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Here is a list of the free coupons that you can use JUST in Las Vegas:

Major changes were predicted when Andre Agassi moved his Grand Slam for Children to a smaller venue this year.

Details were confirmed this week with the arrival of invitations to the Oct. 11 mega-event at Wynn Las Vegas. Crowd size will be significantly smaller than previous events that averaged about 7,000 people at the MGM Grand Garden, and the tickets will be much higher.

The specific venue at Wynn was not specified.

The move to the Wynn, after 12 of the events were held at MGM Grand Garden, was announced in April.

Because of other major charity events it was supporting, the MGM Mirage stated there was no way it could continue at the previous commitment level. MGM Mirage agreed to continue its $1 million commitment.

Agassi has raised about $70 million for his foundation through the Grand Slam event.

One of the biggest disappointments is bound to be the format change that makes the event more exclusive and doesn't include seating for the concert alone.

No individual tickets will be sold, meaning it is table-only sales, with 10 to a table.

Pricing levels include silver ($10,000 per table) which are sold out; gold tables cost $17,500; and platinum sells for $40,000.

The highest-level option, diamond, will cost $85,000 per table, and includes 10 invitations to a private VIP performance hosted by Agassi on Friday, Oct. 10. It will feature entertainment by James Taylor and John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting and 10 invitations to the unveiling of the commemorative 2008 Grand Slam for Children artwork by James Rosenquist that same night.

The diamond level includes premium seating for the Saturday event.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/24444944.html

By MIKE WEATHERFORD/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Locals remember Tom Stevens and he remembers them — along with anyone else feeling a little old-Vegas neglect on the Strip.

His audience for "Dean and Friends" in the Riviera's cozy Le Bistro cabaret is small but appreciative. When the impressionist does his Robert DeNiro singing "My Way," one couple stands up and applauds.

When he finishes Neil Diamond's "I Am … I Said" a different couple, on the other side of the room, gives up the standing O.

But it's not until his full-blown "The Music of the Night," complete with "Phantom of the Opera" half-mask, cape and even lighting cues on the little stage, that all two dozen or so are brought to their feet.

There were too many maimed knights to remember.

"Near the beginning of the run, the head of the knight decapitated by the killer bunny rolled into the pit at least five times," recalled solo French hornist Beth Lano.

"No damage was done, and on at least one occasion, the head was lobbed back up onstage, with the conductor not skipping a beat in throwing it back."

In the Black Knight scene, "we had a few occasions where the knight's arm fell into the pit, once directly into the arms of Wayne Green, the conductor, who found himself in the unfortunate position of having to hold onto the arm while continuing to conduct with his own two."

On at least two occasions, the exploding Holy Hand Grenade flew back into the pit, Lano said. "And while the catapulted cow didn't completely make it into the pit during the show, the tail and hindquarters hung precariously over the edge a few times, the result of overzealous catapulters."

And for a limited time only, if you order 10 tickets or more you get a free satin jacket with your name on it (a $125 value). The jacket is black with a full color logo which includes the phrase: "The Music That Will Last Forever." Very cool! For tickets, call (702) 454-4229 or visit www.doowopinthedesert.com and use the Contact Us link.

In case you haven't grown tired of watching Gene Simmons and his family on his TV reality show, KISS will bring their Alive/35 Tour to The Palms for one night only at The Pearl Concert Theater on Friday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m.

Hard to believe, but KISS is celebrating 35 years of rock 'n roll on their record-breaking European tour where shows in Helsinki, Finland, and Oslo, Norway, sold out less than one hour after tickets went on sale and fans in Stockholm, Sweden, bought all 32,000 tickets in just 20 minutes. The group has added only a few U.S. summer tour dates, including their stop at The Pearl.

In honor of their 35th anniversary, the band plans to play their"Kiss Alive" album in its entirety as well as a few surprises and rarely played live KISS classics. Should be a great show.

Tickets are $153 and $303 and don't ask me why they added on the three bucks, seeing as you still have to pay any additional service fees. You can get tickets by calling 702-474-4000 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com. If you want to pick them up at the Pearl Box Office, it's open from noon to 7 p.m. daily.

It's summer. It's hot. So the idea of jumping into a pool or even hanging out at one is very appealing, especially when it's at one of the best pool sites in our town. I'm talking about the Tropicana that features "Mint Mondays," complete with food, fun and entertainment every Monday from noon to 11 p.m.

Here's what you can expect. A DJ and band rotates throughout the evening with the DJ blasting the tunes from noon until 7 p.m. and the band taking the poolside stage from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. All bands appearing at Mint Mondays are published artists and cover such music genres as Caribbean, Cajun, Latin and other music styles. The DJ will wrap up the evening with more music hits.

If you're feeling active, you can participate in an array of activities during the pool party — pool volleyball, swimming, dancing and even gaming at the Trop's swim-up blackjack tables.

Hungry or thirsty? Not to worry. Three barbecue grills are posted throughout the pool deck serving menu items such as Jerk Chicken Breast, BBQ Brisket Sandwiches, Broiled Italian Sausage, Fish Tacos and Carne Asada. Two portable bars, in addition to the permanent Coconut Grove Bar and Swim-up Bar, serve up the cocktails.

And if you haven't been to the Trop's pool in a while, a new lighting, sound and stage system has been added and includes top technology such as DL-2 projection and dynamic lighting.

If you want some privacy to do those things that "stay in Vegas," private cabanas are available for rent during the Mint Mondays parties. Each includes a personalized food and beverage server, chaise lounges, chairs, a table and a complimentary fruit basket. For cabana reservations call 702-739-3595.

Not to confuse you, but Mint Mondays is not restricted to just Mondays. A similar version of the pool party takes place every Friday and Saturday throughout the summer. The best part is that all pool parties at the Tropicana are free admission and open to the public.
http://www.lvrj.com/living/25482584.html

Two newly renovated and expanded casinos in the Station Casinos' family have been rebranded as Wildfire Casinos as part of a multi-million dollar makeover. The new venues are the Wildfire Casino Boulder Highway, formerly Magic Star, at 2000 S. Boulder Highway, and Wildfire Casino & Lanes, formerly Renata's Sunset Lanes, at 4451 E. Sunset Roadm Henderson

Both Wildfire Casino locations are open 24 hours a day/seven days a week and feature a variety of the most popular slot/video poker machines; sports books; a bar and lounge area with pool tables and Dante's Café.

Additionally, Wildfire Casino & Lanes will feature an 18-lane VIP-style bowling venue open Sunday thru Thursday from 8 a.m. to midnight and 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. HD plasma and LCD televisions are located throughout the bowling center, which also offers a meeting room, snack bar and its own full-service bar with additional gaming.
http://www.lvrj.com/living/25482584.html

Hellmuth may be swayed by the fact that a character in Molyneux's "All In: The Poker Musical" is based on him. But whatever you call him, Molyneux is one of the rare, priceless individuals who realize that someone with more dollars than sense can bring their oddball artistic visions to life in Las Vegas.

Personally, I was rooting for Molyneux to be less Lloyd Webber and more Ed Wood, the fabled bad movie director of "Plan 9 from Outer Space," whose ambition overruled his ineptitude. Molyneux is the creator of "Bite," the Stratosphere late show in which topless vampires cavort to strip-club rock anthems from the '70s.

Among the many cultural influences and diverse attractions that give Sin City its global appeal is one of the world's most recognizable landmarks, and you don't have to cross the pond to see Paris' most famous symbol. Piercing the horizon in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip is the Eiffel Tower. A half-scale replica of the real deal, the Tower is the centerpiece of Vegas' version of the City of Lights. The 50-story structure is just one of the many attractions that gives Paris Las Vegas its je ne sais quoi.

Synonymous with romance, the Eiffel Tower Experience provides an awe-inspiring, panoramic view of the city from 460 feet above the Strip. Open for tours from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m., guests can gaze at Vegas landmarks through the glass elevator and enjoy an unparalleled view of the Strip from the observation deck.

After dining on gourmet French cuisine at the breathtaking Eiffel Tower Restaurant, take a stroll across the Pont Alexandre III bridge. Considered by many as the most beautiful bridge in the world, the Parisian arch is adorned with ornate cherubs, nymphs, a winged horse and art nouveau lamps and spans the Seine River, which flows through the heart of Paris. The Vegas reproduction, which sweeps across the front corridor of the hotel, provides a stunning view of the 85,000-square-foot casino floor.

You couldn't possibly visit Paris without a trip down Le Boulevard. Along the cobblestoned streets of the shopping promenade are très chic boutiques including Les Eléments, a specialty gift and garden store, and Les Boutique, an exclusive shop featuring high-end designers and an haute couture shopping experience; authentic French patisseries and cafés round out this quaint village, which is reminiscent of the Rue de la Paix neighborhood of Paris.

Tucked in the back of the shopping gallery is Napoleon's, an upscale champagne and cigar bar. Adorned in deep reds and dark browns, the lounge, which features dueling piano performances, is a mixture of old-world charm and Vegas glitz. Boasting more than 100 champagnes and sparkling wines by the bottle and glass, and a light menu featuring exquisite appetizers and hors d'oeuvres including pan-seared foie gras, lobster, caviar and truffles, Napoleon's is the perfect prelude to a night on the town.

It's not everywhere that you can see underwater footage. The Olympics spring to mind, and, well, so does Shark Week. But in a production show? Not until recently, with the opening of Le Rêve Theater's VIP "Champagne Circle." Here, viewers lounge in cushy, spacious chairs in the top row of the theater-in-the-round, sipping champagne while watching this artistic exploration called Le Rêve, or The Dream. As fire and water take center stage, they'll have to decide where to look: at the dancing and flying furniture above the water or the video screens at their feet, showcasing the synchronized swimming and underwater acrobatics below.

It's a difficult decision, but, ultimately, watching below the water (and behind the scenes) wins. The televisions highlight the best views of the 14 synchronized swimmers, along with the literal and figurative depth they bring the show. In line with what the theatrical world has come to expect from a Franco Dragone production (he created "O" and Mystère while he was with Cirque du Soleil), these aren't just any synchronized swimmers. They come from across the world, and each has competed on the international level. Part of their skill lies in making the performance look so effortless, whether they're climbing slippery trees, flipping over trapezes or performing a sensual underwater tango.

"We used to compare it to a combination of water polo, long-distance running, dancing and gymnastics. If you combine all those, that's kind of how synchronized swimming is," said Christina Lum, a San Francisco native who competed nationally and on the U.S. Olympic team. "We're all national team Olympic level, and we trained many, many years. So for us, it's something that we're used to doing."

Dacha Nedorezova, who coaches the swimmers, also emphasizes the skills required.

"Technically, it's extremely hard," Nedorezova said. "Girls are upside down for three minutes and have to support themselves with their arms. It's very difficult, and only the effort of an international level that can do that."

Nedorezova was on the national synchronized swimming team for the Soviet Union from 1988 until 1991. She left the competitive sport to join a French company, which was the first to do aquatic shows. In learning how to use the trapeze and other circus-style tricks, she was able to complement and expand her swimming repertoire.

She's also been instrumental in the choreography and is responsible for coming up with the "Tango" scene (pictured). Here, the swimmers' sparkling red shoes shoot out of the water, performing a flirtatious upside-down dance.

But choreography aside, what's really valuable to Nedorezova and others is the opportunity that shows like Le Rêve offer to synchronized swimmers everywhere. It was once a sport that had limited career options for swimmers, but times have changed, drastically.

"It's important for girls to see that there is a future after competition," Nedorezova said. "They discover that they can have a career doing something that they love to do."

Le Reve
Where: Wynn
When: 7:30 & 9 p.m. Thurs. - Mon.
Cost: $100 and up
http://lvshowbiz.com

In 1989, the Strip was just beginning the renaissance that would usher in an era of big production shows and even bigger hotels, and at its epicenter was The Mirage, Steve Wynn's $630 million resort with its Stripfront volcano and 50-foot waterfall, million-gallon dolphin pools and, perhaps most iconically, the resort's first guests: four white tigers escorted by illusionists Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn.

Born in Germany during World War II, Siegfried & Roy were just youngsters when the Flamingo and Desert Inn were reshaping the Vegas skyline. As legend has it, Siegfried found a five-mark bill in a gutter near his home of Rosenheim in southern Germany and immediately purchased a magic book he had seen in a store window. Some 500 miles north in the port town of Nordenham, Roy was discovering his own kind of magic, the kind that existed between him and Chico, a cheetah at the nearby Bremen Zoo.

Their love for magic and exotic cats already cemented, Siegfried & Roy, separately, took jobs on an ocean liner in 1957. Roy caught a glimpse of Siegfried, the ship's resident entertainer, pulling a rabbit out of a hat and found a kindred spirit; the pair became fast friends, and Roy joined Siegfried's act as an assistant. At Roy's insistence, they incorporated larger animals into their act and toured around Europe, eventually catching the eye of a representative from Folies Bergere, a Las Vegas revue that still plays at the Tropicana. What had been a hard sell across Europe was a perfect fit for Las Vegas. Siegfried & Roy debuted at the Tropicana in 1967 and began a remarkable relationship with the city that continued as they moved to Lido de Paris at the Stardust, Hallelujah, Hollywood at MGM Grand (now Bally's) and headlining gigs at the Frontier and, beginning in 1990, at The Mirage.

Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible set the standard for large production shows in Las Vegas, running for 13 years and commanding the highest ticket prices. For 10 shows a week and nearly 40 weeks a year, they packed their 1,500-seat showroom at The Mirage, where their legacy continues to thrive long after their final, fateful performance on Oct. 3, 2003.

Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden, the lush enclave behind The Mirage, is home to the pair's royal white tigers, which they have worked tirelessly to protect since the early '80s. In June, they welcomed five new white, white-striped and golden tiger cubs to the habitat, bringing renewed attention to their sterling conservation work. "While we no longer perform nightly, our conservation efforts to save and care for these magnificent creatures are part of our daily life," Roy said. "These new cubs are a gift from the universe, and it brings us great joy to share them with the world."
http://lvshowbiz.com

“This is the perfect feel good summer movie,” said MAMMA MIA! cast member Victor Wallace (Sam Carmichael).  “One of those films that will be a cult classic.”

Lead Carol Linnea Johnson “loved it” and said she is “really looking forward to stealing all the stuff from Meryl that hasn’t occurred to me yet!”

“It was fantastic!” said Marshal Kennedy Carolan (Sky).  “Dominic Cooper really embraced the laid-back, easy to fall in love with guy.”

MAMMA MIA! set yet another benchmark for Broadway musicals in Las Vegas as the show celebrated its fifth anniversary at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on February 13, 2008.  Due to popular demand MAMMA MIA!, which was previously scheduled to end in August after more than 2,300 performances, will now play through January 4, 2009.

Acclaimed chef Laurent Tourondel opens his award-winning BLT Burger at The Mirage today.  As the famed resort continues to grow its roster of dynamic restaurants, BLT Burger is an approachable yet innovative addition to its dining options.

Tourondel was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs in 1998 while cooking in Las Vegas at Palace Court Restaurant.  He has since created several successful restaurants around the country and was honored as Bon Appétit magazine’s 2007 Restaurateur of the Year.

“It’s exciting to come full circle,” Tourondel said. “The Mirage is one of Las Vegas’ leading destination resorts, and I’m excited for BLT Burger to join the mix.”

BLT Burger offers a variety of burgers including beef, American Kobe, lamb and Atlantic salmon, each served on soft buns with tomato, red onion, iceberg lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.  The beef patties are a combination of Certified Black Angus sirloin, short rib, chuck and brisket.  Specialty burgers include the Tex-Mex, a 7-ounce beef burger with jalapeños, chili, avocado, salsa, jack cheese, onions and sour cream; Lamb Tandoori Burger, a slightly spicy Colorado lamb burger topped with mint-cilantro yogurt sauce, cucumber, olives, red onion and tomato; and a signature Meatball Burger composed of ground veal, pork and ricotta and served with garlic pomodoro sauce.  In true Las Vegas style, Tourondel offers The Stripper, a 7-ounce beef burger served with lettuce, tomato, onion and bell pepper without the bun.

Though burgers take center stage, BLT Burger’s diverse menu offers a number of tempting starters and salads in addition to more than eight types of fries and rings, including waffle-cut, sweet potato, jalapeño poppers and fried pickles. 

French for “red carpet,” LOVE™ Tapis Rouge at The Mirage is a psychedelic, behind-the-scenes introduction to the world of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil.  Designed to immerse patrons in the ultimate VIP sensory experience, LOVE Tapis Rouge takes place nightly Thursday through Monday within The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge and offers unique insight into the spectacular production through backstage footage. The LOVE Tapis Rouge package includes preferred theater seating, specialty cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a customized gift bag, VIP access to the LOVE Box Office and a VIP escort into the LOVE Theatre.

“Louie Anderson: Larger Than Life” at Excalibur features hilarious stories and edgy material created specifically for the Las Vegas visitor.  A VIP package offers preferred seating, lunch passes to the Roundtable Buffet and a special meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with Anderson prior to show time.

Also at Excalibur, Sylvia Browne captivates audiences with her insight into “the beyond” through live, on-stage readings.  By purchasing Browne’s VIP package, guests receive preferred seating as well as one guaranteed question and answer session with the internationally renowned psychic. 

Pack Your Appetite: Sizzling Summer Dining Values on The Strip:
The Las Vegas Strip is one of the culinary capitals of the world and, this summer, you’re invited to explore its mouth-watering cuisine at fantastic values.  Here are tantalizing meal deals sure to hit the spot during your next Vegas vacation:   

Stop by MGM Grand this summer and dine at your favorite restaurant for a whole lot less.  Enjoy three- and five-course prix fixe tasting menus at acclaimed restaurants such as L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, NOBHILL and Shibuya at prices ranging from $30 to $75 a person, excluding tax and gratuity.

Sensi at Bellagio offers a new lunch option for diners in search of quality food, fast.  For $26 per person, Sensi 41 features four courses presented in a convenient bento box.  Dishes range from Jonah Crab and Avocado Salad to Tempura Scallops with Chili Dip.

Border Grill at Mandalay Bay offers monthly tequila tasting dinners for $100 a person.  Each event begins with a cocktail reception featuring Border Grill’s award-winning Margaritas made fresh with Partida tequila.  Next, a tequila flight will allow guests the chance to explore more of the premium label before dinner is served.  Each delectable course that follows is perfectly paired with a unique tequila cocktail.  The next tequila tasting dinner at Border Grill is scheduled for July 24.  Las Vegas residents can enjoy the special pricing of $55 per person upon joining the Border Grill VIP Club.  

Tiger Cubs at Play at The Mirage:
Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat is the new home of five golden, white-striped and snow white tiger cubs.  Guests are invited to watch these adorable felines, expected to weigh up to 575 pounds each when fully grown, as they pounce and play in a specially built nursery.  The cubs can be seen daily from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.  Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat also features the Royal White Tigers of Nevada, the White Lions of Timbavati and a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.

From Ow! to Ahhh – Spa Solutions for Stress and Strain:
Suffering from BlackBerry thumb?  Computer eye?  Desk chair strain?  Too much work and not enough relaxation can cause a myriad of unwanted kinks, aches and pains, but soothing relief can be just one spa treatment away.  MGM Grand Spa’s Hand and Foot Samadhi is ideal for soothing tired soles and strained wrists.  The 100-minute Ayurvedic treatment, which includes a full manicure and pedicure, uses aromatherapy oils and herbal crystals to regain balance and harmony.  The Royal Treatment Spa at Excalibur features a Reflexology Massage perfect for relieving tension.  Offered in 25- and 50-minute sessions, the relaxing service uses reflex points in the hands and feet to achieve a respite from stress.  At The Spa at The Mirage, the over-worked can indulge in a soothing Relaxation Moor Mud Wrap.  The 50-minute experience, legendary for its therapeutic powers, uses several thousand-year-old moor mud to revitalize tired muscles and dull skin.

By ANTHONY DEL VALLE/LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL

I squirmed through much of this thing called "All In: The Poker Musical" which was given a preview concert at the Rio Masquerade Showroom last week. (Actually it was a preview of a preview. Performers did an hour's worth of singing, some staged, and folks were charged up to 50 bucks for the privilege.)

The evening began with poker hero Phil Hellmuth telling us that lyricist/composer Tim Molyneux was going to be the next Andrew Lloyd Webber, and that "All In" was going to be running "40 or 50 years from now." If that's true, it's time we Nevadans with concern for the arts head to higher ground because our children will simply not be safe.

If you didn't know who Molyneux was, you were out of luck because reportedly Hellmuth got so miffed that his name was misspelled in the press-night program notes, that he refused to allow the notes to be distributed.

More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/25610524.html

Since then I have written nearly 500 weekly columns; visited and reviewed every major hotel, show, restaurant, and attraction; and lost more money than I care to think about in the casinos.

Vegas4Visitors.com has been a labor of love more than a living. We don’t actually make a lot of money off the site simply because I wanted it to remain an independent source of Las Vegas travel planning information. Other Vegas websites that shall go unnamed are owned by corporations and have partnerships that make it difficult for them to be unbiased. Here at Vegas4Visitors.com you get unvarnished opinion – if I don’t like something, I’m going to tell you.

While we’re not the biggest Vegas website, we’re certainly one of the most respected and tens of thousands of readers just like you visit Vegas4Visitors.com every month.

As a part of our “celebration,” I’m going to be doing a series of items for the column that look back at the last ten years.

This week, I thought it would be interesting to do a quick Top 10 list of the things I miss most – my favorites from the last ten years that are no longer around.

1 - Cheap Rooms
I have a very specific memory of one of the first times I visited Las Vegas in the 1980s. I stayed at The Dunes and got a Strip facing room near the top of the tower for $19 per night. Of course it couldn’t compare to the luxurious accommodations of today’s Las Vegas hotels but I miss the days when things like rooms, restaurants, and shows were “loss leaders” designed to get people into the casino.

2 - The Pirate Battle
The old Pirate Battle at Treasure Island was a silly bit of inoffensive fun; a stunt battle between marauding pirates and the British navy with explosions, high dives, and general yo-ho-ho wackiness. The newer Sirens of TI show that replaced it is crass, tasteless, and silly but not in a good way.

3 - Caesars Magical Empire
This was one of the most entertaining experiences in Vegas – an interactive dinner and magic show patterned after the famed Magic Castle in Los Angeles. You could spend hours seeing a variety of different illusionists, eating, drinking, and generally having a good time all at a cost that was less than what you’ll spend to get in and drink at Pure nightclub, the thing that replaced it.

4 - Hannah’s Restaurant
I named this my favorite restaurant in Vegas a couple of years ago and of course it closed. Located on the far west side of the city, most of you probably never had a chance to visit so you’ll never know what you missed, which was, quite simply, some of the best Pan-Asian cuisine I’ve ever tasted.

5 - Casino Legends Hall of Fame
Las Vegas is a city that loves to blow up its past so this low-key attraction that used to be at The Tropicana was a delight, celebrating Sin City history with photos, memorabilia, exhibits, and a Hall of Fame for the people that made the city what it is.

6 - Clint Holmes
Don’t get me wrong – I love Rita Rudner who took over the showroom at Harrah’s where Clint Holmes used to play, but I really miss the old-school singing and dancing entertainment that Holmes brought to The Strip. Relying on his talent and charm instead of explosions, topless dancers, or French-Canadian stunt people, Holmes was a throwback to the Rat Pack era that we just don’t have in Vegas anymore.

7 - Chicken Challenge
If you don’t understand why I miss the chicken that played tic-tac-toe against humans at The Tropicana then you just don’t know me at all.

8 - Palms Fantasy Market Buffet
The old buffet was inexpensive and interesting, with a wide variety of food including unique Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes that you couldn’t find at any other buffet. It’s replacement at the Palms is more expensive, smaller, and boring.

9 – Spamalot
It just closed this past weekend, but I miss this wacky bit of Broadway silliness already. The Tony-Award Winning musical based on “Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail” was the type of entertainment that should’ve worked in Vegas.

10 – Avenue Q
This show never should’ve worked in Vegas – another Tony-Award winning musical that was sort of “Sesame Street” meets “Rent” complete with puppets that cussed, watched porn, and had sex. It was, simply, too brilliant for the short-attention spans of most people who come to this city.
http://vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm

Now that Bellagio is owned by corporate giant MGM Mirage while Wynn, appropriately enough, owns Wynn the two have become competitors for the moneyed, luxury crowd. So which one does a better job? Read on.

Parking and Access
The parking structures at Bellagio and Wynn are very similar, simple 4-story structures located directly adjacent to the building. Getting in and out is relatively simple for both once you get off the actual street but Bellagio faces a challenge because of its location. The busy Center Strip spot means lots of additional traffic (both vehicle and pedestrian) than Wynn's slightly less busy North Strip location so access is just a little easier at Wynn.

Once you park your vehicle, getting into the hotel is a breeze at both places but Bellagio gets some bonus points here. Its garage puts you right into the Conservatory area, just a few feet away from the lobby and very close to the casino whereas the Wynn garage puts you into a relatively narrow hallway by the poker room that requires a long trek to the check in desk.

Although the traffic thing is daunting, I have to tip this one to Bellagio just for ease of use once you get inside.

Checking In
Both hotels have the multi-line check-in that I absolutely despise, where each agent has their own line and you have to try to figure out which one is going to move faster. If you're like me and you always choose the line at the grocery store with the person ahead of you that has a coupon for every single item, you'll know what I mean when I say this can be a frustrating experience.

Since both hotels fail in that regard and the staff at both is top notch, we have to compare the experience and surroundings.

Bellagio's lobby is huge and stunning, with the big colorful blown glass chandelier, art work, floral arrangements, mosaic tile, and more. The only downside to this is that the area is as much an attraction as the fountains out front with hordes of tourists snapping pictures. After being on a long flight or car ride, I don't really fancy being in Aunt Edna's photos that she's showing back home to the neighbors. Wynn's lobby, by comparison, is much more sedate in good and bad ways. There are works of art and flowers but the room is smaller and less awe-inspiring that Bellagio's. But that does mean fewer people photographing you with airplane hair.

Part of the Vegas experience is "going big" and having a lobby like the one at Bellagio definitely qualifies so I'm giving the nod to that hotel in this category.

Getting To Your Room
Once again both hotels face similar demerits in this category because both require you to walk through the casino to get to your room. As we all know, fighting the crowds while loaded down with luggage - or stumbling back to find your bed at 5am after a night of partying - just isn't fun.

It's actually further from the front desk, front door, and parking garage to the elevators at Wynn Las Vegas but the good news here is that you can skirt the edges of the casino as opposed to having to walk directly through it. At Bellagio it's still quite a long journey from the entry points and you have to walk through the heart of the gambling action.

The winner here is Wynn Las Vegas.

Rooms
This is where personal taste makes a big impression on the decision making.

The rooms at the two hotels are elegant, luxurious, and loaded with the finest in-room amenities in town. In fact if you compare the two solely on what you get while you're in there, they are almost perfectly matched.

The differences come in play with the decor and overall feeling of the spaces. Bellagio's rooms are more classical in design, with furnishings, drapes, fabrics, and art that while modern, evoke a more old-world style. Wynn Las Vegas, meanwhile, is all about modernity, with sleek lines, bold colors, and high-tech everything.

The standard rooms at Wynn Las Vegas are also only a little bigger in terms of square-footage but they just feel bigger - more open, airy, and brightly lit.

My taste runs to the modern, so I'm giving this category to Wynn Las Vegas.

Casino
Another personal taste and past experience category surrounds the gambling experience.

To be honest, neither casino is among my favorites for places to play. Bellagio feels a little too stuffy for my tastes and Wynn, while more comfortable aesthetically, doesn't have very good spacing between the tables and machines.

So for me it has to come down to where I have won the most money. I know that's not very fair and is all luck of the draw (hence the whole "gambling" thing) but when two casinos are fairly evenly matched in all other considerations then I have to find some way to tip it in one direction or another.

I've won more money at Wynn, so Wynn wins.

Service and Amenities
The staff at both hotels is professionally courteous and efficient but I've always felt a little bit more "warmth" at Wynn. That isn't the exact word I want but I can't come up with a better one so we'll just go with it. There's nothing wrong with the service at Bellagio but it can sometimes come off as a bit brusque.

In terms of things to do inside the building, there are winners on both sides. Wynn Las Vegas has more entertainment (two show rooms instead of one), more shopping, more interesting restaurants, the better buffet, a bigger pool, and an onsite golf course. Bellagio, on the other hand, has the iconic fountains out front and conservatory and art gallery inside, things Wynn just can't match.

I went back and forth on this one for quite awhile. In the end though, the service difference and the "more" aspect tips this one to Wynn, but only by the slimmest margin. There may be a hanging chad involved so a recount is possible.

Cost
Both hotels are almost painfully expensive, so we're measuring the winner in this category by degrees of how outraged you'll be when you get the bill.

At Bellagio you can sometimes get a room during the week for less than $200 a night and occasionally a room on the weekend for less than $300. It's rare but it can happen. At Wynn Las Vegas those prices are also possible but are even more difficult to find.

This is a sweeping generalization but the rates at Wynn Las Vegas are usually more expensive than at Bellagio. Not always and not always by a lot, but usually.

Now, granted, as discussed you get more at Wynn - more stuff in the hotel, a bigger room, and the like. But it's still going to cost you more so Bellagio takes this category.

The Decision
What we have here in terms of categories is, essentially, a tie. Wynn got 4 out of 7 but the Service and Amenities category was basically a split decision and there's that whole hanging chad thing so it's more like 3.5 to 3.5.

But Wynn Las Vegas won the more important categories such as rooms and casino, while Bellagio took things like best parking (and even then it wasn't a knockout punch).

So the winner of this edition of Casino Cage Match is Wynn Las Vegas.
http://vegas4visitors.com/column/archive/08_07_07.htm

The equestrian version of “Legends in Concert” will prance, strut, soar and high step into the South Point arena.

The World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions are not the same group as those from the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, although the horses are of the same bloodline and the dancing routines are similar.

“We purchase horses from the Spanish Riding School and we produce their shows when they come to the United States, but we are not affiliated with them,” Troy Tinker says during a telephone interview from Monterey, Calif., where the horses were getting set for a recent performance.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/14/leaping-lipizzaner-stallions-strut-their-stuff-sou/

The headliners are saxophonist Tommy Thompson and his band, featuring knockout vocalist Jeannie Snow, Wednesdays through Sundays.

The Slick Willie Orchestra, headed by saxophonist Tommy Alvarado, takes the stage Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Square Apple is at 1000 E. Sahara Ave., in a funky part of town that only adds to the ambience of the club, which offers valet parking and a red carpet entry.

If the location sounds familiar some may remember it from about 10 years ago when it was the Keys, a gay bar. Then it became the Dakota, which catered to the straight crowd. Then it became Zingers, which catered to the straight and gay and cross-dressing crowds.

Last year it turned into Just Jazz, which, sadly, had an all-too-brief run.

Perhaps the Square Apple will have better luck.

The owners have created a charming room with an urbane air where folks can enjoy a beverage and dance or simply listen to the music, which includes some jazz, some blues and some rock.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news

Hollywood's favorite "it" girl Cameron Diaz satisfied a late night craving at Fix Restaurant & Bar at Bellagio on Saturday night. The blonde beauty arrived at midnight with two other females and enjoyed an array of mixed vegetables including a baby lettuce salad, grilled asparagus, mini potatoes and roasted mushrooms. The trio dined quickly and left after 45 minutes to go gamble in the Bellagio.

Executive Chef Alex Stratta transforms Corsa with the new down-to-earth menu and downtown vibe of STRATTA. Corsa Cucina, the sleek Italian trattoria inside Wynn Las Vegas known for its rustic-style cooking and friendly ambience, completes its transformation this week with the launch of it’s new name, STRATTA. STRATTA is the latest signature restaurant by star chef Alessandro Stratta. His other restaurant, Alex, is the premier fine dining restaurant at Wynn Las Vegas, now internationally recognized by the Mobil Travel Guide with Five Stars, by AAA with Five Diamonds and most recently by the 2008 Las Vegas Michelin Guide with two st Chef Alex describes the food at Stratta as…“very soulful and very representative of what I consider to be the best of regional Italian cooking. We are applying the same spirit and the same cooking techniques that we use at restaurant Alex, but in a very approachable way that focuses on flavor and tradition. And many of the ingredients will be the same as the items we use at Alex – flavorful olive oils from Tuscany and Liguria, or the San Marzano tomatoes, the plum tomatoes that make the best sauce in the world.” While the dishes may evoke the sophistication one might expect at Alex, the Chef is quick to point out that the menu at Stratta is far more down to earth. “Alex is uptown and Stratta is downtown – it’s a bustling restaurant with a totally different vibe. I want Stratta to be simply about good food and fun.

Approximately 400 lucky Bette Midler fans got a priceless treat last night, when the Divine Miss M decided to hold a surprise book signing after her critically-acclaimed production "The Showgirl Must Go On" at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Bette made the announcement to her audience that evening and was greeted to a massive line when she appeared on The Colosseum steps. From about 10 p.m. until 2 a.m., Midler signed autographs for customers who purchased her book "The Adventures of Baby Divine" and her new greatest hits CD "Jackpot" among other items available at her stage-side boutique. "The Showgirl Must Go On" plays five nights per week until July 20. The show resumes on October 9.

"Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" and "Love" have both just celebrated their two-year anniversary.  "Phantom" is a brilliant adaptation (which was done by the original team of Hal Prince and Andrew Lloyd Webber,) and is housed in a beautiful custom-made theatre.  "Love" is a spectacular show that features the music of the Beatles.  It is a grand and wonderful production—one that you would certainly expect from the Cirque Company.

Toni Braxton closed her show at the Flamingo. She had some health problems in April and just never came back.

"Hats!" closed its doors as well…it was sudden and really without warning.  They just decided to close.  I guess that the built in audience of Red Hat Society members wasn't really built in all that much…either that or they just don't want to buy the gas to make the trip to Vegas.

I was very sad to hear that Second City is going to be closing…the improv troupe from Chicago, as well as their school, is going to end its run on August 1st.  From what I have heard, though, the problem is really more about the space sharing that they are doing with the "X" show.  Second City really needs a dedicated space…and I believe that they are looking out for one.

"Defending the Caveman" finished its first year at the Golden Nugget, and is now signed on for another.  It is a hilariously insightful play about the ways that men and women relate and it proves its continued success in North America with recent sold out runs in Toronto, Philadelphia and Chicago with return engagements already booked. 

Felice Garcia joins the cast of the legendary Folies Bergere as the new principal female singer at the Tropicana Resort & Casino. Felice is currently attending University of Nevada, Las Vegas as a senior, majoring in Vocal Performance. She is originally from Carlsbad, California, but attended high school in Reno, Nevada. She spent her junior year living abroad in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Felice moved to Las Vegas three years ago to attend college.  Some of her most memorable accomplishments include winning the "Reno Idol" competition in 2004, a local version of American Idol, and she was also the first runner up for Miss Reno/Sparks, Nevada in 2005.

Trent Carlini has closed his Elvis tribute show at the Sahara, as well as the Fab Four tribute show to the Beatles…but the room will not stay empty for very long…"Raw Talent Live," a 75-minute, high-energy experience featuring interactive live performances of the next generation of World Dance with live, original music and exclusive, high-tech video illusions, will make its debut on the Las Vegas Strip at the Sahara Hotel & Casino in August 2008.  "Raw Talent Live will change the way Las Vegas experiences entertainment," said ND, creator, producer and director of "Raw Talent Live." "The show will transport audiences from their world to a virtual world that crosses the line between real and surreal, incorporating raw emotion with adrenaline packed interactive performances for a multi-sensory experience."  "Raw Talent Live" has been in development by ND for more than 18 months. ND teamed up with manager and executive producer Bernie Yuman. Yuman is well known as the manager of Siegfried & Roy and Muhammad Ali.

I Go Shows ( www.Igoshows.com ) is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production.  The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.