Happy Holidays from Your Friends at Simplifying Las Vegas!

Hi Vegas fans,
Wow, it's hard to believe it is already Christmas. This year has flown by like my zippy Southwest flight from the East coast to Vegas. I don't really need anything this year, and I feel like spreading the joy, so here's my list:

• For the Las Vegas Strip, Downtown and Outskirts: Increased visitation, increased revenue, and continued fun and excitement.
• For seasoned gamblers: Big winnings - lots of jackpots, better blackjack on the Strip, continued fun and excitement.
• For newbies: Beginner's luck, promises to return to Vegas, continued fun and excitement.
• For casino execs: The realization that better gaming means bigger profits, a little retail space goes a long way, continued fun and excitement.
• For all my faithful readers: Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season, good times with family and friends from Newport Beach to Myrtle Beach to South Beach, continued fun and excitement the next time you visit Vegas.

... So Santa pulled the handle on a Wheel of Fortune slot,
he got a free spin and won a lot,
But he gave the money to the cocktail waitress to his right,
and said, "Merry Christmas to all! Can I get a Bud Light?"

Ho, ho, ho and viva,
Mike

Sahara to Close

Hi Vegas fans,

It's a sad day for low-rollers. The storied Sahara Hotel and Casino on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip is closing May 16th. Until then, it's business as usual, according to the casino.

The casino opened in 1952 and is famous for the Rat Pack days with Sinatra and company. Elvis hung out there in the 60s. In recent years, they built a roller coaster and added NASCAR attractions in an attempt to modernize the property.

The casino is extremely smokey, even by Vegas standards, and attracted grinds with $1 blackjack and other low-minimum games. The floor is dark and cramped. I know I'm not painting an attractive picture of it, but I always liked it. It's hard to capture the charm of this casino, but I always felt comfortable there. It's more like a downtown casino than a Strip joint, and maybe that's why it's had a hard time financially.

The Strip is a tough gig, especially these days when competition is fierce for every tourist dollar. The high-end joints, like Wynn, Palazzo, Bellagio, and Cosmo, are lowering prices to attract more people. Where does that leave the Sahara, the Riv, and the Strat? When they can't attract customers based on price, they lose their edge.

So it begs the question... is there still room on the Strip for the older casinos? Can they compete against the big, new venues with powerful marketing machines? I hope so. One of my favorite aspects of Las Vegas is the variety you get on every street. Whether it's a pyramid, pirates or the tallest tower west of the Mississippi, I'm looking to have fun and be entertained. Well, that and 3-2 blackjack.

Viva Sahara, I will miss you.
Mike