life in vegas

I’ve often thought that casinos were technological and organizational marvels. Thousands of people spread out over thousands of square feet, working together (usually) to accomplish the mutually contradictory goals of making sure the house always wins and keeping the customer happy. It turns out I’ve been understating things–according to Steve Wynn, his latest casino is […]

I’ve gotten a few emails from the Stardust that might be of interest. First off, for you karaoke enthusiasts: Karaoke is now featured in the Starlight Lounge on the following days: Monday . . . . . 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday . . . . . . 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. So

With real estate values skyrocketing on the Strip, those holding land there are in the catbird seat. But the sale of the Westward Ho, a small casino near Circus Circus that also has an Industrial Road property, the Ho, has been complicated. It seems that someone has been stringing the Ho along. I’m not making

Decades after the last humans walked on the moon, people still want to go back. I can’t say I blame them. You might think that those planning lunar colonies would be holed up in labratories in Boston or Northern California, but, for the third weekend in July anyway, you’d be wrong. They’ll be at the

Transitioning a property from a name its had for over fifty years is never easy. When Harrah’s bought the Horseshoe name and brand from the downtown Binion’s Horseshoe casino, the actual property was left with an identity crisis: it was always the Horseshoe first and Binion’s second. They’ve changed the sign and relaunched the website,

Vegas marketing is so pernicious that even denizens of New Jersey, which boasts the casino capital of the East, Atlantic City, prefer flying to the desert to driving “down the shore.” But the guy in charge of marketing AC says that’s no problem.

Good writing can transform an otherwise blah piece about industry consolidation into something that is actually enjoyable to read. Witness a recent account of a gaming conference from the AP’s Adam Goldman, long a favorite here:

People always complain when old casinos get imploded, but thi truly is the end of an era: the Del Mar motel has had its license revoked. Why, you may ask? Because, in the words of the deputy city attorney, it is a “whorehouse.” This story must be seen to be believed. This is another one

Does Wynn Las Vegas point the way to the future? Lloyd Fonvielle doesn’t think so, but I beg to differ. I predict that most of the casinos built in the next 10-15 years will try, on one level or another, to emulate Wynn. It’s starting already, for places that have only vauge plans. Check out,

As I said earlier, the opening tour was fantastic. It’s as if each area of the resort was designed to be the centerpiece. That being said, here’s some pictures: The exterior: And a shot of the crowd, seconds after the doors opened: Of course, I got a few shots of the carpet as well–would you

I’ve just gotten back from my sneak-peak tour of Wynn Las Vegas, and I’ve got one word: incredible. The multimedia show on the mountain’s interior, which you have to be a hotel or restaurant guest to see, is simply jaw-dropping. Inside, I see elements of Wynn’s other resorts, particularly Mirage, Bellagio, and Beau Rivage, but

The day has finally arrived: Wynn Las Vegas, five years in the making, will open at midnight tonight. I’ve been lucky enough to be invited on the sneak peak media tour at 10, so I’ve got a 2-hour jump on the general public. I’ll post some of my thoughts here, and I’ll be basing the

“Don’t worry about making mistakes and destroying money,” Steve Wynn has told his employees. I wish someone would tell me that. Oh yeah, they’re opening the world’s most expensive casino resort in a few days, so I guess that there’s some pressure on everyone.

MGM Mirage has gone outside Las Vegas to find an architect for the 4000-room casino resort that will anchor its ambitious City Center project that will replace the decidedly unambitious Boardwalk casino. It looks to be an interesting project.

It’s pretty rare to meet someone these days who isn’t developing a condo project along the Strip. According to experts, all this verticality is going to be good for business.