Las Vegas News

Root for Reigning Vegas Eating Champ This Weekend:

It's Independence Day weekend coming up and that means it's time for the annual

An Unlikely Happening at the Italian American Club:

We're not sure how this all came about, but July 8 and 9 the notorious Frankie Citro, who famously wore a tuxedo to his 1986 Black Book hearing (and is now campaigning to have his name removed from the list of persons excluded from casinos), is hosting a night of music at one of Las Vegas' classic old-timer haunts. "You've Got a Friend" stars platinum singer/songwriter Kirsti Manna and North Carolina troubador Jonathan Birchfield, celebrating the music and classic hits of Carole King and James Taylor (who just scored his first-ever #1 album on the Billboard 200, with "Before This World") in the intimate setting of the Italian American Club (2333 E. Sahara). The Symphony/Pops concerts will be arranged and conducted by Mariano Longo, but for these two Vegas shows will feature a six-piece core group, rather than full orchestra, as an intimate prelude to a national tour that will feature a full 30-piece orchestra. Tickets are $25 and we have no doubt that Frankie and his inimitable charm will help to make it a fun and memorable night. Seats are selling out, so grab your tix while you can -- call the IAC on 702-457-3866 for more details.

Hockey in the Desert - Yes or No?:

Our current reader poll is canvassing your interest in a Las Vegas NHL team and whether or not you'd consider purchasing tickets to hockey games as part of your entertainment budget, whether you're a tourist or a local. The survey closes at midnight, when a new poll goes live, so get your vote in ASAP if you have an opinion you'd like to air on this subject.

LiFE is Dead; MO5AIC is Homeless:

It's been confirmed that the larger of SLS' two nightclubs, LiFE, will close after July 4 weekend. It's future will be as a private-event space, at least for now, while Foxtail will get an upgrade as the hotel's flagship nightspot. Meanwhile, a cappella boy band MO5AIC, which opened at Bally's with an outrageous $130 "cheapest" ticket and rapidly down-priced by almost 50%, has now closed. (The word is that there was a dispute over rent.) Perhaps this will serve as a lesson for people to quit using annoying random upper/lower case letters, numerals, and exclamation points in their name (look what happened to MiX and THEhotel), but probably not.

Hump Day Hangouts with the Mob Mayor:

Commencing tomorrow, and continuing each Wednesday indefinitely, former Las Vegas Mayor and Mob attorney Oscar Goodman will be hanging out in the steakhouse named for him at downtown's Plaza and he invites you to go hang with him. He'll be telling stories, answering questions, signing books, and probably knocking back a martini or two from 6-7:30 p.m., so go say hi. Also, look out for future dinners with Oscar at the Plaza -- LVA recently attended one of these occasional events, which take place in a private dining room and feature Goodman regaling the audience with tales from his colorful past -- the night we attended the topic was his former client, notorious drug trafficker and high roller Jimmy Chagra, and it certainly made for an entertaining evening.

Sevens Rugby Makes Vegas Home:

United World Sports, the owner and operator the USA Sevens International Rugby Tournament, has announced that the tournament is confirmed to return to Las Vegas through 2019, following five consecutive years of attendance growth that culminated in 75,000 fans attending the 2015 three-day event at Sam Boyd Stadium. The 2016 tournament will take place March 4-6, following a week of rugby festivities beginning Monday, Feb. 29, with participating nations likely to include Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Portugal, Samoa, Scotland, United States, Russia, South Africa, and Wales.

Stormy Weather:

The National Weather Service is forecasting a continuation right through the holiday weekend of the hot, cloudy, super-humid weather we enjoyed so much yesterday, with a chance of thunderstorms, particularly in the mountains. Expect weekend highs ranging from 105 to 110 degrees.

TopSpin Ping Pong Returns to Palazzo:

July 18 Lagasse's Stadium at Palazzo will host the Third Annual TopSpin Charity Ping Pong Tournament, hosted by eight-time All Star Chris Paul. 16 hoops stars, including Al-Farouq Aminu, Langston Galloway, Willie Green, Bernard James, Wes Matthews, Jerry Stackhouse, P.J. Tucker, John Wallace, CJ Watson, Jerome Williams, and Mike Woodson will go head-to-head in the charity ping pong tournament, with a portion of proceeds portion of proceeds from the event to be donated to the Chris Paul Family Foundation, the Jump For Joy Foundation, and TopSpin. Tickets are now on sale for $75 GA (includes entry to after-party at TAO nightclub with one hour open bar) or $150 VIP (includeds access to VIP lounge, with complimentary food and beverage, and to the tournament practice area).

July LVA Newsletter is Live:

We just posted the latest issue of our member-only monthly newsletter, with the lowdown on: cheap summer room rates; dollar oysters; a new loss-rebate deal downtown; a new bar with near-100% video poker; a new topless-pool option; not one but two new dollar-beer plays, not to mention a burger-and-beer deal for $3.99; a new $1-minimum blackjack game; a new remote-betting app from an independent sports book, and that's just the tip of iceberg, so check it out right now!

Vegas Snubbed in "Best Casinos" List":

Readers of USA Today have spoken and named their picks for the nation's Ten Best Casinos and Las Vegas makes just one appearance, with Red Rock Resort coming in at #8. The winner was California's Pechanga tribal casino, followed by Connecticut's Mohegan Sun at #2 and Foxwoods at #3. Other picks included Atlantic City's Borgata, and properties in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Indiana.

A.C. Digest - There's a Lot Going On:

There's a lot of news emanating from the east coast, starting with last Friday's opening of The Playground, Bart Blatstein's $52 million-remake of the former Pier Shops at Caesars. The first floor is modeled on the famous "music" streets in Nashville, Memphis, and Austin and itself includes five live-music venues and a 2,000-capacity concert venue, with a bowling alley and sports bar set to open later in the year. The non-gaming complex also features multiple restaurants and retail outlets and a beer garden, plus a sign from the Riviera (we've been unable to ascertain which one...) that Blatstein purchased during the recent fire sale at the now-closed Las Vegas resort. Future plans call for an elevated pool and private-event spaces. In other news, Trump Plaza is to remain closed for at least 10 years as a tax-saving measure, in light of new measures being proposed by Gov. Chris Christie that could render the property liable for ongoing payments, even though it hasn't been operational since last September. While the the Plaza could still be used for other purposes in the interim, it's more likely that the former resort-casino will remain vacant until such point as it can be razed and the land it sits on re-purposed. In a final item of note, last week saw another blow for Glenn Straub, with a victory awarded to Revel Resort's former tenants by the presiding Bankruptcy Judge, Michael Kaplan, who ruled that HQ nightclub and other enterprises that had rented space from the resort still had valid leases that Straub's Polo North is obliged to honor. These tenants' rights include "access to utilities for operation, including electricity, hot and cold water, plumbing, gas, internet, cable and telephone service." In light of reports from The Bank of New York, which represents bondholders holding about $119 in municipal bonds used by ACR Energy Partners to build the power plant for Revel, the company has defaulted on the bonds and is on the verge of going belly up. Straub currently has a temporary agreement with the plant to continue to provide Revel with power, but by the sound of it this could soon become a moot point.

Dancing/Lounging with the Star-Spangled Stars:

This July 3 and 5, the Dancing with the Stars: Live! tour hits the Venetian Theatre for two nights and, to complement the performances, on July 4 DWTS All-Stars Champion Melissa Rycroft, along with multiple other cast members, will host a festive party at Palazzo's Azure Pool from 1-4 p.m. A $20 cover applies (free to locals with valid ID) and must be 21+. No other details have been released as yet, but we should know more by the time we post our July 4 event round-up later this week.

Blair/ElkY Stuck on 11:

Blair Rodman took a bad beat on the river to finish 11th in yesterday's $5K Turbo NLH event, in which he'd been among the chip leaders throughout. Keven MacPhee won the tournament and the $490,800 first prize. Blair matched Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier for the best finish (so far this year) by a Huntington Press author. ElkY is the author of Huntington Press' The Raiser's Edge and Blair wrote Kill Phil and is currently working on a new beginner's book on hold 'em.

Summer Meal Deals at South Point:

Chefs at South Point's Don Vito's restaurant and Silverado Steakhouse are introducing limited-duration weekday prix-fixe summer menus, starting today. To be offered through Aug. 27, the "Summer Meal Deal" at Don Vito’s features three courses for $19 (with entrée choices including Fettuccine Alfredo; baked penne Bolognese, and chicken manicotti); at Silverado Steakhouse, the $29 set menu features first-course choices of a cup of Lobster Bisque (with Cognac), spinach salad, or house salad (tossed tableside); entrées include a six-ounce filet mignon, chicken Française, or filet of salmon, all of which come with the choice of baked or mashed potatoes or seasonal vegetables. Dessert options include warm apple crumb cake (served with Crown Royal apple crème anglaise), sorbet, or ice cream. Guests can complement the meal with the restaurant’s current "Wine of the Month" for $20 per bottle. These custom, multi-course menus will be available, alongside the regular menu, from Monday through Thursday, 5 to 6:30 p.m. and again from 9 to 10 p.m.

Calling All Celine Fans:

Ahead of her return to Caesars' Colosseum on August 27, singer Celine Dion is asking fans to submit a video clip of themselves performing their own rendition of her hit "I Drove All Night," to be included in a compilation piece to accompany the song when she performs it live in the revamped show. Submissions will be accepted until July 25 and there are a few guidelines to abide by if you want a shot of your entry making the cut: The video's intention is to represent fans from around the world, so choose a recognizable place in your town to serve as the backdrop when you film your version*, which can be sung live or lip-synced, solo or with friends/family. At the end of the clip, let go of a red balloon between you and the camera (we assume this means a helium-filled balloon that will rise up and fly away when you let go, as opposed to falling on the ground. We also note that the official guidelines state that you must "shoot yourself in a recognizable place in your town" -- to clarify, we're almost certain this means with a camera). For more info, including a sample video and instructions on how to submit your own, visit celinedion.com or celineinvegas.com.

Dollar Blackjack:

Signs in Binion's are advertising the return of "Throwback Thursdays," featuring $1 single-deck blackjack dealt from noon to midnight. The promotion ran earlier this year with two tables dealing the game.

Killing Phils at the WSOP:

Kill Phil author Blair Rodman is in third going into the final day of the $5K Turbo NLH event. Igor Yaroshevskyy leads with 707,000, David Benefield is second with 482,000, and Blair's right there with 480,000 with 54 players remaining.

'Final Toast' for Center Bar:

Tonight is the last for the Center Bar at Hard Rock. A "Final Toast" party runs from 7 to 10 p.m., with the toast being made by Robin Leach at 9:45. We're guessing this will be a happening.

Cook E. Jarr Returns:

Popular and veteran Vegas lounge performer Cook E. Jarr, who's been absent from the nightlife scene since his show closed at Harrah's last August, is back and performing a free show (2-drink minimum applies) each Monday from 6-8 p.m. in Napoleon's at Paris.

UFC Machida/Romero:

Lyoto Machida is a -170 favorite over Yoel Romero in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Lorenz Larkin is -170 over Santiago Ponzinibbio.

Smash and Toad on Fremont:

Downtown's "Rock of Vegas" summer concert series continues tonight with Smash Mouth and Toad the Wet Sprocket. The free concert begins at 9 p.m. on the 3rd Street Stage.

Ferraro's Goes Family-Style:

New for the summer, Ferraro's Italian Restaurant on Paradise has introduced a prix-fixe family-style dinner option for $35/person, with menu items including: seared Ahi tuna; crab cakes; eggplant stuffed with three cheese; pasta with clams; pizza; homemade ragout; and lamb and veal chops. The family-style dinner features 3 courses, plus a side dish.

Gorodinsky Wins PPC:

Mike Gorodinsky won the prestigious Poker Players Championship, outlasting runner-up Jean-Robert Bellande to take the $1,270,086 first prize. It was Gorodinsky's second WSOP championship.

Oodles of Noodles:

It seems every self-respecting casino has a noodle bar these days and evidently Silverton has no desire to be the exception, with word that Wuhu Noodle will debut July 3, with a grand opening celebration featuring a parade, live musicians, and traditional lion dance. The restaurant will serve a selection of Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese cuisines, including Dim Sum, and will feature an interactive kitchen-viewing area.

Rock Apocalypse Warning:

We confess to being intrigued by the concept of the new rooftop nightclub, Fuso, which recently debuted at Larry Flynt's Hustler Vegas gentlemen's club. The club came in strong, with back-to-back gigs by The Crystal Method for the grand opening weekend back in May, but we haven't heard much since and see only a regular live reggae night on Thursdays listed on the club website. However, there's an interesting one-off event in the pipeline because this August 8 at 9 p.m., the Vegas Rock Apocalypse will be unleashed. "Not just a show, but a whole themed experience," the event promises such delights as voluptuous steam-punk vampires in metal cages, mingling shot girls, freaks on stilts, a former AC/DC drummer and a vocalist from Asia suspended from the ceiling, and a screening of classic horror flick Nosferatu, as part of a cosmic collision of classic rock and EDM. Confused? Yes, so are we. The show runs from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and tix are $49.75. Must be 21+.

Minor Update on New Frontier Successor:

An official announcement was planned for next month, but the team behind the new project slated for the 35-acre former New Frontier site opposite Wynn was forced earlier this week to make an official statement after some details were leaked prematurely. There had been a deafening silence since the project was first announced a year-or-so ago, but now applications have been filed with Clark County seeking various land entitlements and permits required for the project. Apparently, this latest bid to establish a foothold in the U.S. casino industry by James Packer, son of deceased Australian media mogul and notorious high roller Kerry Packer, calls for a two-tower, 1,100-room resort-casino called Alon Las Vegas, but that's about as much as the tight-lipped developers are prepared to give up right now.

Casino Enterprise Management Publisher Dead at 54:

Peter Mead, Founder and Publisher of Casino Enterprise Management, a recognized authority on all operational facets of the casino business via online and audio articles, videos, podcasts, Web exclusives, case studies, white papers, and a live newswire, has died aged 54, we just learned from fellow industry veteran and Huntington Press author Jeffrey Compton, publisher of CDCGamingReports.com.

Best Bar in Vegas? It's Seven's Annual Survey Time:

Las Vegas has 1,876,224 bars, approximately. Okay, perhaps we were seeing double and counted a few of 'em twice, but this city has a LOT of watering holes, and that's a fact. From down-and-dirty dives to Champagne-cocktail debauchery, and from sports bars to zombie bars to bacon bars, Sin City has you covered. Now, it's time for you to pick the best of the best for Vegas Seven magazine's 4th Annual Las Vegas Bar Hall of Fame. NOTE: This is important, so choose wisely.

Big Top Burlesque:

Tonight, Absinthe's Melody Sweets presents one of her one-off spin-off sideshow productions in the Spiegeltent at Caesars Palace. The Big Top Circus and Burlesque show features all your carnival favorites, including, comedians, acrobats, a human cannonball, guest appearances from Cirque and Frankie Marino's Divas, a live band featuring talent like Pop Evolution's (omnipresent!) David Perrico, and of course the Green Fairy and belle of the ball, Ms Sweets herself, who'll be perform a variety of songs, including original numbers from her debut album "Burlesque in the Black." Tickets are $15-$25, doors open at midnight, must be 18+.

Billion Dollar Month for NV Casinos:

With downtown, North Las Vegas, and the Boulder Strip all experiencing double-digit gaming-revenue increases last month, and a series of crowd-pulling special events on the Strip, including the Mayweather fight, iHeart Radio Pool Party, Rock in Rio, and the ongoing WSOP, May marked the first $1 billion-revenue month for Nevada's casino industry since December 2013 and a 3.3% increase over the same month last year.

Backyard Beach BBQ from Border Grill:

Las Vegas' original Border Grill location at Mandalay Bay is finally taking good advantage of its cool location overlooking Mandalay Beach and is launching a series of summer BBQ sessions in tandem with the Concerts on The Beach at Mandalay Bay. On nights when a poolside concert's taking place, the restaurant will transform its lower patio into a pop-up backyard BBQ destination from 6 to 8 p.m., serving a variety of oysters, ceviches, and tortas, as well as fresh barbacoa favorites, grilled Mexican corn, grilled shrimp, and other menu items priced from just $3 to $8. $5 beers and $7 margaritas will also be available on concert nights.

Today's QoD, Now Even Factier and More Illustrated!:

Today's installment (Part XI, no less!) in our history of bygone Strip-resort attractions, has just received a couple of last-minute additions, including links to an image of Mohammad Ali training in the original Caesars Palace Sports Pavilion, which was abandoned in favor of a series of massive temporary structures built in the hotel parking lot, one of which is also viewable via an added link -- you can also see a different image of an earlier incarnation, we're guessing the 1980 original, in the photo montage that accompanies today's Question of the Day, which also depicts the ice-hockey rink and the Formula One race track that also graced Caesars' highly adaptable parking lot over the years.

Town Square Country Bar Kaput:

It's come to our attention that what was once an outpost of the Stoney's Country saloon family, before being rebranded a matter of months ago as Las Vegas Bull Cowboy Town (aka The Bull), has quietly put its mechanical bull out to pasture and shut-up shop, pending another makeover -- presumably with a different theme this time. Cowboys and girls need not be blue, however: Las Vegas Weekly reports that the original Stoney's Rockin' Country (at Pebble Road and S. Las Vegas Boulevard), which is now Rubicon Latin club, is stepping in with a new Thursday night "Hicks & Chicks" and bringing back the old dollar-drinks-for-ladies promo. Plus, this Saturday, June 27, Palms hosts its traditional Cowboy Boots & Bathing Suits pool party, in conjunction with 95.5 The Bull, featuring Bud Light and Crown Royal drink specials (naturally). Cover charge is $10 for males and females (free to local ladies) -- we just need to figure out how to attach our spurs to our flip flops...

Las Vegas This (Musical) Weekend:

After the recent all-EDM-all-the-time dayglo craziness that is Electric Daisy Carnival, this weekend sees a far more eclectic spread of musical options to choose from, ranging from reggae to rock metal, from Broadway musicals to Tenors from Texas, and from "dark wave indie pop" on the beach, to the romantic baladas of a Mexican banda downtown. Tone deaf? Don't worry, we have beauty queens, and comedians, and burlesque performers, and horses, too. And booze. #VegasBaby The Smith Center welcomes the 2015 Miss Nevada Pageant (6/26-27), while Annaleigh Ashford will be performing her show, Lost in the Stars, in the Cabaret Jazz Club (6/27-28) Goldboot takes center stage at Backstage Bar & Billiards (6/26), where the alpha complex and White Knuckle Riot will also perform (6/28) Outdoors enthusiasts can enjoy the Camping World RV Expo at the Orleans (6/25-28), to which D.L. Hughly will also be bringing his brand of stand-up this weekend (6/26-27) Speaking of comedy, take your pick from Jay Mohr at South Point (6/26-27); The Knockout Comedy Super Show, hosted by Marlon Wayans, at Planet Hollywood (6/27); or Bill Burr at the Mirage (6/26-27) Melody Sweets presents her Big Top Circus and Burlesque! extravaganza in the Absinthe tent at Caesars for one night only -- technically one morning only, since doors are at midnight (6/26) Nashville Unplugged returns to South Point, with Thom Shepard and co-host Michael Peterson (6/26) The Texas Tenors perform at Suncoast (6/26-28) Buffalo Bill's (Primm) welcomes Banda Cuisillos to the Star of the Desert Arena (6/27) Smash Mouth & Toad the Wet Sprocket take the spotlight on Fremont Street (6/27) Three Dog Night will perform at the Cannery (6/27) The Tropicana hosts the 29th Annual Ribbon of Life Rockin the Ribbon, featuring elements of classic rock ‘n’ roll, Broadway themed rock performances, contemporary pop rock ‘n’ roll, rock opera and some rock ‘n’ roll movie themes.(6/28) Brooklyn Bowl welcomes Reggae Bowl, featuring Big Mountain(6/28) It's Live Salsa Music with Noches Calientes at the Gold Coast (6/27) Mandalay Bay Beach hosts the Red Wine & Brew Beer, Wine, and BBQ Festival, with live music courtesy of Ms MR, X Ambassadors and Offset Season (6/27) And the South Point Arena welcomes the Gold Rush Peruvian Horse Classic (6/26-28)

New Life for Atlantic Club (but what of Revel?):

The former Atlantic Club hotel-casino has changed hands multiple times since it closed in January 2014, and the the last we heard it was looking at a possible future as a retirement home of some sort. Now, it turns out it's being sold again (according to our reckoning, this will be the fourth time in 18 months), with a plan approved earlier this week to convert the property into an indoor-outdoor water park, featuring other related amusements and rides, including zip lines and volleyball courts, with restaurants or cafes in the "beach zone" and possibly condo units, too. Where this leaves Glenn Straub, who's been uncharacteristically quiet of late, and his ambitious scheme to transform Revel into a massive water park (just one of the ideas he's mooted for the property), we're not at all sure (but we look forward to the next installment, with its promise of being as unpredictable and off-the-wall as every previous move or statement made by the eccentric developer has been).

Big Blues Bender Finds New Home at the Plaza:

The annual celebration of all things blues, previously hosted by the Riviera, will be moving downtown to the Plaza for the 2015 event, which will take place September 10-13, with a lineup of big-name artists including Buddy Guy, Walter Trout, Tab Benoit, and many others scheduled for the four-day Big Blues Bender music festival, which will also feature a Vendor Village, artists' panels, and other activities and themed events. A four-day pass is $499, or choose from a range of packages starting at $699, which include four nights at the Plaza and access to all live performances.

Dream of NHL Team One Step Closer:

On Wednesday, the NHL Board of Governors announced that it's formally agreed to explore the next round of NHL expansion and will commence accepting applications for expansion franchises sometime this July; month. While this is still an exploratory phase, with no promises being made about definite expansion and no starting fee for any new franchise having been established, Commissioner Gary Bettman indicated that it would need to be in the region of at least $500 million. Currently Seattle, Quebec City, and Las Vegas are all expressing serious interest in bidding, with more than 13,000 individuals reportedly having made a firm season-ticket commitment in Sin City, where the new Las Vegas Arena is being pegged as the perfect home for a local NHL team. Have an opinion on this subject? Whether you're a Vegas local or an out-of-town visitor, you're invited to vote in our current Reader Poll, which is all about gauging how much interest and support there would be for hockey in the desert, so let us know how you feel!

Sick of Fees? The Palms Has Some Good News for You:

This July 1-5 only, the Palms is celebrating Independence Day with a limited-duration waiving of box office fees for upcoming events in the Pearl theater, if the tickets are purchased in-person at the venue. There's an eclectic lineup of summer and fall headliners scheduled to perform in the intimate venue, including Alice in Chains, Melissa Etheridge, Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, Bill Maher, and many others. The standard fee is approximately $12 (we'll verify this with the box office when it opens at noon), so this is a significant saving. The offer's limited to four tickets per person.

Final Six in PPC:

This year's biggest buy-in event at the World Series of Poker, the $50K Poker Players Championship, is down to the final six players. David Baker is the chip leader with 3.2 million, followed by Mike Gorodinsky with 2.6 million. The other final-table players are Jean-Robert Bellande, Chris Klodnicki, Ben Sulsky, and Dan Kelly.

Stay Frosty This Summer With Free Skate Lessons:

With temperatures in an upward spiral, and expected to hit 114 (in the shade) by Friday, there's some good news in the form of a cool offer from the SoBe Ice Arena at Fiesta Rancho, which is offering locals the chance to beat the heat with free skating lessons and complimentary ice-skate rental on the first Monday of July and August. Nice!

SLS -- Still Losing $:

While SLS just released information about its Fourth of July Weekend festivities (which will feature Lil Wayne, DMX, Erick Morillo, Rebecca and Fiona, New World Punx, and others), there's not much to celebrate at the north end of the Strip, with attendance at Rock in Rio having fallen well below expectations and now news that the boutique SLS Las Vegas lost $35.3 million during Q1 2015, according its latest quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing also reveals that the Strip resort’s private equity owners contributed a total of $5.3 million in April in order to keep the property's general operations afloat and they anticipate bailing out SLS to the tune of up to another $35 million through the end of the year "to enable the company to pay its obligations as they become due."

MA Gets It's First Casino:

With Wednesday afternoon's debut of Plainridge Park, Massachusetts gets its first of three planned casino properties, making it the 40th U.S. state to embrace casino-style gaming. Unlike Las Vegas, however, last call for alcohol at Plainridge Park is 1 a.m. and the casino is entirely smoke-free. Also, table games weren't permitted at Plainridge under the state agreement, so the new casino is basically a high-end slot joint, with 1,500 slot and video blackjack machines and electronic roulette offered, only.

Wildfires Prompt Air Quality Advisory:

Drifting smoke from the wildfire currently burning in California's San Bernardino National Forest has prompted the Clark County Department of Air Quality's to issue an advisory for smoke and ground-level ozone, which remains in effect through Friday. Those with any form of respiratory disease are particularly liable to be affected and are advised to remain indoors whenever possible until the advisory is lifted; more information and updates on air quality can be found online at redrock.clarkcountynv.gov/forecast.

Palms Points Promo 6/25:

For reasons that aren't currently apparent to us (but we're not complaining), Palms casino is offering 10X points on slots and 2X points in video poker all day this Thursday, June 25. The promo is good for all machine players, at any denomination, and no visit to the player's club or card-swiping is required -- just remember to keep your player's card actively accumulating (don't let it time out when you go to the restroom, a tip Anthony Curtis recently expanded upon in the LVA newsletter.

Magician on the Move:

While the theater in which he performs is being "tricked out," so to speak, for the August debut of "America’s Got Talent" winner, illusionist Mat Franco, comedian and juggler Jeff Civillico has moved next door, for a 12-week summer run in Bugsy’s Cabaret at the Flamingo. Jeff will continue to perform two shows daily (dark Fri/Sat) before returning to The LINQ Hotel after Labor Day Weekend.

Fatal Crash Blocking I-15 at Cheyenne:

NHP reports that northbound lanes of Interstate 15 have been shut down following a deadly crash involving a motorcyclist and a Toyota that took place less than an hour ago, just south of Cheyenne Avenue. As recently as 10 minutes ago, traffic was reported as being backed up all the way to just north of the Spaghetti Bowl, with vehicles being diverted off the freeway at Lake Mead Boulevard, so avoid that whole area for now if you can.

Another Incarnation for that Big Club on Procyon:

The ginormous nightspot that has been SCORES, Rick's Cabaret, Jaguars, and House Showclub, among many incarnations, is now Embassy (Latin) Nightclub & Hookah Lounge, with a Grand Opening set for July 2, according to the (latest) official Facebook page for the venue. (For the record, we'd just like to point out that "Seek Refuge" might not be the best slogan to put out there, when you're located right around the corner from the Zombie Apocalypse Store...) In other (former) strip club news Striptease, that other multi-identity'd venue in the vicinity of our offices, is also looking for a new operator, according to the "available" signage recently posted outside by a realtor. The club, which we've seen come and go as Eden, Velvet Lion, and a few more incarnations, including a brief spell as a gay club. As Striptease, the club briefly advertised a few special events as an "urban" topless venue, but it disappeared off the radar again many months back.

Poker Players Championship Entries Down:

The World Series of Poker's $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship is underway, but with a field of only 84, an 18% decline from last year. The leader is Scott Seiver, with two-time winner Michael "the Grinder" Mizrachi in 11th and last year's runner-up Brandon Shack-Harris lurking in 17th.

Casino Credit, the Pros and Cons:

That's the topic that Bob Dancer tackles in his column this week, with a series of instructive Q&As to help you determine whether or not an interest-free loan from your favorite casino is actually a good move for you -- or a dangerous and potentially costly proposition (and he's not just talking about financially, either).

AVN / AEE Details Announced:

The 2015 Adult Entertainment Expo and AVN Awards ceremony -- the Oscars of the porn industry -- will take place in Las Vegas Jan. 2-13, 2016, hosted once more by the Hard Rock, although during the course of the four-day program, AEE will host more than 14 official parties, including events at Sapphire, Vanity, Body English, and Vinyl. Passes are available now, starting at $120 (upgrade for $200 and receive an all-inclusive pass with access to the official parties, too.)

Daily Fantasy Juggernaut Rolls On:

With heavyweights like Disney and ESPN having stamped their seal of approval on the now multi billion-dollar world of Daily Fantasy Sports, the latest development we've heard of is that restaurant/entertainment-venue brand Latitude 360 has plans to roll out the first-ever chain of live in-venue "fantasy sports books," based on their existing HD Sports Theater locations. The company's plan entails including iPads in Latitude 360's theaters, in a bid to offer some kind of social-networking/dating opportunity thanks to "the ease of interacting through fantasy-style gaming." More ambitious plans extend to the creation of VIP rooms for high rollers (that are conjuring up Lagasse's Stadium-type images for us) and contests with entry fees projected to range from $250 to $25,000, reports Forbes.com.

Kudos to HOTEL32; Snubs for Others:

While recent trip reports about the Monte Carlo have often been less than favorable (see Question of the Day 6/10/15), its exclusive HOTEL32, the upper-level upgrade born out of necessity following the 2008 roof fire that wrecked the top five floors of the hotel, has just been named Nevada's Best Boutique Hotel by Thrillist (even though they didn't get the name quite right...) So, congrats to HOTEL32; commiserations to the Artisan, Rumor, SLS, the Cromwell, the Delano, Element, Nobu, Skylofts, Mandarin Oriental, HRH Tower, Four Seasons, Cabana Suites, Oasis at Gold Spike, and any of Las Vegas' numerous other boutique hotels that we may have forgotten (but sincerely hope we didn't, as a double snub would just be too awful).

Chocolate Shocker:

While earlier this month we had great news for Vegas chocoholics, we must counter now with some sobering information: A poor harvest in Ghana, which along with Ivory Coast is one of the world's leading growers of cocoa beans, is leading to a sharp rise in prices and fear of a chocolate shortage. A Las Vegas local and LVA scout reports that this is already having an impact here, with Ethel M having raised the price of some of their popular candies by up to $5 a box in the past two weeks, while other leading manufacturers, including Hershey, Nestlé, and Lindt, are also raising retail prices.

Tax Changes Not All Bad for Gamblers:

While many gamblers are protesting the IRS' proposed change to the reporting threshold for jackpot wins, but in an interview with TribLIVE's AandE columnist Mark Gruetze, Las Vegas-based Enrolled Agent and Tax Help for Gamblers co-author Marissa Chien explains that the accompanying proposed change in IRS procedure, which would establish a "playing session" concept, is actually advantageous to gamblers -- a fact that "is getting lost in all this $600 nonsense." Check out the TribLIVE feature to benefit from Marissa's insightful explanations and advice regarding this often misunderstood topic.

Photo Opp for Hockey Fans:

The iconic Stanley Cup, one of the most revered trophies in professional sports, will be on display from 4 p.m. today in the lobby of the MGM Grand, where fans will be able to view this and other trophies until 7 p.m. this evening, and again on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon and from 4 to 7 p.m., as part of the celebrations leading up to the 2015 NHL Awards, which the resort is hosting on Wednesday.

Tracinda to Sell Remaining Stake in MGM:

At the behest of the will of the late Kirk Kerkorian, who died last week, his Tracinda Corp. will sell its remaining 16.2% stake in MGM Resorts, valued at approximately $1.74 billion.

World's Most Unusual Casinos:

From Swedish drive-in bingo, to strip club video poker, to swim-up blackjack, to underwater backgammon, to underground (literally) slots, today's Question of the Day features the best of the email responses we received in light of our last Reader Poll, about the strangest places you've ever gambled. Check out the cool stories, crazy scenarios, and interesting photographs... (There's a new LVA poll running right now, by the way, should you care to chip in.)

World Poker Tour Sold:

WPT Enterprises, Inc., owner of the World Poker Tour brand, announced Monday that it has been acquired from Bwin.party by Hong Kong-listed Ourgame International Holdings Ltd., for $35 million in cash. The move comes following the companies' announcement of an exclusive branding agreement in Asia late last year; Ourgame CEO Frank Ng said WPT's new owner intends to "continue to expand its already impressive global presence, bringing poker and gaming entertainment to cities and homes around the world via television broadcasts, mobile devices, card tables, and more."

Maryland Changes Blackjack Rule:

The Maryland Gaming Control Commission has approved a rule change that will allow casinos to hit on soft 17 in blackjack. The rule adds .2% to the edge against basic strategy. A request to allow the change was rejected last year, but the commission said the casinos "made a good enough argument" this time, and and will allow them to follow the trend toward hitting 17 in blackjack games everywhere.

Lotto Bacon:

OK, so we haven't seen everything -- Indiana's Hoosier Lottery has introduced bacon-scented lottery tickets. The "Bringin' Home the Bacon" scratch-off game costs $2 to play and offers cash prizes up to $10,000, with a chance to win a 20-year supply of bacon.

Spieth Favored in Open:

With four players tied for the lead going into the final day of the U.S. Open golf championship, Jordan Spieth is the +215 favorite. He's followed by Dustin Johnson (+295), Jason Day (+445), and Branden Grace (+665).

Happy Father's Day:

In addition to special meals being served all over town today, several casinos are running gambling specials. Boyd properties are paying 7X points on video poker, 11X on slots, and 15X on penny slots. Earn 10,000 points at Silverton and get a $100 Bass Pro Shops gift card, along with 20 drawings today for $25 Bass gift cards. All bingo players get a bear claw back scratcher at South Point. Downtown, the D has 5X points on slots and El Cortez has 5X points on video poker and slots and free White Castle hamburgers for players from noon to 6 p.m. And get a backpack at Jerry's Nugget for a $4 bingo buy-in or $10 live keno ticket. At the other end of the spectrum, Crazy Horse III gentlemen's club is celebrating Father’s Day with the "Who’s Your Daddy " Diamond Dollar giveaway today, for all those guys who aren’t fathers. The top prize of $500 Diamond Dollars, valid towards any purchase at the club, will be awarded to the guest who purchases the most bottles. Or, for something more sedate, Downtown Summerlin's Lazy Dogs (yes, it's dog-friendly) is offering dads $3 house drafts all day long, served in a special commemorative Lazy Dog pint glass (one per customer, while supplies last).

Center Bar Will Be … a Bar:

According to an article by the LV Sun's John Katsilometes, the closing Center Bar at the Hard Rock will become another bar, possibly called New Center Bar. HR's sunken casino floor will also be raised to the level of the rest of the main floor.

New Park Will Serve Handicapped:

Work will begin next week on what’s being called a one-of-a-kind park in the U.S. that will provide learning and recreational activities for the physically and mentally handicapped. Sean’s Park at Opportunity Village will not be open to the public, but will aid those with disabilities in areas that include personal safety, money management, teamwork, and nutrition. It’s expected to be operating before the end of this year.

Nevada Second in Jobs:

Nevada ranked second in the nation for public sector job growth in 2014, with a 4% increase. The result seems counterintuitive given that Nevada has the second-highest rate of unemployment in the nation at 7%, but that’s due to the state’s labor force also increasing. Only South Dakota added more jobs at 4.6%.

WSOP Ramps Up:

With just two weeks remaining till the start of the World Series of Poker Main Event, several of the marquee tournaments are set to go. The $1,500-buy-in "Dealer’s Choice" event began yesterday and the $50,000-buy-in "Poker Players Championship" starts tomorrow. Other high-profile tourneys include the new $1,500-buy-in "DraftKings 50/50" event on June 27, the $111,111-buy-in High Roller for One Drop on 28, and the $1,111-buy-in "Little One for One Drop" is on June 30. The Main Event begins July 5.

WWE Hits the T&M Tonight:

The World Wrestling Entertainment's SummerSlam Heatwave Tour will be at the Thomas & Mack tonight. Announced participants include WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback, Dean Ambrose, and Big Show. Tickets start at $23 for the 7:30 p.m. event.

Flip-Flop on into Tropical Smoothie:

Tropical Smoothie Café locations in Southern Nevada are holding their annual National Flip-Flop Day promo today, rewarding customers who wear flip-flops into the store with a complimentary 24-ounce Jetty Punch smoothie until 7 p.m. The stores are also continuing the annual tradition of collecting donations for Camp Sunshine, a nonprofit that helps the families of children with life-threatening illnesses.

Downtown Therapy:

A new bar and restaurant called Therapy has opened downtown. It's located among the dozen or so bars now operating in the Fremont East area near the El Cortez.

Locals Discount at db Brasserie:

Show your local ID to get 30% off at db Brasserie at the Venetian. The deal is good for all meals (except during Happy Hours) and runs through Labor Day.

Vegas Dining/Tiki in USA Today:

Today's USA Today contains a big feature on the Las Vegas dining scene, which, according to the article, now boasts "four AAA Five Diamond restaurants, 25 AAA Four Diamond restaurants, 16 Michelin Star-rated restaurants, 12 master sommeliers, and 25 to 50 celebrity chefs." The same issue includes Frankie's Tiki Room in the list of "10 Best: Tiki Bars with Dreamy Drinks."

Grimm's Fairytale Ends at Hard Rock:

Singer Michael Grimm's three-month residency inside Vinyl at the Hard Rock, which was slated to run through August 30, has been cancelled effective immediately, due to "unforeseen circumstances." All guests holding tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.

EDC Traffic Overview:

Expect traffic delays on the I-15 from late Friday afternoon through Monday morning, particularly in all directions in the vicinity of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where the three-day Electric Daisy Carnival will be taking place. Check the festival's official website for travel, transportation, and parking information, instructions, and tips -- whether you're attempting to navigate to, from, or keep as wide a berth as possible from EDC 2015.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Yup, folks, it's Electric Daisy Carnival time once again; if you're interested in all that psychedelic shenanigans, may we respectfully direct you to the Las Vegas Weekly, which has great listings of all the EDC-related pool parties and entertainment, saving us the bother. In the meantime, here's a bunch of other stuff going on: Michael Cavanaugh performs The Songs of Billy Joel & More at the South Point (6/19) where you can also experience Las Vegas Comic Con (6/19-21) House of Blues at Mandalay features FiggFest with performances by False Cause, Winter Will Follow, NE Lost Words, Rule of Thumb, diM and Cirka Sik on (6/19) and Steel Panther perform the following evening (6/20) Michael Grimm returns to Vinyl at Hard Rock (6/19-21) The One Ton Project Album Release Show features Dinner Music For The Gods, The Solid Suns and the Bounty Hunter Brothers at Backstage Bar & Billiards(6/19) Nashville Unplugged returns to Sunset Station with Bill Labounty and co-host Regie Hamm (6/19) where Billy Dean & The Steel Band perform on (6/20) The Orleans has a diverse line-up this weekend with Paula Poundstone (6/19); Sesame Street Live, Let's Dance (6/20); and the Southern Nevada Sports Nevada Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with Kurt Busch and Tyson (6/19) Roberta Flack takes center stage at Green Valley Ranch (6/19) Smith Center also has a diverse line-up this weekend with the Samba Exotico - The Assad Brothers (6/19-21); Frank Sinatra Jr. performs Sinatra Sings Sinatra, As I Remember It (6/20); and Conversations with Norm - Remembering Sinatra (6/21) It's an Evening with Barbara Eden at the Suncoast (6/20) Boomers Bar presents CelebriTease - The Hollywood Exposed Burlesque Show (6/20) Silverton hosts Bonkerz Comedy Club (6/20) Lake Las Vegas Resort welcomes the Las Vegas Adoption Event, Under the Stars with Music (6/20) Little Anthony & The Imperials perform at Eastside Cannery (6/20) Noches Calientes return to the Gold Coast with Live Salsa Music (6/20) It's a boxing weekend at the MGM featuring Premier Boxing Champions NBC: Adrien Broner vs Shawn Porter (6/20) followed by Premier Boxing Champions on CBS: Rances Barthelemy vs Antonio Demarco (6/21) David Alba's Live Tribute to Judy Garland, By Myself on a Lonely Stage takes the spotlight at the Onyx Theater (6/21) The Hello Kitty Truck is visiting from Southern Calif. at the Fashion Show Mall (6/20) And Discover the Dinosaurs exhibit is hosted by Cashman Field (6/19-21)

Big Promo at the Plaza:

Downtown has another great rebate-on-loss deal. The Plaza is rebating up to $500 in one-day losses for new club members. Unlike the similar promotion running at Downtown Grand, the Plaza's "500 on Us" program allows initial play on both slots and video poker, and the rebate -- dispensed in two stages -- can be played on machines or table games. It's a good opportunity to check out the casino's greatly enhanced video poker inventory. Complete information will appear in the July LVA.

Hard Rock's Center Bar Closing:

Talk about the end of an era, the famous Center Bar in the Hard Rock's main casino is closing on June 28. Center Bar opened with the casino in 1995 and for a decade was one of Las Vegas' most popular singles spots. The Hard Rock claims that it reinvented the way bars were positioned on casino floors and we agree. The bar is running "Last Call" drink and shot specials (with commemorative shot glasses while supplies last), culminating with a "Final Toast" party from 7 to 10 p.m. on the final day. There has been no announcement of what will take its place.

Tiger a Dog:

After opening at 60-1 to win golf's U.S. Open, Tiger Woods closed this morning at 55-1. He's opened at similar odds for recent majors, but was always bet way down. Not this time. And whereas it used to be a given that Tiger would be paired with the second-biggest name in match-up betting, this time he's paired with Jason Duffner, with Duffner the -200 favorite. Rory McIlroy is the tournament favorite at 6.5-1.

Excessive heat Warning:

In case you hadn't noticed, it's hot -- dangerously hot -- with temperatures set to climb to 111 degrees for parts of the Las Vegas Valley on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The National Weather Service has just issued an excessive heat warning for Las Vegas that will last until 11 p.m. Monday night. Be sure to keep yourself -- and your pets -- well hydrated.

Las Vegas episode of “Master Chef” tonight:

On tonight's episode of Master Chef "What Happens in Vegas Steaks in Vegas" the chefs will take over Drai’s Nightclub atop the Cromwell and feed 101 Las Vegas performers. Tune into Fox tonight at 8 p.m. and see the home cooks take on the second field challenge of the season.

Public School Opens:

Public School 702 has opened in Downtown Summerlin. No Budweiser here -- the bar and restaurant serves only craft beers (and cocktails) and has a big outdoor seating area.

Warriors/Cavaliers Game 6 Line:

The Golden State Warriors are -3 favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the NBA Championship. The total is 193.5.

Free Blues Brothers Screenings and More ALL DAY Today at HoB!:

House of Blues at Mandalay Bay is celebrating the 35th anniversary of cult movie The Blues Brothers with a marathon all-day FREE screening of the film in its Crossroads restaurant and Foundation Room, continuously until closing. The Nothing But the Blues Band will provide live entertainment from 8 to 11 p.m. There will be a Blues Brothers Movie Trivia Contest for prizes including two tix to see Steel Panther, $40 Karma Cash to use for dinner at Crossroads, and more. Guests can take pictures at The Blues Brothers-themed photo kiosk and The Gear Shop will offer discounts and other promos on Blues Brothers Merchandise, while Oskar Blues Brewery’s signature House of Blues brew, 'Goofer Dust' Pale Ale will be on special all day. Just don't forget your sunglasses!

Dancer on the Law of the (Green Felt) Jungle:

When it comes to casino games in general, and video poker in particular, are you a lion or a mouse? In this week's column, Bob Dancer gives you the insight to determine your "jungle ranking" and perhaps move up the food chain a few notches...

Hiring Event RIGHT NOW!:

We just discovered there's a job fair taking place right now, until 2 p.m. only, at the Boulevard Mall, with 80+ employers participating. The event's located outside JC Penney and interviews are taking place on site, so get over there if you're looking for work!

EDC Tix Giveaway at Palms' 'Floatopia':

Fill in the form to get on the guest list for Palms' Pool's "Floatopia'-themed Ditch Fridays party this week, where they'll be giving away tickets to Electric Daisy Carnival (June 19-21).

Buffet Deal at Silverton:

Today only, earn 10 points on your players card and earn a fee buffet at Seasons at Silverton, available for use June 16 or June 17 only. Points earned must be base points only and earned by 11:30 p.m. tonight to qualify.

Palms Hosts Job Fair 6/18:

The Palms hosts another career fair this Thursday, June 18, with recruiters present from diverse local companies, including Dotty's, Clark County School District, Marshall Retail Group, Panda Express, Massage Envy spa, and many others. Visit the official website for more information.

RiSE Lantern Festival Returns, But to New Location:

Following the transportation nightmares that marred last year's inaugural Las Vegas lantern festival, which saw some attendees left stranded out at Jean Dry Lake for four hours without a shuttle back to the Strip until 2 a.m., this year the organizers are relocating RiSE to the Moapa River Reservation. Discounted pre-sale tickets for the event, which is scheduled for October 10, go on sale June 18 for $59 for adults, $39 for children, and this year's event will offer self-parking ($20/vehicle) in addition to a shuttle service to/from the Strip ($34/person).

Question of the Day Update:

We've received quite a few queries from readers wanting to know the author of today's QoD. The author chooses to remain anonymous, although we figure regular readers can probably guess; for those still in the dark, try clicking the "Casino Diaries" link at the end of the answer for a pretty big clue...

William Hill Partners with NV 7-Elevens:

Gamblers who use William Hill's Mobile Sports betting app can now deposit to their Mobile Sports accounts at 7-Eleven stores throughout Nevada, thanks to a partnership between the UK betting giant, which operates a total of 103 Nevada sports books, the convenience-store chain, and PayNearMe. To make a cash deposit to your account on-site at any of the more than 200 7-Eleven stores statewide, just generate a payment barcode on your tablet or smartphone screen by selecting the "Deposit Funds" button; the code will then be scanned at the store and the funds immediately credited to your Mobile Sports account.

Kirk Kerkorian Dead at 98:

The billionaire self-made tycoon and casino magnate, who brought Elvis and Streisand to Las Vegas and opened the original MGM Grand, died Monday at the age of 98. A major force in the casino industry until recent years, when he sold his majority stake in MGM Resorts International, you can hear gambling experts Anthony Curtis, Bob Dancer, and Richard Munchkin discussing Kerkorian's influence and legacy right now on Gambling with an Edge, or catch the podcast later at your leisure.

Lightning/Black Hawks Game 6 Line:

The Chicago Black Hawks are -150 favorites over the Tampa Bay Lightning in tonight's Game 6 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals. The goal line is 5, over -125/under +105.

Major Omission from Previous 'Casino Makeover' Post!:

In our excitement to post about the new wrought-iron fixtures at the Venetian, we totally forgot to post this FANTASTIC video, which came into our consciousness courtesy of "Eater Vegas," trumpeting the so-crazy-it-must-be-true "resort" upgrade that could be on the cards for Henderson's diminutive Club Fortune Casino. Take it away, ladies (and gents)!

Aliante Launches Sports-Betting App:

Aliante Hotel + Casino has partnered with Miomni Gaming, whose Nevada clients include Boyd Gaming and Reno's Atlantis Casino, in addition to European-based bookmaker Paddy Power, to launch a mobile sports-betting app, available for Apple and Android devices.

Restaurant Week Underway:

The annual valley-wide foodie fundraiser for Three Square food bank is underway as of today, running through June 26 (so designating it a "Week" is a pleasant misnomer). Participating eateries run the gamut, from steakhouses to sushi, Irish to Brazilian, and encompass range of price points, from $20.15 breakfasts to $50.15 dinners, so check out the many available options and bag a restaurant bargain for great cause.

Las Vegas Resort Makeovers:

The Venetian has just completed a year-long remodel of its 3,000 suites, with upgrades including the addition of energy-efficient lighting, an upgrade of the furniture and bedding to give a more modern look, and the addition of wrought-iron fixtures. Meanwhile, a $3.4 million makeover is underway at the Hard Rock Hotel's famed Center Bar and surrounding casino-pit area, although details of the new look have yet to be revealed.

Pennsylvania Mulls Massive Gambling Expansion:

It's only been five years since Pennsylvania legalized table games but now, thanks to a $2.3 billion budget deficit, casino operators are suggesting a raft of gambling-expansion ideas to legislators, who apparently are (on the whole) all ears. Proposals currently before the Senate include allowing existing casinos, for onetime licensing fees of up to $10 million, to offer online gambling, to open satellite locations with 250 slot machines, and to place slot machines at off-track betting facilities. Other ideas being proposed range from allowing the majority of taverns and restaurants with a liquor license to house up to five video-gaming terminals, to the introduction of slot machines at international airports, including Lehigh Valley International. While most existing casino interests oppose the tavern idea, not surprisingly, currently Sands Bethlehem is the lone voice of the anti online-gaming lobby, according to the Morning Call.

Where's the Strangest Place You've Gambled?:

To some, swim-up blackjack or video poker at a gas station may seem bizarre enough, but when you consider that there's an underground casino in the Australian desert and Swedish drive-in bingo, those start to seem pretty tame. And our readers don't disappoint, having played underwater backgammon, shot craps at a topless lesbian ball, and played online poker while chasing a tornado, among other notable experiences. So, what's your most unusual gambling story/locale? Vote in our current Reader Poll, which closes at midnight Tuesday (and we realized, too late, that we'd forgotten to include "in a 'Trailer Station'" among the options, darn it!, so feel free to use the "Other" option if that, or some other weird option we didn't think of, has figured in your gaming repertoire).

Matador Shows Love to Vintage Vegas:

Indie travel-publishing giant Matador has posted a cool homage to all things vintage Vegas - with pictures - so check it out if you're a retro fan (and thanks to @LasVegasLocally for the heads up!)

George Thorogood to Rock Sunset Station:

Rock icon George Thorogood and his band The Destroyers are to play the outdoor amphitheater at Sunset Station on Saturday, Sept. 19. Tickets start at $23.50 and go on sale June 19.

Big Elvis is Unwell:

Possibly the hardest working man in showbiz since James Brown, Pete Vallee, aka Big Elvis, has been feeling under the weather and is on an indefinite hiatus from performing his legendary free lounge act at Harrah's Piano Bar -- his first break in almost 30 years, according to his Facebook page. On June 10, the performer posted that he'll "be back soon" -- we wish him a speedy recovery and hope he feels better and can get back to doing what he loves and entertaining the masses in the not-too-distant future.

Janet Jackson to Planet Hollywood:

Her brothers didn't fare so well with their Rocktellz & Cocktails stint at Planet Hollywood last year, which ended three weeks early, but it's been announced that sister Janet will be brining her "Unbreakable" tour to the hotels The Axis venue for two nights this October 9-10. Tickets go on sale at all Ticketmaster and Caesars Entertainment box offices on Monday, June 22 at 10 a.m., but prices have yet to be announced.

Warriors/Cavaliers Game 5 Line:

The Golden State Warriors are -9 favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the NBA Championship. The total is 194.5.

Searchlight Nugget Sold:

The Herbst family's JETT Gaming is the new owner of the Searchlight Nugget, the diminutive casino that's best known for still serving coffee for 10 cents. JETT also owns Terrible's Searchlight.

Sunday Funday 17 Poker Tournament at Noon:

Registration is now open for our "Sunday Funday 17" poker tournament. Play begins at noon PST/3 p.m. EST today. Prizes are $100 for first; a suite of three of our top poker books for second; Full LVA membership for third, and prizes for all final-table contestants, including books and gift cards. There's also a "bubble" prize this month for 10th place. See the entire prize pool and register to play at the LVA Casino (once signed in, click on "Poker Tournaments" and register for Tourney ID 8680). This tournament is completely free to play. There will also be other tourneys running all day for gift cards and play chips. Come have some fun! See you at noon.

Simon Replacement Opens:

Cafe 6 has opened at Palms Place. It replaces Simon in the sixth-floor space that looks out onto the pool area.

UFC Velasquez/Werdum:

Cain Velasquez is a -485 favorite over Fabricio Werdum in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Gilbert Melendez is -145 over Eddie Alvarez.

Lightning/Black Hawks Game 5 Line:

The Tampa Bay Lightning are slight -115 favorites over the Chicago Black Hawks in tonight's Game 5 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals. The goal line is 5.5, over +130/under -150.

Free LVA Online Poker Tourney Tomorrow:

Reserve some time tomorrow to play in our 17th Sunday Funday online poker tournament. First place gets $100 and everyone at the final table will win prizes. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. EST/noon PST. It's completely free to play, with registration beginning two hours before the tournament at the LVA Casino.

Downtown Motels:

Downtown's "Rock of Vegas" summer concert series continues tonight with '80s stalwarts Martha Davis and the Motels, the Tubes, and the Smithereens. The free concert begins at 9 p.m. on the 3rd Street Stage.

Chick-fil-A Update:

More information has been released about the Chick-fil-A coming to the Las Vegas area. It turns out there will be eight to ten stores built over a five-year period. The first won't show up, however, till late 2016 at the earliest.

Honest Cabbie:

In one of those "that wouldn't happen to me" type of stories, a driver for Nellis Cab Co. turned in $5,000 left in a bag in his taxi by a tourist on the way to the airport. The money was returned to the disbelieving tourist who gave the cabbie a $500 reward. Nice.

#LGBT Night Swim with Open Bar Tonight:

Hey, gay Vegas! you can daydream after dark tonight, with a FREE night-swim party from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at M Resort's Daydream pool, featuring an open bar from 8-9 p.m. and Absolut Vodka giveaways.

Traffic Update:

Things are back to normal both on Decatur Boulevard at Gilmore (North Las Vegas), where southbound lanes had been blocked since a mid-morning accident, and on the 1-15 northbound, in the vicinity of Sahara Ave., where an earlier concrete spill has had traffic backed up for several hours. We'd still advise avoiding Valley View, between Desert Inn and Charleston, however, where lane closures due to ongoing roadworks are causing all kinds of havoc among afternoon drivers.

Skydiving Attraction Seeks Superheroes:

In celebration of all things paternal, Vegas Indoor Skydiving is running a Father’s Day promotion with the chance to win a free flight each for the winning father and child, plus a DVD and photo of your experience. To enter the "Why Dad is My Super Hero" contest, submit a short story explaining why your father is your super hero by the deadline of midnight on Wednesday, June 17. The winner will be announced on Friday, June 19 (in time for you to still get a gift if you're not the lucky winner who gets to take their pop indoor skydiving on his special day.) You can send in your entry, which must include a photo of you with your father, via Vegas Indoor Skydiving’s Facebook page, or their Twitter (kinda tough to sell your dad's superpowers in 140 characters, no?); or via https//www.instagram.com/lvindoorskydive" target="_blank">Instagram (and even tougher submitting a story in pictures only, unless you have frame-by-frame coverage of your dad scaling a burning building to rescue you). Whichever route you choose, use the hashtag #SuperDad. (Our round-up of the best Father's Day promos, activities, and gift ideas will be posted sometime next week, so stay tuned for that.)

Sinatra Show Extended at Palazzo:

As we've noted before, 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of Frank Sinatra's birth, while this Saturday, June 13, sees the 100th performance of FRANK – The Man. The Music, so it's fitting that the show, which stars Bob Anderson and features a 32-piece orchestra, has had its residency at the Palazzo extended through December 31, 2015.

More Machinations at MBay Burlesque Venue:

It's been just over a year since 1923 Bourbon & Burlesque by Holly Madison, a new "speakeasy" venue featuring live jazz and non-ticketed burlesque performances debuted at Mandalay Bay. By July of that year, the live music had been axed and replaced by a DJ playing standard contemporary pop and EDM tracks. Around that time, Madison unofficially severed her association with the venue (a fact made official at the end of the year, shortly before the former Playboy Bunny filed an ongoing lawsuit in which she accuses the club's operators of secretly videoing performers backstage as they changed costumes). Now, the Las Vegas Sun's John Katsilometes reports that the club has temporarily gone dark and dropped the "Burlesque" reference from its name; apparently it's set to reopen at 7 p.m. this Sunday as 1923 Bourbon Bar.

Warriors/Cavaliers Game 4 Line:

The Golden State Warriors are -4 favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the NBA Championship. The total is 194.5.

WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes Has Died:

Virgil Runnels, aka "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, who was a three-time NWA Champion famed for his bleached-blond hair and signature polka dot ring attire, died earlier today at the age of 69. Runnels is the father of WWE Superstars "Goldust" (Dustin Runnels) and "Stardust" (Cody Runnels) and had remained active in the sport as a trainer, booker, and creative consultant after his 2007 retirement.

Las Vegas This (Hot) Weekend:

Temperatures are expected to average in the low hundreds this weekend (peaking at 108 degrees on Monday!), so if you plan to attend one of the outdoor events -- especially any of the booze-centric ones, then be sure to stay hydrated and don't forget the sunblock: Equestrian fans can check out the PCCHA Core Balance Derby Classic Challenge Cutting & Western Gift Show at South Point (6/11-16), where vocal impressionist and funnyman Pablo Francisco will perform his (horse-free, as far as we know) stand-up act (6/12-14) Las Vegas Springs Preserve hosts Las Vegas Wine and Music Festival (6/11-13) Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus - EXTREME, take over UNLV - Thomas and Mack ((6/11-14) Cult Brit. comedian Eddie Izzard brings his unique brand of eccentric humor to The Pearl at the Palms (6/12-13) Mike Ditka's Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame Dinner takes place at the Silverton (6/12) Rock out at Red Rock with this week's installment of the "In It's Entirety Concert Series," which will feature Journey's "Greatest Hits" album performed from beginning to end (6/12) Lupe Fiasco takes center stage (with Charles Hamilton) at MBay's House of Blues (6/12), where local favorites Steel Panther perform the following evening (6/13) "Nashville Unplugged" returns to Sunset Station with Bob Regan and co-host Michael Peterson (6/12) Robin Trower's at Boulder Station (6/12) Simply Ella -- the life of Ella Fitzgerald told through music and dance, performs at the Smith Center (6/12), as does and Steve Tyrell (6/12-13) Michael Grimm returns to Vinyl at Hard Rock (6/12-14) Yelawolf's in the spotlight at Brooklyn Bowl (6/12) The 14th Annual Reggae in the Desert festival brings Caribbean sounds, food, and vendors to Clark County Amphitheater -- you just have to bring your own blanket (6/13) It's the 12th Annual Blues, Brews & BBQ celebration at the Cannery Festival Area, with a cool lineup of live music, craft brews, and multiple food truck offerings (6/13) The John Denver Tribute Show, starring John Vigil, will perform at M Resort (6/13) Silverton hosts Bonkerz Comedy Club - and it's FREE! (6/13) Cashman Field welcomes Crossroads of the West Gun Show (6/13-14) MGM hosts Keep the Memories Alive 19th Annual Power of Love Gala, with a star lineup of chefs and performers, and a $200,000 diamond necklace among the items to be auctioned to benefit the Cleveland Clinic Lou Rouvo Center (6/13) Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers take center stage at Aliante (6/13) "The Fab Four - Ultimate Tribute" act is at the Orleans (6/13-14) The Original Wailers (well, one of them, at least) perform at Foxtail Pool at SLS (6/13) And The Smithereens, The Tubes & The Motels are in the spotlight on Fremont Street -- another freebie! (6/13)

An Enticing Offer from the Animal Foundation:

The Las Vegas Animal Foundation shelter is full to capacity and unable to rescue any more canines until space is freed up so, to encourage adoptions, the facility is offering an added incentive to qualifying and interested potential pet owners with a five-day "name your own fee" "Save a Life" promotion, running today through Monday. Fees at the Las shelter normally run between $105 and $250, to give you an idea of the ballpark figure they have in mind, but presumably they'll offer some significant latitude to the right candidates and there are currently more than 230 dogs available for adoption (a drop in the ocean of the tens of thousands of lost and abandoned pets and strays on our streets) so anyone who can provide a loving "forever" home for a needy mutt will be much appreciated. The discounted adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, and updated vaccinations, among other requirements. For more information on adoptions and to see some of the adorable dogs in need of your help, visit animalfoundation.com (or call 702-384-3333). If you're more of a cat person, there's also a feline-adoption promotion running all through June, with adoption fees for all cats 6 months and older currently reduced to just $5, or adopt any kitten 5 months and younger and take 50% off the fee.

Free Wine at Artisan Tonight:

Rock 'n Roll Wine's weekly roving Wine Lounge gathering is being hosted by the Artisan this week, with complimentary tastings of the vineyard's house Rhapsody and The Grotto, plus their new Zinfandel rosé, Mo'se Rose. Founder's Club members will also have the opportunity to try Dark Horse Chardonnay and Dark Horse Big Red Blend. The event is free to anyone to attend, but you must RSVP via the official website.

Fator Celebrates 50th with $50 Tix:

Comedian, singer, and renowned ventriloquist Terry Fator turned 50 on June 10 and, to celebrate, his show at the Mirage is making a limited quantity of $50 tickets available for all performances now through Aug. 31. Use promo code: TF50THBDAY15 to take advantage of the offer when booking tix for Terry Fator: The Voice of Entertainment (reg. GA is usually priced at $76; additional taxes/fees will apply to the $50 rate).

AC Gaming Regulators Approve Icahn for Taj:

Carl Icahn is one significant step closer to taking over Trump Taj Mahal, having won unanimous approval from the state Casino Control Commission Wednesday. The bankrupt resort's biggest lender will receive 100 percent equity in exchange for forgiving some $292 million in debt. If the deal goes through, Icahn has promised a $42 million loan to the company as it concludes its Chapter 11 reorganization and going forward will make available an additional $15 million a year for renovations to the Boardwalk property, which has definitely seen better days. However, all these plans are dependent upon the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals not reversing an October ruling that allowed Trump Entertainment to strip pension benefits and healthcare from the resort’s main union, which for Icahn's outfit would be a deal breaker, but which Local 54 of UNITE-HERE continues to dispute vociferously.

Lightning/Black Hawks Game 4 Line:

The Chicago Black Hawks are -165 favorites over the Tampa Bay Lightning in tonight's Game 4 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals. The goal line is 5.5, over +120/under -140.

Happy Birthday Hard Rock Cafe:

June 14, 1971 was the date on which Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton opened the first-ever Hard Rock Cafe in London and this Friday, June 12, the Las Vegas Hard Rock Cafes on Paradise Road and the Strip will be kicking off the 10-year anniversary celebrations a little early, by offering half-off any food purchase from opening (8:30 a.m.) to close (1:30 a.m.) to guests sporting a classic Hard Rock T-shirt. Don't yet own an example of this iconic garment? Fear not, as street-team members will popping up all over the city to hand out hundreds of branded T-shirts to the sartorially lacking, so that everyone can join in the food festivities.

Golden Nugget to Post College Football Lines June 26:

For the ninth consecutive year, the sports book at downtown's Golden Nugget will be the first to post lines on the 2015 College Football "Games of the Year" to the betting public, which will go up at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 26. Commencing that afternoon, college football fans/gamblers will have a chance to place future wagers on marquee matchups, with a complete list of opening lines and odds for 165 games. In addition, the sports book plans to continue its partnership with Sportsbook Radio 920 "The Game," hosted by Brian Blessing, which will dedicate an entire show to discussing the College Football "Games of the Year" from noon until 1 p.m. June 26, with continued live broadcasts continuing every Friday throughout the season.

Freebies from New Juice Joint:

This Saturday sees the grand opening of Pressed Juicery's newest location, at Tivoli Village, and to celebrate they'll be offering a free 16 oz. bottle of juice from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. to anyone who shows up to join in the festivities (one per person), plus, the first 50 guests to show up will also receive a $25 gift card for the new store.

Murren on 'State of Nevada':

The top exec. at MGM Mirage Resorts International was a guest on KNPR's "State of Nevada" show this morning and offered some interesting insights and opinions on the state of the local economy, the future for Las Vegas resort-casinos and the products they offer, what lies in store (or should) on the sports-betting front, and whether or not there's any substance to a recent rumor that the company might be looking to merge with Wynn Resorts (which would be an interesting turn of events, for sure, but don't hold your breath...) The show's repeated at 8 p.m. this evening on 88.9 FM, or you can catch the podcast at your leisure.

One Night for ONE DROP, One Night Only:

If you missed Cirque du Soleil's annual collaborative fundraising spectacular for ONE DROP, the non-profit that aims to ensure the entire world population has access to clean and safe drinking water, you have a chance to see the movie version, which will be screened for one night only this evening, June 10, at 7:30 p.m. local time, in select theaters nationwide, including: Village Square; Santa Fe Station; Century 16 South Point (with XD); Sam's Town; and the Orleans (also with XD). GA tickets are $15 (must be 18+); visit the official fathomevents.com site for more info (including the complete list of participating theaters nationwide), to watch a trailer, and to purchase tickets.

Millionaire Maker Event Delivers for Colorado Engineer:

Late Tuesday night, 27-year-old Adrian Buckley, a recreational poker player and engineer from Westminster, Colo., beat out the sixth-largest field in WSOP history, with 7,275 entrants, and a final table that featured poker luminaries including Mike Sexton and Erick Lindgren, to win a coveted bracelet and $1.27 million when he emerged the victor in the $1,500 buy-in 2015 "Millionaire Maker" No-limit Hold ‘em event.

Pia Zadora to Take Hiatus from Piero's:

Singer, actress, and former child-star Pia Zadora is taking a break from her cabaret gig at Piero's Italian Cuisine this summer, returning Friday, Sept. 11 at 9 p.m. The performer was forced to take time out back in the fall of 2014, following a vehicle accident, but has been back at the old-school restaurant, performing in Pia's Place, for some months now. The final shows in the current run will be June 12 and 13.

Aruba Hotel/Lounge Closed:

Who knew? We just discovered in the course of a mammoth call-around about Las Vegas hotel amenities (in particular in-room refrigerators, or the lack/price thereof) that the Aruba Hotel (which called it's nightlife venue the Thunderbird Lounge, and liked to pretend that it was on the same site as the famed Thunderbird/Silverbird/El Rancho, but was in fact on the site of the distinctly-less-famed Lotus Motel), has closed. So, one of Las Vegas' few remaining reggae nights is no more. That sucks. Plus, the Aruba was pretty cool, in an upscale-seedy kind of way.

Warriors/Cavaliers Game 3 Line:

The Golden State Warriors are -1.5 favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the NBA Championship. The total is 194.5.

More Magic News (Sort of...):

We love Lance Burton, who's a fine magician, animal lover, and genuinely nice guy (yes, we've met him and we know this); hence, we'll throw our friend "Vital Vegas" under the bus and leave the review of the trailer for Lance's new "movie" Billy Topit Master Magician

Las Vegas Gelato Wars Brewing?:

We just learned from "Eater Vegas," the doyenne of Las Vegas restaurant openings and closings, that the much-lauded Art of Flavors has reopened in its original venue, but minus its original gelato impresario, Desyreé Alberganti, who will be opening her own gelato emporium in the Southwest Marketplace (corner of Rainbow and Windmill). No debut date has been announced as yet but apparently work is underway at Gelatology, which will feature "artisan gelato" with Alberganti's signature array of crazy flavors that have to be tasted to be believed (and once you've tasted, we guarantee you will become a believer!), plus Italian desserts, crafted sodas, and fresh home-baked items. Yum!

Late-Night News from Capo's Speakeasy:

In addition to the complimentary nightly entertainment at Capo's Steakhouse & Speakeasy (5675 W Sahara Ave.), which features a wandering magician, live music, and so on, there are plans afoot to debut an "After Dark" option in the larger private dining room, featuring a burlesque show, The Magic of V alternative close-up act, and perhaps other performers. The room is an intimate venue that seats a maximum of 40 people and the additional entertainment is likely to be free (but will require a reservation, on account of the limited number of seats). A call to the venue informed us that they're still working on the details -- do as we did and sign up for the email newsletter if you want to stay in the loop.

Trevi Offers FREE Bellinis:

Now, and throughout the summer, Trevi, the Italian restaurant and cocktail bar in the Forum Shops, is showing love to Caesars Palace show-goers with the offer of one complimentary late-night (9-11 p.m.) happy hour Bellini upon presentation of a ticket stub or receipt from a show that evening at The Colosseum or Absinthe. No purchase is required but the offer's limited to one per-person (21+). The eatery is also running a late-night specials Sunday through Thursday featuring $6 "Trevi Bites," including appetizer options like crab-stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, and mini-cheese stuffed burgers plus drink specials including classic frozen Bellinis for $4, bottled beer for $5, and wine and cocktails for $7. (These deals are also available during regular happy hour, from 2 to 6 p.m. Sun. to Thurs.)

To Double Up, or Not to Double Up?:

That is the question and it's tackled by Bob Dancer in this week's video poker column. It's a query we also receive with some regularity, so if you're a video poker player, you'd do well to check out what Bob has to offer on this subject (which he's also addressed in a Question of the Day, which you can find in the QoD Archives for 9/7/05 if you're an LVA member).

Hellmuth Wins 14th:

Phil Hellmuth won the $10K Razz event to raise his record World Series of Poker championship count to 14. The win puts him four bracelets clear of Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, and Doyle Brunson, all of whom have 10. Hellmuth pocketed $271,105, bringing his lifetime WSOP earnings to $12,783,905. He also added to his record 109 WSOP cashes and 52 final-table appearances.

Casa di Amore Reopening Delayed:

The popular old-school Italian restaurant and cabaret spot on E. Tropicana, which recently closed for an expansion and remodel, will now not reopen until June 18, we've learned (it had been slated to be back in biz on June 13, but evidently things are running behind schedule -- not unusual in Vegas!)

Original Wailers to SLS:

Although they're called The Original Wailers, in fact lead guitarist Al Anderson is the sole member of the group who dates from Bob Marley's mid-'70s Wailers line-up. In addition, Anderson has played with played with the Peter Tosh, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, Steel Pulse, Aswad, Inner Circle, Traffic, and Ben Harper, and on June 13 he and the rest of his Grammy-nomiated band will perform at SLS' Foxtail Pool as part of their ongoing international summer tour. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets, which are on sale, start at just $15.

Big-Name Lineup for Las Vegas Jazz Festival:

The lineup for the 2015 Las Vegas Jazz Festival has been released, and there are some big names, including: Erykah Badu; Isley Brothers; Toni Braxton; Toni Braxton; Anthony Hamilton, and many others. The event runs Sept. 25-27 in its new home at the Henderson Pavilion and single-day tix start at $55, or $165 for a three-day pass. Check lvjazzfestival.com for more info.

Lightning/Black Hawks Game 3 Line:

The Chicago Black Hawks are -165 favorites over the Tampa Bay Lightning in tonight's Game 3 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals. The goal line is 5.5, over -130/under +110.

NJ Offers Online-Casino Amnesty:

New Jersey Gaming Enforcement Director David Rebuck has announced that the agency will not prosecute any company that has promoted, marketed, or directed customers within the state to illegal online gambling sites, either since Internet wagering was legalized in Nov. 20013, or prior to that date following the passage of 2006's Unlawful Internet Gambling law, provided they cease and desist any such activity within the time-frame of the next five months.

Port of Subs Shares Sandwich Love:

Today through June 13, purchase any large sandwich at area Port of Subs location, and they'll donate a small sandwich to Opportunity Village. Nice.

June Casino Promos - the Update:

Jean Scott has posted a follow-up to her regular beginning-of-the-month casino-promotions blog entry, with details just released about the changes to SLS' The Code players club, plus additional tidbits about Suncoast, Station Casinos, and Boyd properties. Check it all out at Frugal Vegas.

Downtown Throwdown Tuesday:

Catch Las Vegas "superhost" Steve Cyr, the subject of best-seller Whale Hunt in the Desert, brawling for a cause downtown tomorrow night, as former light-heavyweight champ Derrick Harmon presents the forth annual Vegas Nightlife Fights, hosted by Zappos' HQ (400 Stewart Avenue, with free parking at the Guest Lot on 7th Street). Cheer on (or boo) a lineup of industry hosts, casino execs and workers, community leaders, Zappos employees, and local business owners in a series of 15 three-round amateur-boxing bouts, starting at 7 p.m., all in support of Three Square food bank. So, please bring canned goods - every donation of three can earns you a raffle ticket for prizes including $50 Zappos gift cards. Tickets start at $30 and $1 from each one sold goes to Three Square. In addition, there will be free self-defense lessons for females taking place ringside, plus an after-party at Commonwealth (525 East Fremont Street).

Buca Opens at Bally's:

The new Buca Café Italiano has joined Tequila Taqueria as the two new dining options at Bally's (although both are owned by Planet Hollywood). Buca's open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (11 p.m. Friday/Saturday), serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all-day buffet options.

Warriors/Cavaliers Game 2 Line:

The Golden State Warriors are -7.5 favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the NBA Championship. The total is 200.

Entries Down in Key WSOP Event:

Participation is down this year in one of the World Series of Pokers highest-profile events, the $1,500 buy-in "Millionaire Maker." This year's field was 7,275. Big, but off 9% from last year's 7,977.

Fantasy Convention Canceled:

The inaugural National Fantasy Football Convention that was scheduled to be held at the Venetian in July has been canceled. The event was supposed to include appearances by Tony Romo, Rob Gronkowski, DeMarco Murray, and dozens of other NFL players, but the league pulled the plug on their participation, citing a policy that prohibits players from promoting events or making appearances that are held or sponsored by casinos. The convention coordinators plan to move it to Los Angeles next year.

Little Tiki Bar:

The Little Macau bar in the Chinatown area has closed. It's expected to reopen as early as July as a tiki bar.

Last Call for Home Plate:

Things will be rocking at Home Plate on Blue Diamond Rd. tonight. The bar closes Monday, but a goodbye gathering of its loyal customers is underway as we write this.

Men's French Open Finals Line:

Novak Djokovic is a -625 favorite over Stan Wawrinka in tomorrow's French Open men's tennis final. The match starts early, at 9 am EST.

UFC Henderson/Boetsch:

Tim Boetsch is a -190 favorite over Dan Henderson in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Matt Mitrione is -180 over Ben Rothwell.

New Live Animal Show:

A new live animal show is running at Springs Preserve through Aug. 30. It doesn't feature tigers or dolphins, but rather it's an opportunity to go behind the scenes in the Origen Museum with zoologists and staff for an up-close look at the circle of life and the relationship between desert predators and their prey.The rotating cast of animal headliners for this "show" will include: bugs, lizards, snakes, and small mammals, and audience members will be invited to participate in trivia games to earn prizes.

Lightning/Black Hawks Game 2 Line:

The Tampa Bay Lightning are -140 favorites over the Chicago Black Hawks in tonight's Game 2 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals. The goal line is 5, over -140/under +120.

Women's Soccer World Cup Odds:

With the tournament beginning today, the USA is the +200 favorite to win the women's soccer World Cup. They're followed by Germany at +300 and France at +525.

Belmont Viewing Parties:

Station Casinos have $1 hot dogs, $2 Bud Light, $3 Jack Daniels, and $5 Mint Juleps, plus get a six-pack of Bud for a $30 bet. Suncoast, Sam's Town, and Fremont are giving away cool T-shirts listing the Triple Crown winners with American Pharoah at the top for a $25 bet. South Point is running its usual big party in the Grand Ballroom, with unspecified "food specials." And casino race books everywhere will be slammed.

Belmont Odds:

The morning line for today's Belmont Stakes makes American Pharoah the favorite at 3-5. Frosted is 5-1 and Materiality is 6-1. The long shot is Frammento at 30-1. The line on "will American Pharaoh win" is Yes -130/No +110.

Free Museum Admission:

This weekend, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders can enjoy free admission to the DISCOVERY Children's Museum, Las Vegas Natural History Museum, and the Springs Preserve (not to mention some 150 other venues nationwide), as part of the "Museums on Us" program.

Women's French Open Finals Line:

Serena Williams is a -285 favorite over Lucie Safarova in tomorrow's French Open woman's tennis final. The match starts early, at 9 am EST.

Bonkerz Comedy Shake-Up:

Further to our earlier post, Silverton is a brand new venue for Bonkerz Comedy Club and events there will be free, while the $15 shows continue at the Rampart. Contrary to their official website, and the last information that we had, Bonkerz no longer takes place at TI, Primm, Downtown Grand, Silver Sevens, or the Plaza.

$25K Plaza Blackjack Tournament Saturday:

Downtown's Plaza casino is hosting a blackjack tournament this Saturday at 9 a.m. It's $200 buy-in with a winner-takes-all prize of $25,000! Registration opens at 6 p.m. at the hosts' office, and runs until 10 p.m. tonight, or you can get up early on Saturday and squeeze in with a late registration before 9 a.m. Sounds like this one may be undersubscribed.

Summer Happenings at Silverton:

There's a lot going on at the south-of-Strip casino this weekend. Tonight, it's the 6th annual Future Stars of Wrestling event tonight from 6 p.m. in the Veil Pavilion (tickets start at $10). Tomorrow sees the 1st Annual Las Vegas Championship Ribfest, which kicks off at 11 a.m. in the Bass Pro Shops Parking Lot. Admission's free and the event includes demonstrations, a kid's zone, cooking competitions, and live entertainment. Also, every Saturday in June will feature Bonkerz Comedy Hour, from 7 p.m. Tonight's event is free and features comedian Arnie Ellis, as seen on Comedy Central, Fox, and ABC, at the Sway Pool. (Future events will be in the Veil Pavilion).

The End - a Correction:

Apologies to bar The End (Decatur at Spring Mountain) for reporting that the venue was another "Bar Rescue" bust. We had noted that the office-type building next door still is bearing the official logo, and it turns out that the bar actually relocated there, due to a massively leaky roof. So The End is still in business, as you can see from their Facebook page - Viva the Zombie Apocalypse!

Stunning Summer Display at Bellagio:

We already mentioned the awesome free summer underwater-themed display at Bellagio's conservatory and Botanical Gardens, but now the official hi res images have been made available, and this could be our favorite exhibit they've ever done (yes, it's right up there with the animatronic Christmas penguins!) Check out the stunning overhead jellyfish, the six-foot "action" clam, the turtles, seahorses, and giant coral reef - even the barnacles are endearing! Kudos to the horticultural team over there, both for imagination and execution. (If you can't make it to Bellagio to see in person, you can at least check out the live interactive streaming webcam.)

Viva Dog Vegas!:

With a plethora of pet-friendly hotels, events like "Yappy Hour" at Rumor, "BarkYard" at The Bunkhouse, and the annual "Dog Daze" doggy swim day event at Desert Breeze park, not to mention venues like the new Lazy Dog Restaurant in Downtown Summerlin offering dog-friendly patios, Las Vegas has definitely gotten a lot more dog-friendly in recent years. So, it's gratifying that we've been recognized by Dogster Magazine (the new hip incarnation of Dog Fancy), which this month has a cover-story feature on "Coolest Dog Hot Spots in Town (It's Vegas, Doggie!)". Woof!

Warriors/Cavaliers Game 1 Line:

The Golden State Warriors are -5.5 favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Championship. The total is 203.5.

Las Vegas This Weekend:

Looks like it's going to be a quiet one ... NOT! It's foodie heaven at Palazzo, which hosts the 7th Annual Carnival of Cuisine on the pool deck (6/5) Mandalay Bay features eNVy Showcase at the House of Blues (6/5) "Music is Beautiful" is the theme for First Friday, featuring a line-up of local talent (6/5) Gloriana performs at Santa Fe Station (6/5), which also hosts the Reptile Expo (6/6-7) Guilty by Association take center stage at Backstage Bar & Billiards (6/5), where Bi Polar perform the following evening (6/6) Comedy wise Kids in the Hall are at TI (6/5); funny man Ron White returns to the Mirage ((6/5-6); and comedian Tony Rock does his thing at Aliante (6/6) Little Dragon perform at Brooklyn Bowl (6/5) where RED, Adelitas Way take the spotlight the following evening (6/6) Michael Grimm performs at Vinyl at the Hard Rock ((6/5-7); The Cult and Public Enemy perform at The Joint ((6/6); and "Entourage" star Kevin Dillon hosts at REHAB to coincide with the movie release (6/6) Nashville Unplugged returns to Sunset Station with Steve Diamond (6/5) and 96.3 KKLZ welcomes Junefest, featuring Joan Jett and The Blackhearts (6/6) Yellow Brick Road take the spotlight at Boulder Station (6/5) There's more foodie delight at Silverton, which hosts the 1st annual Las Vegas Championship Ribfest (6/6) Henderson Pavilion screens Charlie Chaplin's The Kid (6/6) Jazz in the Park features the Brubeck Brothers at the Clark County Amphitheater (6/6) Suncoast welcomes the Lennon Sisters (6/6-7) Dance, listen, or do both courtesy of with Noches Calientes salsa night at the Gold Coast (6/6) The Spinners perform at the Cannery (6/6) Town Square hosts the New Vista Community Wine Walk (6/6) A.R. Rahman will perform in The Axis at Planet Hollywood (6/7) And South Point hosts a diverse line-up with Gary Puckett and Union Gap (6/5-7); the the Summer Home and Auto Expo (6/5-7); and for horse racing enthusiast, there's the Belmont Stakes Handicapping Seminar on (6/5) ahead of the Belmont Stakes Viewing Party (6/6)

Home Plate Closing:

One of our favorite bars, Home Plate, is closing on Monday. The bar has reportedly been bought by High Scores Arcade in Henderson, which plans to remodel and open a second location. With its closing, Las Vegas loses one of its best deals bar for gamblers.

Multi-Vehicle Crash Blocks 95 at Rancho:

A rollover crash around noon today, involving multiple vehicles, has blocked all but a single lane of U.S. Highway 95 southbound near the Rancho Drive exit. It's the second big pileup on this section of freeway in the past week.

Vinnie Favorito Gigs Tonight Thru Saturday:

There's no mention on the official website, and the Box Office is currently closed, but we just received an email from "FillaSeat" indicating that Vinnie Favorito, the aggressive, roast-style comedian who recently lost his long-running gig at the Flamingo due to personal financial issues, is playing tonight through Saturday, at 10 p.m., in the standalone Tommy Wind Theater on the Strip (3765 Las Vegas Blvd. South - formerly Club Utopia, Empire Ballroom, etc.) Must be 21+. If you're a FillaSeat Las Vegas member, looks like you can score some seats for free.

We Have a Winner:

25-year-old poker pro Lance "Cord" Garcia was the victor of the much-hyped new Colossus event at this year's World Series of Poker, having beaten out a field of 22,374 -- the largest tournament in poker history -- on Wednesday to win $638,880 and his first WSOP bracelet.

Fremont Street Gets Fancy:

On Thursday, June 18, from 7 to 10 p.m., Park on Fremont will be be partnering with Veuve Clicquot to host an evening of bites and bubbles (plus live music, games, and other fun stuff) as part of the "Clicquot en Route" celebration of the Champagne's heritage, a tour that's taking in 20 cities across the country this summer.

Holy Taffer! Vegas Makes a Thrillist List:

We may continually be snubbed for our burgers, burritos, breakfasts, and just about everything else, but somehow a veteran downtown establishment has made the cut and been picked for Thrillist's new survey of Greatest Bar Names in America. So, huge congrats to Atomic Liquors (which, thanks to alpha-ordering, is first on the list!); we're so overcome with gratitude we may weep. (As an aside, we're puzzled by consultant Jon Taffer's observation that: "Legacy matters in bars. The trendier a bar is, the shorter its life will be." While this makes perfect sense to us, we query why, in that case, "Bar Rescue" changed the 20-year-old Alibi motorsports bar into the "Garnet Lounge" cougar hangout, which closed two months later; or why Taffer opted to ignore and overwrite the history of the veteran Sand Dollar blues bar, which also lasted a matter of months following "Bar Rescue's" intervention; or why he revamped the city's oldest gay nightclub with such an ill-fitting South Beach theme that the owners actually refused to reopen; or why he changed the ever-troubled watering hole at Spring Mountain and Decatur into zombie-themed bar The End, whose owners apparently took their new name and theming so seriously that they quickly boarded up the windows, disconnected the phone, and sold to a Japanase BBQ chain? The list goes on, but you take our point...)

Aria Fridge-Policy Update:

After we posted yesterday about how an associate of ours who's staying at Aria informed us of a sign in his room saying it was $25 to put his bottle of water in the in-room minibar, we heard back from Aria who clarified this policy. Here's what they said: "The $25 fee is for a separate fridge to be brought up to store personal items, which eliminates the risk of being accidentally charged by putting things in our pressure-sensitive mini-bars." We've all experienced the dreaded "pressure-sensitive mini-bar" peril at one time or another, no doubt, but $25 seems like a steep fee, especially on top of the mandatory $29/night resort fee (the highest rate in town). We wonder if the fee still applies if you need a refrigerator as a medical necessity? It was back in October 2005 that we ran a Question of the Day on this subject and a re-visitation of the topic feels timely (not least since half the casinos cited no longer exist!) For now, we can confirm that all the rooms at the Rio still contain a fridge as one of the amenities included with the room charge/resort fee.

New Show at V Theater and LVA Has a Deal!:

Enjoy a Las Vegas Advisor special $29.99 offer on tickets to the new Superstars on Stage pop-icon tribute at the V Theater when you click through that link (reg. price is $66.99!) The show performs 4 p.m. daily (dark Sundays).

Great News for Chocoholics:

In addition to the free factory tour that's long been offered at Ethel M's Henderson HQ, during June chocolate fans can celebrate National Candy Month with tours of the new HEXX chocolate kitchen at Paris (in the former Sugar Factory space) and unlock a "secret deal" at both the Paris and MGM Grand retail spots, which are featuring a buy-one-pound-of-candy, get-one-pound-free deal on fill-your-own bags: Just say the password "I want candy" at the register. In addition, at the Paris location guests can enjoy complimentary samples at the chocolate counter and take part in tours of the state-of-the-art exhibition kitchen, where chefs are slaving away creating Nevada’s first "bean-to-bar" chocolate. These free tours are being held daily at 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. and guests are encouraged to sign up for the tour ahead of time using Eventbrite to ensure a spot.

Revel Update - Straub Keeps Us Guessing:

One thing that seems certain is that Atlantic City's Revel Resort will not reopen this summer, although apparently Glenn Straub's plans for an indoor water park may be realized as early as November ... that's if he doesn't decide to offload the whole kit and kaboodle to any "international buyer" prepared to pony up $200 million. Complicating this scenario is the fact that Straub apparently already has some form of contractual agreement with Vincent Crandon, CEO of MidOil USA, who's been looking for an onshore casino to purchase in order to qualify for an online gaming license with his UK partners in online site 2UP Gaming PLC. In other news, Idea Boardwalk's popular HQ nightclub may reopen at the resort this summer, while the gaming operations may be overseen by unnamed tribal operators, who've apparently expressed an interest. However, the key question of how power will continue to be supplied to Revel on an ongoing basis remains unresolved, with Straub's Polo North group involved in an acrimonious public legal spat with on-site provider ACR over who actually owns the equipment at the power plant. Of course, we've learned that where Straub's concerned, anything's possible and every statement seemingly brings a totally new raft of possibilities and pipe dreams to the table, so stay tuned for whatever the next random announcement may bring...

Lightning/Black Hawks Game 1 Line:

The Tampa Bay Lightning are -125 favorites over the Chicago Black Hawks in tonight's Game 1 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals. The goal line is 5, over -145 and under +125.

Restaurant Week Lineup Announced:

It's less than two weeks until the annual Restaurant Week fundraiser for Three Square food bank gets underway (June 15-26), and the full complement of participating eateries, which span the full spectrum, both in terms of cuisine type and price, has now been released on the official website, so plan your itinerary and eat for a cause!

Singles Event at Town Square Tonight:

It's time for the Great Love Debate, with an audience comprising 100 each of Las Vegas' most dynamic single women and most eligible bachelors, for a debate hosted by Brian Howie (How to Find Love in 60 Seconds) that aims to get to the bottom of why people are single if they don't want to be. There are still seats available -- sign up now at

Latin GRAMMYS Return to MGM:

The 16th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena on Thursday, Nov. 19, and will air in the U.S. on the Univision Network from 8–11 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central). The "Road To The Latin GRAMMYs" will begin with the announcement of this year's nominees on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and continue through the fall season with various events around the country (including in Las Vegas, commencing Nov. 16 or 17), building up to the Premiere Awards presentation and official After Party.

An Invitation from Bob Dancer:

This week's column from our video poker expert is of the relaxed anecdotal variety, as opposed to the arcane gambling strategy or mind-bending theoretical stuff he occasionally blows our minds with. But read to the end, because if you're a qualified candidate, he is throwing out a pretty awesome opportunity. (Heads up: Very few people reading this will be eligible, but if you are, you should definitely consider taking up Bob's invitation.)

Seniors Promo Expanded:

The good "Young at Heart" promotion for ages 50+ that runs on Wednesdays at Gold Coast, Suncoast, Orleans, and Sam's Town has been expanded to include California, Fremont, and Main Street Station. Swipe your B Connected card to get a multiplier of up to 50X points and a 2-for-1 buffet after $10 coin-in. Get a free buffet after playing $100. Must swipe, earn points, and collect buffet vouchers between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The deal resets and runs from 7 p.m. to midnight, with a $10 dining credit for 200 points replacing the buffets.

72-Hour Vacation-Package Deal from Southwest:

Southwest Airlines is running a promo, with up to $250 savings on the price of a room-and-flight package but hurry, because this offer is only available if you book by 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, June 4, which means you have just two days, one hour, and 47 minutes left to book that getaway! The deal is good for travel from 6/3/15 to 1/4/16 (with additional discounts available on select flights from 8/26/15 to 12/18/15); use offer code 3DAYSALE.

Free Movies at Town Square Start Thursday:

Starting June 4, Town Square will be commencing its eighth year of showing free family movies each Thursday at sundown on The Green. The season kicks off with Big Hero 6 and runs through August 20, with all screenings featuring a G or PG-rated film, shown on a 25 ft. by 35 ft. screen. Seating's on a first come, first served basis and patrons are encouraged to bring blankets to sit on. In addition, every other Friday from June 12 will feature free "Date Night" screenings of romantic movies, with cocktails from Blue Martini and small bites available from 6 until 8 p.m., when there will also be pre-show live entertainment. There's a list of confirmed movies, ranging from The Bourne Identity to The Wedding Singer, posted on the Town Square website.

Straub Out of Atlantic City, Selling Revel?:

Our business-blogging associate David McKee has received a phone call from a party claiming to be a representative of Glenn Straub, the eccentric purchaser of Atlantic City's Revel Resort, whose antics have been covered extensively both by at Stiffs & Georges and right here in this column, with some weighty news. This source, whose credibility we can vouch for, claims that the developer has had enough of Atlantic City and its shenanigans and is scrapping all of his (extensive, and at times lunatic) plans for the east coast gambling resort and selling the jinxed Revel resort, which he finally successfully purchased a mere two months ago. If this story pans out, it seems a fitting conclusion to all the bizarre headlines that that Mr Straub has been generating since his arrival on the scene last September. We confess we'll miss all the high theater, however, which has afforded us much entertainment, and it's not great news for Atlantic City, either -- assuming Glenn Straub was ever serious in the first place (and we're making zero assumptions about any of this).

Secret Gambling Den Unearthed in Utah:

No arrests are likely to be made in this case, however, since the gambling paraphernalia recently discovered in what may be America's first Indian casino, appears to date back some 800 years. The hundreds of primitive dice and other ancient gambling pieces, found by archaeologists excavating a cave on the shore of Utah's Great Salt Lake, are thought to have belonged to members of an obscure indigenous people known as the Promontory Culture and have been used in guessing games, where the stakes involved the allocation of tasks like cooking and household chores. Equipment thought to be an ancient ancestor of darts, or even basketball, was also discovered at the site. Click here for more details and some pictures.

Great Gatsbys! Luhrmann Show Heading to LIGHT:

Debuting June 26, For the Record: BAZ, An Evening Inspired by the Films and Soundtracks of Baz Luhrmann will take over LIGHT, Mandalay Bay's collaborative nightclub project with Cirque de Soleil. The LA production, which you can catch a taste of here, was described by Vanity Fair as "A unique postmodern cabaret taking the city by storm" and from what we can glean, BAZ is a fusion of rock concert, nightclub, and musical theater (so, perhaps like The Act, minus the obscenity, or Vegas Nocturne does Broadway," minus the magic dragon?), featuring highlights from Luhrmann's acclaimed movie repertoire, including Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and The Great Gatsby. Ticket prices have yet to be announced, but the show's set to run Wednesday through Monday at 8 p.m.

Fremont Street Poll:

Our current LVA Reader Poll, about the costumed "characters" and other entertainers who frequent the Fremont Street Experience, ends today, so if you have an opinion on this subject (and evidently most people do, although it might not be what you think...), vent now, or forever hold your peace, because voting ends at midnight, when a brand new survey goes live.

Turning Japanese?:

We just learned that Las Vegas needs to brace itself for a Kabuki invasion, with news that MGM Resorts International is teaming up with Shochiku, Japan’s premier Kabuki producer and global ambassador, famed Japanese actor Ichikawa Somegoro, to introduce Las Vegas to the art of Japan's traditional theater. The first week of May, 2016, is scheduled to see the inaugural Japan KABUKI Festival and ahead of that, commencing this August audiences will have their appetite whetted for this unique form of stylized entertainment, with a series of live preview Kabuki performances to be integrated with the Fountains of Bellagio (we're not sure how...) We'll keep you posted as more information becomes available.

Blues, Brews, & BBQ Returns to Cannery:

On Saturday, June 13, the Cannery will host the 12th Annual Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival, featuring grilled goodness from Seven Seas Seafood, H&H BBQ, Road Kill Grill, and Chow Time BBQ, which you can wash down with a choice of more than a dozen different micro-brewed and craft-brewed beers and ciders. There will be live entertainment from the godfather of British blues, John Mayall, plus Ghost Town Blues Band, Sputzy & The Soul Providers, singer/songwriter Kelly Sheehan, and New Orleans native Ironing Board Sam. The festivities get underway at 4 p.m. and it's $5 at the door.

S.Pellegrino Lists World’s Best Restaurants...:

...and Las Vegas didn't make the Top 50. In fact, only a half-dozen restaurants in N. America made the cut, with Spain, France, and Peru all figuring strongly.

Kudos for Drai's Pool:

Nightlife guide Urbandaddy is running a feature on what it considers the top dozen Most Spectacular Pools in the Country and Las Vegas makes that list, thanks to the inclusion of Drai's Beach Club at The Cromwell, which is described as feeling like Ibiza and looking like Miami -- evidently a winning combination.

Dragon Rising:

Not only is Piff, the magic dragon who starred in Vegas Nocturne at the Cosmopolitan, currently making a splash on "America's Got Talent," but according to Robin Leach, he's landed a place in a new adult comedy that's coming to the Flamingo. According to the Sun's gossip maestro, X Comedy Uncensored Fun (catchy name) is set to open June 25, filling the gap left by the departure of Vinnie Favorito, and will feature a husband-and-wife-team hosts Nancy Ryan and husband John Bizarre, plus a lineup of comedians including Dennis Blair, Joe Trammel, and Piff the Magic Dragon. That's all we know for now, but stay tuned for updates!

Big Crash Snarling S-Bound 95:

We just received a live traffic report from Anthony Curtis, who informs us that the 95 southbound is experiencing one of the worst jams he's seen in a long time, and we have confirmation that there's been a major accident in the vicinity of Rancho Drive, so avoid this stretch of freeway at all costs if you can. Check the RTC's live traffic cams for real-time visual updates.

Luxor Show Loves Locals:

Throughout the summer Fantasy, the topless revue at Luxor, is offering a "Summer of '15'" ticket deal to Nevada locals, in the form of a 15% discount when tix are purchased with a valid Nevada ID. Following the show, local guests are also invited to a meet and greet opportunity with the cast for photos and autographs.

Warriors Favored in NBA Championship:

The Golden State Warriors are -235 favorites over the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA Championship. The series begins Thursday at Golden State.

Colossus Numbers In:

As expected, the World Series of poker's Colossus event has broken all live-poker attendance records with 22,374 entries. The total prize pool is $11,187,000 that will be distributed to an unprecedented 2,241 "in the money" players, with the winner getting $638,880.

June Casino Promos:

Jean Scott has posted her monthly round-up of point-multiplier specials, giveaways, and other casino promotions for the month of June at Frugal Vegas, including an update on the changes at SLS and some good news from Silverton for video poker players.