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Las Vegas News - September 2007


September 30, 2007 13:48 Free Buffet for Survey:

There's a sign up at the Rampart that you can get a free buffet for filling out a survey. We don't know what taking it entails, but the Rampart has a good buffet, so it would be worth filling out a page of questions. We'll check for details during the Monday-night blackjack tournament tomorrow.

September 29, 2007 14:29 Coupon in Today's R-J:

A new coupon in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal offers $7.50 off per person in Sonoma Cellar at Sunset Station or Austins at Texas Station. It's valid 7 days a week till Nov. 9. A couple can save $15 while eating at either of these two good restaurants.

September 29, 2007 11:07 Curtis Vs. Rodman Today:

Anthony Curtis and Blair Rodman square off on the final table of the UBT Palms Open on the Ultimate Blackjack Tour today. Anthony was best man at Blair's wedding, so there's quite a dynamic in play. After the show, analysis on this tactical round will be up in "UBT Show Analysis," and Anthony and Blair will show up later for discussion on the UBT and Kill Phil message boards (in "Forums"). Today's show airs on CBS, 2 pm EST and noon PST.

September 28, 2007 14:32 Nathan's Opens at Palms:

Las Vegas' newest Nathan's has opened at the Palms. It's located in the food court, in the space that used to be Vegas Subs.

September 28, 2007 09:31 Fremont East Parking Changes:

Effective Oct. 1, parking meters in the area bordered by Las Vegas Blvd., Ogden Ave., Carson St., and Eighth St. will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Parking on Sunday and holidays is free. Meters were previously in operation until 8 p.m. but area business owners have convinced city officials to shorten the time that the meters are in effect to make it more convenient for evening visitors.

All loading zones that were previously designated as "No Parking" will now allow 10-minute parking limits 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, the street sweeping schedule is now 5 a.m.-6 a.m., seven days a week, including holidays.

September 27, 2007 14:01 Aussie Problem Gambler Loses Case Against Casino:

A man has lost his bid to sue Sydney's Star City casino for allowing him to gamble despite a previous request for it to ban him.

The Federal Court heard how problem gambler Behrouz Foroughi sought to be banned from the casino in May 2004 after he allegedly lost more than $27,000 playing roulette. The 43-year-old signed a voluntary exclusion order but stated in the application that he recognised that it was his responsibility not to go into the gaming areas.

On the 65 subsequent occasions on which he returned to the casino after having signed the order, he claims to have lost a further $600,000 and claimed Star City had failed in its duty of care to immediately find and remove him.

The court found Mr Foroughi had breached the voluntary order, however, and dismissed the plaintiff's application, while ordering him to pay the casino's legal costs.

September 27, 2007 10:55 Slick Brings Art to Planet Hollywood:

Legendary rocker Grace Slick will be on hand to unveil her paintings at Hollywood Obsessions during a champagne reception on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Slick’s paintings vary from colorful psychedelic pieces to black and white portraits. The gallery is located in the lobby near guest registration at Planet Hollywood. To RSVP for this event, call 702/369-8585.

September 27, 2007 09:44 This Weekend in Las Vegas:

Well, it's finally time to say, "See ya!" to the 100-degree weather for the next few months and that means it's also time to close out the pool party season here in Skin City. Palms Pool and Bungalows is where the final Ditch Friday party of the year will kick off this weekend, while over at the Hard Rock Beach Club they'll be celebrating Rehab Rodeo 2007 on Sunday with an after party at Body English.

Beyond that, it's all about bikes, beer, and bodybuilding this weekend.

The 7th Annual Las Vegas Bikefest gets underway at Cashman Center on Thursday and runs through the weekend with the vendor village offering live music and more than 250 vendors.

Hogs & Heifers will get into the spirit of Bikefest and celebrate their second anniversary all at the same time with a slew of activities including a steady slate of live music, the Mr. Las Vegas Bikefest competition and the shop party with special guests Vince Neil and Criss Angel. It all wraps up with the Blues, Brews and Bar B BQ on Sunday.

Hops – The Official Beer Tasting of Las Vegas event takes place at Planet Hollywood on Saturday with live bands and more than 150 beers available for your tasting pleasure.

Bodybuilders from around the globe will join up this weekend at the Orleans to crown the 2007 Mr. and Ms. Olympia. Competition finals will take place Friday (Ms. Olympia) and Saturday (Mr. Olympia) in the Orleans Arena. Both LAX and Pure will host Mr. Olympia after parties on Saturday night.

  • Music:The Go Go's reunite at Mandalay Bay Beach (09/29/07); Underoath rocks House of Blues at Mandalay Bay (09/30/07); Neil Sedaka croons at the Orleans (09/26/07-09/30/07); Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush (09/28/07) and Moonalice (09/29/07) will be on stage at the Canyon Club at Four Queens; The Joint at Hard Rock welcomes Beacher's Madhouse (09/29/07) and Willie Nelson, who is still on the road (again) (09/28/07); Friday Night Live features Louis XIV at Hard Rock Beach Club (09/28/07); the Rocktoberfest concert at the Cannery includes performances by Space Oddity: David Brighton’s Tribute to David Bowie, Journey Unauthorized and Sugarwall (09/29/07); Daddy Yankee plays at the Orleans Arena (09/30/07); The Bellamy Brothers play at the Suncoast Showroom (09/28/07-09/30/07); Charley Pride appears at the Dallas Events Center at Texas Station (09/29/07); the Kingston Trio performs at the South Point Showroom (09/28/07-09/29/07); Kenny G will make beautiful music on the floating stage at MonteLago Village Resort (09/29/07); Up With People brings their wholesome brand of entertainment to the Henderson Pavilion (09/28/07); Blues in the School in the afternoon followed by Joe Bonamassa performance at Henderson Events Plaza (09/29/07); catch Christian Scott at Santa Fe Station (09/29/07); listen to the Las Vegas Philarmonic at UNLV Artemus Ham Hall (09/29/07); the Pierre Lunaire Ensemble Wien presents a chamber music performance at Reed Whipple Cultural Center


  • Comedy: Lewis Black vents his spleen at MGM (09/27/07-10/03/07); Jay Leno seems to be an almost permanent fixture at the Mirage (09/28/07-09/29/07); Mo’Nique gets sassy at Mandalay Bay Theatre (09/28/07); Pauly Shore and his dad, Sammy Shore team up at House of Blues


  • Other: Artexpo's at Mandalay Bay South Convention Center (09/28/07-09/30/07) with opening night Gala (09/28/07); raise a mug at Hops: The Official Beer Tasting of Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood (09/29/07); there’s Saturday Contra Dancing (09/29/07) and Sounds of Broadway at Charleston Heights Arts Center (09/30/07); the Summerlin Arts Festival takes place at Summerlin Centre Community Park (09/29/07); the Mr. Olympia Competition’s at the Orleans Arena (09/28/07-09/39/07) while the Olympia Superstar Seminar takes over the Mardi Gras Ballroom (09/30/07); catch the film Asiemut: From Mongolia to Calcutta at Springs Preserve (09/29/07); the International Indoor Championship Radio Control Car Races will
September 26, 2007 17:00 New Service for Poker Tourney Players:

A new poker tournament registration service recently introduced at Atlantic City's Taj Mahal is about to be extended to rooms at The Orleans, Venetian, and Wynn Las Vegas.

With a credit card, players can visit ptseats.com and pay for their seat (plus a "convenience fee ranging from 3-6% of the buy-in), and then print their ticket and present it to the poker room for entry. The advance payment locks your seat, eradicating any worries about arriving too late or a tournament selling out.

September 25, 2007 11:06 5x points to continue at Santa Fe:

Word from the Santa Fe is that 5x points will continue thru October 31st. Boarding Pass members may choose the day: Sunday, Monday or Tuesday; Wednesday or Thursday and Friday or Saturday each week.

September 25, 2007 09:30 Dubai World Extends Offer Deadline:

Dubai World announced today that its previously-announced cash tender offer to purchase up to 14.2 million shares of common stock of MGM Mirage at $84 per share is being extended until 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on Friday, October 5, 2007. All other terms and conditions of the tender offer remain unchanged. As of the close of business on September 24, 2007, stockholders had tendered 730,271 shares of MGM Mirage common stock.

September 24, 2007 12:48 MGM Mirage Exec in USA Today:

Today's USA Today contains a cover story in the "Money" section on Terry Lanni. The article provides a good look into the history and style of the CEO of casino giant MGM Mirage.

September 24, 2007 08:11 Voting Still Open on Poll:

Don't forget, it's not too late to vote in this week's Reader Poll about the sexiest cocktail waitress outfits in town. The voting link's on the left-hand side of the home page, under the blue menu, and the poll remains open until midnight tomorrow. If your favorite outfit isn't on our list (Orleans or Stratosphere, for example), send in your choice via the "suggest a poll" link or via the QoD question submission option.

And if you missed the results of our first two polls, you can find them in the Poll Archives, under QoD on the home page.

September 23, 2007 10:03 5X Points at Santa Fe:

As part of the promotion for the "new Santa Fe," you can get 5X points there through the end of September, although it appears that you have to choose a single day on which the offer is good. Santa Fe has undergone a major makeover and features new restaurants and entertainment venues.

September 22, 2007 12:01 More Atlantic City News:

Despite all the doom and gloom statistics that have emerged from Atlantic City this year, with the smoking ban, competition from newly legalized slot parlors, and bad weather all cited as having contributing to reduced gaming revenues, figures released by the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority indicated that visitation's been up on last year's second quarter.

Apparently, interest in visiting the city remains high, with occupied room nights up 1.7% over 2006 and overall occupancy rates 2.5% higher than the same period last year.

September 22, 2007 11:53 Sands Implosion Date Announced:

Implosion fans should make note of October 18 in their journals, which Pinnacle Atlantic City has just announced as the date on which they'll be imploding the Sands Casino Hotel. It'll be Atlantic City's first casino implosion and will feature a fireworks extravaganza designed by world-famous Fireworks by Grucci, the company responsible for many of Las Vegas' most notable displays.

September 21, 2007 13:03 Michelin Foodie Guide to Debut in Las Vegas:

The Michelin Guide, the prestigious 100-year-old restaurant ratings system from France that's widely considered the bible of gastronomy for foodies, will debut in Las Vega (and Los Angeles) this fall.

The guide first arrived in N. America in 2005 with a New York City edition and has since also launched in San Francisco. The Las Vegas guide will be available for purchase online and in bookstores from November 17 and will retail for $12.95.

September 21, 2007 12:13 Searchlight To Perform at Zia Records:

Zia Records will host a free performance and autograph session by Las Vegas band Searchlight on Saturday, Sept. 22. The band’s single "Contagious" is featured in the Resident Evil: Extinction movie, which premiered at Planet Hollywood last night, and the movie soundtrack (released Sept. 18). The 30-minute performance is slated to begin at 1 p.m. and will be followed by the autograph session. Zia Records is located at 4225 S. Eastern Ave. between Tropicana Ave. and Flamingo Rd.

September 21, 2007 10:32 One Hard Rock Not Enough:

Hard Rock International is taking it to the Strip with plans to open a new 41,000 sq. ft. Hard Rock Café on Las Vegas Blvd. just north of the MGM Grand casino. The three-story venue will house a restaurant with an outdoor dining deck, gift shop and concert hall and is scheduled to open in the summer of 2009 as part of The Showcase Mall Phase III development project. HRI will continue to own and operate the existing Hard Rock Cafe on Paradise Rd.

September 20, 2007 11:16 Team Vegas Takes Cocktail World Cup:

Team Vegas beat the home team to win the 4th annual 42 Below Cocktail World Cup competition held in Queenstown, New Zealand. The flair bartending event featured challenges including drink preparation while bungee jumping and riding on a jet boat. The "shake-off" grand finale took place on an ice bar in Earnslaw Park. Team New Zealand finished second while Team England ranked third.

September 20, 2007 09:18 This Weekend In Vegas:

Believe it or not, Saturday marks the last day of Summer 2007 and that alone is reason enough to get off the couch, get out of the house and go have some fun.

For the second year in a row, Mandalay Bay will host the Wine Amplified Festival poolside. Here’s your chance to sample more than 120 different wines from 50 wineries while enjoying live music by Sugar Ray. Tickets are available at the Mandalay Bay box office, through Ticketmaster and also at Smith’s Food, Macy’s and Ritmo Latino.

Ice cream lovers get your fill at the All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival at Kellogg-Zayer Park on Saturday. If you need a good reason to gorge on the frozen stuff, all proceeds from this function will go to Nevada Ballet Theatre.

If you feel the need for speed, don’t miss the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as it roars into town this weekend for racing under the lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday evening. The national touring series has many ties to the state of Nevada including the South Point Racing team which is based here in Sin City. Also on the entry list are former Las Vegas resident and LVMS winner Scott Lynch and Reno, NV native TJ Bell. Several drivers, including Lynch and reigning series champion Todd Bodine, will be on hand Friday evening at the Stratosphere for a free fan meet and greet.

  • Music: Sugar Ray headlines the Wine Amplified Festival at Mandalay Bay Beach (09/22/07); Robert Cray appears at Railhead at Boulder Station (09/21/07); Brooks and Dunn at Las Vegas Hilton (09/19/07-09/22/07); Tom Jones begins a week-long engagement at MGM Grand (09/20/07-09/26/07); Clay Walker on the stage at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm (09/21/07); James Hunter performs at Four Queens (09/21/07); Christopher Cross plays the Gold Coast Showroom (09/21/07-09/22/07); Pearl at the Palms welcomes Morrisey (09/21/07); Paul Revere and The Raiders ride again at Suncoast (09/21/07-09/23/07); Cannery hosts the Quest for the Best R&B show band playoffs (09/21/07); Scorpions will rock you like a hurricane at The Joint (09/21/07); The Dan Band at Hard Rock (09/22/07); Friday Night Live features Kinky poolside at Hard Rock (09/21/07); Sons of Erin (09/21/07) and Cowboy Crush (09/22/07-09/23/07) appear at South Point; Velvet Revolver (09/21/07) and Def Leppard (09/22/07) in the house at Mandalay Bay Events Center; Hot 97.5 Crank That Takeover features Huey and The Dream at House of Blues (09/22/07); Eric Johnson on the stage at The Canyon Club (09/22/07); The Station Casinos free concert series gets under way with The Romantics in Rocks Lounge at Red Rock Resort (09/21/07) and John Waite playing at Ovation Lounge at Green Valley Ranch (09/22/07); The Pointer Sisters get so excited at Cannery (09/22/07); David de Alba presents a tribute to Judy Garland at the College of Southern Nevada (09/23/07)


  • Comedy: George Carlin performs at the Orleans Showroom (9/20/07-09/23/07); David Davidoff and Ian Edwards at Palms Lounge (09/22/07); Paul Rodriguez visits Primm Valley Resort Casino (09/22/07); Ray Romano returns to Mirage (09/22/07-09/23/07)


  • Sports: UNLV Football plays host to Utah at Sam Boyd Stadium (09/22/07); The Los Angeles Kings take on the Colorado Avalanche at MGM Grand (09/22/07); NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (09/22/07)


  • Other: Super Summer Theatre Series presents Johnny Guitar at Smoke Mountain Ranch (09/13/07-09/22/07); The Super Run Classic Car Show is taking place at Henderson Events Plaza (09/20/07-09/23/07); Catch the Fall Home Decorating & Remodeling Show at Cashman Field Center (09/21/07-09/23/07); Poets’ Corner (09/21/07) at West Las Vegas Arts Center (09/21/07); All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival at Kellogg-Zayer Park (09/22/07); You’ll find all things golf at the Las Vegas Golf Show at Cox Pavilion (09/21/07-09/23/07); NASCAR driver autograph session at Stratosphere (09/21/07); Freestyle Explosion at Orleans Ar

September 20, 2007 07:16 Capozzoli's Destroyed in Fire:

The local restaurant Capozzoli's was gutted yesterday in a fire. Located on Maryland Parkway near Desert Inn, Capozzoli's was one of Las Vegas' longest-operating Italian restaurants and was the subject of an LVA "Local Corner" review in July 2004.

September 19, 2007 09:34 Mi Casa Grill Cantina Open Bar Event:

Las Chicas Cazadores will host Mi Casa Grill Cantina’s "Open Bar" event in conjunction with SpyOnVegas.com. The Tequila Cazadores spokeswomen and models will be on hand at the Silverton Casino eatery tonight from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. to perform traditional and contemporary dance routines and sing traditional Mexican songs.

September 18, 2007 15:32 Mayweather Vs. Hatton Sold Out:

"Undefeated," the welterweight championship fight between Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton, sold out immediately tickets went on sale yesterday morning. However, if you want to catch the fight, all is not lost: MGM Mirage will host closed circuit viewing at several properties, including MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Treasure Island, New York-New York, Luxor, Monte Carlo, and Excalibur.

Tickets for the MGM Grand viewing went on sale yesterday, while the other tickets will go on sale Monday, Oct. 1. Tickets for the closed circuit telecast are priced at $50, excluding handling fees.

September 17, 2007 16:41 Rampart Tournament Tonight:

The Elimination Blackjack tournaments during Monday Night Football at the Rampart were a big hit last week, with all seats selling out. Entry fee is $50 and includes free munchies (wings, pizza, vegetables & dip) and a bucket of beers. Rounds start at 6 and 7 pm, but you'll need to sign up early -- all were sold out by 6:15 p.m. last week.

September 17, 2007 13:43 Number-One Deal Raises Price:

After many years, our number-one deal in the Top Ten Values has sustained a price increase. Ellis Island's steak dinner has gone up $2 to $6.95. Softening the blow a little, the meal now comes with an EI micro-brewed beer.

September 17, 2007 10:40 18-Year-Old Wins WSOP Europe:

Eighteen-year-old Norwegian Annette Obrestad became the youngest bracelet winner in World Series of Poker history yesterday when she emerged as the victor of the Main Event at the first annual WSOP Europe.

In addition to beating out a field of poker pros that included Phil Hellmuth Jr., Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan, Obrestat also smashed two records previously held by Annie Duke, who finished in 21st place in the event. The first was Duke's one-day-old record as the first woman to exceed $1 million in official WSOP winnings, while Obrestat's £2,013,102 first prize also meant that she overtook Duke's single-event record win for a woman for her $2 million winner-take-all victory in Harrah's 2004 Tournament of Champions.

September 17, 2007 09:10 Free Stadium Chair:

Earn 500 points at the Orleans on Tuesday, September 18 and get a free stadium chair, up to a maximum of 4.

September 16, 2007 12:48 Things Worsen for O.J.:

News reports from local media indicate that O.J. Simpson has been arrested and is in custody in Las Vegas. The charges are related to an armed robbery that occured last week at Palace Station and was reported in a Friday Today's News report.

September 15, 2007 14:35 POLL RESULTS NOW UP!:

Oops. Profuse apologies to everyone who checked in earlier and found nothing in the promised poll result spot. We had some technical issues that weren't apparent until the feature went live and it's taken our hard-working technical dept. some time to address the problems. Hopefully all is now resolved and you can view the results of last week's poll, plus our comments and your own "other" responses, by clicking the link in the poll/QoD spot on the home page.

Again, sorry to anyone who checked in earlier only to be disappointed. Now that we've ironed out the teething problems, it shouldn't happen again. Don't forget to vote in this week's poll, if you haven't already. The "vote" button's in a gray box under the blue left-hand menu.

September 15, 2007 14:06 Beneath the Neon Book Signing Today:

Come out and meet HP author Matt O'Brien today. Matt will be signing his book Beneath the Neon from 1 to 3 pm at the Henderson Barnes & Noble at 567 N. Stephanie.

September 15, 2007 07:16 Ultimate Blackjack Tour Today:

Season 2 of the Ultimate Blackjack Tour debuts today on CBS. Miami John Cernuto is the top name on the table in the finals of the Venetian Open. The show airs simultaneously in different time zones, corresponding to 2 pm in the east and 11 am in the west. After the show, analysis from Anthony Curtis will be up on this site and discussion will take place on our Ultimate Blackjack Tour message board (click on "Forums" on this page).

September 14, 2007 11:07 Booze Views News:

Following quickly on the heels of the Rio's giant new exterior ad for Jim Beam comes an Absolut wrap for the Luxor, visible from land and sky. The oversize posters are the work of SkyTag, the same company that's adorned the exteriors of the Las Vegas Hilton, Flamingo, Planet Hollywood, and Mirage, among others, using the massive facades as a palette to advertize shows, movies, and sporting events.

September 14, 2007 10:14 Oktoberfest in Las Vegas:

Siegfried and Roy will officially kick off Oktoberfest at the Hofbräuhaus on Paradise Rd. this evening. The legendary Las Vegas performers will be on hand at 7 p.m. to tap the first ceremonial keg for the annual celebration that runs through Oct. 31.

September 14, 2007 09:31 O.J. Simpson Questioned Re Hotel Break-In:

After yesterday's rumor about Pamela Anderson, here's the latest news of the weird: Las Vegas investigators have questioned O.J. Simpson about his involvement in a break-in at a hotel room at Palace Station involving sports memorabilia that Simpson claims is his.

An arrest warrant for Simpson, who is still thought to be in Las Vegas, could be issued later today. Metro will be holding a press conference shortly with an update.

September 14, 2007 09:30 This Weekend in Vegas:

The VMA awards have come and gone but thanks to the magic of modern technology, the memories of the Great Britney Breakdown, the Kid Rock/Tommy Lee Smackdown and the Kanye West Meltdown will live on in cyberspace forever. And while Pearl at the Palms will take a well-deserved breather this weekend, the rest of the city is hopping as usual.

This weekend marks Mexican Independence Day, so what better time for Planet Hollywood to play host to the 17th Annual Las Vegas International Mariachi Festival? Also in town for the celebration are several Latino performers including Mana and Alejandro Fernandez at Mandalay Bay, Marco Antonio Solis at Las Vegas Hilton and Luis Miguel at Caesars Palace.

Rock music fans can catch Megadeath at House of Blues or Modest Mouse at The Joint. Check out Peter Frampton and the Doobie Brothers at the Sandbar at Red Rock Resort for a healthy dose of rock classics.

And don't forget ... the San Gennaro Feast runs through Sunday at the Grand Canyon Shopping Center near the corner of West Flamingo and 215. The annual event features carnival rides, live entertainment and more food than you can shake a mozzarella stick at.

  • Music: Mandalay Bay has a full schedule as usual with Mana (09/13/07-09/14/07) and Alejandro Fernandez (09/15/07) at the Events Center (09/13/07-09/14/07), Los Lonely Boys poolside at Mandalay Bay Beach (09/15/07) and Megadeath at House of Blues (09/14/07); Orleans Arena plays host to Double Down Throwdown Cuontry Music Festival (09/15/07) while the Temptations entertain in the Orleans Showroom (09/13/07-09/16/07); Amy Hanaiali'I Gilliom and Natural Vibrations perform at Golden Nugget Showroom (09/14/07) and Natural Vibrations returns the following evening to play at The Tank (09/15/07); Brian Stokes Mitchell sings at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall located at UNLV Performing Arts Center (09/14/07); Cecilio & Kapono are at Sam’s Town Live! (09/14/07); Everclear rocks Ovation Lounge at Green Valley Ranch (09/14/07-09/15/07); Friday Night Live welcomes The Donnas poolside at Hard Rock (09/14/07) and Modest Mouse appears at The Joint (09/15/07); Kellie Pickler performs at Whiskey Pete's Showroom (09/14/07); Peter Frampton and the Doobie Brothers take to the stage at Sandbar at Red Rock Resort (09/14/07); Todd Rundgren pulls a one-nighter (09/14/07) while Da Nuuanu Brothers (09/16/07-09/26/07) start an 11-day gig at Boulder Station’s Railhead; Marco Antonio Solis plays the Las Vegas Hilton Theater (09/15/07-09/16/07); Chrome Show Room at Santa Fe Station presents Michael Lington (09/15/07); Petula Clark and Sammy Shore perform a free concert at The Club at Cannery (09/15/07); Planet Hollywood plays host to the 17th Annual Las Vegas International Mariachi Festival (09/15/07); Tito Puente, Jr. appears at Suncoast (09/15/07-09/16/07); The Henderson Symphony Orchestra performs a free concert at Henderson Pavillion (09/16/07); The Flaming Lips will play to the sunbathers at Palms Pool (09/16/07)


  • Comedy: Gabriel Iglesias & Joey Medina take to the stage at Monte Carlo (09/14/07-09/15/07); Jon Reep performs South Point Showroom (09/14/07-09/15/07); Ray Romano and Brad Garrett of "I Love Raymond" fame together again at Mirage (09/14/07-09/15/07); Polo Polo will be at House of Blues (09/15/07)


  • Other: Stuff yourself and ride the rides (but not necessarily in that order) at the San Gennaro Feast set up at the Grand Canyon Shopping Center (09/11/07-09/16/07); South Point doubles your fun this weekend with the Las Vegas Reigning Classic horse show at the Equestrian Center (09/12/07-09/16/07) and the Home Improvement and Backyard Living Expo at South Point Exhibit Hall (09/14/07-09/16/07); Super Summer Theatre Series features the musical Johnny Guitar at Stone Mountain Ranch (09/13/07-09/22/07); Watch flamenco dancers perform in Spanish Nights on the floating stage at Lake at MonteLago Village (09/14/07-09/15/07); Nevada Ballet Theatre

September 13, 2007 16:03 Station Casinos Host Free Concerts:

Station Casinos is offering up a free concert series which will run through mid-December and alternate between Green Valley Ranch, Red Rock Resort and Boulder Station live music venues. The series will feature headlining bands which represent various musical genres including rock and roll, pop music, R&B, country and swing/jazz. The Romantics will perform the first concert in the series on Friday, Sept. 21 at Rocks Lounge located in Red Rock Resort. See our event listings for the full schedule. You must be 21 years or older to attend and entry is granted on a first, come, first served basis until the venue is full.

September 13, 2007 09:33 Pam and the Magician?:

We don't go in for the gossip style in this space, but this one has some potentially far-reaching ramifications in the world of gambling. Following Pamela Anderson's announcement on the Ellen Degeneres Show that she had a new guy, LV Review-Journal gossip columnist Norm Clarke wrote today that it's celebrity poker star Antonio "the Magician" Esfandiari. Now here's where this could be significant. One of the big boosts to poker came when Antonio's buddy, Phil Laak, hooked up with Hollywood's Jennifer Tilly. Add an Antonio/Pam combination to the mix and you can look for poker to sky again to yet another level. That is, if it's true.

September 13, 2007 09:09 Hooters Teams with Knocked Up:

Hooters Casino Hotel and Universal Studios Home Entertainment Enter have announced a collaborative promotional campaign to celebrate the official DVD release date of comedy hit Knocked Up. A range of prizes, collectible giveaways, and a specially created "Knocked Up Martini" will be available to jackpot winners, new Rewards Club sign-ups and other guests on September 25, "National Knocked Up Night."

September 13, 2007 08:50 Adelson Reveals Global Ambitions:

While receiving a lifetime achievement award for enterprise at the Forbes Global CEO confererence in Singapore yesterday, gambling tycoon Sheldon Adelson revealed his dream to set up variations of Las Vegas-style strips around the world, citing Asia alone as having room for up to a dozen more casinos. He also said there were opportunities in Europe, the Middle East, South America, and countries including as Russia, Turkey, and India.

September 13, 2007 06:52 $1 Bud's:

Cool down with $1 ice-cold Bud's at Fiesta Henderson available 24/7 at all casino bars during September.

September 12, 2007 15:28 Downtown Workers to Vote on Strike:

With negotiations over a new contract at a standstill between unions and over a dozen properties, thousands of Las Vegas casino workers will decide today whether to call for a strike.

Agreements have already been reached with MGM Mirage and Harrah's, but many casinos downtown, where profits are down, have yet to sign new contracts and neither has the Tropicana nor the Las Vegas Hilton.

September 12, 2007 12:30 Taxi Fares to Rise:

As documented in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal, from October 1 passengers will be charged an extra 10 cents for the initial cost of hiring a cab, bringing the so-called drop fee up to $3.30. The wait-time charge (the cost per hour for time spent traveling slower than 8-12 mph), will also increase to $28 from $22. An additional 20 cents per mile on the standard per-mile rate (currently $2) will be offset by the fact that the 20-cent-per-mile fuel surcharge has been abolished.

You can find a list of all Las Vegas' and the surrounding area's cab companies and their phone numbers, plus our useful Taxi Tips (written by a real Vegas cabbie), in the Transportation section of our Web site located in Visitor Info (left-hand blue menu).

September 11, 2007 15:58 MGM Grand Joint Venture Confirmed:

MGM Mirage, Kerzner International Holdings, and Istithmar Hotels announced today that the three companies have entered into definitive agreements forming their previously announced joint venture, which will develop a multi-billion dollar integrated resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

The new resort is due to occupy approximately 40 of the 78 acres of land owned by MGM Mirage, located on the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue.

September 11, 2007 15:57 New Reader Poll Tomorrow:

The next in our ongoing series of reader polls runs tomorrow so don't forget to vote. And tune in this Saturday for the result of last week's (we got some great responses to the "other" option for the craziest things you've done in Las Vegas -- don't miss it!)

September 11, 2007 08:52 San Gennaro Feast's Back:

Due to the success of the May event, a second San Gennaro festival kicks off today at Flamingo Rd. off the 215 and runs through September 16. There will be processions, food, and entertainment for all. Kids under 54 inches are free, seniors $6, and adults $7 each or two for $10 if you bring a printed coupon from the Web site at www.sangennarofeast.com.

September 10, 2007 16:29 MNF Parties:

Top parties tonight look to be the free beer and hot dog dos (one each) at Sam's Town, Boulder Station, and new this year at Suncoast. Also, the Rampart is holding an Elimination Blackjack mini tournament in conjunction with the Ultimate Blackjack Tour. The entry is $50. All money is returned, plus winners qualify for an end-of-the year championship with $15,000 in (additional) prize money. Plus, all players get free food and drink for the duration of the football game. Playing sessions are at 6 and 7 pm.

September 10, 2007 10:51 What's New at Madame Tussauds:

Madame Tussauds unveiled the latest addition to its Las Vegas museum location on Saturday, Sept. 8 when Master Chief, the hero of Xbox 360’s popular game series Halo, was introduced to the public for the first time. An estimated 892 man-hours went into creating the first video game character ever immortalized in Madame Tussaud’s 250-year history. The cyber hero stands 7’2" tall and weighs in at 275 lbs and is now ensconced in the attraction’s front entrance area.

September 10, 2007 08:59 Discounted Klok Tickets:

Don't miss your chance to see Hans Klok (and Pamela Anderson, too!) at a discounted price.

Planet Hollywood is offering $25 tickets for Hans Klok—The Beauty of Magic to all Las Vegas school system students and faculty now through Dec. 8. Those purchasing tickets online or over the phone can use the code HKEDU to receive the discount price. Purchases made at the box office require a school ID. The offer is open to students and faculty members enrolled or working in the Clark County School District, College of Southern Nevada and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. For more information call Ticketmaster at 702/474-4000 or visit www.hanslasvegas.com

There are also 2-for-1 tickets available through Ticketmaster from Sept. 20 through Dec. 8. click here and use the code KFOG under "Ticketdeals Partner Offer." Ticketmaster charges a $5.60 fee per ticket ordered.

September 09, 2007 09:57 Hilton Football:

The NFL will be featured today in sports books all over town. The Las Vegas Hilton is promoting "NFL Central," with big screens on in the showroom and the sports book. Also dollar hot dogs and beers.

September 08, 2007 15:38 Hard Rock Cancels:

The Hard Rock has canceled its NFL football contest. We'd projected in the September LVA that it was promising to pay more than it took in, and that turned out to be too true for HR. Refunds are being issued.

September 08, 2007 09:13 Reader Poll Still Open:

Don't forget that if you haven't yet voted in our new Weekly Poll, it's still open and will remain so until midnight Tuesday. It's open to all and we've already had a great response, so if you'd like to take part, just hit the "vote" button in the gray left-hand box under "Member Sign-in" and it'll take you to this week's survey.

September 07, 2007 17:50 Dog Daze of Summer Event:

Dog owners, don't forget that tomorrow is your furry friend's favorite day of the year - yup, it's doggie swim day at Desert Breeze Water Park (no humans in the water, please). From 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. it's small dog (under 35 lbs.) then from 11 a.m. to noon it's funtime for larger dogs.

Admission is $1 or one item per dog to donate to a local animal shelter. Look on as your canine companion takes a relaxing dip in the pool. All dogs must enter and leave on a leash and be in their owners' control at all times. Dogs showing signs of aggression will be asked to leave and owners must clean up after their dogs; bags will be provided.

September 07, 2007 12:28 More Nightclub News:

According to the Las Vegas Weekly, the latest venue to fall victim to Las Vegas's nightlife remodeling frenzy is OPM, the hip hop club in the Forum Shops at Caesars. The grand closing will be celebrated on Saturday September 29, with the new venue, named Love or Money, slated to open October 12. Expect a gothic-inspired theme, apparently, so dig out those fishnets and crucifixes.

September 07, 2007 12:13 Jay-Z to Open $20-Million Club in Las Vegas:

As rumored last month, last night rapper Jay-Z and his girlfriend Beyoncé Knowles were at the Venetian to confirm that he'll be opening a $20-million party lair called the 40/40 Club at the new Palazzo resort. According to today's Las Vegas Review-Journal the new venue, scheduled to open in December of this year, will be a 24,000-square-foot sports-themed restaurant featuring, among other things, 85 plasma-screen TVs, five bars, and 24-karat gold and platinum flooring (huh?)

September 06, 2007 16:34 Las Vegas This Weekend:

We (well, the Palms) hosts the much-vaunted MTV Video Music Awards this weekend and that means the music glitterati (and Britney) will be out in full force before gathering at Pearl for Sunday evening’s big ceremony.

If the sounds of today don’t spin your musical gears, don't despair. There's the Rockin' Blues Music Festival at the Henderson Events Plaza on Saturday. It's free, so you can’t possibly beat the price. The Cannery can match it though, with Friday's free Disco Night featuring Jungle Boogie.

Music not your thing? Well, everybody loves food and a smorgasbord of gastronomical delights awaits you at the annual Greek Food Festival running through Sunday at St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church and the "Taste of Las Vegas" event at the Canyon Gate Country Club on Sunday. After that you can head on over to the Frozen Desserts Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center for all-you-can-eat ice cream, gelato and sorbet -- beware of brain freeze.

Perhaps you're ready for some football? The University of Wisconsin football team is in town this weekend to face UNLV in its first home game of the season. If you don’t count yourself among the Runnin’ Rebels loyal, you can hook up with Bucky Badger and root, root, root for the away team at the Wisconsin Badgers’ Pep Rally at Mandalay Bay Events Center on Friday afternoon.

(Yikes! Even we're not sure we can handle this much fun.)

  • Music: Snoop Dogg (09/07/07) and Angels and Airwaves (09/08/07) will be poolside while 50 Cent (09/08/07) makes an appearance at the Pontiac Stage at the Hard Rock; Linkin Park takes over the Hard Rock Summer Stage (09/08/07); House of Blues has a full slate this weekend with performances by guitar virtuoso Steve Vai (09/07/07), Robin Thicke and Maroon 5 (09/08/07) and Common (09/09/07); Joss Stone makes a visit to Mandalay Beach (09/07/07); Toby Keith appears at the Mandalay Bay Events Center (09/08/07); The Orleans Arena features Wo Wo Willie (09/08/07) and Akon and Rihanna (09/09/07); Lee Ann Womack takes to the stage at the Orleans Showroom (09/07/07-09/09/07); Jack Ingram plays Green Valley Ranch at Ovation Lounge (09/07/07); Jungle Boogie gets down (09/07/07) and Starship and Survivor (09/08/07) appear together at the Cannery; Kyle Eastwood performs at the Santa Fe Station the Chrome Show Room (09/07/07); RIP Luciano but the Las Vegas Tenors will still bring their dulcet tones to Las Vegas Hilton (09/07/07-09/08/07); Michael John performs his Billy Joel Tribute (09/07/07) and Ben Kweller entertains at the Canyon Club at Four Queens (09/07/07); see Phantom Blues Band at South Point (09/07/07-09/08/07); the International Ska Circus will be at Clark County Amphitheater (09/08/07); Take in the Rockin’ Blues Music Festival at Henderson Events Plaza (09/08/07)

  • Comedy: Jay Leno is in the house at Mirage (09/07/07-09/08/07); The Jameson Comedy Tour wraps up at the Improv at Harrah’s (09/04/07-09/07/07); Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna tag team at Suncoast (09/07/07-09/09/07)

  • Sports Events: Pinks All Out invades Las Vegas Motor Speedway (09/07/07-09/08/07); the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour makes a stop at Caesars Palace (09/06/07-09/08/07); Bucky Badger leads the Wisconsin Badgers' Pep Rally at Mandalay Bay Events Center (09/07/09); UNLV Football takes on the University of Wisconsin at Sam Boyd Stadium (09/08/07)

  • Other: Nevada Ballet Theatre dances on the floating stage at the Monte Lago Village waterfront (09/08/07); Las Vegas Greek Food Festival (09/06/07-09/09/07); Silver State Paint Association horse show at the South Point Equestrian Center (09/06/07-09/09/07); Get in on First Friday on Fremont East (09/07/07); Taste of Las Vegas at the Canyon Gate Country Club (09/09/07); Check out the Harvest Festival at Cashman Center (09/07/07-09/09/07); take your pooch for a swim during the Dog Days of Summer celebration at Desert Breeze (09/08/07); the Frozen Desserts Expo’s at the Las Vegas Conve

September 06, 2007 10:46 WSOP Europe Kicks Off:

The inaugural World Series of Poker Europe begins today with a three-day £2,500 buy-in (approx. $5,000) H.O.R.S.E. event at The Casino at the Empire in Leicester Square. The main event, the £10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship, takes place September 10 through 15. Participants include Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, Eric Seidel, Gus Hanson, Jennifer Harman, Allen Cunningham, Eli Elezra, Howard Lederer, and Jamie Gold.

September 06, 2007 10:21 $3.49 Dinner Buffets:

The Hacienda is celebrating National Buffet Month. All dinner buffets are $3.49 plus tax, 4-9 pm, everyday this month. Current buffet features a wide selection of items including turkey on Mondays and Thursdays, Prime Rib nights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Seafood Buffet on Friday nights, "Chef's Choice" on Saturdays and Steak and Shrimp on Sunday nights.

September 05, 2007 14:42 Poll of the Week:

Firstly, sorry to anyone who was confused by the launch of the new Wednesday poll today. We hope it's all clear now but just in case, here's the lowdown: A new poll or survey will run in the QoD spot each Wednesday and you'll be able to vote until midnight PST the following Tuesday, when a new poll question will run. The results of each poll will run the following Saturday. Also, apologies for our oversight in not supplying a link to the QoD archives. That's now been rectified and will be a permanent feature on the home page, whether it's a Question of the Day or a poll that's running.

Secondly, thank you to everyone who's taken the time to vote -- over 1,200 of you have already and you still have until midnight next Tuesday if you haven't voted yet. The responses you've submitted so far for the "Other" option are excellent and some of them are hilarious, so everyone has a treat in store when we run the results of this survey, which we will a week from this Saturday.

September 05, 2007 13:45 Evil Takeover at Planet Hollywood:

If you've been wondering what the huge Resident Evil: Extinction banner has been doing adorning the side of Planet Hollywood for the past month or so, today marks the official kick-off of the property's month-long promotion of the new movie.

Other aspects of the campaign include a display on the casino floor featuring the custom K 1200 R Sport BMW motorcycle featured in the movie and an entire blackjack pit featuring specially designed Resident Evil felts, costumes and props from the film prominently displayed on property, Resident Evil branded room keys (hang on to those -- they'll be collector's items) and Resident Evil-inspired menu items and drink specials featured at all the bars and restaurants.

The promotion will culminate on September 20th when the film's stars, including Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Oded Fehr, Ashanti, and Mike Epps will be on property to attend the film's exclusive, red-carpet world premiere.

September 05, 2007 12:33 $50K Arizona Charlie's Promotion:

Arizona Charlie's Boulder and Decatur properties are featuring a "$50,000 Cashucopia" promotion now through September 28. A.C.E. Rewards Club members playing slots, video poker, and electronic keno will be eligible to earn entries to win one of 16 cash or free slot play prizes during drawings on September 28 -- to begin earning entries, just swipe your card one time at any kiosk before your first day of play.

There will be 16 prizes awarded during the drawing on September 28, including a top cash prize of $10,000. For more information, visit the A.C.E. Rewards Center at either property.

September 05, 2007 12:25 Cash Giveaway at Silverton:

From now through September 29, the Silverton will be awarding $100 in cash to one random slot player every ten minutes, with select players winning $1,000 cash during special bonus hours.

To qualify, players need to simply use their Discovery Club card while playing their favorite slot, video poker, or video keno machines. Giveaways will take place from noon to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Bonus hours will take place 2-3 p.m. August 31-September 1, 4-5 p.m. September 7-8, 6-7 p.m. September 14-15, 8-9 p.m. September 21-22 and 10-11 p.m. September 28-29.

September 05, 2007 10:00 Tangerine Still Has Juice:

Although Tangerine Lounge & Nightclub at TI was due to close September 1, as previously announced in this column (Aug. 18), the venue's been given a stay of execution through the end of this year, when it will close for a major remodel.

September 05, 2007 09:21 Weird Arithmetic:

The California Assembly has passed Bill 152, which allows card rooms limited to 12 tables to increase their number of tables by 45%. The bill needs to be passed by the California Senate to become law. It's an interesting choice of percentages, given that a 12-table card room would now be allowed 17.4 tables. In fact, not one integer between 1 and 12 totals a round number when 45% is added to it.



September 04, 2007 16:21 LVA Weekly Poll Starts Tomorrow:

Following last week's sneak preview, we can confirm that the first in our new Weekly Poll series is due to go live tomorrow. It'll run for a day in the Question of the Day spot then will be relegated to a box on the home page, which you'll be able to vote via all week. It's one person, one vote and the polls will close at midnight next Tuesday, when the next poll will go live. Next Saturday we'll run the result of this Wednesday's poll.

Note: If you select the "Other" option rather than one of the answers provided, then we'd really appreciate it if you could keep your answer short and sweet -- we don't have the manpower to read essays! Thanks in advance.

September 04, 2007 09:40 Z'Tejas Chile Festival:

Summerlin's Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill (9650 W. Sahara) kicks off its fourth annual Chile Festival today. Running through September 23, the festival celebrates the art of cooking with chiles and will contribute $1 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas for every item ordered off the Chile Fest Menu, whic includes appetizers, entrées, and even desserts. Call 702/638-0610 for more info.

September 03, 2007 20:45 Country Contest at Toby Keith's:

The singer's I Love This Bar & Grill venue at Harrah's will tonight host a regional qualifying competition for the "Colgate Country Showdown" contest. The nationwide singing competition gives hopefuls a chance to claim the title of "Best New Act in Country Music" and a grand prize of $100,000 at the finals, held annually in Nashville.

The competition tonight will be held from 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. and is open to the public. Admission's free but guests must be 21 or older.

September 03, 2007 14:36 Update to Today's QoD:

If you're interested in contemporary RV parks, don't forget to check out our newly updated "RV Parks" section in "Stay," where we list all the current available locales around town, with prices and amenities.

September 03, 2007 11:54 NFL Leaders Bets at Caesars:

The Caesars Palace sports book has made bettng lines on who will win the NFL rushing, receiving, and passing titles (all yards gained). The favorites are LaDanian Tomlinson for rushing, Chad Johnson for receiving, and Peyton Manning for passing.

September 02, 2007 17:01 Quick Trip for Brit:

Britney Spears honored her deal and showed up at yesterday's grand opening of the nightclub LAX at Luxor, but only barely. The popstress reportedly spent little more than the miniumum required 90 minutes at the venue and had little to say. Not bad work for the reported $250,000 payday.

September 01, 2007 16:25 MGM Mirage Stays Neutral:

The company's Board of Directors has announced that it is remaining neutral and making no recommendation about whether its stockholders should tender their shares in response to Dubai World's offer to purchase 14.2 million of MGM Mirage stock for $84 per share.

September 01, 2007 14:24 Missing Mega Millions Winner:

Someone in Virginia is $82.5 million richer than they know, apparently. A total of four tickets nationwide matched all six numbers in last night's Mega Millions drawing but only three of the winners have so far come forward to claim their share of the $330 million prize. Those three tickets, which matched the numbers 8-18-22-40-44 and the Mega Ball number 11, were purchased in Maryland, Texas, and New Jersey. A fourth winning ticket was purchased in Virginia but the owner has yet to make him or herself known.

September 01, 2007 10:09 GOOD NEWS!:

For anyone who's having difficulty reading the new-look LasVegasAdvisor.com Web site, we have a solution: In the left-hand blue menu, you'll see a new button called "Screen Color" and if you hit that button, you should see the same site with a white background and black type. The first time you try it you may need to restart your browswer (Internet Explorer, Firefox etc.) and if the "Screen Color" button doesn't work immediately, just hit the "refresh" button on your browser menu. It should enable you to switch between the charcoal and white versions at will.