May 12--Harrah's Entertainment executives will take some time to determine whether they should retain the Harveys Casino Resorts name on the South Lake Tahoe casino that Harrah's recently announced it's acquiring as part of a $625 million cash deal. 

The goal: assess the impact of such a move on customer attitudes. 

The deal is expected to close by October, and also would give Harrah's two casinos in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which draws gamblers from the Omaha, Neb., market, as well as one in Central City, Colo., near Denver. 

The changeover of the Harveys name to Harrah's would cost a few million dollars, said Harrah's President Gary Loveman, with the money paying for new employee uniforms and green felt for gaming tables, among other expenses. 

"We're concerned if we take away that choice right away (that) may do some damage," Loveman said. 

TRIVIA TIME: What is the name of the giant neon cowboy that has stood above downtown Las Vegas since 1947? 

BUGSY'S FLAMINGO TOO?: A recent news release from Las Vegas-based Ameristar Casinos Inc. touted the appointment to the company's board of Joseph Monaly, a retired audit partner at Arthur Andersen LLP. 

The release noted that Monaly headed an Arthur Andersen gaming practice team, which dominates the top publicly traded gaming companies in the United States, "including Harrah's, Hilton, MGM, Caesars World and Circus Circus." 

A check of New York Stock Exchange listings shows that in recent years Hilton spun off its gaming holdings into Park Place Entertainment; MGM is actually MGM Mirage; Caesars World is a part of Park Place; and Circus Circus is now Mandalay Resort Group. 

And Harrah's? 

It's still Harrah's. 

SLUMBER PARTY: Rank has its privileges, especially when you're the vice chairman of MGM Mirage and you're staying at the company's Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss. 

This past week, Dan Wade traveled to the Gulf Coast casino town to speak at an industry conference, and was joined by Harrah's Entertainment Chairman Phil Satre and Mandalay Resort Group President Glenn Schaeffer, who also stayed at MGM Mirage's Beau Rivage. 

So who got the biggest suite? 

"Danny gets the best one," said a Beau Rivage President Jeff Dahl, chuckling at the suggestion of any other arrangement. 

TRIVIA TIME: Vegas Vic looks down on Glitter Gulch. 

QUOTABLE: "One has to give. Either occupancy will go slightly down or room rates will go slightly down." -- Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority marketing manager Terry Jicinsky speaking about the prospects for the local hotel market for the remainder of the year. 

--Gaming Chips is compiled by the staff of lasvegas.com Gaming Wire. 

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