Cromwell casino opens in Las Vegas
There's been little publicity, but the casino at the Cromwell Las Vegas has opened.
The new high-end resort at the center of the Strip debuted quietly last week, but the casino games and big central bar are open to the public. Rooms in the 188-room hotel are available invitation-only until May 21, when they open to the public. The whole resort, including Giada's restaurant, Drai's nightclub and the hotly anticipated rooftop pool, will open Memorial Day weekend.
The Cromwell originally was the Barbary Coast, then Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon, and was slated to reopen as Gansevoort before a late name change.
Sporting House closing: The Sporting House bar and restaurant at New York-New York will close in June to make way for two new restaurants — Shake Shack and Tom's Urban. They are part of the transformation of the facades at NY-NY and Monte Carlo.
Lobby bar: If the check-in lines are long at the Palms, you can buy drinks in the lobby for 5ドル. If your wait is more than five minutes, your drink is free.
High Roller record: The observation wheel at Linq has officially set a Guinness World Record as the World's Tallest Observation Wheel. At 550 feet, it's 9 feet taller than the Singapore Flyer.
Red Rock Resort makeover: Already one of the swankiest "locals casinos," the west-side property's 35ドル million renovation will concentrate on restaurants, suites and the spa. A restaurant row will feature Mexican and Italian eateries, a farmers-market concept and a noodle bar. They will join the current line-up, which will include a renovated T-Bones Chophouse. The improvements will coincide with the opening of the neighboring Shops at Summerlin retail district, which will be connected to Red Rock by a new parking and drop-off area.
Oldest restaurant closes: El Sombrero, the diminutive hole-in-the-wall that had been Las Vegas' oldest restaurant, has closed. El Sombrero opened downtown in 1950.
Spring display: The spring display at Bellagio's Botanical Garden & Conservatory features more than 8,200 flowers and plants, a 45-foot-tall cherry-blossom tree, 40 giant raindrops, a greenhouse filled with 800 butterflies from around the world, giant caterpillars and nightly musical performances staged on a platform in the cherry tree. The display will run through May 11 and is free.
Question: A mega-resort was supposed to built where the Stardust used to be. Is that happening?
Answer: According to the owners, Genting Group, it's happening. It has been a year since it was announced that Resorts World Las Vegas would be built in the Echelon Place location on the Strip where the Stardust stood, and work has not begun. A spokesman for Genting recently said construction will begin this year.
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