Penn National Gaming, which owns M Resort, is again looking at the Strip for possible expansion opportunities. During a conference call Thursday with analysts to discuss the casino operator’s first quarter earnings, Penn National CEO Tim Wilmott was asked about reports that Australian casino company Crown International was interested in buying the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for $2 billion. Wilmott said he thought the figure “sounded high.” If Penn were to get into the bidding for the Strip resort, which owner Deutsche Bank reportedly wants to sell, it would probably be with a partner. Wilmott added that Penn is “not…

Las Vegas Review Journal – A spokeswoman for Deutsche Bank in New York wouldn’t discuss an Australian press report Monday that the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas could be sold to a company controlled by billionaire James Packer. Germany’s largest bank, which opened the 3,000-room Cosmopolitan in December 2010 after it foreclosed on the project’s original developer, is reportedly seeking a buyer for the resort. The Cosmopolitan has never turned a quarterly profit. The Brisbane Times reported that Crown Resorts, which is controlled by Packer, was planning to “lodge an expression of interest” for the Cosmopolitan by Tuesday. Bloomberg News recently…

Card Player – Deutsche Bank is in talks with potential buyers of the Cosmopolitan on the Las Vegas Strip, Bloomberg reported this week. The bank has owned the property for a handful of years. Germany’s largest bank could be looking for more than $2 billion for the casino, hotel and resort, and has attracted at least four possible bidders, the report said. The property’s actual value could be around $1.5 billion. According to the report, the complex “cost more than $3.9 billion to build and has never turned a profit…The Cosmopolitan reported 2013 earnings—before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization—of $103…

Gambling 911 – Don’t tell this to the throngs of people who love Las Vegas but Sin City has just registered at number 10 on the SmartTravel “10 Most Disappointing Vacation Destinations” list. It could be worse we suppose. “Is there any place more depressing than the inside of a casino at three in the morning? Fluorescent lights, a thick haze of cigarette smoke, and the stink of desperation don’t really add up to a dream vacation,” SmartTravel’s Caroline Morse wrote in her review. “Whether you’re losing your money by gambling it away, paying for obscene amounts of food at…

Las Vegas Sun – About the only thing former President Ronald Reagan doesn’t have named after him is a mountain, not one recognized by the federal government anyway. Now, Republican Rep. Joe Heck of Nevada is pushing a bill that would name a part of Frenchman Mountain, located just east of Las Vegas, after the nation’s 40th president. The House Natural Resources Committee approved Heck’s bill by voice vote Wednesday, but not before some Democrats on the committee had fun with the issue. Democratic Rep. Pete DeFazio of Oregon said a more fitting tribute would be to name Yucca Mountain…

USA Today – This is the month in Las Vegas you’ve been waiting for. Starting this weekend, everything college basketball takes over this town. The Orleans Arena hosts both the West Coast Conference (March 6-11) and Western Athletic Conference (March 12-15), the Pac-12 (March 12-15) plays at the MGM Grand Garden Arena while Mountain West (March 12-15) tips off at Thomas & Mack. After that, things start to get serious, when thousands of college basketball aficionados take over Las Vegas (and its sports books). Here are a couple of choice spots to catch all the action (plus, bonus baseball!) and…