Travelore News: Amex Opens Its First Sidecar Lounge In Las Vegas With A Restaurant-Style Dining Experience

The issuer’s first-ever Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge location opened March 4, 2026, at Las Vegas International Airport (LAS). This newest lounge concept reimagines the traditional Centurion Lounge experience with an “express” format designed just for travelers short on time.

It’s also the tiniest airport lounge in the entire network. With space for just 33 guests, the emphasis on express is huge.

However, it’s a worthy stop instead of the nearby Centurion Lounge the next time you’re visiting Las Vegas. Rather than a traditional buffet, guests can enjoy a restaurant-style dining experience, with menu items ordered via QR code served both quickly and efficiently.

Here’s a first look at what travelers can expect inside.

Amex Sidecar by Centurion Lounge at Las Vegas (LAS)

The very first Amex Centurion Lounge debuted in Las Vegas in 2013. And just a lucky 13 years later, the issuer is returning to its roots to launch something new to its portfolio.

“Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge was born out of the fact that a significant portion of Centurion Lounge visitors stay for an hour or less,” said AmexTravel.com’s president, Audrey Hendley. “This is not only an exciting return to LAS, but a new approach we created for those travelers looking for an upscale and efficient respite — even when they have a short window before boarding their flight.”

Measuring at just 1,500 square feet, the new Sidecar lounge is easily the smallest outpost in the Centurion Lounge network. In fact, it feels more like an elevated Escape Lounge, though with food and drink taking center stage here.

Sidecar is designed as an ideal stop for cardmembers who want a quality bite and a crafted drink without committing to a full lounge visit. Through its dining platform Resy, American Express tapped into top James Beard-award-winning chefs to curate the menu for this new lounge concept.

Location

The new Sidecar lounge is located near Terminal 1’s D Gates, joining an already competitive lineup that includes the flagship Centurion Lounge, the Capital One Lounge, a United Club, and The Club LAS.

The new Sidecar lounge is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific Time. Notably, Sidecar is less than a 5-minute walk from the Centurion Lounge — a smart move that gives eligible cardmembers an alternative when the main lounge is crowded, or vice versa.

In fact, the new Sidecar Lounge at LAS is only available to eligible cardmembers within 90 minutes of their departing flight, helping maintain the steady flow of its quick, in-and-out dining concept. That’s a notable change from traditional Centurion Lounge locations, which allow entry up to 3 hours before a scheduled departure.

Guests are personally greeted and ushered to their bar seat or table. However, with room for just 33 guests, only time will tell whether waitlists prevail or if Amex can nail down the timing to satisfy each guest.

Food and Drink

The shredded lettuce paired well with the panko-breaded chicken cutlet.

If you’re tired of lounge buffets with a seemingly stale menu, this isn’t what you’ll find at Sidecar.

Sidecar is where you’ll want to visit instead of the traditional Centurion Lounge, if only for the food and drink alone.

The Sidecar by Centurion Lounge is very reminiscent of the Capital One Landing concept — the first major credit card lounge network to introduce true restaurant-style dining in late 2024.

Despite the express nature of this space, there’s no grab-and-go offering like you’ll find at other competing lounges.

Upon entry, guests are seated at the bar or a table. They can place orders for complimentary, made-to-order hot dishes, small plates, and beverages via a QR code powered by the popular restaurant ordering platform Toast.

The experience feels far more like a restaurant than a lounge. Food and drinks are delivered by a server, creating a seamless, sit-down atmosphere. Even better, you can order craft cocktails, small-production wines, and nonalcoholic beverages that are intentionally paired with the dishes.

All dishes are made to order and are all intended to come out in 8 minutes or less.

I started with a couple of appetizers: avocado toast with black sesame seeds, a refreshing cucumber salad with crispy rice pearls and (optional) chili oil, followed by mushroom and egg bites with hints of garlic and mustard greens.

Sidecar aims to bring a fresh new menu. Each month, it will rotate a new “Chef Signature Sandwich.” This month, guests will get to savor a unique take on a slider with chicken parmesan.

All of the dishes (and desserts!) I sampled were tasty, fresh, and full of flavor. I loved how diverse the menu was, offering something for every dietary restriction.

Amenities

Though Sidecar is a much smaller space, it still offers amenities you’d expect from a traditional lounge. This includes private restrooms but no shower suites.

Power outlets and updated USB ports are plentiful throughout the space, so you’re never far from a place to plug in.

Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi is also available and performs reliably.

How To Access Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge at LAS

This newest Sidecar lounge is another addition to the growing Amex Centurion Lounge portfolio and broader Global Lounge Collection. While the entry times are slightly different for Sidecar, the lounge access policies are the same as for any other Amex Centurion Lounge.

A digital waitlist will be available to guests, just as it is at the main Centurion Lounge. However, cardmembers can add themselves to only 1 waitlist at a time.

The following cards will give you access to the Sidecar Lounge and other Centurion Lounges: Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, Centurion® Card from American Express*, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (when you book your same-day Delta flight with your Delta Reserve card), and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (when you book your same-day Delta flight with your Delta Reserve Business card).

By Stella Shon

Las Vegas Unveils Redesigned Rideshare Pickup At Harry Reid International Airport

Las Vegas has debuted the new Fabulous Pickups at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) with a completely reimagined rideshare pickup area at Terminal 1. The unveiling was celebrated in true Las Vegas fashion with showgirls and a DJ welcoming visitors arriving for a weekend of festivities, including Mexican Independence Day concerts and events, and the Canelo vs. Crawford fight at Allegiant Stadium.

The space now features vibrant lighting, additional seating, and a custom neon selfie wall that helps visitors kick off their vacation in a fabulous way. On select dates, the experience will be elevated even further with live music, DJs, and other special activations. The transformed pickup zone is a part of the broader “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” brand campaign. This multifaceted initiative spans broadcast, activations, experiences, special offers, and partnerships highlighting Las Vegas that will continue to roll out in the coming months.

“Las Vegas is a city that sets the standard for excitement and hospitality, and we believe the visitor journey should reflect that from the very beginning,” said Steve Hill, CEO and president of the LVCVA. “With Fabulous Pickups, we've created a space that's as vibrant, welcoming, and unforgettable as Las Vegas itself.”

In addition, Terminal 1 is also home to Fabulous photo moments where visitors can share their excitement about being in Las Vegas before they even leave the airport. The larger-than-life installation, located by the A/B checkpoint, will debut tomorrow and features Vegas Vicki with a spot for guests to sit next to her and do their best kick to give everyone back home FOMO.

“Our team at Harry Reid International Airport is dedicated to making every arrival memorable, and this new rideshare area is a testament to that commitment,” said Jim Chrisley, Clark County Director of Aviation. “By partnering with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, we've created a space that's not just functional, but also fun and welcoming. We're proud to offer travelers a first impression that's as distinctive as the destination itself.”

More “Welcome to Fabulous” announcements will be unveiled in the weeks ahead. For more information on “Welcome to Fabulous”, visit www.VisitLasVegas.com.

Las Vegas Strip Sphere Brings Back Legendary Rock Band Residency

Classic rock band signs for more residency shows at the Las Vegas Strip Sphere.

Sphere Las Vegas has entertained hundreds of thousands of music fans since it opened in September 2023 with its spectacular multi-media venue that delivers immersive experiences with the latest audio and video technology including a wraparound LED screen and advanced sound system.

Legendary rock band U2 opened Sphere Entertainment's Sphere Las Vegas on Sept. 29, 2023, with a 40-show U2/UV Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere residency.

After U2 closed its residency on March 2, 2024, in the 18,600-seat venue which can hold a 20,000-standing capacity, popular jam band Phish followed for a quick mini-residency with four sold-out shows on April 18-21.

Phish might someday return to the Sphere for another four-show engagement, or maybe longer, as the band has booked four-night runs in the past. The band will perform a four-night engagement at New York's Madison Square Garden from Dec. 28 to 31, 2024, for a New Year's Eve holiday run.

Ultimate jam band Grateful Dead spinoff band Dead & Company followed Phish with 30 shows at the Las Vegas Sphere from May 16 through Aug. 10, 2024. The band's predecessor Grateful Dead often performed shows in Las Vegas, and Dead & Co. can be expected to bring its popular residency back to the Sphere possibly after several months.

Since wrapping up their Sphere residency, Dead & Co. has been quiet about their plans. No other limited engagements or residencies have been scheduled in 2024 or 2025.

Dead & Co. frontman Bob Weir, however, is headlining the Dead Ahead music festival Jan. 9-13 at Riviera, Cancun, Mexico.

Finally, popular rock band the Eagles are lengthening their residency at Sphere Las Vegas on the Strip with the addition of four new shows on April 4, 5, 11, and 12, 2025, bringing the total engagement to 32 shows so far, the band revealed on Nov. 26.

The Eagles have not revealed a final ending date for their residency.

Artist, Official Platinum, and VIP Package presales begin Dec. 3, at 10 a.m. Pacific time at Ticketmaster.com. Live Nation and SiriusXM presales start Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. Pacific.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. Pacific.

The Eagles have been incrementally adding shows to their residency since June 13 when the band unveiled the original eight shows of the residency for September and October 2024, and then five days later added four more shows on Nov. 1, 2, 8, and 9.

The band on June 26 added another four shows on Dec. 6, 7, 13, and 14, and in July added four more shows on Jan. 17, 18, 24, and 25, 2025.

In October, the Eagles expanded their residency from 20 to 24 shows with the addition of four weekend shows in February and then added four more shows to its engagement on March 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2025, expanding the total run to 28 performances before adding more shows.

It remains a mystery about who will follow the Eagles with the next residency at the Sphere. Rumors in 2023 claimed that One Direction frontman Harry Styles would be next up after U2, but that never happened.

Surveys have revealed that music fans would like to see Lady Gaga, Coldplay, or Beyonce as the next Sphere residency, but Sphere Entertainment has not hinted who the next headliner will be.

https://www.thestreet.com/author/kirk-oneil

Travelore Health Warning: A Record-Breaking Number Of Mosquitoes Are Carrying West Nile Virus Around Las Vegas

Climate change is expanding the reach of insect-borne diseases. Las Vegas' exploding mosquito population offers a case study of what's to come.

A Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito. Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images

A record-breaking number of mosquitoes in and around Las Vegas are carrying West Nile virus, sparking warnings from local health officials who say the public should take precautions to avoid getting bit. West Nile virus can cause fever, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea and is fatal in about 1 of 150 cases. There are no vaccines or medications to treat or prevent the mosquito-borne illness.

In recent weeks, 169 of over 24,000 pools of mosquitoes tested for West Nile virus returned positive — meaning at least one insect in the pool carried the disease — across 25 southern Nevada ZIP codes. The number of mosquitoes recorded and the tally of positive pools this early in the season break the area’s records for both metrics, set in 2019.

“These are huge numbers of mosquitoes, and we’ve already identified a concerning number of them carrying the West Nile virus,” said Vivek Raman, an environmental health supervisor for the Southern Nevada Health District.

Health officials have also identified six pools in the Las Vegas area that tested positive for St. Louis encephalitis virus, a mosquito-borne disease that can cause fatal inflammation of the brain.

For decades, climate scientists and public health officials have warned that climate change could expand the reach of various infectious diseases, especially those spread by mosquitoes. Las Vegas’ exploding mosquito population and the local uptick in West Nile prevalence offers an important case study on how climate could affect human health.

Climate change increases average global temperatures and precipitation levels, fostering conditions that are ideal for mosquitoes, which breed in still, warm water. It also extends the length of warm periods, prolonging the active season for mosquitoes. These changes increase the risk of human exposure to diseases like West Nile virus, even in places that have never recorded cases before.

The first case of West Nile virus in Las Vegas was recorded in 2004 — five years after the United States’ first case was documented in 1999 in New York City. Las Vegas’ most recent West Nile outbreak occurred five years ago, resulting in 43 human cases. District health officials are concerned that this summer could be far worse.In Nevada and much of the Southwest, springtime weather has become warmer and summertime heat waves have grown increasingly extreme over the last few decades. Las Vegas has seen average springtime temperatures rise by 6.2 F since 1970; this month, the city has already experienced a weeklong, record-breaking heat wave. In Nevada and much of the Southwest, springtime weather has become warmer and summertime heat waves have grown increasingly extreme over the last few decades. Las Vegas has seen average springtime temperatures rise by 6.2 F since 1970; this month, the city has already experienced a weeklong, record-breaking heat wave.

In Nevada and much of the Southwest, springtime weather has become warmer and summertime heat waves have grown increasingly extreme over the last few decades. Las Vegas has seen average springtime temperatures rise by 6.2 F since 1970; this month, the city has already experienced a weeklong, record-breaking heat wave.

Southern Nevada’s rising temperatures are creating favorable conditions for mosquitoes, said Nischay Mishra, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University. What’s more, ongoing drought conditions in the state, which have led to low water table levels throughout the Colorado River Basin, including in Lake Mead, may also be counterintuitively beneficial for the insects.

“Mosquitoes typically thrive in wet and hot places,” Mishra said. “But in Nevada, as smaller bodies of water dry up, they create shallow waters that are ideal for mosquito breeding.”

Las Vegas’ mosquito surge has been giant: Last year, district health officials measured 6,000 mosquitos in traps across Clark County from April to June. This year, counts have already exceeded 24,000.

The vast majority have been Culex mosquitoes, a primary vector for West Nile virus. But another mosquito species that does not carry the virus, Aedes aegypti, has also become more common in Las Vegas. Aedes was first spotted in the area in 2017, and Raman attributes its spread there to the impacts of climate change, as well.

Along with climate, human behavior plays an important role in the spread of vector-borne diseases. Aedes and Culex mosquitoes both thrive in the backyards of many Las Vegas homes — the former breed in small pools of water such as those left from sprinklers, while the latter often breed along the surface of unmaintained swimming pools.

Raman said the best way to avoid infection is to empty any open containers filled with water outside, maintain swimming pools, wear protective clothing and use bug spray to avoid getting bit.

Louise Ivers, a professor of global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School and the director of its Global Health Institute, said situations like the one in Las Vegas will become more common as climate change continues to boost infectious disease globally.

“We should expect to see new infectious diseases, old infectious diseases back again and a change in the patterns of exposure of existing infectious diseases like West Nile virus,” Ivers said. “Things that we used to do freely without worrying as much about protection from vectors like mosquitoes or ticks, we might not be able to do anymore.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/author/nidhi-sharma-ncpn1300138

Think Twice Before Stopping To Take A Photo On A Las Vegas Strip Pedestrian Bridge, Or Risk Jail Time

Standing or stopping is now banned on pedestrian bridges on the Las Vegas Strip where visitors often pause to take photos amid the glittery casino lights or to watch street performers.

Violators of the ordinance that took effect Tuesday could face up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

Clark County commissioners voted unanimously this month to approve the measure prohibiting people from “stopping, standing or engaging in an activity that causes another person to stop” on Strip pedestrian bridges. That also includes up to 20 feet (6 meters) surrounding connected stairs, elevators and escalators.

The ban doesn’t include standing or stopping if a person is waiting to use an elevator, stairway or escalator.

Clark County said in a statement that its “pedestrian flow zone ordinance” isn’t meant to target street performers or people who stop to take pictures, but rather to increase public safety by ensuring a continuous flow of pedestrian traffic across the bridges.

The measure “will help to ensure our world-class tourism destination remains a safe place for people to visit and transverse,” the statement said.

But opponents say that the ban violates rights protected by the First Amendment.

“That might mean the right to protest. That might mean someone who’s sharing expressions of their faith. That might mean a street performer,” Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said. Those rights, he said, are “protected at their highest level” in public spaces, including pedestrian bridges.

The county said it planned to install signs on the Strip identifying locations where stopping or standing is prohibited.

AP

Tallest Hotel In Las Vegas Finally Opens After Sitting Empty For More Than A Decade

The 67-story hotel-casino tower Fontainebleau has opened to the public after more than a decade of sitting unfinished following the Recession, making it the tallest occupied building in Nevada.

The tallest hotel in Las Vegas is finally ready to swing open its doors after 10 years of building.

The 67-story hotel-casino tower Fontainebleau had became famous for sitting unfinished on the famous strip for more than a decade. Now it is finally open to the public it is the tallest, newest and bluest hotel in southern Nevada’s glittery resort corridor. At $3.7 billion, it’s second in cost to the $4.3 billion, 66-story Resorts World that opened in June 2021 a short walk down Las Vegas Boulevard.

The name of the 3,644-room Fontainebleau recalls Miami Beach’s icon among destination resorts, which owner Jeffrey Soffer’s family acquired in 2005. But the project in the Mojave Desert has its own lore about starts, stops and changing ownership since work began in 2007.

“Bringing Fontainebleau Las Vegas to life has been an extraordinary journey. Opening a resort of this size and scope is a once-in-a-lifetime experience., said Soffer, who started the project, lost it and reacquired it to finish it.

The Miami-based chairman of Fontainebleau Development lost funding for the project during the Recession, leading him to walk away from the project in 2009. At that point the building was about 70% complete. Other plans were tabled about ten years later to finish the project, but they never came about. Occasionally fire fighters would use the large empty shell of a building for high-rise rescue training.

Now that it is finally done, the hotel will fit into Las Vegas's gambling scene thanks to its 1,300 slot machines, 128 gambling tables and more than 36 bars and restaurants - some featuring chefs with Miami roots. Mark Tricano, Fontainebleau Las Vegas president, has said that the resort will employ more than 7,000 workers.

By Milo Boyd

Long-Unfinished Blue Strip Tower Sets Date For Grand Opening In Las Vegas

A soaring blue-glass tower that has sat empty for close to two decades on the Las Vegas Strip — through the Great Recession and an unprecedented pandemic that shut down the famed tourist corridor for months — is set to open its doors to the public in December as the gambling center’s latest resort and casino.

Company executives for Fontainebleau Las Vegas made the announcement Tuesday morning, more than a year after the company publicly set a goal to open before the end of 2023.

Chief operating officer Colleen Birch said in a statement that the long-awaited resort on the north end of the Strip represents “a rich heritage of luxury hospitality, chic elegance and unforgettable experiences.” The announcement marked the beginning of hiring efforts for a 3,700-room resort and casino that is expected to create thousands of jobs.

Named after Miami Beach’s 1950s-era Fontainebleau hotel, the luxury resort is one of the tallest buildings in Nevada.

Construction on the 67-story Fontainebleau Las Vegas began in 2007 amid the U.S. real estate bubble and was expected at the time to open in October 2009, but work stopped when it went bankrupt during the Great Recession. The project stalled for years.

In the decade that followed the original project’s collapse, ownership changed hands several times. In 2018, the resort even got a new name, Drew Las Vegas, after Steven Witkoff and Miami-based investment firm New Valley bought it for $600 million. But the rebranded project was short-lived: Construction was suspended in March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic triggered Nevada’s statewide shutdown.

A year later — and more than 15 years since the initial plans for Fontainebleau Las Vegas were unveiled — the project was reacquired by Jeffrey Soffer, one of the original developers. At the time, Soffer estimated the property was 75% complete and said it was in “mint condition.”

In a statement Tuesday, Soffer celebrated the blue tower as a symbol of resilience and determination.

“The arrival of Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a monumental achievement following years of anticipation and brings full circle our vision of hosting the iconic Fontainebleau brand on the Strip,” he said.

By RIO YAMAT

Lawsuit: Las Vegas Strip Resorts Used Vendor To Fix Hotel Rates In Violation Of Antitrust Laws.

A federal lawsuit in Nevada is seeking class-action damages for countless hotel patrons who booked rooms in Las Vegas since 2019, alleging that most hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip have used a third-party vendor to illegally fix prices.

The complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas alleges that casino giants MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, along with Treasure Island and Wynn Resorts, share information with a company that used pricing algorithms to “maximize market-wide prices.”

It accuses the resorts and Rainmaker Group Unlimited, a revenue management company owned by Cendyn Group, of “algorithmic-driven price-fixing … at the expense of consumers and in violation of antitrust laws.”

The Associated Press sent an email to Rainmaker seeking comment. Michael Bennett, a representative of Boca Raton, Florida-based Cendyn, declined to comment.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of plaintiffs Richard Gibson and Heriberto Valiente by attorneys from the law firm of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro in Seattle and Berkeley, California.

It seeks class status and unspecified monetary damages for “tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands” of people based on alleged antitrust violations of the federal Sherman Act.

MGM Resorts, which operates properties including Bellagio, New York-New York, MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay, responded Thursday with a statement calling the lawsuit “meritless.”

“The claims against MGM Resorts are factually inaccurate, and we intend to defend ourselves vigorously,” it said.

Wynn Resorts declined to comment. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment from representatives of Treasure Island and Caesars Entertainment.

Caesars Entertainment operates Las Vegas Strip properties including Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, the Horseshoe, Paris Las Vegas and the Flamingo.

In a statement, plaintiffs’ attorney Steve Berman invoked and reshaped a ubiquitous advertising campaign tagline introduced in early 2003.

“What happens in Vegas will no longer stay in Vegas,” Berman said. “We intend to expose the under-the-table deals perpetrated by these Vegas hotels.”

Alan Feldman, a longtime MGM Resorts executive who is now a fellow at the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said hotels, airlines and car rental companies monitor costs and prices throughout what he termed “the travel ecosystem.”

“Rest assured, they watch each other,” Feldman said. “Then they can decide if they want to go above it, below it, or just ignore it.”

“But I can’t imagine these companies talking to one another,” he said, “and certainly not on price.”

The lawsuit points to concerns about algorithmic pricing identified in a 2017 speech by Maureen Ohlhausen, a former acting chairperson of the Federal Trade Commission.

Ohlhausen defined a computer algorithm as a set of rules or instructions that can model thousands of “extremely complex and nuanced behaviors” in a fraction of a second “and react almost instantaneously to changes.”

She said companies provide their pricing data to “a common, outside agent” that uses the information to program its algorithm “to maximize industry-wide pricing.”

“We even have an old-fashioned term for it,” Ohlhausen said, “the hub-and-spoke conspiracy.”

“In effect, the firms themselves don’t directly share their pricing strategies,” she said, “but that information still ends up in common hands, and that shared information is then used to maximize market-wide prices.”

The court filing said two former Rainmaker employees told attorneys the company’s products are used by 90% or “just about every” property on the resort-lined Las Vegas Strip. The lawsuit didn’t identify the former employees.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that average daily room rates for Strip resorts hit record highs in 2022, topping $200 a night in October during a busy convention month.

For the year through November, the average rate was $170.45, the highest in history, and did not include add-on resort fees or account for complimentary rooms provided to high-rollers, the newspaper said.

By KEN RITTER

Nevada Casinos Go Record 9 Months With $1B In House Winnings

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority set a record in November, reporting a ninth straight month of $1 billion or more in house winnings, gambling regulators said Wednesday, providing another sign that business in the nation’s tourist-dependent gambling mecca has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The $1.32 billion in casino winnings reported statewide last month was up from $1.22 billion in October, and almost reached the record $1.36 billion figure set last July, the Nevada Gaming Control Board reported.

The streak beat the previous record of eight consecutive months set before the Great Recession, from October 2006 to May 2007, board senior analyst Michael Lawton said.

Nevada sports betting also set records — reaping a record $72 million in November on sports wagers totaling $1.1 billion.

Lawton said the previous record was $61.8 million in sports bets won by casinos in November 2020, and he noted sports books took in more than $1 billion in wagers in consecutive months for the first time. Most sports wagers were made with mobile betting apps.

“The continued acceptance of mobile sports wagering by customers is driving these results,” Lawton said. “This month represented the highest monthly total recorded in mobile (bets) since the board began tracking these wagers in January 2020.”

Business generally has been buoyed by visitors with money to spend, Lawton said, and a sustained rebound of leisure travel and the return in early November of airline flights from international places other than Canada and Mexico.

Special events and entertainment also helped push casino winnings for the year-to-date to almost 12% past 2019 levels. Only North Las Vegas and Laughlin are still below 2019 calendar year levels, Lawton said.

Most economic and revenue comparisons don’t use 2020, when many businesses were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nevada collected almost $93.6 million in tax revenues based on the November figures, the report said.

Lawton noted a full month of events in November included the return to Las Vegas of the big automobile-oriented Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show; the start of entertainer Sting’s residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace; a Rolling Stones concert at Allegiant Stadium; boxing at the MGM Grand Arena and Mandalay Bay Events Center; and two Las Vegas Raiders home games.

The report came with newly renamed Harry Reid International Airport reporting passenger traffic ramping up almost to levels seen two years ago.

The former McCarran International Airport reported Tuesday that it handled about 4 million arriving and departing passengers in November, down just 4.4% from the same month in 2019.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported 3.1 million visitors during the month, down 8% from 3.4 million in October. The regional tourism agency reported an average daily room rate of almost $156, up more than 15% from November 2019.

Hard Rock International Buying The Mirage In Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Hard Rock International said Monday it wants to see how a guitar-shaped hotel will play in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

In what MGM Resorts International CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle called “a significant milestone for MGM Resorts and for Las Vegas,” the companies announced that MGM Resorts will sell operations of The Mirage to Hard Rock International in a cash deal worth nearly $1.1 billion.

Hard Rock International, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, plans to build a guitar-shaped hotel at the 80-acre (32-hectare) property, Hard Rock chairman, Jim Allen, said in a statement.

The sale marks the end of an era for a property credited with helping transform Las Vegas from a gambling hub into an ultra-luxury resort destination with broader appeal.

The Mirage, developed by former casino mogul Steve Wynn, opened with a Polynesian theme more than three decades ago.

Its iconic volcano fountain was among Las Vegas’s first strip-side attractions, pre-dating the Venetian’s canals and the Bellagio’s fountains. It was known as a venue where tourists could see Siegfried and Roy taming white tigers or a Cirque du Soleil act set to a Beatles soundtrack.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the volcano will remain at the property, which MGM Resorts acquired in 2000.

As traditional gambling industry players shift their business focus to sports betting and expand in markets in Asia and the Middle East, the sale reflects the growing presence of tribal-run enterprises on the Strip.

When the Connecticut-based Mohegan Tribe opened a casino at the new Virgin Hotels Las Vegas earlier this year, it became the first tribe to operate a Las Vegas casino.

And gaming regulators are expected this week to issue a decision on the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians’ bid to acquire the off-strip hotel-casino, The Palms.

The underlying Mirage real estate is now owned by MGM Growth Properties, which is being bought by New York-based VICI Properties in a $17.2 billion deal expected to close next year.

“This announcement marks the culmination of a series of transformational transactions for MGM Resorts during the last several years,” said Paul Salem, Chairman of the MGM Resorts board of directors.

He added: “The monetization of our entire real property portfolio, together with the addition of CityCenter and our agreement to acquire The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, will position the company with a fortress balance sheet, premier portfolio and significant financial resources to pursue our strategic objectives.”

Jonathan Halkyard, MGM Resorts treasurer and chief financial officer, said that as the real estate owner of The Mirage, VICI Properties will be expected to reach a new lease agreement with Hard Rock.

Allen said Hard Rock International will welcome The Mirage’s 3,500 employees to its roster.

He noted that his company had no previous involvement with the former Hard Rock Hotel & Casino that operated from 1995 to 2020 east of the Las Vegas Strip.

That property was purchased in 2018 and renovated and rebranded by Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Hard Rock International bought the naming rights in May 2020 with plans to eventually open a Las Vegas Strip property.

Under the terms of the agreement, MGM Resorts will keep The Mirage name and brand, licensing it to Hard Rock royalty-free for up to three years while it finalizes its plans to rebrand the property.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2022, following regulatory approvals.

The sale is one of several involving MGM Resorts in recent months on Las Vegas Boulevard. The company currently operates 13 hotel-casino properties in Las Vegas and 32 worldwide.

The Las Vegas-based company said in July it would buy out its partner in the sprawling CityCenter development for $2.1 billion, take control of The Aria and Vdara resorts, and lease the property to New York private equity firm Blackstone Group for nearly $3.9 billion.

MGM Resorts still remains invested in the Strip, with properties including the Bellagio, MGM Grand, Luxor and New York-New York. The company announced in September it will buy the operations of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for $1.6 billion from Blackstone. That is part of a $5.65 billion deal to put ownership of the 3,000-room Cosmopolitan in hands of the Cherng Family Trust, headed by Panda Express billionaires Andrew and Peggy Cherng; real estate investment firm Stonepeak Partners; and a Blackstone real estate fund named Real Estate Income Trust Inc.

Travelore News: Nevada Betting On Health Safety As Las Vegas Casinos Reopened June 5th.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — After 78 days of historic quiet, cards will be cut, dice will roll and jackpots can jingle again 12:01 a.m. starting Thursday June 5th at casinos in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada.

There will be big splashes — even amid ongoing protests over the death of a man in police custody in Minnesota — and big hopes for recovery from an unprecedented and expensive shutdown prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“There’s a tremendous amount on the line, not only for casinos, but for the community and the state,” said Alan Feldman, a longtime casino executive now a fellow at the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “This is an extremely important moment.

Casino resorts that had been famously always open were shuttered in mid-March — idling Nevada’s key tourism and hospitality industry nearly 89 years to the day since gambling was legalized in 1931. Gov. Steve Sisolak’s emergency order closed non-essential businesses to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Now, property owners, state regulators and Sisolak, a Democrat who has been criticized for the closure, are balancing those concerns against the loss of billions of dollars a month in gambling revenue and almost half a million unemployed workers.

They are betting that safety measures — disinfected dice; hand sanitizer and face masks everywhere; limited numbers of players at tables; temperature checks at entrances to some resorts; touchless cellphone check-ins — will lure tourists back.

They know it will look different.

“I’m optimistic that customers will see that gaming properties invested time and effort to welcome them back to a safe and entertaining environment,” state Gaming Control Board chief Sandra Douglass Morgan said Wednesday.

The regulatory board required detailed health safety plans by last week, before giving the go-ahead to reopen.

Morgan didn’t specify if any plans were rejected, saying agents “communicated concerns or asked for clarification” from an unspecified number of the state’s 459 licensed casinos. The board also regulates nearly 2,000 bars, restaurants and convenience stores that have no more than 15 slot machines.

It won’t quite be business as usual when the iconic Bellagio fountains dance back to life at dawn Thursday. Analysts like Feldman think it will take a long time to recover.

“This is going to be a pretty long, slow climb,” said Feldman, who was with MGM Resorts when Las Vegas experienced an abrupt air travel stop after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, and later a crippling plunge in business during the Great Recession over a decade ago.

Recovery took years — reaching best-ever numbers last January and February: taxable casino winnings at $1 billion each month; unemployment at an all-time low of 3.6%.

By April, casino winnings were a fraction of 1% of a year earlier, and unemployment reached 28.2%, topping figures in any state even during the Great Depression.

“I’m hopeful it is a consistent climb, without setbacks,” Feldman added, “better than a surge and then a setback.”

UBS gaming analyst Robin Farley noted for investors that the biggest casino operators, MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, won’t immediately open all their properties.

Wynn Resorts, the Venetian and Palazzo are slated to open Thursday morning, along with the landmark STRAT casino and tower, Derek Stevens’ downtown properties and others around Las Vegas owned by Boyd Gaming and Red Rock Resorts.

Station Casinos properties are using slot machine icons with customer advisories to “Touch buttons. Not faces, and “Stay Reel Healthy.”

The first visitors are expected to be area residents, then motorists from nearby U.S. states and then air travelers.

“The market still relies heavily on air traffic, and the longer stays in Vegas are usually tied to mass social gatherings, including conventions ... concerts and fights, all of which may take longer to recover,” Farley said.

The message will be, “Thank you for coming and believing and trusting us. We’re excited to have you here,′ ” MGM Resorts International chief executive Bill Hornbuckle said during a recent walk-through of the Bellagio casino floor.

Plastic partitions will separate mask-wearing dealers and three players at blackjack tables. Employees and guests will be able to use newly installed handwashing stations.

Convention halls, nightclubs, swimming pool parties and arena spectacles will remain mostly dark.

“It may be a little different,” Hornbuckle said. “But I think it will be memorable, personable and special.”

Park MGM Officially Takes Its Place On The Las Vegas Strip

Tower Signage and New Exterior Marquee Mark Major Milestone as Sydell Group and MGM Resorts Continue Property-Wide Transformation

LAS VEGAS  – With the lighting of its new marquee and hotel tower signs, Monte Carlo officially sheds its name this week for a new identity – Park MGM – making way for the resort set for completion later this year. Following a transformation that will touch every element of the central Strip property, Park MGM is a welcoming social hub that evokes the residential spirit, intimacy and individuality of a boutique experience on a resort scale.

A partnership between Sydell Group and MGM Resorts International, Park MGM was born from the collaborative vision of the New York-based lifestyle hotelier and one of the world’s preeminent destination resort developers. When complete, the project will comprise two new distinct experiences: Park MGM, and a Las Vegas version of the renowned NoMad, a standalone 292-room hotel encompassing the tower’s top four floors.

"It’s a very special moment seeing this ambitious idea begin to come to life,” said Andrew Zobler, founder and CEO of Sydell Group. "Together with MGM, we were able to rethink every element of the guest experience and create something personal on a grand scale."

Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts, said, “The opening of Park MGM, and soon NoMad, will tie together the entire neighborhood we’ve created with The Park, T-Mobile Arena and CityCenter. We are grateful to Andrew and the team at Sydell Group for sharing our vision to deliver a destination that embraces its surroundings and speaks to a new generation of travelers.”

Beginning with the opening of the 5,200-seat Park Theater in December 2016, the resort has unveiled several new amenities including completely reimagined guestrooms and suites, food and beverage offerings, lounges, pools, meeting spaces and more. The evolution of the Park MGM experience will continue throughout 2018 with the addition of nightlife; a new dining concept from Roy Choi embracing the energy of Los Angeles’ Koreatown; an Eataly marketplace designed specifically for Las Vegas; and the launch of Lady Gaga’s highly anticipated special engagement, among other elements.

NoMad Las Vegas will open within Park MGM in Fall 2018 with 292 guestrooms and suites; a dedicated entrance and lobby; high-limit gaming; a private pool environment; and the Las Vegas debut of Chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, the visionaries behind the world’s best restaurant, Eleven Madison Park.

Additional details about the experiences still to come will be shared in the months ahead as the resort continues to take shape. Guests seeking a taste of Park MGM now can experience these resort features:

• Immersive Lobby: Filled with natural light and punctuated by nature-inspired décor and art, Park MGM’s lobby is a nod to urban gardens and parks, including the adjacent Park neighborhood, bringing the outdoors inside. A dramatic arboreal sculpture by Brazilian woodworker Henrique Oliveira is the focal point of the lobby. The remarkable tree sculpture extends from above with its roots stretching across the ceiling. Throughout the lobby, guests are invited to explore intriguing works by the likes of David Hockney, Shahram Karimi and Shoja Azari, and many others.
• Residential Guestrooms: Park MGM’s rooms evoke the essence of a private apartment with a mix of thoughtful touches, antique-inspired pieces, ‘found’ objects and original artwork by artists and photographers from around the world commissioned for each room by France’s be-pôles studio.
• Primrose Restaurant: Located within the lobby, Primrose is inspired by the South of France and features an all-day menu with an emphasis on open-fire cooking. The restaurant celebrates the spirit of dining in a private Provençal garden with wood-fired grilling and an herb-centric cocktail program. For guests looking to dine al fresco, Primrose offers a spacious outdoor terrace overlooking the pool, beautiful both by day and night. 

• Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar: The heralded Chicago-based Hogsalt Hospitality serves up steakhouse fare with a dash of French flair including seafood towers, flavorful bone-in dry-aged ribeye, sumptuous side dishes and house-made desserts. Classic cocktails and a well-curated international wine list embody Bavette’s timeless vibe. For those in the know, Bavette’s features a hidden speakeasy-style lounge at the back of the restaurant offering a full menu and bar, and the ultimate in intimacy and seclusion.
• Juniper Cocktail Lounge: This stylish lounge challenges the status quo of mainstay drinks while staying true to the foundation of what makes a great cocktail. Whimsical elements like fortune-telling Gin & Tonics come to life through house-made juices and syrups, a premium selection of spirits and an intense dedication to the craft. An eclectic soundtrack creates a sophisticated atmosphere that evolves throughout the evening.

• Moneyline Sports Book & Bar: Moneyline brings a new twist to the Las Vegas sports book with intertwining spaces that playfully transport guests to their favorite neighborhood hangout. Among the duckpin bowling lanes and billiards games, Moneyline features a menu conceptualized by Hogsalt Hospitality with griddled cheeseburgers as well as self-service, weigh-and-pay food selections for guests wanting to personalize their game day feast.
• Pools: Channeling the sundrenched South of France, this vibrant outdoor escape features three pools, an oversized heated spa, 12 cabanas, lounge areas and multiple bars serving up delicious bites and beverages. Guests can mingle among friends at one of three pools – the South Pool, the East Pool or the North Pool – while lively music evokes a cool, laid-back vibe. Each pool boasts Baja shelf seating and submerged wet decks; a VIP area by the East Pool also features deluxe cushioned chaises. 
• Meetings & Conventions: Phase one of Park MGM’s 77,000-square-foot conference center combines non-traditional spaces and flexible design to fill an unmet need for small groups visiting Las Vegas. With bookings now available, meeting planners can take advantage of the city’s first Executive Meeting Center and a comprehensive installation of Stay Well rooms and meeting space.
• Casino Floor: Park MGM’s remodeled casino floor reflects the resort’s outdoor inspiration. In keeping with Sydell Group’s vision for maintaining key elements of the former space, the casino’s design contains subtle nods to its Monte Carlo roots, including the refined sparkling chandeliers, intricate crown moulding and stained-glass ceiling, all of which have been refurbished to their original beauty.
• Park Theater: Park Theater invites guests to an intimate space for one-of-a-kind productions from renowned artists. The theater is home to extended engagements with Bruno Mars, Cher, Ricky Martin – and soon – Lady Gaga.

With its unrivaled central location, Park MGM offers guests direct access to what is quickly becoming the city’s premier entertainment district, featuring T-Mobile Arena, The Park and Park Theater. 

ABOUT MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 28 unique hotel offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. Expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, the company in 2018 opened MGM COTAI in Macau and the first Bellagio-branded hotel in Shanghai. It also is developing MGM Springfield in Massachusetts. The 78,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at www.mgmresorts.com.

Virgin Hotels Is Headed For Las Vegas

Virgin 

Virgin Hotels, the lifestyle hotel brand by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, in partnership with a group led by Juniper Capital Partners and Fengate Real Asset Investments along with their partners Dream, Cowie Capital Partners, and other private investors, has purchased the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas from a Brookfield-managed private real estate fund in a transaction that closed today. The group plans to open a reconceptualized and revitalized property, the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, in the late fall of 2019. The Virgin Hotels brand’s entrance into the entertainment capital of the world is an exciting development – one that will see innovative design fused with irresistible amenities in order to give guests experiences that will surprise and delight.

“Las Vegas has long held a special place in my heart,” said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group. “Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America have enjoyed flying to Las Vegas for years and I’ve always known that Virgin Hotels could thrive there as well. I’m really looking forward to painting the town Virgin red.”

The property, located at 4455 Paradise Road, will continue full service operations under the Hard Rock flag until it opens as a Virgin Hotels hotel. Guest rooms, restaurants and public spaces will undergo a face lift, expected to cost in the hundreds of millions, with the final product being a showcase of Virgin’s signature sleek and stylish design with an eclectic mix of social spaces.

“Our partnership is extremely proud to be investing in the Las Vegas market with an amazing brand like Virgin Hotels,” said Partner and new Property CEO, Richard “Boz” Bosworth. “We couldn’t be more passionate about the project and this partnership, and look forward to the exciting journey ahead.”
The hotel will feature 1504 well-appointed Chambers, Grand Chamber Suites and Penthouse Suites; a 60,000 square foot, fully-renovated casino, multiple pools over five acres, world-class restaurants, lounges and bars, including new nightlife venues and the brand’s flagship space, the Commons Club, as well as numerous meeting and convention spaces.
“Las Vegas is a dynamic city – the people, the excitement, the entertainment. To me, it’s always been the perfect city for our next Virgin Hotel,” said Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal. “We are dedicated to delivering the best in design, entertainment, heartfelt service and culinary excellence and we can’t wait to welcome visitors to what is sure to be an awe-inspiring Las Vegas experience.”

Fengate is managing its investment on behalf of the Laborers’ International Union of North America’s (LiUNA) Central and Eastern Canada Pension Fund. “LiUNA is pleased with our strong working team behind this strategic investment, and we are very proud that the highly-skilled brothers and sisters of LiUNA will be a part of building this extraordinary new Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas,” said Joseph Mancinelli, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada.