Las Vegas News

Casinos Get Dunkin':

Dunkin’ Donuts, celebrates two grand opening celebrations on Tuesday, April 1. The new shops, located at the Fremont Hotel & Casino and at Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall, are the first Dunkin’ Donuts to open in gaming properties in Las Vegas. They mark the fifth and sixth of more than 60 Dunkin’ Donuts planned to open throughout the Las Vegas valley over the next several years. Both new Dunkin’ Donuts will keep the same operating hours as Las Vegas itself – 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Fremont Grand Opening is at 11 am and Sam’s at 2 pm.

Indiana Casino Finds Last-Minute Buyer:

On the very day that the Indiana Gaming Commission was to consider whether to strip Columbia Sussex of its license to operate the Casino Aztar riverboat in Evansville, a hitherto unsuspected buyer emerged. Reno-based Eldorado Resorts, owner of Eldorado-branded casinos both in Reno and the Shreveport area, has offered $245 million for Casino Aztar, the weakest performer among Indiana's casinos. Of that amount, $25 million consists of "potential earnings incentives linked to the operating performance of the property." Until the sale closes, Casino Aztar will be run by a state-appointed trustee. Complete details can be found in Stiffs & Georges.

Francesco's to Close:

We're dubious about any news announcements that take effect April 1, but this one seems real enough. As of tomorrow, the Italian eatery at TI will close for a complete renovation and reinvention. Details of what will take Francesco's place have yet to be announced, but we understand it will remain a food and beverage outlet.

New Insight Into Crown Las Vegas Crisis:

Lenders considering the 1,064-foot-tall Crown Las Vegas tower project wanted a bigger equity contribution from lead investors James Packer, Christopher Milam, and York Capital Mgmt. When the threesome couldn't pony up, the site -- former home to Wet 'n Wild -- went back on the market, according to Reuters, which adds that the group is trying to find yet another equity partner to keep Crown Las Vegas (originally Las Vegas Tower). According to the Wall Street Journal, it is Packer, et. al. who have hired both Goldman Sachs and CB Richard Ellis to peddle the 27-acre property -- although Packer's group doesn't hold title to the land, only an option.

Candlelight Preserved:

The iconic Candlelight Wedding Chapel, which stood on the Strip near the Riviera for nearly 40 years till it was moved to the Clark County Museum, has received a new lease on life. A Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority grant covered site and foundation work for the Candlelight, and a recent $128,000 donation from the state Cultural Affairs Commission will pay for renovations. Tony Curtis, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Caine, and Bette Midler are among the numerous celebrities married at the Candlelight, which will now be preserved as a historic attraction.

Palazzo Retail Comes Up $hort:

According to GlobeSt.com, the first payment to Las Vegas Sands from the sale of the Palazzo Mall to General Growth Properties has come up about $200 million below expectations. Since the sales price is pegged to actual retail performance, it's thought that the Palazzo's "soft" opening may have factored into the shortfall. General Growth also owns the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, purchased four years ago for $776 million. For additional details, see Stiffs & Georges.

New Jumbos Debut:

Station Casinos has debuted its new Jumbo Jackpot system, with individual meters at each Station property. The big change for players is that they have to be playing in the casino where the jackpot hits to get free play (the amount depends on your membership level). These jackpots must hit by $100,000. An ad in today's LV Review-Journal indicates that Sunset Station is currently highest at over $95,000, followed by Santa Fe Station at over $82,000.

Good Start for 21:

Reports indicate that the blackjack movie 21 was the box-office leader over the weekend. Opening in 2,648 theaters, the movie grossed $23.7 million to outpace Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!'s $17.4 million.

Mac King Book Signing:

Comedy magician Mac King will host a free magic show and signing of his new book, Mac King's Magic in a Minute Great Big Ol' Book-O-Magic from 1-3 p.m. this afternoon at the Barnes and Noble on W. Charleston (just west of Fort Apache).

Joss Stone Honored Tonight:

British multi-platinum soul artist Joss Stone will be presented with a case dedication at the Hard Rock Hotel this evening, prior to her performance inside The Joint. The unique will include a dress, which the singer wore in a music video, plus other items yet to be announced. The presentation will take place at 5 p.m. and the public's welcome to attend.

Jumbo Still Live:

The last Jumbo Jackpot remains unhit as of 10 am. The total is above $146,000 and must hit by today. Anyone playing with a Boarding Pass card inserted when it does gets $50 in free play. A new Jumbo system will kick off tomorrow.

Free Frozen Yogurt Today:

The 7 Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt stores throughout the Las Vegas Valley are offering a free 8 oz. cup of frozen yogurt today only, Saturday, March 29. No purchase necessary.

Jumbo Move:

Station Casinos' Jumbo Jackpot is above $140,000. The system is set so that it has to hit before it gets to $150,000, but this one is a little different from those before it. This jackpot must hit by either $150,000 or by tomorrow, as it's the last in its current incarnation. After this Jumbo is paid, all seven Station casinos will have their own meter (and the Fiestas will have the Amigo Jackpot). The new meters will start at $50,000 and must hit by $100,000. There will also be an amendment in the bonus for those playing when the Jumbo hits, which we'll convey in this space in a future post. In the meantime, now is a good time to play the final jackpot and you'll get $50 in free play if it's hit anywhere while you're logged in.

10X at Tuscany:

Tuscany is running another 10X points promotion today. It runs till midnight and there are some good sign-up bonuses for new players club members.

21 Busts:

At least with the critics. Reviews of the movie 21 have not been kind. The film was generally panned by the Wall Street Journal and USA Today (interestingly, both cited the implausibility of the Kate Bosworth character). The LV Review-Journal was less harsh, but also concluded that the movie "fails to quit while it's ahead." Pick up today's R-J for lots of coverage, including an interview with Mike Aponte, Dave Irvine, and Andy Bloch, who were real members of MIT teams.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

The NCAA tournament enters the Sweet Sixteen/Elite Eight phase, while the music venues around town are in full swing for spring. Choose from classic rock, swing, do-wop, easy listening, R&B, and alt rock. If you just can’t decide, why not take in the best of two worlds at Planet Hollywood, where the Las Vegas Philharmonic performs the music of Led Zeppelin. Music highlights: The House of Blues stays busy with Bad Religion (3/28-3/29) and Justice (3/30); Collective Soul will perform the first ever "unplugged" acoustic show inside Mandalay Bay Theatre (3/28); Earth, Wind & Fire plays the Sandbar Backyard at Red Rock Resort (3/28) for business mogul Tom Breitling’s book release party; jazz musician Jonathan Butler performs in the Chrome Showroom at Santa Fe Station (3/28); ex-Motley Crue front man Vince Neil flies solo at Club Madrid inside Sunset Station (3/29); Tony Orlando sings at the South Point Showroom (3/28-3/30); Jimmy Hopper’s in the Suncoast Showroom (5/2-5/4); The Temptations take to the stage at the Orleans Showroom (3/27-3/30); Tom Jones returns to the MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre (3/27-4/9); Atlanta Rhythm Section grooves at the Gold Coast (3/28-3/28); Kenny Loggins stops by the Star of the Desert Arena (3/29); The Heritage Singers and Friends are at Cox Pavilion (3/29); the Philharmonic’s at Planet Hollywood (3/29); Antonis Remos and Sakis Rouvas appear in concert together at Las Vegas Hilton (3/29); Big Bad Voodoo Daddy swings into Ovation Lounge at Green Valley Ranch (3/29); The Joint presents Joss Stone (3/29) and My Chemical Romance (3/30-3/31), with official MCR after party at Body English (3/30); The Club at the Cannery hosts Mopars at the Strip events with Limey Bar Stewards providing music for the free party (3/28) and Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night) in concert (3/29) Comedy: Ventriloquist Terry Fator does his monthly stint at the Las Vegas Hilton (3/28-3/30); Wanda Sykes holds forth at Planet Hollywood (3/28-3/29); and Margaret Cho serves up humor at Pearl at the Palms (3/29) Sports Events: The big leagues come to the desert as the Seattle Mariners takes on the Chicago Cubs at Cashman Field Center (3/28-3/29); the Monster Jam World Finals takes place at the Thomas and Mack (3/29); and The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts Mopars at the Strip drag racing (3/28-3/30) Other: The Orleans Arena hosts the Jamz Cheer & Dance Cheerleading Championships (3/28-3/30); the World Pinball Championship takes place at the Pinball Hall of Fame (3/28-3/30); Extreme Thing 2008 features music and extreme contests and exhibitions at Desert Breeze Skate Park (3/29); check out the Run Away with Cirque du Soleil 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk at Springs Preserve (3/29); Hef’s Girls Next Door host the world’s largest bachelorette party at Rain Nightclub inside Palms (3/28); and Blondie’s inside Miracle Mile is holding their annual Blacklight Bash with all-you-can-drink well and draft for $15 (3/28)

Matthews' Poker Room Survey Continues:

In the third part of an ongoing series, poker pro David Matthews susses out the action at The Orleans and at Red Rock Resort. To find out which has the comfiest chairs, which has the best rake in Vegas and where you'll have the likeliest chance of spotting ESPN baseball analyst Orel Hershiser, read Gambling in Space.

TAO Honored:

The Venetian's perenially-cool nightspot has won the debuting "Best Bottle Service" award at the 6th Annual Club World Awards in Miami.

Wet 'n Wild Site Back on the Block:

Australian publishing heir and budding casino mogul James Packer is apparently packing it in, at least as far as his 1,064-foot-tall Crown Las Vegas project is concerned. Goldman Sachs and CB Richard Ellis have been retained to peddle the 27-acre parcel, former home of the Wet 'n Wild Water park, as Packer and lead developer Christopher Milam are still unable to close on the sale of the property. Over $60 million, much of it nonrefundable, has been spent to maintain an option on the land, whose price escalates from $450 million to $475 million at the end of June (which would put it back on the market at $17.6 million an acre). Because Milam and Packer don't actually own the land at this point, it's unclear who is selling what to whom. A call to CB Richard Ellis was not returned by deadline. For more details, plus a report on Packer's tripling of his market share in Macau, see Stiffs & Georges, which has additional Macau stats.

A.C. Casinos Get a Breather:

Smoke 'em if you've got 'em. It will be another two weeks before the city council of Atlantic City takes a vote on banning smoking altogether on Boardwalk casino floors. A measure to snuff out puffing was tabled for a fortnight at yesterday's council meeting. If voted through, casinos would have three months to build smoking lounges on their casino floor or have to go 100% no-smoking. It's been a year since New Jersey casinos were told to go to a 75/25 system, whereby one-fourth of the gaming floor would be partitioned off for the convenience of smokers. With a few exceptions (including two of the Trump properties), the casinos have dawdled. Their failure to act has frustrated politicians, hence the push for a total ban. Players aren't taking this lying down. "Smoking and gambling go together," huffed senior citizen slot player Patricia Miller to The Press of Atlantic City. "You can't have one without the other." Many players agreed, with some threatening to take their action to Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York State.

New Borders Concept Store Opens at Town Square:

One of LVA's leading book-lovers went down to Town Square this morning, and here's her report: "The soft opening for Borders Books new concept store in Las Vegas is Friday, Mar. 28 (grand opening April 4). Today, though, I was invited to the press tour to check out the newest addition to the Las Vegas literary scene. Having a store like this to 'yourself' (there were about 20 members of the press there with me), is akin to being the proverbial kid in a candy store. The design is different from the standard chain bookstore, with curving displays that encourage you to meander (rather than the usual straight aisles). They’ve also created special sections in the store to feature popular categories, such as graphic novels, cooking (my personal favorite; I saw about a dozen books today that I’d love to have for my collection), travel, and an enormous children’s area. "Their featured department is a digital media section where customers can download or burn CDs of both music and audio books, print photos, create family genealogies and personal photo albums, download e-books, and –- coolest of all for the budding author –- publish their own book! The Borders self-publishing program allows customers to create their own books and get physical copies. A coffee shop in the corner offers beverages and pastries. "The Town Square Borders is the second concept store in the country and 12 more are planned. In addition to everything already mentioned, one of the most interesting differences in the store is how many of the books were face-out. You can actually wander the aisles and see the book covers, rather than the usual tilted-head method of reading spines. As a book-a-holic, I see many hours of my future (and many dollars of my income) spent in this new store. It’s like going to a bookstore, library, Kinkos, and coffee shop all in one location. It's located at Town Square, at the intersection of I-15 and I-215 on Las Vegas Boulevard." Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Sunday. A press kit, high-resolution photos, and B-roll of the Ann Arbor concept store are at BGI Media Center.

Perini Tapped for Next MGM Project?:

In its Feb. 21 conference call, MGM Mirage announced it would "finalize selection of the lead architect" for its North Strip mixed-use development, being done in conjunction with Nikko Hotel and Kerzner International. An LVA source says that Perini Building is also expecting a jingle from MGM, one that would make Perini the contractor on the deal.

Elvis project looks like a long shot:

According to an SEC filing, picked up by GlobeSt.com, then VegasTodayandTomorrow.com and later by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, FX Real Estate & Entertainment (ticker symbol: FXRE) has set a $3.1 billion budget and late 2012 completion date for its Elvis-themed casino/condo/hotel project. Slated to be built just south of Planet Hollywood and across from the struggling Cosmopolitan, the resort would incorporate two hotels with 3,047 rooms and 147 condos, a 93K-square-foot casino, a comparably-sized retail component, a convention center, a 1,605-seat showroom, 14 restaurants and "an interactive multimedia Elvis experience, a boutique and an Elvis memorabilia store." The Harley Davidson Café and Smith & Wollensky's are among the current Strip hangouts that could fall casualty to this development, along with Hawaiian Marketplace. By clearing the site, owner/landlord FX would also eradicate a source of cash flow. Instead, the project is expected to be highly leveraged. For further details, see Stiffs & Georges.

Miss Manners on Tipping:

The latest Miss Manners syndicated advice column takes on the subject of whether or not dealers should expect a tip from a player who's losing. MM concludes no. Dealers won't like that (and we're not sure we agree with it either), but not mentioned is the far more problematic situation of how much dealers expect when a player is winning. Now that's where the problems arise.

Fergie Back for Birthday Bash:

The Black Eyed Peas vocalist, who was in town performing solo last weekend, is back (perhaps she never left?) in Las Vegas tomorrow night for a joint birthday celebration with Quentin Tarantino, of all people, at the Mirage's Jet nightclub. Doors open at 10:30 p.m. and you're welcome to join them.

Exec Leaves Riviera for Fontainebleau:

Relatively fresh from bringing former Cosmopolitan COO Audrey Oswell aboard, Fontainebleau Las Vegas has lured Riviera Holdings CFO Mark Lefever onto its executive team. The Las Vegas Sun reports that Oswell and Lefever formerly worked together at the Resorts International hotel-casino in Atlantic City. His path from Atlantic City also led through the Desert Inn and Trump 29, The Donald's brief venture into California tribal gaming. At Riviera, Lefever will be remembered for restructuring the company's debt load, which was causing the company to post heavy losses and which stymied redevelopment of the Strip dowager, whose recent upgrade the Sun describes as "the most dramatic in recent memory." The Lefever move, along with recent developments at the Monte Carlo and Harrah's Entertainment, is also covered in Stiffs & Georges.

21's Ma in USA Today:

Today's USA Today has a feature about the movie 21 that deals more with the real-life subject, Jeff Ma (including a giant photo of him), than the movie itself. Ma comes off a bit guarded about the movie's treatment, at one point acknowledging that "plenty of liberties" were taken. He also addresses the fact that caucasion actors were used to portray the predominantly Asian team (he doesn't really care). It's an interesting read for background information about the team portrayed in the film that debuts Friday.

New Poll Goes Live at Midnight:

Just a reminder that the current Travelaxe poll comes down at 12 a.m. PST tonight, when a new one goes live. It's an entertainment-oriented question on a subject we receive numerous inquiries about...

Three-way Trop Tangle:

In New Jersey, Justice Gary S. Stein is trying to sell the Atlantic City Tropicana. Which evicted owner Columbia Sussex is suing to reclaim. Except that it's now suing Wilmington Trust for allegedly trying to impede Stein's sale. Wilmington, meanwhile, has been suing Columbia Sussex, arguing that junior debtors will be left out in the cold if the sale goes through as planned. Confusing? See Stiffs & Georges for further coverage.

Las Vegas Axes Building Inspectors:

Due to the collapse of the construction bubble in Las Vegas, the city has laid off 30 employees from its Building & Safety Department and may scrap the the department altogether. That decision is expected to come at end of this year or very early in 2009. A tailspin in building fees is blamed for the situation, according to a Las Vegas Business Press story by Valerie Miller. Inspectors who may have been cramming in as many as 80 inspections a day when business was booming are now performing 10 per day, according to city spokesman Jace Radke. This may not be a bad thing: Construction consultant Neil Opfer tells Miller, "I remember one condo project where the anchor bolts were not bolted down."

Scientific Games Scores Olympic Coup:

On Easter Sunday, Scientific Games kicked off sales of China Sports Lottery tickets with a 2008 Olympics theme. The launch took place at 1,500 retail outlets in China's Shandong province, with 3,500 additional outlets to be added over the coming weeks. All of China's other 31 provinces will eventually sell the tickets, with a few provinces being added to the list every fortnight. First-day sales were tabulated at $5.6 million. Scientific Games stock added $1.06/share on the news.

Bally Routs Shuffle Master, IGT:

Both IGT and Shuffle Master were on the receiving end of a brush-off from U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. The latter entered a summary judgment in favor of Bally Technology, in a patent-infringement case involving the Bally MP21 table game system. IGT also received some bad news from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, which rejected an IGT-claimed patent. A third case, pitting Bally against IGT over Bally's iView technology, has been postponed until December. Shuffle Master stock fell upon receipt of the news but IGT rallied after an early plummet. Bally stock trended slightly downward.

"21" Gets Razzed:

The Associated Press blew a raspberry to new advantage-player melodrama 21. Reviewer David Germain faults the movie for indecisive characterization and trying to have it both ways. "The movie's a morality play preaching sophomoric ethics -- avarice, bad, clean living and hard work, good. Yet in doing so, the only interesting thing 21 holds up to the light is the gluttony the movie eventually decries." Leads Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey come in for varying degrees of disdain while director Robert Luketic "and screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb bring no grace or subtlety to the shift from team spirit to me-first the characters undergo. Midway through the movie, they simply decide that the fun's over and everyone has to start turning on one another." Why, Germain asks, "are these MIT scholars so dumb they fall into greedy, grubby plot holes a C-minus Statistics 101 student would have seen coming a mile to the Nth power away?"

Cosmo Boss: Foreclosure a Good Thing:

Positivity, thy name is Ian Bruce Eichner. Although Deutsche Bank has initiated foreclosure upon the troubled, $3.5 billion Cosmopolitan condo/casino resort, Eichner says not to worry. "We view this action as a means for Deutsche Bank to expand their ability to engage a greater number of serious potential investors in The Cosmopolitan," Eichner remarked in a statement released Monday. "We remain optimistic there will be a successful resolution to the situation." Related Cos., which has pulled back on its own attempts to develop in Las Vegas, appeared to deny that it was coming to the Cosmo's rescue. "We don't have anything going on in Las Vegas right now," a spokesman told reporters. Since January, the Cosmo has lost two chief operating officers. Audrey Oswell left for Fontainbleau and Scott Butera for Columbia Sussex, owner of the Las Vegas Tropicana.

Company American Bistro Closed:

In the latest hiccup for the PURE Management Group, their recently debuted upscale eatery at Luxor will be closed through March 27. Although a call to restaurant reservations said the venue was closed "for renovations," the word on the street is that the closure comes in the wake of the resignation of Executive Chef Adam Sobel and that the venue may be re-branded and returned to the Luxor’s control.

Las Vegas Life Axed:

The Greenspun Media Group has announced that as of this April it will cease publishing Las Vegas Life, the 60-year-old arts and culture magazine that marked Herman "Hank" Milton Greenspun's initial foray into the publishing world when he first arrived in Las Vegas in the 1940s. The need for belt-tightening in the current economic climate was blamed for the magazine's demise.

New WPT Season Debuts:

Season six of the World Poker Tour kicks off tonight at 9 p.m. on GSN. Check out the link to "Vegas TV" on our home page for this and the schedule for all other upcoming Vegas/gambling-related programming this week.

Matthews Rates The Venetian:

As part of his ongoing survey of some of Las Vegas' leading poker rooms, our David Matthews plays a few hands (to say the least) at The Venetian and likes most of what he sees. For full details, read the latest installment of Gambling in Space.

Queen of Comps Rates R-J Survey:

Reading the hard-copy version so you don't have to, Jean Scott checks in with her appraisal of the annual Las Vegas Review-Journal "Best of Las Vegas" survey, drawing particular attention to the differences between the online and print versions. (The latter contains "added value," including coupons.) Among the categories Jean appraises are dining, shopping and adult superstores. For more, see Frugal Vegas.

Camacho: Turnaround is Near:

Las Vegas' housing prices are reaching the bottom of the trough, Realtor Robin Camacho predicts in the latest installment of

Casting Call for Brand:

Tomorrow and Tuesday, there's an open casting call for Brand, the new steakhouse at the Monte Carlo. They're looking from everything from apprentice bartenders and kitchen helpers to VIP table hosts and marketing hosts. If you're interested, interviews take place in the Grand Ballroom (6 & 7) from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. tomorrow and noon-5 p.m. Tuesday.

Best-Of Out Today:

The annual "Best Of Las Vegas" awards are out today, with dozens of picks (readers vote and LV Review-Journal staff choices) from best hamburger to favorite Las Vegan. The gambling picks include blackjack (Red Rock from readers/Four Queens from R-J), slots (Palms/Palms), video poker (Palms/El Cortez), poker room (Bellagio/Caesars Palace), and players club (Station/Ellis Island). It's an interesting read providing good leads. You can get a copy by buying today's R-J.

Easter Points:

Bonus points are offered today at South Point and Coasts. South Point is paying double points, while Coasts and Sam's Town are paying 6X points.

Benny Moving:

The big statue of Horseshoe Casino founder Benny Binion riding a horse is reportedly moving from its long-time downtown home to South Point. The principals in the decision felt that the equestrian center at South Point was a more appropriate venue for the statue.

Moody's Casinos Not Recession-Proof:

Gas prices, rising food prices, tumbling real estate values, more casino competition and smoking bans - these are some of the reasons stock analysts are hedging their bets on casino stocks and why a new Moody's report is questioning the old saw that the gambling industry can weather any recession. Moody's has posted a "negative" outlook on the gaming sector, down from "stable." This could mean downgrades on the bond status of Trump Entertainment Resorts, Columbia Sussex, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casino Resort (which is engaged in joint ventures with MGM Mirage). The Newark Star-Ledger quoted Deutsche Bank analyst Andrew Zarnett's recent report which asked, "Will gaming continue to slide as spring approaches? We believe the answer is a resounding YES." Trump CEO Mark Juliano told the Star-Ledger that he'd never believed casinos were recession-proof to begin with, which MGM Mirage's Alan Feldman said they were "somewhat resilient" as opposed to "recession-proof."

CatHouse Reopens Tonight:

A call to the Luxor to check their buffet prices today was greeted with, "Welcome to the Luxor, home of the CatHouse," which prompted us to inquire as to the status of the recently opened venue, which was forced to close following some structural issues. Coverage of the whole incident put something of cat among the pigeons in the Las Vegas gossip column community, as anyone who follows such things will have read this week. But that's old news now; the new news is that the venue reopens for business tonight.

Massachusetts Casinos Nixed:

As expected, the Massachusetts House followed a committee recommendation and gave an emphatic thumbs-down to Gov. Deval Patrick's proposal to bring at least three casinos to the Bay State. Unlike the narrow committee vote, it wasn't even close in the House: 108-46, with the "nays" having it. Patrick had predicted 30,000 new construction jobs, were the bill to pass, although a Las Vegas Sands consultant's study deemed that Patrick had overshot the mark by 30%.

Oscar to the Rescue:

Las Vegas Mayor -- and Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority board member -- Oscar Goodman had some pointed remarks about a pair of petitions being circulated which would divert any increases in LVCVA funding (which is primarily derived from hotel-room taxes) into the state budget. The LVCVA has filed suit to block the petition drives, contending that each proposal also specifies how the redirected money is to be spent: a possible violation of the "single subject" rule that governs Nevada's initiative-and-referendum process. The Nevada teachers' union has run afoul of this rule in its attempts to get an initiative on the 2008 ballot which would raise gaming taxes, with the intent of putting the additional lucre into education funding and teacher salaries. For analysis and Goodman's remarks, see Stiffs & Georges.

Admitted Card Cheat Gets License Back:

Angelo Stamis, who admitted colluding with a Caesars Palace blackjack dealer to slip a "cooler" deck onto a table in 1975, has had his gambling license restored by the Nevada Gaming Commission in a unanimous vote. The 73-year-old Stamis has been employed with Jerry's Nugget in various non-gaming capacities for the last 28 years. With Jerry's planning to expand its North Las Vegas operation, it sought to add Stamis to its team of gaming execs (knowing what he knows can't hurt). In other news, Starbucks employees won $106 million in a lawsuit regarding their employer's practice of taking tips and redistributing them to middle management. Since the case hinged on California law, it remains to be seen whether it sets a precedent that will have any bearing on the lawsuit being pursued by two Wynn Las Vegas dealers who are seeking to overturn the tip-redistribution system imposed by Steve Wynn in mid-2006. For more coverage of these and other stories, see Stiffs & Georges.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Las Vegas welcomes spring this weekend and with it comes roughly three weeks of basketball bliss for NCAA tournament fans. Arriving spring breakers will find the city’s pool season slowly but surely coming to life and the forecast calls for perfect party weather. See below for the lowdown on this weekend’s hoop hoopla and more. Music: Catch classic Chicago in MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre (3/19-3/26); swing on over to The Club at Cannery for the KJUL Spring Fling with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra (3/21-3/22); English Beat (3/21) and Candlebox (3/22) take turns onstage at House of Blues; Fergie (of Black Eyed Peas fame) headlines at the Mandalay Bay Events Center (3/22); Brandon Bennett pays tribute to The King in Elvis My Way in the Suncoast Showroom (3/21-3/23); Craig Shoemaker performs at The Canyon Club at Four Queens (3/21); The Railhead at Boulder Station jazzes things up with Najee (3/21) and presents rockers Blue Oyster Cult (3/22); Paul Williams is in the South Point Showroom (3/21-3/22); and reggae rockers The Wailers are onstage at Ovation Lounge inside Green Valley Ranch (3/21-3/22) Comedy: The surprisingly salacious Bob Saget joins special guest Jeffrey Ross at The Joint (3/21); Ray Romano returns to the Danny Gans Theater at Mirage (3/21-3/22); Don Rickles slings insults in the Orleans Showroom (3/20-3/23); and The Comedy & Magic Variety Show is playing in Whiskey Pete’s Showroom in Primm (3/21-3/22) Sports Events: the Xtreme Fighting Association makes a stop at the Las Vegas Hilton (3/22); the Las Vegas Wranglers host the Alaska Aces (3/21) and the Phoenix Roadrunners (3/23) on the ice at the Orleans Arena; the Plaza’s Triple Crown Ballroom presents the NWA Wrestling Showcase (3/22) March Madness Events: There will be NCAA tournament viewing parties all around town, including those with no admission charge at the Gold Coast, Las Vegas Hilton, Orleans, Paris, Rio, Palms, South Point (3/20-3/23); The Joint at Hard Rock will host the March Mayhem’08 party with all-you-can eat stadium food and Bud Lites for $35 (3/20-3/23); the Orleans Race & Sports book will host a series of autograph sessions featuring Rick Barry (3/20), Larry Johnson (3/21) and Jerry Tarkanian (3/22) Other: East Meets West in a collaboration between the Seoul and Nevada Ballet Theatres for two performances only at UNLV’s Artemus Ham Concert Hall (3/21-3/22); see cool cars at the Collector Car Auction in the South Point Exhibit Hall (3/21-3/22); The Best of Las Vegas Awards Show takes place inside the Zumanity Theatre at New York-New York (3/22), hosted by George Wallace; K-Fed celebrates his 30th birthday at PURE (3/21); hottie alert at the calendar search at Hawaiian Tropic Zone (3/21); The Bank at Bellagio throws as Easter Bunny Hop hosted by four Playboy Playmates (3/23); and Town Square will hold their first planned-to-be-annual Bunny Boogies: Hop and Shop event (3/22) 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." Plus, tickets to many of the above-listed events are available by clicking here; if not, just contact the box office direct.

No Casinos for Massachusetts?:

In a rebuff of Gov. Deval Patrick, Massachusetts' Joint Committee on Economic Development & Emerging Technologies voted down his casino-legalization bill by a 10-8 margin. It is now up to the full Massachusetts House to decide whether to upend the committee's recommendation or not. House Speaker Sal DiMasi says it won't. Both Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn have been on the hunt for casinos in the Bay State.

Macao's the Place to Go:

According to the Macau Gaming Inspection & Coordination Bureau, visitation grew 11.6% in February, compared to the year prior. While the considerable majority of those visitors are from the Chinese mainland, Macao is becoming a draw for other markets, with the Southeast Asia/Hong Kong (+74%) and Europe/North America segments (+53%) leading the way. Tawainese, however, are staying home, their visitation down by 5%. Day-trippers still make up more than half of the Macao customer base.

Harrington's Latest Now Available:

New "Harrington on Cash Games" books are available now. "Action" Dan Harrington has penned two more books in his series on No Limit Hold ‘Em. His two newest, Harrington on Cash Games Vols. I & II, have just arrived from the publisher and we’re shipping immediately. Even better than that, we’re shipping them for free (to U.S. addresses). Check them out at Shop LVA.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels Hit the Strip:

The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will be airing Vegas homeboys' 2008 NCAA Tournament first-round game live on the 130' Strip-side LED video screen today from 11:55 a.m. The #8 seed Rebels will take on #9 seed Kent State.

Cosmo Exec Defects to Trop:

Another chief operating officer has bailed out of the troubled, $3.5 billion Cosmopolitan Casino Resort. Scott Butera, who succeeded Audrey Oswell two months ago, has left the project -- currently under foreclosure proceedings by Deutsche Bank -- to take the presidency of Tropicana Entertainment, parent of the Las Vegas Tropicana. That title was previously held by the company's owner, William J. Yung III. Since 2003, Butera has gone from being an executive director at UBS Investment Bank to president/COO of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts (now Trump Entertainment), to president of Metroflag Management, which made an unsuccessful run at buying the Riviera in 2006. He landed at the Cosmo in January of last year, as CFO, and was promoted to COO one year later. "There is a lot of work to be done at Tropicana in all of its markets," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal of his new company. "And when I say we need a comprehensive turnaround, each area of the company needs a lot of work."

Today's the Day:

It's day-one of the March Madness tournament. Aside from the Super Bowl, this weekend will be the busiest of the year for the sports books. Where should you go? Really, it doesn't matter -- they're all hopping. A couple of the biggest parties will be at the Las Vegas Hilton and Orleans. Some of the better deals we've seen advertised are 75-cent hot dogs at Coasts and Sam's Town and a free (regulation-size) basketball for a $20 parlay at the Orleans. The scene will be similar all weekend long.

New Plaza Gets Green Light:

The Las Vegas County Commission has given final approval to ELAD IDB Las Vegas, developers of the former New Frontier site, for all the necessary permits that will enable work to begin on the new multi-billion dollar mixed-use Plaza project. Groundbreaking is now not scheduled to take place until the end of the 2008 at the earliest.

Leap Year Means Revenue Leap for Lousiana:

Pelican State casinos did extra-well this February, thanks in part to Feb. 29 and the presence of the NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. The Crescent City reaped casino-revenue benefits that Las Vegas did not last year, when the game was held in Sin City. Harrah's New Orleans, in fact, enjoyed the second-best month in its entire history. For the full story and some number-crunching, see Stiffs & Georges.

Registration Open for Las Vegas Marathon:

Unlike previous years, participation in this year's Las Vegas Marathon will be capped at 20,000 runners, so once that many people are signed up for the full and half marathon combined, registration will close. If you'd like to take part, visit www.lvmarathon.com before March 31 to register, which is currently $85 for the full marathon and $75 for the half marathon. On April 1, fees will increase to $95 and $85 respectively. The marathon, sponsored by Zappos.com, will take place on Sunday Dec. 7, 2008 at 6 a.m. starting, as usual, from Mandalay Bay.

Latest from Luxor:

The latest in the flurry of news announcements today from the Luxor is that the steakhouse will be closing March 23 for a remodel. It's scheduled to reopen sometime this summer, apparently.

Another Move:

It must be something in the air. The latest announcement is that Ronn Lucas will be moving from the Luxor to Excalibur on April 1 (we don't think it's a joke). Lucas and his puppet troupe will perform inside the Thunder From Down Under showroom Tuesday – Sunday at 1 p.m.; dark Monday.

'Vegas Gang' Gets Own Site; Binkley Featured:

The so-called "Vegas Gang," whose fortnightly podcasts feature LVA Managing Editor David McKee, UNLV's David Schwartz, author of Roll the Bones, Las Vegas Sun Business Editor Jeff Simpson, Hunter Hillegas of RateVegas.com and "Chuck Monster" of VegasTripping.com (and affiliated Atlantic City- and Macao-centric sites) has its own Web site. The twice-monthly podcasts can now be accessed at Vegas Gang Podcast. The next one is scheduled to go up this Friday and is expected to include Winner Takes All author and Wall Street Journal correspondent Christina Binkley.

Matthews Rates Poker Rooms:

In the first of a series, David Matthews does an in-depth evaluation of local poker rooms, based on a long experience and a wide set of criteria. For starters, he takes on MGM Grand, Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas and Caesars Palace. For Matthews' insights and ratings, see Gambling in Space.

Bodies and Titanic on the Move:

Two of Las Vegas' most popular ongoing exhibits are moving from the Tropicana to the Luxor. Premier Exhibitions Inc announced today that it's signed a 10-year agreement with the Luxor to develop a new 50,000-square-foot exhibition complex, which will house BODIES...The Exhibition and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, along with at least one themed bar and restaurant, a "Photo Op" on Titanic’s soon-to-be-constructed bow, plus multiple expanded gift shops. As part of its ongoing "de-theming" initiative, the Luxor will apparently use the current King Tut area, plus the IMAX theater and the arcade, to house the new attraction.

Columbia Sussex CEO Profiled:

Louisville's Courier-Journal has run a long -- and not very flattering profile -- of Tropicana owner William Yung III. Among other things, it focuses on Yung's contretemps with the IRS, which resulted in a $15.5 million back-tax and penalties bill. It also examines Yung's financial relationship with Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear: $1.05 million in donations that the article says Yung explicity made "to position himself to be part of the new [casino] industry in Kentucky." For more on the Yung story, the sale of the Atlantic City Tropicana and a bailout for New Jersey's horse tracks, see Stiffs & Georges.

Adelson Exec Defects:

Walter Power, former senior vice president of operations for Sands Macao, has joined rival project Macao Studio City, according to the Macau Daily Times. Power will serve as chief operating officer of New Cotai Holdings, Studio City's developer. "Well known in the industry for his expertise in the operation and mathematical analysis, as well as the financial impact of 'non-negotiable' chip programs, Mr. Power was integrally involved in developing and implementing VIP and junket programs for the Sands Macao," writes the Daily Times. Power is a graduate of the Executive Development Program at UNR.

Now Is Time to Buy, Camacho Says:

Although its TV commercials are insufferable (or so claims LVA's resident curmudgeon), Mountain's Edge leads the nation in sales among planned communities and the valley's Providence is fifth. This prompts our Robin Camacho to write that "Mountains Edge homeowners should feel good about the strong sales; this is a great community and its continued desireability bodes well for future values." She also notes sharp disagreement as to whether recent moves by the Federal Reserve will be more a hindrance or a help to the housing market. Similarly, expert opinion is divided on whether this is the moment to lock in a fixed-rate mortgage. For Robin's full analysis, see House Advantage.

Shuffle Master Stock Tumbles:

When Shuffle Master's 1Q08 results came in yesterday at nine cents (excluding one-time charges) below Wall Street's expectations, it triggered a selloff in the stock, which at one point was trading $1.63/share below yesterday's closing price. For more on the Shuffle Master slide, and on Wynn Resort President Ron Kramer's departure, see Stiffs & Georges.

A.C. Tropicana Draws Few Bids:

Yesterday was the deadline for bids on Atlantic City's Tropicana, which the New Jersey Casino Control Commission is auctioning off after it was seized from hotelier Columbia Sussex. Although as many as 24 potential bidders were mooted early on, only three were left when the dust settled, with many others -- Mohegan Sun most prominently -- having thought better of bidding on the reportedly rundown Trop. One of those remaining three, Colony Capital, isn't saying whether its public offer of $850 million was followed up with a formal bid. The two other suitors are a vague group of New York investors and Baltimore-based developer Cordish Cos. For an analysis, see Stiffs & Georges.

Vegas Day on Travel Channel:

Beginning at 2 p.m. today Travel Channel will be airing re-runs of a whole bunch of Vegas shows, all of which feature Anthony Curtis and other members of the LVA family. The extravaganza kicks off with "More Las Vegas Dos and Don'ts," followed at 3 p.m. by "More Las Vegas FAQs." At 4 p.m. you can catch "Sucker Bets," followed by "Top 10 Ways to Win in Vegas" at 5 p.m., "Las Vegas FAQ" at 6 p.m., and "Vegas Dos and Don'ts" at 7 p.m. Don't forget to set your TiVo! For all upcoming TV shows and movies with anything to do with Las Vegas or gambling, remember to check out our Vegas TV feature, the only television guide specially designed for fans of our fair city.

Pinnacle Gets Green Light in Louisiana:

Pinnacle Entertainment received approval today to begin work on a second Lake Charles, La., riverboat casino -- a $350 million project that includes a 400-room hotel. Since Louisiana is still developing state regulations for riverboat construction (taking over a function formerly held by the Coast Guard), Pinnacle may not be able to lay the keel immediately. The new Pinnacle hotel-casino will replace a former Harrah's property that was totaled in Hurricane Rita. Pinnacle also has a $250 million riverboat project pending in East Baton Rouge.

California Man Wins Landmark Case:

Californian Frank Gagliardi has beaten the IRS in federal court, which was challenging the gambling losses he reported on his tax returns. The court accepted Gagliardi's return as correct, a finding which may make it more difficult for the IRS to go after gamblers in the future. David Matthews has a fuller account in Gambling in Space.

A.C. Profiled in Honolulu Advertiser:

Anthony Curtis fans should check out a great article and interview with the maestro that recently appeared in the Honolulu Advertiser. Just click here to read it.

Plaza a Go or No-Go?:

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Elad Group, "developers of The Plaza, a proposed multibillion-dollar [6,700-unit] casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip, are denying rumors that the project is on hold because of the shaky credit market." Elad is scheduled to present its plans to the Clark County Commission tomorrow. The cancellation rumor first appeared in Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot and was picked up by Dennis Farrell, a credit analyst for Wachovia. A "shaky credit market" in the U.S. is blamed. Steve Friess' blog has the text of the Wachovia note.

Today's French Onion Soup QoD:

If you're a fan of this elixir, keep checking back for other reader suggestions of where to find the best in Vegas, which are coming thick and fast. You're making us hungry!

Reno Casino Importing Staff from Abroad:

According to Philippine News, a hotel-casino in Reno has imported 160 contract workers from the Philippines. The casino, identified only as "one of the most modern" in the area, employs them in housekeeping and kitchen duties, says the paper, which adds that their contracts call for a 32-hour work week (at the employer's discretion) at $9/hour, tops. Mostly college graduates, the workers are obligated to pay $4,000 minimum to their recruiting agency and are being housed, eight to an apartment, in a block of unfurnished, two-bedroom apartments "within walking distance" of the casino. The Reno-area Filipino community has come to the rescue of the guest workers, many of whom lacked warm-weather clothing, among other necessities.

Cosmo to be Seized?:

According to the Wall Street Journal, Deutsche Bank has initiated foreclosure proceedings on the $3 billion Cosmopolitan Resort Casino. The refinancing of the project does not appear to be moving at a pace satisfactory to Deutsche Bank.

Matthews Plays the Slots:

David Matthews tried out the progressive slots at Wynn Las Vegas last weekend and discovered some interesting quirks. He shares his discoveries at Gambling in Space.

Who Wants a Tropicana?:

According to The Press of Atlantic City bids on the A.C. Tropicana are due today and it doesn't look as if any major casino or development company is going to bid (or if they are, they're keeping it mighty close to the vest). Mohegan Sun is formally out of the running and, given the state of both the credit markets and the Trop itself, several other reputable companies might be. Which leaves a secrecy-shrouded New York investment group in the leading-bidder position. For further details, see Stiffs & Georges.

Fator Extends Through 2008:

Popular entertainer Terry Fator, who gained national popularity when he won NBC's "America’s Got Talent," show has extended his run at the Las Vegas Hilton through all of 2008. Tickets range in price from $49-$149 (plus taxes and fees). Check out our Shows & Events listings (in "See & Do") for all upcoming dates and booking options.

Rita Rudner TV Special Debuts Tonight:

PBS' first-ever comedy special, "Rita Rudner: Live From Las Vegas," premieres locally tonight on KLVX-TV, Channel 10. The show, filmed at Harrah's in February during her 2,000th performance as a Las Vegas headliner, will air nationally on PBS in June.

Birthday Deals at HoB:

House of Blues at Mandalay Bay is celebrating its 9th anniversary with $9.99 breakfast, lunch, or dinner, $9 drink specials, and $9.99 retail specials today through March 22.

Paddy Points:

Saint Patrick's Day deals abound for players today. Among the high-profile offers are 3X players club points at South Coast, 6X points at Coasts and Sam's Town, and 10X points at Tuscany.

Numbers are Up:

The lines have been set for this year's March Madness basketball tournament. Individual game lines are available for all the match-ups, but on the futures line, UCLA is the surprise favorite to win at +415 (about 4-1). Following are North Carolina at +440, Kansas at +530, and Memphis at +680. UNLV is +40000 (400-1), and there are several teams listed at the longest odds of +200000 (2,000-1).

No Bull:

According to Norm Clarke of the LV Review-Journal, the bronze bull that stood outside of Carnevino restaurant at Palazzo has been removed. The bull was popular among females, who often posed for photos next to a prominent part of the bull's anatomy. Rather than go the route of Luxor (which chopped off the head of a statue of Vladimir Lenin, when it was deemed offensive), Palazzo simply removed the entire bull.

March Madness Contest:

Station Casinos is holding the "Last Man Standing" contest during the NCAA basketball tournament. Entry fee is $25, and you get one free when you buy three. It's a winner-take-all prize with all of the money beign returned. You have until March 20 at 9 am to enter.

Handicapping Madness:

Today's Wall Street Journal contains an article titled "The Bracket Cracked" about handicapping the NCAA basketball tourney with an eye toward filling out a tournament bracket card. This one's a little different from most on the subject, as the authors used a database of 23 tournaments and 1,380 games to derive some intersting findings that can probably improve your picks.

Tuscany Changes its Mind:

You may see ads for "double jackpots" at Tuscany today, but you shouldn't go rushing down there. We've recieved reports that the promotion was halted after only one hour last night, after the expected band of video poker marauders showed up to get their licks. Oh well, you can always head over to Tuscany for 10X players club points on Monday for St. Patrick's Day.

Free Lobster for Locals:

The Rio's Village Seafood Buffet has reopened after a lengthy closing for a renovation. The price is $38, and there's a coupon for locals for a "free lobster upgrade" appearing in a full-page ad in today's "Neon" section of the LV Review-Journal. Sounds good.

Macao Drawing More Package Tours:

China's gambling capital is not only seeing growth in both hotel rooms and overnight visitors. Tour operators are booking more customers into the casino-centric city. According to Macau Daily Blog.com, January arrivals were up 23% in year-over-year comparisons. Mainland Chinese, over 282,000 of them, dominated the market. And when Macanese residents go on vacation, the mainland is their destination of choice, distantly followed by Japan and Thailand. Those traveling individually prefer Hong Kong, the mainland and Taiwan, in that order.

Herbst Out, Szony In at Herbst Gaming:

Herbst Gaming CEO Ed Herbst has relinquished the title of president to the company's chief operating officer, Ferenc Szony, who came to Herbst during its recent absorption of the Sands Regent casino chain. Szony's accession comes at a time when Herbst Gaming has retained Goldman Sachs to help it evaluate business strategies that might include selling some or all of the company's casino assets. Slot route revenues were down by 19% last year and Herbst has already put a "for sale" sign on its Osceola, Iowa casino's Web site. LVAManaging Editor David McKee has further analysis of the changeover at Stiffs & Georges.

Casino Smoking Bans to Spread:

It may be the best news New Jersey's had in a year: Connecticut's attorney general has released an opinion that the state can impose its bar/restaurant smoking ban on both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. (The tribes are prepared to oppose it on grounds of sovereignty.) Pennsylvania's legislators, meanwhile, are trying to decide whether to go no-smoking in the state's slot parlors or adopt New Jersey's 75/25 solution, whereby smoking is confined to a quarter of the casino floor. That reduction has been blamed by some for Atlantic City's recent droop in slot revenues. Garden State Gov. Jon Corzine would like to go further and make casinos smoke-free but is finding little support. The New Jersey Group Against Smoking Pollution's Karen Blumenfeld pointed to Atlantic City's strong table game performance and contended "that people are not going elsewhere for table games, like Connecticut, even though they have the choice."

Beach Club Free-For-All:

While the pool season's still in its infancy, we've learned that the Hard Rock's Beach Club -- featuring two pools, four Jacuzzis, a floating palapa that houses the Beach Bar & Grill, and the famous floating blackjack tables -- remains open to the public for no charge (last year it was $20 for non-hotel guests). Enjoy it while you can.

More on Pugliese at the Palms:

As referenced in Vegas This Weekend, March 15-16 the Palms hosts the Pugliese Collection auction, featuring approximately 850 objects from the incredible pop-art collection of Anthony Pugliese, who's spent decades gathering some treasures as John Lennon's Abbey Road suit, Olympic torches from Munich and Berlin, and the gun that Jack Ruby used to kill Lee Harvey Oswald, an item which is expected to fetch more than one million dollars. Pugliese is selling the collection as he shifts his interests towards the creation of Destiny, the nation's largest eco-sustainable community currently being created in central Florida. A portion of the proceeds from the auction are earmarked for the Audubon Society environmental protection organization. Online catalog and bidding information is available by clicking here.

Las Vegas This St Patrick's Day Weekend:

Time to let your inner Irish out! And with St. Paddy’s Day on Monday this year, Las Vegas gets a whole four days to guzzle green beer and bandy about the blarney. BARE at Mirage kicks off pool season with free admission for spring breakers (and locals) and free Sunday BBQ mixers all month. Hard Rock’s Beach Club is also open for business with free admission for all while the crowds are still thin. Perhaps the most fascinating thing going on this weekend is the Pugliese Pop Culture Collection auction at the Palms. Music: Irish punk rockers Flogging Molly headline at the House of Blues (3/14-3/15); The St. Paddy’s Eve Bash at The Joint will be rockin’ with Young Dubliners and special guests The Fenians, Brother, and Wild Celts (3/16); The Club at the Cannery presents the Ides of March (3/14) and Rattle and Hum’s tribute to U2 (3/15); Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers perform at the Railhead at Boulder Station (3/15); Planet Hollywood Theatre welcomes Moody Blues (3/15); Lou Christie plays the Suncoast Showroom (3/14-3/16); The Bay City Rollers wrap up their Sin City comeback gig this weekend at the Riviera’s Le Bistro Theatre (3/11-3/16); South Point Showroom showcases Bill Medley & Paul Revere & the Raiders (3/14-3/16) while Aventura performs over in the events center exhibit hall (3/15); Jerry Lee Lewis sings at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm (3/15); the UNLV Performing Arts Dept. conducts their 45th Gala Anniversary at Artemus Ham Hall (3/14-3/16); and Gogol Bordello bring their unique blend of music and performance art to The Canyon Club at Four Queens (3/15) Comedy: David Spade spends the weekend in the Planet Hollywood Showroom (3/14-3/15); Bill Maher gets politically incorrect at The Joint (3/14-3/15); and Sinbad takes the mic at The Orleans Showroom (3/14-3/16) Sports Events: The rematch between Marquez and Pacquiao takes place in the ring at the Mandalay Bay Events Center (3/15) with a viewing party in the Islander Ballroom and after party at rumjungle; the Mountain West Conference Men’s and Women’s basketball champions will be crowned after this weekend’s events at Thomas & Mack Center (3/11-3/15); the Las Vegas Wranglers take to the ice at Orleans Arena against the Utah Grizzlies (3/14-3/15) Other: Check out the Pugliese Pop Culture Collection at the Palms (3/15-3/16); Psychic John Edward crosses over at the Flamingo (3/11-3/16); Venetian will host the season kick-off Wine Walk (3/15); South Point Equestrian Arena presents the Silver Dollar Circuit Horse Show (3/14-3/19 – free to the public); TV actor Molly Sims hosts a fundraiser at the Palazzo’s Dos Caminos and Sala Lounge (3/15); downtown Henderson’s goin’ green with the 42nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival (3/13-3/17) and parade (3/15/08); Bow Wow’s 21st birthday party at Jet (3/15) will be hosted by a surprise celebrity guest and filmed by MTV; Sylvia Browne makes her monthly visit to Excalibur (3/15-3/17); see the UNLV Opera Theatre in Cosi Fan Tutte at UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre (3/14-3/16); Jeff Beacher hosts the 2008 Addy Awards Freak Show in the Hard Rock Fiesta Ballroom (3/15); and Risque at Paris is giving away $500 cash at the St. Patrick’s Money 4 Da Honeyz party (3/15) 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." Plus, tickets to many of the above-listed events are available by clicking here; if not, just contact the box office direct.

Last Call on Locals Phantom Deal:

Local residents wishing to take advantage of the ongoing $50-off deal for tickets to Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular at the Venetian must book by March 17 for shows up to and including March 31. The deal's valid for the $120 and $150 seats. Call 702/414-9000 or visit phantomlasvegas.com and quote the code SAVE50.

Florida Senate Passes Two Gambling Incentives:

Florida's state Senate has given the thumbs-up to a bill that would reduce the tax rate on slots at tracks and other parimutuels in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. A second bill would expand Class II gaming to all jai-alai frontons and horse tracks in Florida.

Pool Season's Here: It's Official!:

Although most hotels have at least one year-round heated pool, it's not exactly bikini weather in January. But now the clocks have changed, the sun is shining, and Bare Pool Lounge at the Mirage has opened for business. Spring hours (until May 1) will be Thur-Mon, 11 a.m.- 7 p.m., with a $10 weekday charge for women (local ladies always free with ID) and $30 for men (goes up to $20/$40 respectively on the weekend). Bare features "European-style" (topless) sunbathing (min. age 21), cocktail service, and other amenities, including DJs. Every Sunday in March there will be a welcome BBQ and admission's complimentary every day this month for spring breakers with valid college ID.

Registration Open for World Series of Golf:

The second annual World Series of Golf®, which combines the skill of a golf tournament with the betting acumen of a poker tournament, takes place May 12-15 at the Paiute Golf Club Resort in Las Vegas. It's a co-ed, amateur-only event with a $10,000 buy-in and $250,000 grand prize. For more information visit www.WorldSeriesofGolf.com. If you're a fan of Las Vegas and golf, check out our new title, Golf Las Vegas -- The Ultimate Guide, with limited editions autographed by author Ken Van Vechten currently available. Also, remember to pay a visit to our new LVA Golf message forum, where experts, locals, and visitors are discussing all aspects of the Las Vegas golfing scene.

MGM Grand Detroit Boosts Motown:

MGM's new hotel-casino in downtown Detroit delivered a shot of Red Bull to the area's casino revenues, which sprang like a pogo stick in February, up 28%. Since the rival Motor City and Greektown casinos registered declines, the largesse can be credited entirely to MGM Grand Detroit. (In fact, a Detroit cabbie told an LVA staffer that his passengers ask him to take them either to the MGM or to Casino Windsor, just across the Canadian border -- never to Greektown or Motor City. Numbers are less encouraging in New England, where slot revenues in Connecticut are in a five-month slide, reports The Boston Globe. Win-per-machine is also ailing a nearby VLT facility in Rhode Island. All of which may complicate Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick's quest for three casinos in his state. For additional coverage, see Stiffs & Georges.

Another Cosmo Exec Exits:

Not only has the Cosmopolitan Resort Casino been struggling, with developer Ian Bruce Eichner recently shown the door, it's now lost its director of special projects, who was entrusted with "prepared budgets and pro-forma analyses, analyzed floor plans, and oversaw tenant lease administration." That executive, Laura Westheimer, has exchanged the Cosmo for a a vice presidency at Spectrum Gaming Group. She is charged with the expansion of Spectrum's Las Vegas operations, headquartered at 7160 Amigo Street. Spectrum is a New Jersey-based firm that does, among other things, investigative work for casino companies looking to enter overseas jurisdictions.

Obama Wins White House with 65%:

No, that's not a headline retrieved from next November via a time machine. It's the probability of a Democratic victory in November, as measured by Betfair.com. Since Betfair presently has Sen. Barack Obama as the probable Democratic nominee over Sen. Hillary Clinton by a 3-1 margin, that would -- if Betfair were conducting the election -- put him in a position to start choosing furniture for the Oval Office. There's much more to this and to the world of online election betting. For the serious number crunching and inside scoop, see Gambling in Space.

Rio's "Show in the Sky" Sails Onward:

Contrary to an item in yesterday's "Norm!" column in the Review-Journal (an error repeated by both "What's News" and "Stiffs & Georges"), The Rio is not permanently closing its "Show in the Sky" April 8 -- or at all. According to Harrah's spokeswoman Celena Haas, "Show in the Sky" will close temporarily for maintenance but will be back in a few days, a week at most (just in time for Tax Day!). Haas added that Rio-goers can eventually look forward to new costumes and choreography for the aerial spectacle, and that a change of producer may be in the works (negotiations are ongoing). She added, with a laugh, "It should still be on your list of 'Best Free Shows.'" We stand corrected.

January: A Great Month for Motels:

If you own a motel in Clark County, yesterday's visitation numbers from the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority were cause to jump for joy. While almost every other metric was in the negative, motel occupancy was up 7.4%. An increase in tourist occupancy was more than offset by a plunge in convention attendees. This may mean that bargain-seeking customers, having been priced out of the Strip, are gravitating to motels -- or simply trying to stretch their travel budgets farther, given the high price of gasoline. Indeed, car traffic from California was down almost 5%.

Vegas Housing Market Finally Bottoming Out?:

Realtor Robin Camacho reports that banks are now only have to discount 2%-4% on the re-sale price of repossessed home. In fact, some are selling for 20% above the asking price. Also, the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors reports that sales of single-family homes were up almost 12% last month, with 1,098 houses sold. Inventory of homes was also up by 1.7%, while the median home price fell ever so slightly, hitting $246,00 -- more than 20% below last February's median asking price. Is this the time to invest in Las Vegas residential real estate? See House Advantage.

Update: Harrah's Scraps Bahamas Project:

Blaming a lack of progress, Harrah's Entertainment has withdrawn from a megaresort project in Nassau. Incorporating six hotels, at an initial price of $2 billion, the project would have had Starwood Hotels & Resorts as an operating (i.e., non-equity) partner. Baha Mar accused Harrah's of a "breach of faith," possibly presaging legal action. Under its new, private equity ownership, Harrah's has been reported to be scaling back all of its overseas development and recently tried to roll its ownership of London Clubs International into an ownership stake in Rank Group. The prime minister of the Bahamas, Hubert Ingraham, says he expects Baha Mar to continue as though Harrah's were still onboard and meet its March 2009 deadline. Expanded coverage is now available at Stiffs & Georges.

Self-regulation in New Jersey?:

A New Jersey state senator has proposed that, in the event of future governmental shutdowns (like the one that occurred over the last Fourth of July weekend), casinos be allowed to police themselves to stay open. They could do so in return for allowing themselves to be subject to draconian penalties, should they stray from the straight and narrow. Atlantic City's casinos lost $50 million in business during the 2007 shutdown. More on that and the continuing debate over how best to dispose of Atlantic City's former airport, and future casino site, Bader Field, can be found in Stiffs & Georges.

Yung in Kentucky Controversy:

Several pages of appointment records for Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear went temporarily missing, raising concerns that Beshear's office was trying to obfuscate contacts between the governor and key donor William Yung, CEO of Columbia Sussex and would-be owner of a Kentucky casino. Beshear allows that he's met with horseracing interests on the issue, but not with Yung. More information can be found at Stiffs & Georges, along with a report on whether Penn National and/or Columbia Sussex will remain in the Baton Rouge market now that Pinnacle Entertainment's $250 million Riviere project has been voted in by East Baton Rouge residents.

No Truth to Bally's Rumor:

A comment on the Five Hundy by Midnight blog alleges that the buffet at Bally's is only temporarily closed while the employee dining room is being renovated (forcing employees to use the buffet as their EDR), prompting a query to LVA. For fans of the Bally's buffet, it is our sad duty to report: No dice. According to Harrah's spokesman Gary Thompson, the buffet at Bally's is permanently closed. "It just wasn't getting enough (business) to justify the expense of keeping it open," he says.

Jersey Gaming Bills Advance:

Committees in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature approved a quid pro quo Monday. Passing out of committee were bill that would bar VLTs from horse tracks in return for a $90 million, three-year casino-industry subsidy for the sport of kings. "From where you sit, it could either be a horse subsidy bill or a casino insurance bill," opined state Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic City). A lobbyist for the horsey set complained that it was still "a short-term fix." Borgata veep Joseph Corbo suggested increased OTB sites as a long-term solution. Tucked away in the same bill was a partial tax credit for casinos on their promotional allowances (comps, credits, etc.). An attempt was made to amend the bill to direct 40% of the savings toward horse tracks, but it failed in committee.

Obituary for Eliot Spitzer:

... or at least his political career. David Matthews has some choice words for the former New York State attorney general (and scourge of online gamblers) in Gambling in Space.

Seminoles' Ex-Chairman Does Playboy:

For one month at least, you've got a reason to read Playboy for the articles. Controversial former Seminole chairman James Billie is the subject of a lengthy profile. He's plotting a return to the directorship of the tribe now that it's flush with Hard Rock and Class III gambling cash. Author Pat Jordan's story is a sentimentalized apologia for Billie, told almost exclusively by Billie and his sympathizers (NIGC Chairman Phil Hogen makes a cameo appearance). For -- as Paul Harvey would say -- the rest of the story, see Stiffs & Georges. Also, Landry's Restaurants CEO Tilman Fertitta says his Golden Nugget isn't getting the respect it deserves.

Rio's Masquerade Show to Close:

The hints have been there for awhile -- dark at Christmas, strange schedules and remote radio feeds replacing shows -- but now, according to Norm! in today's R-J, it's official: The long-running Masquerade Show in the Sky at the Rio will close April 8. No word on what, if anything, will replace it.

Today's Question of the Day:

We're getting lots of feedback on today's QoD, so check back for updates. And don't forget that the current Reader Poll about what you most love about Las Vegas ends at midnight tonight, so make sure you vote if you haven't already. A new poll goes live tomorrow.

Atlantic City's Good February:

Coming off a catastrophic quarterly report, Trump Entertainment Resorts rebounded with a best-of-market performance in Atlantic City's casino-win numbers, led by Trump Plaza, which did almost 14% better than February 2007. All Trump casinos were in the "plus" column, as were three of the four Harrah's properties. For a fuller report, including some good news from the Atlantic City Tropicana, see Stiffs & Georges.

Strip Land Values May Soften:

It was only a year ago that analysts were saying Strip values could only escalate, as Strip acreage is a finite quantity and they aren't making any more. Although Aztar Corp.'s Atlantic City Tropicana was the mainstay of the company, analysts assigned most of the value of its sale price to the Las Vegas Trop, valuing it at $30 million an acre or more. But are we in for at least a temporary slackening in Strip land valuations? In a Las Vegas Review-Journal story, CB Richard Ellis executive John Knott suggested exactly that, telling reporter Arnold Knightly that "it's more challenging for the Riviera to get $30 million per acre[,] which you could have argued four months ago was the value. Today, it's clearly not the value." He cited an agglomeration of undeveloped Strip land as one factor. For more details and early nes on Atlantic City's February turnaround, see Stiffs & Georges.

Wild Celts Hit ESPN:

ESPN television has picked up the song "A Day At The Races," written and performed by Las Vegas’ own Wild Celts, to use on its racing telecasts. The Wild Celts, led by Dublin native Walter O’Douling, are frequent performers at Brendan’s Irish Pub at the Orleans and have also appeared regularly, since around 2001, at Jack’s Irish Pub in Palace Station, JC Wooloughan Irish Pub at the Rampart, and other local venues. "A Day At The Races" is the title track from the band’s second CD. Next weekend for St. Patty's Day, they'll be performing at the following: March 15, 6-8 pm, on Fremont Street’s 3rd Street Stage (free) and 9 pm in the Auld Dubliner at MonteLago; March 16 at the Hard Rock’s Joint, opening for the Young Dubliners (about $20, 4 bands); and March 17 at 9 pm at Brendan’s in the Orleans (free).

CityCenter to Feature $40 Million in Art:

MGM Mirage has announced plans for an ambitious $40-million indoor and outdoor public art program at CityCenter, which will feature numerous sculptures, paintings, and installations by international artists including Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Nancy Rubins, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Frank Stella, Henry Moore, and Richard Long, among others.

"Chopper" Opportunity:

Meet the Teutals of Orange County Choppers Inc. and Discovery Channel’s hit show "American Chopper" at the Silverton tomorrow, where they'll be hosting a meet and greet and autograph-signing session by the aquarium from 3-4 p.m.

Wine Week at Smith & Wollensky:

Ten different wines may be sampled for ten dollars during regular lunch hours Mar. 10-14. Daily selections are posted at www.smithandwollensky.com. For those who don't know, it's located at 3767 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (opposite the Monte Carlo).

Matthews in the Big Easy, Redux:

Due to popular demand, David Matthews has provided a few more anecdotes from last month's trip to New Orleans, along with a photo gallery. These vignettes of Crescent City life can be seen at Gambling in Space.

More Nightclub Fallout:

A lengthy investigative piece in the Sun portion of today's LV Review-Journal tells the story of a group at Luxor's LAX club being pressured for tips and overcharged on previously quoted prices for bottle service to the tune of about $1,000. These stories are beginning to surface with increased frequency as the furor grows, and the picture being painted isn't a good one. We'll be looking into it further and reporting in the April Las Vegas Advisor, which is our annual entertainment issue.

More Praise for Las Vegas Dining:

The Saturday Wall Street Journal sang the praises of the Las Vegas culinary scene, focussing primarily on the three Mario Batali restaurants at Venetian and Palazzo. It also cited MGM's Joel Robuchon as possibly the best restaurant in the U.S. "and Europe" and threw in a plug for one of our non-casino favorites, Lotus of Siam.

Konik Recognized in WSJ:

Today's Wall Street Journal references our book Man With the $100,000 Breasts in its 'Five Best' feature, this one on the best gambling books, as chosen by Sports Illustrated's Richard Hoffer. Michael Konik's fabulous compilation of gambling stories follows only James McManus' Positively Fifth Street on the list. The rights to Man were sold to Broadway Books, where it was made into a paperbook. But we're still selling the original hard copy for just $4.99 (plus shipping). It's a great read. Congratulations to Michael.

Tropicana Lawsuit Analyzed:

Columbia Sussex is attempting to forestall the sale of the Atlantic City Tropicana and regain possession of the property, from which it was evicted last December. (The Trop is currently being run by a trustee appointed by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.) It has filed a lawsuit against the NJCCC, charging the agency with bias, and with capricious and improvisational rulemaking. The NJCCC for its part, is demanding that Columbia Sussex start making good on $750,000 in penalties, starting with an initial $125,000. For an in-depth look at the Columbia Sussex/New Jersey wrangle, see Stiffs & Georges.

Riviera Cash Flow Up, Losses Too:

Despite notching improved room rates at its Strip property and better cash-flow margins overall, Riviera Holdings Corp. recorded a $1.48 per share loss for 2007, compared to only $0.03/share in '06. Improved entertainment product, primarily "ICE" was also credited with improving financial performance at the Vegas Riviera. Its Black Hawk counterpart has added three outdoor smoking lounges to counter Colorado's ban on smoking in casinos. Riviera stock jumped $1.54 a share, to $19.89, before closing the day at $19.24/share. Acquisition fever having cooled, Riviera shares remain well off their 52-week high of $39.12. For further information, see Stiffs & Georges.

Penn Nat'l Wants Bigger Slice of A.C.:

In addition to pursuing Atlantic City's Bader Field recreational area, Penn National would like to acquire 23 more acres, just across the bridge to the mainland on Route 30. Since the 23-acre site is one-third wetlands, that would leave Penn with 15 or 16 developable acres. The company is presently offering Atlantic City $800 million for Bader Field, plus $100 million in property-tax relief. (Penn would then re-sell as much as three-fourths of the site.) That deal is opposed by various state-level figures, including Gov. Jon Corzine, who thinks a better offer is still to be had.

Shuffle Master Shuffles Execs:

Shuffle Master senior veep Coreen Sawdon was been promoted to CFO. Sawdon replaces Paul Meyer, who has his hands full already, serving as president and chief operating officer of the Vegas-based company.

LV Sands Sells Palazzo Mall:

Leap Day marked the consummation of the sale of Palazzo's retail mall to General Growth Properties, although the inking of the pact wasn't announced until March 6. For a downpayment of almost $291 million, GGP obtained 536K square feet of retail space. It has until early 2012 to pay down the balance -- an amount to be arrived at via a complex formula involving net operating income during a one-year period of operation spanning 2009-10.

News for "Las Vegas" fans:

If you're a fan of the recently canceled TV series, listen up. "Operation: Baby Booties" is a fan campaign (organized by an unofficial fansite) to convince the network to give them a "real ending" for the series, which was prematurely halted due to the writers' strike. As aficionados will be aware, one of the storylines has Danny and Delinda about to become parents, hence the campaign to bombard NBC with letters and baby booties (at the last count 4,445 of the latter had been shipped.) Apparently, a similar campaign involving peanuts recently resurrected "Jericho" on CBS. For more information, visit lasvegas-theseries.com/.

'Vegas Gang' Reconvenes:

A third podcast in an ongoing series featuring LVA Managing Editor David McKee has been posted at RateVegas.com. Also appearing are academician and author David Schwartz of UNLV, the Las Vegas Sun's Jeff Simpson and VegasTripping.com creator Chuck Monster, who has now added MacauTripping.com and -- newest of all -- Atlantic City Tripping to his portfolio of Web sites. Hunter Hillegas of RateVegas.com moderates the discussion which is also available as a 66 MB direct download.

Fire Two:

January gambling-win numbers released today report a 4.7% statewide decline compared to the same month last year. The Strip win was down 1.3%. It's the second negative indicator for the new year, following a reduction in passengers moving through McCarran Airport. Neither result is terrible, but both reinforce beliefs that the struggling economy is beginning to affect Las Vegas.

Charlie Palmer Charms Our Gentleman Gambler:

David Matthews knows a thing or two about wine and good food. So his rave review of Charlie Palmer Steak, at the Four Seasons, is not to be taken lightly. The creme brulée, in fact, leaves him speechless. For a mouth-watering critique, see the latest installment of Gambling in Space.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Rock ‘n roll’s past and present is well-covered here in Sin City this weekend, despite the fact that Pearl and the House of Blues will be quiet. With the demise of the "Sopranos" came the resurrection of Journey and they’ll be on the stage at Planet Hollywood’s Theatre for the Performing Arts on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Joint’s jumping as alt-rockers Linkin Park wrap up a two-night gig on Friday and Live’s in the house on Saturday. More music: Rascal Flatts perform with special guest Kellie Pickler at the Mandalay Bay Events Center (3/8); punk dinosaurs the New York Dolls have risen from the dead to play Jillian's (3/8); Neil Sedaka’s in the Orleans Showroom (3/6-3/9); Squirrel Nut Zippers swing at Rocks Lounge inside Red Rock Resort (3/7); Air Supply performs in the Suncoast Showroom (3/7-3/9); jazz musician Euge Groove stops by the Railhead at Boulder Station (3/8); the South Point Showroom gets a jump on St. Paddy’s day with Ragus – Irish Passion (3/7-3/9); Bay City Rollers keep it going at Riviera (through 3/16); Viva! pays tribute to Santana at The Club inside the Cannery (3/7-3/8); and the Las Vegas Tenors appear at the LV Hilton (3/9) Comedy: Jay Leno’s back at Mirage (3/7-3/8); Pauly Shore teams up with daddy Sammy at the Orleans Showroom (3/7-3/8); Tony Pace performs his one-man comedy/music/improv show in the Star Theatre at the Greek Isles (3/6-3/7); and enjoy the Playboy Comedy Series with Sebastian from Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show in the Palms Lounge (3/8) Sports Events: Badlands Golf Course will host the 2nd Annual Rebelution Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament (3/9); the Las Vegas Wranglers take on the Bakersfield Condors (3/7) and the Phoenix Roadrunners at the Orleans Arena (3/8); The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels host Utah State on White Out for Senior Day (3/8 - free white t-shirt to first 6,000 fans); and the NWA Wrestling Showcase takes place at the Plaza in the Triple Crown Ballroom (3/8) Other highlights: The Bank Nightclub at Bellagio host the official LV release party for the new Lionsgate film The Bank Job; the "Save the Boobs Poker Run" to benefit the American Cancer Society kicks off with a pre-party and entertainer auction at Scores (3/9), with the main event starting and ending at Hogs & Heifers (3/9); and it’s time for another First Friday celebration in the downtown arts district (3/7) 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." Plus, tickets to many of the above-listed events are available by clicking here; if not, just contact the box office direct.

Stann, Curtis Featured in:

Where Las Vegas's March cover story showcases LVA's Numero Uno MySpace friend "Hollywood" Dave Stann. The "Bad Boy of Blackjack" shares his views on Las Vegas' best mojito, among other topics. LVA Publisher Anthony Curtis is interviewed in a sidebar about the highly publicized raising of the table limits at Caesars Palace. His verdict, according to author Bob Shemeligian? "It probably won't mean very much to the average player."

Canada Contemplates Kahnawake Crackdown:

Canada's federal government "is considering new measures to stamp out Internet gaming sites based on a native reserve in Quebec," reports the National Post. The Kahnawake Mohawk reservation, near Montreal, provides a haven for hundreds of online betting sites, in defiance of an (unenforced) edict from Ottawa. Citing the Canadian constitution, the Mohawks maintain that they are a sovereign nation and can do as they wish. "The Mohawks say that gaming has been central to their culture as a means of settling disputes through competition, not violence," says the Post, noting that an Alberta-based tribe may soon follow in their footsteps. Tensions are unlikely to be eased by remarks like that of Great Canadian Gaming Corp. CEO Russ McLeod, who pronounced the tribal operations "parasites on the butt of Canada." Track owners want the sites blocked from Canadian ISPs. The government is also looking at legislation comparable to the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, which blocks many -- but not all -- online financial transactions of a wagering nature. Some Canadians, however, are trying to float a compromise.

Adelson, Kerkorian, Ho, & Wynn Make Forbes List:

Forbes has published its annual list of The World's Billionaires. Four casino moguls made the list. Sheldon Adelson weighs in at #12, with a net worth of $26 billion, while frequent adversary Steve Wynn is listed at #277, with a $3.9 billion net worth. Adelson's archrival in Macao, Stanley Ho makes the list at #113, his fortune tabbed at $8 billion. At age 90 and still going strong, MGM Mirage majority owner Kirk Kerkorian clocks in at #41, his fortune estimated at $16 billion. When the results are filtered by nationality, the Fertitta brothers, Frank and Lorenzo jump from #897 to #380. Wynn is the 86th richest American, by Forbes' yardstick, while Adelson is #3. The best-looking billionaire is either Chinese real estate developer Zhang Xin or Spanish construction baroness Esther Koplowitz. Bad news, guys; they're married. Oh, and the richest person in the world? Some chap in Omaha named Warren Buffet.

"The Master"'s Wife Wins WPT:

Van Nguyen, wife of Men "The Master" Nguyen, emerged atop a 445-player field to win the World Poker Tour Invitational, held at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif. At the five-seat final table, Nguyen bested Ethan Ruby, Billy Baxter, Justin Marchand and Elias Madias. A bevy of Hollywood celebrities also turned out for the pro-am, including Mimi Rogers, Don Cheadle, James Woods, Tia Carrere and Law & Order star Jeremy Sisto. Their play benefited a variety of charities, foremost among them the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer-awareness fund.

Kerkorian Lowers MGM Stake:

According to The Associated Press, Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. has lowered its ownership stake in MGM Mirage to 52.2%, following a donation of five million shares, valued at $300 million. The identity of the beneficiary was not disclosed.

Packer Casing the Joint in A.C.?:

According to the Atlantic City Weekly, Australian casino mogul James Packer (owner-to-be of the local Cannery franchise) spent last week at the Borgata. With the Tropicana currently on the block, in addition to Bader Field and a joint-venture opportunity in a new condo-hotel, the Prasada, Packer would have no shortage of investment opportunities. However, "Another spy in the US reckons that Packer and some pals from Macquarie Group were in Atlantic City checking out some of Donald Trump's resorts but reportedly left unimpressed," reports The Australian. "Crown's spokesman issued a "no comment" on his boss's whereabouts."

Wide-open Gambling in Florida?:

That could be the result if a spate of measures before the Florida Legislature are enacted, despite the poorish performance of the Sunshine State's racinos. Statewide expansion of slots is expected to be on the table, along with lower gaming taxes, simulcasting of high-stakes poker and several other options. Meanwhile, the governor's compact with the Seminole Indians, providing them with both Vegas-style slots and blackjack, continues to hang fire. More information, plus the latest from New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine on casino expansion, can be found in Stiffs & Georges.

Changeover at Isle of Capri; Trump Walloped:

Longtime Isle of Capri Casinos CEO Bernard Goldstein in retiring in favor of designated successor James Perry, former CEO of Trump Entertainment. Not only is Isle stock trading at some of its worst prices in memory, the company reported widening losses in its third-quarter conference call. Those losses would have been far worse had it not been for the opening and/or acquisition of several new casinos, including one in Coventry, England. The spate of new properties swung Isle's 3Q07 revenues from negative to positive. The company also announced several turnaround measures. It was a crummy quarter for Trump Entertainment, where writeoffs turned a slightly-below-expectations report into the company's worst loss since emerging from bankruptcy. The declining value of Trump Marina was partly to blame for the abysmal numbers. For further data and analysis on both companies, see

Matthews meets Palazzo:

Our David Matthews must be really racking up the comps lately. He recently stayed at Las Vegas Sands' new pleasure palace, Palazzo, and came back with some choice impressions and anecdotes (like the one about hotel rooms without toilets), plus a smidgen of music criticism. To read Matthews' travelogue and view a Palazzo photo gallery, see Gambling in Space.

Time to Buy that Vegas Home?:

In her latest blog entry, Realtor Robin Camacho downplays fears of a banking crisis comparable to that of 1989. That year, she writes, the FDIC had 1,500-plus banks on credit watch, compared to 76 right now. Interest rates aren't falling as much as expected due to mass loan refinancing by banks, to recoup. To potential home buyers who might be contemplating refinancing their home to purchase one in Las Vegas, too, Camacho advises a wait-and-watch stance. Why? Read House Advantage for the answer.

Party with Dita Tomorrow:

The three winners of the U.S. auditions for MGM Grand’s Crazy Horse Paris will be announced at a public party at Tabú Ultralounge tomorrow night. The party starts at 10 p.m. and will be hosted by burlesque goddess Dita Von Teese, who was one of the panel of judges. After the celebration, the winners will fly to Paris, France where they'll undergo two months of formal training before joining the dance troupe on stage.

In Macao, More is More:

Gambling revenue in Macao jumped 72% from January 2007 to January '08, according to the enclave's Gaming Inspection & Coordination Bureau. That meant $1.3 billion in casino winnings, which Bear Stearns credits to more casinos, more gaming positions at existing casinos, more VIP play and more visitors.

MGM Forecast Mostly Rosy:

Not waiting for completion of City Center, MGM Mirage will break ground next year on its North Strip joint venture with Kerzner International and Dubai World, with an expected completion in 2012. That's one of several announcements MGM Mirage made in a largely bullish presentation this morning to the Bear Stearns Consumer Conference, in New York City. The company also expects to open City Center in November of 2009, at a cost of no more than $8.4 billion, tops. No budget figure was released for the MGM/Kernzer/Dubai development. MGM Grand Detroit now dominates the Motown market, of which it holds a 42% share. MGM Grand Macau, however, appears to have a ways to go or, as Bear Stearns put it, "believes it can further grow its mass market presence." In Las Vegas, MGM Mirage expects February's numbers to be 5% down from last February's, but says that March is off to a strong start and that a strong third- and fourth-quarter convention schedule will more than compensate for a soft Jan.-June slate.

Year's First Report is Negative:

In discussing the economy's affect on Las Vegas in the April LVA, Anthony Curtis wrote: "The numbers for January and February figure to tell a big story. They aren't out yet, but there's certainly a feeling around town that leaner days are ahead." The first of those numbers have now been released, and they support AC's position. Airport-traffic figures indicate a 2.8% decrease in combined arrivals and departures compared to last January. It's not a disaster, but it's not a good start.

Gambling-Book Excerpt in WSJ:

Today's Wall Street Journal contains an excerpt from the new book by WSJ reporter Christina Binkley, Winner Takes All: Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, Gary Loveman, and the Race to Own Las Vegas. The excerpt is an account of the Kerkorian acquisition of Mirage Resorts, specifically, the interaction between Wynn and Kerkorian. It includes some interesting comments from Wynn.

WSOP Cash Players Need ID:

Harrah's has announced that players buying into certain World Series of Poker events with cash this year will be required to produce a valid Social Security or Tax ID number. The requirement will be imposed on single cash buy-ins of $3,000 or above, and aggregate daily cash buy-ins that exceed $10,000. The move is being made to comply with the new Title 31 tax code that became effective last July. Meanwhile, pre-registration for the 39th annual WSOP is now open at worldseriesofpoker.com.

IGT to Acquire Cyberview:

The Las Vegas Sun has obtained merger documents for a transaction whereby International Game Technology, the world's dominant slot machine supplier, would buy out small, Euro-centric competitor Cyberview. The latter's manufacturing-license application was to have been voted on tomorrow by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, but that vote has suddenly been delayed. Each company has what the other needs: Cyberview's server-based games are already widely deployed in the U.K., while IGT has the manufacturing capability and the 'boxes,' but its own server-based software is still in the rollout phase. An IGT/Cyberview merger could appreciably shorten IGT's timeline for getting server-based gambling onto the market. Further details of the proposed deal can be found in the Sun.

Bye Bye Hooters?:

Maybe. Hedwigs Las Vegas Top Tier, the company pursuing a $225 million purchase of Hooters, says that it will ditch the Hooters theme when it takes control. The plan is to redevelop and rebrand the resort to court the high-end visitor, rather than the lower-demographic Hooters crowd. Indications are that the 727-room hotel will be completely remodeled to the tune of about $130 million. It hasn't been decided if the property will close during the work. The sale could close as early as "late-spring." Interestingly, one of the principals in the purchashing company that wants the change is also behind the creation of a Hooters casino in Wendover.

Jersey Casinos Get Tax Break:

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has proposed that Atlantic City casinos no longer be taxed on promotional allowances. A similar tax break is already in force for Pennsylvania's racinos and slot parlors. In return, A.C. casinos will provide a three-year, $90 million subsidy to New Jersey horse tracks. By accepting the subsidy, the tracks will give up their push for VLTs. (A four-year, $86 million subsidy deal recently lapsed.) The Casino Association of New Jersey cautioned that it was a deal "in principle," while a horseracing lobbyist warned that it was only a short-term solution.

Matthews Does Tahoe:

Blackjack and poker pro David Matthews spent a weekend in Lake Tahoe, courtesy of Harrah's Entertainment, and checked out the offerings at every major casino he could find, with a special emphasis on card rooms. For David's impressions of Harrah's, Harvey's, Montebleu, Horizon and more (with photos!), see Gambling in Space.

'Herbst Gaming on the Block:

While the slot route/casino company may be raking it in hand over fist in sales of California Lottery tickets, that's only softened the blow from new restrictions on smoking in Nevada. Herbst's slot-route revenues are down almost 20% for 2007, with fourth-quarter numbers yet to be reported. Factor in the soft performance of their regional casinos and Herbst executives are considering selling some or all of their gaming assets, many of which were only recently acquired. One casino is already up for sale. For further details and additional casino-investment coverage, see Stiffs & Georges.

Adelson Has Land Issues in Macao:

Although work continues full speed ahead on a quartet of Cotai Strip parcels, the land underneath an impressive slew of Las Vegas Sands hotel projects hasn't actually been deeded over to Sheldon Adelson's company yet. Worst case scenario, Adelson could lose the land and all or part of his considerable investment. Will it come to that? And is China seriously contemplating Internet gambling? Galaxy Entertainment thinks so. Also, construction-job projections in Massachusetts are in dispute, even among casino proponents. And Isle of Capri Casinos stock price hits its lowest mark since 2001. All of this and more in Stiffs & George.

Pinnacle holds firm on Midwest projects:

Pinnacle Entertainment may have placed its Atlantic City megaresort on hold, pending better times in the credit markets. But that doesn't mean it's cooling off on its commitments to St. Louis County and East Baton Rouge, where it landed a hard-won casino berth. LVA spoke with Pinnacle and has more info in Stiffs & Georges.

A.C. Smoking Rooms, New Condos Planned:

Although it's been 11 months since New Jersey mandated that casinos go smoke-free on three-fourths of their casino floors, not one of the required "smoking rooms" has yet been built. The delay appears partly to be due to bureaucratic sloth and partly to slow-moving paperwork at some of the casinos. Meanwhile, the ongoing drop in Boardwalk casino business continues to be blamed on the partial smoking ban. In other Atlantic City news, developer Christopher DiGeorge has announced plans for a 50-story condo/hotel tower, 560 feet tall and with 405 units. It's slated for the Boardwalk's "dead zone," between New York and Kentucky avenues. For further coverage, see Stiffs & Georges.

Columbia Sussex Postpones Default:

A Delaware court has ruled that, while Columbia Sussex (owner of the Las Vegas Tropicana and the Westin Casuarina) is in default on a $960 million loan, it has at least 30 days to come to terms with the lender (which has accused Columbia Sussex of being "deeply insolvent"). Also, interest in the company's Indiana riverboat, Casino Aztar may be starting to heat up. For a profile of one potential buyer and an update on the postponed default, see Stiffs & Georges.

Harrah’s Gets Greener:

Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. announced today that it’s joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders, a select group of companies committed to taking demonstrable steps to reduce their carbon footprints. Climate Leaders commit to reducing their global impact on the environment by completing a corporate-wide inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, setting aggressive reduction goals, and annually reporting progress. For more information about green initiatives from Harrah’s and other Las Vegas casino corporations, check out our in-depth Question of the Day on the subject in the archives (12.13.07).

Star-Spotting Opportunity:

Tonight marks the official grand opening of AGO, the new Italian restaurant at the Hard Rock. Expect to catch co-owner Robert DeNiro and other celebrities on the red carpet from 7 p.m.

LVA Golf Message Board Active:

We've launched a new message board called LVA Golf. This board is open to the public. It will discuss pricing, course conditions, and other subjects relative to the Vegas golf scene. The board's moderators are Ken Van Vechten, author of our new book, Golf Vegas -- The Ultimate Guide, and Blair Rodman, author of our book Kill Phil and an avid golfer.

Ferguson Takes Heads-Up:

The third time was the charm for Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, who won yesterday's final in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship. Ferguson had finished second in two previous trips to the finals, but this time he rallied from one down in the best-of-three format to beat Andy Bloch and take the $250,000 first-place prize. Ferguson defeated Phil Ivey in the semi-finals, while Bloch beat Huck Seed.

Encore Opening Moved Up:

The opening of Steve Wynn's Encore has been moved up from early 2009 to December 2008. The $2.2 billion megaresort that will have 2,034 suites is being touted as the first ever to have costs exceed $1 million per room. Encore will also have five restaurants, a retail space, a nightclub, and a spa and salon.

Post-Race Parties at Fiestas:

Both the Rancho and Henderson Fiestas will be hosting post-NASCAR race parties today. Amigo Club members may pick up a free t-shirt at the club booths from 3 p.m.-8 p.m. (while supplies last), plus there will be drink specials at Fiesta Rancho's Cabo Lounge and Fiesta Henderson's Cantina Cerveza, including $1 beers and 99-cent margaritas.

Casting Call at Revolution:

The psychedelic Beatles' Revolution Lounge at Mirage is holding an open casting call for all positions from 2 p.m.-7 p.m. tomorrow, March 3. Email your application to info@thebeatlesrevolutionlounge.com

Heads-Up Surprise:

Baseball pitching legend Orel Hershiser has made it to the final 8 of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship. He defeated Freddy Deeb to make the quarterfinals, where he will face Andy Bloch (check out the "Gambling in Space" blog for more on Hershiser as poker player). The other three quarterfinal match-ups are Gus Hansen vs. Phil Ivey, Huck Seed vs. David Benyamine, and Jonathan Little vs. Chris Ferguson. Ferguson has had great success in this tournament, twice finishing as runner-up.

Big Race Today:

The Sprint Cup UAW-Dodge 400 NASCAR race runs today. Expect lots of traffic on I-15 and areas near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway leading up to the 1:30 pm start.

Buyer's Market for Houses:

According to SalesTraq, which keeps tabs on the Las Vegas housing market, 2,177 Las Vegas homes were repossessed in January, more than double the 988 homes repossessed in December 2007 and nearly 30% higher than November’s 1,560. Worse, for the first time since the real estate bust, January’s foreclosures outpaced the month’s sales, at 1,962. Las Vegas ranked third in the nation among metropolitan areas in foreclosures in 2007. In January, 901 new houses were sold, the lowest monthly number for nearly 15 years; the 1,061 existing homes that sold in January were a drop of 27% from December 2007 and 56% from January 2007. Only 358 new-home permits were issued in January, a drop of 66% from last year’s monthly average of 1,069 permits. The inventory of existing homes for sale fell slightly in January to 23,808. Condos are faring a little better than houses. January's 235 sales were the most since August.