LVA in the Media

Cirque du Soleil, the acrobatics juggernaut that dominates the Strip with six shows, has done something that veteran Vegas watchers find more mind-blowing than anything it presents onstage: It's knocking as much as 40% off ticket packages for two.

"Cirque never discounted for anyone," says Anthony Curtis, the publisher of Las Vegas Advisor, an insider's guide to deals.

To read the complete article, click here. And here's part one, Vegas dreamers go all in.

September 9, 2009

Yet another casino is bucking the bad economy and unveiling a major upgrade. The downtown Golden Nugget’s new $150 million 500-room Rush Tower will open next month. The new rooms are 20% larger than the Nugget’s North and South Tower rooms and reservations are already being accepted. Also opening in the tower is a new pool, more casino square footage and retail space, and the Chart House Aquarium restaurant, featuring a 50,000-gallon tropical-fish tank.

Strip Hard Rock: A new Hard Rock Café opened last week on the Strip, at the Showcase Mall next door to MGM Grand. This is Las Vegas’ second non-casino Hard Rock; the original café sports the iconic giant guitar at the same corner as the Hard Rock casino-hotel.

 

Super BBQ: Head to Ellis Island (behind Bally’s) from 4 to 10 p.m. seven days a week for one of Las Vegas’ best barbecue deals. There are only four choices in the little dining area near the bar, and you need to show an EI players card to get the lower ($3-off) prices: full rack of ribs $11.99/$14.99, half-rack of ribs $7.99/$10.99, half-chicken $6.99/$9.99, and combo $8.99/$11.99. All come with corn on the cob, cole slaw, baked beans, and toast and you’ll have enough for lunch the next day.

 

Holly Extends: Holly Madison is extending her starring role as “Bo Peep” in Planet Hollywood’s Peepshow topless revue for another year, through September 2010. Beginning September 21, Madison’s stage partner will be Playboy cover model Aubrey O’Day, who will co-star in the role of the "Peep Diva" (originated by the Spice Girls’ Mel B).

 

Question: Are the coinless slot machines here to stay?

Answer: It certainly looks that way. The “ticket-in ticket-out” (TITO) machines are too cost-effective for the casinos to go back to coins, and even the customers like them. In a survey garnering a whopping 4,221 votes at LasVegasAdisor.com, TITO was preferred over coins by a margin of 68% to 32%.

September 9, 2009

Yet another casino is bucking the bad economy and unveiling a major upgrade. The downtown Golden Nugget's new $150 million 500-room Rush Tower will open next month. The new rooms are 20% larger than the Nugget’s North and South Tower rooms and reservations are already being accepted. Also opening in the tower is a new pool, more casino square footage and retail space, and the Chart House Aquarium restaurant, featuring a 50,000-gallon tropical-fish tank.

Strip Hard Rock: A new Hard Rock Café opened last week on the Strip, at the Showcase Mall next door to MGM Grand. This is Las Vegas’ second non-casino Hard Rock; the original café sports the iconic giant guitar at the same corner as the Hard Rock casino-hotel.

 

Super BBQ: Head to Ellis Island (behind Bally’s) from 4 to 10 p.m. seven days a week for one of Las Vegas’ best barbecue deals. There are only four choices in the little dining area near the bar, and you need to show an EI players card to get the lower ($3-off) prices: full rack of ribs $11.99/$14.99, half-rack of ribs $7.99/$10.99, half-chicken $6.99/$9.99, and combo $8.99/$11.99. All come with corn on the cob, cole slaw, baked beans, and toast and you’ll have enough for lunch the next day.

 

Holly Extends: Holly Madison is extending her starring role as “Bo Peep” in Planet Hollywood's Peepshow topless revue for another year, through September 2010. Beginning September 21, Madison’s stage partner will be Playboy cover model Aubrey O’Day, who will co-star in the role of the "Peep Diva" (originated by the Spice Girls' Mel B).

 

Question: Are the coinless slot machines here to stay?

Answer: It certainly looks that way. The “ticket-in ticket-out” (TITO) machines are too cost-effective for the casinos to go back to coins, and even the customers like them. In a survey garnering a whopping 4,221 votes at LasVegasAdisor.com, TITO was preferred over coins by a margin of 68% to 32%.

September 2, 2009

As they do every year, Las Vegas sports books will lay out a smorgasboard of special events and deals tied to NFL and college football games this season. One of the best opportunities comes from three weekly handicapping contests that pay real money to winners, but are free to enter. This year, the free contests will be held at Coast properties (Gold Coast, Suncoast, Orleans, and Sam’s Town, among others), Lucky’s sports books (Plaza and Terrible”s), and North Las Vegas’ Poker Palace. You can win up to $30,000 (in the Coast contest), but it’s not easy—you’ll need a perfect, or near-perfect, card to cash. Still, free is free. Just show up before the games begin and follow the posted instructions to play.

Best Parties: Party central on football Sundays figures to be the Las Vegas Hilton, where you can watch the games for free on big screens in the sports book and showroom, while taking advantage of good food and drink specials. The traditional play for Monday-night games has been Sam’s Town, where in past years your first hot dog and beer have been on the house (not confirmed).

 

Monopoly Intact: For another year at least, Las Vegas remains the only place in the U.S. where you can legally bet on the results of a single sports contest. Efforts in Delaware to allow single-game wagering were shot down last week; Delaware will be allowed to accept parlay bets, which involve the results of more than one game.

 

Less Juice: And speaking of betting, look to the Las Vegas Hilton again for the best deal. On Thursdays from 3 to 11 pm, you can bet $10.50 to win $10 (on football), as opposed to the standard arrangement of betting $11 to win $10. The difference between what you bet and what you win is known as the “juice.”

 

Question: Where are the good football contests this year?

Answer: A total of 17 contests are running in Las Vegas this season. The best ones for visitors are the freebies addressed in this column’s lead. For a complete list and details, go to the website listed below.

 

September 2, 2009

As they do every year, Las Vegas sports books will lay out a smorgasboard of special events and deals tied to NFL and college football games this season. One of the best opportunities comes from three weekly handicapping contests that pay real money to winners, but are free to enter. This year, the free contests will be held at Coast properties (Gold Coast, Suncoast, Orleans, and Sam’s Town, among others), Lucky’s sports books (Plaza and Terrible”s), and North Las Vegas’ Poker Palace. You can win up to $30,000 (in the Coast contest), but it’s not easy—you’ll need a perfect, or near-perfect, card to cash. Still, free is free. Just show up before the games begin and follow the posted instructions to play.

Best Parties: Party central on football Sundays figures to be the Las Vegas Hilton, where you can watch the games for free on big screens in the sports book and showroom, while taking advantage of good food and drink specials. The traditional play for Monday-night games has been Sam’s Town, where in past years your first hot dog and beer have been on the house (not confirmed).

 

Monopoly Intact: For another year at least, Las Vegas remains the only place in the U.S. where you can legally bet on the results of a single sports contest. Efforts in Delaware to allow single-game wagering were shot down last week; Delaware will be allowed to accept parlay bets, which involve the results of more than one game.

 

Less Juice: And speaking of betting, look to the Las Vegas Hilton again for the best deal. On Thursdays from 3 to 11 pm, you can bet $10.50 to win $10 (on football), as opposed to the standard arrangement of betting $11 to win $10. The difference between what you bet and what you win is known as the “juice.”

 

Question: Where are the good football contests this year?

Answer: A total of 17 contests are running in Las Vegas this season. The best ones for visitors are the freebies addressed in this column’s lead. For a complete list and details, go to the website listed below.

 

Greek Isles: The little 202-room Greek Isles Hotel-Casino located just east of the Strip has new owners, but things shouldn’t change much right away. The new group, made up of Los Angeles- and New York-based developers, say that the casino will remain open, while they “assess its future.”

 

Nostalgic: Two big-time rock groups will have temporary-headliner status in September. Supernatural Santana returns to the Hard Rock September 4-15 with discounted ticket prices beginning at $55. And Sgt. Pepper Live, featuring Cheap Trick, plays at the LV Hilton Sept. 13-15, 17-19, and 21-23; tickets are $65-$95.

 

Double Pasta: The non-casino restaurant Maggiano’s Little Italy in the Fashion Show Mall has a unique deal: Buy any house pasta dish and get a second pasta entrée to go, which will be prepared while you eat your dinner.

 

Question: Is there such a thing as a dollar hot dog in Vegas anymore?

Answer: You can get dollar dogs 24/7 on the Strip at the Sahara as part of the casino’s ongoing “Dollar Days” promotion. But if you’re willing to follow Las Vegas Boulevard (the Strip) past downtown and into North Las Vegas, you can get good 50¢ hot dogs at the sports book deli at the Poker Palace.

Greek Isles: The little 202-room Greek Isles Hotel-Casino located just east of the Strip has new owners, but things shouldn’t change much right away. The new group, made up of Los Angeles- and New York-based developers, say that the casino will remain open, while they “assess its future.”

 

Nostalgic: Two big-time rock groups will have temporary-headliner status in September. Supernatural Santana returns to the Hard Rock September 4-15 with discounted ticket prices beginning at $55. And Sgt. Pepper Live, featuring Cheap Trick, plays at the LV Hilton Sept. 13-15, 17-19, and 21-23; tickets are $65-$95.

 

Double Pasta: The non-casino restaurant Maggiano's Little Italy in the Fashion Show Mall has a unique deal: Buy any house pasta dish and get a second pasta entrée to go, which will be prepared while you eat your dinner.

 

Question: Is there such a thing as a dollar hot dog in Vegas anymore?

Answer: You can get dollar dogs 24/7 on the Strip at the Sahara as part of the casino’s ongoing “Dollar Days” promotion. But if you’re willing to follow Las Vegas Boulevard (the Strip) past downtown and into North Las Vegas, you can get good 50¢ hot dogs at the sports book deli at the Poker Palace.

Recently released gambling-win figures for June show a 14.8% decline on the Strip, the 18^th consecutive year-over-year drop. Visitor volume also took a hit in June, tumbling 6.3% to make it 13 consecutive declines. It’s unwelcome news for the casinos, but certainly good for visitors, as downward pressure on prices continues. The effect is most evident in room rates, which are down roughly 27% over 2008 and even more for savvy consumers who shop around.

 

RePrivé?: Privé nightclub and the Living Room ultralounge at Planet Hollywood reopen this weekend, following the replacement of management and key employees. The two nightspots were recently stripped of their liquor licenses, forcing them to close, amidst reports of city-ordinance violations.

 

Poker Renewed: Harrah’s and ESPN have renewed their television contract for the World Series of Poker for seven more years. ESPN will now broadcast the tournament through 2017, including this year’s Main Event, which is airing now.

 

Firefly on Fremont: The popular tapas bar and restaurant Firefly joins the ranks of new eating options at the Plaza downtown. It’s opening initially for dinner only, with lunch hours soon to follow.

 

Cirque du Kiss?: Believe it or not, there’s real talk of a new Cirque du Soleil show built around the rock band Kiss. Kiss—Carnival of Souls would be a $40 million to $50 million production according to reports. However, no timetables or other specifics have been revealed.

 

Question: Will the sports betting planned for Delaware be the same as in the Vegas books, or is it a lottery-style gimmick?

Answer: Assuming the courts don’t stop it—and some weighty challenges are being reviewed right now—it looks like it will be Las Vegas-style wagers, meaning lines will be made and players will be able to bet individual teams, presumably laying $110 to win $100. It will be the only such betting allowed anywhere in the U.S. outside of Nevada.

Recently released gambling-win figures for June show a 14.8% decline on the Strip, the 18^th consecutive year-over-year drop. Visitor volume also took a hit in June, tumbling 6.3% to make it 13 consecutive declines. It’s unwelcome news for the casinos, but certainly good for visitors, as downward pressure on prices continues. The effect is most evident in room rates, which are down roughly 27% over 2008 and even more for savvy consumers who shop around.

 

RePrivé?: Privé nightclub and the Living Room ultralounge at Planet Hollywood reopen this weekend, following the replacement of management and key employees. The two nightspots were recently stripped of their liquor licenses, forcing them to close, amidst reports of city-ordinance violations.

 

Poker Renewed: Harrah’s and ESPN have renewed their television contract for the World Series of Poker for seven more years. ESPN will now broadcast the tournament through 2017, including this year’s Main Event, which is airing now.

 

Firefly on Fremont: The popular tapas bar and restaurant Firefly joins the ranks of new eating options at the Plaza downtown. It's opening initially for dinner only, with lunch hours soon to follow.

 

Cirque du Kiss?: Believe it or not, there's real talk of a new Cirque du Soleil show built around the rock band Kiss. Kiss—Carnival of Souls would be a $40 million to $50 million production according to reports. However, no timetables or other specifics have been revealed.

 

Question: Will the sports betting planned for Delaware be the same as in the Vegas books, or is it a lottery-style gimmick?

Answer: Assuming the courts don’t stop it—and some weighty challenges are being reviewed right now—it looks like it will be Las Vegas-style wagers, meaning lines will be made and players will be able to bet individual teams, presumably laying $110 to win $100. It will be the only such betting allowed anywhere in the U.S. outside of Nevada.

August 12,2009

HOTEL32 opened at the Monte Carlo on August 10. This hotel-within-a-hotel on the 32^nd floor is an outgrowth of the casino’s rooftop fire in January 2008, as it was built in lieu of simply replacing the damaged areas. A private express elevator services the 50 rooms and suites, which range in size from 850 to 2,000 square feet. There’s also a “suite assistant” (to escort and orient guests to the rooms), concierge and butler services, and the lounge32 (sic) looking over the skyline of the CityCenter complex next door. The Monte Carlo has designed HOTEL32 to vie for Five Diamond and Five Star ratings.

Feelgood: The opening is a few months past schedule, but the non-casino nightclub Dr. Feelgood’s has finally debuted on Sahara Ave., about five miles west of the Strip. The club is owned by Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil and is named for one of the band’s biggest hits. The original is in West Palm Beach, Florida.

 

Garth: Reports are swirling that Garth Brooks has signed a 16-week headliner deal with Encore that will begin in October. Encore continues to deny that a deal is set, but it’s been rumored for a couple months and appears likely.

 

Tiger: In one of those only-in-Las Vegas stories, residents of North Las Vegas reported seeing a tiger wandering their streets last week. The tiger had escaped from the Fercos Brothers Untamed Illusions magic act. The big cat was eventually found and captured while it lounged in someone’s backyard.

 

Bally’s Book: The race and sports book at Bally’s, closed since April 1, will reopen August 26. The remodeled book will feature an exclusive VIP viewing area with hi-def screens, couches, sports memorabilia, and specialty cocktails.

 

Question: Football’s coming. What’s the best sports book this year?

Answer: With highly subjective assessments, it’s often good to look at a large sample of opinions. In a recent poll at LasVegasAdvisor.com (where you can see the complete results) that garnered almost 1,000 votes, the top three finishers for favorite sports book were the Las Vegas Hilton (18%), Caesars Palace (16%), and Orleans and Mirage (tied with 6% each).