Liz Benston

Story Archive

Wynn dealers appeal ruling over tip sharing: Friday, Aug. 13, 2010; As expected, Wynn casino dealers have appealed to overturn Nevada Labor Commissioner Michael Tanchek’s July ruling declaring that Steve Wynn can legally force dealers to share tips with supervisors.
Las Vegas Strip’s baccarat fortunes slide: Friday, Aug. 13, 2010; Gambling revenue on the Strip, which accounts for more than half that generated by all Nevada casinos, fell 8 percent in June despite a 4 percent increase in visitors.
Harrah’s sees $$ in resort-fee anger: Thursday, Aug. 12, 2010; Resorts nationwide have jumped on the resort fee bandwagon as a relatively painless way to boost revenue in the name of convenience.
Too many rooms to fill: CityCenter’s opening felt, even as visitor volume grows: Monday, Aug. 9, 2010; With more hotel rooms in Las Vegas than bodies to fill them, the evidence is growing that CityCenter is stealing more business from other resorts than it is creating. Many customers are choosing to stay at fancier hotels that have lowered rates.
IRS urges casinos to report suspicious, big-money players: Large transactions could signal ill-gotten gains, agents tell floor workers; Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010; Several months ago, the Internal Revenue Service agents who investigate financial crimes in Las Vegas began calling big casinos to set up meetings with their employees.
Nevada gaming companies see potential flush online: Companies operating offshore poker sites may be out of luck in U.S.; Monday, Aug. 2, 2010; The race for Internet gambling riches may have turned in favor of Nevada-based casino operators that own some of the best-known brands in the business.
Customer loyalty called a must-win for casinos: Wednesday, July 28, 2010; The increasing popularity of gambling and casinos as mainstream entertainment is a double-edged sword for casino operators that must compete with properties offering the same games and similar entertainment options.
Wynn’s win for restaurateurs: Casino mogul’s victory in tip-sharing controversy may head off future complaints from servers; Tuesday, July 27, 2010; When the Nevada Labor Commissioner ruled this month that Steve Wynn’s policy of distributing casino dealer tips to supervisors was legal, restaurants across Nevada breathed a sigh of relief.
Officials: Scam bilked sports bettors for nearly $1 million: Wednesday, July 21, 2010; Federal prosecutors today filed fraud and money laundering charges against a man who allegedly used a bogus sports betting scam to bilk investors for nearly $1 million.
Retirees, with nest eggs crushed, can’t muster Strip rebound: Monday, July 19, 2010; Strip gaming revenue is struggling to recover despite several indications that the nation’s economic picture has improved somewhat from a year ago.
Dealers say supervisors getting share of tips creates conflict of interest: Argument in continuing crusade against Wynn policy hinges on potential to taint supervisors; Sunday, July 18, 2010; In the fight to reverse Steve Wynn’s policy of sharing casino dealers’ tips with their immediate supervisors, one argument seemed to hold the most promise.
Some Veer owners uncomfortable with policy of renting their units: Friday, July 16, 2010; Potential buyers of condominiums in CityCenter’s Veer towers are having mixed reactions about the prospect of being allowed to rent out their units for a minimum of six months.
Online gambling is illegal, but betting sites' logos often in Nevada casinos: Tuesday, July 13, 2010; Black-market online gambling companies have a considerable presence on the stage that is Las Vegas. Those who watched the start of the World Series of Poker main event were just as likely to see logos for online gambling companies as the tournament’s poker chip icon.
Official: Casinos can split dealers' tips with supervisors: Monday, July 12, 2010; Steve Wynn’s controversial policy of splitting casino dealers’ tips with their immediate supervisors doesn’t violate state law, according to a ruling issued today by Nevada’s Labor Commissioner.
Online poker law in effect, but players still manage to bet: Sunday, July 11, 2010; It’s another sweltering afternoon in Las Vegas, and a 33-year-old woman is sitting in front of her home computer wearing pink fuzzy slippers as she breaks federal law yet again.
South Point's Michael Gaughan gambles on looser slots: Tuesday, July 6, 2010; As the sole proprietor of the South Point, Michael Gaughan doesn’t have to consult a board of directors, worry about Wall Street, appease shareholders or hold countless management meetings to accomplish his goals.
Technology allows advertising on idle slot machines: A local company’s new technology lets screens show commercials when machines aren’t being played; Saturday, July 3, 2010; The gambling areas of casinos have long been advertisers’ Holy Grail. American casinos attracted a record 62 million visitors last year — 28 percent of the U.S. adult population — despite the worst economy for gambling on record, according to the American Gaming Association.
Customer may not have written that online hotel review: Tuesday, June 22, 2010; The rise of traveler-generated online reviews has forced hotel managers to contend with anonymous posts from angry or disappointed customers. It has also opened the door for sneak counterattacks in the form of bogus positive reviews created to boost their clients’ image.
Has the Rio lost its shine for buyers?: Monday, June 21, 2010; When billionaire Phil Ruffin bought Treasure Island last year, speculation swirled about other Las Vegas hotels that could be sold by cash-strapped casino giants. The name game fizzled, however, as the big corporations chipped away at their massive debts.
Blackjack with poorer payouts making headway in Vegas: 'Sometimes it’s OK to have sucker bets if the suckers are enjoying themselves,' casino consultant says; Friday, June 18, 2010; The payoff for blackjack has dropped at more Las Vegas tables, but the trade-off is that minimum bets for those games are a little lower. In recent months, more than two dozen tables paying 6-5 for blackjacks have surfaced in Las Vegas.
MGM responding to online reviewers' criticism of Aria: Taking comments seriously, MGM making an effort to improve service; Thursday, June 17, 2010; Shortly after CityCenter’s Aria opened in late December, a rash of bad reviews of the five-star resort went worldwide on Tripadvisor.com. That travel information website has rapidly become required reading for hotel managers across the country. It ranks hotels according to customer ratings that accompany anonymous reviews and gave Aria a 62 percent satisfaction rating, behind many low-frills properties around town.
Caesars Palace mulling change on dealer tips: Wynn was first to give part of pot to supervisors; Monday, June 14, 2010; Steve Wynn shocked the Las Vegas casino industry four years ago by implementing a plan requiring Wynn Las Vegas dealers to share a portion of their tips with immediate supervisors.
Major investor bets big on Vegas: Paulson & Co., which predicted housing bust, says it’s time to buy; Saturday, June 12, 2010; Las Vegas casino operators are bracing for a difficult summer, as the desert heat keeps conventions away and hotels try to lure tourists with low rates already beaten down by the recession.
New draw for frugal Las Vegas visitors: Kitchenettes: Tuesday, June 8, 2010; Forget those small but well-stocked minibars and glittering views. Las Vegas hotel rooms may soon be known for their well-appointed kitchens — places where visitors can avoid the town’s staggering array of high-priced restaurants.
Uptick in MGM Mirage bookings offers hope for Strip turnaround: Monday, June 7, 2010; MGM Mirage executives are optimistic that CityCenter, an $8.5 billion resort complex that has increased hotel room volume at a time of depressed demand, will soon turn a profit.
MGM Mirage exports its brand to foreign lands: Wednesday, June 2, 2010; Slam-dunk profits are a foreign concept in Las Vegas these days — which is why Nevada’s largest casino company is pursuing success abroad. MGM Mirage has been forced to downsize, and it reported a first-quarter loss.
Wynn executives among the highest paid in Las Vegas: Sunday, May 30, 2010; With business volume in Las Vegas retreating to 2004 levels, compensation packages for the area’s highest-paid executives last year sunk to 2001 levels as incentive pay and stock-based compensation dried up in the recession.
Friendly and clean sure beat out mean: Las Vegas hotels getting the message that customer service should be a top priority in this economy; Sunday, May 30, 2010; Ask frequent traveler Tom Slater which U.S. hotel provides him with the best customer service and he praises an Embassy Suites in Ohio over the many Las Vegas resorts he has stayed in.
Question evolving from legalization debate: How to tax online casinos?: Monday, May 24, 2010; At first glance, the 15-year debate on whether to regulate and tax Internet gambling appears to have evolved little from the initial standoff of morality and social costs on one side and libertarianism and financial need on the other.
Design contest provides glimpse of 'green' hotel room of future: Saturday, May 22, 2010; In the hotel room of the future, you can forget about taking a long, hot soak in the tub because there won’t be one. Nor will it have a bathroom per se.
Long, hot summer for regulators of Las Vegas party scene: Monday, May 17, 2010; This summer may yield the biggest party season in Las Vegas history, with seven new or expanded pools poised to offer visitors more excuses to drop inhibitions and money.
MGM Mirage, Harrah's finding revenue in rewards programs: Monday, May 10, 2010; Last summer, MGM Mirage sent offers to Las Vegas residents who had previously gambled at the Bellagio, offering them a free stay at the resort. Business was down, so the hope was that these local guests, much like tourists, would spend money on other attractions during their stay.
Resort fees catch guests by surprise: Saturday, May 8, 2010; Chicago resident Tim Murtaugh keeps close tabs on his trip expenses, so when the Excalibur tacked a $4.50 “resort fee” on top of his $39 room rate for each night of his stay, the retired librarian sent a complaint letter to the resort’s management.
Men plead guilty to conspiracy to sell counterfeit slot machines: Thursday, May 6, 2010; Two men charged with making and selling counterfeit slot machines and unauthorized gambling software pleaded guilty Thursday in a Las Vegas courtroom.
Investors betting on future of Las Vegas casinos: Stock prices surging even though Strip outlook remains grim; Thursday, May 6, 2010; Almost all the key indicators point to Southern Nevada’s economy remaining stuck in the ditch. But stock investors appear convinced that its economic engine, the Las Vegas Strip, will soon be running at full speed again.
Wynn's impetus for considering moving headquarters to Macau: Saturday, May 1, 2010; For some industry observers, Steve Wynn’s talk of moving his corporate headquarters to Macau is a logical reflection of his casino there generating 65 percent of Wynn Resorts’ revenue.
Pay for pre-shift meetings spurs suit against Harrah’s: Wednesday, April 28, 2010; A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday is the latest in a series of class-action pay claims filed by Nevada workers. The suit alleges Harrah’s Entertainment requires workers to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before their shifts start but doesn’t pay them for the extra time.
No gambling required: Harrah's widens rewards program: Tuesday, April 27, 2010; When Laura Sides and her husband visit Las Vegas, he gambles while she spends money on pedicures, massages and shopping. “My husband doesn’t do any of that stuff,” says Sides as she strolls out of Caesars Palace’s Qua spa with freshly painted toenails.
Worker who campaigned to ban casino smoking dies of cancer: Monday, April 26, 2010; Cheryl Rose, a casino worker who helped mount a brief campaign to ban smoking in Nevada casinos, died last week after a two-year battle with lung cancer. Rose passed away April 20 at her daughter's home in Illinois, where she had moved to participate in that state's government-sponsored health insurance program.
What happens in Macau could complicate business deals here: Tuesday, April 20, 2010; Although the stated topic of New Jersey gaming regulators’ report last month was MGM Mirage’s partnership with Hong Kong businesswoman Pansy Ho, the underlying theme was the shady way casino VIP rooms are run in Macau.
Coin-operated slots bring back sound of old Vegas: Eastside Cannery among small number of casinos with aging machines; Tuesday, April 20, 2010; Like other casinos, the Eastside Cannery on Boulder Highway tries to keep players coming back by installing the latest and most elaborate slot machines on the market. But the machines attracting the attention on this day have their own sound: the loud pinging of quarters hitting metal trays and the clink of coins as gamblers scoop them up and drop them, one by one, into the machines.
Lawsuit filed against CityCenter over Vdara condo-hotel units: Friday, April 16, 2010; A California man who put down a deposit to buy a condo-hotel unit at Vdara filed a class-action lawsuit Friday against MGM Mirage's CityCenter, alleging developers unlawfully sold the units as securities without providing investors details on what they were buying. The lawsuit comes a month after CityCenter began the process of closing escrow with Vdara buyers. It’s been a slow process, as about 30 Vdara’s 1,495 units had closed escrow as of last week.
Macau giving fits to Nevada regulators: Organized crime said to run rampant where state giants do business; Sunday, April 11, 2010; Renewed concern about the influence of organized crime in Macau, where three Las Vegas-based gaming giants own casinos, has raised questions about the ability of Nevada regulators to monitor or act on what takes place on the other side of the world.
Empty lots hurt nearby casinos on the Strip's north end: Monday, April 5, 2010; The mothballed and postponed construction projects on the Strip are making the recession even rougher on one end of Las Vegas Boulevard. Standing between that northern section and the rest of the Strip is mostly vacant land bought by developers who tore down older hotels during the economic boom and aimed to build high-end resorts.
Slot operator sees signs of recovery in Las Vegas: Monday, March 29, 2010; During the real estate boom, video poker bars mushroomed across the Las Vegas Valley like weeds after a desert monsoon. But with the recession, many bars have fallen on hard times. Several built within the past few years have closed.
Has dog racing run its course?: A dying breed: While greyhound tracks close across the country, the industry’s prospects worsen as gaming companies complain about having to subsidize an antiquated sport; Monday, March 22, 2010; The national convention of the American Greyhound Track Owners Association that starts today at Caesars Palace will include a sober accounting of the industry’s latest victims — and the intractable problems that will contribute to future closures.
Technology is king at the M Resort sports book: Saturday, March 20, 2010; The year-old M Resort sports book not only looks different from almost all of its competitors in Southern Nevada, it sounds different. It’s less of a roller coaster of yells and groans and more of a steady rumbling, a hum that sounds more machine than man-made. Most sports books offer chairs and couches for gamblers and fans to watch the games on big screens, house-party style.
Slots have gotten looser, not that the average gambler can tell: Tuesday, March 16, 2010; While the recession has slot players tightening their spending habits, Nevada casinos appear to be loosening up. From 1995 through 2008, the percentage of wagers kept by Nevada slot machines crept up while the percentage paid out to players declined.
New Las Vegas resorts a luxury companies can't afford: Monday, March 15, 2010; Harrah’s Entertainment is spending about $100 million to buy the Planet Hollywood resort from a nearly bankrupt neighbor and reinvest more money into the property. But the solid consensus is that no new casinos or hotels will be built on the Strip any time soon.
Nevada still at center of the gaming tech world: Sunday, March 14, 2010; Although the United States has lost millions of manufacturing jobs, Nevada has remained the global leader in a manufacturing niche — gambling equipment. More than half of the global gaming supplier industry is in Nevada.