MGM purchased the big empty lot across from the Sahara, up at the intersection of Sahara and Las Vegas Boulevard. That is the last lot on the Strip going north that is in Clark County and not the city of Las Vegas. The Stratosphere across the street is in the city limits.
From Circus Circus north that gives them over a hundred contiguous acres. MGM is currently spending over $7,500,000,000 on the City Centre site down by Mirage, and that is only on 66 acres. There are discussions about designing and starting a similar project, but larger, on this new north site. I don’t even want to think about how much they could spend there. As part of their announcement was a discussion on updating Circus Circus. I think they only intend on spending a few hundred million to fix that place up.
Speaking of the Stratosphere, it also has been sold. Carl Icahn purchased it in the mid 90’s out of foreclosure for around $82,000,000. He has since acquired the two Arizona Charlie’s casinos. All three were just sold as a package for over $1,300,000,000. So that’s a profit of around a billion dollars. Not a bad profit.
Yesterday’s paper displayed the latest thing to do in Vegas - Zero gravity. For a mere $3,500 you get a few hours in a plane doing loops over the Pacific Ocean that result in your flying around the cabin in apparent zero gravity, so you can feel like an astronaut. The owners of the company feel that most places will be taken by high rollers given the flight as comps by casinos, but they are willing to take up anyone with money. Teller of yesterday's Penn and Teller was on the publicity flight, no word on whether he spoke about the flight. Fridays paper discussed Steven Hawking taking a ride on the plane in Florida as well.
And for tomorrow’s American Idol: Celine Dion has recorded "If I Can Dream" with Elvis. Not an impersonator, but a version of the real Elvis. Kind of like Natalie did with her dad Nat King Cole a few years ago. I don’t watch Idol, but those of you that do might find it interesting. After all, Celine has had her show here in Vegas for almost five years and is as much an icon as Elvis was. Well, maybe not, but she sings anyway. She has not renewed her contract, so if you don’t see her this year you probably never will. I hope she has made enough to retire. No announcement yet on her replacement at Caesar’s – rumors about Cher or Bette Midler, but nothing concrete.
The new owners of the Sahara have also announced a billion dollar makeover of that place. They have a lot of Hollywood connections, so the Palms might have competition in star sightings.
Over at the new Planet Hollywood (formerly the Aladin) an announcement that Carmen Electra will not appear in the new magic show scheduled to open next month. Instead Pamela Denise Anderson Lee Rock (OK, Pammy Anderson) will be in the show: being paid a reported $4,000,000 for a three month run. For that amount of money I'd install a few pounds of silicone myself.
The weather is warming up – it’s 86 today, and supposed to be up in the high 90’s on Saturday, and stay up there. Guess it’s time to turn off my heater and uncover the swamp coolers up on the roof.
In relation to my recent posting on the bridal show, I was bouncing around today and came up with some more things about women that I wasn’t sure of. Jill’s definitions of what a woman means are rather interesting.
So much for now, I’ll have to work on some of those photos on my computer and upload them. Sorry, no pictures today.
Oh - forgot to mention - six of the nine American Cardinals are in town for a conference.
I doubt if they'll be seen around the craps tables, much less taking a limo to Pharump. See - all kinds of people visit Vegas.
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