(Editor’s note: Since I found this state-of-the art version of the previous Tex & Edna Boil video, I’ve replaced the old one with another in which Tex & Edna get into the curio-barn business … sort of like Carl Icahn, come to think of it.) Stiffs has been getting stiffed by Anthony Santo, who recently scored a heckuva deal over at Uncle Carl’s Carpet Barn, formerly known as Fontainebleau. Acting on behalf of Tamares Real Estate, Santo scarfed up “top-flight wallpaper, carpet, tile, sofas, chairs, desks, dressers, side tables and bed frames” not yet installed in F-blew. The Las Vegas Sun‘s story allays suspicions that Carl Icahn was stripping the already-furnished rooms and peddling that inventory, too. (Not yet, anyway.)
Since Santo is mum, I’ve been unable to learn not only how much he spent over at Uncle Carl’s or whether his big haul included any previously installed furniture. The money question, so to speak, is how much of the the Plaza’s $20 million renovation budget was plowed into the rummage sale. Or is this the $20 million renovation? (Update: A reader points out to me that shoehorning F-blew furniture into much smaller Plaza rooms might be difficult. Hadn’t thought of that.)
Santo and Tamares fell into a big patch of luck here. Because of F-blew’s straitened circumstances, they’ve been able to acquire a much higher grade of furnishings than they probably could have afforded on the open market. Once everything is installed in its new home, the Plaza is going to look considerably more upscale in a hurry. (Although the Rush Tower at the nearby Golden Nugget sets a very high bar for Tamares to clear.)
With great furniture comes great responsibility: It’s incumbent upon Tamares to re-do the remainder of the Plaza to make it worthy of its new furnishings. If they skimp — in classic Tamares fashion — hotel guests will be treated to the incongruous spectacle of luxury-resort furniture in “worn, motellike rooms” above a seedy casino floor. For the moment, though, Santo’s bargain play is the most credible signal to date that Tamares’ big makeover is for real and not just more mouthwash from slum lords.
I wonder if any of the furniture was from any area of the Fontainebleau that my wife’s company had worked on and didn’t get paid? …and a lot of other companies involved in the Fontainebleau fiasco didn’t get paid for the last part of their work there.
Also, when building a hotel, the furniture is usually bought/built to “fit” the room it’s going to go in. Aren’t the Plaza rooms really small? If so, could be a tight fit in the rooms for future customers getting around the furniture. And, (just remembered) those pesky fire codes require a minimum space for quick exits!
Ted lost his mustache! Or is that the same Ted?
I guess I was wrong when I predicted that Tamares wouldn’t bother to bid on the F-furniture. Maybe they’re serious about the remodel, but I’m still leery.
“Since Santo is mum — except when foreclosure proceedings against his hotel are leaked to the media —”
I hadn’t read that story. David, can you give us a link to it?
When did they buy this furniture. They have already sent out pictures of a remodeled room, and it doesn’t look computer generated, plus someone has posted elsewhere as to having already seen a remodeled room.
To answer the earlier question, no the rooms are quite large. That was one of the only selling points to the Plaza hotel. That and you didn’t have to worry about spilling a beer or vomiting on the carpet. You certainly weren’t the first.
I am a bit concerned about the quote from Santo that people will have to pay more in the future to stay at the Plaza. Step one should be to prove it is worth more and then slowly increase the prices.
When did they buy this furniture? They have already sent out pictures of a remodeled room, and it doesn’t look computer generated, plus someone has posted elsewhere as to having already seen a remodeled room.
To answer the earlier question, no the rooms are quite large. That was one of the only selling points to the Plaza hotel. That and you didn’t have to worry about spilling a beer or vomiting on the carpet. You certainly weren’t the first.
I am a bit concerned about the quote from Santo that people will have to pay more in the future to stay at the Plaza. Step one should be to prove it is worth more and then slowly increase the prices.
In 2008, the Plaza redid four rooms on the 15th floor, to prove they were serious about remodeling (as dutifully reported in the R-J at the time, with a photo of an actual room). More than likely it is those rooms which you saw on the Internet.
Dunno if I’d worry too much about Santo raising prices; Ed Scheetz said that boosting room rates was Job One when Morgans Hotel Group bought the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Needless to say, ADRs have gone through the floor since then.
S&G broke the foreclosure story in this post: https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/stiffs-and-georges/?p=4600
FTR, Tex Boil never had a ‘stache. That was just poor video reproduction playing tricks on you. If I can eke a couple more stories out of Uncle Carl’s Carpet Warehouse, we’ll get around to the commercial in which Edna Boil auditions replacements for Tex after he walks out on her. (The characters and pop-culture mashups devised by “SCTV” are downright hallucinogenic in their brilliance.)
We’re experiencing technical problems today, so no S&G until further notice. Very frustrating: There are some interesting things brewing on the MGM Timeshares Int’l front.