“Yup, it’s in bad shape”

That’s what a correspondent wrote after seeing a ginormous photo of the sadly faded Paris-Las Vegas “balloon” marquee. For the grisly details click here. Planet Hollywood, this could be you. Just give it a few years.

On the subject of upkeep, isn’t amazing that when the economy goes south, housekeepers get the chop but there’s always money in the kitty for executive bonuses and other corporate perks? And yet a distressed facility is going to be the second thing a guest notices (the unjustifiably long line at  the [understaffed] check-in desk being #1). Hey, guys, you’re in the “resort” business. You wanna run a Strip hotel like it’s the Western? Go buy a grind joint or two.

These thoughts were inspired by Vegas Chatter‘s recent visit to Luxor. Apparently “$36 room night” is a synonym for “scuzzy experience.” Chatter‘s report is best not read on a full stomach.

On a happier note (for customers, anyway), standard rooms at Aria are down to $99 midweek. But trust me, the throw-in of $50 tickets for Viva Elvis is not a good deal. There’ll never enough brain bleach or Presley albums to scrub that campfest from your psyche. Despite all the techno bells and whistles of which the Aria rooms boast, if you can get one of revamped, aerated Paradise Tower rooms at the Tropicana (and only the Paradise Tower), I’d take that instead.

Cirque du Soleil’s newest show, Banana Shpeel, has survived an exceptionally rough gestation period and opened on Broadway. There’s not even been a whisper about Banana Shpeel coming to the Strip. However, given MGM Mirage‘s propensity to retreat toward the comfort of the tried and true, I wouldn’t rule it out, especially now that all the “fixations” have taken place at other people’s expense.

A slew of fines were handed down to sundry Atlantic City casinos this week. Offenders included Resorts Atlantic City, Trump Taj Mahal and a pair of Harrah’s properties that literally weren’t playing with a full deck. Since one of these infractions dates back to 2008, casino justice on the Boardwalk may be certain but it sure ain’t swift.