Vegas News n' Notes

Hi Vegas fans,

Two items caught my attention this week:

Harrah's plans revealed:

Harrha's has decided to tear down the model of tearing down old casinos and building new ones. A few years ago, they purchased a lot of land behind the Flamingo. Everyone was convinced that they would build casinos and casino-like stuff.

Well, surprise! They are planning to build a walkway between the 'Mingo and O'Sheas and are calling the project Project Link. This walkway will contain an avenue of restaurants and bars, ending at a huge Ferris wheel, where you can see what happens in Vegas (mostly, you'll see other Harrah's properties).

A few notes on this project:

- I like the idea, especially considering another casino would just mean more traffic mid-Strip, and folks would be stuck in their cars around this area.

- The article points out that "Las Vegas has long needed a Strip-fronting dining district like the one Harrah’s is proposing..." but I'm not so sure. There's a ton of foot traffic on the Strip, and the design is such that you can easily stop in to a number of places and grab a bite or a drink. I think this will add to that experience, but to make it sound like it has not existed, well, I think that's a stretch.

- And Downtown has the Fremont Street Experience. It's the same kind of concept, of course downtown has casinos added to the mix.

- More restaurants may be adding competition to an already crowded market. My brother-in-law recently sent me this New York Times piece, which discusses the challenges for the Vegas restaurant market.

- It'll take some time to build Project Link given the economy and the scale/expense of Harrah's proposal, so don't look for it any time soon.

Vegas Sign Vandalized, Cleaned Up
I'm not going to post pictures of the crimes committed against the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign. It sickens me. The good news is that the sign has been refurbished, and you can now take pictures of it again without the graffiti.

Why someone would do something like this to a historic landmark is beyond me. Go spray paint your house if you want to express yourself.

That's all for this week. I hope to get some good shots of the Welcome sign and other sights the next time I.... Go to Vegas. It's that simple.
Viva,
Mike