Las Vegas ramblin', Dec 9-13

[doctor_al]

Posted a different TR elsewhere, will just hit the highlights here...

Stayed at 3 places - LV Hilton for a night (buddy got a great rate here), El Cortez for a night (tower room, $27.50 after tax + $5 slot credit +$5 matchplay + $5 dining credit), and Wynn for two nights (159/nite, + 50 in dining credit + 25 slot credit). Room rates are the #1 greatest thing about december trips.

Hilton was ok - didn't get one of the renovated rooms b/c I didn't want to spend an extra 50/nite! Book here is great for racing, and they turn the Theatre into NFL central on Sundays - $2 beers and dollar dogs. Great time there. Took a little money off a Pai Gow table, gave it back to the slots and VP.

El Cortez is a fave of mine. Love breakfast at Careful Kitty's, and prime rib at Roberta's, but this time they were out !? Hit on a couple NFL bets (placed here after breakfast but watched at Hilton), busted on the blackjack matchplay (top five worst dealer ever) even on the slot credit. Saw Jackie Gaughan even.

Wynn is a nice place to stay. I mean you know that going in, but still, service level, the bathroom, the views, very nice. Main complaint is the lack of lounges, basically just parasol Up (which is great, though).

Couple things I've never done in vegas:
1) play golf - went out to Angel Park and got around 9 for 25 including a cart (the after-2pm rate). Not the best condition course I've ever played, nor the hardest, but nice. JW Marriot and Suncoast look pretty nice from the outside...
2) saw a show - went to Mac King in the afternoon, fun and funny, but towards the end there seemed to be a fair amount of filler. "free with a drink" = $18/two tickets and a couple slushy drinks. would've seen more shows but wound up just hanging out with friends most of the time, and that's not all bad.

Also saw Big Elvis, and the Con Te Partira fountain show at Bellagio. Also saw a towering column of smoke coming from around Hooters - turns out somebody torched a small (defunct) storefront near there. Once we knew it wasnt serious, we joked about what happens when you put too many hot women too close together...

Lotsa construction. City Center and Wynn's Encore are starting to get off the ground. Venetian's Palazzo is mostly framed up. Trump's condo tower is up and almost completely faced. Westward Ho is now just a flat piece of ground. Nothing's happend to Stardust, except that there is a wall around it. Aladdin's casino is half converted to Planet Hollywood, lots of brown/black and white - lots of construction mess, stay away for a while.

Ate at Cafe BaBaReeba (spanish tapas, pretty good but not superlative); robertas (good but not great porterhouse); Ellis Island (ok steak, good for $5 but tending towards tough); Wynn's Buffet and also Cafe for breakfast (great, especially the cafe).

Overall, a very nice trip. Much as I like the El Co, I could get used to that Wynn thing...

[misterKeno]

Well done, Al. Well done.

Wow... from the el cortez to Wynn .. you cant cover much more of the spectrum i think. *smiles*

Sorry 'bout your steak at E.I. - it can be hit or miss. Usually it's a hit.

Everything you mentioned regarding construction is correct. I'll ad a 'bit' regarding aladdin. This place really doesnt warrant a visit. There are sections of the casino in which you will see vacant 'clumps' of 200 square feet with " " --- that's right, nothing. Just carpet. Well, the casino never made sense to me anyway.

Doc i have to ask you about the LVH 'theater'. I'm lost because i have heard of that term TONS of times. Is this just the sportsbook they're referring to with the 11 jumbo screens? Or, is it something different - if it is.... WHERE is it!?!?!?

Played some golf eh? Should you tell us your score, he he.

matthew

[doctor_al]

The Theatre is on the other side of the casino from the sports book/buffet side. I think it's where Manilow plays, 'cuz the bar in there is called the "Copacabana". Sports book seating is always minimal, books are mostly for race players, so it was nice to have a whole theatre to spread the NFL watchers out in. Plus the quality of the TV projections was awesome (some of those book TV's are kinda crappy).

Golf score I really don't know, the other guy kept the card. I'm usually a doubl-bogey golfer, which would be about 54. And considering the lack of any sort of practice for months, I'm pretty happy with that (and only losing one sleeve of balls).

[misterKeno]

Top notch stuff al. Top notch.

matthew

[GREGRIO]

TR's can be so helpful, THANKS DOC! The different oppinions,
updates on properties, restaurants, Shows...it really helps lots
of folks who have up coming trips.

I HAVEN'T HAD MY TURN AT WYNN YET! the timing of the offers
they've sent me, just don't work out (yet) From what most folks
say, IT COULD BE HABBIT FORMING.

I think Planet Hollywood is going to look good. The enterance is
still a pain in the ass, but upstairs is starting to come together...
...now we just need to wait and see how the gaming is!
And Matthew, next time you're in LVHilton, just walk streight back
along the Right hand side wall through the 'pit'...the Theatre is in
the back Right corner.
Thanks Al...alway good to hear a positive report!

[doctor_al]

Agreed, I think PH will look pretty nice all said and done. You could say that it's just an extension of the LA'ing of Mirage and Treasure Island, but I think it really works in that space.

But Desert Passage could be a disaster, design wise. Basically, as far as I can tell nothing new will be built in the Desert theme, but they're not re-facing anything until they have to, so it's kind of a mix of the new and the leftover.

[GREGRIO]

Well, it never had that much of a desert theme anyway...
the stereotypical/Arab/designed store fronts aren't that
impressive...nothing really WOW or special...HOWEVER,
...talk about change and a new design look,
TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEW 'STEVE WYRICK' THEATRE!
Even though it's 'opening' has been announced and canceled,
announced and canceled...3,4,? times now, IT IS COMING.
Latest news is it will be early January now...and it looks nothing
like anything else in Desert Passage. Maybe the look will slowly
start to change in the future once Planet Hollywood opens for real...