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bigup2dahorns

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I was able to snag a couple tickets to the Garth Brooks show on 2/5 for my wife's bday (ticketmaster was a cluster, but my order finally went through just before I gave up). It has not been cancelled yet. It's been mask required since the beginning, so I'm hoping they just stick to that.

We are looking at staying at the NoMad for proximity to show, adults only, and no smoking. Has anybody ever stayed or visited there? Thoughts? Restaurants on property?

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4 hours ago, bigup2dahorns said:

Bally’s rebrand to Horseshoe:

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

Legendary casino brand Horseshoe is returning to Las Vegas as Bally's begins a transformation into the brand known for gaming, poker and making it right for the gambler.

The transformation will begin in the spring of 2022 and will include a renovated exterior, new entertainment and food and beverage options, and a reimagined casino floor and public areas. In keeping with Horseshoe's classic sophistication, the design team will incorporate a handcrafted feeling with tooled leather, dramatic colors, and the brand's signature gold horseshoe iconography. Additional details will be announced as the evolution progresses.

"At Horseshoe, it's all about the gambler. Since 1951 Horseshoe Casinos have been home to the best odds, highest limits, and biggest jackpots. So, it's fitting that we bring Horseshoe back to Las Vegas, and right on the Las Vegas Strip," said Jason Gregorec, SVP and General Manager of the property. "Holding to the Horseshoe tradition of providing impeccable service, our guests will see the property transform over time, ensuring we aren't disrupting the excitement while we make the transition."

Occupying one of the most coveted locations in gaming, Horseshoe Las Vegas will stand at the 50-yard-line of the Las Vegas Strip at the corner of Flamingo Rd. The multi-million dollar investment is the latest in a series of reimaginings for Caesars Entertainment's storied Las Vegas resorts, including a new entrance to Caesars Palace, multi-million dollar investments in casino floor, and gaming technology across the properties, and incredible partnerships with world-class entertainers and restaurateurs.

"Bringing the Horseshoe brand back to life in Las Vegas allows us to celebrate both our history and our future," said Sean McBurney, Regional President of Caesars Entertainment. "2022 starts a new era for the Caesars Entertainment empire in Las Vegas, one being heralded by the return of Horseshoe."

Horseshoe Casino was started by a gambler for gamblers. Over the years, as the brand expanded to markets across the country, Horseshoe has stayed true to its heritage, holding on to the thrilling spirit of no-limit betting. That spirit will come alive this summer as Caesars Entertainment's World Series of Poker returns to its roots, having been first played at Las Vegas' original Horseshoe in 1970, as it moves to the Strip for the very first time.

"We couldn't be more excited to see the World Series of Poker return to Horseshoe," said Ty Stewart, SVP and Executive Director of the World Series of Poker. "Horseshoe is where it all began for WSOP. It's always been a brand for gamblers and card players. As we move WSOP to the Las Vegas Strip for the first time, that it will happen at Horseshoe makes it incredibly special."

The 53rd annual World Series of Poker comes to the Strip May 31 – July 19, 2022, just as the property begins construction. For more information, visit www.wsop.com.

The transformation to Horseshoe Las Vegas should be complete by the end of 2022.

https://investor.caesars.com/news-releases/news-release-details/caesars-entertainments-historic-horseshoe-comes-las-vegas-strip

That's interesting considering the Bossier Horseshoe was recently converted to a Bally's. 

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Gotta make reservations at Bacchanal though.  We tried a walk-up, gotta go through their app and ended up at #135 on the list.  Said screw it, walked over to Joe's, was seated right away, albeit in the bar area, had a great meal, drinks, dessert, the whole deal, so like a couple hours if not a bit more.  Upon leaving Joe's, checked the Bacchanal waiting list and we were at #126.
Made those about 30 minutes ago. Haven't been to a Vegas buffet in 8 years, I'm a fatass and excited




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2 hours ago, RPM said:

I'm going early April. Haven't booked anything yet, considering driving because who doesn't love a roadtrip? Stayed at Golden Nugget last time out. I like Fremont.

Just don’t stop in bat country, also make sure you order some golf shoes… impossible to walk it this muck 

78B125BD-A777-4AEB-A78E-274771D7A3FD.jpeg

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9 hours ago, Spoosner said:

I was able to snag a couple tickets to the Garth Brooks show on 2/5 for my wife's bday (ticketmaster was a cluster, but my order finally went through just before I gave up). It has not been cancelled yet. It's been mask required since the beginning, so I'm hoping they just stick to that.

We are looking at staying at the NoMad for proximity to show, adults only, and no smoking. Has anybody ever stayed or visited there? Thoughts? Restaurants on property?

Walked through Saturday night. It was D.E.A.D. Seriously. Quiet as hell and no one there. This was right after the 49ers/Packers game. All other spots we went to before and after were fine. This place felt like there were maybe 10 people there. 
 

I laughed, because I’m a smoker and was pissed when walking in. All I could think is “this town thrives on addicts, and you are doing your best to keep them out of your casino.”

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For the downtown Vegas fans:

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- A hotel backed by celebrity chef Todd English is set to open its doors in downtown Las Vegas next month.

Dubbed The English Hotel, the property is located in the Arts District in downtown, 921 South Main Street.

Described as an "upscale boutique hotel," the 74-room property is a Marriott Tribute Portfolio affiliated hotel.

According to Marriott, "this eclectic spot is a refuge for guests looking to escape the Strip without straying too far."

Four time James Beard award-winning celebrity Chef Todd English will open the Pepper Club, a new restaurant onsite at the hotel.

The English Club is set to open on Feb. 22, 2022.

https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/hotel-backed-by-celebrity-chef-todd-english-opening-in-downtown-las-vegas/article_a29ed9a8-7f92-11ec-8f5e-03c3374b0b05.html

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F1 has been deep in talks for months with the city, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and businesses around The Strip, and F1 execs have visited the area multiple times in recent months to try to get a deal done.

F1’s effort is being led in part by Global Director of Race Promotion Chloe Targett-Adams. Also involved is LVCVA President & CEO Steve Hill, who was part of a delegation from Vegas who went to the U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas last October. Joe Saward, a Europe-based F1 reporter, reported in November that “the plan is for the track to pass the famous dancing fountains" outside the Bellagio while running about a mile up The Strip to Wynn Las Vegas.
 

 

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We ended up booking the Encore for this weekend as the NoMad surprisingly sold out. Per the Encore concierge, Pro Bowl and Chinese New Year are making for a busy weekend.

We have a reservation at La Cave on Friday, early dinner at Cipriani before the show Saturday, and Lotus of Siam Sunday. We're not excited about Cipriani as we've been before, but that was the only option for an early reservation (5 - 5:30). Might try to get a seat at the Sinatra's bar right when they open. The Garth show is at 8 PM at Dolby Live, so I think we'll be trying to head that way by 7.

We have nothing on tap for Sunday other than dinner. Thinking about adding a show, and would like something other than Cirque. Best comedy experience? Is Blue Man Group fun? I'm all ears.

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Best comedy experience? Is Blue Man Group fun? I'm all ears.


I don’t have any experience seeing comedy acts in Vegas but some of the big names do roll thru town so try searching to see if any will be there on your dates.

It seems odd to me, but Carrot Top does really well there and has been doing his show for a long time and supposedly it’s really good. Think it’s at the Luxor. I just can’t seem to want to go to that for some reason.
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Good article on best games to play and any shifts in trends:

When the Nevada Gaming Control Board announced Thursday that the state’s more than 400 largest casinos won more from players in 2021 than in any year in history, it also disclosed which table games and which slot machine denominations won the most for the house.

It’s no surprise that blackjack continues to be the most popular table game in the casino, but the No. 2 game is somewhat of an eye opener: roulette.

Even with new variations of the game that include more double and triple zeroes, roulette’s 424 units statewide collected $428 million, a 103 percent increase over last year. Roulette hold by the casinos was at 19.87 percent.

“Both tables and slots showed a different mix than we have seen in previous years,” said Brendan Bussmann, director of government affairs for Las Vegas-based Global Market Advisors. “This is in part due to preference of the current customer and their enthusiasm for different games and the level of play. One of the biggest increases was on roulette, which could be for a host of reasons including customer preference and new versions of double- and triple-zero playing a role.”

The state’s 1,958 blackjack tables — by far the largest segment of table games — won $1.13 billion from players for the calendar year. That was 75.8 percent more than what casinos won a year ago. Blackjack tables won 14.1 percent of the amount of bets wagered.

The most popular slot machine denomination in 2021 was the penny slot, with 47,822 units across the state. They won a total $3.758 billion from players last year, a 59.7 percent increase over 2020, and those machines held 9.85 percent of the money put into them.

The amount of money held either at a table or by the slot is counted as gross gaming revenue for the casino, and that’s the amount that is taxed by the state and funneled to the general fund.

In the first half of the 2021-22 fiscal year, through Wednesday, the state has collected $570.8 million in percentage-fee collections paying for a multitude of state services. Gaming tax collections are up 31.1 percent over the first six months of the 2020-21 fiscal year.

Casinos also pay a per-unit fee as part of their licensing. The Control Board monitors gaming win on table games and slot machines by market. Statewide, win on all slots was up 0.25 percent and on tables, up 0.65 percent. The slot win percentage has decreased only three times in the past 25 years.

So, if you’re a believer that slot machines are getting a little “tighter,” you’d be right, although with such a low percentage increase and the high volume of slot revenue, the change should be imperceptible to the average player.

There was a little movement the other direction on some games in markets in Southern Nevada.
Slot win was down 0.17 percent in Laughlin. Table game win percentage was down 0.34 percent in downtown Las Vegas and down 0.44 percent in North Las Vegas. The biggest year-over-year change occurred in Mesquite, where table win in that market was up 1.31 percent.

Back to the slot denominations and table games. So given the numbers, what games should you consider playing to potentially get the biggest bang for your buck?

The lowest casino win percentage among slot machine denominations — and thus the highest win percentage for players — is for nickel slots. Casinos collected 5.31 percent of the money that went into the machines with $42.4 million brought in from 1,035 nickel slot machines statewide.

Other good options are $5 slots, which casinos kept 5.48 percent of coin in, and $25 slots, 5.71 percent. There are just 721 $5 slots statewide and 174 of the $25 denomination.

The worst bet by the numbers was the earlier noted penny slots with 9.85 percent hold and the popular quarter slots, from which casinos kept 8.04 percent from the 3,568 units statewide.

At tables and other games, casinos would love for you to play 3-card poker where casinos held 31.53 percent of the amount wagered. The state’s casinos won $106.8 million on 174 3-card poker units statewide.
What might be the best bet for the player? The good, old sportsbook, where casinos kept 5.46 percent of money wagered in 2021. The state’s books won $445.1 million from the 176 places in operation. Sports betting revenue was up 69.4 percent over the previous year.

Craps, a game generally viewed as having a better player edge than most other table games, won $407.7 million on 319 tables, an increase of 54.4 percent over last year. The casino win percentage was 15.37 percent for the year.

The future outlook is bright, Bussmann said.
“This record year shows that strength of Nevada as a gaming state and a destination,” he said. “While we are still not back to 2019 in many aspects, gaming had a roaring year of success in 2021.”

The strong results show that the Strip and downtown Las Vegas have potential for still more upside, Bussmann said, noting business and international customers have yet to return.

“While there should be some caution as economic forces continue to put potential headwinds on gaming revenue, there is still room for growth as these segments have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.”

https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/business-columns/inside-gaming/which-casino-games-win-the-most-money-for-the-house-2521865/

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Barry’s is very good. Unfortunately, I was so hungover that I ordered to Sole. It was the easiest thing to eat without throwing up. It was delicious though. My wife ate the lamb chops and said they were the best she had ever eaten. A couple of my friends got steaks and they were very complimentary of them. They also have a large selection of whiskeys if that’s your thing. 

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18 hours ago, Wade said:

Quick question, admin is booking room for conference in May.  Which is better to stay at these days, Wynn or Encore?

Depends what you're looking for. Pros and cons to both. Encore is nicer/newer, Wynn is better location/near a lot more shit on the property. When we were going a lot, wife prioritized being closer (not having to walk stumble in heals) over the nicer rooms.

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15 hours ago, bigup2dahorns said:

 


I don’t have any experience seeing comedy acts in Vegas but some of the big names do roll thru town so try searching to see if any will be there on your dates.

It seems odd to me, but Carrot Top does really well there and has been doing his show for a long time and supposedly it’s really good. Think it’s at the Luxor. I just can’t seem to want to go to that for some reason.

 

I've seen Carrot Top twice in the past 7 years or so. Very funny and there was a good opening act both times.

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Before he became Ill, The Amazing Johnathan was my go to comedy show in Vegas. He absolutely slayed me every time. What I liked about the experience (other than him) was he always did small venues around Vegas. The close quarters and crowd interaction just make for a different show. I’d be looking around for performers in the smaller casino theaters

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1 hour ago, Lurch said:

Before he became Ill, The Amazing Johnathan was my go to comedy show in Vegas. He absolutely slayed me every time. What I liked about the experience (other than him) was he always did small venues around Vegas. The close quarters and crowd interaction just make for a different show. I’d be looking around for performers in the smaller casino theaters

Last time I saw him was at some small pop-up venue just off the strip that was a closed gay bar. He slayed. Still have the t-shirt. 

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11 minutes ago, Catpfish said:

Absinthe is awesome.  Make sure you get a seat right up front as close to the Gazillionaire as you can

Our second time, we had front row seats.  I got tagged as the "republican". He kept busting my balls.  

Our first time, he tagged someone across the stage from of us.  This guy got so pissed; so they picked his wife for the lap dance.  He got even more pissed.  Worth every damned penny to see his red face across the way.

 

 

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3 hours ago, Landomatic said:

yeah_sure_jon_hamm.gif

NTTAWWT

 

 

On 2/1/2022 at 1:30 PM, RPM said:

Last time I saw him was at some small pop-up venue just off the strip that was a closeted gay bar. He slayed. Still have the t-shirt. 

RPM's not a real strong speller

Edited by Blotto
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On 2/1/2022 at 12:35 PM, Lurch said:

Before he became Ill, The Amazing Johnathan was my go to comedy show in Vegas. He absolutely slayed me every time. What I liked about the experience (other than him) was he always did small venues around Vegas. The close quarters and crowd interaction just make for a different show. I’d be looking around for performers in the smaller casino theaters

Had tickets for him a few years ago here in Albany, NY but he bailed out.  Was really looking forward to his show and disappointed he canceled. 

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https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/stiffs-and-georges/venetian-the-fix-was-in/

 

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As usual when billions are on the line, regulators dove under the table regarding the sale of Venelazzo to an unholy alliance of Apollo Management and Vici Properties. Although the Nevada Gaming Control Board cried foul—and rightly so—at the sexual predations of Steve Wynn, it turned a blind eye to similar malfeasances by principal (12%) Apollo shareholder Leon Black. The latter had to step down as Apollo chairman for having “paid convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein $165 million for financial advice.” Is that what the kids are calling it these days? The 70-year-old billionaire is also under investigation for having allegedly raped a Jane Doe at Epstein’s Manhattan crash pad back in 2002. (Classy gent that he is, Black is having his lawyers shame the alleged victim.) The Epstein/Black connection is a tangled one … and this is the man Nevada regulators are prepared to gift with one of Las Vegas‘ premier resorts.

 

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As the Nevada Current reports, “Black admits to making secret payments of $100,000 a month, beginning in 2015, to Guzel Ganieva to keep their relationship confidential. Ganieva alleges in her own suit that Black sexually assaulted her when she refused his overtures.” Wasn’t this the sort of thing that got Wynn Resorts sanctioned? Indeed it was. In case you hear the clang of leper bells, that’d be Apollo attorney Frank Schreck. Where Schreck goes, bad ideas almost inevitably follow(case in point). The Current again: “Schreck, a former member of the Nevada Gaming Commission, is the attorney who arranged for a corporate shell to secretly make $7.5 million in payments to a Wynn Las Vegas manicurist who claimed she was raped and impregnated by Steve Wynn in 2005,” per Massachusetts regulators, much more vigilant than Nevada ones. Schreck wasn’t even ashamed of his conduct, telling Bay State gaming commissioners that he was n’o just acting at the behest of Steve Wynn but of his company too. “Just so this whole settlement would be maintained on the confidential agreements.” (Wynn Resorts paid $20 million in penalties in Nevada alone.)

 

Spoiler

Schreck could be assured of one friendly ear in l’affaire Black: NGCB Chair Brin Gibson, a former member of Schreck’s own practice. Showing he’d learned his lessons well, Gibson (above) refused to recuse himself from the Apollo vote, displaying not the least sign of contrition. Indeed, Gibson fairly strummed a harp at Apollo’s license hearing, saying—as summarized by crusading journalist Dana Gentry—”the company’s second foray into a Strip casino, doesn’t have to end in bankruptcy like the first.” Isn’t that sweet of him? And not very reassuring: “doesn’t have to.” He also said that Black would have no say in Venelazzo affairs, an assertion that fails to meet the smell test. Gentry’s investigation of the “uncomfortable” licensing found that Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) was the moving force behind ramming the Apollo approval through. So if this deal goes south, like Apollo’s ownership of Caesars Entertainment did, voters will know who to blame.

Gibson basically acted as Schreck’s ventriloquist dummy, answering questions meant for Apollo. “The leverage ratios are incredible and will just improve, I believe. And interest coverage is off the charts,” he chirped. “This is a very, very different transaction than the Caesars transaction.” At least NGCB member Phil Katsaros mustered enough courage to suggest requiring Black to be subjected to the Silver State licensing process, although it was a half-hearted effort, reminding one wistfully of the days when every 10%+ investor had to be individually vetted, a test Black would almost certainly fail. As for Apollo’s intentions to the hostages in the situation, the Venelazzo workforce, the firm assured regulators that job cuts weren’t coming, and that the generous pay and benefits they enjoyed under Sheldon Adelson will remain intact. It would be in Apollo’s self-interest to keep its word, as a disgruntled workforce would the Culinary Union‘s only too ready to take up the cudgels on their behalf.

Apollo will almost certainly be tempted to strip-mine Venelazzo, since its endgame is to flip the megaresort for a big profit. The fund’s Vegas emissary, David Sambur, testified that “Clearly, Caesars wasn’t our most successful investment,” showing a genius for understatement, “but everything else we’ve done in the gaming sector has been quite good—whether our new investment in Canada or PlayAGS in the heart of Las Vegas.” He also floated such ideas as i-gaming, property expansion and even cloning little Venetians across the country, citing the hub-and-spoke business model that didn’t quite pan out for Apollo during its reign of error at Caesars. He also blew smoke up the NGCB’s ass about the future of the convention business, which needs to come through big time for Venetian Expo Center, the fifth-largest in the U.S.

The approval of Apollo’s sidekicks, Vici Properties, who are paying most of the freight, should hardly be so controversial. Even so, given Apollo’s dreadful track record in Vegas, Vici President John Payne felt it incumbent to come to Apollo’s defense. “We went at this deal with Apollo,” Payne told the Nevada Independent. “We believe in Apollo and what they’re going to do with the management team. Vici is a real estate investment trust, and in that format, we have no operational input. The capital requirements are Apollo’s. The management and how they run it is Apollo’s. I may be a recovering operator, but the decisions are made by Apollo.”

Sambur, defended the transaction as being far more sensibly structure than the (insane) Caesars deal, adding that Apollo was doing Sin City a favor, “bringing significant value to Las Vegas Sandswhile structuring in strong downside protection to continue weathering the pandemic recovery.” He added, “Everything else we’ve done in gaming has been really great. And the Venetian is going to be great, too.” Howard Stutz explains what the “everything else” is: “Apollo is the largest shareholder in Las Vegas-based gaming equipment provider AGS, has invested in International Game Technology’s Lottomatica business and took ownership last year of Canada-based casino operator Great Canadian.” Among the many questions left unanswered by the NGCB is just who and how Apollo intends to manage Venelazzo … and what will become of the stumpy St. Regis“tower,” left unfinished for 11 years. Is that can going to be kicked over to Vici? No one seems to know.

 

 

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1 hour ago, bigup2dahorns said:

 

Was waiting for this to happen at some point.  The sucker bets (side wagers) will enhance revenue because causal players won't play the higher minimum tables.  While I'm sure they will sell this as good for players, it's nothing but a ruse to maximize revenue.  

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That’s fucking crazy. Especially if you start thinking on what it took to even be aware of the error. All the analytics and processing stuff under the hood. Then think about anything that’s been spawned in mainstream tech from that. 

 

What I’m wondering is how this relates to all those “malfunction voids all payouts” bullshit or whatever signs on machines.

Maybe good PR or something? Obviously if the gaming folks got into the mix, something tripped the trigger. 

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