Vegas News June 20, 2022

The Plaza Hotel Casino Making Changes

The Plaza is making some changes to the historic downtown Las Vegas casino. The biggest modification to the property will take place before anyone walks into the casino. Plus Vegas NFT; and the rest of the news.

The former porte-cochere will become the Carousel Bar. The entire area will have sitting room for about 100 people. 

For me, the big news here is that the outdoor bar will have eight video poker machines. Hopefully, the Plaza continues to listen to its customers and has good paytables on these machines.

A Pinkbox donut shop will slide into the space that’s currently Studio 71. There will be a massive pink 3D doughnut with sprinkles at the entrance to the donut shop. 

The Studio 71 Instagram-friendly space will move into the new Brian Christopher Slots area. The new smoke-free slot machine space is away from the main casino floor and will hold 80 machines. The rest of the casino will still allow smoking. More on this later.

As previously announced, there will be outdoor seating for Oscar’s Steakhouse. This space will conveniently occupy the roof space created by building the new Brian Christopher Slots area. 

You can see more information and renderings here.

This announcement was framed as changing Main Street. While it touches on that road, there is more to come for Main Street. Plans should soon be revealed for the retail and dining offerings next door to the Plaza at the closed Greyhound Station.

A Vintage Casino Changes With The Times

It’s great to see a vintage casino change with the times. The renderings are interesting, to say the least. Many people seem to like the new look. 

The changes sound good to me. The shimmering lights will remain above the Carousel Bar so the space will still be connected to the history of the property. 

The updates to the Plaza should be completed before the year is over. I can’t wait to check out the additions. I’ll wait until I see everything in person before I form an opinion.

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

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• Sting added a handful of shows to his Caesars Palace Las Vegas residency in April 2023. Read more here.
• It looks like July 4 fireworks on the Vegas Strip will only take place above Caesars Palace Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Boring update: Boring Company was approved to run the Vegas Loop car service to downtown Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Someday the Boring tunnel will open at Resorts World. In the meantime, there are six more shows for the Luke Bryan residency. Read more here.
• I missed the shenanigans last week but was able to meet up with Mr. TravelZork for a tasty lunch at Wally’s inside Resorts World.
• I definitely lagged behind trying to take pictures of every elephant we walked by. Read about the cute Elephant Parade here.

A few pics of some of the elephants @ResortsWorldLV pic.twitter.com/CbPt2cT3f0

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) June 15, 2022

• Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the Golden Nugget, purchased land on the Vegas Strip in April. The deal closed this week. Fertitta still hasn’t offered information on what he plans to do with the land. Read more here. 
• Gabriel (Fluffy) Iglesias added a show at The Mirage this September. Read more here.
• There’s more Adele Drama that is resulting in nothing useful. Read more here if you have 45 seconds to waste.
• The OVG hotel-casino-arena being discussed for the south of Mandalay Bay on Las Vegas Blvd. added some employees. Read more here.
• I’m usually cynical about new projects that don’t make sense to me but the involvement of Irving Azoff makes gives me pause in mocking the reality of this OVG project. Read more about Azoff here.

Quick Hits – Vegas NFT ??? Vegas Vickie NFT Collection

• Circa has a Vegas Vickie NFT collection. Find out more information on this straight from the source here.
• The D is giving away Sigma Derby t-shirts on select dates through August. See the info sheet here.
• It appears as if Cirque du Soliel performers will be wearing masks again. See the memo here.
• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has 75 years of vintage Vegas pictures. Read more here and check out the website here.
• The Golden State Warriors celebrated winning the NBA championship at Resorts World. Read more here.
• It looks as though Circa replaced the security guards by the hotel elevators with plastic doors. See the pic here.
• Las Vegas’ first digital art museum, PERCEPTION Las Vegas, is now open on the north end of the Vegas Strip. Read more here. Visit the website for up-to-date info here.
• The number four and five activities in the US according to TripAdvisor users are technically in Las Vegas. Sadly, the activities in the desert didn’t make the worldwide list. Read more here. 
• Tickets for the Shriners Open golf event are now available. Find more information here.
• Las Vegas isn’t holding a World Cup game in 2026. If you’re wondering why you should read this.
• It seems like casinos not allowing smoking is no longer bad for the bottom line outside of Las Vegas. Read more here. 
• If a smoke-free property was exceptional for business in Las Vegas we’d probably hear more from MGM Resorts touting Park MGM as the only smoke-free casino on the Vegas Strip.
• Similarly, if being smoke-free was a Vegas-ready trend, the Plaza might have banned smoking on the entire casino floor and not just an 80 slot machine room away from the rest of the gambling. 
• In 2021, Brian Christopher (of Plaza slot room fame mentioned above) said he will “frequent only smoke-free casinos commencing 2023.” The Plaza found a workaround by building a new smoke-free room for the Brian Christopher Slot section. This should suffice since Christopher nor his followers will have to deal with the smoke in the rest of the casino. Read more here.
• If the tide is turning regarding smoking elsewhere in the country it will eventually happen in Las Vegas. Personally, I can’t wait.
• Other than a very occasional cigar I don’t smoke. I have a strong distaste for cigarette smoke in particular. However, smoking doesn’t bother me enough to stay out of casinos. I’ll just leave a machine or table if someone’s smoke is just too much.

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Vegas News June 13, 2022

No introduction this week. Let’s get some mainstream travel news out of the way to start before we get to the Vegas News of the week.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• International air travelers to the US no longer have to take a COVID-19 test the day before flying. The Las Vegas casinos that depend on these tourists are beyond stoked.
• To me, the return of more international travelers means one thing. There will be more slow walkers in the way. These are the worst slow walkers since they never stay to the right so I can pass on the left will be. Anyway, read more here.
• Meanwhile, health officials are recommending people wear a mask when indoors again when visiting southern Nevada (Las Vegas) due to high Covid transmission rates. Read more here.
• New inflation data was released this week and it lines up with a conversation I was having with someone booking an airplane ticket to Las Vegas. The cost to fly from the east coast to Las Vegas is much higher than recent past. Now we have data to support what our eyes have seen for a while.
• Yahoo shares specifics saying that “Airline fares kept rising in May, up 12.6% after jumping 18.6% the prior month thanks to the soaring cost of jet fuel.” Read more here.
• I’ve been hearing for months that Burger Brasserie at Paris Las Vegas, just outside of Bally’s would be closing. Vital Vegas is rumoring that another Guy Fieri restaurant will take its place. This makes sense, Caesars customers seem to love him. His restaurant at The Linq is always packed. Read more here.
• Speaking of Bally’s, Jack Binion Steak is now open at the soon-to-be Horseshoe Casino. Read more here.

Venetian Gets A New CEO

• Patrick Nichols will become CEO of Venetian. He was most recently GM of The Cosmopolitan. Don’t expect better gambling conditions since both have similar limits and rules. Perhaps Nichols will make some changes to Grazie Rewards based on Identity Rewards at The Cosmopolitan. Read more here. 
• Speaking of The Venetian, Majordomo and Moon Palace closed this week. Both were delicious, overpriced, and in a horrible location. Read more here.
• Katy Perry got a key to the Vegas Strip last week. 

It was the HIGHLIGHT of my day yesterday receiving the to the strip it’s been so fun getting to PLAY in Vegas and I’ve felt so welcomed by the community idk what doors this opens but i might try to crash some hotel rooms now pic.twitter.com/Jjq68IWACI

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) June 9, 2022

More Quick Hits And Barry Manilow Got A Key

• Barry Manilow got a key to Las Vegas. That’s not a key to the Vegas Strip so no embedded tweet of him and the mayor. Enjoy here.
• In October 2021 Dream Hotel received approval from Clark County. This week we have a visual that construction on the hotel across from Mandalay Bay is underway.
• The rumor about El Clasico coming to Las Vegas has been confirmed. Real Madrid and Barcelona will play at Allegiant Stadium on July 23. Read more here.
• I shared an article about travel NFTs a few weeks ago. Resorts World Las Vegas is the first to drop them in Las Vegas. If you understand any of this, you can find the offerings here.

The Plaza Is Listening

• It’s always refreshing to hear when casino operators listen to complaints from their customers. Plaza did just that and might have some of the best bartop video poker games in Las Vegas. Check out the tweet here.
• There’s a huge WPT event with a $15 million guaranteed prize pool happening at Wynn in December. Read more here.
• The Whitney Houston hologram show at Harrah’s is closing this week. Read more here.
• Do you know who paid nearly $13 million for two acres of land on Las Vegas Boulevard? Nobody does! Read more here.
• Nellies Southern Kitchen (Jonas Brothers family) is now open at MGM Grand. Read more here.
• Steak N Shake at Oyo is open again. Read more here.
• UNLV football tickets are now available. The team might not be good but this is probably the cheapest way to get into Allegiant Stadium. Prices start at $24 per ticket. A tour costs more than twice a ticket to see the Rebels play. You can find tickets here. 
• Circa hired a couple of well-respected sports betting veterans. I met Richie B years ago when I was first learning about sports betting apps. The New Yorker reminded me of home and shared so much knowledge on the space. I hope he can facilitate a better Circa Sports app for Nevada. Read more here.
• Las Vegas Advisor answers a lot of dumb questions from their readers. Bless their souls. Last week they took me down memory lane, answering a question about the Villa De Flores Apartments. It’s fascinating, and I’m pretty sure not many people remember this. Read about it here.

Quick Hits – Las Vegas NBA Franchise

• Lebron James confirmed the rumor that he’d like to own a Las Vegas NBA franchise.

“I want a team in Vegas.” @KingJames hints at his next big move on an all new episode of #TheShop TOMORROW at 9 am PT on our YouTube! pic.twitter.com/HIZKsBYPGF

— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) June 9, 2022

Quick Hits – Outside Of Las Vegas

We’re going to wrap things up with a couple of related news bites from outside of Las Vegas.

• Legends Bay Casino in Sparks received initial approval to open. This will be home to the first Circa Sports location outside of Las Vegas. Read more here. ​​
• MGM Resorts sold operations of Gold Strike in Tunica, MS. When the deal closes, it will no longer be a casino that offers MGM Rewards points and comps. Yes, I’m sharing this news just so I can pass on this scene from Ocean’s 13.

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Foxwoods 30th Anniversary – Expansion Will Highlight 30 “Wonder Of It All” Years

On February 15, 2022, Foxwoods became 30 years old. Foxwoods Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary this year and announced an expansion and more plans. These additions are the biggest since the Fox Tower partnership with MGM and the Tanger Mall.

“Expansion” has been the Mashantucket Pequots’ middle name. In 2007, before the zipline and all the other thrill rides, the world’s largest casino (at the time) had already begun to become family-friendly and add an indoor water park and resort. But, revenue began to decrease year after year, starting in 2008 and the Great Recession. Finally, in 2012, the New York Times declared that Foxwoods “is fighting for its life” due to more competition and saturation of casinos in the northeast.

Fifteen years later, there is new hope on the Mashantucket Pequot reservation. In 2017, the tribe celebrated its 25th Anniversary and recently persevered through the Covid pandemic.

In 2022, the day after Valentine’s Day, a big 6-foot cake in the shape of a tree was rolled into the about-to-open High Stakes Bingo Hall in the resort’s Rainmaker section for a special birthday celebrating 30 years to the day that Foxwoods opened. The cake’s tree shape denotes an insignia that Foxwoods owners, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, adopted since federal recognition was granted them in the 1980s.  

CELEBRATE! Foxwoods 30th Anniversary

Foxwoods announced an expansion that will include:

• The addition of Great Wolf Lodge at Mashantucket: Industry-leading family indoor water park resort
• A new High Stakes Bingo Hall is opening this spring
• A new 75,000 square foot Rainmaker Expo Center
• A renovation of the resort’s main entrance
• During the week of its Anniversary
  • Gave away $30,000 a day to guests for anniversary week
  • Gave away $300,000 in cash and prizes for anniversary week
  • Foxwoods will make a $30,000 monthly donation throughout 2022 to non-profit organizations beginning with United Way.

New Partnerships in 2021

The Pequot Tribe first looked beyond the continental 48 states for their next gambling venture. Foxwoods partnered with El San Juan Casino in Puerto Rico, which closed after Hurricane Maria in 2017. The Foxwoods Brand will now manage the casino at the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel in Puerto Rico.

Foxwoods announced the second exciting partnership on the heels of Connecticut’s Legalized Sports Betting and iGaming. In addition, the resort recently opened its Draft Kings Sportsbook next to the Cedar Casino.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation announced they will expand their relationship and pave the way to offering the DraftKings online and retail sports betting experience in Puerto Rico. The DraftKings retail sportsbook will open soon inside the Foxwoods El San Juan Casino. The space will feature a massive video wall, bar and dining services, two over-the-counter ticket windows, and six betting kiosks.

Thirty Years of Existence That Started With Bingo

After gaining federal recognition in 1986, a 26,000 sq. ft. high-stakes bingo hall took shape. Today, Foxwoods is the Bingo Capital of the World with its 35,000-square-foot bingo hall, about the size of a small supermarket, and seating 4,000 participants.

With the latest announcement, Foxwoods management plans to unveil a new over 30,000-square-feet high-stakes bingo hall in what had been the Festival Casino space. It is the same place as the first large bingo hall that opened 30 years ago.

The wing will have over 2,200 seats, a decrease of seats by over 40%. However, it will still be one of the largest bingo halls in North America.

Foxwoods’ current bingo hall will be transformed into the “Rainmaker Expo Center.” It will offer 75,000 square feet of space for corporate meetings, trade shows, and sporting events.

There are also plans to renovate the resort’s main entrance.

Related Post – How Did Foxwoods Get So Big?

Great Wolf Lodge at Mashantucket

The biggest news is the addition of Great Wolf Lodge at Mashantucket indoor water park, family entertainment center, and hotel. Foxwoods said it had formed a partnership with Wisconsin-based waterpark operator Great Wolf Lodge to open in 2024.

Great Wolf spokesperson Jennifer Beranek stressed that the agreement is not final and only constitutes a “letter of intent,” but the tribe was more particular about the details.

The family resort chain is best known for its water-centered amusement parks and first-class, full-service, family destination resorts. They provide all-suite guest rooms and an indoor family entertainment area. In addition to water parks, offerings will include:

• a children’s craft and activity room focusing on “edutainment,”
• an interactive adventure game,
• an arcade,
• a tech center with Internet stations and other amenities.

It would be the company’s first location in Connecticut. The nearest locations are in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and Pocono Township in Pennsylvania.

Tribals Leaders Are Ecstatic

Tribal spokesman Bruce MacDonald said the Lodge would be separate from Foxwoods. But, unlike the casino, it will stand outside the bounds of the tribe’s reservation in southeastern Connecticut. MacDonald said the tribe envisions a “good solid economic venture. An environment where a family can split up and sample the various adult and family-oriented activities available.

Rodney Butler, the Mashantucket chairman, reported that Great Wolf Resorts is investing most of the capital in the project. It would be located in an empty parking area between the casino’s Rainmaker entrance and the Pequot Outpost gas station/convenience store on Foxwoods Boulevard. In addition, Foxwoods will relocate a portion of Trolley Lane Boulevard to accommodate the project.

Great Wolf Resorts will own the water park facility and lease the real estate from the tribe. A similar arrangement to the Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods. The Tanger-owned indoor shopping mall links the casino’s Grand Pequot and Fox towers.

“Foxwoods will become family-friendly on a massive scale. It will be on 15 acres adjacent to Foxwoods, not directly a part of Foxwoods. As a result, it will be a huge driver of foot traffic.”

Jason Guyot, Foxwoods’ CEO

Related Post – Thrill Rides and Family Entertainment at Foxwoods

Indoor Water Park

According to Tim O’Brien, author of many amusement park guides, indoor water parks are relatively new. He said the first parks opened in the early 1990s.

“There are now close to 75 legitimate water park resorts in the U.S.,” he said. “Not everybody’s doing it, but it is a trend.”

O’Brien and his company have partnered with Great Wolf to open a Lodge in Niagara Falls, Canada. The water park is part of a more prominent hotel, as he described it. There are game rooms and arcades, guest suites, and restaurants. Great Wolf Lodge at Mashantucket will feature multiple water slides, pools, and a “four-story treehouse water fort.” “It’s like a cruise ship,” O’Brien said, “You never have to walk out the front door.”

“First there was Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and then Foxwoods. Now, no one in the Northeast, or even in the country can compete with us.”

Jason Guyot, Foxwoods’ CEO

The Community Interest

Not everyone is thrilled with the super-sized expansion. Immediate concerns emerged over the negative impact on meadowland, wetlands, and forested areas. The Maryland-based Blue Water Development Corp. partnership will include:

• 300 luxury pull-through RV spots,
• safari tent camping,
• 30 cabins, and
• a saltwater pool. 

The preferred location is in the town of Ledyard on land that the tribe purchased some time ago. Ledyard, Preston, and North Stonington are the three towns that border Mashantucket. The agreement with Great Wolf Resorts Inc. is contingent on receiving all the required approvals.

The initial reaction has been favorable. The town of Ledyard, for years, has wanted the tribe to develop spinoff entities to help their tax base.

More Expansion For The Summer

Foxwoods continues to celebrate its 30th anniversary with another renovation project – a new VIP Players Lounge for this summer. The VIP Players Lounge will open later this year in the former Veranda Café. The renovated space will have more than 225 seats, a new buffet line, and a 15-seat bar.

A new eatery has already opened, Sushi By Bou. It is considered a “one-of-a-kind sushi suite.” Sushi By Bou will delight guests with a uniquely designed dining space on the concourse. In addition, it offers a private sushi dining experience with its Sushi Suite, a luxe addition slated for a wholly reimagined hotel suite in the Great Cedar Hotel. Sushi By Bou will also offer an extensive list of hand-crafted cocktails, imported sakes, and Japanese beers.”

If that wasn’t enough, two more minor additions include Wingstop in the Great Cedar food court and CardVault. Card Vault is a store dedicated to buying, selling, trading, grading, and consigning sports cards and collectibles.

Come join the New England Casinos Facebook Group and chat about experiences at our New England Casinos. Feel free to enhance our community with your gambling experiences, casino loyalty program questions, resort experiences and thoughts concerning New England’s casino expansion.

A Spectacular Celebration – Foxwoods 30th Anniversary

The World Casino Directory recognized Foxwoods as the largest resort casino in North America, with 340,000-square feet of gaming space. In addition to 250 table games and 4,100 slot machines, Foxwoods boasts the 80-store Tanger Outlet Mall; three hotels with spas and meeting spaces; 35 dining spots; two performance halls; the Lake of Isles golf course; a 32-story high zip-line; Monza go-kart track; and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum. In addition, the Mashantucket Pequots have strived to make Foxwoods an excellent gambling destination with a family-friendly campus.

Jason Guyot, the Foxwoods’ CEO, summarized it best by saying, “As we look ahead to the next chapter of Foxwoods, and as we continue to get better every year, I am proud to celebrate this milestone alongside The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Foxwoods team members, our beloved guests, and the local community. Today marks the beginning of a spectacular yearlong celebration, and we look forward to welcoming guests of all ages to experience the wonder of it all.”

The 30th year of operation for the Pequots and Foxwoods should be a spectacular yearlong celebration indeed.

Visiting New England’s Casinos?

Robin T. Aubin (AKA Binbin at NETimeGambling) has been a guest on Cousin Vito’s Casino Podcast, The Bettor Life Podcast, The Art in the Game Podcast featuring all that is Springfield, Massachusetts. as well as ZorkCast with Michael Trager. As founder of NETimeGambling.com, he has tried to provide a resource for recreational gamblers featuring New England’s expanding casino market events, gambling promotions and entertainment. As a professional musician for over 50 years, he has performed in some of New England’s best venues, namely Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Foxwoods’ Atrium Lounge, and Twin River’s Lighthouse Bar & Lounge.

LINKS to New England Casinos

• Connecticut – Foxwoods Resort/Casino and Mohegan Sun Resort/Casino
• Rhode Island – Tiverton Casino Hotel and Twin River Hotel/Casino
• Massachusetts – Plainridge Park Casino & Raceway, MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor
• Maine –  Oxford Casino and Hollywood Bangor Hotel, Casino & Raceway.

“NETimeGambling” is a non-monetized blog created with my own personal interest and passion concerning the gambling industry. I love its history and its ongoing evolution and expansion. Add my love for New England, and you have this blog. Come share my passion and visit us.

The goal of NETimeGambling is to provide a service and resource for any recreational gambler visiting New England’s expanding casino market and interested in gambling tips, news, advice and the latest in events, gambling promotions and entertainment.

Follow us on twitter at @NETimeGambling, and on Facebook at NEtimegambling. Come join the New England Casinos Facebook Group and chat about experiences at our New England Casinos.

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Vegas News June 6, 2022

Cosmo Shuffle – Cosmopolitan Slowly Changing

A handful of executives at The Cosmopolitan quit last week. Read more here. I am certain we will see many examples of Cosmopolitan slowly changing over the next few months.

I don’t get too involved in the corporate casino executive shuffle. In this case, I have one curiosity.

One interesting change is that the Chief Operations Officer at The Mirage, Niklas “Nik” Rytterstrom, is now the General Manager of the property. I’m not familiar with Rytterstrom but it will be interesting to see how he influences the operations of The Cosmopolitan. 

Casino CEOs seem to have more influence on the culture of the casino but MGM Resorts may be a different monster. This is something I’ll keep an eye on.

My Cosmo Experience This Week

My monthly visit to The Cosmopolitan was this week. My regular perks are starting to decrease as more people are visiting Las Vegas again. I still don’t expect this to last much longer.

I have fewer complimentary nights and fewer rooms to choose from. My free play has also been reduced by 25%. These benefits are still 10x-15x other properties so I have no real complaints.

I paid $30/night to upgrade from a room to a Terrace Studio since my comp was for a room with two queen beds. The expense isn’t optimal but really a bad price to pay since I need a room with a desk.

These casino visits are like a working holiday and the desk makes it feel more like a formal workspace. While not a Bellagio Fountain view, I’ve come to enjoy the southern view from the desk with New York-New York in the distance. The view at night from the terrace is pretty, even though it’s not the Bellagio fountains.

Cosmo Was Packed On Tuesday

The hotel was packed at check-in on Tuesday and everyone (seriously, everyone) I spoke with said Memorial Day Weekend was the busiest they’ve seen in years. The line to check-in was long until after dinner.

The casino floor wasn’t quite as busy. I had no problem getting a seat at Chandelier Bar to play video poker. I’m happy to report the booze options are still the same. I had Basil Hayden for one ticket and a Macallan 12 for two tickets. 

Overall, the Cosmopolitan experience remains the same for now. This will eventually change as new systems are implemented.

One thing different that I did notice is that housekeeping never made it to the terrace. There was an empty cup and a couple of cigarette butts. There was also no soap or shampoo in the shower. I’m half sharing this so I don’t forget to look for it next time.

I posted a bunch of pics on Twitter and Instagram if you’re curious. I post much more on Instagram Stories than on either regular feed if you like looking at nonsense along with travel pictures.

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

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• “Jungle Of Dreams” is the new theme for the Bellagio Botanical Gardens and Conservatory display (photo above). This is a new concept and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I look forward to checking it out soon. Read more here.
• The World Series of Poker is underway at Paris Las Vegas and Bally’s. Read more here.
• NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) isn’t new but it’s become a popular topic since college athletes can now receive money for theirs. Well, the owners of Elvis Pressley’s NIL may get in the way of Elvis-themed weddings in the future. Read more here.
• Katy Perry announced more shows for her residency at Resorts World. Read more here. 

Quick Hits – Drama and Fireworks

• Do you like drama? Check out this story surrounding the taco joint at Resorts World.
• The Plaza will have Independence Day fireworks once again. Read more here.
• Legacy Club at Circa will have a great view of the action and you’ll have to pay for it. Read more here.
• Caesars now allows you to pay for rooms with reward credits in advance of a visit. Read more here.
• The (golf) Match took place this week at Wynn Las Vegas. You can read a Twitter recap here.
• For the first time, Wynn sold tickets for The Match. The $250 ticket gave a limited number of people very close access to Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen. While expensive, this is a pretty cool event to see up close if you can afford it. Just something to keep in mind for when the next edition is announced.
• Station Casinos received permission to keep Texas Station and Fiesta Rancho closed for another year. I still expect them to reopen under new ownership someday. Read more here.
• Unrelated to the closure extensions, Boulder Station has a new food court. Read more here.
• Did you know parts of the new Top Gun movie were filmed in Nevada? Read more here.
• I didn’t realize people staying at Luxor ordered room service. Evidently, people did and it’s going away. Read more here.

Even More Quick Hits – Hiking, Museums, Test Kitchens, And More

• Las Vegas is a Top 10 city in the US to go hiking. Read more here.
• An immersive digital art museum will be opening on the north end of the Vegas Strip. Read more here.
• Palms will have a popup with Vegas Test Kitchen at Greene St. Kitchen. Read more here.
• If you’re looking for something different to do with the family, ‘Flicks on the Field’ starts this Friday at Las Vegas Ballpark across the street from Red Rock Casino. Read more here.
• We can barely get functioning sports betting apps but Nevada Gaming is exploring the use of cryptocurrency in casinos. Read more here.
• The Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association World Series Final Championships are coming to The Orleans in July. I don’t see betting odds on this yet in the Boyd Sports Betting app. Read more here.
• Last but not least, it looks as though the A’s aren’t a lock to be leaving Oakland just yet. Read a detailed thread on the topic here.

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Vegas News May 30, 2022

Grumblings – Transformation of Mirage And Circus Circus Renovating

Last week I mentioned that I’ve been hearing more grumblings that the transformation of The Mirage to the Hard Rock might take longer than expected. Well, the same source of last week’s information has some specifics from a stock analyst that pretty much confirms this. Not really related, but you might have noticed our headline: Circus Circus Renovating Now? Yes, it looks like they will be renovating Circus Circus.

Mirage To The Hard Rock

“(Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo) Santarelli expects the property to go dark once Hard Rock International takes control in the latter half of this year, reopening under a rebranded identity … in 2025.”

This Isn’t As Bad As It Sounds

This isn’t as bad as it sounds. The deal is expected to close by December. It should take 12-18 months to renovate the existing structure.

With no delays that would put opening around early to mid-2024. This is pretty much the timeline I’ve been expecting since the deal was announced. Delaying six months or so doesn’t seem to be much of a big deal.

New Guitar-Shaped Tower

I’m not sure what the timeline would be for the new guitar-shaped tower would be. A delay on this part might make sense if there are financial and/or supply chain issues.

Closing the property could actually expedite the renovations. Compare the speed of the closed Hard Rock to Virgin conversion to the neverending Monte Carlo to Park MGM renovations while the property was open.

There wasn’t as much work for Virgin and if it wasn’t for Covid-19, it would have been reopened within less than a year. The Park MGM transformation took at least two years while keeping the property open.

In my eyes, closing The Mirage to do a full renovation should make the debut of Hard Rock in Las Vegas a better experience.

Serious Money

Unlike the transformation to Virgin, it seems as though Hard Rock International will be spending serious money (more than $200 million) to update and upgrade The Mirage.

We’ll See How This All Works Out

Walking through the Monte Carlo/Park MGM monthly while the property was being changed was an awful experience. I think MGM Resorts may finally have Park MGM in the position it hoped to be in when the project was completed.

We’ll see how this all works out but I’m looking forward to an entirely new experience at The Mirage. I don’t expect to hear an official update for a few months so don’t get too twisted about this.

For what it’s worth, this blog post has some other Vegas news nuggets from Mr. Carlo S. Let’s get to the rest of the Vegas News!

Las Vegas Quick Hits

Quick Hits – Circus Circus Renovating

• Speaking of renovations, Circus Circus has some of its own planned for the next year or so. Don’t worry, the property will still be Circus Circus just a little cleaner. Read more here.

“Circus Circus is an iconic property. We’re trying to make it better than what it was. We’re trying to bring it back to the glory days of when it was built in the 1950s,” said Shana Gerety with SVP Operations at Circus Circus.

Shana Gerety with SVP Operations at Circus Circus

Quick Hits – Lots Of Entertainment News

• The Las Vegas Convention Center will also see some renovations to the older buildings after the money was approved. Read more here.
• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released its April Executive Summary. You can see the monthly visitation data here.
• One thing that stands out to me is that Hotel room occupancy in April was down 7% from 2019. However, the average hotel room rate was up 35.8% from April 2019. 
• Rising prices aren’t shocking, but it’s nice to see data that supports what we see.
• The new Cirque Du Soliel show at New York-New York, Mad Apple, is now open. Read more here.
• The Aerosmith residency at Park MGM is off for now. Unfortunately, Steven Tyler ​​is in rehab. Read more here.
• It appears as though a Britney Spears residency at Resorts World (or anywhere) is not in the works. Read more here.
• I’m not sure that anyone needs this but there’s a “Sex n’ The City” musical coming to Las Vegas. Read more here.
• The Global Gaming Expo will take place from October 10-13^th. Can’t wait to see the new casino games.
• There was some kind of MGM Resorts data shared online this week. Read more here.

Even More Quick Hits – WSOP Gets Underway

• The World Series Of Poker gets underway this week at Bally’s and Paris. This video has a lot of information for anyone new to the properties or the event.
• Be prepared for a confusing summer at Bally’s as Caesars transforms the property to become Horseshoe Las Vegas while still referring to the property as Bally’s when necessary. You’ll hear constant back and forth in the video above.
• Jack Binion Steak will open at Bally’s in the next month or so. I’m told there will be more information in a few weeks. Read the little information that’s available here.
• Top Of Binion’s Steakhouse at Binion’s Casino is still open. 
• Wayne Newton’s deal at Flamingo Las Vegas was extended through the end of 2022. Read more here.
• Restaurant Week begins next week and special menus are available. You can search for deals and get more information here.
• The MSG Sphere was topped off. This doesn’t mean anything important but you can read more here.
• The WWE show in July was moved from Allegiant Stadium to MGM Grand. Read more here.
• EDC tickets for next year are on sale now. Read more here.
• Sand Dollar Downtown at the Plaza is now open. Read more here.
• Expect traffic around the I-15 and Tropicana next time you visit Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Caesars has quietly been upgrading various sportsbooks around Las Vegas. A minor refresh just took place at Caesars Palace Las Vegas. Bally’s, Harrah’s, and Paris Las Vegas are all seeing changes as well. 
• I reached out to Caesars for information on Bally’s specifically and was told there will be more information in a few weeks. I’m not holding my breath. You can see a couple of Twitter updates here.
• I’m not entirely sure what this hotel NFT/Stubhub article means but if it’s something substantial, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it in Las Vegas. 
• Remember those elephants coming to Resorts World I mentioned a few weeks ago? Well, they’re here. 

We are so excited to finally have revealed the amazing elephants in partnership with @elephant_parade! You can find them placed all over the property, stop by to check them out today. pic.twitter.com/tW1l0O6F3W

— Resorts World Las Vegas (@ResortsWorldLV) May 25, 2022

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Vegas News May 23, 2022

Latest Big Vegas News Story

We set up the latest big Vegas News story a week ago with our first Monday Vegas News. MGM Resorts is now operating The Cosmopolitan. Ta-Da! Also, look for lots of sports news in the Quick Hits section.

MGM didn’t reveal anything new about how the company will operate the property. Here, you can see what we know about the changes we expect at The Cosmopolitan. ​​

You can read the press release with no useful information here. MGM has a list of FAQs that doesn’t offer much new information here. You can read the Cosmopolitan FAQs here.

As you’d expect there’s little new information with a lot of “coming soon.” The two properties will mostly remain independent for the time being. 

Return To Cosmo – Next Month

My next monthly visit will take place soon. I’m not sure what kind of room I’ll have but I’ll be nosing around to see if I notice anything interesting. My number one concern is whether or not I’ll be drinking the same complimentary beverages.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• Las Vegas reached the 100-degree mark for the first time this year! I look forward to a few months of warmth before getting back to normal.
• The production and scale of EDC are phenomenal.
• There might be an Ocean’s Eleven prequel featuring Margot Robbie coming in the future. Read more here.
• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has a useful overview of what’s happening during Memorial Day Weekend for anyone planning to visit for the long weekend. Read more here.
• David Blaine will have his first Las Vegas residency at Resorts World. Read more here.
• Some land across the street from Mandalay Bay is available to buy. Read more here.
• You may remember this land from the ferris wheel plan. I remember this land because of Tiny The Tumbleweed. Read more here.

Quick Hits – Lots of Sports News

• The Oakland A’s somehow still haven’t purchased land in Las Vegas but they’ve narrowed a potential baseball stadium location down to two sites. They’ve also teased Las Vegas enough that the government might help fund the new stadium. Read more here.
• I’ve noticed little notes about Hard Rock in the past six months that lead me to believe that The Mirage renovations won’t be happening as soon as the sale closes. You’ll see another note towards the bottom of the blog post here. 

Football and Raiders Quick Hits – Lots of Sports News

• Allegiant Airlines has special travel packages available for anyone that wants to travel to Las Vegas and see their team play the Raiders. Pretty cool that the stadium sponsor is bringing fans to the stadium that will root against the home team. That’s sarcasm. Read more here.
• Anecdotally, nearly half of people at Las Vegas Raiders games are fans of the visiting team. That high demand resulted in sold-out games. However, not everyone showed up for the games. The Raiders had a 14.3% no-show rate to games even with the influx of visiting fans. Read more here.
• You might remember this from last year but all of the visiting fans at Raiders games led to high prices for tickets on the secondary market. As expected, the ticket prices to Raiders games in this market were the highest in the NFL. Read more here.
• While we’re on the topic of football, Circa Sports announced its annual football contests. The total prize pool will be at least $12 million this year. Read more here.
• Registration for the Circa contests must take place in person at one of its Nevada locations. Weekly selections can be made from anywhere by hiring a Nevada proxy service. There’s a fee for the service but that’s the price to pay for not living in the desert.

Even More Quick Hits And Quick Trivia – Las Vegas

• Sometimes useless information can be interesting. Thanks to the tweet below we know how many Tier Credits Caesars Rewards members earned last year. Feel free to use this in a random bar trivia contest with friends.

Last year, our #CaesarsRewards members earned over 13 BILLION #TierCredits!@CaesarsWindsor pic.twitter.com/ou0TQenkSi

— Caesars Rewards (@CaesarsRewards) May 19, 2022

• NBA Summer League on the campus of UNLV is one of the best summer sports values. Tickets for the games are now available. Read more here.
• The MSG Sphere behind The Venetian will be topped off very soon. Read more here.
• The Strat now charges for some self-parking spaces in its garage. Valet is still free. Read more here.
• This is a weird one but I have to share. There’s a puppet show at Alexis Park based on Alice In Wonderland. Read more here.
• It feels as though Resorts World announces some kind of event coming to the property every other day. The latest is that the casino will host the Esports Awards in December. Read more here. 
• Read about the “first NFT project to become an active part of a Las Vegas show” here.
• Chelsea FC of the English Premier League will be playing Club América of Liga MX at Allegiant Stadium in July. Read more here.
• Las Vegas could get a little stinky if the trash collectors strike. Read more here.
• I hope Douglas Elliman expanding to Las Vegas means that we’ll soon be getting a Las Vegas version of Million Dollar Listing soon. Read more here.

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Vegas News May 16, 2022

Since 2016, TravelZork Vegas News

Quick notice: TravelZork has published a Las Vegas news roundup since the beginning of the website. We’re moving the publishing date from Sunday to Monday beginning this week. We published the first installment of Vegas News (previously referred to as Sunday News) on March 13, 2016: Las Vegas | Sunday News | The Strip North End’s Possible Developments.

Nothing else is changing. Sometimes, like this week, we’ll look deep into a particular topic. There will be times when we mostly bring the news to you so you can consume it at your leisure and without outside opinion. 

Most of the time we’ll present the news both ways. That’s how this week will go because there’s really one major story and, frankly, not much more happening in and around Las Vegas. 

MGM Resorts Closing In On Cosmopolitan

Last week we mentioned that MGM Resorts will be taking over operations of the Cosmopolitan soon. The deal should be finalized at a Nevada Gaming Commission meeting on May 19.

A special meeting this week all but sealed the deal. If you’re really bored, you can watch the meeting here.

MGM re-shared some information it dropped during its earnings call last week. You may recall that it will take up to a year for Cosmopolitan to become fully integrated into MGM Resorts system. Some things will happen quickly. Other things like the rewards program will take longer.

Sportsbook Changes – Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

For example, MGM expects to operate the sportsbook within 90 days of the deal closing. William Hill currently operates the Cosmopolitan sportsbook.

Identity Rewards to MGM Rewards – Interim Period

This week we learned that Cosmopolitan’s Identity Rewards will remain the rewards program for the time being. That will eventually change and Cosmopolitan will be as much a part of MGM Rewards as Bellagio and Mandalay Bay. 

Transition to MGM Rewards

When MGM takes over operations at Cosmopolitan both rewards programs will have access to each other. I’ve mentioned this before but I think it will be similar to how Borgata slowly transitioned to becoming an MGM property. This could take as long as a year, so keep an eye on how this rolls out.

Hotel Partnership, Marriott and Hyatt – Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

During the meeting this week, MGM said Marriott will remain Cosmopolitan’s hotel partner. I suspect this will change when all Identity members completely become MGM Rewards members.

Most of you know that Hyatt is the official partner for MGM Rewards. It doesn’t appear as though MGM Rewards’ hotel partnership will change.

New Management Structure – Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

Aria, Vdara, and Cosmopolitan will become one MGM “property pod.” The current management team will continue to operate the Cosmopolitan and report to Aria’s CEO.

Blackstone Surprise – Cosmopolitan

That’s the bulk of the MGM/Cosmopolitan news from the meeting. One neat thing happened this week. Cosmopolitan’s outgoing operator, Blackstone, gave all employees a nice surprise. I picked a bad time to call Identity with a question.

ICYMI everyone that works at Cosmopolitan got a bonus earlier. pic.twitter.com/bSGeNEC4uZ

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) May 11, 2022

Blackstone is giving every Cosmopolitan employee a $5,000 bonus. That works out to be just over $27 million. A great gesture that everyone appreciates.

Blackstone Isn’t Entirely Leaving

Blackstone isn’t entirely leaving the Cosmopolitan. The company still owns 80% of the land. MGM will be paying $200 million in rent per month. Blackstone will get about $160 million per month from MGM.

This is a good reminder that large corporations can make a difference in so many lives with a relative financial drop in the bucket if they want to. Kudo’s to Blackstone and congrats to all the great employees I’ve met over the years at the Cosmopolitan. 

Speaking of the people working at Cosmopolitan, all employees will be able to remain at the casino if they choose. They will also have access to move to other positions at MGM. During the meeting, the company mentioned it currently has 5,000 open positions.

MGM will share more information once the deal is closed. Stay tuned. Let’s get to the rest of the Vegas News.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

Ding ding ding ding ding pic.twitter.com/JtSEGVp0nJ

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) May 13, 2022

Lots of Time At Palms

I’ve spent a lot of time at Palms in the past week. The table games in the main pit around Unknown bar have a bell for dealers to ring whenever they get a tip. It’s supposed to be a moral thing but I think it’s more amusing to customers than to dealers. 

I asked the dealer about ringing the bell and was given permission to ring it. Plenty of others joined in the fun. Hopefully, they were also tipping their dealers. I found this amusing and also annoying but mostly fun. If I was drinking there would have been many laughs.

I’ve played Pai Gow Poker at Palms with four or five different dealers and all have been personable and fun. I can’t say the same for all PGP dealers around town.

More Quick Hits – Las Vegas

• Resorts World is having concerts at Event Center this June and July. Read more here.
• The NFL announced schedules to all teams this week. You can find all Las Vegas Raiders home and away games here.
• Wynn Resorts reported earnings this week. Nothing major happened in Las Vegas last quarter but the average daily room rate for the quarter was $432. That’s up from $331 and more than 30% in the first quarter last year. Read more here.
• Somewhat related to Wynn, Dubai has no plans to allow gambling. Read more here. Wynn is planning to build a new property in the United Arab Emirates. The company will move forward on the property without gambling.
• Palms hired a company to curate music for the property. The current music being played on the main casino floor is generic pop. There’s a weird mix of music in the high-limit room. I had to leave the room when they played Saigon Kick while I could hear Bruno Mars bleeding in from outside. Read more here.
• Eataly at Park MGM is opening a restaurant called Toscana. Read more here. All I can think about is this scene from Seinfeld.

Even More Quick Hits – Las Vegas

• The Orleans will have 3-on-3 hockey in June and August. Read more here.
• Las Vegas is gonna get Boring next year. Read more here.
• The Venetian has a promo for new Grazie members to win up to 10,000 points. See more info here. 
• George Lopez is opening a restaurant at The Strat in December. Two KISS dudes are opening a bar next year. Read more here.
• Mohegan Gaming reported quarterly earnings this week. There isn’t much about Las Vegas but the gaming revenue in Las Vegas for the first quarter was significantly lower than other properties. I’m not familiar enough with the company to know if this is bad or not. Read more here.
• Sports bettors in Illinois will be able to bet with Circa Sports. Read more here.

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Vegas News May 8, 2022

Wild Week In And Around Las Vegas

This was a wild week in and around Las Vegas for me and the business side of things. Personally, I spent two nights at Cosmopolitan. Turns out my offers are just reduced and not entirely eliminated.

Much of my time at Cosmopolitan was spent in the hotel room listening to earnings calls and writing about the information. You’ll see some of those notes later.

While this is work, I love casino earnings calls despite my distaste for corporations. These calls allow us to learn about why these businesses operate the way they do. In turn, we can use that knowledge to our advantage.

Palms – Casino And Hotel Experience

I spent another day and night at Palms checking out the casino and hotel experience. We have a detailed article on the hotel room that also discusses eating, drinking, and gambling for the day. Go figure. You can see the review here.

While I love spending time in casinos, it will be nice to be home and on a normal schedule for a few days.

I usually separate earnings news from the Quick Hits but I’m feeling experimental today and feel like combining everything. Enough about me, let’s get to the Vegas news!

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• Wynn Las Vegas sent out a press release for the new hotel rooms. If this is news to you, read more here.  (TravelZork Review: NEW Wynn Las Vegas Rooms – The OG Of Vegas Luxury)

Caesars News/Earnings – Flamingo May Be Sold

• Caesars reported earnings this week. You can read the press release here.
• During the last earnings call, Caesars said it would announce a casino sale on this call. They decided not to. The company now says an announcement should come in the next six months.
• Flamingo May Be Sold! — It looks like my hunch that the Caesars’ “center strip” property sale will be Flamingo Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Caesars’ hotel occupancy trends are heading in the direction the company predicted last quarter. Occupancy in Las Vegas was 75% in January, 81% in Feb, and 91% in March. It sounds like April will be even better.
• Caesars says the company has added 1.4 million Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program members from sports betting. MGM is seeing similar success. 57% of new MGM Rewards members in the first quarter came from BetMGM. All these new members could be something to keep an eye on. 
• Evidently, the properties Caesars is rebranding are doing well. Expect to see more Horseshoe’s around the country.
• Unrelated to the Caesars earnings call, Bat Out of Hell – The Musical will hit the stage at Paris Las Vegas in September. Read more here.

MGM Resorts Earnings/News

• MGM Resorts also reported earnings this week. You can see the press release here.
• The big takeaway is that the company announced it expected to take over operations at Cosmopolitan before the month is over.
• Nevada Gaming Control Board is having a special meeting to discuss MGM + Cosmopolitan on May 12. The switchover may begin sooner. See the notice here.
• During the earnings call, MGM Resorts said it will take 90 days to a year to integrate different parts of Cosmopolitan into its system.
• The company expects the William Hill sportsbook will become a BetMGM sportsbook about 90 days after the deal closes. 
• I expect it will take a year for Cosmopolitan to be completely part of MGM Rewards. In the meantime, the company will have some kind of makeshift rewards combination like it had with Borgata.
• During the monthly Nevada Gaming Control Board meeting last week, MGM mentioned eventually remodeling hotel rooms at Cosmopolitan. There’s no timeline on this. 
• MGM CEO Bill McBeath also said that the company has its eyes on a couple of restaurants to possibly change. A couple of less popular restaurants could be swapped out. Also, the Estiatorio Milos space is still vacant.
• Fingers crossed they don’t change the complimentary drink policy at Chandelier Bar before my next visit. 
• Unrelated to earnings, there will be a BetMGM poker championship at Aria in June. Read more here.

More Quick Hits For Las Vegas

• This was a busy casino earnings week. Bally’s has no plans for Tropicana yet but the company might build a casino in Chicago. The Tropicana deal should close by the third quarter. Read more about Chicago here.
• Formula 1 purchased land on the corner of Koval and Harmon for the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix races. Maybe we can get an F1 casino someday! Read more here.
• Penn National Gaming is hot or cold about Las Vegas during every earnings call. The company says it has no interest in a Vegas Strip casino. If that’s true, the company probably isn’t buying Flamingo Las Vegas. Read more here.
• The Fremont Street Experience added a few shows. The only different band I noticed was Dishwalla. I’ve watched this video 10 times since the announcement. See the new lineup here.
• We’ve come a long way, baby! Nevada is ending the State of Emergency from Covid-19. Read more here.
• One of the original plans for Resorts World was that there would be a panda habitat. Obviously, that didn’t happen. Now the casino will be home to 26 life-size baby elephant statues. Read more here.
• Crossroads Kitchen & CB Burger are opening at Resorts World on May 25. Read more here. 
• Red Rock Resorts reported earnings this week. The call was similar to the past few. Read more here. 
• If my notes are correct, Red Rock Resorts is one of the only Las Vegas casino operators that mentioned inflation starting to impact some of their lower-end customers.
• At the same time, the company is still seeing high-end players leaving the Vegas Strip for some of their top-tier properties.
• Red Rock Resorts now has cashless gaming at all of its properties that aren’t Wildfire casinos.
• Red Rock Casino has a new high-limits room. Read and see more here.
• Unrelated to the earnings call, Boulder Station is getting a food court. Read more here.
• Golden Entertainment (The Strat) had a good first quarter. Read more here.
• Palms has 39 table games with the Bonus Spin Xtreme side bet. I wanted to see what it was like but they don’t offer this at Pai Gow Poker games. Read more here.

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Palms Casino Resort

I planned my first stay at Palms Casino Resort for a day I thought it might be a little slow so I could check into the room early. Unfortunately, May 4th must have been busy because there were no rooms when available when I arrived around 11 am.

The person working the desk said that they were cleaning rooms and someone will call me when a room is ready. I never received a call and after a few hours of working and playing video poker, I decided to check on a room. 

I received a text while I was speaking with a different desk clerk. He said they have two rooms for me in the Ivory Tower. I asked which room he recommended and I was told the room on the 23rd floor had a nicer view. 

I’m typing this in the room and am right across the street from Gold Coast. There’s a partial view of the Vegas Strip as well as the mountains. This offers a different view from a Las Vegas hotel. The windows were very dirty. I’ll blame all the sand storms during the past few weeks.

This isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison but I had a similar issue checking into Cosmopolitan recently. A room card was printed for me and I received a text with the room number when it was ready. I prefer the newer technology.

Back to the Palms experience. Let’s get to the room.

Palms Ivory King – Palms Casino Resort

My room at Palms was an Ivory King on the 23rd floor. I didn’t book this room myself and I’m not sure this is an upgrade for being an Amber tier Club Serrano member. 

The Ivory King room is 440 square feet with a spa-inspired bathroom with a walk-in shower instead of a tub. The main space feels roomy and is functional with a workspace next to the 65” TV.

Great Use Of Space – Palms Ivory King

The bright lounger next to the window is comfortable and has a good angle to the TV. I found this to be a more comfortable workspace than the desk but I like having the option. 

There’s a bench underneath the TV to sit while getting dressed. This is a good use of space and much better than some hotels where the workspace is directly under the TV. 

One downside of the Conrad Hotel room at Resorts World was that there wasn’t a dedicated workspace. The dining table was fine for eating but not comfortable to work. It was also very heavy to move so I could plug in my laptop.

The wall with the TV has a wood accent that’s reminiscent of the rooms at Red Rock Casino from about eight years ago. The design similarity makes sense since the rooms were both designed originally by Station Casinos.

Minibar prices are respectable with a small bag of cookies at $7 and other snacks for $10. Beer and spirits are $8 while soft drinks are $5. Not bad at all. 

The Serta mattress was firm but soft which was nice. Unfortunately, the pillows were either too airy or not full enough. The air didn’t cool down to my preferred icebox sleeping temperature so I didn’t have a great night of sleep.

The wifi worked well the first day of my stay. Unfortunately, the wifi was unusable the next morning. Not great for someone that works online. 

Besides the slow wifi in the morning, the room was nice. The pillow issue is a problem I’ve had at just about every hotel I’ve stayed at in Las Vegas for the past five years.

Palms Dining

I had three meals during my day at Palms. An afternoon snack and cold brew from Coffee Bean in the food court hit the spot while I worked and waited for a room.

A.Y.C.E. buffet is $40 for dinner and there’s no players club discount. I’m not a big fan of buffets but decided to give it a shot because so many people loved the Station Casinos version. 

The variety of food was good. I had an Atkin’s-inspired meal featuring one of every meat they could carve. The pork options were better than the beef options.

The brisket was super smokey but dry. I tasted it all night. This went well with all of the bourbon I drank.

I asked for a recommendation when I was seated. The dessert section and gelato, in particular, were the very giddy answer. The gelato was the highlight of the meal for me. 

The vibe at Serrano Vista Café in the morning was a bit odd. There was no music and we could hear everything happening. When I say everything, I mean everything including the air conditioning. 

I was there very early and was the only person in the restaurant when I was seated. Evidently, the music was turned off for Cinco De Mayo celebrations last night and wasn’t turned on when I arrived.

Breakfast was huge and the pot of coffee was just what I needed. I barely made a dent in all the food but I felt great afterward.

Drinking And Gambling At Palms

All table game minimums at Palms were $15 when I spent the night. I played a little Pai Gow Poker and ended up about even on the session. The dealers were great.

There are a lot of video poker games at Palms. Some games are better than others. Check vpFREE2 for specifics. 

Bartop games had 7/5 video poker. Most bars start at a quarter denomination. Unknown Bar video poker games start at 50 cents.

Booze options at the tables and bars leave a lot to be desired for someone spoiled by Cosmopolitan offerings that include Angel’s Envy and Woodford Reserve. 

Officially, the maximum complimentary spirit is $10. This means Jack Daniels and Jim Beam are the complimentary brown boozes. You may be able to get Nevada’s own Frey Ranch bourbon if you ask nicely.

Random Observations – Palms Casino Resort

One thing I noticed during my day at Palms was the return of many locals for the first time. They greeted familiar faces with joy. It was really nice to see the friendships. 

Everyone at Palms was over-the-top but genuinely nice. I mean everyone including all valets, bartenders, dealers, and restaurant personnel. Shout out to the guy at coffee bean for having more energy than anyone I’ve met since before Covid.

The pool is beautiful but I didn’t get there until it closed. I planned on stopping by before leaving but the slow wifi in the room had me flustered.

Newer video poker machines typically had worse paytables than older machines. This is typical but something I noticed.

The band that was playing the sportsbook was so damn loud. I could hear it loud and clear all the way at the west bar across from Tim Ho Wan. I can’t wait until Scott from Vital Vegas experiences this.

I’m guessing that the casino scent was so strong when I went out for breakfast because nobody was around to soak it up or cover it with smoke like the day and night before. It was making me queasy. 

The ATMs don’t dispense change automatically. There’s a charity option like some other casinos offer.

Prior to Covid the Las Vegas local smokers wouldn’t ash their cigarettes. This makes the smoke so much worse than people who dump their ashes and blow the smoke away from people. I noticed this happening again at Palms. Not a fan.

Greene St. Kitchen is being used as a pop-up restaurant. The theme for Cinco De Mayo was Mexican food and tequila shots. 

Overall, Palms is pretty much what I remember from the Station Casinos era.

The post Hotel Review | Palms Casino Resort – Vegas – Ivory Tower Room appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News May 1, 2022

NFL Draft And Hotels

This was such a fun week in Las Vegas. The big event was the NFL Draft on the Vegas Strip. Hundreds of thousands of people were in town to catch the NFL spectacle. We also had the excitement of the fact that the Palms Opens during this very engaging week.

The three-day event appears to have gone off without any major problems. The Vegas Strip looked great on TV, and the local performers seemed to make a good impression on all.

Hotel room rates were high when most people were booking rooms in Las Vegas for the draft. This week I was reminded that there are almost always last-minute hotel deals for major events in Las Vegas. 

Vegas – Events – Last Minute Deals

The free cancelation period for most hotels ends 48 to 72 hours before the reservation. Many people wait until the last minute before canceling their hotel rooms if they can’t make a big event.

Just before the NFL Draft, hotel room rates returned to normal for this time of year. Some casinos even sent out comp room offers for some guests that couldn’t get a free room earlier.

I’m not saying to wait until the last minute to book Las Vegas hotels. I wouldn’t do that myself. However, if you’re with a group, it may make sense to have someone else check last-minute hotel deals. 

If you normally have comp rooms, you might even want to check with a hotel to see if there are any available. Casino hotel operators like Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program may match the lower price.

This also gives a chance to cancel and rebook. As I said, this isn’t something I would do but it’s an option for bargain hunters that don’t need solid plans for months before visiting Las Vegas.

Palms Las Vegas Is Open!

Palms reopened this week. I was lucky enough to enjoy the pre-opening party. Scroll down my twitter media page to see some pics from the night the Palms Las Vegas opened.

Unknown bar @Palms looks the same. Bands will be normal. Blue drink and special guests may not. pic.twitter.com/ngsRJLeUsD

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) April 28, 2022

The opening event was fantastic. I arrived in time for the “Taste of Palms” and ribbon cutting of the remodeled sportsbook. The food and booze samples were mostly good.

I found a local bourbon that was the surprise of the night. The food highlight was an egg roll from Tim Ho Wan and an empanada from Greene St.

Walking into Palms felt familiar. The casino floor is almost exactly the same as it was when Palms closed in 2020. I think the new owners even kept the same scent that Palms used prior to closing.

Palms Opens – Sportsbook

The sportsbook has the TV screen setup, but the red desk seating is gone and replaced with tables, and chairs like other William Hill sportsbooks have.

The new @WilliamHillNV sportsbook @palms. Same screen setup. This has some temporary seating but will sit more than 100 when regular seats are installed. The vibe will remain the same with the stage for bands. Will have more at PlayNevada dot com later. pic.twitter.com/s7FlsU95PK

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) April 28, 2022

Another Change In The Sportsbook – Palms Opens

Another change in the sportsbook is that there’s a stage for bands. This occupies the space that was used for VIP seating between the sportsbook desk area and bar. There will be dueling pianos on this stage during weeknights and full bands on weekends.

One of the big additions to Palms is the free entertainment. There will be musicians performing at Scotch 80 Prime and Mabel’s. There will be DJs at Unknown (Shark) Bar, the pool and a new “party pit” near Tim Ho Wan and the entrance from the garage.

I think people will love all the free entertainment at Palms. I wrote about some of the changes at Palms here. 

One of the things I wanted to check on was the cost of drinks. One of the turnoffs about Palms to me before it closed was the Vegas Strip prices without the location.

I’m happy to see that prices for drinks at Palms are a bit cheaper than when Station operated the casino. For example, an Old Fashioned will run from $8 or $9 to $12 or $14 depending on the bourbon. 

The party was fun but I look forward to spending time at Palms without the party going on. That will happen shortly. 

The Gaming Looks Promising – Palms Opens

An early look at video poker from vpFree looks solid. There’s also ample 3:2 blackkack. The gaming looks promising. The fact that the Palms Opens and gaming conditions were mostly positive is something to watch in the coming month.

Palms Opens – Tier Matching

Last but not least, Palms players club is matching tiers with other properties in Las Vegas. This isn’t on the website. I was able to upgrade to Amber with my Cosmopolitan Gold card. This is the tier I wanted since it’s the first level that comps resort fees. 

Let’s get to the rest of the Vegas News this week.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority released its monthly Executive Summary this week. The March report is interesting. Hotel occupancy was down 10.9% from 2019. However, the average daily room rate was up 21.8%. The two data points used to increase and descrease at similar rates. You can see the full report here.
• Nevada saw its second-highest month of revenue from gambling. The Vegas Strip was up bigly. Read more here.
• Boyd Gaming reported earnings this week. As expected, Las Vegas financials broke records. You can see the press release here.
• There was one thing stood out above and beyond everything else during the earnings call to me. I shared an Axios article about prices remaining high last week. 
• I shared this article because I see the same thing in casinos. Boyd Gaming confirmed this. During the call, they mentioned that elevated margins are now part of the business. While prices may drop a little, they don’t see prices returning to 2019 levels.
• MGM Resorts and Caesars report earnings next week. I think we’ll hear more of the same from most casino operators. 
• The owner of Golden Nugget is seeing similar prices in his restaurant business. See more here.
• Boyd also confirmed that they are replacing the buffet with a six-stall food hall with some national brands we’ll recognize. The casino expansion and food hall should be done before the end of the year or early next year.
• The Las Vegas Review-Journal confirmed that the owner of the Golden Nugget is purchasing land on the Vegas Strip. Vital Vegas had the info first. Read his article here.
• If there’s an Adele residency it may be at PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort instead of Caesars Palace Las Vegas. It could start before the year is over. Read more here.

• Are you stoked for BUFFALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO on the canopy of the Fremont Street Experience? Read more here.
• VICI’s deal to buy MGM Growth Properties is done. You can read about the real estate deal here.
• Siegfried and Roy’s estate and belongings will be up for auction next month. Read more here.
• Wynn Las Vegas won some awards. Read more here.
• MGM Resorts also won some of those same rewards. Read more here. 
• Circus Circus and Choice Hotels might be the perfect partnership. Read more here.
• There’s a new Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program credit card. Read more here.  
• Apollo is reporting earnings for the first time since taking over operations at The Venetian. I’m looking forward to this. Read more here. ​​
• Uh oh. Flamingo Las Vegas flamingos are in hiding! Read more here.
• May 4-10 is Live Nation’s Concert Week with $25 show tickets. This isn’t for all shows. There are usually 10-15 Las Vegas shows available. Read more here.
• You can rent a Tesla at Resorts World. Read more here.
• The B-52’s are doing a few shows at The Venetian. I wonder if Fred Shneider remembers standing next to me in line for a buffet so many years ago. Anyway, read more here.
• Last but not least, I saw a press release for a new website to find places to get beer in any US city. You can find the link to Las Vegas here.

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Vegas News April 24, 2022

NFL Draft In Vegas

This will be one of the busiest weeks in Las Vegas in a while. In addition to Palms opening off the Strip, the NFL Draft will take place on the Vegas Strip. Attendance for the NFL Draft in Vegas is estimated between 500,000 and 600,000 people. Navigating the Vegas Strip will be a wild ride and we’re all here for it!

The attendance estimates are over three days. That means somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 people will be on the Vegas Strip each day of the NFL Draft.

For reference, that’s like three nights of New Year’s Eve crowds. This many people visiting Las Vegas isn’t unprecedented for one day but over three days it might be a bit much.

Entry to the NFL Draft Stages and Draft Experience is free but you must sign up for NFL OnePass to enter. You can register here.

There are already some lane closures and there will be more during the actual event. This will make getting to the draft kind of a headache. 

I recommend parking at the Las Vegas Convention Center or Sahara and taking the monorail to The Linq if you’re driving. Try taking a rideshare to and from the Draft by stopping at Wynn, The Venetian, Treasure Island, or Tuscany then walking to the event. These might be the fastest ways to get to and from the area. 

I wrote about the traffic mess here if you need more info.

NFL Draft – Concert Series

The NFL released its concert series and entertainment for the draft stages on Friday. See the specifics here. I was expecting some Las Vegas-related headliners but that’s not the case. At least there will be acts like Absinthe performing throughout the event for a little Vegas fun.

NFL Draft – A Major Event

The NFL Draft in Las Vegas will certainly be a major event. I expect that I’ll check out the NFL Experience and stages one morning or afternoon before the draft takes place. I feel like I’ll need to be alone when the Jets make their two top 10 picks.

You can find all of the official information on the NFL Draft here.

Palms Opening

The NFL Draft isn’t the only big thing happening this week. Palms is opening its casino on Wednesday and hotel on Thursday. I should be on hand to preview the property the night it opens. If there’s an issue on Wednesday, I’ll be there on Thursday.

Last week we gave a heads up about the players club. Now that Palms is closer to opening, the casino updated the website with all the information that’s fit to print. You can see full details on Club Serrano here.

Palms released its restaurant information when the new website launched. No surprises with what’s opening. The only minor surprise to me is that the AYCE buffet doesn’t open until 9 am on weekends.

That seems a little late. I’m halfway to lunch by then since I rarely sleep until 6 am. You can read more about Palms dining here.

As expected, William Hill received approval to operate the Palms sportsbook. The new operators have been secretive about the changes to this part of the casino. I should be on hand for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting this week. Read more here.

While there won’t’ be many changes to Palms but I noticed one new thing that should make a lot of people happy. There will be entertainment everywhere. 

Some of the restaurants will have quiet live music. The sportsbook will have music, including dueling pianos, after the games. There will be DJs at various bars in the casino. The website says one part of the casino will be a party pit. I’m curious.

Those are the big events of the week. Let’s get to the news!

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• Vital Vegas has some insight on Fremont Casino renovations. On a related note, the Boyd Gaming earnings call is on Tuesday. Read more here.
• I know some people have been waiting for this moment for a while. Raiding The Rock Vault is back. The show will be inside a new venue in RIO All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel and Casino beginning June 17. Read more here.
• Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program won some awards that mean very little to you or me. Read more here.
• I didn’t realize the group Crystal Method was from Nevada. The group has a new video and NFT from the video. Read and see more here.
• I’m so over the Adele story but the news is news! Here’s something about Adele firing people and maybe doing the Las Vegas residency. Read more here. 
• Dive in Movies is back at The Cosmopolitan this summer. Read more here.
• Wynn recently opened the AFT Cocktail Deck. It looks great and menu prices aren’t insane. Can’t wait to check this out. Read more here.
• The (golf) Match will take place at Wynn Golf Club for the second time. This year will have Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers playing Pat Mahomes and Josh Allen. Read more here.
• Circa Sports is opening a sportsbook at a new casino in Sparks, NV later this year. Read more here.
• Free wifi is coming to JSX. Read the tweet here.
• Hotel operators sometimes hire outside companies to help them maximize revenue. Caesars just hired one of those companies. Read more here.
• There’s some serious drama at Resorts World. Read more here.
• There’s a Dart Bar coming to The Palazzo. See information about Flight Club here. 
• Resorts World is hosting a slew of random and unrelated events over the next year. The latest announcement is the Wine Spectator’s Grand Tour in June. Read more here.
• Resorts World will also be home to Journey playing shows with a symphony orchestra. Read more here.
• Speaking of partying at Resorts World. There’s a property-wide party happening on Memorial Day Weekend. Read more here.
• Somehow there are still questions about Marijuana Lounges. These will eventually open. Read more here.
• The Peppermint Hippo is now open on the Vegas Strip where Olympic Gardens used to be. While the hippo and rhino establishments are the same type of business, Peppermint and Spearmint are not related. Read more here.
• Circa has sweepstakes for the ladies. Read more here.
• Something I’ve been thinking about over the past year with some casinos not lowering minimum bets and increasing room rates as much as possible is the reality that this might be the new normal. Axios has an article about price increases in the real world not going away. Read more here.

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Vegas News April 17, 2022

Palms Casino Resort

Nothing new to see here but this is a promo video for the opening of Palms on April 27. I found this while looking for information on the players club (Palms Rewards Program – CLUB SERRANO). Before we get to that, I need to remind myself about the property. Hopefully, it will help keep all of our expectations in check.

The video is a good reminder that there won’t be many changes at Palms when it reopens. At least a few of the finer dining and quick-serve restaurants will reopen. The bars will mostly remain the same – if nothing else, they’ll be in the same locations.

Palms – New Sportsbook

The one change I’m looking forward to seeing is the new sportsbook. Otherwise, it appears as though most of the Palms casino floor will look similar to when it closed.

The main design change will be similar to other casinos with more pods than rows of slot machines. Station Casinos really packed in the rows a bit too tight so this will be a nice change.

We knew the movie theater at Palms would be reopening with the rest of the property. The theater has been upgraded since closing in 2020. 

I’m looking forward to the reopening of Palms. Having said that, I can be easily excitable so this is a reminder to myself, and anyone reading, that there shouldn’t be too many surprises when Palms reopens at the end of the month.

Oh yeah, pic of the cards. pic.twitter.com/BvNYZdrRVX

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) April 16, 2022

CLUB SERRANO – Palms Rewards Program

The thing I’m most curious about is the Club Serrano rewards program. Club Serrano will be the Palms Rewards Program. I did notice a few things. It will be easier to earn points playing at Yaamava’ Casino in CA than at Palms. From the rules page:

“For each $2 wagered in video poker machines at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, members earn 1 Slot Point and 1 Tier Point. For each $4 wagered in video poker machines at Palms Casino Resort, members earn 1 Slot Point and 1 Tier Point.”

Here are a few other perks for Palms players that I want to highlight:

• All levels receive free self-parking and valet.
• All levels receive discounts on movies.
• Upper tiers receive reward multipliers. 
• Emerald level and above get comped resort fees.

You can see all of the perks and how they differ from the CA casino here and see an FAQ for the Palms Rewards Program here. I’m not a web designer but it seems strange this info isn’t on the Palms webpage but is on the Yaamava’ page.

Opening Night – Palms

I’ll either be at the opening night of the casino on April 27 or the opening day of the hotel on April 28. Keep an eye on Twitter and Instagram for pics and videos from opening.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• Las Vegas is promoting its small (200 people) meeting spaces, so I’m passing on for any event planners who might be looking to return to Las Vegas for work.
• Fontainebleau has jokes. Read more here.
• You know this already but CNBC just discovered that visitors are coming to Las Vegas in spite of inflation. Watch about 2.5 minutes on the topic here.
• It appears as though Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program did something good for this year but it will happen again! Read more here.
• I really like just about everything at Taverna Costa in the Arts District. The bar, restaurant, and coffee shop also has video poker and now comedy. If this was closer to where I live it would be a 10 out of 10. See the flyer for comedy here.
• Daylight at Night at Mandalay Bay is starting on April 29. Repeating “Daylight at Night” over and over and enjoying the sound doesn’t make me strange, right? If you like pool parties at night, read more here.
• A show named “Rouge” is opening at The Strat. Read more here.
• Las Vegas is the #3 city in the US to get stoned, brah. Read more here.
• Rumor has it that Tipsy Robot will be opening another location at The Venetian. Read more here. 
• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has a list of LGBTQ+ events this year. Read more here.
• JW Marriott (Rampart Casino) renovated its spa that now includes a barbershop. Read more here.
• Jimmy O. Yang (Jian Yang from Silicon Valley) is performing at The Mirage in July. Read more here. 
• If you’re into Escape Rooms like the one fashion stylist I know, you may be into the “It” experience opening this fall. Read more here.
• We All Scream is a nightclub open in downtown Las Vegas. Read more here.
• The “first US casino dedicated to (the) Latino community” is opening in North Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Emmit Smith’s restaurant doesn’t have an opening date but it has a chef! Read more here.
• The NBA is still considering expanding to Las Vegas. It still won’t happen right away but people should still keep asking questions about it. Read more here.
• The people of Oakland appear as though they want to build the A’s a stadium district so the baseball team can stay in California and not move to Las Vegas. Read more here.
• National parks are waiving entrance fees this week. This is good in Las Vegas and around the country. There are also events planned for every day. Read more here.
• Golden Nugget CO could be a thing soon. Read more here.
• Sports Illustrated licensed its name for a couple of hotels. How long until they have a casino? Read more here.
• Everi (manufacturer of most casino ATMs) has a product that will turn crypto into cash. This is debuting in MS. Nevada gaming might get around to making this available in 15 years after they finally allow remote registration for sports betting apps. Read more here.
• Don’t be surprised if you start hearing Elvis Presley songs in random places. Read more here.

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Vegas News April 10, 2022

A Tale Of A Low-Mid Roller

We’re going to open today with a short tale of a low-mid roller (me) enjoying the casino fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. The past year of comps reminds me of getting the most out of the last great recession in the late 2000s.

The Cosmopolitan was my favorite casino on the Vegas Strip before Covid-19 and it’s still my favorite. I love the vibe and always have fun eating, drinking, and gambling. My appreciation of Cosmopolitan grew over the past year. Unfortunately, my spend over the years wasn’t good enough for comps until last year.

Cosmo Staycations

You may have noticed that I’ve been spending two to three nights a month at the Cosmopolitan the past 12-13 months. Here’s a two-second room tour if you’re not familiar. These became a monthly favorite for social media when I was staying at the hotel.

Prior to Covid-19, my offers at Cosmopolitan were for a few bucks a week and maybe a food discount. Never a comp room.

I’m not a high roller or big spender at the property so I was enjoying the offers of good cash and food along with comp rooms as long as I could. Well, it appears as though the jig is up.

From Comp to Discounted Rate

My latest offer was for discounted rooms instead of complimentary. GASP! I knew the offers wouldn’t last forever.

Every casino operator is expecting 80% or more occupancy this month and even more as the summer progresses. It was only a matter of time before my gambling, and mostly solo dining budget would allow me the comp rooms.

For the time being the weekly free play and dining credit are still available. I’m grateful I was able to take the luxury property up on their offers and will continue to do so as long as they last.

History Repeats

I had a similar experience during the last great recession. I enjoyed the best offers of my life. The offers took me from properties like Gold Coast and Flamingo to The Venetian and Encore. 

It was great to be able to afford hotel rooms at the luxury properties for the same price (free or deeply discounted) as the lower to mid-range properties. I look at the past year in a similar light. 

Las Vegas Hotel Occupancy Continues To Rise

Hotel occupancy for the year is continuing to rise and big events like BTS this weekend and conferences like NAB returning will keep demand and prices high. You know the prices are getting high when the local newspaper notices it.

I haven’t had a regular hotel that offers comps on the Vegas Strip since I first moved to Las Vegas and was still a Caesars customer. I would rather be a big fish in a small (less luxurious) pond than a small fish in a big (luxurious) pond. 

It’s been a while but it’s probably time to start exploring other casino-hotel options on the Vegas Strip for my budget. My focus on the Vegas Strip is because 90% of visitors I know never leave the area. It’s time to see where I can get the best bang for my buck next.

I’m sharing my story because this change will impact many other mid-rollers. Black chip players should be fine but those of us who play red and green chips may see drastic changes to our offers.

The casino corporations start reporting earnings for the first quarter in a couple of weeks. I’m expecting record-breaking revenue and profits for some of the casino operators.

The more profitable these corporations are, the less they need to entice less profitable customers. This is just something to be aware of looking towards the rest of the year. 

Let’s get to the Vegas News!

• Palms officially announced its opening day as April 27. Guests can book rooms beginning April 28th. Read more here.  
• There’s nothing new in the Palms press release. The only major change I’ve been reading about is to the sportsbook which should be operated by William Hill. Read more here.
• A few people asked if Ghostbar would be reopening. The answer for a couple of months has been yes. We now know it won’t open until the summer. Read more here.

BTS Invades Las Vegas

• The BTS takeover of Las Vegas is underway. It’s been pretty amazing to watch. Here’s a video from the first night of four shows. The audio isn’t great but it will give you an idea about what they do if you’re not familiar.
• BTS has a fountain show at Bellagio. Read more here.
• Below is a video of the BTS show at Bellagio. More people should be taking pics/vids from this angel – especially at night.

• The free shows at the Fremont Experience are typical of most years with a mix of performers from the past 40 years. Read about Men at Work, Hoobastank and Slaughter playing free shows in downtown Las Vegas here.
• I always find this annual “Loosest Slots” article interesting for some reason. For a change, Reno isn’t leading the way in Nevada. Boulder Strip and other off-strip casinos had the loosest slots in Nevada. Read more here.
• Resorts World released 100,000 killer ladybugs into the world. Read more here. 
• Rhumbar at The Mirage has been renovated and is reopening. I enjoy drinking cocktails outdoors and I hope the new furniture is an upgrade from the leftovers from K-Mart I remember. Anyway, read more here.
• Las Vegas is gross and this town is freaking out. Listen and read more here.
• Related: The Oakland A’s got some big-time Las Vegas drama. Read more here. 
• Related: Maybe there isn’t so much drama with the A’s moving to Las Vegas (there is). Read more here.
• The Wynn Poker Signature Series is underway with events throughout the week. Read more here.
• Nobu at Paris Las Vegas is “officially” open now. It already opened softly so this announcement is just a formality. Read more here.
• The Arts District doesn’t have a lot of parking so Las Vegas decided to add meters. Read more here. 
• Have some extra loot and want to move to Las Vegas? You can live on an island that’s attached to land at Lake Las Vegas. Read/watch here. 
• The Las Vegas Convention Center planned to expand to the Vegas Strip. It didn’t and sold some of the land to Seigel Group. Read more here.
• Resorts World announced that Allergan Aesthetics is its the preferred aesthetics and rewards partner. This is the company that owns Botox. Wonder how many comp points we’ll need to fix our wrinkles. Read more here.
• You’d never expect the buskers on Fremont Street as people who would try to game the system or sell their spots illegally, right? Read more here.
• Online poker players in NV, NJ, and DE should soon people able to play with people from MI. Read more here.
• The EDC festival at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway caps off a week of EDM in Las Vegas nightclubs. Read more here. 
• Not sure what this will mean but Howard Hughs Corp. (Summerlin) purchased a steak (pun intended) of Jean Georges restaurant group. Read more here.
• Boyd Gaming reports earnings on April 26. I expect this will be a repeat of calls from the past couple of years. If there’s any Las Vegas news it could be more info about the Fremont expansion. View details on the call here. 
• MGM Resorts will report earnings on May 2. Not sure what to expect besides maybe some information about Cosmopolitan operations. Find call details here.
• Caesars is selling its William Hill foreign assets for less money than expected. Looks like the bean counters to make that money up elsewhere. Hold onto your hats for more cutbacks. I’m just having fun at their expense. I don’t really know that Caesars will try to increase revenue to make up for this loss. Read more here.
• Cake Boss has a food truck at The Linq. Read more here.

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Vegas News April 3, 2022

Formula One Coming To Las Vegas

The big news in Las Vegas this week was the confirmation that Formula One will start a three-race deal next year. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place on and off the Vegas Strip. Here’s a look at the 3.8-mile course.

The first race of three will take place on a Saturday night in November next year. The exact time and date have not been announced but it seems as though the race will begin at 10 pm local time. The Saturdays before and after Thanksgiving have both been rumored as being the date of the race.

Nevada officials are expecting 170,000 people to visit during whichever weekend the race takes place. Clark County says the visitors will occupy 400,000 hotel room nights and there will be a $700 million economic impact. 

Formula One is a popular and still growing sport in the US. The race in Austin, TX last year had 400,000 people over three days. The Miami Grand Prix is “limiting” ticket sales to 240,000 over three days for its first race this year.

This is a fairly expensive sport for fans to attend. Tickets for the race in Austin last year were expensive. This year, tickets for the first Miami race are ridiculous. 

Prices Will Be Insane
Formula One Coming To Las Vegas

Tickets and hotel rooms should be insane for Las Vegas. Based on the renderings (like the one above) the makeshift road course will have seats on the Vegas Strip sidewalks. Somehow the Vegas Strip will remain open for visitors to go from casino to casino. 

I’m really looking forward to seeing race cars going 200+ MPH down the Vegas Strip. While many will visit Las Vegas to see the race in person, I think the best way to watch the race will be on TV. This will allow me to see all the twists and turns of the race as well as the different parts of the large racecourse.

You can read more about the race from Formula One here.

A lot happened in Las Vegas this week but this drone video through Circa is one of the most fun things I saw. Since so many people asked, yes, the drone was asked to show ID before flying through the casino and out to Stadium Swim. Enjoy the video below.

Have you ever flown through a casino?

Thank you to the entire team at @BlazeAirMN for taking flight at Circa and capturing this work of art. #CircaLasVegas #DTLV pic.twitter.com/ZQZTFZRYjC

— Circa Las Vegas (@CircaLasVegas) March 28, 2022

• BTS is taking over Las Vegas this month. We already know the band sold out four shows at Allegiant Stadium just to fan club members. The group will be making the most out of their time in Las Vegas. You can read about the BTS exhibit here and see even more plans here. 
• The NFL Draft will take place on April 28-30. There will be traffic due to numerous street closures. Read more here.
• The NFL Draft is free, but you need to use the NFL OnePass app to enjoy the activities at the Draft Experience. Read more here.
• Forbes wrote about Comedy making a comeback in Las Vegas. The article focuses on Wynn but could have included MGM for the Aces of Comedy series at The Mirage and one-off shows at Park MGM and more. When I moved to Las Vegas there was barely any live standup. It’s great to see so many more funny people in town. Read more here.
• MGM Resorts sold off their old Picasso art last year and invested in some new art pieces. Read and see more here.
• MGM Resorts is releasing some Jabbawockeez show NFTs. If this doesn’t make your head hurt, read more here.
• Miranda Lambert is doing a residency at Zappos Theater inside PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort beginning Sept. and continuing into April 2023. Read more here.
• Caesars will report earnings on May 3. This should be an eventful call as the company said it should have a casino sale announcement in time for earnings. Read more here.
• The off-strip Artisan hotel was sold. Read about the deal here. You can read about the possibility of this becoming a “cannabis-friendly” hotel here.
• The next Nevada Gaming Control Board meeting happens this week. You can see a full agenda here. A couple of things stood out to me – William Hill will operate the sportsbook at Palms again, and the Western Hotel is looking for a slot machine license.
• There’s a “vision” to build an arena and entertainment district across the street from Silverton. Read more here.
• Boyd Gaming changed its rewards program to Boyd Rewards. There are no changes, but you can read more here if you have nothing better to do.
• In February, Nevada had another month where casinos throughout the state won more than a billion dollars. This was the 12th month in a row for such a milestone. Additionally, visitation through the airport increased. Read more here.
• The Las Vegas Convention and Vistors Authority released its Executive Summary this week. You can see the full report here.
• The Average Daily Room rate in February was $149.52. This was up 52.5% from 2021 and 15% from 2019. Weekend hotel occupancy was 87.5% in February. This is slightly lower than 2019. This article from Bloomberg may shed some light on why hotel prices are so high.  
• Look for hotel room rates to increase through the summer as more people hit the road for vacation. Remember, as demand for paid hotel rooms increases, there will be fewer comp rooms. If you’re considering visiting Las Vegas this summer, you may want to put comps on hold now to be safe.
• We are really proud of ZorkFest, our team, and incredible speakers and podcasters. Thank you, Basic Travel Couple, for the very kind words about the ZorkFest 2021 Conference in this Bloomberg Businessweek article.

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Vegas News March 27, 2022

There’s usually something particularly interesting happening in Las Vegas. Besides recovering from the first weekend of March Madness, things were relatively mellow. That will change so let’s enjoy the first 90-degree weekend of the year with a relaxing look at the Vegas News.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• Evidently, some casinos on the Vegas Strip are telling guests that they will not receive housekeeping. I’ve only heard about some casinos offering opt-out discounts if customers choose not to use the service. Read more here.
• Aerosmith will be back at the Dolby Live inside Park MGM for 24 more shows from June through December as part of their extended residency. Read more here.
• I’ve been seeing more tweets that El Classico between Real Madrid and Barcelona could be played in Las Vegas next year. If you’re not a soccer fan, this will be a big deal and will sell out Allegiant Stadium. In other words – this will mean another weekend of higher than usual hotel room prices. Nothing is confirmed but you can read more here. 
• Speaking about sports rumors heating up, it looks like the announcement of a Las Vegas Formula One (F1) race will take place next year the weekend after Thanksgiving. Again, nothing is confirmed but it feels like this should be announced soon. Read more here.
• It feels as though we’ve been talking about Boyd streamlining expenses and offers for a few years. The bottom half of this blog post has an update on things if you’re curious. 
• The next quarterly casino corporation earnings reports may start a little light (January) but seem as though the end of the quarter (March) and the next six months should be massive. There are more people returning to spend money while the casinos are reducing offers and have lower expenses. It sounds like hotel rooms on weekends will be close to 100% capacity for most of the summer.
• If you’re interested in how and why a casino corporation does certain things on social media read the article about MGM Resorts’ social media here. 
• Allegiant Stadium was named the best NFL venue for “game-day satisfaction” at Raiders games this year. I had a great time. The stadium has anything one could want or need except a video poker bar that looks out to the field. Read more here.
• The NFL Draft will be in Las Vegas next month. More info should become available in the next few weeks but I broke down the available details about the event here.
• Walk On’s is opening its newest sports bar at Harrah’s at the end of the month in the space vacated by Toby Keith. Read more here.
• The free Jazz In The Park series is back. This is a good excuse to spend time outside and enjoy the fresh air. The shows are free but you’ll need tickets. See show and ticket info here.
• The AVN (porn) awards and convention will take place at Resorts World next year. There’s some wacky programming happening at Resorts World. Last week the Psycho music festival announced it would take place at Resorts World this year. Read more about the AVN’s here.
• The Hard Rock was the only casino to host both Psycho and AVN’s. That casino is now Virgin, which would have been more fun for the AVN’s.
• Next year will be the first time the AVN’s are taking place at the same time as CES in a decade. The combination of people in Las Vegas for both conventions made for fun people watching at The Venetian. Not sure Resorts World will be quite the same but ya never know.
• Gordon Ramsay is opening another restaurant at a Caesars property. Ramsay’s Kitchen By Gordon Ramsay is the name of the new GR joint. The restaurant will be opening at Harrah’s this fall. Read more here.  
• Morrissey is returning to Caesars Palace Las Vegas for five shows in July. Read more here.
• We already knew this but Mabel’s BBQ will return to Palms when the property reopens this spring. Read the press release here.
• Aces Of Comedy is continuing into the fall at The Mirage. Tom Segura was the latest performer announced for the series. Read more here.
• The NIT (college basketball) could move its semi-finals and championship game to Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Heads up that some second weekend of March Madness games will take place in Las Vegas next year. Hotel room prices are already more than the first weekend of March Madness which is more than a typical week in Las Vegas. You can read more about both NIT and NCAA’s in Las Vegas here.
• The MSG Sphere at The Venetian will have the world’s highest resolution LED screen. There’s so much advanced tech involved that I’m very curious about what the venue will really be like inside. Read more here.
• AEW wrestling already broke a record for revenue from attendance for a non-pay-per-view fight taking place at Mandalay Bay. Read more here.
• Tickets for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol boxing match at T-Mobile Arena in May are on sale now. Read more here.
• A few weeks ago I mentioned that Caesars has been able to generate $1 billion in “synergies” instead of its original goal of $500 million. With that in mind, the company is rolling out rebrands of existing properties to Horseshoe Casino.
• Having fewer brands will allow Caesars to save even more money by having to spend less on unique items for the different casino names. This week Isle Casino in Colorado announced it was changing names to Horseshoe. Read more here.
• OH SNAP! The monorail is getting Boingo wifi! Read more here.

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Vegas News March 20, 2022

March Madness Is Underway

Las Vegas casinos closed two years ago last week. Las Vegas and the rest of the world continue to return to whatever normal is nowadays.

First Weekend Of March Madness

This week was an important benchmark for sports fans like me. We’re just finishing what is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year for sports fans and bettors. 

The first weekend of March Madness is wall-to-wall college basketball games for four consecutive days. In total, there will be 48 games played over the weekend. For comparison, the four days of betting on college basketball are usually similar to wagering during Super Bowl weekend. 

This weekend used to be a great time to visit Las Vegas but hasn’t been the same for the past couple of years. The NCAA basketball tournament was suspended two years ago. Last year the Las Vegas experience was muted with Covid-19 restrictions still in place. 

Sportsbooks Were Packed

This year Las Vegas sportsbooks were packed almost to pre-Covid levels. When Circa was being constructed, my imagination ran wild with how great the scene at Stadium Swim would be during the first weekend of March Madness. 

Well, Stadium Swim continues to shine brightly at Circa. 

Welcome to #ManiaUnderTheSun.
Let’s have some fun at the best pool on Earth. pic.twitter.com/PO9MNwqFcn

— Stadium Swim (@stadiumswim) March 18, 2022

There have been big crowds at casinos, bars, and restaurants all over Las Vegas. It’s been great to see and experience.

I did learn something after the first day of March Madness. A colleague shared details of the first day during his March Madness experience at Bally’s. 

Bally’s Sportsbook And The Future

He’s hearing that the sportsbook at Bally’s will be “gutted” as part of the Horseshoe renovation. This makes sense. The sportsbook at Bally’s is an awkward space in a strange location deep in the bowels of the property.

I’ll look into getting more details about the Bally’s/Horseshoe sportsbook now that the busiest days of the tournament have passed. 

While Las Vegas feels like normal for someone like me who is able to enjoy it regularly, the city still coming back for a lot of people. 

It looks like the masses are returning to Las Vegas! I think we’re going to be in for a fun summer.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

Before we get to the real Las Vegas news, you should be alerted that Amazon did not buy MGM Resorts. However, Amazon does own the movie studio that put out a few movies you might recognize from seeing their respective slot machines – James Bond, Rocky, and The Addams Family.

• The Bellagio conservatory and botanical gardens has a new display for the spring through May 14. Read more here.
• It’s official, El Cortez is becoming a 21+ property. The major change is that kids can’t stay at the hotel. Another difference will be that El Cortez will soon be checking the ID of anyone entering the casino. Read more here.
• Rumor Of The Week: The owner of the Golden Nugget plans to build a new non-Nugget casino on the Vegas Strip. Read more here.
• Vanderpump à Paris at Paris Las Vegas is now open. Read more here and see a few images here. 
• Life Is Beautiful announced the music lineup for this year’s festival. Read more here.
• Resorts World will have a Tequila and Mezcal festival at Rose Rooftop on May 14. Looks like fun if you’re into this kind of booze. Read more here.
• Boring update: Resorts Wold expects the Tesla tunnel to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) to be ready by late April in time for NAB. There will be eight cars to bring passengers back and forth. Read more here.
• The Psycho music festival is moving from Mandalay Bay to Resorts World. See some of the lineup and more information here. ​​
• Speaking of the LVCC, Las Vegas snagged the Sweets & Snacks Expo and Mobile World Congress. You can read more about this and other conferences here.
• Last week we shared an update on MGM pools. You can see more pool info at properties all over Las Vegas here. 
• The Las Vegas Lights soccer team started its season this weekend. It’s a cheap entertainment option in downtown Las Vegas if you’re looking for something different. See the schedule here.
• You probably know this already but housekeeping is disappearing at some hotels around the country. Read more here.
• Duran Duran is playing a couple of shows at Wynn Las Vegas in September. Read more here.
• If you have a few extra bucks laying around, you can buy a house deep into Red Rock Canyon. Read more here.
• The Plaza donated a sign to the Neon Museum. Read more here.
• The Oakland A’s continue to flirt with Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Anita Baker’s shows at The Venetian sold out quickly and another three were just added. Read more here.
• French Bulldog is the most popular dog in Las Vegas. Read more here.

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Vegas News March 13, 2022

Big Fish at Cosmo

Before we get to Durango Casino and the other Vegas Quick Hits….. Earlier this week I received an email from Aristocrat for a slot machine I found last month at Cosmopolitan. I receive lots of press emails but this one hit me because it was for a game I randomly discovered just wandering around The Cosmpolitan one afternoon.

You can read about Big Fish Grand here. You can see the amazing song when you win a nice bonus below. 

I don’t love slot machines but I’m a sucker for loud noises and bright lights. This game has all of that. Some day I’ll explain how slot machines became an important part of my gambling experience.

I don’t imagine playing Big Fish Grand again but the experience and memories from playing once are fantastic. That’s what visiting Las Vegas is all about – creating memories that last forever. While I may never play this slot machine again, I’ll never forget it.

Even though I’ve lived in Las Vegas for 10 years, I still feel like a tourist since I usually only explore the Vegas Strip or downtown when friends are visiting. Even though I visit with some locals every now and again, I probably spend more time in these parts when people from other states are visiting.

Living in Las Vegas can be the best of all worlds. I’m just glad I can enjoy Las Vegas the way I did when I lived on the east coast and as a local whenever I want. 

This has nothing to do with anything other than appreciating friends near and far as well as new obnoxious slot machines. In the meantime, enjoy the sweet sounds of a $104 slot machine win!

Let’s get to the real Vegas News from the week!

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• It’s rare that I find something entirely new online but this week I learned that Caesars Rewards is matching upper-tier status with a couple of sportsbook apps – FanDuel and DraftKings. Read more here.
• I love generic hospitality reports. According to Hotels dot com, people now want bathtubs in their rooms and they no longer care for wifi. This is 100% the opposite of me. Read more here. 
• Speaking of studies that are interesting. This week a company shared research on how clean the air is inside of casinos. Aria Resort, and Wynn Las Vegas were the top three.
• This isn’t much of a surprise as Park MGM doesn’t have smoking and MGM Resorts upgraded its air filtration due to Covid-19. Plus Aria has a unique air filtration system that’s also at Circa. Read more here.
• The founder of JetBlue is starting a new airline called Breeze. There are limited destinations that fly into Las Vegas for now and prices seem somewhat low. You can see the three price categories here. Learn more about the airline here and lastly, you check out the website here.
• Speaking of flying, the TSA extended the mask requirement for anyone flying through April 18. Read more here.
• I haven’t noticed this yet but it looks as though Uber is adding a fuel surcharge as gas prices are rising. The price is different in every state and probably won’t impact short rides from casino to casino on the Vegas Strip. Leaving the area or traveling around Las Vegas might be a different story. Read more here.
• Britney Spears was at Resorts World last weekend. Evidently, they treated her so well she posted about it on Instagram. Then she removed the post after fans tried to see if there was a deeper meaning than someone posting that they’re grateful for being treated nicely. Read more here. 
• Bobby Burgers from Bobby Flay is now open at Paris Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Cafe Lola is opening a new location at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The cold brew at the location near me is pricey but delicious. The decor is very instagrammable and may be too cutesy for some. Read more here.
• Anita Baker is coming back to Las Vegas for another limited engagement. The name of her five shows at The Venetian is appropriately “Return to Las Vegas.” Shows take place in late May and early June. Read more here.
• EVO is returning to Mandalay Bay in August. Read more about the lineup for this year’s event here. 
• The steakhouse at Binion’s is open again. Read more here.
• Nitro Circus is coming to Las Vegas on July 4. The show will take place at Las Vegas Ballpark across from Red Rock Casino. Read more here.
• Remember when Nitro Circus was going to have a show inside Bally’s a few years ago? Wow, that was actually five years ago! I’m getting old. Read more here.
• You can read a slew of information about the pools at the different MGM Resorts properties here. 

Durango Casino

• Station Casinos started doing a cleanup of the land where it’s building the new Durango Casino earlier this year. This week the company officially broke ground on the new property. You can see new interior renderings and learn more about the property here.

Previously announced details about the Durango Casino Project include:

• 83,000 square feet of casino space offering the latest games and an open floorplan seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor socializing spaces
• Hotel tower with over 200 beautiful guest rooms and suites
• Four signature food and beverage outlets
• Exciting food hall concept featuring fast-casual favorite restaurants and eateries
• State-of-the-art race and sportsbook
• Serene resort pool space with private cabanas and environmentally friendly event lawn
• 20,000 square feet of meeting and convention space
• 40 electric vehicle charging stations
• Multiple bike lanes to access the property with ample bike parking

Rumor Of The Week

• Rumor of the week: El Cortez is going to be a 21+ property.
• Since most of El Cortez is a casino with large bar spaces it’s primarily 21+ already. This isn’t a major change. I guess this means kids under 21 won’t be able to stay in the hotel with their parents. Big whoop. See the tweet here.
• The free autonomous car rides in downtown Las Vegas have a few pickup and dropoff locations. Download the app to get a ride and read more here.
• It looks like a show at PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort that nobody cares about is having problems. Read more here.
• Last and least, MLB will have a full season at the owners locked out the players. I look forward to spending some summer afternoons watching and wagering on day games in the sportsbooks while enjoying the air conditioning.

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Vegas News March 6, 2022

March Madness

Vegas News is back on schedule and there’s one big thing happening in Las Vegas over the next two weeks. The first weekend of March Madness is one of the busiest weekends of the year in Las Vegas. 

The NCAA basketball tournament officially begins on March 17 and continues through March 20. However, the Madness is already underway in Las Vegas for serious college basketball fans and bettors. 

Conference tournament week in Las Vegas is less popular as the first weekend of March Madness but it’s a favorite of college hoops fans and bettors for a few reasons.

Las Vegas isn’t as busy so everything is less expensive and reservations aren’t difficult. There are also numerous games taking place at venues around Las Vegas.

While conference tournament week can be great for superfans, the first weekend of March Madness is still a great time for a sports fan to be in Las Vegas. 

During the first weekend, there are 48 games in four days starting at 9 am on Thursday, March 17. The action continues for around 12 hours. Then it’s time to go out and enjoy all that Las Vegas has to offer.

TIPS – March Madness
Watching and Wagering

Here are a few tips on watching and wagering on the games for anyone planning to visit Las Vegas for the first weekend of March Madness. 

• Sportsbooks: I love sharing the experience of March Madness with a lot of people. Large sportsbooks that work for me include Cira (downtown), Westgate (near Strip), Red Rock (off-Strip) , and The Mirage or Mandalay Bay (Vegas Strip). 
• Expect To Pay: Many sportsbooks, especially on the Vegas Strip, charge a reservation fee for seats since it’s so busy. There are general admission options available but you’ll have to look off the Vegas Strip and arrive early to get a seat.
• Only In Vegas experiences: Now that sports betting is legal in half the country, there’s less of a need to visit Las Vegas for gamblers. Visiting Las Vegas for sports is a special occasion – treat it that way. Look for an “Only In Vegas” experience. Watch the games outside at Stadium Swim at Circa, the Luxor esports arena or even a strip club like Sapphire. 
• Skip the lines to bet: Get at least one sports betting app for betting. March Madness is so busy and there are betting opportunities all day and night. This means there’s a line to bet all day and night. Before the games start visit a casino (you have to open an account in person) to open and fund a sports betting app. This will save time waiting to place a wager. As I say often, nobody visits Las Vegas to stand around in lines.

March Madness – Find Something That Works For You

While I’m sharing some personal opinions there are so many more options. If you want to save money head off-strip. Find something that works for you.

Something For Everyone

For example, South Point has a great general admission party in its ballroom. It’s no-frills but is a great option for someone(s) that would rather spend money gambling or eating and drinking than a reserved seat in a sportsbook or party. 

There’s something for everyone in every location. Cosmopolitan has a watch party with a full bar, blackjack, basketball hoops, and betting stations. There are interesting and generic options all over town.

The March Madness In Las Vegas group on Facebook is a great resource for finding specific locations that may be best for you.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• The video above is renderings of the architecture planned for Fontainebleau. Renderings are hit and miss. While some projects are as good or better than the renderings (Circa) some fall a bit short (most others). Vital Vegas has stills here if you prefer words and pictures.
• The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) released its 2021 Visitor Profile. This is a fun approximation of who visited Las Vegas last year and what they did during their visit. See the report here.
• One thing this community might find interesting from the report is that 61% of visitors said they paid a regular room rate. People visiting Las Vegas without a comp room or discount!? GASP! 
• The LVCVA also updated its construction bulletin for the next few years. There’s nothing new but it’s handy to see all in one place. See the chart here.
• BTS sold out four shows at Allegiant Stadium to fan club members. MGM Grand Garden Arena will be selling watch party seats for anyone that couldn’t get into the show. Room rates for the two weekends they’re in Las Vegas are through the roof. See some screenshots here.
• The Boring tunnel connecting Resorts World with the Las Vegas Convention Center could be completed in a month. Read an update on Resorts World here. 
• Resorts World is adding a burger joint and three more food stalls to the food hall. Read more here.
• Elia Beach Club at Virgin is opening soon. Read more here.
• You can see more dayclub opening dates here.
• Related: Dive in Movies is returning to the Cosmopolitan. Read more here.
• It’s the annual “Let’s increase the tax threshold for slot machines” game. Read more here.
• Bill Simmons of The Ringer has some info on the NBA coming to Las Vegas. Listen here.
• The Jonas Brothers were planning a Park MGM residency before Covid hit. They’re now just doing a handful of shows. Read more here.
• Life Is Beautiful won the best festival award from NME. Read more here.
• Scientific Games changed its name to Light and Wonder. This is the company that makes Monopoly, Dancing Drums, and more. You can see the new website here.
• Las Vegas Aces (WNBA) tickets are on sale. Read more here.
• The WWE is returning to Allegiant Stadium in July. See more info here.  
• In case I missed this last week, Circa will have an NFT art collection. Read more here.
• Just a heads up that there could be issues finding Uber and Lyft cars at a normal price with gas prices skyrocketing. There could also be fewer drivers available as some stay home. Read more here.
• The (Todd) English Hotel is open. Read about it here. I didn’t realize it was a Marriott hotel. See that info here.

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Vegas News February 27, 2022

This week will be a very different edition of Vegas News. We originally started wishing you a Happy Super Bowl Sunday and are finally posting just before March. 

Masks Off – Masks Now Optional

The big news in Las Vegas since the beginning of February is that masks are no longer mandated in public places and casinos. Wearing a mask in both locations is still optional for anyone that would like to wear one. 

Additionally, businesses still have the right to request customers wear a mask. In the past day, I’ve been to one non-casino business that required a mask, another that didn’t, and two that still requested customers to wear a mask.

Don’t dump the masks just yet. You’ll need to wear a mask to get to Las Vegas and move around town. For the time being, airports, airplanes, Uber, Lyft, taxis, and buses still require customers to wear a mask. Additionally, some venues, shows, and artists might still have mask policies. Check the show venues for specific information.

Some casinos are celebrating that guests are no longer required to wear a mask. Other properties are moving on with masks for employees and guests now being optional. You can read the notice from the Nevada Gaming Control Board to casinos here.

In a perfect world, I’ll never have to write about Covid-19 again. You can read more about how Las Vegas casinos are now dealing with masks no longer required here.

MGM Resorts Earnings

MGM Resorts reported fourth-quarter 2021 and full-year earnings last week. You can see the press release here and the easier to read the presentation here.

This was an eventful call so I’m going to bounce around touching on different topics.

First Bit Of News – Cosmo

The first bit of news from the call was that MGM expects the deal for The Cosmopolitan to close in the second quarter (April, May, June). The company isn’t sharing plans until after the deal goes through. Everyone’s favorite dealer at The Cosmopolitan says this lines up to what she’s heard. 

Like other casino operators reporting earnings, MGM had a great quarter and year. You can see the financials here. For the year, Las Vegas hotel occupancy was 86%. The average daily room rate was $201. 

The company says this year looks better. January hotel occupancy was lower than usual in the 60% range. This month looks to be in the 70% range and that includes capacity over 90% for the weekend Las Vegas hosted the NFL Pro Bowl and NHL All-Star game. March is already trending into the 80% capacity range but that seems low. 

During the earnings call, a rep mentioned the company will renovate the hotel rooms at New York-New York. There will also be updates to some rooms at MGM Grand – but not all. Look for changes to a specific hotel tower. There’s no timeframe for the renovations. 

There was no mention about imploding Luxor or building a new hotel tower at Excalibur. The company once again mentioned how happy they are to have so many hotel rooms between T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium. I wouldn’t be surprised if they announce a way to increase revenue in these properties at some point.

MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle mentioned an interesting bit of information that came from the Las Vegas Raiders. I haven’t seen this elsewhere but he said that 68% of tickets sold to Raiders games are to people not from Las Vegas. That’s a lot of hotel rooms they can sell. 

To that point, the only people I know going to see Billy Joel and Metallica at Allegiant Stadium later this month are flying into Las Vegas for the shows.

About Those MGM Rewards Changes

During the call, the company mentioned the main reason for the changes to its rewards program is to increase revenue from non-gaming customers. You may have noticed this in all of the marketing materials about the changes to MGM Rewards.

A rep mentioned that 80% of gaming revenue comes from MGM Rewards customers. Meanwhile, only 40% of non-gaming revenue comes from MGM Rewards customers. 

I guess the strategy to reduce gaming rewards (and associated expenses) will be used to cover the cost to increase revenue from the non-gaming MGM Rewards customers. There might be a better way to increase this part of the business but that’s their choice.

We’ll take a quick look at more casino earnings but will be briefer.

Caesars Earnings

Caesars reported earnings last week. See the financials here. Caesars says they should be selling a Vegas Strip casino this quarter. During the call, it sounded like Caesars’ room prices will go up after the sale because of fewer rooms and high demand. If true, expect to see comp rooms gobbled up more quickly.

Overall, Caesars’ earnings were similar to MGM’s. One thing that did stand out was that new leadership was able to reach $1 billion in synergies (cost-cutting) instead of $500 million that was planned. You can read more in the full earnings call transcript here.

I met a friend for eating and drinking at Planet Hollywood this week and could see a noticeable difference in what used to be my favorite Caesars property. It just felt dark and unexciting. We had fun because we always have fun but it wasn’t the same as I remember.

Then again, that could just be me acting cranky because the comp cocktails were vile and I wasn’t in the mood for beer or wine. That said, dinner at Gordon Ramsay Burger was delicious. I didn’t feel like Gordon Ramsay was trying to kill me as I did back in the day.

The day Caesars reported earnings, it also revealed the renovations at Caesars Palace are mostly complete. See more here.

Wynn Earnings

Wynn reported earnings recently. You can see the press release here.

A couple of interesting notes about Las Vegas from Wynn’s earnings. Fourth-quarter hotel occupancy was 86.3% and the average daily room rate was $441. Wynn also added Wynn more than 1000 slot machines from the same period in 2020. 

Unrelated to Las Vegas, the company also announced it sold the real estate of Encore Boston Harbor. Read more here.

See the bottom of this week’s news for a fun treat from Wynn.

Resorts World Earnings

Genting reported quarterly earnings this week. There was very little about Resorts World Las Vegas. It sounds like the hotels are on target with 80% capacity in the fourth quarter. The company doesn’t expect to see higher capacity until conventions restart. See the full report here.

Not earnings-related, but Resorts World has a new concierge app. Read about Amelia here. Hopefully, this version can help, unlike the original AI concierge. For what it’s worth, Rose at Cosmopolitan works very well. Even Ivy at Caesars was useful.

The Venetian Has New Owners

Apollo Global Management is the new operator of the Venetian. VICI owns the real estate. The sale closed this week. Read the press release here.

During the hearing with Nevada Gaming Control prior to final approval, Apollo shared some ideas they have for the property. The company mentioned updating entertainment, restaurants, and bars.

The biggest possible news is that they also mentioned possibly adding rooms at the St. Regis tower space or elsewhere on the property. Research on this will should begin now that the company has taken over.

Apollo is an investment firm and will try to improve The Venetian and sell the operations in the future. The non-real estate arm at Blackstone did this with the Cosmopolitan.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

We have a huge list of quick hits this week. I broke them up into two parts in case you need a break.

• Adele says her residency at Caesars Palace “100% will happen.” She said some other stuff too. You can watch the interview here.
• On a related note, you can see the top opening night ticket sales for Las Vegas residencies by women here.
• Dig this! Restaurant Week will be back in June. Read more here.
• Bugsy’s steakhouse at Flamingo has a speakeasy with live entertainment. Read more here.
• Tony Hawk is bringing skateboarding and punk rock to downtown Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Resorts World Las Vegas has a deal to make NFT’s. Read more here.
• People of a certain age (like me) might have a special connection with chef Martin Yan. He’s opening a restaurant at the casino that will be named Horseshoe Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Caesars followed up rebranding Bally’s Las Vegas as a Horseshoe casino by rebranding another casino outside of Las Vegas with the same name. Last year the company said they would be using this brand more often. Read more here.
• Garth Brooks is still saying that he wants to do another Las Vegas residency. Read more here.
• Evidently, Golden Steer is one of the 100 most romantic restaurants in the US. Read more here.
• I’m sharing this article about places to get caviar in Las Vegas to make sure Mr. TravelZork is paying attention.
• Guy Fieri teamed up with a company to give away his pots, pans, etc. in casinos. Read more here.
• Nevada sportsbook apps are a bit behind other states in many ways. BetMGM has new depositing options. According to the app, you can’t take your winnings via the new methods. That’s fun. I shared some screenshots on Twitter this week.
• Mohegan Gaming reported earnings this week. There’s very little Las Vegas info here but you can read it here.
• The former owner of SLS Las Vegas has a company providing in-room dining and local deliveries at Mandalay Bay and Westin. Read more here.

Quick Hits Part II

• Las Vegas ranks #1 in Pollstar’s Concert Market Rankings. Read about it here.
• See the special formula Las Vegas uses to climb the concert market ranking chart here.
• Circa is dropping a Vegas Vickie NFT. Read more and sign up here.
• Luke Bryan has a residency at Resorts World. He likes to play blackjack. Read more here.
• I haven’t seen this elsewhere but Hard Rock may not take over operations of The Mirage ASAP. Read more here.
• Nevada casinos saw record Super Bowl handle this year. Read more here. 
• New York-New York is getting a new Cirque Du Soliel show this spring. Read more here.
• Usher’s residency is moving from Caesars Palace to Park MGM. Read more here.
• Caesars announced the World Series of Poker schedule. Read more here.
• Remember Salt Bae from 10 years ago? His restaurant at The Park is open. Read more here.
• Resorts World is opening a vegan restaurant. Read more here.
• You can get free driverless car rides downtown. Read more here.
• The Oakland A’s are still using Las Vegas to leverage a new stadium in California. Read more here.
• West coasters might want to check out the new Alaska Airlines subscription plan. Read more here.
• NASCAR haulers will return to the Vegas Strip before the Las Vegas race. Read more here.
• South Point is hosting a $2 million Bingo event. Read more here.
• The Billboard Music Awards will return to Las Vegas in May. Read more here.
• Last but not least, a couple of dice got loose at Wynn. Hope everyone is safe!

Saw this on IG earlier. I think it moved. Love this. pic.twitter.com/MnAD8ji8lv

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) February 11, 2022

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The post Vegas News | The Most Vegas News Ever… Masks Now Optional, And Dice Are Loose At Wynn appeared first on TravelZork.

Vegas News February 6, 2022

It’s quarterly earnings season and a couple of corporations with local casinos really got things rolling. Boyd Gaming and Station Casinos both had great financial earnings in 2021 and during the fourth quarter. Plus, we have news of Fremont Expanding.

You can see the Boyd Gaming earnings press release that covers mostly financials here. The Station Casinos earnings release is here for anyone that just wants the bare-bones info. 

Earnings for both companies are typically very similar. The last earnings period and year were no different. Both crushed revenue and profits and broke more quarterly records.

While impressive it’s helpful to remember that these companies are becoming more profitable by focusing on big spenders and weeding out low-profit customers. 

These companies are not looking for customers that try to game the rewards system. This isn’t new but the quarterly earnings calls are a good reminder that anyone looking to maximize their casino experience will have to be sharp and always look for new advantages.

I expect we’ll see similar but different information when the big companies, MGM and Caesars, report earnings in the next couple of weeks.

Boyd Expanding Fremont Casino – Fremont Expanding

Vital Vegas was the first place I saw mention of the work being done at the Fremont. The rumor about expansion goes back to 2018 so I was anticipating some information on the work Scott saw.

Boyd confirmed the expansion (“Fremont Expanding”) during the earnings call. The company was light on specifics but here’s what we officially know. The expansion has a relatively small $50 million budget and should be finished in early 2023. 

Boyd Expanding Casino Floor – Fremont Expanding

Boyd is expanding and enhancing the gaming floor. They’re also adding some dining options. Scott tweets that the company will hop on the food hall/food court train. This would essentially replace the buffet. I’m pretty sure this was the buffet from Vegas Vacation but that’s another story.

Expect more details about the expansion later in the year and next year as it gets closer to opening. 

Boyd Gaming remains open to adding properties but there’s nothing on the horizon. The company is keeping its ears open but they’re looking for a deal. Hey, they’re just like us! Who doesn’t want a deal?!

Construction On Durango Station Underway

Station Casinos quietly broke ground on the construction of Durango Station. They’re currently leveling out the land preparing for work. 

The company has deals in place for steel and concrete to move into the next phase. Station Casinos is trying to make sure the company doesn’t get behind schedule by purchasing things that could get delayed if the supply chain continues to have problems. 

During the call, the company noted they’re buying things they won’t need for a couple of years like some kitchen equipment. Again, in an effect to avoid possible supply chain issues. The property will take 18-24 months to complete. 

Station Casinos is currently working on plans for its other undeveloped land. While there’s no timetable, the company appears to have an idea of what they’d like to do. 

They did mention the Insparada part of town as one of the possible locations for a new property. I expect we’ll hear more before the year is over.

Boyd And Station Earnings Notes

I’m going to share a few random notes from both earnings calls. There isn’t a particular topic so I’ll be jumping around. Feel free to drop a comment below with questions.

• Station Casinos’ cashless gaming passed a field trial and will be installed at all properties over the next couple of quarters. Expect to hear more once it’s more readily available.
• Boyd Gaming continues to do better with its locals casinos than downtown properties. That said, the company mentioned Circa is driving business downtown. 
• Guests from Hawaii were coming back for Boyd properties until Omicron. They expect this to change as Omicron goes away.
• Station Casinos continues to see more high-end customers migrating from the Vegas Strip. These more profitable guests are replacing locals who were looking for discounts and buffets. 
• Station Casinos has no plans to reopen its closed properties. The vast majority have moved to other nearby Station Casinos. 

Wild Late Friday News

I was mentally done with the week when the Nevada Gaming Commission sent out a press release detailing how they located an unidentified jackpot winner back home in Arizona. I’m just going to quote the press release because it’s direct and to the point.

“On the evening of January 8, 2022, casino patron Robert Taylor, a resident of Arizona, appeared to hit a jackpot on a progressive slot machine at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, due to a communications error that occurred, the slot machine experienced a malfunction that prevented Mr. Taylor and casino personnel from realizing that a progressive jackpot had been won.”

The story ends with the gaming commission tracking him down and paying him nearly a month later. You can read a more colorful take on the story here.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

It’s All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas for the NFL and NHL. Although the latter is technically a “Pro Bowl” weekend the games and events highlight the best players in the league. The NHL seemed to be having more fun around town throughout the week with fan events along with player and mascot appearances. 

Before we get to the rest of the Vegas News let’s look at the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, Gritty, getting almost naked with Chippendales.

• You can see the full video and read about Gritty’s appearance here.
• The NHL had a couple of Skills competitions outside of the venue. One event took place on the fountains at Bellagio. The other was a blackjack-style competition on the Vegas Strip. Read about them and see pics here.
• It was great to see the NHL embrace Las Vegas for its All-Star Game. The NFL was low-key for the Pro Bowl. The NFL Draft in April should really be the league’s showcase for Las Vegas. I’m happy to see plans for the Red Carpet on the Bellagio Fountains will still happen. Read more here.
• Fontainebleau received approval from Clark County to build a nightclub and dayclub on the ninth-floor pool deck. 
• MGM Rewards has officially launched. Read the press release here.
• Life Is Beautiful was sold. It sounds like the downtown Las Vegas music festival will also be popping up in locations outside of Las Vegas someday. Read more here.
• The Nevada Gaming Control Board recommends the sale of The Venetian goes through. Full approval should happen later this month. Read more here. 
• Apollo Global Management was light on details about the future of The Venetian. The company did they’re putting together plans for the property. One interesting note from the hearing was the mention of possibly adding rooms. This could bring the St. Regis tower back into play. Read more about that tower here.
• This movie tour sounds interesting. 
• It’s Super Bowl week. You can see the huge list of prop bets from Caesars Palace Las Vegas here.
• Anita Baker is coming back to Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Crazy Horse 3 is accepting crypto. Read more here.
• Lady Gaga is coming back to Vegas. Read more here. ​​
• Another Boring tunnel update.

Prufrock-1 has arrived at Resorts World on the Vegas Strip! Thanks to @ResortsWorldLV @LVCVA @ClarkCountyNV for their amazing support. pic.twitter.com/dr7VJLv3Lt

— The Boring Company (@boringcompany) February 4, 2022

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