360 Vegas

Random Vegas A typical arcade game makes about as much per day as a typical slot machine (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week Here @summacorp shares a time before the Golden Nugget consumed all of its western casino competition to acquire the Fremont footprint they have today.  It was also the initial incarnation of their greatest exterior façade with the bullnose corner of Fremont and 2nd St, known today as Casino Center Blvd.  Knowing what it would become it looks kind of cute.  Especially next to what was, for a time, the tallest sign on Fremont St at Lucky Casino standing at 153 feet high.  Beyond that you can see the adorable Californian club ending the block the Nugget absorbed.  If you really want to, you can also see Vegas Vic at the Pioneer Club and the Golden Gate marquees in the distance.  All that to avoid looking at the high waisted gentleman in the foreground. News 360VV14 Rio’s Canteen Superbowl Details Potential New Black Book Member Wynn West Update Nevada Craft Beverage Passport Palazzo’s New

Random Vegas One day of running a 90-second ad intermittently on the Sphere is $750k (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week Magical…well, to someone like me this is magical.  To the layman this is an old picture of Caesars Palace,  shared by @Summacorp, before the retheming in the late 90s/early 2000s.  This is so mesmerizing because you don’t often see pictures of Caesars during this time, in this case 1982 and without the lights turned on.  This was a time before I knew Vegas so to me, it’s like a magic trick.  I can still visit this property even though it doesn’t look like this anymore, with the Sarno blocks.  Sarno blocks are affectionately named after Jay Sarno who introduced them to the market with Caesars Palace.  Those are concrete blocks replicating latticework that allows the frontage to look uniform as well as back lit.  This style of block is still in use today at Circus Circus, mostly on Industrial Road. News 360 Vegas Vacation 14  More Vintage AI Firearm Jackassary Copperfield Appearance Coming in

Random Vegas About one in 3 U.S. Adults said they thought the tipping culture “has gotten out of control,” according to a survey conducted in May 2023 (Review Journal) Twitpic of the week The photo by @Las_when doesn’t date the picture but this is how the Stardust looked when I got the one and only chance to visit the property in 2006, just months before it closed its doors on Nov 1st.  The lamentation of properties lost has a long tradition in Las Vegas.  However this move has gone down in history as the worst move made by Boyd gaming’s well documented history of brilliance, hindsight being 20/20. News 360 Vegas AI F1 Impact 3D LED sign Ramsay’s Kitchen

Random Vegas Allegiant Stadium generated $2.29 billion in economic impact to the city of Las Vegas including $128 million in tax revenue (@mickakers) Twitpic of the week Following last week’s holiday theme, @_GrandpaD out did himself with a collection of various Vegas locations themed for the holidays.  Everything from Stardust’s Aku Aku tiki statue with a giant Santa hat on to more views of Fremont St with decorations strewn across the street.  Our favorite this week was the view of Stardust’s original marquee anchored with Christmas decorations, full sized which only further gives perspective to just how large the sign was in its day.  As is common in Vegas signage, if you aren’t paying attention, you might miss the decorations, although not in this photo. News SuperBowl Accommodations Blackbook Addition BLVD Details Paris/Horseshoe Versailles tower Venetian Sala 118  

 Patreon Content Preview   Patreon.com/360Vegas   At times the Aladdin has been called “The Vegas Jinx”.  History has documented a long line of potential suitors who, when they took their shot, missed.  In a town where the house always wins, it’s not only an anomaly when one doesn’t, it’s also a cautionary tale.  It isn’t as simple as build it and they will come.  Theme, location, timing and in some cases luck is needed to be a successful Las Vegas resort. If your interested in learning more about the Aladdin, check out... lvstriphistory.com  Gambling on a Dream: The Classic Las Vegas Strip 1956-1973  Dreaming the Skyline  The Strip  After-Hours Architecture  Pinterest  Battle Born Pins  Vintage Vegas Shirts 

Random Vegas Fontainebleau isn’t the first property to encounter financing problems causing the project to sit unfinished.  That title goes to the Landmark who broke ground in 1961 but had to halt construction in 62 due to financing issues.  So it sat, 80% done.  During that time it was the tallest building in the state of Nevada.  It sat dormant until 1969 when Howard Hughes bought it and finished building the property.  The Landmark would eventually open July 1st, 1969 (Vintage Research) Twitpic of the week Festive isn’t exactly how you would describe Christmas in Las Vegas.  Not that the city doesn’t try but the displays are usually in juxtaposition with existing signage and all easily overlooked if you aren’t paying attention.  A perfect example of this is this week’s winner from @_GrandPaD showcasing Fremont St during the holidays, circa 1959.  It isn’t easy to see upon initial inspection because Vegas signs are designed to draw your attention to them.  However, if you look past the marquees you’ll seen

 On our first Vegas trip as a couple, I swung for the fences. Determined to have a great time and convince her that her previous terrible Vegas experience decades prior was not the only way to do Vegas, I made sure to fill our days with fun and our nights with great entertainment.  On that trip, we saw Brilliant at the Neon Museum, Fantasy, the Beatles Love, and finished off our final evening at Absinthe.  It was wildly successful. The problem is, where do you go there? You can have the top half. Out of all our Vegas show experiences, we loved Absinthe the most. It was - and remains - a perfect Vegas mix of sequins and trash, of sexy and vulgar, of talent and spectacle.  So when I booked our second trip for early 2019, we opted to check out Spiegelworld's newest show, Opium. At that time, I can honestly say that I didn’t love it. Opium paled in comparison to its big sister Absinthe.  Later that same year, I saw Atomic Saloon shortly after it opened. I felt that Atomic Saloon was a strong, close 2nd to Abs

Random Vegas Similar to the myth of Bugsy Seigel and the Flamingo, a popular myth has been told many times over about Howard Hughes and the purchase of the Desert Inn.  The legend says Hughes overstayed his welcome because ownership wanted the penthouse rooms for high rollers coming in for new years.  Instead of leaving, Howard bought the place.  The real story about the Desert Inn purchase is that Howard kept holding up the deal with seemingly petty details.  The two parties would agree in principle to a deal only to have Hughes find something else he wanted to address.  The situation became so heated that the deal almost fell through and his right-hand man Bob Maheu threatened to quit if Hughes changed one more thing.  That was enough to get Hughes to finally close on the deal, paying $13 million for the Desert Inn. (Book - Howard Hughes: The Hidden Years) Twitpic of the week No one has done as much with so little than Cosmopolitan.  That resort sits on 4.4 acres, has a premium location next to Bellagio’s

Random Vegas Surprising no one, the sportsbooks at multiple properties reported record breaking action on F1 betting Twitpic of the week I know it looks like this at every F1 track but damn it looked cool in Vegas.  Whatever you think of F1 and/or its impact on the city you can’t argue they know how to illuminate a track.  That was captured magnificently on ESPN via helicopter, then shared via screenshot by @MeltzVegas.  Many records have been reported as a result of the often-trolled event but it was the spectacle promised; and as usual, the Sphere impressed.  Here’s to hoping our Wishlist of things to improve actually get addressed. News F1 2023 Results Manhole Cover Accident Vegas Starfish Fraud Pedestrian Traffic

People will try to describe the experience you have at the Sphere but let’s start with saying it unlike anything you've experienced before.  It doesn’t matter if you see the film or a live act, this will be different.  Which is exactly what Madison Square Garden Company was going for with the Sphere.  You’ll find a lot of comparisons to IMAX, Disney’s Soaring Attraction, 360 theaters but that’s only because how else do you describe something never done before.  The Sphere is one of those rare attractions that lives up to the hype, not only breaking the technological ceiling set before it but creating a new form of entertainment.  Let’s discuss some of the ways its unlike anything you’ve seen before.   First, the Sphere is located behind the Venetian convention center.  It’s the largest spherical building ever constructed at 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide.  The exterior also features 580,000 square feet of LED displays, making it the largest LED display in history.  It cost approx. $2.3 billion to build an

Random Vegas The Westward Ho was advertised as “The World’s Largest Motel”.  It had 777 rooms and closed in 2005.  When demolished they had to take down 27 total buildings. (@las_when) Twitpic of the week What else can you say but wow?  Here’s hoping Vegas properties will take notice that you can do so much more with LED signage than just running commercials.  If the Sphere hadn’t already endeared itself in the hearts of the locals it did with this display showcased during F1 practice, shared by @kerrybilicki.  Featuring elements of the Flamingo, classic Sahara, googie stars from Stardust’s glory days and a lot more all represented on this global display of Vegasy goodness.  Salud to much more of this. News FUF1 Downtown Ban Encore marquee signage

Premium Content Preview - Patreon.com/360Vegas   The Sahara used to be referred to as the start of the strip, when the strip began to develop.  During that time, people talked about the strip like they do off strip properties today, too far from the action.  Turns out what people really wanted was more options and the development of the strip over the years has been nothing short of remarkable.  The question is, does the strip have a limit to the number of properties it can support, or do the struggles facing places like Sahara fall directly on the shoulders of the properties experiencing them.  Give the people what they want and they will come.  If you follow that sentiment then the question has to be asked, do people not want what Sahara has to offer?  Is that why they are struggling?   For more information regarding Del Webb and the Sahara, check out... lvstriphistory.com  Del Webb: A Man A Company  Gambling on a Dream: The Classic Las Vegas Strip 1930-1955  Viva Las Vegas: After-Hours Archite

Random Vegas The office of Sam “Ace” Rothstein and the Tangiers sports book in Martin Scorsese’s Casino was filmed on the site of an unopened casino at the Jockey Club (@summacorp) Twitpic of the week One of the reasons Vegas is like no other place on the planet is the wide array of architecture it has on display.  It has a mixture of traditional, themed and many in a category of their own.  Unfortunately, the creativity that brought us the likes of Caesars Palace, Paris and Excalibur, shared here by @las_when,  seems to have been forgotten or at least abandon.  The situation leaves those that appreciate them to desperately fear that the themes that make the city so unique are now the targets for redevelopment by those who thought an office park on the strip was something visitors wanted.  The only constant in life is change so rather than lament the inevitable we should try to just enjoy what we have while we have it. News F1 Vegas Eve Venetian Grandstands Mirage Mountain Trespassing Jackpots Wizard of Oz E

Most of you probably don’t know who Kenny Epstein is, but you should. He’s the owner and CEO of El Cortez. Much more than that, he’s the guy that made the conscious decision to not remodel the property but to refresh it while retaining the vintage feel the property permeates. Kenny understands what El Cortez does so well and sees the value in continuing to service those customers. So instead he upgraded just about everything in the property, all without changing the esthetic. This year, the El Cortez, and Kenny, celebrate their 80th birthday. So we took the opportunity to talk history and the El Cortez with the man himself in the first ever 360 Vintage Vegas Interview.  

Random Vegas The music video for U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”, filmed in downtown Las Vegas in 1987, was done in one take, shot in less than 3 hours with a skeleton crew and an unsuspecting cast of extras. All the stuff in the video really happened.  The music video is credited with introducing, or in some cases re-introducing, Fremont St to the masses and creating a demand for the area that it hadn’t had in a long time. This would go on to spark the need to renovate the area with an attraction that would draw people to it.  Today, we know it as the Fremont St Experience.  (RJ.com)   Twitpic of the week The rebranding of a property must be an inexpensive process.  Consider how quickly Caesars Entertainment rebranded Imperial Palace into the Quad, shared by @MeltzVegas, only to rebrand the property less than two years later into the Linq.  Naming aside, we’ve been a fan of the properties transformation from what was considered by most to be one of the worst properties on the strip when it

Random Vegas Roughly 26 international destinations are reachable from Las Vegas (@lasvegasweekly) Twitpic of the week In Las Vegas, perspective is everything.  While some may look at gambling losses as a negative, those that love the city understand its part of the dance that leads to a win.  This week, @luckytraveling shared a POV that reminds one that even when passed out on a casino floor one can still find beautiful imagery.  Captured is a view of the Cromwell hallway from the floor up to the chandeliers and while it doesn’t feature anyone on the floor, its easy to make that leap in a monologue. News Street Vendor Ban G2E 2023 Voltaire Residencies High End B&E Palms sign Refurbishment Las Vegas Monorail Deals F1 pop-up experiences and exclusive culinary events  

Random Vegas Advertising at the Sphere costs approx. $450k for a one-day campaign, $650k for a week.  For comparison, traditional billboards cost $20k a month, Mekka Walgreen’s is $65k a month and a 30 second spot during the 2024 SuperBowl will run you $7.5 million. Pricing for the Sphere does include production development of the ad.  (VitalVegas & News3lv.com) Twitpic of the week Barbary Coast, in all her chasing lights glory, shown here by @las_when as she was originally introduced to the market, with a white exterior.  Even better, this picture was taken before the pedestrian walkway was installed.  This was Fremont quality exterior lighting, not found on the strip in too many places these days.  While we prefer the property it is today, Cromwell, we will always prefer this signage. News Tupac Arrest Room Fraud Rio Renovations  Rio Players Club  Rouge Roulette Area15 Expansion Sphere Parking Westgate Halloween Suite  Killer's "Your Side of Town" Music Video  

Random Vegas Because they used the shell of the Marina Hotel, the entire MGM Grand project was considered a remodel rather than new construction.  Therefore, property taxes were set at the value when the Marina was built. (@AStotland) Twitpic of the week While it may be hard to wrap your head around, motels used to dominate the Vegas strip and beyond.  They must have seen the writing on the wall when hotel towers became the future of hospitality but that didn’t stop properties like the La Concha from continuing to try and compete in the market. In 2001, the property was approved to build a 520 foot tall hotel tower, a 645 square foot condo tower and a shopping mall.  In 2004 the La Concha was closed and demolished to make room for the new project.  The iconic concrete shell lobby was carefully dismantled and donated to the Neon Museum who reassembled it and use it as the attractions lobby.  The signage, shown here by @Las_when, is on display in the neon boneyard to this day.  The project was ultimately cance

Who farted?  Do you have that one piece of media that you would like to check out, but never seem to get around to it? Like, you’re scrolling through Netflix, and there’s that one movie that you’re interested in checking out, but not this time. Or the next time, or the time after that. It’s always there, and you’re interested, but not interested enough to dive in at the moment. That, my friends, is how Blue Man Group was for me until recently. I’ve known who the Blue Man Group was for over 20 years now. I remember there was an Intel Pentium TV commercial that they starred in, and a little Googling tells me that was in the year 2000.  Sometime after that, I borrowed their album - yes, they have albums - from a friend, because I really liked the unique sound they had. And when I took my very first grownup trip to Vegas in 2002, I stayed at the Luxor, where BMG has had their Las Vegas home off and on since the year 2000. Men beat their 'bone, live on stage! I’ve never been one to mince words in my reviews,