2010 Vegas Year in Review

Happy New Year's, Vegas fans!

As I look back on 2010, I have a lot of good Vegas memories and some scars to remind me that Sin City is one tough town. Here are some of my favorite highlights from this past year, in no particular order:

• CityCenter: This is one groovy, high-end property with art sculptures, swanky bars & restaurants, Viva Elvis Cirque show, and a dark casino. Good times.
• Birthday Blowout Bash: I turned a milestone age this year, and I celebrated with family and friends in Las Vegas. The first night of my trip, I had a few cocktails at Bill's Gamblin' Hall and then... well, the rest is somewhat fuzzy. I do recall having to call my wife to help me find my way back to the room. Good times.
• Cosmopolitan: The new property, not the drink. I have not been there yet (if you have, let us know what you think!), but it looks nice and I plan to go there on my next trip.
• Increased visitation: While gambling revenue has not rebounded quite yet, there are more and more people visiting Las Vegas these days. Slow but steady increases are good news after a few years of negative numbers.
• Harrah's becomes Caesars Entertainment: Meh. Let's see what happens.
• Might as well Jump at the Stratosphere: A new attraction at the Strat temps visitors to jump off the building. I think they strap a bungee cord or parachute to you or something.
• Gillies at TI offers mechanical bull: You can ride it, or you can watch cowgirls wearing little more than their boots on it. Ah, I love legitimate theater.
  
• Simplifying Las Vegas new website, 2011 electronic book versions available on Kindle, Nook and as a Flipbook: Gotta plug SLV. It's been a great year, thanks to you all!

I'm looking forward to 2011. My New Year's resolution is to continue providing great content, fun, and news to readers.

Here's wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous 2011!
Viva,
Mike

Of Gilley's and Mechanical Bulls

Hi Vegas fans,

My source for important news, the Las Vegas Advisor, had a tidbit recently that made me most happy. It seems that Phil Ruffin, the guy who made a killing selling the Frontier at the right time (right before the market went south) and purchased Treasure Island (TI) at the perfect time (when the market went farther south than Key West), is opening a Gilley's at TI in April.

Yes, that Gilley's chain. The one that John Travolta hung out at in Urban Cowboy and the one where Debra Winger rode the mechanical bull, threatening his very manhood. I'm excited about the whole Gilley's and mechanical bull thing at TI.

No, I am not interested in riding the bull. I am about as much of an Urban Cowboy as... well, John Travolta in one of his other movies (maybe Saturday Night Fever). But, one of Gilley's finer attractions is bikini-clad ladies riding it.

In the last days of the Frontier, my buddy Steve and I hung out at the joint and wanted to spend a few of our entertainment dollars on the promise of some quality Bikini Bull Riding. We had just lost some money playing blackjack and craps, and the Russian cocktail waitress already knew me by my drink ("Rum and Coke?"). Needless to say, we were at the tables too long.

So we lined up for the big event only to find out that the bull was broken that night, and there would be no Bikini Bull Riding, or any sort of clothed or unclothed bull riding for that matter. Dang! What was a cowpoke to do? As I recall, I had been awake for approximately 16 straight days, so maybe it was time to call it a night.

Just a note to Phil... if the bull at TI is not functional by the time they open Gilley's, I will be very, very disappointed.

Viva,
Mike