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The Golden State Warriors are -150 favorites over the Boston Celtics in the NBA Championship. Game 1 is Thursday in San Francisco.
They're only for summer vacation, but Allegiant Airlines started service on Sunday between Las Vegas and Orlando's secondary airport (in Sanford, FL, 25 northeast of Orlando on a toll road) and ends on August 13. The schedule is also limited: Flights from LAS to SFB depart Reid on Mondays and Fridays at 11:44 p.m. and arrive at Sanford at 7:12 a.m., returning Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:39 p.m. and arriving at Reid at 11:44 p.m. Despite the short season and semi-weekly schedule, the flights, which start as low as $89, provide a discount option for Las Vegans to visit Disney World, etc., and Floridians to visit Sin City, especially when you consider Allegiant's excellent air-hotel packages for both cities. Also, people outside Nevada and Florida can take advantage of this new route by combining two of America's greatest tourist attractions into one epic vacation.
Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli, in a note to investors following a trip to Las Vegas to meet with casino executives, is predicting that shortly after the sale of the Mirage by MGM Resorts to Hard Rock International closes by the end of this year, the megaresort will be shuttered while it undergoes renovations. Hard Rock has already announced that the volcano, and perhaps even the existing hotel towers, will be razed to make room for the the company's signature guitar-shaped tower and Santarelli said that the MIrage “is likely to be shut down for a period of time” before the new Hard Rock holds its grand opening as late as 2025.
The Carolina Hurricanes are -150 favorites over the New York Rangers in the deciding Game 7 of their second-round NHL playoff series. The goal line is 5.5.
Despite the record-high gas prices, the city is busy for the Memorial Day weekend. South Point is giving away a free buffet for two to active and veteran military today, along with awarding $100 in slot free play to 20 players each hour between 8 a.m. and midnight. Silverton is awarding 10X points on slots and 2X on video poker. All military personnel get 25% off their entire order at any of the three El Dorado Cantina's today; good for up to four in a party. Military ID required for these offers.
The second college bowl game at Allegiant Stadium, known formally as the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, will be played on Saturday Dec. 17 at 4:30 p.m. local time. As such, it will be one of the first bowl's of the college playoff season. It will also be the first between schools in the SEC and Pac-12 divisions.
A story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal enumerates attendance at Allegiant Stadium events during the first six months that the $2 billion facility was open to the public. More than a million people passed through the stadium gates between July 1 and December 31, 2021 to attend 93 total events. Of course, the home games of the Las Vegas Raiders were the biggest draw, accounting for more than half the total. UNLV football games attracted 94,000 fans for six home games. The CONCACAF Gold Cup Final (55,000), WWE’s SummerSlam (50,000) the Pac-12 football championship game (45,856 fans), and the Rolling Stones (37,835) were the other major events.
The Boston Celtics are -3 favorites over the Miami Heat in tonight's deciding Game 7 of the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals. The total is 197.5.
Scott Dixon is the +450 favorite to win today's Indianapolis 500. He's followed by Alex Palou at +500 and Pato O’Ward at +950.
In this week's edition, Anthony and Andrew discuss unconfirmed news about the Artisan boutique hotel that will be rebranded as Elevate and launched in September as a weed-friendly lodging facility. Also, the long-awaited widening of I-15 at the California-Nevada state line is gearing up and the WSOP is starting, along with a number of other large tournaments around town. Anthony also explains the TikTok photo with the trophy at Caesars for winning a keno tournament (at age 27) and the Jackpot of the Week is definitely worth seeing.
A popular restaurant for local Las Vegans is going away for good after today. The Divine Cafe at Springs Preserve is closing permanently at 3 p.m. after eight years in its present incarnation. Wolfgang Puck ran it before this version opened in 2014. The Preserve announced in the press release that it will have some "exciting updates to share" about the cafe soon.
A "first look" at the WSOP layout and logistics appeared yesterday in Card Player magazine. Notable details include: over 100 tables more than at the Rio; "significantly" more restrooms; the main cage, player services, and WSOP retail shop will be at the Champagne Ballroom at Paris, while the Paris convention center will host all the one-day tournaments and cash games; at Bally's, the action will take place in the Grand Ballroom and Events Center. And for the news everyone's been asking us about, to park, players will pay the full fees in the garages: $18 daily during the week, $23 on the weekends, and weekly passes are $100; local players park for free for the first three hours, and for Caesars Rewards' Platinum, Diamond, and Seven Stars members, parking is comped.
Anthony and Andrew tried the Palms A.Y.C.E. "breakfast" buffet recently and they discuss the experience in this 13-minute YouTube video, complete with footage, of course. Breakfast is in quotes because it's definitely more of a brunch, with lots of midday offerings (dim sum, tri tip at the carving station, pizza, salads, etc.), plus there's no actual lunch buffet, only breakfast and dinner. They walked right in on a weekday morning, but look out for dinner: an hours-long wait at prime time. Don't watch this video if you're hungry; you'll be gnawing on your phone or mouse. And don't forget to like and subscribe.
There will be a reading by the authors of our book A Valley of Light and Shadow this evening starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Writer’s Block bookstore (519 S. 6th St. downtown). These are fun. Each author reads from a section of his or her contribution to the book and you get to meet and talk with them and other celebs who attend afterward. It’s free to the public. Anthony Curtis will be there. Come on by.
The WWE's "Money in the Bank" event, scheduled for July 2 at the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium, has been moved to the 18,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena. The date remains the same. All tickets sold for Allegiant Stadium are being refunded, though ticketholders will have access to a pre-sale before the new tickets are opened up to the public on June 1. No reason was given for switching venues, but the UFC has a competing event at T-Mobile, which could have cut into sales. The WWE's SummerSlam took place last summer at Allegiant and it's the first time since 1991 that the WWE has scaled back a stadium show to an arena.
The $300 million road-improvement project at Tropicana Avenue and Interstate 15 gets underway on Tuesday with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by various dignitaries. The project is a response to the traffic caused by events at T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium; when both are in action, upwards of 50,000 extra vehicles use the interchange. The entire project will take three years, but will be broken into four phases. The first phase is the least impactful (widening a drainage system and preparing for messaging signs) and runs through next summer. During the second phase, the real fun starts; the flyover from the freeway southbound to Tropicana closes for a year for widening and the onramp from Tropicana to I-15 northbound closes for nine months. Phases 3 and 4 concern realigning the Tropicana bridges over I-15 and Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin drives. The entire affair is scheduled to wrap up in mid-2025.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported yesterday a total of 3.38 million visitors in April. Though that number was slightly more than the 3.3 million in March, it was fewer than the 3.39 million in October, highest since the start of the pandemic. However, overall hotel occupancy hit 84% in April, the highest since the March 2020, rising to 93% on the weekends. The occupancy percentages led to the highest average monthly room rates in Las Vegas history at $177, 62% more than last April and nearly 36% higher in April 2019, pre-COVID. Room rates were jacked up for the four sold-out BTS concerts at Allegiant Stadium, the five-day National Association of Broadcasters convention, and the three-day NFL Draft. The trend continued into May with EDC and Memorial Day Weekend.
Bring on the laughs. It’s comedy weekend at the Mirage with Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias (05/27-29)
Don’t miss Katy Perry at Resorts World (05/27-29)
Keith Urban is live at Caesars Palace (05/27-29)
Rock on with the Eagles at MGM Grand (05/28)
And Mandalay Bay is the place to be with Santana at the House of Blues (05/27-29), Sublime With Rome at the Beach (05/28), and New Kids On The Block: The Mixtape Tour 2022 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena (05/29)
The Culinary Union, which represents 60,000 workers on the Strip and downtown, signed a three-year contract with Resorts World on May 17 for 2,000 of its non-gaming employees. Yesterday, it became official when 99% of the affected housekeepers, cooks and kitchen workers, food and drink servers, bartenders, porters, bellmen, and laundry workers voted to ratify the contract. It was the first new union contract at a Strip hotel since 2015, when the Cosmopolitan voted for union representation. Culinary started organizing Resorts World last December, with which management didn't interfere.
If a longtime sports columnist and radio talk show host is to be believed, Las Vegas and Seattle have already been selected to become the first two National Basketball Association expansion teams since the New Orleans Pelicans in 2002. In a radio interview, Portland, OR, sports pundit John Canzano said that Las Vegas and Seattle have been "earmarked" for expansion by the NBA. He reported that the expansion is scheduled to occur shortly after the league's current media-rights deal expires in 2024. The two cities have long been considered frontrunners in the NBA's next expansion, but this is as close as we've seen to coming to an unofficial announcement.
The classic rock band Aerosmith, which was scheduled to start a Las Vegas residency next month at Park MGM, has postponed its dates; the rescheduled shows will start in September. The band released a statement that blamed the delay on frontman Steven Tyler, who "after working on his sobriety for many years," relapsed in response to foot surgery and its pain management. Tyler voluntarily entered rehab and is expected to make a full recovery in time for the shows in September.
Cigar Aficionado has covered gambling since its inception with the Fall 1992 issue, but it has now published its first issue dedicated solely to the topic close to all of our hearts. Poker legend and cigar smoker Phil Hellmuth graces the cover and has a long interview. Feature stories include a guide to (its versions of) the best strategies for blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, and tournament poker; a look at sports betting and the best apps; the best gambling movies; "What To Do with All Those Winnings"; and of course the few cigar-friendly casinos left in the U.S. The cover price is $6.99 and the magazine is available at newsstands nationwide or by subscription (seven issues for $24.95).
Joining Jack Binion's Steak restaurants at Caesars Entertainment properties in Mississippi, Louisiana, Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland will be another steakhouse named after Jack Binion, former president and COO of the original Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas. The new Jack Binion's Steak will open at Bally's, soon to become the (neo) Horseshoe, during the World Series of Poker, which starts there next Tuesday. If the Las Vegas menu is anything like the others, it will be decidedly upscale; on the Horseshoe Bossier City menu, appetizers, such as steak egg roll, oysters, and crab cake, are $12-$18, pastas $28-$45, steaks $23-$70, sides $8-$10, and desserts $9. The cocktail menu is extensive, featuring mixed drinks $12-$20, craft beer $7, and dozens of wines and sparkling wines by the glass $12-$295. Jack Binion's will open in the space formerly occupied by BLT Steak.
The last piece of the MSG Sphere exosphere puzzle was fit into place yesterday. It marked the completion of the primary structural work on the ultra-high-tech arena. The last piece was a round beam sporting a U.S. flag and (for some reason) a potted fir tree that capped the largest spherical superstructure in the world. Now, the upper half of the 580,000 square feet of programmable LED paneling will be installed, completing the largest LED screen on the planet. MSG Sphere is on schedule for completion in 2023 and at the topping-off ceremony, according to The Hollywood Reporter, company executives "vowed" it it will open in time for the Formula 1 race in November of next year. Get a great look at the developing interior of the Sphere here (scroll down to the third photo) and thanks to Canada Roy for ferreting out this first look inside.
For the first time in history, the global gambling industry will surpass $200 billion in revenue this year, according to SafeBettingSites.com. The gaming industry will bring in more than $200 billion in revenues for the first time in 2022. The United States and China will continue to be the biggest gaming markets, accounting for fully half of that amount. The total of $203.1 billion for the year will surpass 2021's $192.7 billion, which would be a 5.4% increase year over year. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to be most significant, with $96.3 billion in revenues, followed by North America at $54.3 billion. However, the United States should retake the throne of the biggest national market with $50.4 billion in revenues, followed by China with $50.2 billion. Together, they'll add up to nearly $100.6 billion, just under half for the world.
Britney Spears returned to Las Vegas over the weekend on a mini-vacation with her fiance Sam Asghari, staying in one of the Palace suites at Resorts World. We doubt she paid the $15,000-per-night room rate (though they might've dinged her for the resort fee, har har), especially considering all the publicity her stopover generated. TMZ.com, for example, wound up with a Britney-Sam selfie in masks (not the COVID variety) in the marble bathroom, along with promo images of the lap pool, pool table, double-king bedroom, mega-TV, and more in the suite, which consists of three bedrooms, entertainment room, game room, and the "backyard," with the pool, "outdoor" kitchen and dining area, and waterfall. Britney's image was also splayed all over the outside LED wall all weekend. Could a Spears residency at Resorts World be in the offing?
A cool story on Fodors.com goes into detail on how "the neon marquees and high-desert landscape" of Las Vegas became Hawaii’s Ninth Island. Overlooking the fact that marquees aren't neon and at 2,000 feet in elevation, the landscape is more low than high desert, the piece describes the California Hotel-Casino as playing "the starring role in the birth of the Ninth Island," thanks to Sam Boyd, who started his career working a gambling barge off the coast of Oahu. When Boyd opened the Cal in 1975, he "marketed to Hawaiians with subsidized flights, traditional Hawaiian food, and laid-back hospitality." Hawaiians not only responded favorably, they actually turned the Cal into a family tradition and many migrated to the mainland to work for Boyd, then branched out into the greater Vegas service industry. Today, Las Vegas is home to 50,000 Islanders, "the largest Hawaiian diaspora anywhere in the world." The story is worth a read for coverage of some Hawaiian food and drink available at Ninth Island restaurants and bars around town.
According to a new survey by SportsBettingReport.com, 24% of Americans who gamble on sports say they place sports bets every day. The survey polled surveyed 1,250 Americans 18 and older who bet on sports earlier this month. Among the findings, 39% of daily sports gamblers bet, on average, half or more of their monthly take-home pay; 60% claim that gambling is a source of extra income, while 35% say it’s their main source of income; 80% of daily gamblers say the habit has a positive effect on their lives; 26% of women and 23% of men are daily sports gamblers. Based on the results, we'd say it's another example of gamblers not being completely honest about who they are and what they do.
As part of the Aria Poker Classic, which runs from June 1 to July 17 and includes 50 events that will compete with the World Series of Poker, BetMGM will host the high-stakes BetMGM Poker Championship on June 23-26 at Aria. The $3,500-buy-in tournament will be the headline event of the Poker Classic, with a $1 million guaranteed prize pool. Several other tournaments, including a $600 Mystery Bounty event, will accompany the Championship over the four days. Satellite tournaments for entries into the Championship have been taking place this month in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, furthering speculation that BetMGM, one of the country's leading sports betting and igaming platforms, intends to launch a poker website in Nevada, then connect it to its poker sites in Michigan, which launched earlier this month, and New Jersey; Delaware also has online poker. If it comes to fruition, BetMGM would be competing head to head with the WSOP's poker network.
According to AAA, upwards of 40 million Americans will travel over Memorial Day weekend, of whom nearly 35 million will do so by car. If you're among the latter, expect to pay an average of $5.20 for a gallon of gasoline, which is $1.50 more than at this time last year. GasBuddy.com lists a Las Vegas low of $4.69 at Sam's Club and Costco, with a low of $4.75 at regular gas stations. In addition, traffic enforcement will be heavy starting Friday morning and ending Monday evening on I-15 and US 95 south of Boulder City (an alternate route to and from southern California), including radar from fixed-wing aircraft.
Sports betting is now legal in Kansas, but don’t expect bets to be placed there anytime soon. A convoluted legal challenge that involves historic horse-racing machines will hold things up, at least for a while. Assuming the situation is settled, Kansans will be able to bet in person at designated brick-and-mortar outlets, plus remotely online.
Going into the final round of golf's PGA Championship, Mito Pereira is the +150 favorite to win. He’s followed by Matthew Fitzpatrick at +350 and Will Zalatoris at +425.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that data from ticketing company Logitix shows the resale price of Las Vegas Raiders' tickets to be the highest in the National Football League. On average on the secondary market, a Raiders' ticket is $595, $208 (35%) more than the second-highest price (Miami Dolphins, $387). The L.A. Chargers are third at $361 and the L.A Rams fourth at $359. Then come the Kansas City Chiefs at $354. Logitix reveals that the game between the Raiders and former arch-rivals San Francisco 49ers on New Year's Day in Las Vegas is the highest-priced resale ticket of the season so far: lucky $777. (With the 49ers are in the NFC West and the Raiders in the AFC West, they meet in the regular season only once in every four years.)
The current odds for the Preakness Stakes make Epicenter the favorite at 9-5, followed by Secret Oath at 9-2 and Early Voting at 6-1. The long shot is Armagnac at 18-1. There will be no Triple Crown winner this year, as Kentucky Derby winner, Rich Strike, is not entered in the race.
Magician, extreme illusionist, and stunt artist David Blaine will be doing some kind of show when he takes the stage at the Resorts World Theater for a six-date micro-residency this fall. The dates are September 30, October 1, 28, and 29, and December 16 and 17. Tickets for David Blaine Live go on sale to the general public on Monday at 10 a.m. PT. If you're not aware of Blaine's death-defying exploits, extreme endurance experiences, and Guinness World Book records, look him up. What he does is beyond belief.
Confirming what previously had been a closely guarded secret concerning a Tesla plan to build a giant electric-vehicle charging facility in Barstow, the Barstow mayor mentioned the station at a City Council meeting last Monday. According to a story in the Victorville Daily Press, the mayor "revealed that the world’s most valuable carmaker is already months into construction of Superchargers — a charger Tesla produces for quicker fill-ups and longer-distance drives than those provided by smaller home-charging options." The 100-vehicle charging stations will be 30 more than the current largest U.S. EV recharging venue at the Outlets at Tejon, an open-air retail center in the San Joaquin Valley. The largest electric-car charging facility in the world is reportedly in China’s high-tech city of Shenzhen, with 637 stations. The venue in Barstow, roughly halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, will open between the Holiday Inn and the Outlets at Barstow on the southwestern edge of town right off Interstate 15.
Breeze Airways, the newish Utah-based low-fare airline started up in 2019 by the founder of JetBlue, is adding nine nonstop flights to its Harry Reid International list of arrivals and departures. Breeze will fly round-trip between Las Vegas and: Richmond, Virginia (starting June 9); Syracuse, New York (Friday, Monday, June 10); Fort Myers, Florida (Wednesday, Saturday, June 11); Norfolk, Virginia (Thursday, Sunday, Aug. 4); Huntsville, Alabama (Thursday, Sunday, Aug. 4), Charleston, South Carolina (Friday, Saturday, Monday, Aug. 5); Jacksonville, Florida (Friday, Saturday, Monday, Aug. 5), Westchester, New York (daily, Sept. 7); and Provo/Salt Lake City, Utah (daily, Oct. 5). Introductory fares start as low as $29 one way.
This week's Anthony and Andrew Show is up and viewable. In it, the fellas discuss the new "sexiest show in Vegas" at the STRAT, a "not cool" development concerning the 99-cent shrimp cocktail at Circa, recommendations for the two best-value shrimp cocktails, the Circa Survivor football contests in which the prize pools have been raised $1 million to $12 million total (for a $1,000 buy-in), a Jackpot of the Week from which Anthony learned something, and much more more. Check it out and don't forget to like and subscribe.
The massive Electric Daisy Carnival has already taken over Las Vegas, as hundreds of thousands of festival revelers convene on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the second time in seven months. The world's largest dance-music festival returns this weekend to its traditional dates after going on in October for a pandemic-postponed event. If you're not at the Speedway and want to catch the action, four separate channels will stream across multiple platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Lomotif, and Roblox, from kineticFIELD, cosmicMEADOW, and circuitGROUNDS stages to transport viewers into the heart of EDC’s 26th year Under the Electric Sky. More than 60 artists will perform live for a global audience on tv.insomniac.com starting at 5 p.m. PT tonight; a fifth channel will broadcast specialty content with exclusive access to behind-the-scenes goings-on throughout the weekend. Apparently, there's a charge for the live stream, while Insomniac Radio will be available for free at insomniacradio.com or via the Insomniac app. Needless to say, traffic will disrupted around, to, and from the Speedway through Monday morning.
Women are flocking to sports betting in droves, according to data supplied by Global Wireless Solutions. More than 4.6 million women signed up for sports betting apps in 2021, a growth rate of 115% over 2020, compared to 63% for men. Of course, many men signed up for sports betting prior to 2020, which accounts for 250% more men than women on sports betting apps in 2021, but millions of women are discovering that betting on sports enhances the spectator experience. Global Wireless reports that some sports book apps have more women than men. For example, BetRivers and its associated New Jersey outlet SugarHouse show a ratio of 54% women to 46% men; in 2021, slightly less than 380,000 men signed up with the company, compared to 600,000 women. However, women use the apps less frequently than men: 70% of women "engage with" from only one-to-five weeks per year, compared to 61% of men.
Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm are the co-favorites at +1100 to win the PGA Championship golf tournament. They’re followed by Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas at +1400 and Collin Morikawa at +1600. Tiger Woods is 50-1.
On April 27, we reported that the hours for the 99-cent shrimp cocktail available at Saginaw's Deli at Circa downtown had been increased to midnight-5 a.m. from 3-5 a.m., with the purchase of an entree. Now we learn that after less than 10 days honoring the new offer, not only did Saginaw's rescind the expanded availability, it discontinued the late-night offer entirely. But that's not all. The shrimp cocktail, served at the Golden Gate across Fremont Street for decades at 99 cents, is still available, but the price has been raised from $11 to $12 ($13.01 with tax). Let's all show our appreciation to Saginaw's ...
A study conducted by San Francisco-based rental software firm Stessa has found that Las Vegas ranks second, out of the 15 largest metropolitan areas, where rents are escalating most quickly. The median rent in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise area is now $1,485, up 24.8% from the $1,190 in 2019. Only the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metro area was higher, with a 25.3% increase, up from $1,461 before the pandemic to $1,830 in 2022. Las Vegas is trailed by the Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Jacksonville, and Riverside-San Bernardino areas. The national median rent is $1,445, an increase of 12.5% from 2019's $1,284.
Make sure to catch Derek Hough: No Limit at the Venetian (05/19-21)
Olivia Rodrigo brings her Sour Tour to the Cosmopolitan (05/20)
Pearl Jam takes the stage at MGM Grand (05/20)
The Doobie Brothers are back at Planet Hollywood (05/20-21)
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Steve Wynn for, of all things, failing to register as a foreign agent. The feds allege that Wynn “acted at the request of the People’s Republic of China out of a desire to protect his business interests in Macau.” Apparently, for three months over the summer of 2017, Wynn lobbied the Trump administration on behalf of the Chinese government, which was looking to extradite a Chinese businessman who was charged with corruption. The Dept. of Justice is accusing Wynn of "conveying the request directly to Trump over dinner and by phone" (the two are friends). The feds claim that they "repeatedly" advised Wynn to register as a foreign agent and he refused. How might the U.S. government punish Wynn if he loses in court? The Justice Department wants Wynn to proffer "a true and complete registration statement” and “other and further relief as the court may deem just and proper.” This is the first such lawsuit, filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, in more than three decades.
MGM Resorts International assumed operations of the Cosmopolitan yesterday. The company announced that it closed on its $1.6 billion purchase from the Blackstone Group, which is part of a larger $5.65 billion deal in which a consortium of real estate investment trusts, including Blackstone, will own the real estate, with MGM the 30-year leaseholder. MGM will pay monthly rent of $16.6 million, escalating annually at 2% for the first 15 years, then the greater of 2% or the Consumer Price Index increase (capped at 3%) in years 16-30. Cosmo will remain part of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, while the William Hill (Caesars) sports book will be taken over by BetMGM in time for football season. As for the players clubs, for the time being, they will remain separate, with no changes to earning rates, point balances, tier status, or benefits at Cosmo. Any changes to Cosmo's Identity system will be "communicated in the coming months" (we expect it will eventually be merged into MGM Rewards). Same with parking: The Cosmo's parking system will remain separate from the rest of MGM until they're combined.
The 14th Annual Grand Poker Series will take place at the Golden Nugget May 31–July 3, 2022, and will feature 81 tournaments over the course of the 34 days, including 61 forms of No Limit Hold ’em, stand-alone Omaha 8 or Better, Pot Limit Omaha, Triple Stud, and Big-O events, plus mixed-game formats. The new PokerNews Cup tournament guarantees a $1 million prize pool (on a $1,100 buy-in) and a live-streamed final table, while the $600-buy-in Championship Event, which will take place June 30 through July 3, will guarantee $500,000.
We’re talking classic Las Vegas bars, as two more are about to bite the dust. Inn Zone Rainbow, the last of the chain that once had several locations throughout Las Vegas, will close Friday with a blowout in the parking lot. Going more quietly is the Porchlight Grille on W. Desert Inn, which we’ve just learned has also closed. The closings continue the decade-long trend of local bars locking up, usually bought out by a Dotty’s, Joanie’s, Lola’s, or some such. We’ve heard that’s the case with Inn Zone; we don’t have information on plans for Porchlight.
The last Monster Jam to be held in Las Vegas was in Oct. 2019, so fans of the action-packed monster-truck competition will be pleased to hear that it will return to Thomas & Mack Arena on July 22-24. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Monster Jam features world-class athletes locked in intense competitions of speed and skill. The popular Monster Jam Pit Party fan experience is scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, where fans can see the massive trucks up close, meet their favorite drivers and crews, take photos, and enjoy other family-friendly fun. It's the only place that allows people to get up-close access to the Monster Jam teams for an inside look at how these trucks are built and operate. Tickets are on sale now, ranging from $37 to $162.
The head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights has been fired. Given that the VGK missed the playoffs for the first time in its five-year history, the move is not exactly a surprise. On the other hand, DeBoer's record for this difficult season, plagued with injuries from day one, was 43–31–8 for a total of 94 points, coming up a mere four points short of a spot in the postseason; overall with the Knights, DeBoer won twice as many games as he lost (98-50-12) and led the team to two Conference championship series. For a team that has been so successful, the new coach will be the third in six seasons. Now, you can't fire the players and you won't find the general manager and president, to whom the coaches answer, firing themselves, so head coaches tend to take the fall for everything that can go wrong. But the VGK are now a team where the head coach's job security seems to hang by a thread. So whoever takes that job -- and it could very well be someone who has been fired by his last team -- might want to come in with a solid Plan B career-wise.
The new video on Las Vegas history, decade by decade, has just been released by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial. The City of Las Vegas: The Forties is the fourth in the series; one is released in conjunction with Las Vegas' birthday, May 15, every year. All episodes are produced by Boyd Gaming's production company. The Forties covers the decade that started with World War II bringing in workers and military from across the country, continued with an explosion of tourism after the war, and ended with organized crime entrenched in the quickly expanding casino business. Like the other three videos, The Forties is a meaty 75 minutes. See it here.
An article on Motorsport.com takes an in-depth look at Formula 1's purchase of a 39-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane for $240 million. It indicates that the company will have a permanent pit facility, like it does in Singapore, where it has held an annual race since 2008 (except for a two-year pandemic pause), and Miami, which just concluded the first of 10 annual races. The Las Vegas contract calls for three races in three years, but with such a sizable investment in real estate, it appears that Formula 1 hopes to be in Vegas for the long haul. Meanwhile, according to the story, "For the 360 or so days a year either side of the race weekend, the possible uses for the site are endless. It can be an events space that generates income, while an F1 memorabilia shop that serves as a focus for the race is an obvious option. And why not an F1 themed café and hotel as well? All options are on the table." There's also an excellent overhead graphic of the race route with the casinos lit up, since it will take place at night. The date for the inaugural race in November 2023 hasn't been announced, but it's sure to be a very popular (crowded) weekend.
A story in this morning's Las Vegas Review-Journal details the swift progress being made on the Las Vegas Loop subterranean transportation system. Permits have been filed to complete the Convention Center-Resorts World-Westgate loop and the launch of the Caesars loop (Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Bally’s, Flamingo, and the Linq) and the one between Allegiant Stadium and the Strip. The Boring Company and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority say that those will all be operational sometime next year; then sections will be built to connect them. Up to 20 stations will come online each year until the Loop is completed, with 51 stations in all. When fully built out, the Loop is expected to move 57,000 passengers per hour.
The Calgary Flames are -235 favorites over the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of their first-round NHL playoff series. The goal line is 5.
The Phoenix Suns are -6 favorites over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of their second-round NBA playoff series. The total is 205. Note, this line was posted with the game in progress.
The New York Rangers are -130 favorites over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of their first-round NHL playoff series. The goal line is 6.
The Boston Celtics are -5 favorites over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 of their second-round NBA playoff series. The total is 205.
In this morning's Las Vegas Review-Journal, the editorial writers (who should know; the R-J building is within shouting distance of the central Spaghetti Bowl) vent some spleen to which few Las Vegas freeway commuters and visitors can't relate. They write, "Without so much as a public hearing, the Nevada Department of Transportation in May 2019 imposed 24/7 restrictions on all high-occupancy vehicle lanes, which had previously been limited to morning and afternoon commutes." They note that the NDOT has spent more than $1 billion adding freeway capacity, partially in a failed and futile attempt to promote carpooling, "only to curb taxpayer access to a good chunk of the finished product." To add insult to injury, "The agency offers little data supporting the thesis that its HOV network, which dates back more than 15 years, has caused commuters to double- or triple-up, nor does it have any inkling who actually uses these lanes. Meanwhile, regular highway drivers who obey the HOV rules can’t help but notice that many vehicles zipping past them in the car pool lane contain a lone motorist." The NDOT responded to public criticism in 2019 by arguing that it would require three years to collect and analyze data, then produce a comprehensive assessment of the HOV restrictions. Three years are up and the agency is blaming COVID for an indeterminate delay in the results. The editorial concludes, "It's time to free the HOV lanes."
Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and Egan Escape Productions, founder of Fright Dome founder and owner of Saw Escape Room, have joined forces to bring the newest escape-room experience to Las Vegas. Escape IT is inspired by Stephen King's 1986 horror novel and the film franchise IT, one of the most chilling movies ever produced. You'll try to escape from Pennywise the Dancing Clown in Neibolt House, the Losers’ Clubhouse, the Derry Canal Days Festival, and sewers below Derry in this 30,000-square-foot 20-room attraction, which will open somewhere "in the heart of Las Vegas" sometime this fall. Escape IT will feature state-of-the-art special FX, lighting, animatronics, and live actors to create a fully immersive and terrifying experience.
The Edmonton Oilers are -230 favorites over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 7 of their first-round NHL playoff series. The goal line is 6.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are -130 favorites over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of their first-round NHL playoff series. The goal line is 6.5. Note, this line was posted with the game in progress.
This weekend brings a combined seven Game 7 matchups in the NHL and NBA. In the first, the Carolina Hurricanes are -145 favorites over the Boston Bruins in the deciding game of their first-round NHL playoff series. The goal line is 5.5.
This week's LVA YouTube update covers some unusual news: Formula One buying a large parcel of hotel-zoned property, purportedly to stage the race next year; bodies surfacing in Lake Mead due to the low water levels; the extraordinary payouts on the Kentucky Derby, plus a serious, though as-yet unannounced, controversy that's brewing over Rich Strike's longshot win; plus, the Palms breakfast buffet, a COVID update, and a Jackpot of the Week that might prove the rule, all's well that ends well (or might not). Tune in! And don't forget to like and subscribe.
Comedian and TV star George Lopez's Chingon Kitchen and KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley's Rock & Brews will open at the STRAT by the end of this year. Chingon Kitchen has two locations in southern California and one in Arizona; one is at Yaamava' casino. It serves Mexican staples with some added touches, such as wood-fired carne asada and spit-fired al pastor. Rock & Brews has 20 locations in several states, including one at Yaamava' and an entire Rock & Brews hotel-casino that opened last week in Oklahoma; the menu consists of typical sports bar food: wings, burgers, tacos, pizza, as well as barbecue.
We get a lot of questions about where and when Big Elvis is performing. Now we see that he appears at the Golden Tiki restaurant-bar on Spring Mountain in Chinatown Plaza the first Tuesday of every month during happy hour (4-7 p.m.). Draft beers are $4, specialty cocktails $8, and Asian-style bar food $4 (chips and dip) to $8 (Szechuan meatballs and chile chicken tenders). Of course, Big Elvis (a.k.a.) Pete Vallee, also plays at Harrah's Piano Bar Thursday and Friday afternoons 2- p.m. as he has for many years. It's a great act and if you want to read about the background, check out our Question of the Day on him (Is he Elvis Presley's love child? Find out.). And thanks, as always, to Canada Roy for digging this out on Twitter.
If you're headed to or from downtown on Sunday, avoid the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Charleston Boulevard, which will be closed from 2 a.m. Sunday morning to 6 a.m. Monday. Road crews will be paving the south end of the intersection and lanes approaching the intersection will be restricted, then detours will be in effect. Casino Center Blvd., Main Street, and 8th Street (with some twists and turns back to Las Vegas Blvd.) are the alternatives, or just fade the detours, but with potentially long delays.
Mad Apple, Cirque du Soleil's newest Las Vegas production, began a series of preview shows last night ahead of its May 26 debut at New York-New York. Mad Apple is "a cocktail of comedy, music, and mayhem that puts NYC nightlife under the Las Vegas lights. Featuring six brash acts – including comedian Brad Williams, freestyle rapper Chris Turner, vocalist Xharlie Black, and 39 cast members from around the world – Mad Apple is nonstop fun," according to the press release. Preview shows will run May 14, 19, 20, 24, and 25 at 8 p.m. and May 21 at 7 and 10 p.m.; tickets range from $49 to $129. Starting May 26, tickets start at $59 and go as high as $187. Tickets are now on sale at MadAppleLV.com.
At a corporate event attended by 3,000 employees celebrating Blackstone Group's waning ownership of the property, Cosmopolitan employees were surprised by the announcement that they will receive a $5,000 bonus. With 5,400 employees, the total is $27 million, which represents around .8% of the profit Blackstone will earn when it closes the sale of Cosmo next Tuesday to MGM Resorts and a consortium of real estate investment trusts for $5.65 billion; it purchased Cosmo in 2014 for $1.7 billion, then invested $500 million in a major remodel.
A two-day Tour de France mini-event, dubbed L’Étape (the Step) Las Vegas, will take place in Las Vegas in May 2023. The mini-Tour "is designed to provide everyone with a Tour de France-level bicycling experience," according to Bicycling.com; worldwide, roughly 25 L’Étape events are staged in Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania every year. Three routes will be offered for the two-day event: 75-, 50-, and 25-mile options, with additional kid and family rides happening throughout the weekend. The L’Étape route will reportedly run from the Las Vegas Ballpark out to Red Rock Canyon. In other racing news, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has entered into a three-year sponsorship deal for the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which will be run in Las Vegas in November 2023. The cost of the sponsorship is $19.5 million per year. It's unclear whether Grand Prixes will be held in Las Vegas in 2024 and 2025, but for that kind of money, we'd bet on it.
A survey on the readiness for electric vehicles of 50 states and Washington, D.C. by fleet-management company LeasePlan USA puts Nevada at the top of the heap. The EV Readiness Index ranked the states on a weighted scale based on favorable legislation and incentives, EV market penetration, a charging-station-to-vehicle ratio, public charger availability, and climate suitability. Not a single state earned the maximum of 20-25 points or "EV ready"; in fact, Nevada scored 15.5 points, placing it at the bottom end of "EV accepted." Mississippi and Hawaii placed second and third with 15 points. Nevada earned the maximum 5 points on climate suitability, but only 2 on laws and incentives and EV penetration, the minimum of 1 for charger-to-vehicle ratio, and 3 for charger availability. Idaho and Alaska tied for last place with 8 points, Minnesota and Wisconsin next to last with 8.25.
The recently founded Nevada Standardbred Association is proposing to develop a "mega-entertainment facility" on 400 acres it owns in Pahrump, 60 miles west of Las Vegas in Nye County. The venue's centerpiece would be a ⅞-mile-long track for harness racing, with stables for 280 racing horses. Other amenities, according to the Pahrump Valley Times, could include "a 40,000-square-foot casino, restaurants, batting cages, shopping facilities, campgrounds, waterpark, and movie theater, as well as parking for more than 2,500 vehicles and 200 RVs." There's no timeline for the project, but funding is reportedly being handled by the Western Saddlebred Alliance. If developed, it would be the first horse track in southern Nevada in 40 years, since Las Vegas Downs in Henderson went belly up in 1981.
The 29th annual Casino Collectibles Association Show will take place June 16-18 at South Point. The show will feature more than 50 dealers of casino memorabilia, including chips, tokens, dice, slot cards, Silver Strikes, playing cards, matchbooks, room keys, postcards, and more. There will also be four seminars. Admission is $10 on Thursday, $5 on Friday, and free on Saturday. For more details, click here.
According to the 13th annual report by Penske Truck Rental, Las Vegas was the second-most popular destination for people relocating in 2021. Based on one-way rentals, Houston ranked number one; Phoenix, Charlotte, N.C., and Denver followed Las Vegas for the third, fourth, and fifth rankings. Las Vegas fell one place year over year; it was number one in 2020. It has risen several ranks since its seventh-place finish in 2017. U.S. Census Bureau statistics show that 20% more Americans relocated in 2021 than 2020, for a total of between 15 million and 20 million movers.
The German heavy-metal band Scorpions will return to Las Vegas, following a sold-out nine-show residency here in March and April, to end its North American "Rock Believer" concert tour on October 21 at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay. British hard rockers Whitesnake, featuring David Coverdale (originally of Deep Purple and the only original member), will appear on the bill. Tickets start at $89 and go on sale this Friday.
Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, co-founders of the legendary rock band KISS, also established the Rock & Brews chain of family restaurants "with a rock 'n' roll twist," comfort food, and craft beers; its 20 locations are in California, Florida, Texas, Kansas, and Missouri. Today, another Rock & Brews opens in Braman, Oklahoma, but this one is unique: It's the centerpiece of the Rock & Brews Casino that opens today at 1 p.m. According to the Wichita Eagle, "Through an agreement with the Kaw Nation, Rock & Brews took over the former Southwinds Casino and built the new gaming center. Stanley and Simmons will be at the ribbon-cutting, just hours after returning from a KISS tour of South America." It's the first Rock & Brews-branded casino, although there's a location at Yaamava', the San Manuel Tribe's casino near San Bernardino, touted as having "a 5,500-square-foot 360-degree rock 'n' roll environment." Could a Rock & Brews be coming to the Palms?
The Indoor Football League and the new 5,567-seat arena, the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, have inked a three-year partnership to host the IFL National Championship game for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons. This year's championship game will take place on August 13 at the arena. The winners of the Western and the Eastern Conference championship games will play at Dollar Loan to be crowned the 13th IFL Champion.
Clark County Museum, the excellent attraction out at 1830 S. Boulder Highway in Henderson, has launched a long-postponed exhibit of the 102-year history of Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO). The exhibit, presented by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the Neon Museum, was originally scheduled to open in March 2020 to celebrate the company's centennial, but the pandemic intervened. Archival photos and artifacts and some signage are on display in the "Lighting up Las Vegas" exhibition, showcasing the history of neon in Las Vegas. Admission is $2 adult/$1children and the show runs through August 29.
Within the next few weeks, Boulder Station will unveil a new food court with six mall-type fast-food counters: Tacos El Pastor, La Flor de Michoacán, SBARRO, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Teriyaki Madness, and Wingstop. It will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Details are scanty, but Liberty Media Corporation, parent company of Formula1, which is staging a Grand Prix race in Las Vegas in 2023, has signed a purchase agreement for a 39-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane for $240 million or a little under $6.3 million per acre. Formula1 plans to use the lot for its 2023 race. The company told the Review-Journal that it's acquiring the site "in part to create capacity for hospitality and race-support venues." Does the purchase mean that Formula1 is planning regular Vegas races? Or is it a real estate investment? Both? Time will tell.
Ever dream about staying in a whale suite at Caesars Palace? Here's the next best thing, a six-plus minute video from the "Unlocked" segment of CNBC about one of a couple of dozen high-roller villas at Caesars. This one's the 11,200-square-foot Titus Villa and it's yours for a low low $30,000 (minimum) per night, though it's generally reserved for comped gamblers and entitled celebrities.
Formula 1 hits south Florida this weekend and the scene down there gives us a glimpse of the NFL Draft-like mayhem that awaits Las Vegas next year. Apparently, pent-up demand isn't limited to major events alone; a separate mania surrounds the $2 billion racing circuit that holds events all over the globe, as evidenced by the numbers: 250,000 people pre-registered to buy the 80,000 available tickets for the Miami Grand Prix, which are reselling for $2,000-plus, more than double the price of a grandstand seat at the last United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, last year, which attracted 400,000 spectators; ticket prices for Miami are also seven times higher than admission to the Indianapolis 500. Some of the better seats are going for upwards of $25,000, while at least one hotel along the circuit is charging $125,000 for a room. F1's 2023 November weekend in Las Vegas (which still hasn't been announced) should be even wilder (i.e., more expensive).
As expected when its Strip-like room rates were announced, Circa is sending out an email promotion that looks at first glance like a good discount package. For two nights (Sunday-Wednesday), a room at Circa is $300, but includes a $100 food credit, a daybed at Stadium Swim with no minimum spend (which starts at $300), and $50 credit at Legacy Club, the rooftop lounge on the 60th floor. Of course, the devil is in the details, which we're looking into, but with the food and drink credits alone, the two nights are $75 each, not bad for Circa's upscale product. And Stadium Swim is nothing if not spectacular.
Southern Airways Express, one of the largest commuter airlines in America, will begin summer service to Las Vegas from the Imperial County Airport near El Centro, California (a few miles north of the Mexican border), beginning Wednesday May 25. Southern will offer round-trip service Wednesday through Monday with a daily flight. Fares begin at $79. In addition, Breeze Airways, a low-cost carrier launched exactly a year ago by the founder of Jet Blue, will start flying between Provo, Utah, and Las Vegas on October 5. Fares start at $29 one-way.
Saul Alvarez is a -550 favorite over Drnitry Bivol in tonight's championship fight. The total is 10.5 rounds, with over the favorite at -270.
Charles Oliveira is a -150 favorite over Justin Gaethje in tonight’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, Rose Namajunas is -230 over Carla Esparza.
The current odds for the Kentucky Derby make Epicenter the favorite at 4-1, followed by Taiba at 5-1, and Messier and Zandon at 6-1. The long shot is Rich Strike at 88-1. Ron Winchell, owner of Las Vegas’ Winchell’s bars, is the owner of Epicenter. Mattress Mack’s horse, Smile Happy, is 15-1.
This week's YouTube update is on display and it's definitely worth watching if you appreciate Anthony's long experience with Las Vegas and gambling. Your look at the Palms video poker situation and the story behind jackpots hit at casino opening nights can't come from a better source. And catch up some news and more, all via a click on the arrow below. Don't forget to like and subscribe.
Kentucky Derby handicapping seminars are running tonight at South Point and Rampart. South Point’s is in the Grandview Lounge and features Ralph Siraco, Jon Lindo, and Brad Free. Rampart’s is in the Cascade Room and features Duane Colucci and Bob Ike. Both start at 6 p.m. and are free to attend.
Thirty years ago, Chicago leaders first proposed a casino within the city limits and finally, yesterday, the developer-operator of the urban resort was announced. Rhode Island-based Bally's Corporation beat out Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming and Florida-based Hard Rock International for the opportunity to open a $1.7 billion megaresort in the heart of downtown. Bally's River West, or whatever it's eventually called, will be big enough to house 3,400 machines and 170 table games, along with a 500-room hotel tower, six restaurants and a food hall, 3,000-seat theater, extension of the Riverwalk, pedestrian bridge, outdoor park and music venue, and amenity terrace featuring a large pool spa, fitness center, and sun deck. Now the real fun starts; this being Chicago, it will be entertaining to see how the politics (among the mayor's office, the City Council, neighborhood leaders, unions, the state, Gaming Control, even the traffic department) play out.
In the first-quarter earnings call earlier this week, Red Rock Resorts' executives told analysts and journalists that the company is taking advantage of all the high-net-worth Californians who've been relocating to Las Vegas since the start of the pandemic. "A big focus is on player development and relationship marketing in order to cater to that end of the business,” they said. In other words, Station is targeting transplants who, if they were visiting, would probably play on the Strip, but now that they're locals, are patronizing the company's higher-end places like Red Rock Resort and Green Valley Ranch. It doesn't look good for the downscale Fiestas and Texas Station reopening anytime soon. In similar news, Red Rock has unveiled its new 9,000 square-foot high-limit room, with double-deck and shoe blackjack, baccarat, and single-zero roulette, along with a dedicated cage and bar.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's John Katsilometes reports that one of our favorite all-time rock albums, Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell, has been turned into a musical that will debut at the Paris Theater on September 27. The press release states, “Bat Out of Hell is a rock adaptation of the Romeo and Juliet saga, an epic story of rebellious youth and passion as Strat, the immortal leader of The Lost, has fallen in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler Falco.” Hm. We can't help being reminded of R.U.N., Cirque du Soleil's spectacular failure at Luxor. Then again, with a soundtrack that includes “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, “Bat Out of Hell,” “I’d Do Anything for Love,” ”Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad,” the classic “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” and an unreleased Meat Loaf song, “What Part of My Body Hurts the Most,” the show itself might be secondary. Either way, it'll go on Tuesdays-Sundays at 7, plus 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, at the Paris Theater, which has been dark since the shutdown. Ticket prices will be forthcoming. Mr. Loaf, as The New York Times called him (real name Michael Lee Aday), died in January at age 74, apparently of COVID, but no official cause was announced.
In the first-quarter earnings call a couple of days ago, Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg told analysts and journalists that the company "started the process to sell a Las Vegas-Strip asset early in 2022 ... putting us somewhere in the middle of summer for a confirmation of a transaction.” Today, Bloomberg reports that the sale of the casino that's "in motion" is the Flamingo. Apparently, Caesars is asking $1 billion for the 76-year-old property, which is a bit rich for some "private equity firms and other operators, reluctant to buy an older property that needs a lot of maintenance." Further complicating matters, Vici Properties has a right of first refusal on the sale of the Flamingo. According to Bloomberg, "Caesars considered selling Planet Hollywood, but decided to keep that property, so it can continue using its theater for concerts."
A lucky slot player hit a progressive jackpot on a Wheel of Fortune machine at the D last night. In a tweet, the D wrote that the player is now $1,437,768.17 richer. Of course, after taxes are withheld, it's more like a mere million, but that's still not a bad result.
With Cinco De Mayo and Mother's Day both occurring this week there's no shortage of things to do. Eventbrite has a pretty good round-up of Cinco De Mayo events happening around the valley and the R-J has kindly provided a great list of 50+ places to dine out on Mother's Day. Looking for something else to do? Here are some highlights:
Photos released by the Southern Nevada Water Authority last week reveal that the top intake culvert, which opens at 1,050 feet (above sea level), is higher than the lake level. As such, authorities uncorked the so-called "third straw," an intake system at 860 feet by removing a nearly nine-ton steel-ball stopper and started operating its Low-Lake-Level Pumping Station to keep the water flowing to southern Nevada. The third-straw project, which also involves a three-mile tunnel, took 10 years to complete and cost $820 million. The "endless" drought has lowered the lake 170 feet since its highest level in 1983, but the SNWA insists that the Las Vegas water supply isn't "immediately" threatened; conservation efforts over the past 20 years have cut consumption by 25%, while the population has grown by 50%.
Big Chicken, the Shaquille O'Neal-themed fast-food chicken eatery, opened in Las Vegas across from what's now the Virgin in October 2018 (we reviewed it at the time and liked it a lot). Since then, Big Chicken has opened a dozen venues from upstate New York to southern California, including airports, arenas, and even a cruise ship out of Cape Canaveral. A year ago, Big Chicken announced a franchising initiative and the brand that's "big on being big" has taken off, with 150 new locations in its development pipeline. In Las Vegas, the owner of four Firehouse Subs has announced he'll open eight Big Chickens around the valley over the next several years. We look forward to frequenting the one nearest us.
Classic-car enthusiasts from around the world will gather again in northern Nevada starting July 29-30 for a parade, show-n-shine, and awards ceremony in Virginia City and continuing through August 7 in Reno-Sparks. The 35th annual event is expected to be the largest in years; it was canceled in 2020 and attendance was depressed in 2021 due to the surging delta variant last summer. All 6,000 spaces for registered classic cars are expected to be filled and the number of spectators should surpass 750,000 over the nine-day run.
Sir Tom Jones, legendary crooner, model for Elvis' comeback, and knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2006, will perform for one night only at Encore Theater on October 7 as part of his "Surrounded by Time" tour. The 81-year-old Welsh singer and sex symbol (married for 51 years until his wife Linda died in 2016, though his infidelities are estimated to be in the thousands) first appeared in Las Vegas in 1967 and played here up until 2011; this will be his first appearance in 11 years. Tickets start at $59.95 and go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday.
After being announced nine months ago, VICI Properties has closed its buyout of MGM Growth Properties. For $17.2 billion, VICI picks up the property, though not the operations of Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, the Mirage, Park MGM, New York-New York, Luxor, and Excalibur in Las Vegas, plus MGM Grand Detroit and MGM National Harbor in Maryland. In return, VICI will collect more than $1 billion in annual rent from MGM Resorts International. VICI now owns 10 Strip hotel-casinos, including Caesars Palace, Harrah's, and Venetian/Palazzo/Venetian Expo Center, comprising nearly 41,000 rooms and more than a million square feet of casino floor; it's also the largest owner of hotel and convention real estate in the U.S.
John Katsilmometes, entertainment columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, reports that Billy Gibbons, former lead guitarist of ZZ Top and a long-time Las Vegan, will headline opening night at the Sand Dollar Lounge Downtown at the Plaza on May 26. Joining him will be Franky Perez, a native Las Vegan and guitarist-vocalist, and John Popper, blues harmonicist extraordinaire of Blues Traveler. Gibbons texted Kats: "The infamous Sand Dollar has continued serving up the finest in Las Vegas rockin’ revelry since ’76, and I’ll be spankin’ the plank [playing the gee-tar] with all the blues you can use.”
Circus Circus has entered into a strategic agreement with Choice Hotels International to become part of its Ascend Hotel Collection. Guests can now book Circus Circus rooms directly through Choice channels and earn and redeem Choice Privilege points at the Strip family-friendly property. Choice Hotels is one of the largest hoteliers in the world, the franchiser for 7,118 properties in 41 countries and territories worldwide, with approximately 600,000 rooms, in addition to 1,035 hotels under construction with 85,129 rooms. Brands include Cambria, Comfort Inn, Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, Rodeway Inn, Econo Lodge, and Mainstay Suites, among others. Believe it or not, Ascend is listed under Choice's "upscale" brands.
Chris Andrews, sports book director at South Point and author of two Huntington Press bestsellers, Then One Day: Forty Years of Bookmaking in Nevada and Then One Year: History's Craziest Year as Seen by a Nevada Bookmaker, will be inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame as one of four members of the Class of 2022. This is a major honor and the induction ceremony will take place at the SBC Summit North America 2022, the leading conference and tradeshow for the sports betting and igaming industry, scheduled for July 12-14 at Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. The other three honorees are Vinny Magliulo, Vice President, Las Vegas Dissemination Company & Sports Book Director, Gaughan Gaming; Paul Burns, President & CEO, Canadian Gaming Association; and Sandy Drozd, Vice President, USBookmaking. Congratulations, Chris!
In the latest and most dramatic episode in the continuing saga of sports betting in Florida, the Seminole Tribe has discontinued its revenue-sharing payments to the state, depriving the government of hundreds of millions of dollars per quarter. The tribe isn't exactly using the funds; they're making deposits into an account they control, rather than paying the state directly. But the Seminole say they won't part with the money until the issue of sports betting in Florida, halted by the order of a federal judge and now under appeal, is resolved.
Starting sometime next year, travelers flying between Hawaii and the "ninth island" (Las Vegas) and other places in the airline's network will enjoy free wifi via Starlink, Elon Musk's SpaceX company's network of more than 2,000 low-orbit satellites designed to provide high-speed internet all over the world. The service, which will be free to passengers, is the first deal between SpaceX and a major airline. Hawaiian will begin installing Starlink terminals (another name for antennae) on its aircraft next year after "certification issues" are addressed.
The first major jackpot we've heard about for a few weeks was hit at the Flamingo yesterday morning by an Illinois guy in town for a bachelor party. He'd been playing Let It Ride for a half-hour when he was dealt a royal to win the progressive for a bit more than $830,000. The player says he'll buy a house with the jackpot.
"In 2015, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo called the league greedy and jealous when it prohibited him from attending a fantasy football event in Las Vegas because it was held at a convention center attached to a casino. It wasn’t until 2020 that the league allowed the city’s tourism bureau to take out an ad during the Super Bowl. To this day, league employees may not gamble while on business trips.
But in a matter of a few years, the N.F.L.’s long resistance to doing business in and with Las Vegas crumbled. Team owners were persuaded that the city’s many casinos were not a threat to the integrity of professional football. They were also won over by the generous public subsidies that helped pay for the Raiders’ new stadium when the league approved the team’s move here in 2017. The new attitude toward Sin City will be highlighted ... with the pageantry of the Draft, kicking off the league’s true coming-out party in Las Vegas. In rapid succession, the city gained a football franchise, put on this year’s Pro Bowl and, in February 2024, will host a Super Bowl." That's how The New York Times story about the recent history of the National Football League's embracing Las Vegas begins. It goes on to detail the machinations involved in approving the Raiders to play here. Worth the five minutes if you're interested (you might have to supply your email address and click through some marketing to read it).
Las Vegas' only all-electric car-rental company, EVolve Rentals, has opened an outlet at Resorts World in the District across from Carversteak. The press release calls it "the Strip’s first 100-percent carbon-neutral car-rental service." As you might imagine, the Tesla Models 3, S, Y, and X are pricey, starting at $199 per day; upgrades to fully self-driving cars are also available. EVolve is partnering with the non-profit Eden Reforestation Projects in a rent-one plant-one compact; one tree will be planted for every electric vehicle rented.