Fontainebleau Las Vegas

This week Fontainebleau Las Vegas announced the massive blue casino resort on the north end of the Vegas Strip will finally open on December 13th. 

This has been a long time coming. Construction on Fontainebleau started in 2007. Vegas Today and Tomorrow has all of the original specs and plenty of construction pictures.

The Fontainebleau website also launched this week. Ironically, the design of the 2023 website reminds me of the real estate websites around 2010, when the property was supposed to open. 

The property is still under construction so the website and all media images are renderings. I’m curious to see what real life looks like compared to the computer-generated images. The two don’t always match. 

Let’s take a look around Fontainebleau.*

A Visual Look-See Of Fontainebleau Las Vegas

Wow – Oasis Pool

I’m obsessed with the layout of the six-acre Oasis pool deck. The bar with the La Concha-inspired design is gorgeous. You may recognize this from the Neon Museum. Editor Note: Not to be confused with La Concha Resort in Condado, San Juan, Puerto Rico which is a Marriott Luminous Luxury Property that can be booked by TravelZork Travel.

Seven Pools

Altogether, there are seven pools and a covered outdoor gaming area (above). Based on the rendering it looks like there will be a handful of table games and bartop video poker/slot/keno machines. 

Casino and Fontainebleau Rewards Loyalty Program

Let’s head inside. The casino floor will be 150,000 square feet. For comparison, that’s slightly smaller than Bellagio. You can enroll in Fontainebleau Rewards now online if you’d like to get a head start.

1,300 Slots – 127 Tables – Six Private Salons

Plans call for 1,300 slot machines and 127 table games. The main high-limit room will be about 18,000 square feet. There will also be six private gaming salons. 

Sportsbook

Plans call for the sportsbook to be about 13,000 square feet. There isn’t a good image of the entire space but the Tavern sports bar and restaurant will be part of the sports betting area.

The vast majority of the 36 restaurants at Fontainebleau will be full-service. The promenade (aka food hall) only has seven eateries. You can see the full list here.

Food! 36 Restaurants

Fontainebleau will have 36 first-to-market restaurants. In layman’s terms, this means no big-name chain restaurants. The rendering above is Papi Steak. This is one of two steakhouses. 

Miami Slice

Miami Slice is the best name for a restaurant inside of a casino since Circa opened Jack Pots! There are a few whimsical names for venues at Fontainebleau. FB Slims in the pool area is fun for those who remember Fatboy Slim’s beep-boop songs during the 1900s. (Editor Note: we must show some OG respect to Miami Vice!)

Hotel Room Product

There are two room types available. The Bleau room (above) is the smaller of the two at just under 500 square feet. This room has a tub and shower and does not have a Vegas Strip view. You can see the specs here.

Gold Rooms

The Gold rooms are between 545 and 590 square feet. This room doesn’t include a tub but has the option of a mountain or Vegas Strip view. You can see all the specs here.

(Regular) Suites

There are three types of regular suites. The layout above is the 936-square-foot Royal Suite. It’s difficult to judge rooms on renderings and floor plans but you can see the specs here.

It’s interesting to note that only one of the three luxury suite types has a Vegas Strip view. You can see the odd floor plans here.  

Can’t Wait

I look forward to seeing Fontainebleau in person in a couple of months. While we wait for the new Vegas Strip casino to open, I look forward to checking out Durango Resort when it opens in November.

* Photo Credits: From FONTAINEBLEAU and the Fontainebleau Las Vegas website.

The post Fontainebleau Opening Dec. 13, Let’s Take A Look appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News September 15, 2023

HACKED! – MGM Hacked and Caesars Hacked

You may have heard that Caesars and MGM Resorts were both hacked. Caesars has divulged a lot of information in its 8-K filing to the Security and Exchange Committee.

MGM Resorts is still embroiled in the chaos of the hacking and is keeping quiet publicly about the situation. This week we’ll share the news via quick hits and look deeper at both cases next week. 

The Caesars cyberattack includes copying of the Caesars Rewards database. Read the 8-K here.  

Read more about how much the attack cost Caesars here.

The MGM Resorts attack started on Sunday, Sept. 10. The company put out numerous statements with very little information. When they file their 8-K it will have more info. In the meantime… 

Manual Check-In Process at MGM Resorts

Since computers were down, check-in at hotels was like a normal day at a Caesars property. 

Looks like the typical day at a Caesars property https://t.co/aNJwaWyqT5

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) September 13, 2023

All Cashouts Handpays – MGM Resorts

Some slot machines worked, but all cashouts were handpays.

It took as much as an hour for people to get paid.

Signage at MGM Resorts

The company put up signs like this to help guests. 

Nice signs are up at Aria though. pic.twitter.com/iApJZfOF65

— Dayna Roselli (@DaynaRoselli) September 14, 2023

People were obviously frustrated. Read more here.

MGM waived cancelation fees for those who planned on visiting last week. Read more here.

MGM is giving people who complain a voucher. See them here.

The Cybercriminals Dropped A Message To MGM Resorts

The cybercriminals dropped a message about the MGM hack. Read it here.

Enough hack talk for now! We’ll get back to it next week.

I decided to give quarter triple play double double bonus poker a try and I was rewarded with Four Aces and a Kicker. HOLLA!  

Here’s your first look Inside The Sphere.

The dome above Marquee Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan is back and so are the winter pool parties. Read more here.

Carrie Underwood extended her residency at Resorts World into next year. Read more here.

David Blaine is taking his talent across the street to Wynn. Read more here.

MGM Resorts chopped down the trees in front of the Bellagio fountains. Read more here. 

This might be an unpopular opinion but I like having a clear view of the fountains from the east side of the Vegas Strip. See the video below.

Christina Aguilera will have a residency at the 1,000-capacity venue at The Venetian. Read more here.  

I’m old enough to remember when Aguilera had a residency at Planet Hollywood’s venue that has a capacity of 7,000 people. Read more here.

Jersey Boys is back! This time the shows will be at The Orleans. Read more here. 

As expected, Wynn is charging for self-parking. Read more here.

There’s no charge for parking the first four hours at Wynn. You can grab dinner, a show, and gamble in that time. Not bad.

Oak View Group (OVG) has a deal with The Sphere. This won’t impact the construction of the OVG Arena planned for south of Mandalay Bay. Read more here. 

G2E is around the corner and gaming manufacturers are starting to hype some new products.

Gaming Arts will have a new Deal or No Deal Slot Machine. Read more here.

I plan on checking out this 5-card Pai Gow Poker game at G2E. There’s not much info available but I played the demo and have some small sample size thoughts. I’ll wait for more info before getting into that. See the layout here.   

Acres, a gaming loyalty and technology developer, released a study to help sell their products to casinos. The info is somewhat interesting but this is a sales tool so keep that in mind. Read more here.

Look for more new casino games in Las Vegas. Read more here.  

The nightclub nobody went to inside Paris has a new name. Read more here.

Fontainebleau is still hiring. Read more here.

This is the second press release for Fontainebleau hiring. Station Casinos also has a campaign to hire people to work at Durango in November. Both are aggressively marketing that they have jobs available. They might be having difficulty finding quality employees.

Red Rock will have another pop-up preview for a restaurant coming to Durango Resort in November. Grab some Prince Street Pizza on Sept. 29 and 30. Read more here.

There could be more college basketball madness in March next year. Read more here.

Adam Sandler’s next show in Las Vegas will take place at Mandalay Bay. His recent shows were at The Cosmopolitan but this is part of a national tour so it makes sense to be in a larger venue. Read more here.

There’s a Mob Museum podcast for those of you into true crime pods. Read more here.

Esports betting is back on the docket for the Nevada Gaming Commission. Read more here.

Low-cost airline, Avello, has more routes to Las Vegas. Read more here.

An LGBTQ-owned hotel is opening in downtown Las Vegas. Read more here.

Last and least, Four Queens has 6/9 Jacks or Better. NICE!

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Las Vegas Hotel Room Desires

Last week we shared previews of new Las Vegas hotel rooms at Fontainebleau, MGM Grand, and Rio. Soon we’ll see the rooms that will be available when Station Casinos’ Durango Resort opens in November.

None of the room designs were enough to turn me on or off towards the properties. Having said that, the Studio Tower room above makes a small 350 square foot room look comfortable.

The casino floors at MGM Grand and Rio already do that. Fontainebleau looks fine but isn’t gorgeous or hideous. That’s probably the goal but that’s another issue.

Typically, the focus of new hotel rooms is the design. A picture (or rendering) may say 1,000 words but it doesn’t showcase all the room has to offer.

For example, the images don’t show the little things that help make a pretty room great or an ugly room passable. It’s impossible to know if the mattress and bedding are comfortable just from a picture. 

Similarly, a bathroom rendering doesn’t show the water pressure. It’s important to be able to power wash a day and/or night of Las Vegas off our body. Las Vegas hotels sometimes offer this important information in press releases but that’s rare.

The perfect combination for a Las Vegas hotel room is both fashion and function. Regardless of price, everyone wants the ideal blend of both. 

Unfortunately, that’s not always available. Over the years our hotel room preferences may change too.

My Hotel Room Preferences Over The Years

My hotel room preferences in Las Vegas have changed a lot over the years. I’m not sure I could go back to the early 2000s rooms at Gold Coast for more than a few minutes. Life changes and so do our wants and needs in life.

When I first started visiting Las Vegas on a limited budget I could only afford certain rooms. At the time, I just wanted something that looked clean and had a bed and shower.

The look of the room didn’t matter and neither did comfort. I literally needed a place to crash for a few hours and maybe shower.

My thoughts on rooms didn’t change when I started staying at rooms on the Vegas Strip. These rooms looked nicer but I still didn’t care much about anything else in the room.

At a certain point in my Vegas life, before moving here, I started spending more time in the room and wanted more space and nicer amenities. I started skipping a sweet Vegas Strip view for a nicer or larger room.

The first time I used a remote control to open the blinds at The Venetian room was a game-changer for me. So was staying at Encore and finding an affordable hotel room with a separate living space.

These were things I’d never experienced when traveling and I was in love.

What Do You Look For In A Las Vegas Hotel Room Today?

Today, I still prefer a larger hotel room but I need a little more. Since I live in Las Vegas, I also need a place to work that isn’t a bed. 

That said, I like a comfortable bed with a sufficient number of consistently full pillows for sleeping. Not much makes me crankier than fighting with pillows all night while trying to find a position where I can sleep comfortably.

I like it when a room has a desk for work as well as a large enough chair where I can use a laptop or just lounge around with a drink while watching TV. If I can only have one, I’ll take the chair so I can work and sit in comfort.

Having numerous accessible outlets is important as well. I always travel with numerous electronic devices and can always use a charge. I’m shocked this is still an issue with some Las Vegas hotels.

In the bathroom, I always hope there’s something close to a silkwood shower. I have dry skin issues so soap and toiletries matter a little even though I can bring my own if needed. 

Room design can make the environment feel better. All white rooms with pops of color for some reason make me uncomfortable. These may appear clean but they feel institutional. 

The hotel rooms at Circa are traditional and modern. The wallpaper in the bathroom is whimsical and fun. They resemble the vibe of the property and set a great mood. 

I like to have a hotel with good service in case I need something. The digital concierge services are great when they work. Rose at The Cosmopolitan is great and will connect with a human if it can’t answer a question. Meanwhile, Ivy at Caesars properties hasn’t been very useful for me or my friends.

I’m a coffee snob and never save food when staying in a hotel. A coffee maker and refrigerator aren’t important. 

Enough about my preferences!

Forgetting location and affiliation – What do you look for in a Las Vegas Hotel Room? Drop a comment below or wherever you read this. 

The post What Do You Want In A Las Vegas Hotel Room? appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News September 3, 2023

This is an extended Labor Day Weekend edition of Vegas News. Getting ready for lots of info from the past couple of weeks. It’s a good thing many of you have a long weekend.

A few renderings of the Peter Luger Steak House coming to Caesars Palace pic.twitter.com/VmOQL0LJrY

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) August 18, 2023

Peter Luger Opening – Vegas

As a born and raised New Yorker, I have to start with a little too much information on one of the best steakhouses in New York City, opening its first Las Vegas location.

Peter Luger Steakhouse at Caesars Palace Las Vegas is taking reservations at OpenTable beginning Nov. 1. Read more here.  

The steakhouse is famous for its perfectly cooked, shareable steaks. This is one of the most legit steak experiences you’ll find in Las Vegas.

The Place To Eat Steak – Peter Luger Opening – Vegas

This is a place to eat steak, unlike other recent steakhouse openings on the Vegas Strip where it’s difficult to even find a review of the food – let alone the steak. 

You can find the menu with prices here. The steakhouse is expensive but prices are in line with other high-end steakhouses on the Vegas Strip. 

Peter Luger is one of the most famous steakhouse brands in the country. It first opened in Brooklyn, NY during the 1800s. You can read the history here.

I can’t wait to visit and see if the food is anywhere near New York City. The experience might be good but it won’t be the same. It’s just difficult for a Las Vegas casino to reproduce the feeling one gets from traveling to Brooklyn and eating in an old building with men of a certain age delivering food.

Venetian SportsBook – Renovated and Rebranded

Press pics of the new sportsbook at The Venetian. pic.twitter.com/0qbZ7ZJYcn

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) August 24, 2023

The Venetian sportsbook (above) has been renovated and rebranded. The press pics don’t show it but the old red desks were removed and replaced with couches and chairs for 105 people. Read more here.  

Unrelated to the news above but there’s a new Wiliam Hill sports betting app in NV. It’s similar to Caesars (they own Will Hill) but it doesn’t offer Caesars Rewards points.

Here’s a reminder that anyone signing up for a new sports betting app in Nevada must do so in person at a full-service sportsbook inside of a casino.

Venetian – Paid Self Parking

After months of rumors paid self-parking is coming to The Venetian. Fees begin for casino visitors on Aug. 9. Hotel guests will have to pay for parking beginning Sept. 5. Read more here.  

(More) Cosmo Thoughts and Cosmo Paid Parking

Last week, we asked how people were feeling about The Cosmopolitan becoming an MGM Rewards property. I shared my feelings. Since then I had to cancel my monthly visit. Coincidentally, I’m no longer receiving a food credit and my free play is down to $10. I’m surprised they still offered me a complimentary room in September. I don’t expect that to last much longer.

Since you love paid parking, similar to The Venetian, The Cosmopolitan will begin charging hotel guests for parking. You can find more Cosmo parking info here.  

Your monthly snapshot of Las Vegas visitation and hotel room prices is out. Enjoy the easy-to-digest report here.

The ESPN studios at The Linq are closing. Read more here.

Resorts World is replacing a vegan ice cream shop with a cake and crepe store. Read more here.

Major announcement. South Point has a new permanent hot dog stand!

The NFL announced a slew of events taking place during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas next year. Read more here.

More than 3 million people have attended events at Allegiant Stadium since it opened. Read more here.

The most surprising number in the article is that more than 37,000 people saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers when they played at Allegiant Stadium. 

The new MGM Grand Studio Tower rooms are available. 

New MGM Grand Studio Tower room takeaways:

1) Pretty room.
2) Sweet view. pic.twitter.com/uHapyLlue1

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) August 29, 2023

Proper Food Hall at Aria has an all-you-can-eat deal during Sunday football games. It’s $55 for three hours of food. I know plenty of people who can easily reach the $55 mark in food. Drinks are extra. You can see the snippet from the press release here.

Wayne Newton extended his residency at Flamingo Las Vegas. Read more here.  

Do you like reading about real estate deals? You can find a press release about a Bellagio real estate transaction here.  

Rumor has it that Post Malone will be playing Fontainebleau on New Year’s Eve. Read more here.  

Here’s a preview of the Fontainebleau rooms.

The article also says Justin Timberlake will play an invite-only show at Fontainebleau in December. Neither has been officially announced.

Fontainebleau dropped a word salad press release that I think is about the design of the casino. If you’re into mambo jumbo read it here.  

Shania Twain is returning to PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort for another run of shows next year. Read more here. 

Harrah’s can’t handle the rain. Read more here.

Paris can’t handle the rain either. See the video below.   

A family found a live bat in their room in New York-New York. Read more here.  

Some people tested positive for legionnaires disease after staying at Caesars Palace Las Vegas and The Orleans. Read more here.  

The “Zoo Station: A U2:UV Experience” is coming to The Venetian to promote the residency at The Sphere. Read more here.  

The George sports bar and restaurant is opening at Durango Casino later this year. Read more here. 

I feel like the news about Circus Circus adding a Spongebob ride is old but it was in the news this week so I’m sharing it. Read about it here.

Here’s a look at the room renovations at Rio. 

One of the newly remodeled Ipanema Tower guest rooms at the Rio, designed to look like apartments near Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro. A total of 1,427 rooms and suites are being renovated. pic.twitter.com/sBEjNr6jX7

— Las Vegas Locally (@LasVegasLocally) August 26, 2023

The Oakland A’s are in the news again. The only new thing I’ve noticed lately is that the potential first pitch in Las Vegas has moved from 2027 to 2028. Read more here. 

F1 released the race schedule along with the timeline for the last round of paving for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Read more here.

You may have noticed things are more expensive on the Vegas Strip than off the Vegas Strip. It’s the same for how much F1 is charging businesses. Read more about “slashing prices” here.  

Speaking of off-strip F1. Ellis Island is in the game now. Read more here. 

Palms is also in the F1 game now. Funny how that works. Read more here.

Last F1 item for the week. Enjoy a seven-minute promo video in Las Vegas below.

The Sphere reported earnings. Read about it here.  

A hotel near The Sphere is charging a bunch of money for Happy Hour with a view of the giant ball. Read more here.  

Via Vital Vegas, a restaurant you forgot is at Horseshoe Las Vegas closed after less than a year in business. Read more here.

Boulder Station has a new sports bar. Read more here.

A new Golden Nugget is opening in about a month in Reno. Read more here.   

A magic museum is open at the shopping plaza next to Crystals Mall. Read more here.

Adele has sciatica. Don’t we all? Read more here.

The new Vanderpump spot at Flamingo Las Vegas will replace the bar in the former Margaritaville Casino. Read the tweet here.

I miss the scent of suntan lotion from Margaritaville Casino. I always had fun gambling there. It was a much more fun vibe than the main space inside Flamingo.

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The post Vegas News | Peter Luger Sets Opening Date At Caesars Palace, New Sportsbook At The Venetian And Preview New Rooms At Rio, MGM Grand And Fontainebleau appeared first on TravelZork.

Cosmo To Become An MGM Rewards Property

By now almost everyone who reads TravelZork is aware that The Cosmopolitan will become an MGM Rewards property on Feb. 1, 2024. If you’re not familiar, you can read the press release here.

The Cosmopolitan’s Identity Rewards will be active until January 31, 2024. Points and status will be combined with existing MGM Rewards accounts. You can see a little information in the press release above.

The company says the process of transferring everything will be seamless for anyone with an Identity Rewards account. I’m usually a cynic but let’s take them at their word so we can move on.

The response to The Cosmopolitan becoming an MGM Rewards property has been mixed. Surprisingly the split is about even between positive and negative. As you’ll see in a few seconds, I fall under the latter category.

Are you stoked about The Cosmopolitan becoming part of MGM Rewards? 

Not A Fan

At this point, I’m not a fan of the change from Identity to MGM Rewards. That said, I’m not too upset.

I’ve been paying very close attention to the change since this is one of my favorite casino resorts in Las Vegas. This is something I’ve been preparing for since 2021.

I was expecting that I would be welcomed into MGM Rewards with the same appreciation I’ve had at The Cosmopolitan. Earlier this year, I realized that this won’t be the case and I adjusted accordingly. 

Marc’s Recent Trips To Cosmo!

As some of you know, I’ve been staying at The Cosmopolitan for one or two nights per month since the Covid-19 pandemic. The offers have been fantastic. I receive weekly free play and dining credits. I’ve also received two complimentary weekday nights in a regular room or suite.

Because of these offers, I moved almost all of my casino gambling to The Cosmopolitan. I reached Gold status last year and have it again this year. 

Before this year, MGM would tier-match Identity Gold to MGM Rewards Gold. This year, that changed, and Identity Gold is only matched to MGM Rewards Pearl.

This downgrade is equivalent to the Sterling level of Identity. Like Sterling, Pearl is the tier level of MGM Rewards that offers complimentary self-parking. This tier doesn’t waive resort fees like the Gold tier in both programs.

It doesn’t make sense for me to spend the money to reach Gold when I’ll only receive benefits of the lower level next year. The requirement is earning four times as many points. 

Since I won’t receive complimentary resort fees, I doubt I’d stay at the property much next year. Even if the rooms are “free” the resort fee to stay eight miles from my house isn’t worth the spend.

I’ll save the money this year and come up with a new plan of attack next year. 

Since I’m spending less money at The Cosmopolitan this year my offers have also decreased. That’s fair. The offers are still much better than the weekly $5 free play from MGM Rewards. My spending there is minimal but that’s just a silly offer for a casino that charges for parking.

I’m still going to visit The Cosmopolitan but I won’t be staying as often after it becomes an MGM Rewards property. Many visitors have loved this as a place to meet because of the location, bars, and restaurants. 

My next stay at The Cosmopolitan is close and it will probably be one of my last for a while. I’m going to see how the changeover to MGM Rewards affects other players and see if it’s worth my time and money. I think it will be but I’m patient and will see if there’s better value for other properties I enjoy in Las Vegas.

Most Identity players I know are taking a similarly cautious approach since the independent rewards program has been very generous to customers over the years.

MGM Rewards Players Are Stoked

On the flip side, the vast majority of MGM Rewards customer I know seems to be happy with the addition of The Cosmopolitan. After all, they’ve been waiting for discounts and comps for The Cosmopolitan.

The Cosmopolitan is a great property and an excellent option for MGM Rewards customers. The staff is fantastic and hasn’t changed since MGM took over operations. 

There are only two negatives I’ve seen since MGM took over The Cosmopolitan. First, there’s a constant barrage of massage people walking around the table game every few minutes. They’re like gnats and won’t go away.

Second, MGM removed some of the video poker games on the main casino floor. Sometimes I like to play the bad paytable games on the floor for a little while to shift my mojo when it’s running cold. I typically like to avoid booze when I’m running cold. Gambling on tilt is bad enough and booze only makes it worse.

When it comes to complimentary rooms, The Cosmopolitan should be ranked between Bellagio and Aria for MGM Rewards. Speaking of these casinos the walkway between the three should be finished soon.

Walk from Vdara to Cosmo to Bellagio pic.twitter.com/i3YFlPcdR1

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) August 14, 2023

At this time I don’t see a downside to the addition of The Cosmopolitan to MGM Rewards. Time will tell if this and the change from Hyatt to Marriott are good for guests. 

How About You?

Where do you stand on the change of rewards programs at The Cosmopolitan? Does it even matter?

The post Are You Stoked About The Cosmopolitan Becoming An MGM Rewards Property Next Year? appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News August 16, 2023

Here’s a preview of the new walkway from Vdara to Bellagio. Guests can also stop at The Cosmopolitan. 

Las Vegas Casino Earnings Highlights

MGM Resorts reported earnings earlier this month. Read about the financials here.

The big news was from MGM was released a day before earnings. The Cosmopolitan will become an MGM Rewards property on Feb. 1, 2024. Read more here.

MGM says room rates during the Las Vegas Grand Prix are about four times higher than usual and that it’s shaping up as an all-time event for the company. 

Super Bowl weekend hotel rooms for MGM are about three times the typical rate of the already busy weekend since the Big Game is taking place in Las Vegas. My interpretation of their tone is that they’re much more impressed with the F1 crowd.

One interesting note from the earnings call was that MGM says the Marriott deal will replace 5%-7% of the low-end room nights. They expect this will increase revenue by approximately $100 per night.

Coincidentally, Caesars appeared to be nonplussed by hotel chain partnerships during their earnings call.

Caesars Entertainment also reported earnings this month. See the financials here.

Caesars – Expects 5% Lift In Earnings From the Las Vegas Grand Prix

The company reiterated that it expects a 5% lift in earnings from the Las Vegas Grand Prix saying that the high-end demand is very strong.

The William Hill NV sports betting app will receive an upgrade to the new tech the Caesars app is currently using.

Caesars says some of the new rooms in Paris Las Vegas (in the former Horseshoe Tower) will be available before the end of the year. 

Red Rock Resorts (Station Casinos) reported earnings. Read about the financials here.

During the Red Rock earnings call, the big news was that Durango Resort & Casino will open on Nov. 20. Read more here. 

Red Rock Resorts is planning a phase two of Durango if necessary and is also getting ready for its next casino in the Inspirada section of Henderson. The article above has some info on this property from earlier this year.

Mohegan Sun reported earnings this week. My only takeaway is that gaming revenue in Las Vegas (at Virgin) was down bigly. I have context for this and no opinion. See the financials here.  

More Las Vegas News

Vital Vegas has some info on a couple of restaurants at Fontainebleau. Read more here.

It looks like The Eagles will do a residency at The Sphere. Read more here.

The William Hill sportsbook renovation at The Venetian is almost complete. It will be nice to see the space without those hideous red desks. Here are a few pics.  

There was a lot of news about the ESPN Bet app this week. It will not be available in Nevada so I can move on. Read more about the app here.  

An adult mini golf venue called Swingers is opening next year at Mandalay Bay. Read more here.

Make sure to spell “Swingers Las Vegas” and not “Swinger Las Vegas” when searching for more information. The results are very different. 

Golf attractions are so hot right now. Popstroke from Tiger Woods and Taylormade will open just south of Mandalay Bay at Town Square. Read more here and here. 

Palms is installing cameras in its parking garage. Most casinos don’t offer this. See the tweet here. 

Casino Royale could be replaced with a very tall building. Read more here.

It appears as though the Nevada Gaming Control Board is investigating Resorts World President Scott Sibella. Read more here.

This is neat gaming tech. Acres has a way for players to sign up for a rewards card at a slot machine in 10 seconds. Read more here.

Speaking of new Acres tech, TIBO is a new TITO system. Read more here.

No word if the name TIBO was inspired by TEBOW.

Another month, another $10 million plus Megabucks jackpot.

Lady Gaga is back at Park MGM for more Jazz and Piano shows. Read more here.

Luke Bryan’s residency at Resorts World is coming to an end. Read more here.

I’m not sure why, but an offshore sportsbook has 6-1 odds for Kanye West announcing a Las Vegas residency. See the tweet here.

Queen Las Vegas will be “The Only Gay Hotel, Restaurant, Bar and Nightclub On the Las Vegas Strip” Read more here.

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias added another night at The Cosmopolitan. Read more here.

Bruno Mars is also returning to Park MGM for more shows. Read more here. 

You can pay $25 extra to sit at “Martha’s Table” at The Bedford at Paris Las Vegas. Read more here.

Evidently, every casino needs a Mediterranian restaurant. Michael Mina is opening one at  Mandalay Bay. Read more here.  

Red Rock Casino already has a Mediterranian restaurant so they’re adding a Mexican restaurant. Read more here.

This is somewhat Vegas-related – Nickelodeon will be broadcasting the Super Bowl. Since this is a kid-oriented broadcast there could be some different Las Vegas footage and info. Read more about the broadcast here.  

There could be some changes coming to the Pac-12 (RIP) Championship and Las Vegas Bowl with the recent college football conference changes. Read more here.

Donny Osmond signed an extension for his Harrah’s residency. Read more here.

Kylie Minogue sold out her 10 residency shows at The Venetian! Read more here.

Good news! It looks like she’ll be adding more shows. Read more here.

Sorry, Steve. The demand for tickets is very good but it isn’t quite massive. Kylie Minogue sold fewer tickets than one U2 show at The Sphere. 

Paulina Rubio is playing two shows at The Venetian. Read more here.

Last and least, Bojangles is opening 20 restaurants in Las Vegas. Read more here.

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Where Do We Want To Gamble?

Poolside blackjack looks fun was an open-ended comment on a quick video from Red Rock Casino. I’ve played it before and had a great time.

I always find gambling outside to be a fun time. The games can be video poker at Carousel Bar at Plaza or blackjack by the pool at Red Rock.

Come take a seat at our poolside tables. They’re open! pic.twitter.com/T9D0K4dKpF

— Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa Las Vegas (@redrockcasino) July 28, 2023

Like much of the property, the pool complex at Red Rock is fantastic. There are numerous pools with ample seating and cabanas, a covered bar and restaurant, and during the summer they have a few blackjack tables.

The pool area at Red Rock also has concerts, foodie events and watch parties on some nights. For anyone unfamiliar, it’s a great feature at the property and is better than some pools on the Vegas Strip.

Comments on the video above varied. Some love Red Rock and gambling outside in general. As you’d imagine there were pervy comments.

Since I cover gambling regularly, there were plenty of comments that the blackjack games pay 6:5 for a natural blackjack. No shit.

Every casino in Las Vegas with outdoor blackjack deals a 6:5 game. Depending on the casino this has been the case for at least a decade and probably longer.

I don’t mind playing a lesser blackjack game if the environment is fun.

6:5 Payout Is A “Tax” – Blackjack

As someone said years ago, the 6:5 payout for a natural blackjack is often a “tax” or penalty for playing in a certain environment. The payout is more widespread today but the idea still stands up.

In Red Rock’s case, there are 3:2 blackjack games inside the casino if I’d like to forgo the outdoor environment for air conditioning. Not all casinos with outdoor blackjack have this option.

The 6:5 payout for a natural blackjack was introduced more than 20 years ago (note LVA). This is when casinos swapped the traditional 3:2 payout when a player is dealt a natural blackjack.

This rule adds about 1.4% to the house edge blackjack games offer. Nobody that grew up playing 3:2 blackjack at affordable limits likes the game.

Vegas veterans know where to find the good games. New visitors and players can visit vegasadvantage.com for great blackjack info.

What Do You Look For When Gambling In Las Vegas?

I’m more interested in how people gamble when they visit Las Vegas.

What’s important to you when gambling in Las Vegas? Is it the payout, location, casino rewards, or something else?

My gambling habits have changed a lot over the years since most of the people I know don’t care about gambling odds.

GASP!

One group of friends visiting a couple of years ago sat down at the only 6:5 blackjack table at El Cortez because there was room at the table for everyone. I joined because I like to be with the people I know when they visit. I just managed my bankroll tighter than usual.

Sometimes friends just want to hit the tables after a nice dinner. The casinos with some of the best restaurants happen to only deal 6:5 blackjack for the limits we play.

There are also those who just want to gamble in what they deem nicer casinos. They’d never be caught dead in Treasure Island just to play a 3:2 blackjack game. It’s more important to be in the newest or nicest casinos in town. It’s also less convenient since that isn’t a casino they’d visit otherwise.

It makes sense for tourists to want to play in the kind of environment they can’t get anywhere else.

Those are some real-life examples of how people I know gamble. Everyone I know visiting Las Vegas is a recreational gambler. They’re not playing big money and the house edge doesn’t matter as much.

My gambling habits have changed a lot over the years. I recently started playing video poker at a local bar with lesser paytables than nearby casinos because it’s closer to my house.

Convenience and Service At The Bar

The convenience and service at the bar outweigh losing a couple of percentage points on the returns. Ironically, I hit more Royal Flushes at this bar (2) in the past two months than I have playing the 8:5 Bonus Poker I normally play in casinos in the past five years.

Do you always stick to the games with the best returns, regardless of location? Is traveling to the casinos with better returns worth the time and money?

Is where you gamble more important than the returns? Do you like gambling outdoors?

There are countless reasons to play better and worse games. Where do you stand? Drop a comment below or @travelzork.

Some Caesars Deals To Keep In Mind
Empire Days Sale!
Seize the day with Empire Days and score remarkable limited-time deals at participating Caesars Rewards Destinations.
Save up to 40% on hotel rooms from Las Vegas to Atlantic City.
Plus, save 25% off your next Vegas show!
Hurry, there great offers expire August 7th.

Empire Days – Caesars Atlantic City
Empire Days – Caesars Palace
Empire Days – Circus Circus Reno
Empire Days – Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City
Empire Days – The Cromwell
Empire Days – Tahoe

The post Where Do We Want To Gamble In Las Vegas? appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News July 31, 2023

NFL Slot Machines

Aristocrat has been very secretive about the development of its NFL slot machines. Well, they finally released a preview of the game and it looks like an Aristocrat slot machine. See the preview below and read about the different versions of the game here.

NFL slot machine pic.twitter.com/XKAkhkO4NH

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) July 27, 2023

MGM Resorts wasn’t messing around about their rewards hotel partner. In the last edition of Vegas News, we told you the MGM Rewards partnership with Hyatt was ending.

A few days after the news was posted, MGM Resorts and Marriot announced a new national hotel partnership with Marriott. Read about it here.  (Also See: MGM And Marriott Make It Official: They Are Joining Forces In Las Vegas)

Expect more news about the MGM and Marriott partnership closer to its Oct. 1 launch.

Shortly after Hyatt announced it was splitting from MGM, the new owners of the Rio shared some details about the renovations of the hotel rooms that will be operated by Hyatt. Read and see more here.

Dreamscape received approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission to own and operate Rio. The 18-month renovation project begins next month. Read more here.

Another thing we mentioned in the last Vegas News was Aruze closing up shop in Las Vegas. Good news for bubble craps fans. Interblock purchased the table games from Aruze. Read more here.

A few weeks ago I mentioned how the audio at The Sphere could be a game changer. This week, the company shared more details on The Sphere’s audio. Read about it here.

Surprising Turn Of Events

In a surprising turn of events, I’ll be checking out U2’s residency at The Sphere in December.

I’ve been watching F1 since the pandemic and have studied up on the business so I’m rarely surprised by any money grabs the sport takes. I’m surprised it’s taken so long for someone to report that F1 is asking businesses that haven’t paid a fee to have parties or grandstands to pay for views of the track. Read about it here.

There’s a reason that venues on the east side of the Vegas Strip are having extravagant parties with celebrities. Read about it here.  

The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most famous F1 races. I’ve shared this before but it’s interesting to see how the circuit is put together.

Daniel Weinman won the WSOP Main Event and took home more than $12 million. Read about it here. 

Jerry Seinfeld is performing six shows at Caesars Palace next year. You can find the dates and more information here.

Speaking of Caesars Palace Las Vegas, the prices at the buffet have increased. See the tweet with the info here.

Circus Circus is undergoing some renovations and non-gaming additions. Read about it here.

Props to Circus Circus for spending about half of its renovation budget on fixing the old elevators. All casino operators should consider this when updating their property. 

Two people won million-dollar jackpots playing Wheel of Fortune slots at LAS less than a month apart. See the most recent below.

There’s a lot of news that ties back to the previous edition of Vegas News this week. When The Venetian announced it was going to start charging for self-parking, I wondered if other nearby casinos would do the same. Vital Vegas says Wynn will also end free self-parking. The casino hasn’t announced this yet but it makes sense. Read more here. 

I’m still curious to hear how Treasure Island will deal with parking fees since it’s just across the street from The Venetian and Wynn.

While Wynn is on the mind, Steve agreed to pay a $10 million settlement with Nevada Gaming. Read more here.  

Wynn Paradise Park and Wynn West

This reminded me about the Wynn Paradise Park and Wynn West expansions getting canceled after Wynn left the company. Read about WPP here and WW here. 

Some Caesars Deals To Keep In Mind
Empire Days Sale!
Seize the day with Empire Days and score remarkable limited-time deals at participating Caesars Rewards Destinations.
Save up to 40% on hotel rooms from Las Vegas to Atlantic City.
Plus, save 25% off your next Vegas show!
Hurry, there great offers expire August 7th.

Empire Days – Caesars Atlantic City
Empire Days – Caesars Palace
Empire Days – Circus Circus Reno
Empire Days – Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City
Empire Days – The Cromwell
Empire Days – Tahoe

Swingers adult mini-golf is opening a flagship location at Mandalay Bay next year. Read about it here and see the rendering below.

Make sure you google “Swingers Las Vegas” when looking for information on the new mini golf place. The second “s” is important in getting the right information.

Nevada gaming doesn’t release market share information for sportsbooks so my ears perk up when I see it. The numbers aren’t surprising but it’s always interesting to see. Find the details here. 

The Oakland A’s potential move drags on with the team revealing they submitted an unrealistic stadium rendering to the Nevada government when asking for financial assistance. Read more here.

Boyd Gaming reported earnings this week. Read the press release about the financials here.  

There were two useful takeaways: 1) The hotel room renovation at Main Street Station will be completed by the fourth quarter. 2) The casino renovation at the Fremont will be finished in October.

The long-rumored Kylie Minogue residency will take place at a new venue inside The Venetian beginning in November. Read more here.

The marketing behind the Barbie movie was on another level and Circa went all out.

Whataburger is coming to the Vegas Strip. Read more here.

Evidently, Pizza Rock is one of the best 50 pizza places in the US. Read more here.

It looks like table games are returning to Tuscany. Read more here. 

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has a new president. Mohegan Sun still operates the casino. Read more here.

There’s a new sports bar opening soon at Boulder Station. Read more here. 

Not Vegas-related but the points and miles people should know that Choice Hotels completed its deal with Radisson. Read more here. 

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The post Vegas News | NFL Slot Machines Hitting Casinos, New Rio Coming Sooner Than Later And Long Live Bubble Craps appeared first on TravelZork.

It seems as though there are pictures and videos on Twitter of people standing in line waiting to check into a Las Vegas hotel every week. This used to happen every now and again prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Today it seems as though standing in line to check into a Las Vegas hotel is a regular occurrence. One reason for this is simply not enough people working. Another is faulty technology that is supposed to streamline the process so casino corporations can get by with fewer employees.

Many of these problems are at casinos from the same company. However, this issue isn’t exclusive to one company. I’ve seen these long lines to check into a hotel up and down the Vegas Strip.

You’ve probably seen the recent issue one night/morning at Caesars Palace. 

Waiting in line to check in at Caesar’s Palace. I first tried checking in at 7 pm. The line was approximately 3-4 hours long. I left (and hopped around town with luggage) and came back at 1.40 am. It’s 2.50 am. Still waiting. pic.twitter.com/jk3Vl8Cxhs

— Benjamin Lee (@blankcheckben) July 11, 2023

Evidently, there was a room-inventory issue the night of the above incident. Unfortunately, this is no longer a rare occurrence. If you do a search on any social media you’ll find too many pictures and videos with people complaining about waiting in line to check into various hotels.

I’ve had some kind of upper-tier status with casino loyalty programs for years and haven’t faced this problem myself. I also use the invited guest line if I have an offer. This is usually as quick as the VIP line.

There’s a checkin line for rewards club members of any tier. If you hate standing in line and are not a member when you check in you might want to send someone to sign up for an account. There were 2 people here and 50+ in the regular line when I left the mirage. pic.twitter.com/Oyrk2P7Z0T

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) December 26, 2022

For what it’s worth, you don’t even have to be an upper-tier rewards program member to get a short line. The Mirage has a special line for any rewards program member. The day I visited last year was shortly after Hard Rock took over and before many visitors were members of the new program.

The larger casino chains have kiosks and mobile check-in to avoid these long lines. Since I don’t deal with this I asked why people spend so much time standing around waiting for a room.

Looking for Info

I was looking for information that didn’t include people requesting a room upgrade, specific view, or attempting the $20 trick. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many answers that weren’t sarcastic and directly answered the question.

Reasons People Stand In Long Lines To Check In

Believe it or not, there are reasons for some people to wait in line for hours in order to check into a hotel. One thing I heard often is that there seem to be a lot of technological issues when guests try to check in using a kiosk. 

The kiosks are frequently broken at some of these hotels. Similarly, mobile check-in doesn’t always work. This appears to be primarily an issue at Caesars properties. 

Additionally, mobile check-in and kiosks sometimes send guests to the check-in desk where they’re forced to stand in line. 

The other standout answer is that even when the kiosks are working, they don’t accept foreign identification. I never considered this but was sent this response numerous times.

Obviously, there are seniors that don’t know how to use kiosks or mobile devices to check into a hotel. My parents would fall into this category. I imagine they aren’t alone.

Similarly, there are some who don’t like using phones or kiosks for any purchases due to privacy concerns. My parents would probably fall into this category too. They still use a flip phone so mobile check-in would be impossible.

It appears as though some people have an issue with kiosks using their government ID name versus the name they commonly use. For example, a person may use the name Mike on a credit card reservation but have an ID with the name Michael and the kiosk technology doesn’t understand.

Evidently, Caesars’ kiosks don’t remove resort fees for Diamond members. This would be an issue for those who check in when Diamond check-in is closed. I’m not sure why someone wouldn’t check in and deal with this the next day but it’s interesting enough for me to share.

I’m sure there are more reasons for standing in line. Feel free to share some that don’t involve room choice or upgrades in the comment section below.

The post Why Are So Many People Standing Around For Hours Waiting To Check Into Las Vegas Casino Hotels? appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News July 19, 2023

We’re changing Vegas News a little. Instead of posting weekly, we’re going to share the Vegas News every other week. 

This will make the news rundowns more concise with less fluff and easier to navigate. This will also give us a chance to dive deeper into specific newsy topics. 

Last week we looked at the newly lit-up Sphere. While most outlets were focusing on the pretty lights, I shared some info on the specs inside that make that part of the venue even more interesting. 

That’s enough jibba jabba. Here’s the Vegas news from the month so far. The information is presented in no particular order.

Good night pic.twitter.com/2ikROQxqZi

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) July 11, 2023

Prepare for summer weather accordingly. People chuckle when I tell them how it’s noticeably (and obviously) hotter in the sun in Las Vegas. A local weatherman reminds us that this is true in this tweet.  

Hyatt is ending its partnership with MGM Rewards. Read more here and here. 

It appears as though the new owners at RIO All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel and Casino will be taking over operations on Oct. 1. Hyatt will operate the hotel. You can read a little more info about changes coming to Rio here. 

Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau shared some new information about its casino floor this week. They also confirmed there will be poolside gaming. Read more here.

Fontainebleau – Casino Floor

You can see a pic of the empty casino floor at Fontainebleau here.

You can find some renderings of Fontainebleau from earlier this year here.  

Vital Vegas shared that the Plaza podcast said Tom Brady will open a sports collectibles shop at Fontainebleau. See the tweet here. 

The Brady info reminded me that Tom Brady has a TB12 Experience at Wynn. Read more here.   

F this 

It appears as though tree self-parking at The Venetian and Palazzo is coming to an end as the Sphere prepares to open. The casino hasn’t released details yet but you can see the guestimated date here.  

Don’t be surprised to see Wynn and/or Treasure Island to follow The Venetian with paid self-parking in some way. 

Caesars is turning the Napolean Lounge at Paris Las Vegas into a new Montecristo Cigar Bar this fall. Read more here.   

Guy Fieri’s Flavortown is now open at Horseshoe in the mall where Le Burger Brasserie used to operate. Read more here.  

WSOP Main Event set a record for the number of players. Read more here.

Breaking news. A magazine likes Wynn. Read more here.

The LVCVA detailed a ton of things to do in Las Vegas this summer. Check it out here.

Earlier this year Aruze, makers of Shoot To Win bubble craps, filed for bankruptcy protection. Read about that here.  

Now it appears as though Aruze will be closing its Las Vegas headquarters. Read more here.

Next week Live Nation will have a deal to buy 4 concert tickets for $80 around the country. There are plenty of shows in Las Vegas. Read more here.  

There’s a Cuban restaurant coming to Flamingo Las Vegas. Read more here.   

There’s a new “Buffalo Zone” at Palms. The area has nearly 50 BUFFALOOOOOO slots. Read more here.

Want to be Bellagio’s landlord? The real estate is on the market! Read more here.

The headline says “New York man fights one-legged man, strips naked, dances on top of poker table.” I have nothing to add. Read more here.  

You may have heard about this scam casinos are dealing with. Read the notice from the Nevada Gaming Control Board here.

The Silverton hotel remodel is complete. Read and see more here.  

The NBA announced its new in-season tournament semi-finals and final will take place in Las Vegas. Read more here.

The Westgate SuperContest and Golden Nugget football contests are open for anyone who wants to register. Read more here.

F1 released its 2024 schedule. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place Nov. 21-23 next year. See the full schedule here. 

It’s been a while since we had a new Boring Station update. This one is at Encore. When it opens next year this will be useful for people who don’t want to walk from Wynn to Resorts World or the Convention Center. See below and read more here.  

At the current one new Vegas Loop station opening per year, the 69 planned stations will be completed around 2087. 

Starting Oct. 5, Dita Von Teese has a residency at Horseshoe Las Vegas. Read more here.

It’s almost casino earnings season. Look for news over the next few weeks. Caesars reports on 8/1 and MGM reports on 8/2.

Tickets for BravoCon go on sale next week. Read more here.

There’s a plan for the former Texas Station and Fiesta Rancho land. It’s boring but you can read more here.   

Barry Manilow has performed a lot at Westgate. Read more here.  

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Introducing: MGM Collection With Marriott Bonvoy

This morning, MGM and Marriott announced a strategic partnership between the brands in Las Vegas. Starting in October, this agreement replaces the one that MGM had with Hyatt.

What We Know So Far about the MGM and Marriott Tie-up

With the Hyatt-MGM partnership coming to an end, it’s not a huge surprise that MGM moved on to Marriott. It’s an issue that we’ve discussed before, but Marriott simply has a much larger national footprint than Hyatt does. That means more customers for Marriott to funnel into the MGM system, while giving gamblers far more choices outside of Vegas. Hyatt’s purchase of the Dream properties may have added one more option to Las Vegas, but Marriott simply has that much more firepower. It also puts an end to speculation over the fate of Cosmopolitan’s loyalty program.

MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy

According to the press release, the agreement will cover 17 MGM properties in Las Vegas. Of those 17, four will join existing Marriott brands (in addition to the MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy), including:

• Cosmopolitan and Aria will both be part of the Autograph Collection
• Park MGM will join the Tribute Collection
• Bellagio will join the Luxury Collection

The rest of the Las Vegas properties will be a part of the overall “MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy” agreement.

Outside of Las Vegas, five properties will join the partnership. They include:

• Borgata in Atlantic City
• Beau Rivage in Biloxi
• MGM Grand in Detroit
• MGM National Harbor in Maryland
• MGM Springfield in scenic Springfield, MA

Huge Booking Perks with TravelZork Travel

Marriott offers additional perks at its luxury properties through its Stars and Luminous program. Stars and Luminous are only available to preferred travel agents, which includes TravelZork Travel. Bellagio will be part of the Stars program, while Park MGM, Cosmo and Aria will fall under Aria.

Note that Cosmo is an “enhanced” Luminous property, meaning that it also offers a $100 hotel credit for your stay. I wouldn’t be surprised if at least Aria was also enhanced.

The bottom line is that TravelZork Travel can handle all of your travel, get you your Bonvoy points and throw in extra complimentary amenities. That’s a heck of a bonus for this new partnership.

TravelZork Travel

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The Sphere lit up the Las Vegas sky for the first time on July 4th. The visuals were nothing short of spectacular. You can see a few short clips below:

You can see more on Instagram and Twitter. 

It’s easy to get excited for new and beautiful videos of Las Vegas – especially as some of the beautiful scenery is being disrupted by buskers. That’s a story for another day. 

While the Sphere is gorgeous there are pretty, bright lights throughout Las Vegas. What’s inside the venue might be even more impressive.

Heads up for the Vegas nerds – you may notice that the Sphere is no longer the MSG Sphere At The Venetian. Earlier this year the company has been spun off from MSG. You can read about the new corporation here.  

Outside Of The Sphere

The Sphere is an entertainment venue that happens to have the largest LED screen on earth. The exterior is a 580,000-square-foot fully-programmable LED screen called an “Exosphere.”

Guy Barnett the SVP of Brand Strategy and Creative Development for Sphere Entertainment said: 

“The Exosphere is more than a screen or a billboard – it is living architecture, and unlike anything that exists anywhere in the world. Last night’s show provided a glimpse of the Exosphere’s captivating power, and the possibilities for artists, partners, and brands to create compelling and impactful stories to connect with audiences in new ways.”

While the Sphere is a spectacular visual, I’m not sure how many visitors will actually see the Sphere in all of its glory as we do in the images here. 

Most visitors will be able to see partial views but not the entire gigantic video screen as shown in the impressive videos this week unless they’re away from the Vegas Strip. One of best viewing points for the Sphere visuals may be when riding the monorail.

According to Google, the venue is almost one mile east of the Vegas Strip. The walk is a little shorter from The Palazzo.

The Sphere is behind The Venetian/Palazzo and Wynn parking garage on Sands Avenue. It’s so big that it feels much closer to the Vegas Strip. 

However, these structures impede a direct view of the Sphere from the Vegas Strip. For what it’s worth, the Sphere is impressive enough to take the 10-15 minute walk from the casinos.

The Sphere At The Las Vegas Grand Prix

Yes, the Sphere is a great addition to the Las Vegas skyline but the pretty lights might be best showcased during the Las Vegas Grand Prix F1 race in November.

After seeing the visuals of the Sphere, I think the T-Mobile Zone at the Las Vegas Grand Prix might be one of the best places to watch the race. It looks like there are still tickets available for this part of the circuit. 

In addition to this visual stimulation, there will be concerts for ticketholders in this area.

Inside The Sphere

Personally, I’m more interested in what’s happening inside the Sphere. The tech specs make this seem like an IMAX venue for concerts.

I’m not an audiophile but my experience working with touring bands helps me understand some of the specifics. Below is a more simple explanation of what guests will experience inside the Sphere.

The circular venue has a 250-foot-high video screen. Guests will feel like they’re watching a movie or concert in a bowl.

Unlike most theaters and arenas there will be more than 160,000 speakers located throughout the venue. Most venues have speakers in next to the stage or screen. Some have speakers placed elsewhere but not this many.

The bass is my favorite instrument. This sound will come from below so guests will actually feel the powerful vibrations.

The haptic seats in the venue can vibrate to match what’s being shown on the screen giving viewers a 4D feel. Heads up, not all of the seats have the haptic feature.

The Sphere is not an ordinary theater or concert venue.

Imagine seeing a band with amazing visuals to go along with music that you love. U2 is the first band confirmed to play the Shere. Both Phish and Harry Styles have been rumored to be playing shows at the Sphere.

There’s one specific music group that I’d like to see at the Sphere. I think Tool is the only band I love and could use the Sphere to its fullest capacity.

You can see a sample of some of their live visuals here. The band isn’t the same as I fell in love with but I still enjoy the heavy prog rock the band plays live now.

The exterior of the Sphere is getting the shine today but the plans for an unmatched audio/visual experience for concerts sound out of this world.

The post The Sphere Lights Up Las Vegas But Inside Could Be The Real Gamechanger appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News July 1, 2023

Welcome to a very special birthday edition of Vegas News! This one will be a doozy since it covers most of June and previews a little bit of July and July 4 Fireworks!

The good news is that the first news item will never get old for some fans of Las Vegas. Even this sports fan that doesn’t follow hockey enjoyed seeing so many people enjoying the Vegas Golden Knights.

Enough with the introduction. Let’s get to the Vegas News!

You may have heard that the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup for the NHL championship. The scene outside of T-Mobile Arena during the series’ last game was great. Here it is in case you missed it:

Station Casinos is renovating Green Valley Ranch similarly to what the company did to Red Rock Casino last year. Read more here.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority put together a list of things to do during the July 4 weekend. Read more here. 

The pools at PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort were shut down by the Southern Nevada Health District. Read more here.

Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Sports Kitchen at Horseshoe/Paris is accepting reservations beginning June 29. See more here. 

Awakening

“Awakening” at Wynn is back. Read more here. 

When the Vegas Golden Knights were celebrating their Stanley Cup victory at Wet Republic I learned that dayclub has something called a Tot Yacht with a billion tater tots. See the cup, $500 worth of tots, and players below.

The New Plaza

The Plaza reimagination is complete. All of the new venues at the downtown Las Vegas casino are open.

I shared pics and info about the Carousel Bar when I visited during the soft opening. You can see pics and read about the bar here.

Last week I went to the ribbon-cutting ceremony to check out the other new features. I don’t go to many media events but I knew this would be something I’d enjoy so I wanted to check everything out as soon as possible.

The smoke-free BC Slots room is nice but it looks like it might be a little tight when busy. That said, it’s clean and has plenty of games. You can see a few pics below.

If you’re a fan of Brian Christopher, he’ll be making monthly visits to the new room at the Plaza.

The 10th Pinkbox location in Las Vegas is now open at the Plaza. I haven’t been to one of the doughnut shops since before the pandemic. The doughnuts are as good as I remember and the cold brew was delicious. You can see a few pics below.

During the ceremony, the owner of Pinkbox mentioned they were expanding out of Las Vegas soon. Look for details in the future.

One more item about The Plaza. The property is having a contest to name a showgirl at Carousel Bar. There are solid prizes for the winner. Get more info and sign up here.  

I like the additions at the Plaza. It will take some time to get used to the look visually but I’m not too sentimental so I think I’ll grow accustomed to it quickly.

The smoke-free room is a great idea. The casino floor at Plaza always feels too smokey. It’s great to have a gambling space without smokers.  

Pinkbox is a nice addition to the Plaza. Depending on the day it’s either open 24 hours (weekends) or opens at 5 am. As an early riser, I love the ability to get my first cold brew before the sun is up. The doughnuts are great and addictive. Consider this a warning about the sugary treats.

Let’s get to the rest of the news in and around Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

The Hangover is 14 years old. Just sharing.

• Nevada’s Governor signed a bill to help fund a new baseball stadium on some of the land where the Tropicana currently stands for the Oakland A’s when they move to Las Vegas. Read more here.
• The deal isn’t complete yet as MLB has to approve the move. 
• Bally’s doesn’t have a plan for the non-stadium portion of the land just yet and may not touch the casino for another two years. Read more here. 
• Caesars finally updated its Nevada sportsbook app to the same tech used around the country. Read more here.  
• Coincidentally, the company also changed how sports bettors earn Caesars Rewards points. See the tweet here.
• The Binions Million Dollar display is back. See the hype video here.
• NBA Summer League is one of the best entertainment values in Las Vegas during July. This year the league added NBA Con. Read more here.
• I’m unsure if I missed this rumor but I’m sharing it now. Phish might do a residency at The Sphere. Read more here.
• Enjoy a fun read from a person who forgot their iPad at Circa and how it ended up in Oklahoma then China here.
• Chicken Guy is now open at the Caesars Palace Las Vegas food court. Read more here.  
• CHICKEN GUY is my favorite restaurant name since JACK POTS opened at Circa.
• Lily Bar at Bellagio is closing. The press release didn’t have much information but I believe this will become the Bruno Mars Lounge. Read more here.
• Taxi prices are going up for the first time since 2015. See specifics here. 
• The MGM Rewards “gaming day” is now 12a-12a instead of 6a-6a. Just something to keep in mind for those concerned with their ADT or taking part in their point accumulation promotions. See the tweet with the info here.
• Bruno Mars added two shows in August to his Park MGM residency. Read more here.
• Resorts World made some changes to Genting Rewards. Read more here. 
• Resorts World Las Vegas launched a new national branding campaign as part of the new branding. Read the press release here.  
• The casino has been working on this campaign since late 2021 according to its website. If this is true, the company realized the launch campaign was bad after about six months and spent about a year and a half to come up with the new campaign. You can see the ad here.
• Jackson Brown is playing five shows at The Venetian in October. Read more here.
• The CEO of Wynn Resorts signed a contract extension. Read more here. 
• Mohegan Sun, the casino inside Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, has a partnership with Virgin Voyages. Read more here.
• The Vegas Strip monorail will operate for at least three more years. Read more here.
• The Mirage has been fairly active with the types of promotions only locals casinos do in Las Vegas. Check out the slot multiplier for upper-tier Unity rewards members here.
• Speaking of The Mirage, I just noticed that the grandstands for the Las Vegas Grand Prix have space so people can see the volcanos during the race. Check out a screenshot of the rending below.

• The last batch of Las Vegas Grand Prix tickets is now on sale. It looks like more than half the sections are sold out. See what’s available here.
• Hilton Grand Vacations will have a hospitality area at Elara on Harmon. You may know Elara as the time-share hotel in the Miracle Mile Shops that are connected to PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort. Read more here.
• The Sphere Zone of the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit sounds like fun. Read more here.
• You can see a short rendering video or the Sphere Zone here.
• It looks like Netflix will be recording a golf event with pro golfers and F1 drivers in Las Vegas later this year. Details are slim but you can read more here.
• Construction on the OVG arena being planned for south of Mandalay Bay might start next year. Also, it might not. Read more here.  
• Ocean Prime Steakhouse is now open. Read more here.
• Wynn is having a car show in November. Some cars will parade down the Vegas Strip. Read more here.
• Someone is trying to legalize brothels in Las Vegas. Read more here.   
• A new non-gaming hotel will be built near Allegiant Stadium. Read more here.
• Angel Park golf course has been sold. Read more here. 
• A jewelry store at the Caesars Palace Forum Shops has reopened. Read more here. 
• Rampart Casino has a “Snowbird Form” so people can temporarily opt out of marketing if a person is having issues with their gambling. See the letter here.  
• It looks like Raiding The Rock Vault will remain at the Hard Rock Cafe on the Vegas Strip until June 2024. See the tip here.  
• Enchant Las Vegas is returning to Las Vegas Ballpark across the street from Red Rock Casino for Christmas. Read more here.  
• Elon Musk might fight Mark Zuckerberg in Las Vegas. Read more here. 
• On a related note, I’m still waiting to see a schedule of when the new Boring Vegas Loop stations will be opening.
• Circa Sports Ultimate Contest Weekend is back in August. Read more here.   
• Looks like there will finally be some cannabis consumption lounges before the year is over. It appears as though Thrive will be first. This is located near Resorts World and Sapphire. Read more here. 
• South Point has a $2 million Bingo Extravaganza in July. Read more here.  
• If you’re flush with cash, you can invest in Electric Playhouse’s Las Vegas – a venue with “interactive and immersive experiences” looking to open inside the Caesars Palace Forum Shops. Read more here.
• Avelo Airlines now flies to and from Las Vegas from cities like Dubuque, IA, and Bend, OR. Read more here.
• Everi, the company that makes most of the bill breaker/ATMs in Las Vegas casinos is now working with Inter Miami soccer team. This has nothing to do with casinos today but it’s interesting to see what else the company can do. Read more here.
• The Onion did a funny about Las Vegas stadiums. Read it here.
• Zouk, the club at Resorts World, is expanding to Los Angeles. Read more here.
• Caesars is bringing a Lisa Vanderpump restaurant to Lake Tahoe for the first time. Read more here.
• There’s a thing called Las Vegas Spaceport. Read more here.
• You can see some pictures of the Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup celebration here.

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Vegas News June 7, 2023

I like to change the format of Vegas News every now and again. This week will be all Quick Hits-style with a bunch of embedded tweets with pictures for visual interest. Also, pay close attention to the Fontainebleau Room Preview, which is making this new casino resort seem “more real.”

Marc’s Royal!

We’ll start off with some fun personal news. I hit my first royal flush since before the Covid-19 pandemic. Yeehaw!

Me: superstitions are dumb
Also me: I’m wearing different clothes because gambling has been awful lately.
Result: pic.twitter.com/7bDH6uwI6s

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) May 25, 2023

This was my first time getting a royal flush outside a casino. This hand was at my local PT’s Tavern. The bar and restaurant chain has half-off drinks during Happy Hour. I found one of the best deals on booze at this bar a few weeks ago. There are a couple of locations near the Vegas Strip for those of you not interested to venture too far from the action. Learn more about PTs here.  

PariShoe?

The World Series of Poker is underway at Paris/Horseshoe Las Vegas (PariShoe?). Read more here.

Here’s a teaser about what the Rio rewards program might look like after Caesars Entertainment leaves RIO All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel and Casino later this year. Read more here.  

Fontainebleau Las Vegas

I found a couple of Fontainebleau hotel room renderings on the hotel meeting page. What do you think?

A couple of Fontainebleau room renderings from its meeting pageshttps://t.co/5sffhCEKl1 pic.twitter.com/MOjWB2C8Kr

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) May 25, 2023

Fontainebleau Room Preview

You can see more Fontainebleau renderings here.  

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• Once again, The Strat has free self-parking for locals. See the tweet here.
• You may have heard rumors about dice cheats playing Roll To Win Craps last year. Read about some of those rumors here.  
• The Nevada Gaming Control Board has some official information about the Roll to Win cheating at the Cosmopolitan. Read more here.
• MGM Resorts has a new table game video and photo policy. You can see it here. 
• I stopped by the new Carousel Bar outside of the Plaza for a quick beer. You can see some pics below.

Stopped by @PlazaLasVegas @carouselbarlv and had a tasty Kona. Nice bar. Video poker still hates me. Beer doesn’t. pic.twitter.com/sjHCDwRMQj

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) May 23, 2023

• Only well drinks and draft beer are comps when playing video poker. The excellent local beer menu and signature cocktails are available for purchase. I’ll explore the menu another time. This was just a quick trip to see what the bar was like.
• Speaking of new things at the Plaza, the new BC Slots room is open at the Plaza.
• Garth Brooks added more shows at Caesars Palace Las Vegas next year. Read more here.
• The new Bellagio Botanical Gardens and Conservatory display is up. See more below and read more here. 

A few press pics of the new display at Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens pic.twitter.com/Y9QLwSuUU3

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) May 31, 2023

• Genting reported earnings. Evidently, Resorts World Las Vegas hasn’t been marketing to conventiongoers. It should be noted this is the only casino with a Tesla transportation station that goes right to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Read more here.
• You can see more about the convention center the casino is planning here.
• Convention space is one of the least expensive ways for a casino to expand since it’s essentially just building four walls with space that isn’t used often.
• Resorts World updated its rewards program. You can see the new tier levels and benefits here.
• Poolside blackjack is open at Red Rock Casino. Like all other outdoor blackjack games, this pays 6:5 for a natural blackjack.

Incredible weather calls for blackjack poolside. pic.twitter.com/L8lrQrB0Hb

— Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa Las Vegas (@redrockcasino) May 26, 2023

• Registration is open for the Circa Sports pro football contests. The total guaranteed prize pool is $14 million. Read more here.   
• The Raiders are good for business at MGM Resorts hotels. CEO Bill Hornbuckle said, “It was the biggest booking day we had in 2023.” See more here.  
• Read about the Oakland A’s stadium bill from Nevada here. 
• I’m not spending much time on this topic until everything is done and approved. You can see a few unrealistic renderings of the A’s stadium below.

• The A’s say 70% of fans will be Las Vegas locals if they move. Obviously, they want 4 pm games to cater to the tourists that will make up 30% of those in attendance. Read more here. 
• Four of the top 10 paid hotel CEOs operate Las Vegas properties. Read more here. 
• The Bellagio buffet is serving dinner once again. Read more here.   
• Katy Perry is getting a Viva Vision show at the Fremont Street Experience. Read more here. 
• The Tropicana is opening a new Poker Room. Read more here.
• See renderings and learn more about the new shopping plaza replacing the Hawaiian Marketplace here.
• More Las Vegas Grand Prix tickets will go on sale on June 9. Read more here.
• F1 announced entertainment for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Read more here. 
• It seems as if there isn’t a day when F1 is adding hospitality for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Read about Club Paris, SI, and skunky beer house here. 
• MGM Resorts is now a partner with the Haas racing team. Read more here.
• This EA sports simulation of the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit is the best I’ve seen to date. You can see a preview below.

• EA isn’t allowing embeds. You can see the full circuit here. 
• The dolphins at The Mirage have been moved. Read more here. 
• The Stranger Things store at the Showcase Mall (across from Park MGM) is now open. Read more here.
• Tickets to see The (golf) Match at Wynn are $250 each. Read more here.
• Restaurant Week is June 5-16. See the special menus here.   
• A Spice Girls tribute is opening at the Excalibur in July. Read more here.
• EDC was as much fun as always. Read more here.
• A baby was born during EDC. Read more here.
• I watch the first half of the show on YouTube on my ipad, laptop or TV depending on my mood. One thing I noticed was that someone at EDC loves hot dads. Also, people in the chat were making fun of the Boston Celtics for getting destroyed.

• Planet Hollywood restaurant at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace has closed. Read more here.
• Olives at Virgin has closed. Read more here.  
• Casino Royale might be going away. Read more here.
• Donut Bar in downtown Las Vegas is closing and being replaced with another donut shop. Read more here. 
• Fluer at Mandalay Bay is closing. There’s no information on what will be replacing it. Read more here.
• Lexi, formerly Artisan, is now open and currently has a few cannabis-friendly rooms. Read more here.
• Wynn has a car show in November. Read more here.
• A California-inspired restaurant will open at Durango Casino. See renderings and read more here.
• A Snacks expo is coming to Las Vegas! Read more here.
• This is a double edition of Vegas News. The day before this was started I got a Royal Flush! I got another one the day before putting the finishing touches on this column!

Last and certainly least, I stopped off to see what a pop-up casino was all about. It was everything I expected. 

Pop Up Casino

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Vegas News May 26, 2023

“Two-Year Saga”

The two-year saga about the Oakland A’s possibly moving to Las Vegas might finally be coming to the finish line. Also, in other sports news, be sure to check out NBA Con!

The Las Vegas option appears to be down to the Tropicana property owned by GLPI and Bally’s. Bally’s is already informing Tropicana employees that the end is near. 

For what it’s worth, the end could be near regardless if the A’s build or don’t build a baseball stadium on the land. That’s a story for another day but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some major changes at the Tropicana regardless.

The option for the A’s to build a new stadium and keep playing in Oakland is still on the table. Surprise! 

It’s almost as though the A’s ownership has been using Las Vegas as a bargaining tool for two years. 

Now the A’s have a tentative deal with Nevada politicians to move to Las Vegas.

By the time you read this, a deal could be done. Let’s move on to the rest of the news in and around Las Vegas.

Plaza Carousel Bar Is Open

Plaza's new Carousel Bar opens in a few minutes. Here are some pictures. We'll have some videos on our YouTube channel later today: https://t.co/n5U7I4OcJe pic.twitter.com/GYIMIGYFrF

— Vegas Advantage (@Vegas_Advantage) May 20, 2023

The Carousel Bar outside of the Plaza is open!

Carousel Bar – Soft Opening

This is the soft opening period as the property works out the kinks ahead of the grand opening on June 8. The bar is currently open from noon to midnight daily. 

After some consideration, the Plaza will comp well drinks and beer for video poker, slot, and keno players at the outside bar. The signature cocktails look great but will not be available as complimentary drinks. 

The cocktail menu at Carousel Bar has a significant number of local Las Vegas beers. The beers are $10-$14 and signature cocktails are $14-$20. The prices are fair but not the amazing value some expect at downtown Las Vegas casinos. 

John Mehaffy made it down to the opening day and scoped out the video poker paytables. The return to player for these games is unsurprisingly in the 97% range. You can see specifics here. 

One surprise is that smoking is not allowed at the outdoor bar. No complaints here.

I was asked about the lights above the bar so I reached out to PR for some intel. Here’s some information you may or may not know straight from the horse’s mouth: 

“Plaza lights Light bulbs along Main Street were replaced with LED lights in 2017. The lights that connect to that awning and go in front of Pinkbox and the doorway to the Plaza are also LED lights. The bulbs right above the Carousel Bar under the dome are cold cathode bulbs. Many bulbs throughout the space are being cleaned and fixed as part of this project.” 

I’m looking forward to checking out the bar. If all goes well, I’ll be visiting before you read this.

Let’s get to the rest of the news in and around Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

The World’s Highest basketball shop took place at The Strat last week. 

• Brasserie B by Bobby Flay is replacing Old Homestead at Caesars Palace Las Vegas later this year. Read more about the French Restaurant here.
• Don’t get too twisted if you’re looking for steak at Caesars Palace. Peter Luger should open around the time Old Homestead closes. If you’re looking for a steakhouse at the property, you can head to Joe’s Prime in the The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. It’s a popular option if you don’t mind eating at a chain restaurant in a mall. Read more here.  
• Great news for Peppermill fans. The restaurant will be open 24 hours a day on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays once again. Read more here.
• This is wild. The MSG Sphere has obstructed view seats! In 2023! Read more here.
• More fallout from the over-budget MSG Sphere is that the company could be selling the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. You may remember the company recently sold TAO. Read more here.  
• Remember when Caesars Entertainment said rebranding Bally’s as Horseshoe would bring good gambling back to the Vegas Strip? We all chuckled because we knew that wouldn’t be the case…and we were right! Read more here.
• Paris Las Vegas restauranteur Martha Stewart is one of four cover models for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Read and see more here.   

NBA Con – NBA Summer League

• NBA fans might be into this. NBA Con will take place at Mandalay Bay during NBA Summer League. This could be a fun way to see some pro basketball players, try new tech, buy limited edition merch, and more. Read (a lot) more here.  
• NBA Summer League is a great value for the price. Each general admission ticket gives ticket holders access to multiple games in two venues. This is an inexpensive way for basketball fans of all ages to spend a few hours in Las Vegas. Tickets aren’t on sale right now, but you can read more here.  
• Soccer fans – AC Milan is playing FC Barcelona at Allegiant Stadium on Aug. 1. Read more here.  
• The Las Vegas Raiders schedule has been announced. Prices for hotels during home games at Allegiant Stadium during the second half of the schedule aren’t as high as I expected. You can see the list of home and away games here.
• Lexi, the cannabis-friendly hotel replacing Artisan, opens in June. Read more here.  
• Three new casino-less Hooters are opening around Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Sometimes I find some very surprising news scouring my Las Vegas feed. This week I learned that there’s a White Castle Hall Of Fame. There’s a small Las Vegas connection. Read more here.
• Poker legend Doyle Brunson recently passed away. Read more here.

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Vegas News May 17, 2023

“Fresh Visit” – Cosmo

I’m fresh off my monthly overnight visit at The Cosmopolitan. Gambling was so bad that I forced myself to take at least a two-week break on everything other than sports betting. I haven’t been on this bad of a gambling run since returning to casinos after they closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s a solid run of not-awful gambling!

My visits to The Cosmopolitan are usually for relaxing but every now and I stumble across some news.

Everyone I spoke with at The Cosmopolitan about MGM Rewards had a different guestimate as to when the property will be integrated into the program. Every person was projecting farther away. This is in line with the MGM Resorts earnings call a couple of weeks ago.

Cosmo – Starbucks – Mobile Ordering

I’m happy to report that Starbucks at The Cosmopolitan is now accepting mobile orders. I must have been one of the first because there’s no special pickup area set up yet. I had to ask for my coffee and surprisingly decent chocolate croissant.

The order was just behind the counter. Expect to see a more traditional pickup area soon. Coffee lines in Las Vegas can be loooooong and having a way to circumvent the wait is great. Starbucks is probably the third best coffee at The Cosmopolitan but not waiting in line is sometimes more important.

I saw rumors that The Cosmopolitan removed the Britney Spears slot machines just before my last visit. Unfortunately, I can confirm they’re gone. The old machines were replaced with more Dragon Link slots. See the pic here.  

You can see a pic of the Britney slots at The Cosmopolitan from last year here.

I Don’t Complain – But…

I don’t complain about the accommodations at The Cosmopolitan often because even the worst rooms are nicer than most comps I receive. However, the room I had during this last visit wasn’t great. The couch was uncomfortable and the works space was almost unusable. I was able to bang out a little bit of work but the “desk” was obnoxious and I had to bail. Check it out here.  

Former Hawaiian Marketplace Land

The room had a sweet view of the former Hawaiian Marketplace land. You can see that here.

Vital Vegas shared some renderings of what the Hawaiian Marketplace will eventually become. You can see the art here.

The Cosmopolitan is finally filling the Estiatorio Milos restaurant space. LPM Restaurant and Bar will open this fall. Read about the new French restaurant here. 

That’s enough about The Cosmopolitan. Let’s get to the rest of the news in and around Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• F1 announced something unique for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. One of the car sponsors, Red Bull, will have its own fan section at the race. One ticket gives fans access to the Energy Station, Grandstand, and Fan Zone. Max Verstappen fans can also purchase special “Orange Army” tickets. Read more here. 
• We already know Las Vegas will be a cluster during the Las Vegas Grand Prix. This article is a reminder that there will be LOTS of walking during race weekend. Read about it here. 
• Construction on temporary structures for the Las Vegas Grand Prix will begin this summer. Unlike paving the roads, this shouldn’t cause too much traffic. Read more here.
• The big news today about the Oakland A’s possibly moving to Las Vegas is that the Tropicana will be destroyed and there will be a new casino to go along with the baseball stadium. Read more here.
• Bally’s had no information about the Tropicana during its earnings call. Stay tuned to As The A’s World Turns for new drama. The company did confirm the land deal. Read more here.
• It appears as though batters will face the Vegas Strip. See the tweet here.
• The Dorsey at The Venetian is being changed into Juliet Cocktail Room. The venue will have dueling pianos. Read more here.   
• U2 added eight more shows to its limited engagement at the MSG Sphere. Read more here.
• Speaking of The Sphere, the budget to build the entertainment venue is now up to $2.3 million. Read more here.
• Wynn’s first-quarter earnings were fantastic. Read the press release here.
• During the earnings call, a Wynn rep mentioned the company had its best April ever. This is a glimpse into second-quarter earnings. 
• I had one takeaway from Wynn’s earnings report. Occupancy was 88% for the quarter and the average daily hotel rate was $493. That’s almost $500 on average. 
• I missed this one since I don’t pay close attention to the casino biz outside of the US. You can find more renderings and info on Wynn’s UAE property in the presentation here.  ​​ 
• Wynn Las Vegas is hosting The Match golf event between Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce will take on Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in June. Read more here.
• Last Wynn Las Vegas note, the casino is hosting a pop-up restaurant this summer from Min Kim. Read more here. 
• El Cortez is expanding next year! Read more here.
• Four Seasons is opening private residencies in Henderson. Read more here and see the website for more info here.  
• I missed this one when it was first announced in late April. Luxor is opening “Play Playground.” This will be “a multi-dimensional, dynamic world that stimulates all the senses and facilitates social interaction through bespoke social games.” Read more here.
• Circa will be revealing its sports gambling Hall of Fame in its sportsbook later this year. Read more here.  
• Circa and The D are following the Plaza in already promoting their 2024 Super Bowl watch parties in downtown Las Vegas. See prices and more here.
• Depending on when you read this, the outdoor bar at Plaza might be opened. The soft opening should happen by May 20 at noon. The grand opening should happen shortly after. At the time I’m writing this, the casino wasn’t sure if video poker players would receive complimentary drinks. 
• It’s 2023 and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons have a Las Vegas residency at the Westgate. Read more here.   
• This Robot Coffee Shop in New York City is powered by a company in Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Ellis Island has a new high-limit slot room and it’s bigger than you might expect. Read and see more here.

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Vegas News May 11, 2023

Casino Earnings

The casino earnings season is over. All of the corporations had a great first quarter financially. You can see the earnings report press releases below if you care about the numbers:

• MGM Resorts first-quarter earnings  
• Caesars  first-quarter earnings  
• Red Rock (Station Casinos) first-quarter earnings  

I’ll go deeper into some of the financials and also share some news from the three casino corporations. 

Casino Earnings News And Takeaways

Caesars Earnings News

• Caesars confirmed the news about the Paris Las Vegas expansion prior to its earnings call. If you missed this last week, you can read and see more here.  
• Simply changing the name of the hotel tower from Horseshoe Las Vegas to Paris will increase room prices. Caesars says that room and non-gaming spending at Paris is significantly higher than at Horseshoe but didn’t give specifics. I was hoping for more specifics. 
• During the call, Caesars said the balcony rooms at Paris Las Vegas will be the most expensive outside of villas. I assume the Villas are all at Caesars Palace Las Vegas.
• It seems as though the Vegas Strip frontage at Flamingo will see a makeover with new food and beverage options. This was a passing comment and there are no specifics on this. 
• During the first quarter, groups and convention goers accounted for 21% of rooms at Caesars Las Vegas properties. This was higher than usual. These visitors are important for casino operators as they pay more for everything. 
• Caesars confirmed that, like every other casino operator, they’re trying to push out low-margin guests by bringing in more high-profit customers. These are typically midweek conventioners and those visiting for big shows and sports. 
• The company says Nevada will get a new sports betting app by football season. They said the same thing last year. Read about that here.

Red Rock Earnings News

• Like the Vegas Strip casinos, Red Rock is seeing higher Average Daily Room rates. The company is also seeing bigger checks at food and beverage locations. We know everything costs more than previous years but it’s interesting to hear an off-strip casino operator confirm prices are affecting all properties.
• The company has a non-disclosure agreement about the A’s deal so it couldn’t say much about the land deal.
• However, Red Rock did say the sale should close in the fourth quarter.
• It also sounds like Red Rock will sell the remaining land it owns after the A’s deal is completed since that should raise the value of the land.
• Durango is still on target to open during the fourth quarter. The company is considering Phase two for the property. Don’t expect details on this for a while – if at all. 
• Red Rock is expanding the casino floor at Durango with an additional 360 slot machines.

MGM Resorts Earnings News

• There’s still no timetable on when Cosmopolitan will be integrated into MGM Rewards.
• My hunch is this is taking longer than expected. I’ve heard a couple of rumors that this could remain an Identity property for longer than expected. Stay tuned but don’t get too wound up either way. This is a fluid situation.
• It sounds like MGM Grand and New York-New York are getting new restaurants this year. There were no specifics on what is coming or going. 
• Bellagio has a renovated baccarat room. I’m not sure if this is new but it’s news to me. 
• MGM is expecting the fourth quarter this year to be better than 2019 with Raiders games and the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

That’s enough earnings highlights. Let’s get to the rest of the news in and around Las Vegas. 

Las Vegas Quick Hits

The Plaza is teasing a new entrance. We should be a couple of weeks from seeing some of the additions to the property. I look forward to seeing more.

A new entrance coming soon to @PlazaLasVegas pic.twitter.com/rUFtNqaMuw

— Jonathan Jossel (@JonathanJossel) May 2, 2023

• The Plaza is also getting an early start promoting its 2024 Super Bowl Party. Read more here.
• Reminder that the Big Game is in Las Vegas next year. Prices for hotel rooms will likely be higher than usual for the Super Bowl. Additionally, reservations at restaurants will be booked quicker. I’m an early planner but it sounds like anyone planning to be in Las Vegas should prepare sooner than later.
• Live Nation Concert Week has thousands of shows for $25 all-in (no fees). This takes place until May 16. Get tickets and more info here. You can see a tweet with the Las Vegas shows available here.
• Fontainebleau dropped a press release about its new career website. Check it out here.
• In that release, the company mentioned the property will open in December. Previously, the company was using the fourth quarter as a time frame. Read more here.   
• The pool complex at Fontainebleau is coming along nicely. You can see a drone video above. I took a few screenshots for those who just want the good stuff. 

• The might be a pop-up casino near Fontainebleau and the Las Vegas Convention Center. Read more here.
• The Las Vegas Convention And Visitors Authority put a primer for those visiting on Memorial Day Weekend. Read it here. 
• The new owners of the Rio say they are considering building a bridge to Caesars Palace Las Vegas. Don’t expect to see this happen but you can read more here.
• Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Cheifs are playing Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors in The (Golf) Match at Wynn Las Vegas in June. Read more here.
• TMZ says there are two new Vanderpump locations opening at Caesars Entertainment properties. There are no specific locations. Read more here.
• Clark County approved Boring to build 18 stations. If the company continues opening one station a year this will be completed in the 2040s. See the announcement here.   
• As usual, there’s no timeline with the Boring Stations so don’t get too excited.
• The STN Charms marketplace is now open if you want to buy or sell. Check it out here.
• The new Voltagio Brothers restaurant opened at Mandalay Bay. See a bunch of pics here.   
• A Stranger Things pop-up short is coming to the Showcase Mall. Read more here.

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Vegas News May 6, 2023

U2 Shows

I had a moment with U2 when I was in college. Those days are long gone, but I can appreciate that many people my age still passionately love the band. I still love plenty of bands from my college years. You’ll see a few of those below.

Tickets for U2’s shows at MSG Sphere At The Venetian sold out during the presale. The least expensive ticket was $140, and 40% of tickets were $300 or more.

Last week we told you about Vibee selling hotel/ticket packages/experiences. This week the company shared its U2 packages and there are still some available. The good news is that U2 packages are less than the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The bad news is that the prices would probably be similar if the packages had three days of U2 show tickets.

U2 Shows – Vibee U2 and VIP Packages

Regular Vibee U2 hotel room packages are $750+. See the remaining packages here.  

Vibee’s U2 VIP packages are more than $1,700 per person. See the remaining packages here.

Variety poses the possibility that these 17 shows might be the only performances. The Edge doesn’t see this as a long-term residency, and the band probably doesn’t need the money, so it’s possible. Read more here.  

If you want to check out the MSG Sphere but don’t want to pay for U2 tickets, you can see “Postcard From Earth” for $50. The website has more info on showtimes and tickets here.  

Similarly, if you ever want to check out Allegiant Stadium but don’t want to pay for Raiders or concert tickets you can go to a UNLV football game or pay for a tour. You can find info on tours here.  

Outside Of Las Vegas

Wynn released some information about its new property coming to the United Arab Emirates. I’m highlighting this because I love the rendering above.

You can see more renderings and read about the property here.   

Let’s get back to the news in and around Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• There was a small fire at Horseshoe Las Vegas last week. Read more here.  
• It looks like one of the hotel towers at Horseshoe will become part of Paris Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Caesars Entertainment confirms the news about Paris here.
• Boyd Gaming reported earnings last week. As usual, the company did well in Las Vegas. Read more here.
• The one bit of interesting news from the Boyd earnings call was that the company plans to renovate Main Street Station hotel rooms later this year. There’s no timeline for the refresh yet.
• Golden Gate closed its Circa sportsbook counter last week. The space is now being used for slot machines. There’s a kiosk for sports betting. This isn’t much of a deal as this wasn’t a place to sit and watch the games. A kiosk is probably sufficient with the great Circa sportsbook across the street.
• Missed this last week, but Vital Vegas shared some opening dates for the new stuff at the Plaza. The outdoor carousel bar will open very soon. You can see the rest below.

• Scott (Vital Vegas) also tweets that the bar won’t offer complimentary drinks to video poker players. 
• I have mixed feelings about this. One on hand, I like complimentary drinks. On the other hand, the bar should be busy enough not to need comp drinks to draw a crowd, so why would they spend the money?

California To Las Vegas Train Story

• The CA to Las Vegas train story from the past decade is making mainstream news! Read more here.
• Lionel Richie’s residency at Wynn Las Vegas has more shows in October. See the new dates here.
• The Fremont Street Experience released the first batch of free concerts this summer. See the list here.  
• The bands I’d consider dealing with the huge crowds to see are all from my college years. If I head downtown for a show it will be to see the Toadies, Live, or the Gin Blossoms. 
• YO! Who’s in for a four-foot (boozy) milkshake? Read more here. 
• Resorts World added a few more shows to the Carrie Underwood residency. Read more here. 
• A lot of people are still moving to Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Clark County approved a tiger-free magic show. Read more here.
• Frankie Moreno’s residency is returning to Palms. Read more here.
• Penn Rewards is replacing MyChoice at M Resort and other Penn Entertainment casinos. Read more here.
• You can rent out the entire Todd English Hotel. It will cost you $1 million during the Las Vegas Grand Prix and you’ll be miles away from the race that you won’t have tickets to see. Read more here.
• The street between Pizza Rock and Downtown Grand is closed to traffic. See pics here.  
• Follow Casey Pratt on Twitter if you’d like to keep up with the A’s Oakland and Las Vegas mess. This tweet follows a lot of the news I shared last week with regard to the deal to move not being finished yet.
• The maths about the potential tax to build an MLB stadium seem fun. Read about it here.
• The Westgate has an immersive light festival too. Read and see more here. 

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We’re big fans of the free stuff around here. Free air? Free hotel? Free money? All of the above? Absolutely. But because of a new promotion, we’re going back to one of our old favorites; the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card (For business owners, the Chase Ink Unlimited is still a great choice.).

We’ve talked about the card in the past and tend to recommend it when they offer more than 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to sign up.

Well, time to take notice. A few days ago, Chase announced that they are upping the game on the Sapphire Preferred Card with a limited-time only promotion. The bonus is a whopping 80,000 points, one of the highest that we’ve ever seen.

Do you like Las Vegas luxury? Good, because those points can also get you as many as four free nights at Aria, Bellagio and Delano. And if you don’t want the luxury properties? Grab up to nine nights at the other MGM properties.

Added bonus: Be sure to read the rental card details. They’ll also save you a fortune at the airport, or anywhere else you rent a car.

$1,000 Credit Card Bonus to Sign up

One of the things that I love about Chase is the huge rewards that they give you when you sign up for a credit card. Such is the case with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. They’re currently running an all-time high credit card bonus, offering 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

What can all of those points get you? How about:

• $800 in cash. One UR points is worth a penny. Treat yourself and your favorite traveling companion to a Las Vegas buffet and have plenty left over for the tables.
• $1,000 in travel. Hopefully, you’ll be doing some traveling soon, so if you use those points to pay for travel through the Chase travel portal, they’ll give you a 25% bonus in value.
• Exchange to an airline or hotel. You have ten airline partners and three hotel partners to choose from. In the US, the airlines include Southwest, JetBlue and United. Outside the country? British Airways, Singapore and Air France/KLM are on the list. Most points exchange 1:1.
• Use the “Southwest loophole” to your benefit. Southwest points have a cash value of 1.4-1.6 cents each (It rarely varies more than 0.1 cents either way.). In other words, 10,000 points will buy you a ticket on a flight that costs around $150. That means that 80,000 UR points will translate to over $1,200 in Southwest travel.

Free Hotel Stays in Las Vegas: 4 Nights at Aria, anyone?

The best play with the sign-up bonus may be one that you wouldn’t think of right away: Transfer them to hotel points, specifically Hyatt. Why? Because Hyatt has a partnership with MGM, so you can use those World of Hyatt points at almost any MGM property. Even better, you can book them right on Hyatt’s website.

Weekends – Weekends – Weekends

This feature is particularly useful on the weekends, when hotel prices soar. Just for the fun of it, I priced October 8-12. I picked that time because it’s normally when I go to Las Vegas, given how nice the weather is.

Here’s what I got, both in cash and points:

• Bellagio ($400/night), Delano ($409/night) and Aria ($451 per night): Available for 21,000 Hyatt points per night.
• The Signature, Vdara, Mandalay Bay and NoMad (rooms $200-400/night): Available for 17,000 points per night.
• New York – New York, MGM Grand, Park MGM ($200-240/night): Available for 12,000 points per night.
• Luxor, Excalibur, Hyatt Place ($50-200/night): 9,000 points per night.

What to Know When Using Hyatt Points in Las Vegas:

• Sorry, you still have to pay resort fees unless you are staying at an actual Hyatt property. Just another reason we hate resort fees.
• The least expensive rates are “off-peak,” which, in Las Vegas, generally means Sunday through Thursday. If you want to include Friday and Saturday nights, you can probably max out at three nights at the luxury properties. On a dollar per point basis, though, that might be an even better deal than mid-week.
• Hyatt also offers “cash and points” rates, which cost you half the amount of points plus a co-pay. These rates could offer anywhere from poor to extremely good value, based on what how the hotel is pricing the room.

Don’t Underestimate the Huge Rental Car Insurance Benefit

If you ever rent cars, this alone is worth having the card: Primary rental car CDW/LDW (collision damage waiver) insurance when you book with the card. With primary coverage, if there’s an accident, Chase will handle it. You do NOT need to go through your own insurance company first or, for that matter, buy the expensive stuff through the rental car company. This benefit is virtually non-existent outside the Chase family. Normally, a credit card gives secondary coverage.

Just about every type of car is covered, although there a few exceptions, such as for luxury cars. Also, the CDW only covers the vehicle itself. You’ll want to make sure to have liability coverage for injury to others.

People are back on the roads and frankly, they’re driving like lunatics. We hope you never need to use this benefit but, if you do, it will save you a lot of time and money.

Bonus Points and Cash on Purchases

Most purchases on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card will earn you a point per dollar spent. Some are even better, though.

• Receive 5X points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, or 2X points on all other travel services.
• Dining earns 3X points.
• 3X points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases.
• Riding Lyft? That’s worth five points per dollar spent on rides through March 31, 2025.
• Each card “anniversary” will get you a 10% bonus through Ultimate Rewards
• Do you like DoorDash? Good, you’ll get a year of their premium DashPass services.
• Earn a statement credit for hotel accommodation purchases made through the Ultimate Rewards program, up to an annual maximum accumulation of $50.

Any Negatives?

A couple, but none of them is a big one.

• There’s a $95 annual fee. Some companies waive the fee the first year, but the benefits are simply too strong on this card for Chase to do so.
• You must not have either a Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve at the time of application, and you must not have received a bonus on either card within the last 48 months.

The post Up To Four Free Nights At Aria, Bellagio Or Delano Las Vegas With The Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News April 26, 2023

Increased Spending In Las Vegas

Spending in Las Vegas increased last year. You can read a press release that focuses on just a few items here. The full report isn’t too big. You can read that here.

The following stood out from the press release about the report “Total spending by visitors in 2022 outpaced the prior year by 24.4 percent and the 2019 total by 21.8 percent.” 

This sounds about right for visitors and residents like myself.

A’s Making Moves – Quick Hits Style

There’s a lot of mixed messaging about the A’s possibly moving to Las Vegas. To be clear – this is not a done deal.

The A’s do not own land in Las Vegas. The team does not have funding for a stadium yet. MLB will not grant the team permission to move until it has funding for a stadium.

The Oakland A’s signed a binding agreement to purchase half of Station Casinos’ land where Wild Wild West once operated. Read more here.

If everything falls in place, the construction of a new baseball stadium will begin next year and will be completed in time for the 2027 season.

• Station Casinos is only selling half of the land it owns. The company could sell or develop it. The A’s have to complete the deal before Station releases plans.
• The A’s don’t have funding for a Stadium but Nevada’s governor seems to be supportive of the plan for a $1 billion stadium. Read more here.
• In one day the price of the potential A’s stadium increased to $1.5 billion. Initially, $1.5 billion was the total price of building other entertainment venues on the land. Read more here.
• The A’s still have to negotiate with Clark County. Read more here.
• There’s a labor deal in place for when construction on the stadium begins. Read more here.
• If the A’s do move to Las Vegas the team could begin playing at Las Vegas Ballpark while the new stadium is under construction. Read more here.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned. If you’re curious about the subject, read baseball media not based in Las Vegas. Most of the mainstream news outlets are just cheerleaders for whatever makes Las Vegas look good in their eyes.

Let’s get to the rest of the news in and around Las Vegas

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• I haven’t explored the app (it was acting wonky when I downloaded it) but it appears as though Hard Rock Dice players can earn Unity Rewards to use at The Mirage and other Hard Rock properties. You can see the iOs app here.
• Hard Rock has a fun promotion for the Janet Jackson tour. I look forward to when the company starts doing things like this for tours in Las Vegas. Read more here.  
• Pearl Jam is selling tickets for their next tour at an all-in price and no fees. I look forward to a Las Vegas hotel following this model. Read more here.
• Blackstone is having financial problems and might sell its Las Vegas land at Bellagio and Cosmopolitan. Read more here.
• MGM just released the MGM Grand Summer Poker Festival schedule from May-July. Check it out here.  
• MGM also released dates for the Aria Poker Classic. Read more here.
• If you’re in MI, NJ, PA, or Ontario, CA, you can play online to win a trip to play in the BetMGM Poker Championship during the Aria Poker Classic. Read more here.  
• Wynn Las Vegas has new daily poker tournaments. See the tweet here.
• Katy Perry just announced the final 10 shows for her Resorts World residency. Read more and see the dates here.   
• Just a heads up that Resorts World is still matching Genting Rewards tiers with other casino rewards programs.
• The Mirage has a few new promotions for locals. This includes a rewards program upgrade for free self-parking. Read more here.
• Caesars Entertainment reports earnings in a couple of weeks but it prepping stock analysts now. It appears that occupancy at its Las Vegas hotels was 96-97% in the first quarter. We’ll get confirmation on this number soon. In the meantime, you can read more here. 
• Unless you’re a big spender, you might start seeing those comps turn into discounts at best. There are events almost every weekend and conventions or meetings during weekdays. 
• Speaking of big events, last week Blackpink dropped a teaser that the K-Pop group will play at Allegiant Stadium later this year. Allegiant Stadium announced the date for Aug. 18. You can listen to their latest album here and find ticket info here.  
• Erika Jayne, a real housewife of Beverly Hills, is doing 11 shows at Mandalay Bay. Read more here.
• Heads up that the WinPoker app is no longer in the App Store and if your mobile device offloads it you won’t be able to reload the app. I found out the hard way with my iPad last week.
• Red Rock is replacing Hearthstone with a Mexican restaurant. Read more here.
• MGM Resorts is another step closer to a casino in Osaka, Japan. Read more here.  
• You’ll be able to stream WSOP for 47 straight days. Read more here.
• It looks like you’ll have to check out the straight payout when looking at video poker paytables. Read more here.
• F1 topped off the paddock building for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. It’s about 60% completed and will be ready for the race in November. Read more here.  
• It looks like F1 will have more general admission seats for the LVGP next year. Read more here.
• Miami F1 prices are also ridiculous. Read more here.
• Las Vegas is the sixth-best city for cannabis even though you can’t legally enjoy the product in public. Read more here.
• Don’t be surprised when your favorite low-budget hotel dumps housekeeping. Read more here.  
• BravoCon is coming to the Caesars Forum in November. Read more here.
• Virgin is now a partner with the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Read more here.
• The Golden Nugget’s sports betting app no longer works. Read more here.
• The MSG Sphere at The Venetian confirmed details on the Postcard From Earth show. Read more here.
• I haven’t seen this elsewhere but Casino City says the Sphere is opening on 10/6 since that’s when show tickets are available. See more here.
• MSG sold Tao Group to help pay for the Sphere. Read more here.
• By the time you read this U2 may have announced residency dates at the MSG Sphere. Read the rumor here.
• Danzig is singing Elvis songs at the Tropicana. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being quietly canceled like the last time the Misfits were supposed to play Las Vegas. Read more here.
• There’s a chess festival coming to Resorts World. Read more here.
• Golden Monkey Tiki at Resorts World is open. It looks like a set for a high school play. See more here.
• Gogo bus is now available in Las Vegas. These can be used for party buses or meeting charters for large groups. Read more here and see Las Vegas specifics here.
• Single-game tickets for the Las Vegas Lights soccer team are available now. Find more info here.  
• The deal for land across from Luxor has closed. There are no specific plans yet but the motel on site could be demolished. Read more here.  
• Vinnie from Jersey Shore is coming back to Chippendales inside RIO All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Read more here.  
• A cannabis casino should be more fun than this sounds. Also, this is in Detroit. Read more here.   

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The post Vegas News | A’s Making Vegas Moves, Summer Poker And Spending in Las Vegas Is Up appeared first on TravelZork.