RoyVegas - Still Working On It

A shot of The Strip from the west side of the tracks. From left to right : Bellagio, Project City Center, Panorama Towers (on Dean Martin/Industrial, not The Strip), and New York New York.

I expect to announce the opening of my new site in one or two weeks.

Special Notice From RoyVegas

My posting recently has been reduced, and erratic. I am presently building a regular dot com website which will take RoyVegas to the next level.

The name will be better than RoyVegasDotBlogSpotDotCom, the images will be larger, and posting will be (I hope) several times a day.

Until then, I will continue to run this blog as my main internet presence.

I will certainly post notice here, when I open the new site, and as well will call the fivehundy line.

Las Vegas Strip - Tree Project

Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip) is being renovated south of Russell Road. Palm trees and fake turf are being installed on the segment of median north of the famous "Welcome" sign, to Russell Road (which is the south side of the property of Mandalay Bay).

The median north of Russell was renovated some time ago.

Previously the median was still in tune with older Las Vegas. Rocks, sand, and beer bottles.

Now there will be palm trees, fake grass, and beer bottles.

This area is supposed to get a small parking lot for the sign, but I am still under the impression that construction for that will be south of the sign.

Las Vegas - Too Much

This isn't funny. Maybe it's sad and ridiculous. Maybe it's a warning.

Recently, on Las Vegas Boulevard in the vicinity of The Monte Carlo, a man was so inebriated that he was largely unable to walk without, and even with, the help of his two friends.

At one point they tried to hail a cab, but the nature of The Strip at busy hour is that the empties are staged on the hotel cab lines.

Several pick up and collapses later they seemed to have gotten a little better at helping their friend along. Even so, I doubt that they were able to make it past all of Project City Center without need for another rest.

As slim as the odds are that the incapacitated man will read this blog post and see himself, those odds are still greater than the odds that he will otherwise remember any of his walk.

I would write a public service type of thing here, but the photos have already written it.

Las Vegas - MGM Grand - Man In The Water

A few nights ago I was walking past the LVB & Trop corner of The MGM Grand, and something was obviously going on. A lot of people were looking up. Too many people. Some clapping. I hurried through, and though a few seconds late to the scene, I still managed to get this photo.

A man in boxer shorts had climbed to the top of the lion water display thing.

What this guy did was essentially harmless I suppose, but it also shows that the security at this corner is often not good.

Las Vegas - Quick Fix - Frontier Bottle

A shot looking north on The Strip, in front of The Frontier from May 2007 when The Frontier was still open. It is entertaining how the newspaper machines (of one variety or another) are used as tables, as if a cocktail waitress walks Las Vegas Boulevard collecting the empties.

This Las Vegas quick-fix has been brought to you by RoyVegas; blogging about the insignificant since earlier this year. (Taking photos much longer.)

Labor Day Traffic On Las Vegas Boulevard

This is Las Vegas Boulevard less than one hour into September 2007. The view is looking north from Tropicana. Traffic in that direction was ridiculous, as you can see by the brakelights.

Tropicana should be a critical Stay Or Bail decision point in any Las Vegas Strip driver's arsenal.

Police have a particularly strong presence on The Strip this weekend. Bicycle police do conduct stops in the middle of the boulevard in traffic like this.

I was thinking earlier of how the area near The MGM Grand is sometimes goonish. Among other things, I trace it back to the change they made with the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana.

The old street level entrance at the corner (walking through the lions head) was an area that gave a more open and busy feel to the location. Now that section is shadowy and has nothing going on. There is a lot to see there, but yet there is nothing going on.

The darkness, lack of anything real, and pedestrian bridge structure, have created an attractive bozo environment by thinly simulating hanging out under an el train structure on an east coast city.

It would be nice to see the MGM change this corner.

Las Vegas Fix Shot 1 - LVB At Sahara

Introducing a new feature for this blog. Las Vegas Fix Shot

Very brief posts, that will provide a FIX for those who are in between trips to Las Vegas.

This shot is of the northwest corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara; (Bonanza Gift Shop area). It was taken 5:04 pm (1704 hours pacific) Monday 27 August 2007.

It is an imperfect shot of an imperfect corner. But if you miss Las Vegas, I think that you might appreciate it in some sense, especially with knowing precisely when it was taken.

Lights On At Fremont East District - Las Vegas

The lights have been turned on at Fremont East District, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On Friday night 24 August 2007 Fremont Street east of Las Vegas Boulevard was closed off to vehicular traffic, to allow a street celebration.

More complete coverage, including a couple of smart remarks I have in mind, and photos (of course) are forthcoming. But first, I think, I will sleep.

[How long will it be before someone complains that Las Vegas has a neon martini glass in the middle of a road?]

[When is the last time that you saw someone walking down Fremont Street with a martini glass instead of a 40 ounce bottle? Did anyone consider a neon forty?]

Las Vegas - Stage Door Casino - Odd Sign

A comment was left yesterday which linked to an article about The Stage Door Casino, and it's odd sign.

The article is actually very good, and I would like to offer the link here, in the event that you missed it in the comments.

http://www.inbusinesslasvegas.com/2007/01/19/feature3.html

Something else I would like to point out. When visiting Las Vegas, pay at least a little attention to the oddities, as they are vanishing.

Maybe you have 23 years left to check this small place out, and take a picture.

Maybe.

Las Vegas - Crosswalk Challenged

On Tuesday 5 June 2007 I did a post [Las Vegas - Don't Do This] which showed a group who decided to use the closed ground level crosswalk, instead of the bridge, between Treasure Island and The Fashion Show Mall.

http://royvegas.blogspot.com/2007/06/las-vegas-dont-do-this.html

A week later, on the 12th I was at the same intersection when the same decision had to be made. Use the escalator and pedestrian bridge, or hop a wall and dodge traffic.

These two went over the wall and ventured out a little before deciding that the idea was not that good after all. So they turned around, climbed back over the wall, and used the pedestrian bridge.

Although it is good that I got to use some photos from my archives, it is ridiculous that anyone would consider doing such a dingbatted action as being a target for traffic which does not expect a pedestrian to be in the gutter.

Las Vegas - The State Of The Strip

Except for The Frontier the state of The Strip hasn't changed much recently.

Palazzo continues its sluggish giant construction. The interior of the main entrance (center steps) on the Las Vegas Boulevard side is taking on an increasingly finished appearance.

The front of Planet Hollywood is still being renovated. Still!

Project City Center is getting bigger and denser at the same impressively quick rate of construction which has been observed.

Echelon Place (former Stardust) is having dirt trucked out constantly. And I do mean constantly. Rig after rig of dirt is removed. I expect that the Echelon Place project will be run very competently, and am looking forward to seeing the development once the construction is fully underway.

There is a construction project across Las Vegas Boulevard from Circus Circus. Some of that land used to be The Algiers. The corner had a small wedding church. Construction there is getting very visible and quick. I have it photographed at different stages, including when it was The Algiers. I think that it is a condo project, but I am not sure.

The McDonalds which is located on The Strip just north of what was The Stardust sports book has not made any move to become a two story McDonalds. They have had a sign out front for a while explaining that they will become a two floor structure. I wonder if Boyd will buy it.

At night, when going south on The Strip, there have been lane closures south of Flamingo. Traffic appeared to get real thick at that point so I have bailed out on Flamingo. I don't know what is going on there.

I have pictures and other stuff. A back log of stuff. Time. I need time. -- As time goes on and I put off posting something, it winds up in the RoyVegas archives, perhaps never to be seen again. Or at least not easily found on demand.

I just remembered something. This won't mean anything to you unless you have been to Las Vegas. What is that ridiculous music they keep playing at the front of The Fashion Show Mall? It's like a reggae carnival thing being played on a battery operated organ or something. Then they break out of the clip and go back to the more upbeat IPOD music while the IPOD characters dance on the screens above.

Las Vegas - Modern Relic - Silver Slipper Sign

A sign exists in the fenced off parking lot of The Frontier, which is a modern relic of when The Silver Slipper existed right next to The Frontier.

The sign says:

PARKING FOR

FRONTIER & SILVER SLIPPER

EMPLOYEES ONLY

----------------------------------

ALL OTHERS WILL BE TOWED AWAY

AT OWNERS EXPENSE

The Frontier is closed and fenced off, but the sign can still be seen with a good lens (for the immediate moment) from Las Vegas Boulevard, near the north entrance of The Frontier.

Las Vegas - Welcome Sign Visitors

Last week I did a post on the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign, and how it is likely going to be getting a parking lot.

http://royvegas.blogspot.com/2007/07/las-vegas-welcome-sign-parking-lot.html

Here, this photo shows one of the types of situations which the planned parking lot is projected to remedy.

While I disagree with some of the details of the proposed parking lot, I also see the need to avoid the dangers of parking as these folks did. They are way too casual about standing in the gutter of Las Vegas Boulevard.

Las Vegas - July 4th Traffic Jam

Police had a moderately heavy presence on Las Vegas Boulevard during the late July 4th - early July 5th hours. Rubbernecking motorists who slowed to observe the activity, created a traffic jam. Tropicana to Harmon was frighteningly slow. I believe that I walked from Tropicana to Harmon and back to Tropicana, including stopping for an iced tea, in less time than a vehicle could drive from Tropicana to Harmon.

Las Vegas - Frontier Closing Sign Is Up

Updated Closing Date?

I will have more detailed posts later, but I wanted to get this out quickly.

The famous main sign at The New Frontier has been updated with a farewell message:

THANKS FOR ALL THE GOOD TIMES

1942 - 2007

CLOSING DATE 7-16-2007

Previously I had listed the 15th as the close of The Frontier. (Specifically it was to be midnight at the end of the 15th that would be the official closing moment.) I spoke with people there and got conflicting information as to what is really going on with the 16th as the closing date.

Inside some things are already being taken away, and some machines are turned off. More to come on the current state of The Frontier in another post later today.

Actually I have a lot to post, including a visit to a 7-11 in Henderson, Nevada, which has temporarily been turned into a Simpsons styled Kwik - E - Mart, to promote a Simpsons movie.

Las Vegas - Welcome Sign Parking Lot

I knew that I would get around to this one sooner or later.

Apparently a small parking lot will be built in order to provide a safe way for people to access the famous Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign.

The sign is in the center of Las Vegas Boulevard, at the south end of The Strip. Vehicles often park in the street, or hop the curb, to park near it.

The Klondike was near enough that one could park and walk, but The Klondike is now a fenced-in deserted place, and the pseudo visitor's center next to it isn't really inviting. And anyway, even when The Klondike was open, many people still parked in the center of The Strip to go to the sign.

The plan is roughly for a 12 spot parking lot, with room for a tour bus. I can just see the police incidents now. People who want to hang out at the sign. Barbecue at the sign. Just want to leave their car parked at the sign. Maybe place a for sale sign on their car, and park it right there at the sign.

The minor difficulty of getting to the sign is the only thing which has kept the crowd small enough to be manageable.

A parking lot for 12 cars will invite many more. There will be backups, and accidents, and all sorts of nonsense.

Ideally I would prefer to have the parking lot be on the side of Las Vegas Boulevard, right near the sign, with a pedestrian crossover to the center of The Strip. I realize that land might not be available on the sides, but I don't think that placing the parking lot in the center of Las Vegas Boulevard is a great idea.

Only during very odd empty hours, would the parking lot in the center seem to be highly functional. During busy daylight hours, or busy early evening, it might attract and spill over more than it can handle.

Things like this are why people climb mountains. Maybe. I don't really know anything about climbing mountains.

Las Vegas used to be more difficult to get to. More exclusive. More isolated. Now everyone is here, JetBlue flys here, interstate 15 is jammed with people driving here.

-

Las Vegas is still an incredible place, but no longer an exclusive personal treatment special place. When Greyhound size buses start unloading 60 people to form lines at the Welcome sign, to have their picture taken, and move it along for the next guy, then the sign itself, will have become as unisolated as the rest of Las Vegas, and you will have to find yet another place out here to treat as a special landmark.

New Frontier Closing In Two Weeks

The New Frontier is closing on Sunday 15 July 2007.

That is two weeks from today.

Las Vegas - Fireworks

Fireworks over the Las Vegas Strip.

On Saturday night 30 June 2007 at approximately 9:15 p.m. a fireworks show began somewhere in the vicinity of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo.

I was southwest of The Strip and taken by surprise. My photos are of the fireworks as seen rising over The Bellagio. I was a few blocks on the backside of The Bellagio, and the fireworks appear to have been coming from the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, area.

If anyone knows the origin of this fireworks show please leave a comment or send me an email.

The show lasted 10 or 15 minutes, and was solid.

Las Vegas - Closed On The Strip

The Las Vegas Strip is a 24 hour place.

I would love to know the story behind places such as these, which can close at night. Do they sell that many twinkees in the daytime that they do not need to stay open? And why don't they turn the neon OPEN sign off?

This location is between the MGM Grand and Planet Hollywood. I imagine that it is just being held by the landowner until the inevitable purchase and destruction of some of the last small places on The Strip.

As a related note; probably the most successful business on The Las Vegas Strip which is not open 24 hours is the Trump Sales office. Which leads me to wonder...since The Frontier is closing in 2 weeks, how much longer wil the Trump Sales Office (right next to The Frontier) remain?