Las Vegas News

UFC Maynard/Diaz:

Gray Maynard is a -130 favorite over Nate Diaz in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured matches Ultimate Fighter Championships will be decided with Chris Holdsworth -230 over Davey Grant, and in the women's matches, Julianna Pena is -280 over Jessica Rakoczy and Jessamyn Duke is -245 over Peggy Morgan.

Western Seeks to Keep License:

Fifth Street Gaming, owners of the Western, have petitioned the Las Vegas City Council to preserve the shuttered downtown property’s gaming license. While it leaves the door open for gambling to return to the Western, an attorney for Fifth Street indicated that there are no current plans to do so and that the move is designed simply to keep options open.

Early Returns in NJ:

After less than a week of legal online gambling, the New Jersey Gaming Enforcement Division reports that 32,277 accounts have been created, including some 5,000 on Thanksgiving day. The six participating NJ casinos are Borgata, Tropicana, Trump Plaza, Trump Taj Mahal, Ballys, and Caesars, with the Golden Nugget expected to open next week.

Recycle Your Grease with Springs Preserve:

While for some reason Springs Preserve discontinued its Jack 'o Lantern recycling program this year (the porkers at North Las Vegas' pig farm must've been disappointed), they are recycling cooking grease. Now through Dec. 2, instead of clogging up the drains, bring your used holiday cooking oil and grease to the attraction, where it will be re-purposed (most likely for the local school-bus fuel program).

Downtown Celebrates Shop Local Day:

November 30 is national "Small Business Day," reminding communities to support local home-grown enterprise and downtown Las Vegas, home to an ever-growing number of boutiques, antique and vintage stores, candy shops, jewelers, art-and-craft vendors, and the like, is celebrating with the inaugural "pop-up" Neon Holiday Bazaar. Hosted from noon to 6 p.m. at Jackie Gaughan Plaza outside the El Cortez, the event will feature lots of gift ideas from local independents, including representatives from the new Container Park, plus food vendors and more. Should be fun!

Garth Live on CBS Tonight:

Fans of the country superstar, don't forget that at 9 p.m. tonight, Garth Brooks' final one-man concert at Encore will be broadcast as a rare live-concert special on CBS from 9 to 11 p.m. ET (tape delayed on the West Coast).

We're #4:

In a list released by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Nevada was named the 4th Drunkest State in the U.S., with 3.35 gallons of pure alcohol consumed per person annually. Nevada was out-drunked by Delaware, the District of Columbia, and New Hampshire, which led the list at 3.84 gallons per person.

Frank B in GN Semis Today:

Frank B, our host at LVASportsboards.com competes today in the semifinals of the Friday Football Showdown contest at the Golden Nugget. Frank beat former LVASports host Fezzik in the quarterfinals and opposes Scott Pritchard today. The contest will be broadcast live at 2 p.m. on ESPN radio 1100 AM or 98.9 FM.

December LVA Live:

In case our email got lost in the quagmire of your "Black Friday" emails, here's a reminder that the December issue of the LVA newsletter is live online, including a preview link to our Holiday Catalog, filled with great gift ideas for the Vegas/gambling fan in your life -- or a treat for you!

Santa Comes to Tivoli:

Don't forget the holiday parade this morning from 10:30 a.m. at Tivoli Village, featuring Santa in a horse-drawn carriage, plus elves and live entertainment by local schools. Following the parade, Santa will be available for photo opportunities with kids, plus there are carriage and train rides available and free arts and crafts activities.

Thanksgiving Steelers/Ravens:

In the last of today's NFL Thanksgiving games, the Baltimore Ravens are -3 favorites over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The total is 40.5.

Thanksgiving Raiders/Cowboys:

In the second of today's NFL Thanksgiving games, the Dallas Cowboys are -8.5 favorites over the Oakland Raiders. The total is 49.

Free Ski Lessons:

The new season opens Friday at Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort and they're celebrating by rolling out a new free coaching service, aimed at potentially ski-shy tourists. Normally, a formal private hour-long lesson would set you back 90 bucks, but now coaches will be stationed at around a half-dozen stations to lend an informal helping word to newcomers and skiers with lesser skills.

March of Progress to Shatter Vegas Glass Ceiling:

We're referring not to a revolutionary gender switch in the board rooms of the city's casinos, but rather to the distinctly unwelcome news that an actual glass ceiling is on the outs. The feature in question is the famous ornate Tiffany glass one that's one of the few reminders of the old Trop at what now insists (with more and more reason) on referring to itself as the New Tropicana. Mentioned only in passing in the R-J's recent coverage of the new two-story shopping mall the resort intends to build next year, it transpires that this will necessitate the removal of the ornate and historic glass ceiling that has long been a distinct feature of one of the Strip's oldest surviving properties. As to its fate, so far no mention has been made, but we can only hope that it will be preserved somehow, somewhere, and not fall victim to some wrecking ball. This leaves the incongruous chandelier at Hooters, a leftover from its San Remo past, as one of the few remaining reminders of Las Vegas former glamour days, and its time way well soon be up, too, with the property scheduled to undergo another complete rebranding sometime. For a list of a few other surviving artifacts scattered around town, check out the Question of the Day Archives (9/5/13).

Thanksgiving Packers/Lions:

In the first of today's three NFL Thanksgiving games, the Detroit Lions are -6 favorites over the Green Bay Packers. The total is 48.5.

Happy Thanksgiving:

Las Vegas is busy for the start of the 4-day weekend. Check the casino restaurants for Thanksgiving dinners all over town. South Point is paying 5X points on slots and 2X on video poker. We'll be putting up the NFL lines on each of today's three games.

Grand Prize Drawing Tonight at Ellis Island:

Earn one entry for every 300 base points earned today at Ellis Island, for the chance to win cash prizes at three drawings tonight. The drawings take place at 7 p.m. ($500), 8 p.m. ($500), and 9 p.m. ($1,000). Visit the casino's Facebook page for more information.

Feliz Cumpleaños, Cabo Wabo!:

Sammy Hagar's Mexican eatery, bar, and live-entertainment venue in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will launch a 10-day celebration of its fourth anniversary commencing Dec. 15, with $4 shots and street tacos available every day from 3 to 6 p.m. through Wednesday, Dec. 25.

Santa Coming to Tivoli Village:

On Friday morning, Nov. 29. from 10:30 a.m. Tivoli Village will host a festive parade featuring Santa in a horse-drawn carriage, elves (cool!), and live entertainment by local schools. After the parade, Santa will be available for photo opps with children, with carriage and train rides and free arts and crafts activities also available.

Can You Still Earn a Living Playing Video Poker?:

It's been 15 years since Jean "Queen of Comps" Scott wrote her classic, The Frugal Gambler, and more than 20 years since she and her husband started playing video poker professionally. She's frequently asked whether it's still possible to do what they have done; find out the answer in her epic five-part blog, which concludes today at Jean Scott's Frugal Vegas.

Grosjean Blog Live:

In case you haven't checked out today's Question of the Day yet (if not, why not?!), here's a quick note to inform you that Beyond Numbers, the new blog from James Grosjean, is live. Widely acknowledged as the #1 "advantage player" in the world, Grosjean will be sharing his insights and expertise exclusively via this new LVA blog, which re recommend that anyone with an interest in gambling and casinos should check out. As an aside, no, that's not an oversight that the standard Latin "Lorem ipsum..." is displaying as the tagline -- James is a modest and somewhat enigmatic guy who didn't want some bragging by-line; the cliched "filler" text is a reflection of his dry sense of humor!

Vegas Skate Wars - This Time It's Real:

So, we now have official confirmation that Caesars Palace, which for some years was famed for its outdoor Christmas tree (a tradition abandoned by the property in 2007), is once again entering into the holiday spirit and will indeed feature a skating rink this season. Hurrah! All we're wondering now is how they're going to affix the skates to Augustus' sandals, but if the venerable statue can make it through Electric Daisy Carnival and Rodeo week, we know he's not going to be phased by a small sartorial challenge. Over to you, imperial couturier :-) *By real, we mean all the ice, aside from the synthetic "eco-friendly" variety employed by Venetian.

Fizz Open at Caesars Palace:

In some non-holiday news, FIZZ Las Vegas, the Champagne lounge and bar co-designed by Elton John's partner David Furnish, has opened at Caesars Palace. Located between The Colosseum and the Forum Shops, the venue features a range of high-end Champagnes by the glass, plus a selection of "carefully-curated" spirits and a range of caviars, gourmet paninis, and small plates from a kitchen overseen by the singer's personal chef.

Santa Claus is Coming to (Down)town:

In more holiday news, Santa Claus will be downtown on Saturday, Dec. 7, as the ninth annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run kicks off, raising funds for Opportunity Village. In fact, there will be thousands of Santas, headed by grand Marshal Shania Twain, for the 5K run and one-mile Kris Kringle Jingle walk. Registration is $40 for individuals racers, $35 per runner for adult teams, and $25 for kids.

Vegas to Ice Over in Rink Invasion!:

Regardless of whether Caesars has a rink or not, there will be skating at Sunset Park -- and we don't just mean if the lake freezes. No, in the ongoing celebration of the recently completed $11.7 million renovation, the east-side park is going all-out this holiday season, with the debut of the "Sunset Wonderland Holiday Festival". In addition to the ice-skating rink, the festivities will include horse & buggy hay rides around the lake, crafts, holiday performances from local youth groups, a Ferris wheel, photo opportunities with Santa -- and more! (What "more" could there possibly be?!) The events begin on Friday, Dec. 6 and run through Sunday, Dec. 22, with opening times from 4–9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.–9 p.m. on the weekend. What's more (ah, there's some "more"!), admission is FREE! There is a fee for skating, however, which comes in 45 minute blocks, for $8 all ages, inclusive of skate rental. Make your reservations at Ticketmaster.com or at the park's Reservations Office, which is located on the northeast side of the lake. There's also a competition to sponsor a Christmas Tree (more "more"!) in the "Holiday Wonderland of Trees" contest, with the "Best Tree" winner being chosen to represent the entire event and be featured as the official Sunset Wonderland Holiday Tree. Applications for tree entry and craft/vendors are available at clarkcountynv.gov/Depts/parks/Pages/sunset-wonderland.

Caesars Skate Rink?:

There's a rumor on the street that Caesars Palace will host the Strips third skating rink this holiday season, starting Dec. 6, the other two being the real-ice rink at Cosmo and the synthetic "Ven-ice" rink at Venetian; however, no one as yet has told anyone at Caesars Palace about this, so don't get your skates on just yet...

Caesars Yard Sale:

The casino giant's warehouse-clearance operation/fundraiser continues, with another Munari auction taking place this Saturday. While we sadly regret to inform you that you've missed the opportunity to own a giant gold rat, or a brace of reclining topless goddesses, you can still get your hands on an authentic "Price is Right" chair, a used Harrah's blackjack table, or some "sheet-rock finishing materials," so what are you waiting for? (Don't even think about bidding on that purple-vinyl sofa, though -- that one's ours, so hands off!)

Dancer on Dancer:

How "good" are gambling-bankroll calculators? Like many tools, it depends on how you use them, and video poker expert Bob Dancer, who's the author of one of the leading products, candidly discusses the pros and cons in his weekly column, which just went live.

NJ Launches Online Gaming:

Today's the day that New Jersey goes live with legal Internet gambling, with regulators clearing six Atlantic City casinos to open up online wagering to the general public Tuesday, with Borgata, Bally’s Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City, Tropicana, Trump Plaza Hotel, and Trump Taj Mahal all receiving permission to begin full operations today. The Golden Nugget, which has received regulatory approval to launch its site, has opted to remain in test mode for another week, having experienced issues with its slot games freezing, plus other reporting glitches. Initial reports following today's roll out, which is being soft-played in the wake of the problems besetting the recent launch of the government's healthcare website, are that the geolocation and identity controls are working properly (in fact, from some patrons' point of view, they're working too well, with those within, but close to, state borders, finding themselves blocked); operators and regulators say that these areas, and those of payment processing, will continue to be monitored and honed. Today's move makes the state the third in the nation, after Nevada and Delware, to offer online betting. Unlike Nevada, where only poker and sports betting (via apps from sanctioned in-state entities) are legal, both New Jersey and Delaware offer a suite of standard casino games to the public. With a captive population of 9 million residents, plus heavy visitation, New Jersey is expected to reap major revenue rewards from online gaming; at the time of today's launch, more than 10,000 people had already registered to play.

MNF 49ers/Redskins:

In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the San Francisco 49ers are -6 favorites over the Washington Redskins. The total is 45.5.

New Sponge Bob 4-D Movie:

Here's the best news of the day so far (no, we're not joking -- love Sponge Bob almost as much as we love penguins -- see QoD 11/22/13): Just in time for the holidays, The Adventuredome at Circus Circus is screening a brand new SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D film inside the SimEx-Iwerks Theater. The Great Jelly Rescue is a seven-minute experience that follows our spongy rectangular hero, along with pals Sandy, Patrick, and Squidward, as they attempt to stop villainous Plankton from stealing all the Jellyfish in Bikini Bottom. Apparently, the 4-D experience includes water squirts, real bubbles, and seat vibrations! The only bad news is that Premium (for those 48 inches or more in height) is up two bucks to $29.95 (kids and shorties still $16.95) while individual rides are $5-$10 (previously $5-$10). Visit the official website at adventuredome.com for fall hours.

Cosmo Ice Rink Returns:

The real-ice rink at Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Pool opened for the winter season on Friday, with regular hours now through Jan. 5 Mon-Fri, 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. (opens noon Sat. and Sun.) Skate rental is $5, while an all-day skating pass is $15 ($10 for locals) and a menu of warming seasonal comfort-food and drink treats is available, including crispy aged Gouda and potato perogies, grilled cheese & tomato soup, toasted cashew butter and roasted strawberry jam sandwiches, cocoa spice rum cocktails, hot choc, and lots more. (By the way, SpyOnVegas has a few free skate-rental tix up for grabs for this Wednesay, Nov. 27, when they're hosting an "Industry Skate Night" with DJ Miss Joy.)

Another Slice of Old Vegas Bites the Dust:

Despite an extensive remodel a couple of years back, La Scala, originally named Vesuvio and a favorite of the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sam Giancana, and Joe Pesci has closed, we just learned via Vegas Eater. Located in the Mark I Towers at 1020 E. Desert Inn Road, the traditionally-styled family-owned biz, named for Milan's Teatro alla Scala Opera House, operated for more than 40 years and Chef Joe Pignatello was Ole Blue Eyes' personal Sin City cuisinier (the entertainer always sat at table No. 9). With this latest casualty, that doesn't leave many extant authentic "Old Vegas" restaurant hangouts, especially in their original location (Bootlegger, Michael's, and Fellini's have all moved premises in recent years), but we still have the Golden Steer, Piero's, Hugo's Cellar, Bob Taylor's Ranch House, Italian American Club, and Casa di Amore (check out their awesome exclusive offer for LVA members) -- use 'em or lose 'em, people!

Today's Question of the Day:

If you haven't checked it out yet, today's Las Vegas Advisor Question of the Day is the reader feedback to our recent survey on "Naughtiest thing you've ever done in Las Vegas. If you're in need of a Monday morning pick-me-up, we highly recommend you check it out: Ooh la la is all we're saying!

HP Author on Radio - Right Now!:

We just tuned in to "All Things Considered" on KNPR (88.9 FM) to hear Las Vegas "stunt journalist" and author of Huntington Press' I Get Paid for This, Rick Lax, appearing as one of the contributing commentators on the city's painful experience of, but current emergence from, the "Great Recession," and how the economic paradigm in Sin City seems to have shifted away from gambling to nightlife (at least that's the story if you believe the billboards around town). Tune in now, or catch the podcast of this nationally-syndicated show, and if you haven't already, check out Rick's book, which is an off-the-wall coffee-table compilation of some of Las Vegas' weirdest and most wonderful jobs, as experienced first-hand by the writer. Fully illustrated in full color with some great "only in Vegas" photos, it makes for a fun gift for any Vegas enthusiast or fan of the bizarre.

SNF Broncos/Patriots:

In tonight's big Sunday Night Football game, the Denver Broncos are -2 favorites over the New England Patriots. The total is 54.

Get a Turkey:

Earn 1,000 base points ($1,000 coin-in) today at Ellis Island and get a whole turkey. No word on what it takes for stuffing.

Sirens Sunk at TI:

Treasure Island has announced that it's discontinuing the Sirens of TI pirate show. The free show that has run in some form since the resort opened had been on hiatus to facilitate work on the new shopping area fronting the casino. However, it appears that the hiatus will be permanent.

Michael's Closes:

Michael's Pub ended its long Las Vegas run last night, closing after 30 years of operation at Rainbow and Flamingo. Michael's was the city's premier San Diego Chargers bar and a long-time hangout of Anthony Curtis (AC says he ran into several LVAers there). It will be converted into a Jackpot Joanie's.

Big Plans Announced for the Trop:

While there've been no recent updates on a possible "Polercoaster" thrill-ride at the Tropicana, the property has just won approval to transform its entire frontage into a giant two-story shopping-and-retail complex, we learn from the Eater Vegas blog. Planning permission for the enclosed, $100-million project, was apparently granted last week and ground-breaking is anticipated for the first half of 2014. With the Linq from CET, The Park from MRI, and the new mall under construction at TI, you have to wonder how many more shopping-and-retail complexes the Strip can handle. Regardless, this latest news probably doesn't bode well for the long-promised Grand Bazaar at Bally's (see "QoD" 3/30/13), nor for the struggling Harmon Corner.

Pacquiao/Rios Line:

In tonight's fight, Manny Pacquiao is a big -550 favorite over Brandon Rios. The over/under is 8.5 rounds.

Hacienda Getting New Name:

The Hacienda casino, sold to the Dotty's video poker-bar chain earlier this year, will be remodeled and renamed the Hoover Dam Lodge. The 289-room hotel will be closed for a week over the Christmas holiday. The resort is located about 15 miles outside of Las Vegas, about three miles outside of Boulder City and in close proximity to the Hoover Dam; hence, the new name.

Local Couple to Celebrate Milestone at Palace Station:

Next Tuesday, Nov. 26, California couple Edna and Harold Owings, regular visitors to locals casino, will celebrate their 82nd wedding anniversary with Palace Station. The Owings’ are the eighth-longest married couple in the world and the fourth-longest in the United States. Last month the pair also celebrated Edna’s 101st birthday at the property. Our congratulations to them both!

Harmon Demolition Stalled ... Again:

The plan to implode the troubled Harmon condo tower at CityCenter has hit yet another roadblock, this time on account of insurance questions, which caused Clark County District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez to withdraw the approval she granted on Aug. 23 for Mirage Resorts International to implode the 26-story tower. Insurers FM Global claims it needs additional time to complete an in-house investigation of CityCenter’s $393.8 million claim for the hotel as a total loss.

Adverse Weather Causing Flight Delays:

Heavy rainfall over the past two days, which is expected to continue through the weekend, is leading to long delays (up to three hours or more) in departure times from McCarran International Airport, so check with your airline for your flight's status.

Another Nice Comeback:

Following an amusing (well, we laughed) exchange via our @LVA_Tweet yesterday, concerning pods on the Linq "High Roller" and whether or not our friend at Vital Vegas knows what time it is (view the conversation for photographic proof that he does, indeed, know exactly what time it is), comes this awesome story of an unlikely showdown between Kanye West and Zappo's owner Tony Hsieh, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Current score: Kanye 0 Zappos 1.

Megabucks Gets More Mega:

Game manufacturers IGT and Bally Technologies asked the powers that be if they could expand their linked progressive games beyond Nevada state boundaries, and the Nevada Gaming Commission yesterday voted a unanimous "Yes!", reports Vegas Chatter. Before Megabucks etc. can get even more Mega-er*, however, the other states involved will have to give their approval. We can't think of a reason why any of them would say nay, however, and several are already investigating the concept, so get ready for some meteoric jackpots. *Spellcheck questioned "IGT" but didn't query "Mega-er" - maybe "they" know something we don't and this will soon be a common term...

Downtown Container Park to Debut?:

The official soft opening for one of the Downtown Project's most anticipated downtown projects, is Monday, Nov. 25, but there's (informed) word on the street that it might open this Sunday (unless the wet weather puts a damper on things...)

Fluff Up Your Feathers and Polish Your Pasties - BHoF is Accepting Apps!:

BHoF meaning Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend time, of course, with applications now being accepted for the 2014 event. The world’s largest, longest-running, and most prestigious celebration of the art of burlesque, it will be hosted, as usual, by the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (special room rates available) and the dates are June 5-8, with four days and nights of live contests, fashion shows, entertainment, vendors, classes, and activities, all in support of the Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum in downtown Las Vegas. A highlight of the event will be the 24th Annual Tournament of the Tease, where the world’s top burlesque entertainers compete for best debut, duo, group, and "boylesque," and for the coveted title, "Reigning Queen of Burlesque"! Weekend passes will be available in March, with regular tickets will on sale in early April.

Station Bonus-Points Day:

Get 3.3X points on slots and 2X on video poker all day at Station Casinos. The offer doesn't apply at Station's Fiesta and Wild casinos.

Rain Closes Christmas Cactus Display:

The decidedly inclement weather means that there will be no viewing of the holiday lights at the Ethel M Cactus Garden this evening, so no soggy Santa or carolers, either. Let's hope it clears up by tomorrow. Sounds like lashings of Ethel M hot chocolate could be in order, though.

TNF Saints/Falcons:

In tonight's Thursday Night Football game, the New Orleans Saints are -7.5 favorites over the Atlanta Falcons. The total is 52.5.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Some interesting juxtapositions going on this coming weekend (note item number one below); whatever you're doing, have fun! MGM Grand welcomes Drake (11/22), followed by Michael Buble (11/23) Ray Romano's entertaining at the Mirage (11/22-11/23) Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band perform at the Palms (11/22-11/23) Tim Allen does stand up at the Venetian (11/22-11/23) EnduroCross Fall 2013 takes place at the Orleans Areana (11/23) Pennywise takes the stage at Mandalay Bay (11/23) And the Comedians from Chelsea Lately take over the Suncoast (11/23-11/24)

Power Outage in Northeast:

Around 900 customers are without power in northeast Las Vegas, we just learned -- the cause is said to be weather-related. We're not sure if it's only affecting premises or if traffic lights have also been knocked out, but just stay alert in you're driving in the area.

Bar(s) for Sale:

The Eater Vegas blog has spotted an investment opportunity for a multi-millionaire in search of a sports bar on the Strip. While the identity of the venue is being kept a secret, unless you have the applicable credentials to be a serious contender in the buyer's market, all roads seem to point to Blondie's Sports Bar & Grill in the Miracle Mile Shops. That bar, which opened in 2004, is under the same management as the mysterious db's Pool & Pong, which had been open for months before anyone realized, and has hosted such eclectic entertainment as a brief run by male revue American Storm and a gig by old-school rappers Public Enemy (which also happened before we knew about it, otherwise we would've been there). Apparently, db's is also up for grabs on a 10-year lease, either as an ongoing bar concept, or retail space, although it's still operating as a bar right now, to the best of our knowledge (with shuffleboard and billiards and Tuesday nickel-drink nights and regular beer pong tournaments).

Extreme Kidnapping Hits Vegas:

Blasé about the Big Shot? Sick of skydiving? Soooo over jumping off the Stratosphere? Zip lines make you wanna catch some zzzzzzs? Fear not, oh fearless thrill seekers! Las Vegas has a new experience that's pretty much guaranteed to get that tired adrenal gland pumping again. Allow us to introduce you to the concept of "Extreme Kidnapping." Recently transplanted from its birthplace in the metro Detroit area (so you know these people are bad@$$), the adult adventure apparently comes in varying degrees, including: the "econo kidnap" (no, we're not making this up), where you volunteer (in fact, actually pay good money, like $600 or so), to be kidnapped, transported to a secret location, and held captive for four hours; or the "flash kidnapping," where you still get kidnapped, but in this scaled-down ($200) scenario, you're driven to an unknown spot, then tied up and forced to make a ransom call or a "proof of life" video, before being "dumped" back wherever they snatched you from. Photographs to commemorate your ordeal are supplied later. Particularly sadistic? Here's a new source of employment for ex-Goretorium employees. If you didn't cut it as a zombie bartender at The End (see "Today's New," 11/7)? How about a new gig as a hardcore Henchman or a member of Extreme Kidnapping's Elite Girls Squad, paid to don a balaclava and scare the hell out of people? If this sounds like you, there are apparently vacancies, so drop a line with your credentials (we're not sure what those might be for anyone not yet behind bars ... unless you worked at the Goretorium, obviously) to owner Adam Thick (no 'e') at thepalehustlini@yahoo.com.

Anarchy at the D:

The D downtown is hosting a "Sons of Anarchy" season-finale viewing party Dec. 10, to be attended by Theo "Juice" Rossi and Kim "Tig" Coates from the popular biker show, who will be there to answer questions, sign autographs, and take pictures with guests. Between now and Dec. 3, 250 SOA fans have a chance to win free tix to the event -- log on to thed.soafinale.com to enter.

Good Promo for Hungry, Thirsty NFL Fans:

We just stumbled upon this offer on the Riviera's site, while looking for something entirely different, but it's a goodie, so we're passing it on. The former Queen Victoria, now Wicked Vicky pub, is offering 15 wings, plus a pitcher of any one of 15 beers, for $15 during any NFL or Saturday NCAA game. Considering the list of choices includes several craft beers, plus premium brews like Hoegaarden (which was $8/pint last time we had one on the Strip, which was all the way back in March 2012 at Public House at Palazzo) and Guinness ($8.75 last December at this same venue, while it was still the Queen Vic), that's a pretty awesome deal.

Bob Dancer Deconstructs Kiosk Games:

This time around, out resident video poker expert and casino-promo guru has posted a particularly interesting and informative article about those "kiosk games" that players clubs often invite us to "swipe and win" at. Are they "fair"? If not, is that legal? And is that even preferable? To find out, you'll have to read this week's column.

Ferraro's Hearts Locals:

Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar which, we just learned from their press release, is apparently the "longest-running, family-owned-and-operated Italian restaurant" in Las Vegas, has introduced a new LOCALS TOO program especially for Nevada residents. Tell your server you'd like to join the program, and present a valid email address and I.D., in order to receive a card granting future access to exclusive news and offers including, currently, 25 percent off your entire check when ordering from the dinner menu (food and beverage included).

Top Dining Spots for Thanksgiving:

If you don't feel like stuffing your own turkey this season, fear not: According to the habits of users of the Foursquare social-networking app, no less than three of the most popular venues for dining out this Thanksgiving are located in Las Vegas, reports today's Las Vegas Sun. Topping the list was the Wicked Spoon Buffet at the Cosmopolitan, which has established a reputation for putting an innovative spin on traditional dishes, with Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace and Mon Ami Gabi at Paris made the Top 10, too, which was determined via data collected from more than 4.5 billion location check-ins during Thanksgiving last year. New York also had three picks on the eclectic list.

LVA Deals:

Our Las Vegas hotel and show deals pages were down for maintenance briefly this morning, but all is back up and running now. Talking of deals, discounts, and coupons, that's the subject of our new LVA Reader Poll, which went live today.

Pod Count Update:

Right now, it's impossible to see from either our office vantage point, or from the Linq Live Cam, since part of the wheel is obscured in both views, but we can confirm that at least 14 of the people-carrying capsules are now in place -- and very possibly more. Upon completion, there will be a total of 28 of these spheres in place, so it's at or past the halfway mark. Each pod will hold up to 40 guests. (In comparison, the London Eye has 32 capsules, but with a maximum capacity of 25 passengers, while the Singapore Flyer has 28 capsules capable of holding up to 28 people apiece.)

Spiderman Coming to Vegas:

There's a comic-character invasion afoot, with official news today (finally) that the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark will be heading to Las Vegas once the final curtain falls on the troubled production on Broadway in January. At a cost of $75 million, the lavish production is the most expensive show in Broadway history, but it's been plagued by performer injury, technical problems, and falling box-office results; let's hope it can rekindle the same kind of success in its new home (yet to be announced, although speculation has pointed toward Venetian since the rumor of a Vegas future for the show began circulating as early as last year) that saw it rake in a record $3 million over nine shows in January 2012. Perhaps this will compensate for the loss of the Spiderman-themed slot machines, which will be disappearing from casino floors, along with Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Iron Man games, following the announcement late last month that Disney will not be renewing its contracts with any slot-machine manufacturers for any Lucasfilm or Marvel titles, nor licensing any other brands in the foreseeable future, due to being locked in mortal combat with casino developers attempting to build evil gambling temples near to its sacrosanct Florida family attraction.

Comic Icon to Tussauds Wednesday:

In celebration of the unveiling of the recent multi-million-dollar renovation and new Marvel characters exhibit at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas at Venetian, Marvel Comics legend and creator Stan Lee will be in attendance to officially cut the rope and introduce the attraction's fully immersive Marvel 4D theater at around noon. The new attraction features the largest line-up of Marvel figures -- including Iron Man, Nick Fury, Thor and Captain America –- to be seen in one room. Other new waxworks to be unveiled include Sandra Bullock and Sofia Vergara from "Modern Family."

Beacher's Madhouse Hiring:

Talking of naughty, looks like it's really happening and the promised return to Las Vegas of Jeff Beacher and his Madhouse is a go -- unlike the 2009 rumor that came to naught(y) -- with auditions taking place tomorrow at Hakkasan at MGM Grand from noon to 3 p.m. Interested parties are referred to the Auditions page on the website, but it's a little confusing as to who/what they're looking for (aside from a clear need for burlesque dancers and a choreographer), so we recommend you call the listed phone number for details. The nightclub is still on schedule to open New Year's Eve, while the show's set to debut in January, 2014.

"Naughtiest Thing You've Done in Vegas" -- The Poll:

Our current Reader Poll confessional ends tomorrow, so if you haven't yet confided your naughtiest activities, you have until midnight to divulge! It's truly been an epic survey and the emails you're sending are awesome, so keep 'em coming. All names and identities will, of course, be withheld (to protect the guilty!) but we'll be sharing pretty much all of them, as it would be a crime not to. For now, we're just happy that our readers are keeping the "sin" in Sin City -- it's what this place is all about, and we wouldn't have it any other way :-)

Mob Museum Launches Cocktail Contest:

Yes, only in Vegas would a museum run a cocktail contest (well, on reflection make that Las Vegas or New Orleans, seeing as it's home to the Museum of the American Cocktail). Anyhow, the Mob Museum has thrown down a gauntlet and is calling on all the myriad bars downtown to submit their best prohibition-era cocktail for the first of what is set to be an annual "Boss of the Bars" contest, scheduled for Dec. 5 (the anniversary of "Repeal Day"). Criteria for cocktail entries include: Must be delicious (doh!) Must be inspired by a Prohibition-era cocktail May contain a maximum of six ingredients (including rinses and dashes) And must feature only edible, freshly prepared garnishes (fruit, vegetable, herb) The winning bar will receive an engraved custom-designed Repeal Day Cup Trophy, to display for the following year (will there be a contest to design the cup?!), presented by Mayor Carolyn Goodman (we bet hubby shows up for this event, too, if any of the recipes involve gin). The victor will also receive a complimentary facility rental at The Mob Museum for up to 100 guests, while there will be prizes like new iPad 3s for the runners-up. So, Las Vegas City bartenders, get your creative juices flowing and submit your entry! (Follow that link for more info on the rules and requirements, too.)

Correction - Make that 10 Pods:

Oops, we couldn't see them all yesterday, but now we see the High Roller has 10 pods in place. It's looking like completion may be ahead of schedule -- a refreshing change in this town!

Seven Pods on Our Wagon:

Sorry, we mean wheel, as in "Observation Wheel," as in the High Roller attraction at the Linq, which, we noted today, now has added another people-holding capsule. This thing is really starting to take shape and it looks awesome, especially from the vantage point of driving toward the Strip down Flamingo or Twain.

MNF Panthers/Patriots:

In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the Carolina Panthers are -3 favorites over the New England Patriots. The total is 45.5.

Holiday Attractions - the Truth:

Revisiting our previous listings, it transpires that we were formerly a lot more diplomatic/charitable in our coverage of certain "Holiday" attractions around town, keeping our private thoughts just that. Now more outspoken in our observations, we have to fully concur this year with Vital Vegas' assessment, when he calls out the (appropriately lamely named) "Glittering Lights" drive-thru attraction at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where it will cost you a pretty penny ($13-$18 per car) to take in two-and-a-half miles of illuminated ads for the likes of McDonald's and anti-DUI campaigns. It's all for a good cause, so we temper our critique accordingly, but it reminds the current writer of the appalling year in which central London's famous Christmas lights were an homage to the Bird's Eye frozen-food brand (an episode evidently so shameful that all photographic evidence appears to have been expunged from the Internet -- but we were there, we saw it with our own eyes! In our futile search, however, we discovered that last year's offering was for that acquired taste known as Marmite spread, renowned for its refreshingly candid slogan: "You Either Love It or You Hate It." (We actually love Marmite, but hate that display). Corporations: By all means sponsor worthy causes, and your donations are deeply appreciated, but have the class not to use the pretext of a religious festival to boost your bottom line. Okay, rant over.

The Rise and Fall of Atlantis:

This is Vegas, so our tribute to the (mythical?) sub-aqua metropolis is defiantly above ground (and in the middle of a shopping mall, no less!) but has been somewhat less defiantly "sleeping" for a good while now. You read it here first (well, kinda second because those infernal scouts at VegasChatter posted an eye-witness update Nov. 7, but without the big "inside" scoop posted in yesterday's Question of the Day (which you may have missed due to our accidentally allowing our domain names to expire. Oops.). Anyhow, today comes the official announcement, which we're sharing once more in this forum, due to slight embarrassment over last weekend's snafu) that the "Fall of Atlantis" attraction in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace will indeed rise again later this month, brandishing 14 new giant LED screens, surround-sound speakers, and much much more, so gird your loins as the nine-foot-tall gods prepare to "unleash their wrath" (scary official wording) on unwary shoppers in the ultimate animatronic sibling-rivalry experience. Retail therapees: You have been warned!

Vegas Rocks for Shopping:

With retail amenities often registering higher on resort-casino websites than their casinos these days, it comes as little (although a welcome) surprise to us that Conde Naste Traveler has named our fair city as among the Top 10 spots in the nation for shopaholics (or, in fact, anyone looking for a little retail therapy). It's no surprise that New York City bagged the #1 spot, voted "hands down the best shopping in America," but Las Vegas ranked a respectable #7 on the list (which also includes Chicago, San Francisco, L.A., and Palm Beach), noted for its "over-the-topness" and general "vibe." They forgot to mention our burgeoning boutique and vintage scenes, granting the kudos in that department to Chicago and Charleston. They'll learn.

Dowtown Building Frenzy Continues:

We literally cannot keep up with the exploding scene downtown, so we're going to let Eater Vegas do it for us, this one time, with their guide to the FORTY-ONE new venues that are either existing but receiving a major upgrade, recently arrived, coming soon, or merely rumored. (Note: We're picking up on a growing trend in terms of lots of new rooftop venues in the neighborhood, from hotel pools to bars to eateries. We think this is a good thing.) Some noteworthy highlights include: Inspire Theater (debuting late this year or early next at 107 Las Vegas Boulevard North); the Plaza Beer Garden; the much-and-long-anticipated Container Park; and Ferguson's Motel (1028 Fremont St.), a reinvention of the former accommodations, transformed now into a "retro-styled retail center with a 3,750-square-foot tavern and a 1,750-square-foot patio," plus two bars and a coffee shop. (Note to self: Brace yourself and remain in rightful trepidation at the thought of compiling LVA newsletter's "Annual Report," in which we list and chronicle all openings, closings, about-to happen-ings, and drawing-board dreams. Suddenly, our typing fingers have grown all nostalgic for the doldrum years of the "Great Recession," during which nothing whatsoever was built or completed. The rest of us, however, is very excited at the thought of all the parks and zip lines and wheels and bars and hotels and restaurants and theaters and music venues and ... No, truly, we are!)

EDC 2014 -- the Lowdown:

The dates for the next Electric Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas, have been announced -- June 20-22 -- with a "Headliner Loyalty" ticket pre-sale launching Nov. 25 and general "Early Owl Tix" on sale Dec. 2. They're keeping it enigmatic, with no info. yet on headliners, pricing, etc., so diehards should stay tuned to their Twitter and Facebook pages for instantaneous announcements; everyone else just WATCH THIS SPACE! (On a personal note, can we request more daisies, balloons, mushrooms, owls, etc., and less clowns, please? Thanks.)

Nashville Unplugged Hits the Strip:

The night of live acoustic music, improvisation, and storytelling that's had several homes in the Vegas valley and currently performs Friday nights at Red Rock, will be coming to the Strip this Dec. 5-11 as part of The Quad's entertainment lineup during NFR week. Hosted by founders Aaron Benward and Brian McComas, The Quad nights will feature performances by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Paul Overstreet and music writer Danny Myrick. Tix for the 7 p.m. shows, which go on sale Wednesday at Ticketmaster.com and the hotel Box Office, start at $19.99 (an exclusive meet-and-greet package is available for $89.99, which includes front row seats and special SWAG from the artists).

Adelson to Launch Massive Anti-Online Campaign:

As New Jersey gears up to debut legal online gambling Nov. 26, Las Vegas-based casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is preparing to launch a massive campaign in opposition to Internet casinos. Adelson's antipathy toward online wagering -- a stance that he has been vocal about for some time -- is seen a serious potential threat by pro-online lobbyists, due to the vast amount of money that the billionaire has at his personal disposal to throw at any cause he espouses (as demonstrated by his record-breaking private contributions to the Republican party during the 2012 election campaign). According to inside sources, Adelson has already begun hiring lobbyists and PR experts, both in Washington D.C. and in state capitals nationwide, while this coming January he plans to roll out an advocacy group -- the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling -- that aims to include advocates for children, the poor, women, African Americans, and Hispanics, all of whom he will argue are at particular risk of financial ruin and addiction should the opportunity to gamble online be made widely available. Meanwhile, New Jersey is said to be taking its responsibilities extremely seriously and is erecting so-called "digital fences" and other measures to ensure that only those who are proven to be aged 21+ and physically within state limits will be able to bet online. Even some would-be bettors who are legitimately within New Jersey's boundaries, but close to the border, may find themselves excluded and required to move in order to access Internet gambling sites.

SNF Broncos/Chiefs:

In tonight's Sunday Night Football game, the Denver Broncos are -7.5 favorites over the Kansas City Chiefs. The total is 49.

Marathon Closes Strip:

Watch out for big traffic problems around the Strip, due to the running of today's Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon. An estimated 30,000 runners are participating in the race that will close the Strip, along with other downtown and North Las Vegas streets. The south Strip is expected to begin opening up again around 7 p.m., while the northern streets won't begin to open until about 10.

Website Problems:

Our apologies for the interruption in service this weekend -- not so long ago, we expressed some amusement when Harrah's web domain expired, wondering how that could happen in a huge company like Caesars Enterainment. Well, guess what? It can happen to anyone and we just fell victim to the same issue, due to the credit card on record having been reissued without the new information being forwarded for necessary domain renewals (apparently the whole LVA brand was about to go up for sale). It's taken awhile to get everthying up and running again, but all should be good now and we've just been able to post today's Question of the Day -- it's an interesting one, so check it out! And apologies to Harrah's.

Pod/Zip Update:

So, they put the first pod on the Linq's High Roller and whisked it up to the top to claim that "World's Tallest Observation Wheel" record; next they added three more, at "three," "six," and "nine o'clock," so to speak. We're not sure if that was just so it looked cool, or if there was some technical load-balancing-type reason (we suspect the former), but now they've moved four of them next to each other, with an extra fifth one off by himself. This definite, if sporadic progress, can be monitored via the Live Cam on the Linq's website. Ooh! We just clicked that link, as diligent html-ers do (it works!), and it looks like we blinked and missed it, because now there are SIX pods! Meanwhile, the VooDoo Zip Line, which has been the subject of some bemused postings by various curious parties around town, ourselves and "Vegas Chatter" in particular, is showing some new signs of progress -- maybe. All we can report is that while loitering outside our office earlier today, which has a prime location in the industrial ghetto right behind the Rio, we noticed a couple of sticky-up antenna-like things on the east side of the lower (square red) Rio tower that we hadn't noticed before and which could possibly be zip-line related, while there was an odd looking white metal "gate" thingy (like the crowd-control barriers they put up for street festivals etc.) at the appropriate end of the VooDoo Lounge outdoor patio area. We couldn't make out what it was, but again we sensed that it was new and very possibly something to do with the promised attraction that is due (in theory) to open later this month. We'll keep you posted.

Rat Pack Shuffle:

Since the original gang drained their last martinis and quipped their last quips, Las Vegas has been awash with Rat Pack tribute shows, often with several running at the same time. Such has been the case over the past couple of years, with a revolving door of Franks, Deans, and Sammys circulating among the showrooms of the Strip and downtown's casinos. In the latest shake-up, Phat Pack, which has been a resident -- on and off -- at the Plaza since last December, is closing tomorrow, pending a move to Bally's, where it's due to open Dec. 11. Rat Pack is Back, which was formerly at the Plaza, continues its residency at the Rio, while Sandy Hackett's the Rat Pack is Back worked its way from the Sahara, to the Riviera, and from there to LVH, where it finally closed in July of this year. Now comes word of a new show at the Four Queens called Broadway Rat Pack. However, having read a review by Vegas Chatter, we're not liking its chances of survival against the current competition, with its Friday 13 opening date last month perhaps having been inadvertently appropriate. As we've yet to see the show for ourselves, we don't want to rush to second-hand conclusions, but when a source that we trust describes something as "just awful," it doesn't bode well...

Good News for Liberace Fans:

For the first time in 30 years, the flamboyant performer will have a presence on the Las Vegas Strip, when the Cosmopolitan hosts a Liberace exhibit that's scheduled to debut Nov. 25 and run through Jan. 2. Presented by The Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts, and featuring personal belongings, including" a rhinestone piano; items from the performers outrageously extravagant wardrobe (think: fur coats and sequin jumpsuits); his Rhinestone Roadster; signature cadelabras; and video clips of live performances, "Too Much of a Good Thing Is Wonderful: Liberace and the Art of Costume," will be housed for six weeks in Cosmo's "pop-up" space on the corner of the Strip, which has previously housed a temporary wedding chapel, among other things. The exhibit will be open daily from 3-10 p.m. and is free to view, as far as we can tell, although donations to the (financially strapped) Foundation are encouraged.

Madame Tussauds Expansion:

In celebration the completion of its two-year multi-million dollar renovation, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas will debut a "multi-sensory" 4D theater as part of its new attraction celebrating Marvel comic characters. The upgrade, which necessitated the closing of part of the waxwork exhibit at Venetian, also extended to remodeling some of the attraction's rooms, plus the addition of new interactive features and celebrity figures.

Village Square Celebrations:

Here's a quick reminder that the newly upgraded retail facility on the west side of town kicks off its weekend-long celebrations at 11 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and special offers for the first 2,000 shoppers, so head on over to 9400 W. Sahara to bag a bargain or two. The festivities continue on Saturday with a visit from "Elvis," plus displays from "Cirque-style" performers and a free gig by Taylor Hicks. On Sunday, the parking lot will transform into a giant Kids Zone, with lots of family-friendly entertainment and children's activities -- check the flyer for more details.

TNF Colts/Titans:

In tonight's Thursday Night Football game, the Indianapolis Colts are -3 favorites over the Tennessee Titans. The total is 42.

Party Train Derailed:

Back in December, 2012, we reported news that a group was planning to operate an adult-only "party train," featuring bars and restaurants, between Fullerton Amtrak station in California and the Las Vegas, with plans to be in operation by early 2014. However, the Las Vegas Railway Express has this week revealed, via a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, that its year-old agreement with Union Pacific to use a line currently employed only by freight trains has fallen apart, with its former partner apparently keeping the company's $600,000 deposit. This is just one of several proposed high-speed rail links between the two states that has so far failed to come to fruition.

Bourdain Comes, Goes:

For those who weren't aware, Anthony Bourdain has been in town for his (excellent) new CNN series "Parts Unknown." While here, the outspoken TV host and gourmet managed to take in many of our top eating spots including, we're happy to report (both for him and the city's culinary reputation), such "off-piste" gems as Raku and Lotus of Siam. He also found himself at the center of a minor furor over his alleged lateness to a rendez-vous with former Mayor Oscar Goodman (see Eater Vegas for blow-by-blow coverage of this storm in a cocktail glass). Unless there's been a major after-the-fact cover-up, however, it now seems that it was actually journalistic inaccuracy that was to blame, or perhaps Goodman's admitted trio of martinis, but we're also happy to report that everyone now seems to be friends again and that Bourdain departed Sin City Wednesday with a pleasant taste restored in his mouth.

Las Vegas Strip Shuns Gambling:

Well, that's an exaggeration, but the latest figures, just published by Vegas Inc., reveal that the number of gaming machines and tables on the Las Vegas Strip is in decline, following the trend of "casino" and "gambling" almost being treated as a dirty words, relegated to a spot somewhere behind "Restaurants," "Nightlife," "Amenities," or even "Meetings & Weddings" on many resort-casinos' websites: See MGMGrand.com or WynnLasVegas.com, for example. (We note that Caesars Entertainment is not so shy about making its casinos prominent, e.g. CaesarsPalace.com, ditto downtown properties, including the new DowntownGrand.com. According to figures released by UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research and the state Gaming Control Board, Nevada's casino floors collectively lost some 38,000 slot machines between 2000 and 2012, while the number of blackjack and live-poker tables is also on the wane. Only baccarat, which has been responsible for some boom gaming-revenue months, is bucking that trend. The reasons? One is that the new generation of multi-game slot and video poker machines allow one machine to offer what previously required a half-dozen or so separate units, while poker has seen a decline in popularity since the initial online-boosted craze of a few years ago. It remains to be seen whether the re-legalization of Internet gambling will reverse this trend, or in fact exacerbate it, with players finding more and more ways to play without visiting a brick-and-mortar casino. Another factor, of course, is the genuine diversification of resort-casinos' revenue streams, with the advent of high-end shopping malls, internationally acclaimed "resident" DJs, and "celebrity chefs" whose restaurants are a million miles away from the cheap loss-leaders of yore, provided only to keep gamblers in situ long enough, or sober enough, to play.

Crowds Line Up for Pitbull Tix:

People have been camping out overnight at Fashion Show Mall, hoping to score free tix to the Pitbull concert at The Joint at the Hard Rock tonight, in celebration of the opening of the new Microsoft store at Fashion Show Mall. If you're not in line already, then forget it -- ticket distribution is due to take place at noon today for the lucky (and hardy) faithful.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Here are this weekend's eclectic highlights: Bill O'Reilly and Dennis Miller team up at Caesars Palace (11/150 Frank Caliendo does stand up at the Orleans (11/15-11/16) Whoopi Goldberg entertains at TI (11/15) South Point welcomes Debbie Reynolds (11/15-11/17) Nine Inch Nails performs at the Hard Rock (11/15-11/16) Ron White makes 'em laught at the Mirage (11/15-11/16) Sunset Park hosts its first food truck festival (11/16) And it's the 20th anniversary of the UFC! Georges St. Pierre takes on Johny Hendricks in UFC 167 at the MGM Grand (tix are still available), with viewing options at various bars around town and parties at Sapphire and Crazy Horse III strip clubs (11/16)

Naughtiest Thing in Vegas:

To everyone who's not only voting in our current poll, but also taking the time (and having the cojones) to write to us with your stories, we'd like to extend a huge early "thank you." Not only are you reassuring us that Sin City's name is well earned (as is the Fantasy Tower's at the Palms, evidently), but you're also bringing many smiles to the face of the Poll Poser (a.k.a. QoDer). The new emails are saved for some light relief at the end of the day and your awesome (and completely confidential - promise) revelations will certainly be enjoyed by others when the final results go live (Nov. 23). If you haven't yet cast your vote or emailed your confession, there's still plenty of time, since this Reader Poll is live through Nov. 19 and we can't wait to read more of your stories, so keep 'em coming :-)

New Dinners at Forte:

Bar Forte (formerly -- or perhaps still?? -- FORTE European Tapas Bar & Bistro -- or Forte Tapas -- or ??? we're confused!) is, we just discovered, hosting bi-monthly events under the "Takeover Tuesdays" banner, when the house chef evidently gets the night off and a guest cuisinier from another restaurant takes over for the night, serving a prix-fixe menu for $50/person. Next up in the rotation is Executive Chef Todd Harrington of Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace, whose seven-course extravaganza will include, so we read, a "deconstructed shrimp cocktail." (Does that mean shrimp on a plate, with sauce on the side, and you have to add your own lettuce and lemon, or are we missing something?)

Wynn Out in Philly:

Wynn Resorts has withdrawn its application for a casino license in Philadelphia. Wynn had proposed building a $925 million resort along the waterfront in the city's Fishtown area, but was apparently dissuaded by potential competition from the recent approval of New York casinos. The Wynn withdrawal leaves five companies still in the running for the second of two Philadelphia licenses with no clear front-runner.

Holly Madison to Guest in Strip Show:

On December 4, Holly Madison, former long-term lead in the now-closed Peepshow burlesque production at Planet Hollywood, will be guesting for one night only in Harrah's Million Dollar Quartet. She will perform the Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret duet "The Lady Loves Me" from the hit movie Viva Las Vegas during the show's finale. (We have no idea why, but why not?)

Mixed News for Locals Casinos:

Station Casinos saw a reversal of last year's fortunes, reporting a Q3 net loss of $4.7 million, compared with a $7.8 million profit for the same period last year, according to a quarterly earnings report released Tuesday. On the other hand, the company's revenues of $933.1 million for the first nine months of 2013 showed a slight increase on 2012, while major ongoing boosts are anticipated thanks to the new Graton Resort & Casino in Northern California and the imminent legalization of online gambling in the New Jersey, where Station's Ultimate Gaming is a partner with Trump Taj Mahal. In other news, Affinity Gaming, which operates the Silver Sevens (formerly Terrible's) casino in Las Vegas, plus Primm's casinos, also experienced declines in both operating income and net revenues during Q3, reports the R-J.

Christmas Cacti:

It's that time of year again and Ethel M chocolates is the first attraction we're aware of to get into the festive spirit, with their 20th annual colorful illumination of the Cactus Garden (oops, we missed the grand opening event last night -- sorry!). The gardens are free to enter from 5-10 p.m. nightly, with scheduled visits from Santa and local choirs -- click the link for details.

Village Square Goes Big:

Talking of malls, Village Square, the retail-dining-and-movie-theater complex at Rampart and Sahara, has just undergone a major renovation and is welcoming new tenants and the public with a weekend-long celebration, commencing this Friday, Nov. 15. Highlights include: An official ribbon cutting and dance display at 11 a.m. on Saturday, plus special offers for the first 2,000 guests who show up. On Saturday, there will be an Elvis impersonator performing at noon, followed by a Cirque-style show at 1 p.m., and a free show by "American Idol" Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks. On Sunday, the whole area turns into a family-friendly "Fun Zone," with activities for kids like face painting, a rock wall, bouncers, and more, plus performances by local schools, so go along and show your support, while bagging some early-bird bargains.

Pitbull at Fashion Show:

Don't worry, there isn't a scary dog loose in the shopping mall; rather, the recording artist will be performing a free gig on Nov. 14 to celebrate the opening of the new Microsoft store in the Fashion Show Mall. The concert itself will actually take place at The Joint at the Hard Rock, but the first 100 fans in line outside the valet entrance to the new Microsoft store -- starting from 3 p.m. tomorrow! -- will receive a meet-and-greet ticket to the Pitbull performance on Thursday, plus a second premier-viewing concert ticket for a friend. The next 2,000 people in line, at a minimum, will receive two premier viewing tickets to the show. The grand opening of the store is at noon on Thursday, when the free tix will be distributed, so dust off your sleeping bags and dress warm for the wait!

Ugly Rarity of Ginormous Proportions Hits Town Today:

With prices having hit the $220/ounce mark in recent years, it's the culinary equivalent of platinum, although no one purchases an Italian white truffle for its looks. No, the knobbly gnarly little tubers are prized for their exquisite taste and today a huge specimen will be arriving at Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar. Exported directly from Tuscany, and weighing in at almost two pounds, it's the largest-known of its kind ever to land in Las Vegas (home of the superlative, appropriately enough). It has, we gather, been a great year for white truffles -- the best season of the century, in fact -- which has pushed the price down from a recent record of $3,500 per pound to the bargain level of around $2,500. As for Ferraro's beast, upon arrival it will immediately be used for regular dining service for dishes such as the Pappardelle Mimmo (long, wide pasta with scallops, lobster, asparagus, butter, sage and truffle sauce); Risotto Aragosta e Tartufo Nero (Italian vialone nano rice, lobster and seasonal truffles), and Vitello Reale (veal scaloppini topped with a sunny-side up egg and shaved white truffles). Plus, with more truffles in the pipeline and due to be arrive next month, the restaurant is hosting a special "Tartufi e Nebbiolo" 5-course dinner-with-wine-pairing on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m., for $250/person. Space is extremely limited, so call 702-364-5300 ASAP if you wish to make a reservation. As an aside, we just hope Chef Mimmo Ferraro knows about proper truffle maintenance -- which we're confident he does -- as we'd hate for this monster mushroom to suffer the same fate as the infamous "Paltrow Truffle" -- a similar-sized celebrity-owned fungus in London that ... no, it's too painful for us to write about, so you'll have to click the link to find out the terrible truth about what happened.

Historic Moment Looms at Downtown Grand:

It's been open since October 27, but today sees the "Official Grand Opening" of the Downtown Grand (the reincarnated to the point of unrecognizable* former Lady Luck), with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for exactly 2:15 p.m. Why the military precision, you may ask? Because, if you take a look at today's date, that will be 11:12:13 at 14:15. Mayor Carolyn Goodman and a bunch of other dignitaries will be in attendance, as will the Valley High School Marching Band. *Note: This is a very good thing, although we can't say the same for the video poker schedules -- see "Today's News" 11/10/13.

Dancer on Royals:

Sadly, it's not the secret of how to hit more of them that video poker expert Bob Dancer is writing about in this week's column, but he is advising on how to differentiate between different options for maximum-payback potential, as he's analyzing "three to the royal" draws and what you should hold and when (excluding wild card games), since not all "three to the royal" draws are created equal. Note: This is one of the more complicated columns he's posted in a while, so make sure you have a strong cup of coffee to hand and expect to have to read some paragraphs more than once (we did).

Atlantic City Update:

Revel, the luxury resort-casino that has struggled since its opening last year and emerged from bankruptcy six months ago, has announced that it's considering options for the future, including a possible sale. The property was once owned by Morgan Stanley but was taken over by investors in May. According to information filed with the state, the property experienced an operating loss of $81.7 million on revenue of $81 million through six months of 2013. Meanwhile, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge has given interested parties just a 10-day window, which commenced last Friday, to bid on the Atlantic Club (formerly Atlantic City Hilton), which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Wednesday night. Bids must be received by Nov. 18 with a buyer expected to be selected at auction in December. (A bid by online casino company PokerStars to purchase the property failed earlier this year.) The East Coast casino enclave, which introduced legal gambling in 1976 in an effort to revitalize a downward-spiraling economy, has suffered again in recent years, largely due to the spread of casinos in neighboring states, although the city is currently in the midst of a massive investment, redevelopment, and marketing program aimed at boosting its popularity and diversifying its appeal once more. The imminent introduction of legal online gambling in the state, which looks ready to launch by the scheduled date of Nov. 26, is also expected to offer the whole state of Atlantic City a much-needed shot in the arm. A trial period will begin Nov. 21, with five land-based casinos and their Internet partners -- already having been awarded permits. These include: Borgata and bwin.party Tropicana Casino and Gamesys Limited Trump Taj Mahal and Ultimate Gaming Trump Plaza and Betfair Golden Nugget Atlantic City and Bally Technologies Permit approval is still pending for CET's Atlantic City properties, including Caesars, Bally's, Showboat, and Harrah's.

More Veterans Day Perks:

Here are some of the other specials we've heard about honoring veterans today: The National Park Service is offering free admission to all its 401 facilities, including Lake Mead National Recreation Area, while the Bureau of Land Management is waiving the entrance fee to visitors at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area today. Anthony’s Burgers & Brews at M Resort is offering a Bubbles & Brews salute today, with a complimentary beer or glass of sparkling wine for veterans with the purchase of a burger from 4-10 p.m. A number of Las Vegas shows offer year-round discounts to active and retired members of the military, while others are offering savings today. Rather than reinvent the wheel, here's a link to Vegas Chatter, which has the list. Here's a listing of all the national chains -- many of which have representation in Las Vegas -- that are offering military benefits today, including lots of free-entrée options, discounted meals, and complimentary beverages as a "thank you."

Happy Veterans Day:

The Veterans Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. in downtown Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Veterans' Day Parade is the largest west of the Mississippi and there are expected to be 30,000 spectators. The parade starts at 4th and Gass Streets and ends at 4th and Ogden. Road closures will be in effect until 1 p.m. Veterans with proper military ID can get free buffets today at all Station and Fiesta casinos, Gold Coast, Suncoast, Sam's Town, and Orleans; a free Buffet of Buffets pass for Caesars properties; and a buffet for two at South Point.

SNF Cowboys/Saints:

In tonight's Sunday Night Football game, the New Orleans Saints are -6 favorites over the Dallas Cowboys. The total is 53.5.

Devaluation at Downtown Grand:

Where it comes to gambling odds, casinos tend to open loose and adjust later, but the adjustment at the Downtown Grand came at record speed. Reasonable video poker paytables that were in place a week ago at the opening have all been devalued, leaving schedules that pretty much match what you'd find at a typical bar. We'll provide a complete rundown in the December LVA.

Downtown Jumping:

Downtown is bustling with the World Food Championships and football today. The food events are taking place in the commons, while places like the Long Bar at the D and the new William Hill sports book at the Downtown Grand are showing all the games. Good Vibe.

Veterans Eat Free at McCormick & Schmick's:

Veterans with proper military verification eat free today at McCormick & Schmick's on E. Flamingo. It's the first of several deals for veterans, most of which will run on Monday.

Megabucks Hit:

An unidentified player hit Megabucks last week for $12.46 million at MGM Grand. Megabucks developer IGT says it's the 24th hit for more than $1 million this year.

UFC Belfort/Henderson:

Vitor Belfort is a -210 favorite over Dan Henderson in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Cezar Ferreira is -170 over Daniel Sarafian.

Cosmo Attracting Gamblers:

After struggling to attract gamblers since opening, the Cosmopolitan booked a 97% year-over-year increase in gambling win in the third quarter of 2013. The casino has benefited from strong promotions, including its ongoing $100 rebate on losses for new club members.

Food Frenzy Continues Downtown:

Don't forget the World Food Championships continue downtown through Sunday, with contestants vying across categories including Best Barbecue, Best Burger, Best Bacon, and Best Dessert and a $30,000 prize purse up for grabs. Click the link for more information.

New Book Debuts at The Quad:

The Quad debuted its new race and sports book Friday, a smaller but much plusher version of what the casino offered in its previous Imperial Palace incarnation. You take take peek at this -- and some other developments at the property -- courtesy of Vital Vegas. Note that bets are taken here Friday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. only.

N9NE Closing for Makeover:

N9NE Steak House at the Palms will close on Nov. 10 for what's being termed a "brief makeover." It's scheduled to reopen by mid-December with a look more in tune to other changes that have been implemented during the casino's extensive makeover. In the interim, NOVE will be open seven days a week, serving a "Best of N9NE" menu.

PokerStars Out in Jersey:

It looks like our note in this space last month about PokerStars' prospects of getting licensed in New Jersey was on the money. Reports are surfacing that the online poker giant will be denied a license due to repercussions from its "bad actor" status for operating in the US subsequent to the UIGEA restrictions. The decision has not been officially announced and PokerStars has not commented.

Frank B vs. Fezzik:

Current LVASports host Frank B takes on former host Fezzik today in a quarterfinal round of the Golden Nugget's Friday Football Showdown. The contest will be broadcast live at 2 pm on ESPN radio 1100 AM or 98.9 FM.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

It's all about beer, burgers, BBQ, bacon, 'n boobs* this weekend, plus some spanking: It's the last weekend to go see Spank! The Musical at the Golden Nugget (10/18-11/9) Katt Williams does stand up at the Hard Rock (11/8-11/9) Lewis Black brings laughter to the Mirage (11/8-11/9) Venetian welcomes comedian Tim Allen (11/8-11/9) Selena Gomez entertains at Mandalay Bay (11/9) It's "second Saturday," which means Vegas StrEATs food-truck time downtown (11/9) Smokey "Bacon" Robinson takes the stage at the Eastside Cannery (11/9) "Desert Hops: An International Beer Experience" takes place at the Cosmopolitan (11/9) And the World Food Championships continue downtown, with a $300,000 purse (11/7-11/10) *Okay, we made up the "boobs" part, insofar as there's nothing extra-special going on boob-wise, as far as we know, but then again Las Vegas is always about boobs -- just look out the window, they're EVERYWHERE! -- and Selena Gomez has boobs. So, in retrospect, we rest our case. And we couldn't resist the smokey bacon joke -- apologies to the Motown icon but it's our favorite flavor of U.K. potato chip and he should be proud.

Treat for Liberace Fans (Kinda):

Tune in to "Fox5 News" at 6:30 p.m. this evening for a guided tour of Liberace's home, courtesy of its new owner. The years of neglect have not been kind to the property, but the good news is that the purchaser, a local vacation-property broker who paid half a million dollars for the mansion earlier this year, has plans to restore it to its former glory.

Naked Sushi:

If you're looking for something a little bit different to do in Sin City, check out the "Naked Sushi" events held by the Geisha sushi house (W. Flamingo location, just off the 215). The art of Nyotaimori, or the serving of sushi off the body of a naked female, is being showcased by the venue every other Friday (the last event was last week) through the end of 2013 and is also available for private parties. There's not much detail on the website, nor even if you call, but we found out about it via ThrillistVegas* (which also offers the tip that you can save $40 off whatever the price is if you book in advance). Call the restaurant on 702-369-9637 if you're serious, or visit in person, and presumably more information will be forthcoming. As a side note, if you're looking for an interesting gift for a Vegasphile in your life, we also noticed some cool Cubist-style posters of iconic city skylines, including Las Vegas, while we were digging around on the Thrillist site.

Mob Museum on JFK Assassination:

Yep, it's evidently "Mob Museum Day" at LVA, with our second post of the day (and why not?). This time, we have news of an event this evening for all you conspiracy theorists out there, with Three Perspectives on the Assassination of JFK tonight at 7 p.m., featuring a panel of book-signing experts (as in, experts signing books they wrote, not people with really nice signatures); Gerald Posner (Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and Assassination of JFK); and Robert Blakey (The Plot to Kill the President and chief counsel for a House investigation into the JFK assassination in the '70s). Tom Stone, who co-teaches a course at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on JFK’s presidency and the impact of his assassination is the mdoerator and there's a cash bar from 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 for non-members (members receive a 10% discount), which includes nibbles and a complimentary cocktail. *Talking of conspiracies, check out the reservation phone number on their website, where you can also reserve your tix. Why are the 7s smaller than all the other numbers? Is that a secret code? If so, not so secret anymore; we just don't know what it means ... yet.

Taffer to Open Best Bar in the World - in Vegas!:

In a recent Q&A with DailyFiasco, "Bar Rescue" bully and now Las Vegas resident Jon Taffer lets slip that -- having apparently failed to persuade any of his local makeover choices to live up to his expectations -- he's going to do it himself and open what will live up to its name as World's Best Bar, right here in his new home town. Taffer (who we admire, although he's a bit scary), has some interesting insights into the current bar scene and where other places are going wrong, plus we learned that what was once the Emergency Room and now changes its name/identity (but, until now, not its success rate) on a seemingly daily basis has, under his "Bar Rescue" aegis, settled on yet a new theme as zombie bar The End. With Las Vegas soon to be home to a zombie burlesque show at Saxe Theater, plus a cast of unemployed undead from the former Goretorium, who are doubtless looking to drown their sorrows somewhere, perhaps what once prophetically dubbed itself Train Wrecks has finally hit on a winning formula (just don't anyone tell the Zombie Apocalypse Store and SWAT team down the street).

International Recognition for Mob Museum:

The British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) has selected The Mob Museum (a.k.a. The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement), as one of the top-three finalists for its Best Wider World Project award, which recognizes attractions outside Europe that have been open for less than three years. Nominees for the award are selected on the grounds of their creative contribution to the experience and understanding of travelers, with this year's other finalists including Seminary Ridge Museum in Pennsylvania and Ecuador’s Tren Crucero, which received the award. LVA Members: Don't forget you can score an exclusive $4 discount off the $19.95 adult General Admission price ($10 for locals) via the downloadable deal at couponsinvegas.com.

Food Truck Frenzy Hits Sunset Park:

On Saturday, Nov. 16, the awesome park by McCarran International Airport (specifically 2601 E. Sunset) will host "Sunset Park’d," a gourmet food-truck festival featuring an array of mobile eateries, plus free live rock from L.A.'s Crash Kings, plus local bands, including The Remedies, Lady Reiko and Sin City Prophets, Fleetwood Nicks, Paper Tigers, Love Vendetta, Ekoh, and The Beau Hodges Band. The park recently completed a four-year, $11.7 million renovation project.

Popular Breakfast Spot Shuttered:

It turns out that a helping hand from Robert Irvine's "Restaurant Impossible" makeover show last summer wasn't enough to save popular breakfast spot Maple Tree Cafe (Spring Mountain Rd.) which, according to the

UFC: Kennedy/Natal:

Tim Kennedy is a -370 favorite over Rafael Natal in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Liz Caramouche is -180 over Alexis Davis.

Moratorium on Downtown Liquor-Store Licenses:

Following the recent introduction of a new teenage-curfew policy downtown comes word that the Las Vegas City Council today voted unanimously to accept no more applications for liquor store licenses, citing concerns about public drunkenness and safety risks, reports the R-J. While there are many vendors and purveyors of alcohol in the neighborhood, particularly in the vicinity of Fremont Street, it's package liquor stores that bar, tavern, and casino owners are blaming for a downward spiraling of public sobriety, citing alleged their too-liberal selling of booze to vagrants, underage youths, and others, with attendant public-safety consequences and a general deterioration of the ambiance in this tourist hotspot.

New Yorkers Vote Yes:

While voters in East Boston just rejected a casino proposal by the Suffolk Downs race track and voters in Palmer narrowly defeated a bid by Mohegan Sun to build a resort-casino in the western Massachusetts town, voters in New York state said "Yes" Tuesday to plans to allow seven Las Vegas-style casinos to be constructed, including one in the Big Apple itself. Supporters of the proposal, which will first see four casinos built upstate, won by a decisive margin of 57 percent of votes to 43 percent.

Max Casino Giving Away Money:

If you were a member of the Westin Casuarina's players club, and you go and convert your membership to the new Max Casino's program, you receive a $5 chip for your loyalty. Simple as that. No strings. New sign-ups get 10 bucks in slot free play.

Zip Line Update:

While the ever-intrepid Vital Vegas blog has -- of course, we should've known -- got some awesome images of The Linq's first passenger cabin, saving the LVA Research Department from taking its life into its hands in the attempt to snap a pic from our excellent but crash-ridden vantage point at the corner of Procyon and Twain, here's the lowdown on some of the other multiple airborne attractions in various stages of (in)completion around town: While pedestrian users of the Fremont Street Experience (and vehicular users of Casino Center and 4th Street in the vicinity) are experiencing some nighttime access disruption this week (and next), due to the stringing of the cables for the Slotzilla Zipline and Zoomline, this downtown ride is definitely progressing and looks like it will be ready to ride well before the end of the year, if not by its original scheduled opening date of last June. In an evident case of VooDoo doo-doo, it appears the same cannot be said for the Rio's VooDoo Zip Line, the non-progress of which has been avidly chronicled by ourselves (see Today's News 9/18; 9/30) and Vegas Chatter. With a glaring lack of line, clearly (in)visible from our office, and a $70,000+ shortfall from its now-closed indiegogo crowd-sourcing effort, the promised November launch date is looking less than convincing... How about the multiple MRI zip lines, which were the first of all of these projects to be announced -- back in March -- which were to string Luxor and Excalibur together? While the first stage of planning permission was successfully negotiated the same month, it appears that FAA approval is the fly in the ointment with this one. At first this confused and perplexed us, but Vegas Inc put us straight on the fact that it's due to the helipad on the castle's roof. Aha! Makes sense now. They have a cool blueprint that shows you where the lines will run, if the FAA gives the green light, and if the Clark County Commission gives its thumbs up, and if MRI then decides it can actually afford it all, what with existing commitments like The Park and the new arena and The Lot outdoor music venue. Yeah, not holding our breath on this one, although it should be a lot of fun if it happens. As to the not-a-zip-line-but-a-"PolerCoaster," proposed (we think) for the Tropicana, an FAA green light will definitely be required for this one, which is close to McCarran International Airport, as will an estimated $100 million... (exhales). Back to zip-lining -- not to mention wakeboarding, snowboarding, motocrossing, surfing, sunbathing, and white-water rafting -- and there's the $50 million, 40-acre "Vegas Extreme" project proposed by Aussie businessman Josh Kearney (see "Today's News" 7/18/2013). Does the half-as-much price tag make this one twice-as-likely to happen? With the additional factor of a lack of location, as far as we know, we think not..

First People Pod in Place:

The first of the 28 spherical capsules that will transport riders on The Linq observation wheel is in place and it looks really cool. We don't have a photograph yet, but it looks just as the renderings suggested.

Riess Wins WSOP Championship:

Ryan Riess is the new World Champion of poker, after winning the World Series of Poker's Main Event last night and a $8.4 million first prize. Riess came into the heads-up match with Jay Farber down 105 million to 86 million, but prevailed after 261 hands when his AK held up against Q5. Farber received $5.7 million for second. At 23, Riess is the sixth consecutive Main Event winner to be under 25 years old.

New Station Casino:

Following 16 months of construction, Station Casinos debuted the Graton Resort & Casino in California's Bay Area at 9 a.m. today. The $800-million full-service facility, which Station operates on behalf of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, is the closest full-service casino to the Bay Area and is within an hour’s drive of San Francisco.

Britney Poll Closing:

Our current Reader Poll about Britney Spears and your thoughts regarding her residency closes at midnight, so get your vote in if you haven't already. The feedback to date has been interesting. A new poll goes live at midnight and we can't wait to see the results to this one...

More Million Dollar Quartet:

The Tony Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet, based on a real-life jam session that took place on Dec. 4, 1956, featuring Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins currently playing at Harrah's, has now been extended and will run through May, 2014. Total Rewards members can take advantage of an advanced 24-hour sale, with a 20 percent discount on ticket prices, starting tomorrow at 10 a.m.; everyone else has to wait until Friday. Regular GA tix start at $75.18 (inclusive of tax and fees).

Chef Charlie Trotter Dead:

Legendary Chicago chef Charlie Trotter, who formerly operated two restaurants in Las Vegas, first at MGM Grand and then at Palazzo, has died. Trotter was discovered unconscious at his home this morning by his son and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The self-taught chef debuted his Restaurant Charlie in his hometown in 1987 and quickly gained recognition as one of the most highly regarded and innovative chefs in the world; he later closed the venue in order to return to graduate school, but then returned to the restaurant scene on the Las Vegas Strip. His protégé, David Myers, now operates Comme Ça at the Cosmopolitan -- a consistent "Essential 50" pick in the Eating Las Vegas restaurant guide. Our condolences go out to Trotter's family and the many fans and fellow chefs who admired his contribution to the culinary world.

Bob Dancer vs. Suncoast, Part II:

Video poker expert Bob Dancer just posted the conclusion of his two-part article concerning a particular "locals" casino and its policies toward certain players. It's a cautionary tale about the possible fallout when a casino puts you on their "undesirable" list, what might trigger that move on their part, and how wide-reaching the consequences may be...

MGM Offers Glimpse at Arena:

Casino and entertainment goliaths MRI and AEG have unveiled the first renderings of their collaborative $350 million, 20,000-seat indoor arena venture that's planned for the 12-acre lot between New York-New York and Frank Sinatra Drive. The project is due to break ground in April or May 2014, with a projected opening date of spring 2016.

Two Remain at WSOP:

It was thought that they would play down to three, but only two players remain toing into tonight's final session of the World Series of Poker's Main Event. Jay Farber has 105,000,000 and Ryan Riess has 85,675,000. Farber was the only amateur in the field, while at 23, Riess was the youngest of the nine. The champion will win $8,361,570 and the runner-up gets $5,174,357. Here are the finishing positions of the other seven finalists and their prizes. 3rd Amir Lehavot $3,727,823 4th Sylvain Loosli $2,792,533 5th JC Tran $2,106,893 6th Marc-Etienne McLaughlin $1,601,024 7th Michiel Brummelhuis $1,225,356 8th David Benefield $944,650 9th Mark Newhouse $733,224 The heads-up finale will be broadcast on ESPN tonight at 6 P.M. PST.

Chatter Posts Pod Pics:

Vegas Chatter blog has posted the first images we've seen of the people pods destined for the new Linq observation wheel, captured by a member of the Vegas Rover Facebook group. Apparently, the futuristic-looking spheres will commence being attached soon; you'll be able to follow their progress in real time via The Linq webcam. Oh, oh, and talking of webcams, this reminded us to check on the status of the recently on-hiatus-for-reasons-no-one-could-explain "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" webcam, and we're happy to report that it's back in action. You can find a link to it it (under the "Earthcams" entry), along with all of the city's myriad other live streaming webcams, in our Las Vegas Visitor Guide section.

Cronut Craze Hits Vegas:

The much-vaunted donut/croissant hybrid that's had hooked New Yorkers camping outside bakeries to get their fix and from thence spread like wildfire across the nation, has finally made it to Las Vegas, thanks to Lavo's new "Proper Sunday Brunch," reports R-J gossip columnist Norm!. The Strip property is offering four for the bargain price of $12 -- the name "Cronut" is actually a proprietary term (trademark pending) coined by their NYC inventor, whose bakery sells them for $5 apiece (scalped fakes have been known to sell on the black market for up to $100 -- yes, you read that correctly: 100 bucks for a single pastry).

Bartolotta Closes for Remodel:

As we announced back on Aug. 19, Paul Bartolotta's namesake seafood restaurant at Wynn closed Nov. 3 for a remodel; the multi-accoladed eatery is scheduled to reopen Dec. 21.

Project Dinner Table Season Finale:

Project Dinner Table, the luxury social-foodie program with a community mission, hosts its last event of the season this Sunday, Nov. 10, with signature meal the "linner" (lunch-plus-dinner combo) downtown. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will be served from 2 p.m. at the Gold Spike, before the event moves to Jackie Gaughan Parkway for a family-style dinner by executive chefs from Station Casinos. The all-inclusive tix are $190 per person and a portion of the proceeds will benefit local non-profit organizations. Visit ProjectDinnerTable.com for more info and to book your spot.

Another Cirque Injury:

Just days after Cirque du Soleil received more than $25,000 in fines from OSHA for six citations following the June death of

Mob Attraction Closed:

The interactive attraction at the Tropicana, which has had a checkered history and two incarnations but ended up being a pretty cool exhibit, shut up shop at the Tropicana Sunday, apparently as a result of its lease expiring. It's rumored to be lining up a new home on the Strip, but to date no solid announcement has been made.

Restaurant Express Debuts:

Apologies for the late post, but tonight sees the premiere of Food Network's "Restaurant Express," the chef/restaurateur contest with a top prize of the job of Executive Chef at Las Vegas' M Resort. The show's airing right now! (See "Today's News" Oct. 2 for more details about this new series.)

SNF Colts/Texans:

In tonight's Sunday Night Football game, the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans are pick 'em. The total is 42.

Causuarina Changes Name:

The Westin Causuarina is changing its casino name to Max Casino. While it sounds a little like changing from one dumb name to another, there's a certain logic in it, given that many will always remember the property as the Maxim. Accompanying the name change, the William Hill sports book in the Max is being moved and upgraded.

WSOP Final Begins Monday:

There hasn't been much buzz since July, but the final table of the World Series of Poker's Main Event begins tomorrow at 4:45 P.M. PST at the Rio. It will be broadcast with a 15-minute delay in showing the hands on ESPN. Two-time WSOP bracelet inner J.C. Tran is the chip leader and favorite. Second in chips is Amir Lehavot, who is the only other bracelet winner at the table.

Union Demonstration at Cosmo:

Police arrested 120 Culinary Union members on Friday when they entered the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and sat on the floor near the entrance. Picketers blocked three lanes of traffic on the Strip during the latest of several demonstrations that have been staged at the resort.

Change Your Clocks:

Don't forget to move your clocks back one hour for the end of daylight savings time this year. That gives you an extra hour to get your NFL bets in today.

Breeder's Cup:

The race books are jumping today for the Breeder's Cup. South Point is holding a big all-day party in its ballroom with free food and drink for $25 wagers. In the Classic, Game on Dude is the favorite at 9-5, followed by Mucho Macho Man at 4-1. The long shot is Planteur at 26-1.

Cannery Gets Extreme:

Cannery Casino hosts the Evolution Action Sports showcase today and tomorrow, featuring BMX, FMX, and FSX shows. Tix are $20 for adults, $10 for kids aged 12 and under.

Vegas Valley Book Festival:

The prestigious annual literary and comic-book event concludes today and Huntington Press will be there in full force, with special deals on top gambling-strategy publications, Las Vegas guide and history books, fiction from our Vegas Lit imprint, and much more. So swing by and say "Hi!" to Anthony Curtis and the gang and pick up some great early holiday gifts, including the Festival's annual Vegas Writes collection, profiling some of the city's top writing talent exploring a common theme from very diverse points of view. Visit the official festival website for more information.

Hammargren Home Open:

As is the tradition, in celebration Nevada Day, former Lt. Gov. and neurosurgeon Dr. Lonnie Hammargren, will open his eccentric home, dubbed the "Hammargren Home of Nevada History," to the public from noon to 5 p.m. today and Sunday. Located at 4318 Ridgecrest Drive (just off Sandhill Road, between Flamingo Road and Tropicana Avenue), the home, which actually comprises three houses connected by bridges, tunnels, and a working railroad, and filled with an eclectic and ever-growing collection of memorabilia and oddities including a planetarium, miscellaneous casino signage, a roller coaster, Bugsy Siegel's toilet, a full-sized plane (on the roof), a blacksmith's shop, Liberace stage props, an elephant, replicas of both a spacecraft and a dinosaur skeleton, Redd Foxs's car, a scale model of Stonehenge, a tomb reserved for the owner, and a whole bunch of what can only be described as junk. There will be live entertainment and a "donation" of $10 is requested at the door.

Happy Birthday Aliante:

At 6 p.m. this evening, the City of North Las Vegas will honor Aliante Casino + Hotel with a proclamation declaring Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, as 'Aliante One-Year Independence Day.' The casino is taking the opportunity to debut its new FARM 24-7 café, which features fresh produce sourced from local farmers and markets; the new 3,500-square-foot re:lax spa, which features eight massage rooms, several VIP rooms, exclusive couples’ rooms, wet rooms, and a steam room and sauna, opened earlier this week.

Patti Stanger Gig Cancelled:

Patti Stanger’s Las Vegas engagement, "Sex & Love in Sin City," scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. in the PH Showroom at Planet Hollywood has been cancelled due to Stanger’s filming schedule commitments for the seventh season of Bravo’s "The Millionaire Matchmaker." Ticket holders for the show may obtain a refund at the original point of purchase.

Frugal November Listings:

Jean Scott has just posted her monthly round-up of November Vegas Casino Promotions round-up via her "Frugal Vegas" blog, with word of bonus point and gift days, drawings, freeplay offers, and all kinds of other promos at some of the more player-friendly casinos around town, plus the Queen of Comps offers valuable personal insights, tidbits, and tips, so check it out!

All Flights to LAX Grounded:

In case you hadn't heard, there's been an incident involving a gunman at Los Angeles International Airport, resulting in a "ground stop," or suspension, of all incoming flights. Few details have been released as yet, but early reports say that a TSA agent was among one of perhaps five victims and that a suspect, who may also have been shot or otherwise injured, is possibly in custody. More details to follow as they become available.

Bonus Point Day at Stations:

Boarding Pass club members receive 3.3X points on all slots and 2X points on video poker today at all seven Station casinos today (the promo does not extend to the Fiesta and Wild brands).

Delaware Launches Online Casinos:

On Thursday, Delaware became the first state in the U.S. to launch what officials there are calling "full suite" online gaming -- i.e., a casino offering the full complement of standard games, as opposed to the poker and sports-betting-only options currently legal in Nevada -- with the soft launch of a new Internet facility operated by the Delaware Lottery. A select group of less than 100 players who'd registered for the chance to try the play-money games launched last August will be the first to try out the new real-money facility during a week of live testing. If all goes well, beginning Nov. 8 anybody who is of age, registered, and physically present in Delaware will be able to play poker, blackjack, roulette, and slots online for money. The option of playing purely for fun, with no money changing hands, will continue.

Tip Sharing Ruled Legal:

A protracted battle between casino workers and their union representatives and Wynn resorts, over the latter's unusual policy of having dealers share their tips with supervisors, has been resolved by a decision from the Nevada Supreme Court that deems the practice lawful. The ruling reversed an earlier lower-court decision that found that the policy violated Nevada state law. The case will still revert back to district-court level now in order to review the legality of the policy with regard to Nevada's minimum wage and rebate laws.