Our "ace in the hole" source has caught wind of a major expansion of the pool area and water features at MGM Grand, extending toward the Signature condos. The official verbiage is as follows:
The plans depict a recreational area that includes pools, spas, cabanas, and accessory buildings in conjunction with the MGM Grand Resort Hotel. The new recreational area is located on the north side of the existing pool complex and in between the Signature resort condominiums and the Convention Center building. Along with the pools and spas, 4 independent manmade decorative water features are proposed that range in size from 40 square feet to 496 square feet for a total of 1,227 square feet of water features. The water features according to the applicant cannot be used for human contact due to the small size. The applicant has attempted to integrate the pools and spas with the water features, but due to design and engineering constraints it was determined to keep them as separate features. Per Title 30, the MGM Grand Resort Hotel is allowed a maximum of 25,699 square feet of water features; however, the resort is under the allowed limit for water features.
Indiana passes "Bill Yung" bill: The Columbia Sussex fiasco in New Jersey caught the Hoosier State flat-footed. What if a casino owner were to either A) lose its license, B) go bankrupt or C) simply flee the state? A bill to designate state-appointed trustees just passed the Indiana House overwhelmingly and now goes to conference committee. An additional provision in the law would prevent the Indiana Gaming Commission from imposing further "transfer taxes," as it did in the sale of Indiana Downs.
Rashomon Dept.: A source says local impressionist Larry G. Jones is packing it in tomorrow night after a 1,600-show run at what used to be Fitzgerald's, to return at an unspecified Strip venue sometime in the near future. The Fitz's official site offers no elucidation but an affiliated Web site has him there at least through March 4.
Turns out … our source is right. Which means you've got two nights left to see Jones in action. And if that Strip thing doesn't pan out, I hear Tilman Fertitta has a showroom to fill over at the Golden Nugget.
