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The September issue of the Las Vegas Advisor is published and available to members to read online. This month's issue analyzes this year's football contests, points you to an awesome French onion soup, identifies four excellent video poker bonuses in bars, and much more.
Las Vegas’ Arts District has its First Friday. Now Henderson has “Last Friday, Just Add Water Street.” On the last Friday of every month, a street festival featuring food, art, and music will be held on Water Street, Henderson’s main thoroughfare. The first Last Friday was last week, so you'll have to wait till September's. Got that?
No chance of being bored this Labor Day Weekend, with some big names in music and comedy on the entertainment roster:
Jackson's bar on W. Flamingo, previously of the free-prime rib-for-$100-coin-in deal, has a new offer. Play $100 on Friday and get a comped 10-ounce ribeye & shrimp dinner the following Tuesday. Smokin' gambler's deal! Offer good till Sept. 29.
Mandalay Bay has instituted resort-wide happy hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 p.m. till closing, with drinks and appetizers running from $4 to $10. This is similar to inclusive HHs that run at Cosmopolitan and Red Rock, where you can move from place to place within the same resort. Some of the food specials at MBay include oxtail crostini at Libertine Social ($5), crab Louie cups at Stripsteak ($6), black cod lettuce cups at Kumi ($9), and bacon-wrapped sliders at Aureole ($10).
McCarran International Airport is projected to have the eighth-highest percentage growth in passenger boardings in the nation over the next 10 years. This year’s 24.3 million passengers is expected to grow to 30 million by 2027 for a 23.4% increase. O’Hare in Chicago is projected to experience the greatest growth, with a 31.1% increase to 52.9 million passengers.
"MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Las Vegas and Zero Latency, the irrefutable world-leader in location-based free-roam Virtual Reality (VR) entertainment, will introduce Las Vegas' first multi-player free-roam VR experience inside LEVEL UP gaming lounge on 8 September."
That's direct from a press release announcing something that we have no idea about what it means. OK, maybe some idea. MGM is jumping in with both feet on the meshing of virtual reality and casino entertainment. If you're into VR (and irrefutable world leaders), MGM Grand will be the place to go. It's our job to tell you about it first. Maybe we can explain it later.
At long last, the Fontainebleau has been sold. The hulking blue building on the north end of the Strip was reportedly sold to Witkoff, a New York-based real estate company, for $600 million. The 3,900-room Fontainebleau was originally built to near-completion for $2.9 billion before construction was halted in 2009. It was sold to Carl Icahn for just $150 million in 2010 and has sat empty and unattended to since then. No specific plans for the property were disclosed.
The name of Las Vegas' new USL professional soccer team is the Las Vegas Lights Football Club. The name was chosen by a vote of fans with 10,000 votes cast. The team will begin play in 2018 and a $20 deposit is all that's required to reserve a season ticket (prices have not been announced). Get more information at LasVegasLightsFC.com.
Bob Dylan will play The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for one show only on Oct. 14. Dylan played the Cosmo in 2016, but otherwise it's a rare chance to see him in Vegas. Tickets start at $39 base and are on sale now from the Cosmopolitan box office.
While the heavy rain from Hurricane Harvey is delaying flights between Las Vegas and Houston, a different kind of rain led to trouble on the Strip early this morning. The practice of throwing dollar bills into the air in a nightclub or other public areas known as "making it rain" is attention-grabbing, but usually doesn't cause too much of a commotion. However, it was demonstrated early this morning how things can get out of control when the rain gets heavy. Police had to be called to the Cromwell when a crowd began fighting after a man outside of Drai's made it rain with $100 bills. Two arrests were made, but no injuries were reported.
The excellent show-and-buffet deal at the Golden Nugget ends this week, as headliners Frankie Moreno and Clint Holmes are both concluding their engagements at the casino this month. Both performers will be playing at other venues, with Moreno at the Suncoast on Sept. 9, Oct. 14, and Nov. 11 and Holmes at the Smith Center's Cabaret Jazz Sept. 27, Oct. 29, Nov. 8, and Dec. 8-9.
Paul Shaffer, the longtime musical director for David Letterman, will play a three-week engagement in Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace. Nine dates are scheduled between Dec. 21 and Jan. 6, with tickets starting at $49 base.
With the official results still being tabulated, it’s a sure thing that the sports books had a big day with Floyd Mayweather’s win over Conor McGregor. It was easily the highest bet fight ever, generating a handle that could exceed $100 million and approaches Super Bowl numbers. While there was only one reported $1 million+ bet on the Super Bowl, there were six on the fight. All were on Mayweather, but the books were still heavy on McGregor action, making for a big bookie win all around.
New Jersey has passed a bill to regulate and tax daily fantasy sports. It's the 16th state to legalize DFS.
Floyd Mayweather is a -545 favorite over Conor McGregor in tonight's big boxing match. The over/under is 8.5 rounds with the under favored at -145. This line has moved all over the place and continues to fluctuate now, so if you want to make a bet and you have outs, look around for the best number on your side.
Tonight's Mayweather/McGregor fight will be shown at several venues in Las Vegas, all at inflated prices. A prime example is the strip clubs, where usual free-viewing has been replaced with $100 and up price tags for this one. All of the options and prices are listed at ToplessVegasOnline.com. (NOTE: Topless Vegas Online is fully illustrated throughout and contains adult language and imagery.) Closed-circuit viewing is available at Aria, Bellagio, MGM, MBay, Mirage, Monte Carlo, NY-NY, Luxor, and Excalibur for $150. And if you want to take a shot at the real thing, it sounds like the secondary sales market has remained soft, so you may be able to get a decent deal from a scalper outside of T-Mobile tonight.
The football season begins today with the first college games. In the opening game, Colorado St. is a -3.5 favorite over Oregon St. The total is 60. Check the lines in real time at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
According to plan, the Golden Gate closed last Monday for an expansion and reopened on Friday. Casino space was nearly doubled and the outdoor One Bar was extended, along with other renovations. We haven't checked it out, but reports indicate that the neighboring La Bayou and the alley that separated the casinos are now a part of the Golden Gate.
Las Vegas-area taxi revenue was down again in July, due to the competition from ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft. Ridership was down 10.8% and revenue was down 11.3%. Year-to-date the declines are 13.3% and 13.5%, respectively.
It looks as though two high-profile additions to the football-betting landscape won't be completed in time for the start of the NFL season. One is the sports book at Klondike Sunset. We stopped in to check and the anticipated book is far from game-ready. It will be run by William Hill when completed, but it doesn't look like that will happen by opening weekend. The other is Caesars Entertainment's mobile-betting app, which is now shooting for a mid-September release.
M Resort has discontinued its $500 loss-rebate promotion. The only offer available now for new club members is a $25 restaurant comp when you sign up and play at least one hour on any table game -- a decent incentive, with $5 and $10 tables available.
The Powerball lottery was hit for $758.7 million, the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot and the largest single-ticket winner in history. If the winner chooses the one-time payoff, it will be $480.5 million. The winning ticket was sold in Massachusetts with the numbers 6, 7, 16, 23, 26, with the Powerball 4.
Protective "K-Rail" barriers have been placed in key spots at the Fremont Street Experience where pedestrians are potentially vulnerable to motor-vehicle attacks. Permanent metal bollards are already in place at the main intersections and the new barriers provide another layer of security. Local artists will decorate the barriers, which will stand till permanent security features are installed.
Bookmaker and master marketer Paddy Power has done it again. The company today paid out early on bets on Floyd Mayweather in his fight against Conor McGregor this weekend. It's especially interesting, since PP is an Irish company and it would figure they'd be backing McGregor, but patriotism goes out the window where money is concerned. A PP spokesman said, "[we're doing it] because we checked, and only one of them is a boxer."
What's left to do to set a buffet apart? We keep wondering and they keep doing it. The latest comes from the Feast Buffet at Red Rock, which has added a "Well & Being" station. It's an area for health-conscious diners that features "vegan, paleo, low-carb, high-protein, raw foods, gluten-free, and super foods that are Ph balanced and rich in antioxidants and omega 3 and 6 balancing." Gnarly!
The Cromwell sports book opened today with a ribbon cutting by former boxing champ Shane Mosely. The 50-seat book features a 32-foot LED video wall ends the Cromwell's tenure as the only casino on the Strip without a sports book.
After opening with the casino in 1994, Garduno's is closing at Fiesta Rancho. It will be replaced by a restaurant and entertainment concept out of California called Culichi Town, specializing in Sinaloa-style Mexican cuisine. With the Palms location closing a couple years ago, there are no more Garduno's outlets remaining in Nevada.
A tenuous casino situation in Japan is causing the major U.S. companies to grow leery of government regulations that they fear will inhibit the gambling business there. Debates underway prior to the drafting of gambling legislation address several issues, including the allowable size of the gaming floor, the tax structure, and even limits on how often locals will be allowed to visit the casinos.
Spago is moving from the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace to Bellagio. Given credit for launching Las Vegas' epic celebrity-chef dining movement in 1992, the Wolfgang Puck flagship will take residence next year in the space currently occupied by Olives.
The Powerball lottery jackpot wasn’t hit over the weekend, meaning the Wednesday drawing will have a top prize of about $650 million. It’s the second largest Powerball jackpot and the third largest US lottery jackpot in history. The odds of winning on a single ticket are about 1 in 292 million.
Emerald Island in Henderson is expanding, adding more casino space and a players club lounge. The casino has grown in stages over the years, often by moving into adjacent and nearby spaces previously occupied by other businesses, as it did with an adjacent barber shop in this instance. After the completion of the current addition, plans call for extending the bar and adding kitchen space. Emerald Island is one of Las Vegas’ true sleeper casinos with excellent food and gaming deals, as evidenced by the creative offers in the 2017 Member Rewards Book.
After several years as one of the few Strip casinos without one, the Tropicana is adding a buffet. Built into the space that was previously the Beach Café, the Beach Buffet is expected to open near the end of this year.
The show 50 Shades! A Parody is closing at Bally’s. One of the better low-budget productions on the Strip, the last performance is Sept. 11 after running for more than a year. Another good production, Evil Dead: the Musical has been announced as its successor.
Another big jackpot was claimed yesterday, the latest in a string of big hits in recent months. A local woman won $747K while playing a Buffalo machine at Ellis Island. That should keep her in EI steak dinners for a while.
The Fremont Street Experience canopy debuts a new Viva Vision show tonight. The tribute to the band Linkin Park’s recently deceased lead singer, Chester Bennington, will feature hits “In the End,” “Burn it Down,” and “Numb.” Shows will run on the hour from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Donate blood today and get a ticket to Wet 'n' Wild. United Blood Services and the Boy Scouts of America have partnered with the water park for the drive. The ticket is good on any day though the end of this year. To donate, go to the park at 7055 S. Fort Apache Rd. till 1 p.m.
Lionel Richie -- All the Hits has added 14 dates at Planet Hollywood. Tickets starting at $59 base go on sale today at the Planet Hollywood box office for shows on Nov. 30; Dec. 6, 8-9, 13, 15-16; and March 7, 9-10, 13, 16-17, 20. This is one of the better residencies on the Strip.
There’s been almost nothing in terms of promotions linked to Monday’s eclipse and that may have been a missed opportunity. Mandalay Bay didn’t let the opportunity go by, offering an eclipse-viewing event for $40 that’s completely sold out.
SuperContest Weekend runs through Sunday at Westgate Las Vegas, though there's been a major format change. Replacing the usual handicapping seminars, the VSiN Network will be broadcasting from the SuperBook. It still figures to be an interesting scene, with many sports-betting luminaries congregating in the evenings.
After falling for several weeks, the odds on Floyd Mayweather in his fight against Conor McGregor fell a bit further after a rules change that designates the use of 8-ounce, rather than 10-ounce, gloves. The change that's perceived to benefit the hard-hitting McGregor dropped the price on Mayweather to its previous low of -550 (bet $550 to win $100). The take-back on McGregor is +450.
The recent attacks around the world involving motor vehicles driving into pedestrians have intensified discussions about installing protective bollards along the Strip. However, there's been no decision to either increase the number of bollards or hasten the timetable, which currently calls for the work to begin in October. The barriers will be similar to those already in place at the major Fremont Street Experience intersections.
Mark Gruetze of Pittsburgh's Tribune-Review ran a good profile of gambling writer Henry Tamburin. The article includes quotes from Anthony Curtis, who praises friend-of-LVA Tamburin for always writing with the players' well-being in mind.
Another big jackpot has been hit at McCarran Airport, the third since May. A California woman hit for $1.6 million on a $1 Wheel of Fortune Pink Diamonds machine on Tuesday. Airport jackpots of $933K and $500K were hit in May and August, respectively.
How do you bet when you gamble? Are you a systems player? Do you size your bets scientifically. Or are you simply a player who goes for it when you have the house's money? Let us know how you manage your bets by voting in the new Reader Poll that's live now.
Above average snow melt in Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah and the lowest downriver demand in 25 years have combined to keep Lake Mead safe from a federal water-shortage declaration. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation projects that Lake Mead will avoid a shortage in both 2018 and 2019; the additional influx from upriver is allowing more water than usual to be released by Lake Powell into Lake Mead. Lake Mead’s surface level is expected to rise at least five feet by the end of this year.
The Cromwell at center-Strip has been making moves to distinguish itself as one of the Strip’s more liberal gambling houses, but there are caveats. Already the only casino in Las Vegas to deal 100X odds on craps, there's now a single-zero roulette table in the main pit. Be aware, though, that these games have higher minimums. Same for the blackjack games, where there are a few tables with decent rules, but all at $25 and $100 minimums. The low-limit options all pay 6-5 on naturals and are poor options.
Although scheduled to open in July, the first 2.5-mile stretch of the new Interstate 11 will open at 5 a.m. tomorrow. The flyover that will be accessible to southbound travelers on U.S. 93 will essentially make for a faster trip to Boulder City. It's a small part of a huge freeway project planned to eventually run from Mexico to Canada.
Rampart has announced a new race & sports book that will be built into the former location of JC's Irish Pub. The 6,000-square-foot book will feature a 50-foot LED screen, 80 TVs, a new bar and lounge, and a deli. It's not clear whether or not the current sports book will be a part of the new space, but the positioning suggests that it might be. The opening is scheduled for Sept. 6, in time for the start of the NFL season.
Here's something that we didn't know. According to the "Road Warrior" column in the LV Review-Journal, it's illegal in Nevada to hang any item off your car's rearview mirror that might block your view of the road. The article says this could include dangling necklaces, graduation tassels, rosaries, air fresheners, and handicap placards. Police say they are reasonable about what they flag and will often just issue a warning, but displaying any of these items is technically a misdemeanor that can draw up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.
For several year's now we've compiled the best listing of football contests that we've seen from any source. We're in the process of putting all the information together, but several of the listings are up now. You can check them out in our gambling section and we'll be adding more as we find them.
In another turn for the Phil Ivey baccarat dispute in Atlantic City, it's reported that Borgata is suing the Gemaco playing card company for the $10.1 million lost. Borgata contends that Gemaco sold them cards knowing that they were "marked," which seems a bit of an extreme way of putting it.
The Yermo Border Protection Station, well known to frequent travelers on I-15 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, is being replaced with a similar station located only about seven miles past the Nevada state line. The objective of these stations is to prevent invasive species found in produce from getting into California crops. And while it seems that there's rarely anyone present to conduct inspections, 882 shipments were turned back last year. Construction on the new $47 million facility is expected to begin in September and conclude in 2019. The current station will continue to operate in the interim.
This year's football contests are opening up for registration. Good news for recreational players is the return of the top free contests at Boyd ("Pick the Pros") and Station ("Gridiron Glory"). The major pay contests are also back again at Westgate ("SuperContest"), Golden Nugget ("Friday Football Showdown"), and William Hill ("College Pick 'Em). We'll be posting details on all of the contests over the next couple weeks.
A new interactive attraction called Fear the Walking Dead Survival has opened at the Fremont Street Experience. The walk-through experience features a "combination of motion rides, mazes, and interactive video games." Tickets start at $30.
Going into today's final round of golf's PGA Championship, Hideki Matsuyama is the +175 favorite to win. Current leader Kevin Kisner is the second favorite at +335, followed by Justin Thomas at +485 and Louis Oosthuizen at +620.
Following the closing of the Max Casino last month, the Lobby Bar and Savona Bistro restaurant at the Westin are now boarded up. Reports indicate that a new restaurant and fitness center (and we presume, a bar) are in the works, though no timetables have been announced.
Rick Springfield will play a free concert tonight at the Fremont Street Experience. The concert plays on the 1st Street Stage beginning at 9 p.m.
Today only, earn 250 points at Lucky Dragon and get a wok. Careful, though, whereas points are often earned at a rate of 1 per $1 or $2 coin-in, it takes $10 to earn a point in video poker at LD, so you're looking at $2,500 coin-in. Tomorrow you can get a mini-fan for 50 points. Also, select bottled beers are $2 at the bars.
The Gambler’s Café has closed. The café was located inside the Gambler’s General Store, which was recently sold, and will be replaced by Dough Dough’s Hawaiian Café. An opening date hasn’t been announced.
The Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor fight is being treated like a major event by the sports books in terms of betting options. Unlike a typical boxing match that would be limited to side and over/under rounds bets, several props are available. Ticket volume continues to favor McGregor by about 9-1, while the bigger bets are coming in on Mayweather.
The Megabucks jackpot was hit this week for $11.8 million at the Fremont. The winner was identified only as a visitor named Rodolfo T., who hit on a Megabucks Double 3X4X5X Pay game.
A new restaurant called Hamptons that’s coming to Tivoli Village is holding a job fair on Aug. 15. Interviews will be conducted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for bartenders, servers, cooks, and several other positions.
Through the end of August, kids 12 and under ride free on the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ Promenade when accompanied by a paying adult. The offer is good for daytime rides only (till 7 p.m.).
Last night's performance of Britney: Piece of Me at Planet Hollywood was interrupted when a man rushed the stage and had to be subdued by security. No one was harmed, but the show was halted and Britney Spears was visibly shaken, as is evident in this video of the altercation.
Rory McIlroy is the +700 favorite to win the PGA Championship golf tournament, which began today. He’s followed by Jordan Spieth at +800, and Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, and Hideki Matsuyama at +1200.
The Cosmopolitan will spend more than $100 million on upgrading its rooms. Only seven years since opening and boasting what are among the highest-praised accommodations on the Strip, all 2,895 rooms at the Cosmo will be completely renovated to the tune of $34,000 per room.
The Carolina Panthers are -2 favorites over the Houston Texans in tonight's NFL Pre-Season opener. The total is 39.
Station Casinos has announced a second round of upgrades for Palace Station. Following the completion of its current $115 million renovation and expansion, an additional $76 million will be devoted to adding luxury movie theaters, a new pool complex, a restaurant, bar, and a renovation of the sports book and poker room. Work is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
It's not as good as last month's prime rib comp at Jackson's Bar & Grill, but it's not bad. Earn 450 points ($900 coin-in) today at Eastside Cannery and get a comped prime rib dinner in Carve. ECan has 8/5 Bonus Poker for dollars, so that's an $8-$9 expected loss for good video poker players, well below Carve's prime rib tariff. The deal runs every Wednesday in August. LVA members can read a review of Carve's new prime rib-centric menu in the August issue.
The magic show Jarrett & Raja is closing at Hooters. It was a second attempt, along with the Top Ten rated productions at the Golden Nugget, at combining dinner (in the form of a buffet) with a show along with a family friendly stance that included free tickets for kids. Jarrett & Raja is seeking another Strip venue (and should, perhaps, consider a name change).
For the first time ever, the jackpot in both major U.S. lotteries is over $300 million. The jackpot for today's Mega Millions is expected to be $350 million, while while tomorrow's Powerball jackpot is $307 million.
Marcus Hutchins, a British "cybersecurity researcher" who goes by the name MalwareTech, was arrested while attending last week's DefCon (computer hacker) conference in Las Vegas, on charges of distributing devices that steal financial data. Earlier this year, Hutchins was internationally lauded for thwarting the WannaCry cyberattack that threatened to shut down hospitals and government agencies worldwide.
It was a good weekend for an unidentified player at Palazzo who hit for $727,000 on a Wheel of Fortune Double 3x4x5x Pay Multiplay machine. It was a 25¢ game, but a 12-credit bet ($3) was required to be eligible for the jackpot. Playing max coin did the job.
Not that he’ll need a paying gig after his mega-money-match with Floyd Mayweather, but Connor McGregor has landed one as a nightclub host. No kidding. McGregor has signed on for a two-year residency hosting post-fight parties at Encore nightclubs. The first party will be his own on August 26 after the fight.
Le Dîner en Blanc, the high-end pop-up picnic launched almost 30 years ago in Paris and made its Las Vegas debut last year, is coming back on October 8. As is tradition, the specific location will remain a secret until "minutes before the event," but you need to jump on it now if you want tickets, which are granted with preference to those who attended last year. Go to lasvegas.dinerenblanc.com to get your name on the list, as well as read the voluminous rules of attending.
Former Las Vegas mayor and mob attorney Oscar Goodman will be hanging out in Oscar's steakhouse at the Plaza from 4:30 to 6 p.m. today through Wednesday. Goodman will sign copies of his book, Being Oscar, and there'll be a "What Oscar Eats" three-course dinner special, featuring a bone-in ribeye with mac & cheese, for $29.
Today is PrimeTime Monday at South Point. Seniors (50+) get half-off dining and bingo when they pay with points, $4 movies, and a free slot tourney with a $5,000 prize pool played between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Boyd casinos will run the "Pick the Pros" contest again this year. By our analyses, this is the best of the free-to-play football contests. We'll be breaking this one down, along with all of the contests, this month at GamblingWithAnEdge.com.
Maine has passed a bill legalizing daily fantasy sports, based on an opinion that DFS "is not a game of chance." DFS may be played there by participants who are at least 18 years old, effective immediately. Maine is the 15th state to make DFS legal.
Another rumor about an impending sale of the Fontainebleau is making the rounds. This time, though, there's more credibility based on the source being MGM boss Jim Murren, who told analysts that he believes a deal is in the works. Murren also made it clear that MGM is not the buyer.
Brandon Moreno is a -175 favorite over Sergio Pettis in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Alexa Grasso is -180 over Randa Markos.
Today through 9 p.m. tomorrow, Marche Bacchus French Bistro and Wine Shop is holding its annual summer wine sale, with all bottles 15%-25% off. In addition to the wines, this is one of Las Vegas’ best restaurants and you can drink what you buy with lunch or dinner. Marche Bacchus is located on the northwest side of town in Desert Shores at 2620 Regatta.
An investigation by Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the fatal crash at the SpeedVegas track in February resulted in fines totaling $16,000, but none of the violations were deemed to have caused the accident. The fines were related to fire prevention and lack of written safety procedures, essentially an exoneration of direct culpability in the crash.
OK, that's a bit harsh, but beware of a recent crop of day-specific bonuses being promoted by bars using the Gamblers Bonus players club system. We've tried two now, today's being a play-$5-get-$5 offer, and we've yet to come away with the promised perk. Both times there was a glitch. Gamblers Bonus is a good system overall, they just need to work out the bugs in the new campaign.
A new retail plaza is planned for Las Vegas' Chinatown area. An 80,000-square-foot complex named Shanghai Plaza will be built at Spring Mtn. and Arville, with an area behind a PTs the seeming most likely location. No timetable was disclosed.
B&B Burger & Beer at the Venetian will close Sept. 30. It's one of several restaurants from Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's B&B Hospitality Group, which will next open Eataly at Park MGM (the renamed Monte Carlo) in 2018. A replacement for B&B Burger & Beer has not been announced.
The Dallas Cowboys are -2 favorites over the Arizona Cardinals in tonight's Hall of Fame Game that opens the NFL season. The total is 34.5.
The infamous Clown Motel in Tonopah is for sale. Home to 600 clown figurines, built next to a cemetery, and known for frequent paranormal occurrences, it seems like the perfect opportunity for an aspiring innkeeper. The asking price hasn't been divulged.
Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman has been ranked the #4 high school football team in the nation by USA Today after finishing in the #1 spot for the past three years. They'll play the #6-ranked team, DeMatha Catholic (MD), to open the season, and #1-ranked Mater Dei (CA) in their second game.
The Stratosphere has revamped and renamed its buffet. Now called “Crafted,” all prices have been increased by $1 to $16.99 for brunch and $20.69 for regular dinner with club card. The all-day pass has been discontinued.
Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage has a new resident with the birth of a female dolphin last month. The calf, which has not yet been named, is healthy and can be viewed when visiting the habitat.
Westgate Las Vegas is running a “40th Tribute to the King” in August, with food specials and other events throughout the month. The best of it is a double-points day on Aug. 15, a free slot tourney with $5,000 in prizes on Aug. 16, and a free buffet if you dress like Elvis and post a photo on Westgates Facebook and Instagram accounts on Aug. 17.
The band The Killers played a pop-up concert last night in front of Caesars Palace, portions of which were shown on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!." The band was promoting its new album "Wonderful Wonderful." Both the band and Jimmy Kimmel are originally from Las Vegas.
The redesigned sports book at Wynn Las Vegas opened today. It features a 137' x 11' LED video wall with 21 million pixels and another 35 TV monitors. "Betting desks" are equipped with USB ports and power outlets. The former Zoozacrackers deli is now Charlie's Bar + Grill, named for legendary casino host, Charlie Meyerson. The new Encore sports book opens Monday.