Remember, the rare 48-hour sale on Las Vegas Monorail Day Passes ends tomorrow, so take advantage of this twofer offer while you can.
As reported in this column, Vegas Uncork'd's, aided by some 300 chefs and sommeliers from around the Las Vegas Valley, attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the most bottles of wine uncorked simultaneously. We can now confirm that the bid was successful, so ... where's the party at? (Would be such a shame to waste all that wine.)
Don't forget it's the weekly Bet on the Farm farmer's market from Mario Batali's acclaimed B&B group, featuring an array of fresh local produce and crafts from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m at Las Vegas Springs Preserve.
We just learned that "CSI: the Experience" interactive exhibit at MGM Grand is offering 50%-off admission to locals today, plus free entry to anyone with a Leap Day birthday.
Representatives from Clean the World Foundation nonprofit and Caesars Entertainment today held a green ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of a new recycling facility for hotel soaps and bottled amenities (shampoo, conditioner, lotion etc.) The Las Vegas plant, which will serve as the soap and bottled amenities collection center and bar soap recycling site for all hotel partners in the western region of the United States, is intended to redistribute cleansing products to those in need in order to help stop the spread of preventable diseases in communities worldwide.
Smashburger, one of the picks for "Best Burger" in Eating Las Vegas 2012, is running an ongoing "throwback" beer promotion, whereby you can get a draft PBR, Hamm's, or Olympia for just $1 with the purchase of a menu item.
Don't forget the new LVA Member offers from LBS Burger and Holsteins, where you can get a free draft beer with purchase of an entrée, too. Find these and lots of other Member Rewards Online, plus free deals for everyone, at CouponsinVegas.com.
Federated Sports + Gaming, the entity behind Epic Poker League, filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization Tuesday. In a statement, League President Annie Duke says it's their intention to "finish Season One of the Epic Poker League as planned and to move forward with all of our key initiatives – including the Global Poker Index, epicpoker.com, the Epic Poker social media game on Facebook, and the Heartland Poker Tour" which will most likely be achieved "by entering into an agreement with another company." Watch this space for updates.
Downtown3rd Farmers Market is scheduled to open March 9 at an indoor location on Casino Center Drive and will take place every Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring cooking demos by local celebrity chefs, plus year-round access to fresh local produce from California, Nevada, and Utah, a kid's zone, and food-truck vendors.
Michael's gourmet room at South Point and Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse at the Golden Nugget were the only two Las Vegas restaurant's to make OpenTable.com's 2012 "Diners' Choice" list of the 100 restaurants in the United States providing the best service. The awards reflect the combined opinions of nearly 5 million reviews, submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
PBR Rock Bar is partnering Vegas Country 95.5 KWNR to host a weekly Battle of the Bands contest each week on March 8, 15, and 22. Each showdown will feature two to three bands competing for the chance to win the grand prize of a chance to perform live on stage at Mandalay Bay on Sunday, April 1.
Red Bull Air Force, an elite aerial sports team, is to celebrate Leap Day 2012 with a first-ever attempt at four consecutive BASE jumps in four U.S. cities, including Las Vegas. The Vegas jump will be from the Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay, but we're not sure what time it's taking place...
Rick Lax, author of I Get Paid for This: Kicking Ass and Taking Notes in Vegas, is one of the guests on KNPR's "State of Nevada" show this morning, discussing what it's like to be a "stunt journalist" and step into the shoes of seven people, who do seven very different jobs. Tune in from 9 a.m. on 88.9 FM (repeated tonight at 8 p.m., or catch the podcast).
Federal prosecutors in Baltimore today unsealed an indictment against Calvin Ayre, billionaire founder of online gambling giant Bodog.com. Bodog Entertainment Group is also under indictment and the Bodog.com domain name has been seized by federal prosecutors, although the company has not in fact used Bodog.com in several years.
The latest Leap Day event to be announced is Vegas Uncork'd's attempt to break the Guinness World Records’ mark for most bottles of wine uncorked simultaneously on Wednesday, Feb. 29, in an effort to promote the annual Vegas Uncork’d food festival in May. Tomorrow's event will be made at 11 a.m. at Bellagio and will feature some 300 chefs and sommeliers trying to break the current opening record of 252 wine bottles at once.
If you were born on Feb. 29, enjoy a complimentary Leap Year cocktail on the house at FIX restaurant at Bellagio. Must be 21+ (or 5¼+ in Leap Years).
Further to our rundown of Leap Day events in QoD (2/23/12), we can now announce a couple more promos going on around town, including a rare 48-hour twofer discount from Las Vegas Monorail for Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers. They're offering the 2-For-1 Day Passes online and at all Monorail stations using a promo code, once you "like" or "follow" one of the Monorail pages. (Don't forget LVA members have an ongoing $4-offer on the 3-Day Pass at couponsinvegas.com!)
In addition, from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, @Vdara will host a tweet-up, featuring a selection of rare tastings from Patron, gourmet appetizers, and giveaways including Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational tix, an overnight stay at Vdara, and a helicopter tour of the Hoover Dam, with a special prize to the person who brings the most friends. The event is free and open to the public. RSVPs: http://twtvite.com/koczd4
An official statement from singer Celine Dion's camp today announced, "We regret to inform you that Celine performances through Sunday, March 18 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace have been cancelled." This is due to ongoing difficulties the singer has been experiencing with her vocal chords, which resulted in the cancellation of last weekend's shows. Celine's next run of performances, beginning June 9 through August 19, will proceed as scheduled.
No, we're not talking about artistically; the Material Girl's tour stop at MGM Grand on Oct. 13 has already sold out, so she's added another concert date for Sunday, Oct. 14, for which tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on March 5.
For (very) limited dates in March and April, the Rio All-Suite Hotel has rooms available starting at $21, with no resort fee. The catch is that only 10 nights are available at that rate, and if you're booking more than one night, you might be better off with one of our other Rio room deals; but if the dates work for you, you can't beat a $21 base rate at this just-off-Strip property.
It's National Pancake Day, and for the sixth consecutive year, IHOP is celebrating by offering a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes to patrons at participating locations, while supplies last, in order to raise funds for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, to which guests are invited to make a voluntary donation.
In this week's column, Bob Dancer considers the issue of problem gambling and whether there are certain people who should not be wagering. It's a poignant article, based on a recent personal experience. If you or someone you know thinks they may have a gambling problem, call the National Council on Problem Gambling on their 24-hour hotline for confidential advice: 800/522-4700.
Bloomberg reports that billionaire Kirk Kerkorian is to sell another 20 million shares of his shares in MGM Resorts International, having previously ditched 20 million shares last August. Kerkorian remains MRI's largest shareholder, however.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in regarding today's QoD, of interest to anyone who's into Nevada casino history. A reader subsequently contacted us with an interesting transcription that adds something to the answer, and which we've added as an "Update," so check back if you'd like to know more about the early casino days in Las Vegas.
Open Top Sightseeing, a division of Big Bus Tours, which has franchises worldwide, is expanding its Las Vegas fleet of buses by six, bringing the total to 22, and adding some 75 new members of staff by the end of 2012, reports today's LV Sun. Passengers by purchase one- or two-day passes starting at $31.50, up to a family pass for $85.50, and may get on or off the bus as often as desired.
Machine Guns Vegas, the new "ultralounge"-meets-shooting-range attraction, opened for business today at its official home at 3501 Aldebaran Ave. (between Desert Inn and Spring Mountain) after a temporary sojourn at a gun range across from the Luxor. MGV is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Burlesque star Dita Von Teese will bring her Burlesque: Strip Strip Hooray! variety show to Las Vegas this May as part of a West Coast tour. The 90-minute revue comes to House of Blues May 17, 18, and 19 and will star Von Teese, plus a cast of her favorite burlesque acts. Tickets go on sale March 2nd via ticketmaster.com (a presale kicks off 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29).
Mike Tyson talked to USA Today about his upcoming one-man show, scheduled to take place April 13-18 in the Hollywood Theater at the MGM Grand. Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth — Live on Stage will feature candid discussion about the ex-boxer's dramatic ups and downs; he says he was inspired to do the show by watching Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale.
For the first time in the 54-year history of the race, NASCAR was forced Sunday to postpone the start of the season-opening Daytona 500 to 7 p.m. EST tonight, due to heavy rain all day. The race airs on Fox and the delay to Monday could result in record ratings.
Tickets for Madonna's Oct. 13 show at MGM Grand Garden Arena go on sale at 10 a.m. today and are available from the venue box office and from all Ticketmaster outlets.
Here are the odds on tonight's Academy Awards winners in the main categories. The Artist is -2000 (bet $20 to win $1) for Best Picture. Dean Dujardin is -270 to win Best Actor for The Artist. Viola Davis is -250 to win Best Actress for The Help. Christopher Plummer is -5000 to win Best Supporting Actor for Beginners. Octavia Spencer is -5000 to win Best Supporting Actress for The Help.
Las Vegas' Opportunity Village gets a big PR pop tonight, as it will be featured on Celebrity Apprentice. Cast member Penn Jillete of Penn and Teller is tonight's project manager, and Opportunity Village as his chosen charity will get prime exposure on the show.
The Attic, made famous by its appearance in a Visa commercial that first aired during the final episode of "Seinfeld," will close at the end of February. The vintage-clothing store located in the Arts District was never able to recover after being badly damaged by an explosion at a neighboring NV Energy substation.
Monday, February 27 through Sunday, March 4, it's Spring Las Vegas Restaurant Week, the annual event in which multiple eateries around the valley offer prix-fixe menus at discount prices, allowing everyone to taste some high-end cuisine, while benefiting the Three Square Food Bank.
The Palms is the official Las Vegas home of the Academy of Motion Picture Awards celebrations this weekend, with a pre-Oscar celebrity reception tonight at Palms Place, hosted by Academy Award Winner Shirley Jones, followed by a live telecast screening party on Sunday, from 4 to 8 p.m. in Brenden Theaters, to be attended by film, TV, and stage celebrities. Click here for more information and to purchase event tickets.
Other bashes will take place at Lagasse's Stadium at Palazzo, with a special Oscar-worthy menu and a pre-show at 4 p.m., followed by the broadcast of the main event at 5 p.m., and at the race and sports book at Wynn, where the viewing party for the 84th Annual Academy Awards begins at 3 p.m. Hosted by Johnny Avello, director of race and sports, the event will feature trivia contests and chances to win prizes throughout the show.
Frankie Edgar is a -160 favorite over Ben Henderson in tonight's UFC main event. Over 4.5 rounds is -250. In the other big match, Quinton Jackson is -175 over Ryan Bader.
Rethinking his retirement from poker, Danish 2008 WSOP Main-Event champion Peter Eastgate has signed on as a spokesman for Betfair Poker. "I had a ten-month hiatus where I didn't play poker, then felt the lust to play again," Eastgate said. No word yet on whether he'll try to reacquire the championship gold bracelet that he auctioned off for charity.
Nevada Department of Transport's ongoing upgrade of the U.S. 95 continues this weekend, with the demolition of part of the Cheyenne Avenue bridge, in preparation for widening the span. As a result, Cheyenne will be closed between Rainbow and Tenaya Way from 10 p.m. tonight through early Monday morning, while the 95 at Cheyenne will be closed all weekend. Traffic will be diverted off and back on the freeway at the Cheyenne interchange.
Due to inflamed vocal chords, Celine Dion has been forced to cancel her shows through Wednesday. Her next scheduled performance is March 3. Refunds will be applied automatically to those who purchased with a credit card, while others will be refunded when they present their tickets at the point of purchase.
Silverton's hosting the Bow Wow Celebrity Bingo Charity Event in the Veil Pavilion from 1p.m. today, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Nevada SPCA. $30 Entry Fee includes one blue promo paper pack, non-validated, and free dauber. The first 100 guests receive a free gift bag and there will be live performances from the casts of Fantasy and Thunder from Down Under.
Garfield's Restaurant at the Lakes will be serving a $10 all-you-can-drink Bloody Mary, mimosa, and Bellini bar with brunch this weekend (10:20 a.m to 2:30 p.m.)
Actors Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis are to collaborate on a new CBS TV drama based on the true story of Ralph Lamb, the rodeo-cowboy turned legendary Las Vegas sheriff, who introduced the city's first SWAT team, among other things. Quaid is set to play Lamb in "The Day After Tomorrow," while Chiklis plays his nemesis Johnny Savino, a Chicago mobster.
Actually, we don't know what color the tomatoes were, but a semi-trailer hauling a bunch of 'em has overturned and burst into flames on U.S. 93, about 30 miles from the I-15. A different report states the fruits involved were actually bell peppers, evidently now roasted; either way, sounds like it's Italian for dinner tonight.
Dennis Gomes, co-owner of Resorts Casino in Atlantic City and a former Vegas mob prosecutor whose character was featured in Casino, Thursday aged 68.
No, we're not talking about a guest of the controversial "Atlanticist" think-tank, but rather a contest at LBS Burger at Red Rock. Now through Feb. 29, use the ingredients listed on the flier on their Facebook page to invent your own burger/topping combo. The winning entry will be featured on the restaurant's menu for a month. LVA members, don't forget there's an offer for a free draft beer at LBS Burger at couponsinvegas.com.
The Color Run, a novelty 5k event in which participating walkers/runners start off in pristine white clothing, then have different colored dust thrown over them by volunteers at different junctures along the way, comes to downtown Las Vegas tomorrow, where it's partnering with Three Square to raise money for the food bank. The event is sold out, but it sounds like fun to watch. Click the link for more info and a route map.
It's five years to the day since hilarious comedy hypnotist Marc Savard opened his show at V Theater. Click the link for a great ticket deal for this show (LVA members, remember you have an even better deal in the 2012 MRB!)
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, the Hard Rock Cafe location on Paradise and Harmon is hosting a blood drive, in conjunction with United Blood Services. Carrot Top will be on hand to donate blood himself, as well as a ticket to his show to all donors. Anyone wishing to donate blood can go to www.unitedbloodservices.org and search for the sponsor code hardrockcafe to make an appointment, or call 877/827-4376.
Former state Sen. Bill Raggio has died, aged 85. Raggio served 38 years in the upper house before retiring a year ago due to ill health. Gov. Brian Sandoval has announced that flags will fly at half-staff on the day of the former Reno senator's funeral.
While there have been no recent announcements about Caesars Ent's "Linq" project, which promises to bring a giant observation wheel to a new center-Strip entertainment and retail complex, the rival Ferris project at the south end of Las Vegas Boulevard seems undaunted, and just launched a SkyVue Twitter, where the profile promises "the largest observation wheel in the western hemisphere, opening July 4, 2013, across from Mandalay Bay." You can read more at the skyvuelasvegas.com website.
Read Kill Phil author Blair Rodman's latest blog entry at LVAPoker.com, where he's discussing the new HBO series "Luck" and how accurate its portrayal of gambling -- in particular poker -- is. Interesting read. (Note: You can now easily access all of our sister sites via the icons on the lasvegasadvisor.com home page, beneath "Today's News.")
Here are some of this weekend's entertainment highlights:
After 15 years on the Strip GameWorks, the arcade located in the Showcase Mall, home also to M&M's World and the giant Coca-Cola bottle, will close within the next month, having decided not to renew its lease. In a statement to the LV Sun, a spokesman for the company blamed escalating rent and reduced foot traffic for the decision. This may not be the end for GameWorks, however: The owners plan to update the attraction to reflect modern gaming trends and make it more interactive, and find a new venue to attract the locals market.
Ticket prices have yet to be announced, but we were just sent the official press release and can confirm that the Santana Fan Club presale starts February 27, 10 a.m., CITI presale starts 10 a.m. Feb. 28, and the MLife and HOB.com presale will start Feb. 29 at 10 a.m. Show dates announced so far commence May 2 and run through Nov. 11.
Tomorrow night, reality TV personality and legendary hip hop clown Flavor Flav will celebrate the launch of his new LeFLAV spirits company at the Beauty Bar, with free shots for the first 100 people through the door. Hot 97.5-FM will also be there and is asking rappers, artists, and bands to bring CDs or MP3s of their work, with the best to be featured on Flav’s new mixtape series, with a shot at perform at some upcoming music events. Doors are at 9 p.m. and there's a $5 cover after 10 p.m. (locals and ladies free).
MGM Mirage Resorts International CEO Jim Murren stated in a conference call with analysts Wednesday that he believes that Internet gambling will be legalized at a federal level, and before the end of 2012, "but that's my opinion," he said.
As first reported in the January issue of the LVA newsletter, in an interview in today's LA Times Carlos Santana confirmed a two-year residency at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, beginning May 2. The new show, titled "Greatest Hits Live: Santana — Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, will perform 80 nights a year and while details have not yet been announced, our source last year indicated that tickets would start in the $90 range.
We just received a call from an LVA agent who's currently out in the field ... and we have it on good authority that actor Nicholas Cage is currently enjoying barbecue at Famous Dave's at Flamingo and the 215. Well, we don't actually know if he's enjoying it, but we hope so.
While for the past week all attention has been focused on the new Mob Museum downtown (we drove past on Sunday and there was a long line to get in), the troubled Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana is to reopen March 1 as the newly branded Mob Attraction, with reduced admission prices and a new bar.
Apparently, plans are afoot for a one-man show called Confessions, starring none other than Mike Tyson, who's experienced recent success with cameo movie appearances. Apparently, the premise of the show is for the controversial former boxer to shares his life story with the audience, illustrated by photos and video clips of the more infamous moments. No further details area available at this time, but we'll keep you posted.
Get a free margarita today at Border Grill at Mandalay Bay when you say "Marg Me" with the purchase of an appeatizer or entrée.
The cover story of the latest edition of Forbes features "Comeback Billionaire" and Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson, "one of the most powerful men on the planet."
It's National Margarita Day, and tequila bars all over town are celebrating. Here are some of the specials we've heard about; we'll post more as we find them:
Cee Lo Green's long-rumored Vegas residency is a go, apparently, with his Liberace tribute show, Loberace, now confirmed to be debuting at Planet Hollywood at an as-yet unspecified future date.
After 10 years and 7,000 performances on the Vegas Strip, Pete "Big Elvis" Vallee is finally being rewarded with his own official "Day" on Feb. 28 at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon. From 3 p.m. next Tuesday, which is also Vallee's birthday, guests will be invited to celebrate with cake, prizes, and a specially created peanut butter and banana cocktail available from the new Slush Bar.
Bob Dancer's weekly Feature Article has been posted, and this time the maestro's musing on slot tournaments and how to calculate their equity.
Today's Las Vegas Sun carries an interesting article about how casinos cater to different niche groups, for which Anthony Curtis is the leading contributor. Check out LVA in the Media for other recent coverage of LVA, AC, HP, and our authors.
In its latest move to establish itself as a gambling casino, the Riviera, which currently offers single-zero roulette and 3/2 single-deck blackjack -- has become the first hotel in the history of Las Vegas (to our and their knowledge), to offer 1000X odds on its four crap tables.
The 1000x odds apply to bets placed on the Pass Line: Once the initial bet's placed, players can back it up with up to 1,000 times their initial bet.
Station Casinos' two-day Million Dollar Bingo Game kicks off Monday, Feb. 27, with a guaranteed total of $500,000 paid out each day across the seven participating properties. The entry fee is $360 and seats are selling fast -- only ten spaces remain at Palace Station -- so reserve a spot in your favorite Station bingo room while you still can!
NHP is re-opening northbound lanes on U.S. 95 near Russell Road that were closed earlier due to a five-vehicle accident.
A practicing attorney and nurse from California became the third person to hit the $1 million Three Card Poker 6 Card Bonus jackpot at Paris last Sunday, when she hit a super royal flush in diamonds. It's the third time the top jackpot has hit since the game was first introduced last September; the odds of hitting the "super royal" are 1 in 20,358,520. For more information, check out the QoD for Feb. 13, 2012.
Commencing September 30, Southwest Airlines will resume nonstop flights from Detroit Metro Airport to McCarran, a service it canceled in 2006. More than 2,000 passengers fly daily between Detroit and Las Vegas.
Metro is urging drivers and pedestrians to take care on the roads, following 19 traffic-related deaths in Las Vegas already this year, more than double the number at this point last year. Last Saturday alone, five fatalities occurred in three separate accidents, including three teenagers.
Whether or not there's a connection, the escalation in traffic accidents seems to coincide with Metro's enforcement of the new ban on handheld devices, which took effect January 1. So far, more than 1,000 citations have been issued to drivers in southern Nevada caught violating the ban.
An accident on U.S. 95 near Russell Road closed all but one of the northbound lanes. (This item posted at 9:12 a.m.)
One of the last of the big party pools to host a job fair, this week Tao Beach is holding open casting calls, seeking to fill positions for the summer pool season. The job fair runs daily from noon to 5 p.m., Feb. 21 through Feb. 25. Job seekers are encouraged to bring beach attire with them.
The Silver Legacy Resort Casino has failed to restructure its debt and now may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection or could face possible foreclosure.
Following the closure of the poker room at Silverton last month comes word that another room, this time at Fitzgeralds downtown, has also bitten the dust. The space is currently filled with slot machines.
Smash-hit show Jersey Boys, which until recently performed at Palazzo, makes its official move to Paris Las Vegas this Thursday, with a welcoming celebration. The show debuts at its new home March 6.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air is ending its short-lived service between Lexington and Las Vegas on April 7, as the twin-engine Boeing 757 planes that operate the route are wanted for service to Hawaii. The airline will continue to service flights between Lexington and Florida, however.
El Cortez is celebrating President's Day today with a free slice of Marie Callender's cherry pie for players from noon to 6 p.m. today. We'll keep you posted of any other promos we hear about.
We've just learned that Elton John was forced to cancel last weekend's concerts at The Colosseum at Caesars due to a bout of food poisoning, but that he's now recovered. His next scheduled performance is on April 13; presumably refunds for the missed shows are available at point of purchase.
The fight between Wynn Resorts and its principal shareholder, Kazuo Okada, who until recently had a restaurant named for him at Wynn Las Vegas, has escalated, with Wynn forcibly buying out Okada's stake in the company at a 30% discount, claiming financial impropriety on the Japanese billionaire's part, reports today's LV R-J. Okada issued a statement saying that his company "will take all legal actions necessary" to protect its investment in Wynn Resorts.
The burger restaurant at Flamingo has closed, to be replaced by a steakhouse. No time-frame for the new venue's opening has been announced yet. If you haven't yet taken part in our current Reader Poll about who serves the best burger in town, it closes at midnight tomorrow.
On Monday, Feb. 20, Silverton's celebrating President’s Day with a $5 buffet for Silverton Rewards Club members, plus 5X points on reels and 2X points on video poker.
Check out the Feb. 20 issue of Newsweek for an article on this year's Blackjack Ball. The focus of the article is Beat the Dealer author Ed Thorp, who was in attendance for the first time in the event's 16-year history, but there's also coverage of the blackjack-skills competition. The "sinewy former wrestler" referenced for being in the finals of the competition is our own Anthony Curtis. Kinda cool.
We mistakenly listed the locals deal at the House of Blues Gospel Brunch as running yesterday. The 50%-off deal is running today, with seatings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Samba at the Mirage is celebrating Carnival with an authentic Brazilian Brunch served Sundays from today through March 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The brunch will feature a variety of dishes, plus live entertainment, and is $34.99, plus tax and tip ($29.74 for locals).
The gentlemen's club that was Jaguars, then SCORES, then Rick's Cabaret, then briefly Jaguars again, is to reopen as Cover Girls. A flier on the club's Facebook page says it's due to debut in March, but a posting yesterday indicated this opening date had been pushed back to allow for renovations to be completed.
Boxer Muhammad Ali celebrates his 70th birthday tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with a star-studied audience and performances from headliners, including Lenny Kravitz, John Legend, and Cee Lo Green. Several boxing legends, including Ernie Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Tommy Hearns will be signing autographs in the MGM lobby from noon to 2 p.m.
As a one-off promo, today only the Gospel Brunch at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues is 50% off for locals, so $20 instead of the regular $40 price. The brunch is all-you-can-eat, with live gospel music, and there are sittings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (LVA members, remember there's a 2-for-1 offer for this brunch in the
Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in The Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian launches a new weekend brunch menu today. Offered every Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the menu features Puck’s signature twist on an array of traditional brunch favorites, including warm brioche donuts with homemade jam, scrambled egg pizza, corned beef and hash, house cured smoked salmon, steak and eggs, and more.
Primary lender Canyon Capital will be the new owner of Hooters casino, following the failure of any other bidders to come forward and take part in the the auction process. The outgoing ownership and Canyon have agreed to keep operations running as normal during the transition, although the property is expected ultimately to undergo an identity change.
Sammy Hagar has introduced a sister brand to his Cabo Wabo Tequila brand with the launch of Sammy's Beach Bar Rum, and Cabo Wabo Cantina inside the Miracle Mile Shops is celebrating with a weekend full of drink specials, featuring three new rum cocktails served for only $5 from Friday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 19.
The comedy magician will be at the Las Vegas Wranglers game today for a book drive as part of his ongoing commitment to promoting childhood literacy. Those who bring three new or gently used children's books to the games today or Saturday will get a pair of tickets to King's afternoon show at Harrah's and one ticket to a future Wranglers game.
For those who love nature more than hockey. Books can also be dropped at the Springs Preserve through March 2.
Art galleries have had a checkered history in Las Vegas, with experiments by Venetian and Wynn both ending in closures. Still, Palazzo's now taking another crack at the arts crowd, with the debut of the Natural Wonders Gallery at Palazzo, featuring the work of three nature photographers, and the opening of Martin Lawrence Galleries in the Forum Shops at Caesars. The 26,000-square-foot space is now the largest fine-art gallery in the world, showcasing 20th century masters and 21st century stars, including Andy Warhol, Chagall, Alexander Calder, Picasso, Erté, Joan Miro, Roy Lichtenstein, Liudmila Kondakova, Robert Deyber, Philippe Bertho, Felix Mas, Kerry Hallam, François Fressnier, Douglas Hofmann, Takashi Murakami, Rene Lalonde, Mark Kostabi, and Ali Golkar.
Greg London, whose Impressions that Rock show is currently headlining at the LVH, will leave the venue to go on tour Feb. 29.
Treasure Island is currently running a sweepstakes promotion, with the top prize of a $2,500 4-day "Diamond VIP" package for four. The contest is open only to residents of the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the U.K. Click the link for more information and the official rules.
Get your tickets to see these rock legends at The Joint at the Hard Rock before they officially go on sale Saturday. Tickets for the concert, which takes place April 20, are likely to sell out fast, so get yours now with pre-sale offer code HRHCSN. The sale ends at 10 p.m. tomorrow night.
It's time for our weekly round-up of entertainment highlights, and there will be lots of big names in town to celebrate Muhammad Ali's birthday:
TripAdvisor has picked the Top 10 Hotel Pools in the world, and Las Vegas made the list, thanks to the pool at the Mirage. For our readers' picks on the best pools and why, see our survey in the Poll Archives (heads-up: Mirage only made the #4 spot). Plus, pool season will be here before you know it, so don't forget about our in-depth guide to Las Vegas top "daylife" venues in Cool Pools.
It's been confirmed that long-running female impersonator show La Cage will return to the Riviera, opening Feb. 29. The show closed in Las Vegas three years ago and went on tour, before returning for a run at the Four Queens downtown. Illusions, the magic show that had been performing at the Clarion, will also move to the Riv., where it's scheduled to open March 1.
Following their performance at the 2012 Grammy's, it's been announced today by Rolling Stone that the Beach Boys will launch an extensive tour of the U.S. this year, kicking off in Tucson in March and swinging by Red Rock casino in Las Vegas on May 27.
We've been inundated by readers emailing us to say you can buy Girard's cocktail sauce online; yes, you can, perhaps, but only in industrial-sized gallon jars, or boxes of 72 two-ounce servings, neither of which is too user-friendly. And we haven't actually tried, but we're not even sure they'll sell to a non-business customer. Some Girard's products are available for retail under brand name Marzetti, but our original questioner tried and failed to purchase cocktail sauce from them. And to those wondering if all MRI properties use Girard's, the answer is no: We called MGM Grand and Bellagio, both of which make their own cocktail sauce, we were informed.
Houdini's Magic Shop, a long-time resident of the Forum Shops at Caesars, has closed, the mall just tweeted. The stores in the Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood, MGM Grand, New York-New York, and Venetian remain open for business.
Allegiant Air, the Las Vegas-based discount carrier, has been fined $100,000 by the Department of Transportation for violating price-advertising rules and for its reporting procedure for complaints by disabled passengers, writes the R-J.
Allegiant's apparently violated the rules by promoting free flights from Vegas and Tampa on its website, without disclosing ancillary fees and taxes. Half of the fine will be deferred and imposed only if the airline commits further violations during the next 12 months.
According to gossipmonger Robin Leach, who's seldom wrong, the Light Group’s Union restaurant at Aria is to relocate and be replaced by a "contemporary tropican Mexican restaurant" out of Laguna Beach called Javier’s, which is slated to open in May. He also hints at some major show announcements, suggesting that what we assume is the Cirque Michael Jackon celebration is undergoing a major rethink, while an unnamed production that sounds like Viva Elvis may close even sooner than anticipated. A couple of unidentified lounges on the Strip are also slated for major revamps, apparently. We'll keep you posted as more beans are spilled...
The Wynn Classic no-limit hold 'em four-day tournament kicks off Feb. 22, with a $500 buy-in, while the 7th annual Opportunity Village Celebrity Poker Tournament takes place April 7 at Caesars Palace, with a seat at the 2013 WSOP Main Event up for grabs. The entry fee is $300.
But we don't know what, yet. All they've said is that they'll be announcing two new shows tomorrow at 11 a.m., so watch this space!
Tonight sees the debut of UFC on "Fuel" and Cabo Wabo Cantina inside the Miracle Mile Shops is hosting a viewing party for fight fans. Doors open at 4 p.m. and admission to the party, which will include the screening of all matches leading up to the main event -- the welterweight fight between Diego "The Dream" Sanchez and Jake "The Juggneraut" Ellenberger -- is free.
Andrew Zimmern brings his 100th episode of "Bizarre Foods" to Las Vegas today, when he films a foot-long lobster for lunch at Bartolotta seafood restaurant at Wynn, among other things. "I am very excited to finally shoot there after five years of trying," wrote the Travel Channel host on his blog. Bartolotta is one of the "Essential 50" picks for dining in Eating Las Vegas 2012.
Anthony Curtis will be the guest on Blackjack: The Forum at 5 p.m. PST today. You can sign up for free then pose your blackjack questions live online to one of the world's leading experts.
This year's USA Rubgy Sevens was the biggest to date in the event's three-year relationship with Las Vegas, breaking attendance numbers with a record-breaking crowd of 64,551 rugby fans attending the three-day tournament at Sam Boyd Stadium.
While the Cosmopolitan continues to reap accolades for its nightlife, with the biggest-grossing nightclub nationwide (see "Today's News" 2/9/2012), the casino operations continue to struggle with news today that the property is laying off more than 40 employees in its gaming department.
Avant Garde, the new international variety show at the Plaza, opens today.
California's Pechanga Casino set a Guinness World Record last weekend, when 2,885 players played in the worlds largest slot tournament. The record is for the number of unique slot tournament players in one venue in a 24-hour period. The top 300 players won a total of $100,000 in cash and EasyPlay, with the winner taking home a $30,000 cash prize.
The Las Vegas Weekly reports that Tao Group is to open a sister club to Cosmopolitan's successful Marquee nightclub in Sidney, Australia, at the new Star hotel that's due to open in March.
Today sees the debut of the much-anticipated Mob Museum downtown. Anthony Curtis got a sneak preview before the attraction opened, so look out for his review in the March issue of the LVA newsletter.
If you're a fan of Mob history, check out all the memoirs, biographies, and other products at ShopLVA.com.
The Tropicana is holding another flash sale, with rooms starting at just $64, but hurry, the offer ends at 9 p.m. tonight! Click the link for more info and to make your reservation.
The "stealth" charge added on to many hotel rooms these days is often buried in the small print, but we make a point of listing all hotel resort fees, and what you get for them, on our website. We updated at the end of last year, but when we came to do a new check today, we found that many properties have quietly upped their fees, some significantly. For example, the Orleans' nightly charge is now up from $5 to $6, Hooters has increased to $9.95 from $7.50, Wynn/Encore upped their resort fee by $5 to $25/night, as has MGM Grand, while the Monte Carlo's up almost $6 to $22.40 (previously $16.80) and New York-New York is up a whopping $11 from $16.80 to $28.
On Friday, April 20, legendary group Crosby, Still, & Nash will play the Joint at the Hard Rock. Tickets, which start at $45, go on sale this Saturday at noon PST.
"Vegas on Full Auto," a.k.a. the "Firearms Experience" or "Machine Gun Ultralounge," was due to debut last month, but the opening has been pushed back due to delays in obtaining the necessary permits from Clark County, which are apparently expected to materialize later this week. They hope to open in the real venue (3501 Aldebaran Ave.) next week; in the meantime, guests are being taken to a regular gun range opposite the Luxor.
Station Casinos is celebrating Valentine's Day with Jumbo Hold'em Jackpot on Jacks in all eight poker rooms valley-wide Feb, 14: Catch four Jacks on the Flop and get $10,000, or $1,000 for catching four Jacks on the Turn or River.
MRI has announced plans to refinance a $240 million portion of the debt covering CityCenter, with news that investors should anticipate a Q4 operating loss in the region of $45 million. In its statement, the company, which jointly owns CityCenter with Dubai World, said it plans to refinance the debt through a private placement.
If he hits 2,500 Fans on his Facebook page by Wednesday, Carrot Top will give away five t-shirts and signed photos.
On the eve of the grand opening of the Museum of Law Enforcement and Organized Crime downtown, Nevada's MyNews3 carries a feature about law enforcement and the rule of the Mob in Las Vegas. For the whole story, check out Huntington Press titles The Battle for Las Vegas and Policing Las Vegas by retired cop and local mob expert, Dennis Griffin.
The parent company of Churchill Downs race track, home to the Kentucky Derby, has purchased the assets of Bluff Media, including Bluff Magazine, plus an online database that tracks and ranks the performance of poker players, and other online content aimed at poker enthusiasts.
The grand opening of the much-anticipated "Mob Museum" tomorrow will result in some street closures downtown, with a portion of Steward Avenue to be closed between Casino Center and Fourth Street, from 4 a.m. till 1 p.m. Tuesday. Drivers are advised to use the Las Vegas Boulevard exit off U.S. 95 for eastbound travel on Steward Avenue. Bonanza Road and Ogden Avenue are other alternate routes.
Robin Leach is reporting the latest twist in the on-again, off-again Dancing with the Stars stage production is that the show will still go ahead at the Trop, with a possible start date as soon as April or early May, for a 12-week-minimum run. It had previously been reported that plan for a residency had been abandoned, due to insufficient financing.
If you still haven't made your plans, don't forget to check out our Valentine's Day feature in "Special Events."
Long time sports book operator Chuck Esposito is the new director at Sunset Station. The hire reunites Esposito with Art Manteris, vice president of race and sports book operations at Stations. The two worked together when Manteris was known as the "Super Bookie" at LV Hilton.
The USA 7's Rugby tournament concludes today at Sam Boyd Stadium, with the championship matches beginning at 12:30 pm PST. They will be televised on NBC beginning at 1:30.
Tonight features both downtown's monthly Vegas StrEATS festival downtown, with more food trucks than you can shake a gourmet hot dog at, followed by the weekly Saturday Night Truck Stop event at Tommy Rocker's (4275 Dean Martin Drive). The first event runs from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.; the other one starts at 10 p.m. and runs till 3 a.m. and this week is a charity fundraiser for Shade Tree women's shelter, featuring live bands, burlesque, and more.
The USA Rugby Sevens Tournament festivities continue out at Sunset Station, with a 9 p.m. Reggae Bash tonight, featuring Fiji. Tix are $25 in advance, $35 at the door.
The USA 7s Rugby tournament begins at noon and runs all day at Sam Boyd Stadium. The games are fast and fun to watch and the crowd is energized. Afterward, Sunset Station is the host casino. Look for the LVA white board in the stands with lines on the games made by Anthony Curtis and his rugby brain trust -- for entertainment purposes only, of course.
The "Wings over the Springs" event is back at Springs Preserve, with the chance to see hawk eagles, falcons, owls, and more take flight. Shows take place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, and school holidays, and for an additional $10, guests can upgrade the experience with a backstage pass that allows direct contact and interaction with the birds after the show.
Over the past week, we've been adding additional deals and partners at our new dedicated discount site, CouponsInVegas.com. Up until now, they've all been LVA Member-only exclusives, but the latest offer on up to four free show tix is free for anyone to use -- just sign up or sign in with a valid email address.
Last weekend's closures and detours will be reinstated on the U.S. 95 this evening as work resumes on the Summerlin flyover bridge. The second major closure kicks in at 7 p.m. tonight and will run through 5 a.m. Monday. Click here for more information and details about closures and detours.
Caesars Entertainment is offering free training to prospective dealers for the 2012 WSOP, which takes place May 27th to July 16th at the Rio. The training sessions each last three weeks and run Mon. to Fri., 5 p.m.-10 p.m. or 1 1a.m.-4 p.m. There's also an Advanced Session for those who've successfully completed the No Limit Hold'em training. If you're interested, check out the ad on craigslist, or visit the Caesars Ent. employment site and look up Job Posting Number 2806986: 2012 WSOP Dealer Academy AM. Registration is at the Rio Human Resources Office, Mon. to Thur., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 702/777-7715 for more info.
Rockstar Karaoke Live is back at House of Blues, starting tonight. Sing with a live band, with 200+ songs to choose from. Doors at 10 p.m., no cover, must be 21+. Click the link for all our Karaoke listings, which were just updated. (Tip: Look out for stars at Ellis Island -- Nicholas Cage and Drew Carey both showed up to perform recently.)
Tonight from 8 to 11 p.m., Sunset Station, the official hotel of the USA Sevens Rugby Tournament currently taking place, hosts the official opening party. The International Beer Festival will take place in the amphitheater and feature 11 varieties of beer from many of the countries represented in the tournament, including Steinlager (New Zealand), Smithwicks (Ireland), and Bass (UK). Food will be provided by a variety of local food trucks and a live DJ will provide entertainment. The event is open to the public and free to attend.
For those readers anxious that they missed the Question of the Day feature about three card poker six card bonus, don't worry! Time constraints obliged us to move that QoD to Feb. 13, so look out for that answer on Monday.
That latest news from Las Vegas gossip columnist extraordinaire, Robin Leach, is that the original La Cage, minus long-time headliner Frank Marino, who now has his own Divas Las Vegas production at IP, will return to the Strip Feb. 29, after an extended European tour. The other La Cage production, which had been performing downtown at the Four Queens, has closed.
In addition, watch out for updates about a new live on-stage "reality show," which, if successful, will star a rotating cast of celebrities, each performing a solo stint. Details, reported by Robin in LV Sun, remain vague at this point.
KISS by Monster Mini Golf, the new attraction located across from the Hard Rock that's due to open March 15, is debuting its Hotter Than Hell wedding chapel this Valentine's Day by auctioning off a wedding package, with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley as the guests of honor. The wedding or vow renewal ceremony was put up for auction on eBay Feb. 9 at noon (PST) and bidding, which started at $2,500 and has already hit $5,500, will close Valentine's Day, at noon. There's a "Buy It Now" option of $50,000. Partial proceeds will benefit Toys 4 Smiles.
Golden Nugget, which operates casinos in Las Vegas, Laughlin, and Atlantic City, has announced a partnership with online gaming company Chiligaming, with the aim of launching a free-play website within the next Quarter, "in anticipation of the legalization of online gaming in the United States," reads the official statement.
The Las Vegas Super 8, the hotel located by Ellis Island casino and the largest Super 8 in the world, has just completed a $1.5 million remodel, including upgrades and makeovers to all the guest rooms, a complete remodel of the pool and hot tub area, improvements to the lobby, plus fresh carpets and improved lighting in the corridors.
The casino may be struggling, but nightlife at The Cosmopolitan shows no similar ills, with Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub topping the list of the nation's top-grossing nightclubs for 2012, with reported income of $70-80 million. The other top four venues are also in Las Vegas: XS Nightclub (Encore), TAO (Venetian), and Pure (Caesars Palace). Miami Beach's Liv came in at #5. No less than 10 of the Top 15, as reported by Nightclub & Bar.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas came out top for 5-star hotel bookings in a survey of the most popular destinations and hotels for Valentine's weekend and Valentine's Day, conducted by priceline.com. The survey was based on published-price hotel reservations made through priceline's website for check-in between February 10-14, 2012. MGM Grand in Las Vegas was the favorite for 4-star hotels. For the full list, which includes numerous Las Vegas properties, click here.
Spirit Airlines today starts its new twice daily non-stop service between Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and Las Vegas and is celebrating the launch with $28.79 fares between the two cities -- a $9.00 base fare plus taxes and fees -- available today and tomorrow at www.spirit.com.
The long-shuttered downtown hotel-casino is due to reopen in March, 2013 as the Downtown Grand, reports today's LV Sun. The 650-room property, which has been completely gutted pending a total remodel, which is expected to cost more than $100 million.
It's another sporty weekend (if you like the tough stuff), with a mixed bag of music, comedy, and food thrown in, for good measure. Here are some of the highlights:
According to ticket exchange StubHub, Las Vegas is the fifth "Most Rockin'" city in the U.S., behind Hartford, Boston, Miami, and Atlanta. With numerous live-music venues, ranging from local bars to massive arenas, and frequent headlining events like Electric Daisy Carnival, the I Heart Radio festival, and downtown's bi-annual Neon Reverb showcase for new talent, Las Vegas has increasingly become a mecca for music lovers in recent years.
Caesars Ent. is in the process of transforming Bally's Atlantic City, with new retail, dining, and entertainment attractions replacing slots and table games at the Claridge Tower and parts of the Wild Wild West Casino. The timeline for completing construction has not been announced.
Nevada casinos' December win was up 2 percent on the same month the previous year, at almost $856 million. Strip's winnings were up 3.6 percent, but downtown revenue dropped by 10.7 percent.
Market research firm Precision Opinion is hosting a career fair today with a plan to double its workforce with 300 to 400 new hires. The event will take place in two sessions today, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., at the company's HQ at 101 Convention Center Drive, Suite 124. No experience necessary.
Reuters carries a feature today about the criminal investigation of Las Vegas Sands President Sheldon Adelson who, together with his wife, has been a major donor to the Newt Gingrich campaign. Click here to read the article.
Jones Blvd. is closed at Robindale following a fatal accident involving a motorcyclist and an SUV. (This item posted at 4:32 p.m.)
Although it was widely reported last year that the venue would be closing Jan. 2, the restaurant at Caesars Palace remains open for business, and apparently intends to remain so through 2012. We'll keep you posted if/when we hear more.
Tonight a new reality series, "Vegas Stripped," premieres on Travel Channel. The show chronicles the behind-the-scenes workings of a casino (we imagine something like its predecessors "American Casino" and "The Casinom," based at Green Valley Ranch and Golden Nugget, respectively. The series is brought to us by the same team behind History Channel's successful "Pawn Stars" show, and features six episodes filmed between October and December last year, according to the LV Sun. South Point is celebrating the debut, which kicks off with back-to-back episodes, with a free viewing party this evening, featuring two free drinks or free hot dogs and popcorn. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. (when the show premieres live on the east coast).
According to Bloomberg, Caesars Ent., almost doubled in its trading debut, with the stock rising as high as $17.90 and tripping circuit breakers. The IPO valued Caesars at as much as $2.24 billion and the volume was more than three times the number of shares available for trading.
Following all the hype around a potential Mayweather vs. Pacquia fight comes an announcement from Top Rank chairman Bob Arum that the eight division world champion will now fight the undefeated Timothy Bradley for Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on June 9.
Today at 11 a.m. Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will host a pep rally for the USA Eagles as they prepare to compete in the 2012 USA Sevens international rugby tournament, which takes place Feb. 10 – 12 at Sam Boyd Stadium. The rally, which will take place by the entrance to Cabo Wabo, will feature performances by the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy drum line and the USA Sevens cheerleaders, appearances by the USA Eagles, and showgirls from Vegas! The Show.
Caesars Entertainment yesterday priced 1.81 million shares of its stock -- just 1.4% of itself -- at $9 a share, with a view to raising around $16.3 million and allowing some of its investors to sell their shares. The stock begins trading publicly today.
Lakeside, the restaurant and lounge situated on the Lake of Dreams at Wynn, has extended its summer Oyster Happy Hour indefinitely. From 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. nightly, guests can continue to enjoy a selection of fresh Hama Hama, Shibumi, St. Simone, or Rappahannock oysters for $1.50 per piece, at Lakeside’s bar or in the restaurant’s lounge.
Like the Las Vegas Hilton, now LVH, the former Atlantic City Hilton also lost its franchise to use the Hilton name and initially rebranded as ACH Casino Resort last year, but is now the Atlantic Club, which wants to stand out as "the locals casino" in the struggling east coast gaming market.
Share, Las Vegas' only full-on gay strip club, will host its grand opening March 3, hosted by E! Entertainment's Ross Mathews and featuring musical performances by the UK's Luciana. Share occupies the spot that formerly housed Discreet gentlemen's club (previously Minxx), located at 4636 Wynn Road.
The 8th Annual Dam Short Film Festival kicks off tomorrow in Boulder City, with a roster of 110+ short films to enjoy. Tickets are $6 per program, with 19 programs to choose from. Click the link for more information.
Oops! We added Burger Joint at Flamingo twice, and missed off Burger Bar at Mandalay Place. If you wrote in voting for the latter, don't worry about voting again -- we'll add your vote for you. If you didn't vote and are looking for Burger Bar, it's in there now, so go ahead and add your vote.
The current LVA Reader Poll ends midnight tonight, so cast your vote now, before the new poll goes live!
The 2nd annual Caesars Winter Poker Classic kicks off Friday, Feb. 10, with 42 daily events scheduled through March 1, including the $560 buy-in three-day Championship Event on Feb. 25. All tournaments start at noon or 4 p.m., except for the Seniors Event, which starts at 10 a.m. Visit the poker room for more details.
The troubled Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana has been bought out of bankruptcy by a new owner and will be renamed the Mob Attraction Las Vegas. They're currently hiring new staff, too.
It's set to debut in a week's time, but for those who can't wait, here's a sneak preview of the new Museum of Law Enforcement and Organized Crime downtown. [Note: This link/download does not work in Internet Explorer, so change your browser to Firefox or equivalent if you want to view it.]
A group of artists is hoping to bring a Burning Man-type festival to the downtown Arts District next month, reports today's R-J, with a replica of the 20-foot wooden Lucky Lady Lucy sculpture that burned last summer scheduled to be set on fire on a vacant downtown lot March 2 -- the next First Friday event. The event will also feature live music and other performances.
Nevada's $93.9 million handle on Sunday's Super Bowl was the second-largest in state history, a record set in 2006 at $94.5 million.
La Cage has abruptly closed at the Four Queens, which apparently is going to focus its entertainment offerings on concerts, while the Plaza showroom is to host a new production called Avant Garde. Described as a collection of "music, mirth, magic and mayhem, the show debuts Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. and will feature a rotating cast of varied entertainers. Ticket prices start at $34.95 and the show will perform nightly (dark Fridays).
Bob Dancer's weekly column has been posted, in which he discusses how to pick your promotions by calculating how much each is worth on a dollars-per-hour basis. Insightful and instructional, as always.
Station Casinos executives Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta plan to buy out investor JPMorgan Chase for $73 million, reports Vegas Inc.
The pricing of Caesars Entertainment's IPO, which was due to take place Monday, was apparently delayed due to a "technical glitch," but banks are now expected to price the offering today, with trading on the Nasdaq expected to start sometime this afternoon.
Following her triumphant Super Bowl half-time show last weekend, it's just been announced that Madonna will bring her 2012 world tour to Las Vegas Oct. 13 for a show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets will be available starting Monday, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. at livenation.com, the MGM Grand Garden box office, and all Ticketmaster outlets.
As promised in the February issue of the LVA newsletter, we're finally stepping up our game with the long-promised Member Rewards Online program, following the launch of our new dedicated CouponsinVegas.com site. This week we already have six new deals from six new partners, including The Barrymore at Royal Resort, Public House at Venetian, LBS Burger at Red Rock, Holsteins at Cosmo, Pink's Hot Dogs at Planet Hollywood, and the Las Vegas Monorail, which seldom offers discounts to anyone, so check 'em out and if you're not already an LVA member, what are you waiting for?!
A new report released by The American Gaming Association (AGA) shows that the casino industry is responsible for about one percent of the total U.S. GDP. The report shows a total of 566 casinos in 22 states, representing about $125 billion in spending and supporting almost 820,000 jobs, reports Associated Press.
The Tropicana has just launched a new 48-hour sale, with up to 30% off rooms and suites. Sale ends Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 9 a.m., so book now!
This Thursday, Feb. 9, Babes Cabaret topless club hosts the 2nd annual Miss Pole Champ West at 11 p.m. If you haven't already registered, you can register for $30 from 8-10 p.m. on the night. There's a $500 cash prize for first place, plus gift certificates, and a trip to the national finals, where there's a $1,000 top cash prize up for grabs. The event will be filmed for live airing on pay-per-view. Click here for more information.
As of today, the new Mob Bar downtown on Third Street is open for lunch, serving an Italian tapas-style small bites.
Brad Garrett's Comedy Club, due to open at MGM Grand in April, is hosting an open casting call tomorrow for model servers, bartenders, and barbacks, from 2 to 6 p.m. in Tabu Ultralounge. Please bring resume and recent head shot.
Long-time Las Vegas favorite Freed's Bakery (9815 S. Eastern Ave) has launched a "Cupcake Social (Experiment!)", and now through Feb. 12 offering five flavors of cupcakes for $1 each (reg. price $2.95). The promotion is also part of a social-networking experiment: If they reach 100 "shares" of the event on Facebook, they'll also give away the first cupcake free -- no purchase necessary. Click the link for more information.
The closing line is Patriots -3 with extra vig the on Giants (-120 in most places). The total is 53.
The bill proposing "destination casinos" in Florida has been withdrawn, effectively stalling (at least) efforts to build up to three megaresorts there. While it's possible that the bill could be resurrected before the end of the legislative session in March, most experts believe it wil be shelved until next year.
While the legal sports books in Nevada are looking for a handle today in the $90 million range, it pales in comparison to the amount of illegal betting on the Super Bowl that will be done across the nation. It's estimated that $8 billion will be wagered illegally, which equates with more than 50% of U.S. adults having a wager of some sort on the game. This includes online bets, illegal bookies, betting squares, office pools, and man-to-man wagering.
More than 1.25 billion wings -- 100 million pounds in weight -- will be consumed this weekend, according to the National Chicken Council’s 2012 Wing Report. If the wings were laid end-to-end they would circle the circumference of the Earth more than twice – a distance that would reach approximately a quarter of the way to the moon.
Indianapolis may be the best place to be for the Super Bowl, but Vegas is a close second. The town is jumping, but the books aren't packed yet, so there's still time to get in and stake out a seat. The line is Patriots -3 in most places, though we've seen 2.5s at Wynn, South Point, and the Palms.
The installation of overhead girders on the Summerlin Parkway connector is forcing a detour along the freeway and the closure of portions of Rainbow Boulevard. Now through 5 a.m. Monday, drivers heading north or south on U.S. 95 will be detoured onto Rainbow Boulevard then back onto U.S. 95 on the other side of Rainbow Curve. The 95 will be narrowed to only two lanes in each direction, with a 15 mph speed limit, and drivers going east on Summerlin Parkway will also be diverted onto Rainbow. Vehicles trying to drive across Rainbow will be diverted through other surface streets and the work will also restrict access to U.S. 95 north from Jones and from Lake Mead to U.S. 95 southbound. For more information, and a detailed map, check out the coverage on the 8NewsNow site.
Nick Diaz is a -215 favorite over Carlos Condit in tonight's UFC main event. Over 3.5 rounds is -175. In the other big matches, Fabricio Werdum is -175 over Roy Nelson and Josh Koscheck is -275 over Mike Pierce.
The iconic New York import, that's been a fixture on the Strip for 14 years, finally closes for good tonight. They're going out with a bang hosted by LL Cool J and DJ Z-Trip. Doors open at 10 p.m. The space will be converted into a daylife/nightlife restaurant and club venue called Hakkasan Las Vegas.
Bloomberg reports that the price of Super Bowl tickets has fallen 15% over the past week. What does a seat at the big game go for? The average price is a cool $3,664.
As the line on the Super Bowl moves slowly downward, the first Patriots -2 has popped up. While most books have held steadu at Pats -3, a few have moved to -2.5, and now Wynn Las Vegas is dealing -2. If the line closes less than 3, it will be only the fourth time it's done so in the 46-game history of the Super Bowl. You can follow the moves for yourself by with our free lines feed at LVASports.com.
Ladies drink for free tonight from 8-10 p.m. at the new Mob Bar downtown on Third Street.
Meet boxing legends Ken Norton, Leon Spinks, and Ernie Shavers, who'll be signing autographs at the the IBA Cruiserweight Championship at LVH (former Las Vegas Hilton) tonight. Doors at 7 p.m.; tickets start at $25.
MMA fighters Urijah "The California Kid" Faber, Chael Sonnen, Mark Munoz, and Chad Mendes host a pre-fight party at eyecandy sound lounge & bar at Mandalay Bay tonight, ahead of tomorrow's Diaz v. Condit contest.
Check out CouponsinVegas.com for the latest Member Rewards Online offer, which is a discount on the 3-Day Pass for Las Vegas Monorail. The Monorail rarely grants any discounts and this is an exclusive for LVA members.
It's that time of the month again, with the monthly and ever-growing downtown arts festival kicking off in less than an hour. Visit the
The latest in the flurry of seasonal party-pool casting calls takes place at the Palms today and tomorrow from noon to 7 p.m. inside Rain nightclub. Openings include positions for cocktail servers, assistants, bartenders, apprentice bartenders, VIP hosts, and security and lifeguards. Applicants are encouraged to apply online first at the N9NE Group website.
The UFC's Octagon Nation Tour will stop at the Las Vegas Harley Davidson dealership at Sahara and Eastern today and Saturday, from 4 to 6 p.m. Visitors can test their skills at the HDNet Punch Meter for a chance to win a trip to watch a taping of HDNet's "Inside MMA," reports "Fox5 News." There will also be a chance to check out the UFC gaming station and meet Shane Carwin, Miesha Tate, and Ronda Rousey, who will be signing autographs from 5 to 6 p.m. today.
Wynn Resorts yesterday reported higher earnings than anticipated for both its Las Vegas and Macau properties, while Steve Wynn hinted at a possible redesign in the works for Encore, which was built under the assumption that there would be new resort-casinos across the street -- something that now seems unlikely any time soon. Vegas Inc. reports that the casino mogul explained that Wynn Las Vegas' sister property was designed for a west-to-east flow from the Plaza Las Vegas and Echelon, which have been scrapped and indefinitely postponed, respectively. "The changes we’re looking at would be exciting and work to our advantage," he said.
The opening of the new Splash Canyon water park, optimistically scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, has been postponed for a year due to construction delays, reports "Fox5 News." The $20-million attraction will be built on a 35-acre space on the southwest side of town at Fort Apache, between Maule Avenue and Warm Springs Road. Anyone who purchased season passes for 2012 can get a refund or convert to a 2013 season pass for $49.50 (a 50% discount). The company is also recruiting seasonal workers for next year on its website.
Primm Valley Resorts continues to woo the Latino market with the upcoming debut of Raymond Ayala's Cocina and Cantina on Feb. 16. To mark the grand opening, patrons are encouraged to start cultivating their best mustache, with a VIP package, including tickets to Ayala's concert on Feb. 19, dinner for two, and a two-night stay going to the winner. The party will take place from 7 to 9 p.m., with complimentary food samples and an appearance by Raymond Ayala. For more information and to register for the contest, click here.
Today's R-J reports that a developer plans to turn a vacant lot on W. Sahara Avenue into a 10-story Asian-oriented resort-casino called the Lucky Dragon. The lot, once destined to house a condo tower, is located between the Allure condominium tower and the Golden Steer restaurant. The proposal goes before the Las Vegas City Council on Feb. 15.
Props are the subject of today's Question of the Day, and since we wrote the answer, various race and sports books have started posting their props online, so we're adding the links as we find 'em.
The Robert & Paco Show airs live at 7 p.m. tonight from Rockhouse, with special guest Coolio. The Internet radio show broadcasts on Hook Jaw Net Radio and fans of the hip-hop star are welcome to attend the live broadcast and meet the artist.
Get warmed up for UFC 143 with Friday Night Fights at Texas Station tonight, presented by ESPN and Warriors. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the first bout's at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $27.
The flash sale at the Tropicana ends at 9 p.m. tonight, so you've got less than four hours to take advantage of the 25% discount on rooms and suites. Hurry!
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Imperial Palace has debuted its new Silver Sky Chapel with two renovated venues, the Skyline and the Sierra. Wedding packages range from simple to "Vegas-style," with the option of quirky additions, including "liquid courage" shots, showgirls, celebrity impersonators, and matching couples tattoos.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Caesars Entertainment announced this morning that it would list in excess of 1.8 million shares of common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CZR, with an initial asking price of between $8 and $10 a share. No timeframe has yet been given for the IPO.
Following the announcement of this year's World Series of Poker dates, comes word that the tournament will add almost 100 extra tables and an additional three bracelets -- bringing the total number of bracelet events to 61 -- this year.
With the Super Bowl looming, handicapping luminary and LVASportsboards moderator Fezzik will be the guest on Seat Williams and Paulie Howard's show on ESPN Radio (1100 AM) today from 1 to 2 p.m.
Tropicana Las Vegas is holding a 12-hour room sale today, with 25% off all rooms and suites, so book now so you don't miss out. Sale ends 9 p.m. tonight.
If you're looking for ways to woo your honey, check out our Valentine's Day listings in "Special Events" for events, entertainment, and dining ideas.
February is Heart Health Month, and various Las Vegas venues are supporting the cause. PBR Rock Bar & Grill at Miracle Mile Shops is teaming with the American Heart Association to host "Go Red for Women" to help spread awareness for Heart Month and National Wear Red Day today, Thursday, Feb. 2. The event, sponsored by Smirnoff Vodka (really? for heart health?) takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. and is free to attend. Supporters wearing red will be treated to a complimentary cocktail and invited to join in the event’s Strip-side group photo.
Meanwhile, both Hard Rock Cafe locations have started a year-long program called "Rock the Cause," featuring a different specific cause to support each month, starting with Heart Health Month in February, marked by the promotion of healthier eating options on their menus, and a blood drive hosted by Carrot Top on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Hard Rock Cafe location on Paradise and Harmon. All donors will receive a free ticket to see Carrot Top live at Luxor.
Get your laughing hat on, because, in addition to the two big sporting events this weekend, Las Vegas is literally awash with comedians:
With the "Big Game" looming, Anthony Curtis just posted the final Football Update of the season at LVASports.com, with tips on where to watch the game, prop bets, and more.
As of tonight, Raack n Roll, the topless revue at Hooters, will now perform Wednesdays, as well as Friday through Sunday. Don't forget there's a twofer ticket offer in the 2012 MRB.
A reminder that tonight from 5 to 9 p.m. South Point hosts a massive and free-to-attend food truck festival, featuring several of Las Vegas' most popular mobile eateries, plus visiting trucks from out of state (click the link for complete list). One of the visitors will be LA's Border Grill truck, and coincidentally it was today reported by the VegasEater blog that owners Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger have announced that opening a second Las Vegas Strip location, in addition to the existing Border Grill at Mandalay Bay, is a "top priority" for them, although they have not yet hinted at a venue. The existing location here has been in the "Essential 50" restaurants in Eating Las Vegas for the past two years. Watch this space...
Missouri news media are reporting that former UNLV basketball coach Charlie Spoonhour has died at the age of 72. Spoonhour coached the Runnin' Rebels from 2001 to 2004, when he retired.
Don't forget, today also marks the opening of the Rebel Swag store in Hooters Casino.
After all the hype Floyd Mayweather has been generating for a May 5 fight against Manny Pacquiao, the Las Vegas-based boxer has announced that he plans to fight Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on that date, after the Nevada State Athletic Commission today voted unanimously to grant him a one-fight license for the May 5 fight. The license is conditional upon Mayweather meeting the counseling and community service requirements of his plea deal; a status review is scheduled for March 15.
The 43rd annual World Series of Poker, which will once more take place at the Rio, kicks off May 27, running through July 16. The Main Event begins July 7.
E. Flamingo Rd. is currently closed all the way from Sandhill to the US 95 off ramp due to a serious traffic accident. (This item posted at 11:00 a.m.)
According to gossip maestro Robin Leach's Vegas Deluxe blog, plans for the Tropicana to host a "Dancing With the Stars" production show, with a revolving cast of stars, have been scrapped because the project was too expensive. It's just the latest in a string of entertainment hiccups at the newly remodeled resort.
Robin's also reporting that the makeover at the Palms, highlighted in the February issue of the LVA newsletter, will include the transformation of the former spa into a poolside restaurant, and the closure of Rain nightclub for a complete remodel.
Jaguars gentlemen's club, which reopened under its original name last July after subsequent abortive incarnations as SCORES and Rick's Cabaret, has closed once more. There are other shake-ups in the works in the adult-entertainment scene, with word that one venue will be opening a swingers club upstairs, and lots of management reshuffles afoot. To keep abreast of the current strip-club scene, purchase our electronic guide to Topless Vegas and subscribe to the "Update Package" for a whole year's access to the most current data for every club, topless revue, and European-style pool.
Station Casinos will give away 200 cars and $400,000 in cash between February 10-29. The "$5 Million Car-A-Day Giveaway" promotion will take place across all 10 Station and Fiesta locations, which will each give away one car per day during the 20-day promo period, with drawings held daily at 8:15 p.m. in each casino. Four $500 cash winners will also be drawn at each location. See the players club for more details.