Anthony Curtis’ nationally syndicated weekly column.
March 24, 2010
Well, kind of. The long-under-construction Strip casino formerly known as the Cosmopolitan has changed its name to Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The slight tweak was necessitated by a trademark-infringement lawsuit brought by Hearst Corp., the owners of Cosmopolitan magazine. The settling of the dispute is a little bit of good news for the beleaguered resort located between the south-Strip CityCenter complex and Bellagio. One of the first Las Vegas victims of the recession, the $2 billion 2,995-room “CLV” is reportedly on pace to be the city’s lone major casino opening in 2010, probably in December.
Masters at Bellagio: With the appointment of yet another member of the Court of Master Sommeliers, Bellagio becomes the only hotel in the world with four (they include the overseers of Osterio de Circo/Sensi, Michael Mina, and Picasso, as well as the hotel’s director of wine). Bellagio has 17 sommeliers in all, several in training for Master status.
Balloon Popped: When ferocious winds ensnarled Las Vegas last week, the biggest loser was the Cloud Nine balloon ride, located across the Strip from Mandalay Bay. The winds ripped the balloon apart as it sat on its launch pad. The ride’s operator vows that a replacement balloon will soon be installed.
Summer Sirens: Summer hours for the Sirens of TI pirate battle are in effect. Shows run in the Strip-facing bay at Treasure Island daily at 7, 8:30, 10, and 11:30 pm, weather permitting. The shows are free to view.
Question: Which is the bigger sporting event in terms of betting, the Super Bowl or March Madness?
Answer: While the numbers aren’t tracked the same way, it’s almost a certainty that college basketball’s March Madness outpaces betting on the Super Bowl. In fact, it was estimated that the first weekend alone of the basketball tournament would generate $75-$80 million in wagering in Nevada, while the 2010 Super Bowl brought in $82.7 million. However, the Super Bowl remains the single-game leader by a big margin.
