In the mid-to late-90's Club Rio was a happening place. In the evening it was a showroom and then nightly it turned into one of the more popular nightclubs in town with lines of eager club-goers winding through the casino. While Club Rio was invigorated recently with Prince's concert series, the club sits empty these days with no plans announced by Harrah's about its future.

While Henderson used to be considered a step-child to Las Vegas, the upscale Green Valley development has changed that perception to some degree. But the other Vegas step-child, North Las Vegas, has retained their inferiority complex. For decades the city has battled an image problem of being the industrial, lower-income cousin to Las Vegas and Henderson. Will the largest financial investment in North Las Vegas by a gaming company make a difference? Station Casinos thinks so and is confident the $675 million Aliante Station will help redefine the future of NLV.

A massage therapist in a Strip hotel says that way too many ask for a "happy ending" and money doesn't necessarily equate to class...

Palace Station Casino is a bit of a dump (well, maybe more than just a bit) but, thanks to O.J. Simpson, it has received more name recognition than it could have possibly purchased. If you want to stay in the room where it all went down, ask for room 1203.
If you do stop by "the Station" (the original casino in the Station Casinos empire), be sure and check out the Palace Station Oyster Bar (ask for one of the "pan roast" dishes--yummy!) and put a few bucks down on your favorite team in the lively old-school sports book.
The Palace Station LowLife Listing

Dancing With (Las Vegas) Stars odds from R-J gossip dude Norm:
"Oddsmakers expect dancers' missteps
Las Vegans Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Wayne Newton are big underdogs in ABC's hit series "Dancing with the Stars."
Mayweather, a six-time world champion boxer in multiple weight divisions, and his dance partner Karina Smirnoff are the seventh choice at 15-1.
Newton, a Las Vegas headliner since his teens, is the longest of longshots in the competition. He and his partner Cheryl Burke are 25-to-1 choices, according to Wynn Las Vegas oddsmaker John Avello, who posts the odds only for entertainment purposes. Newton and Burke opened at 15-1.
The favorites, at 4-1, are race car driver Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough, a former Las Vegas resident. Model Josie Maran was the first celebrity ousted, that coming during Wednesday's show.

The subversive magic/comedy team of Penn & Teller celebrate 5 years at the Rio this weekend. While the "Libertarian atheists in three-piece suits" have been foolin' around in Las Vegas since 1993, this is the longest they've been in one place in their history together. A look at all the things the duo is up to these days.

The reigning Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, has a 60" chest, 23" biceps, legs that look like, well, other-worldly, can bench press 500 lbs, squat 700 lbs. and eats 6,500 calories per day. He also lives in Las Vegas and works out in a Gold's gym in the northwest part of the valley.
You may see others around town (and on this site!) who look somewhat like Cutler as the Mr. (and Mrs.) Olympia is going on at the Orleans this week.
The LowLife Event Listing.

While it's a bit late in the season, Luxor is continuing their quest to shed the non-cool image and has opened a new pool lounge. From the press release:
"Restore Pool Lounge
It’s an adults-only lounge, just strokes away from the Oasis Pool, open to those 21 years of age and older. $30 admission. You can relax on your exclusive plus chaise while the staff hand delivers mimosas and Bloody Marys in the morning and alcohol-infused frozen Popsicles in the afternoon. The poolside lounge is accented with sleek cabanas, daybeds and hammocks that overlook the immaculate pool. If you enjoy soaking in the sun as opposed to the pool, iced aromatherapy towels and frozen fruit slices will keep you cool while you bask in this upscale sanctuary."
Sound pretty non non-cool, doesn't it?

It appears Las Vegas is contributing to the Arab/Israeli peace process. With MGM Mirage selling 50% of their stake in the massive City Center project to an Arab company and Israeli money behind the multi-billion dollar Plaza Hotel project (on the New Frontier land), it appears these traditional enemies can co-exist. Hey, if billionaires can do it why can't everyone else?
(Give me a billion and even a curmudgeon like me could get along with almost anyone!)

According to the newly released Forbes 400 richest Americans, several people from Sin City made the list including newcomers from Station Casinos brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta weighing in at an estimated worth of $1.3 billion each. Also on the list is Steve Wynn at $3.9 billion and the Sand's Sheldon Adelson, now the 3rd richest in the U.S., coming in at $28 billion.

When vanillas look at those in the lifestyle they often think us pervs and deviants but we would probably counter with "an unrepressed, healthy attitude" about sex. In any case, neither group would ever welcome those who have committed sex crimes. Unfortunately, sex offenders live among us in our neighborhoods so wouldn't it be nice to know exactly where they live and what they look like?
Following a national trend, the local police departments are making it easier to locate this type of sick puppy.
To locate a Clark County sex offender near you, click on "Find an Offender" and input your address. For a real unsettling experience, click on "view details" and check out the mugshots. Yikes! Now those are some single males to avoid.

From Norm, the R-J gossip dude:
"Audrey Walton, widow of Wal-Mart co-founder Bud Walton, has closed escrow on the most expensive home ever sold in the Las Vegas area. The sprawling home at MacDonald Highlands sold for $17.5 million, according to a local real estate source. Another $1.5 million in furniture was added to sweeten the deal.
That sales price would top the reported $14.5 million paid about a year ago for the 22,000-square-foot mansion at the estate of former strip club king Michael Galardi.
She purchased it from Mark Wattles, founder and chief executive of Hollywood Entertainment Corp., a giant in the video, DVD and video game world.
Meanwhile, the asking price for Steve and Elaine Wynn's former home at Shadow Creek golf course has been reduced from $28 million in August 2006 to $22 million."

The word on the Strip is that the New Frontier will be imploded on November 13th. After 65 years, the strip’s oldest original hotel will finally be imploded to make way for a replica of the Plaza Hotel in New York.

While it's not actually the Hilton anymore (they just lease the name from the hotel chain), in the three years since Colony Resorts purchased the property , the Las Vegas Hilton has spent $100 million to remodel 1,523 of its 3,000 rooms and suites, added a new lounge and are building a new nightclub (called Sway) which should be opened in October. And, of course, they have Barry Manilow.
Both the licensing agreements for the Hilton name, use of the chain's reservation system as well as the Manilow contract are set to expire in 2008 so it will be interesting to see which direction they head next year.

New Las Vegas nightclubs and newly renovated nightclubs are sparing no expense when it comes to the decor.
A look inside Blush, LAX and Bank.

Terry Lanni is one of the most powerful men in Las Vegas. As CEO of MGM Mirage, he controls more rooms on the Strip than anyone. Here's a good look at the MGM's top dog.

Some of that gossip stuff...
"Rising Hollywood stars Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds had the celebrity news industry on high alert when they showed up in Las Vegas for a romantic weekend.
With reports that their 5-month-old relationship is heating up, Johansson, 22, and Reynolds, 30, were spotted at Saturday's 10:30 p.m. performance of "Zumanity," Cirque du Soleil's sexy show at New York-New York.
Johansson, named the sexiest woman in the world by FHM magazine in 2006, is filming "He's Just Not That Into You." Reynolds, who played an FBI agent in "Smokin' Aces," broke up with Alanis Morissette in February after a long engagement."

While we've dumped our family-friendly facade several years ago, there are still plenty of things to do should you find yourself with kids in Sin City. A New York times reporter put together this extensive list of places to go/things to do when you bring your children to Las Vegas.
Also, here are two Las Vegas in-room baby-sitting services that received high reviews in a LA Times article awhile back:
Nannies & Housekeepers USA
Nanny's and Granny's

Wayne Newton, one of our few remaining links to "Old Vegas", has long since lost his singing voice from years of entertaining in late-night, smoke-filled Strip lounges so the question now is: Can he dance?
The Midnight Idol is probably the underdog going into the new season of Dancing With The Stars but don't count the ol' crooner out just yet.

While we may be unsophisticated, under-educated, low-tech, and live in a one horse town (gaming), we are in the top 5 of highest median household wage earners among cities with 500,000 people or more people. So nah, nah, nah...

According to this report, evil terrorist Osama bin Laden was captured in Las Vegas. A reporter was talking to Osama and "suddenly the front doors to his home are broken down by agents from homeland security.
Bin Laden said, "You know, guys, I actually feel a sense of relief at having been caught. How did you find me?"
The officer stated, "we tracked you through your betting on the ponies and also the escort service thing."
We can dream, can't we?

George Clooney and his Las Vegas girlfriend were hurt in a motorcycle accident in New Jersey. Clooney, 46, suffered a broken rib, while his companion, Sarah Larson, 28, broke her foot when the motorcycle collided with a car as the actor tried to pass it on the right, authorities said. Clooney was treated at a hospital and released.
Ms. Larson is a cocktail waitress at Moon Nightclub inside the Palms and met Clooney during the premiere of Ocean's 13 and have been inseparable ever since.
The Palms seems to be a good place to go if you have a personnel need. It's where Clooney found a travel companion and where O.J. recruited his room-invasion gang.

If you can fly out of Atlanta to get to Las Vegas, there are some killer rates mentioned in this article.

Wouldn't it be cool to use WiFi on the plane ride to Las Vegas so you can check American LowLife to see if any hotties have contacted you?
Alaska Airlines is aiming to be the first U.S. carrier to offer WiFi access to its customers. It will be testing a satellite-based in-flight wireless Internet service next year. Airline passengers with WiFi-enabled devices, such as laptops or smart phones, would be able access the Internet via wireless hotspots in the aircraft cabin.
Of course, knowing Alaska's usual price points it will probably cost an arm and a leg, at least until Southwest offers it...

Velvet Revolver is performing at Mandalay Friday night--here is an interview with lead guitarist Slash.
If you are a Def Leppard fan and plan on attending Saturday's sold-out show at Mandalay, you might be interested in this short interview with the band. Also appearing in concert with Def leppard are Styx and Foreigner.

It's something a LowLife could appreciate--a pretty creative way to bring a hearty batch of one's favorite alcoholic beverage into a sporting event or concert with minimal chance of detection by the powers that be. It's called the Beer Belly and, considering how obese this country is getting, who would wonder if that spare tire around the waist was brought on by excessive consumption of 6-packs or if it was, well, an actual 6-pack.
The Beer Belly is a new product designed to fasten to your stomach, hold up to 80 ounces of your favorite liquid (more than a 6 pack of beer? nearly 2 1/2 liters of vodka?!--party time!!) and be accessed virtually undetected via a tube. Sure beats a $7 cup of beer.
The company is also designing a female version called the Wine Rack...

While it is often stated that men are pigs and those pigs tend to go wild in Las Vegas, a different kind of pig--the actual kind--are probably going a little crazy right about now, too. A news release I just received:
"LAS VEGAS -- Metro police have shut down the westbound ramp from Highway 215 to Interstate 15 because a truckload of pigs has overturned.
The incident happened just before 10 a.m. Thursday. Police said a semi truck, hauling a load of pigs, lost control and tipped over. Officers estimate that about 160 pigs were involved, but there is no word as to how many were killed.
Crews are currently working to lift the truck off the road and clean up an oil spill from the vehicle. They have called Animal Control to help collect and contain the living, escaped pigs.
Police said the road will be closed for at least another two hours due to the incident."
A summary of the pig wreck.

Sylvester Stallone, a part owner of Planet Hollywood, will be on the red carpet tonight at the resort for the world premiere of "Resident Evil: Extinction": Pamela Anderson, Hans Klok, Ali Larter, Milla Jovovich, Ashanti, Mike Epps, Rachel Hunter and Ali Landry. The public is invited to the red carpet, which begins at 6:30 p.m. The soundtrack for the film is a single titled "Contagious" by Searchlight, a Las Vegas band formed in 2005.

--Word is, the Fashionistas, now at the Empire Ballroom, will be moving back to where they started--the Krave Theatre--when their contract runs out in February.
--John O'Hurley leaves "Monty Python's Spamalot" Wednesday to be replaced from within the cast by Randall Keith, who often has played Valjean in "Les Miserables."
--Hooters Casino has a new afternoon game show called "Bonk," created by comedian Kerry Pollock. People wear helmets and bonk themselves on the heads. Woo hoo!

While most of us locals have wanted to do this from time to time, most visitors shouldn't be quite so motivated to take their car on the sidewalk and plow into the throngs walking down the Strip. But an Arizona man did just that as his Pontiac jumped the curb and plowed into 11 people in front of Planet Hollywood. Luckily, no one received life-threatening injuries, including the guy who got hit first and was thrown 6 feet in the air--he was mostly concerned if his new iPhone was OK.
If you are thinking about doing it, a good legal defense appears to be what a Metro police officer said "the driver suffered a medical episode" which would account for his supposed blacking out just prior to the carnage.

While Las Vegas experiences all sorts of crazy stuff, the O.J. Simpson affair was strange even by our standards. With a man in a chicken suit, a self-proclaimed Juice Queen passing out cups of orange juice yelling "Free juice! Free The Juice!", people in cavemen outfits (promoting a Vegas show) and t-shirts for sale saying "Get Arrested in Las Vegas, Stay in Vegas" over a Simpson image, it was certainly a circus outside the downtown justice center. I think we've finally fouund a Cirque show that would fit perfectly on Fremont Street...

A first-timer to Las Vegas lists a bunch of useful tips he learned while in Las Vegas recently.

If you ever need to find some help for a strong-armed hotel room invasion, Norm, the R.J. gossip dude, says the Palms is a good place to look. At least it worked for O.J.:
"O.J. Simpson's posse for the alleged armed robbery included two strangers who offered their muscle during a chance meeting at a Palms bar, according to The National Enquirer. While Simpson loudly raged about getting even with someone, he was approached by two men who introduced themselves as "Goldie and Spence" at what is believed to be the center bar in the Palms casino. Two hours later, Simpson conducted what he told police was a "sting" operation to retrieve memorabilia from a room at Palace Station."
Also: An Update over on this whole crazy affair.
Also: Out on bail.

If you like to eat pastries and fancy desserts, you might wander over to the Wynn as it seems they have a pretty good executive pastry chef. Chef Fredéric Robert has just won a prestigious James Beard award. And while you can taste his influence throughout the resort, you can sample his artwork directly in the Wynn's Sugar & Ice and Chocolat shop.

The Garden of Love wedding chapel will stop at nothing to be the #1 wedding chapel in downtown Las Vegas. Intimidation tactics by Garden of Love handbillers outside of the marriage license center have long been known and that culminated last March when a Garden of Love employee was arrested on an accusation of attempted murder, alledgedly trying to stab another chapel's employee near the center.
Now, the G.O.L. owner has been arrested on charges of felony burglary and grand larceny for stealing $30,000 worth of high-tech equipment, including a embroidery-photographic machine, from a rival chapel. Looks like a pretty air-tight case so maybe things will calm down a bit in the wedding wars.

According to the LowLife reviews of Ka, the Cirque du Soleil show at the MGM, people either love the production or think it's one of the worst of the permanent Cirque shows here in town. One thing hard to dispute, though, Ka is probably the most technologically advanced show in Las Vegas.
A backstage look what makes Ka tick.
The LowLife reviews for Ka.

Betting on football is big business in Nevada and while parlay cards don't offer the best odds, they are becoming increasingly popular. If you wanna try to make the most on the least investment in your pigskin wagering, this article tells you where the best deals in parlay cards are and where to stay away from.

If enough people dream it will it happen? More and more people seem to be sold on East Fremont Street as a place that will be a cool and happenin' (and safe) part of town, rivaling 6th Street in Austin or, as one of the dreamers envisions, South Beach.
The relatively young investors (in their late 20's and 30's) who are buying the run down, urine-scented hotels have plans to turn the district into a trendy hotspot full of fancy boutique hotels, bars and clubs where people who want something different than a Strip experience will hang.
Addendum: The new Lady Luck owners have some dreams, too.

A "special contributor" for the Dallas Morning news has seven handy bits of advice for those visiting Las Vegas starting with the idea that despite the fact that the Strip really isn't all that long, it takes a lot more time to get around than you might think.

While most of us in the lifestyle like having an extra female or two to party with and yes, when that happens it does feel like a slice of heaven but we generally don't think that it's the key to the celestial kingdom of heaven as polygamists do. And it seems they are, ironically enough, moving to Las Vegas not only to make money but to hide in the big city. An in-depth look at the sect in Sin City.

Las Vegas entertainer Jeff Beacher is urging rockers Tommy Lee and Kid Rock to settle their differences in a boxing ring -- for a $1 million prize. Pamela Anderson's ex-husbands were caught up in a fracas during Alicia Keys' performance at the recent MTV Video Music Awards, and Rock was later cited for assault for his part in the fight.
But funnyman Beacher wants the pair to battle it out in a professional manner. "We all know that they are fighting over Pam Anderson. What better way to settle their differences then to slug it out in the ring?!"
And Beacher's not the only celebrity looking forward to witnessing the clash -- rapper/actor LL Cool J is even prepared to put up the money, reports the New York Daily News. He adds, "I'm not sure who'd win in a fight between Tommy Lee and Kid Rock. You know what we should do? Let's pay-per-view the thing, and I'll even front the money."

Actor-turned-restaurateur Wilmer Valderrama is planning his first Las Vegas diner with pop star Nick Lachey and Nicky Hilton. The trio are the brains behind the steak house The Company at the Luxor Hotel and Casino.
Thrilled Valderrama, who has been involved in a number of Los Angeles restaurants, says, "It's going to be really special for Vegas, a different flavor." He tells People magazine, "There's a lot of great restaurants in Vegas, but this is exciting because it's a different branding, kind of next generation type things." The Company is expected to open before Christmas.

Reports are sketchy but we do know O.J. Simpson was picked up for questioning by LV Metro police today and this time he wasn't looking for the killers of Nicole Brown. As we hear it, some guy had some O.J. memorabilia he was going to auction off in Las Vegas. O.J. got wind of it so he and 4 other men barged into the guy's Palace Station hotel room and grabbed the stuff he felt was rightfully his. O.J. was questioned by police, released, and (head's up!) is supposedly still in Las Vegas. More on this earth-shattering news as we bother to check in on it...
The R-J has this update.

The Las Vegas R-J has a new columinist who calls herself "Beauty Queen" which, I guess, means she's an expert on fashion. Here are her best and worst picks for what the stars wore at MTV's Video Music Awards (which, btw, had a huge increase in viewership so you can bet they will be back in Las Vegas for awhile).

The outside faces of casino buildings have long been used as a place to put some advertising. In the beginning it was simply a relatively small banner on the side of a hotel welcoming a large convention or announcing an event or a performer at the resort. The size of the sign gradually grew and really hit its stride earlier this year during the NBA All-Star game when several casinos turned their buildings into some of the largest ad displays in the world. Those signs generally had something to do with the All-Star game, featuring a star who was to play in the event or one of the performers playing at the hotel (i.e. Toni Braxton at the Flamingo).
Now, however, the hotels are using their properties as huge billboards displaying massive signs that don't advertise a relevant event or a performer but simply a product--in this case alcohol--as in the Absolute Vodka sign at the Luxor and the Jim Beam sign at the Rio.

It takes a bit of technical know-how but a company has come up with some software (called iBrate) that turns an iPhone into a vibrator.
We thought you'd want to know...

Less than two months ago, South Point Casino, on the far south end of town, had a hoppin' grand opening for their new night club they called Fever. Unfortunately, after the initial hooplah, the club couldn't pull people from the Strip so has now become the South Point Showroom, where 3rd tier bands will play early evening (although there's a few gems on the schedule like Cowboy Crush and David Sanborn) and later each evening will become a locals nightclub ala' a Station Casinos type-of-thing with cover and/or tribute bands such as Loveshack, Vyxyn, and Purple Reign. Boy, that was quick...
The LowLife venue listing for the South Point Showroom

...and re-open about 3 weeks later as "Love & Money". The 4 year old hip hop and R&B-centric club inside Caesars Forum shops will keep its resident DJ's (and hopefully its customer base) but add new decor and a wider range of sound to appeal to a broader market.
Addendum: The new interior design by Chemical Spaces will feature ceiling to floor black curtains, black chandeliers and oil paintings depicting Dante's Inferno-like scenes. Cocktail waitresses will be dressed as French maids. It reopens Oct. 5.

From mobility scooters, Vespas and Harleys to party buses, double decker buses and monorails, this writer sampled a bunch of alternative ways to get around the Strip.

A few days ago we posted an article about the history of the last underdeveloped major intersection on the Strip--at Sahara (see Know It A.L.L. archives) and now it appears we're in for some massive building on the southwest corner. Dubai World, who just partnered with MGM Mirage on the huge City Center project, is teaming up with MGM once again--this time to help develop the north end of the Strip.
Hmmm, Arabs on Sahara? Sounds fitting...

The Nevada Taxicab Authority approved rate hikes for Las Vegas taxis which will translate to us having some of the highest cab fares of any major city in the country. Even before the increases were approved, those fees were higher than similar charges in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Chicago.
Too bad we don't have an alternative such as a monorail or something. Oh, that's right, we do. Sort of.
Strip Tip: The Interstate-215 tunnel from McCarran Airport is never the shortest route to the Strip. (More tips in the article)

From The Vegas Eye:
"(TI's) Tangerine Lounge & Nightclub is closing its doors. But don't panic! The New York design firm, Seed, is heading a project to redesign and expand the nightclub. On July 4, 2004, the club opened, and, after more than three years, is closing for their makeover. The rebirth of the lounge is expected to draw the crème de la crème of the nightlife scene."
The "crème de la crème of the nightlife scene"?? Uh oh, more exclusivity...
Update: We just heard that Tangerine's closing will be delayed until the end of the year.

Where will it end? The Light nightclub at the Bellagio was still popular but was an ancient six years old. With expensive new clubs such as LAX at the Luxor (and Noir bar, too) and Blush at Wynn opening (and Jay-Z's $20 mil. sports bar?!), the stakes continue to rise and the Light Group felt it was time to retire the "old" girl, hence The Bank will be unveiled in time for New Year's.
With attitudes like "Money can't get you in...we're really going to keep it very, very exclusive, very private" (an exec said of Noir), new mega-million dollar clubs and outrageously-paid celebrity hosts, where is the Las Vegas nightclub scene going? Some people are starting to question whether the bubble will burst one of these days...

After a night of partying many people want to hit the sack with a little food in their stomach. Some people like greasy burgers, some like Mexican food and some like to inhale a couple of freshly made donuts. Unfortunately for donut lovers, the pickins have been slim (exception: Arco, Koval & Trop., after 2 a.m.--fresh Krispy Kremes). However, all that will change in October when the first of 60 Dunkin' Donuts opens up in Las Vegas.
The article includes a quote from a donut-eatin' Lowlife member: "First thing I do when I get to the (Chicago) airport is get Dunkin'," said Chicago native Maria Gara, better known as the performer Maria the SnakeBabe.

Most major intersections on the Strip have had a generation or two of large casinos inhabit the corner lots but Sahara and the Strip has remained conspicuous by it's lack of progress. While that should change with MGM Mirage buying the Southwest corner of the intersection, the location itself has a history you might not be aware of.

As Jamie Foxx said: "Stop all this white-on-white violence!" But no, the bad blood continues between the two Pamela Anderson exes, Rock and Lee, as a scuffle broke out in the Pearl. Seems Pam might of had a part in fanning the flames, too. She was with her current beau Hans Klok but tried to talk to Kid (who wouldn't respond) and also sat on Tommy's lap just prior to the altercation.
The police are looking for Kid Rock (so if you see him tell him to lay low) and Klok has started carrying a Glock (well, maybe not but it sounds fun to say that).
VMA Recap Britney less than impressive; Timberlake everywhere; Foo Fighters, Keys, Gnarls smokin'.
Note: The Palms removed dozens of gaming tables and about 400 slot machines to make room for the award show's red carpet. People seen gambling directly behind the red carpet were cast by MTV and not playing with real chips.

With the MTV Video Music Awards set to air live from the Palms this evening, there have been parties and celeb sightings galore all weekend.

The AAA four or five diamond rating is a very coveted award for resorts in North America. Here's a look inside the evaluation process.
Just 93 of the nearly 32,000 rated hotels received the AAA Five Diamond Award rating in 2007. Las Vegas had five: The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Las Vegas, Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas, Four Seasons and Skylofts at the MGM Grand.
Another 1,102 hotels received the "Four Diamond Award" rating including 19 in Nevada. On the Strip alone, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Caesars Palace, Mandalay Bay, Paris Las Vegas, The Hotel at Mandalay Bay, The Venetian, Treasure Island and The Mirage all received four diamonds.

From The Vegas Eye...
"Six years ago the Light Group changed the Las Vegas nightlife scene when it opened Light Nightclub at Bellagio. After a good long run, Labor Day ’07 was its last day of operation, shutting its doors to make way for a new venue. In its place will come a “revolutionary nightlife concept” called The Bank. Set to open on New Year’s Eve 2007, The Bank is likely to change the Vegas nightclub experience again. We at the Eye are eager to see what the light Group has in store. “The Bank will defy the typical nightlife experience in Las Vegas,” said Andy Masi, Managing Partner of The Light Group. “With The Bank, we will raise the bar once again by introducing Las Vegas to the most sophisticated and exciting nightclub experience yet.”

Missing aviator Steve Fossett crashed in Northern Nevada and hasn't been located thus far. If you want some perspective of what the area he went down in is like, this article provides some interesting insight. Let's just say it ain't the friendliest of places to hang out--sort of like being in the Wynn with no money...

If you're are looking for a good place this weekend to be an innocent bystander and catch a stray bullet, we recommend the Hard Rock this evening.
As per Norm, the Review-Journal gossip dude: "Trash-talking rap rivals Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Kanye West, sharing the same turf on the same night? Four days away from their same-day, high-stakes album release Tuesday, the megastars are performing tonight at the Hard Rock Hotel. Isn't that a little like putting Kid Rock and Tommy Lee in the same deejay booth? 50 Cent is performing at the Hard Rock pool at 9 p.m., with his after-party at Body English. West has an 11 p.m. show at The Joint, all part of the MTV Video Music Awards weekend extravaganza.
Depending on how their fans behave this weekend, things might be a little testy when the two rappers go head to head Tuesday on Black Entertainment Network's "106 & Park" program. More than bragging rights are at stake with their new albums. 50 Cent has announced he will retire as a solo artist if West's "Graduation" outsells "Curtis."

Wondering about the changes Planet Hollywood has made from the old Aladdin? This article takes a look at what the inside of the ol' gal looks like.
More Planet Hollywood: Filming for "What Happens in Vegas," co-starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, moves from New York City to Planet Hollywood Resort late next month.

If you thought last weekend was a star-studded affair, this weekend looks to be a topper. The club scene writer for the Review-Journal tells us where to be this weekend. Making appearances at various nightclubs are Snoop Dogg, Christina Aguilera, Cassie, 50 Cent, and Nicole Scherzinger, the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls.

British soulful singer and songwriter Joss Stone plays at Mandalay Beach this weekend. Here's an interview with her.
The LowLife concert listing

While you can't get into next week's MTV's Video Music Awards at the Palms (without very good connections), you can see some of the nominees in concert this weekend.
Common, Akon and Maroon 5 are performing at various venues around town.

In the land of excess, I suppose it was inevitable. With the latest and greatest new nightclub more expensive then the last, it was only a matter of time before someone would take the sports bar concept and push it to an extreme.
Enter Jay-Z, the rapper-turned hip-hop entrepreneur. He's teamed with the Venetian to build what could be the ultimate entertainment facility for the upscale sports fanatic.
Jay Z's 40/40 Club will be a 24,000-square-foot sports-themed restaurant that club promoters say will feature 85 plasma-screen televisions, 24-karat gold and platinum flooring and five 40-foot, bi-level bars.
The article looks at 40/40 and the trend towards outrageously high-priced nightclubs in Las Vegas...

The official "official grand opening" of Planet Hollywood (not the unofficial one that's kinda, sorta been going on for awhile) has been delayed for awhile due to scheduling conflicts with the big stars who own the place, including actors Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone and reportedly not anything to do with construction issues.
Another reason for the delay is Planet Hollywood's hosting of the Sept. 20 world premiere of the new film "Resident Evil: Extinction." The property did not want to hold two large events a week apart.
The opening has been pushed back to November 16th & 17th.

He's one of the richest men in the world. He started Qwest Communications. He owns the L.A. Kings, part of the L.A. Lakers, a bunch of soccer teams, scads of arenas and stadiums, newspaper holdings, a movie production company, and a theater chain. And now, his company AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), has formed a partnership with Harrah's to build a state-of-the-art arena in Las Vegas. I'd be willing to bet Phillip Anschutz will bring a pro sports team or two to Las Vegas.

There are a few college football teams that, when they play UNLV at the Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, seem to have more fans in the stands than the home town Rebels. BYU, which has a lot of local support is one. The gambling crazed fans of the University of Hawaii, who are always looking for an excuse to come to Las Vegas is another, and perhaps the fans that travel the best of any college footbal program: Wisconsin Badger fans.
With UNLV playing U of W this weekend, you will see a lot of red Badger gear and probably a lot of red blood on the jerseys of the underdog Rebel players.
Here's a listing of events aimed towards Wisconsin football fans. No word on Badger-themed swing parties, yet...

As part of an overall upgrade of the aging Hilton property, a new ultralounge called "Sway" will be unveiled Halloween weekend. It was noticed that people staying at the hotel were simply checking in, throwing their bags in the room and heading to more interesting parts of Las Vegas. This new 6,000 square foot lounge, along with an improved casino entrance and upgraded suites are the first phases of hotel improvements by new owner Colony Capital.

During the many years of living in Las Vegas, we are quite familiar with Baker, California having had a car or two break down on the way to or from L.A. Here's a glimpse of what life in Baker is like--a town that wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Las Vegas--and how being a tow truck driver there pays very well.

It's clean, it's tasteful and it's the first of its kind. When a federal judge recently overturned a ban on brothel advertising in locations where brothels are illegal (like Clark County), some people feared the worst. However, the Chicken Ranch is starting off slow with ads on mobile billboards far less risque' than existing billboards for Strip shows and strip clubs.

Forbes Traveler takes a look at the top Las Vegas nightclubs via a slide show. Included in the presentation are Pure, Jet, Body English and Foundation Room, among others.

Here's an extensive AdWeek article on how Las Vegas is figuring out how to adjust their worldwide advertising of the "What happens here, stays here" message. For example, R&R Advertising, the Vegas ad agency that handles the campaign, learned that its creative material wasn't provocative enough for the perverts in the U.K., that it needed to be toned down for family-oriented Mexican audiences and could be pretty much left alone in Western Canada. Eastern Canada was another story--they are more Euro-like and can handle more titillation.

Britney Spears was paid $250k by Pure Management Group to be at the opening of LAX for at least 90 minutes. She arrived late--after midnight--said 10 words in the mic, spent 40 minutes in LAX and 60 minutes in sister bar Noir with her girlfriends and magician Criss Angel, smoking and drinking Champagne. Not bad work for $2,500/minute.
We wonder, if you went to the event, did having her there enhance the experience for you?

If you're a football fan and want to watch your favorite team with a bar full of other fans who cheer for the same team you do, here's an extensive listing of sports bars that favor a particular NFL franchise.
Some fans have more choices than others with the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers, having seven bars to choose from while rooters of the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins have none.
There is no truth to the rumor that Big Dogs Saloon was an Atlanta Falcon bar and changed their allegiance due to Michael Vick's recent adventures...

It's been a local's joke for years but these days it really does seem to be true: the state bird of Nevada is the crane. While one could almost always spot a crane or two (at least) on construction projects up and down the Strip, there just may be more of the structures operating in Las Vegas than at any time in our history.

Vince Neil, lead singer of Motley Crue, lives in the area. Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin Dubrow does as well as long-time Vegan Mark Slaughter of Slaughter. All are playing in concert together this weekend at the Henderson Pavillion (wtf is that?). Here's a brief interview with Mark Slaughter.
The LowLife concert listing

With the opening of LAX at the Luxor and Blush at Wynn the "buzz factor" for the Labor Day weekend has been extremely high which translates into a pretty good weekend visitor-wise. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority projects the city will get 288,000 visitors for the weekend.
But the 3-day weekend has done some funky things to room rates. For example, rooms at the Excalibur were going for $97 on Friday and $181 on Saturday. At The Venetian, a room for Friday costs $199 but jumps to $448 on Saturday.