Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas is bringing back its popular Silver Strike slots and we’ve got the exclusive details. The 12 cherished slot machines will once again be available for play on Sep. 19, 2024.

The machines with a cult-like following are unique because the bonus symbol gets you a special keepsake token. You can cash the Silver Strike coin in for $10 (sometimes $40), but what’s the fun in that? That’s like eating at a restaurant without taking a photo of your food first. What kind of freak even does that?

The Silver Strike machines were removed from the casino floor at Four Queens a few months back, causing a minor freak-out by ardent loyalists, but the machines are being consolidated and when they return, they’ll have a whole new set of token designs (see photos below). Cue the elation from Silver Strike nerds, a designation we happily embrace because we are one.

While the Silver Strike machines at Four Queens have been MIA, the only other Silver Strike machines downtown were at Plaza.

Silver Strike machines were used in private tournaments at Four Queens, but were not accessible by the public.

How popular are these machines? There’s a group called the Silver Strikers Club that follows any Silver Strike news with rabidity.

Here’s a video of what makes Silver Strike machines so special. Drum roll, please.

Yes, you can still win old-school money on these machines, but the tokens are a fun perk and simply unlike any other modern slot machine. When you win a Silver Strike token, it feels like you’re really winning something.

Previously, the Silver Strike machines at Four Queens occupied two banks and were scattered in a couple of other places on the casino floor. Yes, it’s weird we can tell you exactly where they were. Hey, you have things you obsess over. Like feet stepping on soft fruits and vegetables. Who’s the weirdo now?

Now, the machines will be in one place, near the hotel’s registration desk, not far from the valet entrance.

Public service announcement: Please don’t hog the machines if others are waiting. It’s like those dumbasses who play two coin machines at once at Circus Circus. Don’t get us started.

Hey, lady, leave some Silver Strikes for the rest of us! Told it’s taken four hours to accumulate this many tokens. @4QueensLV (h/t @seventensuited) pic.twitter.com/RsENhG6L45

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) January 28, 2022

As we said, Silver Strike machines have an enthusiastic following, with collectors sometimes camping out when new token designs are released.

For the Silver Strike relaunch, the Four Queens team (spearheaded by the casino’s Director of Slots Shaun Webster) have come up with a whole new set of tokens based upon playing card suits. Here’s a first look.

The whole Silver Strike token subculture is fascinating, and as such we do not fully understand it.

Basically, there are “clears” (referring to the plastic cases the tokens come in, we took the tokens out of their “capsules” for our photos) containing the standard Silver Strike token. There are also “red” and “blue” tokens, with seasonal, limited-edition designs (like for Halloween). Then there are the tokens valued at $40. The new tokens feature a popular Four Queens restaurant, Chicago Brewing Co.

Silver Strike token collectors don’t just play to get a token, they play to get entire sets of tokens. As mentioned, some token winners turn these collectibles in for cash, but that sort of defeats the whole purpose of them being collectible. Naturally, Four Queens loves when collectors collect. It’s akin to a player taking a $10 or $40 TITO voucher home. It’s called “breakage.”

Four Queens goes through a shocking number of Silver Strike tokens. For the relaunch, the casino ordered 48,000 tokens. We always assumed most people won the tokens but turned them in for cash. We were mistaken. That supply of tokens lasts just 2-3 months.

Silver Strike tokens are produced by Sunshine Mint in Las Vegas-adjacent Henderson, Nevada.

Why don’t more casinos have Silver Strike machines? Because they’re sort of a pain in the ass, honestly. (The same reason you don’t see many coin slots left in Las Vegas casinos.) The machines are expensive to maintain and refill, and not many casinos are up for fronting $500,000 for an order of tokens.

Do Silver Strikes make as much for Four Queens as these new-fangled penny slots? Of course not, but they make much more than we thought.

No, Silver Strike tokens don’t have a lot of actual silver in them anymore, but don’t be a buzzkill.

There’s a whole regulatory process involved with Silver Strike tokens, technically, “Silver Premium Tokens.” Silver Strike coins are treated like other gambling “tokens” used in casinos, like table games chips.

There are a slew of regulations around chips and tokens. If you are ever suffering from sleeplessness, you can read the regulations. They are a hoot.

Four Queens submits its designs to Gaming, then when those are approved, Sunshine Mint makes samples to submit to Gaming, and at any point regulators can reject the designs. In one instance, the design was approved, but when the coins were produced, they made it look like the woman depicted on the token as, well, cold, if you get our drift. Back to the drawing board. Apparently, Silver Strike tokens can’t depict nipples. Some “fun facts” are more fun than others. You’re welcome.

Here’s the official version of what we just told you: “If, after receiving and reviewing the items and information described by this regulation, the Chair is satisfied that the proposed chips, tokens and related information conform to the requirements of this regulation, the Chair shall notify the licensee or the manufacturer authorized by the licensee to produce the chips or tokens in writing and shall request, and the licensee or the manufacturer shall provide a sample of the proposed chips or tokens in final, manufactured form. If the Chair is satisfied that the sample conforms with the requirements of this regulation and with the information submitted with the licensee’s application, the Chair shall approve the proposed chips or tokens and notify the licensee in writing. As a condition of approval of chips or tokens issued for use at the licensee’s race book, sports pool, or specific table or counter game, the Chair may prohibit the licensee from using the chips or tokens other than at the book, pool, or specific game. The Board may retain the sample chips and tokens submitted pursuant to this subsection.”

No mention of nipples! We’re seeing a loophole here, Four Queens. Just saying.

In addition, this part: “The Board may retain the sample chips and tokens submitted…” We’re thinking somebody at the Nevada Gaming Control Board is a Silver Strike token collector.

When the new unified Silver Strike area is unveiled at Four Queens (a lone machine will be by the casino cage), casino staff will distribute some sweet branded hats and attire to celebrate the occasion. Four Queens has also created a brochure that will share the finer points of the Silver Strike lifestyle, much like the one available at Main Street Station to help guests locate its many antiques and curiosities.

Exciting news, coming VERY SOON!🤫#FourQueens #SilverStrike pic.twitter.com/JBPMT2QvG8

— Four Queens Hotel & Casino (@4QueensLV) September 18, 2024

Why is the return of the Silver Strike slots at Four Queens such a big deal? Well, for the people who love these machines, it’s like asking why Sigma Derby at The D is a big deal or why single zero roulette is a big deal at Plaza or why the Bellagio fountains are a big deal or why Lion’s Share was a big deal at MGM Grand for many years. It’s one of those “if you know, you know” things.

If you’ve never played Silver Strike, now is a great time to do so. Slot machines can get a little repetitive, but Silver Strike machines change things up, and the $10 tokens tend to be easy to get. (The machine plays like other reel slots as well, of course, so lots of other wins are up for grabs as you look for the Silver Strike symbol.) Our over-under on hitting the bonus is 20 spins. For us, it often happens within 5-10 spins. Then again, we have extraordinary good luck. Have you ever seen how thick and lustrous our hair is? We didn’t even need to travel to Turkey for a hair transplant. Or Türkiye. Whatever the kids are calling it now.

Big thanks to Four Queens for letting us share their news first, and we can’t wait to win some (or possibly all) of these new Silver Strike tokens soon. We’re keeping all the tokens this time, though. We heard some Silver Strike collectors bequeath their collections to their heirs in their last will and testament.

We do not use the term “fanatics” or “cult” lightly!

The post Beloved Silver Strike Slot Machines Return to Four Queens appeared first on Vital Vegas.

F1 took a lot of heat for its first race in Las Vegas, but the organization listened and appears to be taking corrective action for its next installment.

The 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix runs Nov. 21 through Nov 23.

The fact we’re already in September and work on F1’s track is just beginning is a sign of dramatic progress, as last year’s car crash of an event had already been going on for six months by this time. Bygones, right?

A big change since last year’s boundless idiocy involves communication. It’s unclear if better communication could’ve helped salvage last year’s disaster, but it wouldn’t have hurt.

This time around, F1 is reaching out to media outlets to let them know about “key differentiators” from last year’s event.

Here are some of the key changes since 2023:

Reduced timeline for track preparation from nine months to three months.
No circuit paving, only patchwork paving repair.
Most of the work will be conducted overnight, working counter clock-wise around the circuit starting at Harmon and Las Vegas Blvd.
The Flamingo vehicular bridge is reduced from four lanes to two, maintaining access to businesses.
A resort employee mobility program, funded by the LVCVA, will provide “park and ride” programs for resort/casino property employees along the circuit.
An interactive dual-language website will assist residents as they navigate the roadways in the circuit area.

These changes are a big deal, as traffic snarls were a big driver of F1 hate last year.

The Web site in question can be accessed through F1’s main Las Vegas Grand Prix site, or just go directly via this handy link to the “WTF1 is Happening” site. They aren’t calling it that for some reason.

F1 is again providing updates via text (F1 to 31996) and via a new Twitter account.

Bless their hearts, they’re trying.

There’s no denying F1 has really gotten granular in its planning to be better able to communicate what’s happening, where and when to the public, including locals trying to get to and from their casino jobs on The Strip.

Don’t try to read this .pdf, download it. This is for illustrative and snarky caption purposes only.

Does knowing about traffic disruptions help avoid them (and the associated road rage)? Sort of. It depends upon where you’re trying to go. We are a frequent guest of Ellis Island casino. Our conclusion is “you can’t get there from here.” Ellis Island is actually suing F1 for last year’s disruptions to its business.

“Bygones” sounds great, but it remains to be seen if the changes to F1’s race will have the intended impact.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix was great for a small handful of casinos last year, but many more were crushed. (Caused, in part, by people like us informing the public of the mess race preparations were causing. It gave the impression the entirety of Las Vegas was affected by the roadwork, which it wasn’t.)

Also brutalized were shows in Las Vegas, to the tune of millions of dollars in losses. Restaurants, especially along the race route, also lost millions. It’s unclear how better communications will help those businesses, but a shortened timeline is certainly welcomed.

Then again, it’s still three months of disruption for a three-day race.

F1, in effect, set the bar so low last year, any improvement seems like a blessing. Well played.

Room rates are elevated compared to prior years around this time, but are way down since last year’s event (probably because F1 ticket sales have been soft, ditto room bookings).

Downtown casinos were hit hard by last year’s F1 race, so they are collectively offering counter-programming: The Neon City Festival. Yes, we broke the news about the festival. Do you know this blog at all?

The Neon City Festival is free and happens Nov. 22-24, 2024, right on top of F1. They aren’t calling it counter-programming, of course, but “additive.” Hey, downtown has a PR machine, too.

There’s a lot of PR spin happening at the moment. It’s interesting to hear from F1 representatives, as they have a fascinating internal dialogue going on. Sort of an alternate reality. Our bullshit meter always spikes when we hear the word “learnings.”

The fact is F1 (along with the rest of Las Vegas) got a wake-up call in 2023. The event has its fans, but not enough to fill up Las Vegas. To avoid a full-on riot (downtown casinos were reportedly prepared to come out publicly against hosting the event in Las Vegas, for example), everyone’s playing nice and trying to make the most of an awkward relationship.

F1 is like any other big event in Las Vegas. It should’ve been folded gently into the batter before whisking. F1 isn’t really the star of the show. Vegas is. And you could barely even tell the Las Vegas Grand Prix was happening in Las Vegas from the televised race.

Three months of WTF is still a lot to deal with, but kudos to F1 for moving in the right direction with a do-over. It’s a much less expensive proposition than what was threatened by public officials and Las Vegas businesses, “F1 and done.”

Update (9/4/24): Mere minutes after the publication of our story, it’s being reported two additional businesses have filed suit against F1 and Clark County: Battista’s Hole in the Wall and Stage Door. The businesses say the Las Vegas Grand Prix owes them compensation for “wrongful interference with business rights.” If you’re suffering from insomnia, read the Complaint here.

Update (9/5/24): Following the PR rehab playbook, F1 donated $100,000 to local charities.

Update (9/5/24): Ellis Island took a hit in its lawsuit against F1. Conclusion: Wearing a robe doesn’t make you swift.

The post F1 Does Course Correction for 2024 Race appeared first on Vital Vegas.

The Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood has quietly rebranded to PH Live. Thank gawd. Nearly 85% of people were pronouncing “Bakkt” wrong. It’s like “backed.” Which is now a completely useless “fun fact.” Sigh.

Anyway, Caesars Entertainment is between naming rights sponsors. Prior to the name Bakkt, it was the Zappos Theater. Before that, it was The Axis. At some point in there (2012-2013), it was PH Live.

Confusing? Definitely. Just ask any rideshare driver.

Bakkt Theater has been called that since early 2023.

Why has Bakkt backed out of its five-year sponsorship deal with Caesars Entertainment after a little more than a year?

Well, Bakkt shares have lost about 73% in value since the beginning of the year. Or as it’s called in the world of stock trading and investing, “an epic shitstorm of dumpster trainwreck clusterfuckery.”

Bakkt describes itself as “Custody, Trading & Onramps for Crypto.” You know, they’re a crypto infrastructure provider. What could possibly go wrong?

In our story about the renaming from Zappos to Bakkt, we said, “Bakkt is a cryptocurrency company, so we trust Caesars Entertainment got its money up front.”

We were joking, but as anyone we’ve ever been in a relationship with will tell you, our “jokes” are actually a passive-aggressive way of undercutting things that make us feel awkward. It’s also a way of saying how we really feel without committing to it. It’s complicated.

The fact is Caesars Entertainment took the nature of Bakkt’s business into account when structuring its deal. Specifically, it front-loaded the five-year contract. Bakkt bought out the rest of its obligation. We could probably find the numbers buried in the financials of Caesars Entertainment, but that would involve “effort” and perhaps even “journalism,” so that’s not happening.

Naming rights deals are found money for companies like Caesars Entertainment. Like selling its World Series of Poker brand.

The theater at Park MGM is Dolby Live. The former Mandalay Bay Events Center is now called Michelob Ultra Arena. Allegiant Air pays $25 million a year for naming rights of the Raiders stadium. There’s also T-Mobile Arena on The Strip.

Naming rights deals are notoriously underwhelming marketing investments with little concrete, measurable return on investment.

Bakkt Theater was one of the clumsiest naming rights deals in town, just because the company isn’t well known and “Bakkt Theater” wasn’t memorable or pleasing to the ear, at all.

So, if you’re trying to see a show at Planet Hollywood, tell your Lyft or Uber or taxi or limo or party bus driver all the various names of the theater and one will ring a bell.

We’re curious to see whose name gets slapped on the (placeholder) PH Live theater next. If we hit Megabucks, you already know the answer. First residency in the Vital Vegas Theater will be Duran Duran. Shocker.

The post Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood is PH Live Again, For Now appeared first on Vital Vegas.

You can never have too much golf, apparently.

Swingers Las Vegas, a new golf-themed lounge and restaurant at Mandalay Bay, has set an opening date: November 8, 2024. That’s the news. All of it.

Yes, it’s a slow news day.

Swingers will cost $50 million and encompass 40,000-square-feet with multiple bars, minigolf, food and something called the “Swingers Arcade.”

Which we’re pretty sure is going to lead to a lot of disappointment in the swingers community.

The new venue will be inspired by an English country estate, although nobody’s really sure why.

The news release does say, “As guests enjoy the venue, the country house will come alive with double-height, animated projection mapping that changes from day to night and with the seasons, transporting guests to the bucolic English countryside and setting the scene for the ultimate house party.”

“Bucolic”? Why bring up a plague, or possibly babies crying? Weird marketing.

According to the official announcement of the opening date, Swingers Las Vegas will feature: “Crazy Golf Courses” (four golf courses across three floors, each featuring its own layout), “Caddies with Cocktails” (guest can purchase drinks from caddies going hole to hole), “Bars and Beats” (Swingers’ Sunken Garden, main level; Estate Bar will span the length of the venue; The Clubhouse, upper level), “Street Food Eats” (food), “Swingers Carnival” (old-school games, points can be earned at the Swingers Carnival and used to redeem an array of prizes that will take guests back to their childhood) and “New Vegas Nightlife” (DJs).

Swingers is described as being “located only steps away from the Mandalay Bay parking garage entrance.” That’s the former Light nightclub space. You can see S Bar in the background.

Here’s the official Swingers site.

Because this story doesn’t feel enough about us, here’s the previous version of the Swingers.

In our original story about Swingers, we pointed out some nuances in the rendering. To the credit of Swingers, they appear to have adjusted the rendering accordingly.

Opportunities to smack balls abound in Las Vegas. There’s the O.G. Topgolf near MGM Grand, Atomic Golf at Strat and PopStroke at Town Square, a mall five minutes south of the Las Vegas sign.

Have golf venues hit their expiration date? Read more about how Topgolf is struggling.

We were going to predict tough times for Swingers, given the over-abundance of “interactive, immersive, competitive socializing” offerings in Las Vegas at the moment, but our crystal ball has been off ever since Play Playground opened at Luxor and made us look like a clueless idiot. The place is printing money.

Companies with deep pockets continue to take big swings with venues like Atomic Golf. That complex at Strat cost $75 million to build.

These venues aren’t really about sports. They’re lounges and restaurants with sports activities to give people something to do and talk about.

You can throw darts at Flight Club at Venetian or throw axes at places like Axehole at Neonopolis and Dueling Axes at Area 15.

That was a shorter list than we thought it would be, but we’re exhausted from padding this story and don’t have the time or energy to Google anything. You get the idea.

Longtime Vegas obsessives will recall there was a short-lived (it survived about a year) Swingers Club minigolf bar at Plaza back in 2011. That was the brainchild of Anthony Cools, a comedy-hypnotist who now seems to be enjoying retirement. Swingers Club became the similarly short-lived The Drink. Plaza’s Sand Dollar has fared much better without golf, but it does have pool tables.

Minigolf is a tried-and-true way to spend an evening without breaking the bank, along with not having to be interesting or a good conversationalist.

It’s fascinating such venues are opening in and near casinos, as back in the day, casinos did everything they could to avoid customers doing anything but gamble. That’s why Las Vegas shows are shorter than other places. Shows can actually be penalized for running long, as it keeps gamblers away from the tables and machines.

Today, casinos are very interested in margins and monetizing idle spaces, and rent for a venue like Swingers is substantial. Attractions can draw bodies to a resort, some of whom might not have visited otherwise. Such attractions also appeal to a younger customer demographic, something casinos are very interested in given their core customer base is aging and dying off. Sorry, maturing and dwindling in size. It’s the circle of life!

We are not really a golf (or socializing) person, but we love TopGolf and Atomic Golf, so we’ll definitely give Swingers a go. There’s something for everyone in Las Vegas, and if you can’t beat ’em, you may as well join the club.

The post Swingers at Mandalay Bay Names Tee-Off Date for “Fore!” Play appeared first on Vital Vegas.

Back in June, we shared a sourced rumor the Sphere (its friends just call it “Sphere”) is working on a new collaboration with Warner Bros. to bring “The Wizard of Oz” to the venue’s eye-popping screen.

No, really, a number of eyes have popped. It’s gross, and really annoying for the janitorial staff.

Anyway, the New York Post confirmed our scoop and added some details of interest, including the fact the Sphere is paying $80 million for this high-tech version of the nearly century-old classic.

The Post says the “a one-of-a-kind immersive experience” will be 80 minutes long (the original film is 102 minutes long, just to bug our fellow OCD sufferers).

The original movie cost $2.7 million, $25 million in today’s dollars or 1,052,312,500,000 Iranian Rials. We tricked you into learning something again! We love when that happens!

The New York Post was correct in saying the Sphere is making more from its movie, “Postcard from Earth,” than its concerts.

Warner Bros. Discovery will get about 5% of the gross revenue, according to the Post.

Unlike certain Las Vegas news outlets (all of them, but especially Johnny Kleptometes and the Las Vegas Review-Journal), the New York Post was professional enough to include a reference to our original reporting.

Anyhoo, Sphere at Venetian Resort has a history of big financial risks. The venue cost $2.3 billion to build. An $80 million investment in “The Wizard of Oz” seems a smidge insane, but the film has legions of fans around the world, many of whom apparently don’t realize several great movies have been made since 1939.

The truth is Sphere is the star of the show at Sphere. The venue makes IMAX theaters seem like showing a movie on a bed sheet tacked to the wall.

Also in the works is a U2 feature-slash-experience. Also not officially announced, but give it a minute.

The post Confirmed: The Sphere Will Spend $80 Million for “Wizard of Oz” Experience appeared first on Vital Vegas.

Our friends here at Casino.org asked 5,000 people to try and distinguish between famous landmarks and their replicas in Las Vegas. Emphasis on “try.”

A stunning number of people apparently can’t tell our Las Vegas homages (like the Statue of Liberty at New York-New York or Trevi fountain at Caesars Palace) from the real thing.

Example: A whopping 95.5% of those surveyed thought the Vegas replica of the Statue of Liberty was the real thing. If “Yikes!” leaps to mind, you’re not alone. Let’s delve face-first into the WTF, shan’t we?

To set the stage, Casino.org asked 5,000 Americans to identify real monuments and their Vegas replicas using photos. Participants were asked about the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Erawan Shrine, Sphynx of Giza, St. Mark Campanile, Trevi Fountain, Statue of David, Venice Grand Canal and Arc de Triomphe.

The only one we didn’t recognize immediately is the Erawan shrine, mostly because that’s not how it’s referred to. The Eraway shrine is the Brahma shrine at Caesars Palace. It’s near Hell’s Kitchen. We are not making this up.

So, while it’s hard to say how scientific this survey is (it’s unclear what photos were used and photo selection could definitely skew the results, see details here), but it’s a fun look into the heads of random people who may need to travel more.

The results!

Survey participants had widely varying levels of success, depending upon the replica in question.

As stated earlier, nearly 96% of respondents said the Vegas replica of the Statue of Liberty was the real thing. Which seems wild, unless you recall the U.S. Postal Service was similarly confused.

In 2010, a Statue of Liberty Forever stamp was issued using not the real Statue of Liberty, but a close-up of the statue in Las Vegas. The mistake was caught three billion stamps later and the sculptor of the Las Vegas replica got $3.5 million for the gaffe.

If you’re bored, here are all the architectural inspirations for New York-New York.

Here are all the survey results in one handy infographic.

A list highlighting what people got right would be fun, but a list of what people got wrong is funnier, so we’re going with that.

Statue of Liberty, 96% got it wrong, mistaking the replica for the real thing; Arc de Triomphe, 93% wrong; Trevi Fountain, 64% wrong; St. Mark Campanile Bell Tower, 58% wrong; Erawan Shrine, 57% wrong; Eiffel Tower, 54% wrong; Giza Sphynx, 45% wrong; David Statue, 17% wrong; Venice Grand Canal, 11% wrong; and Empire State Building, 6% wrong.

That’s a lot of Americans “fooled” by our fake landmarks!

Actually, it’s a testament to the designers, artists and builders who created this impressive array of eye candy on the Las Vegas Strip.

All of these landmarks have aged pretty well. Among the sites in the survey, nothing stands out as being particularly cheesy or outdated. They’re timeless, just like the originals.

Las Vegas architecture has taken hits over the years for being garish and tacky and incongruous.

But these landmarks are also part of what makes Las Vegas so awesome. It’s the high-speed collision of styles and cultures and inspirations that keeps people from around the world wide-eyed when they visit, even if they come from a place that has its own famous landmarks.

Our landmarks don’t just rival the originals, they are arguably more impressive because there are so many all in one place. They’re also more accessible and useful than their counterparts.

The actual Venice smells to high heaven. The Eiffel Tower is surrounded by French people.

You can’t touch the real David statue’s toe for good luck!

Oh, look, it’s a “Seinfeld” reference from 1994!

We're just trying to help you find the David statue at Caesars Palace by enlarging the sign nearby. Please grow up. pic.twitter.com/v9xtFqF9HE

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) June 25, 2024

This was a fun survey, and because our blog is on Casino.org, we plan to take credit for the idea at the next staff meeting. Kidding. One of our favorite things about Casino.org is they don’t have staff meetings.

Casino.org also kept track of which states did the best and worst at distinguishing real landmarks from their Las Vegas copies. Nevada wasn’t among the top five states or the bottom, interestingly.

New Jersey had the smartest cookies with a 62.5% accuracy rate. Wyoming had the fewest right answers, with a wobbly 30% accuracy rate. Again, not super scientific, so don’t feel bad, Wyoming. It’s not like anyone can find your state on a map, anyway. All due respect. They call your geyser “Old Faithful.” Invest in a new one, already. That’s what we’d do in Las Vegas.

If we had to pick a favorite Las Vegas landmark, we’d go with the Eiffel Tower. Because Spearmint Rhino wasn’t included in the survey. Do you know this blog at all?

The post Awkward: Many Americans Mistake Las Vegas Landmarks for the Real Thing appeared first on Vital Vegas.

Mirage volcano, done. TI pirate show, long gone. “Show in the Sky” at Rio, distant memory. On the bright side, Las Vegas has a new free attraction: A resident drone show at Atomic Golf at Strat. The show is intended for guests inside Atomic Golf, but we’ve got a hack to make the most of this new offering whether you’re a customer or not.

The drone show happens every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. It not only changes week-to-week, but also show-to-show in the same evening.

Here’s the drone show hack they don’t want you to know!

The new drone show is enthralling to watch from inside the venue, where guests can eat, drink and smack golf balls to their heart’s content.

Here’s video of the very first show.

The problem with watching the show from inside Atomic Golf is it happens behind poles supporting the venue’s netting, netting that prevents golf balls from flying into the surrounding neighborhood. Despite the fact the impact of projectiles would probably improve the appearance of the surrounding neighborhood, but that’s for another time.

It’s enjoyable to watch through the poles, but there’s a much better spot.

Between The Strat and Atomic Golf, there’s a small street, W. Philadelphia Ave. You can’t access it from Las Vegas Boulevard, but if you drive around to the back of Strat (on Fairfield Ave.), you can drive onto Philadelphia. It dead ends near some smelly garbage dumpsters. That distinctive fragrance is the key to finding the best spot to watch the show!

Atomic Golf would probably like people to enter their venue, as that pays for the drone show and to keep the lights on, but we don’t play by society’s rules.

Here’s the view of the drone show from the street, no obstructions.

On this street, drone nerds can also get a peek at the landing and take-off area for the show.

You can’t get access to where we were for the video below, unfortunately. But we are very important. It’s also known as “walking around as if you’re supposed to be there.” We also know Atomic Golf’s social marketing person.

You can legally park along one side of W. Philadelphia Ave. There is part of the street where pedestrians aren’t allowed during the show, directly under the drones (safety team members will shoo you away), but that’s not the best spot, anyway.

The drone show at Strat comes from a company called Skyworx Drone Shows, and is expected to run at least through the summer.

The number of drones varies. The first week, there were 400 drones. The second week, there were 285. Some shows will have 1,000 drones.

If you’re inside Atomic Golf when the drone show happens, cruise to the first floor, head toward Strat but turn right just before the entrance. It’s a 30-second walk to the prime viewing area.

Atomic Golf is in full promotion mode after struggling when the venue opened. A lot of employees were let go, and buzz was mostly about how hot the venue gets. It’s an indoor-outdoor venue, for the most part, and it’s been ungodly hot in Vegas over the last few weeks, so we can confirm the buzz is accurate.

Which presents some interesting business challenges for Atomic Golf, beyond it’s rough location at The Strat.

Is Atomic Golf a seasonal venue? That probably isn’t economically sustainable. Atomic Golf cost about $75 million to build.

Parking is another challenge. There are about 50 free spots on the north side of Atomic Golf, but the place has a capacity of 3,000 people. The plan was to have customers park in The Strat’s parking garage (no longer free), but that is a really long haul through the casino.

All that said, Atomic Golf is quite enjoyable, whether one has any interest in golf or not. We took time out of our drone show obsession to both golf and eat and lounge.

The lounge at Atomic Golf is awesome (and air conditioned), and management would do well to just promote the lounge on its own during the summer heat.

They are smartly offering a “Ladies Night” deal on Thursdays. Ladies can order one small bite dish (for as little as $11) and drink for an hour free. That’s a solid deal.

As we Tweeted, the Ladies Night deal was originally three hours of open bar, but there were some unintended consequences, presumably like awkward texts to exes and unplanned pregnancies. Unconfirmed.

The lounge @AtomicGolfVegas could be a stand-alone venue. For ladies night (Thursdays), women who order an appetizer get an open bar for an hour. Reminder: Tip on the value of the drinks served, not the $11 food tab. @stratvegas pic.twitter.com/Ub0UVO0nVP

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) July 26, 2024

Yes, we ordered a Woo Woo. Don’t judge. The open bar doesn’t apply to shots or specialty drinks, by the way.

Atomic Golf just sent out a news release with “weekly programming.”

Industry Night is every Monday, 7 p.m. to midnight. Industry pros get “two drink tickets and complimentary cocktails from Good Boy Vodka.” Industry nights are a smart way to get locals to visit a venue and to help spread the word.

Tequila Tuesdays happen every Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. to midnight. “Tequila Tuesday brings excitement with Latin music, food and beverage specials and a DJ. Enjoy specially made $5 carnitas tacos along with $5 tequila shots.”

We told you about “Ladies Night” in the Cosmic Lounge (Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.). This place should be packed, but with ladies and guys who like ladies who have been participating in an open bar for an hour.

There are live DJs every Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Hey, nowhere is perfect. It’s quite loud.

New is a “Boozy Brunch,” each Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. “Enjoy the weekend with Boozy Brunch, featuring a special menu and $25 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys.”

The food at Atomic Golf is better than one might expect at a sports-themed venue. The “Boozy Brunch” features the Brunch Burger, Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast and Summer Melon and Prosciutto with sherry gastrique, which would make a decent stripper name, honestly.

Atomic Golf has a lot more to offer than meets the eye, and if it weren’t in that location, it could give Top Golf near MGM Grand a run for its money. Top Golf opened in 2016, so it had a head start.

We aren’t sure what Atomic Golf can do about the heat of summer, although the misters and giant fans help a little.

We aren’t a sports person, but we are a drone person and a lounge person and a food person. For people like us, it’s useful to think of Atomic Golf as a giant Las Vegas lounge with some golf. People who take rideshare don’t care about whether parking is free or where it’s located.

We’re putting the chances of success for Atomic Golf at 50/50. Vegas loves a good gamble.

The post Drone Show Hack: The Best Way to View The Strip’s Newest Free Attraction appeared first on Vital Vegas.

A jaw-dropping new drone video takes viewers on a dizzying ride above and inside downtown’s Fremont East entertainment district.

The one-shot drone video comes from Corner Bar Management and its owner, Fremont East Mayor and Visionary Supreme Ryan Doherty, with videography by JayByrd Films.

We have dabbled in droning and can assure you the video is nothing short of impossible.

The venues highlighted in the video include: Park on Fremont, Discopussy, Lucky Day, We All Scream, Cheapshot, Commonwealth and La Mona Rosa (the only venue not on Fremont Street, formerly La Comida). No Laundry Room, the speakeasy inside Commonwealth, but that’s “top secret” and not especially drone accessible.

Buckle up, Lili Von Shtupp.

You thought we were exaggerating, right?

Yes, use of “Joy Ride” was approved by hometown favorites, The Killers. Fun fact: Killers members Dave Keuning and Brandon Flowers played their first live gig in Vegas in 2002, at an open mic night at Cafe Espresso Roma.

Here’s more details for the drone nerds: “The final video, capturing seamless continuous shots across each of the seven destinations, required numerous takes. Directed by Jay Christensen and Doherty, with Christensen also serving as the drone operator and director of photography, the video showcases the unique perspective of Downtown Las Vegas using a GoPro Hero 12 mounted on a custom-built Sub-250 drone. The video was produced by Emily Erhart, with Gian Lorenzo Ferretti as the assistant camera and Erik Nelson as co-producer. Post-production sound design was completed by Taylor Lewin and Christensen.”

Hey, credit where it’s due, this is an exceptional video.

Also exceptional is the neighborhood vibe Ryan Doherty and his team have created.

The Fremont East district is a distinctly different vibe than its counterpart, Fremont Street Experience. Which is to the west. Please keep up.

Doherty’s eclectic, diverse collection of venues gel to create what feels like a cohesive place to eat, drink and dance.

Other popular spots on Fremont East include Le Thai, The Griffin, Therapy, Backstage Bar and Billiards, Corduroy, Evel Pie, Flippin’ Good Burgers and Shakes, Eureka and others.

We did a lame video of Fremont East back in 2016, but a lot has changed. Droning is the new strolling around with a stabilizer.

The new Fremont East video provides not only eye candy, but a sense of what each of the venues offers. Corner Bar Management’s bars typically host around 6,000 guests on a weekend night.

The video also serves as a useful map when you’re building your bar-hopping itinerary in Las Vegas.

Props to everyone involved in making this incredible video happen, including the insurance company, because jebus.

Note: The same drone company made another OMFG video for Wynn Las Vegas.

We are now inspired to dust off our drone. Your eyeballs and limbs have been warned.

The post Impossible Drone Video Highlights Fremont East Venues appeared first on Vital Vegas.

The Neon Museum is one of the greatest museums in the world, but many visitors have avoided it due to its location in a sketchy neighborhood.

Confirming scoop we shared back in Nov. 2023, Neon Museum is eyeing a new location in what’s referred to as the “Arts District.” Any use of the word “arts” in relation to Las Vegas requires quotation marks. Bless their hearts, they’re trying.

The Neon Museum houses a slew of classic neon signs, many from closed casinos. The new location will be able to accommodate even more, as it will be three times bigger.

When we got wind of a Neon Museum move last year, no specific new location had been chosen. That’s still the case.

Neon Museum is rumored to be considering a location change. Preliminary discussions, but a good direction.

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) November 1, 2023

The Neon Museum announced its plans at a Las Vegas City Council meeting, and the details are still a smidge murky.

Originally, it sounded like the Neon Museum was trying to decide between two sites in the Arts District, but now it sounds like they’re moving into both.

One location has a 60,000-square-foot outdoor display space and a 47,000-square-foot indoor area, both in a proposed parking garage on the 9th and 10th floors. The second site is a 35,000-square-foot programmable space a short walk away, the museum said.

Putting the Neon Museum in a parking garage is an odd choice, but it would provide shade for at least part of the exhibit.

The whole indoor/outdoor aspect of the Neon Museum has been a challenge, especially in the context of the recent heat wave in Las Vegas. The museum had to end daytime access due to extreme heat.

Lots of questions about the Neon Museum move remain unanswered. What happens with the La Concha Motel lobby used by the Neon Museum as a reception area?

Never take for granted we have a this. @NeonMuseum pic.twitter.com/rNVSPVe9K7

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) May 13, 2023

And what happens to “Brilliant,” the Neon Museum’s must-see projection mapping show?

However this saga progresses, three things are certain: 1) Any location is better than the Neon Museum’s current location, 2) The Neon Museum needs more space (see below), and 3) We shared it first. Neener-neener, Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Neon Museum has been in contact with Mirage and Tropicana, both for the reasons you might hope, and others you wouldn’t guess. Related: The phrase “Off the record” straight-up sucks.

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) November 9, 2023

We are a huge fan of the Neon Museum, despite the fact we got a cease and desist when we took a photo of the site with our drone. That was a different administration, but still.

Must-do Neon Museum gets big-ass grant, expansion begins. https://t.co/HfzSIMm22v pic.twitter.com/EgY4cfdKXm

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) March 29, 2017

Here’s more about the Neon Museum. Here’s the official Neon Museum Web site.

The Neon Museum continues to add to its collection, creating unique challenges for the non-profit. Signs are often huge, so a lot of tough decisions have to be made about what can be saved and displayed.

Beyond displaying classic signs, the Neon Museum also occasionally restores and relights them.

Several Flamingo signs (or parts of signs) got the refresh and relighting treatment. The Moulin Rouge sign was relit in Sep. 2020.

Plaza recently had one of its signs lit up following a restoration. Fun fact: The same designer who did the Sassy Sally and Plaza signs, Charles Barnard, also designed Vegas Vickie. You can see his signature on the bottom of Vickie’s boot at Circa.

Moving the Neon Museum to the Arts District will provide some elbow room and a fresh start. The area is a little seedy, but not nearly as seedy as its current location, so that’s something.

More visibility and accessibility means the Neon Museum can continue to do what it does best, preserving Las Vegas history in an utterly unique way.

More details to come, but the future of the Neon Museum appears bright.

Update (7/18/24): Neon Museum officials have clarified some of their plans. Officials say the Neon Museum has turned away 30,000 visitors “due to sold out nights last year alone.” About 35% of the museum’s collection is visible to the public, the rest is kept in storage. Here’s more from the Executive Director of the Neon Museum, who says the expansion will include: “A neon maker’s space, a neon boneyard, classrooms and a visible storage center for new additions to the collection.” The parking lot location is at the corner of Art Way and Boulder Avenue. The La Concha structure will be moved to one of the new locations. The Neon Museum hopes to have one or both of the new locations open by 2027. The museum hopes to raise $45 million for the move and expansion.

Update (8/22/24): On August 22, 2024, the City of Las Vegas shared a rendering of what the Neon Museum might look like in its new location. The Tweet with the rendering was quickly deleted, as was a portion of an accompanying video that had the rendering. Oopsie. It seems the City jumped the gun on sharing the rendering and the Neon Museum wasn’t happy. We’re sharing it for posterity, although the Neon Museum clarified this is a preliminary rendering and the final result could be different.

The City has deleted its Tweet with the Neon Museum rendering and also removed it from their video. Our money’s on it being a Neon Museum freak-out. Lighten up, @NeonMuseum. “Reveals” are a PR holdover from the 1970s. In the attention economy, buzz is gold. (cc: Fontainebleau) https://t.co/Vvi3UsMhhc pic.twitter.com/WjpqoEZPwU

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) August 23, 2024

The post Confirmed: Neon Museum is Moving Out of Its Crappy Neighborhood appeared first on Vital Vegas.

A new golf attraction at The Strat is set to launch the first ongoing drone show in Las Vegas. Yes, we just paraphrased the headline. We are very busy and can’t spend our entire day trying to come up with synonyms and drone puns.

Atomic Golf’s drone show takes flight on July 18, 2024, and will happen every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Until somebody puts an eye out.

We love us some drones, and we’ve been screaming for years Las Vegas needs to get into the mix with bigger, better and resident drone displays.

Asia is straight-up kicking our collective asses, dronewise.

1500 drones create a stunning Chinese dragon in the night sky. pic.twitter.com/n109hZJjRM

— China Perspective (@China_Fact) June 21, 2023

The inevitability of drone shows in Las Vegas was slowed when Caesars Palace had a drone show in 2018 and a guest was hit in the face by a malfunctioning drone. You thought we were kidding about putting an eye out? We personally own drones and have nearly beheaded actual humans, including ourself, due to drone malfunctions.

Haven't seen this reported, but unconfirmed rumor is there was supposed to be a 10-minute drone show before Saturday's fireworks in Vegas. First drone up reportedly crashed and hit a woman in the crowd, music continued to play despite grounding of drones, to bafflement of crowd.

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) July 5, 2018

Since that unfortunate and scary incident, there have been one-off drone shows in Las Vegas, but nothing on a regular basis.

Atomic Golf’s new drone show, in conjunction with a company called Skyworx Drone Shows, will feature 400 drones when it debuts.

Future shows could have as few as 200 or as many as 1,000 drones, based upon drone availability.

Each drone show will be 10-12 minutes long, and the shows will be different each week.

Atomic Golf shared some possible drone formations on LinkedIn, where most effective digital marketing is done, we said sarcastically.

We love this idea and can’t wait to see the show, especially with free attractions in Las Vegas becoming increasingly impossible to find. The Mirage volcano is the latest casualty in the disappearance of free attractions, following in the footsteps of the Sirens of TI and Show in the Sky at Rio.

A drone show is great not only for Atomic Golf, but also turns more eyeballs toward The Strat, currently undergoing a bit of a shake-up in its ranks.

Strat is actually a little touchy about drones, as several have hit the tower. A few years ago, the casino installed drone detection technology.

Atomic Golf’s drones are approved, of course.

Here’s a look at other work by Skyworx Drone Shows.

The dragon from Skyworx is a far cry from the one we shared earlier, but comparison is the thief of joy. That’s according to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, after whom a Las Vegas hotel was named. The Delano. Which is going to be rebranded. Please keep up.

In the drone show world, you sort of get what you pay for.

Atomic Golf is an impressive, Top Golf-style venue, but things have been rough since it opened. Please note that “rough” is a golf term, thus ensuring our reputation as a sports expert.

Shortly after opening, Atomic Golf fired about 250 people, roughly a third of its staff, due to business levels.

Atomic Golf has also suffered some brutal social media chatter, mostly involving the orientation of the facility (the driving bays face west, into the sun) and issues related to heat.

Since then, Atomic Golf has been hard at work addressing the concerns. Misters were installed about a month ago, and all the driving bays will be shaded by July 30, 2024.

Summer hit early and hard this year, but Atomic Golf is dealing with the challenges and the hope is guests will give the venue another shot.

Kudos for Atomic Golf trying something new to attract guests, whether they like golf or not (the venue is really a giant lounge with golf as a social lubricant), and we’d love to see their drone residency inspire casinos and others to up their drone game. Fireworks are so 2000 and late, a reference which we fully and freely admit is now 15 years old. Deal with it.

This drone show trend could really take off! Come on, the local news was going to say it, why can’t we?

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