J.D. Morris

Story Archive

Regulators approve Station Casinos’ proposed initial public offering: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016; Nevada regulators today approved Station Casinos’ plan for an initial public offering, allowing the locals gaming giant to move forward with its transition back into a public company. Station, which was taken private …
Las Vegas casinos spending heavily to defend tax increase; here’s why: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016; Nevada’s major casinos were generally strong supporters of Gov. Brian Sandoval’s $1.1 billion tax package last year, and they have already spent heavily to keep ...
How does a plan like this come to be? Who is responsible?: Monday, Jan. 18, 2016; The push started more than three years ago, when Rossi Ralenkotter, president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, brought local tourism industry leaders together to talk about transportation issues. Ralenkotter made it clear from the outset the group needed to think beyond its own specific interests about how to keep Las Vegas globally competitive ...
Rail projects in other cities: How’d they do it?: Monday, Jan. 18, 2016; Phoenix; Denver; San Diego; and Orlando, Fla., have provided blue prints Las Vegas can follow when it comes to building public mass transit systems. We examine their costs and the impact the systems have had on their cities.
How mass transit will affect Southern Nevada tourism: Monday, Jan. 18, 2016; Light rail would affect the Strip, conventions, the north Strip and international visitors ...
Strip parking plan had been percolating for years: Friday, Jan. 15, 2016; MGM Resorts’ announcement that it will soon start charging customers to park at its Strip resorts was a long time coming. Speculation that the casino operator would ...
Wynn Resorts expects 4th-quarter revenue drop in Macau, win in Las Vegas: Friday, Jan. 15, 2016; Wynn Resorts Ltd. said today it expected to report a steep decline in revenue from its China operations in the fourth quarter of 2015, though it would anticipate a stronger financial performance in ...
Sin City surge: Las Vegas tourism industry stays on post-recession upswing: Friday, Jan. 15, 2016; By most measures, last year was a pretty good one for the Las Vegas tourism industry. Visitation in 2015 surpassed the record set one year earlier by about 1.2 million people, preliminary figures show, and officials expect ...
MGM appoints CEO, CFO for new real estate investment trust: Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016; MGM Resorts International announced today it has chosen two businessmen with investment banking backgrounds to lead the real estate investment trust into ...
Three executives promoted, one retiring at Boyd Gaming: Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016; Boyd Gaming Corp. this week announced some major leadership changes, with three people promoted to higher-level positions and one longtime executive retiring later this year. The company said today ...
Light rail presented as best option to connect Strip, airport, downtown: Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016; Why does Las Vegas need light rail? It would link the airport, the Strip and downtown Las Vegas, a critical connection that would greatly benefit the economy and the tourist experience, a local transportation official ...
Cosmopolitan CEO recommended for license by gaming board: Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016; William McBeath, the chief executive of the Cosmopolitan, today received the first of two regulatory approvals he needs to be licensed by state gaming authorities. The Gaming Control Board approved ...
Developer scoops up 38-acre IGT campus in southwest valley for $75M: Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016; Developer Doug Roberts is one of many investors building large industrial properties in the valley without tenants lined up. Now he’s got another big property to shop around ...
Looking ahead: See what lies in store for the Las Vegas Strip in 2016: Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015; While the physical dynamic of the Strip did not change too dramatically this year, it nonetheless proved to be an important development period as a few key projects ...
Tourism officials: Las Vegas cracks 42 million visitors this year: Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015; Las Vegas surpassed 42 million annual visitors for the first time this year, tourism officials announced today. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ...
Nevada gaming revenue up 7.8 percent in November: Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015; Nevada gaming revenue increased 7.8 percent in November, led by a particularly strong month for casinos in Clark County, the state reported today. The Gaming Control Board said ...
Plaza renovating its rooftop pool in downtown Las Vegas: Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015; The Plaza in downtown Las Vegas today announced it will undertake a major renovation of its rooftop pool starting next week. The hotel-casino said its “extensive, multi-million dollar” pool renovation will begin ...
A peek into the mind of Howard Hughes: Monday, Dec. 28, 2015; Last week, our staff examined how secret documents stored in a safe owned by Las Vegas Sun publisher Hank Greenspun were connected to the Watergate break-ins that sunk President Richard Nixon. This week, we take a detailed look at what the documents said ...
Watergate break-in has connection to Las Vegas: Who tried to break into Hank Greenspun’s safe?; Monday, Dec. 21, 2015; More than four decades ago, Las Vegas Sun publisher Hank Greenspun said he had information that could take down President Richard Nixon. And in a way, he was right. A large safe in Greenspun’s office contained a stash of memos written by reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes and his former ...
The word on Vegas: 10 of the best books about Sin City: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015; For those craving more winter reading, or perhaps looking for a good gift for a book lover, there's a lot to read about Las Vegas' past. Here are 10 books that give a glimpse into ...
5 times casinos were referenced in the 2016 campaign — so far: Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015; Even when not debating at a big Las Vegas casino-resort, which Republican contenders will do Tuesday night, gambling references have worked their way into the campaign rhetoric multiple times. And there’s evidence ...
Mesquite casino takes ‘family business’ to the next level: Monday, Dec. 14, 2015; It’s not often the retirement benefits of a small-town casino attract the attention of Nevada gaming regulators. But recent moves made by the Eureka in Mesquite are anything but normal for the gaming industry. The Eureka received approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission in November to adopt an employee stock ownership plan, or an ESOP, which will act as ...
RTC board receptive to transit plan that includes light rail: Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015; Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani had three words today for anyone who still wants to debate about whether the Strip should have light rail ...
Congress scrutinizes bill outlawing online gaming in Nevada: Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015; Congressional lawmakers took another intense look Wednesday at a controversial bill that would ban online gaming, including in Nevada and the other two states where it is already legal. The bill was discussed in a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing that focused largely on the legal and …
Why Las Vegas transportation leaders think the time is right for light rail: Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015; Armed with figures showing that traffic congestion throughout Las Vegas will become far more severe over the next two decades if local leaders do not make major changes to ...
RTC unveils long-ranging transportation plan that includes light rail: Monday, Dec. 7, 2015; Southern Nevada tourism leaders on Monday unveiled an ambitious, multibillion-dollar transit plan that could make substantial upgrades to the way people move around Las Vegas over the next few decades, including through the ...
Trump International employees vote to join Culinary Union: Monday, Dec. 7, 2015; Workers at the Trump International Hotel have voted in favor of union representation, a major Las Vegas union announced today. The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 said ...
County reports concerns after testing fake trees from Cosmopolitan fire: Friday, Dec. 4, 2015; The artificial palm trees that fueled a fast-burning outdoor fire at the Cosmopolitan this summer would not have passed muster for use indoors, Clark County said today, but the county is not yet pushing for any ...
Tourism officials discuss more details of convention center project: Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015; Tourism executives offered more insight today into plans to expand and renovate the Las Vegas Convention Center as they continued to make their case to a committee that will be influential in funding the project. The LVCVA is already ...
Gaming association wants presidential candidates to fill out questionnaire: Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015; Which presidential candidates would be willing to meet with casino employees? Which would take a stand against illegal gambling? And what would their approach be to ...
The Cosmopolitan agrees to 4-year union contract: Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015; The Cosmopolitan and a major Las Vegas union announced today that they have concluded negotiating a contract that will cover about 2,000 employees at ...
Nevada gaming revenue down 2.9 percent in October: Las Vegas Strip revenue drops 5.1 percent for the month; Monday, Nov. 30, 2015; Gaming revenue from Nevada casinos dropped nearly 3 percent in October, the state reported today. The Gaming Control Board said casinos won ...
With new rules in place, Las Vegas nightclubs under stricter scrutiny: Friday, Nov. 20, 2015; Nevada gaming officials put in place sweeping new regulations for nightclubs this week, increasing their oversight of a crucial but sometimes risky component of business at Las Vegas casino-resorts. Under the set of rules adopted by the Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday, casino operators must make at least one employee in charge of ...
Culinary continues to target Deutsche Bank’s ties to Station: Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015; The Culinary Union today sought to escalate its latest campaign to pressure Station Casinos by holding a rally in favor of “clean gaming” aimed ...
Eldorado Resorts gets final OK to take control of two MGM casinos in Reno: Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015; Eldorado Resorts Inc. today received the final blessing of state regulators to take over MGM Resorts International’s ownership of two Reno casinos. The Nevada Gaming Commission ...
City of Las Vegas declines to help Lucky Dragon casino project: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015; The Lucky Dragon, a planned Asian-themed hotel and casino being built just off the north Strip, failed today to advance its plan to get financial help from Las Vegas city leaders. Las Vegas City Council members ...
New performance zone rules take effect on Fremont Street: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015; Tuesday marked the dawn of a new era for street performers who have long flocked to the pedestrian mall in downtown Las Vegas. Instead of having free reign along much of Fremont Street Experience, performers are now limited to 38 specific zones between 3 p.m. and 1 a.m. They rotate every two hours between zones, which take the shape of circles on the ground designed like casino chips. ...
Stratosphere owner grows revenue 6.6 percent but reports 3rd-quarter loss: Monday, Nov. 16, 2015; The company that runs the Stratosphere, the two Arizona Charlie’s properties and the Aquarius in Laughlin reported its third-quarter earnings today. The increase in net revenue was the result strong performance in all major areas: more slot and table games revenue, increased ...
Cosmopolitan reports second straight quarterly profit: Friday, Nov. 13, 2015; The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas reported its third-quarter earnings to the Securities and Exchange Commission today. This is the second quarter in a row that the typically money-losing resort has ...
SLS Las Vegas reports $38.7 million loss in 3rd quarter: Friday, Nov. 13, 2015; SLS Las Vegas reported its third-quarter earnings to the Securities and Exchange Commission today. The SLS has yet to overcome the challenge posed by its location on the far end of the north Strip, well removed from the foot traffic and visibility enjoyed by the resorts farther south. But the resort made some progress in the third quarter on the casino side, where revenue rose to $9.9 million from about $9.5 million in the second quarter and ...
Resorts World progress report: ‘A $4 billion project will not be built overnight’: Friday, Nov. 13, 2015; At first glance, the site of Resorts World Las Vegas may not look not much different today than it did months ago. But in the southwest corner of the site, far from its colorful wall of signage on Las Vegas Boulevard, lies evidence that ...
Merger produces big revenue growth, lower profit for IGT in 3rd quarter: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015; International Game Technology, a major slot machine and lottery company, reported its third-quarter earnings today. The company in its current form was created by a $6.4 billion merger of the Italian lottery operator Gtech and ...
States of mind: Why fantasy sports biz reacted differently to NY, NV rulings: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015; The state of New York on Tuesday followed in Nevada’s footsteps when its attorney general determined that the two leading daily fantasy sports companies are gambling operations, but the fallout of that decision seems notably more intense than it has been in the Silver State. When the Nevada Gaming Control Board announced ...
Gaming association will search for ‘rational alternative’ to sports betting law: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015; Calling it a “major shift” in the casino industry’s approach to gambling on sports, the American Gaming Association today revealed plans to assemble a group focused on ...
Fontainebleau on north Strip for sale: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015; The unfinished Fontainebleau resort, which has sat idly on the north Strip for years, is for sale. The commercial real estate firm CBRE announced today that ...
Gaming association, FBI ask the public to report illegal gambling: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015; The American Gaming Association is asking the public for help with one of its top priorities at the moment: fighting against illegal gambling. The Washington, D.C.-based casino industry lobbying group said Tuesday that it’s cooperating with ...
LVCVA OKs contract for next step of demolishing Riviera: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015; The shuttered Riviera took another small step toward its eventual demolition today. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s board of directors approved a $475,000 contract with KGA Architecture to ...
Impairment charges create big third-quarter loss for Scientific Games: Monday, Nov. 9, 2015; Despite the big net loss, the company said it remains on track to create substantial cost savings because of its merger with Bally ...
Caesars increases quarterly revenue, but bankruptcy leads to big loss: Monday, Nov. 9, 2015; CEO Mark Frissora said hotel room improvements will be an important growth area for Caesars in Las Vegas. The company already announced a $75 million renovation project ...
SLS Las Vegas teaming with Starwood to rebrand hotel tower: Monday, Nov. 9, 2015; SLS Las Vegas announced today that one of its hotel towers will eventually be managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., a deal that will rebrand the tower and ...