Earlier this week, and without much fanfare, Treasure Island debuted its mobile-wagering app, giving sports bettors plenty time still to get signed up ahead of football season. This latest addition brings the total to nine race and sports book operations in the state that offer betting via handheld devices; for more, check out the recent post at our sister site LVASports.com.
As per a press release just received, we can confirm that Sunday, Oct. 11 with be the final performance for Blue Man Group at its current home at the Monte Carlo, which is to be demolished to make way for a new live-entertainment venue. The show will remain dark Oct. 12 through Nov. 17, reopening Nov. 18 at the Luxor.
We just stumbled upon this unusual free event, which apparently takes place the last Friday of the month in Henderson's Discovery Park. A community get-together, Dogs 'n' Drones evidently seeks to kill several birds with one drone stone by encouraging neighbors to get together and learn about drone and smartphone use, while exercising their mutts (please bring plastic bags to clear up after yourself and Fido). Tonights D 'n' Ds runs from 7-8 p.m.; find out more via the event Facebook page.
From noon to 6 p.m. tomorrow, Aug. 1, table game and slot players at downtown's El Cortez can indulge in free slices of Marie Callender's strawberry pie, while supplies last. In addition, the casino will be hosting a viewing party for the Ronda Rousey UFC title-defense fight. The event's taking place in the Fiesta Room, from 5-10 p.m., with stadium fare and drink specials including the $5 ‘Knockout Punch.’ GA to the party's $20 ($10 for all Club Cortez members, UFC Fight Club members, and Zappos employees) and your entry ticket includes one complimentary drink. Tix will be available at the casino cage through 4 p.m. today or at the door on the night, availability permitting.
Getting the most out of casinos, via their loyalty programs, and promos, and positive-expectation gambling opportunities, is a game of cat and mouse. In this week's column, video poker expert Bob Dancer discusses ways to maximize your longevity on a good game, and how being economical with the truth can be to your advantage, provided this sits comfortably with your morals and that you're capable of keeping your story straight -- just don't get caught pushing a ruse to the point of what could be deemed fraudulent, or you might find yourself in some legal hot water (not least in the current climate, where certain casinos are very much paying attention to their bottom line). An instructive read for any gambler.
Buca di Beppo has extended its National Lasagna Day offer through the weekend, so you have until August 2 to enjoy 50% off this signature dish.
Also, if you didn't catch it in Jean's Scott's recent Frugal Vegas August promo post, Michael Mina's new(ish) BARDOT Brasserie at Aria is offering a prix-fixe menu, available exclusively to locals and only upon request. It's available from 6-7:30 p.m. daily, for $49, and you can make a reservation via Open Table using promo code BARDOTLV. As an aside, Open Table also enables guests to make a reservation for Le Village Buffet at Paris -- the only hotel buffet we're aware of in town that offers this facility, and for no additional charge.
The fall weekend concert series from iHeart Radio (not to be confused with the summer pool party event) has announced the headlining talent, which includes Janet Jackson, Sam Smith, Kanye West, The Who, Coldplay, the Weekend, Blake Shelton, David Guetta, Kenny Chesney, Fall Out Boy, Disclosure, Duran Duran, Prince Royce, Diplo, the Killers, Jason Derulo, and Lil Wayne, with host Ryan Seacrest. In addition, Demi Lovato, Hozier, Tove Lo, Trey Songz, Walk the Moon, Nick Jonas, Big Sean, Lee Brice, George Ezra, Tori Kelly, Echosmith, James Bay, The Struts, Zella Day, and Shawn Mendes will perform at the festival's "Daytime Village" location (a.k.a. MGM Resorts Village, across from the Luxor) on Sat. Sept. 19. Tickets for the former start at the the $383-range, from what we can see, and are selling out fast, as usual. If you don't manage to score a ticket, or can't make it to the live events, the festival will stream live on Yahoo Screen and broadcast live on iHeartMedia radio stations. It will also air on The CW as a two-night televised special on September 29 and 30.
It's a smorgasbord of musical delights, from crooners to Country, via reggae and rock:
August finds the Queen of Comps in feisty mood, putting people straight on a certain cult food brand, among other things, while also dishing up her more customary monthly survey of the best off-Strip casino promotions, of which there are plenty courtesy of two anniversaries (Boyd and Silverton). Plus, there's a rare on-Strip dining deal for locals only, courtesy of Bardot Brasserie at Aria. You can find all this and more at Frugal Vegas.
Don't just catch Anthony Curtis' episode of VICE.com's "Munchies Guide to Vegas" -- there are multiple episodes in this alt. guide to your favorite city and official host Braydon Szafranski is a blast -- just the right mix of iconoclastic-meets-respectful, plus he likes to drink and swear -- which is fine by us but might be offensive to a few, so you have been warned.
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for the Spring Mountains, Searchlight, Primm, Jean, and other parts of southern Nevada. There's a slight chance of Rain for the Las Vegas Valley, but no danger of flooding.
Dirk Arthur and his big-cat magic show, which was unceremoniously evicted from the Riviera soon after opening, has found a new home at the Westgate. Dirk Arthur Wild Magic is scheduled to debut August 24 and perform Monday through Saturday at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $50 and go on sale Friday, July 31.
While last month saw a record for June visitation, with a 2.4 percent increase on the 2014 figure and occupancy rates of more than 90 percent, convention attendance was down by 16.6 percent and gaming revenues for the state were off by 8 percent on the previous year. The Strip fared particularly badly, with casino revenues also down by 16 percent, to $445 million, due in large part to a 50 percent decline in last year's massive baccarat take. Table game and sports betting combined dropped by more than half a billion statewide, to $2.2 billion, while slot machine revenue remained more stable, dropping just 1 percent to $8.4 billion.
For Wynn Resorts, it's been a particularly rough quarter, with the company this week reporting a 72 percent drop in Q2 profit as betting declined steeply both in the Las Vegas and Macau markets. The company's net income fell to $56.5 million, or 56 cents a share, from a year earlier. Collectively, June casino revenue in Macau shrank 36 percent from 2014, due in large part to a Chinese government crackdown on corruption that has seen many high rollers staying away from the gaming tables.
According to the Associated Press, which has released more details of this week's Las Vegas Global Business District Committee's meeting than we'd previously read, while the Riviera is likely to be demolished on a six-month time-frame, the space is unlikely to be fully redeveloped for at least two years, while funds are secured to finance the full $2.3 billion upgrade and expansion for what is now being renamed the Las Vegas Convention Center District. In the meantime, plans call for the former resort's footprint to be paved over and used as an overspill space for putdoor events and conventions in need of additional exhibit space. As to the actual demolition of the property, the committee is evidently touting it to Hollywood for a possible movie tie-in, à la the Landmark and Mars Attacks, while one councilman, in a Glenn Straub-like flight of fancy, even proposed holding a global raffle, with the winner earning the right to push the detonation button and implode the Riviera.
There are multiple promos afoot, as Boyd Gaming celebrates its 40th anniversary, but a timely one involves the release of a new free commemorative B Connected players card at Sam’s Town, Orleans, Gold Coast, and Suncoast. Available July 31 through August 2, the new card comes with $5 in slot freeplay when you play $10.
We regularly receive emails from people suggesting, or even imploring us introduce a Reno Advisor or Laughlin Advisor, or even an Atlantic City Advisor. Seeing as we can barely keep abreast of all the happenings in our home town, none of those is likely to happen anytime soon; however, occasionally we do break free from our desks and last weekend saw Anthony Curtis paying a random visit to Searchlight, where he happened upon some interesting finds and more than one awesome deal. You'll find the details in the August issue of the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter, just posted, which also contains the usual panoply of tips and reviews for findings closer to home, plus the scoop on betting baseball, a 2015 WSOP round-up, and more.
It looks like the street entertainers of Fremont Street, who run the gamut from talented musicians, to near-naked old men in diapers, will finally be subject to some kind of regulation, in terms of when and where they may "perform." If a draft ordinance that's set to go before Las Vegas City Council next week comes to pass, buskers and panhandlers will be required to register with the city and be limited to designated "performance zones" located away from business entrances and ATM machines (in light of complaints about aggressive solicitation of FSE patrons for cash). Hours will also be restricted to between 3 p.m. and 2 a.m., in answer to
That's something you can now enjoy courtesy of Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip, which has just started offering a very feel-good start to the day with bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys on the menu from 8:30–11 a.m. daily, for a mere $15. And it's not just a morning booze fest -- they're keeping it classy with a lineup of live morning acoustic sets, too. So, soak up the sounds with your ears, and soak up the cocktails with some southern breakfast classics, like chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy, or hazelnut brandy French toast. Cheers to that!
It's with sadness that we report the imminent end of the road for Vegas Chatter, a sort-of LVA rival publication, but always a friendly one with whom we've had a fun and symbiotic relationship over the years. Chatter, especially when the recently departed long-time editor Rebecca Frisch (aka Becca702) was at the helm, has frequently been a source of info for LVA and has always been a class act that attributed credit to ourselves and others when due (right to the end -- thanks for the link love in yesterday's Plaza post!) Friday, July 31 will be the last day for the whole "Chatter" brand, and for sister Condé Nast brand "Jaunted"; "Condé Nast Traveler" will remain in operation, however. Good luck and bon voyage, y'all -- you will be missed!
See Anthony Curtis as you've never seen him before (and we're not talking about the part where he's wandering down Fremont Street with a beer in each hand): VICE.com came to town recently with their "Munchies" show and chose Anthony as host Braydon Szafranski's (yep, the skater dude) tour guide. Wise choice. So, expect some cool tips from the Coupon King on playing blackjack, bargain dining, and cheap beers -- the latter which evidently flowed pretty freely that night because there are some freakin' hilarious moments along the way, but it's the archival photos of our publisher that you really need to look out for... You can catch the entire Munchies Guide to Vegas, which also features an "at-home-with-David-Copperfield" segment, for all you magic fans, on our home page and we recommend that you do. P.S. There's a prize if you can spot the spouse of a mega-famous Strip performer, who tried to persuade AC to invest in this unknown talent on the strength of an audio cassette; he declined, obviously, or we'd probably be lounging on our private island right now.
Yup, another day, another snack to revere, with today's spotlight shining on the humble chicken wing, whose National Day is July 29. Here's where to indulge:
The homegrown casual pizzeria brand from the Ferraro family today debuted its second Las Vegas venue, this time across the street from Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar (4480 Paradise Rd.) inside the Hard Rock. It's the second of what promises to be a string of nine Las Vegas Pizza Forte joints, the original having debuted earlier this year at Sunset Station.
In light of yesterday's breaking news concerning the strongly rumored sale of the Mirage, this survey has perhaps now taken on even greater significance than it did at the time we were prompted to run it. The poll is set to close at midnight tonight, and your votes may count for more than we know going forward, so be sure to make your voice heard while you still can and feel free to email us additional thoughts on this whole subject -- you never know who else may read 'em!
After teetering on the brink of a split early last year, Las Vegas Events secured a deal that keeps the annual National Finals Rodeo, and it's $90 million-or-so economic contribution to the city, in Las Vegas for the next decade. Now, Thomas and Mack Center, home to the event for the past three decades, can make that four, with news that it has also secured a 10-year agreement with the Profession Rodeo Cowboys Association and plans to implement several upgrades to the venue, including the addition of extra seating, new entry points to the arena, more bathroom facilities, and some kind of 36,000-square-foot terrace, from what we can gather, that will overlook the Strip. The 2015 event is already scheduled to run Dec. 3 through Dec. 12.
Blood-donor money, that is, with an incentive running until 3 p.m. today: Participate in the United Blood Services blood drive today and be entered to win $150 in Tivoli Bucks to spend at your discretion at the west-side "retailtainment" destination.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is recommending that the shuttered Strip property be demolished sooner rather than later, rejecting the possibility of delaying its fate in a year's time, when a new Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee will convene to make recommendations on local tourism projects. However, this was as much progress as was made in terms of determining exactly when the Riv will be razed, and whether this will be executed via implosion or manual demolition (a decision which rests, in part, on whatever hazardous materials may be found lurking in the veteran property following inspections that may, or may not yet have taken place).
The NFL has upheld the four-game suspension meted out to New England Patriots QB Tom Brady following an official probe into the so-called "Deflategate" scandal surrounding the use of under-inflated footballs in the AFC Championship. The league's investigation concluded that the move had been a deliberate ploy and more likely than not carried out with the full knowledge of Brady, who's accused of tampering with evidence by destroying his phone. The verdict is being greeted with disdain by many observers, who question the relative gravity of the offense, if one occurred, and the motive of the league in making such an example of the star player.
The ongoing dining shake-up underway at Wynn, which most recently has seen the temporary closing (as of yesterday, through Aug. 14) of SW Steakhouse for a remodel, and the ousting of Paul Bartolotta from his namesake restaurant, continues with news that the buffet will also be experiencing a $3.6 million upgrade and remodel that will leave it on a par with Caesars' Bacchanal buffet, in terms of square footage, and something of a new layout by the sound of it, with the addition of new partitions and awnings. No timetable for the work has been announced as yet, nor word of any possible disruption that may result from the construction. We'll keep you posted.
This is such a new development, the downtown hotel-casino hasn't even had a chance to update its own website yet, but we can confirm that as of today, all guests may enjoy complimentary early check-in from as early as 10 a.m., room-availability permitting, plus there's now a regular scheduled complimentary shuttle service leaving to McCarran International Airport three times daily. To the best of our knowledge, Aria is the only other property in town that offers complimentary early check-in, a "privilege" that generally costs anywhere from $15 to $50 elsewhere (with premiums charged if you need access before noon), while the El Cortez is the only property downtown to offer any kind of airport transfer service, but this is available Sunday to Friday only, with a 2 p.m. cutoff, and the vehicle only seats four so space is to say the least limited. Elsewhere, third party shuttles are employed, at a cost of around $9 per person one-way, so the new benefits from the Plaza represent a saving of around $25 to any patron who wishes to take advantage of these benefits. With the general trend seeming to be the addition of fees and surcharges at every turn, we applaud the Plaza for giving something back to their guests.
Former mayor and perennial character Oscar Goodman is celebrating his birthday in typical style with a celebration that kicked off yesterday and runs through August 1 (which is even more birthday than the Queen of England gets!), and he wants you to join him in the festivities, which include half-off all martinis at his eponymous bar upstairs at the Plaza. There's also a limited-duration prix-fixe menu available to mark the occasion, which comes with a cocktail (naturally), plus guests of Oscar's Beef, Booze, Broads receive complimentary valet parking at the dome out front, so get on down there and sign the big guy's giant birthday card (you'll be a little part of Vegas history if you do, plus he has friends you wouldn't want to upset, if you follow our drift...).
Thanks to our sister site, ToplessVegasOnline.com (think of it as LVA, but naked and with much nicer legs), for cluing us in to this random act of Monday bountifulness on the part of Déjà Vu Showgirls topless club, which tonight is offering an open bar (including imported beers and all call liquor -- only wine and bubbly are off limits) that started nine minutes ago (sorry to have deprived you of that much drinking time -- hurry over right now!) and runs until midnight, when drink prices shoot up to the exorbitant price of 3 bucks each. You just can't find a better drink deal and if you click the link at the top of this post, you'll discover the key to gaining free entry, too, with or without local ID. Beat that!
The official announcement isn't set to come for another three weeks, we understand, but we have it on very good authority that the hotel responsible for introducing Steve Wynn's vision of a new Las Vegas, back in 1989, has been sold to Starwood Capital Group, the investment company which in recent years was responsible for first rescuing, and then liquidating, the Riviera. The word is that Las Vegas-based Paragon Gaming, which oversaw casino operations in the latter days of the Riv and now manages the Westgate Las Vegas, together with other casino interests in Vancouver, will take on the same role at the Mirage in a joint venture with a major hotel brand.
While at first blush this is some pretty seismic news emanating from the direction of the volcano, it totally ties in with MGM Resorts' ongoing program of consolidation that's seen outlying properties in Reno recently offloaded, not to mention the Railroad Pass and Gold Strike properties closer to home. But this latest move, featuring such an iconic original component of the brand, (albeit already foreshadowed, in hindsight, by the re-branding of the group itself from MGM Mirage to MGM Resorts International back in 2010) seems now to underline the increasing north-south polarization of the Strip. It will be interesting to see what will happen to Circus Circus, if anything, and the less-than-successful Rock in Rio venue, which is not only geographically isolated but seems increasingly superfluous to requirements, in light of the Las Vegas Arena, MGM Resorts Village, and "Monte Carlo theater" developments located in the bosom of MRI's south-Strip core. Watch this space for developments!
The bad news is that the Executive Chef’s Culinary Classroom events, scheduled to take place at Bellagio Aug. 27 and Sept. 29 in their custom-designed Tuscany show kitchen, have been canceled, no explanation given. However, foodies and aspiring chefs need not despair, since on August 8 you can catch the Chalk Hill Wine Dinner at Mandalay Bay, co-hosted by Director of Wine, Harley Carbery, Vice President of Vineyard Operation at Chalk Hill Winery, Mark Lingenfelder, and the other rock 'n roll chef (and DJ) Hubert Keller. The four-course affair takes place at Keller's Fleur restaurant at MBay and is priced at $110/person (plus tax/gratuity). This culinary extravaganza is to be followed Sept. 10 by the second Farmhouse Dinner at Della's Kitchen at the Delano. This "Rustic Harvest" event kicks off with a cocktail reception, followed by another four-course menu of autumnal-inspired dishes and wine pairings, for $134.10 (all inclusive).
Gambling movies have a history of being distinctly hit and miss, with more than as many turkeys as there are the types of classics featured in our 2009 Reader Poll (which also included some popular, but best-forgotten flicks, in our humble opinion) and in recent times there haven't been many memorable gambling-oriented films, regardless of the "talent" involved. Anthony Curtis gave a very lukewarm review of 2013's Runner Runner, the Ben Affleck/Justin Timberlake vehicle about illegal online gambling; The 2014 remake of The Gambler, starring Mark Wahlberg, was universally panned; ditto 2015's Wild Card, the formulaic predictable Jason Statham remake of Burt Reynolds' Heat; and Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Vince Vaughan couldn't save 2012's Lay the Favorite from being described as "awful," "at times incomprehensible," "unbelievably" bad, and "stupid," among iMDb reviers. Gambling golf movie, The Squeeze fared better earlier this year, but isn't likely to win any awards. Hence, upcoming poker flick, The Mississippi Grind, has its work cut out for it if it's seeking to be credible and well-received in professional gambling circles, and judging from the trailer that you can view here, courtesy of the Edge Vegas blog, we wouldn't put any money on it.
The event schedule for the Downtown Events Center has been somewhat sparse and erratic since it debuted, but now more dates are being announced, the latest being that cult punk rock band Rise Against will be taking the state of Saturday, November 21, supported by metalcore rockers Killswitch Engage, along with Los Angeles’ letlive. Local pre-sale tickets go on sale this July 29 at 10 a.m., while tix will become available to the general public on Friday, July 31; pricing has not yet been announced.
Tomorrow, July 28, is National Lasagna Day and we've come across several Las Vegas Italian restaurants that will be celebrating. Here's the skinny (so to speak):
Despite the damage caused by Saturday's blaze, with the exception of its West Bar, the Bamboo Pool at the Cosmopolitan was open by 10 a.m. Sunday morning, although some guest rooms in the vicinity remain out of bounds. Initial indications are pointing to an electrical source for the blaze, which is tentatively being blamed on an excess of fairy lights adorning -- and igniting -- the artificial trees sounding the pool, but a full investigation remains ongoing.
Today is a bonus-points day at Station Casinos. Swipe your Boarding Pass card for up to 3.3X points on slots and 2X on video poker with no limit on the number of points you can accrue. The bonus is at all Stations, but not Fiestas.
Poker superstar Phil Ivey has sued the Borgata in Atlantic City in the ongoing saga of the $9.6 million he won there playing baccarat. The casino sued Ivey for the return of the money after it was discovered that he was using an advantage-play technique known as edge sorting. Ivey's suit alleges that the casino destroyed the cards in use, which were critical to his defense in the case.
The Searchlight Nugget removed its blackjack tables at the start of this month. There are no longer any live table games in Searchlight, a popular stopping point between Las Vegas and Laughlin.
Yesterday's fire at the Cosmopolitan pool resulted in minor smoke damage inside the hotel that will close the 14th and 15th floors of the West End tower indefinitely. Two people were treated for smoke inhalation, but no other injuries were reported. The origin of the fire, which was at the Bamboo Pool, one of three at the resort, has not yet been reported.
Preparations will soon be underway for the "Kabuki-ization of the Bellagio fountain show, ahead of the inaugural Kabuki Festival to be hosted by MGM Resorts in May. We can't quite envisage how this traditional form of Japanese theater will be incorporated into the choreographed water show, but whatever the plan is, it will involve closing three southbound lanes of the Strip in front of the property from Monday through Thursday. The sidewalks on the west side of the Strip, in front of the fountain, will also be closed intermittently for the duration of the construction. "Koi Tsukami" (Fight with a Carp) is slated to perform at set times on Aug. 14, 15, and 16, and will feature live action and animation in half-hour "spectacle" performance, with the fountains as the backdrop.
We learned of this some hours ago, but only just got in reach of a computer. For those who haven't heard, there was a massive blaze earlier today on the 14th-floor pool deck of the Cosmopolitan. What started around 12:15 p.m. in the vicinity of the normally tranquil Bamboo Pool quickly spread into a major conflagration, fueled by artificial plants and flammable cabanas and sending clouds of thick black smoke billowing over the Strip, necessitating the evacuation of several floors of the hotel and the temporary closure of part of the Strip. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, with reports of a just a couple of people being treated for smoke inhalation, but the damage to the pool area is pretty devastating, as you can see from these pictures and videos, courtesy of eyewitnesses and "abc News".
T.J. Dillashaw is a -225 favorite over Renan Barao in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Miesha Tate is -200 over Jessica Eye.
Las Vegas' partially built Fontainebleau has nothing on the Bahamas' troubled Baha Mar. Despite being "97 percent finished," all work has apparently stopped on the $3.5 billion resort pending the receipt of funds it claims is due from its lender. As of now, an announced September opening is toast.
Here's some news that you probably won't like. The Federal Trade Commission has ruled that hotels do not have to include resort fees in advertised rates. The FTC murkily requires fees to be listed somewhere on websites and advertising materials, but at this time does not mandate that they be included in published rates.
In addition to the multiple weekly hot-body events taking place poolside around town (see Today's News 7/16), there are some one-off events taking place today. From 2-6 p.m., Stratosphere's new Radius Pool hosts the MYVEGAS Magazine 2015 Bikini Cover Model Contest, with $5,000 in cash and prizes, including a coveted spot on the cover. There's no charge for guests but a two-drink minimum applies. In addition, at the other end of Las Vegas Boulevard, Daydream Pool at M Resort is hosting the "Rock Your Bikini Bod" contest, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a first prize of $500 (the runner up gets $300, with $200 for third place).
Taking a leaf out of Encore's XS and M Resort's Daydream pools, perhaps, the adult-only pool at The LINQ is hosting free night-swim parties every Friday and Saturday night, from 8 p.m. to midnight. Sundays at the pool feature a buy one, get one deal on bottles of Veuve Cliquot and Moet Champagne, also with no cover charge for attending. We just learned that this pool features a "recover zone" -- an indoor chill-out area with TVs, pool tables, and other games, which sounds like it's designed to do what Hard Rock's Rehab concept was originally all about.
Local realtor Joe DeSimone was today approved for a gaming license, giving him full control over the Railroad Pass, which he purchased from MGM Mirage Resorts Int'l, while the Nevada Gaming Commission also approved the merger between Golden Gaming, the state's largest slot route operator, and Lakes Entertainment, owner of the Rocky Gap Casino Resort in Maryland. Lakes CEO Lyle Berman will join the board of Golden Gaming and all property managers will now report to Golden COO Steve Arcana.
Help adult star Teagan Presley celebrate her birthday tonight (and/or tomorrow -- apparently she has two birthdays, like the Queen) at Crazy Horse III, where there's an open bar from 4-8 p.m. both days. For all the other notable parties and events this weekend in the city's gentlemen's clubs, check out the weekly weekend roundup posted exclusively at ToplessVegasOnline.com.
If you're interested in Las Vegas area history, be sure to tune in to our local PBS station at 8 p.m. tonight, as KLVX-TV (Channel 10) airs "The Test," a history of the atomic testing and "atomic tourism," when up-close-and-personal mushroom-cloud viewing was a perk for VIPs and an inspiration for beauty-pageant queens, Strip casinos, and downtown dive bars. The documentary repeats July 27 and July 30 at 10 p.m. and you can catch a trailer via the link above. (If you're a history buff, you might also like to check out R-J entertainment columnist Mike Weatherford's Cult Vegas, a celebration of the city's entertainment heyday, which coincided with all the atomic age.)
We're still reeling from the GO Pool item, but here's the good news we promised earlier via @LVA_Tweet and you're hearing it here first, we can guarntee: There are many changes afoot at downtown's Plaza and their latest move is to introduce a complimentary shuttle service to all hotel guests to McCarran International Airport, with 8:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 4:15 p.m. scheduled departure times daily (reservations are encouraged and can be made via the front desk). Non-hotel guests may also take advantage of the service, on a space-available basis, for $20/person. In addition, guests may also enjoy complimentary early check-in, from as early as 10 a.m., availability permitting. If this doesn't sound like a big deal, check out the Question of the Day we ran on this subject back in January 2013, when a survey of hotel policies for early check-in revealed that gaining access to your room before noon generally incurs a fee, often in the $30-$50 range.
Our investigations indicate that the Plaza is the only hotel downtown offering this amenity to guests, with the exception of El Cortez, which has a complimentary airport drop-off shuttle service that operates Sunday to Friday only, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it's just a four-seater SUV, with spaces available on a first come, first served basis.
While we've been waiting to see which hotel would dare to be the first to break the current (unspoken?) $30 ceiling on nightly resort fees, the GO Pool at Flamingo has done the (until now) unthinkable and introduced a cover charge for hotel guests. Yes, on top of the $25/night resort fee, which until now included pool access (along with in-room high speed internet access, local calls, and fitness center access for two), the pool access has now been removed and a $10 cover introduced for guests who wish to use the main GO party pool. Wow. That's all we can say.
As an aside, the family-friendly Beach Club Pool still appears to be complimentary, although any mention of pool access has been expunged from the resort fee info listed on the hotel-room booking page. Also, we stumbled upon mention of "No Tan Lines" until noon each Saturday at the GO Pool, which sounds to us a lot like a topless-sunbathing opportunity. Calls to the pool all went to voicemail, while the concierge and front desk had no knowledge of any such thing, but the spa was pretty sure we were current in our surmising. If so, this will be the first time the Flamingo has had a "toptional" option since the original GO Pool (now the Beach Club) opened (the policy was quickly dropped in the summer of 2010 after patrons started getting out of hand on the stripper pole, which also was axed).
Booze, babes, bands, beer, billiards, bikinis, and boxing, in a nutshell:
In an "either feast or famine" development, what was for a long time the only 24-hour casino buffet around these parts has now cut its hours back to zero and closed for good, a member of staff assured us. (We double checked and, sure enough, all reference to the venue has been expunged from the property's website.)
It looks like a name change is in the works for the James Beard Award-winning seafood restaurant at Wynn, with news that Paul Bartolotta is departing his eponymous restaurant, where Botero executive chef Mark LoRusso will take his place full-time early next year. In an apparent snipe at the celebrated chef, who is renowned for importing up to 1.5 tons of fresh seafood/week but evidently has not been sufficiently hands-on in his kitchen, the property has issued an official release stating that, "It has been a staple of the Wynn culinary philosophy that the chef whose name is on the menu is the person who actually prepares your meal."
This announcement follows news that nightclub guru Jesse Waits, who's behind Wynn's successful "XS" brand, is also departing, in his case to oversee the nightlife scene across the street at James Packer's planned Alon resort.
SW Steakhouse at Wynn will be closed July 27 to August 14 for renovations; during the hiatus, signature SW Steakhouse dishes, including the seared steak tartare, black truffle creamed corn, and chili-rubbed double ribeye, will continue to be served at the property's Lakeside restaurant, whose Executive Chef David Walzog oversees both venues.
It would be a doggone shame for any hot dog fan to miss out, so here's our handy roundup of all the weird and wonderful wiener deals and offerings we've discovered going on around Las Vegas in celebration of this auspicious date in the culinary calendar:
On July 27, PlayboyPoker.com online casino site will shut down permanently, two years after its relaunch and in the wake of some technical problems and canceled promotions. Players with active accounts may continue to play until Monday but are strongly encouraged to withdraw any remaining funds in their accounts prior to July 27 (transactions should be processed within 24 hours). Money that isn't withdrawn within 30 months of the shutdown will be forfeited.
After building itself into a respected entity on the indie film fest circuit over an 11-year period, CineVegas was forced into an indefinite hiatus back in 2009, thanks to the Great Recession, but the good news is that it's back, if in a diminutive incarnation of its former self. The 2015 Las Vegas Film Festival will feature a mini showcase from CineVegas at Inspire Theater, from Aug. 13-15 (the festival itself runs Aug. 11-16 but the official schedule has yet to be announced) and will present three feature films and one short, all featuring directors and actors with connections to past CineVegas festivals.
The reincarnation of miX Lounge at the Delano (itself formerly THEhotel at MBay) is to be called Skyfall, apparently in a nod to Agent 007, the spy who loves to gamble, and will comprise a lively nightly concept with 360-degree views of Las Vegas. What was miX restaurant is being transmuted into Rivea, Chef Alain Ducasse's upscale Continental brand inspired by the cuisines of Italy and the South of France.
The performance by La Arrolladora at the Axis at Planet Hollywood, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 13 as part of the property's celebrations for Mexican Independence weekend, has been canceled due to scheduling conflicts. All tickets will be refunded via Ticketmaster.com or at the original point of purchase, as applicable.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge A. Benjamin Goldgar today ruled in Chicago that Caesars Entertainment Corp. does not enjoy the same current protection from litigation being enjoyed by its main operating unit and must face lawsuits from its second-lien creditors that could lead to a multibillion-dollar judgment and force the parent company into bankruptcy, reports Bloomberg. Caesars' shares plummeted almost 60 percent in the wake of the ruling, before rallying slightly to close 41 percent down, at $4.76 -- a 70 percent devaluation since the beginning of the year.
The sports-radio personality and at-times controversial host of The Herd with Colin Cowherd today confirmed that he'll be leaving ESPN after 10 years, with his final show broadcasting on ESPN Radio (and simulcast on ESPNU) this Friday, July 24. While Cowherd's future plans have yet to be officially confirmed, there's a strong rumor that he'll be moving to Fox Sports, with Cowherd having cited the need to continue challenging and re-inventing himself. He also has a book due out this October.
Look out next Wednesday for "The MUNCHIES Guide to Vegas," presented by skateboarder Braydon Szafranski and our own Anthony Curtis, who took the VICE.com team on a Las Vegas odyssey, exploring some of the ways to "do" Sin City on a budget. The online-only show, which was filmed just a few months back, will be posted to the official munchies.vice.com site on July 29, after which it will also be uploaded to the official MUNCHIES YouTube channel. Stay tuned for more details, and perhaps a sneak preview, nearer the time.
The Fan Expo, a three-day Fantasy Sports event that was scheduled to take place at the Venetian resort in Las Vegas this month and which was conceived as a means to bring fans, pro players, and experts together to celebrate their hobby and increase their DFS expertise, is suing the National Football League to the tune of $1 million over the cancellation of the event. Although apparently initially supportive of the event, the NFL later cited the location, in Las Vegas, the home of legal sports betting in the USA, as inappropriate and unacceptable. Backers of the The Fan Expo, including Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo, who apparently has a financial stake in the convention, are countering that it's more a matter of sour grapes from an organization that underestimated how huge DFS would become and missed getting in on the action at ground level. The suit claims that around 100 pro football players, who'd been slated to participate in The Fan Expo, were threatened and cajoled with fines and suspensions if they took part, effectively rendering the event a bust. To date, the NFL has not commented on the suit.
Following a nine-day dark period this August 3-11, Cirque du Soleil's aquatic production O will move its twice-nightly performances in its custom showroom at Bellagio to earlier slots, with shows at 7 and 9:30 p.m. replacing the current 7:30/10 p.m. schedule. The show will remain dark Mondays and Tuesdays, as now, and it looks as though tickets for the late performance will feature a discounted promotional rate, with use of a code, through the end of August.
The Motown diva, who completed a nine-show mini-residency at the Venetian back in April, will be returning to the showroom this November 4 to 21. The Essential Diana Ross: Some Memories Never Fade is a ninety-minute showcase of the icon's five-decade-long music career and tickets start at $60.50.
Today's Las Vegas Sun carries a feature, first printed in sister publication VegasInc.com, examining the status of SLS and its efforts to appeal to the Las Vegas locals market under new head honcho Scott Kreeger, formerly of Station Casinos. Las Vegas Advisor publisher Anthony Curtis, a veteran assessor of casino promotions and players clubs, is quoted extensively in the piece, observing that in his opinion efforts to woo locals to the property have been somewhat lackluster to date, particularly in terms of SLS' gaming product, a fact that has not been lost on Kreeger, so hopefully some more compelling incentives for gamblers to visit are in the pipeline.
This August 1, Green Valley Ranch will join its sister properties Red Rock Resort and Texas, Santa Fe, Boulder, and Sunset Stations in offering a Kids Quest professionally supervised children's entertainment center for kids ages 2 1/2 to 12 years. The facility will feature a play kitchen and lounge, arts and crafts area, video gaming arcade, indoor play structure and climbing wall, and more. Snacks and meals will be available from the Quest Café.
The restaurant revolution remains ongoing at the Westgate, where TJ's Steakhouse closed today, to be replaced by Edge Steakhouse, an established brand out of Utah. While the official press release, just received, states that Edge doesn't open until July 28, the hotel concierge assured us that the transformation has already taken place and that the new-incarnation steakhouse is open for dinner tonight, serving "an innovative modern twist on the traditional steakhouse," featuring Snake River Farm Wagyu Beef, fresh fish, and seafood and an array of tableside preparations, including a fresh seafood tower, Caesar Salad, and a variety of "micro-desserts," whatever those may be.
Our visit to the Westgate site also informed us of the arrival of Rikki Tiki Sushi, which was news to us and evidently has replaced Teru Sushi to join Silk Road Noodle (which replaced 888 Noodle) in the Benihana Village to complement the property's extensive Asian food offerings. There's been no further word on the rumored addition of Italian restaurant Modo Mio to the Westgate's dining lineup.
In more adult-revue news, the cast of Fantasy, the long-running topless show at Luxor, will commence hosting regular weekly parties at LAX nightclub commencing tomorrow, July 22. The regular Wednesday events will take place following the show's 10:30 p.m. show, with female cast members and comedian Sean E. Cooper mixing and mingling with fans and the chance of surprise vocal performances from stars Jaime Lynch or Lorena Peril.
After breaking box office records during his engagement earlier this year, model and actor Tyson Beckford will be returning as a guest star in the Chippendales male revue at the Rio this Aug. 27 through Sept. 27, it's been announced today.
There has been movement in the ongoing Caesars Entertainment bankruptcy case, with the company having substantially upped its offer to junior creditors, but whether it's enough to rally sufficient second-lien noteholders behind the deal remains to be seen and some outside analysts are remaining highly skeptical. For more coverage, check out the latest post at our Stiffs & Georges casino-business blog.
Having been long-closed for renovations and then acquired and reopened by the Downtown Project, we've learned that the venerable downtown dive bar and live-music venue has closed once again. According to an official statement, the current owners are "in conversation with potential new operators and considering new concepts," so perhaps it will have some future life, but for now ticket holders for scheduled gigs can expect to hear from Ticketfly with regard to a refund. #RIP
There are so many choices in Sin City, how will you celebrate this special annual event today? With some deep-fried Oreo's at Mermaids Casino, perhaps? Or a serving of Heart Attack Fries from Naked City Pizza? Perhaps with the limited-time-only Churro Sundae Dog at Serendipity 3? How about a serving of "Can't Drive 55 Dollar Nachos" at Cabo Wabo Cantina? Or maybe with a Quadruple Bypass Burger from Heart Attack Grill? Hmm, we feel a Reader Poll coming on...
That's the bottom line of Bob Dancer's most recent weekly column, but how he arrives at that conclusion is a salutary lesson that you may not want to read, but almost certainly should pay attention to if you hope to be break-even video poker player, or better.
The popular Mexican cantina, which has long had a location in Mandalay Place, today debuts a second venue at Boca Park on the west side, open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 2, Sam's Town will host the 3rd Annual "Out of the Gutters" Celebrity Bowling Tournament, raising funds for the Nevada NSPCA. This year's celebrity roster has yet to be announced, but for the first time members of the public will be able to sponsor their favorite local personality; if you want to participate yourself, pre-registration is $20/person ($30 at the door) $80 for a team of five. More info is available at nevadaspca.org.
Monday saw the "soft" opening of Iowa's $40 million Wild Rose Casino & Resort in Jefferson, which features both slots and table games. The casino and bar debuted today; an adjacent hotel tower remains under construction, as are the restaurant and events center. A grand opening is planned for Aug. 1.
The Mandalay Bay Border Grill location is to host a "Top Chef Masters" Reunion Dinner on Aug. 19, hosted by chefs/owners Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger and fellow Top Ten alumni iHugh Acheson and Rick Moonen. Tickets for the event, which will feature a cocktail reception and a panel discussion/Q&A with the chefs, in addition to an "intimate" dinner, are $150, with a portion of proceeds going to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.
Three players are in a four-hole playoff for the British Open golf championship. Louis Oosthuizen is the +135 favorite, Zach Johnson is +175, and Marc Leishman is +225.
The popular upscale burger chain is at it again, with another travel contest for "Smashclub" members and a limited-duration "Windy City Burger," featuring Gulden's spicy mustard, crispy "haystack" onions, sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, served on a pretzel bun. The contest features a $2,500 cash giveaway to be spent at the winner's discretion on a "travel and play" trip to Chicago for two. Sign up for free Smashclub membership to be eligible.
Babes Rockin' Sports Bar (in the same building as Babes strip club) at 5901 Emerald Ave. (off Boulder Hwy.) hosts the finale of "Rockin' Comedy Show Stands Up" comedy contest, hosted by "Crazy" Jay. There's no cover and there will be 18 comedians competing; doors open at 10 p.m.
The casual eatery at Caesars Palace, renowned for its OTT deserts (check out the Churro Sundae Dog...), is celebrating National Hot Do Day (July 23) by serving an array of "secret" off-the-menu dogs today through Thursday. In order to score one of the items below, each of which are $12.99, guests must request the "Hot Dog Day Secret Menu":
Despite being one shot behind three players going into the final day of the British Open golf championship, Jordan Spieth is the +245 favorite. He's followed by Louis Oosthuizen (+405), Jason Day (+415), and amateur Paul Dunne. In a rare Monday finish caused by inclement weather, the final round will begin at about 5:30 a.m. EST.
Casinos in Cripple Creek, Colorado can now serve alcohol 24 hours a day. A "regulatory end-around" is being credited for the permission that was granted to seven of the nine casinos in Cripple Creek. Around-the-clock service was earlier permitted at two casinos in Blackhawk and at a gentlemen's club in Glendale.
Registration is now open for our "Sunday Funday 18" poker tournament. Play begins at noon PST/3 p.m. EST today. Prizes are $100 for first; a suite of three of our top poker books for second; Full LVA membership for third, and prizes for all final-table contestants, including books and gift cards. There's also a "bubble" prize this month for 10th place. See the entire prize pool and register to play at the LVA Casino (once signed in, click on "Poker Tournaments" and register for Tourney ID 8893). This tournament is completely free to play. There will also be other tourneys running all day for gift cards and play chips. Come have some fun! See you at noon.
The 53rd annual Art in the Park in Boulder City will take place Oct. 3 and 4, with Newport Beach cartoonist Robert Marble named as the Featured Artist this year.
Downtown's "Rock of Vegas" summer concert series continues tonight with Theory of a Deadman. The free concert begins at 9 p.m. on the 1st Street Stage.
Reserve some time tomorrow to play in our 18th Sunday Funday online poker tournament. First place gets $100 and everyone at the final table will win prizes. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. EST/noon PST. It's completely free to play, with registration beginning two hours before the tournament at the LVA Casino.
Michael Bisping is a -140 favorite over Thales Leites in the main event of today's rare afternoon UFC card. In the other featured match, Ross Pearson is -240 over Evan Dunham.
Online-gambling operator 888 Holdings has agreed to acquire Bwin.party Digital Entertainment for $1.4 billion. Due to preexisting relationships for both companies, the move is expected to open the door for increased participation in online gambling in both Nevada and New Jersey, possibly involving MGM Resorts International and Boyd Gaming.
It's not usually a notable date in the nightclub calendar, as far as we're aware, but this year Wynn and Encore have decided to celebrate the fiesta with a serious DJ lineup, commencing with David Guetta at XS on Friday, Sept. 11, and again on Sept. 13 (for the Nightswim party), interspersed with Avicii Sept. 12, followed up by Lil Jon on Mon. 14. The resorts promise more names and events to follow, so stay tuned and make your reservations sooner rather than later, if this is your thing.
A massive wildfire in the San Bernadino area has shut down the I-15 in both directions, we just learned via Fox5 News. That's all we know right now and alternate routes, such as they are, involve major detours, so the best advice we can offer right now is that if you don't have to travel to/from Vegas/California right now, don't!
Mobile-eatery operators have until 5 p.m. on Monday, July 21, to register for the Las Vegas City lottery that will award access four prime parking spots in downtown Las Vegas on a rotating basis. The lottery takes place on Thursday, July 24, at Las Vegas City Hall (495 S. Main St.) in first-floor training room No. 4 at 9 a.m. Note that registration is at the City of Las Vegas' Parking Services Office (500 S. Main St.) and to make this deadline you have until 5 p.m. today, or get there between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. The drawing's restricted to companies currently licensed to operate mobile food vending trucks inside the Las Vegas city limits and there's a non-refundable fee of $50 per licensee to enter the lottery (one entry per business only).
Ladies drink free champagne from 4-6 p.m. every Friday at Sapphire Pool & Day Club, which has also teamed up with ?Red Bull Las Vegas? to present "Hip Hop vs. House" tomorrow. It's the second round of this event, which features select Hip Hop and House DJs from around the country battling for the chance to perform at the Red Bull Air Race in October. Then on Sunday, locals can enjoy an open hosted bar at the pool, which is one of our fave daylife hangouts. For the complete lowdown on this weekend in Las Vegas' gentlemen's clubs, check out the weekly round-up posted at ToplessVegasOnline.
Tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Silverton is hosting one their regular Craft & Gift Show events in the Veil Pavilion. Admission's free and there will be raffle tickets for adult attendees.
The night of Rogue Warrior Cage Fighting slated to take place at the Cannery Saturday night has been canceled; the event's been rescheduled for Oct. 23.
The downtown tapas-style eatery and hangout closed Sunday, we've learned via the R-J, with no official reason cited, but speculation that its location in the Arts Factory on E. Charleston may be reincarnated as the valley's third Crown & Anchor British-style pub. The former hotspot was a "Neighborhood" pick in the 2012 edition of our Eating Las Vegas restaurant guide but was dropped from the 2013 edition and that year was shut down by the Southern Nevada Health District for gross health code violations.
Having ceased publication of its print magazine back in January, Bluff.com, one of the most established sites covering live and online poker, has let go of its entire staff and is set to wind down all current operations within the next few weeks, as per a tweet earlier today from founder Eric Morris (now with ALL IN magazine). Conflicting dates have been cited for the actual closing date, but Morris stated that Aug. 15 looked to be the very end of the road for Bluff, which he launched back in 2004. According to OnlinePokerReport.com, "The site will continue to exist in some yet-to-be-determined form," but the current staff and structure has been eliminated.
Thanks to "deep moisture" courtesy of Hurricane Dolores, the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for the following areas, to be in effect from late Friday afternoon through Saturday evening: Northeast Clark County; Southern Clark County, Red Rock Canyon, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Spring Mountains, and Las Vegas Valley. As always, take care and drive safely.
Having long been known as the "quickie-marriage capital of the known universe," and in more recent times having deliberately reached out to the LGBT travel market, including offering commitment ceremonies way ahead of the blanket legalization of same-sex marriage, it's ironic that Las Vegas is now seeing a big fall-off in nuptials, but that is the inescapable conclusion to be drawn from an independent fact-finding study carried out by new Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya, who took office in January. Her findings revealed a 37 percent drop in marriage-license applications over the past decade, attributed in part to competition from more exotic "wedding destinations," like Hawaii and the Caribbean. To help put Las Vegas back on the wedding map, Goya is recommending a $14 increase in the cost of the license, with the additional revenue generated being used to advertise the benefits of marrying in Sin City.
SlotZilla is holding a benefit to raise money for Three Square Food Bank today, with 100 percent of admission revenues taken in until 7 p.m. donated to Three Square food bank. Local celebs, including former UFC fighter Forrest Griffin and pro BMX rider Ricardo Laguna, will be on hand to encourage courage, or just take a snapshot, with riders.
This summer has seen an explosion of bikini contests, some of them for seriously big bucks, ranging from the weekly events at Sapphire Dayclub (with 40+ Gems), to Hard Rock/Rehab's monthly Bikini Invitational with Crystal Hefner, to the annual Hot 100 mega-contest at Wet Republic, to Drai's Beachclub's Ultimate Bikini Contest at The Cromwell, to Planet Hollywood's annual Miss Pleasure Pool bikini showdowns, to the HOT ROD PowerFest West event coming to The LINQ parking lot this September.
Now Stratosphere's Radius pool, a 2015 newcomer to the "toptional" pool scene, evidently wants in on the action and is hosting the MYVEGAS Magazine 2015 Bikini Cover Model Contest this July 25, from 2-6 p.m., with $5,000 in cash and prizes, including that coveted spot on the cover. Talking of covers, there's no cover charge, but a 2-drink minimum applies. (BTW, congrats to Radius on your recent pick by JetSetter.com as the Nevada "high" point in their "50 States of Awesome" feature.)
MGM Resorts International has released artist's renditions of what the new Monte Carlo Theater (we assume that's a "working" name) will look like and how it fits in with The Park, the adjacent outdoor social hub that's nearing completion, so click here for a sneak peek.
The Arena Football League announced this week that it has taken control of the Las Vegas Outlaws and that the team will continue to operate without its former ownership group, led by Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil, as part of a plan to "solidify [the team's] financial condition." It's not the first time that a Vince Neil Vegas venture has gone off-track, as we chronicled in a Question of the Day this time last year; the Las Vegas Outlaws have four games remaining in their 2015 regular-season schedule are are scheduled to play the LA KISS on the road this Saturday.
The shopping/movie-theater complex at Sahara and Fort Apache continues its "Third Thursday" family festivities this evening with "Hot July Nights," a classic car show featuring live music, local vendors, a kids' play zone, raffles, store discounts, and more, from 5-9 p.m.
The south-of-the-Strip casino just saw the debut of a new Asian Eatery, WuHu Noodle, serving Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai cuisine. In addition, the casino is celebrating this month with various promotions:
The longest-surviving resort-casino on the Strip, prior to its permanent closure last May, may be gone but is not forgotten -- at least not by myriad branches of law enforcement, the military, and other first responders, as revealed by a fascinating feature in Tuesday's R-J.
It turns out that behind closed doors, agencies ranging from the FBI's breaching and hostage-negotiation schools, to the Clark County Fire Department, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, Federal Air Marshals, SWAT teams from both Metro and Henderson, the former's Multi Assault Counter Terrorism Action Capabilities teams, the U.S. Secret Service, the Veterans Affairs Police, the U.S. Navy, and both local and DHS K-9 units are all over the joint, making the most of the authentic location as a training ground while its determined whether the building and its materials are safe to be imploded or will require manual deconstruction. Ultimately, the site is to be redeveloped as an extension to the Las Vegas Convention Center, but for the time being behind its enjoying one last, and surprising hurrah, as what must resemble the set of the ultimate disaster movie, as described by the senior vice president of the LVCVA, who's been witnessing some of the exercises first hand. "There's a lot of testosterone in the building and there‘s a lot of yelling and swearing when they build up the muscle and anger to break the door down," says Terry Jicinsky.
In an interesting column that looks at some of Las Vegas' more prolific or notorious "comeback kids," and the potential pitfalls of a showroom residency, R-J entertainment columnist Mike Weatherford reveals that "junk rock" aficionados Recycled Percussion are soon to have yet another new Las Vegas home, when they debut July 20 in the Saxe Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops. Producer David Saxe promises a revamped show that will feature "a lot more comedy," with hopes of broadening the show's appeal after short-lived runs that commenced back in 2010 in the former Studio 54 nightclub at MGM Grand, subsequently bouncing to an on/off gig in the Tropicana's Tiffany Theater, followed by an extended stint at the Quad/LINQ.
Mat Franco, the "America's Got Talent" Season 9 winner and only magician, to date, to claim that title, is sticking with the plan to debut at The LINQ Aug. 5, with preview performances August 3-9 and 13-16 (no discounts; regular pricing applies). Tickets for Mat Franco: Magic Reinvented Nightly, start at $46.20; show performs at 7 p.m.
While plans for the former Postrio location in the Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian have yet to be announced, the spot next door is being transformed into the Paris Baguette Cafe. Coming from the owners of Jamba Juice, the new $1 million casual eatery will feature an "outdoor" patio dining area, in addition to indoor seating, plus a mezzanine floor, and serve sandwiches, pastries, cakes, and fresh-baked bread in the spirit of a classic French boulangerie/pâtisserie.
It's been confirmed that changes are a comin' to the Monte Carlo hotel-casino, beginning with a new showroom, as previewed in the July issue of the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter. Here's the skinny: An approximately 5,000-seat live-entertainment venue is to be constructed on the site of what is currently the Blue Man Group theater, adjacent to the under-construction Las Vegas Arena and The Park, between Monte Carlo and New York-New York. The displaced Blue Men will return to their original Las Vegas home at the Luxor, which has the domino effect of displacing dance troupe Jabbawockeez, who'll head to MGM Grand, where they'll be sharing a theater with "Madhouse" ringleader Jeff Beacher and his human circus.
The new Monte Carlo theater is projected to welcome its first acts, identified so far only as "many of the music industry’s most-celebrated performers", at the end of 2016 (by which time the Monte Carlo itself may well have a completely new identity).
Dust off your disco balls because it's the third Wednesday in the month, which means it's Down & Derby roller disco time at the Gold Spike, with skating, drinking, and dancing (not necessarily in that order). Doors at 9 p.m.; $6 cover; RSVP via the official form if you feel like getting your boogie on.
The final table for the World Series of Poker Main Event is set, with nine left from the starting 6,420. Here are the players and their chip counts.
Joseph McKeehen 63,100,000
Zvi Stern 29,800,000
Neil Blumenfield 22,000,000
Pierre Neuville 21,075,000
Max Steinberg 20,200,000
Thomas Cannuli 12,250,000
Joshua Beckley 11,800,000
Patrick Chan 6,225,000
Federico Butteroni 6,200,000
Poker superstar Daniel Negreanu just missed, finishing 11th. McKeehen's chip count going into the final table is the second highest since the beginning of the November Nine format, behind Jonathan Duhamel's 65,975,000 in 2010. The players will reconvene for the final table at the Rio on Nov. 10.
We're not sure what the occasion is, if any, but on Wednesday, July 15, Club Palms members earn 10X point on reel and video reel slots and 2X points on video poker at the off-Strip property. Offer not valid on non-promotional machines; multiplier valid from 12:01 a.m. through 11:59 p.m.
Silverton has announced a "Summer Rock Concert Series," presented by KOMP 92.3 FM, with shows every Friday from July 24 through August 28 in the Veil Pavilion. These FREE concerts will run from 7 to 9 p.m. and the announced lineup includes:
Aussie Hunks, the latest male revue to hit Las Vegas, will be spicing things up at the D downtown commencing Friday, July 31. Billed as an "erotic hip-hop strip show", the production features eight classically trained Australian male dancers, who gained attention via reality shows like "Australia's Got Talent" and "So You Think You Can Dance Australia" and will be titillating female audiences in the Showroom at 10:10 p.m. nightly. Tickets start at $45 (which includes a complimentary themed cocktail, domestic beer, well drink, glass of house wine, or soft drink) and are on sale now at tickets.thed.com.
Yes, all that -- just in one column! So, we suggest you read it.
Whether you are French, a francophile, or just enjoy good food, Las Vegas has more than its usual complement of celebrations for La Fête Nationale, celebrated each year on July 14, which marks the storming of Paris' hated Bastille prison and all that it symbolized, and the commencement of the French Revolution. Here are a couple of ways we've heard about to celebrate in Las Vegas today:
It's been a year since Caesars Entertainment announced that the former Imperial Palace, briefly the Quad, would be undergoing yet another identity change and upgrade. That $223 renovation and remodel has now been completed (bye bye pagodas, hello cabanas!), and included upgrades to all has 2,253 guestrooms, plus the addition of two new loft-style penthouses, in addition to major remodels in the public areas.
Meanwhile, Mandalay Bay is entering the final phase of a $100 million renovation, in which all 3,211 guestrooms will be updated with "bright, natural designs" and modernized in-room work areas for all you conventioneers and workaholics out there.
The final 27 players in the World Series of Poker Main Event will play down to the November Nine today. Thomas Kearney leads a tightly bunched group with 14.4 million, followed by Mozheng Guan with 14.2 million and Erasmus Morfe with 12.1 million. Daniel Negreanu is in 9th with 8.5 million. This year's "last woman standing" was Kelly Minkin, who was eliminated yesterday in 29th place. The tournament will pause after today and resume on November 8.
With 69 players remaining, Pierre Neuville is the chip leader with 7.1 million. He's followed by David Stefanski with 6.5 million and David Peters with 6.1 million. Still in the hunt are Max Steinberg, Brian Hastings, Mark Kroon, and Daniel Negreanu. There are no former winners left in the field.
In cataloguing Caesars Entertainment's myriad bankrupt casino properties in today's Question of the Day, we mistook defunct Harrah's Tunica for very-much-alive Horseshoe Tunica. The latter is open and, as best we can tell, still thriving. Oops! Apologies for any confusion caused.
Aliante Casino + Hotel is hosting a Bunco tournament on Saturday, Aug. 15, to benefit the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation, featuring specialty cocktails, "BUNCO Juice", a silent auction, and cash prizes. Players can enter in singles ($35), pairs, or in teams of up to 12, with participants requested to please bring a new pair of boxed shoes. All entrants will be entered to win a staycation package at the resort. (Mention group code BUNCO1 for a discounted rate if reserving hotel accommodations.)
Set phasers to stun because this August 6-9, Las Vegas' Rio hotel once more transforms into the closest terrestrial equivalent of the USS Enterprise, when a veritable constellation (103 and rising) of stars and creators gather for the annual intergalactic fan expo. This year's roster of big-name guest appearances currently includes William Shatner, George Takei, Sir Patrick Stewart and, making her inaugural appearance at the event, the one-and-only Joan Collins. The cheapest single-day GA ticket is $30 and while many of the VIP packages are sold out, you might still score at the online auction.
Last week saw Yahoo follow Apple's lead with the launch, in 45 states, of its mobile-only DFS product, Yahoo Sports Daily Fantasy, while next week sees the inaugural Fantasy Sports Combine fantasy sports conference in Las Vegas, hosted by Wynn/Encore, with tickets starting at a whopping $895. Still, the Nevada State Gaming Control Board is urging caution for the state's brick-and-mortar casinos, while putting the onus on licensees to perform due legal diligence before entering into the DFS arena. The business has so far been exempt from regulations applicable to gambling enterprises, thanks to a carve-out clause in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which exempts fantasy sports, lotteries, and horse racing from its provisions.
We're interested to learn your take on DFS so, if you haven't already, please cast your vote in our current Reader Poll, which closes at midnight Tuesday.
For the fourth year in succession, Maroon 5 will headline Mandalay Bay's annual "Paint the Town Gold" New Year's Eve festivities, with performances at the Events Center on Wednesday, Dec. 30 and Thursday, Dec. 31. Tickets start at $99.50 and go on sale to the general public Friday, July 17 at 10 a.m. PDT.
With just 237 players remaining in the World Series of Poker Main Event, Joseph McKeehen is the new chip leader, with 3,122,000. He's followed by Upeshka De Silva with 3.1 million and Erasmus Morfe and Brian Hastings, each with 2.5 million. Along with Hastings, top names still alive are Daniel Negreanu, John Racener, Men Nguyen, Antonio Esfandiari, Mark Kroon, Justin Bonomo, Max Steinberg. and the lone former champion, Jim Bechtel.
The latest high-profile bar closure takes place tonight at the Cosmopolitan. Tonight is last call for Book & Stage, which will apparently become another bar of an undisclosed nature.
LV Review-Journal columnist Norm Clark reports that Wynn Las Vegas nightclub empresario Jesse Waits has resigned to oversee nightlife at Alon, the new megaresort planned for the former New Frontier property. Waits, with his twin brother, Cy, created XS at the Wynn, which has been the top-grossing nightclub in the U.S. in recent years.
Today is a bonus-points day at Station Casinos. Swipe your Boarding Pass card for up to 3.3X points on slots and 2X on video poker with no limit on the number of points you can accrue. Today also begins a new cycle for the double-royals promotion at Gold Coast and Orleans. Hit two taxable ($1,200 and above) royals between today and and Thursday and get paid double on the second up to $5,000.
Novak Djokovic is a -120 favorite over Roger Federer in tomorrow's Wimbledon men's tennis final. The match starts early, at 9 am EST.
Connor McGregor is a -165 favorite over Chad Mendes in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Rory MacDonald is -160 over Robbie Lawler.
To celebrate its 88th birthday, participating 7-Eleven! stores are giving away free Slurpees. The frozen drink was introduced by 7-Eleven! in 1966 and 8 million were given away on last year's Free Slurpee Day. The offer isn't confined to Las Vegas and is running at participating stores all over the country today from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Natch!
The lines are all over the place for tonight's big UFC Championship match between Connor McGregor and Chad Mendes. For example, you can lay as much as -200 on McGregor and take as little as +155 on Mendes if you bet indiscriminately. But as pointed out in a recent Tweet from LVASports' Frank Betti, you can get 175 either way in Las Vegas sports books if you know where to go. Check out "Tweets" at LVASports.com for the locations. We'll post the widely available line in this space closer to post time of the fight.
With the World Series of Poker Main Event paying 1,000 players this year, the tournament got "into the money" a day earlier than usual, with all players from that point getting a minimum of $15,000. This year's official bubble player -- the one finishing one spot out of the money -- was Roy Daoud, who was awarded the traditional $10K entry into next year's Main Event. But the real bubble boy was Jonas Lauck, who went out on the same hand as Daoud. The two drew high card for the 1,001st spot and Lauck was out of luck, losing with a 7 to Daoud's J and officially finishing 1,002nd, which paid nothing.
The Day 3 chip leader is Amar Anand with 1,139,000. Anand was also leading after Day 2 and is followed by Joseph McKeehen (1,052,000), Brian Hastings (1,034,500), and Fedor Holz (994,000). In a field now down to 661, very few are recognizable names, though five former Main Event champions still remain: Jim Bechtel, Joe Hachem, Ryan Riess, Jonathan Duhamel, and Phil Hellmuth. At this point last year only one former champ remained. Other big names still playing are Daniel Negreanu, Antonio Esfandiari, John Racener, and Blair Rodman.
Celebrities have not, in general, had a stellar track record when it comes to the World Series of Poker (see our former Question of the Day on the subject), but this year comedian Brad Garrett beat the odds and outlasted a host of famous pros to make it to Day 3 of the Main Event. However, he was knocked out at around 4:30 p.m. this afternoon when he went all in against Shiva Dudani with JT offsuit, only for Dudani to make a queen high flush on the river. Still, it was a great run and he beat out his "Everybody Love Raymond" co-star Ray Romano, a WSOP Main Event veteran who himself outlasted Phil Ivey.
David Jackson was the Day 2C chip leader with 408,800, but it left him in only fifth position overall. With Day 2 complete, the overall chip leader is Amar Anand with 603,500. Yesterday's notable eliminations included Phil Ivey, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, and former Main Event champions Jamie Gold, Huck Seed, Peter Eastgate, and Robert Varkonyi. Day 3 play begins at noon today with the remaining field of 1,824 all playing together for the first time.
With UFC 189 going down, there are viewing parties all over town, but we figure some of the city's gentlemen's clubs could be your top play, with various strip clubs offering free pizza, drink specials, $1 lap dances, and more, in addition to screening the fight on multiple hi def TV screens. Check out the complete round-up of who's doing what at ToplessVegasOnline.com, where you'll also find all the other parties and specialty nights taking place over the course of the weekend, including the pool party at Sapphire Dayclub today, where ladies receive free champagne from 4-6 p.m.
Online gambling company GVC Holdings, which two years ago joined forces with William Hill to take over Sportingbet, is now in substantial talks with Bwin.Party to acquire the Gibraltar-based company for $1.4 billion. Rival company 888 Holdings had expressed similar interest in Bwin.Party back in May, but the latter is apparently more interested in pursuing the advance from GVC. Should the deal go through, it will be jointly financed by Amaya, the Canadian operator of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.
President Obama today signed a proclamation that turned 1,100 square miles of Lincoln and Nye counties into a protected conservation area. The Basin and Range National Monument comprises Garden Valley and Coal Valley, separated by the Golden Gate Range and including the Mount Irish Range, the Seaman Range and the Worthington Mountains -- a rugged desert mountain region that features both ancient petroglyphs and contemporary artist Michael Heizer's mile-and-a-half long "City" sculpture. While conservationists are applauding the creation of this new protected landscape, opponents claim Heizer's work is too remote to ever become a major tourist attraction and that the designation prevents any future exploitation of natural resources in the financially strapped region.
The famous free spectacle at the Mirage, which received a major upgrade back in 2009, is to cut its nightly performances way back commencing July 13. Currently, the volcano erupts nightly every half hour, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.; once the new schedule comes into effect on Monday, you'll only be able to catch the show twice a night Sunday through Thursday, at 8 and 9 p.m., with an extra 10 p.m. eruption on Fridays and Saturdays.
Downtown's "videolounge gamebar," INSERT COIN(S), which has operated for more than four years on Fremont East, abruptly closed its doors this week, citing financial challenges in the current Downtown economic climate that have rendered the business unsustainable, at least for the time being. The owner issued a statement explaining that they hope to revive the contemporary-bar-meets-old-school-video-arcade concept at some future point.
Country music showcase "Nashville Unplugged: The Story Behind the Song" celebrates its sixth anniversary performing at Station Casinos tonight, with drink specials in its Club Madrid home at Sunset Station. There will be $2 Bud Light draft beers and $3 Jack or Jack Fire shots, with Rob Hatch appearing as tonight's featured artist at 8 p.m. The cover's $10, or $5 for Boarding Pass members.
The Downtown Container Park hosts an open-air family movie night this evening, with a 7:30 p.m. screening of The Goonies. Bring a blanket and some cash for snacks (courtesy of Chillspot, Cheffinis Hot Dogs, Las Vegas Kettle Corn, and Sweet Spot Candy Shop), because NO OUTSIDE FOOD IS ALLOWED (their caps, not ours). But it's free and all ages are welcome.
Anyone with a pet knows that animals tend to get freaked out by fireworks and this July 4 saw a common but unfortunate (56 percent) spike in admissions to the Animal Foundation shelter, which is now overflowing with lost dogs and scared kitties. If you're in the market for a furry friend, please consider a rescue animal first; if you lost a pet, be sure to check all the available animal shelter resources around the valley (most of which have online listings), including the Animal Foundation, which is waiving the usual fee charged for reuniting pets with their owners. And be sure have your pets registered and microchipped (most chips merely identify you as the owner, should your loved one be found, but for a higher fee it's also possible to have a geo-locating chip inserted, which is a lot more useful, especially under these circumstances, when a scared animal could have fled far from home).
Sorry, there's pretty much nothing going on this weekend; well, aside from all this, that is:
We're happy to report that someone (who, we'd hazard a guess, was perhaps was intoxicated at the time of the "incident") showed up at the D today and produced, from their backpack, the property's inherited, but treasured piece of Blarney Stone. From the security report (posted on social media by the property's owner, Derek Stevens, using hashtag #FaithInHumanity), it would appear that the suspect returned to the scene of the crime at their own volition and will face no further consequences past their earlier social shaming (aside, perhaps, from being 86'd, although the report does not indicate that even this occurred), for what appears to have been an impulsive, and later regretted, act of larceny. Congrats to all involved for doing the right thing.
We confirmed last week that the cool "Throwback Thursdays" promotion, featuring $1 single-deck blackjack, is indeed back at Binion’s. It's a good game paying 3-2 on naturals, with limits of $1-$100. The games are dealt on four tables from noon to midnight. They fill up in the evening.
Readers of USA Today have voted Hard Rock Las Vegas' 4.8-acre "Beachlife" complex, which features the Paradise and Nirvana Pools and Breathe Pool Lounge deck, and is home to the notorious Rehab parties, the #1 people's-choice pick for U.S. hotel pools, beating out a list of 19 other nominees (of which it was the only one from Las Vegas). Congrats!
By the same token, Aria's Sky Suites have been named the premier hotel destination in Las Vegas by users of TripAdvisor.com, who selected it from a list of 269 hotels in the city. Kudos!
Commencing at 5 p.m. tonight, Double Barrel Roadhouse at Monte Carlo will host a meet and greet with UFC fighter Frankie Edgar, who'll be chatting and taking photos with fans until 7 p.m., ahead of Saturday's UFC 189 at MGM Grand. On Friday, from 4 p.m., there will also be a weigh-in viewing party at the saloon, followed by a live screening of UFC 189 from 6 p.m. on Saturday, when the main event will be Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes, following Jose Aldo's withdrawal from the fight on injury grounds.
A representative from the PR firm contacted us to clarify that the stand-up comedy showcase in SLS' Sayers Club is not ongoing: Bonkerz Comedy Club is only slated to occupy the room for select dates through Aug. 1.
Is nothing sacred? The sole remaining vestige of Irish memorabilia/theming that was retained from Fitzgeralds, following its reincarnation as the D, has been stolen and owner Derek Stevens is pleading on social media for its safe return. We have these thoughts to offer on the subject and how it cannot possibly end well for the perpetrator:
The Sun's entertainment columnist, John Katsilometes, reports that the latest venue to embrace the Bonkerz Comedy brand, which has bounced all over town including stints at Palace Station, Downtown Grand, Plaza, Silver Sevens, Primm, and TI, and with current gigs at Silverton and Rampart, will be performing in the Sayers Club Thursday through Friday at 8 p.m. Upcoming performers include Erik Myers, Ian Gutoskie, Michael "Wheels" Parise, and J.C. Currais and tickets are $10, available at thesayersclublv.com. As Kats points out, the shows mark the first open-ended, ticketed, live-entertainment programming at the hotel.
The new leader after Day 2A/B, which combined the survivors from Day 1A and 1B, is Amar Anand with 603,500. Big names near the top include Brian Hastings (367,300), Mike Matusow (200,700), Jonathan Duhamel (177,400), and Blair Rodman (160,600). Notable eliminations include Jorryt van Hoof, Barry Shulman, Jeremy Ausmus, Andy Black, Jason Mercier, Brian Rast, Phil Galfond, Erick Lindgren, Jennifer Tilly, and former Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker. The tournament continues today with Day 2C play beginning at noon.
In a strange twist of events following our earlier post, in an interview with Page Six on Tuesday, SBE Entertainment founder Sam Nazarian announced the sale of SLS Las Vegas' Katsuya and Cleo restaurants to the One Group, which also owns the STK and Bagatelle brands, the former of which has a location at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Nazarian, who's had a stormy ride in Las Vegas and recently lost three SBE board members, described the move as part of an ongoing restructuring of SBE in order to "focus on core brands," although coming in the wake of the recent sales of both its SLS Beverly Hills and flagship SLS South Beach properties, it's becoming less clear what those core brands are...
Comedy magician and veteran Las Vegas headliner Mac King is the subject of today's Las Vegas Advisor "Question of the Day" and we're excited to report that he read it and evidently didn't find fault with any of our facts (phew!), but instead found the whole thing "a hoot" and sealed his stamp of approval by tweeting the QoD link (yay!). Thanks, Mac!
It's just been announced that Lenny Kravitz will be bringing his ongoing world tour to Las Vegas this fall, with a September 8 performance at Cosmopolitan's Chelsea theater. Tickets don't go on sale until Friday and prices haven't been announced, but judging by other dates on the tour, they should start around the $45-$50 mark. (As an aside, something is being made of the fact that Kravitz is playing at the Cosmopolitan rather than SLS, since he has a relationship with the sbe hotel group and was responsible for some room designs at SLS Las Vegas. However, since the property's largest nightlife venue is The Sayers Club, which has a capacity of just 250, and the other shows on this tour are taking place in amphitheaters, event centers, and major outdoor music festivals, we're not reading too much into his choice of venue.)
MGM Resorts International today sold its Reno casino holdings, comprising Circus Circus Reno and a 50 percent stake in the Silver Legacy, to Eldorado Resorts, which already owns the other 50 percent of that property. The sale price for the whole package was $72.5 million and the transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the year and will mark MRI's complete exit from the Reno market.
LA Comedy Club, which has had a long if disjointed relationship with Las Vegas, having bounced from Palace Station, to Planet Hollywood/Miracle Mile Shops, to Four Queens, and most recently to Bally's, where it closed earlier this year, has a new home lined up on Las Vegas Boulevard, reports Vegas Chatter. What one of its owners describes as the "rebel younger brother of The Improv, where we can push the boundaries of comedy and let comedians spread their wings," is destined to open in a new custom venue called The Dragon Room, located on the second floor of the Stratosphere, in approximately a month and a half, if all goes according to plan, and apparently will feature some good deals for locals. Stay tuned!
In this week's column, video poker expert Bob Dancer poses an interesting scenario that will help you decide which game(s) are right for you, factoring in considerations including: your bankroll; your personality and willingness to take risks; your ability and inclination to master (sometimes) complex strategies; your tax status; and more. It's a rational and enlightening read which addresses concepts that should prove useful to any gambler, not just video poker players.
The third and final Day 1 session suggests that while poker may not be in decline, it certainly has a lot more procrastinators. A massive 3,963 players waited for the final session to enter, creating the largest single-day Main Event field in history. The last-day infusion raised the tournament's total entries to 6,420, a 3.9% decrease from last year's 6,683, but higher than expected after the first two days' participation. The Day 1C chip leader was John Gorsuch with 198,100, which makes him the overall tournament leader. The total prize pool is $60,348,000 and 1,000 players will make the money, with the winner taking down $7.8 million. Notable eliminations included Patrik Antonius, Mike Sexton, and Jennifer Harman, along with prior Main Event champions Joe Cada, Greg Merson, Jerry Yang, and last-year's winner, Martin Jacobson. The first of two Day 2 sessions begins at noon today.
Here are some random tidbits of restaurant news that have come to our recent attention:
When the host is a notorious (alleged) former mobster (who once recounted to us in graphic detail how he "lost" his gall bladder one dark night in Las Vegas...), we like to keep our word, and we promised Frankie Citro we'd remind you about the celebration of the music of Carole King and James Taylor that's going down tomorrow and Thursday nights, July 8 and 9, at the Italian American Club. Tickets to You've Got a Friend, which features a core backing group of six live musicians, are $25 and the show's at 8 p.m. -- tell Frankie the Brit Chick sent you. Please!
Following last night's torrential rain, which saw widespread flooding around the valley, the National Weather Service has issued another flash flood watch for all of Southern Nevada, in effect until 9 p.m. tonight, with a repeat of last night's storms forecast. Every time Las Vegas experiences flooding, our thoughts always go to the hundreds of people who make their home "Beneath the Neon" in the city's storm drains, where the effects of flash floods have proven lethal on more than one occasion and have seen victims swept across the city as mattresses and other possessions were swept up in the raging waters, or trapped for days on end in lateral pipes, without food or water.
Here's a million-dollar opportunity we just stumbled upon, but you'll need to be either a really good golfer, or else supremely lucky for a shot at hitting the jackpot. This promotion started last November, but you have from now until September to gain entry to the Rio Secco Hole Finals, the date of which has yet to be determined. Finalists will have three shots each at the par-3 7th hole on Rio's golf course and if they manage to ace just one of those attempts, they'll score a $1 million payday.
There are two ways to enter the contest: If you make a witnessed hole in one on hole #7 between now and September, you're automatically entered into the main event; three additional players will be selected via monthly drawings. (Drawing entries include all registered paid greens fees from November 2014-September 2015, and additional entries for playing in the hit-the-green promotion with a minimum $20 stake.) All players who make the finals will be awarded a three-night stay at a high-end CET property, two rounds of golf at Rio Secco, a tee gift, and ground transportation.
This Thursday, July 9, a roster of UFC athletes, including heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum and welterweight contender Johny Hendricks, will be fighting with knives (and saucepans) as they test their cooking skills in a culinary showdown. "The Ultimate Cookoff" will take place at Lagasse’s Stadium at The Palazzo from 7 to 10 p.m., when the fighters will face the unorthodox challenge of turning a mystery basket of ingredients into something that tastes better than a knuckle sandwich. Tickets to attend are $25 (or $110 for VIP).
Here's advance warning (because you have to RSVP by emailing [email protected]) that, in honor of International Beer Day this August 6, Rí Rá Irish pub at Mandalay Place will bring back its annual #RiRaBeerDay celebration from 6 to 8 p.m., with attendees getting to enjoy a free pint of Guinness and complimentary appetizers. Additionally, the first 15 guests to arrive at the party will receive a free beer flight and there will be raffle prizes throughout the evening, including a $50 gift card to the pub.
Random Guinness Fact: The distinct Irish dry stout, which originated in the late-eighteenth century, is now brewed in almost 60 countries and is available in over 120 worldwide. Something like 1.8 billion US pints of the stuff are consumed annually.
Michael Grimm's promised three-month residency inside Hard Rock's Vinyl was slated to run through August 30, was curtailed prematurely due to "unforeseen circumstances" (see Today's News 6/18), but we've learned that the singer will perform two shows there later this month, on July 24 and 25. The shows are free and doors are at 10:30 p.m. All ages are welcome.
Perhaps this is decisive proof that poker is indeed a sport, with news that the heavy rainfall from last night's storm actually halted play in the Main Event of the 2015 WSOP. The game was stopped with nine minutes to go in the third level and players on Day 1B were sent on an impromptu dinner break on account of a leaking ceiling, which necessitated 23 tables in the Brasilia Room being relocated to the Amazon Room.
First stupid-cheap pancakes, and now shockingly-low flights, but for eight hours only. Here's the deal: Virgin America is celebrating being named Travel + Leisure's top domestic airline for the eight consecutive year by launching its biggest sale of the year, with some crazy deals on one-way flights, like $48 from Las Vegas to San Francisco, $98 Dallas to New York, $148 LA to Chicago, and just $278 Honolulu to San Francisco. The fine print is that you need to book by 4:59 p.m. PST today and travel must occur between September 9, 2015 and February 10, 2016 (additional date restrictions apply on some routes).
The popular pancake chain is celebrating its 57th anniversary today, July 7, by offering a short stack (that's three) of buttermilk pancakes for just 57 cents! The offer's valid from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for dine-in only at participating restaurants. Limit of one anniversary offer per person.
The Day 1B chip leader was Hamid Feiz with 182,675. There were 1,716 entrants, a 20% decline from last year. The total number of entrants is 2,457, which is 458 below the two-day total in 2014. The final Day 1 flight will be played today; last year's third day attracted 3,768 players. Notable eliminations included Robert Mizrachi, Jonathan Little, and Ben Lamb.
This Thursday July 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunset Station hotel-casino (1301 W. Sunset Rd.) is hosting a job fair, with recruitment representatives from diverse local employers in areas including: healthcare; retail; hospitality; education; gaming; banking; the police force; and more. Admission to the event is free to all jobseekers, so go armed with plenty of resumes and dress for success!
Just as New Jersey's legal online casinos are starting to see a slight improvement in their initially lackluster performance, with some modest revenue increases on 2014's figures posted this spring, word comes of a major blow in the form of a coordinated cyber attack that was launched against four online-gambling sites over the weekend. All of the state's Internet casinos are on heightened alert today following a sustained DDOS attack over the weekend that lasted approximately 30 minutes and was accompanied by the threat of a more powerful and sustained hack, to follow within 24 hours, unless a ransom -- the amount of which has not been publicly disclosed -- was paid in Bitcoin. The criminal investigation remains ongoing.
The Las Vegas outpost of Cold Stone Creamery, located in the Village Square shopping center at Sahara and Fort Apache, is diving into Discovery's latest "Shark Week" (which kicked off yesterday) with a contest that will see one lucky winner and three friends heading to the Atlantis resort-casino in the Bahamas for an all-expenses-paid vacation. To get in on the Shark Week Frenzy action, visit your local Cold Stone Creamery and custom-design a tasty treat utilizing their Great Blue Cupcakes or gummy sharks or whatever "Jaws" twist takes your fancy, then snap a pic of your dessert and upload to Twitter or Instagram using #SharkWeekFrenzy to be entered for a chance to win. Contestants may enter a new photo daily through July 15th; see official contest site for complete rules and to submit your entry.
Ralph Lamb, who remains the longest-serving sheriff in Clark County's history, yet never once shot anyone during his entire career in law enforcement, passed away last Friday we just learned via A.D. Hopkins' obituary in the R-J. Lamb, who is credited with converting the Sheriff's Department from a rural force into a sophisticated modern urban agency, and in creating the single police force that's now known as Metro (see Policing Las Vegas), was in charge at the height of Las Vegas' infamous Mob days, a period immortalized in Dennis Griffin's best seller, The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law vs. The Mob and by the popular but short-lived series "Vegas", which aired on CBS in 2012-'13 and in which Lamb was portrayed by actor Dennis Quaid. You can read a longer biography of Ralph Lamb, under whose watch the state's first modern crime lab and SWAT team were formed (so you can thank him for "CSI," too), in Hopkins' The First 100: Portraits of the Men and Women Who Shaped Las Vegas.
No details have been made public, as yet, with regard to funeral arrangements for Lamb, who passed away of natural causes at MountainView Hospital.
Although Las Vegas is home to many venerable vendors of crispy-chicken goodness, it seems few, if any, of them are doing anything special for this national day of celebration (if you have good fried chicken and you are celebrating with some deal or other festivities, please let us know ASAP!) The only alert we've received to-date came from Double Barrel Roadhouse at the Monte Carlo, and we're somewhat confused by their offer to enjoy "20% off Double Barrel’s delicious fried chicken dishes, including BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders and BBQ Beef Brisket." Apparently, there's also a wing-and-beer combo for $30, but the number of wings and quantity of beer is unspecified.
Jean Scott has posted an update to one of the casino promotions that she referenced in her regular beginning-of-the-month survey of offers and deals at off-Strip casinos (where you'll find news of a hotel with a new flexible check-in/check-out policy, a restaurant update at Ellis Island, an ongoing locals buffet offer from Coast Casinos, and more). The "Queen of Comps" now has more details about Boyd's "Double the Royal" promo, currently running at Gold Coast and the Orleans, plus she has a link to information about the players club change at Golden Nugget properties nationwide, so check out Jean's latest post at Frugal Vegas for the scoop.
Attendance was down slightly for the first of three "Day 1" sessions in the World Series of Poker Main Event, with 741 entries compared to 771 last year; 480 remain. The chip leader is William Kakon, with 152,325. Last year's Day 1A chip leader was Martin Jacobson, who went on to win the championship. Among the big-name players eliminated were John Hennigan, Erik Seidel, Chris Klodnicki, Andy Bloch, and Billy Baxter. Day 1B play begins today at noon.
The USA is a -.5/-140 favorite over Japan in tonight's soccer World Cup final. The total is 2, under -122/over even.
Station Casinos is running a day-after-the-4th bonus-points promotion. Swipe your Boarding Pass card for up to 3.3X points on slots and 2X on video poker.
The Main Event of the World Series of Poker begins today with the first of three "Day 1" sessions. The tournament will play straight through (no days off), concluding with the determination of the "November Nine" final table on July 14. We'll be covering the tournament with updates in this space.
Tonight Hard Hat Lounge (1675 Industrial Road) is holding an open mic night, hosted by Anglo Sax and Charlie Madness. Poets, singers, musicians, comedians, and rappers are all welcome to show off their skills and network from 10 p.m. Entry's $5, with half the proceeds to benefit a charity selected by the artists who perform.
The District at Green Valley Ranch continues its weekly free summer Outdoor Picture Show on The Green series, with a screening of National Treasure, commencing at dusk. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on; no alcohol or glass allowed.
It's a special edition of Tivoli Village's weekly farmer's market today until 2 p.m., with holiday specials and military discounts. Strawberries, corn, micro-greens, blueberries, and stone fruits are all in season, plus you'll find whole chickens, seasonings, honey, and more for sale from local and regional growers and producers.
Matt Stonie defeated Joey Chestnut in the July 4 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, downing 62 dogs to Chestnut's 60. It was a huge upset: Chestnut was going for his ninth consecutive win in the contest and was a -8500 favorite. In the woman's competition, Las Vegas' Miki Sudo won her second straight Nathan's contest eating 38 hot dogs.
Continuing its July 4th tradition, El Cortez is passing out White Castles to players today. Get your burgers delivered to you on the games from noon to 6 p.m.
It's busy this weekend, with an estimated 320,000 visitors in town for 4th of July festivities. Check the detailed listing of parties and fireworks shows posted earlier in this space.
A new bar called Filament opened today at the Fremont. Positioned at the east-corner entrance off the Fremont Street Experience, it's a cool-looking space that looks a whole lot like the LONGBAR across the street at the D, only not as long.
Take your mind off the heat with a screening of Frozen this evening for "Dive-In Movie" night at Henderson's Multigenerational Activity Pool (250 S. Green Valley Pkwy.). Admission is $5, all ages are welcome, and you can go for swim or just relax poolside. Complimentary popcorn will be served and the movie will be shown on their giant inflatable screen from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Register online using activity code 336506-00.
This month, the locals-oriented North Las Vegas casino is celebrating its 20th birthday with month-long promotions and festivities, including: $20 food specials at numerous property restaurants; a specialty anniversary cocktail for $6 served at all bars; the chance to win $2,500 in a sweepstakes when you download the Station Casinos app; and numerous casino deals and promos throughout the week, including Monday video poker tournaments, Thursday $80,000 Texas Tornado drawings, and Sunday gift days; plus, receive a 20% discount on KidsQuest childcare throughout July.
The SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, which will soon be undergoing a major upgrade, is now accepting entries for the 2015 pro football handicapping SuperContest. The entry fee is $1,500 and the deadline for registering is 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12. The 4th annual SuperContest Weekend will take place August 28 and 29, with a free "Super Seminar" on Fri. 28 and the Super Golf Event at the Las Vegas Country Club on Sat. 29. During the course of the weekend, six complimentary SuperContest entries will be given away; additional free entries are available to winners of a series of satellite events that are available to play on your smartphone. Visit the official website for complete rules and more details about the SuperContest and how to download the app in order to participate in the satellite events.
Ra Sushi in the Forum Shops wants to wish you a Happy July 4 starting right now, with a weekend-long food-and-drinks happy hour that runs through the close of business on Sunday.
Say good-bye to another entertainment staple at the Hard Rock. Following last week's closing of the Center Bar, the nightclub Body English closes tonight. Originally Baby's, the club became Body English in 2004, then was closed from 2010 to 2013 during construction on HR's big expansion. The Hard Rock says that "something new" will fill the space. Hopefully!
Get a free apple pie today when you earn 200 points at Gold Coast, Suncoast, or Orleans. Play between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. today only, with a limit of one pie per account.
When the 4th of July falls on a Saturday, you know that that means…party, party, party ‘til you’re red, white, and blue. You can see our roundup of Independence Day celebrations here. Now for the usual entertainment roundup:
The pedestrian bridges at the Strip and Tropicana will get a $26 million upgrade, with work beginning next year and concluding in 2017. The bridges that connect MGM Grand, New York-New York, Excalibur, and Tropicana serve 130,000 people per day and are the oldest on the Strip, having operated for 21 years.
Look for the sky to light up big-time on July 4th, as multiple displays are planned. Here's a list of shows and related events:
JULY 4 FIREWORKS DISPLAYS
Lake Las Vegas
Lake Las Vegas will have its celebration on Saturday July 4, with live music, a sidewalk sale, plenty of activities for kids, barbecue stations set up throughout The Village, and a fireworks display over the lake at 9 p.m.
Stratosphere
The Strat will present its annual tower-top fireworks display and "Independence Day Pool Party" (adults only) on Saturday at 9 p.m. The fireworks run for 10 minutes and are visible valley-wide.
Caesars Palace
Fireworks by Grucci will be shot from the hotel's Roman Tower beginning at 9:15 p.m. The best views will be from the Las Vegas Strip at the front fountains of Caesars Palace.
Station Casinos
Station Casinos will have fireworks displays at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson and at Red Rock Resort in the northwest; both displays will be at 9 p.m.
Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay will light up the sky this weekend with musical performances by 311 on July 3rd and 4th, followed by fireworks both nights. Tickets start at $55, doors open at 8 p.m., and performances start at 9 p.m.
Fremont St. Experience
You can watch virtual fireworks on the Viva Vision canopy July 3rd and 4th at the Fremont St. Experience. The festivities include performances from the band Madison Rising both nights from 9:10 p.m.-10:40 p.m. The "visual fireworks" and patriotic images will be shown overhead following each regular Viva Vision show between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Knickerbocker Park
Knickerbocker Park, located in the Providence master-planned community (10695 Dorrell Lane, just off the North 215 Beltway and Hualapai Way exit) is hosting a free event featuring live music, contests, food and drink stands from local vendors, and a beer garden, culminating in a 12-minute fireworks display.
Henderson
Celebrate Independence Day in Henderson at Mission Hills Park with live entertainment and their traditional fireworks display from 6-9 p.m. Bring a blanket (to sit on – it’s not likely to be cold) and enjoy a night of family fun and concessions. Local high school clubs and groups will be selling hot dogs, hamburgers, sno-cones and ice-cream, with all proceeds benefiting the school.
Boulder City
Enjoy a fun-filled 4th of July day of activities celebrating the Boulder City Damboree "Wings of Freedom". Activities include the Rotary Pancake Breakfast at Bicentennial Park, a parade down Nevada Highway, a play zone for kids (including a water zone), midway booths, flag raising, games, contests, and even more. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
Primm Valley
The sixth annual fireworks show at Primm Valley Casino Resorts starts at dusk and will be set against the desert scenery and away from the city light pollution. The Resort partners with Pyrotecnico to bring the a vibrant fireworks display that has lasted an astounding 18 minutes in previous years.
Pahrump - Petrack Park
Join the celebration at Petrack Park with its annual Liberty Festival. Firework shows, a horseshoe tournament and many more fun-filled activities starting on Friday, July 3 and run through Sunday, July 5. This jam-packed festival will also feature kid-friendly activities, free swimming at the public pool, and live music and entertainment, with fireworks at dusk on July 3 and 4. Petrack Park located at Highway 160 and Basin Avenue.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade
The Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade, July 4th, has more than 70 entries, including marching bands, floats and giant Macy's-style inflatable balloons. The parade begins at 9 a.m. and travels along flag-lined streets from Hillpointe and Hills Center, along Village Center Circle, and concludes at Trailwood Drive.
Palazzo – Azure Luxury Pool
Azure will host a pool party from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, hosted by cast members from Dancing with the Stars: Live! Tour. $20 cover (FREE to locals); must be 21+.
Downtown Grand
Downtown Grand kicks off its summer concert series on July 4 with the alt rock band Lit. They will perform on the rooftop Picnic pool deck so concert –goers get a great view of the fireworks around town. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and local favorite Ashley Red will open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 but it’s buy one, get one free and each ticket includes a free drink.
Downtown Container Park
The Downtown Container Park is inviting the whole family to celebrate the holiday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be face painting, games, a balloon artist and the Summer Splash Down Water Slide. Big Ern's BBQ will put on a cooking demonstration at 11 a.m. and pass out free samples. The first 100 kids will receive a free patriotic gift, too.
Crazy Horse III’s Annual Red White and Boobs Bash
The topless gentleman's club will host its annual July 4 party, with a live set by PULSE 96.7’s DJ Bomb Shel, during the evening. There will be beer bucket and bottle specials, a number of late-night menu items including sushi and pizza, a variety of hookah flavors, premium cigars, and hundreds of strippers.
Eiffel Tower Experience
Secure a spot to watch the Caesars Palace fireworks when you purchase the tower's July 4th package. For $79.50 guests get one drink and access to the Eiffel Tower beginning at 8:45 p.m. From there you'll get a great view of the Caesars Palace fireworks show that will start at 9:15 p.m.
Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
Enjoy a July 4th party on the Margaritaville 3rd floor patio for $125 per person. The party includes a patio view of the Caesars Palace fireworks and an open call brand bar with appetizers. The party goes from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The LINQ Promenade
Starting at noon on July 4th The LINQ Promenade will feature family-friendly activities including face painting, balloon animals and a special ice cream trike throughout the day and evening. Daniel Parks will play a concert that will conclude with the Nellis Honor Guard performing a flag ceremony, followed by the Caesars Palace fireworks at 9:15 p.m. The final performance of the night will be an LED drum line immediately following the fireworks.
Stratosphere
Tower Party- Guest may enjoy fireworks from indoor and outdoor observation areas on the 108th and 109th floors of the Stratosphere Tower. This party includes a DJ and two free drinks between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is for guests is $14.99 and $29.99 for non-hotel guests.
Level 107 Lounge - Guests may enjoy the fireworks from a table or booth inside the Level 107 Lounge. Admission for guests is $14.99 and $29.99 for non-hotel guests. Cocktail and bottle service are available for additional fees. DJs are planned between 7 p.m.-11 p.m. and 11 p.m.-4 a.m.
Radius Rooftop Pool – Experience the fireworks at this VIP Party at the Stratosphere. Playboy’s 2011 Playmate of the Year, Claire Sinclair will host this party. There will be a DJ and other live entertainment available with an open bar (call drinks) from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. Admission is $49.99
8 Pool - This party begins at 6 p.m. and includes entertainment from Zowie Bowie from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Food and drinks are available for purchase and admission is $9.99 for guests and $19.99 for non- hotel guests. Cabanas are also available for rental.
Tonight should be a wild one at the "Grand Laughs Comedy Show" at the Downtown Grand. There've been rumors of "changes" at the free comedy club that's currently on the LVA Top Ten list and we're told there will be three headliner-quality comics performing. As to the changes, we'll have to wait and see if that means a ticketed show or discontinuing it altogether. The show is performed in the Mob Bar and begins at 8 p.m.
The Siena in Reno has closed. The casino was sold last month amidst rumors that it would be converted to a non-gaming hotel; however, no solid information about its future has been released.
Jonathan Duhamel won the $111,111 buy-in High Roller for One Drop event and the $3,989,985 first prize. Duhamel, the 2010 WSOP Main Event champion, outlasted runner-up Bill Klein, who donated his entire $2.5 million prize to One Drop. Third place was last year's $1 million buy-in One Drop winner, Dan Coleman, and Phil Hellmuth threatened to win his 15th WSOP bracelet, but finished 6th.
Continuing the string of high-profile bar closings, the Cosmopolitan's Book & Stage is closing on July 12. No additional information was given, except that it will be replaced by another lounge.
The long-awaited Ultimate Fighting Championship match-up between Jose Aldo and Connor McGregor scheduled for July 11 is off due to an injury to Aldo. Chad Mendes will step in against McGregor. Mendes opened as a -130 favorite and money immediately came in hard on McGregor, making him the new favorite at -135 and dropping Medes to +115.