Jubilee at Bally's - the last of the classic Las Vegas showgirl spectacular shows - will be closing early next year. The final performance is expected to be on February 11, 2016.
The announcement came just days after the news that longtime Jubilee manager Fluff LeCoque had passed away at the age of 92 on December 10th.
The classic showgirl spectacular was a dying breed that will likely go extinct once Jubilee closes. The other longtime running spectacular Les Folies Bergere closed in 2009 after running at the Tropicana since 1959.
I had a chance to see Jubilee a few years ago. I enjoyed the show, but it was clearly outdated and not well attended. A 2014 revamp of the show fell flat, seemingly not doing anything to improve attendance.
It's interesting how "the showgirl" is one of the most iconic symbols of Las Vegas, but the actual show won't exist anymore.
Showing posts with label Bally's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bally's. Show all posts
Monday, December 14, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Caesars Upgrading Las Vegas Room Product
For years Caesars Entertainment has had a reputation for not maintaining their properties. While most Strip properties had routine room updates, Caesars seemed to take the approach of deferring maintenance to save money.
This provided some great room rates for budget travelers, but from a company perspective Caesars was hurting themselves by not being able to charge more for nicer room offerings.
This might be changing though. On the latest Caesars Entertainment earnings conference call yesterday new CEO Mark Frissora talked about being able to achieve higher average daily room rates by improving their properties.
Indeed Caesars has already taken steps to upgrade Las Vegas hotel rooms with the upcoming Julius Tower at Caesars Palace, new suites at Paris, upgraded rooms in the Carnival Tower at Harrah's, and refreshed Hollywood Hip rooms and suites at Planet Hollywood.
This follows some other improvements at Caesars properties including the complete overhauls at The Cromwell and The Linq, along with new hotel rooms at the Bally's Jubilee Tower and the Rio Samba Suites.
If Caesars continues to aggressively improve their room products it would give Las Vegas travelers many more options for a nicer hotel room closer to the center of the Strip.
This provided some great room rates for budget travelers, but from a company perspective Caesars was hurting themselves by not being able to charge more for nicer room offerings.
This might be changing though. On the latest Caesars Entertainment earnings conference call yesterday new CEO Mark Frissora talked about being able to achieve higher average daily room rates by improving their properties.
Indeed Caesars has already taken steps to upgrade Las Vegas hotel rooms with the upcoming Julius Tower at Caesars Palace, new suites at Paris, upgraded rooms in the Carnival Tower at Harrah's, and refreshed Hollywood Hip rooms and suites at Planet Hollywood.
This follows some other improvements at Caesars properties including the complete overhauls at The Cromwell and The Linq, along with new hotel rooms at the Bally's Jubilee Tower and the Rio Samba Suites.
If Caesars continues to aggressively improve their room products it would give Las Vegas travelers many more options for a nicer hotel room closer to the center of the Strip.
Tuesday, September 08, 2015
Wahlburgers at Grand Bazaar Shops
Wahlburgers has been rumored to be coming to Las Vegas for a while - and now it's official. According to a press release Wahlburgers will be opening at the Grand Bazaar Shops at Bally's by the end of 2015.
The fast casual burger joint will be located adjacent to the new Starbucks that just opened recently.
Wahlburgers is owned and operated by the Wahlberg family. The franchise originated in the Boston area. Paul is the executive chef while his celebrity brothers Mark and Donnie are there for moral support. The restaurant is also the subject of an A&E reality show by the same name.
I think Wahlburgers will be pretty successful in Las Vegas. Say what you want about the Grand Bazaar Shops but this is a very good location with heavy foot traffic. The celebrity connection will also likely be a draw for tourists. Although the gourmet burger market is pretty saturated on the Strip, I think Wahlburgers should be able to attract more than enough business.
The fast casual burger joint will be located adjacent to the new Starbucks that just opened recently.
Wahlburgers is owned and operated by the Wahlberg family. The franchise originated in the Boston area. Paul is the executive chef while his celebrity brothers Mark and Donnie are there for moral support. The restaurant is also the subject of an A&E reality show by the same name.
I think Wahlburgers will be pretty successful in Las Vegas. Say what you want about the Grand Bazaar Shops but this is a very good location with heavy foot traffic. The celebrity connection will also likely be a draw for tourists. Although the gourmet burger market is pretty saturated on the Strip, I think Wahlburgers should be able to attract more than enough business.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Bally's Grand Bazaar Shops
I haven't had a chance to share my thoughts about the Bally's Grand Bazaar Shops on this blog. With many of the shops opening, now seems like a good time.
Bally's is located pretty far off the Strip in terms of walking distance. For years to reach the casino you would travel up a long moving walkway, and then up and down a series of escalators. Pretty inefficient.
The large amount of space between the Strip and the entrance presented an opportunity for Bally's parent company Caesars Entertainment to build something productive. With retail being hot right now, and an easy way to make money by simply renting space out to tenants - the decision was made to develop the Grand Bazaar Shops.
The area has been open for a couple of months, but it seems like tenants are just now starting to open. One of the anchors is a Starbucks with stadium style seating for people watching. Fuel Bar and Garage has flair bartenders along with the "garage" game-room with beer pong, pool and even basketball. There's also a hot sauce shop that I'll probably have to check out.
The shops have been widely criticized across the internet for being tacky, flea-market-like, and an eyesore. I can't exactly disagree with any of these sentiments, but I'm probably more open minded than most comment section participants.
From what I've seen the layout just seems odd. I understand that Bally's isn't a luxury property, but I think Caesars could have made this area into a nicer space - similar to what they did with The Linq and what MGM is doing with The Park.
The saving grace might be the free attractions at the shops:
Nightly Light Show:
Experience the unique hexagonal LED rooftop canopy, designed just for Grand Bazaar Shops, featuring an energetic light show set to custom-created themed soundtracks.
Swarovski Midnight Celebration:
Central to the Grand Bazaar Shops’ experience is the Swarovski Crystal Starburst. The Starburst soars above Grand Bazaar Shops’ colorful, mosaic-pattern rooftop canopy and is the star of the nightly Swarovski Midnight Celebration, a brilliantly colored light, music and video spectacle.
I'm guessing neither of these will become the next Bellagio fountains or Mirage volcano, but in a time where free attractions are going away, it's nice to have them as an option. I really liked the old Bally's moving walkway light show, so I have a feeling I might end up liking this one as well.
Bally's is located pretty far off the Strip in terms of walking distance. For years to reach the casino you would travel up a long moving walkway, and then up and down a series of escalators. Pretty inefficient.
The large amount of space between the Strip and the entrance presented an opportunity for Bally's parent company Caesars Entertainment to build something productive. With retail being hot right now, and an easy way to make money by simply renting space out to tenants - the decision was made to develop the Grand Bazaar Shops.
The area has been open for a couple of months, but it seems like tenants are just now starting to open. One of the anchors is a Starbucks with stadium style seating for people watching. Fuel Bar and Garage has flair bartenders along with the "garage" game-room with beer pong, pool and even basketball. There's also a hot sauce shop that I'll probably have to check out.
The shops have been widely criticized across the internet for being tacky, flea-market-like, and an eyesore. I can't exactly disagree with any of these sentiments, but I'm probably more open minded than most comment section participants.
From what I've seen the layout just seems odd. I understand that Bally's isn't a luxury property, but I think Caesars could have made this area into a nicer space - similar to what they did with The Linq and what MGM is doing with The Park.
The saving grace might be the free attractions at the shops:
Nightly Light Show:
Experience the unique hexagonal LED rooftop canopy, designed just for Grand Bazaar Shops, featuring an energetic light show set to custom-created themed soundtracks.
Swarovski Midnight Celebration:
Central to the Grand Bazaar Shops’ experience is the Swarovski Crystal Starburst. The Starburst soars above Grand Bazaar Shops’ colorful, mosaic-pattern rooftop canopy and is the star of the nightly Swarovski Midnight Celebration, a brilliantly colored light, music and video spectacle.
I'm guessing neither of these will become the next Bellagio fountains or Mirage volcano, but in a time where free attractions are going away, it's nice to have them as an option. I really liked the old Bally's moving walkway light show, so I have a feeling I might end up liking this one as well.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Caesars Entertainment Resort Fees starting March 1, 2013
After years of advertising that they don't charge resort fees, Caesars Entertainment has changed course 180 degrees. The company will start charging the fees on all Las Vegas rooms booked after March 1, 2013.
This is quite a change from the summer of 2011 when showgirls from Bally's protested resort fees on the Strip.
All eight Caesars properties in Vegas (Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Bally's, Harrah's, Flamingo, Rio and The Quad) will start charging resort fees ranging from $10-25 a night, which will include the use of basic amenities like internet access and use of the hotel fitness center.
From an outside perspective this seems like a strange move. Since most Las Vegas Strip hotels charge resort fees, I thought Caesars was in a great position being able to advertise that the didn't have the fees. Obviously adding fees will provide a revenue boost for the company, but they could have just as easily done that by raising hotel rates outright.
Caesars obviously didn't think they could continue on with the no-fee strategy though, as eye-catching low rack rates backed up by secondary "hidden" fees are proving to be a very successful strategy for travel providers.
This is quite a change from the summer of 2011 when showgirls from Bally's protested resort fees on the Strip.
All eight Caesars properties in Vegas (Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Bally's, Harrah's, Flamingo, Rio and The Quad) will start charging resort fees ranging from $10-25 a night, which will include the use of basic amenities like internet access and use of the hotel fitness center.
From an outside perspective this seems like a strange move. Since most Las Vegas Strip hotels charge resort fees, I thought Caesars was in a great position being able to advertise that the didn't have the fees. Obviously adding fees will provide a revenue boost for the company, but they could have just as easily done that by raising hotel rates outright.
Caesars obviously didn't think they could continue on with the no-fee strategy though, as eye-catching low rack rates backed up by secondary "hidden" fees are proving to be a very successful strategy for travel providers.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Jubilee! has 30 Year Anniversary
July 30th marks the 30 year anniversary of the opening of Jubilee! - currently the longest running show in Las Vegas.
Jubilee! opened at Bally's in 1981, which was still known as the MGM Grand back then. The show opened around the same time as the hotel's new South tower, which was eight months after the devastating MGM Grand fire of 1980.
Jubilee! is a great show, and is the last of the true "Vegas Showgirl" type of shows. Hopefully it remains on the Strip for many years to come.
Jubilee! opened at Bally's in 1981, which was still known as the MGM Grand back then. The show opened around the same time as the hotel's new South tower, which was eight months after the devastating MGM Grand fire of 1980.
Jubilee! is a great show, and is the last of the true "Vegas Showgirl" type of shows. Hopefully it remains on the Strip for many years to come.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Bally's - No Resort Fees - Building Wrap
Bally's has a new building wrap promoting "No Resort Fees" at Caesar's Entertainment properties. The wrap went up in conjunction with the The Showgirls are Angry marketing campaign.
UPDATE: Caesars Entertainment is now charging resort fees on Las Vegas rooms booked after March 1, 2013.
Source: Bally's TwitPic.
UPDATE: Caesars Entertainment is now charging resort fees on Las Vegas rooms booked after March 1, 2013.
Source: Bally's TwitPic.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Showgirls Angry about Resort Fees
Bally's has come up with a viral marketing campaign featuring the Jubilee! showgirls angry about resort fees.
The campaign started out by posting this vague picture on various social media sites:
Today the showgirls were out marching on the street with picket signs "protesting" resort fees. Bally's posted these pictures on Twitter:
UPDATE: Caesars Entertainment has abandoned their no-resort fee policy, and will start charging resort fees on all Las Vegas rooms booked after March 1, 2013.
The campaign started out by posting this vague picture on various social media sites:
Today the showgirls were out marching on the street with picket signs "protesting" resort fees. Bally's posted these pictures on Twitter:
UPDATE: Caesars Entertainment has abandoned their no-resort fee policy, and will start charging resort fees on all Las Vegas rooms booked after March 1, 2013.
Monday, June 06, 2011
Las Vegas World Beer Fest
A year long beer festival is coming to Las Vegas. The Las Vegas World Beer Fest is scheduled to begin October 13th. The fest will take place in the (parking lot?) area behind Ballys.
The festival will feature "500 different beers weekly ... along with 100 different microbrewers, cooking demonstrations, beer games, live bands, and the Brewers’ conference."
This looks like a fun thing to do in Vegas during the day. I can imagine people taking a break from the Strip to sneak off and enjoy some good beer. They are touting this as a "year long" event, but I can see it going on for a few years if it's successful.
For more info, check out Las Vegas World Beer Fest.
The festival will feature "500 different beers weekly ... along with 100 different microbrewers, cooking demonstrations, beer games, live bands, and the Brewers’ conference."
This looks like a fun thing to do in Vegas during the day. I can imagine people taking a break from the Strip to sneak off and enjoy some good beer. They are touting this as a "year long" event, but I can see it going on for a few years if it's successful.
For more info, check out Las Vegas World Beer Fest.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Kirk Kerkorian Retiring from MGM Board
MGM Resorts International announced this week that founder and major shareholder Kirk Kerkorian will be stepping down from the Board of Directors. This is essentially a retirement for the almost 94 year old Kerkorian, although he will still remain with the company in an advisory role.
Kirk Kerkorian's time in Las Vegas dates back to the early 1960's. He is probably most well known in Vegas for opening the International hotel (now Las Vegas Hilton), the original MGM Grand (now Bally's) and the current MGM Grand.
For a good biography of Kirk Kerkorian with lots of cool old pictures, check out In Old Las Vegas.
Kirk Kerkorian's time in Las Vegas dates back to the early 1960's. He is probably most well known in Vegas for opening the International hotel (now Las Vegas Hilton), the original MGM Grand (now Bally's) and the current MGM Grand.
For a good biography of Kirk Kerkorian with lots of cool old pictures, check out In Old Las Vegas.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Caesars Entertainment opens Ticket Booth
Caesars Entertainment has opened a small ticket booth on the Strip in front of Bally's. Actually I can't say for sure that it's owned by Caesars, but the only thing they are selling right now are All Stage Passes. That and the Caesars Pulse of Vegas blog had a story on the booth make me think that it is indeed owned by Caesars.
The booth looks just like one of the discount ticket booths that you see in various places around town. Although they only sell the All Stage Pass now, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bunch of Caesars shows go on sale individually in the future. Again though, I can't even say for sure the booth is owned or operated by Caesars, so most of this is speculation.
I guess it does make sense for a company that has so many shows to have their own discount ticket booth. Instead of off-loading extra tickets to a third party, why not just sell the discounted tickets yourself? It looks like Caesars Entertainment might do just that. I wonder how it will affect the other discounters around town if Caesars decides to keep their tickets completely in-house?
For more on the new ticket booth check out Pulse of Vegas.
The booth looks just like one of the discount ticket booths that you see in various places around town. Although they only sell the All Stage Pass now, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bunch of Caesars shows go on sale individually in the future. Again though, I can't even say for sure the booth is owned or operated by Caesars, so most of this is speculation.
I guess it does make sense for a company that has so many shows to have their own discount ticket booth. Instead of off-loading extra tickets to a third party, why not just sell the discounted tickets yourself? It looks like Caesars Entertainment might do just that. I wonder how it will affect the other discounters around town if Caesars decides to keep their tickets completely in-house?
For more on the new ticket booth check out Pulse of Vegas.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Bring Your Dog to Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace, Imperial Palace and Rio now allow guests with dogs to stay at their hotels. I'm a little surprised that Caesars would allow dogs especially at the Agustus Tower since that is a fairly new and nice tower, but I guess if the pets are contained to a specified area then everything would probably work out and other guests wouldn't be disturbed.
UPDATE - January 2011: The Pet Stay program has now been expanded to include Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Harrah's, Flamingo, Bally's, Rio and Imperial Palace. Please check with each hotel for details.
Here's the policy:
Caesars Palace, Imperial Palace and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas are rolling out the red carpet for traveling dogs, with the launch of "PetStay," the resorts' new pet-friendly hotel program.
Guests participating in the PetStay program are greeted by several canine-friendly in-room amenities including a mat, food and water dishes, disposable waste bags and dog treats.
Caesars Palace, Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino and Imperial Palace each host a designated PetStay area within the hotel, equipped with welcome packets that direct guests to outdoor relief areas and dog walking routes as well as specialty room service menus. Additional Information about dog-friendly items for purchase and nearby dog services (such as grooming, walking and veterinary care) is available upon check-in at each of the participating resorts.
Policy
Caesars Palace, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and Imperial Palace have the following pet policy:
* Dogs staying at any of the three hotels must weigh 50 pounds or less and be present at the time of check- in.
* Up to 2 dogs per room are allowed
* Dogs are permitted to walk through designated common areas while on a leash and accompanied by the owner.
Hotel room rates for owners traveling with a dog are competitively priced at a $25 per night upgrade for designated pet-friendly hotel accommodations in the Augustus Tower at Caesars Palace; a $20 per night upgrade applies to similar accommodations at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and Imperial Palace.
Source: Harrah's - Pet Stay Las Vegas.
UPDATE - January 2011: The Pet Stay program has now been expanded to include Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Harrah's, Flamingo, Bally's, Rio and Imperial Palace. Please check with each hotel for details.
Here's the policy:
Caesars Palace, Imperial Palace and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas are rolling out the red carpet for traveling dogs, with the launch of "PetStay," the resorts' new pet-friendly hotel program.
Guests participating in the PetStay program are greeted by several canine-friendly in-room amenities including a mat, food and water dishes, disposable waste bags and dog treats.
Caesars Palace, Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino and Imperial Palace each host a designated PetStay area within the hotel, equipped with welcome packets that direct guests to outdoor relief areas and dog walking routes as well as specialty room service menus. Additional Information about dog-friendly items for purchase and nearby dog services (such as grooming, walking and veterinary care) is available upon check-in at each of the participating resorts.
Policy
Caesars Palace, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and Imperial Palace have the following pet policy:
* Dogs staying at any of the three hotels must weigh 50 pounds or less and be present at the time of check- in.
* Up to 2 dogs per room are allowed
* Dogs are permitted to walk through designated common areas while on a leash and accompanied by the owner.
Hotel room rates for owners traveling with a dog are competitively priced at a $25 per night upgrade for designated pet-friendly hotel accommodations in the Augustus Tower at Caesars Palace; a $20 per night upgrade applies to similar accommodations at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and Imperial Palace.
Source: Harrah's - Pet Stay Las Vegas.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Harrah's Announces All Stage Pass
Following their successful Buffet of Buffets deal, Harrah's now has an "all you can see" show package.
For $99 (plus taxes and fees) you can see as many selected Harrah's shows as you can for a 48 hour period. There are currently 17 different shows to choose from and the clock starts ticking as soon as you buy your pass.
There are also "premium" shows that aren't included but you can pay $40 to see them during your 48 hours. Premium shows include Cher, Barry Manilow, Donny & Marie and Penn & Teller. It looks like Peepshow isn't included in this promotion even though you have to buy your pass at Planet Hollywood.
This has the potential to be a great deal, but like the Buffet of Buffets deal it requires some planning. You pretty much need to see 3 or 4 shows to get your money's worth. This is definitely possible since there are a few afternoon shows to choose from, and you could theoretically see 2 shows in the same night as well (say a 7:30 and a 10:00). I like seeing shows in Las Vegas, but I'm not sure how I feel about trying to cram 2 or 3 shows into the same day.
Another thing to consider is that the "retail" prices for many of these shows could be greatly reduced by using a coupon or discount ticket outlet. For example you might think you're getting $24.95 worth of show by seeing Mac King, but free passes or 2 for 1 coupons this show are often easily available. Similarly the retail price for X Burlesque is $49.95 but I've seen this show sold at the discount ticket brokers for under $30.
If you are looking to see as many shows as possible on a budget then this is probably a great deal for you. If seeing 2-3 shows a day seems a little overwhelming, then using coupons or discount ticket brokers might be a better option.
Source: Harrah's All Stage Pass. Please check them out for all the details.
For $99 (plus taxes and fees) you can see as many selected Harrah's shows as you can for a 48 hour period. There are currently 17 different shows to choose from and the clock starts ticking as soon as you buy your pass.
There are also "premium" shows that aren't included but you can pay $40 to see them during your 48 hours. Premium shows include Cher, Barry Manilow, Donny & Marie and Penn & Teller. It looks like Peepshow isn't included in this promotion even though you have to buy your pass at Planet Hollywood.
This has the potential to be a great deal, but like the Buffet of Buffets deal it requires some planning. You pretty much need to see 3 or 4 shows to get your money's worth. This is definitely possible since there are a few afternoon shows to choose from, and you could theoretically see 2 shows in the same night as well (say a 7:30 and a 10:00). I like seeing shows in Las Vegas, but I'm not sure how I feel about trying to cram 2 or 3 shows into the same day.
Another thing to consider is that the "retail" prices for many of these shows could be greatly reduced by using a coupon or discount ticket outlet. For example you might think you're getting $24.95 worth of show by seeing Mac King, but free passes or 2 for 1 coupons this show are often easily available. Similarly the retail price for X Burlesque is $49.95 but I've seen this show sold at the discount ticket brokers for under $30.
If you are looking to see as many shows as possible on a budget then this is probably a great deal for you. If seeing 2-3 shows a day seems a little overwhelming, then using coupons or discount ticket brokers might be a better option.
Source: Harrah's All Stage Pass. Please check them out for all the details.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Get Him to the Greek - Las Vegas Scenes
Movies and TV shows like to take creative license when filming in Las Vegas. The NBC show "Las Vegas" was famous for their fictional hotel which seemed to change locations up and down the strip every episode. In the movie 21 the characters had a suite at the Hard Rock (off the Strip) that seemed to magically overlook the Bellagio fountains. The iconic Vegas movie Swingers had the characters entering the Stardust, but the interior scenes were actually shot at the Fremont hotel. The Hangover actually did a pretty good job with their Vegas exterior shots. I love the scene where they are overlooking the strip from Caesars and then night fades to day focused on Flamingo and Bally's.
Earlier today I saw the new release Get Him to the Greek. Aside from looking like a reasonably funny movie, I heard that part of the film was in Las Vegas, which was an added incentive to see it. Turns out the Vegas scenes are kind of minor. The characters have a suite at Planet Hollywood. They then see the Rat Pack is Back show at Plaza. After that they are partying in another suite which I guess is supposed to be their original suite at Planet Hollywood. The only problem is the view overlooked the strip from a vantage point which looks south from Trump. The characters then exit the hotel and appear to be around Fashion Show Mall, which makes sense... but then the camera cuts and they are suddenly in front of Paris going north. I'm sure 99% of the moviegoers wouldn't notice this, but it was a pretty obvious goof for Vegas geeks to spot.
So bottom line, Get Him to the Greek was a pretty funny movie, but if you were going for the Las Vegas scenes you might want to wait for DVD.
Earlier today I saw the new release Get Him to the Greek. Aside from looking like a reasonably funny movie, I heard that part of the film was in Las Vegas, which was an added incentive to see it. Turns out the Vegas scenes are kind of minor. The characters have a suite at Planet Hollywood. They then see the Rat Pack is Back show at Plaza. After that they are partying in another suite which I guess is supposed to be their original suite at Planet Hollywood. The only problem is the view overlooked the strip from a vantage point which looks south from Trump. The characters then exit the hotel and appear to be around Fashion Show Mall, which makes sense... but then the camera cuts and they are suddenly in front of Paris going north. I'm sure 99% of the moviegoers wouldn't notice this, but it was a pretty obvious goof for Vegas geeks to spot.
So bottom line, Get Him to the Greek was a pretty funny movie, but if you were going for the Las Vegas scenes you might want to wait for DVD.
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