For all that the Strip offers, it has not been able to boast a single, urban gathering spot, an outdoor space where a mass of people is, in itself, as exciting an experience as gambling, dining or shopping.
Attention out-of-work Las Vegans: Jimmy Buffett might have a job for you. Buffett and the Flamingo are hiring at least 250 workers for a new Margaritaville Casino slated to open in October.
For the first time in decades, no plans are in the works for construction of a Strip resort. That doesn’t mean development is dead. Resort owners and entrepreneurs are still investing money on Las Vegas Boulevard, just in smaller amounts and for different projects.
Among the assumptions of the Las Vegas business model is that something big — think opulent resorts — should open every few years to keep the town fresh and give tourists a reason to return. Instead, resort construction has stalled because of the toxic economy.
Las Vegas, where it’s easy to rock ’n’ roll all night and party every day, may soon be the capital of Kiss. The iconic glam-rock band is embarking on two themed ventures that could leave a lasting footprint.
But first he’s got to rent his own showroom — off-Strip
Friday, Aug. 5, 2011
German magician Jan Rouven is a bona fide star in Europe. His shows fill stadiums. Fans stop him for autographs at grocery stores and malls. Camera crews follow him around filming reality TV shows.
It’s a hot music weekend in Las Vegas, and you don’t have to venture to the Strip to hear big-name artists play (a bonus for locals). Several headliners are taking Summerlin by storm, and there’s a free concert in downtown Las Vegas.
It was inevitable, of course. Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is opening a speak-easy, and yes it will be named after him. The mob lawyer-turned-public servant-turned-entrepreneur is opening a steak house and bar this fall in the Plaza in the space previously occupied by tapas restaurant Firefly.
Ethan Bortnick may be the youngest person to headline a Las Vegas show, but he’s certainly not the only child to do so. Several big stars got their start as youngsters in Las Vegas.
Want to be a millionaire? Clear your calendar for July 29. That’s when producers from the hit TV show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” will descend on Las Vegas looking for contestants.
First Friday Las Vegas, downtown’s monthly art festival, has apparently grown too successful for its own good. Organizers announced that the festival portion of the event will take a two-month hiatus this summer to “evaluate and address rising costs.”
Lucky tourists were treated to two big star sightings this week on the Strip. Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand were in town to film a movie tentatively titled “My Mother’s Curse.”
Las Vegas will show its entertainment diversity this weekend. There’s roller derby if you’re into sports and movies galore for film buffs. Music lovers can take their pick from rock, alternative and hip-hop shows.
Carlos’n Charlie’s, a Mexican restaurant chain that has more restaurants in Mexico than in the United States, will open its fourth U.S. location this winter at the Flamingo.
Golf and beer are like peas and carrots. Find a course, and it’s a sure bet you’ll see at least a couple golfers with cold ones in hand. But what about the reverse: a barfly clutching a putter?
A commercial playing on TV and radio in Southern Nevada rattles off a list of U.S. cities — Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Dallas — and asks what they have in common.
Most major cities have accredited public zoos. Not Las Vegas. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to see exotic animals or interact with friendly critters. Just plan to do some walking.
Vice president critical of GOP during speech at Paris hotel-casino
Friday, July 1, 2011
Vice President Joe Biden credits organized labor with helping him win a U.S. Senate seat and the vice presidency. Now he’s looking for Teamster support to return him and President Barack Obama to the White House in 2012.
You can head to the Strip this Fourth of July to watch fireworks, but that’s so ... tourist heavy. How about you act like a local instead and sojourn to a viewing site off the beaten path?
Nevada legislators approved a law earlier this year that will allow robotic cars, including those being developed by Google, to eventually zip through the Las Vegas Strip and other state roads and highways.
Retirement so far is working out great for former U.S. Rep. Dina Titus. She recently accepted a lucrative buyout from UNLV, where she has taught for decades, a move that leaves her time and money to travel, relax and explore her next step.
The Electric Daisy Carnival, North America’s largest electronic music festival, lands in Las Vegas this weekend, with an expected 250,000 visitors in tow. If crowd predictions prove true, it will be the second largest Las Vegas event ever.
Carolyn Goodman’s succession of her husband, Oscar Goodman, as Las Vegas mayor is certainly unusual, but far from unique. For almost a century across the country, wives have followed in the footsteps of their politician husbands.
If a state spends more on schools, will students perform better? That’s the question being debated in Nevada and nationwide as states grapple with shrinking budgets and parents and leaders debate how best to educate children.
Las Vegas is known for its headlining musical acts, but only a handful of artists got their start here. Most musicians who play the valley’s showrooms are transplants from across the country who came to Vegas for its vast entertainment opportunities.
Panic! at the Disco started as a Blink-182 cover band dreamed up by a group of local high school friends. In fact, the band never played a live show until after they were signed to a label.
No contestant from Nevada has ever won a Miss America or Miss USA pageant, but several Miss Nevadas and Miss Nevada USAs have captured America’s attention. Some for better, some for worse.
Las Vegas is expected to bustle with tourists this weekend, and the Strip could get sweaty as temperatures soar into the triple digits. Why not escape into the dark recesses of a show?
Republican Rep. Joe Heck on Wednesday was more than happy to answer questions about high school sporting events and Disney’s plans to trademark the “SEAL Team 6” name, but he refused to answer any substantive questions about Social Security.
Carolyn Goodman met expectations Tuesday and won an easy victory in the Las Vegas mayoral race. Always considered the front-runner despite having no political experience, Goodman, a former private school administrator, beat opponent Chris Giunchigliani by a 3-to-2 margin.
Instead of standing outside polling places shaking hands or knocking on doors to get every possible supporter to the polls, Carolyn Goodman spent most of Election Day popping in and out of her campaign headquarters, running errands — to the bank and dry cleaners — and writing thank-you notes to donors.
Chisel a new first name on the poker chips, clear out the booze from the mayor’s office and let the transition begin. There’s going to be a new mayor in Las Vegas with a familiar name. Carolyn Goodman, wife of three-terms-and-you’re-out Mayor Oscar Goodman, easily won election Tuesday, beating Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani 60 percent to 40 percent.
This much is certain: More Las Vegans voted early for mayor in the general election than in the primary. What that means is up for debate. Not surprisingly, both Carolyn Goodman and Chris Giunchigliani argue that a higher turnout favors them. Polls and political analysts side mostly with Goodman. In the two weeks of early voting leading up to the April primary, about 26,000 people voted for mayor, either at polling places or by mail.
On one side of Gibson Road in Henderson sits Vantage Lofts, a cluster of half-finished structures developers once dreamed would house modern condominiums with sweeping views of the Strip.
Police, firefighters make vocal push to oust councilman
Saturday, May 28, 2011
North Las Vegas’ Ward 4 City Council race is as much a contest between incumbent Richard Cherchio and local unions as it is between Cherchio and challenger Wade Wagner.
What’s in a name? In the race for Las Vegas mayor, maybe everything. Carolyn Goodman, wife of Mayor Oscar Goodman, has never run for office but began her campaign with a head start because of her last name. Chris Giunchigliani has 20 years of government experience but carries a surname most people can’t pronounce.
Chris Giunchigliani has tried to move the Las Vegas’ mayoral race from a popularity contest to a political showdown. She has accused her opponent, Carolyn Goodman, of running on her last name and dodging debates because she has no real understanding of the issues.
The race for Las Vegas’ Ward 3 City Council seat heated up Tuesday night, with Adriana Martinez accusing Bob Coffin of “promoting stalking” because a private investigator followed her and Coffin accusing Martinez of lying about endorsements and her residency.