360 Vegas

Random Vegas The slots on a roulette wheel where the balls land are called “pockets” (@VitalVegas)   Twitpic of the week   Contemplation.  A mind set many who listen to this show have no doubt had on multiple occasions while casting a gaze at all the majesty Vegas offers.  @TastyOldMan captured one of those moments, enjoying the view of the strip from in front of Bellagio and her fountains.  There are moments in life when one must stop and smell the roses, or the scent of a casino, and soak in all the glory for recall at a later date, which then turns on the craving to return.  And why shouldn’t you?  You work hard, you deserve a little pageantry in.  Since I can’t state it any better, I’ll quote from @TastyOldMan.  The September of our years will come too soon.  Till then, in neon we play. News Beware the Hookers Premium Restaurant Seats Mirage Fireworks Show

Random Vegas The pirate skull signage at Treasure Island was only on display for a decade, from 1993-2003 and is identified as the signature symbol of the Family Friendly marketing concept. (Neon Museum) Twitpic of the week This week’s winner is another look behind the curtain.  This time, it’s the Flamingo, the oldest property on the Las Vegas strip.  Although none of the original structure remains, she still sits as an icon.  The views shared by @MaverickHeli continue to show the majesty of Vegas as an adult playground with larger than life landmarks to stimulate the senses.  I seriously need to get off my ass and enjoy the sensory overload one no doubt gets from a helicopter ride.  While that reeks of effort, I’m sure its little more than going to a website and booking.  One day, my friends.  One day. News Martha Stewart’s Vegas restaurant MGM Rewards Details Another Raiders Player Can’t Handle Vegas

Random Vegas Vegas casinos won $1.3 billion in November, one of the highest figures ever.  It’s the 9th straight month of casino winning exceeding $1 billion, another all time record.  The previous record was 8 consecutive months between Oct 2006 and May 2007, right before the great recession hit (@lasvegaslocally) Twitpic of the week Oh Stardust, how we miss thee.  Frontier can go fuck itself.  No, I’m just kidding about the Frontier.  Here we see former properties on a densely populated north strip, shared by @Las_When.  Today, they are home to large plots of land waiting for the next visionary to come along and reincarnate the space into another hotel/casino. Resorts World took the first steps by building a somewhat forgettable Vegas incarnation on the Stardust site.  Hopefully the projects that pop up in the Frontier and Riviera spaces are somewhat more inspired.  Hope rings again as the Fontainebleau project may actually have ownership that will complete the long dormant eye sore of the strip.  Only

Random Vegas 58% of restaurant and hotel employees intend to quit their jobs by the end of 2021 (@VitalVegas) Twitpic of the week A beautiful picture of a beautiful property.  Balconies and roof top pools were both things you couldn’t do successfully in Vegas.  Cosmopolitan proved that wrong.  At 4.4 acres, it’s the best use of available space in Vegas history and offers one of the best views of strip for people to enjoy via your balcony.  Again, @MaverickHeli gives us a unique perspective as only they can.  It makes one wonder if the person taking all the pictures is a brilliant photographer or if the views are just that great.  Don’t know, super care. News Mirage Sold Las Vegas Superbowl Homeless Attack

Random Vegas Dancing dealers at one popular Fremont street casino bring home upwards of $1800 in tips a week, twice what regular dealers make. (@LasVegasLocally) Twitpic of the week If you can’t be on the strip at least you get a great view of it.  @MaverickHeli gives us a gods view of the Stratosphere tower.  Well, maybe not a gods view considering you can get a view like this via apple maps.  Either way, it’s a great pic because it showcases all the stuff properties make a concerted effort to hide from guest’s view.  Personally, I’m attracted to said views because its like stepping behind the scenes.  I really enjoy seeing behind the magic. News Adele Residency ABBA Voyage Bally’s Shooting I-15 expansion Miracle Mile Renovation Emmitt’s Las Vegas new field bet options

Random Vegas In Bulgaria, if your palms itch, it's considered bad luck and gambling should be avoided. In Serbia, it's the opposite. Itchy hands means luck is on your side, expect a win. (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week It’s a shame that the Neon Museum didn’t rescue this part of Vegas history and repurpose it like it did the La Concha main lobby, now the main lobby to the Neon Boneyard.  It was right up there with the Flamingo marquee as the best neon sign on the strip.  The only thing that would have made it better was if it was animated.  It’s hard to moan about the lost of this theming when you consider the Cromwell is a vast improvement.  Today, its been replaced by a beautiful view of the strip while dining at Giada’s.  Thank you @VitalVegas for the blast from the not so distant past. News Jonas Brothers Restaurant Red Rock Robbed Future of Resort Fees New Pins at BattleBorn Reclining Connected Forms  

Random Vegas Giant tall slot machines generate 23% more revenue than the regular kind, per gaming professional (Vital Vegas)   Twitpic of the week  Never has the metaphor “through the looking glass” been more appropriately applied to Vegas than it is in this week’s winner, brought to us by @Fox5vegas.  In addition to the massive amounts of “only in Vegas” experiences, it also has many things you can find elsewhere. But here, they are slightly askew with some special Vegas magic.  Case and point, Mon Ami Gabi and their outdoor dining overlooking the strip and featuring an epic spot to view the fountains of Bellagio.  Whatever it is, it's more special in Vegas including the reflection of a neon sign in a puddle.   News New Wynn Leadership Best Places to live More Pedestrian Bridges

Random Vegas When Jay Sarno would play craps downtown at the Horseshoe, Ted Binion, casino manager at the time, would deal the game himself.  It was the only way the game would move as fast as Sarno liked it.  He didn’t want the dice to stop rolling. Fun fact - He always played the pass line even though the odds are better on the don’t pass, Sarno said he didn’t like to bet on failure. Twitpic of the week Two awesome things in the photo.  First, it’s a picture of Caesars early on in its construction and it is wicked to see, not only the progress on the project but how much undeveloped land there is beyond the site.  It may not look like it today but Vegas really was an oasis in the middle of the desert.  Second, the photo was taken from a room at the Dunes.  Two things that together make me smile when I look at this picture shared by @Summacorp News Mirage for Sale Picasso Sale Palms Update

Random Vegas 98% of MGM Resorts salaried employees got the covid vaccine by the Oct 15th deadline.  Only 90 employees nationwide decided to quit due to the mandate. (@LasVegasLocally) Twitpic of the week I love this picture but it isn’t inspiring monolog.  I think the only thing I miss at today’s Cromwell is Barbary Coasts exterior neon.  But I can’t lament about it when you consider what significant renovations did to it.  It’s definitely better off.  It may have remarkably more douches in it but for the most part they’re standing in line to get to the pool.  Hey, what do you know, the picture by @Las_when did inspire a monolog? News Made in Vegas Closes EDC Issues Fountainebleau Update Free Downtown Parking  Venetian Locals Discounts 

Random Vegas In 1971, the Silver Slipper became the first property on the strip to hire female dealers. (lvstriphistory.com) Twitpic of the week   Before the giant rainbow signage we previously remember Fitzgeralds having, there was a sign that is remarkably similar to the sign it has today at The D.  I’m in no way insinuating that this sign inspired its current incarnation but in earnest.  This week’s picture from @VitalVegas is what caused this coincidence realization.  Gotta love those huge old sandwich board signs. News Atomic Range Durango, A Stations Casino Riviera Frontage Sale Caesars Inks Deal with Spiegelworld Planet Hollywood to Neon Museum

Random Vegas In July of 59, the New Frontier was the only casino in town who let their dealers grow mustaches, a fad at the time.  The property said they did it for two reasons One, it made them look like gamblers Two, they looked different from any other dealers in town Twitpic of the week He’s iconic.  Only Vegas could make a cowboy stay relevant by outlining him in neon.  Seeing Vegas Vicki resurrected at Circa to her original operating self only wets the pallet for Vic to return to motion.  However that is probably only slightly less likely than the Fremont Street Experience canopy being removed.  Regardless, this week we celebrate Vic via @las_vegas in all his neon glory. News MGM Moves Wynn Returns Misleading Survey  

Random Vegas In April of 1964, the Silver Slipper had its gambling closed on a dice cheating charge.  Gaming officials said that the slipper had been operating a crap game with “flat dice”, dice shaved on one side so that the winning combination of 6 and 1 did not come as often as it should, giving the house an extra percentage over the player Twitpic of the week The year is approximately 1972/73 and the original MGM Grand is almost complete.  It would go on to be one of the largest hotels, not just in Vegas but in the world with 2100 rooms.  After its 1980 fire in which 85 people died, it would become the safest hotel in the world.  Then in 1986 it was rebranded Bally’s and that brings us to today.  Rumor has it that another rebranding is on the horizon.  Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.  Thanks to @las_when for sharing the properties origins News Vegas Costume Contest Oyo options Newton Returns Beer Garden Tailgating Station Past Posting Cosmopolitan Mural Manneken Pissed Resort

Random Vegas In April of 1962, the Nevada Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of an $85,000 personal injury suit against the New Frontier The suite was attempting to hold New Frontier liable for a fall the plaintiff had into a planter in the lobby It was decided that the fall was a result of the plaintiff's intoxication and not the negligence of the resort Twitpic of the week In a world before color photos, I’ll bet things were even more grand when you saw Vegas in living color.  Not just the neon but everything.  A magical experience in a magical place.  Sadly virtually everything in this picture is gone.  No more Desert Inn, New Frontier, Landmark and Sahara is dead to us after their assault on free speech.  But that’s not what this monologue is about.  Its about this picture, shared by @TonyIllia.  Thank you, once again, for inspiring us. News Cosmopolitan for Sale Allegiant Vaccinations Macao Concerns Main St Opens with different casino

 Random Vegas  An employee at Wynn Resorts desk stated that the company has received over 12,000 cancelations since the 2nd mask policy was implemented (@svoth1)    Twitpic of the week    The Stardust, in all her motel glory.  It’s hard to imagine the casinos we know today as motels but that’s how they did it in the old days.  No property better showcased that than the Stardust shared by @GrandPaD.  Traditional architecture thought so little of it they nicknamed it the Painted Shed. That didn’t seem to impact its success.    News Boring excitement Trump Bomb Scare World Crawl Bar @Neonopolis Game of Thrones Vegas

 Random Vegas  Of the million dollars in fines levied so far in 2021 by the FAA, $112k are Vegas related.  7 of the 9 incidents involved passengers flying into Vegas.  Top violations include drinking alcohol not purchased from airline and not complying with the mask mandate.  Fines ranged from $9-$15k.  Twitpic of the week  Pretty much every building built since the Landmark topped out at 31 stories was built taller but that doesn’t diminish the feeling the Landmark exudes as a skyscraper.  Something about that pod at the top captures the imagination.  Sadly the casino at the top didn’t last long as gamblers like to get right into the action and didn’t see the point in making the trip to the top.  So they turned it into suites.  Considering its fate, imploded to make way for more parking for the Las Vegas Convention Center, its apropos that existing parking is featured prominently in this week’s winner, brought to you by @PixVegas777  News Bally’s Dining Options Rise Vegas Allegiant Stadium Outage Ne

    Random Vegas  The original Vegas Vicki was a hostess role at the Pioneer Club created in the early 60s, two decades before the famous neon sign of the same name.  (vintagelasvegas.com)    Twitpic of the week  She was a shithole at the end, there is no debating that but the memories Imperial Palace gave so many is invaluable.  Memories of low limit gaming tables, dealertainers and movie quality theming come flooding back when you see the photo shared by @UCVegas.  Just like most properties we’ve lost along the way they live on in the recollections of time past    News Eight Lounge Concert Vaccinations Bally’s Rebranding

Random Vegas It is illegal on Fremont St to consume package liquor within 1,000 feet of the store where it was purchased (@VitalVegas)    Twitpic of the week  @maverickheli captured a picture so good it looks like an artist rendering of Circa and not an actual photograph.  Circa is without a doubt the most impressive new casino to open in over a decade and the first to be built on Fremont in 50 years.  She really is the jewel of downtown and one hell of a sexy building.    News Vici Buys MGM Growth Allen Glick Dies Vegas Barbie

Random Vegas MGM resorts employs an estimated 35,000 employees worldwide, less than half the number employed before the pandemic   Twitpic of the week Shining lights, glowing neon, flashing bulbs, bathed in magic.  Welcome to Fremont St pre-canopy and post many, many drinks.  That special time when you’re in the sweet spot, loving life and enjoying the “Only in Vegas” scenery of your happy place.  @las_when coined it the Fremont Street Glare, we call it mesmerizing.   News Masks Are Back Game Day Express Angels and Airwaves Music Video

Random Vegas The Cosmopolitan requires unvaccinated employees to test negative for covid every 72 hours (@lasvegaslocally) Twitpic of the week Elegant and fabulous, opulent bordering on gawdy, the pool at Caesars Palace plays it right down the line to create an experience like no other.  @mississippirob4 shows us an elevated view of a gorgeous theme embraced fully poolside.  It’s a view that beckons one to join every time you look out your window. News Vegas Vic’s Tavern  The new Fontainebleau  Whitney Houston Residency 

PCP = Premium Content Preview The movie Lucky You, reminds us of a time in Vegas, when people thought the only limits the market had, were the limits of the imagination.  While it isn’t a period piece in the traditional sense, at least not yet, or intentionally, one of the truly fun things about Las Vegas, is how often it changes.  Unlike major cities all around the world, whose landscape typically just expands over the years, Vegas can look radically different from one decade to the next.  That’s, what we get to explore, with Lucky You, to see, just how different, the city looks, from the way it did in 2005, when the movie was being filmed, compared to today, less than 20 years later.