December 19, 2010
With this month’s opening of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, many believe that the city’s amazing 21-year roll may have come to an end. Following the opening of the Mirage in 1989, dozens of casinos came on line over the following two decades to make Las Vegas one of the most vibrant cities in the world. However, there are no major new projects in the works in 2011, nor are any expected to even hit the drawing board over the next few years. Of course things can change quickly in Vegas. There’s a long-term plan for the reopening of downtown’s Lady Luck, two halted projects—Fontainebleau and Echelon Place—could be resumed, and at the least, renovations are ongoing at several resorts, including the Tropicana on the south end of the Strip and the Plaza downtown.
New Garage: Speaking of renovations, it seems to be a well-kept secret that the Hard Rock’s year-long expansion in 2010 included the opening of a new parking garage. Rather than squeeze into the old structure on the north end, you can now access a new one from the south, off of Harmon Avenue. It’s big and clean and attached to the new casino and hotel tower.
Small-Plate Play: After parking in the new garage at the Hard Rock, take the elevator to the casino and look for Johnny Smalls, the casino’s new small-plate restaurant. It’s currently running a great all-you-can-eat deal for $19.99. The menu features the likes of rock shrimp, barbecued oysters, Kobe beef or sea bass skewers, tuna sashimi, lobster taquito, braised short ribs, chips and dips, sliders, pizza, and flat breads, and you can have all you want for a twenty-dollar bill.
Question: Is the Chandelier at the new Cosmopolitan a lounge or a club?
Answer: The Chandelier is a three-level lounge that spans two floors. Hence, “level 1.5” is between floors and can be accessed only by the spiral staircase or glass elevator. Domestic beers are $5 and imports are $6.
For more information about current Las Vegas shows, buffets, coupons, and good deals, go to www.LasVegasAdvisor.com.
