Vegas News March 20, 2022

March Madness Is Underway

Las Vegas casinos closed two years ago last week. Las Vegas and the rest of the world continue to return to whatever normal is nowadays.

First Weekend Of March Madness

This week was an important benchmark for sports fans like me. We’re just finishing what is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year for sports fans and bettors. 

The first weekend of March Madness is wall-to-wall college basketball games for four consecutive days. In total, there will be 48 games played over the weekend. For comparison, the four days of betting on college basketball are usually similar to wagering during Super Bowl weekend. 

This weekend used to be a great time to visit Las Vegas but hasn’t been the same for the past couple of years. The NCAA basketball tournament was suspended two years ago. Last year the Las Vegas experience was muted with Covid-19 restrictions still in place. 

Sportsbooks Were Packed

This year Las Vegas sportsbooks were packed almost to pre-Covid levels. When Circa was being constructed, my imagination ran wild with how great the scene at Stadium Swim would be during the first weekend of March Madness. 

Well, Stadium Swim continues to shine brightly at Circa. 

Welcome to #ManiaUnderTheSun. 🏀
Let’s have some fun at the best pool on Earth. ☀️ pic.twitter.com/PO9MNwqFcn

— Stadium Swim (@stadiumswim) March 18, 2022

There have been big crowds at casinos, bars, and restaurants all over Las Vegas. It’s been great to see and experience.

I did learn something after the first day of March Madness. A colleague shared details of the first day during his March Madness experience at Bally’s. 

Bally’s Sportsbook And The Future

He’s hearing that the sportsbook at Bally’s will be “gutted” as part of the Horseshoe renovation. This makes sense. The sportsbook at Bally’s is an awkward space in a strange location deep in the bowels of the property.

I’ll look into getting more details about the Bally’s/Horseshoe sportsbook now that the busiest days of the tournament have passed. 

While Las Vegas feels like normal for someone like me who is able to enjoy it regularly, the city still coming back for a lot of people. 

It looks like the masses are returning to Las Vegas! I think we’re going to be in for a fun summer.

Las Vegas Quick Hits

Before we get to the real Las Vegas news, you should be alerted that Amazon did not buy MGM Resorts. However, Amazon does own the movie studio that put out a few movies you might recognize from seeing their respective slot machines – James Bond, Rocky, and The Addams Family.

• The Bellagio conservatory and botanical gardens has a new display for the spring through May 14. Read more here.
• It’s official, El Cortez is becoming a 21+ property. The major change is that kids can’t stay at the hotel. Another difference will be that El Cortez will soon be checking the ID of anyone entering the casino. Read more here.
• Rumor Of The Week: The owner of the Golden Nugget plans to build a new non-Nugget casino on the Vegas Strip. Read more here.
• Vanderpump à Paris at Paris Las Vegas is now open. Read more here and see a few images here. 
• Life Is Beautiful announced the music lineup for this year’s festival. Read more here.
• Resorts World will have a Tequila and Mezcal festival at Rose Rooftop on May 14. Looks like fun if you’re into this kind of booze. Read more here.
• Boring update: Resorts Wold expects the Tesla tunnel to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) to be ready by late April in time for NAB. There will be eight cars to bring passengers back and forth. Read more here.
• The Psycho music festival is moving from Mandalay Bay to Resorts World. See some of the lineup and more information here. ​​
• Speaking of the LVCC, Las Vegas snagged the Sweets & Snacks Expo and Mobile World Congress. You can read more about this and other conferences here.
• Last week we shared an update on MGM pools. You can see more pool info at properties all over Las Vegas here. 
• The Las Vegas Lights soccer team started its season this weekend. It’s a cheap entertainment option in downtown Las Vegas if you’re looking for something different. See the schedule here.
• You probably know this already but housekeeping is disappearing at some hotels around the country. Read more here.
• Duran Duran is playing a couple of shows at Wynn Las Vegas in September. Read more here.
• If you have a few extra bucks laying around, you can buy a house deep into Red Rock Canyon. Read more here.
• The Plaza donated a sign to the Neon Museum. Read more here.
• The Oakland A’s continue to flirt with Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Anita Baker’s shows at The Venetian sold out quickly and another three were just added. Read more here.
• French Bulldog is the most popular dog in Las Vegas. Read more here.