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In today's Liberty Bowl, West Virginia is a -10 favorite over Army. The total is 41.
Dawn Wells, Miss Nevada of 1959 and the actress who played Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island," passed away in Los Angeles yesterday from COVID. She was 82. She was born in Reno and her father, Joe Wells, held points in the Thunderbird Casino, as well as being a founding partner of Wells Cargo, a construction company that holds the lowest-numbered active contractor’s license in Nevada. You can read a little more about Dawn Wells in our 2014 Question of the Day about her.
No more tickets for the Fremont Street Experience's ostensible "party" tonight are being sold. It's unclear if all 14,000 tickets, which came with a $25 "security fee," have been sold out or if FSE capped sales at some lower number, but the online ordering system has been "temporarily" offline since yesterday. No live entertainment, other than the Plaza fireworks show at midnight, is allowed, though the city did grant a special-use permit to FSE for the 14,000 attendees, which Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak deemed "irresponsible." Meanwhile, Circa has announced that its Stadium Swim pool area will be closed to guests tonight, “in light of county directives on restrictions for mass gatherings." Stadium Swim is the anchor space for Nexstar’s New Year’s Eve show, which will be broadcast locally and in 13 cities nationwide.
UPDATE (10:40 a.m.) : The Fremont Street Experience just announced that "out of an abundance of caution," the New Year's Eve event on Fremont Street will be restricted to hotel guests of member properties with wristbands. Guests who paid the $25 security fee will receive a full refund (and a complimentary ride on the SlotZilla Zipline).
In today's Armed Forces Bowl, Mississippi State is a -1 favorite over Tulsa. The total is 45.
Circa is the venue for tonight's CBS “Countdown to New Year’s Eve 2021,” telecast locally and in 13 cities in seven states. The live show will be hosted at the Stadium Swim pool deck, with socially distanced performances by Las Vegas acts Zowie Bowie, Skye Dee Miles, Michelle Johnson, and Sina Foley. The Legacy Club rooftop lounge will provide panoramic views of the valley and a bird's-eye look at the Plaza fireworks. Nexstar will televise "Countdown" in California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Bakersfield, and Fresno), Colorado (Denver, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction), Oregon (Portland), Utah (Salt Lake City), New Mexico (Albuquerque) and Hawaii (Honolulu). "Countdown" starts at 9 p.m. For the rest of the world, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority will stream a show starting at 11:30 p.m., featuring a performance by Tao Group resident DJ Vice; a sign reading "2020" will be lit in a burst of light and color, then reduced to smithereens. Finally, a massive 2021 LED sign will be unveiled with an eruption of confetti, streamers, and fireworks. You can see it on VisitLasVegas.com and participate in a trip-to-Vegas contest.
In today's Cotton Bowl, Oklahoma is a -8.5 favorite over Florida. The total is 65.
With the end of the year drawing near, total visitor volume for 2020 could be the lowest Las Vegas has experienced since 1988. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported yesterday that November's number of visitors, 1.514 million, brings the 2020 total to 17.8 million, a little more than half of the same 11 months in 2019. If volume continues apace through tomorrow and Las Vegas records a little more than 19 million for the year, it will be the lowest number of visitors since the year before the Mirage opened.
In today's Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Wisconsin is a -9.5 favorite over Wake Forest. The total is 51.3.
In today's Alamo Bowl, Texas is a -8 favorite over Colorado. The total is 67.5.
In today's Cheez-It Bowl, Miami of Florida is a -1 favorite over Oklahoma State. The total is 62.5.
The travel-booking website Priceline took a deep dive into hotel reservations made on its site between Jan. 1 and Dec. 7 and came up with the top 10 most popular domestic destinations. Believe it or not, Las Vegas was number one. Vegas was followed by Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Phoenix, L.A., Denver, San Diego, and Washington, D.C.
As expected, Joe Hebert (pronounced "Ay-BARE") prevailed at the final table of the domestic half of the World Series of Poker. The 38-year-old Hebert, from Louisiana, started the day with more than double the chips of the second-place contestant, coming out on top of the 705-player field after earning his $10,000 buy-in by winning a $300 satellite on WSOP.com. A short four-hour final table later, he won a place at the ultimate final table, which will determine the overall champion; he'll go heads-up against Argentine Damian Salas, who won the international half of the tournament. That match was originally scheduled for tomorrow, Dec. 30, but Salas was unable to get clearance to enter the U.S. in time and the date has been moved back to Sunday Jan. 3. In the meantime, Hebert will delay going back to his part-time job as a waiter in Metairie. Both Hebert and Salas are experienced tournament players, with the former logging multiple WSOP cashes and the latter finishing 7th in the 2017 Main Event. The first prize for both tournaments was nearly identical at $1,553,256 for Hebert and $1,550,569 for Salas and an additional $1 million will be paid to the heads-up winner.
More than 1.8 million travelers transited McCarran International last month, down 9% from October's 1.98 million and nearly 60% lower than the number in November 2019. All but 1% (19,000) were domestic travelers; only four international flights (three to and from Mexico and one to and from Canada) are flying through McCarran currently. For the first 11 months of the year, 21 million people have passed through McCarran, down 55% for the same period last year.
The Buffalo Bills are -7 favorites over the New England Patriots in tonight's Monday Night Football game. The total is 47.
After being closed Mondays-Wednesdays since October, Encore is open today. It's not being publicized anywhere, but the casino is open and dealers are on the games. We're not sure what other areas of the casino are operating, but the word is the change is for this week only to get the New Year's holiday business, then back to the partial schedule. We'll see.
The World Series of Poker is hosting the final table of the U.S. leg of the Main Event today at the Rio. The winner of the $10,000-buy-in no-limit hold ’em series will take down the $1.55 million first prize, then play in a heads-up event against the winner of the international leg of the tournament, Damian Salas, a lawyer from Buenos Aires, which will take place on Wednesday; the prize is another $1 million, plus the bracelet. Chip leader is Joseph Hebert, a 38-year-old poker pro from the New Orleans area, with 13 million; the second-place chip holder has 5.25 million. There will be no TV or online coverage of the event, including the heads-up final. ESPN will produce six hours of coverage that will be aired in February.
CoasterNation.com reports that new train cars on the roller coaster at New York-New York were being tested throughout December, but sometime around December 23, cars derailed and the test had to be immediately curtailed. Photos on social media "show the three-car train stuck on the lift hill, with the middle car leaning off the track." No passengers were in the train, with the ride shut down for the tests. Structural damage is visible near the top of the lift hill and a thorough inspection will determine if the integrity of the 23-year-old Big Apple coaster is compromised. If not, it can be repaired. If it is, CoasterNation writes that "the ride would have to be removed" and rebuilt. Whether MGM Resorts would fund the renovation or just send it to the recycling center is anyone's guess. Stay tuned.
Circa Resort & Casino today opens its 777-room hotel tower, including the rooftop-lounge Legacy Club. Though upwards of 250 rooms are being held back so far, construction of Circa has officially been completed. The 458-foot-tall structure is Las Vegas' highest hotel tower north of the Strip. The standard rooms are 439 square feet and equipped with a mini-fridge, a tablet for booking reservations at the sportsbook, restaurants, and Stadium Swim, and a control panel for the room’s light settings. Some rooms incorporate built-in Murphy beds, which can be pulled down from the wall for an extra sleeping space.
The Green Bay Packers are -3 favorites over the Tennessee Titans in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 52.
One of two buffets operating currently in Las Vegas will close on Sunday January 10. The Wicked Spoon Buffet at the Cosmopolitan will shut down "temporarily" until "business levels improve," at which point the decision will be reevaluated. Apparently, conducting business under the 25%-capacity and reservations-only restrictions isn't sustainable, even for a popular buffet nearly alone in the field. That leaves South Point as Las Vegas' only AYCE option.
In today's Lendingtree Bowl, Georgia State is a -3 favorite over Western Kentucky. The total is 50.
In today's First Responder Bowl, UL Lafayette is a -14 favorite over Texas San Antonio. The total is 54.5.
An announcement from MGM Resorts further limits dining options over New Year's weekend. The current capacity limit is 25% and MRI has further restricted reservations to its hotel guests. If you're staying at an MRI property Thursday December 30 through Saturday January 1, book your restaurant reservations now (if any are available); "reservations are not guaranteed." And be sure to have your room key with you when you show up to eat.
Poker players at Station Casinos got a bonus Monday night when the bad-beat jackpot, a.k.a. Jumbo Hold 'Em Poker Progressive, was hit at Santa Fe Station for $244,588. When Player A's full house (aces over queens) lost to Player B's full house (aces over kings), A took down $85,596 (35%) and B won $48,912 (20%). The other players at the table received $1,529 each (5% total) and everyone playing at a poker table at all Station Casinos at the time were paid $648 each (40% total).
In today's Camelia Bowl, Buffalo is a -5 favorite over Marshall. The total is 52.
The second in our series of YouTube videos, "Vegas and the Virus," is now viewable. The audio is better, the intro is brief, and the run time is an easily manageable 5:07. Anthony Curtis looks and sounds great, if we do say so ourselves, as he updates the situation with casino closures and New Year's Eve, plus answers a few of your questions. Catch it here and leave a comment if you'd like. We sure would.
A slot player who splits his time between Las Vegas and Alaska had $40 invested in a Megabucks machine when he hit the jackpot for $15,491,103. It was largest slot machine jackpot in Nevada in eight years. The player lined up the jackpot symbols just after noon yesterday. The Megabucks jackpot was hit the last time in April 2019 at Sunset Station for $13,154,723.
Merry Christmas 2020 -- at least as merry as it can be under the current circumstances. Our holiday greeting is found in today's QoD, so here, we'll just say that traditional Christmas dinners are being served in many of the restaurants around the city, but reservations are mandatory and the capacity limit of 25% is strictly enforced. For those of you who wanted to be here, but aren't, you can get a vicarious visit via our coverage of Christmas events in our blog post.
The drawing for the world's richest lottery in terms of the total prize money involved was held in Spain yesterday. Known as El Gordo, or the Fat One, the total prizes were worth 2.4 billion euros (US$2.9 billion), up 6% from last year's €2.24 billion. Numerous holders of the number for the top prize, 72897, won 400,000 euros or $487,000 (in a slightly complicated structure, the winners of the top ticket win €20,000 for each euro spent on a €20 ticket). In all, 1,600 tickets with the same number are sold at lottery sales points across the country, making it impossible for one person to buy them all. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 100,000 and Spain levies a 20% tax on all prizes over €2,500; thus, the grand-prize winners will take home €320,050 or a little less than $390,000.
Amber Unicorn, the used bookstore at 2101 S. Decatur a long block and a half south of W. Charleston, will close on Sunday for good. The store has been in business for nearly 40 years and, on a personal note, it has supplied several shelves worth of archival books on Las Vegas in our office library. Walk-in traffic took a huge hit when Trader Joe's moved out of the same shopping center in June 2017. The going-out-of-business sale, with deep discounts on books, ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday when the store locks its doors, never to reopen. If you're here, there might be some cookbooks and books on local interest left.
The Regional Transportation Commission is providing free bus rides to all passengers starting at 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve and running through 9 a.m. January 1. The entire bus system will be free during those hours, including the Deuce buses on the Strip (though it will be closed from Spring Mountain Road to Russell Avenue for most of that time). Of course, the routes that cross the Strip along that stretch will be changed. But free is free, especially on the drunkest night of the year.
In today's Montgomery Bowl, Memphis is a -8.5 favorite over Florida Atlantic. The total is 52.
We're not the only ones in our group on YouTube. Great minds think alike and KardSharp is the YouTube channel from Houston Curtis, one of the world's great sleight-of-hand, magic, and card mechanics. Houston is also the author of Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist, the story behind the story of Molly's Game (book and movie). Plus, he's a video producer and friend of ours and he posted a new video featuring Steve Cyr, the superhost subject of Whale Hunt in the Desert. This is a rare opportunity to catch Steve's rap -- though it's about how to navigate the nightclub scene, which is currently in a coma, there are a few excellent tips in his four minutes on camera with the best saved for last, by which time you'll see why he's the Las Vegas celebrity superhost. And after you've seen the Cyr video (first in the queue), while you're at KardSharp, take a look around. The videos of card magic are spectacular.
In today's R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Georgia Southern is a -6.5 favorite over Louisiana Tech. The total is 46.5.
Scott Roeben of VitalVegas.com reports this morning that tickets are on sale for a shindig downtown on New Year's Eve. He writes that admission is $25, but is being called a "security fee." He also states, "It was widely reported that Fremont Street Experience wouldn’t have its New Year’s Eve event, but that was related to the denial of a specific permit request. Apparently, a new permit was requested and granted." There won't be any live entertainment, just the light and sound show from Viva Vision. COVID precautions will be in place (delineated in the FAQ on the FSE website), including mandatory masks. To us, it appears that this is FSE's method for trying to control the madness. People will gather, both on Fremont Street and the Strip (half of which is closed to traffic), but the $25 fee and COVID screening could discourage the more reckless of the bunch.
A drive-thru dinosaur extravaganza will open the day after Christmas and continue through to Sunday January 10. "Jurassic Empire" will consist of 60 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, providing a "prehistoric journey" from the comfort of a car. It will take place in the Pavilion parking lot at the World Market Center and admission is $59 weekdays, $69 weekends. Tickets can be purchased at JurassicEmpire.com.
In today's RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, BYU is a -5 favorite over Central Florida. The total is 79.5.
In today's Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Tulane is a -1.5 favorite over Nevada. The total is 56.5.
The first game in a COVID-truncated college football bowl season was played yesterday and two more will be played today. The Las Vegas Bowl was canceled this year, along with several others, but we'll be putting up lines in this space on most of the games that are being played through the National Championship game.
The Legacy Club, Circa's rooftop bar and lounge, will open with the hotel on Monday December 28, but reporters got a preview yesterday. A high-speed elevator whisks guests to the "60th" floor (in quotes because the tower is 458 feet tall, which doesn't add up to 60 stories; in the Las Vegas tradition, a number of floor numbers were likely skipped and we'll know which and how many next week). The lobby is decorated with busts and portraits of "legacy" personalities, such as Benny Binion, Jackie Gaughan, Jay Sarno, Howard Hughes, Bob Stupak, and Steve Wynn. The 12-seat inside bar shares the limelight with 1,000 ounces of gold (in one-pound bars, worth around $1.85 million at today's spot price). On the outside deck are plush chairs and a fire pit. A dress code will be enforced. Reservations are available at the Circa website; inside and outside tables are free, while the Sunset and Firepit packages are currently $300.
The Rio reopens today at 10 a.m. It's the last of Caesars Entertainment-run properties, both in Las Vegas and nationwide, to return from the shutdown nine months ago. The casino, restaurants (minus the buffet), bar and lounges, and fitness center will all remain open seven days a week, while the hotel rooms will be available Thursday through Sunday nights only, except between now and January 3. A newly branded William Hill sports book will debut today, but valet parking will be unavailable for the foreseeable future.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are -14.5 favorites over the Cincinnati Bengals in tonight's Monday Night Football game. The total is 41.5.
Starting Monday January 4, the Mirage will be closed from 12 noon on Mondays to 12 noon on Thursday in its entirety -- hotel, casino, restaurants, and the rest. The Twitter announcement said that the complete weekday closure shouldn't extend past February, but the policy will be reevaluated as that time approaches.
A recent mutation of the coronavirus in the south of England has Europe in a panic. First discovered in late September, the mutant strain appears to be 70% more infectious, though no evidence suggests that it causes more severe symptoms, is more lethal, or is more resistant to vaccines. Still, London and surrounding regions, including Kent, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire, have been almost completely locked down, which includes all non-essential businesses like casinos. And the UK's isolation in nearly total, with flights banned by a long list of other countries and France even blocking trucks arriving from the UK via the Chunnel for 48 hours.
A list of the world's five most luxurious casinos on FTNNews.com includes the Venetian, though the one cited is the Macau version, which the annotation claims has "surpassed the original." The others are Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco ("the original luxury casino, little on Earth can match the classic glamor"); Marina Bay Sands in Singapore ("one of the world’s most striking and elegant modern buildings, with its sweeping roof garden, highest infinity pool in the world, and dozens of restaurants"); Park Hyatt Mendoza in Argentina ("an impressive neoclassical building in Argentina’s most important wine region); Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia ("among the premier resorts in the world with stunning cityscape views"); and our very own Palms ("unique style, impressive collection of modern art, and the most expensive hotel suite in the world"). Now if Station Casinos would just reopen it (luxurious shmuxurious, we have a mighty hankering for a slice of Side Piece pizza).
Now through Tuesday are the last days to vote in our current poll: "Although I live in or near a casino or clump of them, I'd rather go to Vegas because ..." Twenty-six choices include everything from "always something new to discover" to "the best thrift shops anywhere" and you can vote for as many as you like. The poll has more than 3,000 votes, so add your choices to the total and we'll report on the results later this week.
Winter starts at 2 a.m. tonight, but the thermometer didn't get the memo. Tomorrow's high temperature will be 65, 10 degrees above normal, and Tuesday's will flirt with 70. On Wednesday, however, a cold front will bring winds and temperatures 15-20 degrees colder, more typical for the season. Over the Christmas weekend, Las Vegas will warm up a bit again, with highs around 60 and lows in the upper 30s. The long-range forecast for New Year's is pleasant, with highs in the mid-50s and lows in the mid-30s. No rain is on the horizon, with at most a 15% chance over the next 10 days.
Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal are pick ’em in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Jose Aldo is -150 over Marlon Vera.
Reports out of Sweden indicate that during a game in the HockeyAllsvenskan league, the second-highest professional league in the Swedish ice-hockey system (on the same level as the American Hockey League here), IF Björklöven lost to Mora IK 8-4 after taking a 3-0 lead. Connor Ingram, one of the AHL's top goaltenders on loan to IF Björklöven by the Nashville Predators organization, played two periods and allowed five goals on 14 total shots. Since their loss, a number of Björklöven players have come under investigation for game fixing, based primarily on "questionable on-ice play," taking some "bizarre" penalties, and the fact that some Swedish sports book sites were tipped off during the game concerning irregularities in the lines. The books shut down the betting, which had rendered Björklöven’s odds worse while they were leading 3-1 than prior to the game, and looking back, it's possible that the Mora game isn't the only one that might have been fixed. One of the Swedish sports books and the Swedish Ice Hockey Association are conducting separate investigations. Thanks to long-time LVA subscriber and super-sleuth Roy for sending us several links to this story.
"Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club" at MGM Grand is scheduled to reopen Saturday Dec. 26. Comedians will do two shows nightly, at 7 and 10 p.m., through the holidays. Starting Sunday January 3, the club will be dark Mondays and Tuesdays, with the two shows Fridays and Saturdays and one at 8 p.m. on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Tickets are $68.95. The press release states, "In accordance with government guidelines, the current phase of entertainment allows for a maximum audience of 50 guests, physically distanced at six feet between parties and a minimum of 25 feet from on-stage performers."
JetBlue will inaugurate non-stop service to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Cancún, Mexico, on March 4. The flights to RDU will operate daily, to Cancún three times a week. Roundtrip airfares to North Carolina are currently listed between $210 and $170, to Cancún $225 and $410.
Las Vegas' record streak of consecutive dry days was finally broken yesterday as four-one-hundredths of an inch of precipitation were measured at McCarran International, the official measuring site. It was a minor storm cell that lasted all of 45 minutes, but it passed directly over Las Vegas and watered the entire valley between 5 and 6 p.m. The new record beat the old one, set in 1959, by 90 spectacular days. For the year, Las Vegas has received a little more than half (2.31 inches) its average precipitation (4.12). The driest full year on record was 1953 at .56 of an inch.
Tyson Foods has fired seven managers from one of its pork-processing plants in Iowa for organizing and participating in a "cash buy-in winner-take-all betting pool for supervisors and managers to wager how many employees would test positive for COVID-19." More than 1,000 workers at the plant tested positive and six died; the family of one of the six filed a lawsuit into the pool, among other policies that threatened workers' health and prompted the investigation.
The Las Vegas Raiders are -3 favorites over the Los Angeles Chargers in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 52.5.
Catch Anthony Curtis in the first of what promises to be an active new Las Vegas Advisor YouTube channel. In the inaugural 11-minute video, Anthony covers the history of Vegas during the pandemic, brings you up to date on the current scene, answers LVA's three most frequently asked questions about Vegas these days, and gives his recommendations about what you'll find if you venture forth on a Vegas vacation over the next few weeks. Take a break with your favorite "Advisor" and check in on our channel to see what upcoming surprises Anthony has up his sleeve for your vicarious Vegas experience, then click the subscribe button to be alerted when new videos are posted that will cover everything from hot new happy hours to the latest video poker news.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports this morning that the popular chain restaurant Olive Garden has submitted plans to occupy a portion of the new Showcase Mall addition that replaced Smith & Wollensky. Target and Burlington already occupy portions of the new four-story building directly across the street from Park MGM. The restaurant will be 12,500 square feet and the buildout is budgeted at upwards of $4 million. No timeline has been announced.
The traditional New Year's Eve "America's Party," hosted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, televised nationally, and culminating in midnight fireworks the length of the closed-to-traffic Strip, will not take place this year. In addition, party-goers are being encouraged by federal, state, and even local authorities to skip the festivities. The police, however, will be realistic and proactive: They're shutting down Las Vegas Blvd. South between Spring Mountain Road and Russell Road starting around 6:30 p.m. on December 31. The north Strip, Spring Mountain to Sahara, will remain open, at least so far. No announcement has been made about closures downtown, where the Plaza is putting on a fireworks display.
A new study by the United Kingdom's gambling-harm-prevention charity GambleAware finds Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) adults are at “significantly higher” risk of gambling-related harms than white adults. As many as 20% of BAME adults who participated in the survey said that they've experienced problems with their gambling; the survey classified 7% as fitting into the "problem-gambler" category (8+ on the "Problem Gambling Severity Index"). By comparison, 12% of white adults said they've experience problems of some sort with their gambling, with 2% falling into the problem-gambler classification. Interestingly, BAME gamblers are more likely to go for treatment, according to GambleAware, with 75% of minorities seeking help, compared to 49% of whites.
Ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines will fly six new nonstop routes between Las Vegas and destinations domestic and Mexican starting early next year. Non-stop flights will arrive and depart twice a week from and to El Paso, Little Rock, Wichita, Oklahoma City, Los Cabos, and Puerto Vallarta. All six flights roll out in March and introductory fares are as low as $29 one way.
The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, a.k.a. the Mob Museum, will be displaying two rare artifacts starting Dec. 17 and running through January 10 on the second floor. The first is the actual check William R. “Billy” Wilkerson wrote as his down payment for the land on which the Flamingo Hotel-Casino would be built. Written for $9,500 and dated March 5, 1945, it was paid to a local businesswoman named Margaret Folsom. Ultimately, Wilkerson shelled out $84,000 for the 33-acre parcel. The second is a two-page legal document, signed by Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and dated March 19, 1947, that formally removed Wilkerson from any involvement with the Flamingo. When Wilkerson ran short on funds during construction, he turned to the Mob, including Siegel, to invest in the project. Amid subsequent conflicts between Wilkerson and Siegel, Siegel pushed Wilkerson out and seized full control of the Flamingo; that document was signed three months before Siegel was murdered. Both artifacts were acquired from Wilkerson's son Willie; they'll be added to the permanent collection later this year.
Spiegelworld's show in a tent at Caesars Palace, Absinthe, has closed down again temporarily. It was among the lone live productions to reopen on October 28 and continue after the three-week "pause" was instituted in late November, playing to crowds limited to 25% capacity, which for the 660-seat tent meant upwards of 150. But the 50-person limit imposed by the pause proved to be too much for Spiegelworld, which has closed the show until at least January 15, when the extended pause is set to expire, if it does.
A coalition of nearly two dozen California tribes has submitted a petition with more than 1.4 million signatures that should place a sports betting initiative on a future ballot. Only a little fewer than a million qualified signatures were required for the referendum, which if passed by voters will allow the tribes and racetracks to offer retail sports books to California bettors. For the past couple of years, the tribes have opposed a sports betting bill that included cardrooms and online wagering. If enough petition signatures pass muster, the referendum is guaranteed to appear on the November 2022 ballot, though if the stars align just right, it could make it into the 2021 election.
The Baltimore Ravens are -3 favorites over the Cleveland Browns in tonight's Monday Night Football game. The total is 45.5.
It wasn’t a certainty given the current COVID reality, but as it does every year during the holidays, South Point is running its “Pay Less With Your Points” promotion, during which almost everything is half price when you use club points. This includes all restaurants and bars, rooms, shows, bingo, bowling, movies, and the gift shop. In the past, drinks at the bar have been $2 (before the discount) during this period, but that’s not being advertised this year. It’s still an excellent deal, and the promo runs through December 30, which is a week longer than usual.
In a press conference yesterday afternoon, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak extended the in-place three-week "pause" until January 15. The restrictions, implemented on November 23, include 25% percent occupancy limits at casinos, restaurants, bars, and other gathering places, plus stricter mask requirements. The governor continues to resist the complete casino closures that have been mandated in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Illinois.
A story on CDC Gaming Reports indicates that an American Gaming Association executive believes that raising the IRS threshold for issuing tax paperwork on slot jackpots could become a reality next year. Speaking at an online forum on Friday, Chris Cylke, AGA’s senior vice president of government relations, explained that a provision passed by the House of Representatives "would direct the Treasury Department to review the threshold and report back to Congress within 90 days." The provision would then become a piece of budget legislation that will be passed by Congress. You can read the whole story here.
Next week, Wynn Resorts will introduce Wynn Rewards, which will replace the existing Red Card players club. Current Red Card members will be automatically enrolled in Wynn Rewards. Wynn Rewards features three member tiers: Red, Platinum, and Black. The Red tier offers discounted room rates and invitations to events and promotions. Platinum tier features a 20% bonus on slot points earned for freeplay, spa credits, complimentary Wynn Master Classes, and priority slot service. At the premium Black tier, members receive a 30% bonus on slot points earned for freeplay, maximum privileges and access to the resort's dining and entertainment, in-room amenities, invitations to Wynn-hosted VIP guest experiences, and several additional elite rewards. The program launched at Encore Boston Harbor earlier this year. and will go into effect in Las Vegas next Monday, December 21.
The Buffalo Bills are -2 favorites over the Pittsburgh Steelers in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 48.
Lee Canyon, the downhill ski resort located less than an hour from downtown Las Vegas, has opened, with lifts operating 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. There's a base of a foot and a half for skiers and snowboarders; tubing has been called off for the season. Also in place this year due to safety protocols: Reservations must be made to park (to track capacity); lifts and lines have been altered for social distancing; skiers/snowboarders must stay with the group they came with; and payment is touchless.
Deiveson Figueiredo is a -340 favorite over Brandon Moreno in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Tony Ferguson is -160 over Charles Oliveira.
The Las Vegas Loop, the $52.5 million subterranean transportation system for the the Las Vegas Convention Center being built by Elon Musk's Boring Co., is on track to be completed on schedule. The escalator and elevator at Station 2, the midpoint on the system, are being finalized; solar canopies are going up at Stations 1 and 3; and the last tests of the communication and lighting systems throughout the tunnels are being conducted.
Twenty-seven months after breaking ground, the West Hall expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, which opens onto the Las Vegas Strip, is undergoing its finishing touches. The general contractor is expected to turn over the nearly $2 billion 1.4-million-square-foot hall to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority next week. The original deadline, to host the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, has been met, though CES and all other conventions and trade shows have been postponed or canceled.
First, Michigan closed casinos on Nov. 18 for three weeks, though it now looks like it will last for nearly five; they're expected to reopen on December 20. Two days later, Illinois closed its casinos indefinitely. On Thursday, Pennsylvania closed all of its 12 casinos and racinos until January 4. Shuttering through Christmas and New Years hits the industry there hard. So far, Nevada hasn't gone in that direction, though it too is setting records for number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Boyd Gaming, which has run the Eldorado Casino in downtown Henderson since 1962, is selling the still-shuttered slots-only operation to DeSimone Gaming, which owns the Railroad Pass Hotel-Casino. No terms were disclosed for the sale of the 18,000-square-foot property in Henderson's historic Water Street district. It opened in 1961 as the Wheel Casino, but changed its name a year later to Eldorado when Sam and Bill Boyd bought in, then purchased it outright in 1966.
Yesterday, a wet storm missed Las Vegas by less than 100 miles, drenching most of Arizona, including Kingman, 90 miles south of the city. It broke Phoenix's dry streak of 110 days, but no measurable rain fell here for the 235th day in a row. And the rest of the year looks bone dry as well. For a great photo of lightning striking the STRAT on April 20, the last day more than one-hundredth of an inch of rain was measured at McCarran, click here.
In order to make up for the lack of in-person festivities on New Year's Eve, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is holding a virtual event that looks to us like the next best thing. When the midnight countdown hits zero, "Kiss Off 2020" will begin. A sign reading "2020" will be lit in a burst of light and color, then reduced to smithereens. A DJ will spin tunes as a Las Vegas-sized 2021 LED sign appears amid digital confetti and fireworks. The whole show will take place over 15 minutes on the LVCVA’s website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel. It will also feature a trip-to-Vegas contest.
The Los Angeles Rams are -5 favorites over the New England Patriots in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 43.5.
Eater Las Vegas reports that a new churrascuria, or Brazilian steakhouse, has opened at the Fashion Show Mall in the space formerly occupied by Kona Grill, next to Benihana. Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse features 17 cuts of meat served by roaming carvers and offers an extensive salad bar, several side dishes, and a few desserts. Lunch costs $38.95 and dinner $59.95.
Adventuredome at Circus Circus has opened its first new thrill ride since 2013. NebulaZ is 32 feet tall, with has four arms that rotate in fast intermeshing orbits. Eight gondolas each hold four riders and they experience top speeds of 14 rotations per minute and catch air as they fly over the top. The ride lasts about three minutes. The minimum height requirement for NebulaZ is only 42 inches, so all those around six and older can ride. Pricing for all-day ride passes includes the $19.95 Junior Pass for children under 48 inches and a $39.95 Regular Pass for guests 48 inches or taller.
According to American Gaming Association figures, aggregate sports betting in October added up to $3 billion, the most ever for Americans gambling on sporting events. Since PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court in May 2018, 18 states, plus Washington, D.C., have joined Nevada in legalizing sports betting. Sports betting has been approved by six more states and it's pending in four others. The Action Network projects that two states (Florida and Texas) could see bills in 2021, while the legislatures in 10 states are considering sports betting.
Check out this short historical video of a military couple honeymooning in Las Vegas in 1951 that toured a Doom Town erected for an aboveground nuclear test mere hours after the explosion 90 miles north of the city. We shudder to consider the ill effects they (and perhaps their offspring) likely suffered after exposing themselves to highly ionized radioactive fallout and contamination from their tour of the test site. And thanks to XY, LVA correspondent extraordinaire, for turning us onto the video.
Memorial Day 2021 appears to be the target date set by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for conventions to return to Las Vegas and the Monorail to transport attendees. "Given the hopeful path of the vaccine at this point," Steve Hill, the LVCVA CEO, told the board of directors, "we think that somewhere just prior to the Memorial Day weekend we’ll be able to ..." Hill went on to describe hosting the World of Concrete trade show, which normally attracts upwards of 60,000 and has been postponed from January until early June. He also cited restarting the Las Vegas Monorail, which the LVCVA now owns, in late May; the Monorail has been dormant since the shutdown in March. Let's hope Steve Hill's crystal ball is revealing an accurate future.
Popular northern Thai restaurant Lotus of Siam will finally open its doors again to anxious patrons day after tomorrow. The restaurant, at 620 E. Flamingo Rd., has been closed since March; it shut down for renovations when the state stopped dine-in service at restaurants on March 17. The original location in the Commercial Center on E. Sahara has been open since July 20.
After the median sales price for newly built single-family homes setting a new record in October of $415,000, the median price of existing single-family homes in southern Nevada in November was $345,000. A 1.4% increase over October and 12.4% over October 2019, it was the sixth month in a row that housing prices have gone up -- in one of the nation's hardest-hit cities for unemployment. High demand, low supply, record-low interest rates, and remote work are all edging prices upward.
A little over a year ago, we answered another Question of the Day about the long-dormant site of the Moulin Rouge, Las Vegas' short-lived 1950s' integrated casino; the question sums up its recent history: "What's happening with the Moulin Rouge site? There's an announcement, then nothing, then another announcement, then nothing. The latest was for a Strip-like resort that disappeared again. Did anything ever happen there?" The answer, as it'd been for a decade, was an emphatic no. But now, something is definitely happening. The 11.3 vacant acres have been sold to an Australia-based private-equity investment firm, BBC Capital. The sale was approved last month by a judge overseeing the property and, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, closed for $3.1 million, plus the assumption of $2 million in debt, last Friday. BBC Capital's local lawyer says that the company "is very excited about doing a casino project on the property, has already engaged with some community members, understands the history of the site, and looks forward to working with the city." All well and good, but now we're back to: We'll see.
The suites in the Palazzo tower will be out of commission for the next two weekends. The rooms have been closed Monday-Thursday since July, but due to diminished demand during the slow weeks of December, for the rest of the week, rooms are available only at the Venetian. The casino, restaurants and bars, Grand Canal Shoppes, and parking garage remain open, though some operating hours are being curtailed. The announcement pegs Wednesday December 23 as the Palazzo reopening date.
In tonight's regularly scheduled Monday Night Football game, the San Francisco 49ers are -2 favorites over the Buffalo Bills. The total is 48.
In tonight's game that was postponed for COVID-19 concerns, the Pittsburgh Steelers are -5.5 favorites over the Washington Football Team. The total is 43.5.
We wrote in the December issue of the Las Vegas Advisor that it was difficult to determine which holiday displays and festivities would run this year and which are being mothballed based on a lack of announcements coming from the casinos. That continues to be the case, but two have been confirmed. Sam’s Town’s Mystic Falls holiday display is being presented in the atrium again this year. There’s no mention of the laser show or “Cowboy Santa,” but the atrium features animatronic bears, an 18-foot Christmas tree, and more than 26,000 lights. New to the scene is “Holiday in Paradise” at the Tropicana. It’s an outdoor display featuring 25,000 lights and live entertainment performances.
The Conservatory and Horticultural Garden at Bellagio now has its winter display on exhibit, with four white horses pulling a carriage, some polar bears and a leprechaun guarding the bear food, a fairy princess and her throne and puppy, a town crier blowing a trumpet, a couple of red red cardinals, and of course a huge decorated Christmas tree.
The Nevada Restaurant Association estimates that 15% of Nevada restaurants have closed permanently due to COVID-19 restrictions. In real terms, that's nearly 800 eateries. The NRA is projecting that even if the three-week "pause" -- with a 25% capacity limit -- ends on schedule next week, another 800 restaurants could close by the end of the year. If the pause is extended through the holidays, the permanent closures will be worse. Possibly much worse.
The Kansas City Chiefs are -13 favorites over the Denver Broncos in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 51.5.
A 1.65-acre 14,464-square-foot mansion in Summerlin's exclusive Promontory Pointe subdivision has sold for $14.5 million, establishing the highest price for an existing house in Las Vegas in 2020 with 25 days to go in the year. Built in 2009 and sold originally for $8.5 million, the two-story mansion is accessed via three subdivision gates, then another into the driveway. It has six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a basement with gym and spa, a 10-car garage, and a covered "lagoon-like pool" that wraps around the back of the house. The $1,002 per square foot makes it only the second house in a decade to sell for more than $1,000 per square foot (Steve Wynn paid $1,004 for his Summerlin house in 2018).
Yesterday, Nevada health authorities reported 3,194 new cases of the coronavirus, breaking a one-day record of 3,159 set the day before Thanksgiving. It was a 25% jump over the moving seven-day average of reported cases, previously 2,343. A second record, 1,729 people hospitalized for complications of COVID-19, the severe respiratory illness caused by the virus, was set yesterday as well. And a third: 182 COVID-19 fatalities in the past week. And a fourth: the positivity moving-average rate of 18.4%. Officials say that this week will be worse, reflecting a spike from Thanksgiving travel and gatherings. Vehicle traffic nationwide was down only 5% from the year before and the nation's airports screened more than four million passengers over the four-day weekend.
The Boring Company has posted a 12-second video with a quick look at one of the subway stops for its Las Vegas Loop transportation system under the Las Vegas Convention Center. It's unclear if the light show is just for display purposes, but the rest of the station seems to be coming along nicely and, amazingly enough, should be completed by next month on its original schedule of opening in time for the Consumer Electronics Show, though that's turned into a virtual event. You can see the video here.
Virgin Hotels will, after all, delay its grand opening date, originally scheduled for January 15. A week and a half ago, executives at the former Hard Rock hinted that a postponement could be in the offing, due to the serious surge in coronavirus cases both locally and nationally, which shows no signs of letting up. In an announcement last night, Virgin made it official. Though the hotel and casino renovation and rebranding are on schedule to be completed in mid-January, Virgin won't open till a later date, thus far undetermined. "An announcement is forthcoming," the statement concluded.
First, a mysterious 12-foot-tall metal sculpture appeared on November 18 in a remote canyon in the Utah desert. Reminiscent of the alien monoliths in the sci-fi movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, it was spotted by a helicopter crew and immediately gained worldwide notoriety. Then, it disappeared as suddenly as it arrived on November 28. Another slightly different slab appeared on November 27 outside the city of Piatra Neamt in Romania, which vanished again on December 2. Next, one appeared on December 2 at the top of Pine Mountain in Atascadero, California, which was taken down on December 3. Finally, a 10-foot-tall monolith showed up on Fremont Street early this morning outside Binion's. What are they and who's behind it all? Cue the "Twilight Zone" soundtrack.
Marvin Vettori is a -150 favorite over Jack Hermansson in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Jamahal Hill is -200 over Ovince Saint Preux.
We won't go into the details (they're too sad, disturbing, and numerous), but the new Forbes story on the life of Tony Hsieh comes to a single-word conclusion about his death: "tragedy." Forbes interviewed a couple dozen of Hsieh's close friends and colleagues, "each trying to come to grips with how this brightest of lights had met such a dark and sudden end." You can read about it here.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that downtown's traditional New Year Eve's party is being "blocked" by the a government-appointed COVID-19 task force. The group notified FSE executives in mid-November that the event should not be held, due to the surge in positive coronavirus cases. The party traditionally hosts around 10,000 people within the six-block Experience. The current cap on gatherings is 50; though it will expire before New Year's Eve, all gatherings of more than 150 require permission, which will almost certainly be denied by the state. Still, the R-J quotes a spokesperson implying that the FSE is hedging its bets. “Fremont Street Experience is unique in that we are a public street and we will evaluate all our options regarding New Year’s Eve."
The latest incarnation of Bob's Big Boy, which launched in 1936 in Glendale, California, has come back to Nevada, opening a new location inside the renovated, renamed, and reopened Terrible's Casino at Indian Springs, 45 miles north of Las Vegas on US 95, the road to Tonopah and Reno. Bob’s Big Boy is best known for its double-decker hamburgers, which it originated, along with fries and thick milkshakes. At its peak in 1989, there were 240 Bob’s locations in the United States; as of last year, only five remained in southern California. The original Burbank restaurant on Riverside Drive is a protected historic landmark. The Big Boy chain has operated in several states under slightly different names, depending on geographical location. Whereas the original Nevada restaurants used the name Bob’s Big Boy, the “Bob’s” is not part of the Indian Springs name, though the iconic Big Boy mascot, holding a burger aloft, graces the front of Terrible's. We don’t recall seeing a Big Boy in Las Vegas, but Nevada was one of the first states to have them and news accounts indicate that they may have operated into the ‘80s. There are plans for a second Big Boy to open in the Las Vegas area in 2021.
The Las Vegas Bowl 2020, which has been played at Sam Boyd Stadium every year for the past 28 years, has been called off due to the pandemic. This year's bowl game, between Pac-12 and SEC teams, was supposed to played at Allegiant Stadium. It's the 10th college-football bowl game to be canceled.
Bāng Bar from celebrity chef David Chang will open at the Cosmopolitan's Block 16 urban food hall in spring 2021 in the space currently occupied by Pok Pok Wings, which is closing on Sunday. Korean for “bread,” bāng is a flatbread griddled to order on hot flat top; it's wrapped around roasted meats carved from vertical spits. New York’s Bang Bar menu includes the U Wrap, featuring bāng filled and rolled with a choice of spicy pork, chicken or spicy eggplant, and the Rice Bowl, made with rice, pickles, cabbage and a choice of spicy pork, chicken or spicy eggplant. Bāng Bar’s culinary team will work to create unique-to-Vegas menu items as well.
The Plaza has announced plans to redevelop the building that currently houses the Greyhound bus terminal and build a pedestrian pathway that leads to a new elevated bridge connecting the hotel-casino on Main Street to Symphony Park. The 48,500-square-footbus terminal will be vacated by mid-2021 and the Plaza has already begun discussions with developers on possible projects, such as new dining, entertainment, or retail, for the space. In partnership with the city, the Plaza will also build a four-block pedestrian pathway that will connect with a new elevated bridge to be built by the city over the Union Pacific railroad tracks to the new residential and commercial development in the 61-acre Symphony Park, which currently hosts the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce.
The original Lindo Michoacan restaurant, which opened in 1990 on Desert Inn Rd. a few blocks east of Eastern Avenue, has closed temporarily due to sitting atop a sinkhole. The problem surfaced a couple of weeks ago "when the walls began to crack and the dining room floor opened up." Apparently, a water pipe had been leaking for so long that it destabilized the ground under the restaurant. The extent of the damage and repairs remain to be seen; the restaurant's other two locations are open.
We have it on good authority that MGM properties have been working on their parking gates. Previously, they were wide open. But now they open and close as cars pass through, just like they did with paid parking. So far, no payment is extracted, but ... Does this foreshadow paid parking returning to MGM properties just before the holidays? Stay tuned.
A story in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that a lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the state of Nevada against the 20 leading online travel companies that have allegedly been pocketing room taxes owed to "the people of Nevada." Hotels.com, Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, Travelocity, and the others buy blocks of rooms from Nevada hotels at a discount, then resell them at higher rates to online buyers. Apparently, the companies have been paying taxes to the state based on the discounted rates, while billing consumers for taxes at the retail price, then pocketing the difference. The lawsuit claims that the practice constitutes consumer fraud as defined by Nevada’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
The median sales price for newly built single-family homes set a new record in October: $415,000. It surpassed the previous record, set in August, of $411,425 by 1.1%. The October numbers for existing single-family houses hasn't been released yet, but in September, the median sales price set a new record for the fifth month in a row.
Brioche by Guy Savoy has opened at Paris. It’s a quick-serve outlet from one of the world’s most decorated chefs, serving quiche, croissants, pastries, and gourmet coffees. Flock & Fowl has closed at the Ogden downtown; a new restaurant from the proprietors is planned.
The holiday season means low room rates, right? Nothing’s a given this year, but 39 casinos are offering rates of less than $40. Meanwhile, Circa is open and there's lots to see and eat and do. Plus, you'll find out about the current COVID crackdown, which casinos are keeping the holiday spirit, a happy (literal) hour in a gourmet restaurant, a big burger for half-price, two awesome new books for gamblers, scoring gourmet coffee from a world-renowned chef, the dollar-blackjack showdown, a new play for sashimi, the return of the World Series of Poker, instructions for booking a reservation in a bar and 75 casinos with vacancies for New Year’s Eve. Where can you get all this information on the scene here? In the December Las Vegas Advisor — and nowhere else!
Normally, the month of December has a very narrow temperature range. The average highs start out at 59 and spend a few days at 58 and 57 before settling down at 56 through the rest of the month. Similarly, the lows are 41 to 39 through the first 13 days of the month, then stay at 38 through New Year's Eve. The record highs and lows, of course, have a much broader range: from 78 (Dec. 2, 1940) all the way down to 11 (Dec. 23, 1990). Average precipitation is .4 of an inch. Last year, Las Vegas saw exactly an inch of rain in December. Today brings the streak to 225 consecutive days without measurable rain.