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Las Vegas go hard or go home thread


bigup2dahorns

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Going to Vegas for the first time with the wife, booked treasure island. I kinda wanna see puff the magic dragon and the all shook up Elvis show. Gonna probably spend the Saturday of five days there with the wife vintage shopping while on edibles. Tell me what else to do. I’ve gambled in Louisiana several times and will most likely play 1-2$ max slots for hours.

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On 2/26/2019 at 8:11 PM, Bigpoppapump said:

Going to Vegas for the first time with the wife, booked treasure island. I kinda wanna see puff the magic dragon and the all shook up Elvis show. Gonna probably spend the Saturday of five days there with the wife vintage shopping while on edibles. Tell me what else to do. I’ve gambled in Louisiana several times and will most likely play 1-2$ max slots for hours.

Edibles?  Go see Beatles Love at the Mirage.

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On 2/14/2019 at 11:22 PM, Party_Taco said:


Bavette was outstanding, with notable service and atmosphere, but the food was the star to be sure. We ended up going back a few nights later...

 

Please elaborate.  Missus Francisco is intrigued and we are thinking about checking it out in July.

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Palms update (via Variety):

DJ Marshmello has landed a historic Las Vegas residency deal, signing up for an exclusive two-year engagement at KAOS Dayclub and Nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort. According to a source close to the situation, the deal is valued at $60 million. The Palms recently underwent a $690 million renovation.

Marshmello is the fourth-most-streamed artist in the world on Spotify with more than 2 billion streams and over 40 million monthly listeners on the platform. Last month, he drew some 10.7 million players for a concert in “Fortnite,” breaking the game’s concurrent player count by about 2.5 million players.

KAOS, which boasts a 73,000-square-foot dayclub and 29,000-square-foot nightclub, is set to open on April 4. Over its launch weekend, Travis Scott, Cardi B, Alicia Keys, J Balvin, Skrillex, G-Eazy and more will also be performing. Marshmello, best known for the hits “Wolves” featuring Selena Gomez, “FRIENDS” with Anne-Marie and “Happier” with Bastille takes the stage on April 6. Other acts locked in for residencies include Jauz, Slushii and Southside.

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  • 1 month later...

Treasure Island tram update:

Just ahead of the sweltering summer heat’s return to the Las Vegas Strip, the long-running tram that shuttles guests between TI and the Mirage is back in operation.

After being shut down for much of last year, the above ground tram reopened in November after being refurbished, according to KC Kappen, TI spokesman.

Shortly after reopening, a bull wheel — a 7-foot, 2-ton steel wheel — broke on the tram in December, resulting in the system being shut down yet again until this week.

The TI/Mirage tram system, which first opened in 1993, features two cars with each sporting a 50-person capacity.

Guests can ride the TI tram from 9 a.m. until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. There is no charge to ride the tram.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Parking update:

Wynn Resorts ended it two-year-old paid parking program in Las Vegas, announcing Monday it was offering free self-parking at its Wynn Las Vegas and Encore garages for all guests, without limitation, and without the need for validation.

The move – which takes place Wednesday – is the first reversal in the trend that began in 2016, when MGM Resorts International began charging for parking at its Las Vegas Strip resorts. Caesars Entertainment, Tropicana Las Vegas, and the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Wynn followed suit in July 2017.

Many Las Vegas residents said they would boycott Strip resorts that charged for parking. Locals viewed free parking as an unchallenged right on the Las Vegas Strip.

“Creating a seamless experience is a cornerstone of the five-star service we provide,” said Marilyn Spiegel, President of Wynn Las Vegas. “This extends to our complimentary parking facilitates, where we take great care to ensure they are safe, spotless, and accessible for all of our guests.”

On a conference call with analysts and investors Monday afternoon, MGM Resorts executives they would keep the paid parking when asked if the company would reconsider the initiative following Wynn’s decision.

MGM Resorts President Bill Hornbuckle said the company “spent a lot time, energy and money” on its paid parking program. “We believe we have the right policy. (Wynn’s) independent decision won’t change ours going forward.”

A Wynn official said the move was enhance guest experience and “eliminate points of frustration.”

Wynn Resorts added illuminated parking spot guidance systems, license plate reading systems, and entry and exit gate speed bumps at both self-park garages, which will remain for enhanced security measures and to help regulate traffic flow, the company said.

Last year, Wynn changed the paid self-parking policy for non-hotel guests and local residents. Self-parking and valet parking at Wynn and Encore will be validated once per day, per vehicle if the quest spend $50 within Wynn or Encore, which included all retail stores, all restaurants, theaters, nightclubs and lounges, and all game play.

Valet parking remains free for overnight hotel guests at both Wynn and Encore.

For valet parking at Wynn and Encore, non-hotel guests and local residents can receive validation upon receipt of a $50 spend within Wynn or Encore.

At a gaming conference in March, Oliver Lovat, CEO of Denstone REA, told the audience resort fees, which are added onto hotel room rate charges and range from $25 to $45 a night, are not the biggest deterrent to Las Vegas visitation.

The growth of paid parking over the last few years is hurting the market’s reputation, Lovat said.

He suggested the tourism community needs to reexamine many of the fees the resort industry has been charging guests.

“The experience we give people in Las Vegas is the main reason they come here,” Lovat said. “They can’t get that experience anywhere else.”

Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgamingreports.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.

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Just got back in from 3 nights. Catch was solid, maybe they have gotten their service worked out since others went. The scenery and food were both top of the line, just block off a couple hours. Prime delivered as it always has. The Block 19 restaurants in Cosmo are a great addition for a quick non hour long sit down meal. The donut/slider place was always busy.

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Wife and I booked a trip for mid July, staying at Encore for 2 nights. We went once a year for 8 years straight, took last year off, decided it was time to give it another go.

Anyone have an opinion on Cipriani? Debating between there or Sinatra (which we've done before).

Also interested in Catch. What's the vibe in there like? We kinda like the STK upbeat atmosphere but we've done STK and want something different.

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2 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

Wife and I booked a trip for mid July, staying at Encore for 2 nights. We went once a year for 8 years straight, took last year off, decided it was time to give it another go.

Anyone have an opinion on Cipriani? Debating between there or Sinatra (which we've done before).

Also interested in Catch. What's the vibe in there like? We kinda like the STK upbeat atmosphere but we've done STK and want something different.

I fucking love Vegas in the middle of summer. Do yourself a favor and wake up early one morning and just take a walk down the strip at about 6 am. Not a soul around. 

I think vetri cucina at the palms is better than both. But the steakhouse at circus circus is also my favorite steakhouse in Vegas so you may not want to take my advice. 

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I have to say it was a lot better place than I remembered before. Maybe it was that this time we were there mid week where as last time 18 years ago was a weekend overrun by uncouth southern California Bros. 

Finding yourself in a dimly lit weed dispensary a couple blocks south of downtown at 4 am after about 15 cocktails over the previous 10 hours picking out which pre roll you want to hit is an experience you don't often get. 

I enjoyed the Italian style steakhouse Andiamo inside the D Downtown. Nicely decorated, great flavorful porterhouse, low key old style Vegas mobster vibe, and once you walk outside you get a blast of hot chicks wearing not much clothing dancing on tables of roulette/craps/card games. 

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3 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

Wife and I booked a trip for mid July, staying at Encore for 2 nights. We went once a year for 8 years straight, took last year off, decided it was time to give it another go.

Anyone have an opinion on Cipriani? Debating between there or Sinatra (which we've done before).

Also interested in Catch. What's the vibe in there like? We kinda like the STK upbeat atmosphere but we've done STK and want something different.

We haven’t been to Wynn/Encore in over a year but probably due for another round to see if they’ve gotten their shit together.  Last time we were there, Cipriani didn’t exist yet and Sinatra was a shit show (and was once probably my favorite restaurant). You know Cipriani is a chain, right?  First chain restaurant ever at the Wynn...Steve would be rolling over in his grave if he were dead.

We went in January when we stayed at the Aria and it too was a shit show.  Also had friends from a separate trip who said the same, so I don’t think we just happened in on an off night.  It was as if their customer service motto was “we’re the coolest newest thing on the strip so fuck you”.  Outside of that, it had potential and they may have softened on the attitude now that a few months have worn the new off.

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8 minutes ago, Junior Miller said:

I have to say it was a lot better place than I remembered before. Maybe it was that this time we were there mid week where as last time 18 years ago was a weekend overrun by uncouth southern California Bros. 

Finding yourself in a dimly lit weed dispensary a couple blocks south of downtown at 4 am after about 15 cocktails over the previous 10 hours picking out which pre roll you want to hit is an experience you don't often get. 

I enjoyed the Italian style steakhouse Andiamo inside the D Downtown. Nicely decorated, great flavorful porterhouse, low key old style Vegas mobster vibe, and once you walk outside you get a blast of hot chicks wearing not much clothing dancing on tables of roulette/craps/card games. 

The D is great. Actually got to know Derrick through mutual friends. Cool cat. I actually prefer staying there or the Nugget over any of the strip stuff anymore. Fremont can be a shit show but worth the trade off. 

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14 hours ago, Landomatic said:

We haven’t been to Wynn/Encore in over a year but probably due for another round to see if they’ve gotten their shit together.  Last time we were there, Cipriani didn’t exist yet and Sinatra was a shit show (and was once probably my favorite restaurant). You know Cipriani is a chain, right?  First chain restaurant ever at the Wynn...Steve would be rolling over in his grave if he were dead.

We went in January when we stayed at the Aria and it too was a shit show.  Also had friends from a separate trip who said the same, so I don’t think we just happened in on an off night.  It was as if their customer service motto was “we’re the coolest newest thing on the strip so fuck you”.  Outside of that, it had potential and they may have softened on the attitude now that a few months have worn the new off.

BTW...my second paragraph is in reference to Catch.  Sorry, I should have clarified.  Have not been to the Cipriani in Vegas.

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Last time we were there, Cipriani didn’t exist yet and Sinatra was a shit show (and was once probably my favorite restaurant). You know Cipriani is a chain, right?  First chain restaurant ever at the Wynn...Steve would be rolling over in his grave if he were dead.

 

Yeah I know Cipriani is a chain, which in general we’re not crazy about. Just wondering if it’s a chain like Nikki Beach or Nobu are chains or is it more of a Cheesecake Factory situation?

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2 hours ago, wild_turkey said:

 

Yeah I know Cipriani is a chain, which in general we’re not crazy about. Just wondering if it’s a chain like Nikki Beach or Nobu are chains or is it more of a Cheesecake Factory situation?

Hahaha I’m sure it’s much more the former.

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Headed to Vegas in a couple of weeks.  Saturday night reservation at Bazaar Meat.  Anyone been there?  I haven't gone back over the entire thread.


I looked at the menu for this place and it’s funny that they give so much detail about the cow that the meat is coming from. They stop just short of telling you the name of the cow that you are going to be eating. Bessie is the last 8-10 year old Holstein so that bitch is getting it tonight!
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3 hours ago, bigup2dahorns said:

Encore: Andrea’s is closing and will be replaced with a Mexican restaurant in 2020

https://vegas.eater.com/2019/5/13/18617800/andreas-closes-mexican-restaurant-encore-enrique-olvera-daniela-soto-innes-2020
 

Maybe already posted, but your link just ended me up on this other news from the Wynn...

A Modern Supper Club with Hollywood Roots Heads to the Strip

https://vegas.eater.com/2019/4/9/18300502/delilah-opening-wynn-las-vegas-2020

Weird thing is that it says it's going into the former Alex space.  Alex space?  Never heard of it...so, I dug around a little.  Apparently before my time.  Closed in January 2011 (my first trip to the Wynn/Encore was March 2013) and sounded like it was one of the swankiest places on the strip.  Seems crazy that a restaurant that fancy has sat empty for damn near 10 years.  Or did they just have their story wrong?

Anyway, interesting choice to replace Andrea's.  Makes sense as they have nothing close to Mexican there.  Surprised it lasted as long as it did.  Along with the fact that it's been dead for years, it was literally named after Steve's current wife and I believe with him out, his ex-wife is the largest shareholder (or at least one of them).  I'd have thought she would squash that place like the day after Steve left.

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Weird thing I noticed about Vegas is people will line up to pay $34 a person for a breakfast buffet when you can walk right down the hall and eat a much higher quality breakfast for about $20 to $25 a person. It's weird, why would anyone want to stuff themselves on low quality buffet for breakfast and weigh yourself down heavily before taking on the next 14 to 20 hours of Vegas stuff?

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Weird thing I noticed about Vegas is people will line up to pay $34 a person for a breakfast buffet when you can walk right down the hall and eat a much higher quality breakfast for about $20 to $25 a person. It's weird, why would anyone want to stuff themselves on low quality buffet for breakfast and weigh yourself down heavily before taking on the next 14 to 20 hours of Vegas stuff?


I’ve only eaten at the Wynn buffet because they often include it with the room, but it’s a pretty lavish spread of food. I’m not a buffet person typically but I never turn it down. Not sure I’d pay to eat there, although breakfast most other places in Wynn will run the same price or more.
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If it's free then definitely eat it, what I was referring to the people who pay for it. No matter how high quality the food if it's on a buffet it's sitting out under a light on a hot plate being picked over by other people. That automatically knocks the desirability down quite a bit. 

The reason I chose the wynn is because that exact scenario happened to us. we were going to go to the buffet there for breakfast but saw it was going to be $68 plus tax for two people. We walked through the casino down the hall to the little cafe they have with the patio overlooking the pool and had one of the best meals we had on the entire trip for $40 plus tax. The whole idea of a buffet is overlooking the fact the food is sitting out for a while and not good quality to get a lower price and can eat a ton of it. Having to put up with picked over sitting out food and still play a ridiculously high premium price just seems contradictory to the entire premise. 

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The patio over the pool does have damn good breakfast.  You have to watch the grackles though, they are aggressive.  I saw one land on a table just after it had been cleared.  There was no food left but it pecked into a sugar packet and started going to town.

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Thinking about taking a long weekend there sometime this summer. Interested in checking out the legal weed scene, too. Read they just legalized smoking lounges, but not at casinos (yet). That is going to be a huge business. Stayed at Tropicana, Monte Carlo and Stratosphere (twice) on comp deals. Mostly play tournament poker and craps. Where's a good place near the strip for old poors like me?

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FYI, for those into this sort of thing.

The NFL draft road show is coming to Vegas next year.   Room rates have already spiked.  Hooters (?!?!?) is already charging $999 for their shittastic outpost down the street from the Trop.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/nfl-draft/las-vegas-room-rates-skyrocket-for-2020-nfl-draft-1660763/

 

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That could be why its Las Vegas hotel is raising its prices tenfold for the 2020 NFL draft, to be held April 23-25 near the Strip. Room rates at the Hooters Hotel start at $999 for the first day of the draft, a 1,165 percent markup from the previous week’s $79, according to a May 9 search on Booking.com.

 

 

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The price shift during next year’s draft can be found on and off the Strip. According to a May 9 search on Booking.com, Excalibur is charging $279 for a room on April 23, compared to $35 just a week prior. The Mirage is jumping from $139 on April 16 to $499 during the draft. Even South Point — which sits eight miles from the Strip — has prices at $209 for April 23, a 165 percent jump from the previous week.

 

 

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Thinking about taking a long weekend there sometime this summer. Interested in checking out the legal weed scene, too. Read they just legalized smoking lounges, but not at casinos (yet). That is going to be a huge business. Stayed at Tropicana, Monte Carlo and Stratosphere (twice) on comp deals. Mostly play tournament poker and craps. Where's a good place near the strip for old poors like me?


I would research where you want to gamble first, then look for where to stay near that.

So for example, Aria runs daily poker tournaments, has craps, and offers a poker rate for the hotel room if you play certain minimum time per day. Contact Elayne at Aria poker at 702-590-7230.

Or if you are looking for cheaper and slightly off strip, take a look at something like Tuscany Suites. Resort style place just east of center strip. Has cheap craps & BJ but no poker.
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On 5/11/2019 at 12:49 PM, wild_turkey said:

Wife and I booked a trip for mid July, staying at Encore for 2 nights. We went once a year for 8 years straight, took last year off, decided it was time to give it another go.

Anyone have an opinion on Cipriani? Debating between there or Sinatra (which we've done before).

Also interested in Catch. What's the vibe in there like? We kinda like the STK upbeat atmosphere but we've done STK and want something different.

Went to Catch a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night. We did not have the issues with service that Lando did. However, be prepared to be there a while as they basically bring your food out according to how the chef wants to serve it. You order everything at once and he lays out service. Everything we had was as good as anything we’ve had in Vegas. The atmosphere is loud and dark with a crowd that was fairly young and dead set on taking pictures and posting damn near everything they did.

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1 hour ago, Brew said:

Went to Catch a couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night. We did not have the issues with service that Lando did. However, be prepared to be there a while as they basically bring your food out according to how the chef wants to serve it. You order everything at once and he lays out service. Everything we had was as good as anything we’ve had in Vegas. The atmosphere is loud and dark with a crowd that was fairly young and dead set on taking pictures and posting damn near everything they did.

Sounds like they may have gotten some kinks worked out.  When we went, it was admittedly brand new.  And the group who went and had similar issues was there just a couple weeks after we were.

That said, the issues we had were because of time and timing.  Going by memory so some of this is ballpark, but from my recollection...

Night started with having to wait about an and a half for a table despite having a reservation, through the Sky Suites concierge (which should pull some weight - or would at most places).  Waiting a little while with a reservation isn’t a big deal, especially on a big night in Vegas, but 90 minutes is ridiculous.

Once seated, as you mentioned, the service and timing was...unique.  But our problem from that point wasn’t that it was taking too long.  At least it didn’t start that way.  In fact, it was exactly the opposite.  Like you said, they had us order everything up front, which was fine.  But then everything just started coming out super rapid fire.  We kept telling the staff to slow down and our waiter’s response was that, as you mentioned, he didn’t have any control over it, they bring it out how the chef wants it.  There was literally no possible way we could have eaten it as fast as they brought it.  It was almost comical.  At some point, there were so many dishes on our table, the servers brought something else and there was nowhere to put it.  Thats when things went from bad to worse.  We sent it away and told our waiter (after already having mentioned it to him twice very nicely) that we wanted it remade and that they needed to slow way down with everything and if he couldn’t make that happen, we would be speaking with a manager.

Well, apparently he didn’t like that or something.  We sat for about 30 minutes with no more food coming out and not one of our drinks refilled.  Didn’t see him again.  Finally sent the wives to the bar to get drinks and my friend and I stayed behind while we grabbed another waiter and asked for a manager.  Waited forever again and finally just told some random waitress that were were done and headed toward the bar.  A manager found us pretty promptly on our way to find the girls to leave (imagine that) and sort of apologized and handed us our bill for what we had gotten.  We paid it so as not to cause a scene and ruin the night and as my buddy said, we didn’t want it free we wanted it right...and we left.  Went to Carbone and had a lovely rest of our evening.

tl;dr - waited forever to be seated, then food came out waaaaay too fast, then waiter disappeared and food and drinks quit coming altogether, then manager never showed until we started to walk out

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20 hours ago, huge said:

Headed to Vegas in a couple of weeks.  Saturday night reservation at Bazaar Meat.  Anyone been there?  I haven't gone back over the entire thread.

Other than E, its the best restaurant in vegas imo. The steak tartare is legendary. All of the foie dishes (foie smores, foie waffle, foie cotton candy) are tits. Do yourself a favor and pre order the 1/4 pig. Youre welcome

 

 

also, uber there

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That's what I was trying to do asking the pros here.


Are you looking for $30 daily poker tournaments or okay with $125 at Aria? They also run a $240 on weekends I think. If you want more advice on best spot for poker tournaments, ask on the poker thread. I play cash poker and some of the other guys are tournament grinders and can help you.
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Buy in doesn't matter as long as it's not something crazy like $10K. I just prefer to play tournament. $125/$240 is cool. Thought about Palms or Rio. Haven't stayed there but heard good things. Also thought about Golden Nugget but heard mostly negative stuff about the rooms.

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13 hours ago, RPM said:

Thinking about taking a long weekend there sometime this summer. Interested in checking out the legal weed scene, too. Read they just legalized smoking lounges, but not at casinos (yet). That is going to be a huge business. Stayed at Tropicana, Monte Carlo and Stratosphere (twice) on comp deals. Mostly play tournament poker and craps. Where's a good place near the strip for old poors like me?

If you don't have comps, want to stay as cheap as possible, and don't mind staying at stratosphere you can get usually around $15 a night weeknight and $25 a night weekend there on hotwire. Just look for the hot rate hotel with 3.6 in upper strip/fashion mall area that is crazy cheap and it's always stratosphere. Several people I met there said they were doing that. Still have to pay the resort fee on arrival though. 

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Buy in doesn't matter as long as it's not something crazy like $10K. I just prefer to play tournament. $125/$240 is cool. Thought about Palms or Rio. Haven't stayed there but heard good things. Also thought about Golden Nugget but heard mostly negative stuff about the rooms.


No poker at Palms but the hotel has just been redone. Lots of new restaurants. Rio is not in great shape. Been for sale for awhile and neglected by the owner.
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Strat isn't bad. Too bad that Lotus of Siam has moved across town to the old Roy's location.

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Rio is not in great shape. 

Good to know. This is the info I'm looking for.

Edited by RPM
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