Amanda Finnegan

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The Interview: Alex Epstein, executive manager of downtown's El Cortez: Alex Epstein works with her father, resort owner Kenny Epstein, every day. This family business is buzzing just fine, thank you.; Monday, Aug. 22, 2011; When looking for new life in a city’s downtown, a 70-year-old establishment like the El Cortez is probably the last place you’d turn.
Las Vegas among top destinations for Labor Day weekend travel: Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2011; Even with triple-digit temperatures, Las Vegas is still a hot destination for end-of-summer travelers, according to two travel websites.
Terry Lanni remembered for his friendship, business acumen: Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011; Inspiring. Professional. Gracious. Visionary. Approachable. Humble. Those were words used by colleagues and employees to describe the late Terry Lanni at a memorial service Tuesday afternoon. Friends of Lanni shared stories about and praised the former MGM Mirage chairman and CEO at the public remembrance at Mandalay Bay.
Las Vegas hotels earn prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award: Friday, Aug. 12, 2011; AAA has started to release the winners of its prestigious Five Diamond Award for 2012, and at least seven Las Vegas hotels have been named to the list. Las Vegas Sands announced today that both the Venetian and Palazzo have received the award.
Oscar Goodman inks deal with LVCVA to be Las Vegas ambassador: Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011; The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's board of directors unanimously approved a deal Tuesday that makes former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman the official ambassador of Las Vegas.
Dive in: Five unique Las Vegas resort pools: Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011; When temperatures heat up in Las Vegas, hotel pools are hotter than the casino floor. And in most cases, the hotel pools are just as over-the-top as the multimillion-dollar resorts they sit in.
MGM Resorts: Kardashians will open store at Mirage despite delays: Monday, Aug. 8, 2011; In June 2010, the Kardashian family rolled into Las Vegas, like most weekends, but this time it was for a news conference to announce the opening of a store here. The long-awaited store will become a reality, despite delays.
Las Vegas Sands, Hilton ink Macau management deal: Friday, Aug. 5, 2011; Las Vegas Sands announced today it has signed a franchise agreement with Hilton Worldwide to manage two hotel towers at its Cotai Strip resort project in Macau.
Main Street Station in running for best restroom: Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011; There are dozens of coveted awards that Las Vegas hotels strive to achieve — the AAA Five Diamond, Forbes’ Five Star award and Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List, to name a few. And then there’s an award for the best public restroom, which one downtown Las Vegas hotel could soon add to its shortlist of accolades.
Las Vegas' free attractions for everyone to enjoy: Thursday, July 28, 2011; Are you a local Las Vegan or soon-to-be tourist planning a trip to Las Vegas? There are plenty of fun things to do and see that won't take a hit on your pocket book.
Las Vegas Sands reports second-quarter profit, record revenue: Tuesday, July 26, 2011; Las Vegas Sands swung to a profit during the second quarter of 2011, the casino operator reported today. The company reported net income of $367.6 million during the second quarter of 2011, or 45 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $4.7 million, or 1 cent per share, in the second quarter of 2010.
Cosmo's trucking along — to drum up interest: Friday, July 22, 2011; For all the sophisticated marketing tactics employed by the moneymaking geniuses along the Strip, now comes the ice cream truck. It’s the latest gimmick by the Cosmopolitan: a mobile platform to distribute promotional goodies as a way to drum up business among locals.
Vegas evolves with specialized minicasinos, party pits: Friday, July 22, 2011; In the old Las Vegas, casinos were generally unimaginative box-shaped rooms that could pass as warehouses, and gamblers were satisfied with a bucket of quarters and three-reel slots. But today’s customers are more sophisticated, have greater demands and higher expectations — including gambling in a party environment. Free drinks are passé; these gamblers are on the hunt for an entire nightclub experience alongside the casino table. And Las Vegas, of course, aims to please.
Wynn Resorts sees boost in second quarter profit: Monday, July 18, 2011; Wynn Resorts once again posted a profit increase in the second quarter, thanks to booming business in Macau and an uptick in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas-based casino operator reported profit of $200.8 million.
Harry Reid announces speakers for annual Clean Energy Summit: Monday, July 18, 2011; Sen. Harry Reid has recruited some big names to talk green energy during his fourth annual Clean Energy Summit next month in Las Vegas.
Sheldon Adelson to be inducted into Gaming Hall of Fame: Monday, July 18, 2011; The American Gaming Association announced today it will induct Las Vegas Sands CEO and Chairman Sheldon Adelson into the AGA Gaming Hall of Fame.
GQ blames tourists in putting Las Vegas on 'worst-dressed' list: Thursday, July 14, 2011; Apparently showgirl head dresses and Elvis jumpsuits are not considered fashionable.
Magazine blames tourists in putting Las Vegas on 'worst-dressed' list: Wednesday, July 13, 2011; Apparently showgirl head dresses and Elvis jumpsuits are not considered fashionable, at least not to one lifestyle magazine. Las Vegas ranked No. 13 on GQ magazine’s "Worst-Dressed Cities in America" list, released this week. The magazine plans to release its top 10 on Friday. The list pokes fun at fashion trends and stereotypes of some of America’s most well-known cities.
Station Casinos partners with El Cortez to manage sports book: Wednesday, July 13, 2011; Station Casinos announced today it has signed an agreement with the El Cortez to manage the downtown casino’s race and sports book.
Fit for kids (and dogs), Trump caters to family niche: Lack of gaming and allowance of pets a selling point for the luxury hotel; Wednesday, July 13, 2011; It’s an unlikely scene at a Las Vegas luxury hotel. A guest with two fluffy white dogs enters the Trump Las Vegas after an afternoon walk and no one balks. A family with kids in tow, pulling along rolling suitcases adorned with cartoon characters, arrives at the hotel’s valet.
Las Vegas records 15th month with increase in visitors: Monday, July 11, 2011; May brought Las Vegas its 15th straight month of visitation and room rate gains, according to numbers released today. The number of visitors for May increased by 3.3 percent from 3.26 million in 2010 to 3.37 in 2011, according to a monthly LVCVA report.
Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace tower to open next summer: Friday, July 8, 2011; Caesars Palace announced today it will open its rebranded and renovated Centurion Tower as the Nobu Hotel next summer.
The suite life: 10 of Las Vegas’ most extravagant hotel rooms: A night in some of the priciest hotel suites in Las Vegas can cost up to $40,000.; Thursday, July 7, 2011; In the years since the recession hit, Las Vegas has been known for its bargain room rates, but the city still remains home to some of the priciest, over-the-top hotel suites in the world.
Hash House A Go Go to open fourth location at Plaza hotel-casino: Wednesday, July 6, 2011; The Plaza Hotel and Casino announced today that it is adding Hash House A Go Go to its lineup of restaurants when it reopens at the end of the summer.
5 uniquely Las Vegas pool parties: Tuesday, July 5, 2011; Today’s Strip pool parties are a much different scene than the resort pools of yesteryear, where the high roller’s wife might park herself for a tan and an umbrella drink before meeting her husband for a show and dinner after a day of gambling.
Pool party trend paying off big for Las Vegas resorts: When the Hard Rock launched its pool party ‘Rehab’ in 2004, it was a stroke of marketing genius. Seven years later, that resort—and its myriad competitors—are keeping the party going.; Tuesday, July 5, 2011; On any given summer Sunday, a line forms as early as 7 a.m. and stretches through the Hard Rock Hotel. Patrons are dressed in their Sunday bests—barely-there bikinis and sky-high heels or board shorts and white tanks—waiting to worship at the mecca of the daylife scene.
Hard Rock memorabilia curator has front row seat to music history: Sunday, July 3, 2011; In a studio squeezed between hotel rooms on the second floor of the Hard Rock Hotel, rock ’n’ roll memorabilia curator Warwick Stone is nipping and tucking at a dress on a small silver mannequin.
6 memorable memorabilia displays at the Hard Rock Hotel: Sunday, July 3, 2011; Hard Rock Hotel and Casino curator Warwick Stone has been purchasing and styling memorabilia for the Hard Rock brand since the first U.S. café opened in Los Angeles in 1982.
Tourists expected to spend more this 4th of July: Friday, July 1, 2011; The Fourth of July is once again expected to lure visitors in big numbers to the Las Vegas Valley, but for one of the first times since the recession, they’re expected to spend more this holiday weekend.
Nevada near bottom of CNBC list of best states for business: Wednesday, June 29, 2011; Nevada is near the bottom of yet another list, this time the best states in which to do business. Nevada ranked at No. 45 on CNBC’s 2011 Top States for Business survey.
Renovation is transforming downtown’s Plaza Hotel: Thursday, June 23, 2011; In the blistering June heat construction workers stand perched under the iconic dome at the Plaza Hotel, swapping out the 45,037 light bulbs that illuminate the downtown Las Vegas casino’s facade. The joke is too obvious, but here’s the answer: It takes two of them, at a rate of about 3,000 a day, over the course of several weeks.
Eight casinos plan fireworks for Fourth of July: Tuesday, June 21, 2011; Two Las Vegas Strip properties will host fireworks displays for the Fourth of July, but one will be hosting its a day early. Caesars Palace will be shooting fireworks from atop its Roman Tower about 9:15 p.m. Sunday.
Downtown's Plaza hotel to hire 800 employees, plans job fair: Tuesday, June 21, 2011; The Plaza Hotel and Casino is looking to bring on 800 employees ahead of its grand reopening in September. The downtown hotel-casino, which closed in September for a $35-million renovation, will host a two-week job fair beginning June 27. The job fair will run through July 1, and again from July 5 to July 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Compensation bounces back for top Las Vegas executives: Tuesday, June 21, 2011; Last year brought fatter paychecks for Las Vegas’ top executives as the city’s economy began its slow crawl back to pre-recession levels.
Phil Ruffin goes down the middle: Phil Ruffin is a classic Wild West prospector, always striking when the deal’s hot. Buying Treasure Island in 2009, has this savvy businessman hit the jackpot by targeting the everyman customer?; Monday, June 20, 2011; If there is anyone who knows a deal, it’s Phil Ruffin.
Sahara unloads pieces of 58-year history at liquidation sale: Prospective buyers lined up early for a glimpse of items for sale; Thursday, June 16, 2011; There are rules to a liquidation sale, you know. Just because you are guarding that prime rib cart, that doesn’t make it yours. And there’s no bargaining or bartering, either — at least not on the first day.
Downtown's Plaza hotel set to reopen after renovations: Wednesday, June 15, 2011; The Plaza Hotel and Casino will reopen to guests Sept. 1 after an extensive overhaul of the 40-year-old property. It closed in September 2010 for a renovation of the casino, restaurants and more than 1,000 hotel rooms.
Palms, TPG announce partnership to 'significantly reduce' debt: Tuesday, June 14, 2011; The Palms Casino Resort announced today it is partnering with TPG Opportunity Partners to “significantly reduce” debt at the property. TPG Opportunity Partners is a partnership between Leonard Green & Partners and the TPG Capital investment firm.
Travel website says summer interest high in Las Vegas: Tuesday, June 14, 2011; Recent searches on travel websites might be an indication that the summer visitor forecast for Las Vegas is heating up. Las Vegas was the most searched destination for hotels for summer travel on Kayak.com, a price-comparison travel website.
Developer has plans for 'Star Wars' museum on Strip: Friday, June 10, 2011; A Las Vegas developer has plans to turn one of the most beloved movie franchises of all time into an attraction on the Strip. Plans were submitted with the Clark County Planning Commission this week to build a “Star Wars” museum between the Monte Carlo and New York-New York on the Strip.
Say Yeah: KISS-themed mini golf course opening in Vegas: Friday, June 10, 2011; Only in Las Vegas would a KISS-themed, glow-in-the-dark, indoor miniature golf course make its way into a local strip mall.
Phil Ruffin shuns high end as he modifies Treasure Island: Amid luxury boom, Ruffin eyes niche as a midlevel resort; Tuesday, May 31, 2011; It’s been two years since Phil Ruffin moved into his new digs, but the casino owner isn’t quite settled into his home on the Strip. Since Ruffin purchased Treasure Island from MGM Resorts International in March 2009, he has continuously made tweaks to his resort to bring it up to his standards.
5 things that define Ruffin's everyman strategy at Treasure Island: Tuesday, May 31, 2011; Phil Ruffin has been the boss at Treasure Island for two years. In that time, he's made a series of changes throughout the property to bring it more in line with the mid-level resort he wants it to be.
Lake Las Vegas’ Ravella dives into pool party biz, but targets families: Friday, May 27, 2011; Celebrities and bikinis have become fixtures on the Strip pool party scene where the liquor flows from morning straight through to when nightclubs open.
Mandarin Oriental not expecting quick return on Vegas hotel: Thursday, May 19, 2011; The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group isn’t expecting a quick return on its first Las Vegas hotel, which it opened at CityCenter in December 2009.
Corporation for Travel Promotion names first CEO: Wednesday, May 18, 2011; The Corporation for Travel Promotion announced it has named Jim Evans as the organization's first CEO.
With demise of Sahara, what's next for north Las Vegas Strip?: Friday, May 13, 2011; In its prime, the north end of the Strip — the home to casinos such as the Thunderbird, Silver Slipper and Stardust — defined Vegas glitz. Today’s snapshot is a much different picture.
Cosmopolitan opens high-roller suites to public: Thursday, May 12, 2011; As if the Cosmopolitan’s suites with private terraces overlooking the Strip weren’t exclusive enough, the resort has unveiled a whole other set of pricey rooms.
Hard Rock's pimped-out 'Real World' suite is available, but it's bring-your-own-drama: Tuesday, May 10, 2011; At first glance, Suite 1168 in Hard Rock’s Casino Tower looks like any other Las Vegas high roller suite. There are flat-screen TVs, a full-size bar and a hot tub large enough for whatever party might wander back to your room.
Las Vegas notches 13th month of visitation increases on convention strength: Tuesday, May 10, 2011; Las Vegas saw yet another boost in visitation in March, thanks to a lift in convention attendance, according to numbers released today. The number of visitors for the month increased 5.6 percent to 3.4 million.