Somehow MGM Resorts International pushed all other happenings in Las Vegas out of the picture and once again dominate the news cycle. It would be nice to see another casino operator announce something major soon. That’s coming from someone who seems to be writing a lot about MGM Resorts lately (see: There’s No End In Sight For MGM Resorts’ Growth). Every week is different in Las Vegas so there’s always hope. In the meantime let’s get to the big MGM Resorts International news that we’ve been waiting to hear for almost a year.

Monte Carlo To Become Park MGM

Last year Jim Murren, CEO of MGM Resorts International, indicated that there would be a brand change at Monte Carlo. The company did a great job keeping this under wraps as there hasn’t been a leak or rumor that came close to the actual rebrand of the property. Monte Carlo will become Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas. NoMad (not nomad) is a luxury hotel named for being North of Madison Park on Broadway in New York City.

The renovation and rebranding plans will cost MGM Resorts International approximately $450 million and finish sometime before the end of 2018. Monte Carlo won’t close for construction as the rooms will be renovated floor by floor and the amenities will be renovated one at a time.

NoMad hotel will be approximately 300 rooms and should occupy the same space as Hotel 32. NoMad guests will have their own entrance, pool and restaurant. The NoMad restaurant will be operated by former 3 star Michelin recipient chef Daniel Humm. Park MGM will change some of their restaurants and add the Italian market Eataly which will feature cafes, walk-up counters and sit-down restaurants. Details on its location haven’t been revealed.

Once renovations are complete in 2018 the area around and between New York-New York and Monte Carlo/Park MGM will be almost entirely different than it was just 5 years before. This is quite a facelift for the area.

This doesn’t mark the end of MGM Resorts International changes in Las Vegas. Expect an announcement for renovations and additions to some of their south strip properties later this year. While Mandalay Bay has been renovated nearly top to bottom in recent years the other south Strip properties may be due for some changes. Last year Murren hinted that changed could be coming to Excalibur and Luxor.

Up next for MGM Resorts International will be news about the new M life Rewards players club.

Get Ready To Pay To Park At The Park And MGM Park

Paid parking is about to hit the Las Vegas Strip. There’s nothing less interesting than writing about parking so I’ll keep this brief. Paid parking begins at different times this week at different MGM Resorts International properties:

June 6 – ARIA, Vdara, Bellagio, Monte Carlo, & New York-New York
June 7 – Excalibur, Luxor & Circus Circus (valet only at Circus Circus)
June 8 – MGM Grand & The Mirage
June 13 – Mandalay Bay & Delano

You can see an overview of prices in this post. You can find everything you’d ever want to know about MGM Resorts International parking at mgmresorts.com/parking.

Hotel Tax Increase May Be In The Future

While many tourists who never drive in Las Vegas were up in arms about paid parking at MGM Resorts International hotels there has hardly been a peep about the potential of an increase hotel room tax. By now you’ve probably heard about the possibility of a stadium being built that would be home the Oakland Raiders, UNLV football and more.

One of the ways to pay for the stadium would be to increase hotel room taxes. The tax increase won’t be much but it’s fee that will affect everyone visiting Las Vegas. You can hear more about the possibility of the stadium being built in this video with Mayor Carolyn Goodman on ESPN.

Caesars Palace Celebrating 50th Anniversary

Caesars Palace is one of the most iconic names in the history of casinos and first opened its doors on August 5, 1966. Caesars Palace will be celebrating the “Summer of Caesars” beginning June 17 and throughout the summer. Some events and promotions include a Walking Tour and Photo Exhibit, #IAmCaesar Sweepstakes and a promotion where Total Rewards guest over 50 can receive a $50 food and beverage credit. The biggest celebration will take place on August 5 and 6. The huge gala is expected to attract 2,500 VIPs and celebrities. You can see a full list of events and promotions here.

Belated Happy Birthday To Four Queens

If you’re not a Las Vegas history buff you may have missed the 50th anniversary of Four Queens last week. The casino opened on Fremont Street on June 2, 1966. Four Queens celebration will be a more modest celebration than Caesars Palace with various specials and promotions for customers. The folks at the Fremont Street Experience have more details.

1st Riviera Implosion Date Confirmed, 2nd Implosion Date Rumored

The Monaco Tower will be the first tower to be imploded as the demolition of the Riviera continues. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority confirmed that first implosion will take place on June 14 at 2 a.m.

The fine folks at Vegas Bright who first leaked this date are saying that the second, and final, implosion at the Riviera will take place on August 14th. The time hasn’t been revealed yet but it’s safe to assume it will be early that Sunday morning so that Saturday night revelers can enjoy some boom booms in their evening.

Boyd Gaming First To Offer Mobile Horse Wagering In Nevada

You can already wager on horse racing futures and propositions for the big races on most Nevada sports wagering apps. Until last week, you couldn’t wager on individual horse races. Boyd Gaming became the first Las Vegas casino operator to add the ability to place parimutuel horse wagers using their B-Connected Sports app.

I’m told by, miomni, Boyd Gaming’s software provider, that other casinos who use their software (Westgate and Wynn) should be adding this feature in the future. This might not be a game changer but will make the app more convenient for customers that like to wager on the horses as much as traditional sports.

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