Vegas gets a flashy new sign
A new welcome sign, featuring two 26-foottall showgirls and the words "City of Las Vegas," was dedicated recently at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Main Street, just north of the Stratosphere.
The $400,000 sign near the gateway to the city is expected to turn into the kind of iconic photo op that the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" sign has been for decades. The
Stratosphere is carving out a nearby parking lot that will open in a month.
Batali restaurants close: The three restaurants at Venetian and Palazzo that were partially owned by Mario Batali have closed. Carnevino, B&B Ristorante and Otto Enoteca e Pizzeria closed after sexual misconduct allegations against Batali prompted Sands Corp. to part ways with owners B&B Hospitality. A new Italian restaurant out of L.A. called The Factory Kitchen has already opened in one of the spaces.
Chicken Shaq: Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is opening a restaurant called Big Chicken across from the Hard Rock casino. He says he’ll produce a reality show surrounding the opening of the restaurant. The opening date is slated for October.
Jackpot at Harrah’s: The Wheel of Fortune jackpot train chugs on with a $1.2 million jackpot hit last month at Harrah’s. It follows a June string of three WoF jackpots of $1 million or more at Venetian, Cosmopolitan and Silverton.
Sassy Sally marquee: Details about the new downtown casino that will be built on the site of the former Las Vegas Club have mostly been kept quiet, but it has been disclosed that the iconic Sassy Sally cowgirl marquee will be incorporated into the outside design. Not to be confused with Vegas Vic’s pal Vickie, Sassy Sally formerly sat atop the changing roster of casinos on the north side of Fremont Street. A completion date for the project that’s still known only as 18 Fremont has not been revealed.
Monorail delay: Work on the monorail extension to Mandalay Bay has been delayed because of hang-ups in receiving construction permits. There may also be a problem with funding, which is causing concern that the project may not be completed in time for the opening of the Raiders stadium, if at all.