What Happens In Vegas
Sin City Not Just About The Slots Anymore
By Kevin Streufert
If you’ve made a habit of visiting Las Vegas on a regular basis – whether it’s every few months or every five years – you’ve probably noticed the city’s ongoing evolution. No other destination in this great country of ours reinvents itself so continuously.
A few decades ago, Vegas was primarily a gambler’s haven. You probably knew someone who flew out there on the occasional Friday afternoon for a bender—sometimes without even renting a hotel room—only to return on Sunday to sleep it off before returning to work Monday morning. Of course, gambling remains a vital part of Las Vegas, and many people still make those hardcore trips, but it’s equally possible to enjoy a four-day weekend without so much as playing a slot machine.
The city’s first major development in that direction began in 1989 when Steve Wynn kicked off the “megaresort era” with a revolutionary new hotel: The Mirage. After that, developers constructed one new megaresort after another, imploding older casino hotels in jubilant ceremonies to make room. This eventually created the glitzy Las Vegas Strip we know today, offering a plethora of desirable lodging choices from budget-friendly hotel rooms to some of the most extravagant penthouse suites in the world.
Vegas megaresorts also reinvented the pool area concept with stunning water features, luxurious cabanas, seas of comfortable chaise lounges, attentive service, cocktails at every turn, live entertainment, and tantalizing activities in a huge party atmosphere. Today, an increasing number of adults turn to Las Vegas megaresorts for their fun-in-the-sun vacations instead of traditional beach venues, in part because of the nightlife that awaits them after a day at the pool.
Another important evolution has been live entertainment. After the Rat Pack days, the quality of stage productions gradually deteriorated, and it became a well-known fact that shows in Vegas were “campy,” at best. But that started to change in 2003 when Caesar’s Palace opened its $108 million state-of-the-art theater, The Colosseum, built originally for Celine Dion. Since her highly successful first run, she has continued to share the theater with artists like Elton John, Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Cher, Bette Midler, Shania Twain, Diana Ross, and many other headlining performers.
This new era of entertainment forced other megaresorts to step up their games as well, resulting in additional high-end performance venues, bringing in popular acts across all spectrums, not to mention Cirque du Soleil and Broadway musicals with a flashy Vegas twist. On any given weekend, one can usually find a top-charting band or legendary comedian performing somewhere on The Strip, with last-minute tickets available via one’s hotel concierge. In other words, the choices of quality entertainment in Vegas are now so plentiful that it seems there isn’t any time left for gambling.
It doesn’t stop there. The ongoing battle for supremacy between Las Vegas megaresorts has brought us numerous other attractions, such as outrageous thrill rides, scorching hot nightclubs like XS and Hakkasan, and an endless selection of sumptuous restaurants from famous chefs like Daniel Boulud, Nobu Matsuhisa, Emeril Legasse, Wolfgang Puck, Giada de Laurentiis and Bobby Flay.
And then there is the shopping, whether you are buying or just ogling: The Forum Shops at Caesars, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, or The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. These over-the-top venues are arguably even more of an experience than the boutiques within.
The city is also known for its selection of championship golf courses. Shadow Creek, designed by Tom Fazio, is ranked #17 on Golf Magazine’s Top 100 courses. Or, for the most convenient round of golf in Sin City, play at Wynn Las Vegas where the first tee is just steps from the lobby, and you don’t even have to be a hotel guest.
Add in some of the most lavish spas in the country, the ability to race exotic cars, skydive indoors or out, ride in a hot air balloon, tour the museums, participate in a cowboy trail ride or have a vodka cocktail in an ice bar wearing a parka. The list is endless – and we’ve hardly ventured off The Strip.
My suggestion? Go to www.lasvegas.com and investigate all the possibilities. Check the events calendar to peruse the upcoming acts, and identify your perfect weekend – with or without a trip to the tables.
But if your partner ultimately steals away for a few hands of blackjack in the midst of your jam-packed calendar, who cares? It’s Vegas, after all.
Kevin Streufert is a Park Hill-based writer, travel agent and advisor. He has traveled the world his entire life, with a particular focus on Europe, and can be reached at kevin.streufert@cruiseplanners.com.