The first of the now-traditional holiday transformation of cocktail-waitress outfits has materialized at the Hard Rock. The HR waitresses are already sporting their red Santa's-helper outfits. Expect a similar nod to the holidays at the Palms, and probably a few others.
The "Holiday Wonderland" is open in the atrium at Sam's Town. This is one of the best holiday displays in town, with decorations, lighting and lasers, and even falling snow. The display is free to tour all day, and special shows run daily at 6, 8, and 10 pm.
Palace Station is handing out $25 in free slot play every minute tonight, from 7 to 10 pm. You must be playing a machine with your players card inserted. And Silverton is giving out $100 every five minutes today and tomorrow (same conditions) from 1 to 9 pm.
Whatever's being said about low crowd counts in Las Vegas, it's not evident on the streets. Yesterday there were traffic snarls across the Strip, and in particular at Flamingo, where it took 30 minutes to drive from Bellagio's north-side valet to the parking-garage driveway. Not that getting there mattered, both the garage and valet were full, with only those having dinner or show reservations being admitted.
It's buy-one get-one in all Silverton restaurants this weekend. Buy one entree and get a second through Sunday. No coupon required. Excellent offer.
Today's LV Review-Journal contains a magazine insert called Coast Connection. It's similar to the Station Casinos My Station magazine (now discontinued) in that it's packed with dining discounts and casino matchplay for several Coast properties.
Beneath the Neon author Matt O'Brien is scheduled to be interviewed on NPR's "Day to Day" show today, discussing his experiences and the characters he encountered during the five years he spent exploring the storm drains beneath Las Vegas. The show runs from noon to 1 p.m. (88.9 FM in Las Vegas).
Sunday's installment of "60 Minutes" will carry a segment on a massive "poker swindle," according to an announcement made during the first quarter of Thursday's Titans-Lions telecast. This presumably means that the long-promised, oft-postponed exposé of the Ultimate Bet scandal is finally set to run.
If you're eating in the casinos today, you should be able to find Thanksgiving dinner almost anywhere you look -- from the highest-end restaurants to the buffets. In today's LV Review-Journal, it says that Station Casinos alone will serve 20,000 pounds of turkey, 12,000 pounds of mashed potatoes, and 2,600 gallons of gravy. Should be enough to go around.
You can take advantage of some good players club points multiples today. South Point is awarding 2X points beginning at noon. Silverton is awarding 5X points all day and new club members get $50 in free play today only. Coast Casinos and Aliante Station are awardng 6X points.
This weekend’s concert schedule’s got everything from '60s folk group The Kingston Trio to 2008 AMA Breakthrough Artist award winners The Jonas Brothers and just about everything in between. The Commodores try out the new entertainment venue at the Silverton while the Smashing Pumpkins celebrate 20 years of their brand of alternative rock at the Palms. Other highlights include Spring Preserve’s debut of the this season’s Winter Lights Festival.
Four prospective casinos having dwindled to two and dog tracks continuing to close, gambling revenues in Kansas are going to be far less than initially projected. Instead of the $200 million/year that was forecast in 2007, when casino legislation passed, the newest set of projections shrinks that number to less than $24 million. On the brighter side, $30 million in one-time licensing fees paid by Cordish Co. and Butler National will help shrink the Sunflower State's $141 million budget deficit.
Prices and showtimes have been announced for Defending the Caveman's limited run at Excalibur, Dec. 15-Jan. 11. Kevin Burke's one-man show will play the Thunder from Down Under Showroom nightly at 7 p.m., with 3 p.m. weekend matinees. Evening performances sell for $39.95, $49.95 and $64.95 (exclusive of taxes and handling charges), while afternoon performances are priced at $34.95 and $44.95. Purchasers of the higher-priced tickets will also receive a commemorative T-shirt.
As much as a half-billion dollars could be pledged by the owners of Station Casinos in order to pay down debt and reduce the company's interest charges. Colony Capital is three-fourths owner of Station, but recently missed a loan payment on its Resorts Atlantic City property, which may put the $500 million onus on the family of Frank Fertitta Jr. Station also intends to replace some of its existing debt with new loans carrying 10% interest and with longer maturity dates.
It's been brought to our attention that there's a problem with the phone number listed on the 2008 POV coupon for Budget Rent a Car. They tell us the best number to call to make a Las Vegas reservation is 702/730-0100 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. PST (you can still call that number after hours but the call will be forwarded to the front counter). They also assured us that all rental agents are aware of the Las Vegas Advisor coupons, so even if there are difficulties with the reservation, the coupon will still be honored at the time of rental.
Boyd Gaming lost one of its top executives today. Borgata President Larry Mullin is leaving the company, effective Jan. 5, to take the helm of the casino branch of Australian conglomerate Tabcorp, which owns four casinos. Former Borgata boss Bob Boughner, idled by the shutdown of Echelon, will act as interim president of the Atlantic City resort.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sheldon Adelson is drastically scaling back his support of Birthright Israel Foundation, which underwrites the travel costs of Jewish youths who wish to visit Israel. After donating $67 million in 2007-08, Adelson will give $20 million next year and $10 million in 2010. The reduction was positioned as a means "to provide an opportunity and a challenge to other philanthropists ... to play a more significant role in supporting Birthright Israel."
New Jersey's state Senate has voted 31-8 to revoke a law that barred casino employees from holding certain elective offices in Atlantic City. That means 8,984 potential new City Council candidates. According to The Press of Atlantic City, "In addition to local office, ethics laws block casino workers from many top state jobs, including governor and department commissioners. They are excluded from elected state positions, and in Atlantic City can neither serve on the planning and zoning boards nor work for them. Casinos also are barred from contributing to races in the state." The current mayor of Atlantic City, Lorenzo Langford, is a former Trump Taj Mahal pit boss.
Stock of General Growth Properties leapt 96% on news that Pershing Square Capital Mgmt. has taken a 20% stake in the troubled mall developer. GGP owns the Fashion Show Mall, Grand Canal Shoppes and Shoppes at the Palazzo, among other Vegas properties.
Last week, MGM Mirage decided to hold off development of its planned Cotai Strip resort in Macao. The company is already plagued by slowing condo sales at CityCenter (only 32 units reserved in July-Sept.). Work at the James Packer/Lawrence Ho project, Macau Studio City, is also said to be at a standstill.
Wynn Resorts has re-launched its new, expanded version of its Web site for Encore. There's even a dedicated page for Danny Gans, complete with ticket-booking information.
Despite being the newest show on the Strip, Criss Angel's vehicle, Believe, is not to be found among the 10 top-selling acts in Las Vegas during the Nov. 17-23 period, according to TicketNews.com (by way of Steve Friess). Leader of the pack, by a wide margin, continues to be Bette Midler's The Showgirl Must Go On, followed by Cher and Cirque du Soleil's decade-old O. Three other Cirque du Soleil shows -- Ka, Love and Mystere -- chart at the 6-8 spots, respectively. Fourth and fifth place are held by Jersey Boys and Donny & Marie, while Blue Man Group and Ultimate Manilow round out the top 10.
It's all but over for Tropicana Entertainment in New Jersey. This morning the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the New Jersey Casino Commission, which denied Tropicana a license late last year. The verdict enables the NJCCC to move ahead with a planned sale of the Atlantic City Trop to Cordish Co., unless it is moved by an appeal from Tropicana Entertainment CEO Scott Butera to allow his company back. Butera contends that Tropicana Entertainment is a new and reformed outfit that bears no trace of ousted CEO Bill Yung.
Handheld eDeck gambling devices made by Cantor Gaming, a branch of Cantor Fitzgerald, have been OK'd for use in Nevada casinos. The machines, which support Cantor's digital versions of baccarat and roulette, have been undergoing field trials at the Venetian and are scheduled for deployment at M Resort when it opens in July.
Viva Las Vegas has closed at the downtown Plaza. Meanwhile, the Venetian's The Real Deal has rejiggered its schedule and price structure. The Tuesday show now starts at 10 p.m., not 8, and there's a new one-price-fits-all fee of $45, enabling all spectators to play along with the onstage action.
Following in the footsteps of the massive Thanksgiving retail sale throughout the MGM Mirage properties, the Hard Rock's just announced that it will be jumping on the seasonal bandwagon with special promos throughout the property, while all female dealers and cocktail servers will be ditching their regular uniforms and donning the Hard Rock's customary sexy Santa suits.
Property-wide deals include 30% off all merchandise at the Hard Rock retail store and $25 off any service of $100 or more for locals in the Rock Spa now through December (except New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31).
There's disagreement a-brewin' over whether former Playmate of the Year Kelly Monaco and ex-Spice Girl Melanie Brown are going to drop their knickers (or at least their bra straps) in Planet Hollywood's new Peepshow, which is unveiled next March. Choreographer Jerry Mitchell tells Vegas gossip columnist Norm Clarke, "They're definitely going to take it off." Not so, says a story on People magazine's Web site, which reports that Monaco and Scary Spice will simply be scantily clad. Rest assured that LVA will get to the bottom of this mystery.
When pressed on the future of Defending the Caveman last week at the Global Gaming Expo, star Kevin Burke's management was cagey, hinting that an announcement would be made soon and it would be a step up from the Golden Nugget. Last Thursday, it became official: After closing at the Nugget, Caveman will open for a Dec. 16-Jan. 11 limited engagement at Excalibur. Burke will be filling Louie Anderson's shoes and then, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Mike Weatherford, may move to an afternoon slot.
For Gordie Brown's return to his roots at the Golden Nugget, casino ownership has busted out a five-tier price structure, "which may be a record for a 600-seat theater," quoth the R-J's Mike Weatherford. Whether you want to pay $39.95, $54.95, $65.95, $87.95 or (for the added value of meeting Mr. Brown himself) $99.95, contact the Golden Nugget.
Other than our own Anthony Curtis, nobody in Las Vegas gives good interview like Steve Wynn. Fox 5 has a new, six-minute colloquy between Wynn and morning TV personality Monica Jackson. Better still, if you click on "Watch: Complete Interview with Wynn" (sorry, no direct link), you get the unabridged, 38-minute version.
The Associated Press has an excellent primer on the current casino slowdown in Macao. Among those taking a sanguine view of the cooled-off market (i.e., merely $893 million a month instead of $1.5 billion) is Steve Wynn, who asks: "We're not having these huge increases, but who says that you're entitled to that every few years? Where did that become a law of nature?"
Briefly -- very briefly -- Wynn Resorts made a new version of its Encore Las Vegas Web site available online. Encore 2.0, if you will, was spotted on Sunday but had vanished from the 'Net by this morning, replaced with the previous "teaser" version of the Encore site.
Dave Bern's "State of Nevada" radio show at 9 a.m. on 88.9 KNPR this morning will feature his interview with notorious Vegas mobster Frank Culotta, the subject of our eponymous title and DVD interview by ex-cop Denny Griffin.
After a successful six-year run on the Strip, the ABBA musical Mamma Mia! ends its run at Mandalay bay on Jan. 4, 2009. If you're a local and haven't yet caught it -- or have, and want to see it one more time -- there's a 2-for-1 offer valid now through through Dec. 21. Visit www.mammamiaoffers.com/localsearch/ for more details.
According to the LV Review-Journal, Encore will open with a restaurant called Sinatra. The Italian restaurant was formerly slated to be named Theo's after chef Theo Schoenegger; however, Steve Wynn was able to make a deal with Frank Sinatra's estate to display rare Sinatra memoribilia -- including his only Academy Award for From Here to Eternity -- and the change was made. Steve had a unique relationship with Frank, having persuaded the Chairman of the Board to do a series of ads for the Golden Nugget when an entrepreneurial young Wynn was on his way up in Las Vegas.
T&T at Luxor has debuted the Sunday Mariachi Brunch. A special brunch menu (order off the menu) is offered from 11 am to 3 pm and a mariachi band plays while you dine.
In a note on last week's Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, we reported that it appeared to be more sparsely attended than in years past. Maybe not. An early report indicates there were slightly more exhibitors this year than last.
Silverton's $160 million expansion is set to debut this week. Although scaled down from original plans, it will include more casino space and a poker room, restaurants, and the property's first parking garage (with 1,500 spaces). One additional feature, Light Bar, will not open till next month.
Danny Gans concludes his 8-1/2 year, 1,639-performance run at the Mirage tonight. He'll move slightly north on the Strip to perform next year at Encore.
Today's another 6X points day at the new Aliante Station. The multiplier will also be in effect Nov. 24th, 27th, and 29th. It looks like you really need it here, as early reports have pegged the video poker mix as fairly bleak, save for a few 10/6 Double Double Bonus machines for quarters and dollars.
The legendary festive display that annually adorns the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at Bellagio will be unveiled December 7 and continue through January 3, 2009. Apparently, this year you can expect flying reindeer made of whole pecans, a snowman family created with white carnations, four 15-foot-tall toy soldiers, a 7-foot-tall rocking horse, and an oversized wreath adorned with pine cones and a gold bow, and a 32-foot Shasta Fir bedecked with 12,000 LED lights.
Although the notion of lowering Nevada's legal gambling age to 18 appears to be a settled issue for the time being, David Matthews makes some strong arguments on behalf of reviving the debate. The net effect of keeping gambling at the present age of 21 and higher is, he contends, a form of discrimination, one that creates a second-class tier of citizens.
After a six-year run at Neonopolis, Jillian's has closed, evicted in favor of an undisclosed tenant. The Tenant Who Shall Remain Nameless (and whose restaurant will remain undisclosed until Dec. 12) was drawn to Neonopolis by the impending arrival of Star Trek: The Experience, which is getting a new lease on life after over a decade at the Las Vegas Hilton.
GSN's fifth season of "High Stakes Poker" will be lensed at the downtown Golden Nugget's The Grand poker room, Dec. 19-21. The Nugget has also lured the World Poker Tour's WPT Boot Camp, starting with a Jan. 24-25 "Tournament Camp." The GSN announcement marks a reunion with the Nugget, which hosted the premiere season of "High Stakes Poker." The December tourney's minimum buy-in will be a cool $200K. As for WPT Boot Camp, follow-up sessions will be held March 7-8 and May 23-25. Instructors for the January boot camp include Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson, T.J. Cloutier, Mark Seif and Clonie Gowen.
Melco Crown Entertainment CEO Lawrence Ho is reducing his own salary by 35%, part of a larger austerity plan he hopes will save the company $25 million next year. Melco Crown decreased its third quarter losses by over 50% from last year, posting negative earnings of $0.02/share.
Citing the current recession and the unavailability of capital, Station Casinos has temporarily shelved its Durango Station project. Long in abeyance (and formerly known as "Rhodes Ranch"), it had been revived in July, with groundbreaking planned for next year and its opening slated for 2011. Station opened the $660 million-plus Aliante Station last week.
Ticketmaster is offering 13" by 7" slices of flooring from the Caesars Palace Colosseum, for $149 each plus $17 shipping. The original, raked stage floor of the Colosseum was taken out after Celine Dion's A New Day closed, replaced with a level floor for Bette Midler's The Showgirl Must Go On. Each of the 4,148 slabs is accompanied by a COA. Allow six to eight weeks for delivery.
Players who received a direct-mail piece offering them $3K in free play at Bally's or Paris-Las Vegas found themselves on the wrong end of a $2,700 typo. According to the Los Angeles Times, Harrah's apparently did itself no favors by immediately designating the offer "sold out" rather than 'fessing up to having made a typographical error.
If your budget precludes a Vegas visit this month (or next month or ... ), don't despair. You can still vicariously visit Sin City via our Las Vegas Webcams section in the LVA Visitor Guide, where you'll find links to a whole host of different views of your favorite city and its top attractions.
Tonight, Friday, Nov. 21st from 8 p.m. Beatles tribute band The Fab will be performing Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety inside Club Madrid at Sunset Station. Then tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 22nd, for the first time ever live in Las Vegas, the band will perform the whole White Album, in celebration of the 40-year anniversary of its release. Both nights will feature special guests and are free to all aged 21+ to attend.
After reporting $121 million in profits in the third quarter of '07, Atlantic City casinos posted a $79 million loss for July-Sept. of this year. Even Borgata was affected, even though its new Water Club hotel drove hotel occupancy up by 200,000 room nights. Before operating costs were deducted, Borgata had the highest gross operating profit, followed by Harrah's Marina, which suffered but a negligible decline from 2007. The most severe dropoffs occurred at Colony Capital's Resorts Atlantic City and A.C. Hilton Casino Resort, which posted but $7 million gross operating profit between them.
No surprise here. A $1 billion Atlantic City casino, Gateway, has gone into postponement. The project is the brainchild of local real estate developer Curtis Bashaw and former Caesars Entertainment CEO Wallace Barr.
Increased visitation from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia helped overcome visa restrictions imposed on Macao, whose tourist count grew 8% last month and was up 13% from a poor September. Even so, Galaxy Entertainment is pushing the opening of its Cotai Mega Resorts complex into 2010.
Nevada's Gaming Commission has OK's a plan whereby Dubai World -- half-owner of CityCenter -- would increase its 9% share of MGM Mirage to 20%. It's not a matter of "if" but merely "when," says Dubai World CIO Lai Boon Yu.
Citing the need "for the company to consolidate its corporate functions in one location," Harrah's senior VP, controller, and chief accounting officer Anthony D. McDuffie has announced that the company will be closing its Memphis office and data center. The move will leave 250 employees without jobs, while another 50 will be moved to Harrah's Las Vegas headquarters in early 2009.
On Tuesday, Greektown Casino Chairman Joe McCoy felt compelled to issue the following: "Contrary to certain exaggerated claims you may have read or heard in the news media, Greektown Casino is open for business, will continue to be open for business, and is not in danger of 'running out of cash' and 'closing in December."' Such claims are false." In fact, Greektown's VIP casino area is scheduled to open today, with a new hotel to follow in February. Detroit-based Greektown is currently in Chapter 11 reorganization.
After years of opposition to casino gambling, the Navajo Nation has decided to embrace it, opening the Fire Rock Casino, near Gallup, N.M., on Wednesday. As many as 4,000 players showed up to check out the casino, which only holds 1,800 souls at a time. The tribe, which is managing the casino itself (rather than jobbing in private-sector expertise) expects to derive $32 million annually. A permanent casino will eventually replace the sprung structure that houses 472 slots and 10 table games, plus poker.
Gary Loveman, chairman and CEO of Harrah's Entertainment Inc., said the following in a speech at the G2E yesterday, "One of the challenges that has plagued the casino industry for a long time is that we spend money like drunken sailors. I think the industry is going to have to get accustomed to the notion that not every project is a good project — and a billion dollars is a lot of money, after all."
Vegas is the place to be this weekend if you need a good laugh. For the fourth straight year Caesars Palace hosts The Comedy Festival and this year’s event's the biggest one yet with such headliners as Jerry Seinfeld, Dane Cook, and Ellen Degeneres. In addition to the big ticket a-list events offered at The Colosseum, you can laugh for free at the LOL Lounge inside Caesars’ Emperors Ballroom, where more than two dozen up-and-coming entertainers get a chance to try out their comic chops. Over at Paris they’ll host the annual Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration with free wine tastings all weekend and a special Rock 'n Rol
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition will close its doors at the Tropicana at 5 p.m. this evening and begin the short journey around the block to the Luxor. No specific date has been announced for the grand re-opening but Premier Exhibitions, Inc. anticipates the attraction will open sometime before Christmas.
An article in today's USA Today discusses problems that graduates, mostly athletes, of the University of Nevada Las Vegas have had with the credibility of their degrees. Many have a degree called "university studies" that is being capped into question by prospective employers. It's a different kind of coverage for Las Vegas in the big media.
In the CEO soul-baring that's been prominent during the G2E convention, it's being made clear that money is the issue at hand. And it's not necessarily the money that customers aren't spending. Rather it's the lack of access to credit that has the casinos worried. Gary Loveman of Harrah's predicted the crunch would lead to the end of the casino companies "arms race." Translation: Don't expect much new building for a while.
According to today's LV Sun, there's now a line on whether or not the Detroit Lions will go without a win this year. At the Lucky's sports books, you can get +180 that they will go 0-16, and -220 that they will win one of their last six games.
Get 6X points today at Aliante Station. This is a great opportunity to check out Las Vegas' newest casino. It's located at Aliante Parkway and 215.
MGM Mirage's Las Vegas properties, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Monte Carlo, Luxor, Excalibur, and Circus Circus will all hold a 20%-off-all-erchandise sale at the MGM Mirage-owned stores over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The sale will include logo merchandise as well as brand names including Just Cavalli, Valentino (clothing and handbags), Juicy Couture, Ed Hardy, Michael Kors, True Religion, DKNY, and more and the discount applies to regular priced merchandise as well as already reduced merchandise (excluding Rolex, Panerai and Patek Philippe watches, as well as Hearts on Fire and John Hardy jewelry and all snacks, alcohol, and cigarettes.)
The sale begins Nov. 27 and the stores involved include: La Scarpa, Tesorini and Capri at Bellagio; xclusiv at MGM Grand; Bejeweled and Pearl Moon at Mandalay Bay; The Street of Shops at The Mirage; Christian Audigier The Store at Treasure Island; Indulge at Monte Carlo; THREADS at Luxor; Castle Keepsakes at Excalibur, and Exclusively Circus Circus.
MGM Mirage has announced that its Board of Directors has elected James J. Murren as the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2008. J. Terrence Lanni, who's been CEO for the past 13 years and recommended Murren for the post, will continue as a member of the Board and will join the Diversity Committee.
This year's Global Gaming Expo -- the international tradeshow of the casino industry -- seems to be reasonably well attended, though the number of exhibitors is obviously below the level of past years. The show runs through tomorrow.
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, which has been seen by 17 million people worldwide and is currently housed at the Tropicana, will close to the public at 5 p.m. this Thursday, in preparation for its move across the Strip and down the boulevard to the Luxor. The opening date for the exhibit in its new home, where it will be joining its erstwhile neighbor BODIES... The Exhibit, has yet to be announced.
Local nonprofit Barry's Boxing, which helps get young men and women off the streets and into the sport of boxing, and Smile Train, the world's leading cleft charity, are co-hosting the inaugural Fight Club Charity Boxing Tournament inside the Joint at the Hard Rock this evening.
The first match is at 6 p.m., with a requested donation of $25 for entry, and the final bout will feature Las Vegas local Brett Cooke fighting Sirius Radio personality and pro MMA wrestler Jason Ellis.
That's Bass not Burton, and the tower is Paris's Eiffel replica, which the ex-NSYNC and "Dancing with the Stars" finalist will be lighting up red at midnight, Wednesday Nov. 19, after he receives a helicopter-delivered cask of 2008 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau, launching a weekend-long celebration at Paris Las Vegas.
The replacement for Stomp Out Loud has just been announced. Called Peepshow, the new production at Planet Hollywood is apparently a "highly stylized, full-throttle modern burlesque" starring Kelly Monaco and ex-Spice Girl Mel B. Preview performances are scheduled to begin March 30, 2009 with tickets in the $59-$149 range.
While there's yet to be any official announcement of the show on the Planet Hollywood site, tickets are already available at ticketmaster.com.
Tickets for popular celebrity impressionist/ventriloquist Terry Fator, winner of the 2007 season of "America's Got Talent," go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 19 at The Mirage, where his show opens in early 2009.
Preview performances are scheduled to begin February 14, 2009, with regularly scheduled performances commencing March 17. Tickets are priced at $59, $79, $99, and $129, (excluding tax & fees.) For more information and reservations call 702/792-7777 or 800/963-9634 or visit the box office online at www.themirage.com.
Don't forget that the video poker guru behind the much-acclaimed Video Poker for Winners tutorial software will be offering his expertise for free today at South Point casino in two separate classes aimed at beginners (1-2:30 p.m.) and intermediate players (3-4 p.m.).
Today's session will focus on 10/7 Double Bonus and, as the man himself pointed out when we checked in with him yesterday, the showroom holds 200 so can easily accommodate all who show up. "You need to be a Club at South Point member to attend the class, but you can sign up at the class itself. Today they are giving away free turkeys for 500 points worth of play and next Tuesday (Double Double Bonus) they are giving away a nice cooking pot for the same amount of play. That will make the club booth very busy so signing up at the class will be MUCH faster.)"
As a thankyou to resident Las Vegans for their continued support, the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group will be offering locals priotity reservations and preferred seating at all six restaurants, plus a complimentary dessert per couple, at all six venues in town, in addition to special holiday menus that will be available to all diners. For phone numbers, locations, and links to the menus (where available) for Spago, Chinois, Postrio, CUT, Trattoria del Lupo, and Wolgang Puck Bar & Grill, just check out our Buffets & Dining listings.
The sports-clothing store's celebrating its 60th bithday with a series of parties around the nation. The Vegas event takes place in the Fashion Show Mall store after-hours on December 11 and will feature the launch of a new collection, a 20% discount on merchandise throughout the store, cupcakes and drinks, music provided by a local DJ, and a raffle for the ultimate gift-bag. The first one hundred shoppers to spend $50 will receive an exclusive gift with purchase featuring the latest fashion and beauty products. To RSVP click here (note that registering does not guarantee attendance -- guests will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis).
Now through February 27, 2009, the Beatles' LOVE at Mirage is offering a 25%-off discount all levels of seating for specific dates only. Tickets must be purchased online. Click here to reserve tickets.
The Longhorn on Boulder Highway is advertising $1 Corona and Modelo beer. Both are available from the bar 24/7.
Sam's Town is the latest to advertise low table-game minimums. The marquee recently advertised $3 blackjack and craps offered around the clock.
A reminder that Jeff McBride's Magic at the Edge show will be ending its special three-month engagement at Palace Station this coming Saturday, Nov. 22. Recently named "Las Vegas' Best Magic Show" by the International Magic Society, from now until the end of its run locals receive $10 off the original ticket price of $49 just by showing a Nevada ID. The show's at 7:30 p.m. nightly (dark Tues.) and tickets are available by calling 702/574-5300, online at www.palacestation.com, or at the Palace Station Box Office.
(If you don't believe us about how good this show is, click the link above for the latest rave review posted by a local LVA reader and take his word to catch it while you can...)
We were a little slow in getting out to the new Aliante Station, but we took a look over the weekend. This is one beautiful casino, very similar to Red Rock in that it's upscale enough to be a Strip property, but it's way out on the far north side of town. All the restaurants and bars are operating and the casino was busy all weekend. We're preparing a full review for the December LVA.
The former Roberta's at El Cortez is now The Flame. We'd heard rumors that a name change could materialize early next year, but without a formal announcement, EC restaurant ads are already referencing the new name.
A story in today's LV Review-Journal indicates that Penthouse has made it known that it's seeking a "significant property" in Las Vegas -- specifically, a Penthouse-branded casino on the Strip. It's an interesting proclamation given that most other projects have slowed or stopped, but Penthouse claims it has the assets to proceed and that now is the time to buy.
Five Las Vegas restaurants have been awarded AAA's Five Diamond award. Newcomer Restaurant Guy Savoy (Caesars Palace) joins repeaters Picasso and Le Cirque (Bellagio), Joel Robuchon (MGM Grand), and Alex (Wynn). Only Chicago, with seven, has more Five Diamond restaurants.
There were another five recipients of Five Diamonds in the hotel category. Wynn Las Vegas, Four Seasons, Venetian, Bellagio, and Skylofts at MGM Grand all repeated from last year.
The UNLV Rebels kick off their season today with a home game at the Thomas & Mack Arena. Starting time is 2:30 pm. This year's team is ranked just outside of the nation's top 25 in preseason polls.
Get 6X players club points today at Sunset Station and Santa Fe Station. Offer is for today only, and does not appear to extend to other Station casinos.
The Gold Coast's November drink special is $2 Heineken. The deal is available 24/7 at all casino bars.
State officials in Kansas, including Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, have misgivings about Harrah's Entertainment's commitment to build a casino resort in the Sumner County area. (Harrah's beat out Penn National Gaming, among others, last summer.) Harrah's official response has been to say it doesn't comment on rumors.
Hawaiian Tropic Zone (inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood) will celebrate the 2009 Miss Nevada USA pageant with a contestant meet-and-greet from 6:30–8 p.m. this evening.
It wasn't until Wednesday that MGM Mirage owner Kirk Kerkorian learnt that CEO J. Terrence Lanni was going to resign, Lanni told The Associated Press. Lanni's announcement came late Thursday, as MGM stock bottomed out at $9.11/share. It rallied to end the week's trading at $10.45. MGM spokesman Alan Feldman called an unflattering Wall Street Journal piece on Lanni's exit "a repulsive result of media marketing -- it is not journalism," he told Reuters.
If several factors line up just right, Reno's Eldorado Resorts will achieve its long-deferred goal of buying the Casino Aztar riverboat in Evansville. Indiana casino regulators licensed Eldorado yesterday, which means the sale can go through -- if Tropicana Entertainment agrees. Tropicana previously tried to renege on its deal with Eldorado but now says it favors the sale. (An attempt to get newer, higher bids drew no offers.) Also, the sale still needs the say-so of a bankruptcy judge in Delaware.
Las Vegas' annual New Year's Eve fireworks display will be less visible this year, due to a shift of firing positions from hotel rooftops to ground-level sites. "In previous years, when the show was fired off hotel rooftops, the fireworks could be seen throughout the valley ... the best viewing areas will now be ground level on the Las Vegas Strip," reads the official announcement. The fireworks will now be shot off from the parking lots of Mandalay Bay, Luxor, MGM Grand, Paris-Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Mirage/Treasure Island, the Las Vegas Convention Center, the garage of the Stratosphere and -- we're not kidding -- underneath the Fremont Street Experience canopy. Holy Roman candle, Batman!
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Station Casinos is sacking 40 reservationists and moving their jobs offshore, effective Dec. 8. Station says it is trying to find them other jobs within the company. In another cost-cutting move, International Game Technology is giving early retirement to approximately 120 employees and eliminating the positions of another 180. Their severance will go into effect Jan. 4. "We're trying to do this as humanely as possible so people will be paid through the holidays," IGT spokesman Ed Rogich told the newspaper.
The MMA fighter will host meet and greets at Terrible Herbst (6176 S. Las Vegas Blvd.) from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. and at Buffalo Wild Wings (7345 S. Durango) from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. this evening.
To celebrate 10 years in Las Vegas, the popular seafood restaurant will offer one pound Maine lobsters for $11.95 and $2 margaritas in the bar area from 3:30 p.m. until closing (or while supplies last) today. A DJ will be spinning top 40 hits from 1998 to remind customers of the first year McCormick & Schmick’s opened here. For more information or reservations, call 702/836-9000 or visit www.mccormickandschmicks.com.
Morgans Hotel Group, owner of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, has franchised a Cherokee tribal casino in Tulsa, Ok. Morgans controls rights to the Hard Rock brand west of the Mississippi River and will be sharing rock-n-roll memorabilia with Hard Rock Casino Tulsa, which will incorporate the Hard Rock theme with traditional Cherokee styles. A $155 million expansion of Hard Rock Casino Tulsa will debut in December.
Jonathan Little, 23, of Pensacola, FL beat out 21 year old Jonathan Jaffe of Enfield, CT in the Foxwoods World Poker Finals $10,000 WPT No Limit Hold'em Championship on Nov. 11. The former engineering student pocketed $1.1 million and a seat at the WPT Championship event in Las Vegas worth $25,500 for his efforts. The championship tournament began with 412 players and the total prize pool for the event was $3,876,508. Mike "The Mouth" Matusow from Henderson, NV was the first to fall from the final table and won $123,048 for his sixth place finish.
In other Foxwoods news, the property’s Grand Pequot Tower was awarded the AAA-Four Diamond Award for the sixth consecutive year. One of only nine hotels in Connecticut to achieve this honor, Foxwood’s extraordinary services, quality amenities and superior surroundings are among the standards noted.
After a 25-year run at Imperial Palace, Legends in Concert will move to the Harrah’s showroom for nightly performances beginning Dec. 15. The longest running celebrity tribute show in the world will be transformed into a holiday celebration with specially produced musical arrangements and multimedia presentations from Dec. 15-30. The production's final show at Imperial Palace will be on Dec. 13.
Although Black Gaming has cut expenses heavily, revenues have fallen even faster. In a Nov. 12 conference call, CEO Randy Black said his company was, in essence, on the verge of collapse and might have to temporarily close one of its three Mesquite casinos, having defaulted on a Wells Fargo loan. Closing either the Virgin River, CasaBlanca or Oasis casinos through Jan. 15 is but one of several options Black is mulling.
One more nail was pounded into the coffin of a proposal to lower Nevada's legal gambling age to 18. According to The Associated Press, "an aide says Gov. Jim Gibbons wouldn't support it." Thomas Smock, an attorney for Aristocrat Technologies had floated the idea, and Nevada's top regulators promised to discuss it with leaders of the 2009 Legislature. But public reaction was predominantly negative and Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford were quick to oppose it, which Gaming Control Board Chairman Dennis Neilander later questioned the enforceability of a lower age limit. Even were 18 year olds allowed to gamble in Nevada casinos, they couldn't drink there until age 21.
J. Terrence Lanni's resignation from MGM Mirage coincided with persistent questions about discrepancies between his official biography and academic records at the University of Southern California. According to a story in today's Wall Street Journal, Lanni's resume lists an MBA from USC, but the school has no record of this, nor of a bachelor of arts degree that is mentioned in Lanni's corporate biography. MGM Mirage President James Murren, Lanni's designated successor, told the WSJ, "It would be an incredible miscarriage of what is a stellar career if there's any type of even a suggestion" of a link between the CEO's departure and controversy surrounding Lanni's academic record.
It's all about manly men in Sin City this weekend as the Fremont Street Experience hosts the final stop on the Scott World Firefighter Combat Challenge Tour. Spectators are invited to watch more than 800 of the earth's finest male specimens as they compete in a five-event obstacle course known as the "toughest two minutes in sports." On Sat., local competitors in that event will mix, mingle, and sing during '70s Karaoke Night at the House of Blues Courtyard. And at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, MMA fighters Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar climb inside the octagon for UFC 91 on Sat. night, with after parties at a half-dozen nightspots on The Strip.
MGM Mirage CEO J. Terrence Lanni has announced his retirement, effective Nov. 30, and has recommended that former Wall Street analyst and current MGM President James Murren be named to succeed him. Lanni has chaired the company for 13 years, enjoying the favor of majority shareholder Kirk Kerkorian. Citing the need for generational change at the top, Lanni wrote, "Jim [Murren] is fully equipped to lead the company through these turbulent times in the global economy and take it to new levels of growth and success." Lanni will retain his seat on the board of directors.
Sheldon Adelson's Singapore megaresort won't be rolled out all at once, as previously thought. Instead, Las Vegas Sands has announced a staggered opening, extending into 2010. "First to open will be two out of three hotel towers, a portion of the shopping mall, most of the convention space and the casino ... Other facilities, including an iconic sky park, will open in early 2010," wrote the Straits Times paraphrasing Sands veep Bradley Stone. The company projects Marina Bay Sands will post a profit of $1.25 billion-plus within three years of opening.
Vegas travelers headed to Sin City during the Nov. 25-Jan. 25 period are eligible for $40 ticket discounts to The Showgirl Must Go On, except for the Dec. 30-31 performances. The offer is only available through Dec. 10. After the discount, second balcony sets are $45.45, first mezzanine ones are $86.36 and rear orchestra seats go for $127.27. A sharp-eyed LVA Forum reader spotted this one. Thanks. (And remember to check out all the other latest Vegas deals and bargains that Travelzoo's found -- like Strip hotel rooms for under $40/night -- they're listed right underneath the current LVA Poll voting box on the left of the home page.)
Even having access to the 18-to-21-year-old player base isn't helping some California tribal casinos. Case in point, Morongo Resort Casino & Spa, near Cabazon, Calif. After closing nearly 30 table games, a hiring freeze and letting attrition winnow down its workforce, Morongo decided it had no options left other than to let go nearly 100 employees. Morongo, slightly west of Palm Springs, has been tweaking its entertainment and prices to draw in an older crowd.
In a whimsical piece on how James Bond would play Vegas that runs in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal, LVA's Jessica Roe names casinos, martini bars, and cigar lounges that might appeal to 007. Since Jessica is also a Brit, she brings some added insight into what the British super spy might dig about Las Vegas. A link to the article's posted today in the "LVA in the Media" blog on the home page.
BMI airlines is shutting down its Manchester, U.K.-to-Vegas route, effective April 2009. Should Lufthansa close its proposed acquisition of BMI, it's possible the air link will be resumed. BMI also scrapped its Manchester-to-Chicago route. It had been servicing Las Vegas since Oct. 31, 2004.
Visitation, that is. September's visitor volume was -10% from '07, with a corresponding decline in the number of convention attendees. An increase in the number of hotel rooms helped pushed the occupancy rate down to 84%, with an average daily rate of $113, a significant discount from last September. Air travel was 13% off and car travel from California was down 9%.
In September, tourism from Southeast Asia to Macao leapt 80% from the year before. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to offset restricted visitation from other parts of China, leading to a 2% downturn. Visitors to Macao continue to stay longer than before, although a glut of new hotel rooms has driven the occupancy rate down to 67%.
Standard & Poors has dropped Station Casinos' bond rating to B-, reflecting several concerns which include the mid-2010 expiration of Station's management contract with the United Auburn tribal casino, near Sacramento. Failing mall developer General Growth Properties (owner of the Grand Canal Shoppes and Shoppes at Palazzo) has been dropped from the S&P 500 altogether. Las Vegas Sands and two of its subsidiaries had their bond ratings all cut by Moody's by one grade, based on "continuation of significant negative trends in Las Vegas."
Dec. 2-13 is a locals-appreciation fortnight at Lance Burton's Monte Carlo show. Nevadans can get tickets for $35 (in person) or $38 (online). Through Jan. 29, non-holiday performances of Tournament of Kings will be 'twofers' for Nevadans, effectively making it $33.57 per ticket.
Be warned, though: Cirque du Soleil is raising the cost of a ticket by a ten-spot during the Dec. 18-Jan. 1 period (specific dates vary, depending on the show). Love, O, KA and even the much-reviled Believe are increasing prices over the holidays.
Nov. 22 will be the final night for Jeff McBride's Magic at the Edge, at Palace Station. McBride is seeking a new venue for his "Wonderground" revue. McBride's show goes dark the same night as does Danny Gans. Legions of Gans fans need not fear: The impressionist is simply taking his show up the Strip to Wynn Encore.
As many as 11,000 construction workers will find themselves pink-slipped now that Las Vegas Sands as temporarily pulled the plug on five projects in Macao. Workers native to Macao will receive preference if there are openings elsewhere in Sands' Macanese operation, which already encompasses three properties. Even mothballing its Chinese developments will be expensive for Sheldon Adelson's company: The tab for putting them on hiatus is estimated at $430 million.
Both Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford have come out in opposition to lowering Nevada's legal gambling age to 18. This would appear to kill the proposal's chances in the '09 Legislature, barring further economic calamity.
Harrah's Entertainment and Cordish Co. may soon be building and running Kansas casinos, but their slot machines will be at the mercy of GTECH Corp. The Vegas-based company has won the contract to operate the centralized system which will control all slot machines at all four casinos owned by the Kansas Racing & Gaming Commission (but operated by private companies). According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, "The central system will monitor all slot machine activities and can cut off any or all the machines at a casino."
Several days ago, headlines were made when Nevada casino regulators promised to discuss lowering the legal gambling age to 18 with leaders of the Nevada Legislature. At the time, the idea's proponent was identified simply as a casino industry lawyer. The Associated Press has learned subsequently that he was Aristocrat Technologies attorney Thomas Smock. Twelve million Americans would be newly eligible to gamble in Nevada, he argued, were the age threshold lowered, "and if that means keeping our teachers employed and not cutting the state budget any further, I think it should at least be discussed." He says his views do not represent those of Aristocrat, an Australian company.
The eyecandy sound lounge & bar at Mandalay Bay is celebrating its first anniversay tonight with a party presented by famed hip-hop artist Tone Loc, who'll take the stage at 11 p.m. to perform his popular hits including "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina."
Also in attendance will be resident DJ Presto, the scantily dressed ladies of Snow Queen Vodka and Perrier Jouet Champagne, and a roaming magician. Oh, yes, and the event will feature a complimentary cocktail made with Snow Queen Vodka that will be served from 6–8 p.m.
Bally's Wild Wild West is shutting down its table game pit during part of the graveyard shift, starting at 4 a.m. In a way, it's a reversion to the early days of Atlantic City, when casinos closed for a few hours every night, reopening at 10 a.m., before customer demand caused them to be open 'round the clock. In other news, Bally's was slammed with a $157K fine for allowing a 20-year-old to play so often that she eventually qualified as a "rated" player, eligible for comps. The girl played at least 18 separate times at Bally's without being caught but was busted when she tried her luck at the Sands.
Zagat’s 2009 U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas survey was released today with a nod to Las Vegas’ own Palazzo Resort as the year’s Best Newcomer. According to the "burgundy bible," tough economic times have led to a decline in business travel which is good news for the leisure traveler as hotels everywhere slash rates, ramp up promotions and negotiate deals in an effort to restore healthy occupancy rates.
UNLV's David G. Schwartz, on his DieIsCast.com blog, is questioning the choice of moniker of Arizona's new Lone Butte Casino (near Chandler), adding, "I know that they are supposed to appeal to adults, but I would think that a casino wouldn’t want a name that makes fourth graders laugh." True, but Lone Butte is merely following the illustrious tradition of Bullwhackers (Blackhawk, Colo.) and that Cripple Creek, Colo., institution which proudly calls itself the Brass Ass Casino.
Former Tropicana Entertainment CEO William J. Yung, in an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, says he now regrets buying Aztar Corp., owner of the Las Vegas and Atlantic City Trops. "You've seen what we've gone through - the debacle that caused the downfall of the (Tropicana) company. I wish I'd never done it," he remarked. He does not, however, regret the 1,000-plus job cuts and other economy measures that made him a hated figure in Atlantic City. Pointing to other casinos' recent layoffs, he says, "I was ahead of the curve."
Nevada casinos won slightly more than $1 billion in September, down -5% from last September (which was one of 2007's weaker months, in terms of sheer dollars won). Slot handle on the Strip was down 17% but slot win only declined 5%. Baccarat had a huge month, with $76 million won (+65%), plus a major increase in the amount wagered. Locals casinos were down 7%, but Boulder Strip and North Las Vegas noted double-digit gains from last year, despite having fewer weekend days. As for other markets, it was -5% on the Strip, -8% downtow, -7% in Laughlin, -17% at Lake Tahoe and -21% in Reno.
If Sheldon Adelson is going to finish Marina Bay Sands, he's going to have to do it on his own. That's the edict from Singapore's government, which revealed that Adelson's company had asked for an extension on the Marina Bay project but that the government is not prepared to get involved financially. If companies like CapitaLand, which is partly owned by the Singaporean government, independently decide to invest in the Sands development, that is for them to decide, a cabinet minister stated.
Regal Cinemas at Aliante Station celebrate their grand opening today with $2 movies, $2 popcorn, and $2 beverages. The offer's good all day and all proceeds go to benefit the Nevada SPCA.
Today's Wall Street Journal contains a front-page story on the troubles at Las Vegas Sands. According to the article, Adelson's stake in the company has dropped from $36.4 billion to $1.3 billion. The article provides a succinct account of the many problems at LVS.
Gamblers are fleeing Illinois casinos in droves, judging by the latest numbers from the St. Louis area. Argosy's Alton, Ill., casino and Casino Queen in East St. Louis, Ill. Were both down nearly 30%, reporting a combined $19 million in revenue. Four casinos on the Missouri side reported an average of $12 million apiece, for a total of $49.7 million. Smoking is banned on all Illinois casino floors, but not in Missouri.
No hotel in Macao has won a Mobil Five Star Award -- until now. Wynn Macau has done it twice, winning both for its hotel (one of only five five-star hotels in Asia) and its spa, which is the third spa in the Macao-Hong Kong region to receive that distinction. Wynn Las Vegas' Tower suites and Alex restaurant were Mobil Five Star recipients earlier this year.
Note: The date for this event was incorrect. LVA regrets the error.
BASE Entertainment, having tasted Vegas success three times over with Phantom, Jersey Boys and Wayne Brady: Making #%it Up (all at the Venetian and Palazzo), extends its reach to Planet Hollywood. The casino-resort promises to announce details of a "sexy new production," choreographed by Jerry Mitchell (Broadway's Legally Blonde). A Nov. 18 media event will unveil "a lavish multi-million dollar adult show starring a pop superstar and a siren of the small screen." Let the guessing games begin!
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of his career as a comedian, funny man Louie Anderson, is offering a $30 ticket price (plus taxes/fees) to his Louie Anderson: Larger Than Life show when purchased direct through the Excalibur box office (702/597-7600 or 800/933-1334) or at www.excalibur.com through November 26, 2008.
Anderson performs Sun.-Thurs. at 7 p.m. inside the Thunder From Down Under Showroom at Excalibur. Showtime is 7 p.m. nightly and guests must be 18 years of age. Tickets regularly start at $54 (plus taxes/fees).
According to Las Vegas Sands' own third-quarter filing, slot win was 6%. By contrast, at Wynn Resorts' properties, the "expected range" of slot win was 4.5%-5.5%.
A 10 p.m. fireworks show kicks off the opening of Las Vegas' newest casino, whose doors are scheduled to open at 11:11 p.m. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal (running its third Aliante story in as many days), prospective employees were still being auditioned on Monday. Station has its work cut out at Aliante: The
Golden Nugget owner Tilman Fertitta's Landry's restaurant empire lost $17 million last quarter, thanks mostly to disruption and damage inflicted by Hurricane Ike on the Galveston and Houston areas, Landry's two primary markets. Even Landry's most lucrative arm, the Vegas and Laughlin Nuggets, was off 3%, due to lower slot play, occupancy and room rates. Landry's projects an early 2010 opening for the new tower at the downtown Nugget.
The Dutch magician with the flowing mane is among the entertainers booked for The Comedy Festival, at the Caesars Palace Colosseum. Klok will appear as part of Ellen DeGeneres' variety revue, "Ellen's Even Bigger Really Big Show," on Nov, 20 at 7 p.m. It will air Nov. 29 on TBS and is being billed as Klok's U.S. TV debut. According to DeGeneres, ""We decided to bring the show back to Vegas because the first act we booked is a ‘brother-sister pole act.' Apparently Vegas is the only place where you can get away with something like that."
Wynn Resorts has replaced Ashland Inc. on the S&P 500. Wynn has a market capitalization just shy of $5 billion and trades at $47.59, compared to Ashland's $1.3 billion and $18.69/share. The change becomes effective Nov. 14.
After a year of robust growth, MGM Grand Detroit finally had a down month, off 6% from October '07 -- its first month of business, when curiosity would have been at its peak. Newly expanded Motor City was flat and even the addition of 600 slot machines to Greektown didn't prevent a 3% decline.
Macao Chief Executive Edmund Ho gave his annual policy speech last night and, contrary to expectations, did not lower casino taxes. Afterwards, he told Bloomberg News that it's government policy not to allow any casinos to close and he's ready to assume the reins of any troubled casino until the economy improves.
Warning. If you're planning on watching the World Series of poker final on ESPN tonight and don't want to know the results early, don't read this note.
Peter Eastgate outlasted Ivan Demidov to become this year's WSOP main-event champion. Eastgate pocketed $9,152,416 in becoming the youngest winner ever at 22, a distinction formerly held by Phil Hellmuth. Demidov won $5,809,595 for second. On the final hand, Eastgate's ace-to-five straight beat Demidov's two pair, 4s and 2s.
The Palazzo's St. Regis condo tower has been placed on indefinite hold, Las Vegas Sands announced today. Projects in Macao may also be halted for the time being. Sands reported a loss of $32 million (which was actually an improvement from the third quarter of last year) and said that a new financing package would be in place by week's end. It's expected to include additional capital infusions from company owner Sheldon Adelson.
On the eve of opening its $662 million Aliante Station, parent company Station Casinos announced that it had swung from a slim profit in the third quarter of 2007 to a $23 million loss in 3Q08. Green Valley Ranch was hard hit, with revenues down 22%. Deutsche Bank analyst Andrew Zarnett told investors Station may have to renegotiate the terms of its loans or risk defaulting on the covenants with its banks.
Both MGM Mirage and Las Vegas Sands are among the pursuers of casino opportunities in South Korea, Bloomberg reports. While it might be until 2015 before a casino could actually open, the South Korean government's contemplation of lifting prohibitions against gambling by Korean citizens finally makes this a viable proposition for major operators. Genting and Pansy Ho's Shun Tak Holdings (MGM's partner in Macao) have also been identified as suitors.
A two-week ban on smoking in casinos probably contributed to a 10% decline in October casino win in Atlantic City, for a grand total of $346 million. The ban kicked into effect on Oct. 15 and will run a month. Most of the falloff came at the slots, while table winnings were only down 3%.
On Friday, the Nevada Equal Rights Commission voted 3-1 that it's discriminatory for Las Vegas Athletic Club to offer free memberships only to women. This ruling is setting off trepidation in the casino industry, for fear it could lead to the abolition of 'ladies nights' promotions at Vegas nightclubs.
LYCNS PL8, a Circus Circus-located store "offering fun license plate merchandise," will close on Nov. 30.
Little Darlings and Déjà Vu Showgirls totally nude gentlemen's clubs are offering free admission, free food, and free drinks for all military personnel, active or inactive, with proper ID on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
Velvet Lion gentlemen's club -- formerly Eden's -- is holding a job fair for all positions and all shifts from 1 p.m.-9 p.m. today and tomorrow, Nov. 11 at 3750 S. Valley View.
All candidates must come with resumes and "properly dressed" and all those who attend will be seen and interviewed. Register at www.skinniejobs.com (all candidates must have a profile in Skinnie Jobs to be considered). Positions to be filled include bartenders, cocktail waitresses, dancers, management, floor hosts, house moms, promo team, and DJs.
The Garden Buffet at the south-Strip property is offering a free buffet for veterans tomorrow, Nov. 11. The offer is good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and applies to all active and retired military personnel and one guest. Must show military ID or DD214 to cashier.
Good news for martini lovers: the El Cortez has introduced "Martini Madness" to its new daily happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m.
The new special offers a 2-for-1 deal at all bars and on all drinks on the El Cortez's martini menu -- regular price $7 -- including the Cabana "Sweets" martini, the signature drink of the new Cabana Suites (the freestanding boutique-hotel tower opening in early 2009.)
JP Morgan is reporting that Las Vegas room rates for Nov. 30-Dec. 6 are, on average, 33% below the same period last year. (That means an average rate of $146, not $219.) What may make this surprising is that the week in question sees twice as many conventions as last year and 8,000 more conventioneers. Discounting has increased considerably since Oct. 1, led by the Venetian/Palazzo metaresort (-39%).
While the WSOP final table was being played out across town, 'Dream Team Poker' was making its debut at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino last Saturday. Those on the red carpet included familiar TV faces Roger Cross ("24"), Yancey Arias ("Kingpin," "Knight Rider") and Mekhi Phifer ("ER"), along with Erica Schoenberg of "Poker After Dark."
Cantor Gaming has bought oddsmaker Las Vegas Sports Consultants, to complement Cantor's move into the sports book industry. "LVSC's strict ethical guidelines and sophisticated use of technology reflect Cantor's own values," reads a statement from Lee Amaitis, president of Cantor Gamning. It's an affiliate of Cantor Fitzgerald, which came to Nevada four years ago to pursue handheld gaming but which has branched out into sports betting as the mobile-gambling effort has stalled.
Warning. If you're planning on watching the World Series of poker final on ESPN tomorrow and don't want to know the results early, don't read this note.
They're down to two. Yesterday's action took out seven of the final nine, leaving only Peter Eastgate of Denmark and Ivan Demidov of Russia. Eastgate leads with 79.5 million chips to Demidov's 57.7 million. The finishing order and the amount of their prizes is as follows (starting from third place: Dennis Phillips ($4,517,773), Ylon Schwartz ($3,774,974), Scott Montgomery ($3,096,768), Darus Suharto ($2,418,562), Chino Rheem ($1,772,650), Kelly Kim ($1,288,217), and Craig Marquis ($900,670). There's a significant difference in first- and second-place prize money: $9.2 millon to $5.8 million. An Eastgate win would make him the youngest main-event winner ever. Play resumes today at 10 pm.
A "60 Minutes" segment on the Ultimate Bet online hole-card scandal that was scheduled for today's show looks like it's been pulled. We don't have full confirmation that it won't air today, but it would be the second postponement if it doesn't.
The final table of the World Series of Poker convenes today at the Rio after a 117-day delay. The champion is expected to be crowned by early Tuesday morning. The whole situation is broken down in today's Question of the Day.
One week after the Ted Binion murder story aired on Lifetime, a second high-profile Las Vegas murder case will be featured tonight on "48 Hours." The sordid tale of professional body-building married couple Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan is the subject of tonight's show, airing at 10 pm.
After a several-month absence, the Boulder Station Feast buffet is back in its own, completely renovated, room. Prices are low, just $4.99 for breakfast, $6.99 for lunch, and $9.99 for dinner (with Boarding Pass card). As an added benefit of the buffet's return, the Railhead lounge, which was used as a temporary location for the buffet, will again be able to host concerts and events.
Beginning Friday, Nov. 14 with the opening of the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, Galaxy Cannery will be the first movie theatre in Clark County to serve beer. The beer will only be served in select theatres inside Galaxy Cannery daily after 6 p.m and only guests aged 21 and older will be permitted inside the theatres serving beer.
Other upcoming promos include the theater providing one free 85oz bag of popcorn with each ticket purchased during "Customer Appreciation" weekend, starting Friday, Nov. 14 at noon and continuing through Sunday, Nov. 16, while each of the first 500 ticket holders in line to see the 11:59 p.m. screening of Quantum of Solace Thursday, November 13 will receive a free t-shirt. (The film premieres nationwide Friday, Nov. 14.)
Tonight, between 7 and 10 pm, Palace Station will award $25 in slot free-play every minute. Active players will be chosen at random to get the awards. At 10 pm there will be a bonus drawing for $1,000, which means a total of $5,500 will be handed out tonight. Assuming you're one of, say, 500 active players, it's worth more than $10 in expected value to show up and play. This same deal will run every Friday and Saturday evening in November.
Who's there? Ellis Island's holiday egg nog is reportedly ready and available at the bar. Good news: This alcoholic concoction is pretty tasty. Bad news: According to a newspaper report, it's gone up $2 to $6 per glass (still $29.95 per bottle).
Our latest poll on casino smells drew lots of interesting comments, and our voters name names. Check out the olfactory orations under "Poll Results" on the home page.
A racino was on the ballot in Guam, but citizens of the Pacific Island voted it down last Tuesday. That vote spelled doom for Guam Greyhound Park, putting 10 part-time employees out of work. The dog track, open since 1976, had been declining in popularity. Massachusetts citizens voted to outlaw greyhound racing, putting the state's two dog tracks out of business.
Coupon-clipping may be the order of the day for Isle of Capri Casinos' four highest-paid executives, each of whom is taking a one-year 25% reduction in their salary, retroactive to Nov. 1. The quartet making sacrifices are CEO James Perry, COO Virgnia McDowell, company founder and Chairman Bernard Goldstein and Vice-Chair Robert Goldstein. Isle will also have one less big salary to pay, Executive VP Allan Solomon having stepped down on Halloween.
According to the Associated Press, the short list of potential appointees to President-elect Obama's cabinet includes the governors and former governors of six states (New Jersey, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon, Kanas and Iowa) that have casinos, tribal gambling or both, as well as the governor of one state (Massachusetts) where casino expansion is on the docket for next year.
The Fremont Street Experience hosts its annual Patriot Party this weekend, with free bands, entertainment, and a Veteran's Day parade at 10 a.m. Sunday morning. Here's the lineup:
Friday, Nov. 7
Usually the week of the Consumer Electronics Show finds Las Vegas hotels booked to the rafters. We've heard of conventioneers having to get rooms in Laughlin instead. Not this year. Reuters reports that, with companies sending fewer staffers to the Jan. 8-11 expo, it's exerting downward pressure on Vegas room rates. One attendee rebooked at Encore after seeing how affordable rooms were becoming.
Hotels sold out for CES include the Las Vegas Hilton (no surprise there), the Mirage, Mandalay Bay and -- in some good news Sheldon Adelson could really use -- the Venetian. Top rates at the Tropicana are now down to $179/night and those at Monte Carlo have been cut to $240.
Get a gander at the famous Hooters Calendar Girls as they host meet-and-greet autograph sessions on the casino floor tonight (7 p.m.), tomorrow (Noon/5 p.m./9 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.). Each session last 2 hours and you must be 21 or older to attend.
Twenty-one high-ranking executives at Trump Entertainment Resorts have agreed to a 5% pay reduction. TER reported a $139 million loss today.
Faced with a 23% year-over-year drop in revenue, Riviera CEO William Westerman is saying "no" to any expenditures not absolutely necessary to keep the casino-hotel open, which includes scrapping $4.3 million to finish renovating the Riv's hotel rooms. So far this year, Riviera Holdings has eked out a modest profit, largely thanks to the retirement of debt. "We've survived 53 years, and we have a healthy cash position and we have a very excellent financial package of loans," Westerman told investors.
How do you follow up winning a Michelin award? Well, if you're chef André Rochat, you close down. Andre's Downtown will go dark on Dec. 31, whereupon Rochat and his staff will move lock, stock and spatula to the newly remodeled André's Monte Carlo. If the Monte Carlo restaurant isn't ready by New Year's, Andre's Downtown will stay open through Jan. 3. Rochat blames economic conditions for the shutdown.
After announcing third-quarter profits of $244 million a year ago, Harrah's Entertainment today reported a 3Q08 loss of $130 million. CEO Gary Loveman appears to be looking for rescue in the form of legalized online poker, telling a conference call that the chances of that happening are better with the new Congress, due to changes in committee chairmanships.
Backers of a proposed casino in southwestern Ohio -- an idea drop-kicked by voters on Tuesday -- say don't count them out and promise to return with a new, improved proposal next year. To broaden the appeal their pitch, they will include as possible sites Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Youngstown -- even conservative Cincinnati -- rather than putting all their chips on one location.
Tracinda Corp., the investment arm of Kirk Kerkorian's empire, has announced the retraction of a tender offer for Delta Petroleum. A sudden falloff in the share price of Delta was cited as a reason for the change of heart. Tracinda is also continuing to sell down its position in Ford Motor. Kerkorian may well be preparing to ramp up his ownership stake in MGM Mirage or revive his notion of taking MGM's core properties private.
Negotiations between FX Real Estate & Entertainment and Elvis Presley Enterprises have collapsed, putting what looks like the final nail in the coffin of an ultra-high-end, Presley-themed resort FX had hoped to build at the southeast corner of Harmon Avenue and the Strip. Prospects for the project had already been deemed unlikely, two months ago.
Entertainment columnist Mike Weatherford reports that The Soprano's Last Supper will close at the Riviera on Nov. 18. But this isn't the end for the show: It sets up shop at Greek Isles on Dec. 2. It "has shown amazing resilience over the past three years in tough locations," Weatherford writes. Moving to Greek Isles will allow the show to revert to its dinner-theatre format, something that wasn't possible in the Riviera's Comedy Club venue.
Jan. 4 will be the last night for Stomp Out Loud at Planet Hollywood, following a 22-month run. The upside is that, from now until the show closes, Stomp is offering "twofers" to locals. Purchase one $79 or $99 ticket and the second is free. Producers of the show say they're seeking out "another, perhaps more intimate venue, on the Las Vegas Strip."
A warrant for the arrest of rapper Mos Def has been issued by a Las Vegas court, on charges including robbery. The warrant stems from an incident at last August's MAGIC expo. Mos Def is accused of stripping a camera from a photographer and smashing it during the annual apparel convention.
Boyd Gaming confirms that its Atlantic City resort, Borgata, has laid off "five percent of the work force," or roughly 400 people. These are the first-ever layoffs at Borgata. "We did everything we possibly could to avoid this. But the economy is just too bad right now," Boyd's Rob Stillwell told The Associated Press. Elsewhere in the city, Pinnacle Entertainment announced that its megaresort project was on indefinite hold. The $2 billion resort would have replaced the Sands, which Pinnacle bought, closed and imploded.
Clark County has approved a casino for the northeast corner of Arville Road and Tropicana Ave., right next door to the Orleans. Who's behind it? Nobody knows except architect Joel Bergman, and he's not telling. No timeline for the project has been established. County commissioners also gave a two-year extension to a Chinatown casino projected, slated for a site on Spring Mountain Road, one block north of LVA offices.
Las Vegas Sands, owner of the Venetian and Palazzo megaresorts, has cautioned Wall Street. In an SEC filing, Sands says there exists "substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern." It could default on certain bank covenants, thereby tripping a succession of other defaults -- a similar scenario to the one which drove Tropicana Entertainment into Chapter 11 earlier this year. The company may issue new securities, delay current projects or both.
Las Vegas' weekly papers are starting to weigh in on Cirque du Soleil's Criss Angel vehicle, Believe. CityLife's Dave Surratt likens Angel to Toni Braxton (and not in a good way) but lauds the show for well-executed magic that includes "seven or eight remarkable illusions, sleights-of-hand and escape feats." Las Vegas Weekly's Jacob Coakley considers the magic tricks complete duds. The goods news, he says, is Believe "is as bad as—or worse than—you’ve heard." The better news is Coakley's speculation that ticket prices will be discounted, and soon.
Effectively immediately, several stores at MGM Grand have new, abbreviated hours:
Watch Boutique: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun-Thurs. & 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri.-Sat.
Grand Candy: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun.-Thurs. & 10 a.m.-midnight, Fri.-Sat.
Everything $10: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun.-Thurs. & all day Fri.-Sat.
West Wing Boutique: 9 a.m.-midnight, Sun.-Thurs. & Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m.-3 a.m.
KA Boutique: noon-midnight, Tues.-Sat. & noon-8 p.m., Sun.-Mon.
This year's Global Gaming Expo hosts five 90-minute poker tournaments at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Each table of nine will feature WSOP-affiliated celebrity players. Gamblers General Store, Shuffle Master and Gary Platt Mfg. are supplying the cards, chips and furniture for the event. The schedule is as follows:
Nov. 18
Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari: 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
David Williams: 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
Nov. 19
Scotty Nguyen (you never know what could happen here): 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Nov. 20
Nguyen again (see above): 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Jean-Robert Bellande: 3 p.m.-5 p.m.
Clothing magnate Christian Audigier, father of the Ed Hardy line, has opened a store at Treasure Island called -- what else? -- Christian Audigier The Store. Patrons, we are informed, "may choose from a wide selection of fashionable merchandise ranging from footwear, handbags and belts to shirts, hoodies and denim." The boutique is located next to the entrance to Sirens' Cove. Hours of operation are noon-midnight Thurs.-Sun. and noon-10 p.m., Mon.-Wed. For more info, call 702/894-7757.
Tonight only, the recently recorded and never-before-seen Ukraine concert -- "Queen + Paul Rodgers: Let the Cosmos Rock" will light up the big screen at 7:30 p.m. at the following local Las Vegas cinemas:
Oklahoma's Gold River Casino hit upon the idea of having patrons "vote" on McCain- or Obama-themed slots. Every slot pull constituted a "vote." A representative of Gold River informs LVA that player response "was beyond belief," with every last slot, blackjack, poker and restaurant seat "filled on election night, which is not historically a great gaming night."
Oh, and McCain won, 52%-48%, out of 940,463 slot pulls cast, with 100% of slot machines reporting.
In more news from Planet Hollywood, Hawaiian Tropic Zone is offering Stomp Out Loud ticket holders a buy-one-entrée, get-one-free offer now through Nov. 26. To take advantage of the offer, you must visit the Planet Hollywood Box Office or call 877/333-9474 to receive a Hawaiian Tropic Zone entrée voucher when you purchase your ticket.
Thanks to the reader who just wrote in to alert us to another deal at Planet Hollywood. Oyster Bay Seafood and Wine Bar is offering 2-for-1 drinks all day long at the bar only. We haven't tried it yet, but he says that in addition to "killer Italian and seafood dishes," all specialty martinis, glasses of wine, beer, and mixed drinks are all buy-one-get-one-free at the bar. We called to confirm and it's true! Hours are Sun-Thurs, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri & Sat, 10 a.m.-midnight.
The Miss Universe pageant will return to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino for the 2009-2010 competitions, presenters of the pulchritude pageant (aka "beauty contest") announced today. The '09 competition airs live April 19, 2009 on NBC. Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2008, is in town today to promulgate the news.
We were so busy yesterday we forgot to mention that, for those interested in what the '08 election meant for gambling, we have extended coverage and analysis in Stiffs & Georges.
There was such a run on copies of the Las Vegas Review-Journal following Barack Obama's election to the presidency that the paper sold out city-wide. In response, the R-J has printed 10,000 additional copies and is distributing them to convenience stories in the Vegas Valley today.
Madonna brings her "Sticky & Sweet Tour" to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for two big shows Friday and Saturday while the cowboys put a period on the PBR World Finals with an awards show at South Point on Sunday. Fremont Street holds the annual Patriot Party with free entertainment all weekend and while you're there you can check out the grand opening of Las Vegas Country Saloon at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Fremont St. with complimentary Jack Daniels drinks for all from 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
General Growth Properties says it's not easy to find buyers right now for Fashion Show Mall, Grand Canal Shoppes and The Shoppes at Palazzo. GGP just reported third-quarter earnings, which saw losses increase by 50%. Problems at GGP forced the temporary shutdown of Boyd Gaming's Echelon, in which GGP was a joint venture partner.
Unanimously, the Nevada Gaming Control Board has recommended licensing Dubai World, four of its executives and several subsidiaries. The sovereign fund, which goes before the Nevada Gaming Commission on Monday, owns half of CityCenter and 10% of MGM Mirage. It's been speculated that Dubai World may want to agglomerate more MGM stock while it is still trading relatively low.
Today's Wall Street Journal has an article on how several companies -- including Wynn Resorts and Henderson, Nev.-based Card Player Cruises -- are working to cultivate poker in China. Three Macao casinos have opened poker rooms and entrepreneurs are trying to raise awareness in the Chinese mainland. The emergence of a China-born poker superstar is regarded as critical. "That's how you create the folk tale," says poker-tour promoter Jeffrey Haas.
Players in Missouri will no longer be restricted to buy-ins of $500 every two hours, as voters elected to repeal the state's loss limits by a 56%-44% margin. The vote also closes Missouri to new casino operators. And, in a boon to slot manufacturers, Maryland voted in 15,000 slots, to be spread through five locations across the state. In Colorado, 59% of voters lined up behind a measure to add craps and roulette to the state's repertory of casino games, allow casinos to be remain open around the clock, and raise betting limits from $5/hand to $100.
For the fourth time in 18 years, Ohio voters have rejected casino expansion into the Buckeye State. An initiative to establish one casino in the greater Cincinnati area was crushed, 37%-63%. Maine's Question 2, which would have authorized a casino for Oxford County, suffered a 10-point loss. Its backers are already looking to other New England states in hopes of finding a friendlier reception.
UNLV men's basketball head coach Lon Kruger will host a meet and greet and autograph session for his first book, The Xs and Os of Success: A Playbook for Leaders in Business and Life at the Sierra Gold ultra-tavern at 6515 S. Jones Blvd. from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m.this evening (215 and Jones exit).
Although it's been over a year since a Clark County judge ruled that Las Vegas Metro conducted an invalid seizure when it took cash off three gamblers in April 2007, the trio are still waiting for their money, which was exported to Arizona without the court's permission. A contempt-of-court hearing may not take place until early next year.
Remember how you could get a free George Wallace ticket if you presented an "I Voted" sticker through Nov. 11? Uh, it seems that Mr. Wallace's offer ran afoul of federal election laws. So a spokeswoman for Wallace tells Steve Friess that the new drill is, "Go to the Flamingo box office between now and Nov. 11 and ask for a free ticket. Period. That's all you have to do." It sounds almost too good to be true, but it never hurts to ask.
Since September, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has been taking wagers on the existence of God. The publicity stunt was a tie-in with the launching of the Large Hadron Collider, a massive device that is thought may lead to the discovery of the sub-atomic "God particle." The Man Upstairs was a 33-to-1 long shot in early wagering but He has since seen His odds narrow to 4-to-1. Should She make Her presence known, Paddy Power will be out roughly $80,000. "A spokesman for Paddy Power said that confirmation of God's existence would have to be verified by scientists and given by an independent authority before any payouts were made, however," reports The Telegraph.
Atlantic City casinos only lost a net of 164 jobs from September 2007 to September '08. Almost 815 layoffs at Caesars Atlantic City, Showboat and Bally's were offset by the addition of 650 jobs at Harrah's Marina. Trump Entertainment Resorts CEO Mark Juliano implied that his company is operating at minimal strength already. "If business is so bad, we'll decide to close part of the casino, hotels or restaurants," he told the Courier Post. "But we have no plans to do so now."
Why are casinos on the Gulf Coast, in Lake Charles and in New Orleans performing better than average these days? Says industry consultant Frank Fantini, "You don’t have a smoking ban, you don’t have new competition and you have people that work in the oil industry, which is strong right now."
Once upon a time, the Texas Treasure rode the waves off Port Arenas, Texas. Its patrons allegedly included presidents and movie stars. Now it rides at anchor near Calcutta, destination for scrapping. But an Indian industrialist is trying to scour up sufficient investment to move the 500-slot, 236-table floating casino to an Indian port, like Goa, that permits "cruises to nowhere." The 38-year-old ship is "in amazingly good condition," says its owner. "It can sail for another 10 years."
Wynn's new Encore resort is now accepting reservations from Dec. 22, 2008 onwards, as opposed to the later date of Jan. 12, which was previously announced.
One congressman and 30 Nevada state senate, assembly and judicial candidates take stands on the still-controversial tip-sharing policy currently in place at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore. For a last-minute Election Day fix, see Stiffs & Georges.
Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower is holding its first-ever Cocktail Server Blackjack Tournament on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. A trip to Hawaii is the grand prize over which 48 three-person blackjack teams will compete. All participants are guaranteed one free round of play, with the 10 highest-ranking teams and a pair of wild-card teams advancing to the finals, at which prizes will go to the top six teams. Players can register through 5 p.m. on Nov. 11 (call 702/383-5245 or 702/380-7637). There will also be late registration from 4-6:30 p.m. on Nov. 12, just in front of Polly Esther's nightclub. Wild-card winners will be drawn at 11 p.m., with finals beginning 15 minute later and final prizes being awarded an hour after that. Drink specials will include $5 "U Call It" martinis.
... at Beau Rivage, in Biloxi. The Gulf Coast branch of chef Todd English's restaurant shut down Sunday. The resort's president, George Corchis, said the economy had forced some difficult choices upon Beau Rivage and closing Olives was among them. The Las Vegas Olives, at Bellagio, remains open, however,
Clark County has been asked by Harrah's Entertainment for additional extensions on deferred upgrades to Paris-Las Vegas and Caesars Palace. If approved, Harrah's would have until October 2010 to begin work on a pedestrian bridge and a nightclub at Paris-LV. Postponement of the submission of a master plan for Caesars Palace has also been requested.
Picking up on stories broken by Steve Friess, the Las Vegas Review-Journal has a story today on gay-friendly marketing by Harrah's Entertainment, and efforts by Harrah's executives to oppose Question 8 in California. Harrah's cites the loyalty, higher spending tendencies and Vegas-leaning travel preferences of LGBT customers as reasons for courting that audience. MGM Mirage is quoted as saying it's repositioning Luxor as a gay-friendly resort.
Las Vegas Black Image magazine will debut in January, aimed at Las Vegas' black community and African American tourists. The Las Vegas Review-Journal will distribute the magazine, which "will include stories about presidential candidate Barack Obama, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and basketball player Marcus Banks."
SushiSamba at Palazzo will introduce its SUSHI+SAKE101 interactive two-hour teaching and tasting program tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 5. Class participants will apparently be guided through the exotic world of sake tasting by sommelier Soto, then get schooled on the schools of fish inside the SushiSamba sushi bar and learn the simplified approach to cutting raw fish, how to identify what is "sushi-grade," and how to construct a sushi roll of their choice.
The classes, limited to 25 people, will run every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. and it's $85 per person. For more information or to make a reservation call 702/607-0700 or visit www.sushisamba.com. For more information about other cooking classes around town, including the really fun sounding Italian cooking classes at Giorgio Ristorante at Mandalay Place, which also start from $85 per person, check out the QoD for 10/24/08.
Fear of having Nevada Gaming Control Board records made public has apparently led Sheldon Adelson to throw in the towel in his lawsuit against author John L. Smith. A bankruptcy judge will dismiss Adelson's suit with prejudice if the Las Vegas Sands CEO pays Smith's $11K in legal bills and drops a parallel lawsuit in California. Adelson's lawsuit against Smith's publisher, Barricade Books, is scheduled to be settled Nov. 20.
A constitutional amendment that would have permitted a casino in southwestern Ohio is suddenly looking like a long shot. Earlier polls had shown roughly 60% support for the casino but a WKYC-TV survey of likely voters shows it losing 41%-55%. However, a Maine casino proposal, backed by Las Vegas-based Olympia Gaming, has come from 12% down two weeks earlier to take a one-point lead, with 7% undecided. The ballot initiative would approve a casino for Oxford County.
Here's the current lowdown on the deals and festivities we're aware of around town. Assume the deal is for Tues., November 4 only, unless otherwise stated:
OK, they're not actually giving them to you, but the Mexican food joint at Planet Hollywood is offering 25¢ wings from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun. and 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon. as part of their Sunday/Monday Night Football party festivities. Other deals include $2 tacos, $5 nachos, $3.50 draft beer, $3 house drinks, and $5 house wine. These specials are offered at the bar only.
From now through the end of February, Cirque du Soleil is running a special promotion aimed at Las Vegans. Tickets to Ka (MGM Grand), Mystere (Treasure Island) and Zumanity (New York-New York) can be had for $49. Just call 866/241-2833 and say the magic word "local."
Today's New York Times has an analysis of the current adversity experienced by private equity buyouts like that of Harrah's Entertainment. Stiffs & Georges has the link, plus further elaboration.
The current poll on casino aromas and what you think of them is live until midnight tomorrow. It's evidently a topic that many people feel pretty passionate about one way or the other, so if you have an opinion that you haven't yet voiced, please cast your vote. (Yeah, yeah, we know you have some other voting to do, but heck, this is important stuff too!)
Sheldon Adelson's Venetian Cotai Ltd. has proposed rezoning its Four Seasons Macao Hotel site into four discrete units. These would include the timeshare hotel and the shopping mall. Sands has floated the idea of selling off the retail mall and this proposal would appear to be an additional step in that direction.
According to the South China Morning Post, the Chinese government may be rethinking its clampdown on access to Macao. A series of four successive visa restrictions imposed on Chinese citizens have resulted in declining casino revenues and stagnant visitation, and have raised questions about the viability of some Cotai Strip developments. Vice Premier Li Keqiang is on record as saying Peking will"actively help Macao cope with the impact" of the global recession. This is good news for Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands, in particular, as both have major expansions in train. A two-year upgrade of Macao International Airport is also in the offing.
Recession-related pains continue to extend to tribal casinos. Arizona's gambling halls saw revenues fall 9% in the third quarter, a dropoff reflected in payments to the state. Arizona's tribal-casino economy is the fourth-largest in the U.S.
Cripple Creek, Colo., has one casino less, as of this weekend. Blaming the state's smoking ban, high gas prices and a generally flaccid economy, Wild Horse Casino closed on Saturday. The last 62 employees were paid in full. Not only has Cirrple Creek suffered nine months of revenue declines, the new Wildwood Casino has further diluted business. Ameasure to raise bet limit and extend casino operating hours is on tomorrow's election ballot.
We had to go all the way to the Toronto Star, which had this to say: "large sections of it work very well, redeeming Guy Laliberté's initial impulse to match up Criss Angel with Cirque. But there are problems still to be solved." Critic Richard Ouzounian recommends waiting several months, until Cirque du Soleil gets all the kinks ironed out.
This just in (better late than never): Valentino Crespo, Master Butler Extraordinaire for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, will be hosting a book signing at the Hard Rock's retail store until 1 p.m. today.
In his more than three decades of service, Crespo's catered to the needs of some of the most famous faces in the world, including Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Nicholas Cage, and Britney Spears. He will also be making his famous banana flambé for guests, apparently a favorite of Ms Winfrey, who suggested he write Master Butler Extraordinaire of Las Vegas, which retails for $11.95. The title sounds like the perfect compliment to our own Whale Hunt in the Desert: The Secret Las Vegas of Superhost Steve Cyr, who also plies his trade at the Hard Rock.
The place that was poker before poker was cool has opened a new room. Binion's has opened a 10-table room that advertises a max rake of $3 on all games, a comp rate of $2-per-hour, tableside food service, and special room rates for players. The room is located near the front of the casino on the old Mint (west) side.
Former Lt. Gov. Lonnie Hammargren continues his Nevada Day (Oct. 31) tradition of opening his house to the public today from 1-5 p.m. If you're not familiar with "Hammargren's Home of Nevada History," (otherwise known as "Looneyland"), then check out the QoD for 10/9/06, where you can see some pictures of his home/museum, which is filled inside and out with artifacts, memorabilia, and junk previously owned by such local notables as Howard Hughes and Bugsy Siegel. Adults are asked to make a $5 donation to the Living Grace Home for unwed pregnant mothers. The house is located at 4318 Ridgecrest Drive. For more info visit www.nevadadays.org
According to a profile of its top executive in today's LV Review-Journal, the Speedway casino has already changed its name to Lucky Club (we thought it was pending). The marquee will be changed in December. And what are the chances of having two consecutive Today's News stories about new places with the name Lucky('s)?
After seven weeks of carryovers, a 59-year-old retired man brought it home last week with a 14-0 card in the Lucky's NFL contest, and as the only perfect card, the entire $48,000 prize went to him. With this week's prize back at the $6K reset, your chances of picking perfectly don't improve, but there will likely be far fewer players, so the chance of a winner having to split the prize is reduced. It's free to play, but your tickets have to be in at Terrible's, Plaza, or the Primm sports books by 9 am today (that extra hour this morning might save you).
The weekend Wall Street Journal has an interesting article titled "The Genius of Handicapping." It discusses the function and efficiency of handicaps for golfers, crediting (rightfully) gambling for the system's development.
VHI is holding an open call at the Double Down Saloon (4640 Paradise Road) from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. today in search of single sexy guys to compete for the love of former "Rock of Love" bachelorette Daisy De La Hoya.
To celebrate the recent release of his debut album, appropriately titled "A Long Time Coming," the performer, currently starring in Making %@it Up at the Venetian, will host a CD signing and two-song performance at ZIA Records (4503 W. Sahara Ave.) from 1-3 p.m. today.
The Orleans will host a special appearance and autograph-signing session with drag racers from Don Schumacher Racing from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. this evening at the south end of the Race & Sports Book. Scheduled to appear are "Fast Jack" Beckman, Cory McClenathan, Craig Treble, and Chip Ellis. Free photos will be available while supplies last.
Eastside Cannery's holding a blood drive until 5 p.m. today. Donors receive 1,000 points on the C.A.N. club card and a $10 food coupon to use at any ECan food establishment (and $10 goes a long way with some of the deals they have running currently). To make an appointment call United Blood Services on 702/562-2166 or visit www.bloodhero.com and use sponsor code: eastsidecannery.
Reviews following the official opening of Criss Angel: Believe at Luxor have been tough on the show. Criticism runs the gamut from too little magic to too little Angel and too much Cirque. Our take, which we'll give in full in the December LVA, is that the pairing was simply ill-conceived from the outset. Still, in every Cirque show, there will be stunning moments, and this is no exception.