By Jack Houston and Kiko Miyasato/Las Vegas Magazine

Coyote Ugly (New York-New York) It's no holds barred as the Coyote girls bartend, dance and pour shots down the mouths of unsuspecting patrons. Discounted drinks and beer pong, 6-9 p.m. daily.

Bill's Gamblin' Hall Main Bar As advertised on the Stripside marquee, Bill's bar is the place to grab a cheap drink in the old-school casino. $2 Buds 24 hours daily.

Blondies (Miracle Mile Shops) Come for a brew and some tasty bar food and stick around for the beer pong tournaments on Thursday nights. Daily happy hour, 4-6 p.m. with $10 all-you-can-drink drafts and well drinks.

Blue Martini (Town Square) Tapas and martinis mingle at this locals establishment that features more than 30 specialty martinis, a dance floor and spacious outdoor seating. Daily happy hour, 4-8 p.m. with half-price on all food and drinks.

Brio Tuscan Grille (Town Square) The hearty menu covers all your Italian favorites and the indoor-outdoor design rules at this quaint, Tuscan-villa style restaurant. Happy hour, 3-6 p.m. & 9 p.m.-close Mon.-Fri. with the Tuscan Taster menu: $2.95 spicy shrimp peperonata, calamari frito misto and much more.

Carnaval Court (Harrah's) The watering hole that put the "outdoor" in outdoor bar always hits the spot with live entertainment and some of the world's top flair bartenders. $2 Budweiser, 2-6 p.m. Sun.-Thurs.

Center Bar (Hard Rock Hotel) Long-known as a hub of libationary activity, the Hard Rock's bar in the center of the casino floor brings the crowds. Daily happy hour, 4-8 p.m. with two-for-one call drinks and $2 domestic beers.

Charlie Palmer Steak (Four Seasons Hotel) Chef Palmer marries his upscale steakhouse fare with the elegant surroundings that have made Four Seasons famous. Daily happy hour, 4-7 p.m. with half-price cocktails, beer and wines by the glass, plus $9 Kobe beef sliders and fries.

Fleur de Lys (Mandalay Bay) Exquisite French cuisine, secluded booths and a mezzanine wine room make Hubert Keller's hot spot a lush retreat. Daily early-evening three-course tasting menu for $59. Flower hour 5-6:30 p.m. Fridays with two-for-one signature drinks and complimentary snacks.

Hachi (Red Rock Resort) Off the Strip but not off the radar, Hachi brings European and South American influences to their top-notch sushi. Hachi Hour, 5-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. with specially priced cocktails and 38 shared plates for under $8.

Hank's (Green Valley Ranch) The jewel in the crown of this locals casino-hotel, Hank's boasts some of the best steaks and martinis around. Daily happy hour at the bar, 5-7 p.m. Half-price martinis and discounted appetizers.

House of Blues (Mandalay Bay) The place for live music, House of Blues also offers sumptuous takes on Southern-style cuisine with rock-star attitude. Happy hour, 3-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. with $3 Bud products, $4 bartender shot specials and $5 appetizers, including buffalo tenders, pizza and waffle fries.

Japonais (The Mirage) A favorite haunt in Chicago and New York, Japonais entices patrons with its refined approach to Japanese cuisine. Lucky 7 available 5-8 p.m.: $7 menu, $7 drinks, seven days a week.

Kabuki (Town Square) The Japanese chain makes believers out of casual and connoisseur sushi eaters with the help of a sake sommelier. Happy hour, 3-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. with selections such as $2.95 California rolls, appetizers for $3.95 or $4.95 and hot sake and Kirin Ichiban drafts for $1.95.

McFadden's (Rio) Beer is the name of the game at this boisterous Irish pub where staff and patrons go crazy just about every night. Reverse happy hour on Mondays: $3 mojitos (10-11 p.m.); $3 call drinks (11 p.m.-midnight); $2 call drinks (midnight-1 a.m.); $1 domestic drafts (1 a.m.-close).

Mi Casa Grill Cantina (Silverton) Tempting tequilas and killer tacos await at this off-Strip haven for lovers of Mexican cuisine. $1 tequila shots and Miller Chill bottles, 4-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Tequila Tuesdays, 5-7 p.m. with $1 Miller Genuine Draft, margaritas and tequila shots.

Pink Taco (Hard Rock Hotel) The hip and trendy get their grub on at this Mexican cantina hot spot where the music and conversation is always pumping. Happy hour, 4-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. with two-for- one beers and house margaritas and half- price appetizers.

Ra Sushi (Fashion Show) The trendy clientele, pumping music and hot staff accent some of the best sushi on the Strip. Happy hour, 3-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat. with half-off sushi and appetizers and drink specials: $1 hot sake, $2 domestic beers and $5 Kirin sake bombers.

Red Square (Mandalay Bay) Beheaded Lenin watches over this Russian-inspired eatery that also houses a vodka vault. Daily CaviHour, 4-6 p.m. Guests receive one free ounce of caviar for every two Imperia vodka drinks ordered per person.

Silverton Casino Bar (Silverton) Stay in the thick of the gaming action while spending some of your pennies at this laid-back casino center bar. Happy hour, 24 hours daily with $1 Miller Genuine Draft specials.

Sports Pit (Harrah's) Forty high-def TVs and two 100-inch projection screens mean you can drink in paradise while you play at any number of gaming tables. Two-for-one drinks and domestic beers, midnight-6 a.m. daily.

St. Louis Bar (Paris) Meet us in St. Louis for a cocktail or two in the swank atmosphere and Gallic charm of the one and only Paris Las Vegas. $5 flavored Smirnoff drinks and $3 draft beers from 2 p.m.-1 a.m. daily.

Sushi Roku (The Forum Shops at Caesars) Take a break from shopping for some fresh sushi and killer cocktails on the third floor of the famed retail destination. Daily happy hour, 4-6 p.m. with $3 hand rolls, $4 cut rolls, discounted appetizers and $3 beer, sake, house wine and well drinks.

Tequila Bar (Bally's) Fifty different types of tequila is fuel for the fire at this jumping Mexican joint that also features Mexican beer and a shared-plates menu. Daily happy hour, 4-7 p.m. with live entertainment, $7 Cadillac margaritas and $20 buckets of five beers (your choice).

Social House (Treasure Island) Rub elbows with celebrities as you sake your cares away at this indoor-outdoor sushi hot spot overlooking Sirens Cove. Zen happy hour, 5-7 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Drink specials include two-for-one ginger saketinis and tequila moon cocktails.
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The Just Because You’re In Vegas Doesn’t Mean The Laws of Physics Have Been Suspended Award of the Week goes, as a cautionary tale for the rest of you, to the guy who fell to his death from an 8th floor balcony at Circus Circus last week. Police say alcohol may have been involved. I only bring this up because it’s yet another example of people taking that “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” ethos a little too much to heart. In other words, be careful out here, okay?
http://vegas4visitors.com

That number was 10 percent and it’s the amount of decline in gaming revenue in Nevada for the year. It represents the largest decline in state history, more than five times worse than the decline the city saw after 9/11. A huge chunk of that decline came in the last three months of the year, when revenue was down an astonishing 18.9 percent.

Visitor visitation is also down for the year by 4.4 percent – down 11 percent in December in alone.

So on a percentage basis, things are bad. But from a real number perspective?

Even at its 10 percent off pace, the state still took in $11.6 billion in gaming revenue. That’s billion, with a b or roughly 1.5% of the stimulus package recently approved by congress. And the state still drew 37.5 million people to its glittery borders, still making it one of the most popular tourist destinations on the globe.

Don’t get me wrong… times are definitely tough for Las Vegas with the major and minor casino companies struggling to stay afloat. That impacts more than just whether or not you and I will have a place to gamble, it affects people’s jobs and lives. And not just those who work for the casinos but statewide since Nevada relies heavily on the tax revenue the casinos and all those tourists bring in.

But what is important to note, I think, is that from the numbers I’m seeing, most casinos are still making money, they are just making less of it. The thing that has gotten them in trouble is the same thing that has gotten a lot of people in this country (including myself) in trouble: too much debt. Granted, this is on a much larger multi-billion dollar scale, but the principle is the same. These companies owe more money than they can afford to pay back right now.

2009 is not expected to be a lot better for the city from a numbers perspective and there will almost definitely be more bad news in terms of closures, layoffs, and bankruptcies for several major companies. The sad thing is that the billions of dollars they borrowed to make the kind of “Only in Vegas” experience that brought in the big bucks could be the very thing that comes back to bite them in the end.
http://vegas4visitors.com

ABC NEWS TO TELEVISE SIEGFRIED & ROY'S FINAL PERFORMANCE
Siegfried & Roy, Magicians of The Century, will perform their final, highly-anticipated night of magic at the "Power of Love" Gala fundraiser for the local Lou Ruvo Brain Institute foundation on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Bellagio. ABC News is producing "Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Returns," a special edition of "20/20" about the Las Vegas entertainment icons and their farewell performance, scheduled to air 9 p.m. ET Friday, March 6, and be anchored by Elizabeth Vargas. Building completion of the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, is projected by mid-2009. It will be the premier research and treatment facility for all chronic brain disorders.

MONSTER CIRCUS OPENS VIRTUAL BIG TOP AT THE LAS VEGAS HILTON
Platinum Masters' Monster Circus will open at the Las Vegas Hilton on Thursday, March 19. This original spectacle will combine a high-octane live rock concert with sexy dancers, human circus acts, aerialists, freaks and of course, a tour bus full of platinum certified rock stars. An irreverent ringmaster along with Sicko The Clown, Monster Circus' mascot, will lead the audience along the 75-minute journey through the powerhouse rock and metal anthems of the '70s, '80s and '90s.

Rock star debauchery will begin with an all-star lineup of the Circus band featuring artists Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Dio), John Corabi (M”tley Cre, Ratt), Fred Coury (Cinderella), Bruce Kulick (KISS), and Tony Montana (Great White). Various guest artists will "join the circus" and perform the hits they personally rock out to, creating an evolving set list. In addition, there will be special theme nights dedicated to the songs of a single legendary band.

The circus will be in town six times a month on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with 11 p.m. shows. March dates will be 19-21 and 26-28 with after-show parties that will keep the circus going. Tickets are $39-$66, and a VIP package is $86, call 800-222-5361.

PAUL McCARTNEY WILL OPEN THE NEW JOINT AT THE HARD ROCK
The legendary multi-Grammy award winning Paul McCartney will headline the grand opening weekend of the New Joint at the Hard Rock on Sunday, April 19. Tickets are on sale, call 800-745-3000.

The $60 million New Joint will be double in size while keeping the same atmosphere of the original venue with the furthest seat in the house being only 155 feet from the stage. It will be a multi-purpose facility featuring an innovative lighting system, WiFi access throughout the venue, a full blogging station for press covering events, and 38 flat screens.

CASHETTA STARS IN 'MAGIC'S A DRAG' AT HARMON THEATER'
"Magic's a Drag" starring Cashetta, the Queen of Magic, will open on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Harmon Theater located at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Cashetta gives magic a new twist as one of the only female impersonator magicians in the world. His act includes cards that disappear and reappear in unlikely places, a five-foot balloon trick, and a gypsy rope illusion. He even teaches an audience member, dressed in drag, to perform an illusion. Tickets for the 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, shows are $44.95 and $59.95.

Cashetta, aka Scott Weston, has headlined at the Crown & Anchor in Provincetown, Mass., for the past three seasons, at Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Caroline's Comedy Club on Broadway, Windstar Cruise Lines, Atlantis Events and toured internationally with his one "woman" show.

"Magic's a Drag" replaces the highly successful "Lucky Cheng's Dinner Caberet," which ends its three-year engagement at the Harmon Theater on Feb. 14.

QUICK CLIPS
Elton John will return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for his final engagement, April 7-22, of his original hit show "The Red Piano" that debuted at the resort on Feb. 14, 2004. "The Red Piano" was initially booked for 75 shows over three years. Completing the original commitment in only 18 months, Caesars Palace extended the agreement for an additional 166 shows bringing the total to 241 performances. Exclusively at Best Buy, "The Red Piano" is available on a 2 DVD/2CD set that includes 14 songs and a documentary about the making of the show.

Impressionist, singer and entertainer Gordie Brown's new headlining show "Gordie Brown Live" has opened at the Golden Nugget downtown in a 60-seat theater named after the artist. He was signed last September to a multi-year headlining contract while he was touring North America with Celine Dion. Ticket prices start at $39.95.

Cher is returning to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace with a room and show package being available from Feb. 22 through March 20. The offer starts at $239 and includes two tickets to Cher's show and a one-night stay, call 800-727-5019.

Tickets to Disney's "The Lion King" will go on sale Saturday, Feb. 28, with a special on-sale event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Purchasing guests will receive commemorative gifts during the event, while supplies last, and the first 100 folks in line will receive a full-length CD of the musical. Tickets will be $53, $86 and $113.50. All other outlets, phone and online sales will launch sales at 10 a.m.

Earlier this month, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino celebrated another milestone in its $750 million expansion with a topping off ceremony of its second tower, the 15-story South Tower with 374 suites and eight "spa villas."