This past weekend was the last weekend for ICE. Apparently, in anticipation of the slower winter season, they closed down the club. The owner, Greg Neely still holds the lease to building that ICE occupies until March 2007, so don't be surprised if you find yourself back there.
From October 22nd through the 28th the WPT Canadian Tournaments took place with a combined field of 793 local and U.S. players for the two events. The WPT North American Poker Championship was dominated by a 27-year old amateur from Ontario, Soren Turewitsch. He secured his $10,300 entry in the tournament by winning a $90 satellite tournament and took the first prize of $1.3 million. 25-year old Scott Clements of Mt. Vernon, WA won the first ever WPT Canadian Open title and $250,000 in prize money.
Tonight MIST will be transformed into a Haunted Pirate Ship in celebration of Sirens 3rd anniversary. They will host a costume contest for the sexiest, scariest, most creative and best overall. With the grand prize winner receiving dinner for 2 at either Kahunaville or Isla, two tickets to Mystère, two treatments at WET the spa, a one-night stay in a petite suite at TI with breakfast in bed, table and bottle service at MIST and VIP viewing of the Sirens of TI. Guests arriving in Siren or pirate costumes will enjoy 2-for-1 drink specials. Admission is free.
The long-awaited $382 million French Lick Springs Resort & Casino opened its doors today to some special invited guests. The doors will close at midnight tonight and will reopen to the public November 3 if the Indiana Gaming Commission gives the ok after final inspections. This is the smallest of Indiana's 10 other casinos and includes a refurbished century old hotel.
After months of uncertainty, it's been confirmed that downtown's Neon Museum will be the recipient of the famous Stardust sign, the fate of which has been on the minds of many these past months. The Neon Museum itself is not much more than a field full of old signage (including one of the Stardust's originals) right now, but in due course it's hoped it will become a proper museum, with visitors center, that will preserve and display Las Vegas' neon past for all to enjoy.
Satellite tournaments begin today for the Bet21 St. Kitts Classic. The beautiful tropical island will be home to the latest UBT tour stop through this week, with the championship event -- featuring a whole host of blackjack and poker luminaries, including Ken Einiger, Anthony Curtis, Annie Duke, Hollywood Dave, Freddie Deeb, Monica Reeves, and Robert Williamson III -- commencing 11/2 and concluding the following day. If you didn't qualify for a seat this time, you can still keep up on developments by logging on to the official Web site, PlayUBT.com, for their tournament coverage and blog, and to the free LVA UBT Discussion forum.
For the fifth consecutive year, Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay will transform into a haunted tropical reef and offer costumed children aged 12 and under the chance to "Trick or Treat" for free, from 10 am-10 pm today. As in previous years, guests donating or pledging to give blood to United Blood Services will also receive complimentary admission, from noon-5 pm.
Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme will perform the last show in the Stardust Theater tonight. The pair was also the last act to play Caesars Palace's Circus Maximus Showroom in 2000. The Stardust will close for good on November 1.
According to figures released today, the gross gaming revenues from the gaming sector in Macau at the end of the third quarter of this year, exceeded those of Las Vegas by $433 million, making the Chinese territory the world's biggest gambling center for the first time. This, despite the fact that Las Vegas has over 200 casinos and Macau has only 23, one of which only opened last week. Seven more casino projects are approved and/or under construction.
Season three of the sexy shennanigans and skullduggery at the Montecito kicks off tonight at 9 pm (8 pm Central).
The now well-established tradition of Gary Ellis' homemade egg nog continues, with Ellis Island brewing early this year, due, apparently, to popular demand. What started as a little home-brewing for friends and family has mushroomed out of control, with the famous nog now available by the case. You can also buy it by the glass ($4.00) or the bottle ($29.95) from Ellis Island and The Village Pubs. Happy nogging!
In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the Golden Nugget will be giving away a Mustang a day throughout the entire month of November. Receive one free drawing ticket when you join the 24 Karat Club and additional entries by playing slots and table games. Drawings will take place nightly at 8:30 pm.
From 2:30-4:30 pm today, the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be making a special guest appearance in the parking lot of Santa Fe Station. Photo opportunities with the eight huge (to be on the team, they must stand 6 feet tall and weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds) horses and the iconic Bud wagon will be available to guests free of charge.
For a limited time only, Fiamma Trattoria at MGM Grand will be offering a $70 baked potato side dish. No ordinary spud, the Yukon Gold White Truffle Potato consists of the largest potato money can buy, simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil, then wrapped in foil and baked. So far, so what? Well, once its been baked to perfection, the fluffy stuff is removed from the crispy skin, folded with bacon, sour cream, imported Parmigiano-Reggiano, and two grams of fresh Alba truffles from Italy. After the warm concoction has been mixed together, it's placed back in its skin and topped with an additonal seven grams of shaved Alba white truffles, just for the heck of it. Not recommended for anyone on the Atkins diet.
From 11 am tomorrow morning, a limited number of special edition Halloween chips will be available from one window at the main cage of Imperial Palace. Only 500 of the $5 denomination chips, which feature a headless horseman holding a jackolantern on one side and a bat illuminated by a full moon on the other, and 100 $25 chips, which depict skeleton hands emerging from a grave marked with a headstone that reads "VIP," have been commissioned, so they're bound to sell out fast. Purchasers are limited to five $5 and two $25 chips per visit.
The new Platinum Hotel and Spa, the city's second condo hotel, has opened. Located at 211 E. Flamingo Rd., the non-gaming, non-smoking property features one- and two-bedroom suites and from now until December 22nd will be offering a special introductory rate of $129 a night for one-bedroom suites, based on availability. Locals with valid ID who visit during this time will also be entitled to a 25% discount on food and beverage, as well as spa treatments (the spa is not scheduled to open until November sometime). For further information visit www.lvplatinum.com
Announced today is the big news that Palace Station is to be the first in Las Vegas to offer tableside food service in the Pit. A traditional tableside noodle menu will be available daily from 6 pm-midnight in "Pit 8," the Asian gaming pit featuring mini-baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, and Pai Gow Tiles, and all dishes will be complimentary for qualified Boarding Pass members. Service of this type is typical of Asian casinos and common in the card rooms of California, but this is the first time that a Las Vegas casino has offered food to players -- while they play.
From October 25 through November 30, everyone can enjoy discounted prices on select menu items at five of Red Rock's restaurants, including Salt Lick BBQ, Cabo Mexican Restaurant, Grand Café, Tides Oyster Bar, and Turf Grill. Additionally, Boarding Pass members will receive $5 off the $18.99 Saturday brunch special at the Feast Buffet.
MGM Grand's Joël Robuchon has just been lauded yet again, this time by being selected by Esquire Magazine as one of the recipients of its prestigious "Best New Restaurants" in the country accolade, while Wynn Las Vegas was named the third "sexiest" hotel in the world in a survey of five hundred locations conducted by the luxury-travel industry. Properties were judged according to style, architecture, ambience, service, mood, and emotion. Finally, McCarran airport ranked among American travelers' top three faves, along with Orlando and Denver, according to the latest survey by TripAdvisor. Chicago O'Hare was the least favorite.
For those wishing to pay their respects to the Stardust before it closes its doors forever, the Nevada State Museum (700 Twin Lakes Dr.) is holding a remembrance event this evening. From 5-6:30 pm there's a booksigning of "The Stardust of Yesterday" with writers Mike Weatherford, Heidi Knapp Rinella, and Jesse Dunaway. This will be followed by a writer's discussion until 7 pm, then a roundtable discussion with long-time employees and former dancers until 9 pm. The event is free and open to the public.
National Hot Rod Association's first Pro Stock No. 1 female, Erica Enders, will sign autographs at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino from 5 pm to 7 pm on Thursday, Oct. 26, in the third floor Sports Bar area.
Apparently, tomorrow the City of Las Vegas and Probity International Corporation will announce a joint venture to bring a one-million-square-foot World Jewelry Center to downtown Las Vegas. So far, details about what the venue is all about remain somewhat sketchy -- we'll keep you posted.
Following its change of hands from Boyd Gaming back to Coast Casinos founder Michael Gaughan, the former Southcoast Casino today officially changed its name to South Point. To celebrate the changeover, cake and champagne will be served from noon-midnight on Thursday. We'll be covering the effects of the change, on the slot club and elsewhere, shortly.
It's been announced that, beginning October 30, the Sirens of TI will have a new winter performance schedule, with shows at 5:30 pm, 7 pm, 8:30 pm, and 10 pm nightly. The show will be closed November 27 through December 20 for maintenance.
Apparently un-fazed by the recent US legislation banning on-line gambling, Bodog.com Entertainment Group announced today a deal with Betcorp Limited to acquire the company's European- and Asian-facing business. The agreement, conditional only on shareholder agreement, will include Betcorp's gaming products, international customer base, technology, licenses, and the group's Antiguan offices, and is just the latest chapter of Bodog's aggressive expansion into international markets.
If you're planning on going to the Playboy Club at the Palms, be sure you have your ID. You won't get in without it, regardless of your age. The cover charge for men and women was $40 on Saturday night. We review the club in the November LVA.
As part of the celebration of the Green Valley Ranch expansion, the price of the casino's excellent buffet has been reduced across the board. The best deal is for dinner Monday-Thursday, where the former $17.99 price is now just $12.99 if you show a players club card.
The Halloween festivities are in full swing, with plenty of spooky offerings commencing this weekend -- just check out today's Question of the Day for the full round-up, from Haunted Houses and scary waxworks to VanHelsing's Curse at the Hard Rock and a free al fresco Rocky Horror Show at the new downtown arts festival. But if you're not quite ready to don the fangs yet, there are plenty of other interesting happenings this weekend, from concerts and comedy to food fests and PRIDE fighting.
Who says Vegas has no culture? In addition to the long-established First Fridays arts festival, we now have the third Saturdays "ArtAbout" event, beginning this weekend. More family- and stroller-friendly than the Friday events, the new festival kicks off at 10 am tomorrow and runs until 10 pm. Like First Fridays, it's a free event and will feature a Kids Zone, featuring a Ferris Wheel and arts and crafts area, plus a farmer's market, a free rock concert by Dokken, and an outdoor presentation of the Rocky Horror Show. For more information, visit www.artabout.org
Weekend Coin, Currency and Stamp Expo at Circus Circus. Sat.--Oct. 21—10am-6-pm, Sun.--Oct. 22—10 am –5 pm. Clip a coupon from the Las Vegas Review Journal for $1 admission. Children 12 and under free.
There's a good blurb in John L. Smith's LV Review-Journal column today about the UBT. Smith touts the show's strong CBS ratings, entertainment value, and impending stops at the Palms and Venetian.
Online gambling money-transfer company NeTeller accounced today that they will end transactions with U.S. players sometime within the 270 day period outlined in the recently passed Internet gambling prohibition bill. They said once the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General's office implement restrictions on transactions, NeTeller will follow suit. NeTeller has been the most common money transfer option for U.S. players so a change like this will likely significantly curtail U.S. players' abilities to participate in real-money online gambling sites.
Today's Wall Street Journal contains a story about "fantasy wagering." Several sites on the Web allow you to bet on sports without actually wagering money. Today's USA Today contains a story on Las Vegas' water worries.
The Be in Action radio show, with Ken Einiger and Joe Pane, airs tonight from 6 to 7 pm PST. Tune in to 1230 AM, or you can connect from the Web at worldblackjackchampion.com. This show gets better and better, and there are some amusing surprises scheduled tonight, along with a call-in from Robert Williamson, III.
According to the lastest Celebrity Week, the Palms is set to steal the mantle of "most expensive burger in town" from MBay's Fleur de Lys restaurant. The "FleurBurger 5000," a kobe beef and truffle extravaganza that's complimented by a bottle of Chateau Petrus 1990 served in Ichendorf Brunello stemware, which is then shipped to your home, has for some time been the most expensive burger we've ever heard of anywhere. But the Maloofs (George, Joe, Gavin, and Phil) are apparently going to trump it with a $6,000 Carl's Jr. hamburger, which will be available via room service and in the coffee shop. Like the FleurBurger, this sandwich will be served with a bottle of wine -- in this case a 1982 Bordeaux. Since the burger joint has no franchise on property, Joe explained that "the Bellman is going to have to get in the Escalade and go down to Carl's Jr."
Steve Wynn's right elbow has just cost him an estimated $90.6 million, on account of its unfortunate confrontation with the left forearm of Marie-Theresa Walter, the subject of Picasso's Le Rêve painting. Wynn, a notorious gesticulator who also suffers from an eye disease that affects his peripheral vision, accidently took a swipe at the 74-year-old masterpiece while addressing a group that included Barbara Walters and screenwriters Nora Ephron and Nicholas Pileggi. "Oh sh*t, look what I've done," was the reported response of the casino mogul and art-lover when he realized he'd made a sizeable hole in the canvas, which happens to be one of his favorites. Now, instead of following through with the recently-agreed $139 million sale of the work to another collector, Wynn is going to restore and keep the painting, for which he paid $48.4 million back in 1997. (To see the painting prior to its recent injury, check out the QoD archives for 03/30/2006, which features the Wynn art collection as the subject.)
As part of their ongoing 5th anniversary celebrations, from 11 pm-1 am tonight the cast of La Femme, MGM Grand's renowned topless cabaret, will be appearing for a meet-and-greet session at PURE nightclub, inside Caesars Palace. Tomorrow the lovely ladies will be doing the same at TI's Tangerine, from 12:30-2:30 am.
An article in today's USA Today has an obscure, but possibly important, connection to Las Vegas. the cover story in the "Money" section profiles Robert Sillerman, the billionaire entrepreneur who has purchased the rights to the Elvis Presley name. There has been talk that Sillerman is seeking to create a Las Vegas megaresort around an Elvis theme.
MGM Mirage announced today that it's entered into an agreement to sell its Colorado Belle and Edgewater hotel-casinos located in Laughlin, Nevada, to a group led by Anthony Marnell III for $200 million. Marnell is the son of Tony Marnell II, founder of the Rio hotel-casino and Marnell Corrao Associates design group, and is himself CEO of Tririga Inc., a Web-based database for the design-build industry.
The glass for the side panels of Grand Canyon's Skywalk attraction has arrived on site, having been transported by sea from Germany, where it was fabricated. These side panels will be installed before the structure is "jack and rolled" out 4,000' over the Canyon floor, after which the glass floor will also be shipped over from Germany. The Skywalk itself is scheduled to be completed and open to the public January 1, 2007. However, the visitor center is not due to be finished until a couple months later, so the grand opening is likely to take place early next spring.
Today's the last chance to enter the Las Vegas Beauty Bar's Drop Dead Gorgeous beauty pageant qualifier, for chicks with attitude. The winner ($500) and runner-up ($250) of each regional semi final will compete at the grand finale in Miami in December and be photographed for the 2007 Beauty Bar Calendar. More more info visit www.beautybar.com/main.html and click on Drop Dead Gorgeous.
World Gaming, which was once valued at almost £120m and only last month was on the verge of being taken over for £56m by Sportingbet.com, went bust today. The company, based in Antigua, London, and Vancouver, had relied on the US for 95% of its business and became the first fatal casualty of the anti-Internet gaming legislation that president Bush signed into law today when its shares tumbled a staggering 92% last week.
Pizza joints from New York, Chicago, and Phoenix populate today's USA Today list of "10 Great Places to Moon Over a Big Pizza Pie," but first on the list is Las Vegas' Metro Pizza. It's described as a "gourmet oasis." We just think it has really good pizza.
In spite of recent blows dealt to the national poker craze, NBC has announced plans for a new show called Poker After Dark, which is due to debut January 2 at 2 am EST. Hosted by ex-WPT presenter Shana Hiatt and filmed in various Las Vegas Strip casinos, the show will air nightly Monday through Saturday and will feature six poker professionals vying for a winner-take-all $120,000 first-place prize in a game that unfolds during the course of the week.
As expected, president Bush today signed into the law a ban on on-line wagering, much to the dismay of the estimated 23 million Americans who enjoy playing poker on the Internet. By including this legislation in the Safe Port Act at the 11th hour, the passage of the bill was rendered virtually inevitable. Legendary poker player Doyle Brunson's commented: "As a lifelong poker player, I can't believe the underhanded way this new bill restricting online poker was passed through Congress. What does Internet poker have to do with the Safe Port Bill? We Texans don't like this kind of trickery. Texas is a state where you can see an enemy coming, a friend is a friend, and you look someone straight in the eyes."
As part of the 2006 Film Festival of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and the Supernatural, which kicked off at the Plaza yesterday, Barcode (5150 Spring Mountain Rd.) is hosting a masquerade ball and costume contest from 8 pm-midninght tonight. Entry is $10 with costume or $12 without and there will be live music and iPod Nano giveaways for the best costumes.
Howard "Butch" Kerzner, son of Sol Kerzner and chief executive of Kerzner International, which owns S. Africa's Sun City and has stakes in multiple other casino resorts in Mexico, Mauritius, Dubai, and the Bahamas, has been killed in a helicopter crash in the Dominican Republic. The father and son team had recently led a $3.8 billion buyout of the company, which they've been aggressively expanding worldwide.
We covered all the major ongoing Halloween festivities last week, so just look up last Friday's entry if you want to know about Haunted Houses and things that go bump in the night. On the non-spooky front, there are some big names on the music front, including Sir Elton and Liza.
Today through October 15, the Plaza is hosting the Movie Nation 2006 Festival of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, & the Supernatural. The four-day event showcases the best new student and indie films in these genres from the US and around the world and provides fans and movie buffs with a chance to meet the creators and stars of the films and TV shows. Tickets are $15/$10 students. For further information call 800/634-6575 or visit www.PlayLV.com
The Wynn Las Vegas/Dragone show Le Rêve will perform at 11:30 pm tonight on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
The $100 rebate for new players at Arizona Charlie's Boulder/Decatur, currently #5 in LVA's Top Ten, is no more. It's been replaced by a promotion that awards new sign-ups with a free buffet when they earn their first 100 points -- not good enough to retain its ranking in LVA's top values.
The World Poker Tour today launched its Web-based poker academy, which initially will offer full access on a free subscriber basis. The education center will use WPT's database of over 1,700 real final table hands from season one's 13 tournaments to teach both novices and experienced players alike. The address is http://www.worldpokertour.com/academy/ (Be warned: It's receiving a lot of traffic today, so it's slow to load).
KOMP 92.3 "The Rock Station," which has been broadcasting in the Vegas Valley for the last 25 years, has been named Active Rock Station of the Year 2006 by top industry publication Radio and Records. Here's the current weekday lineup: Craig Williams' Rock & Roll Morning Show with Sweet Al and Andy Kaye from 5 am–10 am, Carlota from 10am-3 pm, Dick Dale from 3 pm–7 pm, and Gooch from 7 pm–midnight.
The two private equity firms bidding for Harrah's Entertainment have upped the ante, increasing their original bid of $15.05 billion to $15.5 billion, after the initial bid was rejected by the company's directors. The Harrah's board has yet to respond to the new offer, which is worth $83-$84 per share, but the company's advisers have indicated that the bid will need to go even higher to be successful. The bid by the Apollo Management Group and Texas Pacific Group is unusual not only because it was unsolicited and made without the company's management having signed on in advance, but also because investments in the gambling industry have traditionally been seen as off-limits, due to its huge capital requirements and tight regulations.
TripAdvisor has announced its top ten hippest hotels in the world and Mandalay Bay's THEhotel comes in at number three, selected, among other things, for its "blissfully tranquil lobby" and the Mix Lounge on the top floor, with its cool interior and stunning views. The Hotel Gansevoort in New York was top of the list, followed by London's Sanderson hotel.
From 6 pm tonight, the Palms is hosting the 2nd Annual World Deaf No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament. The buy-in is $200, with a $100 entry fee, and a maximum of 300 seats are available. The prize pool's $60,000, with a first prize of $27,000 (based on a fully-subscribed event). For more information about specialized gambling opportunities for the deaf, including the National Deaf Poker Tour and where to find dealers in Las Vegas who know American Sign Language, check out the Question of the Day for 8/6/06, which you can find in the QoD archives.
FirePay, a major online money transfer company which facilitated the transfer of funds between hundreds of thousands of Americans and primarily online gambling sites announced today that it will no longer serve U.S. customers if the bill is signed by President Bush on Friday as expected. While this will likely have a small negative impact on the online gambling industry, if there were a similar move by the much-larger NeTeller, it would likely cut off most American gamblers completely. Soon after passage there were questions as to whether or not the bill would have any teeth. It does.
Preview performances for his new show at the Venetian begin tomorrow night, with a special discount price of $55 (including tax and fees) for all seats through October 23. The grand opening's on the 24th, from which point tickets are priced at $69 and $79.
WWF star and TV celebrity Hulk Hogan will be in town today, promoting his new drink, "Hogan Energy Powered by Socko." Hmm, catchy name. He's appearing from 1-3 pm at the National Association of Convenience Stores Show (at the Convention Center, Booth #1174), where he'll be signing autographs and handing out samples. The event is for delegates only (you can buy a one-day pass on the door for $100), but look out for the new can coming to a store near you soon.
Station Casinos may finally redevelop the old Castaways (orginally Showboat) site. Plans call for a $90 million project with a Spanish theme.
Once more Las Vegas is in the food news, as home to three of the nation's top 50 restaurants, according to the lastest edition of Gourmet magazine. The highest ranked was MGM Grand's Joël Robuchon at the Mansion, which came in at #5. Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare (Wynn) took the #21 spot, and Restaurant de Guy Savoy (Caesars) was ranked #36. The top three included, in reverse order: The French Laundry/Per Se (Yountville, CA; New York, NY); Chez Panisse (Berkeley, CA); and Chicago's Alinea.
In the wake of the US' recent banning of online casino gambling, it's been reported in the British media that the government there may loosen its on-line gambling laws and introduce legislation allowing London-listed Internet gambling companies to move their headquarters to Britain, in order to provide Britain's on-line gamblers with "a safe, well-regulated environment." The biggest London-listed Internet gambling company, PartyGaming Plc, is based in Gibraltar, as is 888 Holdings Plc. Empire Online Ltd is based in the British Virgin Islands.
The same report also revealed that the UK's Department for Culture, Media, and Sport had been lobbying the Treasury to introduce a favorable tax regime for online gambling companies.
Harrah's has announced that it will not bid for a license in Singapore, despited nearly two years of efforts in that direction. Harrah's was the only U.S. company remaining in the bidding, although Sands Corp. was awarded the first Singapore license earlier this year.
A delay in the application process for obtaining US visas for foreign cast members, a result of heightened security concerns, has forced a postponement of the debut of Simply Ballroom at the Golden Nugget. Due to open this weekend, the show will now premiere Saturday, October 14.
The weather may have taken a turn for the damp and chilly, but Vegas is still sizzling with things to do. If you're in a spooky mood, most of the bigger Halloween festivities kick off this weekend (with the notable exception of the Hard Rock), plus it's a big weekend for art, with First Fridays monthly downtown fest tonight (featuring Josh "Shag" Agle) and the annual Boulder City "Art in the Park" event Saturday and Sunday.
The Adventure Dome at Circus Circus' annual transformation into the "FrightDome" commences tonight, with Captain Spaulding, the evil clown of the Rob Zombie films, making an exclusive one-night appearance to sign autographs and pose for snapshots. Doors open 7 pm-midnight with other attractions including human freakshows, scary thrill-rides, and five acres of fog-filled, strobe-lit horror. Cheapest tickets are priced at $29.95 (look out for 2-for-1 offers at Terrible Herbst and other gas stations).
It's First Friday once more in the downtown arts district and a particulary arty weekend all over. Famed retro artist Josh "Shag" Agle is the featured artist at this month's First Friday event, while local artist Nick San Pedro's doing live body painting from 6 pm-10 pm tonight at the Stratosphere's Romance Lounge (with complimentary Ketel One drinks and hors d'oeuvres, plus a chance to win a non-skin painting), and it's the 44th Annual "Art in the Park" event out at Boulder City Saturday and Sunday, featuring around 350 artists and crafters. We'll be covering all the various happenings in our regular Weekend What's On guide - check back later today.
Las Vegas is the subject of a big feature in the Travel section of today's New York Times. Titled "36 Hours in Las Vegas," the piece recommends an array of non-gambling activities to keep you entertained during your stay, including dining at Mandalay Bay's Burger Bar or Bouchon at the Venetian, afternoon tea and caviar at Bellagio's Petrossian Bar or late-night linguine at the Bootlegger Bistro, the views from the Eiffel Tower, the Museum of the American Cocktail (free exhibit in Commander's Palace at the Aladdin), and a trip to Valley of Fire.
Following the announcement of the comedy hypnotist's imminent departure from the Excalibur, we can confirm that a new venue for his show has been announced: From early November, Anthony Cools will be performing at Paris.
Barley's is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the tapping of the first Oktoberfest keg at 7 pm tonight in the Brew Pub Lounge (4500 E. Sunset). Brewmaster Jim Wilson will be giving tours of the Barley's Brewery and giving away free T-shirts, with free beer samples offered between 7 and 8 pm. Traditional German dishes like simmered Boudin Blanc sausage, grilled kielbasa, and Mockbraten will be served in the Brewer's Cafe throughout the month of October.
The Playboy Club opens tonight at the Palms. There will be a VIP event early, then the club opens to the public at 11 pm. Cover charge is reportedly $40 and includes admission to the new nightclub above Playboy called Moon.
Today's Wall Street Journal contains a front-page story on the tipping controversy at Wynn Las Vegas. As we've reported in the LVA, Wynn has altered the traditional system so that floor personnel now share in dealer tips. The article verifies that dealers at the Wynn are paid a base wage of $6.15 per hour.
Paul Moran, a member of the Flying Elvi skydiving team, is in intensive care with a broken pelvis after misjudging his drop and smashing into a car park at 50 mph while jumping for the opening of the Glacier Peaks Casino in Browning, Montana yesterday. Despite the gravity of his injury, his family says he's doing fine, just a little shook up.
CineVegas Film Festival is hosting a free outdoor screening at Lake Las Vegas at 8:30 tonight of the acclaimed indie movie Thanks to Gravity, about a Jewish Latin-American girl's experiences with identity, culture, tradition, and being a woman. Bring your own blanket/lawn chair. The film's director, Jessica Kavana, will be on hand for a Q&A session afterwards.
Beginning at 9 pm tonight, every Wednesday the House of Blues will be hosting a free hip-hop comedy night, presented by Dope MCs. A loosely-scripted comedy show, it features rap classics from the '80s and is free to enter, with all ages welcome. For more information call 702/632-7600.
This time it was Newsweek weighing in on which new Las Vegas restaurant is best. And this time Guy Savoy came out on top. After singing the praises of MGM Grand's Joel Robuchon, Newsweek writes, "But the best restaurant in Vegas is the newest, Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace." The magazine cites Robuchon's 16-course tasting menu for $360 and Savoy's seven-course menu for $290, both without wine.
October 10 will be the last performance by comedy hypnotist Anthony Cools at Excalibur. The performer has gigs on October 12 through 14 at Caesars Indiana, but after that we're not sure what his plans are.
Cannery Casino Resorts has completed its acquisition of Nevada Palace Hotel & Casino. Construction on the new Eastside Cannery, to be built on the site of Nevada Palace, is scheduled to begin in January 2007. Among other things, the new resort will feature a 307-room and suite hotel, 65,000-square-foot casino floor, a 200-seat lounge, plus bingo room, race and sports book, and poker.
At long last, the much-postponed opening of comedian Gordie Brown in his new custom-built showroom at the Venetian, has been announced. Preview performances begin October 11, with the official opening night set for October 24th. Tickets are on sale now at the Venetian box office at 866/641-7469 or 702-414-9000, and online at www.venetian.com.
As South Coast prepares to become South Point, all logo wear and logo items are now 50% off in the gift shop.
Want a chance to win a free trip to the exotic Caribbean island of St Kitts? Tonight Bet21.net is offering just that for the winner of the $200+$15 Elimination Blackjack Tournament taking place on their site at 8 pm PST. 1st prize includes airfare, accommodation, and the $2,700 buy-in and entry fee to the Bet21 St Kitts Classic UBT Tour Championship, which takes place from November 2-3, 2006. As the first ever Bet21 qualifier, this is likely to be an overlay (i.e., a positive-expectation play). To sign up for tonight's event, just click here.
The Fantasy adult review at the Luxor will be presenting a special early (8 pm) performance this evening, after which the 2007 cast calendar will be released, featuring a special meet-and-greet and autograph-signing session with ladies from the cast.
The Cannery is celebrating the completion of its $45 million expansion with a party for all customers. From 4-8 pm today, patrons will receive free cake, champagne, samples of Vino's pizza, Galaxy Movie Theatre's real buttered popcorn, and T-shirts in the new corridor, which includes Vino's, the poker room, race & sports book, and Galaxy Movie Theatres.
The two big gambling stories are prominent in the media today. The Wall Street Journal has two articles relating to the buy-out offer for Harrah's, plus an article on the Internet-betting ban. USA Today also covers Harrah's. There's also an Entertainment story on the odds in "Deal or No Deal," a subject LVA will cover in the November issue.
The most recent expansion of Green Valley Ranch Resort is being unveiled today. The $110 million phase III expansion includes two new restaurants, a 1,200-space parking garage, a new race and sports book, and a new poker room. A new lounge and additional casino space are still to come.
For the first time, the Florida has awarded a license for Las Vegas-style slots on state land, as opposed to the ones currently operated, which are considered a form of bingo. The new slots will be located at the Mardi Gras race track and gaming center in Hallandale Beach and should be up and running by mid-November.
The long-sought-after purchase of the Barbary Coast by Harrah's appears to have taken place. Harrah's will get the Barbary Coast in exchange for approximately 24 acres of land controlled by Harrah's next to the site of Boyd's Echelon Place.
Harrah's has received a $15 billion buy-out bid from private-equity firms Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group. The offer represents more than a 20% premium on the current price of Harrah's stock. Harrah's is considering the offer.
For the month of October, both Jubilee! at Bally's and Les Folies Bergère at the Tropicana are offering discount deals to locals. As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, Jubilee! is offering a special $25 ticket price to Nevada residents this month (the cheapest ticket is normally priced at $65), while Folies is offering 2-for-1 tickets all month. For both deals, valid Nevada ID must be presented at the box office when purchasing tickets.
Just a reminder about the deal today for LVAers. Mention LVA at Franklin's Tavern and drink free Bloody Marys from 9 to 11 am. Franklin's is located on the east side of town at 9821 S. Eastern Avenue.