Random Vegas Another reason the Strip began to outpace Fremont St was theming. By the 50s the western motif was outdated and abandon by new properties opening on the strip. This is why a more sophisticated client was attracted to the area. While on Fremont, the western motif was alive, well and expanding. (Spectacular – A History of Las Vegas Neon)…

Random Vegas The Sphere has been averaging over $1 million in ticket sales per day. It generated nearly half a billion dollars in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30th. (LasVegasLocally) TwitPic of the week Talk about things changing but staying the same. This perspective shows us the strip south of the curve in Las Vegas Blvd. Featured prom…

Random Vegas Super successful restaurants make $20-25 million a year. STK at Cosmopolitan makes almost $50 million a year and Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace generates more than $60 million a year. (Vital Vegas) TwitPic of the week Dunes, Caesars Palace, Flamingo and Aladdin. Those that still remain look radically different from how they looked in…

What is it with Cirque du Soleil and Vegas? Ever since Steve Wynn invited Mystere to set up shop at Treasure Island in 1993, the French-Canadian circus brand that has made absurdity its trademark has become an inextricable part of Vegas entertainment. As of this writing, there are 5 Cirque du Soleil shows that call Vegas home (6, if you count the C…

Random Vegas Frederick W. Smith, the founder and CEO of FedEx saved his company by gambling in Las Vegas. When FedEx had a hard time paying their $24,000 fuel bill, Smith took the company’s last $5,000 to gamble and managed to win $27,000 on blackjack and kept the business afloat. TwitPic of the week The year is 1985 and featured in this picture is…

Random Vegas Open containers are legal if you are using a limo or party bus. Not legal in a rideshare or taxi. (Las Vegas Trivia Tidbits Book) TwitPic of the week It’s something we take for granted for in Vegas, not knowing what time of day or night it is. But viewing an atomic explosion has got to be an experience like no other. Here we see downto…

Random Vegas Hilton, at one time, had the tallest sign in Vegas at 362 feet tall, taller than the Landmark Hotel itself and only a few feet shy of the Hilton itself. On July 18, 1994, it was blown down by 70-80 mph high winds. Fortunately, no one was injured. The sign was rebuilt in 1997 but not nearly as tall at only 279 feet tall. This is the sig…

Random Vegas There were 137 employees that worked all 34 years and 8 months at the Mirage. All current employees get $2k per year worked and first dibs on Hard Rock jobs in 2027 (@Vegas_Visual) TwitPic of the week It’s the best picture I’ve ever seen that really shows off the scope and grandeur of a live performance at the Sphere, shared by @meltzv…

360 Mail Bag is our opportunity to address your feedback in a causal conversation between friends.Por 360 Vegas LLC

Random Vegas YESCO replaced more than six miles of neon lighting with RGB LED strips on Mandalay Bay and Delano (Vital Vegas). TwitPic of the week I was never a fan of the property, but damn did they have a nice marquee. The Frontier marquee, born in 1966 and shared by @_GrandPaD with an assist from @summacorp, was designed by Ad Art. It was at one…

Random Vegas Vegas has the 3 largest video screens in the world. Sphere @Venetian at 580,000 square feet (515 long by 367 width), Resorts World at 161,636 square feet (475 long by 340 width), Viva Vision Screen at the Fremont St Experience at 130,000 square feet (1,500 long by 90 width). TwitPic of the trip Technically this was before360VV14started…

Random Vegas Ever wonder why they call them tokes instead of tips? The reason is many years ago dealers tried to convince the IRS that the cash they received from players was not a tip and therefore did not have to be reported as taxable income. The logic behind this dodge was that a tip was defined by the IRS as a payment in return for special tre…

Random Vegas Justin Timberlake was paid $6 million dollars to perform at Fontainebleau opening night. That night, he stayed at Wynn. (VitalVegas) TwitPic of the week You’ve heard me talk about it before, the Stardust. Here we got a picture from @_GrandPaD showing off the entire property, including the old Royal Nevada that they rebranded the Stardu…

Random Vegas The five biggest jackpots ever won in Las Vegas history (@VegasIssues) 1. $39.7 million – Excalibur, Mar 2003 2. $35 million – Desert Inn, Jan 2000 3. $27.6 million – Palace Station, Nov 1998 4. $22.6 million – Bally’s, May 2002 5. $21.3 million – Caesars Palace, June 1999 TwitPic of the week I don’t know if its common knowledge but Be…

Random Vegas The largest American flag every flown was displayed over the Hoover Dam on May 1st, 1996. Each star on the flag was 17 feet high. (@LasVegaslocally) TwitPic of the week My growing affection for this property rivals only Keren’s dislike for it. The world famous, Caesars Palace, here showcased in 1974 by @summacorp. Here we can see the p…

360 Mail Bag is our opportunity to address your feedback in a causal conversation between friends.Por 360 Vegas LLC

Random Vegas It’s been stated that the Mirage changed everything. Specifically, in the 10 years that followed its opening the city of Las Vegas doubled visitor volume from $17 million to $35 million, room inventory from 61k to 124k, air passengers increased from $16 million to $36 million and gaming revenue from $3 billion of $7.6 billion. (@OllyLo…

Random Vegas When the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign was installed in 1959, the population of Las Vegas was about 70,000 people. Today, 65 years later, that number is 2.3 million (@lasvegaslocally and research) TwitPic of the week It is the way of the world. The only constant is change and the city of Las Vegas embodies that more than any city …

The Fountains of Bellagio are one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. You’ve seen them on TV, in movies and even cartoons. The Fountains transcend pop cultural trends that phase out over a decade or two and instead has become one of the unofficial ambassadors of the city of Las Vegas, as identifiable as the strip itself and the Welcome…

Random Vegas The original trains used on the Las Vegas Monorail were from Walt Disney World. When they debuted, they simply connected Bally’s to MGM Grand. (@LasVegasLocally) TwitPic of the week The Queen of the Strip, as she was known, basking in the morning glow of a sunrise shared by @_GrandpaD. The Stardust Super Pylon marquee was remarkable fo…

w/ Josh and Tony This week, we are drafting our favorite Vegas Movies. The game is simple. Pick your favorite Vegas movies. The trick is we are all drafting from the same pool of movies and a movie is only available to be selected by one person. This is NOT a list of the best movies set in Vegas nor is it a game to select the most valuable movies. …

Random Vegas The Fountains of Bellagio are not the first dancing fountains to exist in Las Vegas. The original debuted in 1955 at the Royal Nevada. They were simply called the Dancing Water’s and consisted of 4,000 jet streams and lights revolving and swaying in sync with waltz music. They could accomplish heights has high as 50 foot. The attractio…

360 Mail Bag is our opportunity to address your feedback in a causal conversation between friends.Por 360 Vegas LLC

Random Vegas In 1968, Las Vegas could lay claim to the 3 tallest electric signs in the world. The Dunes at 180, the Frontier at 184 and the Stardust at 188 feet tall TwitPic of the week How can you not be proud of that collection of properties? Specifically, it feels like MGM treats @LuxorLV and Excalibur like unwanted commodities. Which is funny b…

Okay. Let’s start by addressing the Elephant in the room. Las Vegas was racist. Really, really racist. Not Alabama bad but Las Vegas was known as the “Mississippi of the west” and I’m certain it wasn’t a compliment.Por 360 Vegas LLC

Random Vegas Nick Mazzolo. You may not know the name but you certainly know his work. Nick was cast as a table games dealer in 3 blockbuster titles. Rain Man in 1988, Casino in 1995 and Vegas Vacation in 1997. TwitPic of the week In a picture that looks like it was taking on the pool deck of the Plaza years before it existed, this picture, shared b…

I’ve said this before: if I had a time machine, I know exactly what I’d do with it. No, I wouldn’t steal a sports almanac or try to get my parents to kiss at the big dance. I’ve already graduated high school, so I wouldn’t use it to pass my history final, either. No, I would head back in time at 88.8 miles per hour to the Copa Room at the Sands in …

Random Vegas Tropicana’s nickname was the “Tiffany of the Strip” because it was said to be the shape of a necklace when viewed from an arial perspective. TwitPic of the week This is another property I have an irrational affinity for. Like the Fontainebleau today, the Landmark was a project that stalled for almost a decade before it was completed. U…

The Tropicana was a unique property in the evolution of Las Vegas. While ownership was consolidated all over the city, it managed to remain independent, relatively speaking. When older properties on the strip were imploded so new projects could replace them, Tropicana remained and instead was reimagined. Step inside and it was clear this was not an…

Random Vegas Sammy Davis Jr was supposed to be in 3 major movies about Vegas. We all know he was in the original Ocean’s 11 but did you know he was supposed to be cast as Elvis’ sidekick in the movie Viva Las Vegas? But producers thought that much star power would distract from the story so he didn’t get the part. The third was Diamonds are Forever…

Random Vegas Vegas has been attempting to go smoke free since the early 90s. The first casino to ban cigarette smoking was at Silver City Casino in 1991. Vegas Pic of the week It was the original mega sign. Not quite a super pylon but big enough that it was a statement piece. The champaign tower at Flamingo, shared by @_GrandPaD, stood as a beacon …

Nothing special is probably a very good way to describe the Royal Nevada. Not that it wasn’t nice or well located, it just wasn’t memorable. Think Monte Carlo Vegas and its luxury on a budget theme. Mix that with the opening of 4 new Vegas properties in 1955 and the answer to the question is yes, Vegas was over built.…

Random Vegas The office of Sam “Ace” Rothstein and the Tangiers sports book in Martin Scorsese’s Casino was filmed on the site of an unopened casino at the Jockey Club (Vintagelasvegas.com) Vegas Pic of the week This is a photo I didn’t even know existed and it blew my mind when I found it, like I’m sure it’s going to blow yours. It’s a picture of …

Premium Content Preview Benny Binion is a Vegas legend. Many of the policies and procedures he put in place to run his casinos are standard operating procedure today. Making everyone feel like they were someone was the key to establishing loyalty and more importantly, return business. At Binion’s, you knew you were getting a good gamble with a fair…

Random Vegas Many of YESCO’s contracts for the signs it manufactured were lease agreements that included service contracts for the life of the lease. When the lessee eventually removed the sign, the contract stipulated that it be returned to YESCO which either recycled the signs parts or retired the sign to a designated boneyard lot at the outskirt…

Random Vegas In the late 1940s, the state of Nevada’s slogan was “If you can’t do it at home, come to Nevada”. (Spectacular – A History of Las Vegas Neon) Twitpic of the week Icons, paired together in a beautiful union. The Sands cylindrical hotel tower, the classic, original, Sands egg crate marquee with the name Frank Sinatra on it as the headlin…

Random Vegas In 2003, Las Vegas tried to buy a commercial slot during the Super Bowl to promote tourism to the city. The NFL stepped in, citing a contract that allowed it to reject any ad related to sports betting, even though the spot didn’t include any overt references to gambling (Forbes) Twitpic of the week It’s amazing to think that today, thi…

This is one of those projects that I would have loved to see make it to the strip; and who knows, we may still get it one day. Yes a space theme has failed before in Las Vegas but come on, it was Bob Stupak behind it. Just like Luxor before it, I wonder how long those themed attractions will last. Another problem with a space themed resort is how q…

We recently released the 360 Vegas show review for X-Country, and Mrs Jaydubs complained that we spent half the review talking about Fantasy. I can’t help it, though. Fantasy is the litmus test by which all other Vegas topless revues will be judged for a long time. Note: I have in the past referred to Fantasy as the Gold Standard of Vegas topless r…

Random Vegas Built in 1982, the 2-story building that was the Oasis Casino @Dunes was supposed to be comprised of two components, a casino on the 1st floor and a restaurant on the 2nd floor. The restaurant never opened and the space remained unused until its destruction in 1993 (vintagelasvegas.com) Twitpic of the week Here is another @summacorp pi…

Random Vegas After a 4 month remodeling and a rebranding, in 1963, Lucky Casino, formerly known as Lucky strike, reopened with the largest sign in the city of Las Vegas at 160 feet tall. It held that titled until it was surpassed in 1964 by the Dunes turret marquee towering 180 feet tall. Lucky Casino is now the middle part of Golden Nugget Fremont…

Random Vegas The Caesars Palace marquee has caught on fire twice. In both cases, Tom Jones was the featured artist on the billboard at the time (vintagelasvegas.com) Twitpic of the week Ever wonder what it looked like when your Grandparents were on vacation in Vegas. Well, thanks to @_GrandPaD, we can relive that moment poolside at the Stardust in …

Random Vegas In Vegas history, 3 signs have been knocked down due to high winds. The first was the Silver Slipper in May of 1978. The second, in May of 1991, was Bob Stupak’s Vegas World sign. The third was the Hilton sign, the tallest free-standing sign in the world at 365 feet, had the top portion of the sign collapse in July of 94. The incident …

Patreon Exclusive Content Many regard Jay Sarno as the father of the themed casino as well as the mind behind family friendly Las Vegas. His contributions to the strip, Caesars Palace and Circus Circus, are complete opposites on the theme and customer base scale. While he was many things, a womanizer and a gambling addict, no one can dispute that h…

Random Vegas A typical arcade game makes about as much per day as a typical slot machine (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week Here @summacorp shares a time before the Golden Nugget consumed all of its western casino competition to acquire the Fremont footprint they have today. It was also the initial incarnation of their greatest exterior façade with …

Random Vegas One day of running a 90-second ad intermittently on the Sphere is $750k (Vital Vegas) Twitpic of the week Magical…well, to someone like me this is magical. To the layman this is an old picture of Caesars Palace, shared by @Summacorp, before the retheming in the late 90s/early 2000s. This is so mesmerizing because you don’t often see pi…

Random Vegas About one in 3 U.S. Adults said they thought the tipping culture “has gotten out of control,” according to a survey conducted in May 2023 (Review Journal) Twitpic of the week The photo by @Las_when doesn’t date the picture but this is how the Stardust looked when I got the one and only chance to visit the property in 2006, just months …

Random Vegas Allegiant Stadium generated $2.29 billion in economic impact to the city of Las Vegas including $128 million in tax revenue (@mickakers) Twitpic of the week Following last week’s holiday theme, @_GrandpaD out did himself with a collection of various Vegas locations themed for the holidays. Everything from Stardust’s Aku Aku tiki statue…

Patreon Content Preview Patreon.com/360Vegas At times the Aladdin has been called “The Vegas Jinx”. History has documented a long line of potential suitors who, when they took their shot, missed. In a town where the house always wins, it’s not only an anomaly when one doesn’t, it’s also a cautionary tale. It isn’t as simple as build it and they wil…

Random Vegas Fontainebleau isn’t the first property to encounter financing problems causing the project to sit unfinished. That title goes to the Landmark who broke ground in 1961 but had to halt construction in 62 due to financing issues. So it sat, 80% done. During that time it was the tallest building in the state of Nevada. It sat dormant until…