The March issue of our monthly newsletter has been posted online, with construction-project updates, the next installment of our ongoing quest for the best bargain breakfast buffet, plus the lowdown on a double-royal video poker promotion, the biggest pizza slice in Vegas, March "daylife" pool openings, a twofer for Cosmo’s Wicked Spoon buffet, March Madness parties, a prime rib powerhouse, and so much more!
Ultimate Poker is giving poker players in Nevada the chance to compete in tournaments for to win cash, prizes, and free entry to future big-money tournaments, including "$20,000 Sundays," with the launch of ten new "Big 25," tournaments, to take place March 2-9. Each of these events will feature $25 buy-ins, re-buys, and add-ons, with a $2,500 prize pool. A leader board will track players' results throughout the entire series, based on points earned at each event, and the top ten players will receive free entry into one of Ultimate Poker’s big-money tournaments.
In addition, starting tonight and running through March 8, Ultimate Poker will host six Big 25 satellite tourneys each night from Feb. 28 to March 8, with $2.50 buy-ins, re-buys, and add-ons, for two guaranteed Big 25 Event Seats. For more info, visit ultimatepoker.com/promotions/big-25/. And don't forget you can play live games and tournaments daily for FREE for cash and prizes at the LVA Casino -- the next poker tourney goes off at 3 p.m. today, so be sure to sign up and register for some free Friday afternoon fun!
Clark County is to stage its first "surplus" auction of the year on Saturday, with approximately 150 vehicles, plus 500 lots of items acquired by government agencies in southern Nevada up for grabs to the highest bidders. In addition to fire trucks, police motorcycles, and cars, other items in the auction include furniture, bicycles, office equipment, and lost and found items from McCarran International Airport. The final preview period ends at 5 p.m. today at the auction site at 4320 Stephanie St., near East Flamingo Road; the auction starts at 9 a.m. Saturday and hopeful bidders must be registered in advance to take part. There's an informational video available at ClarkCountyNV.gov and on the county's YouTube page, providing a walk-through of the whole process. Two more auctions are scheduled for later in the year, with the next one slated for May 17.
A three-month construction project, aimed at improving sidewalks and median islands and installing new traffic lights, began Thursday on a 1 1/2-mile stretch of Decatur Boulevard in northwest between U.S. 95 and Lake Mead Boulevard, resulting in ongoing lane restrictions Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. While at least two lanes should be open during peak morning and afternoon hours, traffic is expected to be restricted to one lane in each direction from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drivers are advised to use Jones Boulevard and Rancho Drive as alternate routes during the construction period.es.
Green Valley Ranch gets the Fat Tuesday celebrations underway early this year, with their Party Gras festivities this Saturday. Hosted in conjunction with 107.5 FM, there will be a live performance by Ashley Red, free cake and mardi gras beads (while supplies last), drink specials, and a $1,000 prize awarded to Mr & Mrs Party Gras (see website for contest rules). Tickets are $10 (plus tax/fees) in advance, or $15 at the door.
While the weather outside may be frightful, there's plenty going on inside this (wet) weekend. Here are some of the highlights:
According to the latest figures released by the state Gaming Control Board, Nevada gaming revenues were down 2.76 percent in January compared to the same month last year, to $884.2 million. This total reflects a 1.4 percent decline on the Strip, a massive 18 percent drop on the Boulder Strip, almost 13.5 percent in North Las Vegas, and 3.39 percent downtown.
Tickets to the 2014 Burning Man festival went on sale this morning, and all 38,000 of them were sold out in less than an hour. (Actual attendance at the event last year was close to 70,000 people, with the majority of the remaining balance of tickets this year either having been distributed in pre-sale events or else set aside for special-interest groups, including qualifiers in a low-income program who receive heavily discounted tickets. After the 44-minute whirlwind sale this morning, there will be just one remaining sale event for the final 1,000 spaces at the annual counter-culture festival hosted by the Black Rock Desert in Northern Nevada, so if you haven't yet bagged your spot, make sure you have $350 available and set your alarm for July 31.
Brace yourself for more of the same, but wetter and windier than the past day or so, with the National Weather Service having issued a wind advisory for the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas until 6 p.m. Thursday, anticipating winds gusting at up to 55 mph in some areas. On Friday, the wind will be accompanied by rain, which could be heavy at times, and up to four inches of snow a possibility in the mountains. The wet weather is set to continue through Saturday, but with a reduced likelihood of showers by Sunday. Remember to be careful on the roads, both for the dangers of flooding and for slippery conditions caused by a build up of oil and other dirt during the preceding dry months.
On August 20, 1964, The Beatles played two sold-out concerts at the Las Vegas Convention Center, performing to an estimated 16,000 people in what turned out to be their only performances ever in Las Vegas. To mark the 50th anniversary this summer, the LVCVA is looking for locals who were here and remember when Beatlemania swept Sin City. Did you run into Ringo in restroom? Scale the walls of the Sahara hoping to snap a shot of the lads from Liverpool? If you have an interesting story or anecdote to relate about that day, the Las Vegas News Bureau wants to hear from you, so drop 'em a line via [email protected] or call 702-735-3611.
And, if you're a fan of the Fab Four, this Saturday, March 1, tribute band 1964: The Tribute play their their 50th-anniversary celebratory Beatles concert at M Resort. Tickets start at $19.50 show starts at 8 p.m.
Passenger traffic at McCarran International Airport was up 5.3 percent in January over the same month last year, with a reported 3.3 million passengers passing through the airport’s gates, according to the Clark County Department of Aviation.
Gaming regulators in New Jersey this week approved a multi-state slots system that's designed to result in larger, Powerball-style jackpots. The new Powerbucks system will be operated by IGT and apparently several states have expressed interest in participating, although to-date only South Dakota has announced this publicly.
Las Vegas has made it to the final-eight shortlist of cities vying to host the 2016 Republican National Convention, along with Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Dallas, Kansas City, and Phoenix. Now it remains to be seen whether Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki's pitch on behalf of Las Vegas, which emphasized the city's accessibility and conveniently clustered hotel and convention accommodations, is able to outweigh conservative concerns regarding our reputation for being "Sin City."
The sushi restaurant at Red Rock Resort is widely reported as having closed without warning Tuesday night. Chef Ryen Indica from Hachi suffered a stroke at the end of last year, which may well have been a factor in this decision, while a rep. from the Station Casinos property is quoted as saying merely that the the move "will allow us to introduce a new restaurant concept at Red Rock Resort." Watch this space for updates.
Jerry’s Nugget in North Las Vegas is continuing its 50th-anniversary celebrations into March, with more promos and deals, including the $10,500 Big Game in the bingo hall on Thursday, March 6 at 9 p.m. The 17-game event offers $7,500 in payouts, plus three $1,000 coveralls. Entries are now available for $35, which includes one six-on pack and one bonanza; extra six-on packs are $10.
The bingo hall will also be holding weekly $1,000 cash drawings on Wednesdays, starting March 5. MoreClub members may begin qualifying for drawing tickets March 1 by making a $10-minimum buy-in in any session.
Rain and high winds are in the forecast for Southern Nevada, apparently, thanks to a large low-pressure system currently off the coast of California that's due to make landfall in these parts on Friday. At least a quarter-inch of rain is expected to fall in the Spring Mountains, which could have repercussions in the area affected by the Carpenter-1 wildfire, where loss of ground cover can lead to flash flooding.
Aha! Having just moseyed on over to our friend Vital Vegas' blog, while digging around for something entirely different we happened to come across his post from earlier this week about the Carnival World Buffet. Vital has some inside-info advantage when it comes to CET properties, having formerly been their official blogger, and apparently he's got the scoop on what will be the first major makeover since the Rio's buffet debuted back in 1990. It sounds as if it could be as comprehensive as the recent $17 million upgrade Caesars' buffet underwent, although likely on a much more modest budget. However, we also gather that the recent discontinuation of breakfast was less a precursor to this pending upgrade, and more due to contractual terms imposed by the newly debuted Hash House A Go Go breakfast eatery.
There’s been little press about it, but the demolition of downtown’s Clark County Courthouse is in progress. The area is fenced off and most of the big building has already been knocked down. The property was purchased by the D last October.
In a controversial move, commencing March 3 Metro will no longer be responding to non-injury vehicle accidents, placing the onus on those involved to produce and submit the requisite paperwork, photograph the scene, and so on. There's a form called the SR-1 provided by the DMV to Report a Traffic Accident at which Metro was not present, which needs to be completed and submitted within 10 days of the incident.
The new policy is the result of staffing cuts at Metro and a decision to focus manpower resources on efforts to reduce the escalating numbers of traffic-related fatalities, a spokesman announced today at a news conference. It was also stated that the new policy will not affect police response to injury accidents, hit-and-runs, or incidents in which at least one of the drivers will not exchange insurance information, but the Nevada Insurance Council has already called the move a "poorly executed plan" that could lead to safety problems and higher insurance costs.
They say every cloud has a silver lining, and for New Jersey's Golden Nugget casino, it turns out that the fallout from the recent closure of a competitor has been a boost to its own business, to the extent that this week the casino is holding a two-day "emergency job fair." With 50 positions to fill immediately (i.e., to commence work as soon as this Friday), the recruitment drive will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the Newport Room located on the casino’s fourth floor (adjacent to the intriguingly named Wine and Wifi lounge). Spokespeople for the Golden Nugget are attributing the spike in business both to the closure of the Atlantic Club six weeks ago, and to the success of recent marketing initiatives that reached out to former patrons of the defunct casino, and to more general efforts to lure customers from other neighboring casinos with loyalty program upgrades.
After a brief closure for a major update, what's being described as a "reimagined and modernized" Jubilee! is set to reopen at Bally's March 17. There's a pre-sale for Total Rewards members from 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 to 10 p.m. Feb. 27; regular ticket sales open at 10 a.m. this Friday and, from what we can tell so far, it looks like prices have stayed about the same and that there's still a backstage tour offered (separately).
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and his Delaware counterpart Jack Markell today signed the first-ever deal that would allow poker players in the two states to play against each other online and puts in place a framework of minimum regulatory standards that both states agree to adhere to.
Las Vegas' top buffets have been vying for some time now for ways in which to distinguish their "gourmetness" or to stand out from the crowd: multiple complimentary beers on tap and a Thai-food station at M Resort's debut; Las Vegas' first Tandoor oven at Aria; an exclusive deal with opentable.com to enable online reservations for Paris' popular Le Village buffet; unlimited caviar and a walk-up bar-seating option at Bellagio, etc., etc. Now it's Bellagio's turn once again to raise the bar, reports EaterVegas, with the introduction of the first buffet "chef's table" -- normally the preserve of such rarefied venues as Restaurant Guy Savoy, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, or Jaleo.
Now, those who opt to pay the $20 premium-upgrade dinner price of $53.99 ($59.99 on weekends) at Bellagio not only get to skip the line, but will even have access to the kitchen itself for that personal touch, in the form of an array of seasonal fruits, house-baked breads, and canapés from which to help yourself. Plus, in addition to all the (amazing) regular options on offer for the unwashed masses, VIP guests may also avail themselves of a specialty menu, featuring artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, and caviar, plus tableside presentations including "live-action salad creations" (makes lettuce sound positively dangerous!), meat carvings, and a house-made chocolate fondue option for dessert.
Tuesday is the last day to vote in our current Reader Poll, surveying your take on the best bargain-breakfast buffets in town. The results will be published in the upcoming March issue of the LVA newsletter, so make your choice count! NOTE: This survey is limited to BREAKFAST and to buffets with a base price for that meal of $10 or under, not counting available coupons and players-reward discounts, etc., which is why some (in fact, all) of the "other" picks you've been writing in about -- Flamingo, Champagne Brunch at the Fremont, etc. -- are not included as voting options.
Nevada state gaming regulators have approved the use of debit cards for gambling on slot machines, following a move already made by Atlantic City. The prepaid debit cards will be linked to the gambler's player-rewards account and can have cash limits set by the customer and/or their banking institution. Also known as "access cards," when used for wagering or for purchases made within the casino, reward points will be earned and added to the player's account; the cards can also be used for purchases outside the property/group, just like a traditional debit card. Approval of the cards' use comes on the heels of the recent move by two downtown properties to accept virtual currency Bitcoin for transactions outside of the gaming floor.
The opening date for what was previously Bill's, and briefly Gansevoort, has finally been officially announced and reservations may now be made for dates commencing May 21, a few days ahead of the already-announced Memorial Day-weekend debut for Victor Drai's much-anticipated rooftop venue at the center-Strip property. The first few days post-opening are all listed as sold out on the hotel's website, but we were able to check rates from early June onwards, and we can reveal the cheapest rate currently available is $249/night, plus $25 resort fee.
Sheldon Adelson is making no secret of the fact that he wants in on Japan. The CEO of Sands Corp. said the company is willing to spend "whatever it takes" to operate there once gambling is legalized, which appears to be just a matter of time. Adelson said that he'd invest $10 billion, but would "rather do it at seven."
Station Casinos is awarding 3.3X points for slots through the end of February. While Station bonus days usually include video poker, this bonus is for slots only. The offer is good at all Stations and Fiestas.
Las Vegas visitors totaled 39.67 million in 2013, .1% off the record total of 39.73 million set in 2012. City officials had predicted that the count would surpass 40 million last year, and are now setting that goal for 2014.
The on-again off-again Striptease gentlemen's club looks like it's off again. Only about a month removed from its latest opening, the club was closed when we checked near midnight on Saturday.
Movie tickets are $6 on Tuesdays at Green Valley Ranch and Fiesta Henderson. The offer is good all day and for all movies except 3D features.
Today's poker tournament begins at noon PST/3 pm EST. It's free to enter and we're playing for $30 in Amazon gift cards. Go to Play.LasVegasAdvisor.com or click through the link on the home page to sign up, beginning one hour before the start.
Ronda Rousey is a -435 favorite Sara McMann in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Daniel Cormier is -1125 over Patrick Cummins. The card is being shown all around Las Vegas, including Home Plate bar for a $10 admission fee and at Wildfire Valley View for free.
Reflexology businesses in Clark County will soon face increased regulations. As of May 31, hours will be restricted to 8 a.m. to midnight (except where variances are obtained), and practitioners will be required to possess a specified level of training. New reflexologists must undergo background checks. The changes were mandated to curb illegal activities, including prostitution and credit card abuse.
Canada is a -180 favorite over Sweden in tomorrow's gold medal hockey game, which will be played early in the morning. The total is 4.5 goals.
The two casinos in Singapore won $6.1 billion in 2013, making it the third largest gaming market in the world, behind Macau ($45.2 billion) and the Las Vegas Strip ($6.5 million). Its two casinos, Marina Bay Sands and Genting’s Resorts World Sentosa, were almost equal contributors to the total.
The Culinary has voted to end contract extensions for casinos that have not yet come to new terms with the union since the previous contract expired in June. Agreements have been reached with MRI and CET properties, but 17 casinos -- including the Cosmopolitan, Golden Nugget, the D, Tropicana, and Stratosphere -- are still unsigned and are now subject to union picketing and other demonstrations, though no such plans have been announced. The last city-wide strike was in 1984.
We're continuing our weekend poker tournaments at the LVA Casino. Today's tournament begins at noon PST/3 pm EST. It's free to enter and we're playing for $30 in Best Buy gift cards. Go to Play.LasVegasAdvisor.com or click through the link on the home page to sign up, beginning one hour before the start. There'll be another at noon tomorrow.
Looking for something a little left-of-center to do this weekend? We gave our regular round-up of mainstream headliner stuff on Thursday as usual, but here are a couple of different ideas:
In the wake of New Jersey's recent launch of legal online gambling sites which, to date, have brought in a lot less revenue than hoped, some lawmakers in the East Coast gaming enclave are now considering a study to investigate the effects of allowing casino expansion outside of Atlantic City, as a previously agreed five-year window for the troubled tourist destination to turn around its fortunes nears its 2016 expiration date. The argument is likely to be hotly contended, with some feeling that the casino industry has merely milked A.C. for profits without reinvesting adequately and is now looking for protection in the face of multiple challenges, while others fear that any increased competition could destroy the fragile casino industry. Also being questioned is the effectiveness of a recently launched and costly marketing initiative that aimed to improve the perception of Atlantic City and broaden its tourist appeal but is evidently falling short of expectations.
Today sees the grand opening of LOOK Style Society, a new one-stop-shop destination for all your hair, nail, cosmetics, and other beauty needs, all under one (huge) roof, open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Crazy Horse III gentlemen's club has added a new facet to its offerings, which already included a sushi restaurant and Posh after-hours. Just in time for March Madness, the strip club located at 3525 W. Russell is now billing itself as "Crazy Horse III Gentlemen's Club and Sports Bar" and has added new hi def TVs and comfy seating for sports enthusiasts, with Posh now serving double-duty as a sports bar for the screening of special events in the sporting calendar (it's still available for private events as a club-within-a-club).
To keep abreast of all available adult-entertainment options in Las Vegas, follow our @ToplessVegas and watch out for announcements regarding the imminent launch of our full ToplessVegasOnline website, which will be debuting any week now. Clubs/event promoters email [email protected] for previews of available ad and sponsorship packages.
The U.S. men's hockey team is a slight -115 favorite over Canada in today's Olympic semi-final game. The total is 5.5 goals.
One of Sin City's more "sinful" attractions is a thing of the past, with the Erotic Heritage Museum having closed its doors for good Wednesday following the serving of an eviction order, plus the bringing of a lawsuit for unpaid rent by strip-club impresario Harry Mohney, who loaned the 6,000-piece collection of assorted vintage and modern erotica and was the Industrial Road venue's landlord. The Erotic Heritage Museum first opened in 2008 and hosted regular "alternative" events, including lectures and how-to courses on topics like "BDSM and the Law" or "The Art of Cunninlingus."
MGM Resorts International has announced a new partnership with the Las Vegas-based Ultimate Fighting Championship to offer exclusive offers and perks to members of the casino group's player-rewards program. M life members will have the opportunity to experience exclusive perks, including: pre-sale ticket offers, access to UFC parties, contests, giveaways, and fighter meet-and-greets, discounted merchandise, and one complimentary digital code to purchase and view a UFC fight. While UFC is owned by Station Casinos, the locals-oriented group does not have a presence on the Strip and Las Vegas UFC events have historically been hosted either by Mandalay Bay Events Center or the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Despite a mid-January fire at Monte Carlo that saw an estimated $100,000-worth of damage to the under-constructioon watering hole from sbe, it doesn't seem to have put too much of a crimp in the new restaurant's launch date, with a March 7 opening announced today for what's billing itself as the "first authentic roadhouse experience" on the Strip and the pioneering venue to debut as part of the massive facade makeover that Monte Carlo and neighboring NY-NY are currently experiencing.
It's National Margarita Day on Saturday, so expect deals on salty fruity concoctions to be flowing at your nearest Mexican restaurant/bar (or even spa!), while here are some of the other highlights this weekend, which of course can be enjoyed in conjunction with your tequila cocktail of choice:
A report in the Hong Kong Economic Journal has Macau casino operators -- and their investors -- worried, with news that renewal terms for gaming licenses in the casino enclave may be shortened to just five years, as opposed to the norm of 10 or 20 years now, and that licensees may also be required to invest more heavily in non-gaming business and be subject to higher rates of taxation. The policy is said to be a conscious political move to limit the power of U.S.-based operators like Las Vegas-based Sands and Wynn, whose licenses will be up for renewal in 2020 and 2022.
Just one winning ticket for sold for Wednesday's $425-million Powerball jackpot, at a gas station in Milpitas, CA. The winning numbers were 1-17-35-49-54 and the Powerball was 34. It's the sixth-biggest prize in the history of this lottery, which is generating higher payouts more frequently thanks to a recent change in the rules.
RealGaming.com, the Internet poker vehicle for South Point casino, has staged its "soft" launch, bringing the current tally to three real-money online poker sites in Nevada, including Station Casinos' Ultimate Poker brand, and CET's World Series of Poker brand. The newcomer, owned by Michael Gaughan, is offering both cash games and tournament play available across multiple platforms, including both PCs and Macs, tablets, and smartphones for players located within state boundaries (accounts may be set up and deposits made from anywhere prior to play commencing).
U.K.-based Hakkasan Group, which operates restaurants and day/nightlife venues in London, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Mumbai, and soon also in Shanghai, has bought out the Vegas-based Angel Management Group, which runs Hakkasan's entertainment complex and Wet Republic at MGM Grand, plus Pure at Caesars, Social House inside Crystals, and a couple of venues in Atlantic City.
Commencing Wednesday, May 21, Axl and the boys will return to The Joint at the Hard Rock for their second "mini-residency," with dates through June 27. Tickets start at $49.50 (plus fees) and go on sale Friday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.
After five years of planning and construction, the new El Loco roller coaster finally opened for business in Circus Circus' Adventuredome Tuesday, and according to the coverage by Vegas Inc., the ride is as thrilling as promised -- enough to make good eleven-year-olds say "bad words"! Tickets for El Loco are $10, or visitors may purchase an all-day, all-ride pass for the facility for $30.
Following the discontinuation of their deal with Boyd Gaming's Orleans Arena, the Las Vegas Wranglers Hockey team has formed what at first glance sounds like an unlikely partnership with downtown's Plaza hotel, as we reported earlier (see "Today's News" 2/16). Today's R-J has an update on this story, following the release of additional details. According to the report, team owners plan to invest $4 million in a new 45,000-square-foot fabric-shell structure to house the hockey rink and seating for 3,500 on the roof of the hotel-casino, which is currently home to tennis and basketball courts, plus the pool (the latter is slated to remain, making the plan even harder to get our head around), but was previously a parking structure and, hence, is able to take the weight of the ice rink and its fans.
As part of the initial five-year deal, which is open to renewal for another five years once it expires, the fifth floor of the Plaza's south tower will be converted to locker rooms, medical space, and bathrooms, and the hotel will likely offer room deals to visiting team and hockey fans. The new insulated structure on the roof, a concept which Wranglers president Billy Johnson describes as "funky," is expected to take five months to assemble, and will be home to additional midnight games to cash in on downtown's thriving nightlife scene. "Midnight games down here will be sick," as Johnson puts it. The last game at the Orleans will be April 1; the new arena is expected to be ready for league play by November and will also be used for public skating and even other events, like concerts.
A visit to the official Country Superstars Tribute show website just had us worried: While in the url the name says "Live," on the actual page the title is currently followed (parenthetically) by "dead." We know Willie Nelson is old, but to our knowledge he's still alive and tokin', and we had heard of no horrible accident involving Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, and Tim McGraw. A chat with an online agent explained that in this context, "dead" means: "has moved to a different smaller showroom within the same V Theater complex." Ah, okay.
Meanwhile, the Caesars' Ticketmaster connection still appears to be up and down, with the sporadic ability to purchase show tickets today, interspersed with periods when you cannot.
During our monthly call-around to check all ticket prices for Las Vegas production shows, we have encountered a problem with all CET shows, namely that Ticketmaster is currently unable to process any request to purchase tix. No doubt this will be resolved soon, but if you're encountering a problem while trying to take advantage of one our show-ticket deals, that's why and the issue is at their end, not ours.
In this week's concluding column to his 2-parter on the 2013 Blackjack Ball, Bob Dancer takes issue with how the final table went down. Check it out and see if you agree. As a side note, the person who did win was awarded what's known as the "Grosjean Cup," named for our illustrious new Beyond Numbers blogger James Grosjean, the only person in the history of the universe to win the famed event three times (and this despite the fact that he sucks at arm wrestling, which is testament to how good he is at all the other required tasks, which generally call on brainpower rather than brawn).
First, a quick addendum to an earlier item in this column, where we mentioned that MGM Grand's Wet Republic would be the pioneer of the 2014 "daylife" season: We forgot that Mandalay Bay's pool complex has stated that it will open for business March 7 (see "Question of the Day" 2/5/14 in the QoD Archives. Oops!
The big news, however, is that Victor Drai's much-anticipated rooftop beach/nightclub complex at The Cromwell (formerly Bill's/Barbary Coast) is set to debut Memorial Day, atop what's billing itself as the Strip's first "stand-alone boutique hotel." (It will likely pip SLS to the post for that title, with the latter having announced a Labor Day grand opening on the site of what was formerly the Sahara, although The Cromwell is still being very vague and elusive about its opening date -- see "Today's News" 1/31/14.) Drai is known as the father of the Las Vegas after-hours scene, with his club at this property (in its previous incarnations) having paved the way for much of the city's subsequent nightlife explosion, when he debuted his novel concept 17 years ago. Drai's is currently temporarily housed at neighboring Bally's, where the club was the unfortunate scene of a 2013 shooting incident that left one civilian dead and two security guards hospitalized with gunshot wounds. The perpetrator, Benjamin Frazier, is currently being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center having pleaded not-guilty to six charges, including one count of murder and two of attempted murder, for which he may receive the death penalty.
Following an apparent attack by "cyberhackers" that saw all of Las Vegas Sands Corp.'s websites taken down worldwide and company email compromised, this morning saw Venetian and Palazzo's online presence restored. Locally, the Gaming Control Board is investigating the incident, as is the FBI, but to date no culprit has been named.
Gaming Today reports that TI has plans for a new sports book, though we assume that it will be more of a renovation in its current spot. A temporary book will operate out of the poker room during construction. The new book is scheduled to open in June.
Green Valley Ranch has opened a live keno lounge. It's located near the poker room and operates daily from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. It's the second keno-lounge development in a month, with a new room under construction at Rampart.
A favorite July 4th party place located about 12 miles southwest of Boulder City has been ruled off limits this year. Boulder City officials will restrict access to the El Dorado Valley dry lake bead from 5 p.m. July 3 to 5 p.m July 5 this holiday. The party area has hosted Independence Day festivities that reportedly include the firing of illegal fireworks and excessive drinking that has resulted in abundant 911 calls. It's estimated that some 3,000 people typically head to the area over the holiday.
Our Sunday Funday freeroll didn't go off exactly as planned, as a big field of 303 players crashed our servers (ugh) and left several out in the cold. Still, several players were able to dodge the disconnects and we wound up with a full final table that saw Dan Bledsoe of North Las Vegas take first-place honors. The runner-up was Mark Gaspar of Highland Hts. Ohio. Congratulations to all nine final-table participants -- this one was well-earned. We're working on fixing the glitches for next month's tournament our free tournaments for prizes continue to run daily at Play.LasVegasAdvisor.com.
It's not the biggest holiday in Vegas, but there are President's Day specials out there today. South Point is awarding 10X points on penny reels, 5X on all other reel slots, and 2X on video poker. Earn 100 points from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Gold Coast, Sun Coast, Sam's Town, or Orleans and get a Penny Lane T-shirt. Earn 500 points from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Station and Fiesta casinos to get a whole apple or cherry pie. And get a free slice of cherry pie from noon to 6 p.m. just for playing at El Cortez.
The West is a -3.5 favorite over the East in today's NBA All-Star game. The total is 290.5.
MGM Grand's Wet Republic will open on March 14, unveiling Phase II of a two-year remodel. As of now it will be the first opening of the 2014 pool season.
The Plaza will build a new 3,500-seat facility located at the casino to host the Las Vegas Wranglers hockey team. The Wranglers, who recently lost their home at the Orleans Arena, will begin play at the Plaza at the start of the 2014-15 ECHL season.
Our first "Sunday Funday" poker tournament with more than $500 in prizes begins at noon PST/3 p.m. EST today. Prizes are $100 for first, a miniature slot machine for second, a full LVA membership for third, and gift cards and other prizes will be awarded to all who make the final table. See the entire prize pool and register to play at Play.LasVegasAdvisor.com, or click through the link on the home page (once signed in, click on "Poker Tournaments" and register for Tourney ID 4110). This tournament is completely free to play and we're adding a second LVA membership for the player who knocks out Anthony Curtis. Come have some fun! See you at noon.
Lyoto Machida is a -230 favorite Gegard Mousasi in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Ronaldo Souza is -530 over Francis Carmont.
In one of those cool little concerts in out-of-the-way venues, Boz Skaggs plays Eastside Cannery tonight. Tickets start at $35 for the 8:30 concert.
The Main Event champion of this year's World Series of Poker will win a guaranteed $10 million. The WSOP is setting the prize to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event being held at the Rio, but it doesn't mean that prize money will be added. If there aren't enough players to generate $10 million for first, the percentages paid to other in-the-money finishers will be lowered to make up the difference.
The websites of the Venetian, Palazzo, and other LV Sands properties worldwide remain down today after a hacker attack closed them on Tuesday. A static page provides phone numbers for reservations and links to some resort-associated information with a notice at the top saying the sites are "undergoing maintenance."
Sign-ups are strong for our first "Sunday Funday" poker tournament at the new LVA Casino. Over $500 in prizes are up for grabs, including a first-place prize of $100 (not to mention bragging rights). It's free to play. The tourney starts at noon PST/3 p.m. EST tomorrow. Go to Play.LasVegasAdvisor.com or click through the link on the home page to sign up.
One of the better bar video poker games is no more. The 9/5 Jacks or Better at Sonny's Saloon has been taken out. The best game there is now 7/5 Bonus Poker with a $1,100 royal flush. It drops the top payout from 98.45% to 98.06%, but the Heineken is still the coldest in town.
Starting Tuesday February 18 a new show will hit the Suncoast. "Las Vegas has Talent" is a new weekly talent competition that will run for 12 weeks in the Suncoast showroom. Show time is every Tuesday at 2 p.m. and admission is free. If you are interested in showcasing your talent then visit www.desertproductionslv.com for a chance to be part of the show.
After several years in the building, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System has opened just outside of Primm at the Nevada/California border. The $2.2 billion complex is the largest solar power plant in the world, covering five square miles. The hundreds of thousands of mirrors used in the generation process create the illusion of a shining lake and can be seen from I-15.
Many casino restaurants are running special meals today. In addition to the listings put up yesterday, Station casinos are offering Valentine's Day bonuses in their bingo rooms and the Downtown Grand has a V-Day slot tournament with a $99 entry fee.
Obviously, every restaurant, bar, nightclub, lingerie store, brothel, and florist worth its salt is doing something special this Valentine's Day, but here are a few typically "Sin City"-esque ways to mark this annual night of love and romance:
Our massive Spring Clearance Sale at ShopLVA.com ends at 4 p.m. PST Friday, Feb. 14, so strike now or forever regret the missed opportunity to pick up one of our addictively fun hand-held gambling games, a trilogy of awesome Las Vegas restaurant guides that are destined to become collectors' items, a gorgeous coffee-table book (yes, it doubles as furniture*!), a bundle of internationally acclaimed best-sellers (seriously, how often do Dr Phil, MTV, and Al Jazeera agree on something?), and a whole heap of other cool stuff at stupidly low prices. Save big and get this year's Christmas shopping out of the way by Valentine's Day, then smile smugly as your friends struggle desperately through the frenzied herds of holiday shoppers while you sit back and sip on your egg nog.
*Okay, it doesn't really work as a table, or only a very small one and you'd have to put it on some bricks, but it IS a beautiful book and it's selling for $50 off right now!
If music be the food of love ... then sing on, Bruno, Crystal, Earl, et al. Our Valentine's Day highlights are coming up in a future post, so stay tuned for those; meanwhile, for all of you not feeling it on the romance front this year, fear not: For you folks, allow us to suggest a little Andrew Dice Clay, or a bunch of sweaty wrestlers:
This isn't a riddle or a joke (although it's amusing to note that "jokes" is currently the most popular tag on what is considered our most cerebral blog), nor is it a bid by the "21" community to have their trade recognized as an Olympic sport, but in his latest post at Beyond Numbers, James Grosjean likens whining pro gamblers (specifically blackjack card counters, although poker players are often even worse) to whining sports players and their coaches, who choose to wallow in self-pity or meditate on the inequities of their "unlucky" streak, as opposed to manning up, taking a look in the mirror, and figuring out how not to let the same thing happen next time.
The blame game is a common human reaction to a bad result, but it's unlikely to improve your fortunes, nor win you any sympathy from James Grosjean. Reading his blog, on the other hand, may well teach you something beneficial -- not just with regard to gambling, but toward life in general -- while also having the very real possibility of cracking you up. Keep it up, JG; you make us laugh, even if occasionally at our own expense!
Hot on the heels of last week's announcement that the new North-Strip boutique SLS property, on the site of the former Sahara, will be opening Labor Day (see "Today's News" 2/6/14) comes word that the property is now in recruitment mode, with openings for almost 3,000 staff members across the board. The first stage of what's being described as a "multi-phase hiring push" will be to fill more than 300 available management positions in hotel, casino, finance, restaurants, and more. Interested candidates should visit slsvegas.com/careers to view open positions; note that only online applications are accepted.
Keeping with this week's theme of utter confusion, we were informed this morning by a reader that not only was everything else on the Las Vegas Foodie Fest website completely contradictory, but the next event is not happening in October, but in April (most likely April 24th-27th, although that's still to be confirmed), and the rumor is that it may move from Silverton to MGM Grand (although even the LVFF Facebook profile still indicates otherwise and you have to dig down into some posts). So, completely disregard absolutely everything that we wrote yesterday, aside from the fact that this will be a cool event, whenever and wherever it may be occurring. We're not sure if this is a brilliantly mysterious marketing strategy, or a case of definitely needing some help in the Web department, but no doubt some solid info will emerge in the fullness of time; for now, just pencil your calendars for the end of April and stay tuned for updates.
Here's a chance to finally bring our friend and Eating Las Vegas co-author into the 21st century, with the news that Al Mancini has agreed to shave his fabulous plumage -- which is very pretty but about as radical a social statement as women wearing pants and really needs an update, we feel, we just never had the heart to tell him -- if he can raise $2,000 for St. Baldrick's childhood cancer-research charity. So, by contributing to his fund, you'll be benefiting not just one, but two great causes :-)
The "great shaving" is scheduled to take place at some time between noon and 4 p.m. at Rí Rá Irish pub at Mandalay Place, and so far Al's already raised $945, so the goal is definitely within reach.
This October 18-20, Silverton will host the third annual Foodie Fest, which showcases the best of the local and neighboring-state food-truck scene. Allegedly, you can click here to see the list of who's coming, although we're not sure how much or what to believe right now, as the official website also simultaneously says that: pre-sale tix will be on-sale early September; that you can save $7 by purchasing online now; that online tickets sales ended October 18; and that $5, $6, and $7 early bird tickets are sold out; that you may still purchase an $8 day pass "while they last," (which you can't); and that it's $10 at the gate, which is good for all three days (or is it?! Time will tell...)
Whatever the current website disconnects may be, one thing that we're pretty sure of is that it will be another fun and yummy event, so mark your calendars and we'll pass it on as soon as any actual facts become available.
Michael Galam, owner of what's recently been operating as The Horse gentlemen's club, is today a happy man after a Judge ruled that he has permission to recommence using the club's original Crazy Horse Too moniker, which has already been re-displayed on the venue's marquee. The name originally was a nod to the famous Parisian Crazy Horse burlesque club, but recently was the subject of an injunction from Las Vegas' Crazy Horse III strip club, which took over use of the "Crazy" name when the mob-controlled original Vegas club was closed for many years following a succession of scandals that culminated in a patron being rendered paraplegic by club security.
Galam, who never removed the word "crazy" but simply covered it up, may now legally resume use of his S. Industrial Road club's famous, if controversial identity; where this leaves Crazy Horse III, located on W. Russell, remains to be seen, but we've heard no indication to date that the venue intends any name change.
This is proving to be the most bewildering week we can recall in a while (and it's only Wednesday!), with non-existent attractions hiring, food fests giving distinctly mixed messages, shows moving -- or not, and now the next chapter in the confusing world of the buffet at Caesars...
Earlier this week, a reader informed us that back in January (just after our monthly call-around, of course) the Bacchanal Buffet had once again increased its prices and that he had the receipt to prove it. We called to verify and were told by the operator, the concierge, and the buffet that this was not the case, and that only the upgrade prices for the lunch and dinner Buffet of Buffet pass had been raised (actually, the concierge said the breakfast pass was up by $5, too). However, this afternoon we received official word that in fact all prices, both for stand-alone meals and for the Buffet of Buffet upgrade surcharges, were indeed raised last month. The only thing that has not increased is the price for breakfast, or the breakfast upgrade (which remains constant at $15). For all the actual pricing right now, check out our newly updated listing for this buffet (just don't tell the cashier!)
As we first previewed last November, Tony "the Ant" Spilotro's former right-hand (hit)man Frank Cullotta yesterday commenced his one-of-a-kind tours of Las Vegas, featuring both the most notorious and, conversely, some secret stops, all of which played a part in Sin City's infamous mob-ruled era and are portrayed in the classic Pileggi movie Casino. Cullotta, on whom the character of Frank Vincent was based in the film, promises to feature some surprise guests (yikes!) and offer the kinds of insights that only a former real-life member of the notorious "Hole in the Wall" gang could. The two-hour (currently once-a-month) tours depart at 6 p.m. from the Royal Resort on Convention Center Drive; call 866-218-4935 or visit VegasMobTour.com for more details.
For more background on Frank Cullotta, check out his official memoir, available autographed from ShopLVA.com, where you can also find a whole section of mob-related books, DVDs, and more. Also, coincidentally, in the past week we have run two "Questions of the Day" about Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, which you can find in the QoD Archives.
It's now been confirmed that the popular ABBA-inspired musical that was resident at Mandalay Bay for six-and-a-half years will return to Las Vegas early May, just as announced last October. The production's new home will be in the newly remodeled showroom at the New Tropicana, with tickets (which start at $64.90) already on sale for dates commencing May 8. The format will mirror the original two-and-a-half-hour marathon, including intermission and encore/finale medley, that performed at MBay.
The aquatic acrobatic spectacle from Cirque that has been resident at Bellagio since opening has added seven additional luxury "suites" (theater boxes), offering an opera house-style O experience, with luxury touches including a dedicated speaker system, a bottle of wine or Champagne, chocolate truffles, and a personal server to bring you extra little treats, like that de rigueur symbol of extravagance that is the chocolate-covered strawberry, or even popcorn (really?!). Apparently, they also feature "a private door for entry and soundproof drapery...for privacy that can also be drawn back to accommodate parties larger than four," so we are tempted henceforth to refer to these as the "'Big O' Sex Boxes," not least as they're officially being designated as suites, but that's probably just because we have a dirty mind and this is Sin City.
VIP suite tickets are $335.45, inclusive of tax and fees, and must be purchased in pairs. (See, we knew it!)
Earlier today Las Vegas-based Sands Inc was the subject of a massive cyber attack by so- called "hacktivists" that brought about the failure of all the group's websites worldwide, including those of the Venetian and Palazzo resort-casinos here. Apparently, the site of the resort group's casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was first seen to display an image of Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson with Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu on a page that also included a map of the world with the locations of all Sands’ U.S. casinos in flames, plus personal information about company employees.
Both the Nevada State Gaming Control Board and the FBI are investigating the attack, which could have come from a number of different quarters. The octogenarian Adelson is a staunch supporter of both Israel and the Republican party, to which he and was the largest individual donor during the 2012 election cycle. He's also a vocal and deep-pocketed opponent of the legalization of online gambling, with part of his argument ironically, and perhaps tellingly, being the fact that Internet casinos are "vulnerable to a wide variety of criminal schemes" -- including cyber-attacks.
We just had a long conversation with a very helpful representative from the Clark County Planning Dept., in our ongoing quest to get to the bottom (or perhaps the top?) of what's really going on with the VooDoo ZipLine project at the Rio. Here's what we learned:
The first stage with any project such as this is initial planning approval, which basically gives the green light to a concept. It's unusual for a project to be turned down at this stage, unless it's completely outrageous, and the more proactive the applicant is, the more the department will work with them and help to come up with solutions to any potential problems that are foreseen.
Once this planning approval has been granted, which it was for the Rio's zip-line attraction back in May of last year, there's usually a window of two years during which the applicants must obtain the various specific permits (building, electrical, fire, safety, and so on) that are needed to covert the concept into a safe and fully functioning reality. As far as the representative with whom we spoke could see, there has been only one permit applied for recently that has any connection to the the VooDoo nightclub area at the Rio, and that was an electrical permit of some sort (apparently the descriptions can be pretty cryptic, so without delving into the specifics it was difficult to tell on the face of it what that permit was for and whether it was related to the VooDoo ZipLine or not). While the Rio typically has many permits on the books, whether granted or pending (since every trade show, entertainment event, venue makeover etc., etc.) will likely involve multiple approvals from different departments), there seems to be no evidence of the zip-line project having even applied for any as yet, which would seem to make yesterday's announcement of an early March debut highly optimistic at best.
We'll continue to monitor this project's progress, or the lack thereof, from our well-placed vantage point behind the Rio, from which we've observed no evident work taking place for weeks, or even months. Hence, we are not holding our breath but continuing to inhale and exhale as normal; should anyone pursue the promised job opportunities and attend Friday's recruitment event, we'd love to hear from you with any inside word on timescales, or any other light you can shed on this mysterious and ongoing saga. Thanks!
The new Naked City Pizza venue has debuted just east of the Strip at 4608 Paradise Road. The restaurant is open daily, for dine-in and takeout, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (8 p.m. Sundays). The location within Moon Doggies bar at DI and Arville, which was featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," remains open.
We were contacted yesterday by a fellow Strip performer, who had heard that the Rat Pack tribute show that recently closed at Bally's might be returning to is former home at downtown's Plaza, but a representative from the show itself contacted us today to say there was no foundation to that story and sadly the critically acclaimed production is still in search of a home. We wish them well in their quest and hope a new showroom becomes available soon.
In this week's column, our resident video poker expert presents Part I of his description of the annual Blackjack Ball, an exclusive event at which an array of the world's top gamblers vie for the title of best blackjack player, but because the host of the party has a twisted sense of humor, it is not only their card-counting and shuffle-tracking skills that are tested...
We just heard an inside tip from a major Strip performer that the Phat Pack, which recently lost its new home at Bally's, may be returning to its former home at the Plaza, although neither the property, nor the show's Facebook page, had any confirmation of this. We'll keep you posted.
We received feedback from a reader who said they'd recently been charged an additional $2 for lunch at Caesars' Bacchanal Buffet, but repeated calls to the buffet itself and to the front desk maintained that the stand-alone prices for each meal remain the same, but that the upcharge for incorporating this premium buffet into the Buffet of Buffet pass have been raised by $5 for each meal, meaning that there's a $20 surcharge for breakfast, $25 for lunch, and $30 for dinner. We'll keep investigating and post in this column and in the March issue of the LVA newsletter if we receive any different information.
We just received a press release announcing that the VooDoo Zipline at the Rio is to host a job fair, by appointment only, on Friday, Feb. 14. Positions available apparently include openings for managers, hosts, ride techs, retail sales, photographer, and others, although we're still slightly perplexed by this news, since construction appears to have remained in limbo since late last year following what we understood were concerns raised about safety from the Clark County Department of Building & Fire Prevention Bureau.
The developers, who staged a dramatically unsuccessful Indiegogo crowd-sourced fundraising campaign for the project, are maintaining that the opening date will be in early March, despite the conspicuous absence of a line for this zip; we have a call placed to the Bureau for official word of a green light. Meanwhile, those interested in applying for the advertised job openings, which may or may not actually exist, have a deadline of 11:59 p.m. this Wednesday to submit an application, with qualifying applicants to be contacted the following day to schedule an interview on Valentine's Day. Watch this space for updates on this continually confusing saga.
Having closed its M Resort location awhile back, Hash House A Go Go is now back to four valley locations, with today's opening of the new venue at the Rio. It's in the spot formerly occupied by São Paulo Café and is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The other HHAGGs are located downtown in the Plaza, on the Strip at The Quad, and at the original spot on West Sahara.
After a slew of "Bar Rescue" episodes featuring troubled Las Vegas watering holes getting the Taffer treatment, it's the turn of a local hotel to receive the upgrade treatment at the hands of Travel Channel's Anthony Melchiorri, who came to the rescue of the Fortune Hotel and Suites on E. Flamingo. In tonight's episode, titled "Mis-Fortune Hotel", the host apparently had to start from the ground up, including teaching the head of housekeeping to knock before entering a guest room and dealing with some fundamental challenges, including a leaky ceiling and a non-English speaking owner. Tune in at 10 p.m. local time to see how the makeover worked out.
While home prices remained steady from December to January, the local price of existing single-family homes, condos, and town houses all came in at 23.3 percent higher from the same month the previous year. Since January is traditionally a slow month for sales, the early-year plateau was expected by realtors and the stability deemed an indication of a fairly healthy housing market, reports the R-J.
The Gamblers Book Club has merged with the Gamblers General Store and will operate at a single location at 808 S. Main Street. Though the store will be at the long-time location of the Gamblers General Store, it appears that the official name will be the Gamblers Book Club.
Gamblers will no longer be able to pinpoint which Atlantic City casinos are paying out more after an adjustment in the way gambling win figures are released. A.C. had been the only casino jurisdiction to provide complete property by property results, but will now provide less detail. The reason for the change after 35 years may have something to do with the advent of online gaming, but was more likely spurred by a desire to keep casino information more private in what has been a steadily declining market.
In a strange development, the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the International Olympic Committee have indicated that they will work together during the Olympics to "ensure the integrity of the competition" at the Sochi Winter Olympics. State regulators will apparently watch for "unusual money" coming in on the events, which is where the strangeness comes in, given that the Nevada books aren't offering Olympic wagers.
The annual Chinese New Year festival in the Chinatown Plaza runs today. The celebration with activities and food vendors takes place all day in the parking lot.
In a timely feature that coincides with today's Question of the Day about Lefty Rosenthal's home, KLAS-TV's website is also today running a feature about Corinne Entratter, former showgirl and Playboy cover girl who married Sands president Jack Entratter. Now aged 76, she has some interesting and amusing insights into the life of a casino exec's wife, back in the heyday of the mob era in Las Vegas.
The Winter Olympics began today, but you can't bet them in Nevada. A law passed in 2000 prohibits bets on the Olympics, including hockey in the winter and basketball in the summer. Many offshore books are offering lines on the major events.
The iconic Trader Dick's restaurant will close today after 56 years of operation at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks. The restaurant was patterned after predecessors Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's, and capitalized on the "tiki culture" that gained popularity with military personnel returning from duty in the Pacific during World War II. It will be replaced by a Gilley's as part of the rebranding of the recently sold Reno-area resort.
In a statement released Friday the UFC announced that it had terminated its contract with light heavyweight Thiago Silva, who is currently in custody without bond in Florida facing multiple felony charges after an altercation with his estranged wife involving a firearm. It's the latest in a string of domestic-violence incidents involving the couple.
It was back in 2008 that the issue of construction defects with CityCenter's Harmon Hotel tower first reared its head, with subsequent inspections first causing a downsizing of the condo complex, and later a decision that it was irretrievably structurally unsound. The ensuing battle has involved the project's owners, construction company, various subcontractors, inspectors, and ultimately the project's insurers, with an ugly feud repeatedly delaying a previously-approved implosion plan. Now the court date for a hearing to determine the final fate of Harmon has been pushed back yet again, with a late-September trial today announced by the presiding Clark County District Judge. This pushes the case's hearing close to the December deadline that is mandated by a Nevada state rule that trials must commence within five years of initial filing or else face dismissal.
The Rat Pack-tribute show that debuted at downtown's Plaza, before moving recently to Bally's on the Strip, has closed already, reports Vegas Chatter. The show, which was the brainchild of former Phantom of the Opera cast members and has been greeted with much critical acclaim, reported on its Facebook page that a collaboration with EMI Entertainment had gone sour, leaving the production once again in search of new digs. Watch this space for updates.
Genting Singapore Plc, the largest Asian casino operator, with international interests as far and wide as the Philippines, U.S., and U.K., has announced plans to build a $2.2 billion resort-casino casino on South Korea’s Jeju island. The project, a joint-venture with a Hong Kong-listed property company, aims at targeting visitors from eastern and northern China, hoping to cash in further on the success of Macau, where Chinese bettors were responsible for contributing $45.2 billion in casino revenue in 2013.
On the back of an almost 2 percent jump in conventions and meetings hosted in Las Vegas from 2012-'13, an additional 70 new major expos with 500 or more attendees are booked for the coming year, reports today's R-J, based on figures released by the LVCVA. With the equivalent of 185 football fields-worth of exhibit and meeting space, this non-gaming revenue is responsible for an economic impact approaching $7 billion and if the current trend continues this figure is on an upward trajectory.
What was formerly the Mile High Club and, very (as in, for about one night!) briefly Lollypop's, will hold its grand opening as the Gold Club Las Vegas March 6 and is currently hiring entertainers. The two-story gentlemen's club, located across from Town Square at 6730 S. Windy Road, will feature private couch and champagne suites and a nightly after-hours event called Insomnia! Visit thegoldclubvegas.com website for more information. The Gold Club brand currently has clubs in California, North and South Carolina, Delaware, and New Hampshire.
On the subject of strip club happenings, we're about to launch our new sister site, ToplessVegasOnline.com, dedicated to in-depth coverage and reviews of all the adult-entertainment venues and events in Las Vegas, plus insider tips on etiquette and getting the most bang for your buck (so to speak). Watch this space for news of the debut, which is imminent; meanwhile, if you're a venue or event promoter, please contact jessicaAThungingtonpress.com/702-252-0655 for details of sponsorship and advertising opportunities.
The boutique resort-casino that's taking over what was formally the Sahara will debut Labor Day weekend, sbe Entertainment has announced. Click to see a sneak preview of what's to come in the photo and video gallery.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has extended its contract with the Sands Expo Center by a further twelve months, through 2018, following an all-time high of 67,000 attendees at this year's event, which ran Jan. 14-17.
The Cellar Lounge, the long-standing basement bar on W. Sahara at Valley View which is known for its live music, will be closing sometime in March following the collapse of a recent sale deal. In addition to the bar and kitchen, the venue features a large banquet/wedding room, and all the fixtures and fittings will be up for sale soon, so watch this space for updates if you're looking to pick up some deals.
Only part of our information was correct -- Kilroy's has been sold, but it's not to one of the parlor bars. Pending the deal closing, the buyer is the owner of the west side Sagos bar. This is a good result, given that we're already working with Sagos, which has a twofer entrée and a good video poker bonus in the Member Rewards Book.
We don't have complete confirmation on this, but it looks like Kilroy's on W. Spring Mtn. will be the latest to be transformed into a slot parlor. Word is that the bar has been sold to one of the chains that's been buying out locals joints all over town. We've heard it's one of the Dotty's competitors, Miz Lola's or Jackpot Joanie's.
Olivia Newton-John has been confirmed for a summer "residency" at the Flamingo, playing on dates when Donny & Marie are off. The current schedule is April 8-12; May 6-10, 27-31; July 1-5, 29-31; and Aug. 1, 2, 5-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30. Tickets begin at $69. A similar engagement was expected to happen last year, but didn't materialize.
Not only did Super Bowl XLVIII generate a record handle for Nevada's race and sports books (see "Today's News" 2/3/14) but, according to Nielsen estimates, Sunday's telecast of the Big Game on Fox drew the largest audience for any TV show in U.S. history, with a record 111.5 million viewers, 12% above last year.
Jean Scott has just posted her monthly round-up of top casino promotions, useful tidbits, and cautionary advice, which includes some must-read info for anyone who frequents Boyd's casinos. You can find this, and all sorts of other cool stuff, at the Queen of Comps' delightfully eclectic but always enlightening Frugal Vegas blog.
No, this isn't an auction of young maidens, but a two-day sale on fares from Las Vegas to multiple destinations from Virgin America, including one-way flights to L.A. starting as low as $44, and to San Francisco from as low as $59, inclusive of tax. The discounted fares are available select dates Feb. 18-May 21, but the sale ends at 11:59 p.m. CT Wednesday, Feb. 5, so book now to avoid disappointment!
While other parties vie to bring a new events arena to Las Vegas, the city is already home one of the busiest in the world and it's about to get a $47 million facelift, with upgrades to the 30-year-old Thomas & Mack Center set to include new flooring, additional escalators, 8,000 new lower bowl seats, additional accommodation for guests in wheelchairs, a new air-conditioning system, and a slew of behind-the-scenes improvements, like upgrades to the wiring, reports today's R-J. The arena currently hosts approximately 100 event-days per year.
For a timely update on all the other arena proposals currently competing for a slice of Las Vegas' events action (there are no less than four of 'em!), check out the "Question of the Day" for 2/2/14 in the QoD Archives.
New Jersey regulators have granted Wynn Resorts Ltd. approval to offer an online casino within the state's jurisdiction, but the company has no foreseeable plans to exercise its permit, with an official spokesman stating that Internet wagering was not currently viewed as a "good entrepreneurial opportunity," while the company's habitually forthright founder described the technology available to track players and exclude minors as "bull$hit" in an interview posted on Las Vegas political commentator Jon Ralston's website last weekend. Unlike rival casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn apparently has no plans to actively oppose Internet gambling, evidently seeing it as posing little threat to his brick-and-mortar empire, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Wynn Interactive was granted permission to conduct Internet gambling with online-gaming partner Caesars Interactive, a subsidiary of CET that currently operates six Internet casinos, including the WSOP site, and has a deal with Wynn to allow the use of one of its permits. However, results to-date in New Jersey have fallen far short of expectations, with only $8.4 million generated in the first six weeks of legalized Internet gambling -- a pace far short of predictions that pegged the potential value of the New Jersey iGaming market at as much as $500 million to $1 billion per annum. Sign-ups have been slow and a recent poll found support for Internet gambling to be declining, while already significantly lower, at 32 percent, than that for legalizing recreational marijuana, which had the approval of 41 percent of respondents.
As predicted (see earlier post today in this column), it was a record handle for the 2014 Super Bowl, with Las Vegas' books collectively taking in a massive $119.4 million, which comprised an estimated win of $19.7 million.
The R-J has just reported that the RTC has decided to cancel its popular "Viva Bike Vegas" ride for 2014, opting instead to focus resources on smaller, more focused local community events spread throughout the year, according to a post on its Facebook page. Viva Bike Vegas, which comprised different ride options, varying from 17 to over 100 miles in length, was part of the annual Interbike expo that takes place each September (to be hosted by Mandalay Bay in 2014) and last year attracted thousands of cyclists both from the local area, other states, and even abroad. Previous participants cited some organizational issues last year that marred their experience of the event, but the Las Vegas Valley Bicycle Club is investigating the possibility of turning its fall "century bike ride" into the 100-mile Viva ride, the president has announced.
Thrillist, the ultimate online city-guides for dudes (and dudettes) that now covers the majority of the nation's major metropolises, is campaigning our sports-loving President to have the day after Super Bowl Sunday declared National Hangover Day, which would of course be a public holiday. While we can only support this noble crusade, in the short-term, they have prepared "best-of" hangover cures for the various locations that support a Thrillist, including Las Vegas. So, check out the recommendations for Sin City's Sweetest Hangover Cures (or find the equivalent list for wherever you happen to be right now).
It's a sound list, aside from the fact that some of the suggestions directly contradict the advice of a dietician Thrillist consulted who came up with a list of Things You Absolutely Should Not Eat While Hungover. Confused? Yes, so are we, but it kind of boils down to whether you obey your brain (likely currently compromised if you're in need of consulting this list) or your stomach (which may have more sway in your decision-making process right now). But help is at hand via two awesome LVA Reader Polls that we ran in June 2008 and again in August 2013, which are full of ideas you may not have considered and which their proponents swear by. You can find these, and almost a bazillion other cool surveys in the
If you missed the first job fair for Hard Rock's legendary Rehab pool party, there's a second chance to audition this week, with casting calls for all positions today and tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m. in Body English nightclub. Job-seekers should bring their resumes and wear their best swim attire -- photos will be taken and "team members" from last season are encouraged to audition. All applicants must be 21+ with valid ID.
Despite getting off to a rough start, with LVH sports book director Jay Kornegay, who's a Bronco's fan, commenting that "I'll talk about anything except for the safety...We took a big punch below the belt five minutes into the game," it was a good super bowl for the casinos, with about 65 percent of the betting action focused on Denver. There are no reports of any mega-bets, with MGM Grand's biggest wager reportedly a $300,000 bet on the Seahawks, but the handle was up some 3 to 5 percent on last year's record-breaking $98.9 million.
In today's Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos are -2 favorites over the Seattle Seahawks. The total is 47.
Here are some bonus plays for non-football fans. Get 3.3X points on slots and 2X on video poker today at all Station, Fiesta, and Wildfire casinos. Boyd casinos are awarding "more than 117,000 bonuses" on their Penny Lane machines on Sundays and Thursdays in February. Watch the game at a party or the sports book while your girlfriend (or boyfriend) plays for bonuses.
You couldn't avoid them if you tried today, but big ones are running at South Point, LVH, and Gold Coast, Suncoast, Sam's Town, and Orleans. If you don't know where to go, just hit the nearest sports book, where it will be crazy all day long.
Stopwatches will be running everywhere during the singing of the Super Bowl's national anthem. The over/under number on how long it will take Renee Fleming to sing it is 2:20, with under a 2-1 favorite.
Commencing Monday, Feb. 3, the boutique off-Strip Artisan hotel is launching a month-long Facebook contest for fans, with free stays, pool experiences, and other cool perks up for grabs. Check out the Party Harder info. on their website or Facebook for information on how to enter.
Renan Barao is a -340 favorite over Urijah Faber in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Jose Aldo is -725 over Ricardo Lamas. Both fights are for UFC championships.
The festivities are in full-swing this weekend (extending into next), with Bellagio's traditional dragon dance taking place at 4 p.m. today outside the main entrance. Check out the gorgeous free display in their Botanical Gardens, too, and see Friday's "Question of the Day" for a full round-up on future and ongoing events and exhibits honoring the Year of the Horse.
If you have an account at 24/7 Private Vaults on E. Sunset Rd., you need to pick up your stuff. The company filed bankruptcy last month and is closing, but due to the privacy provisions it promoted, no one knows who owns the safety deposit boxes. The company never got its business back after a highly publicized robbery more than a year ago. If you have a box, call 702-386-8600 to find out how to proceed.
Expect to encounter lines at the books today. Most are moderate, except at LVH, where they're running 20 deep. For some reason LVH isn't using all of its windows, which makes no sense unless they want the lines to be long. The customers don't like it -- we've had reports of some leaving without betting. LVH will be open till 3 am tonight and South Point is always open through the night (except for 5:30-6:30 am for accounting).
It's busy out there, with nearly 292,000 visitors expected this weekend, up 2.5% from last year. In addition to what should be near a record betting handle, the non-gambling economic impact is projected to be nearly $115 million. The game line remains Broncos -2.5 with a rising total of 48.5.
Today is the second and final day of the big annual casino-collectibles event, taking place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Diamond Mae's Ballroom on the 2nd floor of Arizona Charlie's Decatur. It's a candy store for collectors, sellers, and traders of casino chips, tokens, players club cards, silver strikes, ashtrays, and other gaming memorabilia. Admission is $5.