Everything Las Vegas Issue # 791

Final celebration scheduled at O’Sheas.
BY: Ron Sylveater/Las Vegas Sun.


Photo Credit: Mona Shield Payne

O'Sheas is preparing to count down its final days this weekend.

The casino is set to close at noon Monday to make way for the $550 million Linq entertainment and retail corridor set to open next year. The new project will include a smaller version of O'Sheas, but next week marks the closing of the current configuration of the venerable casino, which has become known for inexpensive gaming, drinks and beer pong.

It gets even cheaper this weekend.

Among the farewell specials:

• Drink specials, including 10-ounce drafts of Miller Lite for $1 and souvenir drinks for $4 Thursday through Monday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Buy-in specials at the tables from noon Saturday to noon Monday, including free commemorative shot glasses and T-shirts.

• Free shots from the top of the hour beginning at noon on Sunday for the final 24 hours. There’s a two shot total limit per customer.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...eduled-osheas/

T-Minus 7 Days And Counting For O'Sheas (And, Other Linq News)
From: www.vegaschatter.com

With Fitzgerald's now the D, the last Sin City hotel to bear an Irish name is just ten days away from becoming a piece of lost Vegas.

O'Sheas will close its doors at noon on April 30. Pulse of Vegas, the corporate blog of Caesars Entertainment, has already reported that the hotel's famed beer pong has moved over to Bill's. Resident performer Dirk Arthur will disappear after April 28. And, from its Facebook page, it sounds like Vince Neil Ink will also close on April 30 as well. Nearby at the Imperial Palace, Rockhouse is still set to shutter on May 5 while the hotel's Karaoke Club has already shut down.

In the meantime, O'Sheas is collecting memories from sad fans over on its Facebook page where Lucky the Leprechaun will host a live webchat this Thursday, April 26 at 2 p.m. PST.

More here:
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/20...r+Linq+News%29

Burger War On The Strip: Fatburger's Fat Bar vs. Hipster Metro McDonald's.
From: www.vegaschatter.com



News of McDonald's launching a super-sized, über-cool Metro McDonald's on The Strip overshadowed the soft launch of a burger rival's notch-kicking experiment not too far down the street. We'll get to the wild-style graffiti look of the new McDonald's in a moment. First, Vegas favorite Fatburger, the open 24 hours mainstay opposite the Monte Carlo, has gone all in this summer and created Fat Bar. A 24-hour bar where you can sip and order from the Fatburger menu. We took an afternoon saunter to see how it was all coming along.

A very nice young lady was handing out 2-for-1 drink tickets on The Strip, but most folks were confused by the offer. From our gallery you'll see that Fat Bar isn't exactly shy in appearance. It was just rather a surprise to see a bar that far out into the street, and in that area. It's kind of like the Harley Davidson Cafe set-up. Inside, um, the outside, you get a circular bar, TVs, misters and a super friendly staff. There's frozen drinks, the usual bar stock, but nothing fancy like a mojito. But, you get the opportunity to order chili cheese fries while you gawk at The Strip.

More here:
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/20...o+McDonald%27s

Spears may become 'queen of Hard Rock'
BY: Norm Clarke/Las Vegas Review Journal.

Britney Spears' first multiweek deal as a Las Vegas resident headliner is being discussed with the Hard Rock Hotel.

Vegas Confidential has learned Hard Rock President and Chief Operating Officer Paul Pusateri and Spears' manager, Larry Rudolph, have been talking.

Spears, who has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, would perform at The Joint, the Hard Rock's concert venue that can accommodate 4,000.

More from The LVRJ here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/spears-may-...148479875.html

Olivia Newton-John headlining in L.V.? Let’s get physical!.
BY: Robin Leach/Las Vegas Sun.

Those talks about an Olivia Newton-John mini-residency here are continuing, but it won’t be until next spring because the Aussie singer has two opening events planned for her cancer hospital in Sydney and the global launch of her starring role in “A Few Best Men” this summer.

The 63-year-old “Grease” star is still going strong and is rather wild!

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...adlining-lv-l/

Dining pick of the week: Sunset Pizzeria.
http://www.lvrj.com/view/dining-pick...148633265.html

Dining pick of the week: Bread & Butter.
http://www.lvrj.com/view/dining-pick...148633695.html

Dining pick of the week: Wok My World.
http://www.lvrj.com/view/dining-pick...148634015.html

Knowing the Streets: Which Way Your Cab Ride Should Go.
BY: Rick Garman/www.vegas4visitors.com

There's a big story in the Las Vegas Review Journal about the continuing problem of long-hauling, the illegal but still common practice of cab drivers taking you the long way in order to boost fares. The story estimates that as many as one third of all cab trips in Vegas are not taking the shortest route, especially those originating at the airport where what should be a $15 ride can turn into a $50.

How do they get away with this? Simple... most Vegas visitors don't know that they are being taken for a "ride" (so to speak) because they don't know the ins and outs, highways and byways of the city. If you want to make sure you're not being taken advantage of, you have to know the best way to get where you're going and how much it should cost you.

If you're coming from the airport and going to The Strip or Downtown, your cab should exit on Swenson Road going north. If you ever see the cab going south on the 215 bypass (you'll know because you'll go through a tunnel) you're being long-hauled.

For the South Strip hotels like MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay, the cab should turn left on Tropicana Avenue. The 3-4 mile ride should cost you in the neighborhood of about $15 before tip.

For Center Strip hotels like Caesars Palace or Bellagio, the cab should continue up Swenson, cut over to Paradise Road, and then turn left on Harmon Avenue or Flamingo Road. This is about a 4 mile ride and should cost you about $18 before tip.

For North Strip hotels like Wynn Las Vegas or The Stratosphere the cab should continue up Paradise to Sands Avenue or Sahara Avenue and then turn left. This 4-5 mile ride should cost you $18-20 before tip.

If you're heading Downtown there are several routes that the cab could take including continuing on Paradise to Las Vegas Boulevard near The Stratosphere and then north to Fremont Street or, depending on the time of day, the cab could cut over to Interstate 15 via Tropicana and go into Downtown from there. The latter route is longer but may wind up being faster if street traffic is really bad. The trip is about 10 miles and should cost you about $30 before tip.

Note that all of these fares are subject to additional costs for "wait time." If you are stuck in traffic and not moving, you get charged at a pro-rated cost of $30 per hour if the cab is moving less than 12 miles per hour for an extended period of time. So for instance, if you get stuck in a jam for 10 minutes, you'll wind up with a $5 wait time addition to your fare.

Going from one place to another on The Strip is a little trickier to predict and depends a lot on when you are trying to go. If it is on a busy Friday or Saturday night, you may want to stay away from The Strip where bumper-to-bumper traffic can cost you a lot of those wait time penalties. Using Dean Martin Drive, Frank Sinatra Drive, Industrial Road, Koval Lane, and even Interstate 15, which all parallel The Strip but often have a lot less traffic, will be longer in terms of mileage but may get you there faster so it could all work out to be about the same fare-wise.

The best thing to do is to use an interactive map either online or on your smartphone to get the exact mileage via the shortest route between where you are and where you're going, then do the math to figure out what your fare should be. Taxi rates are $3.30 to start (with an additional $1.80 if you are being picked up at the airport) and then $2.60 per mile after that. When you get in the cab, tell the driver where you are going and what you expect the fare to be (say something like "I'm going to Mandalay Bay, so that should be about $15, right?"). That will put the driver on notice that you aren't some hapless tourist who isn't going to let someone scam them out of their hard earned money.

Except maybe in the casino.

New Restaurants Debuting by Rick Garman.
www.vegas4visitors.com


A lack of dining options has never been a problem in Las Vegas - even less so now with the opening of several new high-profile restaurants and eateries all within about a month of each other.

Carlos' and Charlie's is now open at The Flamingo in a huge 13,000 square-foot space near the main lobby of the hotel. The Mexican restaurant and party bar is part of a small chain that has several outlets in tourist areas in Mexico plus in Austin, Myrtle Beach, and West Palm Beach. The facility has both indoor and outdoor dining and drinking areas that overlook the Flamingo's lush pool area.

Owned by the same corporate parent, Senor Frogs is now set to debut at Treasure Island on May 5. Despite the name, the menu is much more wide ranging than Carlos' and Charlie's with some Mexican dishes plus pasta, burgers, wraps, BBQ, and much more. It will be located in the front of the hotel with an outdoor patio overlooking the Sirens of TI show. They also have indoor seating so you don't have to be tortured by the Sirens show if you don't want to be.

The first ever Metro McDonald's is now open on The Strip on the corner of Harmon Avenue next door to Planet Hollywood. The new concept has a sleek, modern decor and uses digital menu screens to jazz things up even further. It is open 24 hours a day.

Gordon Ramsay Steak, from the notoriously prickly "Hell's Kitchen" chef, will be opening at Paris Las Vegas on May 15. It will feature an English spin on the traditional steakhouse menu with additions of things like fish and chips to give it a cheerio spin.

Luxor has just debuted their new food court. It's much more open and airy than it used to be but the offerings are pretty standard: Starbucks, LA Subs, Bonanno's Pizzeria, Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs, McDonald's, Original Chicken Tender, and Blizz.

County to expand parking lot at Las Vegas welcome sign.
BY: Joe Schoenmann/Las Vegas Sun.

The 10-space parking lot at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign has become so popular that Clark County will spend $500,000 to add 20 more spaces.

On the median of Las Vegas Boulevard South, near Mandalay Bay, the 53-year-old sign is ground zero for tourists, who flock to the Las Vegas icon to have their picture taken.

Dodging traffic to get to the sign became a dangerous endeavor, so the county built the parking lot to provide better access. But the line for photos is still long, and Denis Cederburg, the county public works director, said more parking spaces are needed.

County Commissioner Steve Sisolak said his office has received complaints that some of the wedding chapels in town are cutting in front of people waiting in line because they have sold wedding packages that include a photo by the sign.

Cederburg said the county will look into posting signs noting that no group or business has special privileges.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...-welcome-sign/

Cools keeps the heat on.
From: www.vegasmagazine.com

There’s an undeniable kinetic energy surrounding Anthony Cools (“Expanding His Palette”) that makes it possible for him to perform a comedy hypnosis show five nights a week while maintaining a daytime schedule that rivals the busiest of businessmen. So what’s his secret? “The secret is The Secret,” he says, referring to Rhonda Byrne’s best-selling guide to better living through positive thinking. Cools believes the universe will give to you what you believe you already have, and because of that, he’s been able to transform a headlining gig on the Strip into a business empire.

He also holds the distinction of being one of the few performers to have left a venue and return to that same venue after performing at a competing property. Not knowing what was going to happen after his eight-month contract at the Paris expired in 2005, he was offered a gig at Excalibur. But the day he arrived at Excalibur, he was already in negotiations to return to Paris, where he’s been ever since.

Also returning to familiar territory this week is Jon Bon Jovi, who headlines the 14th iteration of Tiger Jam (“Solid Foundation”), the annual charity concert benefiting the Tiger Woods Foundation. Bon Jovi (the group) has headlined the concert twice previously, in 2003 and 2007, but this year the singer decided to fly solo, accompanied by some “friends”—presumably not Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres, his bandmates for nearly three decades.
.
We don’t know exactly who those “friends” might be, but we can speculate, can’t we? How about Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, who he duetted with on 2005’s “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”? Or more recent duet partner LeAnn Rimes? Fellow New Jerseyan Bruce Springsteen? His New Year’s Eve co-star (and Glee standout) Lea Michele? Maybe Tiger himself will step to the mic to make his singing debut. Be honest, who wouldn’t want to hear him and the world’s most famous golfer trade verses on “You Give Love a Bad Name”? Now that would be a jam.

More here:
http://lasvegasmagazine.com/2012/04/...s-the-heat-on/

Woman wins $150,000 sports car on slot machine at Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
BY: Delen Goldberg/www.vegasinc.com

A lucky New Yorker recently won a sports car at the Cosmopolitan.

Maryellen Cobb took home an electric Tesla Roadster earlier this month. The zero-emission vehicle is valued at almost $150,000.

Cobb won the car playing a penny slot machine. A pull of the handle revealed a message saying “Jackpot Tesla Roadster.”

Cobb had joked earlier that her daughter, who was with her, needed a new car.

It was their first trip to the Cosmopolitan.

The casino-hotel featured the roadster prize to promote a car charging station on its property. Guests can plug their electric vehicles in for free until they are fully charged.

http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2012/ap...ine-cosmopoli/

Gut check: Six of the most stomach-churning eating challenges in Las Vegas.
BY/ Delon Goldberg/Las Vegas Sun.


Photo credit: Sam Morris

It’s unlikely the average diner can down 103 hamburgers in eight minutes like competitive eating champ Joey Chestnut or swallow 57 cow brains in 15 minutes like gurgitating guru Takeru Kobayashi.

But how about a six-pound burrito in 45 minutes? Or 87 ounces of noodle soup in an hour and a half?

That’s more doable. In fact, it has been done here.

A growing number of Las Vegas restaurants have added oversized food challenges to their menus. It’s marketing brilliance — and gastronomical torture.

Here’s a taste of what’s out there for those who want to put their stomachs to the test:

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...ting-challeng/

Bachi Burger and Firefly expand their empires.
BY: Brock Radke/Las Vegas Sun.

Wise diners know it’s best to wait a few days or weeks to check out the restaurant that just opened in the neighborhood. Your excitement may lead to disappointment if the kitchen and front-of-house staff are still working out the bugs, and opening day may not be the best representation of the overall dining experience.

I broke those rules last week, but there was no disappointment to be had. I feasted on homemade pickles, decadent, sweet-and-savory oxtail chili cheese fries and the messy flavorbomb known as the Spicy Miso burger at the days-old Bachi Burger in Summerlin. I doubled down the next day, hitting Firefly in Anthem for a mighty lunch of bacon-wrapped dates, cheese-stuffed piquillo peppers, grilled surf-and-turf skewers in salsa verde and filet mignon sliders. Everything came out delicious, impressive considering it was officially Day 2 of operations at Firefly East.

More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...their-empires/

THEATER PREVIEWS by Robin Leach.

The intimate Broadway Theater, a new performance venue featuring afternoon and evening shows at New York-New York, opens Tuesday as the new home for various shows presented by British producer David King. He’ll turn on the neon lights for “Spirit of the Dance” with Dublin’s Irish Tenors as special guests for the May 1 premiere. His second show, “Dancing Queen,” one of the most popular ABBA shows worldwide, debuts May 15.

The dynamic Irish show will fill the 4 p.m. slot and the Swedish musical nightly at 8. David, the executive producer of Spirit Productions, said, “It’s incredibly exciting for me to bring my hit shows to Las Vegas and open them in a brand new venue at New York-New York. I love the feel of the intimate space that will provide the audience a new, up-close-and-personal experience.”

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...tures-riviera/

Carlos N' Charlies: To Si or Not To Si?.
From: www.vegaschatter.com

Carlos'n Charlie's sprung up at Flamingo last week and while the theme seems a bit repetitive given the Margaritaville explosion there, we looked forward to reliving Spring Break Cancun cooling down from near 100 degree temps with a few frozen margaritas.

For those unfamiliar with CnC, its taco factory founders advertise the Mexican joint as one that does "not strive to be a themed restaurant" and distinguishes itself as "not only selling authentic food and drink but offering a priceless and memorable dining experience." Diners are to expect dancing on chairs, comical skit performances, and singing servers who entertain guests individually. We didn't see any dancing on chairs, singing, or comical performances, but the bartenders did sparingly break out some mixing flair and have squirt guns for water dancin'.

VegasChatter hit Carlos'n Charlie's during the weekend lunch hour to size up the noontime party atmosphere. There was a 15 minute wait which wasn't surprising given we could see the dining room area was mucho busy.

More here:
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/20...r+Not+To+Si%3F

FLAMINGO LAS VEGAS AND PLANET HOLLYWOOD HOST INAUGURAL DINAH SHORE WEEKEND IN LAS VEGAS.

As a long-time advocate of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community, Total Vegas, the collection of Caesars Entertainment’s nine Las Vegas resorts, is proud to host the inaugural Girl Bar Dinah Shore Weekend in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and Flamingo Las Vegas April 27 – 29, 2012.

Total Vegas will offer unique packages for hotel, dining and entertainment options. Guests are invited to attend events such as:

“Impromptu” at KOI Lounge at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. , April 26
“Bling” at VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino
10:00 p.m. – Close, April 27
GO Pool Party at Flamingo Las Vegas
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., April 28
“Gurlesque” at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens at Paris Las Vegas
10:00 p.m. – Close, April 28
“Last Chance Dance” at Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace
8:00 p.m., April 29 – 3:00 a.m., April 30

“Girl Bar Dinah Shore Weekend has become a ‘must attend’ event for the lesbian community and has a committed group of followers,” said Richard Brower, director of LGBT marketing for Caesars Entertainment. “As the only casino company with a 100% on the 2012 Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, our commitment to the LGBT community is strong. We are delighted to serve as hosts for the event’s Las Vegas debut and look forward to a long-lasting relationship with the Girl Bar and the Truck Stop Girlz Dinah Shore event founders.”

In addition to presenting Girl Bar Dinah Shore Weekend 2012, Total Vegas recently served as a sponsor of “White Party Palms Springs” April 6-9, 2012, with a lavish Total Rewards Lounge offering guests the opportunity to win a Vegas weekend getaway. The winner received an accommodation package at either Bally’s Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas or Paris Las Vegas, tickets to either Jubilee!, Human Nature, Jersey Boys or Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas and $100 in dining credit at any Total Vegas property.

For a full list of Girl Dinah Shore Weekend events and Total Vegas package offers please visit www.dinahshoreweekend.com.

Magician Murray building brand, including new residency at Tropicana.
BY: Mike Weatherford/Las Vegas Review Journal.

It was William Hung who convinced him.

"I had performed all my life at this point," says the magician billed singularly as Murray. "I'm sitting there watching this guy who can't sing," he recalls of Hung, whose 15 minutes of fame came in 2004, after an atrocious rendition of "She Bangs" on "American Idol."

"He's got 40 million people who know him now, and he's getting $30,000 for a corporate show. Here's a guy who came out of nowhere, with no talent, and he's more famous than I'll ever be at this moment."

More from The LVRJ here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/magician-mu...149198235.html

Live 'Dancing' all exhibition, no competition.
BY: Mike Weatherford/Las Vegas Review Journal.

The Tropicana Las Vegas' showroom was the last bastion of a dying era of Vegas camp. But the camp is prime time now.

Not too long ago, "Folies Bergere" was hopelessly out of touch with mainstream entertainment, playing mostly to stone-faced international tourists and a smattering of retro hipsters who found irony behind every rhinestone.

Now the venerable showroom is back to some semblance of its former glory, with rows of straight-backed chairs sandwiched hopefully amid the old booths to accommodate the crowds expected for a live version of "Dancing with the Stars."

More from The LVRJ here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/live-dancin...149198255.html

Dining Guide: Steak and seafood.

Each week Neon spotlights a different cuisine in the Dining Guide, with steakhouses and seafood restaurants this week. Restaurants are rated on a letter-grade scale, from A to F. Opinions by R-J critic Heidi Knapp Rinella (H.K.R.) are indicated by initials. Price symbols are based on the cost of an average entree: $ = entrees between $10 and $20; $$ = entrees between $10 and $20; $$$ = entrees between $20 and $30; and $$$$ = entrees more than $30.

http://www.lvrj.com/neon/dining-guid...149198505.html

Musical chairs over, act gets own venue.
BY: Mike Weatherford/Las Vegas Review Journal.

Make room for the white masks and dancing feet!

Really? They will? Just like that?

You'd think it's the free-spending 2000s all over again, as Luxor builds a new theater rather than have the Jabbawockeez leave the MGM Resorts corporate family.

Of course, it is valuable real estate sitting empty on Luxor's attractions level, ever since the "In Search of the Obelisk" ride disappeared sometime after 2007. The ride will be remodeled into an 850-seat theater by next year.

More from The LVRJ here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/musical-cha...149018625.html

Aria: Shaboo Gets Shabooted for Tetsu.
From: www.vegastripping.com

Aria has announced (finally) that their incredibly expensive shabu shabu joint Shaboo will close to make way for Tetsu, a teppanyaki joint. Gotta make use of those hoods somehow!

It has been no secret that ARIA's top brass has been unhappy with Shaboo and Bar Masa's performance since the opening of the resort and made some changes along the way in the hopes of riding out the economic storm. It isn't that that Japanese swish swish dining is too much of a gamble for diners to take, it is that this is just priced out of the ball park.

Filling the spot will be Tetsu, a restaurant which will exchange the hot pots for grills and continue the tradition of offering guests the finest ingredients for them to butcher over a grill. Indoor BBQ, Japanese style.

http://www.vegastripping.com/news/bl...ted-for-tetsu/