E-298: Icahnification

Random Vegas 

In the Fall of 94, Martin Scorsese began filming the movie Casino in Las Vegas.  Bob Stupak was cast in a non-speaking role for the movie.  At one point, he approached the director and asked for a larger role with lines.  When his request was declined, he demanded a speaking role.  His demand caused his part in the movie to be recast.  Bob would later joke "I guess I overplayed my hand" (No Limit) 

Twitpic of the week

I will forever be torn by my affection for the Fremont St Experience canopy and my love of what downtown looked like without it.  I dream of the day when it evolves into something of a transformer; retracting itself in between shows at night revealing the glory that is neon signage bouncing off a sky background.  Oh, or have all the hotel towers facing Fremont St cover themselves in LED like the side of Palms instead of having a canopy.  Oh, if not that, how great would it be if the first commercial use of a time machine was so you could visit the various eras of downtown Las Vegas.  So many things I’d love to see.  The Sundance in the early 80s, an operational Vegas Vic and Vegas Vicki and possibly the greatest exterior incarnation of the Golden Nugget, with the bullnose corners, after it first took over the entire block between 1^st and Casino Center Blvd.  I dream of seeing the best use of neon in history, the Mint marquee, and even though it replaced said beloved marquee, see Binion’s version of the bullnose corner, shared this week by @Summacorp.  If only we all looked this good in old pictures.

News

Lucky Dragon Purchased

Life is Beautiful 2019 Lineup

Burger 51 Drive-In

E-297: Does Mom Know?

Random Vegas

In 2007, the Brand Ranking survey saw Las Vegas rise to America’s number two brand, behind only google (The Strip – Las Vegas and the Architecture of the American Dream) 

Twitpic of the week 

Glorious is one way to describe the Galaxy Bar at Vegas World.  Vegas as fuck is another.  Say what you will about Bob Stupak, he got it right with this amenity.  Potentially inspired by what I can only imagine every brothel in Pahrump looks like inside, the use a mirrored ceiling to capture the reflection of the light feature creates the illusion of infinity.  Trapped in tacky you say? We should all be so lucky. That being said, I can’t help but think everything you see in the picture shared by @summacorp is sticky.

News

Nightclub News

Virgin Hotel Rendering

Cosmopolitan For Sale

E-296: Bill Cosby Head Shake

Random Vegas

Per a recent press release, since opening in 1995, the Joint @Hard Rock concert venue has hosted 709 shows, 14 residencies, 42 comedy shows, 45 Rap / Hip-Hop / R & B Acts, 52 Country Acts, 392 Rock ‘n’ Roll Acts, played 2,127 hours of music and sold 1.14 million tickets (@VitalVegas) 

Twitpic of the week

An Arthurian representation of wealth housing a den of vice for those who are not wealthy.  An icon of the Vegas strip that declares without saying a word that there is something for everyone in the city to enjoy.   Selected this week, not only for the view it shared but the joke attached to it.  @Bluestorm2000‘s cleaver wordplay delivered with a regal accent that would make the queen proud somehow permeates even via text.  Apropos considering the inspiration for the concept.  The longer I live Vegas the more I feel the responsibility to find out the great answers mankind has sought after, like what is in that center tower?  Is it office buildings? Is it storage? What kind of storage? You know, the hard-hitting sort of journalism that changes the world.  If you're thinking to yourself, “What was the joke attached to the picture?”  I guess you’re just gonna have to go to twitter yourself and see. 

News

Wynn/Crown Deal Off

More Proposed Vegas Transportation Options

California Visitation to Vegas Down

E-295: Anticahn

Random Vegas 

Before Vegas World was done with construction, Bob was approached by the Nevada Culinary Union who attempted to pressure him to hired dues paying members.  When he wouldn't do as they requested, they began to picket the property.  In response, Bob organized the Vegas World staff and had them picket the union with signs proclaiming their practices were unfair.  At one point, Bob offered to resolve the matter and sign the union contract if the organizers could beat his carnival trained roosters at tick-tac-toe.  Eventually the Union was ordered to stop their illegal protest in front of the property in 1980 (No Limit) 

Twitpic of the week

I think this is the appeal of Lonnie Hammargren’s houses, a pile of things you can’t help but wonder “How the hell did this all get here?”.  Not just how did this physically get here but what’s the story?  Because there is no way there isn’t a story behind how this came to be here from wherever it came from.  Unlike Lonnie’s house, the Neon Museum keeps things that have a million different stories of memorable moments and legendary hot streaks, depending on the person telling the story. While they may all have a memorable tone they are intimately unique.  Perhaps more than any time in the recorded history of the adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has the retort, “Who the hell thinks any of this is trash” ever been more apropos.  You can thank @arivetinglife for inspiring the recognition this moment.

News

Vegas Visitation in decline

Astral Vegas

Cirque Downsizing

Zappo’s Office Building for Sale

Kaos Opens @Palms

Eiffel Tower Light Show & Fountains of Bellagio

Palms 40 story-ish LED Signage

Game of Thrones in Fountains of Bellagio