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Access Vegas Insider Vibe – August 12, 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.

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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 well into the dog days of summer. Funny… every year the heat is a bit of a shock to the system come late June and July. By mid-August I’m finally used to it and enjoying that fact that it never gets cold… only to see cooler weather on the horizon.

For those whose systems aren’t programmed to take the heat (and who are facing a quick end to beautiful summer weather where you live), there isn’t better time to plan an October vacation here when daytime average temperatures are a perfect 81 degrees (F) and both NFL and College Football are in full swing!

Terry Fator’s Show On CMT – Terry Fator no longer needs any introduction as his show at The Mirage has been a nice success and he’s got a long term contract that will keep him in Las Vegas for years to come. But for those wondering if he’s worth seeing, CMT (Country Music Television U.S.) will be airing his show on August 28. Check local listings. Click for Terry Fator Tickets

Station Casinos Bankruptcy Won’t Affect Visitors – While the majority of our readers are oriented toward staying on The Strip, near Strip or downtown, we know that some of you do enjoy staying at the “locals” properties. Station Casinos (all those hotels with Station something or other in their name {except Main Street], plus Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock) has declared bankruptcy in order to reorganize their company. They specifically note that none of the hotels are part of the filing and business will continue as usual. If you have a reservation at one of their properties, I wouldn’t sweat it.

However… Boyd Gaming (Cal, Main Street, Sam’s Town, Orleans, Fremont, Suncoast, Gold Coast, Stardust… oops) are making a play for pieces of the company to expand their local empire. With their Echelon project dead for the foreseeable future, they have some cash and credit to go on a modest buying spree if the price if right.

Beyonce – was a big hit on her four night run at Wynncore (Encore Las Vegas). Much talk of her having a sit-down run here a la Cher, Bette Midler, Celine Dion (who is still the subject of continuing rumors regarding a possible return).

Speaking Of Celebs… – Mel Gibson recently attended a 7 PM Blue Man Group show. Sometimes it seems that Blue Man Group flies under the radar (IE, they don’t generate scandals or big splashy news) but this very unique, quirky (and quite fun) show experience continues to draw a-list attendees and has been entertaining Las Vegas visitors for years. Click the Blue Man Group graphic in the right sidebar to find out more (and save some money on this must-see show)!

Local Cell Phone Sim Cards? – 25% of our readership is from outside the U.S. (with around 12% from Europe alone) and we recently were asked something that stumped us:

When visiting from outside North America, is there a way to buy and put a local (Las Vegas) sim card in your phone while you are here instead of having to pay international roaming? Most of us take it for granted that we use our phones to stay in touch with our travel-mates, and it sure beats trying to say “let’s all meet at 6 PM” or whatever.

If anyone has some help on this topic, please do drop us a line at allvegastv@aol.com

Construction Job Losses – The Review-Journal notes that construction jobs are down nearly 20% here in Las Vegas. These probably won’t be coming back. CityCenter will be wrapping up at the end of the year, no restart time noted for Plaza (The Frontier) or Echelon, and Fountainbleau (Fblu) only needs some a few months of finishing work.

Also, until new homes can be built for less money than it costs to buy existing homes on the market, new home building will be minimal.

As someone who has lived here over 16 years, it was obvious that the house-of-cards was going to fall at some point. Las Vegas’ non-gaming economy was a ponzi scheme. Growth was driving the economy. People were kept busy building and selling houses to people who were new to town, who in turn got jobs fueled by the continued spending on new construction. Everybody is talking about how Las Vegas is going through a huge economic downturn and recession. However… we really just have a thinning of the herd. People who were probably ill-advised to move here here in the first place are moving back home.

At the end of the day, the core of Las Vegas (tourism) is still doing pretty well, and would be doing just fine if some of the resort companies hadn’t torched their “credit cards” in building just a bit too much. We were out on The Strip this past Thursday afternoon and the casinos were full, plenty of action at the games and slots, and strong crowds on the streets. We’ve noted similar results downtown.

Civic leaders spent the past decade thinking we need to diversify our economy here. Why? How about we stick to selling all of you an unmatched good time like we (as a city) have done for 75+ years! And how about the majority of the people living here work in that industry (and have the camaraderieáá and pride that working in hotels/tourism used to breed) so we provide you the most amazing experience of your life when you visit our neon-lit slice of high desert!

Bridge Across Hoover Dam – The beautiful, new arch bridge across the Colorado River just south of Hoover Dam is expected to open June 2010.

IMG_0757

This along with the four-laning of significant stretches of road between Kingman, AZ and Hoover Dam should shave a good 30 minutes off the drive from Arizona, New Mexico and points southwest to Las Vegas.

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 $45, El Cortez from $10, Fitzgeralds from $21, Hooters from $20, Orleans from $28, Riviera from $27, Sahara from $30, Stratosphere from $38, Tropicana from $25, Tuscany from $31, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

Vegas Hot Shots

Rhumbar At The Mirage – Part of The Mirage’s major remodel (in preparation for their 20’th anniversary this year) was the addition of Rhumbar. Part-owner Michael Frey is also a principle in the Casa Fuente cigar store next door in the Forum Shops and also involved in Montecristo (brand) Rum. Hence, a cigar-friendly bar with around 40 types of rum right on The Strip seemed like a natural fit.

Rhumbar - New at The Mirage


View from Rhumbar patio close to sunset. It looks even better once the hotels all light up at night!


The Mirage’s Love marquee towers over Rhumbar.

Rhumbar isn’t just for lovers of rum and mojitos (the house specialty). A comprehensive menu of beer, wine, spirits, and house specialty drinks is available, with prices starting in the $8-10 range. Those seeking beer and margaritas for $1 (and don’t mind the frat party atmosphere) need only to go across the street to Casino Royale instead.

What you will find is a very nice, upscale, comfortable surroundings with lounge (acid) jazz* playing at volumes you can talk over, attentive cocktail waitresses, and an atmosphere that doesn’t make those over 30 feel out-of-place. *Acid jazz doesn’t mean you need to be on acid to enjoy it. Acid jazz is a more downbeat, groove oriented cousin of smooth jazz.

Rhumbar is cigar-friendly, and we aren’t talking Swisher Sweets. You are welcome to bring your own, but their humidor features many of the top-name premium cigar brands including the highly prized, hard-to-find Fuente Fuente Opus X ($27). If you are worried that their patio is overrun with smelly cigar smoke, think again: Las Vegas almost always has a gentle breeze blowing, and the premium cigars they sell for consumption (brands like Ashton and Montecristo) are grown and aged with the same care given to fine wine to produce aromatic notes of woods and spices. (Think of the pleasant aroma of burning oak or cedar in your fireplace). Dime-store cigars (which are not encouraged at Rhumbar) tend to be the cigars with a smell everyone turns their nose up at.

My suggestion? Next time you are in the Center Strip area and have some time to kill before dinner or your show (or if you are getting killed at the tables and need to just need a respite from gaming), stop in for a cocktail. Rhumbar is located just inside the street entrance to The Mirage (where the moving walkway used to take you to the tiger display). Hours vary by season, but currently Noon to around 1 AM.

Vegas Hot Shots will be a regular feature starting later this fall featuring reports on the most enjoyable, comfortable, upscale places to enjoy a cocktail in Las Vegas along with accompanying video reports.

Superstar Mariah Carey To Perform Special Engagement At The Pearl At The Palms – With worldwide sales of more than 175 million albums, Mariah Carey û the most successful female recording artist in history û is set to perform the most intimate shows of her career in a special engagement at The Pearl inside the Palms Casino Resort. These performances will take place on Friday, September 11; Saturday, September 12; Friday, October 9 and Saturday October 10, 2009. These once-in-a-lifetime, up-close-and-personal performances at The Pearl are the first of its kind and surround the highly anticipated release of Mariah’s latest album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel which features the current hit single “Obsessed.”

Las Vegas Celebrates The Music Of Michael Jackson – Live From The Pearl Concert Theater Inside The Palms Casino Resort – Fundraiser to benefit Music Education in Clark County Public Schools. For one performance only, Las Vegas’ top entertainers will come together for a special performance Las Vegas Celebrates the Music of Michael Jackson on Saturday, August 29, 2009, at 3 p.m.

In this multi-artist production celebrating the many hits of The King of Pop, entertainers including cast members of Jersey Boys, Lion King, Peepshow and Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular will perform the hits of the Jackson songbook, all in celebration of what would have been the entertainer’s 51st birthday. This unique show will also include video montages throughout from those who knew Michael or were inspired by his work.

Las Vegas’ CityCenter To Be One Of The World’s Largest Green Developments – CityCenter Emerges as Leader of Sustainable Urban Development, Driving Green Economies of Scale in Multiple Industry Segments. Created with a vision to bring a new level of environmental consciousness to the world-famous Strip, CityCenter will be one of the world’s largest sustainable developments, from design and construction to operations and guest amenities. An extraordinary urban resort destination brought to life by eight world-renowned architects, the 18-million-square-foot development is set to achieve a combination of gold and silver LEED« ratings by the U.S. Green Building Council throughout its distinctive hotels; residences; dining, retail and public spaces. Using cutting-edge solutions, CityCenter has been able to grow responsibly without sacrificing the quality of materials or guest experience.

Due to its size and purchasing power, CityCenter is driving green economies of scale in multiple industry segments, paving the way for other entities to build and operate sustainably. CityCenter has moved beyond existing green practices to empower industry-wide innovations.

Tickets On Sale Now For Country Superstar Tim McGraw At M Resort Spa Casino – M Resort Spa Casino is proud to welcome American country superstar Tim McGraw to the Villaggio Del Sole Entertainment Piazza. Tickets are on sale now for his performance on Friday, October 23. The Grammy-award winning McGraw will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. and perform his chart-topping hits including “Live Like Your Were Dying,” “Something Like That,” “I Like It, I Love It” and more. McGraw has had eleven consecutive albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard albums charts.

Hawaiian Tropic Zone Features THE EXOTIC Wild Orchid Cocktail This August – This August, Hawaiian Tropic Zone inside Miracle Mile Shops invites patrons to experience the succulent Wild Orchid cocktail. The sweet nectar is a smooth concoction infused with Cruzan Guava Rum, TY KU liqueur and pineapple juice. Boasting a glowing yellow hue, Wild Orchid is served in a Collins glass and garnished with a cherry.

Nevada Ballet Theatre Names Marie Osmond As Its ‘Woman Of The Year’ For The 2010 Black & White Ball – Nevada Ballet Theatre is honored to announce singer, author, television personality, Broadway performer and philanthropist Marie Osmond as its ‘Woman of the Year’ for the 2010 Black & White Ball. As one-half of the beloved singing duo “Donny & Marie,” this all-around entertainer will be honored on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at Paris Las Vegas. Born into an internationally known entertainment family, Osmond emerged on the country music scene at the tender age of 13 with her hit “Paper Roses,” making her the first female in country music history to debut with a number one record.

Air Supply ‘Live on the Road 2009’ Tour Stops At The Orleans Showroom September 3-6 – Australian soft-rock group Air Supply quickly became a staple of early ’80s radio after their first smash hit, “Love and Other Bruises.” Performing together for more than 30 years, Air Supply returns to The Orleans Showroom September 3, 4, 5 and 6 for four 8 p.m. performances. Englishman Graham Russell and Australian Russell Hitchcock met in 1975 while performing in the Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Later that year, the duo formed Air Supply and released their first smash hit and self-titled debut album, reaching gold in Australia.

ENVY Presents A Touch Of Hope Breast Foundation Dinner – From August 15 through September 15, Envy The Steakhouse, located at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, will present A Touch of Hope Breast Foundation Dinner. With a portion of the proceeds benefiting A Touch of Hope Breast Foundation, Envy The Steakhouse is offering a $95 Prix Fixe, four-course meal paired with complementing wines. Reservations are recommended. For reservations or more information about A Touch of Hope Breast Foundation Dinner, please call 702.784.5716 or visit www.envysteakhouse.com.

“The Mac King Comedy Magic Show” Nearing One-Millionth Audience Member – Milestone Guest to Win the Ultimate Mac King and Harrah’s Las Vegas Prize Package – “The Mac King Comedy Magic Show” will celebrate its one-millionth guest this summer with the ultimate prize package giveaway in partnership with Harrah’s Las Vegas. All guests that attend a performance of the show between August 7 and August 29, 2009, will have the chance to win the ultimate prize package. Recently dubbed in the Las Vegas Review-Journal 2009 “Best of Las Vegas” poll as “Favorite Male Las Vegan,” and voted “Best Bargain Show” six years in a row, Mac King has performed his family-friendly routine at Harrah’s Las Vegas since January 2000.

Journey To Perform At The M Resort Spa Casino – M Resort Spa Casino is proud to announce that Journey will perform in concert at the Villaggio Del Sole Entertainment Piazza on Saturday, October 3. Journey – Neal Schon (guitars, backing vocals), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Ross Valory (bass, backing vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Arnel Pineda (lead vocals) – plays with a passion and commitment that wows both longtime fans and new generations of listeners alike.

Larry The Cable Guy To Bring His Comedy Routine To Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, December 12 – Larry The Cable Guy, the American stand-up comedian and actor known best for his signature catch-phrase “Git-R-Done,” will bring his hilarious routine to Las Vegas and make a stop at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, Dec. 12. The performance is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Larry continues to sell out theatres and arenas across the United States. On July 4 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., Larry performed in front of more than 50,000 fans, a show that was a ‘thank you’ to his fans as well as the entire state of Nebraska for their long-time support.

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!

I should be back with Members Mania next week (where we answer reader questions). As much as I’d love to tell you that I just sit around sampling shrimp cocktail and eating large steaks 24/7, I’ve had a rather heavy load of responsibilities in my Managing Editor (and overall visionary) of this little outfit. We’re just about to launch an email newsletter for our Easy Vegas Deals blog (finally), I’m working on a slew of new giveaways for fall, and an upgraded tours section. Fall is the perfect time to take one of those scenic tours and really see the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and other area sights.

Plus… in response to significant reader requests for information where someone who is just a little past the “clubbing” age (IE, you don’t want people throwing up on you or tramping your feet when you party) but still want nice, fun places to enjoy cocktails here in Las Vegas, we’re working on our Vegas Hot Shots series.

Thank you so, so, so much to all of you who are telling your friends, family, and co-workers about us and also to those of you who are mentioning this newsletter in your blogs and in travel forums. I say it often, but we are completely independent. We put all our resources into bringing you this great info, and we don’t charge for it. But we need you to continue to “pay your dues” by making sure the world continues finding out about us.

Let people know that all they have to do is go to AccessVegas.com and sign up using the email form right at the top of that page!

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

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

August 12, 2009 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – March 18, 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 made the “mistake” of driving the length of The Strip (instead of using I-15) about a week ago mid-Friday afternoon. Thought it would be quicker. After all, nobody is coming to town, right? (OK, we knew better but wanted the change of pace). Take a look:


Flamingo and Las Vegas Blvd.


In Front Of The Harley Cafe


Mon Abi Gabi at Paris Las Vegas full of people-watchers. There are few better places to enjoy the Las Vegas Strip in spring and fall than with a light meal and a glass of wine on their patio.


The Deuce double-decker bus next to the fire truck make an interesting contrast. However… look at all the people in line to get on the bus!


The ever-popular O’ Sheas. Where you can still find cheap(er) drinks and lower limit gaming. Plus, people having fun!

Now… some may say “of course it was busy… it was a Friday.” However… Friday afternoon is actually transition time here. Weekday visitors are checked out and headed for the airport. Weekend visitors (many of whom drive in from Southern California) aren’t even in town yet. Las Vegas is still alive and well with people having the time of their lives!

More Pictures From Our Recent Cruise Down The Las Vegas Strip At The Bottom Of This Newsletter.

Hotels In Bankruptcy – Whenever the financial troubles of some of the local gaming companies make national news, we get people worried about booking because the hotel might go out of business. Have no fear: Even now, these monsters are much too capable of generating cold, hard cash to close.

Generally speaking, they are in financial trouble because they over-spent (too much debt) and over-anticipated future demand. Not because they lack basic cash flow. Those who hold the debt aren’t in a hurry to repossess anything. If you think the current crop of MBA’s is doing a lousy job running these places, what success do you think a bank would have? Many big banks can’t even run their own affairs!

Bankruptcy will allow the hotels to reorganize their debt and in the long run may lead to better customer service and more competitive pricing for you (the visitor) because they don’t have to pinch every penny trying to pay their mortgages.

99 Cent Shrimp Cocktail Special – is now available daily in the Players Deli at The Tropicana. The Player’s Deli is open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM. Of course, if you followed our EasyVegasDeals.com or our Access Vegas Twitter feed, you’d already know that!

M Shuttle Correction – The free shuttle from The Strip to the new M Resorts leaves from Capital Grille at Fashion Show Mall. Information and photos from The M plus the phone number to verify and get the latest shuttle information is available in our March 11, 1009 Las Vegas back-issue.

Take Advantage While You Can – For years, I’ve been saying that the “new” (now overbuilt) Las Vegas would allow you to stay in top-quality rooms for dirt-cheap prices. That the market would be flooded with upscale rooms and not enough “rich” people to fill them.

We’ve hit that point. I honestly don’t think we’ll see rooms quite this cheap again once the economy starts humming along (which may be sooner rather than later, as some politicians and economists are now saying maybe things weren’t as bad as we thought).

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to stay at Wynn, Bellagio, or Venetian, now is the time. You can get those rooms for what a mid-level hotel would have cost just a couple of years ago.

And… if you want to brag to your friends about how truly cheap you can get a Vegas room for, our friends atáLas Vegas Hotel Deals have Hooters and The Sahara for as low as $24 a night on selected weeknights (plus great rates on the top-end hotels as well).

Things are starting to get busy around here again. People have quit believing the “doom and gloom” and are headed to town. If you don’t lock up your trip now, expect to be paying a bunch more in the very near future.

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:

Aliante from $30, Boulder Stn from $30, Fiesta H from $25, Green Valley from $80, Palace Stn from $25, Red Rock from $90, Sunset Stn from $50, Texas Stn from $29, Wild Wild W. from $24, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

Def Leppard Announces Tour Stop In Las Vegas With Poison And Special Guest Cheap Trick Saturday, September 5 – In what will be one of the biggest rock events this summer, Britain’s great arena rock band Def Leppard will join forces with Poison and special guest Cheap Trick for a 40-city North American Tour set to hit the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, Sept. 5. The three bands have a combined sales of 100 million albums worldwide, 65 million from Def Leppard alone, fans can expect hits like “Photograph,” “Rock Of Ages,” “C’mon C’mon,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Foolin’,” “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak, “Nine Lives,” and countless others, to create an evening of rock ‘n’ roll unlike any other this summer.

Elvis Presley Rocks a Special Appearance at Minus 5░ Ice Lounge in Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino – The King of rock ‘n’ roll, Elvis Presley has entered the building. Making a special appearance at Minus 5░ Ice Lounge inside Mandalay Place, guests can pay homage to the 7-foot ice sculpture decked out in iconic garb. The King took more than two days to sculpt from two tons of ice and is able to maintain his bonafide style at a chilly temperature of 31 degrees Fahrenheit in the ice lounge. Touting the coolest experience in Vegas, 18 tons of ice were used to build and decorate the lounge from the walls and seats to the glasses that chill the famous vodka-based cocktails.

Rod Stewart 2009 North American Summer Tour MGM Grand Garden Arena, August 1 – Rod Stewart returns to Las Vegas with a stop at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, Aug. 1 as part of a limited-engagement tour this summer. The tour will provide fans with the perfect summer setting to enjoy hits from throughout Stewart’s extraordinary four-decade career. The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist Rod Stewart arguably possesses one of rock’s greatest and most distinctive voices. His trademark voice has successfully commanded nearly every genre of music including folk, rock, soul, R&B, blues and more, even managing to breathe a unique modernity into the classics. Spin has called him “the single greatest male singing voice of the rock era.”

Mac King performs his infamous rope trick for a group of children and parents at the Children’s Park in Town Square to help kick off his annual book drive for National Reading Month. – Mac King kicked off his annual book drive in support of National Reading Month on Wednesday, March 11 with Magic and Storytime in the Square at Town Square Las Vegas. New books are being collected now throughout April 24 at all four Las Vegas Borders locations to benefit Child Haven’s Through the Eyes of a Child Foundation. All patrons will receive a two-for-one offer to The Mac King Comedy Magic Show with their book donation.

Ultimate Fighting Championship« Presents UFC 98: ‘Sugar’ Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida Saturday, May 23 At MGM Grand – In the UFC« light heavyweight division, one of the most talented weight classes in all of mixed martial arts, every bout is a super fight. This will never be more evident than on Saturday, May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena when champion ‘Sugar’ Rashad Evans defends his crown for the first time against fellow unbeaten Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida in the main event of UFC 98, presented by Tequila CAZADORES. The Evans vs. Machida bout replaces the originally scheduled heavyweight championship bout between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir, which has been postponed due to injury.

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

I’ll be in Vegas in a little over a week. Where is a good place to get coupon books? And in this time of turn down economy, where is the best place to play slots???

Chuck Merica

Ted Responds:

Try the players club desk at each hotel for coupon books, plus your in-room magazines. But don’t waste your time chasing coupon activities unless it is something you really want to do or see. What good is saving $10 on an activity that takes an hour for you to get to and ends up being marginally enjoyable?

As we’ve always said, gaming odds (both slots and table) are generally better downtown. More and more people are combining their visit downtown (something of a ritual for the seasoned Las Vegas visitor) with that one major gambling session. I’m “all in” with that idea. Head downtown in the late afternoon, stroll around and have a cocktail, then enjoy dinner at one of the great hotel restaurants (Hugo’s Cellar at Four Queens is our pick).

Get into a nice, long (and hopefully profitable) gambling session. Remember that he overhead light show plays at the top of the hour from dusk until (including) midnight, which is a great excuse to take a break if your table or machine turns cold on you. Then, hit another hotel and try your luck again before finally venturing back to your hotel. It will be a night you probably don’t forget!

I thought Cher was no longer performing in Vegas? I see Cher is still listed on your “Vegas Concerts and Headliners” section.

Calvin

Ted Responds:

Cher had canceled a few shows quite some time ago due to a health issue. She is not only going strong with her performances here, but has recently added more dates. We have them listed down the right sidebar of this newsletter. Also, you may wish to bookmark http://entertainment.accessvegas.com where we are always adding the latest available concert dates for all artists!

Hi Ted!

Love your newsletter! We’re coming to Vegas in March for my daughter’s 21st birthday and of course they want to hit the clubs. There are different packages on Ebay that offer VIP passes to most of the clubs and they say no cover, no lines. Do you know if these passes are legitimate and are worth it?

Thanks for the insight!

Sharon from LaPorte, IN

Ted Responds:

I can’t vouch for packages off of Ebay and I’d be careful. The worst thing that could happen is arriving and finding out you bought something that wasn’t valid. We’ve linked to a long-time reputable site in the newsletter for years: Nightclubs.com has VIP passes and other nightclub options for Las Vegas and a number of other top club cities.

My husband and I had been planning for 3 years to introduce our son to Vegas when he turned 21. However,my husband passed away a few days before our sons 21st birthday. My son and I decided to still go to Vegas for New Years. It was a great experience for our son though it was bittersweet.

Dora

Ted Responds:

What a touching story and my deepest sympathy on your loss. Hopefully, your son was able to see many of the things that his father enjoyed and I’m happy to hear that it was satisfying experience in light of the circumstances. Taking a (grown) child to Las Vegas on their 21’st birthday is an amazingly popular activity and a great way to introduce them to some of life’s true pleasures.

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 I4Vegas Discount Las Vegas Reservations and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • Easter Sunday April 12
  • Cinco de Mayo May 5
  • Mother’s Day May 10
  • Memorial Day, U.S May 23-25 (3 day weekend)
  • Father’s Day June 21
  • Canada Day, Canada July 1
  • Independence Day July 4
  • Civic Holiday, Canada August 1-3 (3 day weekend)
  • 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)
  • 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


Work is coming along on the new Hard Rock Cafe (just a little bit north of MGM Grand).


Missing some of your at-home familiar sites? Both this McDonald’s and Walgreens sit just south of Planet Hollywood. Our advice? Forget the expensive mini-bar and grab what you need at Walgreens.


CityCenter is still up, up, and away. Maybe. They need another
$$$ billion-plus to finish it.


More visitors enjoying the stunning 75 degree weather.


Terry Fator and Cher both lighting up The Strip with their respective marquees. Both are selling well.


Tired of the doom and gloom on the news? Trust me… it will be far from your mind as you take a relaxing afternoon stroll in front of The Venetian.

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.


March 18, 2009 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

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

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – February 4, 2008

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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! Doom and gloom, doom and gloom… you would think that people have simply quit visiting Las Vegas if you listen to the national media. And a few new-resident bloggers who only have the past couple of years as their reference base.

Nothing could be farther from the truth! If your visit is planned, you won’t be lonely or find a shortage of amazing things to do. If you are holding off visiting, someone else WILL be enjoying that great room (and at a rock-bottom room rate) instead of you.

In fact… the bargain rates won’t last forever. Soon, people will realize that the sky is not falling and everyone is going to start to want to vacation at once. My advice? Book your Las Vegas room now before that crowd starts driving up rates again.

My Personal Trip Report – To ease things during the recent move (which was a combination of personal and business move combined), I spent a couple of dirt-cheap nights in a pretty nice hotel casino. I’ll put those details down in Members Mania including the $20 trick and other advice.

39,000,000 – This is the number of people projected to visit Las Vegas this year, 2009… in the midst of a “terrible” recession. (Actually, some note that the recessions of the 70’s and early 80’s were possibly worse when you look at economic contraction to date).

Just to compare, remember 2006? The red-hot year when everybody from no-name Florida developers to George Clooney were talking about building in Las Vegas because the city was so hot as a destination? Guess how many people visited in 2006: 38,9000,000. Which means…

More people are projected to visit Las Vegas this year than visited during the tourism “boom” year of 2006.

So why are all the gaming companies going broke? Two reasons:

1. They overbuilt. MGM Mirage has CityCenter (too ambitious), Harrah’s built onto Caesars and bought a ton of land at top-of-the-boom prices, and Station Casinos built Aliante smack-dab in the middle of one of the newest (and most highly foreclosed upon) areas of North Las Vegas. For 50 years, people have been saying that Las Vegas would get over-built. It happened.

2. They strayed away from value. When you think you are getting a deal (whether it be on food or good gambling odds or whatever), you actually spend MORE money. How many times have we gone into Target (or even the grocery store) to buy a sale item and end up walking out with a $100 worth of stuff we never intended to buy? Such basic marketing, and yet so lost on many major gaming companies. Which brings me to…

Don’t Be THAT Visitor – Local writer Corey “Oops, I forgot to mention Access Vegas Insider Vibe blog in a recent article” Levitan wrote a humorous piece about what it is like to live here and entertain out-of-town guests. If you live here, you’ll get a kick out of it. If you don’t live here, but regularly come to town to shack up with (and party with) friends that do live in Las Vegas, please… please read It’s deja vu all over again when friends come to visit Las Vegas (and don’t be “that guy” when you visit).

89110 Booziest Zip In Las Vegas – According to a recent article in the Review-Journal, local zip code 89110 has 56 liquor outlets. More than twice of any other Las Vegas zip code. This is an urban/suburban zip code about 3 miles from downtown, not a sprawling rural area. Needless to say, officials are looking to reduce that number. I live nowhere near that area, but I say “What better way to keep people from drinking and driving than to have a bar every two blocks!”

Still Not A Good Time To Move – We always have new readers, some subscribing because they are considering moving to Las Vegas. And we continue to say… Don’t. Unemployment is headed toward 12% (as the construction bust has resulted in empty mini-malls city wide), anyone hiring will first hire locals who are out-of-work, and the federal economic stimulus package has nothing for the gaming/resort industry that drives our economy (not that it should).

Treasure Island New Ownership Means… – We reported on this a few weeks ago, and I’ve been meaning to comment on it but the past few weeks have been a little chaotic around here.

As many of you know, financier Phil Ruffin bought Treasure Island (TI) from MGM Mirage. This could be the first in a number of casino sell-offs as some of the gaming giants are temporarily cash-strapped.áAnd let’s face it: With CityCenter opening later this year, did MGM Mirage really need Treasure Island? Does Harrah’s really need all of their properties with all that great land they own to expand on?

This is a good news for the consumer. Do you know why downtown Las Vegas (Fremont Street Experience) has so many better food deals and better gambling odds than The Strip? They have to. Almost every downtown casino is owned by a different owner. Tons of competition, pure and simple.

If (and that is a big IF) more sell-offs diversify hotel ownership on The Strip, expect a return to the heavy competition that established Las Vegas as a bargain resort destination that offered a world-class experience. If you missed this story completely a few weeks ago, reference:

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:

Aliante from $57, Boulder Stn from $29, Fiesta H from $28, Green Valley from $125, Palace Stn from $24, Red Rock from $125, Sunset Stn from $50, Texas Stn from $29, Wild Wild W. from $23, More Savings At All Vegas Hotels!

Jersey Boys Is Las Vegas’ Number One Show – Jersey Boys Takes The Top Spot In Las Vegas Review-Journals’ 2008 Top Ten List – The smash hit Jersey BoysClick Here at The Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino has been named the number one show of the year by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada’s largest newspaper. In a year of stiff competition, JERSEY BOYS claimed the top spot for entertainment in 2008 ahead of such celebrated productions as Bette Midler “The Showgirl Must Go On,” Cher and Donny and Marie Osmond. Click to Read The Full Story …

Wolfgang Puck Satisfies Dessert Cravings with the New Seasonal 15-Layer Carrot Cake – Wolfgang Puck invites patrons to indulge in the 15-Layer Carrot Cake, a unique take on the traditional dessert. Director of Pastry Kenny Magana created this mouth-watering temptation which is composed of fifteen savory layers of cake and adorned with candied walnuts, filled with a delectable cream cheese filling and complemented with ginger ice cream. For $12, the seasonal dish is available at Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois and Spago, located inside The Forum Shops at Caesars, as well as at the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, located inside MGM Grand. Click to Read The Full Story …

Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

Ted’s “Trip Report” – Living here, the one thing I admit we cover the least is the actual hotel experience. Fortunately, many of you write in with your experiences to share with everyone. We’ll get back to those next issue and you can always write in your Vegas experiences to us at allvegastv@aol.com

Having spent a couple of recent hotel nights, I’ll briefly share my experiences:

Needing to “get out of the way” (of movers, maintenance/construction people and everything else), I looked for three things in a hotel: Good, cheap, and near The Strip. Palace Station came to mind, and a quick search of their site showed a $25 a night rate. Not bad!

However… you should never book anywhere else without checking our friends at Las Vegas Hotel Deals. Guess what… they were doing Palace Station at “stay one night, get one free” for much of the month of January. My total for two nights with tax? $30 and change. Not bad for a place literally one mile from The Strip (The Sahara to be specific, but Sahara has a monorail stop that will get you just about everywhere else).

Now… Palace Station has their older courtyard rooms and their newer tower rooms, both of which have been extensively remodeled. Usually, booking the rock bottom rate will get you in the courtyard. Not bad… the room surround a surprisingly nice pool area. But nothing fancy. Here’s where the “tip the desk clerk” situation comes into play:

Upon checking in, I took my ID and my credit card and placed a folded $10 bill in between them, with it sticking out just far enough to see the denomination. I told the clerk “if you have any tower rooms, the higher, the better (for the view), I’d appreciate it.” He punched a few things up, said he could take care of me, and thanked me (for the tip) as he picked up the credit card.

The result? A 19’th floor room with great Strip view, a 42 inch flat screen, modern decor, tile shower (no bath) with upscale toiletries, granite counter tops in the bathroom, King Size bed plus all the usual nice amenities (hair drier, iron and board, safe, big closet, quietá heat/air).

Plus… make sure you ALWAYS look through a coupon book if your hotel gives you one. Mine had everything from a free beer in their Irish Pub to 25% off room service (not to mention a bunch of gambling coupons and other specials).

Final thoughts:

1. I tipped $10 at the desk because it was (after all) Palace Station and a slow Sunday night check-in to boot. Consider $20 a minimum tip anywhere on The Strip or downtown or on a weekend anywhere. Staying at one of the really nice hotels? Make it a $50 if you want them to try to pull an ámajor upgrade (to a full suite, for example).

2. Is Palace Station for the novice visitor? Maybe not unless you are really staying on a budget. There is something to be said for staying right on The Strip. However… with a free shuttle to/from both the airport and The Strip, it might be a small inconvenience for the budget-minded. In addition, you’ll find the usual assortment of casino restaurants with prices well below Strip pricing, and lower table limits as well.

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 I4Vegas Discount Las Vegas Reservations and spend one of the following hot dates having fun in Las Vegas:

  • 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)
  • 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)
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year February 14

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

February 4, 2009 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy