Downtown Las Vegas has its problems–flat or declining revenues for its casinos, and uncertainty about where it’s going. Will the Arts District lead to a full-blown gentrification of the area, or will a new arena draw crowds? While those questions remain, teh city is trying to help out by sprucing up what has traditionally been […]
Fremont East: Neon and check cashing! Read More »
life in vegasLas Vegas isn’t known for rampant Tolkienism, but this is just too funny: they’ve turned part of Middle Earth into a master-planned community. Really: Located in the scenic master planned community of Mountain’s Edge, Rivendell features elegantly designed single story homes in a exclusive gated community. Mountain’s Edge will be a complete community including shops,
An Elven refuge in Las Vegas Read More »
life in vegasI thought this might be a problem when it was first announced, and I guess the Tamares Group thinks so too. They’ve filed a lawsuit accusing the El Ad group of contemplating the destruction of the Plaza’s good name. From the LVRJ: Guests of the Plaza in downtown Las Vegas shouldn’t expect accommodations for a
If you are a fan of Hong Kong racing, like me, and you live in Nevada, like me, you might be in luck. From the RGJ: Nevada bettors soon might be able to bet on horse races in Hong Kong and partake in high-paying, pari-mutuel pools with overseas gamblers, if the proposals are approved by
Hong Kong races in Nevada Read More »
gambling & culture, life in vegasThis is probably the only positive expected value deal in Vegas: get paid $4000 to study gambling for a month. From H-Net: What you get • A $4,000 stipend to cover housing and expenses • Desk space in the UNLV Special Collections Reading Room, • Use of a laptop computer What you give • One
Get paid to study in Vegas Read More »
gambling & culture, life in vegasFrederick Jackson Turner might have liked that headline. In any event, the New Frontier has closed. From the LVRJ: Amid tears and hugs, the New Frontier closed its doors for good at 12:01 a.m. today. “I hate to say bye but I must say bye,” said Helen Madison, a casino porter for 34 years, with
New Frontier closed Read More »
life in vegasThe Gold Spike might get new owners and a regeneration into a four-star property. From the LVRJ: The rise of boutique-chic in Las Vegas could start at one of downtown’s shadiest dives. A Miami developer with an eye for converting rundown properties into trendy boutique hotels has an agreement to pay $15.6 million to buy
From crackhouse to boutique Read More »
life in vegasI’m waiting to go one KNPR’s State of Nevada right now so I’ve got time to post this. If you haven’t heard already, there was a shooting early this morning at New York-New York. From KLAS: A man opened fire from a casino mezzanine inside a Las Vegas Strip casino early today, wounding three people
This is kind of strange–Starwood, who just flushed their plans for a W on Harmon down the toilet, will be opening an “aloft,” which is apparently a hotel that’s being debuted on Second Life, an online world. From the LV Sun: Aloft, the latest “lifestyle” hotel brand from Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., is
Second Life on Paradise Read More »
life in vegasClark County’s latest health report is out, and it could be worse. From the LVRJ: More people smoke, binge drink and use hard drugs in Southern Nevada than elsewhere in America. But we’re not as fat. The first report on the overall health of Clark County residents by the Southern Nevada Health District was far
Smoking, binge drinking, and drugging Read More »
life in vegasYou might remember that a while ago I recommended Burt Dragin’s reading/signing event that we hosted at UNLV. The LVRJ attended, and gave it a great write-up: Burt Dragin spent considerable time in Las Vegas during the 1950s but never lived in the gambling resort town. An 8-year-old Dragin started taking frequent “family vacations” from
Dragin event written up Read More »
life in vegasChannel 8 KLAS-TV has an exclusive look inside slot machines: Las Vegas has more than 207,500 slot machines. Anyone living here or visiting has seen the outside of them, but few people actually see the inside… until now. Reporter Edward Lawrence gives us an exclusive inside look at how slot machines are built and what
Inside slot machines Read More »
news about gamblingInteresting piece in the LV Sun about casinos for sale: You might not think there are any casinos for sale in town, but for the right price – think Bellagio – just about any joint might be in play, especially downtown. But watch out. Like with buying a house, you need to do your homework
Own an (expensive) piece of Vegas Read More »
life in vegasBreaking news out of the NY Times: casinos like Asian high rollers: Casino operators have long recognized that a large number of Asians, especially Chinese and Chinese-Americans, are avid gamblers. For years, casinos have dispatched special buses to any Chinatown within a day’s drive. Recently, though, casinos have become much more aggressive in wooing Asians
Asian high rollers: the new thing? Read More »
atlantic city, gambling & culture, life in vegasThe LVCVA is looking to step up its work in Canada, hoping to lure more visitors from the Great White North to Vegas. From the LVRJ: After 26 years as a Las Vegas visitor, Canadian James Dixon is familiar with Sin City’s hard-sell recruiting tactics. The 55-year-old Toronto-area resident gets monthly mailers from Las Vegas
Vegas to court Canadians? Read More »
life in vegasI just saw this great article from The Age about the latest Vegas trend: electric wheelchairs for the able-bodied but lazy: There’s lazy, and then there’s Las Vegas lazy. In increasing numbers, Las Vegas tourists exhausted by the four miles of gluttony laid out before them are getting around on electric “mobility scooters.” Don’t think
If you’ve got $1400 burning a hole in your pocket, want to know more about casino real estate, and don’t mind hanging out at the Venetian June 28 & 29, check out the Casino Real Estate conference. I’m on a panel at 8:40 in the morning: 8:40 THE CASINO REAL ESTATE MACRO DISCUSSION: IS IT
Real estate and casinos Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingIf you want to run the Las Vegas Marathon or Half-Marathon this year and are looking for a way to get in shape (long) before the December 2 race, you should wake up early this Sunday and head down to the 215 and Stephanie for the first Roadrunner’s training run. From their website: Who: You
LV Marathon training starts Read More »
life in vegas, what's newThe huge news over the past 24 hours (as of 2 p.m.) is Kirk Kerkorian’s apparent big to buy the Bellagio and CityCenter from MGM Mirage. Here’s a NYT take: What is Kirk Kerkorian up to now? That is what industry observers, analysts and DealBook were left wondering after the 89-year-old billionaire financier said that
Kerkorian & MGM: big questions Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingAnd it’s still absolutely free! You’ve got to nothing to lose, so download it today: Winslow’s 11 Guide: Las Vegas 2007 This is the only guide to Las Vegas to reference both Blue Velvet and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Does that pique your curiosity?
LV guide STILL out! Read More »
life in vegas, what's new, writing