Las Vegas News

FHBM #584: Trends and Stuff

/ Tim / Leave a comment

Las Vegas podcast #584 includes:

  • Inside Man opener
  • Resorts World activity
  • The Cosmopolitan tests helpful chatbots
  • Pin Up announces closing
  • Caesars Palace brings Blues Traveler to Cleopatras Barge
  • Tropicana keeps Rich Little
  • HOB extends Santana
  • What happened to the Amazon and sponsorship links?
  • Facebook group post of the week: Things you didn’t realize the first time in Las Vegas
  • 2017 Trippies analysis
  • Call us at (702) 866-9494

Play Las Vegas Podcast
Direct download of the podcast: Five Hundy By Midnight 1/15/17 (63:12 min, 60.6 MB) or subscribe.

FHBM #410: Vibe Podcasting

/ Tim / Leave a comment

Las Vegas podcast #410 includes:

  • Family Ties opener
  • VIMFP announcement next week
  • Plaza calls Tim a queen
  • Bally’s announces Jubilee Tower
  • Our sponsor, Viator’s Things to do in Las Vegas
  • Dear Tim and Michele
  • Listener calls about Model Employee, Luxor, New York New York, MGM Grand’s poker room, Cosmopolitan cabanas, Bare, Willy Wonka slots, New Orleans, Biloxi, Vdara, Francesco’s, Human Nature, Treasure Island, Seafood Shack, Bellagio buffet, Gordie Brown, Mob Bar and other Las Vegasy stuff
  • Call us at (702) 866-9494


Five Hundy By Midnight 6/30/13 63:39 min, 61 MB)

Genting May be Clowning Around

/ Tim / 1 Comment

Remember last month when Genting Gaming surprised everyone by swooping in, buying the Stardust/Echelon land and announcing plans for the massive Resorts World complex? Well, that may not be the company’s only Las Vegas interest. A reliable Five Hundy mole reports that Genting is deep into negotiations with MGM Resorts to buy Circus Circus.

Earlier this year, Jim Murren, MGM’s CEO and all-around fashion icon, said the company was open to offers for its properties. While the nongaming properties at CityCenter (Crystals, Vdara, Mandarin Oriental) may be most obvious assets on MGM’s sales list, unloading Circus Circus makes some sense. The location is disconnected from MGM’s South Strip landmass and the property has long been the red-headed stepchild of MGM Resorts in Las Vegas—so much so that it isn’t even part of the Mlife loyalty program.

For Genting, buying Circus Circus would give the company an immediate presence on The Strip (vs. waiting three or four years when Resorts World opens) along with a large chunk of land adjacent to the plot it just acquired from Boyd. Between Circus Circus and Resorts World, the company would dominate the family-friendly market. Once the Echelon land is fully developed, Genting could potentially redevelop the neighboring Circus Circus land into something shiny and new.

Update: A second Five Hundy mole tells us Genting officials has indeed been sniffing around Circus Circus (which should be enough to scare them away), and that the deal has already fallen through.

More as it develops…

Goodbye, Coyote Ugly

/ Tim / 1 Comment

After a 12-year run at New York New York, Coyote Ugly is closing at the end of February. The bar, (I can’t consider it a nightclub because they admitted me while wearing my usual footwear) known for scantily clad female bartenders who dance on the bar every 10 minutes (yeehaw), came to Las Vegas shortly after a shitty movie was made about the original New York location in 2000.

I rarely post stuff like this, but after I received and confirmed a tip about the closing from listener @vegasrebel10, I figured I might as well take advantage of this news by breaking an always-exciting Five Hundy exclusive. Drink it in and savor it.

No word on what New York New York has planned for the space.

Update: MGM Resorts and Coyote Ugly reached a deal to keep the place open.

Five Hundy by Midnight #360: Someone Needs a Hug

/ Tim / 2 Comments

Las Vegas podcast #360 includes:

  • New Adventures of Old Christine opener
  • VIMFP location announcement
  • Gordon Ramsay burger joint location
  • Plans for Bally’s entrance space
  • The Quad vs. Hotel 3535 survey… what about that whole superstition thing?
  • Tons of new stuff at the Hard Rock
  • Michael Morton announces new Mexican restaurant
  • Park on Fremont is headed for Maharaja Hookah Cafe space
  • Downtown Project takes over Fremont East check-cashing storefront
  • Our sponsor, Viator
  • Dear Tim and Michele
  • Listener calls about Planet Hollywood, Terminal 3, Lavo, Earl of Sandwich, Sirricos, The Henry, Terrace Point Cafe, Jersey Boys, Hash House, casino war, Koi, Hyde Lounge and other stuff
  • MGM treats low-limit players poorly
  • Call us at (702) 866-9494


Five Hundy By Midnight 7/15/12 78:03 min, 73.8 MB)

Planet Hollywood May Get a Piece of Gordon Ramsay Too

/ Tim / 2 Comments

Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas has been receiving raves, and plans for a Gordon Ramsay gastropub in the Bradley Ogden space is the worst-kept secret of the year. Next up for Gordo may be a burger joint at Planet Hollywood, based on questions in a Total Rewards survey I received and completed this morning.

The survey’s restaurant description said:

“Located center Strip at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Gordon Ramsay’s GR Burger brings new life to one of the most energetic areas of Las Vegas. GR Burger will introduce a stylish modern ambience, youthful energy and sporty vibe—a departure from your typical burger joints.

“Here, guests can enjoy a contemporary menu, diverse specialty drinks and self-serve beers on tap, coupled with uncompromised sports and entertainment viewing.

“Gordon Ramsay’s GR Burger will also have an open kitchen to add to the excitement—watch our cooks prepare your burgers over an open hardwood flame grill.”

Renderings:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every couple months I receive a Total Rewards surveys about one possible concept or another. Five Hundy listeners have reported receiving similar (sometimes slightly variations on the same) surveys. Recent questions have covered a possible Golden Corral Buffet at Imperial Palace and various name concepts for the new buffet at Caesars Palace.

With anything at the market research stage, there’s a decent chance it may never happen. However, with reports last year saying Ramsay would be opening at least three restaurants in Las Vegas, I’m thinking we’ll be seeing GR Burger (or at least the burger joint concept perhaps with a different name) at Planet Hollywood in 2013.

Update: Other names being market-tested include Fat Cow Burger, Flame Burger, Gobsmacked Burger and G-Spot.