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« August 2009 | Main | October 2009 »
September 30, 2009
Is it okay to wear sunglasses at night?
You can if they're free.
Wasted Space Rock Club (at Hard Rock... the casino one on Flamingo) will be giving away pairs of sunglasses tonight only from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. An open bar will be available during the giveaway, so you must be at least 21.
No telling if the shades are the same that owner Carey Hart wears, but maybe they're from his personal collection.
What comes to mind when you think of Las Vegas?
The lights? Gambling? Showgirls?
How about smell?
On Nov. 20, a team of scent experts will team up to reveal a Las Vegas perfume, "capturing everything that the city stands for -- in a fragrance."
We've been to all of the Las Vegas strip casinos now and can recognize a few by their scent -- notably the MGM Mirage casinos Mandalay Bay, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, and former MGM casino Treasure Island. We also know to stay well away from another MGM casino because of its decidedly unattractive smell -- Circus Circus/Slots o'Fun.
But what does the city itself smell like? Find out at the SCENTworld Conference & Expo from Nov. 19-21 at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel.
Clark County Department of Aviation is reporting a 9.8% drop in passenger counts at McCarren International Airport during August. August 2008 saw almost 4 million passengers while August 2009 tallied closer to 3.5 million flyers.
McCarren's No.1 carrier, Southwest Airlines, showed a 4.1% drop while the No. 2 carrier, US Airways, suffered a 34.6% drop in passengers from the same period last year. US Airways has canceled many of its scheduled flights into and out of McCarren as a result of the economic problems and rising fuel costs which helps account for the plummet in traffic. No. 5 carrier, American Airlines, had a 4.9% increase in passengers.
Airport traffic is probably one of the factors considered in returning to the tried and true, "What happens here probably breaks most of the commandants but we won't tell anyone," national ad campaign. Look for all new Vegas ads coming soon to a TV near you.
Watch the new ads, have a laugh, then go buy an airplane ticket to Sin City. Come on gang, let's get those numbers back up where they belong. We're counting on you, and besides, you'll have a great time because it's a great time to be in Las Vegas. Perfect weather, world class shopping, world class entertainment, gambling, drinking, gluttony, sex.and partying around the clock. It's all here waiting.
Las Vegas goes all out for Halloween, the pseudo holiday made especially for the neon nirvana. The haunted houses that suddenly appear around the city are considered to be some of the best in the country, and why not? Las Vegas is loaded with talent that enjoys scaring the crap out of unsuspecting folks if the price is right; but, some say the real reason Las Vegas haunted houses are so highly rated comes from something entirely different.
Las Vegas has a darker side that is rarely seen by outsiders and usually it's around the time the great pumpkin makes its annual visit when you can even get a glimpse. We've all heard the rumors and know someone that knows someone whose has met one of the real Vegas spooks.
The things that roam the shadows and dark tunnels, and shuns the sunshine like a plague. Old timers sometimes speak of shape shifters that have existed in the deserts around Las Vegas since time began, whose very existence is woven into the Native Americans' history of their people. Strange things that may move into the city to mingle with the haunted house crowds while searching for their next lost soul.
A little something to think about while you're standing in line waiting to scream your way through the dark creepy places of fear. Fun seekers occasionally get more than their ticket price when someone or something so strange passes by so close you think it walked right through you. You will feel it more than see it, your mouth will suddenly go so dry you can't even scream as a flash of fear passes through your being like a lighting bolt. So, how many of the temporary Haunted House fright actors are playing a role? How many are just playing their unnatural selves? We'll let you decide.
All photos with this article were taken in Las Vegas in 2008. We expect to see even bigger crowds enjoying the Halloween month as word gets out about how very frightening the Las Vegas haunts have become. We have included links to most of the major fright stops and will continue to update info and publish current photos as we count down October, 2009.
Freakling Bros. has been scaring las Vegans for years with their trio of haunts. Circus of Horrors, The Mortuary, and Castle Vampyre are a must see and experience. Use this link to read all the details, times and dates of operation, and to download a discount coupon.
Monster Mayhem FunTown FrightFest produces two haunted Villages, one located in Henderson at the Galleria Mall and another in Summerlin across from the Suncoast Casino. Use this link for complete info and details, download a discount coupon and check times and dates of operation.
Circus Circus' Fright Dome is world famous for it's ability to scare one and all. Located at the big pink and white striped tent on the Las Vegas strip this one comes highly recommended by past visitors, even those that have suffered fear induced heart failure vow to return again this year for another fix. Use this link for all the details and news of the world class Fright Dome 2009.
Las Vegas Haunts owns and operates The Asylum and Hotel Fear. Click here to visit their website where you can check out all the details and buy tickets online for both attractions.
The past 11 years, CineVegas is "the" independent film festival in Las Vegas every summer at Brenden Theatres (at The Palms).
2010, however, will not have a CineVegas presence, with artistic director Trevor Groth citing the "economic climate and the pressures" as reasons. CineVegas would rather skip a year and maintain its quality than to go forth with a lackluster effort.
CineVegas events and screenings will still continue throughout the year, just not the annual festival.
One additional possible reason is the increasingly limited time that festival director Groth may have for the festival, as he signed on earlier this year as festival director of the Sundance Film Festival.
Groth has been with CineVegas since 2002, and has been almost solely responsible for growing the fest considerably.
This year's 11th CineVegas featured films such as World's Greatest Dad, The Revenant, Sea of Darkness, and Saint John of Las Vegas.
If you're like us, you're constantly at Walgreens for last-minute things. Ours across the street is 24 hours, so we know our cashiers enough that we should invite them to our next barbecue.
When staying on the Las Vegas Strip, that Walgreens next to MGM Grand and the one next to The Venetian have come in extremely handy. (Who needs to pay the upcharge on the casino gift shop, when you can walk a few feet to get regular prices. That Walgreens also has a ton of Vegas souvenirs.)
For this Tuesday and Wednesday only (Sept. 29-30), Walgreens is offering $5 off a $25 minimum purchase.
Use the coupon above, obtained from their website.
The usual items are excluded, such as prescriptions, gift cards, cigarettes, stamps, alcohol, etc. (see fine print).
And though it says one per customer, it doesn't prevent you from printing multiple copies and going to different stores. (That's one problem with going too often and being recognized.)
Now to buy our George Foreman grill and invite our friendly cashiers.
Museum Day is back!
Today only, for the 5th year in a row, Smithsonian magazine presents free admission to select museums around the country.
In Las Vegas, those include the Atomic Testing Museum and the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Atomic Testing Museum (755 E. Flamingo) includes all things nuclear. Normally $12 for adults and $9 for children 7-17.
Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Las Vegas Natural History Museum (900 Las Vegas Blvd.) takes visitors through the natural sciences. Normally $8 for adults and $4 for children 3-11.
Las Vegas casino owner and entrepreneur, Bob Stupak, has died at age 67 after a long battle with leukemia. The always colorful hawker was one of the characters that helped to define the Las Vegas of the seventies and eighties.
The "Polish Maverick" accomplished many things after coming to town in the early 70s. He built and operated the garish Stupak's Vegas World on the north end of the Las Vegas strip, ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Las Vegas, ran unsuccessfully for Lt Governor of Nevada, survived a near death motorcycle accident, played high stakes poker, and won a WSOP bracelet. His greatest achievement was the construction of the Strastosphere Tower, the 1,149 foot tall concrete spike that stands above almost everything west of the Mississippi.
Straight out of the pages of the TV show "Beauty and the Beast," which featured tunnel dwellers beneath Manhattan, Las Vegas also has miles and miles of tunnels with people living inside.
"Nightline" aired a piece last night showing reporter Lisa Ling and Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas author Matthew O'Brien as they traversed through pitch-black tunnels.
O'Brien, who's been researching the tunnels for the past 7 years, gave a tour of the dangerous underground that has now been adopted by many who are homeless. O'Brien began exploring the tunnels after a criminal used them as a hideout.
View the "Nightline" piece at this link.
From the amount of offers we've posted about Silverton, you can tell it's one of our favorite local casinos.
They're now offering free rooms without any rated play.
This is probably the best offer we've seen for new players, and it's a sign of just how desperate casinos are becoming in this economy. Our past few visits to Silverton have seen the place empty, made especially difficult since they're not on the Strip (though not far off, a couple miles south of Mandalay Bay).
All you have to do to get your free night is be a new player, be 21 or over, and sign up for a Discovery Club card (it's free).
Then make a reservation for your next visit, and you'll be able to stay one night for free. Based on availability, they may be able to get your free night to be the same day you're there. For best results, visit Monday-Wednesday.
Remember that Perry Ellis $99.99 suit offer? You can kill two birds with one stone, because it's at the Las Vegas Outlet Mall that's across from Silverton (east side of I-15).
Silverton also offers a free shuttle bus to and from the airport (as well as to the Strip), but times vary. Call (702) 263-7777 for more information.
The Mirage turns 20 this November, and they will be having a blowout poolside 20th anniversary to celebrate.
Festivities begin with Kiefer Sutherland (!) hosting a concert Friday, Oct. 2 with musicians including Tommy Lee (from Motley Crue), Courtney Love, Rob Zombie, Slash, Adam Levine (from Maroon 5), Joe Perry (from Aerosmith), Jason Bonham (from Led Zeppelin), and more.
An after-party takes place the next night at the JET nightclub.
Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at any box office at The Mirage.
Also being planned is a celebrity poker tournament, more information on that later.
Dick's Last Resort (at Excalibur) is having an end-of-summer party (though you wouldn't know it with 100-degree weather) happy hour on Sept. 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sponsored by Las Vegas Weekly, Sailor Jerry, and Bud Light, during those times there will be free Sailor Jerry's Burnin' Apple Cocktails, Bud Light Lime, and light appetizers.
No need to RSVP, just show up!
Have you been to Golden Nugget lately?
Times are tough, and Nugget is taking a page out of the competitive supermarket sales.
They will honor competitor coupons at 1.5x the offer. Free rooms will be honored at face value.
So if you get $100 in freeplay, they'll give you $150.
If you get 2 free buffets, they'll give you 3.
If you get a free t-shirt, you'll get a t-shirt plus, uh, maybe they'll just give you two.
The offer runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 28, and you need to qualify by either never having been to Golden Nugget or not having been (i.e., played on your card) since February of this year.
You must have your offer in hand when you check in, and it must display your name and address.
To book, call John Giannos at (702) 386-8218 or email him at JGiannos@goldennugget.com with your offer and find out what he can do.
Fox Searchlight is screening the new movie Whip It, about Ellen Page finding her calling in a roller derby league.
The movie is directed by Drew Barrymore and is based on Shauna Cross's novel Derby Girl. It also stars Juliette Lewis and some real-life roller girls.
The screening takes place Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Brenden Theatres (at The Palms).
To get a pass, visit this link, select "Las Vegas," click "Brenden Palms," and enter some information (only your email has to be truthful, as they'll email your pass for 2).
Perry Ellis is running a limited suit sale, with jacket and slacks for a hundred bucks.
Or jacket separately for $70 and slacks for $30.
They have this twice a year, and we always trek down to the outlet mall on South Strip (across I-15 on the east side of Silverton) to check 'em out.
Heck, we're there once a month anyway to pick up cheap clothes when we don't feel like going to the dry cleaner's.
The sale runs through Oct. 20 at all Perry Ellis stores. No coupons are accepted to further discount.
Following a grand opening featuring a free Vince Neil concert a couple of weeks ago the the latest Vince Neil Ink at the Rio Resort in Las Vegas continues to attract the serious "skin as art" crowd. A stop by the upscale tatoo parlor on Friday found all the ink artist busy with cliens while waiting customers browsed through the shop decorated with some famous guitars and displays of Counts Kustoms, ultra custom choppers.
Stop by the Rio and take a stroll through Masquerade Village to the newest Vince Neil Ink shop. You never know who might be there getting a tatoo.
Courtesy of Metro, we thought you might like to take a peek at the mugshots of those arrested at the Hard Rock pool over the Labor Day holiday.
Eight people were arrested: seven for drug peddling, and one for prostitution.
A handsome lot they are, can you guess which ones were drugs and which one solicited sex?
In other Fontainebleu Las Vegas news, it appears as if companies are surrounding the forced-into-bankruptcy-before-being-finished mega casino/hotel like a pack of wolves around a lone deer.
And it won't be inexpensive: debts are estimated at $1.5 billion (with a "b") to finish and open the 4,000-room casino resort.
Two prominent leaders of the pack look to be Penn National Gaming and Apollo Management.
Penn National is well-known outside of Las Vegas with multiple casinos, primarily in the racino arena. They've been trying to angle a foothold on the Vegas market for years, last expressing interest in Tropicana.
Apollo Management is the private equity firm that owns Harrah's, which recently paid off the debt of Planet Hollywood.
Hmm... buy up debt to get into further debt. How could anyone lose?
Fountainebleau Resort under construction on the Las Vegas strip has dropped allegations against the Deutsche Bank for conflict if interest. Deutsche Bank owns a competing Las Vegas hotel, Cosmopolitan at CityCenter.
The 70% complete resort complex on the Las Vegas strip is rumored to have a potential buyer for the property even though problems have plagued the project since revolver lenders did not make good on their agreement to provide final stage funding needed to complete the resort. The lawsuit against the revolver lenders will go to trial.
Project developer and Miami businessman, Jeffrey Soffer, runs the three companies controlling the project - Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Fontainebleau Holdings LLC and Fontainebleau Las Vegas Capital Corp. A 63-story tower overlooks the $3 billion, 3.4 million square feet of resort space. Construction stopped last spring and the project filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection last June.
Las Vegas Market has the World Market Center in downtown Las Vegas all abuzz as attendance exceeds expectations with the highest registration in the last five consecutive markets and double the number of foreign manufactures of the last market, according to Las Vegas Market sources.
Is this a good omen for the World's sick economy? The Las Vegas Market showcases furnishings for homes and offices, a market especially hard hit by the foreclosure pandemic. A return of buyers would be great news on many fronts.
Cleveland Clinic received the green light from the Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday for a proposed downtown medical facility. The Council unanimously agreed to donate 4.5 acres of vacant land in downtown Las Vegas to the nonprofit medical group for the construction of a specialized medical treatment and research center in Las Vegas.
The land is adjacent to the under construction Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health located at the site of the old railway yard behind the Union Plaza Casino and across the street from the World Market Center and Clark County government complex. Council members expressed hope that a Cleveland Clinic Center would bring world class medical facilities and treatments to the Las Vegas area thus voiding the need to travel outside the valley for specialized medical treatment.
Cleveland Clinic already operates the Lou Revo Center for Brain Health and is ranked as the No. 1 U.S. medical center for heart care for the past 15 years by U.S. News & World Report. Plans for the center are expected to be available by January, 2010; although, no time table for completion has been released. An option for an additonal 7.7 acres has been offered to the Cleveland Clinic Group.
Hulu.com, the website that offers free streaming TV and movies sponsored by commercials and supported by networks and movie studios, now has a Vegas On Demand channel.
The channel allows viewers to subscribe (for free) or search to view the latest clips showcasing our fine neon city.
The lifestyle channel features celebrity interviews, fashion, gaming, entertainment, and anything Las Vegas.
There are currently 22 clips. We watched the Chicken Ranch Brothel piece, a comedic interview about it being sold for $6.9 million, with one of the questions of the manager: "Did you sleep your way to the top?"
Planet Hollywood has had some negative press lately, what with poker employees arrested for stealing money and nightclubs closed for illegal activities.
Now extreme debt has forced the hotel-casino to accept a loan to stave off bankruptcy.
And who stepped up to pay part of PH's $860 million loan?
Their next-door competitor Harrah's.
Harrah's owns most of the casinos on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip, including Paris Las Vegas which is on the north side of Planet Hollywood.
Back when they were public, rumors swirled that Harrah's was planning to connect their properties into a sprawling mega casino mall. Their last purchase was Barbary Coast, renamed to Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon. Barbary Coast interrupted Harrah's flow between Flamingo and Bally's; with its purchase, they didn't have to build a bridge to hop over Barbary.
But then they went private, the economy tanked, and plans were squashed (though a recent news item has Harrah's interested in extending their Carnival Court around the Flamingo/Bill's area).
Absorbing Planet Hollywood's debt puts Harrah's in the position to snap up the former Aladdin casino, extending Harrah's reach by another building.
Summer is fading away even here in Las Vegas with daytime temps barely reaching the century mark and overnight lows dipping into the seventies. Days are growing shorter, a promise that the autumn holidays will soon be here.
A final stroll through the Bellagio's summer themed Conservatory featuring an antique ferris wheel. Known as Big Eli #5, the ferris wheel was constructed in 1922 by the Eli Bridge Co. in Jacksonville, Illinois. Standing more than 40 feet tall and sporting over 2,300 lights the attraction has thrilled many over the decades and continues to draw a crowd.
Las Vegas locals joint Sam's Town is suffering from a rash of robberies of their customers and I say this from first hand experience. My spouse has now been robbed twice while playing slots at the Boulder Highway casino. The first time she actually ran the guy and restrained him until security caught up. He was handed over to Metro police and prosecuted thanks to her efforts which included a trip to court to testify resulting in the crook receiving jail time.
Last evening she was playing at the Boyd Gaming owned Boulder Highway Casino and once again she was approached by a down and outer and subsequently robbed. This time the perp got away with her cash. The property has fallen into a state of dereliction along with the surrounding neighborhood and the apparent lack of adequate security has made the joint easy pickings for the fleet of foot crooks. Sam's Town clientele includes many retired elderly players and that appears to be a magnet for anyone looking for a quick cash grab.
You'd think this should be the end of this sordid tale but after suffering the trauma of being robbed for the second time while inside the casino the wife was then berated by the on-duty slot manager and he implied that since this was her second time to be robbed it was something she was doing that was causing the trouble.
Since the first incident a number of patrons have come forward and shared their horror stories of robberies, purse snatchings, and threats from the gangs often seen trekking through the casino. Anyone wanting to experience a strong arm robbery, loss of money, fear for personal safety, and management that will then blame you should, by all means, go to Sam's Town. My advice is to stay far, far away from the place until they clean up their act, hire more security, and train their staff to respond to traumatized customers with a bit more compassion. Players have many choices of places to play in Las Vegas that won't subject them to a crime.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is prepping for his Sept. 19 boxing bout with Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena (some AMC movie theaters will be simulcasting live in addition to HBO pay-per-view, check your local listings).
Last month, another of his cars was involved in a shooting at the Crystal Palace Skating Center in Las Vegas.
And now JP Morgan Chase Bank has slapped a $167,000 lawsuit on him for not paying the rest of his car loan on his Mercedes Maybach 57S.
The luxury sedan, valued at $512,000, was purchased at a whopping 16 percent annual interest rate of over $415,000 (that would be $9,077 every month for 72 months). He owed $363,000 when the bank repossessed it and received $196,000 for it. The $167,000 remaining is the amount the bank is seeking to reclaim.
The 32-year-old boxer still has a $6.17 million bill from the IRS for unpaid taxes. And that's just one of many.
There's little doubt the real reason why Mayweather came out of his 11-month retirement to defeat Ricky Hatton and then his 16-month retirement to fight Marquez.
Update 6:15 PM Sunday: The Las Vegas Fire Department is reporting the fire has been extinguised and evacuees are being let back into the property. Apparently the small electrical fire produced a great deal of smoke before being extinguished. The two people taken away to a local hospital for smoke inhalation have been treated and released. A firefighter was treated at the seen for smoke ingestion.
In the continuing saga of what bad thing will happen next to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas we can now add fire. This afternoon, Sunday, around 4 PM the Las Vegas fire department was called to the property after a fiire was reported and the property was evacuated. Patrons, dealers, and other employees were left standing in the parking lots surrounding the property after a full exodus was declared.
At least two people were taken away in ambulances according to eyewitnesses and additional fire trucks were called to the scene. Further info on this breaking story as details become available.
Any job fair is a good job fair.
Even when it concerns CityCenter, which has some wondering how it can possibly open this December. But hey, if hired you'll begin work in October and still get paid even if the opening doesn't happen on time.
Job fairs take place at the CityCenter Career Center, 549 Industrial, on Sept. 14-15 (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and Sept. 19 (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.).
Sept. 14-15 focuses on food/beverage and Sept. 19 focuses on housekeeping/security.
The job fairs hope to fill 500 positions for the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas section of CityCenter, which is a nongaming hotel. Applicants must first apply at this link before attending the job fairs.
"Let's Make a Deal" returns to the airwaves this fall, and based in Las Vegas, you have an opportunity to be in the studio audience and make a deal with new host Wayne Brady.
Shows will take place at the Tropicana and tape twice daily at varying times beginning Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. (one show only for this day to work out the kinks).
Don't forget to be at least 18 years old, and come dressed in outrageous costume to increased your getting noticed by Brady.
Could what's behind door #3 be a brand new car or a goat? It's all up to you.
To get tickets, visit this link, pick the show you want to attend, and fill out your name, phone, and email.
The show premieres on CBS on Oct. 5.
The latest poker scandal involves a long-term scam that four supervisors at the Planet Hollywood poker room were involved in.
The four skimmed money out of high hand jackpots, where poker players win an amount of money if receiving 4-of-a-kind or higher. If no one received that hand that day, jackpot rake from all hands would increase the amount for the next day.
Some supervisors and managers in the poker room worked together to intercept and keep that extra money, which belonged to the players. They were also falsifying payouts to nonexistent players who received nonexistent high hands.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board had been investigating the past few months and last month arrested Thomas Kordick, Scott Marshall, Jason Peterson, and Jonathan Sanner. They were led out of the poker room in handcuffs and charged with forgery, embezzlement, and conspiracy.
Metro police arrested five men and three women at the Hard Rock Rehab Pool, a daytime party venue located at the property. Seven of the arrests are for drug charges and one female was taken in on a solicitation for prostitution offense.
The Hard Rock is the second "hip" Vegas pool place to be raided by Metro's Pool Posse recently after the Rio's Sapphire topless pool was raided and permanently closed for similar violations. Hard Rock officials stated they have a zero tolerance for this type of behavior and reminded us that 6,000 people enjoyed the pool on Sunday. I guess 8 out of 6,000 isn't so bad.
The Hard Rock was recently named in another legal action, a $645 million lawsuit involving a former CEO, drugs, and the death of a young woman.
The 44th annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon took place once again yesterday at the South Point Hotel & Casino. It spanned 21.5 hours.
Jerry Lewis hosted and pulled in $60.5 million in donations. This was off a bit from last year's $65 million, but given the economic downturn it was still significant.
"Thank you," Lewis said. "Love conquers all."
Being in Las Vegas, local entertainment included George Wallace, Terry Fator, along with Tony Orlando, Dolly Parton, Three Dog Night, Five for Fighting, and more.
To continue donating by way of auction, you can visit items at this link until Sept. 15.
Today is the grand opening of the Hard Rock Cafe... on the Las Vegas Strip.
Next to MGM Grand in the Showcase Mall, the 3-floor, 42,000 sq. ft. gleams with new technology and excitement that, we admit, puts the nearby Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (whose cafe will remain open) to shame.
The 950-seat restaurant is wired throughout for wi-fi, with Microsoft Surface tables (last seen at Rio's iBar), and an interactive Rock Wall. The Wall allows patrons to view photos and videos on a mammoth 18x4' touchscreen.
Upstairs can be converted to concert seating for 1,000 people.
Though it's the second-largest Hard Rock (next to the Orlando location), it contains the largest Rock Shop, selling all things Hard Rock.
Along with Mayor Goodman renewing his vows on 9/9/09, that day is also gearing up to be a big wedding day around town.
Like 8/8/08 last year and 7/7/07 the year before, wedding chapels will be offering discounts if you feel like a last-minute hitching.
La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton is just one that has a $99 special, with ceremony, 8x10 photo, and two tickets to the Hilton's Voices show starring Earl Turner and Lani Misalucha.
Discounts to the hotel-casino can also be had for $50 Sunday-Thursday and $70 Friday-Saturday.
In addition, for the really last-minute weddings, La Bella will even provide a witness for free.
Don't forget to tip your minister!
You've almost missed National Bowling Week this week, but you still have a chance to take part in a record-breaking bowling event tomorrow, Sept. 5, when bowlers around the country will attempt to set a world record in number of bowlers at one time.
And, courtesy of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA), Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA), the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), you can bowl for free at your local bowling alley.
Just visit bowl.com to get a coupon for a free game of bowling (valued up to $6).
Local bowling alleys at hotel-casinos include: Sunset Station, Sam's Town, Gold Coast, and The Orleans.
Happy bowling!
Want to attend Mayor Oscar Goodman's wedding vow renewal?
Wedding planning company LV Wedding Connection, the Nevada Wedding Association & Las Vegas Wedding Chapels invite you to come on down to the Fremont Street Experience on 9/9 at 6 p.m.
The renewal ceremony will take place on the Third Street Stage (near Fitzgeralds and Four Queens), with hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and dessert provided afterwards.
It's free to attend, but if you want VIP seating, contact Joni at (702) 236-8728 or email to RSVP.
Photos from the 2009 Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas last January kick off the official summer ending Labor Day weekend. Some have not been published. Check out the fun and excitement of wandering around the cavernous Sands Expo Center when it's filled with thousands of fans, dozens of adult film super stars, media teams, and the curious. This is the one Vegas expo show everyone wants to attend and it's open to the general public. Buy your fan ticket for entry into the land of sexual fantasies, live and in the flesh.
Meet and chat with the stars of the thriving adult entertainment industry. See them bare all for the art of the xxx video. Couldn't make it last year-? Check out today's gallery of Flipchip's AVN photos. Click below and you'll be close enough to see it all through a Nikon viewfinder.
It's time to think about the 2010 AVN AEE, January 7-10, expo at the sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. Make plans and tell your Santa all you want for Christmas is to be in Las Vegas with a ticket to the 2010 Adult Entertainment Expo.
More Flipchip photos after the jump. As always, if you're easily offended by the mostly bare human form you might want to take a pass. For more photos Click Here to visit the Flipchip AVN Photo Gallery.
A lawsuit was filed in Federal Court in Las Vegas naming Morgans Hotel Group, owners of the Hard Rock Hotel and casino, former Morgans Hotel Group COO Ed Scheetz, Scheetz's ex-girlfriend Annie Darrohn, and others are named as defendants in the $645 million wrongful death lawsuit following the death of 23-year-old Michelle Lynn Hatchel on August 29, 2007 in Las Vegas.
Reading like a script from a TV show, this story has everything - a major corporation condoning while underwriting a hedonistic sexually permissive and promiscuous lifestyle, a super-executive with a taste for finer things in life, love and drugs, an on-again off-again divorce featuring a jilted wife and children, jealous ex-girlfriend(s), creative pornography, private jets, $8 million homes, $10 million condos, illegal drugs in lethal quanities, and sex...lots and lots of sex.
Set this story against the glamourous neon flash of Las Vegas in a multi-million dollar penthouse suite high atop the Turnberry Towers overlooking the famous Vegas strip. Throw into the mix the untimely death of a twenty-something young lady found in the bed of the forty-something CEO and you have all the makings of a made-for-TV mystery movie. Did I fail to mention the maybe-we-did and maybe-we-didn't file a report of the "incident" coming from Metro Police, actually, a mote point because the report, whether filed or not, has apparently been misplaced.
Need more for the story line? The deceased was a student at Colombine High School in Littleton, Colorado for a couple of years, moving to Texas two weeks before the tragic events that shocked the nation. And finally, a cell phone with text messages and graphic photos.
So much for the myth, "what happens here stays here," because it didn't. So what happened? A druggie paying the ultimate price for a high or was it something else? Did a crime occur? Was it the doings of a jealous lover from the past? Could it be murder?
Read the full story here and the complete text of the lawsuit.
This Labor Day weekend wraps up the Summer of '69 Vegas or Bust streetwide party that's been going on since Memorial Day across the Fremont Street Experience.
An initiative by the 10 downtown Las Vegas casinos to attract more people and players, Summer of '69 offers t-shirts, drink specials, and free concerts and entertainment.
On Sept. 5, Canned Heat performs and on Sept. 6, Three Dog Night. Both will play on outdoor stages between 9 and 11 p.m.
Previous concerts included Jefferson Starship, The Guess Who, Bill Haley's Comets, and The 5th Dimension.
The Fremont Street Experience is the 5-block area downtown that's pedestrian-only and closed off to traffic. It's the biggest outdoor party in Las Vegas.
Who are we to comment on Paula Abdul turning down an 8-figure salary on "American Idol" (and that's per season, not even per year), when she can return to her roots and get dirty designing a show of her very own?
Just a few years ago she was in heavy talks with Silverton to put on a custom show there, until talks fell through (which included the rumor that she was responsible for getting two employees fired because she was under the impression they made her miss a flight).
Now Abdul is back on the Vegas circuit, making it known that she's in negotiations with some major Strip hotels (Venetian, Hilton, Wynn) for a new song and dance show that she will choreograph.
We suspect this is more a ploy to drum up interest among the competing casino-hotels while also getting unmentioned properties (ahem, MGM Mirage, Harrah's) to notice and make a bid.
We checked the sportsbooks of each and so far there's no over/under on the number of employees Abdul will get fired this time (just kidding, Paula!).
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