Ron Sylvester

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Story Archive

Adelson says he changed testimony to clarify details of Macau deal
Monday, April 8, 2013
Billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson changed his story. Appearing more subdued Monday than he did last week, Adelson admitted that he altered his testimony from what he told jurors five years ago, when they sided with Hong Kong businessman Richard Suen.
Shadow Creek golf course: Where not even the president can get a tee time
Jordan Celebrity Invitational to allow rare public glimpse of Las Vegas golfing jewel
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Mark Brenneman traces his history as manager of Shadow Creek, the swank, exclusive golf club owned by MGM Resorts International, to a day 12 years ago when he was caddying. His client that day was golfing great Nick Faldo.
Adelson, armed with one-liners and verbal jabs, testifies about Sands' entry into Macau
Friday, April 5, 2013
When he wasn't quipping one-liners from the witness stand or arguing with lawyers, Sheldon Adelson had trouble remembering details of how he built a casino empire in Macau.
California judge refuses to reduce bail for ex-lawmaker, sets court date in I-15 chase
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Former Assemblyman Steven Brooks remained in a California jail after a judge denied Brooks’ request for lower bail.
Hired or fired? How the Trump is doing after five years in Las Vegas
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Las Vegas’ $1.3 billion Trump International Hotel opened in March 2008 and got off to a rocky start. The high-end condos failed to sell. Owner Donald Trump had to shift strategy. The Great Recession dashed his hope for a second tower, and hundreds of investors sued him. Five years later, things have improved at the gold-plated tower. The investor lawsuits were dismissed, the condos once again are selling, and the hotel rooms are full.
April court date set for corrections officer accused of having sex with prisoner
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A Nevada corrections officer faces criminal charges, after prison inmates accused him of having sexual relations with a woman convicted of killing a child. Eugenio Dimas, 51, is charged with official misconduct and having voluntary sex with Monique Maestas.
Congresswoman renews push for 'Weekends without Hunger'
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Congresswoman Dina Titus is renewing her fight to help feed needy schoolchildren on weekends. Backed by nearly three dozen Las Vegas chefs, the Nevada Democrat on Thursday morning began her latest push for her Weekends Without Hunger bill, an updated version of a failed proposal she originally introduced 2 1/2 years ago. The bill aims to provide funds to make nutritional meals available on weekends to poor students.
Contractors to begin dismantling portions of the Harmon this week
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Structural experts for CityCenter are scheduled as early as Thursday to begin chipping away at sections of concrete in the 26-story unfinished tower on the Las Vegas Strip. They'll be searching for evidence of construction defects they hope to present to a jury this summer. MGM Resorts International, which owns half of CityCenter, seeks to prove flaws that halted construction on the $275 million Harmon four years ago were the fault of its former general contractor.
Losing-hand progressive poker jackpot hits, paying out $600,000
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Nearly two months to the day after starting a progressive poker promotion that rewards losing hands, Caesars Entertainment paid its first big pot of more than $600,000.
Goodbye, Sahara; Hello, SLS Las Vegas
Thursday, March 14, 2013
First, the sign came down. Then, the Moroccan-styled dome was dismantled. By the end of the week, it will be gone. The shuttered Sahara is slowly disappearing after almost 60 years in business, making way for a new Strip resort, the SLS Las Vegas. "SLS" stands for "style, luxury and service." Inside, the only remaining hint of the Sahara are ornate columns. The casino has been stripped to its concrete walls. The reception desk has been cleared. The Conga Room, buffet and coffee shops are gone.
Shrink to mobsters and stars: Barber has been cutting hair — and hearing secrets — for 38 years
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Neil Scartozzi knows mobsters’ secrets and celebrities’ peccadilloes. As a barber at the Riviera for the past 38 years, Scartozzi has been a trusted ear for some of Las Vegas’ most famous figures.
Sushi in a push-up tube? It’s coming to Las Vegas
Monday, March 11, 2013
A new way of eating sushi is coming to Las Vegas.
Bellagio introduces all-you-can-eat caviar for $37.99
Friday, March 8, 2013
After a couple weeks testing the water, the caviar bar at the Bellagio Buffet is here to stay. "If we wouldn't have it here this weekend, people would complain," said Frank Ortiz, assistant buffet chef.
Colorado woman hits $1.2 million jackpot at Riviera
Friday, March 8, 2013
A 64-year-old Colorado woman is leaving Las Vegas much richer than when she came, after winning a progressive slot machine jackpot today at the Riviera.
Caesars Entertainment pitches in to help former employee recover from crash
Friday, March 8, 2013
Caesars Entertaiment is helping the family of a former part-time employee pay for medical expenses. The young woman who was seriously injured in a car crash last fall. Anne-Monique Lippitt, 20, has been in Progressive Hospital, a Las Vegas long-term care facility, with severe brain damage she suffered Oct. 11 after the car she was riding in struck a tractor-trailer rig stopped for another crash in a heavy rainstorm near St. George, Utah.
Treasure Island hiring consultant for convention center project
Friday, March 8, 2013
It will be summer, at the earliest, before Treasure Island knows if plans for a new convention center will get off the drawing board, officials said.
How much does it cost to build a Strip resort?
Friday, March 8, 2013
The Genting Group got a steal on the Strip land it bought this week to build Resorts World Las Vegas, a 3,500-room Chinese-themed resort. The Malaysian company paid Boyd Gaming only $350 million for the 87-acre site of the imploded Stardust and failed Echelon. By comparison, Phil Ruffin sold the 36-acre New Frontier property in 2007 for $1.24 billion, a Las Vegas record.
Elevating the senses: Escalator at D Las Vegas features touch of Cirque
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The newest production of former Cirque du Soleil producer Roger Parent frames an escalator well at a downtown Las Vegas casino.
Construction under way for SlotZilla, part of new downtown zip line
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Concrete is cracking and heavy machinery is rumbling, moving tons of dirt, as construction is under way to build a permanent zip line in downtown Las Vegas.
Casino renovations embraced at the Quad
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The casino at the Quad is open after a portion of the first phase of a renovation was completed, and dealers are grinning over the new felt covering the game tables.
Rattlecan, First Food & Bar shuttered on Strip
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
When First Food & Bar and Rattlecan closed Monday night at the Palazzo and Venetian, respectively, the restaurants didn't reopen this morning.
Bonefish Grill returning to Las Vegas Valley
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Bonefish Grill is returning to the Las Vegas Valley. After closing a restaurant in Henderson two years ago, the restaurant chain is reopening later this month at Town Square. It will be located on the corner of Sunset Road and Las Vegas Boulevard.
Casino developer dabbles in energy production, biotechnology and palm oil crops
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Genting Group, which plans to build a $2 billion Asian-themed mega-resort in Las Vegas, is one of the world's largest gaming companies. But its footprint reaches far wider than just casinos. It also deals in palm oil plantations, cruise lines, oil and gas production and biotechnology.
New escalator makes it easier to get across Strip
Monday, March 4, 2013
It’s now a little easier to get across the Strip with the opening of a new escalator at Harmon Avenue.
Boyd Gaming revenue up but misses Wall Street expectations
Monday, March 4, 2013
Boyd Gaming increased revenue but saw shareholder earnings slip while missing Wall Street expectations.
Executive suites offer flexible office space to businesspeople on the go
Target market includes startups, small businesses and traveling execs
Monday, March 4, 2013
Dave Rolley lives in Las Vegas but travels all over the world as vice president of Ampcontrol. Rolley needs an office wherever he goes, whether it’s Summerlin, Pittsburgh or Buenos Aires, so he uses executive suites — rental offices with flexible lease terms for owners of small to midsize businesses and executives who travel.
Vic Vegas opens restaurant in Anthem
Friday, March 1, 2013
Vic Vegas, a former contestant on "Next Food Network Star," is opening a restaurant this weekend in the hills of Anthem.
Workers picket outside Cosmopolitan over lack of contract
Friday, March 1, 2013
Lines of workers chanted, carried signs and yelled at people trying to walk into the Cosmopolitan on Friday, protesting the property’s lack of a contract with the Las Vegas Culinary Union.
Station Casinos eliminates many of its highest-paying video poker machines
Friday, March 1, 2013
Station Casinos is updating its video poker offerings with new machines that let players customize backgrounds and the way cards are dealt. But at the same time, the casino company is removing many of its highest-paying video poker games. For years, Station has been known for having some of the best video poker payouts in Las Vegas. But over the past few months, several full-pay machines — those with payouts of 100 percent or more — have disappeared.
Union members plan second picket demonstration at Cosmopolitan
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013
For the second time in a month, members of the Culinary Union say they're headed back to picket the Cosmopolitan. Union members plan to be back on the Strip from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.
Fashion Show welcomes two new stores
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013
Two new stores, one catering to men, the other for women, have opened at the Fashion Show mall on the Strip.
Bellagio Spa Tower rooms get fresh look, green features
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013
The Bellagio has finished remodeling 928 rooms in its Spa Tower, including three new spacious suites.
CityCenter gets three new Starbucks
Monday, Feb. 25, 2013
The first of three new Starbucks set for CityCenter is expected to open within the next two weeks.
El Cortez joins National Register of Historic Places
Monday, Feb. 25, 2013
The El Cortez has become the only Las Vegas casino that's still standing to join the National Register of Historic Places.
Las Vegas company develops cheap, accurate body fat test
Monday, Feb. 25, 2013
As a yoga teacher and computer nerd, Ileana Stefanescu wanted to find a way to use technology to help people become healthier. One of the key indicators of health is body fat. It’s also one of the most difficult to measure. The most accurate methods require laboratory conditions and equipment that costs tens of thousands of dollars. Stefanescu found a place to use both her computer skills and wellness expertise in Las Vegas, working at the Health Profile Institute, a health promotion and assessment company. She helped develop an inexpensive and accurate test for body fat that anyone can use.
Chronic Tacos opening restaurant at the Palms
Friday, Feb. 22, 2013
Chronic Tacos, a popular California fast food chain, plans to open its first casino restaurant in April at the Palms.
After fatal Strip shooting and crash, most Las Vegas tourists go back to having fun
Friday, Feb. 22, 2013
Thursday seemed like any other day inside Strip casinos: Slot machines clanged and people cheered at crowded craps tables. Tourists shopped, ate in restaurants and sipped yard-long drinks. But it wasn't any other day in Las Vegas. Outside, Las Vegas Boulevard was closed after an early morning shootout and crash that killed three people and injured six more.
Caesars to start charging resort fees, says guests demanding them
Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013
After years of marketing "no resort fees," Caesars Entertainment will start charging the fees at its Las Vegas hotels. Caesars will begin adding fees ranging from $10-$25 on March 1, covering charges for amenities including Wi-Fi, local calls and fitness centers.
The reaction: Tourists try to make sense of the violence on the Strip
Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013
At any given time, hundreds of thousands of people are on the Las Vegas Strip, walking around to take in the sights, sleeping in hotel rooms or working in resorts. Early this morning, some heard the ruckus when a person in a black Range Rover opened fire on a Maserati, sending it crashing into a taxi that burst into flames, leaving three people dead and at least six injured.
Wet ‘n’ Wild taking applications for seasonal jobs
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013
The Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas water park began taking online applications this week for more than 300 seasonal jobs.
Part of revamped casino at Quad near opening
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013
The public can expect a preview of the new design of the Quad casino in about two weeks, when doors open behind the scaffolding and construction walls on the Las Vegas Strip.
Chinese restaurant in Las Vegas named one of nation’s best
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013
Ping Pang Pong, a locally revered restaurant for years, has now received national attention for its Chinese cuisine. Travel and Leisure has named the off-Strip eatery inside the Gold Coast as one of the best Chinese restaurants in the U.S.
Ad campaign wants you to fill in the blanks: I ____ed my ____ in Vegas
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013
A new ad campaign is asking people to air their dirty laundry on billboards across the Strip. Clorox, the bleach company, recently debuted a campaign in Las Vegas that asks customers to fill in the blanks in several sentences, such as "I ____ed my ____ in Vegas" or "I just got ____ by a ____." The company posts people's answers on digital billboards at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and Fashion Show Mall and on ads affixed to the tops of taxis.
Trade points for pork: Revamped grocery store casinos offer new games, new promotions
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013
Grocery store gambling is undergoing a major overhaul in the Las Vegas Valley as Golden Gaming prepares to spend millions of dollars renovating all of the region’s supermarket casinos. The company is upgrading 10 gaming parlors this year – a casino at a Vons at South Durango Drive and West Warm Springs Road already is complete – and plans to revamp 70 more locations over the next two years.
Downtown Grand gives glimpse of its renovated, post-Lady Luck look
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013
The Downtown Grand today previewed what rooms will look like when the revamped version of the old Lady Luck opens its doors again at the end of this year.
Owner of Stratosphere launches free online poker site
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013
The owner of the Stratosphere and Arizona Charlie’s casinos in Las Vegas have become the latest Nevada gaming company to offer free-to-play online poker. American Casino & Entertainment Properties today launched acePLAYpoker.com.
Good Japanese food goes beyond flying shrimp and rice volcanoes
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013
Flames spit from shiny steel grills. Chefs' knives dance across hot tables. Customers breathe in the smell of rosemary and garlic. This is teppanyaki cooking — is steeped in hundreds of years of Japanese culture — like you'll find it in few places in America. The chefs at Tetsu Teppan Grill at the Aria have introduced a calmer, more traditional feel to the cooking technique better known for the playful juggling forks and tossing shrimp into people's mouths.
Adventuredome to upgrade offerings with extreme roller coaster
Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013
A new roller coaster with a 70-foot drop and negative G forces will replace the flume ride this year at Circus Circus.
Rapper to unveil tequila for 'hip, urban savvy consumers'
Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013
Rapper and television star Xzibit will be in Las Vegas on Friday to launch a new signature tequila brand. Xzibit, 38, will autograph bottles of Bonita Platinum Tequila from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Lee's Discount Liquors at the intersection of South Rainbow Boulevard and West Flamingo Road.
It's hard enough to move in a nightclub; try doing it in a wheelchair
Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013
Christian Ekunwe makes his way through the partyers packing Moon, keeping watch for people who don't see him. He slips through crowds of men sloshing drinks and women teetering on spike heels. He skillfully leads a group of men to a table. The crowded club at the Palms is hard for anyone to navigate. But even more so for Ekunwe. He does it in a wheelchair. Ekunwe is a VIP host at Moon, one of the highest-grossing nightclubs in the country.