Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas is bringing back its popular Silver Strike slots and we’ve got the exclusive details. The 12 cherished slot machines will once again be available for play on Sep. 19, 2024.

The machines with a cult-like following are unique because the bonus symbol gets you a special keepsake token. You can cash the Silver Strike coin in for $10 (sometimes $40), but what’s the fun in that? That’s like eating at a restaurant without taking a photo of your food first. What kind of freak even does that?

The Silver Strike machines were removed from the casino floor at Four Queens a few months back, causing a minor freak-out by ardent loyalists, but the machines are being consolidated and when they return, they’ll have a whole new set of token designs (see photos below). Cue the elation from Silver Strike nerds, a designation we happily embrace because we are one.

While the Silver Strike machines at Four Queens have been MIA, the only other Silver Strike machines downtown were at Plaza.

Silver Strike machines were used in private tournaments at Four Queens, but were not accessible by the public.

How popular are these machines? There’s a group called the Silver Strikers Club that follows any Silver Strike news with rabidity.

Here’s a video of what makes Silver Strike machines so special. Drum roll, please.

Yes, you can still win old-school money on these machines, but the tokens are a fun perk and simply unlike any other modern slot machine. When you win a Silver Strike token, it feels like you’re really winning something.

Previously, the Silver Strike machines at Four Queens occupied two banks and were scattered in a couple of other places on the casino floor. Yes, it’s weird we can tell you exactly where they were. Hey, you have things you obsess over. Like feet stepping on soft fruits and vegetables. Who’s the weirdo now?

Now, the machines will be in one place, near the hotel’s registration desk, not far from the valet entrance.

Public service announcement: Please don’t hog the machines if others are waiting. It’s like those dumbasses who play two coin machines at once at Circus Circus. Don’t get us started.

Hey, lady, leave some Silver Strikes for the rest of us! Told it’s taken four hours to accumulate this many tokens. @4QueensLV (h/t @seventensuited) pic.twitter.com/RsENhG6L45

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) January 28, 2022

As we said, Silver Strike machines have an enthusiastic following, with collectors sometimes camping out when new token designs are released.

For the Silver Strike relaunch, the Four Queens team (spearheaded by the casino’s Director of Slots Shaun Webster) have come up with a whole new set of tokens based upon playing card suits. Here’s a first look.

The whole Silver Strike token subculture is fascinating, and as such we do not fully understand it.

Basically, there are “clears” (referring to the plastic cases the tokens come in, we took the tokens out of their “capsules” for our photos) containing the standard Silver Strike token. There are also “red” and “blue” tokens, with seasonal, limited-edition designs (like for Halloween). Then there are the tokens valued at $40. The new tokens feature a popular Four Queens restaurant, Chicago Brewing Co.

Silver Strike token collectors don’t just play to get a token, they play to get entire sets of tokens. As mentioned, some token winners turn these collectibles in for cash, but that sort of defeats the whole purpose of them being collectible. Naturally, Four Queens loves when collectors collect. It’s akin to a player taking a $10 or $40 TITO voucher home. It’s called “breakage.”

Four Queens goes through a shocking number of Silver Strike tokens. For the relaunch, the casino ordered 48,000 tokens. We always assumed most people won the tokens but turned them in for cash. We were mistaken. That supply of tokens lasts just 2-3 months.

Silver Strike tokens are produced by Sunshine Mint in Las Vegas-adjacent Henderson, Nevada.

Why don’t more casinos have Silver Strike machines? Because they’re sort of a pain in the ass, honestly. (The same reason you don’t see many coin slots left in Las Vegas casinos.) The machines are expensive to maintain and refill, and not many casinos are up for fronting $500,000 for an order of tokens.

Do Silver Strikes make as much for Four Queens as these new-fangled penny slots? Of course not, but they make much more than we thought.

No, Silver Strike tokens don’t have a lot of actual silver in them anymore, but don’t be a buzzkill.

There’s a whole regulatory process involved with Silver Strike tokens, technically, “Silver Premium Tokens.” Silver Strike coins are treated like other gambling “tokens” used in casinos, like table games chips.

There are a slew of regulations around chips and tokens. If you are ever suffering from sleeplessness, you can read the regulations. They are a hoot.

Four Queens submits its designs to Gaming, then when those are approved, Sunshine Mint makes samples to submit to Gaming, and at any point regulators can reject the designs. In one instance, the design was approved, but when the coins were produced, they made it look like the woman depicted on the token as, well, cold, if you get our drift. Back to the drawing board. Apparently, Silver Strike tokens can’t depict nipples. Some “fun facts” are more fun than others. You’re welcome.

Here’s the official version of what we just told you: “If, after receiving and reviewing the items and information described by this regulation, the Chair is satisfied that the proposed chips, tokens and related information conform to the requirements of this regulation, the Chair shall notify the licensee or the manufacturer authorized by the licensee to produce the chips or tokens in writing and shall request, and the licensee or the manufacturer shall provide a sample of the proposed chips or tokens in final, manufactured form. If the Chair is satisfied that the sample conforms with the requirements of this regulation and with the information submitted with the licensee’s application, the Chair shall approve the proposed chips or tokens and notify the licensee in writing. As a condition of approval of chips or tokens issued for use at the licensee’s race book, sports pool, or specific table or counter game, the Chair may prohibit the licensee from using the chips or tokens other than at the book, pool, or specific game. The Board may retain the sample chips and tokens submitted pursuant to this subsection.”

No mention of nipples! We’re seeing a loophole here, Four Queens. Just saying.

In addition, this part: “The Board may retain the sample chips and tokens submitted…” We’re thinking somebody at the Nevada Gaming Control Board is a Silver Strike token collector.

When the new unified Silver Strike area is unveiled at Four Queens (a lone machine will be by the casino cage), casino staff will distribute some sweet branded hats and attire to celebrate the occasion. Four Queens has also created a brochure that will share the finer points of the Silver Strike lifestyle, much like the one available at Main Street Station to help guests locate its many antiques and curiosities.

Exciting news, coming VERY SOON!🤫#FourQueens #SilverStrike pic.twitter.com/JBPMT2QvG8

— Four Queens Hotel & Casino (@4QueensLV) September 18, 2024

Why is the return of the Silver Strike slots at Four Queens such a big deal? Well, for the people who love these machines, it’s like asking why Sigma Derby at The D is a big deal or why single zero roulette is a big deal at Plaza or why the Bellagio fountains are a big deal or why Lion’s Share was a big deal at MGM Grand for many years. It’s one of those “if you know, you know” things.

If you’ve never played Silver Strike, now is a great time to do so. Slot machines can get a little repetitive, but Silver Strike machines change things up, and the $10 tokens tend to be easy to get. (The machine plays like other reel slots as well, of course, so lots of other wins are up for grabs as you look for the Silver Strike symbol.) Our over-under on hitting the bonus is 20 spins. For us, it often happens within 5-10 spins. Then again, we have extraordinary good luck. Have you ever seen how thick and lustrous our hair is? We didn’t even need to travel to Turkey for a hair transplant. Or Türkiye. Whatever the kids are calling it now.

Big thanks to Four Queens for letting us share their news first, and we can’t wait to win some (or possibly all) of these new Silver Strike tokens soon. We’re keeping all the tokens this time, though. We heard some Silver Strike collectors bequeath their collections to their heirs in their last will and testament.

We do not use the term “fanatics” or “cult” lightly!

The post Beloved Silver Strike Slot Machines Return to Four Queens appeared first on Vital Vegas.

The Donut Hole has closed prematurely in the Tony @ Carson building (formerly John E. Carson Building) downtown, something we are not familiar with at all. Prematurity, in case that were not obvious.

Why are we writing about the closure of a doughnut shop? Because it’s a slow news week and because, well, doughnuts. And we have a little inside scoop, so there’s that.

The Donut Hole took the place of Donut Bar, which took the place of O Face Doughnuts. Seeing a pattern here? Donut Hole, from the folks behind Carl’s Donuts, was only in operation for about six months.

O Face closed in 2015. Donut Bar closed in June of 2023, Donut Hole opened in Jan. 2024 and closed August 19, 2024.

The skinny on Donut Bar is it was making only about $1,000 a week, or about what it costs to park on the street downtown these days.

Why such paltry revenue? No foot traffic.

Here’s Donut Hole’s parting message via Instagram.

Ah, the classic “exploratory concept.” In other words, “We explored, we glazed, we were in the hole the entire six months, we’re out.”

It wasn’t entirely Donut Hole’s fault. A long-awaited project from Dapper Companies just across the street has yet to open, despite being in the works for ages. We trust Donut Hole put a lot of hope in the overhaul and opening of the old post office building (which is supposed to have office space, restaurants and bars) to perk up foot traffic in the area. No such luck.

The reality is it’s tough to pull people off of Fremont Street for doughnuts.

There’s been no word about what might replace The Donut Hole yet, but don’t be surprised if a tenant doesn’t open until the Dapper Companies venue opens across the street.

The Tony @ Carson building was acquired in 2023 by Boston Omaha Asset Management.

John E. Carson building downtown has sold for $6.8 million. The sale by the estate of Tony Hsieh involved 80 NDAs with interested parties. pic.twitter.com/y7lFFquszo

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) December 14, 2023

There’s been some drama around the Tony @ Carson building, home to the popular Carson Kitchen.

Tony @ Carson mural update. Kerfuffle averted. https://t.co/szU6rlcXn3 pic.twitter.com/Xx7L190m11

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) April 9, 2024

The company also owns the now-closed Inspire theater on Fremont Street, as well as the former Nacho Daddy space (soon to be the Glitter Gulch Tiki bar, opening date postponed indefinitely).

Nobody’s really talking about the fact that of the dozens of Tony Hsieh properties downtown for sale, these are the only ones that have been purchased, and they’ve all been purchased by the same company, Boston Omaha Asset Management. Also not discussed is the fact the Boston Omaha’s co-managing partner, Brendan Keating, is or was the chairman and co-founder of Logic Commercial Real Estate, the real estate brokerage company tasked with shopping Hsieh’s parcels to potential buyers.

There’s so much nothing to see here, it’s comical.

Anyhoo, downtown is down a doughnut shop. There’s always the wildly popular Pinkbox Doughnuts at Plaza and Dunkin at Fremont casino.

Carson Ave. could really use some kind of brightly-lit connector to Fremont Street, as was created between Fremont and Downtown Grand with a shiny promenade. Then again, there were powerful forces at work with the Fremont-to-Grand walkway. Former mayor Oscar Goodman is a big supporter of the Mob Museum, and his wife, the current mayor, ultimately signed off on the money for the promenade because it dramatically improved the sight lines between Fremont and the museum. It’s Vegas, after all. Pizza Rock, Triple George and Hogs & Heifers aren’t mad.

We’ll keep an eye on downtown for you, so you’re free to drink to excess and fornicate with a very reasonably-priced companion down there, just the way Mother Nature intended.

The post The Donut Hole Shutters at Downtown’s Tony @ Carson Building appeared first on Vital Vegas.

The infamous McDonald’s at The D in downtown Las Vegas is set to close Aug. 25, 2024.

The closure of a fast food restaurant wouldn’t typically warrant a story on a blog of this undeniable magnificence, but the shuttering of this particular McDonald’s is newsworthy for reasons you won’t get from those shitheads at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Sorry, we’re still agog at their overt and shameless theft of our story about layoffs at Rio. And a million other scoops over the years.

Essentially, The D has bought out the McDonald’s lease. We haven’t heard an exact number, but understand it’s really, really big. Cue the sad clown.

For some backstory, McDonald’s has been around since The D was Fitzgerald’s. The restaurant, possibly in quotes, was inherited by Derek and Greg Stevens when they bought the place in 2011. Derek Stevens owns 78% of the casino, Greg Stevens owns 22%.

The Stevens also own Circa, Golden Gate and the Downtown Events Center.

From day one, the McDonald’s at The D (just inside the casino entrance from Fremont Street and directly behind the casino’s Longbar) has been a thorn in the side of The D’s owners and employees.

Here’s a look inside. In the video, we say McDonald’s closes in September. That’s the date they have to be gone: Sep. 2, 2024. The last day to get your McCoronary or whatever is Aug. 25, 2024.

This McDonald’s has been a magnet for vagrants and panhandlers and tweakers (and others with substance abuse or mental health challenges) and the domicile-challenged and an often seedy element. And us when we’re hangry, but mostly those other people.

The McDonald’s at The D is corporate owned, which means they pretty much grind out as much profit as possible with little attention to quality or service, and give exactly zero thought to augmenting the casino guest experience. It’s all take, zero give.

Vagrants and others use the McDonald’s as a way to enter the casino when they’d typically be kicked out.

We actually heard one particularly charming street person (with B.O. that could peel paint, apparently) told an executive at The D while standing just inside the entrance to McDonald’s, “I’m allowed to be here, I have money.” There was also an f-bomb between each of the words in that quote. The individual had three giant bags of personal possessions with him, contents unknown.

While one can certainly feel compassion for someone down on their luck, one can also sympathize with a casino trying to create a positive experience for their customers, which doesn’t typically include threatening behavior, obscenities, soiled clothing or a wide variety of bodily odors.

The desire to kick this McDonald’s to the curb has been talked about for years, but the lease seemed unbreakable, stretching into the future for decades.

Finally, a deal was reached, with many terms of the agreement confidential.

As mentioned, this McDonald’s is contractually obligated to get out by Sep. 2, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. The restaurant decided to pull the plug early, and has already absorbed some of the employees into other locations, we’re told.

The McDonald’s team member who told us about the closing date of Aug. 25, 2024 seemed resigned to his fate.

During our visit, we paused our dogged investigative journalism to have a final ice cream cone.

If this whole scenario sounds familiar, it’s because Plaza recently booted its McDonald’s as well, for many of the same reasons The D wanted the store out.

McDonald's is done at Plaza. "Sonofa!" ~The D https://t.co/bDqiW9vGrK

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) December 19, 2023

While a McDonald’s can draw foot traffic to a venue, that traffic doesn’t translate into a desirable customer for the casino.

The McDonald’s at Plaza had a lot of patrons who just got off the bus at the now-closed Greyhound bus station a few feet away. We are not judging people who take busses, at all. Buses do, however, sometimes transport questionable characters. They would often make a beeline to the McDonald’s. It also attracted transients, along with those recently released from the Clark County Detention Center. It’s less than two blocks from Fremont Street. Good times, and awkward, so nobody really talks about it for fear of cancellation.

Anyway, we’re saying all this in as diplomatic a way as possible, but downtown has a lot of challenges. We are a longtime bleeding heart, and homeless advocate. We used to take portraits of the homeless to raise awareness of their plight on and around Fremont Street. We clench when people sometimes call these folks “bums.” The fact is we aren’t doing enough to help, on the city, county or federal level. That doesn’t change the fact the homeless don’t make places like Fremont Street better. They sometimes make a visit more memorable, but not in a good way. We have the luxury of compassion because we don’t have any skin in the game. We don’t have millions of dollars invested in a casino or payroll to make.

Law enforcement and our elected officials (such as our City of Las Vegas Councilpersons) often don’t do a great job of helping businesses deal with their various headaches. Whenever ordinances are proposed to help alleviate some of the problems, the ACLU jumps in and reminds everyone Fremont Street is a public street and panhandling is a First Amendment right of some sort. You won’t find the homeless or tweakers or convicts roaming The Park or Linq promenade on The Strip, they’re private property. Security and law enforcement can show people the figurative door as they see fit, and the operators can do quality control on any buskers. Downtown, casinos only control who’s on the stages. The buskers enter a lottery for performance circles on the street, and there’s zero quality control.

An important aside: Please don’t let your kids take photos with costumed characters. That’s all we’re going to say about that. Also beware of the showgirl photo ops. They can’t legally charge you for a photo, but they certainly make the completely voluntary tips sound required. Tip $5 and keep moving.

The discussion about what we’re collectively doing (or not) for the poor and mentally ill is complicated and nuanced, so we definitely aren’t interested in stepping into that minefield. We are a humor-based blog, in case that were not evident based upon, you know, the lack of things you find humorous.

We tend to lean toward the position of downtown casinos (we worked in digital marketing at Fremont Street Experience, the marketing arm of the casinos along Fremont Street): They pay the lion’s share of what makes Fremont Street unique and popular (including maintenance, security and live entertainment, etc.), they should be able to operate their businesses without being hamstrung. That includes flexibility and leeway in dealing with the homeless, people with substance abuse and mental health issues, and buskers banging on pickle drums or weaving palm fronds outside their doors.

There are plenty of other places to take care of your drunchies on Fremont Street. The D will now, at long last, be free of McDonald’s.

We asked Derek Stevens to comment on this story, but he declined. That has non-disparagement clause written all over it, but we will accommodate his “no comment.”

Nobody really has to make a statement. You just have to watch how many times a night the bartenders at Longbar have to tell drunk people they can’t eat their McDonald’s meal at the bar.

We’ll keep digging to try and find out how much this lease buy-out cost, but we’re pretty sure it was about as much as The D cost. It means that much to have it gone.

We’ll also keep poking to try and find out what The D will do with the McDonald’s space once it’s vacant. It’s oddly positioned, and has weird glass windows that don’t really fit with a casino’s mojo. (Casinos often don’t have windows so patrons presumably will lose track of time. It’s probably a myth now, but that was always a fun yarn.)

We’re pretty sure the area will be reclaimed and be an expansion of the casino, just as La Bayou was acquired and became a part of Golden Gate.

Or Longbar could just wrap around the wall and be rebranded Longerbar. We should probably put a “TM” after that, but we give our genius freely when it comes to making our favorite places better.

The more video poker the better, we say.

Here’s some history about The D (formerly Sundance) and the McDonald’s that became part of Fitzgerald’s in the 1990s. They were probably annoyed by it as well.

We will miss our occasional McDonald’s cones, but the closure of the McDonald’s at The D is far more important than our own personal indulgences. Especially because Derek and Greg Stevens can now revel in their longtime dream of being free of the yoke of the once-revered McDonald’s brand, despite the fact we’re pretty sure Greg Stevens is in physical pain at seeing how much this is going to cost. (He mostly works in Detroit, so he doesn’t see all the colorful characters/asshats every day as Derek Stevens and his team do.)

If the Stevens go with another restaurant in the McDonald’s space at The D, we’re up for that, too. Just not sushi, please. Sushi is weird and also attracts an undesirable crowd. All due respect.

Update (8/26/24): The McDonald’s at The D has permanently closed.

The post Shocker: McDonald’s to Close at The D, Here’s Why It’s a Big Deal appeared first on Vital Vegas.

Mirage volcano, done. TI pirate show, long gone. “Show in the Sky” at Rio, distant memory. On the bright side, Las Vegas has a new free attraction: A resident drone show at Atomic Golf at Strat. The show is intended for guests inside Atomic Golf, but we’ve got a hack to make the most of this new offering whether you’re a customer or not.

The drone show happens every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. It not only changes week-to-week, but also show-to-show in the same evening.

Here’s the drone show hack they don’t want you to know!

The new drone show is enthralling to watch from inside the venue, where guests can eat, drink and smack golf balls to their heart’s content.

Here’s video of the very first show.

The problem with watching the show from inside Atomic Golf is it happens behind poles supporting the venue’s netting, netting that prevents golf balls from flying into the surrounding neighborhood. Despite the fact the impact of projectiles would probably improve the appearance of the surrounding neighborhood, but that’s for another time.

It’s enjoyable to watch through the poles, but there’s a much better spot.

Between The Strat and Atomic Golf, there’s a small street, W. Philadelphia Ave. You can’t access it from Las Vegas Boulevard, but if you drive around to the back of Strat (on Fairfield Ave.), you can drive onto Philadelphia. It dead ends near some smelly garbage dumpsters. That distinctive fragrance is the key to finding the best spot to watch the show!

Atomic Golf would probably like people to enter their venue, as that pays for the drone show and to keep the lights on, but we don’t play by society’s rules.

Here’s the view of the drone show from the street, no obstructions.

On this street, drone nerds can also get a peek at the landing and take-off area for the show.

You can’t get access to where we were for the video below, unfortunately. But we are very important. It’s also known as “walking around as if you’re supposed to be there.” We also know Atomic Golf’s social marketing person.

You can legally park along one side of W. Philadelphia Ave. There is part of the street where pedestrians aren’t allowed during the show, directly under the drones (safety team members will shoo you away), but that’s not the best spot, anyway.

The drone show at Strat comes from a company called Skyworx Drone Shows, and is expected to run at least through the summer.

The number of drones varies. The first week, there were 400 drones. The second week, there were 285. Some shows will have 1,000 drones.

If you’re inside Atomic Golf when the drone show happens, cruise to the first floor, head toward Strat but turn right just before the entrance. It’s a 30-second walk to the prime viewing area.

Atomic Golf is in full promotion mode after struggling when the venue opened. A lot of employees were let go, and buzz was mostly about how hot the venue gets. It’s an indoor-outdoor venue, for the most part, and it’s been ungodly hot in Vegas over the last few weeks, so we can confirm the buzz is accurate.

Which presents some interesting business challenges for Atomic Golf, beyond it’s rough location at The Strat.

Is Atomic Golf a seasonal venue? That probably isn’t economically sustainable. Atomic Golf cost about $75 million to build.

Parking is another challenge. There are about 50 free spots on the north side of Atomic Golf, but the place has a capacity of 3,000 people. The plan was to have customers park in The Strat’s parking garage (no longer free), but that is a really long haul through the casino.

All that said, Atomic Golf is quite enjoyable, whether one has any interest in golf or not. We took time out of our drone show obsession to both golf and eat and lounge.

The lounge at Atomic Golf is awesome (and air conditioned), and management would do well to just promote the lounge on its own during the summer heat.

They are smartly offering a “Ladies Night” deal on Thursdays. Ladies can order one small bite dish (for as little as $11) and drink for an hour free. That’s a solid deal.

As we Tweeted, the Ladies Night deal was originally three hours of open bar, but there were some unintended consequences, presumably like awkward texts to exes and unplanned pregnancies. Unconfirmed.

The lounge @AtomicGolfVegas could be a stand-alone venue. For ladies night (Thursdays), women who order an appetizer get an open bar for an hour. Reminder: Tip on the value of the drinks served, not the $11 food tab. @stratvegas pic.twitter.com/Ub0UVO0nVP

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) July 26, 2024

Yes, we ordered a Woo Woo. Don’t judge. The open bar doesn’t apply to shots or specialty drinks, by the way.

Atomic Golf just sent out a news release with “weekly programming.”

Industry Night is every Monday, 7 p.m. to midnight. Industry pros get “two drink tickets and complimentary cocktails from Good Boy Vodka.” Industry nights are a smart way to get locals to visit a venue and to help spread the word.

Tequila Tuesdays happen every Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. to midnight. “Tequila Tuesday brings excitement with Latin music, food and beverage specials and a DJ. Enjoy specially made $5 carnitas tacos along with $5 tequila shots.”

We told you about “Ladies Night” in the Cosmic Lounge (Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.). This place should be packed, but with ladies and guys who like ladies who have been participating in an open bar for an hour.

There are live DJs every Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Hey, nowhere is perfect. It’s quite loud.

New is a “Boozy Brunch,” each Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. “Enjoy the weekend with Boozy Brunch, featuring a special menu and $25 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys.”

The food at Atomic Golf is better than one might expect at a sports-themed venue. The “Boozy Brunch” features the Brunch Burger, Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast and Summer Melon and Prosciutto with sherry gastrique, which would make a decent stripper name, honestly.

Atomic Golf has a lot more to offer than meets the eye, and if it weren’t in that location, it could give Top Golf near MGM Grand a run for its money. Top Golf opened in 2016, so it had a head start.

We aren’t sure what Atomic Golf can do about the heat of summer, although the misters and giant fans help a little.

We aren’t a sports person, but we are a drone person and a lounge person and a food person. For people like us, it’s useful to think of Atomic Golf as a giant Las Vegas lounge with some golf. People who take rideshare don’t care about whether parking is free or where it’s located.

We’re putting the chances of success for Atomic Golf at 50/50. Vegas loves a good gamble.

The post Drone Show Hack: The Best Way to View The Strip’s Newest Free Attraction appeared first on Vital Vegas.

A lucky bastard at Venetian snagged a $2.2 million prize playing what is arguably the most boring casino game, Face Up Pai Gow.

The side bet that resulted in this windfall: $5.

That, folks, is why Las Vegas is still a thing. It’s not sports or buffets or boobs. All right, boobs remain very important, but $2 million is nothing to sneeze at.

Venetian shared word of the progressive jackpot win via its Twitter account, which lemmings refer to as “X.”

When a $5 side bet turns into $2,211,469! A very lucky guest was dealt a seven card straight flush while playing Face Up Pai Gow. This was the largest Pai Gow Progressive paid out in the resort's history. Who's feeling lucky? 😎 pic.twitter.com/gF2P05lkpZ

— The Venetian Resort Las Vegas (@VenetianVegas) July 24, 2024

The player won with a seven card straight flush. The probability of getting this hand (the Joker is wild) is 0.00000127, or about the same chances as a guy hooking up in a Vegas nightclub wearing Crocs. Read more math.

Progressives do happen on a fairly regular basis, though. In January 2023, a poker pro won a $6.4 million Pai Gow jackpot at Flamingo. In February 2024, a player won $1.2 million playing Pai Gow at Planet Hollywood.

Why do we say Pai Gow is boring? Simple. Have you ever seen someone playing Pai Gow while operating heavy machinery? Of course not. That’s because it’s against the law.

Basically, people play Pai Gow for the comped drinks. And the occasional $2.2 million progressive jackpot.

The exact amount was $2,211,469, for the record. We are not making up the 69 part.

If you’re interested in Pai Gow, and you shouldn’t be, Venetian’s Web site has instructions for how to play.

Basically, you get seven cards. You split the cards into two hands, the “high hand” (five cards) and “low hand” (two cards), based upon traditional poker.

To win, both hands have to beat the dealer. If both hands lose, the player loses. If it’s 50/50, it’s a “push,” and nobody wins or loses.

It’s this pattern, times a gazillion. There’s a lot of pushing.

Big congrats to the jackpot winner at Venetian.

The post Venetian Player Wins $2.2 Million at World’s Most Boring Game appeared first on Vital Vegas.

A jaw-dropping new drone video takes viewers on a dizzying ride above and inside downtown’s Fremont East entertainment district.

The one-shot drone video comes from Corner Bar Management and its owner, Fremont East Mayor and Visionary Supreme Ryan Doherty, with videography by JayByrd Films.

We have dabbled in droning and can assure you the video is nothing short of impossible.

The venues highlighted in the video include: Park on Fremont, Discopussy, Lucky Day, We All Scream, Cheapshot, Commonwealth and La Mona Rosa (the only venue not on Fremont Street, formerly La Comida). No Laundry Room, the speakeasy inside Commonwealth, but that’s “top secret” and not especially drone accessible.

Buckle up, Lili Von Shtupp.

You thought we were exaggerating, right?

Yes, use of “Joy Ride” was approved by hometown favorites, The Killers. Fun fact: Killers members Dave Keuning and Brandon Flowers played their first live gig in Vegas in 2002, at an open mic night at Cafe Espresso Roma.

Here’s more details for the drone nerds: “The final video, capturing seamless continuous shots across each of the seven destinations, required numerous takes. Directed by Jay Christensen and Doherty, with Christensen also serving as the drone operator and director of photography, the video showcases the unique perspective of Downtown Las Vegas using a GoPro Hero 12 mounted on a custom-built Sub-250 drone. The video was produced by Emily Erhart, with Gian Lorenzo Ferretti as the assistant camera and Erik Nelson as co-producer. Post-production sound design was completed by Taylor Lewin and Christensen.”

Hey, credit where it’s due, this is an exceptional video.

Also exceptional is the neighborhood vibe Ryan Doherty and his team have created.

The Fremont East district is a distinctly different vibe than its counterpart, Fremont Street Experience. Which is to the west. Please keep up.

Doherty’s eclectic, diverse collection of venues gel to create what feels like a cohesive place to eat, drink and dance.

Other popular spots on Fremont East include Le Thai, The Griffin, Therapy, Backstage Bar and Billiards, Corduroy, Evel Pie, Flippin’ Good Burgers and Shakes, Eureka and others.

We did a lame video of Fremont East back in 2016, but a lot has changed. Droning is the new strolling around with a stabilizer.

The new Fremont East video provides not only eye candy, but a sense of what each of the venues offers. Corner Bar Management’s bars typically host around 6,000 guests on a weekend night.

The video also serves as a useful map when you’re building your bar-hopping itinerary in Las Vegas.

Props to everyone involved in making this incredible video happen, including the insurance company, because jebus.

Note: The same drone company made another OMFG video for Wynn Las Vegas.

We are now inspired to dust off our drone. Your eyeballs and limbs have been warned.

The post Impossible Drone Video Highlights Fremont East Venues appeared first on Vital Vegas.

The Neon Museum is one of the greatest museums in the world, but many visitors have avoided it due to its location in a sketchy neighborhood.

Confirming scoop we shared back in Nov. 2023, Neon Museum is eyeing a new location in what’s referred to as the “Arts District.” Any use of the word “arts” in relation to Las Vegas requires quotation marks. Bless their hearts, they’re trying.

The Neon Museum houses a slew of classic neon signs, many from closed casinos. The new location will be able to accommodate even more, as it will be three times bigger.

When we got wind of a Neon Museum move last year, no specific new location had been chosen. That’s still the case.

Neon Museum is rumored to be considering a location change. Preliminary discussions, but a good direction.

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) November 1, 2023

The Neon Museum announced its plans at a Las Vegas City Council meeting, and the details are still a smidge murky.

Originally, it sounded like the Neon Museum was trying to decide between two sites in the Arts District, but now it sounds like they’re moving into both.

One location has a 60,000-square-foot outdoor display space and a 47,000-square-foot indoor area, both in a proposed parking garage on the 9th and 10th floors. The second site is a 35,000-square-foot programmable space a short walk away, the museum said.

Putting the Neon Museum in a parking garage is an odd choice, but it would provide shade for at least part of the exhibit.

The whole indoor/outdoor aspect of the Neon Museum has been a challenge, especially in the context of the recent heat wave in Las Vegas. The museum had to end daytime access due to extreme heat.

Lots of questions about the Neon Museum move remain unanswered. What happens with the La Concha Motel lobby used by the Neon Museum as a reception area?

Never take for granted we have a this. @NeonMuseum pic.twitter.com/rNVSPVe9K7

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) May 13, 2023

And what happens to “Brilliant,” the Neon Museum’s must-see projection mapping show?

However this saga progresses, three things are certain: 1) Any location is better than the Neon Museum’s current location, 2) The Neon Museum needs more space (see below), and 3) We shared it first. Neener-neener, Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Neon Museum has been in contact with Mirage and Tropicana, both for the reasons you might hope, and others you wouldn’t guess. Related: The phrase “Off the record” straight-up sucks.

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) November 9, 2023

We are a huge fan of the Neon Museum, despite the fact we got a cease and desist when we took a photo of the site with our drone. That was a different administration, but still.

Must-do Neon Museum gets big-ass grant, expansion begins. https://t.co/HfzSIMm22v pic.twitter.com/EgY4cfdKXm

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) March 29, 2017

Here’s more about the Neon Museum. Here’s the official Neon Museum Web site.

The Neon Museum continues to add to its collection, creating unique challenges for the non-profit. Signs are often huge, so a lot of tough decisions have to be made about what can be saved and displayed.

Beyond displaying classic signs, the Neon Museum also occasionally restores and relights them.

Several Flamingo signs (or parts of signs) got the refresh and relighting treatment. The Moulin Rouge sign was relit in Sep. 2020.

Plaza recently had one of its signs lit up following a restoration. Fun fact: The same designer who did the Sassy Sally and Plaza signs, Charles Barnard, also designed Vegas Vickie. You can see his signature on the bottom of Vickie’s boot at Circa.

Moving the Neon Museum to the Arts District will provide some elbow room and a fresh start. The area is a little seedy, but not nearly as seedy as its current location, so that’s something.

More visibility and accessibility means the Neon Museum can continue to do what it does best, preserving Las Vegas history in an utterly unique way.

More details to come, but the future of the Neon Museum appears bright.

Update (7/18/24): Neon Museum officials have clarified some of their plans. Officials say the Neon Museum has turned away 30,000 visitors “due to sold out nights last year alone.” About 35% of the museum’s collection is visible to the public, the rest is kept in storage. Here’s more from the Executive Director of the Neon Museum, who says the expansion will include: “A neon maker’s space, a neon boneyard, classrooms and a visible storage center for new additions to the collection.” The parking lot location is at the corner of Art Way and Boulder Avenue. The La Concha structure will be moved to one of the new locations. The Neon Museum hopes to have one or both of the new locations open by 2027. The museum hopes to raise $45 million for the move and expansion.

Update (8/22/24): On August 22, 2024, the City of Las Vegas shared a rendering of what the Neon Museum might look like in its new location. The Tweet with the rendering was quickly deleted, as was a portion of an accompanying video that had the rendering. Oopsie. It seems the City jumped the gun on sharing the rendering and the Neon Museum wasn’t happy. We’re sharing it for posterity, although the Neon Museum clarified this is a preliminary rendering and the final result could be different.

The City has deleted its Tweet with the Neon Museum rendering and also removed it from their video. Our money’s on it being a Neon Museum freak-out. Lighten up, @NeonMuseum. “Reveals” are a PR holdover from the 1970s. In the attention economy, buzz is gold. (cc: Fontainebleau) https://t.co/Vvi3UsMhhc pic.twitter.com/WjpqoEZPwU

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) August 23, 2024

The post Confirmed: Neon Museum is Moving Out of Its Crappy Neighborhood appeared first on Vital Vegas.

Imagine all the time we could’ve saved you by just putting the opening date of downtown’s new Glitter Gulch Tiki bar in the headline of this story.

We aren’t here to save you time. In fact, not everything is about you. Sometimes, it’s about the journey, not the destination.

Glitter Gulch Tiki opens July 12, 2024. We love building suspense, but we aren’t a monster.

So, what is Glitter Gulch Tiki?

You would not be asking this if you’d been following us on Twitter. We shared the name of the place, and a peek inside, back in March.

A little Friday boom. First look inside a new tiki bar under construction in the former Nacho Daddy space just off Fremont. Name: Glitter Gulch. pic.twitter.com/l3LcrHMl5s

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) March 22, 2024

Glitter Gulch Tiki comes from the folks behind the wildly popular Nacho Daddy. In fact, Glitter Gulch Tiki is where the old Nacho Daddy used to be, half a block off Fremont Street. Nacho Daddy moved next door. Long story.

Glitter Gulch Tiki was designed by a well-known tiki master, Ben Bassham, nicknamed “Bamboo Ben.” We bumped into Bassham and his son, Blake Bassham, as they were working on the bar, and they know their tikis. Unless the plural of tiki is tiki, then nevermind.

A news release about the new tiki bar says, “The Basshams have infused the space with an authentic tiki magic, honoring their deep-rooted Vegas ties. Elevated tiki elements including a social media-worthy straw-hut covered bar, handcrafted blowfish pendant lights, and an interior furnished with custom leather and glitter seating and exotic wooden archways emulating the South Pacific islands. Local artist You Killed Me First also designed custom tiki art window wraps that incorporate Vegas’ neon-lit history. The 90-seat indoor space will be a destination in and of itself, with its beachy lounge seating, center bar, intimate dance floor with a stage for live music.”

We will decide what is social media-worthy, thank you.

Not surprisingly, due to its affiliation with Nacho Daddy, Glitter Gulch will serve The Scorpion, “an impressive shareable drink and an ode to Nacho Daddy’s signature Scorpion Shot.” Yes, that’s actually a thing. With an actual scorpion. Top tip: Swallow, don’t chew.

The venue will have not only exotic drinks, but also food, of course. We suspect they’ll share the kitchen with Nacho Daddy.

Small plates will include Coconut Shrimp, Lumpia, Grilled Wings with pineapple BBQ sauce, desserts and “variations of the ever-popular Dole Whip like the Lili of the Valley Dole Whip (Telson Blanco Tequila, Coconut Cream, Lime Juice and Passion Fruit Puree).”

We don’t really get the connection between tiki culture and Dole Whip, but it’s very popular at another Vegas tiki bar, Golden Tiki.

Despite the fact live music (at the wrong volume) can ruin everything, we’re actually excited to check this place out.

The Glitter Gulch Tiki Web site is live.

Great pedigree, great location, great concept and what appears to be a great execution, Glitter Gulch Tiki is bound to become a popular downtown hangout.

Update (7/10/24): The opening has been postponed. No new opening date has been provided.

Update (7/11/24): Despite the crushing disappointment of a delayed opening, we did get our hands on the Glitter Gulch Tiki cocktail and food menu. It will have to do for now.

Here’s the sweet backside. Of the menu.

Update (9/6/24): According to a rep, Glitter Gulch Tiki had to push back its opening because of safety regulations related to their flaming drinks. The venue has passed inspections, and Glitter Gulch Tiki opens Oct. 4, 2024. Here’s more.

The post Downtown’s Glitter Gulch Tiki Gets Opening Date appeared first on Vital Vegas.

It’s a bold move, but downtown is creating a new music festival for those who have zero interest in the polarizing F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The inaugural Neon City Festival will be held Nov. 22-24, 2024, pretty much directly on top of the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Nov. 21-23, 2024.

The Neon City Festival is being backed by all the downtown casinos hit so hard financially by last year’s F1 race.

The Neon City Festival will be free.

Word of the festival was first shared by us, of course. We are not, as rumored, omniscient. Some information about the event was shared in an agenda for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).

The LVCVA will approve $1 million in sponsorship of the Neon City Festival at its meeting on July 9, 2024.

Details about the festival are a smidge scant at this point, but the LVCVA agenda says, “The inaugural Neon City Festival will take place over the 2024 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, November 22-24, 2024, to drive incremental visitation to Downtown Las Vegas. The Neon City Festival will include programming across Fremont Street Experience, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, and the surrounding downtown area. The Neon City Festival will incorporate an eclectic mix of A-list musical talent, local vendors, art installations and exhibits, and a variety of food and beverage outlets from famed Las Vegas venues. The Neon City Festival will be free and open to the public of all ages.”

That million bucks from the LVCVA should assure the promise of “A-list musical talent” actually is.

The Neon City Festival will be unique in that it will see all the casinos downtown collaborating on the event. Such events are usually one-offs at specific venues, and casinos not part of the Fremont Street Experience (FSE) are not included or featured (such as with FSE’s free concert series).

The Strat, El Cortez, Plaza and Downtown Grand aren’t part of the Fremont Street Experience, but they’ll be included in the Neon City Festival, we hear.

This unprecedented partnership is the result of an unprecedented debacle: F1’s first Las Vegas Grand Prix.

F1’s first race not only caused months of disruption due to roadwork and construction of grandstands, it financially negatively impacted the vast majority of Las Vegas casinos and innumerable other businesses.

As criticism of F1 and the LVCVA has grown, downtown leaders had to choose between openly criticizing F1, or creating counter-programming to ensure their hotel rooms weren’t empty again.

The Neon City Festival is an ingenius solution to a complicated problem. (It’s complicated because four casinos actually made a lot of money during F1, which is the mandate of the LVCVA, to drive business.)

The fact is, F1 isn’t popular enough to fill Las Vegas on its own, as painful as that might be for F1 to hear.

The Neon City Festival will be touted as being “additive” to F1, building on the weekend, rather than competition. If you’re into F1 for whatever reason, have at it. If you’re not, there’s a free festival downtown. The Raiders play the Denver Broncos on Nov. 24, 2024, too, so there’s that.

There’s more to come, and an announcement of the line-up is sure to make a splash.

The Neon City Festival should make inroads into quelling some of the F1 hate. Not ours, of course, as we’re still going to be stuck in traffic on The Strip for three months, but possibly for other people.

We love downtown, and with the creation of the Neon City Festival, now there will be even more to love.

Update (7/9/24): As expected, the LVCVA approved its sponsorship of the Neon City Festival. The following statement was issued by the festival: “Today, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority approved to sponsor the Neon City Festival, a new free music and culinary event in Downtown Las Vegas taking place November 22-24, 2024. The festival will feature a large sprawling footprint, headliner talent, diverse food and beverage offerings and more. Created by Derek Stevens, the Neon City Festival will be a new corporate entity overseen by appointed CEO Jeff Victor with the involvement of its co-founders Circa Resort & Casino, the D Las Vegas, Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, Fremont Street Experience, Binion’s Gambling Hall, California Hotel Casino, Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino, El Cortez Hotel & Casino, 4 Queens Hotel & Casino, Fremont Hotel & Casino, Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Main Street Station, Plaza Hotel & Casino and The Strat Hotel, Casino & Tower. The Neon City Festival looks forward to revealing additional details in the coming weeks.”

We used to work with Jeff Victor when he was president of Fremont Street Experience (he ran the show for nearly a decade), and he is the bomb. Victor has extensive experience in entertainment, including concerts, festivals, special events, stage shows, amusement parks and attractions, so he’s the perfect guy to spearhead this new festival.

The post Downtown to Host Neon City Festival During F1 Grand Prix Weekend appeared first on Vital Vegas.

Yes, the whole thing is weird. It’s Life is Beautiful, but it’s not, and you’ve probably never heard of any of the acts, and it’s in the Arts District but it’s not because it’s at Plaza, but it’s not.

Life is Beautiful’s “A Big Beautiful Block Party” (which will henceforth be referred to as Life is Beautiful),” is a “two-day dance party” in a lot next to Plaza casino in downtown Las Vegas. The event happens Sep. 27-28, 2024.

We’re here to help.

The Life is Beautiful festival has a long and glorious history, which we won’t be sharing here because that would take “effort” and you don’t really care all that much about history. If you did, you’d bore everyone at the bar with long dissertations about how ancient Mesopotamia forever changed date palm cultivation. We owe so much to the Sumerians, but you don’t care. Technically, they invented blogging, and written language, the foundation of blogging. Sumerians also invented the first typos. We have never made one of those, but we hear a lot of people do. It’s the same people who use “your” when they mean “you’re.” How dare you ignore such a culturally significant part of history? You’re impudence is duly noted. (Fun fact: Ten percent of people just failed that test, yet they are somehow allowed to vote, procreate and hold high level positions in the F1 organization.)

Please exploit the Sumerians further by continuing your journey toward something of actual value to you.

Here’s the line-up for Life is Beautiful’s 2024 block party. Gird your eyes, as this is one of those rare promotional graphics designed to make you look in another direction.

We are not a graphics designer, but we have eyes.

Here, we fixed the colors so they’re slightly more bearable.

Some things of interest.

Despite our undeniable youth, we have literally never heard of any of the people on this poster. Therefore, we can’t exactly vouch for the fact they are, indeed, people.

The line-up features: Justice, Peggy Gou, LCD Soundsystem, Jamie xx, Jungle, James Blake, Thundercat, Toro y Moi, Badbadnotgood, Neil Frances, LP Giobbi, Empress Of, John Talabot and Fifi.

We sincerely hope the site we cut-and-paste that from had a copy editor look it over for spelling errors because we certainly aren’t doing it.

It’s worth noting this “block party” isn’t intended to “replace” Life is Beautiful, so there’s no sense comparing it to the previous incarnation.

Rolling Stone owns the event now, and honestly, it feels a little slapped together. Winging it. Fumbling around in a cactus indoor cultivation facility with a blindfold on.

The event touts “No overlapping sets.” Most music festivals have multiple stages, so you have to pick one during any given time slot (while missing some acts due to the overlap). “No overlapping sets” translates into, “We don’t have all that many acts.” Or possibly, “Decisions are overrated.”

The poster says the event is happening in downtown’s Arts District, which is simply false. Plaza is more than a mile away from the Arts District as the crow flies. Crows fly rather than walking between Plaza and the Arts District because it’s a little sketchy. Somebody has to say it.

Still, Life is Beautiful is downtown (it nearly went to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds), which is a big deal. This year’s event direction gives organizers some time to get their feet wet and figure out what Life is Beautiful is going to be moving forward.

Life is Beautiful previously had a culinary component, an art component and even a comedy component. You know, things that didn’t generate revenue.

Life is Beautiful had a “manifesto,” but under new ownership, it feels oddly unrelated.

Big picture, Rolling Stone has done a pretty good job of setting expectations. Then again, that was mostly us in our Tweets of the last few months.

We told you all this was happening before it happened, as is our way.

Big news about the next iteration of downtown’s Life is Beautiful festival is near (over/under is a week for official announcement). Festival will be rebranded (an important move to distinguish the past from the future under new ownership, despite some possible loss of brand…

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) June 21, 2024

If you dig this genre of music, you are likely to love Life is Beautiful this year. It’s good for downtown, although, most of these kids don’t drink or gamble. The rooms fill up, however.

The main message from Life is Beautiful is to not compare this event to previous festivals, compare it to itself.

This festival has been around since 2013, created by Tony Hsieh and his team, including festival co-founders Rehan Choudhry and Joey Vanas. It bled money for several years (the festival lost $10 million in its first three years of existence), then Hsieh grew weary of subsidizing the thing and the line-ups became more modest and the festival started breaking even and eventually even made money.

As mentioned, this is the first year Rolling Stone owns the festival one hundred percent. They owned a majority stake starting in 2022. Technically, it’s owned by Rolling Stone’s parent company, Penske Media, but let’s not get bogged down in details. We have a haircut appointment.

Tickets to Life is Beautiful go on sale June 27, 2024. Tickets start at $199.

The previous version of Life is Beautiful couldn’t last forever, especially given it was held in a space that’s likely to be sold off by the Hsieh estate. Local businesses had mixed feeling about being inside or near the festival footprint. For some, business was great during the festival, for others, not so much.

We’re just happy Life is Beautiful confirmed all our scoop, and our fellow kids will have yet another opportunity to dress in skimpy outfits and pop Molly and make heart symbols out of their hands for the Instas or TikToks, whichever one hasn’t been banned yet.

Life really is beautiful, and it comes in all shapes and sizes.

The new incarnation of Life is Beautiful may not be for everyone, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s for who it’s for.

Whenever people gather to dance and laugh and express joy and hook up with complete strangers, there’s a momentary escape from all the WTF going on in the world. That’s why Las Vegas exists in the first place.

The post Life is Beautiful’s “Big Beautiful Block Party” Announces 2024 Line-Up appeared first on Vital Vegas.