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Formula 1 street racing will return to Las Vegas for one of three Grands Prix to be held in the U.S. next year; the other two will be in Miami and Austin, Texas. The Las Vegas F1 50-lap race, at speeds of up to 210 mph, will take place on an as-yet unnamed Saturday night in November 2023, though at the press conference last night at the Cosmopolitan, F1 executives hinted that the Thanksgiving weekend would be optimal. Though a few grands prix have taken place in Las Vegas over the years, this is the first F1 race since 1981 and 1982, when a temporary circuit was erected in the parking lot of Caesars Palace that, according to reports, was widely criticized by drivers and fans and poorly attended by both; in fact, it's been called "one of the worst circuits Formula One ever visited." This one should be better. If you want to see the fastest-moving hype video ever, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud0MeXKvJXs.
Statewide in February, the gaming win went over $1 billion for the 12th consecutive month and set an all-time record for the win in February history. The $1.1 billion in revenue increased by 44.1% over February 2021's $772.5 million. It was also just under 2% more than January's win of $1.08 billion. Passenger traffic at Reid International was 3.34 million, up 6% over January's 3.14 million. Overall, hotel occupancy was 69%, with weekend occupancy at 87.5%. Strip occupancy for February was 71% and downtown 61.5%. However, even with less-than-stellar occupancy rates, visitors paid more for rooms on the Strip; the average daily room rate was $159.20 in February, up 3.4% over January's $153.84. Downtown's $89.24 dropped 1.8% from January's $90.87.
Miranda Lambert, three-time Grammy winner, ACM's Female Vocalist of the Year record holder at nine straight years, and the only woman to win Country Music Association Awards' Album of the Year twice, has announced a 24-date residency at Zappos' Theater at Planet Hollywood starting September 23 and running into April 2023. The dates for "Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo" are: September 23, 24, 28, and 30; October 1, 5, 7, and 8; November 26, 27, and 30; December 3, 4, 8, 10, and 11; March (2023): 24, 25, and 30; and April 1, 2, 6, 8, and 9. Tickets go on sale to the public April 7 at 10 a.m. PT.
A story in today's Review-Journal reports that a "global venue-development group" has revealed plans to build a $3 billion integrated resort that will include a $1 billion 20,000-seat arena, with an eye toward "aggressively pursuing an NBA franchise, should one become available.” Groundbreaking for the property, located a bit south of the Strip on Las Vegas Blvd. at Blue Diamond Road near Silverton, is scheduled for sometime next year; the resort-casino would be completed "no later than 2026." The developer, Oak View Group, built and operates several arenas, including in Seattle where the NHL expansion team the Kraken play, in New York where the Islanders play, and in Austin, Texas, which will open next month; Oak View Group will operate the arena and a casino company would run the hotel. In addition, the site will host an dining, entertainment, and retail district and an amphitheater for concerts. The entire development will occupy 25 acres of a 66-acre parcel acquired last month by a company called Blue Diamond Acquisition LLC for $99 million.
A young woman visiting from the Aloha State was making $5 bets on a Wheel of Fortune machine at the California downtown on Monday when she lined up the jackpot symbols on a Wheel of Fortune machine for a sweet $1,316,725 payday. In the publicity photo, she looks dazed, even in shock, though the man she's holding up the large promotional check with, presumably her husband, has dollar signs in his eyes, figuratively speaking of course.
The NCAA has announced that Las Vegas will host a number of tournament championship events over the coming five years. Chief among them are the college basketball Sweet 16 and Elite 8 rounds of March Madness next season and in 2025-2026, as well as the Frozen Four men's hockey championship rounds in 2026, all at T-Mobile Arena. Men's and women's golf championships will be held here in 2023, 2025, and 2026 at several different golf courses; the 2023 women's bowling championship at South Point; and the men's and women's soccer championship in 2024 at UNLV.
Yelp.com has released another top-ten list, this one with the top rooftop bars in the country. Yelp searched for "roof" in its reviews, eliminated the national chains, and ranked the eateries with rooftop bars using "using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews." The top ten isn't numbered, but first in the descriptions is our own Carson Kitchen, which serves "creative American cuisine" in a venue at the corner of E. Carson and 6th Street. It opened in 2014 and has expansive deck dining with a full bar.
The long-awaited NFL Draft will be held in one month in Las Vegas, April 28-30. All the events will be focused just outside Caesars Forum Convention Center (in back of the High Roller observation wheel at the LINQ promenade). You can now register for the three-day festivities. Registration is free and open to the public at nfl.com/onepass. The Draft was originally scheduled for Las Vegas in April 2020, but had to be canceled due to the shutdown; last year it was held as scheduled in Cleveland.
In a press release last week, we learned that the 64-room boutique hotel, Artisan, was sold by the Siegel Group for $11.9 million. The release was from Siegel and curiously, it didn't mention the buyer, so we didn't report it. Now we've learned that the buyer is Pro Hospitality Group, a firm that owns the cannabis-friendly Clarendon Hotel in downtown Phoenix. The owner told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he intends to invest $3 million in renovating the property at 1501 W. Sahara Ave., a long block from the Strip, which could be completed as early as September. In addition, pending new state regulations, Artisan will allow pot smoking and vaping and all edibles in its weed-friendly rooms; if the Clarendon's policy is any indication, all pot smoking will take place in the rooms only and not in the public areas of the hotel, though odorless vapes and smokeless products will be allowed in outdoor public areas, not including the restaurant. Nevada's cannabis-use laws and regulations are expected to be announced any decade now.
Featuring "vintage vibes with a modern twist and the melodies of swing and funky jazz music," a new "secret" speakeasy bar called the Count Room Live has opened inside Bugsy & Meyer’s Steakhouse at the Flamingo. Count Room Live puts on entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings (8-11 p.m.) performed by the aptly named Moonshiners. There's a build-your-own Old Fashioned beverage cart offering rum, brandy, mezcal, or bourbon, along with citrus slices, syrup, and bitters and guests can also order appetizers and desserts. Make reservations at Caesars.com.
Race-horse Epicenter placed first in the $1 million Louisiana Derby on Saturday, then became the favorite in Las Vegas futures betting for the Kentucky Derby, scheduled for May 7. The colt's odds went from 7-1 to 6-1 at Caesars and 5-1 (+540 to be exact) at Circa Sports. Epicenter made his debut at the 2021 Churchill Downs, setting the pace before flattening out to finish sixth. Messier (transferred to another trainer after Bob Baffert was ruled ineligible) remained in second at 7-1 at Circa and 6-1 at Caesars. Forbidden Kingdom's odds also didn't change: 10-1 at Circa and 7-1 at Caesars.
Eurowings Discover, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, resumes service between Las Vegas and Munich, Germany, today. Tomorrow, the airline starts flying again between Reid International and Frankfurt. The Frankfurt connection will continue year-round, the Munich flights only in the summer. Also tomorrow, Edelweiss, another Lufthansa airline, starts service between Vegas and Zurich, Switzerland. All three trips open up Europe to direct travel to Las Vegas via feeder airlines.
In this week's 13:07 installment, Anthony and Andrew discuss the upward price pressure that's manifesting all over town, including for show tickets and gasoline and even two "sacred" deals. The good news is that South Point is once again offering reduced juice for March Madness bets (and Anthony explains "reduced juice"), plus another buffet returns to the scene. Also hear about Pauly Shore, the buffet at Resorts World, and the Jackpot of the Week that pissed off Anthony. And don't forget to like and subscribe.
According to the Fan Cost Index compiled by TeamMarketing.com, a night out at a Vegas Golden Knights' game is the third most expensive for a family of four among NHL teams. The Index totals the cost for four non-premium tickets, two beers, two sodas, four hot dogs, two souvenir hats, and parking. Most expensive is a night at a Toronto Maple Leafs' game at $698, then this year's expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, at $673, and the VGK at $650. The average price is $462.58, up 5% from last year's $439.91. Interestingly, according to the Index, all four first-place teams (Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Calgary Flames) are among the 10 lowest-priced nights out, with the Panthers second lowest at $320, just above the lowly Arizona Coyotes at $315. Concurrently, in the last NFL Index for 2021, the Las Vegas Raiders ranked number one for the most expensive by a long shot: $779, with the second-place New England Patriots more than $100 less expensive at $670. And thanks to Canada Roy for the links.
A record for the highest temperature ever recorded on March 25 in Las Vegas was set yesterday. The thermometer blazed out at 90 degrees, beating the old record of 87, set appropriately enough in 1987. Yesterday's record came right after the year's first 80-degree day on Thursday. Today, it looks like the high temp will top out at 94, which will break the record for the day, also 87, set in 1947; it will also become the record-high temperature for the month, set on the 21st in 2004.
The Neon Museum was voted number one Pop Culture Museum in the 2022 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice travel-award contest. The Neon Museum was nominated by a panel of travel experts and received the most votes from 10Best.com readers. It was the only Nevada museum nominated. “As a museum, we're grateful to be seen as a reflection of pop culture," said Aaron Berger, executive director of the museum. The list of nominees in the category included the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and Rancho Obi-Wan, to name a few.
Legendary L.A. rock band the Eagles will perform the entire Hotel California album at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 28. The band sold out all three shows in its stop in Vegas in 2019 and is coming back for more. They'll be accompanied by a full orchestra and choir. Tickets go on sale next Friday at 10 a.m. PT. And James Taylor will conclude a 20-date U.S. tour with his All-Star Band with a show at T-Mobile on July 30.
How big is the Korean boy band BTS? Well, all four “BTS Permission To Dance On Stage — Las Vegas” shows at Allegiant Stadium (April 8, 9, 15, and 16) sold out during the band’s fan-club presale and resale tickets for the good seats are going for upwards of $20,000. In addition, a poll on the best-looking boy in the band elicited 120 million votes. Now, in a first in our experience, KoreaBoo.com is reporting that MGM Resorts is selling BTS-themed hotel rooms that come with "exclusive keepsakes," including special note cards with messages from band members and BTS Do Not Disturb door hangers. And there will be BTS-themed attractions, entertainment, food and retail pop-ups (one at the Grand Garden Arena), photography exhibits, and BTS songs at the Bellagio Fountains. In short, it's a BTS world and we're just living in it.
In a story for CDC Gaming Reports, business writer and our Stiffs and Georges blogger David McKee reports on a meeting with a Truist Securities analyst in which Boyd executives said there was "no going back" to pre-pandemic-level promotions and that staffing will remain at 60%. "The overall market is 'rational' with regard to comps and other such incentives," the execs said, and "increased marketing spend is possible in the long term, but not at the expense of corporate cash flow." McKee also writes, "Boyd went into the Great Shutdown with approximately 25,000 employees and now has roughly 15,000, with plans to add no more than 1,500 over the next 12 to 24 months."
Only seven months after the pandemic-postponed 2021 incarnation of Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas last October, EDC returns to its regular schedule this year, taking place the third weekend of May at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Upwards of 475,000 attendees jammed the festival grounds last year, the largest crowd in the history of EDC. A half-million are expected for this year's iteration, to see the likes of electronic dance music stars Zedd, Deadmau5, Kaskade, Grimes, G Jones, Porter Robinson, Air2Earth, Charlotte de Witte, Alesso, Duck Sauce, DJ Snake, Eric Prydz, Honey Dijon, Vintage Culture, Moore Kismet, Tsha, and literally hundreds of others. Tickets are on sale now.
The rumor that the Vienna All Beef hot dogs at the South Point cart are now 20% more expensive is confirmed. Long ago when the dogs were introduced at Barbary Coast, they were 75 cents, then they went up to $1.25 (so that the cart vendor would continue to "keep the change"), and now they're $1.50. Another price raise has been sustained by the steak/ham & eggs breakfast special at both Arizona Charlie’s. That one's up a buck from $5.99 to $6.99 (15%). Both the dog and breakfast are in the current LVA Top Ten, though due to the increases, they'll drop out, at least for a while.
Southern Nevada gas prices continue to spiral upward, hitting an average of $5.21 yesterday and marking an increase of $1.27 (32%) in the past 30 days. Statewide, the average was $5.13, second highest in the nation behind California at $5.86. Hawaii is third at $5.09. The national average is $4.24.
Classic-rock band Aerosmith will return to Dolby Live at Park MGM for another "Deuces Are Wild" residency, which they originally performed in 2019. The 24 dates are: June 17, 20, 23, 26, and 29; July 2, 5, and 8; September 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, and 29, October 2 and 5, November 19, 23, 26, and 29; and December 2, 5, 8, and 11. it will be the venue's first live concert experience presented in Dolby Atmos, expanded surround sound that mimics three-dimensional objects.
In upcoming onesie and twosie concerts, Billie Eilish will perform at T-Mobile on April 1, Megadeth at Michelob Ultra Arena (Mandalay Bay) on April 9, Kansas at the Smith Center on April 30, New Kids on the Block at Michelob Ultra on May 29, Joe Jackson at Smith Center June 8, Boz Scaggs at Smith Center June 10, Weird Al at Venetian Theater June 10-11, Machine Gun Kelly (with Avril Lavigne) at T-Mobile on June 15, Chris Isaak and Lyle Lovett at Virgin on June 18, Red Hot Chili Peppers at Allegiant Stadium on August 6, The Killers at T-Mobile on August 26, Duran Duran at the Wynn on September 1 and 3, and Roger Waters (of Pink Floyd fame) at T-Mobile on October 1.
Celebrity and Michelin-award winning chef Gordon Ramsay will open his sixth restaurant in Las Vegas (and in Caesars properties) toward the end of the year. This venue, Ramsay's Kitchen, will be at Harrah's. It's the second Ramsay's Kitchen; the first is in Boston. It will "draw inspiration from the chef's personal kitchen" and "offer elevated takes on his signature dishes." The menu at the Boston restaurant is heavy on seafood (such appetizers as shrimp cocktail, oysters, tuna tartare, crab cakes, mussels, and lobster rolls $22-$28, and entrees like fish and chips, salmon, scallops, bouillabaisse, and loup de mer $39-$49). Of course, Ramsay is known for his Beef Wellington, which is also listed at $59. Like Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen (at Caesars Palace), the room will be large, seating 240, but will also have a seven-seat seafood counter and a private dining area.
South Point is dealing -105 on all NCAA tournament games. The reduced pricing will run through the championship game and is for bets on pointspreads only, no totals. The -105 pricing is also offered at Rampart, along with CasaBlanca and Virgin River in Mesquite, all of which are South Point-affiliated books.
Along with the buffet and Scotch 80 Prime, another reason to look forward to the Palms' reopening in the next month or two will be the return of Mabel's, from celebrity chef Michael Symon. We reviewed the "Cleveland-style-BBQ" restaurant, when it first opened, in the February 2019 issue of the Advisor and wrote, "Atmosphere, food, mustard-based barbecue sauces, prices—we liked everything about Mabel’s." The venue is hosting a hiring event on Thursday and Friday, which gives us another hint that the reopening of the Palms is more imminent by the day.
According to Zillow, last month, the price of a rental home in Las Vegas had surged 32.9% as compared to February 2020. Only Tampa (37.1%), Miami (36.9%), and Phoenix (35.4%) experienced higher increases over the same period. Year over year, Vegas rents rose 23.3%, compared to 17% nationwide. However, Vegas' average home rent at $1,805 remains lower than the nationwide average of $1,883. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition estimated that Nevada has a shortage of nearly 85,000 affordable and available rental homes for low-income tenants.
A Nevada District Court judge has ordered FP Holdings, a limited partnership connected to Red Rocks Resorts, to pay DJ Kaskade nearly $8 million for breach of contract when the Kaos nightclub at the Palms was suddenly shut down. Kaskade sued FP, controlled by Red Rock owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, in 2019, claiming more than 30 dates, at a salary of $300,000 per, remained on his "carefully worded contract." The Fertittas argued that many of those dates were scheduled during the 2020 shutdown, so FP owed Kaskade only $1.2 million. The judge ruled that the suit was filed three months before the pandemic -- and ordered FP Holdings to pick up Kaskade’s legal costs.
Steven Patrick Morrissey, known mononymously as just his last name, is a highly acclaimed and controversial English singer, songwriter, and author, who earned his fame as the frontman of the indie rock band the Smiths (1982-1987). His "Viva Moz Vegas" show did a five-date mini-residency in August and September; it will return for five more shows on July 1, 2, 6, 8, and 9. These dates are said to eliminate the first two weeks of a possible resurrection of an Adele residency. Tickets for Morrissey go on sale 10 a.m. on Friday.
Two months ago at the end of its last session, the New Jersey Legislature failed to pass a law banning smoking in casinos, but this year, the bill has much more support. The 15 additional bipartisan Assembly members bring the count to 35 state legislators who have signed on to sponsor the measure, including the three representatives from Atlantic City. Proponents also include a coalition of casino workers and anti-smoking advocates and the governor says he'll sign any smoking ban that crosses his desk. Opponents, mainly the casino industry, argue that banning smoking will drive gamblers to Pennsylvania, but lawmakers in the Keystone State are considering a similar bill in this year's session. If the two states can get together and ban smoking in tandem, it would result in neither having a competitive advantage. It'll be interesting to see what happens -- and what effect smoking bans in the number-two and number-three gambling states might have on Nevada.
In its very first game in the Indoor Football League, the Vegas Knight Hawks beat the Northern Arizona Wranglers 22-9 on Friday night. The game was played at the Knight Hawks' home field, the spanking new Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, which is also the home arena for the AHL's Silver Knights; both the Knight Hawks and Silver Knights are owned by Bill Foley, also the majority owner of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights. The Knight Hawks dominated Northern Arizona, holding them to 60 total yards of offense and intercepting them three times. The Hawks play seven more home games this season through July 2; tickets range from $15 to $150.
One of the original signs sporting the Plaza's custom logo has been donated to the Neon Museum. The logo was designed by Charles Barnard, an artist at the Ad-Art sign company also known for developing Vegas Vickie and the sign for the old Sassy Sally's (which is also displayed at the museum). The sign was decommissioned 10 years ago during a renovation; it was stored until last week, when it was moved to the museum. It will be refurbished and put on display later this year.
Water Street, the erstwhile sleepy main drag in the heart of downtown Henderson, is getting a new development in the form of an Atwell Suites. Joe DeSimone, who bought and renovated the old Eldorado on Water Street in December 2020 and reopened it as The Pass in spring 2021, is building the six-story 90-room all-suites hotel in the Pass' parking lot. The $20 million project is scheduled to break ground in early fall and will feature a pool and wine bar.
Vanderpump à Paris, Las Vegas' second restaurant-bar from reality TV star Lisa Vanderpump, has opened at Paris. The new restaurant occupies another over-the-top room designed by Vanderpump, who adores decor, with a marble bar, massive crystal chandeliers in wrought-iron cages, bronze umbrellas, gnarly trees in big ceramic pots, a bronze-fountain centerpiece, and picture windows onto the Eiffel Tower. Vanderpump's original location, the Cocktail Garden, opened at Caesars Palace in 2019.
On Wednesday, the Oakland Seaport Planning Advisory Committee voted against a new ballpark for the Oakland Athletics, preferring a parking lot on the proposed site for a baseball stadium. The team now needs the decision to be overruled by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, along with the long-awaited development agreement with the city of Oakland, to move forward with its plans in the Bay Area. The A's are also pursuing five stadium sites around Las Vegas in case they have to relocate. And it looks more and more like they will.
The venerable Tahoe Biltmore in Crystal Bay, Nevada, at the north shore state line with California, will close at 5 a.m. on April 30. The hotel-casino opened in 1946 and has been known for a number of things, including a long-running $1.99 breakfast, two bars popular with locals, and the Aspen Cabaret, which hosted many national touring acts. California-based EKN Development bought the property last September for $57 million and plans to completely redevelop it, with grading work starting soon after closing. The project is expected to take three and a half years to complete.
Neon Feast, the new Las Vegas dining app, has released its list of “Top Sports Book Bites.” The handicapper, sports-betting writer, and media director for the World Series of Poker, Nolan Dalla, created the list, which has five recommended venues to grab a great bite while watching March Madness. The eateries include Charlies Bar + Grill (Wynn), Chickie’s & Pete’s (Sahara), Dawg House Saloon & Sports Book (Resorts World), Food Court (Rio), and Side Betty Grill (Park MGM). Neon Feast is an innovative new app for the Las Vegas dining scene that we cover in this month's issue of the Las Vegas Advisor; its lists are compiled from dozens of locally and nationally prominent food and beverage experts, including Anthony Curtis. It's searchable by cuisines, neighborhoods, date spots, late-night dining, views, etc. Neon Feast is available for Apple and Android at app stores; also go to neonfeast.com for download info.
The LVA YouTube Weekly Update is up -- and up to date. Check it out for a long discussion on March Madness, which just started, and find out why this is Anthony's favorite weekend of the year in Vegas. You'll also hear his take on Circa's posting a couple of teams at +1,000,000, or 10,000-1 against winning the tournament. The Tropicana is also offering an astounding $100 million prize for getting every game correct (and you can hear the odds against that). Then Anthony and Andrew discuss resort fees, El Cortez going adults only, and a very interesting Jackpot of the Week. Click and enjoy. And don't forget to like and subscribe.
Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of the statewide shutdown and officials announced that they'll now report COVID metrics only once a week, instead of daily, as has been the policy since the beginning of the pandemic. The statistics will now be reported every Wednesday, for the period ending the preceding Monday. In addition, the positivity rate will be retired as a metric; officials called it "obsolete." In yesterday's Clark County metrics, the 14-day death average fell to three, one less than in the previous report. The average of new cases dropped to 77, the lowest in nearly two years. Hospitalizations also fell to a new low at 156. Statewide, just under 57% of residents five and older were reported as fully vaccinated, a half-point higher than in Clark County alone. Carson City had the most vaccinated adults at 65.2%, while Storey County, located just east of Reno-Sparks, was lowest at 25% (out of 4,100 adult residents).
The low-cost and ultra-low-cost carrier battle is heating up. Spirit Airlines, Reid International's second largest airline, has announced service to Reno, Albuquerque, and Boise. Spirit will compete against Allegiant and Southwest on the Albuquerque route; Southwest, Allegiant, and Alaska Air for Boise; and Allegiant, Southwest, and Spirit's future partner Frontier for Reno. Daily flights to Albuquerque start on Aug. 3, Boise Aug. 5, and twice-daily to Reno on Aug. 10.
The luck o' the Irish can be with you downtown, where Fremont Street Experience is hosting St. Patrick's ShamROCK, with 19 bands on the three FSE stages through Sunday. In addition, for the first time since 2019, the Professional Firefighters of Nevada are hosting their annual parade, which starts at noon from the corner of Fremont and Main, heads down Fremont, and ends at Hogs and Heifers on Third Street. And for all the other happenings around this city, which loves any excuse for partying with beer and continues the celebration until Sunday night, check out the St. Paddy's Day events page on our blog Vegas With An Edge.
A National Geographic Society photographic exhibition, "Rarely Seen: Photographs of the Extraordinary," will open at Bally’s on March 25. The show will feature 50 images "of places, events, natural phenomena, and man-made heirlooms seldom seen by human eyes," shot by world-class photographers. The news release indicates that the show will be immersive, bringing the photos to life. "Rarely Seen" will be on the lower level and operate daily 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale and start at $31.50/adult, $21.50/children 4-12.
A player from Illinois was in town for a meeting and playing at his third Face Up Pai Gow session at the Cromwell yesterday. After an hour at the table, he was dealt a 7-card straight flush, 6 through queen with a joker, in clubs. That took down the progressive jackpot of $1,082,701. The man, in his 70s, said he'll donate some to charity, share some with his family, and maybe buy a vacation home.
"Flights of Fancy," the new spring display at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden, features "various forms of flight," from hot-air balloons to butterflies. Hummingbirds and other avians, jumping frogs, balloons, a peacock, a vintage airship, and clouds round out the "flying" things, while a waterfall and the largest variety of flowers and plants ever used round out the display. The spring colors are especially vivid purples, pinks, yellows and blues new touches include a song playlist and a custom lavender scent. Also in the display are 15,000 roses, 8,700 potted plants, 1,400 pounds of yellow daffodils, and 1,800 yards of decorative cord.
The price of gasoline continues to rise hereabouts, with the average price of a gallon breaking the $5 mark throughout the state. The seven-cent rise from yesterday put the price at $5.04 today, making Nevada the third state ever to breach the $5-per-gallon average with the third highest average in the nation. California is first at $5.77, followed by Hawaii at $5.08. The national average, for the moment, is $4.30 per gallon.
Bally’s Interactive is running a March Madness bracket contest. It’s free to play. Submit your tournament bracket and win $100 million if it’s perfect. Never mind that no one has ever done that before and the odds against are something north of 9 quintillion-to-1, but a freeroll is a freeroll. Plus there will be drawings for $100,000 distributed between five winners. You have until the start of the tournament on Thursday morning to enter.
As part of its proposed budget for the state, the New York Senate has listed the fee for a single casino license at "no less than one billion dollars." We suppose that means the license fee could be more than a cool billion. According to Politico.com, "The going rate was expected to be $500 million," but this is a case of a literal double down. The state Assembly's budget didn't name a price, so it will have to be negotiated, but at least $1 billion is the Senate's opening offer.
A survey released on Monday by the American Gaming Association has some interesting statistics about March Madness. For example, 45 million adults are expected to bet on the tournament, which equates with 17% of the American adult population. They'll wager upwards of $3.1 billion on this year’s basketball tournament. A little more than 36.5 million gamblers will bet on March Madness via bracket contests or similar pools. Most interesting, 29 million more American adults can legally wager on March Madness this year than last, with betting markets in Arizona, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming legalizing and initiating sports betting since last year's tournament.
Gonzaga is the favorite to win the NCAA Basketball Championship at +300, followed by Arizona (+650), and Kentucky (+700). The long shots are Texas Southern, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Wright St., all at +300000 (3,000-1). After a COVID-caused alteration of the schedule last year, the format is back to the traditional Thursday-Sunday opening-weekend schedule this year, with play-in games on Tuesday and Wednesday. An estimated 45 million people in the U.S. are expected to wager $3.1 billion on brackets and in the legal sports books in 30 states and the District of Columbia during the tournament.
The L.A. Comedy Club has moved to a new and bigger venue at the STRAT. The long-running comedy club’s custom-built showroom has added more than 100 seats for a total of 270 seats; the showroom is right off the main casino floor. The 5,700-square-foot room has a separate bar and lounge inside the main entrance for before- and after-show drinks. The room itself features an awning of low-hanging acoustic panels and a curtain that allows flexibility to seat from 120 to 270, a second bar, and booth seating.
Scott Roeben of the VitalVegas blog reports that on April 1 the El Cortez will become downtown's second casino to institute a 21-and-older policy, disallowing any minors from entering the casino. Circa is the other no-kids casino downtown; the Cromwell is the third. According to Scott, the El Cortez figured that there's nothing for underage patrons to do at the property, with no arcade, pool, or kid-friendly dining, so why not? It frees up bartenders and cocktail waitresses from demanding ID from younger looking patrons, helps casino security keep a tab on people who've been ID'd at the door, and attracts players who don't want to deal with rugrats underfoot. And no one else will notice any changes.
Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead by one hour for Daylight Savings Time, which began at 2 a.m. this morning. All the sports schedules work on real time, so you’ll miss the post times if you haven't made the adjustment.
John Katsilometes, the Las Vegas Review-Journal's entertainment columnist, reports that the Ukrainian specialty act, the Skating Aratas, a husband-wife duo that has been performing in Las Vegas together for more than 10 years and are now a favorite act in V — The Ultimate Variety Show at the V Theater at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, is putting together a special performance of all Ukrainian acts to take place at 9 p.m. on March 31. "Balance artist Vladimir Dovgan and acrobatic juggler Vladik Miagastupov (also a touring Cirque du Soleil artist) are signed. World-champion rhythmic-gymnast Tamara Yerofeeva is also expected to perform. Performers are introducing videos describing their home towns. The Aratas will perform, too." For tickets and details, you need to email boxoffice@vtheater.com. "Get there quick," Kats writes, "as it should easily sell out."
Last chance to vote in our latest poll, If you could improve one thing about Las Vegas, what would it be? The poll has garnered votes from nearly 1,500 different people, so let your voice be heard. Results will be posted in this Wednesday's Question of the Day. Vote here.
In this week's YouTube Update, Anthony and Andrew discuss a number of current developments, including the closing of the sale of the Venetian by Las Vegas Sands to Apollo and VICI Properties; Anthony lists all the good things about this upscale casino, which don't to change anytime soon. Then they focus on downtown, where the Fremont is expanding; Anthony talks about the 5-spot keno progressive, a favorite of advantage players. The Jackpot of the Week was hit at the Four Queens, giving Anthony a good excuse to rhapsodize about that old-time casino. And there's more: A new low-cost airline is coming to Vegas, gasoline prices are impacting travel, and it's always worth spending a quick 15 minutes with the LVA guys. Don't forget to like and subscribe.
Party and experience planning company Pollen has teamed up with legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk to present Tony Hawk's Weekend Jam, May 12-15. The festival will feature skate competitions, the bands that defined skate culture, and the video games that made it all mainstream. Hosted by Hawk himself, appearances will be by X Games skateboarders and artists who define the skateboarding zeitgeist, including DEVO, The Vandals, Modest Mouse, the Descendents, and Cold Cave. Tickets are on sale now and range from $249 for three-day admission to $1,199, which includes a three-night stay at Circa. The event will take place in various venues downtown.
Villa Azur is the name of a new dinner-entertainment venue along the lines of Mayfair at Bellagio and Delilah at the Wynn. Opening this summer, Villa Azur will fuse "upscale European with vibrant Miami, pairing seasonal ingredients and international flavors" from the south of France and the south of the U.S. As for the entertainment, which will go late into the night, "glamorous greeters, DJs, musicians, dancers and other entertainers" will perform throughout the restaurant, "evoking the effervescence of an authentic cabaret and giving guests the energy and after-dinner vibe of the French Riviera." It all sounds very expensive to us, but we'll report on Villa Azur's progress as it develops.
A visitor from southern California was playing a Wheel of Fortune machine on the B Concourse of Reid International yesterday when he hit the progressive jackpot for $328,655. The press release didn't mention whether he was flying in or out. Though it didn't come close to breaking any records (the all-time record was set in January 2005 when a player hit for nearly $4 million on a 25-cent Wheel of Fortune machine), it was still large enough, for the airport, to report.
When it opens next month, Cheapshot "will reign as the most intimate showroom and discotheque in Las Vegas at 3,000 square feet with seating for 99. The venue, at 517 E. Fremont St. between Las Vegas Blvd. and 6th Street, is planned to "showcase loose, live, and down ‘n’ dirty entertainment" from a changing lineup of irreverent performers. The press release states that the drinks will be stiff and cheap.
A YouTube video reveals an "artist's impression" that incorporates renderings of what the Fontainebleau Resort-Casino on the north strip will look like when it opens late next year. You can see the porte cochere, lobby, pool decks, rooms, and more in this nearly seven-minute tasteful video depiction of the Next Big Thing to hit the Las Vegas Strip. (And many thanks to Canada Roy for sending the link.)
According to a press release, groundbreaking will take place "later this month" at the Reserve at Red Rock Canyon, the site of the defunct Bonnie Springs Old West attraction. The Reserve will feature 16 “ultra-exclusive two- to four-acre estates" located on in inholding “in the heart of almost 200,000 acres of the Red Rock National Conservation Area” between Red Rock Canyon and Spring Mountain State Park. Homesites at the Reserve will start at $5 million; the guard-and-gated community will feature a luxury resort, amphitheater, farm-to-table restaurant, and event barn.
Check out the YouTube video now posted that takes you to the weekend buffet at the Rampart Casino in the northwest valley. The reason it's the first in an upcoming series of buffet videos is that members of the Las Vegas Advisor are entitled to a 2-for-1 coupon (or 50% off if you're alone) that brings the price down to $15 per person. A second coupon the Member Rewards coupon book is good for $10 worth of free slot play, which drops the price of the buffet outing into the $15 range for two (of $6-$7 for one). This buffet was remodeled a few years ago, so it's an attractive room with TVs and views of the sports book if a game's going on; big picture windows overlook a garden area. You can see it for yourself in the video, in which Anthony discusses the four items on his personal list that are mandatory for a champagne brunch. Afterwards, you can walk off the meal at Red Rock Canyon (fee) or Calico Basin (free); at Rampart, you're halfway there.
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The Boring Company, which built and runs the subterranean transportation system for the Las Vegas Convention Center that opened last June, is branching out quickly. The Resorts World extension under the Strip is nearing completion; engineering has started for the tunnel from the Convention Center to Encore; and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has approved access for Boring to start work on a connection to Westgate. Plans have also been submitted for a two-mile tunnel to Flamingo, Bally's, Paris, and Planet Hollywood called the "Caesars loop," which is expected to follow the Westgate extension.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has approved a $435 million investment in renovating three of the four halls in the Convention Center, in order to bring them up to the standard of the fourth hall, which opened a little less than a year ago. The North and Central halls, oldest of the four, will undergo most of the improvements; the South Hall's entrance will be upgraded. Construction is expected to start in around two years and last for another two. In the end, the entire Convention Center will be on a par with the West Hall, which opened last June and extends the Center all the way to the north Strip.
We've received several reports over the past week or so that rental-car companies seem to be instituting a new policy: If you reserved a car at a lower price range and the company is out of those cars when you show up, you'll be upgraded to a more expensive car -- but charged the difference for it. It used to be that you were upgraded for free, but that little perk might be disappearing. One renter reported that the agent asked, "How much more are you willing to pay?" for the only cars left on the lot, all SUVs, when he reserved a mid-sized car; then they bargained over the price. Another told us that the agent gave him an ultimatum about a much higher-priced car, as in "Take it or leave it." With rental-car policies tightening (not to mention prices remaining high), rideshare drivers dropping out, and gasoline prices soaring, times are getting tough again for travelers to Las Vegas.
The ranks of rideshare drivers were already reduced by the pandemic and now this. Due to the soaring gas prices, many drivers are dropping out of the job and looking for other work. Many are spending work time waiting in gas lines. A few post that they're trying to sell their gas guzzlers and buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. The rideshare companies "are trying to help," but drivers are reported as complaining that it's too little too late. If you depend on Uber and Lyft for getting around Las Vegas, you might want to think about finding alternative means of transportation.
For the fourth day in a row, gasoline prices in Las Vegas have set a new record. Yesterday, the average price of a gallon of unleaded rose to $4.60, up 60 cents or 13% since last Thursday. The national average jumped to $4.06, closing in on the record $4.11; according to AAA, it's the first time the national average broke through the $4 barrier since 2008. Analysts earlier predicted a high of $4.75, but now have their sights set on $5, perhaps sometime this week.
The Salt Lake-based low-fare carrier Breeze Airways, which launched a little less than a year ago, will start serving Reid International in June with flights to and from Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia; Syracuse, New York; Jacksonville and Fort Myers, Florida; Huntsville, Alabama; and Charleston, South Carolina. The planes will be 126-seat Airbus A220-300s; in the future, they'll expand to 137 seats. Fares will start at $99 one-way, rising to $189 for extra legroom and $199 first-class. In addition, Sun Country will begin service from Green Bay's Austin Straubel Airport to Las Vegas on Sept. 9. Introductory fares start at $79 one way for the twice-weekly reound-trip flights on Mondays and Fridays.
All three of Resorts World's hotel brands (Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords) have earned Gold Certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The Gold Certification places the resort-casino amongst the most energy-efficient facilities in the world and joins six other LEED Gold buildings within the hospitality and lodging sector in Nevada. The LEED Gold Certification encompasses nearly four million square feet within Resorts World.
The $84 million Dollar Loan Center Arena has opened in Henderson near Green Valley Ranch. Described as a “mini T-Mobile,” the 5,500-seat arena will host its first event tomorrow, a Big West basketball championship. The second sports event will take place on March 18, when Dollar Loan is the site of the season opener between the Indoor Football League’s Vegas Knight Hawks and the Northern Arizona Wranglers. The arena will also serve as the home of American Hockey League’s Henderson Silver Knights, as well as other sports tournaments, concerts, and community events.
On the heels of the "Welcome" sign changing its colors to blue and yellow last week to show solidarity with the freedom fighters in Ukraine, Luxor's light beam also started flashing blue and yellow yesterday. The colors represent Ukraine's simple flag, which has a single blue stripe over an equally sized yellow stripe.
Las Vegas gasoline prices soared to $4.55 per gallon on average yesterday, breaking the record set on Friday of $4.29. Prices ranged from $3.79 to $4.83, so if you're here or heading this way, it pays to check GasBuddy.com for the lowest prices. The national average yesterday was $4.01 per gallon. Some stations in California are getting north of $6. Analysts predict that prices will continue to rise and could break the $4.75 mark in southern Nevada.
Connor McDavid, the reigning MVP of the National Hockey League and the league's leading scorer in three of his six seasons (he currently leads the league as well), has signed up with BetMGM to become a brand ambassador, basically an endorsement deal. McDavid becomes the first active professional athlete to affiliate with a sports book. The All-Star center will be featured in BetMGM's marketing campaigns, promotions, social-media content, and fan events. Of course, McDavid is strictly prohibited from gambling on NHL games, but it will be very interesting to see how the dust settles from his breaking this new ground in pro sports.
This one's a bit of a legal brain teaser, so buckle up and pay attention. IGT, the giant slot maker and lottery vendor, filed a lawsuit to try to compel the U.S. Department of Justice to clarify its position on last year's ruling by the First Circuit Court in New Hampshire that the 1961 Wire Act applies to sports betting only and not igaming, online Powerball ticket sales, wide-area progressive slot networks, and mobile sports wagering. Essentially, IGT wants a 100% guarantee that the Dept. of Justice will never prosecute the company for selling non-sports betting gambling products across state lines. The DOJ, however, has demurred, asking the court to dismiss the suit. Does it mean that sometime in the future, the feds might again threaten mobile sports betting and multi-state online gambling? Or does it mean that they're signaling IGT and the gambling industry that they don't have anything to worry about? Only time will tell. But for now, the Wire Act, which is now 61 years old, remains in play.
In this week's video update, Anthony and Andrew shine the spotlight on the All Net Resort and Arena, which is back in the news after having reportedly received $4.3 billion in funding to proceed with the plan that's been around for almost 10 years. Then they turn to Terrible's in Jean, which won't be reopening, but offer up an alternative nearby: the oldest bar in southern Nevada (1913). Also, there's a brothel for sale in Pahrump, Dionne Warwick is appearing at a non-casino residency, this week's jackpot is a great example of playing for comps, and both guys are looking good and good looking!
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Colby Covington is a -350 favorite over Jorge Masvidal in tonight’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, Rafael Dos Anjos is -185 over Renato Moicano.
According to AAA, the price of gasoline in Las Vegas has hit a record high. The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded soared to $4.29 yesterday after a 17-cent jump from Thursday. That price beat the previous record of $4.27 set in 2008 in the midst of the Great Recession. The national average is currently $3.83 per gallon, still well below the record of $4.11 also set in 2008. A story in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal quotes analysts who predict gasoline will continue to go up up up, possibly approaching $5 per.
This is a question we receive fairly frequently and it looks like the answer has arrived. Some Binion's cardholders received an email announcement yesterday, with an eye-catching photo of the fabulous valley view and the following text. "Reopening in March! That's right, Top of Binion's Steakhouse is slated to reopen soon, with several new menu items along with your old favorites." Thanks to Canada Roy for forwarding it to us.
The Congressional Gaming Caucus, headed by two U.S. representatives, a Nevada Democrat and Pennsylvania Republican, has introduced legislation to raise the threshold of reporting jackpots to the IRS from $1,200 to $5,000. The $1,200 threshold was set in 1977 and hasn't changed for 45 years; factoring inflation into the equation, $5,000 is the new $1,200. In Dec. 2020, Congress directed the Treasury Department to study the issue, but the report is more than a year overdue. A similar bill is set to be filed in the Senate in the near future. The proposed bill now goes to committee, while the Congressional Budget Office figures out how much in taxes the government stands to lose with the higher threshold.
Since its inaugural event in Indianapolis in 2017, CrimeCon has put on " immersive weekend-long events dedicated to all things true crime and mystery." Now for the first time, CrimeCon is coming to Las Vegas. The event, which will take place April 29-May 1 at Bally's and Paris, takes a deep dive into crime, criminal minds, and the criminal-justice system via science, art, history and the media for the true-crime community. Tickets run from $359 (Standard) to $1,599 (Platinum VIP) and can be purchased at crimecon.com.
The sibling pop trio Jonas Brothers is heading to Las Vegas for an exclusive five-night "Live in Las Vegas" residency at Dolby Live inside Park MGM on June 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11. Tickets start at $49.95 and go on sale Monday March 7 at 10 a.m. The two-weekend residency will coincide, to some extent, with the opening of the Jonas family’s second restaurant, Nellie’s Southern Kitchen, at MGM Grand in spring 2022. Kevin Jonas Sr., father of the Jonas Brothers, pays homage to his grandmother Nellie, with both the restaurant's name and menu. Akin to their first location in Belmont, NC, Nellie’s Southern Kitchen will serve her traditional homemade biscuits, chicken and dumplings, pulled pork sandwiches, meatloaf, bread pudding, and more. Although there’s been no exact opening date announced yet, the Southern-style restaurant will sit across from the entrance to the MGM Grand Garden Arena and will have live music -- in true Jonas Brothers fashion.
The prize pool for the National Finals Rodeo will increase for the second consecutive year. The NFR, scheduled for Dec. 1-10 at the Thomas & Mack Center, will have a record-setting competition payout of more than $10.9 million. This amount includes guaranteed prize money of $1.2 million for all NFR qualifiers and $9,700,098 in competition prize money. Between 2015 and 2020, the NFR paid out a total of $10 million – $8.8 million in competition prize money and $1.2 million in guaranteed prize money to qualifiers. The total purse increased to $10.3 million in 2021, which set the record this year's purse will break.
The National Rent Index, a monthly listing compiled by the rental-housing website Zumper.com, shows that the median rent for one- and two-bedroom apartments hit new all-time highs at $1,393 and $1,708, respectively. It's the ninth record in the last 10 months for one-bedroom rent and the 13th consecutive record for two-bedroom. Henderson placed 28th on the list at $1,490/$1,700, while Las Vegas came in 44th at $1,250/$1,600. New York is number one at $3,100/$3,300, followed by San Francisco, Boston, San Jose, and Miami; the bottom five are Wichita, Akron, Lubbock, Shreveport, and Lexington (KY), in a range from $650/$800 to $810/$1,080.
Tickets for the German heavy-metal band The Scorpions, known for their hits "Wind of Change," "Still Loving You," "Send Me an Angel," and of course "Rock You Like a Hurricane," will do a nine-show residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood are on sale now. The residency was postponed nearly a year ago, but will now take place on March 26 and 30, then April 1, 3, 7, 9 12, 14, and 16. Tickets are on sale now and range from $60 to $120, exclusive of fees and taxes.
If you saw last week's YouTube video, you know that Anthony and Andrew attended the grand-opening party for the English Hotel and were impressed by what they saw. The four-story 74-room boutique inn, located downtown on Main Street at the corner of Coolidge in the Arts District, opens officially today for guests and restaurant-goers. It's named for Todd English, the American celebrity chef, restaurateur, author, television personality, and weightlifter, a partner in the project, whose restaurant, the Pepper Club, also opens today. In fact, the general manager told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the English "isn't a hotel with a restaurant, it's a restaurant with a hotel." Prices are dear; last we checked, rooms for tonight are going for around $900, while a room later this month on a Tuesday night will fetch around $300.
The Cosmo is bringing back their Dive-In Movie nights at the Boulevard Pool. On Monday evenings from May 9 through Sept. 12, they’ll show an assortment of movies ranging from classics, such as Grease and The Breakfast Club, to major blockbusters, such as Aquaman, Dune, and Black Panther. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the movies start at 8 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $15 (or $10 for locals) and children five & under get in free. You can see the full movie schedule and purchase tickets here.
In an interview with Variety, singer-songwriter Katy Perry, who's currently in the residency rotation at Resorts World, talks about her grandmother and aunt having worked at the Stardust. Her aunt was a topless showgirl, presumably in the long-running Lido de Paris, while her grandmother was a seamstress for the show who "sewed pockets into the dancer’s G-strings to hold their wedding rings.” In addition, her father was a Vegas limo driver who met her mother when she was a "reporter in Vegas for a minute." Perry added that it felt like it was "in her blood" to return decades later, having come to Las Vegas as a kid and having her family work in this business.
For the first time since the pandemic shutdown two years ago, Hoover Dam has reopened its Visitor Center and tours. Tour operators learned only late last week that they could open yesterday at 9 a.m., so the rollout has been minimal. Visitors must be masked; tickets are limited to 50% of capacity and are sold in person only, not online, first-come first-served. Admission to the Visitor Center is $10 per person, the powerplant tour is $15, and the full dam tour is $30. Tours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Average Las Vegas temperatures in March start out a bit cool and rise steadily, but not too high. From an average high of 66 degrees on the 1st, temps top out at 74 on the 31st. The lows go from 47 to 52. The record temperatures can be much more extreme: 92 is the highest (set on the 21st in 2004) and 19 the lowest (set on the 2nd in 1939). March historically has the second highest rainfall during the year at .59 inches.
Not one, not two, but three Las Vegas chefs are James Beard Award semifinalists in the category “Best Chef Southwest.” They are Gina Marinelli from La Strega and Harlo, Jamie Tran from The Black Sheep, and Hongrui Xin from Dan Shanxi Taste. We have to admit never having heard of the third one, which is located in the middle of Chinatown close to our office, so we'll definitely check it out.