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. I’m still buzzing from my summer vacation so I’m ready for Tuesday. Say what?!
It seems as though the Las Vegas PR and marketing people at the casinos were getting ready to take some days off this week. There wasn’t all that much news. And the big Vegas News of the week was sorta not all that newsy. That’s where we’ll start this week.
SLS is officially Sahara Las Vegas
This was Sahara week in Las Vegas. It seemed as though there was a daily series of events leading to the name change of SLS Las Vegas. The last hurrah for SLS was the removal of the SAAM statue out on the Vegas Strip. I rarely saw this blob since I usually enter from the hotel side but it’s definitely the end of an era.
Construction: Despite a brand new website, saharalasvegas.com, there is still a lot of construction happening at Sahara. The transformation will continue well into 2020. The spaces that used to be home to Cleo and 800 Degrees Pizza are currently under very loud construction. The hotel valet (off Paradise), lobby, gift shop, and World Tower are closed. If you visit, enter from the Vegas Strip and you’ll probably never notice.
Dining: One of the restaurants under construction should become the first Las Vegas outpost for Philadelphia favorite Chickie’s and Pete’s. The other will become a fine dining restaurant. Umami Burger is out and replaced with the awesomely named Beers and Bets. The menu looks the same as the old burger shop but with different names for the burgers. William Hill still operates the sports book.
The new Infinity High Limit Lounge is open and is pretty. There’s a mix of table games and slot machines. There’s a video poker bar if you’d rather bang on the machines while enjoying an adult beverage.
The main casino floor has been rearranged to flow better. There’s certainly more room to maneuver but it looks like a casino anywhere in the world. For example, it’s reminiscent of a casino in Colorado. Time will tell if the new flow improves traffic.
I visited around lunchtime so there weren’t too many people gambling. I did notice a few 3:2 blackjack tables in the new table games area.
Sahara – Casbar
The highlight of Sahara right now is the recently opened Casbar. It’s good looking, has video poker and lots of room to lounge. Since the entire hotel area from Perq to the hotel valet is under construction, it also makes a nice place to work in the casino right now.
I’m looking forward to the new Sahara but there’s still a lot of work to do. I was disappointed they changed the name with so much work left to be done. That’s probably my issue but I wouldn’t want this mess to be someone’s first impression of the new Sahara.
Being in a casino during construction is never fun. Even if you’re not near the construction, the work brings down the vibe of the entire casino since there are fewer people having fun.
I’ll check back when there are more new things to see.
Hilton Honors Promotion – Power Up
Triple Points In Las Vegas (and Every Other City)!
Majestic Las Vegas
Speaking of new things, this week Majestic Las Vegas received more approvals to move forward. This new non-gaming luxury resort will be built just off the Vegas Strip near the Las Vegas Convention Center. Vegas veterans will be familiar with this part of town since it was once home to Debbie Reynolds Hotel & Casino.
Link to Majestic Las Vegas Video on YouTube
We first heard about Majestic Las Vegas in November 2018. The all-suite luxury hotel should break ground in 2020. They expect to open in 2023. Of course, Resorts World Las Vegas broke ground in 2015 and may open next year. Drew Las Vegas is now slated to open in 2022 but work hasn’t started yet. Who knows when Majestic Las Vegas or any of these nearby properties will open.
The plans for Majestic Las Vegas make sense for the area. If everything comes together this could be a great luxury option for people visiting Las Vegas for conventions.
The all-suite property will devote the higher floors (51-60) to businesses. They plan to rent out 1/4 floor, 1/2 floor, or entire floors. There will be up to 25,000 square feet of fully customizable space for business travelers.
There will also be a wellness component for tourists to enjoy. There will be a four-level, 70,000 square foot world-class fitness, nutrition, and med spa facility. This is planned to be a state-of-the-art medical wellness destination. It will offer body treatments and activities such as yoga and spinning as well as such amenities as personal nutritionists and comprehensive executive physicals.
If nothing else, the plans for Majestic Las Vegas are interesting. There could be demand for this property even if Resorts World and Drew Las Vegas ever open. You can read the press release for Majestic Las Vegas with all the plans here.
Quick Hits – Vegas News
As I said, it was a pretty slow week in Las Vegas. Here are a few more nuggets to get you through the long weekend.
- Life Is Beautiful announced its culinary lineup. This is one of the things that makes LIB more than just a music festival. Read more here.
- Janet Jackson’s residency sold about 4,000 tickets per night at the Park Theater inside Park MGM. The residency grossed $13 million and seems to have been a success even though the capacity of the venue is more than 6,000. Read more specifics here.
- Pinkbox Donuts is opening another location closer to my hood. I haven’t had a donut in 2019 but I might break down and check the new shop when it opens. Read more here.
- How about a panic room inside a casino with a coffee shop and bar? Read about the new PanIQ coming to Palazzo here.
- It looks like the sports book at Park MGM has reopened. I’ll check this out soon to see what they changed.
- New Caesars won’t open a casino in Japan. We told you this was likely with the Eldorado takeover. Read more here.
- The empty Harley Davidson Cafe across the street from Planet Hollywood will become a Tex-Mex joint. Read more here.
- Monthly Las Vegas train update. Read more here.
- There’s a new documentary called “Poker Queens.” The doc will look at women poker players. Read more here.
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