Las Vegas News

Smoking Fine Increase:

The Southern Nevada Health District is considering a new admininstratvie fee that would increase the fine for breaking the new smoking ban by $600. There's currently a $100 fine for lighting up in designated non-smoking areas.

New Downtown Project:

VERGE, a $135 million mixed-use, mid-rise condo development project, has just been announced for downtown Las Vegas, on the northeast corner of Main and Bonanza. The project will consist of over 300,000 square feet of living space in 296 residences, with prices starting at $150K, plus fitness center, rooftop pool and spa, and pet park. VERGE is slated to break ground this summer, for completion in the fall of 2008.

NBC Renews "Las Vegas":

The popular drama series that takes place at the fictional Montecito casino has just been renewed for a fifth season, through 2007-'08. "Las Vegas" airs from 9-10 p.m. EST and draws 9 million viewers weekly.

Barbary Temporarily Closed:

The Barbary Coast closed today in order to undergo a change of name to Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon. It is scheduled to re-open on Thursday.

UK Encourages Online Casinos:

Just as China appears to be following the U.S. lead, with announcements that the regime will begin cracking down severly on Internet gambling activity on the grounds that it has "ruined the online environment and harmed young people's growth," the UK government is actively encouraging online gaming companies to relocate there. While UK land-based casinos are subject to a 40% tax on gross wins, rumor has it that Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown is planning to make the UK a viable home for online casinos by introducing a "remote gaming duty" of between only 2-3%. From September of this year, online gambling companies will for the first time be allowed to apply for a UK license and still base their headquarters overseas.

Chippendales on the Loose:

To celebrate five years in Las Vegas, the Chippendales dancers will be performing "random acts of Chippness" throughout the Las Vegas Valley today, hitting local salons, retail stores, retirement communities (watch out boys, those grannies can be wicked!), and other locations throughout Las Vegas and Henderson, passing out merchandise, show tickets, and their 2007 calendar.

BetonSports Profile:

Today's Wall Street Journal contains a profile on the big Internet sports book BetonSports and its founder, Gary Kaplan. Not a lot of new information, but an interesting update.

Station Deal a Big One:

Though reported at a value of $5.5 billion, the Station Casinos buy-out offer includes the assumption of $3.4 billion in debt, which sets the total value of the offer at $8.8 billion, about half the amount of the Harrah's deal. Some are still debating whether or not that captures the future value of Station's stock; the company operates 16 casinos in southern Nevada and has four undeveloped parcels. Additionally, Station owns land in Reno and has other operating agreements pending.

Von Teese to Guest at MGM:

From April 15-20, international Queen of Burlesque Dita Von Teese will be appearing in a series of exclusive performances MGM Grand's Crazy Horse Paris production. The performances are one of many events lined up to celebrate the recent name change from La Femme.

New School for Strippers:

Las Vegas has a new school for strippers (the first we know of was Stripper 101, located in Desert Passage at the Aladdin). The "S" (for "sexy") Class is at SCORES gentlemen's club, featuring tuition by Fawnia Dietrich, who bills herself as the founder of the world's first exotic dance school. The SCORES hour-long classes are ladies only (there's a private entrance) and take place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 p.m. Call 702/367-6040 for reservations.

Polly Esther's Job Fair:

From 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. today and tomorrow, Polly Esther's, the new retro-themed club at the Stratosphere, is hosting a job fair in its search for "rad bartenders, cool VIP hosts, beefy security, and bodacious waitresses." If you think you've got the goods, head on over to the check-in table in front of the club, where applicants will be assigned an interview number on a first-come, first-served basis.

Station Accepts Buy-Out:

Station Casinos has accepted a revised bid to take the company private. The new bid is $90 per share, which sets the value of the deal at $5.5 billion. The bid comes from Fertitta Colony Partners LLC, a group formed by the company's top executives.

Academy Awards Odds:

Tonights favorites: Supporting Actor -- Eddie Murphy (Dream Girls) -175 Supporting Actress -- Jennifer Hudson (Dream Girls) -521 Actor -- Forrest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) -512 Actress -- Helen Mirren (The Queen) -2800 Picture -- The Departed +114

Stars at Playboy:

This weekend's USA Today names the Palms Playboy Club as one of "10 Great Places to See the Stars Come Out." The citation is in reference to the club's reputation for attracting celebrities, but it could have also referred to the retractable roof over the attached nightclub, Moon.

Bet21 $25,000 Guarantee Today:

The monthly $25,000-guaranteed Elimnination Blackjack tournament is today at 8 pm EST. Entry fee is 200+15 for the event at Bet21.com. There are currently only 65 players, which means it is an equity overlay. The breakeven is 116 players.

Divine Strike Off for Good:

After many months of protest and postponements, the so-called Divine Strike blast (a 700-ton slurry of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, which was be detonated in a 36-foot deep bunker), originally scheduled for June 2006 at the Nevada Test Site, has been called off by the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The agency released a statement confirming it "will attempt to develop alternative scientific means for obtaining the important data that this experiment would have provided."

Vegas This Weekend:

After the lunacy of last weekend's NBA All-Star invasion, things have returned to some kind of normality with the usual mix of music, comedy, and fighting (uh, okay, not so different from last weekend!) Plus, there's some soul food and some extreme rockcrawling thrown in, too, just for the heck of it. Music: Glen Campbell and daughter Debby will be at the Orleans (02/22/07-02/25/07); at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues features Cartel (02/23/07), Flogging Molly (02/24/07), and Rice Krispies presents Ralph's World (02/24/07); Flogging Molly will also be at Hennessey's Tavern on Fremont Street (02/24/07); Kid Deposit Triumph, Vulcun, Aspire, and Serene will be at the University Theatre (02/23/07), as will DI, Amerikan Made, Infested, Six Shooters To The Sky, and Give 'em Hell (02/24/07),and The Cab, Camden, It's Like Love, and Goodbye Tomorrow (02/24/07); Styx will be at the Luxor (02/23/07); Tom and Dick the Smothers Brothers play the Suncoast (02/23/07-02/25/07); Terri Clark's at Boulder Station (02/24/07); and Thirty Seconds to Mars will be at the Hard Rock (02/24/07) Comedy: Howie Mandel's at the MGM Grand (02/19/07-03/01/07); Brad Garrett's onstage at the Mirage (02/23/07-02/24/07); Kathy Griffin will be at Mandalay Bay (02/23/07); Paula Poundstone's at Boulder Station (02/23/07); Rodney Carrington will be performing at the Luxor (02/23/07-02/24/07); and the Playboy Comedy Tour, featuring Bill Dwyer and Joel McHale, will be at the Palms (02/24/07) Other: Fitgerald's hosts the Taste & Sounds of Soul (02/23/07-02/25/07); Pride Fighting 33 will be at the Thomas and Mack (02/24/07); NASCAR Nights is at the Silverton, with specials and giveaways (02/23/07-03/08/07); and the Fiesta Henderson will host the World Extreme Rockcrawling Western U.S. Nationals (02/24/07-02/25/07) For more details about these and other events, plus full listings of all the permanent shows Las Vegas plays home to, click here to use our "Shows & Events" finder, under "Vegas Info."

Tool Concerts Postponed:

The Tool shows planned for March 15 and 16, which were scheduled to be the first at The Pearl, the new venue inside the Palms, have been rescheduled due to an injury in the band. New dates will be announced shortly and existing tickets will be honored for the new shows. If no other band is signed to fill this gap, it'll mean the Evanescence concert on March 17 will now be Pearl's debut show.

Aliante Station Breaks Ground:

Executives from Station Casinos Inc, the Greenspun Corporation, and elected officials from the City of North Las Vegas broke ground today on Aliante Station, the latest luxury locals casino property from the Station group. Situated on 40 acres of land on the northeast corner of Interstate 215 and Aliante Parkway, the $600 million project is due for completion late 2008.

KÀ Discounts for Locals:

From February 27 to April 14, KÀ will be offering Nevada residents half-price show tickets at the $99 and $125 level, subject to availability. Offer not valid on tickets priced for children. Call 702.531.2000 or visit www.ka.com/locals for more information.

Maxim Hotel-Casino Progress:

Clark County Commissioners have approved use permits for the proposed Maxim-magazine-themed mixed-use megaresort next to Circus Circus on the Strip. The nearly eight-acre site will consist of three towers with 300 hotel rooms and 1,860 condo units. The developers plan to break ground in 2008 and complete the project in 2010.

Tableside Dining at El Cortez:

Beginning next month, the El Corez will beginning offering a new slot- and game-side dining service from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. El Cortez's Gambling Gourmet will be the first time a Las Vegas-based gaming property has provided dining service to all slots and table games on the casino floor (last October Palace Station introduced this service to its Asian pit). The food, including appetizers, sandwiches, and burgers, will be prepared in Kitty's Café and served on a rolling cart that is a convenient height for players sitting at slot machines and those at table games.

Virgin Macau Casino Deal Off:

A proposed partnership between Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Australian wagering firm Tabcorp Holdings to develop a $3 billion casino in Macau has collapsed. The plan, news of which emerged last month, was to build and operate a Virgin branded casino-resort and although this deal has fallen through, the UK conglomerate is still seeking other potential partners for the project.

Le Rêve to Remodel:

From March 6 through April 5, Le Rêve at the Wynn will close for a drastic remodeling of the theater. This will, apparently, include a total makeover of the décor using a warmer paint palate and luxurious fabrics, the removal of almost 500 seats for a more intimate viewing experience, and a new VIP "Indulgence Package" that will include complimentary champagne bottle service, chocolate covered strawberries, generously-scaled lounge seating with plenty of leg room, and private video monitors providing up-close imagery and live glimpses behind-the-scenes during the show.

Another New Show for Aladdin:

Hot on the heals of yesterday's announcement comes news of another new production for the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood Theater for the Performing Arts. The show will be a new magic spectacular starring magician Hans Klok and TV star Carmen Electra. Faster Than Magic is scheduled to begin preview performances April 18, with ticket prices ranging from $35 (which applies to the five preview shows) to $105. Regular performances are due to start May 12. This will be Electra's second attempt at a Las Vegas show: Back in 2001, she was scheduled to star in a production called Lumière, also at the Aladdin, but the plans were scrapped when the property filed for bankruptcy and no other resort offered to pick it up.

New Show for the Aladdin:

Following yesterday's news that the Aladdin's transformation to Planet Hollywood should finally be completed by October of this year, comes an announcement of a new show for the property. STOMP OUT LOUD is a new production from the creators of STOMP that's scheduled to open early April in a new $28 million custom-built theater. Tickets, which range from $50 to $110, are due to go on sale by March 1, with previews set to begin March 24. The show will perform Thursday through Tuesday (dark Wednesday).

Sirens Fashion Show:

The Sirens of TI and 2007 NFL Pro Bowler Steven Jackson are joining forces tonight for a charity fashion show at Tangerine. The event will feature performances by the Sirens and an auction of autographed sports memorabilia, with all proceeds going to various charities. Tickets are $150 per person.

Neteller Cuts Jobs:

The online payment processing group Neteller is attributing the loss of some 250 jobs in Canada and the UK on the "reorganization and restructuring of its operations" as a direct result of the recent changes in U.S. gambling laws.

Midwest Deaf Poker Tourney:

Deaf players from Illinois and surrounding states are invited to compete in the region's first deaf Texas hold'em tournament on Sunday, February 25 at Hanging Gardens Banquets in River Grove. The entry fee is $65 and the winner and second place finisher will each win a seat at the 2007 WSOP, plus travel expenses. For more information visit www.wsadeaf.org or www.rockfordcharitablegames.com

QoD Archives Closed:

After the weekend's free-for-all, the Question of the Day archives have reverted to their normal members-only status. We hope all you non-members enjoyed it while it lasted and took advantage of the opporutunity to browse. Thanks to all of you who did and took the time to write in thanking us -- you're welcome.

AC Casino Revenue Drops:

For the first time since casino gambling was legalized in Atlantic City in 1978, casino revenues could be set to decline in 2007, if the first monthly figures are indicative of things to come. Factors cited for the downward trend include competition from the legalization of slot parlors in neighboring Pennsylvania and the closure of the Sands Casino last November, which reduced the number of casinos from 12 to 11. Another factor yet to come into play will be the smoking ban that's due to take effect April 15, which forces casinos to designate at least 75 percent of their gambling floors as smoke-free. Properties are worried not only about the loss of their smoking patrons, but also about the millions of dollars it will cost them to wall off the remaining smoking areas and upgrade their ventilation systems.

Charity Pancake Promotion:

In celebration of National Pancake Week, tomorrow through February 24 Hash House A Go Go (6800 W. Sahara) will donate 100% of all "Chocolate Chip Wish Pancake" sales and 50% of all regular Hash House A Go Go pancake sales to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Southern Nevada. The "Chocolate Chip Wish Pancake" was specially created by four children from the Foundation and will be available throughout breakfast and lunch from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Free Pancakes:

National Pancake Day is Tuesday, February 20 and participating IHOP Restaurants, including several in Las Vegas, are giving customers a FREE Short Stack of their famous pancakes from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. A donation to help support children's hospitals is required. For more information and locations visit: http://www.ihop.com/tellafriend.php

West is Favored:

The West squad is a 3.5-point favorite to win today's NBA All-Star game being played in Las Vegas. The over/under is 256.

"Jay Z" Party Shut Down:

According to a press release issued late yesterday, a temporary restraining order has been placed on an event that was to take place at Club ICE in Las Vegas tonight. The order was filed in conjunction with the unauthorized use of rapper Jay Z's name and likeness. An official statement from an attorney representing the artist explained that, "Jay Z is often misrepresented. False representation of a party at ICE is particularly egregious as his name, likeness, and both of his companies, Rockafella Records and Rocawear, are being used to sell tickets when he has no association with that event. Jay Z is actually hosting his own party at another location Saturday night in Las Vegas. We will successfully shut down the event at ICE and want to warn innocent attendees of falsely promoted parties."

Dragon Dance at Venetian:

The Venetian will be celebrating the Chinese New Year with a traditional dragon dance, complete with a musical parade, firecrackers, and eye painting ceremony, commmencing at 3 p.m. today and 6 p.m. Sunday. The parade, which is free to the public to attend both days, will begin at the hotel's Porte Cochere and then make its way through the lobby.

Lamar Odom Autograph Signing:

The L.A. Lakers' forward will be signing autographs from 1-2 p.m. today at the Mirage Shop (across from the Royal White Tiger Habitat). Fans can purchase items from the store for Odom to sign, plus his promotional photos will be available for free.

Even MORE NBA Parties:

What follows is an addendum to yesterday's Vegas Weekend listings, with details of even more All-Star parties and opportunities to hang out with LeBron James (is there any party that he isn't going to?) NBA All-Star Party with Magic Johnson at OPM (02/16/07); the Celebrity All-Star Kickoff Party at Risqué inside Paris, hosted by Vince Carter (02/16/07); Club Al: Welcome to Vegas, Part 2, hosted by Allen Iverson at ICE Las Vegas (02/16/07); the Kenny Smith All-Star Bash at the Empire Ballroom, hosted by LeBron James (02/16/07); the All-Star Party at the TI Ballroom, hosted by UFC's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (02/17/07); Akon's Grown and Sexy Party at Risqué inside Paris (02/17/07); the LeBron James All-Star Bash hosted by Russ Par at the Empire Ballroom (02/17/07); ICE Las Vegas The Roc-A-Fella NBA All-Star Weekend Takeover: The Dynasty Continues featuring Jay-Z, Kanye West, Memphis Bleek, Foxy Brown, Peedi Peedi, Tru Life, Freeway and Young Gunz (02/17/07); All-Star After-Party with Akon and DJ Benny-D at Hard Rock's Body English (02/18/07); Jamie Foxx All-Star Party at the Empire Ballroom (02/18/07); and The LeBron James Celebrity All-Star Weekend Grand Finale featuring Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Rich Boy, Slim Thug, Eve, Pharrell Williams, Keyshia Cole, and Funkmaster Flex at ICE Las Vegas (02/18/07) Check out our full listings in the Shows & Events section for prices and times.

Station's Point Promo Begins:

Station Casinos' $1.25 Million Point Challenge begins today and runs through March 31. Between these dates, the top 200 Boarding Pass/Amigo Club point earners will have three chances to win cash and prizes including a luxury Caribbean cruise, Rolex watch, and up to $50,000. Visit the Rewards Center at any participating property for more details.

Guinness Promo Tonight:

Fadó Irish Pub (2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy.) is starting the St Patrick's Day celebrations early with a night of Irish humor, Guinness giveaways, prizes, and an official Guinness toast, starting at 9 p.m. tonight.

Palms Overrun:

Lot's of "playas" are hanging out at the Palms over this NBA All-Star weekend. If you want to star-watch, this is a good choice. Mandalay Bay is another. The Palms sports book parking lot is mostly taken up by a temporary tent where an invite-only party will take place tonight. Look for parking in the garages or across the street at Gold Coast.

Palms NBA Promotion:

Players club members who earn 500 points (that's just $500 coin in) can win a free NBA basketball. Promotion runs while stocks last.

QoD Archives Open For All:

For a limited time only -- in fact, just until Monday -- we're experimenting with opening up the Question of the Day Archives to everyone. So, from now through the weekend, anyone and everyone is free to access the archives and catch up on any QoD you may have missed out on, plus you get to explore all the great questions you didn't even know you'd missed. You can view every answer in chronological order, or you can select a particular subject area that interests you -- History, Poker etc. -- or just type in a keyword and see what comes up. Consider it a belated Valentine's gift from LVA. Enjoy!

This (NBA) Weekend in Vegas:

In the light of the complete NBA All-Star invasion that's already begun, we are dedicating this weekend's listing solely to related events. It seems like every basketball player and rapper worth their salt will be here, often super-humanly at two events at once. Expect the traffic to be even worse than normal: Not only will the streets be awash with NBA stars and their posses trying to get from one party to the next; an additional 320 cabs and 77 limos have been authorized to take to the streets, which could give new meaning to the NBA All-Star "Jam Session." Here's what's happenin': Main Events: NBA All-Star Jam Session at Mandalay Bay (02/15/07-02/19/07); the Harlem Globetrotters: 2007 "Nothing Like It" Tour and Harlem Globetrotters vs. Dennis Rodman's All-Stars are at the Orleans Arena (02/17/07); and the Thomas and Mack Center hosts the NBA Rookie Challenge (02/16/07); the Slam Dunk and Three-Point Shootout contests (02/17/07); and the 56th NBA All-Star Game (02/18/07) Parties: There's the Shaquille O'Neal Party at Mandalay Bay inside MIX (02/15/07); the Winky Wright Party at MGM Grand's Studio 54 (02/15/07); Boss's Ball at Sin Gentlemen's Club (02/15/07); NBA All-Star Weekend kick-off party at Mandalay Bay's Rumjungle (02/15/07); The Ultimate Ladies Night at the Ice House Lounge, hosted by Idris Elba and Big Tigger (02/15/07); All-Star Bash at Mirage's JET Nightclub, hosted by Tracy McGrady and Diddy (02/16/07); SCORES All-Star Weekend hosted by Dennis Rodman, Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, and Allen Iverson (02/16/07); LL Cool J's Ladies Night Out II at MGM Grand's Studio 54 (02/16/07); the Welcome to Vegas Party at the Palms' Rain nightclub, hosted by Dwayne Wade and Jamie Foxx (02/16/07); the MVP NBA All-Star Party at Mandalay Bay's Rumjungle, hosted by Dwyane Wade (02/16/07); the Official Blackout Party, hosted by YOUNG JEEZY & T.I. at the Ice House Lounge (02/16/07); the All American Ballin' Party at Mandalay Bay's Rumjungle, hosted by Ludacris with guests Shaquille O'Neal, LaDainian Tomlinson, Chris Paul, Troy Smith, Ron Artest, and Rahsad McCants (02/17/07); Club 3300 All-Star Party at Treasure Island hosted by Devean George (02/17/07); Playa's Ball at the Orleans (02/17/07); SCORES 2007 Babes and Ballers Celebrity Bash (02/17/07); All-Star Party with Eva Longoria and Tony Parker at PURE inside Caesars (02/17/07); Grand Master Flash All-Star party at JET inside Mirage (02/17/07); The official Diddy Press Play VIP Lounge with Kid Capri and S&S at the Ice House Lounge (02/17/07), followed by "The West Side Story" hosted by NBA Superstar Ron Artest, E40, Too $hort and MISTAH FAB (02/18/07); Back in Black: All Black Attire Affair at the Palms' Rain Nightclub, hosted by Diddy and Kendra (02/18/07); Magic Jonhson and Robin Thicke's NBA All-Star After Party at MGM Grand's Studio 54, hosted by Flava Flav (02/18/07); SoSo Derrty Weekend at the Aladdin hosted by Nelly and Jermaine Dupri (02/15/07-02/18/07); the Baller's Ball will be at OPM Nightclub, hosted by Gary Payton (02/18/07); and the NBA All-Star Sunday Night at Mandalay Bay’s Rumjungle hosted by James "Hollywood" Robinson, with a special performance by rap artist Jim Jones (02/18/07) Music/Other: The Roots are at the Hard Rock's Body English (02/15/07), as is as the Old School Hip-Hop Showcase (02/16/07); The Black Eyed Peas play the Orleans (02/26/07) and then will be at the MGM Grand's Tabu Ultra Lounge for their after-party (02/16/07); it's NBA Late Night at the University Theatre (02/17/07); the ESPN Zone at the New York-New York will have special Q & A session and autograph signing with NBA Legends (02/17/07); and KRS-One will be at MGM Grand's Tabu Ultra Lounge (02/18/07) For more details about these and other events, plus full listings of all the permanent shows Las Vegas plays home to, click

Sahara WSOP Promotion:

The Sahara Hotel Casino in Las Vegas is giving away seats at the World Series of Poker main event. Anyone over the age of 21 can play to win, with daily qualifying games held at 11 am, 7 pm, and 11 pm. The player with the most chips going into the final table will qualify for a seat at the monthly tournament, when the winner will be determined. There will be one winner each month and the event is ongoing through May.

MGM Lion Dressed Up:

As foreshadowed in yesterday's TN column, the rumor about the lion proved to be true, and, after much activity with ladders, it's now sporting its NBA All-Star west coast jersey.

Palms Mini Today:

The weekly Palms Elimination Blackjack mini-tournament runs today beginning at 2 pm. The payoff structure has been altered to make it less top-heavy, though it's still possible to win a seat to the Palms' open tournament in April. Entry fee is $120 and there's one $50 re-buy.

Marion's Vegas:

Today's USA Today has a big special section on the NBA All-Star game, whith lots of coverage of Las Vegas. Included are to-do recommendations from Phoenix Suns and former UNLV player Shawn Marion.

Liberty Dons NBA Garb:

If you're in the vicinity of New York-New York, take a look at the Statue of Liberty, which is proudly sporting an Adidas NBA All-Star jersey, in preparation for this week's events and festivities. The replica Liberty is, naturally, supporting the east coast team; the rumor is that the west coast will be represented by the MGM Grand's lion, which is supposedly donning its own shirt imminently. This is the word according to Adidas' own site and various press releases and news reports we've received, not to mention the concierge at the MGM Grand. When questioned, however, the PR department there had no idea what we were talking about and denied the rumor. We'll keep you posted. And watch this space for a list of all the major events and parties -- it's gonna be jammin'!

Speedway Sold:

MTR Gaming, the West Virginia-based casino company that owns Binion's, is selling its other Nevada casino, the Speedway, for $18.2 million. The buyer is Mandekic Company, a local privately held investment company.

Anti-Valentine's Bash:

If you're single, or just not in the mood for romance, check out the Anti-Valentine's Day party at Mist at TI, hosted by "Get Out!" dating service. It's free to GO members or $25 on the door to non-members. Doors open at 6:30 pm tonight and the first 40 ladies receive a giftbag.

Las Vegas Sets Visitation Record:

Another year, another record for Las Vegas visitation. The tally for 2006 was 38.9 million, less than a 1% increase from 2005's 38.6 million, but it was accomplished with nearly 500 fewer rooms available. The decrease in rooms to 132,605 was due to the closing of several hotels, including the Stardust and Lady Luck.

Nevada Landing to Close:

It's been announced that the Nevada Landing casino in Jean (about 25 miles south of Las Vegas) will close in April to make way for a master-planned community being created by MGM Mirage. The other Jean casino, the Gold Strike, will remain open.

MGM Macau # 2:

Even before the completion of the group's first Macau project (the cryptically named "MGM Grand Macau"), MGM Grand Paradise (the 50/50 venture between MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho of Hong Kong's Shun Tak Holdings Limited) has today announced plans for a second major resort in Macau. No details of the new project have been announced as yet, other than a statement from MGM Mirage's Terri Lanni that it will be "another world-class resort experience which will complement the MGM Grand Macau." Watch this space for future updates.

Kerzner Story:

Today's Wall Street Journal contains an excellent story on casino empressario Sol Kerzner. Though not widely known and acknowledged for his achievments in the casino business, Kerzner's ventures have included Sun City in South Africa, Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, and Atlantis in the Bahamas. Steve Wynn cites Kerzner's influence in his own resort-building style. Good article.

Ron Jeremy Book Signing:

Adult star Ron Jeremy will be signing copies of his book, "The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz," at the Reading Room at Mandalay Place from 7-9 pm this evening.

Big Score for Harrah's CEO:

According to an Associated Press story, Gary Loveman, the chief executive of Harrah's Entertainment Inc., will receive about $94 million in stock options and other rights if the Harrah's sale goes through, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If the deal is consummated, it will be the world's largest casino buyout.

New Ramp Meters:

In the ongoing efforts to decrease congestion and increase traffic safety, additional ramp meters -- red/green traffic signal lights, which control cars merging onto the freeway -- will come into operation today. The meters activated today will control the north- and southbound ramps at I-15 and Charleston Blvd., Sahara Ave. (southbound only), Spring Mountain Rd., Flamingo Rd., Tropicana Ave. (northbound only), and Russell Rd.

Valentine's Day Play:

In a feature titled "50 Dates in 50 States," USA Today listed the best Valentine's Day date ideas for each state. For Nevada, the itinerary was a drink in the Eiffel Tower Bar at Paris, the show LOVE at the Mirage, and dancing at Tryst at the Wynn. There was no mention of dinner.

Stations Promotion:

Beginning tomorrow, Boarding Pass and Amigo Club members can qualify for the Station Casinos "$600,000 President's Weekend of Cash" giveaway. Three cash drawings will take place on February 16, 17, and 18, with ninety winners each night taking home guaranteed cash prizes of up to $10,000. Entries are activated the day of each drawing by swiping your card at any Points Plus kiosk and there's no limit to the number of entries you can earn. Check with your local Rewards Center for further details.

Nevada Takes in Record Win:

Nevada casinos won $12.6 billion in 2006, a strong 8.3% increase over 2005's $11.6 billion. Strip casinos accounted for 53% of the total with a win of nearly $6.6 billion, up 10.9%.

Little Old Ladies on Strip:

Look out for models portraying the "little old ladies" from The Producers, which just opened at Paris, who'll be riding segways in choreographed routines and handing out info about the show. The promotion will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily until March 10, aside from Wednesdays, when the show itself is dark.

Lady Luck Plans Stalled:

Almost a year after the Lady Luck shuttered-up shop, nothing seems to be happening and the company that owns the property is reportedly looking for financing to pay for the renovation, after the original financing deal fell through. According to Mayor Oscar Goodman, the project is currently "on a complete hold."

Vegas This Weekend:

And what an action-packed weekend it is. Just look at all this stuff! Music: Aside from all the regulars, The Moody Blues will be at the Hilton (02/08/07-02/10/07); Foreigner plays the Luxor (02/09/07-02/10/07); ForTwentyDaze will be at the University Theatre (02/09/07), as will VooDoo Glow Skulls, GDB, Guilty By Association and Over The Line (02/10/07), and Tech N9ne (02/11/07); Gary Puckett's at Boulder Station (02/09/07); Petula Clark's at the Suncoast [shouldn't she be "downtown?"] (02/09/07); Three Days Grace will be at Mandalay Bay's HoB (02/09/07), and so will Bob Weir and Rat Dog (02/11/07); Tower of Power play the Orleans (02/09/07-02/11/07); James Ingram's at Green Valley Ranch (02/10/07); Keith Sweat's at Texas Station (02/10/07); Kevin Eubanks will be at Santa Fe Station (02/10/07); and The Comets will be at the Cannery (02/10/07) Comedy/Magic: Brad Garrett's at the Mirage (02/09/07-02/10/07); Russell Peters will be at MBay's HoB (02/10/07); the Playboy Comedy Tour at the Palms is featuring Rich Vos and Ian Bagg (02/10/07); and David Copperfield's at the MGM (02/05/07-02/18/07) Other Events: Shane Mosley vs. Kermit Cintron will be at The Mandalay Bay Events Center (02/10/07); Jamz Cheerleading and Dance National Championships take place at the Orleans (02/08/07-02/11/07); psychic Gary Spivey's at Boulder Station (02/10/07); the Home Improvement and Backyard Living Expo is at the South Point (02/09/07-02/11/07); and the Dam Short Film Festival will take place in Boulder City (02/08/07-02/11/07) For more details about these and other events, plus full listings of all the permanent shows Las Vegas plays home to, click here to use our "Shows & Events" finder, under "Vegas Info."

Sands' Singapore Sand Shortage:

Las Vegas Sands has run into a technical glitch in the construction of its new Singapore casino resort: lack of sand. The problem arose after Indonesia, the principal supplier, recently banned exports of the building material. Apparently, however, they have a strategic stockpile and anticipate keeping on track with the construction schedule.

Steve Wyrick Opens Tonight:

Tonight is the opening of the long-awaited return of Steve Wyrick: Real Magic, inside the Wyrick Entertainment Complex at Aladdin. He will perform nightly at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., dark Fridays. Tickets are available for his preview performance for $59.95 for reserved seating and $79.95 for orchestra seating.

Gold Settles:

The controversy that has been surrounding Jamie Gold's 2006 $12 million WSOP winnings is finally over. In a joint signed statement issued yesterday, Gold and LA-based TV producer Bruce Crispin Leyser agreed the matter should be resolved "without litigation." The two did not make clear how much Leyser would receive -- Gold's already withdrawn $6 million of his winnings, but the remaining 50% has remained frozen pending a settlement in the dispute surrounding Leyser's claim that Gold had promised to split the prize with him.

Fiestas Host Soccer Parties:

Tonight, Club Tequila at Fiesta Rancho and Club Madrid at Sunset Station will be hosting viewing parties for the 6:30 pm U.S. vs. Mexico soccer match, the latest confrontation in the ongoing bitter rivalry between the two teams. It will be the first head-to-head competition for new head coaches Bob Bradley and superstar ex-player Hugo Sanchez and they're expecting an audience of at least 500 viewers at the Rancho location.

Free Slot Tourney at Orleans:

More promotion at the Orleans includes a free slot tournament today with $5,000 in prizes. Qualifying rounds played at 10 am, noon, 2 pm, and 4 pm will be first-come-first-served and the finals will be played at 6 pm.

Not Quite Super:

This year's Super Bowl betting handle in Nevada was $93,067,358, which fell just short of last year's record of $94,534,372. The lower-than-expected wagering was made up for by a $12.9 million win for the casinos, which outpaced last year's $8.8 million.

New:

Even before the "old" Las Vegas observation wheel has been constructed, development company, Voyager Entertainment, has announced plans for a "new" steel nightclub/observation wheel project -- an ambitious futuristic version of the London Eye. The current incarnation is planned for the Echelon Place site (former home of the Starudst), but as the project, first announced back in 2003, has already worked its way through multiple locations without ever getting off the drawing board, we're not exactly holding our breath.

Play for Buffet at Orleans:

An ad in today's LV Review-Journal advertises a free buffet at the Orleans when you earn 500 points. There's no new-member stipulation on the ad. Las Vegas Advisor members should check out the list of good new schedules at the Orleans discussed in the February newsletter. The VP bar machines in the Bourbon Street Lounge (front bar) have good progressives that often go positive.

Big Handle:

Early indications are that the legal sports books in Nevada are likely to hit a record with this year's Super Bowl handle (amount bet), aided, no doubt, by the restrictions on Internet wagering. Most books reported bustling business, especially on Sunday.

Movie Night at Whisky Attic:

The Whisky Attic -- the venue upstairs at the Freakin' Frog (4700 S. Maryland Pkwy) -- is celebrating Valentine's Day with a series of Monday night "twisted love story" screenings. Tonight's movie is House of Yes and begins at 8 p.m. As always, there's free popcorn.

Off the 7:

The line for today's Super Bowl is mostly 6.5. You can find +7 on the Bears if you lay 120, but most of the money has come in on the Bears to drop the prevailing number to Colts -6.5.

Stratosphere Slot Promo:

Tomorrow sees the beginning of a two-week "Rock the Slots" promotion at the Stratosphere, with a chance to win up to $30,000 in cash and prizes. Earn one free entry for every 250 points earned on your Ultimate Rewards card between Feb. 4 and 17. Daily drawings will take place at 5 p.m. at the Special Events Center.

Manilow Mural Unveiled:

The Las Vegas Hilton is now home to the largest hand-painted mural in town, with the unveiling today of a 128' X 56'10" image of headliner Barry Manilow on the property's main (south facing) tower.

Funds Frozen:

Today's USA Today contains a story describing how funds of gamblers have been frozen in the accounts of BetOnSports and Neteller as a result of the government's actions against these online companies. The irony is in the fact that these funds were safe and freely transferable prior to the intervention designed to "protect" bettors.

Silverton Casino Honored:

The Silverton Casino Lodge has been named Best Locals Casino in AOL CityGuide's "City's Best® 2007" Las Vegas awards.

Women's Fair at South Point:

From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. today, South Point will be hosting the 6th Annual Las Vegas Women's Fair in its Events Center. 125 businesses and over 5,000 women are expected to attend, with the first 500 receiving "romance" bags valued at $30 each. Brandon Beemer from NBC's "Days of our Lives" is scheduled to appear, along with other TV celebrities, and the Riviera's American Storm male revue will be performing two special Valentine's shows on the main stage. The event is free to attend.

Vegas This Weekend:

There's no shortage of music options or comedy this weekend. Oh yeah, and there's some kind of sporting event taking place, we understand... Music: Elton John's performing at Caesars (02/02/07-02/17/07); Euge Groove's at Boulder Station (02/02/07); and so's the Little River Band (02/03/07); Larry Carlton's at the Suncoast (02/02/07-2/03/07); Pennywise plays the House of Blues(02/02/07); George Strait will be at the MGM (02/03/07); Lauryn Hill's the guest at Prince's 3121 at the Rio (02/03/07); Suburban Legends, MC Lars, Patent Pending, and Radio Reset are all at the University Theatre (02/03/07); and RBD's at the Aladdin (02/04/07) Comedy: If it's a laugh your after, check out Drew Carey and the Improv All-Stars at the MGM (2/01/07-2/04/07); or Artie Lange at the Luxor (2/02/07-2/03/07); or Damon Wayans at the Orleans (2/02/07-2/03/07); Kevin James at the Mirage (2/02/07-2/03/07); or Eddie Griffin at Mandalay Bay (2/03/07) Super Bowl: We covered this in depth in a recent Question of the Day (01/28/07), but the biggest casino parties we know of are taking place at the Golden Nugget (out by the new pool), the Gold Coast, and South Point. Plus all the major sports bars around town will be showing the game and offering food and drink specials and heaps of giveaways. For more details about these and other events, plus full listings of all the permanent shows Las Vegas plays home to, click here to use our "Shows & Events" finder, under "Vegas Info."

Largest Penny Jackpot Hit:

A Nevada resident became a multi-millionaire yesterday afternoon when he hit on Penny Megabucks® at the Pahrump Nugget for $18,799,414, the largest penny slot jackpot ever won. The 66-year-old, who has chosen to remain anonymous, explained that he usually plays video poker, but somehow had an inkling to play Megabucks® for a change. "I put in $100 and after playing $44, I saw five eagles line up and thought I had won about $3,000," he said. "Then I looked up, and the large jackpot on top of the machine had switched from $18 million to $10 million. Then I knew I had won something big." He said he'll pay off some bills and then take his wife on a long trip to Australia with his winnings.