The news last week in Las Vegas was all over the place. Let’s just get into it since there wasn’t an overriding theme.
New M life Coming Soon
Earlier this week Vegas Bright uncovered that MGM Resorts International would soon be unveiling a new M life credit card. Given the popularity of Caesars Entertainment’s Total Rewards credit card it’s surprising that it’s taken MGM Resorts so long have their own.
Much like the Total Rewards credit card, the M life Rewards credit card will bump you to the second tier of the players club. The increased benefits from being Pearl are fairly minimal but you do get free self-parking and buffet line skips. Something is better than nothing, I guess.
Later on in the week MGM Resorts announce that “M life” would become “M life Rewards.” They say that the structure of the players club won’t be changing. Your current status and points will remain intact with no imminent changes. More information on M life Rewards and the new M life Rewards credit card should be released in the next few weeks.
PlayMGM Sports Wagering App Released
MGM Resorts released their first sports wagering app, playMGM, last week. This app is a big deal in the industry as the number of casinos offering a sports wagering app on the Vegas Strip nearly doubled with its release.
playMGM is intended for casual sports bettors . If you fancy yourself a sharp and high-rolling sports bettor you might want to avoid the app as there are potentially a lot of restrictions on wagers (see details in this document). That said, the app is beautiful and runs very smoothly. Like all sports wagering apps in Nevada, you can only use the app when you’re in the state. You can fund an account at any MGM Resorts sports book. Visit playMGM.com for more information.
Another Huge Music Venue Coming Soon
Las Vegas Sands, the owner of The Venetian and The Palazzo, announced plans this week to build a music venue behind the two resorts. The 400,000-square foot music venue will be a partnership with the Madison Square Garden Company. The plan for the yet-to-be-named venue would be to host large (arena) concert tours, residencies and other performance productions. The venue is expected to hold 17,5000 people which is the size of most arenas around the country.
Live Nation Entertainment would be another partner with this building which is helpful for a city with more large entertainment venues than you might expect from a city this size. There’s no timetable for construction so there’s no opening date on the horizon.
Jewel Nightclub Opens At Aria
The newest nightclub in Las Vegas opened last weekend. Jewel Nightclub replaces Haze at Aria. Hakkasan operates Jewel so you can expect a similar experience that you’ll find at Omnia and Hakkasan. If you’re into nightclubs, you should know that Intrigue opened a few weeks ago at Encore. The new concept takes the place of Tryst.
New Plaza Pool Opens July 2
The Plaza will open its new rooftop pool just in time for July Fourth weekend. This won’t be just a pool. In addition to an actual pool, the new deck will feature private cabanas, several lily pad daybeds, a 12-person hot tub, performance stage, a bar, gaming, tennis, basketball and pickleball courts, a food truck and more. There’s a shortage of great pool experiences in downtown Las Vegas so this should be a welcome addition to downtown Las Vegas. This kind of pool area could become the difference of a visitor staying at the Plaza or somewhere else.
On a related note, you might want to check out this video if you’re not familiar with the Pickleball craze sweeping the nation. Seriously, maybe.
New Poker Room Opens At Encore
Earlier this year the Wynn closed their poker room to make way for a new shopping esplanade that will be built in that part of the casino. Poker hasn’t entirely left Wynn but it’s moved over to a new room at Encore. The new poker room is almost 2/3rd larger than the old room but Wynn only added 3 more tables (25 to 28). The extra room will make the space more comfortable for players.
In addition to poker tables, the new poker room has a sports book window and 37 televisions to watch the games. This is a nice convenience since the sports book at Wynn is about a 5-minute walk. As you’d expect from Wynn, the new poker room is beautiful. You can see photos and find more information at CardPlayer.com.
World Series Of Poker Begins This Week
The 47th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) begins on May 31 at the Rio. The first phase of the world’s largest poker tournament continues until July 18. The tournament will return with the final table beginning on October 30th. The final table will crown a champion on November 1. The WSOP is free to watch in person at the Rio. It’s one of the “only in Vegas” experiences you’ll be able to enjoy at no charge. Even if you’re not a poker fan this is a sight to see.
YouStake
I always get poker fever around the WSOP and this year’s no different. I want to pass along something I just learned about. I’m not the biggest poker fan so the concept of staking a player isn’t something that’s on my mind very often. YouStake.com allows You to Stake a player’s buy-in for different poker tournaments. This might be a good investment opportunity if you follow poker closely. Visit the website and watch this video for more information:
Taco Bell Coming To The Vegas Strip
Yeah. Taco Bell is coming to the Vegas Strip. Get excited.
Taco Bell Cantina will open at Harmon Corner next to Planet Hollywood. The mall already has Walgreens, Panda Express, McDonald’s and Twin Peaks so why not Taco Bell. This new cantina concept for Taco Bell is more similar to a quick-serve restaurant like Chipotle than a regular fast food version of Taco Bell. According to Eater, the restaurant will offer booze, different menu items and different decor than traditional Taco Bell restaurants.
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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.
Marc, thanks for all the updates. Good stuff!
Glad you’re enjoying! This column is so much fun to compile and write.