360 Vegas

Random Vegas Over $40,000 per year is collected and donated to charity from coins tossed into the Venetian canals and fountains (VitalVegas) TwitPic of the week This week’s winner by @Bluestorm2000 perfectly sums up the appeal of Vegas, sometimes things just line up and despite the odds and the house edge, sometimes you just win. That’s why we gamble, for those moments. Here we have a picture of Bellagio with the sun acting as a solar crown to the peak of the building. What else can you say about this building that hasn’t already been said. Nothing I can think of this week. News Top Rated Hotel Casinos

Surly dragon, sexy showgirl, and cute puppies. If I told you the best magic show in Vegas right now is starring a short, unkempt, surly Englishman in a poorly-fitting sequined dragon costume, you would probably question my opinion. But Piff the Magic Dragon is hands-down the most entertaining magic show I’ve seen in Vegas, and that includes all the celeb-magicians. Caesars Entertainment snatched up a contract with Piff in 2015 after he appeared on America’s Got Talent. He was no stranger to Vegas, having worked in the Cosmopolitan’s Rose.Rabbit.Lie and Spiegelworlds’s Vegas Nocturne in 2014. He also toured as a supporting act for Mumford & Sons during their 2012 tour and is on their album cover for “Babel.” I first saw Piff in 2020, shortly after he was moved from the tiny Bugsy’s Cabaret (the same place you can currently see Wayne Newton and X-Burlesque) to the 700 seat Flamingo Showroom due to social distancing requirements. Mrs. Jaydubs describes Piff as “that surly uncle who comes to the party, and you don’t want your kids around him because you don’t know what he’s going to say. But he tells the best stories.” This is pretty accurate. I brought the whole family to see him during spring break and tried not to mentally cringe as he dropped S-bombs during the show, but 1) they’re already hearing it at school and 2) they were so captivated by Piff’s bombastic magnetism that much of it flew past them without registering. Plus: Mr. Piffles. Piff’s chihuahua in a little dragon costume is definitely a gimmick, but Mr. Piffles is so adorable that the gimmick is forgiven. When we last saw Piff, Mr. Piffles was so tired that he fell asleep onstage during his bit. I fear the tiny pup is not long for this world. Piff’s greatest strength is his mis-direction. His biggest trick starts at the beginning of the show, but he doesn’t bring it home until the end. He slowly revisits the trick, building on it and adding layers of complexity. You start to wonder where he’s going with all this seemingly random stuff until it all comes together at the end in a very impressive way. If you've ever wanted to see a dog in a dragon costume driving a car, have I got a show for you... Part of Piff’s schtick is his surly, rude demeanor. And it’s mostly schtick, as he is a super nice guy. He heads out into the Flamingo gaming floor after the show to take pictures with any and all audience members. If you want to get a taste of his act, check out his full special “Reptile Dysfunction” which is free on YouTube. But don’t watch it all until you’ve seen him live so you don’t spoil any of his tricks. Then come back and watch the whole thing after you’ve seen him live and watch the whole thing, because it’s fucking hilarious. Piff is my answer for the best magic show in Las Vegas right now. He may not have the best tricks - I don’t really know enough about magic to say what the best tricks are - but he is by far the most entertained I’ve ever been at a magic show in Vegas, and he’s the only magician I’ve gone back to see more than once. Piff works well in the Flamingo Showroom Audience fuckery factor: So there’s definitely some audience participation in this show. Frankly, I haven’t seen a magic show that didn’t have volunteers or some type of audience involvement. There’s several instances in which Piff asks for volunteers for the audience, but none that I can recall in which people were chosen at random. The showroom itself is gorgeous and reminds me of old Vegas. Seating is comfortable and available at a variety of price points. Seat styles range from “chairs in a row” to table and booth seating. There is drink service during the show, but Mrs. Jaydubs got terribly sick from one of their specialty cocktails, so maybe best to stick with bottles and cans. Shows are currently nightly at 7, dark on Fridays. Tickets start at around $50.

Random Vegas If you’re dealt a winning hand in video poker and accidentally fail to hold some or all of the cards before hitting “deal/draw”, some casinos, upon request, can review the last hand played and pay you what you would have one. (@VitalVegas) TwitPic of the week It’s the best view I’ve ever seen of the mistake in the desert, shared by @VitalVegas. The giant MGM lion entrance formerly on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana. It still seems like a silly superstition that designers should have known about. Apparently, Asians consider it bad luck to walk under the mouth of a lion or some variation on that theme. So, they avoided entering the property via this entrance. In response, MGM decided to tear it down just 3 years after opening. It’s one of the largest architectural missteps in Vegas history. News Hughes/Silver Slipper Myth Riviera Plans U2 UV Las Vegas Ad

Random Vegas Another reason the Strip began to outpace Fremont St was theming. By the 50s the western motif was outdated and abandon by new properties opening on the strip. This is why a more sophisticated client was attracted to the area. While on Fremont, the western motif was alive, well and expanding. (Spectacular – A History of Las Vegas Neon) TwitPic of the week History in the making, literally. This week’s winner goes to @FSELV for a picture of the Fremont St Experience canopy under construction. We lament on this show the loss of the black sky to frame Fremont Neon but respect what the Fremont St Experience did to draw people back downtown. It is in that spirit that we celebrate this photo. News 360 Vegas Live Boring Co Update

Random Vegas The Sphere has been averaging over $1 million in ticket sales per day. It generated nearly half a billion dollars in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30th. (LasVegasLocally) TwitPic of the week Talk about things changing but staying the same. This perspective shows us the strip south of the curve in Las Vegas Blvd. Featured prominently is the Mirage marquee. Then, because it’s 1994 and Caesars Palace is set back from the strip, and the Dunes site is being prepared for Bellagio construction, we get to see all the way down to Excalibur and the brand-new Luxor. Across the street we see Harrah’s while it’s still a riverboat called Holiday Casino, then we see LINQ still themed as Imperial Palace. Hilton still owns Flamingo, Bally’s still uses MGM Grand’s original marquee, and the original Aladdin still exists. Speaking of MGM Grand, in the distance we can see the new MGM Grand and the recently deceased Tropicana. Thanks as always to @Summacorp for sharing this pic. News Paris Celebrates 25 Vegas Heat 7 Classic Vegas Experiences Lost Michelin Guide Vegas Top 5 Lists Shows - Josh · Best Topless show: Fantasy · Best Comedy Show: Carrot Top · Best Magic Show: Piff the Magic Dragon · Best Cirque-esque production show: "O" · Best All-Around Show: Absinthe Books - Mark · Grandissimo – David G Swartz · At the Sands – David G Swartz · Winner Take All – Christina Binkley · Like an Onion: The Vegas Skim – Wayne Clingman & Roger Gallizzi · The Gambler: Kirk Kerkorian – William C Rempel Restaurants - Keren · Bazaar Meat @Sahara · Oscar’s Steakhouse @Plaza · EDO · Lotus of Siam · Peppermill Cocktails - Tony · The Sinatra Smash - Off menu at Overlook Bar at Wynn Las Vegas · The Rum Old Fashioned at Carbone at Aria · The Desert Sunset - Off menu at Legacy Club at Circa Las Vegas · Serpico at Giada's at The Cromwell · The Verbena Cocktail at Chandelier Bar at The Cosmopolitan.

Random Vegas Super successful restaurants make $20-25 million a year. STK at Cosmopolitan makes almost $50 million a year and Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace generates more than $60 million a year. (Vital Vegas) TwitPic of the week Dunes, Caesars Palace, Flamingo and Aladdin. Those that still remain look radically different from how they looked in 1980. This photo shared by @summacorp shows just how cluttered things used to be on the strip before the Mirage boom started buying up all available land to make super casinos. Today, this same perspective would show off Mekka Walgreens, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Horseshoe and Flamingo as well as Caesars and Bellagio. News E-500 Swingers F1

What is it with Cirque du Soleil and Vegas? Ever since Steve Wynn invited Mystere to set up shop at Treasure Island in 1993, the French-Canadian circus brand that has made absurdity its trademark has become an inextricable part of Vegas entertainment. As of this writing, there are 5 Cirque du Soleil shows that call Vegas home (6, if you count the Cirque-owned, but not Cirque-developed, Blue Man Group) and there have been a total of 11 Cirque shows that have had permanent runs in Las Vegas. Some of them had shorter runs than others... Come aboard, we're expecting you... Kà was the fourth Cirque du Soleil show developed for the Las Vegas market, and it has the distinction of being the first Cirque show to tell a cohesive narrative. If you’ve never seen a Cirque du Soleil show: most Cirque shows have a theme but not a narrative. Mad Apple is themed after New York City. “O” is themed after water. I’ve read that Mystere is themed after “the origins of human life and our connection with the universe,” so you know, someone smoked a lot of weed. The story is fairly simple, but I do think people need to know the basics of it before they see the show. Compared to the current iteration of Awakening (which now practically serves up the entire story to the audience on a silver platter) Kà’s narrative works best if you know the story notes going in. A twin brother and sister are part of a tribe that gets attacked by bad guys. The twins are separated and most find their way back together and also save their people. Each twin kind of goes through their own rite of passage on their journey before they are reunited and save their people. The massive sandcliff deck. Let’s talk about the tech behind Kà. Kà is an absolute technological marvel. It doesn’t have a proper stage floor, it just has an open pit that is full of various nets and airbags for the performers. Instead, there are two moving stages that are so massive and heavy that Cirque had to go outside of the theater industry and turned to Timberland Equipment, a company that normally builds mining equipment, to build their moving support structures. In one scene, one of the moving platforms is covered with 350 cubic feet of “granular cork” imported from Portugal to simulate sand on a beach. At one point in the show, the larger sandcliff deck has these pegs that stick out of it. As they are supposed to look like arrows shot onto the surface, they pop out of the deck very fast. But the performers have to climb using these pegs, so there are dual safety features incorporated into the pegs. First, they won’t shoot out if anything is blocking them, and second, they won’t go back in if there’s any kind of weight on them. I could go on and on. Kà has won awards for its technical achievements in theater. I even read somewhere that it was the most expensive theatrical production ever made, but I couldn’t corroborate that anywhere. This machine makes french fries 3 different ways! Of course, all the technology in the world doesn’t necessarily give you an entertaining experience (Take notes, Avatar: The Way of Water). I’m happy to report that Kà is indeed an extremely entertaining experience, and one of the Cirque shows that I have enjoyed the most. I’m always looking for a narrative, so the fact that this show has one helps that enjoyment immensely. That being said, I recommend buying a program or at least reading through the show’s wikipedia page so that you can get a basic understanding of the story beats and recognize what’s happening. Like any well-told story, the show does a good job of varying the pace. There are intense action sequences and there are peaceful pas de deux. You have, of course, your typical array of Cirque acrobatics, some of which even takes place in the wings on either side of the stage. I recommend you arrive for your seats about 20 minutes early, as there is some pre-show action to enjoy. I really enjoyed the final battle, in which the sandcliff deck is positioned vertically. The performers, suspended from the ceiling, move up and down the face of the sandcliff deck, and it gives the illusion that you are watching the battle from above, like a top-down video game. You'll never guess who farted in the Wheel of Death. Like many Cirgue shows, you don’t want to sit too close. We sat in the center. There’s a walkway that runs through the theater separating the front sections from the rear sections, and we sat in the second row back from the walkway, and our views were perfect. Each seat is very comfortable and has its own pair of speakers for excellent sound. No outside food is allowed, but drinks can be purchased or brought in if transferred to disposable cups which are available. Audience fuckery is pretty minimal. No one is pulled up onstage, but a performer did hiss at us from the half-wall in front of our section before the show. We got a laugh out of it. There are two shows five nights a week (Saturday through Wednesday). Tickets start as low as $74.

Random Vegas Frederick W. Smith, the founder and CEO of FedEx saved his company by gambling in Las Vegas. When FedEx had a hard time paying their $24,000 fuel bill, Smith took the company’s last $5,000 to gamble and managed to win $27,000 on blackjack and kept the business afloat. TwitPic of the week The year is 1985 and featured in this picture is the Dunes in all her glory including the satellite casino named the Oasis. Beyond being a snapshot in time of a property I adore, shared by @Summacorp what captivates my imagination is virtually all this landscape has been almost completely reimagined over the next 20 years. We all know Bellagio is in the place Dunes used to be but other than the Jocky Club, everything is different. The entire southwest of the real estate. It’s missing Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, all of CityCenter, Park MGM, NYNY, Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay. Ironically almost everything around it is the same, although updated like Barbary is now Cromwell and Flamingo is no longer a Hilton. News Rod Stewart Residency Red Rock Stabbing ZorkFest 2024 Jason Aldean’s Kitchen & Bar

Random Vegas Open containers are legal if you are using a limo or party bus. Not legal in a rideshare or taxi. (Las Vegas Trivia Tidbits Book) TwitPic of the week It’s something we take for granted for in Vegas, not knowing what time of day or night it is. But viewing an atomic explosion has got to be an experience like no other. Here we see downtown Las Vegas in the midst of just such an occasion, shared by @Summacorp. Even in this picture the magnitude of these explosions is palatable. The light in the distances somehow makes the casinos in the foreground look like they belong to a model playset in comparison to the expanse of light. Amazing that you can describe something so destructive as beautiful. News Caesars Sells WSOP Venetian Happy Hours

Random Vegas Hilton, at one time, had the tallest sign in Vegas at 362 feet tall, taller than the Landmark Hotel itself and only a few feet shy of the Hilton itself. On July 18, 1994, it was blown down by 70-80 mph high winds. Fortunately, no one was injured. The sign was rebuilt in 1997 but not nearly as tall at only 279 feet tall. This is the sign Westgate has to this day. @summacorp TwitPic of the week Do you realize how much Vegas history is in this one shot shared by @Summacorp? We’ll start with Circus Circus since it’s the easiest to orient yourself with. Here you can see her 5 fountains and carousel marquee as well. Next door you have Travel-lodge to the left, still there today, and Westward Ho on the right, not with us anymore. Across the street you have the Thunderbird, Algiers and Riviera. Today its Fontainebleau and a parking lot for the LVCVA. Beyond that we can see the International, the Convention Center and the Landmark. Today the International is the Westgate and the convention center is now so much bigger that it repurposed the Landmark parking lot into an extension of the convention center. News Downtown Grand For Sale 360 Vegas Vacation 15 Bellagio Expansion

Random Vegas There were 137 employees that worked all 34 years and 8 months at the Mirage. All current employees get $2k per year worked and first dibs on Hard Rock jobs in 2027 (@Vegas_Visual) TwitPic of the week It’s the best picture I’ve ever seen that really shows off the scope and grandeur of a live performance at the Sphere, shared by @meltzvegas. The 18k images dwarf the performers while enhancing the music. It’s an experience unlike no other and of course its located in Las Vegas. Even if its only to watch the movie I can’t recommend the Sphere experience enough, unless you get motion sickness. Then stay away from that shit. News Neon Museum Expansion Hard Rock Las Vegas

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Random Vegas YESCO replaced more than six miles of neon lighting with RGB LED strips on Mandalay Bay and Delano (Vital Vegas). TwitPic of the week I was never a fan of the property, but damn did they have a nice marquee. The Frontier marquee, born in 1966 and shared by @_GrandPaD with an assist from @summacorp, was designed by Ad Art. It was at one time the tallest super pylon in the world at 184 feet, 4 feet taller than the previous record holder the Dunes. Originally the “F” at the top of the sign rotated but that functionality was troublesome and eventually abandoned. Unlike the Dunes I was fortunate enough to have seen her in real life and to be fair, pictures don’t do it justice. Not like being in its presence. I’m grateful for that time and for this picture for inspiring not only this monologue but the memories. 360 Vegas Book Mirage-TI Tram closes E-500 YouTube Livestream Cosmopolitan Changes to MGM Neon City Festival

Random Vegas Vegas has the 3 largest video screens in the world. Sphere @Venetian at 580,000 square feet (515 long by 367 width), Resorts World at 161,636 square feet (475 long by 340 width), Viva Vision Screen at the Fremont St Experience at 130,000 square feet (1,500 long by 90 width). TwitPic of the trip Technically this was before360VV14started but according to the rules I’ve made up in my head, it counts. This was a unique point of view of a common visual of the tallest building in Vegas. Fontainebleau, the property that continues to disappoint is showcased here looming over one as they attempt to enjoy the pool. Fortunately it doesn’t cause a shadow but it does hulk over the strip as a cautionary tale. It isn’t as easy as field of dreams. You need to do more than just build it to get people to come. Regardless, its an attractive building as showcased in this week’s picture. 360VV14 Trip Report Sunday, June 23 - 6 pm - Meet & Greet @Furnace @Downtown Grand - 8 pm - Group Gaming @Downtown Grand Monday, June 24 - 1 pm - Flight Club @Palazzo RSVP$ required ($90 per person for 3 hours, includes the cost to play and all you can drink well booze & domestic beer) - 6 pm - 360 Family Meet and Greet, @Alto @Caesars Palace - Pennys4Vegas - Stripwalking - The Bettor Life - Vegas Confessions - VegasNearMe - Vital Vegas - You Can Bet On That Tuesday, June 25 - 8 am - 360 Vegas Exercise Experience w/@RaisingLasVegas RSVP - Noon - Cocktails @Flamingo suite RSVP$ required ($70 per person) - 3 pm - Group Gaming @Flamingo

Random Vegas Ever wonder why they call them tokes instead of tips? The reason is many years ago dealers tried to convince the IRS that the cash they received from players was not a tip and therefore did not have to be reported as taxable income. The logic behind this dodge was that a tip was defined by the IRS as a payment in return for special treatment. Since it is illegal for a dealer to provide any sort of favor to a player, the dealers argued that the money they were given was a “token of appreciation” for dealing an honest game, and therefore not a reward for special services. The IRS didn’t buy it, but the term “toke” stuck.” (Super Casino) TwitPic of the week It’s the best picture of the sultan at the Dunes that I’ve ever seen, perfectly lit up a night. It was a Porte cochere like no other. Well, it was actually kind of an uneventful Porte cochere but it has a giant sultan on the roof. And he had a gem that lights up at night in his turban. This, looking at this, just makes me smile. The picture was shared by @VitalVegaswith a hat tip to Las Vegas Memories Facebook group. News Vegas is Expensive Poolside Gaming COVID Gaming Changes Casino Smoking

Random Vegas Justin Timberlake was paid $6 million dollars to perform at Fontainebleau opening night. That night, he stayed at Wynn. (VitalVegas) TwitPic of the week You’ve heard me talk about it before, the Stardust. Here we got a picture from @_GrandPaD showing off the entire property, including the old Royal Nevada that they rebranded the Stardust Auditorium. It also shows the properties first hotel tower that existed between the two properties, connecting them together. Next you can’t help but look at all those motel units behind the Stardust Frontage. And lastly, you’re reminded this is in the middle of a desert by the Barron wasteland that stretched beyond the resorts reach. All silhouetted with the beautiful mountains. News Electric Playhouse Fontainebleau expands “The Friends’ Experience“ Tuscany Deal

Random Vegas The five biggest jackpots ever won in Las Vegas history (@VegasIssues) 1. $39.7 million – Excalibur, Mar 2003 2. $35 million – Desert Inn, Jan 2000 3. $27.6 million – Palace Station, Nov 1998 4. $22.6 million – Bally’s, May 2002 5. $21.3 million – Caesars Palace, June 1999 TwitPic of the week I don’t know if its common knowledge but Bellagio has a hell of an ass on her. You don’t think of her as a tri-tower because that frontage is all anyone remembers but she is in fact a tri-tower, showcased spectacularly by @Maverickheli. I don’t think this aspect of her is as appreciated as it should be. I know I didn’t until we moved and I made the drive from the west to the strip via Flamingo Road. She unveils herself as you come over the freeway. It’s very distracting and elegant and a beautiful addition to our Twitpic of the week collection. News 360VV14 RJ Tip Guide Frontier Site

Random Vegas The largest American flag every flown was displayed over the Hoover Dam on May 1st, 1996. Each star on the flag was 17 feet high. (@LasVegaslocally) TwitPic of the week My growing affection for this property rivals only Keren’s dislike for it. The world famous, Caesars Palace, here showcased in 1974 by @summacorp. Here we can see the properties 3rd hotel tower under construction, the Roman tower expansion. Something that used to annoy me about Caesars was the piece mail cobbling together of different eras. Now its what I find charming about it. How many places can you visit on the strip that are the same structure they were in 66. It’s remarkable and why I’ve selected to celebrate her evolution with this week’s winner. News J-Lo Vegas Drama Resorts World Money Laundering Icahn Returns Golden Nugget No Resort Fee Rio Drone Show

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Random Vegas It’s been stated that the Mirage changed everything. Specifically, in the 10 years that followed its opening the city of Las Vegas doubled visitor volume from $17 million to $35 million, room inventory from 61k to 124k, air passengers increased from $16 million to $36 million and gaming revenue from $3 billion of $7.6 billion. (@OllyLovate) TwitPic of the week Simply put, it’s a picture of the Mirage under construction shared by @summacorp. Never has a single property so impacted the Las Vegas market. It’s somewhat comforting that the building will basically remain the same although with virtually all of the public spaces refreshed. Odds are we won’t recognize the Mirage once Hard Rock is finished with it, which is a good thing. Possibly the most disappointing thing is that we are losing another iconic name on the strip. No longer will we love a place with palaces called Dunes, Sands, Stardust or the Mirage. News LVCVA and Aces Mini Disni Flamingo Signage Relit Virgin Labor Issues Gaming Integrity

Random Vegas When the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was installed in 1959, the population of Las Vegas was about 70,000 people. Today, 65 years later, that number is 2.3 million (@lasvegaslocally and research) TwitPic of the week It is the way of the world. The only constant is change and the city of Las Vegas embodies that more than any city in the history of civilization. The Tropicana is currently being demolished and the Mirage will be rethemed to Hard Rock. At least we can be grateful that the stain glass ceiling at Tropicana is going to be saved, showcased by @lasvegaslocally. Here’s a choice for you. The Mirage Volcano or the Tropicana stain glass ceiling, if you could only save one, which would it be? News Mirage Closing

The Fountains of Bellagio are one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. You’ve seen them on TV, in movies and even cartoons. The Fountains transcend pop cultural trends that phase out over a decade or two and instead has become one of the unofficial ambassadors of the city of Las Vegas, as identifiable as the strip itself and the Welcome to Vegas sign. Sadly, it is the last of the free shows Steve Wynn gave us while he was remaking the strip in his image. As beloved as it is, we have to prepare ourselves. Remember, especially in Vegas, everything has a shelf life. It is inevitable that this too shall pass. Who knows what the future holds for the Fountains of Bellagio. One thing we do know is everything in Las Vegas has a shelf life. How long that will be is indeterminable at this time. So enjoy that last groundbreaking, free attraction from the mind of Steve Wynn still in operating condition in Las Vegas. An idea so great that many of Wynn’s other properties around the world also feature smaller versions of the fountains and the concept has been borrowed from all around the world. For more information about the Fountains of Bellagio, check out the book by the same name

Random Vegas The original trains used on the Las Vegas Monorail were from Walt Disney World. When they debuted, they simply connected Bally’s to MGM Grand. (@LasVegasLocally) TwitPic of the week The Queen of the Strip, as she was known, basking in the morning glow of a sunrise shared by @_GrandpaD. The Stardust Super Pylon marquee was remarkable for so many reasons. The font, the shower of stars and how the pylons were designed to disappear at night. They were planted blue to do the same thing during the day but that only worked when there was a blue sky behind it…which is like 200+ days of the year. If you look close this picture also captures the Silver Slipper, Fronter and in the distance, the Mirage. News A’s Financing WrestleMania 41 RoofTop Bars 2020 Do-Over El Cortez Renovations Virgin Shake Up High Roller Excuse

w/ Josh and Tony This week, we are drafting our favorite Vegas Movies. The game is simple. Pick your favorite Vegas movies. The trick is we are all drafting from the same pool of movies and a movie is only available to be selected by one person. This is NOT a list of the best movies set in Vegas nor is it a game to select the most valuable movies. There is no score, there aren’t winners or losers. This is just a chance for us to talk about some of our favorite Vegas movies for whatever reason we come up with.

Random Vegas The Fountains of Bellagio are not the first dancing fountains to exist in Las Vegas. The original debuted in 1955 at the Royal Nevada. They were simply called the Dancing Water’s and consisted of 4,000 jet streams and lights revolving and swaying in sync with waltz music. They could accomplish heights has high as 50 foot. The attraction was universally liked however the Royal Nevada thought they could offer this show instead of headliners. The property struggled and closed 3 years after it opened. (The Strip: Las Vegas and the Architecture of the American Dream) TwitPic of the week What’s so great about this picture by @Summacorp is the collection of properties long gone. Here we see the Landmark tower to the left and the Thunderbird pretty prominently. What you don’t realize you're looking at is a bungalow at the original El Rancho in the foreground. You even get a glimpse of the Riviera to the far right. None of these properties exist today. In fact, from this perspective, today the only thing you would see would be Fontainebleau. The rest is a convention center expansion, a parking lot and a concert festival grounds. I’m grateful for both the original Thunderbird Neon Bird marquee as well as the revised frontage of the property. This picture isn’t going to dazzle you but it’s a welcome addition to our collection. News Casino Smoking Ban Flight Refunds

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Random Vegas In 1968, Las Vegas could lay claim to the 3 tallest electric signs in the world. The Dunes at 180, the Frontier at 184 and the Stardust at 188 feet tall TwitPic of the week How can you not be proud of that collection of properties? Specifically, it feels like MGM treats @LuxorLV and Excalibur like unwanted commodities. Which is funny because they bought Mandalay Resorts, one of the most profitable gaming companies in history, with a portfolio that primarily catered to the middle class. Since then they’ve sold off Circus Circus and threatened redevelopment to both Luxor and Excalibur. Instead they should feel psyched that in that string of properties, you make up virtually every demographic you want to attract to Las Vegas. Not to mention, you are in prime real estate to attract ALL those who attend events at Allegiant and the current wave of sports in Vegas. Here’s some million dollar advice for free MGM. Leave Luxor and Excalibur alone. Sure, update and take care of them inside but leave the architecture alone. You found this company attractive for a reason. Stop trying to fix it. News Plaza All-Inclusive Offer Brightline Breaks Ground

Okay. Let’s start by addressing the Elephant in the room. Las Vegas was racist. Really, really racist. Not Alabama bad but Las Vegas was known as the “Mississippi of the west” and I’m certain it wasn’t a compliment.

Random Vegas Nick Mazzolo. You may not know the name but you certainly know his work. Nick was cast as a table games dealer in 3 blockbuster titles. Rain Man in 1988, Casino in 1995 and Vegas Vacation in 1997. TwitPic of the week In a picture that looks like it was taking on the pool deck of the Plaza years before it existed, this picture, shared by @FSELV definitely captures the best the Las Vegas Club ever looked, years before her transformation into a faux baseball stadium on the roof. All of Fremont strip was sexy as hell during the 60s, before Golden Nugget absorbed the entire city block they occupy today. Back when the Lucky Club and California Club shared the space. But you can’t see any of that here so lets just wrap this up by saying here we also have the Golden Gate with its signage looking as dapper as ever, still sporting the Hotel Sal Sagev signage. News LOVE Ends Hard Rock Model Spearmint vs Peppermint Bait and Switch Ellis Island Expansion Nevada Opposes Funding Stadium Oasis Cinema Club

I’ve said this before: if I had a time machine, I know exactly what I’d do with it. No, I wouldn’t steal a sports almanac or try to get my parents to kiss at the big dance. I’ve already graduated high school, so I wouldn’t use it to pass my history final, either. No, I would head back in time at 88.8 miles per hour to the Copa Room at the Sands in 1960, to see the greatest show one could see for $5.95. Dinner included. Like many of you, I have a decidedly romantic view of “old Vegas.” A time where women were ladies and comps were truly comps. When men wore hats (thanks for nothing, JFK). And when you could see a legend performing in the lounge. Often for free. I also have a decidedly romantic view of the mid-century crooners. Dean Martin, with a voice dark and syrupy like bourbon, and a total cheeseball when live on stage. Sammy Davis Jr., the most talented of them all, who could sing, dance, and act all his contemporaries under the table. And of course, the man himself: the Chairman of the Board, the one who made loneliness seem cool: Mr. Francis Albert Sinatra. When I want to relax for the evening, it’s an old fashioned in my glass and the Rat Pack on my stereo. Despite peaking in Las Vegas 60 years prior, the Rat Pack is also inextricably intertwined with our Vegas trips today. The men of The Summit provide the soundtrack to our early evenings. While we shower and dress for an evening on the town, pre-dinner cocktails in our hotel room glasses, Sammy, Frank, and Dino provide the soundtrack. No two days in Vegas are the same; but the Rat Pack is part of the ritual that binds them together for my wife and I. Indeed, the bellman has no sooner closed the door and my wife is asking me to turn on the Bluetooth speaker and put on music. Not just any music; our Vegas music. The only music that will do. When planning a recent trip, I mentioned to my wife that there was a Rat Pack impressionist show a little off strip. “And why haven’t we seen it yet?” Was her response. “The Rat Pack is Back” is not a new show to Vegas. With a history of more than 20 years, the show was previously at several venues in Vegas, including the Rio and the Plaza before finding its current home at the Tuscany, just east of the Strip on Flamingo in 2015. In fact, if you’ve seen the movie Get Him to the Greek, you’ve seen a little of the Rat Pack is Back show at the Plaza. Russell Brand’s character musician stops by to see his dad, who is a drummer in the show. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I purchased our tickets to The Rat Pack is Back… Maybe 80 minutes or so of mediocre, karaoke-style covers of my favorite songs? What we experienced ended up being so much more, and it’s a show that we will definitely be returning to see again. The Rat Pack is Back is performed in a small theater at the Tuscany in Las Vegas, in an intimate venue appropriately named “The Copa Room.” It features 3 impressionist performers, of which 2 are great and 1 is just okay. (Our Dean Martin didn’t really look or sound like Dean Martin. I’m looking into whether he was out for the night, or just plain out.) An especially enjoyable aspect of the show was the live, seven-piece band backing the trio. I often caught myself watching the piano playing conductor as she guided the band through their various cues. True to their subjects, the band and impersonators often had moments of playful banter between them. The Copa Room at the Tuscany is unfortunately a shadow of its namesake at the Sands, but this didn’t take away from our experience. A relatively small-for-Vegas room, seating consists of movable “wedding venue” seats, with small cocktail tables between the front VIP tables. Lucky for us, the small size of the room contributes to a more intimate setting. Seating is assigned by “area” and is first come, first serve. I paid for VIP seating, and we arrived early enough to be granted front row seats on stage right. One gets the feeling you could slip the host a twenty for an upgrade, if you want to capture more of that old-school feeling. True to old Vegas form, there’s a bar in the theater and drink service during the show. I was a little disappointed that there is not dinner served during the show, like the Sands shows of old. The Tuscany offers an optional dinner package with The Rat Pack is Back tickets, but the meal is served in another location on the property, not in the Copa Room itself. We opted for Bugsy and Meyers down the street at the Flamingo instead. As I mentioned before, the quality of the impersonators was excellent. While Kyle Diamond doesn’t quite have Sammy Davis Jr’s squint, and Chris Jason is a little too much of an Italian goombah to be a dead ringer for Sinatra, the experience is close enough for me. The performers each have their own moments to shine, both solo and together on stage. Songs are rarely performed all the way through, which serves to keep the show from stalling out. There’s canned banter amongst the performers, and if you’ve e

Random Vegas Tropicana’s nickname was the “Tiffany of the Strip” because it was said to be the shape of a necklace when viewed from an arial perspective. TwitPic of the week This is another property I have an irrational affinity for. Like the Fontainebleau today, the Landmark was a project that stalled for almost a decade before it was completed. Unfortunately, she wasn’t finished by someone who had a passion for her and therefore she struggled. Once it did open it was no longer the tallest building in the city so the cache of that concept was lost. But still, something about her casino in the sky that just sounds appealing. Probably why it still exists for high rollers in properties like Encore. Regardless, I never got to see the Landmark and therefore she will remain idealized to me, like she is in this picture shared by @summacorp, which is probably better than the actual memories I would have made. News LVCVA 2023 Visitor Profile Study New Airport Synagogue & Hotel Neon Museum Tropicana Lighting

The Tropicana was a unique property in the evolution of Las Vegas. While ownership was consolidated all over the city, it managed to remain independent, relatively speaking. When older properties on the strip were imploded so new projects could replace them, Tropicana remained and instead was reimagined. Step inside and it was clear this was not another Super Casino. The property was able to capture the charm of old Vegas while evolving to keep up with modern tastes. The perpetual David to the corporate Goliaths that dominate the strip landscape, Tropicana stood as a beacon of hope that there will always be options in the market working hard to take care of guests in ways only independent competition can, even if it requires the protection of anti-trust regulations to do so. If your interested in learning more about the Tropicana, check out... Pinterest lvstriphistory.com Vegas Seven - Tropicana New Era Vegas Seven - Tiffany of the Strip Vegas Seven - Stained Glass Ceiling Masterpiece TheMobMuseum Blog Battle Born Pins Vintage Vegas Shirts

Random Vegas Sammy Davis Jr was supposed to be in 3 major movies about Vegas. We all know he was in the original Ocean’s 11 but did you know he was supposed to be cast as Elvis’ sidekick in the movie Viva Las Vegas? But producers thought that much star power would distract from the story so he didn’t get the part. The third was Diamonds are Forever, a movie he actually played himself in but it got cut. It can now be seen as a part of the movie’s deleted scenes. TwitPic of the week What’s special about this picture, shared by@travis758, is what its missing…Treasure Island. Right down in front, still a huge parking lot on the strip. The next glaring omission is the strip as we know it south of Caesars today. Here we still see the Dunes and their massive golf course taking up real estate all the way down to where NYNY is today. It’s 1990 so we see Excalibur sitting down there with Hacienda, Tropicana and Marina all alone because it doesn’t yet have the company of the MGM Grand as we know it today. The Marina won’t transform into the MGM Grand for another 3 years away from being built. Speaking of Caesars, it looks quite diminutive next to the Mirage and the Flamingo expansion across the street. It would be another 8 years before they added the Palace Tower to better keep up with the mega resorts, a project that would inspire the retheming of the property to an architectural style more Greco roman. Lastly, you can see the Sands and Holiday Casino across the street from Mirage, showing just what smaller properties were competing against. News Eagles Sphere Residency Western For Sale Tropicana Update Superbowl Impact

Random Vegas Vegas has been attempting to go smoke free since the early 90s. The first casino to ban cigarette smoking was at Silver City Casino in 1991. Vegas Pic of the week It was the original mega sign. Not quite a super pylon but big enough that it was a statement piece. The champaign tower at Flamingo, shared by @_GrandPaD, stood as a beacon for the property for years while she was a low-rise building. The cylindrical structure lit up at night with glowing bubbles that cresecendoed into the revolving name of the property at the top. Sadly it was removed by Kirk Kerkorian who decided to push the property closer to the road to pull in more foot traffic. It was replaced in 1968 with the iconic super pylon known as the Flamingo plumb signage. News Where It's At Movie Bugsy The Documentary Best Places to Stay In Vegas Summerlin Studios Kennel Club Suite

Nothing special is probably a very good way to describe the Royal Nevada. Not that it wasn’t nice or well located, it just wasn’t memorable. Think Monte Carlo Vegas and its luxury on a budget theme. Mix that with the opening of 4 new Vegas properties in 1955 and the answer to the question is yes, Vegas was over built.

Random Vegas The office of Sam “Ace” Rothstein and the Tangiers sports book in Martin Scorsese’s Casino was filmed on the site of an unopened casino at the Jockey Club (Vintagelasvegas.com) Vegas Pic of the week This is a photo I didn’t even know existed and it blew my mind when I found it, like I’m sure it’s going to blow yours. It’s a picture of the Dunes, mid-evolution from a motel to a high rise. I found it at vintagelasvegas.com. Here we still see all the original façade with the Diamond of the Dunes behind it under construction. It wouldn’t be much longer before the sultan was relocated to the golf course, just off the freeway. That is until he caught fire due to an electrical short or something, I can’t remember. I’m just psyched that this picture exits and I can share it with all of you. Also, it’s not lost on me that this picture isn’t breathtaking it’s just a moment in time I’m grateful we have. News Downtown Beer Festival A’s partnering with Neon Museum Hollywood 2.0 Flat Rate Cabs Bally’s Corp Privatization

Premium Content Preview Benny Binion is a Vegas legend. Many of the policies and procedures he put in place to run his casinos are standard operating procedure today. Making everyone feel like they were someone was the key to establishing loyalty and more importantly, return business. At Binion’s, you knew you were getting a good gamble with a fair shake. For more information about Benny Binion, check out the following lvstriphistory.com The Players: The Men Who Made Las Vegas The First 100 Sharks in the Desert I Do My Own Damn Killin' Blood Aces Pinterest BattleBorn Pins Vintage Vegas Shirts

Random Vegas Many of YESCO’s contracts for the signs it manufactured were lease agreements that included service contracts for the life of the lease. When the lessee eventually removed the sign, the contract stipulated that it be returned to YESCO which either recycled the signs parts or retired the sign to a designated boneyard lot at the outskirts of Las Vegas (Spectacular – A History of Las Vegas Neon) Vegas Pic of the week This week’s winner from VintageLasVegas.com is another snapshot in time of Vegas under development. Specifically, the Mint and Lucky Casino. The date is April 18th, 1963 and the Mint tower has broken ground behind the casino at the bottom of the picture. Right across the street, in between the Golden Nugget and Nevada Club, Lucky Casino is installing their record-breaking marquee frontage that will reach 160 feet tall once complete. It would only have the crown of tallest sign in the city for a year before the Dune’s 180-foot Super Pylon was built on the strip. News Tropicana Stadium FSE Free Concert Series 360 Vegas Discord ABC store Sign

Random Vegas In the late 1940s, the state of Nevada’s slogan was “If you can’t do it at home, come to Nevada”. (Spectacular – A History of Las Vegas Neon) Twitpic of the week Icons, paired together in a beautiful union. The Sands cylindrical hotel tower, the classic, original, Sands egg crate marquee with the name Frank Sinatra on it as the headliner in the Copa Room. For a time, it didn’t get any more iconic than these brands together. @Summacorp shared a lovely photo of this moment in time, specifically Nov of 1966, just after Caesars Palace opened News Smoke and Mirrors New Vegas

Random Vegas In 2003, Las Vegas tried to buy a commercial slot during the Super Bowl to promote tourism to the city. The NFL stepped in, citing a contract that allowed it to reject any ad related to sports betting, even though the spot didn’t include any overt references to gambling (Forbes) Twitpic of the week It’s amazing to think that today, this is all Circa. The Las Vegas Club, Golden Goose, Glitter Gulch and Sassy Sally, shared by @_GrandPaD, gone. Granted Sassy Sally was Mermaid’s at the time of her demise but that’s beside the point. The point is look how much things change in Vegas, all the time. On a side note, this is the best picture I’ve seen showing that Vegas Vickie and Sassy Sally are not the same thing. The typical POV shot of Sally’s and this area makes it almost look like Vickie is sitting on top of the Sassy Sally sign, hence the misconception that Vickie used to be Sally. News Super Bowl Success Tropicana Stadium F1 2024 Improvements

This is one of those projects that I would have loved to see make it to the strip; and who knows, we may still get it one day. Yes a space theme has failed before in Las Vegas but come on, it was Bob Stupak behind it. Just like Luxor before it, I wonder how long those themed attractions will last. Another problem with a space themed resort is how quickly things can look dated. $5 billion dollars is a crazy price tag for a concept that is clearly targeting the middle class. Only time will tell if this concept comes to market but considering its Vegas, I wouldn’t bet on it.

We recently released the 360 Vegas show review for X-Country, and Mrs Jaydubs complained that we spent half the review talking about Fantasy. I can’t help it, though. Fantasy is the litmus test by which all other Vegas topless revues will be judged for a long time. Note: I have in the past referred to Fantasy as the Gold Standard of Vegas topless revues, and thought I was very clever for coming up with that. Then I saw the same words on a Fantasy poster on the way into Luxor and realized I was just subconsciously plagiarizing something I’ve seen before. To quote my father, “When someone steals your idea, it’s plagiarism. When you steal someone else’s idea, it’s inspiration.” I’ll run with that. If you aren’t aware, Fantasy is a nightly topless revue show at the Luxor. The production dates back to 1999, and is the oldest running topless show in Vegas. It was originally titled “Midnight Fantasy,” and it had a 12 am showtime to match. In 2001, Luxor dropped the midnight showtime in exchange for an earlier time slot, but didn’t drop the “Midnight” from the title until 2006. Over its nearly 25 year history, Fantasy has gone through several revisions. I myself have seen it 3 or 4 times, and it is always a solid choice. The structure is simple: beautiful women take off their clothes for the audience. There are a variety of acts, and the show switched them out regularly. The content of the show can vary by season - or even nightly - due to the various performers taking time off. Your favorite dancer isn’t going to perform in the show 7 days a week, she needs a break! There are numbers that feature single performers, as well as duo and ensemble pieces. To mix things up, the show also features a couple of acrobatic numbers with an aerialist on the silk web. Driving the show forward is a female MC who sings a few songs while performers dance. The performers themselves are absolutely lovely, and I would describe them as ______________. I should say that Fantasy has a specific aesthetic for its performers, which some may not appreciate. Probably the best way to describe this would be the classic Playboy look, the cast favors lean blondes, and even the darker-skinned girls are light-skinned, if that makes sense. None of the performers are conventionally unattractive, but if you prefer your eye-candy thick and curvy, you won’t find it here. I had no complaints. An important note: every topless show I’ve seen in Vegas makes an effort to be welcoming of the ladies and the women in the audience, but probably none do it better than Fantasy. Any women reluctant to attend with their SO or girlfriends should put that fear aside. You will not be the only woman there and no one will make you feel strange for being there. This is probably one of Fantasy’s biggest selling points for Mrs. Jaydubs and myself. Fantasy runs nightly at the Atrium theater at the Luxor. The show shares the venue with Carrot Top, and I can’t help but think that this must lead to some fascinating backstage moments. The venue is a traditional theater with a very sloped house. What this means is there are no bad seats, and you have a bigger risk of accidentally kicking the person in front of you in the head than not being able to see around them. The seats themselves are very comfortable, and the theater can accommodate about 350 people. In terms of the Audience Fuckery Factor, you should avoid the first 5 rows if you don’t want to be singled out for questions or attention, and the first 2 rows if you don’t want to be called on stage. Fantasy runs every night at 10:30 pm. There is also sometimes an early show at 8:00 pm. Tickets start at $52 on Vegas.com.

Random Vegas Built in 1982, the 2-story building that was the Oasis Casino @Dunes was supposed to be comprised of two components, a casino on the 1st floor and a restaurant on the 2nd floor. The restaurant never opened and the space remained unused until its destruction in 1993 (vintagelasvegas.com) Twitpic of the week Here is another @summacorp picture that mesmerizes me with all the history going on. For example, we know that this is 1968 because they are working on the fountains in front of the new Circus Circus casino. You’ll notice that fountain 5 is being deconstructed. That’s because they are moving the carousel marquee from the left of the fountains to that location on the right; all so they can make room to build Slots-A-Fun. Next door to that is Westward Ho still 3 years away from adding a casino in 1971. And next to that is the mammoth Stardust 1,000 motel units all lined up neatly like an OCD dream come true. If you look to the top left you’ll see both the Stardust casino and the 12-story expansion tower from 1964. And across the street from it all we have the Riviera with her classic marquee. It’s truly remarkable to think about how much land they needed back in the 50s through to the 70s and even 80s in some cases. Its no wonder why they all sold for the right price. News Sphere Demonstration 360VV14 Strip Frontage Advertising Caesars, Strat and Luxor

Random Vegas After a 4 month remodeling and a rebranding, in 1963, Lucky Casino, formerly known as Lucky strike, reopened with the largest sign in the city of Las Vegas at 160 feet tall. It held that titled until it was surpassed in 1964 by the Dunes turret marquee towering 180 feet tall. Lucky Casino is now the middle part of Golden Nugget Fremont St frontage. Twitpic of the week So much development goodness in this picture it’s not hard to see why @summacorp shared it. Set in what looks like 1993 based on the various projects in various states of progress. Front and center, we see the massive MGM Grand theme park and Grand Garden Arena under construction. Beyond that we can see Luxor is also still under construction. Noticeably missing from the landscape is NYNY and Mandalay Bay. Here we still see Hacienda occupying the space Mandalay Bay would one day call home. News Tropicana Closing Fontainebleau Problems Flamingo Restoration Fontainebleau Signage

Random Vegas The Caesars Palace marquee has caught on fire twice. In both cases, Tom Jones was the featured artist on the billboard at the time (vintagelasvegas.com) Twitpic of the week Ever wonder what it looked like when your Grandparents were on vacation in Vegas. Well, thanks to @_GrandPaD, we can relive that moment poolside at the Stardust in the 1950s. How do I know it’s the Stardust, you say? Easy, look at the top of the building. You can see the unmistakable outline of the original Stardust marquee, at least the back of it. Something about the idea of my grandparents chasing each other around like I chase my wife gives me an ear-to-ear grin, as it should. News A’s Fumble Sibella Justice Redneck Escape Room Rio's Marquee Update Glass Bar @Planet Hollywood Hard Rock Window Tint

Random Vegas In Vegas history, 3 signs have been knocked down due to high winds. The first was the Silver Slipper in May of 1978. The second, in May of 1991, was Bob Stupak’s Vegas World sign. The third was the Hilton sign, the tallest free-standing sign in the world at 365 feet, had the top portion of the sign collapse in July of 94. The incident caused designers to be questioned how a sign designed to withstand winds of over 100 mph fail at 70 mph. The sign was repaired, then totally replaced in 1997 with the sign they have today at Westgate, the current tallest free standing advertising sign in the world at 279 feet high. (News3lv.com) Twitpic of the week When installed in 1967 the Frontier, formerly the Last Frontier and, for a time, the New Frontier, was the tallest sign in the world at 184 feet tall. It had 16-foot-tall letters and a giant 30 foot tall “F” logo resting at the top. The sign contained more than a mile of fluorescent tubing, a mile and half of neon and more than 23,000 light bulbs. In Dec of 2008, after the property had closed and was being prepared for new construction, Wynn paid to have the signage be taken down for the opening of Encore across the street. This week, @summacorpshared that moment in time. The Neon Museum sought to save portions of the sign but exactly what they were able to retain from the pylon marquee is unknown. News 360VV14 Update Sphere CEO Accused of Sexual Misconduct False F1 Loses Reported 1,000-piece puzzle

Patreon Exclusive Content Many regard Jay Sarno as the father of the themed casino as well as the mind behind family friendly Las Vegas. His contributions to the strip, Caesars Palace and Circus Circus, are complete opposites on the theme and customer base scale. While he was many things, a womanizer and a gambling addict, no one can dispute that he was also a visionary. Jay Sarno was exactly what Vegas wanted during a time when all its current owners were being scrutinized by attorney general Bobby Kennedy; a legit guy with no previous connection to organized crime. If you're interested in learning more about Jay Sarno, check out Grandissimo The Players: The Men Who Made Las Vegas Sharks in the Desert lvstriphistory.com Pinterest Battle Born Pins Vintage Vegas Shirts

Random Vegas A typical arcade game makes about as much per day as a typical slot machine (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week Here @summacorp shares a time before the Golden Nugget consumed all of its western casino competition to acquire the Fremont footprint they have today. It was also the initial incarnation of their greatest exterior façade with the bullnose corner of Fremont and 2nd St, known today as Casino Center Blvd. Knowing what it would become it looks kind of cute. Especially next to what was, for a time, the tallest sign on Fremont St at Lucky Casino standing at 153 feet high. Beyond that you can see the adorable Californian club ending the block the Nugget absorbed. If you really want to, you can also see Vegas Vic at the Pioneer Club and the Golden Gate marquees in the distance. All that to avoid looking at the high waisted gentleman in the foreground. News 360VV14 Rio’s Canteen Superbowl Details Potential New Black Book Member Wynn West Update Nevada Craft Beverage Passport Palazzo’s New Marquee Venetian Rewards MGM 1.62 acre purchase Rio's New Exterior

Random Vegas One day of running a 90-second ad intermittently on the Sphere is $750k (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week Magical…well, to someone like me this is magical. To the layman this is an old picture of Caesars Palace, shared by @Summacorp, before the retheming in the late 90s/early 2000s. This is so mesmerizing because you don’t often see pictures of Caesars during this time, in this case 1982 and without the lights turned on. This was a time before I knew Vegas so to me, it’s like a magic trick. I can still visit this property even though it doesn’t look like this anymore, with the Sarno blocks. Sarno blocks are affectionately named after Jay Sarno who introduced them to the market with Caesars Palace. Those are concrete blocks replicating latticework that allows the frontage to look uniform as well as back lit. This style of block is still in use today at Circus Circus, mostly on Industrial Road. News 360 Vegas Vacation 14 More Vintage AI Firearm Jackassary Copperfield Appearance Coming in 2024 Las Vegas Sign bobblehead Play Playground Mandalay Bay/Delano Exterior Paging Bird Bar space