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$5

ANTHONY CURTIS’ May 2019 Vol. 36 LasVegasAdvisor Issue 5

KAOS Palms leads this year’s pack of cool pools … pgs. 9, 12

PARK AT THE WYNN! Strip giant first to bail on paid parking … pg. 1

NEW SPORTS BOOK IN TOWN Indie lines good for the players … pgs. 2, 11

IPSWITCH CLAMS Get ’em on the Strip … pg. 5

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COUPONOMY The Big 2020 Losing Steam by Anthony Curtis So maybe it won’t be all about 2020 after all. For a while, it seemed like there wasn’t a project on the boards that wasn’t debuting in 2020, but there’s been Wynn Cans Paid Parking some adjusting of timetables. First, the MSG Sphere announced that it was pushing back to 2021. This Someone finally blinked. month, both the Drew and Virgin announced delays (see Effective immediately, Wynn Las Vegas and Encore News), though the latter is still aiming for late 2020. Circa will no longer charge for self-parking. The gates at the claims it’s gonna make it, but it’ll be close. And does garage entrances will be removed, but the enhanced anyone really think Resorts World won’t reschedule at parking features—e.g., the lighted guidance system— least once or twice more? That leaves the Raiders sta- will remain. The valet parking situation won’t change: dium and the Las Vegas Convention Center, which are Valet parking is free for hotel guests; non-guests who both pretty good bets to make deadline. n spend $50 or more onsite receive validation that cancels the charge. What happened? Learn From a Bookie Wynn’s front office didn’t share its reasoning with me, or with anyone else in the media, but it didn’t have to. We’ve maintained from day one that paid parking Our new book Then One Day—Recollections From wasn’t gonna fly with the customers. And that became 40 Years of Bookmaking in Nevada will be back from even more likely when several casinos declined to par- the printer early this month. In addition to being a fun ticipate. Resort fees are different. One casino added read with lots of stories about the author’s bookmaking them, then they all did (minus Four Queens), and that experiences, it’s also an excellent starting point for those was that—there was no way to avoid them. But when interested in learning about as it continues Venetian/Palazzo, TI, SLS, Station, Boyd, and others to be legalized across the country. Here’s an example of didn’t follow suit on parking, the customers had a choice. the type of information you’ll find. The breaking of casino ranks was also an indication that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. It wasn’t. Behind the positive proclamations and deflecting comments rela- A Point Better Back in the Stardust days, giving an extra point to a tive to sagging numbers, customer dissatisfaction had good or otherwise influential customer wasn’t that uncom- to be showing up on the balance sheets. Let’s put it this mon. It might not have been a completely kosher business way: Wynn didn’t dump paid parking to be nice. practice, but it wasn’t technically against any regulations. An So what about the others? MGM, Caesars, and extra point in basketball, where the numbers all have similar Cosmo (it’s only these three, by the way) continue to value, would raise the player’s win percentage by 2%-3%. charge for parking. To think that only Wynn was being The value varies in football, depending on the number (taking affected adversely is foolish. But following the Wynn +4 on a bet that should be +3 would be huge, while taking announcement, an executive at MGM (“Many Gouging +9 on a game that should be +8 wouldn’t mean nearly as Maneuvers”?) commented that Wynn’s “independent much). decision won’t change ours going forward.” Really? Years later, Nevada Gaming instituted a regulation that Then choke on it, boys. a line had to be available for anyone to bet it, meaning you Now that I think about it, to say that Wynn “blinked” couldn’t offer a deal to just one person. It might be done on isn’t cool, because it implies weakness, and what Wynn occasion today, but it’s definitely against gaming regulations. did wasn’t weak. It assessed the situation, realized a mistake, and fixed it. Good job! Who’s next? n continued on next page

MAY 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 1 Couponomy continued … The Palms Digs Whale Digs Double Windowing An age-old battle between the bookmaker and the bettor As part of the epic remake of the Palms (the nearly $700 is the attempted circumvention of betting limits. The books million is the highest for a casino remodel in Las Vegas his- impose limits for risk management and protection against mis- tory), the casino has opened three new super-suites. The takes. On the other side, bettors who find a good situation Kingpin Suite is 4,500 square feet and boasts a full-sized two- want to bet as much as possible without moving the number. lane bowling alley with an automatic scoring system (shoes One method of getting around the limit is known as are free); it goes for $15,000 per night. The Hardwood is a “double windowing.” If the limit is $1,000, for example, a 10,000-square-foot bi-level with two bedrooms, game room, guy might bet $750 with one writer, then move to another hidden whiskey room, and basketball court. It’s large enough window and bet it again. Or a team of two could hit two win- to host a party of 300 and goes for $20,000 per night. The dows simultaneously. The advent of betting apps and kiosks Empathy is “only” 9,000 square feet, but it houses two loung- introduced more ways to beat the limits, but the bookmakers es, a 13-seat bar, two massage rooms, fitness room, healing countered with more stringent approval protocols. Requiring salt room, outdoor veranda and cantilevered Jacuzzi, and approval means that a big bet can be held up while someone 52-seat theater. The suite retails for $100,000 per night (two- surveys the situation before approving it. night minimum), though it’s reserved mainly for million-dollar players. And if you want to live at the Palms, you can buy Phil Beards and Movers Maloof’s penthouse that occupies the entire 58th-floor rooftop A “beard” or a “mover” is someone who’s betting for of the condo tower for a cool $15 million, down someone else (usually a wiseguy). A beard is usually sent from $38 million, the asking price in 2014. in specifically to keep the identity of the person making the bet hidden, while a mover might be tied into a bigger bet- ting operation, or syndicate, that employs workers to get Virgin—The changeover from Hard Rock to Virgin their bets down. Las Vegas will take place almost a year later than origi- I’ve never made it a point to throw out wiseguys, nally planned. Work on the switch was scheduled to beards, or movers, but I like to know if a bet coming in begin early this fall and be completed in the spring of is from a sharp guy or not. When it’s a stranger, I have to 2020. However, the scope of the project has expanded guess if it’s just a public bettor with a lot of money or some- to the point that construction had to be postponed until one betting for someone who knows what he’s doing. February. The property will remain open as the Hard Rock for the first few months of work, then close some- See the wrap to order at a discount. n time in the second quarter, with the reopening as Virgin scheduled for November 2020. Lucky Dragon—The 2.5-acre Lucky Dragon was purchased for $36 million by Las Vegas-based Ahern Rentals. The new owner says it will be reopened as a NEWS non-casino hotel and under a different name. A time- table was not disclosed. Mirage-TI Tram—The two-car 100-passenger tram Downtown Sports Books—The Nevada Gam- that has run between and Treasure Island ing Commission has approved the license for Derek since TI opened in 1993 is back in service after closing Stevens’ Circa Sports, clearing the way for the new early last year for a complete renovation. The tram runs full-service sports book at the Golden Gate to open on 9 am to 1 am Sunday through Thursday and until 3 am June 1. A satellite book will also open at the D. Both are on Friday and Saturday intended to blaze the trail for the giant sports book at Atlantic City—Ocean Resort Casino has officially Circa, which last month poured the concrete for its foun- changed its name to Ocean Casino Resort. Good one! dation and is on schedule to open in December 2020. LAS VEGAS 3665 Procyon Street • Las Vegas, NV 89103 The Drew—The owner of the Drew Hotel-Casino (702) 252-0655 • (702) 252-0675 Fax has announced that the opening of the former Fontaine- ADVISOR e-mail: [email protected] • Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com Publisher: Anthony Curtis Customer Service: Nicole Watchus bleau on the north end of the Strip has been postponed Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Shipping & Receiving: Scotch Henderson by a year and a half. The delay in opening the 67-story Accounting: John Leitner Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob Production Manager: Laurie Cabot Dancer, Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot Krause, 3,800-room tower that was mothballed in 2009 is being Web Manager: Tanya Maynard Bradley Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott blamed on the amount of time that was spent on design Research Assistant: Brenda Stewart Cover Image: Clint Jenkins work for the reopening. Originally scheduled for a late LAS VEGAS ADVISOR (ISSN 1064-167X USPS 008602) is published monthly and is available for $50 per year ($60 Canadian; $70 foreign purchasers) and $5 per single issue at 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV, 89103. POSTMASTER: Send address 2020 debut, the grand opening has been moved back to changes to Las Vegas Advisor, 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. All information is current at press time. Listed offerings are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press ©2019 the second quarter of 2022.

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MAY 2019 Arkansas—The state’s first two legal casinos (Arkansas has a long history of illegal gambling houses) Las Vegas’ Top Ten Values have opened at racetracks. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot springs has 1,300 machines and eight 1. Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99 table games. Southland Casino and Racing in West 2. Buffet • Palace Station • Daily • $9.99-$16.99 Memphis has 2,000 machines and 40 tables. 3. Mac King • Harrah’s • Tues.–Sat. • $14.98 California—Harrah’s Northern California has opened 4. Hot Dog • South Point • Daily • $1.25 in Amador County south of Sacramento in a partnership 5. Beer • Stage Door • 24 hours • $1 between Caesars Entertainment and the Buena Vista 6. Shrimp Cocktail • Skyline • Daily • $2.25 Rancheria Me-Wuk tribe. The 71,000-square-foot casino 7. Breakfast • Club Fortune • Daily • $1.99/$2.99 has 1,000 slots and 20 table games. 8. $1 Blackjack • Hooters • 24 hours • $1.20 New York—The casino portion of Monticello Casino 9. Lunch • Planet Hollywood • Daily • $4.99 & Raceway has closed. It’s the first to close in New York 10. No Resort Fee • Four Queens • Daily • $39 and up since racinos were approved there in 2001. Monticello owner Empire Resorts, which recently opened Resorts The Ellis Island steak dinner remains in the top World Catskills nearby, said the casinos were too close spot. Served 24/7 in the Café, get the $7.99 price by in proximity for both to continue operating. The harness playing at least $5 in any slot machine with your club track remains open. card inserted, then downloading the required dis- Virginia—The Colonial Downs horse-racing track, count coupon from an EI kiosk. The Feast Buffet at closed since 2014, has reopened as Rosie’s Gaming Palace Station (#2) is our choice for Las Vegas’ best Emporium, a slots-only casino with machines that use buffet when considering the combination of quality horse-racing results to derive their outcomes. The track and price; get the listed prices by showing a Board- is expected to reopen in August. ing Pass card. Get a ticket to the Mac King Comedy Statistics—Nevada’s statewide gambling win was Magic Show and a drink for $14.98 by asking at down .6% in February compared to the same month the players club booth (#3). The hot dogs at South last year, a second consecutive decline. The Strip win Point (#4) are sold from a cart in the sports book was down 2.0%, while downtown was up 9.0%. North- from 10 am until they close down the cart around 5 ern Nevada’s results didn’t help the state’s total, as the pm. Michelob, Michelob Light, or Bud Light in the win was down big in Reno (-7.7%), North Lake Tahoe bottle are $1 at the Stage Door slot house on Fla- (-24.7%), and South Lake Tahoe (-26.6%). mingo, just east of the Strip (#5). We found another Visitation was up for the third month in a row, rising $1-beer deal this month (see Entertainment), but it’s by 1.9%. An 8.5% increase in convention attendance not nearly as well-located as the Stage Door. The contributed to the result. Skyline shrimp cocktail (#6) is available 24/7 at the Airline traffic also increased, up 1.8%. Allegiant Air main bar. The Club Fortune breakfast (#7) served in will begin round-trip service between McCarran and LAX the Club Café is bacon or sausage & eggs for $1.99 th on June 5. It will be the 54 city that Allegiant serves out weekdays from 6 to 11 am and ham & eggs for n of Las Vegas. $2.99 on weekends during the same hours. Hoot- ers’ $1-minimum blackjack game (#8) runs 24/7 in the pit; naturals pay even money on bets of $1-$4. Sports Betting Scorecard The $1.20 listed cost is your expected loss for one hour of play at these stakes. Everything on the lunch menu is $4.99 at Ocean One in the Desert Passage Court is in session with regard to New Hampshire’s Mall at Planet Hollywood; lunch hours are 11:30 am challenge of the U.S. Justice Department’s Wire Act to 4 pm daily. The Four Queens takes the #10 spot opinion that threatens online gambling operations, as the last major casino still not charging a resort including New Hampshire’s lottery. The DOJ has since fee. It’s old-school Vegas all the way here, with good stated that its opinion did not address lotteries. How- video poker at the bar and a fast-comping players ever, it didn’t go so far as to say lotteries are exempt, club. and the lawsuit continues. The District Court judge presiding over the case denied the government’s move operations prior to the conclusion of its inaugural sea- to dismiss, declared that the Wire Act is a grammati- son. The new league had intended to be gambling- cal mess, called the issues “the most challenging [he friendly, but opened too far in front of widespread has] seen in 26 years on the federal bench,” and said he legalization and didn’t catch on with current sports bet- expects that the case will ultimately be decided by the tors. The AAF Championship game had been slated to Supreme Court. be played in Las Vegas. The Alliance of American Football (AAF) suspended continued on next page

MAY 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3 News continued … for $14.95. It comes with a fresh salad and choice of potato. This one spent some time in the Top Ten several years ago. It’s still good, but no longer Top Ten-worthy. Isleta Resort near Albuquerque is preparing to open The second is an old favorite, the $15.95 special at a sports book. It’s the third Indian casino in New Mexico Jackson’s Bar & Grill. Jackson’s prime rib to do so. This one comes with Bills to legalize sports betting are on the desks of choice of potato and green the governors in Iowa and Indiana. Oregon and Montana beans; salad is an extra are also said to be close. $2. It’s the best in town Follow the progress of sports betting legalization for the size of the prime across the country and track developments as they alone (you can see what occur via our blog and map at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n we mean by comparing the photos) and only the avail- ability precludes Jackson’s from being a sure-bet Top Tenner—it’s available on DINING Mondays only. Roasted, not zapped in a microwave, they start serving at noon and continue until they run out. Call ahead to confirm availability. Jackson’s also Nickel Coneys serves 24/7 rib-eye specials—a 10-ouncer for $14.49 and a 16-ouncer for $16.39. Get the 10-ounce steak comped for $100 in video poker play with the offer in the nd To celebrate the 102 birthday of its original res- Member Rewards Book. taurant on W. Lafayette Boulevard in downtown Detroit, As for a Top Ten prime rib, we’ll keep looking. n American Coney Island at the D will sell Coney dogs for their original price of 5¢ on May 9. The offer runs from 11 am to noon only, one per customer, and you must Moneyline Burger have exact change. That 5¢ price in 1917 apparently didn’t go up too rapidly, as Anthony Curtis’ father, who worked at the The new Moneyline competing Senate Coney Island on Michigan Avenue, sports book at Park told of saving his wages in the early ’40s to see a movie MGM is more like a bar and buy a couple of hot dogs for a quarter. The dogs are than a book and we $4 today and you can get two for that price with the offer didn’t expect we’d spend in the MRB. The American Coney Island at the D is the a lot of time there. That company’s only location outside of Michigan. n is, until we heard that it serves a cheeseburger in the attached Side Betty Prime Rib Grill that’s famous in Chicago. Sure enough, Side Betty’s food service We don’t have a prime rib deal in the Top Ten for is managed by Hogsalt Hospitality, the owner of Chica- the third month in a row. It’s not like we’ve always had go’s Au Cheval; a version of its cheeseburger is served one in the list, but prime rib and Las Vegas kind of go at Side Betty for $10. We checked it out. The burger together and there’s usually a prime deal out there that is smallish, topped with onions and pickles only, and belongs. The previous best South Point prime rib doesn’t come with fries. Two of us ordered it cooked was at Klondike Sunset, differently, but both came out the same, medium. The but after it took a dive, we burger was good, so we didn’t complain, but no one haven’t found a new one to was raving, either. n fill the spot. Now we’re on the hunt and this month we tried two. Boathouse Sushi First was the prime rib special at South Point, served in the Coronado Café All-you-can-eat sushi for $17.95. That’s the deal daily from 11 am to 11 pm Mon.-Fri. from 4 to 6 pm in the Boathouse at Palace

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MAY 2019 Station. It’s one of the few AYCE sushi specials you’ll attachments. We saw an obscure ad to the effect that find in a Las Vegas casino. There are some pretty good “side pieces” eat free. Who knows? Bring a date and ones in Reno, but for some reason, they never seem there might be a twofer to be had. n to quite make the grade when they show up here. The Boathouse follows that pattern—it’s a great price and pretty good quality, but this one has some kinks DJ’s Clam Shack to work out. There’s a long counter with an area that fronts the sushi chefs, but you can’t order directly from them. All orders have to go through the waitresses, but For fans of fried clams and conch fritters, the since they’re not experienced in the format, they aren’t options in Las Vegas have been slim to none. No longer. prepared (or DJ’s Clam Shack (originally opened in 2009 on Duval inclined) to Street in the heart of old-town Key West, Florida) has take rapid- hit the Boulevard. The new Las Vegas DJ’s is located in fire orders. the Boulevard Food Court on the east side of the Strip OK, just order across from Park MGM and next to the defunct Hawai- more, right? ian Marketplace. It shares space with a Fatburger, Tacos Nope. The rule Papí for fast Mexican, Masala Express for Indian, and a is two orders at pizza/wings counter. a time. Urp! If you’re like us, when you hear the word Ipswich, We rec- you have an immediate Pavlovian response that conjures ommend two thoughts of perhaps the best fried clams in the continen- California and spicey tuna rolls at Boathouse tacks. One, tal United States. DJ’s serves Ipswich clams and they’re don’t go in for the real deal, tender soft-shell clam bodies, bellies and a sushi gorge. Expect the orders to come slowly and you all, coated in special crumbs and deep-fried crunchy- won’t be disappointed. The rolls here are better than the crisp. Irresistible! They’re not cheap, $29 for a basket or nigiri, so go that route for both taste and sushi density. roll, but this is the only place we’ve ever seen them in Or two, don’t do AYCE. The AYCE hours coincide with Vegas and with the fries, one order can easily feed two. the regular happy hour, during which several of the rolls We also tried the lobster roll, a relative bargain at are half-price. Ordering two or three rolls off the menu $18 for eight big chunks (claw, knuckle, and tail meat) will be easier and cost less. Be sure to spend at least in a grilled-to-perfection bun. By comparison, the roll at $20 and you can use the Member Rewards offer to get Lobster Me at the Miracle Mile and Grand Canal malls $10 off. n is $24. Middleneck steamers are $14 for 18 (78¢ each) and come in a classic garlic broth. These are good, too. DJ’s also serves New England clam chowder ($7), grilled Side Piece Pizza or fried shrimp ($14), and conch fritters ($11). Our bill for the roll, steamers, and Ipswich basket came to $69.28. n

Part of the highly anticipated Greene Street Kitchen, Side Piece Pizza is a cool little quick-stop at the Palms. Slater’s 50/50 The menu is the smallest we’ve ever seen for a pizza place: cheese ($5 for a slice and $26 for a pie), bianca, pepperoni, veggie, and meat lover ($7/$30), and Sicilian- Slater’s 50/50 is a beer-and-burger sports bar with style cheese and pepperoni ($8-$9 per slice). There’s 11 locations around the west, including one in Las Vegas also canned beer ($7) and wine ($11). That’s it. that opened last year on Silverado Ranch Blvd. a couple This is quintessential New York-style pizza, with a miles from South Point. The hook here is bacon—in ways crust that some might consider a step above Cosmo’s that you might not have imagined it could (or should?) Secret Pizza, TI’s Francesco’s, and Miracle Mile’s Pin- be used. You can try bacon mac & cheese balls, bacon Up Pizza. It’s slightly thicker, but coming from a very hot chicharron, balsamic-bacon dressing, caramel-bacon oven, it’s just as crisp and pliable as its thinner coun- kettle corn, jalapeno-bacon jam, bacon ketchup, sriracha terparts and it doesn’t get at all soggy in time. While it bacon, bacon brownies, bacon cocktails—you get the might seem a little expensive, these are big hearty slices; idea. The 50/50 part signifies half ground beef and half one is plenty for a typical eater. And it’s an easy in-and- bacon (made from ground hickory-smoked center-cut out with free parking and late-night hours, Thurs.-Sun. pork belly). The combination produces a dense burger, (4 am). whose color is generally reddish, whether you order it About the name. UrbanDictionary.com defines rare or well. The toppings are out there. For example, the “side piece” as a girl or guy you call up at 2 am with no continued on page 8

MAY 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 5 ADVANCE PLANNER—HEADLINERS AND EVENTS

MAY 5/11 • Carrie Underwood 5/25 • Rockin’ In Paradise: Styx Tribute 5/3 • Juice WRLD MGM Grand • $49.50–$99.50 Suncoast • $19/$22 Hard Rock • $39.50–$132 5/11 • CSN Express: Tribute 5/25 • Spyro Gyra 5/3 • Nicky Jam • Cosmo • $71–$201 Suncoast • $19.95/$22.94 Aliante Casino • $35–$50 5/3 • Pablo Cruise 5/11 • Fred Armisen Comedy 5/25–5/26 • Sebastian Maniscalco Golden Nugget • $49–$109 Brooklyn Bowl • $30–$55 Wynn LV • $59.50–$155 5/3 • Passion Pit: Manners 5/11 • Guess Who • Silverton • $25/$40 5/26 • MBay • $29/$122 5/11 • Picnic at The Park MGM Grand • $39.50–$129.50 5/3 • Savage Society • Hard Rock • $20 Park MGM • $199/$265 5/26 • Juanes • MBay • $41 5/3 • Violent Femmes 5/12 • Abba the Concert: Abba Tribute 5/26 • Sponge • Rio • $23 Brooklyn Bowl • $35.50–$60.50 Cannery • $19.95–$103 5/26 • Third Eye Vision 5/3–5/4 • 80’s In the Desert • Rio • $225 5/14 • Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers Brooklyn Bowl • $27/$30 5/3–5/4 • Arch Allies • Orleans • $20/$30 Silverton • $25/$55 5/29 • Machine Gun Kelly 5/3–5/4 • Bruno Mars 5/14–5/31 • Celine Dion Palms • $44–$205 Park MGM • $171–$1,100 Caesars Palace • $88–$689 5/30 • Lady Gaga Enigma 5/3–5/5 • Sarge • South Point • $25 5/15–5/25 • Carlos Santana Park MGM • $82.57–$344.95 5/4 • Buckcherry MBay • $99–$374 5/30 • Summer Jam Brooklyn Bowl • $30/$35 5/16 • Adam Beyer x Cirez D Cosmo • $29–$225 5/4 • Canelo Alvarez vs Danny Jacobs Downtown Events Center • $60 5/31 • Jay & The Americans T-Mobile • $305–$2,505 5/16–5/30 • Frankie Moreno Golden Nugget • $39–$129 5/4 • Countess Luann De Lesseps South Point • $20–$30 5/31 • Tal Wilkenfeld Mirage • $65–$108 5/17 • Florence + The Machine Brooklyn Bowl • $20/$22 5/4 • Gary Allan • M Resort • $22–$42 T-Mobile • $39.50–$109 5/31–6/1 • EMERGE 5/4 • Phil Lesh & Friends 5/17 • Jay Leno • Mirage • $65–$87 Hard Rock • $130/$199 Hard Rock • $40/$110 5/17 • Sommor 5/31–6/2 • Jo Koy 5/4 • Seth Meyers Aliante Casino • $35–$50 Wynn LV • $49.50–$119.50 Wynn LV • $49.50–$119.50 5/17–5/19 • Electric Daisy Carnival 5/31–6/2 • Kingston Trio 5/4 • Unraveling the Wilburys: Tribute LVMS • $319–$779 South Point • $25–$35 Cannery • $26/$29 5/17–5/19 • Winter Dance Party 5/31–6/8 • Anita Baker 5/4–5/5 • Taking Back Sunday South Point • $25–$35 Venetian • $94–$201 MBay • $35–$55 5/17–5/26 • Janet Jackson 5/31–9/27 • Shin Lim 5/4–5/5 • PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing Park MGM • $72–$559 Mirage • $50.99–$70.99 T&M • $25–$405 5/18 • Jim Gaffigan JUNE 5/5 • Clintons • Park MGM • $72–$228 Wynn LV • $59.50–$129.50 6/1 • Spinners & Thelma Houston 5/5 • Colin Hay 5/18 • Johnny Marr Cannery • $24–$59 Brooklyn Bowl • $35/$40 Brooklyn Bowl • $32–$45 6/1–6/8 • Celine Dion 5/5 • Pepe Aguilar’s Jaripeo 5/18 • Lou Gramm & Asia Caesars Palace • $109–$799 MGM Grand • $49–$249 Cannery • $39–$89 6/1–6/14 • Lady Gaga Enigma 5/5–5/6 • Rodeo Showdown at Helldorado 5/18 • Snow Patrol Park MGM • $82.57–$344.95 Days • T&M • $15–$80 Hard Rock • $36–$55 6/1–11/16 • Bert Kreischer • Mirage • $54–$98 5/5–5/26 • Matt Goss • Mirage • $27–$91 5/18 • Sommore • Suncoast • $35–$50 6/2 • Brown Sabbath 5/7–5/12 • Billy Ray Cyrus 5/18 • Tom Segura: Take It Down Tour Brooklyn Bowl • $18/$20 Orleans • $19–$32 Cosmo • $29–$59 6/2–6/9 • Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano 5/8 • Songs for Our Planet 5/18 • Whitney Cummings Park MGM • $170–$505 Brooklyn Bowl • $20/$500 Orleans • $44–$64 6/2–6/16 • Matt Goss • Mirage • $27–$91 5/8 • Yngwie Malmsteen 5/18–11/9 • Tim Allen • Mirage • $65–$87 6/3 • Snarky Puppy MBay • $27.50 5/24 • Herman’s Hermits Brooklyn Bowl • $30–$50 5/9 • Leilani Wolfgramm Golden Nugget • $49–$139 6/5 • American Aquarium Hard Rock • $12/$20 5/24 • Lil Mosey Brooklyn Bowl • $15/$20 5/10 • Association Brooklyn Bowl • $20–$100 6/5 • Hillsong United Golden Nugget • $29–$109 5/24 • Sands Cares INSPIRE w/Kelly Hard Rock • $28–$250 5/10 • Jenny Lewis • MBay • $25–$40 Clarkson • Venetian • $92–$442 6/5–6/15 • Diana Ross 5/10 • Hollywood Vampires 5/24–5/26 • Air Supply • Orleans • $41–$61 Wynn LV • $60.50–$301 Hard Rock • $36–$224 5/24–5/26 • Gabriel Iglesias 6/6–6/15 • Barry Manilow 5/10–5/11 • Daniel Tosh • Mirage • $65–$104 Mirage • $65–$98 Westgate LV • $39.75–$329.75 5/10–5/12 • Gary Puckett and The Union Gap 5/24–5/26 • Rob Schneider 6/7 • Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals South Point • $30–$40 South Point • $35–$45 Golden Nugget • $39–$129 5/10–5/18 • Lady Antebellum 5/25 • All Elite Wrestling 6/7–6/8 • Jeff Ross & Dave Attell Palms • $32–$275 MGM Grand • $39–$1,000 Mirage • $43–$65 5/11 • Ariana Grande 5/25 • New Kids On The Block 6/8 • 4NR: Foreigner Tribute T-Mobile • $49.95–$224.95 MBay • $29.95–$139.95 Cannery • $19.95/$22.94

6 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MAY 2019 ADVANCE PLANNER—HEADLINERS AND EVENTS

6/8 • Dizzy Wright 6/23 • Long Beach Dub Allstars SHOW NOTES Brooklyn Bowl • $22–$150 Brooklyn Bowl • $22/$25 6/8 • P.O.D. w/Nonpoint, Islander, 6/26–6/29 • Reba, Brooks & Dunn • Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel in Nine Shrines • Hard Rock • $26 Caesars Palace • $55–$189 Concert has opened at Harrah’s; tickets 6/13 • Chris Webby w/Grieves, Lock- 6/28 • Coheed/Cambria/Mastodon are $65.66/$90.46/$125.66/$157. smith, Ekoh • Hard Rock • $23 Hard Rock • $40–$114 6/13–6/27 • Frankie Moreno 6/28 • Gary Lewis & The Playboys • Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox South Point • $20–$30 Golden Nugget • $29–$109 Hideaway has opened at the Mirage; 6/14 • Buttertones • Hard Rock • $18/$29 6/28–6/29 • Pablo Francisco tickets are $55.58-$99.18. 6/14 • Blue October South Point • $20–$30 • “Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club” has Brooklyn Bowl • $29.50–$49.50 6/28–6/29 • Paul McCartney opened in Promenade; tickets 6/14 • POCO T-Mobile • $49.50–$520 are $53.76/$65.66/$90.46. Golden Nugget • $29–$109 6/28–6/29 • The Platters • Orleans • $19/$25 6/14 • Sublime w/Rome • MBay • $56 6/28–6/29 • Ron White • Mirage • $68–$88 • Ticket prices for Blond Invasion The Show 6/14–6/15 • George Lopez 6/29 • DSB: An American Journey in the V Theater at Planet Hollywood have Mirage • $65–$87 Suncoast • $19.95/$22.94 been decreased from $79.98/$89.98 to 6/14–6/16 • Ricky Nelson Remembered 6/29 • Dio Returns $76.98/$86.98. South Point • $20–$30 Brooklyn Bowl • $29.99–$39.99 6/15 • Adam Sandler & Friends 6/29 • Judas Priest Cosmo • $49–$179 Hard Rock • $40–$63 6/15 • Bryan Callen & Brendan Schaub 6/29–6/30 • Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp Orleans • $49–$64 Hard Rock • $20/$45 6/15 • Bobby Brown + Bell Biv Devoe JULY Hard Rock • $34–$170 7/2–7/9 • Aerosmith 6/15 • Jennifer Lopez It’s My Party Park MGM • $215–$688 T-Mobile • $59–$320 7/3–7/6 • Reba, Brooks & Dunn 6/15 • Joan Osborne Caesars Palace • $55–$189 Aliante Casino • $50.65–$73.45 7/3–7/6 • Robbie Williams 6/15 • Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano Wynn LV • $59.50–$250 Park MGM • $205–$399 7/4 • Mystic Roots Band • MBay • $20 6/15 • Mirage: Visions of Fleetwood Mac 7/5 • Godsmack • Hard Rock • $49.50 Suncoast • $19/$22 7/5 • Joe Rogan • Mirage • $90/$100 6/15 • Pat Green • M Resort • $22–$42 7/5 • Sinbad 6/15 • Ziggy Marley and Michael Franti Green Valley Ranch • $25–$45 & Spearhead • MBay • $48/$87 7/5–7/7 • It Takes Two 6/16 • Anderson, Paak & The Free South Point • $20–$30 Nationals • Palms • $92–$386 7/6 • Iliza • Mirage • $33–$55 6/18 • Chromeo 7/6 • Jon Bellion Brooklyn Bowl • $30–$65 MBay • $49.50–$69.50 6/19–6/29 • Aerosmith 7/6 • Ocean Alley • Rio • $18 Park MGM • $215–$688 7/6 • Pentatonix 6/19–6/29 • Robbie Williams MBay • $29.50–$129.50 Wynn LV • $59.50–$250 7/6 • UFC 239 6/20 • Drive-By Truckers T-Mobile • $210–$850 Brooklyn Bowl • $30 7/6 • Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe 6/21 • Greg Kihn Band Cannery • $29–$99 Golden Nugget • $29–$109 7/9 • Los Campesinos! 6/21 • Kathleen Madigan Brooklyn Bowl • $22/$25 Mirage • $33–$55 7/12 • Celeste Barber 6/21 • Rhett & Link • GVR • $37.50–$70 Cannery • $19–$32 6/21–6/22 • Clean Up Crew 7/12 • Hammer’s House Party South Point • $20–$30 Palms • $45–$220 6/21–6/22 • Jerry Seinfeld 7/12 • Melissa Etheridge Caesars Palace • $82.50–$165 Wynn LV • $49.50–$150 6/22 • Hootie & the Blowfish 7/13 • Celeste Barber T-Mobile • $29.50–$129.50 Orleans • $19–$32 6/22 • Jay Leno • Mirage • $65–$87 7/13 • Gary Owen 6/22 • Khalid: Free Spirit Tour Palms • $39.95–$89.95 MGM Grand • $39.95–$79.95 7/13 • Howard Jones, Men Without 6/22 • Queensrÿche and Skid Row Hats, All Hail The Silence See inside wrap for “Weather,” Cannery • $29–$69 Cannery • $24–$184 “Room Rates,” and “Key Dates.”

MAY 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7 Dining continued … Reader Leader

Reader-board signs inside the Golden Gate are adver- original 50/50 burger comes with a fried egg, the P.B. tising that the original Golden Gate shrimp cocktail is now & Jellousy is definitely the only peanut-butter-and-jelly available at its partner restaurant 7th & Carson. I phoned the bacon burger in town, and the 50 Alarm Burger (so hot restaurant and they said they’d be selling it for 18 months. The you have to sign a waiver to eat it) has grilled jalapeños, price is $9.99, but you can also use your ONE Club points. habañero-bacon spread, spicy fried peppers, and an LVA: We’ve always wondered when that shrimp cocktail egg, all topped with chile powder. There’s also a bacon- would show up again, but $9.99? That’s the price it was for stuffed and bacon-wrapped hot dog. a long time at Golden Gate, minus the first “9,” of course, The prices are typical for a sports bar—$7.99 for and it’s 20 times the original price of 50¢. We’ll have to be starters, $13 for salads and wings, up to $17 for the convinced. Porkapalooza Platter and most expensive burger. You can get off a little more cheaply weekdays from 11 am to 3 pm with the $10 lunch deal for your choice from The Crack Shack, a gourmet fried-chicken chain out three burgers, a few flatbreads, and Caesars or Cobb of California, will open at Park MGM this summer. salads. Slater’s also has a full bar and pours 50 craft A branch of L.A.’s Roaring Twenties-inspired res- beers from the tap; members of the 50/50 Club get one taurant and lounge Delilah has been announced for the beer every day for $30 a month (think about it; that can’t Wynn with an opening date in 2020. be good). We tried the original 50/50 and P.B. & Jellousy Saga Pastry + Sandwich, the first Las Vegas restau- from the lunch special. It’s not exactly light fare, but we rant we’ve heard of to specialize in Scandinavian fare, were pleasantly surprised by both burgers; peanut but- has opened at 10345 S. Eastern Avenue. ter, jelly, bacon, and a burger turn out to be not a bad Steel City Sandwich, serving “burgh-style” sand- combo. It was certainly a conversation starter back at wiches from Pittsburgh, has opened in the Hard Hat bar the office. n at 1675 Industrial Road. Las Vegas’ first location of the breakfast/lunch franchise Broken Yolk has opened in the Town Square Dining Notes shopping district. A Hello Kitty café is opening in June in The Park out- side of T-Mobile Arena. It will feature baked goods, teas, Two in the Top 30—After considering AAA and and coffees. Michelin ratings, 250 combined reviews on Google and After announcing that it was closing, Las Vegas’ Yelp, and editorial reviews, the news and opinion web- original Macayo’s on E. Charleston will now remain open site 24/7WallSt.com compiled a list of the 30 best U.S. pending a possible sale. restaurants that includes two from Las Vegas. Yep, it’s Zippy’s, the 52-year-old Hawaiian restaurant chain, the big two again: Joel Robuchon (MGM Grand) was has announced the Las Vegas location of its first main- ranked 11th and Restaurant Guy Savoy (Caesars Palace) land restaurant. The 7,000-square-foot restaurant and was ranked 19th. New York led all cities with eight in the bakery, plus a 12,000-square-foot commercial kitchen, listing, including Le Bernadin at number one and Eleven will be built on vacant land about five miles southwest Madison Park at number two. Los Angeles and San of the Strip. Originally scheduled to open early this year, Francisco garnered three listings each. Zippy’s is now set to debut in 2020. Most Starbucks—Las Vegas has the most Star- Culinary Dropout has closed at the Hard Rock and bucks outlets per capita in cities of 100,000 or more. been replaced by Craft + Community Bar & Grill. According to Apartment Guide, Las Vegas has 10 Star- Shizen has closed at Rampart and has been bucks for every 5,100 residents, a total of 125 stores. n replaced with Jade Asian Kitchen & Noodles. The MGM Grand Sports Deli has closed. It was the Stage Deli for 23 years before switching to the Sports Openings/Closings Deli, but this is the end of the line for delis of any kind in that location; it will be replaced by a Starbucks. The Diamond Chinese restaurant in Sonny’s Saloon Two high-end restaurants, along with Side Piece on Sammy Davis Jr. Dr. has closed (with rumors that Pizza (reviewed above), have opened at the Palms. Sonny’s is next). That means no more fukien fried rice Shark is a seafood restaurant from celebrity chef Bobby (yes, that was a real menu item). Flay. Greene Street Kitchen serves expensive Ameri- The second Goodwich that opened on the west side can fare; enter via a door that looks like a cola vending of town last year has closed. The original sandwich shop machine stationed in an old-time video arcade. remains open downtown (LVA 9/16). n

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MAY 2019 year) are open to the public in some form, though there’s ENTERTAINMENT often an admission charge. As always, things change and some information hasn’t been divulged yet. So while the chart below is comprehensive and up to date as of late April, some of it may become dated over the course Pool Season of the season. Use this information as a starting point, then verify by phone. n A change in entertainment preferences notwith- standing (see “Mega-Shift?”), one entertainment seg- ment that isn’t going anywhere is daylife, as all the major Mega-Shift? resorts continue to battle to attract the big-spending pool partiers. This year brings two new players—NoMad at Park MGM and KAOS at the Palms. The NoMad pool An article in the LV Review-Journal that quoted is located on the third floor of Park MGM. The pool party some pretty connected entertainment empresarios indi- is called Jemaa, named for the main market square in cates that there may be a shift in the works with regard old-town Marrakech, Morocco. KAOS is the product of to nightlife preferences. “Vegas has definitely hit the a year-long build-out to completely transform the Palms saturation point with nightclubs,” said a co-founder of pool area. It began as a partnership with the Tao Group the Tao Group, while an executive from the Hard Rock and though that arrangement is no longer in place, it went as far as calling the mega-clubs “a broken model.” figures that a lot of the design elements were hatched The alternative? Smaller lounges that provide more inti- during that collaboration (see this issue’s cover). Other- mate experiences. Perhaps, but it seems like we’ve seen wise, the scene looks a lot as it has for the past several that before with moves to and away from ultra-lounges. years, with the usual suspects dominating the vibrant Meanwhile, the mega-clubs have demonstrated stay- daylife space. ing power, running strong for two decades. Evidence This year, according to the information we could to support the shift, however, includes developments gather prior to all the openings, 11 pools are dealing live this month at Bellagio and the Wynn (see Entertain-

blackjack, 9 are “toptional,” and 36 (four fewer than last continued on next page

Blackjack by the Pool Topless Sunbathing Blackjack by the Pool Topless Sunbathing Pool Parties

Caesars Plaza Artisan (These pools all have parties planned—several on Cosmopolitan Planet Hollywood Caesars (Venus Pool) specific days of the week. For details, see “Pools” and Encore Red Rock Encore (European Pool) “Events” at LasVegasAdvisor.com.) Flamingo Tropicana MBay (Moorea Beach Club) Aria Mirage (Bare) Golden Nugget Wynn Sapphire (Day Club) (Liquid) NoMad (Jemaa) Hard Rock SLS (European Pool) Artisan Palace Station (DJ’s) (Radius) Caesars (DJ’s) Palms (KAOS) Venetian (TAO Beach) Cosmopolitan Planet Hollywood Wynn (European Pool) Cromwell (DJ’s) Downtown Grand Plaza Open to the Public: Encore Red Rock (For times, prices, and details, see “Pools” at LasVegasAdvisor.com.) Flamingo Rio (DJ’s) Aliante, Aria, Artisan, Caesars (Venus), Cosmopolitan (Marquee Day Club), Crom- Green Valley Sapphire well (Drai’s), Downtown Grand, Encore (Encore Beach Club), Excalibur, Flamingo Ranch (DJ’s) SLS (Foxtail) (Go Pool), Green Valley Ranch, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock, Harrah’s, The Golden Nugget The STRAT LINQ, JW Marriot, Luxor, M Resort, MBay (Moorea Beach, MBay Beach), MGM Hard Rock (Radius DJ’s) Grand (Wet Republic), Mirage (Bare), NoMad (Jemaa), Palace Station, Palms LINQ Top Golf (Hideaway) (KAOS), Planet Hollywood, Plaza, Red Rock, Rio, Sapphire, Silverton, SLS Luxor Venetian (Foxtail, Grand Pool), The STRAT (Radius), Sunset Station, Top Golf (Hideaway), (LGBT Party) (TAO Beach) Tropicana, Venetian (TAO Beach) M Resort MBay Poolside Concerts: (Daylight Beach Club) Cosmopolitan, Flamingo, Hard Rock, M Resort, MBay, MGM Grand (Wet Republic) NoMad (Jemaa), Palms (KAOS), Plaza, Red Rock

MAY 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9 Entertainment continued … is $5. In HoloHolo at the California, a Stella Artois is $6. At O’Aces Decatur, a DRF Stone IPA is $5. At Distill Durango, a draft Stella is $5. ment Notes), along with, as pointed out in the article, the Notes: The T-Mobile prices were during a VGK play- emergence of hybrid venues, e.g., the at the off game. Beat higher prices at the California bars by Cosmopolitan and Topgolf. n ordering Heineken, Corona, or Bud Light, which are $3 each all day. n Bars and Happy Hours Entertainment Notes A new Sunday brunch in Mabel’s BBQ at the Palms has an all-you-can-drink option for $29. The brunch Colosseum Remodel—The Colosseum at Caesars alone is also $29 and you can get both for $49. Palace will close in July to undergo its first remodel The Treasures gentlemen’s club has unveiled a rare since opening in 2003. The 4,400-seat theater will go Premium Happy Hour, with top-shelf booze on special dark after the last Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn for four hours every night, seven days a week. From 4 to show on July 6 and reopen for Rod Stewart on Septem- 7 pm, domestic beers are $2, imports and well drinks are ber 18. The seats, carpet, video screen, and sound sys- $3, call drinks are $4, and premium brands are $5. From tem will be upgraded, VIP bottle service will be added, 7 to 8 pm, all drinks are half-price. This is an especially and a standing-room general-admission section will be strong deal if you parlay with the Member Rewards offer built in front of the stage. for a 2-for-1 entrée in the Treasures Steakhouse. Hyde Closing—The eight-year-old Hyde nightclub Rock & Reilly’s on the Strip has different happy at Bellagio will close, on July 6. The 10,000-square-foot hours each day Mon.-Thurs. from noon to midnight, indoor-outdoor space with a prime view of the Bellagio including 2-for-1 drinks on Tuesdays and half-price bot- fountains will remain closed till sometime toward the end tles of wine and flatbreads on Wednesdays. A second of the year, when it will reopen with a new concept and a HH runs Mon.-Fri. from 2 to 6 am, with rotating food and new name. drink discounts. Intrigue Closing?—While it hasn’t been officially Crab Corner Rainbow has a happy hour daily from announced, word is Intrigue at the Wynn will close and 2 to 6 pm, with $3 domestic beer and well drinks and not be reopened as a club. appetizers from $1 to $9, including $1 raw oysters and Fewer Shows for Angel—Criss Angel’s Mindfreak $2 grilled oysters. Live at Planet Hollywood has canceled all 9:30 and At Hard Hat bar, bottles of Sol beer are $1 24/7. 10 pm performances due to a condition affecting the At , draft PBR is $2 24/7. Aztec Inn is a slot illusionist›s shoulder. He›ll perform five 7 pm shows per house located across the street from the STRAT. It’s a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, till further notice. bit low-rent in appearance, but interesting with a pool Angel announced that his show will remain at Planet table, jukebox, snacks vending machine, and surpris- Hollywood through 2024. ingly good video poker (see Gambling). Tents—Only one month into a scheduled six-month Five new Distill bars have opened. All were previ- run at Excalibur, the Fuerza Bruta tent show has closed. ously Putter’s and the conversions were made in 10 Another show in a tent, Celestia, is scheduled to open days. The locations are 1231 American Pacific, 5750 S. May 1 at the STRAT. It joins Las Vegas’ resident tent Decatur, 4140 S. Durango, 6945 S. Rainbow, and 7790 show, Absinthe, which recently celebrated its eighth W. Cheyenne. anniversary at Caesars Palace. A new wine bar called The Local has opened in The New Venetian Show—A new production called District at Green Valley Ranch. Atomic Saloon Show will debut at the Venetian in Sep- Beauty Bar in the Fremont East Entertainment Dis- tember. It’s produced by Spiegelworld, the company trict has closed after having its liquor license revoked behind Absinthe at Caesars Palace and Opium at the due to a series of legal infractions. The bar had operated Cosmopolitan. since 2005, but ran into trouble after changing owner- More Ways to Zip—Fly LINQ, the 1,100-foot zipline ship last year. running from the Strip to the High Roller observation The last of the BJ’s bars, known for their corset-clad wheel, now claims to be the only zipline in the world to female bartenders, has closed. offer four ride styles. You can ride seated or superhero- At T-Mobile a 24-ounce Estrella is $15 and a spiked style (horizontal and face-down) facing forward as usual, seltzer is $11. At Sagos Spring Mountain, a draft Modelo but also both ways facing backwards. (We’re waiting for or draft Tenaya Creek Gypsy Fade is $7. At Hard Hat the superhero-style face-up option.) Ride prices start at Lounge, a draft Dead Guy Rogue Ale is $7 and a Bud $25.

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MAY 2019 Cat’s Meow—The happenin’ karaoke bar located in record-holder Ken Jennings’ 74 straight; however, the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Cat’s Meow, Holzhauer’s money total of $1.3 million is more than a is opening its first and only new venue in downtown third of the way to Jennings’ $3,022,700. The disparity Las Vegas. It’s reported that the second incarnation of in games played to money won is what sets Holzhauer the 25-year-old Bourbon Street bar, which bills itself apart from anyone before him. He now holds the all-time as “the world’s number-one karaoke nightclub,” will single-game record of $132,127 and has topped the occupy a 10,000-square-foot space on the second floor previous one-day record on multiple occasions. The high of Neonopolis, with live streaming of the amateur perfor- scores are a result of an aggressive style of play that mances. Cat’s Meow Vegas is expected to open in June. includes betting high, often the max, on Daily Doubles. Residencies/Added Dates—Anita Baker will play Holzhauer unabashedly describes himself on the show five shows at the Venetian: May 31, June 1, 5, 7-8; tick- and in interviews as a professional sports bettor and we ets start at $49.95 base. Jackson Browne will play three can attest that it’s true—we know people on both sides dates at the Venetian beginning Aug. 21; tickets start at of the betting counter who knew him as a player before $49.95 base. Journey will play nine dates in the Colos- his “Jeopardy!” notoriety. His style and results on the seum at Caesars Palace beginning Oct. 9; ticket prices show reflect an advantage player approach that goes start at $69 base. Sting will play 16 dates at Caesars hand in hand with gambling for profit. Interestingly, we’re Palace beginning May 22, 2020; ticket prices for Sting: working on a sports betting book now (not yet titled) that My Songs start at $59 base. includes a chapter about “Jeopardy!” that was written New dates have been added for Rod Stewart: The before Holzhauer came onto the scene. n Hits: Sept. 18, 20-21, 24, 30; See the Advance Planner for dates, prices, and addi- tional show updates. n Tiger Rocks the Books

Love him or hate him, it doesn’t matter. Tiger Woods won the Masters and any way you cut it, the result GAMBLING was darned good for golf. But it wasn’t so good for the sports books. Woods’ form in lead-up tournaments kept the exposure down somewhat, but the odds against The New Indie him to win were still in the 10-1 to 15-1 range and there were a lot of takers. Almost all of the books claimed losses of some level. FanDuel reported losing $2 million, While all the attention is being focused on the busi- but the biggest hit was absorbed by , which ness side of the opening of the Circa sports books this made a single-bet payout of $1.19 million when some- month (see News), there’s a whole other consideration one cashed an $85,000 wager at 14-1. It was by far the for skilled sports bettors: A new independent bookmaker largest payout on a golf bet in Will Hill history. Woods is entering the market. By independent, we mean an oth- opened as the 8-1 favorite to win this month’s PGA erwise unaffiliated book that will make its own lines. For Championship. n example, whereas all William Hill outlets have the same line on a game, an independent makes its own. It will often be the same as Will Hill’s, but not always, which Gambling Notes increases options for the bettors. Owner has shown that he has plenty of gamble when it comes to sports betting and he’s hired Matthew Metcalf, a Jay Megabucks Hits—A visitor from Arizona hit Mega- Kornegay disciple from the Westgate SuperBook, to run bucks at Sunset Station for $13,154,723 last month. The the Circa show. It sounds like a good mix that will only unidentified player bought in for $40 and had played for make the Las Vegas betting scene better. n less than two minutes before lining up the Megabucks symbols on a Triple Red Hot Sevens machine. Cashing at the D—The D has finally installed a Sports Bettor on Jeopardy! ticket-redemption machine on the second floor. Previ- ously, the only way to cash out when playing upstairs was to take tickets to the main floor. On the off chance that you haven’t heard by now, Kentucky Derby—Pre-race odds have Omaha Las Vegan James Holzhauer is rewriting the record Beach and Roadster as the co-favorites at 7-2 to win books on “Jeopardy!” As this issue goes to press, the Kentucky Derby, followed by Improbable at 5-1 and

Holzhauer has won 18 straight games. That’s well off continued on next page

MAY 2019 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11 Gambling continued … scheduled. They’re expected to resume in August. In the interim, be sure to check out Bob’s weekly Tuesday blog and the Thursday “Gambling With an Edge” podcast, Maximum Security at 6-1. Free handicapping seminars with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at LasVegas will be held at Fiesta Henderson at 1 pm and Boulder Advisor.com. n Station at 6 pm on May 2, and Texas Station, Sunset Station, South Point, and Rampart at 6 pm on May 3. Check out “Vegas News” at LasVegasAdvisor.com for more details on seminars and promotions leading up to the race. FAST TRACK Reno—In Reno, all table games have been removed from Circus Circus. The casino is part of three con- nected properties, along with Eldorado and Silver Leg- Demon at the Palms—If you’re wondering about acy where table games remain at both. the image on this issue’s cover, it’s artist Damien Hirst’s Baby Betting—The betting handle on the name, “Demon With Bowl,” a 60-foot-tall bronze sculpture of weight, even the chosen godparents of Prince Harry and a naked and headless ogre, holding (what looks like) a Meghan Markle’s baby is expected to reach $1.3 million shellfish bowl and encrusted with barnacles, coral, and at U.K. sports books. Someone must know something other underwater stuff at the Palms’ KAOS pool com- about the sex—the name favorites are reportedly Diana, plex. It’s the second Hirst piece at the Palms; the first is Alice, and Elizabeth. n “The Unknown (Explored, Explained, Exploded),” a three- piece tiger shark at the Hirst-themed Unknown Bar. Third Term for Goodman—The Goodman mayoral Video Poker Lost and Found era in Las Vegas will now span an entire generation. Carolyn Goodman overwhelmingly won a third and final term in office; her 12 years will match the three terms The best game at the Aztec Inn is 25-15-9-4-4-3 served by her husband Oscar. This was a primary elec- Deuces Wild, returning 98.91% with perfect play. It’s tion against six challengers in which Goodman received available on most of the machines there, including at the 83.5% of the vote; she needed only 51% to skip the bar for 1¢ to $1. The penny games are 5-coiners, which general election. is rare for pennies when the schedule is this good. Don’t Chapel for Sale—A Little White Chapel, one of the expect to get comped drinks at that level, though. At oldest and most popular wedding venues in Las Vegas most bars, it’s unlikely you’ll be comped for 5-coin play is on the market. The chapel, which opened in 1951, is below quarters. located on an acre of land on Las Vegas Blvd. S., just There’s nothing good at the sports book bar at the south of Charleston. The chapel has been the venue for STRAT. Remember, the casino is now owned by Golden the weddings of Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Mickey Gaming, which runs the stingy (video-poker-wise) PT’s Rooney, Michael Jordan, and Britney Spears. The asking bars. The best schedule at the sports book bar is 6/5 price is $12 million for the property and the business. Bonus Poker (96.87%) and the best in the casino is 8/6 Airbnb Cutting In—According to a report issued Bonus Poker Deluxe (98.49%) for dollars. by Telsey Advisory Group, Airbnb is having a noticeable We’ve mentioned the quarter 7/5 BP progressive at impact on Las Vegas room revenues. In 2018, 718,000 Wildfire Valley View that tends to make its way to posi- Airbnb renters cost Strip hotels an estimated $150 mil- tive territory (when the RF hits $1,900), due to a $1,250 lion. The number of renters could hit one million this reset. Last month, it went to $2,450 (101.40%) before it year. Resort and parking fees alone can equal the entire was hit. cost of a short-term private rental. The online database vpFREE2 reports that the Eldo- Lucy Launches—The Lucy, a mixed-use complex rado in Henderson has removed its quarter 10/7 Double aiming to cater to the arts, has opened at 519 S. 6th Bonus games. Eldorado has steadily downgraded its VP Street. Its anchor tenant is the independent Writer’s inventory over the years and now has a best game of Block Book Shop, but the campus also includes a dozen 12-8 Loose Deuces (99.20%) at $1 and $2. The best at loft-style residences, three of which will apparently be 25¢ is 9/7/5 Double Bonus (99.11%). provided gratis to artists and writers working on projects It’s a similar situation at the sports book bar at Park to benefit the Las Vegas community. MGM, where the best game for quarters is 6/5 BP. It Gambling Conference—The 17th International Con- bumps up to 7/5 BP (98.01%) at dollars. Weak. ference on Gambling and Risk Taking runs May 27-30 The best game at Hard Hat Lounge is also 6/5 BP, at Caesars Palace. Held only once every three years, it’s but there’s a play-$20-get-$10 club sign-up bonus. considered by many to be the most prestigious gam- Currently, no Bob Dancer video poker classes are bling conference in the world. n

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • MAY 2019 JULY JUNE 14–18 Microsoft Ready & Inspire—40,000 WEEKDAY WEEKEND 17–20 Assoc. of Woodworking—18,500 El Cortez • $38 Four Queens • $85 28–30 Cosmoprof North America—35,000 Four Queens • $39 El Cortez • $90 28–31 ASD Market Week—44,000 Plaza • $52 AZ C Decatur • $103 28–8/1 Las Vegas Market—50,000 Circus Circus • $52 Golden Nugget • $109 Downtown Grand • $52 Downtown Grand • $112 AUGUST Tuscany • $56 Circus Circus • $113 3–8 Black Hat TechWeb USA—10,000 8–17 American Poolplayers Assoc. —15,000 Hard Rock • $86 Hard Rock • $146 11–14 Off-Price Specialist Show Fall—11,500 Paris • $106 Paris • $176 Palms • $108 Mirage • $196 19–22 SuperZoo West—20,000 SEPTEMBER JULY KEY 8–11 Int’l Baking Industry—22,000 WEEKDAY WEEKEND 10–12 IMEX America—13,000 Four Queens • $35 El Cortez • $85 13–14 Mr. Olympia—45,000 El Cortez • $36 Four Queens • $85 19–21 Int’l Vision Expo—12,500 Plaza • $52 AZ C Decatur • $103 23–25 Packaging Machinery (PMMI)—45,000 DATES Golden Nugget • $49 Golden Nugget • $109 Downtown Grand • $52 Downtown Grand • $114 MAY Circus Circus • $55 Silverton • $118 Mean 74° Avg. Max. 88° Avg. Min. 60° Pools: Open Hard Rock • $91 Caesars Palace • $158 The most pleasant month of the year. Las Vegas at its best Paris • $96 Hard Rock • $171 begins at the end of the month. Mirage • $116 Mirage • $179 Attire: Spring wardrobe. AUGUST

ROOM WEEKDAY WEEKEND JUNE Four Queens • $35 AZ C. Decatur • $98 Mean 84° Avg. Max. 99° Avg. Min. 68° Pools: Open El Cortez • $50 Plaza • $98 Plaza • $51 Four Queens • $99 The first of the hot dry months. Welcome to the desert. Attire: Minimal. Golden Nugget • $49 Circus Circus • $91 Circus Circus • $51 Tuscany • $93 Downtown Grand • $52 Golden Nugget • $99 JULY Hard Rock • $86 Hard Rock • $141 Mean 90° Avg. Max. 105° Avg. Min. 73° Pools: Open Paris • $96 Paris • $156 Mirage • $126 Caesars Palace • $178 Dry, sauna-like heat. Sun worshipers enjoy 85% sunny days. RATES

WEATHER Attire: The skimpier the better. It it’s not mandatory, don’t Best rates at press time from sample of 54 Las Vegas casinos. Rates NOT guaranteed, subject to wear it. change without notice, and do not include tax. Lower prices may be available online.

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