So You're Sayin' It's Possible

It would take you more than 400 years to spend a night in all of Las Vegas’s hotel rooms.

(Bits&Pieces.us)

I Unfortunately Never Played This Course

Last rounds on the Strip: Golf course made big impressions, but succumbs to economics

[T]he Wynn Golf Club will cease operations Dec. 17.

Despite the average appearance of the clubhouse and no-frills practice area, Kannon said the course was always “perfectly manicured” and service was “the best of any golf course in town.”

“You were escorted to a locker room, they shined your shoes for you, you were greeted by your caddy, you had free refreshments and light snacks for the day, and you were over-the-top pampered at that course,” Kannon said.

Kannon said the course’s closing came down to simple economics. He said the new water park project, on one of the valley’s most valuable pieces of land, would likely provide more revenue than the greens fees.

The closing of the Wynn Golf Club follows a similar trend of shuttering courses across the Las Vegas Valley, which is part of the reason Kannon described it as “a minor miracle” that it was open 12 years.

“Eventually, it just becomes a financial thing,” he said. “But at least the course lasted as long as it did.”

(LasVegasSun.com)

This Restaurants Closure Saddens Me

Landry’s Seafood House Shutters on the Westside 

Even more changes for the local Landry’s empire

Even those who never dined at Landry’s Seafood House can’t miss the neon signage facing its more famous neighbor, Palace Station resort. Self-described as the “flagship restaurant” concept in the Landry's Inc. portfolio and despite years of service, the steak and seafood restaurant has now shuttered on Sahara Avenue.

A replacement for the substantial restaurant space has not been announced.

The closure follows a series of local overhauls by the corporation. Both locations of Joe’s Crab Shack have now shuttered, less than two months after the chain was acquired by Landry’s. And McCormick & Schmick’s vanished at the Hughes Center in September, to be quickly replaced by moving another of its restaurants, Claim Jumper, over from Town Square.

(Vegas.Eater.com)

These Are Some Awesome Works Of Art

The Most Badass Buildings in America You've Probably Never Heard Of

Emerson College

• Los Angeles, California
• Completed: 2012

In a city defined by its sprawl, Emerson College in Los Angeles strikes a pretty stunning juxtaposition. The structured outer building frames softer, more organic shapes threaded through the middle that serve as a combination of classrooms, student centers, and dorms. Nestled on Sunset Boulevard between Hollywood and the panoramic views of Griffith Observatory, it's the kind of place you can't help but marvel at while you're sitting in traffic. 

Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Completed: 2007

This offshoot of the Cleveland Clinic is unlike any other hospital, and it almost didn't happen. Starchitect extraordinaire Frank Gehry swore he would never build in Vegas, lest his work become another kitschy casino or tourist trap. But his heart changed when beverage magnate Larry Ruvo, who had lost his father Lou to Alzheimer's Disease, asked him to design a research center focusing on neurological diseases. Gehry demurred, but when Ruvo offered to expand the center's research to Huntington's Disease, an affliction Gehry had long since advocated research on, the architect signed on. The building is a Gehry masterwork, all wending spirals of shined metal and tumbled facades with the controlled chaos of the Strip as a backdrop. 

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

Some Awesome Balloon Art @ Wynn Las Vegas

(Facebook.com)

This Is A Walk Of Fame For Me

(CavemanCircus.com)

I Want To Try These

What To Order at The Steakhouses of Las Vegas

3 Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres

• Featuring a meat bar where patrons can choose their meat and cut
• Wagyu beef cheeks

5 Carnevino

• Do request the 240-day dry aged beef that tastes like blue cheese and sells by the ounce.

11 Gordon Ramsay Steak

• [F]amous beef Wellington

Complete list (Vegas.Eater.com)

If I Had The Money, I'd Do This

Dine with Thomas Keller, Curtis Stone with This Pricey Package 

Ultimo returns to the Venetian with Paul Bartolotta and more

Guests sit at an enormous table that spans the entire Grand Colonnade of the Venetian. Dom Perignon, DAOU Vineyards, Marqués de Murrieta, Memento Mori and Pio Cesare pour pairings with the meal.

Tickets start at $4,551 per couple for a luxury suite package that includes a luxury suite, car service to and from the airport, Belvedere and caviar welcome reception at Paiza Club, a hot air balloon trip or Rolls-Royce driving experience, Dom Pérignon picnic, Louis Vuitton fashion experience, the Grand Banquet, Lalique after party, and farewell brunch at Hacienda Patrón. The $5,751 takes guests through a similar experience, but they stay in a Renaissance suite.

For tickets, visit venetian.com/ultimo. This is the fourth year of the event.

(Vegas.Eater.com)

Fight On, Golden Knights!

Vegas Golden Knights official team name 

Owner Bill Foley announces decision five months after being awarded expansion franchise

The Vegas Golden Knights are officially the 31st team to join the NHL.

Exactly five months after Las Vegas was awarded an expansion team, owner Bill Foley announced the name and revealed the team logo Tuesday at Toshiba Place, just outside of T-Mobile Arena, where the Golden Knights will begin play in the 2017-18 season.

Before making the annoucement, Foley told the crowd what the name and logo would represent.

"Our logo and our name is really going to exhibit the highest element of the warrior class - the knight," Foley said. "The knight protects the unprotected. The knight defends the realm. The knight never gives up, never gives in, always advances, never retreats, and that's what our team is going to be."

(NHL.com)

I Hope This Happens

Liberty eyes night F1 race in Las Vegas

A Formula 1 night race around Las Vegas has been singled out as a key target for the sport over the next few years by its new owners Liberty Media.

With the American company having taken a 19.1 percent stake in F1, it is evaluating how best to make the sport more attractive for fans and generate greater revenue.

Liberty has already talked about the possibility of a bigger calendar, but its CEO Greg Maffei has now spoken specifically about the desire for one venue to happen.

"I particularly like the idea of a night race in Las Vegas," Maffei said during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecoms conference in Barcelona this week.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone held talks with interested parties from Las Vegas earlier this year about a potential second USA race there alongside Austin, but the discussions have not appeared to progress far.

(Motorsport.com)

Whiskey & Steaks, A Heavenly Match

Whiskey Heaven: Why Delmonico Steakhouse Is Actually the Best Whiskey Bar in Vegas

Delmonico specializes in hard-to-find verticals -- or whiskeys of different ages or editions from the same distillery. Some of her top choices right now include Booker's 25th Anniversary 10-year-old bourbon, which was limited to just 6,000 bottles when released in 2014 ("I still have a few bottles hidden upstairs") and the incoming 10th edition release of Parker's Heritage 24-year-old bottled-in-bond bourbon ("I was lucky enough to get two bottles"). A "bonded" product follows an especially strict set of guidelines and regulations when being made. A serving of Chivas Regal Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute sells for $535 per serving. It's been aged for at least 40 years.

(Thrillist.com)

These Are Worth The Drive

14 Fancy Pants Versions of French Fries to Try in Las Vegas Right Now

6 Duck Fat Fries at StripSteak

• The poshest way in Las Vegas to dip your fries in ketchup comes with the fancy presentation of the famous trio of duck fat fries at Michael Mina's StripSteak at Mandalay Bay. The garlic-herb oil, sriracha ketchup and truffle aioli combination often causes guests to ask for second serving.

Complete list (Vegas.Eater.com)

I Look Forward To Eating Here

Your First Look Inside Morimoto 

The Iron Chef is ready to debut his first Las Vegas restaurant

(Vegas.Eater.com)

You Need To Dine At These Places

16 of the Most Epic Extreme Meat Dishes in Las Vegas

14 Strip Steak

• Michael Mina features a 30-ounce dry-aged porterhouse American wagyu grilled over mesquite and served with black truffle mac and cheese.

15 Tender Steak & Seafood

• Tender Steak & Seafood features game meats such as range-fed bison available in a 10 ounce or boneless 14 ounce, lamb shank, braised free-range shank of Oregon lamb and bison osso busco.

Complete list (Vegas.Eater.com)

Did They Choose The Right City In Your State?

The Most Obnoxiously Rich Suburb of America's 35 Biggest Cities

Las Vegas: Summerlin, Nevada

• Population: 100,000 (2010 estimate)
• Exciting and pompous fact: What's pompous in Summerlin, stays in Summerlin. 

Is Summerlin actually in Las Vegas? Las Vegas and its "suburbs" are a confusing entity, all kind of linked together in one major way, like your and everyone else's next blood test results when you enter one of those giant casino hotel pool parties. What we do know about the area is that it is a master-planned community, which is basically developer-speak for giant homes on square lots and at least three golf courses within easy Bentley-ing distance. Of course, because this is Vegas and everything is 40 times bigger, the population of this "suburb" is still hugggggeeee, especially compared to most of these other places. But yeah, if you live around Vegas and you want to out-obnoxious a place where it's somewhat normal to see 50-year-old grandmas wearing scrunched mini-dresses at a club, start here. -- K.A.  

Los Angeles: Santa Clarita, California

• Population: 181,557
• Exciting and pompous fact: It officially rebranded itself as "Awesometown" in 2010.

Imagine Los Angeles in all its vapid, lipsticked emptiness. Now imagine its churchgoing cousin with a minivan, who actually looks like those women in the Clorox Bleach Pen commercials by day, and an unfiltered Botox "after" picture by night. Suburban indoctrination here starts in high school, where 14-year-olds with driver's permits are taught that lifted trucks with Mammoth decals make the loudest mating call, and perfect prom curls are somehow the everyday beauty standard. It's zero surprise that Disney Channel starlets and that werewolf from Twilight all hail from this gilded 'burb.  

Sure, some of the West Coast's most talented chefs are just a 35-minute drive away, but soccer-mom fears of what lies beyond the canyons (traffic! Liberals! A/C-less bathrooms!) mean that chains like Macaroni Grill are relegated to "destination restaurant" status. But life here is optimistic. Everyone is cordial and "is middle class," even if said middle-classer might live in ritzier Stevenson Ranch, where homes push the million mark. Closely related to the humblebrag, this dishonest, self-serving version of modesty is probably what most people associate with Los Angeles. Say this for LA and its most noxious suburb: they truly deserve one another. -- Michelle No, production assistant

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

Um . . . . .

The Best Food City in Every State

California: San Francisco

With apologies to the fish tacos and Cali burritos of SD, and the Dodger Dogs, Apple Pan burgers, and French dips of LA, and that one place in Sacramento that gives you a giant thing of burnt cheese with your burger, San Francisco still wears the food princess tiara in the Golden State. Is it a shock that chefs almost unconsciously cite NYC and SF in the same sentence when they discuss going to a city to learn how to really cook? Is it strange that, despite its relatively middle-of-the-road population size (13th in the country behind Austin and Jacksonville), it is the most restaurant-dense city in America and routinely cleans up at national Beard Awards?  

Should we start name-dropping now? How about the internationally lauded food at Al's Place, State Bird Provisions, and Mission Chinese? Insanely good pizzas from Del Popolo, Tony's, and Flour + Water? The best burritos in the world at La Taqueria and El Farolito? Crazy-delicious baked goods everywhere, including kouign amann at b. patisserie (which basically started a national kouign amann trend, despite the fact that no one can pronounce it)? Can we stop asking rhetorical questions now and move on to another state?  

Nevada: Las Vegas 

We were originally going to say Tahoe. Then we thought about Reno. And then we decided we're not assholes, but debated making a joke about buffets... but come on. We're better than that. So is Vegas... and if you need us to tell you it's more than shrimp cocktail and getting side-eyed by a guy named Lefty, well, maybe Reno is all you deserve. We hear the buffets are nice.

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

And We're Kinda Ok With it

10 Sneaky Ways Las Vegas Casinos Take Your Money

Casinos are windowless traps

• What time of day is it? Where is the nearest exit? Good luck finding some daylight at many mega-casinos like MGM Grand or Caesars Palace. These palatial facilities may be beautiful in a kitschy sort of way, but are designed to keep you numb to the outside world. While some newer Vegas casinos like the Cosmopolitan are getting away from this type of design, many still hope to leave you in casino purgatory with a maze-like design of games, shopping, and restaurants, where there's nothing else to do but give up your cash.

Dirty hidden fees, part one

• Many casino hotels charge what are called "resort fees" -- daily charges tacked on to the hotel bill for "resort amenities" rather than just including them in the cost of the hotel room -- which is just a way to bump up what you thought was a reasonable bill. Imagine you've taken a beating at the tables for a few days and then the casino hits you with another $50 upon departure. "This is one of the worst," says Anthony Curtis with LasVegasAdvisor.com. "The fee should be transparently included in the rate. Only a few casinos no longer charge the resort fee."

The club you don't want to be a part of

• Joining the players club at casinos will earn you "cash back" or "player points" -- the more you gamble, the more perks and points you get, redeemable for things like merchandise, free room and meal comps, or cool jackets. But remember the big picture -- these clubs are designed to keep players at the tables and slot machines longer. Curtis argues that players should always join the clubs to get something back, but the casinos wouldn't offer these programs if they weren't getting the better end of the deal. Don't defy logic by losing hundreds of dollars to earn points that score you a beer koozie.

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

It's Official, Vegas Finally Gets A Pro Team!

Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise 

Expansion team will begin play in 2017-18 season

LAS VEGAS -- The NHL is coming to Vegas baby, Vegas.

Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday in the ballroom of Encore at Wynn Las Vegas that the League has granted an expansion franchise to Las Vegas that will start playing as its 31st team in the 2017-18 season. The Las Vegas franchise was approved in a unanimous vote conducted during the Board of Governors meeting here Wednesday.

The NHL becomes the first of the four major North American professional sports leagues to put a team in Las Vegas. This will be the NHL's first expansion team since the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild came into the League in the 2000-01 season.

The League will receive a $500 million expansion fee from Bill Foley, the billionaire businessman who spearheaded the Las Vegas expansion bid and will be the franchise's principal owner. The $500 million will be distributed equally among the existing 30 teams.

(NHL.com)

Of Course It Has A Top Notch Water Hazard, aka It's Pool

Topgolf Las Vegas is the world's most insane driving range

It has 108 hitting bays, six flashing, multi-colored targets, four levels that cover 105,000 square feet, five fully-stocked bars, a plethora of large-screen TVs that are designed to showcase every significant sporting event (there are even TVs at the far end of the range, so you can hit balls while watching sports), a concert venue, a Callaway Golf fitting studio, two pools, a pro shop that sells everything from polos and board shorts to tanks and bikinis, and, well, you get the idea.

Topgolf Las Vegas, the largest Topgolf yet, is about to become hottest venue on the Las Vegas Strip.

"Our flagship venue is the product of nearly four years of hard work and reimagining what the Topgolf experience could be like," said Topgolf CEO Ken May. "We can't wait to welcome our fans and new guests from all over the world to play at Topgolf."

The venue, which is located right behind the MGM Grand, opens its doors to the public on May 19th at 8 a.m. PDT, and it's expecting more than one million visitors in its first year. We got to experience Topgolf Las Vegas at a media event on Tuesday night, and it's nothing short of insane.

(GolfDigest.com)

This Is Why The New Program Sucks

Everything You Need to Know About the Las Vegas Pay-to-Park Disaster

It's only a few extra bucks. What's the big deal?

It's not that visitors or locals are unwilling to pay an extra few dollars here and there. That's why we gladly tip the cocktails servers, valet attendants, and anyone else who is working hard to contribute to our experience on the Strip. However, there is resentment that a multi-billion dollar company wants to squeeze every nickel and penny out of its customers... just because it can. Apparently it's not enough that the casinos in Las Vegas have already squashed competition like Powerball in the state, and have used their political influence to keep tax burdens in check for decades -- while the Nevada school system runs dry of the same money that the casino floors soak in. It's now chipping away at some of the best aspects of what makes Las Vegas awesome: its convenience and low cost-of-living. MGM Resorts has been eagerly pointing out that other destination cities, from Los Angeles to Orlando, already charge much more for parking in tourist areas. But that's the point. Las Vegas isn't like any other city. We come here to waste money when we want to. Not because we have to. It's part of a tradition that says "come where the parking and valet is free so you can spend your money on the casino floor instead." It's the Sin City version of freedom: blowing money on your own terms.

If you haven't pulled your car into the parking garage of the Bellagio or Mirage, driven up to the top level and soaked in the quiet open air neon view of the Strip, then you truly haven't experienced Las Vegas.

(Thrillist.com)