Get outside of Las Vegas: free urban, suburban sites to visit

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Get outside, Las Vegas: Free urban, suburban spots to visit - Saturday, June 25, 2011 | 2 a.m. - Las Vegas Sun Las Vegas Sun June 25, 2011

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Las Vegas Sun News A&E Opinion Sports Business Gaming Politics Photos Autos Housing Jobs Electric Daisy CarnivalHome NewsHistorySaharaRebelsHospital CareRalstonToday's Paper Comment Print E-mail Share Facebook Fark Digg Delicious Reddit Stumble Tweet Get outside, Las Vegas: Free urban, suburban spots to visit Leila Navidi

The Lewis Avenue Pedestrian Corridor next to Centennial Plaza in downtown Las Vegas Monday, June 20, 2011.

Saturday, June 25, 2011 | 2 a.m.

President Obama declared June 2011 as Great Outdoors Month, an awareness campaign and celebration of outdoor recreation and preservation with a nod to natural landscapes and neighborhood parks. While Southern Nevada is noted for its designated conservation areas and national recreation sites, it also has urban and suburban spots worthy of visiting for those dying to get outside in 100-plus temperatures but have no cash for gas, are commuting by foot or bus passes.

Leila Navidi Lewis Avenue Poets Bridge

The Lewis Avenue Pedestrian Corridor has a great little footbridge featuring poetry by 20 writers who have, at some point, called Nevada their home. Located in Downtown Las Vegas across from the Foley Federal Building, next to the Historic Fifth Street School, under the beating sun and amid the urban soundtrack, the Poets Bridge is a fitting place to meditate on life in Las Vegas while inspired by the words of Gregory Crosby, Dayvid Figler, German Santanilla and others.

Completed with formal landscape — desert plants, a shallow river and decorative stone — the pedestrian area, (also a popular hangout for the city’s homeless people), is a result of a Centennial Plan beautification project and includes Crosby’s “The Long Shot,” a poetic account of the unimaginable Las Vegas story, a city built on dreams in the most unlikely of places. That story continues in adjacent Centennial Plaza where artist Stephen Hendee’s “Monument to Simulacrum,” an angular and formidable 12-foot-high stainless steel sculpture embodying Las Vegas’ perseverance in an extreme and hostile environment.

The Lewis Avenue Pedestrian Corridor is located at Fourth Street and Lewis Avenue, Downtown.

Kristen Peterson Heritage Street

The homes lining Heritage Street, a tree-lined gravel stretch of local history at Clark County Museum, tell stories of noted residents, decades and events of the 20th century. The five homes include a Tudor revival decked in swank ’50s design and a 1912 California Bungalow, depicting life in the 1920s for the Beckley family, who owned a Las Vegas clothing store. A stand-alone room from a motor court (with a 1946 Plymouth parked outside), The Boulder City Depot, a print shop and the Candlelight Wedding Chapel are part of the walk-through collection. And yes, the structures are air-conditioned for your comfort (as opposed to historical accuracy).

The homes are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, 1830 S. Boulder Highway. Call 455-7955 for more information.

Flamingo Arroyo Trail

The Flamingo Arroyo Trail that lines the Las Vegas wash includes art enhancements designed by noted artists Kevin Berry of Phoenix, Barbara Grygutis of Tucson and Buster Simpson of Seattle. Sit under the Pauite-inspired steel shade shelter at the Pecos-McLeod trailhead for a meditative experience, wander through the desert landscape designed in response to the environment, then walk the pedestrian trail.

Seating areas were made of discarded rubble, including stairs from the imploded Stardust swimming pool.

The trail is located off McLeod Drive, south of Desert Inn.

The St. Andrew Catholic Community church labyrinth in Boulder City

The grounds of St. Andrew Catholic Community include a labyrinth accompanied by benches, a desert garden and sculptures. Walk its path in the daytime or stroll it in the evening. The labyrinth is lighted until 10:30 p.m. daily. Even in extreme temperatures, it’s a worthwhile trip for anyone looking to get away and get inward. Make a day of it and visit Boulder City’s shops and restaurants.

St. Andrew is located at 1399 San Felipe Drive, Boulder City.

Neon Boneyard

Take a guided tour through the Neon Museum’s outdoor collection of large-scale and historic metal neon-and-bulb signs. The 150-plus sculpted iconic signs and their scripts forming the Boneyard’s gravel walkway provide a visual narrative of Las Vegas. The collection includes signs from Downtown Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Strip and local businesses. Again, worth the journey no matter how hot it gets in the summer.

For scheduled tours, call 387-6366 or visit neonmuseum.org.

Sam Morris Michael Heizer’s “Double Negative”

If you’ve found some extra cash to fill the gas tank and want to explore the outdoors while pontificating the idea of a doubly negative space, head 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas to see Michael Heizer’s “Double Negative.” The 1,500-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, 50-foot-deep earthwork near Overton is one of the largest sculptures in the world, and was completed in 1970 by scooping away 240,000 tons of rhyolite and sandstone to create trenches that are connected by a center canyon. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles owns the sculpture that is worthy of visiting if you don’t mind a bumpy drive into the rugged desert.

GPS: 36.36’49.02 N 114.20 ’39.89 W

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Las Vegas councilman deals with high-achieving students with pizza, prices

Paul Takahashi Las Vegas Councilman Ricki Barlow serves pizza to third grader Yovanni Palma, 9, and fourth grader Alejandro Aceves, 9, at McCall Elementary School in North Las Vegas on Friday 24 June 2011. Barlow donated pizza, backpacks and bicycles to students to improve their scores on State standardized tests for reading and mathematics.By Paul Takahashi (contact) Friday 24 June 2011 | 16: 00: 19

800 e. Carey Ave., North Las Vegas

Earlier this year, gave Las Vegas Councilman Ricki Barlow students at a North Las Vegas elementary school a special challenge.

Improve performance on standardized test criterion referenced and Barlow would treat high-performing students to a pizza party and prices as bicycles and backpacks full of school supplies.

This Friday rejoined Barlow to Quannah McCall Elementary School, 800 Carey Ave., congratulate the few dozen summer school students to achieve the highest score in school history.

-I am here today to live up to the end of my favourable because more than 124 students have surpassed CRT exam, "said Barlow. "I am very proud of these kids."

According to unofficial CRT scores, McCall still has room for improvement, with two thirds of the fourth and fifth graders passing the math portion of the CRT and about half of the fourth-and fifth-v?ghyvlar cross section reading. In third class, only 53 percent passed math and 34% passed reading.

This year's points, however, a major improvement from the previous year, according to Principal Maria Chairez. When she joined McCall 2005, Aino only 11 fifth-v?ghyvlar cross section, the treatment of the CRTs.

This year's better scores 42% in reading and mathematics from 56% in the last year, Chairez said, adding that she feels confident McCall will meet its annual yearly progress designation again on the no child left behind.

"We are very proud of our growth," said she. "Quannah McCall is on the move. We hope that a turnaround school in North Las Vegas. "

Students log as they rushed to the scene to take free backpack and cheered as the names of the highest peak was called out and given complimentary bicycles and helmets.

Fourth-stone grader Christian Gonzalez said she was happy about his new bicycle. His old bicycle had rust and a flat tyre and missing streamers, she said.

"I feel really good," said Gonzalez, 9, that she wants to become a veterinarian someday. "When I discovered my points, I was really, really proud. My parents were proud of me, too. "

Five-stone grader Guadalupe Urbina, 10, published second highest score in her class this year. She said that she felt encouraged by his teachers and Barlows challenge.

"I thought I would get a lower score than I got," said she. "I have worked so hard, but I never thought it would do."

Barlow said he planned to continue to donate to schools in the future.

-I am a product of Clark County School District, "he said. "This is my home, where I was born and raised, so I understand the importance of giving back to the community. Someone has to take my site so I will do my part to ensure that the future generation will soon will be a great opportunity to succeed. "

A no-frills introduction to the local burlesque scene from Las Vegas weekly

By Kristen Peterson (contact) Saturday 4 June 2011 | clock 1: 55 Leila Navidi Burlesque performer Cha Cha Velours photographed from GMG Studio in Henderson on Wednesday 25 May 2011.

Las Vegas weekly: Burlesque edition

This year the country's best burlesque performer Athabasca River to a goat farm in Helendale, California, where they would dance poolside among friends in the desert sun. Tasseled reunification, its boas, G-strings and elaborate hairdos in the annual Miss exotic world Pageant, where legends were honoured and new dancers are exploited to the underground community of modern burlesque.

Then came the moving trucks, the new digs, the bright lights. Miss exotic world is headed to Las Vegas, where it is now in its sixth year and where the burlesque Hall of Fame weekend has exploded into a four-day shock, and grind festival with earlier and contemporary artists, contests, showcases, awards and honours, master classes, pinup photo shots and lots of vintage cars kitsch.

You can read more in this week's Las Vegas weekly main article modern burlesque State by clicking here. The online version posted on our sister site, lasvegasweekly.com, includes photos, a video profile and take on the editor in Chief.

Click here for an introduction to some of Las Vegas favorite artists.

The afternoon fire injures Las Vegas homes

By Kyle Hansen (contact) Friday June 3, 2011 | 17: 00: 23

Fire officials said smoking materials or a candle may have been the cause of a Friday afternoon house fire.

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue was called at 12: 43 in the House at 4412 Alta Drive, near the meadows Mall. Nobody was at home when firefighters arrived in single-story house, which had smoke coming from it, so they forced themselves inside.

Firefighters found the fire in the kitchen and could quickly extinguish a fire.

Fire damage was limited to the kitchen, but the rest of the House had damage to the smoke and heat, officials said.

Fire investigators is a significant amount of material to smoking and a candle on or near the kitchen table, where the fire appeared to have begun.

No one was injured. Officials release not a damage estimate.

UFC packaging more significant impact on the Las Vegas Sports books

Sam Morris Frank Mir talks with grappling coach Ricky Lundell, which he may hand taped during open pass for UFC 130 Thursday, May 26, 2011; Village cases Keefer (contact) Friday, may 27, 2011 | 2: 05 a.m. http://www.lasvegassun.com/videos/2011/may/22/5162/as the two most successful Heavyweight mixed martial artists in Las Vegas, Frank Mir and Roy Nelson has always been. But they should set aside their friendship when they meet this weekend in co-main event for UFC 130 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

As recently as two years ago to book Sport Directors did not know what to make of the UFC.

Promoting praise mixed martial arts as the fastest growing sport in the world, but the public was not stepping up to the Las Vegas betting windows enough to match the hype. According to odd smakers throughout the city, which has been changed.

"The operation has gone up that you don't believe in the UFC," said Mike Colbert, sports book Director of Cantor Gaming, which operates the books at The M, hard rock, the cosmopolitan and Tropicana. "On these Saturdays when we have these UFC cards, we are making solid handle".

It is likely to continue with this weekend's UFC 130, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Colbert said an average UFC event would bring four times greater than the number of bets that an average boxing cards.

"You're talking to an absolute boxing guy here and I will be the first to acknowledge that the UFC is more popular games-wise," Colbert said. "I never thought I'd see the day when there is accordingly popular."

Rob Akers, Assistant Sports Director book at the Venetian and Lagasse's Stadium, was a mixed martial arts fan since UFC 1 1993 and has routes to the events since coming to the Venetian in 1999.

Akers has witnessed steady growth in betting interest and said he believed always UFC would come to the point where it is today. Some factors could have expedited the process for the players, "he said.

"I think it is directly related to boxing during the time in the last few years," said Akers. "Pacquiao is a one-man-show. He is the only guy who can keep a handle, and people want to bet on a combat sport. They will always find some way to go for a, and recently has been the UFC.

Betting on Boxing reached its peak during the 1990s. Akers said some time Mike Tyson appeared in the ring, people would be willing to bet on his shooting and all the other contests at the event.

Not to be long, but the sweet science still had a strong presence with the players a decade ago, behind a handful of prizefighters. More recently, the handful of carved into two — Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather — with the latter has not competed in more than a year.

"In boxing, most people can't even tell who is on the undercard," said Jay Rood, sports book Director for MGM Resorts International. "If you go to a MMA cards, phone in the crowd, and before it could be as much about one of the first fights on the card."

More wagering requirement option is also available on the UFC card. Venice used to be one of the only sites to post the lines in each fight, but most of its competitors has now joined.

Cantor offers odds on all cards and MGM puts approximately 75 percent of bouts in their boards.

"We are trying to put strokes in as many matches as possible because of demand," said Rood. -The large with the MMA is people coming for all matches.

According to the odds are, UFC 130 lots of evenly matched games for players to mull over. Only one of the top seven bouts on the card has a favorite at a price higher than the-200 (risking $ 2 to win $ 1).

Akers said Frank Mir at-125 (risking $ 1.25 to win $ 1) against Roy Nelson, who is on-105, had attracted most early money.

"All these pick 'em fight can actually hurt our handle," said Akers. -No one can decide what they think and, as in UFC 129, they love to have the big Favorites to win.

UFC 129 had last month in Toronto three major bouts with Favorites from more than 300. Who parlayed Georges St. Pierre, Jose Aldo and Lyoto Machida in surplus. When all three prevailed made it for a bad night at the Venetian.

The days when Sports books could ignore UFC results and live with all the results are over.

"It is expanded to well beyond what it used to be," said Rood.

Target Keefer can be reached in 948-2790 or case.keefer@lasvegassun.com. Follow the case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

Las Vegas expect squeezes more Memorial Day weekend

Al powers Memorial Day weekend at Tao Beach in The Venetian on May 30, 2010, By Kyle Hansen (contact) Friday, may 27, 2011 | at 1: 55

More Americans are expected to travel for Memorial Day weekend this year despite rising prices as gasoline, airfares and hotels, and Las Vegas is the No 1 target, according to some travel experts.

Las Vegas Convention and visitors authority predicted a 2 percent increase in visitors this year. Those 311,000 people will play 96% of the Las Vegas hotel room and conduct a nongaming incomes of 186.2 million dollars, the Agency said.

VEGAS.com, a travel site and sister company to the Las Vegas Sun, said the average daily room rate 15 percent for the weekend compared to last year, $ 160 one night instead of $ 129 a night, suggesting a greater demand for rooms this year.

But the price increase seems to frighten people away or get them to spend less on entertainment.

Travel Web site said visitors plan their weekend trip has earlier this year, with the booking window or time someone books a trip before their arrival, 6 percent.

And visitors have purchased 20 percent more entertainment packages this year, showing the VEGAS.com said people buy tickets before arrival instead of to the door.

The expected increase in visitors seem to share national trends.

Auto Club AAA predicts only 0.2 per cent increase in travel for the holidays, says 34.9 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home, rather than the 34.8 million who did so last year.

AAA also said the number of persons travelling by car would likely reduce the result of high gasoline prices. Average gas price April this year is the highest in 10 years, with prices 95 cents higher than a year ago.

Although automatic travel will slightly decrease nationally, it is expected the number of Americans travelling by air the weekend rise 11.5 percent compared to last year.

And the rising prices that gasoline does not appear to change many plans.

AAA says 58% of travelers say gas prices would change his plans, and only 10% of the people that said prices would prompt them to cut, said they would compensate by making shorter journeys.

"Travel continued to see an uptick in early 2011, especially for those booking vacations in advance," said Filomena Andre, Southern California, AAA vice President of products and services. "Here at the AAA, is planning an increase in the number of travellers made Memorial Day travel in January or February and before significant price increases took place. But already now we hear from members that they will adjust their expenditure to ensure that they can take a vacation weekend holiday and throughout the summer.

Travel site Priceline.com said in a recent survey 68 percent of respondents said a "staycation" was not going to be enough this year.

"This year's Memorial Day favourite list, indicates that it is serious about what they said," says Brian Ek, the site's travel expert. "Some of the smaller, local" drive-up "cities that were on the list last year, has been replaced by larger cities, countries, and the popular ' fly-to ' destinations as Las Vegas and Puerto Rico."

Las Vegas came No. 3 in the list of favorite destinations for Expedia weekend, behind Chicago and Seattle. But the list also separates Las Vegas into zones, so that the region actually displayed on the list of top 50 four times.

Promotions said Las Vegas was the No. 1 destination for booking on its website before 10 may, followed by New York, Chicago, Honolulu and San Diego.

AAA's Southern California Club sa also Las Vegas was no 1 target for its members, both the driving and flying.

Las Vegas express bus routes among the best in the United States, the report

MATTHEW MINARD/Las Vegas Sun/Sun file photo of the new vehicle hits Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) rapid transit system in the streets after an Unveiling ceremony at 3258 North Las Vegas Boulevard on Wednesday, 30 June 2004. The vehicle, provided by the regional transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, offers commuters a new and larger form of public transport. Every vehicle, MAX can transport up to 120 passengers and uses an advanced optical guidance that precisely target the near each MAX station. By Kyle Hansen (contact) Friday, may 27, 2011 | at 2: 03

Las Vegas's new bus rapid transit lines were identified as one of the best in the country in a report released Thursday, but the United States has a long way to go to catch up with some other countries.

The report "regain global leadership in Bus Rapid Transit" by the Institute for transportation and development policy, "said Cleveland, Eugene, ore., Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Las Vegas best bus rapid transit, or BRT, system in the nation.

In the report, but the United States is far behind other Nations in building faster bus systems and must do more to catch.

"These systems are poised to redefine how Americans see and use buses, critical at a time when increasingly scarce transport funding," said Walter Hook, Executive Director of the Institute and one of the report's authors, in a statement.

-But based on what we have seen in our work in cities around the world, we believe that there is still more that can be done, "he said. "To get at least a truly world-class BRT system built in the United States could inspire cities around the country to reconsider how they use the buses in the fight against growing congestion and rising fuel prices."

The regional transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has spent millions of dollars, much of the federal stimulus money to build four express bus routes and have more under construction. The report considered two main features of the service now, the MAX Las Vegas Boulevard North, which opened in 2004, and the Strip and Downtown Express line, which began service last year.

The idea of the report was to establish a system of scores to rank system bus, similar to how Green Building Council uses a score to determine its LEED awards for environmentally friendly buildings.

The result is a caption that gives each bus system a score from 0 to 100. A score of 85-100 is a gold designation, 70-84 is silver, 50-69 is bronze and slightly less than 49 is not a bus rapid transit.

Las Vegas made 50 scale, to get a bronze designation, but barely passes the requirements for bus rapid transit.

None of the other bus rapid transit lines in the nation got a silver or gold description, either. Cleveland got a score of 63, Eugene was a 61, Los Angeles got a 61 and Pittsburgh scored 57.

Cities in other countries do much better in the report, with some scores as high as 93 when the same ranking system is used.

The report praises the RTC systems but say Strip and Downtown Express suffers from congestion and slow service at the main part of the route, where there is no dedicated bus-only k?rf?lt.

-Line SDX most significant shortcomings are that special infrastructure does not continue on the main strip, largely because the casino owners did not want to make it easier or more attractive to their customers leave their casinos "in the report.

"The result is that in the most congested and popular part of Las Vegas, SDX behave more or less as a normal bus route incur countless delays," continues. "Yet the SDX line is a positive example for all accommodation in Las Vegas that GRT could provide high-quality transit at a lower cost than rail, and it is seen as a political and operational success."

Line MAX, who was the first rapid transit line in the State, also benefited from some "factual luck" which helped to pave the way for route Strip, according to the report.

"The city's other major transit investments, a monorail, opened late, millions of dollars over budget, and with significant technical issues," it says. The result is that the MAX saw particularly good and RTC was eventually able to expand with Strip and Downtown Express, which are in direct competition with the monorail, the report says.

In addition, the BRT success in Las Vegas quieted most of push to talk, and build a light rail train in Las Vegas, which is much more expensive, according to the report.

The report said sub-Saharan Africa Express line under construction in Las Vegas not likely qualifies as a true bus rapid transit line because it will use the lanes along the right hand curb, by the way, instead of in the middle of the street.

"Enlargement remains a positive sign that BRT is an accepted mass transit in Las Vegas," the report.

Lake Las Vegas ' Ravella Dives in the pool party biz, but target families

Ravella

Celebrities and bikini's have become games on Strip pool party scene where fluid drains from morning through night clubs when open.

Their name plastered on billboards, along with whatever they celebrate the birthday or the product launches, is sufficient for partygoers to spend hundreds of cabanas and bottle service saying they partied together with their favorite celebrity, fueling nightclub operators ' newest moneymaker.

And with pool parties appear on hotels across the Valley, it seems almost every resort is trying to cash in on the trend. Now, in the suburban gated community of Lake Las Vegas, Ravella tries his hand at pool parties but with a different take: family friendly pool party.

On Ravellas will not pool parties begin Memorial Day weekend, guests find $ 1,000 cabanas or a pool overflowing with boozy 20-somethings. Instead, they can expect balloon animals, face painting, and cotton candy, along with other activities geared towards families.

"We wanted to really be able to drive the locals out to the hotel and we thought that we should go route the family because the hotel is suitable for that," says Marty Bertone, Ravella Chief of sales and marketing, which helped to develop the concept.

The hotel has recruited its own celebrity host for some of the weekend's festivities, ' Holly's World ' star Angel Porrino. But instead of her usual friends-Holly Madison and playmate Laura Croft at her side, Porrino will host with toddler son, Roman.

"When you look at a host, we wanted someone who had something of a local after so we chose Angel, particularly because of his role in" Absinthe "and" Holly's world. " We knew that if we were to do an event promoting the family, we wanted a celebrity that may lead to a family member with her, "said Bertone.

Porrino will host a Memorial Day BBQ at Ravella pool, and the DJ will add to the pool party vibe Ravella hope to create. On Saturday, the resort hosts a tropical-themed party featuring authentic Caribbean cuisine and beverages for adults and children shaved ice.

The cost for the two weekends parties are included in the $ 119 rate on Memorial Day package at the hotel, but admission can also be purchased for less than $ 20 to $ 45 rooms over the weekend--a fraction of what other Las Vegas pool parties, free of charge.

Bertone said Ravella chiefs looked at pool parties at the Strip at the development of their, but not as a model. They are needed to guide their judgement that the demographic, who are mainly meetings during the week and families on the weekend.

The Strip tend to get a little crazy, especially the pool parties. We would not be able to compete with something similar, and we really do not want to compete with it. We want to develop a concept that is exclusive to Ravella and Lake Las Vegas community, "said Bertone.

Ravella will have some options for adults. Hotel cabanas that go for $ 100 each, and recently started to bottle service at the pool.

Ravella will start with Memorial Day weekend for its family-friendly pool party concept, but Bertone said the hotel hope to open it for other weekends, depending on its success.

-The community Las Vegas is really important to our success so to have a local following, and we certainly encourage the local audience to come out and visit Ravella, Bertone said. "This was the approach we used to keep people out from the other side of the city and Henderson locals."

Casino MonteLago is reopened at Lake Las Vegas

Steve Marcus people Scroll on the streets of MonteLago village during the grand re-opening of Casino MonteLago at Lake Las Vegas on Thursday, May 26, 2011.

It was a Las Vegas scene, circa 2007: too many, too few gambling machines and too few parking places for people on a crowded for what may be the only large Casino to 2011.

After 14 months of darkness, Casino MonteLago — social hub of Lake Las Vegas golf resort community — again 9 p.m. Thursday for a burst of fireworks.

Small casino closed in March 2010, a victim of the battered economy in a challenging Henderson location some 20 miles from the Strip. Although the local economy is still in error messages, are expecting a new management team to do better by promoting lean, with less gambling machines and employees.

But Thursday night, there were smiles all around – and the type of gambling measure casinos dream about. Shortly after the doors opened, customers stood two deep, expecting a 275 slot machines or seven electronic table games to open up.

Among them is the Henderson resident Nancy Almanzan, which found a place in an electronic blackjack game.

-It is nice to come here and relax and not on the Strip, says Almanzan, 45. "We used to come out here two or three times a week when the casino was open but not so much because it closed. I like the ambience village atmosphere. "

Roy Alexander drove all the way from downtown Las Vegas to open.

"We used to come here for live music on weekends. I would definitely come down here again now that the Casino is open, "said Alexander, 65.

As customers of the casino when it was under the previous administration, he and his wife, an offer to stay on attached Ravella hotel.

"We could have rented a room at the weekend, we had earlier received the message. We will probably be back, "he said.

While playing roulette, Lin was big on opening Meriage, says she and her husband had been waiting for it since the property ended last year.

Meriage, a retiree and full-time resident of Lake Las Vegas, said that there was still enough sights to keep the resort community, including seven restaurants were open during the last year. Still, the casino was a much needed attraction, she said.

"We are proud of," said Meriage, 67.

The Casino will hopefully stay open for fans of the Tuscan-themed in a faux Italian village of cobblestone walking paths, quaint restaurants and boutique shops and next to a 320-acre man-made lake.

Critics considered small surrounding population sentenced 40 000-square-foot casino from the beginning.

CEO Jon Berkley disagrees, saying the Casino's main problem was its heavy debt burden wiped away — now in the ownership to the lenders.

A significant though small problems of previous administrations, he said, was a marketing problem with the earlier Ritz-Carlton hotel next door.

Beautifully appointed hotel, which has done little on the market, the attached casino guests, was simply too expensive for the local population, "he said.

"When a room at the Ritz cost $ 300, no one could afford a staycation here," he said.

That changes now renamed hotel, Ravella, reopened in February under new management. This luxury hotel – who left the room and the space untouched but have brightened the lobby and other public places with more colorful and less formal furnishings – sells four-star accommodation in two-and three-star prices.

The property offers an advertising at $ 49 per night by 12 June, and has recently reduced the regular prices for Nevada residents to $ 59 from kr by Labor Day. Rates peak at around $ 130, price undercutting rates charged by other luxury hotels in the city. Staycations are a key marketing strategy for the hotel, which can be a significant part of the business from locals looking for a quick getaway, "said Marty Bertone, Ravellas Director of sales and marketing and a Ritz-Carlton coach in Phoenix.

"Our local people who have done very well," he said.

The Casino is also dependent on the local population rather than the out-of-towners.

Rather than simply drawing from Lake Las Vegas or Henderson, the Casino hopes to attract people from across the Las Vegas Valley to stop at Lake Las Vegas, Berkley said.

"We did not invent a staycation, but I think we have perfected it," he said. "From your House in Summerlin, 30 minutes away, you can be transported to another location altogether ... a village that looks like something you would find on the Amalfi Coast."

For its part sold 71 year old Laura Velgos on Lake Las Vegas. She and friend Frank Black, 73, nosed around some shops in the village in anticipation of tonight's Casino crowd to disperse.

"It feels like Europe. It is who is on vacation, "says Velgos, a 43-year Las Vegas resident who visited the Lake Las Vegas regularly until the casino closed.

"You can not find a machine which, so it's crowded. We waited 30 minutes, and then came out here, "said Black, who lives in Boulder City. -But we love this place.

They won so much money from the casino that they probably helped it turn, joke black.

Yes, they do not win, but they enjoyed themselves, and that is why they are back, enjoying a night walk in string lights in faux European village.

-We are here to win back all the money we lost, "he says with a laugh.

Jonathan Gomez thinking not long drive from his home in Northwest Las Vegas to his job as a line cook at Harry's restaurant in the Casino.

-It is worth it for the opportunity, "said Gomez, recent culinary-school graduate. "It's a great feeling to be an employee. And this is a good place.

Gomez said the Casino would flourish given sufficient publicity.

"Many people don't know about. I've told people, what a nice place to get a girlfriend. "