Jeff Simpson

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Despite recession, Sammy’s growing in Las Vegas: Friday, Nov. 27, 2009; If you search for a Las Vegas business success during the recession, you might be looking for quite some time. But your quest won’t take long if you follow your nose to the smell of success at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza.
Lotus Broadcasting, Vegas stations focus on community: Friday, Aug. 14, 2009; Advertising revenue is down and profits have tumbled, but Las Vegas radio powerhouse Lotus Broadcasting isn’t hitting the panic button. Not by a long shot.
Crystals reveals more of its facets: Friday, July 10, 2009; MGM Mirage has lured an impressive array of the world’s top luxury retailers for Crystals, the retail component of its $8.5 billion CityCenter, the company announced this week.
Travel site upgrades trip packaging: Revamped VEGAS.com boosts custom options; Monday, March 30, 2009; VEGAS.com is expected to announce significant enhancements to its site today that will vastly boost the options in creating custom Las Vegas travel packages with a visit to just one Web site.
Wynn: Encore will take hit despite 'position of strength': Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008; The financial whirlwind swirling down Wall Street and the Las Vegas Strip won't affect Wynn Resorts nearly as much as his big competitors, Steve Wynn said this morning.
CityCenter signals a change in the very nature of development on the Strip: Monday, May 12, 2008; It is amazing how easy it is for those of us who live in Las Vegas to fail to appreciate the tremendous changes under way on the Strip.
How the airline industry’s recent financial problems affect Vegas: Sunday, April 27, 2008; I’m generally a guy who sees the glass as half full, but today I’d like to share a couple of conflicting views of our local economy.
Why Strip resorts need to end nightclub tipping shakedowns: Monday, March 17, 2008; Like many readers of the Sun, I was appalled by the story in last Sunday’s paper about the Las Vegas family that was shaken down for hundreds of dollars in tips by the staff of LAX, a nightclub at the Luxor.
How one troubled business was turned around — and why some might not be saved: Sunday, March 9, 2008; This week I’d like to take a look at four failed or challenged Las Vegas businesses and examine whether they can be revived.
Jeff Simpson explains why he doesn’t think Signature towers buyers will win in court: Sunday, March 2, 2008; Last week I met six of the folks who are suing MGM Mirage because they believe they were misled about their purchase of condo-hotel units at the Signature towers at MGM Grand.
Jeff Simpson: Palms Place condo tower will be a success: Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008; While I’m generally skeptical of casino resort condominiums, particularly hotel condos (like Palms Place), I think Palms Place will be a big success — financially and stylistically.
Jeff Simpson is betting on the big guys who are betting that the future of Vegas is still unlimited: Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008; Now is the time for all the Chicken Littles to come out of the coop and start warning Las Vegans about the falling sky.
Jeff Simpson takes a look at the intense and pricey battle for casino licenses in some other states and across the ocean: Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008; Battles for limited casino licenses are high-stakes propositions.
Jeff Simpson answers slams in a full-page ad taken out by the owner of the Tropicana: Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008; It’s my opinion that Columbia Sussex flouted New Jersey gaming regulations and that Nevada regulators should file a formal complaint against the company, hold a public hearing and consider pulling its six Nevada casino licenses.
Steve Wynn on Wynn Las Vegas Shows: Monday, Jan. 28, 2008
Don't cash paychecks, Trop workers told again: Monday, Jan. 28, 2008; My Sunday column about new indignities suffered by Tropicana employees, including being told they had to wait two days to cash their Jan. 14 paychecks, spurred more than a dozen e-mails and phone calls, including several from disgruntled workers.
Jeff Simpson on the latest reason Nevada should yank the Trop owner's license: Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008; Not only did the workers confirm that they and their fellow Tropicana employees were told not to cash their paychecks for two days, but they told me that there have been more than 200 cases of workers being underpaid on their paychecks in recent months.
Culinary phone bank to call its 1,200 Monte Carlo workers: Friday, Jan. 25, 2008; D. Taylor, Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer and Local 226's top official, said about 4:30 p.m. Friday that the union was setting up a phone bank to call every one of its 1,200 members who work at the Monte Carlo.
Monte Carlo loses $12.68 per second when it's closed: Friday, Jan. 25, 2008
What went right, wrong and what’s still incomplete at the new Palazzo: Monday, Jan. 21, 2008; Resort openings are among my favorite Las Vegas business news events, and I was excited to check out the Palazzo Las Vegas’ grand opening last week.
Looking ahead on the housing slump, resort openings and the gaming tax: Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008; The housing slump and the accompanying spike in foreclosures have been the biggest personal finance story for more than a year, and I don't expect things to get much better this year, if they improve at all.
Jeff Simpson sees hope in a broad-based business tax pushed by the head of MGM Mirage: Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007; Lanni's speech to the NDA blasted gaming tax initiatives and government by initiative, but his most interesting remarks concerned his call for a business tax that would bring fiscal stability to the state while providing the resources to improve critical needs, especially education.
Past Two Winners of WSOP Main Event Not Great for the Game: Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007; Harrah's Entertainment made an incredibly shrewd business decision in 2003 when it acquired the rights to the World Series of Poker, and the company has done a decent job with the event and its recognizable brand.
Reducing the number of illegal workers: Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007; The federal Homeland Security Department plans this month to begin enforcing workplace regulations that will require businesses to screen their employees to make sure their Social Security numbers match their names.
Jeff Simpson on why bad news involving gambling is bad news for Las Vegas, despite all the defenses of legalized sports betting: Sunday, July 29, 2007; Clearly casino gambling no longer sets Las Vegas and Nevada apart from the rest of the country, with state- and tribal-regulated casinos a reasonable driving distance away from most Americans.
Jeff Simpson hears how tip sharing works, and works well, from an experienced hand: Sunday, April 29, 2007; Wynn Las Vegas is stealing our tips, and if Steve Wynn isn't stopped, other casinos will copy his insidious system, they say.
Jeff Simpson on how the El Cortez is quickly becoming downtown's feel-good story of the year: Sunday, March 11, 2007; The numbers are dizzying, and I'll confess to having to think twice when I add nine or more zeroes to a number to quantify the scale of investment.
Jeff Simpson explains that the economic sky is not falling despite some clouds: Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007; Many folks undoubtedly want to know whether the housing slump will persist throughout 2007, and how long it will be before rapid real estate appreciation returns.
Mega-law firms to join forces: Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006; One of the most influential law firms in Las Vegas is merging with a Denver-based firm in a deal that demonstrates the increasing importance of the city's business community.
Jeff Simpson on how Red Rock Resort is fulfilling Fertittas' lofty expectations for profitability: Sunday, Nov. 5, 2006; Last week, Station Casinos reported Red Rock Resort's first full quarter of results since it opened in April. The luxury locals property has already reported $44 million in cash flow since its opening - more than the supremely successful Green Valley Ranch collected in its first full year of operation. Cash flow - or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization - is the number most used to represent casino profitability.
China's rush to gamble has Macau cashing in: Friday, Sept. 8, 2006; MACAU - As I maneuver down the ferry gangway, dozens of fellow passengers from Hong Kong run by, racing to get into this city.
Jeff Simpson describes the personal side of the very successful George Maloof: Sunday, July 16, 2006; Hanging with movie actors, TV stars and NBA players. Hosting MTV and Playboy shows and events. Attracting the hip and the beautiful to his nightclubs. Creating the first themed hotel suites with windowed showers in the living room.
Jeff Simpson gives credit to a few casinos that have gone the extra mile to improve: Sunday, June 4, 2006; It has been almost two years since I've stopped in at Jerry's Nugget, the old-school, casino-only property on Las Vegas Boulevard, just north of the city line in North Las Vegas.
Jeff Simpson on Red Rock: It's great, but let's not get carried away with the hype: Sunday, April 9, 2006; One respected Wall Street analyst who toured the property went so far as to send out a research note calling the property the best resort product in all of Las Vegas.
Wynn: Deal is good for Macau: Monday, March 6, 2006; PBL is controlled by the family of the late Kerry Packer, who died in December. The company owns many of Australia's leading broadcasting and magazine assets as well as the Crown casino operation. Packer's son James Packer runs PBL.
Jeff Simpson says Suncoast and Rampart don't fear opening of $1 billion resort: Sunday, March 5, 2006; The $925 million casino at the intersection of the Las Vegas Beltway and Charleston Boulevard has been touted by those who have toured it as being not only clearly better than all other locals casinos, but as good as any on the Strip.
Jeff Simpson takes a ride down the Strip, pointing out the ultra to the cheesy: Sunday, Feb. 26, 2006; Ultra high-end: Wynn Las Vegas and Bellagio. Wynn Las Vegas gets the slight edge, with its on-site golf club, more intimate public and private spaces and superior architecture.
Jeff Simpson on how competition is a very good thing for the residents of valley: Sunday, Feb. 19, 2006; Las Vegans don't have to look far to see this economic rule at work. Steve Wynn and Sheldon Adelson battle for high-end business across Sands Avenue and casino industry giants MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment square off along the length of Las Vegas Boulevard.
'Avenue Q' dead-ends: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006; In the end, maybe what "Avenue Q" needed to be a hit in Las Vegas was acrobats diving into a pool, some pyrotechnics unleashed against a driving soundtrack, a less American-centric script dealing with topics less weighty than racism - and maybe a few showgirls. Yeah, more showgirls - that's the ticket.
Jeff Simpson wonders why there's no crackdown on state's Internet poker players: Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006; Nevada is one of the few states to have enacted laws making it illegal to gamble online. Web casino operators contend that their operations don't violate federal law - an assertion disputed by the Justice Department - but even if an ongoing legal battle backs the Web casinos' point of view, it clearly remains illegal for Nevadans to gamble on the Internet.
Jeff Simpson notes that not all Stardust workers will retain Boyd Gaming jobs: Sunday, Feb. 5, 2006; While owner Boyd Gaming is working on plans to give jobs to as many of the Stardust's workers as it can, it would be impossible for the company to place each and every one of the employees at its Las Vegas-area casinos.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: On Michael Gaughan's straight talk about start-up glitches at his South Coast casino: Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006; Michael Gaughan may be the most straightforward casino boss in Las Vegas. No $100 haircut, no pinstripe power suit and no pulled punches.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: On why, in Las Vegas, parking can be a not-so-sweet sorrow: Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006; Every now and then I'm going to tackle some aspects of the resort business and write about what I like -- and what I don't -- and why.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: Shedding some Light on strip club's Strip connections: Sunday, Jan. 15, 2006; Nevada's Gaming Control Board is investigating the activities in Las Vegas casino resort nightclubs -- including Light at Bellagio, one of the Strip's top two resorts.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: Why Wynn, Station are likely to pass on Penn: Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006; Leading Las Vegas casino operators don't agree on prospects in the Keystone State.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: 2006 can only get better for LV gaming: Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006; I expect major Las Vegas business - especially big casino industry news -- to be the norm again in 2006, with some of the most significant events taking place during the first part of the year.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: Finding that the gaming industry hit some new highs, but natural disasters caused real lows: Sunday, Dec. 25, 2005; The casino industry's stocking is full this morning. Mostly gifts, but a few lumps of coal. The past year has been a great one for the Las Vegas market, and 2006 looks to be strong as well.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: On South Coast -- Poised to take its place among the valley's top locals casinos: Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005; One of the great things about the casino business is that there's more than one way to be spectacularly successful. Kirk Kerkorian and Steve Wynn created profitable companies that operate giant Las Vegas resorts, but each have gone about generating most of their casino billions on the Strip.
Columnist Jeff Simpson: On Why Wynn is smiling: Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005; I met with Wynn for a couple of hours last week, and the developer could barely contain his satisfaction with the performance of Wynn Las Vegas.
Wynning in Macau: Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005; Steve Wynn didn't have to look far when it came time to figure out how to best capitalize on his valuable Macau casino concession.