The Idea of Las Vegas

Hi Vegas fans,

I've been thinking a lot lately about Vegas (big surprise) and what I love most about it. It was hard to put my finger on it at first, but it came down to this: I love the idea of Vegas.

The idea that you can walk the Strip at 4 am and forget that you have a mortgage or car payments. The idea that at midnight, you can grab a steak at the Golden Nugget downtown. The idea that you can be on the top of the Eiffel Tower one minute and on a Venetian gondola the next.

Or how about seeing a Cirque du Soleil show on a Tuesday night? Or a volcano erupt or a laser light show on a canopy stretched over four blocks? The idea is that anything is possible, that everything is fun, and that escape is certain.

That's what it boils down to, for me. That's what I love about Vegas.

Viva,

Mike

Vegas News n' Notes

Hi Vegas Fans,

Another Harrah's Takeover
Harrah's is set to take over Planet Hollywood. Sigh. I really, really hope that they do not turn this into a boring property with crummy player rules (like 6:5 blackjack, for which they are famous). Not that I was a huge fan of PH, but at least it had a hipness to it. And I'm really not looking forward to the PH website transformation. Chances are, it will morph into another ill-conceived navigation nightmare when Harrah's takes over. Someone please tackle these people and make them stop this nonsense!

Chance to Win a Free T-Shirt
Just tell me which show you think I should see in Vegas (Wayne Newton or Viva Elvis) by voting in the poll on my site. Then add comments to leave your name and email address, or contact me at admin@simplifyinglasvegas.com and tell me which one you voted for, and I'll pick one winner in March to win a cool Vegas T-Shirt. Good Luck!!

And More Free Stuff...
You still have time to win a free Vegas luggage tag, too. Just fill out the survey on my site. I pick one lucky winner every month.

Do you feel lucky? You should! These contests do not cost you anything, and you've got nothing to lose. Enter NOW! Good luck.

Viva,
Mike

The Wonderful World of Electronic Books

Hi Vegas fans,

The New York Times captured all the buzz from this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). As expeceted, ebook readers were very hot.

One of the reasons these little wonders are all the rage is because Apple is going to announce in a few weeks that they will throw their hats in the ring (it will either be just an ebook reader or a tablet, depending on which rumor mill you follow). Apple tends to dominate the market when they enter it (think iPod, iPhone), so this could certainly change the game.

Or at least the number of players.

Here's a pretty comprehensive summary of what's out there right now:

http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

That's a lot of ebook readers. And they're expensive. So, if Apple's entry price is high, people may stick with their Kindles and Sonys. For now. I mean, who would spend $500 after laying down $250 or more for a reader? It's not like the iPod or iPhone coming out party, because people either didn't have those devices or had ones that they didn't spend a lot of money on (or didn't mind buying a new one).

Personally, I'm sticking with my Kindle for now. And not because my book is on Kindle. I am actively looking for other readers for my book (Nook, for one, but the kind folks at Barnes & Noble have not answered my emails yet). I just don't need a tablet or a new eBook reader. Kindle does a great job, and Amazon's bookstore has a ton of great books and makes it very easy to search, evaluate, and purchase a book.

Who knows what will happen once Apple makes its announcement. I feel confident that this will be a great time for consumers. I'm always happy when companies start competing this fiercely over products - let them sweat a little so the average Joe can have more choices.

And, no, traditional books are not dead. I think there will always be a market for them. However, I think there's also room for e-books. When I wrote my book, I knew that an electronic version was just a natural fit because I wanted to include a lot of links to other sections and Web sites. Plus the portable nature of the Kindle makes it easy to bring to Vegas with you. Throw in search capabilities and you have a match made in Heaven.

The players may change, but the ebook game is on. Let's hope the consumer wins.

Viva,

Mike

Elvis Presley and Las Vegas

Hi Vegas fans,

Today is Elvis' birthday. He would have been 75. It's still hard to believe sometimes that he's been gone over 32 years. Maybe that's because when I walk the streets of Las Vegas, it's like he's still alive. He left his mark everywhere in the city. He performed a few separate stints at the International Hotel (now the Las Vegas Hilton) between 1969 and 1971.

And as much as Las Vegas changes, you can find bits and pieces of the memory of Elvis everywhere. Like the small statue of Elvis above the clocks in the Hard Rock Cafe. Like the Elvis impersonators. Like the new Elvis Cirque du Soleil show at Aria. Just to name a few.

I miss some of the fun stuff that bore his name. Like Elvis-A-Rama. Like the free photo you could get with Elvis outside of the Imperial Palace. Just to name a few.

And I miss Elvis. My tribute to him and the spirit of my favorite city remains in my signature. And it always will.

Viva,

Mike

Top 5 Reasons for Visiting Vegas in 2010

Hi Vegas Fans,

It's a new year, which brings new hopes, new dreams, and new excuses to visit my favorite city. Here are my top 5:

5. I feel lucky. That's right, I said the "L" word. For those of us who play advantage games (or at least the ones with little house edge), we're not supposed to think about luck, we're just supposed to play without making mistakes. But a little luck never hurts. Too many times I've had 20 with a dealer showing a 6 only to watch her draw to 21. Not this year, I'm going to be lucky.

4. Wayne Newton. This is going to be his last time around before he retires (probably... after all, his show is called "Once Before I Go." What does that tell ya?). See him now. He's only at the Tropicana for a limited time, and he's a Vegas icon.

3. Great rates. Trips to Sin City will start to get a little more expensive when the economy picks up and as visitation continues to rise, but for now it's still a great bargain.

2. CityCenter. Huge. Massive. And an Elvis Cirque du Soleil show to boot. Nothing says "Vegas" like a ginormous complex of hotels, a casino, and upscale shopping.

1. It's Vegas, Baby! It doesn't matter if you like gambling, shopping, seeing shows, partying, eating, relaxing by the pool, people watching, golf, or going to the spa to relax. Vegas is an escape, and as I turn (gasp!) the big 4-0 this year, I expect to spend my time and money having fun there. After all, that's why I wrote the travel guide and built the web site!

Those are my top 5. What about you?

Viva,

Mike

Vegas 2009: A Look Back

Hi Vegas fans,

Well, it's getting closer to New Year's. And I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the past year and look ahead a little bit. It was a difficult time for Vegas in many ways, but in true Vegas fashion, the city endures. Here are some of the stories I wrote about this year:

• Folies Bergere closed in March after 50 years at the Trop. I saw it about 7 years ago and enjoyed it very much. It was a Vegas classic.
• Danny Gans, only 52 years old, died suddenly on May 1st. He was a talented impressionist and a Vegas headliner at the Mirage for years. He will be missed.
• The Hangover was released in June. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I mean, I could see myself in these guys. I hope one of my close buddies decides to get married soon so I can throw a bachelor party in Vegas. The movie is now out on DVD and Blue-ray.
• Lance Burton re-ups at Monte Carlo. This is one of those cases where you can't believe everything you read. Rumors floated for a while that once Lance's contract came to an end, contract negotiations would not work out and Lance would not return. Not true. Not only is Lance back, but his contract is for 6 years, and all parties seem happy with the deal.
• Mike Tyson marries at La Bella. Maybe he was reacting to the high coming off his part in The Hangover.
• Bob Stupak died at the age of 67 after a long illness. Bob epitomized the Vegas entrepreneurial spirit. I think of him every time I go to the Strat, which is a lot.
• Charo fell and put her show on hiatus. Just one of the many show closings for the struggling Riv this year, which is having financial trouble but still afloat. What will 2010 hold for it? I hope it hangs on.
• Wayne Newton is back! His Once Before I Go tour is at the Trop. See him now before he retires.
• Simplifying Las Vegas 2010 available on PDF and Kindle. And I got on the social media bandwagon with Facebook and Twitter. Who knew. And the website got a facelift, too. Hard work, good fun. Thanks for coming along with me!
  
• CityCenter opened in December, and wow is it big and upscale! You've got a lot of stuff going on in one space: Vdara, Aria, Harmon, Mandarin Oriental, and Crystals retail center. And you thought the economy was bad. And speaking of...

I also reported on the economy and its impact on Las Vegas, of course. And while the pundits predict, the oft-quoted Mark Twain bit rings in my head: "the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." Indeed. Vegas is alive. It may not be well, but I think that's temporary, and it's certainly showing signs of rebounding.

Looking ahead to 2010

People work hard. Too hard. They need a break from reality. Vegas accomodates. It's really that simple. Casino execs look at all kinds of numbers (comp values, player averages, etc.) and focus on target markets (whales, promotions to high rollers, and so on) because they have to, but I think sometimes they miss the bigger picture.

People like to have fun on vacation. They like to be treated like royalty whether they are playing nickle slots or $1000/hand blackjack. Everyone likes to win, but most of us going to Vegas know that it's risky business. So, we take what we can afford to lose, and we want to be entertained while we're there. Vegas does a very good job of this overall, which is why I continue to return.

But sometimes the chain properties get very big for their britches, and when they expand, they try to squeeze every dime. 6:5 blackjack is a good example. Think about how many empty pits you have. Would you rather make a little bit of money from many 3:2 full tables, or a moderate amount from half-empty 6:5 tables. I'm just sayin'.

So, casino execs, I hope you take this into consideration in 2010. Make sure your dealers are fun and entertaining, cocktail waitresses are bringing drinks a-plenty, the casino is clean and has at least some games where the odds aren't terrible (i.e 3:2 blackjack), hotel rooms have fluffy towels, the buffet is freshened often, and the check-in line doesn't stretch to Henderson. That's pretty much it. The rest is details.

It's part of my philosophy: simplify, simplify, simplify. Well, that and diet & exercise.

Here's to a prosperous 2010 for all you Vegas nuts (like me) out there. Thank you so much for a wonderful year.

Viva,
Mike

Happy Holidays!

Last time I wrote about my Wish List for Las Vegas. Today, I am counting my blessings as we wrap up 2009. Yes, I know it's not New Year's yet, but I'm getting warmed up:

• First, thanks to all of you for supporting Simplifying Las Vegas. It's been a great year for the website and book, and 2010 is going to be even better! I have a lot of ideas for fun, informative stuff, so stay tuned and let me know if you have suggestions.

• I'm very grateful that I've had help from friends at the Las Vegas Advisor. Great site, even better people. If you are not a member and visit Vegas even once per year, you are missing out on some great coupons and information. Join (or rejoin) in 2010; it is well worth it.

• I'm happy that I've been able to publish my book via Kindle and as a PDF on my website. It is a lot of work, but it sure is fun and I'm proud of it. By the way... if you still haven't found a gift for the Vegas fan in your life, an electronic book is the perfect way to show you care. It's inexpensive, Eco-friendly, and you can wait till the last minute to order it!

• Mostly, I'm thankful for family and friends who have supported me in my many endeavors. This is a good time to take a moment to reflect on all the great opportunities I've had this year and how incredibly lucky I am in so many ways. Thank you!

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays!

Viva,

Mike