Vegas News March 13, 2022

Big Fish at Cosmo

Before we get to Durango Casino and the other Vegas Quick Hits….. Earlier this week I received an email from Aristocrat for a slot machine I found last month at Cosmopolitan. I receive lots of press emails but this one hit me because it was for a game I randomly discovered just wandering around The Cosmpolitan one afternoon.

You can read about Big Fish Grand here. You can see the amazing song when you win a nice bonus below. 

I don’t love slot machines but I’m a sucker for loud noises and bright lights. This game has all of that. Some day I’ll explain how slot machines became an important part of my gambling experience.

I don’t imagine playing Big Fish Grand again but the experience and memories from playing once are fantastic. That’s what visiting Las Vegas is all about – creating memories that last forever. While I may never play this slot machine again, I’ll never forget it.

Even though I’ve lived in Las Vegas for 10 years, I still feel like a tourist since I usually only explore the Vegas Strip or downtown when friends are visiting. Even though I visit with some locals every now and again, I probably spend more time in these parts when people from other states are visiting.

Living in Las Vegas can be the best of all worlds. I’m just glad I can enjoy Las Vegas the way I did when I lived on the east coast and as a local whenever I want. 

This has nothing to do with anything other than appreciating friends near and far as well as new obnoxious slot machines. In the meantime, enjoy the sweet sounds of a $104 slot machine win!

Here’s the Jackpot jam from my min bet on BFG pic.twitter.com/xeFIh4A1DY

— Marc (@MeltzVegas) March 8, 2022

Let’s get to the real Vegas News from the week!

Las Vegas Quick Hits

• It’s rare that I find something entirely new online but this week I learned that Caesars Rewards is matching upper-tier status with a couple of sportsbook apps – FanDuel and DraftKings. Read more here.
• I love generic hospitality reports. According to Hotels dot com, people now want bathtubs in their rooms and they no longer care for wifi. This is 100% the opposite of me. Read more here. 
• Speaking of studies that are interesting. This week a company shared research on how clean the air is inside of casinos. Aria Resort, and Wynn Las Vegas were the top three.
• This isn’t much of a surprise as Park MGM doesn’t have smoking and MGM Resorts upgraded its air filtration due to Covid-19. Plus Aria has a unique air filtration system that’s also at Circa. Read more here.
• The founder of JetBlue is starting a new airline called Breeze. There are limited destinations that fly into Las Vegas for now and prices seem somewhat low. You can see the three price categories here. Learn more about the airline here and lastly, you check out the website here.
• Speaking of flying, the TSA extended the mask requirement for anyone flying through April 18. Read more here.
• I haven’t noticed this yet but it looks as though Uber is adding a fuel surcharge as gas prices are rising. The price is different in every state and probably won’t impact short rides from casino to casino on the Vegas Strip. Leaving the area or traveling around Las Vegas might be a different story. Read more here.
• Britney Spears was at Resorts World last weekend. Evidently, they treated her so well she posted about it on Instagram. Then she removed the post after fans tried to see if there was a deeper meaning than someone posting that they’re grateful for being treated nicely. Read more here. 
• Bobby Burgers from Bobby Flay is now open at Paris Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Cafe Lola is opening a new location at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The cold brew at the location near me is pricey but delicious. The decor is very instagrammable and may be too cutesy for some. Read more here.
• Anita Baker is coming back to Las Vegas for another limited engagement. The name of her five shows at The Venetian is appropriately “Return to Las Vegas.” Shows take place in late May and early June. Read more here.
• EVO is returning to Mandalay Bay in August. Read more about the lineup for this year’s event here. 
• The steakhouse at Binion’s is open again. Read more here.
• Nitro Circus is coming to Las Vegas on July 4. The show will take place at Las Vegas Ballpark across from Red Rock Casino. Read more here.
• Remember when Nitro Circus was going to have a show inside Bally’s a few years ago? Wow, that was actually five years ago! I’m getting old. Read more here.
• You can read a slew of information about the pools at the different MGM Resorts properties here. 

Durango Casino

• Station Casinos started doing a cleanup of the land where it’s building the new Durango Casino earlier this year. This week the company officially broke ground on the new property. You can see new interior renderings and learn more about the property here.

Previously announced details about the Durango Casino Project include:

• 83,000 square feet of casino space offering the latest games and an open floorplan seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor socializing spaces
• Hotel tower with over 200 beautiful guest rooms and suites
• Four signature food and beverage outlets
• Exciting food hall concept featuring fast-casual favorite restaurants and eateries
• State-of-the-art race and sportsbook
• Serene resort pool space with private cabanas and environmentally friendly event lawn
• 20,000 square feet of meeting and convention space
• 40 electric vehicle charging stations
• Multiple bike lanes to access the property with ample bike parking

Rumor Of The Week

• Rumor of the week: El Cortez is going to be a 21+ property.
• Since most of El Cortez is a casino with large bar spaces it’s primarily 21+ already. This isn’t a major change. I guess this means kids under 21 won’t be able to stay in the hotel with their parents. Big whoop. See the tweet here.
• The free autonomous car rides in downtown Las Vegas have a few pickup and dropoff locations. Download the app to get a ride and read more here.
• It looks like a show at PLANET HOLLYWOOD Las Vegas Resort that nobody cares about is having problems. Read more here.
• Last and least, MLB will have a full season at the owners locked out the players. I look forward to spending some summer afternoons watching and wagering on day games in the sportsbooks while enjoying the air conditioning.