Access Vegas Insider Vibe – June 13, 2001

Posted on June 13, 2001January 20, 2009 by admin

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THIS ISSUE: The Rat Pack Is Back

Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Scenic Southwest Tours – by plane, bus, or even helicopter! You’ve seen the glossy ads in the tourist brochures. You’ve thought about it. You come all the way to Las Vegas — why not see one of the some of the most famous landmarks in the world! Don’t by tricked by web sites & magazines that offer discount tours. Taxes, park fees, permits can almost double the price. Our prices are inclusive – no hidden charges! Best Las Vegas Tours

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

JACKPOT – Major William Tracy had been in Las Vegas for less than a
day when he struck it rich early Wednesday morning, winning $3 million
on a Wheel of Fortune(R) dollars machine at the Flamingo Las Vegas.
“I just sat there staring at the payline, trying to figure out what
was happening when a security guard walked up to tell me that I had
just won $3 million. I’m still in shock,” he said. Tracy, 32, and
his wife, Alicia, are in Las Vegas to attend graduation ceremonies at
the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB. Tracy, who flies an F-15C
fighter, is currently stationed in Japan. The Tracys aren’t sure what
they’ll do with their winnings. “Make some investments, help our
families. It’s a lot to figure out. But there is one thing we are
sure of — we don’t want things to change … at least, not too
much,” Tracy said.

MONORAIL – Right now, early construction on the first phase of the Las Vegas monorail is underway. Running from the MGM to the Desert Inn, the line is eventually slated to run downtown. Proposed extensions run both to the airport and along the casinos on the West side of The Strip. Full story with map at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-29-Tue-2001/news/16179719.html

MARINERS -áááá The Seattle baseball team continues to terrorize their opponents, as well as the Vegas sportsbooks. Count the Mirage as one of many Nevada casinos that would welcome some avalanche control. It listed the Mariners at 45-to-1 odds to win the World Series before the season started, a number the team has pared to 7-2, second only to the Yankees’ 5-2. Full story (which includes a little inside peak at how baseball lines are set) at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-1.htm

ENERGY CRUNCH – is continuing to be felt by the hotels here. While Nevada has secured enough energy for the summer, the prices are on the rise. Harrah’s Entertainment, Station Casinos and the Riviera Hotel and Casino have tacked a $3-a-night surcharge on hotel rooms at their Nevada casinos. Whether to charge customers more is especially a dilemma for the more expensive casinos on the Strip, where image is everything and customers could perceive such a move as tacky. Bellagio, for example, now has a system that adjusts air conditioning and turns off lights when offices aren’t used. Full story at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-2.htm

EPICUREAN AFFAIR – The 11th annual Epicurean Affair, featuring signature dishes from local restaurants, wine, a silent auction and live entertainment, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. June 20 at The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South. More than 50 restaurants plan to participate in the event, dubbed “The Rhythm of Flavor” and carrying a Latin American theme. Details at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-30-Wed-2001/living/16149617.html

NO KIDDING – In light of the recent “Kids In Vegas” debate, I was informed about No Kidding. This is a group of people who are child-free by choice. They are adamant that they don’t hate children nor are trying to pass anti-child laws. It is just a social group for people who have no kids and enjoy social events with others in the same position. The national page is at http://mypage.direct.ca/j/jerry_s/ and the Las Vegas chapter can be contacted at (click) mailto:lasvegas@nokidding.net

VEGAS FOR KIDS – If you are bringing your kids to Las Vegas, “101 Things for Kids in Las Vegas” by Carol Stout is a must have. Instead of dragging them through the hot sun or locking them in the room while you gamble, make the trip fun for them. This excellent book is available online from Amazon.Com at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1886161208/invegascom

LIFE OF A DEALER – CNN profiles people in various careers, asking them questions about the job and their life. They just profiled a Vegas blackjack dealer at http://www.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/dayonthejob/06/12/casino/index.html

THE ECONOMY – For all the reasons Californians come here, there’s a growing list of reasons why, this summer, they may not. Higher gas prices. Hesitancy to leave homes untended during rolling blackouts. A softening economy. The lure of Vegas-style Indian casinos closer to home. But Las Vegas can spin an economic threat like a roulette wheel, and executives here say they expect this summer to be as strong as last year’s — especially as travelers reexamine their more exotic vacation plans. Full story at http://www.latimes.com/travel/vegas/stories/20010603/t000046305.html

STEVE WYNN HAS BURPED – It’s an inside joke — I’ve told friends that some people are so into Vegas that they would like an update every time Steve Wynn burps. (Wynn is former Mirage Resorts founder / CEO and that man who bought the Desert Inn to put a new resort there.) The most recent courtesy of R-J columnist Norm! is a massive makeover of the famed golf course, a large lake with lakefront condos, and a Cirque de Soleil-type show. Read full details at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jun-03-Sun-2001/news/16221974.html

WIRELESS CHECK-IN – The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas plans to launch a pilot program this summer that’s aimed at using wireless devices to ensure that rooms are ready for arriving guests. Guests will meet hotel clerks at any of several entrances, including the car drop-off area, and be able to show a credit card to check reservations via a wireless LAN connection to a server in real time. Once the reservation has been confirmed, the clerk will be able to encode a room-key card for the guest. Full story at http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,26682,00.html

KIDS QUEST – The new Palms Hotel Casino (under construction near The Rio) is going to have a child care center. These centers are already popular at some “local’s” casinos around town. Story at http://twincities.bcentral.com/twincities/stories/2001/05/07/daily25.html

SOUTH STRIP – Recently, a continuing series on urban hikes in Las Vegas focuses on the Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, and Four Seasons hotels. Included are good synopses of the attractions at each and worth printing out before you next trip. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-13-Sun-2001/living/16040904.html

$100 REBATE SPECTACULAR! Our partners at Hotel Reservations Network are giving you up to $100 back on any stay in Las Vegas or any major city they reserve. (Full details and list of all eligible cities at http://www.hoteldiscounts.com/cgi-bin/coupon?SID=IVC&Dest=LAS&LKF=IVC&PROD=HOTEL ). Claiming your cash is simple:

1. Print out: http://www.hoteldiscounts.com/cgi-bin/coupon?SID=IVC&Dest=LAS&LKF=IVC&PROD=HOTEL
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

35TH ANNUAL VICTOR AWARDS – The Las Vegas Hilton will host the 35th Annual Victor Awards June 23, honoring the world’s greatest athletes and coaches, with event proceeds going to City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. The event will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net from the Hilton Theater starting at 5:00 p.m. PST/8:00 p.m. EST. Tickets are available through the City of Hope for $50 and black tie is required. To purchase tickets, call City of Hope at 800-544-3541, extension 26206.

Each year, the Academy of Victor Sports Awards recognizes star athletes from baseball, basketball, football, track and field, boxing, tennis and more. This year’s nominees include Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Marion Jones, Venus Williams, Eddie George, Mario Lemieux, Cynthia Cooper and Tiger Woods.

NUDE CABARET – MGM is launching “La Femme” in partnership with the infamous Crazy Horse of Paris, France on June 14. The name was changed for Vegas to avoid any legal trouble with the local strip club of the same name. While promising to show a lot of skin in a theatrical fashion, Clark County liquor laws prohibit total nudity anywhere booze is served so the producers of the new show are being slightly creative with their “all nude” presentation. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-25-Fri-2001/news/16178266.html

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Earl Turner (Rio) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jun-01-Fri-2001/weekly/16204135.html
* Liberace Museum – http://www.viewnews.com/2001/VIEW-Jun-06-Wed-2001/East/16215569.html

SHOWS, GOLF, DINING:

* SHOW TICKETS – See which shows are playing during your stay and book reservations EVEN if the tickets aren’t on sale yet. Let ShowVegas takes care of all your needs directly online! Search by dates at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=1
* GOLF RESERVATIONS – BookVegas let’s you grab that tee time GUARANTEED before you get to town! Click to http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5
* DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.bookvegasdining.com/dvpricing.cfml?amid=143&cscheme=5

EVENT LISTINGS:

* SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
* CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/concerts.htm

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Onda (Mirage) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jun-06-Wed-2001/living/16208847.html
* Seasons (Bally’s) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-30-Wed-2001/living/16184064.html

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Thursday – 91 ░F / 70 ░F Sunny
Friday – 98 ░F / 76 ░F Sunny
Saturday – 102 ░F / 80 ░F Sunny
Sunday – 103 ░F / 79 ░F Partly Cloudy
Monday – 103 ░F / 79 ░F Partly Cloudy
Tuesday – 103 ░F / 80 ░F Partly Cloudy

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FEATURE STORIES: The Rat Pack Is Back

Sometimes I really look forward to reviewing the shows, and other times it’s just another day at the office. Granted, I’m not complaining — there are worse offices than a Las Vegas showroom and since 90% of my time is spent in front of the computer, it is always pleasant to get out in the “real world.”

The Rat Pack Is Back is a show I was truly looking forward to seeing. Up until recently, the show had been on a month-to-month engagement at the Sahara which didn’t make it a good review candidate. I don’t want to tell you about something that might be closed by the time you get to town! However, with a new one-year contract (and possible extensions), this show is here to stay.

I was looking forward to it because although not yet born in the heyday of the Rat Pack, I’ve always been curious about the vibe they brought to Las Vegas. I have a poster of them in my office. I’ve seen all the specials on the cable TV channels chronicling their time here. But would this show be a reasonably true recreation that brings back that vibe, or would I be seeing some second rate impersonators limping their way through a show as some of the budget Elvis’ seem to do?

Thankfully, it was the former. While not the Copa Room (where the originals played often at The Sands), the Congo room at the Sahara was festively decorated and very comfortable. “Joey” (played by comedian Mark Cohen — legalities prevent the performers from using the full names of the people they impersonate in the show) came out and told us that it was a very special night: December 12, 1961 … which just happened to be “Frank’s” birthday. He warmed the crowd up with some truly funny comedy.

He then introduced “Frank,” played by famed Sinatra impressionist Steve Lippia who sung a collection of hits from the era including “Luck Be A Lady” while he worked the stage with a confident manner. His vocal comparison to Sinatra’s is uncanny, and the 20 piece orchestra backing all of the performers added to the realism of the period.

Rick Michel came out as “Dean,” in character with a huge martini glass. He was perhaps was the most dead-on in the looks department (although all had good resemblance to their original characters) and had an amazingly strong voice to boot. He ran through Dean Martin favorites such as Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes and Find Yourself Somebody To Love.

Doug Starks is “Sammy,” and I mean he IS Sammy. An actual friend of the late entertainer he pays tribute to, he had the style, vocal quality, moves, and inflections down pat. Sailing through songs like That Old Black Magic and What Kind of Fool Am I, he took liberty to sing Mr. Bojangles, noting that it wouldn’t be released until 1968 … but “You are here, I am here, so let’s do it”!

From there, the show was filled with the kind of fun and frolic that these performers made legendary. They joked, sang duets, made little jabs at each other, and mixed drinks on stage. Celebrities in the audience were introduced (this night they included Robin Leach and Nevada Lt. Governor Lorraine Hunt). Although the original performers had a great camaraderie, even more credit to this group for being able to naturally recreate that night after night.

If you are old enough to remember and appreciate The Rat Pack, or were born a little after their Vegas heyday but are curious about what it must have been like and love that “old Vegas” vibe, this is a show well worth seeing.

The Rat Pack Is Back plays The Sahara hotel. Check times, costs, and availability at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=1

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EDITORS NOTE:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Joyce Mitchell wrote:

> Hi, Ted!
> Thank you for your great newsletter. I really enjoy it. We
> returned from a four night visit to Vegas and are looking forward to
> the next visit — we go at least once or twice a year. Vacations in
> Vegas are real vacations — you can rest, relax, or be as frantic as
> you might be inclined, and all your old worries and troubles are far
> away in a different world. If you tire of noisy casinos, you can
> visit desert, canyons, or mountains. I recommend it! (People
> watching is high on the list of diversions!)
> I would like to comment on the new slots. People with a limited amount
> of cash to blow — like me and my husband — enjoy the
> sensation of putting in coins. We don’t even use the option of
> spinning on credit; we cash out the coins first. Besides, it seems to
> make your money last longer(!). While I understand the casinos’
> appreciation of paper slots, from my point of view — yuck! Washing
> your hands often makes a lot of sense anyway when you are messing
> around with machines that lots of people handle. And on a slightly
> different note — we don’t care for the “computer games” either. Give
> us an old fashioned one-game slot any day. (I guess we must be “old
> fashioned” people; FYI, we are both over 65.)
> We like to stay downtown, especially at the Golden Nugget.
> It is convenient and you get more casinos for the same amount of steps.
> Plus, the Strip is just a few minutes away.
> Keep up the good work, and thank you again.

We did a poll on this about a year ago, but with so many new readers, I’ll do another one. How do you feel about coinless slots? Vote today at http://www.accessvegas.com á!

Gloria Davis wrote:

> Unfortunately I allowed myself to be persuaded to stay at the Riviera
> Hotel while attending a conference in Las Vegas. I will never do that
> again. First there were the long lines at registration. After
> standing there for 45 minutes, I was given a room whose carpet was so
> soiled, I promptly returned to the desk for a reassignment. Guess
> what, another 40 minute wait. The people at the desk were very
> pleasant about the room reassignment and I was given a smoking room,
> had requested nonsmoking, which I did not realize was smoking until I
> reached the room. You guessed right again, I returned to the desk and
> waited in line 45 minutes again. By the time I reached the desk, I
> was not very composed. I know I felt like crying and evidently that
> was noticed. The manager assigned the next room. It was barely
> adequate.
>
> My next fiasco was following through with a recommendation to try the
> buffet at the Stardust. I was very disappointed in the food. It was
> attractively displayed, but lacked flavor.
>
> I like Las Vegas and will return but guess where I will not be staying
> or eating. You guessed it.

Unfortunately, with the volume of people Las Vegas hotels handle, sometimes one has a bad experience. If you don’t get satisfaction at the time, be sure to write the general manager of the hotel when you return home. If you are polite but firm and give solid detail, they will often send you freebies ranging from food to free nights on your next visit.

A couple of years ago, I gave the Stardust daily brunch buffet a nice review here, but they have since discontinued the daily buffet format and the quality has waned. Although are archives at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com and our new show reviews archive at http://www.las-vegas-shows-reviews.com can be a big help, note the date and remember that sometimes things change. Our weekly reviews here are always fresh!

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

Your input is welcome. Write us a “letter to the editor” at (click) mailto:allvegastv@aol.com While space doesn’t permit publishing every letter, we do certainly read them all and they help shape our content. Please include your name if you wish to have it published (stating your city is optional). Also, guest article submissions are welcome with full credit to you, your website, etc., if accepted.

ONLINE POLL – “How do you feel about coinless slots?” Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

Results from last poll: “Should people bring their kids to Las Vegas?”

No way, no how … it’s a playground for adults. 57%
Only if the kids are teenagers and can enjoy the chaos and 24/7 excitement. 19%
If they are old enough to remember it, bring them. 7%
Las Vegas is a fine place for any family vacation regardless of child age. 15%

FREE CONTEST: Sign up for Weatherbug and get a free trip to Vegas: http://ww2.weatherbug.com/aff/default.asp?zcode=Z3390&DoCheck=True

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Have a request for a review? Boggled when you come to town and see the hundreds of dining, attraction, and show opportunities? Let us know what you’d like to hear about! Unlike the tourist magazines where all of the “articles” are really paid ads, we give you the honest scoop. If you appreciate this service, please consider booking your rooms and rental cars for ALL destinations with us at http://www.lodging.com/affiliates/us_reservations.cgi?remote=tedinvegas You get secure ordering with the convenience and savings of booking online!

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

All contents copyright 2001 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
June 13, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 30, 2001

Posted on May 30, 2001December 24, 2008 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

THIS WEEK’S CITY ON SALE: Las Vegas: Stratosphere from $59.95, Aladdin from $109.95, Hilton Grand Vacations from $69.95, The Hilton from $59.95, and The Orleans $59.95 Click to http://www.hoteldiscounts.com/cgi-bin/OnSale?LKF=IVC&SID=IVC

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THIS ISSUE: Andre-Philippe Gagnon

EDITOR NOTES:

I was expecting a bigger negative response to last week’s “tell it like it is” articles on the pitfalls of playing for comps and gambling with slot club cards (which focus you on points, not how much more you are losing to “earn” points).

Out of 16,000+ subscribers, only two (2) wrote in and said that they use their club card and break even or end up ahead every year when they factor in the freebies. I thought that number would be just a little higher, but further shows that playing to “earn” comps isn’t a way to beat Las Vegas.

Yes, our city on sale (above) for the third straight week is Las Vegas. Our hotel partner HRN decides each week’s city, and for some reason they have left Las Vegas specials running for three weeks now. If you were debating, I’d take advantage of the specials now. I can’t guarantee we will have Las Vegas specials another week.

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

HOTEL FIRE – This just in: The Gold Spike Hotel Casino downtown (a cheap, rundown place downtown near Lady Luck) caught fire about 11 AM this morning. Seventeen were hurt attempting to get out, but none of the injuries were serious. The damage was confined to one room where a man and woman first reported their mattress on fire. Because of the 1980 fire at Bally’s (then the MGM Grand), Clark County (Las Vegas) now has some of the most stringent hotel fire safety codes in the world.

NEW LOUNGES – Caesars Palace and Paris Las Vegas have both jumped into the fray created by the success of V-Bar at Venetian (which we reported on a few weeks ago). Can anyone say “Bond … James Bond”? That seems to be the feel and era they are both working to recreate. Paris Las Vegas has opened Vamp from 10 PM – 4 AM on weekend nights. Vamp promises visually stimulating fashion, pulsating laser light spectrum and stylish, vogue lounge dancers with a cover of $15.

Caesars has Shadow, featuring contemporary designs with eclectic furnishings. What will stand out is the constant presence of provocative Shadow concierges. Visible only through a sheer scim screen, these multiple silhouette dancers will perform choreographed dance routines to original music and the mingle with the guests acting as lounge hostesses when not dancing. Shadow will be open 24/7 with the dancers in attendance evenings. Cover (if any) was not disclosed.

WORLD SERIES OF POKER – has been over for a couple of weeks now, but I found a good article giving a firsthand rundown of the yearly Las Vegas spectacle at http://www.freep.com/news/casinos/gam25_20010525.htm

PORN HANDBILLS – The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in a mixed opinion Thursday that The Mirage and Treasure Island are entitled to restrict the distribution of sexually oriented handbills on their sidewalks though they are used by the public. This is another step in the long fight between the resorts and the companies who pass out the handbills. The handbill companies claim free speech while the resorts suggest they have certain rights to the areas that front their properties. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-18-Fri-2001/news/16124818.html

SUMMER IS HERE – With the temperatures generally climbing, we can’t stress enough the importance of drinking plenty of water while out there. Because of the very low humidity, you perspire greatly but don’t realize it because it evaporates off of your body immediately. Drinking booze dehydrates you further. Either way, we suggest stopping by the hotel bars on a regular basis and grabbing a bottled water. Your body will thank you, your stamina will by higher, and you’ll enjoy your vacation a lot more.

HARRAH’S – scored a number of wins in the recent “Best of Las Vegas” put out by the Review-Journal. Clint Holmes (read our archived review at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/01-02-21.htm ) was voted “Best Singer,” “Best All-around Las Vegas Performer,” and “Favorite Male Las Vegan.” He has also been inducted into the Casino Legends Hall of Fame at the Tropicana (Hall of Fame review at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/99-09-15.htm ).

Additionally, The Improv was voted “Best Comedy Club” and the Carnival Court was voted “Best Lounge.” The Carnival Court is definitely one of the more fun stops to party on the Strip, especially on weekend evenings when they have live blackjack outdoors to compliment the festive surroundings and live music. Discount Harrah’s rooms at hhttp://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-strip-hotels.htm (Harrah’s link).

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

Rental Cars – Don’t pay top dollar! Enter the dates of your visit and compare prices from virtually every major rental car agency (most US cities). Book the lowest price company or your regular agency. Save the hassle and some money – Car Rental Savings Search. Few regret renting a car. Free shuttles and city bus rides can be slow and smelly. Taxis can cost what a rental car costs. Your vacation time is valuable — make the most out of it!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

PURPLE REIGN – The Prince tribute band plays Wed. – Sat. 10:30 PM to 1:00 AM in the Lighthouse Lounge of the Boardwalk Casino (across from Aladdin). One drink minimum

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Michael Holly (Sahara) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-04-Fri-2001/weekly/15991758.html

SHOWS, GOLF, DINING:

* SHOW TICKETS – See which shows are playing during your stay and book reservations EVEN if the tickets aren’t on sale yet. Let ShowVegas takes care of all your needs directly online! Search by dates at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=3230&cscheme=1
* GOLF RESERVATIONS – BookVegas let’s you grab that tee time GUARANTEED before you get to town! Click to http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5
* DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.bookvegasdining.com/dvpricing.cfml?amid=143&cscheme=5

EVENT LISTINGS:

* SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
* CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Marrakech (on Paradise Rd. close to Strip) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/weekly/16044887.html

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Thursday – 104 ░F / 78 ░F Sunny
Friday – 105 ░F / 79 ░F Sunny
Saturday – 102 ░F / 75 ░F Partly Cloudy
Sunday – 99 ░F / 73 ░F Sunny
Monday – 100 ░F / 76 ░F Sunny
Tuesday – 101 ░F / 75 ░F Sunny

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FEATURE STORIES: Andre-Philippe Gagnon

The lights went down, and Mick Jagger hit the stage. Almost. Andre-Philippe Gagnon, “the man of a thousand voices” hit the stage backed by a tight four piece band and did a dead-on impression (both physically and vocally) of the Stones lead singer.

Gagnon is part impressionist and all comedian. With a repertoire of hundreds of voices from Sinatra to Axl Rose, from Sting to Barry White, he shows extreme versatility during the 75 minute show. After Jagger, he establishes his talent by rolling through Lou Rawls, Julio and Willie (in duet), and Tom Jones among others.

Then comes “Bill: The Musical” which is a hilarious multi-act “play” based on the Clinton / Lewinsky saga. Songs by Sting, Louis Prima, Barry White, and Marvin Gaye are twisted lyrically to make a nonpartisan comedic set that had the audience breaking out in laughter a number of times.

Taking a swing at pop culture, he noted the Beatles songs now used in commercials and proceeded to give us other “what if” examples in a medley of Beatles songs turned to commercials. He then proceeded to do the same with varied artists such as James Brown, Joe Cocker, REM, Alice Cooper, The Oakridge Boys, and Dire Straits.

A Gagnon show is like being hit with rapid fire bullets. He weaves together verses of different songs, seldom even doing half a song by any one artist. What makes it work is his talent, blending flawlessly from both the voice and mannerisms of one performer to another. His band must receive serious credit themselves for the ability to jump from style to style to style and sound great.

He pulled out the big guns toward the close of the show. Lest one think that his talent is based strictly on working to mimic famous talents, he picked a random man out of the audience and had this man sing a few bars of a song. Gagnon then replicated the man dead-on … with not just the vocal quality (or lack thereof in this case) but the cadence. He then did a duet of the song with them man, moving the microphone back and forth between himself and this audience member every few words. With eyes closed, you couldn’t have told the difference.

He opened for Celine Dion in 1998 for her world tour, and she has a part in his show. Appearing via video screen, he sings a duet with her using not his own voice but Sinatra’s. The result was very impressive. There is one more surprise involving audience participation, but I’ll leave this impressive and hilarious bit a surprise. (No one in the audience is embarrassed or anything — have no fear).

Andre-Philippe Gagnon Ticket Info

EDITOR NOTES: This will be the last week I publish “Kids In Vegas” letters. The letters are a representative sample of responses. It’s been a great debate, but we need to move on to other topics. We’ll perhaps revive it in a few months, but if you have not had a chance to put in your two cents, we still have the poll “Should people bring their kids to Las Vegas?” running at http://www.accessvegas.com Also, PLEASE remember that if you don’t sign your letter (we like to have your city also), we can’t publish it.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Mark Reesor wrote:

>Your May 24th issue was absolutely fascinating – I really enjoyed the
>articles about comps and your comments about kids and Vegas.

Zig wrote:

>Dear Ted,
>
>I wish to start off by saying, “I hate children.” Obviously your
>readers will know where THIS letter is going. I took my first trip to
>Vegas in February 2001. One of the many things I enjoyed about Vegas
>was the “lack” of children. I have read the letters in your last
>issue from parents talking about how much they enjoyed Vegas with
>their children. Oh sure, THEY enjoyed Vegas, but what about the
>people around them? Parents all to often are so self-absorbed in
>their little darlings that they fail to consider other people. I’ve
>been to Disney World, and the most frustrating and annoying part of
>the experience is the children. I don’t know, should we start
>allowing children into bars, nightclubs, and adult bookstores too? It
>was YOUR decision to have children, don’t punish the rest of us. Keep
>the brats at home.

R and J Schill wrote:

>We’re one of the old peoples who have gone to Vegas since the children
>were 14 and 16 that being since 1980. At that time Vegas was very
>rude to children. They weren’t even allowed to peek in the front
>window of a casino. But it is so nice to see the change in policy.
>It’s not the children the casino’s should complain about but the
>adults that bring the children. If the child is brought up to respect
>his or her self plus those around them there is no problem. We’ve
>been run into and pushed aside by adults pushing strollers as if the
>side walk belonged to them only. With this attitude why should we
>blame the children. They only learn what they see.
>
>There is room in Vegas for everyone. But it is the adult that must
>determine the behavior of the children before the planned trip.
>Parents, children and grandparents have no problems so why should
>there be a problem in Vegas. Just as it is in the town you live in
>should it be in Vegas. It’s just a little commonsense. And Vegas has
>entertainment for everyone and all ages.

Yolanda Alter of Eastpointe, MI wrote:

>Hello Ted,
>
>Do kids belong in casinos. NO WAY! This is parenting 101….children
>do not belong in or near casinos. Certainly there are venues in Las
>Vegas where it is appropriate to take children but casinos and hotels
>with casinos are not the appropriate places.
>
>The root of the problem is not the children themselves. They go where
>they are taken, as they are their parent’s prisoners. The problem is
>irresponsible parents who subject their children to this atmosphere.
>I have been going to LV at least twice a year for the past 20 years.
>I can’t tell you the amount of times I have seen parents dragging
>children down the strip or through Casinos after 10 p.m. These
>children are tired and cranky. Children should be in bed!! Casinos
>are full of smoke, liquor, gambling, swearing and lewd people. This
>is not Disney World nor a proper environment for children.
>
>I overheard someone at the Mirage who was sitting in the Lagoon Saloon
>with an infant. They were complaining about people smoking in a bar!
>”Imagine people smoking in a bar!” The women loudly said she doesn’t
>allow smoking in her home as “it’s not good for the baby.” The smoke
>must have been bad for her brain, because common sense would tell you
>that you don’t take an infant to a bar. But it was convenient for the
>parent to blame the smokers. Now I don’t smoke, I don’t like smoke,
>but I know when I should be tolerant of it and where to expect it.
>
>Parents in general feel that it is there right to impose their
>”sweethearts” on everyone. I have had many dinners spoiled in LV and
>at home due to crying children. Many of these restaurants are not the
>family type and its after nine o’clock. Being a parent is a privilege
>and a sacrifice. You either get someone to watch your children, or
>DON’T GO.
>
>I enjoying going to Disney World, do I complain about children
>everywhere, NO WAY. I’m in their world.
>
>I know I won’t change the way parents see (their right) to do as they
>please with their children. Since you are imposing your children on
>lone adults I just wanted to give you MY opinion. (It’s my right!)

Bob wrote:

>I have enjoyed reading the newsletters
>but when you tell people to check out Rob
>Singers site you have done a terrible disservice to your readers.
>People might believe what he says. He is an idiot when it comes to
>gambling. Please check your sources more carefully.

It is not my job to get in the middle of the “video poker pro”
debates. (Right now, there is great controversy among “professional”
video poker players about which pro’s method for beating the machines
is better.) I assume people are smart enough to check his stuff out
and decide for themselves, and I’ve had links to a number of other VP
resources listed for years on my gambling page at
http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-gambling-online.htm

I merely used Mr. Singers comment as well as an article by a noted gaming writer to back up my point and I gave credit to both sources. I firmly believe that slot cards are a downfall to 99% of the players who use them. They get people focused on points, not their bankroll.

For every video pro out there who tells people how they can break even
or make a few bucks playing video poker (putting tens of thousands of
dollars a month through the machines, and factoring in their comps to
say they ended up ahead), there are hundreds of thousands of people
who get trapped into playing more than they planned.

The average visitor is here to party and have fun, and if I can help
them from going beyond their gambling budget I feel as though I’ve
done a good thing.

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ONLINE POLL – “Should people bring their kids to Las Vegas?” Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

FREE CONTEST – Sign up with Weatherbug to track your local weather and win a free trip to Las Vegas: http://ww2.weatherbug.com/aff/default.asp?zcode=Z3390&DoCheck=True

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

All contents copyright 2001 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
May 30, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 23, 2001

Posted on May 23, 2001March 3, 2009 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

THIS ISSUE: The Truth About Slot Cards, Casino Freebies are not Usually Free

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

WORLD SERIES OF POKER – Carlos Mortensen knows when to hold ’em. The 29-year-old who moved to the United States from Spain a few years ago to play poker professionally won the World Series of Poker tournament Friday night at Binion’s Horseshoe — and a $1.5 million jackpot. Full story at http://www.bergen.com/morenews/poker20200105205.htm and http://www.casinogaming.com/columnists/shelf/051601.html

WORLD SWIMSUIT – Model Search Finals will have over 60 women compete in what they bill as the “Ultimate Swimsuit Competition.” US and Canadian Finals are Friday, June 1 at 6:00 PM and the World Model Search Finals are Saturday, June 2 at 8: 00 PM. Tickets at (702) 731-7865. Discount Caesars rooms at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas.htm (Caesars link).

SET TO RETIRE IN VEGAS – Nevada might have to wait a few years before it lives up to its growing reputation as a retirement mecca. Fewer than 10 percent of the state’s booming population are 65 or older, according to 2000 census figures released Friday. However, those aged 45 to 59 nearly doubled their ranks. “The pre-retirees are people moving here for their last job,” said Jeff Hardcastle, state demographer. Full story at http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/states/nv/A42254-2001May17.html

FRENCH FRY FUEL – Biodiesel fuel made from recycled cooking oils at casino hotels and restaurants went on sale in Nevada Tuesday, the first public access fueling station in the nation to offer the biodegradable fuel that reduces emissions. Full story at http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/biodiesel010523.html

AFTERNOON TEA – The Four Seasons (located at the south end of Mandalay Bay — same building) offers English style afternoon tea from 2 – 5 PM daily. At the Verandah, patrons choose from 11 teas that come with a three-tiered serving tray filled with scones, finger sandwiches and pastries. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-16-Wed-2001/living/16029484.html

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

EFX – I took quite a bit of heat for my unkind review of EFX starring Rick Springfield, but word is that his run will end when his one-year contract is up. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-13-Sun-2001/news/16088379.html and you can read the archived review at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/01-03-07.htm

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Fab Four (Las Vegas Hilton) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-18-Fri-2001/weekly/16097002.html
* Paul Anka – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/weekly/16011307.html
* Splash (Riviera) – http://www.lvshowbiz.com/current_issue/splash.html

SHOWS, GOLF, DINING:

* SHOW TICKETS – See which shows are playing during your stay and book reservations EVEN if the tickets aren’t on sale yet. Let ShowVegas takes care of all your needs directly online! Search by dates at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=3230&cscheme=1
* GOLF RESERVATIONS – BookVegas let’s you grab that tee time GUARANTEED before you get to town! Click to http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5
* DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.bookvegasdining.com/dvpricing.cfml?amid=143&cscheme=5

EVENT LISTINGS:

* SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
* CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Olio (MGM) – http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/departments/2001_05_10/dining_taste.html

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Thursday – 103 ░F / 80 ░F Partly Cloudy
Friday – 100 ░F / 75 ░F Partly Cloudy
Saturday – 99 ░F / 74 ░F Partly Cloudy
Sunday – 96 ░F / 69 ░F Partly Cloudy
Monday – 90 ░F / 69 ░F Partly Cloudy

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FEATURE STORIES: The Truth About Slot Cards, Casino Freebies are not Usually Free

The Truth About Slot Cards
by Ted Newkirk

Every few weeks, someone writes and asks why I never talk about comps (casino complimentary, i.e., free stuff you get for playing). The answer? For most players, it is simply not worth it. Except for the free drinks when you gamble or asking the pit boss for dinner is you’ve had a long run at the table (I mean 2 hours of heavy play or 4 hours of normal play), the average gambler bringing a few hundred bucks to town is not only going to get next to nothing, but they will be baited to play and lose far more than the comps are worth.

Most casinos track your play with a slot club card. You give them more vital info than you probably feel comfortable parting with, you use the card every time in every machine you play so they can track your every move, and you earn points good for food, gift shop items, and (if you play heavily) rooms.

If you are an average player, you may rack up enough points during your stay for half a buffet or a T-shirt. When you get home, they might send you a couple of buffet coupons or a discount room offer to get you back in on your next visit. (These “special rates” are often on par with the everyday discounts we offer on the very same rooms — our room supplier buys rooms from the hotel in bulk at deep discounts we pass on to you.)

So what’s the problem, you ask?!? The casinos don’t have slot clubs because they are nice people. Casino comps are but a small percentage of the money you are expected to lose “earning” those slot points. We all like to think that we beat the house and got something for free, so these cards actually encourage you to play more than you were planning to. After you’ve started to accumulate points, you end up putting another $20 or $100 in the machine to rack up those few more points needed for a free meal, totally forgetting the fact that the $20 will outright BUY the meal!

Don’t take my word for this or say “Well, that is other people but I manage my money flawlessly.” I recently had a drink with professional gambler Rob Singer, author of The Undeniable Truth About Video Poker. The book as well as his site http://www.vptruth.com are very fresh looks at many of the myths surrounding “beating the house,” especially related to video poker play.

Rob plays with a set financial strategy, and his #1 and only goal is to lock up a certain win on each of his monthly visits. And even HE told me that he’s stopped using slot club cards because of the temptation to deviate from his financial strategy and play just a little more to gain a benefit. If a pro can be tempted, are you going to tell me you can’t?

Don’t get me wrong: If your gambling budget in well into the thousands for each trip, get all the comps you can. In fact, skip the slot club card and ask to speak to a casino host about your gambling budget and what they might do for you.

But for the rest of us, be careful. You are coming here to have fun, and hitting the ATM for the third time in a day subconsciously savoring the free buffet the points are going to “earn” you isn’t fun. And trust me, that buffet comp or T-shirt doesn’t make you look like a high roller in their eyes. You are just another player who got a little extra play out of. Multiply that extra, unplanned play by all the slot club players, and they can well afford to give away a couple bucks worth of food.

Still don’t believe me? Or Rob Singer? Here is an interesting and informative article that came across the gaming wire a couple weeks ago:

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

Casino Freebies are not Usually Free
By Jeffrey Compton

How many times have you heard that “there is no such thing as a free lunch”? So many times that the cliche has lost its meaning. But if you patronize casinos, and receive mail filled with tempting “free offers,” and then act on that mail, i.e., stay in a free room, see a free show or have a free lunch, you will soon find out what free really means.

Here is an example from one of my readers: Dear Jeffrey: Ballys/Paris send us a letter offering three free nights and one for $69. After we arrived and played for several hours, we asked for a meal comp, and were told that there were no comp dollars available in our account until our play covered the cost of the rooms. I thought these rooms were free? WH, Springfield, Il

Before I go any further, let me assure one and all that this situation is not unique to Ballys/Paris, nor their owner Park Place Entertainment, nor happens only to travelers from Springfield. I get at least two “how come free isn’t free” letters a week, as do my fellow gaming writers Bob Dancer, Jean Scott and Anthony Curtis.

Here is how it works: As a player plays (assuming he is using his players club card), he earns both “published” and “discretionary” benefits. At most casinos in America, the published benefits are usually cash rebates (although many local Las Vegas and Midwest Riverboat casinos may also publish free food and room guidelines). Player comps, especially on the Las Vegas Strip, come from the discretionary account administered by the hosts.

Although policies vary (to the point where no two casinos have the same exact policy), many hotels do deduct from the player’s discretionary account any redeemed direct mail room/meal offers, and thus the player’s comp account could be considerably less than zero when they arrive. Some hotels (and hosts) handle this better than others, and find a more diplomatic way to explain it–¡ or tell the customer so little about discretionary comping that the player doesn’t realize what or how his account is charged.

Some casinos do not debit redeemed offers that were sent to fill up rooms during a traditionally slow seasons (early December), and there are still many older casinos that do not track redeemed direct mail offers back to the player account due to either corporate policy or an outdated computer system.

I will anticipate the next questions: “Casinos have been giving out comps both on the casino floor and through direct mail for years. Have they always tracked every freebie back to the customer?”

The answer is no, Bugsy and the boys did not spend two seconds thinking about player comps after they gave them out. Most decisions were done based on their best recollection of the player’s action (i.e. seat of the pants decision) and their daily mood. In the last few years, however, several developments have led casinos to keep track of the giveaways.

Casinos hold back a lot less money than they once did. Due to increased competition as well as increased player knowledge, player holds have dropped dramatically over the last twenty years. It was easy to be Santa Claus when you had a new sack of money coming in every day, but todayÆs casinos really have to work to make a buck.

Casinos are no longer one-man (or one-gang) operations. You can count the number of privately owned Nevada casinos on two hands, and even they have to report to their lenders. The rest have stockholders and investment bankers who are not thrilled about runaway “player reinvestment” expenses.

Players are more comp aggressive. My grandfather’s generation was brought up to never ask for a free meal, but most of us players have gotten over that stigma. Several recent books, most notably the Frugal Gambler by Jean Scott and Comp City by Max Rubin, have done an excellent job in converting once docile gamblers into aggressive comp consumers.

Computerization is everywhere. Whatever the reasons casinos had for making the comp process more accountable, it could not be done without computers, which get better and cheaper every year. It is my guess that within the next few years, they will know exactly how many free drinks I consume per hour of play ¡ and that is no joke.

So what should players do when they get a “free” offer in the mail? If they like to play at the casino, then by all means enjoy it, but realize that the offer was sent for a reason (hint: they want you to play the games) and if they do not get that result, you will not be getting any more freebies.

“Casino Freebies are not Usually Free Copyright” copyright May 11, 2001 lasvegas.com Gaming Wire Used with permission

EDITOR’S NOTE: People had a lot to say about the “Kids in Vegas” letters printed a few weeks ago. While I can’t print every letter I receive, I always print a representative sample of all opinions expressed. Letters that contain good writing style (paragraphs, punctuation, no ALL CAPS, etc.) have a better chance of getting published. I’ll have comments and answers at the end. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll “Should people bring kids to Las Vegas?” at http://www.accessvegas.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

John Krogh wrote:

> I found it amusing the two responses you published were both
> advocating keeping “kids” out of Las Vegas. Especially in light of
> the fact that Las Vegas has spent millions to promote itself as a
> “family vacation site.” Granted, I think that was a mistake, and I
> think Las Vegas has finally realized it was a mistake also. But
> nonetheless, with a family image being promoted by the city, how on
> earth could anyone be upset when families show up?
>
> Second, this is a city that is supported, in fact is built on tourism.
> When the strip fills up with people, why is anyone surprised at jay
> walking or people trying to beat the light? It comes with the
> territory. I don’t know how things are in Nevada, but in California
> and other states, a pedestrian caught in a crosswalk who’s light as
> changed against him/her, ALWAYS has the right of way.
>
> Finally, in a more serious vein, the intolerance expressed by both
> parties is disturbing. The Taxi cab driver who thinks a red/green
> light is the only rule, and the parent, who by pushing an infant is
> immune to the color of the light. The purpose of the “lights,” the
> crosswalk, the “rules” is to try and keep one another from being hurt,
> not to encourage it.

Glenn Burton wrote:

> All this noise directed against parents who take children to Las Vegas
> seems overblown to me. Don’t the casinos spend billions constructing
> attractions aimed at families with children? I doubt if die-hard
> gamblers go to Las Vegas for the Circus or the roller coasters.
>
> Isn’t Las Vegas being billed in the media as a “new” family
> destination? We’ve all read that there are many activities in Las
> Vegas suitable for children and that the prices are subsidized by
> gamblers … so why be surprised when people respond to the hype and
> come? Many of these parents who bring children to Las Vegas are
> probably on their first trip to Las Vegas and have no idea what the
> city is like. Some may not plan on gambling at all.
>
> I suggest that if you want to be angry at someone about bringing
> children to Las Vegas, direct your anger to the casino owners who are
> marketing their product to families and not against the families who
> respond.

Jack Hart (who originally wrote the letter about his experience with his young son in Las Vegas) wrote:

> Your readers comments to my letter, (subject — taxi drivers), printed
> in Access Vegas News attacked me for being in Las Vegas with my
> children. I would appreciate a rebuttal to comments made by R. Hirst
> and Mr. and Mrs. Cook of Calgary. First of all the issue had to do with
> vehicular intimidation by taxi drivers. Hirst called me a dimwit and
> an irresponsible parent. The Cook’s said they were “tired of being
> run over by strollers.” Their verbal attack and attitude displayed
> was ridiculous to say the least. These people are old people that
> should be the ones to stay away from Las Vegas. Keeping my children
> away with baby sitters is there answer to being run over by taxi
> drivers? What’s wrong with these people? I hope there are a better
> caliber of visitors to Las Vegas than these people.
> Please let R. Hirst know that he/she is not alone in his/her remarks
> about kids in Las Vegas (or any other gambling Mecca)!

J. Clayton wrote:

> We were in both Las Vegas and Laughlin some weeks ago. While in
> Laughlin, we stopped in at Burger King’s restaurant (in a corner of
> the Flamingo Hilton casino floor) at about 11:30PM to grab a Coke and
> some fries. As one would surmise, the place was the usual late night
> air full of smoke. … and even though I no longer smoke, I really
> don’t particularly care. However, a young couple with a literally
> ‘brand new’ baby (my ‘Better-Half’ guessed the age at less than a
> month) was sitting in the restaurant. Shortly after we arrived, they
> finished their meal and wandered (child in mother’s arms… carrier
> on father’s arm) off onto the casino floor to the slots.
>
> Question: What in the (expletive deleted!) are parents doing with a
> baby of that age up at that hour in a casino designed for adults?!
>
> You are absolutely right, R. Hirst, that people are trying to bend
> the adult playground of the World into a Disneyland for families! (As
> a matter of fact, I don’t even think kids can really get all of the
> fun out of the REAL Disneyland like adults can! …smiles!).

Kimberly Byers wrote:

> I have kids ranging in ages from 10 yrs to 19 yrs. We have been going to
> Las Vegas once a year for the past 5 years. Before you start slamming
> all parents and banning families maybe you should consider this. I have
> always taught my kids to respect the adult environment. They move
> quickly through casinos and only to go to the room or to eat. I realize
> this is not true with all kids but in this case it is. No one ever
> argues over who has to “watch” the kids. It is my pleasure. I never
> pretend its a family vacation. I make it one. Who are you to decide for
> me. I am glad to have these times with them and not leaving them at
> home. I’m glad your kids are grown and now you can enjoy yourselves. I
> am enjoying myself now. I dread the day when mine are gone! I’m not
> trying to be a goody goody. I drink a bit, I love to gamble and I also
> love being a mom. Too bad other people haven’t learned to incorporate
> families and kids into the real world. Don’t feel sorry for me. If it
> were up to me I would ban smokers and opinionated S.O.B. but then I
> would feel sorry for you.

Dean Di Mascio of Philadelphia, PA wrote”

> Dear Ted…. I very much enjoy reading your newsletter, a job well done!
> However, I’m becoming upset with the suggestion(s) by the many
> writers who say “if you have kids stay away from Las Vegas.” My wife,
> daughter (16) and I are big fans of Disney world, vacations and travel
> in general. We will be visiting Las Vegas in August and are looking
> forward to it. moreover, with all of the themed venues, attractions
> and natural settings and restaurants why should we not think of Las
> Vegas as a “family” detestation? I have an itinerary for our visit and
> it does not even include gaming. Although (smile) I’m sure my wife and
> I will lose some money in the casinos! But to those who wish to cling
> to the “old Las Vegas,” give it up I say. Like it or not Las Vegas
> has changed. Opened up to embrace families as well as
> “couples.”

Raymond Buchmueller wrote:

> Last year we took along our 6 and 8 year old to Vegas. We all had a
> great time. Just ask them where they want to go next holidays!
> Vegas. We just found that most Hotels buffet, the kids paid the same
> price was very unfair. How can a 45lb. kid pay the same price like a
> 250lb adult. Hats off to Luxor, and also Mirage. Maybe someone can
> let me know if other hotel have discount for kid on there buffet.

Rob McLeod of Calgary, Alberta wrote.

> We took our three boys (8, 10 and 12) to Vegas in May 1999 for 4
> nights. Contrary to most letters I have seen we had a good time with
> the kids. We stayed at Mandalay Bay and enjoyed the pool, lazy river,
> etc. We saw the Caesar’s Magical Empire which we all really enjoyed,
> spent a day at Circus Circus Adventuredome and a half day at
> Excalibur. On top of that we saw the volcano, pirate ship, the Coke
> museum, the Dive restaurant, the Luxor motion simulator ride, New York
> amusement area, etc., etc. The wife and I saw “Mystere” — we left the
> kids with the Aunt. I still got in 24 hours of gaming, we won’t talk
> about the net result.
>
> In my opinion, taking kids under 6 would pose problems. They need to
> be able to listen (“stay out of the casinos” and “don’t take the
> hooker magazines from the street vendors”) and be able to walk lots.
> But we had fun and would do it again.
>
> Great newsletter — keep it up! We will be there again, this time at
> the Luxor, no kids this time.

Las Vegas has not marketed itself as a family destination for years. This is a common misconception kept alive by bad comics and media reporters who have not done much homework. Only Circus Circus still “caters” to families to some extent although the company’s to most recent properties (Mandalay Bay and Luxor) are mostly adult-oriented.

In the early 90’s, casinos thought it would be a great idea to build theme parks and try to turn the town’s image from “sin city” to “family friendly.” Then they realized that they GOOFED because families take advantage of gaming-subsidized lower prices while children cut into the parent’s gambling time. Not cutting kids a break on buffets is just one subtle way many casinos are retracting the welcome mat from children.

Bellagio won’t allow children under 18 to enter the property unless they are guests. Hotels like the Riviera and Tropicana have used advertising slogans like “Where Adults Play” and “Rollers, Not Strollers” in the past couple of years. The MGM has taken out their theme park to build more convention space, suites and a Marriott hotel. If this seems extreme, note that children are not even allowed to enter casinos in Atlantic City.

I don’t have a particular agenda here. I sell rooms, not blackjack. If anything, a family makes me more commission, because they need two rooms or pay the extra that most hotels charge for more than two to a room. However, I’ve seen far too many little kids being pushed around late at night or in the hot sun, and these parents don’t look like they are having much fun. If you have young kids, you might consider leaving them with Grandma and spend a wonderful, relaxing, romantic time with your wife here in Las Vegas.

At the very least, consider not bring children until they are old enough to enjoy the experience and you are prepared to forgo the party / romance atmosphere that Las Vegas is now selling unless the children are in their teens and old enough to strike out on their own much of the time.

Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll “Should people bring kids to Las Vegas?” at http://www.accessvegas.com

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ONLINE POLL – “Should people bring their kids to Las Vegas?” Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published in two weeks!

Results from last poll: “What is your favorite view of Las Vegas?”

Stratosphere Tower 47%
Rio Voodoo Cafe / Lounge 24%
Paris Eiffel Tower 15%
Binion’s Ranch Steakhouse 7%
Polo Towers Lounge 5%

FREE CONTEST:

VEGAS FAMILY REUNION: Go to http://www.emsiweb.com/l.asp?c=atf&r=afri1&i=1633917&s=61 for your chance to win a Family Reunion weekend for up to 100 of your family & friends at your choice of locations in the U.S. (restrictions apply).

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

All contents copyright 2001 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
May 23, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 16, 2001

Posted on May 16, 2001October 21, 2008 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THIS ISSUE: Wolfgang Puck’s Cili

EDITOR’S NOTES: I’m back after a much-needed vacation. The amount of news and info I sift through each week is mind-boggling but I love Las Vegas! I added a short section about my trip for those who might be interested in a nice place to take a beach getaway.

Also, we’ve added four new cities to the 120+ destinations we offer with guaranteed low rates: Edinburgh (Scotland), Nice (France), Madrid (Spain), and Munich (Germany) at http://www.lodging.com/affiliates/us_reservations.cgi?remote=tedinvegas and our city on sale this week (listed above) just happens to be Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

HOT WEATHER – We just had a string of 100 or near 100 degree days, somewhat unusual for this early in the year but no indication of an unusually hot summer. However, bringing heavy clothes or a jacket to town between now and the end of September is pretty much unnecessary. Weather story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-10-Thu-2001/news/16065186.html

POOL PARTY – New York, New York as cranked up their Sizzling Summer Saturday Pool Party which is running now through Labor Day Weekend. It runs Saturday nights from 5 – 9 PM and features a DJ, dancing, contests, food specials, beer and cocktail availability, prizes and giveaways. Admission is $5 but includes a $3 off coupon for the Manhattan Express Roller Coaster. Hotel guests showing room key enter free and you can check New York, New York room prices and availability at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas.htm (New York, New York link).

MORE ROOMS – Caesars Palace announced Friday plans to build a 900 unit all-suites tower that will be ready for guests in 2004. This is on the heels of the all-suite Venetian finalizing their plans to go ahead with doubling their room inventory with a new tower. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-12-Sat-2001/business/16081286.html

COINLESS SLOTS – are coming, and there really isn’t a way to stop them. Fortunately, the technology is already out there that let’s you cash out on a machine, and take your receipt and stick it in another machine for play, eliminating waits for change and dirty hands. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-03-Thu-2001/business/16011220.html

CBS TELEVISION CITY – is open at the MGM. You can watch a preview of a possible TV show and be part of audience research. Screenings, which begin daily at 9 a.m. and are conducted every 20 minutes, are free. A booth outside the center takes sign-ups from participants. Coupons for $10 off on items in the retail shop are given out for watching the screenings. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-08-Tue-2001/living/15915313.html

ALADDIN BUFFET – A reader recently wrote telling me that the Aladdin buffet had gone downhill to the point that the food was comparable to Denny’s. Because I often note that the Aladdin is one of the top three buffets on the Strip (along with Bellagio and Paris Las Vegas) I stopped in a few days ago to check. I’m pleased to report that is still well worth the $20 price and that the quantity and quality of the food from seafood to deserts continues to be topnotch.

BALLET – is coming to The Rio. In a rare alliance between casino and cultural entities, the Rio will host several Nevada Ballet Theatre performances at its $35 million, 1,500-seat Samba Theatre, including the holiday perennial “The Nutcracker.” Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-08-Tue-2001/living/16043051.html

WETLANDS PARK – Phase one of the park is completed. The 130-acre nature preserve includes paved trails, ponds and wetland areas for wildlife. This first phase also features retaining rock walls to control flood erosion of the Las Vegas Wash. It is a real oasis in the middle of the desert, and they are recreating a wetlands that once filled the area. The park is in the Southwest part of the valley near Sam Boyd Stadium. To get there, drive east on Tropicana Avenue one mile past Boulder Highway, then turn left on the marked, unpaved road. Story at http://www.viewnews.com/2001/VIEW-May-09-Wed-2001/East/15998296.html

BEST ANIMAL EXHIBIT – Question: I know there are lots of animal exhibits in Las Vegas, but which ones are the best? Answer in a story at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-2.htm

EX-FL – Although very popular in cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, and San Francisco, UPN backed out from broadcasting XFL games next year. This left the XFL without a network television outlet and thus the demise of the startup football league. The XFL was a weekly work-in-progress during the early part of the year, and by the time the talent started to gel and football announcing crews (as opposed to WWF-related broadcasters) were in the booth, people had tuned out and refused to tune back in. Stories at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/news/16075189.html and http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/sports/16075134.html

ART IN VEGAS – Can Picasso and Renoir compete with topless revues and video poker? Will a museum exhibit draw the same crowds that scramble to see fighting pirates, dancing water fountains and exploding volcanoes? Las Vegas resorts are betting on it. Full story at http://news.excite.com/news/ap/010509/12/wkd-vegas-art

$25 HOTEL REBATE — you pick the hotel! Our partners at Hotel Reservations Network are giving you $25 back on any 2+ night stay in Las Vegas or any major city they reserve. (Full details and list of all eligible cities at http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm ). Claiming your cash is simple:

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

CELINE DION – A long-standing rumor (which we first mentioned last November) has come to pass. Celine Dion has indeed finished negotiation with Caesars Palace for a two year run in the new 4,000-seat Coliseum-themed theater built for her. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-11-Fri-2001/news/16055569.html

JUNEFEST 9 – features Bad Company, Billy Squier, Journey, Molly Hatchet, Night Ranger, Styx, and Joe Stark. More info at http://www.junefest.com

MADONNA – is coming to town and tickets go on sale May 19 at http://events.excite.com/event_info?id=845400. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-03-Thu-2001/news/16012338.html

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Scintas (Rio) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/May-04-Fri-2001/weekly/15998841.html
* Storm (Mandalay Bay) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-27-Fri-2001/weekly/15921496.html and http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/departments/2001_05_10/stage.html

SHOWS, GOLF, DINING:

* SHOW TICKETS – See which shows are playing during your stay and book reservations EVEN if the tickets aren’t on sale yet. Let ShowVegas takes care of all your needs directly online! Search by dates at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=3230&cscheme=1
* GOLF RESERVATIONS – BookVegas let’s you grab that tee time GUARANTEED before you get to town! Click to http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5
* DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.bookvegasdining.com/dvpricing.cfml?amid=143&cscheme=5

EVENT LISTINGS:

* SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
* CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* 808 (Caesars) – http://www.accessvegas.com/story-1.htm

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is not a regular feature, I have no plans to make this a general travel newsletter. I’m sharing a pleasant travel experience and in keeping with my editorial policy, none of this is a paid endorsement. If you are only interested in Vegas info, skip ahead.

MY VACATION – People often ask me where someone from Las Vegas goes to vacation. I go to see two things we don’t have here: a beach and green scenery. Last week, a number of friends of mine from all over the U.S. decided to spend an extended weekend on Florida’s Emerald Coast. It is an area that some Floridians teasingly call “L.A.” (lower Alabama) as this area is located on the Florida Panhandle directly below Alabama. However, this part of Florida is truly a best-kept vacation secret.

The beaches of the Emerald Coast consistently rank among the best in the U.S. by the Travel Channel because of their sugar white sand and the warm, turquoise Gulf of Mexico water. You actually get the best of the deep south with the wonderful southern hospitality and the best of Florida with the fantastic beach. Testament to this is that a number of people in our group were from Florida (South Beach, Ft. Myers, etc.) and pleasantly commented that they didn’t even know this area existed but would be back.

We stayed at the stunning Ramada Plaza Beach Resort right on the Gulf of Mexico between Ft. Walton Beach and Destin, FL on Okaloosa Island. None of our travel partners book this resort, but you can go directly to their site at http://www.ramadafwb.com and check it out for yourself.

Besides the ability to stumble out of one’s room and directly on to the beach (what a wake-up!) the hotel features beautiful grounds and Northwest Florida’s largest swimming pool accented with a five story Polynesian island where one may swim through the waterfall to the Grotto Bar. The best thing was price as resorts with similar surroundings and amenities in a more well known destinations can cost considerably more.

Destin, FL has been a second home to the well-off for quite some time. It wasn’t uncommon to see private jets flying out of the municipal airport and luxury cars on the road of this upscale beach town and you golfers may recognize the name of the neighboring Sandestin golf resort village ( http://www.sandestin.com ). As in Vegas, that meant that there was a great selection of fine dining ( http://coastalcuisinemenuguide.com/restaurants2.htm ) and shopping opportunities.

However, if listening to Jimmy Buffet style music play while you sip a drink at an open-air beach bar or dancing at a club is more your style, you won’t be disappointed. Places like The Back Porch ( http://www.backporchseafood.com ) and Pompano Joe’s ( http://www.pompanojoes.com ) are a couple of great beachfront restaurants that let you enjoy the cool breezes and beautiful Gulf whether you dine indoors or out.

For partying, AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar features dining in the day and evening and it turns into a party bar at night ( http://www.ajs-destin.com ). The Swamp Club on Okaloosa Island ( http://www.swampclub.com ) is a huge, rustic, two story totally club that features live bands and / or a DJ from 8 PM to 4 AM every day. If your raging party days are a little behind you, Howl at the Moon ( http://www.howlatthemoon.com/destinhowl.htm ) is on the same boardwalk and has a “dueling piano show” nightly. Me? I took it ALL in and never ran out of things to do the entire week.

Getting there is simple. Driving: It is within a days drive of all of most of the southern US. Flying: Okaloosa Regional Airport (airport code VPS — http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/airport.html ) is a scenic 20 minutes from Fort Walton Beach and 30 minutes from Destin. Air service is provided by Delta, Northwest, AirTran and US Air and major car rental services are available.

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Thursday – 96 ░F / 71 ░F Sunny
Friday – 95 ░F / 69 ░F Sunny
Saturday – 96 ░F / 69 ░F Sunny
Sunday – 97 ░F / 69 ░F Sunny
Monday – 99 ░F / 70 ░F Sunny

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FEATURE STORY: Wolfgang Puck’s Cili

Just a half mile south of Mandalay Bay sits what is now the only golf course on The Strip: Bali Hai. Course developer Billy Walters never does anything second rate. The course itself is a 7,015-yard, par 72 tropical golf paradise inspired by the landscape of the South Pacific with seven acres of water including an island green, 2,500 palm trees and over 100,000 tropical plants and flowers.

However, that wasn’t enough. So onboard came Wolfgang Puck to build the clubhouse restaurant. This isn’t your average “19’th hole” burger and beer stop, but a gourmet restaurant that happens to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus Sunday Brunch. The dining area is Polynesian themed with water, exotic relics, high arched ceilings, palms, and waterfalls. The dining area has a beautiful view of part of the course, overlooking foliage and water (patio seating is available).

Lunch features appetizers in the $10-16 range including standards such as poached shrimp “martini” cocktail to more unusual fare such as Balinese style satays with pork, chicken and shrimp. Lunch entrees and sandwiches run $12-18 and include sandwiches (with only twists a Puck establishment could think of) to rib-eye steak.

A bar menu is available from 3 PM to close and includes selections like Atlantic oysters on the half shell with mignonette, Herbed goat cheese with roasted peppers and olives, and Prime steak tartare with chopped egg, mustard aioli and sourdough croutons. The bar menu averages $12-15.

Dinner gives you a choice of American or Asian cuisine, although fans of Pucks restaurants know he takes liberties in mixing a wide variety of flavors. Highlights are the Grilled porterhouse steak with creamed spinach & potato gratin and Grilled salmon with stir fried rice, prawns & spicy bok choy. Of course, a wide variety of meat and seafood dishes prepared in various tempting configurations are available. Dinner entrees range from $21-38.00.

Cili is open seven days a week from 7 AM to 9 PM. It is open to the public and located in the Bali Hai Golf Club at 5160 Las Vegas Blvd. South (The Strip) 1/2 mile south of Mandalay Bay. Reservations are suggested but not required at 702-856-1000

EDITOR’S NOTE: I was swamped with letters (both pro and con) about kids in Las Vegas and will be printing those next week. We’ll let the “best view” poll go one more week, then introduce a poll asking how you all feel about kids in Las Vegas. This week, we’ll answer a pervious question: If someone only has one day in town, what would you show them?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

John Krogh wrote:
> A night helicopter ride over the strip…

Jessica Lehnert wrote:

> Take her to Caesars palace. The shopping alone is beyond belief but
> the casino, pool & shows are fabulous. You can sit in one place in
> Las Vegas & get a show! Lehnert

Jean H. or Waukesha, WI wrote:

> If you can drag yourself away from the tables and slot machines–I’d
> walk to visit and see every major casino on the strip. They all have
> such different themes and each one seems to be more spectacular than
> the next! I’d also watch the Pirate show at Treasure
> Island but I’d get there early and have a drink at the Battle Bar and
> enjoy the show from there. Also, I’d go downtown and eat at Hugo’s
> Cellar–one of my favorite restaurants in the US.

Madeleine from Canada wrote:

> Having been to Las Vegas regularly, since the late seventies, I think
> a newcomer to “Sin City” would enjoy the view from the top of the
> Stratosphere, at night. It’s magnificent!

Diane Podemski wrote:

> To answer Allen Waterman’s question of what one thing would you show a
> newcomer….it’s impossible to list only one!! I’ve been going to
> Vegas at least twice a year since I turned 21 (I’m 45 now) and there’s
> always something new and exciting to see. The cactus garden at the
> Ethel M chocolate factory is beautiful, the atrium at Bellagio is
> awesome, the Pirate Show at Treasure Island impressive and Danny Gans
> show at Mirage is great! Allen, you need to take more than one trip,
> make a list of “must sees” each time you go, it’ll take quite a few
> years before you can cross off everything!

Mick & Lyn of Essex, London wrote:

> I have only been to Vegas once and that was in Nov 2000 but I am
> looking forward to going back next year, we had a great time and
> everything was good but the thing that I really liked was walking
> along the strip at night and watching the fountains at Bellagio they
> were just great.

Allen Goenawein wrote:

> What you want to show someone depends on their
> interest. And there is plenty to show in and around
> Vegas. If you are the outdoors type, Red Rock Canyon
> is a nice half day trip. You will get to see wild
> burros, Indian pictographs, maybe some wild horses,
> plus a lot of great scenery. Or maybe Hoover dam would
> be more your style. Or take a flight over the Grand
> Canyon. In town are a host of new casinos to visit,
> one more beautiful than the next. Some of the finest
> shopping can be had at the Fashion Show Mall shopping
> center. All of the big names are located there. My
> favorite place to visit in the Fashion Show Mall is
> Centaur Galleries on the lower floor of the mall.
> There you can see art work from some of the greatest
> masters of the world. You can just look or if you are
> so inclined, you can purchase a fine art treasure to
> enjoy the rest of your life. Mr. Richard Perry is the
> owner and has resources all over the world that
> enables him to present some of the best art work from
> around the world. If you want to gamble, any of those
> above mentioned beautiful casinos will be glad to take
> your money, after all, that’s what they are in
> business for. But, maybe, the best thing to do is to
> hang out by a pool for three days, relax and let the
> world go by.

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ONLINE POLL – What is your favorite view of Las Vegas? Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

FREE CONTEST – Fly free to Vegas!

Every week now through June 10th, fodors.com is giving
away two round-trip tickets to anywhere US Airways flies
in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean. In the final
week (June 4th¡10th), you can go anywhere US Airways
flies including Europe.

You can enter the sweepstakes every week at:
http://www.accessvegas.com/foders.htm

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

All contents copyright MM Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
May 16, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 2, 2001

Posted on May 2, 2001February 25, 2009 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THIS ISSUE: Skintight at Harrah’s

EDITOR’S NOTES: Last week, I miscoded the link for the national and international hotel city list, including our new listings for Hawaii. That page is http://www.lodging.com/affiliates/us_reservations.cgi?remote=tedinvegas No newsletter next week: I’m going to meet some friends in the nice little beach town of Destin, FL (which is beautiful and about as far removed from Las Vegas 24/7 craziness as you can get). The concert and event listings on our linked pages (see the “Concerts and Shows” section) have been updated and expanded thanks to some hard work by the staff. See you in two weeks!

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

KIDS IN VEGAS – The R-J just did a detailed story about this and although promoted as the world’s adult playground, Las Vegas still offers a variety of things for kids to do. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-22-Sun-2001/business/15892724.html We have a couple letters regarding kids in Vegas in the “letters” section.

THE NEXT SCOTTSDALE? – Henderson, NV (the SE suburban city in the Las Vegas area) has seen a 500 percent growth in new hotel rooms since 1998 and is now actively marketing the area as a resort destination. Close to Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the golf and high end resorts at Lake Las Vegas, Henderson looks to build more cultural events and a resort city atmosphere to attract those who might normally go to Palm Springs or Scottsdale. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-30-Mon-2001/news/15853879.html

CULTURE – is coming to the neon desert a little at a time. On Sept. 15, New York’s Guggenheim Museum will unveil a new 63,000-square-foot, $20-million exhibition space at the Venetian Hotel. At the same time, the Venetian will add an additional 8,000 square feet of exhibition space to house masterworks from Russia’s State Hermitage Museum. Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal-based theater troupe, now resides here permanently in two specially designed $40-million-plus theaters. The avant-garde New York theater troupe “Blue Man Group” settled into a state-of-the-art theater in the basement of the Luxor Hotel. In January, the Smithsonian Institution, one the nation’s premier arbiters of high culture, put Las Vegas on its list of national cultural stops for art and architecture. Full story at http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2001/04/27/fp13s1-csm.shtml

CYBER CAFE – Cyber Stop is now the only Internet cafe on The Strip, offering on-site computer rental, printing, photocopying, scanning, cell phone rental, faxing, food and beverages. I stopped by to say hello and they have a very friendly, helpful staff. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-30-Mon-2001/business/15959426.html and their site is at http://www.cyberstopinc.com

FRONT SIGHT, NV – Gun owners are flocking to buy lots in this new master-planned community about 40 minutes east of Las Vegas. The 550-acre resort plan is built on the premise that 24-hour access to shooting ranges will attract law-abiding citizens and even the rich and famous to a gun lover’s oasis in the desert. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-29-Sun-2001/news/15959987.html

MCCARRAN AIRPORT – McCarran International Airport is among the nation’s most congested, but it handles the crush of passengers better than most of the busiest hubs in the nation, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Federal Aviation Administration. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-26-Thu-2001/business/15959527.html

WALK THIS WAY – Former Aerosmith guitarist Jimmy Crespo has joined Las Vegas performer Jimmy Hopper’s band after stints with Rod Stewart and continued behind-the-scenes work with Aerosmith. You can catch both Jimmy’s (Hopper and Crespo) performing Tue – Sat. evenings in Bellagio’s Fontana room. (Hopper will be on vacation May 13-21.)

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

Sheena Easton – Grammy award-winning recording artist Sheena Easton has signed an exclusive agreement to perform at the Las Vegas Hilton June 5 through September 2. Easton will perform at the hotel six nights a week (dark Monday) at 8:00 p.m. She is scheduled to open in the NightClub, and will also have the opportunity to perform in the Hilton Theater, based on availability. Tickets for her show will be available for $45 and may be purchased at the Hilton Box Office or by phone at (702) 732-5755.

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Clint Holmes (Harrah’s) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-30-Fri-2001/weekly/15748832.html

SHOWS – See which shows are playing during your stay and book reservations EVEN if the tickets aren’t on sale yet. Let ShowVegas takes care of all your needs directly online! Search by dates at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=3230&cscheme=1

* SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
* CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm
* GOLF RESERVATIONS – BookVegas let’s you grab that tee time GUARANTEED before you get to town! Click to http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5
* DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.bookvegasdining.com/dvpricing.cfml?amid=143&cscheme=5

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Little A’Le’Inn (Area 51) – http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/departments/2001_04_19/dining_taste.html

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Wednesday – 86 ░F / 52 ░F Sunny
Thursday – 82 ░F / 52 ░F Mostly Sunny
Friday – 84 ░F / 54 ░F Mostly Sunny
Saturday – 89 ░F / 57 ░F Partly Cloudy
Sunday – 94 ░F / 61 ░F Mostly Sunny

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FEATURE STORY: Skintight at Harrah’s

Skintight is 70 minutes of high gloss breasts and brawn, feathers and jiggle with a heavy Latin / Tribal musical influence. It is one of the new set of Las Vegas shows that doesn’t pretend to be anything but a show filled with fantasy to arouse and amuse.

The star of the show is Playboy Playmate October 1985 Cynthia Brimhall whose performance as emcee is warm and interesting enough, although she’s probably along for the ride for her marquee value more than any specific talent she lends to the show.

Skintight appears to be a reasonably blatant attempt to cross a “Vegas show” with one of the numerous strip clubs that dot the tourism area of town, and it succeeds. The Romanesque staging is interesting, providing a decent backdrop for a show that isn’t meant to require much thought.

One of the scenes actually involves bringing five men from the audience up onstage for simulated lap dances from the dancers, and one lucky attendee gets a personal dance from Miss Brimhall. While interesting, it stops short of being the bump and grind of a “gentleman’s club.”

The dancing is well choreographed and there is a fair amount of Vegas-style (after all, it is in Las Vegas) entertainment with a featured female singer (who keeps her clothes on) and segments featuring dance to songs like Ricky Martin’s “La Vida Loca” and such. The audience contained plenty of couples, and I imagine the fit male dancers (who at one point strip down to g-strings) were reasonable eye-candy for the ladies.

Skintight Ticket Info

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Allen Waterman or Johnston, Iowa wrote:

> I started getting your newsletter about 2 years ago. I enjoy reading it
> before heading to Vegas. My wife has only been to
> Vegas once (6 months ago
> when we got married) and it was only for 24 hours. I am going to be at
> Networld+Interop next month and she will come out to join me after the
> conference for 3 days. So my question is, if there were one thing people
> would show a newcomer to Vegas, what would it be and why? I would like
> your opinion as well as that of you other readers.
>
> Thanks for the info.

Excellent question — readers? Send your suggestions to (click) mailto:allvegastv@aol.com and we’ll print them next issue.

R. Hirst wrote:

> Jack Hart wrote about rude taxi drivers who honked their horn as he pushed
> his 10 month old son across a busy street.
>
> Jack, would you please stay home. Vegas is no place for a child and the
> idiotic parents who continually make the decision that little Billy or
> Betsy would enjoy the “pretty lights.”
>
> It’s pathetic watching these dimwits pushing strollers through crowds when,
> at the end of the day, even adults can feel the effects of smoke filled
> casinos in their throats and respiratory systems.
>
> If you want to go to Vegas, go before you have children. Then if you want
> to go, pay for child care at home. Otherwise, consider your child’s
> health, consider that others go to Vegas
> for an adult vacation and consider
> that if you are dumb enough to bring the kids anyway, you’re probably
> splitting tens, playing the Big Wheel and finding other ways to throw your
> money away.
>
> Give yourself and everyone else a break and either stay away or stop whining.

Laurie & Darlene Cook of Calgary, Alberta Canada wrote:

> My husband and I just returned from our annual spring Vegas trip and
> looking somewhat forward to the fall trip. I am getting discouraged about
> going to Vegas because it seems like it
> is becoming another Disneyland. If
> I wanted to walk the streets and get run over by baby strollers and listen
> to kids screaming in the restaurants, and now on the flight down from
> Canada, I would gladly go to Disneyland.
> I find it totally disgusting that
> a parent would take their children, in strollers, into casinos where there
> is so much smoking and noise, especially where the signs say NO ONE UNDER
> 21 ALLOWED IN GAMING AREA.
> I found it quite frustrating trying to maneuver
> around these people in the gaming area. Any security around????
>
> I have raised my kids and when they were little took them to kid
> places. Vegas is NOT a kid place. It is selfish of parents that take
> their children to Vegas, pretending it is a family vacation; how do they
> figure out who gets to baby-sit and
> who gets to go to the casino? Please take your children where they
> belong, not to a casino. and it seems now the casinos are building kid
> areas – this is not McDonalds.
>
> We will just have to start crossing off those places from our list of
> casinos when they have these “family” areas. But all in all, still look
> forward to it each time.

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

ONLINE POLL – What is your favorite view of Las Vegas? Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

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FREE CONTEST – Fly free to Vegas!

You can enter the sweepstakes every week at:
http://www.accessvegas.com/foders.htm

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

All contents copyright MM Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
May 2, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – April 25, 2001

Posted on April 25, 2001April 29, 2009 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This Issue: Second City

Curious about a show, restaurant, or other Las Vegas attraction that looks fun? Let us review it for you first! Suggestions are always welcome at (click): mailto:allvegastv@aol.com

EDITORS NOTE: The weather has been stunning — my little free time has been spent around the pool. With our low humidity, 85-90 is perfect here. Also, we are going nuts adding new services for you! We have the new hotel hotline 1-800-666-5268 for those who still fear booking online or feel better talking to someone, we’ve added hotels in Hawaii with the same guaranteed low rates (see http://www.lodging.com/affiliates/us_reservations.cgi?remote=tedinvegas ), and we now have condos and vacation rentals at http://www.hoteldiscounts.com/cgi-bin/pickcondo?SID=IVC&LKF=IVC.

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

$5.1 MILLION JACKPOT – A Cypress, Calif. man returned to his lucky Wheel of Fortune(R) dollar machine at Paris Las Vegas Friday evening and walked away $5.1 million richer. Jim Fowler said that on a previous trip he had won $1,750 on the same slot machine and had since made it a point to play it when in Las Vegas. Full story at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-1.htm

CHAOS – is the name of the new ride at Adventuredome (Circus Circus). Similar to the popular thrill park ride The Zipper, this ride rocks, rolls, and rotates in a unique way each time, assuring riders that no two rides are the same. Story and photo at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-30-Fri-2001/weekly/15707266.html

BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS – are headed to Vegas this fall. A Thanksgiving weekend event will have Illinois, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Saint Louis, Hartford, Pennsylvania, Southern Illinois and Eastern Illinois and the pre-Christmas tournament fields Cincinnati, Purdue, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Richmond, Southwest Missouri State and Illinois-Chicago, with an eighth team to be announced. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-25-Wed-2001/sports/15949929.html

CSI – CBS’ highest ranked new show will be in town shooting for the next couple of weeks. Although set in Las Vegas, the majority of the shooting is done in LA. This Sunday night, Speed — The Ride at The Sahara will be shut down from 5 PM to midnight for shooting with cast and crew. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-23-Mon-2001/living/15922396.html

MAKE THE CALL – A friend brought to my attention that some of you may prefer talking to a reservations agent instead of booking online. We now have a Toll Free 24 Hour Hotel Hotline you can call for questions or to place a hotel reservation at 1-800-666-5268

VEGAS SAFETY TIPS – Howard Schwartz, marketing director for Gambler’s Book Club in Las Vegas, has written what I consider a “must read” for those coming to visit our city. Go to http://www.casinogaming.com/columnists/shelf/042501.html, print it out, and read it on the plane.

SURVIVOR – Oddsmakers have installed Texas cowboy Colby Donaldson as the favorite to win the $1 million grand prize on the CBS reality-based series “Survivor.” Donaldson is the 3-2 favorite at the Stardust hotel-casino and the 2-1 favorite at the Bally’s and Paris hotel-casinos. The odds are only hypothetical because state law prohibits wagers on events in which the outcome already is known. Full story at http://news.excite.com/news/ap/010423/08/ent-colby-donaldson

IF BETTING ON COLLEGE SPORTS IS BANNED – “(Illegal) bookmakers are going to prevail bigger than ever,” ESPN’s Dick Vitale warned. “That will happen behind the scenes like you can’t believe, big time. I sing the praises of those trying to eliminate the problem, but does this create a nightmare of shady guys getting more involved?” Full story at http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20010425/3263021s.htm

EASTER IN VEGAS – Villanova student Joelle Jackson wrote a fun and humorous story on what it was like as a Catholic to spend Easter week here in “Sin City.” This funny column is at http://news.excite.com/news/uw/010420/university-216

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Catch A Rising Star (Excalibur) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-13-Fri-2001/weekly/15842623.html

SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.bookvegasdining.com/dvpricing.cfml?amid=143&cscheme=5

GOLF RESERVATIONS – http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Cili (Bali Hai Golf Club) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-11-Wed-2001/living/15812253.html

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Friday – 90 ░F ░F / 64 ░F Partly Cloudy
Saturday – 90 ░F ░F / 61 ░F Partly Cloudy
Sunday – 88 ░F ░F / 62 ░F Mostly Sunny
Monday – 92 ░F ░F / 64 ░F Mostly Sunny
Tuesday – 94 ░F ░F / 63 ░F Partly Cloudy

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FEATURE STORY: Second City

Celebrating it’s 40’th year, the famed Second City improvisational comedy troupe has expanded to Las Vegas at the Flamingo Hotel. Second City presents comedy revues filled with satire of sex, politics, and religion as well as the improvisational skits.

While never going out of style, improv comedy has seemed to make quite a comeback lately with Drew Carey’s ABC show and the reemergence of Second City’s own SCTV following Conan O’ Brian weeknights late night on NBC. I had only seen improv on TV and it wasn’t really my thing. While attending the show with an open mind, I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy it, and I was pleasantly surprised.

The night started with audience interaction. The troupe asked a gentleman in the crowd his name and what he did for a living then went on do to an improv song totally based on the information they had just learned. This similar segment was done twice during the show and to some pretty funny results.

There were typical “Vegas” bits that seem to be mandatory for any comic act in Las Vegas. “Frank and Bob’s Motel and Casino” was a pretty amusing bit that presented what it would be like if two used car salesmen made their own commercial for a second rate casino. As good humor should do, their jokes about the casino buffet and other “amenities” rang very true to someone who has played and dined at some of the more run down casinos on Boulder Highway and in other parts of town although some of it may have been lost on tourists.

“Leopold and Ray” took a nice dig at the legendary magicians with the tigers that play across the street from the Flamingo. In keeping with the theme of the property, the “magicians” made flamingos vanish all while noting that they were “definitely not gay” and using purposely bad misdirection during the illusions. This piece was one of the many highlights.

“Win, Lose, or Draw” took pot shots at couples, relationships, marriage, and camaraderie between the sexes. Other bits included “Las Vegas Driver Education” where the instructor rates the driver on hell well he can do things like eating, running yellow lights, and finding lost items on the car floor during driving. While all the props are minimal, it is refreshing in Las Vegas to see talented performers shine without the elaborate production used to help prop up many run-of-the-mill shows.

The Las Vegas cast consists of nine total members, rotating five for each show so even with the set bits, you are never going to see exactly the same show twice. They put on a solid 70 minutes and while improv is always at the mercy of the unique factors of audience and performer mood, very few of the bits fell flat. With the reasonable admission price, this is a great “What the hell, let’s check it out” show and you can go home telling friends you have seen the famous Second City troupe.

Second City Ticket Info

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Jack Hart wrote:

> My lasting impression of Las Vegas will be the taxi drivers. They are the
> worst in the country. I always thought New York City was the worst until now.
> I got stuck in a cross walk, pushing my 10 month old son, with the light
> changing. They cam speeding at me with horns blowing and yelling profanities.
> I have always received very courteous gestures form motorists out west. I was
> shocked and outraged at this. It happened a couple of times so I know that
> this was not an isolated incident. The city of Las Vegas should prohibit this
> type of behavior by the taxi drivers. They should be fined for blowing horns
> and displaying such an aggressive behavior. Just because they had a green
> light does not justify threatening me with running me and my baby down.

I agree that cursing at you isn’t proper, and I’m not a big fan of our taxi drivers. They don’t always take the shortest route, and they often refuse to take calls to pick up people in the suburbs because shuttling tourists around the Strip is more profitable even though they are legally required to service the entire valley.

However, I’m personally shocked I myself haven’t yet hit a tourist with my car on The Strip, and I’m not driving a cab 12 hours a day. Tourists get relaxed and forget to cross in the crosswalks, with the walk sign, etc., when the cars (taxi’s or otherwise) DO have the right-of-way. I see cabs lay on the horn all the time because people are crossing against the signal. They tend to do this well before they reach the crosswalk and the other alternative is jamming on their brakes in the middle of busy traffic and creating wreck after wreck.

The Strip isn’t Disneyland, but a very busy road. I encourage everyone to play it safe and not cross against the light (or better yet, use the pedestrian bridges when possible). If the “don’t walk” sign has even started to flash, the average person probably won’t make it across, especially on The Strip where you are crossing 7-8 lane widths. Trust me: that casino across the street is still going to be open when you get there, and we want you to stay happy and healthy for many return visits to our city!

Tom Beaven of Garden City, Michigan wrote:

> A few years ago, we were in Vegas over the 4’th of July. We stayed at
> Binion’s Horseshoe downtown. This was before they built the canopy for the
> light show. There was a brief, but major display across the street at the
> Golden Nugget. We could see it from our room.
> But what we really enjoyed was spending some time in the evening on the
> roof (by the Shoe’s pool) and watching fireworks displays pop up here and
> there all over the valley.
> I’m sure the same could be seen from any high building downtown or on the
> strip.

Mary from Texas wrote:

>Will be visiting Las Vegas again in May. Want a great meal
>with a great view of Las Vegas. What do you suggest —
>Top of the Tower, Horseshoe Steak House?

You can’t go wrong with either of those or Voodoo at Rio. Binion’s is a little more “down home” although all of them will set you back a few bucks.

Top of the Stratosphere is elegant with a view not for those squirmy of heights, Voodoo is very nice but a little more modern / funky, and Binion’s is a straight-ahead steakhouse. All three respectively have great views of The Strip. Binion’s menu is traditional while the other two have more modern culinary variety. The only one we have published a review of so far is Binion’s at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/00-06-14.htm Our poll this week at http://www.accessvegas.com asks “What is your favorite view of Las Vegas?”

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

ONLINE POLL – “What is your favorite view of Las Vegas?” Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

Results from last poll: “Are you rethinking your Las Vegas vacation plans in light of the economy?”

Vegas is Vegas — I’ll cut back somewhere else in life if I have to. 47%
I’m going to visit just as often, but cutting back (cheaper room, less entertainment or gambling). 23%
I’ll be visiting less often. 19%
I’m actually skipping a planned trip. 9%

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

All contents copyright MM Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
April 25, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – April 18, 2001

Posted on April 18, 2001November 25, 2009 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

* Discount Hotel Rooms : http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
* Discount Rental Cars: http://www.travelnow.com/cars/search.jsp?cid=2005
* Best Tours/Rates for Grand Canyon, Hoover, more: http://www.accessvegas.com/tours
* Airline Tickets, Specials: http://www.accessvegas.com/a-travel-center.htm
* Featured Travel Deals: http://www.accessvegas.com/traveldeals.htm

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This Issue: Excalibur Tournament of Kings

Curious about a show, restaurant, or other Las Vegas attraction that looks fun? Let us review it for you first! Suggestions are always welcome at (click): mailto:allvegastv@aol.com

EDITORS NOTE: Running very late this week. I was out of town on family business 14 out of 24 days ending last Sunday, and you can imagine I had quite a bit of catching up to do — Las Vegas never sleeps and the news and entertainment never stops as we prepare for future issues. A highlight of the past week was attending the opening of Wolfgang Puck’s Cili Restaurant at the new Bali Hai Golf Course (1/2 mile south of Mandalay Bay). Both the restaurant and the course are spectacular. We sifted through a ton of great suggestions and have our $100 lodging contest winner this week also. You have one more week to vote in our poll, but it looks like most of you aren’t going to let a little downturn in the economy stop you from Vegas!

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

LAS VEGAS CLASSIC – The Senior Tour hits Las Vegas this weekend, and our windy weather of late should make for some interesting play. CNBC will be airing the tournament. Story at http://www0.mercurycenter.com/premium/sports/docs/srcap19.htm

CBS – The television network is going to open a “Television City” inside the MGM. Two screening rooms with high-tech research computers will track audience reaction to possible new shows the network is thinking of running. No word yet as to how people will be chosen to participate. Story at http://news.excite.com/news/r/010418/15/media-cbs

ENERGY SURCHARGE – Harrah’s / Rio (same company) and all of Station Casino properties (everything that ends with the word Station but Main Street Station downtown which is owned by Boyd Gaming) have tacked a $3 per night energy surcharge effective immediately. Energy is a cost of doing business, and if it costs more perhaps hotels should raise the published rates. Story at http://www.azcentral.com/business/0419vegaspower19.html

HEALTHY DINING – can be found in Las Vegas, just not necessarily on The Strip. Restaurants ranging from health-oriented to vegan can now be found around the city. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-18-Wed-2001/living/15865005.html

MORE HIGH END DINING – will be part of The Palms, a resort under construction across from The Rio. Of note will be AlizÚ, a rooftop restaurant by Andre Rochat, whose Andre’s French Restaurant in downtown Las Vegas is rated one of the city’s top high-end restaurants. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-18-Wed-2001/business/15895289.html

LAS VEGAS OUTLAWS – and the rest of the XFL say they will be back next season. They league has admitted to numerous startup mistakes including unusual camera angles, not using pure football announcers, and poor play early in the season stemming from lack of a preseason. This drove away some football fans and hurt Saturday night ratings expectations, although they also (duh) realized that their target audience of men 18-49 is usually out on Saturday evenings.

However, average league attendance was well above the expected 20,000 a game across the league and TNN and UPN were very satisfied with Sunday ratings. Las Vegas both sold the most season tickets and generated the highest ratings for the new league party because the flashy, loose style fits the city’s image and partly as our way of thumbing our nose at the refusal of major league teams to allow the city to have a team as long as sports betting is legal. Stories at http://www.msnbc.com/news/555566.asp?cp1=1 and http://www.latimes.com/sports/times/20010419/t000033233.html

HOT TALK RADIO – has returned to Las Vegas on 1140 AM KSFN. This marks the return of Don and Mike (Noon – 4 PM), Tom Leykis (4 PM – 8 PM and Midnight – 5 AM), and local favorites Johnson and Tofte (9 AM – Noon) as well as Loveline (10 PM – Midnight).

$25 HOTEL REBATE — you pick the hotel! Our partners at Hotel Reservations Network are giving you $25 back on any 2+ night stay in Las Vegas or any major city they reserve. Claiming your cash is simple:

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

RITA RUDNER – had a fantastic run at the MGM but had to clear out for a new show they are developing. She’s moved her act across the street to the New York – New York where her run starts on April 20. Story at http://news.excite.com/news/ap/010323/08/rita-rudner

“HAWAIIAN HOT LUAU” — Las Vegas’ only authentic poolside luau, celebrating it’s 10’th Anniversary, features a lavish buffet, unlimited Mai Tais, Pina Coladas and fruit punch, and a Polynesian revue by Rozita Lee’s “Drums of the Islands.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, weather permitting. Tickets are $31.95 for adults, $17.95 for children 4-9, and are available by calling (702) 794-3261.

LAS VEGAS JAZZ FESTIVAL – plays June 1-3 and features 25 bands. The Las Vegas Jazz Festival showcases music from the first 50 years of jazz history (1895-1945), including blues, gospel, Latin jazz, swing, western swing, barbershop and zydeco. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-10-Tue-2001/living/15791419.html and details at http://www.lasvegasjazzfestival.com

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Catch A Rising Star (Excalibur) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-13-Fri-2001/weekly/15842623.html

SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

GOLF RESERVATIONS – http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Aqua (Bellagio) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-20-Fri-2001/weekly/15884123.html and http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=789&NewsID=86136&on=0

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Saturday – 63 ░F / 48 ░F Scattered Showers
Sunday – 74 ░F / 48 ░F Sunny
Monday – 87 ░F / 52 ░F Mostly Sunny
Tuesday – 90 ░F / 57 ░F Mostly Sunny
Wednesday – 93 ░F / 60 ░F Mostly Sunny

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FEATURE STORY: Excalibur Tournament of Kings

Las Vegas still has a dinner show on The Strip, but it is a little more WWF than watching some guy croon “My Way.” Tournament of Kings takes us back to medieval Europe with fire-wizards, dragons, invading armies, and jousting.

The arena is surrounded by four tiered rows each with table room in front of you, so there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Take note of the section you are sitting in, as that is the king that you will be rooting for. Be there on time as dinner is served, and be ready to “rough it” a little when it comes to eating.

Dinner starts with a tomato-style soup that you drink straight from the bowl as well as an unidentified soft drink in a big plastic mug. Then comes a platter with a game hen, broccoli, and a roll. Wash up first, as you are eating EVERYTHING with your hands. It’s not as bad as it sounds. Actually, it is fun to be a little piggy and really gets you in that “set back in time” mood that helps bring added enjoyment to the show.

This is a play-along show and we are taught how to cheer, when to drink a salute and we get to cheer for our “country” section as the full cast enters in marching procession. The kings have their “feast” at the round table as we are finishing ours and then on with the show.

The kings compete against each other in jousting and other medieval fighting skills in a tournament for our viewing pleasure. Both the actors and the horses they ride are obviously well trained in stunt work and put on a serious show. Some audience members get into it more than others, but you do best to forget your inhibitions (hey, you are in Vegas) and yell, chant, salute, drink, and cheer along.

As the winning king takes his victory lap, the evil wizard appears with his followers in flash, fire, and smoke provoking an all-out war between the kings and the evil ones. This is a lengthy, dramatic finale that ends in true fairy tale fashion with good winning out and the heroes getting the maiden of their choice.

This is truly an all-ages show. You can take the kids to it but there is plenty of fun for the adults. The actors all really convey the look of the period, costumes and effects are impressive, the horses well trained and beautiful, and the action very realistic considering it is viewed fairly close up. Considering the rising prices of Las Vegas shows and that this one includes dinner, it’s not a bad value either.

Excalibur Tournament of Kings plays every night at Excalibur. Tickets are $39.95 plus tax (cocktails extra if you choose) and showtimes are 6:00 and 8:30 PM. Reservations available at (702) 597-7600

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Paul Gurzynski wrote:

>I really enjoy your newsletter.
>
>I will be in Las Vegas on vacation during the Fourth
>of July. Do you know if there will be a fireworks
>display somewhere in Vegas?

The Stratosphere has the past couple of years and that is the only display on the Strip. A number of displays usually take place around the other areas of the city. If you are in town for the 4’th and have a car, grab the paper that morning and make your plans!

M. Smithson wrote:

> I thought that the whole point of doing a review or critique was to
> give an honest opinion why all the fuss about your review on the EFX?
> The reason that I read your letter is that you tell us the good news
> and the bad, rather than just being paid to advertise, we can all pick
> up the advert books when we are there do all these people want a bland
> advert, if they got that then your letter would be boring, just page
> after page of adverts. You give a good honest review, also some of
> the web sites that you give for Airlines, hotels, etc., are great. I am in the
> process of booking our next trip there, and it is all being done
> through the sites in your letter. Thanks.

Hey, if I had a reader of the month award, you’d get it! I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but if people enjoy the information I send out each week, and if it helps you make the most of your very valuable few hours you have to spend each time you visit town, all I ask is that you compare our rates for your travel needs both here and other destinations.

We have aligned ourselves with the best companies out there, with the lowest rates and most secure reservations. Do I trust our travel partners? I use them myself!

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

$100 Suggestion Contest Winner – A couple weeks ago, we put $100 in lodging out there for the best suggestion for our sites. A big “thank you” to the great response and suggestions. We have already or will be implementing them including starting a page listing the big jackpots (as well as when and where jackpots have been hit) which many suggested. However, the winning suggestion is:

Evelyn wrote:

> I think a visitors section would be nice. We just got back from Vegas
> and was trying to find some info before we left. People that visited and
> what they liked and didn’t like. Reasonable but good places to eat,
> same for buffets, places to gamble and things to see. I think this
> would be very helpful to the occasional visitor to get hints from other
> ordinary people like themselves. We have been out there 8 times in last
> 16 years and was just told about getting over to see the Rio. Had we
> had this suggestion before we would have tried it out. Had the best play
> and food over every where on the strip. I think your readers would like
> something like this for tips. Thank you for listening.

Quite a few made suggestions along this line, but Evelyn was the first and as per the rules we picked the winning suggestion than checked to see who is the first who made it.

While we do have the one message board that we note at the top of each newsletter, over the summer we are going to build a complete way for you to post comments about each hotel individually. Once again, thanks to all who entered!

ONLINE POLL – Are you rethinking your Las Vegas vacation plans in light of the economy? Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

All contents copyright MM Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
April 18, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – April 11, 2001

Posted on April 11, 2001October 1, 2014 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This Issue: Jimmy Hopper

Curious about a show, restaurant, or other Las Vegas attraction that looks fun? Let us review it for you first! Suggestions are always welcome at (click) mailto:allvegastv@aol.com

EDITORS NOTE: It looks like last week’s $100 Suggestion Contest generated a healthy response. The deadline just ended so this week we’ll be taking our time to carefully review each one before selecting a winner. Also, some of you have noticed that our concerts and events pages (noted every week in the middle of the newsletter) are behind in getting updated. We have reassigned that task and things should be back up to speed in the next 7-10 days.

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

CHEAPER VEGAS VACATION? – Airline service to Las Vegas continues to grow, but weekend room rates at Strip hotels are showing their first decline in months, a precursor to weakening demand in the leisure travel industry. Good news for those of you who have cut back on your visits due to high hotel and air costs. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-23-Fri-2001/business/15700408.html and this week’s poll at http://www.accessvegas.com asks you if you are planning to visit Las Vegas less often in light of the soft economy.

CAPS – stands for Certified Airline Passenger Services and it is a service that let’s you check your bags in and get your boarding pass for flights on eight airlines serving Las Vegas at Aladdin, Bally’s, Bellagio, Flamingo, Imperial Palace, Las Vegas Hilton, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Paris, Riviera, Sahara and the Stardust.

NEW AIRLINE? – Billionaire financier Carl Icahn, who owns the Stratosphere, Arizona Charlie’s and Arizona Charlie’s East in Las Vegas failed in his bid to buy TWA, an airline he once owned. He is now talking about taking the $400 million of the money he was going to spend on acquiring TWA to start a low fare airline serving Las Vegas. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-23-Fri-2001/business/15708303.html

COURT TV – ironically isn’t available on basic cable here but a recent string of notorious “true life crime story” trials centered in Las Vegas have made the Clark County courthouse downtown a stop for visitors wanting to see the action live. Story at http://www.courttv.com/trials/rudin/040901-side_ctv.html

THE MONEY AND THE POWER – The new book by Sally Denton and Roger Morris is said to read like a novel while it chronicles the rise of Las Vegas and digs up the real dirt on many who are purported to have made the city great over the years. Story at http://www.latimes.com/living/20010410/t000030446.html and the book is available at discount from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1886161208/invegascom

GOLF – We’ve got golf! You can now view the prices of and reserve tee times online in advance of your visit for many area golf courses at http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5

CHEAP HOUSING – is becoming a thing of the past in Las Vegas. The average Las Vegas family makes about $51,000 a year, and yet the average home price in Las Vegas has jumped to $140,000 which is higher than the average home price in Phoenix. Story at http://www.azcentral.com/business/0328afford28.html

URBAN RENEWAL? – The City of Las Vegas owns 61 acres of prime real estate in the heart of the city (just west of Fremont St. Experience downtown) and have been accepting various proposals on what to do with it. They range from a movie studio to building the world’s tallest building. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-09-Fri-2001/news/15605112.html In a related story, Race Rock “Supercharged” Restaurant has closed downtown. They are unable to sustain continued losses while waiting for Neonopolis and other downtown redevelopment to be completed but they hope to open back up in 2002. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-10-Tue-2001/news/15838678.html

LIVING TO GAMBLE? – Station Casinos CFO Glenn Christenson notes: “Well over 50 percent of the adult population of Las Vegas lives within a three-mile radius of one of our properties,” and with Las Vegans spending an estimated $1.8 billion on their hometown pastime, he doesn’t need out-of-towners to boost the bottom line. “People here have pretty high propensity for gambling or they wouldn’t be living here in the first place,” he said. Full story at http://news.excite.com/news/cbsmw/010404/03/diligence-station-casinos

RETIRE TO VEGAS – About 20 percent of Clark County’s 1.4 million people are 55 and older, attracted by the world-class restaurants, entertainment and warm climate. Nevada’s favorable tax structure is also a draw. By living in Nevada, retirees avoid state income taxes, inheritance taxes and gift taxes. (Of course, that savings probably ends up in slot machines!) Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-05-Thu-2001/business/15801712.html

PONDERING GAMBLING – Howard Schwartz, the marketing director of the Gambler’s Book Club in Las Vegas recently wrote an interesting column called “Ten Gambling Questions Worth Pondering” at http://www.casinogaming.com/columnists/shelf/032801.html

VIVA LAS VEGAS – With the Ocean’s Eleven film remake well underway, word is out that Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez might star in a remake of Viva Las Vegas. Full story on both at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-06-Fri-2001/news/15791660.html

HOTEL SPECIAL – Book The Sahara online from $55.95 per night Sun-Thurs. for stay 4/08/01-4/30/01. Limited Availability so check rates and gook at http://www.accessvegas.com/hotels/sahara-hotel-las-vegas-room-reservations.htm

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

STORM – The new Latin-themed show which features aerial acts and actual rain (onstage) and light snow (in the audience) is finally slated to debut April 18, 2001, at Mandalay Bay.

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Showgirls of Magic (San Remo) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-06-Fri-2001/weekly/15793235.html

SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

GOLF RESERVATIONS – http://www.bookvegasteetimes.com/gvpricing.cfm?amid=143&cscheme=5

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Commander’s Palace (Desert Passage @ Aladdin) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Apr-06-Fri-2001/weekly/15785264.html

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Wednesday – 65 ░F / 49 ░F ░F Partly Cloudy
Thursday – 64 ░F / 47 ░F Partly Cloudy
Friday – 74 ░F / 50 ░F Mostly Sunny
Saturday – 78 ░F / 54 ░F Mostly Sunny
Sunday – 84 ░F / 58 ░F Mostly Sunny

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FEATURE STORY: Jimmy Hopper

Because of the amount of news and letters this week, we’ll go back to full reviews next week. Coming reviews here: Excalibur Tournament of Kings (fun for those who like horses, action, getting a little rowdy, medieval stuff, or to take the kids to), Second City Comedy Troupe at Flamingo (very funny comedy and worth seeing, which for me is saying something because I’m not much for improv), Skintight at Harrah’s (One hour and 15 minutes solid of topless women and nearly nude guys) and more. To hold you over, here’s a short on one of Las Vegas’ most talented up-and-coming performers.

JIMMY HOPPER – We caught Jimmy Hopper last week at one of his shows in Bellagio’s Fontana Room. If you haven’t seen this act yet, you are missing out. He’s not a “lounge singer” but a full-fledged musical showman putting his own stamp on standards, pop, and rock hits in an energetic fashion. Jimmy has sung the national anthem at major sports events, performed at major political functions, and composed commercials and music for major corporations.

He plays Bellagio’s Fontana room (schedule at http://www.jimmyhopper.com/perform.htm), which I consider to be the best intimate room in town to see music with plush surroundings and view of the Strip over the lake. The price is right: two drink minimum so catch him before he’s a main showroom draw at headliner prices.

We have two copies of his latest CD “Live in LV” to give away in our contests section. You can read more about Hopper, download a free MP3 of one of this songs, or order his CD’s at http://www.jimmyhopper.com Bring them to his show and he’s happy to sign them and pose for photos.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

EDITORS NOTE: The “smoking in casinos question” brought a record number of responses to our poll (results listed later in the newsletter) as well as email. I need to move on, so I can’t print additional letters but this is obviously something people feel strongly about on both sides of the issue. For the record, new casinos have made clean air a top priority. Bellagio has an air system where ALL air introduced into the casino is taken from outside the building and then heated or cooled. No air is recirculated.

I once read something interesting in a “How To Win At Blackjack” book which I have taken to heart: if you are winning and someone next to you starts to smoke, deal with it as long as you are winning. It’s a small price to pay. If you are losing, you should be leaving that table or machine anyway and you can usually find a table or machine somewhere else where the air is cleaner.

Gloria wrote:

> We have just returned from a week in Vegas. Did we have
> a good time? Yes, but Las Vegas is now going the way of
> all other resorts areas. I go to gamble and enjoy the
> weather, nothing else. Times are changing, Vegas no
> longer cares or needs to have us there. At one time
> this was a reasonably priced vacation. You got a break
> on the room OR the food OR the airfare OR the gaming,
> which gave you the money to gamble more. Now all
> aspects of Vegas are squeezing you dry. Is it worth
> going back, probably, but instead of our usual 2 wks a
> year, we are now thinking of 4 days there and several
> day trips to casinos near by. Is this a loss to Vegas?
> No, they have plenty of people from around the world
> willing to pay what ever they ask, and take the rudeness
> and don’t bother me attitude as they take our money.
>
> Thanks for listening, guess I just needed to vent a
> little. Gloria

Guess what — I agree with you! Room rates are starting to drop because of the soft economy and people like yourself who don’t come to have their wallet hijacked. Even though my income is off a little because of the cheaper rates (I make a commission when you book through the links in our newsletter just like a travel agent does, so lower rates equal less money), if that brings rates and service that will bring people like you back more often, I’ll grin and bear it. BTW, you will find our guaranteed low rates often beat the rates the hotels quote you directly.

Rayn of Rego Park, NY wrote:
>
> My wife and I are hoping to return to Las Vegas this summer. On our
> last trip, we flew with National Airlines, and we loved it. Now I
> hear that they are having some severe financial problems. While they
> have filed for protection against their creditors, they are still
> operating as before. Do you think it is safe to book summer flights
> with National now, or will they go out of business?

National appears pretty strong, and I personally would use them if they served the destinations I frequent. They are reorganizing, continuing to advertise (companies almost out of business usually get refused when they try to buy advertising), and have solid leadership, a fantastic maintenance and safety record, and (unlike most airlines) are flying a relatively new fleet of planes. Having said that, I must note that those are personal opinions. I have no stock or stake in the airline. If using a travel business that is under bankruptcy reorganization concerns you, use another carrier.

Allen Goenawein wrote:

> This is my first issue of your newsletter and I found
> it “right to the point, with no holds barred.” I have
> spent a couple of hours reading different articles and
> have enjoyed everything. I just returned from Vegas two
> days ago (one of 7 or 8 trips I make a year). My wife
> has always wanted to see EFX and almost talked me into
> it and after reading your review, I’m really glad we
> did not go. Our favorite show is Lord of the Dance.
> Compared with the prices they get for some of the
> other shows, it is a real bargain. Keep sending the
> weekly letter, it is really enjoyable.

Thanks for the kind words. EFX still has some strong points, which I noted. Since I’m not a snotty “critic” with a huge artistic performance background and my income comes from hotel room commissions from our travel links, my aim is to give you the honest scoop so you can tell if a show suits your interests. (I mention that on a regular basis for the benefit of the hundreds of new readers we pick up each week.)

Sue Entwistle from Wisconsin wrote:

> Good Morning! My husband and I just returned from a very enjoyable
> five day stay in Vegas. We were married at the Little Church of the
> West 12 years ago, and return every March and have also come back in
> October for the past five years. We’re always looking for something
> new to do, and this time went to see Steve Wyrick
> (magician / illusionist). We ordered our tickets about 6 weeks in
> advance and were in the front row! But at the Saturday 10:00 P.M.
> show, only about 75 people were in the audience. What’s up with that?
> Although Steve is very personable and several of his acts were
> excellent, we didn’t feel it was worth the price! I was wondering if
> you have reviewed any of the helicopter companies. We would like to
> take a helicopter trip into the Grand Canyon next time we come to Las
> Vegas. Thanks…….and we sure enjoy your newsletter!

Wyrick has drawn very mixed reviews, and we have been put off by his PR company as far as coming and seeing his show. I can only think it is because the show (from what I hear) is still very much a work in progress. That is precisely why I have not reviewed or given it much mention yet. Try Lance Burton next time — for a few more bucks, he provides a little more “bang.”

This summer, I am going to start reviewing some tours (especially the ones that we offer). For what it is worth, spend the extra money on a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon if at all possible. Avoid the bus trips at all costs — you spend most of your day on the bus. The air trips are better but you still fly high above the Canyon. The helicopter tours generally not only get you close to the canyon for spectacular views as well as much closer to the scenery on the way over and back, but many land right in the bottom of the Canyon for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Jim Swain of Luton, Beds, United Kingdom wrote:

> Thought I’d drop a mail to say thanks for the great newsletter. My
> wife and I got married at the MGM Grand on Valentine’s Day 1996 – it
> was our first visit to Las Vegas and got us well and truly hooked. We
> have been back another 4 times since — the latest being Valentine’s Day
> this year and we hope to return again in August/September.
>
> However finding a reasonable price for a flight in from the UK is
> proving difficult. Even booking this far ahead we cannot find a price
> lower than 600GBP (approx. USD 950) per person. If you or other readers
> have found lower prices than this or can recommend a booking agent
> could you send details to me at (click) mailto:chiltern@nildram.co.uk or
> (click) mailto:j.swain1@ntlword.com. Thanks in advance.

We certainly hope you check out travel partner air rates at http://www.accessvegas.com/a-travel-center.htm but unlike our main hotel travel partner, they don’t offer guaranteed low airfare so shop around.

Bob & Cindy Sobczak wrote:

> Saw the Blue Man Group
> Monday, March 26, 7 PM show, it was great. Had the
> perfect seats, center mezz. row qq seats 47 & 48 dead
> center stage, second row in the mezz. The music is very
> loud and for those who might be sensitive, I suggest
> ear plugs I had some for my wife and they helped. Also
> don’t forget your camera. Although you can’t take
> pictures during the show, the Blue Men will be in the
> lobby after the show and pose with you for
> pictures. Also buy your tickets at least 2 weeks before
> you get to Vegas or you will be sorry as were a lot
> of people who could not get tickets for the 6 days we
> were there.

Blue Man, as well as “O” and Mystere are very hot tickets and we suggest purchasing your tickets at http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=3230&cscheme=1 as far in advance as the site will let you (different shows have different maximum purchase dates). The service fee charged is well worth guaranteeing seeing that special show while you are here!

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

FREE CONTEST:

RULES: (unless otherwise noted or link to outside contest): You may enter every contest, but only one entry to each. Send a blank email to the specified email address — we’ll get your mailing address from you only if you win. Also, please do not enter if you have won within the past month.

JIMMY HOPPER CD’S – We have two Jimmy Hopper CD’s to give away (see story earlier in newsletter for Jimmy Hopper info). We’ll give them to the 20’th and 40’th entries to (contest closed)

ONLINE POLL – The Las Vegas Sun recently published an article at http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/gaming/2001/feb/26/511485671.html asking people if the slower economy is going to curtail their Las Vegas trips. This week’s question is “Are you rethinking your Las Vegas vacation plans in light of the economy”? Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published in two weeks!

Results from our last poll “How do you feel about smoking in casinos?”

Casinos should be forced to have nonsmoking areas. 27%
It should be banned. 22%
If I can’t smoke while I gamble, forget it. 17%
I don’t smoke, but Vegas is about freedom to do what you want. 15%
I’d use nonsmoking areas, but they shouldn’t be mandatory. 11%
I smoke, but I can hold back while I gamble. 5%

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New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – March 28, 2001

Posted on March 28, 2001October 1, 2014 by admin

QUICK TRAVEL LINKS: Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This Issue: Blue Man Group

Curious about a show, restaurant, or other Las Vegas attraction that looks fun? Let us review it for you first! Suggestions are always welcome at (click): mailto:allvegastv@aol.com

EDITORS NOTE: You complained and we listened! Our tours page at http://www.accessvegas.com/tours was too confusing to use, making you click through three pages to book. Now, click on the booking link for a tour, enter your dates, and immediately see a list of all tours available for your dates with prices and availability posted.LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

THE PALMS – is the name of the new boutique hotel / casino going in across the street from The Rio. With a combination of trendy dance clubs and high end dining, they are looking to challenge The Hard Rock, The Rio, and Mandalay Bay as the “in” spot for the young, trendy crowd with deep pockets. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-08-Thu-2001/news/15588366.html

STORM – The delays in Mandalay Bay’s new show is attributed to additional building inspections following some design changes during the construction of the set as well as the production not being completely ready yet. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-20-Tue-2001/living/15666596.html

BETTING BAN – Your US Senators and Congressmen are working on legislation to outlaw all betting on college sports (something only legal in the state of Nevada). They are doing this at the urging of the NCAA, who are absolutely positive that once legal college sports betting is killed, all college sports betting will cease to exist.

If you enjoy betting college sports under the safe, controlled atmosphere that Nevada provides, drop your US legislators a quick note letting them know you oppose the federal government telling Nevada what they can offer wagering on. Story at http://news.excite.com/news/uw/010328/university-68 and you can find your representatives email addresses at http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html

WE’VE GOT POWER – Regarding the possibility of The Strip going dark this summer, Mark Shank, Nevada Power Co.Æs director of regional transmission, said the difference between keeping the lights on here and California’s rolling blackouts comes down to paying the bills, something California has been struggling with for months. ôWe’ve already secured our contracts for this summer. We’re well prepared for the peak operating hours facing us in the coming months.ö Full story at http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=779&NewsID=69202&on=0

How much juice does a casino use? The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinal had an interesting story on that at http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-zvegas28mar28.story?coll=sfla%2Dbusiness%2Dheadlines

MORE CASINOS – A Las Vegas legislator has proposed a bill that would allow Strip-area time share projects to have casinos, but knowledgeable sources say the bill will likely face opposition from the gaming industry. The hotel/casinos will probably oppose it, not wanting any competition. It would allow places like The Jockey Club and Polo Towers (among others) on The Strip to offer gaming.

The customer usually wins with more casino opportunities. Some of the best blackjack rules and loosest slots in the US are in Nevada because of competition. Story at http://www.hotel-online.com/Neo/News/2001_Mar_22/k.LVT.985328040.html

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:CATCH A RISING STAR – The comedy club has debuted in Las Vegas at The Excalibur. This version of the popular comedy club promises to continue their tradition of bringing in nationally known comics and seasoned professionals. Shows are twice nightly at 7:30 PM and 10:00 PM and priced at $16.95. Guests must be 21.

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* De La Guarda (Rio) – http://www.channel2000.com/sh/travel/lasvegas/stories/travel-lasvegas-55891920010326-090339.html

SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* P.F. Chang’s (Aladdin) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-23-Fri-2001/weekly/15682076.html

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Thursday – 82 ░F / 53 ░F Partly Cloudy
Friday – 85 ░F / 52 ░F Mostly Sunny
Saturday – 81 ░F / 48 ░F Mostly Sunny
Sunday – 79 ░F / 49 ░F Mostly Sunny
Monday – 84 ░F / 52 ░F Mostly Sunny

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FEATURE STORY: Blue Man Group

If you are at Luxor in the evening and see people walking around covered in (what looks like) toilet paper, don’t assume they lost a fight in the restroom. They were just at Blue Man Group. While I hate to give away too much about shows like this, the finale is each night is a celebration that must single-handedly keep a paper mill in business.

Blue Man Group is theater, but not the kind you might expect. After success in New York, Boston, and Chicago this troop pulled out all the stops for Las Vegas, where the Luxor gave them twice as many seats to fill.

What is Blue Man Group? Space aliens from Nevada’s notorious Area 51 “secret” military base? Were the sent here to study us or overwhelm us? Perhaps a little of both.

Blue Man Group consists of three men in skullcaps and cobalt blue face (and head) paint which stays wet, giving them an eerie “alive from the inside out” look. They never speak. They do act and react.

The show is artistic and colorful, but in a very abstract way. It opens with them beating on drums as they squirt neon colored water on the other’s drum in amazement at the colorful splash.

From there, a simple game of catch is played across the stage, with one of the members tossing colored food objects at the other two for them to catch with their mouths. One of them paints a pretty canvas using colored fluid projected from his mouth, while the other creates a “sculpture” from the foodstuff and finishes this act with what is insightful commentary on modern art.

This progresses to more entertainment with food, where Cap’n Crunch cereal is consumed and crunched to the beat of the heavily rhythmic music performed by a live band. Not any band, mind you, but one that performs dressed in bright neon outfits far above the stage. The multitude of colors that make up the cereal blend with in with the constant color themes we continue to be exposed to.

The food theme is retained for one more segment that is the most comedic of the show. Imagine how someone who has never seen a twinkie before would get it out of the wrapper, let alone eat it. They seem mystified with each other and what they are doing, but that only serves to set the audience up. We get lulled into a mellow, curious, slightly comedic mindset — then our senses are attacked full force.

Fortunately, they balance this assault with more musical segments that rely on a multitude of instruments which it appears they have created. These are adaptations of age-old percussion instruments except that they are made from PVC pipe. They have become quite adept at playing these, and in conjunction with the live band they produce some great electric music. So much so, that their debut CD (the soundtrack to the Vegas show) was nominated for a Grammy this past year.

There is more drumming, more neon, more interesting interaction with the audience, and more bizarreness (in a good way), but I’ve held back to not ruin the fun. This is not your typical “sit there and watch someone sing and tell jokes show,” but it isn’t as off-the-wall (no pun intended) as De La Guarda.

If you are mildly adventurous, have your finger on the basics of the pop culture of the past couple of decades, and don’t mind being visually and sonically assaulted to a degree, this is a show you will not only tell your friends about, but want to come back and see again. Like a good movie, I can only imagine all I missed the first time around.

It is an all-ages show, but much of it would be lost on preteens and while containing no language or vile acts, the show might overwhelm children. The Grammy nominated soundtrack is available at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000038A2S/invegascom Click on the Blue Man link to hear free samples — “Rods and Cones” is my personal favorite!

Blue Man Group Ticket Info

EDITORS NOTE: Not since the “Kids in Vegas” (should you bring them or not) has a topic generated as much controversy. While space doesn’t allow me to print every letter, the ones below are a representative sample regarding the strong feelings on this topic. Because of that, I’m leaving the “Smoking in Casinos” poll up an extra week at http://www.accessvegas.com On another note, a sampling of readers were kind enough to share what activities they do to maximize romance in Las Vegas.LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Regarding Smoking in Casinos:

Ida Koo of San Jose, California wrote:

> Unfortunately, one of the most annoying, disgusting and smelly parts
> of casinos prevents me from going more often. And that’s “smoking.”
>
> I voted in the poll for “smoking” in casinos. I voted for banning it
> entirely. And I also checked out the results so far. I see that
> requiring casinos to have Nonsmoking areas is up front for the time
> being.
>
> Requiring Casinos to have nonsmoking areas just doesn’t work.
> Casinos in Reno have tried this before. It means being confined to
> one tiny little area that is allotted for nonsmokers with very little
> variety and frankly, what is perceived as very little prospects of
> winning large jackpots. I like to move around and scope out a slot
> machine and then sit down and settle in. Nonsmoking areas would
> probably work for crap tables because they could have one in the midst
> of all the other tables. It helps but its not great. But there’s
> usually only one and its always packed.
>
> Thank you for giving me a place to go to voice my opinion.

Kim and Dave Paterson of Concord, Ohio wrote:

> Ted, A friend told us about your newsletter several months ago and
> since that time we have been receiving and enjoying your newsletters.
> Regarding the smoking in the casinos issue, as nonsmokers and Las
> Vegas visitors 2-3 times a year for the last twenty-five years, we
> have encountered many situations where smoking has disrupted our
> pleasure of enjoying our visit to certain casinos. We have noticed
> the emergence of nonsmoking areas in casinos but this is not a
> cure-all because it limits the full scope of a casino. We feel (our
> suggestion) is that casinos provide better ventilation systems so that
> smokers and nonsmokers can enjoy the same areas and not offend each
> other. Keep up the good work.

Olivia Wilkin of Dayton, OH wrote:

> Hi there! I really enjoy the newsletter.
>
> I just returned from my first visit to Las Vegas and I was THRILLED to
> find one place left in the US that actually values freedom. It was
> wonderful to be able to smoke in almost every area of the city. I was
> a little surprised to see the response to your poll; so many
> indicating that smoking should be banned. I spoke with several
> nonsmokers in Vegas who said that they were surprised that the smoking
> didn’t bother them; that the casinos were well ventilated. I will
> refrain from going into my usual three hour rant about the way that
> nonsmokers feel that they have rights and that smokers do not. I am
> actually considering moving to Vegas partly due to this freedom. I
> can see the higher end strip hotels creating more smoking policies,
> but I think that the smaller and downtown hotels will stay true to
> customers!
>
> Thank you!

Regarding Romance in Las Vegas:

Linda wrote:

> I would have to say it was room service. Their you are in the morning
> with a great meal delivered to you both practically in bed. We
> happened to enjoy the time at the Imperial Palace due to the fact we
> could open the door and look out over the balcony.

I recently read an article on an airplane magazine noting that women enjoy and are more likely to indulge in room service. I’m not singling out women, and when I am tired and don’t want the hassle I enjoy ordering room service myself. But men take note — your lady might appreciate the pampered privacy of a quiet meal with you in your room!

Maureen Cullen wrote:

> For cocktails, the best romantic spot I’ve been to is The Peppermill,
> on the strip toward downtown. Though it’s pretty well-known, it never
> seems to be that crowded, and the tourist masses don’t seem to know
> about it. The lounge is very quiet, dimly lit, with really cool,
> kitschy “rat pack” era design, cocktail waitresses in evening gowns,
> and fireplaces. There’s a restaurant adjacent, with great food, huge
> portions, cheap prices, but it’s not quite as romantic as the lounge.
>
> Looking forward to others’ responses too!

Peppermill is across from Stardust (just up the street a couple hundred yards). It is indeed a special spot that is usually frequented by locals even though it has a Strip location.

Down toward the other end of the Strip, Polo Towers (behind and just down from the Harley Cafe) has a 19’th floor lounge open to the public with a great view after dark (otherwise the sun blinds the view). Not quite the atmosphere or Peppermill, but the view makes up for it. It is truly a local’s secret, as the lounge is rarely crowded. Free and worth checking out. Just head through the strip mall in front of the resort, head in, grab an elevator, and punch the top floor button.

Sam Profio wrote:

> I have a few suggestions some of which could be combined:
>
> 1. Dinner on the balcony at Olives in the Bellagio. Make reservation
> for after dark. You will have an incredible view and sound of their
> spectacular fountains. Since there are something like 6 to 8
> different consecutive fountain shows, you enjoy the fountains during
> your entire meal.
>
> Making reservations is a little tricky when I did it last May. They
> only take them beginning at 5:00 PM and then only in person. You must
> go to the hostess stand at 5:00 PM and get in line. It was not a long
> wait and we got our reservation for that evening.
>
> 2. Go to the Stratosphere tower just before dusk. Watch the sunset
> over the desert & mountains. Stunning. And then watch the strip
> lights come alive, as it gets darker. While you are there anyway, you
> could also make a reservation for dinner just after dusk one deck
> lower in the Stratosphere’s revolving restaurant. Great view all
> night. Turns slow. You won’t get sick.
>
> 3. Later, you might want to
> have an after dinner drink at Rio’s Voodoo Lounge outside on their
> patio. It is 52 floors up and also has a very impressive but totally
> different view of the South end of the strip. Their restaurant on the
> 51st floor is also very good and also has an outdoor patio with
> basically the same great view.
>
> 4. There’s always the Gondola ride at
> the Venetian before dinner to get things rolling. Make a reservation!
>
> 5. Women love to shop. Take her through the canal shops at the
> Venetian prior to the Gondola ride. Buy her some jewelry. She can
> admire it and you while you cuddle together in the boat.
>
> Enjoy!

It sounds like Sam has a happy lady, and I will “second” everything he just said.

Edward N. Brothers wrote:

> My girlfriend at the time (now my fiance) and went to Emeril Lagasse’s
> at the Venetian, and had the best meal of our lives. We had a waiter
> named Troy who was knowledgeable and helpful without being arrogant.
> It really was the perfect evening.

I reviewed Delmonico at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/00-06-21.htm and agree wholeheartedly. To sum this all up, I think it’s tough NOT to have a romantic time in Las Vegas with so many fun things to do, elegant restaurants, and various vistas.

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

ONLINE POLL – How do you feel about smoking in casinos? Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – March 21, 2001

Posted on March 21, 2001October 1, 2014 by admin

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* Airline Tickets, Specials: http://www.accessvegas.com/a-travel-center.htm

HOTEL MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas hotel opinions!

Read Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This Issue: Imperial Palace

Curious about a show, restaurant, or other Las Vegas attraction that looks fun? Let us review it for you first! Suggestions are always welcome at: mailto:allvegastv@aol.com

EDITORS NOTE: I’m doing some traveling this week, so I’m happy to present a guest review submitted by readers Russell and Gail Howard. Next week, the long awaited review of Blue Man Group. After that, WB Stage 16 Restaurant (if they ever get me their press kit — I like the place) and Excalibur Tournament of Kings. As always noted at the end of the “Letter’s To The Editor” section, guest reviews are gladly considered.

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

V-BAR – at The Venetian continues to be a “best kept secret” hot spot, although it won’t be a secret for long. I am often asked where to go to spot celebrities, and with all of the upscale hotels and activities in town, I’d generally say “don’t waste your vacation time searching.” However, the V-Bar has probably become your best bet. Their staff notes recent visits by Julio Iglesias Jr., Charles Barkley, A.J. of the Backstreet Boys, and various actors in the past couple of months.

V-Bar is open from 4 PM to 4 AM daily. It is a somewhat intimate, upscale bar. The action doesn’t pick up until later in the evening, and a relaxed dress code is enforced (look nice). Even if you aren’t celeb hunting, it is a nice spot to take a date or just relax away from the tables for a while.

STORM – The delays in Mandalay Bay’s new show Storm is attributed to additional building inspections following some design changes during the construction of the set. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-20-Tue-2001/living/15666596.html In the wake of the 1980 fire at Bally’s (then called the MGM Grand, not to be confused with the huge green hotel now at Trop and The Strip), not only are building standards tighter but inspections are very comprehensive. Similar inspections delayed the openings of both The Venetian and The Aladdin.

BON JOVI WEDDING – Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea are going to renew their vows in Las Vegas at the same wedding chapel they married at 11 years ago. This time, they are turning it into a promotion with 75 couples in tow who won various radio station and other contests taking the plunge for the first time. The wedding will take place at the Graceland Wedding Chapel after Bon Jovi’s April 21 concert here. Full story at http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusic/mar21_bon-ap.html

LANCE BURTON’S – new special “Master Magician On The Road” airs March 31, 2001 on the Fox Family Channel. Check local listings for channel and time.

OSCAR ODDS – The “Vegas Line” on the Academy Award winners is up. You can’t actually bet on them, because Nevada law prohibits betting one anything where the outcome is known but they make a fun read at http://www.nypost.com/03222001/entertainment/27069.htm

CONVENTIONS – Chicago has long been the convention capital of the world, but Las Vegas and Orlando are after their business. The Las Vegas Convention Center is almost finished with construction that will double its size and both cities are touting themselves to convention planners as warm weather, resort alternatives to Chicago’s cold winters. Story at http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/conv16.html

CULT VEGAS – is the new book by Review-Journal entertainment writer Mike Weatherford. It combines his odd fascination with both Las Vegas and American pop culture. It includes both the standard icons like Sinatra and Elvis and the more offbeat and unusual. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-18-Sun-2001/living/15631075.html and the book is available from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0929712714/invegascom

SMOKING – Nevada has the highest death rate from smoking-related diseases in the country and some of the weakest tobacco laws in the United States, allowing smoking just about everywhere except public elevators and school buses. Hearings are underway to tighten those laws on a statewide level, but many are wary of the harsh restrictions of neighboring California, where smoking is even prohibited in bars. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-14-Wed-2001/news/15637012.html In relation to that, this week’s poll at http://www.accessvegas.com asks you “How do you feel about smoking in casinos”?

NO GRIZZLIES – As conjectured here a couple weeks ago, Las Vegas’ bid to land the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies was stymied because we refuse to give up legal sports betting. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-16-Fri-2001/sports/15657023.html

OFFICIAL? – You may have seen these “official” Las Vegas tourist info centers along the Strip, but many are just fronts for time-share pitches that prey on people overwhelmed with wondering what to do or see. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-13-Tue-2001/living/15593603.html

1. Print out: http://www.accessvegas.com/100-rebate.htm
2. Book a room online at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
3. Send in for your rebate when you get home.

It doesn’t get any easier than that, and you get their low price guarantee
to boot!

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Legends of Comedy (Frontier) – http://excursia.bestreadguide.com/lasvegas/stories/20010226/sho_comedylegends.shtml

SHOWS AND HEADLINERS – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-shows.htm
CONCERT – listings available at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 5 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Friday – 84 ░F / 58 ░F Partly Cloudy
Saturday – 85 ░F / 54 ░F Partly Cloudy
Sunday – 85 ░F / 52 ░F Partly Cloudy
Monday – 86 ░F / 51 ░F Mostly Sunny
Tuesday – 84 ░F / 51 ░F Partly Cloudy

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FEATURE STORY: Imperial Palace

by Russell and Gail Howard

We just returned from our third Vegas trip in three years, in fact our
second since last July, and were once again very, very pleased by the
Imperial Palace.

I know that opinions range widely on this older denizen of The Strip,
but our experiences have been quite fine there. Let me break down
why:

First, the rooms themselves. We have stayed in the standard rooms
(nothing to complain about at all, and a killer price), as well as the
mini-suite (“luv tub” rooms), which are oversized rooms with ENORMOUS
bathtubs, mirror canopy beds, balconies, and what feels like a lot of
extra room, also a great price at about 60 bucks a night. Our room is
mostly our headquarters for crashing when we’re in Vegas, and these
work great.

Second, the Casino. My wife is a slot player, and has done well. I
am a video poker player, and I vastly prefer 9/6 machines, which are
getting harder and harder to find for under a buck, but IP comes
through with several quarter machines. I can play for a long, long
time for ten bucks on a 9/6 quarter machine!

Third, one need not be a “high roller,” which I clearly am not, in
order to feel welcome / well treated at IP. For example, I perceive
that I get as many free cherry cokes (the teetotaler thing, again)
when I’m playing nickel video poker as I do when I decide to go hog
wild (for me) and play dollar video poker.

Fourth, the staff. I get to know a lot of the change booth folks and
the waitresses. Never, once, in three stays at IP have I had anything
less than a great experience with an employee. They actually seem to
enjoy what they are doing. I don’t know how you train folks for
friendliness, but something is working here. I seek to be polite, of
course, and try to tip enough that I am acknowledging people’s
efforts, though not exorbitantly, but I have found the team to be
first rate.

Fifth, the show. The most significant show at IP, in the winter when
the Luau thing is not happening, is “Legends in Concert,” which we
caught for the first time this past Wednesday night. I really don’t
like maitre’d seating, preferring reserved theatre seats, so I viewed
the seating setup as a minus. However, the show itself, which varies
from time to time, included dead-on “tributes” to Tina Turner,
Madonna, Rod Stewart, The Temptations (easily the crowd’s favorite),
Liza Minnelli, and Elvis. All the musicians do their own singing. The
dancers were attractive and well choreographed. We really enjoyed
this show. We would repeat it, though we would repeat it all the more
enthusiastically if the seating were theatre-style.

Sixth, the location. Absolutely unbeatable. Within three blocks of
Venetian, Treasure Island, Mirage, Harrah’s, Caesar’s, Bally’s, Paris,
and Bellagio. All are easy walking distance, if you like to
casino-hop. And if you catch the tram from Bally’s, you’re at MGM
with Monte Carlo, New York New York, Excalibur, Luxor, and the
Tropicana all with easy walking distance. You will not top IP’s
location.

We are a married couple, upper thirties. On this trip, we took my Mom
and dad along, upper sixties. We plan to take some other relatives
out to LV this fall, and look forward to another fun stay at the
Imperial Palace. We have become loyalists.

We just returned from our third Vegas trip in three years, in fact our
second since last July, and were once again very, very pleased by the
Imperial Palace.

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

Russell and Gail Howard hail from Lexington, Kentucky and enjoy visiting Las Vegas on a regular basis. You can contact them at (click) mailto:AshlndPstr@aol.com Legends In Concert is reviewed at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/00-11-01.htm and more info on the Imperial Palace is available at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-strip-hotels.htm (Imperial Palace link).

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

David Humphrey wrote:

> My wife and I will be in Las Vegas at the end of March. I would like
> to get your opinion and the opinions of your readers of how they
> spent their most romantic evening in Las Vegas (i.e., what shows did
> they see, what restaurants did they go to, what night clubs did they
> visit, any special attractions ….)

I’ll skip my opinion for now because I don’t want to influence what you readers might say. Take a minute and jot down where you take that someone special here in Las Vegas and email it to (click) mailto:romance@in-vegas.com (David: I don’t have your email address my laptop here. If you are headed to town before next week’s issue, email me again and I will forward the responses to you before publishing them).

Lynette from Palmyra, WI wrote:

> It is really unbelievable how un-objective the readers are in regards
> to your review of EFX. I liked Rick Springfield when I was younger too, but for
> cryin’ out loud, we all have a right to our own opinion. I thoroughly
> enjoy your newsletter and greatly appreciate your honesty, and
> furthermore, he is 20 years older now, so I’m sure your review is
> accurate. I wasn’t planning to go to EFX anyway, but I’m glad you
> saved me the time of even debating about it. We are coming to Vegas
> in July and are going to see BMG at the Luxor. We can’t wait; have
> you seen the show? How is it? I don’t recall seeing a review. Keep
> up the excellent work, this is very enjoyable reading. Love the
> reviews!!

Blue Man Group review is next week. I enjoyed it, but it is very stimulating to all the senses.

Bob and Barb wrote:

> I appreciate your review of the show (EFX Alive), since we already received
> tickets through the mail. Now I know exactly what to expect, and I
> can go into the show with the right attitude, and not be disappointed.
> P.S. I really enjoy your website, and the Rick Springfield fans —-
> get over it.

The show is still reasonably impressive overall, with the effects and involved cast. With any good fortune, Mr. Springfield will be in better health and settling more comfortably into the show.

Steve wrote:

> Hi Ted, I subscribe to your newsletter & find it well written and
> informative. Having just read the EFX letters you received, I find it
> a little disappointing that you received so many negative letters.
> You call ’em like you see ’em, & we are all entitled to our opinions.
> Sometimes I think people lose sight of that. I think looking at
> several sources of info is the best way to be informed and I count
> your newsletter as one of them when it comes to Las Vegas. Thanks
> again for all your time & effort.

++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

Your input is welcome. Write us a “letter to the editor” at mailto:allvegastv@aol.com While space doesn’t permit publishing every letter, we do certainly read them all and they help shape our content. Please include your name if you wish to have it published (stating your city is optional). Also, guest article submissions are welcome with full credit to you, your website, etc., if accepted.

ONLINE POLL – How do you feel about smoking in casinos? Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next!

Results from our last poll “Who (if anyone) do you come to Las Vegas with?”* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

New to the list? Back issues and subscription info can be found on the web at: https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com

Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to friends and associates, or better yet click here: http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=826126 to recommend it to friends with a chance to win $10,000!

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