I just came back from a weekend stay at the Hard Rock. I noticed they are doing a major (90,000 square feet) expansion; what's going in, new rooms, expanded casino, restaurants?

You’ve recently been talking about the history of hotel themes, including MGM Grand, with the Wizard of Oz and all. Do you have any information you can share about the "kidnapping" of Toto from the former Emerald City in the casino, and his subsequent return?

The themed era in Vegas is often regarded as a bust but wasn't that period one of the most profitable? Isn't this the time when visitation was at its highest and gross revenues at near all time highs? It seems to me that once the removal of all the themes started is when everything tanked.

My friends and I were discussing various stories about Circus Circus when it opened in 1968. We've seen the circus acts on the casino floor, but was there an admission charge? Did people really originally get to enter using a slide?

In your April 26 Question of the Day regarding the Nevada DMV's use of Elvis' signature "thank you" sign-off at its automated kiosks, you added how the query had "almost inspired" you to make a foray into the celebrity announcements at McCarran International Airport "if anyone feels like asking us about them." Well, I feel like it! When did those announcements start being used at the airport? Are they still running and are any new ones being produced? How effective are they considered to be?

I recently visited the Little Six casino in Minnesota and they've started using $10 chips for blackjack. Do any other casinos use $10 chips for table games? This was a first for me.

What is the origin of the game of craps?

I recently read in the Review-Journal (May 23) that Sunset Station has a notice of redemption for all $1, $2, $5, $10, and $25 tokens for December 1, 2016. While I realize that leaves $100 and $500 tokens, as a locals casino I doubt they are used as much. Does this mean that Sunset is closing at the end of the year? Becoming a 'slots-only' place? Or are they simply replacing pretty much every token they use?

I'm curious about using a prepaid Visa or MasterCard at Las Vegas hotels. I know that prepaid cards purchased at retail outlets don't show names on them, but both my cards have the name imprinted, so they look just like regular credit cards. I recently prepaid for the MGM Grand through an online travel agency using my prepaid Visa; when I arrive, I know that the hotel will want a card to cover the resort fee, incidentals, and also a deposit. I'll have plenty of funds available on the card to cover whatever they need, but am concerned, as I've heard from different sources that some hotels won't accept prepaid cards. Since my card is non-anonymous (i.e., is printed with my name), I don't know how they could even tell it's prepaid. I'd appreciate your comments/insights, and I'm sure there are other people wondering about the rules regarding use of prepaid cards.

Part of the story in the classic film Casablanca takes place in the small casino at Rick's Cafe ("I'm shocked! Shocked to find that gambling is going on here!" "Your winnings, sir."). There's a scene where a representative of the Deutsche Bank is refused entry. He replies. "I have been in every gambling room between Honolulu and Berlin ..." I know Las Vegas is referred to as Hawaii's ninth island, but has there ever been legalized gambling in Hawaii?