Park MGM is new Monte Carlo Name

Monte Carlo will be renamed Park MGM as part of a $450 million remodeling project. The new name was announced in an MGM Resorts International press release earlier today.

The property will also feature a "hotel within a hotel" concept with NoMad Hotel occupying a small portion of the rooms. NoMad will be operated by the New York City based Sydell Group.

It's unclear what will happen to Monte Carlo's current "hotel within a hotel" concept Hotel 32.

Re-naming Monte Carlo after the adjacent Park promenade was a fairly predictable move, but attaching the MGM brand to the property is kind of a head–scratcher.

While I understand "MGM" is a valuable brand name to the company, having two different properties on the same street with MGM in the name could become pretty confusing.

I could see a drunk tourist who cant remember the exact name of the hotel telling a cabbie to take him to MGM which would probably get him dropped off at MGM Grand.

MGM set to Charge Parking Garage Fees?

MGM Resorts International will soon charge for parking at their Las Vegas self park garages, according to a report from Vegas Tripping.

Casino companies are willing to nickel and dime their customers endlessly in a quest for higher revenues. Over the years gaming odds on the Strip have declined consistently, and more recently resort fees have become commonplace at almost every Las Vegas hotel.

It's no surprise the bean counters would eventually try to get their hands on one of the remaining free perks left in Vegas.

Gamblers will be upset, but MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren has recently talked about focusing more on non-gaming clientele saying, "Many of them have no interest in gambling and that's perfectly fine with me."

There might be hope though. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has strict rules regarding access to gaming and according to their guidelines:

"...all gaming establishments in Nevada must remain open to the general public and the access of the general public to gaming activities must not be restricted in any manner..."

I'm not sure if charging for parking would count as restricting access, but hey it's something. Could Gaming Control block MGM from charging for parking?

Sportsbooks Lose on NFL Opening Day

Opening Sunday of the 2015 NFL season was a rough one for sportsbooks in Las Vegas, as public bettors did unusually well according to an ESPN article by expert sports gaming writer David Purdum.

Westgate, Wynn, William Hill, MGM, Caesars, CG Technology, Stratosphere and Station Casinos all reported a losing day according to the article.

Favorites did well covering 9 out of the 13 day games with tons of money being bet on the victorious Packers and Dolphins. With so many of the favorites winning - multiple bet parlay cards started to pay off big.

Among the underdogs that did win - the Rams were a popular choice among professionals, which caused even more pain for the books.

Early season games are usually big moneymakers for the sportsbooks, although the lines can be softer because nobody has seen what these teams can do yet. As the season goes on I would expect the lines to tighten up and the books to get back on track, hoping to match the $113.7 million they won on football in 2014.

MGM Signature and Pool Photos

Here are some photos of the MGM Signature Towers and the MGM Grand pool.

The MGM Signature can be a popular choice for those who want a larger, condo-style room in Las Vegas. The downside however is that those towers are a pretty long walk from the MGM Grand and the casino, so that's something to consider when booking a stay there.

Mayweather vs Berto - September 12, 2015

Floyd Mayweather will be fighting Andre Berto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 12, 2015. Mayweather posted the promo image on his instagram account to announce the fight.

Initial reactions to this boxing match aren't overwhelmingly positive. Many people feel this is a lopsided match-up. Others still have a sour taste in their mouth after what was perceived to be a boring Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight in May.

That being said this is huge news for Las Vegas. Mayweather fights are great for the economy as high rollers from around the world will fly in for the weekend. Although this fight won't be as big as the Pacquiao match-up it will still be a huge economic hit for Las Vegas.

Mirage Volcano Cutting Showtimes

The famous volcano in front of The Mirage will be reducing the number of times it erupts per night. The volcano showtimes will be 8 and 9 pm on weekdays (Sunday through Thursday) with an additional 10 pm show on weekends (Friday and Saturday).

Previously the volcano had erupted every half hour from dusk until midnight. It has operated since the hotel opened in 1989. The volcano was upgraded in 1996 and underwent another major renovation in 2008.

Unfortunately this marks another reduction of free attractions on the Strip. The MGM Grand lion habitat,the Pirate Show at Treasure Island, and the Rio Show in the Sky were some other free attractions that closed recently. While the volcano isn't closing completely it's upsetting nonetheless.

It appears MGM Resorts International is reducing the volcano's hours as a cost cutting measure. MGM has also been selling assets recently. It seems like they need money for something. I guess they are watching their pennies closely with the $1.2 billion MGM National Harbor starting construction, along with Massachusetts and Macau projects underway.

MGM Grand Lobby Lion Statue

Lion statue in the MGM Grand lobby. With the recent passing of Kirk Kerkorian at the age of 98, the MGM lion is just one of Mr. Kerkorian's lasting imprints on the city of Las Vegas.

Lion's Share Jackpot Won at MGM Grand

August 23, 2014 will go down in Las Vegas history as the date when the legendary Lion's Share jackpot was won at MGM Grand.

MGM Grand tweeted: "We've waited over 20 years for this! Our famous Lion's Share slot machine finally hit for $2.4 million."

We've waited over 20 years for this! Our famous Lion's Share slot machine finally hit for $2.4 million. #WINatMGM

— MGM Grand Hotel (@MGMGrand) August 23, 2014

As the legend goes MGM Grand wanted to remove the Lion's Share machines a long time ago, but gaming regulations state that a progressive jackpot has to be won before that type of machine is removed from the casino floor.

It is being reported that the winners are a married couple from New Hampshire. No word on whether they are listeners to the Five Hundy By Midnight podcast, where the slot machine was made famous by weekly listener updates on the progressive amount total.

Hakkasan to replace Studio 54

Studio 54 at MGM Grand will be transformed into Hakkasan Las Vegas.

Hakkasan is an upscale Chinese concept with restaurants around the globe.

The Las Vegas location will also feature a luxury nightclub in a partnership with AMG (operators of WET REPUBLIC and PURE).

The transformation is part of MGM's Grand Renovation project. Hakkasan is expected to open in December 2012.

Source: Press Release.

MGM to Close Lion Habitat

The Las Vegas Sun is reporting the lion habitat at MGM Grand will be closing permanently January 31, 2012.

The lion habitat was frequently ranked as one of the best free attractions on the Las Vegas Strip. It seemed to be very popular, attracting a nice crowd whenever the lions were there and active.

Despite the popularity, I'm guessing the habitat wasn't a money-maker for MGM, as many of the visitors were families with children not old enough to gamble.

The habitat received some bad publicity at the end of 2010 when a video surfaced of a lion attacking one of its handlers. Not sure if that led to the decision to close the attraction, but it couldn't have helped.

MGM Grand Renovation Underway

MGM Grand has launched a new website highlighting the renovation projects going on at the hotel.

Here are some pictures of what the new rooms will look like. They have that modern look, not unlike the rooms at Aria. The majority of the rooms at the hotel will be updated over the next few months.




For all the details: The Grand Renovation.

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.

Las Vegas Pool Season 2011 Begins

Summer comes early in Las Vegas, as many of the pools around the Strip are open and ready for business.

A few of the more popular day-club type places will be holding grand opening parties this weekend.

Rehab at the Hard Rock:


Wet Republic at MGM Grand featuring Kim Kardashian:


Encore Beach Club featuring Michael Phelps:


The new kid in town this year is the Marquee day club at Cosmopolitan. Victoria's Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio was on hand for the opening last weekend and tweeted this picture of the pool:

Vegas Shows Celebrate Milestones

A bunch of Las Vegas shows have passed milestones recently:

- Donny and Marie celebrated their 500th show at Flamingo, and their contract has been extended into 2012.

- Matt Goss has been at Caesars Palace for one year.

- Barry Manilow has been at Paris for one year.

- Absinthe adult carnival has opened at Caesars Palace.

- KA celebrated their 3000th show at MGM Grand.

Undercover Boss - MGM Grand

MGM Grand COO Scott Sibella was on the most recent episode of the CBS show Undercover Boss. If you haven't seen the show, the premise is that someone in upper management of a company goes undercover to work with the employees in order to see what's going on with the daily operations and to see if anything can be done better. Most of the time the employees are great, down-on-their-luck people and the boss ends up giving them a promotion or a raise.

In the MGM Grand episode Sibella worked on the casino floor as a blackjack and roulette dealer. He walked the slot floor trying to get people to sign up for players cards. He also worked the front desk of the hotel. All of the employees turned out to be great people (probably not a coincidence) and were rewarded for their efforts at the end of the show.

Aside from a few unique Las Vegas scenes (including a cool time-lapse of the Mirage construction) this episode was pretty much in-line with other episodes of Undercover Boss that I've seen. It gives some insight into the inner workings of a casino, but nothing that any true Vegas fan hasn't seen before.

You can watch the full episode at CBS.

Bellagio and MGM Grand will Update Rooms in 2011

A small tidbit from the MGM Resorts International earnings call earlier this week was Jim Murren mentioning that rooms at Bellagio and MGM Grand will be renovated in 2011.

Both hotels are among the nicest in Vegas, but the majority of their rooms have gone a while without a major update. Many Bellagio rooms feature a huge armoire with a tube style low-def TV. I know most people don't go to Las Vegas to stay in their rooms and watch TV but if you're paying $200 a night you should at least get a flat screen.

Las Vegas Chinese New Year Decorations

Chinese New Year is a big deal in Las Vegas. Many high rollers come from the far east to celebrate the new year, which begins on February 3rd this year. The upcoming year will be the year of the rabbit.

Check out how some of the major hotels decorate for Chinese New Year (photos are from each hotel's twitter and facebook pages):

Caesars Palace:



MGM Grand:


Aria:


Bellagio:


Palazzo:


Wynn Las Vegas:


Mirage:

MGM Resorts Launches M life

MGM Resorts International has launched their new "M life" loyalty program. The program will have a tier structure consisting of Sapphire, Pearl, Gold and Platinum. Each tier comes with its own set of benefits, including the ability to earn points faster at the Gold and Platinum levels.

Another feature of M life will be the ability to track spending outside of the casino, but that won't be available until later this year.

The new program is being touted as easier to use and more transparent when it comes to knowing exactly what you've earned. You will be able to check your balances a variety of ways, including online, kiosks, at slot machines and even an iPhone app.

M life is also aiming to offer guests rewards that they actually want. If you went to a concert in the past, they might offer you tickets to a concert by a similar artist in the future.

We will have to wait and see how well the new program is implemented, but I think any change is for the better. I never could figure out the old MGM Players Club. It was seemingly impossible to know what comps you had or how much you had to play to get anything. M life looks to be combating some of these problems, so hopefully it's a step in the right direction.

Source: MGM Resorts Press Release.

Big Weekend in Las Vegas

A few big events caught my eye that are going on in Vegas this weekend.

President Obama coming to Las Vegas, making a quick visit staying over Friday night. Obama is campaigning for Harry Reid.

Jimmy Buffett is having a concert at MGM Grand, and Margaritaville is having a "Street Party" before the concert.



Justin Timberlake is hosting his golf tournament and will also be performing at Planet Hollywood on Saturday night along with a few special guests including P. Diddy.

Speaking of Diddy, he will be at Pure later on Saturday night:

Monte Carlo replaces Lance Burton with Jabbawockeez

With Lance Burton's run at the Monte Carlo coming to an end, the hotel has replaced him with dance troupe Jabbawockeez.

The Jabbawockeez show will be titled "Mus.i.c" (pronounced "muse I see") and starts Oct. 7, with five shows per week through December. The troupe had a successful run at the MGM Grand earlier this year, which prompted MGM Resorts International to bring them back "by popular demand."

Lance Burton hasn't announced any plans yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back on the Strip eventually.

Source: AP via Yahoo News.