Vegas News | Wynn, Station, and MGM Share Lots Of News And The Las Vegas A’s Stadium Is Coming Along
We’re in earnings season, so get ready for a bunch of info from the Las Vegas casino corporations. But first… The Super Bowl is the biggest betting event of the year. I made too many prop bets and ended about even. The amount bet on the Big Game in Nevada was down. Read more here. […]
Some Of My Favorite Vegas Strip Restaurants To Use Comps
I had an idea planned that I thought was fun for this week, but I realized it won’t be useful for most of you. So this will be a little shorter than usual. I was going to share that the last two new steakhouses I’ve tried have been outside of casinos. I rarely eat steak […]
Vegas News | Circa Gets Boring, Planet Hollywood Dumps Poker Again, and Bally’s Has A “Plan”
Did you know that Derek Stevens is a billionaire? I never thought about it, but that’s something I learned last week. The article doesn’t have much new information, but it is a good overview for anyone not familiar with the downtown Las Vegas casino operator. Read the Forbes article here. I had a few minutes […]
Ellis Island And Rampart Casino Update Rewards Programs, Let’s Take A Look
Casino rewards are about personal choice and what you want. My needs as a Las Vegas local are different from when I was a tourist, and even then, my preferences changed over time. Unlike some casino-goers, we consider where we spend our money and what rewards we receive in return. There was a time when […]
Vegas News | Adios Cromwell and Blue Ribbon, Hello Vanderpump and Metallica!
We’re back on track for Vegas News in 2026! Casinos will begin reporting fourth-quarter and full-year earnings in a couple of weeks. As usual, Boyd will be the first to report on Feb. 5. Why does this matter to you? Because this is usually when we hear big announcements and new developments. The financial info […]
Sometimes We Need To Reevaluate Our Gambling
Today is a personal tale based on a post I saw on social media earlier this week. Eventually, we all hit a bad place when gambling, and I thought I’d share my most recent experience. We’ll start with a little of my gambling history for those who aren’t familiar. Gambling Since Grade School I’ve been […]
Vegas News | New MGM Rewards, New Restaurants, And A Boring Airport Update
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 […]
ZorkFest 2025 Takeaways: Finding Value Where Points and Gambling Overlap
Another Zorkfest is in the books! I shared my initial thoughts on social media, but it’s time to reflect on the conference. As usual, it was interesting and informative, though I didn’t get as much insight into different topics as I’d planned to. That’s the case with every conference since I tend to go with […]
Vegas News | NoMad at Park MGM Rebrands, The Tavern at Fontainebleau is 24/7, And Bingo Is Back!
Zorkfest came and left Las Vegas in no time! It was great to see familiar faces and meet new people. The crowd was great, and it appeared almost evenly split between casino enthusiasts and those visiting to learn about general travel points and miles. Having been with TravelZork since almost day one, it’s great to […]
Vegas News | Caesars Palace and Flamingo Upgrades, Cosmo Flips To Pickleball And 3 Boring Updates
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate. If it wasn’t already, it’s officially the holiday season and the most wonderful time of the year! Let’s start this edition of Vegas News with my favorite Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens display of the year. I’m always amazed that this is inside a casino. Read about it here […]
Let’s Take A Look At What To Expect at M Resort as ZorkFest Gets Closer
ZorkFest is almost here! We’re two weeks out from the conference, which takes place Dec. 5-7. We’ve shared plenty of information for those unfamiliar with the conference, which focuses on travel loyalty, casino comps, and everything in between. By now, you should have a good idea of which tracks you want to follow and which […]
Vegas News | Carbone 2 Is Open, Durango Is Expanding Again, And Lots Of Show News!
Carbone Riviera at Bellagio is now open. As you’d imagine, the restaurant looks beautiful. Read more here. It will cost you a minimum of $175 per person if you want to sit on the dock of the Bellagio fountains at Carbone 2. See the tweet here. Here’s a quick look at the restaurant and food. […]
ZorkFest Unlocked: How to Find Your Advantage and Make Every Session Count
Advantage travel and gambling conferences like ZorkFest can be both exciting and intimidating. That’s how I felt during the first ZorkFest in 2017. Having a plan before the conference is helpful. It’s nearly impossible to see every seminar at ZorkFest, so knowing which are most important to you goes a long way in getting the […]
Vegas News | Aria and Cosmopolitan Renovations, Durango Expansion and Remembering Lion’s Share Slots
If you’ve been reading Vegas News regularly, you know that I listen to earnings calls to A) find out official news about what’s being planned for casinos and B) try to understand the mindset of a casino corporation. Casino earnings season started last week, but the most telling quote came earlier this week when MGM’s […]
Get The Most From ZorkFest With Gambling Sessions And Advice
ZorkFest is a conference where casino and travel rewards meet. Casino reward points and comps come from cash spending at restaurants and retail outlets in casinos, as well as gambling. The vast majority of the TravelZork community is proficient at generating rewards from retail spending. However, they might not understand the intricacies of earning rewards […]
Vegas News | Bally’s Has A Plan For Vegas, $5 Booze At New York-New York and What’s Up With MGM?
No idea how the TravelZork podcast fellas found this to be a slow news period for Las Vegas and casinos, but that’s why I’m here, as Movestro said. Let’s get to it, starting with MGM Resorts news around the country. Nine Fine Irishmen at New York-New York updated its outdoor space and has $5 booze […]
What I Learned About Loyalty Clubs At G2E And How ZorkFest Is Ahead Of The Curve
I was at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) all week and spent some time listening to casino loyalty panels. So, instead of another look at what you can expect to see at ZorkFest 2025 from Dec. 5-7 at M Resort, I’ll share some thoughts on why the TravelZork community and ZorkFest are important. G2E is […]
The Education Track Is Always The Biggest Takeaway From ZorkFest
ZorkFest is a two-track conference that connects travel rewards and casino rewards. While different, they’re not far apart, and tips from one can often benefit the other. Many of you know I come from the casino world. Rewards from my gambling hobby became important to me when I saw my friend, who only played video […]
Vegas News | Bally’s Has A Plan, Free Music Festival and More Cheap Gambling!
Before diving into the various Vegas News items over the past couple of weeks, I’m curious if anyone in the TravelZork fam took advantage of the big 5-Day Sale by the LVCVA. The deals weren’t great to me, and I’m curious if anything stood out to anyone. On a related note, the casino earnings season […]
Vegas News | Brothel Tours, Bellagio Changes, Free Booze At Golden Gate, And More!
Five times a year, I lead Vegas News with details about the newest display at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden. As usual, the fall display is my least favorite. It’s beautiful as always, but not my preference. Christmas is my favorite if you’re curious. See pics below and read about it here. The process […]
Let’s Get Ready For ZorkFest 2025!
ZorkFest 2025 takes place on Friday, December 5, through Sunday, December 7, at the M Resort. Are you ready?! If so, you can reserve ZorkFest tickets here. This is TravelZork’s annual gathering to discuss travel and casino loyalty. There will be more sessions from experts in the field than ever this year. Additionally, there will […]
Vegas News | M Resort Ahead Of Schedule, Bazaar Opens At Palazzo, And Deals-A-Plenty
M Resort is ahead of schedule with construction on its new hotel tower, and it will be open on Dec. 1. Yes, that’s in time for ZorkFest on Dec. 5. They’re also adding a restaurant from Emeril. BAM! See renderings below and read more here. Caesars has a $300 midweek deal that includes 2 room […]
Vegas Strip-Adjacent Rewards Programs
For the past month or so, we’ve been looking at Vegas Strip-adjacent options for visitors who want to save money. There are plenty of deals for eating, drinking, and gambling just a few minutes away from the main tourist corridor. Caesars and MGM Rewards are the most popular loyalty programs since they have multiple properties […]
Vegas News | Mirage Auctions Art, Golden Gate Dumps Human Dealers, And New Vegas!
The biggest Vegas News over the past couple of weeks has to be Hard Rock putting more than 300 art pieces from the Mirage on the auction block. The online part is underway with the live auction on September 20 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. You can see the full list of Mirage auction items here. […]
Vegas Strip Adjacent Prices On The Strip
As a New Yorker, I’ve always looked at the Vegas Strip as Times Square, while the rest of Las Vegas is the boroughs surrounding the tourist trap. Now that I’m older, I realize there are expensive tourist traps around the country. Since prices in Las Vegas have become an issue, we’ve been exploring some of […]
Vegas News | A’s Stadium Construction Update, More Vegas Adjacent Deals, And Metallica Is Interested In Vegas
I’ve been sharing progress on A’s baseball stadium construction weekly. Here’s the past seven days for those of you who are curious about the future of the Tropicana site. I don’t normally follow GLPI’s earnings because it’s a real estate company, but the most recent update has some interesting info: “Finally, in Las Vegas, we […]
Vegas Strip Adjacent: Cheap Steak, Asian Food, And Booze Just Minutes Away
Before moving to Las Vegas, my friends and I would set one night aside for fine dining (usually steak) on the Vegas Strip and another for a popular local restaurant during each trip. This gave us the best of both worlds when visiting Las Vegas. In addition to broadening our horizons, eating at an off-strip […]
Vegas News | Free ZOOX!, Friends Opens At MGM Grand, and Boyd Earnings Offer Insight To Visitation
This has been the hottest topic in Las Vegas over the past few months so let’s start Vegas News this week with a look at the first Las Vegas casino corporation to report earnings. Boyd is a good barometer since they have both locals and tourist properties in downtown Las Vegas. Boyd earnings news: In […]
Vegas Strip Adjacent: Where To Find Cheap Eats, Drinks, and Gambling A Few Steps Away From The Tourist Trap
This is the first part of a short series on where to find value adjacent to the Vegas Strip, or “Vegas Strip Adjacent”. These casinos are between 100 steps and a couple of traffic lights west of the tourist trap we love. Sometimes I feel like a broken record because Vegas is always changing, and […]
Vegas News | Bellagio Boat, Paris Is Hard All Day, And More Vegas Deals
The rumors about a second Carbone in Las Vegas are true. This location will take over the Picasso space at Bellagio. It won’t just be Carbone 2: Electric Boogaloo, it will be a seafood-focused restaurant. That makes sense as long as Lago is open and still great. Read more here. The most fun quote from […]
Holsteins Is Still The Gold Standard
I probably had burgers at Holsteins 25 times when it was open at the Cosmopolitan. I enjoyed the burger joint a lot, but I understood why the property would want to refresh its roster of restaurants, regardless of how much I enjoy the place. When I first started visiting Holsteins, I sampled a few different […]
Vegas News | Summer Deals, Fireworks, And Downtown Butts
The first order of business is the July Fourth weekend. One night celebrating 🇺🇸Three epic fireworks shows 🎇July 4, 2025 – live viewing from our pools🧨 @GVRcasino 🧨 @redrockcasino 🧨@durangoresortlv https://t.co/rI6IFgdKJm pic.twitter.com/nEYtJwF9u6 — Station Casinos (@stationcasinos) June 2, 2025 Seven casinos are shooting July Fourth fireworks this year: You can watch for free or pay […]
MGM Grand Might Be The Best Las Vegas Bachelor Party Casino Resort
A Las Vegas bachelor party is like no other, simply because Las Vegas is a great place for a bachelor party. Everything you could want to send a groom into marriage is available here. Inside the city, there are some casino-hotels that offer most bachelor party activities such as lodging, fine dining, entertainment, clubs, spa […]
Vegas News | New Food Hall Opens, More F1, WrestleMania, And Circa Gets The Butts!
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article called “Summer of Savings in Las Vegas.” That hasn’t been posted yet due to technical issues, but you’d be hard pressed not to find any discounts or deals if you’re visiting Las Vegas this summer. The LVCVA shared some of those deals here. On the topic of […]
MGM Grand’s Room Upgrades + How to Bypass the Check-In Line
MGM Grand opened in 1993 and has seen plenty of changes over the years. You probably already know that all 4,212 main hotel rooms are currently being renovated. What you may not know is that the beautiful SKYLOFTS are also getting a makeover. MGM Resorts hasn’t released any official details yet, but judging by the […]
Vegas News | 2 New Poker Rooms, $20 Guy Fieri AYCE, and Pushing Dirt Around The Old Tropicana Site
The new summer display at the Bellagio Botanical Gardens & Conservatory is different. See pics below and learn about it here. A few press pics of Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens display "Glam Menagerie: A Surrealist Summer" pic.twitter.com/np3UyXwdWq — Marc (@MeltzVegas) May 28, 2025 This isn’t new, but I don’t remember seeing the brochure for […]
We’re the Least Profitable Guests for Casinos (And That’s a Good Thing)
So, as it turns out, TravelZork Readers are considered the least profitable guests. How I know this: I’ve been sitting on this topic for a couple of weeks since the most recent round of casino corporation earnings calls. I listen to casino operator earnings calls every quarter for news you won’t hear elsewhere until there’s […]
Vegas News | New Poker Rooms, Free Concerts Downtown and More!
We skipped most of the Vegas News last week to give a heads up about reserving M Resort hotel rooms for Zorkfest before the NFL announced whether or not the Raiders would be playing a home game on the same weekend. The good news is that rates haven’t changed much, if at all, even though […]
Vegas News: Book ZorkFest Rooms ASAP and a Roundup Of Casino Operator Earnings
In case you missed the announcement, ZorkFest 2025 is taking place December 5-7, 2025, at M Resort. This is TravelZork’s annual conference to discuss travel and casino loyalty. The event offers expert-led sessions focused on maximizing travel rewards (miles and points) and casino comps. The dates are more important than usual this year, and reserving […]
MGM Resorts Plans More Vegas Upgrades and Hints at New Marriott-Branded Hotel
MGM Resorts reported earnings this week. You can see details about the financials here. I listen to earnings calls for news beyond the numbers. When executives speak, they add context and insights that aren’t included in the press release, which is focused solely on financial performance. During the call, the company shared updates about additional […]
Evolving With Las Vegas
This week, I was sitting in a panel at Duck Duck Shed, reflecting on Las Vegas—its past and where it’s headed—and I couldn’t help but think about how I’ve personally evolved here. It’s kind of come full circle since I first started visiting just after I turned 21. When I began visiting Las Vegas, I […]
Vegas News | Durango Has Poolside Blackjack, MGM Has A New Credit Card, And There’s A New Poker Room Coming To Planet Hollywood
This will be a somewhat brief edition of Vegas News, with the short week for the long holiday weekend, I learned about at 8 a.m. on Friday. Before I get started, I want to remind everyone that you’ll need a Real ID to fly to Las Vegas soon. I finally gathered my info and need […]
What’s Your Favorite Gambling Promotion?
Preamble: Since I cover Las Vegas daily, I don’t spend as much time on what’s happening in Atlantic City. While doing research for today’s column, I noticed that numerous Atlantic City casinos regularly offer large Tier Multiplier promotions. I was looking for other info, but it seems Hard Rock, Ocean, and Tropicana (Caesars) have the […]
Vegas News | KISS Storming Virgin, Wynn Is Turning 20, And Star Wars Burlesque Is Coming To Rio
Where should we start Vegas News today? Between MGM Resorts, Wynn Las Vegas, and Wrestlemania, the possibilities are endless. After a brief walk around my building, I think we’ll start with something you should all be familiar with, but it’s a place this news column with info from the past two weeks should begin just […]
Getting The Best Vegas Booze For The Buck
Getting the best bang for your buck is one of the things that makes the TravelZork community so great. This is best on a macro level. While many of you are obsessed with always finding the best deal, I’ve been able to learn which specific things fit my life., one of them being the best […]
Vegas News | Goodbye Cromwell, People Rarely Get Comp Hotel Rooms, And Rio Made Jeopardy!
I hate to start the Vegas News on a sour note but longtime Las Vegas writer Norm Clarke passed away this week. He was a great writer with legitimate connections and insight. From what I’m told he was an even better person. Read more here. On another somewhat sour note, the new spring display at […]
You Can Buy Las Vegas Casino Resort Beds (And More)
I’m going to start with a personal story and go into detail about how you can sleep at home in your favorite casino resort bed, just like the one you enjoyed in Las Vegas. How I Got The Same Mattress I Slept On At The Cosmopolitan After years of searching for a mattress, I ended […]
Vegas News | MGM Rewards Tier Match Is Back, Las Vegas Is Affordable And The Plaza Might Have The Best ATS!
It feels good to be in Las Vegas after nearly a month in Amish Country, PA. I shared a few pics on Instagram of the things I was seeing while traveling through the area. Enough about me, let’s get to the Vegas News from the past couple of weeks! The Las Vegas Grand Prix released […]
Wynn Earnings Shows Continued Strength In Las Vegas
Wynn Resorts recently reported fourth quarter and full year earnings for 2024. While the company was looking forward to the future, it also acknowledged another record year in Las Vegas. Since Mr. TravelZork is a Wynn Fanboy ™ we’ll mostly focus on how Wynn Las Vegas performed after a quick look at the big picture […]
Vegas News | 30 Seat Swim-Up Bar, NetFlix Bites, PALMS is 3:2 Blackjack Exclusively
This turned out to be a PACKED edition of Vegas News. Enjoy! MGM reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 earnings last week. Evidently, the numbers were good because the stock jumped after hours and during the next day. You can get the details here. Based on the call it sounds like room rates will increase modestly […]
A Long Road Of Constantly Getting The Most Vegas Out Of Vegas
It sucks not being price sensitive. It’s not that I don’t care about high prices. I just know how and where to spend my money to get the best value. It doesn’t take much research or planning but it does take some time to know how and when to get the best bang for your […]
Vegas News | Plenty Of Caesars, More Bruno & Kelly, And How Many Slot YouTubers Do You Watch?
Happy Super Bowl weekend for those who observe! Vegas News is coming to you from the East Coast this week. Have no fear, most of the info we have is the same as if I were sitting in a Las Vegas coffee shop, casino, or office. There’s a slew of Caesars news and rumors to […]
The Wine Cellar At Rio Is The Hidden Gem I’ve Been Told About For Years
I’ve heard great things about the Wine Cellar at Rio for years. Numerous people have called it a hidden gem and after my first visit, I have to say that I get it. The Wine Cellar is literally below the casino floor on the east end of the Rio, near KISS World and its glow-in-the-dark […]
Vegas News | Chesney Coming To Sphere, MGM Grand Confirms New Rooms, And Circus Circus On The Market
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden switched to its Lunar New Year display. It’s beautiful as usual although it looks more like Year of the Panda than Year of the Snake. Read more here and see pics below. You knew that MGM Grand was renovating its rooms since we shared it last year. They finally […]
Let’s Talk About Gambling!
There was a time when my focus covering Las Vegas was on gambling. That’s changed a lot as Las Vegas has changed. I still gamble often but don’t write about it much since the powers that be aren’t looking for as much coverage. Gambling has been shrinking for decades as a percentage of overall revenue […]
Vegas News | The Venetian Goes Hyatt, Manilow For Life, And Plenty Of New Restaurants
Welcome to the first Vegas News of 2025! Growing up in New York City I was led to believe that Times Square is the best and only place to party on New Year’s Eve. I did it once and learned that it’s just not for me. I visited the Vegas Strip once for New Year’s […]
New Las Vegas Hotels Opening Soon And A Look At More Construction Plans
New Las Vegas Hotels are a good thing, for some, casinos attached to those are hotels are even better. With that said, the 2025 construction calendar doesn’t look fun for someone who loves new casinos like me. While there’s plenty of new building on the books there’s not much that excites me. I love visiting […]
Vegas News | New Restaurants, New Year’s Eve Fireworks, We Explored The World Of Swingers
Happy end of days! (for 2024) Las Vegas doesn’t stop and neither does the news. The Vegas Strip seems to be busier than ever for the holiday season. I tend to keep my distance while the tourists gawk and walk slower than usual around the most touristy parts of town. The burbs are also busy, […]
Las Vegas Rewards Roundup: Venetian/Hyatt, W/Marriott And Treasure(y) Island
This was a busy week for the Las Vegas rewards community. There’s a new casino rewards program and two new Las Vegas tie-ups with worldwide hotel loyalty programs. We’ll take a quick look at The Venetian’s selection of Hyatt as its new hotel partner and share some words about TheHotelDelanoW’s addition to the MGM Rewards […]
Vegas News | All-Net 2.0 Moves Forward And Jimbo’s Back!
We’re well into the holiday season in Las Vegas. I hope to check out the Fontainebleau ice rink above next week. You can get a rundown of New Year’s Eve fireworks, shows, and parties from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority here. Pro-tip: The Vegas Strip is a blast on New Year’s Eve but […]
There’s A New Baccarat Guy In Town!
When I first met Mr.TravelZork, he was known as Baccarat Guy online. His fascination for the game was and is unrelenting even though he no longer goes by the name. I was known as East Coast Gambler at the time but ditched that shortly after moving to Las Vegas. People didn’t like that I was […]
Vegas News | It’s the Holiday Season, F1 Wrapup, Plenty Of Dining And Show Info
Hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hopefully, this edition of Vegas News will give you some entertainment while dealing with Black Friday sales, Small Business Saturday, or whatever you’re up to. Holiday weeks are typically a little slow on news but that’s ok, we have two weeks of news for ya! On top […]
A Look At Wynn Resorts Third Quarter Earnings
Wynn Resorts reported third-quarter earnings for its properties from Las Vegas to Macau just after the end of ZorkFest. While overall revenue was up slightly, the company missed the mark on Wall Street. Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Resorts painted a prettier picture in the earnings press release: “Our third quarter results reflect healthy demand […]
Vegas News | Room Renovations, Go Karting And Swingers On The Vegas Strip And RIP Mr. Piffles
ZorkFest was a blast but now it’s back to the semi-regular Vegas News column. This week will be a mega-Vegas News catch-up. Buckle up, it’s been a while! Casino earnings We’re going to start with a quick recap of casino earnings. If the numbers bore you just read this and move down. The biggest news […]
Looking Back At ZorkFest 2024
ZorkFest has come and gone! It was a whirlwind weekend of fun and learning. It was great to see old faces and meet new people. I didn’t make it to every event but did enough in and around ZorkFest to share some thoughts. First of all, congrats to Mr. TravelZork Michael Trager. ZorkFest was destined […]
ZorkFest Is Almost Here!
ZorkFest is just almost here. The event takes place Nov. 1-3 at Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly Bally’s). A few tickets are still available for anyone interested in attending. Over the past couple of months, I’ve shared why conferences like ZorkFest are useful. The most important feature of this event for me is the educational seminars. […]
Vegas News | Rooftop Ice And Roller Skating, Changes At The Venetian And New Games Coming To Casinos
Last week was the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) and I think I’m finally caught up. Well, not caught up but back to a normal schedule. There’s still plenty to do. Here are a few pieces I’ve already written. DJ Cornsquealius! #G2E2024 pic.twitter.com/e2bEDjSvpE — Marc (@MeltzVegas) October 9, 2024 Marble Run is real and fantastic. There […]
ZorkFest Is A Good Reminder About How Special This Community Can Be
I often mention how special the TravelZork community is. It’s a rare mix of advantage travelers and casino fans. Many group members are gamblers, which is fun but that’s secondary to what makes this group special. The banter and tips shared among the group are useful and often actionable. This community would be better than […]
Vegas News | Tropicana About To Go Boom, Chia Pet Slots And A Macallan Tasting At Aria
I was about to file this but news about a Macallan tasting at Aria got in the way. This news is so fresh that there’s no information beyond the press release I just shared here. The bridge connecting Paris Las Vegas and the new Versailles Tower (formerly Bally’s/Horseshoe Jubilee Tower) is finally open. Bienvenue à […]
ZorkFest 2024 In Focus: Podcasters After Dark
Podcasters After Dark is one of the events you can expect at ZorkFest which has a lot to offer from educational seminars to unique dining experiences. Not everything is so serious. Attendees looking for fun can socialize and learn how to gamble with a handful of experts. Those who enjoy winding down their day listening […]
Vegas News | Venetian Tier Match, Big Show Announcements, Lots Happening In Downtown Las Vegas
The Venetian will start to do a Tier Match promotion in October. There are no details on the match but you can read some words here. The Venetian tier match promotion is different from the rewards offer match the casino offers. You can read more about that here. The Fall display in the Bellagio Conservatory […]
ZorkFest 2024 In Focus: Exclusive Dinner, Discussions And Gambling Experiences
All of the activities included in a ticket to ZorkFest are enough for most guests. However, there are a handful of add-ons for those looking for a little bit more. The add-ons can be fun, educational, or both. It’s up to the guest to choose what they’d like to experience more – that’s why they’re […]
Vegas News | Riviera Site Plans, Tropicana Implosion Party And A Boring Update
Holidays are good for the soul but they’re bad for news announcements. Businesses tend to lay low with good news heading into long holiday weekends because the news can get lost while people are enjoying time off. We’re coming off the end of summer Labor Day Weekend celebrations so news is limited. Having said that, […]
ZorkFest 2024 In Focus: Socializing And Gambling
ZorkFest is a lot of things to different people. As I mentioned last time, I find the most valuable the educational seminars to be the most important part of Zorkfest 2024. The ZorkFest website has been updated so you can find information on all the speakers. There are more than just the handful I highlighted […]
Vegas News | Swingers Opening, Resorts World Complaints, And Poolside Craps At Fontainebleau
The BetMGM App now allows players to use the same app and funds anywhere the app is legal in the US. Until this week, this was available everywhere except Nevada. This is a great feature but all players must sign up for new accounts in person at an MGM sportsbook due to Nevada gaming regulations. […]
ZorkFest 2024 In Focus: Extracting Value From Seminars For Inside and Outside the Casino
We’re going to highlight different ZorkFest 2024 experiences over the next couple of months. ZorkFest packs a lot into just a few days in Las Vegas and there’s plenty to explore. Attendees can learn the basics of smart gambling, have drinks and dinner with other attendees, and much more. While there’s plenty of fun, the […]
Vegas News | New Slots, MGM’s Big 3 And Rod Stewart Gets A Haircut!
It’s your bi-monthly edition of Vegas News! We’re going to change things up in my weekly column for the next couple of months. The news will still be delivered every other week. In the weeks I don’t share what’s happening in Las Vegas, we’re going to explore what you’ll experience at ZorkFest in November. There […]
Saying Goodbye To The Cosmopolitan As It Becomes An MGM Rewards Property
The Cosmopolitan is finally under the MGM Rewards umbrella. It only took a couple of years since MGM Resorts purchased the casino for this transition. So far I’ve seen mixed reviews from Cosmopolitan Identity Rewards members checking their MGM accounts. Some are seeing much better offers. Others, like me, have no offers, less free play, […]
Vegas News | Peppermill Closing, Celine Returning To Las Vegas, And The Cosmopolitan Finally Becoming Part Of MGM Rewards
We all know The Mirage is closed. I would love it if people stopped asking if Hard Rock is Imploding The Mirage. We all know that’s just a Killers song, right? PEPPERMILL IS CLOSING! The restaurant is closing for maintenance from Aug. 11 – Aug. 17. You can see the info here. TMZ says Celine Dion […]
Am I The Only Person With Mixed Emotions About The Mirage Closing?
The Mirage closed its doors for good this week and there have been many people mourning the loss. I feel strange because I’m not mourning the loss of The Mirage. I’m a moody person with big swings. This week the swings went from emotional to emotionless. I’ve had strong feelings about The Mirage closing for […]
Vegas News | The Mirage Closing Next Week, Trop Readies The Boom And Great Happy Hour At Palms
I visited The Mirage for the last time this week, before the Mirage Closing next week. I’ve had so many great memories at The Mirage but those ended before Hard Rock International purchased the casino from MGM Resorts. The property has felt dark and dingy for the past few years. The Mirage needs some TLC […]
Where Do You Spend The Most Time and Money in Las Vegas?
I’ve been doing too much research this year. Every now and then something appears that makes me curious about the differences between the TravelZork community and the typical Las Vegas visitor. The two are not the same. Las Vegas casino revenue has less to do with gaming than ever – especially on the Vegas Strip. […]
Vegas News | Cosmopolitan And Caesars Palace Moving Games Around, $5 Blackjack, And NFR Is Staying For 10 More Years
Lots of Vegas News for this one, but first let’s look at all the changes happening at Cosmopolitan. My Identity offers from The Cosmopolitan dried up last year since I stopped visiting so often. When I saw that Identity Gold would be downgraded and matched to MGM Rewards Platinum when the changeover happens I decided […]
Are Increasing Prices And Worse Gaming Changing Your Las Vegas Experience?
Visiting Las Vegas evolves for many of us. Some will keep the same routine while others experiment for a couple of reasons. Some want a new Las Vegas experience while budgets change (up or down) for others. Between visiting a lot and now living in Las Vegas my preferences seem to change every few years […]
Vegas News | The Eagles Confirm Sphere Shows, July 4 Fireworks Update And More Fontainebleau?
The Eagles are coming to Vegas, more on that in a bit. This might be a bit meta, but let’s start the Vegas News this week with a Vegas news roundup from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). You might notice some of the info in the last Vegas News or below. Enjoy […]
Vegas Hits And Misses
Las Vegas is always changing. Some ideas work and some don’t. That’s one of the reasons why visiting Las Vegas regularly is appealing to so many people. There’s always something new to see or do. At the same time, many visitors find the things they like and continue to enjoy them. Chain restaurants and bars […]
Vegas News | More Dead In Las Vegas, New Display At Bellagio And Fontainebleau Extends Tier Match
In Vegas News: MGM Resorts opened a new display in the Bellagio Botanical Gardens & Conservatory. Enjoy a few pics of “Higher Love” below. While you’re at it, bring me a “Higher Love”. Fontainebleau extended the tier match promotion into September. Get more details here. The Sphere added more Dead Forever shows. See a video […]
Rio Rewards Overview
Rio Las Vegas is now an independently operated casino owned by Dreamscape Corp. This is the first time the casino-hotel isn’t under the Caesars Rewards umbrella in more than two decades. The casino now operates its loyalty program aptly named Rio Rewards. The property is just west of the Vegas Strip on Flamingo Rd. next […]
Fontainebleau Rewards
Before we get into Fontainebleau Rewards, let’s get you familiar with the only property where those rewards can be used. Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a 67-story, vertically integrated luxury resort on the north end of the Vegas Strip. After sitting dormant for over a decade, the big blue casino resort finally opened in Dec. 2023. […]
Sports in Las Vegas: Is it Changing How And When You Visit?
The LVCVA mentioned Sports in Las Vegas as a draw to the city. Sports vacations aren’t new. Before moving to Las Vegas I took more than a handful of vacations to watch sports in different cities. T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium have helped assist the growth of sports vacations in Las Vegas. Like it or […]
Vegas News | The Mirage Closing! The Cosmopolitan Moving! (Games) And Hot Noods!
Hard Rock / Mirage Guitar Stuff We’ll get to Hot Noods in a moment, but first…..the sale of The Mirage to Hard Rock started in 2021 and was closed in 2022. In May 2024, the company finally announced its timeline to close, renovate and reopen. Read the press release here. I love that Hard Rock […]
Will Any Upcoming Casino Changes Make You Visit?
What Changes Matter In A Casino To Get Your Business? Will a slew of upcoming casino changes matter to you? Will a slew of upcoming casino changes matter to you? One of the great things about visiting Las Vegas is that there’s an experience for just about every budget and mood. The things that mattered […]
Vegas News | MGM + Marriott Details, Caesars Drops Rewards For Some, And Circus Circus Elevators Look Fun!
Much of this edition of Vegas News will come from casino corporation earnings reports and calls. These calls focus on a business’s financial health for investors. They’re also a good source of news from the past few months and some things the company might be planning. Financials do nothing for the average person so I […]
Hotel Review | Palms Casino Resort – Vegas – Ivory Suite
The Ivory Suite at Palms is the second-largest traditional suite that the property offers. This suite checks in at 1,000 square feet between two large rooms separated by a door.
Sangria Hour: Jaleo At The Cosmopolitan
At one point during the pandemic, The Cosmopolitan had the best offers. I started frequenting this Vegas Strip property more often than the nearby casinos. The Cosmopolitan has been my favorite Vegas Strip casino since opening in 2010. In that time I’ve probably eaten at 90% of the restaurants that have existed at the property. […]
Let’s Talk About Smoking In Las Vegas Casinos
Marc Meltzer looks at the “numbers” in a recent survey about smoking in Las Vegas casinos. Marketers love numbers.
Lost Vegas Icons: Looking Back To Go Forward
Reflecting on the changing landscape of Las Vegas casinos, saying goodbye to lost Vegas icons: Mirage & Hard Rock (the first one).
Now Streaming: “Las Vegas” TV Show
Marc Meltzer shares musings on the “Las Vegas” TV Show: “It’s never been accurate and that’s part of the charm to me.”
Rekindling The Flame At An Old Favorite Casino
Marc Meltzer walks back into his old favorite casino and finds that his flame for the property has been re-ignited.
Hey Vegas Tourists, Would You Visit Durango?
When Durango Resort and Casino (a local’s casino) opened last year, I wondered: would you (as a tourist) leave the strip or downtown tourist corridor to check it out? This is a burning question in my mind after visiting the beautiful new casino down the street from me. When Fontainebleau opened, it got most of […]
Vegas News | Weekly Fireworks At Plaza This Summer, What Happened To The Sphere And Cheap Margs On The Vegas Strip
Now a look at Vegas News for the week ending 4/19/2024. YIKES! What happened to The Sphere?! They destroyed the Sphere for the new Civil War movie. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/q8m1mEJzUV — Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) April 18, 2024 Read about the movie ads here. If you love fireworks, head to the Plaza every Friday this […]
First Impressions: MGM Resorts With Marriott Bonvoy
The new partnership of MGM Resorts with Marriott Bonvoy is live. Some MGM Resorts properties can be booked through Marriott. All aspects of the partnership should be live before the end of March. Nothing has changed since MGM Resorts released information about the program in January. You can read the official info from MGM Resorts […]
Value Vegas is dead! Long live Value Vegas!
Marc Meltzer waxes nostalgic about a time when Value Vegas was more of a value.
Start Saying Your Goodbyes To The Mirage
Time to say your goodbyes to The Mirage. Now, let’s discuss the transformation into the new Hard Rock Las Vegas!
Las Vegas: Few People Stay In Complimentary Hotel Rooms
This might come as a shock to anyone reading this but the majority of visitors to Las Vegas aren’t staying in complimentary hotel rooms.
Let’s Check Out Some Las Vegas Casino Implosions
Tropicana Las Vegas is set to be imploded in late 2024. Mark Loizeaux, president of Controlled Demolition, Inc who has handled many Las Vegas implosions previously, confirmed to a local Vegas news channel on Thursday. This will be the 15th major Las Vegas casino implosion property demolition since 1993, while others were simply torn down. […]
Vegas News | Suncoast Renovating, Tropicana Closed And Poolside Blackjack At Fontainebleau
Vegas News April 5th 2024 Before we get to the Suncoast Renovating, let’s dive into Poolside Blackjack at Fontainebleu. The six blackjack games at the Fontainebleau pool are now open. I’m working on an article about all outdoor gambling in Las Vegas that should be out soon. There will be more info soon. Suncoast is […]
Some Vegas Strip Revenue News That Might Surprise You
It is a great time to take a peek at Vegas Strip Revenue News. The annual Nevada Gaming Abstract is one of my favorite documents released by the Gaming Control Board. It covers all money casinos collect for the previous year.
Vegas News | A Spherical Armadillo, Reminder That The Tropicana Is Closing And Scorpions At The Venetian
Before we get to the Spherical Armadillo, We are going to start this edition of Vegas News with a couple of reminders. First, the Tropicana is closing for good on April 2 at 3 a.m.
Vegas News | Venetian Poker Room Moves, MGM & Caesars Report Earnings, And Spongebob In Vegas!
The new Spongebob ride at Circus Circus opens on March 1. The Fontainebleau opening in December wasn’t a soft opening but there are still restaurants coming online. Two more restaurants just opened.
Vegas News | Record-Breaking Year For Wynn, Fontainebleau Decides To Tier Match And A Dude Climbed The Sphere
This will be a throwback edition of Vegas News for some of you. We will start with an overview of the first few Las Vegas casino operator earnings before getting quick hits of individual items. Also, be sure to take note that Fontainebleau Las Vegas has announced a tier match!
What Do You Want From A Las Vegas Casino Rewards Program
TravelZork and its community are great resources for those interested in casino rewards programs (casino loyalty programs). I’ve been in this world for a while, and I’m still constantly learning about the topic from this group.
Vegas News | Drama And Nacho Gate At Fontainebleau, The Killers Announce Caesars Palace Residency And Another Jackpot At LAS
Before we get to Nacho Gate, The Bellagio Conservatory Botanical Garden Lunar New Year display is as beautiful as always.
Vegas News | Slow Start To The Year But We Have Visitor And Gaming Data, Super Bowl Info And More on Fontainebleau
Since our last Vegas News, I was finally able to spend substantial time at Fontainebleau. My thoughts on the property are mixed, but I had a great time. Even though it has been a rather slow start to the year, we’ll begin with some “chatter” about Fontainebleau and Super Bowl Info.
48 Hours Inside The New Fontainebleau Las Vegas
My first overnight stay at Fontainebleau Las Vegas was a mixed bag. Feelings ranged from dealing with new casino opening problems to I love this place!
Vegas News | Fontainebleau And Durango Open And Live Events Are Redefined In Las Vegas
Since the last Vegas news, two new casinos have opened in Las Vegas. Fontainebleau is open on the Vegas Strip and Durango Resort is open about 15 minutes west of Mandalay Bay.
Vegas News | F1 Leads To Record-Breaking Weekend For MGM Resorts, Something Is Phishy At The Sphere And A Look Inside Fontainebleau
Here’s a preview of Fontainebleau. The casino floor looks great, and I can’t wait to check it out. Jonathan Halkyard, MGM Resorts CFO, recently spoke at the Leveraged Finance Conference. He mostly discussed how the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend went from one of the slowest of the year to the “highest-grossing weekend in hotel revenue in the history of the company.”
Underrated Las Vegas Bargain Hotels
Even the “worst” Las Vegas casino hotels are nicer than some accommodations around the country. Las Vegas Bargain Hotels…
Vegas News | Casino Earnings, F1, And A New Cigar Bar
MGM Resorts released earnings last week. I listen to the (casino earnings) calls because they usually offer some context to the financials in the reports.
Walking In Mandalay Bay And Down Memory Lane
Ahhh…the memories. — Mandalay Bay Las Vegas
It doesn’t take much for me to remember amazing moments in Las Vegas.
Sportsbook Tom kicked up a variety of memories with this video of walking into the Mandalay Bay sportsbook.
Vegas News | Fontainebleau And Durango Opening Soon, More U2, And Free F1 Attractions
I couldn’t make it to Zorkfest this year, but by all accounts, it sounds like the conference was a success. If you’re a super early planner, you can plan for Zorkfest 2024 to take place from Nov. 1- Nov. 3.
Since we skipped Vegas News last week, there’s a ton of information to get to from the past few weeks. Let’s get right to it.
Are You Cancelling Or Rescheduling Trips To Las Vegas?
Here’s a dramatic statement that may or may not be true. The current disruptions are a sign of things to come in Las Vegas. Are You Cancelling Or Rescheduling Trips To Las Vegas?
Fontainebleau Opening Dec. 13, Let’s Take A Look
This week Fontainebleau Las Vegas announced the massive blue casino resort on the north end of the Vegas Strip will finally open on December 13th. This has been a long time coming. Construction on Fontainebleau started in 2007.
Vegas News | Caesars & MGM Hacked, First Look Inside The Sphere And Trees Removed In Front Of Bellagio
You may have heard that Caesars and MGM Resorts were both hacked. Caesars has divulged a lot of information in its 8-K filing to the Security and Exchange Committee.
What Do You Want In A Las Vegas Hotel Room?
Last week we shared previews of new Las Vegas hotel rooms at Fontainebleau, MGM Grand, and Rio. Soon we’ll see the rooms that will be available when Station Casinos’ Durango Resort opens in November.
Vegas News | Peter Luger Sets Opening Date At Caesars Palace, New Sportsbook At The Venetian And Preview New Rooms At Rio, MGM Grand And Fontainebleau
This is an extended Labor Day Weekend edition of Vegas News. Getting ready for lots of info from the past couple of weeks. It’s a good thing many of you have a long weekend.
Are You Stoked About The Cosmopolitan Becoming An MGM Rewards Property Next Year?
The response to The Cosmopolitan becoming an MGM Rewards property has been mixed. Surprisingly the split is about even between positive and negative. As you’ll see in a few seconds, I fall under the latter category.
Vegas News | Cosmopolitan To MGM Rewards Next Feb., $10 Million Slot Win And Lots Of Show Announcements
The big news was from MGM was released a day before earnings. The Cosmopolitan will become an MGM Rewards property on Feb. 1, 2024.
Where Do We Want To Gamble In Las Vegas?
Poolside blackjack looks fun was an open-ended comment on a quick video from Red Rock Casino. I’ve played it before and had a great time.
Vegas News | NFL Slot Machines Hitting Casinos, New Rio Coming Sooner Than Later And Long Live Bubble Craps
Aristocrat has been very secretive about the development of its NFL slot machines. Well, they finally released a preview of the game and it looks like an Aristocrat slot machine. See the preview below and read about the different versions of the game here.
Why Are So Many People Standing Around For Hours Waiting To Check Into Las Vegas Casino Hotels?
It seems as though there are pictures and videos on Twitter of people standing in line waiting to check into a Las Vegas hotel every week. This used to happen every now and again prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Vegas News | Rio Plans Develop, Fontainebleau Will Have Poolside Gaming And A Naked Man At Harrah’s
We’re changing Vegas News a little. Instead of posting weekly, we’re going to share the Vegas News every other week. This will make the news rundowns more concise with less fluff and easier to navigate. This will also give us a chance to dive deeper into specific newsy topics.
The Sphere Lights Up Las Vegas But Inside Could Be The Real Gamechanger
The Sphere lit up the Las Vegas sky for the first time on July 4th. The visuals were nothing short of spectacular. But…
Vegas News | Taxi Price Increase, July 4 Fireworks And The Golden Knights Win The Stanley Cup!
Welcome to a very special birthday edition of Vegas News! This one will be a doozy since it covers most of June and previews a little bit of July.
Vegas News | Fontainebleau Room Preview, Plaza Carousel Bar Opens And Spice Girls Tribute Is Coming To Excalibur
I like to change the format of Vegas News every now and again. This week will be all Quick Hits-style with a bunch of embedded tweets with pictures for visual interest. Also, pay close attention to the Fontainebleau Room Preview, which is making this new casino resort seem “more real.”
Vegas News | New Outdoor Bar Opens At Plaza, NBA Con This Summer And New $2 Billion Venue Has Obstructed View Seats
The two-year saga about the Oakland A’s possibly moving to Las Vegas might finally be coming to the finish line. Also, in other sports news, be sure to check out NBA Con!
Vegas News | Cosmo Dumps Britney Slots, A New Casino Might Replace Tropicana And Live In A Four Seasons Residence
I’m fresh off my monthly overnight visit at The Cosmopolitan… Four Seasons is opening private residencies in Henderson + all the news and ‘scoop!
Vegas News | Fontainebleau Plans December Opening, Wynn Announces The Match And Stranger Things On The Vegas Strip
The casino earnings season is over. All of the corporations had a great first quarter financially. You can see the earnings report press releases below if you care about the numbers…
Vegas News | U2 Shows, Paris Expands And Where To Find A 4 Foot Boozy Milkshake
I had a moment with U2 when I was in college. Those days are long gone, but I can appreciate that many people my age still passionately love the band. I still love plenty of bands from my college years. You’ll see a few of those below.
Vegas News | A’s Making Vegas Moves, Summer Poker And Spending in Las Vegas Is Up
The following stood out from the press release about the report “Total spending by visitors in 2022 outpaced the prior year by 24.4 percent and the 2019 total by 21.8 percent.”
Vegas News | A Show Pauses, A Casino May Be Sold And The Casino With A Disco Restroom Gets Tiki Bar
Earnings season is almost here. This reporting period is when casino corporations report first-quarter earnings. The companies will also share some plans moving forward. Though, wouldn’t you rather dream of a new Tiki Bar in Las Vegas?
Vegas News | Hard Rock Guitar Approved, Dream On Hold, And The Plaza Looks Different
The biggest news in Las Vegas surrounds The Mirage/Hard Rock. Clark County approved Hard Rock’s (Hard Rock Las Vegas) plans to build a guitar-shaped hotel tower in front of the existing property.
Vegas News | Vegas Strip Paving In May, New Vegas Visitor Data And The Most Popular Dog In Las Vegas
Let’s kick off this week’s edition of Vegas News with some information about the average visitor to Las Vegas in 2022 (Vegas Visitor Data). The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s (LVCVA) annual Visitor Profile is a small sample snapshot of visitors to Las Vegas.
Vegas News | More F1 Tickets, New Casino Plans And CHICKEN GUY Is Coming To Caesars Palace
Yep, another Las Vegas Grand Prix Update. There’s a large international following for F1, and the sport fascinates me. The intrigue is as much off the track as it is race related. The business angle is particularly interesting – especially as it relates to Las Vegas.
Vegas News | MGM Drops New F1 Package, The Strat Is Renovating Rooms And You Can Buy Siegfried And Roy’s Old House
MGM was in the news for a few reasons last week. You already know about the MGM Rewards tier accelerator we slid into Vegas News before posting last week. This week? MGM New F1 Package.
Vegas News | MGM Rewards Daily Tier Status Accelerator, Caesars Is Busy, Someone Finds A Cat In Their Room And Downtown Gets Hot & Juicy
Caesars didn’t have much information beyond finances during its earnings call. Here’s a quick overview of what the company discussed about Las Vegas. Oh, and a last-minute addition about a new promotion MGM Rewards Daily Tier Status Accelerator, which somewhat mimics the current Caesars Rewards Loyalty Program Daily Tier Promotion.
Vegas News | MLB at Rio? Plaza Saves A Dog! And Forbes Does Vegas
MLB at Rio? Evidently, Dreamscape has been in super duper top-secret discussions with the Oakland A’s for a few years about building a new stadium on vacant land and we’re just hearing about it now. Sounds legit.
Vegas News | Casino Earnings, New Places To Gamble And MSG Sphere Touts Opening + U2 Shows
The casino biz was abuzz with casino earnings last week, with MGM Resorts, Red Rock, and Wynn reporting. As expected, all had very good financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year in 2022.
Vegas News | MGM Tier Match Downgrades, Two New Casinos And Casino Earnings Season Gets Underway
Two new Las Vegas casinos are opening or have opened this week depending on when you read this. Chances are few tourists will take the trip to visit more than one but new casinos are always fun so let’s take a look. Of course, don’t miss the news below about MGM Tier Match downgrades, which is a huge topic of conversation in the casino and travel loyalty world.
Vegas News | A Return Downtown To See New Sportsbooks And New Downtown Wildfire Casino Sets Opening Date
Last week, I made my first trip to downtown Las Vegas this year and loved it. This is somewhat monumental, as I regularly visited this part of town when I first moved to Las Vegas. Station Casinos Downtown Wildfire Casino is opening on February 10.
Vegas News | New Casino Revenue Report, Catching A Predator And A Cannabis-Friendly Hotel
New Casino Revenue Report – The 2022 Nevada Gaming Abstract was released last week. This report from the Nevada Gaming Control Board includes all income and expenses for Las Vegas casinos from the last fiscal year. The report covers July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022.
Vegas News | New Comp Drink Policy At Cosmo, Bellagio Is Ready For Lunar New Year and Adele Reminds Us About Cheap Show Tickets
I enjoyed a couple of comp nights at the Cosmopolitan. This is my monthly work/play casino trip and my first for 2023. New Comp Drink Policy At Cosmo…
Vegas News | New Cosmo Promo, F1 Schedules Races And Another Show Closes
It’s a new year, and I’m stoked to finally get back to enjoying Las Vegas. New Cosmo Promo – The Cosmopolitan has an interesting offer match available.
Vegas News | MGM Sells Land, Boyd Lowers Rewards Benefits And Vegas Is A Pepsi Town!
Happy New Year! – Las Vegas – This is our first Vegas News of 2023, and it starts with late news and rumors from the last business day of 2022.
Vegas News | Mirage Unity, Trying Proper Eats And Randy’s Donuts Is Coming To Resorts World
I visited the new Proper Eats food hall at Aria last week. The fancy food court occupies space old buffet space on the second floor of the casino.
Vegas News | Get Ready To Rock Hard With Bugs Bunny And Game Of Thrones
There’s really no major news from the past week so I’ll share some info about a couple of days and nights I spent with tourists on and around the Vegas Strip.
Vegas News | All About That Hard Rock Guitar Hotel, Expanded Casino And Museum
Last week in Las Vegas was a blur. This week will be as well, but that’s a story for another day… Hard Rock International was in front of the NGCB looking for a recommendation for the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) to approve the company to take over operations of the Mirage.
Vegas News | Casino Deals, Show Announcements And A Tour Of The Newest Bar On The Vegas Strip
The newest bar on the Vegas Strip… The (not really) big news on the Vegas Strip is that VICI purchased the remaining 49% of the Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand joint venture from Blackstone real estate.
Vegas News | It’s Officially Holiday Season, March Madness Is Coming To Las Vegas And There’s a New Casino Opening In Downtown Las Vegas
Hopefully, you had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family. It’s now time to look ahead to the holiday season in Las Vegas. Thanksgiving week is usually a slow time for news in Las Vegas as many companies aren’t working on Thursday or Friday. Since Wednesday is a partial day for some, there are really only a couple of days for casinos to get the news out.
Vegas News | Million Dollar Wynn-F1 Package, Food Hall Mania and Fatburger at Sapphire
We’re just about done with the pre-race hype for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. I thought we were done but Wynn has a $1 million ticket and hotel package that sounds fantastic for those with the discretionary income.
Vegas News | Bellagio Grandstands And New Red Rock Location For Lotus Of Siam
The initial excitement for the launch of the Las Vegas Grand Prix (LVGP) next year is coming to an end. The first batches of tickets for the event are sold out but some more will be released early next year.
Vegas News | Vegas F1 Room Rates Are Through The Roof And MGM + Caesars Post Earnings
This was a fun news week in Las Vegas. Between the Las Vegas Grand Prix and casino earnings, there was a lot happening. Add that to the mix of a normal week of Vegas News and you have a busy week.
Vegas News | F1 Tickets, 24/7 Bacon At The D and Earnings Season Is Underway
We’re going to flip Vegas News around today. Instead of starting with the big news of the week, we’re going to begin with Quick Hits.
Vegas News | More Info On New Vegas Strip Casino And So Many Restaurants Opening
This week the big news is that Tilman Fertitta received approval from Clark County to build a new Vegas Strip Casino. As a reminder, the land across from The Cosmopolitan and Harmon Corner includes the Tex Mex restaurant, souvenir shops, and the Travelodge, which is closed.
Vegas News | New Casino Games, The Venetian Is Changing And Bally’s Opens An Arcade
The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) blew through Las Vegas this week. As always, it was a fun time seeing new games, meeting new people, and connecting with others I don’t see very often.
Vegas News | Plans For New Vegas Strip Casino, Wynn To Open New Show and A Camel Goes To In N Out
Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the Golden Nugget, finally shared some plans for the six acres of land he purchased on the Vegas Strip near Harmon Ave. diagonally across from The Cosmopolitan.
Vegas News | New Players Club At Tropicana And Sahara And Maybe MGM Should Keep Cosmo Marriott Deal
The autumn display at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is up. While beautiful, this is probably my least favorite every year. Tropicana has a new rewards program. This is not currently connected with Bally’s casinos around the country.
Vegas News | Bally’s Approved For Trop Takeover, New Food Hall At Aria Will Have Seoul and Caesars Palace Renovations Are Complete!
Caesars Palace just finished renovations that include a new lobby bar… The Nevada Gaming Commission approved the Tropicana sale to Bally’s this week…
Vegas NEWs | New MGM Grand Rooms, New Buffalo Slot And New Construction Update
This week we will get to a new construction update as well as some current renovations. We mentioned that MGM Resorts planned on renovating a portion of the rooms at MGM Grand after the company’s recent earnings call. Some of the rooms in the newly named Studio Tower (former West Wing) will be available in late October. The rest should be completed before the end of the year.
Vegas News | Football Season And Tropicana Almost Has New Owners
It’s football season and Las Vegas sportsbooks will be packed every Saturday and Sunday for the next few months. This is a great atmosphere for someone that’s a football fan and/or bettor.
Vegas News | Vegas Vickie’s Beer, Station Closing Another Casino And Pre-Register For F1 Tickets
I haven’t been visiting downtown Las Vegas nearly as much in the past couple of years as I used to. It’s strange but that’s a story for another day.
Vegas News | MGM Rewards At Cosmo, FanDuel At Fremont And Time For LDW!
I made two visits to the Cosmopolitan in the past week. The first visit was to grab a cup of coffee with someone stopping by for a quick visit. Who am I to say no to 8 am coffee?!
Vegas News | MGM Operating Cosmopolitan Sportsbook, Robotaxis Launch And New York-New York Gets New Rooms
It is very real that we are seeing MGM taking small steps at Cosmopolitan. Last week we mentioned Silk Sonic performing at the Barbershop inside the Cosmopolitan as the first marker that MGM Resorts is taking over operations at the property. Typically performers at Park MGM make aftershow appearances at the same property. This was a change of pace to have an aftershow at a different MGM Resorts property.
Vegas News | Casino Earnings Continue, Caesars Palace Casino Shines And New Retail On The Vegas Strip
We’re going to start Vegas News with a look at casino earnings again. The season is over, so we can get back to regular news about what’s happening in and around Las Vegas next week. Also, some sparkling news about Caesars Palace Las Vegas and why Caesars Palace Casino shines!
Vegas News | Las Vegas Earnings Season: Caesars Not Selling A Casino And MGM Giddy About F1 Revenue Next Year
We’re going to start the Vegas News by looking at casino earnings. Both Caesars and MGM Resorts released their information last week.
Vegas News | Vegas Monsoon And Earnings Season Underway!
Rain in Las Vegas is weird. It barely rains most of the year except in July and early August. When it rains, it’s a lot.
Vegas News | U2 Residency, Ghostbar At Palms Opening, And Halo Is Live
The work week ended with another Friday evening news dump. Billboard reported that U2 will have its first Las Vegas residency starting in late 2023 at The MSG Sphere at The Venetian. Read more here.
Vegas News | Hard Rock Delayed, Station Destroys 3 And Horseshoe Goes To Flavortown
I’m almost back to normal, but this will keep Vegas News a little shorter than usual again. Plus, the confirmation, Hard Rock Delayed.
Vegas News | Vegas Quick Hits and Summer Fun
My annual Summer Break was fun as always. We split a week on the Vegas Strip between Park MGM and The Cosmopolitan. More in-depth coverage in the future, but for now lots of Vegas Quick Hits.
Vegas News | Fireworks, Vegas Summer Entertainment and New Airbnb Regulations
Michael and I both had weeklong vacations with minimal work planned so we decided to drop a double issue of Vegas News after the holiday. I stayed in Las Vegas with a friend visiting and noticed more than a few things. One thing to keep an eye on is a lot of Vegas Summer Entertainment!
Vegas News | Plaza Updates, Vegas Vickie NFTs And Free Sigma Derby Shirts!
Vegas NFT ?? Circa has a Vegas Vickie NFT collection. The Plaza is making some changes to the historic downtown Las Vegas casino. The biggest modification to the property will take place before anyone walks into the casino.
Vegas News | The Plaza Is Listening, Resorts World NFTs And The Venetian Gets A CEO
The Plaza Is Listening, and international air travelers to the US no longer have to take a COVID-19 test the day before flying. The Las Vegas casinos that depend on these tourists are beyond stoked.
Vegas News | Cosmopolitan Slowly Changing And Elvis Weddings May Go Away
A handful of executives at The Cosmopolitan quit last week. I am certain we will see many examples of Cosmopolitan slowly changing over the next few months. + all the Vegas News and quick hits!
Vegas News | Circus Circus Renovating Now, Hard Rock Debut May Be Delayed Until 2025
Last week I mentioned that I’ve been hearing more grumblings that the transformation of The Mirage to the Hard Rock might take longer than expected. Well, the same source of last week’s information has some specifics from a stock analyst that pretty much confirms this. Not really related, but you might have noticed our headline: Circus Circus Renovating Now? Yes, it looks like they will be renovating Circus Circus.
Vegas News | MGM Closes Deal To Operate Cosmopolitan And Lots Of Sports News
We set up the latest big Vegas News story a week ago with our first Monday Vegas News. MGM Resorts is now operating The Cosmopolitan. Ta-Da!
Vegas News | MGM Creeps Closer To Cosmopolitan And Palms Goes Ding Ding Ding
TravelZork Las Vegas News — We’re moving the publishing date from Sunday to Monday beginning this week. We published the first installment of Vegas News (previously referred to as Sunday News) on March 13, 2016
Vegas News | MGM Cosmopolitan Takeover Imminent, Flamingo May Be Sold And Elephants All Over Resorts World
This was a wild week in and around Las Vegas for me and the business side of things. Much of my time at Cosmopolitan was spent in the hotel room listening to earnings calls and writing about the information. You’ll see some of those notes later.
Hotel Review | Palms Casino Resort – Vegas – Ivory Tower Room
I planned my first stay at Palms Casino Resort for a day I thought it might be a little slow so I could check into the room early. Unfortunately, May 4th must have been busy because there were no rooms when available when I arrived around 11 am.
Vegas News | Palms Opens, NFL Drafts, Prices Everywhere Increasing
This was such a fun week in Las Vegas. The big event was the NFL Draft on the Vegas Strip. Hundreds of thousands of people were in town to catch the NFL spectacle.
Palms reopened this week. I was lucky enough to enjoy the pre-opening party. Scroll down my twitter media page to see some pics from the night.
Vegas News | NFL Draft In Las Vegas, Palms Reopens And New Striphouse On The Strip
This will be one of the busiest weeks in Las Vegas in a while. In addition to Palms opening off the Strip, the NFL Draft will take place on the Vegas Strip. Attendance for the latter is estimated between 500,000 and 600,000 people. Navigating the Vegas Strip will be a wild ride and we’re all here for it!
Vegas News | Sneak Peek At Palms Rewards Program And Inflation Can’t Stop People From Visiting Las Vegas
Nothing new to see here but this is a promo video for the opening of Palms on April 27. I found this while looking for information on the players club (Palms Rewards Program – CLUB SERRANO). Before we get to that, I need to remind myself about the property. Hopefully, it will help keep all of our expectations in check.
Vegas News | BTS Invades Las Vegas And Botox Comps At A Casino?
We’re going to open today with a short tale of a low-mid roller (me) enjoying the casino fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. The past year of comps reminds me of getting the most out of the last great recession in the late 2000s.
Vegas News | Formula One Coming To Las Vegas Next Year While Visitation And Hotel Room Prices Continue To Rise
The big news in Las Vegas this week was the confirmation that Formula One will start a three-race deal next year.
Vegas News | Las Vegas F1 Rumors Heating Up And AVN’s Are Returning Next Year
There’s usually something particularly interesting happening in Las Vegas. Besides recovering from the first weekend of March Madness, things were relatively mellow.
Vegas News | March Madness Is Underway And Bellagio Has A New Floral Display
The first weekend of March Madness is wall-to-wall college basketball games for four consecutive days. In total, there will be 48 games played over the weekend.
Vegas News | Head Off-Strip To Enjoy The Durango Casino And More
Earlier this week I received an email from Aristocrat for a slot machine I found last month at Cosmopolitan. I receive lots of press emails but this one hit me because it was for a game I randomly discovered just wandering around The Cosmpolitan one afternoon.
Vegas News | March Madness Is Here And A Peek Inside Fontainebleau
Vegas News is back on schedule and there’s one big thing happening in Las Vegas over the next two weeks. The first weekend of March Madness is one of the busiest weekends of the year in Las Vegas.
Vegas News | The Most Vegas News Ever… Masks Now Optional, And Dice Are Loose At Wynn
This week will be a very different edition of Vegas News. We originally started wishing you a Happy Super Bowl Sunday and are finally posting just before March.
The big news in Las Vegas since the beginning of February is that masks are no longer mandated in public places and casinos. Wearing a mask in both locations is still optional for anyone that would like to wear one.
Vegas News | Fremont Expanding, Durango Under Construction And Gritty Strips At Chippendales
It’s quarterly earnings season and a couple of corporations with local casinos really got things rolling. Boyd Gaming and Station Casinos both had great financial earnings in 2021 and during the fourth quarter. Plus, we have news of Fremont Expanding.
Vegas News | Imploding The Tropicana And Mirage (Volcano), Adele Bails On Vegas, And A Virgin Resort Fee
Vegas 2022 – This year has gotten off to a strange start. Las Vegas is trying to get back to normal but it’s not quite there yet. Yes, this is annoying but the things we love about Las Vegas are still there – mostly.
Vegas News | Las Vegas Has Little News And Fewer People This Week
I’m going to share some thoughts from the Vegas Strip this week since there’s not too much news to share. This is traditionally one of the slowest weeks in Las Vegas. This week was even slower than usual.
Vegas News | CES Happens Amid Covid-19 Spike, MGM Rewards Details And Maybe A Luxor Implosion?
Before we get to the big loyalty news and MGM Rewards Details, we are happy to report that The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) went off as planned this week. CES says that more than 40,000 people attended the convention this year.
Vegas News | Covid Still Here, Katy Perry Residency Is Fun And Another “Secret” Bar
Happy New Year! We hope you, your family, and your friends are all in good health. It looks like we’re going to start off the new year with the same annoying news as last year. (You’ll have to wait a bit until we get to some cool details about the Katy Perry Residency.)
Vegas News | Double Wide Holiday Edition Featuring Hard Rock Imploding The Mirage and Palms Opening Soon
It finally happened! Last week was the first time we missed posting a Sunday Vegas News column. Thanks to people visiting Las Vegas and another fantastic ZorkFest we got a little behind schedule.
Vegas News | Adele Residency Tickets Flying, Buble and deadmau5 To Resorts World and Miracle Mile Renovations
Last week I mentioned that I was enjoying a few days away from my computer with my crew in town when Vegas News was published. Let’s get to the news!
Vegas News | Imploding The Trop? Adele Residency Finally Announced And Weird Al In Vegas!
Imploding The Trop? – Did I Get Your Attention? This was a big weekend in Las Vegas. The headliner is that the NFR (National Final Rodeo) is underway in Las Vegas! In addition to a slew of country music concerts, there was a Foo Fighters show, Raiders game versus the Washington Football Team, and a lot more.
Vegas News | The Holiday Season In Las Vegas Continues With A Rodeo!
the holiday season in Las Vegas. The mid-week rooms were cheap, and nothing was ever never busy. We could get in any restaurant, club, etc., or gambling with ample room.
Vegas News | WSOP Moving To The Vegas Strip And More Parking Fees
We just finished a relatively slow news week in Las Vegas, except for news about WSOP moving to the Vegas Strip. News tends to slow down in Las Vegas after the final earnings reports heading into the holidays. Day-to-day marketing mostly evolves around holiday events and sales. Side note – check your favorite property for current deals. There are plenty available.
Vegas News | Fontainebleau Las Vegas Back On Track Again, Wynn Rates Skyrocket and Maybe NHL On Ice At Bellagio
Fontainebleau Las Vegas construction is resuming again for the third (?) time! + lots of casino news and scoop!
Vegas News | The Mirage Finally On The Market And Lots Of News From Casino Earnings
The day is finally here! MGM Resorts is finally selling The Mirage. + lots of casino earnings news and scoop!
Vegas News | Vegas Hotel Rates On The Rise and The Mirage May Finally Get Sold
Vegas Hotel Rates On The Rise, Spun Out Of Control, Mirage May Finally Get Sold, and all the Vegas News and Scoop for your week.
Vegas News | This Town Is Electric and Mike Tyson Eats Pizza While The Venetian Sale Is Almost Complete
Las Vegas has been the amazing destination people remember this weekend. The Venetian sale is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022. Plus all the Vegas News…
Vegas News | Details on New Palms, Riviera, And Bad Rumors
Earnings season is upon us and casino corporations are dropping news on a regular basis. Bad rumors about Circa. Plus all the Vegas News and casino scoop for the week!
Vegas News | G2E (Global Gaming Expo) Gems, Durango & Dream Casinos Approved and Adele Finally Maybe Probably
The Vegas News for me this week started mostly with the Global Gaming Expo (G2E). As expected it was smaller than usual with fewer small and international gaming operators. There was also a lack of food and beverage providers, entertainers and other random non-gaming companies showing off their goods and services for casinos to buy.
Vegas News | Cosmopolitan Sold, Superfrico Opens and LAS Was Busy Last Weekend
Let’s start the news with a quick Covid-19 update in Las Vegas before we get to the big news: “Cosmopolitan Sold!” It appears as though the Clark County Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are getting lower. If this trend continues there could be a change in public mask-wearing policy sooner than later.
Vegas News | Steve Can Finally Visit And People Wrecked A Statue At The D
This week the US finally announced it was lifting some international travel restrictions in November. Visitors from countries in the European Union, China, and more will be able to visit Las Vegas once again. You can read more from the NY Times if you’re curious about specifics.
Vegas News | To The Moon! + A “big” Cancellation
NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Show was canceled earlier this week. It will return to Las Vegas next April. The cancellation of the broadcasting expo wasn’t much of a surprise, even if it is considered a “big” Vegas Cancellation. Sony and a couple of other large companies had already pulled out of the expo.
Vegas News | Las Vegas Is All About Raiders, Pirates and Fluorescent Baby Polar Bears
Wowsers, for the first time in about a while there’s hardly any COVID-19 news in Las Vegas. There have been no changes in policies so everything remains the same as the past few weeks. Having said that, this will be a relatively shorter Vegas News.
Vegas News | Cosmo On The Market, And Lady Gaga and Las Vegas Raiders Have Packages For You
Only a small COVID-19 update for Las Vegas during this long holiday weekend. There are no major changes to COVID-19 protocols when you visit a casino. You still have to wear a mask inside of casinos unless you’re eating, drinking, or smoking. The larger scoop of the week is that Cosmo Vegas is for sale.
Vegas News | Busy July In Las Vegas, Lady Gaga Returning And Robo Puppies At Resorts World
Once again, we’ll start with a quick COVID-19 update since it isn’t going anywhere quickly. Plus it has been a busy July in Las Vegas. Businesses are choosing to give priority to those who are vaccinated against the virus. Last week we told you that the Las Vegas Raiders requiring proof of vaccination for entry to watch games at Allegiant Stadium without a mask. This is a team policy as Allegiant Stadium will allow all guests – vaccinated or not – for other events like the Guns N Roses concert on Friday.
Vegas News | Covid Update And KISS, Journey, and Chippendales Are Returning To Las Vegas
We can’t talk about Las Vegas without starting with a COVID-19 update. (Ya know, before we get to the big news like Chippendales are returning to Vegas!) For the most part, things remain the same for casino guests. You’ll still have to wear a mask while gambling inside a casino unless you’re drinking or smoking. You can still remove the mask while eating too.
Vegas News | Vegas COVID-19 Update And Another Casino Reopening Soon
Vegas News August 15, 2021 Vegas COVID-19 Update Let’s start with the number one topic I’m asked about every week. You got it, here’s another Las Vegas COVID-19 update! First of all, regardless of vaccination status, you have to wear a mask inside casinos unless you’re eating, drinking, or smoking. There’s still no timeline on this. […]
Vegas News | Big Biz Quarter For Casinos, Kiss Residency And Andiamo Is Better Than Ever
This week Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, and Wynn Resorts reported earnings. This provides a lot of insight into Vegas Casino Earnings for 2021. Much like Station Casinos and Boyd Gaming earnings last week, there was a similar theme with the earnings calls. Casino corporations have learned how to effectively operate with a smaller staff and fewer amenities for guests.
Vegas News | Mask Up Vegas and Get Down!
As expected a couple of weeks ago, you once again have to wear a mask (“Mask Up Vegas”) when indoors in Las Vegas. This mandate is for everyone – vaccinated and unvaccinated people. There’s no timeframe on how long this will last. I’d rather spend my time talking about a new casino, earnings, new slot machines so I’m going to move on.
Vegas News | New Caesars Taking Shape And “Imploding The Mirage In 2022” – The Killers
Vegas News is going to be a bit different this week. I spent most of the past five days on the Vegas Strip. My stay was for fun and work so I visited multiple casinos. When visiting Caesars properties I saw a lot of transformation (“New Caesars”) we’ve been discussing over the past year or so. When going through my weekly news blurbs it looks like I’m not the only one to see what’s happening.
Vegas News | COVID, Rumors, Bootlegger Bistro, And Backstreet Boys
“It’s deja vu all over again,” said one of my favorite baseball players. I never actually saw Yogi Berra play a game but some of his ridiculous and amazing Yogi-isms will always stay with me. Maybe Huey Lewis & The News is more relevant (closer but not really) to 2021. This may be entirely relevant, but we’re going back in time! Don’t worry; after we “go back in time,” we will explore the fabulous Bootlegger Bistro.
Vegas News | Busy Weekend In Vegas, COVID Isn’t Over And A New Gordon Ramsay Restaurant?
The Great Vegas Comeback (™) continued this weekend with action up and down the Vegas Strip. COVID Isn’t Over — COVID-19 rates, hospitalizations, etc. have spiked to the same level as February. I spent a couple of days at the Cosmopolitan this week and it was crazy busy. Even though the casino was busier it seemed like there was a similar proportion of guests wearing masks as the last time I stayed there in May. Once again, masked and unmasked all seemed comfortable and respectful with each other.
Vegas News | More Resorts World, MGM Is Selling and Hagar Goes To The Strat
The big news in Las Vegas is still the opening of Resorts World Las Vegas. The soft opening was last week and the grand opening will take place on July 4th. I visited Resorts World in between despite the soft opening issues I was warned about. Thankfully, they’re being addressed and very slowly fixed. So, we are going to be sharing More Resorts World for you to enjoy!
Hotel Review | Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World
This is a review of the Stip View Premium King Room at the Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World Las Vegas. The casino was still in a soft opening phase when I visited on June 30. The grand opening will take place on July 4th. The property is still having some glitches getting up and running, so I’ll stick to the good and bad of the Conrad experience.
Vegas News | Resorts World Open and So Much More
The big news in Las Vegas this week was the opening of Resorts World Las Vegas. This wasn’t a “grand opening” despite the ribbon-cutting, fireworks, celebrity appearances, and so on. This was a big deal since it’s the first casino built from scratch to open on the Vegas Strip in a decade. Having said that, consider this a “soft opening.”
Food Halls Are All The Rage In Las Vegas
Before I dive into Food Halls in Las Vegas, let’s talk food! I’m a big fan of chef David Chang and have now visited all four of his Las Vegas eateries. Until April, I’d eaten at his Momofuku at Cosmopolitan every month this year since I was already staying at the property.
Vegas News | It’s Hot and Resorts World Goes Cashless
It’s that time of the year again. We’re reminded that Las Vegas can get hot. It’s so hot this year that two daily high-temperature records have already been broken. If you don’t love the topic of Vegas Weather, we have some news about how Resorts World goes cashless.
Vegas News | More Vegas Rideshares, Buffalo, And A Grand Opening For Virgin
The Great Vegas Comeback (™) is showing visible signs of progress. There’s been much preparation to return to normal, but we actually see progress right before our eyes. It’s nice to actually see the changes (like positive news with Vegas Rideshares) rather than hear about the plans for change.
Vegas News | The Great Vegas Comeback Will Resume In July! & Vegas Is Busy
It’s fantastic news that Vegas is busy! — Memorial Day Weekend was the busiest time in Las Vegas in more than a year. It was great being in the pre-holiday mix.
Vegas News | The Great Vegas Comeback Is Underway!
I’m fresh off my first Vegas Vacation since 2019 and feel amazingly refreshed. This was four whole days eating, drinking, and gambling and not working in casinos. This is slightly different from my typical casino visits, which are usually for some kind of work. The Great Vegas Comeback has arrived!
Vegas News | Everything Is Back in Vegas, Pod Over + Resorts World Hilton Room Tour
Every week there’s something new to report about the Great Vegas Comeback (™). Things in Las Vegas are almost back to pre-COVID days. Clark County is removing all COVID restrictions on June 1. Las Vegas will essentially be operating at the same capacity of February 2020. It is worth repeating: Everything Is Back in Vegas.
Vegas News | Vegas Masks Optional, Caesars Dumps Lots Of Shows And Party With The Raiders
Boy, the Covid-related news escalated quickly. Last week, a few Las Vegas casinos were approved to increase capacity to 100% and remove plexiglass. Early this week Caesars, MGM Resorts, and more joined the “100% Club”. That was just the beginning. On Thursday, the CDC updated its mask guidelines. Nevada followed suit allowing businesses to change their policy. Next, Nevada Gaming Control announced that it’s allowing casinos to update their policy.
Vegas News | Palms sold, A buffet opens, Plexiglass comes down!
The Great Vegas Reopening (TM) is in full swing. Capacity limits and plexiglass are gone at Wynn and Cosmopolitan. Most are quite relieved and happy with the news that plexiglass in Vegas comes down! There should be more casinos to follow. I’m hoping the worst of the coronavirus is behind us. That would mean life for everyone is getting back to normal.
Vegas News | Hold On Tight, There’s A Lot Going On!
Brace yourself. This will be one of the longest Vegas News articles in a few years. I even dumped a few items to keep this somewhat manageable. Still, this will be a quick read since the majority of info comes via quick hits.
Vegas News | Another Step Closer To Full Capacity
Every week Las Vegas is closer to being the place so many remember. Last week we saw venues already preparing for big crowds and sold-out events. This week Clark County submitted a plan to increase capacity beginning May 1. Nevada Gaming regulators will allow 80% capacity in casinos beginning Saturday. One step at a time, we notice Vegas closer to full capacity.
Vegas News | Get Ready To Party In July!
Like I mentioned last week, we’re starting to see the light. Las Vegas is very much on the rebound. At this point, it feels as though demand is ramping up faster than businesses can handle. We’ve been slowly detailing this for weeks and months. So, Vegas – get ready to party in July!
Vegas News | Starting To See The Light
I see the light! The end of the coronavirus may not be here yet, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel in Las Vegas. (Also, Vegas is busy!) My monthly visit to Cosmopolitan was fun as usual. Unfortunately, I’ll be surprised if the offers keep rolling in despite my gambling losses and spend on dining and booze.
Vegas News | Capacity Limits May Expand Quicker At Some Casinos
Throughout the week, you may have noticed that MGM Resorts, Caesars, the Cosmopolitan, Wynn Resorts, and Station Casinos individually announce they would be offering Vegas workers and their families Covid-19 vaccines.
[First Impressions and Pics] Virgin Las Vegas
As you probably know by now Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (Virgin Las Vegas) recently opened where the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino once operated. I visited the property after a few days to allow the employees to settle into the new digs. The good news is that everyone was in great spirits and helpful.
Vegas News | Vegas Visitation Jumping and Virgin Opening
It is pretty fair to say that Vegas Visitation is jumping. It’s been a while since there’s been a supply and demand problem for visitors in Las Vegas, but here we are. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Association Executive Summary, visitation in February was up almost 19% from January. That should increase even more when March figures are released.
Vegas News | Vegas Is Packed, Rio To Become Hyatt, Virgin Opens At 6 And Katy Perry Gonna Be Waking Up In Vegas (At Resorts World)
On Tuesday, I went to a small media gathering at Tuscany for the opening of the new Circa Sports location. Afterward, I saw a couple of friends from Florida for the first time in years. I saw more people in three hours than the entire year to date, and that was just the beginning. Wow, Vegas is packed.
Vegas News | More Casino Openings, Higher Capacity Limits and Vegas Is Starting To Look Like Vegas Again
Before we start to celebrate and discuss Vegas higher capacity limits, you may have noticed that I’ve been taking advantage of monthly offers to enjoy a couple of complimentary nights at the Cosmopolitan. My visits have remained mostly the same. I’ve been spending most of the time inside the room.
Vegas News | Venetian Sold, Resorts World Takes Shape, And Vegas Loves Sports
Let’s start the weekly Vegas News roundup with a short story about a big deal. This week Las Vegas Sands (LVS) sold all of its properties (aka “Venetian Sold”) in Sin City. The company is now just “Sands” since it has no more businesses in Las Vegas. The deal happened early in the week so I’m not going to get too deep.
Vegas News | Things Are Looking Up As Vegas Pool Season Arrives!
Casino earnings season came to an end with a bang this week. Caesars reported fourth-quarter and full-year earnings for 2020. We all know last year was bad for casinos. You can see that in the release. On the good news side, Vegas Pool Season arrives.
Vegas News | Hamilton May Do Vegas And More Casinos and Entertainment Returning To Operation
Before we share a huge amount of Vegas Quick Hits and the rumor about Hamilton in Vegas….. We’re going to start Vegas News off a bit differently this week. I received a rare Saturday morning marketing email from a gaming company that I have to share.
Vegas News | Covid Restrictions Loosen and Casinos Opening and Changing Hands
This week’s big news in Las Vegas is that there’s a plan to loosen restrictions in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Nevada. I’ll just cut to the chase with some bottom-line info on the details regarding the fact that covid restrictions will loosen soon.
Vegas News | Short Pouring Just Before Pool Season
This week Vital Vegas tipped us off to The Linq short pouring mixed drinks. This is useful to prep for future casino visits. A few years ago I wrote about the unintended consequences of drink monitoring systems at casino bars in Las Vegas. I don’t mind the practice because I usually play fast enough to not worry about getting complimentary drinks.
Vegas News | 2020 Is Finally Over, News Players Clubs, And Cock Fighting In Sin City
Breaking Vegas News: Visitation to Las Vegas and gaming revenue was lower in 2020 than in 2019. The numbers are in, and now we can put 2020 to bed. This section will be quick because I’d like to move on.
Vegas News | Getting Ready For Casino Earnings And More Vegas News
We’re coming up on casino earnings season. The quarterly earnings calls and reports are useful to learn about Las Vegas casino operators. The reports allow us to look back at the quarter. This quarter will also look back at the entire year of 2002. The calls offer more commentary as the casino operators look to the future.
Vegas News | Siegfried and Sheldon Pass Away, Virgin Is Still Delayed And The Cosmopolitan Is Still Fun
There aren’t too many news stories this week, so I’ll kick this off with a personal story (hint: Cosmopolitan Vegas). Last week I spent a night at Circa to check out the hotel rooms and Legacy Club. I really enjoyed the day and night at the property. I love spending time in shiny new casinos, so that was a pleasure.
Vegas News | Changes and more changes? Rio, Venetian, and nightclubs
This week seems to be a week of Vegas changes and more changes, potentially. We will have to wait and see how several rumors “play out.” There are just a few days remaining in Nevada’s statewide “pause.” This week Governor Steve Sisolak will announce if the same 25% capacity “pause” restrictions will continue.
Hotel Review | Circa Resort Single King – Las Vegas
The hotel at Circa Resort & Casino opened on December 28. We couldn’t wait to check it out but decided to give the staff a week to work out the kinks before spending the night. We are excited to share our hotel review and thoughts about Circa Vegas.
Vegas News | It’s A New Year In Vegas!
Happy New Year! I hope the holiday season treated you and yours well. You may have noticed we posted a handful of 2021 Las Vegas predictions on New Year’s Day. Many of the topics were speculative based on information I’ve heard from casino operators during their earnings calls. The first topic was not speculation; it was based on real-life events in the news. Coronavirus isn’t going away quickly, and Las Vegas will be slow to recover. Case in point – New Year’s Eve.
🎉 2021 | Las Vegas Predictions
It’s a new year, and there’s a lot to look forward to in Las Vegas. There will be a lot of moving and shaking behind the scenes in 2021. On the front lines, the general population will continue to deal with the daily effects of coronavirus. Businesses, however, will be looking to the future. This brings us to our Las Vegas Predictions for 2021.
Vegas News | The Mirage Closing, Rio Is Open, Circa’s Legacy Club Coming Very Soon
Another week of casino openings and closings in Las Vegas. Let’s start the week with an opening before we get to the “Mirage Closing” news.
Vegas News | The Pause Continues!
We’re entering what’s typically a slow news period while everyone gets into holiday and vacation mode. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing happening, but there’s less than usual (and “The Pause”). Funk that! We got the goods right here!
Vegas News | Lots of Casino Loyalty Updates and Something’s Brewing in Henderson
TravelZork is a unique website. It captures casino news with a focus on loyalty programs to maximize your visits. Next year should be a busy year for this website as there will be multiple new casino rewards programs to dissect. We are looking forward to lots of casino loyalty updates in 2021.
Vegas News | Virgin Pushed Back Again, Plaza Redeveloping, And More
This week is mostly “quick hits” format, with some really awesome news about Plaza Redeveloping. We weren’t surprised when Virgin Hotels Las Vegas pushed its opening date back to January.
Vegas News | Black Friday, Hsieh, COVID And More
The big news stories in Las Vegas happened early and late in the week. We’ll start with a quick update from early in the week and move to the news that happened about 14 hours before I sat down to put this together. Plus, do not forget about Vegas Black Friday deals and offers!
Vegas News | Openings, Closings, More Of The Same and News!
It’s been a strange week in Las Vegas. Coronavirus numbers are going the wrong way throughout Nevada. You can see the data here—also, Vegas openings, closings, and lots of news for this week.
Vegas News | A Wild Week As Coronavirus Spreads And Virgin Vegas Begins Taking Reservations
We’re going to start off with a slew of news that happened this week while I was researching coronavirus in Las Vegas. The information that follows is kind of all over the place, but it’s all somehow related to coronavirus.
Vegas News | MGM Opens And Closes
Pushing Forward Back by Temple of the Dog is a song I think about often. I don’t know what the actual lyrics are other than the chorus, but these words often come to mind when I think of doing business. It’s also a good entry point to discuss our main theme this week: MGM Opens and Closes.
Vegas News | Casino Earnings Remind Us Of The Changes Happening
The big news in Las Vegas was obviously the opening of Circa. But, casino earnings and their impact are a constant reminder of Vegas in 2020.
Vegas News | More Entertainment and a New Casino Opening
Before we touch on our feature story: entertainment returning to Las Vegas; COVID-19 shows no signs of slowing down, and neither does the return of Las Vegas.
Vegas News | Virgin Vegas Fees and more
Earlier this week, I went through the Momentum Rewards benefits for the Mohegan Sun Casino at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. They appear to be different than other markets, so I did a deep dive. Another point of interest is the overall situation regarding Vegas Virgin Fees.
Vegas News | Mohegan Sun Plans For Las Vegas and More
Before we get to the scoop on Mohegan Vegas… The week started with a “work from Vegas” kind of experience. The working staycation was inspired by various casino promotions and a need for a change of scenery.
Vegas News | COVID-19 Vegas Capacity Updates, Mohegan Vegas Casino + Visitation Data
Finally, some details about Vegas capacity updates. As expected, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak increased the 50 person limit on gatherings. The new capacity limits are a bit confusing as the maximum capacity for most venues increased to 250.
Vegas News | Planet Hollywood Opening, Virgin Delayed, and Circa Approved
No big intro this week. Instead, I’ll lead with a quick Vegas Reopening note., which includes confirmation of Planet Hollywood Opening. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak will discuss possible capacity limit increases next week.
Vegas News | Non-Smoking Casino Park MGM Opening, Caesars Packed + COVID Update
Two weeks without Vegas news on Sunday is wild! This was the first year I’ve taken a break from my weekend duty with TravelZork. Relaxing an extra day was nice, but I’m a creature of habit and was fidgety while trying to relax. Happy to be back sharing the ‘scoop and also the announcement of the first completely non-smoking casino on the Vegas Strip.
Vegas News | Vegas Is Still Rockin’ Despite Layoffs and Closed Casinos
Things aren’t the same for me and many people as we continue to try to get back to something resembling the normal from January and February. There’s not too much to update on COVID in Las Vegas this week so I thought sharing some personal effects might be interesting.
Vegas News | Tropicana Delayed, Virgin News, Finally Released – “Imploding The Mirage”
This week we celebrate “Imploding The Mirage!” No, not the obviously fake story I made up last month about Sheldon Adelson buying the Mets and moving them to a new baseball stadium across the street on the land where The Mirage once stood.
Vegas News | The Mirage Gets Ready To Open, T-Mobile Selling Tickets Again, Maybe Park MGM Opens For Halloween and More
No major Vegas COVID-19 update again this week. It hasn’t gone anywhere, and casinos remain under the same protocol. Read this if you’re curious about the local bar situation. Layoffs seem like they’re about to hit some non-gaming hotels too. You can always visit the Nevada Independent for Nevada COVID data. Perhaps, our most significant news is that Mirage is ready to open.
Vegas News | Palms and Tropicana Reopening Still TDB, Vegas Visitation Down + COVID News
This was a wild week in Las Vegas. Well, maybe not so wild but very newsy. This might be the last heavy news week for a while. Multiple casino operators released second-quarter earnings. Earnings season is done for casinos so there may be a lack of news for the next few weeks. We also touch on something we are all well aware of: Las Vegas visitation is down.
Vegas News | MGM and Boyd Streamlining Companies While Circa Announces Bars
This week’s COVID-19 update from Las Vegas will be super short. There’s a lot of related news from Boyd and MGM earnings reports that center around the impact of COVID in Las Vegas.
Vegas News | Caesars Merger Complete, Covid Update and Business Is Down At The Venetian
Las Vegas is pretty much at a standstill with COVID-19 right now. This isn’t to say it’s gone by any stretch of the imagination. There’s just not much new to share. (At least, we can finally announce: Caesars Merger Complete!)
Vegas News | Imploding The Mirage, New Caesars Takes Another Step and Another Vegas COVID Update
It looks like COVID-19 ain’t going away quickly so we’ll start the Vegas News once again with a brief update. According to White House data, Nevada is a hot zone and Las Vegas is in particularly bad shape. You can read about the recommendations here and as always see the current data here.
Vegas News | COVID Rollback, New Caesars Approved In Nevada, Circa’s Stadium Swim and More
It looks like we’ll be starting the Vegas news with a weekly COVID-19 update for a while now. As usual, I recommend checking the Nevada Independent for updates if you’d like to see the data on how the virus is impacting the Silver State.
Vegas News | Open Now, Closed Tomorrow? New Caesars Coming Soon.
Phase 2 of Nevada’s roadmap to recovery has been extended until the end of July. The State, like much of the country, appears to be going in the wrong direction regarding COVID-19 cases. As a reminder, the Nevada Independent has the raw data if you want to see up to date information. There is also a big question? “Vegas Open Now, Closed Tomorrow?”
Vegas News | Circa And Resorts World Renderings Drop While Las Vegas Continues To Reopen
This Vegas News column is not your one-stop shop for information on the virus. We’re not going to avoid discussing COVID-19 but will focus more on what you can do today and tomorrow when visiting Las Vegas.
Exploring The Re-Imagined Wynn Las Vegas Buffet
The law of inertia says “objects in motion tend to stay in motion; objects at rest stay at rest.” That’s me at a buffet. I grab enough food on one trip and rarely go up for a second plate of food. There are two reasons for this: 1) Portion control and 2) I’m lazy. Today I visited the “Re-Imagined” Wynn Las Vegas Buffet
Vegas News | Vegas Continues To Reopen
I thought about writing an intro this week but this trip report is a good enough reminder about what Las Vegas casinos are like right now. Las Vegas continues to reopen and will be for a while.
Vegas News | Reopening Continues
Vegas News June 14, 2020Vegas Reopening Continues Vegas Reopening Continues – The Sunday (TravelZork) Vegas News has required a lot of preamble over the past month or so to make sure that we’re sharing all of the information correctly. Hopefully, we accomplished that. I think we’re finally at the point where there’s plenty of news […]
Vegas Is Back…Kinda
This is the week, so many of us have been waiting for. Las Vegas casinos are allowed to reopen. The first wave of openings took place in downtown Las Vegas and around the city just after midnight on June 4. The Vegas Strip casinos waited until sunrise to open their doors. For sure we can say, Vegas Is Back…Kinda.
Vegas News | Casinos Open This Week!
Businesses in Las Vegas are slowly opening. Phase 2 of the state’s Nevada United: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan started on Friday. Gyms, bars, spas, and more are allowed to reopen. Of course, most of you are here for the casino biz and the news that casinos open this week!
Las Vegas Casinos Set To Reopen On June 4
Big news, Vegas Casinos set to reopen. On Tuesday night, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak released Phase 2 of the state’s Nevada United: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan. The second phase of reopening Nevada begins on May 29. However, casinos won’t reopen right away.
Vegas News | More Plans And Vegas Casino Opening Announcement Coming
So, seriously, Las Vegas casinos are really close to opening and an “official” Vegas casino opening announcement. Friday evening, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced he will hold a press conference for Tuesday, May 26 with details about Phase 2 of reopening Nevada.
Vegas News | Getting Closer To Las Vegas Casinos Opening…Maybe
Heyo! Las Vegas is 115! I’m old enough to remember when the TV show “Las Vegas” celebrated Las Vegas turning 100 (originally and last week). This week’s big “maybe” revolves a lot around whether we are getting closer to Las Vegas Casinos opening.
Vegas News | Reopening Las Vegas One Phase At A Time
Before we get to talking about the reopening of Las Vegas…… On Saturday I woke up crankier than usual since it was 3:30 am. After listening to a couple of podcasts I grabbed a cup of chamomile tea and plopped down on the couch to see what was on TV. It was with great surprise that reruns of the old NBC show “Las Vegas” were airing on E!
Vegas News | MGM, Boyd, Station All Planning For Reopening
For a few weeks, it looked as though there wouldn’t be much Vegas news to share. Well, that concern is over. There should be lots of news now that Las Vegas has a “roadmap to recovery.” This is a multi-tiered plan to reopen the entire state. There’s one important thing to know before you read this plan – there is no opening date for casinos yet.
Vegas News | Traveling Downtown, Opening Vegas, And Lots Of Biz
On Friday I took a nice mellow drive to downtown Las Vegas. This was my first visit downtown since casinos closed. My primary objective was to grab some Pizza Rock to go. I took a longer route heading downtown to see how Circa Resort is progressing. The photo above is from Symphony Park (more on that another time) to show the scale of Circa vs. Plaza. It’s huge! Now, onto the Vegas News!
Vegas News | Looking Forward To New Vegas
Las Vegas casinos remain closed for the month but there are signs that things are starting to get back to a new normal, “New Vegas.” This week local TV news started actually reporting on news besides providing COVID-19 updates.
Vegas News | Casino Players Club Updates and Casino News
The local Las Vegas news is usually a waste of time for me. They typically have 3-5 minutes of local news before going to national news, weather and human interest stories. I don’t watch the local news often because 95% isn’t interesting to me. Don’t get me wrong – I love that I live in a sleepy town like Las Vegas. (Unbelievably, we still have a number of weekly items to share, including details today about the casino players club updates.)
Vegas News | Get Vegasy At Home…And Read Some News
It was April Fool’s Day last week and thankfully nobody was making bad jokes. Unfortunately, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak made another announcement. He extended the non-essential business closures through the month of April. As of now, the big Vegas News is that the soonest Las Vegas casinos may be able to re-open will be May 1. Of course, that could change again by the time this is posted on Sunday.
Vegas News | Casinos Looking Towards Opening Again
Las Vegas is essentially shutdown to slow the spread of coronavirus. You know that by now so I won’t rehash what’s going on. We have a few updates on the business side of things as well as information about how the different players clubs will be affected by the shutdown.
Vegas News | Shut It Down + Pics
This will be a bit of a different Vegas News since there isn’t much happening in Las Vegas right now. COVID-19 is spreading across the country and just about everything fun in Las Vegas (and the world) is shut down. The week didn’t start off so stark.
Vegas News | Mostly CoronaVegas
Coronavirus is now a national emergency. As you’d imagine, the travel and live entertainment industries are getting crushed since people are trying to stay away from each other. Las Vegas is a vacation and entertainment town and there’s a lot happening…and not happening.
Vegas News | Spring Forward For The Good Stuff
It’s 2020 and the only clock I have to spring forward is in my car. Let this serve as your reminder to change any clocks you have. Now, onto the Vegas News.
Vegas News | Casino Jams, New Caesars and More
The Vegas News this week will start with a little storytime that starts in college and continues today in casinos. (Don’t worry, we will get to New Caesars soon enough….)
Vegas News | New Caesars Slimming Down, MGM Breached, Vegas Gets A Dream Hotel and Resorts World Has Hilton Brands
This was a somewhat surprisingly busy week for Vegas News. Looking at the calendar, we knew there was a lot happening. This just isn’t a week when Las Vegas traditionally busy.
Remembering Jimbo’s (CEO Jim Murren) Days At MGM Resorts
By now you should know that MGM Resorts chairman and CEO, Jim Murren, informed the company’s board of directors that he will step down from his positions before his contract expires.
Vegas News | Jimbo Out, Bet MGM Soon and another Look at Vegas Rumors
This week in Las Vegas was dominated by one story. No, it wasn’t MGM Resorts announcing new sustainable sourcing goals for eggs and chickens. Just prior to reporting earnings, MGM Resorts sent out a press release that Jim Murren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, informed the Company’s Board of Directors that he will step down from his positions before his contract expires.
SLS Becomes New SAHARA Las Vegas
I recently visited the renovated SAHARA Las Vegas for a breakfast meeting and happy hour. The breakfast meeting was the first time my friend and I visited the new Sahara post renovations. Our discussion over coffee about the new Sahara went something like this.
Vegas News | 888 Reasons to Read The Vegas News
We’re going to jump right into the Vegas News this week because I found a new document just as I was sitting down.
Saying Goodbye To The Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas
This is it. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is finally closing. It’s funny that a casino that I’ve rarely visited in the past five years stirred up so much emotion. The Hard Rock opened in 1995 and became one of my favorite casinos for about 10 years.
Vegas News | Quick Hitting All Over Las Vegas
There’s always something new to enjoy in Las Vegas. There’s so much to do that even old things can be new in Las Vegas. On Friday I made my first trip close to the top of The Strat. GASP!
Vegas News | Football, Circa Restaurants, Renovations At The D and More
What a week in Las Vegas! You may remember that my week started with an amazing flight to Vegas from Los Angeles on JSX. As you may have read, the experience was fantastic and stress-free, unlike most flights I’ve taken. That experience seemed to set the tone for what would hectic week in Las Vegas. Let’s just get to it.
Flying to/from Las Vegas on Semi-Private Airline JSX Lives Up To The Hype
I remember hearing about Jet Suite X when it first launched in 2016. Flying from Las Vegas on semi-private airline JSX sounded interesting but it only flew to a few west coast cities. Since I don’t travel around the west coast often it slipped my mind.
Vegas News | MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay SOLD, New Caesars Takes Shape + More
It’s always strange writing Vegas News when I’m not in Vegas. I spent the weekend in Los Angeles so the bulk of my research happened in a foreign city.
Hunting For The Best Happy Hour in Las Vegas at Cleaver
I was told about the legendary Happy Hour in Las Vegas at Herbs & Rye when I first moved to town. Today we look at Cleaver Butchered Meats……
Vegas News | Hard Rock Closing, Vegas is Sustainable, and Lots of Sports News
Sometimes the calendar (and Vegas News) moves so quickly and it takes some time to adjust to. It feels like we were just saying goodbye to 2019. Now we’re just weeks away from the Super Bowl and the year is almost over!
Vegas News | Look For Tropicana, MGM Grand, and More Casinos To Be Sold
Happy New Year! Introducing Vegas News January and our first installment for 2020. I hope the holidays treated you well. I’m happy to get back to a normal schedule again. Mid-week holidays mess with how I like to operate. That’s never a good thing.
Vegas News | Happy (Almost) New Year
Congratulations! We made it through another year! This will probably be the shortest Vegas News of the year so I’ll deliver it once again in Quick Hits format.
Vegas News | Las Vegas New Year’s Eve – Getting Ready For The New Year With Better Gaming at Circus Circus and A Lot More
We’re slowly sliding to the end of the year. Hopefully, you’re having a great holiday season. Las Vegas is always fun around this time of year, especially Las Vegas New Year’s Eve. Tourists tend to stay away from Las Vegas until after Christmas Day. After that, it’s a different ballgame.
Vegas News | Quickly Hitting Everything Happening In Las Vegas
Earlier this week I was able to tour the construction site for the property that will eventually become Circa Resort & Casino. I’m normally not a fan of hard hat tours unless the project is about to open. For sure, this is part of everything happening in Las Vegas this week.
Halfway To Circa Las Vegas | On Time and On Budget
In January we previewed plans for Circa Las Vegas. The casino being built across the street from the Golden Gate will be the first ground-up casino on Fremont Street since 1980. Circa is the brainchild of Derek Stevens, owner of The D Las Vegas and Golden Gate casinos.
Vegas News | Rio and Circus Circus Redux, Rodeo, and Residency Rumors
We start this week’s Vegas News mentioning that The National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is in town! There will be cowboys and cowgirls all over Las Vegas for another week. The weeks after Thanksgiving and before Christmas used to be a quiet period to visit Las Vegas. The rooms were cheap and too many people didn’t visit. That’s not quite the case anymore with the rise in popularity of the NFR.
Vegas News | Thanksgiving Week – A Slow Week Stuffed With News
Thanksgiving week is always strange for Las Vegas. As always, it’s a great time to visit. Unfortunately, there’s not much happening behind the desks.
Vegas News | Resorts World, Residencies and a $2.3 Million Pai Gow Winner
Before I get to the “big” Vegas News about the Resorts World plan, I must say this has been a chaotic two-week stretch with friends visiting. So many people I know visit Las Vegas for work and/or pleasure. Being able to catch up with friends and acquaintances so frequently is part of what makes living in Las Vegas so great.
Local Life In Vegas – Lots of Goodness
Technically, I live in a part of Las Vegas called Spring Valley. I’m one block away from Summerlin and pay less living here than I used to. It’s a nice enough area with plenty of places to visit. Today I am sharing a bit about local life in Vegas.
Vegas News | A Little Of This And A Little Of That
There’s not much of an introduction this week. While there was lots of little Vegas News, the wasn’t much big news. Also, I’m slightly hungover because of visitors.
Vegas News | KAOS Out At Palms, Eldorado Almost In With Caesars, Getting Out Of Vegas Fees, +More
Quarterly casino earnings calls and reports often have information that we can use to look at the current and future state of the companies. The calls, specifically, don’t have major breaking news. This week Red Rock Resorts (AKA Station Casinos) dropped a news bomb that was news but not all that surprising. Let’s just get to it because this is probably the biggest story to hit Las Vegas during the week. Plus, we will be talking (again) about Vegas fees.
Vegas News | More Casinos On The Market
Quarterly earnings are the best and worst at the same time. They often have interesting information. The earnings calls are another level. They often have additional commentary that isn’t in the reports and press release. Let’s explore more in Vegas News.
Observations, Thoughts, and Trends (New Slot Machines and New Gaming Technology) From G2E
I’ve been going to the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) since I moved to Las Vegas. I’m not like the vast majority of attendees who work in the casino industry. I attend the annual gathering of the casino biz in part as media and also as a casino customer and gambler. It is always great to examine new slot machines and new gaming technology.
Vegas News | Hard Rock Eyes Vegas Strip For Casino, Boyd Shades Palms, and Say Goodbye To Poker
I have a great passion for a lot of things in Las Vegas. There’s always something new happening in Las Vegas and with the companies that operate here. As you know, deciphering casino corporation earnings calls is one of my favorite ways to analyze the industry. Let’s just get to the Vegas News.
Downtown Las Vegas Breweries | A Long (Awesome) Night At Able Baker Brewing
Two breweries recently opened locations in downtown Las Vegas and I was stoked to check them out. My original downtown Las Vegas Breweries plan was to stop by both Able Baker Brewing and the new CraftHaus new taproom.
Vegas News | 2 Casinos Sold, Another On The Block?
What a week! The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) was a blur. That blur sparked many memories both inside and outside of the expo itself. I’ll share thoughts on G2E another day. Let’s direct attention to the Vegas News focusing on casinos sold!
Overview Vegas Strip | Las Vegas Resort Fees + Las Vegas Parking Fees
Booking a hotel room in Las Vegas isn’t as simple as it used to be. Actually, just visiting the Vegas Strip isn’t as simple as it used to be either. The addition of resorts fees to advertised hotel room prices in Las Vegas over the years mean that your hotel room price isn’t what you’re being told it will be. But wait, there’s more! There is another fee if you plan on using a car in Las Vegas. Many casino operators on the Vegas Strip are now charging an hourly and daily parking fee for self-parking and valet. These parking fees are applicable to anyone with a car visiting or staying at the property.
Vegas News | G2E Preview + This Week Was a Blur
The Las Vegas PR machines might be slow right now but this week was a blur and I expect more of the same next week. A friend was in town for a conference and that gave me an excuse to enjoy Las Vegas like a tourist for a few days. Let’s get to all the Vegas scoop, and also my Vegas News G2E Preview.
Vegas News | The Calm Before The Storm
Let’s call this week the calm before the storm. It was a relatively quiet week in Las Vegas aside from the Palms Casino Resort drama (details on that shortly). The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) is in just over a week. Casino operators and gaming manufacturers will have lots of news for us around the gaming conference.
Vegas News | Rio Sold, the Drew Has Plans and a Flat Fee From LAS
I started writing this outside on a beautiful Las Vegas morning. Unfortunately, it’s so windy (about 40 MPH) that my cold brew was shaking on the table and looked as if it was going to fall over. I decided to move inside one of my favorite coffee shops, Madhouse Coffee, to drink the good stuff. Back to your regularly scheduled Vegas News.
Park MGM Las Vegas | First Visit to the Fully Renovated Property
I finally visited the completely renovated Park MGM Las Vegas. I saw construction at the former Monte Carlo monthly over the past two-plus years. Finally, there was no more construction at Park MGM.
Vegas News | MGM Rumors Continue and New Players Clubs in Las Vegas
We made it through another Vegas summer! High temperatures appear to be in the double digits for the rest of the year. Low temperatures will be in the mid 50’s by the end of the week with highs less than 80. This summer in Las Vegas wasn’t as brutal as recent years, but it’s still nice to be able to drive with the windows down again.
There are lots of rumors floating around about the future of a few Las Vegas casinos. “Rumors” might have accelerated to “talks” but the deals still aren’t agreed to so there’s nothing officially happening…yet.
Vegas News | Circus Circus Rumor, Airbnb and More Changes at Plaza
It’s race day in Las Vegas! Beastmode – Marshawn Lynch – will be driving the pace car at the South Point 400 today. This is the second NASCAR race in Las Vegas this year and the first race of the NASCAR playoffs. Enjoy! Let’s start off the Vegas news of the week with a rumor […]
Vegas News | New Booze Fees, Football Season, and Drama
We’re heading into my second favorite time of the year to be in Las Vegas. Temperatures cool but aren’t really cool. It’s warm but not hot. It’s still iced coffee weather but air conditioning isn’t necessary. It’s the best time to enjoy the great outdoors.
Watching Football in Las Vegas
Historically, there is more money wagered on football in Nevada than all other sports combined. While the Nevada Gaming Control Board doesn’t break out pro versus college, anecdotally the NFL sees about 60% of the football wagers while college sees 40% of the wagers. Seems like a perfect time of year to talk about watching football In Las Vegas.
These Are The Basics Of Betting On Football
The busiest season of the year in the sports book is upon us. Football makes up more than half the money wagered on sports every year in Nevada. Since more people wager on football than any other sports it’s usually the easiest game to figure out how to bet.
Vegas News | Holiday Edition Featuring New Sahara
I hope you’re enjoying your Labor Day Weekend. In a perfect world, you’re catching up on the news in and around Las Vegas while enjoying a little RnR.
Vegas News | So Long SLS and Goodbye Hooters Casino
Summer is almost over! Have no fear, it’s always sunny in Las Vegas. The 100+ degree temperatures aren’t going anywhere for a few weeks and there’s one more big weekend to party.
Vegas News | Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Still On Track
his was a very rare week in Las Vegas with little drama and little news. Since there isn’t much major news, we’ll touch on one big topic, a less big topic but still interesting, and then expand Quick Hits as needed.
Vegas News | Casino Earnings, Cat Cafe and Lots Of Beer!
This week in Vegas news was dominated by casino operators reporting earnings. Sometimes these calls offer insight into future plans for the businesses. Other times these casino earnings calls offer financial information that helps explain the Vegas experience. This earnings period has a combination of both without any major breaking news.
Vegas News | Tropicana, M life Changes, Rumors and More
I’m always in awe of Las Vegas. There’s so much happening. There’s also a lot that’s almost happening. This week we’ll touch on both ends of the spectrum without even mentioning the possibility of All Net Arena being built or the Virgin train.
Vegas News | Grasshoppers Invade!
The big news in Las Vegas this week seems to be the grasshopper invasion! I live about 20 minutes west of the Vegas Strip towards Red Rock Casino and I’ve only seen one grasshopper. He or she was outside of my apartment four times I went in and out on Friday. I named my new […]
Vegas Vacation Observations
This year my summer break was a week on the Vegas Strip at Harrah’s. Usually, when I visit the Vegas Strip it’s for a meeting or checking out something specific. This Vegas vacation is especially fun because I spend the entire week (mostly) on the Vegas Strip like a tourist without a plan.
Vegas News | Cosmopolitan Gives, Circa Progresses and Downtown Grand Upgrades
I love this first bit of news in Las Vegas so much that I’m skipping the intro. If you’re not aware, I’ve had a crush on the Cosmopolitan for years. You’ll see in my vacation roundup when it’s posted. Here’s another reason to love the home to my favorite bar on the Vegas Strip. The […]
Vegas News | Caesars, MGM, Wynn, and a Lot More
Sometimes there’s big news in Las Vegas. Then again, sometimes there’s little news in Las Vegas There’s a lot of interesting Vegas News…………….
Vegas News | Take Cover! – Vegas Earthquake
My week of vacation on the Vegas Strip was a great time and personally enlightening. I’ll just touch on a couple of newsy items today and will dive deeper with some kind of trip report. Coincidentally, there wasn’t much news while I was taking a break. (Well, except for a Vegas Earthquake!) This will be […]
Vegas News | As Caesars Turns Blockbuster and More
What a week! Eldorado finally purchased Caesars Entertainment and SLS Las Vegas will once again become the Sahara. There are a lot of moving parts with the Caesars deal but I’ll try to keep it to Las Vegas and loyalty.
Vegas News | Caesars Drama, New Vue at The D, Maybe a New SLS and More
Vegas News never takes a break. This year, my vacation takes place from Sunday afternoon until Saturday afternoon. You’ll never miss a beat! That’s enough about me. Let’s dive into this week’s news with everyone’s favorite Las Vegas soap opera…
Vegas News | Vegas Looking Back and Forward
Resorts World is here to save the day! (“Vegas Looking Back”) We don’t have more news but my twitter had info that people enjoyed + all the Vegas News…..
Vegas News | Caesars Almost Sold, SLS to Sahara and More
As Caesars Turns: Get Ready For Eldorado Palace! No introduction this week. We’re going right into the strange week in “As Caesars Turns.” On Thursday night the New York Post reported that “Icahn, Caesars reject too-low takeover offer from Eldorado Resorts.” While the article mentions that the deal is still being negotiated and close to […]
Vegas News | Virgin Rooms, Circa Sports, and MGM is New Vegas
We’re going to flip this week’s Vegas News around. The big insidery news from MGM Resorts will be at the end of the post. (Hint: New Vegas)
Vegas News | Las Vegas Long Weekend Edition
Las Vegas Long Weekend — We’re in the middle of a long Memorial Day Weekend so I’m just going to hop right to the Vegas News.
Vegas News | MGM, Wynn, Caesars, and so much more
MGM, Wynn, Caesars — The news from Las Vegas and casinos never seems to stop. On Friday afternoon I headed out to Cleaver for a delicious half-price steak for Happy Hour and news was still developing. It wasn’t until I returned home that I really caught up.
Enjoying Legal Marijuana in Las Vegas
I assumed using marijuana was just smoking a joint or blunt or eating a pot brownie. There are actually many ways of enjoying marijuana in Las Vegas that I didn’t know about.
Vegas News | MGM 2020, Majestic, and A Million Dollar Football Contest
Lots of Vegas News — including: MGM 2020, Majestic, A Million Dollar Football Contest, Quick Hits, Rumors and all the Vegas Scoop!
Vegas News | MGM Getting Dynamic, Ruffin Might Buy Caesars and A Lot More
This is been a whirlwind Vegas News week. There was at least one different casino operator reporting quarterly earnings every day + MGM Getting Dynamic, Ruffin Might Buy Caesars and A Lot More…..
My Favorite Craps Table in Vegas
I recently visited Golden Gate Casino. The trip reminded me why I like gambling at the Golden Gate. My single favorite craps table in Las Vegas…….
Looking All Around Las Vegas For The Finest Vegas News
The Finest Vegas News | Sometimes we have an action-packed week of news. I like slower news weeks. The lack of “must cover” news allows me to look at some of the Las Vegas news and rumors that you may not have seen all week long.
Vegas News | Cosmopolitan On The Market, Caesars May Be and A Drew Delayed
When I was thinking of a fun way to summarize the Vegas News this week a lyric from the band Thursday came to mind. “It starts and stops and starts and stops again” is basically how the casino industry has been operating for the past few weeks…actually years. Have a look.
Tips For Visiting The “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” Sign
One of the most popular sights in Las Vegas is the “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. Unlike the magnificent fountain show at Bellagio and other famous things to see in Las Vegas, it’s not located right in the middle of the action. The iconic Las Vegas Sign is technically located on the world famous Las Vegas Strip, but it’s isolated and away from everything else you’ll see in Las Vegas.
Vegas News | Drama, Data and Fighting
We’re going to start off the Vegas News this week with a little baseball. I want to share the picture of the new Las Vegas Aviators mascots because…well, you need to see this.
Vegas News | Progress at Virgin, Palms, Resorts World and more
This week was another look into the future of Las Vegas. Two off-strip casinos that I used to love visiting as a tourist but not as much as a local are turning over a new leaf.
Vegas News | New Vegas, Next Vegas and Lots More Vegas
Las Vegas is always changing and it’s sometimes strange to be in the middle of those advancements. I’m currently experiencing that for the second time with the Palms.
Vegas Dreams | Failed Las Vegas Projects
There were so many renovation and expansions of existing casinos that never got off the ground. It’s fun to take a stroll around the Las Vegas that never was.
Vegas News | Madness, Fees, More Caesars Rumors and Maybe a New Vegas Casino
Vegas News | Madness, Fees, More Caesars Rumors and Maybe a New Vegas Casino and all the Vegas Scoop + Quick Hits, those Vegas nuggets if you can’t get enough Vegas News.
Vegas News | As Caesars Turns, More Station Casinos and an Entertainment Survey
With Saint Patrick’s Day, the first weekend of March Madness and Spring Break upon us we are beginning my favorite stretch of the year… Vegas News | As Caesars Turns, More Station Casinos and an Entertainment Survey
Vegas News | MGM Automation, NashVegas and Soho House May Buy Rio
MGM 2020 Brings Automation, Rio Sales Rumors Never Die, and NashVegas Closer To Reality + all the Vegas News, Quick Hits and scoop.
Vegas News | Come For The Casino Drama, Leave With The News
Sometimes corporate drama can be fun. Then there are times when there’s so much casino drama that it overshadows what’s actually happening on the ground. With that in mind, I’m going to start with some corporate drama because it’s interesting and move on to things that might actually impact how you spend time in Las […]
Vegas News | Caesars Drama Continues and More
This is a different kind of earnings season for the casino corporations. It’s both boring and intriguing. (Hint: Caesars Drama) + All the Vegas News scoop!
This Local Loves Dining at the Venetian Vegas
Dining Venetian Vegas | The casinos on the Vegas Strip with my favorite restaurants are Aria and the Cosmopolitan. However, I head north on the Vegas Strip when I’m not exactly sure what to eat.
Vegas News | Caesars Sale Rumors (Again), MGM Earnings and More
It’s earnings season and we’re in the middle of a bunch of corporate news (MGM Earnings) from and about casinos in Las Vegas + Vegas News Scoop…….
Vegas News | Binion’s Expands, Golden Nugget Might Be On The Market and more
It almost seems as if Las Vegas is reinventing itself seemingly more than ever. Since then the economy has improved and prices have been slowly creeping back to normal. Las Vegas is back on the upswing.
Vegas News | Caesars, SLS, Strat, Wynn and More
There’s so much to get to this week that there’s no time for an intro to the Vegas News. Let’s get into it.
Vegas News | It is KAOS and Pigs Are Everywhere + Almost Super Bowl
This is the last Vegas News before the Super Bowl so let’s start with a MASSIVE list of Big Game parties. This almost Super Bowl information should be useful for anyone visiting Las Vegas for the Super Bowl
Vegas News | MGM Grand Blowout, Super Bowl Parties and more
News often happens for a reason. Sure there’s news in Las Vegas all year long but there are a few times a year we hear official announcements from large casino companies. MGM Grand Blowout, Super Bowl Parties and all the Vegas scoop!
Check Out The Transformation of SLS Las Vegas
The original aesthetic of SLS Las Vegas was a nod to the past while mostly looking forward. SLS Las Vegas is currently being renovated. The dark and high industrial ceilings are being lowered. Light colored overhangs and chandeliers are offering a more cozy and comfortable feeling.
Vegas News | 18 Fremont Becomes Circa, Airbnb Growing, Downtown Grand Expanding
18 Fremont Becomes Circa – You may have heard that the official name of 18 Fremont is Circa. The new casino being built on the land once occupied by Las Vegas Club, Mermaids, and the unforgettable Glitter Gulch is scheduled to open in December 2020. Lots of Vegas News, Downtown Grand Expanding and all the Vegas scoop!
Vegas News | MGM PGP 2.0, Bye Britney, Caesars + NFL and More
Happy New Year! I hope the holiday season treated you well. Even though the temperatures dipped below freezing for the first time in a long time, Las Vegas is off to a blazing new year. Lots of Vegas News, Caesars + NFL and all the Vegas scoop!
Vegas News | CES Room Rates are Bananas and Lady Gaga Flies into Park MGM
The holidays always make life interesting. Whether the time is spent celebrating with friends and family or working there’s always something out of the norm. I’ll share some of the interesting information I found shortly. Let’s get to the Vegas news.
Vegas News | Park MGM Grand Opening, Hard Rock Closing, Caesars Rewards Coming Soon
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! I’m happy to report that the weather in Las Vegas has been so beautiful that I haven’t turned the heat on…yet. It’s a Christmas miracle! Caesars Rewards Coming Soon + all the Vegas scoop!
Cheap Dining In Vegas | 3 Great Dishes For Under $10
I wouldn’t say that I love all of these restaurants but I absolutely love a very specific dish that each restaurant offers. Here’s what you should try…..
Yes, Du-par’s is still open in Las Vegas | Du-par’s Vegas at Suncoast
Du-par’s is still in business. No, Du-par’s is no longer at the Golden Gate. Du-par’s Vegas at Suncoast serves the same delicious pancakes and French Toast that we’ve come to know and love over the years.
Vegas News | The Cosmopolitan Upgrades and Flamingo Adds Bunk Beds
The news is often lost in a headline or a tweet. This week we saw an example of that with the Cosmopolitan.
Vegas News | Resorts World and The Drew Pushed Back, 18 Fremont Getting A Name
This Vegas News post is always a week in the making. We gather information every day until the news is submitted for posting. In fact, as I was about to edit this I received a new bit of information that I’ll share
Vegas News | More Promos, More Gaming Revenue, No Problem
Let’s start of the Vegas news this week with a question. Vegas News | More Promos, More Gaming Revenue, No Problem + all the Vegas Scoop!
Vegas News | No Resort Fees, Excess, Vegas Rumor About Rumors
We’re back and better than ever! I’ll drop some things I noticed while out on the Vegas Strip where appropriate + a Vegas Rumor About Rumors
Vegas News | Short, Sweet, Chock Full of Info
We haven’t missed a Vegas News post since TravelZork first launched the weekly Vegas News feature. To keep the streak going, this will be a shorter version than usual due to some kind of parasite that seems to be fighting to get out of my body.
Vegas News | Paradise Park Out, Golf Back at Wynn, and More Vegas
Casino operator earnings season is quite fun when business is good. It’s at least interesting when the businesses are in flux. RIP Wynn Paradise Park, Wynn West Lives…Sorta, Caesars Expands Property-Wide Progressive Table Games + More Vegas and all the Vegas Scoop!
Vegas News | Caesars and MGM Dive Into New Vegas
This is going to be a different look at the news from Las Vegas. We’re going to focus mainly on earnings from MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment before diving into a few quick hits. The earnings reports didn’t have much top-line news but they both touched on leisure travelers similarly, and that was interesting. (And, also a look at New Vegas….)
Vegas News | More Caesars Rumors and More Paid Parking
This week Caesars Entertainment hired Goldman Sachs to help them deal with activist investors. In the same article, the NY Post says that MGM Resorts International might be interested in buying Caesars Entertainment “if it can do so in a friendly deal.” + all the Las Vegas scoop!
Who is Gonna Play Roll to Win Craps ?
Roll to Win Craps from Aruze Gaming was the talk of the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) this year. The new semi-automated craps game that replaces felt with a table-length LED display caused quite a stir.
Vegas News | Caesars Merger Rumors, Britney’s Back and Learning about Red Plate
This week there was some news about a potential shakeup with the national casino operator from a typically reliable resource + all the Las Vegas scoop!
Vegas New | New Craps at The Linq, Tent at The Strat and Renovations at SLS
Much of the news in Las Vegas for this week comes from the Global Gaming Expo (G2E). The casino business doesn’t entirely stop but it comes close.
Vegas News | Fremont Expanding, Park MGM Singing and Vegas LOL-ing
Boyd Gaming has been doing great business in Las Vegas over the past couple of years. The locals casinos and downtown casinos have been attracting locals and tourists alike. Their earnings call and report for the second quarter was further proof of that.
Vegas News | Taco Bell, Best Casinos and Deals at Caesars
The best of Las Vegas is different for everyone. My best of Las Vegas can be different depending on the time of day. Some casino experiences are best when the sun is out while others are more fun at night.
Vegas News | Waldorf Vegas Goes Boom, NoMad Las Vegas Available, Lucky Dragon No More
More than a few people I know are noticing the increased number of promotions for Caesars that we mentioned last week. I saw comps almost across the board in my Total Rewards app and decided to book a night at Planet Hollywood. I had to shoot some video of the new Block 16 Food Hall at the Cosmopolitan so I figured I’d get a room and work in my room instead of driving back home. Lazy? Sure. Fun? You bet!
Vegas News | Much Ado About Caesars News
Caesars news dominates in and around Las Vegas this week. Last week they released an investors presentation and this week they held a meeting with investors at the 2018 Gaming & Lodging Conference.
Vegas News | Lego Las Vegas, Virgin, Sports Betting and More
The biggest news involving Las Vegas this week comes from another country (at least that’s what wikipedia says). The brand new LEGO Architecture Las Vegas is available to purchase on Amazon.
Vegas News | Boyd B Connected, Parking, and Panda Express Hotel
The big news in Las Vegas actually affects casino guests all around the country. Boyd Gaming updated their B Connected players club.
Vegas News | Vegas Football Season, Renovations, New Casinos, and More!
Let’s get to the Vegas News right away since my intro bleeds into the first story. Palace-Station Renovations And Sportsbook This is the most fun time of the year to be a sports bettor in Las Vegas. Football season is the busiest time of the year in the sportsbooks. Sportsbooks will be packed, and the […]
Vegas News | Vegas Dining Prices and New Identity at Cosmopolitan
There’s so much talk about fees being out of control in Las Vegas but only one financial issue. There are plenty of price increases happening in Las Vegas beyond the fees.
Vegas News | More Fees, Vegas Hacked, and Tea at The Waldorf Vegas
This was a rather interesting week in Las Vegas. There wasn’t as much major news as last week but there is a lot to know.
Vegas News | Mostly Casino Biz + Target On The Vegas Strip
Vegas News | We just finished a rather insane news week in Las Vegas. The quarterly earnings calls always offer insight into how casino corporations operate.
Vegas News | Exploring, Building and Loose Slots
One of the many benefits of living in Las Vegas is the ability to explore the different casinos whenever the mood strikes. Visiting and exploring casinos isn’t the same thing.
Vegas News | Where It Can Be Sunny, Cloudy and Rainy At The Same Time
Vegas in the summer is fun. On Friday it was simultaneously cloudy, sunny and raining above Red Rock Casino. Having said that, once you walk into the casino that’s all forgotten. Guess where I am today! Let’s get to the Vegas News.
Vegas News | Robots, Sports Books and Name Changes
The past two weeks have given me the best of both worlds in Las Vegas. You may remember that I took most of the first week of July off to enjoy life as a tourist on the Vegas Strip. Las Vegas is an amazing place to visit and it’s a great place to live! Time for the news in Las Vegas!
Vegas News | Hold On To Your Hat, Vegas Is About To Get Extreme!
There’s not much better than a week in Las Vegas without work. My summer Vegas vacation was really without a major flaw. Even gambling on the Vegas Strip wasn’t as awful as it’s been in the past. I’ll share some observations about Las Vegas over the next few weeks but today is for the Vegas News.
Vegas News | 4th of July in Las Vegas Holiday Edition
By the time you read this, I’ll be enjoying my summer vacation on the Vegas Strip. I’ll be staying in a casino and will be as immersed in Vegas for a week. It’s always fun to be a tourist in Las Vegas instead of someone on a mission to do X, Y, Z before going home.
Vegas News | Park MGM Updates And Maybe A Delayed Virgin (Hotel)
Restaurant Week in Las Vegas is fantastic so I want to start with a reminder that it continues through at least June 29. Comp Drinks At Park MGM, Sounds Like There Might Be A Virgin Delay, Comp Drinks At Park MGM and much more Vegas scoop!
Vegas News | Coming Soon: Las Vegas Fireworks!
Excuse me if it seems as if this was a slow news week in Las Vegas. The city might have been celebrating the inaugural season for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Vegas News | Wynn Parking, MGM Sniffing and Golden Knights Losing
Vegas News | Wynn Parking, MGM Sniffing and Golden Knights Losing — All good things eventually come to an end. The Vegas Golden Knights had a miraculous season but lost to the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Final. There will be movies and/books to detail how inconceivable this season was. In the meantime…
Vegas News | A Little From Vegas, Outside Of Vegas And ZorkFest
Whew! ZorkFest, 360 Vegas Vacation, and Memorial Day Weekend are gone and life is almost back to normal! The combination of learning, partying, and a day off for a holiday weekend was something else. This weekend was more than just a hang or conference. There’s really a great supportive community that loves casinos in Las Vegas and beyond.
Vegas News | ZorkFest Quick Hits Edition
Vegas News this week will be shorter than usual thanks to the influx of people in Las Vegas for ZorkFest! Here is your Quick Hits of Vegas News to catch you up on what’s happening in this great city.
Vegas News | Signs, Sphere’s, Sports Betting And More
We’re going to go behind the scenes a little this week. Following Las Vegas closely can be exciting. We hear about news before it’s news and everyone else knows what’s happening. However, there’s a downside being first to know everything.
Vegas News | MGM Resorts News and Three Renovations
We’re a week removed from the Kentucky Derby and Cinco De Mayo weekend in Las Vegas. I didn’t think I’d feel this way but Derby Day felt incomplete without a big fight. I haven’t been a boxing fan for a few years but the excitement a big fight brings to Las Vegas is unmatched. Boxing also brings in the biggest customers according to MGM Resorts.
Vegas News | Plans, Rumors and a Sock Store
You may have noticed that we made an emergency news post during the week. We didn’t think that the news about 18 Fremont and Wynn Paradise Park plans should wait until Sunday. Having said that this news post will be a little shorter than some others.
Emergency Vegas News Post | 18 Fremont & Wynn Plans Revealed
This week Wynn Resorts and Derek Stevens revealed plans about upcoming projects that need to be shared before Sunday. We’ll have more thoughts on each of these by Sunday but thought we should share the news before it’s news.
Vegas News | Wynn & MGM Have Delays While El Cortez Has CSM’s
All the Vegas scoop! Wynn & MGM Have Delays While El Cortez Has CSM’s – Peppermill Sign Going To The Neon Museum – Wynn Resorts Earnings – $20 Concert and Show Tickets – El Cortez Brings In Continuous Shuffle Machines – Podcasters After Dark
[Jimbo needs a hug] MGM Resorts Earnings and Park MGM Delays
There’s no way to sugar coat MGM Resorts first quarter earnings. I opened the quarterly MGM Resorts earnings presentation as soon as I woke up and saw a slew of red down arrows. After a cup of coffee and actually spending time reading the why there were red arrows it’s easy to see that MGM Resorts just had a bad quarter.
Vegas News | Things Happened And I Played Virtual Reality
Variety is the spice of life. I’m easily bored and don’t like discussing the same topics every week. I was looking forward to a week of news that didn’t include rumors about MGM Resorts and Wynn Resorts. However, I saw some information that I haven’t seen anywhere. Not even the twitters have been rumoring this!
Vegas News | More Wynn News, New Harrah’s And Lots Of Quick Hits
What’s Up With Wynn Part II – Harrah’s Northern California – Silverton Village Breaks Ground – Gwen Stefani residency at Planet Hollywood + all the Las Vegas Scoop
Casino Review | Good Blackjack And Cheap (or comp) Macallan At Treasure Island Las Vegas
Generally, I visit Treasure Island to play blackjack. They promote the casino as having great 3:2 blackjack and they deliver. If you’re looking for good gambling and affordable food and drink the casino is definitely a place that should be on your radar.
Vegas News | Wynn, MGM, And Fried Chicken
No intro today…just straight to the news! What’s Up With Wynn? – MGM Making Moves Outside Of Las Vegas – Rumor of the week: Chick Fil A coming to Vegas Strip + all the Las Vegas Scoop
Treasure Island Hotel Review – Las Vegas
The hotel room at Treasure Island Las Vegas is exactly what I expected. The room was nice, clean and well put together. The furnishings and amenities won’t wow anyone but they’re appropriate for the price point and won’t disappoint.
Overview Non-Vegas Strip | Las Vegas Resort Fees + Las Vegas Parking Fees
Let’s take a look at resort and parking fees for hotels away from the Vegas Strip. Since there are so many hotel-casinos around Las Vegas I’ll break them into sections for easier reading.
Vegas News | Let’s Welcome Virgin Hotels To Las Vegas
Vegas News | Let’s Welcome Virgin Hotels to Las Vegas – We’ve officially entered my favorite time of the year to be in Las Vegas. It’s so perfect outside during the day that a major business conglomerate held a press conference outside on Friday. Let’s actually start the news here because there’s a lot to discuss.
Vegas News | So Long Sam
Vegas News | So Long Sam – SLS Las Vegas Sale Approved, eSports Arena Opens At Luxor, Big Changes Ahead For The Stratosphere Players Club + all the Vegas scoop from TravelZork
Vegas News | March And Madness!
I try to keep my love of sports to a minimum for Vegas News. I know that not everyone who loves Las Vegas has the same passion for sitting in a sportsbook that I have. However, we need to begin with a little sports talk.
Skip The Strip To Save During March Madness In Vegas
The first weekend of March Madness is one of the best times of the year to be in Las Vegas. The long weekend of fun begins on Thursday, March 15, with 16 basketball games. However, there are some viewing options that offer a great viewings experience for little to no cost.
Vegas News | Wynn Loses Bananas, Caesars News, Resort Fees and More
Another Vegas Resort Fee Increase – Another Emergency Call From Wynn and all the Vegas scoop brought to you every week!
Vegas News | More Vegas Fee Increases And Palms Renovation Plans Expand
When I first started visiting Las Vegas I couldn’t afford much beyond a hotel room and low limits gambling. I was 21’ish and didn’t have much money to my name…. Being nickeled and dimed by Las Vegas hotels every few months is obnoxious.
Vegas News | MGM Resorts Earnings, Park MGM Update And New Rooms For El Cortez
I think the cold temperatures slowed down the newsmakers in Las Vegas this week. That’s the only way I can explain the lack of actual news. In fact, after MGM Resorts International reported earnings it seems as though everyone in Las Vegas went out for ramen to warm up from the freezing cold temperatures.
Vegas News | Bulls Roaming, Security Checks, The Drew And More
The big news is that the Big Blue Monstrosity on the north end of the Vegas Strip has an opening date. Let’s start there because I have even more information today than when the announcement was first made.
Fontainebleau to Become The Drew | Opening on the Vegas Strip 2020
The massive big blue casino-resort on the north end of the Vegas Strip just received a permanent name – The Drew Vegas. This is now the third name for the massive blue glass building. The structure was built with the intention of being the Las Vegas version of Fontainebleau.
Vegas News | Full Steam Ahead
I’m always looking forward in life and in Las Vegas. Dealing with the current moment and what’s ahead makes life easier to handle than wallowing in the past.
Marc’s ZorkFest 2017 Wrap Up
Last year, Michael told me about an idea to have a conference that would discuss maximizing travel miles and points and casino rewards. Ya know, bringing TravelZork dot com to life. What a great concept. The idea went dark for awhile and popped up just a few months ago. ZorkFest 2017 was ready to go!
Vegas News | Parking, Slot Machines and Horses Oh My!
Happy Super Bowl Sunday! We haven’t missed a Sunday news post since starting. I’ve taken time out from vacation to write news while sitting at a bar drinking coffee. The streak will continue albeit a bit more brief than usual. Unfortunately, it appears as though the sick bug has caught me. Let’s get to it because this past week in Las Vegas was sort of all over the place.
Vegas News | Las Vegas Travel Is Changing
Wow, what a week in Las Vegas. Sometimes it’s true, where there’s smoke there’s fire. I thought there would be a big announcement coming from Wynn Resorts and there most certainly was a big announcement.
Steve Wynn Announces Wynn West on Former Frontier and Alon Land
I knew there was big news coming from Wynn Resorts today. On top of a massive revenue increase, Steve Wynn dropped a Las Vegas news bomb.
Vegas News | Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire
Wynn Resorts announced that they will be reporting earnings on Monday morning. Hard Rock May Finally Be Sold. While the deal isn’t confirmed there’s too much smoke not to see a fire. + more news and scoop
Vegas News | Monte Carlo Sports Book Moving And Fortune Cup Should Be In More Casinos Soon
This is another big week for news in Las Vegas but I want to begin with something you can only do today in Las Vegas. First of all, you’re living life right if you’re on vacation and reading this to start your day.
Vegas News | Lucky Dragon Taking A Break and Much More
I’ve been my own boss since I was in my mid-20’s. The holidays throw a wrench in my regular schedule and that makes me a bit crazy. Thankfully, we’re back to normal this week!
Trip Report | Las Vegas Winter Vacation
Trip Report | Las Vegas Winter Vacation — I’ve been vacationing in Las Vegas during December almost every year since I turned 21. The trip has gone through many iterations since it started. I’m happy that the “December Trip” still exists with the same group even though I’m living in Las Vegas.
Vegas News | Looking Back At 2017 And Ahead To 2018
Looking back I think it’s safe to say that 2017 was an interesting year Las Vegas. There was plenty of news and I’m happy to say that we’ve never missed a week sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of what’s happening in Las Vegas.
Vegas News | Casino Consolidation And Lots Of Caesars News
Happy Christmas Eve! Believe it or not, Las Vegas can get chilly in the winter. Everyone will feel the chill in the air if you plan on being outside for a while. So, that’s the weather. Brr. Let’s move onto the news.
Exploring Las Vegas | Summerlin
Summerlin is a planned community about 20 minutes west of the Vegas Strip. The entire area is beautiful and a well thought out combination of suburbia and what I expected from Las Vegas.
Vegas News | North Vegas Strip Growth Might Be A Bit Exaggerated
Quiet Las Vegas is a great Las Vegas. It’s still my favorite time to enjoy Las Vegas. Crazy trips to Las Vegas are fun too but the quiet time of the year allows fairly easy access to restaurants, clubs, or shows that might normally be busy or sold out. News from Las Vegas is sometimes quiet during the slow period too. Businesses sometimes take time away from announcements to focus their big news when more people are paying attention. That might be the case moving forward. However, the past week was chock full of news.
Las Vegas | Park MGM Is Coming Together Nicely
It’s been over a year since the announcement but you can finally start to see the vision MGM Resorts International has for the conversion of Monte Carlo to Park MGM. This is really just the beginning of the future.
Vegas News | Hold On To Your Hat, There’s A Lot Of News This Week!
Vegas News | Hold On To Your Hat, There’s A Lot Of News This Week! Vegas news has been fairly sparse in the past few weeks. Well, that changes right now…
Vegas News | Cowboys, Cowgirls, Marketers And Holidays In Las Vegas
It’s ZorkFest weekend and we’re all in Atlantic City! I’m skipping a Pai Gow session at Bally’s right now so I can gather any interesting news from Las Vegas that I can find. Writing about Las Vegas is fun but it’s, even more, fun when there’s a casino 30 seconds away.
Vegas News | A Las Vegas Holiday Quickie
This will be the shortest Vegas News post in about a year. Not much happened in the past week despite constant hunting high and low for anything that could pass as news. Earlier this year someone mentioned that they had FOMO. The Fear Of Missing Out is real and it turns out that I have that as well. I have to know everything happening in Las Vegas. I can’t miss out on anything!
Las Vegas Players Club Going Cardless
Station Casinos recently revealed that they will roll the system out two more properties by the end of the year. They will continue to install Cardless Connect in even more casinos next year. Station Casinos hasn’t revealed which casinos will receive the new mobile loyalty system yet.
Vegas News | The Las Vegas Holiday Season Begins
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The Las Vegas Holiday Season is upon us. This week everyone will be eating turkey and in a couple of weeks we’ll all be breaking out our winter clothes and celebrating whatever holiday works for you.
Vegas News | There’s Always Something New
Vegas News | There’s Always Something New – All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
Las Vegas | Station Casinos Plan For Palms Much More Than Lipstick On A Pig
Plan For Palms Much More Than Lipstick On A Pig | Station Casinos purchase of Palms comes with a grand vision. The casino operator is also using the property to change how customers see Station Casinos.
Vegas News | Virgin Hotel-Casino, Pachinko, and More Hotel Renovations
Las Vegas is a city of big events. I look at our Sunday Vegas News column the same. This column exists to highlight big news! There’s plenty of news every week but this week is just missing that one big juicy nugget. Actually, maybe there’s one nugget but it won’t be BIG until it becomes […]
Las Vegas Casino Players Clubs Changing How They Reward Customers
Las Vegas casino players clubs are tightening the purse strings on how they reward customers. Before you get fired up just understand that this isn’t new. The casino operators are just discussing this publicly.
Vegas News | Caesars Raises Parking Prices, Wynn Building Paradise And Adele Hates Las Vegas
The news in Las Vegas never ends. This week Caesars waited until Friday night at 11pm to release news that locals could no longer self-park for free at most of their properties. That’s not entirely true, Total-Rewards members that are Platinum level or higher can valet or self-park for free. You can read about that at […]
Las Vegas | Wynn Paradise Park Is Still BANANAS!
Steve Wynn first revealed an idea for Wynn Paradise Park in early 2016. The plan for the expansion of the casino-resort has always been to build some kind of lagoon experience on the golf course. After two years of design consultation, the idea is finally taking shape with dates and some more details.
The Las Vegas Bitcoin Scene
Even though Las Vegas is sometimes on the cutting edge, Bitcoin has barely made a blip on the radar of most businesses. Bitcoin is still just getting off the ground so this shouldn’t be a surprise.
Caesars Entertainment Investors Call And Presentation Notes
Caesars just had their first investors call since emerging from bankruptcy and I have a lot spinning in my head. Corporate earnings calls usually focus on revenue. This call was used more to discuss the future plans for Caesars Entertainment.
Vegas News | Station Casinos Going Cardless And Lots Of Construction…Maybe
Vegas News | Station Casinos Going Cardless And Lots Of Construction…Maybe…… All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
Las Vegas Sports Books Are No Longer Just For Gamblers
Gambling was once the main revenue generator for Las Vegas casinos. Along with food and beverage, hotel rooms, and amenities, it’s just part of the revenue mix today.
Vegas News | Casinos, Sports, Dining And A Gila Monster!
Vegas News | Casinos, Sports, Dining and a Gila Monster! All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
Checkin’ Out Chica Las Vegas. Twice.
I was stoked when The Venetian announced that Chica by Lorena Garcia was opening earlier this year. The Latin restaurant is bringing a type of cuisine that isn’t found in most other Las Vegas casinos.
Vegas News | Looking Back And Moving Forward With New Casino Games
Vegas News | Looking Back And Moving Forward With New Casino Games. Entertainment News – Sports News – Foodie News | All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
Vegas News | Caesars Palace Ruined, New Arena Maybe, Hockey And More
Vegas News | Caesars Palace Ruined, New Arena Maybe, Hockey and More. Entertainment News – Sports News – Foodie News | All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
Unintended Consequences | Casino Drink Monitoring
My feelings on the casino drink monitoring systems at the Cosmopolitan, Caesars Entertainment, and MGM Resorts International casino bars are mixed. I generally don’t mind the systems, especially at the Cosmopolitan, but I’m not entirely happy they have to exist.
Vegas News | Lots Of Quickies This Week
Vegas News | Lots of Quickies this week. Entertainment News – Sports News – Foodie News
All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
Las Vegas | Fortune Cup Lands At The Venetian
Fortune Cup by Konami Gaming in finally in casinos. You may be familiar with this horse racing game from its tour around the world in 2016. Last year, Konami took thus massive game to just about every gaming conference to gauge interest.
Vegas News | Fortune Cup Coming To Casinos And More Park MGM News
Vegas News | Fortune Cup Coming Casinos and more Park MGM News. All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
My Favorite Las Vegas Sports Books
In my eyes, there’s no such thing as a bad Las Vegas sports book. There are only degrees of how good a sports book is. You won’t find the same kind of environment where anyone can watch and legally wager on sports anywhere else in the United States.
Vegas News | Park MGM Reveals Itself, EDC Moves, Palms Closures And More
Vegas News | Park MGM Reveals Itself, EDC Moves, Palms Closures and more. All the Vegas News and scoop every week at TravelZork.
Hotel Review | Planet Hollywood Ultra Resort Room
PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort was my home away from home before moving to Las Vegas. The first time I stayed at the casino was during the renovation from Aladdin to the casino we know today.
Vegas News | Rumors Do Come True, Fontainebleau Las Vegas Has Been Sold
Rumors Do Come True, Fontainebleau Las Vegas Has Been Sold. Be sure to visit TravelZork every week for the latest travel and Vegas News!
Las Vegas | First Look At The Golden Gate Casino Expansion
Just over a year ago, Derek Stevens owner of the Golden Gate Casino purchased a few properties on Fremont Street. Included in the purchase were the casinos formerly known as Mermaids and La Bayou. La Bayou was on the south side of Fremont Street and also closed. This casino is now a part of the Golden Gate casino. La Bayou casino and an alley in between the Golden Gate are now a part of a large expansion of the casino floor at the Golden Gate.
Vegas News | Las Vegas Goes Digital and Virtual
Las Vegas Goes Digital and Virtual + Introducing ZorkCast podcast. Be sure to visit TravelZork every week for the latest travel and Vegas News!
Sake Rok Vegas is The Most Unique Dining Experience on the Vegas Strip
Sake Rok at The Park has become one of my favorite restaurants in Las Vegas. Somehow a sushi restaurant with live entertainment and audience participation found its way to my heart and stomach.
Vegas News | Lots of Gambling News and The Hard Rock Might Be On The Market
Lots of Gambling News and The Hard Rock Might Be On The Market. Be sure to visit TravelZork every week for the latest travel and Vegas News!
eSports in Vegas
To be clear, eSports isn’t new to Las Vegas.There has been a lot of buzz around the eSports for the past couple of years. The buzz comes with good reason. Marketing firm NewZoo projects that eSports revenue will reach $696 million by the end of 2017.
Vegas News | More Casino Renovations, Name a Soccer Team and More
More Casino Renovations, Name a Soccer Team and More. Be sure to visit TravelZork every week for the latest travel and Vegas News!
New Las Vegas Hotel Rooms From Caesars Today and Tomorrow
For the past year, Caesars has been devoted to renovating their hotel rooms around the country. The reason for the upgrades is $imple. The new room products result in higher room rates. The interesting thing is that renovated Las Vegas hotel rooms are sort of a win-win for customers and the hotel operator.
Vegas News | Bally’s and Harrah’s Room Renovations, Mayweather Viewing and More
Bally’s and Harrah’s Room Renovations, Mayweather Viewing and More. Count on TravelZork every week for all the Vegas News!
Consider Airbnb For Your Marijuana Vegas Vacation
Many tourists enjoy marijuana but the laws seem to have been tailored for residents of Nevada. You might consider Airbnb for your marijuana vegas vacation.
Blackjack and Brews At The Linq Las Vegas
If I am at The Linq and someone wants to play low limits blackjack and won’t go to another casino, I’d steer them to the pit that offers better beer. At least I’m getting good suds and more alcohol with each drink than I would in the rest of the casino.
Vegas News | Park MGM, Boyd Gaming Crushing, Free Show By The Killers And More
Park MGM, Boyd Gaming Crushing, Free Show By The Killers + much much more. Count on TravelZork every week for all the Vegas News!
Las Vegas | Park MGM Renderings Are Here, Say Goodbye To Monte Carlo
Construction work at Monte Carlo is more of a burden on the company than they expected. The place was a wreck when I visited a few weeks ago. There are curtains and construction work being done everywhere. Monte Carlo is dragging down overall performance of the company. That said, it’s onward and upward.
Giada Vegas | Great Food, Great Views and Great Service at The Cromwell
Giada Vegas has become one of the most popular Italian restaurants on the Vegas Strip. My recent dinner was by far the best GIADA Restaurant experience I’ve had.
Vegas News | Golden Gate Expanding, Park MGM Coming Together, And Vegas Gets Bananas
Golden Gate Expanding, Park MGM Coming Together, and Vegas Gets Bananas + much much more. Count on TravelZork every week for all the Vegas News!
Learning and Loving Pai Gow Poker in Vegas
When I first started visiting Las Vegas, my friends and I would almost exclusively play blackjack. Then I learned about Pai Gow Poker and everything changed! I’m not sure of exactly how we found out about Pai Gow Poker but it was at Mandalay Bay.
Vegas News | Cromwell Changes Confirmed, Cosmopolitan Rocking, Wynn Parking And More
Vegas News | The Cosmopolitan Is Rocking. It’s been impressive to watch the casino evolve without changing too much. Self-Parking Fees At Wynn Set To Begin August 7th and much much more.
Caesars Looks Outside Of Casinos For Revenue
Most casino operators in Las Vegas prefer to have a revenue split close to MGM than Caesars. In fact, Caesars wants to have a revenue split closer to MGM Resorts. The two casino operators have different approaches to their companies. MGM Resorts is expanding with new casinos and a massive profit growth plan. Meanwhile, Caesars Entertainment is looking elsewhere to generate revenue.
Vegas News | New Vegas Hotels, Convention Centers And Parking Fees
Las Vegas never takes a break. There is so much news this week that the quick hits will be overflowing. Downtown Grand Planning A New Hotel Tower. There’s A Crane At Resorts World…….
Vegas News | Lots Of Changes Coming To The Cromwell and more
Vegas News | Lots Of Changes Coming To The Cromwell and more…. The CROMWELL Hotel Las Vegas is one of my favorite casinos to gamble on the Vegas Strip. After a celebratory dinner at Giada, we ventured to the casino floor to play a little Pai Gow. Before sitting down for a 6 hour and 27-minute session my friend and I explored construction all around the casino.
3 Dining Hot Spots Near The Vegas Strip
Dining Near The Vegas Strip | Here are a couple of my favorite new off-strip dining hot spots along with a very newly opened restaurant. I’m including Uber ride-hailing estimates so you can budget time and money. You won’t find this kind of dining experience in a Las Vegas casino.
Vegas News | Ride-hailing, Housesharing, Vegas Hockey and a Ton Of News
Vegas Hockey and a Ton of News | Las Vegas’ first major professional sports team, the Vegas Golden Knights (VGK for short), had a very busy week. Here are some quick-hitting highlights from the past week for the NHL expansion team……
Mlife Rewards Red, White & Blue Giveaway In Las Vegas From June 29-July 2
Mlife Red, White & Blue Giveaway | The Mlife Rewards Red, White & Blue Giveaway takes place from June 29 – July 2 at Las Vegas casinos only.
Vegas News | Stratosphere Sold, Station Casinos Evolving, Big Week Ahead For Vegas Golden Knights
This is a great weekend to visit Las Vegas if you enjoy being here when the city is full of people just looking for fun. The people watching is fantastic and the people in Las Vegas for the festival are typically just looking for fun. Let’s get to the Las Vegas news from the past week.
Legionnaires’ At Rio, Bollards On The Vegas Strip And A LOT More News in Las Vegas
There was so much news in Las Vegas last week that I really don’t know where to start. There weren’t any bombshells but there was a lot of interesting tidbits. I’ll try to keep the analysis somewhat brief so I can get to most of the news.
Total Rewards and Wyndham Rewards Partner – Plus Offer Matching Status
Caesars Entertainment, the nationwide casino chain just announced their new hotel partner. Wyndham Rewards, one of the largest hotel chains in the world, will soon become a part of Total Rewards‘ TR Alliance.
Vegas News | Ride-hailing, Comp Drink Crackdown Expands and Holiday Prices
It feels as if Las Vegas has been on a tear with news and rumors lately. I enjoyed finding time just sorting through the headlines. Well, June starts off on the other foot. There’s not much new or interesting to report. Expect this to be a quick look at what’s new in Las Vegas this week.
What Does The Meruelo Group Have Planned For SLS Las Vegas?
What is Planned for SLS Las Vegas? After just over three years of operations, SLS Las Vegas was sold last week. The casino resort that was built on the bones of the Sahara was sold by Stockbridge Real Estate to the Meruelo Group for an undisclosed amount.
Vegas News | SLS Las Vegas Sold, Bellagio Losing Fountains….Someday and More
This will be an abbreviated version of news this week for the holiday. Marc needs to party too! Let’s get to it. The big news this week is that SLS Las Vegas was sold by Stockbridge to the Meruelo Group. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the deal should become official by the third quarter.
Vegas News | Caesars, Cosmopolitan, And Resorts World Making Moves
May has been a busy month for the corporate entity Caesars Entertainment. You can see all of the press releases here but I’ll try to share the interesting information in easily digestible bites. Let’s roll!
Vegas News | More Drink Monitoring, Wynn Expansion Shrinks And More
Drink monitoring systems may not affect you if you’re visiting a video poker bar in a casino specifically to play video poker. It’s a different story if you’re passively playing video poker expecting complimentary drinks. The systems aren’t ubiquitous…yet.
Vegas News | Caesars Renovation, Raiders Plotting, Restaurants Opening
One of the best weekend’s of the year in Las Vegas will be coming to an end by the time you read this. The first Saturday in May brings gorgeous weather, the Kentucky Derby, a big fight, Cinco de Mayo parties, MLB games, NBA & NHL playoffs and more.
First Quarter Was Great For Las Vegas Casino Operators
First quarter earnings were great for the largest Las Vegas casino operators. New Year’s Eve bled into the first quarter. The extra day of revenue was helpful for casino operators. The year always starts with a bang. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the largest convention and expo of the year with well over 100,000 attendees.
Vegas News | There’s A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
I usually go into the weekend with one or two pages of notes with the Las Vegas news. There are three pages of fun today. There’s a lot of information this week, so buckle up! I’ll try to keep everything short, sweet and easy to read.
Tasting The Newest Restaurant At The Venetian, Mercato della Pescheria – Vegas
I recently visited the newest restaurant in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, Mercato della Pescheria. The restaurant is located in St. Mark’s square replacing upscale Italian restaurant Postrio. The layout of Mercato della Pescheria is similar to Postrio with an indoor and “outdoor” table configuration. The outdoor seats are inside the casino under the painted sky ceiling.
Vegas News | Las Vegas Sports World, Pac-Man Slots, Money And More
I thought that following up all of the news and rumors from last week is going to be difficult. There’s so much happening in Las Vegas that I actually had to break out a section because the article would have been impossible to read. I probably should have done that today, but I didn’t. There’s a lot happening in the Las Vegas sports world, so let’s start there.
Vegas News | So Many Vegas Rumors And So Much News!
This week will be a bit different format for Vegas News. The article begins linking to another story because you love parking and jumps right into rumors. There was so much news last week that I’m just giving a bunch of quick hits for you to read directly from the sources.
Las Vegas | Cosmopolitan Parking Fees Begin This Week
The Cosmopolitan will begin charging for valet parking on April 18. Self-Parking fees will begin on May 16. Both visitors and hotel guests will be required to pay for parking. Las Vegas locals will have to pay as well. Here are the specifics:
Dr. Brown’s Soda Brings The East Coast To Vegas at Suncoast Casino
When I moved to Las Vegas, I didn’t know much about the Jewish community. I didn’t expect to find Dr. Brown’s soda very often since it’s from the east coast. The day I explored the SUNCOAST HOTEL and CASINO was one of the happiest since I moved to Las Vegas. Low and behold the deli/restaurant had a few different Dr. Brown’s sodas in their refrigerator.
Sometimes Ya Just Need A Hot Bowl Of Matzo Ball Soup…In Las Vegas
On this awful day that picks me up came in the form of a hug from a delicious bowl of Matzo Ball soup at Siegel’s 1941 inside El Cortez. This was the first time I visited the new restaurant so I was hoping that the soup was the hug I wanted. Thankfully, it was as good, if not better, than any Matzo Ball soup I’ve had in Las Vegas
Vegas News | Visitor Data, Renovations, Gambling And More
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) released their annual Las Vegas Visitor Profile last week. This is a snapshot of the average visitor to Las Vegas + Renovations, Gambling and more.
Vegas News | Caesars Begins Charging For Vegas Parking + Only In Vegas
Caesars begins charging for Vegas parking, Oakland Raiders receive approval to move to Las Vegas, Skill Based Gaming at Planet Hollywood + Only In Vegas.
Casino Gaming | Trying Out Top Dollar Premium
Top Dollar is by far my favorite slot machine. I love the game so much that every denomination between a penny and $5 has seen some kind of action. Sometimes that variety happens in the same casino.
Vegas News | Shakedowns, Renovations And Maybe A Vegas Trump Casino
The New York Post is reporting that hotel room rates during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2018 will continue the trend of “insane room rates.” I wrote about the Trump Hotel potentially adding a Vegas Trump casino…. + much more
Vegas News | March Madness Begins And Lots Of Vegas Rumors
Vegas News | The first weekend of March Madness is more popular every year, Las Vegas breaks tourism records in 2016, and lots of Vegas rumors.
Leave The Vegas Strip For A Great Casino To Watch March Madness
Leave The Vegas Strip For A Great Casino To Watch March Madness. The South Point is mostly known as a casino catering to local Las Vegas residents, horse people (fans and riders), and bowlers. It’s also becoming the home for sports bettors in Las Vegas.
Vegas News | More NASCAR and Robots Invade The Vegas Strip
It’s NASCAR weekend in Las Vegas, so let’s start the news at the track. There are over 100,000 people expected to visit Las Vegas for the races this weekend…… Robots Invade The Vegas Strip ? I wrote about robotic bars 2 or 3 years ago and wondered when they would be in Las Vegas. It looks as though it’s time for robot booze slingers to hit the Vegas Strip.
Beginners Guide To Sports Betting in Las Vegas
Since the first weekend of March Madness is here we thought it would be a good time to share a Beginners Guide To Sports Betting in Las Vegas. No matter your level of sports betting experience this should provide useful information for you.
A Las Vegas sports book can be intimidating if you’re new to legal sports wagering. Even if you’re an experienced sports bettor at home, you may not be familiar with how the process works in a casino. It’s not quite the same.
Vegas News | Don’t Get Too Crazy About Hotel Room Prices, Hamilton Is Coming To Las Vegas
Average Daily Hotel Room Prices In Las Vegas Break Record. The average daily room rate is the average of all Las Vegas hotels from every day of the week and does not include resort fees, parking fees, or taxes. So, while a midweek room in downtown Las Vegas might have been $30, a hotel room during CES on the Vegas Strip might have cost $270. Together the prices of the hotel rooms averaged $150 each.
March Madness In Vegas Is Fantastic
The first weekend of March Madness is one of the best weekends of the year in Las Vegas for a sports fan. If you’ve graduated from college recently, it’s probably the very best weekend of the year in Las Vegas
Vegas News | MGM Raising Vegas Resort Fees, Casino Construction And More
You may remember that Caesars Entertainment announced they’ll be increasing resort fees at their Las Vegas properties just last week. Well, it didn’t take long for MGM Resorts International to join them. Las Vegas Jaunt shared information that MGM Resorts International will raise their Vegas resort fees in March.
Vegas Changing | Before Our Very Eyes
The Cosmopolitan and Monte Carlo aren’t the only Las Vegas casino-resorts being renovated before our very eyes. For the past year, Wynn Las Vegas has somewhat quietly updated and upgraded their bars, restaurants, casino, retail outlets, nightclubs, and hotel rooms.
Vegas | Good News, Bad News And More News
It was a good news/bad news week for the many people who prefer Caesars and Total Rewards casinos in Las Vegas. The casino operator reported earnings last week and had some interesting information to share. After reporting earnings I found, even more, information from Caesars Entertainment. That information wasn’t “interesting” but it you should hear it anyway. Let’s start with the good news.
Atlantic City | Borgata Should Be An Mlife Casino In The 2nd Quarter 2017
The Borgata is next in line to become a part of the MGM Resorts International family. They didn’t reveal specifics for streamlining expenses or maximizing revenue on the earnings call. However, Borgata will become a part of the Mlife Rewards family in the 2nd quarter of the year.
First Visit To Las Vegas | 5 Things You Must See
Here are a few must visit places in Las Vegas if you’ve never been here before. These are some of the most iconic attractions you’ll find in Las Vegas. You may visit some of these places on every visit and others you may only need to see once.
Vegas News | Casinos Shuffling The Deck
Casinos Shuffling The Deck. Changes at Lucky Dragon, Golden Gate, Monte Carlo and throughout the Vegas Strip. Plus, all the recent Vegas news.
Las Vegas | DuPar’s At Golden Gate Casino Abruptly Closes
DuPar’s Restaurant and Bakery at The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino abruptly closed for good last night. This small west coast bakery and restaurant chain has the best pancakes that I’ve ever eaten.
Vegas News | Happy Vegas Super Bowl Day!
Happy Vegas Super Bowl Sunday! If the new president really wants to make an impact on America, he’ll make Super Bowl Monday a holiday. Anyway, Las Vegas has been packed all weekend with football fans getting ready to watch and wager on The Big Game. The sports book this morning at Red Rock Casino was already buzzing.
Las Vegas Hotel Luxury | 2 Of The Top 10 Luxury Hotels In The United States
Luxury is defined as “the state of great comfort and extravagant living.” By definition, everything in Las Vegas could be considered luxurious. When I think of Las Vegas Hotel Luxury, I’m thinking the best of the best. Las Vegas does luxury the way few other cities in the world do. Great service and amenities are almost second nature and provided seemingly without effort.
The Cosmopolitan Of Las Vegas Changes Its Identity
We’ve seen a major casino transformation happening right before our eyes. Over the past year or so, the Cosmopolitan has undergone a major facelift. Changes to restaurants, hotel rooms, and the casino floor are continuing into the new year. One of the newest changes on the casino floor that you’ll see comes in the way of a new Identity players club desk.
Vegas News | From Luxury On The Vegas Strip To Fried Chicken In The Suburbs
Casino-resorts are what stir the drink for just about everything in Las Vegas. On the Vegas Strip and around town, these properties not only offer hotel rooms to sleep in but casinos for gambling, malls for shopping, bars for drinking, restaurants for eating and so forth. Everything else you can find in Las Vegas is just a bonus.
Get Free Vegas Parking At Caesars And MGM Hotels
There’s no topic in Las Vegas from the past year that’s drawn more ire than paid parking on the Vegas Strip. According to the most recent visitor profile, from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Authority, 57% of the people visiting Las Vegas arrive by car.
Vegas News | Raiders Are One Step Closer To Las Vegas, $19 Hot Dogs, Magic Mike and More
You know it’s a slow week in Las Vegas when the biggest news was discussing a business possibly filing paperwork. Early last week it was reported that the Oakland Raiders would file paperwork to potentially move to Las Vegas. By the end of the week, that report was confirmed by the NFL Network. The Raiders still have one step before everyone in Las Vegas can lose their mind.
Las Vegas – Gaming | Three Quarterly Casino Earnings Reports To Watch
It’s quarterly earnings season where corporations share information on their previous quarter. Hopefully, some of the luxury and large casino operators will also spend some time looking forward informing up what they have in store for Las Vegas. Here are the reporting dates for Las Vegas casino operators that I’m looking forward to.
Las Vegas | Save Time And Money by Using Uber or Lyft at LAS (Airport)
Not only is the Uber and Lyft pickup area in the shade but there’s rarely a wait to get a ride at LAS. Even though it’s convenient, finding the ridesharing area at McCarran Airport can be tricky if you’ve never been there before.
Vegas News | Big Rooster, New Restaurants, Las Vegas Business and More
It’s the Year of the Rooster! The Palazzo decked out their atrium to celebrate the Chinese New Year. This big guy is huge and quite a sight. I prefer the display from the previous Year of the Rooster display.
momofuku Las Vegas Is Not Quite Ready For Prime Time
Momofuku Las Vegas opened with very little fanfare this week at Cosmopolitan. A friend was walking past it on his way to pay final respects to Blue Ribbon Sushi and saw that it was open. He immediately made a reservation for the next day.
Vegas News | From A New Bar In Downtown Las Vegas To A Tax Hike
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was in Las Vegas last week. The annual convention showed off the future of technology. This year there were a lot of items on display that fall under “The Internet Of Things” category.
Las Vegas | The Venetian Opens Co-Working Space To Public
This week The Venetian unveiled a unique co-working area. In partnership with Zappos, they are now offering access to a first-of-its-kind co-working space.
Vegas News | Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! The last week of the year is traditionally the busiest of the year in Las Vegas. Officials expect that there were somewhere between 300,000 and 350,000 people on the Vegas Strip celebrating the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017. News and visitation don’t usually meet together. Even though there were a lot of people in Las Vegas, there wasn’t too much news looking forward into the new year.
Vegas News | Lots of Vegas Hotel News and Norm Is Back
It’s a very special holiday edition of Vegas News! Since I’m writing this during one of the holidays, there will be a little less opinion and observation than usual.
Lucky Dragon Las Vegas | Players Club – Dragon Club
The boutique sensibility of Lucky Dragon continues into the players club. The Dragon Club is a no frill, no-nonsense casino players club that caters specifically to gamblers.
Vegas News | Lots Happening And Not Happening On The North Vegas Strip
I’ve just started noticing Christmas music in casinos so I guess it’s officially the holiday season. Las Vegas is usually quite festive for the holidays but the big news last week from the north end of the Vegas Strip doesn’t fit the bill.
Vegas News | New Restaurants, Fees And Maybe The Walking Dead
Las Vegas has evolved in ways that you would have never expected 10 years ago. Restaurants and dining are now generating almost the same amount of revenue for casino operators as gaming. Today, the action in Las Vegas takes place in more locations than just casinos.
Vegas News | Vegas Strip Parking, New Hotels Opening, Rick Rolling And More
Just another day in Las Vegas yesterday (Friday) started at El Cortez around noon and ended a Bally’s around 14 hours later. Spending days and nights with people who don’t live in Las Vegas is a blast. Everything seems so new and fresh. It’s great to see Las Vegas through the eyes of people who visit only a couple of times a year.
An American Casually Dining at Lucky Dragon Las Vegas
Lucky Dragon is a heavily Asian themed casino and hotel. The dining options reflect that more than any another segment of the casino and hotel. All four restaurants inside the casino serve exclusively Asian cuisine. This is unique but speaks loud and clear as to who their desired customer is.
Hotel Review | Lucky Dragon Las Vegas
When choosing a hotel, it’s good to understand a little bit about it so you know what to expect. Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino has the goal to be Las Vegas’ first hotel and casino that was designed specifically to create an authentic Asian cultural and gaming experience. This was on my mind when I drove up to valet at Lucky Dragon Las Vegas.
EXCLUSIVE | Everything You Want To Know About The Casino At Lucky Dragon Las Vegas | 拉斯维加斯威龙赌场度假村
Lucky Dragon Hotel and Casino are separate buildings that occupy a mere 3 acres just off the Vegas Strip. The hotel is about 20 steps west from the casino at Lucky Dragon Las Vegas. Both buildings are connected by a walkway (called the SkyBridge) on the 2nd floor so you never have to walk outside if it’s cold or hot. However, the casino is on the first floor so you’ll probably just walk outside for 5 seconds.
I want to start my flurry of information about Lucky Dragon in the casino because that’s where most people will visit before staying in the hotel itself.
First 10 Impressions of Lucky Dragon Las Vegas 拉斯维加斯威龙赌场度假村
Here are my first 10 impressions after about an hour at Lucky Dragon Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Please enjoy these initial glimpses of Lucky Dragon.
Vegas News | A Slow Thanksgiving News Week
Happy Sunday! I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was as good as mine. Since the week was short, that means we’ll have less news than normal.
Las Vegas | Lucky Dragon, We’re Coming In Hot
Before Lucky Dragon opened over the weekend, the last casino to open that was built from scratch was the Cosmopolitan. That hotel and casino opened way back in 2010. Sure SLS Las Vegas, Downtown Grand, and The Cromwell have opened since then, but they were built using the bones of the Sahara, Lady Luck (NAME) and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall respectively.
Vegas News | Gambling, Events and Tid-Bits
There was a lot of Vegas news that I’d like to discuss from last week, so let’s just hop into it. Gambling, Events and Tid-Bits
What MGM Resorts 3rd Quarter Earnings Means To You
Earnings calls are boring AF. Earnings calls for casino operators aren’t entirely boring, they’re just boring. No AF. I just need to vent before diving into the MGM Resorts 3rd Quarter Earnings call this week.
These calls are intended provide information for financial investors in corporations and not for the public. I’m closer to the latter. I’m not an investor and I write for normal people that may not understand or care about the financial jargon. For the most part, I listen to these calls to see if there’s any news that mainstream news outlets don’t report or care about.
Vegas News | Gambling On The President And More
You might have heard that there was a presidential election this week. There will be a new President next year and some people are happy while others are sad. I’m less concerned with the politics than the gambling. Go figure. This was a record-breaking year for a US presidential election around the world – but not in the country where the election was actually held. Sports books outside of the US saw record amounts of money wagered on who would become the next President. Some gamblers won bigly as Donald Trump was a long shot for much of the time.
The Cosmopolitan Has The Best Video Poker Bars On The Vegas Strip
For my money, there’s really one drink monitoring system that is customer friendly. It should come as no surprise that the only luxury property with a drink monitoring system, the Cosmopolitan, offers the overall best system for the customers. Below is information on how I ended up with this decision.
Vegas News | Start In The Casino And End Up At Happy Hour
I usually start the news of the week with something from the business side of Las Vegas. Today I want to begin with news in the casino. This has been the catalyst for many of us to fall in love with Las Vegas. It’s what keeps many of us visiting Las Vegas. Sure the restaurants, bars, and shows are great but the epicenter of the action has long been the casino.
Las Vegas | Exploring Cosmopolitan Comp Drink Monitoring At The Chandelier Bar
It’s amazing how life works sometimes. I’ve been meaning to visit the Cosmopolitan to a) check out the renovated Chandelier Bar and b) see how their comp drink monitoring system worked. Unfortunately, my travels haven’t taken me to the Cosmopolitan. I’ve tested the Caesars Entertainment drink system and the MGM Resorts drink system so I felt compelled to give it a run. It turns out I had a meeting at my favorite bar on the Vegas Strip (Chandelier Bar) this week. This gave me a chance to knock two things out at once. Boom!
Sunday News | Vegas Travel, Business, Tech, Sigma Derby And More
Sunday News had a short break from the action. As a writer, the lack of news was a nice break from the usual week in Las Vegas. However, I knew the following week would be different when I saw a few new rumors shortly after we posted last week. Unlike last week, there’s a lot of news so let’s just get to it.
Sunday News | More Vegas Restaurants and New Vegas Fees For You
I look forward to writing Sunday News because there has been something interesting happening every week since TravelZork launched. Having said that, last week might have been the slowest news week in Las Vegas in a while. A few restaurants opened, a new residency launched and I just learned about a new fee to hit Las Vegas.
Las Vegas | Dinner At Rx Boiler Room Was Over Before It Started (In A Good Way)
There are times when I go out to eat and don’t have the intention of writing a review of the experience. Sometimes a nice meal is best kept among the diners. That was the plan when I visited Rx Boiler Room at Mandalay Bay.
Sunday News | Las Vegas Raiders, Rumors, Restaurants and Shows
Sunday News this week will be a little shorter than usual. I’m dealing with complications of a high toilet and it’s making me cranky this morning. Visit squattypotty.com to understand the issues. Fun fact, I’m sitting by myself at the 3535 Bar at The Linq and laughing out loud as I write this. Anyway, on […]
Testing Caesars Comp Drink Monitoring System In Las Vegas
Caesars Comp Drink Monitoring I recently met up with a friend who was staying at The Linq and wanted to watch football. After checking into the hotel we didn’t get out to catch the games until noon or so. This was when the 2nd half of most of the early games were beginning. The second half […]
Sunday News | New Las Vegas Logo, New Hotels, Maybe Bruno Mars and Matt Goss
Las Vegas has its first new logo since 1979! A representative of Las Vegas says that the goal was to create a logo that is iconic, timeless, progressive, modern, fresh and exciting with a nod to the glamorous era of yesterday…..
Sunday News | Lots Of Las Vegas Casino Business News
As expected last week was a busy news period for Las Vegas. Even if it wasn’t blatant, the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) was the catalyst for a lot of what we learned about casinos during the week. There are a lot of places I could start but I think MGM Resorts is a good place.
Las Vegas | Yardbird Southern At The Venetian Lives Up To The Hype
Yardbird Southern at The Venetian Las Vegas has received constant praise since opening last year. This isn’t only praise coming from the media but also..
Sunday News | More New Slot Machines And The Backstreet Boys Come To Vegas
I don’t know about you, but one of the best feelings I’ve had in Las Vegas was seeing all of the slot machines as soon as I walked off the airplane at McCarran Airport. Most of the slot machines just sat there quietly. However, there was one slot machine that would actually greet the visitors. The chants of “Wheel. Of. Fortune” would be ingrained in my head before even getting to the baggage carousel.
Las Vegas | Free Drinks Were Flowing At The Mirage Lobby Bar
You may know the Mirage Lobby Bar as one of the first bars in Las Vegas to install a free drinks ticket system for their video poker/slot machines.
Sunday News | Adele, 000 Roulette, NASCAR Warning And More
As I mentioned last week in Sunday News, we’re in a slow news period in Las Vegas. I expect things to heat up in a week or so but there isn’t anything too serious happening. This might be a little shorter than you’re used to. In The Casino Slot machines When the news in Las […]
Long Live The Appetizer! 3 Great Apps In Las Vegas
Appetizers are the great equalizer when you’re looking to save money but eat quality food when dining in Las Vegas. A single appetizer can often be filling enough for one person. Likewise, appetizers are usually large enough to share. They’re the perfect size for flexible dining. Many times these dishes are as filling as a main […]
Sunday News | Casino And Gambling News With A Side Of Sake
Ahhhh…The summer is unofficially over. Labor Day weekend is the beginning of the end of summer for tourist season. The day clubs will slowly wind down, then some pools will begin to close and summer concert season will come to an end. There should be a couple of quiet weeks of news in Las Vegas […]
Sunday News | Holiday Edition With Mostly Vegas Hotel News
There was a lot of hotel news last week but not all of it is relevant to your visits to Las Vegas. With that in mind, let’s start with the hotel news that actually matters in the near future. When the Blackstone Group purchased the Cosmopolitan in 2014, they detailed very specific plans to turn around the casino which didn’t have a profitable quarter since opening.
Sunday News | From The Chandelier Cosmopolitan To Billionaires
In this weeks Sunday News we cover everything from the reopening of the Chandelier bar at Cosmopolitan to the popularity of Vegas for billionaires.
Sunday News | From Millennial Gaming To New Shows In Vegas
A millennial gaming area coming to MGM Grand, restaurant news, the latest rumors, new shows coming to Vegas and much more.
3 Great Ways To Save On Meals In Las Vegas
Saving money in Las Vegas is as much of an art as it is a skill. Restaurant bills in this tourist town can add up quickly. Here’s how to save on meals!
Re-Discovering The Forum Shops At Caesars Palace Las Vegas
The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace is a surprisingly good place to eat, drink and be merry. The shops are also one of the best free attractions and places to shop on the Vegas Strip.
Sunday News | Dismantling Monte Carlo Las Vegas Set To Begin In October And Much More
Earlier this year we reported that the Monte Carlo would be renovated to become Park MGM with a boutique hotel named NoMad Las Vegas. The transformation into Park MGM is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2018.
Sunday News | From MGM Resorts To Red Rock Resorts
Last week various casino operators shared the stage. Quarterly earnings reports can often contain interesting news.
Sunday News | From Corporate Speak To Sharknado 4
This week’s Sunday News takes you from MGM Resorts International and the latest Wynn Resorts stories to the important things in life like Sharknado.
My First Visit To Montecristo Vegas Cigar Bar At Caesars Palace
In recent years it seems as though everything that’s opened Caesars Palace hasn’t fit into the box of the original theme. Montecristo Cigar Bar is no different.
Are You Ready For The Next Sigma Derby?
The love for Sigma Derby will never cease to amaze me. The jittery electro-mechanical horse racing game is only available in two Las Vegas casinos but has an amazing cult following. The following of Sigma Derby is both fascinating and understandable
Sunday News | Vegas News From Shows To Casinos
In all my years visiting and living in Las Vegas, I’ve only seen a handful of shows. When I think of Las Vegas it’s usually eating, drinking or gambling. Shows don’t fit into that equation. That’s just me, there are plenty of people who come to Las Vegas specifically for the shows. My preference is probably […]
Las Vegas | MGM Resorts International easyPLAY® Pushes Gaming Forward
MGM Resorts’ EasyPlay takes mobile wagering another step forward and is one of the ways traditional casino gaming is evolving.
Sunday News | From The UFC Sale To Mobile Gambling From MGM Resorts
The interesting news in Las Vegas this week was all over the place. Surprisingly, the first piece of big news in Las Vegas wasn’t casino related. After a couple of months in the rumor mill, the Las Vegas-based UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) was finally purchased.
Sunday News | Imploding Excalibur To New High Limit Rooms At The Cosmopolitan
Rumor has it that MGM Resorts International is considering imploding Excalibur. The idea is that the low-end family hotel would be replaced with another..
Official Details On Palace Station Renovations
Earlier this week I saw an article on Eater that had a very detailed overview of renovations coming to Palace Station. The information was almost too detailed not to be true. However, the exclusive news wasn’t available anywhere else and I wanted to see if this was indeed true
Caesars Palace Is Celebrating Its 50th Anniversary All Year Long
The casino & resort opened on August 5, 1966. This year marks its 50th anniversary and Caesars Palace Entertainment is taking the entire year to celebrate.
Sunday News | Lots Of Sports News + Station Casinos Turns 40
I’ve been on vacation all week but I love Las Vegas and always keep track of the news. I won’t be going too deep on the news items this week but I will share some highlights. Here’s a quick look at what happened in Las Vegas over the past week. The Beat is closing – […]
Learn What eSports Is And Why It Matters To Las Vegas
Despite the rapidly growing popularity of eSports around the world, it’s just reaching this city that sees over 42 million tourists a year. Today we’ll look at what eSports is, who enjoys it and why it matters to Las Vegas.
Sunday News | Las Vegas Gets An NHL Team And New Casino Progress
The NHL held a press conference at Encore on Wednesday at 1 p.m. local time. The annual press conference is normally something reserved for diehard hockey fans. This year was different. Very different.
Sunday News | Booms, Britney and News From All Over Town (Vegas)
Before heading into Las Vegas news, I want to take a minute to wish my father, Joe, and all the other dads a Happy Father’s day. Summer begins this week and that means temperatures in Las Vegas will be rising. An Excessive Heat Warning actually starts tonight and continues until at least Wednesday. Temperatures will […]
Eggslut Vegas Lives Up To The Hype In Every Way | The Cosmopolitan Of Las Vegas
Some people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I don’t live by that thought but I do enjoy a good breakfast. When I first heard that a favorite breakfast sandwich spot from Los Angeles, Eggslut, was opening at Cosmopolitan I wasn’t too excited. Eggslut in Los Angeles is as famous […]
Sunday News | Vegas: Things Happening Today and Tomorrow
Before we get to news and rumors about what will or might be happening in Las Vegas, let’s look at a couple of things that you can enjoy right now.
Park MGM To Bring A Little More New York To The Vegas Strip
Park MGM will be the new name of the hotel currently known as Monte Carlo. NoMad Hotel will occupy 292 (approximately 10%) of the rooms at Park MGM.
Where To Watch Baseball In Las Vegas This Summer
Watching and wagering on baseball in Las Vegas is a great way to spend a hot summer morning, afternoon and night in a casino.
Sunday News | MGM Resorts’ Monte Carlo Gets A New Name And More
Somehow MGM Resorts International pushed all other happenings in Las Vegas out of the picture and once again dominate the news cycle.
There’s No End In Sight For MGM Resorts’ Growth
MGM Resorts International is having a big year. They recently opened T-Mobile Arena and The Park next to and behind New York-New York in Las Vegas and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The Evolution Of The Cosmopolitan Of Las Vegas
When the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas opened in 2010 it was marketed as the Las Vegas hotel and casino that offered “The Right Amount Of Wrong.” The idea was..
Sunday News | From A New M Life To Another Arena And More Poker
The news last week in Las Vegas was all over the place. We’re going from M life to Taco Bell and take a look at the start of the World Series Of Poker.
How To Get The Cheapest Flights To Las Vegas
Here’s how to get the cheapest flights to Las Vegas! This chart looks at the best times to book flights to Las Vegas from different regions in America.
These Are The Basics Of Betting On Baseball
Betting on baseball is different than America’s new pastime of football. Betting on baseball is so simple that a high school kid could figure it out and..
Sunday News | Topgolf To Booking Flights To Las Vegas
Much of the news in the past couple of weeks has been around the business side and the future of Las Vegas. That’s not entirely the case this week. There was a good amount of news that will directly affect upcoming visits to Las Vegas. Some of the news is immediate and some will let […]
Palms To Become A Station Casinos Property Later This Year
Last week Red Rock Resorts (parent company of Station Casinos) announced that they were purchasing Palms Casino Resort of $312 million.
Sunday News | MGM Parking Fees, Palms Sold, Hyperloop Tested and More
This week MGM Resorts rolled out their plan and fees when parking at their Las Vegas hotels. The social media outrage was as loud as I’ve ever heard…
The Cromwell | Some Of The Best Affordable Gambling On The Strip
The Cromwell opened in 2014 using the bones of Bill’s Gambling Hall and Saloon (it was Barbary Coast before that). The new boutique hotel and casino was, and still is, seen by some
Las Vegas | New Themed Casino Set To Open Later This Year
In an interview earlier this year MGM Resorts CEO, Jim Murren, said that his company would no longer theme their hotels. “We are not going to name it something from somewhere else. Those days are over,” Murren told Johnny Katz from the Las Vegas Sun about the future of the Monte Carlo at the opening of […]
Sunday News | Lucky Dragon To Open, Flamingo May Get Makeover, The Linq Gets Bunky And More
This was a particularly newsy week in Las Vegas. This is the kind of week that people who constantly crave Las Vegas love. Let’s get to it.
Slot Machine Play | How To Get The Most Out Of Your Game
It isn’t much of a secret that slot machines can be some of the worst bets in the casino. Even when you find a slot machine that offers decent returns it may not provide the fun that you want when you visit a casino.
Sunday News | Everything In Las Vegas From Wall Street To Weddings And Mini-Golf
Topics are everywhere from Wall Street related news to weddings and mini-golf inside of a casino. I guess that’s why we love Las Vegas so much.
Las Vegas | Boyd Gaming Purchases Three Casinos
In less than a week, Boyd Gaming almost doubled their Las Vegas locals casinos from four to seven. With 3 new casino’s they’re playing the game seriously.
Las Vegas | Let’s Take A Closer Look At The D Casino
When you first look at The D casino floor you immediately see the energy and fun confined to what seems to be a small casino. What you don’t see is…
Las Vegas | Marquee Rewards Now At Tropicana And M Resort
One of the best features of Marquee Rewards is that you can earn and use rewards and status at home and use them at the Tropicana or M Resort in Las Vegas.
Sunday News | Big Casino Developments For Boyd And Stevens Highlight The Week
News weeks like this in Las Vegas are what give me goosebumps. The future of Las Vegas has always been interesting to me. I love Las Vegas today as much as I did when I started visiting the city just after turning 21. Las Vegas isn’t the same as it used to be and that’s […]
Las Vegas | Review Deluxe King Hotel Room At The D
One of the best reasons to stay at a hotel in downtown Las Vegas is the price. The standard (Deluxe King) room on a recent mid-week visit to The D Las Vegas costs $19.
Sunday News | Happenings From Downtown Las Vegas To Summerlin
Whew! It feels as though it’s been a crazy few weeks in Las Vegas. Thankfully the openings and announcements slowed down a little this week. In fact, there weren’t any major happenings this week. Personally, I’m thankful for the slowdown since my mother made an extended pit stop in Las Vegas this week while touring […]
Las Vegas | The New T-Mobile Arena
A Closer Look At The Newest Entertainment Venue On The Vegas Strip: The T-Mobile Arena Last week MGM Resorts and AEG opened the newest entertainment venue in Las Vegas, T-Mobile Arena. The new arena is located behind New York-New York and at the end of The Park which is open to the public on the […]
Las Vegas | Paris Las Vegas Classic Room Review
Paris Hotel Las Vegas There is a lot to say about the entire property of Paris Las Vegas but I’d rather focus on the hotel room than the hodgepodge theme and not so great gaming. Paris is considered one of the top mid-tier Caesars Entertainment hotels in Las Vegas behind Caesars Palace and The Cromwell […]
Las Vegas | Boyd Gaming’s B-Connected Players Club
Boyd Gaming’s B-Connected players club is an interesting form of a national players club. You can earn and use points in 14 casinos from Las Vegas to Indiana. It’s largess is contained mostly to the casino and restaurants owned by Boyd Gaming.
Sunday News | It’s All About The Park, T-Mobile Arena And Wynn Paradise Park
No matter where you live there’s news and then there’s meaningful news. This column isn’t a news rundown of what happened in Las Vegas over the past week. It’s meant to look at the more important news events and explore what they might mean today and in the future. The big news this week really […]
Out With The Old (Riviera) Vegas, In With The New (The Park and T-Mobile Arena)
Just under a year ago it was “out with the old and in with the new” in Las Vegas. The Riviera closed it’s doors on May 4th and a day later Resorts World broke ground on what was proposed to be a mega casino-resort. Almost a year later the Riviera is a part of the […]
Sunday News | In-N-Out Is Coming To The Las Vegas Strip, The Riviera Gets 2 Implosions And 4 Free Concerts On Fremont Street Revealed
There really isn’t a need for a deep introduction to this week’s Sunday News. There was only one piece of news out of Las Vegas that matters. Well, at least, it seems that way. First, Ikea announces that Las Vegas will be getting its first store, then it’s announced that Las Vegas is getting 2 Cracker […]
Travel Trends | Low Cost Airfare To Las Vegas Is Exploding
Useful Insights For Future Travelling To Las Vegas Airport air traffic reports aren’t the most exciting things to read about Las Vegas but they offer useful insights. When looking at a market like Las Vegas tourism and travel data often help explain some things that are on the mind. Hotel occupancy rates may help explain […]
Sunday News | Changes at Cosmopolitan and SLS while Mr. Las Vegas may return to The Vegas Strip
This was the kind of week a Vegas dork like me loves. There wasn’t a real theme to the news but some interesting nuggets on what is happening, what will be happening and what might be happening soon in Las Vegas. Let’s start with something happening right now. Starbucks at The Cosmopolitan of Las […]
Las Vegas | The Venetian And The Palazzo Grazie Players Club
You’ll earn points for Grazie when you play video poker and slot machines as well as spending throughout the Venetian and Palazzo Las Vegas resorts and the mall that connects the hotels.
Las Vegas | Sunday News | MGM Reorganizes and The Venetian Might Expand
I started writing this week’s edition of “Sunday News” with the thought that the news didn’t tie together. When it was finished I realized that most of this week’s news in Vegas actually does work together. In fact, there’s more MGM Resorts news than you might expect for a slower news week. Last week we […]
Las Vegas | Alon May Not Have Money But They Have Plans
Once financing is secure Alon Las Vegas will be built on the land once occupied by the New Frontier across the street from Wynn Las Vegas and next to the Fashion Show Mall. Alon is being developed by James Packer and Andrew Pascal who most recently helped open SLS Las Vegas. Pascal knows the luxury […]
Las Vegas | The Golden Nugget 24k Select Players Club
The Golden Nugget The Golden Nugget seems to change their 24k Select players club as often, if not more, than any other Las Vegas players club. That doesn’t help since the 24k Select players club is slightly confusing. The first thing to know is that the Golden Nugget players club in Las Vegas is that […]
Las Vegas | Sunday News | The Strip North End’s Possible Developments
Welcome to the first week of a new Sunday column at TravelZork. This will be a synopsis and analysis of recent news, rumors, openings and closings in Las Vegas. This column won’t cover everything in Las Vegas but will analyze and speculate about some of the bigger bits of news we see or hear about. North […]
March Madness Is One Of The Biggest Events Of The Year
Twenty years ago there was a fun month of sports in March with an event called the NCAA Basketball Tournament. That basketball tournament is more commonly known as March Madness today. The games aren’t played in Las Vegas but the first weekend of March Madness has become one of the most popular weekends of the year.
UR Way Egalite | Is There A New Baccarat Wager Coming To Las Vegas?
There is a new baccarat wager in town. The UR Way Egalite Baccarat Side Bet guarantees to be an interesting way to approach the tie-bet at baccarat.
Viewing and Wagering | The Biggest Weekend For Sports Fans In Vegas Is Almost Here | March Madness
In recent years, some people (like me) might say that the first weekend of March Madness has surpassed the Super Bowl as the biggest weekend of the year in Las Vegas for sports fans. Not only is there a larger crowd for the first weekend of the NCAA Basketball Tournament ( aka March Madness) but there’s a younger crowd filling sports books, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and casinos. Shows? Not so much.
Las Vegas | MGM Resorts Announces Self Park and Valet Parking Fees Beginning in April 2016
First the bad news: MGM Resorts International announced that they will be the first Las Vegas hotel operator to charge for parking. Now the good news: Most of you will never pay for parking. MGM Resorts International has announced that they will begin charging visitors and hotel guests for parking beginning April. Exact fees haven’t […]
Las Vegas | How Casinos Are Reacting To Revenue Trends
How Casinos Are Reacting To Revenue Trends The UNLV Center For Gaming Research recently released a report looking at historical departmental revenue in Nevada casinos. The report shows annual revenue trends in casino-resorts from gaming, hotel rooms, food, beverage and other (shows, retail, etc.) from 1984 through 2015 by dollar and percentage of revenue. The report […]
Casino Review | Let’s Take A Closer Look At The Linq
Linq Las Vegas Casino Despite its lack of an overt 1980’s theme and overly simple logo, The Linq casino is really unlike most that you’ll find in Las Vegas. Remember, this is a casino-hotel designed specifically with millennial casino customers in mind. Creating a property for younger customers while still satisfying the older core customer […]
Overview of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Red Card
Photo : Blackjacker1979 Introduction Wynn and its adjoining sister tower and casino Encore make up one of the most luxurious properties in Las Vegas. The target guest at Wynn is an affluent traveler that may not care as much about players club points than visitors to some other casinos. Unlike most casinos on the Vegas […]
Hotel Review | Deluxe Room At The Linq Hotel
Deluxe Room At Linq Las Vegas Hotel Even though I live in Las Vegas now I still take my annual winter vacation on the Vegas Strip. This vacation usually means minimal work and lots of fun. This vacation was once again a success. The original plans for this vacation had half of the group staying at […]
How Millennials Are Changing Hotels and Loyalty in Las Vegas
…Continuing a look at millennials in Las Vegas (Part 1: A Look At Millennials In Las Vegas) Hotel Experience The best and worst thing about millennial travelers is that they want a unique hotel experience. It’s great because this will help mold the next generation of experiences at hotel properties. It’s bad because hotels will tinker […]
A Look At Millennials In Las Vegas Casinos
Photo: Elizabeth Hahn/Flickr Introduction: Millennials In Las Vegas Millennials are helping shape Las Vegas and that is freaking out some people who would rather return to the feeling and atmosphere of the city they fell in love with 10, 20, or 30 years ago. Unfortunately change happens and it’s happening at a rapid pace. This change shouldn’t be […]
Hotel Review | A Couple Nights In A Rio Las Vegas Classic Studio Suite
RIO All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is a fantastic casino hotel conceptually. The idea of an affordable all suite hotel with a casino is a welcome concept when visiting Las Vegas. Most of the suites in Las Vegas casinos are closer to $200 per night while Rio is closer to $100 per night.
Overview Of Station Casinos Boarding Pass
Station Casinos Boarding Pass Station Casinos is considered by most people as a casino operator for Las Vegas locals. Even though Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa is one of the more beautiful hotels and casinos you’ll find anywhere in Las Vegas it’s 20 minutes away from the tourist areas of the Vegas Strip and […]
Las Vegas | Big Move For Starwood Hotels & Resorts and SPG Loyalty Program In Vegas + A New W Las Vegas
SLS Las Vegas will become a Starwood Hotel before the year is over. Today SLS Las Vegas announced that they would become a part of the Starwood Tribute Portfolio. A large part of this partnership will be the transformation of the Lux Tower at SLS Las Vegas into W Las Vegas, which will open in the third […]
Potential Hotel Chain Merger Would Have Major Impact In Las Vegas
The most recent rumor, and hottest in the United States, is that Hyatt Hotels is now considering acquiring Starwood Hotels. This deal would have a major impact on the hotel landscape in Las Vegas.
Changes Coming to Mlife on the 15th of December
Mlife Changes Las Vegas casino players clubs change their policies about every 18-24 months. Well, it’s not only time for MGM Resorts’ players club, Mlife, to reset its clock but it’s also time to get ready for some of their policy changes in the near future. There are some major chances so as not to […]
Las Vegas | A Look Into The Future Of Las Vegas Club
Earlier this year Derek Stevens, owner of The D and Golden Gate casinos in downtown Las Vegas, purchased the Las Vegas Club from Tamares Group.
Overview Of Club D At The D Las Vegas
Introduction The D is one of the most progressive casinos in Downtown Las Vegas and you’d expect that from their players club. I guess this is why we shouldn’t assume anything. This isn’t to say that Club D is bad but it doesn’t offer the modern and progressive players club experience you might assume they […]
Las Vegas | Uber Is Back In Vegas + LAS Airport (pick-up/drop-off)
Note : Updates, including details on surge pricing, are at the end of this article. A few weeks ago we told you that UBER would return to Las Vegas and that it would be better than the first time. UBER’s (for now, uberX) return to Las Vegas is indeed better and it will continue to get even […]
Earn Or Use Mlife Rewards While Watching Football
As I wrote recently Fantasy Football Has Changed Watching The Games In Las Vegas. That can be either good or bad depending on your point of view. There are more options than ever to watch football in a casino and that’s a wonderful thing. Even better than having more choices on where to watch the […]
Fantasy Football Has Changed Watching The Games In Las Vegas
Fantasy football has changed how people consume and wager on football. When people visit Las Vegas to watch football they’re not necessarily heading to the sports book to place a wager.
Las Vegas | Downtown Grand | New Casino Layout and Table Game Changes
To say things at Downtown Grand have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start would be an understatement. To be honest, I like the casino because of this. Downtown Grand is a nice getaway from chaos on Fremont Street. Unfortunately for a casino operator the combination of a mellow experience (think lack of […]
Downtown Grand Introduces Downtown Grand Rewards
The new players club called Downtown Grand Rewards brings tiers to this formerly tier-less players club. When a players club offers multiple tiers it’s..
Cosmopolitan Identity Membership & Rewards Loyalty Program
Information correct as of July 2020This article about The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas loyalty program Identity Membership & Rewards was originally written by Marc Meltzer in August of 2015. It has bees revised and updated by Steve White. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is one of the most modern casinos and hotels in Las Vegas. […]
Las Vegas | The Return Of UBER To Las Vegas Should Be Better Than Expected
When UBER returns to Las Vegas they will likely be allowed to pick up passengers at McCarran International Airport. This is kind of a big deal since UBER wasn’t allowed to pick up passengers at the airport their first go-around in Las Vegas in 2014. UBER is tentatively scheduled to re-launch its service in Las […]