Access Vegas Insider Vibe July 30, 2014

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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.

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AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows


Hot Hotel Happenings – Save Big Now!

Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $52/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!Caesars Palace Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $134/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!The Quad – Best Rate Guarantee – Rates low as $30 a night, Center Strip right at LINQ!

Special Offers at The Palms – Entertainment Packages and Resort Packages
Palms Casino Resort Stay 4 nights and get 25% off your stay. Stay More, Save More – Play, Dine & Dance a little moreàon us.
Save up to 15% Off at Harrahs Palace Las Vegas

Click To View ALL Las Vegas Hotel Deals

Print Too Small? (Deals – Large Print)


Latest Las Vegas Concerts Added This Week!

There is no better place to see your favorite acts then in Las Vegas! You’re relaxed, can enjoy a fine meal, have some cocktails without the worry of driving, and no alarm is going to jar you awake all too early the next morning.

August 2014
    • Carrot Top July 30-August 4 Click for Tickets
    • Josh Abbott Band & The Railers July 31 Click for Tickets
    • The Budos Band August 1 Click for Tickets
    • Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone August 1-3 Click for Tickets
    • David Copperfield August 1-Sept 8 Click for Tickets
    • Kix Brooks August 2 Click for Tickets
    • Deer Tick August 5 Click for Tickets
    • Kumukahi Ukelele & Hula Festival August 8-9 Click for Tickets
    • Los Tucanes de Tijuana August 9 Click for Tickets
    • Foxygen August 12 Click for Tickets
    • Lake Street Drive August 13 Click for Tickets
    • Carrot Top August 13-18 Click for Tickets
    • BoDeans August 22 Click for Tickets
    • Rickey Smiley August 22-23 Click for Tickets
    • Blackberry Smoke August 29 Click for Tickets
    • Bill Medley with McKenna Medley August 29-31 Click for Tickets
    • Charlie Wilson August 30 Click for Tickets
    • Bachman & Turner August 30 Click for Tickets
    • King of the Cage August 30 Click for Tickets
September 2014
    • Atmosphere September 3 Click for Tickets
    • Susie Essman September 5-6 Click for Tickets
    • Dr. Mehmet Oz September 6 Click for Tickets
    • Neil Sedaka September 6-7 Click for Tickets
    • Bob Saget September 13 Click for Tickets
    • Mr. Olympia Fitness & Performance September 19 Click for Tickets
    • REO Speedwagon September 19-20 Click for Tickets
    • David Copperfield Sept 23û30 Click for Tickets
    • Paula Poundstone September 26-27 Click for Tickets
October 2014
    • Disney Live MickeyÆs Music Festival October 3-5 Click for Tickets
    • Jimmy Buffett And The Coral Reefer Band October 18 Click for Tickets
    • Laura Pausini October 19 Click for Tickets
    • NBA Preseason: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings October 24 Click for Tickets
    • Jimmy Buffett And The Coral Reefer Band October 25 Click for Tickets
November – December 2014
  • Kiss November 5-23 Click for Tickets
  • Judas Priest & Steel Panther November 14 Click for Tickets
  • Alabama December 11-12 Click for Tickets

Click To View ALL Concerts, Headliners, And Events In Las Vegas

Top Tickets For All United States Events

Did you know that we not only sell premium concert and event tickets for Las Vegas, but also for the entire United States as well? If you can’t make it to Vegas, treat yourself to some great seats for something near you:

NFL Tickets Aerosmith Tickets
– Denver Broncos Tickets Beyonce + Jay Z Tickets
– Seattle Seahawks Tickets Billy Joel Tickets
– Chicago Bears Tickets Drake Tickets
– New Orleans Saints Tickets Enrique Iglesias + Pitbull
– Dallas Cowboys Tickets Garth Brooks Tickets
– Green Bay Packers Tickets Jason Aldean Tickets
– Arizona Cardinals Tickets Justin Timberlake Tickets
– Baltimore Ravens Tickets Katy Perry Tickets
– San Francisco 49ers Tickets Lollapalooza Tickets
Baseball Tickets Luke Bryan Tickets
– New York Yankees Tickets Motley Crue Tickets
– Los Angeles Angels Tickets One Direction Tickets
College Football Tickets Paul McCartney Tickets
US Open Tennis Tickets Kiss + Def Leppard Tickets

This Week’s Top Tours

Visit Grand Canyon, Mojave Desert, Black Mountains, Eagle Point, Hoover Dam photo op, more. Day tour from Vegas!
See the Grand Canyon, Route 66, Mojave Desert, and more direct from Las Vegas. The Full day tour is only $229 including snacks, lunch, and fees!
Stunning Valley Of Fire buggy tour: See the sights guides, then explore on your own! (Friends will be jealous).

Featured Tour Video From Las Vegas

You can book this amazing flight now and save $21! Neon Nights Air Tour

Click Here To See More Great Tours…

ALL tours listed on our AccessVegas.com tour page (link above) have been hand-selected. We only work with the top, most professional companies and operators who vow to give our readers a great experience! Because of this, we can not recommend nor vouch for tours not listed on here in the newsletter or on our tour page. Questions? Our tour page lists phone contacts where tour experts are available for live help!


Great Casino Destinations

Gaming expert Victor H. Royer is back with more tips on winning at the casino!


Las Vegas Shows, Concerts, And Headliners

Vanna White Attends MAMMA MIA! At The New Tropicana Las Vegas – Wheel of Fortune” hostess Vanna White attended the smash-hit musical MAMMA MIA! at The New Tropicana Las Vegas. Vanna went backstage to meet the cast and was greeted with a fun surprise by the company-they had created “Wheel of Fortune”-type letters spelled out as M-A-M-M-A-M-I-A (pictured in attached photo). Vanna and the cast had a fun time posing with the letters as she expressed her excitement for their performance.

PS Yes, we know that Mamma Mia! is unfortunately closing on August 3. You only have a couple more days left to check it out!

KISS Rocks Las Vegas November 5 – 23, 2014 – Rock æn’ roll legends KISS celebrate 40 years as music icons with their first-ever residency, KISS Rocks Vegas, at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas starting Wednesday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 23. Show time is 8 p.m.

ôWhat happens in Vegas will not stay in Vegas, not if we have anything to do with it. We intend to blow the roof off the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino,ö said Gene Simmons, founding member of KISS.

Shania Twain Announces Final Shows Of “Shania: Still The One” At The Colosseum At Caesars Palace – Not many performers have impacted Las Vegas quite like Shania Twain, including a ride down the famed Las Vegas Strip with a stampede of horses to bringing her legendary country-glamour to fans around the world, but today Shania announced the end of her two-year residency SHANIA: STILL THE ONE at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace with the final show set for Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014.

Shania will have performed close to 110 shows during the course of her two years at The Colosseum which began on Dec. 1, 2012. Shania was also recently named ôBest Resident Performerö in the Las Vegas WeeklyÆs annual ôBest of Vegas 2014? issue.

Book Absinthe Las Vegas Tickets Now

 

 

Book MAMMA MIA! Las Vegas Tickets Now

 

 

 

 

Book Jersey Boys Las Vegas Tickets Now


Las Vegas Sports And Stadiums

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Tours And Attractions

Siegfried And Roy Introduce Three White Lion Cubs To Their New Home At The Mirage – Three new white lion cubs, the latest additions to the Siegfried & Roy animal family, appeared for the first time in public on July 18, 2014 at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage.

The cubs – Freedom, Timba-Masai, and Madiba – are brothers and were born just over 12 weeks ago in Johannesburg, South Africa. They join more than 30 other endangered and majestic animals at the Secret Garden at The Mirage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Your Valley Of Fire Buggy Tour Today

 

Click Here To See More Great Tours…


Dining In Las Vegas

Showgoers Can Now Dine Like A Boss With The New Pre-Theater Menu At Buddy V’s Ristorante – Showgoers can now rejoice in a hearty Italian meal sure to keep their stomachs from growling all the way through curtain call with the new Pre-Theater nightly menu at Buddy V’s Ristorante inside Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian|Palazzo. The Pre Theater menu is available nightly from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. for $38 per person (not including tax and gratuity) and includes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Economy And Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Beers, Bars, And Cocktails

Out With The Old, In With The Classics: The All-New Lobby Bar Is Now Open At Caesars Palace – The newest addition to the Caesars Palace bar and lounge scene, Lobby Bar is a premiere cocktail destination. The former Galleria Bar, Lobby Bar features expansive lounge seating, enwrapping the front-desk reception area to the Palace Court Baccarat tables, and a highly curated beverage menu with classic concoctions and exclusive creations.

The extensive cocktail menu designed by The Modern Mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim, offers an eclectic selection of classic libations and contemporary specialties. Bringing with him more than 20 years of experience, Tony collaborated on the menu development as well as assisted with training bar staff, stressing both quality ingredients and proper technique. Developing eight specialty drinks on the menu, Tony was able to showcase his immaculate talent for mixology with the Just for Mary cocktail.

 

 

 


More Las Vegas News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – Monsoon season is upon us and we saw some pretty intense rain a few days ago, with flooding that nearly wiped out one of the villages up on Mt. Charleston. Now, I know the roof on my back patio leaks in a terrible deluge! (Knock on wood, the roof of my house is fine). Highs are right around statistical average (104 F / 40c), but the humidity is up. If you are coming the next few days, expect it to be a little more sticky. We do have a “cold snap” this weekend with Sunday only projected to be 89 F (32c) and thundery! But, that is the exception for the next couple of weeks.

No, You Are Not Imagining It – Room rates for Las Vegas are creeping up. In June, The Strip average was $123 and downtown was $72. And yes, I was myself surprised at that average for downtown myself. Did you know when the SLS (former Sahara) comes online toward the end of August, Las Vegas will top 150,000 rooms? What is more impressive is that weekend occupancy is nearly 95%. A little math means weekends have around 142,000 full rooms, which means around 300,000+ people in town!

Weekdays tend to have around 10,000 fewer occupied rooms. So, for those of you who want to avoid the weekend party crowd from California and have more elbow room and save a few bucks, hit us up here on the weeknights. Use your weekend at home to recover and get back into the swing of things!

Another tip which I like to remind everyone of from time-to-time is to avoid the three day weekends. Yes, at first it seems like a great situation because you use one less vacation day. But between the much higher room prices and extreme crowds, you are much better off visiting either the weekend before or after a major holiday weekend if you are sandwiching a weekend into a longer stay. The week before and after a major holiday are less crowded and less expensive here, completely making up for the extra vacation day you end up using!

McCarran Medical Clinic and Pharmacy – If you have the very unfortunate need of medical care or medicine while at the Las Vegas airport, a new a full-service pharmacy with licensed medical providers on staff has opened. Unfortunately, pharmacy and medical provider hours are only 9 AM to 6 PM, although the store is open until 9 PM selling TSA-approved sundries.

The Flame Goes Out – The much-loved steakhouse at the El Cortez is getting a makeover into a 24 hour restaurant, which will be called Siegel’s 1941. The name reflects the part- ownership in the property that Bugsy Siegel had in the 1940’s. On one hand, I’m sorry to see the change. I’d take dates there in the 1990’s because it was a great steakhouse (named Roberta’s at the time) while still very affordable as far as steakhouses go. Same with the old Center Stage at The Plaza. On the other hand, after years of Las Vegas cutting the hours of operation of their coffee shops (or getting rid of them altogether), it is nice to see a property bucking the trend.

Vegas Myths And Misconceptions – In this business, I do a ton of homework. I read various blogs and Las Vegas forums on big travel websites for trip reports, watch tons of Vegas YouTube videos, and more. I am constantly astounded by the myths and misinformation about Las Vegas that continues to be spread! I call it “the blind leading the blind”.

Some of it is honest mistakes, I get it. People get home and remember something wrong (like suggesting that MGM Resorts owns Cosmo or Caesars, which does matter if you are using players cards). Some of it is crazy stuff from the past, like the myth that hotels pump oxygen into the casino (a myth that won’t seem to die), and some of it are misconceptions that people have who have never visited. (They don’t drink or gamble, so they would not enjoy Vegas).

So, we wanted to ask you: What are some of the “sure fire” tips you heard which turned out to be bogus (perhaps they were valid in 1993 when I moved here)? What are the worst or most crazy notions people you know think about Las Vegas when you tell them you enjoy visiting here? What about Las Vegas is out there that people are noting and repeating that simply isn’t true? Are you the “black sheep” in your office or organization because you enjoy spending time in our city? Send them to AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com and we’ll share as many of them as possible!

P.S. Pumping oxygen into a casino would not only be prohibitively expensive, but create a higher probability of any fire getting out of hand. The reason you feel all jacked up when you are here because all the noise/music/excitement has your adrenalin going and also because you are walking a couple miles per day, which has your blood moving. In fact, if you are thinking about taking on an exercise program that involves walking or jogging, start it a couple of days after you get home from here! You’re body will already be conditioned to get moving.

Rio Voodoo ZipLine – Is open from noon to midnight, and costs $24.95 (Both price and hours have been reduced from when they opened a few weeks ago). We’ll have a report on it soon!

Fremont Street Experience Downtown Las Vegas New Liquor Restrictions – A couple of weeks ago, we noted that when on the Fremont Street Experience downtown, you must now 1. Only buy liquor for mall consumption from a casino and 2. It must be in a plastic cup when you are outdoors.

Now, the restrictions have tightened still. If/when you buy any booze from one of the convenience stores on the mall, they must put it in a bag, and close the bag with the receipt visible. If you walkáout of the store, stop on the mall, and pull the liquor out of the bag to pour it in a plastic cup, you are in violation of the law. The only place you can consume the convenience store liquor is in your hotel room (or back at your house if you are a local, although we locals can obviously buy their liquor at the local grocery store).

What is the bottom line? You MUST buy your liquor at the casinos on Fremont Street if you choose to drink it on the mall. You MUST put it in a plastic cup. (IE, you can’t walk a bottle or can of beer from casino to casino). You can NOT purchase liquor at a convenience store and pour it in a plastic cup for consumption. Except and unless you take the liquor to your room and consume it there or pour it in a plastic up up there. By the way, pouring it into a plastic cup in your room and bringing it back to the mall is also technically a violation. But obviously, not prosecutable.

None of this applies to The Strip. Speaking of The Strip…

99 Cent Shrimp Cocktail Returns – Back in the “good old days” of Las Vegas, the Golden Gate had a 99 cent shrimp cocktail. That went bye-bye with their remodel which removed their famed deli. (Which we still dearly miss). Fortunately, the Haute Doggery in Linq has returned the tradition, and you don’t even have to go downtown! For the rest of the summer, they are offering 99 cent shrimp cocktails (a practice that we hope will be continued longer).

Farewell For Now – August 2014 starts a new era with this newsletter. We’ll continue to offer a free version of it, but without Newkirk’s Notes and Members Mania with all of the insider tips that help you have a great vacation and save you time and money. The free version will continue to have the news and story links, but will contain more advertising over time to help cover costs.

Note to family, close friends, business associates, media (print/blog/podcast): Yes, we will comp you a subscription. Hit the reply button and let us know.

I’ll be over there every issue with the premium subscribers with more tips and advice than ever, more ways to save money, guaranteed answers to questions, and our new Vegas Super Secret Specials Spreadsheet (list) with will easily help premium members save more than the cost of the membership!

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe Premium Membership Details

Hope You Are Enjoying This Issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts, Headliners, Special Events: Puneet Adobe


What We’re Watching!
Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • Rock Of Ages At The Venetian – Watch show star, Mark Shunock, get into character and talk about his role in this good-time, party concert revival of the 80’s!

Book Rock Of Ages Las Vegas Tickets Now

 

  • “Las Vegas Playground USA” 1964 Tourism Movie – Fantastic color shots of Vegas in its swinging heyday! See the old McCarran airport, casinos like the Stardust and Thunderbird, fun in the sun at the pools, recreation on Lake Mead, golf, horseback riding in the surrounding mountains (you can still do this, see the tour link below), and finish with a vintage look at old Fremont Street and Strip shows.

 

Book Your Maverick Breakfast Horseback Ride Tour Today

Book Your Wild West Horseback Sunset BBQ Dinner Ride Today

 

 


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I know you have had many comments and questions regarding the ôlong haulingö that taxi drivers do in Vegas.

I no longer allow myself to be long hauled as I give specific instruction on how I want to be taken to the hotel and ask the cab driver before I get in it if he is going to argue with the way I tell them how to get there.

I have, however, had them charging extra at the end of the ride like $3.75 or something like that saying that it is some sort of fee that does not show up on the meter. Not every cab driver does this so I have become suspicious of whether or not this is a legitimate charge. My guess is that it is not. I have always been a generous tipper so IÆm not sure of the need to always get ripped off my the drivers.

I have now heard of a new scam going on regarding hotel lines for cabs. The employees are offering for $20 to let you cut to the front of the line and they are pocketing the money and allowing you to cut in front of people who have been waiting their turn.

All of this overcharging and scamming people is becoming a real turn off. I understand people make a living from their tips, but cheating people is not the way to obtain more money. I hope they remember what goes around comes around.

Have you heard of any of this? Thanks.

Rose

 

Ted Responds:

Note: Rose is a paid subscriber, and one of the benefits of being a paid subscriber is that we guarantee to answer your Las Vegas questions (within reason). We live here. We either know, know who to call, what to check with, or can actually walk our our front door and find out. (I live about 5 minutes from The Strip and Rick lives within walking distance).

If you still have not signed up, we’ll let you in at the introductory price for just a few more days. Then, the offer is gone until September when you have to pay full price to get in:

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe Premium Membership Details

Hi Rose,

Good questions:

* There is a $3.30 charge on the meter at activation. You are essentially paying $3.30 to start your trip. Unless you are starting from the airport, which adds another $2.00 surcharge. Hence, when you first step into a cab at the airport, you have already shelled out the approximate price of an airport shuttle!

Shuttles have their pros and cons. You know the price, but depending on how many hotels they have to drop off, you could be in for a 45 or even 60 minute ride.

* The ONLY fee they are allowed to add at the end of a trip (above what is on the meter) is a credit card fee. Note: Not all Las Vegas cabs take credit cards yet. Hence, if you were hit with the fee and using your credit card, now you know what it was (although the driver should have been very specific about it).

* If the driver otherwise demands money above what is on the meter, he is lying. At that point, I would get your bags, only pay what is on the meter, and not tip him. Yes, you can report him, but it will be your word against his and he will claim you misunderstood him.

* The taxi authority has recently put out a very, very helpful pamphlet which you can print off here

It has approximate fares to many hotels, the best routes, a place to write down info if you feel that you were wronged, and both the phone number and website where you can file a complaint!

While unfortunate, I would not trust much of anything a cabbie says. I’ve been long-hauled, told incorrect information, you name it. (I just act like a tourist so I can see how they treat real visitors). They act all chummy and helpful in a quest for a bigger tip, not because they know what they are talking about.

* If you are going to pay an unscrupulous taxi loader to skip the line, first ask how much a limo to your destination is. They will probably get a kickback, which means that you can give them a couple of bucks, spend the $20 you were going to give them on the limo, you’ll find that may be about the same fare as taxi vs. limo. Past that, hotels that find their taxi loaders are doing this are not pleased. Those guys are already making a nice living just by getting a tip every time they open a cab door for guests!

Hope this helps!

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Access Vegas Insider Vibe July 20, 2014

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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.

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Did someone forward this to you and you’d like to be on our list? Sign up at AccessVegas.com
Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.


AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Absinthe Absinthe
Jersey Boys Jersey Boys
MAMMA MIA! MAMMA MIA!
Rock Of Ages Rock Of Ages


Hot Hotel Happenings – Save Big Now!

Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $52/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!Caesars Palace Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $134/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!The Quad – Best Rate Guarantee – Rates low as $30 a night, Center Strip right at LINQ!

Stay at Bally’s Las Vegas and get choice of One Day SPA Treatments
Palms Casino Resort Stay 4 nights and get 25% off your stay. Stay More, Save More – Play, Dine & Dance a little moreàon us.
Save up to 15% Off at Harrahs Palace Las Vegas

Click To View ALL Las Vegas Hotel Deals

Print Too Small? (Deals – Large Print)


This Week’s Top Tours

Witness Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and fly down into the Grand Canyon by helicopter. Plus champagne and BBQ at The Canyon!
VIP Grand Canyon Skywalk Tour via helicopter trip to and from the Skywalk. Stunning views! Expedited and exclusive arrangements available.
Explore the REAL West: Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon Skywalk, Native American Points, Western Ranch, and More!

Featured Tour Video From Las Vegas

This tour is the absolute ultimate trifecta: On one afternoon, you will see the stunning Valley Of Fire, the Grand Canyon, and then return to Las Vegas for a captivating flight over the Las Vegas Strip. If you’ve ever wanted to see these great wonders during your Las Vegas stay but were worried it would take half of your vacation, fear not: This tour is for you!áGrand Canyon Sunset Dream Helicopter Tour From Las Vegas

Click Here To See More Great Tours…

ALL tours listed on our AccessVegas.com tour page (link above) have been hand-selected. We only work with the top, most professional companies and operators who vow to give our readers a great experience! Because of this, we can not recommend nor vouch for tours not listed on here in the newsletter or on our tour page. Questions? Our tour page lists phone contacts where tour experts are available for live help!


Great Casino Deals – Win Cards – Episode 2

This is Episode 2 of our new series of Great Casino Deals with gambling expert Victor H. Royer. In this series we continue to profile some of the great casino deals from Casinos in Las Vegas, including a great gaming promotions from The Tropicana. Get these great cards next time you are in Las Vegas to help you win more at the table games! For more great casino deals, visit: www.MoreCasinoDeals.com


Transformation Of Delano Las Vegas Underway – Luxury All-Suite Hotel Races Toward September 2014 Opening – Delano Las Vegas, the luxury all-suite hotel that will debut at Mandalay Bay in September has completed the installation of its first exterior DELANO sign high atop the Las Vegas Strip.

Although the installation of the DELANO sign is one of the first major visible milestones in the transformation, it is only a small part of everything happening on the ground and behind the scenes in preparation for opening September 1, 2014.

Public spaces are taking shape as construction walls have come down to reveal glimpses of what’s ahead…


Las Vegas Shows, Concerts, And Headliners

Book Celine Dion Las Vegas Tickets Now

 

 

Book Shania Twain Las Vegas Tickets Now

 

 


National Tequila Day Las Vegas 2014

PBR Rock Bar To Celebrate National Tequila Day With Margarita SpecialPBR Rock Bar & Grill will raise a frosty, salt-rimmed glass to honor National Tequila Day with an all-day margarita special on Thursday, July 24. Located inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino the Strip-side bar and eatery will serve up its signature margaritas for just $5 per drink.

Patrons can pair their margaritas with PBR’s Mexican-inspired dishes, such as the Smokin’ Chicken Quesadilla, a crispy flour tortilla filled with pulled chicken, pepper jack cheese, grilled onions and jalape±os, topped with sour cream and Pico de Gallo; or Traditional Fajitas, served in beef, chicken, barbecue pork, shrimp, brisket or vegetarian varieties.

Cabo Wabo Cantina To Celebrate National Tequila Day With Caliente Specials All Week Long – “M┴S TEQUILA!” will be heard within the walls of Cabo Wabo Cantina inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino to celebrate National Tequila Day with a week of half-priced tequila shots and margarita specials from Monday, July 21 through Thursday, July 24.

All week long, tequila lovers will enjoy half-priced select tequila shots including: Cabo Wabo, Milagro, Corralejo, Casa Noble, Tres Generaciones and Herradura. The hottest Strip-side cantina will also serve up a variety of margarita flavors including mango picante, margarita verde, strawberita, Cabo Wabo sangarita and cocorita, starting at $10.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Economy And Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Dining, Drinking, And Dancing

Giada At The Cromwell Debuts Highly-Anticipated Lunch Menu – Emmy Award-winning celebrity chef and New York Times best-selling author Giada De Laurentiis’ first-ever restaurant, GIADA, has received rave reviews since first opening in June, and now the popular restaurant is proud to introduce lunch beginning on July 16, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

De Laurentiis broke the news to her more than 1 million Twitter followers, offering a sneak peek at what lunch at GIADA will look like…

Tommy Bahama In Town Square Las Vegas Shakes-up New Summer Drinks – It’s officially summer, which means extended daylight, warm afternoons and some leeway to relax and take-it-easy. Tommy Bahama helps in the pursuit to celebrate the season with three unique and refreshing cocktails to enjoy all summer long. These drinks feature the brightest flavors of the season, ranging from blueberries to white peaches to titillate taste buds. Read the entire article for the recipe to a perfect White Peach Bellini.

Trevi Las Vegas To Celebrate National Lasagna Day With Lasagna Lovers SpecialsTrevi Italian Restaurant inside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace will celebrate National Lasagna Day with its delicious deep-dish lasagna pizza and authentic lasagna entrÚe, each specially-priced for the holiday exclusively on Tuesday, July 29, 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Tours And Attractions

Linq’s High Roller Observation Wheel First 100 Days Highlights – During its first 100 days in operation, the High Roller has set records, reached milestones and attracted riders from all walks of life. Key highlights since its opening include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click Here To See More Great Tours…


More Las Vegas News

45th Annual World Series Of Poker At Rio Becomes Biggest Ever – Establishing Several Key Records – In another remarkable testament to the health and strength of the game of poker globally, the 45th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas established a host of new records as poker enthusiasts from 107 different nations traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the game’s grandest spectacle. The WSOP remained the industry standard-bearer, with a record-setting 82,360 entries in 65 events and awarding the largest prize pool in WSOP history: $225,584,873.

 

 

 


Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays


What We’re Watching!
Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

    • High Roller Ride-Through – World’s Tallest Observation Wheel – Ride-through Look at the “High Roller” – World’s Tallest Observation Wheel at The LinQ.

 

  • Las Vegas (Spring 2014) Fremont Street Experience – Take a walk through downtown Las Vegas’ famous Fremont Street. This video was recorded on Saturday April 12, 2014.The downtown area of Las Vegas is about a mile north of the Strip. It is the birthplace of legal gambling …and Las Vegas itself.

 

 

  • “Come Fly With Me” Performed By Michael Monge – Catch him performing in Encore’s Eastside Lounge Wednesday through Monday, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Drawing inspiration from the musical icons that put the Las Vegas Strip on the map, Michael Monge’s vocals embody the charisma of the timeless lounge performer that made Las Vegas entertainment one of a kind. Monge takes audiences on a ride through decades of music. Here he is singing Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly With Me.”

 

 


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

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe July 12, 2014

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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.

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Did someone forward this to you and you’d like to be on our list? Sign up at AccessVegas.com
Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.


AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows


Hot Hotel Happenings – Save Big Now!

Stay at Bally’s Las Vegas and get choice of One Day SPA TreatmentsSave up to 15% Off at Harrah’s Palace Las VegasCaesars Palace Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $134/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!Special Offers at The Palms – Entertainment Packages and Resort Packages

áPalms Las Vegas – Enjoy 24-hour checkout times only when you book online! Book Now!
Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $52/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!
Palms Casino Resort Stay 4 nights and get 25% off your stay. Stay More, Save More – Play, Dine & Dance a little moreàon us.
The Quad – Best Rate Guarantee – Rates low as $30 a night, Center Strip right at LINQ!

Click To View ALL Las Vegas Hotel Deals

Print Too Small? (Deals – Large Print)


This Week’s Top Tours

Neon Dream Vegas helicopter tour, soar out to and over Hoover Dam/Lake Mead, Fremont Experience and entire Strip!
Vegas Sunrise Hot Air Balloon ride. Unforgettable views and memories. An experience your friends can’t top!
Visit Grand Canyon, Mojave Desert, Black Mountains, Eagle Point, Hoover Dam photo op, more. Day tour from Vegas!

Featured Tour Video From Las Vegas

You can book this amazing flight now and save $21! Neon Nights Air Tour

Click Here To See More Great Tours…

ALL tours listed on our AccessVegas.com tour page (link above) have been hand-selected. We only work with the top, most professional companies and operators who vow to give our readers a great experience! Because of this, we can not recommend nor vouch for tours not listed on here in the newsletter or on our tour page. Questions? Our tour page lists phone contacts where tour experts are available for live help!


Great Casino Deals – Win Cards – Episode 1

This is Episode 1 of our new series of Great Casino Deals with gambling expert Victor H. Royer. In this series we will profile some of the great casino deals from Casinos in Las Vegas, including the new Win Cards from The Tropicana. Get these great cards next time you are in Las Vegas to help you win more at the table games! For more great casino deals, visit: www.MoreCasinoDeals.com


July 2014 Events And Specials

Trevi Las Vegas Makes Summer A Dream With July 2014 Specials On Pizza And Ice Cream – Trevi Italian Restaurant inside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace will celebrate summer by offering brick oven-fired pizzas for $10 each throughout July along with introducing $5 house-made waffle sundaes to honor National Ice Cream Month.

To celebrate July as National Ice Cream Month, TREVI has introduced a gelato sundae served in a house-made waffle bowl, priced at $5 each. The sweet treat consists of a choice of gelato flavor, drizzled with a chocolate or caramel sauce, whipped cream and topped with sprinkles and a cherry.

Crush Las Vegas Introduces New Summer Cocktails And Beers To Complement The Season – CRUSH eat, drink, love at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino has introduced new summer cocktails and draught beers to the menu, providing refreshing relief from the hot weather. The new seasonal cocktails include:

ò Summer Love made with Bombay Sapphire gin, Pavan Liqueur, strawberry liqueur, fresh lemon juice and prosecco priced at $14;

CRUSH, eat, drink, love, is a 7,000-square-foot restaurant serving a cosmopolitan share-plate style menu with large and small plate dishes prepared by Executive Chef Billy DeMarco. Located inside MGM Grand, CRUSH is open daily for dinner, starting at 5:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Hotels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Dining, Drinking, And Dancing

Park On Fremont Restaurant Downtown Introduces Seasonal New Menu ItemsPark on Fremont welcomes the warmer weather with tasty new menu selections, adding refreshing salads, a new summer smash cocktail and deep fried sensations to the bar and restaurant’s offerings, available now.

Those looking for a taste of South of the Border flavors will enjoy the fish tacos, made with tempura fried Mahi fish topped with coleslaw and chipotle dressing, priced at $9; as well as the Park Paloma, a new summer cocktail made with Cazadores tequila, Pavan liqueur, fresh lime, simple syrup and a splash of grapefruit juice, priced at $8.

New Mixologist To Mix Up Las Vegas Rhumbar’s Cocktail Menu With Exciting Elixirs – RHUMBAR, located at the The Mirage Hotel & Casino, welcomes Lillian Hargrove to its team as lead bartender and award-winning mixologist.

Recently named Campari’s “Best Aperitivo” Las Vegas Champion, Hargrove brings years of mixology experience to RHUMBAR’s cocktail lounge. Through her expertise, Hargrove ensures that each beverage she concocts has a special flair that is reflective of RHUMBAR’s signature libations.

Already at the top of her game, Hargrove has concocted fresh new cocktails for the popular Strip-side bar.

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Tours And Attractions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click Here To See More Great Tours…


More Las Vegas News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

 


Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:

Hello From Las Vegas! – Monsoon season is here, which isn’t out of the norm for July. We’ll have a few days of “normal” weather (highs in the low 100’s F), interrupted by a few days of 90’s with some humidity and thunderstorms. Not Florida-style humidity, but more than we’re used to.

MAMMA MIA! Exclusive 30% Savings To Our Readers! – Most of you got a special email from us this past week letting you know that Las Vegas’ happy hit show is giving you this great opportunity to save on a show everybody love! If you missed the email, you can still click to MAMMA MIA! Exclusive Access Vegas 30% Offer

DSC_0152 by CliffMuller, on Flickr
Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Licenseá ábyááCliffMullerá

Now, We Can Really Kiss The Las Vegas Hilton (Name) Goodbye – Westgate Time shares purchased the LVH hotel last week, and have big plans. Fortunately, they are not going to turn the whole thing into a owners-only timeshare. Although they plan to turn some of the rooms to luxury timeshare villas, it appears they pretty much still intend to operate it as a hotel casino.

New owner David Siegel may be best known to some of you from the documentary The Queen of Versailles (available streaming on Netflix) and as the man who built the PH Westgate Tower behind Planet Hollywood Hotel, which he subsequently lost it in the financial crisis.

He’s planning to put hundreds of millions of dollars into refurbishment of the iconic property, widely know as the hotel where Elvis had his huge Vegas run. The old Star Trek space will be turned into a nightclub (good luck with that at this location, unless it is a more mellow affair catering to people over 30), but also of interest is that the Shimmer Cabaret is going to be used as a lounge with free live music playing day and night. Real live music, not a DJ. How cool is that!

He’s keeping the property open during the renovations and while we’re not the kind of publication that goes crazy posting zillions of hotel construction photos, we’ll keep you in the loop on the progress. By the way, if enough people are interested in seeing more construction photos of Las Vegas, let us know. We just haven’t heard the demand. Most people just want to know when it is over!

We’re Not The Ones Using It! – Because of the drought here in the Southwest, many readers are asking about Las Vegas and water. Many visitors assume that because of our water features on The Strip, Las Vegas is a big user and waster of water. This leads people to further assume that the dropping levels in Lake Mead are our fault.

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Although the Colorado River sits right outside our back door, more than 10 times the water we use is pumped up to 100 miles inland to the Imperial Valley of Southern California (Brawley, El Centro) to water crops. Because pretty much nobody lived in Las Vegas when they divided up rights to the river water, they didn’t figure we needed any of it!

The reality: There are more swimming pools in Southern California filled with Colorado River water than there are in Las Vegas.

Bellagio Fountains by 50 Prime, on Flickr
Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic Licenseá ábyáá50 Primeá

On a per person basis, the water used to keep the resorts looking lush and the water features running is well used. Yes, the lake at the Bellagio holds a fair amount of water (although not as much as you think as it isn’t that deep), but tens of millions of people enjoy that same amount of water. Also, a little known fact: The lake is filled with water pumped from a well, not the river. When Steve Wynn bought The Dunes hotel (where Bellagio now sits), it came with a golf course which came with well water rights. Honestly, I’ll bet the lake takes less water than the golf course did!

Having said that, if we don’t start seeing some very snowy winters in Western Colorado over the next couple of years (feeding the river at its source), Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico could start to see water restrictions. Keep that in mind if you were planning to move here and you consider a big, green lawn a must. Me? I have desert landscaping. Saves a ton on my water bill and I don’t have to mow it.

As a visitor? Don’t worry about it. Water isn’t going to be cut off to the hotels, and they are pretty water-efficient to begin with. (Saves them money). Also, shower as long as you’d like. Our wastewater is treated and then goes back into the river. (Probably just like where many of you live).

Hey Las Vegas, Can You Turn It Down? – We’ve been getting a more and more steady stream of complaints about how loud the music is all over Las Vegas. Attention Casinos, Pools, and Restaurants: These complaints are NOT coming from only retired people (whose gambling money you really need to do a better job of catering to). I’m talking about people in their 30’s! I can absolutely understand the dayclubs and party spots blasting it out. However, it is getting to the point where you can’t hold a conversation in some restaurants. Talking over a meal… what a concept!

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts, Headliners, Special Events: Puneet Adobe


What We’re Watching!
Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

    • MGM Resorts Presents The Park – An artist video rendering of MGM Resorts International’s project, The Park, which will connect New York-New York and Monte Carlo with an eight-acre outdoor entertainment experience. Get a peek at what is coming!

 

  • Exploring The Beauty Of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – The city has giant mega-casino hotels, decorated with lavish care and attention to detail to create a fantasy-like atmosphere. The casinos often have names and themes that evoke romance, mystery, and far-away and exotic destinations. If your friends think that Las Vegas is all slot machines, have them watch this!

 

 

 

 


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Having enjoyed Las Vegas since the 50’s and enjoying each and every visit since then (except for the last 4 years due to my health), I’m ready to go again—-but—–my lovely wife thinks otherwise.

She says Las Vegas is no longer for us. Las Vegas belongs now to the younger generation and my wife and I probably (skip that and insert) assuredly would no longer enjoy Las Vegas as much. She says “It’s no longer the city it used to be, what with the constant changes with hotel themes, downtown is a madhouse and the young people are no longer polite,and rather push you aside than say ‘excuse me’.”

Judging from our last visit, I’m almost ready to agree. What say you???????

Al In Milwaukee

 

Ted Responds:

First of all, let me note that I’m envious that you got to enjoy Las Vegas in the days of the Rat Pack and through the era when Vegas was “Vegas” and a comp was a comp! And, I wish you returning to good health that allows you to travel regardless of your destination for many years to come.

I do think that we’re going to look back on this era of Las Vegas as the “directionless” era. Steve Wynn once had grand plans to build a massive complex on all the property he owns behind Wynn and Encore (where the golf course is), but the recession scrapped that and he’s busy with Macau. I bring him up because he has no equal when it comes to being a visionary about doing amazing things in Las Vegas.

This Asian-Themed Resort World (former Stardust) looks very cool, very themed, and very promising! (I hope they pin a better name on it when they are done). Perhaps it will be a wake-up call that people really, really like themed resorts. And yes, the boring names have to go. You are coming here to stay in a property that evokes some kind of emotion!

Unquestionably, the current dirty little secret is that we’ll hit a new record in numbers of visitors this year, but it is because of the 20-somethings who often come just to get out of control. We continue to receive notes that the hotel hallways have gotten a bit louder the past few years.

The guys running the two main gaming companies are more bankers and statisticians then they are gambling and entertainment gurus. Having said that, the Linq project has been received better than I anticipated. (Plus, no costumed characters)

However, what is going to happen if we lose the group that has enjoyed Vegas for what Vegas has always been? These 20-somethings are not much in the way of gamblers. The clubs are sucking money out of many of them now, but when they hit 30, are they going to instantly turn into gamblers? Or are they going to go “Vegas is nice, but we have nice malls here and I don’t club anymore, so no reason to return”?

That could be a huge wake-up call for a city built on gambling that needs to return to its roots. Sleeping in, brunch buffet, having some cocktails around the pool, a nice dinner, an amazing show, and then a good dance with lady luck will hopefully never go out of style.

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

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.

Access Vegas Insider Vibe July 3, 2014

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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.

Need to contact us? Send feedback to
AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com

Did someone forward this to you and you’d like to be on our list? Sign up at AccessVegas.com
Missed an issue? Click to Read Back Issues Online.


AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows


Hot Hotel Happenings – Save Big Now!

Stay at Bally’s Las Vegas and get choice of One Day SPA TreatmentsSave up to 15% Off at Harrah’s Palace Las VegasCaesars Palace Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $134/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!Special Offers at The Palms – Entertainment Packages and Resort Packages

áPalms Las Vegas – Enjoy 24-hour checkout times only when you book online! Book Now!
Las Vegas Buffet of Buffets Deal! Stay 2 Nights From $52/Night & Get 2 All-Day, All Access Buffet Passes to 8 Buffets in Sin City!
Palms Casino Resort Stay 4 nights and get 25% off your stay. Stay More, Save More – Play, Dine & Dance a little moreàon us.
The Quad – Best Rate Guarantee – Rates low as $30 a night, Center Strip right at LINQ!

Click To View ALL Las Vegas Hotel Deals

Print Too Small? (Deals – Large Print)


This Week’s Top Tours

First a Las Vegas Strip helicopter tour, then dinner at Smith & Wollensky’s is the perfect way to begin your night!
Experience Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, all of Vegas by helicopter, save 30%!
Richard Petty Rookie Tour: YOU drive the Vegas Motor Speedway in a V-8 NASCAR style car!
Vegas Indoor Skydiving, right on Vegas Strip, winds up to 120 mph, just like the real thing
See the Grand Canyon, Route 66, Mojave Desert, and more direct from Las Vegas. The Full day tour is only $229 including snacks, lunch, and fees!

Click Here To See More Great Tours…



Las Vegas Hotels

Goodbye Quad – Caesars Entertainment To Spend $223 Million On Renovations And Will Rename It LINQ Hotel & Casino – Caesars Entertainment announced its newest property, unveiling The LINQ Hotel & Casino as the latest addition to its portfolio of iconic Las Vegas resorts. Located at the heart of Center Strip at 3535 Las Vegas Boulevard, the LINQ Hotel & Casino is a complete re-imagination of the current Quad Resort & Casino.

The Las Vegas hotel will feature 2,256 brand new rooms and suites, a completely renovated welcome experience built around a signature lobby bar, all new retail and spa amenities and a dynamic new pool deck to deliver an entirely new guest experience. Combined with the world’s largest observation wheel, the High Roller, and The LINQ retail, dining and entertainment promenade, The LINQ Hotel & Casino is set to become the new social center of Las Vegas and will welcome its first guests beginning on Oct. 30, 2014.

Urban Inspired Hotel Room Design

The new resort will boast 2,256 rooms including 204 suites along with 29 cabana suites with private access to the all-new pool area. The standard room features a fresh, modern design with floor to ceiling windows, boasting views of the iconic Las Vegas Strip or the High Roller. The centerpiece of the room design will be three distinct accent wall murals featuring stylized interpretations of vintage Las Vegas glamour.

 

 

 

 

 


July 2014 Events And Specials

 

 

 

 

 


Las Vegas Shows, Concerts, And Headliners

Dee Snider Of Twisted Sister Attends Rock Of Ages Las Vegas – Twisted Sister frontman, Dee Snider, attended Rock Of Ages June 27, 2014 at The Venetian Las Vegas. Snider, who performed the role of “Dennis Dupree” in Rock of Ages during a three-month stint on Broadway in 2010, headed backstage following the show to share words of enthusiasm with the cast and to take a photo. Snider also shared his sentiments in a tweet saying, “What a great show! @rockofagesvegas @VenetianVegas ROCKS! Must see! What a great cast! #facemelted #nogolf #ridetolivelivetoride.”

 

 

Book Frankie Moreno Las Vegas Tickets Now

 


Alcohol Freedoms And Restrictions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


More Las Vegas News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Upcoming Las Vegas Events And Holidays

 

 

 


Newkirk’s Notes: The Boss Speaks…

Newkirk’s Notes are comments and insight from AccessVegas.Com publisher and 20+ year Las Vegas resident Ted Newkirk:


Hello From Las Vegas! – A pretty toasty Las Vegas as we’re getting one of our 2-3 “heat waves” we experience in the summer where the temperatures get over 110F for a few days in a row. We’re used to it and many of us actually don’t mind it. We don’t shovel snow, and we don’t have to layer clothing, we don’t have to put on a warm jacket to go to the grocery store (except at night in the dead of winter).

However, do like a local and stay very hydrated. You are certainly allowed to ask the bartender for an ice-water back with your beer or cocktail. (I often ask for them to use a pint glass and fill it halfway with ice and then full of water, then tip and extra dollar, which beats paying $4 for a bottle of water with three gulps worth in it).

Also, that tap water in your hotel room is very, very safe to drink. Otherwise we’d have 2 million sick people in town (we locals). It does come out of the mineral-rich Colorado River, so it may not taste as good as the tap water some of you enjoy in other places.

However if you don’t have (or are unwilling to buy) bottled water, it will do the trick! Get a couple glasses in you whenever you return to your room, and ESPECIALLY after a night on the town. Dehydration can mean the difference between a mild hangover and a really bad one. Get another glass or two of it down when you wake up. Trust me, you’ll thank me. Our dry desert air dehydrates you way more than you realize!

In our news section is the big story about The Quad being renamed The Linq in conjunction with the $238 million remodel of the property, top to bottom. One thing that confused me (and that I don’t have an answer to yet) is the fact that they are adding bars and lounges. To the casino? Does this mean they are going to take what many consider a very bland casino design and give it some ooomph? The story just broke, so I don’t know yet. However, we’ll be on top of it!

NOTE: The following was meant to run last issue and inadvertently left out.

R.I.P. Steve Rossi – We sadly note the passing of legendary comedian Steve Rossi, a local resident and best known as 1/2 one-half of the legendary comedy team of Allen and Rossi. A decades-long Las Vegas resident, he was supportive of other shows and performers in town up until nearly the end, attending many of our entertainment options regularly. He was also very instrumental in launching the career of the late Danny Gans.

As I’m in my late 40’s, they were a bit before my time. However, I’d love to jump in a time machine and go back to the 50’s and 60’s and experience the headliners and acts that lined The Strip during the Rat Pack era. I wonder if 50 years from now, someone will be saying “Wouldn’t it have been interesting to visit Las Vegas in the era of Celine, Shania, Rod Stewart, Elton John and such” when they look at “old” footage and photos of what we’re doing today!

SLS (Former Sahara) Opens August 23 – How Will It Do? – Lots of questions float around. Will the location hinder the property? Perhaps not as bad as people think, since a large part of their target audience will probably be drive-in visitors from California. Given that owners SBE are headquartered and entrenched in Los Angeles with nightclubs and hotels, it will depend how “hot” they can make SLS. Californians tend to be very, very trendy. Get a great buzz going for SLS and they should do OK.

The bigger challenge is getting people staying at other properties to come all the way up to the north end of The Strip. Here’s an idea: Give anyone presenting a valid monorail ticket free play or some kind of reward that covers the round-trip ride. If people know they can get up to see you without an expensive taxi ride or slow bus ride, they might be more likely to do so. They will see how quick and close you are via monorail, and the monorail company will adore you (and surely work a promotional deal with you).

Finally, how well with they do with locals? They have noted that the property sits at one of Las Vegas’ busiest intersections and Sahara is a major east/west artery. Having said that, Sahara runs past the blank “ass end” of the property and just because I drive by there on my way to see my chiropractor or run some errands, it doesn’t mean that stopping in is going to be top-of-mind.

If they want the locals to help make them successful, they are really going to have to target those of us who live relatively close. Being an L.A. company, I’m dubious about their ability to understand the local market and attract locals. Hey SLS: Come about December 10 and you are scratching your head wondering why you’re not getting any of the local market, give me a shout. I live 5 minutes from your hotel. I’m the kind of local you need to be getting in the door!

Sweet 16 – If you didn’t vote in our Best Of Las Vegas Hotels Sweet 16, you still have a few more days to vote in this round and make your voice heard! We have 8 match-ups and you simply click on the hotel you feel is the better property in each match-up. Quick and easy!

Membership Note: We’ve delayed our VIP Premium Membership start until August 1 to work out the kinks. We’ve already contacted our members (who are already seeing a different, reduced ad version of this newsletter). However, the free version (which you are reading now) will not change until August 1.

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Associate Editor / News Researcher: Rick Ziegler

Concerts and Headliners: Amy Rayner-Cooley


What We’re Watching!
Vegas Videos You’ll Enjoy

 

  • Wednesdays Downtown Street Festival – During May and June, DTLV.com and FEED presented Wednesdays Downtown, a seasonal weekly event that brings together all the good stuff Fremont East has to offer – cocktails, dining, live entertainment, art – and wraps it up in refined, San Francisco-style urban swagger. This is a really cool look at what is going on in the Fremont East area, which is just past the big Slotzilla launch tower on Fremont Street. Word is that this event will resume again this fall, and we’ll keep you posted.

 

 

  • Las Vegas 1962: Come Fly With Me – A nostalgic look back at vintage Las Vegas. The film is from Jeff Altman of Chicago who transferred and color-corrected the 16mm film from his grandfatherÆs and grandmotherÆs 1962 trip to Sin City. The YouTube member posting the video added the opening title and the music of OlÆ Blue Eyes. What a great, historic look at Las Vegas!

 

 


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

When show tickets say “no cameras allowed” will I be searched and the camera be confiscated?

I will be traveling to Vegas in August (from the UK) and I have booked an early evening spin on the High Roller followed by Penn & Teller at the Rio. Whilst I have no intention of taking photos during Penn & Teller, I would hate to lose any big wheel photos (and the camera!) if Rio’s “no cameras in the showroom” policy is strictly enforced.

Regards,

Andrew From The UK

 

Ted Responds:

We found out that Andrew was a paid premium member (we guarantee to answer their questions), and was specifically concerned about Penn and Teller, so we got to work for him!

Specifically for Penn and Teller, you can’t take a professional-style camera into the theater. However, you CAN check it at the box office for safe keeping until after the show. AND… should you wish, you are certainly allowed to take pictures of Penn and Teller after the show when they greet fans.

On a more general note, many shows simply prohibit flash photography.

As a general rule of thumb:

Nice, expensive cameras are going to get you a second look by security whether it be a show or if you are in a casino. They are concerned about the use of unauthorized commercial photography that might not be flattering to them, plus an expensive camera’s ability to zoom into table game areas, to specific people at the pool, etc. Las Vegas still very much tries to maintain guest privacy and anonymity.

The cell phone issue is pretty much one where the cat is out of the bag. Don’t use a flash and don’t be obvious.

And most importantly, follow ALL instructions given to the audience either on the ticket, at the box office or before the show regarding their photo policies.

Great question and happy to help a paid subscriber who supports what we do!

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

  • Want to comment on a current reader post? Use the comment box on that particular web page. Many of the stories we post also have comment boxes at the end of the story. Make your voice heard!
  • Drop us an email at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com – We read them all!
  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.