One development in Las Vegas over the past few years has been the emergence of a number of outdoor shopping and entertainment districts on the Strip. The reviews have been mixed but each area has developed a kind of personality and I thought it was worth discussing. The Linq Promendade is the oldest (and best) of these places. The volume of shops, bars and restaurants is impressive and most are worthwhile. It is like a busy main street with pretty high foot traffic most any time day or night. It can be a bit too much at times and, other than the fountains by In ‘n’ Out Burger, it lacks places to just relax. The Park next to New York New York and the T-Mobile Arena doesn’t have that problem. There are tables and chairs scattered along the broad sidewalks with foliage and water and you feel welcome to sit and relax and enjoy the moment. Of course, during a major event, it is madness and all bets are off. And it has nowhere near the variety of interesting places that the Linq does. Finally there is the Grand Bazaar shops in front of Ballys. It is crowded and loud and is a mix of junk shops and some decent bars and restaurants. There are even people trying to lure you into their place of business with some sort of deal. It isn’t a place to linger unless you are in the market for what they are selling. In other words, it is kind of like a bazaar. It isn’t a favorite of mine but it is improving. What do you think?
Category: Attractions
The Middle
Staying at any of the casinos on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard between Cromwell and Harrah’s is a bit like living on a freeway. The foot traffic is pretty much nonstop 24/7/365 and it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. The sidewalks are narrow and cutting through the casinos is often the best way to get around. There is always music and usually a bit of madness. And this isn’t an upscale shopping mall crowd. These are just regular people enjoying Las Vegas. Room rates are pretty reasonable in this neighborhood and there is plenty of fast food and even some cheap drinks to be found if you pay attention. Because of the concentration of casinos and entertainment and the middle class crowd, this part of the Strip feels more like Downtown than any other. Its main street is the Linq Promenade, a fun place to hang out, have a drink and people watch. And, if you want to rise above it all for a bit, the High Roller is a great choice. Whether staying in this part of the Strip is the right choice for you depends on your budget and whether or not the description above sounds awesome or awful. For me, I kind of like it.
(Note: the blog will be silent tomorrow in remembrance of the 58 souls we lost one year ago and the thousands more whose lives were forever altered by the events of the night of October 1.)
Welcome to the Big Leagues
Perhaps the biggest and most impactful construction project going on in Las Vegas today is the Las Vegas stadium, optimistically set to be completed in 2020. Slowly taking shape in a previously vacant lot behind Mandalay Bay along Russell Road, the stadium will house the soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders. Adding an NFL franchise to the NHL Golden Knights, the move will firmly establish the city as a major league sports town. If professional football has any where near the impact that the NHL did, (and it might have more,) it will change things dramatically for residents and tourists alike. The controversial $1.8 Billion project includes $750 Million in public financing, mostly funded by an increase in hotel taxes. The relatively small footprint of the stadium site will require a number of satellite parking locations and the already crowded South Strip traffic figures to be a nightmare, with over 60,000 fans trying to get to the game. But, whatever the problems, bringing the most successful American sports league to Vegas is a huge boost to the city’s image and should mean even more tourist dollars.
Conventional Wisdom
The Las Vegas Convention Center is one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the world and annually draws millions of convention goers to the city. All that is about to change. It’s going to get even bigger. Just this past week plans were finalized for an expansion of over 1.4 square feet that will stretch along Convention Center Drive and encompass much of what was the Riviera Hotel & Casino. At a cost of nearly a billion dollars, it won’t be cheap and it won’t be completed until December of 2020, just in time for the big CES show that takes place right after New Year’s. We’ve talked about a lot of North Strip development this week and the expanded convention facility will no doubt help fill some of those fabulous new hotel rooms, or at least that’s the plan.
North Strip Megaresort?
It’s coming. Really! This time we aren’t kidding around. There is visible construction happening along the Strip where once the venerable Stardust stood. Resorts World looks like it is going to happen. Just as the economic downturn in 2008 short circuited the Fountainbleu, it also torpedoed Boyd Gaming’s Echelon Place development. The skeleton of a few buildings remained as a reminder that even Las Vegas loses a wager now and then. Now, after several half starts over the past few years, the massive Resorts World complex is rising. When completed, there will be over 6500 rooms, a 175,000 square foot casino, an aquarium, ice skating rink and panda exhibit. Pandas? Yes, the resort will have an Asian theme throughout and (apparently) pandas. Again, the completion date is sometime in 2020, which looks like a big year for grand openings. This project has the potential to transform an area which has been struggling for years. Let’s hope it is worth the wait!
Sixteen Candles?
No, we aren’t discussing Molly Ringwald tonight and you are going to need to have at least a few more candles than she did to take advantage of tonight’s trick. If you happen to be celebrating a birthday in Las Vegas, you may be able to get some free stuff. Of course, your mileage may vary but these are a few things to try. One that worked for me a couple of years back is a free ticket to the observation deck at the Eiffel Tower. Kind of fun and worth checking out if you are in the area. I have heard several reports that both Luxor and Excalibur will gift you some free play if you present your players club card at their customer service desk. It has been like $20 so not huge but I would take it! I have heard similar stories about the Orleans and other Boyd properties. Of course, if you have played quite a bit with any casino, it would be worth asking. The same is true with any restaurant. I know both Binion’s and Four Queens have a BOGO special for your birthday month. And, of course, many chain restaurants will also give you a little something and, if you join their loyalty programs, it might be a free meal. Tomorrow, one final trick!
See A Show?
One thing people always ask you when you return from Las Vegas is whether or not you saw a show. Your Uncle Bill will ask. He remembers seeing Charo at Caesars back in the 70’s. The old stereotype of the city is all about showgirls and showrooms and tipping the doorman for that good seat. Many solo travellers shy away from going to a show by themselves, feeling like the experience will be awkward. There’s really no need. Most people will be too busy taking selfies for Instagram to even notice you. And the modern Vegas showroom isn’t the odd mix of tables and booths Uncle Bill remembers where you might have ended up seated with a group you don’t know. It is pretty much all assigned seats in modern style theaters. The beauty of that is that sometimes very popular shows may still have good seats at the last minute if you only need a single ticket. And, as with any solo Vegas adventure, you might make some new friends. After all, you already have something in common.
Finding Your Spot
While I hope I have disavowed you all of the notion that Las Vegas casinos are filled with cheesy lounge music (not that there’s anything wrong with that,) I would not want to leave you with the impression that there are great tunes wherever you go. Much of what you hear walking up and down the Strip or playing in one of the casinos is pretty generic popular music from the last few decades. There are some exceptions. Not surprisingly, the Hard Rock has always played a greater variety of rock music and is a pretty good place if you want to hear some electric guitar instead of just bass and drums. Some places, like the D and Golden Gate downtown, are of the “loud is better” theory of background music. Older casinos with a more mature clientele will likely gravitate towards older songs at a more reasonable volume. Visit a place like Sam’s Town, Silverton or South Point for a little bit more country with your rock and roll. Planet Hollywood and Cosmopolitan play more of a party mix, particularly at night. You can always count on the Jimmy Buffet sound outside of Flamingo by Margaritaville and you will still hear some Elvis and a bit of Sinatra now and then. But mostly the music is just there to give you a vague feeling of well being and make you want to stick around a drop a bit more cash. Tomorrow a special update on what’s coming up this Fall on Vegas Tips and Tricks. You won’t want to miss it!
Free Music
Las Vegas was once famous for its free lounge entertainment and, while most of the traditional lounges are gone, there is still free music to be had, albeit mostly of the cover band variety. Of course the drinks won’t be free but they rarely are. Starting on Fremont Street, there are 3 separate stages set up, one right next to the Golden Gate, one down the block next to Binion’s and the third between the D and the Four Queens. Most nights there will be at least some activity on one or more of the stages and, on the weekend, they are all liable to be going strong. This is mostly top 40 stuff and there’s a lot of stuff from the 80’s. The only major outdoor venue on the Strip would be Carnival Court outside of Harrah’s. No cover and much the same musical mix as on Fremont. Another option are the piano bars at Harrah’s, Paris and New York New York. In addition to sing-a-longs, there are some Vegas legends. Big Elvis frequently appears at Harrah’s and Cook E Jar at Paris. None of these spots have a cover and each has a full bar, as well as cocktail service. It’s may not be great art but all these spots can be great fun.
Festive Times
In recent years, Las Vegas has become home to a number of different music festivals which bring big (and often atypical) crowds to the city. In the spring, there is Electric Daisy Carnival and there’s pretty much nothing else like it. Held over several days north of town at Las Vegas Speedway, it is a celebration of electronic music and and has been known to get just a bit wild. If you’d like something a bit less intense but still with an edge, the Punk Rock Bowling festival in Downtown Las Vegas also takes place in the Spring. Summer is a bit too hot for much outdoor action though there will frequently be free shows on Fremont Street under the canopy, particularly on the weekends. But, in mid-September, two other major music events take place. The T-Mobile Arena hosts the iHeartRadio Music Festival over two days with big name stars of the past, present and future. At nearly the same time, Fremont Street features the three day Life Is Beautiful festival with dozens of performers, most with an alternative twist. If you are interested in any of these events, a quick search will provide more details. (It should be noted that another major music festival is, for obvious reasons, in limbo at this point. The Route 91 Harvest Festival had been held in Las Vegas for several years and featured many prominent country artists. It was during this event last year that the deadly mass shooting of October 1st took place.)
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