South Point begins a good promotion June 1, where you can use players club points to get gas for half price. Earn $25 in points on SP's good video poker games and trade them for $50 in gas.
A recent $232.1 million Powerball lottery ticket was purchased in the town of Winner South Dakota. The outlet that sold the ticket gets $50,000.
While he freely admits to still enjoying his boozing and golfing, NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley says he's still on the wagon when it comes to gambling, although that may not be a permanent state of affairs.
A DUI arrest on New Year's Eve and subsequent three days in jail taught Barkley that it's stupid to drink and drive. "You can't do that again, that's unacceptable," he related telling himself in a recent conference call promoting his upcoming appearance at the 20th annual American Century Celebrity Golf Championship.
"I haven't missed the gambling to be honest with you," he went on. "I needed to take a break from gambling because I was losing. Nobody ever complains about gambling when you're winning. I've never heard a guy say, 'Hey, I'm winning too much money, I'm going to quit gambling.' But my gambling had gotten to be a problem. I said I was going to take some time off," he said. But he misses making bets during football seasaon and said he'd likely gamble again someday, when he felt he was ready.
Springs Preserve, at U.S. Highway 95 and Valley View Boulevard, is holding its Ice Cream Festival today, from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Advance purchase of tickets, available at the Springs Preserve box office, is recommended for this event, which will feature ice cream (of course), root beer floats, strolling players, musical acts, and "garden games." Kids ages three and under get in free. Older kids and grown-ups pay $10, unless they’re Annual Pass members, in which case $7 gets you past the turnstile. Whether or not you spoil your appetite is up to you.
June 1 is the opening day for the CineVegas box office, located in the Brenden Theatres section of the Palms Casino. This year’s options include a $40 day pass, valid June 11-14. It gets you into three films, happy hour at the CineVegas official lounge, and the official evening party (locations TBA). With the exception of opening-night feature Saint John of Las Vegas ($25), tickets are $10 per showing. The $10 admission to a June 15 outdoor showing of Attack of the 50-Foot Woman also includes entry to an after-party at Sidebar. From June 1-9, the box office is open from noon-6 p.m. Hours expand to 9:30 a.m.-11 p.m. for June 10-15. Tickets can also be purchased at www.CineVegas.com or by calling 888/8VEGAS8.
While we may have missed it, it appeared that the Coast Connection newspaper supplement, which was meant to be published monthly, had been discontinued. However, the June issue showed up bundled in Friday's LV Review Journal. It contains good coupon offers again, including three $20 matchplays .
Over the past week, major shareholders of Malaysian casino giant Genting Berhad have been assembling a massive bankroll with the apparent intention of purchasing MGM Grand Macau. The state of New Jersey has told MGM Mirage it has to disassociate itself from Grand Macau co-owner Pansy Ho. Members of the family that controls Genting have sold $425 million worth of shares and also purchased $100 million in secured notes from MGM. Genting is building a megaresort in Singapore, owns the massive Genting Highlands casino resort in Malaysia, and has extensive casino holdings in England.
Much-traveled power forward/center Michael Brown, who recorded 3,130 points and 2,762 rebounds in his 11-year career, will be at Hoop Hall Experience today. The towering Brown, once known as "the New Washington Monument," will be signing autographs at the Planet Hollywood exhibition from 3-4 p.m. Hoop Hall Experience is on the mezzanine level and is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Admission is $10-$15.
Today's LA Times features an article about the trend of celebrity-owned upscale tattoo studios (don't call them parlors!) in Las Vegas, with the recent debut of Club Tattoo in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Co-owned by husband-and-wife team Thora and Sean Dowdell and friend Chester Bennington (lead singer with Linkin Park), who together opened their first studio in Phoenix in 1995, it joins the ranks of John Huntington's "Huntington Ink Tattoo Lounge" at the Palms, Motocross champ/Pink on-off husband Carey Hart's "Hart & Huntington" tattoo shop at the Hard Rock, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe's "Inked" at O'Shea's, and Mario Barth's "Starlight Tattoo" at Mandalay Bay.
Only this week, A&E premiered its new "Tattoo Highway" series, which opened with an episode called "Vegas Babies," while South Point has added ink to its roster of associations (including equestrianism and now bullfighting), with a series of summer Tattoo-Days in the Pool parties.
Visit Vegas. Get inked!
Former Mandalay Resort Group boss Glenn Schaeffer is out at Fontainebleau, the resort announced today. Schaeffer was F'bleau's CEO and lent credibility to the project, whose backers are otherwise light on casino experience. F'bleau has been slowed by problems with its bankers and sales of its condo units are on indefinite hold.
Raymond Kot, a 19-year veteran of Trump Taj Mahal, was targeted for assassination, Atlantic City police are saying. The alleged killer, Mark Magee, knew Kot from previous visits to the Taj. He followed the shift manager into a back-of-house area and shot him three times in the chest. It's the first homicide ever committed in an Atlantic City casino. Magee is described as "a longtime gambler who had lost money at several casinos." Of Kot, former Trump Entertainment Resorts Chairman Donald Trump said, "It's very sad. He was a hard worker, a fine worker. He was respected by everybody."
Despite numerous false alarms, Penn National Gaming says it's still pursuing a major acquisition and high on its list is ... Station Casinos. Also identified as targets were Detroit's Greektown Casino (currently in bankruptcy) and Las Vegas' own Planet Hollywood, which has hit a financial rough patch recently. The asking prices for MGM Mirage and Harrah's casinos are too rich for Penn's liking and the company's attitude toward Atlantic City was characterized as "sour." Penn told investors it held out for casino legalization in Massachusetts but that a pro-casino push in Texas was kaput.
After a day of traffic headaches, President Obama has safely returned to the White House and you are now free to move about Sin City. There's plenty of fun in the sun planned for this weekend, including poolside performances by Sugar Ray and Mystic Roots Band and a special appearance by Tiesto at this Sunday’s Rehab. To beat the heat, check out the Art-N-Ink Festival at the South Point or the annual Lee's Beer Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton, where you can sample more than 300 hand-crafted beers from around the world.
The Pavilion parking lot behind the Rio (off Twain, by our office) is hosting a bikini car wash from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. tomorrow featuring the girls of Sapphire and Rio employees to benefit the United Way of Southern Nevada. The open-to-the-public event includes exteriors only, with $5 on-site cash donation. There will also be a food booth sponsored by McFadden's and an old-fashioned dunk tank.
Scratch one more name from the list of the membership in Nevada's most unenviably exclusive club, the "Black Book": people whose presence in casinos is strictly forbidden. Last weekend, bookie Frank Masterana (1929-2009) died in the Dominican Republic. A string of bookmaking convictions landed Masterana in the Black Book in 1988.
Today is the last day for Trump Marina to be sold to a former business associate of Donald Trump. The sale, even at a deeply discounted price, has been pending for months on end. In the meantime, the in-limbo casino's revenues have plummeted and it regularly posts some of the worst numbers in Atlantic City.
Mandalay Bay Beach is bringing back last year's Dive-In movies series with a schedule right through mid-September. Don your flip-flops, throw down a beach towel, and enjoy the following R-rated movies (no cover but 2-drink minimum applies):
If you're a hardcore club-hopper, the Palms has the ticket for you ... literally. It's offering a four-in-one ticket to its Moon, Rain, Ghostbar and Playboy clubs. For tonight, admission is $20. On Friday and Saturday, admission escalates to $40, but that's still $10/club. These all-entry passes are available at the door, at the Palms' Web site, and at its Stuff Store.
The Main Bar at Jerry's Nugget is offering $1 bottles of Pacifico beer (ooh, that's my favorite!) 24/7 daily throughout the summer, starting June 1.
Although bingo has become the red-headed stepchild of the casino industry in recent years, current hard times are bringing it back into the fold, at least briefly. The Flamingo Las Vegas and its president, Don Marrandino, have been developing a reputation for creativity and it's come to our attention that the Flamingo recently hosted a three-day invitational bingo tournament. It climaxed with a "coverall" game in which $250,000 went to the first player who could cover all the numbers in 50 balls or less. Not only were tourney players comped to multiple-night stays at Total Rewards-enabled Strip casinos, they received something near and dear to every bingo player's heart: free daubers. Our managing editor and resident bingo-room critic is kicking himself for having missed out on the action.
Children 12 and under will be comped to the Circus Circus buffet, one freebie for every adult dinner admission. For more information, call 866/362-8935 and mention promo code "Buffet."
Get this for a wild promotion: Book any room online at Planet Hollywood and get a free bottle of wine, champagne, whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, or tequila off the special "Drinks Are on Us" menu per night. Yes, you read that right: A free bottle every day of your stay.
The Thin White Duke is now playing the Strip, Legends in Concert having added a David Bowie impersonator to its rotating lineup. He joins a corps of tribute acts that includes Britney Spears and Celine Dion impersonators, as well as -- who else? -- Elvis Presley.
Every Friday throughout the month of June all drinks in all bars at South Point will be $1 only from 4 p.m.-10 p.m.
Alexis Park is home to a new comedy show which debuts tonight. Las Vegas Comedy Show with Joe Lowers is scheduled to perform Tues-Sat at 9 p.m. Tickets are $29.95 (includes one free drink). Must be 21+.
Beginning September 26, South Point Arena will be hosting Don Bull Productions "bloodless" bullfighting events. Scheduled so far for Sept. 11-16, 2009 and Dec. 26-31, 2010, you can find out more information by clicking here.
Music legend Carlos Santa previews his new Supernatural show, contracted for a multi-year run at the newly renamed Rogue Joint, at the Hard Rock tonight. For future scheduled dates and ticket prices, check out our Events Calendar in "Shows & Nightlife."
Just announced: This Saturday TAO Beach at the Venetian will be the venue for the US Weekly release party for the "Hot Bodies" issue, hosted by ex-Spice Girl Mel B of Planet Hollywood's Peepshow topless revue. While currently featuring Kelly Monaco, Mel B's co-star is soon to be replaced by ex-Playmate/"Girl Next Door" Holly Madison (who, unlike the other stars in the show, will be appearing totally topless, sans pasties.)
For our review of Peepshow, plus every other erotic production show, topless and nude gentlemen's club, and European-style pool in Las Vegas, click here for a preview, the Table of Contents, and to download your copy of our new "Topless Vegas" guide for the special introductory price of only $14.95 ($5 off retail).
Annie Duke, defeated finalist on "The Celebrity Apprentice," will be hosting The Summer of Poker kickoff party at LAVO (Palazzo), June 2nd. The public's welcome to attend and normal cover charges apply ($20 men, $10 ladies, locals free).
Check out the upcoming June issue of Las Vegas Advisor for Anthony Curtis' analysis of how the finale of "Celebrity Apprentice" went down. Meanwhile, if you're in Vegas right now, Annie and her posse of Joan Rivers lookalikes, including Frank Marino, former long-term star of La Cage, are about to be on the Red Carpet for Duke's "Sucking Out on the Rivers" charity poker tournament.
This year's Julien's Auctions celebrity memorabilia sale, to be held again at Planet Hollywood (June 26-27) will feature items including Marilyn Monroe's coffee table, the white terry-towel robe that's believed to be the last garment she wore before she died, and Elvis Presley's prescription pill bottles, among other things.
The items, many of which previously belonged to Marilyn or the King, will be on view at Planet Hollywood before the auction begins and bids will be accepted in person, by phone, and at juliensauctions.com.
Magician Lance Burton's show at the Monte Carlo won't now be reopening until June 23, following the performer's recent accident in which he broke his foot. (He'd originally been scheduled to start performing again June 2.)
The new series "Tattoo Highway" premieres on A&E tonight (10/9C) with an episode titled "Vegas Babies." The first show in this unscripted series following renowned tattoo artist Thomas Pendleton as he takes a '70s tour bus on the road a traveling tattoo parlor sees him in Vegas tattooing a phoenix on a woman who gave up her child for adoption 10 years ago. In honor of the series premiere, TVGuide.com has "tattooed" its logo, the only time to date that it's been customized.
Check out our unique Vegas TV feature for the rest of the week's Vegas- and gambling-related TV shows and movies.
Stripburger, the outdoor upscale fast-food joint attached to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba on the Strip, has a daily happy hour and reverse happy hour with select $2 tap beers, $2 frozen lime margaritas, $2 mini burgers, and $2 fries from 4-7 p.m. & again from 11 p.m. (good for late-nite munchies -- their food's yummy!)
The Rockhouse Bar & Nightclub, (located in front of the Imperial Palace on the Strip), is putting a happier spin on our economic woes by presenting "Summer of Recession,", a weekly calendar of events for budget-conscious party-goers featuring nightly drink specials, including: "Mandatory Mondays" (industry night -- show local ID for 2-for-1 Bud Light Limes and industry business card for $100 bottles); "Going Out of Business" Tuesdays (enjoy bottles starting at $25, 2-for-$5 assorted canned beers, and $5 Cuervo margaritas and Jager bombs); "Ladies Night" Thursdays (complimentary drinks for chicks 10:30 p.m. to midnight); "Ultra-Dive Bar" weekends (2-for-1 well drinks, domestic bottles, and $5 shots 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; no cover before 10 p.m.); and "Sin City Sundays," with DJ Sincere ($5 money shots, $5 your call Ketel One drinks, no cover before 10 p.m.)
Party on!
The getting-bigger-by-the-year Las Vegas film festival has announced the 2009 honorees. Actor Jon Voight will be given the Marquee Award, recognizing his artistic excellence, professional accomplishment, and dedication to cinema, while Willem Dafoe will be honored with the Vanguard Actor Award for the distinctive mark he's made in film through his "brave" performances. George and Mike Kuchar will receive the Vanguard Director Award in recognition of their distinctive vision and ability to make films without compromise.
In addition, Jenova Chen and Kellee Santiago will be presented with the inaugural Planet Illogica Award for Excellence in New Media for their work in the realm of video gaming. The awards will be presented on Sunday, June 14 at the CineVegas Awards Reception at Rain Nightclub at the Palms.
Friday, March 13 was apparently a lucky day for Mandalay Bay's aquatic attractions, which witnessed the birth of two female and two male Sandbar shark pups. Averaging 54 centimeters in length (aahhh!) and weighing in at one kilogram, they are only the second instances of successful captive breeding in the U.S., as far as the facility's director is aware.
The shark pups are currently on display in a special exhibit located in the Gallery section of Shark Reef Aquarium and will be available for viewing through July 6, at which time they will be moved to the Husbandry Center until they are mature enough to be introduced into one of the facility’s larger exhibits with sharks of the same species.
According to Robin Leach's "Luxe Life" blog, Las Vegas' Crazy Girls will be taking their brand of sexy on the road in the form of a new chain of Crazy Girls-themed cafés.
Apparently, producer-owner Norbert Aleman intends to debut the concept in New Orleans' French Quarter, with future venues planned for Reno, Atlantic City, and up to another eight cities across the nation. The bar/restaurants will feature dancers strutting their stuff atop the bar and customer tables, plus other entertainment, including female vocalists.
After getting a bit out of sync the last couple of week's, we're back on track and Anthony Curtis' syndicated news column has just been added to our LVA in the Media blog (it takes a few to cache, so if it's not showing when you look, check back in 10 minutes or so).
Airforce One, carrying President Obama, has just landed in Las Vegas at McCarran International Airport. He will soon be heading by motorcade to Caesars Palace for Sen. Harry Reid's fundraiser and traffic delays can be expected.
The mysterious new suites at the Monte Carlo will allegedly debut soon. In the meantime, here's another preview: Hotel 32 tour.
Columnist Robin Leach reports that Jeff Beacher will bring his Madhouse Costume Ball to a ballroom-turned-1,200-seat theater at The Mirage beginning in early October. Beacher has been touring his show – which includes everything from little people impersonators to huge pink gorillas and giant bunny rabbits - across the country and has dates scheduled in California, Florida and Georgia until the end of July. Before he took his show on the road, Beacher enjoyed a three-year run at The Joint at the Hard Rock.
Blue Man Group's "Kids Free" deal (one free ticket for children ages 3-12 with the purchase of one full-price ticket) applies only to Nevadans. Use the promo code "Kids Free," whether ordering online, by phone, or in person. BMG is also offering Nevadans 30% off red zone ($101.85) and blue zone ($153) tickets. The promo code is "Locals30"; an entire slew of BMG price points and additional discount offers can be viewed online.
Thousands flocked to Bethlehem, Pa., this weekend for the opening of Las Vegas Sands' first East Coast casino, Sands Bethlehem. In time-tested Sands fashion, the place was nowhere near ready (execs doubled as valet-parking attendants, bars weren't in business) but that didn't keep customers away. Copious coverage by HP author Steve Friess (including 11 minutes of video) can be found via Stiffs & Georges
Move over, Stanley "Golden Arm" Fujitake, there's a new champ at the craps table. Saturday night, Pat DeMauro made a $100 buy-in at a Borgata craps table, in Atlantic City. Four hours, 18 minutes, and 154 rolls later, she finally relinquished the dice, having set a new dice-shooting record. A novice player, DeMauro told a reporter, "I was learning the game as I went along." Borgata execs rewarded her victory with Dom Perignon, dinner, and a comped suite. How much did DeMauro win? "It was a good night," she said. Previous record-holder Fujitake had a 186-minute roll at the California Hotel (also a Boyd Gaming property) in downtown Las Vegas, on May 6, 1989.
No, owner Phil Ruffin isn't sending pirates to your room, just incentivizing you to book well in advance. Treasure Island's "Direct Advantage" deal offers a progressive series of discounts for advance bookings (7-30 days, 15% off; 31-60 days, -20%; 61-90 days, -25%; 90+ days, -30%). The resort's alternative "Alluring Offer" bundles a $50 resort credit, $20 spa credit at Wet, 20% off dining at Kahunaville, a 20% discount on one piece of logo merchandise, etc.
Through Sept. 30, Wynn Las Vegas and Encore are offering $75 "resort credits" on select stays. Your two-night (or more) reservation must be prepaid to receive the credit, which may not be redeemed for retail, casino play, gratuities, or tax. If you book a suite, not only do you qualify for the credit but also for private car service to and from the airport, two spa passes per day, Internet access, and long distance and local calls for up to $25 per day each.
Illinois' state senate has ixnayed, on a tie vote, a bill that would have increased the number of casinos in the Land of Lincoln to at least 13, adding licenses in Chicago, Park City, and Rockford. Existing casinos would have been allowed to move off the rivers, while parimutuels could have become racinos. (Existing operators may not be altogether dismayed, as they're struggling already without the burden of new in-state competitors.) A different bill, expanding video poker throughout the state, awaits Gov. Pat Quinn's signature.
"Value is the hippest thing on Las Vegas Boulevard this year," declares an Associated Press story on the return of bargain-oriented Las Vegas. At the center of story is Harrah's exec Don Marrandino, who admits, "I was scared" in January, when occupancy fell to 72%. Among the adjustments cited in the story are lower-priced wine lists, $89 price fixe offerings at pricey Joel Robuchon, $159/night rooms at Wynn Las Vegas, and $95 room/meals/all-you-can-drink packages at Imperial Palace. This new emphasis on value appears to be paying off: The story notes that occupancy projections for Memorial Day weekend were in the 90%-plus range.
Some of today's activities include a free buffet at South Point for military (active and retired) personnel and one guest, 5X points and a $5 buffet for all at Silverton, 7X points on slots and 5X on video poker at Coast casinos, and complimentary White Castle hamburgers while playing at El Cortez. If you see a copy of the Las Vegas Weekly, you can detach the cover banner for a free Miller Chill at the Palms.
On May 29, auditions will be held at the V Theater, in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile Shops, for a new reality-TV series. Entitled "LV Style TV," the planned series is described as tracking the stories of a group of talented locals as they attempt to be hired for … runway fashion shows, conventions, special events, bachelor and bachelorette parties, exotic shows, nightclubs and much more. They will juggle their daily life schedule while dealing with unpredictable personalities and striving to earn a living." Would-be performers must be 18 or older and bring a swimsuit. (Presumably, you must also look good in that swimsuit.) Auditions will be held between 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Friday. For more information, call 702/207-2500.
South Point is awarding 2X players club points today. While most of the town's holiday multipliers are set for tomorrow, South Point gives you a play for today.
Auld Dubliner, the resident Irish pub of Lake Las Vegas, is hosting barbeques today and Monday. Ribs, beef tips, smoked turkey legs and more go on the grill noon-8 p.m. Sunday and noon-5 p.m. on Monday. There will be live entertainment throughout Monday’s barbeque and between 5-8 p.m. Sunday. Food is $8-$12 per person.
Artist Peter Max will appear at the Forum Shops’ Art of Peter Max Gallery between 1-4 p.m. today. As part of the event, he will unveil a new collection and present an original painting to Help USA Las Vegas, which will also be the beneficiary of special veterans exhibit at the gallery. Help USA is a charitable organization that develops and provides affordable housing for homeless veterans and other victims of circumstance. Says a Help USA spokeswoman, "one in three homeless men is a veteran of war and with so many men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, we can expect to se that number on the rise." For more information on Sunday’s event, call 702/644-7070.
While it was expected that visitation would be down this Memorial Day weekend, the town has been noticeably less busy than normal for a three-day holiday. While the roads and casinos were far from empty, neither were they busting at the seams on Friday night.
Current UFC champion Rashad Evans told the press that he put a wager on himself in tonight's championsip fight against Lyoto Machida. Evans is a fairly big underdog, which means he got a good "price" on the bet. How good, though, depends on how good his timing was and how well he shopped. The payouts on an Evans win have bounced around between +170 to +218 this week, but are at the lower end of the scale as fight time approaches.
Motown legend Smokey Robinson plays the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm at 8 p.m. tonight. Robinson’s had 37 singles in the Top 40 and was a vice president of the Motown Records label for 27 years. Tickets to his concert are $39.95 and $59.95, and can be obtained by calling 800/386-7867 or logging onto www.PrimmValleyResorts.com.
MMA fighter Keith Jardine, "The Dean of Mean," will be signing autographs at Champs Sports, in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile mall. Jardine is scheduled to appear from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. today. For more information, call 702/693-6993.
It's been a week since the opening of The Lion King at Mandalay Bay and the press response is overwhelmingly favorable. Stiffs & Georges has a summary of the local papers' reaction: four raves and two mixed notices but not a pan in the bunch. Approbation of Julie Taymor's staging is unanimous, although a few critics think the show could be tighter, while a couple of others chafe at the Elton John/Tim Rice tunes. But, on the whole, a "win" for MBay.
If you check out the LVA in the Media blog you'll find not one but two columns by Anthony Curtis. Yes, that's because we thought we'd save them up to give you some extra reading for the holiday weekend (and not on account of us having been too slammed to find a moment to post last week's until now, or -- heaven forbid -- that we plain forgot!) Anyhow, better late than never. Enjoy.
After taking a dismissive attitude toward reports that it was hiring former PartyPoker.com boss Mitch Garber to head up its online operations, Harrah's today hired ... Mitch Garber. The ex-Internet casino exec will be CEO of Harrah's Interactive Entertainment, whose brief is to expand the presence of the World Series of Poker overseas and on European Web sites.
Today's the day when the ribbon is cut on $743 million Sands Bethlehem, in northeastern Pennsylvania. The 3,000-slot casino is a 90-minute drive from New York City. Due to financial problems at parent company Las Vegas Sands, completion of a 300-room mini-Palazzo hotel, as well as the construction of a retail mall, convention center, and museum have been indefinitely deferred. The casino's president calls the overall project, "the largest brown field revitalization that has ever been accomplished." It does not appear that Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson will be present for the opening.
It's a buyer's market if you're looking for hotel rooms in Las Vegas this weekend. Depending on which site you consult, rooms are averaging anywhere between $76 and $123. It's a substantial discount from last year and, in some cases, a whopping -39% from 2007. An increase in hotel rooms combined with a drop in visitation continues to conspire to drive down rates. Our own Ken Van Vechten, a self-described 25-cent video poker player, was offered a Mandalay Bay room for $69. "I was just down in Florida and paid more than that for a roach motel at the side of the road," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
A budget amendment that would have approved 2,500 slot machines each at four Massachusetts horse tracks was overwhelmingly defeated by the state Senate yesterday. A dog-racing ban that would have closed two greyhound tracks was pushed back to 2012. Many lawmakers who support casinos in principle voted against the racino bill because they would prefer to address it as a separate issue.
A $66,000 difference between a player and Harrah's Atlantic City has been confidentially settled, shortly before it was going to trial. Angela Domino hit an apparent $86,000 on May 3, 2007, while playing a Spin Poker progressive. However, the jackpot had been hit at Trump Marina three minutes earlier and the meters had not re-set to reflect the outcome. Harrah's paid Domino the $20K but she sued for the full amount. Earlier this year, Domino prevailed in arbitration, but it was a non-binding verdict.
Barring a gubernatorial veto, Illinois is on the brink of adding as many as 77,000 slot machines, thanks to a bill that would allow bars and pubs to have five video gaming machines each. With roughly 15,400 such establishments in the Land of Lincoln, that could be a heckuva lot of video poker -- and a serious problem for the state's casinos, which have already sustained heavy revenue losses due to a smoking ban that's now in its second year. JP Morgan analysts estimate that 60% of the slots will be purchased from IGT, with Bally Technologies and Illinois-based WMS supplying most of the remainder. Casinos get something, in the form of a repeal of the state's $3 admission charge -- provided that they've upgraded their facilities recently.
The Mayor of Las Vegas has declared summer season open (yep, it's his call) and we’ve already hit the 100 degree mark, so we know it’s true. There’s a three-day weekend ahead and plenty of entertainment on tap to keep you busy. There's a host of A-list comedians in town, the MGM Grand's abuzz with UFC 98, and The Palms hosts the Love Festival, its annual property-wide Memorial Day holiday extravaganza with special events planned at every party venue, from the pool upwards.
Condo buyers hoping to renegotiate their purchase prices with MGM Mirage are likely to face "an uncomfortable confrontation" at closing, especially since deposits are nonrefundable. Condos in the metaresort are priced, on average, at $1 million. However, demand has slumped and banks aren't loan-friendly these days. Condos in the Valley are now going for 16%-24% of what a CityCenter condo costs. Fifty-five percent of CityCenter's units are sold and a company spokesman argues the case for keeping prices high by citing the "unique" nature of the project itself and stressing location, location, location: "This is one of those cases where we think two and two adds up to 10."
Today, Clark County officials appended a plaque to the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign at the south end of the Strip, signifying its acceptance into the National Register of Historic Places. Quipped county commissioner Rory Reid, "I think it’s one of the few things in this valley, other than the people, that is over 50 years [old]." The sign, which remains the property of creator YESCO, was commissioned 50 years ago this month. Visiting the landmark became a great deal easier -- and safer -- this year, after the county built a parking slot on the sign's south side.
Harrah's Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman appeared on Jon Ralston's "Face to Face" show Wednesday and applauded his company for avoiding the mistakes made by other Strip operators. "We didn’t undertake a $4 [billion] or $5 billion project because we couldn’t see how we could make it work," Loveman told Ralston. "We’re criticized for having some buildings that ... are less opulent than some of our competitors but that’s because we looked at the potential returns even under the best economic situation." Harrah's has been struggling with a $23 billion debt load accumulated during Loveman's tenure as CEO. He said the company has shed 7,000 employees and Steve Wynn was "completely wrong" about a lack of competition on the Strip, citing Wynn's casinos, Sheldon Adelson's ones, and the unfinished Echelon as examples of the robust competitive environment.
Poker's history and its recent surge in popularity are the subject of a new movie entitled, suprisingly enough, All in: The Poker Movie. The "cast" of this documentary is a Who's Who of poker, including (to name but a few) Annie Duke, Antonio "the Magician" Esfandiari, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Phil "Hellmouth" Hellmuth, Phil "the Unabomber" Laak, Howard Lederer, Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu, and Scott Nguyen. Hollywood's Jennifer Tilly and Matt Damon also appear. The film will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on June 11, and at 12:30 p.m. the following day. Tickets are $10 and can obtained at www.CineVegas.com.
Poker pro Annie Duke has recruited a score of Joan Rivers impersonators to play all comers in charity event that Duke calls, "Sucking out on the Rivers!" The games begin at 6 p.m. on May 27, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, preceded by a 5 p.m. red-carpet event hosted by Duke and Frank Marino. The tourney is a fundraiser for Refugees International and the buy-in is $200. It's a spinoff of a feud in which Rivers labeled Duke and other poker players, "white trash." For the record, Duke -- whose next book will be released by Huntington Press this summer -- is the daughter of a prep-school professor and was studying for a doctorate in cognitive linguistics when she decided to make poker her career.
Although operations at the Oasis in Mesquite were expected to ramp back up for the summer months, the reverse is taking place. Yesterday, the casino-hotel's miniature golf course and go-kart track were closed, and its Denny's will be shut on May 31. The gun club, golf course, and timeshare units remain open. Hotel rooms at the Oasis will be available -- as will the RV park and meeting spaces -- in the event of an overflow at Black Gaming's two other Mesquite casinos, the CasaBlanca and Virgin River. Although 144 slot machines are still in play at the Oasis, that number could be cut by as much as 90%.
The Chinese government is demanding the extradition of four convicted felons who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Las Vegas last week. The four -- a pair of bank managers and their wives -- laundered $485 million in embezzled funds through a variety of non-Chinese sites, including Las Vegas casinos, laying down bets as high as $80,000 a hand. The foursome were convicted in federal court of racketeering, money laundering, international transportation of stolen property and passport and visa fraud.
Local journalists were startled yesterday when ShowTickets4Locals.com sent an e-mail blast offering free seats for today's 3 p.m. memorial service for Danny Gans, being held in the Encore Theater. The blast ended with the somewhat unfortunate line, "Call 671-0049 now to reserve your free ticket for Thursdays show." (Don't call: the offer was only good for three hours on Wednesday.) The ticket service, which is co-owned by Gans' producer, Chip Lightman, later explained, "It was not an effort to fill the house," but to make sure locals and regular fans of Gans had access to the memorial.
Yeah, so there we were, finally ready to launch our much-vaunted Topless Vegas guide -- which has been a beast to release on account of a new topless show opening pretty much every week, pasties going on then coming off again, strip clubs changing their names willy nilly and blah blah blah -- and, just as we pull the trigger, we're viciously attacked not by bedbugs (see current Reader Poll) but by jealous Bots, determined to prevent us from bringing you this unique and extremely cool guide.
It's been a bloody battle but we seem to have emerged triumphant and you CAN now check out Topless Vegas (which, we might add, is not just comprehensive and full of hot pix, but also really funny) and download your very own copy RIGHT NOW! There's not a minute to lose -- strike now before the evil Bots do : )
In the interesting spec-line between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., money has come in on Mayweather. After opening at pick'em, Jr. is now the -135 favorite. We call it a "spec-line" because the fight hasn't been made yet, but if it is, and goes off by the end of February 2010, bets at Lucky's sports books stand.
In today's Frugal Vegas, Jean Scott calls out the Venetian for decimating point values on its "ironically named 'Resort Loyalty System.'" She also points the finger of blame at several casinos that have elected to improve their slot yield by weeding winning players out the bounce-back marketing database. (Hint: She's looking at you, Steve Wynn.)
You have until midnight to vent your spleen about the worst/most annoying Las Vegas hotel-casino websites. The response has been excellent in terms of votes (with a clear winner) but we're still disappointed about how many people voted for "other" but didn't say which one or why. Even if you've voted already -- whether for one of our suggestions or one of your own -- it's not too late to email pollAThuntingtonpress.com (that's poll@... but we don't want to open ourselves up to any further attacks from the Bots) and give us more details. Can't find what you're looking for? Can't book a room? Deafened by bad audio? Having a Flash-induced seizure?! We have plenty to say about our picks for top offenders, so don't hold back!
A stock offering by MGM Mirage has reduced the stake of its longtime majority shareholder, billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, to 39% from 53.8%, according to analyses of a Security and Exchange Commission filing.
The dilution of Kerkorian's shares, held through his Tracinda Corp., is the result of the recent stock offering (see "Today's News" May 18) meant to help pay down MGM Mirage's more than $14 billion in debt and stabilize the company's balance sheet.
The company initially expected to offer 81 million shares, but then increased that offering to 143 million at $7 a share. Kerkorian pledged to buy 10% of the shares offered wasn't enough for him to maintain a majority stake in the company.
For the second time this year and the fifth time in the lat 13 months, the President Casino in St. Louis has been temporarily shut down due to the flooding Mississippi River. It sounds like it's going to get worse before it gets better: The river is expected to crest tomorrow afternoon about 3 feet above flood stage in St. Louis.
Fremont Street Experience will preview the setting of its "Summer of '69: Vegas or Bust" concert series Friday afternoon. A specially commissioned artwork by John Van Hammersveld will be unveiled as part of a noontime press conference. Van Hammersveld, best known for designing the cover of the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" album, has painted a school bus in psychedelic colors, in keeping with the FSE's theme of "Psychedelic Ride: A Hippie Bus Street Party."
Wednesday night's Colosseum performance by Cher also marks the Oscar-winning actress' 63rd birthday. LVA wishes her a happy birthday and good health. (An LVA member saw Sunday's performance and said the pop icon sounded indisposed -- but battled through like a trouper.)
MGM Mirage will license its MGM Grand, Skylofts and Bellagio brands to hotels in Dubai, in addition to managing the properties on behalf of their owner, Pearl Dubai FZ. The three hotels will have a grand total of 630 units, combined. The hotels are part of the Dubai Pearl metaresort, an "integrated city" not unlike CityCenter. Pearl Dubai, however, has no ties to CityCenter half-owner Dubai World.
Well, not the Fab Four themselves but an incredibly animated simulation: The 1968 feature-length cartoon Yellow Submarine will be screened outdoors on May 20, at 9:30 p.m. at Mandalay Beach. Staged as part of CineVegas, the event is $10 and includes a party (only for CineVegas pass holders), presented by Cirque du Soleil. Tickets to Yellow Submarine go on sale Wednesday through Ticketmaster, while CineVegas festival passes can be purchased by calling 888/8VEGAS8. CineVegas describes Yellow Submarine as "an animation classic; a glorious visual and musical adventure that has gained notoriety for its representation of the 60s psychedelic era. Appropriately bizarre, the somewhat quizzical story tells of the music-hating Blue Meanies that turn the good people of Pepperland into statues. Naturally, it's up Ringo, George, Paul and John to save the day" ... because all you need is love.
Harrah's Entertainment can't go it alone and needs outside help on its Margaritaville-branded casino project in Biloxi, the Jackson, Miss., Clarion-Ledger reports. It stated that Harrah's is "also looking for another investor to finish" the project, which was downsized, then halted after $160 million worth of construction work had been done. The resort was to have replaced Grand Casino Biloxi.
Colorado casinos suffered the second-worst revenue drop in the nation in 2008, -12%. The only state to do worse was Illinois (-21%). Both states instituted bans on smoking in casinos last year. A report by the American Gaming Association also found that 60% of players surveyed had cut back casino visits in varying degrees from "somewhat" to "a great deal." The poll, however, found that 75% of adults surveyed had visited a casino at least once last year.
New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement has come out against MGM Mirage's Macao partnership with Pansy Ho, co-owner of MGM Grand Macau. The recommendation reflects the results of a four-year investigation and now goes to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which could approve or overrule the DGE. MGM says the report "will not have a material adverse effect." Further coverage is in Stiffs & Georges, along with more news from Fontainebleau.
For one week only, Carmen Electra will guest star with the troupe of Crazy Horse Paris at MGM Grand. The former "Singled Out" co-host will dance in three numbers, including "Chain Gang" and "The Stars of Paris." She will appear in both the 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. performances, July 8-13. Ticket prices are $50.50 and $60.50.
For the scoop on all the erotic production shows performing in Las Vegas (plus candid reviews of all the strip clubs and topless pools), look out for our Topless Vegas title, to be released any day now. For updates about this and the new adult sister site we have in the works, go to SinCityAdvisor.com and register your email. Also, don't forget to check out our SinCityAdvisor and ToplessVegas Twitter feeds for up-to-the-minute info on the sexy Vegas nightlife scene (among other things).
Last week, MGM issued $1 billion worth of new shares (causing the stock price, not surprisingly, to dive). An SEC filing obtained by Bloomberg News reveals that the stock issue was a quid pro quo with lenders whereby MGM was allowed to waive defaults on its loan covenants. Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. has committed to buying 10% of the new shares. Kerkorian's current ownership stake in MGM Mirage is 53%. Much of the capital generated by the stock sale will be used to pay down $750 million in outstanding loans.
Not the real Britney but an incredible simulation: Abby Galloway plays the tabloid-topping pop star in American Superstars. Show producer Mark Callas explains that Galloway's addition to the cast was in response to fan demand for a Spears impersonator, adding, "Some people love [Spears]. Others love to hate her. Say what you will, Britney Spears is entertaining, and from what I have seen she is capable of pulling off a comeback." Indeed, the real Spears' recent Vegas concerts left critics cold but drew an adulatory audience response. Showbiz veteran Galloway joints American Superstars existing roster of Elvis Presley, Tim McGraw, Michael Jackson, and Christina Aguilera impersonators.
After a prolonged hiatus, Eastside Cannery has a buffet again. It's replaced the original, somewhat upscale buffet with the lower-priced Cannery Row Buffet, which opened yesterday. If you want breakfast, you'll have to go somewhere else, as Cannery Row doesn't open until lunchtime. It serves lunch ($8.99) 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mon.-Fri. On weeeknds, brunch ($11.99) is offered from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. There are two schedules for dinner ($11.99); 3-9 p.m., Sun.-Thurs., and 3-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. Wednesday night brings a seafood buffet (4-9 p.m.), specially priced at $17.99. Children under age 10 get a $1 discount on all buffet prices.
Speaking this morning at the Las Vegas Hilton, Moody's bond-rating service's chief economist, Mark Zandi, predicted an October end to the recession, crediting a series of fiscal measures by the current administration. However, he warned that the current economic downturn would worsen before it improves. Zandi's remarks were delivered at ReCon, a convention of real estate professionals. Another metric of our tough times: Attendance at this year's ReCon is almost 50% down from last year's turnout.
While casino capitals like Las Vegas and Atlantic City may have taken it on the chin from the recession, nobody has been spared, according to a new American Gaming Associaton report. Revenues were down almost 5% nationwide and 60% of gamblers surveyed said they were spending less per excursion. Exceptions to the general pallor were Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Missouri, where new casinos helped spur revenue growth. Indiana and Missouri have also benefited from a smoking ban in neighboring Illinois, where revenues have plummeted disastrously.
Beginning Oct. 25, British Airways will run daily, nonstop flights from London's Heathrow Airport to Las Vegas. Arriving at 5:10 p.m. and returning to London at 7 p.m., the flights will employ Boeing 777s and will enable fliers from three-dozen major European cities to leapfrog to Vegas via Heathrow with only a relatively brief layover. Base fare will be $461.
Further to the ealier item about half-price locals tix for Thunder From Down Under, we can confirm that readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal have picked cast member Donovan Lewis as the sexiest male exotic dancer in town. Apparently, his hobbies include paragliding, soccer, and working on cars, in addition to working on his bod, and now local ladies can go see what all the fuss is about for half price!
And guys, no need to feel left out: Our "Topless Vegas" guide is due to come out any day now, with reviews (and some smokin' hot photos) of all the strip clubs, erotic revues, and topless pools in Las Vegas. Watch this space...
Beefcake revue Thunder from Down Under is offering a twofer deal for Nevadans: one free ticket with each purchase of a general-admission seat (a $47.95 value). And don’t be shy; the offer allows a maximum of eight ticket purchases, meaning you can buy over $767 worth of tickets for $383.60.
Two big game 7s in the NBA dominate today's sports line-up. In the first, the Lakers are a big 13-point favorite over the Rockets. In the second, the Celtics are a 2.5-point favorite over the Magic.
From June 1-Sept. 30, Nevadans will be able to deduct 25% from their tab at Trattoria del Lup, Chinois, Spago and Postrio, part of "Summer Locals Appreciation." Puck is also rolling out five prix fixe menus. Postrio offers three courses, plus wine, for $49 per person. A similar proposition at Chinois is priced at $39. Between 5:30-7 p.m., Cut has a pre-theatre menu: your choice of three entrées, three sides, and three desserts, all for $75 per person. Spago has a pair of prix fixe offerings. There’s a three-course lunch special (the fare will change weekly), for $29. If you’re feeling flush, $135 gets you a six-course, beer-tasting menu, including your choice of Japanese, Belgian, Italian, and German brews. This menu changes daily. Additional information is available at www.WolfgangPuck.com or 877/4-WOLFGANG.
There’s a new season display at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. Beginning May 18, the space will be given over to "cold air balloons, a spectacular Ferris wheel and patriotic displays of the Stars and Stripes." The Ferris wheel will be 42 feet high, garlanded with sunflowers. Lorikeets and parakeets will flit about an aviary, and there will even be a lemonade stand. The display is open to the public all day, every day.
That's Paris, as in Hilton. Three years ago, the addle-pated heiress was rumored to have wagered her Bentley Continental in a poker game – and lost. From such apocrypha a PartyPoker.com promotion has sprung: If Hilton accepts the challenge of pro Mike Sexton to a heads-up poker tournament and wins, PartyPoker will award her a Bentley. The Internet poker room tried to egg Hilton on with a little trash talk, saying, "Three years is a long time in showbusiness and we're sure she'd jump at it now -- it is a simple offer for the former Simple Life star." Not so simple maybe if Sexton is your adversary.
The morning-line favorite for today's Preakness Stakes is the filly Rachel Alexandra at 8-5. The Kentucky Derby winner, Mine that Bird, is the third choice at 6-1. The casino race books will be busy, with many having food, drink, and betting specials.
In what is either the strangest Vegas tale of '09 or the cleverest publicity stunt of the year, "midget-loving impresario" (as described in the New York Post) Jeff Beacher is suing Believe cast member Criss Angel over the catnapping of Beacher's furry little friend Hamlet. According to TMZ.com, Beacher accuses Angel of taunting him with verbiage like, "I took your cat ... he lives with me now ... the cat no longer likes you ... the cat and I have become close friends." Legal papers served upon Angel (who had no comment) warn darkly, "The deprivation of my client's pet for an extended period of time is a clear violation of his rights." The abduction supposedly took place during a period when Beacher was living at the Hard Rock Hotel and placed Hamlet in the care of a friend, from whom Angel allegedly made his feline snatch. Beacher, formerly a regular presence on the Strip, is currently performing at Trump Taj Mahl in Atlantic City.
For the 2009 World Series of Poker, new disciplinary rules are being instituted which could crimp the style of tantrum-prone pro Phil "Hellmouth" Hellmuth. Last year, after being bested by an opponent, Hellmuth subjected his opponent to an on-camera tongue-lashing, an incident that inspired this year's rule changes. Taunting and other breaches of poker etiquette will be punished with penalties ranging from a warning to suspension from one hand of play, even an entire round. Poker watchers have been complaining that star players benefit from special latitude. Conceded a WSOP official, "Some changes needed to be made."
SmartMoney magazine has belatedly discovered that "some casinos are now paying 6-to-5" on blackjack and the math on all games favors the house. You don't say! That shocking revelation is but one of many in 10 Things Your Casino Won't Tell You. Among other astonishing disclosures: $100 in slot play won't guarantee a $95 return, ATM fees are astronomically higher in casinos, card counting is legal, and casino companies are 'george' political donors. In short, there's nothing here that LVA didn't know a long time ago.
Java Detour launches its "Acoustic Fridays" series this evening at 5 p.m., featuring local singer/songwriter Cody Tryon. If that and the organic coffees aren't sufficient to lure one in, there's free WiFi, too. Java Detour is at 6087 S. Pecos Road, at the intersection of Pecos and Patrick.
The Parrotheads have made their annual pilgrimage to Sin City and now they’re ready to raise a margarita to their main man, Jimmy Buffett. The party gets started poolside at The Flamingo on Friday evening, continues Saturday afternoon with a block party between Margaritaville and O’Sheas Casino, and ends that evening with the Summerzcool Tour stop at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Downtown will be devoted to Helldorado Days with a rodeo, carnival, parade, and more to commemorate the festival’s 75th anniversary. In addition to all that, Tiger Jam returns to the Mandalay Bay Events Center, plus there's the usual selection of concerts, comedy shows, and pool parties to choose from.
Say the magic words "Kids Free" at the Venetian/Palazzo box office and your reward will be one free Blue Man Group ticket for patrons ages 3-12 ... with the purchase of one adult ticket. The offer runs through the end of the year. For more details, call 702/414-9000 or 800/BLUEMAN.
Travel & Leisure magazine has named Encore to its roster of the year's 45 best hotels, or the It List. The hotel-casino's profusion of natural light and of greenery were among the qualities that led T&L to single it out amongst Vegas resorts.
Dirk Arthur's Tropicana show, Xtreme Magic, is reconfiguring its schedule. Today's 2 p.m. shows, and all 2 p.m. shows through May 18, has/have been canceled. Starting May 20, Arthur goes from a Sat.-Thurs. schedule to a Wed.-Mon. one, and his new showtimes will be 4:10 p.m. and 7 p.m. The change of times partially fills the evening hole left by the shutdown of Folies Bergere.
Tickets go on sale Saturday for the May 23 opening of Human Nature at the Imperial Palace. The revue features the titular Australian vocal quartet, performing in a style that has been likened to that of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. They're set for a six-month trial run. Base price for tickets is $49 and $59, and the show will run Sat.-Thurs. at 9 p.m.
Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist Norm Clarke is reporting that Holly Madison, formerly of "The Girls Next Door," has been tapped as Kelly Monaco's replacement when the latter's three-month stint in Peepshow expires. (We also read that the show is going pasty-less; reviewers had complained about the lack of peep in Peepshow.) Judging by her movement-challenged performance in the current season of "Dancing with the Stars," we strongly doubt that Madison is being cast in the song-and-dance revue on the strength of her terpsichorean abilities.
Planet Hollywood Resort is offering free pulls on its $2 Million Slot Pull machine, located next to the race and sports book. According to Planet Ho, this is the first time this offer has been available to anyone (who's 21 or older, that is).
Poker pro (and soon-to-be HP author) Annie Duke has struck back at trash-talking Joan Rivers, as the fallout from "Celebrity Apprentice" continues. Duke told KXTE-FM 107.5 that she had no bad feelings about being the show's runner-up, but she wasn't so forgiving where her principal adversary was concerned. "I didn't get pissed when she called all poker players white trash, and I didn't get pissed when she denied she called all poker players white trash," Duke said. "I truly got pissed when she called all poker players mafia." Rivers' racially tinged remarks included likening Duke to Adolf Hitler, only worse.
No sooner did we post than we got word that the MRO issue has been resolved. If you do experience any problems, however, please use the Questions to LVA Staff forum on the message boards to alert us. Thanks.
Claudine Williams, the first woman to run a casino on the Las Vegas Strip, has died following what is described as a long illness. Williams is most famous for having been bought out of the Silver Slipper in 1969 by Howard Hughes. The reclusive billionaire was annoyed by the glare of the hotel's iconic, glittering slipper and purchased the place so he could get rid of it, according to Williams. (He never did remove the big shoe, which now reposes in the Neon Boneyard.) She would later go on to run the Holiday and to chair the American Bank of Commerce, as well as becoming a philanthropist of note.
If you've been attempting, without success, to download any of our online coupons today, please accept our apologies for the current problem. One of our servers experienced a SQL attack last night -- no danger posed to anything or anyone, aside from a headache for our IT dept. unravelling the glitches it caused. We're at work remedying the problem and will let you know as soon as the MROs are working and downloadable again. Thanks for your patience in the meantime -- it shouldn't be much longer.
As rumored, Menopause: The Musical reopens at Luxor's Atrium Theater on May 26. The show, a long-running surprise hit at the Las Vegas Hilton (racking up 1,534 performances), will feature original cast member Paige O'Hara, among others. It will play Wed.-Mon. at 5:30 p.m. and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. During those periods when Carrot Top is away, Menopause moves into the 8 p.m. spot every night. Tickets go on sale at noon on May 15 and are $49.95, not including tax and service charges. Call 800/557-7428 or 702/262-4400.
Five wins is the over/under for the upcoming Detroit Lions season (coming off an 0-16 campaign last year) and even that may be generous, writes Jeff Haney. In their first four games, the Lions' best hope of victory is against the Washington Redskins and even then it's a slim hope: less than 26%. Haney's bottom line: "you would do better than 100-1 by betting the Lions on the money line four times, rolling over your profits after each game."
Don't forget to not only vote, but also send us your feedback on the current LVA Reader Poll about worst hotel-casino websites. A good number of you are opting to vote for a choice of your own, but not emailing us ([email protected]) to say which one or why. Please do! We've had some extra thoughts of our own since we first posed the question, which we'll be sharing when the results run on May 23.
The buffet day-pass trend is spreading through MGM Mirage's Strip properties. In addition to Excalibur and MGM Grand, Luxor is charging $35 (or $20 for kids) for "unlimited access" to its More buffet. Draft beers and house wines are included in the price, as is champagne at the weekend brunch buffet.
In return for signing up with Goldstar, you can get two tickets to The Mentalist Live, with Gerry McCambridge (a $120 value), for only the $8 service charge. This offer applies to McCambridge's V Theater performances, which begin May 15, is only available for certain dates, and is limited to two tickets per person.
Las Vegas Sands, having already pink-slipped roughly 2,500 employees at its Macao casinos, plans to axe as many as 4,000 more, according to COO Michael Leven. That would potentially bring LVS' Chinese workforce down to 13,500 from a peak level of nearly 20,000. It could also exacerbate PR problems the company has been having in Macao of late. The move is being made in anticipation of the June 1 opening of City of Dreams, a rival Lawrence Ho-James Packer megaresort. Speaking to the Macau Daily Times, Steve Wynn said he's avoided pay cuts at Wynn Macau but "the temptation to do it is remarkable." He expects to hire 2,000 additional employees when Encore Macau opens next spring.
In an amendment to its lawsuit against 11 banks, Fontainebleau accuses one of them -- Deutsche Bank -- of seeking to derail the megaresort lest it compete with the Cosmopolitan, which Deutsche Banks owns through foreclosure. F'bleau's complaint charges the bank with "tortious interference" that convinced 10 other lenders to yank $770 million in F'bleau completion money. Prior to that, F'bleau had been slated for an October 2009 opening, while the Cosmo had been pushed back to sometime next year.
Today the "Queen of Comps" provides a look at her daily routine, which involves fewer casino visits than one might think. She explains who's in charge of picking up the free play and who reads the fine print, what comprises her diet, and what a "nightgown day" is. You may never read her books the same way again!
LVA readers never miss a trick: Yesterday, a Pennsylvania newspaper reported -- and LVA passed along -- the assertion that Rivers Casino, in Pittsburgh, will have the first IGT virtual-roulette machines in the Keystone State. Not so, says one sharp-eyed reader, who writes: "I believe one has been in use on the casino floor at Mt. Airy Casino Resort in Pocono, PA for two or three months." Our apologies to Mt. Airy.
MGM Mirage, in order to retire debt that would be due in July and October, has issued $1.5 billion in bonds collateralized by its Bellagio and Mirage hotel-casinos. The company will also sell roughly 73 million new shares of stock to the general public and eight million to majority owner Kirk Kerkorian. Given the dilution of MGM's stock, the share price fell $1.92 in early trading today.
Two casinos have joined Excalibur in offering day passes to their buffets. MGM Grand's is $29.99 on Mon.-Thur., $39.99 on weekends. If you join the players club at Stratosphere, it's $19.99, except on Friday nights and Sunday mornings, when it's $24.99.
It was a day some feared might never happen but Rivers Casino, in Pittsburgh, has installed its first slot machine -- a Mr. Cashman, to be precise. Yesterday, 278 slots were trucked into the casino, the first phase of an eventual 3,000-slot inventory. Rivers Casino can't offer table games but it will have the first IGT virtual-roulette games in Pennsylvania.
Proving that there is such a thing as a sore winner, Joan Rivers used a "Larry King Live" appearance last night to get in several additional licks at "Celebrity Apprentice" runner-up Annie Duke. Rivers said she stands behind her equation of Duke to Adolf Hitler, adding, "No one heard of Annie Duke before this show. Now everyone's heard of her." And in such a flattering way, too.
Lance Burton's June performances at Monte Carlo could be his last at the property. No contract extension has been announced and MGM Mirage refused comment, referring LVA's query to Burton's manager. An LVA source says the Burton camp is still in talks with MGM but isn't committing to any performances beyond June 20.
To celebrate their 25th birthday, the nice folks at Cirque du Soleil are offering a huge summer deal: Buy one ticket to any Vegas Cirque show and get a second ticket for just $25. Whoo-hooo! Just click here for the details. And as if that isn't enough, now through October 31 they're also running a summer sweepstakes with a humungous prize up for grabs. If you win, you and your companion of choice get a trip out to Vegas and spend four nights at MGM Grand and Bellagio (yes, that's a whopping eight nights in total), with three dinners for two thrown in, plus spa treatment, AND VIP tickets to all seven* Cirque shows. (Yikes, is it possible to OD on Cirque? Consult with your physician beforehand if you're concerned.) Click this link for all the details and rules.
*Seven? we hear you say. Haha! We should have run a contest of our own. Yes indeed, there are a staggering total of seven Cirque shows in Las Vegas, or at least there will be by the time you win the contest: Mystère (the original bendy-people one), O (the water one), Zumanity (the naughty one), KÀ (the extrasupercool one), LOVE (the Beatles one), Criss Angel: Believe (yeah, that one), and the-new-one-that's-going-to-open-at-Aria-but-doesn't-have-a-name-yet-or-at-least-not-one-that-we-know-of (the Elvis one).
Roger Thomas, Steve Wynn's right-hand man in matters of design, is the subject of a profile in the current issue of The Advocate, written by local freelancer Steve Friess. To get an idea of its candor, it begins with Thomas being forced into treatment for his alcoholism, 12 years ago. If Thomas had any fears about losing his job at Mirage Resorts while drying out, they were assuaged by a note from Steve and Elaine Wynn that read, "Don’t worry about your office. There will always be another project, there will only be one of you. Take care of yourself."
A red-white-and-blue ad, rampant with razzmatazz, is touting a May 26 event at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace entitled, "The Good Fight: A tribute to Nevada's Senator Harry Reid." It promises musical guests (reported to be Sheryl Crow and Bette Midler) and "Special Guest President Barack Obama." The shindig is a fundraiser for the Reid Victory Fund. Won't the one-two punch of Midler and Crow give the Prez a tough act to follow?
JPMorgan gaming analyst Joseph Greff haf lunch with Sheldon Adelson recently and came away convinced that neither an outright sale nor a sale/leaseback of the Sands Macao casino was likely. However, he believes a sale of other Sands-owned Macao assets -- including possibly a Shangri-La/Traders hotel, a Sheraton hotel, and three casinos -- is "imminent" and could happen in the next three months.
In a surprising turn of events, the Sumner County Commission has snubbed a bid for a casino headed by a group of former Circus Circus Enterprises execs, including Michael Ensign (father of Sen. John Ensign). Bids by former Stratosphere co-owner Lakes Entertainment and by Foxwoods Resort were forwarded to the Kansas Lottery Board.
"Due to unforeseen circumstances," Louie Anderson has canceled tonight's performance of Louie: Larger Than Life. No additional details are available at this time.
Stand-up comic Chelsea Handler will be taking a break from her "E!" show, "Chelsea Lately," to bring her hilarious hot topic humor to the new Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on Saturday, June 20. Tickets are $45-$89.50 (plus taxes & fees) and are available from the Hard Rock box office and all Ticketmaster outlets.
If you're not familiar with Chelsea, check out this recent interview she did with Spice Girl Mel B on the subject of her new role in Peepshow at Planet Hollywood. The show, along with all the other topless revues currently performing in Las Vegas, receives an in-depth review in our upcoming "Topless Vegas" title, to be released any day now. Sign up at SinCityAdvisor.com to be sure you're notified when it's available.
Just when it looked as though Florida legislators could never agree upon a new gambling compact for the Seminole Tribe, resolution appears close at hand. One of the compromise provisions would include -- if the Seminoles are amenable -- a 30% reduction in the casino taxes paid by non-tribal casinos in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Poker pro Annie Duke was the last contestant of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" to be fired last night, leaving NY socialite and long-time Donald Trump buddy Joan Rivers the victor. The animosity between the two finalists continued right to the bitter end -- Anthony Curtis will be providing his analysis of how it all went down in due course.
As Lance Burton recovers from a broken foot, his show will be dark through June 2. This is not quite as bad as it sounds, as Burton was scheduled to be off May 25-June 1. In future, perhaps fellow performers should refrain from wishing Burton luck by saying, "Break a leg."
Tonight the winner of this year's Celebrity Apprentice will be named. We're excited, given that soon-to-be Huntington Press author Annie Duke is one of the two finalists (along with comedienne, Joan Rivers). Annie has played tremendously throughout the show, but now faces the biggest name of the 16 original players. We're working on a re-release of Annie's autobiography that will include lots of inside information from the show, so if you watch the show -- including the live segment in the boardroom -- you'll see a lot that will be addressed later in the book. It's a three-hour segment, beginning at 8 pm on NBC. Go Annie!
Check out a sneak preview of the Monte Carlo's new HOTEL32 by clicking here (need Flash to view -- they look pretty cool).
Courtesy of Gerry McCambridge's Twitter feed: Take your mom to a show tonight! Complimentary VIP tickets available for The Mentalist at Hooters. Email your name to [email protected] for tix.
Costumes, set models, puppets, and photographs of countless Lion King productions are currently on display in The Shoppes at Mandalay Place, around the corner from the Mandalay Bay Theatre, where the Vegas company of The Lion King will open on May 15. MBay promises a version of Julie Taymor’s Tony Award-winning staging "virtually identical" to that seen around the world.
A Tuesday foreclosure auction produced no bids for the old Moulin Rouge, which caught fire the following day and was partially demolished. By that point, the site of Las Vegas’ first integrated casino had defaulted to lien holder Olympic Coast Investment, which intends to put the land right back on the market. The Moulin Rouge’s is one of the casino sites that are exempted from a requirement that any new casino be accompanied by at least 200 hotel rooms, potentially making the site more saleable. Olympic Coast maintains it can wait until the right buyer comes along.
Station and Fiesta casinos will honor mothers today with free champagne, chocolate-chip cookies, and a carnation handed out by tuxedoed servers. South Point is awarding 2X players club points, Silverton 5X points, and Coasts 7X points. Special Mother's Day brunches are available all over town.
Mother's eat for free at Origin India tomorrow, with a wide range of dishes to choose from on the house. Reservations strongly recommended: 702/73-INDIA.
Las Vegas locals and their guests receive free admission to the Liberace Museum (1775 E. Tropicana Ave.) tomorrow. Sunday hours are 12 p.m.-4 p.m.
From the stroke of midnight until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday at Jerry’s Nugget, winning blackjack hands of ace/10, ace/king, ace/queen and ace/jack will pay double – provided that both cards are of the same suit. During the same 24-hour period, dollar and quarter video poker machines will pay bonuses: $500 on an all-hearts royal, $25 on an all-hearts straight flush. Max coin-in is required and no wild cards are permitted. Also, you must be a More Club member to qualify, and your players card must be inserted in the machine when it hits.
Yep, the legendary (some might say notorious) Sunday pool party at the Hard Rock is offering free entry to all ladies on Sunday, so free your inner MILF and go crazy. Alternatively, check out our recent Spotlight on… feature for some more conventional ideas to make mom feel special, while this week’s Today’s News column is also worth cruising for last-minute findings, including free silver-jewelry cleaning at Tiffany & Co. and champagne, cookies, and carnations from tuxedo-clad servers at all Stations/Fiesta casinos.
The famous jeweler is offering a free cleaning service for all sterling silver Tiffany & Co. jewelry through Mother's Day: Bring in your (or your mom's) T&Co. pieces and make them shine! There are two locations in Vegas located in Bellagio and the Forum Shops at Caesars.
Tonight's and Saturday night's performances by Lance Burton have been cancelled, after the magician broke his foot during last night's show, necessitating surgery today. No date has been set for Burton's return.
Relativity Media has acquired naming rights to The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. It will now be called The Rogue Joint, after Relativity's "recently acquired film and lifestyle property." In part, the deal calls for Rogue-produced films to debut at the venue and to be shown on the HRH's in-room TV lineup. The company will also use Rehab and the Friday-night poolside concert series to plug its IamRogue.com social-networking site.
Oscar-winning actress/comedian/talk show host Whoopi Goldberg brings her stand-up act to Wynn Encore for two performances, May 21 and 22 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $79, $89, and $99, plus service charge and tax. Call 702/770-9966 or visit www.EncoreLasVegas.com.
Tireless in her quest for a bargain, our beloved Queen of Comps has found a Web site that alerts you to a variety of free goodies. Food, concerts, even Harlequin romances -- they've got it covered.
It’s festival time as well as Mother’s Day weekend, and in addition to the usual entertainment, the schedule offers up a trio of events that will allow you to soak up some culture, learn about the past or simply eat yourself into a pasta-induced coma. The San Gennaro Feast makes its biannual appearance at Grand Canyon Parkway through Sunday with live entertainment, carnival rides, and fantastic cuisine from several area Italian restaurants. ArtFest at the Henderson Events Plaza brings together artists from across the country to showcase their talents while the Culture and History Fair at Springs Preserve focuses on the culture, archaeology and historic preservation of Southern Nevada with exhibits, presentations and live performances.
An LVA source tells us there's been some grumbling amongst local magazines about unpaid bills stemming from Trent Carlini's Elvolution. Early reviews of the show have made note of its budget-conscious production values, including the use of backing tracks instead of live musicians.
To combat some of the stress of current times, Roni Josef Salon & Spa has rolled out a series of specials this week. Guests who present a valid casino-employee ID badge or business card, with corresponding picture ID, will receive a 20% discount on all products and services. Hospitality industry workers who present a valid Health Card or Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM) card will receive a 10% discount on all products and services. Guests who spend $100 or more receive a $25 gift certificate good towards the next visit.
Other discounts are being extended to members of the armed forces, seniors, and patrons celebrating their birthdays, plus there are new bachelor- and bachelorette-party group specials. Roni Joseph currently has three locations in the Las Vegas valley (see below), so call your nearest venue for details:
Not only is your favorite weekly Vegas column now live and available to read online in our LVA in the Media blog, but so is the current Las Vegas Weekly, which this week features an in-depth profile of none other than our illustrious (and somewhat scary looking) publisher, Anthony Curtis. We're also shining the Spotlight on it because, well..., because we can and we're kinda proud of A.C. (plus, he's the one who pays us).
Mother’s Day arrives one day early at Payard Patisserie in Caesars Palace, when François Payard hosts an hour-long cooking tutorial on Saturday at 3 p.m. Chocolate tastings and tea are party of the $20 package. Reservations are strongly recommended, the sooner the better. Call 702/731-7266.
"Punch-Out at the Plaza" debuts tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in the ballroom of the downtown Plaza hotel-casino. The six cards include a face-off between undefeated lightweights Sharif "The Lion" Bogere and Marcos Herrera. Ringside seats are $55 and VIP seating goes for $99. Tickets are also available in the $20 and $35 ranges. Co-presented by Rattlesnake Evens and Guilty Boxing, this is the first in a monthly series of boxing bouts. For more information, call 702/386-2575.
Gambling revenues in Nevada were -12% in March, which is either an acceleration (March '08 was only -2%) or a deceleration (recent months were off by worse percentages), depending on your context. The hardest-hit market was South Lake Tahoe (-34%), while Aliante Station-enhanced North Las Vegas registered the sole gain (10%). On the Strip, sports betting was way, way down but roulette win increased 21% from a year ago.
After yesterday's four-alarm fire, the 40-unit apartment wing of the Moulin Rouge will be demolished. Yesterday's incident was the third conflagration at the Moulin Rouge in six years. An earlier blaze destroyed the casino wing, the first integrated gambling hall in Las Vegas. The property is in foreclosure, a Tuesday bankruptcy auction having failed to draw a single bid. The casino's marquee had already been removed and now sits in the Neon Boneyard, near Cashman Field. Stiffs & Georges has seven minutes of video on the fire.
In addition to a bunch of special menus at various eateries throughout the group this Sunday, all Station Casinos and Fiesta properties are celebrating Mother’s Day with tuxedo-clad servers providing all ladies with complimentary glasses of champagne, chocolate chip cookies, and free carnations. Ladies must be 21 and older and the special treats will be offered from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., while supplies last.
Four fugitive Chinese citizens, including a pair of former bankers, have received sentences for the roles in a scheme to launder money through Las Vegas casinos. The quartet, convicted here last August, have been ordered to pay $482 million in restitution of stolen money. The two men received sentences of 25 and 22 years in prison, while their wives were sentenced to eight years apiece, according to the Telegraph.
Not only is Harrah's Entertainment endorsing Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) in his push to overturn a U.S. ban on Internet-casino play, it's putting its money where its mouth is. The company spent over $405K in the first quarter of 2009 on lobbying against the ban. Yesterday, Frank introduced his Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009, as promised. Said Frank, "there is no question we must act to correct the problems caused by this failed crusade to ban Internet gaming." His bill would allow Internet casinos to operate under a set of regulations administered by the Treasury Dept.
LVA Publisher Anthony Curtis is the subject of a cover story in the new issue of Las Vegas Weekly, on newsstands today. Written by Richard Abowitz, the story includes vintage photos of AC's early Vegas triumphs and the revelation that "he [Curtis] doesn't even like to gamble."
A three-alarm fire broke out at the historic Moulin Rouge, the city's first integrated casino. The blaze appears to be confined to the medium-rise motel portion of the property. The Moulin Rouge was previously fire-ravaged in May 2003. The property is currently in foreclosure, the latest effort to redevelop the site having gone bankrupt.
Tomorrow night, the El Cortez opens its new Cabana Suites, 64 units in the former Ogden House. A private party will be held from 4:30-8 p.m. and Mayor Oscar Goodman will cut the ceremonial ribbon opening the Cabana Suites at 5 p.m. The El Cortez promises "plush rooms and high-tech amenities, such as HDTVs, iPod speaker docks and WiFi," in its new suites.
Both PT's and Sierra Gold taverns are rolling out party-size portions of food this month. Starting at $5.99 and ranging up to $17.99, the specials come in "bucket" (serves two) and "party bucket" (serves at least three) sizes. Bucket-eligible food includes: chicken fingers, wings, popcorn chicken, chicken and beef sliders, curly fries and Cajun/garlic/cheese/chili cheese fries. To find a location near you, employ Golden Tavern Group's tavern locator.
On Friday, Hash House a Go Go will be the location for the filming of an episode of the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food." The show's host, Adam Richman, will be experiencing "twisted farm food." Shooting will take place from 9 a.m.-noon and walk-ins are welcome.
Tomorrow night's shows will be the last ones at Galaxy Theaters Neonopolis, which closes Friday. The owners of the theaters blame the closing on having to subsidize the cost of patrons' parking and also on a lack of air conditioning, saying Neonopolis manager Rohit Joshi hasn't been paying his bills. Although Galaxy thinks cinema goers got "spooked" by Neonopolis' mostly empty condition, it says it is looking at other downtown possibilities.
On Thursday night, Pure nightclub is the scene of a benefit for Three Square, which provides meals to indigent Nevadans. Celebrity chefs Kerry Simon, Bobby Flay, Rick Moonen, and Cat Cora will be on hand for the 10 p.m. event, which offers finger foods, an open bar, and unspecified entertainment. Admission is $75. Show up and help your fellow man. There but for the grace of god, go we.
Wynn Resorts is blaming a 9% revenue decline at its Macao casino for a $34 million loss in the first three months of this year. However, the addition of Encore to Wynn's Strip inventory drove occupancy down 6% and diluted revenue per available room to $199 (an $86-per-room dropoff). CEO Steve Wynn described himself as "cautiously optimistic," noting that advance bookings were being made further in advance. Across the street at Las Vegas Sands, revenues were flat with last year and losses widened to $35 million for the quarter. CEO Sheldon Adelson promised that nearly a half-billion dollars in cost reductions would further improve the bottom line. Sands' stock leapt 19%, to close at $11.34. Boyd Gaming's writeoff of over $28 million for a Florida jai-alai fronton it had once hoped to convert to a casino led to a first-quarter loss of $14 million. Despite that and an 8% drop in revenue, Boyd made huge improvements over its $33 million loss in the first quarter of '08.
Despite a recent string of setbacks, MGM Mirage just reported a profitable quarter, $105 million in the black. Proceeds from the sale of Treasure Island made the difference, as did insurance recoveries from the Monte Carlo fire. Las Vegas Strip stats told an interesting story. Hotel occupancy is ramping back up to 95% (i.e., parallel with April 2008) but revenue per available room has been down 34% over the last three months, indicating that high occupancy has come at the price of deep discounting. Casino revenues were also -16% for the quarter.
The Stratosphere Tower is offering free Tower passes to mothers on Sunday with the purchase of one or more full price general admission Tower tickets. The mothers -- and all accompanying guests -- will also receive free VIP entrance to the Tower, bypassing the admission line. Plus, the Top of the World restaurant will provide all mothers dining on Mother’s Day with a complimentary glass of champagne and a rose. For more Mother's Day ideas, check out our current "Spotlight on..." feature.
Like the crew of Voyager, Star Trek: The Experience, late of the Las Vegas Hilton, seems doomed to spend years roaming the far reaches of the Delta Quadrant, trying to find a home. According to the Las Vegas Sun, ST:TE won't settle into its much-ballyhooed new home at Neonopolis until "2010 at the earliest." CBS/Paramount tells the paper ST:TE's new form is still under development while Neonopolis manager Rohit Joshi vows the revamped exhibit will have "great [but unspecified] stuff."
Who needs an Egg McMuffin when you can have a chocolate-bacon waffle with warm maple syrup (yes, we did say chocolate-bacon) at one of all-time fave Vegas eateries? Watch the world (and the porn slappers and mobile hooker billboards) go by on the Strip as you enjoy Executive Chef Terry Lynch's traditional breakfast creations (omelettes, French toast etc.) and get stuck in to the elaborate Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar featuring an array of top-shelf vodkas, hot sauces, spices, olives, and mixers. Breakfast is now served daily from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. and we can't wait to check it out. Call 702/944-4224 for reservations.
Two LVA sources say Menopause: The Musical will coming to the Strip. The latest hot flash has the show holding down the 5:30 p.m. time slot at Luxor, starting May 26. However ... neither the official Luxor Web site nor Ticketmaster has any information to that effect. Like the much-rumored return of the Comedy Stop or Society of Seven's alleged May 15 comeback at the Stratosphere, put this in the "believe it when it happens" file.
The poll that's live at the moment has had a HUMUNGOUS response, both in terms of votes and emails. Wow. If you haven't voted on what you most miss about former Las Vegas, then you have until midnight to let us know. Tomorrow a new poll goes live and we think we're going to go with something about hotel-casino websites... If there's one that you particularly HATE, drop us a line before 3 p.m. PST today and we'll add it to the options. We know which one gets our vote... Email your suggestion to [email protected]
Check out the SinCityAdvisor Twitter feed for a whole bunch of other Cinco specials tonight, from bars to totally nude clubs...
This is a big holiday in the casinos. Look for associated deals wherever you go, including 5X points at Stations and Fiestas, 7X points (5X for VP) at Coasts, and dollar margaritas at South Point.
Now through June 8, Nevadans who present a valid I.D. qualify for two-for-one tickets to Crazy Horse Paris, a $50.50 value. Performances are Wed.-Mon. at 8 and 10:30 p.m., and tickets are $60.50, including taxes and fees.
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Feast of San Gennaro, that yearly showcase for Las Vegas' Italian-American community. Festival organizers are making a variety of coupons available, and on opening day all mothers get free admission to any and all amusement rides. Senior citizens receive $6 admission (less if you've got a coupon) and kids 4'6" and shorter are admitted free. Feast of San Gennaro hours are 4-11 p.m., Wed.-Thurs.; 4 p.m.-midnight, Fri.; 11 a.m.-midnight, Sat.; and 11-11 on Sunday. The Feast will be held at Grand Canyon Shopping Center, at 4245 S. Grand Canyon Dr. For more information, call 702/227-0295.
Previews for Disney musical phenom The Lion King open tonight at Mandalay Bay. An international cast drawn from at least nine nations performs the Elton John/Tim Rice musical. Preview performances will be at 8 p.m. on Mon.-Thurs. (except May 12) and 4 p.m. on weekends (except May 10). Weekend evening performances will also be at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $53 to -- if you spring for the VIP package -- $168.50.
Only 81 casino jobs were lost in Atlantic City during the March-April sampling period, sparking hope that a deep slide in casino employment -- to levels not seen since the 1980s -- is finally hitting bottom. Unfortunately for Atlantic City, Sheldon Adelson's Sands Bethlehem, in Pennsylvania, opens in May, right when casino employment in A.C. traditionally starts to rachet up for the summer months.
The Tropicana Las Vegas unleases "Pitbull of Comedy"™ Bobby Slayton upon the Strip tonight, at the former Comedy Stop (now the Bobby Slayton Room). Performances take place at 8 p.m. Tues.-Sun., and ticket prices are $35/$45. Slayton says he's delighted with his new "four-wall" arrangement at the Trop: "Now if the audiences think my act sucks, they can’t leave because I’ll just lock the doors."
Thanks to the intervention of at least six readers, a conflation of the recent history of the Resorts and Hilton casinos in Atlantic City has been sorted out and corrected. To further clarify the history of these two properties (currently the struggling-est on the Boardwalk), some additional information has been provided. LVA apologizes for the errors and our managing editor was last seen wearing sackcloth and ashes.
Vice President Joe Biden's advice that people fearful of catching swine flu avoid confined spaces has provided fodder for a Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority ad. The one-page, one-shot campaign ran in USA Today yesterday, sporting the tagline, "Mr. Vice President, if you had said it here, no one would have known." LVCVA VP Vince Alberta told the Chicago Sun-Times, "Everybody saw the comments that were made, and all we're trying to emphasize is, first and foremost, it is OK to have fun, and Las Vegas is the place to have fun."
Hooters Hotel & Casino watering hole Dixie's Dam Bar isn't just selling beer by the bottle anymore. It's now offering suds by the quarter keg: the equivalent of 60 12 oz. glasses. Each quarter-keg will cost you $200, and brands of choice are Budweiser, Widmer Hefeweizen, Michelob Amber Bock, and Michelob Ultra. Lovely 'beertenders' will tap the kegs for you, too. Said Hooters exec Gary Gregg, "Anyone can do bottle service. Only Hooters Casino Hotel could upgrade to keg service."
Local guitarist Rustyn Lee Vaughan will be covering everything from Incubus to Coldplay as part of new "Acoustic Thursdays" at Ra Sushi Bar Restaurant in Fashion Show Mall. The performances will take place from 9 p.m.-midnight, May 7-June 4. Drink specials are available during the concerts, and light, late-night menu will be on offer afterward, until 1 a.m.
Next month, Caesars Atlantic City will open at $7 million nightclub, called Dusk. The club fills the long-vacant Planet Hollywood space and features innovations such as a fog-making machine which can cool the room's temperature by as much as 12 degrees, when things get too sweaty. Owner Eric Millstein believes the recession is a non-factor where his target audience is concerned. He told the Press of Atlantic City, "We think the people who will frequent this club live with their parents or rent, so they're not worried about mortgages, the Dow Jones or their 401(k). They spend their money on nightclubs, entertainment and fashion -- to see and be seen. For them to drop $100 or $150 for a night out and a memory is nothing."
Former La Cage headliner Frank Marino will be playing a guest engagement in Tony 'n Tina's Wedding, now at Planet Hollywood. Marino will assume the role of the Wedding Crasher, starting May 8 and running through the end of the month. The drag queen has been dropping hints that this may evolve into something more permanent.
On Saturday, the Beauty Bar will host a CD-release party for Afghan Raiders, featuring guest DJs OB-one and Chocolate Milk. Beauty Bar, whose interior is recreated from the defunct Capri Salon in New Jersey, has been throwing retro-themed skating parties like these, combining the quintessentially late-Seventies fad of roller-skate disco dancing with period-appropriate attire. Admission is $5 with an advance reservation and $10 at the door. Skate rental is $5 but you're welcome to bring your own. RSVP at www.DownAndDerby.org.
Annie Duke is in the final two of Celebrity Apprentice, up against nemesis Joan Rivers. The three-hour season finale plays out next Sunday on NBC.
After Manny Pacquiao's dismantling of Ricky Hatton in two rounds, talk quickly turned to a match between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Lucky's sports book has already put up a line of pick'em, meaning the two are considered equal. You can bet it now; however, the fight has to go off by the end of February 2010 for the bet to have action.
Annie Duke appears to be in the final four of Celebrity Apprentice, or is she? Last week Joan Rivers walked off the show when her daughter Melissa was fired, but don't expect that to stick. Next weekend is the show's finale, so tonight's episode, airing at 9 pm on NBC, figures to have plenty of set-up fireworks.
USA Today's Friday list of "10 Great Places for Margaritas and More" included Bellagio's Petrossian Bar. Though not a Mexican-themed bar, Petrossian's designation as a "purist cocktail establishment" was the rationale behind including it in the list. We'll be testing this one soon.
As reported in the LA Times, police are looking for a gunman who robbed a cashier at the MGM Grand on Friday. A hotel spokeswoman says the incident took place in the high-limit slots area at 4:42 a.m. The cashier complied with the robber's instructions to turn over money and no injuries were reported. No information was available as to whether the gunman was wearing a hat or mask, but a Metro spokesman confirmed that he didn't wear a helmet when he made the getaway on his motorcylce.
Last Wednesday, workers dismantled and carted away the marquee of the Moulin Rouge. The giant, cursive letters are now in the so-called "Neon Boneyard," north of downtown. The Moulin Rouge is unique among Las Vegas hotels, the only one to make it onto the National Register of Historic Places. It is presently in foreclosure, the latest of several attempts to reopen it having gone bankrupt.
Both today's and the May 5 editions of the Las Vegas Review-Journal will carry two-for-one coupons good at three Station Casinos properties on Cinco de Mayo. These will get you two entrées for the price of one at the Palace Station, Red Rock Resort, and Santa Fe Station branches of Cabo Mexican Restaurant.
On Tuesday, Jerry’s Nugget will host a special Cinco de Mayo edition of its Hot Seat Cash Party Giveaway. Players who are on the slots between 6-9 p.m. and have their More Club cards in the machines will be eligible for 15 $100 giveaways.
Mine that Bird's win in the Kentucky Derby was a bonanza for his backers. The 50-1 shot paid $103.20 on a $2 ticket to win, the second most in Derby history, behind $184.90 for Donerail in 1913. Mine that Bird's margin of victory was also the most since 1946.
Long-time Strip favorite and community activist Mac King is offering free tickets to locals to see his show at Harrah's during the month of May as a way of helping Nevadans suffering from the current economic crisis. "I believe that laughter is the best medicine and there is no way that family fun should be sacrificed just because of a gloomy economy," said the comedy magician. "This is just a small way for me to say 'Thank you' to the community that has always been so supportive of me. Of course, I hope the lucky ones that haven't experienced hardship will still continue to pay to see my show."
All the books will be jammin' for the Kentucky Derby. Casinos that have announced parties with specials on food and drinks include Station and Fiesta casinos, Coast casinos, South Point, and El Cortez.
Three big sporting events will have the books buzzing today. The Kentucky Derby leads it off, where the morning-line favorite I Want Revenge has been scratched, leaving Dunkirk as the new favorite. Next is Game 7 of the Boston Celtics/Chicago Bulls series; the Celtics are -6 favorites. Then Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton meet at MGM Grand, where Pacquiao is a -220 pick.
An ambitious attempt by the State of Minnesota to ban online gambling is proving to have more holes than a colander. In an edict to 11 Internet service providers, the state ordered access blocked to online sites that were either defunct or already refuse play from U.S. punters, while neglecting to bar many others (PokerStars.com, for one). World Series of Poker sponsor Everest Poker is among the banned sites, however. Minnesota is citing as its authority a federal law pertaining to "common carriers," i.e., phone companies. The general counsel for the Center for Democracy & Technology told The Associated Press a court would be unlikely to hold with that interpretation. What's more, many online casinos severed their links with American ISPs after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, in 2006. The MN Department of Public Safety (DPS) admits its blacklist was drawn up "randomly." In justifying its actions, the DPS spun a golden oldie, invoking the specter of online casinos as a hive of "funding for criminal and terrorist organizations."
Announced today was the first of M Resort's poolside concerts, which will feature Grammy-Award winner Natalie Cole performing "Still Unforgettable: An Evening with Natalie Cole" on Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. ($65 & $85, plus tax). The resort will also feature a Rock 'n Roll Wine Reggae Pool Party on May 16 at 7 p.m., with Michael Black and One Pin Short ($35 in advance), while the annual Wine Amplified Concert at Mandalay Beach will take place Sept. 19 (we know this even though it hasn't been announced yet :-) Tickets for that event are $60 in advance, $65 day of show.
You'll find details of all these events, plus other recent announcements, in Cool Pools.
It's an all-day Kentucky Derby celebration at Jerry's Nugget tomorrow. The 135th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place at 3 p.m., but the fun begins in the morning with free coffee and doughnuts in the sports book. From noon-4 p.m. hand carved "track sandwiches" are free to horse players and $4 for everybody else. Ten-dollar Derby bets earn you entries into all-day drawings for commemorative Kentucky Derby classes. If you bet $20 on a Jerry's Nugget Horse Racing Matchup Parlay Card, it'll get you an entry in a drawing for a Jerry's polo shirt, while supplies last.
Vdara, the initial component of CityCenter, is progressing toward its scheduled October opening. Recent photos of construction can be viewed online.
Mentalist Gerry McCambridge is pulling up stakes, informing fans that his last show at Hooters Casino Hotel will be May 14. The next night he opens in his new digs at Planet Hollywood. "They just built a brand new 300 seat showroom, and they made me an offer I couldn't refuse!!!", he wrote in a MySpace bulletin. McCambridge adds this his Planet Hollywood debut will be his 777th Vegas show, adding, "Now that must be some sign of luck for my new venture!"
Yesterday, Steve Cyr, the high roller host who's the protagonist of Whale Hunt in the Desert, held court at UNLV and Steve's Cyr-ing insights into the world of VIP play are already online. The audio file can also be downloaded from the Web site of the Center for Gaming Research. The Center's director, David G. Schwartz received an unusual honor this week, when Las Vegas Weekly named him one of the "Most Beautiful People in Las Vegas."
It's been announced that Danny Gans has died. No details have been released, except that the long-time Strip star died at his home.