April 21st 2006

Due to the wonderful response to the first American Casino Guide Offer, Steve Bourie, the publisher of the guide is allowing me to offer the guide again to my members at the very tempting price of $11.87.

Steve is also offering two bonuses with your purchase:
Strategy cards for VP and blackjack.

Please check out the link below and especially check out the coupon link. Using just one of the coupons more than pays for the price of the guide.

Here’s the link:
http://www.americancasinoguide.com/Store/mrvegas.shtml
 
The price is same as last time. $11.87, plus two free bonuses of strategy cards for VP and blackjack. Valid through next Sunday 4/30 at 10-p.m.
 
Steve
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‘Love’ conquers all titles.
Cirque-Beatles show starts selling tickets.
By Mike Weatherford from The Las Vegas Review Journal

The title of the new Beatles-themed Cirque du Soleil show was obvious all along, co-creator Gilles Ste-Croix said. “From the first song to the last, it’s always been about love.

“Hence, “Love” is the simple title of the Strip’s fifth Cirque show, which starts ticketed previews at The Mirage on June 2 and throws its opening-night gala June 30. Tickets went on sale Wednesday, with prices from $69 to $150. In a first for a Las Vegas Cirque production, preview performances will be discounted 25 percent.

“The current of the ’60s, of that generation coming to age, was love,” Ste-Croix said Wednesday. “We tried to make a difference, to make a better world. I think that’s what the music of the Beatles was trying to do. I think with this show, we’re trying to carry that to a new generation.”

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-20-Thu-2006/news/6951748.html
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Price is absolutely right for stage version’s host: By Jerry Fink
Source: The Las Vegas Sun

Todd Newton is looking forward to hosting “The Price Is Right – Live” when the stage version of the popular TV game show debuts at Bally’s on Tuesday .

“Everything you see on TV is what we have for this show,” Newton said. “But since it’s in Vegas, it will be bigger, brighter and more exciting.”

Trips. Cash. Cars. Kitchen appliances.

Every member of the audience will have a chance to win, all for the price of admission ($39.95).

More Here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2006/apr/21/566670673.html
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Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

The Comedy Festival at Caesars Palace has locked down a return Nov. 14-18, expanding from three to five days. The festival will again be co-produced by HBO and AEG Live, which produces the Celine Dion show at Caesars. No details about acts or programming came with the news.
reviewjournal.com — Living – MIKE WEATHERFORD

“Matsuri,” is concluding its limited run April 29, as originally scheduled. The cast will head back to its home country of Japan for a new production in Tokyo.

But James Hoke, who markets the show through President Destination Marketing Group, says there has been enough serious interest along the Strip that the troupe should be back to the Riviera or elsewhere for a longer run in September.
reviewjournal.com — Living – MIKE WEATHERFORD

“The Real Greg Brady.” has a limited engagement at the Riviera that begins and ends in May.

Fans of authentic Indian food will find Origin India worth the trip. The big hit at our table was chef Vinod Ahuja’s No. 1 recommendation: the Murg Chilli Milli, bite-size pieces of chicken marinated in a combination of Indian and East Asian spices and sauces. Origin India is at 4480 Paradise Road, east of the Hard Rock Hotel.
reviewjournal.com — News – NORM

The May issue of Food & Wine magazine lists the 376 hottest restaurants in 50 cities worldwide, including these in Las Vegas: Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare and Alex, Wynn Las Vegas; Jo?l Robuchon at The Mansion, MGM Grand; Mix, Aureole and Burger Bar, Mandalay Bay; Bouchon, The Venetian; Buffet at Bellagio; and Pink’s Hot Dogs, Aladdin.
reviewjournal.com — Neon – RESTAURANT NEWS

I am predicting that Illusionist Criss Angel will be a permanent headliner at the new Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino.

A second Madonna show has been added to her “Confessions Tour” stop in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend. Added to her May 27 date at the MGM Grand Garden Arena will be a Sunday, May 28 show. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office and all Ticketmaster outlets (Smith’s, Tower Records, RobinsonsMay and Ritmo Latino).
reviewjournal.com — News – NORM

“Ba-Da-Bing,” an interactive dinner musical featuring Mr. Big and Cousin Vinnie has been moving around town for a few years. It will be opening April 18 for an indefinite run at Giorgio’s Ristorante at Mandalay Place. Show times are 7:30 p.m. nightly; call 702-257-0297.

Dishes at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. South, has changed its name to The Buffet at TI.

Fifty years ago today: Elvis Presley had the first of his 30 No. 1 hits, “Heartbreak Hotel.”

Celine Dion, canceled shows last Saturday and Sunday, was forced to sit out the rest of the week with a stomach virus.

Tune in tomorrow night for Barry Manilow’s encore performance on Larry King LIVE! This one-on-one, full hour (interview and performance) will air again tomorrow night, Saturday, April 22 at 9:00 p.m. EST on CNN.

The SuperBook is ready to kick it off in the spring. As soon as the football schedules were released, the Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook jumped on the opportunity, posting all the lines of the first week of the season and, by the end of the month, announcing the over/under season win totals. Executive Director Jay Kornegay told the Hilton Hot Sheet this is one of the more popular bets throughout the off season. “These lines give our guests the first glance on what to expect this fall,” said Kornegay. “It also gives our players the opportunity to wager on the first week throughout the summer, even though they might not be in town for the opening weekend.” Some of the highlights of the first week include: Sept. 7 (Thursday) defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers -6 over the Dolphins, Sept 10th games worth mentioning are Seattle -4 at Detroit, Denver -3 ½ at St. Louis, Chicago -3 at Green Bay, and Indianapolis -4 at the NY Giants. The first Monday night games (that right…two Monday night games) include Washington -6 over visiting Minnesota and San Diego -2 ½ at Oakland. All the odds and props are available at the SuperBook.

Ira Sternberg talks with comedian Louie Anderson, food critic Max Jacobson, and former US Davis Cup Captain and U.S. Olympic Coach Tom Gullikson this Monday at noon (April 17). Lunchtime with Ira is a weekly radio show broadcast live from the Las Vegas Hilton on KDWN AM 720 TALK RADIO in Las Vegas, carried nationally on Cable Radio Networks (CRN), streamed live (and archived) on www.lvhilton.com, and aired on the Watchit Television Network (Watchit Media, Inc.) channels on hotel in-room television sets.

Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton is now offering a “Latinum Package,” which includes a dual admission ticket (Klingon Encounter™ and BORG Invasion 4D™), ticket to “The Experience: Secrets Unveiled” exclusive behind-the-scenes tour, and two free photos – the Captain’s Chair and Borg Regeneration Chamber. The package is priced at $75.99. In case you didn’t know, Latinum is a Ferengi form of currency. Just don’t try to use it when purchasing the package. Cash or plastic only.
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Playboy ‘belongs in’ Vegas.
Executive says more attractions with company brand on the way.
By Chris Jones from The Las Vegas Review Journal

If Playboy Enterprises has its way, bunny ears won’t be the company’s only signature item spotted around Southern Nevada.

From nightclubs to retail stores, the Chicago-based conglomerate is building multiple Las Vegas ventures to capitalize on the city’s nearly 40 million yearly visitors.

And more Playboy-branded attractions will follow, the company’s top executive said Wednesday.

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-20-Thu-2006/business/6945518.html
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MIKE WEATHERFORD: Blue Man Group, ‘Hairspray’ work to overcome unexpected obstacles.
Source: The Las Vegas Review Journal

Sometimes when a show doesn’t work, there’s a tendency to blame the theater or host property. But that wouldn’t wash in the case of the Blue Man Group and “Hairspray.”

Curiously, the Blue Man Group sputtered after its move from Luxor to The Venetian last October, and “Hairspray” got off to a slow start after replacing it at Luxor in February.

“We had a rough end of 2005,” says Blue Man co-founder Matt Goldman. “We definitely were underperforming to our expectations and projections.”

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-20-Thu-2006/living/6907026.html

Our members get $20 off per-person at the link below:
http://www.ratevegas.com/blog/sopranos.jpg/sopranos.jpg
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THE R-J GOES TO A PARTY: Epicurean affair at Flamingo tempts the taste buds.
Source:The Las Vegas Review Journal

The 2006 Epicurean Affair, showcasing the talents of many of the city’s best chefs, took place April 12 on the tropical grounds of the Flamingo Las Vegas.

Hosted by the Nevada Restaurant Association, the Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association and the Flamingo, guests were told to throw off their corporate suits in favor of island attire.

At the entrance to the event was a scantily clad model wearing nothing but a few pieces of fruit as she reclined in a bathtub. One of the Flamingo’s four pools offered frolicking models amid a sea of balloons, while men dressed as pink flamingos on stilts strutted throughout the grounds.

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-20-Thu-2006/living/6910230.html
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Rockin’ Station
Red Rock Resort opens with a blast
By Len Butcher

Well, April 18 finally arrived, a date locals have been anticipating for a long time, as we have been inundated with ads and commercials heralding the opening of Red Rock Resort, the latest and most expensive resort to be added to Station Casinos ever-growing list of properties in our town.

And it delivered. Big time. In fact, so big that none other than Sting surprised everyone by showing up to perform, capping a fun night of fireworks and frivolity, as well as masses of people, shoulder to shoulder, weaving their way through the hotel-casino. New Year’s Eve in April. What a town! For all you visitors to our fair city, it is a bit of a drive from the Strip, but make sure you get to see Red Rock.

It’s a beautiful property, and much thought went into the details, which make all the difference in the world. The layout, the design, the pool, the restaurants, the rooms — which, by the way, feature the most expensive suites in Las Vegas — are all just part of what you’ll experience. A far cry from Palace Station, where it all started.
reviewjournal.com — Lenny’s Las Vegas
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BELLYDANCE SUPERSTARS
By Len Butcher

Here’s two dates I want all you guys and your wives/girlfriends to mark in your calendars — April 28-29. Why? Because that’s when the Bellydance Superstars, the world’s premier touring bellydance troupe, are going to be performing at the Flamingo. It is the only professional dance company of its kind. You will see them perform a cross-section of tribal, Egyptian and cabaret styles, all of which will have the guys in the audience drooling more than they usually do.

The dancers first gained national attention in 2003 at the Lollapalooza rock tour and from there went on to perform around the world, including the Folies Bergere in Paris last year. Tickets are $41.95 and you can get them by calling 1-800-221-7299. Both night’s show starts at 7:30.
reviewjournal.com — Lenny’s Las Vegas
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Upcoming Las Vegas Entertainment From The LVRJ

The annual Academy of Country Music Awards returns to the MGM Grand on May 23. This year, the show will be hosted by Reba McEntire. Tickets are on sale for $100, $150 and $300 and are available at the MGM box office and Ticketmaster outlets.

Alt-rock favorites Pearl Jam will hit the MGM Grand on July 6, with Sonic Youth. Tickets are $51 and will go on sale at noon Saturday at the MGM box office and Ticketmaster outlets.

Chart-topping country sensation Rascal Flatts will perform at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on July 15. Tickets are $50, $65 and $80 and will go on sale at noon Saturday at the Mandalay Bay box office, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, and Ticketmaster outlets.

Wizened rock vets Def Leppard and Journey will headline the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Aug. 18. Tickets are $45, $65 and $85 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. today at the Mandalay Bay box office and Ticketmaster outlets.

“Redneck Woman” Gretchen Wilson will stop at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 2, with Randy Owen and Blaine Larsen. Tickets are $35, $50 and $65 and will go on sale at noon today at the Mandalay Bay box office and Ticketmaster outlets.

Reunited ’80s popsters INXS will stop at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on June 23. Tickets are $65, $75 and $95 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Aladdin box office, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. South, and Ticketmaster outlets.
reviewjournal.com — Neon – TICKETS
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PLAYER’S EDGE: Red Rock’s new Wheel game should prove popular

Red Rock Resort opened this week with almost 3,200 slot machines (slightly more than half of them video poker), each one accompanied by an adjustable-height chair with small rollers to slide enough, but not too much, on the carpet. All of the slant tops have a padded armrest for comfort. There are 20 Optimum Play machines (where all games return in excess of 100 percent), one bank of 10-coin 5-cent Jokers Gone Wild (100.46 percent), and one bank each of 10-coin and 20-coin 5-cent Triple Pay Deuces Wild (99.92 percent). Outside of these machines, we found no machines looser than 8-5 Bonus Poker (99.17 percent). As is typical at Station Casinos, games returning more than 100 percent require $2 of coin-in to receive one Boarding Pass point while all other machines require $1 to receive the same point.

More PLAYERS EDGE here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-21-Fri-2006/weekly/6945618.html
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SHOW REVIEW: ‘Le Reve’
By Mike Weatherford from The Las Vegas Review Journal

“I am very sorry if I disappointed you with ‘Le Reve’ at the premiere,” Franco Dragone says after I have seen his water show again, nearly a year after it opened with Wynn Las Vegas.

The first reaction is that odd flush of accountability, when a reviewer is reminded that the people who invest a lot of time and money in a show actually read what he writes.

The second reaction is, “Hey, I liked it better than a lot of people seemed to.”

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Apr-21-Fri-2006/weekly/6925570.html
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Clooney high-rise condos hit snag.
Actor among backers of Las Ramblas, which has halted reservations.

The $3 billion Las Ramblas luxury condominium-hotel project backed by actor George Clooney is no longer taking reservations at its sales office on Convention Center Drive.

Two sources in the high-rise condo industry said the 25-acre site, now the 1,000-unit Harbor Island apartments, is under contract to be purchased by Edge Resorts Group, a partner in the W Hotel being developed next to Las Ramblas.

Edge Resorts principal Reagan Silber said Tuesday he wouldn’t comment on rumors, but said he would definitely be interested in the site.

More from the Las Vegas Review Journal here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-29-Wed-2006/business/6596239.html
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Tony Award winner among two to act as LV’s ‘Phantom’
By Mike Weatherford

Two Phantoms will haunt The Venetian’s new opera house when “Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular” opens in previews on June 4.

The iconic mask will be worn by Anthony Crivello, a 1993 Tony Award winner for “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” and by Broadway and concert performer Brent Barrett, who co-starred with Reba McEntire in the Broadway revival of “Annie Get Your Gun.”

More from the Las Vegas Review Journal here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-30-Thu-2006/news/6614228.html
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Suspect arrested in slaying of woman at Mandalay Bay
From the Las Vegas Review Journal

Authorities believe they have captured the man who strangled a 22-year-old woman earlier this month and dumped her naked body in a hallway on the 25th floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel.

Las Vegas police announced Wednesday that 39-year-old James David Flansburg had been arrested at his home in Santa Ana, Calif., in connection with the March 3 killing.

Investigators linked Flansburg to the death of Bridget Gray after watching video surveillance showing the pair walking together inside Mandalay Bay casino at 2:19 a.m. on March 3 and taking an elevator to the 25th floor, according to a murder warrant for Flansburg filed in Las Vegas Justice Court. Detectives said in the warrant that Flansburg, in town for a business seminar, had booked a room on the 25th floor.

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-30-Thu-2006/news/6619802.html
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Tao Las Vegas Wins Accolades at the 4th Annual World Club Awards

Tao, Las Vegas’ premier nightclub, won two prestigious awards that are voted upon by industry leaders and nightclub peers at the 4th Annual World Club Awards in Miami. Awards were presented on Friday, March 24 at crobar 24 @ Nocturnal where the nightclub elite convened for the biggest award show in the nightlife realm. Tao was nominated in the “Best New Venue” and “Best Interior Design” categories against powerhouses of the club industry from around the globe and dominated.

Since its opening in September 2005, Tao is deemed one of the hottest clubs on the planet by club goers from around the globe. Winning “Best New Venue” is a huge achievement for Tao beating many highly touted clubs including the awards host venue, Nocturnal. “We built a place that’s going to become an institution in Las Vegas and a flagship venue for the Tao brand around the world,” said co-owner Noah Tepperberg. “I think this place will be one of the major nightlife facilities for a long time.”

Winning the “Best Interior Design” award is a much-revered category. Including elements such as a 20-foot Buddha and a koi pond, interior design company Studio Gaia created Tao to resemble an ancient temple in the middle of new Las Vegas. The Monk Bar, which features 271 carved wood monk figurines holding bowls of water and candles on a terraced wall epitomizes the Tao theme.

For those craving a high energy, DJ driven atmosphere, the 10,000 square foot Tao Nightclub is the place to see and be seen, with three full-service bars, two main rooms playing a variety of hip hop, house and rock ‘n’ roll music, and state-of-the-art audio and lighting systems. For guests seeking ultra-VIP treatment, the nightclub offers eight private skyboxes, each featuring European bottle service, a mini-bar, an espresso machine and banquettes with secured purse drawers. A voyeuristic design throughout, the nightclub allows people to see the entire venue from almost every point in the room, while sexy performance vignettes, including nearly nude bombshells taking rose petal baths, can be seen nightly. The nightclub also boasts a 40-foot outside terrace with awe-inspiring views of the famed Las Vegas strip.

Celebrity-filled events are a constant at Tao, past events include Tommy Lee’s birthday party; the after party for the UBID For Hurricane Relief Event attended by stars such as Nick Lachey, David Spade, Seth Green, and Mila Kunis; a Los Angeles Lakers pre-season party; and the Billboard Music Awards “After After-Party,” where music phenomenon Pharrell Williams hosted some of the industry’s hottest stars, including Gwen Stefani, Kanye West, R. Kelly and Lil Jon.

Tao is located on the Grand Canal Shoppes level of The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino at 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South. In addition, Tao conveniently offers guests an exclusive valet located directly in front of The Venetian. For reservations and information, call (702) 388-8338.
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10 Best Casino Bets by Bill Burton

The best casino games to play are the ones with the lowest house edge or ones where the player has an advantage. Some bets are better than others. Here are the 10 best bets and games to play in the casino.
http://casinogambling.about.com/od/oddsandends/tp/10best.htm
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Reliving “gaming” history
By Len Butcher

Remember when convenience stores had pinball machines instead of slot machines and you and your friends tried to get as many points as you could before the “Tilt” sign came on? Those were the days, right, and wouldn’t it be wonderful to relive them? Well, now you can at Las Vegas’ own Pinball Hall of Fame museum.

Opened this past February by Tim Arnold, the museum, located at 3330 E. Tropicana Ave. (northwest corner of Tropicana and Pecos Road next to Tropicana Cinemas) features some 180 machines, dating back to the turn of the last century — and all playable for either 25 or 50 cents.

There is no admission fee, says Tim’s wife, Charlotte, and everyone is welcome to come in, browse around and play the games. The museum is the dream of Tim, 50, who has been collecting the machines since he was 14. Charlotte says her husband went into the business of running video arcades back in the ’70s, but “never gave up on his love of pinball machines. They’re his version of very large baseball cards. Unfortunately, he can’t keep them in a box under the bed, so the majority of them are stored in a 10,000-square-foot building in our backyard.”

The only problem, says Charlotte, is that unlike refrigerators, they’re not mechanically reliable. “They take a lot of upkeep–light bulbs, rubbers, coils, things like that. They were never meant to last forever, so Tim has had to rebuild around 500 of them.” The biggest problem is finding parts.

“There are no longer any pinball parts manufacturers and each manufacturer had a different system and gauging, so luckily, Tim’s a pack rat, and he will often have duplicates of a game.” Many of the games have names tied to movies or TV shows. “You couldn’t use the same names so they would come up with something close. For instance, we have one game where the back glass (the upright glass portion at back of machine) is a dead ringer for the movie My Fair Lady. It’s called Mayfair and came out the same time the movie did. So you had a lot of tie-ins during this period. But sometimes this can backfire. A game that killed one of the pinball companies was Barbed Wire, a takeoff on the 1996 movie of the same name. “It was a bad movie, bad concept and bad game,” says Charlotte, “but somebody obviously wanted to meet Pamela, and spent way too much money on the rights to use that image.”

Every three to five months, Tim features a new theme at the museum. “If it’s going to be a casino theme, he will go through his collection and pull out all the games that are Las Vegas-casino related. There’s one called Las Vegas, another The Flamingo, and yet another Tropicana and so on. Same as if we did a theme on cowboys. This way we keep it fresh and something new for those repeat visitors.” Of which, says Charlotte, there are many, including many from outside the U.S., particularly from Germany, “who are fanatics about pinball machines.”

Pinballs, she says, have gone through three stages over the years, beginning with electro-mechanical machines, advancing to digital, then to electronic. Purists, like Tim Arnold, prefer the electro-mechanicals.

All the machines you see in the museum, and in Tim’s collection, are for sale, and as you can imagine, are real collector’s items. But money is not the driving force in the Arnold’s business. “We are a truly non-profit company and anything we make over our costs goes to the Salvation Army. It’s something we have always believed strongly in and over the past seven years have donated some $300,000 to charities. We’re very proud of that.”

The museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/eNewsletters/eNeon/only/pinball.html
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From “Eye On Vegas”

Red Rock Will Indeed Rock – An Eye on Vegas Sneak Peek
You already knew this was coming. After our walk-through of Cherry we just had to peek inside the casino to see what was coming, we had heard far too many great things. As is usually the case, the buzz on the street is dead-on, Red Rock is amazing! As would be expected, Red Rock is drenched in red, copper and brown tones and is mix of modern elements with a very classic clean design. The property will host nine different restaurants including Salt Lick BBQ, one of Texas’ more storied BBQ joints, T-Bones Chophouse and Lounge, the Feast Buffet and Grand Café. Forget about other Grand Café’s in the Station Casinos family, the Red Rock coffee shop would not look out of place in Bellagio! The Rocks Lounge will serve as RR’s home to live music. Already signed to perform is the wildly entertaining duo, Zowie Bowie, who have been converting followers by the masses in Scottsdale, Arizona. Unlike other live entertainment lounges in the city, Rocks is set-up with plush VIP booths to offer bottle service. Our two biggest ‘wow’ factors came at the hotel lobby and the Lucky Bar (Red Rock’s grown up and pimped out version of the Drop Bar). The Lucky Bar is so darn cool; red glass separates the casino floor from the lounge, red alligator leather furniture, glittering ‘icicles’ hang from the ceiling in a spoke-like pattern surrounding a amazing centerpiece that can best be described as a ‘faucet of frozen diamonds’. Plenty of other surprises abound on property and we don’t want to ruin them all for you so we will leave it at that. Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa opens on Tuesday, April 18th.

Vegas’ undisputed home of the Hawaiian, the California Hotel & Casino, is in the planning stages of their ninth annual May Day Lei Day. The Polynesian festival will feature live music, cultural demonstrations, arts and crafts and hula girls from local Hawaiian and Tahitian schools. The three-day event starts May 5 and runs through the weekend. Tickets are currently on sale at the Player’s Gold station at the California Hotel. Anyone want to get lei’d?

The recently opened Luxor show, Hairspray, has two new veteran additions to the cast in Paul Vogt and Eddie Mekka. Vogt is theater vet who was on the sketch comedy show ‘Mad TV’ and Mekka is a Tony-nominated actor who is best known for his role Carmine “The Big Ragoo” Ragusa on the classic Laverne & Shirley.

T.G.I. Friday’s is set to open its first in-casino outlet at the Orleans Hotel & Casino on April 10. The restaurant will feature a revamped design to appeal to a new generation of customers. “Casinos are a phenomenon that attract and accommodate both families and the new generation of active adults. The Orleans is the ideal location for our first Friday’s within a casino and we expect it to be one of our top-performing stores.”

We’re not sure if Hooters’ 60-person hot tub is the biggest in town. However, we do know it is the only HOT TUB with a swim-up bar. Allegedly, the Nippers Juice, served at the pool, which features four kinds of rum, is the kind of cocktail that makes you … uhmm … hooterish.

Has it really been four years already? The Rio’s popular interactive dinner show ‘Tony & Tina’s Wedding’ is celebrating their 1,500th performance this month!

http://www.lasvegasfoodservice.com/newsletter.shtml
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Las Vegas Top Ten Values fFrom The Las Vegas Advisor
April 2006

1. Complete Steak Dinner – Ellis Island – 24 hours – $4.95
The Ellis Island steak dinner returns to the Top Ten’s number-one slot after two months at number two, due to the openings of Hooters last month and South Coast in January, which we designated as ceremonial number ones. In addition, the rest of the Top Ten—other than the changes noted below—moves up a notch.

2. Shrimp Cocktail – Golden Gate – 11-3 am – 99¢
It’s been years now since there’s been a challenger to the 99¢ shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate (#2). Others rarely come in for less than a buck anymore, and even the more expensive shrimp aren’t as good. The Golden Gate has been serving its specialty for 46 years now, and continues to serve it daily in the Deli at the rear of the casino.

3. Ham & Eggs – Arizona Charlie’s Decatur – 24 hours – $2.49
We also audited Arizona Charlie’s Decatur’s $2.49 ham & eggs special (#3), after receiving a complaint about the size of the ham. A complaint? C’mon! Try finding a ham steak this big, plus two eggs, choice of potatoes (we had mashed and gravy), and toast or biscuits and gravy for double or even triple the price anywhere else in the country. We were disappointed in the $2.99 steak & eggs, by the way, but the $2.99 burger-and-fries special remains a winner.

4. Mac King – Harrah’s – Tues.-Sat. – $7.99/$21.95
It’s more than five years and counting and the Mac King Comedy Magic Show at Harrah’s (#4) is still the best-value entertainment option in town … by a long shot. Using the voucher, readily available around show time at the coupon booth in the Carnaval Court outside, the total cost for two is $18.76. You get a drink each and roughly 70 minutes of laughs, tricks, and even a shock or two along the way. This is a must-see entry on any Las Vegas itinerary.

5. Souvenir Photo – Imperial Palace – noon-8 pm – Free
Like Binion’s Horseshoe before it, Imperial Palace has pretty much cornered the market on the free photographic souvenir from your trip to Las Vegas (#5). It’s been going strong for so long now that repeat visitors have begun collecting them, just like they did the photos in front of the million-dollar display downtown. All you have to do is pose at the little set-up in front of the IP. Then walk to the back of the casino to pick up your photo at the player’s club booth. In two minutes flat, you’ve got another free keepsake from another memorable trip.

6. Buffet – Aladdin – Daily – $12.99-$24.99
This month we revisited the Bellagio buffet to judge its all-you-can-eat king crab, and we got to thinking that the Aladdin’s Spice Market Buffet also has unlimited king crab for dinner, so we tried that one too. There’s a good reason that the Spice Market spent years previous in the Top Ten. The crab at Aladdin is cold (though good), but the Aladdin buffet is $2 less expensive for dinner, has more variety and quality, and is all-around a better value. The Middle Eastern station, with plentiful lamb, tzatziki, hummus, olives and feta, baba ghanoush, and tabbouleh is unparalleled in Vegas. There’re also big shrimp, clams and mussels, exotic fruit and veggie salads, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, American, and fabulous dessert selections, including great crepes and chocolate-covered strawberries galore. The Mirage and Bellagio buffets are both good, but the Aladdin buffet is better, and takes over the #6 position in the Top Ten.

7. Prime Rib Dinner – California – 5-10 pm daily – $6.99
The prime rib special at the California (#7) is a little like the Arizona Charlie’s ham & eggs: There really isn’t another prime rib that challenges it. It comes with a big slice of prime, potatoes, vegetable, an all-you-can-eat salad bar, and a nice little cherries Jubilee for dessert. All for just $6.99.

8. Funbook – Stratosphere – Daily – Free
The Stratosphere funbook (#8) remains Las Vegas’ best free coupon package in terms of monetary expected return. The blackjack coupon alone is worth $10 and the other gambling coupons add another $10 to the value. There’re also dining and retail discounts. Players club members can pick up one per week.

9. Casbar Lounge – Sahara – Daily – Free
The Casbar Lounge at the Sahara (#9) continues to amaze with the caliber and variety of the entertainment it hosts nightly. Go to saharalasvegas.com, click on shows, then click on the Casbar for the complete schedule of performances, which start at 2 pm and don’t wind down till after midnight. There’s never an admission charge or drink minimum.

10. Hot Dog – Coast Casinos (All) – Daily – 75¢
We’ve brought back the 75¢ hot dog at the Gold Coast (#10). It comes with sauerkraut, onions, and relish at no extra charge, and is available from a cart in the sports book. This dog deal is also available at the Orleans, Suncoast, and South Coast.
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/topten.cfm
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NORM: Corporate rivals take off gloves.

Corporate potshots at the competition traditionally remain in the boardrooms of the gaming towers along Las Vegas Boulevard.

That changed in a very public way last week.

Steve Wynn and Bobby Baldwin, two giants of the gaming industry, slammed their rivals in national interviews.

Possibly smarting from the failure of his “Avenue Q,” Wynn told Newsweek free-lancer Steve Friess that the local lineup of Broadway shows won’t compare to his upcoming “Spamalot.”

Wynn said “Phantom of the Opera,” due to open this year at The Venetian, has “played out.” Mandalay Bay’s “Mamma Mia!” arrived in Las Vegas “late in its life” and is pulling in only 800 people per show, he said.

And “Hairspray,” which opened last week at the Luxor, “is not ‘Spamalot,’ ” Wynn said.

Baldwin, who is in charge of MGM Mirage’s $7 billion Project CityCenter, appeared to lambast actor George Clooney’s Las Ramblas project.

“I think that’s been about as successful as me acting in movies,” Baldwin told CBS reporter Sandra Hughes during Thursday’s CBS News evening broadcast.

Baldwin wasn’t kidding when he told Hughes the current competitive climate is “a slugfest.”

Wynn’s jabs at “Mamma Mia!” ruffled some feathers at Mandalay Bay. Those in the know say the crowd numbers Wynn cited were inaccurate and that the Las Vegas show is not only the most successful of 12 worldwide, but it has recouped its original investment three times over.

It was also pointed out that Wynn wooed “Mamma Mia!” for Wynn Las Vegas, something he acknowledged in his Newsweek interview.

Luxor honcho Felix Rappaport, in an e-mail, said he chooses not to comment about competitors and added he “couldn’t be happier” with “Hairspray.”

The Venetian was asked for a response but did not reply.
reviewjournal.com — News – NORM: Corporate rivals take off gloves
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SEEING LAS VEGAS : LV means leisure to visitors.
Survey suggests tourists best like gambling, eating.

They’re the big questions among local operators in gaming and tourism.

Why do people visit Las Vegas? Why do they return? Are the city’s hotel rooms and restaurants getting too expensive to sustain growth in the market? Will rising travel costs keep consumers away?

A nationwide telephone survey conducted in December and January by research firm MRC Group for the Review-Journal provides some answers: Consumers’ reasons for visiting Las Vegas continue to evolve, and pricier rooms and meals aren’t yet keeping them away. However, constricted capacity at local airports could emerge as a deal breaker for tourists on the fence about paying Sin City a visit.

First, let’s start with why those tourists continue to flock to Las Vegas.

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Feb-19-Sun-2006/business/5885569.html
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NORM: McGuire enjoying time back at top.

Who knew the golden years could be so sweet?

Forty-eight years after the McGuire Sisters topped the charts with “Sugartime,” Phyllis McGuire is part of another No. 1 hit.

She’s the only other voice on Barry Manilow’s “The Greatest Songs of the Fifties,” which opened at No. 1 on the pop chart this month.

McGuire and Manilow team up on “Sincerely,” the McGuire Sisters’ first of three No. 1s in the 1950s.

“I’m so happy for Barry. It’s been 29 years,” said McGuire, who celebrated the 36th anniversary of her 39th birthday on Valentine’s Day.

Manilow, who’s headlining at the Las Vegas Hilton, is back on top of the charts for the first time since “Looks Like We Made It” in 1977.

And McGuire couldn’t be flying any higher.

Last week, The New York Times said her voice came off as the “friskier” of the two. New York Post gossip columnist Liz Smith dedicated most of her column to McGuire, calling her “the absolute queen of Las Vegas.”

Our Phyllis is on such a roll that she’s finally decided to write that long-delayed life story. She tells me she’s talking to famed best-selling author Dominick Dunne to co-write it.

The tales she can tell.
reviewjournal.com — News – NORM: McGuire enjoying time back at top
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Favorito plays no favorites
By Jerry Fink

Insult comic Vinnie Favorito may have struck out in “Benny’s Bullpen,” but he’s hitting home runs at O’Sheas.

Actually it isn’t Favorito’s fault that his show at Binion’s ended up closing.

In 2004 Harrah’s bought the downtown venue, a move to acquire the World Series of Poker from the Binion organization, and then sold the property to West Virginia-based MTR Gaming Group.

Under the agreement, Harrah’s would manage the property for a year.

One of Harrah’s bold moves was to make a 400-seat showroom out of the space where the World Series of Poker used to be held – dubbed “Benny’s Bullpen” for the late founder Benny Binion.

In its more than 50-year history, Binion’s had never engaged a headliner.

Favorito, compared to Don Rickles, only more vicious, was the first.

More Here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2006/feb/20/566631582.html
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A Celebration Of Life
Join a journey down music’s many roads

By Paul Szydelko

Clint Holmes
Where: Harrah’s
When: 7:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.
Cost: $65.95
Info: (702) 492-3960 or (866) 80-SHOWS

It’s a celebration of music that begins before Clint Holmes even steps onstage. A tribute to legendary performers who have inspired him creates the show’s path, which moves quickly from one genre of music to the next.

Holmes endears himself to the audience with a few humble remarks about his only hit, recorded more than 30 years ago. But “Playground in my Mind” stirs some fond memories.

When his jacket comes off, Holmes quickens the pace. At home with the rhythm of the Caribbean and the passion of Spain, Holmes revels in diversity. Each member of the hard-working band has a chance to shine, as does Holmes’ sister, Gayle. Longtime friend and musical director Bill Fayne lends his talented voice to the eclectic mix.

The son of a white British opera singer and a black American jazz singer, Holmes displays the discipline and the fun, the formality and the spontaneity inherent in live music. From scat to a medley of opera, the versatility of Holmes and his band dazzles.

Holmes, who had colon cancer surgery in December 2004, closes the show by talking about the colonoscopy that may have saved his life. A new composition, “If Not Now When,” inspires audiences to organize their passions and pursue them with vigor before it’s too late. And that’s when a celebration of music becomes a celebration of life itself.
http://www.lvshowbiz.com/feature1.html
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From Paris to Vegas, the female form illuminated
By Justin Jimenez

La Femme
Where: MGM Grand
When: 8 and 10:30 p.m. Wed. – Mon.
Cost: $59
Info: (702) 492-3960 or (866) 80-SHOWS

L’Art Du Nu — or the art of the nude, like many other things, sounds much sexier in French. The idea of the revue also holds true to this model, with La Femme linking the romance of Europe’s infamous love nest to Vegas’ insatiable appetite for gorgeous women and seductive shows.

Far beyond the concept of most excessive staging of skin around town, La Femme demonstrates the grandeur and elegance of the female form with complete taste. Staying true to Alain Bernardin’s vision over a half a century old, the show harnesses the visual impetus of the human figure, outlining overtly yet planting subconsciously the irresistibility of a natural woman. In an age of theater where multimillion dollar sets become the stars of the show, the Americanized Crazy Horse forgoes the technological trickery, and instead hones in on quality casting and choreography. The lighting is simple but deliberate, artistically complimenting but not upstaging the glamour it illuminates. Each segment is self-contained, lending more to a conglomeration of several individual productions bound by seductive and subliminal images than a linear performance.

Video interludes highlight the show’s rich history and the phenomenon of the dancers. The theater stands alone as a masterpiece, built almost to the inch of replication to the Crazy Horse Saloon in Paris. Vive la France.
http://www.lvshowbiz.com/feature2.html
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Show Review: Hairspray by Rick Garman

If every Broadway musical were like Hairspray, now playing at Luxor Las Vegas, you’d see me at a lot more Broadway musicals. And you’d probably see a lot more of them being successful here because Hairspray is a perfect evening at the theater and without a doubt one of the best shows in Las Vegas, a rip-roaring laugh-fest with heart, soul, and big hair. Hairspray, based on the John Waters film of the same name, tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a zaftig Baltimore teenager in 1962 who dreams of being a dancer on an American Bandstand style show. Despite her size she manages to make it on TV, wins the hand of the heartthrob star of the show, and even strikes a blow for race relations at the same time. Sorry, I guess I should’ve warned about “spoilers” but really, it’s a musical-comedy, did you really think it wouldn’t have a happy ending?

Tracy is aided and abetted by her scatter-brained best friend Penny who starts a “shocking” affair with a black boy named Seaweed; encouraged by her self-confidence deficient mother Edna and happy-go-lucky father Wilbur; foiled by the evil Amber Von Tussle and her mother Velma; enamored of the perfect boy Link; and shown the light by a big-hearted black disc jockey named Motormouth Maybelle.

That’s the basic plot but the show is really about acceptance. Not to put too much of a sociological spin on what is really just a fizzy musical, but issues of body image, self-confidence, bigotry, prejudice, and more are all touched on and whether you choose to look for deeper contexts or just laugh and tap your toes is totally up to you.

The book (by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan) and music (by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman) are pitch perfect representations of both the era and the genre itself, with a Busby Berkeley “we can do it kids – we can put on a show!” type bounciness and Motown flavored music adding a fresh but familiar spin. Songs like “I Can Hear the Bells,” heard when Tracy first meets the handsome object of her affection, and “Timeless to Me,” a lovely duet between Tracy’s parents, are award worthy all on their own.

The show has been shrunk from its Broadway run to a sleek 90 minutes or so, with a couple of songs, some dialogue, and the intermission all jettisoned. Most people who have seen both the original and this one seem to feel that nothing gets lost in the translation and for those of us who have never seen the full version, nothing feels missing.

The performers will change as the show runs so do yourself a favor and get there soon. While the replacements for the existing cast will undoubtedly be talented, it’s hard to picture them being as gloriously divine (no pun intended for fans of the movie) as these folks are.

Katrina Rose Dideriksen is a delight as the wide-eyed Tracy (originally played by Ricki Lake in the film), full of spunk and determination with a voice that is sweetly powerful and a smile that could save them some money on electric bills. Susan Anton, as the wicked Velma Von Tussle is only disappointing in the fact that we can’t see more of her scenery chewing evil doings. Austin Miller plays the teen idol worthy Link with gee-whiz gusto and a pelvis swivel that would make Elvis jealous. And Fran Jaye as Motormouth Maybelle has a presence and a voice that could blow out the back wall of the theater.

But here, as on Broadway, the show belongs to Edna and Wilbur Turnblad as played by Harvey Fierstein and Dick LaTessa, both of whom won Tony awards for their portrayals. LaTessa is a music-theater vet and he plays the ever cheerful Wilbur with a glee and a spring in his step that puts most 25-year-olds to shame.

And then there’s Harvey. The term “gravel voiced” was invented for Fierstein, and he doesn’t so much sing as he does rattle the rafters but no matter. His cross-dressing turn as Edna is revelatory, taking the character from shy, insecure, overweight hausfrau to fat and fabulous through more than just great dresses and big hair. Pay attention to the way Edna moves at the beginning, a flat-footed gait brought on from too many years of lugging laundry baskets and contrast that with the light-footed breeziness by the end of the show. Fierstein changes everything as Edna comes out of her shell and realizes how much the people around her love her. In short, there’s a reason why he won a Tony for this performance.

Fierstein and LaTessa are in the roles for at least the first three months. If you get a chance to go see the show while they are still in it, you owe it to yourself to do so. But even if you get there after they are gone, Hairspray is such a delightful, effervescent good time that it will stand all on its own.

Vegas4Visitors Grade: A+

Hairspray
Luxor Las Vegas
3900 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
800-527-7428
website
Tickets

$65-85
Showtimes

Mon & Fri at 7pm
Tue, Thu, Sat-Sun at 7pm & 10pm
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm
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Hotel Review: Hooters Hotel & Casino by Rick Garman

I think the world can be boiled down into three different types of people There’s those who think the concept of a Hooters Hotel & Casino is a cool thing, those who think it’s one of the signs of the apocalypse, and those that are somewhere in the middle. After visiting the new Hooters Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, I’m firmly in the middle.

For those of you living in a cave or, perhaps somewhere with a slightly less tolerant attitude toward the “sex sells” mantra, Hooters is a chain of restaurants around the country that is mostly famous for its Hooters Girls – a bevy of buxom lasses that serve the food wearing very short shorts and very tight baby-doll t-shirts. You can say that it’s more about the “we’re in on the joke” humor, casual atmosphere, and generously portioned servings of hearty American food, but really let’s all just accept the fact that it’s about the women and move on with our lives, shall we?

The company purchased the dingy San Remo Hotel, located just behind the Tropicana Hotel and Casino on Tropicana Boulevard, and threw their corporate branding at it in a big way, from the “Florida casual” theme (think lots of orange, bleached wood, and beach décor) to the aforementioned girls. It’s miles, leagues, and light-years ahead of what the hotel used to be (a dump) but I have to say there is a certain amount of “painting the pig” going on. You can still see the remnants of the old hotel lurking here and there, like in the elevators which have gotten a nice interior makeover but they left the scarred and pitted doors and control panel.

This is all minor stuff and will most likely be addressed as they move forward, but if you’ve gotten used to the gleaming, sparkly everything at some of the major Strip hotels, this will come as a bit of a let down.

The main floor has gotten the most dramatic part of the makeover, turning the casino space into a lively, energetic, and very, very crowded party spot. There are several restaurants around the perimeter plus bars, lounges, a gift shop, a small video arcade, and more. They have packed a lot into a very small area so personal space is at a minimum.

A revised pool area that is certain to be a tourist hot spot will be open by late spring.

The rooms are not only a marked improvement over the old hotel’s offerings, but they are nice even without the qualification. There’s more of the beach theme, with plank wood headboards, armoire, desk, and vanities plus plenty of orange to go around. The beds are super-comfy and there’s just about everything you need elsewhere including a nice, big TV with in-room movies, a dressing table, several mirrors, iron and board, coffee maker, safe, hair dryers, and dataports on the phone (no high-speed Internet yet, sorry). While they aren’t as big or luxuriously appointed as some Vegas rooms, they are just fine and more than the Average Joe will ever want or need.

By the way, rooms in the Bay View tower have balconies – a rarity in Las Vegas

And yes, there are Hooters Girls all over the place, from waitresses to blackjack dealers and everything in between, but keep in mind that there are other employees as well. Don’t expect to have your room service delivered by a hot chick in tight shorts.

The staff was unfailingly polite and efficient, managing to smooth over a few inevitable opening week bumps with a friendly smile. It’s got a real “down home” atmosphere, with employees calling you “sweetheart” and “darling.” Whether you prefer that over being called “sir” or “ma’am” by one of those drones in a way-too-expensive suit is totally your call.

Now here’s where we get to the biggest issue regarding Hooters – the price. Random checks of room rates over the next couple of months mostly returned $125-$175 a night during the week and well over $200 a night on the weekends. That’s verging into Mirage territory and I’m sorry, but that is just way too much money to pay for this hotel unless you are a total devotee to the brand. Perhaps rates will come down after the initial rush of people checking the joint out abates and summer always brings cheaper costs, but if you want to spend this kind of money there are better places to do so.

Although there are none with Hooters Girls, so there’s always that.

Highs: Fun environment, friendly staff
Lows: Price is too high, still some remnants of the old hotel

Location: 9 – Just a few steps from the South Strip madness
Price: 5 – Not expensive for Vegas but…
Value: 4 – Too expensive for this particular hotel
Rooms: 7 – Well appointed and comfortable
Casino: 6 – Very densely packed but festive
Amenities: 6 – Lacking a few extras that you’d expect at this price
Facilities: 6 – Plenty of food, not much entertainment
Service: 10 – Friendly and always smiling
Fun: 7 – A lively joint
Bonus: 7 – An audacious concept deserves extra points

Vegas4Visitors Rating: 67

Hooters Hotel & Casino
115 E. Tropicana Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
800-522-7366
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm
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I hope you enjoyed this issue of Everything Las Vegas..Please feel free to post a comment.

Steve

Posted on April 21st, 2006 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Newsletter