Las Vegas News

Get High at Roadhouse:

An LVA source says the defunct Roadhouse casino in Henderson will soon be the takeoff for an AeroBalloon franchise. According to the source, AeroBalloon has a temporary permit through 1/1/09 to run 10-minute, 200-foot-high rides in helium-filled observation balloons, equipped to hold five passengers. Operating hours are reported as being 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (weather permitting) with $20 admission for adults and $15 for minors -- who have to be over four feet tall and accompanied by an adult. We're waiting on confirmation from AeroBallon HQ in New York City.

Mohegan Sun Has Rough Quarter:

Releasing its numbers for the third quarter of fiscal year 2008, Mohegan Sun displayed some of the effects of the recession. Compared to April-June 2007, gambling revenue was down 11%, mostly because of poor table play (-25%), while slots were only off 5%. Non-gaming revenues took a beating, off 19%. It's too early for the effects of an expansion at Mohegan Sun's Pennsylvania racino to show up (a nearby casino had been eating into Pocono Downs' business) and CEO Mitchell G. Etess deemed the low table game hold "abnormal" and unlikely to recur. These various adversities decimated profit ($5 million), -89% from a year ago.

Subscription Gambling Scores:

The whole idea of paying a monthly fee to play poker and blackjack tournaments for money online just got a big leg up. The subscription service ClubWPT has signed a deal with Fox Sports Net to air club tournaments weekly. The subscription service is legal, so now anyone paying $19.95 per month can play on TV, just like they do on the regular WPT shows, which will also be moving to Fox.

Palms Place: Small is Beautiful:

In his "Movable Buffet" blog for the Los Angeles Times, Richard Abowitz reports that 330 of the 599 condo units at Palms Place have closed, making for a 55% occupancy rate. By contrast, the 1,000-plus units at Trump International are only 30%-40% occupied (reports vary as to the exact figure).

10X Points at Tuscany:

Today is another 10X points day at Tuscany. The casino runs this a couple times a month and it's a strong multiple good till midnight tonight.

A Different Kind of Toke:

A patron at a Fresno, Calif., poker room evidently misunderstood the meaning of "the pot." He tried to wager not chips or currency but a bag of marijuana. Then, perhaps thinking his bet was a bit high, he reduced it to a few "tea" leaves. Card room personnel were initially flabbergasted, then had the man taken into custody. He argued that possession of a cannabis club card entitled him to use loco weed as legal tender, but the cops weren't buying.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Last weekend’s schedule was noticeably lacking in the live-music category but it’s more than made up for by this week’s offerings, to which you can swing, groove, rock, or bop to your heart’s content. Wayne Newton returns to the stage at the MGM while The Time performs at the Flamingo. Planet Hollywood hosts the Jam 0808 hip-hop concert on Friday and the 2008 World Hip-Hop Dance Championships on Sunday, while Saturday at Planet Ho is all about the ’80s. Party with rock stars at Mandalay Bay where Motley Cruë, Buckcherry, and Papa Roach team up for Cruë Fest ‘08 Music: The legendary Wayne "Mr Las Vegas" Newton makes a week of it at MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre (7/31-8/6); Motley Cruë headlines Cruë Fest ’08 at the MBay Events Center (8/1); The Regeneration Tour at Planet Hollywood features ‘80s faves The Human League, ABC, A Flock of Seagulls, Belinda Carlisle, and Naked Eyes (8/2); Rod Stewart takes to the stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena (8/2); Lynch Mob rocks out at the new Wasted Space venue inside Hard Rock (8/1); former Starship guitarist Craig Chaquico performs at the Santa Fe Station’s Chrome Showroom (8/2); Clint Homes and Friends perform at the Suncoast (8/1-8/3); Elton John’s back behind the piano at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace (8/1); Pat Benatar and hubby Neil Giraldo rock the Star at the Desert Arena in Primm (8/2); Marshall Tucker Band hits the stage at Club Madrid inside Sunset Station (8/2); Slightly Stoopid plays The Joint (8/1); Jack Jones sings jazz and pop favorites at the South Point Showroom (8/1-8/3); The Time returns to the Flamingo (7/29-8/2); The Club at The Cannery presents MOCCA (8/1) and The Little River Band (8/2); Tommy Rocker Band (8/1) and jazz musician David Von Such (8/2) perform free concerts at MonteLago Village; House of Blues welcomes Calavera Conspiracy (8/1) and the Get Silly Summer Takeover featuring four bands (8/2); NOMO headlines on the First Friday Land Rover Stage (8/1) Poolside Events: Kendra Wilkinson (one-third of the Girls Next Door) will christen the Palms Pool’s new Slip ‘N Slide at Ditch Friday (8/1); guitarist Jonny Lang plays poolside at Hard Rock Beach (8/1), while Rehab celebrates Midsummer Madness with special guest DJs (8/3); the Dallas Mavericks Dance Team parties at Bare Pool Lounge (8/3); and Serge Devant performs at MGM’s Wet Republic (8/3) Comedy: Kevin James slings jokes at Mirage (8/1-8/2) and George Lopez makes ‘em laugh at the Las Vegas Hilton (8/1-8/2) Other: Fight night at Pearl at the Palms features Zab Judah vs Joshua Clottey (8/2); free movies continue at the The District at Green Valley, with Alvin and the Chipmunks (8/1) and Nim’s Island (8/2); Jet Nightclub at Mirage hosts bebe’s fall collection launch (8/1); World Extreme Cage Fighting takes over The Joint (8/3); join in Jamie Pressley’s birthday celebration at LAX (8/1); Bodies: The Exhibition opens at its new location at Luxor (8/2); The Bank at Bellagio stays busy with a Madonna single release party (8/1) and The Dallas Mavericks Dancers in the house for a special performance (8/3); Alexis Park and UNLV will host a Hip-Hop Political Convention conference (8/1-8/3); the Erotic Heritage Museum celebrates its grand opening on Industrial Way (8/3); Tori Spelling hosts the evening at Christian Audigier inside TI (8/1); RollerCon 2008 features roller derby bouts and exhibitions all around town including on Fremont Street Experience at Desert Breeze Park (through 8/3) 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 "Shows & Nightlife."

Larry G. Jones Returns:

Impressionist Larry G. Jones, late of Fitzgeralds, opens a new show at the Royal Resort Hotel on Aug. 18. Entitled "Superstar Voices in Concert," the 70-minute revue plays Mon.-Wed. at 9 p.m. Tickets will be $24 and $34. Jones' sidekick will be Red Skelton impersonator Brian Hoffman.

Borgata Nixes B.O.:

Casinos like heavy play ... but not this heavy, apparently. Limousine entrepreneur Michael Wax weighs 440 pounds. And after 17 straight hours in Borgata's poker room he was -- by his own admission -- smelling rather gamey, too. Other Borgata patrons complained about his fragrance and management showed Wax the door, refusing his request for a comped room where he could clean up. Wax has filed a complaint with the New Jersey Casino Control Commission and wants an apology from the casino.

'Defending the Caveman' Bargain:

According to today's Review-Journal, Aug. 8's performance of Defending the Caveman, at the Golden Nugget will be a wallet-friendly $8.88. The Golden Nugget's Web site doesn't mention this, although it does advertise a trio of room bargains on its Specials page.

More Hurdles for Moulin Rouge:

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has uncovered at least five lawsuits encumbering the Moulin Rouge, which Dale Scott and Chauncey Moore are trying to redevelop. Litigants include Bank of America and Siavelis Construction Management Services. Scott said of the lawsuits, "like piranhas, those that smell the potential success of the Moulin Rouge will do anything they can to stop its progress."

One Less Bidder for Trop:

New Jersey regulators, having put the Atlantic City Tropicana up for re-bidding, now find themselves with one less suitor. Joseph Palladino, who headed up a mystery group of New York investors, has withdrawn his $950 million offer, saying he will shop elsewhere along the Boardwalk -- or in Las Vegas. The Trop's trustee, Justice Gary Stein, responded to criticisms from Palladino, who had been chary with details regarding his bid, hadn't demonstrated he had the necessary capital to purchase the Trop.

Entertainment Odds & Ends:

In today's column, Mike Weatherford analyzes the recent demise of Second City at the Flamingo and Toxic Audio at Planet Hollywood. He also reports that Jersey Boys' Cleveland company is outgrossing the Vegas one and that, despite a bump at the Mandalay Bay box office, the 1/4/09 closing date of Mamma Mia! appears to be set in stone.

Babes v. Borgata Settled:

An Atlantic City lawsuit dubbed "The Battle of the Bulge" has been quietly settled. The $70 million litigation was filed in early 2006, provoked by a casino policy that forbids "Borgata Babes" to gain weight by more than 7% or lose their jobs. The Press of Atlantic City has in-depth coverage of the settlement, which the paper says spared Borgata "from a trial that likely would have renewed allegations that it humiliated its scantily attired cocktail servers by encouraging breast augmentation surgery and stressing looks over job performance." The 7% policy remains in place.

No Panic in Pittsburgh:

Despite the apocalyptic warnings of would-be Majestic Star owner Neil Bluhm, Pittsburgh's unfinished slot parlor has not been foreclosed upon, and its principal contractor and subcontractors remain in place. The chairman of Keating Building Corp. is telling reporters that he's holding fast, hoping for a near-term solution that sees Bluhm's takeover plan approved by Pennsylvania regulators. Completion date for the $800 million project has been pushed back from May 2009 to July of next year.

Echelon: Et tu, GGP?:

Boyd Gaming remains on schedule with its portion of Echelon, but its joint-venture partners keep dropping the ball. Latest is General Growth Partners, which has pushed its High Street retail mall at Echelon from "definitive" status to what Bank of America calls its "shadow pipeline category." This means at least an 18-month delay, according to GGP's announcement, pushing the mall's opening back from July-Sept. 2010 to the second half of 2011. B of A foresees several possible outcomes, including delay, downsizing, cancellation or sale of Echelon. Boyd will hold its second-quarter conference call on Friday.

Gibbons Fights Casino Comps:

While the Nevada Supreme Court may have ruled the state wrongfully taxed casinos for comped meals, Gov. Jim Gibbons isn't letting go of the disputed $142 million so easily. Gibbons' spokesman says it was the Legislature's intent to tax free meals, adding, "At a time when the state is struggling fiscally, it’s important to maximize the revenues we have." The state will argue that the comps were not out-and-out freebies but given in exchange for heavy play. Casino industry lobbyists have equated Gibbons' attempts to block tax rebates to a tax increase, needling the governor on a political sore point.

Mixed Prognosis on Cosmo:

It looks as though Deutsche Bank will stop shopping around the Cosmopolitan and hold onto it until capital markets improve, reports the Las Vegas Sun. In the meantime, Related Cos. has been retained to oversee completion of the project, while Hyatt has been put in charge of booking convention business. But "foreign buyers with cash in hand" to buy Cosmo condos are getting the thumbs-down, says the Sun, because Deutsche Bank has stopped selling units -- even pricey penthouse suites.

Pittsburgh Pressure Mounts:

Both Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County CEO Dan Onorato have been meeting with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to urge speedy action on a proposed buyout of insolvent casino developer Don Barden. Chicago real estate magnate Neil Bluhm is spearheading a bailout effort which would see Barden retain partial ownership. Ravenstahl cautioned that if Barden's license is revoked, it could take as long as four years to get it reissued. Bluhm has warned regulators that, were his rescue plan not approved by week's end, foreclosure is imminent. The casino's principal contractor has also warned that while he's staying put, subcontractors could start canceling their contracts, starting today. No vote on the Bluhm-Barden arrangement has been scheduled.

Sands Posts Loss:

Las Vegas Sands announced a nearly $9 million second-quarter loss this afternoon, attributed to the cost of opening both The Palazzo and Venetian Macao. Those properties also contributed to a 81% revenue increase, with Palazzo/Venetian LV experiencing an average revenue growth of slightly more than 50%. Sands Macao, though, experienced cannibalization, its casino revenue down 30%. Sands COO William Weidner said the company's two Strip hotels were experiencing 93% occupancy in July and would eliminate 1,500 jobs through attrition.

Aristocrat CEO Out:

Paul Oneile will step down Dec. 31 as CEO of Aristocrat Leisure, parent company of the slot maker, an announcement that came a day before the company's declaration that its fiscal year profit would be 23% lower than expected. One Australian stock analyst said Aristocrat's new Viridian machines had been a disappointment, contributing to the downgrade. Oneile denied there was any connection between diminished results and his departure, which he said had been in the works for a month. Board chairman David Simpson backed Oneile, telling The Sydney Morning Herald, "Let's get it right, this is a profitable company producing a good cash flow ... he is not jumping from a sinking ship."

Philly Stalemate Continues:

In a decision certain to resolve nothing, the PennPraxis consulting team retained by Philadelphia Mayor David Nutter has put forward recommendations on the city's two stalled slot parlors. Representatives of SugarHouse and Foxwoods, the two casino developers, boycotted the process and NIMBY groups just want the casinos gone. PennPraxis basically endorsed Nutter's contention that the proposed casinos "don't fit" with Philadelphia. It complained that casino parking garages would block river views and recommended off-site parking. The panel's discussions will continue this week.

Lake Las Vegas Leaking?:

Not yet, anyway. But it might. That's what Lake Las Vegas President Frederick Chin is telling a local bankruptcy court, in an effort to speed along a $127 million bailout package. A pipe running under the lake hasn't been repaired in over a year and might spring a leak, draining the lake, Chin writes. "Such an outcome would be disastrous ... and the project would lose a considerable amount of its appeal were it built around a dry lake bed." A Nevada Division of Water Resources staffer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal this scenario was "way out there," while Henderson's director of public works downplayed the negative implications, saying that even without an actual lake, "I don't see a ghost town at Lake Las Vegas. It's too nice."

Cheap Cheesecake Today:

In celebration of their 30th Anniversary, for one day only The Cheesecake Factory's offering dine-in guests a slice of their more than 30 varieties of cheesecake for the 1978 price of $1.50 per slice (limit one per guest). Las Vegas locations include the Forum Shops at Caesars, The District at Green Valley Ranch, and Boca Park in Summerlin.

Free Trip to Vegas for You...and 300 Friends:

To mark the launch of its new "Price Assurance" program, Orbitz is offering a first-of-its-kind promotion that will send one traveler and 300 of their closest friends and family on a luxury escape to their choice of destinations including Las Vegas, Aruba, or Orlando. And all you have to do is use your social networking skills to fill the entire plane! Starting at 12:01 a.m. CST on July 30, and continuing until August 20, 2008 or until the first plane has been filled (whichever comes first), U.S. residents of the 48 contiguous states over the age of 21 can log onto www.orbitz.com/filltheplane and register for the contest as a "pilot" and start filling your plane. The winner receives a free flight and three-night hotel stay for themselves and all 300 fellow passengers. Visit the Web site for more information about how the contest works.

Huge Dump for Houses:

Las Vegas home prices tumbled by the steepest rate ever in May, according to the closely watched Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city index. Las Vegas recorded the worst drop of all 20 cities, down 28.4% over May 2007. The 20-city composite number also posted a record drop of 16.9%, the biggest decline in its 21-year-history.

Petrodollars Flowing to Vegas:

According to a CNN report (video here), Iranian-born Sahara owner Sam Nazarian expects heavy Las Vegas investment from several Mideast countries. "We're looking at a lot of Middle Eastern companies investing in our companies," Nazarian says. Although the Paris Hilton-Britney Spears crowd has moved on from his nightclubs, Nazarian says not to worry: Middle Easterners love la dolce vita. "They enjoy life more than any other culture I've seen," he adds. Sharp-eyed viewers will be able to spot a rotating model of Nazarian's planned makeover of the Sahara, so use of the freeze-frame button will come in handy.

Wireless Gaming Getting Noticed:

After a prolonged lull, interest handheld gaming devices may be picking up steam again. The Coolest Gadgets blog highlighted the eDeck Monday, although it inaccurately reported that it will allow users to play in "the privacy of their own rooms." A quote from the Venetian makes clear that, at present, use of the device is restricted to the casino's high-limit slot salon. (Nevada law allows use of the devices only in public areas of the casino.) As the Oh Gizmo! blog notes, roaming use of the eDeck will be permitted once the beta-testing phase has been completed and Nevada regulators sign off on full deployment of the technology.

Las Vegas Losing Gay Lucre:

According to an article in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal, getting a same-sex commitment ceremony performed in Vegas is almost -- but not quite -- impossible. The story profiles a Canadian couple who finally were able to say their "I do's" at Mon Bel Ami. However, Nevada's constitutional ban on gay marriage may be costing the state hundreds of millions of dollars: California expects to realize $683 million in gay-wedding-related revenues between 2008-11. The story includes a predictable rant from anti-gay activist Richard Ziser, along with a reader comment advocating the stoning to death of homosexuals. For a gay-friendlier perspective, stick with LVA.

Life's a Beach:

A Biloxi beach is public property, quoth Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, dealing another blow to RW Development's South Beach Casino project. If RW is feeling hosed, it's because the Mississippi Gaming Commission voted unanimously to deny RW's application. Commissioners didn't go along with the company's argument that the Biloxi seawall represented the "water's edge," not the beach itself. "I would be very surprised if the Mississippi Legislature gives away any of the sand beach and I'd be opposed to it," Hosemann told the Biloxi Sun Herald.

Do-Over at Trump Taj Mahal:

A unionization vote at Trump Taj Mahal, in Atlantic City, will be redone, at the behest of a federal labor court, which found that improper conduct by Trump management clouded the results. In May, dealers voted by an eight-vote margin against joining the United Auto Workers union. That vote will now be re-cast and Trump Entertainment Resorts is enjoined from, among other things, threatening dealers with discipline or termination for pro-union activity.

Sportingbet Employee Sprung:

An unnamed Sportingbet employee was turned loose by Turkish authorities, after being jailed since May without being charged. A second employee remains in the clink. No charges have been filed against him either. The duo, both Turkish nationals, were clapped in irons when they returned to their homeland over a long holiday weekend. "A larger number of individuals related to the Superbahis sports-betting and casino games site are also been detained, as are others related to Maslin Properties, Sportingbet's former marketing partner in the region," reports Yahoo Finance. Sportingbet has been reducing its exposure to the Turkish market, down to 14% of revenue in the most recent quarter.

Harrah's Hammered:

Harrah's Metropolis, near Paducah, Ky., is having a rough time of it. KWOC-TV in Paducah reports that admissions are down 33% and admissions are off by 30%. Illinois is in the seventh month of a smoking ban in its casinos. The diminished attendance means the city of Metropolis is out as much as $180,000 in expected tax revenue. In other news, Bloomberg reported that the notes on some of Harrah's $27 billion buyout-related bdebt have fallen to 70 cents on the dollar.

CityCenter Funding Slows:

MGM Mirage and its joint-venture partner, Dubai World, "are late in raising as much as $3.5 billion for their $11.2 billion CityCenter project in Las Vegas because banks saddled with debt to casinos and hotels are wary of making new loans," Bloomberg reports. Deutsche Bank, current owner of the Cosmopolitan, is among the financiers sitting on the fence. "No company in America is having an easy time doing bank deals right now," MGM President Jim Murren told Bloomberg. Most of the banks contacted by Bloomberg clammed up. Both MGM Mirage and Dubai World could simply increase their equity contribution, though -- albeit at the expense of future projects.

Colorado Casino Initiative Rolls On:

Although required only to turn in 76,000 signatures to get a bet-limits question onto the November ballot, advocates for Colorado's casinos filed petitions bearing over 130,000 John Hancocks. The initiative in question would raise bet limits from $5 to $100, legalize craps and roulette, and possibly expand casino operating hours. The signature-gathering process for this and other initiatives has come under some scrutiny of late.

Loss-Limits Repeal Gains Ally:

Abolition of Missouri's $500 loss limit made further headway toward the November ballot when the Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry weighed in on behalf of the repeal. Chamber CEO Daniel Mehan said the removal of the ban (and an increase in the casino tax to 21%) would generate an additional $100 million for Show-Me State schools. The referendum drive is being financed primarily by Las Vegas-based Ameristar Casinos and Pinnacle Entertainment, who have chipped in $2.4 million between them. Each company owns two Missouri casinos and Pinnacle is building a third. The ban would be accompanied by a cap on any additional casino licenses in Missouri.

"Jersey Boys" Reviewed:

Stiffs & Georges scribe David McKee had a gander at Palazzo's Jersey Boys last night and renders his verdict. (We may have to put this ABBAholic on suicide watch after the Mandalay Bay run of Mamma Mia! ends on Jan. 4, 2009.) He also looks askance at a pre-opening promo for Eastside Cannery. Plus some news on "Wizard of Odds" Michael Shackleford.

Osteria del Circo Reviewed:

"In these difficult economic times I'm a little embarrassed to write about these opulent meals because I know times are tough for many people," writes David Matthews. All the more reason to cash in every comped meal you can get, especially Osteria del Circo at Bellagio. Matthews files a glowing report, liberally spiced with mouth-watering photographs.

Matthews Is Back:

David Matthews' Gambling in Space has returned in grand style, with posts on a bargain play at the Golden Nugget and the continuing, stranger-every-day saga of Jacko in Vegas.

Virtual Shark Reef Underwhelming:

MotionVR, LLC, a leader in the 360º online virtual tour business, today announced that Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef Aquarium is the first tourist attraction in the U.S. to debut MotionVR Tours. The idea is to give potential visitors to a chance to get a sneaky peak at the attraction and map out their visit online, but we're not sure we see the point (we figure the name "Shark Reef Aquarium" gives you a pretty good idea of what it's all about, and it might even spoil the surprise seeing it online before you go). When we tried it out, the pictures were loading slowly and, cool as they are, didn't inspire us to drop everything and run to the reef. But maybe we're just jaded, so check it out for yourself and see what you think.

Welcome Result as Miami Ousts Vegas:

Las Vegas is no longer in last place among major metropolitan areas when it comes to volunteerism, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, which will release its annual report this Sunday. Nationally, the volunteer rate fell in 2007 for the second year in a row, to 26.2 percent, but Miami now holds the dubious accolade of being bottom of the heap when it comes to lending a hand.

Fishy Opportunity Today:

Celebrity chef, conservationist, and author Rick Moonen will host a cooking demonstration featuring recipes from his new cookbook, Fish Without a Doubt at his rm seafood restaurant at Mandalay Place from 1:15 p.m. today. Guests will have a chance to sample his creations and have their cookbook signed by Moonen and co-author Roy Finamore. If you purchase your copy of the book from the adjacent Reading Room, you'll also receive a bookmark redeemable for 10% off your next meal at rm.

Drink Beer, Get Your Mortgage Paid:

PT’s and Sierra Gold pubs and taverns have teamed up with Precision Mortgage and Peroni beer to award one lucky patron the luxury of being mortgage-free for a year (maximum $1,500 per month). Beginning Friday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 31, hit any four-of-a-kind or purchase a Peroni bottle or Peroni draft for a chance to qualify for the prize. As an added bonus, all participants who hit four-of-a-kind will automatically receive two complimentary tickets to the San Gennaro Festival; patrons who purchase a Peroni will be awarded a 2-for-1 voucher to the Festival.

Taubman Project Hits Snag:

Taubman Centers, which is developing three retail projects in the Valley (including ones at CityCenter and M Resort) says it is behind schedule in fundraising for Macao Studio Center, for which Taubman is creating a shopping mall. "The credit markets are just terrible," said CEO Robert Taubman, referring to the difficulty of scaring up $1.3 billion. Taubman and his joint-venture partners may have to increase their equity contributions instead. "Meanwhile, leasing is progressing extremely well," he added.

New Mob Tales Surface:

In his forthcoming biography of Australian mobster Abe Saffron, Gentle Satan, son Alan Saffron identifies media tycoon and legendary 'whale' Kerry Packer as one of several prominent Australians who borrowed from the elder Saffron's loan-sharking business. Later, when Abe Saffron fell upon hard times, Packer gave him the cold shoulder, Alan Saffron says. He also relates that U.S. mobsters asked his father to run a Las Vegas casino for them but that the elder Saffron declined.

Foxwoods Patron Shows Persistence:

Massachusetts resident Shui Kwan Tam may be 73 years old, but he doesn't let that discourage him. Yesterday, he racked up his 16th ejection from Foxwoods Resort Casino. In addition to getting 86'd yet again, Tam received a citation for criminal trespass.

Trump Profiled:

London's Sunday Telegraph carried a lengthy interview with

Vegas Still MLS Candidate:

Today's edition of euFootball.Biz reports that MLS Commissioner Don Garber, in the course of his State of the League speech, confirmed that Las Vegas Sports & Entertainment Group is still in the hunt for an expansion franchise. Last month the online publication reported that "One surprise is that the LVSEG is considering a hotel and casino adjacent to a [$500 million] retractable-roof stadium." Hmmmm ... sounds like a tenant or potential replacement for the on-again/off-again REI Neon project downtown.

From the Rumor Mill...:

An LVA source says Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria has been seen often at Caesars Palace of late, giving rise to speculation that she's looking to bring a spinoff of her Besa/Kiss restaurant-lounge combo to the Strip, and to Caesars in particular.

Internal UltimateBet Probe Ends:

An investigation by UltimateBet.com proprietor Tokwiro Enterprises into allegations of cheating at the online cardroom has wrapped up, its results forwarded to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. "Tokwiro has identified a total of 19 accounts and 88 associated usernames that were involved in the cheating, including the accounts that were named in Tokwiro's publicly posted investigation updates of May 29, 2008 and July 8, 2008," reads a company press release. Tokwiro COO Paul Leggett promises additional refunds to cheated players, who were defrauded when some users of the site were able to view "hole" cards. The company acknowledges that cheating took place but absolves itself of responsibility, saying that the presence of the "illicit software" which enabled cheating predated Tokwiro's purchase of UltimateBet in October 2006.

Pansy Ho Faces New Scrutiny:

"Macau's oldest gambling company acknowledges its policies to prevent money laundering may not be working. It admits the possibility its patrons, in collusion with employees, may be cheating or committing fraud. And it says if it fails to establish effective internal controls, it may not be able to accurately report its financial results." These, the Newark Star-Ledger writes, "are not your typical corporate disclosures." They are, however, part of Stanley Ho's IPO, which may provide New Jersey regulators with additional transparency into the question of whether MGM Mirage joint-venture partner Pansy Ho is independent from her father, as she maintains. New Jersey has still not given its approval to the partnership, a decision upon which the future of MGM Mirage in Atlantic City may hinge.

Wait 'Til Next Year:

Gaming analyst Andrew Zarnett predicts the casino industry will be out of its doldrums by this time next year. His comments are part of a broader round-up of the prospects for casino expansion, particularly in Massachusetts. It contains an overworked "perfect storm" analogy and the conclusion that the diversification of casino-resort offerings has made the industry more vulnerable to a recession than if it were gambling-centric.

Review-Journal Downsizes:

In today's issue, the Las Vegas Review-Journal announced that it will be scrapping its Monday and Tuesday "Living" sections, much of whose content will be redistributed around the paper. Standing lists and "certain other features" will be available on a Web-only basis, while "Our Town" content is relocated to the neighborhood View newspapers. Thursday "Living" is rechristened "Thursday Neon" and Friday's "Image" section has been discontinued.

Would-be Las Vegans Take Note:

Even with three new casinos on tap this year, it's a real scramble in the job market, given that nearly 65,000 people in Clark County are unemployed. It makes for what the Las Vegas Review-Journal calls "an abundant and rich job pool" for 7,700 positions at Aliante Station, Cannery East and Encore -- with as many as 17 applicants per job. According to the paper, another 20,000 new leisure-sector jobs are expected to open up in 2009.

Worth the Buy:

Regarding the Sunday R-J, today's issue would be worth buying at 10 times the price, since it includes the My Station magazine insert. This edition of the magazine of Station Casinos contains eight $25 matchplay coupons spread among the various Station properties (most redeemable in August). Playing all eight yields an expected return of about $94. Plus there are many other valuable coupons, including discounts on food, drinks, and bowling, and some lesser gambling coupons.

Sunday R-J:

The Sunday edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal is $2.50, which means it did not sustain a price increase as did the daily. If you buy it from a newsstand on the Strip, however, it's $3.

Bad Week for Old Mobsters:

On Wednesday Frank "The German" Schweihs, reputedly one of Chicago's most feared mob enforcers, died of cancer while awaiting trial on charges that he took part in a conspiracy that included numerous organized crime murders. He was also reputed to have been behind a plot to gun down notorious mobster Tony "The Ant" Spiltro (the inspiration for the Joe Pesci character in Casino) and his then attorney, now Mayor of Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman. That plan failed but Tony and his brother were later murdered in the Chicago area and buried in an Indiana cornfield. Then on Friday, notorious drug kingpin Jamiel Alexander "Jimmy" Chagra, who was accused of leading a 1979 conspiracy to assassinate the federal judge set to preside over his drug trial, died in Mesa, Arizona, also of cancer. He was 63. The plot, which was executed by hit man Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody, was the subject of the Question of the Day for 11/27/2007. For more about the Chagra story and the whole Chicago/Las Vegas mob scene, check out Of Rats and Men: Oscar Goodman's Life from Mob Mouthpiece to Mayor of Las Vegas and Cullotta -- The Life of a Chicago Criminal, LV Mobster, and Government Witness, autographed copies of which remain in stock at ShopLVA.com

Paper Increase:

The price for a single issue of the non-Sunday Las Vegas Review-Journal has been increased to 75 cents. It had been 50 cents for several years. We'll report on the Sunday price tomorrow.

Station Points Today:

Get 6X points at Boulder and Sunset Stations today only. The bonus does not run through the end of the weekend.

Caesars Windsor Ad Causes a Stir:

"Claire" is the protagonist of a new TV commercial that's causing some controversy in Ontario and Michigan, part of "The life you were meant to live" campaign for Caesars Windsor. "When you see that you think of a call girl," casino patron Virginia Capaldi told The Windsor Star. A marketing consultant, however, said Caesars' mistake was the ads' demographics "don't make sense. It's mostly people 50, 60 and over going to casinos," he added. "These are not the people shown in the commercial."

Cannery: Go Fly a Kite:

Free kites will be given to the first 500 paying customers at the 11:59 p.m. showing of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, on Thursday, July 31. The film stars Brendan Frasier, Jet Li, Maria Bello and Michelle Yeoh, and is directed by Rob Cohen The Fast and the Furious.

Trop Takes A.C. Initiative:

Faced with an Oct. 15 smoking ban, the Atlantic City Tropicana has emerged as a market leader in at least one respect: It is believed to be the first Boardwalk casino to elicit input from its customers on how to implement the ban -- and still attract players who smoke. During a high-slot tournament last weekend, the Trop polled players, and made the surprising discovery that only 30% of patrons surveyed were smokers. The Trop, like most Atlantic City casinos, will have enclosed lounges for tobacco lovers this fall. Only Borgata has opted for a completely smoke-free building.

Gordon Drops Slot Plan:

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon has abandoned his plan to place slot machines at Sky Harbor International Airport as a revenue-booster. The American Indian tribes who would have operated the slots were concerned the move would open the door to gambling at racetracks and bars and would cannibalize their gambling income.

The King of Comedy:

A new "Stripper Poll" is up at

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Sin City keeps it funny this weekend with wall-to-wall comedians from one end of the Strip to the other. The varied talents cover the spectrum from old school comedy by The Smothers Brothers to the sarcastic wit of David Spade to late night humor from the likes of Jay Leno and Craig Ferguson. We’ve even imported hilarity from across the pond with England’s Eddie Izzard set to hit the stage at Pearl at the Palms. Music: Country superstar Toby Keith’s in concert at the Mandalay Bay Events Center (7/26) and there will be an official after party at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country; the Amphitheatre at Sunset Station presents the Rocking the Colonies Tour starring The Fixx, The Alarm, and The English Beat (7/25); House of Blues welcomes Alkaline Trio (7/25) and Bullet For My Valentine (7/26); free concerts this weekend include Wolfcreek at Town Square Pavilion (7/26), Fandango (ZZ Top Tribute) (7/25) and jazz group Sacred Groove (7/26) at MonteLago Village and FlipStreet (7/25) and Jump, Jive & Wail (7/26) at the District at Green Valley Ranch; Ringo Starr takes to the stage at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm (7/26); American Idol alumni Bo Bice sings at Santa Fe Station’s Chrome Showroom (7/26); The Club at the Cannery is all about tribute bands this weekend with Michael John’s homage to Bill Joel (7/25) and the Music of Abba Tour direct from Sweden (7/26); Kool and The Gang’s back to boogie at the Orleans Showroom (7/25-7/27); Ovation Lounge at Green Valley Ranch presents Chris Botti (7/26); and Freddie Jackson plays Club Madrid at Sunset Station (7/26) Sports Events: See the USA Basketball Men’s national Team take on the Canadian National Team at the Thomas & Mack Center (7/25); fight night at the MGM Grand Garden Center pits Miguel Cotto vs Antonio Margarito for the world welterweight championship (7/26); Las Vegas Hilton presents Muayathi boxing/martial arts fight (7/26); the Las Vegas 51s take on the Omaha Royals (7/25) and the Iowa Cubs (7/26-7/29) at Cashman Field; The Joint presents Top Rank Boxing (7/25) Poolside Events: Hard Rock hosts two big poolside concerts with Coheed and Cambria (7/25) and Wyclef Jean (7/26); Dive-in Movies is showing Fast Times at Ridgemont High at Mandalay Bay Beach (7/25) Comedy: Eddie Izzard packs ‘em in for two shows at Pearl at the Palms (7/25-7/26); David Spade returns to Planet Hollywood (7/25-7/26); Jay Leno’s back for more laughs at the Mirage (7/25-7/26); The Smothers Brothers share fun at the Suncoast Showroom (7/25-7/27); Chris Bliss performs in the Showroom at South Point (7/25-7/27); Craig Ferguson makes a week of it at MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre (7/24-7/30); Jim Gaffigan yuks up at the Mandalay Bay Theatre (7/25) Other: The District at Green Valley screens Spiderwick Chronicles (7/25) and Hairspray (7/26); Sylvia Browne wraps up her latest gig at the Excalibur (through 7/26); take in Art in the Square at Town Square Park (7/25); Shannon Elizabeth hosts the evening at Privé (7/25); CatHouse at Luxor hosts the Bachelorette Ball where lucky ladies can win cosmetic breast augmentation (7/25-7/26); the Bank at Bellagio will hold the Miami Fashion Week Wrap Party (7/25); Diablo’s hosts a Tropic Thunder movie release party; the weekly SWAG party at Caramel inside Bellagio the change to win complimentary tours (7/27); Real World Hollywood cast members Kimberly Alexander and Sarah Ralston hosts the evening and Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade celebrates the end of the NBA season at Jet Nightclub at Mirage (7/25); Sarah Larson hosts the evening at Tao Nightclub inside the Venetian (7/25) 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 "Shows & Nigh

Station's Thunder Valley Expands:

The Sacramento-area tribal casino managed by Station Casinos, Thunder Valley, has launched an expansion estimated at $1 billion. The project, which broke ground July 16, will add a 24-story hotel, several ballrooms, a trio of restaurants, a new parking garage, a performing arts center and a poker room. Completion of the Thunder Valley expansion is expected to take a year.

Harrah's Takes Lead in KS:

Harrah's Entertainment's case for a Kansas casino got a boost when consultants for the Kansas Lottery Commission deemed its money-making prospects the best of three competing proposals. Harrah's is vying against Penn National and Marvel Gaming for a Sumner County casino. Although the consultants' revenue projections for 2011 ($186.5 million) were considerably more conservative than Harrah's own ($252 million), they were 29% and 34% higher than for Marvel and Penn National, respectively.

MGM Mirage to Go Private?:

Given the low prices suffered lately by MGM Mirage stock, Business Week has floated the possibility of a private MGM Mirage buyout. Analysts foresee the deal as involving some combination of the following parties: majority shareholder Kirk Kerkorian, Dubai World, Asiatic investors, and U.S. private equity groups. Shikliar Capital Management prexy Stuart Shikliar puts a $50/share target price on the deal (for a $6.2 billion total). One complication: "Foreign investors are limited to a 15% ownership in U.S. casinos, notes Shikiar, which means that Dubai and other foreign investors will have to team with U.S. private equity groups or investors to swing a deal."

Layoffs at Trump Int'l:

Last night, KVBC-TV reported the layoff of 73 employees (nearly one-fifth of the workforce) at the Trump International condo-hotel. Condo sales have closed on only 20% of the units, meaning that four-fifths of the building cannot be rented out as hotel rooms. The ongoing mortgage crisis is blamed for the situation.

"Jubilee!" Locals Rate Starts Next Week:

Just a reminder: Bally's long-running Jubilee! reaches the age of 27 on July 31. To commemorate the occasion, the show is making a locals-only discount offer of $27/ticket, July 31-Aug. 15, with a limit of four tickets per purchase. If you haven't checked out Jubilee!, by all means do so. Not only are its production values of Broadway caliber, our managing editor insists its "Samson and Delilah" segment is the funniest thing he's ever seen on the Strip.

Donny & Marie Draw Boffo Biz:

Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Mike Weatherford reports that the family-friendly Donny & Marie Osmond revue at the Flamingo (opening on Sept. 9) has racked up $850,000 in presales, which translates as 8,500 tickets at an average price of $100. He also notes that: Roseanne Barr's hiatus from the Sahara will be permanent; the showroom at Greek Isles will remain dark until Sept. 15, when Viva Las Vegas returns; and the Sahara is dickering with producer Larry Marshak to renew his Platters/Coasters/Marvelettes tribute act.

Harrah's Pulls Back on Margaritaville:

Coming only a couple of months after progress on the new Margaritaville casino was cited by the Mississippi gaming industry as a reason for optimism, comes an announcement from Harrah's that it's going to slow construction plans for the Biloxi project. Harrah's spokeswoman Marybel Batjer didn't provide a new completion date for the $700 million project, which had been scheduled to open in 2010, and blamed the national economy and market conditions on the Gulf Coast for the decision. The resort, which takes its theme from stories by songwriter Jimmy Buffett, is not to be confused with Atlantic City's Trump Marina, which sold for $316 million in late May to a New York gambing company called Coastal Marina that also intends to re-dub the property "Margaritaville," pursuant to an agreement with Jimmy Buffett's company.

Segway to Downtown:

Starting Aug. 1, Segway of Las Vegas will be operating tours of Fremont Street. "Led by enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides," sightseers will ramble up and down Fremont aboard the upright, two-wheel scooters, making stops at historical landmarks and downtown hotel-casinos. Fifty dollars gets you a half-hour of instruction on how to operate a Segway, followed by a one-hour tour, in groups of no more than six, between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Click on www.SegwayOfLasVegas.com or call 702/897-8957 for more info.

World Market Center Slows Expansion Plans:

As the ripple effect from the collapse of the housing market is felt in the world of interior design and home furnishing, the chief executive of Las Vegas' fast-growing furniture-industry showplace has announced that the complex's rapid expansion plans are being slowed amid the downturn in the nationwide economy. "I just want to wait and see how things are going to go for the industry," announced World Market Center Las Vegas CEO Robert Maricich earlier this week. "It's not a matter of if we're going to do it, it's just a matter of when," he stated, in reference to the original plan for the trade-show complex to comprise a total of eight interconnecting buildings on 57 acres of land downtown. The three existing structures together comprise 5 million square feet, the first of which opened in 2005.

Another One Bites the Dust:

As retrenchment continues in the casino industry, James Packer's Crown Ltd. has withdrawn from a $1.5 billion casino megaresort development on Manila Bay, in the Philippines. Rowen Craigie, Crown's CEO, blamed the decision on "very difficult" conditions in the credit markets. This is the second project from which Crown has walked away this year, having already abandoned the Las Vegas Tower, aka Crown Las Vegas. It also took the unusual step of saying it was not interested in buying Vegas-based Ameristar Casinos.

Hard Times Hit Pechanga:

Pechanga Casino, the second-largest employer in Riverside County, California, is laying off 400 workers, reports the Press-Enterprise. Describing it as, "the most difficult decision" the tribe has had to make in the 13 years of its casino business, a spokeswoman for the Pechanga Development Corp. explained how, "For months, we have resisted the pressure to lay off team members. But because of the prolonged economic downturn, we must downsize in order to adjust to the current market conditions and position ourselves for success once the market turns."

Sands Abandons Kansas Aspirations:

Las Vegas Sands Corp. has announced that, "after a thorough evaluation of the impact of proposed statutory changes in the neighboring Missouri gaming marketplace," which would allow operators there to significantly increase wagering amounts and competing properties, the company will no longer pursue a gaming license in the state of Kansas. The increased cost of borrowing in the current economic climate was also cited as a contributing factor in the decision-making process.

Jamie Foxx, Kendra Wilkinson, Devilduck, and More!:

Yup, it's the latest on the Las Vegas Cool Pool scene, where Jamie Foxx has been spotted poolside two weeks running at the Tuesday night soirée at Palms Place (check out our photo gallery for pictures of Jamie, some hot babes, and our favorite new celebrity duck...) In other news, the seemingly omnipresent Slash celebrates his birthday at Mirage's Bare Pool Lounge today, with a live acoustic performance featuring special guest DJ Perry Farrell and other surprise guests at 9 p.m. (cover $100). And "Girl Next Door" Kendra Wilkinson will join The N9NE Group and resident DJ Skribble to celebrate "Ditch Fridays" and christen the new inflatable Slip N’ Slide at the Palms Pool & Bungalows August 1. For all this, plus new reviews of Rio's Sapphire Pool and South Point's Summer Concert Series, just click the link above.

Handicapping Contest Underway at Jerry's Nugget:

Every Saturday now through August 30, Jerry’s Nugget will be hosting the Del Mar Handicapping Contest in their recently upgraded race and sports book. Each entry's $10 and contestants can enter up to three times per week. The first place prize is $400 cash and second place pays $100. Contest winners who are More Club card holders will also receive a bonus dining certificate of $30, good for any restaurant at Jerry’s Nugget. For a complete listing of contest rules, please visit the race and sports book.

Question of the Day:

As explained in this column yesterday, LasVegasAdvisor.com suffered an outside attack this week that rendered much of our content unavailable or distorted its presentation. Our IT Dept. has restored order but there were some lasting after-effects, including today's QoD being erased, which was not apparent until the email alert had gone out and the question went live. It's since been reinstated and so anyone who was unable to read today's QoD -- which, ironically, is a re-run of Monday's, since so many of you were unable to access that one -- can now do so. Please accept our apologies for any difficulties with our site that you may have experienced this week.

Allegiant Update:

We received a call from the airline explaining that information put out by other print and online sources and reproduced in this column regarding their recent flight restructuring was inaccurate, so here's the word straight from the horse's mouth. The flights being cut are five of the Fort Lauderdale-based routes, but the good news for Vegas travelers is that they've recently announced new service from Casper, Wyoming and Grand Forks, ND to Las Vegas, which both will begin in September.

Technical Problems at LasVegasAdvisor.com:

The Las Vegas Advisor sites have experienced (as many other sites have) an automated SQL injection attack. This exposed a vulnerability on a few legacy pages. This took some time but our application engineers have corrected the error. Data was corrupted, but nothing was compromised. As is our policy, we do not keep sensitive information about our customers in our databases. Please bear with us while we clean and verify our data. The sites may experience slowing for a few hours, but then we will be back up to speed. Our apologies for any inconvenience experienced in the interim.

Bridge Collapse at Horseshoe Casino:

According to an item on msnbc.com, several construction workers were injured today when a bridge collapsed at the Horseshoe Casino on Lake Michigan, where work is almost complete on a new $485 million casino boat. A dozen workers were hurt when a bridge at the floating casino collapsed about 8 a.m. this morning, throwing some of the men into the lake and trapping others. Most injuries were minor but two of the workers were taken to a local hospital. Their condition remains unknown. (Please note, this is a revision to an early item that indicated the property involved was the former Caesars Indiana, which was recently reopened as the Horseshoe Casino.)

Allegiant Cuts More Flights:

Las Vegas-based airline Allegiant Air is axing thirteen more of its routes due to the high cost of fuel. The good news is that the airline recently announced that it will inaugurate a new nonstop flight to Las Vegas from Appleton, Wisc. commencing Aug. 21, with introductory fares as low as $109 one-way. Well, that's good news for people who live near Appleton. Not so good for those who live near Green Bay, since the flights out of Appleton are replacing those out of Green Bay, which have been canceled due to increased costs at Green Bay airport.

MGM Macao Project Undeterred:

Casino revenues in Macao, while an impressive $3.6 billion in April-June, were down 3% from the first quarter of the year -- further evidence of the impact of Chinese visa restrictions upon the city. However, this isn't discouraging MGM Mirage from moving forward on its second casino-hotel in the city. The company's business partner, Pansy Ho, told Bloomberg TV that the necessary governmental paperwork was being processed and the resort was "definitely going to go" as planned.

Macao Feels Restrictions:

Visitation to Macao in June was up 22% from last year -- but down 9% from May. New travel restrictions on Chinese citizens -- whose access to Macao has been sharply curtailed by Peking -- are beginning to be felt, it would appear.

Tight Slots Pay off for Illinois:

A study by the Chicago-area Daily Herald has found that, during the 2000-07 period, Illinois casinos increased slot coin-in by 2% but slot hold by 30%. Also, the percentage of high-hold machines on Illinois slot floors has grown to nearly half. Surprisingly, these machines are generating longer play, largely through the incentive of bonus rounds and other ancillary features. "It is a funny psychology and it is one that has obviously been very successful," UNR's William Eadington told the newspaper.

First 8-8-08 Promo Announced:

We're anticipating that this is merely the first of many celebrations that will mark 8 August, 2008 -- a particularly auspicious day in Asian cultures, hence the reason for its selection as the first day of the Beijing Olympics. Here in downtown Las Vegas, the Chinese Kitchen Buffet at the El Cortez will offer guests a Lucky 8s buffet dinner for $18.88 on Friday, August 8 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. to celebrate the lucky day. All guests who take advantage of the special dinner will also receive $8 in free slot play.

Slots Coming to Arizona Airport?:

Mayor Phil Gordon (no relation to the poker player) is floating the idea of bringing slot machines to Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport as a way of boosting revenue. It certainly worked for McCarran, where last year the 1,300 slots brought in $40.9 million in revenue. Gordon's plan envisions allowing one or more Native American tribes to operate slot machines at the airport and share their revenues with Phoenix and the state. We'll keep you posted.

Burger Joint Hiring at Red Rock:

In spite of last week's bleak news that the unemployment rate in Nevada has hit its highest level since 1994 (Today's News, July 18) comes more encouraging word from the casino industry. LBS: A Burger Joint, the new restaurant at Red Rock Resort, is looking to recruit 150 staff members prior to its fall opening. Positions are required in all areas, including prep cooks, line cooks, dish stewards, hostesses, sous chef, servers, bussers, bartenders, bar backs, and managers so get your application in, which you can do Weds., July 30, Sat., August 2, and Sat., August 9 from noon - 4 p.m. in Summerlin Room A.

Gambling Poll in 'USA Today':

"Game On!" sports columnists Reid Cherner and Tom Weir are currently running an online poll about whether it's time to legalize online gambling. You can cast your vote at blogs.usatoday.com/gameon/gambling.

New Poker Show Coming to Venetian:

The Real Deal! is a live, interactive poker-themed stage show that's set to debut in The Venetian Showroom this fall. While details of the format remain sketchy aside from the usual vague hyperbole about, "a new paradigm in entertainment, establishing a completely original live-show format that combines humor, the latest in wireless technology, and abundant prizes," the line-up of pros who are slated to be a part of it is impressive and includes Scotty Nguyen (winner of this year's H.O.R.S.E. event at the WSOP and a previous Main Event champion), Eli Elezra, Gavin Smith, Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak (no surpise there), Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harmon, Tod Brunson, Doyle Brunson, and Phil Hellmuth Jr. (bet they never figured on this turn in their careers). Apparently, audience members will have the chance to play along with the on-stage game with a wireless handheld console with various chances to win prizes, including the chance to draw for a Royal Flush and win $1,000,000. Casting is underway for the show host and line-up of comedians to "keep the action moving." This will be the second poker-themed production show to hit Las Vegas this year, following the one-weekend-only performance of All In: The Poker Musical, which made its pre-Broadway debut at the Rio's Masquerade Showroom during the World Series of Poker.

Summer Drawings at Red Rock:

Red Rock's giving away $25,000 in cash and prizes on Fri., July 25th and Fri., August 1st. Earn ticketless entries by playing slots (10 points = 1 entry) and table games ($10 av. bet for one hour = 1 entry). The drawings will take place at 4:15 p.m., 6:15 p.m., and 8:15 p.m., which will feature the $7,500 grand prize.

QoD Restored:

Our apologies to everyone who experienced problems trying to access Question of the Day and other content on LasVegasAdvisor.com this morning. This was due to a technical problem beyond our control, which seems now to have been rectified, so QoD is now available for all to read.

South Point Tower Opening:

South Point's new $100 million hotel tower opens Monday. The additional 830 rooms gives the resort 2,163 total, the most of any locals casino. The tower also adds convention and office space.

Jobs Available:

Today's LV Review-Journal contains ads for jobs at Encore and Aliante Station. Aliante is scheduled to open November 11 and Encore will open in December.

WSOP 2008 Coverage Begins:

ESPN begins its coverage of the 2008 World Series of Poker this Tuesday. Two-hour shows will air every Tuesday at 8 pm through to the coverage of the final table of the main event in November. See the schedule and trailers at http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/poker/wsop?vidId=3482452.

Durango Station:

Plans have been revealed for Las Vegas' next new casino. Station Casinos will break ground on Durango Station in the far southwestern section of the valley in 2009, with completion scheduled for 2011. The first phase will have a 201-room tower and a planned second phase will add 525 more rooms. The hook of the project will be a 190,000-square-foot outdoor retail complex, similar to the District at Green Valley Ranch.

Fox Sports Nets WPT:

Season Seven of the World Poker Tour will soon be a Sunday-night mainstay of Fox Sports Net. Twenty-six one-hour episodes of WPT are slated for prime time, beginning with coverage of the final table of the Bellagio Cup. After five seasons on the Travel Channel, the tour hopped to GSN for the '07-'08 season, but show and channel elected to part company, opening the door to Fox. Airdates and the time slot for the '08-'09 WPT season are yet to be announced. Said Fox veep George Greenburg, "The World Poker Tour has a track record as the ultimate brand name in televised poker ... FSN is very happy to televise such quality content."

Gold Coast Buffet Reviewed:

Stiffs & Georges paid a visit, Pocketbook of Values in hand, to the buffet at Gold Coast and reports on the experience. In other entries, S&G reports on a high-level resignation at Boyd Gaming, prospective buyers for Ameristar Casinos, more political troubles for the Pittsburgh casino, and a slew of gloomy economic indicators for Lake Las Vegas and others.

NV Jobless Rate Rises:

If you're thinking of moving to Nevada in search of employment, you might want to think again: Last month, the state hit its highest rate of unemployment since 1994, according to data released this morning by the Department of Employment Training & Rehabilitation. It estimates that almost 91,000 Nevadans are currently unemployed. Casino job levels are down 2% from last year. In a double-whammy, steep cuts in state assistance jobless Nevadans are slated to kick in this fall.

Casinos Win Tax Fight:

Nevada casinos will be $100 million richer, now that the state Supreme Court has reaffirmed its ruling that comped meals are not subject to sales taxes. Gov. Jim Gibbons proposed re-imposing the tax during a recent special session of the Legislature, but opponents prevailed. The tax may be on the table again a year from now, when the Legislature reconvenes in regular session.

Harrah's Bonds Hit Junk Status:

Moody's Investors Service downgraded its rating on $16 billion Harrah's Entertainment's corporate debt from "already weak levels" to B3, "six steps below investment grade," according to Reuters. Citing weakness in Las Vegas, Moody's cut its rating on Station Casinos, too, and warned MGM Mirage and Las Vegas Sands they might be next. It also expressed a fear that Station might have to renegotiate the terms on $815 million of debt related to Green Valley Ranch.

Wanna Be in a Cirque Show?:

Fans of Criss Angel can become part of a video segment of his forthcoming Cirque du Soleil show, Believe, which bows Oct. 10 at Luxor. Devoted followers of Angel are asked to send photos of themselves, accompanied by explanations of why they should be interviewed by Angel, to casubmission@crissangel.com. The chosen few will be videotaped in Las Vegas on Aug. 4, but are responsible for their own airfare and accommodations.

Update to Today's QoD:

In one of those weird moments of synchronicity, word just came in on the newswire about some of the restaurants confirmed for CityCenter, so check back if you want the latest word on that.

Big Media for Vegas Today:

Today's Wall Street Journal contains a big story on LA entertainment empressario Sam Nazarian's plans for the Sahara. It's a bit light on details, but reinforces previous beliefs that Nazarian plans to revamp, rather than implode, the resort. It also designates 2010 as the target for completion, which suggests that things should start happening there soon. USA Today contains a story titled "Vegas May be Down, but Steve Wynn is Looking UP," that has several quotes from Wynn and Anthony Curtis.

More Batman Promos:

Galaxy Cannery Theatres will provide one free "The Dark Knight" T-shirt to the first 750 people in line with paid admissions to see the 12:01 a.m. screening of "The Dark Knight" Friday, July 18.

Mississippi Rebuffs Casino:

Proposed for Biloxi, the South Beach Casino project got a thumbs-down from the Mississippi Gaming Commission today. State law requires that onshore casinos control land all the way down to the water's edge, which South Beach did not. Gaming commissioners also fretted that a 'yes' vote would open the door to an all-casino zone along Biloxi's shoreline. "It's a major economic blow to Biloxi," sighed Mayor A.J. Holloway, but "It's not a spear in the heart."

Mosque to Casino: No Dice:

Can a mosque and a casino live side-by-side? They may have to in Atlantic City, where the Masjid Al-Taqwa mosque, home to the city's largest single congregation, turned down a $3 million buyout offer from casino developers Curtis Bashaw and Wallace Barr. The primary sticking point was, money notwithstanding, the mosque's attendees might well be left without anyplace to congregate. But the mosque's Imam doesn't want to stay put either, saying his religion regards casinos as illegal. He and his flock are now turning to the city council to resolve the impasse.

Hilton Hearts Cosmo:

In today's Las Vegas Sun, Liz Benston analyzes the status of the still-breathing Cosmopolitan project. Her conclusion is that while Deutsche Bank is going to have to take a haircut to get the foreclosed condo-hotel-casino off its hands, prospective buyers are lining up -- an indication of faith in Las Vegas' long-term upside. One of the possible new owners is Hilton, which would mark a significant turnaround for the company. It spun off Hilton Gaming as Park Place Entertainment nearly a decade ago, then sold its casinos to Harrah's Entertainment in 2005.

A.C. in N.J.:

What, it's somehow newsworthy that Atlantic City's in New Jersey? Nah. This is A.C. is Anthony Curtis, who's quoted in today's issue of the New Jersey Star-Ledger in a feature that picked up on Las Vegas Advisor's July 2008 Room-Rate Survey, which found bargains galore that the casinos don't want you to know about. Check it out.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

The Hard Rock gets the nod this weekend for the place to be for optimum stargazing. 944 magazine turns three and they’ll be celebrating with a casino-wide, weekend-long blowout that invites everyone to party like a rock star. Highlights include the "Crime on Canvas" Pop Surrealism group art exhibit and Wish Come True art installation in the Festival Hall, the grand opening gala of the self-proclaimed "anti-club" Wasted Space, and the opportunity to participate in a world-record attempt water pistol fight at the pool. Elsewhere around town, Pearl at the Palms hosts UFC fight night tomorrow and (believe it or not) tickets to see Coldplay at MGM on Saturday are still available. Music: Coldplay is in concert at the MGM Grand (7/19); mega concert at Mandalay Bay Events Center features Journey, Heart, and Cheap Trick (7/18); Donny & Marie Osmond gig at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre (7/17-7/23); former Bush front man Gavin Rossdale flies solo at The Joint (7/19) before heading over to Wasted Space to perform for the Grand Opening red carpet event; Christian Castro performs at the House of Blues (7/20); Trisha Yearwood sings in the Orleans Showroom (7/18); free concerts at MonteLago Village feature Wildheart: Fleetwood Mac Tribute (7/18) and jazz musician Darren Michaels (7/19); more free music to be heard at The District at Green Valley Ranch with Matrix (7/18) and Sid the Kid (7/19); Alexis Park Resort hosts Doo Wop in the Desert (7/19); Wasted Space opening weekend sneak preview features Silent Armada and Alex Rossi (7/18); Rick Braun & Richard Elliott stop by Ovation Lounge at Green Valley Ranch (7/18); Michael John performs his homage to Billy Joel at the South point Showroom (7/18-7/19); Texas Station presents the 70s Soul Jam in the Dallas Events Center (7/18) and Stephen Sorrentino’s Tribute to Elton John inside Club Armadillo (7/19); The Lettermen take to the stage at the Suncoast Showroom (7/18-7/20); The Club at the Cannery welcomes The Zombies (7/18) and Peter & Gordon and Chad & Jeremy (7/19) Sports Events: UFC presents Silva vs Irvin at the Pearl at the Palms (7/19) with after party at MGM’s Studio 54; the NBA Summer League winds down at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion (through 7/20); ESPN Friday Night Fights will be held at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm (7/18 – free tickets available at www.primmspecials.com while supplies last) Poolside Events: De La Soul performs poolside at the Hard Rock (7/18); Sunset Sessions at Tao Beach features a Moda Star Model search (7/20); Brody Jenner hosts Ditch Friday at the Palms Pool (7/18); 944 events at the Hard Rock include a world-record attempt water pistol fight (7/19 - pistols provided by 944) and S.K.A.M. Artist Takeover at Rehab (7/20) Other: Rock ‘n Roll Wine hosts an intimate event at CatHouse inside Luxor (7/18); Ghostbar at the Palms will host the Smokin’ Hot Bachelor & Bachelorette auction to benefit Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (7/18); funny lady Wanda Sykes takes the mic at Planet Hollywood (7/18-7/19); Kathy Griffin dishes the comic dirt at Mandalay Bay Theatre (7/18); Sylvia Browne’s back at Excalibur (7/19-7/26); see the World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions at the South Point Equestrian Arena (7/18-7/20); catch free flicks at The District at Green Valley: Bee Movie (7/18) and I Am Legend (7/19); McFadden’s at the Rio will hold a Wet ‘n Wild Party complete with bikini contest (7/19); Kristy Morgan hosts the evening at Hawaiian Tropic Zone (7/18); Christian Audigier The Nightclub at TI throws the Gavin Rossdale after concert party (7/19); The Bank inside Bellagio throws a birthday bash for grown up Goonie Corey Feldman (7/18) and The Midsummer Lingerie Party and Competition (7/20); Ict T and wife Coco host the fifth annual "Players Toast Awards" at Torrid nightclub on the patio of Hawaiian Tropic Zone (7/19) For mo

Trump International Reviewed:

Steve Friess dropped in on Trump International Hotel on a recent weekend and found the place "loaded with question marks." Friess' review appears in the Las Vegas Weekly but those who would rather read it online will have any easier time of finding it here.

Batman Promo at Palms:

In celebration of the opening of The Dark Knight, DC comic artist Lee Bermejo will appear live at Brenden Theatres at the Palms from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. tomorrow evening. Bermejo will sign special edition prints of The Joker created specifically for Brenden and KOMP 92.3 will also be on-site with a live broadcast and a chance to win an arcade game from Mountain Coin Machines. Note that both the midnight and 3:05 a.m. IMAX screenings of the new movie are already sold out, as is the 11:59 p.m. regular 35mm showing, but seats remain for the 12:30 and 12:45 a.m. performances. Visit Fandango.com to buy tickets.

Del Mar Meet in Progress:

The beautiful Del Mar racetrack's brief season opened yesterday. The track, which is located just outside San Diego and sports the famous slogan "Where the Surf Meets the Turf," will run daily until September 3.

Juicy Freeroll:

ALL IN magazine is running online monthly poker freerolls with $10,000 in cash and prizes distributed to the top 18 finishers, and last month there were only 35 players. This month's tourny runs today (9 pm EST) and there figure to be more participants, but it's worth looking into. You will have to open an account at Absolute Poker, but you don't have to fund it. Sign up or get details at allinmag.com.

IGT Profit Narrows:

Third-quarter numbers are out for IGT and the slot-maker is reporting a profit of $108 million, compared to $136 million in the same period of last year. That's a 21% decline in profit, from 41 cents per share to 35 cents. Revenues for the first three quarters of fiscal year 2008 are, however, at the same level as 2007's; the difference in profitability lies in higher jackpot-related expenses and "technical obsolescence charges," according to an IGT statement.

Venetian Macao Video Tour:

Las Vegans thought the Venetian was pretty darn large when it opened in 1999. Then came its big sister, The Palazzo, and that seemed awfully grand. But both take a back seat to the immensity that is Venetian Macao. How big is it? Well, it takes almost three minutes to traverse the casino floor in this covertly filmed video tour.

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul:

Let's say you're living in Yarmouth, England, and you're out the equivalent of $12,000 in poker debts to Irish gamblers. What's to be done? Well, if you're Palace Casino employee Peter Smith, you stuff "a considerable wodge of cash" (i.e., $17,000) into your socks and lam it out to Ireland, to settle your debt. That left $5,000 in stolen dough. What better use for it than to fly on to Thailand and gamble it away there? After his round-the-world caper, Smith turned himself in to British authorities. He's been granted bail -- on the condition that he move in with his parents.

Casino Regulators Rec'd Katrina Surplus:

CNN has gotten ahold of Mississippi state documents that show the Mississippi Gaming Commission to be one of several agencies that received household supplies that FEMA deemed "surplus," following Hurricane Katrina, and disbursed to the state. Which means that the state's casino regulators are now the proud owners of "a coffee maker, a case of pillows, wash kits, two dual-burner stoves, plates and utensils, two cases of hand sanitizers and 20 five-gallon containers." The Commission says it's hanging onto the stuff "in case of another hurricane."

G2E '08 Adds Showcases:

The year's Global Gaming Expo, which runs Nov. 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will have a greater-than-ever focus on casino amenities. It's introducing an Entertainment Arena, featuring daily live performances as well as "vendors who support the live performances associated with the global casino industry." A new Retail Promenade will include a PGA Pro Shop and a pavilion called Eyewear Piazza. G2E is also adding a Casino Design conference and awards ceremony. American Gaming Association President Frank J. Fahrenkopf says the new features were added in response to customer feedback.

BBC Spotlights Lake Mead:

As part of an ongoing "Diary" series entitled "Colorado River drought," the BBC reports (

"Scarlett" in, "Toxic Audio" out:

After being rumored for a while, it's now official: Toxic Audio closes at the V Theater on July 30. Its 2:30 p.m. time slot will be filled, starting Aug. 1, by the magic show Scarlett, which will play Fridays through Wednesdays. More information on Scarlett is promised within the next 24 hours.

Gordie Brown Moving Up & Out:

Having been tapped as Celine Dion's opening act, Gordie Brown will be winding down his commitment at the V Theater, at Planet Hollywood. Brown's show will be dark Aug. 12-13 and close on the 23rd, to resume "sometime in early 2009."

Macao Casino Workers "Tagged":

While Las Vegas casino guests think nothing of seeing employees wearing badges that state their city -- or even country -- of origin, it may be the coming thing in Macao, but for a different reason. According to law, "only local residents are allowed to work as croupiers, but imported workers may be hired by casino companies as croupiers' supervisors, pit managers and other gaming positions," states XinhauNet.com. However, at some casinos -- such as Venetian Macao -- the majority of staff are guest workers. Many of them would soon have to wear different badges, to denote their non-resident status. Cleaning and security staff, administrative personnel and outside contractors would be exempt.

Yoseloff Stays on at Shuffle Master:

That Oct. 31 retirement that Shuffle Master CEO Mark Yoseloff had planned? Never mind. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Yoseloff's contract has been extended for another year. The company also announced that it had expanded its line of credit by $60 million.

Get Wasted at the Hard Rock:

The Hard Rock will mark the debut of its new "anti-club" Wasted Space from 10 p.m. tonight with a bash jointly celebrating the premier of "Wasted Wednesdays" local industry night and Carey Hart’s birthday party. Confirmed guests include Mr Hart, Jason Giambi, Criss Angel, Carrot Top, and John Dolmayan. A second grand opening takes place Saturday night with a premier performance by Gavin Rossdale and guests including owners Carey Hart and Benji and Joel Madden, plus Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Audrina Patridge, Brody Jenner, The Killers, Slash, Dave Navarro, Jenna Jameson, Sofia Rossi, Reggie Bush, Everlast, Wilmer Valderrama, Butch Walker, and more of the usual suspects, no doubt.

McCarran Terminal 3 Approved:

The Clark County Commission yesterday awarded a bid to build a new terminal building for Las Vegas' premier airport at a cost of more than $1 billion. Even though the airlines that use the airport urged a delay due to the current depressed state of their industry, the board insisted the expansion plans should move forward in order for the airport to be able to service the 30,000-or-so new hotel rooms currently under construction. The new terminal is expected to open in 2012.

Louisiana Posts $50 Million Gain:

Gambling revenues in Louisiana were up $500,000 in the '07-08 fiscal year, which just ended. Harrah's New Orleans alone represented nearly 13% of the total, up $20 million from '06-07. The only market segment to take a hit were video poker routes, down $10 million.

"Price" Still Right at Bally's:

On Monday, Fremantle Media announced that its road version of "The Price is Right" would be playing an eight-week gig at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Connecticut. Not to worry, fans of the Vegas version: Harrah's Entertainment routed our query to Fremantle, who assures us that the Bally's Las Vegas incarnation of "Price" will continue unabated. Vegas attendees will merely have to make do without primary host Todd Newton, as he'll be spending September kicking off the Foxwoods version.

'Jubilee!' Special for Locals:

July 31 marks the 27th anniversary of Donn Arden's classic spangly showgirl spectacular Jubilee! and to commemorate its birthday, Bally's is offering a special $27 ticket price to Nevada residents through Friday, August 15. The ticket offer can be redeemed at the Bally's Box Office at the time of purchase by showing a valid Nevada ID, with a four-ticket purchase limit. The show performs twice nightly at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. and is dark on Fridays. For more information call 702/967-4567.

Thrillist Makes Cool Pools #1 Pick:

Thrillist Las Vegas, the free weekly email alert that tells you about what's best in the city, has picked our very own "Las Vegas Cool Pools" feature as its top pick for this week (thanks!) Check it out right here: http://thrillist.com. And if you haven't already, drop by the new LVA Pools message board, which is starting to get a buzz all of its own.

Neon Panel, Signing on Thurs.:

If you haven¢t checked out Beneath the Neon: The Exhibition and you want to, Thursday, July 17's a good day to do it. There will be a panel discussion on life, death, and art in the storm drains of Las Vegas at 6 p.m. at the Arts Factory and the exhibit will be open to the public after the discussion. It will also be a good day to buy the book. The Contemporary Arts Collective will be selling copies for $17, with part of the proceeds going to the CAC, and author Matt O'Brien will around to sign copies. For more details and a preview of some of the amazing photography from the book/exhibit, check out our recent Spotlight on... item.

President Casino to Reopen:

Pinnacle Entertainment's newly renovated casino in downtown St. Louis is set to open its doors for business at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, after being forced to close for a month due to flooding along the Mississippi River. It's the second time this year the property's been closed due to high waters.

The November Nine:

That's what they're calling the nine players who've qualified for the final table of the WSOP main event, which will now take a break until (when else?) November 9. Here are the players and their chip counts: Dennis Phillips -- 26,295,000 Ivan Demidov -- 24,400,000 Scott Montgomery -- 19,690,000 Peter Eastgate -- 18,375,000 Ylon Schwartz -- 12,525,000 Darus Suharto -- 12,520,000 David "Chino" Rheem -- 10,230,000 Craig Marquis -- 10,210,000 Kelly Kim -- 2,620,000

Michelle Eliminated:

Tiffany Michelle's unlikely run in the World Series of Poker main event has ended with a spectacular 17th place and $334,534 prize. She exited to a standing ovation.

"Spamalot" Ends Run at Wynn:

Sunday night saw the curtain rung down on the final performance at Wynn Las Vegas of the Monty Python musical Spamalot. After the curtain calls, star John O'Hurley made a speech praising his cast members as a great family and hailing the Spamalot experience as one of the capstones of his career. His 18-month-old son also put in an appearance -- costumed as King Arthur. Earlier, across town, cast members of Spamalot and other shows were treated to a preview screening of the film version of Mamma Mia!. Carol Linnea Johnson, star of the Vegas company of Mamma Mia! had her very own Dancing Queen on hand: her daughter, clad from head to toe in red Spandex.

Wynn's Big Sign:

Steve Wynn has asked Clark County for a waiver for the animated sign that will herald Encore, at the the meeting of the Desert Inn arterial and the Strip. The 130-foot-tall sign will accommodate nearly 4,000 square feet of signage, half of it animated. As the planned sign will not interfere with pedestrian traffic, it is expected to be approved.

MGM Still Dominating Detroit:

Michigan Gaming Control Board figures show MGM Grand leading the Detroit market not only in dollars earned but in rate of growth. June's revenues at MGM were up 26%, year over year, while Motor City was down 10% and bankruptcy-plagued Greektown was off 18.5%. In sheer dollar terms, MGM Detroit raked in nearly $49 million, compared to $38 million for Motor City and $23 million for Greektown.

Chinese Food Reader Poll:

Thanks to all who've voted in this one, which runs until midnight tomorrow. A significant number of people have voted for the "other" option but few of you have divulged which "other" you prefer. It's not to late to drop us a line via the email links provided in the poll and let us -- and your fellow readers -- in on the secret. Cheers!

NYT Covers Vegas Air Squeeze:

Sunday's New York Times carried a story about the "twinges of apprehension" being felt on account of air-service reductions into Las Vegas. It recounts how US Airways is planning a 20% and that service overall is down 13%. On the flip side, the NYT reports that Allegiant Air is enjoying 94% capacity on its Vegas flights, is buying six more planes and is farming some of its jets out to Harrah's for charter excursions.

Tiffany Michelle in USA Today:

The last woman standing in the WSOP main event is getting her due, regardless of where she finishes. Tiffany Michelle is featured in the "Sports" section of today's USA Today, with a big photo included. Tiffany is going for the final table today (play begins at noon PST). Only one other woman has ever gotten that far: Barbara Enright in 1995.

Vegas Visitation Is ... Up:

Despite dire gaming-revenue numbers last week (-16.4% in Clark County) and lower occupancy (-2.4%), more people actually visited Las Vegas in May than did the year previous. They're just gambling less and leaving sooner, according to JP Morgan analysts. Nearly three and a half million people visited in May '08, a modest increase from '07. In other stats, the trend of fewer conventions/more conventioneers continues to prevail.

Caesars Indiana Transformed:

The riverboat casino's metamorphosis to the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel Southern Indiana was officially completed on Friday. The $53-million re-branding took less than two years is part of Harrah's plan to limit its Caesars brand to the high-end Las Vegas and Atlantic City markets.

New Playboy Club for London:

Two years after the Hef opened a Playboy Club at the Palms in Las Vegas, his empire is looking at two sites in central London for a new venue, reports London's Daily Telegraph newspaper. The original Playboy club on London's exclusive Park Lane in Mayfair was closed down in 1981 after a police raid over suspected gambling irregularities. At the time it was the most profitable casino in the world. The new club, which could be open as early as 2010, would offer gaming at roulette wheels and blackjack tables, as well as food. The most likely venue being looked at is the site of the former Sports Cafe in the West End. A large Playboy casino and hotel is also due to open on the island of Macau, China, next year.

WSOP Final 27:

Only 27 players remain and today they'll play down to the nine who will make up the final table. The chip leader is Dennis Phillips with 11.9 million. He's followed by Craig Marquis with 11.5 million and Tiffany Michelle, the only woman in the race, with 9.8 million. Phil Hellmuth went out in 45th place and Mike Matusow went out in 30th.

James McWrongus:

Whoa! Apparently the James McMannus who's high up the leader board in the WSOP main event is not the Positively Fifth Street author. We're told this McMannus is a twenty-something young gun from Ireland. Apologies to all involved.

WSOP Below 100:

At the end of round 5, only 79 players remain. The chip leader is Mark Ketteringham with 5.8 million, followed by Andrew Brokos with 4.1 million. A big stony is Tiffany Michelle in fifth with 3.4 million; Tiffany is the on-camera host for pokernews.com's WSOP coverage. It's been a tough tournament for the best-known players. Still playing are James McMannus (2.4 million), Brandon Cantu (2.3 million), Mike Matusow (1.2 million), Matt Matros (766,000), and Phil Hellmuth (721,000). Today's play will set the stage for tomorrow's showdown to make the final table.

Free Tall Cake:

As part of its 11th anniversary, Silverton is giving out free straberry tall cakes (its big shortcake) and champagne from noon to 8 pm today and tomorrow. Silverton was famous for these for a long time, until it stopped serving them a few years ago.

WSOP Field Below 200:

There are 189 left. Jeremy Joseph, with 2,187,000, holds a slim lead over Nikolay Losey's 2,110,000. The biggest names still playing are Gus Hansen, Allen Cunningham, Jeff Madsen, Mark Voss, and Phil Hellmuth. See today's Question of the Day for more on this event.

Seminoles Win on Blackjack:

An Isle of Capri Casinos lawsuit against Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to get blackjack games shut down at Seminole Tribe casinos was rebuffed in federal court after Isle's Pompano Park found itself in legal Catch-22. The presiding judge ruled that the suit would have to include the Seminoles as defendants -- yet they cannot be defendants, because they enjoy sovereign immunity. That left owners of three Broward County parimutuels fuming, with one CEO asking,"where's the respect for the [state] Supreme Court and the laws of Florida?"

Barden Cedes Control in Pittsburgh:

Conceding that he was unable to assemble the necessary financing, Majestic Star CEO Don Barden has ceded control of the project after defaulting on a $200 million loan. The half-finished casino will now move forward under the direction Walton Street Capital, whose co-founder, Neil Bluhm, is the lead investor on Philadelphia's SugarHouse casino project. Further details of the handover can be found in Stiffs & Georges.

Missouri Loss Limits Make Ballot:

A November referendum item, filed by Pinnacle Entertainment and Ameristar Casinos, survived a court challenge this week. The initiative would repeal the state's $500 loss limit on gamblers. It would also codify into law the state gaming commission's freeze on new casino licenses in Missouri. Both Ameristar and Pinnacle own multiple Missouri casinos.

Get McFaded at McFadden's:

The latest deal from McFadden's Irish Pub at the Rio kicks off tomorrow night with all-you-can-drink beers, house wines, and cocktails. From 10 p.m. to midnight Saturdays, for only $20 for men and $10 for women the booze is all-you-can-drink. Plus, with the purchase of a drink wristband, all drinks are $3 after midnight.

Gambling Author Reminisces:

In today's Las Vegas Sun, Jeff Haney interviews Joseph Walsh, who writer and producer of California Split, filmed at Reno's long-gone Mapes Hotel. Walsh says he had to fight studio execs -- but not director Robert Altman -- to keep authentic gambler lingo in the script. "I was writing for all the gamblers of the world, people who are going to turn out and watch the movie and say, ‘Oh, God, this man is in our heart and soul,’" Walsh tells Haney.

G-Rated Tera?:

According to the Los Angeles Times' "Movable Buffet," Tera Patrick's abortive deal to perform at the Hard Rock Hotel foundered on a couple of stipulations. One was that she had to remain fully clothed during all appearances, the other that words like "adult" not be used in promoting her. That's one way to take the "sin" out of Sin City.

New Cirque Show a Bargain Play?:

On his LA Times blog, Richard Abowitz reports that unobstructed-view seats for Cirque du Soleil's forthcoming Believe are going for as little as $59, the lowest of five price points (maxing out at $150). Abowitz notes that the cheapest seats for Love and Zumanity, respectively, are $93.50 and $60 -- with obstructed views.

Newest Opening Date for 'Believe':

The latest official opening date for Cirque du Soleil's "Believe" show at Luxor is Oct. 10. Already pushed back from September, the premiere had been rescheduled for Oct. 9. Explains Steve Friess, on his blog, "it's because nobody in Montreal realized when they picked Oct. 9 that it was the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur." So the Criss Angel vehicle will bow on a Friday night instead of the planned Thursday.

'Winslow's 11' Drops Today:

Las Vegas guidebook author Will Winslow (a nom de plume for UNLV's prolific David Schwartz) has released the 2008 version of his Winslow's Eleven guide to Vegas. Not only is it available by direct download, better still, it's free.

A.C. Numbers Make Analysts Wince:

"Ugly, that's the only way to put it," was veteran gaming analyst Andrew Zarnett's reaction to news of an 11% decline in Atlantic City's June gambling numbers. Borgata was microscopically off last year's pace while Trump Marina sank 23%. "The numbers were so uncharacteristic of Atlantic City in the summertime that even the head of the resort's chief marketing agency issued an unsolicited statement," reported the Philadelphia Inquirer. Pennsylvania, with seven scattered casinos against Atlantic City's 11 concentrated ones, pulled in $135.5 million last month, against the Boardwalk's $373.6 million. The lone bright spot was Harrah's Atlantic City, newly upgraded and doing 5% better than last year.

Pool Party Carnage:

Economic factors and unprecedented competition this summer are evidently combining to sort the men from the boys pool-party wise. While the Artisan and South Point both canceled their parties before they even started, more recent casualties include the Sahara’s Saturday pool party (no more poolside blackjack there), Terrible’s "Splash" Friday events, "Exposed" at TI (what always seemed like a half-hearted collaboration with Seamless gentlemen’s club), and "Calor! Wednesday" at the Rio’s Voodoo Beach (apparently due to the addition of the new Sapphire Pool). On the other hand, Palms Place’s "Rubber Duckie" Tuesday-night events have been an instant success and we predict may well continue past the scheduled end-of-July cutoff. Mandalay Bay’s Moorea Beach Club, previously a fiercely exclusive guest-only affair, has quietly opened its doors to the general public. Admission to one of Las Vegas’ pioneering topless pools (of which there are now 10, or at least 9½) is men: $40 Mon-Fri/$50 Sat & Sun; ladies: $10 Sun-Sat. Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Meanwhile, although the Mandalay Bay Beach Concert season has been a little thin this year, with only two events so far, they have introduced a new free Dive-In Movies at the Beach series, which debuts tonight with a screening of Wedding Crashers at 9 p.m. Details about these and all the other ongoing poolside events around town, plus new reviews of the "Mint Mondays" party at the Trop. and Tuesday Happy Hour at Palms Place, can be found in our Las Vegas Cool Pools section. And we’ve also launched a new LVA Pools message board, where you can pose all your pool-related questions and an at-a-glance weekly guide to Pool Parties by Day.

The Ice Lounge Cometh:

Due to open this fall in the space formerly occupied by 55 Degrees Wine & Design in Mandalay Place, Minus 5 will be an ice lounge where "you can touch, feel, and explore intricately handcrafted ice sculptures and one-of-a-kind ice architecture made from 100% pure Canadian ice." While we're not sure what the mystique about specifically Canadian ice is, apparently everything in this New Zealand-originated concept bar will be made from pure, crystal-clear, glacial ice -- from the seats you sit on to the glasses you sip your premium vodka cocktails from. It takes the ice bar and Vodka Locker at MBay's Red Square to the next level and will be open from 10 a.m.-3 a.m. daily and available for private hire for receptions hosting up to 150 people. For more info contact the Functions Manager on 702-632-3768. For more information about ice bars, lounges, and hotels around the world, check out the QoD Archives for 8/4/07, where we tackled the subject in some depth.

More Free T-Shirts from Galaxy:

Galaxy Cannery Theatres will provide a free T-shirt each to the first 750 people in line with paid admissions to see the 12:01 a.m. screening of The Dark Knight Friday, July 18.

In the Money:

Players still left in the World Series of Poker main event are getting paid. Yesterday's action got down to the money positions, with 666th and below getting at least $21,230 for their $10,000 investment. Going into today, 474 players remain, which means all are guaranteed at least $27,020. Leading the chip count is Jeremy Joseph with 1,458,000. Interrupting the list of unknown names near the top are Dag Martin Mikkelson (931,000), Matt Matros (822,500, and Phil Hellmuth, who's lurking with $475,000. Steve Chung was this year's "bubble boy" for finishing in 667th place; he'll receive a free entry into next year's tournament. Notable eliminations yesterday included Chris Moneymaker, Tex Bart, and Patrik Antonius.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

It’s hoops heaven for b-ball fans as the stars of tomorrow gather in Sin City to kick off the NBA Summer League on Friday. Games will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion and run through July 20 with a minimum of four match-ups scheduled per day. Other special events include Beerfest poolside at South Point on Saturday and Sunday’s International Folk Festival on Fremont Street. Plus, it’s your last chance to catch Monty Python’s Spamalot, which will take its final bow at Wynn on Sunday after a 16-month run. Music: Kenny Loggins gets footloose at the Las Vegas Hilton (7/11); Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts sing the blues at the Orleans (7/11-7/12); House of Blues welcomes Lyfe Jennings (7/12); Boz Scaggs stops by the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm (7/12); free music concerts continue at MonteLago Village with The Wedge Brothers (7/11) and jazz by J’Nae (7/12) and at The District at GVR with the Drew Baker Bank (7/11) and Fahrenheit (7/12); The Fab (7/11) and Little Anthony & The Imperials (7/12) play The Club at the Cannery; Diamond Rio is in concert at Santa Fe Station (7/12); The Roots bring hip-hop to The Joint (7/12); Ky-Mani Marley performs at Sunset Station’s Club Madrid (7/11); and Scooter & Lavelle make an appearance at Rain inside the Palms (7/11) Sports Events: The NBA Summer League opens with a minimum of four games scheduled per day (7/11-7/20); the Las Vegas 51s are back in town and take on the Tacoma Rainiers at Cashman Field (7/11-7/14); and catch the Las Vegas Super Tuner Nationals Formula Drift competition at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (7/11-7/12) Poolside Events: Mandalay Beach debuts Dive-In Movies at the Beach with Wedding Crashers (7/11); join in 100.5 Jack FM’s Beerfest at the South Point pool with DJ Girl 6 (7/12); Behrouz spins during Sunset Sessions at Tao Beach (7/13); Peter Frampton plays poolside at Red Rock (7/11); Friday Night Live at the Hard Rock presents Rusted Root (7/11); Rehab brings back Thong-A-Thon featuring $10 donations to Save the Planet for every girl wearing a thong (7/13); Bottle Rock-It at the Red Rock Pool features Perry Farrell and special guest Dave Navarro (7/12); and Red Rock Retreat hosts the Formula Drift after party hosted by Miss Formula Drift Catherine Kluthe (7/13) Comedy: Jay Leno returns to the Mirage (7/11-7/12); John Heffron takes the mic at the South Point Showroom (7/11-7/13); Jim Breuer jokes at Ovation Lounge at Green Valley Ranch (7/11); and Playboy Comedy presents Harland Williams in the Palms Lounge with special guest Miss August 2008 Kayla Collins (7/12) Other: Planet Hollywood’s Privé Nightclub will host Adam & Eve’s Charity Love Fling celebrity auction (7/11); John Edwards crosses over at the Flamingo (7/12); Free movies at The District at GVR include Monster House (7/11) and The Nanny Diaries (7/12); Carmen Electra hosts the evening at Privé (7/12); The Suncoast’s Showroom presents Say Goodnight, Gracie, The Life, Laughter and Love of George Burns and Gracie Allen (7/11-7/13); Christian Audigier (the Nightclub) unveils Audigier Sundays, its first weekly party (7/13); Caramel at Bellagio launches SWAG, their newest weekly event (7/13); Las Vegas’ top salons square off in Hair Wars at the Palm’s Ghostbar (7/13); Missy Elliott celebrates her birthday at Tao Nightclub inside the Venetian (7/11); and Fremont Street hosts the International Folk Festival (7/13) 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 "Shows & Nightlife." For comprehensive listings of all the best pools in Las Vegas and details about poolside happenings and amenities, check out our

New Message Board for Vegas Pools:

We've just launched a new forum on the LVA message boards dedicated to the Las Vegas pool scene, so if you have questions about which pools are most family-friendly, or whether a pool with a cover charge is worth the cost of admission, or how the topless scene's shaping up, or which pools provide shade without having to pay through the nose for it, then this is the place to ask.

Silverton Celebrates 11:

Silverton Casino Lodge celebrates 11 years of serving Las Vegas with three days of cake and champagne. The locals favorite invites all patrons age 21 and over to join in the celebration with a glass of sparkling champagne and strawberry tall cake from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, July 11 and noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13. Cake and champagne is free and will be available on the casino floor.

Updates on Today's "Green" QoD:

We're getting plenty of interesting feedback from readers who've experienced various types of in-room motion sensors and key-card systems, as discussed in today's Question of the Day, so check back for updates.

Illinois Casino Back in Play:

A 10th and final casino license in Illinois will be out for bid soon, now that the Illinois Gaming Board has put to bed three years of litigation. The license, which was stripped from Chicago-area Emerald Casino after regulators found a penumbra of organized-crime involvement, will be relocated to a site as yet unannounced, probably in the greater Chicago area. Despite a 21% drop in gambling revenue in June, JP Morgan analysts wrote, "we believe the market can handle the additional gaming positions."

Queen of Hearts Reopens, Sorta:

One of downtown's most notorious gambling spots will once again echo with the ching-ching-ching of slot machines, if only for eight hours on Aug. 13. That's when United Coin will run another of its casino-for-a-day operations, like its recent Moulin Rouge stint, only this time at the Queen of Hearts motel. The Queen, former host to a slot route, was closed by offshore owners Tamares Group back in 2006. Perhaps United Coin can get a few Metro officers to stop by and play: In 1994-5, the Queen was the site of 680 police calls. Its gaming-entitled status lapsed in September 2005, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Casino Win Down Big:

More evidence of the severe effect of the economy on Las Vegas came today with the release of gaming win numbers for May. The statewide win dropped 15.2%, while the Strip win was down 16.4%. A reporting glitch apparently depressed the numbers slightly, but the result was bad, regardless. An analysis of the locals market yielded an 18.6% decline.

WSOP Day 2B Results:

With the second round completed, 1,307 remain and the field will play as one from this point forward. Yesterday's chip leader was Peter Biebel with 531,000, which puts him in second overall behind 2A leader Brian Schaedlich's 801,000. Big names eliminated yesterday included John Juanda, former champions Joe Hachem and Carlos Mortensen, and defending champion Jerry Yang.

Rio Pool Closed:

If you're thinking of finding a spot to cool off in, don't head to the Rio today. Their pool filters are broken and the one pool that's open is reportedly packed with kids. They're canceling tonight's regular "Calor! Wednesday" Latin pool party, but hope to have the systems up and running again soon. The Sapphire topless pool (adults only) remains open ($40 men/$10 ladies). For details on other parties, poolside concerts, and pools open to the public, check out our unique Las Vegas Cool Pools feature, where you'll find comprehensive details about all you need to know about the summer pool scene.

Lottery Goes Awry:

Although GTECH was awarded the casino-systems contract for the state of Kansas (where all the casinos will be under the umbrella of the state lottery) last spring, beating out Scientific Games, a recent snafu in the state's Pick 3 game has put that gig on "hold." GTECH's Bob Vincent explained, "It was a software glitch that happened" -- three times over, as the company's systems chose erroneous "winners" June 29-July 1. "Officials feared many genuine winning tickets were discarded before the errors were discovered," reports the Kansas City Star, but the state will honor the 136 mis-picked tickets, too ... and bill GTECH more than $20,700. A June 29 software conversion appears to have triggered the costly gaffe.

Penn Backpedaling in Kansas:

Kansas City Star reporter Rick Alm has broken the news that Penn National "seems poised to pull the plug" on its application for a casino in Cherokee County, Kansas. Earlier, it had scaled back its financial commitment to the project and, following last week's opening of a tribal casino near Joplin, Mo., the company has made its continued pursuit of the Cherokee license contingent on its also being granted the casino concession in Sumner County, near Wichita. Penn is the only Cherokee County applicant but one of three in Sumner.

Seminole Scenario? Status Quo:

That's the verdict of UNR economics professor Mark Nichols, asked by the Biloxi Sun-Herald whether Florida's tribal casinos would have to surrender their newly unconstitutional table games. He pointed to a comparable situation in 1990s California as a precedent. "That dragged on for years ... no one wanted to go in and shut [the tribal casinos] down," Nichols said, adding "I predict they won't go in and shut down these casinos," either.

Penn's Maryland Site Revealed:

Penn National Gaming has plunked down an unspecified amount of cash for an option on 36 acres in Perryville, Maryland, should the state's voters approve slot parlors this fall. The proposed casino would sit directly across I-95 from an outlet mall at a toll plaza, near the point where the Susquehanna River flows into Chesapeake Bay. The casino would be roughly midway between its two primary "feeder" markets: Baltimore and Wilmington, Del.

Buddy, Can You Spare Me a Bond?:

Revel Entertainment Group is moving ahead with its eponymous casino in Atlantic City, Trouble is, Massachusetts and Connecticut avenues, which lead to Revel, need to be widened, according to the company. Solution? Enlist the city in issuing $56 million worth of bonds, obtaining a low interest rate in the bargain. "If everything was peachy we would probably be able to borrow this money at the same rate ... But as we all know, everything is not so peachy. We had to get creative," said Revel attorney Lloyd Levenson. Revel's 20 Boardwalk acres would act as collateral for the bonds.

Win Cards at Mandalay Bay:

Win Cards are now available at the Mandalay Bay, offering $30 for $20 in casino table game chips. These special, non-negotiable chips actually "stay-in-play" until lost. The Win Cards packet also includes playing strategies and instructions and even a token tip for the dealers.

Zumanity Offer:

The "sensual" Cirque show at New York-New York is offering its customary summer discount, with 35% off select performances now through Sept. 30. The show performs at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. nightly (dark Mon. & Thurs). Call 866/606-7111 or visit zumanity.com for tickets.

Macao Bidding Wars Near End:

Casino operators in Macao have assented to a government-imposed maximum on the commissions they pay to junket operators. In return for a share of casino revenue, junketeers will strike exclusive agreements with casino companies, steering VIP players to those properties. This has led to aggressive bidding between rivals like Crown and Venetian, an escalating rivalry that has eroded profit margins and could continue to heat up in the weeks remaining until the formal imposition of the cap, expected by autumn.

WSOP Day 2A Results:

A little less than a quarter of the field was pared yesterday, and the second flight of players advancing from the first round play today. The chip leader is Brian Schaedlich with 801,000, more than double the total of second-place Hunter Frey. There are lots of unknowns in the top spots, with Mark Vos the first well-known name to show up on the leader board with 155,100 (Mark was one of the four contributing writers to our poker-tournament book Kill Everyone). Out of the tournament are Barry Greenstein, Kathy Liebert, Erick Lindgren, Paul Wasicka, Robert Varkonyi, and this year's H.O.R.S.E. winner, Scotty Nguyen.

SoCal-ers Gambling, Driving Less:

A poll of Southern California players, conducted by Precision Opinion, concludes that Vegas visitors from SoCal have trimmed their gambling spending by almost 30% and have cut back their visits by a comparable amount. Other salient points of the survey, as reported by the Las Vegas Sun include: Gas would have to hit $5.73/gallon to get them to quit driving to LV altogether (up from $3.51 three years ago); Fewer would rather fly than drive, but a higher number are considering taking the bus; Almost half of locals players are curtailing their gambling budgets, thanks to high gas prices.

Borgata Inks Five-Year Deal:

Boyd Gaming's Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and its new Water Club, in Atlantic City, wrapped up a five-year contract with Local 54 of Unite HERE, whose members voted overwhelmingly for the deal. Details of the pact include annual raises of roughly 5% and bonuses for housekeepers who have to exceed their 14-rooms-cleaned-per-day quota. "In spite of some serious disagreements over several issues, there was never any indication of hostility evidenced by either party," said the union's Robert McDevitt.

Riverboat Stocks Recommended:

In an interview with CNBC, Thos. Weisel Partners analyst Jake Fuller recommended that investors steer clear of stocks belonging to companies with heavy Vegas exposure. In particular, he panned Las Vegas Sands and Wynn Resorts, predicting "you're going to see a lot of downward pressure in the short term here." Fuller's two top picks were Las Vegas-headquartered -- but riverboat-oriented -- Ameristar Casinos and Pinnacle Entertainment, whose revenues "should be a little less cyclical," Fuller said.

Isle Protests Tribal Games:

Isle of Capri, through its Pompano Park racino, has petitioned the federal courts to shut down table games at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The Florida Supreme Court has disallowed Gov. Charlie Crist's compact with the Seminoles, partly because it gave the tribe exclusive right to offer table games in the Sunshine State.

IP Still Tops:

In the ongoing poll being conducted by Steve Friess to determine the worst pool in Vegas, it looks like the Imperial Palace has the dubious honor sewn up. Although voting is still in progress, the IP has opened a commanding lead on Harrah's Las Vegas and the Riviera. Friess' earlier "Best Pools" poll was won in a landslide by Mandalay Bay, which also sits at the apex of LVA's own Top 10 Pools list.

Border Grill Closing for Remodel:

Effective July 28, Mandalay Bay's Border Grill restaurant will be closing for a remodel and will reopen August 28. That gives you only one more opportunity (July 24) to enjoy the monthly tequila tasting dinner event that began just a month ago. The new design will apparently feature a "casual, yet elegant wooden décor" with digital menus at the entrance. An expansive bar area will feature 42-inch flat screen televisions and an upstairs dining patio with glass walls providing views of Mandalay Bay Beach.

Correction re: Pool Party:

DJ Samantha Ronson will be playing Palms Place today (site of the 26K rubber duckie giveaway, too). Ronson is fresh off a July 4th set at Tao Beach, and can be seen in action in the photo gallery of our Tao Beach page, part of our "Cool Pools" section, which also dishes the latest celeb sightings at WET Republic, Rehab, Venus Pool Club and many more.

Main Event Numbers:

The numbers are in for this year's World Series of Poker main event. A total of 6,844 players put up the $10,000 buy-in, which outpaces last year's 6,358, but doesn't match the 2006 record of 8,773. Of the 3,663 players remaining, a devilish 666 will be in-the-money. The champion will win $9,119,517.

Rendell Attempts to Broker Deal:

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell will endeavor to break the impasse between the City of Philadelphia, and casino developers Foxwoods and SugarHouse. The latter two have encountered little brotherly love in their attempts to build slot parlors in Philadelphia. Rendell will see if they're amenable to relocating to other sites in the Philadelphia area, but they are under no obligation to do so.

Penn Nat'l Goes for Maryland:

Wasting no time after the collapse of its LBO attempt, Penn National gaming has obtained an option on 36 acres of land adjacent to a mixed-use development along Chesapeake Bay. Should, as appears probable, Maryland voters approve casino gambling in November, Penn aims to build a 2,500-slot, $125 million casino, pending state approval. At least two horse tracks will also be in the running for casino licenses.

Huge Jump for G2E Asia:

Global Gaming Expo Asia has announced a 73% attendance increase for its second-ever show, with -- including exhibitors -- 8,288 attendees. The show, a co-production of the American Gaming Association and Reed Exhibitions, was held June 3-5 at Venetian Macao. Exhibitors occupied 175 booths, i a threefold increase of show-floor space from 2007.

Philly Casinos Stymied:

"Although casino developer Don Barden has run into some serious problems of his own in Pittsburgh, the developers of SugarHouse and Foxwoods would swap their problems for his in a heartbeat," writes the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reporting on a stalemate that has two Philadelphia casino projects literally stuck in the mud. Although the two 'slot parlors' were authorized in 2004, neither has broken ground, thanks to incessant wrangling between various and sundry parties. But it's not all bad news: The longer Philadelphia delays, the more revenue flows to Atlantic City, the market to which Philadelphia's casinos would pose the biggest threat.

Indiana May Loosen Rules:

To lure more players to the Hoosier State, Indiana regulators are considering jettisoning a requirement that casino-bound junketeers be licensed casino suppliers. A $5K junket fee would also be waived. And we thought they were only this serious about junketeering in Macao.

Ronson Plays Palms Tomorrow:

Lindsay Lohan obsessives take note: According to the pages of "Norm!", Lohan's frequent companion, D.J. Samantha Ronson is slated "to play at the Palms pool and bungalows July 8." It's part of a promotional series of musical events at which 26,000 rubber ducks (with attached prizes) will be given away.

Harrah's Cherokee Undeterred:

A $650 million makeover of Harrah's Cherokee Casino, in North Carolina, will proceed, despite what it conceded were flat revenues and fewer customers, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times. "But if we were to take the mindset of putting things on hold, that would put us behind," VP of Marketing Leeann Bridges-McHattie told the newspaper. Harrah's run the casino on behalf of the Cherokee tribe, which will be doubling the size of the gambling floor, adding a spa, an events center and additional parking.

'Bodies' to Open Aug. 2:

The rumor mill was right: "Bodies ... The Exhibition" begins its run at Luxor on Aug. 2, moving lock, stock and 21 cadavers. Accordng to Premier Exhibitions CEO Bruce Eskowitz, "nearly a million people" have seen "Bodies" at its current home, the Las Vegas Tropicana and the Trop evidently hopes to squeeze in a few more prior to the (undisclosed) closing date. New hours for "Bodies" at the Trop are 10 a.m.-10 p.m. The Trop has raised prices for "Bodies" to $31 and to $27 for its Titanic exhibit, which will also be moving to Luxor.

Caesars Windsor Opens to Raves:

Harrah's Entertainment's $430 million revamp of Casino Windsor has drawn increased business and upbeat customer reaction, according The Windsor Star. "It's definitely more upscale, a nicer atmosphere," said one customer, fresh from winning $200 at blackjack. "You are treated differently, with better service," he added. The only change that drew less-than-rave reviews were higher limits at the table games.

'Mamma Mia!' Joins Discount Parade:

Faced with competition from the imminent movie version, the Las Vegas troupe of Mamma Mia! is responding with a discount offer. Last week, readers of the July 3 issue of City Life were promised $30 off single-ticket prices, if they brought a full-page Mamma Mia! ad to the Mandalay Bay theater box office. The discount is valid for any performance through Sept. 7.

Some Dining News...:

Contrary to our earlier reportage in the July issue of LVA that the Feast Buffet at Boulder Station is currently closed, it turns out that while the venue is indeed closed for remodeling through the end of October (click here for a sneaky peak at the new look), a temporary buffet has been set up in the Railhead live-music venue. As a result of this, all upcoming Railhead gigs have been reassigned to other Station live-music venues -- click here for the lowdown. Meanwhile, Sam's Town's former Fresh Harvest Café is now called Café in the Park and has been moved to the location formerly occupied by Fellini's, which is gone (and is not coming back). The space formerly occupied by the former Fresh Harvest Café will be turning into a TGI Friday's (opening in or around October 2008). Got that? Good. Then please explain it to us!

Cash Is King at El Cortez:

For every 5,000 earned points in the month of July, players can get one ticket entered into the $25,000 Cash Is King drawing in August. See Jackie’s Club Cortez for additional information.

WSOP Day 1D:

Nearly 3,000 players crowded the Rio yesterday for the last of four first-round sessions in the World Series of Poker main event. Dylan Linde emerged the chip leader with 146,000. Lots of big names resulted in lots of high-profile eliminations, including Andy Bloch, John Phan, Phil "the Unabomber" Laak, Jennifer Tilly, Layne Flack, Cindy Violette, Noel Furlong, Annie Duke, Mike Mizrachi, and Todd Brunson, plus pre-tournamement favorites Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, and Phil Ivey. There is no play today; round two begins tomorrow.

Gold Coast Drinking Deal:

The July bar special at Gold Coast is shots of Captain Morgan for $3. The deal is available all day at all bars.

Silverton Drinking Deals:

In July, Silverton is offering $1 MGD at all bars, 24/7. There's also $1 tequila shots or Miller Chill at Mi Casa Grill Cantina from 4 to 7 pm Monday-Friday.

WSOP Day 1C:

The field was bigger on the third day of the first round of the World Series of Poker's main event, with 1,928 starting and "over a thousand" moving on. With an even bigger field expected today, it looks like the total field will top 6,000 players. The day 1c chip leader was Henning Granstad, whose 242,950 gives him the overall tournament lead. Big-name players who were eliminated include Huck Seed, Tony G, Mike Sexton, TJ Cloutier, Marcel Luske, Sammy Farha, Jim Bechtel, and JC Tran.

Lifestyles Show:

The poker tradeshow that accompanies the WSOP main event is running at the Rio through Sunday. It's a much smaller show this year, with almost a complete absence of online companies, but still worth a walk-through.

Even Matches at Wimbledon:

Venus Williams beat sister Serena in the Wimbledon women's final after being a slight underdog on the betting line. It's a similar situation on the men's side, where Roger Federer is a -120 favorite against Rafael Nadal for tomorrow's final.

WSOP Day 1B:

Yesterday's starting group of 1,158 was cut to 615 by day's end. The chip leader was Ben Sarnoff with 177,500. Eliminated players include Daniel Negreanu, Ted Forrest, Jamie Gold, Kenny Tran, Dewey Tomko, Scott Fischman, Tuan Lee, Humberto Brenes, Tom McEvoy, Alan Boston, and Blair Rodman.

Today's Points Plays:

Bonus points for Independence Day can be found at South Point (2X), Arizona Charlie's (4X, Coasts (4X), and Silveton 5X (slots only; 2X for video poker). The Coasts deal gets better through the weekend, accelerating to 5X points on Saturday and 6X on Sunday.

Poker Musical Debuts:

All In: The Poker Musical makes its its pre-Broadway debut at the Rio's Masquerade Showroom this evening. It's billed as a "fast-paced, sexy, witty, and fun show" about the nine players at the WSOP final table. The show comes to Las Vegas for one weekend only, with performances at 7:30 pm July 4-5. Tickets are $30 and $50 plus taxes and fees. Click here for the online box office.

WSOP Day 1:

In day 1a of the World Series of Poker main event, 636 players survived from a starting group of 1,297. The chip leader is Mark Garner, with 194,900. Several big names were eliminated, including Josh Arieh, Dan Harrington, Freddy Deeb, David Benyamine, Tom "durrrr" Dwan, Eli Elezra, Lyle Berman, "Miami" John Cernuto, Gavin Smith, and Tuan Lam. Notable near the top of the leader board is Mark Vos (113,200), who contributed the cash-games chapter to our great poker-tournament book Kill Everyone. Day 1b goes today, with our Kill Phil author, Blair Rodman, in the field.

Las Vegas This July 4th Weekend:

When the 4th of July falls on a Friday, you know that that means…three whole days to party ‘til you’re red, white, and blue. See our Spotlight feature for a list of Independence Day celebrations around town that include your more traditional music, BBQs, and fireworks displays. Read on for the usual entertainment roundup, along with a sample of some of the more unconventional ways to let your patriotic pride show. Music: Bette Midler’s back at The Colosseum (selected dates through 7/20); The American Idols Tour makes a stop at the Thomas & Mack Center (7/4); Lorrie Morgan graces the stage at the South Point Showroom (7/4-7/6); country legend Reba McIntyre sings at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm (7/5); the Atomic Punks perform their tribute to Van Halen at Santa Fe Station’s Chrome Showroom (7/5); Davy Jones relives his Monkee days at The Club at the Cannery (7/5); Great White and Warrant are in concert at the Sunset Amphitheatre (7/5); The Las Vegas Tenors entertain at the Suncoast Showroom (7/4-7/6); MonteLago Village presents America on the floating stage (7/4) and free concerts by Boy Katindig (7/5) and a Billy Joel Tribute Show (7/6); there’s more free music at the District at Green Valley Ranch with jazz group Yacht Club (7/4) and reggae group Island Tyme (7/5); Imelda Papin performs a late show at the Orleans Showroom (7/5); Club Armadillo presents Vintage Vegas: Tribute to Frank, Sammy, and Dean (7/5); The Time runs out at Flamingo (through 7/5); rock band K2 makes their debut with free performances on Fremont Street (7/4-7/5); Rock the Block features live music by Everlast, Taproot, and Lydia Vance (7/4) Sports Events: Maxxis Endurocross takes over the Orleans Arena (7/5); UFC 86 pits Quinton "Rampage" Jackson against Forrest Griffin at the Mandalay Bay Events Center (7/5) with pre-fight party at MGM’s Studio 54, viewing party at Caramel inside Bellagio and after parties at House of Blues, Jet Nightclub, rumjungle, and Prive; Ricardo Torres faces Kendall Holt in the Planet Hollywood Ring (7/5) Poolside Events: Slash and friends launch the Bottle Rock It series at the Red Rock Pool (7/5); Steel Pulse (7/4) and Good Charlotte (7/5) play poolside at the Hard Rock; Bare Pool Lounge stays busy with a Wild On E! casting call and BBQ (7/4) and Carnival celebration with BBQ and performance by guest celebrity DJ Ruckus (7/5); the Palms Pool will host Sirius Radio’s America’s Next Best DJ Contest and 944 issue release party (7/4); Scooter and Lavelle join in the Rehab scene at Hard rock; Kaskade parties at Wet Republic (7/6); Tao Beach welcomes Chris Clouse (7/3) and LiLo gal pal DJ Samantha Ronson (7/4); Sapphire Pool at the Rio will host a 4th of July BBQ and fireworks show (7/4) Comedy: The hilarious Daman Wayans stops by the Orleans Showroom (7/4-7/6), Katt Williams takes the mic at Pearl at the Palms (7/4-7/5); Joe Rogan holds forth at the House of Blues (7/4); Terry Fator makes his monthly appearance at the Las Vegas Hilton (7/4-7/6) Other: Red, White & Boobs at Hawaiian Tropic Zone will be hosted by Playboy cover model Tiffany Holliday (7/4); Polly Esther’s will host a 4th of July bash featuring a lingerie fashion show (7/4); CatHouse at Luxor brings you Red, White and Va Va Voom (7/4); The Bank at Bellagio welcomes the Pro Bowl Cheerleader Reunion (7/4); she’s baaaack….join in Pamela Anderson’s birthday soiree at LAX (7/5); Wild On E! will hold a post-audition contestant party (7/4) and announce the finalists (7/5) at Jet Nightclub at Mirage; Diablo’s will throw a Fourth of July celebration and fireworks viewing party (7/4); indulge your inner nerd at the Nerdy 30 Birthday Bash at the Playboy Club (7/6 – dress like a nerd and get complimentary admission); sip and stroll at the Pour for a Cure Wine Walk at Lake Las Vegas (7/5); Eldorado

Blackjack Tourney Tonight:

The weekly Elimination Blackjack tournament at Sunset Station runs tonight, with preliminary rounds at 6, 7, and 8 pm. The entry is $25 and there's a guaranteed $2,000 first prize.

Cirque Slashes Prices:

Deep discounting continues along the Strip, with Cirque du Soleil announcing its "Summer of Cirque." Through the end of August, Cirque will be offering 35% tickets to KA, Mystere and Zumanity. It's also announced dinner-plus-show packages for LOVE and O. To obtain pricing information, call 866/241-2833.

Ontario Mulls Sports Betting:

Legislation before Canadian lawmakers would, at least temporarily, permit sports betting on individual games at Ontario's Caesars Windsor and Casino Rama. The law under consideration "is meant to draw more Americans across the border," according to CTV Toronto. Day trips from the U.S. have fallen 68% over the last seven years. Windsor and Casino Rama have been singled out as test markets because they have no major league teams, thereby avoiding objections from the NBA or Major League Baseball.

The "Big One" Begins:

Today is the first session of the World Series of Poker's $10,000 buy-in main event. There will be four first-round sessions played over four days, and the competition will play down to a final table on July 14. Then there will be a break until November 10, when the winner will be determined. Watch this space for updates and results. Last year's event drew 6,358 players; this year's is expected to surpass that total.

K.C. Slots Rated:

If you simply must play slots in Kansas City, Isle of Capri's your bet. According to a

Casino Spans Three States:

"The property entrance is in Missouri, parking is in Kansas and the front doors are in Oklahoma, but the casino floor is pure Las Vegas," reports the Arkansas Democrat Gazette of Downstream Casino Resort, near Joplin, Mo. Indeed, Downstream -- which opens on Saturday -- boasts 2,000 slots, 30 table games, a poker room and a race book. The Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma, owners of the casino, are targeting northwest Arkansans, touting their casino as a low-hassle alternative to Las Vegas.

Florida '21' Nixed:

Gov. Charlie Crist exceeded his authority by granting exclusive baccarat and blackjack rights to the Seminole Tribe, Florida's highest court has ruled. Since only a federal court can halt the Seminole's table games, it looks like they'll remain in place for the near future. The court struck down Crist's compact with the Seminoles because it gave the tribe sole prerogative to games that are illegal elsewhere in the state. Reported the Miami Herald, "Crist likely has four basic choices: appeal, negotiate a new compact for Las Vegas-style slots only, ask the anti-gambling Legislature to sign off on the deal ... or walk away from the compact and leave the matter in the hands of the Interior Department."

Yung Off Trop's Board:

Controversial casino executive William Yung has agreed to resign from the board of Tropicana Entertainment. His continued presence was a sticking point with debt holders of the bankrupt company, who regarded him as an obstacle to financial turnaround. "The departure means that Mr. Yung will have little say in the $1.94 billion investment he made two years ago to buy the gambling firm, which includes the Tropicana casino in Las Vegas," writes the Wall Street Journal.

New Pool Poll:

Steve Friess has another poll on Las Vegas pools going at Vegas Happens Here, but this is a contest you don't want to win, as it's a poll to choose the worst pool in Vegas. In early balloting, the Imperial Palace is barely nudging out the Riviera, with Bally's and Harrah's Las Vegas deadocked for third.

Gay Vegas Days & Nights:

The 2nd Annual Gay Days & Nights Las Vegas event kicks off tonight with French Kiss, a party at Paris' Risqué nightclub, co-sponsored by Instinct Magazine and hosted by Cirque du Soleil. The 4-day promotion features a lineup of 24/7 activities and entertainment for LGBT visitors from around the world presented by Cirque, Travelocity, QVegas, and host hotel Paris Las Vegas, plus other gay-friendly businesses. For more information about Vegas for LGBT visitors, check out our new Gay & Lesbian section in the LVA Visitor Guide, where you'll also find heaps of useful info about everything from weddings to WiFi hotspots, First Aid to free shuttles. Plus, if you don't already have one, you've gotta arm yourself with a copy of Gay Vegas -- the brutally honest, utterly un-PC, and definitive gay guide to Sin City.

Double Points at PokerStars.com:

David Matthews has found a good online deal. But move fast: It ends July 6.

Penn LBO Kaput:

After 13 months of haggling, a leveraged buyout of Penn National Gaming has died. The deal, which had missed its closing date, was dogged by falling investor confidence and a falling stock price, too. Buyers Fortress Investment Group and Centerbridge Partners would have paid 240% (plus penalties) of what the stock -- ticker symbol PENN -- currently fetches on Wall Street. Penn stated that a "renegotiated, reduced purchase price was not a viable option." CEO Peter Carlino elaborated, "We may be in the gaming business, but we would never gamble the company's future and our shareholders' best interest in this or any other circumstance." Carlino's company will collect a breakup fee that includes $225 million in cash, plus preferred shares of Wachovia, Deutsche Bank and other financiers.

Las Vegas Drivers Bite:

Las Vegas ranks 165th among the largest 200 cities in the nation for driving safety, according to this year's Allstate Best Drivers survey. That's in the bottom 18% -- not so good. Las Vegas drivers averaged 7.9 years between crashes, as compared to the national average of 10 years. Henderson dropped from last year's ranking of 69th safest to 138th, the largest decrease in one year of all 200 cities. Reno, however, placed in the top 11% at 22nd safest, with an average of 11.9 years between crashes; that's up from 10.4 years in 2005, when it placed 50th.

China Tightens Screws on Macao:

Having already restricted access to Macao from Guangdong Province (the wealthiest and the nearest to Macao), the provincial government is about to do it again. Presently, residents of Guangdong can travel to Macao once every month. Now, it will be once every other month.

LA Casino Expansion Nixed:

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed a bill that would have permitted voters in Ibreville Parish to vote up or down on a racino proposed for the county. "We believe the addition of a racino in Iberville would be a negative catalyst for Baton Rouge riverboat operators," writes JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff. (Two riverboats operate in East Baton Rouge and a third is coming.) Jindal is among those angling for the Republican vice presidential nomination.

$50 Gets You Bette Midler:

Through July 13, the Colosseum at Caesars Palace is running a promotional special for Bette Midler's The Showgirl Must Go On. With the purchase of one mezzanine seat, customers can get a second for $50. Click here and, when prompted, enter the promotional code BETTE50. The offer, Ticketmaster notes, "is subject to availability."

Trop Closes Island Tower:

"Out of an abundance of caution," the Tropicana has temporarily closed its Island Tower after routine testing turned up trace amounts of e-coli in a supplemental well. "The Tropicana closed the tower itself," stressed Southern Nevada Health District spokeswoman Stephanie Bethel, noting that a first batch of SNHD tests came back negative. A confirmatory round of testing is in progress. Presuming those tests are also negative, the Trop will reopen the Island Tower on Thursday night, according to hotel spokesman Hud Englehardt. Trop guests, he added, were relocated to complimentary rooms at the Trop, the Westin and "a variety of hotels on the Strip."

Tera Patrick, Interrupted:

Wherever Tera Patrick eventually appears in Las Vegas, it won't be in a table game pit. In his Los Angeles Times blog, local journalist Richard Abowitz discloses that the Hard Rock Hotel has backed off of a planned "Tera Patrick's Gaming Pit" on its casino floor. Abowitz saw the area in, um, action -- complete with pole dancers -- on June 7, but a formal announcement never materialized. The HRH subsequently informed him, "Tera Patrick will continue to be involved with Hard Rock, just not with the gaming floor/Hell's Belles. The Hard Rock has decided to take a different direction because yes, there is a higher demand to see her and hence we are making her appearances more exclusive to attract a higher clientele. Plans for her appearances at a different venue [i.e., not on the casino floor] are still in the works." While noting that "no resort has ever linked gaming to pornography directly," Abowitz concludes that "the Hard Rock makes clear that it hopes to realize a higher clientele through porn."

Domingo Plays Vegas:

Renowned tenor Placido Domingo will make a Sept. 15 appearance at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, in commemoration of Mexican Independence Day. Singing alongside Domingo will be soprano Ana Maria Martinez, and the duo will be backed by the UNLV Symphony, under the baton of Eugene Kohn. Mariachi musicians will also be featured in the concert, for which tickets start at $99 and can be reserved by calling 702/785-5055.

More NBA All-Star Fallout:

Unpaid bills from the NBA's 2007 All-Star weekend continue to pile up. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that MGM Grand was seeking from $138,807 for event presenter Standards and an NBA wives' nonprofit, pursuant to a gala held at the Grand on Feb. 16 of last year. The charity, Behind the Bench, has been dropped as a defendant by MGM but is being countersued by Standards for $215,000-plus. Meanwhile, a $50K lawsuit filed by Wynn Las Vegas against yet another basketball-related charity was quietly settled, paid off "by an undisclosed party."

Adelson Refinancing in Macao:

According to

Vegas Airfare Bargains (and Room Deals):

Travelzoo's VIP Top 20 for this week has just been released and it includes some knock-down fares for flights from various US cities to Las Vegas, including $69 (each way) from Denver, Oakland, and Salt Lake City. Other bargains include deals from Orlando and Tampa ($99 each way). Availability's limited and some flights need to be booked by July 3, although the deals are often valid for applicable dates through September. For tips on how to secure the lowest fares and links to these deals, visit Travelzoo.com. Combine these cheap fares with the room-rate deals currently available throughout Las Vegas and you'll find it's truly become a bargain city again. See our current "Spotlight on..." feature for the lowdown on hotel-room savings and click on Today's Hot Deals from Travelzoo on our site (see right) for limited-edition killer offers like today's $24-and-up room rate at the Plaza downtown.

Latest Suit from the Wynn:

Following the successful pursuit of Charles Barkley for his unpaid gambling marker and an accidental suit filed against the NBA for an unpaid convention bill (later withdrawn) comes news that Joe Francis, the controversial figure behind the Girls Gone Wild DVD series, is being sued by Wynn Las Vegas for $2 million in gambling debt from February 2007. A spokesperson for the resort claims that the debt has been in their collections department and the suit is a last resort to obtain the debt plus costs. In response to the lawsuit, Francis has asserted that he already paid his debt through agreements with the hotel, including certain discounts, and that he was "deceived" by the property.

Casino Cheat Pleads Guilty:

An eleventh member of the so-called "Tran Organization," Son Hong Johnson, has pled guilty to conspiring to commit theft at Tacoma's Emerald Queen Casino. Johnson is one of 14 people indicted on racketeering charges, including money laundering. He has confessed to attempting to cheat several casinos, including Horseshoe, in Tunica, and both of Connecticut's tribal megaresorts, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, gleaning as much as $7 million from the scheme.Tran Organization members are accused of executing false shuffles, bribing dealers and supervisors, and tracking the order of cards through concealed transmitters. Johnson will be sentenced Dec. 8 and has agreed to forfeit at least $155,000 in ill-gotten gains.

Lamborghini Opens Lounge:

Palazzo's Dal Toro restaurant has announced the mid-August opening of The Ultra Lounge, a joint venture with Lamborghini Las Vegas. It will feature a 6-10 p.m. happy hour, Thurs.-Sat., giving way to private events on Saturday nights. "A-list celebrities and the cream of the socialite world mix and mingle among Italian designer furnishings and Italian designer automobiles," reads the announcement. "Aside from the stunning main room with custom Italian furnishings, la bella gente also enjoy the Strip's most beautiful patio, with meandering walkways, landscaping and 100 feet of marbled, mosaic Palladian Italian fountains," plus a Lamborghini here and there.

Tim & Tom Are Back:

Steve Wynn has named former Golden Nugget owners Tim Poster and Tom Breitling senior VPs of strategy and development for Wynn Las Vegas. Poster and Breitling made their fortunes as founders and co-owners of online travel service Travelscape, which was subsequently sold to Expedia.com. Breitling recently published the memoir Double or Nothing, and had hinted in media appearances at a possible return to the gaming industry for Poster and himself.

Wynn Rebounds on Insider Buy:

Wynn Resorts board member John Moran's purchase of 20,000 shares of Wynn stock (ticker symbol: WYNN) buoyed the company in Monday's trading, lifting the share price almost $4 off a 52-week low of $77.66. A purchase like Moran's "is considered a positive signal that stocks are trading at attractive, undervalued levels," wrote Nicholas Yulico, analyst for TheStreet.com.

Harrah's Sued Over Bahamas Deal:

Baha Mar, the Bahamian development from which Harrah's Entertainment pulled out last March, is suing the casino giant, alleging bad faith in Harrah's attempt to renegotiate its deal. "Baha Mar is seeking a court order for Harrah’s subsidiary to move forward with the project as contractually obligated or the award of damages from Harrah’s," reports The Bahama Journal. Senior project veep Robert "Sandy" Sands says Baha Mar will proceed as planned and is seeking a new casino partner. However, construction will not proceed until the litigation has been resolved. Meanwhile, The Nassau Guardian reports that Baha Mar's Crystal Palace casino is struggling and has curtailed operating hours. Harrah's cited a lack of confidence in its joint venture as its rationale for scrapping its participation in Baha Mar.

BLT Burger Debuts at Mirage:

No, it's not a new sandwich but rather Bistro Laurent Tourondel Burger, the new eatery at Mirage which opened for business today on the former site of the Royal White Tiger Habitat. Hours of operation are 11 a.m.-4 a.m. daily and ads for the upscale burger joint promise "bodacious burgers, severe sides, spiked shakes, and rock and roll."

Olympia Bails on KS Casino:

Local company Olympia Gaming has pulled out of a partnership to develop a casino in Wyndotte County, Kansas, selling its one-third stake for an undisclosed amount to partner Mohegan Resorts, making the latter the majority owner. "The company said the move was designed to free up Olympia to focus on its growing portfolio of in-state projects in Nevada," reported the Kansas City Star. Five companies are vying for a single casino license in Wyandotte County.

Inside Calvin Ayre's World:

Bodog's founder may be lying low for the moment, but Fast Company magazine got an inside look at the high-profile, sybaritic lifestyle of one of the former tycoons of online gambling. (The article was researched just before Ayre suddenly dropped from sight.) Fast Company followed Ayre to Macau, where he surrounded himself with girls by the dozen, supped on shark's fin soup, and paid a desultory visit to Venetian Macao. Now that Ayre is in self-proclaimed retirement, he's safe from the wrath of the U.S. Department of Justice, yes? The article's conclusion might surprise you.

Shark Reef Reviewed:

So what's the new Komodo Dragon at Shark Reef like? Is it worth queuing up to see this hyper-deadly Indonesian predator in the flesh? And, after seeing the dragon, is the rest of the exhibit anticlimactic? See Stiffs & Georges for the answers.

New Money for Barden:

Just as construction ground to a halt on Fitzgeralds owner Don Barden's Pittsburgh casino, a new financier entered the picture. It's former would-be Riviera buyer Neil Bluhm. For full details, see Stiffs & Georges.

Pinball HoF Spotlit:

Las Vegas' Pinball Hall of Fame, at Tropicana and Pecos, is the subject of an extensive and detailed on-the-scene report by the Los Angeles Times. Proprietor Tim Arnold explains why the HoF doesn't have a phone: "He fears pinball fanatics would take up his days with stories." The 200 machines on display -- and in play-- are only a fraction of Arnold's 1,000-machine collection, most of which is stored in a hangar in Vegas. Apparently pinball fanatics are averse to clowns: Reports, the LAT, "Only two circus games were made."

Trop Appeal Rejected:

Columbia Sussex can't recover the Tropicana Atlantic City casino license of which it was stripped by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission last December. That's the verdict of a Garden State appeals court that ruled that the NJCCC did not exceed its mandate, and that issues such as a lack of casino-experienced personnel, "intransigence" regarding the formation of an audit committee, and Columbia Sussex's apparent unwillingness to work with labor unions were all germane to the eventual denial of a license renewal.

NASCAR Tickets on Sale:

Tickets went on sale today for the 2009 NASCAR weekend and the good news is that Las Vegas Motor Speedway's announced it will offer free camping in its RV lots for the two days leading up to the 2009 event. All RV lots will open at noon on Monday, Feb. 24 and anyone who's already reserved an RV spot for Feb. 26-Mar. 1 will be granted access at no extra charge. For tickets and RV spaces call 800/644-4444 or go to www.lvms.com for more information.

Free Wine at Silverton:

Twin Creeks restaurant at this south-of-Strip casino is giving dinner parties a complimentary bottle of wine this summer. With advance reservation and purchase of two entrées, patrons can choose from a variety of wines including Echelon Vineyards and Robert Mondavi. To receive the gift, you must dine between 8 and 10 p.m. For reservations call 702/914-8594. Look out for other specials later this month as the property celebrates its 11 year anniversary.