The Vegas Guide Thread (tips & tricks)

[succubiss]

I must say 4 queens has some of the best nevada prime rib and onion rings. thats always on my list of things to do. Have fun!

[Borst]

Originally posted by El Scorcho
Well, it's as ghetto fabulous as we want to get anyway. Compared to what we're used to staying in on the strip!

I'll look for your money. Any evasion techniques I should use when I get chased after by about 18 security guards?

marbles lots and lots of marbles, toss them down behind you and the guards will be falling all over themselves. and double up the bulletproof vests or learn to dodge bullets is probably better

We changed our trip a bit and are now staying at Treasure Island so thats pretty sweet, stayed there before and very nice rooms (with high speed internet that my boss needs so he can process orders)

Anyone been to any clubs is vegas? I've only been to The Beach, Studio 54 (about 5 times cause we used to stay at MGM a lot), Coyote Ugly (more like dudefest I think there were like 5 girls there other than the workers), and somewhere else I cant remember where though. I want to hit the Palms and go to Rain, and maybe Voodoo lounge at Rio, basically somewhere to go and drool over the hot chicks (it'll be 2 single guys and 2-3 married guys so probably no strip clubs cause was hard enough for me to get the guys to go without the wives)

[Red Dog]

Originally posted by Borst


Anyone been to any clubs is vegas? I've only been to The Beach, Studio 54 (about 5 times cause we used to stay at MGM a lot), Coyote Ugly (more like dudefest I think there were like 5 girls there other than the workers), and somewhere else I cant remember where though. I want to hit the Palms and go to Rain, and maybe Voodoo lounge at Rio, basically somewhere to go and drool over the hot chicks (it'll be 2 single guys and 2-3 married guys so probably no strip clubs cause was hard enough for me to get the guys to go without the wives)

Rum Jungle is Mandalay is cool. The best is the after-hours club, Drai's (in the Barbary Coast).

[Borst]

Originally posted by Red Dog
Rum Jungle is Mandalay is cool. The best is the after-hours club, Drai's (in the Barbary Coast).

really a club in Barbary Coast is cool?? that place is sorta dumpy and I was a c-hair from being thrown of out that casino a few trips ago (my friend tells people I was thrown out and makes the story much more exciting than just a drunk guy agrueing over how the house should play certain pai-gow poker hands haha)

[Red Dog]

Originally posted by Borst
really a club in Barbary Coast is cool?? that place is sorta dumpy and I was a c-hair from being thrown of out that casino a few trips ago (my friend tells people I was thrown out and makes the story much more exciting than just a drunk guy agrueing over how the house should play certain pai-gow poker hands haha)

Yep - it is very surprising. The club is actually below the casino floor. That's why I love doing late night gambling at the Barbary Coast. Sit down at around 3 am, play some cards, and watch the hotties stroll on by - down to the lower level of Barbary Coast. Then hit the club around 4.

[El Scorcho]

Some more about the Big Wheel project @ The Rio:

---------------
BIG WHEEL IN RIO DEAL

Here's some big news. The Rio has agreed, with Voyager Entertainment
International, Inc., to build "The World's Tallest Observation
Wheel." The 600-foot structure (150 feet taller than the Masquerade
Tower) will feature 30 "Orbitor" cabins and a 20,000-square-foot
nightclub. It will be on the southeast side of the Rio parking lot,
visible from the Las Vegas Strip and Interstate 15.

Tom Jenkin, president of Harrah's Western Division, said, "Because
the wheel will be situated off-Strip, there will be an unparalleled
panoramic view of the city in a private, luxurious environment ...
this will be a one-of-a-kind experience."

Each luxury cabin will accommodate at least 20 passengers, and each
Orbitor will contain its own restrooms and fully stocked bar and
galley. One full wheel rotation lasts approximately 27 minutes, and
the hours of operation are slated to be 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
Cabins can be booked for a variety of celebrations and activities,
including wedding parties, office retreats, corporate meetings and
individual sight-seeing.

An on-board navigator -- part entertainer and part steward -- will
deliver personalized service to every passenger, enhancing the
overall ride experience. The average ticket price will be $18 a
person. The project plans to break ground within the next two months,
with an estimated opening date of July 2005. Pretty exciting stuff,
but that's what our town's all about, isn't it?

[contrarianview]

Has anyone here stayed at the LV Hilton? This is my first trip to Sin City and I booked Friday- Monday (April 2-5) for $324; seemed reasonable. Also heard that this property might have been sold and isn't an actual "Hilton" anymore. Don't know that it really matters. Please let me know!

[El Scorcho]

Vegas TV, coming soon to a TV near you!

Special to Gaming Wire
Norm Clark

Details of Las Vegas' first TV network are being unveiled at a launch party in a week, with airing to begin in February.

A Jan. 19 announcement is scheduled at OPM, the Caesars Palace nightclub and home base of the network until a studio is built.

Conceived by a group of Los Angeles-area TV producers in partnership with the local entertainment community, the Vegas Television Network (VTV) will include entertainment and adult-oriented fare befitting its initial late night/early morning time slot, said spokesman Michael Paskevich.

VTV also will feature an interactive Web site and a video-on-demand option, according to Paskevich, the former Review-Journal entertainment writer who will be involved with "insider" Web site reports.

The consortium is keeping a lid on the new network's programming until the news conference, said Paskevich.

Two hours of VTV's kickoff party, scheduled from 8 p.m. to midnight, will be broadcast live to more than 22 million U.S. households.

There have been published reports that Planet Hollywood has ambitious plans as well involving an in-house TV studio, once owner Robert Earl completes the takeover of the Aladdin this year.

Partners in the VTV joint venture include Turner Media Group, Starscape Entertainment, Beck-Ola Productions, the Informedia Group and Associated Television International. The group collectively has extensive experience in launching networks, including HBO, the Playboy Channel, Fox, UPN, the Food Network and TBS.

Vegaswatch.com's Las Vegas & gambling news is posted daily in cooperation with Gaming Wire. Any use of this material without permission is prohibited

[Red Dog]

Originally posted by contrarianview
Has anyone here stayed at the LV Hilton? This is my first trip to Sin City and I booked Friday- Monday (April 2-5) for $324; seemed reasonable. Also heard that this property might have been sold and isn't an actual "Hilton" anymore. Don't know that it really matters. Please let me know!

Don't really care for the location. Although, it is a very short cab ride from Olympic Garden.

[Dubya]

Originally posted by Red Dog
Don't really care for the location. Although, it is a very short cab ride from Olympic Garden.

Speaking of which, I will be making my annual first round of the NCAA tournament trip to Vegas and was wondering if it is true that if you would like multiple dances from the same dancer at OG you could negotiate a discounted price in advance? If so, does it vary from girl to girl or are they are agreeable to that? Maybe this should be in mature or hot deals?

[Red Dog]

Originally posted by Dubya
Speaking of which, I will be making my annual first round of the NCAA tournament trip to Vegas and was wondering if it is true that if you would like multiple dances from the same dancer at OG you could negotiate a discounted price in advance? If so, does it vary from girl to girl or are they are agreeable to that? Maybe this should be in mature or hot deals?

Some dancers will do that - obviously it differs for each dancer.

[El Scorcho]

Can you buy bulk rate lapdances at Orbitz?

I just booked my trip for March 18-20 at the fabulous Four JulieWalkers Queens casino downtown for $50/night.

[Dubya]

Originally posted by Red Dog
Some dancers will do that - obviously it differs for each dancer.

Thanks, personally I prefer variety but the guys I go with tend to fixate on one and drop $200-$300 on each girl.

[Borst]

We booked our trip last week, got air and hotel for $375 person. Staying at Treasure Island thursday-sunday so that was a decent deal, booking the hotel would have been $500+ so $125/person and that means we paid $250 for airfare wich is about $50 cheaper than could have booked separately but the times we got are much better than our options for more money. Only bad thing with booking a package is you can't get your hotel paid for by gambling at your casino (but also we won't be playing at TI a lot trying to get everything comped)

[El Scorcho]

This is my first trip downtown. I'm kinda curious how the gambling will turn out, given that the major strip hotels I've stayed at (NY NY, Bellagio, MGM) have bent me over when it comes to video poker and slot machine tightness.

I've only spend 2 hours downtown or so and did really well down there. I wonder how it will all pan out for a 2.5 day trip.

I'm past the point where I go to Vegas to look at volcanoes and white tigers. I'm there to drink and to gamble. No real need for me to stay at those resort/casinos.

[MJKTool]

Originally posted by El Scorcho
I'm past the point where I go to Vegas to look at volcanoes and white tigers. I'm there to drink and to gamble. No real need for me to stay at those resort/casinos.

I hope to god I never get to that point!

[El Scorcho]

Yes, I believe this point is called "addiction".

[Xander]

Ah, Vegas. T-222 for me. Seems so far away. *sniff*

We always go for the non-gambling stuff. Food, alcohol, food, shopping, food, sight-seeing, food, etc. Can't wait!

X

[Borst]

El Scorcho where did you find that article on VTV?

only stuff on it I can find are articles from mid-2001

[El Scorcho]

Vegaswatch.com.. go to their message board and click on the first heading for Las Vegas News

[El Scorcho]

As quickly as it was seized, Binion's Horseshoe has been bought by Harrah's:

BY JEFF SIMPSON
GAMING WIRE

It's Harrah's Entertainment to the rescue.

Three days after federal marshals closed the 52-year-old Binion's Horseshoe and seized more than a million dollars to help settle its debts, Harrah's on Monday evening announced a deal to buy the hotel-casino from owner Becky Binion Behnen.

The purchase is expected to result in a rapid reopening of the downtown landmark property after state regulators approve the transaction, although industry insiders believe Harrah's may not be the ultimate operator.

Industry insiders valued the Harrah's purchase at about $50 million, most of it in the form of assumed Horseshoe liabilities.

Binion's is believed to owe as much as $20 million to Jack Binion's Horseshoe Gaming Holdings, $7.5 million to the Internal Revenue Service, $3 million to the Fremont Street Experience, $1 million to the Culinary union's pension and health plans, and unknown amounts to the casino's landlords and smaller creditors.

"We've reached an agreement in principle to acquire Binion's Horseshoe," Harrah's spokesman Gary Thompson said Monday evening. "The agreement is subject to execution of a definitive written agreement and receipt of regulatory and other approvals."

The terms were not disclosed but involve Harrah's assuming Binion's Horseshoe's liabilities to bona fide creditors, Thompson said.

"We're reviewing options for reopening the property as soon as is practicable," he said.

Thompson declined to say whether Harrah's itself would operate the property once it reopens, or whether Harrah's would sell or transfer the property to another owner as some industry insiders expect.

Behnen did not return a Monday phone call seeking comment but issued a statement.

"I am confident that this transaction will provide new opportunities for both the property that has meant so much to me and my family, as well as for the loyal employees who have worked with us over the years," Behnen noted.

Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman Dennis Neilander said Monday that the board will try to handle the transaction as quickly as possible.

"The board will take all appropriate measures to expedite the transaction," Neilander said.

Harrah's is regarded as an aggressive buyer in the casino business, having recently announced its $1.45 billion purchase of Horseshoe Gaming Holdings, which is owned by Behnen's brother Jack Binion, after earlier buying Harveys Casino Resorts for $675 million in 2001, Players International for $425 million in 2000, the Rio for $888 million in 1999 and the Showboat for $550 million in 1998.

Buying Binion's Horseshoe gives Harrah's two strong assets, Thompson said, referring to the Horseshoe brand name in Nevada and to the World Series of Poker.

"Our expectation is that the World Series of Poker will go on this year," said Thompson, although he couldn't say whether the event would be held at the Horseshoe. "It's one of the premier events in the world of gaming and has by far the largest prize pool of any sporting event."

Jack Binion, who ran the property for two decades before he sold the Horseshoe to Becky Behnen in 1998, said he was very happy about the deal.

"I take my hat off to Harrah's," Binion said. "I feel like everyone in the community really owes Harrah's a vote of thanks. They came to the rescue."

Binion said Harrah's is a quality operator, and the sale is tremendous news for the property's many longtime employees.

"You'd be amazed," Binion said of his former workforce. "People who've been there for 20 or 30 years. A lot of 'em have been there since they became adults. (The closure) was traumatic for 'em, so this Harrah's deal is real good news."

Culinary Local 226's top official, Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor, said the Harrah's purchase agreement is tremendous news for the Horseshoe's 450 Culinary workers.

The health and pension plans of the Culinary's parent union precipitated Friday's closure when U.S. marshals entered the casino and seized about $1 million to cover some $2 million in overdue payments.

"Harrah's is an established, well-known operator," Taylor said. "That's gigantic. Anything that gets people back to work is great, and not having IRS liens hanging over the property will be a big relief."

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman met with Behnen and Horseshoe lawyer Bob Faiss early Monday, a meeting that may have been responsible for his optimism about the Horseshoe's fate Monday evening before the deal was announced.

"The workers are my major concern, of course, but my opinion, and I'm a betting man, is that concern about the Horseshoe is premature," Goodman said. "I believe it will be open again before too long."

Before Monday evening's announcement, Horseshoe workers said Monday they felt like they were in limbo while the hotel-casino was closed.

Many said they hoped Behnen could find the cash to reopen the property. If she can't, workers said they hoped for a buyer with the cash to keep it open and save their jobs.

Many of the estimated 900 Horseshoe workers spent Monday afternoon lined up to receive their paychecks, and at least some of the property's gaming workers said they received checks. Nongaming employees are scheduled to get paid next Monday, the workers said.

Armed Binion's security officers patrolled the property's valet parking area and the sidewalk on Ogden Avenue east of First Street as a line of about 120 workers and a few family members inched toward the closed hotel to receive their checks.

"We're not quite out of a job but we're not sure we've got one," said one Horseshoe casino worker who declined to give her name, explaining that she'd be fired if she was quoted and named. "Someone's got to buy it because I don't think I could find another job as good (as this one)."

Here is the "Official Press Release from Harrah's

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.(NYSE: HET) reached an agreement in principle today with owners of Binion's Horseshoe Hotel & Casino to acquire the downtown Las Vegas property.

The purchase is subject to execution of a definitive written agreement and receipt of regulatory and other approvals. Terms of the proposed transaction were not disclosed.

"The agreement in principle contemplates that Harrah's will assume the property's liabilities to bona fide creditors who submit verifiable evidence of claims," said Charles Atwood, Harrah's Entertainment's chief financial officer. "We are also reviewing options with the casino's owners for reopening the property as soon as practicable."

"I am confident that this transaction will provide new opportunities for both the property that has meant so much to me and my family, as well as for the loyal employees who have worked with us over the years," said Becky Behnen of Binion's Horseshoe.

Founded 66 years ago, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. owns or manages through various subsidiaries 25 casinos in the United States, primarily under the Harrah's brand name. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its target customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership.

[Borst]

Originally posted by El Scorcho
As quickly as it was seized, Binion's Horseshoe has been bought by Harrah's:

damn it I wanted Jack to buy it not Harrahs (they are buying stuff like crazy lately)

[El Scorcho]

Check this shit out. Wynn's going to dominate the strip come 2005.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040108/lath065_1.html

[MACD23]

I wonder if Wynn's is the new one I saw being constructed across from the fashion show mall. (Diagonally across from Treasure Island). It was almost a semi-circle shape that caved inward and had reddish-black tinted glass windows. The glass panels were about 75% up when I was there over new years.

[El Scorcho]

Yes, that is the new resort he's putting up. Supposed to make the Bellagio look like a ghetto.

Opening in April 2005.