I stayed at the Thunderbird Hotel years back. Can you give a little history on this hotel?

About 10 years ago I stayed at Harrah’s and there was an invitational backgammon tournament going on. I was curious to know if any casinos today ever sponsor anything to do with backgammon? Are there any public venues in Las Vegas for backgammon?

I have grandchildren visiting me here this month. Where in Las Vegas can they go horseback riding?

In the past I've read about slot machines for the seeing impaired. Has any slot manufacturer come up with a video poker machine for the visually impaired?

The Venetian has announced their new poker room will be open this spring. Do you have a date for when the grand opening will be?

In your QOD for March 2 you mentioned an outlet mall near downtown. I have stayed downtown for years and can't think of an outlet mall in the area. Where is it located?

We love the Tropicana, but nobody seems to know what’s going on there (including the staff our friends have talked to) as to why they're not taking any more reservations after the middle of March or thereabouts. Are they remodeling? Imploding and rebuilding? Sold?

I would like some information about the double-decker buses, please.

Are local casinos so called because they are more readily accessible than those on the Strip, or are they in fact better pay and recognized as such by residents? Are players better off on the Strip, at local casinos, or does it not matter?

I'm curious as to whether there's been any further information about the recent murder in the Carnaval Tower at Harrah's. National newspaper articles suggested a Las Vegas local shot and killed a Reno resident, who was staying at the hotel. The articles caught my attention, having been a guest at Harrah's a week earlier, albeit in the Mardi Gras Tower, but I haven't seen any further reports.