Gee, what isn't new in Las Vegas? That they want to take your money and will do so by any means necessary. Cynical? Hardly. That is, after all, why this town was built and don't, for a minute, think anything else.
Otherwise, everything is new in Las Vegas. This town is afflicted with terminal restlessness and must keep finding new ways of attracting visitors who can then be relieved of their money. Heck, by the time we've finished writing this, everything we've written, everything in the whole town, will be outdated, changed, or somehow different.
Perhaps we exaggerate. But really, only a little. Hotels are routinely renovating, upgrading, redecorating their rooms, and changing their themes (because everyone knows that a Spanish theme will bring in more tourist dollars than a Mardi Gras theme -- that is, until they decide it's been long enough with the Spanish theme and then switch to an Asian one), and that's only if they aren't blowing up the hotel and starting over from scratch. New restaurants with celebrity chefs and big prices open, and longtime stalwarts with comfort food for the ages close. Shows that have been touted with enormous billboards and bigger budgets close in the blink of an eye. Please remember this and think kindly of us if anything in this book is inaccurate. Because that's why.
So, as we write this, what's new? Or even, what's going to be new?
Planning Your Trip
The Disneyfication of Vegas is pretty much dead and gone. Do not expect a "family-friendly" place, not at these prices. Vegas is returning to its adult roots, with all that entails, so you should think twice -- and then some more -- about dragging Junior along with you to Sin City. Having said that, you might, with some planning, end up spending a little bit less this year than in the most recent past. Vegas experienced a huge loss in revenue after September 11, plus about a 50% drop in tourism, resulting in about 14,000 people being laid off, the largest labor cuts experienced by any one city in the nation following the terrorist attacks.
With the economy in flux, continuing concerns about security during travel, and all sorts of world-shaking events occurring, tourism for Vegas is up and down and up and down, and what you are going to face is unpredictable. Conventions are still coming to town -- not as huge, perhaps, as in the past, but enough to make hotel bookings impossible during their staging. The rest of the time, you might well find a bargain.
Accommodations
You won't be seeing anything apart from cranes and construction sites until late 2003, when the Weston Spa Resort will open on the site of the former, and not a bit missed, Maxim Hotel. Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South(tel. 1/800/846-5336; www.mandalaybay.com) and Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South (tel. 702/414-4100 or 877/857-1861; www.venetian.com) will both open large new expansions around that same time, with Bellagio following suit in 2004. You will have to wait until 2005 for a new hotel, but it should be worth that wait because it's coming from Steve Wynn, the man responsible for modern-day theme-intensive Vegas. Wynn Las Vegas (originally named Le Reve, but the new one fits so much better!), planned as really tall resort towers, complete with a man-made 150-foot-tall mountain in front, will occupy the place of the demolished Desert Inn.
Or you can watch with us as the relatively new Aladdin, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S (tel. 1/702/785-5555; www.aladdincasino.com) climbs out of its even newer bankruptcy with the help of a new owner, Planet Hollywood. Watch as the Middle East theme is swiftly replaced by Hollywood memorabilia, and that big globe of theirs goes up on the Strip. Or observe the changes to the Golden Nugget (tel. 1/800/846-5336; www.goldennugget.com) in Downtown now that it has been unloaded by MGM MIRAGE.
This is a town full of self-styled luxury resorts, but the only place with a real claim to such a title is a 30-minute drive away. The brand-new Ritz-Carlton, 1610 Lake Las Vegas, Pkwy. Henderson (tel. 702/567-4700; www.ritzcarlton.com) is set right on the lake itself, with a dazzling view of the water and mountains. Add to that the kind of service that made the company's name famous -- big rooms and lush baths, and a huge list of amenities and recreation activities -- and we forget all about the siren lure of the Strip.
Of course, there remain the rumors about still more Titan-sized theme hotels, these paying neon-bedecked homage to San Francisco, London, and water in general. The good news, of course, is that Vegas isn't the same without such fabulous monsters, though we are equally pleased with talk of a boutique hotel, perhaps a W or something like it, going up next to the Frontier. (Which may happen sooner than you think: There's gossip that the Venetian is partnering with Brad Pitt and George Clooney to build a boutique hotel on the Strip -- over a Walgreen's drugstore, no less.)
Dining
If you love sandwiches, then let me put you on to Canter's, the popular Los Angeles Jewish deli that just opened a branch at TI (formerly Treasure Island) at the Mirage. Famous for their sourdough rye, piled high with pastrami, corned beef, or whatever, they've also got a lox plate, soups including matzo ball and the "famous" barley bean, and New York cheesecake. For now Canter's is in a temporary space in the casino race book, but a new 125-seat restaurant should be ready by the end of the year. But don't wait: Call me now and I'll join you for a nosh.
Attractions
Gambling is of course, a main attraction, but there is a big change quietly happening all over town -- and actually, the key word here is "quiet." Like us, perhaps you thrill to that distinct sound of coins dropping, clinkclinkclinkclinkclink, as you cash out on your slot (or poker) machine. That sound will always be with us, but very soon it's just going to be a programmed audio track, because all the major casinos (and maybe all of them, period) are changing their machines over to a cashless system, wherein the payouts will come in the form of printed slips you take to exchange at the cages. Gambling will never be the same again.
When Las Vegas Premium Outlets Center opens, near Downtown, in fall 2003, shopping may become so attractive thatwe may be spending so much money there that we won't have any left over for gambling. (Just as well, perhaps.) Can you blame us? It will have 100 stores, including Armani Exchange, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Guess, Kenneth Cole, Lacoste, Polo/Ralph Lauren, St. John, and Theory. And it's just what the otherwise moribund (if flashy looking) shopping scene in Vegas needs. The Forum Shops in Caesars are undergoing yet another huge expansion; this one will have a three-story glass entrance right near the Strip. But don't get your credit cards too ready -- it won't be open until late 2004.
Las Vegas After Dark
It's clear that everyone is open to putting the "sin" back in Sin City, as more adult-oriented shows make a comeback. It's hard to tell the difference these days between the strip bars and the hotel clubs and lounges, when new happening hot spots such as Rain (in the Palm), Bikinis (in the Rio), and Risque (in Paris Las Vegas), among others, have go-go dancers as scantily clad and performing the exact same gyrations as the strippers. Other new joints have names such as Tabu (in the MGM Grand). And Cirque du Soleil is opening a new show, Zumanity, that will offer glimpses (or more) of bare flesh and is strictly for the 18-and-over set. (Another, regular and nonracy Cirque show is due at the MGM Grand by early 2004.) It's just a matter of time before a hotel opens up its own "gentlemen's club" (read: strip bar), and when that happens, watch the others follow with due haste.
As for real strip clubs, this past year saw the opening of first Jaguar's, a 25,000-square-foot extravaganza that is as marbled and over the top as Caesars Palace in its shameless days. But it was quickly eclipsed by Sapphire's, which clocks in at 71,000 square feet and so is the largest strip joint in the world.
But it's not all about the nudity; it's also about the big bucks. And that brings us to the return of Celine Dion to live performing, thanks to a luxurious new venue built just for her at Caesars, where she performs in a multimillion-dollar extravaganza, accompanied by a giant LED screen, special effects, and many, many Cirque-influenced performers and enigmatic imagery (thanks to the director and producer, who was behind the local productions of O and Mystère). Thanks to her ticket prices (starting at $88 and going up to $150), the big shows all over town have raised their rates as well.
The long-delayed Neonopolis, a $100-million open-air restaurant, shop, and entertainment complex (with an 11-screen movie theater), finally opened at 450 Fremont Street (tel. 702/477-0470; www.crowntheatres.com). It includes a serious entertainment area run by Jillian's, a national company, that offers a great arcade, a huge bowling alley, and other fun offerings, making this an alternative to traditional (but age-limited) Vegas entertainment and activities. Best of all, it's open late and it may provide a shot in the arm to the still struggling Downtown.