Christmas on the Strip (continued)

We spent Christmas at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay. On Christmas Eve we wandered down the Strip to look at casino decorations, stopping periodically to sit and have a drink and watch the crowds. It was very crowded in the casinos, both with people gambling and families wandering around looking. There were quite a lot of little kids in strollers, both small and a few of those humongous strollers that take up an entire sidewalk (very inconsiderate).

We walked over to the Monte Carlo and caught the tram over to the Bellagio to see the Christmas themed conservatory. The Blue Man Group recently moved to the showroom at the Monte Carlo. We saw them twice over at the Venetian and liked the show very much. To promote the show they have a little parade through the casino.


I really liked the lit up legs, Bobbie liked the small forest of waving crayons on the end.


Some of the shops at Caesars were decorated for the holidays.


Brooks Brothers was rather subdued



I rather liked these, but probably wouldn’t be able to walk in them


Across the Strip from Caesar’s they are building an new entertainment complex. This will include a new large wheel, similar to the one in London, and new shops and bars and also include a remodel of some of the older casinos. The Imperial Palace will be fully remodeled and renamed something else. It’s been around for about thirty years, which is rather old for Vegas, I’m surprised they aren’t blowing it up and building new. The started taking off the decorative elements on the front, and soon should take off those ‘Oriental’ styled roofs.


Fitzgerald’s (home of the Leprechaun, who stands on the sidewalk and entices you to enter) will be torn down and the surrounding resorts will take up that space. If you look down the walkway between the Imperial Palace and the Flamingo you can see the start of the new wheel. This walkway will be widened and become the heart of the new entertainment zone.


It will be tall - over 150 meters with big ride in gondolas, should give a nice view of the Strip. I’ll take some photos when it’s done, scheduled for later this year.