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Tao Group Hospitality has acquired Hakkasan Group, creating a global entertainment behemoth with several high-profile properties in Las Vegas. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed; however, merging the two creates a dining and nightlife company with 61 venues across five continents. Among the Las Vegas venues are Tao’s eponymous nightclub at the Venetian, Lavo at Palazzo, and Marquee at Cosmo, along with Hakkasan’s Wet Republic at MGM Grand, Omnia at Caesars Palace, and Jewel at Aria.
Wynn Resorts has announced a World Series of Poker-like tournament that will take place this summer around the same time that the WSOP is traditionally held. The Wynn Signature Series starts on May 27 and runs through July 12; it will feature more than 30 poker tournaments with a total prize pool of $16 million-plus, including five events with at least $1 million in prize money. The five events include the Wynn Millions, a $10,000-buy-in tournament scheduled for June 25 to July 2 with a guaranteed prize pool of $10 million. The Wynn is obviously betting on more than 1,000 players signing up to cover the prize pool in the poker vacuum created by the WSOP being postponed until October. The Venetian is also filling that vacuum with another round of its Deep Stack Championship Series that runs from May into August, featuring three tournaments with at least $2 million in prizes and the $5,000-buy-in WPT event with $3 million guaranteed.
Allegiant Stadium has launched a virtual process to hire roughly 2,200 people to work part-time for the Raiders' second season at the facility, but the first with fans in attendance. Positions include ticketing, food and beverage services, merchandising, custodial, security, parking, general hospitality/guest experience, and all other departments and applicants will work at the Raiders' nine home games, plus various sporting and entertainment events, including UNLV football games. Applications are being accepted at allegiant-stadium-careers.com.
For the third time in four days, a slot jackpot for more than $2 million was hit on the Boulevard, this time yesterday at the Venetian, where the player won $2.9 million on a Wheel of Fortune machine. Monday morning, a visitor from New Mexico hit Megabucks for $10.5 million at South Point and the day before, a player hit a $2.1 million jackpot on a Monopoly Millionaire machine at the Cosmopolitan.
According to Scott Roeben of VitalVegas.com, who a couple days ago announced that the Palms had been sold, has revealed the buyer: the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of San Bernardino, California. It hasn't been confirmed publicly, but Scott is convinced that it will be soon, and when it is, it will be very good news all around. If you want to know why specifically, other than sayonara to Station Casinos, you can get a preview at this morning's VitalVegas post.
A press release from the Consumer Technology Association, organizers of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, has announced the dates for the 2022 convention: Jan. 5-9. The CTA says that upwards of 1,000 companies have already signed up for a presence at Las Vegas' largest business event of the year.
A VGK slot machine was rolled out recently at South Point. The big slot, eight feet wide and eight feet tall, occupies the space of three regular machines and is located near the oyster bar. The game was developed by Las Vegas-based slot supplier AGS, a corporate partner of the team; it sponsors video replays and highlights during games at T-Mobile. AGS also has a licensing agreement with the NHL to develop hockey-themed slot and table games in the U.S. and Canada and the VGK slot is the first in what's expected to be a series of NHL-themed games.
The gambling win statewide broke the $1 billion mark in March for the first time in 13 months; the last time it did so was February 2020 before the shutdown of all casinos for 78 days. The total win was $1.07 billion, a 73% increase from March 2020. Of course, that's not an apples-to-apples comparison, since the casinos closed in the middle of the month last year. But the billion-dollar win is solid evidence of how much demand had been pent up during the closures and subsequent capacity restrictions; the casino occupancy limit was raised from 25% to 50% of total capacity on March 15. In addition, March Madness and stimulus money drove visitation and revenue. In fact, five jurisdictions set all-time gambling-revenue records in March: downtown Las Vegas, the Boulder Strip, and Clark County along with Elko County in eastern Nevada and Carson Valley in the north.
This year's Burning Man art, self-expression, and self-reliance festival, held on the Black Rock Desert 90 miles north of Reno, has been canceled for the second year in a row. The announcement, in the Burning Man Journal, says that the reasons are manifold. "Although here in the United States, we may be feeling the weight lifting and the light at the end of the tunnel brightening, we are still in the pandemic, and the uncertainties that need to be resolved are impossible to resolve in the time we have." It then went on to explain, "Humanity is experiencing collective trauma that is unprecedented in recent times, and while for some, returning to Black Rock City may feel like 'the answer,' there is very real rebuilding and healing that needs to be done before gathering again full force to the desert. The physical, psychic, and emotional impacts of this pandemic are real and the recovery from this experience will happen at different rates of speed." So Burning Man is "setting its sights" on Black Rock City 2022.
Celebrity chef and reality-TV personality Bobby Flay has opened a location of Bobby’s Burgers at the Forum Food Hall at Caesars Palace in the space previously occupied by Smashburger. The press release describes it as such, "The restaurant brings a unique Flay flair to traditional burgers, fries, and shakes -- the quintessential American fast-casual meal." The burgers run from $12 (cheese and chip toppings) and $13 (veggie) to $15 (bacon-onion); there's also a fried-chicken sandwich ($13). Onion rings and four kinds of fries are $5-$7. Shakes are $6 and beers are $8-$9. It's one of a number (we've seen anywhere from 10 to 18) locations for Bobby's Burgers, a.k.a Bobby's Burger Palace.
Scott Roeben of VitalVegas.com reports, "reliably and exclusively," that the Palms has been sold. Scott also says, "Yes, we know to whom, and no, we can’t say yet." He does hint that the buyer is new to Las Vegas and it's not a real estate investment trust or private-equity company. As for price, Scott speculates it's in the $800 million to $900 million range. He writes, "An official announcement of the sale of Palms resort is close at hand," but to cover all bets, he adds a disclaimer, "This is an unconfirmed rumor. Things change and not all rumors pan out. Often, they do." Good luck to Scott!
Nevada surpassed three million residents sometime over the past year or two and now has 3.1 million residents, an increase of 400,000 since the last census in 2010. Nevada was the fifth-fastest growing state in the union over the past decade and is now the 32nd most populous; it rose three sports from 35th place in 2010. Utah was the fastest-growing state, up by 18.4%, followed by Idaho, Texas, and North Dakota.
Early yesterday morning a visitor from New Mexico hit the largest Megabucks jackpot since Christmas Eve for $10.5 million at South Point. It followed right on the heels of a $2.1 million jackpot hit on a Monopoly Millionaire machine Sunday at the Cosmopolitan.
It looks like Bruno Mars will be the first headliner to relaunch Strip residencies when he appears at the Park Theater at Park MGM over the July Fourth weekend. Mars will perform July 3, 4, 9, 10, 23, and 24. Tickets start at $99.50, plus fees, and go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster. If all goes according to plan, Mars will bump Usher from the first spot; Usher is scheduled to open at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on July 16.
MGM Resorts and Dubai World, partners in the CityCenter complex at center Strip, have sold a two-acre piece of the property for $80 million. The vacant lot, at the corner of the Strip and Harmon Avenue directly across from the Cosmopolitan, was where the 50-story Harmon Hotel-Condo tower had been partially built, but when structural flaws were discovered, construction stopped and the tower was never completed; it was torn down in 2015. The site is being sold to developers who plan to build "a multi-level complex consisting of specialty retail offerings, and casual and fine dining locations." The sale could close as soon as late June.
A visitor from Alaska hit a Monopoly Millionaire jackpot yesterday at the Cosmopolitan for $2.1 million on a $4 bet off a reported $40 buy-in. It was the second major win for a resident of the Last Frontier in four months; on Christmas Eve, an Alaskan resident who splits his time with Las Vegas hit Megabucks for $15 million at the Suncoast. Interestingly, that player also bought in for $40.
With COVID-protocol authority reverting to the Nevada counties on May 1, many counties with legal brothels are opening them back up as soon as allowed. According to an article on DailyBeast.com, though some county officials are charging "full speed ahead," brothel owners "are proceeding with caution": temperature checks, masks in the common areas, questions about symptoms and recent travels, and at the bar houses, no congregating in the common areas. Still, none has put a damper on demand -- or supply, as legal sex workers, who've been locked out of their jobs and any potential benefits for 14 months, are desperate for income. For a deeper dive into the Nevada pay-for-play scene, check out the story.
The Cosmopolitan has announced the lineup for its traditional summer-long "Dive-in Movie" event, which takes place on the 65-foot digital marquee overlooking the rooftop Boulevard Pool. The showings start on Monday May 10 (with Karate Kid) and continue every Monday night through September 13 (Jurassic Park). Admission is $15, $10 for locals, free for guests and first responders, and members of the players club get two comps. Doors open at 7 p.m., the movies start at 8.
In tonight's Academy Awards, Nomadland is the favorite for Best Picture at -750, with The Trial of the Chicago 7 the distant second favorite at +750. Chadwick Boseman is -1000 to win Best Actor for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; he would become the third actor to win posthumously. Carey Mulligan is +130 to win Best Actress for Promising Young Woman. Daniel Kaluuya is the biggest fave of the night at -3000 to win Best Supporting Actor for Judas and the Black Messiah. And Youn Yuh-jung is -1300 to win Best Supporting Actress for Minari.
Thanks go to XY, our crack LVA correspondent, who found and passed along a video taken of the Las Vegas Strip from bottom to top in 1972. It's pretty cool to see how low-rise the Strip was nearly 50 years ago (and how big the cars were). Check out the Dunes tower, the Tropicana fountain, all the motels (including the Mirage), the Tower of Pizza sign, Sands, Caesars, Castaways, and more. Watch for the big Marlboro billboard and the entertainers on the marquees. Las Vegas has come a long way, baby.
Kamaru Usman is a -350 favorite over Jorge Masvidal in tonight’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, Weili Zhang is -220 over Rose Namajunas.
The Hard Rock Hotel-Casino launched the spring-break-like pool-party scene in Las Vegas with its Rehab Beach Club in 2004; it was also the most popular pool party of all the casino copy cats that followed until it closed in 2018 and even had its own reality TV series for a couple of years. Virgin Las Vegas, which has replaced the Hard Rock, has touted its makeover of the pool area since the start, describing the design as the centerpiece of the entire property. So its new Élia Beach Club is hotly anticipated and now, partyers know that they can get on with it as of Thursday June 10. Élia Beach Club takes its inspiration from Mykonos, Greece; rits namesake is Mykonos’ largest beach.
The online travel aggregator Priceline has released its "Top Travel Trends for U.S. Travelers This Spring" and Las Vegas features prominently. Based on an analysis of bookings made by U.S.-based consumers between Jan. 1 and March 3 to determine the most popular destinations for April 1 through June 30 of this year, Las Vegas placed number one for the most popular hotel destination, followed by Orlando, Cancun, Miami, and Oahu. Las Vegas also topped the list of the most popular destination for hotel rooms at less than $140 (not including resort fees): Las Vegas ($87), Minneapolis ($114), The Black Hills ($115), Denver ($116), and Orlando ($125). A third category that Vegas aced was flight destinations, followed by Orlando, Miami, San Juan, and Fort Lauderdale. Finally, Las Vegas ranked second for the most popular car-rental destinations; Orlando was first, followed by Miami, Tampa, and Phoenix.
The new COVID protocols that will take effect on May 1 after approval by state officials on Thursday allow strip clubs to admit patrons at 80% of capacity, but with some remaining restrictions. Masks will be required for dancers and club employees, not customers, though they're recommended for everyone. And only dancers who've received at least a first dose of the vaccine more than two weeks earlier or have tested negative in the past week can get closer than three feet to the patrons. Hair and nail salons, tattoo parlors, and massage therapists will also be allowed back to work, booking customers by appointment only.
Demand for Usher's 12-show mini-residency, announced way back in September, has been so strong that six shows have been added to the schedule. The eight-time Grammy Award winning songwriter, dancer, actor, and businessman will perform on the previously booked dates (eight in July, two in December, and one in January) at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, but now, six more shows have been scheduled in August. The shows in the 4,300-seat theater will be a departure for Usher, who usually plays arenas., which accounts for the ticket frenzy. Usher told Billboard that he'll be backed by a live band, with fresh choreography and an "explosive performance that he's dreamed of for the last 14 months.
In a fine story on USBets.com with the clever headline "Viva Las Vaxx Us: Inside The Delicate Issue of Casinos Requiring Vaccine Passports," writer Eric Raskin examines in depth the possibility of casinos requiring patrons to be vaccinated in order to enter. Raskin discusses all the issues -- requirements, incentives, legalities, and baby steps in the passport direction. As a bonus, Anthony Curtis is quoted throughout and is in in excellent form, with a sound bite in the article's subhed and the last word. Full disclosure: Eric Raskin is a friend of ours, author of our book The Moneymaker Effect -- and one of our best writers.
According to Las Vegas Review-Journal entertainment columnist John Katsilometes, Resorts World will air its first national commercial in select markets during Sunday nights Academy Awards ceremony. The ad features the lineup of entertainers who will perform at the 5,000-seat Theatre at Resorts World. Resident artists will include Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan. Previously announced are EDM DJs Tiësto and Zedd. At the end of the commercial, the slogan "Stay Fabulous" appears. It's getting a lot of attention, but whether or not it "sets a new standard for Las Vegas resort advertising," as some are speculating, remains to be seen. Resorts World, in case you missed it, will debut on June 24.
In their 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks last night, the Vegas Golden Knights clinched a playoff spot, the first team in the NHL to do so. The VGK lead the league with 33 wins and 68 points. It was Jonathan Marchessault's 395th career game; Max Pacioretty scored his 600th point, and the team tied its win-streak record at eight games in a row. It will be Vegas’ 4th playoff appearance in their four-year history, only the 4th team in NHL history to do so. Read all about the game, see more records set, and link to the highlights in Joe Pane's Knights on Ice post.
Cirque du Soleil, which shut down worldwide in March 2020 and promptly declared bankruptcy, from which it emerged last November after being sold, will return to the Las Vegas Strip on June 24 when it reopens Blue Man Group, which Cirque produces, at Luxor. Four days later on July 28, Mystère will return to Treasure island. Three days after that on July 1, O will reopen at Bellagio. Tickets for all three shows are on sale now.
We haven't seen this covered publicly anywhere, but we've received word from a trusted source that the brand new Pinball Hall of Fame near Mandalay Bay on the Strip is open. Our correspondent writes, "The official Grand Opening is scheduled for July 1. Granted, it's a work in progress, but it's open. Currently about 50% of the games are operating, but techs are working on games nonstop and more are coming in daily. The building is brand new and pretty dang nice. The front of the building has PINBALL in GIANT LETTERS, making it hard to miss as you're driving down the Strip. Time to give Tim and all his hard-working crew a solid shout out!" Happy to oblige!
A couple of years ago, the Clark County Commission raised the county sales tax an eighth of a cent to 8.375%, with a sunset date of June 30, 2021. Now that the expiration date is approaching, the Commission has changed its mind and the increase will remain in place to mitigate the "sweeping effects" of the pandemic. It's estimated that the extra penny in tax per $8 in purchases will raise $47 million over the coming fiscal year; the money is being spent on homelessness, affordable housing, truancy prevention, workforce training, and early-childhood education.
Two announcements in the past month seemed to affirm that the massive Electric Daisy Festival would proceed as scheduled over the third weekend in May at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But when the Clark County Commission dictated that 60% of county residents be vaccinated before restrictions on large-scale gatherings such as EDC can be lifted, EDC had to be called off. "The rate at which people get vaccinated is out of our control. It might happen in time. It might not. Either way," the statement read, "we can’t take that risk." Barring any changes in policy between now and then, EDC will take place October 22-24. Tickets will automatically be transferred to the new dates, or ticket holders can receive a refund.
The Clark County Commission has approved a plan to increase capacity limits from the current 50% to 80% starting May 1, the day the county assumes control of COVID protocols. In addition, social distancing would be cut in half, from six feet to three, adult entertainment venues would fully reopen, and restaurants could book parties of 12, double the current limit. The mask mandate, however, remains under state control and in force. The loosened limits would be lifted completely as soon as 60% of Clark County's 1.8 million residents have been vaccinated at least once; currently, that number is at 44%, but climbing by upwards of 70,000 per week, or just under 4%. Large events would have somewhat tighter restrictions. The plan's adoption is dependent on approval by the state, which will review the details tomorrow.
United Kingdom-based bookmaker William Hill is one big step closer to being acquired by Caesars Entertainment, after the $4 billion deal was approved by a British court. The deal has been opposed by a William Hill minority shareholder, claiming that "the terms of an existing joint venture between the two firms were not adequately disclosed." But the court sided with William Hill's contention that the documents provided all the necessary information.
The Golden Nugget will open registration for its $1,000 "Ultimate Challenge" football contest on May 5 at noon. This year, the top 20 finishers by total points will receive a percentage of the prize pool. Registration closes on Tuesday September 7 at 10 p.m. All the details are available in the contest rules here.
A story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal delves into whence new Nevada residents are arriving. In 2020, according to information from the state Department of Motor Vehicles, just under 70,000 out-of-state driver’s licenses and ID cards were surrendered to the DMV in 2020. Of the total, 43% (just under 30,000) were California licenses and IDs. Second place was, believe it or not, Florida with 3,174 licenses/IDs surrendered (4.5%), third Arizona with 2,931 (4.2%), fourth Texas with 2,847 (4%), and fifth Washington with 2,594 (3.7%).
Of the state's total, Clark County received just over 19,000 California licenses in 2020.
If you're on the Strip early this afternoon, you'll no doubt hear, then see, the Air Force's Thunderbird Air Demonstration Squadron F-16 jets overhead. The squad is returning from an air show in Florida and will take the south route, straight up the Strip, back to its home base at Nellis in North Las Vegas. If all goes according to schedule, the Thunderbirds will appear sometime between noon and 1 p.m., then disappear. It happens fast, so you've got to be there or else you'll miss it.
They said it would be "summer 2021" and Resorts World Las Vegas will open three days into the season on June 24. The $4.3 billion 3,500-room resort-casino is taking reservations as of today. A spokesperson says that "95 percent" of Resorts World will be operational on opening day: casino, rooms, 40 food and beverage outlets, and 70,000 square feet of retail space. The 5,000-seat theater will open in the fall. There will be a grand opening on June 24, with a week to get ready for the what Resorts World believes will be the biggest July 4th weekend that "the city has seen in a long time." It's the first new property to open on the Strip since the Cosmopolitan in 2010.
The All Net Arena has met its Wednesday deadline for submitting a performance agreement and posting a $12 million bond as insurance in case the project doesn't finish. First, however, it has to start, and All Net principal Jackie Robinson, the ex-NBA and UNLV basketball player, says he has financing lined up from banks in Qatar, Zurich, and the U.S. Last October, the Commissioners gave the project an ultimatum: Update the plan and post the bond within six months (by April 21) or the permits for the project would expire. A lawyer for Robinson says all the required documents and money have been submitted, including a development agreement with the county that describes the impact the project will have on the Las Vegas Strip. So the All Net Arena is still alive. But now it needs to start moving.
If you'd like to read an in-depth reminiscence of Elvis Presley's first residency in Las Vegas -- at the New Frontier in 1956 -- the Las Vegas Review-Journal's entertainment reporter Christopher Lawrence tackled the task and did a fine job, even interviewing 95-year-old comedian Sheckey Greene, who was on the bill with Freddy Martin and His Orchestra and Elvis and his three bandmates. You should be able to see it here; if not, see if you can access it via today's newspaper.
Seven of the 12 buffets at Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos operating before the pandemic shutdown have now reopened: Beau Rivage, Golden Nugget, Hollywood, Palace, Island View, Silver Slipper, and Treasure Bay. The procedures range from self-service in the usual fashion and staff dishing out the food at serving stations to wait service and AYCE combined with a regular menu. The buffets at Boomtown, Hard Rock, Harrah’s, IP, and Scarlet Pearl remain closed at this time.
How the times have changed -- so much so that as one headline put it, "Hell Hath Frozen Over." That's the historical perspective on a landmark partnership deal between the National Football League, that beacon of morality opposing the pointspread and money line since Joe Namath was in diapers, and the biggest casino company in the U.S., Caesars Entertainment, along with major sports betting players FanDuel and DraftKings. The agreement allows the three the exclusive use of NFL trademarks in retail and online businesses; they can also provide sports betting content to NFL.com and the NFL app and engage fans with free NFL-themed games. The deals are estimated to be worth $1 billion combined over the five-year terms of the partnerships. Amazing how money manages to buy off morality in the end.
Robert Whittaker is a -275 favorite over Kelvin Gastelum in tonight’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, Andrei Arlovski and Chase Sherman are pick ’em.
Allegiant Stadium has expanded its behind-the-scenes tours from personal seat licensees to the general public. There are two kinds of tours: guided tours and guided tours with a drink and a view (from the Al Davis Memorial Torch). Some of the areas you might get to visit include the Torch, broadcast booth, private suites and clubs, Raiders' and Raiderettes' locker room, press conference room, and the field. Tours leave every 10 minutes between 10 a.m. and 5:50 p.m., last for 75 minutes, and cost $80 (10% discounts for Nevada residents and active or veteran military). Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Buy and get all the details here.
Electronic dance music DJ superstar Tiësto has entered into a partnership with one of his long-ago sponsors, Singapore-based Zouk Group. Zouk, a prominent entertainment producer throughout Southeast Asia, promoted the 52-year-old Tiësto early in his career and now, the two will collaborate at Resorts World's Zouk Nightclub and Ayu Dayclub when they open this summer. Tiësto has signed a three-year deal with Zouk and toured Resorts World for the first time recently.
Last Monday, both houses of the Arizona Legislature passed bills that legalize sports betting in the Grand Canyon State. Yesterday, Governor Doug Ducey signed the joint bill the legislature sent to him. Arizona becomes the 21st state, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, with legal sports betting. The state's professional sports teams (Diamondbacks, Suns, Cardinals, and Coyotes) will all have licenses to operate on-site sports betting at their arenas and stadiums. So will the Phoenix Open and NASCAR. Since sports betting will be available at tribal casinos (the law allows up to 10 Indian tribes to offer it), the Bureau of Indian Affairs needs to sign off on the bill, but that formality could take as little as 90 days. Ducey also signed a new gambling compact between the state and the tribal nations.
Andrew and Anthony have posted a new video on the Las Vegas Advisor YouTube channel. This one is a little different; it's interactive, with a video poker strategy quiz that if you pass with a score of 100%, you'll qualify for valuable prizes. Sound intriguing? Just click, watch the 2:45 intro and explanation, then have a ball! And good luck!
The Clark County plan for COVID mitigation and enforcement pretty much reopens the county. The County Commission votes on the plan next week; if it passes and the governor signs off, starting May 1, normalcy will be set to return in full force. For example, the capacity at restaurant and bar tables will go up from six to 10; food sampling (such as at Costco) can resume; pool halls and video arcades can fully reopen, along with public hot tubs and spas; tattoo shops can resume inking and piercing on the face (provided the artist wears full protective gear); other than masks, adult entertainment can be topless or nude, though six feet of distance will preclude lap dances; the big entertainment venues can accommodate capacity crowds; and the big one: buffets can go back to self-service. It's not clear how long it will take for all this to happen, but failing any major surge in new infections, it's expected that the county can be at 100% by June 1.
An article in Conde Nast Traveler covers the food situation as it pertains to going through TSA security checkpoints and while on airplanes. The regs for what edibles you can carry through security haven't changed: According to a TSA spokesperson, “If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it, or pour it, it’s considered a liquid or gel,” and must be 3.4 ounces or less and fit in one quart-size resealable bag to carry on. (The recent exception is hand sanitizer: one bottle up to 12 ounces per passenger.) What has changed is the mask requirement while on board; that became a federal law on February 2, 2021. You can remove the mask, but only if you’re actively drinking or eating. As soon as you're done, back on it must go and flight attendants enforce that with vigor. In addition, "Standard economy-class snack options on many U.S. domestic flights have been reduced to a small bottle of water and a tiny pre-packaged bag of pretzels or cookies, both within a larger bag."
Rancho Circle is Las Vegas' original exclusive gated community. The subdivision off Rancho Drive just north of Alta Drive and just east of Springs Preserve has claimed casino owners and executives, celebrities, and the Las Vegas elite as homeowners since it was established in the 1940s. None of the 36 homes behind the gate sit on less than .88 of an acre and they rarely change hands. But one is for sale now and you can get a good look at the $2.95 million property, built in 1979 by the Herbst family and currently owned by Richie Clyne, developer of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, plus some history of Rancho Circle and its previous and current residents, at this link.
Though it seems like Las Vegas is in full recovery mode, with almost everything reopened, the unemployment picture tells a different story. According to an article on NevadaCurrent.com, only half of the Culinary Union’s 60,000 members have returned to their jobs. "The 50 percent figure exactly reflects the capacity limits imposed by authorities on casinos, restaurants, and other businesses," reports local journalist Dana Gentry. Her story goes on to note that in April 2020, more than a third of unemployed workers in Nevada were in the hospitality industry, while that number was still at more than 20% last month, almost a year later. Total unemployment in Clark County in February, the last month for which unemployment has been reported, was 9.3%, 3.1% higher than the national average. A bill being considered by state lawmakers would ensure workers are recalled according to seniority. The Nevada Resort Association opposes the bill, claiming, "It's unnecessary, as our members continue to bring employees back to work as fast as possible.”
In response to gaming regulators' insistence that casinos won't reopen at 100% until a majority of employees have been vaccinated, the Cosmopolitan has announced that it will pay "upwards of $1 million in cash bonuses" if 80% of its workers get their first shot by May 1. This follows the Cosmo becoming the first Strip casino to open a free vaccine clinic onsite for its employees and their immediate families on March 22. The Cosmo also hosts an onsite coronavirus-test clinic. The Cosmo has roughly 4,000 employees; at a glance, it seems that the bonuses could range as high as $300 per employee.
In a news conference late yesterday afternoon, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced that he expects every county in the state to be fully reopened, including the rescinding of all capacity limits, by June 1. He said, "To be clear, this does not mean that social distancing will no longer exist in the state. It just means that the state will no longer be setting the requirements. That authority will now transition to the counties, so they can make decisions based on what works best for their local jurisdictions.” The state will cede that authority to the counties on May 1, as announced in February, and Sisolak said he expects some counties to remove all restrictions as of that date. Clark County has already formulated its COVID plans, which will be voted on by the County Commission next Tuesday and county officials will meet with the state two days later. As for casinos, the authority to impose capacity limits statewide will transition to the Gaming Control Board, which has been focused on sufficient vaccinations of staff to raise the restrictions from 50% of capacity. Social distances will also be determined by the counties, though the statewide mask mandate will remain in effect.
Blacklane, a German-based chauffeur-driven ride-share service, has rolled out limo rides between Las Vegas and Los Angeles for $699 one way. It's a flat fee, so up to eight passengers can split the fare, which doesn't inflate during peak-demand periods. Blacklane has operated in Las Vegas for the past seven years, though mostly doing airport transfers; when the pandemic curtailed air travel, the company transitioned to hourly and inter-city rides. Blacklane operates similar to Lyft and Uber: via an app. So rides are booked on a smartphone from 30 minutes to weeks in advance. If limo service is too time-consuming, JSX, a "hop-on jet service," has launched 30-passenger flights between McCarran and San Diego International starting at $99 one way. The flights operate twice daily on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday and once on Saturday. Passengers can arrive at JSX's private terminal as close as 20 minutes prior to the flights, which feature business-class leg room and no middle seats. Two checked bags are included in the fare.
American singer, songwriter, actor, and dancer Usher caused a bit of a stir at the Sapphire strip club in Las Vegas on Friday night when he and his entourage passed out "Ushbucks," real-looking $100 bills with Usher's likeness, name, and "Las Vegas Residency" on them. Some of the dancers and cocktail waitresses were initially fooled and one called a news outlet to accuse the star of trying to tip with the bills that promote the star's upcoming residency at the Colosseum at Caesars. But in separate interviews, Sapphire's owner and marketing director corrected the false story, saying that Usher "was a true gentleman and a great guest" who bought a lot of Dance Dollars sold at the club; the dancers cash those in for real money at the end of their shifts. They also bought a number of very expensive bottles of alcohol and left a "generous tip" for the rest of the staff.
Rhode Island-based Bally's Corp. (formerly Twin River Worldwide Holdings) is showing up on the Las Vegas Strip for the first time by buying the Tropicana from Gaming and Leisure Properties. Bally's will pay $150 million in cash to own and operate the casino-hotel, plus $10.5 million per year to lease the land for 50 years. The deal is expected to close in early 2022. The announcement of the sale comes only a week after Bally's entered the Nevada market by acquiring the MontBleu Hotel-Casino at Stateline, Lake Tahoe. Bally’s Corp. bought the Bally's name and trademarks from Caesars Entertainment last year for $20 million, though Caesars didn't sell the name Bally’s Las Vegas. Caesars also owns three Tropicana casinos in Atlantic City, Laughlin, and Evansville, Indiana; Bally’s is buying Tropicana Evansville. Bally's currently owns 11 casinos in seven states, plus a horse racetrack and 13 OTB licenses in Colorado.
The Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law has published an article by a contract lawyer who concludes that Phil Ivey and his partner Cheung Yin “Kelly” Sun did not, in fact, cheat Borgata with the edge-sorting play that earned them nearly $10 million in 2012. "Not even close," states Nanci Carr; she's also an assistant professor of business law at California State University, Northridge. "What’s really inexcusable from the casino perspective was that Phil Ivey said, 'I want these types of cards, and I want an automatic shuffler, and this kind of dealer,' and the casino said 'OK,'” Carr writes. "Why do you think Phil was asking for these things? Of course, he thought it would give him some sort of advantage. It’s not like he had a secret device in his pocket. He came right out and said I want these three things, and they said OK.” Ivey and Kelly lost the lawsuit brought by Borgata to reclaim the millions; the settlement with Borgata is undisclosed. A movie on the saga, The Baccarat Machine, has been in pre-production for a year.
The Las Vegas Market furniture, furnishings, and home decor convention launched yesterday at the World Market Center; it's the first major trade show to convene in Las Vegas since the shutdown 13 months ago. The five-day event is expected to host up to 10,000 vendors and buyers, who are socially distanced from the entry process and show floor to the elevators, with face coverings required.
Today's Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that with the continuing shortage of Lyft and Uber drivers in Las Vegas (down 66% from pre-shutdown), there's been an increase in local drivers with no affiliation to the ride-share companies cruising the airport and offering unauthorized rides to incoming passengers. The police and Airport Authority are cautioning passengers from accepting those rides (cash only and not arranged via the apps). Such riders are "setting aside all the measures that have been taken to make sure [official ride-sharing] is a safe transportation option.” Of course, it's tempting, since wait times for Lyft and Uber are inordinately long and rental-car costs are through the roof. But you do take a chance.
Since 2003, the Southern Nevada Water Authority has waged a "turf war" with developers, homeowners, and commercial landlords against non-functional grass -- in other words, grass that no one walks on (such as on median strips, at office parks, and apartment complexes). The Authority banned front-yard grass in new subdivisions and began paying everyone from homeowners to golf courses a rebate of $3 per square foot to remove the heavily water-dependent grass, which succeeded in replacing 60% of it with desert-tolerant vegetation. Now, in the face of unprecedented drought, with reservoir levels approaching emergency status, the Nevada Legislature is considering a bill to step up those efforts with a full ban on ornamental grass in southern Nevada, which would necessitate tearing out the other 40% of grass. If it passes, the state would become the first in the nation with an outright prohibition against grass that no one walks on.
Going into today’s final round of the Masters golf tournament, four-stroke leader Hideki Matsuyama is a -145 favorite to win. Xander Schauffele is +500, Justin Rose is +1100, and Will Zalatoris is +1200.
The health and safety plans for the Electric Daisy Carnival submitted to the Nevada Department of Business and Industry include the issuance of a "health pass" for all attendees, showing that they've either been vaccinated or have had a recent negative coronavirus test, in addition to mandatory face coverings and the possible use of COVID-sniffing dogs. With 180,000 to 200,000 people expected to attend on each of the three nights, however, social distancing wasn't, apparently, included in the submission, which the state regulators rejected. EDC organizers haven't resubmitted their plans, but the immense music festival continues to move forward without official approval.
For the first time, the media has been invited down to see the Las Vegas Loop subterranean shuttle below the Las Vegas Convention Center. The coverage is breathless, but from what we can see by the reports, it's a car tunnel. Tesla five-seat sedans with drivers achieve speeds up to 35 mph in the three half-mile-long tunnels; due to COVID restrictions, only three people can currently ride in each. So far, there are 11 vehicles, though that could go up to 60 that seat 16 eventually. No timetable has been announced for the vehicles to be certified as driverless, nor have any details on loading procedures or wait times for rides been released. Colored lights flash continuously in the tunnels, simulating a thrill ride and prompting the nickname "Rainbow Road." The Loop is expected to be operational for the World of Concrete trade show in early June.
The governor of Wyoming has signed a bill that will make sports betting legal in the state as of September 1. Wagering will be allowed online only, in a format similar to that in Tennessee. There will be a 10% tax on the win.
Marvin Vettori is a -350 favorite over Kevin Holland in today’s early UFC main event. In the other featured match, Sodiq Yusuff is -130 over Arnold Allen.
As part of the $150 million investment in revitalizing the Sahara, the property has unveiled its new pool and a new restaurant. Construction of the new 35,000-square-foot Moroccan-inspired Azilo Ultra Pool is nearing completion and will debut this summer. It features two-story-tall LED walls that occupy 10,000 square feet and wrap around the pool perimeter; it will also include VIP cabanas, HD TVs, private pools, spas and restrooms, daybeds, lily pads, three bars, and plenty of lounge seating. Ballo, from James Beard award-winning Chef Shawn McClain, will serve seasonal Italian cuisine representing a number of Italian regions. McClain's Sage and Five50 PizzaBar at Aria didn't reopen after the shutdown; his Libertine Social gastropub at Mandalay Bay did, though it's open only Friday and Saturday evenings. When Ballo opens later this year, the Sahara will boast two of the top culinary names in town, with McClain and José Andréas, who runs Bazaar Meats.
A story by top gambling writer Michael Kaplan on how recently deceased Larry Flynt played blackjack and poker extensively quotes Steve Cyr, subject of our book Whale Hunt in the Desert. Cyr was Flynt's host at the Hilton in the 1980s and '90s and there's a cool photo of the two of them having lunch at the Venetian a couple of years ago. And long-time columnist and Las Vegas observer John L. Smith has just posted a fine review of our latest title Joe's Dash.
Now that all Nevada residents age 16 and up are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and that the Nevada Gaming Control Board will relax the current 50% capacity limit "only if casino-resorts take measurable and material steps to get employees vaccinated," the Wynn is now requiring employees to take one of two steps: either get vaccinated or provide weekly proof that they've tested negative. The Wynn says that 60% of its employees have been vaccinated, mostly at its own hosted clinic, which administered its 50,000th vaccination yesterday. Wynn Las Vegas also conducts COVID-19 testing. MGM, Caesars, Station, and Cosmo host on-site vaccine clinics for employees and their families.
On Thursday, music-industry site EDM.com reported that "a slew of new Las Vegas-specific job listings posted by major music festival promoter Live Nation seem to confirm the May 2021 dates of the company's flagship event, EDC Las Vegas." EDM noted that the job listings, which were posted last Wednesday, included the phrase, "Travel required in May." It was a big hint of what came next: the announcement that the electronic dance music festival will take place as planned starting six weeks from today. After being postponed twice last year, EDC is apparently approved for 200,000 mask-wearing attendees an organizers are expecting 180,000 per night. Other safety precautions and the lineup will be announced soon. Anyone with tickets who can't or doesn't want to attend can use them next year.
MGM Resorts, in collaboration with Henderson-based Community Ambulance, plans to roll out COVID testing for meeting planners and hotel guests. The option for on-site rapid testing is part of the casino company's health and safety protocols for hosting larger groups as capacity limits continue to be lifted. Depending on their travel schedules and the requirements of their next destinations, guests will choose from three tests, with results delivered electronically from 20 minutes to 72 hours. The cost, depending on the test and delivery, will range from $140 to $230 and testing appointments will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. by calling the hotel's guest services. The announcement didn't specify a start date, but the implication is that it will launch very soon.
The long-awaited Saltgrass steakhouse has opened at the Golden Nugget. Though the GN has a gourmet steakhouse, Vic & Anthony's, Saltgrass is decidedly on the casual side of the scale, both in ambience and price. It's also a chain, with 80 locations, mostly in the South and Midwest and one at the Golden Nugget in Laughlin. We hear from frequent LVA correspondent Candy W. that she has a Saltgrass nearby and "it's a favorite for excellent food at reasonable prices -- a nice place, but you don't have to dress up." Even shorts are okay, she tells us. She raves about the bread and the Wedge Salad (unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Wedge is available in Vegas, at least according to the online menu). It's open Thursday 4-10 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The ramp that connects southbound US 95 to northbound I-15 (Exit 76A) at the Spaghetti Bowl interchange downtown will be closed all weekend. The pylons go up at 8 p.m. tomorrow and the work, repairs to the bridge deck, will be completed by 5 a.m. Monday morning. We're not sure how traffic will be rerouted, but it seems likely that the detour will start at the Rancho Drive exit, one before the Bowl, and continue back to I-15 on Sahara at Palace Station.
The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas' five-acre three-theater center located downtown in Symphony Park, has announced its 2021-2022 schedule for hosting Broadway shows in its 2,050-seat Reynolds Hall: Cats, Oct. 12-17; An Officer and a Gentleman, Oct. 26-31; A Christmas Carol, Nov. 23-28; My Fair Lady, Jan. 25-30, 2022; The Band’s Visit, Feb. 15-20, 2022; and Tootsie, May 24-29, 2022. Hamilton, which was originally scheduled for last season, then canceled, has been rescheduled for the 2022-2023 lineup. The Cher Show, Frozen, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Christmas Story, Ain’t Too Proud, and Hadestown, which were also canceled due to the pandemic, haven't been rescheduled.
Earlier this week, the North Dakota State Senate voted down a bill on a referendum to legalize online poker. That was no surprise. The shocker was the vote: a unanimous 47-0 against. It was even stunning after a unanimous 7-0 “Do Not Pass” recommendation by the Senate's Finance and Taxation Committee. The last time the Senate considered online poker in 2005, it lost by a vote of 43-3. The North Dakota Assembly passed the online-poker-referendum resolution 54-40, but the Senate has long opposed gambling expansion of any type. (North Dakota has 12 tribal casinos and a lottery, but is one of three states that doesn't sell scratch-off tickets; live and off-track betting on horseracing is also legal.) A sports-betting bill fared better, receiving approval in the Assembly 70-24, but losing by one vote in the Senate. The sports betting bill is certain to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.
The median price of an existing single-family Las Vegas home set a new record again in March at $363,000, up 2.3% from the previous record set in February and 14% year over year. It's the seventh time in 12 months that the median price has hit a new high. The 3,726 single-family houses sold last month comprised an increase of 35% over February and 35% more than March of last year. Three out of four of those houses had been on the market less than 30 days, compared to 59% sold within the same time frame in March 2020. And the 1,772 single-family homes on the market without offers at the end of last month were down nearly 70% year over year.
Finding employees nationwide has become a challenge, especially for businesses in the hospitality sector, and Las Vegas is no exception. Just this week, three hiring events have been announced. The first is for "all positions" at Circa, which will hold drive-thru interviews at Golden Gate next Tuesday the 13th and Tuesday the 27th. Applicants can apply online at www.circalasvegas.com/careers. Caesars is also holding a virtual hiring event this Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Applications will be accepted for positions at all Caesars Strip properties and the Rio and job seekers can find more details at caesars.com/careers. And an in-person job fair will be held at Las Vegas Ballpark on Saturday April 17 to fill positions for the Las Vegas Aviators and at the ballpark, as well as with housekeeping, security, and guest-services companies.
In our recent poll on which upcoming openings and reopenings of hotel-casinos and attractions respondents are most looking forward to, the reopening of Main Street Station placed first with 17% of the vote. In an effort to answer a Question of the Day submission about when that might take place, we were told, "Boyd isn't commenting on Main Street Station at this time, but something will be said at the next earnings call later this month." So it sounds like there's some fire to go with the smoke. But we'll have to wait for that earnings call for whatever news Boyd is releasing about its popular downtown casino.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's excellent traffic-beat reporter, Mick Akers, examined state records indicating that as of March 30, the number of active Uber and Lyft drivers in Nevada was 13,723, compared to 36,482 reported by the state on March 13, 2020. That's a decline of nearly 63% due to the pandemic. There's been a big increase in demand as visitors sweep back into Las Vegas, but the ride-share companies are prohibited by the state, which is still in a state of emergency, from effecting surge pricing. Higher rates would incentivize drivers still collecting more in unemployment that they can make without the dynamic pricing. Combined with a severe shortage of rental cars (see yesterday's QoD), local options for getting around without your own car are dwindling.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, CBS has ordered a revival of the first and flagship "CSI" series, which premiered in October 2000, was set in Las Vegas, ran for 335 episodes over 15 seasons, was ranked among the 10 most-watched shows on television for 11 seasons in a row, spawned four other series ("CSI: Miami," CSI: New York," and "CSI: Cyber") that ran for nearly 800 total episodes, and launched CSI: The Experience, a traveling museum exhibit and interactive attraction at MGM Grand. The stars of "CSI: Vegas," William Petersen, Jorja Fox and Wallace Langham, will reprise their roles in the new series, which is expected to start up again in the fall.
Fox Sports has been rebranded as Bally Sports. The Walt Disney Company was required to sell the 19 regional Fox Sports networks by the federal Department of Justice in order to complete the purchase of 21st Century Fox film and television assets for $10 billion in 2019. Bally Sports bought the networks, with rights to 42 professional sports teams, and was permitted to use the Fox brand for 18 months, since the rebranding process -- redesigning all the websites, apps, studios, and signage -- takes a fair amount of time. Bally Sports' 19 networks are currently on cable and DirecTV, as well as streamed by AT&T TV.
Gonzaga is a -4.5 favorite over Baylor in the NCAA Basketball Championship game. The total is 159.
The weddings at Denny's Chapel at Neonopolis downtown come with a coupon for two Original Grand Slam breakfasts. Taco Bell has also gotten into the marriage business. The Taco Bell Cantina at the corner of Harmon and the Strip has a second-floor chapel where "you can marry the love of your life inside the second love of your life … Taco Bell." The $600 "Saucy" package comes with garter and bow tie, “Just Married” T-shirts, champagne flutes, a Cinnabon Delights cake, and (of course) a Taco Party Pack. Also, a Taco Bell Sauce Packet bouquet is available to borrow for the walk down the aisle. Weddings can be arranged in as little as four hours (depending on availability). Celebrate your love of tacos (and each other) with a Taco Bell wedding.
The NFL has made a significant change in its schedule: In the upcoming 2021-2022 regular season, for the first time in league history, the teams will play 17 games instead of the traditional 16. The regular-season schedule will require 18 weeks to conclude, with each team getting one bye week. In addition, one preseason game will go away, for a total of three preseason games, instead of four, leading up to Week 1 in mid-September. The Super Bowl is expected to be pushed back one week to February 13. Many of the players aren't fans of the change, but the sports book directors are popping corks on champagne bottles nationwide. One estimate we've seen puts the added handle from the 17th week at $350 million and the expected return to the books at around $25 million -- and that's on the low end of the projection scale. It includes only pointspread and money-line bets, not parlays, which could take the estimates 10%-15% higher. Not bad for an additional week's worth of football games.
A study published this week in the scientific journal Biology Letters has identified the most prominent cause of the vast swarm of grasshoppers that invaded Las Vegas over the summer of 2019. At the peak of the swarm in late July, nearly 50 million grasshoppers had made their way to Sin City, particularly Luxor's spotlight. According to the study, during daylight hours, the swarm occupied vegetated areas away from the city, but shortly after sunset, the massive number of insects was "pulled" to the city's bright lights, particularly UV. Shortly after sunset for more than two weeks, the grasshoppers ascended into the sky and flew to Vegas, reaching "peak mass" around midnight at Luxor. The researchers used weather radar to graph the grasshoppers' aerial movements from vegetated areas during the day to well-lit areas at night.
Stanford is a -7.5 favorite over Arizona in today's NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship game. The total is 126.5.
Things still aren't close to what a normal holiday would be like in Las Vegas, but it's better than Easter last year. Several casino restaurants are serving Easter specials today and it's 90 degrees today. Not so bad, and another step in the right direction.
The historic Huntridge Theater has been sold. A local real estate developer with several other downtown properties announced that the deal closed for $4 million. The Huntridge, located at the corner of E. Charleston and Maryland Parkway, dates back to 1944 and legend has it that it was the city's first desegregated movie theater, plus it was rented by Elvis for private parties. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 when it was still a thriving concert venue. The roof collapsed in 1995 just before a show. It closed in 2004 and had been through a series of owners, state grants, lawsuits over the grants, and possible buyers before finally selling. The new owner plans to spend three years and up to $10 million to renovate the theater into a new concert venue and another $5 million to make habitable the adjacent retail space for restaurants, bars, and shops.
More than a decade in the planning and approval stages and delayed more than a year by the pandemic, the Legends Bay Casino, located at the Outlets at Legends shopping center just off I-80 in east Sparks next to the Sparks Marina, has finally broken ground. When it opens around July of next year, it will be the first casino to be built from the ground up in the Truckee Meadows since the Silver Legacy opened in downtown Reno in 1995. Legends is being developed and will be operated by Olympia Gaming, owner of Casino Fandango in Carson City.
It's not just sticker shock on the price of car rentals these days. It's also availability, though here in Vegas, you're looking at $200-$300 per day -- if you can find one, that is. In many popular destinations, travelers are facing unprecedented difficulty in finding a rental car at any price. And according to AAA, for the month of March, Las Vegas was the top car-rental destination in the western U.S. Why? It's no mystery. The rental-car industry has taken a beating over the past year. The most visible example is Hertz, which declared bankruptcy in May 2020; that impacted Dollar and Thrifty, which Hertz owns. Advantage also filed for Chapter 11 protection in May. Having to go into survival mode, the companies sold off a sizable percentage of their fleets. Now that demand is rising, inventory can't keep up. And that's a perfect-storm scenario for putting travelers in a bind. The only antidote to this latest symptom of COVID-19 is to make your reservations far in advance. You'll still pay a high price; that's unavoidable. But at least you'll have wheels.
Baylor is a -5 favorite over Houston in today's first Final Four game of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The total is 135.5.
Regal, the largest movie-theater chain in southern Nevada, reopened its first venue yesterday at Red Rock Resort. On April 23, Regal will welcome movie-goers at its theaters at Boulder Station, Green Valley Ranch, and Sunset Station. On May 7, it'll be the theaters at Aliante, Downtown Summerlin, and Texas Station (Texas Station Hotel-Casino remains closed; could it reopen by then?). The Regal theaters at Palace Station, Fiesta Henderson (will it reopen?), Colonnade (on Eastern just north of the 215), and Village Square (W. Sahara just west of Durango) are expected for May 14. All of Regal's 540 theaters closed last October.
Starting yesterday, couples have been lining up at the Clark County Marriage Bureau, waiting to buy marriage licenses in order to get tie the knot today and forever (or for however long) enjoy the auspicious and easy-to-remember anniversary date of 4/3/21. More than 700 couples obtained licenses -- specially designed keepsakes -- yesterday and based on experience, the Marriage Bureau expects another 700 or so to show up for them today. For 12/12/12 and 12/13/14, the Bureau issued 1,800 licenses; for 10/10/10, 2,700; and for 11/11/11, 3,250. But the winner so far this century was 7/7/07: 4,700.
Gonzaga is a -14.5 favorite over UCLA in today's second Final Four game of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The total is 147.5.
Wynn Resorts has settled a longstanding dispute, in which $5.6 million will be divvied up among an estimated 1,000 current and former table-game dealers at Wynn and Encore. A U.S. District Court judge signed the order, which ends a legal saga that stretched over more than 15 years and involved two federal lawsuits. It all stemmed from a policy implemented by Steve Wynn in 2006 that cut pit managers into a share of the dealers' tips, the only casino company on the Strip ever to do so. The dealers in their lawsuits estimated that it cost them upwards of $50 million in lost tip income. The settlement, negotiated with the help of a mediator from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, awards $10,000 each to the plaintiffs in the original lawsuits, another $10,000 in litigation costs, an undisclosed amount for settlement administrator fees, and of course $1.4 million in attorney fees. That leaves around $4,000 to go to each of the 1,000 or so dealers who qualify for payments.
The former Eldorado Casino in downtown Henderson reopened last night as The Pass. The Eldorado was sold by Boyd Gaming to DeSimone Gaming, which also owns the Railroad Pass Hotel-Casino nearby. DeSimone invested upwards of $7 million in renovating and reopening the aging property, with new restaurants and bars, a new sportsbook (run by Circa), mostly new slots, and for the first time table games (four blackjack, one roulette, and one craps). DeSimone is also expected to build a hotel "within a year and a half."
The Rio will start renting hotel rooms seven days a week starting on Monday April 19. The casino and most restaurants have been open full time, but the rooms are available only on weekends. This is welcome news, mainly because it has seemed to us that the Rio simply couldn't get its reservations schedule together. We've heard way too many stories since the property reopened in December that the reservation system booked rooms during the week. Guests were either stranded when the Rio ignored them or were moved to Bally's (where most didn't want to stay). Blame it on COVID, sure, but the room situation at the Rio has been the worst we've seen since the shutdown.
Drai’s Beach and Drai’s Beach at Night reopen today in their rooftop location at the Cromwell. With the re-emergence of the dayclub and nightclub, Drai's has its full complement of clubs at the Cromwell operating; Drai's After Hours in the lowest level reopened in October. The enormous multi-level rooftop club will accommodate partiers Friday-Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fri.-Sat. 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Reservations are recommended, since capacity is limited and general admission is prohibited.
Today the Mantis, the giant 40-foot-long 150-scale replica praying mantis that stands in front of the Downtown Container Park, wakes up. The Mantis has been in a COVID-induced hibernation for a year, but will again be bobbing up and down while breathing fire Thursday through Sunday evenings.
The World Series of Poker has announced this year's dates for the big poker tournament at the Rio. The live in-person event will take place Sept. 30 through Nov. 23. Opening weekend is expected to feature a special charity event to benefit frontline health workers, along with a $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. event and a $5 million no-limit Hold 'em tournament billed as "The Reunion." The Main Event is expected to begin Thursday Nov. 4 and run through Wednesday Nov. 17. Players will have their choice of four starting days between Thursday and Sunday; players starting on Thursday or Friday will have their Day 2 on Monday Nov. 8 if they survive the first day. Those starting Saturday or Sunday will play their Day 2 on Tuesday Nov. 9, with the fields combining on Wednesday Nov. 10. Further details and specifics on the complete schedule will be released this summer. Specific COVID-19 safety protocols and other related 2021 tournament policies will be reviewed with gaming regulators in the lead-up to the event. The WSOP will comply with all state directives regarding social distancing and capacity limits on the tournament dates.
April is a gorgeous month weather-wise hereabouts. It's dry (average rainfall just a tenth of an inch) and mostly sunny, with daily high temperatures rising from around 74 degrees on April 1 to around 82 on April 30 and lows ranging from 52 to 61. A record high of 99 degrees was set on the 24th in 2012, the 27th in 2000, the 29th in 2013, and the 30th in 1981. A record low of 31 degrees was set on the 2nd in 1975 and the 3rd and 4th in 1955. Last year, it rained a quarter-inch in April through the 20th, then there was no measurable precipitation until December 17, setting a new record of 240 days without measurable rain and breaking the old record set in 1959 by 90 spectacular days.