Las Vegas Goes for the Green

Posted on October 22, 2009 by admin

Anthony Curtis’ weekly syndicated Vegas column.

October 22, 2009

The city famous for getting the green (as in “cash”) is now going for the green in another way. Several of the biggest casino companies are aggressively pursuing the so-called “green initiatives” aimed at preserving the environment through sustainable business practices. Not that they’re there yet, but in a recent in-depth report by Newsweek, which ranked the top 500 green companies in America, three Las Vegas casino companies made the cut: Las Vegas Sands at #128, MGM Mirage at #184, and Wynn Resorts at #176. Leading the way for LV Sands is Palazzo, currently the highest rated Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building in the nation, with CityCenter striving to achieve LEED certification for all of its elements. And while it didn’t make the list, Las Vegas’ oldest casino, the Golden Gate, is holding up its end by switching entirely to geothermal power for its hot water.

Breakfast Bounced:M Resort has eliminated breakfast in its buffet. The good news is the lunch and dinner buffets are still among the best in town.
 
Brasserie Bolting:Daniel Boulud Brasserie, the Las Vegas outpost of the star chef for whom it’s named, will close next April when its five-year operating agreement with Wynn Las Vegas is up. No word yet on what will take its place.
 
Garth is In: It’s official. Country superstar Garth Brooks will begin performing at Encore on December 11. There will be one show a night on Fridays and Sundays and two on Saturday nights, with tickets priced at $125.
 
Question: Are the women who are billed as big poker players on the TV show “The Amazing Race” for real? I’ve never heard of them.

Answer: They’re for real. Tiffany Michelle made a deep run in the World Series main event in 2008, finishing 17th, and Maria Ho was the last woman standing in the main event in 2007.

This entry was posted in Print/Online and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.