Regarding today's (12/18/09) about Binion's casino, it has been said that Becky Behnen was largely to blame for the downfall of Binion's Horseshoe. It is my understanding that control of the hotel-casino was transferred to her after Ted's death. I have read Jim McManus' Positively 5th Street and loved the book, but lost track of the history after that. What is Becky blamed for? Specifically, what did she do to the 'Shoe that could have been avoided to keep it running smoothly? It would be a shame if the Vegas icon had to shut its doors and got lost in the history of the city.

Now that MGM Mirage’s CityCenter is open, how many people actually live there? Which towers are hotels and which are condominiums? And how many condominiums have been sold? From what I understand, people who bought them years ago during the boom have the choice of paying boom prices or losing their deposits.

I haven't seen or heard a lot of press from Garth Brook's opening show. How was it received?

You say all California casinos are tribal, but that’s if you don't count the card rooms where you can play poker, blackjack, baccarat, 3-Card Poker, pai gow poker, pai gow, and even some versions of craps. There are probably around 50 of those in California.

I read a little mention in our local newspaper about a big gun park that just opened in Las Vegas. Is this some sort of tourist attraction? Or is there really a 3,000-acre shooting range in the city?

Merry Christmas!

My wife and I are moving to Vegas and would like to learn a second language. With visitors traveling from places all around the world, what do you feel would be the best second language to learn? One that we would use most often if we worked for a casino.

With the announcement of Binion’s shutting down the hotel part of its downtown operations due to lack of business, are there any other places kicking around the idea of doing the same thing?

I was in Las Vegas two weeks ago and bought an all-day pass for the three rides on the top of the Stratosphere. Which were great but when I was leaving one of the shop workers told me that they have a new ride approved for the near future where you can jump off the top and go all the way to the ground. Can you tell me if this is true, and when will it be open and just how it will work because I am ready to book my next trip back to Las Vegas.

We know that, as in many cities, Las Vegas restaurants are routinely expected by the Health Department, and we've seen letter grades posted in individual restaurants. Is there an online listing for all restaurants in the area showing inspection scores and reports.