LasVegasAdvisor FRANKIE MORENO LAS VEGAS RAIDERS SHOW-PRICE SURVEY THE $2 BUZZ $1 BLACKJACK $5 ANTHONY CURTIS

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1 $5 ANTHONY CURTIS LasVegasAdvisor May 2017 Vol. 34 Issue 5 FRANKIE MORENO Dinner and a show at the Golden Nugget pgs. 3, 8 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS Football s bad boys coming for real pg. 1 SHOW-PRICE SURVEY Price of show tickets up again pgs. 1, 5 THE $2 BUZZ At a Strip casino, no less pg. 8 $1 BLACKJACK Play it 24/7 pg. 9

2 2017 LVA MEMBER REWARDS ALL-PURPOSE COMP 50% off up to $50 (Palms) ACCOMMODATIONS 2-For-1 Room (El Cortez); 25% off Room Rate (Mardi Gras) BUFFETS 2-For-1 Buffet (Aliante Casino+Hotel, Arizona Charlie s Boulder, Arizona Charlie s Decatur, Cannery, Eastside Cannery, Fremont, Golden Nugget, Main Street Station, Mirage, Rio, Westgate); 2-For-1 Gospel Brunch (House of Blues at Mandalay Bay); 2-For-1 Buffet or 50% off one (Boulder Station, Fiesta Henderson, Fiesta Rancho, Gold Coast, Green Valley Ranch, Orleans, Palace Station, Rampart, Red Rock Resort, Sam s Town, Santa Fe Station, Silver Sevens, Silverton, Suncoast, Sunset Station, Texas Station); $10 Off Buffet (Planet Hollywood); $10 Off Brunch Buffet (Caesars Palace); 25% Off Buffet (Harrah s) CAR RENTAL Fixed Rate Starting at $34 (Budget Car Rental) DINING 2-For-1 Menu Item (Big Dog s), Siegel s 1941 (El Cortez), Fat Choy (Eureka Casino), Northside Café (SLS Las Vegas); 25% Off Bill in: Top of Binion s Steakhouse (Binion s), Mad Onion or Hooters Restaurant (Hooters), Oscar s Steakhouse (Plaza); 2-For-1 Entrée or 50% off one in: Freedom Beat (Downtown Grand), The Café (Ellis Island), Emerald Grille (Emerald Island); 2-For-1 Entrée in: Market Street Café (California), Fuego or Amigos (Fiesta Henderson), Sarah s Kitchen (Klondike Sunset), Bon Temps (Mardi Gras), House of Blues Rest. & Bar (House of Blues at Mandalay Bay), Sterling Spoon Café (Silver Sevens), Pub 365 (Tuscany); 2-For-1 Lunch or Dinner Entrée in Magnolia s (Four Queens); 2-For-1 Burger in Le Burger Brasserie (Paris); 2-For-1 Coney Dog (the D); 2-For-1 BBQ Plate (Ellis Island); Free Fajitas with Entrée Purchase (Fiesta Rancho); Free Pancakes for 25 points in Du-Pars (Golden Gate); $30 Off Dining in Charcoal Room (Palace Station); $25 Off Dining in: Sonoma Cellar Steakhouse (Sunset Station), Austins Steakhouse (Texas Station); $10 Off Dining in Wild Grill or Brewer s Café (Wildfire); $5 Off Dining in the Grand Café (Texas Station); $4 Off Entrée in: Cabo (Boulder Station), Cabo or Pasta Cucina (Sunset Station) *The 2017 LVA Member Rewards book is available ONLY with a paid one-year subscription to the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter. No exceptions. MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS: DINING LOCAL CORNER 2-For-1 Menu Item: Gambler s Café (Gambler s General Store), Sagos; 2-For-1 Burger or Philly (Home Plate); Pizza Upgrade at Naked City Pizza Shop; $25 off Dining (Rosati s); Comped Lunch or Dinner at Sporting Life Bar DRINKS Free Drink Brewers, Kixx, or Havana Bar (Boulder Station); 3 Free Rounds (Ellis Island); Free Margarita or Beer (Fiesta Rancho); Free Margarita (Sunset Station) SHOWS 2-For-1 Hypnosis Unleashed (Binion s), Purple Reign (Westgate Las Vegas), Sexxy The Show (Westgate Las Vegas); 2-For-1 or 50% off Beatles Orchestra (Saxe Theater), Recycled Percussion Chaos & Confetti (Saxe Theater), Nathan Burton Comedy Magic (Saxe Theater), Vegas! the Show (Saxe Theater), All Shook Up (V Theater), Aussie Heat (V Theater), Hitzville (V Theater), Las Vegas Live Comedy Club (V Theater), The Mentalist (V Theater), Popovich Comedy Pet Theater (V Theater), V the Ultimate Variety Show (V Theater), Zombie Burlesque (V Theater); Drink-minimum Mac King (Harrah s); 25% Off Carrot Top (Luxor); Free Tickets with Box Office charge Marc Savard (V Theater); $10 Off Stripper 101 (V Theater) RIDES/ATTRACTIONS Up to 45% off Real Bodies (Bally s); 25% Off SlotZilla Zip Line (Fremont Street Experience); $5 Off High Roller (LINQ Promenade); 2-For-1 Admission to the Eiffel Tower Experience (Paris); 1 Free Game of Bowling at Strike Zone (Sunset Station) GAMBLING $5 Matchplay (Atlantis Reno); $10 Matchplay (Downtown Grand), (Palms); $25 Matchplay (the D), (Golden Gate), (Plaza); $10 Slot Free-Play (Binion s), (Downtown Grand), (Four Queens), (Plaza), (Rampart); $5-$100 Slot Free-Play Bonus (the D); $10-$100 Slot Free-Play (Ellis Island); $10-$1,000 Slot Free-Play (El Cortez); $10 Slot Matchplay (Gold Coast), (Hooters), (Mardi Gras), (Orleans), (Sam s Town); $10 Bonus for Slot Play (Cannery), (Eureka), (Eastside Cannery); $20 Bonus for Slot Play (Klondike Sunset); $25 Non-Negotiable Chip (Ellis Island); $15 Bonus, 4-of-a-kind, 25 machines (Big Dog s); Push on 22 at Blackjack up to $25 (the D); 2-1 Payoff on first Blackjack up to $25 bet (Golden Gate), (Silver Sevens); 100- Coin Video Poker Bonus (Kilroy s), (Sagos); Wheel of Cash Spin (Emerald Island); Bingo Bonus (Plaza); 2-For-1 Bingo (Silver Sevens) FULL MEMBERSHIP: Includes 12 monthly issues of the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter, mailed first-class; the LVA Member Rewards book; plus 365 days of complete access to our website: U.S. Membership $50 (Includes shipping of newsletter. Member Rewards book is shipped at an additional $3.50, or can be picked up at our office.) Canadian Membership $60us Overseas Membership $70us (Includes shipping of newsletter. Member Rewards book is shipped at an additional $5us to Canada, $7us to Overseas, or can be picked up at our office.) ONLINE MEMBERSHIP: Includes 365 days of complete access to the LVA Member Rewards book for only $37us.* (Member Rewards books can be picked up at the LVA office or shipped to your home via coupon service for $3.50 to a U.S. address; $5us to Canadian and $7us to overseas addresses.) SINGLE ISSUE: Call to order $5us hard copy (First-class postage included. Current issue unless otherwise specified. Member Rewards book is not included.) * The LVA Member Rewards book is available ONLY with a paid one-year subscription to the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter. No exceptions. Restricted to one per person and two per household, per year. To Order Your LVA Call: Las Vegas Advisor 3665 Procyon Street Las Vegas, Nevada CASINOS Local (702) Toll Free Numbers (800) ( 855) ( 866) (* 877) (**888) Local Toll Free Aliante Casino+Hotel+Spa * Aria Arizona Charlie s Boulder Arizona Charlie s Decatur Bally s * Bellagio ** Binion s Boulder Station Caesars Palace California Cannery Casino Royale Circus Circus Cosmopolitan * Cromwell, The ^ the D Downtown Grand Eastside Cannery El Cortez Ellis Island (Super 8) Encore * Excalibur Fiesta Henderson ** Fiesta Rancho Flamingo Four Queens Fremont Gold Coast Golden Gate Golden Nugget Green Valley Ranch Hard Rock Hotel Harrah s Hooters Klondike Sunset LINQ, The Longhorn Lucky Dragon Luxor M Resort * Main Street Station Mandalay Bay * Mandarin Oriental ** MGM Grand Mirage Monte Carlo New York-New York Orleans Palace Station Palazzo Palms Paris ** Planet Hollywood Plaza Rampart * Red Rock Resort Rio * Sam s Town Santa Fe Station Silver Sevens Silverton Slots A Fun SLS Las Vegas Stratosphere South Point Suncoast * Sunset Station ** Texas Station Treasure Island (TI) Tropicana Tuscany * Vdara Venetian * Westin Lake Las Vegas Westin Las Vegas Westgate Las Vegas Wild Wild West (Days Inn) Wildfire Wynn Las Vegas *

3 May 2017 ANTHONY CURTIS $5 LasVegasAdvisor What s the biggest story in Las Vegas right now? Even though all the buzz is swirling around the Raiders, it s not that. The true biggest story remains the charging for parking on the Strip. Journalists all over the country are writing about it and we hear the griping constantly. We touch on it a little in every issue, if only to shine a light on casinos that aren t charging, as we did in this month s review of Purple Reign at the free-parking Westgate. The thing is, this situation remains fluid. As of last month, the Cosmopolitan began charging for valet parking with fees starting at $13, and a minimum charge of $7 will be instituted for self-parking beginning May 16. Also, the first of the Caesars Entertainment properties have begun to charge, starting at $5-$7 (depending on the casino) to self-park at The LINQ, Bally s, Paris, and Caesars Palace. Valet rates run up to $18. Meanwhile at MGM Resorts, the first to implement fees last year, the rates have been raised by $2 to a minimum of $5-$7 for self-parking and by as much as $8, to $25, for valet. It s a beast to stay on top of and we could fill up an entire newsletter with the details and nuances of the paid-parking morass. Here s how we re handling it. We re compiling and disseminating information at LasVegasAdvisor. com. We address things as soon as they happen in Today s News, but the place to go to get everything in one spot is our dedicated parking-fee page. The new website design is still COUPONOMY More Paid Parking by Anthony Curtis unfamiliar to some, so to get there from the home page (on a computer), hover your cursor over Hotels in the top nav. That will trigger a drop-down menu that includes Parking Fees (along with Resort Fees, Conventions, and other relevant topics). Not only will you find all the current information on parking, but you can read the thoughts and advice of others who post in the comments section. If you want to dig deeper, check out the Question of the Day for 4/26/17 (the various ways to park free) and the five-parter we ran from 12/20 to 12/24, Also, in the FAQ there s a big transportation section with 40 Q&As, including alternatives to driving and having to park, such as taxis, Uber and Lyft, public transportation, and free shuttles and trams. Theater Extras Update In February, we introduced you to Theater Extras, the New York City-based papering company that we re working with during its move into the Las Vegas market. As I write this, there s been only one Las Vegas deal offered (a good one: free seats for Carrie Underwood at T-Mobile), but that can change at any moment. That s why you should sign up now. Two things. First, if you join and a charge shows up on your card, don t panic. Simply call or us and we ll get it reversed. This isn t a scam your Theater Extras membership is free as part of your LVA membership. continued on next page NEWS Casinos Paradise Park A timetable for Paradise Park, the Wynn Resorts project that will be built on the site of the old Desert Inn golf course, has been announced. Work will begin in December or January, with the first part of the phased project completed by early There ve been some changes in the plans, however, with the hotel tower apparently being delayed in favor of building out the lagoon and beach elements, along with convention space. Exactly when the hotel will be built has not been disclosed. Wynn Las Vegas The entire front area of the Wynn is boarded off for construction on the Wynn Plaza retail project that s scheduled to debut this fall. Luxor MGM Resorts International is partnering with Allied Esports and Esports Arena to create the first dedicated esports venue on the Strip. Esports Arena Las Vegas will reside in the space that was previously the LAX nightclub and is expected to debut in early Palazzo The passageway from the casino to registration is completely blocked off and customers are being routed through the jewelry store. Work is underway on a new escalator to somewhere upstairs. California Changes continue to be made at the California. After operating for many years on the second floor, the sports continued on next page

4 Couponomy continued Second, the registration system isn t set up to take non-u.s. addresses. So if you re from Canada, for example, you ll have to enter a U.S. address. Any address will do; it doesn t have to be real. All communication is done by or phone, so the address doesn t matter. Make one up. Or if you want easy, use this one: 1234 Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV To activate your free membership, log on to theaterextras.com. Click on Click Here to Join Now at the top of the page. Click on Marquis membership if it isn t already chosen. Again, it will say $99, but you won t be charged. Fill out the information (using your made up Vegas address) and enter code TELV1234 and you re enrolled. n News continued book has been relocated to the main casino floor. Mob Museum More information has been released about the expansion of downtown s Mob Museum. Plans call for the addition of a speakeasy and distillery in the basement that will have an educational bent, documenting how the moonshining business was run during Prohibition. IGT International Game Technology has sold its social-gambling platform DoubleDown for $825 million, which it purchased in a roundly criticized deal in 2012 for $500 million. The buyer is DoubleU Games out of South Korea, to which IGT will license its content. Revenues Nevada s statewide gambling win fell 4.5% in February compared to the same month last year. The Strip win was down 5.0%, while downtown increased 2.2%. The win was also down on the Boulder Strip (-9.1%), in North Las Vegas (-7.0%), and in the Balance of County (-1.7%), as well as in all other reporting areas aside from downtown. The comparison against last year s leap year with an Sunday Funday 40 This month s Sunday Funday online poker tournament will run May 21. The prize pool includes $100 for the winner, plus LVA memberships and our new books. There s no charge to play. See you at noon PST/3pm EST on the 21 st at Play.LasVegasAdvisor.com. extra day in February contributed to the overall negative results. One bright spot was roulette (see Gambling). Visitor volume also took a hit from the leap-year comparison, falling 5.5%. It was the steepest decline since June Even airline traffic was affected, tallying a.3% decline. The drop ended a series of 26 consecutive monthly increases. That string contributed to 2016 s passenger total hitting 47.4 million, just shy of 2007 s record 47.8 million. Canada s WestJet announced that it will launch a no-frills ultra-lowcost carrier with service possibly starting as early as this year. Gambling in the U.S. and Beyond Atlantic City It s been officially announced that the former Trump Taj Mahal will become Hard Rock Hotel Atlantic City. Following a $375 million renovation and rebranding, the new resort will open on the Boardwalk in the summer of Native American For the first time, native American casinos have surpassed commercial casinos in gambling win. In a study of 2015 results, Indian casinos throughout the U.S. won $30.5 billion to $29.8 billion by commercial casinos. Racinos were considered a third category and booked a win of $8.5 billion. The report counted 242 tribes with 494 facilities in 28 states. California The Bicycle Hotel and Casino in Bell Gardens California was shut down in a government raid last month. The reason for the raid hasn t been specified, but participants LAS VEGAS ADVISOR Publisher: Anthony Curtis Senior Editor: Deke Castleman Accounting: John Leitner Production Manager: Laurie Cabot Lead Researcher: Tanya Maynard 3665 Procyon St. Las Vegas, NV (702) (702) Fax editor@lasvegasadvisor.com Internet: LasVegasAdvisor.com Research Assistant: Brenda Stewart Customer Service: Audrey Johnson Shipping & Receiving: Scotch Henderson Contributing Writers: Jeffrey Compton, Bob Dancer, Stewart Ethier, Bob Fuss, Scot included the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the IRS, which suggests it was moneylaundering connected. The casino was reopened within 24 hours. Washington The $510 million Ilani Casino Resort has opened near the Oregon border, just north of Vancouver/Portland. Owned jointly by Washington s Cowlitz and Connecticut s Mohegan tribes, the casino has 2,500 slots and 75 table games. There are also nine restaurants, plus bars and retail outlets, but no hotel. Bahamas After several starts and stops, the Baha Mar resort has opened. Located in Nassau, the $350 million beachfront resort is opening in stages, but when finished, will feature more than 2,300 rooms, 40 restaurants and lounges, an 18-hole golf course, more than 30 luxury shops, and the largest casino in the Caribbean at over 100,000 square feet. South Korea The first phase of the $1.2 billion Paradise City casino has opened in Incheon. The casino has 285 machines and 150 live table games. A boutique hotel, clubs, and a spa are planned for Philippines The $160 million Winford Hotel and Casino has opened in Manila. The resort has a hotel with 128 rooms and a casino with 600 machines, 110 tables, and a poker room. Japan An analysis by Global Market Advisors LLC suggests that Japan should seek to build its casinos in close proximity to one another to maximize the potential of its gambling continued on next page Krause, Bradley Peterson, Blair Rodman, Jean Scott, Michael Shackleford Cover Image: Patrick Gray/Kabik Photo Group LAS VEGAS ADVISOR (ISSN X USPS ) is published monthly and is available for $50 per year ($60 Canadian; $70 foreign purchasers) and $5 per single issue at 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Las Vegas Advisor, 3665 Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV All information is current at press time. Listed offerings are subject to change at any time. Huntington Press LAS VEGAS ADVISOR MAY 2017

5 LAS VEGAS TOP TEN VALUES The complete steak dinner at Ellis Island maintains its #1 spot in the list. The filet-cut sirloin comes with soup or salad, choice of potato, and green beans and is served 24/7 for $7.99. To get that price you have to print out two coupons from an EI kiosk, the second after playing at least $5 in any slot machine with your club card inserted. Amazing us by surviving for another month is the Flamingo s 5 beer deal in the Margaritaville Casino area s 5 O Clock Somewhere bar that runs daily from 5 to 6 pm (#5). It s a bit of a cram-fest to beat the clock in that onehour window, then there s the dilemma of what to toke on a 25 tab. But it s the spirit of the thing that makes it a great way to start an evening out. Also hanging in for a second consecutive month is the all-day every-day $1 blackjack game at Hooters (#10). There s only one table and the rules are lousy, but 1. Steak Dinner Ellis Island 24 hours $ Shrimp Cocktail Skyline 24 hours $ Beer Casino Royale 24 hours $1 4. Breakfast Klondike Sunset Daily $ Draft Beer Flamingo Daily 5 6. Mac King Harrah s Tues. Sat. $ Hot Dog South Point Daily $ Prime Rib Klondike Sunset Daily $5.55-$ Show & Dinner Golden Nugget Thurs. & Sat. $ $1 Blackjack Hooters 24 hours Free it s another nod to the things that made Vegas great, of which you can still partake right here, right now, in Notes: The shrimp cocktail at Skyline (#2) is served at the main bar. Michelob in the bottle is $1 and draft Coors Light is 75 at Casino Royale (#3). The $1.49 bacon or sausage & eggs breakfast at Klondike Sunset (#4) is served every day in Sarah s Kitchen from 7 to 11 am. Get a ticket to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show and a drink for $14.98 by asking for the show special at the Harrah s Total Rewards booth (#6). The hot dogs at South Point (#7) are sold from a cart in the sports book from 10 am until they close down the cart around 5 pm. The availability of the prime rib specials at Klondike Sunset (#8) fluctuates, but some combination of them are served in Sarah s Kitchen, starting at 11 am. The show/dinner package at the Golden Nugget (#9) combines the Frankie Moreno show and the Golden Nugget buffet. News continued market. The study specifically mentions an Osaka Strip, that would be patterned after the Las Vegas Strip and the Cotai Strip in Macau. It estimates that the first Japanese casino won t open until Online Another month another record for the online take in New Jersey, as revenue hit $21.7 million in March. Arkansas has passed a law legalizing and regulating daily fantasy sports. It s the 11th state to do so, joining Kansas, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Mississippi, Colorado, Missouri, Virginia, Maryland, Indiana, and New York. Next up may be Texas. Moving in the opposite direction of current worldwide trends, Australia has passed laws prohibiting previously allowed online poker and in-game sports betting. The sports-betting restrictions were prompted by concerns over increased incidences of match fixing. Gambling in the Media The gambling article in the May/ June Cigar Aficionado is titled Robotic Poker and discusses a successful approach to playing online poker by which humans were taught to play like robots. It s another ingenious approach to winning money gambling. What s more interesting, though, is that the man behind the technique is Rob Reitzen, one of the most successful advantage players that no one seems to know. Reitzen, a founder of one of the early blackjack teams called CORE, is focal in the article and some of his more impressive gambling exploits are referenced. The April 14 USA Today contained an article titled Vegas Visits Get Pricier that provides the results of LVA s April show-price survey. It was a little funky in that it was taken from a column Anthony Curtis wrote for another newspaper and the second part of the article (on paid parking) wasn t written by him, but carried his byline. The information was accurate, so we re cool with it. The April 18 Wall Street Journal contained an article titled In Las Vegas, Drinks Flow a Little Less Freely that used input solicited from LVA members, though that wasn t mentioned in the story. The April Maxim magazine was devoted primarily to Las Vegas, with mostly cursory information about partying, downtown, sports betting, the new NHL franchise, and a feature on Sheldon Adelson. Parade magazine s What People Earn issue included a professional poker dealer from the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore with annual earnings of $50,000. The upcoming movie Blade Runner 2049 will have a scene set in Las Vegas, but it wasn t shot here. A future Caesars Palace depicted in the flick was created in a studio in Hungary. The movie starring Ryan Gosling is set for release in October. n MAY 2017 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR 3

6 DINING ECan Buffet Eastside Cannery has closed its buffet. That wouldn t be particularly bad news, except that the LVA Member Rewards book has a twofer for the ECan buffet that s no longer valid there. Not to worry. The coupon is now being accepted for a 2-for-1 entrée in Snaps, the Deli, or Carve. That s an impressive move by the casino that makes this offer even better than it was originally. Reviews Wynn Buffet (Lunch) It s almost impossible to argue with the wisdom of laying down some coin for Las Vegas high-end buffets. So what if lunch at The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas costs $30.30 after tax? There s not much of a chance that you ll leave without getting your money s worth. The starters alone will do it two kinds of lox, ahi tuna poke, mussels, a charcuterie selection, sushi cut rolls (limited choice), dim sum, and all sorts of salads, including make-your-own Greek. Entrées run the gamut from fried chicken to Caribbean lamb-stew curry, and the fantastic line-up at the carving station includes chicken, turkey, pork loin, ham, three kinds of sausages, and marinated hanger steak. All the high-enders have an only-at-our-buffet feature, and here it s a latke bar with made-to-order options that include Reuben, brisket, and smoked fish. The desserts are stacked with a gelato selection, candied apples, cookies, toffee, and our favorites, crème brûlée, berry cheesecake, and the unmatched Wynn bread pudding, this one a butterscotch variation. On the negative side, the sushi is surprisingly pedestrian and there s no fresh shrimp or crab legs (even snow crab). But overall, quality is high and this list barely scratches the surface for selection. There are also some cool Local Corner Windy City Beefs n Pizza 9711 S. Eastern, After the closing of Chicago Dogs a few months ago, we began the search for a new best place for authentic Chicago-style hot dogs. Two candidates were Amore and Brando s bar, but the Chicagoans we queried (including Frank Cullotta, subject of our book, Cullotta), almost all named Windy City, a restaurant with locations on both sides of town. Here we re reviewing the east-side store, but the two are similar (except pizza is available only on the east side). Windy City serves a Vienna hot dog on a poppy-seed bun topped with relish, onions, tomatoes, pickle, sport peppers, a dash of celery salt, and yellow mustard. They re $5 and come with fries. It s the classic Chicago dog we were looking for, but it might not be the best this place has to offer when you consider the Italian beef. We haven t tried Italian beef sandwiches in a lot of places, but served dry, wet, or dipped and loaded with peppers for $7.50, we d rate it Las Vegas best version of this other Chicago favorite. Plenty more on the menu includes burgers, wings, and pizza, plus Jays potato chips and O-Ke-Doke popcorn, both Chicago products. A good time to go is during a game with any Chicago sports team, when they run different specials, like a bucket of five Goose Island beers for $10. During a recent Cubs game, beers were $1. There s also a daily dining special, including a slice of pizza and a pop for $5 on Mondays, wings for 60 apiece on Tuesdays, and Italian beef for $5 on Thursdays (do it!). Hours are 11 am to 9 pm daily (10 pm on Fri. & Sat.). The west side Windy City Beefs n Dogs is located at 7500 W. Lake Mead. intangibles, beginning with a decent comp play outlined in Gambling. Being that this is a Wynn product, there are lots of vegan choices, which ensures that even non-carnivores can get their $30 worth. And self-parking is still free at the Wynn. Lines can get long, but we showed up at noon on a Wednesday and walked right in. Flav Fried Chicken (Rockhouse) Rockhouse at the Venetian is the only place in town where you can get Flavor Flav s fried chicken. If you don t know, Flav is something of a rap legend (Public Enemy) who got into the chicken biz. He opened his own restaurant in town called House of Flav that closed in a blink, then Rockhouse signed on to offer the line. Kind of. The only Flav chicken available at Rockhouse is wings. They come 10 for $13.99 or 24 for $24.99 and are served dry with ranch on the side. They re bigger than most and the seasoning has pop, but they re nothing to holler about, unless you just want to experience the flavor of Flavor. We happened to go on Taco Tuesday, when several taco variations are $1.50-$2. The tacos are nothing to holler about either (though the price is right). We think Rockhouse is pretty cool, but it s not what you d call a gotta-do for dining. Happy Hour (Fleming s) The Fleming s Steakhouse happy hour, called 567, runs from 5 to 7 pm daily in the bar. Five appetizers, including Portobello mushroom ravioli and tenderloin carpaccio, are $6-$8, but we went specifically for the prime burger. This big burger topped with cheese, bacon, onion, lettuce, and tomato and served with fries is normally $13.95, but just $8 during HH. They cook it any way you want and when we declined the fries, they threw in two giant onion rings that were almost as impressive as the burger. Cocktails and wine by the glass are also $6-$8, but Blue Moon is only $3 (get it; other beers start at $7). The TVs are tuned to sports and continued on next page 4 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR MAY 2017

7 Dining continued the bar is lively. If you come later, a second happy hour, 678, features wines by the glass for $5 when you order an entrée. We were at the Fleming s at Town Square on the south end of the Strip, but the same deal runs at the Summerlin location. In fact, we ve heard that it s also standard at other Fleming s around the country, so you might be able to partake without coming to Vegas. Our only complaint: no regular yellow mustard. What s with these fancy joints? Lunch Special (Spearmint Rhino) You can get the same thing just described at Fleming s, but for less than half the price, at Spearmint Rhino. The beef quality might be a notch off, but the burger is just as big and it comes with fries and a Budweiser product for $5. Better yet is the steak sandwich for $7. The steak is cut in strips, so it s not too chewy and still cooked rare on request. Why such a good deal? Because it s in a strip club, so not as easily approached by everyone. The deal is offered daily from 11 am to 7 pm and it s not on the menu, so you have to ask. And the Rhino has yellow mustard! Chicago Dogs (Amore) This month s Local Corner is about the Chicago-style hot dogs at Windy City, but we re not sure that the dogs at Amore don t have a slight edge over those. Amore has already been a Local Corner (LVA 5/08), but the Chicago dogs were added only recently. The two are close for quality and Amore s price is better than Windy City s at $4.50 for one or $6.95 for two with a choice of fries, salad, or a good minestrone soup. It s a definite play if you re on the far west side of town (3945 S. Durango). Dining Notes The price of the Rio s Carnival World seafood buffet has been raised from $48 weekdays and $50 weekends to $53.99/$ The Aria Café coffee shop is no longer open 24 hours. The new hours are Reader Leader Just ate at the Longhorn twice and the ham steak & eggs is going strong at $4.99. They re still giving out $5 first-ace coupons upon request. I got blackjacks on both plays, so basically I made money to eat there. LVA: We didn t know about the on-request coupon, but it s a darn good one given the low prices and good food at the Longhorn. We assume the same deal is being offered at sister casino the Bighorn in North Las Vegas. Be sure to ask at either. 6 am to 10 pm, leaving Jean Philippe Patisserie as the only all-night food option at Aria. Holstein s at the Cosmopolitan is the Nevada choice in a list of The 50 Best Burgers in America by State at purewow.com. Gordon Ramsay BurGR at Planet Hollywood has changed its name to Gordon Ramsay Burger. (Good move.) The Latin restaurant Chica opens at the Venetian on May 14 in the space that used to be db Brasserie. Among the regional chain restaurants coming to Las Vegas, here s one you might not recognize. Pollo Campero has opened in North Las Vegas. It s a chicken chain, similar to Chick-fil-A, that began in Guatamala and is well-known in the Hispanic community. It s the first of four Pollo Camperos scheduled to open in Las Vegas over two years. The Kitchen at Atomic Bar has opened at downtown s Atomic Liquors. Chess House Café has opened at 6430 W. Lake Mead. It s a coffee house that also provides chess lessons and boards for playing. The next restaurant to close at Monte Carlo as part of its transformation to Park MGM will be Yusho. Considered one of the Strip s best Asian restaurants and a former Essential 50 choice in our book Eating Las Vegas, it will close, apparently for good, on June 5. Also at Monte Carlo, the Double Barrel Roadhouse has discontinued lunch service. Jean Georges Steakhouse at Aria will close for a remodeling on May 29. It s scheduled to reopen in early July. What is currently the world s largest Hooters restaurant won t be for long. Station Casinos has announced that the Hooters at the Palms will close in May and be replaced by a new food and beverage concept. Smith & Wollensky will close in early June to move to a new, but as yet undisclosed, location. Hard Rock s 35 Steaks + Martinis has closed. MB Steak opens in May, but in a different location. No announcement has been made regarding what will go in the 35 Steaks space. The Art of Flavors gelato shop downtown has closed. n ENTERTAINMENT Review Purple Reign The Prince Tribute Show Westgate Las Vegas Wed-Sat, 9 pm $70.76/$90.76/$ Now here s a show that s been kicking around Vegas for a while. After honing his act in local bars, then playing the little rooms at Hooters, the D, and assorted Station Casinos for the better part of two decades, Jason Trenner s Prince tribute has made it to the big room at the Westgate. Trenner looks like Prince, sounds like Prince, and acts like Prince. Good start. In fact, the start is where this show excels, coming right out of the box with Let s Go Crazy, then following with more Prince classics like Kiss, When Doves Cry, and Yep, that s why we came. But suddenly the show takes a 90-degree turn into continued on page 8 MAY 2017 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR 5

8 ADVANCE PLANNER MAY 5/3 13 Billy Idol MBay $79.50 $ /3 20 Classic Cher Monte Carlo $60 $475 5/3 20 Journey Hard Rock $59.50 $300 5/ AMSOIL Arenacross Finals Orleans $29 5/5 A Flock of Seagulls Golden Nugget $20.71 $ /5 Carlos Vives Palms $71 $182 5/5 Dave Chappelle MBay $89 $155 5/5 Paul Rodriguez Tropicana $39.95 $ /5 Ramon Ayala & Paquita La Del Barrio MBay $69 $250 5/5 Z Trip Brooklyn Bowl $25/$ /5 5/6 Henry Cho South Point $22.40 $ /5 5/6 Jon Lovitz & Dana Carvey SLS LV $49 $89 5/5 5/6 The Growlers Hard Rock $30/$49 5/5 7/8 Wayne Brady Mirage $50 $70 5/6 Canelo vs. Chavez Jr. T Mobile Arena $400 $1,500 5/6 Paul Rodriguez Tropicana $39.95 $ /6 Straight Outta Oz Red Rock $35 $65 5/6 5/7 Jim Gaffigan Caesars Palace $49.95 $ /6 7/29 Tim Allen Mirage $65.39 $ /7 Amateur National Arenacross Championships Orleans $24 5/7 Miss Nevada United States 2017 South Point $50 5/7 Todrick Hall Red Rock $35 $65 5/11 Steel Panther MBay $22 5/11 Suburban Legends & Pilfers Hard Rock $10/$25 5/12 Johnny Rivers Golden Nugget $31.61 $ /12 Poptone Brooklyn Bowl $27/$30 5/12 Train MGM Grand $39.50 $ /12 5/13 Spring Wine Fest 2017 Golden Nugget $45/$35 5/12 5/14 Gary Puckett and The Union Gap South Point $30 $40 5/13 Andrew McMahon MGM Grand $32.50/$50 5/13 Kirk Whalum SLS LV $49.50 $ /13 Legendary Ladies of Song Suncoast $15.95/$ /13 Mo5aic Aliante $20.50 $ /13 Sara Evans Tropicana $49.95 $ LAS VEGAS ADVISOR MAY 2017 HEADLINERS AND EVENTS 5/13 Skid Row & Kix Cannery $21.95/$ /13 5/14 Three Dog Night Orleans $39.95/$ /14 Abba E. Cannery $26.95/$ /18 Enanitos Verdes MBay $45 5/19 Gin Blossoms Golden Nugget $31.61 $ /19 Impractical Jokers MGM Grand $49.12 $ /19 Kongos w/mother Mother Hard Rock $25 5/19 Tenderloins MGM Grand $43.59 $ /19 5/20 Beginnings! Chicago Tribute Band South Point $20 $30 5/19 5/28 John Fogerty Wynn LV $59.50 $250 5/19 7/15 Bill Maher Mirage $70 $90 5/20 Chris Brown MGM Grand $39.95 $ /20 Daughtry, Acoustic Trio Show M Resort $45 5/20 SPF with DNCE Cosmo $45 5/20 Strunz & Farah Aliante $32.50 $ /20 Testament Brooklyn Bowl $25 5/20 5/21 Temptations Orleans $49.95 $ /21 Billboard Music Awards T Mobile $86.75 $1, /21 Contact! South Point $22.94 $ /25 Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals Brooklyn Bowl $45 $75 5/25 Lukas Graham Hard Rock $25 5/25 Marsha Ambrosius and Eric Benét MBay $29.50 $55 5/26 Band of Horses Cosmo $29/$39 5/26 Highly Suspect Hard Rock $25 5/26 Ian Bagg Hard Rock $25 $45 5/26 Joel McHale TI $47.91/$ /26 Kathy Griffin Mirage $49.99 $ /26 Little River Band Golden Nugget $42.51 $ /26 5/28 Air Supply Orleans $39.95 $ /26 5/28 George Wallace South Point $40 $50 5/26 5/29 Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival Downtown Events Center $50 $425 5/27 Bill Fayne s Broadway Showstoppers Suncoast $15.95/$ /27 Dead & Company MGM Grand $50 $150 5/27 Foster the People Cosmo $20 5/27 Gary Valenciano w/katrina Velarde M Resort $55 5/27 5/28 Gabriel Iglesias Mirage $70/$80 5/28 J Balvin MBay $ /28 New Kids on the Block T Mobile Arena $34.95 $ /30 Edgar Winter & Rick Derringer Cannery $19.95 JUNE 6/1 Trey Songz Brooklyn Bowl $39.50 $125 6/2 Herman s Hermits Golden Nugget $42.51 $ /2 Randy Houser MBay $ /2 6/3 Ron White Mirage $70.04 $92 6/2 6/4 Kingston Trio South Point $25 $35 6/3 Modest Mouse Brooklyn Bowl $55 $85 6/3 REO Speedwagon Sunset Station $29 $99 6/5 Easy Star All Stars Brooklyn Bowl $20/$22 6/8 Rockabilly Riot MBay $35 6/8 Somo Brooklyn Bowl $20 $ /9 Chicago & The Doobie Brothers Monte Carlo $54.13 $ /9 Corey Feldman and The Angels Hard Rock $25/$45 6/9 Gary Lewis & the Playboys Golden Nugget $20.71 $ /9 6/10 Daniel Tosh Mirage $80/$106 6/9 6/11 Pablo Francisco South Point $20/$25 6/10 Chris Rock Monte Carlo $50.46 $ /10 Commodores Cannery $29.95/$ /10 Common Hard Rock $39.50 $150 6/10 Jean Luc Ponty Aliante $25 $45 6/10 6/11 Fab Four w/ed Sullivan Orleans $29.95 $ /13 Blue October Brooklyn Bowl $29.50 $ /14 Phoenix Brooklyn Bowl $35 $65 6/15 Damien Escobar Hard Rock $45 6/15 Insomniac Bassrush Massive Hard Rock $30/$70 6/16 April Wine Golden Nugget $20.71 $ /16 Rebelution MBay $32.12/$ /16 Roger Waters T Mobile Arena $55 $250 6/16 6/18 Donny Edwards South Point $25 $35 6/16 7/26 Jeff Dunham Caesars Palace $49.50 $79.50

9 SHOW NOTES WEATHER ADVANCE PLANNER Magic Mike has opened at Hard Rock; tickets are $85.30/$173.15/$ The Paul Lynde Show has opened at Bally s; tickets are $58.61/$ Men of the Strip opens at the Tropicana on May 25; tickets are $71.12-$ Ticket prices for Beatles LOVE at the Mirage have been decreased from $ $ to $ $174.30/$ Ticket prices for Criss Angel MINDFREAK Live at Luxor have been decreased from $ $ to $ $ Ticket prices for Jarrett & Raja at Hooters have been adjusted from $81.50-$ to $ $ There is no longer a dinner show. Ticket prices for Jennifer Lopez All of Me at Planet Hollywood have been increased from $ $ to $ $ Ticket prices for 50 Shades The Parody at Bally s have increased from $80.85-$ to $ $ Ticket prices for Solid Gold Soul at Bally s have been increased from $83.75-$99.79 to $ $ Ticket prices for Marc Savard in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood have been increased from $51.22/$62.12, to $62.12/$ Ticket prices for the Vegas Mob Tour at Royal Resort have been increased from $89.95 to $104. Recycled Percussion in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood will be dark until October. X Comedy has closed at the Flamingo. MAY Mean 74 Avg. Max. 88 Avg. Min. 60 Pools: Open The most pleasant month of the year. Las Vegas at its best. Summer heat begins at the end of the month. Attire: Spring wardrobe. JUNE Mean 84 Avg. Max. 99 Avg. Min. 68 Pools: Open The first of the dry months. Welcome to the desert. Attire: Minimal. JULY Mean 90 Avg. Max. 103 Avg. Min. 73 Pools: Open Dry, sauna-like heat. Sun worshipers enjoy 85% sunny days. Attire: Minimal. KEY DATES ROOM RATES JUNE 5-8 JCK Annual Trade Show 39, CleanShow 11, Int l Esthetics Comsetics & Spa Conf. 25, Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo 22,000 JULY 9-11 Cosmoprof North America 30, AWFS Fair 14, Black Hat USA , SuperZoo 20, /2 ASD Las Vegas 44, /3 Las Vegas Summer Market 50,000 AUGUST OFFPRICE Specialist 11, MAGIC Marketplace 85,000 JUNE WEEKDAY El Cortez $38 Wild Wild West $38 Four Queens $39 Hooters $49 Circus Circus $50 Stratosphere $57 Hard Rock $78 Palms $104 Paris $104 JULY WEEKDAY El Cortez $36 Wild Wild West $38 Four Queens $49 Circus Circus $51 Hooters $54 Sam s Town $59 Hard Rock $78 Palms $114 Paris $124 AUGUST WEEKDAY Wild Wild West $30 Four Queens $39 El Cortez $44 Circus Circus $49 Stratosphere $54 Downtown Grand $57 Hard Rock $74 Palms $104 WEEKEND El Cortez $88 Wild Wild West $102 AZ C. Decatur $108 Hooters $116 Stratosphere $132 South Point $143 Hard Rock $188 Pairs $210 Mirage $211 WEEKEND AZ C. Decatur $72 El Cortez $94 Wild Wild West $102 Silverton $90 Sam s Town $109 Hooters $113 Hard Rock $178 Palazzo $198 Venetian $198 WEEKEND AZ. C. Decatur $63 Wild Wild West $78 El Cortez $88 Silverton $90 Hooters $96 Circus Circus $98 Palms $184 Hard Rock $188 Mirage $125 Mirage $211 Best rates at press time from sample of 54 Las Vegas casinos. Rates NOT guaranteed, subject to change without notice, and do not include tax. Lower prices may be available online. MAY 2017 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR 7

10 Entertainment continued the movie Purple Rain. Now it s no longer Prince, but different performers portraying Morris Day and Jerome. It s not Little Red Corvette, but Jungle Love and The Bird from The Time. Then Nasty Girl from Vanity 6 and Sex Shooter from Apollonia 6. If you re a Purple Rain fanatic or into the nostalgia, you won t mind the detour. But if you were expecting a nonstop Prince-fest, this segment takes the air out of the show and it begins to feel like the hour-and-a-half revue is about a half-hour too long. All considered, you still get a darn good Prince fix delivered by talented performers with a four-man backing band playing live in a theater that was absolutely made for live concerts. Then there s the value. The lowest ticket isn t that low, but you can get twofer deals everywhere, including our Member Rewards Book. Is the show worth $35 on a 2-for-1 deal? Without question! You ll get that much back in the first 30 minutes. The Good: When it s Prince, it rocks strong musicianship and a sweet party vibe. Good value with a twofer. The Bad: When it s Morris, Jerome, etc., it drags. The Downer: Yes, of course they play Purple Rain, but in the finale, where if comes off as a melancholic downer. Pools It s time for our beginning-ofsummer round-up of pool and Daylife particulars. If anything, according to the research, more casinos are trying to move into the Daylife space. This year, three more pools (13 total) are dealing live blackjack, six more (23) are advertising pool parties of some sort, and 11 more (35) are open to the public in some form, though often not with free entry. The number of toptional pools held steady at 10. Every year a few casinos make a push with their pools, adding events and advertising heavily. They don t always catch on, and they rarely catch up to the big guys (Wet Republic, Encore Beach Club, Tao Beach, etc.), but they re looking for your business, which is a good thing. This year, that group comprises the Flamingo, Downtown Grand, and the Plaza. The Flamingo is running an interesting event called Beach Club at Night from 7 pm to midnight every Wednesday. Entry is free for all to a party with a DJ, games, and drink specials ($5 Heineken and Berry Lemonades, and $100 bottles). Both Downtown Grand and the Plaza are trying to capture the downtown business, though Golden Nugget seems to do that best without trying too hard. The one high-end addition this year is the Aquatic Club at Palazzo, where outfitted in crisp white, navy and aqua blues with spikes of red and green, every detail has been selectively curated to personify a sport-couture lavish lifestyle. We have no idea what that means, but it sounds sweet! As always, things change all summer long, so while the chart below is comprehensive and up to date as of late April, things will get added and continued on next page by the Pool Blackjack by the Pool Blackjack Sunbathing Topless Sunbathing Topless Parties Pool Parties Pool Caesars Encore Flamingo Golden Nugget Hard Rock JW Marriott MBay Plaza Planet Hollywood (Thurs-Sun) Red Rock SLS Tropicana Wynn Artisan (European Pool) Caesars (Venus Pool) Encore (European Pool) M Resort (DayDream) MBay (Moorea Beach Club) Mirage (Bare Pool Lounge) Sapphire (Dayclub) Stratosphere (Radius) Venetian (TAO Beach) Wynn (European Pool) Open to the Public: (For times, prices, and details, see Pools at LasVegasAdvisor.com.) Aliante, Aria, Artisan, Bally s, Caesars, Cosmopolitan (Marquee Day Club), Cromwell, Downtown Grand, Encore (Encore Beach Club), Excalibur, Flamingo, Golden Nugget, Green Valley Ranch, Hard Rock, Hooters, JW Marriott, The LINQ, Luxor, M Resort, Mandalay Bay (Moorea, Daylight), MGM Grand (Wet Rep.), Mirage (Bare), Palazzo (Aquatic Club), Palms, Planet Hollywood, Plaza, Rampart, Red Rock, Sapphire Dayclub, Silverton, SLS (Foxtail), Stratosphere, Sunset Station, Tropicana, and Venetian (TAO Beach) Poolside Concerts: Cosmopolitan, Hard Rock, M Resort, Mandalay Bay, Plaza, Red Rock, SLS (These pools all have parties planned several on specific days of the week. For details, see Pools and Events at LasVegasAdvisor.com.) Aria Mirage (Liquid) (Bare) Artisan Palazzo Cosmopolitan (Aquatic Club) Cromwell Palms Downtown Grand (Ditch Fridays) Encore Planet Hollywood Flamingo (DJ s) Green Vally Ranch Plaza (DJ s) Red Rock Hard Rock Sapphire The LINQ SLS Luxor (Foxtail) (weekly LGBT party) Tropicana MBay (Sky Beach Club) (Daylight Beach Club) Venetian MGM Grand (TAO Beach) (Wet Republic) 8 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR MAY 2017

11 Entertainment continued subtracted over the course of the season. Britxit You have until the end of the year to get a piece of Britney Spears. The last performance of Britney: Piece of Me at Planet Hollywood will be on December 31, but it may not mark the end of her Vegas run. Britney s agent says the door is open to sign with another casino, possibly even another in the CET group. The news came on the heels of a previous announcement lauding Britney s boxoffice prowess. Her shows in the Axis Theater have earned more than $100 million through ticket sales of more than 700,000. While it will be a blow to lose her, headliner-mate Jennifer Lopez is no slouch herself, having reportedly earned $36 million from sales of 170,000 tickets in 2016 alone. Bars and Happy Hours (Note: These types of deals can change quickly. Call to verify.) Lucky Dragon has daily happy hours from 3 to 7 pm, 9 pm to midnight, and 4 to 10 am, with 50% whiskey, wine, and tea flights; 2-for-$8 beer and wine, and 50% off bar bites. Buddy V s at the Venetian has one of Las Vegas earliest-starting happy hours, running daily from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm, with $4 draft beer, house wine, sangria, Prosecco, and Bloody Marys, and $5 appetizers. It s available on the patio only until 4:30, then also served in the bar. Ike s Bar at El Cortez has one of Las Vegas latest happy hours, running daily from 3 to 5 am, with 2-for-1 call brands (Bombay Sapphire, Patron Silver, Tito s) and half-price draft beer. A-Bar at Texas Station has a daily happy hour from 5 to 7 pm, with 50% off martinis and wine. A member reports that Ketchup in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood has 16-ounce draft Bud Light weekdays from 3 to 6 pm. Sayers Club at SLS has a happy Notes After a decade of headlining downtown, impressionist Gordie Brown is returning to the Strip. Gordie Brown Live opens May 9 at Planet Hollywood, the site of his last Strip gig before leaving for a residency at the Golden Nugget. Tickets are $79-$102. Clint Holmes is returning to the Golden Nugget, the casino at which he began his Las Vegas career nearly 20 years ago. Holmes will begin a residency on May 9, adding to GN s ever-improving entertainment line-up that already features Frankie Moreno (see Top Ten) and the 52 Fridays concert series. Upcoming performances for Elton John s The Million Dollar Piano have been canceled through May 5. The cancelations are due to illness and tickets are being refunded. Elton returns to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in October. Additional shows have been added for Céline Dion at Caesars Palace. The new dates are Sept , 22-23, 26-27, 29-30; Oct. 3-4, 6-7; Nov. 7-8, 10-11, 14-15, 17-18, 21-22, 24-24; Dec ; Jan. 2-3, 5-6, 9, 12-13, 16-17, Already scheduled dates are May 9, 12-13, 16-17, 19-20, 23-24, 27-28, 30-31; June 2-3. Tickets start at $55 base. Additional shows have been added for Billy Idol: Forever at the House of Blues. The new dates are Oct. 4, 6-7, 11, 13-14, 18, Already scheduled dates are May 3, 5-6, 10, Tickets start at $79.50 base. The Fremont Street Experience s Downtown Rocks Summer Concert Series line-up has been announced. The free concerts that run mostly on weekends throughout the summer will feature Theory of a Deadman (5/26), Fuel/Tonic/Marcy Playground/Dishwalla (6/10), Ann Wilson (7/3), Good Charlotte (7/22), Rick Springfield (8/12), Seether (8/26), Collective Soul (9/1), and Chevelle (9/30). The line-up for this year s Life is Beautiful festival has been announced. Chance the Rapper, Muse, and the Gorillaz are the headliners, joined by dozens of other groups and artists that include Lord, blink-182, and Wiz Khalifa. The event runs downtown Sept ; tickets start at $275 for all three days. Motley Crue front man Vince Neil will perform at the Downtown Grand for Memorial Day on May 27. The concert is free, but you have to download tickets from downtowngrand.com. See the Advance Planner for dates, prices, and additional show updates. hour Thurs.-Sat. from 6 to 9 pm, with 2-for-1 well drinks and domestic beer. Get 50% off all bottles of wine (up to $250) on Wednesdays in BLT Steak at Bally s. The Galleria Mall hosts Thank Galleria It s Friday on the second Friday of each month. A $10 donation to charity gets free booze tastings and discounted appetizers from several participating restaurants. Deja Vu Showgirls has changed its UFC viewing deal again. Entry fee is $10 for locals and $20 for out-of-state (if you drive yourself), but that includes free domestic beers, wine, and well drinks from 6 to 10 pm, plus there s often free pizza. It s a good atmosphere with the dancers (generally) leaving the customers alone to watch till the fights are over. A third Minus5 Ice Experience will open this summer in the Grand Canal Shops at the Venetian. Guests are outfitted with parkas and gloves before entering the 23-degree environment, which is -5 degrees celsius. After more than 30 years in business, Dealer s Choice Lounge on W. Spring Mtn. has closed. It will reopen as a Red Dragon, a new brand owned by Dotty s that s intended to appeal to the Asian community in that area continued on next page MAY 2017 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR 9

12 Entertainment continued of Chinatown. We ve also heard that another Dotty s brand called Bourbon Street is on the way. The Beer Garden at the Plaza has closed. At Golden Tiki, the fancy tiki drinks (e.g., a Singapore Sling) are $12 and a Red Stripe is $6. In Rockhouse at the Venetian, a draft Modelo is $9.74 and a draft PBR is $5.41. At Fleming s Town Square, a Bud is $7.52. At Porchlight, a draft Stella Artois is $6.50 and a Corona is $5.25. In the sports book bar at the California, a draft Stella is $6 and a bottled Stella is $4.50. At GAMBLING The Sporting Life, an Anchor Steam is $4.50. At Amore s, a Bud is $4.33. Notes: The two Stella Artois choices in the California sports book are both 12 ounces, but buying by the bottle saves $1.50. Often, an employee outside of Rockhouse hands out 2-for- 1 beer coupons, but they aren t valid for the PBR special. n Roulette on a Roll An article in the LV Sun reports that the Nevada roulette win was $38.6 million in February, up 60% from the same month in By comparison, an article in Card Player magazine pointed out that the profit from raking live poker was only $8.8 million in February. Anthony Curtis told the Sun that he s noticed younger customers playing and that roulette appears to be one of the few casino games that interest the coveted Millennials. It s a fact. Roulette tables seem to be populated more and more with younger and younger players. You see them, often dressed up, both early in the evening and late at night before and after their forays to the nightclubs. The reason is roulette is easy to play and social, and it s getting word-of-mouth endorsements among the younger set. During the Sun interview, Anthony was asked about strategies for playing, but there really aren t any. Except for the 5-number bet, every wager on the wheel high, low, red, black, numbers split or straight up has the same 5.26% casino edge on a double-zero wheel. Hence, the only two strategies are to bet less and count the zeros (more on this in a moment). A 5.26% edge is big compared to other gambling options, so your aim should be to limit your exposure to that edge. Seeking out the lowest minimums is important, but you should also look for crowded tables, where you ll get fewer spins per hour, which results in losing less. It s also more fun playing with a crowd. Counting the zeros means paying attention to the game you re playing. It doesn t come up much, but from time to time, casinos sneak in a single-zero game, which drops the house edge to 2.7%. The problem is the better odds tend to come with a higher minimum bet and that can wind up costing you more, even though you re playing a better game. A good rule of thumb is to play the single-zero game only if you can bet less than twice what you re betting at double zero. For example, if the minimums are $10 for double-zero and $25 for single, you re better off betting $10 on the double (expected loss of 52.6 per bet vs ). But if the single-zero wheel has a $15 minimum, it s better to play there, where the expected loss drops to 40.5 per bet. Of course, if the minimums are the same, it s a no-brainer to play the game with fewer zeros. Or at least it should be. Last month, we revisited Las Vegas only triple-zero game: Sands Roulette at the Venetian (LVA 1/17). The minimum bet was $15 and there was a double-zero game with the same $15 minimum right next to it. The Sands game had three players and the standard game had two. When players are that oblivious, you can t fault the casino for offering the rip-off variation. Wynn Buffet Play We haven t played the promotion to verify the numbers, so treat this as a heads-up to the possibility of getting comped buffets at the Wynn (see review in Dining). New members signing up for the Wynn/Encore Red Card get two free buffets after earning 750 points on machine play. Points are earned at the rate of 1 for every $1.50 coin-in on reel slots, $6 on video poker, and $15 on high-return video poker, i.e., 9/6 Jacks or Better and NSU Deuces Wild. With this information alone, we can determine that playing for the 750 points is likely a good deal. For example, 750 points requires $11,250 in action playing NSU Deuces. Assuming perfect play (which you can approach using a Bob Dancer strategy card), your expected loss is about $30 to get two dinner buffets worth close to $100. Even playing dollar slots pencils out, as earning 750 points will take only $1,125 coin-in, resulting in an expected loss in the $65-$85 range (using Strip $1-$5 slot-return averages). And it s even better, since at 300 points, you get a wheel spin for prizes and perks with substantial value (show tickets, free-play, etc.). Finally, you re also accruing points for redemption and you ll establish yourself on the WLV mailing list as a possible gambling prospect, which often leads to future mail offers. Again, we haven t run all the numbers, but we d be surprised if playing to 750 points isn t a positive move, especially if it s within your normal gambling budget. Make sure to play at a machine on the floor if you want a drink. Wynn and Encore don t comp drinks at the bars. Lucky Dragon Play This is a little play, but it s even stronger on a relative basis than the Wynn maneuver just described. It continued on next page 10 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR MAY 2017

13 Gambling continued Video Poker Lost and Found didn t run in April, but the Lucky Dragon has brought back its instacomp for Bao Now, the noodle and snack bar. Earn 10 points ($100 coin-in) and get an $8 comp credit. The best game at all denoms is 9/5 JoB (98.45%), so your expected loss is $1.55 to get $8 in food, and you can do it once per day. Gambling Notes Players clubs SLS is launching a new players club in May called SLS Las Vegas Rewards with a revamped points and awards structure. The Golden Nugget has added a new top invitation-only tier to its rewards program called Billionaire s Club. Bingo Palace Station has debuted its new bingo room. The 10,000-square-foot 350-seat room is outfitted with state-of-the-art technology and amenities, and features a check-in counter, snack bar, and full-service bar. Bac tourney The Palms is continuing its weekly baccarat tournaments, but they ll be invitation-only beginning this month. Non-smoking Tuscany has opened a non-smoking area on the east side of the casino near Pub 365. Sports books For the first time, Nevada sports books allowed betting on the NFL draft after an unidentified book petitioned the Gaming Control Board for permission. The Board approved the request, but only on props such as the number of players drafted from a given conference or the number of quarterbacks drafted in a given round. Bets on the draft position of specific players were not allowed. Crazy jackpot A San Diego visitor hit for a $1 million payday last week when he made a 6-card diamond royal flush playing Crazy for Poker at the Flamingo. It was the first million-dollar jackpot this year in CET s Millionairemaker bonus program. There were eight million-dollar winners in DG dealers An LVA member reports seeing a sign at the Downtown Grand pointing the way to Model We flubbed last month s report of 9/6 Jacks or Better being available on three new machines in the sports book bar at the Gold Coast. The 9/6 games were there, but we didn t notice that the royal flush paid 2500 coins instead of the standard 4000, which drops the return from 99.54% to 98.88%. Sorry for that miss, but it s also a good reminder that you have to check all the payout numbers on a video poker schedule, especially when you think you see something good. The whole thing is moot, though, since those games have now been pulled completely. However, these same three machines with raised screens and on the side of the bar nearest the players club have 8/5 Bonus Poker (99.17%) from 25 to $2. On May 7 and 21, Gold Coast and Orleans are paying double for royal flushes on denoms up to 50. The ads say on select machines, so it s unlikely that you ll be able to play it on the best schedules. But it will likely be a good opportunity to build some points playing a game near breakeven. If you d heard about the Four Queens adding 10/7 Double Bonus to its bar games, don t rush over. The schedules were quickly downgraded. Dealer Interviews. It could be a search for miniature dealers that you build with rubber cement, but we re guessing it s a looks thing. Kentucky Derby Pre-race odds have Classic Empire as the favorite at 5-1, followed by Always Dreaming (6-1), and Irish War Cry (7-1). Lottery The price of a Mega Millions lottery ticket is being raised from $1 to $2 and the odds of hitting the top jackpot will grow longer. Both moves are aimed at creating bigger headline-grabbing jackpots. Changes in the rules for picking numbers will raise the odds of winning the top prize from 1 in million to 1 in million and the odds of winning any prize The Sunday matchplay promotion at Home Plate has been discontinued. If you re on the bar s list, you ll get periodic matchplay offers, usually on holidays or coinciding with high-profile sporting events. In Reno, the second-floor bar at the Eldorado has quarter 9/6 JoB with a progressive on the royal flush that s breakeven when the meter hits $1,220. It was $1,732 when we were there, which is a % return (and they comp premium wine at the bar). There are currently no Bob Dancer video poker classes scheduled. They re expected to resume in August. In the interim, be sure to check out Bob s weekly Tuesday column and the Thursday Gambling With an Edge podcast, with Bob and Richard Munchkin, both at Gambling WithAnEdge.com. In a recent edition, the guest was Cheung Yin Sun (a.k.a. Kelly Sun). Kelly was the partner of Phil Ivey who read the edges of cards, allowing the pair to win millions playing baccarat. However, they are now in legal battles with the casinos over the legality of the technique. In the interview, Kelly divulges many details that hadn t previously been made public. You can access this interview and many others from the GWAE archives. from 1 in 14.7 to 1 in 24. However, the odds of winning the second-best $1 million prize will be lowered from 1 in 18.5 million to 1 in 12.6 million. The changes will go into effect in October. Trump betting You can t make president-related prop bets in Las Vegas, but it s big business at foreign and offshore sports books. So big, in fact, that Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has created a position designated as Head of Trump Betting. Paddy Power released a statement that read in part, After a disastrous year of political cock-ups two words for you: Brexit and Trump we are determined not to make the same mistakes again in n MAY 2017 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR 11

14 Deals Rampart is offering several Earn and Eat instacomps, including a lunch buffet for 500 same-day points ($1,000 coin-in), a dinner buffet for 1,000 points, a 25-minute spa treatment for 1,200 points, and dinner in the Hawthorn Grill for 1,500 points. Mondays through Thursdays at South Point through May 25, earn 300 points ($300 coin-in) to spin a wheel for free-play, buffet comps, and prizes. The LV Review-Journal is promoting a 2-for-1 offer for X Country at Harrah s. Get the deal by using the code XKLVRJ. Every day at Windy City Beefs n Pizza (see Dining), they put up two first names on a chalkboard. If one of them matches yours, you get a free hot dog. Locals get 15% off all food every day in Buddy V s at the Venetian. Several casinos will offer deals in May for Military Appreciation Month. One of the best is a 50% discount for all active and retired military with confirming ID at SLS Las Vegas, good at all restaurants except Bazaar Meats. The discount is also valid at the Center and Monkey Bars, along with a 20% discount on rooms. Get details on late-breaking deals for Cinco de Mayo (May 5), Mothers Day (May 14), and Memorial Day (May 29) in Today s News at LasVegas Advisor.com. Miscellaneous Ferocious winds at the end of March did damage and caused power outages throughout Las Vegas, as well as delayed and diverted flights. Lucky Dragon was closed briefly, a sign was blown over at Main Street Station, a construction wall collapsed at Monte Carlo, a row of light polls fell into Koval Ln., and monorail service was suspended. Gusts were mostly in the 60- to 70-mph range, though a top gust of 84 mph was recorded. A section of the roof over the retail area at Bellagio caught fire last FAST TRACK month, causing the Strip to be shut down. A light-fixture malfunction was blamed for the blaze, which was extinguished 19 minutes after it started, but still caused an estimated $450,000 in damage to the exterior of the hotel. An evacuation wasn t necessary and there were no injuries reported. Famous gambler Billy Walters has been found guilty of insider trading, highlighted by a securities deal that involved professional golfer Phil Mickelson. After coming out on top in previous legal battles with the Feds, Walters now faces several years in prison. He expressed surprise at the outcome, stating, I just did lose the biggest bet of my life. Frankly, I m in shock. Walters attorney promises that the verdict will be appealed. The customer who was forcefully pulled off an overbooked United Airlines flight is a regular tournamentpoker player. According to the WSOP. com website, David Dao has had four cashes in the World Series of Poker and 13 cashes on the WSOP Circuit. He s taken three seconds and a third in Circuit events and he finished 30 th in the 8-handed no-limit hold em event in His total prize money is $234,000. A Raiders-themed brothel will be built to coincide with the NFL team s move to Las Vegas. Pirate s Booty will be located about 90 miles from Las Vegas in Nye County, where prostitution is legal. Raiders players and staff will get 50% off services and other VIP treatment. UNLV s William F. Harrah Hotel College was ranked the world s best Hospitality & Leisure Management program by the QS World University Rankings. It was the first time the category has been a part of the annual survey. One of the last hold outs, M Resort, has added a $19.99 daily resort fee. It includes gym use, which formerly carried a charge, but nothing else that wasn t previously available for free.n LAST SECOND FLASH Another Hit at Monte Carlo A Wheel of Fortune jackpot was hit for a $725,000 in late-april at the Monte Carlo. It s the second time in two months that WoF has been hit there. Last month the payout was $525,000. Gambling Habits According to the annual Las Vegas Visitor Profile Study sponsored by the LVCVA, the average gambling budget of a Las Vegas tourist in 2016 was $619.01, up from $ in But time allotted to gambling decreased to 1.9 hours per day, down significantly from 2.9 hours in The percentage of those who gambled also fell from 73% to 69%. Gold Standard Siegfried & Roy s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage has received the highest possible certification for animal care by the animal welfare group American Humane. It s one of only 14 facilities (zoos and aquariums) in the world to be certified thusly. American Humane s CEO called the habitat the gold standard for animal welfare. A Penny More Sales tax has been increased from 8.15% to 8.25% in Clark County and from 7.725% to 8.265% in Washoe County (Reno). For a $7 drink in Las Vegas, the price when tax isn t built in will rise from $7.57 to $7.58. In Reno it increases from $7.54 to $7.58. It s not a significant effect, but then again, it s one more extra charge being tacked on to entertainment costs. 12 LAS VEGAS ADVISOR MAY 2017

15 TRAVELING GUIDES TOO GOOD TO PASS UP If you plan on traveling this summer, or even during the rest of this year, don t pass up the chance to have any one (or all) of these guides by your side. American Casino Guide Steve Bourie $15.95 (+ $7 S&H ) The 2017 American Casino Guide provides detailed money-saving information for casino-goers nationwide, whether seasoned veterans or first-time visitors. This book provides detailed information on more than 750 land-based, riverboat, and Indian casinos in 41 states, with room rates, buffet prices, casino games offered, and special features. It includes maps of all casino locations, plus the best strategies for playing the major casino games. Eating Las Vegas John Curtas, Greg Thilmont, Mitchell Wilburn $10.99 (+ $3 S&H ) The acclaimed Eating Las Vegas restaurant (and bar) guide returns, defining the city s current 50 Essential eateries, and with a much-expanded Additional Recommendations area. This edition includes dedicated sub-sections on Steakhouses, Chinatown, French, and for the first time ever, the Bottom 10. Whether you re a dedicated Strip-resort dweller or a denizen of downtown; a glutenintolerant vegan or a carnivore and craft-beer aficionado; an adventurous gastronome in search of the ultimate chef s tasting menu, or looking for the best buffet bang for your buck, you ll find a wealth of invaluable information and tips between the pages of this richly illustrated and candidly penned guide to the Las Vegas dining scene. Trust us, you won t want to leave home without it. Hiking the Southwest Hiking the High Sierra Branch Whitney $3 each (+ $7 S&H ) Hiking the Southwest is a guide to canyoneering in Zion, scrambling Red Rock Canyon, trekking to the highest peaks in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico, and the rest of Southwest s best hikes. Hiking the High Sierra covers several scrambles to summits above 14,000 feet, including the highest and lowest points in the continental United States, the ultrahardcore Badwater to Telescope Peak (11,000+ feet of elevation gain), six of the finest hikes around Yosemite, and three bonus on the island of Kauai.

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