E-442: He Won't Remember

 Random Vegas

The original MGM Grand, now Bally’s, had the first movie theaters ever built into a hotel (@vitalvegas)

Twitpic of the week

One of the challenges new residents of Vegas that love the city like we do have to learn how to drive, is paying attention while you’re driving and not gawkin.  This week’s pic by @_GrandPaD illustrates that better than any I’ve seen before.  It’s just fuckin miles of eye candy and I have to try and ignore all of it.  While I am a giant fan of the FSE and Turing all that space into a pedestrian mall, at night, it must have been impossible to drive down Fremont St.

E-441: Carousel Comping

 Random Vegas

The lead singer of Devo did the cool/creepy art in the men’s room at Park on Fremont restaurant. (@VitalVegas)

Twitpic of the week

In what can be agreed is the sexiest Golden Nugget exterior signage ever looked as in the late 60s.  A time when Gold didn’t look like yellow.  The glow of the signage somehow embodies the phrase “feel all warm and fuzzy inside.” But Golden Nugget’s story is longer than that and even the signage couldn’t keep up with the demand caused its evolution into the property it is today.  Thanks to @las_when for sharing it

News

• El Cortez expansion
• New Sphere, Same Problems
• The Match @Wynn

E-440: Personal Space

 Random Vegas

40% of MGM Resorts guests decline daily housekeeping (VitalVegas)

Twitpic of the week

Simply Elegant and somehow sexy, like the leg lamp in a Christmas Story.  Milton Prell’s Aladdin’s original marquee was a looker, shared this week by @summacorp.  It’s not a marquee often featured in the great marquees of Las Vegas but it should be.  I can’t describe it without doing a huge disservice.  It’s like a neon ice cream cone but with an ad for Nudes On Ice on it.

News

• Tropicana Stadium
• Play Playground Las Vegas
• BLVD complex

E-439: ...Or Its the Tequilla

 Random Vegas

Caesars hotels in Vegas had 95% occupancy in Q1.  21% of those rooms were occupied by groups/conventions (@MeltzVegas)

Twitpic of the week

No doubt this week’s winner by @summacorp is a screenshot of a scene in a film but then again, film is just thousands of pictures capturing seconds of action.  Call it what you want, I call it beautiful.  I love the Fremont St experience canopy but I will always find pictures without it breathtaking.  Something about a pitch black sky illuminated by miles of neon tubing that does it for me. If you feel the same way your gonna love this week’s winner

News

• Horseshoe Fire 
• Parisian Expansion
• Aheren > Lucky Dragon

E-438: All the Happys

Random Vegas

Vegas is a trending topic on twitter almost 365 days a year. (@vegasClub)

Twitpic of the week

It’s a sign o’ the times.  The only thing that never changes is change.  However seldom does a brand from the past resurrected in Las Vegas.  This week’s winner by @jamesInLasVegas captures the conversion from Bally’s to Horseshoe, well, at least the signage.  So far the conversion has been little more than an updating of signage but that doesn’t matter.  What matters is the Horseshoe has returned to the market.  Make sure you enjoy it while you can because again, the only constraint in life is change this to will pass.

News

• Bent Inn
• FSE 2023 concert lineup
• Illuminating Vic
• Sphere Tour w/U2 

E-437: Spastic

Random Vegas

39 Las Vegas poker rooms closed since 2012.  10 of those closed for the pandemic and never reopened. None have closed in since Sept of 2021.  Currently there are 19 poker rooms in Las Vegas.  (@john_mehaffey) 

Twitpic of the week

Possibly the best picture of how the strip has evolved to today taken by @maverickheli.  True, it shows a still in progress Resorts World but that doesn’t take away from the picture.  It’s still an excellent capturing of Mandalay to Strat.  To top it all off, something that most visitors overlook all the time are the mountains.  Locals are surrounded by picturesque mountains because the strip and downtown are in a valley. Next time you get a chance, allow our eyes to venture beyond the builds and appreciate just how beautiful southern Nevada is.

News

• Mirage/Hard Rock Local Offers
• Las Vegas Athletics
• Golden Nugget Sports Betting App
• Mekka Walgreens Little Brother 

E-436: Words Are Hard

 Random Vegas

Sin City Sindy, formerly identified as the world’s biggest stripper at 31 feet tall, used to stand outside of the stripper bar located at the back of the Miracle Mile shops, by the V Theater and Blonde’s sports bar. While Sindy is still there today, the name of the bar has been changed to the more politically correct “showgirl bar”. While her stripper pole still remains her breasts, formerly said “Stripper Bar” now only says Bar. (VitalVegas)

Twitpic of the week

Proof that photoshop isn’t always a bad thing, or that you can create a pretty cool version of the strip with a light bright. This week’s winner, shared by @Begas_Vaby, shows photoshop’s ability to enhance the view into something more like we see in our dreams. Awash with various colored lights the strip is unrivaled in their use of exterior illumination, even if those have been dimmed to save money.

News

• 360VV12 GA
• Harlem Nights Hotel & Casino
• Strat Still doesn’t Get It
• Strip Tiki Bar Returns
• Absinthe Expansion
• White Sands Motel
• Tilman Fertitta's Plan
• Tony Hsieh emaciated
• Hard Rock x Mystery Island
• FountainBleau Marquee
• Hawaiian market Rubble

E-435: Talkie Tony

 Random Vegas

In a casino cage, damaged currency (slot machines refuse to accept) is referred to as “mute money.” “Mute” is shorthand for “mutilated.” (Vital Vegas)

Twitpic of the Week

The more I look at this picture the more I appreciate the evolution of the Riviera.  Not just the hotel towers but the signage as well.  While she wasn’t in the best of conditions at the end she was still a classy broad…or gawdy.  The two tend to often blur in Vegas.   This arial picture of the property in March of 96, shared by @summacorp, showcases a few things about the Riviera.  It shows the rooftop pool that never came to fruition as well as just how much of the marquee signage tower was an employ shell in the inside.  This property will always have a special place in my heart because of how much the Martin Scorsese movie Casino was filmed at the property.  For more on that, you’ll have to check out our 360 Vegas POV series on the film, available exclusively to Patreon subscribers for $7 per month, less than a fancy cup of coffee circa 2023.

News

• TITO Loophole
• Fan Girl 2.0

E-434: Hot Dogs and Breuer

Random Vegas

When Wynn was building Bellagio, to pull in the kind of numbers he needed to make the place profitable, he knew he needed a show that would put people in the seats 6 days a week.  So he went to Cirque and requested a production centered around water.  Originally, it was going to be called Eau, the French word for water.  However, people inside the organization were concerned that Americans would mispronounce it as “Eww”, so instead they went with the way it was pronounced, O.

Twitpic of the week

Holy...fuckin...shit.  This week’s winner, shared by @stratvegas is fucking epic.  Come on, a desert icon like the Stratosphere in the foreground of an epic collection of snow covered mountains in the background is simply breath taking.  Seriously, words are escaping me.  Do yourself a favor and check this week’s winner out.  Simply stunning

News

Nightmare Las Vegas

Wahlburgers 2: Wahlburgery

Six: The Musical

E-433: Danger Zone

Random Vegas

Treasure Island was originally planned to be an addition to the Mirage before eventually deciding it develop it into a separate property (sincitytalk.com) 

 Twitpic of the week

“Holy shit, that used to exist” is the first thing I exclaimed the first time I saw this picture of the Riviera’s porte cochere, circa 1969.  With stunning curves and swooping elegance, it stood as a shining example of the art deco playbook at its pinnacle and proves that buildings can be sexy as well as functional.  This is what the place looked like when Dino was part owner as well as headliner.  I’d like to imagine that @_GrandpaD is a vindictive old man who enjoys showing things the rest of us can only be teased by.  Thanks…dick.

News

360 Vegas Vacation 12

Bottled Blonde

E-432: Performing Primates

 Random Vegas

For the 23rd consecutive month, Vegas is reporting earnings over $1 billion (Review Journal)

Twitpic of the week

The New York skyline, shared by @VegasTravelNews, eloquently recreated on the Las Vegas strip, provides just enough of the real experience to check it off of my to-do list.  Plus it has a roller coaster.  Where is your theme park attraction real New York?  In all seriousness, the ability to enjoy different themes & experiences per property is one of the magical things about this city.  A pyramid, a Medieval Castle, Paris and a number for tropical themed resorts, all in one desert.

News

• 360 Vegas Winter Vacation Report
• Crazy Housewives
• Heart Attack

E-431: Magic Bullet Theory

Random Vegas

It was reported that while building the MGM Grand, today known as Horseshoe, Kerkorian offered to pay Sinatra half a million to come out of his most recent retirement to perform a 1 week engagement.  Even if he wanted to, Sinatra wouldn't have been able to because he was still under contract with Caesars who planned litigation if he attempted to play at another hotel (Vintage Research)

Twitpic of the week

There it is, north strip, as it was known in 1996.  We still see the Stardust, La Concha, Silver Dollar, El Rancho (2^ndone) and Riviera.  Today, all that’s left is Circus Circus, Sahara and Stratosphere.  Today, most of this picture is a wasteland.  Comprised of empty lots where dreams were inspired but progress couldn’t match.  Sure we got Resorts World and will soon have the Fountinebleau but still.  It was a portal into the past, something Vegas doesn’t often regarding with nostalgia.  At least we still have Peppermill to visit and transport ourselves to the time and period of Vegas we romanticize. Something @summacorp does very well.

News

• 360VWV
• U2 Sphere
• Tru OGs @Cosmopolitan
• New Blackjack Rules

E-430: GuadalaWhotheFuckCares

 Random Vegas

Riviera was the first casino in Las Vegas to have a fast food restaurant, a Burger King (@VitalVegas)

Twitpic of the week

With the help of @Maverickheli, at first glance, it looks like a large metropolis.  Half a second later you realize you’re looking at the strip and goddamn is it sexy.  It isn’t a colorful as it once was but it still glitters and glows.  This POV is simply breathe taking and a sweet addition to our Twitpic of the week collection

News

The New Bazaar Shops

E-429: Unedited

 Random Vegas

The 93 acres of land Caesars sits on requires 14 full time gardeners to maintain with an annual budget of $350k (Las Vegas: Behind the Tables)

Twitpic of the week

While a significant number of people in America are experiencing a brutal winter season, in Vegas, when it happens, its breathtaking and typically doesn’t last very long.  Clearly someone agreed with us as this week’s winner, brought to us by @summacorp, is a picture of Stardust Jan 5th, 1974.  There is something about snow that gives one the feeling of serenity and evokes thoughts of a warm fire and hot beverages.  The peaceful silence of its falling to the dangerous elegance of its presence reminds us once again that snow is only good for show in very limited doses and for recreation.

News

• 360 Vegas Winter Vacation
• Downtown Stadium
• EarthCam

E-428: Sex Talk with Grandma

 Random Vegas

A common superstition for horse race gamblers is to never look at your ticket after you buy it (Las Vegas: Behind the Tables)

Twitpic of the week

It’s man behind the scenes shit that fascinates me.  As far back as I can remember I’ve always been interested in what’s behind that “Employees Only” door.  That interest was only further exacerbated when I fell in love with Disney.  I love what they produce at the front of the house but what’s going on behind the curtain to make said magic.  @Maverickhelicaptures an arial view of the Flamingo but despite how good that looks, I can’t help but zoom in and look at the stuff on those roof tops.  Not only is Flamingo’s undercarriage on display, so is Drai’s at Cromwell. Although Cromwell’s roof is designed as a public space so you won’t find the bones of the operation on rooftop display.  If I wasn’t such a rule follower I’d attempt to breach security just to see what I could see before they caught me.  However just the idea of getting caught makes me anxious so no worries casino security, I’ll continue to admire from a far 

News

• 360 Vegas Winter Vacation
• MSG Sphere Update
• Another Dolphin Death
• Weed Friendly Resort
• Collusion

E-427: Idiot Proof

 Random Vegas

Cirque Du Soleil celebrated “O’s” 11,000 performance this week, bringing you over a decade of acrobatic shrinkage

Twitpic of the week

This week’s winner by @_GrandpaD captures something you don’t often see from neon signs in Vegas, scale.  Here we see maintenance doing the lords work replace neon tubes in the signage.  By doing so, we get a perspective that is rarely seen in this new world of LED signage.  This sign is massive and if they ever close, I really hope the Neon Museum has the inside track to not only save but display this, one of the most beautiful neon signs in Las Vegas

News

• 360 Vegas Vacation 12
• Universal Studios Vegas

E-426: False Start

 Random Vegas

It’s been reported that the Adele store ad Caesars Palace makes between $120 – 160k every day its open (Vital Vegas)

Twitpic of the week

Lined up like they were taking a year book photo of their class, this week’s winner by @summacorp captures the Thunderbird road sign like marquees are seldom seen, to scale.  By taking pictures in front of the sign you can really see just how big they were in relation to a person.  Part of the magic of Vegas marquees is this overwhelming awesomeness of these signs.  The only thing that would have made this picture cool is if it was in color instead of black and white.  But we aren’t complaining.  Thanks to the UNLV Special collections department for preserving the history of the city unlike any other city in the world

News

• Foreshadowing the Queen B
• Little Miss Nasty

E-425: Natural Selection

 Random Vegas

The International, better known as the Hilton and currently known as Westgate, was specifically designed to attract families and conventioneers

• It offered a supervised youth camp of sorts to keep the kids occupied so the adults could do what they wanted

Twitpic of the week

It’s been considered the worst eye sore in Vegas history, similar to its predecessor the Landmark.  The big blue building known as Fountainbleau, then various other names as new ownership groups attempted to rebrand the property while not making any actual progress to finish the project, is now officially the Fountainbleau again.  Its progress to completion is easily visable to the eye and once again, north strip has a pulse.  Signage has been installed and the original owners are once again the driving force behind this project.  @meltzVegaspicture shows progress and the signage reinforces that she is coming in the 1st quarter of 2023.  Led by the people who dreamed her up, its exciting to know that the original visionaries are at the wheel again, 15 years after breaking ground on the project.

News

• Natural Selection
• MIrage/Hard Rock Details
• 360 Vegas Winter Vacation 2023