Anthony Curtis’ nationally syndicated weekly column.
July 28, 2010
The former St. Tropez Hotel, a 150-all-suite non-casino boutique hotel across the street from the Hard Rock, has reopened as Rumor. The two-story resort is being marketed as a “Boutique Chic Retreat” and an alternative to Las Vegas’ giant resort norm. Rumor features a restaurant called Addiction, along with a pool and wet deck with DJs and live music at night. It’s the latest from the Siegel Group, which owns a similar non-casino hotel called the Artisan at Sahara Ave. and I-15 and runs downtown’s Gold Spike.
Trailer Station: Another “trailer station,” as temporary casinos are now known, was operational for eight hours last week at the former site of the downtown Queen of Hearts. The brief opening is required to preserve the gaming licenses of establishments that have been closed for an extended period of time. Although the Queen of Hearts site is slated to be turned into a new City Hall, the owners are keeping their options open.
WSOP TV: Coverage of the 2010 World Series of Poker is now running on Tuesdays on ESPN. This year’s remaining coverage is limited to one show on the Tournament of Champions Invitational, which features 27 of the biggest names in the game, and the Main Event. The Main Event coverage will be comprehensive, culminating with the airing of the final on November 9.
Louie’s Palace: Louie LOL will be the name of the new Louie Anderson show at Palace Station. It opens Sept. 7 in a theater renamed for Anderson; tickets are priced at $49.95/$99.95.
Question: Are there any good casino karaoke bars?
Answer: Already the most popular Karaoke venue in Las Vegas, either in or out of a casino, Ellis Island recently remodeled its Karaoke Lounge. The room now has additional seating and a new sound system. Karaoke runs every night from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., and you can chow down on the great Ellis Island $6.95 steak special (served 24 hours) when you’re done.