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Access Vegas Insider Vibe – August 5, 2009

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AccessVegas.com InsideráVibe

Serving Las Vegas Visitors and Residents Since 1999

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! – We had a scheduled week off last week and then I lost a couple of days to food poisoning this week, so plenty to cover in this edition. Let’s jump right in!

Pimping The Trop – The new owners of the Tropicana are going to dump $100 million into the aging resort and giving it a South Beach (Miami) theme. For some reason, many in the local media really like to trash-talk the Trop. But the property has a great tradition, history, and location and I’d opine that with new (but very experienced) management and the upgrades, the Trop will once again be one of Las Vegas’ talked about resorts.

Secondary beneficiaries will be MGM Mirage (the company) who own pretty much every surrounding hotel (except for Hooters). With only so much to do and see at Tropicana, the visitors drawn by the new South Beach vibe will spill over to spend their cash at MGM Mirage properties.

In the meantime, the Trop has joined the list of Vegas casinos with advertising on the side of their building. I took the above photo just a couple of days ago. (Twitter was down, or it would have ended up on our Access Vegas Twitter Feed).

New Strip Casino Approved – The vacant building just north of The Sahara has been approved as the spot for a new casino project. Unlike the zillion dollar projects that have struggled to get finished (or never got started in the first place), this project will be far more cozy with a modest size casino, a restaurant, and some retail. A 98 foot electric sign will help draw attention to the property. (Imagine being able to watch the Superbowl on that one).

I’m bullish on the north Strip area. Fontainebleau will eventually open. Echelon (former Stardust property) will eventually be developed, although probably not in the original incarnation. (Think anybody at Boyd gaming is feeling like an idiot for knocking down the Stardust)? The former Wet and Wild property (just south of Sahara) will see development. Perhaps something similar to this new casino if it does OK.

This new casino will help bridge the gap between The Sahara and Stratosphere, making the entire area seem more walkable and seamless. And… work is already underway to improve the neighborhood between the two areas. Reference: Pair taking steps to clean up Gateway District

Second Home Tip – With housing prices completely in the ditch here, I know that many regular visitors are doing the math on buying a vacation home here. No hotel bills and the ability to keep a modest second car in Las Vegas start to make this option pretty attractive. (Not to mention that it looks to be a good long-term investment).

My suggestion? Scope out the area just west of I-15 and north of Sahara Blvd. You’ll find everything from town homes (no maintenance) to single family homes to mansions in the area bounded by Charleston to the north, Sahara to the south, I-15 to the east and Valley View to the west. Do NOT let your real estate broker talk you into something way out in the suburbs. You can to Vegas to play and party. NOT to spend half your vacation fighting traffic like a local.

New Bus Routes For Visitors – A new express bus system will be serving The Strip and downtown starting in January, speeding passengers with more limited stops. The present bus route (The Deuce) will continue run the length of The Strip from Mandalay Bay to Palace Station. This is not a misprint. The Deuce will head up The Strip, then make a left turn onto Sahara and over to Palace Station. Think about this: If you buy a vacation town home within walking distance of Palace Station, you won’t even need a car here. Walk to the bus, and ride to/from the airport or anywhere on The Strip.

But What A Way To Go – A man recently committed suicide at the Welcome To Las Vegas Sign while sitting is his car early in the morning. (For those wondering, the iconic sign is just a couple of long blocks south of Mandalay Bay). Things like this always bring up the statistic of Las Vegas having the 4’th highest suicide rate in the country.

However… let’s keep in mind that this figure includes people who come here to end it all, and also people who call it a day when they move here and find out there is no instant pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. With an unemployment rate approaching 13%, I once again remind everyone: Enjoy visiting. There has never been a better time, lower room rates or more to do and see. But don’t move here if you are going to need a job.

Las Vegas Club Shows Off Upgrades – This casino has really fallen through the cracks over the years. I’d guess if you asked 95% of visitors where it is, they couldn’t tell you it is located downtown next to The Plaza and Golden Gate.

All that may change soon. Major remodeling, upgrades to food, entertainment, and gaming are designed to bring more attention to this historic property. We sent photographer Greg McFalls down to capture some pictures:

party pit blackjack las vegas 2009
Las Vegas Club “Party” Gaming Pit Area

party pit blackjack las vegas 2009
Las Vegas Club Hotel Casino Photos

Hint: Each photo above links to a different complete photo set.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Las Vegas Is On Sale!
Get Great Rates At All Hotels:

Bally’s from $39, El Cortez from $13, Fitzgeralds from $22, Hooters from $20, Orleans from $28, Riviera from $27, Sahara from $30, Stratosphere from $38, Tropicana from $25, Tuscany from $24, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

Legendary Entertainer Bill Cosby Shares Humor, Insights At The Treasure Island Theatre, September 5 – Iconic funny man Bill Cosby, who has been making audiences laugh for decades with his keen insight into everyday existence, brings his signature comedy to the Treasure Island Theatre for one night only, September 5. Showtimes are 7:30 and 10 p.m. In an illustrious career defined by intelligent standup comedy, Cosby ranks as one of America’s most influential stars. Audiences adore Cosby’s take on the vast, ordinary world, as he gives a twist of the ridiculous to everyday faults, foibles and successes.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas Introduces Paradise Tower – Next Phase of $750 Million Expansion Opens Ahead Of Schedule Adding 490 Guest Rooms To Inventory And Creating Jobs – Opening July 31, Paradise Tower becomes the newest addition to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The highly anticipated project, completed almost two months ahead of schedule, has created jobs and hope as the Las Vegas horizon begins to see signs of resurgence.

Just as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is known in a sense for upping the game in Las Vegas, the new Paradise Tower steps up the Hard Rock’s game on the hotel side. The tower’s 490 lavish rooms were designed with the property’s signature party attitude in mind but with a jolt of sexy sophistication. Hotel devotees will notice a significantly more luxurious atmosphere in Paradise Tower, but without sacrificing the irreverent, anything-can-happen feeling that they’ve come to expect.

Rock Legend AC/DC Bring Black Ice World Tour To MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, October 3 – Multi-platinum rock legend AC/DC announced it will bring its highly successful Black Ice World Tour, which kicked off in October 2008, to the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, Oct. 3. The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. AC/DC’s newest album, Black Ice, is its first in more than eight years and was released worldwide in October 2008. Evident that the band remains an incredible force in the rock industry, Black Ice made history when it debuted at No. 1 on album charts in 29 countries.

Hash House A Go Go Hosts Viewing Party For Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” – Festivities Include Appetizers, Drink Specials and Raffle Drawings. Hash House A Go Go, Mix 94.1, Jack FM and party attendees What: Hash House a Go Go teams up with Mix 94.1 and Jack FM to host a viewing party for the Las Vegas episode of “Man v. Food,” which features the restaurant’s twisted farm food. There will be happy hour prices on drinks featuring $2 domestic 20-ounce drafts, $3 imported drafts and $3 well drinks. For non-drinkers, Hash House’s signature Kiwi Watermelon Lemonade, featured in the show, will be available for only $1 and the first 50 people to arrive at the event will get their first drink free.

Attendees can also enjoy complimentary big food appetizers including meatloaf sandwich skewers; mini double stack ham, egg and cheese burgers; mini chicken and waffle bites. Raffle drawings will be held throughout the evening where guests have the opportunity to win a variety of prizes including concert tickets and a $100 gift card to Hash House A Go Go.

When: Wednesday, August 12 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. (10 p.m. “Man v. Food” airs) Where: Hash House A Go Go 6800 W. Sahara Avenue. For reservations or inquiries, please call 702-804-4646 or visit www.hashhouseagogo.com

Las Vegas Deals

These are only a few of the many Easy Vegas Deals we find each and every week (many of which happen too quickly for newsletter deadline). For a complete and constantly updated listing:

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

First, I want to say that I REALLY enjoy your newsletter. I have gone to Las Vegas at least once a year for at least 25 years. I used to have a travel agency make hotel arrangements but finally just contacted the hotels and made my own arrangements.

However, I notice you advertise I4Vegas and I notice their room rates are cheaper than what I could make myself but I don’t know how safe it would be to use I4Vegas. I wouldn’t think you would advertise something that would turn out to be a gyp. But I am wondering if I should use them or not.

Thanks,

Clearnce from Garden City, Kansas

Ted Responds:

Their rates are cheaper because they buy blocks of rooms at wholesale well ahead of time. The hotels are happy to know the rooms are “sold” (they don’t have to market those blocks of rooms) and i4Vegas passes the savings along to you. Hotels across the country have this same arrangement with companies like Expedia as well.

These aren’t some kind of “bad” or undesirable rooms. Regardless of how you booked (with the exception of booking a special suite or similar arrangement directly with the hotel), the hotel basically places you in rooms based on when you arrive. They have every incentive to use their best rooms (most updated, best views) regardless of how you booked. They want to leave a nice impression so that you’ll come back time after time again to their property.

Seriously, if any of our readers aren’t visiting our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals before booking, you may be paying too much. They consistently have some of the lowest rates for hotels here in Las Vegas. And… even if they may be $1-2 more a night than someone else on the particular hotel you are looking to book, consider using them anyway. I4Vegas is one of the great sponsors that keep this newsletter complimentary. Please click on the link above and bookmark it so you always have access to it!

My wife and I used to vacation in Las Vegas at least once a year for the last 30 years. We have seen the rapid expansion of the Strip, especially the last 15 years. It was fun to vacation in L.V. Everything used to be cheap, cheap, cheap – the rooms, the food, minimum gambling limits. Not anymore. We just returned from a 4 day visit. The only thing cheap were the rooms. Food was outrageously expensive. Breakfast buffets average $12 on the Strip. That used to be the average price for a dinner buffet a few years ago. Gambling limits were $15 at the Blackjack tables on the Strip. This was the first time in 30 years that I didn’t spend a dime on gambling in Las Vegas.

I used to drop an average of $600 each time I visited L.V. (that is over $18,000) in the last 30 years. You might wonder why I always lost money. I used to gamble an average of $150 a day and did it for the fun. I used to stay at a table for over 16 hours straight until the money was gone for the day. It is no fun anymore when the limits are $15 minimum. I like staying on the Strip and not veer from it but I can’t afford the limits anymore.

My friends were planning a trip for September to L.V. but have changed their minds about going after I told them how expensive everything was. That is unfortunate. You are definitely on the right track that the people running Las Vegas casinos have no clue how to make more money. It is at the gambling tables, not the buffets. While I will still go to L.V. from time to time, I won’t be gambling there until they lower their limits to $5 again.

K.G. from Vancouver, Canada.

Ted Responds:

Thanks for the input. The days of $5 table limits up and down The Strip are probably gone. If nothing else, due to inflation. (Today’s $10-15 limit is the $3-5 limit of the 70’s and 80’s).

The super low room prices still do help balance the cost of other things. You won’t find a comparable room in any other city for anywhere near the price of a Las Vegas room.

Remember, 15 years ago there was no Bellagio, Venetian, Mandalay Bay and Wynn. Most of the casinos on The Strip were on par with what you now find downtown.

Having said that, it would be nice to see a few more loss leaders. Cheap food and booze used to get people in the door, and the properties made it back at the tables and slots.

I look forward to getting your very informative emails. Just can’t say enough to my friends about you, when they ask where to get great info on Vegas. Just turning 70, I still try to get to Vegas twice a year… spring and fall. áJust curious: I’ve stayed at a number of hotels, but ususally stay at the Sahara. Not much glitz, but laid back and with the monorail, easilyy accesible to The Strip. Whats your general opinion of the Sahara?

Again..thank you so very much for the great job with your emails on Sin City. People think I’m kidding when I say it’s a great place to unwind, especially with the magnificent mountain views and “indoor scenery” of the hotels.. GREAT JOB!!!!

Ray from Buffalo, NY

Ted Responds:

Thanks so much for telling all your friends about us! It really does help. As I’ve said before, we are independent. We aren’t owned by a big newspaper or other media group. Our readership consistently increases because our readers are telling their friends and online pals.

I personally like the Sahara for all the reasons you mentioned. I’d also suggest trying the Riviera. We just were there a few days ago and the property is in good shape, rooms were remodeled less than two years ago, really a piece of “old school” Vegas. You don’t have the monorail, but you are a short walk from Wynn and everything else.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Labor Day, U.S September 5-7 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada September 5-7 (3 day weekend)
  • Jewish New Year September 19
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day, U.S November 26-29 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 2 – Dec. 9
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 2 (3 day weekend)
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 18-20 (3 day weekend)
  • Super Bowl Sunday February 7
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 13-15 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year February 14
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • Mardi Gras February 16
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 4
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 9
  • Memorial Day, U.S May 29-31 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 20
  • Independence Day July 4
  • Civic Holiday, Canada July 31-August 2 (3 day weekend)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

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All contents copyright 2009 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
Hotel Rates Published Accurate At Time Of Publication

August 5, 2009 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – August 20, 2008

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! We are on a weird publication schedule for the next few weeks until we finish out all the new areas of Access Vegas. Can’t wait to show it all to you… I guarantee you that no other Las Vegas site will be as fun or helpful.

Binion’s $1,000,000 Display Returns… Kind Of – For decades, Binion’s Hotel Casino downtown was famous for (among other things) an display of 100 $10,000 bills available for public viewing 24/7 near their coffee shop. They even took a complimentary photo of you with the display and if you are a long time visitor, you probably have one (or more) stuffed away somewhere.

The new display is a pyramid of stacks of bills ranging from $100 bills to $1 bills and is available for viewing from 10 AM to 10 PM (no complimentary photo but you can take your own). The old display would cost some $16 million to assemble again because $10,000 bills are out of circulation and worth many times face value. You think at least they could make the new display available 24/7. There was nothing like coming out of the Binion’s coffee shop after enjoying their $2/$3/$4 complete steak dinner (depending on the year) at 3 AM and just walking over in front of the old display to stare in amazement.

Visitors To Pay For Schools – Despite the fact that growth in Southern Nevada has pretty much come to a standstill (and families are packing up and leaving), the move to raise the room tax from 10 to 13% to fund education continues to roll on. You are already paying a new tax when you rent a car so a new performing arts center can be built downtown.

Look… the last thing we need to do is make rooms more expensive when it costs so much to get here. And per the performing arts center, why on earth do we need one of those? A handful of powerful, long time local leaders seem bent on us getting some culture. We’ve never exactly been a culture capital, and frankly have don’t need to be.

Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places – A recent newspaper article noted that the Las Vegas area has 30,000 more single men than single women. The city draws men who are looking for new economic opportunity or in male dominated fields like construction. So a great situation for women? Not necessarily. Men who are transient (construction) or who are looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow don’t always make the best catches. A significant number of local singles are here for a few years, not looking to put down roots. Looking for fun? There is no better city. Looking for love? Move to a more traditional city.

Dreaming Nevada – If you have Netflix (or a similar service), put the Dreaming Nevada DVD in your queue. This stunning visual journey takes you on helicopter rides over our area scenic wonders including Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and The Strip. Highly recommended!

Enjoy our Barry Manilow review this week. Regular show reviews and new photo sets return mid-September.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Can’t Make It To Vegas?
See If A Hot Event Is Playing Near You!

ColdPlay, Jonas Brothers, Dave Matthews Band, American Idols Live, Jimmy Buffett, Radiohead, John Mayer, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Madonna, Toby Keith, Eddie Vedder, Journey, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, NFL Football, PGA Championship, NASCAR Sprint Cup, College Football, WWE Wrestling, Baseball, All Major Concerts and Events

Featured Review:
Barry Manilow Writes The Songs, Performs With Passion In Las Vegas

by Erika Bayer-Polak

Who hasn’t sung Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana” at some point or another? Well, if you generally only sing the song in the shower or car because you’re too uncomfortable letting the general public, or certain loved ones, know your true fondness for the tune, imagine being able to sing it unabashedly with about 1,600 other people. Yes, it can be quite a feeling.

Manilow’s show, “Manilow: Music and Passion,” is more than a concert, it is a true Las Vegas show with dancing and sets and boas and all of those Las Vegas-themed props that come to mind. Considering many of Manilow’s hits have been somewhat mellow tunes, the show is surprisingly up-beat and energetic. While he still sings his universally known crooner melodies, such as, “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs” and “Can’t Smile Without You,” among others, he manages to keep the pace of the show lively.

Click to Read Entire Barry Manilow: Music and Passion Las Vegas Review…

Golden Nugget Las Vegas Partners With Professional Bull Riders World Finals Competition – The Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino announced that it has signed a partnership with the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Built Ford Tough World Finals (Tickets) presented by Wrangler, whose 2008 competition runs Oct. 31 through Nov. 9 at the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ Thomas and Mack Center. In the agreement, Golden Nugget will be a host hotel for the PBR World Finals and will provide contestant accommodations and host rider meet and greets and official PBR events. It also will offer special PBR ticket and hotel packages. Click to Read The Full Story …

PT’s And Sierra Gold Serve As The Ultimate College Football Destination – PT’s and Sierra Gold celebrate the kick-off of the college football season with food and drink specials at each location. For the third year in a row, each of the 36 tavern locations will represent specific college teams for Saturday and game day viewing. During college games PT’s will feature the PT’s Bucket, complete with a choice of wings or sliders for only $16.99. In addition, Bud and Bud Light pints will be available for $2.50 each and 25 oz. mugs for $3.50 each. Sierra Gold will also feature the Sierra Gold Bucket with choice of wings or sliders for only $16.99. Bud and Bud Light pints are on tap for $2.75 and 25 oz. mugs for $4. Click to Read The Full Story …

Larry G Jones’ ‘Superstar Voices In Concert’ Teams Up With Top ‘Red Skelton Impersonator’ – The Voices Of Billboards Greatest Hits – Las Vegas’ greatest shows combine with legendary comedy to make one hilarious family friendly show. (Tickets) After over 1600 shows in downtown Las Vegas, Larry G Jones takes his talents a bit closer to the action and ‘down the block’ from Las Vegas’ two singing impressionists with 100 million dollar deals (Terry Fator and Danny Gans). ‘Superstar Voices in Concert’ will be hosted by Red Skelton look-alike and tribute artist, Brian Hoffman. Larry’s new show venue is very easy to find, once you know where to look. The Royal Resort Hotel at 99 Convention Center Drive (100 ft from Las Vegas Blvd) is one block from the Wynn and Riviera Casinos. Click to Read The Full Story …

Canyon Ranch Grill Opens In The Palazzo – Organic Food And Beverage Menu Brings Healthy, Vibrant Flavors To Canyon Ranch SpaClub – Canyon Ranch Grill is now open inside the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, located on the pool level of the Palazzo Resort and Casino. Guests of the Canyon Ranch Grill will experience a nourishing menu featuring wholesome, seasonal fresh ingredients with an emphasis on local, organic and sustainable farming methods. Chefs of the famed Canyon Ranch Spa, have expertly prepared a menu including breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert dishes designed to complement and enhance the natural beauty of the ingredients resulting in vibrant flavors, enticing aroma and superior nutritional value. Click to Read The Full Story …

The Long Twins Join The Cast Of The Legendary Folies Bergere At The Tropicana – Highly accomplished acrobatic performers, Bing and Jun Long, join the cast of the Folies Bergere (Tickets) at the Tropicana Las Vegas as the Long Twins, one of two variety acts in the show. Juggler/comedian, Michael Holly, continues drawing laughs from audiences as the second variety act in the production show. The Long Twins, recognized as first class acrobats throughout China, bring their talented and entertaining act to the Tiffany Theatre stage as part of a six-minute act in Folies Bergere. The duo has performed as part of several production shows up and down the Las Vegas Strip. Click to Read The Full Story …

Eastside Cannery Casino & Hotel To Open August 28 – Latest Cannery Casino Resorts Property To Open Despite Tough Economy, Industry-Wide Slowdown – Despite a nationwide slowdown in the gaming industry, Cannery Casino Resorts (CCR) will open its second casino in little more than a year û the Eastside Cannery Casino & Hotel û on Thursday, August 28. The first major casino to open on the east side of Las Vegas in more than a decade, will officially welcome guests at 8 p.m. Located in the Boulder Highway gaming corridor, the $250 million Eastside Cannery Casino & Hotel features a 16-story tower of bronze, glass and steel, with a distinctive saw-tooth roofline, making an iconic impression. Click to Read The Full Story …

Global Ice Age Begins As Minus 5 Brings Unique Ice Lounge Experience To Las Vegas And Other U.S. Cities – World-Leader in Sub-Zero Night-Life Freezes the Competition with Lounges Made Entirely of Ice. A lounge in which everything is made of ice is about to become the hottest destination in the United States; and, the forecast calls for Las Vegas, known for its 100-degree heat, to become a whole lot cooler – as cold as ice. This September, New Zealand-based Minus 5 Group begins an American ice age when it opens the first permanent ice lounge experience ever in the United States at Mandalay Place, located adjacent to Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on the famous Las Vegas Strip. Click to Read The Full Story …

Las Vegas Is On Sale!
Get Great Rates At All Hotels:

4 Queens from $36, Bally’s from $69, Flamingo from $63, Gold Coast from $34, Planet H. from $89, Rio Suites from $58, Sahara from $36, Strat. from $35, Tropicana from $45, Tuscany from $32, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Previous Reader Question Answered:

In our August 6, 2008 issue, reader Brian from Ocala, Florida asked why some casinos will have empty $10-15 tables while the place next door has jammed $5 tables. IE, why wouldn’t the other casino lower their limits to fill up their tables?

I heard the answer listening to the audio of a gaming executives round-table recently. The higher-end casinos don’t want to encourage $5 players. They feel the cost of the comps (high-end free drinks and similar that you’ll find in the nicer places) exceed what they would win from the players.

I still question this: Adjusted for inflation, todays $5 tables are the $3 games of 10 years ago. And, you could generally get an import beer or mid-level brand booze while you play.

I’ll stick to what I’ve said before: Today’s bean counters think that if you just make gambling fun (party pits and endless new slot machines), you won’t care how fast you lose your money. Their goal is to separate you from it as quickly as possible.á

I think they have it wrong (and the declines in gaming wins bare this out… it’s not just the economy, especially considering the rate of international visitors at this time). The fun of gambling is taking your days bankroll and (provided that it is enough to sustain such play) be able to gamble 3-4 hours per day. It is the gambling in and of itself that is fun. The roller coaster of emotions and the thrill of having a few winning streaks (which enforce the notion that you actually have a chance at winning).

Your best current “gamble” in Las Vegas? See a show. You’ll get your moneys worth in just about every price range, you’ll see shows in special theatres and set-ups here that you won’t experience in the traveling version (for example, Phantom or Blue Man), and you are guaranteed the full length of your entertainment. You won’t go broke 10 minutes into a show and have to leave like a cold table or slot machine.

Hi Ted,

A while back, I asked you for a recommendation for a nice place for a little cocktail lounge atmosphere for guys my age (I’m 67 and still enjoy Las Vegas even though the rat pack days are long gone…now, those guys were cool!).

You obviously knew exactly the kind of place I was looking for, because you suggested the bar/lounge of The Range Steakhouse at Harrah’s. As you pointed out, it’s up above the strip and yet it’s like a world apart from the chaotic strip atmosphere. But, I could look out and see it from the unique vantage point of a pleasant ambiance I appreciate most. The pianist and jazz guitarist were excellent and provided a great background for my wind-down time before dinner and a show I was going to see that evening.

I had other plans for dinner that night, but a look at the menu convinced me that I should get back in there the next time I’m in town.

I also found that Bellagio’s Baccarat Lounge also offers perfect place to unwind and listen to some good jazz, too. It’s right on the “main drag” in the casino, but due to some great acoustical engineering magic, the noise of slots, etc. are greatly reduced and the music can be heard very well. David Osborne plays piano there on Sunday and Monday nights, accompanied by a fine stand-up bass player.

For people my age, La Vegas is still a fun destination, because while there, we can also enjoy a different brand of entertainment in addition to the kind of stuff the younger kids like. Sometimes, loud, “in-your-face” rock gets tedious (even though our generation started the whole thing!)

Anyway, thanks for the tip about The Range Steakhouse! I always read your newsletter. You’re doing a great job! Keep it up!

Sincerely,

David from McKinleyville, CA

Hi there, love the newsletter and it helped so much with my planning. To travel 14 hours with the purpose of two weeks in Las Vegas required LOTS of planning and shows, times, places to visit, all found within the newsletter.

The first priority was to book and see Wayne Brady – the VIP way with the meet and greet – see pic – he didn’t let me down, It was wonderful, he was gracious and the show was unbelievable. This alone was worth the trip.

Next was the place to stay we we picked the Jockey Club – aware there was building around it but choose it for a smaller hotel without the casino. Just a room and friendly and helpful staff. Again perfect – look at my view from the loungeroom – day or night – the fountains , Paris the strip, it was the best.

All other plans fitted into place from the Car Museum at Imperial Palace to the Mentalist at Hooters, nothing disappointed us unless it was that we ‘ran out’ of time. Next time it has to be 3 -4 weeks to do all we want.

Thank you for all your information and my friends who head there next week have more info from me as well now.

Karen Chatfield from Australia

á

Ted Responds:

I never cease to appreciate those of you who travel so far to get here (whether 4 hours or especially 14 hours) and enjoy Las Vegas. I’m so very happy that you had a great time and that our newsletter helps in that planning. I especially encourage our international readers to tell their friends to subscribe. When traveling that far and spending that much, you really should have the latest, best and most comprehensive regular information and the price is right: Free!

From time-to-time, someone will write and just say “I have not been to town for two years, what should I see?” The truth is that you could easily spend 3-4 weeks here and barely begin to see everything you want to check out. Whether your next trip is 3 days or three weeks (or not yet planned), stay subscribed and we’ll leave you no shortage of information about shows and activities so you can find the ones that suit you.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10
  • Father’s Day June 21
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 1-3 (3 day weekend)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
Hotel Rates Published Accurate At Time Of Publication

August 20, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – August 13, 2008

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! We’re surviving what should be the last heat wave of the summer. September generally brings the daytime highs under 100 degrees (F) and pool weather lasts through October. November brings highs in the 60’s. If you live where it gets cold (rain/sleet/snow) as November rolls around, think about locking up a late fall Vegas vacation now (latest hotel deals later in the newsletter). You’ll be happy you did.

November also brings Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27, 2008) here in the U.S. and it is a surprisingly busy four-day weekend here. All hotel restaurants from the coffee shops and buffets to the high end places serve an option of traditional Thanksgiving fare. Many families with members scattered in far flung places come together in Las Vegas to celebrate together. (Oh, and don’t forget the opportunity to bet and watch all those football games)!

June brought a 3% drop in visitors and a 1% decline in gaming revenue compared to June 2007. To be honest, that is negligible when you consider that 2007 was the biggest boom year ever for Las Vegas. All of the Vegas doom-and-bloom articles (mostly written by journalists thousands of miles from here) were way off the mark. Downtown seems especially busy as people search for retro-Vegas (reasonable room rates, food values, and gambling that gives them a shot at winning).

Local economic indicators are another story, especially with the construction bust (both residential and resort). For those thinking of moving here. let’s make this really simple: IF (and this is a big IF) you are independently wealthy, comfortably retired, or have a job you can conduct from anywhere (consultant or telecommute or similar where you simply need broadband and proximity to a major airport to get the job done), this is a great time to move here. áIf you want to move here and will need to look for a job… forget it.

Did You Know:

  • Main Street Station downtown offers self-guided tour of 20 historical antiques they have on site in their Artifacts, Antiques and Artworks tour. Everything from a pool table that once belonged to Winston Churchill to the Blackhawk rail car once used by Buffalo Bill Cody. Tour pamphlets are available at the hotel desk at no charge.
  • Big House Choppers of Nevada are custom choppers made by state prison employees. They are manufactured at the Desert Correctional Center (just north of Las Vegas) and actual prison bars are integrated into each bike. More info at www.bighousechoppers.net

More Las Vegas photos than ever will be available when we launch our new photo gallery in just a couple of weeks. (We are working out a few last bugs in it). Our weekly Vegas Photos feature will return at that time. In the meantime, our present Las Vegas Photo Gallery is still available to the public.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Las Vegas Is On Sale!
Get Great Rates At All Hotels:

Bally’s from $69, Bill’s from $48, Caesars from $140, Flamingo from $59, Harrah’s from $58, Imperial from $35, Paris from $90, Rio Suites from $58, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

á

Iconic Comedy Duo Cheech & Chong To Perform At The Pearl Concert Theater On October 18 – The infamous comedy duo Cheech & Chong will bring laughter to The Pearl Concert Theater on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. (Tickets) These two classic comedians will reunite as part of their first tour in 25 years, Light Up America. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong first hit the LA comedy scene in the early ’70s and immediately won over audiences with their wacky routines which captured the free spirited attitude of the times. Some of their most well-known routines were “Earache My Eye,” “Basketball Jones” and “Sister Mary Elephant.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Cher Unveils An Eyeful Of Glitter And Sequins As She Debuts A New Ensemble At Her Vegas Show In The Colosseum – Fans attending Cher’s Caesars Palace shows will be in for a glittery surprise as the pop diva debuts a new Bob Mackie creation for her closing number “Believe.” Returning to the stage after a two-month break, Cher’s show continues her 3-year run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The 90-minute show is presented at 7:30 p.m. four nights a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday (dark Monday, Thursday and Friday). Tickets for her show through Oct. 5 are now on sale.

á

Affliction “Day of Reckoning” To Las Vegas On Oct. 11 – Roy Englebrecht Events, Donald J. Trump, Affliction Entertainment in association with Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino present Affliction “Day of Reckoning” Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nev. Tickets Coming off the success of its inaugural fight card, “Affliction Banned,” Roy Englebrecht Events in association with Affliction Entertainment is pleased to announce Affliction “Day of Reckoning” featuring heavyweights Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett. Click to Read The Full Story …

Popular among Las Vegas Locals, Yellow Brick Road will play during Tropicana’s Mint Monday event at the pool on 8/18 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. and 9-10 p.m. Live concert, swimming, volleyball, dancing and more is all no-charge and open to the public.

August Promotions At The Sahara – Wednesday Blackjack Tournaments – Put your skills to the test every Monday and Wednesday with Club Sahara’s $2,000 Blackjack Tournaments! Registration is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Buy-in is $25, which includes a free buffet coupon or $10 in free table play. Re-buys are $10. Cash in for Cocktails Paycheck Promotion – Cash your paycheck at the Sahara Main Cage and receive two free drinks! Valid paychecks only, management reserves all rights. Click to Read The Full Story …

Can’t Make It To Vegas?
See If A Hot Event Is Playing Near You!

ColdPlay, Jonas Brothers, American Idols Live, Jimmy Buffett, John Mayer, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Madonna, Toby Keith, Eddie Vedder, Journey, The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, NFL Football, PGA Championship, NASCAR Sprint Cup, College Football, WWE Wrestling, Baseball, All Major Concerts and Events

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

My wife and I travel to LV 6 times per year. All of your “old Las Vegas” tips seem to refer to downtown. We stay on the Strip. Where are the loose slots, where is the fun of old Las Vegas? Everything you refer to in the newsletter is downtown. Really, we want to know what is old Las Vegas on the Strip? We are disillusioned with the hype.

Cheers

M&B Kieth

á

Ted Responds:

Here’s some food for thought:

Las Vegas didn’t used to have a Bellagio, Venetian or Wynn Las Vegas. Most of the Las Vegas Strip hotels were more comparable to the hotels which are downtown now.

You can’t expect to stay at what are now some of the finest resorts in the world for $49 a night. However, Las Vegas didn’t used to have the finest resorts in the world. People came and enjoyed clean, comfortable rooms at rates well below what that comparable room would cost in another city.

Staying downtown does not preclude spending the majority of your time on The Strip. To put things in perspective: Downtown is 3.5 miles from Wynn Las Vegas. Mandalay Bay is 2.5 miles from Wynn Las Vegas. Fremont Street isn’t a foreign outpost or something!

Downtown-like rates can be found on The Strip at Tropicana, Sahara, Imperial Palace and Riviera. And… rates at the very top resorts are currently well below what rooms of that quality would go for in another city.

People seem to want to stay at the very top notch resorts, but at “old Vegas” prices. That would never happen in any city under any circumstances. However, inexpensive rooms and good gambling are very much alive and well downtown. We are advising people watching expenditures to enjoy seeing the shows and attractions they want to on The Strip, but to stay downtown. It will still add up to a great Las Vegas vacation.

Hi Ted!

We had a chance while in Vegas, to visit the Palazzo and really did not think that it was as spectacular as we were led to believe. The casino is nothing more than a repeat of the Venetian. None of the stores were open on the third floor and it was difficult to find staff members who could give reliable information with regards to directions or where specific stores might be located. Disappointed to say the least.

On a happier note, we ate at the Bistro Cantina restaurant which is on the strip and adjacent to the Monte Carlo. The food was excellent and the staff were very cordial. Also went to the Hofbrau House and had a great time – a great place to really cut loose – German food was also quite good! Siegfriedáá and Roy were there that night to celebrate a birthday. We really enjoy your news letter – it helps to keep us up on current events in Vegas – thank you for that!!

Linda and Rich

á

Ted Responds:

The Palazzo gaming area is really understated, no question about it. Not the zing of Wynn, Bellagio or even Venetian.

Palazzo was under a lot of pressure to get the doors open (more or less) on time. I’d re-visit the property for a quick stroll on your next visit and see if it seems different. Having said that, I agree that it didn’t really add a new WOW factor to The Strip.

Have not been to Bistro Cantina, but Hofbrau House is always fun. Anyone headed over to check out the Hard Rock should poke their head in and check it out.

Thanks for reading and telling your friends to subscribe!

Hi, Always enjoy reading Inside Vegas. I just returned from another trip to Vegas. I stayed one night at Harrah’s which was great. I also stayed 3 nights at Marriott Grand Chateau. It was fantastic. These two hotels were so much better than the Imperial Palace from last month’s visit. Harrah’s need to upgrade Imperial Palace immediately! I also saw “Jersey Boys” and really enjoyed the music. They could leave out the “F” word and it wouldn’t be missed. I ate at many fantastic restaurants.

Sincerely,

Joan Cornell from Illinois

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10
  • Father’s Day June 21
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 1-3 (3 day weekend)

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
Hotel Rates Published Accurate At Time Of Publication

August 13, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – June 18, 2008

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! We are revamping our newsletter site https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com into a blog-style format. We’ve been doing this newsletter (which pretty much amounts to a weekly blog) since 1999, long before the word blog or blog-style websites existed. For those of you who read this newsletter online, bear with us. The current blog format is very readable, but can (and will) be inproved over the next few weeks to match the look, style and readability of our online version.

This also allows users of RSS/XML feeds two options for following everything here at AccessVegas.com:

  • Only This Newsletter: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/feed/
  • Everything new on AccessVegas.com (show reviews, photos, new stories and features) as it happens:
    http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

An “Only In Nevada” Type of Gas Card Promotion – According to the Review-Journal, A brother in Beatty, NV (about 130 miles north of Las Vegas) is offering gas cards ranging from $50 to $100 depending on how much you spend. Although the long-standing myth is that prositiution is legal in Las Vegas, the reality is that it is not legal in any county of over 400,000 residents. This includes Clark County (Las Vegas) despite all of the “dancers” to your room handbills.

Since Clark County is roughly the size of New Jersey and Las Vegas is centrally located in the county, this means quite a drive for those who want to indulge in the “world’s oldest profession”.

My suggestion if you are going to drive a couple of hours from Las Vegas? Take in Dante’s View which overlooks much of Death Valley. (Just don’t do it in the summer). Google Maps Street view has a great 360 degree shot of Dante’s View.

Open Your Wallet For Nevada Education – Once upon a time (prior to 2000), families didn’t move to Las Vegas in droves. Families living here didn’t expect Nevada to rank high nationally when it came to education. In fact, I recal numerous business news stories in the 90’s noting the difficulty of recruiting family men to work here in Las Vegas.

Most people were employed in gaming (or tourism-related jobs) and gaming taxes did a fine job of helping fund education.

Oh… how times have changed. Over a million people (including many families) have flocked to live here since then and now expect our education system to be as good as it was in the high-tax states they fled from. And… they want to do it on your backs. Right out of the pocketbook of our visitors. Read more: Nevadans say let tourists pay – Support strong for raising hotel room tax from 10 percent to 13 percent

Las Vegas unelmployment rate is above the national average. I wouldn’t suggest moving here unless you have a job waiting for you. Ironically enough, it is the construction downturn playing a big roll. Fewer people moving here means less new home, condo, and apartment construction. Not trying to sound negative. This is a great place to visit, and a pretty cool place to live. If you have a job.

Jay Leno’s Las Vegas shows next week will benefit Iowa flood victims. Emmy Award-winning comedian and television host Jay Leno will perform two special engagements at The Mirage Wednesday, June 25 and Friday, June 27 at 10 p.m. with proceeds going to The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. Tickets are priced at $90 plus tax and are available at The Mirage box office or call (702) 792-7777.

My dad was born in Iowa where the family ran a service station in Dubuque before relocating to Santa Monica, CA in his youth so I have some ties to the state. It is absolutely heartbreaking to see the flooding and our hearts and prayers go out to all affected.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Can’t Make It To Vegas?
Get Tickets To An Event Near You!

Madonna, American Idols Live, Elton John, Jonas Brothers, Tina Turner, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Kenny Chesney, ColdPlay, James Taylor, Iron Maiden, Rascal Flatts, The Cure, Rush, NASCAR, Baseball, NFL Football, College Football, All Major Concerts and Events

Featured Review:
Experience The Spice Of Life at “V The Ultimate Variety Show”

by Erin Guernsey

The old saying “variety is the spice of life” rings true at “V The Ultimate Variety Show.” Audience members are privy to witness an assortment of talented artists as they perform individualized specialty acts at the V Theatre inside the Miracle Mile Shops at The Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

The show opens with the flamboyantly-funny host. This man strings together the various specialty acts with his amusing sense of humor. As the show progresses the audience learns that he is more than just a host. He is an accomplished performer who possesses excellent juggling skills. His skills range from juggling batons in the air, to hats on his head and even ping-pong balls in his mouth.

Click to Read Entire V Variety Show Las Vegas Review (with additional picures)…

Featured Review:
Crazy Girls Keeps It Simple, Yet Sensual and Captivating

by Guy Chapman

For over twenty years now, “Crazy Girls” has just been one of those Las Vegas mainstays. From its iconic bronze statue in front of the Riviera that tourists rub for good luck, to the ads that one can’t help but see when traveling The Strip, it’s easy to see why, once stepping into the fun-filled and sexy world of “Crazy Girls”.

The closest comparison to defining “Crazy Girls” is similar to what people would expect a classic “Golden Age” Las Vegas show to be. The girls perform a variety of acts that are playful and cheeky to sensual and alluring, set to music from the classic burlesque age to more modern songs. “Crazy Girls” keeps it simple, yet captivating, and for regular show-goers on The Strip, it makes for an experience that isn’t going to be found just anywhere else.

Click to Read Entire Crazy Girls Las Vegas Review (with additional picures)…

Celebrate The 4th Of July With Vertical Horizon And Mix 94.1 At Mandalay Bay Beach – Evening Highlighted By A Fireworks Extravaganza – Celebrate the 4th of July at Mandalay Bay Beach with Vertical Horizon and MIX 94.1-FM. A pre-concert barbeque at Border Grill will begin at 6 p.m.; the concert is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. and will be followed by a fireworks show at 10:30 p.m. The barbeque at Border Grill will be available for an additional charge and will include great food, drink specials and prize giveaways. The show will be presented by MIX 94.1-FM and Mandalay Bay and the tickets are priced at $35, not including applicable taxes and service charges. Click to Read The Full Story …

New Female Lead Singer, Felice Garcia, Takes The Stage In The Folies Bergere At The Tropicana – Felice Garcia joins the cast of the legendary Folies Bergere (Tickets) as the new principal female singer at the Tropicana Resort & Casino. Felice is very familiar with the stage, performing since the young age of nine in talent shows, musicals, plays, pageants, civic events and other miscellaneous functions. This is her first big production show and is very excited to become part of the Folies Bergere family. “It was my dream as a child to be part of a well-known stage production like the Folies Bergere,” says Felice. “What better place to get my start in show business than in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Toby Keith Brings His “Biggest & Baddest Tour 2008” To Mandalay Bay Saturday, July 26 With Special Guest Montgomery Gentry – Tour also will Feature 2008’s Hottest New Country Talent Including Carter’s Chord, Mica Roberts and Trailer Choir. Toby Keith, a multi-platinum country music superstar, will bring his “Biggest & Baddest Tour 2008” sponsored by Ford F-Series, to the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, July 26. (Tickets) Academy of Country Music award-winner Montgomery Gentry, as well as Carter’s Chord, Mica Roberts and Trailer Choir, will open the show at 8 p.m. Click to Read The Full Story …

First Lucky Winner At Sahara Hotel & Casino Wins Instant Upgrade To “Elvis” Penthouse Suite – Thomas Bagshaw was selected as the first winner of the Sahara Hotel & Casino’s Instant Upgrade promotion. Mr. Bagshaw, who had booked a standard room, was informed at check-in that he had been upgraded to the fabulous Presidential Suite, formerly inhabited by Elvis Presley during the filming of the classic film, “Viva Las Vegas.” Mr. Bagshaw hails from Gact, California. During the months of May through August, the legendary Sahara is offering the opportunity for hotel guests to win an instant upgrade to one of the Sahara’s most requested and famous classic penthouse suites – The Beatles Suite, where the Fab Four stayed in 1964 or The Presidential Suite, which has hosted such luminaries as The King himself, Elvis Presley. Click to Read The Full Story …

Pop Music Icon Janet Jackson To Bring Her “Rock Witchu Tour” To Mandalay Bay Friday, September 19 – Pop music icon Janet Jackson returns to the touring circuit for the first time in seven years when she kicks off her “Rock Witchu Tour” September 10 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The tour will land at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, Sept. 19 and the concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. (Tickets) The tour will feature the hit songs and innovative dance routines that have made Jackson one of the most celebrated artists in history. She has undeniably influenced pop culture with more than 100 million albums sold as well as countless hit singles, awards and accolades. Click to Read The Full Story …

Fun in the Sun, Las Vegas Style – The heat of summer is here, and many hotel pools are sure bet for a cool escape. Dip into these latest ways to make a splash in Las Vegas:

    À

  • MGM Grand unveils WET REPUBLIC, an alluring 53,000-square-foot ultra pool combining an exclusive nightlife vibe with poolside pampering and relaxation. An adults-only mecca for discerning partygoers, the glitterati and celebrities, WET REPUBLIC features distinct experiences within a series of intimate spaces and will redefine poolside entertainment as the first ultra pool in the world’s sexiest city. Elite VIP service, high-end amenities and renowned entertainers will be the standard at WET REPUBLIC.
  • Already a crowd favorite, Mandalay Bay Beach at Mandalay Bay now features the only climate-controlled poolside gaming on The Strip. Nearby, Moorea Beach Club continues to draw sunseekers by providing high-energy music in a luxurious setting.

  • A paradise fit for royalty, the Excalibur pool has doubled its size – adding two luxurious pools and 17 cabanas stocked with all the essentials to keep cool. Just steps away, Drenched offers the latest in causal poolside dining.
  • In just a year, Bare at The Mirage has made a big splash. The adult pool, known best for its European-style sun bathing and exclusive VIP service, has quickly become a must visit for celebrities ranging from Fergie to Leonardo DiCaprio. New for 2008, Bare features a delectable menu by California Pizza Kitchen.

“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” And Netflix Join Forces To Find Contestants In Las Vegas – Channel 13 Welcomes “Millionaire” Producers for Contestant Auditions Wednesday, June 25 at Cannery Casino & Hotel in North Las Vegas, NV. “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” hosted by Emmy Award-winning host Meredith Vieira, and Netflix, the company that makes movie enjoyment easy, will join forces on Wednesday, June 25 in the Las Vegas, Nevada area to find contestants for the fourth installment of “Netflix Million Dollar Movie Week,” a specialty show which will feature movie-themed questions. Auditioners will also be given the opportunity to try out for a regular episode of the hit game show’s upcoming seventh season. Click to Read The Full Story …

Las Vegas Is On Sale!
Get Great Rates At All Hotels:

4 Queens from $36, Bally’s from $69, Flamingo from $59, Gold Coast from $34, Planet H. from $89, Rio Suites from $60, Sahara from $36, Strat. from $35, Tropicana from $45, Tuscany from $48, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

HI Ted,

I recently visited Vegas for 4 days and enjoyed it BUT the tables and slots are getting very, very difficult to win at. It is once in a blue moon that you win anything. I thoroughly enjoy Vegas and always have. I have probably made at least 15-20 trips there. Due to the “tightness” I’ll probably look elsewhere from here on in. 

The last few trips I keep telling myself that things will get better but they actually got worse. I’ll miss everything else about Vegas but when I gamble I need to win every once in awhile.

Thanks for the newsletter I enjoy that as well.

Christopher Kujawa

Ted Responds:

You aren’t the only one. Gaming win keep dropping despite pretty steady visitorship. Those with no clue blame it on the economy here in the U.S. but the rest of us know better:

Table game rules are worse and slots seem tighter. You used to be able to put $20 in a machine and know you’d get some decent play. Now you might as well set the $20 bill on fire. Why even bother? Your money is better spent at a top-end show, one of the many area tours (Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam… even a Mob Tour), or blowing it on a fine meal. At least you are getting some bang-for-your-buck.

Side Note: If gambling, do it downtown. The table game rules tend to be more favorible to the player and the slots seem to be looser (from the many reports that we get). Plus, they are much more thankful for your patronage.

Thanks for the input and thanks for reading. Please do tell your Vegas visiting friends about the newsletter!

My husband and I jst returned from Vegas. We had the the best time at the Cher concert. What a lovely lady she is and her show was worth the trip. I love Vegas! Keep up the good job you do on your newsletter. I read it everytime.

Thank You,

Kay

We are looking to get married in our fave place Vegas in may of 2009. We wanted to do it at The Nugget downtown as it has a large special meaning to us. No Elvis or married by Martians. Just a simple ceremony with a few close friends. Any do’s, dont’s or any other thoughts?

We both went through the big Circus wedding and now after finding each other (the mate we dreamed of) we just want something simple and nice. Any thoughts would be helpful!

Tim and Mary

Ted Responds:

Tim and Mary,

Contrats and a couple of thoughts:

I don’t believe that the GN has a wedding chapel. However, an overlooked way of doing a wedding is to rent one of the nicest suites (the kind with more than one room, a great view and similar) and have the wedding there. one can do this regardless of hotel.

The downside is having to do a little bit of legwork to arrange the minister, cake, and similar but a web search can go a long way there.

Also, much can probably be catered by the hotel. You may wish to call the hotel, tell them your thoughts, and ask what they can do (and the cost).

If you even want to keep things more simple, ask about the possibility of doing the ceremony by the pool, in a lounge (before it is open for the evening) or even on the casino floor. I know of a popular Los Angeles TV personality who got married at the craps tables at Caesars a couple of years ago!

If you want a bunch of random well-wishers, you can even get married on Fremont Street in front of the hotel.

Bottom Line: Provided you are staying at said hotel, call ahead and tell them you want to get married at the hotel and make it clear you want to talk to someone who handles group events at the hotel (or at least someone in catering). That person is best suited to work with 

Hope this helps and please let us know your progress!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10
  • Father’s Day June 21

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
Hotel Rates Published Accurate At Time Of Publication

June 18, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 28, 2008

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

This newsletter is published exclusively for visitors to AccessVegas.Com and can only be signed up for there. We do not buy or rent lists, and this information is only for our members and guests. If you feel you have received it in error, click the unsubscribe link at the bottom. To subscribe, visit our Newsletter Site.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! As usual, both the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street were jammed over Memorial Day weekend. The cool weather (partly cloudy, mild temps) keep the mood slightly more subdued than usual but hey… 70 degrees (F)á beats the 108 we had the week before!

A big congratulations goes to Mac King for being named the top Comedy Magician in the world according to Magic Magazine (April 2008 issue). I have the actual issue and was very impressed that this wasn’t just some “award” but a careful, scientific, peer-chosen determination.

He actually beat out both Penn and Teller and The Amazing Johnathan, two names which have had far greater media exposure. Plus, the price is right. Mac King is an afternoon show that will be both easy on your wallet and get you our of our pending summer heat.

Tickets for Las Vegas’ top comedy magic shows:

Las Vegas Rio Sky ShowThe new Rio “Show in the Sky” has just (and I mean JUST) launched. We haven’t even had time to pop over and see it, but the press stuff they sent out notes it is much more sexy and sensual, including three different shows:

With three different shows, guests are encouraged to stay a while for an all new experience to see a unique show each time. The bedroom style performance will feature a 17 foot-long bed with high-energy performers of seduction. The bath/spa style performance will encompass a glamorous stage with sexy girls in towels. The modern-day club performance brings the feeling of old Hollywood glamour meets classic burlesque with accents of rhinestones and feathers throughout.

Shows play nightly on the hour from 7 PM to Midnight.

Las Vegas Second Most Digital Savvy – I never thought I’d see this day, but Las Vegas recently ranked second (behind Austin, TX) as the nation’s most digitally savvy city. This is a huge turn-around. When I launched AccessVegas.com in 1997 (and the predecessor two years earlier) as strictly online publications, casinos didn’t have websites and it seemed rare to find someone in upper management who knew what the internet was.

The Scarborough Research study cited the relatively young average age of residents, median household income of $53,000, higher tech penetration of warm, Western (US) cities, and the transient nature of the residents. This makes sense as people in their 20’s and early 30’s move here thinking they’ll have some fun, make some cash, then move back home (or move on to Southern California, Phoenix, or San Francisco). More of this story available here: Digital Savvy In Sin City

On the party front…

Dick’s last resort is brewing up beer pong, putting a silly spin on this infamous drinking game. They note:

DickÆs Last Resort invites you to test your skills at Bar Pong, the restaurantÆs very own rowdy rendition of the popular past time that is beer pong. With DickÆs entertainer extraordinaire Taco acting as the rambunctious referee, the game has never been this fun.

A touch of truth or dare is tossed in to add a twist as missed shots result in kooky challenges that will have everyone laughing. Whether flying solo or with friends, pick one of DickÆs 18 draft beers and join in the everlasting excitement where everyone is a winner.

Where: DickÆs Last Resort at Excalibur. When: 7 pm û Late, Wednesday û Sunday.

June 5 brings another edition of “Cinco de Taco” at the Pink Taco inside the Hard Rock Hotel offering $2 Coronas and Corona Lights, $3 Sauza Hornitos shots, $3.75 Sauza Hornitos margaritas as well as half-off appetizers from 4 p.m. until closing. “Cinco de Taco” features a live Mariachi band beginning at 6 p.m., and girls dressed in lingerie will be participating in three unique Pinata bashings filled with Love Jones lingerie. Click the above photo for previous “Cinco de Taco” photos.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Las Vegas Is On Sale!
Get Great Rates At All Hotels:

4 Queens from $36, Bally’s from $59, Flamingo from $63, Gold Coast from $45, Planet Hollywood from $89, Rio Suites from $60, Sahara from $41, Strat. from $43, Tropicana from $50, Tuscany from $50, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

Featured Review:
Take a Plunge Into The Mystical World Of Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere

by Denise Almas

The circus is coming. The circus is coming! Don’t be late or you may find yourself following an unconventional looking clown instead of an usher to your seat — or perhaps someone else’s seat. Thus begins the stunning and surrealistic Cirque du Soleil production of Mystere. As soon as the doors close, the ringmaster takes over and the true action begins with a baby playing ball and looking for his “papa”. After finding a “papa” in the audience, the story begins to unfold in a vibrant and visually stimulating performance.

With the exit of the ringmaster, the performers come alive with unusual costumes, dancing, and death defying acts that only highly trained professionals could deliver with poise, grace, and beauty. As music heightens the performances, these athletes fly through the air, balance on top of each other, and bring to life the mysteries of human emotion and capabilities. Without missing a beat, these international athletes perform feats such as the aerial high bar, bungee, and Chinese Poles.

Click to Read Entire Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere Las Vegas Review…

Featured Review:
Elton John Songs Improve With Time In Red Piano

by Lincoln Hudson

Stepping out onto the stage at Caesars Palace one can only gasp at the enormous enigma that Sir Elton John has become. Clearly older and wiser this superb and universal entertainer has lost none of the talent and passion that makes him easily one of the worlds greatest performers.

Red Piano is a magnificent show that beautifully uses the technology of both multi-media and film to tell the story and sub text of his songs. Elton John is not just a talented rock star but he is also quite clearly an Artist whose talent also includes writing hit musicals and adapting opera’s. Most amazing of all I find is the forever deepening sub text of his songs that go back almost thirty years.

Click to Read Entire Elton John Red Piano Las Vegas Review…

Harrah’s Hosts World’s Most Esteemed Flair Bartending Competition June 3 – 5 – Bartenders vie for cash and the coveted Ultimate Flair Bartending Championship Title. Harrah’s Carnaval Court welcomes the world’s most skilled flair bartenders June 3 -5, for the fourth annual international bartending competition, Ultimate Flair Bartending Championship (UFBC). The outdoor, Strip-side venue has earned the reputation as the world’s premier flair bar, thus it is fitting that the best-of-the-best flock to Carnaval Court to compete for the title of UFBC champ. Click to Read The Full Story …

Legendary Entertainer Wayne Newton Will Perform At MGM Grand July 31 – August 6 – “Mr. Las Vegas” Wayne Newton will light up the stage inside MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre for a seven-night engagement July 31 û August 6. (Tickets) Show time is 8:30 p.m. nightly. Additional performances will go on sale later this year. This appearance marks Newton’s first performance at MGM Grand since 1999. Newton has been entertaining audiences worldwide for more than 60 years having started at the age of four years old. After several appearances on ABC’s popular hit series “Dancing with the Stars,” Newton returns to MGM Grand to perform alongside a 22-piece orchestra. Click to Read The Full Story …

Love Bites at Shark Reef Aquarium – Imagine tying the knot as sharks and other dangerous predators float by. Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay offers couples the chance to say “I do” in this unforgettable setting. Coordinated by the professional staff of “THE wedding chapel” at Mandalay Bay, the Shark Reef Wedding Package includes a bouquet and garter for the bride, boutonniere for the groom, minister, pianist, a wedding album and more. Priced at $1,175, tax excluded. Call 702-632-4555 for more details.

Star-Studded Lineup Gathering For Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Poker Event June 8 At The World Series Of Poker – Stars Teri Hatcher, Joely Fisher plus Cheryl Hines, Camryn Manheim and Mindy McCready among Celebrities Scheduled to Participate at Rio Las Vegas. While poker continues to grow worldwide, one of the biggest areas of growth is coming from female participation. Thus, the anticipation for this year’s World Series of Poker female-only event, the $1,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em World Championship, is greater than ever before. Click to Read The Full Story …

The Time Reunite At Flamingo Las Vegas – All-Time Greatest Party Band Together Again For The First Time In 18 Years – Flamingo Las Vegas presents special limited dates of legendary Minneapolis funk band, The Time, June 24 – July 5 and July 29 – Aug. 2. (Tickets) These exclusive performances mark the first time the original band members have performed together in 18 years, following their acclaimed appearance at this year’s Grammy Awards. The master of cool, Morris Day, will reunite with his original band mates, valet Jerome Benton, drummer Jellybean Johnson, bass player Terry Lewis, guitarist Jesse Johnson and keyboard artists Jimmy Jam and Monte Moir to perform all of their classic hits. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: The King and I Part Two – with Victor H. Royer. Neither Lady M nor the King ever had to worry about announcing themselves, or about reservations. They just showed up whenever they felt like it. In this case, the King had a problem with Lady M, and so the casino thought they had a problem. But the King was very well adjusted. He wasnÆt fretting about it. He simply did whatever it was that he did in his suite, and when Lady M finally left, he came down to play his machines.á

Me being there must have, at first, seemed like it was going to be another problem for everybody, but the KingÆs graciousness and understanding resolved the situation and rendered a potential problem totally moot. I was actually quite impressed by him, the way he acted, and his royal persona. Click to Read Complete Article…

Can’t Make It To Vegas?
Get Tickets To An Event Near You!

NBA Playoffs, Tina Turner, Madonna American Idols Live, New Kids On The Block, Bon Jovi, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Stevie Wonder, Widespread Panic, Cold Play, Carlos Mencia , Melissa Etheridge, Music Build Tour, Ringling Bros Circus, Baseball, NFL Football, College Football, All Major Concerts and Events

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Just reading your news letter and especially the part about the planes. This bit made me smile: “However, many of you are flying 12-16 hours to get here and that commitment to come visit isn’t lost on us either.”á

Not lost on you but for many of us Brits who used to come over regularly ( I came at least once a year ) we’ve decided that enough is enough and we are no longer prepared to queue for two hours or more once we get off the plane at Chicago or Atlanta or Washington, as we crawl towards the Immigration desk where we are finger printed and photographed.á

12 hours on a plane, then two hours to pass thru Chicago. Normally you miss your connecting flight to Vegas and then have to kill another 3 or 4 hours before making the next 3 hour leg of the journey.

I tried going direct last time ( not a lot of cheap direct flights for those of us living in the North of England ) and the wait to pass thru Immigration at McCarran was nearly two hours as well. I love Vegas but I just can’t do the immigration- Homeland security bit any more.

Regards,

Dave Kendall

Ted Responds:

I appreciate the note and understand the hassle. We call the TSA here the Transportation Screw-Up Administration. And something should be done to speed up the immigration lines here, especially with the number of international flights.

May I suggest sending the same note you sent me to our local paper as a letter to the editor? They have even an bigger voice than I do (politicians generally don’t read tourism publications like ours, but they read the newspaper). You can even submit it online at
http://www.reviewjournal.com/about/print/press/letterstoeditor.html

In fact, I suggest all of our international readers frustrated about this to spend just a couple of minutes doing so. A barrage of complaints will have to be noticed by our newspaper and it might even create extra coverage (or a feature story) that the politicians can’t ignore.

My husband and I have been coming to Vegas for the past 15 years and if you can believe it our latest trip in April/08 is the first time we have been to Fremont Street and we fell in love with it.

My questions is this-is Fremont Street a safe place to stay for a few days at one of their hotel/casinos? This concern for safety has been the reason we have never ventured downtown before now but we spent 3 days of our trip playing/eating/shopping/enjoying the shows during our latest visit and really enjoyed the atmosphere. Keep up all the wonderful work you all on the newsletter, we look forward to it and have learned so much from it. Thanks so much,

Wayne and Sandy M.
Rochester, NH

Ted Responds:

Downtown is as safe as The Strip provided you stay in the tourism areas. But one should never wander off (on foot) well away from normal tourism areas anywhere unless they specifically know the area. The upside of downtown is the more reasonable priced rooms, food, and entertainment. Also, the casinos are all right next to each other. No long walks when you want to change scenery.

The downside is the bus or cab right to The Strip. What many do is buy an all day pass on The Deuce (bus running from downtown to The Strip every few minutes, 24/7). For those looking at the price of airfare and Strip hotel rooms and cringing but still really wanting to come visit, I suggest this: Stay downtown where you’ll still find the Vegas that everyone used to talk about where prices are much easier on the wallet.

Do you have any insight into valet parking at Las Vegas hotels? Reason, we were in town a week ago and valet parked at every hotel. Our camera and GPS unit were stolen from our car and the only time it was unlocked is when we valet parked.á

We didn’t discover they were missing until a couple of days later when we went to use them and there is no damage on the car. Is this a problem in Las Vegas? Any ideas of what can be done? Any help would be appreciated.

Evelyn Dotson

Ted Responds:

This is the first time we’ve had anyone bring this issue up in the 9 years of the newsletter so it probably isn’t widespread. Valet parkers make really good money and would be stupid to jeopardize it. Also, they have casino surveillance cameras on them pretty much at all times.

However, it is a good reminder for people to check their stuff after they valet. If something is missing, security can roll back all the cameras that your car was on and probably catch who did it. If you know the license plate on the car you were driving, you can write the property and tell them your problem. Don’t delay as I don’t know how long they keep surveillance video.

In the future… for any theft on a casino property (purse/wallet theft or anything): Keep track of your stuff the best you can (so you know when it is missing) and report any theft as soon as possible. Pretty good chance they can roll some video back and try to see who did it. At the very least, they can then keep an eye out for the thief.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Father’s Day June 15
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
Hotel Rates Published Accurate At Time Of Publication

May 28, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 21, 2008

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! What a wild, wacky, weird week in weather. This past Monday we hit 108 degrees (F) with Tuesday checking in at 101. The 108 was one degree shy of an all-time May record.

However… as I write this on Friday afternoon we’re experiencing scattered showers and a “balmy” 63. Average high for May? 88 degrees.

Free Wi-Fi and slots for fun are two of the things that make Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport the second highest airport in a recent J.D. Power survey. Actually, the survey really studies cleanliness, ease-of-use, parking, and similar. But the free Wi-Fi and plenty of slot machines (plus a pretty decent restaurant selection) doesn’t hurt!

Unlucky $50 bills – NASCAR Racer and Las Vegas native Kyle Busch turned down a $50 bill from the outgoing speedway president of Charlotte Motor Speedway this past week. Speedway president Humpy Wheeler was handing out personally signed $50 bills to various drivers as a going-away souvenir.

So what’s the big deal? Long time Las Vegas gamblers have always been superstitions about $50 bills, considering them bad luck. I’ve personally seen people sit out a hand of blackjack or call their craps bets off when a $50 bill has been placed on the table.

I’m not sure of the origins of this notion, but I’ve always made it a point to change a $50 at the casino cage if I was going to play a table game. Bottom Line: Next time you put down a $50, now you’ll know why if some funny looks come your way!

Thinking of moving here? Paying cash for your house will get you a great deal, but don’t expect any easy mortgages out there. Lenders got burned so bad here in Nevada that experts guess it will be early 2010 before lenders lighten up on Nevada home loans. Plus, during tight times when hiring is light, new residents find themselves at the bottom of the job heap.

Thinking of visiting? Plenty of deals to be had! However, don’t expect an empty Las Vegas. áThe lower room rates are keeping the rooms full and that money you save on the room helps offset the gas costs or airfare to get here. Check out all the current special prices that ouráfriends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals are offering right now.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Can’t Make It To Vegas?
Get Tickets To An Event Near You!

NBA Playoffs, Tina Turner, Madonna American Idols Live, New Kids On The Block, Bon Jovi, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Stevie Wonder, Widespread Panic, Cold Play, Carlos Mencia , Melissa Etheridge, Music Build Tour, Ringling Bros B&B Circus, Major League Baseball, NFL Football, College Football

Featured Review:
Mamma Mia! Keeps You On The Edge Of Your Seat

by Denise Almas

With your toes tapping until the very end, the story is both delightful and, at times, mysterious.

As told through the energetic music of Abba, this big fat Greek island wedding is a comical look at how the women’s liberation movement affected two generations. Though the audience is warned of the large amounts of spandex and late 70’s garb, the music and talented performers bring to life a contemporary view of a culturally interesting time.

Having no information about the true identify of her father, Sophie, the blushing 20 year old bride-to-be, invites the three men her mother had written about in her 1979 diary to her upcoming wedding. This is the backdrop to the captivating musical Mamma Mia, a story of a young woman who attempts to find her father and her own identity at a pivotal moment in her life. Sophie’s mother, Donna, who is also unsure of the identity of her daughter’s father, is upset by the unexpected arrival of all three men the day before the wedding.

Click to Read Entire Mamma Mia! Las Vegas Review…

Featured Review:
Trent Carlini Is… Elvis In Las Vegas

by T. Feld

A shoe-polish black forelock dangles precariously over his forehead. The hips gyrate and swivel with unerring accuracy. His eyes beckon the crowd with a knowing twinkle. The upper lip curls into a familiar quiver. Showcasing a powerful vocal range throughout all the standard hits, you may think Elvis really is in the building after seeing Trent Carlini do his thing at the Sahara Showroom.

More than just an impersonator or tribute performer, this son of Italian immigrants breathes life back into the King himself by uncannily recreating the music, mood and moves of an authentic Presley performance. An audience spanning generations filled the 800 seat venue nearly to capacity at a recent Saturday night show that evoked the spirit of a genuine Elvis Presley concert, complete with screaming, swooning women rushing the stage for a chance to touch their idol.

Click to Read Entire Trent Carlini Dream King Las Vegas Review…

CityCenter Commemorates Construction Milestone With “Topping Out” Of First Tower, Vdara Condo Hotel – CityCenter today commemorated the “topping out” of its 57-story Vdara Condo Hotel, the first of six distinctive high-rise towers that will be topped within the coming months. The completion of Vdara’s structure is a milestone for the construction progress of CityCenter as it moves toward opening in late 2009. “CityCenter commenced in 2004 as a blank canvas imagined by a diverse group of people. With the topping out of Vdara, we see our vision of creating one of the world’s most ambitious developments coming to fruition,” said Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO of CityCenter. “In less than 20 months, we’ll open the doors to CityCenter and introduce the world to this urban metropolis that will redefine Las Vegas.” Click to Read The Full Story …“America’s Got Talent” Million-Dollar Winner Terry Fator Lands Gig On Las Vegas Strip At The Mirage – Ventriloquist, Singer, Comedian and Impressionist Signs Multi-Year Contract to Perform at Resort Renowned for Extraordinary Entertainment Offerings. Terry Fator, winner of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” and The Mirage announced Fator signed a five-year deal, with an option for an additional five years, to perform at the iconic resort. (Tickets). Click to Read The Full Story … Slip Into A Sexy Two-Piece With Hawaiian Tropic Zone’s Bikini Punch Cocktail – Hawaiian Tropic Zone, located inside Miracle Mile Shops, offers the perfect liquid libation for swimsuit season û the Bikini Punch cocktail. A sweet concoction of passion fruit juice, Bacardi light rum, Malibu coconut rum, fresh lime juice, pineapple syrup and orange juice, the Bikini Punch cocktail reflects the sexy and flirtatious atmosphere of Hawaiian Tropic Zone. Served up by one of the beautiful and bikini clad Hawaiian Tropic Zone girls, the mixture is refreshing, tantalizing and ideal for the summer heat. The Bikini Punch cocktail is garnished with a delicious strawberry, making it the perfect treat to enjoy while soaking in a sunny afternoon on Hawaiian Tropic Zone’s strip-side patio. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: The King and I – with Victor H. Royer. Back in the days of grand and glorious Hollywood, there was once a famous motion picture made, based on a Broadway play, starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. It was the title of my story here — The King and I. As much as I would have liked to be either a King, or at least Yul Brynner — I actually always fancied myself either as Elvis, or Jerry Lewis, or perhaps Jack Benny — I did once have a close encounter with royalty. This was many years ago, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, back in those days when Las Vegas was still considered ôold Vegasö. This was a time when you still could drive up and down the strip at two oÆclock in the afternoon at 55 mph, and barely see three or four other cars. Click to Read Complete Article…

Las Vegas Is On Sale!
Get Great Rates At All Hotels:

4 Queens from $36, Bally’s from $69, Flamingo from $63, Gold Coast from $45, Planet H. from $89, Rio Suites from $60, Sahara from $41, Strat. from $48, Tropicana from $50, Tuscany from $42, All Vegas Hotels!

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Hi There Ted,We have just returned to U. K. after 14 days in Vegas. What a place, had a fantastic time saw some great shows, we got The Deuce and went up and down strip. everyone there are friendly helpful and they offer you a seat if your a bit of a an old codger [used to do that in UK once]á

Iálove magic and saw some great shows but the man to take top prize must go to Steve Wyrick and what a show he puts on amazing. I was very disappointed with Penn and Teller, just a couple of cheap tricks and the bullet trick which they have been doing for years.á

Even the free shows were great especially T.I. Pirate Show we are planning a return in September.Denny Brown

Ted Responds:

Always happy to hear great trip reports! We’ll be sending a writer to check out Steve Wyrick soon. I saw him years ago at The Sahara and had a lot of fun.

Sirens Of TI Pirate Show

If you want to relive a few memories, check out our Sirens of T.I. Pirate Show photo gallery!

Hi Ted,Just wanted to say i love your newsletter! i went to Las Vegas two years ago with two of the girls from work, and am returning this fall with my youngest daughter who is 35.When can we find out if Elton John will have dates the end of October? We arrive on the 28th and leave for home November 1. Thanks and keep up the good work.Marsha
Auburn Hills,MI,

Ted Responds:

We always post concert and event dates when we get them and we add new concert dates every week. Just scroll down the right side of the newsletter every issue to see what is playing.

Also, don’t forget to tell friends and family that enjoy Las Vegas to go to AccessVegas.com and subscribe. We rely on word-of-mouth, and the more subscribers we have the better we can continue to providing the kind of info we do!

My husband and I just returned from our yearly vacation to Vegas. We always stay downtown at the 4 Queens, this may not be for the upper class folks but let me tell you, they have been good to us. Service is good, staff is friendly and the video poker there is our favorite.áWe both hit a royal flush while we were there. The strip is nice to see but there’s nothing like “Ole Vegas” I have been going there since 1977 and look forward to it every year as much as I did the first trip. Keep up the good work, I look forward to your newsletter!!! Thanks so much Jeanette from NYTed Responds:

Thanks for the great note and congratulations on the royal flush! I still love downtown, and the Four Queens has undergone some great renovations. For all of the doom-and-gloom predictions about the future of Las Vegas tourism, the reality is that things are really picking up downtown. News Editor Mark Jacobs had his parents in town last week, and everyone couldn’t believe how busy downtown was on a Wednesday night.

Because times are tight for many in the United States, visitors are rediscovering the value offered downtown. Plus, it is a little easier on the feet. For those who have never been downtown, imagine four main blocks (plus a number of side blocks) with casinos, restaurants, and bars side-by-side-by-side.

Even though your trip is done, certainly feel free to stay subscribed. Many do just to glance through and keep up on what’s happening here.

Three or four years ago I enjoyed seeing Rick Thomas the Magician at the Tropicana. Then the next year I saw him at the Stardust. Last year I again was able to see him at The Orleans. This year (In February) I was unable to find any performances by Rich Thomas.áDo you know if he will ever be back in Las Vegas again (or was he there in February and I couldn’t find his performances)? I really enjoyed his act and his performances were very reasonable compared to other more famous magicians. Thank you. Mike HeadyTed Responds:

No clue. His siteáwww.rickthomas.com has nothing new on it. We enjoyed his show also. As usual, we’ll publish info right away if he gets a new show here.

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Memorial Day May 24-26 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 15
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Yom Kippur October 9
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
Hotel Rates Published Accurate At Time Of Publication

May 21, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 14, 2008

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! A little muggy and smoky this week as western wildfires from far away send a little smoke our way and we continue to flirt with the 100 degree mark. No need to bring a coat or a sweater between now and sometime in September. The nights aren’t dipping below the mid-60’s F.

There has been some confusion over where and when Donny and Marie are playing here in Las Vegas. Prior to their agreement to play a prolonged run at The Flamingo, the brother/sister duo had a week of shows planned at the MGM.

Here are the actual dates for each with ticket links:

The Las Vegas is in a recession story has been parroted by journalist after journalist and is getting old. What is happening in Las Vegas tourism is not at all out of step with the ups and downs of past decades. Hotels are running at 95% occupancy. (Drive down The Strip on a Saturday night and tell me how much elbow room you have).

For those interested in my detailed analysis, I did a significant blog post about this at Las Vegas Is Not In A Recession… Puhleeeze

A rainbow over Las Vegas! Clouds are rare here and rainbows even more rare. Last month, we were out running errands and happened to see some of the following sites while over near McCarran (Las Vegas) airport:

Las Vegas Rainbow

Many will recognize this scene, taken as you are on Tropicana just before you make the right turn to Paradise Rd. headed to the airport for that trip home. Click on either photo to see a few more great photos of the rainbow, rich hued clouds, and airplanes.

Airplane taking off from Las Vegas

This photo is very important to us here at AccessVegas.com. Almost daily, we peer up and watch planes overhead bringing you to and from Las Vegas.

Sure, we like airplanes. But it goes well beyond that. There very well could be you (our readers) on each flight and the rigors of flying are not lost on us. Our United States readers are paying top dollar to fly in a sub-par airline market to come visit here.

Our international visitors have the luxury of using the worthless dollar to help deflect the cost of the trip. However, many of you are flying 12-16 hours to get here and that commitment to come visit isn’t lost on us either.

Next time you are on approach into Las Vegas… feeling that giddy excitement of the fun to come… we just may be watching from the ground. Content and happy with the part we play to enhance your trip here.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Featured Review:
American Superstars – The Biggest Stars Live

By Guy Chapman

Elvis Presley. áTim McGraw. áRod Stewart. áChristina Aguilera. áMichael Jackson. áThese five names are considered to be some of the most popular and well-known acts in the music industry.á

Each artist on their own is able to command a sizable ticket price when going to see them in concert, but on the Las Vegas Strip, there’s a way to see all five of these acts in one show… or close enough to provide an entertaining spectacle of lights, dance and song. áWith the “American Superstars” show at the Stratosphere, this production showcases an entertaining group of tribute artists that provides a concert that wouldn’t happen anywhere else.

Click to Read Entire American Superstars Las Vegas Review…

Featured Review:
The World According Ronn Lucas

By DW Grant

In Ronn Lucas’s world anything can argue with you; dragons, microphones, socks, feet, bare hands, and even some audience members. The 90 minute show, on stage almost everyday at 1 PM at the Thunder Room at the Excalibur Hotel is a fun world for both children and adults.

But the afternoon really belongs to his collection of partners, some he brings out of a trunk and some he brings up from the audience. Buffalo Billy flirts with the ladies in the front seats and duets “Row Your Boat” with Ronn, even though Ronn tries to warn him a ventriloquist can not duet with his dummy. Amazingly they do it anyway, and we can┤t help but love it.

For children Ronn offers “Scorch,” the teenage dragon, trashing-talking his master and singing songs like “Teenager in Love” and rapping other teen faves.

Click to Read Entire Ronn Lucas Las Vegas Review…

Donny & Marie To Debut At Flamingo Las Vegas – Flamingo Las Vegas announces Donny and Marie Osmond as the resort’s newest headliner in the Flamingo Showroom. Tickets Beginning Sept. 9, the duo will dazzle audiences of all ages with their iconic style of entertainment. Presented by Danny Gans and Chip Lightman of GansLight Entertainment, the 90-minute extravaganza will highlight Donny & Marie’s greatest hits in a multimedia spectacle presented on a custom designed stage with multiple video screens and a large cast of dancers. Click to Read The Full Story …

Journey, Heart And Cheap Trick Together At Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, July 18 – Three legendary rock bands are teaming up for what is sure to be the tour of the summer. JOURNEY, Heart and Cheap Trick are heading out on the concert trail and will stop at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Friday, July 18. Tickets The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Click to Read The Full Story …

Valentina Comes From Russia With Love For ‘Crazy Girls’ – Valentina Smirnova’s nickname is “Valusha” and hails from the Baltic Sea. “Valusha” moved to Las Vegas via San Francisco as a performer in “Crazy Girls” (Tickets) at the Riviera. She has been performing in “Las Vegas’ Sexiest Topless Revue” for a year-and-a-half now. The 5′ 8″ tall dark-haired beauty is a native of Kaliningrad, Russia where her parents still live. She models and does commercials. She said, “I bought my first car after winning $5,000 in the 2003 Miss Russia California Pageant. My first love is to dance but I also like to travel, socialize, sing and I enjoy all four seasons of the year. I love change, adventure, enthusiasm, interacting in large groups as opposed to one-on-one situations and I am a chameleon who can transform my appearance and nature to suit the environment.” Click to Read The Full Story …

Spirits/Cigar Lounge In Andre’s At The Monte Carlo – With a collection of over two hundred cognacs, armagnacs and calvados plus another forty ports available, you are guaranteed a unique experience at Andre’s Spirits and Cigar Lounge. We have products that are not widely available and so rare that they’re exclusive outside of a private collection. An example is our vintage cognac tasting; this consists of the Hardy Reserve Vintage 1848, Lheraud Vintage 1900, and Hardy Reserve Vintage 1914. Click to Read The Full Story …

Hog Wild For Kids Charity Event To Take Place May 18th -áStrap on your leather chaps, Hogs & Heifers Saloon is hitting the roads with Hog Wild for Kids, a charity motorcycle ride and event to be held Sunday, May 18, 2008. With all proceeds benefiting Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation’s (NVCCF) Camp Cartwheel, Hog Wild for Kids charity motorcycle ride will be revving up their engines as participants cruise the scenic back roads through Red Rock and out to The Mountain Springs Saloon for a rest stop and group photo before ending back to Hogs & Heifers Saloon in downtown Las Vegas (201 North 3rd Street). Click to Read The Full Story …

Randy Owen & Sugarland To Perform At The Fremont Street Experience During The Week Vegas Goes Country For The 43rd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards – The Academy of Country Music (ACM) is announcing that on May 16 Randy Owen and on May 17 Sugarland will perform at Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is the title sponsor of the two-day party featuring free, open-to-the-public musical performances and boot-stompin’ fun. Click to Read The Full Story …

‘Legends In Concert’ Celebrates Silver Anniversary – Longest-Running Independently Owned Production Show On The Strip – On May 5, 1983, tribute artists Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, Marilyn Monroe, Bobby Darin and Elvis performed on the stage at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino, and “Legends in Concert” was born. (Tickets) More than 15,000 performances later, impersonators Jay Leno, Dolly Parton, Madonna, the Temptations and Elvis will take to the stage on Monday, May 5, as “Legends” reaches a significant milestone achieved by few entertainment shows anywhere: 25 years of providing family-oriented, value-priced live musical entertainment, two shows per night, six nights per week. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: The Lady M – Part Two – with Victor H. Royer. “See those machines?” he asked, pointing to the three new machines that were brought over. I nodded. “These are $500 machines,” he continued. “That’s $500 per token! And each machine takes three of them. That’s $1,500 per pull, on three machines at the same time. She bets $4,500 per pull. It takes about one minute for her to make these pulls. There are 60 minutes per hour, right? This means she puts in $270,000 per hour! Actually, given distractions, hand-pays, and so on, it averages to about $230,000 to $250,000 per hour. Every hour. And she plays for eight to twelve hours per session. That’s pretty good for one player.” Click to Read Complete Article…

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Mark’s family is in town from the Miami area this week and I’m pulling a little double-duty so we can free him up for some needed time off. This Members Mania section (where we print reader comments and questions with my answers) will return next week

A quick non-Vegas tip for this week: If you enjoy visiting Florida’s Emerald Coast (Destin, Pensacola, and Panama City Beach), our good friend Harley Van Hyning has a twice-monthly newsletter for that area very similar to this one! He’s an area native and shares all the inside tips, plus links to their local news stories (of interest to visitors) and area photos.

If you love to visit that area (as I do), subscribing is a must. There is no charge and we’ll make it easy: Simply visit DestinFloridaPodcast.com and use the sign-up box on the right sidebar. (Hint: the podcast newsletter is the ásame one with all the features noted above).

Happy Reading!

We love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Here’s how to participate:

  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
  • Drop us an email at allvegastv@aol.com – We read them all!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Victoria Day, Canada May 17-19 (3 day weekend)
  • Memorial Day May 24-26 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 15
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Yom Kippur October 9
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

May 14, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

á

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 7, 2008

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AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! Back after a scheduled week off. Weather is a perfect 85/65 F. No better time to enjoy walking The Strip and Downtown or get a round of golf in.

Jersey Boys opened with a bang at Palazzo. The night was extra special: Jersey Boys is the award-winning musical that tells the story of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons and Frankie Valli was in attendance celebrating his 74’th birthday!

Valli was joined by the remaining original Four Seasons – legendary songwriter & producer Bob Gaudio and Las Vegas resident Tommy DeVito. Wayne Brady, John Cleese, Nigel Lythgoe, John O’Hurley, Sex & the City’s Willie Garson, Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie, Comedienne Rita Rudner and Palazzo owner Sheldon Adelson were also on hand.

Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and is the story of how a group of blue-collar guys became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide. Many of the biggest hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” “Oh, What a Night,” are performed.

Jimmy Buffett heads back to Las Vegas for his two annual shows on October 18 & 25 as part of Jimmy Buffett’s “The Year Of Still Here” Tour 2008. Parrotheads fly in from around the world for one (or both) of these shows and the Las Vegas Strip turns into a Parrothead Paradise.

A few issues ago, a reader asked about good Chinese food and we received a number of replies:

  • Adrienne & Bill Sheneman wrote: My choice for excellent Chinese Cuisine is Ping Pang Pong at the Gold Coast. Real Chinese Food prepared and served properly. A large percentage of their clientele is Asian so they must be doing things the way Mom used to.
  • Julie wrote: A great but expensive Chinese restaurant is Pearl at MGM Grand. Their Almond Crusted Lemon Chicken is fabulous.
  • Gail Hubbard wrote: I enjoy dining at Ming’s Table located in Harrah’s. It has a great variety of dishes and is reasonably priced. The service is excellent. The dining area is rather small, but I find that seating is easy to get in “off hours”.

One of the most frequent questions we get is about seeing jazz here in Las Vegas. All events are complimentary (no admission charge):

American’s Got Talent is auditioning this coming Sunday May 11 at the Planet Hollywood Performing Arts Theatre. Auditions will be taped for future use on the show. Tapings are open to the public and take place at 10 AM and 3 PM. Producers have been quoted as saying that anyone arriving an hour before taping should be able to get in. Makes sense as the auditorium holds about 7000 people.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Featured Review:
Fab Four Mania Replicates Every Beatles Note Live

by Terri Feld

“Help! I need somebody…” to tell me, is it real or is it lip-synching?! “Beatlemania” redux in this incredible live performance that replicates every note in the original key. Playing nightly (Mon-Sat. 7:00pm) in the Sahara Showroom, David Saxe’s current Las Vegas production, “Fab Four Mania”, does, however, distinguish itself from the late 70’s Broadway hit “Beatlemania”.

Entering the showroom off the Party Pit Blackjack lounge which boasts lava lamps, tie-dye t-shirted dealers and a Beatles soundtrack (all in full swing when the show lets out at 8:15PM), show-goers immediately get the vibe, taking a photo-op in front of the groovy, painted VW mini-bus located at the theater entrance. Beatles trivia questions displayed on large monitors stage right and left amuse and occasionally stump audience members already seated, awaiting the show’s start.

Click to Read Entire Fab Four Mania Las Vegas Review…

Featured Review:
Mega Bubble – An Ethereal And Magical Quality Like Nothing Else

(Editors Note: The name of this show just recently changed to Gazillion Bubble Show. It is the same show).

by Devon Brooke Clasen

Finding even a modicum of innocence in “Sin City” is a challenging feat to be sure, but a world of innocence, wonder and enchantment awaits visitors to the Mega Bubble Show, playing in the Steve Wyrick Theatre in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile shops from Thursday through Sunday at 3 p.m., with an additional 11 a.m. show on Saturday and 1 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday.

Innocuous enough, bubbles enraptured us all as wee little ones, with an ethereal and magical quality like nothing else found in nature. Eventually the novelty wears off and as we grow up, bubbles receive nary a thought… The Mega Bubble Show reintroduces us to the beguiling fascination of the bubble, which we recognized and appreciated as children and perhaps need the occasional reminder of as adults.

Click to Read Entire Mega Bubble Las Vegas Review…

Tao Las Vegas Adds More Sizzle To The Strip With The Return Of Tao Beach – “Good Fridays” And “Sunset Sessions” Set To Launch – TAO Beach, the latest addition to the hugely successful TAO Las Vegas venue at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, opens for their second season Saturday, April 12. VIP Entry and Table/Bottle Reservations TAO Beach guests can experience a new level of luxury seven days a week when lounging poolside in one of seven luxury cabanas that feature such amenities as air conditioning, high definition plasma screen televisions with X-box gaming consoles, a DVD library, WiFi service and customized mini bars. Other amenities include sunglass cleaning and a staff of masseuses. Click to Read The Full Story …

Manny Pacquiao And David Diaz Ready To Explode In “Lethal Combination” For WBC Lightweight Title – When two explosive world champions at the top of their game mix it up for the world title, it’s a “Lethal Combination.” Newly crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao and WBC lightweight champion David Diaz will battle in a 12-round rumble with Diaz’s title at stake. (Tickets) Promoted by Top Rank in association with MP Promotions, Pacquiao vs. Diaz will take place Saturday, June 28 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST. Click to Read The Full Story …

BRIO Tuscan Grille shares recipes from their Bellini Brunch menu to make this Mother’s Day at home special for any mom. The delectable brunch menu featuring French Toast With Berries, Cinnamon Apple Pancakes, Eggs Benedictano and Grilled Salmon & Sweet Potato Hash is served from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Create a delicious breakfast in bed with these mouth watering recipes from BRIO Tuscan Grille.

French Toast With Berries

  • Dip 2 slices of brioche in 4 oz. french toast batter and allow excess to drip off
  • Heat 1 oz. oil in a saute pan
  • Add bread to pan and sautÚ until golden brown on both sides
  • Place french toast on plate and top with 3 oz. mix of seasonal berries
  • Drizzle with mascarpone cream cheese and sprinkle with powered sugar
  • Serve with 2 oz. of warm syrup

BRIO is located in Town Square Las Vegas, on The Strip two miles south of Mandalay Bay.

Poison To Perform At The Pearl August 22 With Special Guests Dokken And Sebastian Bach – The “Live, Raw & Uncut Summer Tour 2008” stops in Las Vegas at The Palms Casino Resort. In the ’80s Poison found themselves in a category of popularity occupied by such acts as Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. Some of their top hits include “Fallen Angel,” “Nothin’ But a Good Time” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” Poison brings their rock ‘n roll, metal sound to The Pearl at the Palms with special guests Dokken and Sebastian Bach on Friday, August 22, 2008, at 8 p.m. for the Live, Raw & Uncut Summer Tour 2008.(Tickets) Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: The Lady M – with Victor H. Royer. It was a cold January day, the week after the New Year’s crush of tourists. Among the real gamblers and high rollers, the early weeks in January are often the times when they like to come and play. For any type of gaming, other than live poker, coming to a casino after all the crowds have left is better, and often more profitable. High-stakes players like to be the center of attention, but at the same time most of them dislike being bothered by the gawkers and onlookers. Click to Read Complete Article…

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I am coming to Las Vegas the end of March. What are the streets that go to downtown(not on the freeway). Last time I was there the driver turned west on Tropicana to I 15 and then to downtown. Seemed a long way out of the way than what I had done before with other cabs.

I would like to tell them where to go and not the long way IF they will listen to me. I did tell the other driver that I did not want to go the tunnel and he seemed upset so when we got to Tropicana and he turned to the west, I did not have the nerve to tell him otherwise as he said he always took the tunnel. Need a good map for me to give to them! Otherwise the tip will be minimal.

Thanks for all the good things in ACCESSVEGAS.com.

Jane

You referred to this in a reply in the last newsletter. Can you please tell me more about long hauling? I was just in Vegas last week, and it seemed that the cab ride cost a whole lot more than the last time I visited. We were going to the Mirage, and the cabbie took the freeway, something that had never happened before, and it didn’t seem right. Did we get long hauled, and how do we avoid that in the future?
Thanks!

Cathy

á

Ted Responds:

I-15 runs parallel to The Strip all the way to downtown. It is a couple of miles longer, but usually quicker. Many in a rental car my prefer to scoot over to Paradise (east of The Strip) and head north. Paradise basically ends at The Stratosphere where you can get back on Las Vegas Blvd. (The Strip) for the rest of the trip downtown.

The tunnel only applies if you are going to or from the airport. It is not in the vicinity of The Strip. Unless a cab driver specifically asks your permission, a trip from the airport to any Strip hotel should not involve the freeway. If the cabbie is aware of a serious and unusual traffic issue that makes the tunnel option more attractive, your driver should specifically note such.

We have a map section in beta at http://maps.accessvegas.com. The maps are working and ready to go. We still have to put some touches on the design.

I am planning to visit Vegas in Dec for about a week. I understand there is a period (I am not sure whether the week before Christmas or the week after Christmas) where many shows have a dark period.I would be grateful if you would let me know whether it is better to visit during the week before or after Christmas. Many thanks.By the way I love your newsletter. Keep up the good work.

Regards,

Denis Wan

á

Ted Responds:

Both, although some shows start to get back going after Christmas. The week before Christmas is the slowest week of the year, usually with the lowest room rates.

Thanks for reading and please tell all your friends. We depend on word-of-mouth to grow readership. More readers, the more we can do for our readers!

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Mother’s Day May 11
  • Victoria Day, Canada May 17-19 (3 day weekend)
  • Memorial Day May 24-26 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 15
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Yom Kippur October 9
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26
  • Lincoln’s Birthday, U.S February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day, U.S (Observed) February 14-16 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday, U.S February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday April 12

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

May 7, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – February 6, 2008

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! Super Bowl Sunday brought some miserable weather with high winds and rain. Fortunately, just about everyone was inside watching one of the most exciting NFL championship games in some time! I had no rooting interest in either team, and am kicking myself for breaking a long tradition I have of betting on the Super Bowl: If I’m ambivalent about both teams, I’ll toss a few bucks on the underdog to win outright. If they win, the bet will generally pay 2 or 3 times my original wager (depending on how much of an underdog the team is). New England looked so strong this year, I skipped making an underdog bet on The Giants. Big Mistake! Moral of the story? Get your bets in, especially when it is just a few bucks for fun!

Prior to the game, huge hoopla surrounded the notion that betting on the game here in Nevada would top $100,000,000. In reality, the “handle” on the game was $92,000,000 and not even a record. Many conjecture that this number keeps from growing despite growth in tourism here because the sports books are more hesitant to take larger wagers (in the tens, and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars) which may hurt them. As it is, the books lost $2,600,000 on the upset as people were betting the underdog.

Bonus Super Bowl Trivia Questions – We have some fun stuff collecting dust in the prize closet, and we are cleaning it out to make way for some very cool new contests and giveaways (as soon as we get our slick new contest software up and running). You need to answer all of the the following questions:

  • What famous (infamous) casino owner put a million dollar bet on the Super Bowl at a small, dive casino on The Strip?
  • What was the name of that casino?
  • What sits now where that casino used to be?

We’ll have a random drawing from correct answers. Send your answers to our special email radiovegas@aol.com. The winner will receive the following prize package:

The Prize Package: The book Las Vegas: The Fabulous First Century, the CD Doc Gibbs: Serving It Up Hot (Doc was Emerl Lagasse’s longtime band leader), the 2006 Zagat Survey for Las Vegas, the 2006 Guide To Las Vegas, and a Good Fellas Las Vegas Bail Bonds t-shirt (877-384-JAIL). Hey… I wasn’t kidding when I said we were cleaning out the prize closet!


Click Above Photo To View Complete Photo Set

Finally, congratulations to Mamma Mia! on the fifth anniversary of this amazing show playing Mandalay Bay. Five years is a lifetime in Las Vegas, and the success of this show is no fluke. I’ve talked to so many people, young and old, male and female, from all over the world who have seen this show and had nothing but great things to say about us!

Mamma Mia! is one of our fine advertisers. We only accept advertising from entities that we believe in… some of the top hotel providers, shows, and activities in Las Vegas. We thank them for helping keep this newsletter free. Check out their advertisements on the sidebar to the right and enjoy one (or more) of these top shows on your next visit.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Feature Story:
Bellagio Gardens Chinese New Year Display


Click Above Photo To View Complete Photo Set

Striking New Display Incorporates Ancient Art of Feng Shui to Welcome Year of the Rat — Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is celebrating the 2008 Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rat, with a unique display filled with hidden meaning. The Conservatory’s design is guided by the ancient practice of Feng Shui– the art of using surroundings to attract harmony, balance and positive life energy. The dramatic centerpiece of this exhibit will be found perched atop an oversized, flowering branch. Here, a botanical, 5-foot-tall rodent will watch guests with an inquisitive eye. The auspicious rat’s lush coat will be made of red Alternanthera, a low-growing herb, with a touch of pink Hypoestes, a tropical plant. His long curling tail and delicate whiskers will be made of metal.

Legend has it that Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came. The rat is revered for its place as first in the Asian zodiac and is a symbol of renewal. Those born in the Year of the Rat tend to be intelligent, charming and practical. Just steps away from Bellagio’s delightful rodent ambassador, an 18-foot-tall Chinese God of Wealth and Fortune will be found amidst gleaming I-Ching coins, a traditional Chinese money symbol. Widely recognized as the strongest symbol of good fortune in China, the God of Wealth and Fortune will be flanked by two Ming Dynasty-styled dings, ancestral vessels that protect against bad luck.

Nearby, visitors will find a zigzag bridge leading to a beautiful, wing-tipped gazebo painted a deep red lacquer with shimmering gold trim and green-tiled roofs. The color red signifies happiness while the upturned roofline will ward off evil spirits and the sharp pattern of the bridge will protect against negative energy and bad spirits. A majestic mountain, seen as a pillar between heaven and earth, will serve as a dramatic backdrop. The teachings of Feng Shui also will be used to purposely position the flow of water into Bellagio’s Conservatory, and not away, ensuring the flow of positive energy. From a tranquil Koi pond to a shimmering waterfall, water will denote the larger world we live in while carp will signify good luck and everlasting good fortune. Visitors are invited to celebrate Chinese New Year in Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens through March 15, 2008. (Article courtesy of MGM Mirage)

Chinese New Year Conservatory Facts:

  • 5-foot-tall rat comprised of red Alternanthera and pink Hypoestes
  • 18-foot-tall God of Wealth and Fortune
  • I-Ching coins are traditional money symbol
  • Zigzag bridges, color red, water and Koi protect against evil, ensure positivity

Related Links:

Sushi Roku Gives Guests A Smooch With Its Valentine’s Day Cocktail Dragon Kiss – Sushi Roku offers a fiery liquid concoction, Dragon Kiss, for a hot and blazing Valentine’s Day. Sushi Roku’s Dragon Kiss cocktail is a delightful blend created to make lovers melt and set hearts on fire. This libation is assembled with 8 mint leaves, 1 whole lime, ¢ ounce of White Tea Fusion, 1¢ ounces of Disaronno and 1¢ ounces of lemon sour. Click to Read The Full Story …

Celebrate The Chinese New Year At Gold Coast – Gold Coast Hotel and Casino will celebrate the Chinese New Year on February 12 with one of the largest traditional Chinese Dragon Dances in Las Vegas. At 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. a traditional Chinese lion and a 62-foot Chinese dragon will dance through the casino to bring good luck to all in attendance. It is believed that the lion will chase away evil spirits and bring good luck and prosperity. The dragon represents wisdom and a long life. Kung fu practitioners from the Lohan School of Shaolin will perform the dances.

Gambling Talk: Video Keno – Part Four – with Victor H. Royer. Cleopatra Keno – The base game is Video Keno, simple, as I have described it earlier. The difference lies in the last ball drawn (the last number, displayed on a ball which you can see being drawn from a device that looks like the Lounge Keno “blower” or “tumbler”). If this last number matches your selected numbers, and if this makes it into a winner for you, in addition to the wins you get for this hit you will now also receive 12 free games. During these free games any wins you get are doubled, so you win twice the amount you would have normally won, and for free. Click to Read Complete Article…

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day February 16-18 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday March 23
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 11
  • Victoria Day, Canada May 17-19 (3 day weekend)
  • Memorial Day May 24-26 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 15
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Yom Kippur October 9
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, U.S (Observed) January 19-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year January 26

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

February 6, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – January 16, 2008

Posted on by

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

Welcome to the Insider Vibe! This is the official newsletter of AccessVegas.Com. We talk about the Las Vegas activities you really care about.

Book Online or over the phone! Call 800-696-5721 to book all Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Nightlife, Tours and Golf. We live here. We know Las Vegas!

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Hello From Las Vegas! Happy to be back this week. My how time flies when you don’t know what you are doing. Got a sneak peek at…

Palazzo, Palazzo, Palazzo, Palazzo! – The new monster hotel next to Wynn Las Vegas has been open for about a week and celebrates its grand opening this weekend. Palazzo is somewhat interesting as the property has an understated elegance that sinks in and becomes deeper as you spend time inside the property.

We’ll let others tell you about it. Instead, we’ll show you Palazzo with our exclusive pictures taken just days ago!


Send this photo as an ecard to a friend (click photo)
and let a friend know their seat in Vegas is waiting!

We are going the extra mile for you, trying something new: In addition to our usual photo gallery presentation, we have combined selected photos into a new screensaver. Plus… something we’ve never done before: We’re making the entire photo set available full-sized as a zip file download. Once again, no charge to our readers! Our photos cover the outside, inside, gardens, fountains and casino interior. Here you go:

Right-click to download screensaver or zip file. Detailed instructions for screensaver and zip files, plus usage limitations at bottom of this issue. No registration needed, contains no shareware or viruses.

Nevada Caucuses are a joke – We don’t often get political here (skip this section of politics bores you), and I need to make it very clear that I am writing this prior to the Nevada political caucuses. As I write, I have no clue about the outcome so please don’t read support of any particular candidate into anything I note. If I could predict the future, I’d be making millions a year betting sports!

For those of you that follow politics, don’t put much (if any) stock in the outcome of the Nevada caucuses. Turnout won’t be representative of the voting population here in any way, shape, or form. Here’s why:

Nevada has a large tourism-oriented workforce. What are the busiest days and shifts for this workforce? Friday and Saturday swing shift. When is the caucus scheduled? On a Saturday morning at 9 AM. Which means… a significant portion of the population would have to literally attend in what is the middle of their night (sleep time).

Then, you have people who work traditional hours Monday through Friday who just aren’t going to get up at the crack of dawn on Saturday. Add to that a pretty sizable number of devout Jews who don’t conduct business on Saturday. Bottom Line: Whoever chose 9 AM on a Saturday morning for this event was off their rocker.

Side Note: To accommodate the varied workforce here (plus the number of people who travel), Nevada has both early voting and easy-to-request absentee ballots in other elections. This presidential primary should have been handled the same way here.

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

Associate Editor: Amy Rayner-Cooley
News Researcher/Editor: Mark Jacobs

Bon Jovi And The Lost Highway World Tour Will Rock MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, April 12, 2008 – Concert To Feature Special Guest Daughtry – Bon Jovi’s “Lost Highway World Tour” will make its way to the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, April 12, 2008 along with special guest Daughtry. (Tickets) The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Bon Jovi has established itself as one of the world’s most successful live rock acts by delivering their fans dynamic performances and the best tour production imaginable. Click to Read The Full Story …

Wildest Irish Pub On Earth Comes To The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino In Las Vegas – McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon, the “Wildest Irish Pub on Earth,” has crossed the great Mississippi River to land in the wildest city on Earth, Las Vegas. Throwing open its doors today, McFadden’s 7,000-square-foot-plus tavern at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will be Sin City’s newest pub-hub for crowds seeking out an unpretentious party bar where both men and women can roll up their sleeves and have a great time. Click to Read The Full Story …

The Longest Running Full Broadway Show Ever To Play The Las Vegas Strip Extends Stay At Mandalay Bay To January 4, 2009 – 5th Anniversary Celebrated On February 13, 2008 – MAMMA MIA!, the global smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, will extend a record-breaking run at the Mandalay Bay Theatre through the end of 2008. (Tickets) 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. Click to Read The Full Story …

New Lobby Aquarium Features Sea Creatures From Around The World – After a two-month transformation, The Mirage’s famed lobby aquarium û already one of the most elaborate and technically advanced in the world û now offers visitors a new sensory escape. The addition of hundreds of new sea creatures to the exhibit provides a rare glimpse into the aquatic wonders of our planet. Nearly 1,000 marine life forms now comprise a thriving undersea community within the 20,000 gallon display. Click to Read The Full Story …

Orleans Arena Hosts The 2008 AVP Hot Winter Nights Volleyball Tour – The Orleans Arena will transform into a sandy beach this winter when it hosts the final stop of the first-ever AVP Hot Winter Nights indoor volleyball tour. More than 200 tons of sand will be brought in for the three-hour competition and “winter beach party.” The most popular and talented professional volleyball players including Kerri Walsh, Jake Gibb, Elaine Youngs and Stein Metzger will compete as teams of two in a round robin play format. Click to Read The Full Story …

Gambling Talk: Video Keno – Part Two – with Victor H. Royer. Similarly to Big Board Keno, Video Keno has been equally misunderstood. Although this machine is often among the best paying slots on the casino floor, many casual players have so far avoided this game because they think it’s too intimidating, or perhaps because no one has ever explained what a really great, fun, and profitable game this can truly be. With new advances in computer technology, many new variations on Keno games are now possible. Click to Read Complete Article…

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Reader Submitted Photos:

Enjoy the newsletter. We will be in Las Vegas in January when it gets cold enough to wear heavy jackets and coats and that brings up the problem: I don’t recall any cloak rooms in the casinos. Do we have to wear our jackets etc. or am I wrong about cloak rooms?

Thanks,

I. Rudyard Stone

No question it is coat weather for the next couple of months still. You know… in almost 15 years of living here, I’ve never thought about that! If I’m headed to a specific show, restaurant, or club I just leave it in the car and deal with the cold for a couple of minutes until I’m inside. If I’m casino-hopping in the cold, I hang it on the back of my chair (making sure nothing valuable is in the pockets).

Readers, have you seen a coat check area in a casino, restaurant, or club here? What was your experience? Drop us a note at allvegastv@aol.com

You and your staff do a great job on keeping everyone informed of all the Vegas happenings. I will be making a trip next year to celebrate a milestone birthday. Will be staying a week, and we can’t wait. Girls only trip! The planning is in the works and we always check your newsletters for the latest information. Any suggestions for ladies turning the big 50?

Any truth that Harrah’s is being sold? Do most hotels in Vegas charge you a daily deposit on top of your hotel price?

Terri Culver

Have fun and act like you are turning 30 (within reason… don’t kill yourself). Many ladies (and quite a few men) like to have a spa treatment. My hint for that: Services and prices will vary greatly so stop in check out the spas (and prices) of various hotels. (Unfortunately, we don’t have spa listings yet, but are working on it). Since it is a girls-only trip, go to a show (whether a male revue or a “Broadway” style show) that the men might otherwise not find so interesting. Watch our concert listings in the newsletter and go see a concert of interest to you if one happens during your visit.

Harrah’s corporation may be in transition to a private equity firm if everything works out. Many hotels charge various extra fees that are mandatory (usually a few dollars a night). Hotels do often place a hold on your credit card that is released upon your departure.

More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

Coming Hot Holidays – The following dates are huge times to be in Las Vegas, and rooms are in high demand. Booking in advance is the best way to save. Visit our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 18-21 (3 day weekend)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year February 7
  • Lincoln’s Birthday February 12
  • Valentine’s Day February 14
  • President’s Day February 16-18 (3 day weekend)
  • Washington’s Birthday February 22
  • St. Patrick’s Day March 17
  • Easter Sunday March 23
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 11
  • Victoria Day, Canada May 17-19 (3 day weekend)
  • Memorial Day May 24-26 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 15
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4-6 (3 day weekend)
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 2-4 (3 day weekend)
  • Labor Day, U.S August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Labour Day, Canada August 30-September 1 (3 day weekend)
  • Grandparent’s Day September 7
  • Jewish New Year September 30
  • Yom Kippur October 9
  • Columbus Day October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Thanksgiving Day, Canada October 11-13 (3 day weekend)
  • Halloween October 31
  • Veteran’s Day November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day November 27-30 (4 day weekend)
  • Hanukkah Dec. 22 – Dec. 29
  • Christmas December 25
  • New Year’s Eve-Day December 31 – January 1

Link To Us! – Have a home page, web page, or blog? Link to us, and give yourself and your friends a quick link to find us from your site. Simply link to http://www.accessvegas.com and name the link Access Vegas!

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
http://www.accessvegas.com/xml/whats-hot.xml

Share the info: Click to Email this newsletter to a friend!

Instructions for Palazzo Screensaver, Palazzo Zip File, Usage Permissions

Instructions for Screensaver: Right click and download to your computer using the “Save As” selection. Remember what folder (on your computer) you saved it to. Go to that folder, and double click on the screensaver install icon. Follow the brief install messages and your new screensaver will be these incredible photos!

Instructions for Zip file. Download the same way you would the screensaver, but simply double click on the zip file (Windows XP and Vista) to open up the photo folder. Then, copy/paste (or drag) all the photos to another computer folder. This will “unzip” them back to normal.

Important Note: We create our screensavers “in house” here. No spam, no viruses, no registration, no nothing. Just the screensaver. Plus, if you tire of the screensaver you can go to the Add/Remove Programs area of your computer (where you would go to remove any other programs) and you’ll find it listed. You can uninstall it just as you would other programs.

Photo rights and usage: All Palazzo photos are taken by AccessVegas.com and fully copyright 2008. You may freely use them online or in print, for private or commercial purposes under this condition: Photos may be resized but cannot be cropped. The AccessVegas.com text must remain on the photo.

For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

New to the list? See our Newsletter Archives for back issues and subscription info. Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates.

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

January 16, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Proud Member:
Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

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