Binion's Horseshoe officially changed ownership on Thursday and the name Horseshoe for the first time in more than fifty years is no longer a part of downtown Las Vegas. The historic landmark casino was acquired from Becky Binion Behnen, daughter of Horseshoe founder Benny Benion, by Harrah's Entertainment and reopened April 1st, 2004. Harrah's then sold the property to MTR Gaming Group of Chester, WV. MTR also owns and operates the Speedway Casino in North Las Vegas. Harrah's had a contract to manage the property that expired at 12:01 am Thursday. Harrah's Entertainment retained the Horseshoe name and the World Series of Poker. They acquired Horseshoe Gaming Holding Company, owned by Benny's son Jack Binion, in 2004 for $1.45 billion giving Harrah's the exclusive rights to the Horseshoe trademark.

MTR Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Roger Slepelak, said the property, now named Binion's, would be revived in the style and spirit of the original 54 year old casino. One of the first things they will do is reopen the popular hamburger grill located near the poker room. Slepelak went on to say the property is planning poker tournaments to replace the departed WSOP and the tournaments will follow the rich tradition set by Benny Binion. The casino chips will be replaced with the new Binion's chips over the next few days and all of the table covers were replaced with the new Binion's logo covers Thursday morning. The exterior Horseshoe signage will be replaced over the next few months.

The World Series of Poker, a hallmark event for the downtown property for the last thirty-five years, has permanently relocated to Harrah's Rio Hotel and Casino just off the south Las Vegas Strip. Las Vegas major, Oscar Goodman, negotiated a return to the Horseshoe for the final two days of the 2005 WSOP Championship event as a part of the city's bicentennial celebration. This year's $10,000 championship hold'em event is anticipated to have a prize pool in excess of $60 million and rumor says the entries will be capped at 6600.

In other Las Vegas news the Gaming Control Board needed only two hours to unanimously vote for license recommendation for Steve Wynn's Wynn. property. Wynn has one final step remaining in the permit process, Approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission, which will take place later this month. The $2.5 billion strip resort complex is scheduled to open April 28th. One of the hotel's features is a 28 table poker room in the world's most palacious surroundings.

For anyone that is around Las Vegas this weekend and have not noticed the extra hundred thousand autos, three hundred thousand extra people, more motor homes than Winnebago, lines of people waiting to get into lines and the overpowering smell of burning rubber mixed with booze and need a reminder that this is NASCAR week at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. if all the above doesn't remind you then we have prepared a list of ways to know it is race week in Vegas. This week's Nines...

Top Nine ways to know it is NASCAR week in Las Vegas.

9. Service stations offering regular, premium or nitro.
8. All casino slot jackpot winners get a complimentary supercharger.
7. Coffee shop special, roasted roadkill.
6. Chewing tobacco sales are off the charts.
5. Most heard pickup line, "Yo baby, want me to tweek something under your hood?"
4. A Hard Rock stretched limo finishes in third place.
3. The guy in front of you in the fast food drive up line looks like Rusty Wallace; wait, it is Rusty Wallace.
2. Your neighbor paints his house to look exactly like Kurt Bush's race car.
1. Vegas hookers offering famous "burning rubber special."

That's it for today. Tomorrow has the Week in Review and J. Santos' "Muck It" cartoon.