Everything Las Vegas. Issue # 639
September 14th, 2007
Las Vegas "Trippies" awards.
Last year, Everything LV.com won the award for "Best Las Vegas Blog."
This year there are three catagories that Everything LV could be nominated in:
Best Vegas Website…This would be great to win. 
Best Vegas Blog…Let's go for two years in a row!!!
Best Vegas Message Board. We all know this is true.
Nominations can be posted here:
http://www.vegastripping.com/trippies2007/
I am to hunble to bring your attention to the "Vegas Person Of The Year" catagory. 
So if you have enjoyed the website and the Forums here is your chance to cast your vote for it. The website is technically called,"Steve's Everything Las Vegas."
Let's go for the Trifecta this year.
The Seven Wonders Of Las Vegas
By John Katsilometes
Over the weekend an Internet poll determined the New Seven Wonders of the World. The hook was that the survey would be announced on 7/7/07, and thus we would be talking about all the new wonders on that day.
Millions of people from around the world voted, and the winners were: The Great Wall of China, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Machu Picchu in Peru, the Maya ruins of Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Colosseum in Rome and India's Taj Mahal.
Sadly, my favorite, Stevie Wonder, did not receive enough votes for the top 7.
Nothing from Las Vegas merited New Wonders status, either. But I’ve got my own Seven Wonders of Las Vegas, listed as they came to me, with explanations:
1 The Colosseum at Caesars (a 4,000-seat showroom never felt so intimate).
2 The Stratosphere Tower (the best spot in town to watch the sun set, or try to locate your home from a thousand feet up).
3 The Phantom Theater at the Venetian (the venue is the co-star of this $80 million spectacle; the chandelier alone is worth a visit).
4 The Bellagio water show (still stopping traffic on the Strip after nearly 10 years).
5 The Luxor light (still a powerful presence on the Strip, but has anyone ever verified that you can actually see that light from space?).
6 Hoover Dam! (I know, it is not in Las Vegas but it’s in our, uh, media market, so it counts).
7 Red Rock Canyon (I refer to a comment a cabbie friend of mine told me about a few years ago, when he pointed out Red Rock to a tourist just arriving in Vegas who asked of the mountains to the west, “Are those real?” It was not the first time he would ask that question).
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com
Sports Fan's Dream
Harrah's offers it all at the Sports Pit.
By: Paul Szydelko/Las Vegas Magazine
Walking into the new Sports Pit at Harrah’s, the first thing you notice are the 40 high-definition plasma screens and two 100-inch high-definition projectors. Televisions built into every blackjack table ensure fans can keep an eye on their favorite game and their cards.
Six blackjack tables, a craps table, an LCD keno board and video poker machines help define the intimate area, which features granite bar tops, zebra wood accents and textured walls with shades of burgundy, green and orange.
Fans can make a bet on a race or a ballgame, then relax at the bar or enjoy blackjack or craps while watching the action beamed in via satellite on numerous TVs.
“It’s an ultra lounge for sports buffs,” said Don Marrandino, president of Harrah’s, whose vision was to create a young, cool vibe that lasts well after the last game is played.
“Every sports book in town closes up at 8 or 9 o’clock, and it takes a lot of real estate in the casino,” Marrandino said. “We decided to put some table games in there, so you make a bet and sit at a table game. We have TVs to watch your game right at your table.”
The Sports Pit represents a new environment that incorporates many diverse elements—hip music on a pristine sound system; a multimedia presentation on the TV screens as the overhead lights dim; a cozy bar; deli; and luxurious seating.
Whether it’s the food, the beverages, the action on the television screens or the action at the tables, Marrandino is convinced there’s something for everyone.
“People come to Las Vegas to experience the best in gaming, and the new Sports Pit at Harrah’s is a one-stop location that meets all of their needs,” Marrandino said. “The combination of a race and sports book and gaming pit allows players to be in action while in action.”
In contrast to most sports books, which become nearly vacant late at night, Harrah’s has created a vibrant place to meet friends or discuss the day’s sports action long after the last down or the last out is played, letting the fun continue through the night.
http://www.lvshowbiz.com/feature2.html
My next Las Vegas trip will be from November 20th-November 27th. There will probably be some type of get together. If you will be there at this time and are interested in a get together,just email me at..mrvegas98@aol.com.
Wayne Will Return
By John Katsilometes
Las Vegas Wayniacs, fear not. The Wayner will return to the Strip.
I mentioned in the most recent installment of Fab LV that Wayne Newton has ended his run at Harrah’s and has no dates scheduled. True, that. But I can report – and I will report – that Newton will be back at the hotel in November, in time for his annual holiday show. He might work in a few non-holiday shows (no reindeer, no elves) prior to the holiday performances, which begin Thanksgiving and run, well, through the holidays. Or, Dec. 22. But a final schedule has not yet been announced.
The next few months are going to be busy for The Wayner, which is nothing new as he performs at nearly every American Indian resort in North America when not singing on the Strip. The POW (People of Wayne) tell me that amid dates in such outposts as the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y., and the Northern Lights Theatre at Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee, he will be filming two movies and leading a USO tour of Kuwait and Afghanistan in the fall. Wayner has been chairman of the USO’s Celebrity Circle, taking over for Bob Hope, in 2001.
I’m also told there will be a couple of surprises for The Wayner, who turned 65 this year and has performed in Vegas in six different decades, or as he says, “Since I was a fat kid.”
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com
Eat This Now Chocolate-covered raspberries at The Chocolate Swan, in Mandalay Place. All of us eventually have to ferry relatives or visiting friends to the Strip. Your reward for being a good host is The Chocolate Swan. This little bastion of civility is set apart from the slot machines and casino noise on the mall level of Mandalay Place and is a great place to relax mid-schlep. The store carries the usual coffee menu and interesting desserts, but it excels at chocolate—especially the chocolate-covered raspberries. These are not just some pureed or chopped numbers, but a single piece of fresh, sweet-tart fruit covered in smooth, creamy chocolate. Definitely not a two-biter—unless you want to wear raspberry juice; just pop the whole thing in and wait for the flavor rush. Accompany with a double espresso.
by Geri Jeter/Las Vegas Weekly
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com
Goodbye Egypt: What the Upcoming Changes at Luxor Mean for Las Vegas. By Rick Garman
During Las Vegas’ remarkable boom in the 1990s, you had to have a theme to make a mark. The Mirage had a stunning Polynesian atmosphere with thatched-hut style “roofs” over areas of the casino and acres of floral carpeting. Excalibur brought Camelot to The Strip. Treasure Island had pirates and MGM Grand was Hollywood gone mad complete with a Wizard of Oz attraction in the middle of the casino. Paris, Venice, and New York were all brought to recreated life.
But things started to change in 1998 when Bellagio opened. True, the outside of the building is done as an Italian seaside village, but the interior was much less heavily themed than most of its predecessors, going more for a luxurious feel than a carnival one. The man who created that hotel, Steve Wynn, took that ethos to the next level in 2005 with his namesake hotel Wynn Las Vegas, which has no theme to speak of unless you count opulence as one. And along the way, sometimes quietly and other times not so much, the existing theme hotels lost their most identifiable branding.
There is still a rainforest inside The Mirage but most of the other Polynesian detail is gone, replaced by a sleek and glam design. Ditto Treasure Island, which got rid of all of the gold doubloon filled chests and swashbuckling details years ago. Dorothy was removed from the MGM Grand, the World’s Fair disappeared from The Stratosphere, and the Road to Morocco at Aladdin was replaced with something approaching Rodeo Drive when it became Planet Hollywood.
Now comes the most startling news of all in this evolution of Las Vegas: Luxor, the wonderland of kitschy Egyptian detail, will undergo a $300 million makeover that will remove virtually every last trace of King Tut and the region he once ruled. The casino will be completely revamped to get rid of the hieroglyphics and the second level arcade and attraction area will be overhauled in favor of additional restaurants and entertainment venues. One Egyptian themed lounge has already been replaced with a swanky casino bar and the space that once housed the temple themed RA will become a branch of the hip LA nightclub LAX, complete with an opening around Labor Day hosted by Britney Spears.
All of the rooms will be remodeled as will the pool area. About the only nods to Egypt that will remain are the pyramid shaped building itself and the Sphinx that guards the valet parking area. The remodeling at Luxor and the upcoming revamp of The Sahara that is expected to strip away all of its Arabian Nights detail means that there will only be a handful of heavily themed casinos left on The Strip: Excalibur’s castle, New York-New York’s nod to the Big Apple, Caesars Palace’s take on Rome, Italy by way of The Venetian and Palazzo, France at Paris Las Vegas, and big top fun at Circus Circus.
And before you start sending me letters, I’m not counting places like Mandalay Bay, The Rio, or Monte Carlo where the themes are less obvious. My column, my rules. Several of the casinos that still have themes may also be in jeopardy of losing them just like Luxor. Circus Circus will undergo a major overhaul in the next few years as part of a big development of hotels neighboring it and there have been rumors of big changes for both Paris and Excalibur as well.
There will be no rescue from new casinos coming down the pike either. With the notable exception of Palazzo, the Italian themed extension of Venetian due to open in early 2008, none of the new major casinos coming online in the next decade or so such as CityCenter, Echelon, Encore, The Plaza, The Cosmopolitan, and Fontainebleau are expected to have any kind of an identifiable theme beyond that of “luxury hotel.” No recreated city skylines or natural wonders; no landmark buildings or quaint village replicas; not even a roller coaster. All of this is part of the natural evolution of Las Vegas, a city that has reinvented itself more times than most people can count. The current way of thinking among the people with all the money that run these places is that Vegas is growing up, becoming more adult, and more serious.
Nowadays a hotel has to have a suite of multi-million dollar nightclubs to entertain people whereas before a lava-spurting fake volcano seemed to do the trick. Of course with this grown-up sensibility comes grown-up prices. $200-$300 a night rooms are the norm now and a $20 cover charge to get into a dance club is considered a bargain. This means that Las Vegas is becoming, in almost every way, less of an attraction for the average person who visits Las Vegas.
Without the wacky themes, bargain buffets, and relatively cheap rooms, many people have expressed a decided lack of interest in rushing back to town like they used to. But the message the Las Vegas casino industry seems to be sending is that they don’t really care about the average Vegas visitor anymore because, to be frank, you don’t spend enough money.
That might be a harsh way of putting things but in the end it’s true and it’s working as visitor volume, casino wagering, and casino gambling win all hit record highs again in recent months. Why should they have a $10 dinner buffet when they can have a $25 dinner buffet and still have lines out the door?
Why should they offer rooms for $100 a night when they can charge four times that and still operate at more than 90% occupancy levels?
The only bright bit of news I can offer to the folks who are mourning the loss of the Las Vegas they knew and loved is this: all things are cyclical. Remember, this is a town that has reinvented itself more often and at some point, this “Vegas is for the Rich” mentality will hit a breaking point and the pendulum will swing the other way. Let’s just hope were all still around to see it happen.
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm
Hotel Review: Loews Lake Las Vegas By Rick Garman
http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm
The resort formerly known as the Hyatt Lake Las Vegas has entered a new era as Loews Lake Las Vegas, an important link in the upscale hotelier’s corporate chain. Since the transaction only recently concluded, changes to the hotel have been modest at best but they are noteworthy for keeping what was great about the Hyatt and improving what wasn’t – and the future looks even brighter. When it opened as the Hyatt, the reaction from most Vegas visitors was a polite and respectful shrug.
Although many believed in the brand, the location of the hotel some 25-30 minutes east of just about everything most visitors want to do when they hit town didn’t put it up high on the options list. Despite this, they managed to do great business, focusing mainly on families, recreation fanatics, and business travelers to fill their nearly 500 rooms. Now, as Loews that focus continues, with the changes aimed at the physical structure rather than the marketing ethos.
The entire place has a vaguely Moroccan theme to it that remains with the new name on the building, but it is not as obvious or overwhelming as the former Aladdin or Sahara. Instead they get by with intricately carved woodwork, rich and colorful fabrics, tasteful jeweled lamps, and subtle artworks.
The overall affect is upscale and yet comfortable. Get yourself a hookah and relax. The lobby is a gigantic cascading three-story affair with giant windows looking out at the lake, all of which can be opened to create an outdoor feeling.
A multi-level lounge is getting upgraded furnishings and more landscaping (the palm trees that line the drive spill inside), making an already beautiful space even more attractive. There used to be a small casino but it closed so now if you need to get your gambling jones satisfied, you'll have to take a water taxi across the lake to MonteLago Village and Casino (which you should anyway because it’s lovely). Recreation and relaxation are the primary goals here so head outside to take a look at all of the options.
There are two huge heated pools (one with its own theme-park worthy water slide), cabanas, a bar and grill, a sports court, a putting green, a lagoon with a private beach, water sports equipment rental (paddle boats, kayaks, fishing gear, etc.), gardens and gazebos, special Fisher Price areas for young children, and much more that I can’t possibly list here. An almost endless list of activities (poolside movies anyone?) accompanies the facilities and if that isn’t enough there are a couple of championship golf courses nearby. No matter how nice the pool/recreation area is at the Strip hotel where you were last, it can’t possibly compare to the amenities and opportunities here.
All of this makes the Loews a wonderful option for families. Not only do they have all of this stuff to do but they also feature special programs designed to make kids feel welcome. Younger children receive Fisher Price welcome gifts and have access to lending libraries of games and supervised recreational programs. Teenagers get a backpack stuffed with goodies and can borrow Gameboy titles, DVDs, and more. Similar pampering and attention goes toward people who bring their pets including their own bowls and welcome treats plus everything from rawhide bones to litter boxes.
Adjacent to the main pool area is the full-service spa, featuring complimentary use of the exercise (cardio machines, nautilus style weights) and sauna/whirlpool facilities plus ten private treatment rooms for massage and other pampering. There are two primary restaurants – Marssa, an Asian-fusion restaurant specializing in sushi; and Café Tajine, a moderately priced eatery with a wide-ranging menu that will offer something for just about everyone. Marrakesh Express, a 24-hour coffee-bar and marketplace (sandwiches and other goodies to take back to your room) rounds out the dining options.
But don’t forget to take that water taxi across to MonteLago Village where you’ll find more things to eat and drink. The 496 rooms (including 47 suites) are fairly standard in terms of layout and size but they are very well appointed. Each features one king or two queen beds, coffee makers, robes, refrigerators, hair dryers, safe, iron and board, a writing desk, high-speed Internet access, in-room movies, a Playstation, dual line phones, and lots more. Under Loews the rooms are getting a refresh with flat-panel televisions and upgraded furnishings. Most rooms come with “Juliet” balconies (doors open inward, railing is inches from the doorsill), a nice touch. Prices for the rooms are quite reasonable.
Expect a rock bottom in the neighborhood of $129 and up weekdays and $199 and up weekends, although busier times will of course cost more. Plus you have to add in extra costs if you want a lake view or their upgraded, concierge level rooms and all of the perks that come with it (club room with complimentary food and beverage service for starters). If you’re after a non-stop, party-style, gamble ‘til you drop Vegas vacation you’d do best staying closer to the action.
But if you’re looking for a relaxing Vegas vacation the Loews Lake Las Vegas is a terrific bet.
Loews Lake Las Vegas
101 Montelago Boulevard
Henderson, NV 89011
800-633-7313
Visit the Loews Web site
Slot Reviews By Gayle Mitchell
1) Treasures of Troy: IGT. 90-98%. 4 spins.
This 40-line slot features the battlefield of Troy, playing card symbols and when you choose that extra bet, you trigger the Multi Way option.
Multi Way betting allows each of the 20 symbols on the grid to act as a stand-alone reel.
Therefore, with over 1000 possible wins, you are paid for each combination of scatter pays along with standard wins.
Additionally, there are wild symbols and a free spin bonus round that can be re-triggered for plenty of mounting credits.
With this multi-featured game, you are certain to enter the battlefield with a winning attitude.
Big Red 2: Aristocrat. 90-95%. 4 spins
The kangaroo, Big Red is not only the star in this game, but wild also. This kanga rewards with free spins and should the tree icon appear during these spins, you win the value of the kangaroo symbol multiplied by the number of tree icons.
Free spins can also result in the progressive jackpot win when Dingo symbols land on the first and fifth reels. Look for the words, ‘Dingo Minor’ or ‘Dingo Major’.
Time to ‘hop up and down’ for the cash reward of $250 to $3000.
3) Mega Bankroll: AC Coin. 86-92%. 2 spins.
This top box bonus game is designed utilizing the familiar 5 reel Double Diamond feature that doubles the jackpot when wilds appear.
Listen for the familiar song, ‘Money, That’s What I Want’ to begin the bonus round where the Big Roller Press of the US Mint starts up printing strips of bills at the top box.
Every dollar represents 4 credits along with multiplier units and when the bills stops, your credit amount and multiplier is displayed.
Final calculation award=credits X multiplier X credits bet on the winning payline.
Money in the form of a ‘wad’ of bills is surely ‘what you want’ with this exciting game.
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: CPon@casinoplayersezine.com
A confirmation message will be sent and require your reply.
This Free ezine is published online twice/month.
Subscribers are notified by email when published.
'Superstars' an easy sell for value
By Jerry Fink/Las Vegas Sun
In a town where casinos sell a 10-ounce bottle of water as if it were a precious metal, there are still a few entertainment bargains.
Producers Donny Moore and Mark Callas have managed to fight inflation with their no-frills, high-energy show "American Superstars."
"Superstars" debuted at the Stratosphere in 1996. The price of admission was $22.95. Today the basic price is $41.75.
Comparison: Impressionist Danny Gans also debuted at the Stratosphere in 1996, and his tickets were $29.50. Today, Gans is at the Mirage and tickets go for $100.
More Here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2007/jul/16/566656336.html
The Golden Child
Downtown is all grown up.
By : Jason Jimenez/Las Vegas Magazine
Before Bugsy, before the Strip, before the sparkle, there was an ex-vice detective from Los Angeles who helped start the rush to the Mojave desert. In 1931 when gambling was legalized in Nevada after a 22-year hiatus, Guy McAfee saw opportunity on highway 91. Known as “the Captain,” he came out in 1938 to buythe Pair-O-Dice Club. The only thing that grew faster than the profit was McAfee’s ambition and in 1946 he opened what would become the epicenter of all of Downtown, the Golden Nugget.
With an initial investment of $1 million, it was named the largest casino in the world. It passed through the hands of hotel developer Steve Wynn in 1972, and with him, the arrival of names like Frank Sinatra and Willie Nelson, along with the resort’s first AAA Four-Diamond Award in 1977.
When Landry’s Restaurants Inc. acquired the property in 2005, it set off a chain reaction of events that altered the entire landscape of downtown. Continuing to boom in its seventh decade, the Golden Nugget has again redefined the personality of Fremont, and with a $100 million renovation completed last November, it has positioned itself as one of the bellwethers of Las Vegas.
The accolades are only accoutrements at this point, as the marvelous new venues speak for themselves.
With the resort corridor evolving into a gastronomic playground, the Golden Nugget is setting the trend. Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse has immediately had an impact on the foodie community—the combination of prime steak and a stupefying wine cellar rivals any of the ritzy dining hangs in the city.
Grotto resonates of a trattoria on the Amalfi Coast in Italy; it is a fine-dining experience but without the need to put a tie on. Adding to the appeal is floor-to-ceiling views of the most ocular sensation of the property, The Tank, a $20 million pool complex that officially opened in March. Three levels of cabanas and sunbathing accent a massive live shark tank, with a waterslide piercing through the middle.
Rush is the property’s answer to the city’s bustling nightlife industry. Complete with live music and gaming tables, it has found habitués of local hipsters and tourists alike.
Perhaps the only design aspect of the casino that has stayed the same over the years is the “Hand of Faith,” the largest known gold nugget on display in the world.
However, the most remarkable thing about the Golden Nugget is its personality. It has all the new-school Vegas amenities but with old-school Vegas class.
http://www.lasvegasmagazine.com/feature4.html
Las Vegas Q and A By Rick Garman
Question: Someone asked me an interesting Vegas “challenge” and I thought I’d pose it to you. You have one day in Vegas and you have to spend $500 from the time you get up to the time you go to bed but you can’t gamble any of it and shopping doesn’t count. How would you do it?
Answer: I wish that spending $500 in one day was more of a challenge but unfortunately in Vegas these days that’s pretty easy.
Since I’m basically a very lazy person, I’d start by ordering breakfast via room service, watch some Hollywood blockbuster movie on the pay per view, and check my e-mail using the wireless connection in the room. Figure $30 with tip for the meal, $12 for the movie, and $14 for the Internet and I’ve already spent $56 and I haven’t gotten out of bed.
Then I’d wander down to the pool and be lazy some more, lying around while people bring me big cocktails with fruit hanging off the glass, because it’s after noon somewhere. Another $30 gone.
For lunch I’d go to the Wynn Buffet and let’s just pretend this is a Sunday so it’s their Champagne Brunch, which runs around $30 also. We’re up to $116.
In the afternoon I’d go to a few of my favorite Las Vegas attractions like The Springs Preserve and the Mirage Dolphin Habitat. Kiss another $34 goodbye and I’m at $140.
I know you said I can’t spend it shopping but I don’t consider buying food as actual shopping so I’d hit my two favorite dessert spots and pick up a one-pound box of milk-chocolate covered caramels at the Chocolate Swan and a dozen assorted cupcakes at The Cupcakery. That’s about another $60 give or take so now I’ve gotten rid of $200.
For dinner I’d go have a great meal at one of two places – either the amazing Asian fusion at Hannah’s or the incredible steaks at Austins. With drinks, tax, and tip that’s going to run $75 easy.
Then I’d go see a show. I could say that I’d just blow the remaining $225 on a front row ticket to see Bette Midler at the Colosseum but that’s too easy so I’ll do a $150 ticket to KA at MGM Grand.
With the remaining $75 I’d probably hit a couple of nightclubs. Between the crazy cover charges, which can be as high as $30, and drinks at $10 a pop it won’t take me long to hit my $500 total.
Actually after reviewing my itinerary and all of the cocktails I consumed, I’d better stop at $65 at the clubs so I have $10 left to take a cab back to the hotel.
Question: Which present hotels were built on sites of old hotels and what were the old hotels? Were the old hotels imploded to make way for the new ones?
Answer: Just about all of the existing hotels were built on the site of a former hotel, but let's stick with the big ones - starting on the South Strip and working north.
Mandalay Bay was built on the site of the former Hacienda, a hotel that opened in 1956 with a couple hundred rooms and a casino and grew to a major property in later years. It was imploded in 1996 and Mandalay Bay opened in 1999.
The existing MGM Grand hotel at Tropicana and The Strip opened in 1993 on the site of the former Marina Hotel and Casino. The bulk of the Marina was torn down but the main hotel tower was saved, gutted, and incorporated into the MGM Grand when it was built around it. It is the part of the hotel now known as The West Wing.
Planet Hollywood was originally The Aladdin, which was built on the site of The Aladdin. Yes, the original Aladdin, opened in 1966 (itself a remodeling of an existing motel), was imploded in 1998 and the newer onel opened in 2000.
Next door, Paris and Bally's (the original MGM Grand) were built on the land that was once home to The Bonanza, a rambling motel/casino with a western theme that opened in 1967.
Bellagio was built on the site of the famed Dunes, a hotel and casino that opened in 1955 and was imploded in 1994. Bellagio opened in 1998.
The Mirage and Treasure Island (opened in 1989 and 1993 respectively) replaced a casino/motel called The Castaways. No, it has no relation to the Castaways that was torn down a couple of years ago on the east side of town.
The Venetian, opened in 1999, replaced the legendary Sands Hotel and Casino. That hotel opened in 1952 and was imploded in 1996.
Wynn Las Vegas and its upcoming sister Encore replaced another legendary hotel: the Desert Inn. The DI, home to Dan Tanna in "Vega$," opened in 1950 and closed in 2000. It was torn down and imploded during 2001 and 2002.
In the future, CityCenter’s $7 billion worth of hotels and condos will open on the land once occupied by The Boardwalk, the old Stardust hotel site will be the home of the $4 billion Echelon, the recently closed Frontier will be torn down and replaced by a $5 billion version of New York’s Plaza hotel, and Fontainebleau will go on the land that once was home to a hotel that was known by several names over the years including The Thunderbird, The Silverbird, and El Rancho.
Many of the other existing hotels replaced smaller motels or casinos
Vegas4Visitors Weekly Column by Rick Garman
DEVELOPMENT: Downtown dream
Critics scoff at developer's ambitious plans to revive Gold Spike.
By BENJAMIN SPILLMAN LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL.
Gregg Covin has visited the Gold Spike.
Yes, he still plans to buy it.
The Miami developer of high-rise condos and historic boutique hotels visited downtown Las Vegas last week for a closer look at the Gold Spike, a small hotel-casino that's known for its smoky atmosphere and dirt-cheap prices.
Covin, 38, has a purchase agreement to buy the Spike for $15.6 million from Tamares Las Vegas Properties. His plan is to revive the property, seedy even by downtown Las Vegas standards, as a boutique-style hotel with room rates in the neighborhood of $125 to $150 per night.
More Here:
http://www.lvrj.com/business/8648506.html
Posted on September 14th, 2007 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Newsletter
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.