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, but it’s similar to going to a mall on the weekend. It’s annoying, but you can deal with it if you have to or want to.
If you’re reading this in Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve you can find a list of things to do here.
Looking forward, January is going to be busy with CES (electronics/tech), the SHOT Show (guns), and World of Concrete (construction). The month ends with the Lunar New Year, which will bring more leisure visitors than conventioneers.
We share Vegas news updates every other week and usually dive deeper into a single topic in between. Last week we got a head start on Vegas News looking at the recent hotel and casino rewards announcements at W Las Vegas, The Venetian, and Treasure Island. You can read the overview here.
If you just want quick links to the hotel info you can read the MGM Resorts press release about W Las Vegas here and Hyatt’s press release about The Venetian here.
Everyone’s favorite occasional contributor shared the info that the MGM Rewards Tier Accelerator has been extended.
Virgin will take over operations of its casino from Mohegan Sun next year. There will be a new casino rewards program and probably a new sportsbook operator. Stay tuned as this should happen sometime during the first quarter.
WSOP 2025 dates have been announced for May 27 to July 16 at Horseshoe. Read more here.
Nevada has a new online poker app that isn’t WSOP. You can read about it here.
I tested the game for the article above. Vegas Advantage looked at the maths and it looks like a bad bet. Read more here.
Since we’re talking about poker, Red Rock Casino has new poker tables.
In the last edition of Vegas News, we shared the details about Jimbo (Jim Murren), who is back in Las Vegas at Resorts World. It looks like there could be some complications. Read about that here.
Unrelated to Jimbo, Resorts World rolled out its plans for early 2025. Read about it here.
The owner of Golden Nugget, Tilman Fertitta, is now the ambassador to Italy. Read more here.
The headline “Federal Trade Commission Announces Bipartisan Rule Banning Junk Ticket and Hotel Fees” sounds attractive. You can read the press release here and see the initial text for the “ban” here.
I’ll wait for the final language before forming an opinion on whether this is anything more than political grandstanding. I doubt it but I’d like to be wrong.
Caspian’s at Caesars Palace is now open in the space formerly occupied by Cleopatra’s Barge. You can see the website here.
Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak is open at Four Seasons at Mandalay Bay. Check out the website here.
The Neon Museum slid this announcement about a new Cirque Du Soliel exhibit in the middle of an unrelated press release. Read more here.
Swingers at Mandalay Bay is now open. I was able to visit for the grand opening party and had a great time snacking, drinking, playing carnival games, and a few holes of mini golf. It’s a fun place but loud and possibly a bit overwhelming if you’re not prepared for the lights, loud music, and variety of activities. While I enjoyed it, Swingers isn’t for everyone.
I recommend visiting before paying to play. You can read my initial thoughts from my preview here. Here are a few pics from the party.
Fontainebleau is one year old. You can see the press release with some fun facts about the property here.
I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day exploring Fontainebleau for the first time last year. Read that here.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board had a workshop to discuss possible changes to High Limit Salons. No decisions were made but it seems as though the board is open to most of what was brought up. Read more here.
During the workshop, I learned that the Hard Rock is planning to have a gaming salon on the 36th floor of the Guitar Hotel Tower. That’s fun.
Station Casinos announced linked progressives for some games a few weeks ago. They’ve added Mississippi Stud Poker and Three Card Poker to the mix.
Havana 1957 and Cortadito Coffee House open this weekend at Flamingo. Read more here.
Gordon Ramsay Burger is also open at Flamingo. Read more here.
Down the street, Caramella is open at Planet Hollywood. Read more here.
The John Wick Experience is opening at Area 15 in February. Read more here.
The Las Vegas Lights soccer club has a sweet schedule announcement video that Vegas lovers should enjoy regardless if they like the beautiful game. See you next year!
