It’s shaping up to be a news-intensive day — and I have off-site commitments that will keep me away from the keyboard, but let’s see what we can cram in …
“The kiss that rocked The Rio”: The steamy scene that climaxed the afternoon portion of So Long, Springfield at The Rio last Saturday won’t be repeated when the Guiding Light farewell tour comes to Mohegan Sun on March 7. A nasty public falling-out between actress Crystal Chappell (who skipped the evening portion of SLS) and event organizer Michael S. Gold — whose quote about the turnout fell to the editorial scalpel* — has made Chappell persona non grata at future Celebrity Events Group functions. So Saturday’s steamfest may be the only time fans of Chappell and costar Jessica Leccia get to see them enact what might be called “Otalia Live!”
For me, far and away the best part of covering the afternoon was the opportunity to meet six-time Emmy winner Justin Deas and tell him that his Mercutio at the Guthrie Theatre in 1979 was the best I’ve ever seen, the standard by which I judge all others. That was a very cool moment. And my Better Half got to get up close with Robert Newman (“Josh Lewis”), so all was right in her world.
*(For the record, the original draft reads: “The Rio event drew approximately 680 attendees – a relatively small turnout, according to Michael S. Gold, whose Celebrity Events Group organized the convention: a Pittsburgh Guiding Light shindig had to be extended an extra day. ‘It was a totally different crowd than we got at the other events,’ he said, drawing the biggest turnout of Otalia fans to date .”)
Earth to Vdara, Earth to Vdara … One can only imagine the fits Steve Wynn would have if Encore, say, had opened with as underwhelming a guest-service experience as the one Hunter Hillegas experienced at Vdara (and for $309/night, no less). Perhaps MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren does not have the time to sample every new hotel on the Strip — he’s got bigger fish to fry, after all — but it would behoove his and CityCenter President Bobby Baldwin‘s lieutenants to familiarize themselves with what Steve ‘n Sheldon (and Phil ‘n Donald) are offering up the street, because it doesn’t sound like Vdara is at that level yet.
Steve Friess has also remarked on Vdara’s lack of a sundries store and, for a property that’s intended to be partly residential, CityCenter is strangely lacking in a number of day-to-day amenities … as though its conception was untethered to certain basic realities of everyday life. Same with the Crystals retail repertory, which seems to be tailored for people who exist only in small, plutocratic numbers. Sure, the Forum Shops and Fashion Show Mall have a lot of upscale product, too, but John Q. Customer still can avail himself of the Apple Store or F.A.O. Schwartz or California Pizza Kitchen. No such luck at Crystals.
Tiger, Tiger, burning (out) bright: Add Las Vegas Weekly to the queue of pubs and blogs (like this one) weighing on The Myth Formerly Known as Tiger Woods and What Does It All Mean? For LVW, the misadventures of Tiger’s one-eyed trouser snake are A Good Thing for Vegas.
Not to be outdone by Eldrick Woods or Las Vegas, Missouri retaliates with a comparably skeevy sex scandal of its own. Which I mention not because Missouri has casinos but because any news story that employs a Family Guy clip to make its point simply must be promulgated. (Question: Who is hotter, Jessica Leccia or Lois Griffin? Discuss.)
Don’t tase me, Garth! It seems that my lady friend has been graced with a pair of tickets to see Mr. Brooks in concert at Wynn Las Vegas this weekend. I will report back on the security procedures … as soon as all the burns from the electric cattle prods heal and my DNA sample is verified by Wynn authorities.
Yes, Virginia, there is good, low-cost entertainment in Vegas, especially if you poke around the back streets of Chinatown, where Las Vegas Little Theatre hangs its shingle. Its studio production of Wonder of the World by David Lindsay-Abaire demonstrates how you can get a laugh riot for $10-$12 and a no-drink minimum. Affordable shows in Vegas — what a radical concept!
Something for the ladies. In case you missed him at G2E, here’s Chris Noth, helping to unveil the new IGT Sex and the City slot machine. The game sounds dynamite on paper. My special consultant on one-armed bandits is also an avid SATC watcher and she pronounced it (the game, not Mr. Noth) to be Dullsville. She especially didn’t care for the four-in-one game screens … and neither did I. Maybe the younger players will go for that particular “enhancement,” but those of us who have to wear glasses are wont to find it an annoyance — more squinting!
Vegas revenue quickie: Those of us who are cautiously optimistic about a Las Vegas recovery (with the emphasis on “cautiously”) got more grist for our mills today. Visitation was up 4% in October but continued addition of hotel rooms meant 87% occupancy. Convention attendance was -8%, and (higher spending) fly-in visitors were slightly fewer and (lower-spending) drive-in visitors slightly greater in number.
So it’s hardly a shock to read that statewide gambling revenue was down 12% and -10% on Strip. A continued boom in baccarat play softened the latter blow — and “blow” is what Strip slot play most definitely did, down 14% from last October. Like I said the other day, any “bounces” we’re seeing are strictly of the dead-cat variety.
… and with that, I’m off to cover a program that puts violins in the hands of little Las Vegas tykes. Strike up the band, kids!
One way to get the slot revenue up would be to loosen up the slots and VP like they were before Harrahs and the rest of the strip operators tightened up the slots and killed the VP. More folks would play if more folks won. I remember 7 or 8 years ago, Harrahs was a good place to go. You always heard coins clanking and saw jackpots being hand paid all over the place. The floor was crowded, too. Since the equity buy out and only the bottom line important to everyone these days (not just Harrahs Ent.) they killed the real money cow for the casino. Almost everyone I know who did play the slots and VP say the same thing, its impossible to win anything, so they still go to Vegas, but they do not play much. Its a shame. You would figure that with todays economic woes, they would be doing everything possible to bring players back in, like letting them have a chance to actually win something, which is the best advertising they could ask for.
While I suppose MGM didn’t open up a sundries store at Vdara because they have a groceries service, that’s just lame when extra towers at Bellagio (not to mention Schaeffer-era Luxor and more recent expansions to Stratosphere) have their own sundries shop.
You’d think they’d get a few going if only to spite the CVS pharmacy that refused to sell out.
87% occupancy?!? Hard to believe it is that high. My experience may not be representative, but it does seem that casino restaurants are closing/reducing hours, presumably because the rooms are empty. For example, at my last visit to the LV Hilton (July just past), Quarks was gone, the Mexican place was closed, the coffee shop was no longer 24/7, and I think the 888 noodle bar was closed. Similarly, over at Circus Circus, the Casino Cafe was no longer 24/7. Most of these closings/reductions were also observed in February 2009. Now word today that the Plaza is trimming its offerings. A man about town like yourself could probably tally a pretty long list of closures. Death spiral, anyone? Oh well, as long as things hold together for a couple more weeks so I can complete my next trip!
One thing I remember from the one of the articles on Crystals, was the mall manager noting that their would be no kiosks or carts in the malll. Which I understand his reasoning, but I just don’t know what type of traffice they are going to get in there. I’m sure many of the stores will do just fine as volume sales aren’t exactly what they are looking for, but it will be interesting to see how what’s essentially the Bellagio or Wynn Escalade expanded and increased expontentially will do with no smaller revenue streams.
As you mentioned, FAO Schwartz, an Apple Store, or a couple other options at that level would go along way to driving traffic. It will be interesting to see if the restaurants alone can drive traffic after 6 months to a year.
Considering some of the dead ends and wide, empty spots in Crystals, a few carts and kiosks would probably be a better use of those spaces. And, believe me, this isn’t the Bellagio or Wynn LV mall expanded so much as on steroids and HGH. I don’t know the comparative square footage but the Wynn-built malls feel much cozier and more intimate. Crystals is cavernous.
I have gone to shows at the Las Vegas Little Theatre and all have been excellent, fun diversions and very reasonably priced. I highly recommend trying these shows.