Bettie: MGM/Mirage sells Golden Nugget

[Bettie]

Pending NV regulatory approval, MGM/Mirage will be selling the Golden Nuggets (downtown and Laughlin), as well as the Golden Nugget brand, to a couple of youngun's who made millions selling their travel site to Expedia.com.

Link to the R-J story below.

Bettie

Golden Nugget deal official

[hip hop]

I always figured that if this ever sold Wynn would be the man buying.

[onetoomany]

Maybe so under other circumstances, but he's probably financially challenged with his monster north-strip casino project he has going on right now. It is so expensive he had to bring in other backers, something he swore he'd never do again.

[Bettie]

> Maybe so under other circumstances, but he's probably financially challenged with his
> monster north-strip casino project he has
> going on right now.

The casino was originally to be called "Le Reve," after a Picasso painting that Wynn is particularly fond of. After some marketing research was done, it has been decided that the name will now be "Wynn Las Vegas." (On a side note, I love the sound of that!)

Wynn didn't want to give up on the original name, though, so he appointed it to the casino's steakhouse. After he did that, though, Franco Dragone (the man producing the Cirque du Soleil-type show at the casino) asked if he could use the name for the show. Wynn loved the idea, so now the name "Le Reve" will be featured prominently within the casino as the main show, and all of Wynn's casinos will be called "Wynn fill-in-the-blank." I understand he has one overseas, or going up overseas, and plans for more.

Bettie

[Parker]

> I always figured that if this ever sold Wynn
> would be the man buying.

That was the hot rumor around town for a while. However, any chance of that happening disappeared when Wynn purchased the Desert Inn property, as discussed above.

[hip hop]

I wonder if the name change has as much to do with the popularity of the French these days. If a couple of percent fewer people walk in the door it could make a big difference. I wonder if there has been much of an impact at Paris? I can't see how there wouldn't have been some small reduction in traffic. The same reasoning must have impacted the Alladin post 911 and perhaps contributed to it's demise, although it was in trouble since day one.

Hip Hip

[hip hop]

I just re-read your post. If he's financially challenged what the hell am I?

Hip Hop

[Bettie]

> I wonder if the name change has as much to
> do with the popularity of the French these
> days. If a couple of percent fewer people
> walk in the door it could make a big
> difference.

I really don't think so, to tell you the truth. From day one, I've heard nothing but negative comments on the name Le Reve from the general public, and the Wynn name makes a lot more sense if he's going to have multiple properties.

I wonder if there has been much
> of an impact at Paris? I can't see how there
> wouldn't have been some small reduction in
> traffic.

I obviously don't have any numbers, but I can tell you that Paris Las Vegas stopped flying the French Flag, and many casinos stopped serving Perrier and Panna waters. An article in the paper actually listed which casinos were boycotting French waters (and even some wines, as I recall), but the only one I remember is the Hard Rock.

The same reasoning must have
> impacted the Alladin post 911 and perhaps
> contributed to it's demise, although it was
> in trouble since day one.

The only difference I saw at the Aladdin was in the staff. For example, the security guards used to wear fatigues similar to Saddam, but have since removed their hats and several other parts of he uniform and now look much more generically drab. Also, they used to have walking performers - belly dancers and acrobatists (is that a word?) who all looked dark-skinned and Mediterranean. All were fired not long after the attacks, but they cited financial concerns as the underlying reason.

> Hip Hip

Hop on Pop

Bettie

[Don Schlesinger]

> From day one, I've heard nothing but
> negative comments on the name Le Reve from
> the general public, and the Wynn name makes
> a lot more sense if he's going to have
> multiple properties.

I was certain that it was a disaster from the moment I saw it. It was ridiculous, because not one person in a thousand would pronounce it properly. The laymen thinks that "le" is pronounced "lay" and few know that the French is simply "luh," with a schwa sound.

Of course, "reve" itself is impossible for the American to pronounce because of the French guttural "r" sound. And, is the first "e" long, to rhyme with "Steve"? Of course not, but how does one know to pronounce it "rev," as in "rev" up your engine, unless one hears it first?

Quick test: Pronounce "Moulin Rouge." Bzzzz. Wrong! It's not Mou-LAHN; it's Mou-LANN. (Actually, you don't pronounce the "N" at all; rather it's a nasal sound.) This movie title was pronounced incorrectly 100% of the time by everyone associated with it, for months leading up to the Oscars last year.

The year before, it was "Am?lie"'s turn. This was butchered as "AH-muh-lee," when, of course, the correct pronunciation is "Am-may-LEE."

Don

[Bettie]

In today's R-J, the gossip columnist Norm reports that Paris Las Vegas is flying the French flag again, and the restuarant Bleu Blanc Rouge (the colors of the French flag) will be renamed Red White and Blue.

French flags returned to the Paris Las Vegas, ending a three-month absence sparked by anti-French sentiments over the war in Iraq.

To soothe those up in arms over the presence of the French le Tricolore, Park Place Entertainment will mix American flags among the French. Spokesman Michael Coldwell said the French flags came down "in keeping with the tone and mood of the nation. Now that hostilities have ceased for the most part, we're trying to be true to the pride of an American company while still being true to our French theme."

At the height of the war, some companies with French ties took hits in the form of restaurant, wine and liquor boycotts.

Steve Wynn changed the name of his new property from Le Reve to Wynn Las Vegas, saying the brand name worked better. And the French restaurant Bleu Blanc Rouge at Mandalay Bay will become Red White and Blue on Aug. 1.

[Parker]

> I was certain that it was a disaster from
> the moment I saw it. It was ridiculous,
> because not one person in a thousand would
> pronounce it properly. The laymen thinks
> that "le" is pronounced
> "lay" and few know that the French
> is simply "luh," with a schwa
> sound.

> Of course, "reve" itself is
> impossible for the American to pronounce
> because of the French guttural "r"
> sound. And, is the first "e" long,
> to rhyme with "Steve"? Of course
> not, but how does one know to pronounce it
> "rev," as in "rev" up
> your engine, unless one hears it first?

I would have undoubtly pronounced it "Lay Reeve," as would nearly every other American who has never had a French lesson - thereby giving the French yet another excuse to act condescending toward us. :-)

[Bettie]

> I would have undoubtly pronounced it
> "Lay Reeve," as would nearly every
> other American who has never had a French
> lesson - thereby giving the French yet
> another excuse to act condescending toward
> us. :-)

Does this mean I can beat the tar out of everyone who pronounces my homestate "Illinoyze"?


Bettie

[Dog Hand]

> Does this mean I can beat the tar out of
> everyone who pronounces my homestate
> "Illinoyze"?

>
> Bettie

Bettie,

As a Illinois native myself, I cannot recommend most Illinoisans' French pronunciations... just listen to our pronunciation of Des Plaines (pronounced in the Land of Lincoln "Dess Plains").

Oh, well... say la V ;-)

Dog Hand