ANTHONY CURTIS’ LasVegasAdvisor November 2020 • Vol. 37 • Issue 11 $5

CIRCA OPENS Downtown’s never seen the likes of this … pgs. 1, 4, 5, 8, 17

PAID PARK- ING IS BACK Surprise move might not last … pg. 2

99¢ SHRIMP COCKTAIL A classic is back, but you might be sleeping … pg. 8

THE SHOWS ARE OPENING But no fireworks this year … pgs. 12, 13

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COUPONOMY by Anthony Curtis Circa Opens

At 12:01 am on October 28, Circa opened its doors to a huge crowd waiting outside. Talk about pent-up demand. People were acting like they’d never been to a Las Vegas casino opening before. And come to think of it, maybe they hadn’t. Las Vegas hasn’t hosted one in almost four years. In the interim, we’ve welcomed new bridges, convention halls, are- nas, substantial add-ons like the Front Yard at Ellis Island, and even signif- icant transitions like Park MGM, but no brand-new resort openings since the relatively irrelevant Lucky Dragon (which has since closed). It’s been much longer, a decade, in fact, since the opening of the last major resort, the Cosmopolitan, and it’s been an incredible four decades since the last downtown resort was built from the ground up. Interestingly, that was the Sundance. It became Fitzgeralds and then the D, which, like Circa, is now owned by Derek and Greg Stevens. Yes, the Circa opening is a big deal, but not just because of time. What’s really big is the notion of bringing a Strip-caliber resort to Glitter Gulch. Can they actually get away with putting a place like Circa down- town? I think there are some precedents that say they can. Most obvious is the Palms, where George Maloof built a Strip property off the Strip and thrived. Derek Stevens is a lot like George Maloof in his vision, attention to detail, and pure gall to dare to do something this unconventional. Circa has that going for it. Two more examples are Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort, both of which are Strip-quality resorts built in the ’burbs, sev- eral miles away from the Boulevard to both the east and the west. So downtown could pose a challenge, but worse is the timing. Similar again to Maloof, who opened the Palms into the jaws of the 9/11 slow- down, Stevens and Circa have to deal with COVID-19. It’s like starting with a 16 against an ace, but anyone who’s played blackjack knows that’s not insurmountable. Here’s why l like Circa’s chances. Plain and simple, the place is awe- some! From the start, the “theme” was sports betting. Every time I saw continued on next page Couponomy continued …

Derek at the D, he described his plans for creating the most incredible sports book in the world. I tried to form a mind’s-eye view, but couldn’t really see it. Derek not only saw it; he built it. The first thing that hits you when you walk into the casino is the majesty of that book. I’ve only seen it the one time on opening night, but I can’t imagine that it won’t be packed every weekend. The idea of emphasizing sports betting, by the way, was hatched long before its nationwide legalization, an impressive testament to forward thinking. Almost as impressive is the pool complex, Stadium Swim. Here, too, sports is focal, with a giant screen for airing games overlooking the mul- tiple pools. In his address to the crowd on opening night, Derek said that they’d used the Downtown Events Center behind the D to experiment with the best ways to host viewing parties. I expect the pool parties here to rival anything in town. Those are just the two major features. There’s plenty more to point to. I like odd things, so I’m fascinated by what absolutely has to be the lon- gest escalator in running up to the pool. And speaking of long, the Mega Bar on the main floor easily out-longs even the D’s LONGBAR, spanning 165 feet, with 46 TVs and 120 beers on tap. There are several more bars throughout, along with intriguing restaurants, and even a retail component that I didn’t expect. OK, maybe I’m being a bit of a homer. I’m rooting for Circa. But my enthusiasm is genuine, at least after my first look. There are several men- tions in this issue, and we’ll be spending lot of time there and reporting many more details over the next few months. For now, though, it’s an easy number-one in the Top Ten and an absolute must-see no matter how packed your Vegas itinerary may be. n

Caesars Charging to Park

Caesars Entertainment has reinstated parking fees at most of its casi- nos. Non-registered guests are again being charged to self-park at Cae- sars Palace, Paris, Bally’s, Flamingo, Harrah’s, and . I’m surprised by this, but less so than I was before I gave it some thought. We’ve referenced the recent problems with violence on the Strip and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is part of Caesars’ response. Hotel guests, visitors with Nevada ID, and higher-level players club members

Publisher: Anthony Curtis Web Manager: Tanya Maynard Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob Dancer, LAS Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Research Assistant: Brenda Stewart Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot Krause, Bradley VEGAS Accounting: John Leitner Customer Service: Paula Machado Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott ADVISOR Production Manager: Laurie Cabot Shipping/Receiving: Matt Wondolleck Cover: Tom Donoghue 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 ©2020

2 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 Presidential Lines With less than a week till the election, Joe Biden is a -200 favorite to win the presidency at the offshore sports book CRIS. Donald Trump is +170. The betting market’s position is a strong indicator of a Biden victory, but Hillary Clinton was a +360 over Trump at this same juncture in 2016 and everyone knows how that turned out. We’ll post the line on election eve at LasVegasAdvisor.com. continue to park for free, so the only ones who pay are out-of-staters who don’t have casino status. While good customers might be lost with this move, it’s also all but guaranteed to keep the riffraff out of their garages and, to an elevated extent, out of their casinos. To defuse the “money-grab” accusers, Caesars Entertainment will “donate all parking fee profits to several charitable organizations who support Caesars team members and local communities in need through the end of the first quarter in 2021.” That actually sounds noble, but it’s not stipulated how “profits” are defined and that first-quarter deadline will come up fast. I’m guessing that Caesars is banking on other casinos fol- lowing suit again. If they don’t, the gouging accusations will be back and Caesars might be forced to rethink this. n

Virtual Reading

Last month, I wrote about two new Huntington Press books—20/20 Sports Betting and A Valley of Light and Shadow, the latter being the annual collection of essays we publish for the Las Vegas Writes project. We’d planned to run an excerpt from 20/20 this issue, as that’s the one that will interest more of our customers. However, the busy month ran us out of space for that. Rather, I’ll suggest that you check out something unique regarding the essay collection. Each edition of the Las Vegas Writes series is launched with an authors’ reading at the Clark County Library. This year, in deference to distancing considerations, the reading was held online and it turned out to be even better than the live event, with each author reading an excerpt, then com- menting about it. All the while, the online audience was commenting via chat. This was my favorite of the eight volumes that we’ve published, with lots of first-person confessions about dealing with the temptations that this city presents, and that comes through loud and clear in the readings. The session is archived at crowdcast.io/e/las-vegas-writes/register, so you can view it from home. It’s worth doing. Taking this further, we liked the format so much that we’re consider- ing a series of our own author readings that we’d conduct the same way, continued on next page

NOVEMBER 2020 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 3 News continued … featuring the likes of Bob Dancer, Jean Scott, Colin Jones, and others. We might start with 20/20 author Logan Fields. And if we don’t, we’ll get that excerpt in at some point soon. n

NEWS

Shutdown—Last month it was bars, this month it’s shows and con- ventions. Despite some disappointing numbers, Nevada’s policymakers are showing restraint regarding knee-jerk shutdowns. As a result, several shows have already begun, or soon will be, performing again. The details are provided in Entertainment. Realizing that Las Vegas needs convention business, plans are also in the works to raise the capacity for conventions to 50% of normal starting on New Year’s Day 2021. The raised capacity would heighten the chances that several large conventions scheduled for early next year will consider keeping their dates, whereas many that were scheduled earlier have canceled. Outbreaks of violence on the Strip per- sisted in early October, forcing the casinos and Metro to take additional protective steps. On the casino side, Wynn Las Vegas was again first to react and has put new security measures into place. Everyone entering Wynn or Encore Friday morning through Sunday night must now pass through metal detectors and their bags will be searched. Similar measures have been put in place at the Cosmopolitan, where on Friday and Saturday nights, you can’t enter unless you’re a hotel guest, show an Identity Club players card, or have dinner reservations. Expect more casinos to begin taking steps. At the D, for example, you have to show an ID to enter and we’re noticing that IDs are required more and more for everything—don’t walk around without one. Metro is also acknowledging the problem and has pledged a stronger presence on the Strip, both with uniformed and plain-clothed officers, via a program dubbed “Operation Persistent Pres- sure.” Anecdotally, we’ve heard that casinos are bringing back much of their security forces that may not have been immediately rehired. Planet Hollywood and The Cromwell have reopened, meaning that all Strip casi- nos are now operating. Circa—The 1.25-million-square-foot Strip-style downtown adults- only (21 and over) megaresort opened as promised on October 28, with a four-block line of guests greeted by Vegas Vickie in the lobby. With all the excitement surrounding the “world’s largest sports book,” the Stadium Swim “pool amphitheater,” and many other notable aspects of the resort, overlooked has been the giant Garage Mahal with just under 1,000 parking spaces. With a few exceptions, nearly the entire resort is complete and open (see Couponomy).

4 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 TOP 10 VALUES 1. Circa • Downtown • 24 hours • Free 2. Steak Dinner • Ellis Island • 24 hours • $7.99 For the first time since Jan- 3. Buffet • South Point • $9.95-$18.95 uary 2017, a new resort takes 4. Beer • Stage Door • 24 hours • $1 the #1 spot in the Top Ten. We 5. Breakfast • Arizona Charlie’s • Daily • $5.99 make this assignment for one 6. Hot Dog • South Point • Daily • $1.25 month for the opening of all 7. Shrimp Cocktail • Fremont • Daily • 99¢ major casino projects, since one 8. Prime Rib • Ellis Island • Daily • $16.99/$26.99 of the coolest things you can do 9. $1 Blackjack • OYO • 24 hours • $1.20 in Las Vegas is check out the latest and greatest, and it won’t 10. Room Rates • El Cortez et al. • $43 and up cost you a penny to take your own tour of Circa. The Ellis Island com- plete steak dinner drops to the #2 spot for this month. Served 24/7 in the Café, get the $7.99 price by playing at least $5 in any slot machine with your club card inserted, then downloading the required discount coupon from an EI kiosk. If you 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. The South Point buffet (#3) is the least expensive by far of Las Vegas’ only two buffet options. Breakfast is the best deal for $9.95 with a players card and includes unlimited bloody Marys. 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. The Fremont’s shrimp cocktail is the last of the easy-to- get 99-centers (#7); it’s served in the Lanai Express snack bar all hours except 7 to 11 am daily. We emphasize accessibility, because Circa has the best shrimp deal of all, but it won’t be for everyone (see Dining). Ellis Island’s potent prime rib tandem (#8) is available 24/7. You won’t get a better prime deal for the price anywhere in town and the humungous double cut stands up to anything you’ll find at twice the price. OYO’s $1-minimum blackjack game (#9) 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. This deal also has new competition that you can read about in Gambling. Room rates remain low enough to war- rant the #10 spot on the list. Check around before you book.

Encore—Citing weak demand, Encore is now closed Mondays through Wednesdays. Until further notice, the resort will open each week on Thurs- day at 2 pm and close at noon on Mondays. By that time, all hotel guests continued on next page

NOVEMBER 2020 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 5 News continued … will be required to have checked out. All amenities at Encore, including restaurants, will operate during the new business hours. The five-day/four- night schedule will continue until consumer demand increases. The Cromwell—The last shuttered casino on the Strip, The Cromwell, has reopened as an adults-only property, joining Circa in that respect. Like Circa, there will be an exception for the main restaurant, with those under 21 allowed to dine at Giada. Adults only certainly seems like a reasonable way to go for a place like The Cromwell that has almost nothing to offer underage visitors. Virgin—The Mohegan Indian Tribe has received approval to operate the casino at Virgin Las Vegas when it opens in January. It will be the first tribe to manage a casino in Las Vegas, though Mohegan Gaming & Enter- tainment also manages the casinos at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Resorts Atlantic City, and casinos in Washington, Louisiana, and Canada. Strip Target—The Target department store across from Park MGM next to the on the property formerly occupied by Smith & Wollensky has opened. It’s a small-format Target that’s been under con- struction for more than a year, roughly 15% the size of a full-format normal Target store at 20,000 square feet. Naturally, it’s geared to tourist foot traf- fic, with souvenirs and sundries, some apparel, and grab-n-go food. Downtown Chapel—Las Vegas’ oldest wedding chapel, Wee Kirk o’ the Heather, was unexpectedly demolished last month. Built in 1925 as a private home, it became a wedding chapel in 1940, the first dedicated wedding facility in the city. No plans have been announced for the parcel on Las Vegas Blvd., two blocks south of Fremont Street. Kentucky—Churchill Downs has opened Newport Racing & Gaming, the state’s sixth “Vegas-style” casino. The casino offers the controversial historical-horse-racing slots, a version of which were recently determined illegal by the Kentucky Supreme Court. Statistics—Nevada’s statewide gambling win was down 22.1% in August compared to the same month last year. It was a slight improve- ment from July. In Las Vegas, the Strip continues to take the brunt of the declines, down 39.2%, but North Las Vegas was up 1.8% and Boulder Hwy. was up 29.6%. Not surprisingly, the NBA and NHL playing when they normally wouldn’t be led to a monthly record sports betting win of $475 million. Visitation was down 57%, also a slight improvement over July. More than 1.5 million people came to town, but convention attendance was 0 for the fifth consecutive month. The total hotel occupancy rate was 42.7%, with 63.1% weekends and 34.4% weekdays. Airline traffic remains sluggish, down 61%. The year-to-date passenger count is down 56%. n

6 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 Sports Betting Scorecard

According to the American Gaming Association, Americans set an all- time record for wagering on sporting events in a single month in August: $2.1 billion. It was a 90% increase year over year. The $119.4 million in revenue taken in by sports books across the country ranked second to the $138 million held by the books in January 2020. What’s more, these numbers don’t include the $136.9 million wagered and $7.2 million win in Illinois, which released its revenue figures too late for the AGA report. Tennessee is expected to launch live betting in November and Wyo- ming could get into the game soon by way of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, which is attempting to launch (similar to tribes in ) despite the state not yet having enabling legislation. Follow the progress of sports betting legalization across the country and track developments as they occur via our map at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n

DINING Top-Grossing Restaurants

Restaurant Business’ 2020 list of the U.S.’ Top 100 highest-grossing independent restaurants has been released with 11 in Las Vegas (com- pared to 21 in New York, 12 in Chicago, 11 in Washington, D.C., and 5 in San Francisco). Las Vegas’ top restaurant is, appropriately, Stratosphere’s Top of the World in the #7 spot, grossing $25.2 million, generated by an average check of $103. The other Las Vegas restaurants on the list are Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab/Forum Shops at Caesars Palace #16 ($22.9 million sales and $81 average check), Bazaar Meat/Sahara #21 ($22.2 million, $119), SW Steakhouse/Wynn #22 ($21.5 million, $149), Mon Ami Gabi/Paris #25 ($20.1 million, $76), Lavo/Venetian #37 ($18.4 million, $97), Prime/Bellagio #38 ($18.2 million, $173), Delmonico/Venetian #56 ($16.2 million, $103), Forum Shops’ Carmine’s/ Forum Shops at Caesars Palace #65 ($15 million, $45), Beauty and Essex/Cosmopolitan #74 ($14.1 million, $99), and Virgil’s Real Barbecue/The LINQ #100 ($11.4 million, $27). Topping the list was the New York City location of Carmine’s, with $39.1 million in sales. n

Virgin Dining

Virgin Las Vegas has announced its complete lineup of restaurants and bars. Several had already been divulged, including Todd English’s Olives, the Kitchen at Commons coffee shop, and Hard Rock returnees Nobu, MB continued on next page

NOVEMBER 2020 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 7 Dining continued …

Steak, and Pizza Forte. New to the list are Night + Market, a Thai street food restaurant with five locations in the L.A. area; Casa Calavera, a Mex- ican restaurant in the former Pink Taco space; and Kassi Beach Club, a Continental restaurant and an ultra-lounge at the pool. n

Resorts World Dining

The first list of restaurants planned for includes Prince’s Hot Chicken from Nashville, Jeh O Chula (Thai), Parm (Italian), Fuhu Duck (Asian), and Houston’s Blood Bros. Barbecue. Also planned is an urban food hall (along the lines of the Cosmopolitan’s Block 16). Available fast food will include chicken and rice, clay-pot dishes, yakitori, sushi, shave ice, Malaysian flatbread and noodles, bao, and dumplings. n

Return of the 99-Center

The famous Golden Gate shrimp cocktail is back! And it’s 99¢ again. Sorta. Circa is serving it in Saginaw’s Deli for the lofty price of $11, but from 3 to 5 am daily, it’s just 99¢. No other strings are attached (as in hav- ing to also buy a sandwich); you just have to be there when the rest of us are in dreamland. Of course, it’s Vegas, so why not head over to Circa for some shrimp after a night of partying, right? We can already vouch for the deal. Conrad Stanley, who writes the “Conrad’s Capers” blog at LasVegasAdvisor.com, emailed on Day 1. “I had three shrimp cocktails at 3:30 am. They were legit! And they were 99¢. Only thing was, there were no saltine crackers in the house.” Chowing down multiples was a common practice, with 10 being the most we ever saw one person eat (when it was 50¢).

8 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 As for the $11 tab the rest of the day, it’s the highest yet for the cocktail that has seen its price rise 2,100% over six decades, during which it was a Top Ten choice (often #1) for the better part of 30 years. In a review in 2007, we wrote what turns out to be an eerie foreshadowing of the shrimp cocktail’s future home: “[At the Golden Gate] the TV over the bar was rebroadcasting the Marvin Hagler/Vito Antoufermo boxing match circa 1979.” Following is the pricing chronology of Las Vegas’ single most iconic food offering.

1959 Debuted at the Golden Gate for 50¢, a price that would last for 32 years. 1984 Was ranked the #4 value in the first issue of the Las Vegas Advisor in 1984 (Anthony Curtis says it was one of the key elements leading to his idea for the Top Ten). 1991 Rocked LVA and the casino world by raising the price to 99¢ (Deke Castleman recalls that the first day he showed up for work at the LVA office, the first thing Anthony said to him was, “Shrimp cocktail went up”). 2008 Price raised to $1.99, but you could still get it for 99¢ by showing a GG players card (Club 1906). 2010 The players card loophole is closed; $1.99 is the price for all. 2013 Price raised to $2.99 following the closing of the GG back-wall deli and a move to the Du-par’s coffee shop. The idea of a dedicated “shrimp bar” at GG or the D is floated. 2014 Price raised to $3.99; plans for a shrimp bar are officially dropped. 2017 Du-par’s closes and the shrimp cocktail is unavailable for the first time in its history. There was talk of it resurfacing at the D, but it didn’t happen. 2019 The shrimp cocktail is resurrected at the downtown restaurant 7th and Carson for $9.99 with a one-month offer to buy for 99¢ from 5 to 6 pm only (with purchase of an entrée). 2020 Served at Circa for $11 with 99¢ special as described.

That’s 50¢, 99¢, $1.99, $2.99, $3.99, $9.99, $11. Circa’s 99¢ late-night offer might be worth staying up for. n

Greenberg and Sons Deli at NY-NY

If you haven’t noticed, in recent years there’s been an exodus of delis on the Strip, so we took a look at one that’s still there and has flown under the radar since it opened almost 25 years ago. Greenberg Deli debuted with New York-New York in 1996. Virtually unchanged since then, it’s a no-frills eatery whose shelves are stocked with for-show borscht, gefilte fish, matzo, and the like. The menu is small but kosher-style authentic: bagel and cream cheese ($5), lox platter ($8), matzo-ball soup ($5.50), egg cream ($4.25), NY cheesecake ($5.75), and sandwiches (cold $11, hot $13, and sky high $14). All in all, these are low prices for a deli, especially one continued on next page

NOVEMBER 2020 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 9 Dining continued … in a Strip casino. Part of the reason for that is that it’s all counter service, so you place your order, watch as the food is prepared in front of you, and pay the cashier. You can eat on tables in the deli or outside in the food court or take out. Of course, we had to try the soup, which came with a giant matzo ball— as light and fluffy as it was big and filling. The corned beef on rye was lean, a little dry, but tasty enough and stacked so high that we got three meals out of it. Just in terms of quality, it’s not as good as the Carnegie, Stage, or Canter’s delis, but as alluded to, those are long gone. For good kosher- style deli food on the Strip, Greenberg’s is now the number-one option; hours are 9 am to 10 pm daily. Our top recommendations for deli-style grub outside of the casinos are Bagelmania on the east side, Bagel Café on the west, and Weiss Deli near Henderson. n

Corned beef and matzo ball soup at Greenberg Deli

Ron’s at Arizona Charlie’s

Las Vegas used to have several of what we refer to as “value-gourmet” restaurants. Most have gone the way of the imploded casinos, but two of the few that remain are at the two Arizona Charlie’s—the Yukon Grille at Boulder and Ron’s Steakhouse at Decatur. The Yukon Grille is currently closed, but Ron’s is open Sun.-Thurs. from 4 to 8 pm. The small menu has steaks for $30, fish $24, chicken $19, appetizers $12-$14, and salads $10- $12. The room is tucked away in the back and has a secluded feel that’s distinctly different from the frenetic locals scene throughout the casino. We had a 14-ounce ribeye, French onion soup, and three sides (excellent giant loaded baked potato), which came to $62. That’s a good price for this experience and it gets better for LVAers with the 25%-off voucher in the Member Rewards Book. The $60 required spend to use the offer is about what it will cost for two, so you’re getting a dinner out in a fancy room for about $45. That’s a play. n

10 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 Dine-Late Discount at 8oz Steak House

One of the best unpublicized dining discounts we’ve come across is at 8oz Korean Steak House and Bar (4545 Spring Mountain). After 10 pm, almost everything on the menu is half-price. The catch is you have to handle the cooking on your own. But that’s a snap, requiring only that you use a big pair of scissors to cut the steaks and seafood and place them on the grill. With this deal, you’re getting prime steaks for $20 and shrimp or scallop appetizers for $7.50. This is one of our favorite restau- rants for its selection of banchan, the Korean small plates that come with the meal. It’s also a step above in ambi- ence compared to most Korean barbecues, with a fancy bar up front and a trendy vibe. Fun place, excellent deal, n open till midnight. Get the scissors out

Dining Notes

Border Brunch—The good brunch at MBay’s Border Grill is running again on Saturdays and Sundays. This one is a bit different, offering all- you-can-eat small-plates for $39.99. Chef’s Table—Scarpetta at the Cosmopolitan has added a private-din- ing “chef’s-table” experience. The multi-course dinner with wine pairings is $200 per person. Restaurant Hub—The old White Cross Drugs on Las Vegas Boulevard is being transformed into a “hub for restaurants.” The old drug store will be expanded to nearly double its size. It wasn’t divulged if a version of the former Vickie’s Diner is in the plans. Golden Chick—The Texas-based fried-chicken chain Golden Chick plans to open the first of what’s purported to be an eventual 20 Las Vegas locations at the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. and West Carey Ave., about two miles north of downtown. Ground is expected to be broken for the fast-fooderie by the end of the year. Atlantic City Buffet—The Fresh Harvest Buffet at the Hard Rock is the first to reopen in Atlantic City. It replicates the failed experiment at the Wynn buffet, in which diners order their meals off a menu and the food is continued on next page

NOVEMBER 2020 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 11 Dining continued … brought to them by waiters. Bad idea whichever city you’re in. New Name—At Klondike Sunset, Sarah’s Kitchen is now the Klondike Grill. n

Openings/Closings

Saltgrass Steak House has opened at the Golden Nugget, which is interesting, given that Vic & Anthony’s steakhouse is also there. The latest restaurant to try its luck at the is Primal Steakhouse. The executive chef has done duty at Strip restaurants Elio, Hell’s Kitchen, and Sadelle’s. Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill will close on November 14 at Caesars Palace. Flay will replace it with an Italian restaurant called Amalfi. The quirky breakfast-cereal restaurant Cereal Killerz Kitchen has closed at Henderson’s Galleria Mall, but plans to open two new locations that have yet to be announced. Brightside Breakfast and Burgers has closed at the Plaza. n

ENTERTAINMENT Shows Opening

In one of the more significant moves since casinos were allowed to reopen, MGM Resorts International has announced that it will bring back several of its bigger shows. The conventional wisdom had been that the existing limitations—250 maximum occupancy and a required 25-foot dis- tance between the audience and the stage—would preclude the return of the major productions. However, MRI says that beginning Nov. 6, the fol- lowing shows will resume performances: Absinthe (Caesars); Jabbawock- eez, David Copperfield, and “Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club” (MGM Grand); The Australian Bee Gees and Thunder from Down Under (Excalibur); and Carrot Top and Fantasy (Luxor). While it seems unlikely that any of them can make a profit under the mandated restrictions, MRI has made the first move toward re-introducing high-end entertainment, which is a key part of the recovery puzzle. n

Other Shows

While MRI’s announcement was important for its overall commitment to the bigger stages, it won’t be the first back to market. Following is a list

12 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 of shows that are already performing: Piff the Magic Dragon (Flamingo); X Country (Harrah’s); “Delirious Comedy” (Downtown Grand); “LA Comedy” (Stratosphere); Aussie Heat, Piano Man: Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel, and Queens of Rock (Mosaic Theater). The shows that follow have opening dates in November: MJ Live (Stratosphere) 11/2; “Rich Little Live” and “Laugh Factory” (Tropicana) 11/5; Tape Face (Harrah’s) 11/11; “Comedy Works” (Plaza) 11/20; Legends in Concert (Tropicana) 11/30. You’ve probably noticed that no Cirque shows are on the list. They might be too big to operate under the current conditions (though Absinthe is of similar scale). In our call-around for this issue, LOVE, “O,” KÀ, Zuman- ity, Michael Jackson One, and Mystère all quoted opening dates between Dec. 1 and Dec. 15. Remember that many shows quoted return dates ear- lier this year that they didn’t meet, so we don’t have much hope that these productions will return before 2021. n

Tickets in Twos

Here’s another unforeseen entertainment consequence of the pan- demic: Many shows are now requiring the purchase of an even number of tickets with a minimum of two to attend. We assume they’ve determined that this policy ensures the most occupancy given the limited number of seats available (though we can come up with scenarios where that’s not so). Following are all the shows that are listed above and have this require- ment: Australian Bee Gees, LOVE, Blue Man Group, “Brad Garrett’s Com- edy Club,” Carrot Top, Fantasy, , KÀ, “O,” Piff the Magic Dragon, Thunder from Down Under, X Country, and Zumanity. Others are likely to do the same. n

NYE Fireworks Shelved

For the first time since it started 21 years ago, the “America’s Party” fireworks show on the Strip won’t take place this New Year’s Eve. While it hasn’t been officially stated, it follows that the traditional mass gathering on the Strip will be disallowed. We assume that the downtown party will also be canceled; however, the Plaza has already announced that it will have a display. n

Bars and Happy Hours

Rampart runs “Wine Down Days” at Jade Asian Kitchen & Noodles Tues., Thurs., and Sun. and Hawthorn Grill Mon.-Thurs., with select bottles continued on next page

NOVEMBER 2020 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 13 Entertainment continued … of wine for $30 with the purchase of an entrée. Jaleo by José Andrés has 50% off wine on Tuesdays. During NFL games at Silver Sevens, bottled beer is $1.77 and a 16-ounce draft is $2.77. Downtown’s Gold Spike runs a ’90s night on Thursdays, with $2 PBR, $4 well drinks, and $2-$4 cocktails for ladies from 9 pm to midnight. The Marché Bacchus happy hour now runs Sun.-Fri. from 4 to 6 pm, with $9 specialty cocktails, 50% off 26 wines by the glass, and appetizers for $7-$14. The most recent addition to our Top Ten list departed as quickly as it arrived. The happy hour in Fresco at Westgate Las Vegas was discontin- ued a couple weeks after we wrote about it. Westgate finally came up with something good, then hustled to get rid of it. Not surprising. At 8oz Steak House and Bar, a Bikini-tini is 13 and a Hite beer is $7.59. At Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, a draft Lovelady is $9.75. In Bellini Bar at the Venetian, a Heineken is $9.21. In the Oddwood Bar at Area 15, a Heineken is $8. At Japaneiro, a draft Asahi is $5.42. At Izakaya Go, a draft Asahi Black is $5.36. At Irene’s Spring Mtn., a Bud is $4.50. n

Entertainment Notes

Virgin Showroom Renamed—The Hard Rock’s former live-music club, Vinyl, will reopen at Virgin Las Vegas as 24 Oxford. The name comes from the London address of the first Virgin Record Store that opened in 1971. It’s expected that the 688-capacity venue will host primarily comedy acts, which are more easily staged considering COVID-19 restrictions. Cosmo Skate—The ice rink at the Cosmopolitan is returning for its ninth consecutive year. The rink in the pool area overlooking the Strip will be open for skating from November 18 to January 3. All-day passes for non-hotel guests are $30 and $20 for locals Sunday-Thursday. Planet 13 Expanding—Planet 13, which bills itself as the world’s larg- est cannabis store, is expanding. The pot superstore is doubling the sales floor to 23,000 square feet, adding 40 new points of sale and an 80-foot video wall. The $2 million expansion is expected to be completed by March 2021. Planet 13 has a lot more room to grow; after the expansion, the pub- lic spaces will still occupy less than half the building’s 112,000 square feet. Farmer’s Market—The farmer’s market is back, running on Fridays from 3 to 8 pm. It’s considered the premier farmer’s market in Las Vegas, selling locally grown fruits and vegetables picked the morning of the market, along with homemade pastas, salsas, and other food products and hand-crafted jewelry. Live music plays from 4 to 7 pm. Dam Reopens—Hoover Dam has reopened for walking and driving

14 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 across. The visitor center and tours inside the dam remain shut down; the reopening of the café and gift shops is expected soon. n

GAMBLING $1 Blackjack at Downtown Grand

Amid mostly rising table-game minimums, the Downtown Grand is now dealing $1-minimum-bet blackjack. The dollar game is available from 11 am to 3 am daily on at least one table. It’s the only $1 game downtown and one of only two in all of Las Vegas, along with OYO, located just east of the Strip. When we checked there was one table in action with five spots and all were full. For now, we’re leaving OYO as the Top Ten choice, because it’s open around the clock, but this may change by next issue after we’ve had time to get all the details about the new game. n

Poker Survives (Mostly)

We continue to be surprised by the strong return of live poker. Last month, the rooms at Planet Hollywood and Bally’s reopened, the latter reportedly the only one dealing 9-player tables. Rather than limit play to weekends only at Encore (see News), the poker room there has been relo- cated to a temporary area near the sports book at the Wynn. According to outside sources, including a good summary in the LV Review-Journal, 20 of 31 Las Vegas poker rooms have reopened. Most notably remaining closed are those at , MBay, and the home of the World Series of Poker, the Rio, where the entire casino is closed. The cardrooms in have reopened in tents. They’ve been given permission to operate, but only in outdoor facilities. Masks must be worn at all times, players are separated by plexiglass dividers, and no food or drink is allowed. n

Two New Side Bets

The Gold Coast is testing two new side bets. The first is a roulette bet called 2G’$. It pays 350-1 for hitting 0 or 00 back to back (same or one of each). This one is interesting, because whereas most side bets are more disadvantageous than their base game, this bet’s house edge is 2.77%, only half that of the other bets on a double-zero wheel. You’re fading about the same house edge as on a single-zero table, but with a lot more vari- ance given the low hit percentage of the long shot. continued on next page

NOVEMBER 2020 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • 15 Gambling continued …

The second is a side bet on craps called Mugsy’s Corner that’s similar to a field bet: It has a quick resolution and the same 5.5% casino edge. n

Sports Betting HoF

The five new members of the U.S. chapter of the Sports Betting Hall of Fame are all prominent names from recent years. Roxy Roxborough is probably the best known of the group; he was the founder of Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which set the Vegas line for many years. Vick Salerno is the founder of Leroy’s; Jay Rood was the lead bookmaker at MGM Grand; Sara Slane represented the American Gaming Association in the push for legalized sports betting in the U.S., and Ray Lesniak is a former New Jersey senator who was instrumental in New Jersey’s successful campaign to become the first state with comprehensive legal sports bet- ting outside of Nevada. If you’re keeping score, the five new members of the international HoF are Ralph Topping, Victor Chandler, Bill Mummery, Giovanni Garrisi, and Juan B. Perez Hidalgo. n

Gambling Notes

Jackpots—A Face Up Pai Gow Poker player at Aliante hit a seven-card straight flush (including a joker) to take down the linked-progressive jack- pot of $531,639. The jackpot, linked at five other Boyd casinos, resets to $150,000. A player at the Flamingo hit the Mississippi Stud royal flush pro- gressive jackpot for $738,104. Precision Parlay—A Henderson woman topped a field of nearly 420,000 players to win $100,000 in the “Win Terry’s Money” (referencing Terry Bradshaw) football contest that can be played for free on the Fox Super 6 app. Not only did she pick six correct winners, but she also nailed the mar- gin of victory for all six. For example, she picked the Seahawks to beat the Dolphins by 7 to 9 points and the Seahawks won by 8. The winner said she filled out her entry in less than a minute. Sahara Players Club—Formerly Club 52, the Sahara’s players club is now called Infinity Rewards. It’s tied to the system at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, so points are interchangeable between the two. COVID Comp—Someone had to do it and the D did it. Earn 100 points ($1,000 coin-in on video poker) at the D and get a logoed mask. This offer is valid while supplies last. SP Bonus—Redeem $25 in club points ($8,250 coin-in) in November at South Point for a $50 or Walmart gift card. That’s a strong 100% bonus above normal redemption. n

16 • LAS VEGAS ADVISOR • NOVEMBER 2020 Video Poker Lost and Found

Of course, we took a quick look at the schedules at Circa on opening night. They appear to be similar to those at the D and Golden Gate, with the best being 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%), though they aren’t progressives as they are at the other casinos. The BP games at the International Bar at the Westgate have been downgraded from 7/5 to 6/5 (96.87%), but it’s a cool place to watch sports on several TVs tuned to different games if you want to get away from the frenzy in the SuperBook. Once one of the “quiet” good plays in town across several denoms, the inventory at the Rainbow in Henderson has gradually declined over the years. According to the online database vpFREE.com, the Rainbow now has a strange higher-risk mix, with several games exceeding 99%—the best being NSU Deuces (99.73%)—but only in multi-line games at 50¢ and $1. Updating the report from last month that the Four Queens had raised the coin-in requirement to earn a point on bar video poker from $8 to $20, vpFREE2 now reports that the requirement is $16 per point at the bar and $20 on 10/7 Double Bonus (100.17%). Bob Dancer’s free video poker classes are expected to resume at South Point, but a date hasn’t been set. In the interim, be sure to check out Bob’s weekly Tuesday blog and the Thursday “Gambling With an Edge” podcast, with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at LasVegasAdvisor.com. n WEATHER KEY dates NOVEMBER JANUARY Mean 53° Avg. Max. 65° Avg. Min. 40° 6-9 CES—180,000 Temperatures drop dramatically this month. Crisp days, 19-22 World of Concrete—60,000 cold nights. 30-2/4 Golf Industry Show—13,500 Pools: Currently closed by government order. Attire: Bring something warm, especially for evenings. DECEMBER MARCH Mean 46° Avg. Max. 58° Avg. Min. 33° 16-18 Int’l Pizza Expo—12,000 Evening temperatures dip into the 30s and even into the 22-25 Int’l Wireless Communications—12,000 20s. The sun makes an occasional showing. Pools: Currently closed by government order. Attire: Desert of not, it’s wintertime and it’s cold. Dress warmly. JANUARY JUNE Mean 45° Avg. Max. 57° Avg. Min. 32° 20-21 Int’l Esthetic Cosmetics—25,000 Cool and dry. Days are crsip, but pleasant. Cold evenings. Pools: Currently closed by government order. Attire: Sweater and jacket—desert winters are cold.

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