Access Vegas Insider Vibe – May 28, 2008

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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

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

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

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

Tickets for Las Vegas’ top comedy magic shows:

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

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

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

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

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

On the party front…

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy This Issue!

Ted Newkirk
CEO/Managing Editor

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


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

by Denise Almas

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

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

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


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

by Lincoln Hudson

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


Members Mania – We Love Our Readers!

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

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

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

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

Regards,

Dave Kendall

Ted Responds:

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

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

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


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

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

Wayne and Sandy M.
Rochester, NH

Ted Responds:

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

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


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

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

Evelyn Dotson

Ted Responds:

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

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

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


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

  • Call our recorded comment line at 702-507-0055. We listen to every call.
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More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

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

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

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

RSS Feed – We now have an RSS/XML feed! Most RSS programs let you visit AccessVegas.com and automatically pull the feed. For those who want to enter it manually, the feed is:
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For comments or questions regarding our content or this newsletter write us at allvegastv@aol.com.

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

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

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

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – March 12, 2008

AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe

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


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

AccessVegas.com Quick Info Menu:

Las Vegas Essentials
Featured Shows
Photos and Wallpaper

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

Ted will return next week. He was last seen muttering something about sunny 75 degree days, March Madness, his cabana by the pool…

Actually, he’s finishing getting everything in order to resume his Las Vegas podcast and arranging all the great new content we’ll debut over the next few weeks. However, visitors have been enjoying 75 degree days, March Madness, and hitting the pools.

Special Note: In the next few weeks, we bring you brand new show reviews of Stomp Out Loud, Rita Rudner, Lance Burton, Mac King, Crazy Girls, American Superstars, Blue Man Group, Wayne Brady, and many more!

Please enjoy these new show reviews and great Las Vegas information prepared by staff!

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


Featured Review:
Monty Python’s Spamalot

By Guy Chapman

For those who consider themselves a Monty Python fan, there is a special breed of humor found within the absurdity of the British comedy troop. While the classic film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” carried its fair share of catchy tunes, it would have never been considered a Broadway-scale musical… until now. “Spamalot” takes the troop”s second film and turns it into a full tour de farce that showcases a spectacle that is “lovingly ripped off from” the Python”s parody of the Arthurian Legend.

So is “Spamalot” simply an adaptation of the film? Monty Python fans know that nothing is ever as it seems when it comes to comedy, and to always expect the unexpected. While “Spamalot” lifts primarily from the original film, it also serves up a buffet of classic Python songs from past “Flying Circus” skits, and includes them into the story in clever and seamless ways. The rest of the production adds new extended scenes into the story that fit well with the absurd sense of humor the film is known for. Click to Read Entire Spamalot Review…

Featured Review:
Tony and Tina’s Wedding

By Sarah Steinberg

“Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding” at the Calypso Room at the Rio Hotel & Casino is a must-see! It pulls you in immediately. Literally the actors, in character, pull you in the minute you walk through the door. You will be ushered to your table and then greeted by your emcee for the evening, the obnoxious, loud Vinnie Black and his tacky wife Loretta. Vinnie is like a shock to the system, but in a good way, pulling you right into the fun. “Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding” is the story of two crazy Italian families, the Vitale’s and the Nunzio’s, coming together for an evening of mayhem and shenanigans. Don”t think you’ll be just sitting back and watching the show. This is an interactive experience and you will be a part of it.

Before the wedding ceremony even begins, the macho groomsmen with attitude will make you feel like you”re part of the family, but not just any family. Everyone, including the bride and groom-to-be, make their rounds greeting the guests. That would be you and me folks, so get prepared to experience two hours of zany fun. Family “issues” delay the start of the wedding while Sister Albert Maria is appalled by the certain behavior of the sleazy Italian men. With the help of Father Mark, the mild-mannered priest, they try to get this motley crew under control and get through the wedding ceremony. Click to Read Entire Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding Review…

Ultimate Fighting Championship« Presents UFC 84: Ill Will Live From MGM Grand May 24 – The war of words between UFC Lightweight Champion “The Prodigy” BJ Penn and former champion Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk is about to end and the fighting is set to begin. (Tickets) On May 24 both men will step into the UFC Octagon to determine, once and for all, the undisputed king of the 155-pound division. Also, in back-to-back light heavyweight superfights, “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz will face undefeated Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva will battle Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine. The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization presents UFC 84: ILL WILL live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday, May 24. Click to Read The Full Story …

Tiger Woods To Host Rock Icons Van Halen At Tiger Jam XI Presented By AT&T Saturday, April 19 – The Tiger Woods Foundation announced today that Tiger Jam XI presented by AT&T will take place Saturday, April 19 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. (Tickets) Golf legend Tiger Woods will welcome rock icons Van Halen to Tiger Jam XI to raise funds for the Tiger Woods Foundation and select Las Vegas-based charities. Saturday evening’s highlights will include top-notch epicurean fare as well as an exclusive live and silent auction featuring unique items. Click to Read The Full Story …

Reunited After Eight Years, The Verve To Play The Pearl April 26 – British contemporary rock band, The Verve, best known for their hit “Bittersweet Symphony” brings their unique sound to The Pearl at the Palms on Saturday, April 26 at 8:00 p.m. (Tickets) After splitting in 1999, members of The Verve went their separate ways, some on to solo projects, until 2007 when they announced their return to the pop/rock scene. The announcement included information on a tour and a new album, their first original album since 1997’s Urban Hymns. Click to Read The Full Story …

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Weekend At Fremont Street Experience – Las Vegas’ legendary Fremont Street Experience will be the place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day when a weekend of live entertainment kicks off on Saturday, March 15. St. Patrick’s Day Weekend at the Fremont Street Experience brings three days of free concerts with Whiskey Galore and Wild Celts. The performance schedule is as follows: Saturday, March 15, Wild Celts , 6-8 pm, 3rd Street Stage; Whiskey Galore, 9-11 pm, 3rd Street Stage; Sunday, March 16, Whiskey Galore, 8-11 pm, 3rd Street Stage; Monday, March 17, Whiskey Galore, 8-11 pm, 3rd Street Stage. Click to Read The Full Story …

Boa Steakhouse Struts Its Stuff With Its Red High Heel, A Cocktail For The Ladies – A concoction sure to put a pep in any woman’s step, BOA Steakhouse’s Red High Heel blends Bombay Sapphire Gin, simple syrup, lime juice, fresh raspberries, rosewater and champagne to create a lovely mixture ù perfect for a night on the town.

Red High Heel Recipe

  • 1 1/2 ounces of Bombay Sapphire Gin
  • 1 ounce of simple syrup
  • 1/2 juiced lime
  • 8-10 fresh raspberries
  • 1 ounce of rosewater
  • 1 ounce of champagne

Combine all ingredients into a drink shaker and serve in a champagne flute garnished with raspberries and a lemon twist.

Sirens Of TI Sizzle Into Summer With New Late Hours – Dancing into their fourth year as Vegas’ most brazen beauties, the Sirens of TI will lure guests into Sirens’ Cove with new summer hours beginning March 10. The Sirens will perform nightly at 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. From daring swordplay to high-diving acrobatics and eye-popping pyrotechnics, the Sirens of TI is packed with countless thrills. Created by award-winning director Kenny Ortega, the music, dance, excitement and seduction in this modern musical-meets-action-movie spectacular has captivated the attention of more than 9.6 million spectators to date. Since 2003, the Sirens of TI cast has performed more than 4,250 shows.

Blue Man Group & Allegiant Air Announce Innovative Partnership – Launching March 13, this unprecedented partnership will focus on communicating the Blue Man Group message to the Allegiant customer at all phases of the experience û from booking the flight to experiencing the Blue Man brand inside the carrier’s aircraft on cups, napkins, overhead bins, service carts, and on in-flight crew uniforms. (Blue Man Group Tickets) The Blue Man Group iconic image will also be featured on the exterior of the Allegiant aircraft. In a mutual advertising relationship, the Allegiant brand will be incorporated into the Blue Man Group Las Vegas show, including the Allegiant logo on the aircraft featured during the show and an official Allegiant sponsored VIP room. Click to Read The Full Story …

New Days Of Operation At Monte Carlo Brew Pub – The Monte Carlo Brew Pub now is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. It remains open daily, Wednesday û Sunday, 11 a.m. û 11 p.m., with a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays, 11 p.m. û 2 a.m. In addition to live entertainment, the spacious pub also features 38 flat screen televisions, three big screen televisions and a 10-by-10 projection screen making the Brew Pub an ideal place to enjoy your favorite sporting events. The Monte Carlo Brew Pub provides a menu of freshly baked brick-oven pizzas, calamari, steaks, hamburgers, large salads, sandwiches and desserts accompanying refreshing signature cocktails, 21 bottled beers and a selection of draft beers.

Gambling Talk: Video Keno – Part Eight – with Victor H. Royer. Four Card Keno Continued – You must remember that each time you do anything, to the machine this is a “user command”, and it will do what it’s programmed to do with such commands. So, unless you start from the start, the machine won’t “know” you only wanted to make one change. It will take that as a “new event”, and if you don’t start at the beginning, nothing that you had been playing before will so remain.

This becomes even more important when it comes to the making of wagers, because many people habitually change one card or another, and forget to go through the procedure from the start, and then wonder why the machine either doesn’t play, or somehow doesn’t play all the cards or numbers they had previously marked. Click to Read Complete Article…


More Las Vegas News – Concerts – Events

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

All contents copyright 2008 Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.

March 12, 2008 ISSN: 1529-2770 About Us Privacy Policy

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Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – August 22, 2001

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* Airline Tickets, Specials: http://www.accessvegas.com/a-travel-center.htm
* Toll Free 24 Hour Hotel Reservation Hotline: 1-800-666-5268

MESSAGE BOARDS – Help others and share your Las Vegas opinions! Our boards are new so let’s fill them up with the good, bad, and just general comments on your last visit. Plus, we now have a section for trip reports. New boards at http://boards.accessvegas.com

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THIS ISSUE: Le Cabaret

EDITOR’S NOTES: After sending the last issue, I was out the door for a family reunion for a few days. It’s nice to get away, but after a few days I miss Las Vegas just like many of you do when you have to leave … and I live here!

The good news right now is that the decline in business travel has brought airfares down, and the opening of 1000 more rooms at Stratosphere have helped soften up Las Vegas room prices. Use the links above to plan an October getaway to Vegas, especially if the weather where you live turns cold by then. Plus, football season and baseball playoffs are coming up!



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LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:WYNN AGAIN – Steve Wynn has formally revealed plans for the resort that will mark his return to the Las Vegas Strip — a 45-story, 2,455-room, 514-foot golden glass tower, complete with a four-acre lake, rising above Las Vegas Boulevard. The plans, which depict a resort that makes liberal use of skylights, gardens and water, were filed with the Clark County Planning Commission recently, and that agency will consider Wynn’s proposal tonight. The commission staff has recommended approval of the plans.
THE MONORAIL – Work has begun on the monorail which will run along the East side of The Strip, behind the hotels. The four mile monorail is expected to get 19 million riders each year, and should be a nice alternative to the lousy cab service and gridlock that haunts The Strip even on weekdays now. Story at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-3.htm

ELVIS – Elvis Presley died 24 years ago this month, but the King of Rock and Roll lives on. Presley is now delighting fans with Elvis Live in Las Vegas, a new four-CD box set that chronicles his famous performances in the town he made his own. Full story at http://www.sptimes.com/News/081601/Floridian/Elvis_and_Vegas__toge.shtml You can buy the new box set on sale at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005LN70/invegascom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HORSESHOE – Without fanfare but with a secure place in Las Vegas history, Binion’s Horseshoe celebrates its 50th birthday today. One of the city’s longest-operating casinos, the Horseshoe set trends for many of today’s most successful gambling properties. Founded Aug. 15, 1951, by Benny Binion, a former Dallas bootlegger and illegal casino operator, the privately owned, family-run Horseshoe offered bigger betting limits and more free food and drinks to customers than other casinos. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-15-Wed-2001/business/16775905.html

SOUVENIR GLASSES – Where else but Las Vegas can one get a 52-ounce margarita in a plastic cup shaped like a sphinx, or a 32-ounce strawberry daiquiri in an Eiffel Tower-shaped glass or even 40 ounces of Passion Punch in what looks like a prop from the television show “I Dream of Jeanie”? Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-21-Tue-2001/living/16783796.html and this week’s poll asks you what your favorite Las Vegas souvenir is. Come vote at http://www.accessvegas.com

LOVE THE CABBIES – Lately, a week hasn’t gone by without the cab drivers sticking their foot in their mouths. Last week, we noted that they were griping about working shifts to help accommodate the maximum number of arrivals at McCarran.

This week, cab driver Harvey Wiginton said in a Letter to the Editor of the Review-Journal, “The people who cause the traffic problems are the drive-ins from California. They do not park their cars and ride the buses, trolleys and cabs now … The best way to solve the Strip traffic problem would be for all the hotels to charge for parking. I believe that if these people had to pay every time they moved their cars, they would walk and ride taxis, buses and trolleys.” Full text is available at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-22-Wed-2001/opinion/16814259.html (second letter down).

Maybe ole’ Harvey should try to squeeze himself onto the hot, crowded busses on The Strip in the evening. How he can compare that to a state-of-the-art monorail running on it’s own tracks above the crowds (faster travel), I’ll never know. Maybe more people would take the cabs if the cabbies weren’t running you through the airport tunnel, which adds $5-10 to the ride. (Note: if you aren’t renting a car, use one of the hotel shuttle services available at the airport — a set price regardless of traffic or routing.)

NEXT BIG STAR – Ed McMahon’s “Next Big Star” TV show has started taping at the MGM. It is basically Star Search revisited, and will be airing nationally. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-13-Mon-2001/living/16743982.html Tickets for Sept. 7-9, 21-23, and 28-30 tapings are free and may be obtained by calling (866) 746-9849, Ext. 639

TRAVEL CHANNEL – is still looking for couples planning a Las Vegas wedding to appear in a TV special:

HAVE YOUR LAS VEGAS WEDDING ON TV!
A new series for the Travel Channel entitled “Two For Las Vegas” is looking for fun and interesting couples to be featured on a national television show. You must already have wedding plans confirmed for July 9th through the end of September 2001. The more unusual, the better, but traditional is fine too! If you are interested please send an email to (click) mailto:twoforlasvegas@filmgarden.net – and request an application. Selected applicants will be notified approximately a week before their actual wedding date. Best of luck!

HIGHWAY STATIONS – If you make the drive from Southern California, you are familiar with the “Highway Stations” with broadcast along the deserted stretches of I-15 and I-40. A recent article tells their story and has a listing of the stations and frequencies. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-19-Sun-2001/business/16623246.html

CASINO SOFTWARE – The Microsoft Casino trial version takes you into the tropics with access to The Mirage resort. Start with $10,000 and play until you win big ($100,000) or lose it all! Along the way, play and win up to three different comps from featuring Sigfried & Roy, Danny Gans and the buffet. Download at http://www.microsoft.com/insider/pf/CasinoTrial.htm

NOT FOR KIDS – Not only is Las Vegas becoming a less child friendly place for tourists, but the Kid-Friendly Cities Report Card 2001 gave Las Vegas a B- and ranked it 97th compared with 140 other cities of its size.
CBS – continues to draws thousands to its research facility, Television City, in the MGM Grand. Tourists willing to give up an hour of their time can preview upcoming shows, promos, and test pilots and give their input. Full story and details at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-2.htm

VIDEOS – We are continuing to test online video segments. To test server and coding, I took a couple of minutes of Mystere and encoded it for online viewing. You can take a peek at http://tv.accessvegas.com/mystere.htm

$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.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!

WINNERS! – Scott Graton or Brownstown, MI and Yvonne Kistler of Wichita Falls, TX were the winners of the Casino Perks coupons books.

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CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Amazing Jonathan (Golden Nugget)

* Society of Seven (Hilton) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-07-Tue-2001/living/16695996.html
* Smothers Brothers (Orleans) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-10-Fri-2001/weekly/16727726.html

SHOWS, GOLF, DINING, WEATHER:

* SHOW TICKETS – See which shows are playing during your stay and book reservations EVEN if the tickets aren’t on sale yet. Search by date at http://www.accessvegas.com/show-tickets.htm
* GOLF RESERVATIONS – Grab that tee time GUARANTEED before you get to town! Search by date, see prices at http://www.accessvegas.com/golf-reservations.htm
* DINING RESERVATIONS – For a small service fee, you can now guarantee reservations for that “special night out” during your visit at http://www.accessvegas.com/dinner-reservations.htm
* LAS VEGAS WEATHER – http://www.wunderground.com/US/NV/Las_Vegas.html

EVENT LISTINGS:

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

NECTOR – The new restaurant in Bellagio takes the place of Sam’s American. “Our goal is to offer guests an atmosphere as dynamic and vibrant as the meal” says Bryan O’Shields (Bellagio VP Food and Beverage). Offerings include Fried Green Tomato and BBQ’d Spare Rib Salad, Chili Rubbed “Free Range” Pork Chop, and Buffalo Mahi Mahi. Nectar’s lounge and raw bar serves giant gulf shrimp, oysters, clams, Dungeness crab, split lobster and other iced shellfish.

RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Gallagher’s Steakhouse (New York, New York) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-15-Wed-2001/living/16724513.html
* Royal Star (Venetian) – http://www.accessvegas.com/story-4.htm

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FEATURE STORY: Le Cabaret

Le Cabaret is the new show at The Plaza downtown. It looks back to the days of variety shows with song, dance, impressions, and magic. This isn’t exactly the Ed Sullivan show, but a funny and sexy show which features three talented, young, up-and-coming performers who have put together a solid hour-plus of entertainment.

Jenny Alexander has been studying magic for eight years, and headlining at Caesars from 1997 – 2000 in the Magical Empire. Fit and attractive with dark hair and sexy, body conscious attire, she performs a variety of solid illusions. With magic on TV often and no one really stretching the limits with new illusions, performance and presentation make or break a live act and Alexander’s show kept the audience spellbound. It also just so happens that she was voted “Sexiest Women In Las Vegas” in the City Life readers poll last year.

“The Exotic Sarafina” is billed as a song and dance seductress, and she doesn’t let down in either department. Although her choice of music was somewhat campy (standard country tunes that I’m sure appeal to a broad range of people), she has a great voice and more importantly a riveting stage presence.

Because the show is new and still working on filling the showroom, she was able to really work the crowd while she sang in an up close and personal way, causing a number of men to blush while their wives laughed at the frivolity (nothing threatening, ladies). She also returned later for an extremely sensual onstage dance routine on a red couch shaped like a pair of lips.

La Cabaret’s star is one Larry G. Jones, a comedic impressionist who may someday be heir to the Danny Gans / Andre-Philippe Gagnon throne. He was buzzing through impressions so full of one-liners and comedic lyrics that you barely stopped laughing at the last one before he hit you with another zinger. He can do over 125 voices, and did at least half of them in his roughly 30 minute segment.

Jones does Julio and Willie, Chubby Checker, Johnny Cash, our last four US Presidents (in an Alice in Wonderland joke that pokes fun at Bill Clinton), an unmerciful stab at Mr. Rogers, a deep Lou Rawls, Cher, a hilarious Michael Jackson, a Wayne Newton that is possibly better than the present Wayne (who’s voice isn’t what it used to be after an illness a few years back), and far more than I could list here.

Le Cabaret is the perfect show to fit into your busy Las Vegas itinerary, packing plenty of entertainment and variety into an hour. I saw it with out-of-town relatives and our “do downtown Vegas” night consisted of seeing a light show, dinner, Le Cabaret, and then another light show and a little gambling.

Le Cabaret plays nightly (dark Monday) at 8 and 10 PM in the historic showroom of the Plaza Hotel downtown. Tickets are a reasonable $23.95 plus tax and include one drink. $5 discount coupons are available near the front desk. Although no nudity and only a couple naughty words, this is probably a show better suited to adults who will appreciate the impressions and comedic references.



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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:Last week, a reader asked for comments on the CAPS service. For a fee, it allows you to check your bags and obtain your boarding passes for many airlines at locations in many hotels. Full details on CAPS at http://www.capstravel.com

Judy C. in Boston wrote:

>Hello Ted, I enjoy both your newsletter. I am writing in response to your
>call for the CAPS service. My friend and I used this service in June
>2000 when we stayed at Mandalay Bay and were flying Delta (I think at
>this time it was only at a few hotels and has since expanded to cover
>many more hotels and airlines). I had read about the service
>and decided it was a great idea and worth a try. The desk was also
>very conveniently located (right around the corner from the MB
>check-in desk) in the lobby. [By contrast, I found out on my last
>trip in May 2001 when we stayed at the Luxor that the CAPS desk was
>all the way downstairs by the West entrance] >
>When I used CAPS, the check-in was very quick. The reservations
>agents checked our ID’s and then assigned boarding passes with seat
>assignments. Our bags were ticketed with our destination with the
>same tags that they issue at the airport check-in counter. We paid
>our $6 and were free of our bags for the rest of the day. Later, we
>had the redeye flight out and just went directly to the airport,
>returned our rental car, and didn’t have to lug the baggage in and out
>of the car trunk or on and off the bus. We just got on the shuttle
>bus, went to the terminal and right to the gate–avoiding any lines at
>the check-in desk or skycap. I checked out our boarding passes at the
>desk at the gate just to make sure everything was okay (I do this
>every time after having an experience where upon boarding the airplane
>I found out that my seat didn’t exist!). No problems with the
>boarding passes–they were the same ones issued by the airline. As
>for our bags, they made it with flying colors–in fact, they were
>among the first few off the airplane! I highly recommend using the
>CAPS service to save yourself some time, aggravation, and strained
>muscles and all for only $6!
>
>The only caveat–they require check-in a few hours before your flight.
>(I think at least 3 hours but am not 100% sure–I would verify this
>with the CAPS desk.) Also, of course, you won’t have access to your
>bags after you check them with CAPS. The tradeoff is that you don’t
>have to transport them from the hotel to the airport. What I did was
>pack my carryon with everything I thought I would need. I kept it
>with me but I guess you could check it with the bell desk if needed.
>A great service and I highly recommend it.

Leslie wrote:

>I would consider this service to be almost nonexistent as most of the
>major airlines, i.e., United, US Air, etc., do not subscribe to it
>which we found out at the very end of our vacation to Vegas. Staying
>at the Sahara we had to check out of our room by Noon, but our flight
>wasn’t leaving until 11:30 p.m., so we thought the CAPS was the
>perfect solution until we found out that only about ten obscure
>airlines are processed. That totally ruined our last day in Vegas!
>But hey the rest of the trip was a real winner.

CAPS has been expanding the list of participating airlines. List at http://www.capstravel.com/sub.cfm?page=airlines Unfortunately, they don’t serve some of the carriers that are popular for travel from the East coast yet.

Joe D’Agnese wrote:

>Hi my name is Joe D’Agnese I was in Vegas in May and will be back in
>Sept can’t wait! I used the caps at the Flamingo Hilton on my check
>out for my wife and myself. It was great took our bags to airport
>gave us our tickets then we had more time to enjoy Vegas will do it
>again in Sept. Hope this helps.

Jerold Berman wrote:

>Used CAPS at Sahara Hotel … it is perfect …. check your luggage 6
>hours before departing LV … Took auto back to Alamo and got on plane
>without carrying or worrying about luggage … Worth every
>dollar …. Bought a stuffed animal which was to large for suit
>case … went to U-Haul and bought a box large big enough for stuffed
>animal to fit … taped it up and took it to CAPS with other
>luggage …. No fuss, no mess trying to carry all bags ….. Use CAPS
>always…..

Good point: If you are like me, you buy more stuff on vacation than you have room to carry back. The above is a great suggestion. If you have a rental car, and are up against your baggage limit, you can also go to Mail Boxes Etc., and ship the stuff back (something I did on my last trip — the fee was worth the packing and shipping).

Bruce Olson wrote:

>We usually carry on bags, but one time we didn’t and
>used CAPS at Sahara. Little bit hesitant. Same feeling
>you have before a cruise. Whereas your bags going to
>end up? But it turned out great! Worth the price. Hope
>it doesn’t go up with popularity though. Hint: make
>sure only one person checks on bags, as it may be cheaper.

Elizabeth Beech wrote:

>I haven’t used the CAPS service, but I have used the similar service
>that was provided by National Airlines and Rio Hotel. I LOVED IT! I
>am one of those who always brings too much baggage, so this service
>was right up my alley. I hadn’t heard of CAPS, but I will be checking
>it out on my next visit.
>
>Thanks for your wonderful newsletter, Ted! The only problem with it,
>is that it makes me want to get in the car and head off for another
>visit to Vegas! ;-P

If we make you want to get back to Vegas, we’ve done our job. Wait until later this fall when we have all the new photos and video online!

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Your input is welcome. Because of limited space here, we encourage you to post comments about specific Las Vegas hotels, shows, attractions, and general trip reports to our Comment Las Vegas message board at http://boards.accessvegas.com

For comments or questions regarding topics in the newsletter, 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).

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LOCAL NOTES:

CHEAP COST OF LIVING – Las Vegas’ strong economy and low living costs give employers a huge advantage over those in many Western US cities when it comes to paying attractive salaries, according to The Eastridge Group’s 2001-2002 Southern Nevada Salary Survey. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-15-Wed-2001/business/16766044.html

BUSINESS FRIENDLY – Nevada ranks first in the nation in a new ranking of how friendly states are to small businesses and entrepreneurs. The ranking by the Washington-based Small Business Survival Committee was based on 17 factors it said can harm a state’s business environment, and which state and local governments have influence over. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-14-Tue-2001/business/16767433.html

LAS VEGAS BOWL – has been moved to Christmas Day and will be televised live on ABC. The additional Las Vegas publicity will be good, but will the tickets sell? Stories at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-21-Tue-2001/sports/16817347.html and http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-21-Tue-2001/sports/16815373.html

HE HATE ME – Las Vegas Outlaw Rod “He Hate Me” Smart has landed a job with the Edmonton Eskimo’s of the CFL. Story at http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports1/stories/010815/647574.html

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PERSONAL ENDORSEMENT – Instead of a paid ad here, I (Ted) want to tell you about our web host Virtual Spaces at http://www.virtual-spaces.com Every penny I make is online. If my tourism sites go down, I’m out of business and even a couple of hours can be costly. Virtual Spaces are reliable and quick. They don’t overload their servers to save a buck, and yet they are consistently among the least expensive hosts in the business.

Whether you are just starting a site, want to move your site away from unreliable and unprofessional looking free web hosting (with those long addresses and extra banners and links don’t look businesslike), or need a full dedicated server like we have, you will be pleasantly surprised by their rates and service. Click now and go compare http://www.virtual-spaces.com

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

Results from our last poll “How long do you usually stay in Las Vegas?”

4 – 5 Days 33%
6 – 7 Days 21%
2 – 3 Days 19%
1 Day 13%
8 – 10 Days 7%
Longer Than 10 Days 5%

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LAS VEGAS TRAVEL PACKAGES: http://www.accessvegas.com/a-travel-center.htm

LAS VEGAS TRAVEL SPECIALS:

Book these specials at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm

Las Vegas – Palace Station, the place to be 9/9-11/1 from $39
Las Vegas – The Excalibur, Aug 26 through Oct 4 from $69!
Las Vegas – Treasure Island, Sept 12 through Oct 28 from $129
Las Vegas – The Mirage Hotel/Casino Sept 16-Oct 28 from $169!
Las Vegas – The Sahara Hotel, Sept 9 through Oct 25 from $49
Las Vegas – Flamingo Hilton, Sept 13 through Oct 18 from $105
Las Vegas – The Stratosphere Sept 9 through Oct 31 from $45!
Las Vegas – Spring into Summer with San Remo Magic today!
Las Vegas – Suncoast, Aug 12 through September 6 $49!

Book any above specials at http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm

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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.
August 22, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – July 4, 2001

WELCOME to Access Vegas News and Reviews, now with subscribers in over 50 countries around the world! This is the official newsletter of http://www.accessvegas.com We talk about the Las Vegas attractions, dining, and shows that YOU really care about.

This weekly newsletter is free and only sent to those who request it. If you receive this by mistake or wish off our list, simple unsubscribe instructions at the bottom. Feel free to forward this to friends and associates in its entirely. To subscribe, simply send a blank email to (click) mailto:newsletter@las-vegas-news-reviews.com

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
* Condos and Vacation Rentals: http://www.hoteldiscounts.com/cgi-bin/pickcondo?SID=IVC&LKF=IVC
* Best Tours/Rates for Grand Canyon, Hoover, more: http://www.accessvegas.com/tours
* Airline Tickets, Specials: http://www.accessvegas.com/a-travel-center.htm
* Toll Free 24 Hour Hotel Reservation Hotline: 1-800-666-5268

THIS WEEK’S CITY ON SALE: Boston — rates starting at $99.95! Choose from Midtown Hotel, Swissotel, Days Hotel, Fairmont Copley Plaza, Radisson Cambridge and more. For details, click http://www.accessvegas.com/city-on-sale.htm

VEGAS SPECIAL: Las Vegas’ Excalibur from $75.95, Sun-Thurs., 6/25/01-7/26/01:
http://www.accessvegas.com/vegas-special.htm

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

(New expanded message board coming in three weeks.)

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THIS ISSUE: David Darkstone – Illusions and Beyond

EDITOR NOTES: What a week so far: rolling blackouts, a Greyhound Bus wreck north of town … this isn’t quite the news we like to bring you but that slot machine doesn’t always come up double diamonds. We were baking under 114 degree heat on Monday … I love it! Granted, I don’t work outside but I’ve been out and about and there is something very cleansing feeling about it. Summer separates those of us who truly love Southern Nevada from those who thought it would be a cute idea to move here.

Don’t bother asking me how we deal with it … we don’t shovel snow, have 7-8 months of pool weather, low taxes, and well over 300 days of sun a year! The good news? Expected thunderstorms over the 4’th calmed just in time for fireworks. One note: Stratosphere got their fireworks info to me too late to include last issue. Next year if I have not heard anything, I’ll get on the phone and check with them myself.

LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

BUS CRASH – Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. 37 people were injured early Tuesday morning when a Greyhound Bus went off the road and rolled when it failed to negotiate the off ramp. This happened in Glendale, NV (basically a highway offramp 30 miles north of town). Early word is that the driver may have been falling asleep more than once in the middle of the night. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-04-Wed-2001/news/16466814.html

BLACKOUTS – We are doing our California imitation. Nevada Power thought they had purchased the rights to enough power this summer, but record temperatures hit across the West. Only 10,000 customers lost power for 45 minutes (not bad for a metro area of 1.3 million people). For those of you prone to worry, the tourist areas won’t go dark in any future events. In fact, the Strip casinos helped out by running off their backup generators which helped keep the lights on for more residents that otherwise would have happened. Full stories at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-03-Tue-2001/news/16458159.html and http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-04-Wed-2001/news/16466351.html

NEW YEAR’S EVE – What am I talking about this in July when many of you are having pool parties? Because if you want to attend the singular party of the year without paying 5 times the going weekend rate for a room (or not getting one at all — some hotels already showing “sold out”), you need to think about booking now. You are still going to pay 3 times the normal, but save your pennies: this party is worth it. Don’t take my word for it — check out our complete photo archive from last year at http://www.las-vegas-new-years-eve.com featuring the buildup, the aftermath, the happy couples, the crazies, and (of course) the pretty girls.

BETTING BAN DEAD! – Sen. Harry Reid has stopped worrying about a ban on college sports betting being passed by Congress this year. “The bill won’t pass out of Congress,” Reid, D-Nev., said Monday. “We’ll kill it. I am confident. I wasn’t confident last year but I am now. It has lost support.” Nevada allows wagering on professional and college sports but not on high school and Olympic Games. No other state allows wagering on college sports. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-03-Tue-2001/news/16456031.html Start thinking about those college football games you are going to be betting on when you visit this fall!

HAVE YOUR LAS VEGAS WEDDING ON TV! – I just talked to the producers of new series for the Travel Channel entitled “Two For Las Vegas.” They are looking for fun and interesting couples to be featured on a national television show. You must already have wedding plans confirmed for July 9th through the end of September 2001. The more unusual, the better, but traditional is fine too! If you are interested please send an email to (click) mailto:twoforlasvegas@filmgarden.net — and request an application. Selected applicants will be notified approximately a week before their actual wedding date. Best of luck!

CAESARS OVERHAUL – Caesars Palace has a new tower, new facade, new “hip” lounge, and more. The 1/2 billion dollar renovation is an attempt to restore Caesars to the prominence it had on The Strip two decades ago. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jun-24-Sun-2001/business/16373504.html

SHOPPING IN VEGAS – Casinos no longer are the only place to drop a bundle in Las Vegas. The megaresorts that dominate the city’s neon-splashed Strip are locked in an escalating competition to land retailing’s most exclusive names and show them off in extravagant environments that re-create ancient Rome, Marrakech or the canals of Venice. Story at http://www.sltrib.com/07012001/business/109958.htm

3 MILLION WEDDINGS – Only the ministers were authentic at Tuesday’s celebration commemorating the 3 millionth Las Vegas wedding. Everything else, including the hoards of celebrity look-alikes and even the weddings themselves, were in typical Vegas style: gaudy beyond belief. Three couples, the 3 millionth wedding registered and the ones before and after, were invited back to Las Vegas to re-create their ceremonies, flanked by eight Las Vegas showgirls in full garb. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-04-Wed-2001/news/16467469.html

HOTEL LOBBIES – Twenty years ago would Strip hotel lobbies have been part of their trip? “It didn’t even enter my mind,” said Scardina, who visited Las Vegas years prior. “We were strictly here to gamble.” But Las Vegas has changed. And along with excessively European-themed resorts came the evolution of the hotel lobbies, which in many ways have become destinations themselves.

TEACHER SHORTAGE – Las Vegas has a tremendous shortage of teachers, which makes it a good place to move if you are a teacher, and a lousy place to send kids to public school. Full teacher shortage story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-01-Sun-2001/news/16447647.html

MCCARRAN AIRPORT – If you have to deal with a flight delay, McCarran isn’t a bad place to have it happen. You can work out at 24 Hour Fitness, rent and watch a movie, and more. Full stories at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-01-Sun-2001/living/16336109.html and http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jul-01-Sun-2001/living/16410446.html On a related note, McCarran’s radar control room was just named the best in the nation. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jun-25-Mon-2001/news/16387960.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!


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:

TIM CONWAY & HARVEY KORMAN – Play the Las Vegas Hilton this weekend, Call (702) 732-5755 for tickets.

CLINT HOLMES – is on Pay-Per-View Saturday, July 7’th featuring his full show from Harrah’s. The 90 minute show is only $14.95 so this sounds like a great way to scratch that “Vegas itch” of enjoy one of the better shows in town from your easy chair. Call your local cable operator or DirecTV channel 120.

DARUDE – performs in a live electronic stage performance at Studio 54 (MGM) on Friday, July 6, 2001. Doors open at 10 p.m. and show time approximately 1 a.m. Darude is currently No. 7 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music chart with “Feel the Beat” and No. 12 on Hot Dance Music singles sales with “Sandstorm” according to recent US Billboard charts. $20 cover charge for men. Tickets sold at the door only. Complimentary cover for ladies. No advance ticket sales.

FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE PRESENTS GROOVE POWER – Get your groove on at the Fremont Street Experience Groove Power event Friday and Saturday, July 13th and 14th, 2001. This two-day celebration includes five city blocks groovin’ all weekend long with free entertainment on two stages, food and drink specials, and one-of-a-kind Fremont Street Experience Light and Sound Shows.

The entertainment lineup includes Otis Day and The Knights at 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Big Fat Elmo at 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. on Friday, July 13th. Saturday, July 14th features Otis Day and The Knights at 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. and The Spinners at 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Free performances are presented on two stages all weekend long.

STEVE MARTIN ART COLLECTION – is at Bellagio through Labor Day. Story at http://www.accessvegas.com/story-3.htm

SHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Buck Rams “Platters”, Cornell Gunther’s “Coasters” and Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (New York, New York) – http://www.las-vegas-shows-reviews.com/coasters-platters-reeves.htm
* Clint Holmes (Harrah’s) – http://www.accessvegas.com/story-1.htm
* La Femme (MGM) – http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/2001/departments/2001_06_28/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=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:

* Andre’s French Restaurant (Downtown) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jun-22-Fri-2001/weekly/16352786.html
* Cili (mile south of Mandalay Bay) – http://www.accessvegas.com/story-5.htm
* Le Village Buffet (Paris) – http://www.accessvegas.com/story-2.htm

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LAS VEGAS WEATHER – This 6 day forecast is courtesy of Weather.Com:

Friday – 99 ░F / 84 ░F Sunny
Saturday – 96 ░F / 74 ░F Sunny
Sunday – 101 ░F / 79 ░F Sunny
Monday – 106 ░F / 79 ░F Sunny
Tuesday – 109 ░F / 81 ░F Sunny
Wednesday – 107 ░F / 82 ░F Sunny

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FEATURE STORIES: David Darkstone – Illusions and Beyond

Magic in the afternoon is alive and well in Las Vegas, but can The Strip support four afternoon magic shows? After seeing all four, my answer is … Yes! 24 year old magician David Darkstone and his business partner 23 year old Will Roya are doing something that most magicians only dream of, and that is starring on the Las Vegas Strip in a self-produced show.

They are smart: The Las Vegas Strip is four miles long. The Tropicana at the south end of The Strip already has Rick Thomas, a general magic show that includes a white tiger and comes in at about $20. Mac King plays mid-Strip Harrah’s and will tickle your funny bone with magic at Harrah’s for $15. Dixie Dooley is all the way downtown. Toward the northern end of The Strip, the accommodations are more budget conscious, and include the more family oriented Circus Circus. Darkstone puts on a show that fits those demands like a glove.

You have seen these tricks before, both on TV and perhaps in other Las Vegas magic shows. Darkstone isn’t yet at a place in his career to attempt to break new ground like David Copperfield. However, the amazement from seeing them up close is a real treat. The showroom at the Frontier only seats about 280. I usually sit in the back when I review a show to take in the entire spectrum of performer and audience and I still felt like I was in the middle of the action.

A great example was his performance of Houdini’s Metamorphosis. (Tie the magician up in a bag, put him in a wooden box, lock it shut, raise a curtain, and in a split second his assistant is tied up in the locked box and magician is free.) Houdini used to perform this one before his shows, outside the theater and among the people, as a “come-on” to help persuade people to buy tickets, and Darkstone performs the illusion in similar fashion with plenty of audience participation.

Four men from the audience are chosen to completely inspect the box, test the padlocks, and everyone in the audience who wanted to is invited to inspect the bag used to tie Darkstone up to insure no velcro, etc. One of the volunteers ties the bag tight. In the box Darkstone goes, and volunteers put on the locks. His assistant lift up a curtain, and in the blink of an eye she is in the locked box tied in the bag and he is free. All so relatively close to the audience that you are truly left scratching your head with that “Did you see that … how’d he do that” (which is what you are paying for in the first place).

Juggler Will Roya provides both the talent and comedic relief to balance the serious side of Darkstone. This guy is funny! Instead of a plain, old juggling act, he incorporates a James Bond style skit into the first act, then moves on to juggling glowing balls in the completely darkened room in a manner which creates quite a light spectacle. He finishes off with the prerequisite fire juggling and them multiple hoops, both of which he adds his lighthearted musical and acting touches to.

If anything is working against these guys, it is their age. Darkstone probably has another couple years to go before he can truly pull off the “mystical magician” look strictly because of his good (young looking) genetics, but that doesn’t stop him from being a riveting performer. Roya still has a little bit of that “Wow, I’m playing on the Vegas Strip” in him but channels it in a positive way with his onstage goofball persona.

However, both men have years of performing under their belt and not only put on a talented show, but are up on all the latest advantages of show technology. For a smaller venue, the room has great computer-controlled lighting which is put to good effect as the audience is seated. The music soundtrack is top notch. It was apparent that much time and care were taken in selecting exactly the right music for each illusion and segment, and it is extremely well edited and blended to enhance the show.

The show is very suitable for children, but with plenty of punch for adults. At the inexpensive asking price, these guys are worth seeing now. They could very well end up like another magic team which once performed regularly at The Frontier. Who? Siegfried and Roy.

“David Darkstone – Illusions and Beyond” runs daily (dark Monday) at Noon and 2 PM. Tickets are $12.95 and include two drinks. You can get them at the box office or call ahead to (702) 794-8200 for reservations. Note: As of this time, the showroom doesn’t have cocktail service. Redeem your drink coupons at the bar (you can get pop, juice, or water for the kids) and bring them in with you. We have two David Darkstone packages to give away in the contests section that include two free tickets, a T-shirt, and an autographed poster.




LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

E.L. Mikel wrote:

>We were in Las Vegas in March and one of the employees at the Venetian
>said that there were plans underway to build a Titanic-themed
>Casino/Resort. When I got back, I asked my travel agent and she had
>not heard this. Do you know anything about it?

We reported on this proposed project way back on June 17, 1999. For the benefit of later subscribers … here is the original story:

Las Vegas legend Bob Stupak’s plans to build a casino with the theme of the Titanic were sunk by the Las Vegas city council because of objections by neighbors backing the area. He was planning to build in on the site of his Thunderbird Hotel which is located halfway between Fremont St. Experience and the Stratosphere on LV Blvd. (the Strip). The area isn’t designated as a casino development district. (End of story.)

You just hit the nail on the head why I started this newsletter. Resort employees are the second least informed people in town, next to cab drivers (who are pretty much only interested in steering you to a strip club that pays them a $10 per person kickback). Once these people get off work, they get as far away from The Strip as they can, and they aren’t exactly home pouring over the newspapers and press releases. On the other hand, I guess that is good: as long as old and misinformation about Vegas continues to abound, there will be room for this newsletter!

John Krogh wrote:

>Hi Ted…
>
>Just a quick observation with respect to your “free contest” section.
>As you claim this newsletter hits 50 some odd countries, announcing
>the 20th response will win, would seem to be
>slightly biased <G>. Cool newsletter!

Just as Superman sometimes forgets his own power, I too truly feel like I am writing this newsletter to one person and forget we are pushing 20,000 subscribers. I woke up to that when the 20’th entry for the last contest took little time to come in. From now on, we will use a random number generator to pick a winner from all entries received by the contest deadline. As for the country count claim, all we have are subscribers email addresses to go by. We have subscribers with email addresses that originate in over 60 countries now.

Donna wrote:

>I was just curious about what Las Vegas is like around
>the Christmas season. My husband and I are planning
>on taking a four day getaway to Vegas sometime around
>the 15th of December. We’d like to know whether this
>is a good or bad time of year to visit Vegas.

The town is crowded until Dec. 16’th when the National Finals Rodeo is done. Between then and Dec. 25’th, you can practically shoot a cannon down the Strip and not hit anybody. If you dream of coming to Vegas when the rooms are going to be about the cheapest of the year and the lines will be small or nonexistent (plenty of elbow room at the games and slots also), the week before Christmas is your time. Especially if you can come on weekdays and not a weekend.

Rodney & Kathy Baker wrote:

>Just returned from a 4 day stay at Treasure Island, the hotel was a
>great room with slightly stingy slots…didn’t hear many bells
>ringing … before we left your newsletter asked for reviews on high
>end restaurants. Didn’t really expect to do this for you but just
>happened in at the MGM … and went to “OLIO,” looking forward to a
>nice meal before the 10:30 EFX show. We were not dressed for either
>the show or the meal but decided while we were at that end of the
>strip we would do the “as you are” thing. It worked perfect for the
>show…they took our money….gave us great seats and we were
>fine…the dinner was another ordeal. When we arrived the hostess was
>very sweet and smiling…after being instructed on where to seat us by
>a not so friendly sounding French(?) speaking man dressed in a
>suit…we were ushered to the back of the room…WHERE WE SAT FOR OVER
>15 MINUTES….no water…just stares from other waiters roaming back

The Bakers went on to note a total terrible experience. I have one word of advice: stay away from any hotel, show, or attraction for the first couple of months after it opens. While unpleasant experiences are the exception, they are going to happen more during the stages while the kinks are still being worked out. It never hurts to write the management with your concerns when you return home. You just might find yourself a free chance to sample it again on your next trip.

>Andrew Simpson of Glasgow UK wrote:

>Ted, Firstly thanks for the newsletter, it’s great. Currently there
>is a programme on UK TV which is portraying Vegas as a clubbing city
>and the “new Ibiza” For those who don’t know what Ibiza is, it is a
>Spanish Island famous in Europe for it’s clubs — unfortunately also
>famous for it’s related drunkenness, violence and drugs. Do you or
>your readers feel that Vegas may be heading in the same direction,
>because frankly it would put me off returning to the place that I
>love.

Las Vegas is no stranger to drunkenness, and I assume one can find drugs in the clubs just like anywhere else. But it is true: with clubs like Studio 45, Rum Jungle, and others as well as all the new posh “old school” lounges opening up, the new reputation as a clubbing city is well deserved. Violence doesn’t seem to accompany this here, as most of these are attached to casinos which are VERY concerned about security.

Allen wrote:

>Thank-you for all the ideas on what to do with only a short time in
>Vegas. I surprised her with a Suite that faced the strip. It was
>great at night when the strip was bright with lights. We had 2 days
>to fit everything in so here is what we did.
>
>We started off Thursday evening with dinner at the Steakhouse at
>Circus Circus. The meal was, well “WOW.” About 15 minutes into the
>meal (gaming executive) Bill Boyd and some friends sat in the booth next to us. It was
>fun to watch the attention he received. From there, we headed to
>Fremont Street. She shopped and we watched two light shows. She
>enjoyed it, but was less than impressed. In between the shows, we
>played craps at the Four Queens. My wife is a beginner gambler but
>the dealers were very nice and very patient and made her time winning
>$12 very enjoyable. We headed back to the room and watched the lights
>on the strip from our balcony.
>
>Friday was our big day, we had tickets to “O.” This was the one thing
>I planned months in advance. We spent the morning shopping at the
>Bellagio and viewing the Atrium. My wife fell in love. She again,
>found time to keep me amused with some gambling. She played Sic Bo.
>The dealer again was great with a beginner gambler. We ate dinner at
>the Mirage Buffet. Absolutely the best buffet in Vegas. Then it was
>off to “o.” Without getting into the gory details let me say that “O”
>was the worst experience of the trip. The staff was rude and the $200
>front row balcony seats purchase 2 months in advance were very bad.
>In fact, if any of your readers plan to go to “O,” the entire balcony
>has no view of the front of the stage and a lot of the show takes
>place there. When we got back from the show, she hit the slots and I
>hit the tables. She visited me 3 times taking what I had won and
>putting it in the slots.
>
>The last day we went to Caesars Palace to the shops. My wife was less
>than impressed. We ate lunch at the Paris and went up the tower.
>Again, she was very disappointed with the atmosphere. My wife
>actually enjoyed the Desert Passage shops at the Aladdin the most.
>She liked all the art galleries and spent over an hour in the
>Build-a-Bear shop spending everything I had won. From there, we
>headed to the Stratosphere. We were planning to eat at the restaurant
>but were not dressed appropriately for it. They don’t allow shorts
>for dinner. So were enjoyed the view headed to the Italian Restaurant
>at the Riviera. The food was great. My wife loved the accents of the
>waiters. Two thumbs up. We ended the evening on the balcony again.
>
>In the morning we used the CAPS service for our bags. This gets a big
>plug. For $6 you can check your bags at the hotel and get your
>boarding pass. Then it was a private limo to the airport and back to
>reality.

D.S. wrote:

>While visiting Las Vegas in May of this year, we used the Bell Trans
>Limousines & Buses for our transportation from the airport to downtown
>Las Vegas (California Hotel). We always use this transportation
>service to and from the airport. Only this time we happen to notice
>there was a price for a round trip, so we purchase a round trip
>ticket. When we tried call the day before our departure we could not
>reach this company and tried through the night, until I spoke to the
>bellman at the hotel and he said that they would not recommend this
>company because they found them unreliable. Other guest complained
>about shuttle not showing up and if they do they late. The bellman
>had to call another company to take us to the airport. I’ve learned
>not to purchase around trip shuttle service again. (Bell Trans
>Limousines & Buses 702-739-7990) Mahalo

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

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 – “Which Las Vegas hotel has the nicest lobby?” Let’s hear your opinion at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published next issue!

Results from last poll: “How do you feel about coinless slots?”

They are great — no muss, no fuss! 45%
I came to Vegas to play a ROLL of quarters, not paper credits. 33%
I like the ones that give you a ticket on a big win, but let you cash out coins otherwise. 20%

FREE CONTEST:

DAVID DARKSTONE – We have two David Darkstone packages to give away! Each package contains two FREE passes to the show, one David Darkstone T-shirt, and a personally autographed poster. Enter by sending a blank email to (contest closed) One entry per person. Deadline for entries: Sunday July 8, 2001. Winners will be chosen in a random drawing from all eligible entries received before deadline and be notified by email.

CORRECTION: Past issues noted that you could sign up for Weatherbug and get a free trip to Las Vegas. More accurately, you sign up and can possibly win a Las Vegas trip, keeping in line with the fact it is featured in the contest section. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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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.
July 4, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – March 14, 2001

WELCOME to Access Vegas News and Reviews, now with subscribers in over 50 countries around the world! This is the official newsletter of http://www.accessvegas.com We talk about the Las Vegas attractions, dining, and shows that YOU really care about.

This weekly newsletter is free and only sent to those who request it. If you receive this by mistake or wish off our list, simple unsubscribe instructions at the bottom. Feel free to forward this to friends and associates in its entirely. To subscribe, simply send a blank email to (click): mailto:below

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
* Featured Travel Deals: http://www.accessvegas.com/traveldeals.htm
* 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
Post Opinions: http://boards.accessvegas.com

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This Issue: Viva Las Vegas

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 just checked, and we now have readers in over 50 countries around the world! Some of those readers are Rick Springfield fans, and were very upset about my review last week. We’ll feature their comments in the Feedback section.Good News! We’ve been able to bring back the $25 rebate for booking rooms online — details at the bottom of the news section. The weather is going to be pushing into the mid-80’s Sun. – Wed. of this coming week. If you live in a cold weather climate, might be a good time to sneak in a quick Vegas trip!LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:MARCH MADNESS – is here, and combined with Spring Break the town is hopping with excitement! If you want a little “behind the scenes” look at what goes into coming up with the sports book numbers for all of the tournament games, the story is at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-12-Mon-2001/news/15623678.html

ALWAYS PLAY LOADED – No, not drunk. That option is up to you. But you don’t want to be like the Utah man who lined up all of the Megabucks symbols a few days ago with only two coins in the machine when the maximum bet is three coins per pull. Instead of winning the $8 million jackpot, he walked away with $10,000. Not a bad chunk of change, but every day for the rest of his life he has to wake up knowing he could have been a millionaire. With rare exception, standard slot and video poker machines pay much more when you hit the top jackpot with full coins in. If you can’t afford to play a machine “loaded,” move down to a lower denomination machine.

MEGABUCKS HITS! – This JUST came in before I got ready to send this. A New Hampshire man who was playing with three coins in hit the $8 million jackpot at The Orleans earlier today.

NO STORM YET – Last week, we reported the debut of this new show was set for March 22. The debut has been delayed, with no new date set.

BABY’S – Night Club at the Hard Rock hotel is growing in fame for their celebrity visitors as well as hosting events like Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s recent birthday party. They are allowing us to offer you E-vite Tickets for upcoming events at Baby’s. They will send you an E-vite ticket via E-mail that will be PRINTED OUT BY YOU and have your Name, Date of attendance, and amount of guests (+3 max.) which will be checked at the door.

Requests MUST come from attendee. E-vites are good for free admission and Line pass on Thursday’s and $5 off admission and line pass for Fridays and Saturdays. These Tickets are only good for the date on the ticket. Reply to (click) mailto:babysnightclub@lvcm.com and send your *Name, *Date you want to attend, and *Amount of Guests (+3 Max). No other info is needed.

THUMP – This Friday night dance show aired nationwide on WGN (12:30 AM Pacific) is now shooting at Club Rio inside The Rio hotel on the first Friday of each month. They tape all the episodes for the month on one night, so this is a good chance to get your mug on TV and let your friends see a little of your Vegas vacation.

GROWTH – Nevada’s population since 1990 grew by nearly 800,000 to nearly 2 million last year and the Las Vegas area has ballooned to more than 1.3 million people. Story at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20010313/aponline213045_000.htm Before you rush to move here, you might want to read a recent Christian Science Monitor article which compared Reno and Las Vegas and highlighted Southern Nevada’s problems in a stark manner. Story at http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2001/03/13/fp12s1-csm.shtml

THEME WEDDINGS – In Las Vegas, you can get married dressed as the Phantom of the Opera, Merlin the Magician, the Godfather, Dracula, Mr. Spock from “Star Trek,” King Tut, King Arthur, and of course the king of kings in Vegas, Elvis Presley. “Do you agree to adopt each others’ hound dogs, not to wear your blue suede shoes in the rain? Then, by the powers vested in me, the king, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss. Thank you, thank you very much.” Full story at http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/daily/detail/0,1136,38000000000106245,00.html

WINNERS! – Maureen Smithson of the Canary Isles and Suellen Reed of Las Vegas won the autographed Mac King T-shirts. Karen Chatsfield of Queensland, Australia won the PR photo set.

$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!


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


CONCERTS AND SHOWS:COOK E. JARR – The Las Vegas lounge icon brings his show back to the outdoor Carnival Court at Harrah’s for another season. Singing everything from the 70’s to the present, Jarr has been featured on MTV, VH-1 and Comedy Central and must be seen to be believed. When he performs, it is an instant party. Performances are Friday and Saturday night at midnight, with no cover and a two drink minimum. More information on Jarr is available at http://www.accessvegas.com/jarráSHOW REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:* Crazy Girls – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-09-Fri-2001/weekly/15583886.html
* Second City – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-09-Fri-2001/weekly/15579509.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

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:

* Blue Note (Aladdin) – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Mar-14-Wed-2001/living/15586082.html

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

Friday – 69 ░F / 48 ░F Windy
Saturday – 68 ░F / 51 ░F Windy
Sunday – 85 ░F / 53 ░F Partly Cloudy
Monday – 84 ░F / 54 ░F Partly Cloudy
Tuesday – 82 ░F / 52 ░F Partly Cloudy

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FEATURE STORY: Viva Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas is about as close as you can come to a generic budget Las Vegas show. Fortunately, the price is modest and it doesn’t claim to be any more or any less. Las Vegas’ longest-running afternoon show combines singing, dancing, and comedy into an entertaining little mix.

Principal singer Natalie Carson opens the show and performs a number of songs throughout Viva accompanied by five sexy female dancers. It makes good entertainment and pleasant eye candy.

The comedy lineup is subject to change, but they manage to always have a couple of pretty good talents. The emcee (who’s name I failed to record — my apologies) had a few new twists on the standard Vegas jokes (losing at craps, the all-you-can-eat buffets) and kept everyone entertained.

Big John” Bruce Mickelson appeared later with his special brand of southern humor, playing the “good ole’ boy” that he probably is, and building up a great comedy performance with his comments on the way things are between men and women today.

Viva Las Vegas shares the showroom with American Superstars (reviewed https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/00-11-08.htm ). While a little bit boxy, the room has the latest in lights and sound and is large enough that you are seated around tables with plenty of elbow room. This helps contribute to the over quality feeling for a somewhat no-frills show.

The closing act is “Golden” Joe Baker who does an Elvis impression that is like none other. Kind? No. Entertaining? Not bad.

Viva Las Vegas performs daily except Sunday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Stratosphere’s Broadway Showroom. Tickets are $13.95 plus tax and may be purchased at the Stratosphere. Check by the casino cage first, as they have a rack of coupons that allow you to get the show free with the purchase of two drinks ($9.95). The show is “all ages,” but there are bare bottoms on the dancers and a few swear words and slight raunchy jokes in the comedy bits so bring children at your discretion.

Because the Stratosphere is located at the far north end of The Strip, it is wise to spend a few hours and take it all in. This time of year, you can catch the 4:00 PM Viva Las Vegas, head up to the top of tower for happy hour in the lounge (which lasts until 6:00 PM) enjoying cocktails with the view, and get to watch the sunset shortly after. Seeing both The Strip and downtown morph from day to night with that panoramic view is a fantastic experience. Also, you can buy a discounted ticket at the box office which includes tower admission and a buffet, getting both at a savings.

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Editor’s Note: I received more negative email regarding last week’s review of “EFX Alive” starring Rick Springfield than I have ever received regarding any topic. While some of it was from subscribers, it appears that some was also orchestrated by fan club members (or similar). Guess what, Springfield fans: I grew up listening to Van Halen and Def Leppard and playing heavy guitar. If there was any guy I wanted to say nice things about, Springfield is one of them.

Unfortunately, the fans missed a very large point: I don’t write reviews to make a certain casino happy, nor someone’s fan base. My obligation is to the regular readers who spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars to come to Las Vegas. Their time is valuable and my goal is to present honest information that helps them make the most of your precious time here.

I am going to devote the letters section this week to their comments as my responses might provide a little insight into the “how” and “why” of my reviews. Because many of the letters echoed the same comments, and some weren’t signed, I will not be acknowledging specific writers.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

>I would like to offer explanations as to your
>other observances.á Firstly, please remember that at
>the time of your review this show has not even run a
>full six weeks.á During this initial period, Rick has
>been hit not once, but twice, with extremely bad colds
>and throat problems — to the extent of cancelling two
>days of shows and barely making it through another two
>performances.

Given that terrible bouts of cold and flu have been going through town the first two months of the year, this might explain some of the vocal problems and even the uninspired acting in the first act. I have been invited back to take another look at the show, and will do so in two months then file an updated report.

>The review of the FX ALive show in Vegas was very poorly done.á He
>claimed that the fan in the audience that Rick Springfield talked to,
>and talked on a cell phone was staged.á Well he obviously hasn’t been
>to any Rick’s concerts.á Nothing Rick does with the fans is staged.

It is staged. Mike Weatherford of the Review-Journal noted the same at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Feb-09-Fri-2001/weekly/15392334.html I was informed that on tour he takes a phone from an audience member during “Don’t Talk To Strangers” and calls one of their friends. But I felt that staging it made for a very weak part of the show, and one that people outside of a star’s fan base wouldn’t find very interesting.

>I hope that your company provides health insurance.á Obviously this
>man is in need of medical attention for his ears.á His hearing must be
>fading.á Anyone that thinks Rick Springfield has limited range has
>some type of problem.á You have never heard Inside Silvia then either.
>He is a very talented musician, and has brought a renewed energy to
>EFX.

Many wrote similar to the above, noting the renewed energy Springfield brought to the show. Interesting, considering that Tommy Tune did about 10 straight minutes of tap dancing as well as dancing his way through much of the show. I’m not much of a Broadway nor a Tommy Tune fan, but I can’t say that the Springfield version had more energy.

>Maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to rip on him.á He was approached for
>the show many times before he finally agreed so obviously someone
>other than you knows talent when they see it.á I have seen nothing but
>positive reviews of Rick in EFX except for you and one other, but the
>positive FAR outweigh the negative.

Many sent me the list of positive “EFX Alive” reviews. A number of them were from publications that rely strictly on hotel advertising for their revenue. If a hotel is spending $10,000 on a full page ad, you think the publication is going to run a negative review? Just for kicks, I should put a big reward up to ANYBODY who can find a negative review of ANYTHING in the glossy tourist magazines you find in hotel lobbies or hotel rooms. They don’t exist.

Interestingly enough, my comments that the show is pretty spectacular but that Springfield struggled in areas were noted by Mike Weatherford (link noted earlier) and Erin Auerbach of Las Vegas Weekly at http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/departments/2001_03_08/stage.html

>Opinions are Great, everyone has one.á It is just a shame some people
>get paid to publish theirs.

I don’t get paid a dime to publish this newsletter. In fact, it eats up 15 hours of my week. I own http://www.accessvegas.com, http://www.accessvegas.com, http://www.accessvegas.com and other tourism websites. I started this newsletter because there were so few unbiased sources to help Las Vegas tourists. Instead of having to cozy up to hotels that buy advertising, I make my money from commissions. I can recommend one hotel over another, or one show over another because I’m making the same rate of commission no matter which you decide to book.

I only ask people that if they find this newsletter helpful, please compare our rates next time they need to book a hotel room or rental car not just here in Las Vegas, but anywhere they travel. (If you usually book by calling hotels directly, you might be surprised at how much less expensive Internet rates sometimes are). If we offer the same or better rates, we appreciate your support which you show by booking through the travel partners we link at the top of the newsletter.

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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.


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!


FREE CONTESTS:FREE VEGAS MOUSE PAD AND PLAYING CARDS! Get a Las Vegas Mouse Pad and a deck of retired casino playing cards. This mouse pad features a beautiful view of the Las Vegas Strip taken from the South end of the strip. Now you can work and at the same time set your goal to visit Las Vegas. This is the most popular mouse pad sold in Las Vegas – get yours now free during this promotion! (You only pay $4.95 to cover shipping and handling.)Plus, while supplies last get a playing cards that are actual decks played in the casino, and are retired after a few hours of use. Vegasgift.com has acquired a limited supply of these playing cards. Many of these cards are not available for purchase in Vegas gift shops. Take advantage of this special 2001 promotion now http://www.vegasgifts.com/in-vegas.com_promo.asp?REFERER=1356* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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

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

Mate (significant other) 35%
Usually alone 26%
Relatives 13%
Close friends 13%
Immediate family 9%
Travel group 0%

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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 MM Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
March 14, 2001 ISSN: 1529-2770

Access Vegas Insider Vibe – November 1, 2000

WELCOME to Access Vegas News and Reviews, the official newsletter of http://www.accessvegas.com This is the newsletter that talks about the Las Vegas attractions, dining, and shows that YOU really care about. This is not spam. If you receive this by mistake, unsubscribe information is at the bottom. Please forward this to friends who may enjoy it!

Book Online and Save – Easy and Secure with Instant Confirmation:

* Discount Las Vegas Rooms : http://www.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm
* Discount Rental Cars – All Cities: http://www.travelnow.com/cars/search.jsp?cid=2005
* Discount Hotel Rooms – All Cities: http://www.lodging.com/affiliates/us_reservations.cgi?remote=tedinvegas
* Best Tours/Rates for Grand Canyon, Hoover, more: http://www.accessvegas.com/tours

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

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

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This Issue: Legends In Concert

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: allvegastv@aol.com


 


LAS VEGAS NEWS – of interest to tourists:

SURPRISE WEDDING – FOX TV (U.S.) can’t get enough of doing wacky specials in Las Vegas. The network that gave us “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire” and “America’s Sexiest Bachelor” now brings you “Surprise Wedding” in which seven engaged women bring their boyfriends to Las Vegas under false pretenses, then spring a wedding on them.

WORLD GAMING – As usual, last week’s World Gaming convention featured the latest and greatest slots and experimental games, each of which the manufacturers hope will be hitting the casino floors soon. Of particular interest were blackjack tables where you play against a video dealer, roulette tables with a real spinning wheel and ball but no dealer, and a number of new variations of blackjack (these with a real dealer).

We even played a 400-play video poker game! Yes, you play 400 hands at a time, which means that even playing nickels fully loaded (5 coins in per hand) is a cool $100 a hand. (Note: all games are in demonstration mode at the convention. You don’t risk nor win any money). We’ll be giving away some goodies we picked up next week, and you can read the R-J’s take on the convention at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-21-Sat-2000/business/14643344.html

THE PALMS – is the name of the new upscale hotel casino under construction across and just down from The Rio on Flamingo. Full story at http://www.abqjournal.com/biz/158313biz10-25-00.htm

CALL ME A CAB? – If you had trouble getting a cab to or from The Rio last week, you were not alone. The cab drivers staged a boycott because the Rio doorman were diverting guests whom wanted to go to topless clubs to the hotel’s limos instead of the cab drivers. Why the fuss? Topless clubs pay cab drivers $10 per person (basically a kickback of the entrance fee). The Rio limo drivers were kicking back some of the money to the doorman. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-26-Thu-2000/news/14686460.html Me? I rent a car when I travel.

ELVIS – The jumpsuit that “The King” wore in 1974 and 1975 and that is pictured on the cover “Promise Land” and “75 Las Vegas Summer Festival menu” is on display at the Tropicana’s Casino Legends Hall of Fame through the end of the year. This “Peacock” jumpsuit was know to be one of Elvis’ favorites, and was custom designed by he and Bill Belew. The Hall of Fame is open 7 AM to 9 PM. Admission is $4 adult, $3 children and you can read our review at https://las-vegas-news-reviews.com/99-09-15.htm

REAGAN NATIONAL – Washington, DC is Las Vegas’ 13’th largest visitor market, sending a half million people a year here and I’m happy to report that both National Airlines and America West have started their service from the centrally located DC airport. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-25-Wed-2000/business/14678267.html

CIGARS – “Smoke ’em if you got ’em” here in Las Vegas. The rising tobacco tax and public smoking ban put a read damper on the cigar trend of a few years ago, but Las Vegas is still a place you can light up and enjoy. Full story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-19-Thu-2000/living/14604997.html

SAFE AND CHEAP? – According to CNN, booking online is safe because “technology takes the credit card numbers and encrypts them, making them unreadable to humans and most computers” and cheaper because “the Web presents travel vendors with an opportunity to sell their product at a lower cost. If they can sell it at a lower cost, they can also pass on those savings to the consumer.” Full story at http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/ESSENTIALS/ADVISOR/9810/online.booking/index.html

$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!


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


RESTAURANT REVIEWS – Recent reviews appearing in the media:

* Red Square (Mandalay Bay) – http://www.lvcitylife.com/dining/stories/00092801d.html
* Spice Buffet (Aladdin) – http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/departments/09_21_00/dining_taste.html and http://www.lvcitylife.com/dining/stories/00102601d.html
* Trattoria del Lupo (Mandalay Bay) – http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/departments/10_19_00/dining_taste.html

CONCERTS AND SHOWS:

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

DE LA GUARDA – The controversial new show has opened at The Rio:
* Story – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-20-Fri-2000/weekly/14617946.html and http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-20-Fri-2000/business/14647216.html
* Review – http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-27-Fri-2000/weekly/14675015.html
* Tickets – http://www.showvegas.com/svpricing.cfm?amid=3230&cscheme=1

C2K NIGHTCLUB – is open again. Story at http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2000/Oct-20-Fri-2000/news/14647549.html

CONCERTS and HEADLINERS – Our listing is available online anytime at http://www.accessvegas.com/entertainment/index.htm

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

Wednesday – 69/48 Partly Cloudy
Thursday – 65/40 Partly Cloudy
Friday – 66/43 Partly Cloudy
Saturday – 67/45 Scattered Showers
Sunday – 71/44 Scattered Showers

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FEATURE STORY: Legends In Concert

legends.jpg (26314 bytes)Legends In Concert is one of those shows that people always say “We should get around to seeing that sometime because it looks like fun.” If you are a fan of pop music of the past 40 years or so, quit putting it off!

Legends has been bringing favorite entertainers to life at the Imperial Palace since 1983. This is NOT karaoke or some look-alikes lip-synching (fake singing to a tape). These entertainers dress the part, are almost perfect dead ringers for the celebrities they imitate, and use their own vocals to fill the role. In addition to the superstar recreations, the show features a full troupe of dancers and background singers; a live, onstage orchestra; full array of solid special effects including multimedia and lasers; and great lighting and sound effects.

The “cast” of impersonators varies. A youthful Rod Stewart opened the show with a short, energetic set and probably the sexiest of the costumes the dancers would wear all night (the show features no nudity). From there, The Righteous Brothers (who play Las Vegas on a regular basis) were portrayed in their prime, as was the case with all of the acts. Madonna came out with a talented and sexy set that gave you the impression that the lady impersonating the icon had studied everything about her both on and off the stage.

“The Temptations” did the longest set of the night, and were a huge hit with the predominantly middle-age and older (40+) crowd, which showed enthusiastic approval! Marylyn Monroe was somewhat of a deviation from the pop star theme, but sang a couple of breathy numbers, had plenty of audience interaction, and brought one gentleman up on stage for a time that he won’t soon forget.

Elvis wrapped up the show with two segments: one as the young Elvis, and then the finale featuring the older “Las Vegas” Elvis complete with jump suit singing Viva Las Vegas with the full cast of the show and the dancers in full showgirl regalia, bringing the evening to a powerful conclusion.

Legends will be fun for anyone, but is particularly aimed at those who appreciate the stars from the 50’s through the 80’s (hence the designation “Legends”). It plays at the Imperial Palace nightly at 7:30 and 10:30 PM (dark Sunday). Tickets are $34.50 and include tax, tip, and two drinks. Children under 13 are $19.50.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

We were swamped with letters over the past two weeks with people relating their Las Vegas wedding advice and experiences. They were all great, and we don’t have room for them here, so we put them online for you to read at http://www.accessvegas.com/wedding-stories.htm A big thanks to all who wrote!

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

Your input is welcome. Write us a “letter to the editor” at 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.


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!


ONLINE POLL – How do you usually get from the airport to your hotel? Let’s hear your opinions at http://www.accessvegas.com — results will be published in two weeks!

Results from last weeks poll “Would you prefer Digital Blackjack (dealer hits button, computer “deals” on a screen) to traditional blackjack?”

* I like it to the old way — I can play against a computer at home. 19%
* Some of the new electronic gambling games are fun, but I want real cards at a blackjack table. 16%
* I’d like it because the game moves along faster. 43%
* Get rid of the dealer too — I’d rather play a machine. 20%

FREE CONTESTS:

RULES: (unless otherwise noted or link to outside contest): You may enter every contest, but only one entry to each. The 20’th entry in each contest will be the winner. 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.

LIVE LOCAL WEATHER & A FREE TRIP TO VEGAS!!
It now PAYS to keep an eye on the weather! Download and register
your own weather bug today, know what your local weather, alerts,
storm watches, local satellite, and INSTA-CAM shots from your town
all from a single click of the mouse. Lets not forget the chance at a
FREE TRIP TO LAS VEGAS! http://by.advertising.com/1/c/22838/8488//

LAS VEGAS DINING GUIDE – Put out by the Review-Journal. One copy to 20’th entry at (contest closed)

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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.accessvegas.com/las-vegas-discounts.htm You get secure ordering with the convenience and savings of booking online!

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

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,
but please ask for permission before reproducing the content in any
form — we would just like to know who you are, that’s all. Thanks!

All contents copyright MM Ted Newkirk. All Rights Reserved.
November 1, 2000
ISSN: 1529-2770