Transportation Related Protest To Occur On Strip Today

I understand that there may be a transportation related protest on a particular corner on The Strip today.

Las Vegas Taxi Event - Drivers Unhappy

On Monday 31 March 2008, from 6:00 pm (1800 hrs) to 6:45 pm (1845 hrs) some taxi drivers will gather at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Fashion Show to bring attention to a problem which is affecting their ability to make a proper income.

Please visit http://lasvegasidiot.com/?p=79 for more on this story.

Las Vegas - Algiers - Tommy's Rib And Steak House

Las Vegas QuickShot of Tommy's Rib & Steak House at The Algiers. It is all gone now. The top of Circus Circus can be seen at the top left.

Las Vegas - Algiers Parking Sign

Another Las Vegas QuickShot from the no longer existent Algiers.

Las Vegas - Algiers Pool Sign

Las Vegas QuickShot Flashback. A photo from The Algiers which was just north of The Riviera.

Las Vegas - Wedding Chapel (Jim Johnson Nostalgia Series #1)

In October I received a collection of photos from Jim Johnson, a fan of this blog. With his permission I will be using some of those photos in what I am calling The Jim Johnson Nostalgia Series.

For item #1 of this series, I have selected a photo which contains elements of a beginning and hope, and good fortune; the wedding chapel which was located just north of The Riviera.

The Algiers used to be north of the chapel. Now, both are gone.

Actually the church has been relocated, but I do not know where.

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 - Diamond Inn Motel

If I was planning a trip to Las Vegas, I would give consideration to staying at The Diamond Inn Motel. Now, I don't know anything about the The Dimond Inn, so I am not in a position to recommend it or not. But I would have to consider it.

[For those who are not familiar with the place...it is located on The Strip, across the street from Mandalay Bay, but a little bit closer to the famous Welcome sign, than Mandalay Bay.]

Here is what I am thinking.

The motels, and other small places are disappearing. The property of The Diamond Inn always seems very clean on the outside, and I do not see riff raff there. It strikes me as a holdover; and who knows how much longer it has?

Certainly the opportunity to stay at Mandalay Bay will outlast the opportunity to stay at The Diamond Inn.

Some of you might not even view staying at such a motel as an opportunity. And I understand. But in a way, staying there would be almost an opportunity to travel back in time in Las Vegas. Probably, soon enough, you will not be able to stay at a motel on The Strip, and then you really will need to travel back in time for the simple experience.

The simple experience of being able to drive your car right up to your room, and park it in front. Five seconds from closing your driver side door, to being inside your room.

The experience of being able to walk to the major places on the south strip, (Luxor, Mandalay, etc), or walk to the convenience store up the block for beverages, and then retreat to your quieter, more personal room.

The experience of having the wind air out your room, when you open the door.

The great experience of waking up in the morning, getting ready, and then walking right out into the sunlight; on Las Vegas Boulevard no less.

The motel experience is a special one. At least it can be, if the place is good.

I certainly do understand that staying at a fantastic hotel is also an incredible experience. I am not placing one over the other.

A lot of people who come to Las Vegas for more than a few days, make plans to stay at several hotels during that time, so that they can try them out. That can be a good idea, if implemented well.

The idea of staying at this motel on the south end of The Strip is invisible. When one thinks of coming to Vegas, the list that is played with contains major places.

I have read a review online which suggests that the Diamond Inn has typical inexpensive motel problems. Flimsy doors, simple television, clean linen but junky room.

If I had ten days in Las Vegas, I would consider spending the first two at The Diamond Inn. If the place isn't good, then hopefully the major hotels on the following eight days would revive me.

This is just a thought I am playing with, (and nobody at The Diamond Inn paid me to plug them). I am nostalgic, and it seems to me that in spite of the likely deficiencies, there might be enough unique nostalgia in the experience of staying at this motel.

As you can see, the others, including The Glass Pool Inn have already disappeared. Only their signs remain.

Las Vegas - Circus Circus Christmas Tree

Seasons Greetings from Circus Circus and RoyVegas!

It is still summer, daytime high temperatures are still 104 to 107, but at Circus Circus it is Christmas Time.

This white Christmas tree with large dice on the branches is in the gift shop near the rear Circus Circus entrance (near the registration desk).

--

Related thought:

The Circus Circus shops do not carry either of the two energy drinks which seem to be the most popular - Monster and Red Bull. (They do carry a few other energy drinks.) What is up with that?

Since Red Bull has become so common to be mixed in drinks, I was wondering if anyone is aware whether or not Red Bull is available at the bars in Circus? Or from room service?

Las Vegas - Caesars Palace Brahma Shrine

I thought that it would be nice to begin the week with prosperity and good fortune. Here then, is the Brahma Shrine, located at Caesars Palace. (Specifically located on the north end of the Roman Plaza, not far from the fountains).

Las Vegas - Excalibur - Dick's Last Resort

Excalibur has a new restaurant - Dick's Last Resort.

In order to promote the restaurant, the Merlin character which has been been visible for many years, has been removed or covered up with a character representing the restaurant.

Dick's Last Resort has:

• Cheap Food


• Cold Booze


• Live Music

Dick's Last Resort does not have:

• Mud Wrestling

More information can be found at:

http://www.excalibur.com/restaurants/dicks_last_resort.aspx

Las Vegas - Frontier Dark

The famous sign of The New Frontier has gone dark. All of the lettering which was on the lower half of the sign has been removed.

COLD BEER....DIRTY GIRLS - perhaps the greatest marketing line of all time is now just a blank space on a dark sign which is awaiting the ax.

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On a different topic; for the best editor's note I have read, check out:

http://www.whilelasvegassleeps.com/2007/08/01/guest-column-summer-the-stripper-genius-bathroom-designers/

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 - Palazzo And Sirens Of TI

Across Las Vegas Boulevard from Treasure Island, the construction of Palazzo continues at an alarming rate. I am not saying fast or slow, just alarming.

This is how Palazzo looked during the middle of last week (end of July 2007).

I do remember that a few years ago the location had a sign proclaiming it to be the future site of a Walgreens. If Palazzo does not work out, I suppose that we may one day see a Walgreens hotel and casino on that site. It would be the only hotel on The Strip with reasonably priced scope.

Since The Sirens Of TI show occurs across the street from Palazzo, I am including some shots of that with this post.

After a rare one week absence, The Original Las Vegas Podcast - Five Hundy by Midnight has just posted show #129 Here Comes Palazzo. http://www.fivehundybymidnight.com/

Have a great day.

Las Vegas - Luxor Again - Haunted House Analogy

On Thursday 12 July 2007 I wrote a post about the Luxor attempting to become a resort without any identifiable theme.

http://royvegas.blogspot.com/2007/07/las-vegas-luxor-and-servile-media.html

A few more thoughts
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Instead of trying to remove any identifiable theme, The Luxor ought to have tried to install an identifiable theme.

Previously I have made the point, perhaps too gently, that The Luxor, unlike New York New York, never fully implemented the Egyptian theme from which they claim that they now must rid themselves.

The Luxor's Egyptian theme, has been run in a sort of one dimensional manner; not unlike a haunted house attraction at a small amusement park.

Remember those haunted house rides, where you sit in a cart on a track, and travel through a dark 7-11 sized haunted house? The cart would go slowly in darkness until it neared "an exhibit" and then suddenly the exhibit lightbulbs would go on and illuminate a scary looking dummy that was protected by a fence of chicken wire. Then the lightbulbs would turn off and the cart would travel to the next terrifying exhibit.

It was fun, and if you were young enough it might have been scary, but it wasn't a haunted house. It was a house of scary themed exhibits presented in a hopefully suspenseful and startling manner.

That, in a way, is how The Luxor implemented the Egyptian theme. To be clear, I am not trashing The Luxor, and I do remember the excitement I felt the first time I saw and went inside The Luxor. I loved it from the outside, but they did not follow through on the inside.

The Luxor was decorated Egyptian, but I never felt that I was anywhere Egyptian. That distinction is important because THE PLACE IS A PYRAMID.

The expectation raised by seeing it from the outside, was not continued on the inside. I know they had (still have ?) their Egyptian attraction area, King Tut or whatever it was, and some other stuff, but that was not enough.

NYNY looks incredible on the outside, and it continues on the inside. The theme of New York City is saturated in the very design and details.

Luxor was decorated Egyptian, but saturated nothing. It never got deep enough.

The Luxor seeks to become a number one hot spot. A real adult place. I suppose they may well succeed, but it did not have to occur at the loss of Egyptian potential. As far as adult intrigue, the concept of a pyramid, and ancient Egypt, is loaded with potential.

Imagine how incredible The Luxor could have been.

You will have to imagine it, because the people who have managed the place did not.

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 - The New Frontier Closed - Gilleys Farewell

Welcome To Gilley's

Where The Real Cowboys Hang Out

During closing night at The New Frontier, Gilleys remained quiet. It had already had it's final night of action, (at least within The New Frontier - reports are that Gilley's is looking for a new location).

Gilley's was responsible for the four red rocking neon mechanical bulls on the main sign of The New Frontier.

As well, everyone seems to love and remember:

Cold Beer Dirty Girls

the line from the main sign on The Strip which referred to mud wrestling.

Here's looking at Gilley's from closing night of The Frontier.

Las Vegas - Luxor And The Servile Media

My first impression about The Luxor doing a makeover, and to some degree dropping the Egyptian theme...Come On.

Then again, what do I know? I am Roy the idiot. They are the ones with the giant pyramid, which is not going to have an Egyptian theme.

The traditional news media are all parroting the same line about how Steve Wynn was the first to build a giant hotel in Las Vegas without any identifiable theme. It is brilliant and that is what people want, they say.

I would not be so fast to wax enthusiastic over the brilliance of Steve Wynn. He has also expressed unhappiness with the fountains at Bellagio being designed in such a way that they are free to be seen by people passing by in the street. That is something he hoped to change with Wynn, by making attractions something which one must go inside to see.

Of course the number of people who have become turned on to Las Vegas, Wynn Hotel included, as a result of the visual impact of the fountains of Bellagio is extraordinary.

It is okay for Wynn to be Wynn, and have no identifiable theme. Luxor is a different case.

If they weren't doing that well, it wasn't the theme itself, but the implementation of the theme.

The talking heads, suddenly, as if woken from a long sleep, are all in agreement. No identifiable theme is the way to go. No identifiable theme is what people want now. Steve Wynn did it, and everyone ought to be a follower.

But I notice that none of these talking heads, are doing their reports about how no one wants a themed hotel anymore, from in front of the New York New York hotel.