machines to market directly to gamblers: New Bally's software to be rolled out at Caesars casinos; Thursday, June 23, 2011; New software is transforming slot machines from mere gambling devices to complex marketing machines capable of greeting gamblers by name, making restaurant reservations, placing cocktail orders or even sending up the gambler’s car from valet.
Wynn tips sharing policy dispute intensifies: Other tip earners see fight as having broader implications on hospitality industry; Thursday, June 23, 2011; The fight between nightclub workers and Wynn Las Vegas over its policy of sharing tips with managers has deepened in recent weeks, with management refusing demands that boxes containing tips be kept in a public place monitored by surveillance cameras.
Cosmo receives top creativity award for digital displays: Resort honored at international festival for hundreds of digital displays; Thursday, June 23, 2011; The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas received top honors Wednesday at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, a premier international awards contest for advertising and communications.
Cosmopolitan's chief information officer departs: Wednesday, June 22, 2011; A mere six months after its opening, the Strip’s newest megaresort has a new chief information officer. Kris Singleton started work this week at the Cosmopolitan, replacing outgoing CIO Marshall Andrew.
Lawsuits pile up as alleged casino assaults continue: Critics of casino security say a culture of thuggery exists; Wednesday, June 15, 2011; In a downtown Las Vegas office, CD cases are stacked haphazardly, like an exhaustive, meticulously labeled music collection. These aren’t albums but rather, casino surveillance footage showing altercations between customers and casino security.
Executive behind Caesars Entertainment's loyalty program leaving company: Thursday, June 2, 2011; The man widely credited with developing the casino industry's preeminent gambler loyalty program is exiting Caesars Entertainment after nearly 13 years with the casino giant.
Looking for Nevada's best blackjack experience? Go north: Friday, May 27, 2011; The small, unassuming Alamo and Topaz casinos in Northern Nevada have a leg up on the best of Las Vegas’ glittering resorts – at least by the standards of blackjack.
Tropicana's $180 million renovation turning heads: Opening of Nikki Beach pool club indicative of change at iconic Strip resort; Friday, May 27, 2011; The history of the Las Vegas Strip has been a tumultuous one, defined as much by the wrecking ball as by the construction of some of the world’s largest and most expensive resorts.
Tropicana: Five new things: Friday, May 27, 2011; In the past two years, the 54-year-old Tropicana has undergone a $180 million renovation. It barely looks like its former self -- a property known for having sub-par rooms and tacky décor.
Tropicana: Five old things: Friday, May 27, 2011; New rooms. New sports book. New restaurants. The Tropicana has all of those.
Casino MonteLago reopens at Lake Las Vegas: Thursday, May 26, 2011; It was a Las Vegas scene, circa 2007: Too many people, too few gambling machines and too few parking spaces for the throng of people on hand for what might be the only major casino opening of 2011.