360 Vegas

Random Vegas Caesars Palace legendary casino dome has a crystal chandelier that weighs approx 3,200 pounds and is comprised of 12,000 individual crystals (@VegasTravelNews) Twitpic of the week I may not like the city center complex on the strip but that isn’t saying they are sexy as hell buildings.  Especially Aria.  It’s a Vegas conundrum.  I never have any luck playing at the property and yet I still enjoy visiting it.  Did they crack the code on this one?  Is that the ultimate goal is to make it clear to people you are going to lose but you’re going to enjoy your stay.  @maverickheli really provides a fun perspective of the property that anchors an office park.  Thanks Murren. News 360VV12 Clarifications Caesars Meth Party More Fontainebleau Details Ole Red Pedestrian Bridge  Barbie Stadium Swim new rooms at Rio

Random Vegas The pool complex at Fontainebleau is six acres and will have seven pool experiences as well as gaming. The casino floor is 150k square feet with a sportsbook a little larger than 13k square feet. (@Meltzvegas) Twitpic of the week Look Familiar?  For most of you, it does not.  At least not in this incarnation.  This week @_GrandPaD shared a photo of the Sundance under construction circa 1979-80.  This was the last property Moe Dalitz opened in Las Vegas and before Circa was built, it was the newest property on Fremont St, opening in 1980.  Still stumped?  For a while it was known as Fitzgerald’s.  Today it’s known as the D Las Vegas News 360VV12  NBA In-Season Tournament Gaming Revenue Down The Sphere Dets Vegas Arena and Entertainment District Hostage Situation

Random Vegas The 2023 WSOP main event at Horseshoe Vegas is officially the largest of all time with 8,846 total entries (CardPlayer.com) Twitpic of the week So often people share pictures with us that we have to encourage them to share the photo via Twitter so it can be a candidate for Twitpic of the week.  This week’s winner by @TheCrybabyVegas is an example of that situation.  Here we get to see the view from his room at NYNY during his most recent trip and it’s a beauty dominated primarily by the property's roller coaster with a nice shot of MGM and Tropicana in the background.  Much like arial photographs, pictures of things like the behind the scenes needed to make the magic real of Las Vegas happen will always catch my attention.  The trick is to collect both something we’ve all seen with something most people don’t in the same photo.  You now have your mission.  Go out and impress us. News Death Defying Cirque VegasNearMe

Random Vegas While preparing the Landmark for implosion, two men were accused and convicted in April 1998 of violating the Clean Air Act by improperly removing asbestos from the hotel before its 1995 demolition. The jury found a third defendant innocent. In March of 2001, he 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco reversed the convictions. (Vintage Research) Twitpic of the week In a city where you are mathematically certain to lose, perspective is critical.  It’s beating the odds that still attracts people to the tables over and over again.  That sort of perspective is prevalent in this week’s winner.  Despite nightly baths, Fremont St is largely considered dirty.  Maybe its because of all the buskers, maybe its because it’s a pedestrian mall.  Whatever the reason, this week @LuckyTraveling shows us that perspective can also showcase just how beautiful Fremont is, showcasing some of the oldest properties on the famed road with the Viva Vision screen shading all.  We typically lament the loss of a

Random Vegas The million dollar display at Binion’s has returned.  The display case holds $42,000 in $1 dollar bills, $688,000 in $20 dollar bills and $270,000 in $100 dollar bills. (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week Yup, this is a picture of Caesars Palace in the 1970s, after their first expansion tower, the Centurion tower, was built.  The place looks almost unrecognizable except for the famous fountains.  While they have been Re themed to look more like Roman architecture, both of these hotel towers are still in use to this day.  This picture, shared by @las_when, makes one wonder if people bitched about parking back in the day.  You’ll have to see this picture to understand what I’m talking about.  You should see a link in the show notes of your podcast player. News Pinky Ring Plaza Carousel bar Lupo Bye Bye  

Random Vegas There is enough concrete in the CityCenter complex to build a 4 foot sidewalk from Las Vegas to New York and back (sincitytalk.com) Twitpic of the week Say what you will about Stratosphere but its undeniably a landmark in the Vegas skyline, captured in stunning fashion by @MaverickHeli.  Even just as a silhouette its instantly recognizable.  Anytime I lose my bearings I just look to the Stratosphere to reorient myself.  Some say the property broke Bob Stupak but Bob would tell you it was his dream to build it and that goal was accomplished, even if it did cost him his stake in the company.  While its debated if Stratosphere is located on or off strip what isn’t challenged is its status as an icon. News Las Vegas studios Special Session

Random Vegas All the rooms at the Golden Nugget are now non-smoking.  It’s believed the practice was put into place after the last room fire they had on the 11th floor of the Gold Tower in 2021.  That fire damaged about 200 rooms, mostly water damage from the sprinklers. (Vital Vegas and Vintage Research) Twitpic of the week Seems no one remembers that Stardust was a run down, low-roller joint at the time of its closure.  Similar to my love for Dunes, when we lose something we only had limited or no exposure to we romanticize it.  Like this week’s winner from @Summacorp.  It is not disputed that the Stardust marquee is one of the most iconic in Vegas history. Fortunately that sign was donated to the Neon Museum.  The bad news is the sign is so large odds are it will never be refurbished and relit at the Neon Boneyard but one can hope. News Downtown Shooting Slide to win A’s Update Todd English exodus part 2

Random Vegas The original MGM Grand, now Bally’s, had the first movie theaters ever built into a hotel (@vitalvegas) Twitpic of the week One of the challenges new residents of Vegas that love the city like we do have to learn how to drive, is paying attention while you’re driving and not gawkin.  This week’s pic by @_GrandPaD illustrates that better than any I’ve seen before.  It’s just fuckin miles of eye candy and I have to try and ignore all of it.  While I am a giant fan of the FSE and Turing all that space into a pedestrian mall, at night, it must have been impossible to drive down Fremont St.

Random Vegas The lead singer of Devo did the cool/creepy art in the men’s room at Park on Fremont restaurant. (@VitalVegas) Twitpic of the week In what can be agreed is the sexiest Golden Nugget exterior signage ever looked as in the late 60s.  A time when Gold didn’t look like yellow.  The glow of the signage somehow embodies the phrase “feel all warm and fuzzy inside.” But Golden Nugget’s story is longer than that and even the signage couldn’t keep up with the demand caused its evolution into the property it is today.  Thanks to @las_when for sharing it News El Cortez expansion New Sphere, Same Problems The Match @Wynn

Random Vegas 40% of MGM Resorts guests decline daily housekeeping (VitalVegas) Twitpic of the week Simply Elegant and somehow sexy, like the leg lamp in a Christmas Story.  Milton Prell’s Aladdin’s original marquee was a looker, shared this week by @summacorp.  It’s not a marquee often featured in the great marquees of Las Vegas but it should be.  I can’t describe it without doing a huge disservice.  It’s like a neon ice cream cone but with an ad for Nudes On Ice on it. News Tropicana Stadium Play Playground Las Vegas BLVD complex

To summarize, although there were multiple service issues, it didn’t spoil our enjoyment. This place should do very well, having good beers, burgers and pizza right off the bat. The draw is going to be that roof terrace, the drawback is going to be the location. Price wise it’s in line with the rest of the strip with $11 beers and food at resort level pricing. Overall in our opinion, it’s worth a visit. It will be interesting to hear what other people think.

Random Vegas Caesars hotels in Vegas had 95% occupancy in Q1.  21% of those rooms were occupied by groups/conventions (@MeltzVegas) Twitpic of the week No doubt this week’s winner by @summacorp is a screenshot of a scene in a film but then again, film is just thousands of pictures capturing seconds of action.  Call it what you want, I call it beautiful.  I love the Fremont St experience canopy but I will always find pictures without it breathtaking.  Something about a pitch black sky illuminated by miles of neon tubing that does it for me. If you feel the same way your gonna love this week’s winner News Horseshoe Fire Parisian Expansion Aheren > Lucky Dragon?

Random Vegas Vegas is a trending topic on twitter almost 365 days a year. (@vegasClub) Twitpic of the week It’s a sign o’ the times.  The only thing that never changes is change.  However seldom does a brand from the past resurrected in Las Vegas.  This week’s winner by @jamesInLasVegas captures the conversion from Bally’s to Horseshoe, well, at least the signage.  So far the conversion has been little more than an updating of signage but that doesn’t matter.  What matters is the Horseshoe has returned to the market.  Make sure you enjoy it while you can because again, the only constraint in life is change this to will pass. News Bent Inn FSE 2023 concert lineup Illuminating Vic Sphere Tour w/U2 

One of the great things about a Vegas trip is all the opportunity for surprises. Not bad surprises, like the bell desk lost your luggage or you just checked in and there’s a used prophylactic in your sheets.Good surprises, like a jackpot, or a delicious new drink, or finding out that random restaurant you decided to try has the best food ever. On my most recent trip to Vegas, I got to experience one of those good surprises when we decided to check out SIX: The Musical during its limited residency at the Venetian. (An aside: I think that I’m a little more tapped into the theater scene than the average straight American male. This is due to a rather diverse resume that includes a non-zero amount of time working backstage in professional theater.  So I still hear stuff from friends in the entertainment industry.  But this show was not on my radar at all.) Werk. Part of the reason for this is that SIX: The Musical is a relatively new show.  Conceived in 2017 for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, SIX quickly m

Random Vegas 39 Las Vegas poker rooms closed since 2012.  10 of those closed for the pandemic and never reopened. None have closed in since Sept of 2021.  Currently there are 19 poker rooms in Las Vegas.  (@john_mehaffey) Don’t ask me where they are because that information wasn’t in the tweet. Twitpic of the week Possibly the best picture of how the strip has evolved to today taken by @maverickheli.  True, it shows a still in progress Resorts World but that doesn’t take away from the picture.  It’s still an excellent capturing of Mandalay to Strat.  To top it all off, something that most visitors overlook all the time are the mountains.  Locals are surrounded by picturesque mountains because the strip and downtown are in a valley. Next time you get a chance, allow our eyes to venture beyond the builds and appreciate just how beautiful southern Nevada is. News Mirage/Hard Rock Local Offers Las Vegas Athletics Golden Nugget Sports Betting App Mekka Walgreens Little Brother 

Random Vegas Sin City Sindy, formerly identified as the world’s biggest stripper at 31 feet tall, used to stand outside of the stripper bar located at the back of the Miracle Mile shops, by the V Theater and Blonde’s sports bar.  While Sindy is still there today, the name of the bar has been changed to the more politically correct “showgirl bar”.  While her stripper pole still remains her breasts, formerly said “Stripper Bar” now only says Bar. (VitalVegas) Twitpic of the week Proof that photoshop isn’t always a bad thing, or that you can create a pretty cool version of the strip with a light bright.  This week’s winner, shared by @Begas_Vaby, shows photoshop’s ability to enhance the view into something more like we see in our dreams.  Awash with various colored lights the strip is unrivaled in their use of exterior illumination, even if those have been dimmed to save money. News 360VV12 GA Harlem Nights Hotel & Casino Strat Still doesn’t Get It Strip Tiki Bar Returns Absinthe Expansion White Sands Motel

My heart just got all achey-breaky. This next review is one that I’ve been hanging on to for some time.  Listeners with excellent memories might recall that back in spring of 2022, when I submitted my first review to be read on the show, we figured out that my wife and I were at a show the previous week that Mark was also at. I’m kind of in awe at how much has changed since then. I started as a regular contributor, then I attended my first Vegas Vacation, then we all started hanging out together on the many trips I’ve taken to Vegas since, and then Keren got tired of reading my reviews on the show, and so now here we are recording together. So today, let’s talk about the first time Mark and I hung out in the same room, even though we didn’t know it at the time. Let’s talk about X-Country. Okay, so let’s get this out of the way. I like women. If women choose to be naked in front of me, I like that, too. As I type these words out onto the screen, it occurs to me that I probably cannot review this show without

Random Vegas In a casino cage, damaged currency (slot machines refuse to accept) is referred to as “mute money.” “Mute” is shorthand for “mutilated.” (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week The more I look at this picture the more I appreciate the evolution of the Riviera.  Not just the hotel towers but the signage as well.  While she wasn’t in the best of conditions at the end she was still a classy broad…or gawdy.  The two tend to often blur in Vegas.  This arial picture of the property in March of 96, shared by @summacorp, showcases a few things about the Riviera.  It shows the rooftop pool that never came to fruition as well as just how much of the marquee signage tower was an employ shell in the inside.  This property will always have a special place in my heart because of how much the Martin Scorsese movie Casino was filmed at the property.  For more on that, you’ll have to check out our 360 Vegas POV series on the film, available exclusively to Patreon subscribers for $7 per month, less than a fancy cup of

Random Vegas When Wynn was building Bellagio, to pull in the kind of numbers he needed to make the place profitable, he knew he needed a show that would put people in the seats 6 days a week. So he went to Cirque and requested a production centered around water. Originally, it was going to be called Eau, the French word for water. However, people inside the organization were concerned that Americans would mispronounce it as “Eww”, so instead they went with the way it was pronounced, O.   Twitpic of the week  Holy...fuckin...shit. This week’s winner, shared by @stratvegas is fucking epic. Come on, a desert icon like the Stratosphere in the foreground of an epic collection of snow covered mountains in the background is simply breath taking. Seriously, words are escaping me. Do yourself a favor and check this week’s winner out. Simply stunning News Nightmare Las Vegas Wahlburgers 2: Wahlburgery Six: The Musical

Random Vegas Treasure Island was originally planned to be an addition to the Mirage before eventually deciding it develop it into a separate property (sincitytalk.com) Twitpic of the week “Holy shit, that used to exist” is the first thing I exclaimed the first time I saw this picture of the Riviera’s porte cochere, circa 1969.  With stunning curves and swooping elegance, it stood as a shining example of the art deco playbook at its pinnacle and proves that buildings can be sexy as well as functional.  This is what the place looked like when Dino was part owner as well as headliner.  I’d like to imagine that @_GrandpaD is a vindictive old man who enjoys showing things the rest of us can only be teased by.  Thanks…dick. News 360 Vegas Vacation 12 Bottled Blonde