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.
Use Your Credit Card for MGM M life Rewards Slot Play at Borgata Atlantic City

But Borgata is a favorite of credit card reward enthusiasts for a very different reason: the ability to redeem Borgata gift cards for MGM M life Rewards Slot Play.
Atlantic City | Video Poker at Borgata B Bar

The B Bar at the Borgata is the only bar in Atlantic City that still comps top shelf drinks (or any drinks for that matter) for playing video poker or slots on the bar top machines. The beauty of this is that while you are being comped for your drinks, you are also earning comps that can be used for something else, like the $10 entry fee for the Amphora Lounge (if you’ve got a Black Label Card.) The machines also include full pay Jacks or Better!
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..
Okatshe Tropicana Atlantic City | Favorite Japanese Restaurant in AC

A longtime friend of mine has a Japanese friend who is also a foodie and wanted to visit Okatshe after reading my August 2017 TravelZork article.
Treasure Island | A Vegas Story for the Ages

Our destination…the place we could fit the most for the least. That place was the all new Treasure Island at the Mirage. (AKA The OG Encore). And for a splendid night of debauchery, myself and 21 of my peers piled into a room for the night. Buffets and my first slot experience later, Las Vegas became ingrained in me just as it had with my family before me.
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.
[The Basic Formula – Further Clarification] Atlantic City | MGM Borgata Mlife – April 2018

I have some clarification to add to my Borgata Mlife post from last week.I played video poker again and the Mlife Express Comps, Slot Dollars and Tier Credits were updated in my account immediately. The Global Points were not, but the Mlife Desk had the correct session total in their records, when I inquired about it.
[The Basic Formula] Atlantic City | MGM Borgata Mlife – April 2018 Update

I played at the Borgata Atlantic City last week for the first time since my Mlife at Borgata post in February. In that update, I told you that the representative at the Borgata, that I was contacting after every single time I played, to have my numbers adjusted in line with the Mlife Earn Rates…
Gilchrist Restaurant at Tropicana Atlantic City

Tropicana Atlantic City started giving me a Sunday through Thursday, comped room night a week again and a friend was moving and a couple of us wanted to have a little celebration for him, so I found myself at the new Gilchrist Restaurant in the Chelsea Tower at Tropicana Atlantic City the next morning. I’ve […]
[WATCH YOUR POINTS!] Atlantic City | MGM Borgata Mlife – February 2018 Update

I have been writing about the Mlife program at the Borgata, since the transition from My Borgata Rewards in June. It was difficult to figure out the Mlife Earn Rates because the computer system is not tallying all the numbers correctly in everyone’s account and I could not confirm the earn rates that they gave me verbally, even though they were updating my account to these values.
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.
Atlantic City | Why NO Tier Credit for Spend at Borgata?

Why NO Tier Credit for Spend at Borgata ? | Could it be that there’s a purposeful reason that there’s no Spend Credit at Borgata? Is the result of the transition from My Borgata Rewards to Mlife being a muddy mess a coincidence?
Atlantic City | Continuing Quest MGM Borgata Mlife Comp Earn Rates

The Borgata has always thrown some extra perks to their lower level players during slow times and it’s nice that Mlife is continuing that tradition.
Atlantic City | MGM Borgata Mlife Comp Earn Rates

Atlantic City | Borgata Comps – With trial and error and many emails, phone calls and visits to the Mlife desk, I believe I have figured out the Earn Rates of the new Players Club Program (Mlife) at the Borgata, which was instituted on June 7, 2017.
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.
Suite Escape Hotel Package – Borgata Atlantic City

A few times a year the Borgata offers special hotel packages at reduced rates. The current deal is the Suite Escape Hotel Package, which includes an overnight stay in a Fiore Suite, $100 in Dining Credit, 2 Comedy Club Tickets (Sunday through Thursday) and $50 Bonus Slot Dollars.
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.
Jose Garces’ Okatshe at the Tropicana Atlantic City

After perusing the Jose Garces’ Okatshe Tropicana Atlantic City menu we found the hidden door in the back of the Japanese candy shop and walked into a large and whimsical space, set up like an Izakaya (informal Japanese gastropub) in an alley of Tokyo.
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.
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.
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!
MGM Borgata Mlife Data Points – June 27 Update

The transition from My Borgata Rewards to Mlife isn’t going as well as I thought it was. Last week, there were no elite lines at the Mlife desk and no signs to indicate why this was so. When I got to the front of the line, I had so many questions to ask (with a long line behind me) that I didn’t add this to the list.
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.
MGM Borgata Mlife Data Points After Transition – June 17 Update

The lines at the Mlife desk at the Borgata are back to normal and the courteous and professional staff is forthright with answers to general questions about Mlife at Borgata. Mlife account information may not be current online; especially Points, Tier Credits and Tier Status but they are working on correcting that. It seems to me that the program is unnecessarily complicated but it’s almost identical to My Borgata Rewards except for some extra benefits for higher daily play.
My Borgata Rewards to MGM Mlife – Transition Day

Borgata Rewards to MGM Mlife – Transition Day Getting to Work – Video Poker and Mlife at Borgata, CoachKitty gives some data-points on the first day of operation as an Mlife casino.
My Borgata Rewards Black Label to Borgata Mlife Gold (Tier Transition)

TravelZork has just heard from a reliable source, that players will have 16 MONTHS to renew their Mlife tier status once the transition of My Borgata Rewards to the MGM Mlife Casino Loyalty Program is completed on June 7, 2017.
My Borgata Rewards to MGM Mlife – It Begins!

The Borgata just announced that the full transition from My Borgata Rewards to MGM Mlife casino loyalty program will take place on June 7. What I want to know is this: If players are going to enjoy the same level of recognition and benefits that they enjoyed with My Borgata Rewards, why are the details so vague?
Being an Informed Gambler

When I ‘m playing video poker, conversations often start with other players and I’m still surprised that there are so many players who are adamant in their belief in verifiable falsehoods. I gently try to steer them towards the correct strategy or odds, but I usually get overruled.
Angeline Borgata Atlantic City

Angeline, Michael Symon’s new Italian restaurant at the Borgata is named after his mother and inspired by her Sicilian cooking. I had dinner there with my own mother, on the third day it was open.
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.
Atlantic City | Borgata Black to Mlife Gold – Initial Thoughts

The transition of Borgata Black to Mlife Gold is of particular interest to me, since Borgata Rewards has three tiers in their loyalty program (Red – Black – Titanium) while Mlife has five tiers (Sapphire – Pearl – Gold – Platinum – Noir).
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.
Winding Down Atlantic City Casino Offers

There has been a steady and overall decline in gaming odds, comps and casino offers over the years but with fewer rooms available to comp and most of the remaining 7 casinos struggling financially, Atlantic City is rapidly diminishing as a good play for the low roller.
Atlantic City | Borgata Black Label Changes

Effective March 1, the Borgata is raising the entry price for Black Label card holders to both the Amphora Lounge and the buffet from $10 comp dollars to $12.50 comp dollars per person. The Amphora Lounge is very nice and the buffet is decent, but this is another downgrade instituted by Mlife and there’s certainly more to come.
Atlantic City | Borgata Slot Dollars Multiplier Days

The Borgata is offering two Slot Dollar Multiplier Days in February: 5X Slot Dollars on Sunday, February 5 and 10X Slot Dollars on Tuesday, February 21. On both days the promotion runs from noon to 7pm. I’ve written about these types of promotions before but there are a lot of changes going on at the Borgata, so I will re-evaluate the situation.
Recap | Gambling Downgrades and “Upgrades” at Borgata Atlantic City by MGM

I meant to publish this re-cap last week about the Gambling Downgrades and Upgrades at Borgata Atlantic City, but things got a bit busy. Figured I better get this posted before there are more changes. To be fair, there have been a few “enhancements,” for those who like to wager high amounts. I am referring to my notes, which were only semi-organized so please feel free to point out any discrepancies.
It Begins | Gambling Downgrades by MGM at Borgata Atlantic City | Craps Odds Now 3x 4x 5x

It begins, on Wednesday this week gambling downgrades by MGM at Borgata Atlantic City took on of it’s first victims. Craps (dice) odds. Historically, Atlantic City was always the “home” of 5x odds at craps games. Las Vegas was known for 3x 4x 5x odds, with some exceptions throughout.
Casino Elite Status Trifecta | FoundersCard – Mlife – Total Rewards

Well, there’s good news. I’ve got a strategy that will get you casino elite status with Caesars / Total Rewards and MGM / Mlife. The keys to the strategy are The FoundersCard and The Borgata Rewards program.
Vegas | Dinner at L’Atelier De Joël Robuchon

I wasn’t feeling that flush, so I slid my mouse over to Robuchon’s other Vegas outpost – L’Atelier De Joël Robuchon. It’s a bit less formal and has 1 Michelin Star. It also features an open kitchen, so you can watch the culinary creations as they come together. I opted for seats at the bar, so my colleague and I could take in the action, and maybe take a few notes to improve our own kitchen skills.
Miles, Points and Travel Hacks | Weekly Round Up

Welcome to the Miles, Points and Travel Hacks Weekly Round-Up for the week of October 24th. Each week we sift through all of the posts, blogs, PR, hyperbole and rumors, boil it down and share the best stuff with you.
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.
“EXCITING” Borgata Atlantic City Changes Are Coming

But with MGM’s complete acquisition of Borgata Atlantic City from Boyd we here at TZ were left pondering what exactly would happen when it came to Mlife..
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.
MGM Buys Out Boyd, Becomes Majority Owner Of Borgata

Despite not having a major presence in Atlantic City, MGM has always owned a stake in the Borgata, a collaborative operation with Boyd Gaming which is still the highest-grossing casino resort in the Atlantic City area. As of Monday however, MGM shook things up just a bit. MGM Buys Out Boyd In a deal completed […]
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.
A Walk Through The Park Las Vegas

..And with this anchor as the grand plan, The Park was born, and on my recent trip to Vegas during a severe bought with the hangover demon, I got to explore this little piece of open space nestled between New York New York and the Monte Carlo..
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.
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.
Las Vegas | Club Hakkasan | Home To DJ Hardwell

We know they can throw a party in Vegas, but it’s not until you’ve been to club Hakkasan that you really know what partying in Vegas means.
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 […]
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 […]
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 | Update: Recent Changes at Mirage

Mirage Las Vegas Finds New (Yet Old) Ground Don’t be fooled by the article’s headline. The thatched pits are still gone, the ceiling is still stark white and the carpet electrically colored tropical madness. But much like the good things The Mirage Las Vegas has been doing with their restaurants, including reintroduction of a 24 […]
Hotel Review | MGM SKYLOFTS Las Vegas 2.0

The MGM Skylofts are one of my favorite places to stay. Here’s an update of our last review : There are four types of rooms. The single bedrooms, the slightly larger single bedrooms near the front desk, two bedrooms with either a pool table or a foosball table, and the Barbara Streisand suite with two bedrooms, a […]
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 […]
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..