Bye Riveira

Last week in Las Vegas started off with a BOOM! The final towers of the Riviera came down on late Monday night/early Tuesday morning with a controlled implosion. This is one of my favorite videos of the implosion because it’s quick and uses the reverse motion effect you’ll find in the awesome boomerang app (iPhone app & Android app).

Millennial Gaming Area Coming To MGM Grand

There really wasn’t much crucial breaking news in Las Vegas last week. However, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything interesting announced. The biggest news in Las Vegas was missed by most of the media. In fact, you probably missed it too if you didn’t watch all the way through the end of the interview below by Jon Ralston with MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren.

In a 32-minute interview that was more about politics than casinos Murren actually slipped some news about a new gaming area opening at MGM Grand in December. The space that was occupied by Rainforest Cafe at MGM Grand will become a “millennial gaming area.” Details on the new gaming area weren’t revealed in the interview but Murren did say to Ralston that “you won’t like it unless you’re a beer pong fan.”

I’m picturing a casino area carved out that’s somewhere between what The Linq has at O’Sheas and what the Cosmopolitan offers at their new sports book. I see this new gaming area having traditional casino gambling like blackjack, electronic table games and activities that can be enjoyed by the bros who just want to drink beer and play games.

Unlike O’Sheas which has music bleeding into The Linq casino, this location is great for a louder casino area. The new gaming area will away from much of the casino floor near the Vegas Strip entrance to MGM Grand. It’s also near the sports book, TAP sports bar and the poker room which would be a good location for what I’m imagining. (see also : A Look At Millennials In Las Vegas Casinos )

You can watch the full interview below. Ralston and Murren discuss the presidential election for about the first 15 minutes of the interview. Murren mentions the new gaming area in the last 2 minutes of the video if you’d rather just skip to the good stuff.

Caesars Palace Toronto?

According to the New York Post, Caesars Entertainment is one of six companies vying for the rights to open a casino in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I’m not sure how this would work with Caesars’ current bankruptcy. What I am sure about is that talking about corporate restructuring makes me sleepy, so I’m going to move on.

Restaurant News

Last week Pawn Plaza, the shopping and dining plaza owned by Pawn Stars’ Rick Harrison, lost three restaurants. First, Smoke’s Poutinerie closed then Pawn Donut & Coffee and Inna Gadda di Pizza (same operators as Cosmopolitan’s “Secret Pizza”) announced that they were closing. New tenants haven’t been announced yet. My first instinct is that this is a tough location to operate a business. However, a local business owner tweeted me that he has a business a block away that’s doing well. I’m curious to see what the future holds for Pawn Plaza.

Benihana is now open on the Vegas Strip! This new location is literally right on the strip as it has ample outdoor seating at the Fashion Show Mall. If you’re craving the traditional Benihana experience you can dine at one of 18 teppanyaki tables inside the restaurant. The Benihana location at the Westgate is still open if you prefer dining inside of a casino.

Do you remember the Pete Rose Sports Bar And Grill across the street from Aria and underneath Chili’s on the Vegas Strip? No? Consider yourself in the majority here. Pete Rose is no longer affiliated with the business that’s now just called “Sports Bar And Grill.” Expect cheaper prices since they no longer have to pay Pete Rose a licensing fee for his name.

Entertainment News

Caesars Entertainment announced the addition of seven more shows for Rod Stewart’s Las Vegas residency “Rod Stewart: The Hits” for 2017. Tickets are on sale now for the following dates at Caesars Palace Las Vegas next year:

March 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 31
April 1

The Golden Nugget announced the remainder of its “52 Fridays” Concert Series. If you love 70’s and 80’s rock these shows are for you. They also snuck in some New Year’s Eve funk at the end of the new dates for this year:

• October

7 – The Guess Who
14 – Foghat
21 – Eddie Money
28 – Loverboy

• November

4 – America
11 – Lou Gramm “The Juke Box Hero” & Former Voice of Foreigner
18 – Little River Band
25 – Eric Burdon & The Animals

• December

16 – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Band
30 – Morris Day & The Time

According to the Business Standard Jennifer Lopez had the highest one-night gross box office of any Caesars Entertainment performer. At a recent show, J. Lo earned $1 million in ticket revenue. This is also a first for a Caesars Entertainment performer. Not too shabby for Jenny from the block. Now…where are we with that Bruno Mars rumor from last week?

Last week Forbes released its highest paid DJ list. The Top two DJ’s on the list, Calvin Harris and Tiesto, both have Las Vegas residencies at OMNIA Nightclub and Hakkasan, respectively. Calvin Harris isn’t just the highest paid resident DJ in Las Vegas but he’s also a hit-making producer (enjoy the song above that reminds me more of a 70’s rock jam than the oontz you’ll in the club). You can see the full list here and read more about each DJ on the site.

Rumor of the week: Wayne Newton residency canceled.

Early last week I saw a tweet that mentioned all of the shows for “Wayne Newton: Up Close and Personal” have all been canceled. Then I found a blog post saying “Wayne Newton’s Show At Bally’s May be Canceled Because of Donald Trump and Bad Reviews.” The information hasn’t been confirmed yet by Caesars Entertainment and tickets are still available for purchase on Ticketmaster. Unfortunately for the Wayniacs, I wouldn’t be surprised if this rumor is true. I haven’t heard any rave reviews about his performance. If the show is canceled, I’m sure we’ll hear details soon.

In Case You Missed It – This Week – TravelZork
Re-Discovering The Forum Shops At Caesars Palace Las Vegas
“EXCITING” Borgata Atlantic City Changes Are Coming
How To Decide Which Video Poker Game To Play
Economy Passengers Upset About No Second Meal On Select British Airways Flights
Graycliff: The Hidden Jewel Of The Bahamas
3 Great Ways To Save On Meals In Las Vegas

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