If there is one constant in Vegas, it's change. No sooner do we write an update (such as this one) than two casinos are imploded and a third opens up, to say nothing about restaurants, shows, and more. Let's see what's happened since we went to press:
Las Vegas Attractions
The long time free White Tiger Habitat at the Mirage has closed, another indication of Vegas's direction: Fewer gimmicks and free stuff, less kitsch and more "class" -- all in order to pander to well-heeled twenty-something party people.
Las Vegas Shopping
About a quarter of the former Desert Passage mall adjacent to Planet Hollywood has been transformed into the newly themed Miracle Mile, 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/866-0703; www.miraclemileshopslv.com), a process that will continue throughout 2008.
Las Vegas Restaurants
Each new hotel and hotel expansion brings a host of new restaurants, usually with a Food Network star or other celebrity chef attached. The most notable at this moment is B&B Ristorante in the Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/266-9977; www.venetian.com/BBREST.aspx), a project from Mario Batali that seeks to rival his home base, Babbo, in terms of quality.
Las Vegas Nightlife
Wynn Las Vegas's Lure has turned into Blush, in Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/770-3375; www.wynnlasvegas.com/#home), while Light at Bellagio closed, to make way for the new Bank, in Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S., (tel. 702/693-8300; www.lightgroup.com), which opened in January 2008.
None of this particularly matters. All Vegas clubs are starting to look pretty much the same and their appeal on any given night depends entirely on the DJ spinning that evening, not to mention who guest-wise is in town and in that particular space. One exception is that the former RA at Luxor has made way for the pretty cool LAX, in the Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/242-4LAX; www.laxthenightclub.com).
Look for burlesque Tangerine at TI to close at some point in 2008 to make way for a new club. Rumors abound about its theme, but let's not make any guesses lest we have more changes to contend with. Opening inside the Luxor in early 2008, Cathouse, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (www.luxor.com), is a Victorian bordello-themed restaurant/lounge that will feature lingerie-clad girls reclining here and there, adding to its naughty atmosphere. Also opening in early 2008 is Pour 24 at New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (www.nynyhotelcasino.com).
Also opening is the Palazzo's 40/40 club, 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (tel. 702/638-4040), backed in part by Jay Z, and intended as the ultimate in sports bars, a lavish multi-floor facility that really will look different from other generic nightclubs. Oversized (12,000 square feet) Prive, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S, (tel. 702/523-6002; www.aladdincasino.com/ntl_prive.php) is opening at Planet Hollywood, looking to dominate all others.
Las Vegas Arts & Entertainment
After an unexpected and unprecedented run, Celine Dion's show, A New Day, at Caesar's Palace closed. Bette Midler's similar one-woman show will open on February 21, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/723-8836; www.harrahs.com) . Joining her on the Strip will be the Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys, which opens in April in the new Venetian expansion, Palazzo, 3325 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (www.venetian.com). Magician and all-around hypnotic guy Criss Angel's Cirque du Soliel show will open in summer 2008 at the Luxor (www.luxor.com), which will also see the closing of long-running Mamma Mia! at Mandalay Bay (www.mandalaybay.com) at the same time. The Producers closed out its unfortunately short Venetian run in January 2008.
Las Vegas Hotels
The Monte Carlo, 3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (www.montecarlo.com) suffered an anxiety-inducing fire on January 25, 2008. Luckily, the conflagration was limited to the top-level facade, though smoke and water damaged the top three floors on 2 of the hotel's 3 wings. Evacuations went smoothly, with no serious injuries sustained, though it did take some convincing to get the gamblers to leave the casino floor. The hotel will be closed briefly for repairs.
After some delays, the Venetian's grand expansion Palazzo, 3325 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (tel. 888-2-VENICE; www.palazzolasvegas.com) opened in January. The former Aladdin (itself rebuilt on the site of an older version) was officially turned into Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/333-WISH; www.aladdincasino.com), and the transformation looks darn spiffy, especially the new memorabilia-bedecked rooms. The venerable Golden Nugget, 129 East Fremont St., (tel. 800/846-5336; www.goldennugget.com) has had a complete redo, and the property opened up yet another expansion in December 2007, including more casino space and a second-floor nightclub that overlooks the Fremont Street Experience. It remains the best hotel in the downtown area.
Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com) finished a remodeling of their justly famous beach pool area, including a 3-story casino/restaurant/bar building. Gone for good is the old Frontier, imploded to make way for bigger and better things. Perhaps most disheartening is the de-Egyptianizing of the Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/288-1000; www.luxor.com). The pyramid still remains (kinda has to, as it is the main hotel building), as does the welcoming Sphinx (for now, anyway), but the interior is being systematically and ruthlessly stripped of all its Pharonic associations. In its place; you'll find lots of the same kind of grand, and yet anonymous, fancy fixtures now found all over the city. Not only does this represent a huge shift in Vegas concepts -- true themed hotels are rapidly becoming an endangered species -- but it continues the trend of hip, modern resorts on steroids. The result? All these grand hotels run the risk of looking pretty much the same once you are inside.
Savvy Traveler
The Las Vegas Trolley has become the Vegas.com Arrow shuttle -- same concept, just new signs and prices. Passes for the shuttle cost $10 a day and include unlimited access to the Las Vegas Monorail, so it's not a bad deal if your travel plans have you sticking to the Strip. For more info (or to buy passes online), see www.vegas.com/transportation.
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