Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino will open Oct. 27

With the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino poised to open, moves are being made in anticipation of a rejuvenated downtown. The Downtown Grand said it will open Oct. 27; an official grand opening will be Nov. 12.

The owners of the nearby D Casino Hotel have purchased the original Clark County Courthouse at auction for $10 million. Although no firm plans have been announced, the building’s location across the street from the D will likely allow for a future expansion of the resort after the courthouse, built in 1905, is razed.

It’s also been announced that the hotel at the Gold Spike — formerly a casino and now a restaurant and bar — will be converted into employee housing for the about-to-open Zappos headquarters. A pedestrian plaza that will be used for spe- cial events also has been approved.

Hot clubs: According to the trade publication

Las Vegas claims 21 of the 100 most profitable nightclubs in the United States, including all of the Top 10 spots. Seven Sin City clubs bring in more than $25 million a year (and they need to, with DJ salaries regularly registering in the millions for the top crowd pullers).

Free taxi: Take a cab to Ellis Island and show your receipt to get reimbursed for up to $20 in slot play. The amount is rounded up to the nearest $5, so you could come out ahead. Check out Ellis Island’s awesome 24/7 steak special for $7.99 or $9.99 — get the lower price by joining the players club and playing $1 in a slot machine.

Question: Will the new $100 bill cause problems for casinos or customers who try to exchange them?

Answer: There will be some glitches, most likely with bill validators on slot machines. Most casinos have indicated that they’re either in the process of, or will soon be, updating their validators to accept the new bills. For now, a good strategy is to keep some old bills handy.