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Inside Gaming: Savvy Move Lets Wynn Excel on Expedia

Wynn Las Vegas rooms were an instant hit when they went up on Expedia.com two weeks ago. The resort sold 3,000 hotel rooms on the site over the hot and slow summer months in just the first week. How did developer Steve Wynn do so well when Web sites have tripped up the likes of Mandalay Resort Group and Caesars Entertainment? Other resorts have let Internet sites undersell them with their own rooms. Wynn, however, got a key agreement that he could set room rates on the Web site at the same price as offered by the Strip property's reservation desk.

Talk about a tough summer month, rates for advance room reservations on the Strip for the first two weeks in July are down 4.5 percent from last year, with only value hotels bucking the trend, Wall Streeters say. That doesn't count Wynn Las Vegas, where rooms are going at premiums to competitors such as The Venetian and Bellagio through year's end. Still, analysts say not to worry since convention business is set to pick up after mid-July and added visitors likely will be lured by the new Wynn property.

Aztar Corp. has its heart set on developing a new boutique Boardwalk hotel, Atlantic City sources say. Plans call for a $100 million, 500-room project on a vacant lot near the Tropicana Atlantic City, which the company already owns and operates. The goal is to add Boardwalk frontage, and it has nothing to do with capacity at Aztar's existing hotel. Harrah's Entertainment also is moving ahead with a still-to-be announced $450 million, 800-room tower expansion of its Atlantic City property. Neither company sees possible competition from Pennsylvania as challenging Atlantic City.

Workers at the Golden Nugget are near panic about losing their jobs. Although Tillman Fertitta, owner of Landry's Restaurants, which is buying the Nugget, has assured all workers they will be retained, laid off veterans claim their plight is a harbinger. Sinking morale wouldn't bode well at the downtown resort where the last two owners had trouble building patron enthusiasm. However, the company says it is doing all it can to retain employees and recruit talented staff for current job openings.

The recent defamation trial of Griffin Investigations was a shocker for industry insiders who thought the outside detective agency kept casinos clean. The Griffin Gold Book of cheats is a five-volume list of names and mug shots that can be accessed online. Griffin also sells a facial recognition program and alerts casinos when doubtful characters are on the move. But catch this: The firm only has four employees and grosses $600,000 a year. The trial left some wondering if Griffin was just a paper tiger.

Gaming Wire Editor Rod Smith can be reached by e-mail at rodneysmith1@cox.net or by fax at 387-5243.

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