October 18th, 2005

I will be in Las Vegas for Thanksgiving and may try to get a members meeting set up. If you will be there and are interested in a meet, just email me at mrvegas98@aol.com.

To read Restaurant Reviews, click here:
http://www.everythinglv.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12

To read read Trip Reports, click here:
http://www.everythinglv.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=11

Megabucks Jackpot Hits $11.9 Million at Aladdin Resort & Casino

Just one month and one day since its last hit, the Megabucks(R) top jackpot of $11,909,745 was won at the Aladdin Resort & Casino early Sunday morning.

The lucky winner, who asked to remain anonymous, had seen the Megabucks (R) signs which read, “One pull can change your life” and said, “Now I know that it’s true.”

The jackpot, which hit around 2:30 a.m., comes on the heels of Elmer Sherwin’s $21,147,947 Megabucks win at the Cannery on September 15. Sherwin is the first person in the history of Megabucks (R) to win the top jackpot twice. He won his first Megabucks prize of $4.6 million at the Mirage in 1989.

The latest Megabucks jackpot at the Aladdin Resort & Casino marks the 65th time this prize has been won in the almost twenty years that Megabucks (R) has been in operation in Nevada. The progressive jackpot, which resets at $10 million, requires the maximum three-coin bet. Over 600 Megabucks(R) games can be found in Nevada casinos.
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Vegas Values Report for 10/16/05

The below information is supplied by Scot Krause, our roving reporter, who supplies us each week with information on the best Las Vegas promotions. It’s only available here on the americancasinoguide.com web site so be sure to come back each Monday morning to find out about the best values in Las Vegas.

Hello to all! Welcome to “Vegas Values.” Here’s what we found this week:
http://www.americancasinoguide.com/Promotions/VEGAS-VALUES.shtml
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The SHADE TREE Calendar Offer.

Once again, this newsletter is proud to sponsor, David Berman’s Shade Tree Calendar offer for homeless and/or battered women and their children. This is such a worthwhile venture that David does every year.

Please check out his website for all ordering details.

Welcome to David’s Web site for the sale of 2006 Las Vegas calendars. This is the 11th annual sale. Every penny of profit goes to The Shade Tree, the only Las Vegas-area shelter exclusively serving homeless and/or battered women and their children.

During the first 10 years of this project, more than 20,000 calendars have been sold and shipped throughout the USA and to nearly 30 countries. More than $30,000 has been raised and donated to The Shade Tree.

These are the same high-quality calendars sold in gift shops throughout the Las Vegas area. Offered to you at very affordable prices, they are wonderful mementos of Las Vegas and make excellent holiday gifts for friends and family.

http://www.nvdavidberman.com/calendars/
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Harrah’s, AOL sign deal for online World Series.

Harrah’s Entertainment has signed an agreement with America Online to create a cyberspace home for the World Series of Poker that will include free-play poker rooms, event updates and other content in an effort to widen the tournament’s audience.

The relationship between Harrah’s and AOL will also allow 12 poker fans, age 21 or older, to win a free seat at the $10,000 buy-in No limit Texas Hold’em world championship event at either the 2006 or 2007 World Series of Poker.

More here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Oct-17-Mon-2005/business/3843026.html
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L.A. Times Hotel Deals from Phil Feldman

This is Phil (Feldman) with the 10/9/2005 hotel ads from the
L.A. Times Sunday Calendar section.

All the ads quote rates for Sunday thru Thursday occupancy. All say
“subject to availability” and specify that convention periods, weekends,
holidays, etc. may be higher. You know the drill. I’m only quoting ads
that specify a price (though I added a section at the bottom for non-price
ads), and will give the phone number and any “perks” mentioned in the ads.
Also, the given price is PER ROOM (not per person) based on 1 or 2 adults
sharing a room. (Many ads state that an “adult” means 21 years of age and
older. If you are under 21, check with the hotel to see if you are eligible
for the quoted rates.) And, of course, you must add tax to all the rates.

With each post of mine in this newsgroup, I’ll also include the ad(s) from
previous editions of the Times Calendar section if their expiration dates
are still active. I’ll list the last date each hotel’s ad appeared in the
Times. The first ads you see listed each week will be the ones from the
current Calendar section.

All dates are quoted in “U.S” format: mm/dd/yy

You do NOT have to live in the Los Angeles area to take advantage of these
deals. When you call for a room reservation, simply tell the reservationist
that you want the rate quoted in the Calendar section of the Sunday Los
Angeles Times. You can be calling from anywhere in the world.

Las Vegas Hilton (1-800-627-5360) Last ad appeared 10/9/05
New Year’s Getaway packages:
$540 for 2 nights, arrival 12/29 or 12/30
includes 2 tickets to New Year’s party
gourmet dinner, cocktails, live entertainment, dancing
ask for offer PVNY2NA
or $639 for 3 nights, same amenities as above package
ask for offer PVNY3NA

Imperial Palace (1-800-634-6441) Last ad appeared 9/4/05
“Casino Gold Special” package:
$65 weekdays
$85 weekends
includes two breakfast or lunch buffets
$5 blackjack match play
admission to The Auto Collection
souvenir gift
one day fitness facilities pass
offers are per person per stay
valid thru 12/28/05, 2-night minimum
ask for the “Casino Gold Special”)

Sahara (1-888-696-2121) Last ad appeared 8/21/05
$43 (no specified expiration date)
extra $4 of surcharges per night may apply

Green Valley Resort (1-866-STAY-GVR) Last ad appeared 6/19/05
Rooms ($129 weekdays, $149 weekends)
Suites ($229 weekdays, $249 weekends)
no specified expiration date

Flamingo (1-877-899-9918) Last ad appeared 1/23/05
$65 for the following “Stay and Play” package:
includes $10 in Free Slot play
$50 in discount dining coupons
no specified expiration date, call for availability

Bally’s (1-800-799-0222) Last ad appeared 12/12/04
$69 per night for the following Jubilee! package:
includes 2-for-1 tickets to Jubilee! show
$25 food credit
2-for-1 spa admission

Plaza (1-800-634-6576) Last ad appeared 10/24/04
$99 (no specified expiration date)
includes 2 nights
call for available dates, may include some weekends

Paris (1-877-254-0818) Last ad appeared 8/29/04
$99 (no specified expiration date)
————-
Nostalgia lures audiences to ‘Barbra and Frank’
By Nina King

Barbra & Frank: The Concert That Never Was…
Where: Riviera
When: 8:30 p.m. Wed. - Sun.
Cost: $43.95
Info: (702) 992-7970 or (866) 80-SHOWS

“They’ll never get together. They’re just too different.” That’s what everyone said.

Yet in Barbra and Frank: The Concert That Never Was Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra seem to put their differences aside. Tribute artists Sharon Owens and Sebastian Anzaldo capture the look and voice of the two musical idols and send the audience on a trip down memory lane.

A video of Sinatra singing “I’ve Got a Crush on You” starts the show and Owens sings along. It’s a clever way to introduce the long-since-gone Sinatra and the still-living Streisand onto the same stage.

Anzaldo and Owens fire it up with one of the Sinatra classics such as “Luck Be a Lady,” and continue into separate performances interspersed with video montages of classic moments in the two’s history. Owens passionately sings her solos, including the fabulous “People.” A video montage of Streisand’s father accompanies “Papa, Can You Hear Me?” from Yentl. Anzaldo truly captures Sinatra’s mannerisms and treats the audience to classic Sinatra songs such as “My Way,” “That’s Life” and more. Video of Sinatra from childhood to late in life sends the audience on a nostalgic spin.

When Anzaldo and Owens pair up, they deliver the ribbing we’d expect the two stars to have given one another. A blending of the two stars’ songs, such as of “It Was A Very Good Year” and “The Way We Were” is a highlight.

With Owens’ and Anzaldo’s dead-on impersonations, and the duo’s own musical talent, Barbra and Frank is an unforgettable show for either Sinatra or Streisand fans.
http://www.lvshowbiz.com/feature3.html
————
Gladys Links With Pips
Knight never stops delivering powerful performances.

Gladys Knight
Where: Flamingo Las Vegas
When: 7:30 p.m. Tues. - Sat.
Cost: $75, $86
Info: (702) 992-7970 or (866) 80-SHOWS

One of the highlights of the Gladys Knight show is the cameo by her brother Merald “Bubba” Knight who, of course, is one of the original Pips. According to Bubba, “Over the years Gladys Knight and the Pips have had a comedic underlying, and I have been that. That’s what I am doing now, the same thing I did then. It is something that our fans expect out of me.”

Bubba’s appearance brings with it some theatricality that makes Knight’s show more than simply a concert. Of course, Bubba also provides a crucial link, for those lucky enough to see her Vegas show, between Knight’s acclaimed past and her successful solo career. Interestingly, Bubba recalled that his uncle tried to tempt him away from a future in the successful group.

“When I finished high school, I had the opportunity to go to Morehouse College. My uncle was going to pay my full way: tuition, give me a car and buy my clothes, all my books and everything. He wanted me to be the first male in our family to graduate from college. I said to him, ‘I would like to do that for you but you see, I love to Pip.’ He was crushed. But man-whoo whoo-I love Pipping!”

And, of course, things worked out with Gladys Knight and Pips. The group recorded a string of timeless hits for Motown including “Friendship Train,” “Neither One of Us” and “If I Were Your Woman.” They were also the first to hit with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Of course, that doesn’t even begin the tally of her more memorable recordings, which also include “The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me” and “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination.” Then there is the biggest hit of all, “Midnight Train To Georgia,” a song that remains universally recognized decades after its release.

Bubba attributes the longevity of Knight’s music to the people and circumstances in which the way records were made back in the day.

“It is like gold; it never gets old. The writing and producing were done in a way mentally and spiritually that never left people. They felt us.”

Unlike so many of her Motown peers, Knight has continued to record new material, allowing her to offer more than just nostalgia in her show.

This year, Knight was given the 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award from BET. Bubba couldn’t be more thrilled, not only by the honor, but also by his little sister’s performance that night at the ceremony.

“Gladys was good that night, and I was so proud of her,” said Bubba. “Gladys sang, and my sister was raw. She was just pure. Pure talent, and when she sang, you could feel her. It was great.”
http://www.lvshowbiz.com/feature4.html
—————-
Bourbon Street Casino closed early by Harrah’s.

The off-Strip Bourbon Street Casino, bought by Harrah’s Entertainment this summer for future development, closed Monday two weeks ahead of schedule.

Harrah’s, which bought eight acres in adjoining land parcels along with the Bourbon Street, had previously announced the casino would close Oct. 31.

An employee answering phones Monday at the Bourbon Street said the casino had been closed and efforts were being made to move hotel guests to other properties.

A spokesman for Harrah’s said the casino closed at 10 a.m. because of a water main break and the company was concerned about the structural integrity of the building.
reviewjournal.com — Business - Bourbon Street Casino closed early by Harrah’s
———
HALLOWEEN FUN: Ghouls and goblins.
Creatures of every sort have descended on Las Vegas for your haunting pleasure.

Halloween is nearly here and haunted houses have risen throughout town. In the mood to be scared, scream and jump ? Then check out some of the valley’s most popular fright fests. Here’s some of what you can find:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Oct-18-Tue-2005/living/3876171.html

Calling All Freaks, Goblins and Ghouls - A Halloween Party Listing.
From: “EYE ON VEGAS”

Studio 54 (MGM Grand) - 8th Annual Nightmare on 54th Street - Thursday, October 27th - Monday, October 31st.

We have to start with the king of the haunted jungle, so to speak, and it is hands down Studio 54. For years, the long-lived nightclub has feasted on Halloween spirits with a week of parties and a commitment to sell the spook all the way to the front door by bringing in make-up artists to transform the 54 staff into ghosts and ghouls of all kinds.

Highlights of the week include the ‘Ultimate Costume Contest’ on Sunday, October 30th with $10,000 in prize money and Las Vegas’ most extravagant costume ball, the 39th Annual Beaux Arts Ball. All door proceeds donated to Golden Rainbow organization. Costume contest categories include; Best Overall, Sexiest, Best Drag and Best Group. Tickets for the Beaux Arts Ball are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. The 10th Annual Fetish & Fantasy Halloween Ball - Saturday, October 29th

For the last several years the Fetish & Fantasy Ball has taken over the massive Las Vegas Sports Center (Las Vegas Boulevard & Sunset) and filled it with F&F fans of all shapes, sizes and costumes. Only 3,600 tickets will be sold, and keep in mind that costumes are 100% mandatory, meaning if you are not wearing one, you WILL be turned away. This is the real deal and an event that the Travel Channel declared “One of the Top 10 Events in the World”.

Club Rio - 5th Annual Masque Halloween Costume Ball - Sunday, October 30th
This annual event’s biggest selling point has always been the live DJ set by glam rocker Boy George, who despite a NYC drug arrest earlier this month will be in attendance. The event will also feature a $5,000 prize costume contest. The after party will take place at Risqué at Paris, starting at 4A and will feature George’s team of DJ’s Marco Vedo and Dean Millward.

Tao Las Vegas (Venetian) - 1st Annual Halloween Masquerade Ball - Saturday, October 29th
Tao Las Vegas will be using Halloween to introduce Las Vegas to its 1st Annual Halloween Masquerade Ball hosted by a man who needs no masquerade, Dennis Rodman.

Pure - Sunday, October 30
That 70’s Show star Wilmer Valderamma will be hosting a Halloween celebration with $15,000 in prize money being awarded in a costume contest including a huge $10,000 cash prize for first place!

Ice Nightclub - 3rd Annual Monster Ball - Saturday, October 29th
For the 3rd Annual Monster Ball, Ice does what Ice does best and brings in one of the best house DJs of the weekend with the acclaimed Sasha. The party will also feature DJ Mark Tabberner.

Tangerine (Treasure Island) - Monster Mash - Monday, October 31st
The folks of Pure Management Group are promising a frightfully good time with celebrity guest DJ Jazzy Jeff and a costume contest with cash prizes totaling $10,000.
—————
Las Vegas On TV from the Las Vegas Advisor

Bravo
Tuesday, 10/18, 2:00 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Tuesday, 10/18, 1:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Tuesday, 10/18, 8:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown: Desperate Housewives Men
Wednesday, 10/19, 2:00 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Wednesday, 10/19, 1:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Wednesday, 10/19, 8:00 pm, Siegfried & Roy: The Miracle
Thursday, 10/20, 2:00 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Thursday, 10/20, 1:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Thursday, 10/20, 3:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Thursday, 10/20, 5:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown: Desperate Housewives Men
Thursday, 10/20, 9:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Friday, 10/21, 2:00 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Friday, 10/21, 5:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Saturday, 10/22, 3:00 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown: Desperate Housewives Men
Saturday, 10/22, 5:00 am, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Saturday, 10/22, 2:00 pm, Siegfried & Roy: The Miracle
Saturday, 10/22, 6:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Sunday, 10/23, 12:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown
Sunday, 10/23, 2:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown: Tournament 4
Monday, 10/24, 1:00 pm, Celebrity Poker Showdown

CMT – Country Music Television
Friday, 10/21, 10:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Friday, 10/21, 10:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 12:00 am, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 12:30 am, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 2:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 2:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 7:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 7:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 11:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Saturday, 10/22, 11:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Sunday, 10/23, 3:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Sunday, 10/23, 3:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Sunday, 10/23, 7:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Sunday, 10/23, 7:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Sunday, 10/23, 10:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Sunday, 10/23, 10:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Monday, 10/24, 6:00 pm, Man vs. Vegas
Monday, 10/24, 6:30 pm, Man vs. Vegas

Discovery Health Channel
Wednesday, 10/19, 6:00 pm, Paramedics: Desert Jackpot
Thursday, 10/20, 3:00 am, Paramedics: Desert Jackpot

ESPN
Tuesday, 10/18, 4:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Tuesday, 10/18, 5:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Tuesday, 10/18, 6:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 10/19, 12:00 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 10/19, 1:00 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 10/23, 6:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 10/23, 7:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event

ESPN2
Tuesday, 10/18, 11:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 10/19, 9:00 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 10/19, 10:00 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 10/19, 2:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Thursday, 10/20, 4:30 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Thursday, 10/20, 5:30 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 10/23, 2:00 pm, World Series of Poker: No-Limit Hold’em Short-handed
Sunday, 10/23, 4:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 10/23, 8:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 10/23, 9:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Monday, 10/24, 10:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Monday, 10/24, 11:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event

ESPN Classic Sports Network
Wednesday, 10/19, 7:00 am, World Series of Poker: 1995
Friday, 10/21, 7:00 am, World Series of Poker: 1997
Saturday, 10/22, 8:00 pm, World Series of Poker
Saturday, 10/22, 9:00 pm, World Series of Poker
Saturday, 10/22, 10:00 pm, World Series of Poker
Saturday, 10/22, 11:00 pm, World Series of Poker
Sunday, 10/23, 12:00 am, World Series of Poker: 2003 Final Table
Sunday, 10/23, 8:00 am, World Series of Poker

ESPN-HD
Tuesday, 10/18, 4:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Tuesday, 10/18, 5:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Tuesday, 10/18, 6:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 10/19, 12:00 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Wednesday, 10/19, 1:00 am, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 10/23, 6:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event
Sunday, 10/23, 7:00 pm, World Series of Poker: 2005 Main Event

Food Network
Wednesday, 10/19, 10:00 am, Food Finds: Sweet Vegas Finds

Fox Sports Network
Thursday, 10/20, 2:00 am, Poker
Thursday, 10/20, 4:00 pm, Poker
Sunday, 10/23, 12:15 am, Poker
Sunday, 10/23, 11:00 pm, Poker

GSN – Game Show Network
Tuesday, 10/18, 1:00 am, Celebrity Blackjack

INHD
Wednesday, 10/19, 11:00 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Thursday, 10/20, 11:00 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Thursday, 10/20, 10:30 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Friday, 10/21, 11:00 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Sunday, 10/23, 5:00 pm, Ultimate Poker Challenge
Monday, 10/24, 11:00 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge

MTV
Monday, 10/17, 11:00 pm, Ashlee Simpson Birthday Special

National Geographic Channel
Wednesday, 10/19, 8:00 am, Exploding Las Vegas

Travel Channel
Wednesday, 10/19, 8:00 am, Vacation Home Search: Las Vegas, The Burgeses
Wednesday, 10/19, 4:00 pm Scams and Rip-Offs Revealed: Las Vegas
Wednesday, 10/19, 11:00 pm Scams and Rip-Offs Revealed: Las Vegas
Thursday, 10/20, 5:00 pm, Vacation Home Search: Las Vegas, The Burgeses
Thursday, 10/20, 8:00 pm, Vacation Home Search: Las Vegas, The Burgeses
Friday, 10/21, 3:00 pm, America’s Most Haunted Places: Las Vegas
Sunday, 10/23, 9:00 am, Vacation Home Search: Las Vegas, The Burgeses
Wednesday, 10/19, 5:00 pm, American Casino: Staind Concert
Wednesday, 10/19, 8:00 pm, American Casino: Staind Concert
Saturday, 10/22, 11:00 pm, American Casino: Staind Concert

WGN
Saturday, 10/22, 12:00 am, Ultimate Poker Challenge
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/vegastv.cfm
———–
Vegas4Visitors 2005 Readers’ Poll Results: Buffet, Casino, Service, Rooms by Rick Garman.

The 4th Annual Vegas4Visitors Readers’ Poll garnered thousands of votes from around the world, offering our readers a chance to vote on their favorites in more than a dozen categories. This week the results of the voting as our readers pick their favorite buffet and casino and choose which hotel they think offers the best rooms and service.

Best Buffet
#1 – The Buffet at Bellagio. Expensive but worth it. At least that seems to be the mantra from our readers as 12% of the votes went to this upscale all-you-can-eatery for an uncontested number one finish for the first time in the four years of this poll.

#2 – Aladdin Spice Market Buffet. The new owners of the Aladdin are starting the process of a top to bottom makeover of the property to turn it into Planet Hollywood. 11.5% of our readers’ votes in this category seem to be telling them to leave the buffet alone.

#3 – Tie! Paris Le Village Buffet and Rio Carnival World Buffet. Apparently people have gotten over their whole French-hating thing and cast 9.3% of their votes toward the whimsical buffet at Paris to put it into a tie with the recently remodeled (and now more expensive) Rio Carnival World Buffet. It’s worth noting that while a tie for third place is nothing to sneer at, the Rio buffet came in first place in this category for the last two years and in our first edition tied for number one with Bellagio. Why the downfall? You tell me.

#5 - Mirage Cravings Buffet. It’s impossible to tell whether voters were casting their ballots for the new Cravings buffet or in memory of the old one, but since Cravings has been around for about a year now we’re going to have to assume y’all have actually eaten there and like it as much as we do. 5.1% of the votes gave it fifth place.

Best Casino
#1 - MGM Grand. This is quite an upset in this category. The MGM Grand has always done well with our readers but has never come in first place so apparently the changes and remodeling done over the last year have been a hit with guests. With 6.3% of the vote, the biggest casino in Vegas is officially the grandest in our readers’ opinions.

#2 – Harrah’s. Harrah’s debuted in our Top 5 in last year’s poll and this year announces that it’s here to stay with a move up to second place with 5.9% of the vote.

#3 – Caesars Palace. This is another casino that has undergone some massive changes in the last year and apparently the people like them. The Roman opulence got 5.4% of the votes to come in third, up two spots from last year.

#4 – Bellagio. How the mighty have fallen. True, only 1.1% of the vote separated first and fourth (5.2%) but going from being number one for three years running to number four has gotta smart. Take solace, Bellagio fans – note the winner of the other three categories revealed this week.

#5 - New York-New York. The wild Big Apple spectacle that is NYNY garnered 4.7% of the vote for number five.

Best Service
#1 – Bellagio. I’m not even sure why we bother to continue having this category in the voting because Bellagio has dominated every year. With 18.7% of the votes it nearly tripled the ballots of its closest competitor.

#2 – Caesars Palace. It’s a virtual repeat of last year with Caesars Palace garnering a much lower vote percentage (6.8%) but still good for second place again this year.

#3 – The Mirage. Third place last year, third place this year (with 5.9% of the vote). You guys are reminding me of Emmy voters.

#4 – The Venetian. Anyone want to guess what hotel came in fourth place last year? Yes, the Venetian, although this year it got 5.5% of the vote compared to last year’s 5.8%.

#5 – Paris Las Vegas. What’s this? A new entry? Could it be? Yes! Paris Las Vegas kicked Mandalay Bay out of the Top 5 with 4.6% of the vote.

Best Rooms
#1 – Bellagio. Only a handful of votes separated the number one and two spots on the list but the 15.5% that Bellagio got was enough to put it into first place for the second year in a row.

#2 – The Venetian. They won the category easily in the first two years of this poll but have been sliding in popularity ever since. Still with 15.4% of the vote, more than double the third place finisher, its obvious that The Venetian still impresses with its sizeable rooms.

#3 – Rio Suites. Third place is nothing to sneer at, especially when you do it consistently year after year. With 7% of the vote the Rio Suites scores the bronze for their rooms.

#4 - Mandalay Bay. 5.2% of the votes went to the rooms at Mandalay Bay, another repeat of its finish from last year.

#5 - Wynn Las Vegas. Even though its only been open for a little more than four months, apparently enough of our readers were impressed by the offerings at Wynn to give it a Top 5 showing with 5.1% of the vote.

Next week we’ll reveal the final categories: Best Off-Strip Hotel, Best Downtown Hotel, Best Strip Hotel, and the biggie: Best Overall Hotel.
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/05_09_26.htm
—————
Updated Hotel Review: The Fremont Hotel by Rick Garman

The Fremont is a Downtown Las Vegas landmark, having been in operation for 50 years as of 2006. In a city that seems to delight in tearing down or remodeling its history, experiencing a bit of “old” Las Vegas is a welcome change from the occasionally over-processed palaces on The Strip. Located on The Fremont Street Experience, a dazzling light and sound show, The Fremont casino area is small by Strip standards (only 32,000-square-feet) but it is jammed with just about everything you’d want - a nice mix of slots (all recently upgraded to feature the latest ticket-in ticket-out technology), video poker, and table games with relatively low limits – yes, you can find $2 blackjack tables here.

As with most Downtown casinos, they’ve crammed a lot of stuff into a relatively small space so walkways are narrow and personal space is at a premium. Despite this they’ve done a great job keeping the place airy and bright so there is a very low claustrophobia level.

The Players Gold players’ club allows you to earn points at any of the affiliated hotels under the Boyd Gaming property including The Stardust, Sam’s Town, The California, and Main Street Station. Now that Boyd and Coast Casinos are merged into one company they may include Barbary Coast, Orleans, Suncoast, and South Coast in the future, under one umbrella program.

As with the casino, the rest of the hotel is small by comparison as well. There are only 447 rooms - many hotels on The Strip have 10 times that amount - but there are benefits to being in a hotel of this size. For instance you don’t have to don hiking boots and bring a bottle of water to make it from your room to the elevator. In fact, getting from your room to the front door or the valet parking can be done in a couple of minutes - something I defy you to do at one of the gigantic hotels.

The rooms themselves are also smaller than those of its Strip brethren but really, how much time are you planning on spending in the room anyway? The furnishings are clean and well-kept, with a standard room featuring a television with pay-per-view movies, a hair dryer, a safe, iron and board, and a data port on the phone (no high-speed Internet, sorry). Upgraded rooms come equipped with a coffee maker, and a small refrigerator.

Be aware that the bathrooms are tiny. To be fair it is no smaller than what you’d find at your local Motel 6, but you can forget about sharing it with your spouse. So take turns and relax - you’re on vacation.

In addition to the aforementioned full-service casino, the hotel has several restaurants including two Vegas4Visitors favorites - the Paradise Buffet and the Second Street Grille (see Dining section for reviews). A branch of the rib joint Tony Roma’s, a 24-hour café, and the peculiar Lanai Express round out the offerings. I say peculiar because it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a place that offers Chinese food and foot-long hot dogs side by side. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

That’s about it in terms of facilities. There is no pool or spa (most Downtown hotels don’t have them), no self-parking (valet only but you can get validation), no shopping mall (although there are a couple of basic shops), no showroom, no 24-hour room service, and no roller coasters, 3-D motion simulators, white tigers, or stunt shows. On the plus side you are literally steps away from a half-dozen other hotels so you can do a lot of casino hopping in a short amount of time and there is a free shuttle to sister property Sam’s Town over on Boulder Highway, from which you could catch a free shuttle to The Strip if you wanted.

Worth mentioning is the fact that although having the Fremont Street Experience so close is kind of cool, it can also be a bit distracting. Shows run every hour on the hour after dark so if you are in your room in the evening it’s a bit loud. In fact on one visit I sat in my room at midnight listening to the closing strains of the theme from “2001: A Space Odyssey.” I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere I just can’t think of one right now.

Of particular note is the incredibly friendly staff. Everyone I encountered - from the valet parking attendants to the cocktail waitresses to the dealers and beyond - was unbelievably personable. One lady at the front desk greeted everyone as if they were her grandchildren. It’s a lovely feeling and quite a welcome relief from the professionally brusque manner in which you are treated in most places in Las Vegas.

Cost is a big motivator here. You can often get a room here for as low as $40 a night, although it can spring up well above $100 for busy weekends and convention periods. Even so, you’ll probably be paying half what you would on the Strip and often even less.

Overall, I enjoyed The Fremont and while it may not be my first choice when I visit Vegas, it’s definitely on my list of recommended hotels.

Fremont Hotel and Casino
200 E. Fremont St.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
800-634-6182
www.fremontcasino.com

Highs: Friendly service; often very cheap room rates.
Lows: Casino is a bit crowded; not much to do here.
Location: 6 - It’s Downtown, but right on The Fremont Street Experience.
Price: 9 - It’s usually easy to get a great bargain here.
Value: 8 - When you’re not paying much it’s easy to feel like you’re getting a deal.
Rooms: 7 - A little on the small side, but very nice, clean, and comfortable.
Casino: 6 - Kind of crowded.
Amenities: 6 - Rooms could use a few more of the niceties found on the Strip.
Facilities: 5 - Suffers for lack of a pool, showroom, etc.
Service: 10 - They make you feel like you’re coming home.
Fun: 8 - It’s easy to have a good time here.
Bonus: 8 - One of the best of Downtown.

Vegas4Visitors Rating: 73
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/05_09_26.htm
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Slot Reviews by Gayle Mitchell

You may think there are just three slot reviews here, however, with Bally gathering a group of their top cartoon slots (see #3); there are plenty of cute characters to go around for players looking for more variety in their play.

1) Garfield - It’s All About Me: Doesn’t that say it all about this amusing, yet bigheaded cat?

Garfield is accompanied by his opponent Odie the dog, owner Jon and his gal-pal Arlene.

Thought balloons display Garfield’s thoughts about a never-ending quest for food and how to get Odie in trouble.

The bonus events are packaged to occur both on screen and via a top box grid.
With Mission Refrigerator, the player selects a four square path to the fridge for Garfield while Jon sleeps. Each square the cat touches causes either a credit award or a noise. If Garfield reaches the fridge without waking Jon up, you move on to the higher-level bonus, played out on the top box wheel.

Target Practice bonus shows Garfield weighing a pie in his hand, with three potential targets in the background–Jon, his girlfriend Arlene or Odie and your selection reveals the bonus award.

At that time, a trivia question will appear on the screen with two possible answers wherein your answer will trigger Garfield to fling the pie.

If the answer is correct, the pie hits the victim and moves you up to the top box for a spin and reward at the Slice of Life bonus wheel.

Garfield antics are ongoing in this game with the advantages being a hearty chuckle and additional credits.

2) Men in Black: is back with the truly strange alien characters, Agent Zen, MIB boss and Frank the Pug, the alien-talking bulldog.

Line up three or more Aliens and you are away to the Find the Alien bonus round.
The screen opens up to MIB control room where Agent Zen provides a selection of 20 file folders that will offer extra coin, Frank the Pug or an Alien Wanted Poster.
If you choose an Alien Wanted Poster, there will be a second level displaying five characters, one of which is the alien and pays the larger bonus. If Frank the Pug is located, three of the five characters are eliminated.

Additionally, the Neuralizer Bonus is triggered with three scattered neuralizer symbols on the reels. Neuralizer is the pen shaped device used in the films to erase the memories of people who see aliens.

Extra credits for this round include Extra Picks and/or a top box bonus event where bonus numbers are displayed within a scrolling device that stops on a final reward.
If outer space and far-out characters is for you, then look no further than this appealing game.

3) Bally’s Cartoon Jackpot New Games: Watch for a gathering of all Bally’s Cartoon Characters as they release a sterling line-up of progressive slots that offer Instant Wins of $100,000+.

Listed in order of release up to 2006.

Boris & Natasha Super Frenzy
Boris & Natasha Diamond Line Frenzy
Rocky & Bullwinkle Cash Board
Rocky & Bullwinkle Super Frenzy
Rocky & Bullwinkle Lucky Wheel
Felix the Cat Magic Wheel
Betty Boop Love Wheel
Mr. Magoo
Betty Boop Kaleidoscope Cash
Li’l Abner
Underdog
Richie Rich.

There is always a welcome mat out to new subscribers.
I encourage you to invite your family and friends to join us.
TO SUBSCRIBE: Send a blank e-mail to: CasinoPlayers-on@mail-list.com
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Posted on October 18th, 2005 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Newsletter