Big Las Vegas Hotels' Scam EXPOSED and More Casino Closures?

Nothing ever stays the same in Las Vegas, and this March 2023 Las Vegas update makes that very clear once again. We will cover the biggest Las Vegas news and rumors that you need to be aware of, as well as the can’t miss shows and concerts coming to Las Vegas in March 2023.

New Rumors about the potential home of the Oakland A’s

Las Vegas is constantly changing, and history has shown that casinos once considered iconic can be closed and imploded for the next big thing in Las Vegas. Examples include such iconic Las Vegas casino resorts as The Dunes, The Sands, and The Stardust, and we don’t expect this trend to change anytime soon.

Oakland A’s (photo by The Athletic)

There has been a lot of rumors about potential sites for the future home of the Oakland A’s. The Tropicana on the south end of the Strip has been much talked about as potentially going away to make room for the A’s new baseball stadium. A new potential site has recently surfaced however and has increased speculation about the future of this once iconic Las Vegas casino resort. 

The latest rumor is that the Oakland A’s are considering building their new baseball stadium on a part of the huge parking lot behind the Rio. It’s unclear what this would mean for the Rio casino resort itself, but current speculation is that the Rio would not be imploded to make room for the stadium. The Rio’s new owner, Dreamscape Properties, has previously announced plans to make significant renovations on the property, so this latest rumor could be part of the Rio’s overall transformation and rebirth. 

A class-action lawsuit has been filed claiming Las Vegas hotels & casinos colluded to artificially inflate hotel room prices

A law firm recently filed a class- action lawsuit against MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Treasure Island and Wynn claiming that they "artificially inflated the prices of hotel rooms above competitive levels" by sharing (purportedly illegally) room-rate information with each other via a third party revenue-management platform called Rainmaker. It will be interesting to follow this case to learn whether this approach has had any impact on the historic high hotel room rates we have been recently experiencing in Las Vegas. 

Is the MSG Sphere in trouble?

According to the New York Post, the MSG Sphere is having trouble signing on corporate sponsorships and is quickly burning through cash. The MSG Sphere has been betting on its massive 60,000-square-foot LED screen to attract entertainers and corporate sponsors. Many acts are reportedly concerned that the visual shows might overpower their music. Stay tuned for more on this as we get closer to the MSG Sphere opening date.

MSG Sphere Las Vegas ( rendered photo by MSG Sphere)

U2 finally “officially” announced to open the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas

U2 has finally made the announcement that it will open the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas. Show dates and ticket prices have not yet been announced, but are reportedly to include about 12 shows beginning around September 29th. U2 is also reportedly being paid $10M for the production in addition to 90% of the earnings from ticket sales. 

Nascar Weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, March 3rd – 5th

Nacar at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (photo by Turn It Up World)

  The best Nascar race car drivers are on their way to Las Vegas for the Spring Nascar weekend March 3rd – 5th at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  The highlight of the weekend event is the highly anticipated Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, We were fortunate to attend Nascar weekend in Vegas last year and it was such a fun experience.  Just a word of advice, if you are sensitive to loud noises, you may want to bring some earplugs because those race cars scream loudly as they come down the track.

The Punk Rock Museum is opening on March 10th in Las Vegas

Punk Rock Museum (photo by Punk Rock Museum)

The Punk Rock Museum is located at 1422 Western Avenue in the industrial area between the Arts District and I-15 – just a quick Uber ride from the Strip or Downtown. Exhibits will feature handwritten lyrics, instruments, clothing and other punk memorabilia. The space will also have a bar, tattoo parlor, wedding chapel, as well as a stage for live music. General admission will be about $30.  Members of punk bands such as The Offspring, NOFX, Sick of it All and The Vandals can be hired to provide guided tours for about $100.  

Martin Yan’s M.Y. Asia is opening March 13th at the Horseshoe

Chef Yan ( Photo Almanac Online)

Martin Yan, who is the star of the PBS cooking show "Yan Can Cook", plans to open M.Y. Asia at the Horseshoe on March 13th. The restaurant will feature pan-Asian cuisine and will include a noodle bar. M.Y. Asia will be open 11AM-11PM Mon.-Thurs., and until 1AM Friday -Sunday.

Beyonce is coming to Las Vegas for two shows at Allegiant Stadium

Beyonce has announced two shows at Allegiant Stadium as part of her world tour later this year. She will perform at Allegiant on August 26th and 27th.  Tickets start at about $149.

Madonna is coming to Las Vegas for two shows

Madonna will perform at T-Mobile Arena on August 7th and 8th as part of her Celebration Tour. Tickets are currently on sale starting at about $155.

Notable musical artists performing in Las Vegas during the month of March include

Taylor Swift is performing two shows at Allegiant Stadium March 24th and 25th.  Both dates are officially sold out so you will need to check the resale sites for tickets, which are currently running about $400 and up, way up.

Adele continues her “Weekends with Adele” residency at the Colosseum inside Caesars Palace March 3rd through the 25th.  Tickets are sold out and resale prices continue to be through the roof starting at $1,400. 

Stevie Nicks is performing in Las Vegas on March 18th:  Legendary artist Stevie Nicks is coming to the T-Mobile arena on March 18th.  Her Las Vegas show is part of her 23-date U.S tour. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $110.

Depeche Mode will be at the T-Mobile Arena on March 30th for a much anticipated performance.  Tickets are sold out and resale prices are running about $300 and up.

Usher (March 1st through the 18th) and Maroon 5 (March 24th through the 31st) will perform at Park MGM.  Tickets are on sale now starting about $100 and up. 

Speaking of Usher, he recently announced that he has extended his Las Vegas residency adding new 15 dates through October 2023. And, just a word of advice, don’t wait to snag your tickets, because they will likely sell out.

John Mellencamp will perform two shows at the Encore Theater at the Wynn March 24th and 25th. Tickets are sold out and resale prices are running about $400 and up for seats.

Michael Bolton plays the Pearl Theater at the Palms on March 9th. Standard tickets are sold out with resale prices currently starting at about $200 and up.

Keith Urban begins his new residency at Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood March 3rd through the 18th. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $79.

Miranda Lambert continues her Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood with shows March 24th through the 30th. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $79.

Katy Perry (March 3rd and 4th) and Luke Bryan (March 22nd-31st) continue their residencies at Resorts World.  Tickets are on sale now starting at about $65.

Bonnie Raitt (March 15th – 18th) and Foreigner (March 24th – 31st) will perform at the Venetian. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $65 for Bonnie Raitt and $42 for Foreigner.

Jimmy Buffett will be at the MGM Grand March 4th and 11th. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $74.

Barry Manilow will be back for his residency at the Westgate March 23rd through the 31st. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $55.

Classic rock band Grand Funk Railroad will perform at the Golden Nugget on March 3rd.  The band’s hits include classics such as "We're an American Band" and "Some Kind of Wonderful", among others. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $69.

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will perform at the Westgate Showroom on March 10th. Tickets are on sale now starting at $55.  

Calibash, a global reggaeton concert is back in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile arena on March 17th. Tickets are on sale now starting at $81.

The legendary Undertaker of WWE is coming to the Cosmopolitan on March 24th

Mark Calloway, who played the Undertaker on WWE, will be in Las Vegas for an evening of story telling about his Hall of Fame WWE career. Tickets are on sale now starting at $75. 

Undertaker bringing his show to Las Vegas ( Photo by Las Vegas Review-Journal)

If you planning to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Las Vegas, you may want to check out O’Sheas at The LINQ, Nine Fine Irishmen at New York New York, or RiRa Irish Pub inside the Shoppes at Mandalay Bay. All should be fun and lively Irish pubs to celebrate the day and night!

The Las Vegas Water Lantern Festival is on March 18th at Sunset Park. Pricing is on a sliding scale with the admission price gradually increasing from $27 today to about $56 if purchased the day of the festival. Admission includes materials to create your lantern illuminated with an LED candle. At 7 p.m., participants launch their lanterns into the water. 

A big MMA fight is taking place at T-Mobile arena on March 5th. Former lightweight champ Jon Jones is returning after a three-year absence, and will move up a division to fight for the vacant heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane. 

Las Vegas is hosting the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball West Regional March 23rd to 25th at the T-Mobile arena. Tickets are sold out with resale tickets starting at $225 and up.

Some notable comedians coming to Las Vegas in March 2023

Kevin Hart performing at Resorts World. Photo by New York Post

• Kevin Hart March 17th and 18th at Resorts World

• Tom Segura will perform at The Chelsea inside the Cosmopolitan March 17-18.

• Tim Allen (March 3-4), Bob Marley (March 18) and Daniel Tosh (March 24-25) will be at the Aces of Comedy Series at the Mirage. 

• Iliza Shlesinger will perform the Wynn's Encore Theater March 10-11 and Jay Leno will perform on March 31st.

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In other Las Vegas News

Turn It Up World at Resorts World - (photo by Turn It Up World)

Resorts World is now offering six-figure Formula 1 Experiences: Resorts World is offering its “Lucky 888 Experience” for high roller Formula 1 fans. For just $888,000, lucky fans receive 3 nights in a Crockford Palace Suite with butler service, an Entourage Suite, and four Superior Rooms. The experience includes 6 Paddock Club and 10 Grandstand tickets, private domestic or international first class airfare, as well as resort credits and free play. Have fun!

Billy Idol concert at Hoover Dam:  Billy Idol has announced that he will perform a show at Hoover Dam on April 8th. The concert will be limited to only 250 people and show packages are currently going for about $2,000 and include a room at the Waldorf Astoria, transportation to and from the show, food, drinks, and a party after the concert. The concert is a fundraiser to help increase awareness of the current drought in the American Southwest. 

The We Bridge K-Pop Festival and Exp will be at Mandalay Bay April 21st – 23rd: The We Bridge K-Pop Festival is a new music festival and expo that will celebrate K-Pop entertainment and Asian culture. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $65 for entry to the expo only and $113 for a one-day music festival pass. 

Secret bar at new Aria Food Hall:

Easy’s Cocktail Lounge at Aria Las Vegas ( photo by Eater)

 There is a new speakeasy in Las Vegas. Easy’s Cocktail Lounge is located behind Easy Donuts inside Aria’s new Food Hall, Proper Eats. Look behind the cappuccino machine at Easy Donuts for a hidden entrance into the lounge. The lounge offers live jazz and swing performances and is open Thursday through Monday, 6PM to 2AM.

Bottled Blonde coming Center Strip in front of Horseshoe casino:  A new bar will be coming to the Center Strip currently occupied by the Grand Bazaar Shops in front of the Horseshoe casino.  Bottled Blond has announced plans to build a $50M four-story bar and entertainment venue at the site.  The bar will reportedly include an open-air rooftop with views of the iconic Bellagio fountains. Bottled Blonde Las Vegas is expected to open in the latter half of 2024.  Bottled Blonde will join Bake Shelton’s Ole Red Las Vegas as part of the Bazaar Shops transformation.

James Taylor will perform 5 shows in Las Vegas in June:   Singer-songwriter James Taylor has announced five shows at the Cosmopolitan on June 3rd, 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th. Tickets are on sale now starting at about $144.

The Chicks (formerly known as The Dixie Chicks) are coming to Las Vegas: The Chicks have announced a mini residency for six shows at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood on May 3rd, 5th, 6th, 10th, 12th, and 13th. Tickets are on sale now with prices starting at about $89.

Van Morrison is coming to Vegas for 3 shows: Irish artist Van Morrison will perform three shows at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood on September 6th, 8th, and 9th. Tickets are on sale now and start at about $129. 

Vic's Las Vegas Italian restaurant and jazz club is now open at Promenade Place near the Smith Center:  Vic’s Las Vegas is, of course, named after the famous Vegas Vic sign located on Fremont Street. The main dining room is open daily for lunch from 11AM – 3PM and dinner from 5PM – midnight with nightly live entertainment. The lounge and bar are open from 11AM – 2AM and there is no cover to enter the venue for the shows. 

Horseshoe continues to make the transition from Bally’s with new Signs Going up:  We have been waiting to see this. You can finally now see a Horseshoe sign on one of the former Bally’s hotel & casino towers. There is a lot of construction going on so expect to see much more changes as we progress through 2023. 

Electric Playhouse coming to the Forum Shops at Caesars

Electric Playhouse Las Vegas (photo by Electric Playhouse)

Electric Playhouse plans to open this summer at the Forum Shops at Caesars. Electric Playhouse is “an immersive-experience” where “the walls and floors react to players' movements and no headsets or controllers are required." This will be the attraction’s second location, with the original in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

New Sports Book is now open at the Virgin: Betfred sports book has opened at Virgin Betford is a U.K.-based sports betting company and this is its first sports book in the U.S. 

Ojos Locos Sports Cantina Y Casino is now open: The popular latino restaurant and casino Ojos Locos is now open at the former location of the Lucky Club on Fifth Street in North Las Vegas. According to the owner, Ojos Locos is the first hotel & casino dedicated to the latin community. 

The New Wildfire Casino on Fremont Street is now open: The new Wildfire Casino on Fremont Street is now open.  This locals casino is slots-only and is located on the former site of the old Showboat/Castaways. There are several food options including IHOP and Tacos El Pastor.

The first Caesars Sports Book located in Downtown is now open: The first Caesars Sportsbook downtown location is now open at Downtown Grand. It’s in a small space and more of a lounge type atmosphere for sports viewing and betting. 

Naxos Taverna and it’s Kallisto Oyster Bar are now open at Red Rock Casino Resort: Naxos Taverna and its oyster bar, Kallisto, specialize in Mediterranean style seafood with a goal of creating a Greek Island inspired dining experience.  Naxos is open daily 4pm – 10pm (11pm Friday & Saturday nights), while Kallisto is open daily 11am – 11pm (1am Friday & Saturday nights). 

The Cannabis-Friendly Lexi Hotel is expected to open in Spring: The Lexi will have all new renovated guestrooms and suites, including an entire fourth floor that will be designated cannabis-friendly. Each room will include an air-filtration system that employs advanced oxidation cell technology.  The Lexi will also offer a new Cajun-inspired steakhouse concept led by Executive Chef Jordan Savell from “Hell’s Kitchen” Season 19. 

Read Next: What’s New in Las Vegas for 2023?

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15 CRAZY Las Vegas Scams, Rip-Offs, and Tourist Traps Exposed in 2023

With over 40 million visitors to Las Vegas every year looking for fun and exciting things to do, Las Vegas has its share of scams and ripoffs that you need to be aware of.  In this Las Vegas blog, we share with you 15 of the worst scams and ripoffs in Las Vegas to watch out for in 2023. 

Arriving at the Airport

1. Airport Slot Machines

For many Las Vegas tourists, their visit begins when they arrive at Harry Reid International Airport. You can’t miss the many slot machines inside the terminal beckoning you to take a chance with your luck. The truth is that the slots at the Las Vegas airport have some of the worst odds in Las Vegas. A study conducted a few years ago showed that the airport slots returned just 85% of a player’s money over time, compared to 90-92% on the Strip. 

2. Taxis

Taxis in Las Vegas are generally about 30% more expensive and Uber’s or Lyft’s. In addition, Las Vegas taxis have also been notorious for long hauling passengers (i.e. taking unnecessarily long routes to increase fares).  Las Vegas authorities have now put in place fixed taxis rates from the airport to locations on the Strip – so long hauling fortunately is no longer a significant risk from the airport but definitely watch out on other routes. 

3. "Official" Photographers 

For many visitors to Las Vegas, a photo at the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign is a must do. Just beware of “official” looking photographers who may attempt to charge you to take a photo. There are no official photographers post to the sign. It’s a scam. You can take your own photo, or ask someone in line for help taking the photo. If you do ask the “official” looking person to take it – we advise negotiating any tip in advance to avoid any awkward situation.

At Your Hotel

4. Early Check-in or Late Check-out Fees

You arrive early and check to see if you room is available. Great new, your room is ready! BUT, there’s a catch.  The hotel won’t let you in before 4:00pm, unless you pay an early check-in fee, which can easily be $50, maybe even more. This is a total scam and ripoff by the Las Vegas hotels. The same is true for late check-out – many hotels are charging high rates for a little extra time checking out in the morning even if no one is coming into room later that day. 

Keep this in mind if you decide to do a split stay – where you stay in multiple hotels during your visit – you will likely have to check-out of the first hotel by 11AM and may not be able to check-in to your new hotel until 4pm. This has happened to us many times and you just need to be ready for it. Perhaps store your luggage at the hotel and head off for an activity before coming back to check-in later in the day.

5. Resort Fees

Resort fees are a controversial subject to say the least. Resort fees allow Las Vegas hotels to publish cheaper hotel rooms rates and bury a significant added cost, which they call resort fees.  Unfortunately, almost all hotels on the Las Vegas Strip and many in Downtown now charge resorts fees. Even if your room is comped, or if you are using credit card or frequent flier points to cover the room cost, you will still likely be charged the additional resort fee, unless you have a certain status with that hotel’s loyalty program. 

6. Hotel Parking Fees 

Most hotels on the Strip are now charging parking fees. During the pandemic, most of the parking fees had been removed, but that is no longer the case. Parking fees are back! Most recently, Resort Worlds started charging for parking as well. Some of the remaining free parking hotel hold-outs on the Strip include Treasure Island, Venetian, Wynn/Encore, and Tropicana. 

7. Hotel Convenience Stores 

You are in your hotel and need some snacks or refreshments. Well, watch out for the “convenient” hotel store. The prices in hotel convenience stores are a major rip-off with prices for even just a small bottle of water often around $5-$6. Many of the hotel stores are also subject to variable or surge pricing based on hotel occupancy. Don’t buy from these stores, instead go to Target, ABC Stores, Walgreens, or CVS on the Strip.

8. Hotel Room Mini-Bar charges

The dreaded hotel mini-bar is a common ripoff at many hotels, and Las Vegas is no exception.  Unless you know that you want to spend the high price and take something from the mini-bar, we recommend that you don’t even open it.  Hotel mini-bars now often include devices that monitor if things are moved in the fridge and, if you move something, it will likely show up on your room charge. Be careful!

9. Poolside Food & Drinks

It’s great spending time poolside at your Las Vegas hotel. Just be away, that Las Vegas hotels typically won’t allow you to bring in your own food and drink to the pool. To make matters worse, poolside food and drinks are generally very expensive. We certainly enjoy poolside cocktails on occasion, but just be aware when ordering your drinks that a big bill may be on its way. 

In the Casino

10. Casino Coin Redemption Tickets

This next Las Vegas scam is aggravating. A few years ago there was apparently a coin shortage, so casinos began to issue you tickets instead of giving you your change when you put your cash-out card into the money redemption machine. Well, casinos never stopped this practice and it is long after any coin shortage that may have existed. This is just a money grab by the casinos, betting on customers never cashing in their coin redemption tickets.  We recommend that you just take your cash out ticket to a cashier’s desk to get you full cash out, change included.

11. 6-5 Blackjack

6-5 odds black jack has become very common on the Las Vegas Strip, versus the more traditional 3-2 odds blackjack.  With 6-5 odds, a $100 bet will pay you $120 versus $150 with 3-2 odds, a big difference. To put it another way, the house edge increases 400% with 6-5 blackjack.  If you want to play blackjack, we recommend going to a casino offering 3-2 blackjack and avoid any 6-5 tables.

12. Triple Zero Roulette

Triple zero roulette is becoming common in Las Vegas, especially on the Las Vegas Strip. We would not recommend playing triple zero and instead find tables offering at least double zero or, better yet, single zero roulette. On a single zero roulette table, the house edge is 2.7%.  On a double zero roulette table, the house edge is 5.26%. With triple zero, the house edge jumps all the way up to 7.69% - NO thank you.  Downtown Las Vegas casinos typically offer double zero roulette tables and some even offer single zero.

13. ATM Fees

ATM fees can be easily be $10 per transaction at Las Vegas casinos – a total ripoff. Watch out for this ripoff. We recommend bringing with you if you can to avoid those fees.  You may also want to contact your bank in advance to check if they cover the cost of ATM withdrawals. 

On the Strip

14. Photos with Showgirls and other Characters

Showgirls and Characters on the Strip will ask you if you want to take a photo with them. Just be aware that these people are working for tips. If you agree to take a photo with them, they will expect a tip. We recommend negotiating the tip upfront to avoid any awkward situations.

15. Time-share Reps

It will be hard to miss time share reps when you are in Las Vegas. They may try to intercept you as you enter your hotel lobby (this is very true at Excalibur and Westgate, for example) or when you are out on the Strip. A time share rep’s first questions is typically, “how long you are in Las Vegas?” Don’t waste your valuable time on your vacation at a time share presentation. You can expect time share reps to be very pushy and we have heard they often become rude when you decide not to buy a time share. Don’t do it!

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What’s New in Las Vegas in 2023

Las Vegas is always changing and 2023 in Las Vegas will be no different. In this blog, we will walk you through what’s new in Las Vegas for 2023. If you are planning a trip to Las Vegas in 2023, we will let you know what is coming and what you can expect during your Las Vegas 2023 visit.

1. Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing on the Las Vegas Strip

If you have been following Las Vegas news this year, then you will likely already be aware that the Formula 1 Grand Prix is coming to Las Vegas in 2023. Expect massive amounts of F1 promotions, which have already started, to just ramp up even more as we move through 2023.  This is going to be an incredible Las Vegas event in 2023.

Photo credit Formula One

The F1 race will be held November 16th through the 18th  2023. The race’s 3.8-mile track will weave past world-famous landmarks, casinos and hotels along the Las Vegas Strip.  Tickets for the event, as well as packages with Las Vegas casinos, are on sale now. Don’t expect cheap tickets however, as prices are definitely on the high end.  3-Day general admission standing-room only tickets, for example, start at $500.  

2. The MSG Sphere Las Vegas opening and U2

The MSG Sphere in Las Vegas will be the world’s first of its kind, a $2 billion 17,500-seat performing-arts arena that will be among the most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. It has been reported that U2 will open the MSG Sphere. U2’s concerts at the venue will be part of a residency that will be spread out over several months and be performed on non-consecutive days.  The official MSG Sphere opening date and U2 performance dates have not yet been announced.

3. Fontainebleau may finally open in 2023

The long-awaited Fontainebleau is scheduled to open sometime in the fourth quarter of 2023. Our fingers are crossed that this long running Las Vegas hotel and casino development effort will in fact be ready by the end of 2023. We are excited to see the Fountainebleau when it does open. The hotel and casino resort will have about 3,700 rooms, a 173,000-square-foot casino and, of course, dining experiences. In addition, Fountainebleau will have over 90,000 square feet of retail space over two levels and will include 35 luxury retail shops.

4. Durango Station – A new Las Vegas local’s hotel and casino

Station Casinos' newest local’s property, Durango Station, has been under construction since early 2022 and is expected to open in the fall of 2023 or early 2024. Durango Station is a $750 million hotel-casino on a 71-acre site in southwest Las Vegas at the 215 Beltway and Durango Drive. The resort will include about 200 hotel rooms, 2,000 slot machines, 46 table games, a sports book, and four restaurants. 

5. Moon Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip? 

We have not heard much news about the so-called Moon Hotel in Las Vegas since late 2021. The initial plans described a $5 billion moon themed hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, with a massive 735-foot-tall moon. The Moon Hotel would become the second tallest building in Vegas and will reportedly be next to Resorts World across from the Wynn/Encore. Canadian company, Moon Based Resorts, has stated that the property will take 4 years to build and that they plan to open in 2027.  We will update you as we learn more throughout 2023. 

6. Las Vegas Loop by Boring Company (AKA the Tesla tunnel)

In 2022, the Las Vegas Loop opened its station at Resorts World providing a direct connection (via underground tunnels Tesla cars) to the Las Vegas Convention Center.  The Las Vegas Review-Journal has reported that they are working to get the Las Vegas Loop operational by February 11, 2024, for the Super Bowl. When complete, the Las Vegas Loop is expected to include a total of 55 stations from downtown to the Las Vegas Strip, Allegiant Stadium, and also the airport.  

7. Brightline West Las Vegas to Los Angeles high-speed rail connection to begin construction in 2023

BRIGHTLINE West says that it is hoping to begin construction on a Las Vegas to LA high-speed rail line next year.  The project is estimated to cost about $8B and would connect Las Vegas to Los Angeles via a route running alongside the Interstate 15 highway, and would include three stations in the high desert and San Bernardino County areas. If work proceeds as planned, the high-speed rail line could open in 2026 or 2027.

8. Taylor Swift at Allegiant Stadium 

Taylor Swift performs at Allegiant Stadium march 24, 25 and 2 shows added/ photo credit Allegiant Stadium

Taylor Swift is performing two nights at Allegiant Stadium in 2023 on March 24th and 25th. Demand for Taylor Swift tickets apparently crashed the Ticketmaster system. Resale tickets as of the date of this video are starting at $450 for upper level seats at Allegiant Stadium (i.e. the “nose-bleed seats”). Other notable artists coming to Allegiant Stadium in 2023 include Ed Sheeran and Pink. 

9. Garth Brooks new 27-show Las Vegas residency

Garth Brooks is coming to Las Vegas in 2023 for a 27-date residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The residency called, “Garth Brooks/Plus ONE” will also include Garth’s wife Trisha Yearwood. The residency will begin in May 2023 and continue through December. 

10. Depeche Mode at T-Mobile Arena

Depeche Mode is coming to the T-Mobile Arena on March 30, 2023. The tour will be the group’s first in over five years. It will also be the first tour for Depeche Mode since the death of founding member and keyboardist Andy Fletcher in May of 2022. Resale tickets are currently starting at about $225 and up.  Other notable performers coming to the T-Mobile Arena in 2023 include Muse and Maná.

11. Jerry Seinfeld at Caesars Palace

Jerry Seinfeld will be at Colosseum at Caesars Palace for six shows in Las Vegas beginning in April 2023. Tickets are on sale now and start at about $89. 

12. Beatles LOVE in Las Vegas continuing through 2023 

As previously announced, The Cirque Beatles LOVE show at the Mirage / Hard Rock will continue at least until the end of 2023. We don’t know yet whether LOVE will extend past 2023 but we will share any additional updates as soon as they are announced.

13. The Las Vegas Museum of Illusions at 63 Las Vegas

A Museum of Illusions is coming to Las Vegas. This new attraction will be located on the corner of Harmon Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard at 63 Las Vegas, between the Cosmo and Crystal Shops. The museum, which has already begun construction, will occupy a 15,000 sq. ft. space.  According to reports, the Las Vegas location will be the largest Museum of Illusions built to date and will feature over 70 different exhibits.

14. Emmitt’s Las Vegas at Fashion Show Mall

Emmitt’s Las Vegas has announced plans to finally open at the Fashion Show Mall by early 2023. Emmitt’s is a 30,000 sq ft. restaurant and event venue located at Fashion Show Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. Occupying the former Sugar Factory, Emmitt’s bills itself as “a first-rate destination for fine dining, live concerts, watch parties and other elite events” in Las Vegas.

15. Ocean Prime at 63 Las Vegas

Ocean Prime, a steak and seafood-steak restaurant chain with 17 locations in most major U.S. cities, is investing a reported $20 million to open its 18th restaurant at 63 Las Vegas, the new complex currently under construction between the Cosmopolitan and Shops at Crystals. Ocean Prime will be the anchor restaurant and plans to open in the spring of 2023.

16. Blake Shelton’s Ole Red at Bally’s Bazaar Shops

Blake Shelton’s previously announced Ole Red in Las Vegas will be located in front of Bally's Grand Bazaar Shops at the intersection of the Las Vegas Strip and Flamingo Road. It will feature a four-story music venue and restaurant, with 700 seats, and a rooftop patio with its own music venue.  

17. Las Vegas Buffets – more reopening in 2023?

Wicked Spoon Buffet at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

We are big fans of Las Vegas buffets and have been quite frankly disappointed that many of the cheaper buffets (for example, the Station Casino Feast Buffets) and local favorites (such as Studio B at M Resorts) have not reopened. We also had high hopes for the return of the amazing Sterling Brunch at Bally’s but that appears to be permanently closed.

Some of our current favorite buffets in Las Vegas include The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, The Buffet at Wynn, The Wicked Spoon at Cosmo, The A.Y.C.E. Buffet at Palms (especially their all you can eat lobster night), the Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station and the Garden Buffet at South Point.

We will update you throughout 2023, if and when, additional buffets open in Las  Vegas.

18. Major conventions and festivals are back in Las Vegas in 2023

Major conventions are back in Las Vegas and will kick-off 2023 with CES (influential tech conference) on January 5th – 8th at the Venetian Expo. The massive Electric Daisy Carnival, or EDC, that attracts upwards of a half-million festival-goers to Las Vegas Motor Speedway will take place May 19, 20, and 21. Life is Beautiful will be back for its 10-year anniversary September 22-24 spread across 18 Las Vegas city blocks.

These are just a few of the many conventions and festivals coming to Vegas in 2023. 

Quick pro trip: Make sure to be aware of the Las Vegas convention and festival calendar when planning your visit to Las Vegas because major conventions and festivals will bring larger crowds and likely more expensive hotel rooms.

We hope our update of what’s new in Las Vegas for 2023 will help you better plan your Las Vegas 2023 trip. Las Vegas is always an amazing place to visit and Las Vegas 2023 will be no different!

The Buffet At Wynn Las Vegas Reopening June 18 with Major Changes and New Menu Items

As Las Vegas has started to reopen June 4, 2020, Dave and I, have been right there from the start. We've been watching as Las Vegas slowly tries to get back to some normalcy. The Wynn Las Vegas has also been there from the beginning. Now let us keep this short and to the point. 

The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas has announced it will reopen on Thursday, June 18. They are still providing an All-You-Can-Eat experience, just a little different. So what can you expect from the first buffet to open on the strip? 

Reservations

You will first need to make a reservation online, or if you happen to be passing by The Buffet at Wynn, there will be a QR code that will be just outside of the entrance point. 

The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas are highly focused on social distancing, so expect the tables will be spread apart. When you dine there, you'll most likely see folks seated at every other table. 

There will be a QR code you can scan with your phone to bring up the menu, or, I believe, The Buffer at Wynn will provide single-use menus as well, which will be tossed out once finished. 

Service

You will have to give your order to your server. There is no longer a self-serve option. Now, this is still an All-You-Can-Eat affair within the two-hour time limit. So you can provide orders to your server as many times as you want within that time frame. 

Menu

Speaking of menu items. There are several new items added to the reopening menu. For the seafood lovers, you have Old Bay, braised shrimp, and scallops served with a spicy tomato compote; they also have a lobster ravioli with roasted red peppers and fennel finalized with saffron sauce. For the meat lovers, you have lamb chops with truffle spinach and crispy onions. One of our favorite combos, the steak, and lobster, The Buffet at Wynn, will be serving steak and lobster topped with a Bearnaise sauce. 

There will be various desserts on the menus as well. 

Just so you are aware of the price changes and times. 

Hours

Sunday from 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM - Monday – Thursday: 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m., Friday: 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Saturday from 8 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Price

Weekday brunch: $36.99, Weekend brunch: $48.99

Weekday dinner: $59.99, Weekend dinner: $65.99

Now they still have their limitless pour package. There will be two limitless pour packages for $24.99 and 29.99.

So finally, after months of closing due to significant concerns of COVID-19, and major service changes ( at the moment, no more of the incredible cooking stations, Wynn Las Vegas is set to bring you an All-You-Can-Eat experience that we believe, many other Las Vegas buffets will follow. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU-3HoYMMPw

The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas Reopens - BREAKING NEWS