Project Updates

News n' Notes:

In case you have not heard in a while, here are some updates on construction projects on the Strip:

Looks like MGM's City Center project is still on track to be completed by December 2009. There have been some financial bumps in the road and some doubts, but things are starting to look up. This is going to be a gigantic, fantastic project.

Cosmopolitan, a smaller right next door to City Center, is still slated for first quarter 2010. Meanwhile, Echelon, a huge project on the spot of the old Stardust, is still in a suspended state.

You can get the latest news on these and other Vegas projects from a really nifty website called Vegas Today and Tomorrow.

In other news...
I will again be guest contributor on the Las Vegas Advisor's Question of the Day. Looks like it may go up on Monday, May 11. I'll keep you posted, but as a teaser I just want to say that I think this is a really fun one and I hope you will enjoy it!

Remember that during the summer, especially in this economy, you are going to find a lot of bargain rates, which should make your travel plans easier on your wallet. So now's the time to think about how you can... Go to Vegas. It's that simple.
Viva,
Mike

How I Prepare for a Trip to Vegas

Hi Vegas fans,

I put a lot of thought before I visit my home away from home. Some might say too much. Even my best friend told me recently, "you're not happy unless you're planning a trip to Vegas." True. I often start looking at prices, flight schedules, and events 6 to 9 months before my trip.

And I've done this enough now that I have a kind of mental list and timeline. If it looks kinda scary, well, it is, but I do leave a lot of wiggle room. After all, planning an entire trip to Vegas is really not possible, and even if it was, it wouldn't be much fun. But here's a typical scenario for me:

6-9 Months Before Trip:

• Visit websites to find typical pricing and flights
• Compare package deals vs. separate deals with coupons/discounts/comps

3-6 Months Before Trip:

• Narrow down hotel choices
• Visit hotel websites obsessively to see fun stuff to do, promos, etc.
• Purchase trip online
• Reserve rental car
• Start thinking about music for trip

2-3 Months Before Trip:

• Look for shows, events, concerts, etc. available during my stay
• Frequently email/call friends going with me
• Revert to ultimate cheapskate mode to save funds

1-3 Months Before Trip:

• Ignore signs from friends that they are tired of me contacting them
• Watch The Vegas Minute weekly video on www.vegas.com
• Surf the Vegas Tourism website (www.visitlasvegas.com) frequently

3 Weeks Before Trip:

• Confirm reservations
• Print itinerary for trip
• Practice blackjack

1-2 Weeks Before Trip:

• Try to get some sleep
• Start countdown with friends, which risks annoying them even more
• Watch friends get caught up in frenzy as they start counting the days with me

Week of Trip:

• Pack clothes
• Prepare toiletry bag (little toothpaste tube, ibuprofen, Tums, vitamins, electric razor. Anything else is a bonus)
• Check Vegas weather
• Kindly ask friends/family NOT to give me $10 in quarters to play in the slots for them (yes, I have some old school friends/family)
• Burn cool CD for friends to remember our trip
• Charge camera batteries
• Charge Kindle

Day Before Trip:

• Pack remaining stuff (Kindle, camera, phone charger, etc)
• Review checklist and travel documents
• Put bags near door; ensure iPod, headphones, Kindle, phone are easy to access
• Print boarding pass
• Double-check flight schedule

Day of Trip:

• Relax and enjoy. After all, I think I have pretty much everything covered...
  
  So how 'bout you? What do you do before your trips to Sin City?
  Viva,
  Mike

Tax Day, Shmax Day

Hi Vegas fans,

I'm already looking forward to my August trip to Vegas. Still in the planning stages, but I'm not happy unless I'm thinking about my next trip to Sin City.

Rates are varying a little from week to week, and I'm finding some good hotel rates coupled with promotional codes (try smartervegas.com for example). And, because I am traveling from the East coast, I tend to find a lot of good package deals, too. Recently, I've found some great prices via American Airlines site, which also has the best flight options for me.

The flights are important to me because I like to maximize my time in Vegas and minimize my time in airports. If my wife is coming with me, we hash out how early we can leave our house to get a good flight to Vegas. If she's not coming with me, here's my typical recipe:

1. Bribe wife with gifts, flowers, etc.
2. Ask wife to drive me to airport in wee hours of the morning so that I can arrive in Vegas mid-afternoon.
3. Remember to stash a few bucks in my shoe for emergency money on the way home.
4. Spend unbelievable time in Vegas.
5. Buy wife precious gifts (offering to the Gods, if you will).
6. Leave Vegas late in the afternoon, or if I'm feeling particularly adventurous, take the red-eye home.
7. Use what's left of emergency money for ibuprofen, Tums, and vitamins in the airport before departure.
8. Sleep on plane.
9. Repeat in 6 months to 1 year (max).

Next week, I'll discuss how I prepare for my trips to Vegas. You'll think I'm kidding, but I won't be...

Don't forget
You can win cool stuff for free by participating in my scavenger hunt. That's right, I said free. What's better than that on tax day, eh?

Every month I'll pick a new winner at random. It's free, it's fun, and you like stuff about Las Vegas, so give it a shot!!

While you are at it, add your vote to my poll. I'll change this in May, but for now it's a goofy one that I thought you might like.

What else is new up with the site, you ask? Right now I'm planning a Gambling tab. It's a work in progress. And, I do update the tables when I come across new information. For example, recently Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce club closed at Mandalay Bay, so I wiped it out on the Clubs table. Too bad, too, because I never got to see that show and wouldn't mind some burlesque now and then.

Regardless of how much skin you want to see, just remember the golden rule. Go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Viva,
Mike

A Good Travel Guide

They say you should own a good suit; a suit you can wear on an interview, or a wedding, an anniversary, and so on. It's just a good idea. It' like having reliable transportation, a roof over your head, and plenty of peanut butter on your shelves. It just makes sense, right?

Well, it's my theory that you should also own a good travel guide. For our purposes here, we're talking about a good Las Vegas travel guide. One that you can refer to when you need to know the latest and greatest. One to look at when you need a good map. Or gambling strategies. Like the practical things in life, it just makes sense to have one at your disposal.

That's one of the reasons I wrote my travel guide to Vegas and update it frequently. Simplifying came from necessity. I didn't have one that I could refer to, so I created my own. It took a lot of research, and it kind of took on a life of its own. And it continues to grow, and grow, and grow. And I'm loving every minute of it. I hope it can help some other Vegas fans out there, too.

Before your next trip to Vegas, check out the travel guides you have. Are they up to date? Vegas changes frequently. Do they provide you with the information you want in a guide? If not, check out some of the latest guides. Of course, I hope you'll consider mine. Don't just visit websites - consider purchasing a new guide to get the most out of your next trip.

And remember, when all else fails... Go to Vegas. It's that simple.
Viva,
Mike

Latest News...

Hi Vegas fans,

This week has seen a lot of closings, but there is still a lot of good news for those of you who are traveling to Las Vegas.

First, recent closings:

• Folies Bergere: After 49 years, the Trop has closed a Strip classic
• Forty Deuce: Surprisingly, Ivan Kane closed his club in Mandalay Bay. He still has a club in LA and is also showing off his burlesque show in Palm Springs.
• Bally's Sports Book: For the summer, at least. You can still wager at Paris.

So, does this mean gloom and doom? No. There are plenty of great shows, clubs, and of course gambling venues throughout Las Vegas, from the Strip to downtown to the outskirts. What this means for you is that you will find great prices for 2009 and probably 2010, too.

The same is true for hotel prices. Sort of. When the economy started going south, lots of hotels started lowering their prices. Makes sense, right? If you're not getting business, entice people with bargains. However, there's a point where hotels are going to start pulling back on that.

Here's why. Let's say your hotel doesn't draw a lot of people with lower prices. You've got a problem. Your margins are lower (that is, the amount of money you are making per room is smaller), and the number of people coming to your hotel is decreasing. That's bad news, and you're going to start hemorrhaging cash quickly. So, to make up for it, hotels will start changing higher prices again (at least their usual prices) in hopes that people will pay the rates regardless.

Eventually, it'll work for them. For now, there are still a lot of hotels with very inexpensive rates, so the first few hotels that start going up are probably going to lose some customers.

So, you should keep shopping. You'll find great rates for the rest of this year, I suspect. I'm planning a trip for August, and I'm seeing rates as low as $25/night at places like NY NY. That's a steal! I like to book my trip early, but this is one time when I'm going to continue to watch. It's like the stock market. I'll keep my eye out and patiently wait... wait... wait to make a move.

If all else fails, just remember my motto. Go to Vegas. It's that simple.

Viva,

Mike