Who doesn’t like a toga party? Outdoors, in Las Vegas? Someone, I’m sure. In any event, Caesars Palace is having a toga party TONIGHT to celebrate its 40th anniversary. I go this email in my inbox today: FREE Toga Party! Caesars Palace Celebrates ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY! Featuring celebrity host Jenny McCarthy and music by Otis […]
Toga party tonight! Read More »
life in vegasI think these two stories illustrate the differences between Atlantic City and Las Vegas. A major property in one is bringing itself boldly into post-1991 style, while the other is redefining the casino resort. First things first from the Press: “Purple and pink. Aye-yai-yai-yai-yai,†Mark Juliano moaned with obvious displeasure. “Have you ever seen so
A Tale of Two Cities Read More »
atlantic city, life in vegasI was down at the WSOP at the Rio yesterday, checking out the Gaming Life Expo and hanging around the media room. The Expo is huge. I remember at the 2002 WSOP (the first I went to), there was one guy with a card table outside selling jewelry and stuff, and another guy selling books.
It’s the end of an era on Las Vegas Blvd South, as the storied Klondike is closing. From the LVRJ: Gaming operations at the Klondike were scheduled to cease this morning at 6. The restaurant and 153-room hotel will remain open through Friday, when the entire property permanently closes its doors. The Klondike’s history stretches
Goodbye to the Klondike Read More »
life in vegasEveryone, it seems, wants to know the future. Unfortunately, history isn’t a predictive science, so most people have to make do with vague Nostradmus-type predictions or simple guesswork. But you don’t need a crystal ball to see that, in a few years, the Las Vegas Strip will be a much different place. From the LVRJ:
The (near) future of the Strip Read More »
life in vegasMelvin Dummar, who you might remember as the guy who reportedly picked up Howard Hughes in the middle of the desert and, in return, was named in the “Mormon will,” has filed a lawsuit seeking his rightful share of the Hughes estate. From the WSJ: Melvin Dummar had long since given up on getting a
Hughes estate contested again Read More »
life in vegasProving that things that happen in other parts of the country also happen in Vegas, there’s talk of banning smoking indoors in Nevada. But in hotel rooms? From the LVRJ: Nevada voters could be asked in November whether they want to ban smoking in hotel and motel rooms, restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and bars. A
No smoking in NV hotel rooms? Read More »
life in vegasPeople familiar with Vegas for jsut a few years should remember the Maxim. It was a small hotel and casino a few blocks uo Flamingo Road from the MGM Grand (the original) that borrowed much of the MGM’s mirrors and chrome 1970s design. It was never that successful, and was completely gutted before being reincarnated
“Maxim”um Vegas, again Read More »
life in vegasThe Las Vegas Marathon isn’t until December 10, but you can start training for it today by joining the Roadrunners Training Program. Actually, you could have started yesterday at 6 AM, when training officially kicked off with a 3-mile run. By December 10, doing 26.2 miles will seem like a piece of cake. Well, it
Road-running in Las Vegas Read More »
life in vegasI was reading an interesting piece on the increasingly elaborate backyard pools of SoCal when I was struck by a reference to Las Vegas. From the LA Times: Today homeowners have moved well beyond the simple requirement of a hole in the ground. Instead, they crave Las Vegas-style amusements: remote-controlled flames, sound-activated dancing lights and
I’m still at the ICGRT, but this article seemed to strange not to post. From the LVRJ: On Saturday night, an unidentified object was sent hurtling through the roof at Steven Gleicher’s workplace. Was the football-sized object a meteor or perhaps something more common? Advertisement And perhaps just as puzzling: How could it rip through
After all that fun yesterday with Google Trends, I’m back to “real” casino news today. Peter Morton has sold the Hard Rock to Morgans Hotel Group. From the LVRJ: The Hard Rock Hotel, a pop icon in Las Vegas with its signature neon guitar and concert venue, The Joint, has been sold to New York-based
It’s official: the 2006 New Las Vegas Marathon will also feature a half-marathon. Read about it here: Last December, the inaugural New Las Vegas Marathon attracted participants from all 50 states and more than 30 nations and captured the attention of USA Today, Time Magazine, Sports Illustrated and Runner’s World. Organizers today announced the addition
Las Vegas (half) Marathon Read More »
life in vegasNevada embraced tourism because of a paucity of their development options. So, if you’re in a small emirate who wants to lessen its dependence on oil exports, it might be a model to follow. Dubai seems intent on doing do, minus the gambling. From CNN: Dubai is planning to build the world’s largest hotel as
LV to lose world’s biggest hotel? Read More »
life in vegasI’m taking a second foray into celeb gossip because…I don’t know. I’ve got a real story I’ll post later. But take this wonderfully-inaccurate story with a grain of salt. From BANG via AZcentral: Paris Hilton has been banned from her own casino and ordered into gambling rehab. The socialite’s parents, Rick and Kathy, have barred
Maybe she doesn’t always win… Read More »
life in vegasNow might be the time to dump your WPTE stocks, because poker might have reached its saturation point. Here’s exhibit A, from Inside Entertainment: “I’m obsessed with poker,” confessed celebuntante Paris Hilton after learning the high stakes gambling game. “It’s my favourite game now.” Paris and her younger sister Nicky are apparently so obsessed with
Ripping off people, banks, and credit card companies by pretending to be someone that you’re not probably happens a lot, but I thought this story was apt because of the Las Vegas connection. From the Times Online: IT WAS almost as if Youssef Babbou had been watching the 2002 Steven Spielberg film Catch Me If
Plastic Conartistry Read More »
haphazard world, life in vegasSomeone else wants to buy Aztar. From Reuters: Casino operator Aztar Corp., which has been the target of a bidding war, said on Monday that it had received a buyout offer worth more than $1.69 billion from Columbia Entertainment and would enter into talks with the company. Aztar said Columbia Entertainment, the gaming affiliate of
Everyone wants Aztar Read More »
atlantic city, life in vegasPuggy Pearson was one of the true greats of the early World Series of Poker, and it’s sad to learn that he’s passed away. From the LV Sun: As the quintessential road gambler, cigar-chomping Puggy Pearson would take on anyone, anywhere, anytime and at almost any game you could wager on – providing he liked
Hopefully, the third time will be the charm for the New Frontier’s redevelopment. I seem to recall plans for a San Francisco-themed casino and a London-themed casino in years past. From the LV Sun: As other casino operators announce plans to redevelop their older properties, New Frontier owner Phil Ruffin hasn’t had a lot to
Jazzing up the Strip Read More »
life in vegas