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 | 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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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: 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 […]
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 […]
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 | 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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Las Vegas Pools and Prices to Know
With temperatures already reaching the high 90’s and early 100’s this week. It is time for this long overdue article about Las Vegas pools and prices you should know for your next bikini-clad or speedo-clad dip into Las Vegas pools. Let’s dive in (see what I did there?) and make a splash (ok, I’m done). […]
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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 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 | 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 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…….
Living the Mlife: An Introduction – MGM M life Rewards Loyalty Program
This is the first in a series that will introduce you to MGM Mlife Rewards Program. How to earn points, how to use points to your advantage, and even some things..
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!
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.
[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 | 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.
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 | 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 | 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!
Mlife at Borgata Sweepstakes
Each week of the Mlife at Borgata Sweepstakes, you can enter for a chance to win a 3-night stay at an MGM Resorts Destination, $200 dining credit and $500 AMEX gift card!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 | 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.
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 […]
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 […]
Welcome To The Sage Bar: Home To One Of The Best American Whisky Selections In Vegas
Photo credit: Aria Sage is a farm-to-table restaurant by Chef Shawn McClain inside the Aria in Las Vegas. For me, the food is good but very heavy. The best part is the bar. In my opinion, they have the best American whisky selection in Las Vegas. The whole of Aria gets a lot of liquor, […]
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 | What Is A City Without It’s Culture?
CityCenter added to that roster by creating it’s own carefully curated collection of installations and art meant to capture the Vegas culture moments that make CityCenter truly unique.
Las Vegas | Aria’s Continuing Transformation
Aria, MGM’s self-chosen jewel property despite those loyal to Bellagio, is continuing to improve what is broken in all the right ways. Since the property opened, many issues and problems have been continually fixed, with underperforming restaurants swapped out, and boutiques replaced with pressed juicerys and bar names changed. One of the more recent changes […]
Living the Mlife: Points, Partners, and Payouts – Earning Outside of Gaming
If you’ve been keeping up with our posts exploring the Mlife program, you’re up to date on what the program is and what exactly it takes to earn points..
Living The Mlife: The Basics – Earning Tier Credits
As we mentioned in the first post in our series on Mlife and its benefits, this series will help you as a player utilize and understand Mlife and how it..