Vegas News is published every other week, so it’s more of a roundup of what’s happening than actual breaking news. This is just a heads-up for those who stumble upon this and see “old news.”
There has been such big news since the last column that Mr. TravelZork and Movestro actually recorded a podcast before I could share the details. GASP!
You can watch or listen to the podcast about Fertitta and Caesars here.
While you’re at it, check out the podcast with Tim Lawson. He’s a smart guy whom I often agree with, so you know he has good taste. Let’s get to the news.
The crew didn’t fire up another emergency podcast about MGM’s possible acquisition by People Inc. so I’ll start there.
Almost a month ago, I shared a letter from People Inc. (FKA IAC) saying that the company was planning on taking action with its shares of MGM. The company was and is the largest shareholder. You can see the press release and letter to MGM here.
Earlier this week, the company announced plans to acquire a majority stake in the company and take it private. You can see the letter here.
MGM Resorts acknowledged the offer and will discuss it. See that press release here.
I did some digging on Barry Diller of People and shared details about the deal and how he operates businesses. To make a long story short, he buys distressed assets and takes them private. Once he turns the business around, he takes the new company public again. Take Expedia, for example. Read more here.
The podcast crew shared some thoughts on the agreement for Tilman Fertitta to acquire Caesars and its debt. The deal will take about a year to close. It took 13 months for the Eldorado deal with Caesars to close. Here’s the announcement, and I added a little color here.
Fun fact: The Venetian, including the convention center and real estate, sold for $6.2 billion in 2022. Read about the deal here.
The value of Caesars ‘ land-based casinos, the land it owns, and Caesars Digital, according to the deal, is less than $6 billion.
Who’s having fun?! I’ll be digging around for more info over the next few weeks, so keep an eye on the socials. Let’s get to the rest of the news around Las Vegas.
The road to America250 starts here. This Memorial Day, Hoover Dam lit up to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice — and the display runs through July 4. Plan your visit at https://t.co/GloC9XqUWc pic.twitter.com/TaUdVUlG1o
— Las Vegas (@Vegas) May 26, 2026
Las Vegas is going all out for America’s 250th birthday, including the massive American Flag at Hoover Dam. Read more here.
Beginning this weekend, there will be fireworks shows for eight consecutive weeks, seven on the Vegas Strip. See the dates and locations here.
In July, Station Casinos will celebrate its 50th anniversary with fireworks and promos, including a sweet reversible satin jacket. Read more here.
Last week, I closed the door on the Cromwell, a casino I liked more than most people I know.
It’s time to look forward to Vanderpump Hotel, which is already transformed, although I’ll wait until the grand opening next week to visit. You can read about the new bar here and the new marketing campaign here.
The one-and-done Las Vegas Grand Prix will continue until 2037. The first year of the race was 2023. Read more here.
I stopped by Caesars Palace last week and caught this view of the Hard Rock Guitar Tower and the shell of the original Mirage hotel from the parking garage.
Nobody loves parking more than TravelZork readers. Fontainebleau is extending free parking for locals and reward program members until Labor Day. See the tweet here.
You already know that Le Cirque at Bellagio is closing in August. They recently announced two special menus for the last few weeks of operations. Get prices and menus here.
For the second month in a row, Las Vegas casinos racked up revenue from mini baccarat players. Revenue from the game was up 283% from a year ago on the strip and more than 70% downtown. I shared details on that and the visitation to Las Vegas here.
Conor McGregor is fighting Max Holloway as part of International Fight Week at T-Mobile Arena. Get details on the UFC card here and IFW here.
Thanks to Hurdy Gurdy Justin for the heads up on this. WWE’s Triplemania is coming to Luxor in September. Get the details here.
There’s no major news about Bally’s or the A’s stadium or from Bally’s about a casino, but here’s a look at the past seven days of construction. You should notice one thing.
I’m not a mall guy, and the idea of malls on the Vegas Strip is antithetical to how I feel, but I shared some info on what will make BLVD different from others on the Strip. Read about it here.
Marriott Bonvoy and BetMGM have a sweepstakes promotion. Read more here.
I have two restaurants on my must-try list. Maroon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi at Sahara is one of them and opened a couple of weeks ago. Read more here.
I’m not sure if Sunset Station is on many of your hit lists, but the upgrades look great. See and read more here.
Nothing is happening for a future Las Vegas NBA team, but you can read more words about that here.
The lineup for the iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena in September was announced. Read more here.
BTS will return to Las Vegas for the show. I know 99.99% of you aren’t familiar with the group, but I am, so I’ll help educate you a little. The four concerts at Allegiant Stadium generated huge business outside of the show. Read more here.
People lined up for merch at 2 a.m. the morning before the concerts. See the video below.
BTS is breaking all-time radio and streaming records. Read about that here.
Slap fighting is returning to the Cosmopolitan in July. Read more here.
Thankfully, Fluffy won’t have to deal with the slapping. He’s returning to the Cosmopolitan in September. Read more here.
MGM Resorts has big plans for the summer. Read more here.
Renovations at Green Valley Ranch continue to be revealed. The latest is the new conference space. Read more here.
Tim Allen and Marlon Wayans are participating in MGM Grand’s Aces of Comedy. Read more here.
Outside of Vegas: Yamavaa in CA is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with a bunch of fun promotions, including giving away Cameron’s dad’s car. Read more here.
Last and least, Zoox is starting routes away from the Vegas Strip. I caught this one at Dessert Inn and either Arville or Valley View.
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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.