Until September, you'll have to go to Paris-Las Vegas to place your wagers. Bally's has closed its race and sports book and will keep it dark through the summer.
Our Special Events feature on the Academy of Country Music Awards just went live, so click the link for the lowdown on the hoedowns...
The great video poker bonus we've written about at Michael's Pub has been cut way back, to run only 24 hours per week, from 8 a.m. Tuesdays till 8 a.m. Wednesdays (that means it's on today). Every 4-of-a-kind gets a wheel spin with an average bonus of about $12.50, which puts several of the games over the 100%-return mark.
Mohegan Sun is threatening to withhold the 25% of slot revenues it normally pays to the state of Connecticut. At stake is a smoking ban that would apply to the state's two tribal casinos. The disputed 25% would be put into escrow until state-tribal litigation is resolved.
Having pulled out of a previous contract with the state, Kansas Speedway and Cordish Co. are back in the running, as promised. Their earlier proposal has been replaced by a multi-phase development, starting with a $390 million Hard Rock Casino. Due to having to re-bid the casino, the projected opening has been pushed back to late 2010. And, with little more than a day remaining to get its bid in, Foxwoods Development has let it be known that it still has options on land near Mulvane and may reenter the bidding process, too. The Foxwoods and Cordish proposals would not be competing against each other for state approval.
Today's Las Vegas Sun carries a feature story on the surprisingly robust business being done by M Resort at the far southern end of the Las Vegas Valley. The quality of M's buffet is cited (100 seats have been added to accommodate demand) along with the self-serve beverage stations. LVA's Anthony Curtis offers his two cents, saying, "They’re doing everything right to drive traffic. Word has gotten out about how good their buffet is and they have good video poker."
In a decision he characterized as "difficult and unpleasant," Riviera CEO William Westerman announced that the company is opting out of a $4 million interest payment, in order to maximize cash on hand. The move puts the Riviera and its Black Hawk sister property at risk of bankruptcy. Westerman cited declining room rates and convention business in Las Vegas as key factors in his decision.
A common complaint about casinos is that, by offering so many bargains and amenities on-site, they suck business from the surrounding area. However, Jerry's Nugget in North Las Vegas is doing quite the opposite. Last week, it launched a Neighborhood Merchant Program which enables players-club members to spend points, in $10 and $25 increments, at five nearby businesses. Stores that participate in NMP have their logos displayed on kiosks in Jerry's Nugget, as well as on its Web site. Their ad materials are also bundled with Jerry's direct mailings to its customer base. To introduce NMP, Jerry's is giving away $10 shopping certificates through April 4.
Last year, a state-appointed trustee rejected bids in the $850 million-$950 million range for the Tropicana Atlantic City. He may come to regret that after the opening bid in the Trop's bankruptcy auction was tendered: a bargain-basement $200 million. Carl Icahn, former Stratosphere owner, is behind the "stalking horse bid." As of yesterday, trustee Gary Stein remained filled with optimism, proclaiming, "It is my expectation that this stalking horse bid will generate substantial interest from multiple bidders, leading to a robust auction that achieves the highest price possible in light of current conditions in the gaming industry."
Although Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce may not longer adorn Mandalay Bay, that doesn't mean its casino days are over. The Forty Deuce troupe travels to the Palm Springs are later this month, to play four shows April 24-5 at Spa Resort Casino in downtown Palm Springs and at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage.
We were just alerted to a great find by the bargain-hunters at Travelzoo, namely select airfares from Long Beach, San Diego, and Las Vegas having been reduced to some of the lowest prices to date this year. The sale started this morning (ends April 8) and includes fares of $39 to Vegas (each way) from LBG and Burbank. Fares are for travel April 29 - June 17 and are cheapest Mon-Thurs and Sat. Click here to book direct with JetBlue and don't forget to check the Travelzoo listings on the left-hand side of our website for other deals on rooms and flights.
As promised, we'll soon be running a follow up to the poll results for your "Best Ever Time in Vegas." While the way that the poll is set up doesn't allow us to include photos, we can to the Question of the Day column, where we'll be running the sequel. So, if you have an accompanying photo to illustrate your best-ever trip, please email it to [email protected] and we'll include it in the answer. Thanks!
A dressy crowd turned out for Saturday night's last-ever performance of Folies Bergere, which closed after 49 years at the Tropicana. Former Trop (and current LV Hilton) PR director Ira David Sternberg eulogized the show as a "unique combination of professionalism and warmth. It was a warm show, but not to the point of sterility." Both video footage and a live blog of the performance can be found at the Las Vegas Sun. For the time being, the Trop's only ongoing show is Xtreme Magic with Dirk Arthur.
Following what is described as a "resounding failure," Trump Plaza has yanked its automated poker tables, the first ones installed in Atlantic City. While Trump execs hoped to make nearly $2 million a year off the 14 dealer-less PokerTek tables, in reality the best-case projection was $540,000. Trump Plaza, which does not offer live poker, says it may bring the PokerTek machines back when the economy improves. The Press of Atlantic City summarized their fate thusly, "They were fast, mistake-proof and didn’t need to be tipped. But they had no personality. So now they’re gone."
Late Friday afternoon, Las Vegas Sands announced that it had pink-slipped 283 employees at its two Las Vegas Strip hotel-casinos. The company said the Venetian/Palazzo workforce continues to top 7,000 employees.
Reconstruction of the pavilion burnt down by a construction-related fire at Empress Joliet is expected to cost $290 million. Another $50 million will have to be spent to repair other interior damage. The casino has yet to reopen, which means forfeiting a half-million dollars in business a day. The casino itself is intact but restaurants, retail outlets and the office wing were either destroyed outright or severely damaged by the blaze.
Both Station Casinos and its Fiesta properties are running new promotions targeted toward senior citizens. Jean Scott has the details in today's Frugal Vegas.
In a surprise announcement, Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce at Mandalay Bay will close on March 30. The release says a new bar and lounge will open in "late summer" to take its place.
While Donny & Marie takes a week off, Nathan Burton will fill the 7:30 p.m. slot at the Flamingo. In addition to his normal late-afternoon show, he’ll be subbing for the Osmonds on April 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12 (but not April 9).
Starting June 4, Allegiant Air will offer nonstop service from Bentonville, Ark., to McCarran International Airport, at an initial fare of $79 one-way. Flights will both arrive and depart at 3:15 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays.
Dirk Arthur’s afternoon magic show at the Tropicana has had its April 2 closing revoked. Tickets for Xtreme Magic are definitely available through the end of April – and possibly several months longer, if press reports are correct.
The Strip dark-out last night was a strange site, and when the lights came back on, it was easier to appreciate the magnitude of lighting on the Strip every night. Wynn and Encore never turned off theirs, and it was only the marquee lights at TI that were on (the building lights were off). Circus Circus was the only other Strip property we saw that did not turn off building lights.
The Strip went dark for Earth Hour (see "Spotlight") at 8:30 this evening. Well, almost. From our office vantage point overlooking the Strip, we can confirm that lights remained on at Wynn Las Vegas, Encore, and the TI marquee.
Tonight marks the final performance of Folies Bergere. The show ran for 49 years at the Tropicana.
Scarlett, Princess of Magic has lost her crown. The afternoon magic show folded at the V Theater last Saturday. No replacement has yet been announced.
Madame Tussaud’s at the Venetian has added Mayor Oscar Goodman to its rogues’ gallery. Unlike the real Goodman, his wax replica does not travel with a bevy of showgirls. "The real Goodman's hair was a little wilder and his smile wider than his wax counterpart," wrote the Las Vegas Review-Journal, noting other discrepancies, "and, of course, the martini in his hand was real." Asked what it felt like to be a celebrity, Hizzoner replied, "I don't look at myself as a celebrity. I look at myself as a rock star." That’s our Oscar!
Some political humor that raised hackles at early performances of Terry Fator and his Cast of Thousands has been quietly shelved. But even that mini-controversy hasn't hurt Fator's ticket sales, apparently. Even on a Wednesday night, a sellout crowd was in evidence.
A bill that would grant sovereign rights to indigenous Hawaiians has been modified by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) to expressly forbid casino gambling. It basically deprives sovereign Hawaiian tribal entities of the right enjoyed by many Native American ones. The ban was inserted into the legislation at the behest of Gov. Linda Lingle (R-HI).
Until 6 p.m., the El Cortez is providing beer and liquor discounts at its outdoor bars. The one-day special is in honor of the 2009 General Tire Mint 400 Tech/Contingency, for which official registration is being held at the El until 6:30 p.m. More importantly, the drink specials include $4 Sky Cosmopolitans, Sauza Margaritas, and Cruzan Mojitos, as well as $3 Coronas. Newcastle 12 oz. beers also go for $3 a can. Cheers!
MGM Mirage has announced that its lenders have given it a waiver, enabling it to put $200 million toward a CityCenter payment that was due Tuesday. Dubai World was obligated to put up half of that amount (a requirement that has been waived) but didn't, precipitating today's crisis, which threatened to halt work on the $8.7 billion project. Both companies need to chip in another $800 million if they are to obtain additional credit. "MGM Mirage intends to work with Dubai World, its lenders and others to find a long-term solution for the financing of CityCenter’s completion," read the statement, in part.
Sin City Bad Girls will debut at the Las Vegas Hilton’s Shimmer Showroom on Friday, Apr. 24. Singer Lorena Peril will front the cast of eight dancers and a live band. The show is created by Platinum Productions, the same company that introduced Sin City Kitties to Whiskey Pete’s in Primm. Tickets are now available for $45 (general admission) and $55 (VIP) plus tax and fees. Show time is 9 p.m. nightly except Sunday.
DMGM Mirage and Dubai World's joint venture, CityCenter, could file bankruptcy as early as today, various news organs report. The joint venture entity is short the $220 million it needs to make a payment this weekend or face default. Both companies are huddling with lenders, trying to hammer out an agreement that would stave off Chapter 11. The crisis was precipitated when Dubai World balked at paying its half of the $220 million. "MGM Mirage, meanwhile, is struggling to persuade its reluctant lenders to allow it to solely fund the project," reports the Wall Street Journal.
Bankruptcy does not mean a shutdown of CityCenter, so long as the parties involved can agree on how to keep funding it. A delay in CityCenter, though, could spell relief for rival hotels which stand to lose business when the metaresort opens, especially in a period of declining visitation. As the WSJ puts it, "The project is a stark example of how excesses spawned during a lengthy gambling boom are coming back to haunt the casino industry. "
Luxor will do anything to get bodies in the seats for its Criss Angel vehicle, Believe, it seems. The Las Vegas Sun has sniffed out an "all-inclusive" $210/night (two-night minimum) package deal. Throw-ins include pairs of tickets/passes to Believe, LAX nightclub, Cathouse, the Nurture spa, and to the "Bodies" and Titanic exhibitions, plus check-in at the VIP lounge. All for $420! As bargains go, this is very strong indeed.
Spike TV has extended its ban on advertising by Full Tilt Poker at UFC cards. While Full Tilt is a "top shelf sponsor" of the mixed martial arts events, Spike first balked at Full Tilt running commercials, enjoying naming rights or having its logo on the octagon upon which the fights are conducted. Now fighters can no longer wear the Full Tilt logo on their hats, shorts or T-shirts. MMAPayout.com reports, "There are unconfirmed reports that the cause may be a push from poker rival Ultimate Bet, to be the UFC sponsor, but the validity of these reports is in question at this point."
M Resort has registered its 100,000th players club member (95,000 of them via the Web). Last Monday, Las Vegan Jason Small hit the jackpot, so to speak, while taking his fiancée to M for dinner. He won a two-night stay plus a comped dinner and spa treatment. He and the future Mrs. Small were also honored with a free dinner at Veloce Cibo. In other news, M will be adding a doctor's office to its on-site pharmacy. Sadly, the M airship will soon vanish from Vegas' skies, the victim of a poor advertising market.
Going into tonight's Sweet 16 round in the NCAA Basketball Championships, the bookies are complaining that they're being beaten by favorites covering the spread. Perhaps, but ESPN reports that despite 5 million entries into its tournament contest, no perfect brackets remain after just two rounds. Countering that is one pefect bracket documented by Facebook. Unfortunately, that prognosticator, a University of Missouri student, might have to pay for betting with his heart, as he has his long-shot Tigers advancing all the way through to the finals and winning.
Tropicana Las Vegas execs say Bobby "Pitbull of Comedy" Slayton has agreed "in principle" to be the new headliner at the former Comedy Stop. The deal couldn't come too soon: Folies Bergere closes this weekend, leaving the Trop without a marquee attraction for the first time in decades.
Wynn Las Vegas sportsbook boss John Avello has moved the odds (posted purely for fun) on "Dancing with the Stars." Initial long shots Gilles Marini and Cheryl Burke have gone from 18-1 to 3-1. An eleventh-hour contender, jilted bachelorette Melissa Rycroft (and partner Tony Dovolani) has moved from 14-1 to 7-2. The David Allen Grier/Kym Johnson duo has plummeted from initial-favorite status to 22-1, while Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and partner Mark Ballas (who formerly squired Kristi Yamaguchi around the DWTS ballroom) are holding firm in third place, at 5-1. Our managing editor says this proves his contention that Cheryl Burke could dance with a tree stump and the stump would get "9" marks from the judges.
Marina Bay Sands has 4,500 jobs to fill in its casino alone and has scheduled screenings for 3,750 applicants so far. "We are on track to fill 10,000 employees at full strength," reported resort President Nigel Roberts. Another 7,000 applicants for non-casino jobs have been winnowed down to 1,000. Candidates for casino jobs are being tested for color blindness and math skills.
U.K.-based bookmaker Better Bet had a new face for its ad campaigns: retired soccer player Paul Merson. The irony is that Merson is an admitted gambling addict who's owned up to blowing through $10 million in sports bets. Better Bet quickly backpedaled and ditched Merson, saying, "We've received lots of complaints ... We have no wish to cause any offence or inflame gambling as an issue."
This weekend’s schedule is jam packed with plenty of ways to keep you entertained, so there’s just no excuse for boredom. The city’s pools are starting to show signs of life and Tao Beach joins in the fun tomorrow night with a pool deck opening night party hosted by 944 magazine. The Golden Nugget presents the annual Wine and Jazz Fest starting on Friday while Desert Breeze Park caters to a younger crowd with the Extreme Thing Sports and Music Festival on Saturday. We’ll also bid adieu to the performers of Folies Bergere as they take their final bows at the Tropicana on Saturday night.
Matthew O'Brien, author of Beneath the Neon, is taking his work with the underground dwellers of Las Vegas a step further. He's started an outreach organization called Shine A Light. He writes that it "is a collaboration between me, HELP of Southern Nevada and its affiliated organizations. I’ll escort drug counselors, caseworkers, social workers and other specialists into the tunnels twice a month. We’ll offer water, food, clothes, blankets and other items, when available, to the people we encounter – but more importantly, we’ll offer services, including housing, drug, medical and mental-health counseling, case management and referrals."
Poker and The New Yorker don't usually mix but the magazine's March 30 issue has a feature-length profile of pro player Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. Entitled "What Would Jesus Bet," the story covers Ferguson's involvement with FullTiltPoker.com, the 2008 World Series of Poker, and even shows Ferguson pitting his math skills against a video poker machine at the Palms. Ferguson wins $13, proving that you don't bet against Jesus.
Seven years of work have gone for naught, as the would-be site of the Dragon City Hotel & Resort, in Chinatown, is being put onto the auction block May 16. The two-block site near LVA offices was assembled over the better part of a decade by developer Andrew Lai, with a view toward building a skyscraper hotel and a casino, but the project has gone bankrupt. Bidding on the land starts at $125K an acre.
The financial struggles of International Game Technology, which has already laid off 700 employees, claimed another victim today. CEO T.J. Matthews is stepping down prior to the expiration of his contract, although he will continue as chairman of the board. Matthews' designated successor, Patti Hart, has been an IGT board member for the past three years and is a veteran of Sprint. Wrote Goldman Sachs analyst Steven Kent, "The potential for Ms. Hart to come in and 'reset the bar' on earnings and project development is one of our fears and -- again, with little information -- we suspect investors will expect the worst."
Want to play IGT games for free? Or video poker? Those are among the the activities available at Jean Scott's favorite Web sites, some of which she shares in today's Frugal Vegas.
In outtakes from an unpublished interview with new Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin, blogger Steve Friess draws the entrepreneur out on a variety of topics, including the revelation that his T.I. purchase may end up being an all-cash transaction if banks continue to balk at financing the $175 million outstanding balance. On other topics, Ruffin called CityCenter "a mistake" and doubted whether MGM Mirage or Harrah's could sell assets in the current, tight-fisted loan market. As for the minor flap over efforts by Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign to help MGM close a funding gap for City Center, Ruffin says, "I wouldn't jump all over them. That's exactly what your senators are supposed to do."
In addition to shopping around two retail malls, Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson is in talks about possibly taking on equity partners in his Sands Macao, Venetian Macao and Four Seasons properties in China. New Sands President Michael Leven is in China right now to meet with prospective buyers. Adelson made the revelation to Bloomberg News, saying, "No option is going to be off the table. There’s no assurance that anything’s going to be done. There’s probably as good a possibility of something not being done."
It has been over two years since a pair of casino licenses were awarded in Philadelphia and neither "slot parlor" is any closer to fruition. "There is palpable discontent in the legislature with the slow pace of the Philadelphia casinos," says a spokesman for Gov. Ed Rendell and one lawmaker is even more frustrated. State Rep. Jim Wansacz is introducing a bill that would strip Philadelphia of $64 million in shared casino-tax dollars because of the city's inaction. Wansacz says he's been holding the bill back for three months but his patience with Philadelphia has worn thin.
A ceremony to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace will be held today at 2 p.m., in the Colosseum's lobby. In attendance will be executives from Caesars and AEG Live, which operates the star-studded venue, along with the Caesar Salad Girls from Bette Midler's The Showgirl Must Go On.
Why did it take at least 10 hours to subdue the fire that eventually consumed the pavilion of Empress Joliet? Because the sprinkler system was off-line at the time and fire doors were inoperable. According to Joliet's city building inspector these are standard practices during construction and the work crew's fire extinguishers were inadequate to contain the fast-moving blaze. The riverboat casino, which suffered minor damage, could be closed for as many as 90 days -- during which time all employees are being kept on the payroll. The closure is costing Empress Joliet roughly $500K in lost revenue but owner Penn National expects insurance to cover much of that lost business.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway invites all active military personnel to enjoy a free day at the races on Friday, Apr. 3. Bring your valid military ID to the speedway box office and receive free admission to the first day of pro-class qualifying for the National Hot Rod Association event featuring Top Fuel, Dragsters, Funny Cars, and Pro Stocks. For more information, call 702/644-4444.
The previous problem has now been resolved, so vote away!
Our apologies: There's a technical glitch with today's poll. Our IT dept. is working on it and we'll let you know as soon as it's fixed and you're able to cast your votes. In the meantime, sorry for the inconvenience.
The brain drain continues at Las Vegas Sands. Brad Stone, the company's executive VP and the president of global operations and construction, submitted his resignation last Wednesday. Wall Street is certain to react badly, as analysts had held out hope that Stone would stay with the company, given his importance to its Macao and Singapore projects.
While Tropicana Entertainment isn't planning to sell the Tropicana Las Vegas outright, it will -- under the terms of a proposed restructuring plan -- farm out the property to another operator. Former MGM Grand President Alex Yemenidjian and his Trilliant Management would run the Trop on behalf of its creditors. Trilliant tried to gain an equity stake in the Trop last year and recently lost out on an Illinois gaming license. The Trop is now valued at roughly $370 million, reflecting a decline in Strip real estate values.
Among the many bills before the Nevada Legislature is one that would permit smoking in bars that serve food, so long as minors are not allowed on the premises. This bill would effectively ratify the status quo in Nevada, where the 2006 partial smoking ban is loosely enforced. Another proposed law would levy a $5 tax on legalized prostitution. It would be paid by the john, the brothel or the prostitute herself. For an inside look at the Nevada brothel industry, we recommend Madam: Inside a Nevada Brothel by Lora Shaner.
Macao's casino kingpin saw a 48% drop in profits at his 30-plus casinos last year. The weaker 2008 numbers were blamed on opening costs for the Grand Lisboa, deteriorating VIP play, and higher commission fees for the junket companies who steer those VIPs to one casino or another, depending on the commission. Ho's SJM has two additional casinos under construction.
In 24 hours, little short of open warfare has broken out between MGM Mirage and its CityCenter partner, Dubai World. In addition to trash-talking MGM in an open letter to the Nevada Legislature, Dubai World makes a number of damaging allegations about MGM in its lawsuit -- even though it professes that its greatest concern is that the casino giant returns to financial viability quickly. A lawyer for the sovereign fund said, "What we are attempting to do is complete this project." MGM's bonds have been downgraded and Wall Street is fretful that the company may be unable to avoid bankruptcy.
An old and once-venerated business model "has turned into a precarious balancing act," according to a recent story (with charts and video) in the Las Vegas Sun. Seems that casinos can no longer afford to offer cheap rooms. Most of MGM Mirage's recent drop in profit margins was blamed on lower room rates. For the company to recoup even a $5/discount, occupancy would have to rise 2%. Although hotel occupancy in the Las Vegas area recently fell to 76%, executives fret about "degrading the brand" and maintaining "price integrity."
All the news that's fit to print today included an item on the New York Times' "Freakonomics" blog about Mandalay Bay's Moorea Beach Club -- one of the select few to make our Cool Pools page. The gray lady's ire was aroused by the discrepancy between Moorea's $10 admission fee for women and its $50 rate of entry for men. "While examples of price discrimination are ubiquitous, this is one of the purest examples of demand-based price discrimination. The service the club offers is the same to men and women: a place in the sun, which is equally costly to the club regardless of the patron’s gender," huffed columnist Daniel Hamermesh.
Nevada's U.S. senators, Harry Reid and John Ensign have been making an unusual sort of bipartisan push. Both have been calling financial institutions and asking them to take "a fair look" at MGM Mirage's CityCenter project, which is $1.2 billion short of completion money. "At a time when the state’s unemployment rate is higher than 10 percent, it makes sense that Sen. Reid would take appropriate steps to try to help Nevada’s biggest employer complete the state’s biggest new project ... [Reid] was asked for help, and he helped." said a Reid spokesman.
This disclosure has raised questions of undue influence, especially now that so many financial institutions are under increased federal oversight following the banking bailout. Ensign, who got involved two weeks ago, says he ran his involvement past the Senate Ethics Committee beforehand, adding, "This is jobs."
In addition to Semion Kronenfeld and Terrance Watanabe, Clark County authorities also have their sights set on SoCal doctor Erkan Ereren. The former chief of staff at Anaheim Memorial Medical Center is being sued for $2.9 million in debts to MGM Grand.
Annie Duke wasn't even close to being in the hot seat during this week's edition of "Celebrity Apprentice." The poker pro, who took a lot of flak during the opening episode, was relatively peripheral in Sunday night's competition, in which the womens' team had to stage a product launch and failed miserably. Therefore, the weekly "You're fired" went to model Claudia Jordan, the first woman booted off this year's show.
Herbst Gaming, owner of Primm Valley Resorts, Terrible's and 11 other casinos, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy yesterday. This formalizes an agreement announced last week. Current management will remain in place, although ownership of the casinos will revert to creditors, while the Herbst family retains majority ownership of the slot routes. Operations at the casinos are expected to continue as usual and the three Herbst brothers will retain their positions with company, at an average salary of $700,000 each.
New Jersey state Sen. Raymond Lesniak has filed suit in federal court, seeking to overturn the law that allows sports betting in only four states (Nevada, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon). Lesniak argues that the law is unconstitutional because it extends extraordinary privileges to a handful of states.
Infinity World, a subsidiary of Dubai World (half-owner of CityCenter), is suing MGM Mirage, asking to be relieved of its obligations to the Las Vegas metaresort. According to the International Herald Tribune, "Infinity contends recent statements by MGM Mirage about its ailing financial state constitute a breach of its joint-venture agreement and put the project at risk." Dubai World says it has "every intention" to finish the project but that MGM's recent revelations left it with "no choice." It added that it doesn't want to continue CityCenter until MGM can demonstrate financial solidity.
First Food & Bar, soon to open in Shoppes at The Palazzo, will hold a job fair on Monday and Tuesday, in Palazzo’s Congress Center, Level 3, San Polo 3402. The fair will be held from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and First is looking to hire severs, buspersons, bartenders, barbacks, hosts and hostesses, chefs, cooks, dishwashers, and stewards. Applicants are requested to be prepared for an on-the-spot interview and to bring a resumé.
Members of Club Binion’s, at Binion’s Gambling Hall & Hotel, will now receive $1 in cashback and $2 in comps for every 40 points earned. It works out to a .94% giveback for video poker and 1.5% for slots, which is very good compared to other programs. Comp points may be applied to the Binion’s gift shop, all eateries, and toward hotel rooms. New Club Binion’s members get free match play, as well as ‘twofer’ offers on meals and beverages.
Tapings of the limited run series "Survive and Advance" resume tonight at Wynn Las Vegas. The four-installment Fox Sports Net show is being taped in the Wynn sports book following today's NCAA tournament games and will air at midnight. Each taping is open to the public, but for guaranteed seating, Wynn LV is offering a $199 "Get Your Game On" deal. It includes one night’s stay and complimentary food during the games.
Poker star Annie Duke will be in action on tonight's "Celebrity Apprentice," airing on NBC at 9 pm. Annie has yet to be in any jeopardy after three episodes.
The "Weekend" section of today's Wall Street Journal contains a feature on super-chef Joel Robuchon. The story is set in his Las Vegas restaurant at MGM Grand.
Six Degrees magazine and its Web site have been purchased by 944 Media, publisher of 944 magazine. A pocket-sized magazine aimed at a young readership, Six Degrees is distributed in Las Vegas, Detroit, Miami and Atlanta. 944 Media intends to expand it into five additional markets over the next two years.
On Aug. 1, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will be hosting the Crüe Fest 2 tour. In addition to namesake band Motley Crüe, the jamboree will also feature Godsmack, Drowning Pool, Charm City Devils, and Theory of a Deadman. Tickets start at $61 (plus fees) and go on sale at noon at the Hard Rock, as well as via Ticketmaster.
Both KNPR-FM and KTNV-TV Channel 13 have Anthony Curtis on their airwaves, answering the question, "Are Strip and neighborhood casinos tightening their slot machines in tough economic times to boost their bottom line?" Anthony's morning appearance on KNPR's "State of Nevada" will be rebroadcast at 8 p.m. and eventually archived online. KTNV's "Action News" broadcasts featuring Anthony are at 4, 5, and 6 p.m.
For other recent HP/LVA press attention, including Anthony's nationally syndicated weekly column, check out our LVA in the Media blog.
To celebrate its recent stream of accolades, including not only being voted "Best Gay Cruising Spot," but also garnering mainstream categroy awards for "Best After-Hours Spot" (2nd place) and "Best Nightclub," (4th place) by Las Vegas' City Life, not to mention taking position 44 in Nightclub and Bar Magazine's Top 100 Nightclubs in the USA, KRAVE will be giving away pairs of tickets to see Cher every half-half, from 12:30 a.m. until 2:30 a.m. tomorrow night. Register at coat check to be eligible to win. And congrats, all!
For the complete lowdown on all the other gay and gay-friendly venues in Las Vegas, don't forget to check out our Gay Vegas guide, from nationally acclaimed journalist and local resident Steve Friess.
Former Planet Hollywood LV CEO Michael Mecca had been tipped as one of two leading candidates to run Cannery Casino Resorts when Crown Ltd.'s purchase of Cannery went through. Mecca was, after all, a former Crown casino executive. However, with the Cannery purchase on hold and possibly defunct, Mecca has accepted the position of chief operating officer with Galaxy Entertainment, owner of several Macao casinos, including the soon-to-be-finished Galaxy Cotai.
Thanks to a mix of lotteries, casinos and sports betting, gambling revenues in Albania have soared from $60 million in 2007 to $100 million last year. Another 30% increase has been reported in January of this year. This improbable success story prompted David G. Schwartz to ask, "Does this mean that we’ll be hearing about plans for MGM Grand Tirana soon?"
February casino revenue in Colorado was only $600K down from last year. Expect that trend to swing strongly positive when a liberalization of Colorado's gambling laws takes effect this summer.
Automated poker tables of the sort currently in use at Excalibur could expand their presence in Nevada soon. The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved Poker Pro for wider deployment in the state. The Excalibur tables take a $3 rake on most Hold 'Em games.
As of 3 a.m. today, Treasure Island has a new owner. Phil Ruffin took formal possession of the resort after his $775 million purchase was approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission yesterday. According to KVVU-TV, Ruffin is already talking about adding another showroom at Treasure Island, along with additional enhancements.
Clark County authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Canadian businessman Semion Cronenfeld on charges of felony theft and passing bad checks. Cronenfeld is accused of stiffing Green Valley Ranch for $5 million in markers issued last October.
"It is real soft out there right now." That's how Clark County Aviation Director Randy Walker described February's air-travel numbers, which were -12% from 2008, though the traditional January-to-February increase in passenger counts was bigger this year than last year. Passenger loads fell the most at US Airways (-35%), followed by Delta (-15%), United and Southwest (-9% each), and American Airlines (-2%). Roughly 3 million passengers passed through McCarran International Airport last month.
The Rio is reopening Lucky Strike Lanes this Sunday for a special event from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Cover charges will be waived and bowling-shoe rentals will be free – as is the bowling, if you have a $20 parlay card from the Rio’s sports book. Otherwise it’s $2 per game. Over at Paris-LasVegas, Les Theatre des Arts has been converted into an impromptu sports book, complete with four TV screens. It’ll be open from 9 a.m., today through Sunday, Budweiser and Bud Light will be available by the bucket, and T-shirts will be given away.
Race and sports books will be packed this weekend as March Madness gets underway and you’ll find viewing parties in various locations around town including The Orleans, Gold Coast, Las Vegas Hilton, and South Point. If you need a laugh you can go old school with Don Rickles at The Orleans, new school with Jay Leno at the Mirage, or to school with a six-week course at Bonkerz Comedy Club that begins Saturday.
Moody's, a bond-rating service, downgraded MGM Mirage's debt again today, citing "significant pressure" on the company and a shortage of cash on hand. In other MGM news, today's Las Vegas Sun has an inside look at The Mansion, MGM Grand's high roller hangout.
The Las Vegas-based microbrewery's new venue (the original one being located in the Shops at Miracle Mile) debuted today in the Flamingo. Located near the hotel's guest entrance and valet, it's open from 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily and features all four of Sin City's custom brews on tap.
If you haven't yet, please take the time to share your best-ever Vegas moment with us for our current LVA Reader Poll. The response has been excellent to date -- so much so that we're not going to have space to run all of the best stories when the results go live on Sat. 28, so we're going to find an additional place to share the best of the rest (possibly a follow-up QoD). So keep 'em coming.
Strip headliners Blue Man Group will soon be seen throughout the friendly skies. The group's image will be wrapped on a second Allegiant Air jet that will ply any of the airline's 40 routes. A Blue Man-wrapped Allegiant plane has been based out of Orlando for the past year. It's part of an Allegiant/Blue Man joint marketing push that includes in-flight ticket sales to the Venetian-based show, as well as "Blue Man Group branded cups, napkins, overhead bins, service carts and in-flight crew uniforms."
If you can't wait until October to see Vdara, the first of the CityCenter properties to come on line, your wait is over. Video footage and floor plans for all types of Vdara suites are now on the Web. Just surf over to Vdara.com/suites, then click on any of the eight types of suites listed in the left-hand column. Each link will take you to a dedicated page with a video tour of the rooms. Happy viewing!
BreakingViews.com reports a $100 million handle the NCAA basketball tournament so far at Vegas sports books. Internet betting, though, is expected to dwarf casino action. CBS-TV is also streaming video of the games online but may be robbing Peter to watch Paul. Viewership was down 10% last year and could fall again.
Anthony Curtis' nationally syndicated weekly column has been posted in the LVA in the Media blog, where you can read about the latest chapter in James Packer's abortive forays into the Las Vegas casino biz, plus plenty of entertainment tidbits (including this year's March Madness offerings and the debut of official pool season).
Don't be deceived by Bernie Dexter's name. The model is a she, "arguably the most famous retro style pin-up model today." Ms. Dexter will be appearing at Love Jones, in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, on April 10 from 5-9 p.m. She'll be there to model Lucy B lingerie. For those unfamiliar with Love Jones, the boutique advertises itself as featuring "top-of-the-line lingerie, hosiery, jewelry, swimwear and accessories such as paddles, whips, handcuffs, lotions and candles. In true Las Vegas style, Love Jones offers a full menu of lingerie that can be ordered day or night and delivered directly to any room at the Hard Rock."
At least for the moment the brakes have suddenly been applied to plans to convert part of US 95, between Ann Road and the 215 beltway, into a privately run toll road. Lawmakers and state bureaucrats were described as stunned upon learning that there's one itsy-bitsy problem with the plan: It's unconstitutional. All revenues from any such road, under Nevada law, have to go back into highway construction and repair. Backers of the toll road hope to rewrite the enabling legislation in such a way that it's compliant with the Nevada constitution.
Good news for fans of either the new or old "Knight Rider" TV series. On Friday and Saturday nights, the Fremont Street Experience will play host to the 2009 Knight Rider Festival. Both KITT cars will be on display when the festival kicks off at 5 p.m. on March 20. An hour later, Mayor Oscar Goodman will perform a ski stunt, followed by a speech. The rest of the evening will be given over to musical performances, from 8-11 p.m. (and again the next night), while celebrity Q&A sessions and autograph signings will take place Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cryptic, 20-story-high frames, like those of a camcorder's viewfinder, have appeared on three exterior walls of Luxor. At the center of each is a smallish image of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. The purpose of the attention-getting imagery to is to draw attention to the fact that Luxor's outsides are -- to put it bluntly -- available to the highest bidder. MGM Mirage collaborated on the marketing effort with Skytag, the company responsible for the Love wrap atop the Mirage and the Believe one on Luxor's east flank. Which brings up an interesting point: MGM spokesman Alan Feldman told an interviewer "all four sides" were up for grabs. Which means Criss Angel's multi-story portrait could soon be history, if the price is right.
April 15 is the date on which Station Casinos plans to file for bankruptcy, unless it can negotiate an extension with lenders in order to continue working on a "prepackaged bankruptcy." That would enable current management to retain control of the company. Under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy the company would be vulnerable to takeover through a court-run auction -- and Boyd Gaming has at least $950 million it's willing to pay for Station assets.
CineVegas' "From the Vault" series continues on April 2 with Kurt Cobain: About a Son, a documentary in which Cobain does not appear but is heard at length. It's followed on May 7 by Running Stumbled, in which filmmaker John Maringouin visits his parents in New Orleans and sets off all manner of recriminations. Both screenings will be held at 7 p.m., in the Clark County Public Library, at 1401 E. Flamingo Rd.
New Jersey only has casinos in Atlantic City -- and that's just how Garden State citizens like it, according to a new Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll. It shows 70% of New Jersey voters surveyed favoring keeping Atlantic City as the state's sole casino jurisdiction. This isn't good news for New Jersey's horse tracks, which continue to clamor for slot machines of their own. Currently the tracks enjoy a $30 million/year subsidy from Atlantic City's casinos.
Freshman Assemblyman Paul Aizley has a bill draft that would create a statewide lottery. In order to become law, the bill would have to pass both the 2009 and 2011 Legislatures, as well as in the 2012 general election. Casino companies are certain to fight this to the death, although lottery proponents will undoubtedly point to the number of Nevada dollars currently being spent buying lottery tickets just across the state line in California.
Vegas junkets continue to get people in hot water. Three Pennsylvania legislators are holding a press conference today to introduce a law that would restrict travel by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The trio is upset that the PGCB used state funds to send staffers to Las Vegas -- and also to Italy -- after Gov. Ed Rendell had expressly forbade out-of-state travel by government officials.
In its fourth-quarter earnings call, MGM Mirage chalked up a $1.2 billion loss. However, the entirety of that loss represented a huge write-down in the value of most of the casinos MGM obtained when it took over Mandalay Resort Group. (Only Circus Circus, Slots-A-Fun, Monte Carlo and New York-New York are still carried at their full value.) Had it not been for the writeoff, MGM would have recorded a 14 cent-per-share profit, according to analysts' projections.
Popular Vegas eatery Hash House a Go Go will be the setting for one of the segments of tonight's episode of the ABC series, "What Would You Do?" It's a series in the spirit of "Candid Camera" but with perhaps a bit more edge: "The scenario being featured in tomorrow’s episode involves a polygamist family dining at the restaurant. The family consists of actors portraying a man and his four wives dressed in full 19th century-style clothing and hairstyles. The newest member of the family appears to be a 15 year-old wife who discusses loudly how she’s been forced to join the family at such a young age." Hidden cameras capture the reactions of Hash House patrons. (We guess you could say they were punk'd.) Hash House a Go Go will also be featured in another "What Would You Do?" episode this summer. The polygamist segment airs tonight at 10 p.m. on KTNV-TV Channel 13. For the rest of the week's Vegas/gambling-oriented TV and movie listings, check out our unique Vegas TV guide.
Las Vegans John and Daniela Morgan camped out for 36 hours at the Mandalay Bay box office in order to score the very first tickets for The Lion King, which went on sale last Saturday. They won a free night's stay at Mandalay Bay, an autographed copy of the book The Lion King: Pride Rock on Broadway, among other goodies, which included free tickets to the May 15 opening of the show.
Add Leroy's to the list of interesting NCAA Basketball Championship contests. The "Three 'N Out College Contest" lets you fade three losses before being eliminated (cool idea). Entry fee is $25 and 100% is being returned in prizes; the deadline for sign-up is Wednesday at 7 pm at any Leroy's outlet.
The opening night of Terry Fator and his Cast of Thousands is covered in Stiffs & Georges. Our reviewer's verdict is one of the more enthusiastic ones, lauding Fator's exceptional skill and excellent vocalism.
Today is a big day for players club point multipliers. Get 5X points today at both Fiesta Casinos. Get 6X points at all Station and Coast casinos. And there will be St. Patrick's day specials of all sorts all over town -- check out our feature in Special Events for details of all the parties, food and drink specials, and other casino promos.
Prince tribute band Purple Reign has been pink-slipped from both Santa Fe Station and South Point, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal nightlife correspondent Norm Clarke.
Nevada's board of museums has nominated the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. It's cited as both a cultural icon and as being of noteworthy architectural value. The nomination could be voted upon as early as May.
With trust in online gambling sites on the wane, thanks to recent scandals, live dealers may be the coming thing. They're already to be seen on Web sites based in Europe and Asia. Part of their perceived value is that the presence of an actual dealer eases concerns of corrupted software, such as that which figured in the Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker scandals.
No, not M Resort (well, that too). Indiana Live Casino, near Shelbyville, drew traffic so heavy it clogged I-74 and forced authorities to close the doors to new arrivals at 9 p.m. (The ban was relaxed two hours later.) Perhaps some of the mob scene could be attributed to promised opening-night star Justin Timberlake, who was a no-show. Even that didn't dampen the spirits of a player who said, "We go to Vegas all the time and it's really Vegas style. It's top of the line."
At the request of the White House, racino Indiana Live (just outside Indianapolis) withdrew ads last week that featured a Barack Obama impersonator saying "our time for change has come." The commercial lives on via YouTube, however.
Travelers booking two-night (or longer) stays at Wynn Las Vegas may qualify for a $50 resort credit, between now and Sept. 30. The 50 bucks can be put toward dining expenses but not retail purchases, casino play or tickets to see Danny Gans.
A couple of casino contests have been annouced for the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Stations and Fiestas are again running their "Last Man Standing" contest with a $25 entry fee (buy four, get fifth free) with 100% of the collected money returned. Lucky's sports books has a contest with a $10 entry fee (buy three, get fourth free) with a $10,000 guaranteed prize pool. Both have a chance to be positive equity. In the first, you can get it by getting the free entry (not all players will, which is where your overlay materializes). In the second, the guarantee can yield the overlay (if the contest is undersubscribed).
New York-New York's Nine Fine Irishmen made Friday's USA Today list of "10 Great Places to Raise a Glass this Tuesday." The blurb says Nine Fine serves more Guinness than any bar in the country (171,500 pints last year). What it doesn't note is the excellent food -- it was the only bar to be featured in our book of Las Vegas fine dining recipes, Reservations Required, for its loin of bacon and the Dunbrody Kiss chocolate dessert.
We got a gander at the new Terry Fator show at the Mirage last night. This one's a winner, reminiscent of when Danny Gans burst onto the scene more than a decade ago. Ticket prices are $59-$125. A full review will appear in the April Las Vegas Advisor.
After 18 years, the Tropicana has declined to renew its contract with the "Comedy Stop." The club will reportedly relocate.
The first of the "Survive and Advance" NCAA Basketball Championship analysis show featuring Bobby Knight and Billy Packer tapes today at 4 pm at the Wynn. Taping takes place in the sports book and it's free to the public to attend.
"The more drawers we open, the more we find," says the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is discovering hidden treasures as it catalogues its backlog of historic photographs. One such revelation was a photo of President John F. Kennedy visiting the Nevada Test Site. Thus inspired, the LVCVA has assembled "From the Vault," a touring exhibit that will make five stops around the Vegas Valley, starting at Whitney Library, Mar. 31-May 19. From there, it will progress to Enterprise Library (June 2-July 28), Clark County Library (Aug. 4-Oct. 11), Centennial Hills Library (Oct. 13-Nov. 30) and West Charleston Library (Dec. 1-Jan. 12). For library hours and locations, see the official Web site.
Yikes! We haven't even got St Paddy's Day out of the way yet and it's bikini-time again. While the topless Moorea Pool (MBay) has been open on weekends since the end of February, the first of the open-to-the-public party pools to dust off the lounges is the Hard Rocks' Beach Club, which debuts for the '09 season this weekend. It's had a facelift, apparently, and is open from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. tomorrow (9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily from Monday onwards.)
So far, we can also confirm that MGM Grand's Wet Republic opened on Friday and will kick off "Daylife" in earnest on March 28 with a party hosted by Kim Kardashian. Keep checking our Cool Pools section for updates because we'll be covering the whole pool scene in-depth all through the season, from parties and concerts to the latest in poolside amenities and topless-sunbathing options, plus coverage of all the poolside celebrity sightings.
Now through July, players and workers at the United States Bowling Congress can take a break at Jerry’s Nugget, where they’re eligible for dining and gambling specials. To sweeten the pot, Jerry’s is providing complimentary limousine service to and from Cashman Center. Call 702/423-3550.
Having helped defeat a rival casino project at the ballot box last November, Penn National Gaming back is with an initiative-and-referendum push of its own. In return for $200 million in upfront fees, casino operators would be allowed to open one gambling hall apiece in Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo and Cincinnati. Each casino would be budgeted at a minimum of $250 million. The initiative proposes a 33% tax rate for casinos.
Can you open a casino without slot machines? Probably not. Butler National, which is building Kansas' first non-tribal casino, in the Dodge City area, is having trouble finding slot suppliers. Why? Under Kansas law, anyone owning a half-percent interest or more in slot company has to go through a background investigation, making manufacturers wary. Lawmakers are scrambling to rewrite the threshold to 5%. They amended rules would also lower the state's cut of slot revenues from 40% to 22%, with 18% being redirected to horse and dog tracks. Butler Nat'l hopes to open its Boot Hill casino in late '09.
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell will ask the Legislature to institute a sports-betting lottery, to help close $700 million revenue shortfall. Only parlay bets would be accepted. Delaware is one of four states exempted from a 1992 federal ban on sports betting. The NFL has already voiced its opposition to Markell's move, saying, "We do not want our games used as bait."
Starting at 7 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday), tickets go on sale for The Lion King at Mandalay Bay. For three hours, the MBay box office will be the only place where tickets (some as low as $53) can be purchased. Online and Ticketmaster sales open at 10 a.m. The first 100 people who queue up at MBay will get free Lion King CDs and the swag doesn't end there. Everybody in line receives a souvenir mug, along with coupons for the Shark Reef and various MBay restaurants. Not enough? For the first three hours, free coffee and "breakfast treats" will be available. Come for the goodies, stay for the tickets.
It may not be a pot of gold but it's close enough: Club Coast members can earn 6X points on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) slot play. Participating casinos are Sam's Town, The Orleans, Gold Coast, and Suncoast.
As bargains go, New York-New York's Value Passport is as strong as any we've seen lately. You don't even have to be a hotel guest to capitalize on it. For $25, the Value Passport gets you one free drink at each of the following bars and restaurants: Nine Fine Irishmen, The Bar at Times Square, Center Bar, and Pour 24. It also entitles you to a complimentary ride on the NY-NY roller-coaster, although you may want to do that before your bar crawl. Not only does the Value Passport get you comped admission at Rok Vegas, it acts as a VIP line pass. So much for so little!
2009's National Hockey League Awards will be held at the Palms' Pearl Concert Theater and will air on the Versus cable channel. The '09 ceremony marks the beginning of a three-year deal between the NHL and the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. The duo are sponsoring a sweepstakes ("NHL Awards Vegas Getaway") whose winner will receive roundtrip airfare, two nights' accommodation, and pairs of tickets to the awards ceremony and after-party. Ticket sales for the June 18 ceremony go on sale March 24, both at the Pearl and via Ticketmaster.
We're continuing the habit of posting Anthony Curtis' weekly syndicated column in the LVA in the Media blog. This week's includes an update on projects in downtown Las Vegas, plus word of new Sunday brunch plays, a thumbnail guide to St Patrick's Day events, and more.
Both our managing editor and the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Mike Weatherford have checked out Magic's a Drag at the Harmon Theater and they agree on one thing: Even at a 65-70 minute running time, the show is more bulk than weight and could use some beefing up. Weatherford suggests possible remedies, including moving the show to an earlier time slot. Of headliner Cashetta's ribald routines, Weatherford writes, "you'll never think of long, tubular children's party balloons quite the same again [but] he also adds a bit of humanity to the drag jokes and raunchy double-entendres."
ElevenSpa and Ken Paves Salon will be hosting an open casting call next week in a quest for massage therapists, estheticians, nail technicians, hairstylists, and color experts. Applicants with a minimum of 3-5 years of experience are asked to bring their resumes to ElevenSpa Vegas located at 6611 Las Vegas Boulevard South at Town Square during one of the following times:
Tuesday, March 24
10 a.m.-1 p.m. – Massage therapists and estheticians
2-5 p.m. – Hairstylists, color experts and nail technicians
Wednesday, March 25
10 a.m.-1p.m. – Hairstylists, color experts and nail technicians
2-5 p.m. – Massage therapists and estheticians
For more information, please call ElevenSpa Vegas at (702) 967-1100
Throughout March, tickets to Speed: The Ride at the Sahara are 50% off for locals. That means it'll only cost you $5 to ride the looping roller-coaster, provided you've got a Nevada I.D. (Of course, if you can finish the Nascar Cafe's new 6-pound "Bomb" burrito, the ride -- and the burrito -- are free.)
The lineup for the Hard Rock Hotel's Friday-night pool concerts has been announced and tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. tomorrow, both at the HRH and via Ticketmaster. Acts, dates and prices are as follows: Rusted Root (5/1, $31.82); Eek-a-Mouse (5/15, $20/$22.73); Ozomati (5/22, $22.73/$31.82); Sugar Ray (5/29, $35.91); Gavin Rossdale (6/5, $31.36); Gin Blossoms (6/26. $31.36); Unwritten (7/24, $20); Los Lonely Boys (8/14. $35.91) and Collective Soul (9/11, $31.36). In cases where multiple prices are listed, the lower price is for advance purchases.
Not only is the Mirage discounting Love, it's offering package deals with Terry Fator and his Cast of Thousands. In what the Mirage is billing as a $100 savings, it's offering one ticket to each show for a combined price of $170. Call 800/963-9634 to take advantage of this bargain play. LVA apologizes for the error.
Forbes has re-ranked the wealth of several casino moguls, all of whom are feeling the recession's pinch. Station Casinos CEO Frank Fertitta III and his brother Lorenzo have fallen off the list altogether, while Steve Wynn's net worth has shrunk by over half, down to $1.5 billion (he's ranked #468 worldwide, down from 277th place in 2008). Sheldon Adelson, who once aspired to be #1, saw his ranking go from twelfth to 178th. His Chinese rival, Stanley Ho, is barely still on the list, with $1 billion and a #701 ranking, a precipitous plunge from his #113 status of a year ago. Kirk Kerkorian (#41 last year) shed $9 billion, placing his net worth at $5 billion (good for 98th place). Out of the gaming industry a year ago, Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin weighs in at #334, with a worth of $2 billion. And even though he's $18 billion poorer, the world's richest man is still Bill Gates.
James Packer will be paying dearly for the option of delaying his purchase of Cannery Casino Resorts for two years -- or just buying a minority stake -- or not buying the company at all. It's complicated but Stiffs & Georges sorts out the various scenarios.
The video poker legend will be signing copies of his new book,
One of the hardest-to-get tickets in town has traditionally been the Beatles-themed Cirque du Soleil extravaganza Love. However, between Mar. 15-May 31, Nevadans will receive a 40% discount on Love tickets, bringing admission prices into the $60-$90 range. Call 702/531-3873 to cash in on the offer. Cirque's newest show, Believe, is limping along, which means a slew of discount offers. Luxor's box office tells the Las Vegas Sun that students who buy one or two tickets get 35% off, no restrictions, no expiration date. Through May 31, senior citizens qualify for a 25% Believe discount. And those who purchase their seats through CrissAngel.com, get 40% off.
On May 23, 'Sugar' Rashad Evans will defend his crown for the first time against fellow unbeaten Lyoto 'The Dragon' Machida at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets for this event, which replaces the postponed bout between between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir, postponed due to Mir's injury, are now available from ticketmaster.com, ufc.com, and mgmgrand.com and are priced from $75 to $800.
Las Vegas will take almost a full week to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year and it all starts today with the Southern Nevada Sons of Erin festival at the Henderson Events Plaza. Check out our Special Events section for a complete list of all the ways you can go green. The Palms got pool season off to an early start last weekend and on Friday, the MGM Grand’s Wet Republic will follow suit. Over at O’Shea’s Anthony Cools debuts Freaks on Friday and Men of X moves into the Owl Showroom at Hooters. On Saturday night, the Scintas take their final bows at the Las Vegas Hilton.
After a brief "dark" period, the Las Vegas Hilton will follow the Scintas with a new revue. Called Voices, it will pair well-traveled local favorite Earl Turner with Lani Misalucha, the songstress who used to front Society of Seven. They're scheduled to open April 17.
Getting the boot from "Celebrity Apprentice" helped free up Andrew Dice Clay to a Mar. 25-April 4 gig at the Sugarcane Lounge of SushiSamba, in the Shoppes at Palazzo. Tickets are $65.
Economy be damned, nothing will stand between one-third of Americans and their March Madness bets. MSN's Hoops Hysteria Survey found 45% of respondents were participating in at least one betting pool, while 20% were putting action on three pools or more. The same number of respondents believed their bets on the NCAA tournament would outperform their 401ks. Western Athletic Conference fans are feeling particularly flush, with 36% making an average minimum wager of $40 -- double the national average. While 15% survey respondents were wagering less this year, only 10% had cut out March Madness betting altogether.
Hooters Casino Hotel's Night Owl Showroom debuts its new revue, Men of X, tomorrow night. From the creators of X Burlesque comes this six-member beefcake show, "everything from desirable doctors and fierce firemen to muscular mile-high captains and sexy soldiers, guaranteed to fulfill every fantasy." Audience members are promised that they will be able to "get up-close and personal and interact with the hot hunks." Performances will be at 9 p.m., with tickets priced at $40 and $50. Call 866/584-6687 for reservations.
Despite being the newest hotel in Atlantic City, Borgata's Water Club is suffering from slack business. Consequently, most of its 800 rooms will be shuttered on Tues.-Thurs. nights through April. Customers who are booked into Water Club on one of the affected dates will have their reservation moved to Borgata proper. Water Club is still accepting bookings for its suites, for business events and for special events. It is adding more bars and deck space in anticipation of a full reopening in May.
So says Las Vegas Sands spokesman Ron Reese, responding to a Ming Pao Daily report that the company's Macao casino license might be up for sale. The newspaper identified the likely buyer as "a Chinese tycoon." Since Sands could, under Macanese law, only sell to another one of Macao's six casino operators, the tycoon in question can only be Stanley Ho, who has been engaged in a concerted effort recently to run Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson out of China.
Two downtown hotels, the Plaza and the Vegas Club, are offering free standard rooms ... if you can find a lower rate on one of their partner Web sites than the prices quoted on the Plaza's and Club's own sites. Partner sites are Hotwire.com, ExpediaSAGroup, Las Vegas Tourist Bureau, I4Vegas, OrbitzSAGroup, Travelocity, SynXis Priceline, TripRes, Synxis.com, Vegas.com, Hotels.com, Mark Travel and Allegiant Air. If you find a lower rate, you'll have to speak with a call-center manager to verify it and your free room is good only for the night which you were trying to book in the first place -- but not if the hotels are booked up that evening or its a designated black-out date. Call 800/634-6575 for reservations.
Station Casinos' three Wildfire Gaming properties have now added Denny's restaurants to their amenities. The move is part of a trend by both Station and rival Boyd Gaming to outsource more of their eateries. The new restaurants can be found at Wildfire Casino & Lanes, as well as at the Rancho and Boulder casinos. Next up for Denny-ization are Fiesta Henderson and Wild Wild West.
Hypnotist Anthony Cools is branching out into the production of what is, quite literally, a freak show. Opening tomorrow night at O'Shea's Casino, Freaks promises "the most extreme 'freakish' human behavior including human shish-kabobs, glass eating, knife throwing and sword swallowing." Yum! Due to the graphic nature of the show, which includes nudity, no one under 18 will be admitted. Freaks will play twice nightly, at 9 and 11 p.m., on Wed.-Sat. Walk-up ticket sales start at 7 p.m. on show nights. Otherwise, call 702/733-3333.
Since M Resort's own press kit wasn't much better than adequate, it's a good thing Managing Editor David McKee packed his camera when he went to view M's first night of business. We've culled some of his better photos and present an M Resort photo gallery for your perusal.
Wow, we're getting an amazing response to the new LVA reader poll, with so many people taking the time to write in and share their favorite memories of Las Vegas, from chance encounters with Sammy Davis Jr. to chance encounters with ladies of the night; jackpots hit and Harleys won; tales of romance with a showgirl or taking 24 hours to get from Circus Circus to the Riv (!); not to mention all the great reminiscences of memorable meals, shows, gambling marathons, parties, and times spent with friends and loved ones, past and present. One person sent in a photo and we encourage everyone else to if you have.
If you've already taken part, we thank you; if you haven't yet, then please do share your story. Names can always be changed to protect the guilty, so don't feel you have to "take the Fifth" unless the truth might land you in jail ;) The poll will be live for the next two weeks, with the results going live on March 28, but we may well turn this into a bigger feature, since the response has been so great. We'll keep you posted.
Los Angeles Times blogger Richard Abowitz takes a retrospective look at Wynn Las Vegas' Le Reve and New York-New York's Zumanity. (The latter is a Cirque du Soleil show and the former is often mistaken for one.) He concludes that both shows have evolved toward a lighter tone, shedding their more disturbing elements. He describes the revised Le Reve as "the Vegas equivalent of a chick flick, with a sweet romance at its center and an uplifting vibe ... a true under-the-radar winner." Of Zumanity, he says, "sauciness, sexiness and humor are all used in a show that has definitely found a stronger balance and is vastly more capable in appealing to a Vegas audience."
Hilton Hotels Corp. has announced that it will be launching a new brand called Denizen in Las Vegas. No location has been announced ... but since Deutsche Bank is reportedly in talks with Hilton over the operator-less Cosmopolitan, it's a strong bet that the Cosmo will soon be rechristened the Denizen.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the in-progress Cosmopolitan has been faulted by Clark County for a variety of issues. These include alterations to doors in the property, thereby reducing their fire resistance. A Cosmo spokeswoman said the county's action had "nothing to do with the stoppage of work on the interiors," which was revealed last week.
Monday marked the start of rehearsals for The Lion King, the next extravaganza planned for Mandalay Bay. While the cast was largely plucked from touring Lion King companies, Las Vegas actors Joseph Rivera, Renata Renée Wilson and Deon Ridley are part of the mix, as are nine South Africans. Lion King previews begin May 5 and the show opens May 15.
A 6% increase in the number of Las Vegas hotel rooms only magnified a 12% fall in January visitor volume. Both conventions and convention attendance were off by a fifth, while air-passenger traffic dropped 16%. Fortunately, auto traffic was flat and, in the case of Californians, was up 3%.
Las Vegas Sands boss Sheldon Adelson has been a veritable Chatty Cathy this week. In addition to weighing in on his ouster of LVS ex-president William Weidner, Adelson's been talking up his real estate business. He says two investment groups are considering buying equity stakes in his existing casinos and two others are kicking the tires of Sites 5 and 6 on Macao's Cotai Strip. But it's Adelson's two retail malls in Macao that appear to be drawing the most interest. He says he has 19 potential buyers for the duo.
Las Vegas and Atlantic City may be staggering but regional markets continue to thrive. Casino revenues in Detroit were strong, up 5%. All three casinos registered gains, with even struggling Greektown recording a 2% increase.
In order to keep their slot routes, the Herbst brothers will forfeit ownership of 15 casinos, most of them in rural Nevada. Creditors will gain full possession of the various Herbst casinos, although who will actually operate them has yet to be announced. Herbst Gaming collapsed under nearly a half-billion of debt. Its undoing to was to purchase three Primm, Nev., casinos from MGM Mirage right on top of buying the Sands Regent properties in Northern Nevada. The sudden accumulation of debt, combined with a smoking ban that drove players away from Herbst's slot routes, quickly brought Herbst to the verge of bankruptcy.
After weeks of tabloid rumors, semi-denials and speculation, it's official. Steve Wynn filed for divorce from wife Elaine last Thursday, KLAS-TV reports. The Wynns, who divorced in 1986 and remarried in 1991, have been wedded a cumulative total of 40 years.
Following the lead of the Nevada Assembly, the state Senate has voted overwhelmingly to raise the room tax for hotels in Clark and Washoe counties. Having tacitly supported the tax hike, Gov. Jim Gibbons will allow it to go into law without his signature. More details can be found via Stiffs & Georges. The tax hike goes into effect Jan. 1, raising the rate in Las Vegas to 13%.
February's casino-revenue numbers are out for Atlantic City -- and they're terrible. In fact, they're so bad that a -6% month at Borgata is considered good news. Everywhere else, it's double-digit mayhem, with the three Trump casinos and four Harrah's ones down 22% and 21%, respectively.
Where some might see a problem in the form of all the construction equipment that has been idled along the Strip, Play with our Cats espied opportunity. If you've ever wanted to drive a tractor or an excavator, now is your chance. Calling it the "Most Exciting addition to the Las Vegas Tourism scene in Years!", the company says: "No experience or prior training is necessary, we’ll teach you everything you need to know, and we’ll be right there with radios to help you be a safe and successful operator on your first day!" After a half-hour's instruction, you putter about in a Caterpillar vehicle to your heart's content. The half-day adventure costs $249 and you can book a date with a Cat by calling 702/499-3111.
By losing his pants, one Oklahoma gambler lost his shirt, too. After he won two grand at Creek Nation Casino, the Tulsa resident was picked up by a pair of women in the wee hours of Monday morning. He said they told him they were massage therapists, whereupon they relieved him of his trousers -- and his money -- and absconded. Police found the duo at a convenience store a few hours later, carrying a significant amount of cash and bit of marijuana, too.
A British civil servant is on trial for an alleged gambling-related crime that saw him run down his wife, then run her over for good measure. (She survived, but is confined to a wheelchair.) A disordered gambler, Martin Hewlett had forged his wife's signature on a $179K mortgage, then insured her life for $172K. Employing a rather tasteless metaphor, the prosecutor said, "It was the desperate act of a gambler, a last roll of the dice."
According to a new SEC filing, Las Vegas Sands President was told last Wednesday that he was shortly to be replaced. After several days of attempting to negotiate a severance agreement, Weidner abruptly resigned on Sunday. Successor Michael Leven will not take over until April 1.
While online-booking engines for Vegas casinos have had a Spanish-language option, they're now taking it a step further -- or a step less, perhaps. Spanish and German speakers can now pull on drop-down menus for all MGM Mirage's Strip properties and do their booking via German- and Spanish-only pages. French-, Italian- and Japanese-speaking guests currently use discrete Web sites but those will soon be folded into the MGM Mirage site, too, with still other languages to follow. "This past summer, we peaked at more than one third of leisure customers coming from overseas," said one MGM Mirage exec. "It’s a growing trend, and we believe that providing our guests with the capability to book online direct in their own language is a big asset."
There's a $200 million loan on Trump International coming due at the end of July and, with only 25% of the building's condos sold, making that deadline appears to be a long shot, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. Donald Trump told the paper he is in discussions to restructure or extend the project's debt and that everything is "fine."
Las Vegas Sands execs have cited Malaysia and Thailand as a key feeder markets for their casinos in Macao. So it can't have come as good news that both Malaysia Airlines and Bangkok Airways are putting Macanese routes on hiatus. Citing a dramatic decrease in passenger loads, Bangkok Airways said it was putting its service to Macao on hold until the fourth quarter of this year. Malaysia Airlines' 15-month-old Kuala Lumpur-to-Macao route will temporarily cease flying at the end of this month.
Missouri casinos continue to enjoy the benefits of a November repeal of the state's loss limits. Table play was up 11% last month and gambling revenue overall rose almost 4%. Business was ever so slightly down in Kansas City but robust growth in the St. Louis area (especially at Pinnacle Entertainment's Lumiere Place) more than offset it.
Casino winnings fell almost 15% in January, both statewide and on the Strip, for a monthly tally of $909 million. Since some slot revenue from the end of January won't be booked until February, the result appears slightly worse than it actually is. Baccarat play was up 42% and the casinos took home 17% more baccarat win than last year. Aliante Station's ramp-up softened the blow in North Las Vegas, which was down only -11%. The decline on the Boulder Strip was more than double that amount.
In an item that made few headlines last week, a federal bankruptcy court in Delaware approved the details of Tropicana Entertainment's Chapter 11 proposal. If it goes through, secured creditors will swap their debt for Tropicana stock, thereby forcing out former CEO (and sole shareholder) William J. Yung. Without Yung, Tropicana stands a substantially better chance of recovering its casino in Atlantic City, from which the company was evicted 15 months ago.
Although Boyd Gaming says it hasn't received any cooperation from Station Casinos in its takeover bid, the company maintains it's still interested in at least some of Station's assets. It also says that its $2 billion credit line should be sufficient to finance the deal and its offer is a better deal for Station's creditors than Station management's own debt-buyback plan.
While brick-and-mortar casinos mostly took it on the chin in '08, online casinos boomed to the tune of $20 billion in gross gambling yield. That's according to Global Betting & Gaming Consultants' latest Interactive Gambling Report, released today. As budgets tighten, the report contends that "'Staying in' has become the new 'going out.'" Look for that $20 billion figure to improve considerably this year if Rep. Barney Frank is successful in getting the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act repealed.
While Illinois legislators debate whether to allow casinos to serve free drinks to gamblers, gaming revenue fell another 6% last month. Players continue to flee to Indiana, which saw a 13% revenue gain, though the recent expansion of the number of Indiana casinos translates into a slight reduction in business per casino. Big winners were Harrah's Horseshoe Hammond (+18%) and Boyd's newly expanded Blue Chip, which notched an 8% gain.
So Binion's Gambling Hall has $1 million on display? That's nothing, says the Seminole Casino chain. It's unveiling a $5 million display that will tour six Seminole casinos in Florida March 20-May 25. Las Vegas did get a piece of the action, though: The display was manufactured here.
Until 6 p.m. tonight and then again tomorrow from noon till 5 p.m., the new M Resort will be holding an open casting call in search of staff for their "Daydream" pool club, debuting in April. The auditions are taking place at the LVNG Office at 4785 S. Durango.
Annie Duke survived the second episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" when the woman's team won the show's second task (which keeps them all safe from being fired). Annie has emerged in the role of the bad guy on the woman's team, which tends to be a good thing for longevity in a competition-based reality show.
FedEx Office locations in Las Vegas (and nationwide) are offering free resume printing-services tomorrow, Tues., March 10, as a gesture to help job seekers. Resumes may be submitted in printed format or as a digital file and they'll print up to 25 copies per customer for free.
Huck Seed won the first two matches to take down the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship and a $750,000 first prize. Vanessa Rousso's second place was the highest finish ever for a woman; she won $250,000.
"I truly felt that I had found the perfect location to play poker. It seemed safe, secure, professional and perfectly legal," says former Denver Broncos player (and current broadcaster) Reggie Rivers. Appearances were deceptive: The high-stakes poker room in Denver, the Gin Rummy Club, that authorities closed last year was very illegal indeed. The teetotaling Gin Rummy Club was patronized by what Rivers characterized as an "upstanding clientele." According to KUSA-TV, which is probing the club's demise, "Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents say the club was involved in organized crime, including book making, loan sharking, and sports betting."
There are six players left in NBC's Heads-Up tournament: Huck Seed, Sam Farha, Phil Hellmuth, Vanessa Rousso, Daniel Negreanu, and Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier. Seed and Hellmuth are former WSOP main-event champions, while Farha was a runner-up. Rousso is one of the best-known women players. Negreanu is one of the best known of all players. And Grospellier is the hottest player currently on the circuit. Should be a doozy. Note that the next edition of our hot poker-tournament book Kill Everyone will contain comments from Grospellier (the French-language version of Kill Everyone is titled Kill Elky).
WSOP bracelet-winner Annie Duke survived to Week 2 of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" reality show, with comic Andrew Dice Clay the first casualty last week. If you missed the second episode last night, we won't spoil it for you ... it repeats at 9 p.m. tonight. (Remember to check out Vegas TV for the rest of the week's upcoming shows and movies with a Vegas or gambling connection.)
Motley Crüe takes another step closer to becoming the Hard Rock Hotel’s house band when this summer’s Crüe Fest 2 tour makes an Aug. 1 stopover at the The Joint. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Dr. Feelgood album, the group will perform all the songs from that release, in order, as well as other Motley Crüe hits. Tickets go on sale March 21, but "pre-sale" tickets can be obtained via CrueFest2.com. Regular ticket sales will be handled by the HRH box office and by Ticketmaster. The lowest-tier price is $61.
To help kick off a National Reading Month book drive, magician Mac King will appear at the Borders bookstore in Town Square at 11 a.m. on March 11. He’ll perform and host the weekly "Storytime in the Square." Any children in attendance will receive a free ticket to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Harrah’s Las Vegas.
If you haven't been reminded enough already, here's one more prompt to move your clocks forward by an hour for Daylight Savings Time. If nothing else, you'll be sure not to miss tonight's second episode of Celebrity Apprentice (with Annie Duke) at 9 p.m. on NBC.
The NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship is underway at Caesars Palace. The field of 64 has been cut in half, with the biggest upset coming with Gabe Kaplan's victory over defending champ and two-time runner-up Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. Also out of the tournament: Allen Cunningham, Andy Bloch, and Erik Seidel.
From March 9 through April 12, vacationers can book the "Spring Break Escape Party Package" at either Monte Carlo or New York-New York. In addition to two free admissions to ROK Vegas and 25% off Zumanity tickets, the offer comes with a slew of "twofers." These include the Monte Carlo buffet, breakfast at Il Fornaio, appetizers at the Monte Carlo Brew Pub. Half-price drinks at Brand Steakhouse and two free cocktails at any New York-New York watering hole are also included. Room rates start at $59.
When Terry Fator & His Cast of Thousands opens at the Mirage, March 14, they’ll be rolling out the red carpet. Celebrities who have been booked to attend include Jerry Springer, Kate Flannery and Oscar Nunez from "The Office," plus a TV superhero contigent of Adam West ("Batman"), Lou Ferrigno ("The Incredible Hulk") and Kevin Sorbo ("Hercules"). They’ll be strolling in from 9-10 p.m.
Turns out that reports in the March issue of LVA concering the the demise of Coast Casino's Coast Connection coupon magazine, distributed in the R-J, were much exaggerated. A spokesman from Boyd Gaming sent us the following update: "Coast Connection is published monthly, near the end of each month. It is circulated as an insertion inside the Review-Journal, so total circulation is about what the R-J's circulation is (around 163,000). We've been publishing it steadily for some time now, and haven't taken any hiatuses recently." Our apologies for any confusion caused.
LasVegasAdvisor.com's the House Advantage blogger Robin Camacho was quoted in yesterday's New York Times by writer Steve Friess in his interesting feature on the current state of the Las Vegas real estate market. You can link to the complete article, plus all the other recent instances of Las Vegas Advisor/Huntington Press media attention, at LVA in the Media. And if you're in the market for a real-estate deal, check out Robin's unique guide to the Current Top 10 Las Vegas Real Estate Values in our Features section.)
That "Spring Break Family Escape" special at MonteCarlo that we noted earlier this week also offers a half-off breakfast at Il Fornaio. The "twofer" inner-tube rentals are for the Monte Carlo pool, incidentally. The Mar. 9-April 12 offer starts at $59/night.
According to the Financial Times, MGM Mirage has retained Evercore Partners, described as a "boutique investment bank," to advise it during its current crisis. The company is having difficulty finding the money to finish CityCenter and has even warned of a possible bankruptcy.
Wynn Las Vegas is running a two-for-one, Nevadans-only promotion for Le Reve. Call 702/770-9966 and mention "Locals Offer." The deal is described as "ongoing" and can be booked as much as 90 days in advance.
Through May 16, the Mirage is offering a two-night/two-ticket package for Terry Fator's new show. On Mon.-Fri., the deal (which includes a Deluxe room) is $263 and on Fri.-Sun., it's $313. Call 888/634-7111 and cite promo codes "Fator Weekday" or "Fator Weekend."
Pinnacle Entertainment has abandoned its proposed, multi-billion-dollar resort project in Atlantic City, on the former site of the Sands (which Pinnacle bought and demolished). The company says it hopes to re-sell the land "one day," but purchasers will be hard to find in the near-term. The Revel hotel-casino has been temporarily halted and another rival project is on indefinite hold, while Penn National is only interested in Bader Field, the city's erstwhile airport. "Obviously, with 20-20 hindsight, I wish we didn’t buy the land in Atlantic City," Pinnacle CEO Dan Lee told Wall Street analysts.
This weekend’s schedule offers a battle of the TV comics with Ray Romano and Kevin James teaming up at The Mirage and George Lopez going it alone at the Las Vegas Hilton. Over at Hooters, Bobby Slayton will stage his 500th and final show in the Night Owl Showroom on Sunday night. The Pitbull of Comedy is about to embark on a national tour but has hinted that he will eventually return to Sin City with a new show on The Strip. On the music front, Zowie Bowie takes up permanent residence at the Palms Lounge with their first show scheduled for 10 p.m. tomorrow night.
The comic is postponing the remainder of his critically acclaimed one-man show, "Weapons of Self-Destruction," which he was due to perform at the MGM Grand on May 24, to undergo surgery for an aortic valve replacement. The tour is expected to resume in the fall. Previously purchased tickets will be honored once the new date has been confirmed or can be refunded at place of purchase.
It took 10 weeks for Time Magazine to weigh in on Encore but it was worth the wait. Steve Wynn's newest property is praised as "a resort with gaming, rather than a gaming resort." All of the restaurants draw praise except Wazuzu ("mediocrity rules"), while the hotel tower is lauded as "48 floors of tranquility," and the property as a whole "exudes elegance [and] oozes calm ... if living well is the best revenge for recession, this is the place to do it."
To test the appeal of new table games, Aliante Station will be holding a free-play session on Saturday from 2-6 p.m. It won't cost you anything and you can't win anything -- with one exception. Players will be asked to choose their favorite game and ballots will be deposited in a drum. Whichever player's ballot is drawn at the end of the afternoon will go home $1,000 richer. Although as many as 200 players have already been invited, walk-ins are welcome.
Around the LVA office, when we hear that David Matthews is "at work," it usually means he's at one of Las Vegas' many poker rooms. And it really is work -- and not for the faint of heart -- as Matthews explains. "The most important of all qualities is the willingness to work hard and swallow one's pride," he writes. Intelligent use of coupons and other dollar-stretching tactics don't hurt, either.
To promote the opening of the permanent casino at Indiana Downs (aka Indiana Live!), Cordish Gaming found a Barack Obama impersonator and whipped up a 30-second spot. The vocal impersonation is spot-on and slick camerawork contributes to the illusion.
Hogs & Heifers will be the starting point for Sunday's Save the Boobs Poker Run, an American Cancer Society benefit that is sponsored by 97.1 FM ("The Point"). From 11 a.m.-4 p.m., participants will play a series of poker rounds "at various stops around the city," including Red Rock Harley-Davidson, Mountain Springs Saloon, Pioneer Saloon and the Penthouse Club. Then it's back to Hogs & Heifers, where a celebratory barbecue with live music will be held from 4-6 p.m. Entry fees for the poker run are $30 for participants, $10 for passengers. Prizes include a free weekend stay at Laughlin's Edgewater hotel-casino during the annual Laughlin River Run.
On March 23, Veloce Cibo, M Bar, Ravello Lounge and Hostile Grape will be hosting open bars from 6-9 p.m. The event is sponsored by SpyOnVegas.com and 944 magazine.
Equity Ventures of Topeka, which includes investors who were left high and dry when Harrah's Entertainment pulled out of Kansas last year, has bid on two possible casino sites in Sumner County. One is close to the Kansas Turnpike. The other is snarled in litigation because it's on land that the city of Mulvane has tried to annex. Any rival casino bidders have until April 1 to toss their hats into the ring.
By a unanimous vote, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission has given lender Column Financial permission to begin foreclosure on Resorts Atlantic City, which has missed a series of mortgage payments. Until a determination is made whether or not Column needs a gaming license it cannot actually seize the casino nor can it tap Resorts' bank accounts, merely monitor them. If Column simply wants mortgage payments resumed, it now has the leverage necessary. Resorts has created a $15 million contingency fund to cover short-term operating expenses.
Bloomberg news, citing "five people with knowledge of the matter," say talks have broken off between Deutsche Bank and MGM Mirage. The deal that was rumored to be on the table would have been Deutsche Bank providing the $1.2 billion needed to finish CityCenter in return for equity and having the foreclosed Cosmopolitan absorbed into the MGM metaresort. The news service says MGM and Dubai World are now looking elsewhere for completion money.
As bad as business was for other airlines, February was very good to Las Vegas-based Allegiant. Its passenger loads grew 11% during last month.
While Town Square's Eleven Spa took a high-end, celebrity-oriented stance at its recent opening, it's been quick to roll out a locals-only promotion. Nevadans who take a tour of the spa will receive their choice of a free mini tension-relief massage or an afterglow-makeup application. The first 50 who book appointments before or during their tour will receive a $50 credit toward a haircut and color, a facial or a massage. Their names will also be entered in the "Ultimate Day at Spa Eleven" drawing. Call 702/967-1100 if you want to take advantage of this extremely limited offer.
Nevadans only have until March 31 to take advantage of a locals-only discount offer for Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian. Under the terms of the deal, balcony seats are available for $49 and main-floor seating is $50 off. Call 702/414-9000 and cite promo code LOCAL49 for balcony seats and SAVE50 for orchestra-level ones.
Commencing this Friday, March 6 and extending through Easter, McCormick & Schmick's (335 Hughes Center Dr.) will be offering an expanded menu of fresh fish and seafood. Their website has a cool feature that shows you which fish are in season, with little bios and cooking tips.
Strapped with debt, MGM Mirage "believes it will break its loan agreements this year, it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission," according to The Associated Press. The company is carrying $13.3 billion in long-term debt, half of which comes due in 2011. MGM has also exhausted its revolving line of credit. It is trying to sell two corporate jets and 300 acres of Las Vegas real estate, as well as pursuing a half-dozen franchising opportunities. MGM and partner Dubai World are still as much as $1.3 billion short of the money required to finance CityCenter.
Last year, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick proposed three full-fledged casino resorts, an idea that suffered a crushing defeat in the Legislature. Now, state Treasurer Timothy Cahill is back with a smaller proposition: three slot parlors of 3,000 slots each, maximum. Cahill projects that the state could realize $2 billion-$3 billion just from selling the licenses.
Who owns what on the Strip may look very different, particularly with regard to MGM Mirage, which has admitted it's considering Chapter 11. Addressing the Reuters Travel & Leisure Summit, in New York City, Deutsche Bank analyst Bill Lerner said he "wouldn't be surprised to see more [sales] from MGM. I don't think any property is out of the question." Yes, even parts of CityCenter: "They could sell a hotel tower or a residential hotel tower to a hotelier." The bottom line, he said, is that the company "needs to quell concerns that they are going out of business."
Our apologies -- contrary to yesterday's news item, it's Thursday (9 p.m.) that Travel Channel's "21 Sinful Vegas Hot Spots" is airing, as listed in Vegas TV.
Don't call us, we'll call you. That's the gist of Station Casinos' belated response to a Feb. 23, $950 million offer from Boyd Gaming that would have covered most of Station's assets. Station CEO Frank Fertitta III cited the "sensitive and confidential" nature of the information he would have to share with Boyd, along with the "highly conditional nature" of Boyd's proposal as reasons for rebuffing it." He also took a swipe at the other company, which has been unable to complete its Echelon megaresort, raising the specter of "Boyd's potential inability to perform due to its own financial position." He ended with, "Should circumstances change, we will contact you."
If regulators approve and two nights of test play come off without a hitch, Sands Bethlehem will have a soft opening on May 22, followed by grand opening festivities that start on June 9. In addition to 3,000 slots, the casino will feature what are described as "an authentic Irish pub, a gourmet market place featuring a wide selection of cuisines, and a world renowned celebrity chef steak house." It will target drive-in traffic from Philadelphia (an hour away) and New York City (a 90-minute commute). At some future point, owner Las Vegas Sands hopes to expand to a 5,000-slot casino, and add a hotel, convention center, retail mall, an arts center, a studio for WLVT-TV (the local PBS affiliate) and a National Museum of Industrial History.
Free champagne will be the order of the day from 5-7 p.m. Friday, at Binion's Gambling Hall. The complimentary bubbly commemorates Binion's first full year under new owner Terry Caudill. It's been a period marked by the reintroduction of the million-dollar display, a new poker room and sports book, and the debut of Benny’s Bullpen Sports Bar & Cigar Lounge. To qualify for the free champagne, you just have to be playing slots, video poker, table games or live poker.
Famous-for-being-famous celebrity Paris Hilton celebrates her birthday Saturday night at Body English, at the Hard Rock Hotel. The hotel heiress is scheduled to make her grand entrance at midnight and will be serenaded by band Chester French.
While IGT shareholders might have been expecting a 15 cents per share dividend than the six cents they're going to get for the last quarter, stock analysts are pleasantly surprised. Given recent problems at IGT, fears were that IGT would scrap the dividend completely. But shaving down the dividend, IGT saves $100 million.
A belated but enthusiastic shout out to NASCAR driver and hometown hero Kyle Busch, who parlayed home field advantage into a victory in Sunday's Shelby 427 Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Durango High School graduate won the pole but technical problems dropped him to the rear of the field. He raced through the pack, took the lead with 17 laps to go, and went on to record his 13th career victory and first ever at LVMS.
"This is pretty cool," said Busch from Victory Lane. "I didn’t know exactly what (this win) would mean. Coming to the checkered flag there were knots in my stomach. This is probably as big as the Daytona 500 -- I said it wasn’t going to be but it is."
It took almost two years but 78-year-old Angela Domino has prevailed in a dispute with Harrah's Atlantic City. An arbitration panel ruled that she's entitled to an $86,000 jackpot plus interest. Domino was playing an IGT nickel Spin Poker progressive machine on May 3, 2007 when her $2.25 bet set off the top progressive award. However, another player at Trump Marina had hit the same jackpot three minutes earlier and the meters failed to reset. Harrah's has paid the $20,000 the machine should have registered and will likely have the arbitration award vacated. In which case, Domino will take Harrah's and IGT to Superior Court. Said the widow's attorney, "If the meter said you won $86,000 and if you put in the right combination and got the right symbols, but then you don't get the jackpot, then in fact it was bait and switch."
David Matthews reports on the economy's impact on poker rooms, dealers and even poker pros (whom he likens to polar bears coping with a vanishing ice cap) in today's Gambling in Space. "In the poker rooms I see despondency on a daily basis. It can be heartbreaking," Matthews writes. "One other effect I've seen is an increased level of hostility."
As befits their larger-than-life style, a 26-story wrap of Penn & Teller now adorns the east side of the Rio. The 27,000-square-foot image of the irreverent illusionists celebrates their 35th anniversary as a team and as the "Bad Boys of Magic." They've been resident in Vegas for the last 16 years and have been at the Rio since 2001. Their Showtime series, "Bullsh*t!", is going into its seventh season, making it the longest-running series in the cable channel's history. The Rio wrap will be officially illuminated at 5 p.m. tonight.
Travel Channel's "21 Sinful Vegas Hotspots" airs at 9 p.m. tonight, repeated at 1 a.m., profiling 21 of the hottest locations on the Strip -- "one phenomenally sexy place for every year that makes you legal." Many of the venues featured appear in our upcoming guide book, "Topless Vegas," -- a comprehensive guide to all the (legal) adult entertainment options that Sin city offers. You can register your email address at our soon-to-be-debuted sister site, sincityadvisor.com to be notified of updates.
Starting March 12, Bonkerz Comedy Club at Palace Station holds a six-week comedy school. The Thursday-night classes with run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Veteran comedian Mick Lazinski will be the primary instructor, with occasional guests. Winners of April 5 and April 19 competitions will get to take the stage at Bonkerz later that night during the 9 p.m. "Sunday Comedy Jam." Course fee is $250, which also covers a dozen tickets to Thursday performances at Bonkerz. Call 866/414-2665.
As befits the opening of a $1 billion casino, M Resort has been all over the local media. Stiffs & Georges rounds up coverage in the daily papers and the blogosphere. There's also an 11-image picture gallery. Enjoy!
Gretel Packer's sudden withdrawal from Crown Ltd.'s acquisition of Cannery Casino Resorts has left the deal teetering on the brink of collapse. Not only is the company at an impasse with Pennsylvania regulators but the recession has cut into the revenue-producing value of the purchase. Of an anticipated $150 million in annual earnings from Cannery (down from $200 million), all but $35 million of that will come from a racino in Pennsylvania. For its part, Crown maintains it only has a "few outstanding issues" to settle.
Gold Coast is giving away a free buffet to Coast Members if you earn 100 points Tuesday. You get the buffet and get to keep the points.
A family-oriented "Spring Break" package has been busted out over at Monte Carlo. It includes "twofers" on Lance Burton tickets, breakfast, a buffet, and either a New York-New York rollercoaster ride or a Mandalay Bay inner-tube rental (your choice). A free cheese pizza is also part of the deal.
Pure Nightclub will be the scene Thursday night for the kickoff of the fifth National Heads-Up Poker Championship, sponsored by GoDaddy.com. Brackets for the tourney (which begins the following day and runs through Sunday, March 8) will be drawn during the event. Among the announced attendees are Indy car driver Danica Patrick, former Dodger ace Orel Hershiser, bikini model Candice Michelle, Oscar nominee Jennifer Tilly and comedian Brad Garrett. Players from the field of 64 are expected to put in an appearance, including Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Daniel Negreanu, Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson, not to mention '08 WSOP champion Peter Eastgate. NBC will tape the tournament and air it over six consecutive Sundays, starting April 12.
JP Morgan reports that opening night (Dec. 16) at Aria is announced as "sold out." Considering the 4,000-room capacity of MGM Mirage's CityCenter anchor property, this is an impressive feat. We received unofficial confirmation last night that rival project Fontainebleau's opening has been pushed back due to slower-than-expected construction.
Today marks the 1,000th entry in Stiffs & Georges, LVA's (mostly) business blog. It seems like yesterday we picked S&G off the rubbish heap of journalism and put it back in the game. Time sure flies when you're chronicling the mishaps of James Packer and the manifold schemes of Dr. Stanley Ho.
Late, late last week, MGM Mirage announced it was drawing $842 million out of its revolving credit facility to fund operating expenses. This spurred JP Morgan to lower revenue and cash flow projections for the casino giant. "There are a number of reasons why MGM has chosen to draw on the revolver. It is unlikely that any of them would be very favorable to equity investors," Morgan analysts wrote. Possible scenarios include a breach of lending covenants and a Chapter 11 filing. Morgan is of the belief that MGM Mirage is aggressively shopping its Strip casinos.
"Queen of Comps" Jean Scott was also at M Resort last night and gives it an out-and-out rave. She applauds the layout of the restaurants, which maximize the vista across the pool area. But she really, truly loves the payout tables on the video poker machines, some of which go as his as 100.6% payouts. Jean also explains some of the convenience factors of M's slot-point system, in today's Frugal Vegas.
Gambling in Space author David Matthews joined the crush at M Resort last night and this report. Basically, the only thing he doesn't like about M is its logo. David also paid a visit to Viva McDonalds and provides a photo gallery.
M Resort is spectacular. This resort has it going in a lot of ways, which we'll be elaborating on all month. Check out the beautiful restaurants and bars (including the incredible wine cellar), the low prices, and the great video poker schedules, which rank with the best in Las Vegas right now.
The new season of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice 2" reality show kicks off at 9 p.m. tonight on NBC, with contestants including poker champ (and Huntington Press author) Annie Duke, plus the likes of comedienne Joan Rivers, NBA star/personality Dennis Rodman, singer Clint Black, comedian Andrew Dice Clay, and Playboy Playmate Brande Roderick. How will Annie fare? She's got the right tools --Annie's all about efficiency and logical thinking (and she can be a bit of a bitch). Watch her work tonight.
M Resort opens its doors tonight at 10 pm, following a VIP reception and a fireworks show set for 9:50 pm (look to the southeast). There's a 20-page glossy insert in today's LV Review-Journal with lots of photos and desriptions -- the buffet will be $7.95 to $19.95, the 32 Degrees Draft Bar will have 96 beers on tap, the players club will return .33%, etc. We'll have the complete review in the April Las Vegas Advisor.
A new independent film called "Yonkers Joe" may be one of the best technical gambling movies to come out in years. We haven't seen it yet, but we know it was made by Las Vegas filmmakers with strong ties to the professional-gambling world. The lead character, played by Chazz Palminteri, is a casino rounder (card and dice cheat), and many of the moves you'll see throughout the film are based on the real thing. Because of its indie status, it doesn't have wide distribution, but it's playing now at the South Point.
There’s a chicken-and-egg question playing out in Atlantic City. Casino comping was down 5% last year and has declined another 3% in January. However, casinos may not actually be comping less. It may simply be a matter of less business = less comping. That’s the view of Spectrum Gaming Group’s Harvey Perkins, who says, "This may not be a conscious effort. This is a natural mathematical occurrence."
It took a decade, but authorities have located 14 stolen paintings valued at a half-million dollars, in Las Vegas. Joseph Killebrew, an art collector, is accused of filching 14 paintings from various SoCal galleries, changing his identity to "Michael Palmer" and relocating to Vegas. Killebrew was especially partial to the works of landscape painter Elmer Wachtel.