360 Vegas

E-490: No Fucks to Give

Random Vegas
The five biggest jackpots ever won in Las Vegas history (@VegasIssues)
1.     $39.7 million – Excalibur, Mar 2003
2.     $35 million – Desert Inn, Jan 2000
3.     $27.6 million – Palace Station, Nov 1998
4.     $22.6 million – Bally’s, May 2002
5.     $21.3 million – Caesars Palace, June 1999
TwitPic of the week
I don’t know if its common knowledge but Bellagio has a hell of an ass on her.  You don’t think of her as a tri-tower because that frontage is all anyone remembers but she is in fact a tri-tower, showcased spectacularly by @Maverickheli.  I don’t think this aspect of her is as appreciated as it should be.  I know I didn’t until we moved and I made the drive from the west to the strip via Flamingo Road.  She unveils herself as you come over the freeway.  It’s very distracting and elegant and a beautiful addition to our Twitpic of the week collection.
News
360VV14
RJ Tip Guide
Frontier Site

E-489: Loopholes

Random Vegas
The largest American flag every flown was displayed over the Hoover Dam on May 1st, 1996.  Each star on the flag was 17 feet high. (@LasVegaslocally)
TwitPic of the week
My growing affection for this property rivals only Keren’s dislike for it.  The world famous, Caesars Palace, here showcased in 1974 by @summacorp.  Here we can see the properties 3rd hotel tower under construction, the Roman tower expansion.  Something that used to annoy me about Caesars was the piece mail cobbling together of different eras.  Now its what I find charming about it.  How many places can you visit on the strip that are the same structure they were in 66.  It’s remarkable and why I’ve selected to celebrate her evolution with this week’s winner.
News
J-Lo Vegas Drama
Resorts World Money Laundering
Icahn Returns
Golden Nugget No Resort Fee
Rio Drone Show
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mail Bag E-3

360 Mail Bag is our opportunity to address your feedback in a causal conversation between friends.
 

E-488: Mr. Fritada

Random Vegas
It’s been stated that the Mirage changed everything.  Specifically, in the 10 years that followed its opening the city of Las Vegas doubled visitor volume from $17 million to $35 million, room inventory from 61k to 124k, air passengers increased from $16 million to $36 million and gaming revenue from $3 billion of $7.6 billion.  (@OllyLovate)
TwitPic of the week
Simply put, it’s a picture of the Mirage under construction shared by @summacorp.  Never has a single property so impacted the Las Vegas market.  It’s somewhat comforting that the building will basically remain the same although with virtually all of the public spaces refreshed.  Odds are we won’t recognize the Mirage once Hard Rock is finished with it, which is a good thing.  Possibly the most disappointing thing is that we are losing another iconic name on the strip.  No longer will we love a place with palaces called Dunes, Sands, Stardust or the Mirage.
News
LVCVA and Aces
Mini Disni
Flamingo Signage Relit
Virgin Labor Issues
Gaming Integrity
 

E-487: Cox Aren't For Everyone

Random Vegas
When the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was installed in 1959, the population of Las Vegas was about 70,000 people.  Today, 65 years later, that number is 2.3 million (@lasvegaslocally and research)
TwitPic of the week
It is the way of the world.  The only constant is change and the city of Las Vegas embodies that more than any city in the history of civilization.  The Tropicana is currently being demolished and the Mirage will be rethemed to Hard Rock.  At least we can be grateful that the stain glass ceiling at Tropicana is going to be saved, showcased by @lasvegaslocally.  Here’s a choice for you.  The Mirage Volcano or the Tropicana stain glass ceiling, if you could only save one, which would it be?
News
Mirage Closing
 

PCP - Fountains of Bellagio - 360 Vintage Vegas

 
The Fountains of Bellagio are one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.  You’ve seen them on TV, in movies and even cartoons.  The Fountains transcend pop cultural trends that phase out over a decade or two and instead has become one of the unofficial ambassadors of the city of Las Vegas, as identifiable as the strip itself and the Welcome to Vegas sign.  Sadly, it is the last of the free shows Steve Wynn gave us while he was remaking the strip in his image.  As beloved as it is, we have to prepare ourselves.  Remember, especially in Vegas, everything has a shelf life.  It is inevitable that this too shall pass.
 
Who knows what the future holds for the Fountains of Bellagio.  One thing we do know is everything in Las Vegas has a shelf life.  How long that will be is indeterminable at this time.  So enjoy that last groundbreaking, free attraction from the mind of Steve Wynn still in operating condition in Las Vegas.  An idea so great that many of Wynn’s other properties around the world also feature smaller versions of the fountains and the concept has been borrowed from all around the world.
 
For more information about the Fountains of Bellagio, check out the book by the same name

E-486: From A Distance

Random Vegas
The original trains used on the Las Vegas Monorail were from Walt Disney World.  When they debuted, they simply connected Bally’s to MGM Grand. (@LasVegasLocally)
TwitPic of the week
The Queen of the Strip, as she was known, basking in the morning glow of a sunrise shared by @_GrandpaD.  The Stardust Super Pylon marquee was remarkable for so many reasons.  The font, the shower of stars and how the pylons were designed to disappear at night.  They were planted blue to do the same thing during the day but that only worked when there was a blue sky behind it…which is like 200+ days of the year.  If you look close this picture also captures the Silver Slipper, Fronter and in the distance, the Mirage.
News
A’s Financing
WrestleMania 41
RoofTop Bars
2020 Do-Over
El Cortez Renovations
Virgin Shake Up
High Roller Excuse
 

PCP - 2024 Draft: Vegas Movies

w/ Josh and Tony
This week, we are drafting our favorite Vegas Movies.  The game is simple.  Pick your favorite Vegas movies. The trick is we are all drafting from the same pool of movies and a movie is only available to be selected by one person.  This is NOT a list of the best movies set in Vegas nor is it a game to select the most valuable movies.  There is no score, there aren’t winners or losers.  This is just a chance for us to talk about some of our favorite Vegas movies for whatever reason we come up with.