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Sh*t You May Have Missed at Binion’s “Fireside” Steakhouse


It’s Sh*t you may have missed for the week ending 5/26/2017.

Hey all, BigAZMarty here, hoping you and yours will take time on this three-day weekend by remembering those who have died while serving in our country’s Armed Forces. Now, back to the business at hand, news about our favorite place, Las Vegas!

1. More Caesars news as they get into the 6 month stretch before the big re-org that will occur before they bring the CEOC division out of bankruptcy. First off the Bloomberg interview with CEO Mark Frissora read and see here. There is some Bloomberg grilling going on and Mark seems to “song and dance” appropriately to the tune.

2. Second Caesars has also sold the remaining portion of Baluma Holdings 55% stake in their Uruguay Casino Punta del Este Conrad for $180M to Enjoy, SA per a previous option agreement that Enjoy, SA executed on. Read PR Newswire here. This could be a pivot to get that Brazil casino started now that Brazil is looking at opening up to Casino Resorts.

3. Third, Caesars had a big presentation to the Sell Side Analysts last week, it is a very interesting set of presentations with some interesting items, view the presentation here. It is a fairly large PDF and I could go on and on over the nugget items found in this. Maybe make it a game…like find Bally’s on the Brand Name slide (it’s not there at all). The best is at the back and it’s a background for one slide that looks to be early renderings of the planned CP front section (seriously is that more shops?) and the back of the Linq/High Roller to Koval development (open air arena and an Ugly No Atmosphere Office/Condo Tower?).

4. Momma Fertitta’s Land Trust just got a $120M Windfall from the Fertitta kids (Red Rock Resorts) for 75 acres of land under Texas Station and Boulder Station. It is expected to save Red Rock Resorts $7M a year (a little over 17 years for breakeven on that deal). Read Bloomberg here. Interesting thing is that trust land prevented a bankruptcy creditor takeover of those resorts….now it’s fair game if they have the issue again.

5. SLS has agreed to a sale to be completed in the 3rd Quarter read Vital Vegas here, Stockbridge is selling it to Meruelo Group, don’t know who they are? You can’t miss their other property if you land at the Reno, NV airport, it’s the Grand Sierra Resort Casino just to the northwest of the airport. Just for history’s sake that property used to be over time the MGM Grand Reno, Bally’s Reno and the Reno Hilton. The most interesting rumor listed in the article is that SLS may change back to the original name, Sahara and use the Sahara’s original year of opening as the slot club name “52”.

6. Vital Vegas also has some news on the Neon Museum .27 acre expansion, they are moving signs into the new area prepping for the expanded display, read here. Gem item here is they do place some signs near Fremont Street Experience, but a new display will be near Fashion Show Mall in the near future….ahh neon back on the Strip.

7. While NOT Las Vegas, this is a big deal as MGM is NOT purchasing Sands Bethlehem per LV Sun here. If there is an interesting item to note beside the State Legislature possibly inadvertently stopping the sale (lots of new gambling laws floating there). To me, that just means MGM has $1.3B to spend somewhere else now (Fontainebleau…anyone….anyone?).

8. Coming into Las Vegas via car from Kingman, AZ and wondering what is all that construction near Hoover Dam Lodge and Casino and then again near the Railroad Pass Casino? It’s the new I-11 interstate bypass for Boulder City, look at the progress via this LV Sun gallery here. Eventually, sometime in 2018/2019, it will be complete and you will no longer need to slow crawl through Boulder City. Hopefully, that classic A&W can stay in business without the traffic though.

9. Top of Binion’s Steakhouse had a small fire in the kitchen at the deep fryer, sprinklers took care of the issue but the Steakhouse, some Conference Rooms, and the rooftop pool are the only remaining open sections of the old Mint Tower. Some smoke and water damage was reported at the old hotel. Read LV Sun here. With all the remodeling done to the casino floor and now smoke and water damage to the old hotel section….when are they going to gut and “re-imagine” that classic old Mint Tower? Right now you can stay at Four Queens (same owner) and go to the Binion’s pool on top of the old Mint Tower, but wouldn’t having the option to just stay at Binion’s be more preferable?

10. From the SYMHM comments last week, yes there is a new place(s) to eat on the strip that isn’t inside a casino read and view gallery via LVSun/LV Weekly here. Boulevard Food Court is the name and it’s near Fatburger between MGM Grand and Planet Hollywood. It used to be the McDonald’s space. Lots more options now as Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, El Dorado Express, AAA Sandwich Co., Cannonball Buffalo Wings & Fingers, CookieMUFU, Mighty Fries, Reb Dog and Voodoo Pizza. open up. Curious if this is still part of that parcel for sale in that area.

11. Trying to figure out the LV Golden Knights NHL opening date to say you saw them first? It’s October 10th of this year, read LVRJ here. Or just be aware that’s now a Prime Parking Pricing date now for MGM properties in the area.

12. LVRJ reports on despite higher fuel costs, higher airfare and more fees on the strip, they are still expecting a great Memorial Day weekend due to the increase in drivers and airport visitation numbers. Read here. Sheldon’s saying come stay and enjoy my…no all Las Vegas casinos and resorts. If you can run at above 95% occupancy it’s time for more rooms to come online.

13. Raiders Stadium (as well as UNLV’s) has received the appropriate votes from the NFL owners for the lease. Read LVRJ here. Crazy how fast this has happened.

14. Appropriately LVRJ has run a “Party In Las Vegas Like it’s 2020” article outlying all the hopefully completed projects to open in 2020…all two of them. Read here. The gem in the article is that the Stadium may start construction in the fall of this year instead of the end of year or beginning of 2018. Yup back to giant crane skyline again soon. Hopefully, they will have Construction WebCams so we can see it all as it goes up. SLS and T-Mobile arena construction webcams were daily checks during construction.

15. Winner Winner, White Castle Dinner…another jackpot winner on the 25 cent Wheel of Fortune Pink Diamond machine this time at, believe it or not, Casino Royale. Read LVRJ here. $304K on quarter machine…that makes for a nice vacation, too bad IRS taxes the dickens out of it.

16. Alon property is finally up for sale and of course, it’s $400M for it including the leased portions from the Elardi family. Crown Resorts probably needs the money for their still imprisoned employees’ legal fees in China, or Packers money burn rate for Mariah. Read LVRJ here. For anyone reading this with that amount of cash/credit laying around you can scroll down to the property here. Do a search on Las Vegas, Project Type ALL, Asset ALL, United States to see it. Interesting that the Blue Elephant is no longer listed there…did the listing lapse from CBRE for Icahn’s property?

17. Grand Bazaar Shops in front of Bally’s getting, even more, food/drink/dessert options, read Eater Vegas here. Sounds more and more like Grand Bazaar Shops will soon become “Grand Bazaar Food Extravaganza Court”….if so Caesars can re-purpose the back of Bally’s lower level to more shops, spa and pool clothing. Anything to get the food court back there away from the Bodies exhibit….shudder.

18. The mystery of the new Park MGM (Monte Carlo) steakhouse has been solved, Eater Vegas reporting here that Chicago’s Bavette’s Bar and Boeuf will be the new steakhouse tenant. Interesting that it will open in October 2017…same month that Golden Knights start to play at T-Mobile Arena. Could the Blackhawks be on the schedule in October to play a Golden Knights home game?

19. As reported last week the Flamingo Room Remodel is a limited number of rooms, MarC from EDGE Vegas (via FrontDeskTip.com) has even more on it including a YouTube “fly through” of the new rooms. They are the FAB rooms they are remodeling. Read and see here. The YouTube full screen and HD is actually making me more curious about it….still not fond of one sink and toilet sitting next to half of the towels (nothing like smelling a previously crop dusted towel that was not changed out due to Caesars Green Initiatives….right as it hits your face coming out of the shower….ulp…hurl).

20. X Burlesque celebrated it’s Diamond Anniversary (15 years) at the Flamingo recently see the gallery Robin has at LVRJ here.

21. You coming into town this weekend for the Punk Rock Bowling Festival? Read up on what’s planned and where via DTLV.com here. Or the actual website here. Right now I’m having Dead Kennedy’s music flashbacks of Holiday in Cambodia…and California Uber Alles (and even the Delgado’s cover of that same song).

22. Remember the Rio Total Deal, the inclusive in-house food, and drinks combined with the hotel room costs? Here is an international story on what that “Deal” experience is like to someone from the U.K. read here. Livers be forewarned.

23. Vital Vegas reporting via Twitter feed that the whole Las Vegas Club Hotel Space will be taken to ground level, the back tower and parking garage are no longer going to be “saved” read here. No word if the old Glitter Gulch / Mermaids area, and where the BBQ Food Truck is now, or if Las Vegas Club casino area will be flattened as well. The interesting thing is Derek Stevens is part of that twitter stream which gives it some validity. The property Derek has amalgamated is fairly impressive on the north side of Fremont, from Old Mermaids out to the parking lot that is just North of The Plaza, where the old rail cars sat…can’t wait to see what they put up in its place.

24. Fresh off the presses LVSun via LVWeekly has this Memorial weekend’s guide to Oontz and other Entertainment listings here. Surprised Punk Rock Bowling isn’t in there.

25. Red Rock Resorts Stations Casinos is mixing up the C-Suite as VP, CFO and Treasurer Marc Falcone is leaving the company, read LVRJ here. Stephen Cooty will replace him.

So that’s it for the news around town, now to our Editor – In – Chief and Robin Leach fooling prankster (now an International Story, read here), Michael Movestro with our stuff!

Thanks, BigAZMarty! You know…of all the stories he could’ve passed off as his own, I’ll never understand why he chose one of ours that went viral. *Voice of Charlie Brown* “I just don’t understand it.” Yet, the fact that he did still makes me giggle. Now for the articles we featured, this week:

26. From Sammasseur: Hard Rock’s “Magic Mike Live” is D.O.A.

27. Also from Sammasseur: Vegas Singer Russel Francis Is An Australian Sensation

28. From me (Michael Movestro) Robin Leach Virtually Brings our April Fool’s Joke to a Larger Audience – MGM/Bellagio Respond: Not so!

29. From Blonde4ever: Trip Report: Blonde4ever’s Perfect Halloween 2016 Trip – Part 7

30. From Gennadius: Things I’ve Noticed – March 2017 Vegas Trip

One more note, as Monday is a holiday here in the U.S. there will be no posts, we will return Tuesday, May 30th.

[Cover: Michael Movestro]

4 thoughts on “Sh*t You May Have Missed at Binion’s “Fireside” Steakhouse

  1. #22 I read the report, it’s enough to make ME puke. I know I could not get my money’s worth on that deal.

    1. I think however someone out there will, and it will end badly. We’ve seen enough of this with the giant slushy drinks hanging around young 20 somethings necks empty as they crash from wall to wall to floor.

    1. For sure they could…I just thought that it may have been set aside as a separate budget from possible Cosmo purchase.

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