The long-awaited new In-N-Out location at the southeast corner of Russell Road and Polaris Avenue directly across from Allegiant Stadium is now going up. Given its proximity to the stadium, it will be big on drive-thru service and outdoor seating; in addition, as previously announced, it will look different than the normal venue, designed in a retro style that harkens back to the first In-N-Out from 1948 at a cost of a cool million dollars. The normal timeline for In-N-Out construction is seven to eight months, so this location could open as early as March of next year.
The first casino to be built from the ground up in the Reno-Sparks area since Silver Legacy opened in downtown Reno in 1995 debuted last night at 8 p.m. The $130 million 80,000-square-foot Legends Bay Casino is located in eastern Sparks, at the Outlets at Legends upscale open-air retail center, and is developed and owned by Olympia Gaming, which also in 2018 developed the nearby Hampton and Residence Inns, with 100 rooms each, and Casino Fandango in Carson City. Legends Bay features five dining spots, including a steakhouse and a food-truck hall with three trucks, along with 650 machines, 10 table games (two single-deck blackjack), a high-limit slot room, live keno, and the first Circa Sports sportsbook in northern Nevada. The casino was first announced way back in 2008, but was postponed by the recession and pandemic; ground was broken exactly 18 months ago. It employs 300 people.
Plan on an indeterminate amount of extra time if you're driving back to California on I-15 between now and Friday, then starting again on Tuesday September 6. The freeway narrows down to one lane at Mile Marker 174 for repairs on a bridge over Nipton Road that was damaged by a flash flood last week. Fortunately, the road work will be suspended over Labor Day weekend.
Nevada's gambling win hit 10 digits again for the 17th consecutive month in July, reaching $1.31 billion and falling only $43 million short of July 2021's monthly record of $1.35 billion. It was the state's fourth highest ever monthly gaming win. The Las Vegas Strip, meanwhile, fell a little short of setting an all-time revenue record last month. The Strip's win of $773.3 million was a 2.42% drop from July 2021's $792.6 million, its highest win in history. Also according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, locals and downtown casinos didn't fare quite as well last month. Local casinos won 3.3% less last month than in July 2021, while downtown's win dropped 15.6% year over year, from $71.1 million to $60 million.
Thanks to an active monsoon season, temperatures in Las Vegas throughout August have been mostly below 105, slightly less than the normal average for the month. But with the rains and clouds in the rearview mirror, high temperatures are returning with a vengeance. The daily highs will reach at least 110 today and remain there through next Monday; a high of 112 is predicted for a week from today. It won't start cooling off until a week from Saturday, September 10, when the thermometer drops to 99 degrees, the first time after this long heat wave that we'll see a high of less than triple digits.
The National Association of Theater Owners has designated next Saturday, September 3, the first day of the long Labor Day weekend, as the first “National Cinema Day.” More than 3,000 movie theaters with approximately 30,000 screens (out of 40,700 nationwide), including the Regal and AMC chains, will participate in the $3 ticket promotion, in all showings and formats. Las Vegas has eight Regal and AMC theaters; we couldn't find any mention of Century, Galaxy, or Fandango.
A story in Forbes cites Las Vegas as "the best city in which to be a sports fan." A Forbes senior contributor says that with its NFL, NHL, and WNBA teams, Las Vegas will eventually join the slim ranks of cities with four (five, including the WNBA) pro-sports teams. He notes that Las Vegas also boasts the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL), the Las Vegas Aviators (Triple-A baseball), and the G-League Ignite (NBA). We would add the Las Vegas Lights (United Soccer League Championship), the Las Vegas Desert Dogs (National Lacrosse League), XFL team (currently unnamed), the Vegas Knight Hawks (Indoor Football League), and the Las Vegas Ramblers (National Volleyball Association).
Falling into what we consider the "PR People Have Too Much Time on Their Hands" department, Club Med has just released two surveys that list the top 10 happiest travel destinations in North America and the world. Club Med collected data -- including outdoor activities, day trips, spas and wellness centers, safety, pollution, and of course the cost of domestic beers -- from the 50 most visited destinations, then ranked them in terms of their overall "happy holidays" aspect on a scale of 1 to 100. Domestically, Las Vegas placed first, with an overall score of 73.7, "thanks to a wide range of activities perfect for visitors planning to get the most out of their stay." Las Vegas was followed by New Orleans, Vancouver, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., L.A., Portland (OR), Toronto, Halifax, and Nashville. Internationally, only Bali edged out Vegas, thanks to its wellness centers and outdoor activities. From #3 to #10: New Orleans, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Budapest, Vancouver, San Francisco, Dubai, and Rio. (Thanks to Canada Roy for finding and sending this essential News item.)
The Las Vegas Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury by winning two games in the best-of-three first round of the WNBA playoffs to advance to the Western Conference semi-finals against none other than the Seattle Storm. This best-of-five round two is a rematch of the 2020 WNBA Finals in which the Storm swept the Aces. But the home team is expected to give the Storm a run for their money this year. The Aces are the top-seeded team, while the Storm are fourth. The Aces also have three All Star players and two MVP frontrunners. The first game takes place at Michelob Ultra Light Arena at Mandalay Bay, tipping off at 1 p.m. PT today.
A man from a suburb of Sacramento had just gotten paid for a side job after waiting for months for his money, so he made an impulse buy of a $30 Set for Life Millionaire Edition scratcher ticket that contained the winning word "LIFE" for the $20 million prize, double the size of any other Scratcher ticket in the country. It's an annuity jackpot; the winner chose the $11.6 million lump payout before taxes (roughly $8 million after) over $800,000 before taxes for 25 years, saying he wanted to buy a new pickup (insert snarky comment here). The winner identified himself, which was widely criticized, but in California, winners and winnings are a matter of public record, so the guy wouldn't have remained anonymous for long.
We’ve put up our list of this year’s football contests with the important details for each. We know of only two freebies this year, but all the big pay contests are back. This list will be updated throughout the season as necessary.
Today from 4 to 6 p.m., Circa Sports will host its third annual Circa Football Preview. The free event will feature a panel of sports betting experts and personalities, including former pro football players Brian Urlacher and Shaun King. Topics of discussion will include insights on the upcoming season, predictions for Circa Sports’ record-breaking football contests, and more. The Preview will also be one of the first events in Circa’s new 35,000-square-foot convention area, which includes a 1,600-square-foot outdoor terrace. Circa Sports has brought back its two record-setting pro football betting contests, Circa Million and Circa Survivor, for the fourth year. Bigger than ever, the contests promise a guaranteed $12 million in prizes. Circa Million needs 6,000 entries, but currently has only 1,650 or so; it's a huge equity overlay that you can take advantage of for the $1,000 entry fee.
Check out this week's LVA YouTube Weekly Update for -- drum roll, please! -- news on Bally's ongoing transition to the Horseshoe and Anthony's take on the loss of the Bally's brand and bargain possibilities at the new Horseshoe; an overview of the football contests, including one that Anthony considers "as good a gambling opportunity as you'll ever see"; a free football betting seminar at Circa today at 4 p.m. where you might see Anthony; Mystere's 13,000th performance and a discussion with Andrew on the "best" Cirque show; and a Jackpot of the Week interrupted by a power outage. Finally, A.C. cops to a brain-glitch blooper in last week's Update over the Jackpot of the Week and how, in a lightning flash of realization, he unscrambled it. Definitely one of the more unusual YouTube's in recent memory. Click now!
Wiseguys Comedy Club at 1511 S. Main St. is presenting a free show tonight with Geechy Guy as the featured comic. Log on to vegas.wiseguyscomedy.com and register with the promo code “freebie” to get tickets.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the largest bad-beat jackpot in U.S. history was triggered yesterday at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh's poker room. The $1.2 million jackpot, split by the eight players at the $1-$3 No Limit table, beat the previous record of $1.07 million set in 2018 at Motor City in Detroit. One player had pocket aces and a third ace came on the flop. The other player, however, held the king and 10 of spades and when the queen and ace of spades came on the flop, he had the royal draw. The jack of spades showed up on the turn, making the royal, while the fourth ace came on the river. With both players all in, the royal flush beat the quad bullets. What a showdown! The losing player with the aces walked away with $490,708, the winning player with the royal $368,029 (plus around $700 for the hand), and the other six players $61,338 each. The jackpot had grown for 17 months, since a bad-beat hand triggered just under $150,000 in April 2021.
It's that time of year in Reno, the last major stop on the road to Burning Man, 90 miles north in the Black Rock Desert. An estimated 25,000 attendees are flying in to Reno-Tahoe Airport this week, the largest event of the year for the normally sleepy airport, to arrive in time for the first day of the giant art festival on Sunday. The same number will be flying out afterwards; the festival ends on Labor Day, September 5. All returnees leave a trail of playa dust that's renowned in northern Nevada, along with hundreds of ditched bicycles, the most popular form of transportation at Burning Man, which are picked up by the Reno Bike Project. Burners also empty most store shelves of water, food, camping gear, and costumes. On top of all that, the Best in the West Rib Cookoff takes place this week at the Nugget in Sparks, which also attracts tens of thousands, culminating on Labor Day.
Dirt.com, which follows real-estate transactions of high-profile and high-net-worth people, reports that superstar actor Mark Wahlberg has purchased a two-and-a-half acre lot in the ultra-exclusive Summit Club in Summerlin. How exclusive? The Wahlbergs paid $15.6 million for the two adjacent lots alone. What they're planning hasn't been revealed, but judging by their home in Beverly Hills, it shouldn't be too shabby; that house occupies six acres with 30,000 square feet, 12 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, a 15-seat movie theater, gym, pool, regulation outdoor basketball court, and putting greens. Their Vegas neighbors will be the likes of Celine, VGK owner Bill Foley, Raiders owner Mark Davis, Timothy Herbst, and software/Internet pioneer and venture capitalist Mark Andreessen, who paid $36 million for 4.5 acres in four contiguous lots.
Based on 2020 data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that life expectancy in Nevada is somewhat below the national average. Out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., Nevada ranked at number 34, with men living 73.5 years and women outliving them by almost six years, till 79.2. Nationwide, life expectancy is an average of 77 years, 74.2 for men and 79.9 for women. The good news for Nevada retirees is that people currently 65 years old will live an average of 17.8 more years, with men making it to 81.4 years and women 84.1. Perhaps due to COVID, Nevada's life expectancy dropped 1.7 years between 2019 and 2020. People who live in Hawaii have the highest life expectancy, 77.6 for men and 83.8 for women, followed by Washington state, Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. At the bottom of the list is Mississippi at 68.6 for men and 75.2 for women, preceded by West Virginia and Louisiana.
According to an article on VSiN (Vegas Sports Information Network), the betting public is backing the Las Vegas Raiders all around the country. The Raiders' offseason odds aren't great: at DraftKings, +650 to win the AFC West, 20-1 to win the AFC, and 40-1 to win the Super Bowl, with a win total of 8.5 That said, at Caesars Sportsbook, the Raiders have accrued nearly 50% of the betting handle to win the AFC West, the second highest (14%) to win the AFC, and the second highest (7%) to win the Super Bowl, behind the Buffalo Bills. Of course, local bettors are solidly behind the home team. Station Casinos has booked the largest number of bets of any NFL win total on the Raiders and over, while the team is the Station books' biggest liability week to week. The Raiders also constitute the Westgate's largest Super Bowl liability.
A cross between tennis, badminton, and ping pong, pickleball is the fastest growing racquet sport in the U.S., boasting more than three million players and growing by more than 10% each year over the past decade. With more pickleball courts than any Las Vegas hotel-casino, the Plaza is again the official hotel and title sponsor of the Las Vegas Pickleball Open, set for Sept. 21-25. Tournament directors expect more than 400 players, both professionals and amateurs, to play in this year’s event on the Plaza’s 16 newly resurfaced tournament- level courts on the pool-level rooftop. The event will offer men’s, women’s, and mixed amateur doubles matches, as well as men’s, women’s, mixed and senior (50-plus) professional doubles matches. Spectators are welcome to watch any of the matches for free. The tournament, in its 5th year, will pay out a prize package of $60,000 split between grand prize, silver, and bronze medalists.
Bloomberg reports that the political fight over legalizing sports betting in California has cost interested parties $364 million so far, with 11 weeks remaining until the election. It's the most money ever spent on a ballot measure in the Golden State and no doubt a lot more will be thrown at it before it's done. In a nutshell, Proposition 26 would limit sports betting to in-person wagers at the state's 66 tribal casinos, while Prop 27 would open up the business to outside operators aligned with the tribes and allow mobile betting anywhere in the state. Complicating matters, the tribes are split on the issue; in addition, Prop 26 would also make it easier for the tribes to sue California’s 84 card rooms, which compete with the reservation casinos. The whole thing is a tangled web, which analysts have speculated will confuse voters so much that neither proposition will pass. One thing's for sure: This market is so huge that it's expected to be the second largest in the world, behind the UK, so it will happen sooner or later.
Sign workmen are in the process of removing the B-A-L-L-Y-'-S on the tower at Bally's, the most visible sign thus far that the conversion of that Caesars' property from Bally's to the Horseshoe, announced officially all the way back in January after being rumored well before that, is coming to fruition. We'll keep an eye on the progress and let you know when the name change has been completed.
If you're here on September 2, a cool local thing to do is attend the First Friday art walk downtown. This month's event will feature upwards of 60 artists and craftspeople, along with 20 food trucks, live pop-up entertainment, and lots of specials at Arts District galleries, restaurants, bars, and retail shops. The event takes place from 5 to 11 p.m. at Art Square, corner of S. 1st St. and Boulder Avenue, a block north of Charleston and a block east of Main Street in the heart of the Arts District.
Mega rapper Usher's second Las Vegas residency in two years began on July 15 at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The 23 shows run through October and are all sold out. Now, Usher has announced 25 more shows next year between March and July: March 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, and 18; April 14, 15, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, and 29; June 28; and July 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 12, 14, and 15. Pre-sale tickets will be available starting tomorrow at 10 a.m. Vegas time; the public can buy starting Friday at 10 a.m. The reviews for the current residency have been over-the-top outstanding, particularly due to Usher's performing on occasion from the middle of the audience. Risky, but powerful, and a testament to both his popularity and supremacy as a performer.
The 8th annual Big Blues Bender music festival is taking place at Westgate this Thursday through Sunday. The festival is headlined by 86-year-old legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy as part of his expected farewell tour; other acts include Little Feat, Tab Benoit, Damon Fowler, Jimmy Hall, Larkin Poe, Shemekia Copeland, Mike Zito, Victor Wainwright & The Train, Albert Castiglia, Johnny Sansone, Jontavious Willis, Southern Avenue, Monkeyjunk, Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band, Great Canadian Blues Revue, and many others. Performances will be taking place over the four days at five different Westgate venues, the second year in a row the festival has been at the off-Strip hotel, after launching at the Riviera, spending a few years at the Plaza, then missing 2020 due to COVID. Four-day music-only passes are $499; and various upgrades are still available at BigBluesBender.com.
After the major storms that have hit Las Vegas in the past few weeks, we've received a lot of questions about how the Las Vegas Loop subway system fares in terms of flooding. We covered it in a Question of the Day, which a story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal confirms. According to the article, engineers route the tunnels around or below the water table and the Building Department reviews the plans before issuing permits; the tunnels are almost completely hermetically sealed, so very little water seeps through the tunnel walls; and a pumping system removes any water that does. In addition, water can't flood the entrances and exits, which are built above drainage levels. Clearly, the Las Vegas Loop has the flooding issue well in hand, as this monsoon season and its unprecedented flooding have proven.
A story in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that gamblers left behind $22 million in uncashed machine tickets in the fiscal year that ended on June 30. TITO vouchers expire after 180 days; then the state collects 75% and the casino hangs onto the other 25%. Most of the vouchers are for spare change; TITOs at most casinos pay off only with bills at the kiosks and to collect the coins, players have to go to the cage, which many forego. Upwards of $22 million in a year is a lot of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters players are donating to the state and casino coffers.
The long-awaited (two years and counting) opening of cannabis lounges in Las Vegas will have to a wait a little longer. Apparently, a number of decisions need to be made before Clark County commissioners can vote on them; the commissioners did vote to delay all action on the lounges for at least 30 days, while staff delineates the issues raised by the county's Business License Department. Local municipalities are free to establish their own regulations, as long as they don't diminish the state laws. As Clark County determines the lounges' hours of operation, number of licenses issued, possible outdoor consumption, and fee structures, the opening of the lounges, originally scheduled for before the end of 2022, has been postponed until sometime early next year.
Thrillist has included Fortuna Pool at Caesars Palace in a list of the “Best Pool Bars in the World.” The online digi-mag cited Fortuna’s “swim-up gaming tables, where you can try your hand at Black Jack.” (Who's he?)
The Nobu Villa is getting some attention today. It's the penthouse suite at Nobu Hotel, the 181-room boutique hotel within a hotel that occupies 10 completely overhauled floors of the original Centurion Tower, which opened in 1970, at Caesars Palace. When it debuted in 2011, it was the world's first Nobu Hotel; there are now 13 of them worldwide. The rooftop Villa is 10,300 square feet and accessible by a private elevator; it features three bedrooms and three baths, an omakase sushi bar, media and game room, gym and massage room, and art gallery indoors, plus a 4,700-square-foot patio overlooking the Strip, with a barbecue pit, full bar, fire and water fixture, and a secluded Zen garden with an Italian-made spa. The Villa also comes with a butler and 24-hour room service. It lists for $30,000 per night. It's just been announced that Adele will be staying there during her residency, a mere $2.7 million freebie for her 90 nights in Vegas. Ho hum.
Kamaru Usman is a -385 favorite over Leon Edwards in tonight’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, Paulo Costa is -410 over Luke Rockhold.
As of this morning, Death Valley National Park has reopened access to the most popular destinations, specifically the Furnace Creek Visitors Center, Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, and Mesquite Sand Dunes. Death Valley was hit by a massive flash flood and mud on August 5, washing out roads and stranding about 1,000 visitors. Access into the park will be via the main Route 190 from the northeast (Beatty) and west (Stovepipe Wells), but delays should be expected.
KTNV 13, Las Vegas' ABC affiliate, has posted an investigation of the top users of water in Las Vegas and Henderson, both commercial and residential. Of the top 50 commercial, 20 are hotel-casinos and 15 are golf courses. The Venetian is the number-one user in Las Vegas, consuming nearly 50 million gallons of water in 2021. That's followed by Mandalay Bay, Caesars, and the Wynn, then Angel Park, and Red Rock Golf Clubs, MGM Grand, and Southern Highlands Golf Club. Among the top 100 residential users, the Fertitta family of Station Casinos fame and fortune are two of the top six most profligate water users; Lorenzo Fertitta is number four, having consumed nine and a half million gallons in 2021 at his residence. Joel Laub, an attorney who advertises on a number of billboards around town is fifth (6.3 million), with Phil Ruffin of Circus Circus and Treasure Island number eight (5 million), Steve Wynn number 9 (4.9 million; Wynn sold that residence this year), and Dana White of the UFC number 11 (4.6 million).
This Monday, the Cosmopolitan will take its first sports wager as the BetMGM Sportsbook & Lounge. It's a small but cool and comfortable book, with a center video poker bar and lounge (already branded as a BetMGM venue), some game tables (foosball, table shuffleboard), LED video wall, betting counters, and kiosks. The book's conversion to BetMGM officially launches Cosmo's transition to becoming an MGM Resorts property, with more changes in the works.
Jeff Beck will perform at the Pearl Theater at the Palms on November 4. Beck is a rock 'n' roll guitarist of legendary status, having played in the Yardbirds with Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton in the early to mid-1960s. He's also won eight Grammys, was listed among the world's 100 greatest guitarists by Rolling Stone, and was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame twice, once with the Yardbirds and once as a solo artist. He's released 14 albums since 1968, three with the Jeff Beck Group, and four collaborative records, his latest, 18, with Johnny Depp. (The best, in our humble opinion, is the 1969 Beck-Ola, with our favorite Jeff Beck song, "Rice Pudding," which nicely showcases his enormous talent.) Presale tickets are one sale now (use passcode PEARL), from $55 to $135. You'll see us there.
The National Weather Service says it's official: August 2022 is the wettest August in Reno history. Wednesday's .11 inches of rain, recorded at the airport, brought the total precipitation for the month to 1.66 inches, breaking the record set 57 years ago in 1965 by one one-hundredth of an inch. The big storm occurred on Wednesday the 3rd, when 1.22 inches dumped in just 90 minutes, creating the type of flooding havoc usually seen only in Vegas. With 12 more days in the month and rain predicted, this record will grow. Reno receives, on average, seven and a half inches of precipitation annually, most in the winter and spring. Unusual to see so much in the summer.
Ocean Prime, a seafood-steak chain with 17 locations in most major U.S. cities, will invest a reported $20 million to open its 18th restaurant at 63, the four-story retail and dining complex currently under construction between the Cosmopolitan and Shops at Crystals. Ocean Prime is the first tenant to be announced for the center and will be the anchor restaurant. Opening in spring 2023, the 14,500-square-foot venue will be on the fourth level, with a 2,500-square-foot rooftop terrace; it will boast 400 seats, two bars, and three private dining rooms. If the menu for the Phoenix location is any indication, it won't be a bargain spot, with soups, salads, sides, and desserts in the teens, sushi and appetizers in the $20s, chicken in the $40s, seafood $40-$70, and steaks in the $60s.
MGM Resorts has started a list for people able -- and willing -- to pay six figures for a hotel room and a ticket (or, we hope, two) to the Formula 1 Grand Prix taking place in November 2023. In the second-quarter earnings call last week, MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle told analysts and investors that the company plans to buy up to $25 million worth of tickets to the race, then resell them for what they can get, with packages possibly costing $100,000. Here's the link to fill out the form that indicates your interest.
This week's LVA YouTube Update starts off with an explanation of the difference between "taxable" and "a taxable." Tune in to find out how important that one-letter indefinite article "a" is in the gambling vernacular. Anthony and Andrew also range from cannabis lounges to how many dispensaries are in Las Vegas, from a fifth body found in Lake Mead to a special we're having on our two Las Vegas entertainment books, from an unusual video poker pay schedule to the one-week extension for our YouTube drawing announced last week. Click and live it up!
The retail district at Fontainebleau will occupy 90,000 square feet that will be either "adjacent to or above" the 173,000-square-foot casino and dining spaces. Visibility of and access to the 35 luxury retail stores on two levels will, reportedly, provide “unprecedented exposure and foot traffic,” thanks to the open and vertical design of the property. Here's how it's described in the press release: "Rather than keeping them separate, window shopping and billboarding take on a whole new meaning, as our retail partners will capture more business organically, while keeping guests connected to the overall experience.” Fontainebleau is on track to open by the end of next year.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's entertainment columnist John Katsilometes reports that Mystere, Las Vegas' original Cirque du Soleil show that opened on Christmas Day 1993 at Treasure Island, will perform its 13,000th show on Saturday. Meanwhile, O at Bellagio, which opened in October 1998, is approaching 11,000 performances. Kats notes that Cirque's longest-running tour productions Quidam and Alegria, performed roughly 7,000 shows each over 20 years on the road. A revamped Alegria is touring again and raking up performance nights. Cirque itself was founded in 1984, less than 10 years before launching Mystere.
With the drought in the American west entering its 23rd year, a second round of cuts to the allocation of Colorado River water has been announced by the federal Bureau of Reclamation. Nevada will forfeit 8% of its allocation, bringing the total down to 275,000 acre-feet in 2023. No impact will be felt; Nevada used only 242,000 acre-feet in 2021and further conservation measures have been taken since. Arizona will lose 21% and Mexico 7%. California's allocation will remain the same, since it has "banked" water. Southern Nevada receives 90% of its water from Lake Mead.
We've been fielding a few questions from Martha fans about the menu at her new restaurant, the Bedford, at Paris. As is easily imagined, you'll pay a pretty penny to eat there. A check with Open Table shows that tables are tight for a week, then open up on Aug. 23; however, to make a reservation, you'll need to supply a credit-card number and "may be subject to a charge of $25 per person" for cancellations less than 24 hours in advance or no-shows. Anyway, here are some sample prices. A bread basket is $11.95, ricotta-stuffed zucchini blossoms $22.95, jumbo shrimp cocktail $32.95, and buckwheat crepes with Golden Osetra caviar $99.95 for one ounce, $250.95 for four. Soups and salads are $17.95-$26.95; such side dishes as seared shishito peppers, potato puree, and matchstick fries are $17.95. Lemon risotto is $25.95 (add scallops for $50), two pasta dishes are $29.95, and a short rib ragu is $38.95. A burger is $30.95 (one of the most expensive we've seen here), salmon or halibut $35.95, a 16-ounce New York strip $84.95, whole chicken $89.95, and a 32-ounce bone-in rib eye $159.95. If we ever get a comp at Paris, we'll review the place.
A delivery of live lobsters to Barry's Steakhouse at Circa contained a rare orange lobster (they're almost always a mottled brown, only turning bright red when they're cooked). As soon as he saw it, Barry Dukake, the owner of the restaurant, knew how rare it was. Until recently, the odds of finding an orange live lobster were on in 30 million, but two recently turned up at Florida and Mississippi Red Lobsters, so that number has been downgraded to one in 10 million. Still, that's like winning the lottery and Dukake delivered the orange crustacean to the SeaQuest Las Vegas aquarium at the Boulevard Mall, where he'll be on display till succumbing to natural causes. The chances of turning up a yellow lobster are still one in 30 million, a blue lobster one in two million, and an albino lobster one in 100 million.
The robotaxi service that has been testing operations in Las Vegas exits the test phase today and enters the public phase. Lyft and autonomous-vehicle company Motional's high-tech-looking all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5s with "Motional" on the doors might pull up to pick you up if you book a ride through the Lyft app. A safety driver will still be behind the wheel, though no engineer will be riding shotgun, but this is the build-up to the fully driverless phase that will roll out sometime next year. Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Ireland-based automotive technology supplier Aptiv, has been testing these cars in Las Vegas for four years and has conducted more than 100,000 trips. This is Day One of the non-test phase; passengers don't have to sign up for a waitlist, or sign a non-disclosure agreement to be part of the beta test, or pay for the ride. All rides in Motional vehicles are free until the company starts charging in 2023.
The Jonas Brothers pop band has announced a three-night reprise of their residency earlier this summer at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The group stated in a tweet, “Just like last time, we will be playing a different set list every single night.” The dates are November 10, 11, and 12 at 8 p.m. The pre-sale starts tomorrow; general tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. PT.
The original casino, from way back in the mid-1960s, at Caesars Palace has been reopened after a makeover. The lighted circular dome and chandelier were removed and replaced with $1 million worth of new crystals in the same configuration. The carpet was also replaced. This section of the sprawling casino at Caesars is the first you encounter when you walk through the main front doors and is among the oldest original gambling areas on the Strip. Caesars wanted to preserve the history, while sprucing it up a bit.
Every year, the American Lung Association analyzes smog (technically, ground-level ozone) and particulate pollution (year-round and short-term) over a three-year period in scores of cities around the country, then issues a "State of the Air" report. This year, the 23rd annual report, found that Las Vegas ranked 11th worst for ozone pollution. Last year, Vegas placed 12th, so it lost ground. However, our city registered 21.7 days with unhealthy ozone levels during the current period, compared to 23.5 in the previous period and 30.2 in the period before that. The reasons we moved up on the list are: Other cities improved more; and the worst days were due to smoke from California wildfires. Still, the biggest contributor to smog here is vehicle exhaust. Clark County has 1.65 million registered vehicles, the vast majority of the them in densely populated Las Vegas. The worst five cities for ozone are L.A., Bakersfield, Visalia, and Fresno, California, and Phoenix.
Move over, Raiders. Las Vegas is one of the three expansion teams for the XFL spring professional football league. The Vegas team, which will be among the eight to play in the upcoming 2023 season, has yet to be named, so we're running a poll, which has 80 choices submitted by readers, to determine the most popular possibilities. So far, High Rollers, Desert Sharks, and Wild Cards are in the lead, while some of our (cynical) favorites, such as the 86ers, Bumper to Bumpers, Gougers, Implosions, and Survivors of the Westerns are, admittedly, lagging a bit. If you haven't voted, you can by clicking this link, or clicking on Reader Poll under Top Features in the top navigation menu.
Snoop Doggy Dog, the 50-year old rapper, actor, media personality, and dedicated family man (three kids with his high-school-sweetheart wife of 25 years) is an unlikely friend of 81-year-old retail and media mogul Martha Stewart's, but there it is. And it's quite heartwarming. The two met in 2008 when Martha, for some unknown reason, invited Snoop to appear on her "Martha Stewart Show" and the two bonded over a bowl of mashed potatoes. They became distant mutual admirers and Snoop made a second appearance on "Martha" (brownies); then they sat together at a 2015 Comedy Central roast of Justin Bieber. Snoop says that "she stole the show" and that led to the pair launching "Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party" in 2016; it quickly became the top show on VH1. Their chemistry is unmistakable; they're completely unabashed about their pure love for each other. So it was no surprise when Snoop made an appearance to help Martha open her new restaurant at Paris, the Bedford. "She's the big sister I never had," Snoop says. "Being able to correct me, to teach me, to show me how to be better, to give me something to aspire to be."
Marlon Vera is a -215 favorite over Dominick Cruz in today’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, David Onama is -380 over Nate Landwehr.
For the first time since 1938 (except last year, due to the pandemic), the final rounds of the college National Invitation Tournament (NIT) will not be played at Madison Square Garden in New York. The entire 32-team tournament was played in the Big Apple up until 1977; that year, the earlier games started being played on college campuses, but MSG still hosted the semifinals and finals. In 2023, the final rounds will be played at the Orleans Arena and in 2024 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Okay, maybe just a temporary lazy river, but you have to see it to believe it, so we won't say anything more (except that happened late Thursday night outside the Flamingo, in case you miss that). Just click on the link and be utterly amazed. Thanks as always to Canada Roy for the Reader Leader. His comment: "Life, lemons, lemonade."
Martha Stewart's The Bedford restaurant, serving "French-inspired" fare in a replica of her upstate New York 1925 farmhouse, debuts for dinner tonight at Paris and will be open for dinner every day from 5 to 10:30 p.m. For Martha fans and she has legions of them, this is a very big deal. To get a first gander at the large outdoor patio, some of the food, and Martha herself who looks fab at 81, here's a short article in Travel & Leisure. And to take a deep dive into the Martha Stewart brand, consisting of two magazines (10 million readers), 27 books (nearly nine million copies), weekday radio show (270 stations), “AskMartha” column (233 newspapers), CBS and cable TV shows, website (1 million registered users), merchandising tie-ins with Kmart, Sears, and Sherwin-Williams, and catalogue (Martha by Mail), read this story by journalist/essayist Joan Didion in The New Yorker.
The once-a-month tour of the Nevada National Security Site, formerly known as the Nevada Test Site, will restart for the first time since they were discontinued for the shutdown two and a half years ago. Those with reservations for the tour meet at the National Atomic Testing Museum on E. Tropicana at 7:30 a.m., take a chartered bus 65 miles to the Site, stop at eight different locations there, and return around 5 p.m. The tour is free, but popular, so reservations should be made far in advance. New tour dates will be posted on the National Security Site's website on Monday Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
A story in this morning's Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that plans have been submitted to Clark County for the new development that will replace the shuttered Hawaiian Marketplace and adjacent properties south of Harmon Avenue on the east side of the Strip. The documents describe a three-story 300,000-square-foot project that will host "retail shops, restaurants, supper clubs, service bars, and outdoor entertainment space." In addition, a hotel is envisioned for the back of the property, but it's not part of the current plans. The Clark County Commission will consider the project at their meeting next week.
Just two weeks after the last major flash flooding, Las Vegas was battered by another thunderstorm last night. Once again, the LINQ parking garage, Caesars, and Planet Hollywood took the brunt of runoff on the Strip, though the Boulevard itself was inundated this time. Continuous lightning strikes set a number of trees on fire across the valley and winds of up to 65 mph were recorded. More than a half-inch of rain fell at the airport, bringing the monsoon total to 1.28 inches, nearly a third of Las Vegas' annual average precipitation of 4.2 inches and making it the wettest monsoon season in 10 years so far and it's far from over. More thunderstorms are predicted for the weekend and the early part of next week; the cells are predicted to be large and slow-moving, meaning that they'll dump a lot more rain before this round is over. Here's a good video of the scene on the Strip.
A player firing up $50 a hand on a Dragon Link progressive slot machine at Wynn Las Vegas hit the jackpot for roughly $1.5 million. There were no other details, including whether or not the jackpot got the player to breakeven.
According to the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC), gross gaming revenue (GGR) for tribal gaming establishments reached $39 billion for fiscal year 2021, the highest ever reported by the NIGC. It was up 40% over 2020 and 19% over 2019. “All NIGC administrative regions showed a positive increase from FY 2020,” the NIGC wrote in a press release. The GGR is based on independent audit reports from 510 Indian gaming establishments operated by 243 tribes in 29 states; 43 Indian casinos reported GGR greater than $250 million, accounting for more than 50% of the national total.
LVA's YouTube update is live and it's a doozy. First, the guys talk about the old, obscure, and baffling law that disallows gaming machines within 250 feet of adult entertainment; this is in conjunction with Sapphire, the self-proclaimed largest gentleman's club in the world, applying for a restricted gaming license in order to install 15 video poker machines. Don't miss this interesting discussion -- and find out why Anthony has to check out a couple of other strip clubs in the course of his sacred duty. Then Anthony and Andrew review the new rules for cannabis consumption lounges, Randy's Donuts coming to town, and the Jackpot of the Week hit by none other than Anthony himself. Finally, watch until the end to learn about our shameless quest for subscribers to the YouTube channel (the magic number is 10,000, which we're approaching and would like to surpass). It involves prizes! Click and win!
Sapphire Las Vegas, the giant gentleman's club on Sammy Davis Jr. Drive across from the back of Resorts World, would like to offer bartop video poker. Due to a significant reduction in business since the shutdown, the club applied for a restricted gaming license, which would be limited to 15 machines, but generate revenue to help compensate for pandemic losses. Clark County, however, has a decades-old ordinance mandating a distance of at least 250 feet between adult entertainment and slot machines. Sapphire would set aside an area for the machines that doesn't come into contact with its particular form of entertainment. Still, the county commissioners would have to grant an exception to the rule and are studying the potential impact of such an exception, even though at least one other club (Play It Again Sam) has gaming machines A decision is expected no earlier than the Commission's October meeting.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Mick Akers revealed in a story this morning that this season's National Football League Pro Bowl will be played here for the second year in a row. Akers reports that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has approved the $1.75 million hosting fee for the Pro Bowl. Last year, that proved to be a good investment, as 45,672 people attended the game, of whom 30,000 were from out of state, generating nearly $55 million in local revenues. The date of the game hasn't been announced, but it's assumed to be February 5, the Sunday before the Super Bowl. The AFC won last year's game 41-35, the fifth consecutive Pro Bowl victory for the AFC. Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders won the MVP award for defense.
The National Weather Service is calling the monsoon storm that hit Death Valley last Friday a "1,000-year event." It triggered massive flooding that buried cars and 30 miles of roads in mud, silt, and debris. Miraculously, no one was injured and the California Department of Transportation quickly opened routes out of the park back to safety. This morning, Cal Trans announced that 20 miles of roads have been cleared, but 10 more need to be repaired, which the department estimates will take eight days, so the park will be back to normal by August 16.
Announced last October, Flite Golf and Entertainment will break ground today on its $70 million Atomic Range, a four-story 92,000-square-foot driving range and entertainment complex on a seven-acre parcel next to the STRAT. Atomic will boast 103 driving bays and 10 putting bays and include meeting and event spaces and six bars, including a 12,000-square-foot sports bar called Astrocade. The attraction is expected to open near the end of next year.
When the housing market takes a little dip nationally, it takes a flying leap off the STRAT in Las Vegas. The median price of a single-family house dropped to $465,000 (3.1%) from June's median, which had also dropped from May's. Also, the one-and-a-half-month supply of only a few weeks ago has jumped to a three-month supply, the most houses for sale in more than three years; slightly more than 7,300 houses for sale is up 144% year over year and the total number of sales, including condos and townhomes, is down nearly 40% from July 2021. Granted, the median price is still $60,000 (15%) higher than last year at this time, but fewer houses are changing hands, sellers are dropping prices, and with interest rates falling, buyers are under less pressure to act hastily. The market has a long way to go to return to some semblance of normalcy, but this hot streak for seller's is cooling as surely as summer turns to fall.
Crust & Roux Gourmet Pie Company has opened at the Landing, near Total Wine & More on the back side of the closed Fry's Electronics at the south end of Town Square at 6825 Las Vegas Blvd. South. It's a fancy fast-food order-at-the-counter restaurant that serves a dozen pizzas, such as crab, seafood, and regular cheese, Sicilian, Greek, Hawaiian, etc.; as the name implies, they come only in pies for $20-$44; you can get cheese ($5) and pepperoni ($6) slices. There are four pot pies (seafood, chicken, and two red-sauce pies, one meat and the other vegetarian) for $12 for the small to $34 for the large. Five different fruit pies are $32 or $10 by the slice; add $8 for five different a la modes. Crust & Roux also serves salads ($14-$18) and sandwiches ($14-$16).
Researchers have been monitoring wastewater (formerly known as sewage) in diverse communities since the outbreak of the coronavirus. And though there's some disagreement as to the advantages and limitations of wastewater testing as a public-health tool during the pandemic, some studies turn up other interesting details. One by the College of Southern Nevada’s School of Sciences & Mathematics found that last April, during the NFL Draft that attracted 250,000 visitors, there was a statistically significant spike in prescription meds, in particular anti-depressants and high-blood-pressure and cholesterol medications. We don't know what that reveals, exactly, about NFL fans, but what the analysis says about EDC fans is somewhat more obvious: The parts per million of MMDA (a.k.a. Ecstasy) soared to more than 300 times the normal level. Of course, with an average of 160,000 partiers a night, higher levels of party drugs are inevitable, but given that only 39 people were arrested over EDC's three-day weekend, MMDA, an amphetamine compound, seems relatively benign.
One of the most iconic sights in southern California, Randy's Donuts, is opening its first location in Las Vegas on Tuesday August 16. Randy's launched in Inglewood near LAX in 1952 and the giant rooftop donut (32-1/2 feet in diameter) has been featured in countless movies, including Mars Attacks!, Get Shorty, Crocodile Dundee, and Iron Man 2, plus TV shows including "The Simpsons" (of course, D'ohnuts are Homer's favorite food), video games, brand advertising, and more. Randy's has 12 locations in southern California and started franchising; locations will open soon in South Korea, Philippines, and Saudi Arabia. The first Las Vegas location, at 2170 S. Rainbow Boulevard a block north of West Sahara, will be one of an eventual seven in the valley. You can score a free glazed donut on opening day between 6 a.m. and noon. Sixty donuts, made from the same recipes Randy's has used for 70 year, will be available, most for less than $3.
Electronic-music supergroup, Swedish House Mafia, will launch their first-ever North American residency at the Encore Beach Club and Wynn's XS Nightclub. The trio of Swedish DJs will start their two-year gig on Saturday Aug. 20. Both the Beach Club and XS will enhance their audio-visual production and feature customized stage designs, LED displays, pyrotechnics, cryogenics, and more. Billboard magazine credits the group, which was formed in 2008, as "setting the tone for the EDM boom of the early 2010s more than any other act in modern dance music."
Jamahal Hill is a -315 favorite over Thiago Santos in tonight’s UFC main event. In the other featured match, Vicente Luque is -190 over Geoff Neal.
Yesterday morning, the monsoon hit Furnace Creek at Death Valley National Park with 1.46 inches of rain, roughly 75% of the annual average total of two inches. It was the second highest amount of rainfall in the park's history by one-hundredth of an inch. The flood swept tons of silt and mud into the parking lot at Furnace Creek, trapping cars and damaging about 60, washing out roads, and stranding upwards of 1,000 people in the park. All roads in and out of and through the park are closed. No injuries or fatalities have been reported. For a video of how much water was moving through the desert, click here.
This week's LVA Weekly YouTube update is posted and this one is jampacked with good information, unusual happenings, and cool stories. First, Anthony describes last week's "Storm of the Century," placing it in the top three storms he's experienced in his 40+ years in Las Vegas. Tune in to find out when and how the other two happened. Also, Silverton has closed its hotel for a total makeover, while the Mirage has indicated that it won't close, at least till the end of next year, for its complete transformation and rebranding into the Hard Rock. Anthony and Andrew discuss the earliest odds on the next presidential election, then launch into a long analysis of the Jackpot of the Week, a progressive payout of $3,900 on a quarter machine. Anthony tells a good tale about a progressive play of his own, which even surprises Andrew! Click on the arrow and get the whole megillah in just 16 and a half minutes.
In last night's Powerball drawing, a single ticket was sold in New Stanton, Pennsylvania, a town of 2,500 roughly 15 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The jackpot had climbed to nearly $207 million since Powerball was hit on June 29 for $366.7 million. The cash option is $122.4 million, netting the winner about $86 million after withholding taxes. The New Stanton retailer collects $100,000 for selling the winning ticket. The Powerball jackpot now stands at a measly $20 million, while the MegaMillions jackpot has climbed to $36 million for tonight's drawing after being hit for $1.337 billion on July 29.
On March 15, the price of a gallon of gasoline in southern Nevada breached the $5 mark for the first time. Yesterday, the price dropped below $5 for the first time since then. According to AAA, the average gallon of gasoline here is now $4.99. That's down 11% from the high of $5.61, which was reached in mid-July. The price has dropped six cents in the past week.
A lot is happening on the dining scene these days, with a number of new restaurants in the final stages of opening for business. The one that's generating the most buzz is the Bedford by Martha Stewart at Paris, which will be open to the public by next weekend. Other big ones include Toca Madera (Knock on Wood) upscale Mexican steakhouse, located in the courtyard between Aria and the Shops at Crystals, which opens this coming Tuesday. One we've been keeping our eye on is Emmitt's at the Fashion Show Mall, a 30,000-square-foot restaurant and event venue named for Emmitt Smith, Pro Football Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champ; it was announced late last year with a spring opening, but it's still under construction. Another interesting one (to us; we love French food) is Villa Azur, opening soon at the Sahara, which promises a French Riviera-meets-South-Beach vibe, with a contemporary French menu; other Villa Azurs are in Dallas, Saint-Tropez, Mexico City, and Bodrum, Turkey. Finally there's Flight Club at the Grand Canal Shoppes, which "reinvents" darts, making the sport into a social experience; it will also serve shareable plates and custom cocktails.
The Las Vegas Raiders are -2.5 favorites over the Jacksonville Jaguars in tonight's Hall of Fame Game that opens the NFL season. The total is 30.5.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Bacon Nation (with the motto "In Bacon We Trust") will open sometime this fall on the remodeled second floor of the D. Bacon Nation will be all bacon all the time and what's not bacon will be other pork products: belly, shoulder, ribs, pulled. The 24/7 restaurant will serve upwards of 60 dishes with a foundation of a dozen types of bacon, from jalapeno to chocolate-dipped (available in bacon flights). And how about a peanut-butter-bacon sandwich (an Elvis favorite)? The signature item will be a "reverse BLT, where woven bacon strips replace the bread." Bacon Nation won't technically be open 24 hours a day; for a few of the wee hours, takeout will be available from "special warming lockers" accessed with a code off the ordering app. It's not an actual vending machine, but it's close enough for an irresistible headline.
The Cabinet of Curiosities is a new bar on the lower level of Bally's, next to the space that the National Geographic exhibit "Rarely Seen" is supposed to occupy (that opening has been postponed several times). The bar is lined with curio cabinets filled with "objects from around the world, wonders from near and far," some of which, presumably, are worth seeing while you're drinking. Beyond the Cabinet is the requisite speakeasy, the Lock; you have to make a reservation for the Lock, then look for a phone on the wall of the bar to check in. The “locksmith” apparently instructs you how to get in by "picking the locks." We're told that it's a 90-minute Prohibition-style experience inside the speakeasy. Cabinet and Lock are open Sun.-Thurs. 1-11 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 3 p.m.-1 a.m.
Using data compiled from the National Association of Realtors, Freddie Mac, the National Mortgage Bankers Association, and tax and insurance rates, the Home Sweet Home mortgage website (HSH.com) determines the annual salary needed for home ownership in 50 U.S. cities. For the first quarter of 2022, the highest salary is in San Jose, California: $330,758. That's followed by three more California cities: San Francisco ($249,685), San Diego ($166,828), and Los Angeles ($149,127). Las Vegas ranks #18; residents here need to earn $84,116 annually, roughly $2,000 less than #17 Phoenix and $10,000 more than the national average at 75,507. Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Louisville, and St. Louis are the bottom lowest, all in the $40,000s.
Dennis Conrad is a long-time friend of LVA and personal friend of Anthony and Deke's. He was the marketing director at Harrah's in the early '90s who saw fit to host a party, two years in a row, for all LVA members, over a weekend in mid-December, complete with a comped stay, a slot tournament, and a big shindig with an open bar and karaoke on the final evening. Can you imagine a casino doing that today? Heck, it was hard to imagine any doing it then. Dennis went on to become a C-suite executive at Circus Circus Reno, then founded Raving, a casino consulting firm. He's semi-retired now, but he writes a monthly column for CDC Gaming Reports and this month's is a tribute to one of our authors, David Kranes, who wrote our book National Tree (which was made into a Hallmark movie for television). It's worth five minutes to learn why as bright a casino luminary as Dennis Conrad considers David "The Most Unappreciated Man in Gaming."
Buddy "Cake Boss" Valastro has two cake vending machines on the Strip, both at Harrah's (one in his Pizza Cake outlet, the other outside on the sidewalk). Now, Valastro is jumping on a new vending-machine phenomenon: pizza. VegasChanges.com reports (and has photos) that at least one new pizza vending machine has appeared at the LINQ. Apparently, it's not operating yet, but it should be soon. For some background on this new style of pizza delivery, check out the Thrillist story. So what's next? Bacon?
The Cirque Beatles LOVE show at the Mirage has been extended until the end of 2023. MGM Resorts' sale of the Mirage to Hard Rock International is expected to close before the end of this year and the press release says that "during the transition," LOVE will remain at the Mirage for its 17th year.
Ventriloquist, impressionist, stand-up comedian, and singer Terry Fator will appear in The Bar at Times Square at New York-New York for a once-a-month show, "Terry Fator After Hours." Held immediately following performances of Terry Fator: Who’s the Dummy Now? also at NY-NY, Fator will partner with other Vegas entertainers to perform songs accompanied by the venue’s dueling piano players. It'll be a rare opportunity to see and hear Fator’s vocals without his puppets. Fator and his special guests, who will be announced soon, will perform their own numbers and take requests from the audience. Performances are Thursdays Aug. 18, Sept. 22, and Nov. 17.
We've been getting "What's up at Silverton?" questions from people trying to make reservations there. The answer is, Silverton has closed its 300 hotel rooms for a $45 million remodel. The pool is also closed. Both are scheduled to reopen early next year. The casino, restaurants, aquarium, and Bass Pro Shops remain open.
Back in March, classic-rock band Aerosmith announced its second "Deuces Are Wild" residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, which they originally performed in 2019, with 24 dates between June and November. In late May, the concerts were postponed after singer Steven Tyler relapsed in response to foot surgery and its pain management. Tyler voluntarily entered rehab and was expected to make a full recovery in time for the shows in September. Tyler completed rehab in early July and the residency will, as predicted, start in September. It will be Dolby Live's first live concert experience presented in Dolby Atmos, expanded surround sound that mimics three-dimensional objects. Tickets for the shows -- Sept. 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, and 29; Oct. 2 and 5; Nov. 19, 23, 26, and 29; and Dec. 2, 5, 8, and 11 -- are on sale now, starting at $103 and topping out at $1,900.
TravelandLeisure.com has a quickie story on the high life at Aria (written by William Curtis, who is no relation to Anthony). Curtis discusses Aria's cigar sommelier and 1,200-cigar humidor, MGM Resorts' wine program with 350,000 bottles and 50 sommeliers, and the company's fine-art collection. What got our attention, though, were the three photos of Aria's Sky Suites, one of which shows the best view of Las Vegas from a bed we know of. Thanks for the link go to Canada Roy, who adds, "Closest I'll ever get to a Sky Suite."
The latest YouTube video with Anthony and Andrew, both in find fettle, is viewable. The guys discuss some new security measures being implemented on Fremont Street you need to know about if you're going downtown. There's also big entertainment news, with the Adele situation finally resolved, a U2 residency rumored for the opening of the MSG Sphere next year, and the iconic ultra lounge, the Ghostbar, reopening at the top of the Palms on Wednesday. Speaking of Wednesday at the Palms, Anthony shares a change in the hours of the Wednesday lobster buffet, then tells his one Tony Curtis story and talks about two of his favorite casinos, at one of which the Jackpot of the Week was hit. Click and get a kick, quick.
Typically, August temperatures start out hot and begin a slow transition to cooler. Normal highs for the first week are 104, then fall to double-digits (99 degrees) on the last day of the month. Normal lows start at 81 and drop to 77. Record high temperatures, however, have risen all the way to 116 three times (twice in 1970 and once in 1940), with 115 three times and 114 another four. The record low hit 54 (1937) and has gone as high as 66 (1940). Nearly half an inch falls during a normal August, but that can rise quickly if a monsoon storm or two hits hard.