We’ve recently received word after reporting on Project Linq that O’Sheas will be no more. It will merge with Imperial Palace, which will be rebranded and change names after it gets a makeover. This is the reference to “re-skinning” both O’Sheas and Imperial Palace.
Caesars owns both properties and plans to relaunch a different O’Sheas in summer 2013. We will miss the current O’Sheas. Where else can you be served beer by a leprechaun?
MGM Resorts and Perini Building Company are locked in a battle that could eliminate the never-opened Harmon Tower, a luxury hotel that has not had a single guest. On Monday, MGM filed to Clark County seeking approval to use explosives to bring down the tower. Perini, the general contractor for CityCenter (where the Harmon is located on the north end) who is currently involved in a lawsuit against MGM, says they can fix the errors after inspectors found improper support, OSHA violations, and evidence from an engineering firm that if a major earthquake struck Vegas, it would collapse. MGM argues that it can’t be fixed yet Perini says that if the structure is imploded, signs of structural defects will be destroyed.
The Harmon was supposed to have 47 stories, but it was cut to 27 after inspectors found the errors in 2008, and never completed. Couple that with the recession, and MGM simply wants to cut their losses and get the approval to implode from a District Judge. If approved, it would take six months to prepare the tower for explosion and four to remove debris. There are plenty of other properties MGM owns, including Circus Circus, Mandalay Bay
, and ARIA
, and we encourage you to check them out while this gets resolved.
Parrotheads, this job’s for you. Jimmy Buffett and the Flamingo are hiring 250 workers for a new Margaritaville minicasino scheduled to open in October. It will replace Steakhouse 46 in the Flamingo and build on the existing Margaritaville bar and restaurant that is already a big part of the hotel, essentially connecting them at Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard. Among the things included in the new casino are a 15,000-square-foot casino floor, 22 gaming tables, 220 slot machines and a “Five O’Clock Somewhere” bar. Positions for table game dealers, flair bartenders, and supervisors are available, among others. Interested applicants can apply online here or at the Caesars Entertainment Employment Center on Flamingo Road. If you’re interested in booking a trip to catch Margaritaville in all its glory, we’ve got your deal!
There are many Italian restaurants in Vegas, but Battista’s may just have the edge over the competition, in both authenticity and longevity. Battista’s has been family owned and operated and serving authentic Italian food in Vegas for more than 30 years. Veal, pasta, spaghetti, meatballs, and much more await you, all prepared with the finest ingredients and the best knives you can find online, click here to learn more about knives history. Wines are from all over the world, including (of course) Italy, California, and Germany. An accordion player adds to the atmosphere during your meal as well. You even get a cappuccino at the end of your meal!
We ate here last week and would recommend it to anyone that loves good food; it is simply phenomenal authentic Italian, and the portions are huge!
Battista’s is located being the Flamingo Hilton at 4041 Audrie Street, and it’s open nightly for dinner from 5-10:30pm. You can find more information on Battista’s at their web site HERE.
It’s here! Your number one source for Vegas information finally has the app to keep you going no matter where you are in Vegas. Get it here! The Vegas iPhone app is designed to give you the latest and greatest information and media on Las Vegas, and even has some special features you won’t find in other apps. Everything is at your fingertips—Gaming, Restaurants, Hotels, Attractions, Entertainment, and even a GPS Tracker we call the Friend Finder. This is your one stop shop for all things Vegas, and the only app to have, whether you’re planning a trip or already there.
FEATURES:
-Available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
-Hundreds of options to choose from for Hotels, Dining, Shows, Clubs, Attractions, Sports, and more, complete with pricing, reviews, photos, and categories for each option.
-Full contact information for all venues. Read the reviews, call the restaurant, make a reservation, and you’re out the door.
-Once you’re out, connect with your friends via the Friend Finder portion of the Vegas Hipster app. See where your friends are at, create, join, and leave groups, and make it easy to meet up in the busy Vegas atmosphere.
The wait is nearly over. Owner Tamares Group started the renovations, opting to keep the hotel closed and do them all at once, and the results sound promising. Almost everything has been fixed up or completely redone top to bottom, and with the re-opening scheduled for September 1, the project is ahead of schedule. The Plaza was aided by some items coming at a discount from the shuttered Fountaineblau project that helped the budget for the renovation. In a time when the tourism and economy of Vegas is starting to pick back up, the Plaza is targeting the typical Vegas crowd to convince them that the Plaza has changed. It will reopen with a new casino floor, lounges, and several restaurants, including a steakhouse named for former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. Don’t forget to check out our hotels page for all the information on every hotel in Vegas. We wish the Plaza the best of luck.
The Venetian and Palazzo Vegas hotels have each earned the coveted AAA Five-Diamond awards for excellence in hospitality, service, and excellence in providing customers with the best experience possible. For the Venetian, this is the fifth year in a row, and for the Palazzo, the third. We love being treated well at the hotels we stay at, so these are two to watch out for. What does a company that’s just won an award for hospitality do? Give back, of course! From August 22-26, guests and visitors alike will have the opportunity to go on a scavenger hunt of sorts to discover a diamond hidden somewhere different each day throughout each resort. Contestants must follow The Palazzo on Twitter at @PalazzoLasVegas and The Venetian at @VenetianVegas to receive the resorts’ clues posted daily. Don’t forget to follow @vegashipster on Twitter while you’re at it, and click the links for for deals on 5-Star rooms at the Venetian and great rates at Palazzo Vegas
as well.
Even in an uncertain economy, Las Vegas continues to grow. In the month of June, statewide gambling revenue jumped 16 percent. This was the second straight month of increases of 10 percent or more, and the largest since February 2010. Most of the revenue came from high-spending baccarat players, so it sounds like more people need to head to our gambling section and check out How to Play Baccarat. Slot machines and table games also saw a significant increase, pointing to a recovery of the Vegas area as a whole. We’re happy to see that Vegas is doing well, and if you want to head out there and get going with the gambling, we have a deal for you at the Bellagio.
Caesars Entertainment Corp., with more than 50 properties in six countries, has narrowed its debt thanks in large part to its 10 Strip-area casinos. With casinos in other parts of the country temporarily closing down due to weather or simply not making money, Vegas-area casinos have shined. Even with customers actually visiting less, they are spending more money when they do, in large part to increased room fees and good demand. As we reported earlier, Project Linq is set to go, as well as completion on 662 unfinished hotel rooms in the Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker, which had record-setting attendance and a record prize pool of $190 million in June and July. Things are looking up for Caesars due in large part to Vegas. If you’d like to check out Caesars Hotels, we’ve got the link for you HERE.
It’s the time of year where it’s blazing hot, and everyone is looking for different ways to cool down. In Vegas, why not try a resort pool for you and your family? We have listed some of the top pools and their locations here:
The Beach at Mandalay Bay
With an 11-acre beach, wave pool, and lazy river, what’s not to like? If that’s not enough, The Beach includes 100 daybeds, cabanas, and several whirlpools, and even has poolside gaming. We’ve got the connection for a 30% off deal on a hotel there as well.
Golden Nugget Pool
If your dream has always been a little danger in your life, the Golden Nugget pool will get the job done. There is a water slide that cuts through the center of the glass-enclosed aquarium at the middle of the pool complex, and all sorts of aquatic life can be seen. Did we mention the shark tank in the middle? The pool also has 15 cabanas and poolside gaming. It’s open til 2am to use the cabanas, Jacuzzis, and poolside bar.
Flamingo Pool
This pool has something for everyone. It is surrounded by a 15-acre wildlife resort that is home to (among other things) flamingos. Lagoons, cascading waterfalls, and interconnecting pools are highlights, and for the adults only, the topless Go Pool has several cabanas, TVs, and Wi-Fi.
Red Rock Resort Pool
A beach area, 19 cabanas, one main pool, and eight smaller wading pools, poolside gaming, and it can also act as an entertainment venue for up to 3,000 people. Enough said.
MGM Grand Pool
This is a paradise of pools. It includes the longest lazy river in Vegas (1,000 feet), 27 private cabanas, five pools, three whirlpools, a waterfall, and even a 53,000 square foot pool club called WET Republic. We have a deal on VIP treatment at this hotel too!