My First Time in Las Vegas: VegasRy

The first time I was in Las Vegas was March of 1999. Bellagio had just opened, Venetian was undergoing its finishing touches, and the Wynn was a distant memory. This was also waaaay before Las Vegas was as big as it is today, with little to no exposure in the media, being before The Real World, Ocean’s 11, and Las Vegas the TV show. The spring break destination came down to between Disneyland and Las Vegas, and I distinctly remember being asked: ‘So we are going to go and look at a bunch of hotels?’ Thankfully, (or not, depending on your viewpoint) I won that argument.

We stayed at Treasure Island and were upgraded to a corner room (This was long before the 20$ trick entered our universe) and were blown away by the sheer size of everything, and how over-the-top everything was. We ended up walking the entire strip, from Treasure Island all the way to Mandalay Bay and back.

We ate at Spago (Because it was in Showgirls) and The Buccaneer Bay Club (Long gone, Social House now), and saw O, as it was the best show on the strip at the time (Some would say it still is). Even before the days of ultra-lounges and 150$ show tickets, and it was all pretty over-whelming and pretty exciting as we were in the middle of the biggest building boom of the last 40 years. The next few times in Las Vegas there was always something new to see, which kept us coming back…many, many times.

Gambling-wise, I remember playing at Bellagio way back when 5$ tables were still plentiful, and after a session, I had a few silver, one dollar coins, and threw them into at nearby slot machine to get rid of them. Turns out I won 160$ on the 2^nd spin, a lot of money for a college student back them. (Side Note: I have since put well over 200$ into that same machine and have yet to win a dime…I swear they did it on purpose)

My favorite memory of this trip was when we saw the Bellagio for the first time. Naturally, we were blown away, and I wanted to bring back a souvenir for all of my buddies back in Iowa. So I went to the Bellagio gift shop and bought maybe 8 shot glasses, a decanter, mug, etc. Being the first night we were there, with the energy still running through my body, we ended up walking the entire strip, all the way to Mandalay Bay, all the time carrying my heavy as hell glassware.

The best part of this story though, was the next day when I realized that Bellagio, Mirage, and Treasure Island (TI was years away) were owned by the same company, and the very same items I purchased and dragged all the way up and down the strip…were available downstairs in the very hotel that we were staying at.

We’ve come a long way…the Excalibur hasn’t.

Booked...

Whew! That was a close one, we could have actually gone 4 entire months before heading back to Vegas, but thanks to an offer from Wynn Las Vegas, we have booked our next trip.

Life is always better with a booked trip to Las Vegas to look forward to, so we'll be in Las Vegas July 1st - 4th. Summertime is usually a dead time of the year, and that coupled with it being a Sunday-Thursday makes it a pretty cheap trip.

I've stayed at the Wynn once, just a couple months after it's opening. Despite all that we have read about the glitches in service and other problems, we had a great time, and can't wait to go back. And given our sub-par experience at Bellagio in March, it will be interesting to compare the 2 nicest joints on the Strip.

We're looking forward to trying a few new things, a few old things, and updating you with all the goings-on in our favorite city.

P.S. I just added up all my previous trips, and this will be my 20th(!) time in Vegas.

VegasRy Book Review: Bust

Bust
By Adam Resnick

What happens when you give a degenerate gambler a blank check to bet, and lose, millions? Essentially, that’s what happened to Adam Resnick, who is now serving time in prison for wire fraud. A cautionary tale if there ever was one, it doesn’t delve too deeply into why the author gambled so much, it’s more a memoir than a character study.

Resnick was a gambler basically as long as he can remember, from poker games with his grandfather, to gambling in college; whether is was trips to Vegas from the University of Arizona, or local Indian casinos while at the University of Wisconsin. He was gambling every cent he could, and then some, but it was only a precursor to what was in store.

After college, Resnick became a successful businessman, making millions selling medical equipment. But the access to greater amounts of money only fed his addiction, and he began lying and pleading to anyone and everyone to keep gambling. From a Dateline NBC segment on Resnick:

In 1998, when they got married, Meredith didn’t catch on that Adam was still gambling all the time. Only now, he lied all the time, too.

Resnick: I would actually buy tickets to California and leave them on the counter in the kitchen so—saying, “Look, I’m going to California.” And take it a step further, I’d actually pay for a room at a hotel in California.

Of course he wasn’t really at that hotel, but at a casino in Vegas.

Resnick became a valued high roller at Las Vegas Casinos, being flown in on a private Gulfstream, and staying in his own private villa at the Bellagio. Only he didn’t seem to enjoy a second of any of it…gambling was his only concern. The comped shows, dinners, even women were only distractions, keeping him away from the tables.

Later in life, Adam became an insider at a bank in Chicago, which effectively gave him access to unlimited funds, which he predictably abused. The book opens with the Author driving to a Chicagoland Casino, needing to win 3 million dollars in order to save the bank, and himself. The collapse that follows is the exclamation point on an almost unbelievable tale of addiction.

The book is written in apologetic way, like the author knew what he was doing was wrong, but he did it anyway. Some of the numbers are mind-boggling, and we would have trouble believing the scale of his loss and deception, if it weren’t for the press coverage of his downfall. We recommend the book, not for the high-flying gambling tales (although there are quite a few), but for the look into a gamblers psyche. Bringing Down the House kicked off a series of gambling memoirs, and the sheer magnitude of Resnick’s story is what makes this better than most.


The Dateline segment is online here:

Buy Bust

VegasRy Podcast: Gin and Tonic Hour #6

Welcome Back Trishelle, We Missed You!

In Our First Non-Recap Podcast, We Discuss:
-The future of MGM-Mirage
-South Dakota is not Vegas
-The Real World Reunion is the best thing to ever happen to us
-Thoughts on Steve Wynn
-Book Review: 24/7


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Internet Gambling Ban to be Lifted?

From MarketWatch:

Gaming Americans would be able to place bets over the Internet under a bill introduced by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank on Thursday.

Frank's bill would roll back a ban on online gambling and enable companies to be licensed to accept bets and wagers online from individuals in the U.S.

The bill would exempt the operators from current restrictions on online gambling and would require licensed companies to have protections in place against underage and compulsive gambling, money laundering and fraud.

Not sure that this bill has much of a chance of passing, but we are in favor of it, as we are in favor of anything that would lessen government regulation, (some would say censorship) especially when it comes to the Internet. In our opinion, Congress is woefully unprepared and unqualified to deal with progressive issues such as this.

The real issue isn't whether or not gambling is bad, it's that the government can't tax it and get it's cut. This bill would allow for increased regulation and, obviously, increased taxation. However, since the vast majority of these companies are offshore, not sure how domestic taxation will apply. Also, not sure how you can develop a foolproof way of verifying age, location, etc.

Internet gambling has always been technically illegal in the US, that's why the companies operated in other countries, mostly the Caribbean. The way companies and gamblers circumvented this was by moving money through a middleman, so credit card companies and banks weren't directly funding gambling. However, due to legislation passed in 2006, it made it illegal for banks to deal with this middlemen, effectively cutting off the flow of cash.

The SAFE Port Act, at least as far as it applies to Internet gambling, is an affront to personal freedoms, along with being hypocritical. Gambling is legal in some form in almost every state, with 2 Casinos within 10 minutes of where I now sit, and off-track betting at countless bars in between. While this wouldn't cause us to gamble online much, if at all, we should have the freedom to do so if we choose.

The House Committee is scheduled to discuss this in June.

Rep. Frank's bill would roll back Net-gambling ban

Maybe the Bartender Insulted Her Choice of Rum...

From the 'no one cares' department:

Carmen Electra has backed out of an engagement to be a special guest star in magician Hans Klok's new show, "The Beauty of Magic," at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

The former Aladdin resort on the Las Vegas Strip set a press conference Thursday to announce the new guest star and explain Electra's sudden departure from the show, a spokeswoman said.

We haven't mentioned this new show because, well, we didn't care. For those Carmen fans out there, we are sorry, but this leaves her more time to have her picture taken bent over the hood of a car...or whatever it is she is famous for.

(UPDATE: Pamela Anderson is set to replace Electra in the show, and will be paid about $4 million for a 12-week engagement...the world isn't fair sometimes)


Electra backs out of magician Hans Klok show at Planet Hollywood

Open Letter to the Mustachioed Bartender at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood

Photo Quiz #4: Answer

The 4th quiz photo is actually located in two places:


This sweet banner may or may not still be there today but back in March it graced the two mall entrances to the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood. Hopefully now that the PH transition has completed, they are no longer there. I don't typically make too many assumptions when it comes to this place though, because it leads to much disappointment.

Anyways, good luck next week.

A Free Piece of Paper Does Not Make You a VIP

V, I and P are the most overused letters in Las Vegas, especially when used in conjunction with nightclubs. To quickly straighten this out:

-Tiger Woods is a VIP

-The dude that dropped 100 grand at baccarat is an IP

-Pretty girls are P’s

-As guys…we are lowercase p’s

That said, I’m sure you have all seen those supposed VIP to nightclub passes that are all over the place. They are usually obtained through cab drivers, guys on the street, online, or picked up at various stores or booths in town. But what do they really get you?

Well, we have limited experience with them, as they seem like a scam. (And usually they are) When there is a line a mile long at Pure on Saturday night, a pass you picked up from a guy on the street won’t get you a damn thing. It is still the bouncer’s discretion whether to let you in or not.

These passes can mean different things, some will:

-Waive your cover charge

-Waive your cover provided you are there by a certain time, like before 11 PM

-Allow you to skip the line

-Get you ‘Invited Guest’ status…which is a fancy way of saying you get to wait in a different, albeit shorter, line.

-Do nothing at all, especially on a busy night

From our experience, and what we’ve read, definitely don’t spend a dime on these. They are available free most places…hell, we got ours to Revolution from girls handing them out in front of the club. Most of the cab drivers and other low-lifes count on the fact that people buy them during the day, as it sounds like a good idea, then have no recourse when they end up not working later on.

Another thing we’ve seen is that hotel guests ‘usually’ get preference at a given club, although I’m sure this depends on time of night and how full the club is. For instance, we were staying at Mandalay Bay and were able to use the ‘Invited Guests’ line to rumjungle, and didn’t pay cover. In that case, all we needed was our room keycard.

The best advice given our experience is to do your research ahead of time and plan where you will be going for the night. Given the long lines to most popular clubs, club hopping is almost impossible, so pick one. Either plan to get their early to avoid the line, or arrange through the club’s host or hotel concierge for bottle service. This is a pretty pricey option, but will allow you to skip the line, not have to worry about a place to sit, and avoid the obscene price of drinks once inside.

If all else fails, grease some palms. Either that, or be a pretty girl…not an option for most of us.

Vegas Link: NormClarke.com

Norm Clarke’s daily column in the Las Vegas Review Journal is THE place to go for Las Vegas and celebrity news and rumors.

Clarke’s column deals with current gossip and goings-on. With unparalleled access and a large network of spies, Norm breaks more stories regarding upcoming shows, celebrity events, and anything having to do with Las Vegas. His ongoing feud with Pete Rose (the two have a history) is also entertaining unto itself.

Since Las Vegas is home to the most daily celebrity sightings in the world, the column also covers who was seen where the night before. For example, what club is Paris whoring herself around in last weekend? Check Norm’s latest write-up…

Norm’s column occasionally strays into US Weekly territory, but for the most part is pretty even-keeled, and he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Warning, it can be habit-forming.

Norm Clarke Home Page

Las Vegas Review Journal Home Page

Taking Out The Trash

The Las Vegas Metro alongside the FBI successfully executed 'Operation Dollhouse' over the weekend. In total, eight brothels were busted leaving six people in jail on prostitution charges. Authorities found 25 prostitutes, 3,500 tablets of ecstasy and $20,000 in cash. Neighbors complained of lots of people coming and going from the homes as well as an abnormal amount of trash.


It's good to see the neighborhoods are getting cleaned up in Las Vegas. Now, how about getting back to a little thing called Las Vegas Blvd? One of my biggest disturbances with the city is the ridiculous amount of 'porn slappers' that litter the area. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term 'porn slappers'; it refers to those individuals who hand out the stripper/prostitute cards on the sidewalks up and down LV Blvd. Being the seasoned pro that I am, I've learned to walk with my hands in my pockets in order to send the blatant message that I'm not interested, but this annoyance is simply unacceptable. As far as I'm concerned, this is advertising for prostitution under the guise of something more along the legal line so there must be some way to prosecute these individuals.

As a result, I'm campaigning for an 'Operation Garbage Disposal' to clean up the sidewalks in Las Vegas. Who is with me?

Read about the bust here.

And the plot thickens...
Apparently a San Mateo County Sheriff and his Undersheriff were detained at one of the brothels. Palo Alto Online has the story.

Stratosphere Sold

From Bloomberg:

Carl Icahn agreed to sell the Stratosphere, three other Nevada casinos and 17 acres on the Las Vegas Strip to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s real estate funds for $1.3 billion.

Goldman's Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds will buy the Arizona Charlie's Decatur and Boulder casinos off the Strip and the Aquarius Casino Resort in Laughlin, Nevada. Icahn's American Real Estate Partners LP will see a gain of $1 billion from the sale of the properties he began buying just eight years ago, the Mount Kisco, New York-based company said today in a statement.

Not sure about selling now, as the North Strip is on the verge of a renaissance of sorts. But a cool billion dollars in just eight years is a pretty good ROI.


Icahn Sells Four Casinos to Goldman for $1.3 Billion

Las Vegas Sands and Macau

We haven’t written much about Macau, because well, Macau isn’t Las Vegas. But its ties to Las Vegas and the companies that operate casinos in both locales are very strong. There are 3 US companies that operate casinos in Macau, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, and MGM-Mirage. Recently though, one of those operators, Las Vegas Sands, has become the target of multiple lawsuits regarding the securing of its gaming license.

Quick geography lesson, Macau is classified as a Special Administrative Region of China, similar to Hong Kong. Governed by China, it is located about 45 miles west of Hong Kong, as is comprised of only 21 square kilometers of land. The big deal here, though, is that gambling is legal, and it’s proximity to the many Asian gamblers makes it a gold mine, as many companies have already discovered. In fact, recently Macau became bigger than Las Vegas in gaming revenue, for the first time.

Having traveled to China, and studied in detail the way business is conducted there, it’s no surprise that allegations of impropriety would arise. Connections and who you know reign supreme as far as getting deals done in China, with family connections and friends of friends taking precedent over traditional channels, or being able to throw money at a problem. Payoffs and kickbacks are commonplace, and it seems like the LV Sands lawsuits are an example of the difficulties in a foreign company entering a mostly closed market.

From an article in the Las Vegas Business Press:

Three multi-million-dollar lawsuits against Las Vegas Sands and owner Sheldon Adelson have shone a light on events leading up to the company's casino expansion into Macau. Potentially, they expose a grittier side to the company's foreign business practices.

The lawsuits -- two filed in District Court and one in Federal Court -- allege a series of broken promises and possibly questionable business practices by Adelson and top Las Vegas Sands executives in their rush to secure Macau's final casino concession in 2002.

When the gambling monopoly in Macau was lifted, predictably the competition for the few gambling permits was fierce. Allegedly LV Sands entered into a partner ship with a Hong Kong businessman, as well as a Taiwan Corporation, and then reneged on its deal when they obtained the license through alternate channels. Both parties are suing to get their promised cut.

For those of you that don’t know, Sheldon Adelson is currently the 2^nd richest man in America behind Bill Gates, as LV Sands stock has been one of the hottest of the last year. He also has a very public feud with Steve Wynn; call it a clash of very large egos, for these 2 neighbors in Las Vegas. (Adelson’s Venetian is next door to Wynn Las Vegas) Anyway, we have zero inside knowledge on this topic, or of the legal precedents, but this looks like a set of cases that will never make it to court, either by being thrown out, or at the very most, resulting in a settlement.

Gaming isn’t always a clean business, especially coupled with the shady environment in Macau…but it makes for good theater, and we will definitely keep you updated.

A gritty side of Las Vegas Sands

VegasRy Podcast: Gin and Tonic Hour #5

Welcome to the Bathroom! Last Day in Vegas.

-Why can't we sleep?
-Stroll through the Wynn
-Differing views on the Venetian...
-...but Booze Tubes rock
-Dinner at Fix
-Bottle Service at Tryst
-Southwest loses my luggage, but who cares?

Note: We tried to keep this one short, and it ended up being over an hour anyway...whatever, it's free.



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VegasRy Preview: CityCenter

One of the great things about Las Vegas is that it’s always changing. Even if you go every 6 months, there is always something new or changed to see or do. As Las Vegas is in the midst of the umpteenth building boom, there are several projects we are looking forward to, and one of them is MGM-Mirage’s Project CityCenter.

CityCenter is a multi-use project that is going up between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo properties. It will contain several hotel towers, and the requisite casino and retail areas. MGM says that the property will open in November, 2009. Here is a description from the MGM-Mirage press release.

CityCenter is MGM MIRAGE's dazzling vertical city in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts. The development combines into a single urban core approximately 2,700 private residences, two 400-room non-gaming boutique hotels (one of which will be managed by luxury hotelier Mandarin Oriental), a dramatic 60-story, 4,000-room resort casino, and a 470,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district. CityCenter is a design collaboration between MGM MIRAGE and eight of the world's foremost architects including Foster and Partners, Gensler, Helmut Jahn, KPF Architects, Pelli Clarke Pelli, Rockwell Group, RV Architecture LLC led by Rafael Vinoly and Studio Daniel Libeskind.

Current rendering of CityCenter, note the kooky Veer Towers, the crooked high rises front and center:

Current cost estimates for CC put the price tag at 7.4 billion(!) dollars, making it the most expensive private construction project undertaken in the US. 7 billion is quite a chunk, but MGM claims they will sell about 2.5 billion dollars worth of condos in the meantime, which lowers the net cost considerably. Condos were the flavor of the month for a while, with many projects planned on or near the Strip. Many have failed, but CC seems like the real deal. Another interesting aspect of the project is since these condos will be owned my thousands of individuals, when it comes time to implode the buildings for something new, they need all of those owners’ approval.

Here is a live snapshot of the construction. That is the main hotel tower going up in the foreground.

CityCenter is quite an undertaking, and it will be interesting to see how they pull it off. I can see where they are coming from; they have the area, might as well develop it all at once, and sell off condos and operating rights to hotels to deflate the costs. No one has more experience and resources than MGM-Mirage when it comes to building Las Vegas properties, so we have high hopes. This much is for sure, CityCenter will definitely transform the Las Vegas Skyline.

City Center Home Page

MGM MIRAGE Provides Update on CityCenter Progress

Look out Vegas, here comes South Dakota!

This week I had the unique and exciting opportunity to travel to Rapid City, South Dakota for business. While driving in my rental to my hotel, I glanced over and saw as sign reading ‘CASINO!’. I slammed on the brakes and pulled the car into the parking lot. Let’s just say this was no Caesars Palace. What made this casino unique was that it was located in a strip mall, just like a Subway or Verizon store would be.

This was not a unique location, however, as there were these ‘casinos’ all over Rapid City, in similar locations. So I asked around, and it turns out that these establishments are video keno and video poker only, no slots or table games. (Although they do have traditional casinos in Deadwood and on the reservations) Also interesting is that the machines are centrally controlled and operated by the state’s lottery program.

From a description of the state’s gambling laws:

In the first year of operation, 700 establishments were licensed and generated revenues that surpassed projections by nearly $2.5 million. The number of establishments and terminals grew quickly, leveling off by 1994, but with steady growth to near the current levels of approximately 8,300 terminals in 1,400 establishments across the state.

South Dakota’s video lottery terminals offer variations of poker, blackjack, keno, and bingo games, with both quarter and nickel games available. The maximum bet is $2 and the top prize is $1,000. Winnings from video lottery play are not dispensed right from the terminal, but rather a voucher for the winnings is printed by the terminal, which the player is required to claim at the establishment that same day. Terminals pay out – credits won as a percentage of credits played – between 88 and 92 percent.

I didn’t have time to check one out unfortunately, although who wouldn’t love having a ‘casino’ on every street corner?

Here are a few pictures:

So you have a place to spend your winnings...


I couldn't get it in the frame, but there is actually a liquor store to the right...one stop shopping.


And my personal favorite, that's a women's gym below the 'Casino'...

Video Lottery in South Dakota

Mirage Strips Down

The Mirage is set to open a Euro-bathing pool lounge on Sunday. Don't let the sophisticated name fool you; this is a topless pool.

This is another one of those amenities that I'll never realize the value of. Is it not a higher priority to renovate the hotel rooms? The Mirage has hands down, the smallest bathrooms of any hotel I've stayed at in Las Vegas. I'm a big fan of the casino, but the standard rooms leave much to be desired.

Sorry for the roundabout way I've taken to push the Mirage to make some necessary changes. As much attention to detail they've spent on the Love addition and now this topless pool should be reciprocated elsewhere too.

European Sunbathing: Bare at The Mirage

Photo Quiz #4

Here is the fourth picture. Where is this located? (Be specific) Post your answer in the comments.

Click to enlarge...

VegasRy Review: Planet Hollywood

In case you hadn’t already heard, the Aladdin was recently taken over by the Planet Hollywood group and as of a couple weeks ago, it now bears that name. Alongside the name change, PH (as it is commonly referred to now) also gave the hotel and casino a complete makeover.

Before I get to the changes and our overall impressions, let me first share some thoughts on what was the Aladdin (to us anyways). We’ve never been fans of the Aladdin due mostly to its underage theme and resulting tackiness. This disdain has led us to rarely even step foot inside. (outside of the few trips to the Ben Sherman store in the adjoining shopping area) Whenever I try and describe what it was like though, I’m reminded of the abundance of fake jewels that littered the casino floor. Las Vegas is an adult’s playground and consequently, adults should be the target audience. In no way did it seem that adults were catered to. The Aladdin was by far my least favorite of Las Vegas' newer casinos so needless to say, the PH changes were more than welcomed.


When I first learned that this construction was in the works, I was excited mostly because, as mentioned, the existing structure was of zero value to us. I figured any change would have to be for the better. Then I saw several artist renderings of the structure and got really worried that it was going to have a celebrity memorabilia theme. (one is pictured to the right) Instead, the new look of PH on the outside is mostly the same. Gone though is the blue paint that the Aladdin recently applied and a sign has been erected on the building itself.



On the other hand, the casino has no semblance to its tacky past. PH has replaced any hint of tackiness with a swanky style that resembles Mandalay Bay’s theHotel. The casino floor is now full of lots of colorful florescent lighting encased by an abundance of dark brown wood. It really is an entirely new place and we were pleasantly surprised to say the least. The upstairs areas were still under construction when we were there in March so I’ll update you on that after we get back from our trip in July. From what I could tell though, the area was almost exclusively for the sports book, a poker area, and slots. I was severely disappointed at the “Race & Sportsbook”'s lighted sign that overlooked the book. It looked like it belonged in a food court.


PH, similar to so many casinos of late, has taken the “no theme” approach. We really aren’t fans of this trend, yet I must applaud them for their efforts. I’m not ready to jump ship and call it home, but I don’t feel so allergic to it any longer.




3 cheques (out of 5)

Attention AMEX Cardholders

Just ran across this tip on the web:

If you are booking a room via the website with an American Express Card, enter the promotional code AMEX on the reservations page.

This provides AMEX users with a 15% discount right off the top for all classes of rooms at the Wynn.

Wynn Las Vegas Home Page

VegasRy Show Review: Love

When it was announced that a Cirque du Soleil Beatles-themed show was being created at the Mirage, we had mixed feelings. On the one hand, we are big Beatles fans, on the other, how will the music translate into the abstract vision of CDS? I am happy to report that Love combines the best elements of both factions, and makes for an amazing show.

The Siegfried and Roy Theater has been completely transformed, along with the hallway outside, to closely resemble something out of psychedelic 60’s London. Everything is bright and colorful, with Union Jacks all around. Even the ticket takers and ushers speak with British accents. The theater itself is designed in the round, and seems smaller than it probably is, and we doubt there’s a bad seat in the house.

Audibly, the show is fantastic as well. Each seat has speaker in the headrest, to help immerse you in the experience. The soundtrack has been re-mastered, and sounds clearer than even the originals. While some songs are similar to the original recordings we are all familiar with, there are also some new, ‘remixed’, tracks that make this classic music sound new again. For example check out how the mix of ‘Within You Without You’ and ’Tomorrow Never Knows’ equals more than the sum of it’s parts. The soundtrack to the show is available on CD, and is a must-have for any fans of the show.

There is enough of a mix of early and later music to suit fans of both, from ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’, to ‘Come Together’ Some highlights of the show include inline skaters and skate ramps during ‘Help, and bouncing on trampolines (It’s cooler than it sounds) during ‘Revolution’. Also, the un-Claptoned, acoustic, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ was a standout. By far the worst segment of the show was a spoken-word enactment of ‘BlackBirds’, it occurs halfway through the show, so use this as an opportunity to use the restroom.

As far as the Cirque performers go, this show is a departure from other productions such as O and Mystere. Love focuses less on acrobatics and feats of strength, and more on dancing and set pieces to compliment the music. Love is perhaps the least abstract, Cirque-esque of the CDS shows, which might disappoint hardcore Cirque fans, but would appeal to more casual fans, like us.

One additional note, we would not recommend sitting in the most expensive section, those seats closest to the stage. A great deal of the show has to do with the video screens and banners all around the theater, and if you sit to close you might miss part of the overall experience.

We have seen this show twice now, and would eagerly go again, it’s that entertaining. That said, if you are not a fan of the Beatles, it might not be for you. Although there are classic elements of Cirque du Soleil, acrobatically, Love is not nearly intense as the other Cirque shows; the music really is the show. In this day and age, this is as close as one can get to actually seeing a Beatles concert.

Score:
4 Cheques (Out of 5)

"Love" at The Mirage - View the Trailer

Cirque du Soleil presents "Love"

Dealers of the World Unite!

We’ve written about Steve Wynn quite a bit, but as Las Vegas’ most recognizable face, he keeps popping up in the news. This from an article in Saturday’s Las Vegas Sun:

The Transport Workers Union, which primarily represents workers in the airline and railroad industries, has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for a secret-ballot election to represent Wynn Las Vegas dealers.

The move indicates the level of anger Wynn dealers have sustained eight months into management's decision to include frontline supervisors in the dealers' tip pool. Enough dealers - at least 30 percent - signed the petition, triggering the election process.

Although management says most dealers have made peace with the new tip-sharing program, some dealers say at least 60 percent of the casino's dealers support a union.

Again, this relates to the tip-sharing policy that we’ve discussed here.

This seems to be a bit of a last-ditch effort by some dealers, as their individual lawsuits have been dismissed, and it looks like a bill outlawing the tip-sharing arrangement is a no-go.

This would be a first at major Las Vegas casinos, while the waiters and housekeepers are represented by the Culinary Union at most places, dealers have remained unorganized. While it still remains to be seen if the dealers have the votes to Unionize, with a predictable variance in numbers between the dealers and Wynn representatives, this seems to be an unprecedented first step.

We’re not labor-relations experts, (We’re Gin experts) but this news has to send a shiver down the spine of all the casino operators in Las Vegas. If the union ultimately prevails at Wynn, how long before dealers at other properties organize?

As always, we will keep you updated.

It's not your ordinary union looking at Wynn dealers

Steve Wynn vs. His Own Dealers

NBC's "Las Vegas" Cast Update

Rumors are swirling that Tom Selleck is set to take over in James Caan's absence on the set of NBC's "Las Vegas." Evidently, his role would be as the latest in a long string of Montecito owners. For those of you that don't follow the show, the Montecito is the fictitious casino that is the setting for the show. Selleck's character has to be about the 5th owner the show has had since its inception.

Honestly, I don't have much expectation for the show any longer. Nothing of interest happened last season, so while a change is welcomed, I won't be surprised if it's the same below average program with a small cast change.

Selleck has most recently appeared in small doses on ABC's "Boston Legal" in a somewhat odd recurring role as Candice Bergan's old flame. Though his "Magnum, P.I." days are behind him, I hope he brings the mustache back. You ladies will have to wait a while to see if he'll end up poolside exposing his chest hair akin to his P.I. days.

Personally, my real concern is what hot babe will replace Niki Cox's character. I have only one request. Can the replacement have a smaller lips to hips ratio? See what I mean in a previous post about her and Caan's departure.

Read about the Tom Selleck talks here.

VegasRy Podcast: Gin and Tonic Hour #4

That mustachioed bartender said what?! 2nd Evening in Vegas.

-To Nap, or Not to Nap?
-Mon Ami Gabi
-Planet Aladdin and Mount Gay
-Fashion on the Excalibur Tram
-Best Value in Las Vegas
-Mix Lounge
-Gambling 20 Minutes into your 21st Birthday

Note: This one is a bit long, and we get a little schnockered towards the end...you have been warned.


Download Here

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VegasRy Book Review: 24/7

24/7: Living It Up and Doubling Down in the New Las Vegas
By Andres Martinez

The premise of 24/7 is at pretty crazy, the author takes his publishers $50,000, and goes to Las Vegas for 5 weeks, and chronicles his experience. Simple concept that might seem like a dream to some and a nightmare to others, and it turns out to be a little of both for Martinez.

Martinez goes to Vegas for 4 or 5 weeks, and stays at about 8 different hotels, gambling his advance and reporting the balance at the end of each day. He starts off at the Luxor, and ends up at Bellagio during it’s opening weekend, staying downtown and at local’s casinos along the way.

One of the interesting aspects of the book is that Martinez is a Vegas Novice. Having never been to Vegas, or even gambled before, his sense of awe makes the book very enjoyable. A modern-day Tocqueville, the author maintains his stance as an outsider. At times writing about Las Vegas citizens and customs as a stranger in a strange land, Martinez becomes more comfortable in his surroundings, but you never get the sense that he is a changed man.

When I first read 24/7 I liked it a lot…Las Vegas was still pretty new to me, and I could appreciate his excitement and sense of discovery. I decided to go back and re-read it for this review, having been to Vegas many times in between and having seen the town change so much, as well as my attitudes towards it. Sadly, the book loses a lot with that transition.

One problem I had upon reading it again was that, while he had a good time gambling, it wasn’t exactly a ‘wild’ time. He meets a few interesting people along the way, but doesn’t really delve too deeply into what make Las Vegas tick. For him, 50 grand didn’t seem to buy much excitement.

Another issue is that the book is already pretty dated. Even though it was published in 1999, 8 years is a lifetime in Vegas years. For example, the Desert Inn no longer exists and it’s tough to listen to him bitch about a $75 show ticket. Martinez caught the tail end of the 90’s building boom, and we are already in the midst of the next one.

Beyond the premise, those with much of a Vegas acumen might be a bit bored. Still, for a Vegas newbie, or those in need of a Vegas fix, this book is a good PG-13 alternative.

Buy 24/7

The Sopranos in Vegas

From Norm Clarke's column:

Is the biggest mystery of "The Sopranos" final season playing out in Las Vegas this week?

James Gandolfini is in town, reportedly filming the final episode.

The guessing game is on: With Gandolfini here, does that mean Tony Soprano gets whacked in the June 10 finale, fittingly, in the city famous for its mob past?

Or will he survive, so "The Sopranos -- The Movie" remains a viable option?

This much is known: Gandolfini was on the set Wednesday at Caesars Palace wearing makeup that suggested Tony Soprano had taken a brutal beating.

We love the Sopranos, and are sad to see it end, but if it has to, Vegas is as good a place as any. Just please, give us more than watching them argue over the rules of Monopoly!

NORM: Will Tony get whacked in LV?

Know Your Surroundings: Paris

The third installment of our "Know Your Surroundings" series is on Paris. From here on out I'm going to make comments about any other notables in addition to the ever-important restroom locations.



The casino at Paris is set up a little differently than the previous two I've documented so far. There's really only one central gambling zone. (excluding the poker room which was recently moved inside the already itty bitty sports book) As a result, less is needed to recall here. Just remember, a convenient restroom is located below Risque, which is a decent nightclub with balconies overlooking the strip.

Also, one of our favorite places to eat is at Paris. The French steakhouse Mon Ami Gabi is a great choice for a many reasons as was detailed in our review.

Lastly, if your inevitable Vegas thirst has you near Gustav's bar in the center of the Paris casino, make sure to "ok" your drink prior to wandering off. We had to make an embarrassing walk back to the bartender in March after my Rum & Diet was almost all rum. All in all, it's better than the alternative, but do be careful as we are always reminding ourselves that Las Vegas is not a race.

See the archives here:

Know Your Surroundings: Caesars

Know Your Surroundings: Bellagio

Southwest Airlines and McCarran

McCarran can sometimes be a nightmare. I think the traffic has outgrown the growth of the airport. We've never done the Friday Night-Sunday thing, but I'm sure that lines and waits can be awful on a Friday night, or the day of a special event. Security lines are always pretty long, and Southwest's check-in area is pretty much a free for all.

That said, I've never had a problem, until last trip that is. Nothing is worse than arriving home, tired, hungover, and dreading the thought of facing the real work on Monday. The only thing that makes that worse, is staring at the baggage carousel and realizing your bag isn't coming...ok, maybe the only thing worse was losing your bag on your way TO Las Vegas...

I was particularly worried, as I tend to take my best clothes to Vegas, and would probably be pretty pissed at losing them. Anyway, after cursing to no one in particular, I went to the SW desk, and was relieved to recognize a couple people from my flight in the same predicament, all the while my fiance did laps around the airport. To their credit, the SW people couldn't have been nicer, turns out this happens all the time coming from LAS. I also was lucky there are hourly flights to Phoenix from Las Vegas, so my bag wasn't too far behind.


As every cloud has a silver lining, it turned out for the best, as Southwest dropped off my bag at my house, 2 hours after I got home, meaning I didn't have to lug it out of the airport and into the car.

The lesson here is to always allow enough time to get to the airport. Not just in fear of missing your flight, but to make sure your bag gets checked. Evidently Southwest requires 45 minutes, or your bag will be marked as a late check in. Also, claims must be made within 4 hours of arrival for missing or damaged items.

Southwest's baggage info is located here.

McCarran Home Page

Concert Review: The Killers

Last night I saw The Killers in concert here in Phoenix. Now this is only tangentially related to Las Vegas, but the band does come from Las Vegas, and their last album was recorded at the Palms’ new recording studio.

Aside from being the best dressed band in Rock and Roll, musically The Killers are a band that wears their influences on their sleeves. Their first album was David Bowie by way of Depeche Mode, (The name of the band was actually inspired from a New Order video) and their latest album smacks of Bruce Springsteen (Listen to ‘When You Were Young’ and ‘Born To Run’, and you’ll hear what I mean), among others.

While I personally think their first album, Hot Fuss, while maybe not revolutionary, was a breath of fresh air and is one of my favorites. Their second CD, Sam’s Town, may not be a step back but definitely was a step in a different direction, and didn’t really click for me.

Another concern I had going in was that the range and scope of the Killers music wouldn’t translate well into a concert setting, as I’ve read their arena shows have been sub-par. This was heightened by the opening act, Howling Bells, which has a similar, complicated sound, and we couldn’t hear a damn thing with all the feedback and effects stepping on each other’s toes.

However, the concert was tremendous. The sound was obviously tailored to the headliners, as there were no audible issues at all. The band itself surprised me with their charisma, employing an additional keyboardist to allow lead singer Brandon Flowers to act as a front man, and the crowd responded enthusiastically.

The lighting was a show unto itself, perfectly matched to the audio, adding just enough theatricality without being cheesy. It provided a great backdrop to my favorite song of the night, the Oasis-esque (Ok, I’m done comparing them to other bands, I promise) ‘Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine’, which was backlit by red spotlights.

Other songs that stuck out to me were ‘Read My Mind’, ‘Glamourous Indie Rock & Roll’, and my favorite Killers song, ‘Somebody Told Me’. The mix between their two albums was done in such a way to keep even casual fans engaged. The encore contained ‘My List’, the traditional ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’, with a David Bowie cover (Damn if I can’t remember the name) in between.

High marks all around for the concert, from the lighting and sound to the band themselves. I am further convinced that the Killers, while maybe not the saviors of Rock and Roll that some might expect, are defintely here to stay…at least until their next album tanks.

The Killers Home Page

Remember Me?

How could you or anyone for that matter forget me? In 2002, while on season 12 of MTV’s The Real World, my suite mates and I put Las Vegas on the map. That $2 million Palms suite we lived in for several months hasn't been the same since. I mention this because just recently MTV approached me and my cast mates about shooting a 6 episode reunion or sorts in the same Palms suite.

Everyone else jumped at the chance to re-emerge on the scene which has since left them all behind. I, on the other hand, have a career unlike any other “Real Worlder.” I’ve taken my celebrity to new heights and am of course the cliff hanger for the potential reunion. With this in mind, at the urging of my agent (hell yes, I have an agent!), I initially held out because MTV certainly will bring out all the stops to pay me if they really want to see this show happen. You might ask how I know this. I know this because they already know that I don’t work for free any longer. I have a rather impressive resume now if I do say so myself. In case there are a few of you who don’t remember me, please catch up by viewing the following. I of course am Trishelle. (the slutty brunette)



Now I'm not one to ever turn down a chance to be seen on television (see my laundry list of tv and movie roles at imdb.com), but this 'go round is a bit different. Expectations are super high and I have to outdo my own personal [whorish] performance which really intrigues me. In light of that, my agent worked out a very lucrative incentive-based contract for the reunion. I am not free to discuss all of the details but do expect to see a Trishelle unlike you have ever seen. Incentives are tied to events that boost what MTV refers to as my slut-factor. I think this could be a super pay day. Unfortunately, only six episodes have been greenlit, so there is no time to screw around. (uhhh no pun intended, plenty of screwing, yet no beating around the bush...again no pun intended...you know what I mean) Expect episode one to kick off with a bang.

Getting called "slutty" by Sally Jesse Raphael while on The Surreal Life was the pinnacle of my career and I intend to put that performance to shame. MTV may end up making this a full season as I'm going to leave no film roll to be wasted. I'm on my way back Vegas so you better be ready. Stay tuned as my slut-factor goes through the roof.

My MySpace Page