E-314: Party Bits

Random Vegas 

In 2004, a man sold all his possessions and put his entire net worth of $135,300 on red at the Plaza. The ball landed on red 7 and he walked out with $270,600 (@factsweird cc: VitalVegas) 

Twitpic of the week 

The question, “What does it look like when a Vegas lover cums” has been long speculated about and difficult to articulate.  As only @summacorp can do, a visual representation now exists.  Not coincidental in the slightest, this is also what Vegas lovers see as they shift loose the mortal coil.  It’s also what we think about when daydreaming, eating lunch, let’s just create a bucket called ‘always’ and drop this image in it.  Interestingly enough, only 2 of the signs showcased here are still in operation, and only 1 of them is a casino.  While the casino closed in 1995, the Pioneer Club retained its name as well as Vegas icon Vegas Vic when they reopened as a gift shop.  Circus Circus is the only sign here still in use as you see it.  Flamingo scaled back the sign you see here into the corner marquee we see today.  Originally it extended out to the strip with a lit canopy reminiscent of Plaza’s porte cochere.  The Horseshoe is now Binion’s, the Mint is now part of Binion’s and Lady Luck is Downtown Grand.  Fremont, Caesars, and Golden Nugget all have new versions of their signage while everything else featured here no longer exist, except in the Neon Boneyard, but not in all cases, RIP Dunes, Mint and Silverbird signage 

News

Rio Sold

Circus Circus Sold

Hooters is now OYO

Resort Fee Legislation

 LV Taxi Cab Authority considering NOT stealing from customers

Death of Stupid

Sahara Plans

Can't Stop Crazy

No More Peep Shows

Debbie Reynolds Drive

Banks for Weed

E-310: Crack Shake Friend Chicken

Random Vegas

In casinos, an employee in charge of scheduling dealers and has the power to write comps is sometimes referred to as “The Pencil” (@VitalVegas) 

Twitpic of the week

The themed resort.  A concept to set a property apart from the pack and designed to offer an unforgettable experience.  Outside of Disney, few other vacation destinations offer you the convenience of being transported to another place and/or time, until you’ve had enough of that place and want to either come back to reality or try on another experience.  The dethemeing of Las Vegas was an attempt to find a balance between tacky and gentrification, the Blanding of concepts by those who lack the imagination to embracing and/or understand what people want, even if you don’t get it.  Make no mistake, themed resorts are what brought the masses to Las Vegas, setting new annual visitation records and in turn inspiring one of the largest building booms in the city’s history, Thankfully we have the opportunity to fondly recall those days with the visual representation of what we’ve lost, shared by @classiclasvegas 

News

Ante Up Returns

Monorail concerned about Musk's Loop

Caesars Resort Fee Concerns

Art District Pub Crawl

Hackers for the People

WNBA less than Aces

Bleutech Park Project Announced

Virgin Trains

E-306: Cream of Nut Spread

Random Vegas

The Golden Nugget opened on Fremont St in 1946.  The signage best known for its appearance in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever as well as the signage on display when Steve Wynn initially took over the property in 1973, featured a glittering nugget of gold with the date 1905 above it.  That date is the year the city of Las Vegas was born.  Specifically, May 15^th, 190, coincidentally, the same date as my birthday.  (Neon Museum) 

Twitpic of the week

Look at those cars.  Look at those colors.  @TonyIllia’s picture this week seems to capture downtown Las Vegas like a fuckin oil painting, exaggerating the reality of the time.  But it isn’t an exaggeration.  This is a fuckin picture, simply capturing the awe-inspiring site that was downtown Las Vegas in the late 1950s.  I find it apropos that this photo was shared at this time while we continue work on our next large scale 360 Vintage Vegas project, the evolution of Fremont St. Not only that, it features the Nevada Club, the one first casinos on Fremont to absorb its next-door neighbor so it could expand its footprint, merging 113 and 117 Fremont St.

News

Area 15 Emporium Announced

Dark, Ominous Tones for Eldorado

Resort Fee Litigation Begins

E-303: Have You Seen Minority Report?

Random Vegas

The Hacienda Hotel & Casino was one of a chain of 4 properties each featuring a distinctive horse and rider sign.  The other 3 locations were in California. (Neon Museum) 

Twitpic of the week

It’s so Vegas it's kind of annoying while simultaneously being sexy as hell.  If LED signage is eye-catching, what does one 30 stories tall do.  @Palms hopes it draws people to the off-strip property that kicked off the nightclub revolution in the city only to eventually be outdone by their strip counterparts.  Returning to the well is a risky proposition but how else do you recommend they reclaim their place in the market?  But when renovation costs exceed that of some newer projects, is there any chance they can recoup their investment?  Time will tell. 

News

m00nshot.com

Battle Born Pins

Encore Boston for Sale?

Vegas Fees Impact

LINQ VR

Stadium Parking woes continue

MLS in Vegas

Booking.com fights back

Eldorado/Caesars Merger Update

Meek Mills/Cosmopolitan Situation

Boyd Approved to leave NV Energy

E-296: Bill Cosby Head Shake

Random Vegas

Per a recent press release, since opening in 1995, the Joint @Hard Rock concert venue has hosted 709 shows, 14 residencies, 42 comedy shows, 45 Rap / Hip-Hop / R & B Acts, 52 Country Acts, 392 Rock ‘n’ Roll Acts, played 2,127 hours of music and sold 1.14 million tickets (@VitalVegas) 

Twitpic of the week

An Arthurian representation of wealth housing a den of vice for those who are not wealthy.  An icon of the Vegas strip that declares without saying a word that there is something for everyone in the city to enjoy.   Selected this week, not only for the view it shared but the joke attached to it.  @Bluestorm2000‘s cleaver wordplay delivered with a regal accent that would make the queen proud somehow permeates even via text.  Apropos considering the inspiration for the concept.  The longer I live Vegas the more I feel the responsibility to find out the great answers mankind has sought after, like what is in that center tower?  Is it office buildings? Is it storage? What kind of storage? You know, the hard-hitting sort of journalism that changes the world.  If you're thinking to yourself, “What was the joke attached to the picture?”  I guess you’re just gonna have to go to twitter yourself and see. 

News

Wynn/Crown Deal Off

More Proposed Vegas Transportation Options

California Visitation to Vegas Down

E-295: Anticahn

Random Vegas 

Before Vegas World was done with construction, Bob was approached by the Nevada Culinary Union who attempted to pressure him to hired dues paying members.  When he wouldn't do as they requested, they began to picket the property.  In response, Bob organized the Vegas World staff and had them picket the union with signs proclaiming their practices were unfair.  At one point, Bob offered to resolve the matter and sign the union contract if the organizers could beat his carnival trained roosters at tick-tac-toe.  Eventually the Union was ordered to stop their illegal protest in front of the property in 1980 (No Limit) 

Twitpic of the week

I think this is the appeal of Lonnie Hammargren’s houses, a pile of things you can’t help but wonder “How the hell did this all get here?”.  Not just how did this physically get here but what’s the story?  Because there is no way there isn’t a story behind how this came to be here from wherever it came from.  Unlike Lonnie’s house, the Neon Museum keeps things that have a million different stories of memorable moments and legendary hot streaks, depending on the person telling the story. While they may all have a memorable tone they are intimately unique.  Perhaps more than any time in the recorded history of the adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has the retort, “Who the hell thinks any of this is trash” ever been more apropos.  You can thank @arivetinglife for inspiring the recognition this moment.

News

Vegas Visitation in decline

Astral Vegas

Cirque Downsizing

Zappo’s Office Building for Sale

Kaos Opens @Palms

Eiffel Tower Light Show & Fountains of Bellagio

Palms 40 story-ish LED Signage

Game of Thrones in Fountains of Bellagio

E-276: Delicious Irony

Random Vegas

In 1984, Circus Circus co-owner Bill Pennington was in a boating accident that almost killed him.  He remained under water for over 5 minutes until an 18 year old dove in to retrieve and eventually revive him.  It’s believed the only reason he survived is because of how cold the water in Lake Tahoe was that day.  After waking from a coma, he thanked the young man by buying him a Porsche 930 turbo.  A week later, that young man died in that vehicle from a car crash. (the book - Forgotten Man. The story of Bill Bennett)

Twitpic of the week

It's a stunning metaphor for the experience so many enjoy while visiting the city of lights.  Only in Vegas can so many partake in an unforgettable adventure even if the details of it are a bit unclear.  An ever changing and modern city that simultaneously retains an iconic & classic feel to it. An oasis in the desert, paradise on earth, @vegasphotographcaptures the emotion evoked when the opportunities that lie just past this sign are contemplated.

News

360VV7
360 Vegas FHE
MGM Resorts Social Experience
The New Fremont St Experience

E-261: Elton John's Asshole Experience

Random Vegas

The Hard Rock Cafe sign, previously located on the corner of Harmon and Paradise Road, is actually a replica of the Who guitarist Pete Townsend's number 9 Gibson (News3lv.com)

Twitpic of the week

It looks like a picture you would come across when flipping through an old photo album at your grandparents wake.  A picture with an oddly familiar feeling to it, despite being certain you've never visited this place before.  @summacorp's black and white photo of north strip, circa 1966, showcases a quant version of the city growing into itself after 2 decades of aggressive expansion that saw 16 new properties open on the strip, bookended by the Flamingo in 46 and Caesars Palace in 66.  After this moment in time, the city would take a step back and allow itself to mature its existing portfolio, not seeing a new addition to the skyline until Circus Circus in 72.  The wake metaphor becomes more apropos when you consider none of what you are seeing in this picture exists today.  In fact, minus the two Sahara towers shown here, which are still in use by SLS today, none of these buildings even exist.  If you attempted to replicate this photo today, even those would be gone, obstructed by a giant unfinished blue building surrounded by a parking lot and a lot of undeveloped land. In other words, it's virtually unrecognizable.

News

RSVP for #360VV6 NOW!
Restore the Hard Rock
The Rape of the Vegas Visitor
ZorkAir Jet
Unruly Fan Stops Elton John Show
Geisha House Expands
Wynn Madness
ZorkFest Craps Tournament