Access Vegas Insider Vibe – February 11, 2004

Featured Story:
David Brenner

Also In This Issue – February 12, 2004: Newkirk’s Notes, NASCAR Las Vegas, NFL vs. Vegas, Ray Horn Update, Casino Merger, Donald Trump Licensed, Free Streaming Golf Lessons, more …

Book online or over the phone! Call (toll free) 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas hotels, shows, tours, golf, and dining.

Newkirk’s Notes – comments on Las Vegas from AccessVegas.Com publisher Ted Newkirk:

Hello from Las Vegas! I’m proud to announce a second newsletter coming in the next week or two. Trying to put everything in this one is walking too crazy of a tightrope.

Some of you want to hear every rumor, all the dirt, be informed right away about specials and events and similar. Others might find that overkill, and are very happy with getting the basics every week or two so you can plan a better vacation without being overwhelmed.

We’ll soon announce the new newsletter which will be much shorter, a little more edgy (opinion and commentary), and delivered almost daily. Current subscribers will not automatically be put on the new list. We’ll tell you how to get signed on when we debut it.

Lots Of Excitement – happening with plenty of great headliners on the way over the next few weeks:

Everybody stops and plays in Las Vegas. What a great excuse for a trip and the excitement of your favorite headliner or band here in Sin City! Click to our Concert Calendar for complete listings.

NASCAR Las Vegas – If you don’t know what “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity” means, skip to the next story. If you do, we are getting revved up for race weekend March 5-7. If you don’t get off your duff and decide to go now, you can deal with the pangs of watching it on TV while viewing all the special Las Vegas excitement that comes to our Nextel Cup race.

We have a limited number of tickets, packages (ticket and hotel to guarantee you are set), and special hotel deals for those already with tickets. Click to our complete NASCAR Las Vegas 2004 page. Me? I was a Rusty Wallace #2 fan until hometown guy Kurt Busch #97 hit the Cup. Gotta like #77 Brendan Gaughn, another hometown guy. One of the sales guys here lives and dies with the #20 Tony Stewart.

Remember, you can bet on the race every week at all the sports books, including betting the Las Vegas race before you go watch it live. Hot spots to watch all races? NASCAR Cafe at the The Sahara (of course) and Brendan’s Irish Pub, a large pub in The Orleans. The pub was named after casino magnate Michael Gaughn’s son Brendan. Same guy driving the Kodak #77 now.

No Fun League – The NFL pulled the plug on many Las Vegas Superbowl parties. This is part of a long-standing feud between the league and Las Vegas. They won’t let the Convention Authority (LVCVA) buy ads on the Superbowl broadcasts, claiming distance from gambling. (The proposed ad highlighted Las Vegas as a resort destination and did not mention gaming).

Taking it one step further, they sent legal letters to shut down many of the Superbowl parties, claiming copyright violation if the game is shown on a screen bigger than 55″. The Palms was going to show it in one of their movie theatres! The NFL also had a reported problem with hotels charging for admission to these parties.

Reality check: The game was on free broadcast TV and one could watch it for all over every casino for free: Sports books, bars, and some casinos had TV’s set up in gaming areas. The charge for the special parties covered food, booze, bikini girls, pro player appearances and similar arranged by the hotel for party attendees.

What’s next? The NFL won’t let you invite a few guys over to watch Monday night football if everybody is giving you a few bucks to take care of the food and booze for the evening? We got even. The LVCVA bought non-network time during the game in major markets like L.A., Dallas, Chicago, and others!

Roy Horn Update – Roy (Siegfried and Roy) Horn reportedly took a couple steps over the past weekend. We wish him well in his continuing recovery.

Huge Casino Merger – Boyd Gaming (Stardust, Main Street Station, Sam’s Town, etc.) merged with Coast Casinos (Barbary Coast, Gold Coast, Orleans, Suncoast) to form a major player in casino gambling. Coast will be operated as a subsidiary with Michael Gaughn continuing as the CEO, so don’t expect any major changes right away.

The power of the combined companies does clear the way for the Stardust to be expanded into a mega-resort without significant outside financing.

With Wynn Las Vegas being built across the street from Fashion Show mall (between Treasure Island and Stardust), we may see the “hot” part of The Strip moving back north after being concentrated at the south end of The Strip for the past few years.

Trump Licensed – The Donald got his ticket to run a gaming operation here in Las Vegas. No specifics yet, but he is also hinting at a Trump Tower. Not a bad move in a city where Turnberry (and Turnberry style) high end residential towers are sprouting up. (And I’m just one Megabucks pull away from buying one, damn it)!

Streaming Video Golf Lessons Part 7: Shadow Golf – We’ve teamed up with Revere Anthem Golf Club Director of Instruction Chris Eastman (in conjunction with ChefLive.com) and put together a series of eight streaming video golf tips.

Chris starts with fundamentals like aim and grip, and works through some of the finer points of the game. This week: Lesson 7 – Shadow Golf. Click To View All Streaming Lessons


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Featured Story:
David Brenner

Our not-so-young-anymore readers will remember David Brenner as the innovative comedian who made a record 158 guest appearances on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. Our “just turned 21” readers are probably going “someone hosted the Tonight Show before Jay Leno?”David Brenner was an inovator in observational comedy (“I read in the news the other day …”) and hasn’t lost his touch. His show should be required viewing for up-and-coming comedians.

Brenner has settled in for a year-long stint at the new Westin Casuarina, taking time off from the road to be with his family (a la Celine Dion) but it hasn’t slowed his work ethic. He combs the newspapers, cable news, reality shows, and just about everything else in news and pop culture assuring that his show has punch, is up-to-date, and doesn’t let up.

I won’t give away the jokes, and I couldn’t because you never see the same show twice. But I will tell you that I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time, literally being brought to tears twice!

This is a chance to see a famous legend still in his prime, and well worth the (very) short trip down Flamingo Road to the Westin Casuarina. (The Westin is closer to Bellagio than The Rio and Palms are, although in the opposite direction from The Strip).

Brenner is not a dirty comic but occasionally uses adult language to punctuate a point. I’d probably suggest 16 and over to view the show. The only people who should avoid it are those clueless about current events. If you don’t live in a cave somewhere, you’ll probably enjoy Brenner.

Click for David Brenner ticket information or Call 800-696-5721 (toll free) to book all hotels, shows, tours, golf, and dining.


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Vegas Questions? Post to our message boards and get great advice from people who have been here and done it. And don’t forget our comprehensive Las Vegas Frequently Asked Questions area.

For comments or questions regarding Las Vegas, our content, or this newsletter write us a “letter to the editor” at allvegastv@aol.com. Include your city — we have readers worldwide!

Live From Las Vegas,

Ted Newkirk

CEO
Senior Content Editor
http://www.accessvegas.com

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All contents copyright 2004 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
February 12, 2004 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us

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