In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the Seattle Seahawks are -6.5 favorites over the Philadelphia Eagles. The total is 50.
Around noon yesterday, the traffic jam on I-15 southbound stretched 12 miles this side of Primm. Annoying as it must have been, it was only half as long as the 23-mile backup after Labor Day weekend (and most long weekends of the recent past). At 4 p.m., according to the Regional Transportation Commission, it was down to 10 miles.
With the governor's order reducing casino capacity to 25%, poker rooms have adjusted, but remain open and operating. The adjustments mainly involve moving some tables to areas outside the rooms to comply with the temporary limit. A story at CardsChat.com reports that the Orleans is running cash games only inside the poker room, while tournaments are now played in a separate area in the casino just outside the poker room. The Venetian is following suit. And most rooms have reduced the number of tables, though not the number of players at them. All 19 poker rooms that reopened after the shutdown remain in action, out of the 31 that were open before the shutdown.
Starting today at South Point, Primarily Prime Rib and Baja Miguel's will be open only three nights a week, Friday through Sunday, 4-9 p.m. In addition, the Oyster Bar will close entirely, though probably temporarily, though no reason or reopening date was given.
The Green Bay Packers are -7.5 favorites over the Chicago Bears in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 44.
Last night, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson went head to head against Roy Jones Jr. for eight two-minute rounds in an exhibition match at the empty Staples Center in Los Angeles to raise money for various charities. The fight between the 54-year-old Tyson and 51-year-old Jones ended in a draw and neither ex-fighter appeared to be seriously bruised. It was Tyson's first time in the boxing ring in 15 years. Since giving up boxing in 2005, Tyson kicked a drug habit, took to acting, including a one-man Broadway sow, The Undisputed Truth, and doing charity work; he also now owns a lucrative cannabis brand. He lives in Las Vegas with his third wife, Lakiha “Kiki” Spicer, whom he married in 2009. They have two children together.
A Hartford, Connecticut, television station reports that the fire that ultimately took Tony Hsieh's life occurred November 18 in the basement of a waterfront house in New London, CT, he'd recently purchased, and that Hsieh was also rescued from the basement by firefighters at 3:30 a.m. So he was either sleeping in the basement or went down there to check on the situation, where he was overcome by smoke. Either way, he was resuscitated by the first responders, then transported to Bridgeport Hospital, which has a burn center, where he died yesterday. A tsunami of tribute, from The New York Times and Jeff Bezos to tweets from Zappos' employees and a planned memorial on Fremont Street Experience's video screen, about the enigmatic Hsieh is sweeping the city and country.
The Canadian government has changed direction by introducing legislation to legalize single-event sports betting throughout the country. The new policy would allow provinces to license sports books, which could take bets on all sporting events except horse racing, which is regulated under a separate system. Currently illegal, betting on single sporting events earns illegal bookies in Canada upwards of US$8 billion per year and offshore websites another US$3 billion. The Liberal Party, which controls the government, voted down a similar bill in 2016.
Big Elvis, who performs afternoons at Harrah's Piano Bar, has gone dark again. The super-sized Elvis impersonator, a.k.a. Pete Vallee, closed his show in March with the shutdown, reopened in June with the reopening, closed again in July when the bars were limited, reopened in October when live entertainment resumed, and bowed out again last week when the new capacity limits went into effect. A perennial fan favorite, Vallee told LVRJ entertainment columnist John Katsilometes, "I hate to do it, but it is the right call, for me and for the hotel.”
Tony Hsieh, the visionary former CEO of Zappos shoe company and deep-pocket booster of downtown Las Vegas, died from injuries sustained in a fire at a house in Connecticut yesterday while visiting family. He was 46. No other details are available, but we'll update them here when they're revealed. You can access an excellent retrospective on Hsieh's life on TechCrunch.
To help drive shopping traffic on Small Business Saturday, the city of Las Vegas is suspending on-street meter parking in the Fremont East District, on and around Fremont Street from Las Vegas Boulevard to Eighth Street. The area features entertainment, bars and restaurants, and local shops. Parking is always free in the Arts District, a roughly four-by-five-block area south of Fremont Street, from Hoover Avenue down to a few blocks south of Charleston and Las Vegas Blvd. west to Commerce Street.
VitalVegas.com reports that an internal memo delivered a hint that the new Virgin Las Vegas (formerly the Hard Rock) might not open as scheduled on January 15. The memo didn't come right out and say that the opening would be delayed, but you can judge for yourself from the following: “We are closely following hotel bookings for January. With unprecedented low occupancy projections for Las Vegas, it is unclear that if we did open as scheduled, there would be enough business to support scheduling even 50% of our staff.”
Late last month within a day of each other, Circa opened downtown and the Cromwell reopened on the Strip -- as adults-only properties. The under-21 crowd can go to Giadia on the second floor of the Cromwell and Barry’s Downtown Prime restaurant in the basement of Circa. That's it. They're not allowed anywhere else on the properties. So we're wondering how LVA readers feel about this development and we're running a poll on it. Click here to vote and weigh in with comments.
In the second of today's NFL Thanksgiving games, the Dallas Cowboys are -3 favorites over the Washington Football Team. The total is 46.
A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge has approved the acquisition of the Las Vegas Monorail by Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for $24.3 million. Most of the proceeds will go to creditors. The LVCVA plans to keep the rail line running under a management company that is reportedly retaining executives and a skeleton staff to oversee operations, but its main motive for the acquisition is to negate the non-compete clause that would impede the underground transportation system being developed by Elon Musk's Boring Company.
In the first of today's two NFL Thanksgiving games, the Houston Texans are -3 favorites over the Detroit Lions. The total is 52.
It’s not a normal Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, but the casinos are open (there was some question about whether that would be the case, see our “Vegas and the Virus” blog). A surprising number of restaurants are serving special Thanksgiving meals, but be sure to make a reservation. The sports books will be crowded with bettors and fans watching the two NFL games (the third was canceled due to COVID restrictions); check back here for the lines on each.
Along with the winter display at Bellagio's Conservatory (opening tomorrow) and the Ice Rink at Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Pool (which opened last Saturday), a nine-foot-wide by five-foot-tall replica of Red Rock Resort made from cake and confection on display there are all depictions of 'tis the season in Las Vegas. The "gingerbread house" consists of an undisclosed amount of cake (but rest assured, it's a lot), 240 pounds of chocolate, 50 pounds of sugar, 40 pounds of rock candy, 40 pounds of Rice Krispies Treats, 60 pounds of fondant, even two pounds of edible copper paint. It took 500 man-hours to construct on a wooden frame, including two cake decorators really going to town with frills and flourishes. The replica Red Rock is in the middle of the casino and will remain through into the new year.
According to AAA, Las Vegas is the number-one destination for Thanksgiving weekend travelers from the nearby four-state area of Arizona, Nevada, northern California, and Utah. Reno is number two. The heaviest traffic coming into Vegas from all directions is expected to peak this afternoon. The TSA predicts that it will screen six million passengers over the weekend, down 77% from 2019's 26 million. A study by the Las Vegas Review-Journal that compared this weekend's room rates found that of the 35 tracked properties, all but six reduced their room rates between Nov. 16 and 23, with drops of up to 55% (STRAT). Red Rock came down 47%, Planet Hollywood 44%, Caesars 30%, and Bellagio 20%. The weather is predicted to be on the chilly and windy side, with highs barely reaching the 60s and the real feel even colder on Thanksgiving due to a strong north wind through tomorrow.
College basketball begins today with multiple games being played around the country. Gonzaga is favored to win the championship at 10-1, followed by Baylor, Kentucky, and Villanova, all at 14-1. The UNLV basketball team opens its season tonight as -11.5 favorites against Montana State. The game will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center, but fans will not be allowed to attend.
It took Cirque five months to reorganize and emerge from creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in Canada and Chapter 15 in the United States, as the company today announced the closing of the sale to its secured lenders. A new board of directors was installed by the new ownership, which includes former MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren. The press release was nothing if not optimistic, touting the deal as providing Cirque with "a solid foundation for a successful relaunch," which will include "enhanced fan experiences" and a "concerted drive into new markets."
The number of Vegas visitors in October increased almost 10% over September's volume to nearly 1.9 million. Still, it's definitely a gradual growth curve, given that compared to October 2019, volume was off 50%. And for the first 10 months of 2020, it was down 54%. A big part of the reason was the lack of convention attendance, which remained at absolute zero for the seventh month in a row. With almost all the major hotels reopened after shutting down in March, the number of available rooms was just over 140,000, with total occupancy for the month at 47%; weekends rose to 64%, though midweek it fell to 39%. The average room rate for the Strip was $105 in October, down nearly 25% year over year.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board released October revenue figures this morning and not surprisingly, they were down substantially for the eighth month in a row. The October statewide win of $823 million was 20% less than October 2019; it was an increase of .2% over September's $821.1 million, 22% below September 2019.Overall, southern Nevada's numbers were worse, with the Strip down 30% (though that was the smallest drop of the year), while downtown dropped 23% year over year and the Boulder Strip was down 25%. Statewide in 2020, gaming revenues are down 36% through October.
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis has kept a promise he made to the construction workers who completed Allegiant Stadium on time: a steak dinner. Davis issued $100 gift cards to Landry's restaurants (Landry's Seafood, Chart House, Saltgrass Steak House, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Claim Jumper, Morton's The Steakhouse, McCormick & Schmick's, Mastro's, and Rainforest Cafe, among others) to upwards of 12,000 workers, costing him a cool $1.2 million, to show his appreciation for their three years of toil and travail in completing the stadium on schedule.
In an interesting marketing move, Hawaiian Airlines is providing expedited coronavirus testing to travelers in west coast cities flying to the islands. Hawaiian Air passengers in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas can take the $90 test at approved locations; the results take 36 hours to return and if they're negative within 72 hours of flying, the travelers can bypass the mandatory 14-day quarantine when arriving in Hawaii.
In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are -4 favorites over the Los Angeles Rams. The total is 47.5.
Starting this Wednesday November 25, MJ Live at the STRAT will close (until further notice) in adherence with the governor’s directive of the statewide three-week pause to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Refunds can be obtained at the original point of purchase.
Ventriloquist, impressionist, comedian, and singer Terry Fator announced a limited engagement at New York-New York between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, but it was quickly canceled after Governor Sisolak reduced audience capacity from 50% to 25% last night. Fator's new show, “Who’s the Dummy Now?,” reportedly four-walled in the old Zumanity Theater, is expected to be rescheduled, but when is anyone's guess.
As of tomorrow, capacity at casinos, restaurants, and bars in Nevada will be reduced from 50% to 25%, according to an announcement by Gov. Steve Sisolak yesterday evening. Though he stated that the state is now in the "red zone," he's stopping short of a complete shutdown. However, he threatened more severe measures if the limits aren't taken seriously. Restaurants can seat patrons only if they have reservations and no more than four diners are allowed per table, which definitely impacts Thanksgiving celebrations. Nevada reported more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday (2,416), Saturday (2,109), and yesterday (2,155).
The Kansas City Chiefs are -7.5 favorites over the Las Vegas Raiders in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 56.
The classic film Casino, based on the book by Nicholas Pileggi, directed by Martin Scorcese, and starring Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone, was released exactly 25 years ago, on November 22, 1995, and the anniversary was commemorated with event at the Mob Museum. Oscar Goodman, who played himself in the movie, reminisced with Pileggi, who appeared virtually from his residence in New York. The museum has installed a temporary exhibit displaying memorabilia from the movie, including photographs from the set, prop newspapers printed for use in the movie, and an original script donated and signed by Frank Cullotta, technical consultant for the film. Cullotta is the subject of our eponymous book; he died recently of COVID-19.
The city of Las Vegas has instituted a digital-ad campaign to attract tech employees who can work remotely from anywhere. The ad has been deployed in San Francisco and Seattle; Los Angeles is next on the list. It touts sunny days 85% of the year, affordable housing, and the city's storied amenities. The intent is for enough tech workers to relocate that it ultimately attracts tech companies that can take advantage of the worker base. In the meantime, the high-paid remote employees help to diversify and support the local economy.
The state of Nevada has approved a test of fully driverless autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas. Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv, will conduct the the "level-four" test: cars on the streets without humans in the driver seat in case something goes wrong. This isn't unprecedented; Waymo operates driverless cars in Phoenix and Yandex ran a test last year in Vegas. Aptiv has been providing rides in autonomous vehicles with backup drivers and engineers for Lyft users for the past couple of years, but Motional's test will not involve passengers. The test is scheduled to start sometime next year. Nevada was the first state to approve autonomous vehicle testing in 2012.
Deiveson Figueiredo is a -300 favorite over Alex Perez in tonight's UFC main event. In the other featured match, Valentina Shevchenko is -1800 over Jennifer Maia.
Allegiant Air will begin service in February and March to Orange County, CA, Spokane, WA, Asheville, NC, and Flint, Michigan. With the expansion, Allegiant will offer 62 routes from Las Vegas. The trip to Asheville will be Allegiant's longest non-stop. Introductory fares start at $39 to John Wayne Airport and go up to $79 to Asheville.
In a unanimous vote a year after allowing them, the Henderson City Council has imposed slightly more stringent regulations for neighborhood vacation rentals. Airbnbs and the like must now be at least 1,000 feet from the nearest short-term rental, guests must fill private parking spaces before parking on the street, complaints from neighbors must be resolved faster, and fines for violations have been increased. Rentals with existing permits are grandfathered. The moratorium on new rentals expires on November 30.
The hotel rooms at Mandalay Bay and the Mirage will close Monday through Thursday nights beginning the Monday after the upcoming long Thanksgiving weekend and lasting, most likely, till Christmas weekend. The casinos, restaurants, and other venues will remain open for the usual hours. The two megaresorts join Park MGM, Encore, and Palazzo in closing midweek.
Almost a year to the day of the last performance with his sister Marie after an 11-year run in the Flamingo Showroom, Donny Osmond has announced a new residency at Harrah's, "Donny in Vegas," debuting on August 31. Tickets for the 40 dates announced for 2021 go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m., starting at $65 (plus taxes and fees).
Magic Mike Live, the male strip revue based on the eponymous movie franchise with Channing Tatum, will open in a custom-built and expanded theater at the Sahara on March 26. The show closed exactly a year ago after 1,000 performances at the Hard Rock.
The trip between Las Vegas and Pahrump just got a whole lot easier. The $60 million project widened the last six-mile portion of two-lane road to four lanes and safety features, such as a median, frontage road, and some road straightening, were added for the stretch over the mountainous portion through Mountain Springs.
The Seattle Seahawks are -3 favorites over the Arizona Cardinals in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 57.
An eight-month and $6.5 million investment later, the pair of arches that cross Las Vegas Boulevard between St. Louis and Bob Stupak avenues next to the STRAT have been completed. A lighting ceremony was held last night to commemorate the completing. The arches, manufactured by YESCO, are 80 feet high and 140 feet wide, with the four footings sunk 20 feet deep into reinforced-steel cages. They feature more than 13,000 fully color programmable LEDs and 700 feet of programmable neon tubing, and a retro 20-by-40-foot "City of Las Vegas" sign hanging from the apex. Speakers can play music for special occasions. This year marks YESCO's hundredth year in business. The Gateway Arches will light up 365 days a year at dusk.
Seven out of 10 Americans are unlikely to travel over the upcoming four-day holiday weekend, according to a recent survey, but among those who will, Las Vegas is the fourth likeliest destination. The travel-organizing app TripIt ranks Vegas along with Denver, Phoenix, Orlando, and Los Angeles in the top five most popular Thanksgiving trips, based on round-trip flights originating within the U.S. Last year, Vegas ranked eighth on TripIt's list.
Resorts World has started taking job applications on its website. The new megaresort employs 400 people currently, but will need to fill another nearly 6,000 positions before it opens sometime next summer (the official date still hasn't been announced). A sign on the digital marquee on the main tower is advertising the jobs and website URL.
Three Nevada courses were named to Golfweek magazine’s list of the Top 100 Golf Courses “that you can play,” which apparently doesn’t consider 100% private courses. Shadow Creek was ranked highest at #7, Boulder City’s Cascata Golf Club was #77, and Mesquite’s Wolf Creek was #90.
The City of Las Vegas Planning Commission has approved an application by the Boring Company to extend its underground public-transportation system all the way to downtown. The commissioners seem enthusiastic about the project, noting that a sizable portion of the proposed route, under Las Vegas Boulevard between Sahara and Stewart avenues, is already under construction, which will accelerate the tunnel-building process. The permit now needs to be approved by the City Council.
Illinois' 10 riverboat casinos will close tonight at midnight, per order of the governor. Of even greater significance, the state's video gaming market, with 37,459 games in 7,135 locations, must also shut down. No timeline for reopening has been provided.
Due to the surge in coronavirus cases throughout the U.S., casinos in several states have been ordered to shut down again. In New Mexico beginning Monday, all non-essential businesses must remain closed for two weeks; the state has a couple dozen tribal casinos, which might or might not comply. Detroit's three casinos close tomorrow for a minimum of three weeks. Colorado casinos are fighting an order to shut down on Monday. The big Rivers Casino Philadelphia closes on Friday and will not reopen until at least January 1. So far, Nevada casinos can continue to operate and the governor, whose positive instant test late last week has been confirmed and is quarantining, is reportedly resistant to another complete shutdown. We'll see.
A Las Vegan at Planet Hollywood for a friend's bachelor party hit a seven-card straight flush, 7 through king of spades with a joker, to take down $927,929 on a Pai Gow Poker Mega Progressive jackpot Friday night. The unidentified local, who'd been playing for 30 minutes, attributed the big win to his lucky underwear.
The Cirque du Soleil production Zumanity, which ran at New York-New York for nearly 17 years, will not return. After notifying the cast and crew of its decision, Cirque made the announcement yesterday afternoon. The show was performed more than 7,700 times since it premiered in September 2003 as a groundbreaking adults-only show. Anyone holding a ticket will be issued a refund at the point of sale. Cirque also announced that contract extensions have been signed for five of its Las Vegas shows: Mystére, O, KÁ, LOVE, and Michael Jackson ONE, which will return as soon as possible.
In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the Minnesota Vikings are -3.5 favorites over the Chicago Bears. The total is 44.5.
Only a week after reopening at MGM Grand, David Copperfield has reclosed after a member of the crew tested positive for the coronavirus. The show reopened on Friday November 6 and was canceled after the performance on Friday November 13. Copperfield was quoted as saying that he doesn't know when the show will return.
With the New Year’s Eve Strip party canceled, there’s been a question about how Las Vegas will celebrate. At least part of the answer is with a Zowie Bowie-led concert live at Circa. The band that’s fronted by Chris Philips will perform from Stadium Swim on NYE in an event that will be televised in major cities throughout the west on Nexstar-owned stations (Channel 8 in Las Vegas). Zowie Bowie will be joined by a line-up of top Las Vegas showroom performers and an invited-guest crowd of about 500 will be allowed to attend.
For the 18th straight year, Ellis Island is serving its homemade egg nog (contains alcohol). Order the Holiday Nog at the bar for $7 per glass or $35 per bottle that you can take out. But a word of warning is in order: This nog packs a wallop.
The Baltimore Ravens are -7 favorites over the New England Patriots in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 44.
Our eagle-eyed LVA Correspondent "XY" stumbled across a great video: the Chambers Brothers performing a (vastly abbreviated) version of "Time Has Come Today" live on the "Ed Sullivan Show" from Circus Circus on January 12, 1969. Circus had been open for only three months (since October 18, 1968); still, it's a little surreal to see one of the greatest psychedelic songs of all time performed live with the orange-and-white-striped tent things in the background and -- are you ready for this? -- actual slot machines underneath the stage. On national TV in 1969! Look down toward the end of the song to see them, turned off. It's worth watching for the scene, the song, and the slots, but especially for the greatest cowbell licks in rock 'n' roll.
Las Vegas has always been near the top of the list for the nation's most vehicle thefts, and even though it placed 7th for the previous two-year period (2017-2019), that's an improvement over past years. A study by AutoInsuranceEZ.com found that an average of 447 cars per 100,000 residents were stolen in Las Vegas during that time. Better news: Car thefts have dropped another 5% this year compared to the first nine months of 2019.
Both Circa and The Cromwell are now adults-only. Is it a trend? Anthony Curtis doesn’t think so. Read his comments in an interview with USBets.com.
Going into today’s final round of the Masters golf tournament, four-stroke leader Dustin Johnson is a -300 favorite to win. Sungjae Im, Abraham Ancer, and Cameron Smith are all +1400. Note that this line was posted with the round in progress.
Reservations at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are now being accepted at the website. Rooms and suites will be available for stays beginning January 15, 2021. The resort’s more than 1,500 rooms feature two spaces, a “dressing room” and “lounge,” separated by a privacy door, along with ergonomic beds, high-definition TVs, and reading nooks; select rooms will be dog friendly. The new names of the three towers are Opal, Canyon and the all-suite Ruby Tower.
A survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association shows that most Americans don't expect to travel this holiday season: 72% are planning to stay home for Thanksgiving and 69% for Christmas. The survey of 2,200 adults, conducted November 2-4 by Morning Consult on behalf of the AHLA, also found: only 3 in 10 (32%) respondents have taken an overnight vacation or leisure trip since March; 44% say their next hotel stay for vacation or leisure travel will be a year or more from now or they have no plans to stay in a hotel; 76% of respondents are unlikely to travel over spring break. On the business side, only 8% of Americans say they've taken an overnight business trip since March and just 19% of respondents who are currently employed — or 8% of all adults — expect to travel for business within the next six months.
Nevada's Governor Steve Sisolak tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The 66-year-old first-term governor took a routine rapid test Friday morning and when the results came back positive, he was tested again via the slower more accurate method; the results from the second test haven't been finalized. The governor said he's not experiencing any symptoms. In addition to Sisolak, another 1,856 Nevadans also tested positive yesterday, the state's highest single-day total ever.
The show Extravaganza--The Vegas Spectacular at Bally's, produced by the same group behind the show Wow--The Vegas Spectacular at the Rio, ran for just one night, March 14, before the state shut down the casinos the next day. The first show since then will go on Monday November 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Jubilee Theater. Beyond that, there will be two shows a night (dark Wednesday) at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. with a limit of 250 people in the audience in the 1,200-seat venue. Tickets are are on sale now for $49.99-$109.99 (not including fees).
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) will host a hybrid online and live version of the $10,000-buy-in Main Event. It will begin Sunday Nov. 29 for international players and Sunday Dec. 13 for domestic players. In this year’s pandemic-induced format, early-round play will begin online with one entry on WSOP.com or GGPoker.com, before shifting to a live setting for final-table action in North America and Europe. Each “bracket” will pay out prize money to tournament entrants independently. The final table will be heads-up for the World Championship, with an extra $1 million in prize money. U.S. residents can play the Main Event at WSOP.com in New Jersey or Nevada beginning on Sunday Dec. 13. The $10,000 event is expected to take two full days to reach the final table, with play suspended for an overnight break after approximately 12 hours of action. The tournament will pause when play hits the final table, with the final nine players traveling to Las Vegas for the TV taping and culmination of the tournament to take place at the Rio, subject to applicable regulatory approval.
In one of the stranger twists in the long and winding Monorail saga, a lawsuit has been filed by the World Buddhism Association Headquarters (WBAH) that could stop the sale until WBAH's contention is resolved. To wit, the Monorail doesn't own some of the land it's selling to the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the deal. Rather, the Monorail has three easements for property owned by the WBAH at the southwest corner of Sahara and Paradise. The WBAH purchased the disputed property for $17.5 million in 2018 to build a temple, the plans of which are still in the works. No word yet from either the Monorail of LVCVA on the lawsuit.
The Indianapolis Colts are -1 favorites over the Tennessee Titans in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 48.5.
The Las Vegas Convention Center will reopen tomorrow for the first time since the shutdown in March. It will host a small two-day event, Mecum Auctions, with 1,000 attendees occupying four rooms of 250 people each. It's a gathering of pre-registered collectors for an auction of 600 classic cars. The public cannot attend.
Pamplemousse Le Restaurant, Las Vegas' original fine French restaurant, will not reopen. The decision was made by the widow of George LaForge, who launched the operation in 1976 in a renovated home on Sahara Avenue just east of the Strip and died last year. Last August, a stolen car being chased by police crashed through the front wall of the restaurant, which has been boarded up ever since. The shutdown and younger visitor demographic also contributed to the decision to end Pamplemousse's 44-year run.
Bryson DeChambeau is the favorite at +650 to win golf's Masters tournament, which is being played in November for the first time after the pandemic forced its postponement. He’s followed by Dustin Johnson at +750, John Rahm and Rory McIlroy, both at +850. Tiger Woods is +3250.
The Rio will reopen at 10 a.m. on Tuesday Dec. 22. Initially, the hotel will accommodate guests Thursday through Monday only, though the casino will be open 24/7. The buffet and entertainment won't return till a later date, but the rest of the restaurants, bars, and fitness center will open with the casino. The Rio will be the final Caesars Entertainment property to reopen in the U.S. and Canada since the shutdown.
Eater Vegas reports that the Circus Circus buffet will not reopen. Instead, it will be replaced by a $2.5 million food court. Eater notes that a local brand, Feel Good, will manage the food court, just as it does at Excalibur's, with mall fast-food outlets such as Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Pick Up Stix, Schlotzsky’s Deli, and Hot Dog on a Stick; Feel Good also partners with the existing Krispy Kreme and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels at Circus Circus. Phil Ruffin, who acquired Circus Circus last year for $825 million, also owns Treasure Island, whose buffet closed earlier this year, replaced by a new race and sports book. UPDATE (11/19): We heard from a spokesperson for Circus Circus, who tells us that "a food court is being built, but Circus Buffet is not permanently closing. The addition will only take a portion of the buffet space. It is not a full replacement." And she sent the official statement: "The Circus Buffet reopening is being evaluated, and will open if business demands increase and if it is safe to resume operations in accordance with state regulations and CDC guidelines."
As a result of bad numbers relative to COVID cases in Nevada, governor Steve Sisolak warned in a news conference yesterday that renewed restrictions could be forthcoming if Nevada residents don't make efforts to "stay at home as much as we possibly can." While specific businesses or activities weren't identified, bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues figure to be the potential targets of renewed restrictions that could be implemented in two weeks if better results don’t materialize.
The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Arts will reopen Thursday with a new exhibit called “Always More: Collecting in Vegas.” Artworks from MGM Resorts' permanent collection will be on display, along with private pieces from such Las Vegas luminaries as Elaine Wynn, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta (Station Casinos), and Danny Greenspun (Las Vegas Sun). Featured will be contemporary works from Pablo Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, Diane Arbus, Helmut Newton, Takashi Murakami, and more, many on public display for the first time. The show will be open Thurs.-Mon. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through February 15; tickets are $16/adults; $13/students, teachers, military, and 65 and older; $8 for Nevada residents; and free for children 5 and younger.
While Las Vegas’ Veterans Day celebrations are understandably muted – the big Veterans Day parade was among the many pandemic-caused cancelations this year – there are a few deals available. Silver Sevens is offering 50%-off an entrée in the Sterling Spoon Café when you show military ID, and 11X points today for everyone. Grimaldi’s Pizza has 25% off for veterans. And while South Point took out full-page newspaper ads apologizing for being unable to offer its traditional free buffets to the military, you can get that deal if you’re willing to drive to Mesquite, where active and retired military get free buffets for two at the Virgin River and CasaBlanca casinos.
A local tradition here is a stroll through the Christmas-themed display that illuminates the extensive cactus garden in Ethel M's backyard with holiday lights and cheer. This year, it's a tough ticket. In an effort to enforce social distancing, Ethel M announced recently that the visit would require a reservation this year and all the reservation slots are already booked solid. Walk-ins will be accommodated, but only if there are advance cancellations or no-shows.
An article on Forbes.com discusses the importance of conventions and trade shows to Las Vegas' recovery. "The key is mid-week occupancy," the story insists, which isn't really a surprise to anyone, but the numbers really tell that tale. In September, weekend occupancy at Strip hotels stood at 66%, while Monday through Thursday it was only 38%, down nearly 50% from September 2019. Also down 50%: total visitation, at a minimal 1.7 million people for the month. Las Vegas Sands, which relies heavily on conventions, reported a decrease of 82% in its third-quarter revenues year over year, while MGM Resorts, where one out of five hotel rooms was occupied last year by convention-goers, reported a drop of 68% in third-quarter earnings. And with the recent surge in positive COVID cases, it's looking more and more like Fitch Rating Service's prediction of a full recovery as far out as 2024 might be in the cards.
In a switch from the usual exodus from Las Vegas, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be held in Las Vegas instead of San Jose, California early next year. Based on the successful bubble environment used for Skate America last month at the Orleans Arena, the Nationals will take place from January 11 to 21, again at the Orleans. The senior competition taking place from the 11th to the 17th, the junior 19-21. No spectators will allowed; the championships will be televised nationally on NBC and NBC Sports Network. San Jose will host the 2023 Nationals, Nashville the 2022 event.
Rat Pack is Back returns to the Tuscany starting this Thursday night. The show has moved from the Copa Room to a ballroom on the second floor, where a larger audience (up to 250) can social distance from one another and the performers at maximum-four tables around the room. The show will go on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 7:30. Tickets start at $64.95 and go up to $94.95 for the dinner-show package (dinner is served in Tuscany Gardens, the Italian restaurant, starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 9:30). All ticket sales are final; no refunds once the tickets are purchased.
In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the New England Patriots are -9.5 favorites over the New York Jets. The total is 42.
Amid mostly rising table-game minimums, the Downtown Grand is now dealing $1-minimum-bet blackjack. The dollar game is available from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily on at least one table. It’s the only $1 game downtown and one of only two in all of Las Vegas, along with OYO, located just east of the Strip.
The Trump Plaza Casino's two hotel towers in Atlantic City will be imploded on January 29. The hotel-casino has been closed for more than six years and has long been considered an eyesore and public hazard. Carl Icahn bought the property in 2016, but reportedly never had any plans to repair the dilapidated complex; he has said the land is worth more without the buildings. The first of Trump's several A.C. casinos, it will also be the last with the Trump name. The Trump Hotel & Casino Resorts organization filed for bankruptcy three separate times, in 2004, 2009, and again in 2014.
After record high temperatures of 86 degrees on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the thermometer plunged on Saturday to a high of 54 degrees, one degree lower than the lowest high temperature for the day, 54 degrees, set in 1946. That's a swing of 32 degrees in 24 hours. And though the weekend looked promising to end the streak of no measurable precipitation, it didn't happen. Upwards of four inches of snow fell on Mt. Charleston last night and here and there in the valley there were traces of hail and rain, but the airport failed to achieve more than one one-hundredth of an inch. So the dry streak continues today at 203 days.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are -3 favorites over the New Orleans Saints in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 51.
CinemaCon, the largest gathering for the worldwide motion-picture theater industry, has postponed its 2021 convention. Originally scheduled for April 26-29 at Caesars Palace, the dates have been moved back to August 23-26. One reason is the surge in COVID cases around the world; another stems from the ongoing international travel restrictions, as CinemaCon attracts attendees from more than 80 countries.
Poker luminaries Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk have begun a 25,000-hand heads-up no-limit hold ’em match that will be played both in person and online over a one- to two-month period. The two have had long history of feuding over various poker-policy issues. After the first 200 hands, Negreanu has a $116,500 lead.
Yesterday's reported number of new cases of the coronavirus statewide shattered the record set only a day earlier. The 1,824 new cases on Saturday registered the highest daily increase ever in Nevada, 14% more than Friday's 1,562 cases. Of the new cases, 1,342 were in Clark County, nearly three out of four. The positivity rate was just under 13%.
In today's Question of the Day, we discuss the causes of and concerns around the recent surge in violence and street crime on and around the Strip. We write that the greatly increased presence and proactivity of uniformed and undercover police, SWAT, and casino security have diminished the problems to a large degree, but note that the much younger, rowdier, and drunker crowd showing up since the reopening in June seems to be the main cause of them. Classic case in point: Last night around 7:30, three people were shot inside Adventuredome and Circus Circus. Police said "the shooting started as a fight between two groups of teens or young adults." Our advice in the QoD, staying somewhere secure as it gets deeper into the night, stands, but we should probably add, steer clear of groups of teens or young adults.
Is that news? If you’ve been following the weather, you know it is. Las Vegas hasn’t had measurable precipitation in more than 200 days, but that record run will come to an end today.
Nevada's one-day increase of 1,562 new coronavirus positives between Thursday and Friday set a record for single-day increases in cases. The previous record was 1,447, registered on July 16. Slightly more than 1,000 of the new positives were recorded in Clark County. Statewide, the seven-day average of new cases went over 1,000 for the first time in three months. Though hospitalizations are climbing, fewer people diagnosed with the illness are requiring hospitalization.
Eater Vegas reports that In-N-Out Burger has submitted plans to open an exact replica of the original drive-thru that debuted in Baldwin Park, California, 18 or so miles west of Los Angeles, in 1948. The location of the new 2,300-square-foot drive-thru (no indoor ordering or seating areas) will be at the corner of Polaris Avenue and Russell Road, the closest major intersection to Allegiant Stadium. Eater reports that there will be a 1,600-square-foot outdoor dining area and two drive-up lanes; after picking up their orders, customers will "drive down a shallow ramp built under the plaza and through a short tunnel that leads them back onto Polaris Avenue." In-N-Out erected a non-working replica of the original drive-thru in 2014 as a roadside attraction; this will be the company's only working replica (the first of many?) and the 17th In-N-Out location in Las Vegas. It's expected to open sometime next year.
On Wednesday around 7 a.m., a local player at Boulder Station selected 10 numbers and hit them all on a Game King keno machine, winning $250,000. She bet four quarters, winning the quarter-mil, the maximum for the game, on a buck. The numbers were in a nice tight pattern: 5, 6, and 7; 15, 16, and 17; 25, 26, and 27; with a lone 18 bookending the middle line.
The median price for an existing single-family home sold in southern Nevada set another high-price record at $340,200 in October, and increase of just under 1% from September's record and nearly 11% year over year. Demand is as high as it's been in recent memory, with 4,000 existing homes, condos, and townhomes sold in October, up more than 11% over October 2019, while only 4,500 single-family homes are on the market, a one-and-a-half-month supply, where a six-month inventory is considered a balanced market.
The author of our Eating Las Vegas series, John Curtas, penned an opinion piece for Nevada Public Radio's newsletter, Desert Companion, which you can read here. It's a strong statement about the future of the Las Vegas dining scene and as always, John's perspective and style shine like a guiding beacon through the darkness. He starts out with, "As Las Vegas' most intrepid gastronaut, I've had to curb my voracious appetite more than anyone. Overnight, my routine went from visiting 10 restaurants a week to a mere few." Then he poses the question tackled in the piece: "Survey the landscape these days and all you can ask is, how much of this damage is permanent?" He notes, "On the Strip these days, restaurants still pack ’em in on weekends, but almost all are closed Monday-Wednesday." By comparison, "Neighborhood venues hunkered down like everyone else, but now seem poised for a resurgence at a much faster rate than anything happening in the hotels." In the inevitable retrenchment, "The era of Flay, Ramsay, Andrés, and others is over and the next big thing in Las Vegas dining won’t be a thing for a long time." His conclusion: "Las Vegas restaurants were at their peak on March 15, 2020, and reaching that pinnacle is a mountain many of them will never climb again."
In Caesars Entertainment's third-quarter investor conference call this week, the CEO mentioned that the Rio will be open by the end of the year (most likely to get in on the anticipated holiday rush and high room rates). If it happens, the Rio will the last of Caesars' 56 properties nationwide that reopens after the shutdown. The Rio is owned by a New York-based investment company, which Caesars operates under a management contract. The CEO also stated that an explosion of demand for casino experiences, especially in Las Vegas, when the world recovers from the pandemic will be "beyond your wildest dreams."
The Green Bay Packers are -6 favorites over the San Francisco 49ers in tonight's Thursday Night Football game. The total is 48.
Southwest Airlines has announced a new destination from Las Vegas: Colorado Springs. The service, which will operate twice a day, begins on March 11. An introductory fare of $59 one way will run for a limited time.
A blurb in the business section of today's Review-Journal caught our eye. According to reporter Richard Velotta, the Ponderosa Ranch, a longtime western-village attraction at north Lake Tahoe that recreated the fictional home of the Cartwright family from the TV show "Bonanza" and closed in 2004, might be relocated to northeastern Nevada sometime in the near future. The Nevada Commission on Tourism has granted the volunteer organization dedicated to the project $10,000 to bring the exhibit to Lamoille Canyon. According to LVA's Deke Castleman, who wrote six editions of Nevada Handbook over a 14-year period, Lamoille, just south of Elko in the mighty Ruby Mountains, is the most picturesque and scenic canyon in a state with hundreds of them. He believes a small "Bonanza" exhibit there would enhance the area.
Yesterday's official high temperature as measured at McCarran Airport hit 86 degrees, beating the record for the day, set in 1988, by one degree. Today's high is predicted to reach 87, which would beat the record of 84 set in 1980. And Friday's expected 86 would top 1988's 85. But then a cold snap is on tap for the weekend, with temperatures dropping between 25 and 30 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Meanwhile, tomorrow marks the 200th consecutive day without any measurable precipitation in Las Vegas, 50 days longer than the previous record set in 1959. There's a 40% chance of precipitation on Sunday. Rots o' ruck!
Barely a month after reopening on September 30, Park MGM will shut down midweek starting next Monday, November 9. The hotel-casino will close at noon on Mondays and reopen at noon on Thursdays. Whether or not this new schedule has anything to do with Park MGM going smoke-free is unknown, though in a statement, MGM Resorts blamed low midweek occupancy rates and the absence of major meetings, conventions, and events. Also, last opened first closed? It's anyone's guess. The statement noted that the midweek closures aren't expected to remain in effect beyond the end of the year.
The long-planned high-speed rail line between southern California and Las Vegas hit a wall after $3.2 billion in bonds to finance the launch of the project was spurned by investors. Though the 30-year debt offering was backed by both states and the interest was quadruple (7%) the going rate, bond buyers deemed the project too speculative. The main hang-up: The western terminus is planned for Victorville, an hour's drive from Los Angeles. Brightline, the railroad's developer, said it will continue to pursue the project.
After a long night of "mirages," "shifts," and all forms of political twists and turns, the betting markets have swung back big to Joe Biden, now a -425 favorite in the offshore books. The lines are still up and moving, kind of resembling in-game wagering on a football game.
Though the official count isn't quite completed, it appears that gambling issues have passed by substantial majorities in all six states where they were on the ballots yesterday. Sports betting was approved by voters in Maryland, Louisiana, and South Dakota. Four cities in Virginia have approved casinos. Racetracks in Nebraska will expand with casino games. And Colorado's casinos will no longer be bound by the $100 betting limit on a single wager and will be allowed to deal baccarat, keno, big six, and carnie games now, in addition to the existing slot machines, blackjack, poker, roulette, and craps.
The line has moved fast in the last hour toward Donald Trump. For the first time, Trump is the favorite by as much as -200, and lined as the favorite at all books that we see.
According to reports, a hedge fund manager from England has placed a $5 million bet on Donald Trump to win the presidential election. It's believed to be the largest political wager ever. The bet was made with an offshore book (or possibly multiple books) at +185, meaning it would pay $9.25 million. At first we were skeptical, but that matches up with the current offshore line and it's getting coverage from multiple sources, so it sounds legit.
We've been hearing for months that summoning Uber rides takes some patience, especially from the airport. The main reason is that Uber is not only charging more for rides, but paying drivers less, so plenty of drivers are staying home and collecting unemployment or working other jobs. Here's a report on the subject from an LVA correspondent who just spent two weeks here. "I discovered that Uber costs have more than doubled since my last trip in December 2018. When I got to the airport on Sunday night 9/27/20 at 9:30 p.m., there were no airport shuttles running (I usually use Bell Transportation to get to the Flamingo), only public buses, taxis, and Uber/ Lyft available. It took me over an hour to get an Uber, due to the number of people coming off planes at the airport and a shortage of drivers. Uber is also adding a surcharge now due to the high demand by riders and the lower supply of drivers. It cost me $15 to go the short distance from the airport to the Flamingo, twice what I used to pay for the Bell Transportation shuttle, and three times what I used to pay for an Uber ride."
The Forum Food Court at Caesars Palace is now surrounded and blocked by plywood. Eight of the nine fast-food outlets are shut down. The pizza counter is open, while Starbucks has relocated to the Forum Casino on the other side of the sports book. Caesars says the shutdown is for "maintenance," but hasn't publicized a reopening date.
With the presidential election taking place today, the line is Biden -200/Trump +165 at offshore books. At this juncture in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton was a -450 favorite, so both sides are certainly in play.
In tonight's Monday Night Football game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are -13 favorites over the New York Giants. The total is 47.
Though stringent requirements, including testing negative for the coronavirus, remain in place, Macau experienced "only" a 73% decline in gambling revenues in October year over year. The "only" part comes from a comparison to the previous six months of 90-plus-percent plunges. According to analysts, October's $910 million revenue was a more than 200% increase compared to September's. January through October, Macau earned $5.75 billion, down 81% from the same period last year.
The massive sports book at Circa was rocking on its first Sunday in action during a full slate of pro-football games. Here are a few details about what's being touted as the largest sports book in the world. Circa spokespeople have been a bit coy about revealing the exact square footage of the book, but to claim official status as the largest, it has to be more than the 30,000 square feet of the Westgate's SuperBook. It also depends on how the boundaries of Circa's sports book are defined. It occupies three levels, with discrete sections including the Dugout (VIP chairs directly in front of the screen), Legends Club (recliners behind the Dugout), Champions Club (booth seating for groups), Circa Club (large semi-circle banquets for larger groups), and grandstands. In addition, the book hosts the VSIN studio, which is broadcasting 50 hours of live programming every week. With a capacity of 1,000 sports fans, the better seats can be reserved (on the Circa website); prices range from $8 for a "stadium" seat up to $700 for a Circa Club booth, not including food and beverage minimums with service from Victory Burger & Wings. All seats are equipped with power outlets. Finally, there's that screen, which might be the largest TV in the world. Again, Circa hasn't revealed the exact dimensions, but it's three stories high (roughly 30 feet), boasts 78 million pixels, can show more than a dozen games, takes up to 10 people to operate, and can be seen everywhere in the casino. It cost $20 million and was designed by South Dakota-based Daktronics, a company responsible for installing the large LED video-display systems in most of the NFL stadiums across the country.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will fly over the Las Vegas tourist corridor early this afternoon after returning from an air show in Florida. The team will take the south route, flying straight up I-15, starting at around 12:55, and taking a couple of minutes to reach its home at Nellis Air Force Base in the north valley. The six Fighting Falcon jets will fly low and use performance smoke as they head up the Strip.
The Philadelphia Eagles are -10 favorites over the Dallas Cowboys in tonight's Sunday Night Football game. The total is 43.
Due to the precipitous climb in new cases of the coronavirus globally, the 2021 SHOT Show, which convenes every January at the Las Vegas Convention Center with upwards of 60,000 attendees, has been canceled. The statement announced the 2022 dates: January 18-22. Still scheduled are the Las Vegas Winter Market, with a normal attendance of 50,000, Jan. 26-30; and the Safari Club, 15,000, Feb. 3-6.
For the first time in four years, Las Vegas has a new casino. For the first time in 10 years, Las Vegas has a major new casino. And for the first time in 40 years, downtown has a brand-new casino. Circa is the biggest thing to happen downtown ever, in lots of ways. Meanwhile, in a move that would seem to defy logic, Caesars Entertainment has reinstated paid parking. It sounds insidious, but it may not be. And how long will it last? Plus, get the scoop on the reopening of the showrooms, the return of the Golden Gate shrimp cocktail, another $1 blackjack game, a powerhouse late-night dining discount, the state of live poker, a new chef’s-table option, the line on the eve of the presidential election, the video poker line-up at Circa, the best deli on the Strip, even a COVID comp, Where? You'll find all this and more in the November Las Vegas Advisor.
Daylight Savings Time ended at 1 a.m. this morning, so your clocks should be set back by an hour by now (unless you live in Arizona or Hawaii). Standard time will continue through March, with clocks springing forward at 1 a.m. on the 28th of the month.