12/12
While casino operators took time to celebrate the holidays, so did Vegas News. While there wasn’t much news, things definitely slipped past me, as well as many popular news outlets.
Since it’s a light news week, I’ll share some quick hits from my recent visits to the Strip at the end.
Well, it’s a new year, so let’s get to it!
You can find more info about New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas here.
The most significant news to kick off the new year is that W-2Gs will now be issued for slot machine and video poker jackpots of $2,000 or more, up from $1,200. There’s another tax law for people who claim gambling losses as a deduction. You can see an overview of both here.
Last night I learned about the non-gaming Fountain Club from MGM Resorts. It’s not part of MGM Rewards, and I need to learn more about this, but you can find more information on Reddit.
Netflix Bites is leaving the MGM Grand, and the cafe is returning. Read more here.
Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend takes place on April 24 at the Orleans. It’s a blast whether you like the music or not. The people are what make this event special. Read more here.
The Connoisseur by Wynn winter lineup for wine lovers was just announced. One event will take place at Allegiant Stadium. Get details on the different events here.
I don’t visit the Cosmopolitan often, so this dealer-assisted ETG installation is new to me. It was packed by the time I left the property around 1:30 am.
Semi-related, three craps tables were open. Two had $25 minimum bets, and the other was $500. My visit last week was a reminder that being nice and also tipping dealers goes a long way.
The delicious ice cream shop Salt and Straw is now open at Flamingo and Paris. Read more here.
Caesars will take over sportsbook operations at the casino formerly known as Rampart this year. Expect a new layout and new video screens. Read more here.
For some reason, Rampart announced a name change the day after the Caesars release. It’s long and dumb, so I’ll still call the casino Rampart or FKA Rampart. Read more here.
After writing about Rampart, I visited it for the first time in a while. The changes are great, and it’s one of the few casinos with a waterfall. See a slideshow here and more below.
The Laugh Factory is returning to Las Vegas. It used to be at the Tropicana and will now be on the second level of Horseshoe. Read more here.
Speaking of comedy and clubs, Laugh Factory will be the most expensive of the comedy clubs in casinos. You can get more info on club prices and which comedians will be in Las Vegas this month here.
Eggslut at Rio is now open. Read more here.
The Green Valley Ranch Poker room reopened at the end of December. Read more here.
GVR also finished renovating rooms in one tower. See below and read more here.
You can read the latest Boring update about getting to the airport here.
Barry Manilow has lung cancer. Read more here.
The first Durango expansion is complete! The casino section looks great and the parking garage is a parking garage. Read more here.
Tom Brady’s sports card shop is now open at Mandalay Bay. I guess rent at Fontainbleau is too much for them to pay to be next to his Hall of Excellence exhibit. Read more here.
For some reason, Excalibur now has a tiki bar. There are no medieval tiki mugs available. See below and read more here.
Another Fintech company is attempting cashless gaming. There won’t be mass adoption of new Fintech until MGM or Caesars start using it. Anyway, if you’re curious about the new tech, you can read about it here.
Big surprise, the expensive tickets at Sphere make it the number one grossing venue in the world for its size. Read more here.
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is also on the Billboard venue lists. Read more here.
The Kitchen Table is replacing Hash House A Go Go at Rio. Read more here.
Rio has a new pizza joint. Read more here.
Aces of Comedy added a show from Chris Destafano. Nice to see them adding acts that aren’t retirement age. Read more here.
There’s a tennis exhibition coming to T-Mobile Arena. I’ve actually heard of some of the players! Read more here.
I spent a few days on the Strip with friends visiting. Here are some takeaways: Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan is still great. The pit boss at the Pai Gow table was a stickler for rules. Pin Up pizza slices at Planet Hollywood are smaller than I remember. Sunday bacon and eggs from Tom’s Watch Bar at New York-New York tasted like buffet food. Guy Fieri at Horseshoe surprisingly isn’t bad! Paris was incredibly busy, and the sportsbook bar was a blast. The best video poker bar experience I’ve had at a Caesars property outside of Monte Cristo since before Covid-19.
Marc grew up on the mean streets of the South Bronx. He's the rare combination of Yankees and Jets fan which explains his often contrarian point of view. He learned about gambling at a young age working down the street from a bookie who took action on anything from the mainstream sports to the last three digits of the purse for certain horse races. Yeah, that's a thing. Today Marc is a freelance writer and social media consultant which allows him to work anywhere there's a wifi signal. This allows him to work from the sportsbook at Red Rock Resort or the food court at The Venetian where you’ll find fast and free wifi. Writing about steak, booze, gambling and Las Vegas is a tough job but somebody has to do it.