ANTHONY CURTIS’ LasVegasAdvisor August 2021 • Vol. 38 • Issue 8 $5

RESORTS WORLD Checking out the new Strip monster … pgs. 1, 3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16

MASKS RETURN Vegas takes a step back … pg. 1

STADIUM TOUR Getting a gander at the Raiders’ new digs … pg 10

CASHLESS GAMING We don’t pay no stinkin’ load fees … pg. 14

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COUPONOMY by Anthony Curtis Masks Up

Really? Again? Yes, again. In an emergency meeting in late July, Clark County Commissioners imposed a new mask mandate on employees who work indoors at Las Vegas businesses. That was ominous, but would state officials really extend the edict to the customers? I didn’t think they would, but I’ve been wrong before on these COVID maneuvers and I was wrong again. Sure enough, one week later, ’s governor made another announcement: The masks are back. This latest mandate stipulates that masks must be worn by everyone in public areas, whether you’re vaccinated or not. The rule applies indoors only, at least for now, which means masking is required in all casinos, restaurants, and bars in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada. Oddly, the rule does not apply to show members and musicians performing indoors and no additional precautionary measures were directed aside from casi- nos being told to update their signage accordingly. The new rule went into effect on July 30. No date has been given for its lifting or reevaluation, though a review of the employee directive is scheduled for August 17 and it seems likely that the whole program will be assessed at that time. Right or wrong, it’s a setback for the Vegas comeback. Some won’t care, but no doubt many will. Are further restrictions on the way? Don’t ask me. Like I said, I keep guessing wrong. n Resorts World

Now a month since the opening, we’ve gotten plenty of feedback about . “Glitchy” is the term we keep hearing. It’s valid in some cases—there were definitely some systems problems early on—but much of the criticism is a product of fear/misunderstanding of technology. RW is doing everything it can to emphasize the emerging trend continued on next page Couponomy continued … toward technologically driven operating procedures: how you get into your room, how you order food, how you book a show, how you pay, even how you gamble. It’s a bold move, because a lot of opposition is coming from customers who just aren’t that used to relying on their smart phones for 90% of what they do. Getting around that will take some time. That said, two complaints don’t fall into this category. The first is pric- ing. Rooms, restaurants, bars, shows, table limits—everything’s high. Is that a surprise? It’s the most expensive single casino ever built in Las Vegas. Things are bound to be expensive there. The second is something that I’d never have guessed would hit such a strong negative chord, but so many have brought it up that it’s obviously an issue. It’s access. Complaints range from the distance from the Strip with no moving walkways to the placement of the parking garages. No doubt, it’s a bit confusing, especially with regard to the garages, of which there are two. If you park in the southern-most, you have a fairly long hike to the casino, and you’re walking outdoors. Along with fading the heat, the cold, the rain, or the wind (or some combination of same), if you don’t walk on the left-hand side of the street, you’ll have to cut across grass or shrub- bery to get to the front door. The north garage is the better play, since it’s attached to the resort. You can take an elevator directly to the casino, but there’s minimal directing signage and the elevators are hard to locate. Don’t give up, they’re there. If you’re turning into the complex, either from the Strip or Sammy Davis Jr. Dr., be sure to turn onto Resorts World Ave., which will take you to the north garage. Yeah, a bit complicated, but at least parking is still free. Once you get past the getting-in part, this is an amazing place that’s taking some chances. I mean, when’s the last time you saw a new casino with a water fountain? (Are you kidding? You’re gonna let customers relieve their thirst in 110-degree heat for free?) They’re all over the place here. Yes, I find some of the complaints valid, but many are just comments from grumps who love to say nay. So much going on here that we couldn’t fit everything into this issue, but we got a lot of it, as you’ll see. n Radical Blackjack Is Shipping

Our newest release, Radical Blackjack by Arnold Snyder, is back from the printer and shipping. Thanks to everyone who ordered for your patience as we navigated the new world of production and printing

Publisher: Anthony Curtis Researcher: Brenda Stewart Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob LAS Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Customer Service: Paula Machado Dancer, Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot Krause, VEGAS Accounting: John Leitner Shipping/Receiving: Matt Wondolleck Bradley Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott ADVISOR Web Manager: Tanya Maynard Production: Alison Holka Cover: Deke Castleman 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. Phone: (702) 252-0655 • Fax: (702) 252-0675 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Las Vegas Advisor, 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. e-mail: [email protected] • Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com. All information is current at press time. Listed offerings are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press©2021

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 post-pandemic. If you ordered early, you should have your copy of Sny- der’s most revealing book ever by now. If you haven’t, you won’t have long to wait when you do. Due to the extensive coverage of Resorts World in this issue, we’re holding an excerpt from the book until next month. n NEWS

Resorts World—Despite missing its originally announced opening date by several years, Resorts World executives say they’re already planning an expansion of the resort. No specifics were given, but a large portion of the 88-acre footprint remains undeveloped, with room for another tower or three. Venetian Expo—As of September 2, the Sands Expo & Conven- tion Center, the fifth-largest private convention facility in the country at 2-1/4-million square feet, will be known as the Venetian Expo. No reason was given for the name change, but it’s surely related to Las Vegas Sands Corp.’s pending sale off the entire Venetian/Palazzo/Expo property, which will be completed by the end of the year. The Drew—Since no official name change has been forthcoming since its sale in February, we’ll continue to identify the former Fontainebleau as The Drew. Now word comes that it will open in the 4th quarter of 2023 as JW Marriott Las Vegas Boulevard. The new plan calls for 3,700 rooms, a casino, 500,000 square feet of convention space, and some combination of restaurants, nightlife, and retail. We’ve heard it before. Caesars Palace—Work has begun on a makeover of the main entrance to Caesars Palace. The cost of the project wasn’t revealed, but changes will include a raised dome ceiling, a 15-foot-tall Caesars statue, and rede- signed casino and bar areas. Completion is scheduled for December. Railroad Pass—Railroad Pass celebrates 90 years of operation on August 10. The small casino located between Las Vegas and Boulder City is the oldest in Nevada. Lake Tahoe—MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa at Stateline is now Bally’s Lake Tahoe. The casino is owned by Bally’s Corp., which also owns the Tropicana, but is not affiliated with Bally’s in Las Vegas. Colorado—The same Bally’s Corp. will also rebrand three casinos in Colorado—Golden Gates, Golden Gulch, and Mardi Gras—apparently all with the same name: Bally’s Blackhawk (presumably with an added delin- eator). It’s the latest move in what appears to be a plan to put the Bally’s name on all of its 14 casinos across 10 states. Statistics—Nevada’s statewide gambling win was up 20,971% in May compared to the same month last year. The huge percentage increase was again due to the comparison with numbers during the shutdown, but the continued on next page

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3 $1.23 billion win also eclipsed the former all-time monthly record of $1.17 billion set in October 2007. It was the third straight month in which Nevada has posted more than $1 billion in gaming revenue. Clark County also set a record for slot win at $358.3 million. Visitation was up 1,802.3%, with 2.87 million people coming to town, even though conventions reported 0 for the 14th consecutive month. The hotel occupancy rate was up again, rising to 70.9%, with 87.8% weekends and 62.8% weekdays. Airline traffic was up 789%, with 3.5 million travelers in May. However, the counts continue to lag 2019 numbers by more than 20%. A new three- plane Burbank-based ultra-low-cost airline, Avelo, has announced direct flights between Las Vegas and Sonoma, California starting on September 16. Avelo will make one round-trip daily on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, with one-way fares starting at $39. Sports Betting Scorecard

The Department of Justice has decided not to appeal an appellate court ruling that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting. While not repealing the Act completely, it’s possibly the next best thing, almost ensuring that there will be no related barriers to the expansion of non-sports-betting forms of online gambling, including lottery, casino, and poker, and rep- resenting another step toward the total rescinding of the antiquated law. Meanwhile, South Dakota and Wyoming look like the most likely candi- dates to start taking wagers by football season. Follow the progress of sports betting legalization across the country and track developments as they occur via our map at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n Temp Record Tied

The thermometer hit 117 degrees on July 10 to tie the all-time record high temperature in Las Vegas. It was the fifth time since 1937 when tem- perature records began being kept that the city saw 117. The others were on June 20, 2017; June 30, 2013; July 19, 2005; and July 24, 1942. n

DINING

Resorts World Dining

There are a lot of places to eat at Resorts World, even with several restaurants yet to open. Nearly 20 of them are part of the big Famous Foods Street Eats food hall that’s as impressive as any we’ve seen. Most

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 TOP 10 VALUES 1. Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99 2. Buffet • South Point • Daily • $9.95-$19.95 The Ellis Island complete 3. Shrimp Cocktail • Skyline • Daily • $1.50 steak dinner returns to the #1 4. Beer • Stage Door • 24 hours • $1 spot in the Top Ten. Served Breakfast 24/7 in the Café, get the $7.99 5. • Arizona Charlie’s • Daily • $5.99 Hot Dog price by playing at least $5 6. • South Point • Daily • $1.25 $1 Blackjack in any slot machine with your 7. • OYO • Daily • $1.20 club card inserted, then down- 8. $2 Menu • Jake’s Bar • Daily • $2 loading the required discount 9. Prime Rib • Ellis Island • Daily • $19/$38 coupon from an EI kiosk. If you 10. Room Rates • El Cortez et al • $49 and up don’t want to play, you can get it for $9.99 ($3 off the listed price) just by downloading a coupon from the kiosk that’s available to everyone with a club card. Of the now eight operating buffets in Las Vegas, the South Point buffet (#2) is the least expensive by far. Breakfast, which includes unlimited bloody Marys, is the best deal; show a club card to get the $9.95 price. The Skyline shrimp cocktail climbs the list and is now in the #3 spot based on its quality compared to anything else in town within $10 of the price; it’s served around the clock at the main bar. Budweiser and Michelob Light in the bottle are $1 at the Stage Door slot house on Flamingo, just east of the Strip (#4); a ¼-pound hot dog and a Bud is $3. The steak or ham & eggs at either Arizona Charlie’s (#5) is served in the Sourdough Cafés for $5.99 when you show your club card, available 24 hours at Decatur and 6 am-mid. weekdays and 24 hours weekends at Boulder. The hot dogs at South Point (#6) are sold from a cart in the sports book from 10 am until they close down the cart around 5 pm. Oyo’s $1-minimum blackjack game (#7) runs 24/7 in the pit; naturals pay even money on bets of $1-$4. The $1.20 listed cost is your expected loss for one hour of play at these stakes. Jake’s Bar at Eastern and Sahara has more than a dozen food selections for $2 each (#8)—and that includes tax—available all day to everyone, not just gamblers. We’ve taken the Ellis Island prime rib tandem (#9) out of the penalty box after a one-month suspension for a price hike. We searched for a better option, but even after the increase, it’s still our top recommendation for the best quality-to-price ratio on a complete prime rib dinner. Summer pricing almost assures that you can get a room in Vegas for a fraction of the cost in just about any other big city anywhere, especially if you’re willing to stay off the Strip. If you want to stay in one of the primo joints, there are some good bundled deals at the top resorts that you can access at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n of the outlets there feature Asian cuisine, but there’s also Blood Bros. Texas barbecue, Streetbird serving chicken, and Mozz Bar specializing in Italian sandwiches. Casual-dining restaurants include Suns Out Buns continued on next page

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 5 News continued … Out (see review), Agave (Latin), Marigold (“burgers and lobster”), The Kitchen (coffee shop), Market Eats & Drinks (sandwiches/snacks), Dawg House Saloon (part of the sports book), and two ice cream shops, Craig’s (vegan) and Aubi & Ramsa (alcoholic). On the high end are Genting Palace (Chinese), Kusa Nori (Japanese), Fuhu (Asian fusion), Viva (Mexican), and Breeza (Italian). And these are just the restaurants that are open now. Sev- eral others are due soon; we’ll report as they open. True to the high-tech theme of RW, ordering is often different, espe- cially in the food hall. You’re expected to order from tablets and pay with credit instruments. Similar to the automated paid-parking garages around town, employees are there to help if needed, but it’s something of a culture shock for most of us who are over 30. You can view a good synopsis (with photos) of how it works by checking out our blog “Resorts World—Famous Foods Street Eats” at LasVegasAdvisor.com. Another odd aspect of the RW dining scene is a completely different spin on room service. You still pick up the (cell) phone and order food to your room. But now, rather than speaking to a dispatcher, you leap into 2021 and use a GrubHub app to order. The good news is you aren’t con- fined to a limited room-service menu—you can order from any of the RW eateries. The bad news is … it’s different (suck it up, Luddites). n

Buffet Update

There’s no significant news to report regarding the status of buffets this month. Bellagio, Wynn, and Excalibur all opened theirs, joining South Point, Cosmopolitan, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, and Circus Circus. The Tropicana ran a three-day experiment with a buffet set up in a banquet room, but if that translates to a regular AYCE, we’d be surprised. Com- ments from Station and Boyd spokespeople continue to reinforce the belief that the value buffets won’t return. Prices and times continue to jump all over the place, including a $5 bump to $69.95 for dinner at the Wynn, while MGM reduced prices from $27.99 for breakfast and $36.99 for brunch to $25.99/$29.99. They’re all trying to find their level, with the tendency definitely toward going up rather than down. See our listings at LasVegasAdvisor.com for current pricing. n Silverado Steak House at South Point

Silverado continues to solidify its place as one of our favorite steak- houses. As prices go up everywhere, Silverado holds the line, with steaks starting at $38 for an 8-ounce filet, just $2 more than it was when we last reviewed it three years ago (LVA 3/18). Along with a 12-ounce filet ($44), we got the chef’s special—baked sea bass topped with a heap of king

6 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 crab for $56. What’s great about Silverado is that the meals come with choice of potato or vegetable, bread, and a salad prepared tableside, so a complete dinner is just the price of the entrée plus your drinks. Whatever you do, choose the baked potato. In the previous review, we made the point about how good these bak- Loaded baked potato at Silverado ers are and we’ve received plenty of confirming feedback from members. They’re not nuked; the butter and sour cream are top-grade; and the fresh chives are the tastiest we’ve ever had the pleasure to top a tater with. We know. Sounds crazy. It’s not. Awe- some potato. Great room. Excellent meal. n Suns Out Buns Out at Resorts World

Resorts World has a fabulous restau- rant line-up, but they’re definitely pricey. An exception is Suns Out Buns Out, which serves several variations of breakfast sandwiches. Opening at 7 am daily, they run $9-$16, about the same as Eggslut at the Cosmopolitan and the quality is as good or better. We had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich and avo- cado toast and the total was $21 (about what we paid last month for two bagel sandwiches at the Vegas Test Kitchen). These are big Bacon, egg, and cheese at SOBU sandwiches made from quality ingredients. The major negative is slow service—we waited almost 25 minutes from the time we put in our order and we’ve heard similar stories. n Ristorante Italiano at The Pass

The new Pass in downtown Henderson has two restaurants, Emily’s Coffee Shop and Ristorante Italiano, the latter intended to add a little upscale-dining clout to the small casino. Sometimes these places are real value finds. This isn’t one of them. Entrée prices are good: Pastas are $16-$20, veal parmagiana is $22, and the most expensive item on the menu is a 16-ounce rib eye for $29. But everything is a la carte and adding Chicken parm at Ristorante Italiano continued on next page

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7 Dining continued … a salad is another $6. We got a chicken parm ($18) and ravioli alla vodka ($16) with a salad and glass of chianti and the bill was $47. Portion-size trumped quality. It would be OK if the room had some character, but it’s more of a banquet hall. Maybe a work in progress, but in that case, there’s still a ways to go. n Texas and Carolina Barbecue

Continuing our survey of Las Vegas barbecue restaurants, we tried two that appeared to have the most regional authenticity. The first is Big B’s Texas BBQ on the west side at 6115 Ft. Apache Rd. (there’s another in Hen- derson). In the open kitchen, six guys were bustling around, a 25-gallon pot simmered on the stove (for the mac & cheese sauce), and the centerpiece is the big wood-fired smoker. A full bar features the classic Texas beer, Shiner, and a cord of oak and mes- quite is stacked neatly on the patio. Walking in, the primal smoke smell definitely “puts some south in your mouth.” After you pay for your order, the cashier rings a cow bell. So Big The works at Project BBQ B’s has the look and the build-up, but it tapers off at the food. The big beef ribs featuring a good dry rub were the best of it. The brisket was fairly dry and tasteless; it definitely needed sauce, a bad sign. The slaw was standard, the mac & cheese bland. Our bill for the two-meat two-side meal before tax and tip came to $22.50—not bad, but there’s better and less expensive bbq in Las Vegas. We were similarly jazzed about trying Project BBQ at Circa downtown, served from a food truck at the corner of Fremont and Main. It’s the only place in town we’re aware of that touts itself as Carolina barbecue, which means only one thing: the best smoked pork in the country. Unfortunately, again, the hype outpaced the ’cue. Since we wanted to give it a full test, we bought lunch for the office, making it possible to try a big portion of the menu. The Project Platter ($20) comes with pulled pork, brisket, chicken, sausage, slaw, and homemade potato chips (everything comes with chips; don’t order them as a side). We also got a chicken sandwich ($13), an order of ribs ($16), cracklin’ skins ($5—kind of like pork rinds or chicharron, but harder and spicier), and grilled elote ($4—Latin street corn, usually on

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 the cob, but this wasn’t). We were surprised by the skimpy pulled pork, brisket, and sausage in the platter. Also, the brisket is chopped, which is cheating; the best smoked brisket is sliced. The chicken, both in the sand- wich and platter, was forgettable. The ribs weren’t the best either. All in all, the elote was the hit of the order. The price was $80—we expected more and better. Benny’s Smokin’ BBQ right next door at Binion’s is easily the better choice. n Enchilada Special at Mr. D’s

We’ve written about the good spe- cials at Mr. D’s (1810 S. Rainbow). On Mondays and Tuesdays, it’s $1.50 tacos and on Thursdays and Sundays, it’s a $13.99 rib eye special. The other good one is on Mondays, when D’s serves shredded pork enchiladas with rice & beans for $7.99. This pseu- do-biker gringo bar somehow has a knack for Mexican cuisine and it’s Enchilada special at Mr. D’s exhibited in this dish. Last mont,h we reported that the tacos were no longer available on Mondays, but that was incorrect, so you can throw in a homemade taco if you want, but you prob- ably won’t finish the enchilada plate by itself. While it’s difficult to go wrong with the food at D’s, it’s not impossible. Whenever we see fried clam strips on a menu, it’s an insta-try, because they’re hard to find in Las Vegas (and whenever we’ve found a good one, it soon disappears), but Mr. D’s clam boat tastes like it’s already sailed. It’s a rare miss for one of our favorite food bars. n Dining Notes

Vickie’s Returns—White Cross Drugs, which operated for 48 years on the Strip, was known for its landmark diner, first named Tiffany’s Café, then renamed Vickie’s Diner. Even after White Cross closed in 2012, Vickie’s remained open until August of last year, when the building was sold. Now, Vickie’s has reopened in a storefront in the venerable Commercial Center at 953 E. Sahara Ave., serving the same menu that made it famous. Another $100 Burger—Last month, it was Slater’s 50/50’s “whale burger,” this month it’s Posh Burger’s (Aria) “royale burger.” The Posh royale is made from wagyu beef and is topped with truffles, foie gras, gold dust (that again?), lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and secret Posh sauce. Really? No lobster? No champagne? The whale burger has those. Looks like we’re going to Slater’s the next time we get a $100-burger hankerin’. n continued on next page

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9 Dining continued … Openings/Closings

Zeffer’s has opened at the Sahara. Though they don’t call it a coffee shop, that’s the best way to describe it. A third El Dorado Cantina has opened at 8349 W. Sunset Rd. in the former location of No Regrets Bar. Like the preceding El Dorado’s next to Sapphire gentlemen’s club and at Tivoli Village, it’s open 24/7. Lily’s Kitchen, serving Taiwanese cuisine, has opened at 3466 S. Deca- tur Boulevard. The high-end Italian seafood restaurant Costa Di Mare has closed at Wynn Las Vegas. Eating Las Vegas author John Curtas tweeted that it will be replaced by a Gucci store. The original Lola’s in the Arts District has closed. The Lola’s in Summer- lin remains open. n

ENTERTAINMENT

Resorts World Entertainment

It’s not a stretch to say that the marketing plan for Resorts World might be the most entertainment-reliant in history. It starts with the obvious, the powerhouse residency line-up that features Celine Dion, Carrie Under- wood, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan taking turns in RW’s 5,000-seat theater beginning late this year. As impressive as the rotation was in the Dion-led heyday of Caesars’ Colosseum, this one might be better. And that’s just now. There are already rumors of Adele joining the rotation and who knows who’s next? The pool component is called Ayu Dayclub and the primary nightclub will be Zouk, featuring big-name DJs, such as Tiësto and Zedd. The resort is packed with bars, anchored by the fancy Gatsby’s Cock- tail Lounge and the Crystal Bar in the center of the casino. In addition, it’s tough to choose among a self-pour bar in the food hall with 36 selections that you purchase by the ounce; RedTail with video games and beer pong; the Dawg House Saloon & Sports Book; the latest in “secret” drinking spots, Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den; and when it opens, Starlight 66 will over- look the city from the 66th floor (natch). The Conrad and Crockfords hotels have their own “lobby lounges,” and there are more bars in the Crockfords casino and in several restaurants throughout, including the not-yet-open Wally’s Wine & Spirits, with more than 8,000 wines, 125 by the glass. n Allegiant Stadium Tour

Ever since it was initiated, we’ve been receiving regular questions about the tour of Allegiant Stadium and we understand the curiosity. It’s not every

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 day you get to go behind the scenes of a $2 billion building, let alone one you see on television with 65,000 people in the stands, NFL teams on the field, and celebrity broadcasters in the booth. The tours depart from the first-level base of the Al Davis Memorial Torch, which rises to the third level of the stadium. Upwards of 20 people were on the tour in front of ours and 25 on ours; they’re definitely popular. Our guide was excellent—full of energy and passion for the building and team, he imparted a steady stream of information about both. After getting your first view of the field, you head to one of the restroom/concession areas and learn that the stadium has 297 restrooms and 1,430 toilets, along with 76 concessions, so people at games and concerts won’t have to miss much while waiting in line for food and bathroom breaks; you also see a video of the “flush test,” in which the plumbing for all 1,500 toilets and urinals was checked. From there, you go up a level to where the corporate suites and broad- casters’ booth are. The booth is just an empty (carpeted) box; the networks and radio stations have up to 72 hours before games to load in all their sets, electronics, robot cameras, etc. But the view, right at the 50-yard line on the second level, is the best in the stadium. Second-best is from the 127 VIP and corporate suites on two levels that feature luxury box seats and bars and buffets behind them in small rooms; we walked through one of MGM Resorts’ high-roller hangs. Then you descend to the bowels of the stadium for stops at the Raider- ettes exhibit and locker room, post-game press room, and Raiders locker room. Again, they’re pretty much empty, just a few props for the tours, and smaller than you might expect for all the people they accommodate on game days. The players’ locker room, though, is fancy, with black-and- silver décor; you watch a video of Raiders of different eras getting ready for games, then the climax of the tour is a hologram of current coach Jon Gruden giving a rousing pep talk. From there, it’s right onto the field for your pro-football fantasy. You have five minutes to take a line-of-scrimmage stance, run, do a touchdown victory dance, and/or tackle your husband. It’s interesting to see the Wynn Field Club behind the north goalpost for the highest rollers. As always in Las Vegas, you exit the field right at the logo store. From there, the cheap tickets go through the store and out to the parking lot, while the VIP tick- ets—tour and a drink—go back up to the main concourse bar. The tours depart every 20 minutes between 10:40 am and 9 pm, though the number of tours and days is shrinking as the stadium hosts more events. They last 75 minutes and cost $59, or $80 for the drink and view (discounts available for locals and “those who serve”). Make reservations and pay online. Parking is free. Wear walking shoes; you cover a lot of ground. It’ll be fun to watch Raiders’ home games on TV after seeing the stadium from the players’, cheerleaders’, broadcasters’, and high-roller points of view. n continued on next page

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11 Entertainment continued … Cirque Schedule

After originally planning to reopen at a pace of one show per month starting in July, Cirque du Soleil has accelerated its schedule. Both Mys- tere at Treasure Island and O at Bellagio are already performing. Michael Jackson ONE will resume at Mandalay Bay August 19, while LOVE is also scheduled to return to sometime this month. KA at MGM Grand is expected to be the last to reopen in October. The only Cirque show that won’t return is Zumanity, which played at New York-New York. Three other Cirque-like shows that have already reopened are Blue Man Group at Luxor, Criss Angel MINDFREAK at Planet Hollywood, and Absinthe at Caesars Palace. n Sand Dollar 2

A longtime Las Vegas venue for live music, the Sand Dollar Lounge, will open a second location at the Plaza, bringing late-night live music down- town. The Sand Dollar Blues Bar opened in 1976 on Spring Mountain Road near the Strip and quickly became one of the top blues bars in the country. It closed in 2007, reopening a couple years later as the Sand Dollar Lounge before going through a series of changes, becoming Bar 702 after a “Bar Rescue” makeover, then the Bikini Bar for a short stint, and ultimately taking the Sand Dollar name back again. The Sand Dollar Downtown will occupy 5,000 square feet next to the casino (previously the showroom), with live music Thursdays through Saturdays. There’ll be a full menu of craft cocktails and pizza by Pop Up Pizza. The opening date hasn’t been announced, but it’s expected to be sometime this fall. n Bars and Happy Hours

Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan runs Sangria Hour Tues.-Sat. from 5 to 7 pm, with $8 Spanish Brambles (infused vodka) and wine, $6 sangria and beer, and $5 tapas. Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews has happy hours Sun.-Fri. from 3 to 6 pm and daily from 9 pm to close, with $6 drinks and appetizers and a $10 Bud & burger special. The happy hour at Honey Salt now runs Mon.-Fri. from 3 to 6 pm, with drink specials starting at $4 and appetizers for $6. The Venetian is making a play for locals, offering discounts of 10%- 25% for showing Nevada ID at several restaurants, including Chica, Moon Palace, and Yardbird. The Spa at Virgin Hotels has a daily happy hour from 2 to 4 pm, with three “alcohol-inspired treatments”—e.g., a “Blushing Rose Massage with organic agave oil and wine-infused recovery serum”—that are accompa-

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 nied by wine or champagne. The 50-minute treatments are $175 Mon- day-Thursday and $185 Friday-Sunday. Following the success of Vanderpump Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace, Vanderpump à Paris is planned for Paris and is expected to open before the end of the year. Jackpot Bar & Grill has moved to 4485 S. Jones Blvd., in the space that was formerly Viola’s. Lost Spirits, a famous boutique distillery of whiskey and rum with a sec- ond-generation “highly thematic” distillery and tour in downtown Los Ange- les, is opening a Las Vegas location next month at AREA15. The Las Vegas experience is touted as being “much bigger and grander.” Taco Dive Bar has closed on E. Flamingo. n

Entertainment Notes

Stones—The Rolling Stones will play Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 6 as part of their “No Limit” tour. Super Karaoke—The SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas hosts “Super- Karaoke on Thursdays beginning at 10 pm. If you want to sing, text first name, last initial, song title, and artist to 702-588-2513 and you’ll be added to the list. Plaza Selfies—As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, the Plaza has opened Studio 71, a space that offers “disco-inspired” neon- and LED-lit backdrops for selfies and group shots. The 71 in the name stands for 1971, the early days of the disco craze and the year the Plaza opened. It’s free, located near the dome entrance next to the casino, and open from noon to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays and 4 pm to midnight Mon.-Fri. through the end of the year. Beverly Theater—Work is expected to begin this fall on a new down- town entertainment venue called the Beverly Theater. The smallish two- story 14,000-foot building will host “independent film, live music, arts performances, literary experiences, and educational programming” and is expected to open in 2022. n

GAMBLING

Resorts World Gambling

There are two casinos at Resorts World, the main RW casino and the Crockfords casino-within-a casino, which is located off the main casino floor on the opposite side from the food hall. In the main casino, all black- jack games, regardless of limits, are 6 decks dealt from continuous shuf- fling machines, dealer hits soft 17, double allowed after split, resplit aces, continued on next page

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 13 Gambling continued … late surrender, and naturals pay 6-5 for an oppressive 1.8% casino edge against basic strategy. The minimums during all our visits were mostly $25, with a few $15 games sprinkled around. The games in Crockfords have the same rules, except they deal from standard shoes, stand on soft 17, and naturals pay 3-2. This game has only a .26% casino edge vs. basic, but with $200 and $500 minimums. Other pit games include Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’Em, Free-Bet Blackjack, Crazy 4 Poker, and Face-Up Pai Gow. Almost all have $15 minimums. Craps offers 3X, 4X, and 5X odds. Roulette comes in the 1-, 2-, and 3-zero varieties (see “Roulette 1, 2, 3”). There’s no live keno, bingo, or big six. See “VPL&F” for video poker information. The poker room is almost hidden, but it’s big, with lots of tables and (currently) not many players. The sports book is underwhelming. It seems like almost an amenity to the attached Dawg House Saloon, but it’s also an independent book—which is a positive—run by Genting and IGT, with the lines emanating from the latter (it’s the first we’ve heard of IGT being involved in sports betting). The players club is called Genting Rewards. We haven’t joined it yet, so we can’t say if they give anything significant at sign-up, but it’s unlikely. n Cashless Gaming

As part of its technological bent, Resorts World is pushing cashless gaming, which requires depositing money into an electronic “wallet” (your phone) that you can then use to gamble, as well as pay for food, shows, and other purchases. At first blush, it appears that that there’s a 2.95% “load fee” to fund a cashless account. Whoa! They want to charge 2.95% for the privilege of playing their negative-expectation games? “Ain’t gonna work,” we thought, as most would balk at this arrangement (who wants to start their play with a $1,000 bankroll $30 in the hole?). However, further investigation revealed that the fee is charged only when you transfer money from a credit or debit card, or other outside sources, like PayPal. If you bring cash to the cage (checks and money orders also get charged), you can open an account without being charged the fee. As foreign as it might sound, it’s not a terrible idea; both convenience and safety from loss or theft are enhanced. We think it will be slow to be embraced by gamblers, but the industry disagrees. At the National Indian Gaming Association Tradeshow and Conference last month, cashless was one of the top three discussions (along with post-pandemic operations and tribal sports betting). And according to IGT, which recently had its cashless solution approved in Nevada, “Once people see others using cashless, it will be a landslide of adoption.” Think TITO. Regardless, you can still play with cash at Resorts World. n

14 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 Roulette 1, 2, 3

The number of zeros on a roulette wheel determines the house edge. It’s 2.7% for single-zero, 5.26% for double-zero, and 7.69% for triple zero. The single-zero game at Crockfords is better than 2.7%, because it employs a European rule called la partage, or half back. Not to be con- fused with en prison, which is a more complicated rule, in this variation, half your bet is returned on even-money wagers (e.g., red/black) if the ball lands on the zero. It has a house edge of 1.35%. The easy rule is, if you can bet the same amount on all available vari- ations, you should play the game with the fewest zeros. However, the best choice also depends on the minimum bet required. Assuming the minimums at the Resorts World games are $25 on a double-zero wheel and $100 on Crockfords’ single-zero, the expected loss is slightly lower on double-zero, -$1.32 to -$1.35 per $100 bet, due to the higher casino edge being applied to a lower betting amount. But at any bet above $25, you’ll lose less over time making $100 bets in Crockfords. Even as bad as triple-zero is, you’re still fading a lower expected loss on that game vs. the Crockfords game if you can play with a $15 minimum, -$1.15 per spin vs. -$1.35 (with a lot less risk). While it should be obvious that, assuming an equal bet, it’s better to play the wheel with the fewest zeros, you’ll often see at least as many players on a triple-zero game as on a double-zero right next to it (RW is no exception), which makes you wonder why the casinos don’t deal 4- and 5-zero games. Maybe we just need to give ’em time. n

Bookie Blunder

Here’s something that doesn’t happen every day. Last month, the line on the total for the WNBA All-Star Game moved more than 50 points! Circa opened at 248.5 and the line closed 195.5, a 53-point move to the under. What happened was Circa (and other books that followed) used data from previous WNBA All-Star Games to make the line. Totals in all-star games are always high, because the players want to put on a scoring show and they play very little defense. What wasn’t considered is that this year, the dynamic was vastly different. This year’s game matched the USA Olympic team, which is made up of WNBA players, against the WNBA All-Stars who weren’t chosen. With the Olympic team tuning up for the tournament and the WNBA All-Stars dually wanting to help the training effort and get some revenge for being snubbed, the game was played hard. Even the big cor- rection wasn’t enough, as the total landed 178, with Team WNBA beating Team USA 93-85. n continued on next page

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 15 Gambling continued … Gambling Notes

Jackpots—A player at the Venetian hit a jackpot for $1.5 million on a Wheel of Fortune machine. A player at the Sahara hit for $1.4 million on a Buffalo Grand machine. Poker Room Closes—The poker room at Planet Hollywood has closed. The closing of the mid-size 11-table room continues a decades-long trend in which poker tables at casinos are becoming an endangered species, though the new (and bigger) poker room at Resorts World more than cov- ers the loss of tables at PH. Olympics—The sports books are allowed to take bets on Olympic events that aren’t decided by judging (e.g., diving and gymnastics). Bas- ketball lines will be put up in most books, but lines on many other Olympic events will not, due to low demand. Vax Lotteries—In May we predicted that “Vax Promos”—monetary incentives for people to get vaccinated—would show up in the gambling world. Aside from some minor offers, that didn’t materialize in the casinos, but state lotteries picked up on the idea big time. Multiple states ran lot- teries (Nevada, where lotteries are illegal, called it a “raffle”) and several reported that the promo increased the pace of vaccinations. That may be, but there wasn’t much real monetary incentive to do so. In Ohio, for exam- ple, the total amount given away in the lottery was $6 million and about three million registered to play. That means the expected return was $2 per person. ND Shuns Poker—Don’t look for online poker to show up in North Dakota anytime soon. The state senate voted down a bill on a referendum to legalize online poker by a vote of 47-0. San Diego Card Rooms Exit—Once home to more than 100 card rooms, no more are now operating in San Diego. The last was the Lucky Lady Card Room, which did not reopen after California’s pandemic shutdown. This also appears to foreshadow the end of the single-owner card room in California, ushered out by laws impeding the issuing and sale of licenses, the arrival of Indian casinos, and competition from bigger corporate-owned rooms. n Video Poker Lost and Found

The video poker schedules at Resorts World are as reported last month, except there are some better schedules in a few multi-play machines in the main casino. They include Airport Deuces (98.91%), 9/6 Double Dou- ble Bonus (98.98%), 9/7/5 Double Bonus (99.11%), and 8/5 BP (99.17%), some starting at 25¢, but others only at $2 and up. Crockfords has the same mix, but with some $1 games. The best schedule on the majority of machines is 6/5 BP (96.87%), including at the bars. And you won’t get much help from the club card, which rewards a paltry .086% in free-play.

16 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • AUGUST 2021 If you play higher denoms, the 8/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe progressives (98.49% at reset) at Circa are worth a look. They’re at the main bar and in a few other locations throughout the casino for 50¢, $1, $2, and $5. At 50¢, the game is breakeven when the royal flush reaches $3,350, at $1 it’s $6,700, at $2 it’s $13,400, and at $5 it’s $33,500. When we last checked, the $1 meter was at $5,496, returning 99.30% for perfect play. Better was the $2 game at $11,847, returning 99.55%. If you’re looking for a way to pile up some good comps at downtown’s most opulent resort and you have the bankroll to handle the swings, you can find a good play here. Boma’s Bar and Grill at 8020 S. Durango has a lose-$20-get-$20 deal on Tuesdays. The best game is 6-5 BP. What will the VP be like at the Palms when it opens … whenever that is? There’s no way to know for sure, but a good indicator might be what the new owner, San Manuel, is dealing in California. According to the online database vpFREE2.com, the best games at San Manuel are 9/6 Jacks or Better (99.54%) and 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe (99.64%), but only at minimums of $5 and $10, respectively. The best game for quarters is 9/5 JoB (98.45%). Not terrible, but nothing to get excited about. Bob Dancer’s video poker classes are not being renewed at South Point. There are currently no plans for a new venue. Bob continues to write his Tuesday blog and host the Thursday “Gambling With an Edge” podcast with Richard Munchkin, both at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n WEATHER KEY dates AUGUST AUGUST Mean 85° Avg. Max. 104° Avg. Min. 66° 9-11 - MAGIC Marketplace - 75,000 A very hot and wet month. Desert electrical storms are 10-12 - International Roofing Expo - 10,000 spectacular but can cause dangerous floods on and 10-12 - Licensing International Expo - 10,000 around the strip. 16-19 - SuperZoo West - 10,000 Pools: Open 22-25 - ASD Market Week - 10,000 Attire: Summer cool, bathing suits. SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER Mean 76° Avg. Max. 96° Avg. Min. 57° 1-2 - White Label World Expo Warm sunny days, mild evenings. It doesn’t get any 6-9 - Western Veterinary Annual Conference better than this. 13-15 - MINExpo International Pools: Open 27-30 - Int. Wireless Communications Expo Attire: No need for jackets or sweaters 27-29 - Pack Expo 28-30 - LV Souvenir & Resort Gift Show OCTOBER OCTOBER Mean 65° Avg. Max. 83° Avg. Min. 46° 4-7 - Global Gaming Expo - 10k Balmy days, cool evenings toward the end of the 7-9 - Mecum Collector Cars Auction - 10k month. 9-13 - NAB Show 2021 - 105k Pools: Open 10-13 - SmileCon 2021 - 10k Attire: Short sleeves during the day, light jacket for 12-14 - NCAA-BASE 2021 - 10k evenings. 21-23 - National Hardware Show - 30k

AUGUST 2021 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 17 Prsrt First-Class Mail US Postage Paid Las Vegas NV 3665 Procyon St. Las Vegas, NV • 89103 Permit No 447 Las Vegas Advisor

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