Paris Las Vegas is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year (it opened on September 1, 1999), in part with a $1.7 million show featuring new synchronized and choreographed twinkling and colored lights running up and down the Eiffel Tower. Upwards of 300 color-washing light fixtures and more than 800 white strobe lights combine to create the light show on the hour and half-hour from sunset to midnight. Another $90 million was spent on finalizing the remodel of Paris' 2,900 guest rooms and the opening of the Voie Spa & Salon.
The semi-finalists for the prestigious James Beard Award, the Oscars of the culinary world, have been announced and three Las Vegas-related chefs have been nominated. The first is Sheridan Su, whose two restaurants include the Flock and Fowl at the Ogden on Las Vegas Blvd. N. and Fat Choy at the Eureka Casino on E. Sahara. Su was nominated for Best Chef: West for the second year in a row. Marc Vetri was nominated for Outstanding Chef for his Philadelphia location of Vetri Cucina; the Las Vegas location of the same name is on the 56th floor at the Palms. And Jose Andres' Washington, D.C., location of Jaleo was nominated for Outstanding Restaurant; Andres' has a Jaleo, plus China Poblano, at the Cosmopolitan and Bazaar Meat at SLS.
Multiple Grammy Award-winning vocal group Boyz II Men is extending its mini-residency at the Terry Fator Theatre at the Mirage by 21 shows. The new dates are: July 12, 13, and 14; August 2, 3, and 4; September 13, 14, and 15; October 25, 26, and 27; November 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24; and December 27, 28, and 29. All performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and tickets start at $49.99.
New Hampshire has filed a federal lawsuit to prevent the U.S. Department of Justice from taking action to prohibit online gambling. New Hampshire’s concern is over its lottery program, which, along with lotteries across the U.S. and other forms of now-legal online gambling, could be forced to cease operations if the DOJ’s revised interpretation of the Wire Act is enforced. This is likely to be only the first of many challenges to the DOJ decision.
The Nevada Gaming Commission has fined Wynn Resorts $20 million, the largest levied against a gambling company in state history, as the penalty for the company's failure to investigate and report accusations of sexual misconduct by Steve Wynn with at least eight women over a period of many years. The fine adds up to 4.2% of Wynn Resorts' worldwide 2018 income. In return, the state will take no action against current Wynn executives and won't revoke the company's gaming license, though it held open the possibility of conditions being imposed on it in the future.
Janet Jackson will appear at the Park Theater for 15 dates in May (17, 18, 21, 22, 25, and 26), July (24, 26, 27, and 31), and August (2, 3, 7, 9, and 10). The show, “Metamorphosis,” will feature a 30-year anniversary celebration of her fourth album Rhythm Nation," which has sold 12 million units and is considered the pinnacle of Jackson's artistic achievement. Tickets start at $79 and will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The San Francisco raw-cookie-dough eatery, Doughp (pronounced "dope"), will open at the Miracle Mile Shops in mid-March. Founded in 2017 at Pier 39, with a second San Francisco location at AT&T Park, Doughp makes its cookie dough onsite in 50-pound batches and sells it in cones with one, two, and three scoops. Flavors include chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, nutella, red-velvet and birthday cakes, M&M's, even vegan and a choice of ice-cream-like toppings. If the store is closed, you'll be able to buy jars of the stuff from a vending machine (the “Doughp Dealer”). There will also be a non-alcoholic bar serving cookie-dough milkshakes and coffee drinks.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has refused to prohibit the state's sports books from accepting wagering on spring-training games. Though betting on the exhibition games is typically light, Nevada (and online) books have posted odds and taken bets on them for years. The league, in its letter to the NGC, claimed that because the intent of the games isn't necessarily to win, "these games are not conducive to betting and carry heightened integrity risks." The Board responded, "We have a common goal to combat sports bribery and maintain the integrity of your sport, and are available to discuss ways we can work together in this effort."
Macayo's Mexican Kitchen opened on E. Charleston (near Bruce Street) in 1959, the restaurant's first expansion beyond Phoenix, where it was launched in 1946. Still family-owned, Macayo's has six locations in Arizona and two in Las Vegas, the other on W. Sahara. The original location is the fourth oldest restaurant in Las Vegas, but now comes word that the W. Sahara venue will close in March and the E. Charleston location will close at a later date. The owners have indicated that a Macayo's will be resurrected in a new location, but no timetable was announced.
The Resort Corridor Feasibility Study, conducted by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada and a civil-engineering firm, considered nine mass-transportation possibilities in order to determine the best mode of alternative transportation for visitors traveling to and from the airport, Strip, and downtown. The options, which included people movers, light rail, express buses, and gondolas, boiled down to more buses and a European tram powered by a third rail. The tram would be high visibility and have a greater passenger capacity (up to 220 per), but require a dedicated lane in each direction on the Strip, lack maneuverability in traffic due to running on a track, and cost a lot of money. An expanded bus system requires no construction and is more flexible and much less expensive, though passenger capacity is about half of the tram and boarding is slower. Both plans are long-range, but this is the launching pad for a new mode of alternative transportation in the Las Vegas resort corridor that will be needed increasingly in the future.
Did you know that there's a stairwell from the bottom of the Strat all the way up to the tower's observation deck? Every year for the past 11, hundreds of people have climbed the 1,455 steps to participate in the Scale the Strat -- Fight for Air Climb fundraiser for the American Lung Association. More than 1,000 people signed up for yesterday's climb, raising more than $300,000 to promote lung health. A Mexico City man finished the climb in seven minutes and 13 seconds; a California firefighter did it in 15 minutes and 30 seconds, one of a number of firefighters who finished the climb carrying 60 pounds of gear.
The former Bugsy’s Cabaret at the Flamingo has been renamed Piff The Magic Dragon Theater. The name change signals the intent for a long run for the resident Piff the Magic Dragon Solo Show.
You can read the review that appeared in the January issue of the Las Vegas Advisor of this excellent inexpensive one-woman show (the only female illusionist headliner in Las Vegas -- and a young one at that) on our blog site Vegas With An Edge. Go direct from this link.
In tonight's Academy Awards, Roma is the favorite for Best Picture at -140, with Green Book at +200. The other major categories have big favorites. Rami Malek is -800 to win Best Actor for Bohemian Rhapsody. Glenn Close is -900 to win Best Actress for The Wife. Mahershala Ali is the biggest fave of the night at -1500 to win Best Supporting Actor for Green Book. And Regina King is -280 to win Best Supporting Actress for If Beale Street Could Talk.
According to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority statistics, 68% of all Millennial-aged visitors to Las Vegas wind up downtown at some point during their visits. Rather than an experience based on expense, 22- to 37-year-olds are looking for an experience based on authenticity, and "Downtown has done a good job of reinventing itself," according to Steve Hill, CEO of LVCVA. The Arts District, East Fremont, Antique Row, and trendy bars, restaurants, and entertainment in the casino zone, particularly the free concerts around the Fremont Street Experience, all appeal to this up-and-coming demographic. Gambling, for many Millennials, is either an afterthought or entirely off their radar.
Less than a week after Las Vegas schools were closed due to snow for only the third time since 1970 and kids were constructing five-foot-tall snowmen in Summerlin, the area will see its warmest day of the year. The National Weather Service is predicting rising temperatures that will top out at 70 degrees on Thursday, the highest reading of the year and three degrees higher than normal.
A Mob Story, which opened at the Plaza last October and closed late last year, won't be coming back. Initially, it was reported that the show might return in the spring, after the remodel project at the Plaza Showroom was completed, though financial difficulties would have had to be overcome for it to reopen. But now A Mob Story is dark until (or if) it can find a new venue.
The NASCAR Hauler Parade, a favorite with racing fans, will take over the Las Vegas Strip and downtown this Thursday starting at 6 p.m. Around 40 tractor-trailers, hauling racers' cars and equipment and festooned with sponsor advertising, will start the parade at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and, with a police escort, roll up the Strip. This year for the first time, the parade will also drive through downtown via 4th Street, where it will cross Fremont, then proceed to I-15 and on up to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- all to launch the 2019 NASCAR Weekend, March 1-3. If you're driving nearby, you'll be delayed a bit, while you let them truckers roll, ten-four.
Las Vegas' only winter dayclub has opened on the Westgate pool deck. The Sunset Club starts at 1 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and features a resident DJ playing ’80s and ’90s music, an open Jacuzzi (too cold to swim in the pool), gas heaters to warm up by, and the Jack Daniel’s Cabana, serving French-brand alcohol, including hot drinks. Admission is $25, $20 for convention attendees, and you have to be 21 to enter.
A new Elvis-impersonator show, Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel in Concert, will open at Harrah’s Showroom on April 15. Eddie Clendening will play Elvis and perform all the songs live; Clendening originated the Elvis role in Million Dollar Quartet, the "jukebox musical" on Broadway, and appeared in more than 2,000 performances. This “Heartbreak” show played Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse Place last summer and will go on at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays, with a 3 p.m. performances Sundays. Tickets will be available on Feb. 26 and start at $49.
Caesars Entertainment CEO Mark Frissora implied that the company wouldn't raise resort and parking fees in 2019 while addressing investors during a conference call yesterday. He didn't name the fees specifically, but responded to a question about them with, “We don’t have any plans on changing the structure we have in place." That said, Frissora's last day on the job will be in late April, so there's no telling what his successor might do.
MGM Resorts International's Chief Financial Officer Dan D’Arrigo, who has been with the company more than 20 years, has resigned as part of a company-wide effort to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The current chief operating officer will become CFO and the current president will take on the COO's position in addition to his existing duties. The objective, bumping up cash flow by $300 million by 2021, includes $100 million in reduced labor costs. The goal “is to unlock long-term value for our shareholders,” MGM's CEO and chairman told investors, referring to real estate, in a recent conference call. We'll let you draw your own conclusions.
A 10-acre parcel with Strip frontage is expected to sell for a record price when it eventually goes on sale. Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill told a group of commercial real-estate developers that the LVCVA is planning on selling 10 acres of the former Riviera property that abuts its nearly billion-dollar expansion to the Strip. Hill said that while the LVCVA is known for sprawling low-rise buildings, this parcel, which has very few FAA height restrictions, calls for a high-rise. Possible uses include a hotel-casino, condo, or timeshare tower or towers. With that advantage, plus being steps away from the Convention Center expansion, it could fetch as much as $30 million per acre, which would be record-setting.
The dedicated pool at NoMad, the hotel-within-a-hotel at Park MGM, will open on March 22 on a third-floor roof deck, with daybeds, cabanas, and the Poolside Café for casual dining and drinking. The horticulture and design are inspired by Les Jardins Majorelle, a botanical and artist's-landscape garden in Marrakech, Morocco. Starting in April on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the deck will transition into a daytime pool party with DJs and other live entertainment.
The DraftKings sportsbook has issued a roundup of the most popular bets it's booking on the winners of nine categories for Academy Awards, which will be resolved this Sunday. Best Picture has received nearly 85% of the wagers, followed by 5% for Best Leading Actor, 4.4% for Best Leading Actress, and 2.3% for Best Director. A Star Is Born leads Best Picture betting with nearly 25% of the handle, followed by a dead heat between BlacKKKlansman and Bohemian Rhapsody (15.1%), then Green Book (12.6%). For Best Actor and Actress, Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) is in the lead with nearly 38% of the handle over Christian Bale (Vice) with 31.4%, while Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) has a commanding lead of 65.2%, more than five times that of the second-placer, Yalitza Aparicio (Roma), at 12.1%.
For the second time in less than a week, a measurable amount of snow is falling on the Las Vegas Valley and the National Weather Service has issued another Winter Weather Advisory through 4 a.m. tomorrow. So far, up to five inches have accumulated in Summerlin, with two inches in Anthem, a half-inch at McCarran, and a "trace" on the Strip. In addition, temperatures will barely creep out of the 30s today and nighttime temps will be at or near freezing, putting outdoor or exposed pipes in some jeopardy.
Big Whiskey's American Restaurant & Bar Las Vegas has opened at Town Square across from the Yard House (where Pot Liquor used to be). This sports bar specializes in -- can you guess? -- whiskey in all its incarnations, including 150 varieties of Irish, Canadian, Scotch, bourbon, rye, single malt, small batch, and more. Big Whiskey's also has a typically huge sports-bar menu, with a choice of seven salads, 15 wings, eight burgers, plus steaks, seafood, chicken, pasta, and "classic" entrees, along with "you-only-live-once" desserts and fountain drinks. Big Whiskey's is a franchiser whose original location opened in 2006 in Missouri and has 11 locations in the Midwest and South; the Town Square location is locally owned and operated.
Remember Las Ramblas? How about the W? In 2005, Starwood Hotels and Edge Resorts announced plans to build the $1.7 billion W Hotel-Casino on a nearly 60-acre vacant lot on the east side of Koval Avenue just south of Ellis Island. A year later, George Clooney and a local developer stepped in with plans to build the $3 billion Las Ramblas. Another year, another sale of the lot, just before the real-estate crash; it was foreclosed in 2014. Now comes news that the site was sold last week out of foreclosure for $130 million to a Beverly Hills-based real estate company, 3D Investments. No new plans have been revealed for the major piece of land, which faces the back of Paris and Planet Hollywood.
The Aussie quarter that performs pop classics, doo-wop, Motown, and soul standards in its show "Jukebox" has signed on for another three years performing at the Venetian's Sands Showroom. Human Nature has spent 30 years together, including 10 in Las Vegas and six at the Venetian, and they've become not only ambassadors for Aus in Vegas (earning the Medal of the Order of Australia), but also Las Vegas ambassadors in their home country, where they take their show a couple times a year.
Check out today's Question of the Day for our take on a report in the February 4 issue of Global Gaming Business News about rumors that that Steve Wynn has been shopping for land along the Las Vegas Strip. Especially intriguing -- and perhaps surprising -- are the comments from readers that indicate in no uncertain terms ... Well, see for yourself by going direct to today's QoD page. And be sure to tell us how you feel about the possibility.
A study by online lending exchange Lending Tree pegs Las Vegas homeowners as keeping their homes the shortest amount of time in the nation. Lending Tree reports that locals stay in homes they own an average of 6.36 years; nationally, homeowners stay an average of seven (before they get the itch to sell). Pittsburgh residents stay the longest at 7.54 years, followed by New York, Buffalo, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Hartford. Phoenix, Austin, Orlando, Denver, and Jacksonville follow Vegas with the shortest time frames.
The price of the prime rib special in Siegel’s 1941 at the El Cortez has been raised by $2 to $12.95. This special has run for several years, priced at $7.95 until 2015 when it was raised to $10.95. It’s still one of the better prime rib values in town and still served 24 hours a day.
According to CBS News and other sources, Southwest Airlines is in the midst of an "operational state of emergency," due to an unusually high number of its airplanes sitting in hangars for maintenance. Of Southwest's 750 aircraft, all Boeing 737s, up to 50 planes per day have been taken out of service recently, reflected in 100 flight cancellations over the weekend. Southwest and its unionized mechanics have been engaged for a long time in contract negotiations and the FAA is closely monitoring the safety situation, according to CBS. If you're flying in or out of Las Vegas on Southwest, McCarran International's number-one carrier, be sure to double-check that your plane is available.
Up to an inch of snow fell again overnight and into the morning all around Las Vegas, but the major news is that Interstate 15 closed in both directions between St. Rose Parkway and Primm at 6:30 this morning due to black ice and numerous minor accidents. Definitely check to see if it's open if you're traveling that way. And to show how rare snow is in February, the last time a measurable amount was recorded at the airport was in December 2008.
Right on the heels of the completion of Project Neon, the reconfiguring of the Spaghetti Bowl in central Las Vegas, work on a new $110.5 million interchange will begin at Interstate 15 and the 215 Beltway near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Flyovers, ramps, street connections, and landscape improvements will increase convenience and capacity for the fast-growing commercial area. The project will take two-plus years and will be completed in 2022.
Cain Velasquez is a -200 favorite over Francis Ngannou in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, James Vick is -125 over Paul Felder.
Team LeBron is a -4.5 favorite over Team Giannis in tonight's NBA All-Star Game. The total is 316.5 after dropping from an opener of 327.5.
Welcoming more than 55,000 guests since the exhibit opened exactly three months ago, “Infinity Mirrored Room: Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity” will remain in the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art for an extra two months. Originally scheduled to close on April 28, the exhibit will now move out on June 30. The two rooms full of mirrors and lanterns or silver spheres are the work of Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist.
Brad Keselowski is the favorite to win today’s Daytona 500 auto race at +700 (bet $100 to win $700), followed by Joey Logano at +750 and Kevin Harvick at +950. Ford is -120 to be the winning car manufacturer, with Toyota the second choice at +190.
Snow dusted the the valley again overnight and more is predicted for today, as a wet and cold front sits over the region. A winter weather advisory goes into effect at 2 p.m. and will last until 4 a.m. Monday for elevations above 4,000 feet, which could see up to eight inches of snow, though only an inch at most is predicted for the valley floor. The high temperatures will be in the mid-40s and it's expected to be wet all day.
It looks like the nearly $24 million extension of the Las Vegas Monorail to Mandalay Bay won't be completed in time for the Raiders first season in Las Vegas. The extension from MGM Grand to MBay is expected to take 18 months and ground has yet to be broken as permits submitted last year for the project are still being reviewed by Clark County. Upwards of 20,000 spectators are expected to walk to the stadium for home games; as long as the last stop on the Monorail is at MGM Grand, the trek will be a half-hour longer than from MBay.
A player from Canada won $1.1 million at the Venetian on the Sands Millionaire Progressive side bet when he was dealt a natural royal flush playing Caribbean Stud. The side bet is also available on Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Let Ride, Crazy 4 Poker, and Mississippi Stud games exclusively at the Venetian and Palazzo.
The venerable El Sombrero on Main Street downtown will be reopening under new management and with a new name and menu. El Zaguán Mexican Bistro will reportedly serve traditional authentic Mexican food, along with some vegan and vegetarian dishes. The original El Sombrero closed in April 2014 after 64 years in business owned by the same family, then was reopened by a new owner seven months later and completely remodeled. After a campaign stop in Henderson in October 2016, Donald Trump met with local Latino leaders at the El Sombrero, which put the restaurant in disfavor with community activists. It closed last year and will reopen soon.
Hundred-year-old personal-finance publisher Kiplinger ranks Nevada as one of the top-ten tax-friendliest states in the U.S. for retirees. It cites no state income tax, which eliminates inheritance and estate taxes and any cut of Social Security benefits and retirement income. However, the state sales tax of 6.85%, with counties adding up to 1.3%, is on the high side, while retirees get no breaks in the property tax.
A cool story at NYTimes.com recognizes the Arts District as offering "theater without blue men or topless women, no poker tables, and the kind of indie food and bar scene not often seen on the Strip." The piece covers the history, popular hangouts, and some of the artists and their work; big photos of the Arts Factory, ReBar, Hop Nuts, and the street scene give you a good impression of life beyond what one of the artists calls "neon junk."
Eataly at Park MGM announced a 20% discount for locals at all non-sit-down food counters in January, but locals reported that for some reason, it wasn't being honored. Then it was announced that the discount would run in February and Eataly assured a Review-Journal food reporter that the 20% off would "apply all month." But yesterday, the R-J reported that the discount had been discontinued -- though it was "being reevaluated." Not good.
Valentine's Day was celebrated under umbrellas all over the valley yesterday, as more than an inch of rain (1.11 inches, to be exact) fell at McCarran International. It was only the 29th time the airport has seen an inch-plus of rain in a 24-hour period since such records began more than 80 years ago. It also broke the rainfall record for the day, last set in 1980. Various locations in the west valley saw more than an inch and a half of rain and Spring Mountain Ranch State Park was closed due to flooding.
The South Carolina sole winner of the $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot, hit in October, still hasn't come forward. The $61 million in state taxes the winner would pay after claiming the prize was added to the budget months ago. But with only two months left for the winner to claim the prize, the South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors is expected to remove the money from the state's balance sheet. According to the Associated Press, the $61 million would account for "a half-percent of South Carolina's $9 billion budget in lawmakers' control."
British headbangers Def Leppard will return to Las Vegas for a new mini-residency, "Def Leppard Hits Vegas: The Sin City Residency" with 12 performances in the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood. Tickets go on sale February 22 for the shows: August 14, 16, 17, 20, 23, 24, 29, and 31, and September 1, 4, 6, and 7. Def Leppard will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year.
We've got a pretty tight little race going in the current reader poll, which is surveying LVAers as to whether or not the Stratosphere Hotel Casino Tower (now known as the Strat) is located on the Las Vegas Strip. You can read the Question of the Day that inspired the poll, then vote your conscience and speak your piece on the poll page.
Classic rockers Aerosmith have added 17 new dates to their 18-show mini-residency that opens on April 6 and plays through July 7 at the Park Theater. The new shows will be on September 21, 23, 26 and 28; October 1, 3, 6 and 8; November 14, 16, 19, 21, 24, 26 and 29; and December 1 and 4. Prices for tickets to the new shows, which go on sale on February 16, haven't been announced, but should start at around $150.
Las Vegas Days (formerly known as Helldorado Days) is an annual cowboy-themed event in which Las Vegas pays tribute to its (somewhat) Wild West origins. This year, Las Vegas Days will take place Friday-Saturday May 10-11. In addition to the traditional Helldorado Parade (May 11) downtown, the Plaza's new equestrian Core Arena will offer two nights of rodeo events, including bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, and bareback riding. Admission to all rodeo events will be free.
According to surveys by JPMorgan and Credit Suisse, room revenues at MGM Resorts are 13%-20% higher so far in the first quarter of 2019 than they were in 1Q 2018. Reasons include a rebound at Mandalay Bay, rates up nearly 50% at Park MGM (after last year's construction zone), and more convention-goers who pay much higher rates. If you want a room deal, go elsewhere.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air will begin round-trip service between McCarran and LAX on June 5, flying twice a week between the two. It will be the 54th city that Allegiant now serves out of Las Vegas.
The Year of the Pig in the Chinese calendar is the theme of the new display at Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. The display features lanterns, cherry blossom trees, jade medallions, incense-burning ding pots, 32,000 flowers, and a 12-foot tall pig. The display runs through March 9 and is free to view.
Legends in Concert, Las Vegas' longest-running revue, reopened at the newly named Legends in Concert Theater at the Tropicana last night. Various incarnations of this show have run for the past 36 years, having opened in 1983 at the Imperial Palace, then moving to Harrah's and the Flamingo. Legends will share its eponymous theater with Purple Reign: The Prince Tribute Show. Legends performs one show Mondays-Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., two shows Thursday and Saturday at 4 and 7:30 p.m. (dark Sundays); tickets start at $50. Sinatra, Elvis, Lady Gaga, and Whitney Houston impersonators are currently in the lineup.
The Mob Museum is commemorating its own seventh anniversary, along with the 90th anniversary of the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, with discounts this Thursday. Nevada residents with valid ID gain free admission on Feb. 14, while non-residents can take advantage of a BOGO deal. The National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement is located downtown at 300 Stewart Avenue in the old federal building and is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
New Jersey sports books are now the first in U.S. history to accept legal bets on the Academy Awards. State regulators have green-lighted the Oscar bets and Atlantic City sports books are posting odds on the winners of the big six categories: best picture, director, actor, actress, supporting actor, and supporting actress. According to PlayUSA.com, betting on this year's Awards, which take place on February 24, is an experiment and "it's possible that this is the only year that it's offered."
The scent of roses, chocolate, and champagne is in the air as thousands of couples head to Las Vegas to tie the knot on or around Valentine's Day. There's no waiting period or blood test for getting married here, but you'll need photo ID, a marriage license ($77), and the signature of a certified officiant who performs the ceremony. The Clark County Marriage License Bureau has made it a little easier to apply for the document with a pop-up satellite bureau at McCarran Airport for the second year in a row. It will be located at baggage claim in Terminal 1 and open Feb. 13-16. Otherwise, you'll have to go to the official office at 201 E. Clark Ave. downtown, open from 8 a.m. to midnight daily.
Rob Reitzen was elected to the Blackjack Hall of Fame at the annual Blackjack Ball held over the weekend. Reitzen is best known in blackjack circles as one of the founding members of the CORE blackjack team, but has been successful in many areas of advantage play and in the financial world. The skills competition was won by a professional blackjack player who goes by the name of Tony S.
A 12-1 longshot in the second-to-last horse race gave a 34-year-old Illinois futures trader the lead in the 20th three-day National Handicapping Championship at Treasure Island that ended yesterday; Scott Coles rounded the stretch in first place to take the $800,000 grand prize. It was Coles' first year qualifying for the NHC tournament and only the third time in 20 years players have captured first place in their first year. It was also the second-largest field in NHC history, with 668 entries and 522 individual players. To Top it off, Cole became the tournament's youngest-ever champion.
Though the $300,000 median price of a Las Vegas single-family house was up 13.2% in January 2019 over January 2018, total sales were down nearly 20% year over year and inventory was much higher, with listings without offers hovering around 7,250, up 95% from the same period in 2018. The average rent for an apartment rose to $1,059, an increase of 8.1% and the second fastest growth rate in the country. The vacancy rate, though, rose to 4% from 3.2% year over year.
According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, only 26% of Nevadans were born in the Silver State, the smallest percentage of natives of all 50 states. Almost one in five Nevada residents was born in California. Nearly 650,000 people relocated to Nevada between 2013 and 2017; in 2017, Nevada was the U.S.' fastest growing state. More than 60% of newcomers were under 40, raising the percentage of under-40s to 53% statewide. Not surprisingly, more than 33% of the migrants arrived from California; those 245,000 escapees were more than those from the next four states combined: Arizona, Florida, Washington, and Utah. On the flip side, 490,000 Nevadans moved away from the state during the same time period, more than a quarter of them to California!
Golden Entertainment, which owns the Strat, both Arizona Charlie's, PT's Pubs, PT's Gold, Sierra Gold, and other bars in Las Vegas and Reno, along with casinos in Laughlin and Pahrump, is combining its seven different frequent-player programs into one new club, True Rewards. There will be five tier levels (True, Loyal, Solid, Legit, and Epic). You'll earn one point per $1 coin-in at slots, $2 at video poker and video keno, and $4 for full-pay video poker; three points for a $2 buy-in at bingo and 300 points for an hour of poker play; and 15 points for each dollar spent at participating bars and restaurants. True Rewards goes live at the Strat on February 19 and at Arizona Charlie's Boulder on March 5, Decatur March 12.
Israel Adesanya is a -525 favorite over Anderson Silva in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Rani Yahya is -120 over Ricky Simon.
The new Alliance of American Football (AAF), the alternative professional league that begins play today, held a draft at Luxor last year and will play its inaugural championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium. The league doesn’t have a Las Vegas franchise, but has made it clear that it will embrace sports betting and the Las Vegas ties reinforces that stance.
An article in USA Today describes the best places in Las Vegas to take panoramic photographs of the bright lights in the big city. After listing the usual suspects (Strat observation deck, Eiffel Tower Experience, High Roller observation wheel, VooDoo Lounge at the Rio, and Foundation Room at MBay) and debunking a myth about the top of parking garages (too many obstructions), the writer declares his "hands-down favorite of all the locales": the Waldorf Astoria Skybar. "It opens at 4 p.m., doesn’t charge admission, and just asks that you buy a drink and perhaps a snack. It has giant picture windows on the 23rd floor looking north at the Strip and is a great spot for shooting a time-lapse as well."
VitalVegas.com blogger and Vegas deep insider Scott Roeben reports that the Strat (which used to be called Stratosphere) has filed for permits to build a new attraction on -- or overhanging from -- the observation deck, similar to the Grand Canyon Skywalk built by the Hualapai Tribe at Grand Canyon West. Roeben writes, "The permit mentions 'glass platforms and connection to supports,' 'glass exterior walls and barrier walls,' and 'cable ties and actual connections to plates/supports.' That leads us to conclude something will definitely be dangling at The Strat." He concludes, "It’s unknown when the new 'skywalk' (or whatever it’s eventually called) will begin construction or when it will open."
The Palms has a new warm spot tucked away on the third floor of the Fantasy Tower. Mr. Coco is an upscale piano bar that serves froufrou cocktails and trendy small plates "in a chic and intimate setting." The "Aperetivo Hour" features more than 30 vermouths and specialty wines. The menu, which includes tableside caviar service, was created by chef Steve Benjamin, formerly of L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon. Mr. Coco is open nightly 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. and has something of a dress code: no swimwear, athletic gear, muscle shirts, shorts, flip-flops or sandals, or baseball caps.
How long did it take to sing the National Anthem in the Super Bowl? That’s the question being debated at offshore sports books after Gladys Knight’s rendition was such that it could have been interpreted in two ways. Many books specify that the clock stops after the conclusion of the first instance of the word “brave” in the Anthem’s last line. By that rule, the song went under the 1:56.5 total. However, Knight went on to sing brave again as part of her performance, which put the time over. Sports books are handling the situation in different ways, with a few jumping on the “Righteous Rebate” bandwagon and paying both sides.
Richard Blais, who placed first in the "Top Chef All-Stars" competition on Bravo and is now a judge on "Top Chef" (Bravo) and "Master Chef" (Fox), will bring his California-based Crack Shack brand to the Park MGM. The menu features fried chicken in sandwiches, bowls, and five- and 10-piece meals, along with salads, matzo-ball pozole, poutine, deviled eggs, and schmaltz fries. The Crack Shack, which has five branches in southern California, will open in restaurant row next to Eataly at the Park MGM in July.
Pop, R&B, and jazz band Steely Dan will perform its "Reelin' in the Chips 2" mini-residency in April and May at the Venetian Theatre. Founding member Donald Fagen (co-founder Walter Becker died a couple years ago at age 67) will front one of the tightest touring acts in the live-music business for nine shows April 25, 26, and 27 and May 1, 3, 4, 8, 10, and 11. Tickets, which start at $142 and climb to $321, go on sale to the public tonight at 10 p.m.; you can buy pre-sale by using the password "Vegas."
The Palms continues to reveal elements of its $690 million renovation. The latest are two super-suites, the Hardwood and Kingpin. The Hardwood is a 10,000-square-foot two-bedroom two-story suite complete with a game room, hidden whiskey room, and black-and-white basketball court painted by graphic artist Joshua Vides (who's also responsible for the Palms' popup wedding chapel); the Hardwood is large enough to host 300 partiers, six or so of whom can sleep in the murphy beds that fold down from the basketball court's walls. The Kingpin Suite is 4,500 square feet and boasts a full-sized two-lane bowling alley with an automatic scoring system (shoes are free). Of course, both the Kingpin ($15,000 per night) and Hardwood ($20,000) have huge picture windows that overlook the Strip.
The long-running comped lunch for a $20 video poker buy-in at the Crown & Anchor bars has been discontinued. This one will be missed; it was frequently included in our Top Ten Values list.
A federal judge in New Jersey is enabling Borgata to chase Phil Ivey to Nevada. Due to the lawsuit Ivey lost to the Atlantic City casino over edge-sorting in 2016, he was ordered to return $10.16 million in winnings, but he demurred. When Borgata went after his assets in New Jersey, they found one bank account, empty. Last October, Borgata filed a motion in federal court, indicating that they'd located substantial assets in Nevada and wanted the court's permission to go after it. According to CardPlayer.com, "On Jan. 28, the order was filed to docket the judgment in Nevada, which [the judge] signed the next day. Ivey’s legal team did not protest the decision."
Las Vegas visitation numbers were down for the second year in a row in 2018. The economy’s rolling right along, so what’s the problem? In the February issue of the Las Vegas Advisor, we say it’s the terrible trio: resort fees, parking charges, and tightened games and comps. We wonder: Is it time to rethink the strategy? Plus, get the scoop on the DOJ’s revised opinion on the Wire Act, the big DraftKings Sports Betting National Championship, results of the major football contests, the new edition of Tax Help for Gamblers from Jean Scott, a review of the hot (not!) new deli at Bellagio, even a cool Italian restaurant in Hoboken—all in the February issue.
Binion's has announced that it will open 81 of its 366 rooms to serve as a boutique hotel-within-a-hotel dubbed the Apache Hotel at Binion’s. The rooms will feature retro furniture and decor from the 1930s; the actual Hotel Apache opened in 1932 on the site. In addition, a 6,500-square-foot bar, Whiskey Likker Up, will reopen the second floor above the casino, which has been closed for several years; it will be directly above the existing Whiskey Likker Bar. The new venue will seat a couple dozen and boast a dance floor, mechanical bull, and a bar that rotates 360 degrees every 15 minutes. The rooms and bar are scheduled to be completed "by summer."
Armando Christian Perez, a.k.a. Pitbull, will return to Las Vegas for the fifth consecutive year of his residency, taking the stage at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood for eight performances of "Time of Our Lives." The dates are all in May: 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24, and 25.
Ticket prices start at $39. The shows begin at 9 p.m.
After a 10-year stay, the Oscar that Frank Sinatra won for Best Supporting Actor in From Here to Eternity is no longer on display in the restaurant Sinatra’s at Encore. The Oscar, an Emmy, and a Grammy that had been positioned at the front of the restaurant since it opened have been returned to the Sinatra Estate, seemingly due to Steve Wynn’s disassociation with the company (Wynn had a close relationship with both Frank and the Sinatra family). However, another “Sinatra exhibit,” featuring personal items that belonged to the famous crooner, has been put up in its place.
Santos Guisados Tacos & Beer has opened downtown at 616 E. Carson Avenue. Get $1 tacos and $1 draft beer today until 8 p.m.
The new Silver and Gold sports bar has opened at Silver Sevens. It’s a Las Vegas Golden Knights-themed bar and during Knights games, pitchers are $7 and Bud Light bottles are 77¢. The VGK play the Tampa Bay Lightning today, with the puck dropping at 4:30 p.m.
Wallethub.com compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities to find the best and worst for celebrating Valentine's Day and Las Vegas placed third overall across 25 key metrics. The demographic and financial website found that, per capita, Las Vegas is fourth best in restaurants, fifth in florists, and seventh in jewelry stores, but 37th in the average ticket price for a Valentine's Day party and 46th for the cost of a three-course meal for a couple. San Francisco and New York beat out Las Vegas, followed by San Diego and Honolulu. Hialeah, FL, Detroit, and Newark are the bottom three.
According to the U.S. News and World Report's latest list of the top 100 hotels in the U.S., Las Vegas registered a meager six of them. Aria Sky Suites came in at #32, followed by the Four Seasons (#39), Encore (#48), Wynn (#49), the Skylofts at MGM (#73), and Aria (#76). The Four Seasons at Hualapai, HI, was ranked the best in the country; Four Seasons hotels took seven of the top 20 honors.
For the first time in four years, the handle on the Super Bowl dropped off year over year. The $145.9 million bet on the game was an 8% decline from last year's record $158.6 million, though the win was up substantially at 7.4% ($10.8 million) over last year's less than 1%. The books were a bit unbalanced by Patriot money, but the score coming in on the under greatly helped their cause. On the east coast, however, with the Patriots' huge fan base smelling blood, the result was different; on $34.9 million in Super Bowl betting for the first time in New Jersey, the casinos and racetracks lost $4.6 million (13.2%).
The video scoreboard at Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin where the Las Vegas Aviators will play starting this season will be the largest in the minor leagues. Measuring 31 feet tall by 126 feet across, the videoboard is bigger than the ones at five major-league parks, from Dodgers Stadium to Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Ballpark is on schedule to open April 9 for the Aviators' (formerly the 51s) opening game at home against the Sacramento River Cats.
Carlos Santana, who just ended his first run of 2019 at House of Blues, will return for another 20 performances through the fall. Santana will play at Mandalay Bay on May 15, 17-19, 22, 24-25; September 18, 20-22, 25, 27-29; October 30; and November 1-3, 6, 8-10. This year marks Santana's seventh at the HoB. Tickets for "An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live" start at $99.50, plus fees, and go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m.
According to the Daily Meal on MSN.com, EggWorks boasts the best breakfast in the state. The Daily Meal admitted that it was a tough choice "in a city that’s as breakfast-centric as Las Vegas," but that Eggworks, with six locations including Egg & I (the original) gets the nod. "Going strong since 1988, EggWorks is a gimmick-free restaurant with an absolutely massive menu that makes the most out of fresh high-quality ingredients. Seven Benedicts (including one based on a croissant with blackened prime rib), a massive variety of four-egg omelettes and scrambles, homemade corned-beef hash, French toast, pancakes, waffles, breakfast skillets, crêpes, Tex-Mex breakfasts, loco moco, biscuits and gravy, country fried steak, and steak and eggs are on offer, with plenty of healthy substitutions available." EggWorks open at 6 a.m. and close at 3 p.m.
The New England Patriots are -2.5 favorites over the Los Angeles Rams in tonight's Super Bowl. The total is 56.
Get your phones ready to time the singing of the Super Bowl's National Anthem. The over/under on how long it will take Gladys Knight to sing it is 1:56.5, with under a -130 favorite.
The pedestrian bridge planned to cross I-15 from Mandalay Bay to the Raiders Stadium has been eliminated from the $200 million road project at I-15 and Tropicana Avenue scheduled to begin in 2021. Although an estimated 20,000 attendees are expected to walk to the stadium for games and events from the south Strip, they'll have to get there by crossing the Hacienda Avenue overpass, which will be closed to vehicle traffic at those times (except for a lane dedicated to emergency vehicles). The new pedestrian bridge was cancelled due to "no suitable locations for the bridge to land" on the Strip side of I-15. The entire construction project is scheduled for completion in 2024, around a year ahead of a possible Las Vegas Super Bowl.
Comedian and actress Luenell Campbell will do stand-up comedy at the Sayers Club at SLS Sundays at 7 p.m. starting a week from today and running through May 12. Luenell has acted in dozens of movies (Borat, The Rock, All About Steve, A Star is Born) and appeared on numerous television shows ("Nash Bridges," "Comedy Underground," "Snoop Dogg Presents: The Bad Girls of Comedy," "Lopez"). Tickets start at $39; 21 and older only.
Diana Ross, formerly lead singer of the Supremes, will perform nine shows at the Encore Theater: February 6, 8, 9, 13, 16, 17, 20, 22, and 23. Tickets through Ticketmaster for "Diamond Diana" start at $91 and top out at $245.
Marlon Moraes is a -150 favorite over Raphael Assuncao in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Jose Aldo is -120 over Renato Moicano.
As McCarran International Airport celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2018, the number of arriving and departing passengers set a record: 49.7 million, a 2.5% increase over 2017. Domestic passenger counts increased by 2.2%, with Spirit and Sun Country airlines logging the highest year-over-year increases, while Southwest, the traditional market leader, was down 0.1%. Internationally, traffic increased by 5.6%. Canada, Mexico, and the UK were the top three countries of origin for international passengers. Hainan and Korean airlines both registered gains for the year and LATAM Airlines inaugurated the first scheduled nonstop flights to Las Vegas from Brazil. International totals should hold steady or go up in 2018, with KLM launching nonstop flights from Amsterdam and EL AL arriving direct from Tel Aviv beginning this June.
Nevada's gambling win for calendar year 2018 was $11.9 billion, the third largest amount in its history. It was a 3% increase year over year, the fourth year in a row of gaming-revenue increases, and the eighth of nine years in which casino revenues have gone up. Every market in the state experienced an annual increase for the first time in 14 years. Clark County was up 2.7% to $10.25 billion, of which the Las Vegas Strip accounted for $6.56 billion, up 2%. Washoe County revenues grew 4.4% to $865.7 million, of which Reno accounted for $636.9 million, up 4.4%; it was Reno's most gambling revenues since 2008. Nevada sports books net $301 million, up 21% over 2017, on wagering of slightly more than $5 billion, a record handle for Nevada books.
The Stratosphere is being renamed The STRAT, which will reportedly be announced during locally aired Super Bowl commercials. The top-of-the-tower observation decks, restaurant, and bars will also be rebranded the Skypod. Golden Entertainment, which purchased the property in 2017, has been working on a $140 million renovation since August, with remodels of 300 rooms and the Top of the World restaurant and the opening of the Strat Cafe and Wok and 108 Eats by James Trees. Another restaurant, BLVD & Main Taphouse, a new bar called View Lounge, and a remodeled race and sports book are slated for completion in time for the NCAA basketball tournament. The casino, other restaurants, entertainment options, and more rooms will be upgraded by early 2020.
Four new pedestrian bridges have been announced for the busy intersection of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard S., through which upwards of 70,000 cars pass daily. The four bridges, along with walkways, ramps, elevators, escalators, and stairs, will cost $27.5 million. Construction will begin in July 2022 and take 18 months to complete.
The South Point is hosting “Betting & Buds” today, a free Super Bowl “betting seminar” featuring Brent Musburger and Michael Lombardi. The event will run from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Grandview Lounge and Budweiser products will be sold for $1.
Sara's, the hidden "meateasy" supper club accessed via a nondescript door inside Mabel's BBQ at the Palms, has opened. The small exclusive reservations-only space is designed to be reminiscent of the old-time Las Vegas gourmet room, with leather, brass, stone, and mosaic decor; like Mabel's, it has its own patio. Sara's serves a limited menu of French-American style cuisine, with some dishes prepared tableside. Appetizers include the classic escargot, tuna carpaccio, steak tartare, and foie gras; a shellfish tower with crab, shrimp, oysters, and lobster; only seven entrees (prime rib, Dover sole, lobster, fried chicken, potato dumplings, steak Oscar, and a double cheeseburger); and the gourmet-room-standard Cherries Jubilee, Bananas Foster, and Baked Alaska. The online menus don't show prices, but we suspect they ain't a bargain. We'll check out Sara's soon.
A significant majority of Americans (63%) support the U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down the federal ban on sports betting, according to a survey conducted by the American Gaming Association (AGA). In addition, a record 8-in-10 Americans support legalizing sports betting in their states. Two-thirds of those surveyed (66%) agree that regulation and oversight of gaming should be left to state and tribal governments, rather than imposed by federal regulations. Only 23% believe that the major sports leagues should collect a fee from the amount wagered, while 55% oppose.