New York Bar PJ Clarke's to open in Vegas

Popular New York bar P.J. Clarke's will be opening at the Forum Shops in Las Vegas this fall. The Manhattan location has been around for 125 years and has been named a top bar in the country by various publications. It will be interesting to see how the Forum Shops location will be received in Vegas.



Photo Credit: TREGNY.

Wynn Apologizes for Overbooking Hotel

Interesting story in the Las Vegas Sun about Wynn overbooking their hotel. Some guests who booked rooms for a May stay in February were contacted about a week before their stay and told that the hotel was overbooked.

From an email sent to the customer:

While it is a rare occurrence, we unfortunately oversold the hotel on a few dates this week. We proactively contacted those guests affected and extended one of two opportunities — to be relocated to a neighboring hotel at our expense or to enjoy a complimentary visit on a future date.

The article went on to say:

Wynn officials did try to make things right for guests who were displaced. Each were given two complimentary tickets to the Le Reve show on the property, a $100 dining credit and a complimentary night at the Trump, just down the block from Wynn.

If this was an honest mistake, then it was good customer service by Wynn to proactively contact their future guests and make it right. There is speculation though that this wasn't an honest mistake, and Wynn was bumping guests to make way for higher rollers. I guess we'll never know if that was the case.

Read the full article at: Las Vegas Sun.

Steve Wyrick Bankrupt

Las Vegas Magician Steve Wyrick has filed for bankruptcy. The chapter 7 court filings list his assets of $93,157 against liabilities of $54.355 million. Wyrick had a show at his own theater at Planet Hollywood until he stopped paying rent on the theater. It's clear now that he didn't have the money to make those payments.

While I certainly don't know the details of the situation, it seems crazy that he would be able to rack up that much debt. Why would people lend him that much money? Maybe it was a product of the Las Vegas boom of a few years ago, and came crashing down with the economy.



Source: Las Vegas Sun.

Gucci Crystals Wrap

Building "Wrap" advertisements are very popular in Las Vegas. Hotels and shows love to use the side of buildings to promote their product.

Here's one that I just noticed recently. It is advertising the opening of a Gucci store inside the Crystals shopping mall at CityCenter. The store is scheduled to open sometime in 2010.



Photo Credit: detachedmind.

Summer of the 70's invades Fremont Street

Following last year's "Summer of 69" theme, this year Fremont Street downtown will host the "Summer of the 70's."

All summer long there will be 70's related headliners and tribute bands along with special 70's shows on the "Viva Vision" jumbo-tron.
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Headliner Schedule: (1st or 3rd Street Stages) Concerts start at 9 p.m.

Gloria Gaynor - May 29 for Memorial Day Weekend (3rd Street Stage)
I will Survive, Never Can Say Goodbye, I Never Knew

Sweet - June 5 during the Vegas Cruise car show weekend (1st Street Stage)
Ballroom Blitz, Fox on the Run, Love is Like Oxygen, Little Willy

Little River Band - July 3 for Fourth of July Weekend (3rd Street Stage)
Lady, Lonesome Loser, Reminiscing, Cool Change

Ultimate Elvis Weekend - July 23-24 featuring the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest (1st Street Stage), times TBA

Blue Oyster Cult - August 14 for Hot Rockin' Weekend (3rd Street Stage)
(Don't Fear) the Reaper, Burnin' For You, Godzilla

Jefferson Starship - September 4 for Labor Day Weekend (1st Street Stage)
White Rabbit, Don't You Want Somebody to Love, Miracles, Jane, Count on Me, Ride the Tiger
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Tribute Band Schedule: (3rd Street Stage) Shows are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 p.m. to midnight. There will be a total of three sets, each starting after the top-of-the-hour Viva Vision shows.

Original KISS Army - KISS tribute - June 8-12 (www.thekissarmytribute.com)

Draw The Line - Aerosmith tribute - June 15-19 (www.drawtheline.net)

Desperado - Eagles tribute - June 22-26 (www.desperadolive.com)

Highway to Hell - AC/DC tribute - June 29-30, July 1-2 and July 4 (www.ac-dctribute.com)

Platinum Rockstars - Classic Rock Tribute band emulating Foreigner, Boston, Van Halen and Led Zeppelin - July 6-10 (www.platinumrockstars.com)

Rockin' the Paradise - Styx tribute - July 13-17 (www.thestyxtribute.com)

Heart Alive - Heart tribute - July 27-31 (www.heartaliverocks.com)

Wild Heart - Fleetwood Mac tribute - August 3-7 (www.wildheartrocks.com)

Escape - Journey tribute - August 17-21 (www.keytarmusic.com/escape.htm)

Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones tribute - August 24-28 (www.rollingstoneshow.com)
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"Fremont Street Fever" Schedule: (1st Street Stage)

Thursdays through Mondays at 9:15 p.m., 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Produced by Face Productions, this original production will be a 35-minute show full of high energy singing and dancing to the most popular disco songs of the '70s.

Viva Vision Schedule:
From 8:30 p.m. through midnight on weekdays and 8:30 p.m. through 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays

8:30 p.m. - "Don McLean's American Pie"
9:00 p.m. - "The Doors - Strange Days in Vegas"
10:00 p.m. - "A Tribute to Queen"
11:00 p.m. - "KISS Over Vegas"
Midnight - "Signs of Life by John Van Hamersveld" (Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays) or "George Thorogood's Bad To The Bone" (Mondays, Wednesdays)
1 a.m. (Fridays & Saturdays only) - "George Thorogood's Bad To The Bone"
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For complete information on the lineup of headline concerts and nightly entertainment throughout the summer, visit www.vegasexperience.com to plan an experience that will take you back to the '70s.

"Summer of the '70s" is sponsored by Corona Extra, Corona Light, Cruzan Rum, Modelo especial, Sauza Tequila Hornitos and Stoli Vodka. There will be beer and liquor drink specials available at all outdoor bars on Fremont Street Experience every night throughout the summer.

Source: Fremont Street Experience Press Release.

New Rules for Las Vegas Pools

Las Vegas is supposed to be "Sin City" but in reality there aren't many things you can do in Vegas that you can't do elsewhere around the country. Drugs and prostitution are still illegal. There are strip clubs, but the rules are surprisingly strict. Gambling is becoming more common all over the place. Everywhere has drinking, just in Vegas you can do it 24 hours a day and on the street.

One thing that might be somewhat unique to Las Vegas in this country is topless sunbathing. A lot of the hotels have a separate "European" pool where guests must be 21 to enter, and most of the time charge a fee for males. Most of the females at these pools stay covered, but prefer to be there because there are no children running around.

A recent story by KLAS outlined a list of rules sent out by Clark County to all of the major resorts. You can read the letter here (PDF). Among other things Clark County code outlaws "best swim suit", "best chest", "wet t-shirt" and "booty shaking" contests and parties at topless pools.

Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak was quoted as saying, "There is certain behavior that's acceptable. There's certain behavior that's not acceptable… (Lewd behavior) will absolutely, 100 percent not be tolerated. That's not what this is about. It's not a party atmosphere."

I understand that the county doesn't want drugs and prostitution at these pools, but I'm not sure I understand the logic behind banning some of this stuff. You can't have a best swimsuit contest at a Las Vegas pool? Wet t-shirt contests aren't allowed in "Sin City?" With visitor numbers struggling as it is, I don't think limiting fun is a good idea.

Read more about the new pool rules at KLAS.