April 8, 2009
Nevada casinos continue to cope with double-digit decreases in year-over-year comparisons of key revenue and tourism numbers. The latest bleak gambling numbers are from February, showing an 18% drop statewide, which included a 23% decline on the Strip. February visitor counts were off 8% and hotel occupancy was down to just 84% of capacity. The poor figures continue to fuel bargain pricing, especially in room prices, which were down 23% from February 2008 rates.
Happy Hours: Another form of discounting is showing up in numerous happy hours around town, in casino and non-casino restaurants and bars. For example, from 5 to 8 p.m. in Japonais at the Mirage, you can get seven different appetizers for $7 each; LBS: A Burger Joint at Red Rock is selling beer for 75¢ with the purchase of an entree until April 15; and Stoney’s North Forty at Santa Fe Station offers free beer from 7:30 p.m. to midnight on Fridays (after you pay the $5 cover).
Aria Restaurants: Six new restaurants have been announced for the high-end Aria, scheduled to open this year in the new CityCenter complex. They are Masayoshi Takayama’s Shaboo and Bar Masa, the Chicago restaurant Sage, Michael Mina’s American Fish, Jean Georges Steakhouse, Sirio Maccioni’s Sirio, and the eponymous Julian Serrano. Along with a group of five others named earlier this year, the Aria line-up is shaping up to be one of Las Vegas’ best.
Question: With the closing of Folies Bergere, how many old-time topless shows are there now in Las Vegas?
Answer: Jubilee! at Bally’s is now the only one of that ilk. However, eight shows in all currently feature topless dancers. The other seven are Crazy Horse Paris (MGM), Zumanity (NY-NY), Crazy Girls (Riviera), X Burlesque (Flamingo), Bite (Stratosphere), Fantasy (Luxor), and Peepshow (Planet Hollywood). Also, Sin City Kitties plays at Whiskey Pete’s in Primm and a sister show, Sin City Kittens, is poised to open at the Las Vegas Hilton.
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