MGM Mirage Chairman Terry Lanni said the NBA’s All-Star weekend was a bust for Strip casino operators.

Fans who came to Las Vegas for the weekend did little gambling, and they kept other customers from coming to the Strip, he said.

“They came for purposes other than attending the game and they weren’t very good for Las Vegas,” Lanni said. “On the day of the game itself, we had very little drop and in talking to our casino hosts, a number of people stayed in their villas and suites. They felt uncomfortable.

The NBA All-Star Weekend was supposed to be a feather in the city’s cap—and it reportedly brought in more than $90 million for the city. Mayor Oscar Goodman touted the weekend as a success, Lanni’s sentiments echo those of others who had to endure the unruliness that marred the celebration.

In addition to reports of open drug use on casino floors, there were several shootings—including one in the MGM Grand parking lot—and a stabbing that involved people in town for the game.

“Mr. Stern can keep his basketball franchises out of Las Vegas, as far as I’m concerned,” Lanni said.

It’s not clear to what extent the mayhem surrounding the All-Star game contributed to the unwillingness of casino operators to deal with the NBA regarding sports wagering.

During the festivities leading up to the game, there was discussion about a possible “UNLV rule” for a local NBA team—home games would be taken off the board—but following All-Star Weekend, the formal proposal submitted by Goodman to league officials contained no mention of a compromise on sports wagering. Goodman said he was unable to get the city’s casino operators to reach an agreement.

By Greg Jones

Greg Jones is managing editor of Casino Connection Nevada, as well as associate editor of Global Gaming Business magazine.

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