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 […]
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.
Atlantic City July 2019 | Many casinos running summer-long promotions

Atlantic City July 2019 – Summer-long Promotions The following Atlantic City casinos are running summer-long promotions – some through Labor Day weekend. Visit the casinos’ player loyalty card centers for details on the Atlantic City July 2019 promotions! Golden Nugget Casino, Hotel & Marina – Earn entries through Sunday, Sept. 1, to win a 2019 […]
Atlantic City June 2019 | Tribute bands take center stage at Golden Nugget, Tropicana

Atlantic City June 2019 – Tribute bands take center stage at Golden Nugget, Tropicana + Atlantic City Casino offers and deals + all the Atlantic City Scoop…..
Atlantic City May 2019 | Get your fill at Burger Bash May 18

Atlantic City May 2019 | Get your fill at Burger Bash May 18 + Atlantic City Casino offers and deals + all the Atlantic City Scoop…..
Atlantic City April 2019 | Broadway comes to the Boardwalk

Atlantic City April 2019 | Broadway comes to the Boardwalk + Atlantic City Casino offers and deals + all the Atlantic City Scoop…..
Atlantic City March 2019 | Restaurant Week offers 80+ choices for $15.19 lunches, $35.19 dinners

Atlantic City March 2019 | Casinos offer deals, Restaurant Week offers 80+ choices for $15.19 lunches, $35.19 dinners + all the Atlantic City Scoop…..
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.
Atlantic City February 2019 | Food and Wine Events Take Center Stage This Month

Atlantic City February 2019 | Casinos offer deals, Food and Wine Events Take Center Stage This Month + all the Atlantic City Scoop…..
Atlantic City January 2019 | Life’s a beach at Tropicana, Golden Nugget declares ‘war’ — Wing War, that is

Atlantic City January 2019 | Casinos offer deals, Life’s a beach at Tropicana, Golden Nugget declares ‘war’ — Wing War + all the Atlantic City Scoop, including: “insider” tips…….
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!
Embrace ALL Gamblers | Why Vegas Casino Loyalty is Broken

If someone gambles at a casino property, they are a customer. It is just that simple. If someone takes the time to join a Vegas Casino loyalty program and allows their casino play to be tracked they are interested in that property and their casino loyalty program.
Atlantic City December 2018 | Holiday celebrations start early, continue through month

Atlantic City December 2018 | Casinos offer deals, discounts to veterans + all the Atlantic City Scoop, including: “insider” tips…….
Atlantic City November 2018 | Casinos offer deals, discounts to veterans

Casinos offer deals, discounts to veterans + all the Atlantic City Scoop, including: “insider” tips…….
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.
Atlantic City October 2018 | Halloween takes center stage in Atlantic City

Atlantic City October 2018 | Halloween takes center stage in Atlantic City + all the Atlantic City Scoop, including: “insider” tips…….
Atlantic City September 2018 | Miss America and Miss’d America, Arts and Craft Beers

Miss America and Miss’d America, Arts and Craft Beers + all the Atlantic City Scoop, including: “insider” tips about what’s happening in Atlantic City’s casinos during September 2018.
Atlantic City August 2018 | Look, up in the sky! It’s the Atlantic City Airshow!

Look, up in the sky! It’s the Atlantic City Airshow! + all the Atlantic City Scoop, including: Miss America and “insider” tips about what’s happening in Atlantic City’s casinos during August 2018.
[Initial Details + Pics Studio Suite] World of Hyatt at Ocean Resort Casino Atlantic City

While a complete overview of the Ocean Resort Casino loyalty program called Ocean PREMIERE will be forthcoming, we know there is a lot of curiosity and interest about Ocean Resort’s relationship with Hyatt and the World of Hyatt loyalty program.
[EXCITING! Soft Opening] Ocean Resort Casino Atlantic City

Ocean Resort Casino, formerly Revel, is currently in a soft opening. The official Opening will be June 28th, 2018 with an official ribbon cutting and Gala for certain invited guests. Having the opportunity to return to one of my favorite properties, I did not wait for the 28th.
Vegas Fees Gone Wild | MEGARESORT™©® NEEDS MORE MONEY!

Vegas Fees Gone Wild | It seems that we are living in an age of travel “fees gone wild.” Is ancillary revenue becoming the cornerstone of financial success for hotel operations in Las Vegas?
Consequences of Total Rewards 2018 Devaluations

While the upcoming changes, effective 02/01/18, to the Caesars Total Rewards program, is a massive slash in benefits, some of the changes certainly make sense from their perspective. I try to play devil’s advocate and understand the business purpose for these decisions. Some I get, while others baffle me when I try to view them through the bean counter’s eyes.
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.
[Interesting, maybe GREAT] Caesars Las Vegas Hotel Deals + 1000 Tier (per night) Bonus

Currently Caesars is running a New Year, New Empire promotion (Promo Code: NYNE18) that can be combined with an Opt-In Offer for 1000 tier points per night.
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.
[Ouch!] Major Changes to Total Rewards 2018 Benefits

Caesars unveiled their Total Rewards benefits for 2018. While rumors had been circulating of an upcoming degradation of benefits, nobody predicted how steep it would be. Most of the key benefits of the Total Rewards program that made it the best casino loyalty program in the country are all gone. The biggest head-scratcher, is that the higher the tier one attained, the more that was taken away.
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.
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 | 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.
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.
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.
Caesars Total Rewards | Part 4 | Generating Casino Offers (Marketing Offers)

How do you alter your play to receive the best casino offers possible based on your bankroll? As I stated in the previous installment, it’s done by the timing of your gaming sessions, which directly affects your Theo (your theoretical loss to the casino, which is the way that the casino calculates what you are worth to them.).
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.
Caesars Total Rewards | Part 3 | What is a Caesars Marketing Offer?

Earning Caesars Marketing Offers (and continuing to receive them) from a large casino loyalty program such as Total Rewards is a very complicated endeavor. There are numerous variables to consider, such as which property you are playing at and how popular that property is, how badly that property wants to drum up business, what games, amenities and restaurants are available, etc., but before I launch into specifics, let me define just what a Marketing Offer is.
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.
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 | 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.
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.
Flash Deal – Atlanta to Vegas for $186 Roundtrip

If you’re a Total Rewards or Mlife member that has a decent level of play, I’m sure you get nice offers for comped hotel rooms. If not, stop right now and start reading these articles. Once you’ve scored those free rooms, the next challenge is finding a frugal way to get from your house […]
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.
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.
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 […]
Score Better Comps – URComped Client Interview

A little while ago we had an in-depth discussion with Craig Shacklett, the co-founder of URComped. He gave us great insight into how the company got started and laid out the kind of comps and other benefits gaming fans could achieve. We liked everything we heard and asked Craig if we could speak with a […]
Achieving Caesars Total Rewards Seven Stars with Video Poker

Seven Stars With Video Poker ? Is video poker a cheaper way to earn Seven Stars status with Total Rewards than baccarat or live poker? That is a very good, though complicated question.
How To Spend Your Summer In Atlantic City

There’s lots of positive news about summer in Atlantic City. As Mark Twain once said, “The rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
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.
Caesars Total Rewards | Seven Stars Insider: Here’s What You Can Learn

Despite its name, the Seven Stars Insider is for all Total Rewards cardholders – or anyone considering a visit to a Total Rewards casino.
FoundersCard Caesars Benefit | Caesars Total Rewards Diamond Status

FoundersCard Benefits | This part of our FoundersCard series is about the benefits you’ll receive from Caesar’s Diamond Status.
Caesars Total Rewards | Everything You Need To Know – Part 2 | TIER STATUS

Total Rewards is a casino loyalty program and its function is to persuade customers to be loyal to (spend more money on) Caesars Entertainment Corporation. You get value from your Total Rewards account but always keep in mind that the niceties offered are to entice you to happily—lose money! Tier Status When you earn 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 […]
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 […]
Caesars Total Rewards | Everything You Need To Know – Part 1

The Caesars Casino Loyalty Program Caesars Entertainment Corporation is one of the largest casino companies in the world. Total Rewards, their casino loyalty program (launched in 1997) was the first to offer a system wide comps program, allowing points earned at one casino to be redeemed for goods and services at any of the company’s […]
Total Rewards Loyalty Program | 50% Bonus On Spring Tier Credits

Spring Bonus On Tier Credits Total Rewards, the casino loyalty program of Caesars Entertainment Corporation is running a promotion where you receive a 50% bonus on Tier Credits earned from April 1 to June 30th 2016 (up to 25,000 maximum) when you opt-in to their Spring Tier Credit Bonus. This might be a good opportunity […]
Las Vegas | Finding A Classic: Cleopatra’s Barge at Caesars Palace

Cleopatra’s Barge – Caesars Palace Las Vegas It would be fair to say that if you walked into Caesars Palace Las Vegas after a nearly 50 year hiatus, a lot would be different. The softly lit exterior of the building is gone, replaced by intricate and heavy Roman colonnades and balustrades. The intimate lounges and […]
Preview | The Julius Tower at Caesars Palace

The Julius Tower It’s no secret that Caesars Entertainment has finally been giving its flagship property quite a bit of love recently. Starting with the completion of the Octavius Tower, the opening of the first Nobu hotel, the conversion of Pure to Omnia in order to compete with Hakkasan and XS, and other small renovations […]
Las Vegas | Casino Loyalty Implications of Marriott International Acquiring Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

By now, you have probably heard the big news in the hotel and hotel loyalty world : “Marriott International to Acquire Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Creating the World’s Largest Hotel Company.” (press release HERE) Our immediate attention turns to the loyalty programs of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). According to the press […]
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.
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.
Hotel Review | Deluxe King Nobu Hotel At Caesars Palace

Deluxe King Nobu Hotel At Caesars Palace It’s no secret here amongst Vegas regulars that Caesars Palace, once a bane amongst frequents, has been on something of an uptick. With the debut of the gorgeous and modern Octavius Tower, a new buffet, and the creation of the Laurel Collection, Sarno’s first masterpiece has proven that […]
Hotel Review | MGM SKYLOFTS Las Vegas

This is a guest review by my good friend Mike from frequentflyermiles101.com, a site for those just learning the points game. One of the smartest miles+points people that I know, Mike is also obsessed with getting amazing value on luxury experiences. Also, be aware that we also have a Review Version 2.0, that covers a few additional […]
The Mirage Cabanas | A Summer Retreat

Summer At The Mirage Cabanas There’s nothing quite like Las Vegas in the summertime. The oppressive heat causes people to stream inside the casinos getting off the 110°F (43°C) pavement for respites at the blackjack tables, shopping or to one of the many differing resort pools located throughout the city. Each one has its own […]
In Memoriam | The Revel Atlantic City Ocean Suite

No more proof of this is needed then my stay in an Ocean Suite at Revel Atlantic City which deserves a revisit both in remembrance of the what was and in hope for the future of a hotel that deserves to be open and operating once again.
Hotel Review | The Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace

Before we discuss The Octavius Tower at Caesars, let’s talk architecture. The concrete and glass forms of IM Pei. The explanatory structural simplicity of Mies van der Rohe’s creations. This marriage of simple, pure, useful design and comfortability has been what is driving this whitewashing of Vegas.