The Stratosphere made yesterday's USA Today list of the "10 Great Places to Study Skylines of the World." The blurb on Strat acknowledged that there are several other "rooftop bars or restaurants" in Las Vegas that serve the same purpose.
There's something for everyone, with tickets released today for Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood's June 27 concert at MGM Grand, Taylor Swift at Mandalay Bay (May 23), and Lil Wayne at the Pearl at the Palms on March 28 (we love that venue). In all instances, contact the relevant Box Office or Ticketmaster.com for more information and to purchase tickets.
Thursdays through Sundays, Excalibur will be hosting midday slot tournaments in the rotunda of its casino. The top prize is $1,000. These tourneys are a one-month pilot program. If play is strong, they’ll be extended.
And now for something completely cool: The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is extending free admission to members in good standing of the Las Vegas Art Museum. LVAM closed today, evidently for good, another victim of the recession. Bellagio’s offer runs through Sept. 7 and the current exhibit is Classic Contemporary: Lichtenstein, Warhol & Friends. We’ve seen it and recommend it.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch, plus teammates Willie Colon, Trai Essex and Darnell Stapleton will be at Tao tonight. Doors open at 10 p.m. and the cover charge is $20 for men and women alike.
Afflicted with Lou Gehrig's Disease (or ALS), wheelchair-bound Scott Pfeiffer is fighting back. He's been wheeling across the mountains under his own power and is scheduled to pull up to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino at 4 p.m. today. A reception will be held in his honor this evening. Baker's 150-mile wheelchair journey is part of the "Racin' for a Cure" campaign to raise funds to fight ALS.
Getting into the NASCAR weekend action, the Palazzo will host an appearance by racing's bad boy, Tony Stewart, on Saturday at 5 p.m. Admission is limited to the first 325 people and distribution of wristbands begins at 3 p.m., so plan on getting there early.
Cult Vegas author Mike Weatherford checked out the Encore incarnation of Danny Gans and did manage to find a few surprises. Gone is the Ross Perot impersonation, making way for jokes about Michael Phelps and Octo-Mom. His new, more high-tech stage presentation is applauded. That being said, "it's still the same show with Gans in front of a bandstand, doing the impressions that have won him standing ovations since his Las Vegas breakthrough in 1996. Whether that is good or bad is in the eye of the beholder."
In remarks made following yesterday's conference call, Boyd Gaming President Keith Smith said the company will spend all of 2009 re-evaluating its suspended Echelon project. One factor complicated Echelon's resumption is that Boyd's offer for Station Casinos would, if successful, consume at least half of the $2 billion Boyd had reserved for completing Echelon.
Will the the opening of Fontainbleau be delayed? This one's speculation, but there's been some talk that the October debut may be pushed into the first quarter of 2010.
Hear Anthony interviewed on KNPR's "State of Nevada" show (88.9 FM) sometime after 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. He's been invited to share his expert take on the controversial new iPhone/iPod Touch app that allegedly enables users to count cards. Other guests are set to include the application's Australian developers and a representative from Gaming Control. For a sneak preview of Anthony's take on the subject, check out the current "Spotlight" item on our home page.
That's the theme for March at PT's and Sierra Gold pubs. From March 1-31, the chain will give away one 32-inch LCD television set per day, delivery and installation included. If you're a Golden Reward member, you'll get one drawing entry for every 10 points in play you earn. (To join, go to www.goldentaverngroup.com) The day's lucky winner will be posted at 10 p.m. each night and entries are accumulated in 24-hour cycles. There are 32 PT's and three Sierra Gold locations in the valley at which to try your luck.
NASCAR’s the biggest game in town this weekend with three days of on track activity out at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Speed freaks should head directly to our Special Events page for the complete round up of all things race related. At Bellagio, Siegfried and Roy will take their final bow following a performance at the Keep Memory Alive fundraiser on Saturday. If you can’t be there to see it live, tune into ABC’s 20/20 on Mar. 6 for a special segment on this magical event.
Aha! We just spoke with the show's producer and the good news is that the popular production has been extended at Whisky Pete's at least through the end of March. And... there are tentative plans for a move not to the Las Vegas Hilton, but to an undisclosed venue on the Strip. We'll keep you posted...
Elvis Presley impersonator extraordinaire Trent Carlini returns to the Strip on March 9 with his new show, Elvolution. It will take up residence in Planet Hollywood's Steve Wyrick Theatre. Those accustomed to the large-scale set pieces of Wyrick's magic show will find Elvolution in that same tradition, as a full-scale Army jeep and Lear jet are promised, among many other trappings of Elvis lore. Elvolution will play Sun.-Thurs. at 9 p.m., with 7 and 9 p.m. shows on Friday nights. Tickets will be $70 and $92, while a $150 VIP package gets you front-row seating, a Carlini CD and an audience with the man himself, in Triq Nightclub. Call 702/650-5081.
Nevada residents can take advantage of a limited-basis discount offer for Wednesday night performances of Cher. On March 4, 11 and 18, locals who buy first mezzanine seats will be upgraded to rear orchestra ones. Those who purchase second mezzanine tickets will get an upgrade to first mezzanine seating. This offer only lasts three performances and is subject to availability. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Colosseum box office or at Ticketmaster.com. If you buy online, enter keyword CHER and, in the "Locals Special Offer" box, type LVCHER. Several new musical numbers are promised for the 2009 run of Cher.
Nevada Treasure RV Resort is partnering with the Pahrump Nugget Hotel & Casino to offer a set of to-be-announced dinner and golfing package deals. These will only be available to guests of Nevada Treasure, on Route 160 and Leslie Road, in Pahrump. The Nugget will offer complimentary shuttle service to and from the RV park.
Casino revenues in Mississippi increased 8% from last month but were still $3 million off last January's pace. Gulf Coast casinos did worse than last year while riverboat casinos enjoyed a small increase.
Internet casinos could represent a $5.2 billion-a-year bonanza for the U.S. Treasury if they are legitimized and taxed. That's the conclusion of a new PricewaterhouseCoopers study. The study makes a 22% higher revenue projection than in 2007, mainly because Americans are playing online more than ever. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) intends to push for repeal of the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. The European Union is also up in arms, with the Bush administration accused of "singling out European online gambling companies like PartyGaming and 888.com for prosecution while allowing U.S. companies to operate freely," according to Reuters.
On its Web site, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Palms Place and Trump International have sold five units, combined, in the last two months. Another unit at Palms Place was flipped at a 30% discount. Thousands of condo-hotel units haven't even been put on the market yet, notably 3,200-plus condos at Fontainebleau and the Cosmopolitan.
A New Jersey State Senate committee is pondering the loophole that allows Atlantic City casinos to permit smoking on 25% of their casino floors. Testimony will be heard next week over whether the ban should be made total or whether the benefits of keeping smoking in Boardwalk casinos outweigh the drawbacks.
If you're coming to Las Vegas and thinking about renting a car, you'll definitely want to read what HP author Steve Friess discovered when trying to rent a car himself. What he found were myriad taxes and misleading information. It's a caveat emptor situation in the classic sense.
One strong possibility for the Shimmer Cabaret at the Las Vegas Hilton is a revival of the "Sin City Kitties" revue that played at Whiskey Pete's, in Primm, for a few months this winter. A different show from the same producers is also a possibility. The "Kitties" drew a rave from our managing editor, who says it was the best topless show he's seen in the Vegas area. At present, both The Scintas and Menopause the Musical are winding down their runs at the Hilton, so catch them while you can.
After teasing its Thursday conference call to those wanting additional insight into Boyd Gaming's $950 million offer for much of Station Casinos, Boyd execs would neither discuss it nor take questions on the subject. In other news, Boyd reported the downtown Vegas business was still strong, thanks to Hawaiian customers, its Louisiana casinos were doing strong business and that an expansion of the Blue Chip riverboat complex in Indiana was driving increased visitation. CFO Paul Chakmak predicted of Sunday's opening of rival M Resort "as a standalone property, it doesn't have the linkage that us and others do" to market the property.
"Free" casino-giveaway cruises may cost you. In today's Frugal Vegas, Jean Scott navigates the fine points of what constitutes a "free" cruise.
Passenger traffic through McCarran International Airport saw a 16% drop in passenger traffic in January. International flights were particularly hard-hit with passenger loads down 33%. Only American Airlines saw a customer gain (+2%), while the month was rough for Continental (-6%), American (-9%), Southwest (-10%) and United (-15%), and while U.S. Airways carried 36% fewer passengers.
Although it comes with a $1 billion price tag, M Resort will be value-oriented, says CEO Anthony Marnell III. For instance, he says comping won't be predicated on loyalty-card points, and food and liquor prices will be well below those found on the Strip. The Las Vegas Sun profile is accompanied by a massive slide show and three minutes of audio clips of Marnell explaining various aspects of the project.
A hotel-racino expansion of New York's Belmont Park horseracing track, in Nassau County, has drawn the backing of the Empire State's Racing & Wagering Board. Economic and environmental feasibility studies have yet to be conducted, though. New York Gov. David Paterson is already on board, saying, "it’s important that we move forward with projects like Belmont, which can create new jobs, generate additional tax revenue and bolster economic development in the surrounding communities in Nassau and Queens counties." If the project goes through, given its proximity to New York City, it could be bad news for Atlantic City and possibly even Sands Bethlehem, due to open in northeastern Pennsylvania this Spring.
Casino-ology author Bill Zender spoke at UNLV this week, an appearance that is now available in MP3 format both from the university and on iTunes. It can also be downloaded from David G. Schwartz's DieIsCast.com blog.
Stiffs & Georges has just posted an image gallery of suites at Aria and Vdara, which open in the last quarter of this year. A link to higher-resolution versions of the same pictures is also included.
"Business in Las Vegas is tough," said Wynn Resorts executives, announcing anemic fourth-quarter results that included sub-80% occupancy and low table game hold (15%). An enormous year-over-year increase in gaming revenue at Wynn Macau did much to alleviate weakness on the Strip. High-end Vegas properties, Wynn execs conceded, were underperforming compared to what they called "slot joints."
A stimulus-bill provision crafted by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to set aside $8 billion for the study of high-speed rail has become a Republican lightning rod. One of the potential beneficiaries of the grant is a proposed Anaheim-to-Las Vegas, magnetic-levitation train. Not only did Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal deride the project in his response to last night's speech by President Obama, but Rep. Marsha Blackburn has taken up the refrain, railing on her Web site against "a staggering $8 billon for a high speed rail line from Los [sic] Vegas to Las [sic] Angeles (possibly the largest earmark ever written)."
Bond-rating service Moody's is reviewing Boyd Gaming's bond status and considering a downgrade after Boyd offered $950 million for most of the assets of Station Casinos. A Moody's statement read, in part, "The Las Vegas locals gaming market has experienced substantial comparable month declines in gaming revenue through December 2008 that has placed downward pressure on (Boyd's) ratings." Currently, 37%-45% of Boyd's revenue is from the Las Vegas market, a percentage that would rise significantly with a Station purchase.
For years, Las Vegans with a taste for international and independent films have had few choices other than to trek out to the Village Square mall or (more recently) to Suncoast, both on the far northwest side of town. Now the Palms is bringing art house cinema to the heart of the Vegas Valley. In collaboration with CineVegas, Brenden Theatres is presenting two-week runs of the following movies: Two Lovers, starring Joaquin Phoenix Mar. 6-19); Steven Soderbergh's two-part Che, with Benicio del Toro in the title part (Mar. 20-April 2); Mafia drama Gomorrah, recipient of a rave review in the current New Yorker (April 13-26); and The Great Buck Howard, starring John Malkovich as a washed-up magician (April 17-May 1).
In addition, ticketholders who also sing up for the Brenden Rewards Card are entitled to a $40 prix fixe dinner at Simon. The offer is good daily, from 6-8 p.m.
To celebrate 15 years of mystifying Strip audiences, Treasure Island's Cirque du Soleil mainstay, Mystere, is the centerpiece of a new package deal. If you book one room night and buy a pair of $95 Mystere tickets, you will receive a second room night free. One paid room night and four Mystere tickets gets you two days free. Call 800/944-7444 and mention promo code MYSTERE.
Starting tonight, the Crown Royal Show Car comes to the NASCAR Café at the Sahara. It will be on display 8:30-11 p.m. nightly, its engine revved up every half-hour, followed by an 11 p.m. giveaway for an official jacket or a die-cast car. Drink specials will include 23 oz. double Crown & Colas for $10 and $6 Crown Reserve. On Friday, from 8-9:30 p.m., Jack Daniels Chevy Impala SS driver Casey Mears will be signing autographs, accompanied by the Jack Daniels Girls. Not to be outshone, the Coors Light Car and Coors Models will be putting in an appearance that same evening.
After being "closed for the season" last autumn, Speed - The Ride reopens this weekend, no doubt to the delight of rollercoaster fans. NASCAR Weekend also marks the debut, in the Café, of a new, 24-inch, six-pound entrée, the Bomb Burrito. Anyone who can finish it in a single sitting gets two free tickets to Speed ... although riding a rollercoaster right after devouring a six-pound burrito might be tempting fate.
The service ethic of casino employees in Macao was deemed no better than mediocre and often less than that, in a new study released by the Macao Association of Economic Services. Helpfulness, friendliness and greeting of guests were areas in which casino workers were found to be particularly lacking. According to the report's co-author, as summarized by XinhuaNet.com, "U.S. based casino firms have a clear advantage in terms of labor force quality, and the presence of U.S. casino firms in Macao may pose a threat to the local casino firms but is also a good opportunity for local casinos to improve themselves."
The former Portugese enclave of Goa, on India's western coast, has been a refuge for a flotilla of gambling vessels, one of which even carries light artillery. Within the next 90 days, the local government intends to set up a mechanism for overseeing the previously unregulated riverboat-casino industry. Until then, the boats have two weeks to hoist anchor and take their portable casinos elsewhere -- or at least into international waters. They will be allowed to dock in Goa for repairs and loading, but that would be it, for now.
Wall Street reacted surprisingly positively to Boyd Gaming's proposed acquisition of Station Casinos, with BYD trading upward by 87 cents a share. J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff liked the potential economies of scale the takeover would bring. He also wrote of Echelon, "this Strip project was shelved on August 1, 2008; we think it’s permanent." Susquehanna Financial Group's Robert LaFleur is upbeat, noting that the Las Vegas locals market -- though hard-hit -- is closer to a turnaround than is the Strip. He cautioned that "there are a million moving pieces and unanswered questions associated with this proposal, so it's hard to get too excited about the prospects at this early stage." Greff also had caveats, noting that the deal would significantly increase Boyd's exposure in the Las Vegas market.
Today's the last chance to help Anthony Curtis in his quest for the best prime-rib deal in town, so cast your vote if you haven't already (and don't forget to email us "other" suggestions if we missed your favorite).
The Mirage is offering tickets to Terry Fator at 25%. That would make prices $44.25, $59.25, $74.25 and (VIP level) $96.75. Since the online ordering functioning wasn't working when we tried it (twice), call 866/813-1913.
Late today, Reuters reported that Deutsche Bank, MGM Mirage and Dubai World "could be" in negotiations whereby Deutsche Bank would pony up the $1.2 billion needed to complete CityCenter. It would also throw in the $3 billion Cosmopolitan, which the bank inherited when developer Ian Bruce Eichner couldn't keep up his end of the deal. In return, Deutsche Bank would receive a share of CityCenter. The parties to the alleged negotiations aren't commenting.
With NASCAR Weekend drawing near, both Excalibur and Monte Carlo are offering packages aimed at stock car fans. "NASCAR VIP" at the Ex includes discounted rates on Widescreen rooms, starting at $181/night, two tickets to Sunday's race, round-trip transportation to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and access both to the hotel's VIP tent and the track's Neon Garage. You must book by Feb. 26.
Monte Carlo's "Shelby 427" deal offers two nights in a deluxe room ($427 total, plus tax), two race seats in Section 4, White, food court coupons and 10 bucks worth of free slot play. It expires Feb. 28, as does the "Shelby 427 Premium" package. That deal includes a similar room offer (except that it's $471 total, plus tax), two seats in Section 4, Blue, plus the same slot and food court incentives. To take advantage of either of these packages, call 866/562-3457 and use promo code SHELBY427A or -- for the "Premium" deal -- SHELBY427B.
Sam DeMarco imports his First Food & Bar concept, born in New York City, to The Shoppes at Palazzo later this spring. The newly announced eatery is described as bringing "the authenticity and character of the neighborhood bar and diner concept back to life, minus the kitsch." It will be outfitted in a mix of styles, including Gothic, industrial, tattoo-inspired, etc. An opening date has yet to be announced.
Sometime "in early March," Rhumbar -- a rum-centric cocktail lounge -- will open at the Mirage. The indoor/outdoor venue will be near the main entrance to the resort and will feature a Caribbean style of decor, such as "a highly stylized frozen daiquiri bar [featuring] a chic counter with embedded mint leaves backlit with neon green lighting." Across the ceiling, 15 Jeff Koons-designed fighting cocks will loom above guests. A cigar humidor will complement the daquiris, mojitos, etc., that will be specialties of the house. Rhumbar is the second Vegas nightspot crafted by Drive This!, the company behind T&T at Luxor.
Boyd Gaming is pitching a $950 million hostile takeover of parts of Station Casinos. The latter company, teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, had offered to buy out bondholders at a steep discount. Boyd contends its bid "would present a superior recovery to the unsecured creditors of Station versus the current Exchange Offer as outlined in the Company's Form 8-K filed on February 4, 2009." It has also put itself forward as the stalking-horse bidder, the one who sets the price, should Station go into Chapter 11. Boyd's offer is an all-cash transaction, funded out of the company's $2 billion line of credit. The deal, if accepted, would include Wild Wild West, the two Fiestas, Texas and Aliante Stations, and Green Valley Ranch. The last two casinos are jointly owned by the Greenspun family of companies. Boyd is not bidding on Greenspun's 50% share.
At 4 p.m., 50 performers from Legends in Concert are scheduled to parade from the Imperial Palace to Harrah's. The procession solemnizes the twice-delayed move of Legends to Harrah's, where it is slated to reopen tonight. The show has played at the Imperial Palace for the last quarter-century. Its set could not be transplanted to Harrah's, hence the delayed relocation.
Bill Zender, gaming-industry veteran and author of Casino-ology, will be hosting a discussion and signing books today from 2-3 p.m. in the Extended Study Area of the Lied Library at the Campus of UNLV (4505 Maryland Parkway).
Marriott Int'l still plans to build out the remainder of its four-tower Grand Chateau, on Harmon Avenue, just around the corner from Planet Hollywood. The timeshare complex's third tower will break ground later this year, Marriott says, with the fourth tower to follow at an unspecified date. When complete, the Grand Chateau will have 895 villas.
Today's the day to start making reservations if you want to stay at either the Aria casino-hotel or Vdara hotel in CityCenter. Vdara opens Oct. 1, with Aria following on Dec. 16. Early room rates at Aria average $299/night, later stepping down to $159 midweek. Rates for Vdara have been quoted as low as $179 -- and as high as $799. Reservations can be made at www.AriaLasVegas.com or www.Vdara.com, or by calling 866/359-7757 (Aria) or 866/745-7767. CityCenter's third hotel, Mandarin Oriental, opens in early 2010.
Late last week, a court in Macao ruled against both the city's government and Las Vegas Sands subsidiary CotaiJet, which supplies high-speed ferry service to Hong Kong. It was the court's determination that Sands had been awarded the ferry contract improperly, without open bidding. The suit was filed by Hong Kong-based company North West Express, which was denied permission to open a ferry service to Macao. CotaiJet will continue to make passenger runs while the appeals process plays out.
Not only does the Nevada Gaming Control Board have 27 vacant positions it can't fill, it's also been asked to trim another five staff members from its rolls. Chairman Dennis Neilander told legislators the cuts will most likely fall upon the audit division, meaning that casinos will now only audited every three years, not every 27 months. Which could mean that the state is out money, if underpayment of taxes goes undiscovered, or casinos could be shortchanged if they've overpaid and a timely audit fails to uncover it. As for other possible cuts, according to the Las Vegas Sun, Neilander told lawmakers "the loss of enforcement agents will mean a smaller presence in casinos, where they resolve disputes between patrons and the casino over payouts, among other things."
No, not Goodman. Tonight is the Academy Awards, and while you can't bet on them in Nevada casinos, you can bet on them offshore. Here are the favorites for the big awards as they're lined at thegreek.com. Best Actor, Mickey Rourke -200; Best Actress, Kate Winslett -300; Best Supporting Actor, Heath Ledger -3000; Best Supporting Actress, Penolope Cruz -140; Best Picture Slumdog Millionaire -800. That number on Ledger means you have to bet $30 to win $1.
Hawaiian Airlines is bullish on Las Vegas. Starting Feb. 23, it’s augmenting its Honolulu-to-Vegas service with a third flight. It will run on weekdays, Tuesdays excepted.
Researcher and short-selling specialist Reggie Middleton, who foresaw the downfall of Fashion Show Mall owner General Growth Properties, takes a dim view of Wynn Resorts. He’s published a report calling Wynn stock 26-65% overvalued and says the company is too vulnerable to fluctuations in gaming revenue. On the other hand, Macquarie Securities analyst Joel Simkins recently upgraded Wynn Resorts, writing: "Although we find it difficult to pinpoint the bottom as it relates to sentiment on Las Vegas and Macau, we would prefer to take our 'chips off the table' at this point as long-term, we believe Wynn should be a survivor, has best in class assets in its two markets, and the premier brand in gaming."
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that "there is little to indicate" that Trump Entertainment Resorts and the prospective buyer of Trump Marina will reach a deal by the May 26 deadline. The would-be purchaser says it "is closely monitoring news and events in Atlantic City and needs to fully evaluate the developing situation and its effects on Coastal Marina's interests," which one analyst described as "not exactly a strong affirmation of its intention." Another described the Marina’s cash flow as "abysmal." The sale price has already been written down by 15%.
Cher returns to Caesars Palace tonight. After it looked like she might not come back at all, tonight's performance is the first of about three-dozen between now and the end of May.
The fastest qualifier in the prelims of a charity contest called "Scale the Strat," was Javier Santiago. The 37-year-old ascended the Stratosphere's 108 floors and 1,455 stairs in 8:01.17. The top 50 times met today in the finals. We'll report on the winner when we get the word.
Have you been hearing about the program for the iPhone that can help you count cards? It's not quite all it's cracked up to be. Get the lodown from Anthony Curtis in the current "Spotlight."
Five days after "Pit Bull of Comedy" Bobby Slayton closes up shot at Hooters’ Night Owl Theater, "Men of X" will take up residence. The six-member male dancing squad will perform a 75-minute show described as "up close and personal."
The 81-year-old Cal Neva Resort, Spa & Casino has gone into receivership, having defaulted on a $25 million loan. Most famous for having been owned by Frank Sinatra, the Cal Neva had fallen on hard times, as the Lake Tahoe area suffered from the rise of tribal casinos in California. The venerable property was reported to be showing its age and suffered a 37% revenue plunge last year, double the North Tahoe average decline. The Cal Neva will remain open will its creditors look for a new buyer.
For an advance peek and critique of the all-new version of The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, see Stiffs & Georges. It features a lengthy description of the new facility, more than a half-dozen images and interviews with HRH executives. The Joint opens April 17 with a concert by The Killers, followed by Paul McCartney on April 19.
TV comics dominate the schedule this weekend and who couldn’t use a good laugh these days? Dana Carvey performs a three-day gig at the Orleans while Ray Romano and Brad Garrett continue to parlay their hit sit-com into comedy gold with two shows at Mirage. Last, but not least, Craig Ferguson settles in at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theater with shows scheduled through the end of the month. On the music front, Cher returns to her temporary home at Caesars and in case you hadn’t heard, Yes will be a no-show Saturday night at the House of Blues due to "unforeseen medical conditions."
Mandalay Bay's big new theatrical draw, The Lion King, has pushed its April 22 preview opening back to May 5. The May 2 opening night will now take place on May 15 but ticket sales still begin March 14.
U.S. Airways is dropping six Vegas flights to five markets, scrapping its daily service to Baltimore, Carlgary, Edmonton, Portland (Ore.), plus two daily flights to New York's JFK airport. There are still alternative carriers for Baltimore (Southwest), Calgary (AirCanada, Sunwing and WestJet), Edmonton (ditto except for Sunwing), Portland (SWA and Alaska Airlines) and JFK (Delta, Jet Blue, Virgin America).
Poker is a game of skill, not chance, says a South Carolina judge, which means that Palmetto State cops can no longer bust people who sit down for a friendly game of Texas Hold 'Em. It remains to be seen whether this ruling will be used to help overturn the prohibition on online poker created by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
According to Reuters, both casino megaresorts in Singapore have shot well past their intended cost. Genting's Sentosa Island resort is $400 million over its $3.9 billion budget, while Marina Bay Sands, brainchild of Sheldon Adelson, is $900 million past its $4.5 billion revised cost, and $2.2 billion more than its originally announced tab of #3.2 billion. Apparently $3 billion just doesn't buy what it used to.
Inspired by the federal government, Binion's Gambling Hall is unveiling what it calls "a rescue plan of its own, designed to give players the chance to get bailed out from mortgage payments, utility bills, and more." Starting Friday and running through the afternoon of April 25, Club Binion's members can enter a drawing for a $20K prize pool. First prize will be $9K, paid out in the form of a six-month installment plan. To qualify, members will receive an entry for each 100 points of slot and video poker play. For table game players, a $10 minimum bet is the threshold. Live poker and keno play are excluded.
A fifth Las Vegas site has added a SpeedCheck Advance kiosk, namely the Venetian. The SpeedCheck system allows visitors to check their baggage pre-flight, at the hotel, for $20. To sweeten the deal, a free boarding pass is provided when the bag is checked. Only one other Strip hotel offers this service: Luxor. Other kiosks are to be found at Sands Expo Center, the Las Vegas Convention Center and the McCarran Airport car-rental center.
Last night's 1,999th performance of Ka had a very famous attendee. Oscar nominee Brad Pitt, along with sons Maddox and Pax, were there for the 7 p.m. show. They were slipped into the theater via the backstage area and left under cover of the concluding fireworks display. The trio has also been spotted at the Hard Rock Hotel.
Local attorney Douglas Crawford has fessed up to stealing almost $400K from his clients to sustain a gambling addiction. While Crawford avoided disbarment, his license will be suspended for five years. Crawford, who suffers from depression in addition to pathological gambling, will have to make restitution to the clients he swindled.
Scotty Nguyen is $340,993 richer after winning the H.O.R.S.E. championship during the first-ever L.A. Poker Classic. Nguyen bested David Rheem, who could console himself with second-place winnings of $182,477. The two outlasted a field of 94 other players, including Annie Duke, Jennifer Harman, Howard Lederer and L.A. Lakers owner Jerry Buss. The tourney was held at Commerce Casino, in the Los Angeles suburb of Commerce.
VGS Int'l will be unveiling its IS (pronounced "ice") Vodka at a slew of Strip hotels this month. IS differentiates itself from other vodkas by virtue of its lower price, its incorporation of Icelandic water, and its eschewal of Franken-wheat (i.e., genetically modified). MGM Grand will be offering IS property-wide, as well as in Studio 54. Other clubs that will have it on tap are Wasted Space (Hard Rock), Lavo (Palazzo), Krave (Planet Hollywood) and Vibe (Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas).
Check out the latest LVA in the Media blog entries, where you can read this week's installment of Anthony Curtis' nationally syndicated weekly column, with updates on the current state of the Vegas economy (bad) and new dining options (good), among other things. Plus, check out acclaimed Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist John L Smith's recent interview with Huntington Press author and former mobster Frank Cullotta, who's currently helping the authorities to solve a 27-year-old double murder.
MTV Games is partnering with Harrah's Entertainment to sponsor the Total Rewards Rock Band Competition. Beginning in March, 17 Harrah's casinos will be presenting weekly competitions, "allowing fans of the popular game to win an Xbox 360 and Rock Band bundle as well as other Total Rewards items and Rock Band apparel and accessories." These will lead to four regional semi-finals, held in Las Vegas, Chicagoland, Atlantic City and New Orleans, with A.C. hosting the May 8 final round. The eventual winner will open for the B-52s at Atlantic City's House of Blues, May 9. Harrah's say it is "pumped" to see its Total Rewards-enabled casinos retrofitted with Rock Band stages.
An incentive package for Circus Circus has been improved. The "Family Package" comes with 10 free-play passes, 'twofer' admission to Adventuredome, Magic Motion and a half-off dinner show.
New York-New York guests have the option of a $25 discount on golf at Desert Pines, Primm Valley or Royal Links plus comped golf club rental. If you're feeling romantic, the "Couples" deal includes an upgrade to a Park Avenue room with a Strip view, a nighttime tour of Las Vegas, two free cocktails, a comped continental breakfast, a free spa admission and a free roller coaster ride, along with a $25 shopping credit.
"Stay and Play" at Monte Carlo includes two comps each of: buffet admissions, cocktails and spa access. Dining coupons and $10 free slot play are also part of the deal.
Cult Vegas author Mike Weatherford has a raft of local showbiz notes today. In the wake of Hitzville's sudden hiatus, Vegas will not be completely Motown-less, it seems. Human Nature, a former boy band from Australia, is being mulled as a possible replacement for Legends in Concert when it moves from the Imperial Palace to Harrah's, and has supposedly jumped toward the head of the pack of possible new Strip shows. Shear Madness, slated for Town Square, appears to be bogged down by construction and other issues, and won't open for another month, at the earliest.
In a bit of news casino operators really won't want to hear, Macao is considering raising the legal age for gambling from 18 to 21. An increase in reports of pathological gambling prompted the discussion. The idea has the backing of Stanley Ho, who owns the majority of the enclave's 31 casinos.
If you text 'Rio' to 227466, you'll receive an average of three text messages per stay, alerting customers to discounts and other value propositions throughout the resort. The Harrah's Entertainment-owned property rolled out the new application after finding that customers redeemed two-three coupons per visit. A typical offer might be two-for-one drink special. If the texting program flies at the Rio, it will spread to the Flamingo and gradually be rolled out to other Harrah's casinos. But there are drawbacks to signing up -- we know, because we did it. The review will be published in the March issue of Las Vegas Advisor.
Defunct online casino Betcha.com won an important victory when a Washington State court ruled that it had not been in violation of gambling laws. Unlike most online casinos, Betcha.com had players competing against each other, rather than the house, with no compulsory payment of winning wagers. Bet-welshers could, however, be black-marked accordingly, using a system not unlike eBay's vendor-rating setup. Washington officials plan to appeal the ruling to the state's supreme court but already Betcha.com founder Nicholas Jenkins is talking about a relaunch.
Fewer gamblers in Las Vegas is translating into more gamblers in U.S. regional markets like Louisiana, where casino revenue grew 11% in January. While New Orleans and Baton Rouge averaged 3% growth, the Houston-fed Lake Charles market boomed, up 26%, far exceeding analyst expectations. Even the Shreveport/Bossier City area, which had been losing gamblers to Oklahoma, was up 12%. Casinos owned by Isle of Capri, Penn National and Boyd Gaming all were robust, while Pinnacle Entertainment reported mixed results and Harrah's was flat.
In an unrelated development, Pinnacle asked for -- and received -- a three-month extension on breaking ground for its two Louisiana casino projects, Sugarcane Bay (in Lake Charles) and Porte Cochere (near Baton Rouge). The company said financing had dried up.
For abetting money laundering by an illegal sports-betting outfit, a former Borgata poker room supervisor earned nine months in the slammer last week. Joseph Wishnick failed to report large currency transactions made by the betting ring, which was operating from a Borgata hotel room. Another member of the scheme was sentenced to a $3K fine and two years' probation.
It's official; Wyndham Resorts has announced suspension of the Desert Blue timeshare project it was building behind The Rio. Wyndham's admission is more of a formality than a surprise. Little or no activity has been seen at the construction site, just a block from LVA offices, for several weeks now. No resumption date has been announced for the property, which was originally slated to open early next year.
Mafia informant Frank Cullotta is not only gung-ho on the prospect of a so-called "Mob Museum" in downtown Vegas, he says he's been approached to contribute anecdotes and memorabilia. One of Tony Spilotro's "Hole in the Wall" gang, Cullotta was the subject of a recent biography by Dennis Griffin. In the embattled museum's defense, he tells the Las Vegas Sun, "People want to know about this part of our past. You make a movie about Jack the Ripper, and people flock to see it. It’s the same with this museum."
Former Stratosphere owner and casino bargain hunter Carl Icahn is reportedly in the hunt for the Tropicana Atlantic City, through a characteristically canny move. Icahn is part of a group of secured debtors and the $1.4 billion they're owed could be converted into a "credit bid," one that would dwarf a competing cash-and-securities offer by Cordish Co. Icahn is also the former owner of the Sands Atlantic City, which was demolished after he sold it to Pinnacle Entertainment.
If Tropicana Entertainment can successfully file bankruptcy and if the Indiana Gaming Commission approves, a deal is on the table that would allow the company to continue operating the Casino Aztar riverboat in Evansville, ending years of acrimony between Tropicana and Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel. The proposed accord would be contingent on several factors, including Tropicana building a pedestrian bridge, undertaking a feasibility study for replacing the Casino Aztar vessel (which all agree is obsolete), and keeping company owner William Yung completely out of any business dealings involving the casino.
Casino consultant Casino-ology and author Bill Zender e-mailed the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently to weigh in on the Nevada Gaming Control Board's recent alarm about iPhone applications that might help card counters. Zender says it's much ado about nothing, likening it to a toy and adding that comparing iPhones or iPod Touch to "a concealable computer like the ‘David’ or ‘Casey’ is inconceivable." Zender accuses Nevada regulators of overreaction and fomenting paranoia amongst casinos. "How soon," he asked, "will it be before a customer is detained by security because he or she was simply text messaging their friend from the general proximity of a blackjack table?"
Nebraska businessman and prominent "whale" Terrance Watanabe surrended himself to Las Vegas authorities today. Watanabe was wanted in connection with 38 unpaid markers from Caesars Palace and The Rio. In addition to nearly $15 million in casino debt, Watanabe could be on the hook for $1.5 million in collection costs. He posted bail and is expected to be released today.
"Government and industry leaders from all six continents," surveyed by Globalysis Ltd., say Las Vegas is still the gambling capital of the world, beating Macao 81%-19%. (Gee, no votes for Atlantic City?) A sizable plurality (46%) thought the Obama administration would be good for the industry, with only 12% taking a downbeat view. Nearly two-thirds opined that technology reliance would increase in casinos in '09 while almost three-quarters thought Internet gambling would grow. A slight majority chose either "poor" or "very poor" when predicting gaming's '09 performance, with 53% forecasting an early-to-mid-2010 recovery.
"Many respondents extended this negative outlook to corporate hiring and social responsibility matters," Globalysis adds. "Nearly half of the executives anticipated that their organization would reduce their staff in 2009, while 63% said that they anticipated that their organization would likely commit fewer resources to corporate social responsibility programs during 2009."
Sorry to all you BBQ fans out there, but it's come to our attention that the 2009 MRB "Locals Corner" 2-for-1 menu item coupon for Barbeque Masters is no longer any good, on account of the venue's kitchen having closed. Although they haven't changed the name, the joint is now a bar only until further notice (they're hoping a third party may lease the kitchen), open from 11 a.m.-2 a.m. or later daily.
The exclusive offer for Las Vegas residents to see the Blue Man Group at the Venetian for $42.50 (plus taxes & fess) is only good through March 16, so book now to avoid disappointment. These seats are regularly priced at $80; the $120-seats are also available at the discounted price of $60. Call the Venetian Box Office at 702/414-9000 for available performances and mention code PB1 LOCAL 241. (Must present valid Nevada drivers license when you pick up your tickets.)
Today's LA Times online features an interesting new blog entry from columnist Richard Abowitz, who discusses Metro's latest crackdown on Las Vegas prostitution. The VETO (Vice Enforcement Top Offenders) program is targeting 50 women whom police describe as "the most prolific prostitutes" in Vegas, but Abowitz questions the credibility of both the initiative and this list, since it merely features high-profile streetwalkers and not the high-end call girls who cater to high rollers via their casino hosts, nor the ever-proliferating business of Internet "escort" agencies.
Anyone interested in the adult-entertainment side of Sin City should look out for our upcoming title "Topless Vegas," a comprehensive guide to strip clubs, topless shows, European-style pools, and more, available very soon in e-book format (print edition to follow), and for the debut of our new sister site, SinCityAdvisor.com, which will cover the adult scene in the same comprehensive and informative way that LasVegasAdvisor.com covers mainstream Las Vegas. Visit the link above to submit your email address for updates about the launch of the book and the site.
Tinoco's Kitchen has opened at Vegas Club. It's run by chef Enrique Tinoco, who made his bones with the non-casino Tinoco's Bistro, which has operated since 1998 on Charleston in the Arts District area. Tinoco's Kitchen serves from 7 am to 10 pm daily.
Concerned Macau Citizens Group, a dissident movement with ties to Stanley Ho, is organizing to oppose Las Vegas Sands' planned sales of its Macanese retail malls and Four Seasons condo-hotel. "This will destroy the local property sector and put many local real-estate developers out of business," said the group's leader, who added that it controvened a provision in Sands' casino license that prohibited from dabbling in the real estate market. Remember that nearly identical comments were made last week by Stanley Ho, Sands' primary rival for casino business in Macao.
Against bondholders, that is. A class-action suit has been filed against the casino giant by a pair of debtors. At issue is a recent debt swap, one of the aims of which was to buy out debtors whose notes came due soonest. The suit contends that Harrah's offer "benefited some big corporate bondholders while placing other classes of bondholders in jeopardy," according to the Las Vegas Sun. One of the dissident debtors is S. Blake Murchison, who is also suing Station Casinos.
With 16% rental vacancies and 4% homeowner vacancies, Las Vegas has earned the designation of the U.S.'s "emptiest city," according to Forbes magazine. With its above-average levels of empty or abandoned housing, Vegas nosed out Detroit for the top (or bottom spot). Forbes surveyed 75 major metro areas. The least empty? Honolulu, which is a seller's market indeed.
Down to its last $15 million and admitting that it's at least three months delinquent on its mortgage, Resorts Atlantic City finds itself in a corner. It's arguing to New Jersey regulators that the bank should not be allowed to foreclose on the venerable casino, as said bank doesn't have a casino license. By Garden State law, casinos can only be run by license holders, but regulators have so far raised no objections to repossession.
Atlantic City casino operator Trump Entertainment Resorts and nine of its affiliates filed for bankruptcy today, the company's third sojourn in Chapter 11. Even after four extensions, the company was unable to achieve a restructuring plan in time to avoid bankruptcy. Its laboring under $1.75 billion in debt. Donald Trump made a theatrical exit last week, resigning his position and declaring his 28% in casino stock, "worthless to me." Of the bankruptcy motion, Trump CEO Mark Juliano said, "This filing will result in no immediate change in our daily operations, and we expect to make no changes regarding our operating structure or philosophy."
British casino operator Genting Stanley has taken a page from Steve Wynn's book. The company, in the midst of a labor negotiation, prompted a staff walkout by saying it intended to take control of the 'Tronc' (tip pool) and exclude casino workers from the toke committee. Genting Stanley is seeking a 15-20% slice of the tips and to cap the amount that workers can receive. Ironically, casino staff originally began receiving tips as a means of sweetening a previous salary package.
Thanks to the representative from Leroy's Horse and Sports Place who wrote in with a small correction to our Feb. 12 item in this column. In fact all nine Southern Nevada Buffalo Wild Wings locations will have the Leroy's account wagering kiosk installed.
A card-counting application mounted on iPhone and iPod Touch has Nevada regulators in a tizzy. Since it's illegal to beat the house with mechanical assistance (but not the other way around), the Nevada Gaming Control Board was been warning Nevada casinos about the new wrinkle. It was discovered in California, where gamblers in tribal casinos were enjoying some Apple-assisted wins. If you're found using one of these devices while playing you can be subject to detention by the casino and arrest by police.
In a move that bodes ill for the company's financial health, Harrah's Entertainment has asked for permission to draw down a third of its revolving credit line in order to fund corporate costs and "capital expenditures." These credit facilities are not intended to pay for day-to-day operations, so when a company makes this request (as Station Casinos did late last year), it is seen as a potential harbinger of a bankruptcy filing. Harrah's is laboring under $24 billion of debt. The costs of servicing that debt have driven Harrah's bottom line from profitable to leaking red ink.
Several point multipliers are available today. South Point is awarding 3X players club points, Silverton and Fiestas are 5X, and Station and Coast casinos are 6X. You can also get a buffet at Silverton for $5 today and a 2-for-1 at Station or Fiesta buffets with the coupon in today's LV Review-Journal.
Penn National Gaming received unanimous approval from the Maine Gaming Control Board for longer wagering hours on Sunday. Betting will now begin at 8 a.m. instead of noon at Bangor's Hollywood Slots.
With Trump Entertainment Resorts requiring extension after extension to stay out of Chapter 11, Donald Trump has removed himself from the process. Trump, whose role at the casino company is largely that of a figurehead, stepped down on Friday, saying he is "not thrilled" that the company continues to bear his name. "Unless we’re going to be responsible for management it’s just not something that’s worthwhile," The Donald said. "It’s a disaster and I see what’s happened with so many others, and I don’t want to be a part of it." Daughter Ivanka Trump also resigned from the company, which is expected to enter bankruptcy this week.
According to the Las Vegas Sun, builders at CityCenter have taken a novel approach to construction, beginning work and only subsequently obtaining approval for their plans. Worse still, in some cases, work was being done from last-minute renderings unapproved by the engineer of record. This practice appears to have led to problems at CityCenter's twin Veer towers.
The line on today's NBA All-Star Game makes the West a -2.5 favorite. The over/under for this traditionally scoring-packed contest is a lofty 264.
A bill in the Indiana House that would ban smoking in all Hoosier State public areas and work areas has been amended to exempt casinos and bars. Those casinos are currently seeing a "spillover" benefit in the form of customers picked up from Illinois, where casinos do not allow smoking.
"It is highly likely that we may see a few more months of difficulty before things get better," says UNLV economist Keith Schwer. "This may be the hardest part right now." All of the 10 economic indicators he tracks were down last month. Schwer was the first to declare Nevada in recession, last year, when most major public figures were still in denial.
Three Nevada airports will collectively receive more than $5 million in federal funds for safety and improvement projects, it's been announced. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded nearly $2.1 million to McCarran for terminal apron expansion and $3 million to North Las Vegas Airport for powerline relocation, while Reno-Stead Airport is set to receive about $68,000 for runway safety improvements needed to ensure compliance with FAA design standards.
A blizzard of paper has fallen upon MGM Mirage’s CityCenter, mostly in the form of notices that work performed is not in compliance with paperwork filed. Project spokesman Gordon Absher characterized the bulk of the warnings as "very minor. And some are as simple as the engineering review process catching up with what's happening at the site … we’re simply there [doing verification testing] to prove there’s not a problem." Work on The Harmon was stopped after it was learned that rebar placement was hopelessly at variance with where it was supposed to be.
A couple of big-name concerts are opening ticket sales today. Robin Williams will play the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 24; tickets are $105-$236. Paul McCartney helps reopen the Joint at the Hard Rock on April 19 (the Killers play the Joint first on April 17); tickets are $191-$746.
Harvey Fierstein is looking back on his brief Luxor stint in Hairspray but not fondly. Of audience members, he says, "They had those God-long drinks that they actually hang around your neck, and they would come down the aisle with two of them, and the glasses clanked together, like two pendulous breasts ... with the popcorn in one hand and the hot dog in the other." Fierstein's lurid (and not) unentertaining rant, though, turns out to be more entertaining than true.
Clubs will be hopping and restaurants are offering special deals all around town. Be sure to check our Special Events section on the home page for all of today's happenings.
On Monday, Station Casinos properties will commemorate Presidents Day with a special buffet brunch at all Station-branded properties. They will also be offering six times points all day.
After some speculation that the 20th anniversary of the Mirage might pass unobserved, the resort has busted out a new, commemorative logo. It shows the iconic quintet of palm trees above a giant "20 YEARS," followed by the slogan, "Vegas Starts Here™." The opening of the Mirage in 1989 was a surprise success that is credited with launching the megaresort era in Vegas.
Despite a 4% increase in casino revenue during 2008, casinos in the Bossier City/Shreveport area shed 27% of their workforce. Flacks for Eldorado Resorts, Harrah's Entertainment and Boomtown Casino did not respond to the Shreveport Times' queries, but Boyd Gaming's Rob Stillwell said layoffs at the Shreveport Sam's Town were not significant while DiamondJacks said it made no layoffs last year and planned to make none this year either.
Maryland's five available slot license now have only four bidders after two applicants' bids were rebuffed by a review panel. Offers from Rocky Gap State Park and racetrack Laurel Park were deemed to be underfinanced. The matter will probably now move to the courts.
VegasHappensHere.com's newest poll poses the question, "Which bygone Vegas hotel or casino do you miss the most?" In early balloting, the recently departed Stardust holds a narrow lead over the Sands, with the Desert Inn a distant third. Interestingly, Bob Stupak's Vegas World is, as of this writing, considerably outpolling the Moulin Rouge, Hacienda and even the Landmark.
You can check out the results of a similar poll (which garned some 4,300+ votes, as opposed to 103 cast to date in the Stripper Poll) that LVA ran in Oct., 2007 by clicking here. And if you haven't already, don't forget to vote for your favorite prime-rib deal in the current LVA Reader Poll.
Nevada race books are carrying the TrackNet simulcast, following resolution of a stalemate that ultimately forced TrackNet to pull the plug on its Nevada subscribers. The new deal is said to include a half-point increase in the rate that participating sports books pay to TrackNet. Feeds from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita were among those that went dark during the nadir of the crisis.
Lisa Timmons'
A beloved fixture of downtown, Hugo's Cellar was believed to have seen better days, but Heidi Knapp Rinella stopped by for a bite and found that it returned to the glory of yore. Only the Veal Oscar disappointed. "Quite simply, our visit there was seamless, from the point when we made our reservation until we walked out the door after dinner," Rinella writes. Hugo's is a somewhat formal dining spot, so if you're thinking of showing up in flip-flops, ripped jeans and a turned-around ball cap, think again.
Rather than wait until Friday the 13th, Greektown management decided to open the Detroit casino's new hotel tower one night ahead of schedule. The 371-room, 29-suite hotel tower is expected to generate 300 jobs. Room rates begin at $99/night. The addition also gives Greektown some desperately needed in-house F&B amenities (it has previously avoided competition with the neighborhood's adjacent restaurant row). According to a press release, "The hotel lobby itself is a work of art, boasting an immense hand-blown glass chandelier in the image of a torch flame. A huge fireplace extends above the front desk which is framed by a hanging staircase."
Eight of the 10 Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants in Nevada will be outfitted with betting kiosks from LeRoy's Horse & Sports Palace. Nevada authorities approved the move today.
There’s no shortage of special ways to celebrate Valentine's Day in Las Vegas and just about all of them can be found in our Special Events section. Listed below you'll find the best of the rest on this weekend's entertainment schedule. Lucky Cheng’s performs for the final time at Harmon Theater this Saturday night while Terry Fator and his cast of puppet co-stars begin residency over at the Mirage. ND's Fuego joins the nightlife scene with a weekend-long grand opening celebration at the Rio.
If you want a chance to earn some cash and a free stay at the Palms while having professional snaps taken for the Playboy Club 2010 calendar and for review by none other than Hugh Hefner himself, here it is.
Ladies visiting the Playboy Club at the Palms are invited to submit their names and non-nude photos for consideration to become Miss Playboy Club. Each month, club managers and Playboy talent scouts will review the applications and select a new Miss Playboy Club to serve as the face of the Club for the next month’s advertising campaign. In addition to a place in the calendar, winners will receive $1,000 in cash, a complimentary night’s stay at the Palms, a Swedish massage at Drift Spa at Palms Place, dinner for two at NOVE Italiano, and complimentary bottle service at the Playboy Club. Register by visiting the Playboy club any night of the week – potential applicants also receive free admission to the club.
Harrah's Entertainment has become at the least the fourth major casino company to suspend 401(k) contributions to employees' pension plans, as have Wynn Resorts, Station Casinos and Trump Entertainment Resorts. Boyd Gaming has halved its 401(k) match but not discontinued it. Also, some managerial salaries at Harrah's will be reduced. The benefit suspension does not affect Culinary Union members, who have their own pension plan and avoid company 401(k)s.
A man fell to his death from the eighth floor of Circus Circus after he leaned out of his hotel window to smoke. The incident occurred shortly after 3 a.m. and police believe alcohol may have been a contributory factor.
"Federal prosecutors in Tacoma, Washington are charging four alleged members of a cheating ring that hit roulette tables at three Indian casinos" in the Pacific Northwest, reads a story at Blog.Wired.com. The scheme supposedly hinged on surreptitiously sneaking extra "non-value" chips into play, for an eventual $11,500-plus take.
And not from some pushover, either, but from longtime Danny Gans detractor Steve Friess, in the new issue of Las Vegas Weekly. Gans, Friess writes, "made a nearly two-hour show zip by without my ever checking my watch, which is a considerable accomplishment." The show is deemed an improvement on its Mirage incarnation not only for the inclusion of timely material, but also for "the new environs—a proper theater with advanced lighting and LED screens on the stage for mood-setting graphics as opposed to the flat, low-tech converted ballroom [Gans] had toiled in across the street."
Regarding Gordie Brown's return to the Golden Nugget, Friess is less enthusiastic, calling much of Brown's material, "straight-up gay-bashing to appeal to the audience’s worst instincts."
A sneak peek at the Hard Rock Hotel's new South Tower rooms can be found at LasVegasLogue.com. The room's design it says, it says, "continues the look of the valet area to the tower buildings, with tones of black, white and various dark shades of grey." Three photos are included. The South Tower debuts around May or June of this year.
Although the rollout of Encore has generally played to favorable reviews, one loud dissent has emerged from KNPR-FM food critic John Curtas. He writes that Encore's restaurant array has "been over-thought and over-designed to such an extent that all originality and personality has been bled from the premises." He summarizes the food offerings as "grilling a bunch of steaks and playing it ultra-safe." He did note, however, that matters "improve considerably" at Sinatra and Society.
As hard up as the Nevada Legislature is for tax revenue, levying fees on brothels will remain a no-no, even in those counties where the oldest profession is legal. Legislative staff have been instructed to stop work on a bill that would institute brothel taxes in return for expanding the industry to the Reno and Las Vegas areas. Lamented NV Brothel Owners Association President George Flint, "I’ve seen legal and regulated, and illegal and unregulated. The first is better."
In a related story, Pahrump resident Heidi Fleiss has informed the Las Vegas Review-Journal that she's bagging her concept, announced three years ago, to open a "stud farm" in Nye County. I don't want to work so hard," said Fleiss, "and deal with all the nonsense in the sex business." Instead, she intends to enter the field of alternative energy production.
Time is running out to see Laugh Out Loud with the Scintas at the Las Vegas Hilton. The show closes March 14. Until then, there's a special $20 admission price (regular ticket prices start at double that amount) through the end of the run.
Eight different measures to introduce gambling to the Aloha State are in the legislative hopper but supporters are pessimistic that action will be taken this session. Already a wave of opposition has arisen, voicing such thrice-familiar complaints as "You can't gamble your way out of [sic] prosperity" and "Does Hawaii really need one more addiction?"
Donald Trump's bankers have the patience of Job. As Trump Entertainment Resorts tries to restructure $1.25 billion in debt, the company has been granted a fourth extension in which to work things out. However, each extension has been shorter than the one before, suggesting there are limits to the debtors' patience. This extension expires Tuesday.
The single mother who made the top five finalists in "America’s Got Talent" will join the cast of Menopause The Musical at the Las Vegas Hilton for a special performance on Friday, Feb. 13. Tickets for the show, which is due to end its extended run at the Hilton on April 5, are $49.50 (plus tax and service charge) and can be purchased by clicking here.
Las Vegas Sands announced a 27 cents-per-share loss for the fourth quarter of last year. While occupancy at the Venetian and Palazzo was in the 90%-plus range, Las Vegas now represents slightly more than a fourth of the company's revenue base, highlighting its vulnerability to fluctuations in Macao. Revenue was dwarfed by Asian development costs. Executives of Sands, which is building a megaresort in Singapore, cited Singapore and Kuala Lampur as target markets for its Macao operations.
Black Gaming has an extra six months in which to turn around the situation at its semi-closed Oasis hotel-casino. The Mesquite hangout's liquor license and city gaming license were in danger of expiration due to the shutdown of most casino and hotel operations at the Oasis. Now Black Gaming has until July 31 to either return to full operation or petition for additional relief. Casino revenues in Mesquite have been decimated, falling 20% in December alone.
Sports Illustrated cover girl Bar Refaeli and 17 of her colleagues will hit the Strip tomorrow at noon for a photo shoot at the base of the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign near Mandalay Bay. Eleven of the models will then fan out in three groups from 3-5 p.m. promotional events at Margaritaville, the Rio's I-Bar and the Mirage's Art of Music store, followed by an invitation-only "Club SI Swimsuit Party" at LAX.
Oscar Goodman's blast a President Obama, Harry Reid's defense of same and the drop in Vegas tourism numbers in December are, as of this hour, the three lead items on the Drudge Report. Which is precisely the scenario a prescient Steve Friess predicted earlier this morning: "By ginning this up, by turning it into something Drudge-worthy, [Goodman is] introducing to many meeting planners and companies a thought that hadn't crossed or become firm in their minds: 'Will it look bad if we hold this thing in Vegas this year?'"
Eco-friendly franchise Java Detour, which recently debuted in the Vegas Valley, is offering a complimentary small coffee/tea/children's drink at both locations throughout the month of March for patrons who donate a new or gently used book (for children ages 4-12), in support of National Reading Month. Java Detour can be found at 6087 S. Pecos Rd and 100 City Parkway in the Molasky Corporate Center.
In case anyone's confused, we've moved some things around... Due to popular demand, Jean Scott's "Frugal Vegas" blog is now accessible directly from the home page, via the "LVA Blogs" section, where you'll also find David McKee's "Stiffs & Georges." The "LVA in the Media" section has moved across to the "Features" column (where you'll also find the current poll, LVA Top 10, access to QoD etc.). Anthony's regular Wednesday syndicated column has just been added, along with a blog entry from USAToday.com that features Huntington Press golfing author Ken Van Vechten.
In an interesting bit of political jujitsu, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) took sides against Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman without mentioning the latter by name. Responding to Goodman's recent criticism of the president (which Goodman followed up in writing), Reid said, "President Obama's criticism was aimed at taxpayer funds for junkets. We gave a lot of money to the banks and they should in the use that money for junkets whether it is to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or New York. Las Vegas is a place that people look on as a good place to go for timeout. I repeat that President Obama during the campaign was in Nevada 20 times." Reid didn't miss a great marketing opportunity, however, pointing out that the average hotel rate in Las Vegas is currently $119 a night.
Great Britain's Advertising Standards Authority has nixed an ad for ShortsandLongs.com on the grounds that it glamorizes gambling. (What? Gambling? Glamor? Who knew?) The site, which uses spread betting to trade on the financial markets, depicts a fashionably stubbled man flanked by two women. According to BrandRepublic.com, ASA censors "upheld the criticism that the ad made men seem more attractive, saying the women in the picture were touching the man's arms intimately and decided readers were likely to infer that one of the rewards of success in spread betting was enhanced attractiveness and increased sexual success." And this from the nation that gave the world James Bond.
In a related development, members of Parliament are calling for Google to reinstate its ban of gambling advertising, which the Web giant had revoked in the U.K. This move sparked flutters of outrage from the Church of England, which fears that Google is "normalising" the acceptance of gambling.
As part of its new "affordable luxury" message, MGM Grand is advertising Signature Suites from $100/night upward. The room package includes a free pair of Signature Lounge cocktails. Call 877/727-0007 and use promo code BST09.
Executives of Detroit's bankrupt Greektown hotel-casino will be showing the place to a half-dozen potential bidders next week, with an eye toward selling the property by June 1. Greektown opens a new hotel tower this Friday, after a bankruptcy court cleared an additional $23 million loan. The casino, which is the last one in the Detroit area to be upgraded, continues to fall off the pace, down 12% in January, compared to a 7% dropoff for Motor City and a 2% slippage at MGM Grand Detroit.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman took umbrage with President Barack Obama's comment that, "You can't get corporate jets, you can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer's dime." Fumes Goodman, "That's outrageous and he owes us an apology. He owes us a retraction." Both Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs recently canceled corporate meetings that were to be held on the Strip, at a time when convention traffic was already suffering. For more vintage Goodman verbiage, try John L. Smith's Of Rats and Men now available in e-book form.
Weak travel trends in Nevada last December (see below) translated into a gambling revenue decline of 19%. The Strip had it even worse, down 23%. Given that Nov. 29-30 slot revenue was rolled into the December numbers because of a quirk in Nevada's methodology, the numbers actually look better than they are. With decreased table drop and slot handle (plus a miniscule reduction in slot hold), both sectors took a beating. The casinos were exceptionally unlucky at baccarat, where win fell by 45%. Thanks to the debut of Aliante Station, the North Las Vegas market saw a 21% upsurge, however.
The holiday season saw 11% fewer visitors to Las Vegas than last year, according to Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority figures, a problem accentuated by a 6% increase in the number of hotel rooms in town. Many fewer conventions were held (-17%) and 14% fewer people flew the friendly skies into or out of Las Vegas. Travel from California held up pretty well, however, off by only 1%. Projections by J.P. Morgan analysts show a rocky first quarter of '09 for Vegas, extending at least into April.
Until March 31, if you book a $169 spa treatment at Wet, you'll get a free Deluxe room night at Treasure Island. If you choose the $299 spa treatment, two free room nights are your reward. These deals are applicable only to Sun.-Thurs. arrivals and must be booked by March 23. Call 800/944-7444 and cite promo code WET09.
The current poll regarding which Strip casino has the friendliest dealers will end at midnight PST tonight. It was a poll suggested over time by a number of readers and we sensed that a lot of people have been noticing less bonhomie in Las Vegas in general as everyone feels the pressures of the current economic meltdown. So, if in spite of all that you still have a favorite place to play because the dealers make you feel comfortable no matter what the stock market is doing, then be sure to share before the new poll goes up.
Poker pro Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott has become enough of a celebrity that his coiffure is the subject of "That's Not His Hair." This YouTube music video, which debuted last week, asks "Is that a cat? Is that a badger?" Ulliott replies that it's just a comb-over.
Sports Illustrated is taking the launch of its 2009 swimsuit edition from coast to coast with "SI Swimsuit 24/7, From New York to Las Vegas." A specially wrapped Southwest Airlines jet will fly cover girl Bar Refaeli (Israeli model and Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend) and other SI swimsuit models from La Guardia Airport to Las Vegas, where they'll touch down on Wednesday night. They'll spend Thursday conducting "a day of autograph signings and photo opportunities at select [unspecified] resorts, all culminating with the first ever launch party in Las Vegas," to be held at LAX. John Legend will perform. The Refaeli-wrapped SWA jet will continue to fly the length and breath of the airline's routes for at least a month, doubtless causing no small amount of distraction in the friendly skies.
Hot on the heels of the "Go Red for Women" show at the Fremont Street Experience comes tomorrow's Tops in Blue concert by the United States Air Force, commencing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Nellis Air Force Base Colonel Belote will take the stage with FSE President Jeff Victor to introduce the concert, which features the Air Force's premier entertainment showcase with 30 members made up of active duty men and women who were selected through the Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest. The show, which is 90 minutes in length, includes music, dance, and comedy and is free to all to attend.
The off-Strip Greek Isles hotel-casino got a new lease on life last night, ironically because it was repossessed by the bank. This means the end of plans to implode the place to make room for a twin-tower redevelopment. The Greek Isles has a checkered past, having also been the Debbie Reynolds Hotel, Paddlewheel and Royal Inn. Steve Friess has detailed coverage of the switchover.
James Packer's Crown Ltd. is writing off 82% of the value of its holdings in Harrah's Entertainment, Station Casinos and Fontainebleau. Crown's U.S. casino portfolio has gone down in value from $360 million to $65 million.
Online "social gambling" site Pikum.com has closed up shop. The joint venture between First Round Capital and Virgin USA blew through $6 million in startup, licensing and marketing costs. These included racy videos featuring the "Pikum Girls." Notes GamingFloor.com Editor Ian Sutton, "Easy to see where the money went." Wrote Pikum co-founder Sean Glass, "It is disappointing that we were not able to find support to continue the business as the revised product platform had started to perform well ... " U.K.-based Glass is returning stateside. The fate of the Pikum Girls is unknown.
After 23-plus years on the Strip, the Riviera's La Cage is kaput, the victim of falling attendance and a poor economy. The cast was informed after the curtain fell on Monday night's show. Emcee Frank Marino intends to seek out a headliner gig elsewhere on the Strip posthaste. Rumors continue to swirl around the future of Crazy Girls but its producer insists that all systems are 'go.'
How hard up are casinos for money these days? Both the Hard Rock Hotel and Caesars Palace are suing the estate of a deceased Colorado man, Ryan Clark, for $715K plus damages and legal fees. The Hard Rock alleges that Clark defaulted on $150K in markers while Caesars asserts that he passed $565K in bad checks shortly before his Sept. 6 demise. A proposal before the Nevada Legislature that would make unpaid markers taxable is no doubt sharpening casinos' resolve to collect on bad debt.
After waiting until a week before regulatory approval, Pinnacle Entertainment has asked for a three-month delay on its planned Baton Rouge and Lake Charles casinos. Lousiana Gaming Control Board President Charles Gaudin told reporters that Pinnacle still seemed "very optimistic about going ahead with everything," despite the requested hiatus
In the latest round of the ongoing rivalry between Stanley Ho and Sheldon Adelson, the former has accused the latter of overstepping the bounds of his casino license by engaging in real estate development. Ho told the Macau Daily Times that the Venetian Macao owner was trying to "take advantage of the low-cost tourism project granted by the SAR government on the Cotai Strip to develop the property market."
Cirque du Soleil's untitled Elvis Presley-themed show, slated for Aria in CityCenter, has landed a "name" choreographer. It's Vince Paterson, whose credits include working with Madonna, Michael Jackson, Van Halen and two of the Beatles (Paul and George). He was nominated for a Tony for Broadway's Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Isle of Capri Casinos has announced that it intends to either sell or close its Coventry casino, located beneath the Ricoh Arena. The casino has been a dud for Isle of Capri, which blames the poor results on Britain's "restrictive regulatory landscape."
East Coast media outlets were all over the maiden voyage of the ACES train to Atlantic City. The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and Bloomberg all turned out for the event. The casino-sponsored train uses cars made by Bombardier, which also manufactured the trains which run on the Las Vegas Monorail.
After a decent interval, the Chicago Sun-Times has weighed in on Encore and gives it a rave review. Among other things, we learn that the prevailing color of the resort is a custom-crafted shade of red called "Tulip." It likens Encore to "a boutique hotel, with a relatively small but nicely compartmentalized casino, restaurants that are easy to find, a registration desk located just off the elevator banks and a ground-level esplanade that seamlessly leads into Wynn Las Vegas."
According to the National Weather Service, Mount Charleston's slopes were the recipient of 27 inches of snow over the weekend. Additional precipitation is expected throughout the week.
Ads placed by Argosy Casino, in Riverside, Mo., to promote IGT's new Wheel of Fortune Super Spin slot game announced, "Jackpots starting from $500,000 to $1.5 million.*" The asterisk referred to a disclaimer that read:"Jackpot amounts vary by jurisdiction." Do they ever. The Super Spin progressive at Argosy started at $15,000. Turns out that a typo was to blame. The 500,000 to 1.5 million were supposed to be credits, not dollars.
It's old glass half-full or half-empty question as the latest casino-revenue numbers have come in from Indiana. On the one hand, revenues overall are up a robust 12% (quite unlike neighboring Illinois). On the other, the addition of two racinos to the statewide mix means that, on a per-casino basis, revenues are down 4%. Hoosier Park racetrack and Harrah's giant Horseshoe Hammond riverboat are both doing exceptionally well, taking business from rival casinos.
New Encore headliner Danny Gans previewed the latest edition of his show last weekend. Sun columnist John Katsilometes writes that Gans is "backed by a powerful eight-piece band" and has "taken on quite a few more contemporary artists as John Mayer, Five For Fighting and Jason Mraz join the ghosts of the Sammy, Dean-O, Sinatra and George Burns." A no-show at the event: Steve Wynn.
Sunday's New York Times carried an article about Oscar Goodman's battle to remake downtown Las Vegas. Once past the usual cliché or two (downtown is described as "a worn-out showgirl at the end of a parade"), the story gets to grips with the matter via pithy quotes from Goodman, UNLV's David Schwartz and HP author Jon Ralston.
That's what the Las Vegas Sun calls the downsized condo-hotel, truncated because of structural deficiencies that went unnoticed until it was too late to fully rectify them. The Sun also offers a visual preview of what the half-size Harmon will look like. Meanwhile, as the probability of litigation grows, the finger-pointing is starting to get ugly.
According to Compliance Reporter, MGM Mirage bonds took a beating last week after "widely circulated rumors" had Dubai World withdrawing its commitment to CityCenter: "The drop reflects investor fear over the impact an unfinished, unfunded CityCenter would have on MGM's balance sheet, one trader said." Dubai World is a 50/50 partner with MGM Mirage in the $9 billion-plus project.
A former Harrah's casino host says that high roller Terry Watanabe was a good, low-maintenance guy who was courteous to employees, according to the Omaha World Herald, which draws a sharp contrast between Watanabe's behavior and the shrieking, diva-like antics of "Omar" Siddiqui. Nor does the casino host accept Clark County's contention that Watanabe defrauded the Rio and Caesars Palace: "Terry would have never taken anything he didn't intend to pay back." For insight into the high-roller world, the World-Herald draws upon David Schwartz, among others. Further revelations about the sea in which the "whales" swim can be found in Whale Hunt in the Desert.
An article in today's LV Sun focusses on the plight of Las Vegas taxi drivers in the bad economy. Their incomes -- based on 40% of fares, plus tips -- have fallen drastically, and some are apparently reverting to long-haul tactics. Long hauling is taking circuitous routes to pad fares. Be aware.
The issue of a Nevada lottery -- illegal due to a ban that's been in place since 1864 -- is about to come up for debate for the 27th time since 1975. The chances for lottery approval have been heightened, given that the Nevada state Senate is now controlled by Democrats (who have supported earlier lottery measures). But even if it were approved, it could not get through the entire legalization process until 2013 at the earliest.
That was the job of Mötley Crüe last night, as the rock band became the last to play the Hard Rock's original venue. The Joint will be expanded, renovated, and reopened in April.
"I'm trying to give them exactly what they want," 'Danny Gans tells Mike Weatherford, previewing Gans’ Encore show. That means a show tailored for a 35-and-older crowd, leaning more towards Chicago than Bon Jovi. The Encore Theater’s resources will be used to bring higher production values to bits like Gans’ Phantom of the Opera pastiche. Gans says he keeps tabs on which songs to add to his act by monitoring local FM stations KXMB 94.1 and KSNE 106.5. Gans, Weatherford writes, "no longer the new kid who can surprise people, the way he did with his first run at the Stratosphere," which seems to be a roundabout way of lowering expectations for Gans’ Encore show, which opens Tuesday.
Rock duo Zowie Bowie, a three-year fixture at Station Casinos, is relocating to the Palms. They’ll open March 6 in The Lounge, which is in the final stages of a makeover.
With the Tropicana’s Folies Bergere winding down toward a March 28 closing, Las Vegas Review-Journal critic Mike Weatherford stopped by for a final look. He found that the show has been making do on a shoestring budget and looks it. Folies, he writes, "limps to the finish line bloody but not entirely beaten, clinging to a shred of dignity and some legitimately entertaining sequences." Its appeal, he decides, will be greatest to fans old-school Vegas, possibly ones whose memories of Folies at its best will compensate for its latter-day shortcomings.
The Las Vegas Sun reports that Telemundo has moved into its new Neonopolis digs and that the mall has signed a contract with CBS/Paramount to revive Star Trek: The Experience, making the latter "almost a certainty." Ticket prices for the revived ST:TE are expected to be in the $20-$25 realm. New nightclub Wet is reported to be moving up its opening date to coincide with the relaunch of ST:TE on May 8.
For the opening of its new version of The Joint the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is reaching back into the Sixties and bringing on Sir Paul McCartney for the opening concert, April 19. Tickets will go on sale both at the Hard Rock box office and via Ticketmaster at noon on Feb. 14. Prices have not been announced.
Black Gaming has reached an agreement with its bankers that will allow the Oasis, in Mesquite, to continue operating on a reduced scale. The accord keeps the Oasis open for at least another week. It is keeping 140-plus slots and a few hotel rooms in operation.
Poker pro and former casino mogul Lyle Berman is one of several Vegas-affiliated figures who were among the clients of Bernard Madoff, under indictment for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme. Berman was the founder of Grand Casinos and an original co-owner of the Stratosphere, which he helped Bob Stupak finance. Grand Casinos was subsequently absorbed by Hilton Gaming, which later forced Berman out of the company. Berman recently tried to get a pro-casino initiative passed in Ohio but ran into heavy resistance.
it's a boy: a leopard cub named Java, who was actually born back on Nov. 19 to Asabi and Mu-gamba, inhabitants of
A new Web site has been rolled out by MGM Mirage. Surf to MGMMirage.com/Locals and you'll find a raft of offers targeted at Nevadans. These include Mirage for as little as $79/night, discounted Cirque du Soleil tickets (including 40% off Believe) and a way to sign up to receive further offers by text message.
Two inches of snow on the Mount Charleston slopes may turn into as much as two feet of the white stuff before the evening is out. Heavy snow is expected at the higher elevations of the Vegas area, along with rain and a chance of thunderstorms in the valley. Today sees the first of series of storm fronts that are expected to roll through the area over the course of a week.
The property will celebrate a milestone in its ongoing $750 million expansion with the topping off of the second (all-suite) tower later this morning, a traditinal ceremony in which an evergreen tree and an American flag will be hoisted to the top of the new structure.
In the first month of apples-to-apples comparisons since the imposition of a smoking ban on Illinois casinos, revenues continued to fall. The silver lining is that the rate of decline has slowed, -9% in January compared to -24% in the last six months of last year. MGM Mirage's Grand Victoria riverboat experienced the steepest slide (-17%) but business has been booming (+112%) for land-based Casino Rock Island since it opened its new facility. East St. Louis-berthed Casino Queen is leveling off, down only 3% despite newly liberalized gambling rules across the river in Missouri.
A free horse-racing seminar will run today at 9 am at the Orleans. Fair Grounds racing analyst Jessica Pacheco and Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman will discuss today's Fair Grounds races and tomororrow's Louisiana Derby Preview Day.
Las Vegas hasn’t slowed down much since Super Sunday and this weekend’s schedule offers plenty to ways to keep you entertained. Mötley Crüe will raise the roof and close The Joint at the Hard Rock on Saturday. The new improved Joint will make its debut in April with double the capacity of its predecessor. Gordie Brown ended his recent tour with Celine Dion and returns to his old digs at the Golden Nugget starting tonight. On Saturday, you can sip wine, sample beer and support Vegas PBS during their 40th anniversary celebration and Splendor in the Glass event at the Las Vegas Hilton. All this and First Friday, too!
A lean January at the Riviera gives way to a more auspicious February as next week marks the return of two shows: Ice on Monday and Crazy Girls on Wednesday. Both had gone dark through January as a money-saving measure.
Add Penn National to the list of companies that have soured on building casinos in Atlantic City. Today it revealed that it wouldn't be building a planned, Borgata-like casino on 23 acres of land (described by the local paper as "a desolate patch") it had optioned just outside of town and which had been re-zoned to permit gambling. Penn might not be entirely out of the Atlantic City picture yet: Half-finished Revel needs a business partner, the Tropicana is going to bankruptcy auction and a sale of Trump Marina continues to hang fire, among other prospects.
Tomorrow evening the Fremont Street Experience's Viva Vision canopy will go entirely red in celebration of the "Go Red for Women" campaign for the American Heart Association and National Wear Red Day. The "red" shows will take place at 6:10, 7:10, and 10:10 p.m. and guests are invited to show their support by dressing in red.
GlobeSt.com looks at the Tropicana Las Vegas' rebranding initiative, for which it has hired Seattle-based consultancy Hornall Anderson. The marketing firm has worked with Starbucks, Nordstrom and T-Mobile prior to signing on with the Trop. Execs at the casino are trying to reposition it as a "value-centered." The Trop's problem, GlobeSt notes, isn't that it wasn't perceived as affordable but "it is also known for shabby rooms with old, broken appliances and overzealous timeshare salespeople, according to Internet postings." Hornall Anderson was only hired recently, so the new value message has yet to fleshed out.
Donald Trump's casino company has been rolling boxcars, at least where its negotiations with creditors are concerned. Trump Entertainment Resorts has won yet another reprieve from its debtors, pushing back until Feb. 11 the date by which it must reach a restructuring agreement or go into bankruptcy (again). CEO Mark Juliano explained, "Progress continues to be made, enough for all of us to continue talking and working this out."
With some pools opening as early as the end of February this year, the hunt is already on for beautiful people... Wet Republic's initial auditions were earlier this week (oops, sorry), with call backs today and tomorrow. But fear not if you missed that one as there are plenty more opportunities in the pipeline.
First up, to our knowledge, is for Rehab 2009 (Hard Rock), which has casting calls this Saturday, Feb. 7 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Sunday, Feb. 8 (noon-5 p.m.) inside the Festival Hall at the hard Rock. They're looking for cocktail servers, lifeguards, cabana attendants, bartenders, barbacks, food runners and kiosk attendants. Then next Wedndesday, Feb. 11, Bare Pool Lounge will hold an open call for bar hosts, apprentice bartenders, cabana hosts, pool guest attendants, runners and security. The casting will take place inside JET Nightclub at The Mirage from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age.
Although it reported a fourth-quarter loss, due to a variety of one-time writeoffs, Penn National Gaming posted financial results that J.P. Morgan analysts described as "solid ... in light of incredibly tough industry fundamentals." Penn projects "modest" revenue growth in '09, making it what Morgan describes as "one of handful of companies with growing [cash flow] and decreasing balance sheet leverage."
To benefit the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, magicians and longtime Strip stalwarts Siegfried & Roy will give what they are billing as their last-ever performance on Feb. 28. If you can't get a ticket to the Power of Love gala, don't be discouraged: The duo's performance will be reprised in a March 6 ABC-TV special entitled, "Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Returns."
Clark County prosecutors are going after business heir and philanthropist Terrance K. Watanabe. The Omaha millionaire reportedly lost $100 million in Vegas gambling sprees and ran up a nearly $15 million unpaid debt to the Rio and Caesars Palace, both of which are owned by Harrah's Entertainment. Tack on the costs of prosecution and Watanabe is in for more than $16 million. The Nevada Legislature may take a more than casual interest in this case: The Silver State is cash-strapped and lawmakers are considering a proposal by Gov. Jim Gibbons to levy taxes on unpaid markers. In Watanabe's case, that would the difference of another $1 million dollars in the state budget.
Rather than having to be content with memories (or, perish the thought, bad-sounding bootlegs), patrons of events at Palms Casino Resort's Pearl concert hall can pick up a copy of the evening's entertainment on the way out. By virtue of having an in-house recording studio, Palms owner George Maloof can offer what he calls "the ultimate souvenir": a professional recording loaded onto a USB flash drive -- portable, convenient and instantly gratifying. This use of Aderra "Live in a Flash" transfer technology will also be applied to non-Pearl events, from conferences to D.J. sets.
Rather than wait for the Las Vegas Strip to be extended laterally to encompass the Hard Rock Café at Harmon and Paradise, Hard Rock is coming to the Strip. A multi-story Hard Rock, 60-foot guitar and all, will displace the Denny's that currently sits between Showcase Mall and Smith & Wollensky's. Microsoft Surface tabletops (like those at the Rio's iBar) will adorn the new Hard Rock, as will an ultralounge, meeting rooms and patio dining. The restaurant is set for a July 9 opening.
Starting Thursday, ticket sales begin for Elton John's last string of Red Piano performances, winding down to an April 22 closing.
Nevada casinos took $81.5 million in Super Bowl bets and kept nearly $7 million. That more than reverses last year's $2.5 million loss, although wagering fell to 2004 levels. The highest-ever amount of Vegas Super Bowl betting was 2006's $95 million and the game's winner was ... the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Casino employment in Atlantic City hit a 21-year low last month, as 566 more workers were furloughed, the plurality of them at foreclosure-facing Resorts Atlantic City. "You have these large casino hotels, and there is a point at which you can't cut further because you have to maintain these properties," says New Jersey tourism executive Brian J. Tyrrell, who predicts the market will hit bottom this month and improve thereafter.
Continuing an aggressive series of value messages, MGM Mirage has announced a slew of Valentine's Day bargains. For $149 and upward, you can reserve a suite at Signature, the condo/hotels behind MGM Grand, now through New Year's Eve (two-night stay required; promo code: ROMNC09), a price that includes rose petal turndown service and free hors d'oeuvres.
More Valentine's-centric promos include -- through Feb. 28 -- a "Sweetheart Massage" at New York-New York's spa, which costs $65 and features "the intoxicating scents of strawberries and champagne." Not to be outdone, Wet at Treasure Island offers a $70 "chocolate mint body scrub." (The Wet special may or may not run all February, so don't hesitate.)
Only Feb. 14 only, Fiamma Trattoria has a $60 prix fixe dinner that includes grilled prawns and black truffles. At Social House and Christian Audigier, $65 gets you club admission and a four-course meal, also only on Valentine's Day.
Finally, no discussion of Valentine's Day bargains would be complete without mentioning Luxor's romance special, available Feb. 12-15. For $69/night (two nights or more; promo code: PSWEET; expires 2/13), you and your special someone get a "romance kit" and 25% off tickets to see ... Carrot Top. Because, when you get right down to it, nothing says "love" like an evening with Carrot Top.
For other Valentine's Day goodies, check out our Special Events page.
New Mexico's Santa Ana Casino (near Albuquerque) has launched an online player community at MY.SantaAnaStar. Launched in January, the site enables players to create their own pages, to which others can link, share photos and send instant messages. (Facebook and MySpace were the role models.) It is also tied into free-play, online games at Santa Ana Casino's own Web site. The casino also employs MY.SantaAna users as a resource for marketing surveys and other customer-feedback purposes. MGM Grand Foxwoods is close behind with a networking site of its own, but it's not yet operational. Writes Raving Consulting, "Given the vast databases of players and customers that casino properties ... already have, it's actually kind of surprising we haven't seen this sooner. It's an outstanding concept that takes database and player development to the next level."
Even though federal bailout beneficiary Wells Fargo & Co. has scrubbed a 12-night corporate retreat along the Vegas Strip, the bank "is likely on the hook for hefty cancellation fees," reports The Associated Press. The bankers, whose Vegas vacation was nixed last night, were to have stayed at Encore and Wynn Las Vegas. Wells Fargo wails that canceling the event will cost nearly as much as actually holding it, but even cancellation fees must be music to Steve Wynn's ears, considering the salary and benefit cuts he had to impose yesterday.
It was a Black Tuesday for gaming companies. Moody's degraded the bond rating of MGM Mirage, partly because CityCenter still is not fully financed and partly due to earnings projections that are seen as too optimistic. Also suffering a ratings cut was cash-strapped Mohegan Sun. Concern over Mohegan Sun's ability to meet its financial covenants was cited, among myriad factors.
After missing an interest payment on its multibilliondollar debt, Station Casinos is pitching a Chapter 11 filing to its bondholders. Under the terms of the proposed deal, all debt would mature in 2014 and debtors would be repaid at 10-50 cents on the dollar. The Fertittas and Colony Capital would contribute $244 million in cash toward the settlement.
In a drastic and unexpected move, Steve Wynn has imposed severe economy measures on Wynn Resorts' Las Vegas properties. Employees at both resorts will have their salaries reduced, their hours cut and their 401-K matching contributions suspended. Wynn is positioning these moves as necessary to maintain the workforce at or near its present size. Bonuses will be eliminated as well. The company expects to save as much as $100 million through these measures. Said Wynn, "we don't want anyone on unemployment here." The company's economic picture is further clouded by the tendency of travelers to hold off booking hotel rooms now until very near the date of travel.
Although Harrah's Entertainment may not think much of IGT's slots, a 23-judge panel at the International Casino Expo, in London, named the Reno-based company Slot Manufacturer of the Year. The criteria for winning were "originality, brand identity, marketing, usability and scale." To be deemed the best slot manufacturer, one must have "consistently and decisively dominated" the market during the past year.
Maryland lawmakers hoped they'd be deluged with bids for the five slot-house licenses that were approved by voters last December. However, the anticipated bidding war didn't develop, as only six submissions were received. Out of a maximum of 15,000 available slots, only 10,000-plus have been requested. A discouraging economy has been blamed but a 67% tax rate may also have something to do with it. Penn National Gaming and Baltimore-based Cordish Co. are among the bidders. Cordish has yet to develop a casino, having withdrawn its Kansas application and currently driving a very hard bargain for the Atlantic City Tropicana.
Through Feb. 26, the Palms and Palms Place are offering bargain-oriented room deals. A stay at the Palms is only $79/night, while $119/night gets you into adjacent Palms Place. That's not all: These package deals include a "VIP Nightlife Pass" that gets you into Ghostbar and the Playboy Club, free admittance to the Palms or Drift spas, and a free breakfast at the Bistro Buffet. To book a room, call 866/725-6773 and ask for Operator 358 (for the Palms) or Operator 359 (for Palms Place).
News that Las Vegas Sands was losing market share in Macao, mainly to arch rival Stanley Ho, sent shares of the stock tumbling. LVS, which closed last week at $5.15/share is currently trading at $4.04/share. According to Forbes, Sands is more vulnerable to Macao's fluctuations because it derives a higher proportion of its revenue from China than do Wynn Resorts and MGM Mirage, and that Wynn is further cushioned by a strong balance sheet.
Records were seized and Venetian employees grilled by the IRS last week, reports the San Jose Mercury News. The feds are trying to trace money allegedly diverted by former Fry's Electronics exec -- and high-maintenance high roller -- "Omar" Siddiqui, some of which appears to have gone into various casino cages. A Palms casino host told the newspaper that he was tasked to deliver to the Palms checks that the Venetian had made out to Siddiqui. He also says he saw the name of Planet Hollywood on another subpoena.
We just received word from Travelzoo that a mere moments ago Virgin America released a sale on flights from L.A., San Diego & Las Vegas. Book by Feb. 8 and fly through April 1 for $49-$119 each way. Some of the deals include Las Vegas-San Francisco for $49 and Las Vegas-New York City from $109. Visit www.travelzoo.com/Newsflash.asp?529668 for more information, plus don't forget to check out some of the other great current deals on Vegas rooms and flights that they're sleuthing has unearthed -- see the blue "Today's Hot Deals" box under the current LVA Reader Poll.
Feb. 28 is the day when tickets for Mandalay Bay's next big attraction, The Lion King go on sale. From 7 a.m.-10 a.m. that day, tickets will be available exclusively at the MBay box office. Online, phone and off-site sales start at 10 (1 p.m. Eastern). If you're first in line, you'll get complimentary autographed copies of "The Lion King: Pride Rock on Broadway," and "How Does the Show Go On?" by Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions. The first 100 ticket buyers will receive a free copy of the original cast recording.
Tickets are $113.50/$86/$53 and there is a $168.50 VIP package available, too. Previews start April 22 and run through May 1, with an off-day April 29. There will be one preview matinée at 4 p.m. on April 25. All other preview performances are at 8 p.m.
The previously entirely French cast of MGM Grand's Crazy Horse Paris, famed for the dancers' classical dance training and 100% natural physiques, is about to be joined by its first American dancer. Kristal D'Arc earned her position in the esteemed cabaret by winning auditions held in March of last year, judged by a panel including celebrity guest and queen of burlesque, Dita Von Teese. D'Arc was subsequently flown to Paris to train with the company of the original Crazy Horse Paris show.
MGM Grand's Crazy Horse Paris performs nightly at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., dark Tuesdays. Guests must be at least 18 years of age to attend the show. You can purchase tickets by clicking here.
Always pushing the envelope of taste, McFadden's Restaurant & Saloon will hold the first round of its "Girl-on-Girl Kissing Contest" this Sunday night. Based on audience response, five pairs of kissers will advance to the Feb. 15 finals, where a $500 grand prize awaits. All also-rans receive a complimentary bottle of champagne. We have to question McFadden's scheduling, though. Don't they know that Sunday is when "The L Word" is on Showtime?
UNLV's Center for Gaming Research has joined the ranks of podcasters. So, if you missed Leslie Nino Fidance's presentation, "The Mob Never Ran Vegas," you can now hear it online or download the MP3. Future speakers in the UNLV series include Bill Zender, author of Casino-ology.
The Associated Press has a preview of the ACES direct rail service from New York City to Atlantic City, by way of Newark. The double-decker train cars are a Borgata/Caesars/Harrah's joint venture, with an estimated cost of $45 million for the first three years. The train's backers are hoping for 65% occupancy and are targeting younger New Yorkers who either don't own cars or are turned off by the alternative methods of reaching the Boardwalk.
A bankruptcy judge in Detroit was scheduled to hear arguments today on whether bankrupt Greektown Casino should be allowed to borrow another $46 million to complete a 400-room hotel. "Creditors are balking at the terms of the financing, which includes millions of dollars in additional fees, calling the terms astounding," reports the Detroit Free Press. Since filing Chapter 11, Greektown has borrowed $150 million and says it may have to close if this latest loan request is denied.
Last Christmas, a manager at Leeds' Merrion Centre casino took an axe and chopped upon a slew of "fruit machines" (slots), making off with the equivalent of $63,000 and inflicting nearly $70K worth of damage in the process. It was a plot hatched by candelight on Christmas Eve -- Andrew Barnett's electricity having been shut off. A self-admitted problem gambler with massive debts, Barnett turned himself into the cops soon after his smash-and-grab raid. As his lawyer put it, "He realized how stupid he had been."
A Mobil station in Cicero, Ill., was one of 10 businesses that found a way to shore up their bottom line by offering video poker. The only flaw in the plan: It was illegal. Vice squads pounced last weekend, confiscating approximately 30 machines, one of which had $1,000 in its hopper. A sting operation found that, although the machines were marked "For amusement only," they were paying out as much as $50 on a winning hand.
Fourteen acres of land adjacent to Trump Marina are being shopped around by MGM Mirage, which has been trying to launch joint-venture projects on them for years. The company says that its Atlantic City megaresort, although shelved, has not been scrapped altogether. "However, given the economic situation, were we to receive an offer, we would be obligated to consider it, just like we did with Treasure Island," a company spokesman told The Press of Atlantic City. A sale of the 14 waterfront acres to Trump Marina buyer Coastal Marina may work better in theory than in practice: Coastal's $270 million Trump Marina purchase still lacks financing.
The Four Seasons is running a pair of promotions. "Vegas Escape" discounts rooms rates 14%-25%, while the "Experience More" promotion offers a $50 credit for each room night stayed. If your budget is more in the Mandalay Bay range, the latter resort is offering a "Summer Escape" promotion that includes not only a fly-back credit but $100 towards a cabaña rental, plus another $25 in beach-related credit. If going to the beach in February seems counterintuitive, rest assured that Super Bowl weekend saw balmy temperatures in Las Vegas and we spent a bit of time at the pool ourselves.
Five licenses for slot parlors in Maryland have drawn four bidders, JP Morgan reports. Penn National, which has optioned land near Baltimore, is one of the quartet, along with Mr. Halsey Minor, Hard Rock Int'l and Magna Entertainment, a racetrack operator.
Shuffle Master CEO Mark Yoseloff's retirement, which has been on "hold" while the company looks for a successor, will take place March 15. He will be replaced by Timothy Parrott, who was Gavin Isaacs' successor as president of Aristocrat Technologies' American operations.
January in Macao was much better than expected, although -17% from last year's feverish pace. The Lusa news agency has published revised casino revenue numbers from January, much stronger ones than those forecast by the South China Morning Post. Macao ended the month with $1.1 billion in gambling revenue, aided a strong surge in play as January wound to a close. Also, the balance of power in the marketplace has tipped toward Stanley Ho, who had a 28% share, followed in descending order by Las Vegas Sands (22%), Wynn Macao (17%), Galaxy Entertainment (12%), Melco Crown (11%) and MGM Mirage (9%).
There's still three hours till game time, but the lines look like they'll close at Steelers -6.5 for the game and 46.5 for the over/under. The game line seemed firm at -7 last week, but has held tight since droppinging back. There appears to be some upward pressure now, so some 7s might become available. The 46.5 hasn't budged for two weeks.
In commemoration of Black History Month, Madame Tussaud’s Las Vegas (in the Venetian) will unveil a 12-figure exhibit. Historical and cultural icons replicated in the display will include President Obama, Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Louis Armstrong, Denzel Washington, Sammy Davis Jr., Jimmy Hendrix, Michael Jordan, Jamie Foxx and the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. The entire tableau cost $3.6 million to produce. Admission is $25 for the general public, $18 for students, seniors and Nevadans. Children ages seven to 12 get in for $15, while children six and under receive free admission.
Describing the condition of casino stocks as "critical," CNBC’s James Cramer warned investors away from MGM Mirage, Wynn Resorts, and especially, Las Vegas Sands, which he said was trading at its offering price (it closed the week at $5.15/share). He also put down Allegiant Air, which recently reported increased profitability.
Conversion of a former Navy depot in Richmond, Calif., to a Strip-sized tribal casino is stoking controversy in the Bay Area. Opponents of the project, who want to see Point Molate turned into parkland, are suing the City of Richmond, arguing that by giving responsibility for cleaning the site to the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians, city leaders have given de facto approval to the casino itself. The tribe, for its part, promises a "super-green" project that will yield a $1.5 billion megaresort with 3,000 slots and 1,500 hotel rooms.