Wynn Las Vegas sure is cracking down on unpaid gambling debts that make the headlines.

First there was $400,000 against Charles Barkley, which he paid promptly plus fees.

Now the Review-Journal is reporting Joe Francis, founder of 70-some Girls Gone Wild videos, owes Wynn Las Vegas a whopping $2 million. The casino-resort filed a lawsuit last week, and Francis has reportedly paid up.

Francis is awaiting trial for tax evasion, not to mention imminent lawsuits from women in the videos claiming they were underage when taped.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In what we think will be the number 1 movie this weekend if not the summer, the first 500 kids under age 12 to buy a ticket for WALL-E today at Neonopolis (downtown Las Vegas) will receive a free t-shirt.

We suspect that with that many kids, they won't be carding, so if you're 13, you'll probably be able to pass.

WALL-E is rated G and plays Neonopolis at 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8:25 p.m., and 9:25 p.m.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 8:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rosemary's Restaurant (8125 W. Sahara between Durango/Buffalo) has a printable coupon for $25 off a $100 meal.

On Thursdays, the coupon is $30 off.

The restaurant is French-inspired creative American cuisine with regional twists from New Orleans, the Deep South, and the Midwest.

Click here for a PDF of the coupon, or click the above picture for an enlarged version.

The coupon expires July 31.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weekend, pop by Harrah's Carnaval Court (the courtyard between Harrah's and Imperial Palace) to see the best air guitarist of Las Vegas.

That's right, air guitar, where talent is measured by strumming motions with no instruments.

Part of the U.S. Air Guitar Championships, the winner on June 29 will advance to the finals and receive $400 travel expenses to compete in San Francisco on Aug. 8. The winner there will then represent the United States and continue to the international competition in Finland for the Air Guitar World Championships.

Contestants (aged 21 and over) will be able to choose their song for two one-minute rounds.

Judges will be looking for stage presence and technical skill.

Last year, Ochi "Dainoji" Yosuke ("The Tiger") of Japan took down the crown.

See the YouTube video below for his energetic performance.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Select Station Casinos are drawing in locals to their rooms.

Normally reserved for nonlocal players, the rooms will be $50 weeknights and $80 weekends at Sunset Station (our preference), Santa Fe Station, Texas Station, and Palace Station.

With the room, locals will also receive a $25 table matchplay, 5x points, four free games of bowling, $10 off a $25 bingo buy-in, and a $25 Station Casino gift card.

And if you're a new player (even if you're not a guest of the hotel), Station will refund you up to $100 in your first day losses in the form of slot freeplay.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Earlier this afternoon, four teenaged girls aged 16 to 18 drove off the Stratosphere parking garage, three floors (25 feet) up.

Each level has concrete barriers, and the driver (who may not have a driver's license) plowed right through and fell to the ground.

Pictured above is the aftermath of their PT Cruiser, captured by News Channel 8.

Amazingly, no one was seriously hurt, in the car or on the ground.

The girls, already released from the hospital, are being questioned to find out what caused the accident.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hawaiian Tropic Zone, one of our favorite new places in Planet Hollywood or even Las Vegas, has a July 4th promotion coming up at their Torrid nightclub called Red, White & Boobs.

Sort of an independence day for (from?) your boobs, the pageant is hosted by Playboy cover girl Tiffany Holliday with a special set (ahem) by Playboy model DJ Roxanne Dawn.

Contestants will compete to win a free pair of boobs, judged by Holliday, DJ Roxanne, and Dr. Samir Pancholi of Cosmetic Surgery of Las Vegas.

Contest is open to women aged 21 and older only (no men, don't even think about it).

You can see into the club at various live webcams at this link.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We finally received our IRS tax stimulus check and can't wait to start some economic spending.

But before you head to the bank -- consider taking advantage of one of the many promotions available around town.

The smart thing would be to visit a grocery store and purchase a gift card that would include a bonus. Smith's and Albertsons both offer a 10 percent bonus, up to $120. So a $300 check would get you $330, a $600 check would get you $660, and a $1200 check would get you $1320 in stimulus bucks. You need your government-issued I.D. and the physical check to cash (direct depositors, you're out of luck).

Other stores including Sears and Home Depot also offer similar bonuses.

But the dumb thing would be to cash it at a casino. Of course, did you think Las Vegas wouldn't be involved in trying to get ahold of your tax-free dollars?

We've heard of some Club Grazie members at The Venetian/Palazzo receiving emails for 25 percent in extra slot freeplay for cashing in your check at their cashier.

$300 would get you $375, $600 would get you $750, and $1200 would get you $1500.

This would all be in freeplay, so you must playthrough the entire amount once through slots before being able to cash out.

Assuming percentage hold on an average slot machine is 10 percent, that would mean you'd be expected to lose $75 on a $600+150 bonus, giving you an expected win of $75.

The math sounds good, and we may try to do it in the future, but we're a little bit wary of what can happen when playing slots.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stop by The Cannery (2121 E. Craig) tomorrow morning to have a go at auditioning for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"

Prospective contestants will take a test (multiple-choice like the game) and depending how they do, will then have callbacks later today.

Casting is open to everyone, with special interest in themed shows "Million Dollar Movie Week," "Wedding Week" (if you're engaged), "Famous Names Week" (if you share a famous name), "Halloween Week" (if you're in costume), and "Three Generations" (where you play in teams from your family).

Auditions take place from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama will be in Las Vegas tomorrow, fresh off a stop from New Mexico.

Also campaigning in Las Vegas will be Sen. John McCain, who arrives Wednesday.

In Albuquerque, Obama pushed for equal pay for women and wants to increase child care credit and after-school programs.

Nevada is particularly on Obama's radar, as it's traditionally a staunch Republican state and ripe for swinging.

McCain is pushing for energy security and is offering $300 million for a new automobile battery. He's also offering $5,000 in tax rebates for those who purchase zero-emission vehicles.

Both were last in Nevada in May -- Obama in North Las Vegas and McCain in Reno.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The cabbies got their way, and after today's approval, taxis in Las Vegas will be 45 cents more right after the Independence Day weekend (July 6).

This includes 20 cents more per mile plus a fuel surcharge of 25 cents per mile.

Thankfully, five people can still ride for the price of one, unlike other cities.

If gas soars above $5 for five days in a row, the Nevada Taxicab Authority can review and increase the surcharge.

If gas drops below $4 for 20 days in a row, however, they can get rid of the surcharge.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

A rare Komodo Dragon was installed today at Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef Aquarium.

The deadly and largest living lizard has no predators and is one of 4,000 to 5,000 living Komodo dragons in the world.

In addition to being rare in the wild, they're typically a rare find in zoos as well because of their short 5-year lifespan and being susceptible to disease. This one came from the Miami Metro Zoo. We call him Fred.

The 87-pound, 7-foot dragon joins other endangered species at the aquarium, including the green sea turtles.

Tickets to the Shark Reef Aquarium are $16.95 (adults) and $10.95 (children).

For more information, call (702) 632-4555 or visit their site.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 30 is D-Day for Crazy Horse Too.

Last year, the strip club went into foreclosure, having been seized by the government because of tax evasion by owner Rick Rizzolo.

To pay back what it owes, including a hefty settlement to a man paralyzed as a result of being beaten up until paying a bill, Crazy Horse Too will have to be sold by June 30.

But yesterday, the Las Vegas City Council refused a temporary liquor license.

That brings down its value, along with the fact that pretty soon the property will no longer be able to operate as a strip club. Prior grandfathering got the club through zoning laws, which will expire unless the club can open. And without a liquor license, that's less likely to happen.

Assuming the liquor and adult entertainment licenses are intact, one buyer is interested for $32 million. That would cover the $9 million settlement, $17 million in government fines, and a $2 million lien.

What remains would be enough to get a few lapdances.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, chalk up one airline we won't be using anymore.

Not that we'll get much of a chance, with them reducing the number of flights into and out of McCarran.

Largely from fuel costs that account to some 60 percent of a flight, US Airways has cut almost half of its Las Vegas flights to 74 (from 141).

Other airlines such as American and United have begun to or will start to charge $15 to check in a bag.

Now, we find out that US Airways adds insult to injury by charging extra to get an aisle or window seat. Or put another way, they charge less for middle seats and seats in the back of the plane.

US Airways will also begin charging for formerly free soda.

What's next, a coin-operated restroom?

We hate to see airlines hopping aboard this, because when one adopts a cost-cutting move, others follow.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One way to get a break from the 100-degree heat is by taking advantage of The Venetian's special summer offer.

If we owned a hotel, we would've wished we thought of this one.

Through the end of summer, you can get a suite at The Venetian for the dollar amount of that day's temperature.

So if the day you'll be staying is forecasted to be 108 degrees, you'll pay $108. If it's 0 degrees, you'll get a room free.

The offer includes weekends and is good through Labor Day. It must be booked by June 27.

When booking, use code EVTMP08.

For more information, visit The Venetian.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's a tough time for Nevada brothels.

Not only is the economy downturned, but with gas prices as high as they are, there's been a significant dropoff in the number of visitors. With the majority fueled (so to speak) by Las Vegas tourists, many brothels are beginning to advertise along the Strip.

Because why tantalize when you can travel 125 miles west and pay for the real thing? And all on the up and up (ahem).

Shady Lady Ranch will even pay for your gas. Beginning July 1, head over to U.S. Highway 95 and you'll get a $50 gas card for $300 in services or a $100 gas card for $500 in services. $300 will get you one hour. The offer expires July 31.

Moonlight Bunny Ranch in Carson City is offering a stimulus (ahem) package (err...) that will double the first 100 customers' stimulus checks. Bring in your IRS stimulus check for a maximum of $600, and get $1200 worth of services.

What will competitors offer? Stay tuned...

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

National competition Miss Black USA takes place at The Orleans Showroom on Monday, June 23 at 8 p.m.

Representing Las Vegas is Candace M. House, who's currently financial manager for Mountaintop Faith Ministries. She played basketball and was captain of the Varsity Women's team at Durango High School and received her bachelor's in accounting at Indiana State University in 2005.

The Miss Black USA Pageant and Scholarship Foundation is non-profit and geared toward leadership in African-American women.

Tickets begin at $25 at can be purchased at this link.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker was in Las Vegas over the weekend partying at Tryst (Wynn Las Vegas), but today spent the afternoon at the Sunrise Hospital.

Metro is saying that Walker was apparently robbed after 7 a.m. and suffered an orbital fracture, after being struck in the eye. He was found unconscious on the street near Winnick and Koval.

Walker recently signed a $55 million deal spanning six years with the Raiders.

Still at the hospital, he's listed in fair condition.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Landry's Restaurants is expected to go private, after getting approval from shareholders. The deal by CEO and founder Tilman Fertitta is worth about $1.2 billion, with $900 million in debt. The deal will cost Fertitta $300 million.

Once approved, Fertitta will pay $21 per share for all outstanding shares.

Landry's owns 179 restaurants in 29 states, including the Rainforest Café, Aquarium, Landry's Seafood House, Saltgrass Steakhouse, The Chart House, and others.

They also own the Golden Nugget hotel and casino in downtown Vegas.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We hear about mega casinos and hotels going up all the time in our fine neon city, but what about a mini casino?

On June 25, get ready for another trailer casino comprising 16 slot machines on the site of the old Moulin Rouge.

In order to retain rights to gaming, the Nevada Gaming Commission requires the site to operate a mini-casino for 8 hours every two years. Gaming entitlements will then be good for two more years.

The company behind the slot machines is United Coin Machine, which has installed temporary machines across from the old Beach nightclub, the old Holy Cow casino, and the old Castaways (owned by Station Casinos, it was dubbed "Trailer Station").

Machines are the games of yesteryear, accepting good ol' U.S. coins instead of the now-popular tickets.

Just don't expect to be able to get a player's card.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

We still have our doubts, but Michael Jackson is threatening to make good on the long-standing rumor that he will headline Las Vegas.

This time, private equity group Colony Capital may spearhead the singer's residency as an option to pay back Jackson's foreclosure on his California Neverland Ranch. Colony picked up the Neverland mortgage for $23 million.

With Star Trek: The Experience leaving the Las Vegas Hilton (which Colony Capital owns), that could be a convenient venue for Jackson.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brendan Steele of Steele Exposures has some terrific photographs of Las Vegas in conceptual black-and-white with splashes of color, in a way you haven't seen the city before.

Throughout this month, some of Steele's work can be seen on display at The Art Bar (1511 S. Main St. downtown).

He will also have a meet-and-greet on June 29 at The Art Bar beginning at 10 p.m.

For more examples of his photos, click here.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The soaring gas prices have led taxis across the country to add a fuel surcharge.

We've been lucky with our cabs so far, but on June 23, the Nevada Taxicab Authority will be looking into a temporary fuel surcharge of 25 cents per mile.

Temporary for how long? Well, until gas prices go down... or up. The board of directors could decide to increase the surcharge again.

The Taxicab Authority is also looking at a permanent increase of 20 cents per mile. Currently, taxi fare is $2.20 per mile.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

The nationwide economic slowdown continues to show in casinos as well.

Nevada's Gaming Control board announced today that gaming revenue on the Las Vegas Strip was down 1.3 percent ($524.1 million) for April from the previous April.

That makes the fourth month in a row that numbers have not beaten last year's.

All of Nevada casinos were down 5.1 percent, taking in $1 billion from gamblers. Last April had seen $1.05 billion.

Flashing back to 10 years ago (before big resorts such as Wynn and The Venetian were around), revenue was consistently up by more than 10 percent.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

photo by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

The sale of Hooters is off the table for now.

Hedwig's Las Vegas Top Tier, a California-based investment group, was expected to purchase the Hooters Hotel-Casino for $235 million in a deal from last year, which included purchase price ($98 million) and outstanding liabilities. They would have then spent an additional $130 million remodeling. (When Hooters took over San Remo, it spent the same amount remodeling to its trademarked orange look.)

Hedwig's had already put up almost $6 million in nonrefundable deposits toward the purchase, and was paying a monthly $500,000 nonrefundable, non-applicable extension fees.

But as of June 6, they missed their next payment, causing the purchase to be cancelled.

Hooters is now seeking another buyer, or else face looming debt.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Renting a car in Las Vegas, you have your pick of the litter and for dirt cheap prices.

When going on trips to California, we often park our car for free in one of the hotel-casino garages (such as New York New York or Mandalay Bay) that has a rental car facility attached. With free unlimited miles, why not put the wear and tear on a rental?

We've always gone with the cheapest -- the compact. Or sometimes we'll splurge a couple extra dollars a day and go with the intermediate.

But the luxury cars... we can dream.

Later this month, we can dream even easier when Hertz will make available for rent a limited edition Velocity Yellow 2LT Coupe Corvette -- complete with ZHZ fender badge in front and back.

As part of its Fun Collection, Hertz will be exclusive in offering the V-8 car with 436 horsepower. It's so exclusive, that General Motors made it just for Hertz, right down to the exterior in Hertz color yellow and black. Only 500 are made and will be sent out among Hertz locations across the United States.

Now that's driving in style.

Cost will be about $180 per day from the Vegas location. Similar unique cars in the Collection such as the Shelby GTH run about $130 per day.

How would it feel to zoom up and down stop-and-go traffic on the Strip in one of these?

To see if the Corvette is available for booking at your neighborhood Hertz, click here and select "Special" under rental car type.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just in time for the World Series, the new Sapphire Pool is now open at Rio.

The "Sapphire" part comes from the Sapphire Gentlemen's Club, the first merging of casino pool and strip club that we know of.

And about time, we say!

The ads say "ultra-hot Brazilian style adult pool," which basically means a separate $30 area where women are topless.

But alas, "Sapphire" is in name only, as the pool is simply "presented by Sapphire" and not "hosted by Sapphire." In other words, no strippers were hanging out at the pool when we went.

(If you want a tip on stripper pool hunting, check out Tropicana, where we've known many a stripper to hang out.)

The pool is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The club is open 24 hours.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Expecting to concede defeat on Saturday, Sen. Hillary Clinton is expected to endorse Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama.

And now so is Nevada Sen. Harry Reid. Previously he had stayed neutral, but now that Obama has the Democratic nomination, Reid expressed his enthusiasm for the candidate.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, he said Obama "will responsibly end the war in Iraq, make the American dream affordable for working families once again, and deliver a government as good and honest as the people it represents."

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Has it already been a year?

The Springs Preserve is one of Las Vegas's hidden 180-acre gems, offering trails, museums, galleries, botanical gardens, and everything

Already since opening, the Preserve has saved over 1 million gallons of water by using artificial grass (instead of sod) in its amphitheatre.

To celebrate their 1-year birthday, there will be an all-you-can-eat ice cream festival on June 8. Because what better way to help the environment than eating excess ice cream?

Additional activities will include music by Killian's Angels and The Pickadillos, a performance by Sharon Lynn's Celtic Storm Dancers, behind-the-scenes tours, improv by Second City, and more.

Tickets are $6 (normal cost is $18.95 for adults), and festivities run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Springs Preserve is at 333 S. Valley View Blvd. (95 and Alta).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jeff German's book Murder in Sin City: The Death of a Casino Boss recounts the murder of Ted Binion.

Now a movie will be made, called Sex & Lies in Sin City to begin shooting this month in Santa Fe, New Mex.

The film is directed by Peter Medak (The Krays) and will star Mena Suvari (American Beauty) as Sandy Murphy and Matthew Modine as Rick Tabish.

Spoiler: Murphy and Tabish, who were in the spotlight for several years, were ultimately found not guilty for murder and robbery but guilty for conspiracy to commit burglary.

The Review-Journal has a complete catalog of stories about the death of the casino heir at this link.

The film should wrap in time for poker-playing Suvari to hop a flight to Vegas to play in the World Series, where we hope flipchip will be able to take one of those snazzy HDR photos of her.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The above Palace Station casino chip is from an eBay-Canada ad that's currently selling for $130.

Hurry, because it may very well be worthless after next month.

Or it could be worth even more.

The $100 denomination chip celebrated the 20th anniversary of Palace Station and was limited to only 100 (according to the eBay ad, only 35 of the 100 were distributed -- the ad doesn't mention that the chips are being pulled).

The casino is removing the chips from circulation, and if you have one, you can redeem it for $100 at any Palace Station cashier until July 9.

After Palace Station reclaims their chips, they will be destroyed, and no longer of any value.

Except collectors, who may deem it to be even more valuable than their current worth (about $200-250).

Note that though there were other denom chips printed for the 20th anniversary, the only chip being removed from circulation is the $100.

Let the bidding begin!

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Head down to House of Blues (at Mandalay Bay) tomorrow night, June 5, for an evening of acoustic rock.

Best of all, the whole evening is free.

Bands include Slow to Surface (pictured above), Holtz, Tracey Hope, and Roxy Gun.

Performances run from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Courtyard.

For more information, visit House of Blues.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A sudden walkout by construction crews on CityCenter lost much of yesterday's work but came to an agreement with MGM Mirage.

At issue was the 11 construction-related deaths that have occurred in the past 18 months on the Las Vegas Strip, 6 of which happened at CityCenter.

Picketers protested for better safety conditions.

Union officials reached an agreement for safety training of workers and to research the reasons behind the unsafe environment.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Think you can one-up a hotel-casino?

With new rooms opening by the thousands every time a new hotel-casino or hotel-condo opens, hospitality is busy trying to find new innovations.

Casinos such as The Venetian, Palazzo, and Wynn Las Vegas have in-room fax/copier machines, for example. It's now common to see CD players as your wake-up alarm.

But what about a computer?

Fontainebleau on the former Wet 'n' Wild site on the North Strip, has teamed with Apple Computer to have an iMac in every one of their almost 4,000 rooms.

And if Apple is also behind the technology architecture behind the resort, Apple would get their feet wet right on the Vegas Strip.

Already there's an Apple store in the Town Square, with another store planned in the Forum Shoppes at Caesars Palace.

Fontainebleau, from Morris Lapidus's Miami Beach resort of the same name with a 19.6 percent stake by James Packer and Australian-based Crown Ltd., is a $2.9 billion hotel-casino-resort expected to open in fall 2009 spread across 25 acres with a 100,000-square-foot casino and what looks to be fast our favorite -- a 5,000-square-foot chocolate factory.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you're anything like us, you're clinging to the last days of the under $4/gallon of gas by constantly refreshing vegasgasprices.com.

The outlying areas away from the Strip have the highest gas prices -- the Green Valley area of Henderson, SW, and Summerlin have areas already above $4.

Huey's Mart comes in at a low $3.79 at 1591 N. Decatur Blvd. That's right off Vegas Dr. by University of Nevada Reno.

But is it worth driving 10+ miles and wait in traffic to save a few cents? (We won't mention last month's two-hour traffic tie-up caused by Cricket Communications when they offered $10,000 of first-come, first-serve free gas at the Green Valley Grocery off Flamingo -- see below for the Associated Press's YouTube video.)

Closer to home and McCarran International Airport is the ARCO at 4916 Paradise Rd. (and E. Trop), with a gallon at $3.87.

Surprisingly, gas stations around the Rent-a-Car Center are not out to gouge you. We filled up at the Marketplace across from the Center for $3.93.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)