E-242: 360 Vegas Vacation 5 Fall 2017

Random Vegas 

In March of 2013, Caesars Entertainment announced that they would close their property on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo, known at the time as Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall, invest $185 million into renovations and reopen in early 2014 as Gansevoort, a NY based boutique luxury hotel brand.  That partnership dissolved less than 6 months later when, while applying for a gaming license in the state of Massachusetts, the states gaming board uncovered alleged ties between one of Gansevoort’s investors and the Russian Mafia.  In Jan of 2014, it was officially announced the new name of the property would be Cromwell, a new brand created by Caesars Entertainment (Various Sources) 

Twitpic of the Trip 

Once we knew we were staying at Cromwell instead of the long planned LINQ, I began to suspect that the “Twitpic of the Trip” would be taken from the rooftop pool/day club at the property.  In no hurry, we waited until after #360VV5 and the Labor Day weekend crowd went away.  Despite being lineless on a Wednesday, our attempt to check out the space was quickly thwarted when we were informed that pool attire was required for entrance…and we had too many clothes on.  In no mood, we said fuck it and moved on.  And as so often happens in Vegas, when plans get forcibly changed, alternative opportunities present themselves and create experiences that couldn’t have been matched by best laid plans.  This trip’s winner is a picture we took from the 2nd level outdoor dining space at Mr. Chow’s @Caesars, overlooking the pool area and subtly implying to all that noticed you existed in that space that in fact, you are better than they are, in every conceivable way.  Suck it. 

360 Vegas Vacation 6 - 5/27-29th 2018

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E-225: Big Chief Talkin' Shit

Random Vegas

The Last Frontier casino took the western theme so far that instead of a care it sent a stagecoach to pick up guests from the airport (sincitytalk.com)

Twitpic of the week

Despite being the 4th property built on the strip, the Thunderbird, for some reason, has not been able to cement itself into the legend of Las Vegas past.  Perhaps its because it was bookended by two iconic properties in the Flamingo (46) and the Desert inn (50), Thunderbird opened in 48.  But it isn’t like the building boom of the 50s when so many casinos opened it would be easy to get lost in the mix.  It had a unique Native American theme as well as the only bowling alley on the strip.  It had mob ties shorty after opening because they couldn’t pay out all the winnings from opening night gambling.  Despite all that, the Thunderbird is little more than a footnote in our minds.  Why?  I think the real reason is something we are seeing going on today in Las Vegas…rebranding.

The Thunderbird was only known by that name for the 1st 28 years.  When Major Riddle, owner of the Dunes, purchased the property in 76, it was rebranded the Silverbird.  That name only lasted 6 years because when Riddle sold the property to Aladdin owner Ed Torres in 81, he rebranded it the El Rancho, trying to trade in on the memory of the original Las Vegas strip resort that burned to the ground in 1960.  The Thunderbird existed as the El Rancho till 1992 when it closed.  The property changed owners several times after that, all with plans to invest and reopen but that never came to be and it was finally imploded in 2000.  Today, the land Thunderbird once resided upon is now part of the land the incomplete Fontainebleau projects sits on.  Thank you @NeonMuseum for sharing @Summacorp’s picture and allow me to remember Vegas past and share it with our listeners.

News

360 Vegas Vacation updates

Vegas is Back 

Hard Rock Buys Taj

Vegas Extreme Park Returns

Cromwell Rebranding

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Sands Bethlehem Sold

Vegas gets 2 NASCAR Events