Question of the Day - 17 July 2012

For those who missed yesterday's full question, it was as follows: "My husband and I usually visit Las Vegas from Canada once a year and we have seen many changes over the past 15 years. This year we are bringing my father, who has not been there in that 15-year time frame. What have been the biggest changes in the intervening years? What are the best new things to put on Dad's 'to-do' list and what are the remaining old favorites, now that places like the Sands, Stardust, and Frontier are gone?"

On Monday we outlined what we considered to be the major trends and specific changes that have occurred in the decade and a half since the questioner's father last visited Sin City. Today, we're detailing specific closures, openings, and what blasts from the past are still with us today.

These lists are almost certainly not comprehensive, since so much has changed, and since what one person might consider a tragic loss could go totally unnoticed by another traveler. Hence, we've tried to stick to the most significant changes that have occurred over the past decade and a half.

We're also presenting these lists in roughly chronological order, starting with the earliest changes first, but don't bust us if the odd entry's in the wrong place. Plus, if there's anything really big missing (?), that's just us making sure you're all paying attention ... (drop us a line if we goofed!)

Gone (but not forgotten, at least not in most cases):

• Debbie Reynolds casino (now the Clarion)
• Sands
• Hacienda
• Aladdin
• Maxim
• Sportsworld
• Desert Inn
• Vacation Village
• MGM Grand Adventure park
• Silver City
• Wet 'n Wild
• Key Largo
• Castaways
• Bourbon Street
• Westward Ho
• Lady Luck
• Boardwalk
• Stardust
• New Frontier
• Klondike
• Sahara
• Fitzgeralds
• Western
• Atomic Liquor
• White Cross Drugs

New (since '97), and worth checking out:

• Planet Hollywood and the Miracle Mile Shops: It's primarily the latter that's worth exploring, although shopping and mechanical bull riding may not be what your dad has in mind for his vacation...)
• Lake Las Vegas: This bizarre man-made community suffered badly during the recession, but it seems to be making a comeback and there are some decent places to eat while marveling at the concept of a lake in the middle of the desert.
• The Monorail: It got off to a rocky start, and suffered many subsequent financial woes, but the Monorail has survived and is a novel way to navigate the Strip, although be aware there can be some considerable walking to/from stations and the casinos they're attached to. Don't forget we have a discount coupon for LVA members at couponsinvegas.com (the tix are mailed to you, so you have to order in advance of your trip).
• There are obviously numerous new hotels since your dad was last here, but we'd recommend Wynn/Encore and Venetian/Palazzo as particularly impressive and worth strolling through, whether or not you choose to gamble.
• Artisan is a non-gaming property that we love, and which must be given credit for the new "boutique" hotel craze that's sweeping Las Vegas. If your dad arrives and decides he absolutely hates all the changes, take him for a cocktail or three at the Artisan and show him that there's more to the city than meets the eye at first glance and that Las Vegas is capable of growing up, as well as dumbing down.
• CityCenter: Love it, or hate it, this futurisic "metaresort" is certainly something new and impressive on the skyline since you Pop last checked out Sin City, and it's worth just strolling around. Lots of awesome dining experiences to be had, and some interesting art and architecture to take in.
• Cosmopolitan: Although it continues to lose money hand over fist, the Cosmo is the coolest new resort to debut on the Strip in a long time, and not only features some awesome design elements (check out the Chandelier Bar) and excellent dining, but just has a different vibe to your average casino property (which is part of its problem, of course). It's a party place, for sure, but not in an intrusive way like, say, the Hard Rock on Rehab Sundays is.
• Town Square: We're awash with malls these days, but this is one of the more impressive ones. With its fake village square, complete with pond, and pretend attic rooms above the retail spaces, we always feel like we're on the set of The Truman Show when we visit, but there's great shopping, decent dining, and Town Square is just generally a cool place to wander around. There's often some sort of live entertainment or event taking place, too.
• If you feel like getting off the Strip, you could take your father to check out Red Rock or Green Valley Ranch or M Resort, to show how far so-called "locals" casinos have come in the past decade and a half, especially in terms of design and amenities. All three of the aforementioned are impressive.
• As mentioned above, downtown has certainly come on in leaps and bounds since your dad's last sojourn in Sin City, and the Fremont East arts district is full of interesting bars and restaurants. It's frequented at least as much by locals as by tourists, and there's just a different, cool vibe down there these days. There's a big indoor farmers market every Friday morning, too, if you want to get out of the sun and check out something a little different.
• Many attractions have come, and more than a few of them gone again, since '97, but depending on your party's tastes, we'd definitely recommend both the Mob Museum and Mob Attraction (downtown and in the Trop, respectively). The Springs Preserve is also worth a (pricy) visit, if you're into eco-friendliness, while the Pinball Hall of Fame is a fun (and economical) diversion, if pinball's your thing. The Neon Museum won't be completed until later this year, but it remains open and is offering tours in the meantime ($15/person, book in advance). If your father is feeling nostalgic for some "old" Vegas, this could be a great place to take him to go pay his respects to some former friends.

So, there you have our take on what's gone and what's new; how about those oldies but goodies that are still standing? Again, the recession cut a deep swathe through this city, taking out a whole host of classic venues, from Fellini's to Ruth's Chris, Carluccio's to the Tillerman, and Atomic Liquor to the Sahara Hotel & Casino. We haven't yet managed to implode it all yet, however, and some classic slices of Las Vegas history are still there to be enjoyed, if you know where to look.

Still Hangin' Tough:

• If you're looking for some history, downtown's your best place to start. Sadly, Binion's Horseshoe is its former self in name only (actually, not even in name, since Harrah's sold up and the "Horsehoe" part got dropped). The hotel remains closed, but you can still check out the steakhouse, which seems to be one area that's kept its quality. Still, if you're looking for some history, the Golden Gate likes to retain a sense of its past, in spite of some concessions to modern Vegas (it has one of the sexier "party pits" in town these days), and the Golden Nugget has barely changed in the past 15 years, aside from adding some new restaurants and expanding to the Rush Tower. Oh, and you have to go check out The Tank pool, with its shark aquarium in the center, if you're there.
• We're big fans of the Peppermill and its Fireside Lounge, and are happy to report that it's still there in all its fabulous pink, flaming glory, as is the Golden Steer restaurant a little down the way, just west on Sahara. Sit in Frank or Dino's booth and sip on a martini while you wait for your steak to be served, and transport yourself back in time. Piero's is another old-school joint that's still going strong, with an "Old Vegas" clientele that makes for some great people watching.
• Capozzoli's was one of the few remaining classic Italian joints, but burned down (twice, the second time definitively). Not to worry, as we still have Casa di Amore, which retains that "Old Vegas" vibe, with the booths, and the black and white photos, and the late-night cabaret, and the old-time wise guys who still hang out there. Ditto the Tap House, whose Monday cabaret sessions Anthony Curtis featured in the June issue of the LVA newsletter. The Bootlegger Bistro may have moved south down Las Vegas Blvd. from its original location, but it retains the same vibe, serving reasonably priced Italian food while dishing up live entertainment from local performers and the occasional headliner.
• Entertainment-wise, Jubilee! was for some time the only classic showgirl production still performing. Now, however, we also have Vegas: The Show, which is a fun tribute to Las Vegas' entertainment history, complete with all the bells and whistles (and feathers and sequins) you'd expect from such a show. The Las Vegas free lounge act, once synonymous with Sin City, is now approaching extinction, much like the classic showgirl, but there are still some places to catch the type and caliber of entertainment that your dad may have been familiar with back in the day. Check out the upcoming lineup in the South Point showroom, the Lounge at the Palms, Ovation at Green Valley Ranch, or the Showroom at Suncoast, for some great live music. We still get some old-time headliners passing through, too, so check out our Event Planner for your dates to see who's around.