Vegas News May 23, 2021
Everything Is Back in Vegas
Every week there’s something new to report about the Great Vegas Comeback (™). Things in Las Vegas are almost back to pre-COVID days. Clark County is removing all COVID restrictions on June 1. Las Vegas will essentially be operating at the same capacity of February 2020. It is worth repeating: Everything Is Back in Vegas.
Las Vegas is pretty much here already but I guess this makes it official. It was odd not having to wear my mask walking the 12 steps from my car into the bar this week. That’s a joke. It wasn’t odd at all. I’ll be visiting various casinos this week. I’ll attempt to enjoy casinos similar to how I did before the pandemic. I’ll have a mask on hand in case I feel like I should wear it. If nothing else, I can wear it to reduce the amount of smoke in my face.
Enjoy Las Vegas In Different Ways
The COVID pandemic forced a lot of people to enjoy Las Vegas in different ways. This writer from the New York Times was able to fit some non-casino travel info around covering their friend’s art installations at Area 15. It’s not all that surprising that it took a global pandemic for non-locals to explore what Las Vegas has outside of the casinos.
As I mentioned, I’ll be spending most of the week in and around casinos. I also spent much of the past year finding things to do outside of casinos. I’ll never forget all those coffee walks last year.
It looks as though there are plenty of people who don’t read TravelZork (GASP!) are looking for what’s happening.
I’ve been doing the Beating The Book Las Vegas lifestyle podcast since its first episode many moons ago. My concise response saying “everything is back” is mostly true although technically false.
Not Back? Don’t Worry. They’ll Be Back Soon
If the things people love in Las Vegas pre-COVID aren’t back, they’ll be back soon. The buffet at Caesars Palace opened this week. The MGM Grand buffet will reopen this week. I’m told a value buffet opening on the Vegas Strip will be announced this week.
Not all buffets will return to Las Vegas. However, there’s something comforting to many visitors who still see buffets as a staple of Las Vegas. Personally, I’m comforted by things like this Whiskey Festival at The Cosmopolitan. This is the normal kind of event I enjoy.
Most Casinos At 100% Capacity
Not everything is back to normal right now. Most casinos are at 100% capacity with no plexiglass. Not South Point. For the time being, this is still home to one of the few poker rooms with plexiglass dividers.
New Property, Many New Hiltons
Lots of excitement about the opening of Resorts World Las Vegas. What is also exciting are the three new Hilton Properties that will be opening at Resorts World. This includes the largest Conrad Hotel in the world, with 1,496 rooms and suites.
The properties at Resorts World Las Vegas Include:
- Hilton (Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World)
- Conrad (Conrad Las Vegas)
- LXR Hotels & Resorts (Crockfords Las Vegas)
All of the properties will have their own porte-cochère, with Crockfords having a gated porte-cochère. This is similar to Aria Sky Suites. Hilton rooms and suites will include wifi for eight devices. The Conrad will be on floors 5 to 58’ish, which Crockfords is only 236 luxury rooms and suites on floors 58 to 65.
Check out the TravelZork video previewing some of the Las Vegas Hilton at Resorts World and Conrad Las Vegas Room products.
There is a lot to be excited about. Some of these resorts are also bookable at TravelZork Travel, where they offer exclusive Hilton Impresario Benefits. Impresario Benefits can only be offered if booked by a qualified travel agent or travel advisor.
- Best available rates
- Complimentary breakfast for two
- $100 USD hotel credit per stay
- Next category upgrade, subject to availability
- Double Hilton Honors Points
MORE Las Vegas Entertainment
Out here with @deadmau5! We’ve missed this feeling and all 10,000 of you.#Vegas is BACK and better than ever. 🎶@insomniacevents pic.twitter.com/lKN2BPF1ah
— DLV Events Center (@DLVEC) May 22, 2021
Some entertainment is back and more will return later this year and next year. About 10,000 people watched Deadmau5 dropping beats in downtown Las Vegas on Friday.
Here’s some more Vegas entertainment coming sooner and later:
- Celine Dion’s residency starts this year. Resorts World already announced more shows for next year.
- Resorts World announced more Carrie Underwood shows for next year too if you can’t make it to the shows in December during NFR (National Finals Rodeo).
- Resorts World is also planning a day to night party at Ayu Dayclub on July 4 weekend.
- Wynn has a slew of standup comedy coming to the Encore Theater beginning in June. See dates for the funny people here.
- Lionel Richie is back at Wynn Las Vegas in September.
- Concerts at Mandalay Bay Beach start on July 4 weekend. See the full lineup here.
- Daylight Beach Club at Mandalay Bay has a party slated for Memorial Day weekend.
- Drai’s Beach Club at The Cromwell has some hames you may be familiar with appearing on opening weekend.
- The Las Vegas Raiders will play their first home game in Las Vegas with fans in attendance on Aug. 18. You can see the whole preseason schedule here. The other games are not in Las Vegas so there’s no reason to care.
- Psycho Las Vegas returns to Mandalay Bay in August. The lineup is something else. I think I still have a video of Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears at Book & Stage at the Cosmopolitan on my old flip cam.
Las Vegas Quick Hits
Las Vegas Quick Hits
That’s a lot of concert news. Over the past year, I’ve been sharing how casinos will be trying to maximize revenue when they’re back to full capacity. Last week we saw Caesars dumping a slew of smaller shows to cut expenses. This week we see Westgate stepping out with something new at its sportsbook.
Sportsbooks can be great but they’re typically dark in Las Vegas after 10-11 pm since the games are over. Westgate now has karaoke in the massive SuperBook. The video makes it look as though it has the largest screen ever for karaoke. This should help the casino sell a few more beers in a space that doesn’t serve much of a purpose when the games are over.
Super Karaoke in the @SuperBookSports after the big #Knight. pic.twitter.com/hHp8gCsHEw
— Jay Kornegay (@JayKornegay) May 21, 2021
- Semi-related, the Stadia sports bar is under construction at Caesars Palace. Vital Vegas shares a rumor that the poker room will move to this part of the casino later this year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Caesars try to save money by consolidating the sportsbook too. There are lots of possible layout options on the casino floor between the existing sportsbook at Stadia/Food Court area.
- The Museum of Selfies opens at The Linq on June 1. The whole world should be your museum of selfies but that’s another story. Read about it here.
- Fiesta casinos at Henderson and Rancho along with Texas Station will remain closed for the rest of the year. I’ll be surprised if they don’t reopen under new ownership next year. Read more here.
- Resorts World Las Vegas received approval to open on June 24. Read more here.
