By Richard N. Velotta (contact)
Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/06/vegas-braces-110000-consumer-electronics-show/
The 2010 Consumer Electronics Show isn’t exactly like old times, but the Las Vegas tourism industry has geared up for it with high hopes.
The kickoff event of the city’s 2010 convention calendar is expected to be attended by some 110,000 people — an increase from earlier projections of 100,000 but slightly behind the 111,000 last year.
The event, produced by the Washington-based Consumer Electronics Association, brings the newest, flashiest and glitziest gadgets to a four-day showcase at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Las Vegas Hilton, the Renaissance Hotel and the Venetian’s Tower Suites.
Other hotels planned spin-off activities and special gatherings to accommodate what annually is one of Las Vegas’ largest trade shows.
The event is open only to industry professionals, but with more than 4,000 media representatives credentialed, the public often gets a chance to see what goes on at CES on nationally broadcast morning news shows and by reading newspaper and Internet reports.
CES doesn’t invite the public because the focus of the event is business-to-business contacts, and vendors aren’t geared to demonstrate products to consumers.
Steve Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft, will kick off this year’s show with a pre-CES address tonight.
CES organizers say there’s usually a late push in on-site registration that could bump attendance above the predicted 110,000 — far from the record 150,000 who attended the show in 2006. The expected 2,500 exhibitors for this year’s show is on par with last year, officials said.
But Sarah Myers, a spokeswoman for the show, said many participants that had planned to be at the 2009 show canceled at the last minute when the full weight of the economic downturn hit. Myers said she didn’t expect the same late cancellations this year.
“We just won’t know until just before the show,” Myers said as her group prepared.
Las Vegas is prepared
Trade show contractor GES Exhibition Services began getting ready for CES in April, conducting an inventory of lighting, power and audio-visual needs from potential exhibitors.
Lenny Izzo, senior vice president and general manager of western U.S. operations for GES, which has been CES’ general contractor for 30 years, saw the show for the first time last year and this year took the reins of the logistic scramble to set up the show.
Izzo, who formerly drove tanks in the Army, corralled 300 full-time GES employees and 1,500 temporary workers affiliated with four different labor groups for the set-up job.
“The move-in is quite an operation,” Izzo said. “It takes more than three weeks of operation and logistical coordination.”
In the three weeks leading up to CES, workers were at the Convention Center every day except Christmas and New Year’s Day.
GES used an 18-acre marshalling yard at Sunset Road and Las Vegas Boulevard to coordinate the move with many big rigs delivering loads at 4 a.m. to avoid peak traffic as much as possible.
“We officially got in on Dec. 18, mostly with electricians, stagehands, riggers and electrical power distribution experts,” he said.
Dec. 28 was the first day that major anchor exhibitors arrived — about 100 of them with booths larger than 2,000 square feet. By the time they arrived, most of the power supplies, carpeting and truss work were complete.
The next critical date was Jan. 4, when the rest of the exhibitors arrived, many of them bringing their own coordinators and workers.
“It’s quite a flurry,” Izzo said. “That’s why we do the majority of our work prior to Jan. 4.”
The last three days leading up to the opening were 18-hour work shifts, and by the time they were done, there were 90 miles of electrical cable installed and 220,000 amps of power available. Two hundred forklifts were used to move materials around the floor, and more than 500 electricians were at work.
Izzo said his team used a popular CES tool that didn’t exist four years ago — Twitter — to communicate and coordinate the move-in.
While the set-up takes more than three weeks, the tear-down will be concluded in about a week.
“We have special feelings about CES because it’s the shot out of the gate for the new year,” Izzo said. “All eyes turn to Las Vegas and all eyes turn to GES. There’s a great deal of pride being the bellwether for what 2010 is going to look like, and I think that’s what drives our team to perform during the holidays.”
Transportation leaders ready for flood of visitors
The Nevada Taxicab Authority agreed to add 10 cabs per Las Vegas-area company — 140 total — to accommodate the additional people in town, the first time in a year the five-member board authorized additional cabs.
Taxicab Authority administrator Gordon Walker said the board considered that, in addition to the 110,000 people expected for CES, an additional 30,000 people would be attending the Adult Entertainment Industry Expo at the Sands Expo Center at the same time.
At its December meeting, the Taxicab Authority staff recommended against adding cabs, reasoning that the cab industry accommodated more than 140,000 people in town for the Professional Bull Riders event and the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association trade shows in early November.
But the cab companies lobbied the authority board and persuaded members to add cabs to ensure the level of service would be high.
The Las Vegas Monorail Co. also gears up for major conventions by putting the maximum number of trains in service, and CES will be no exception.
Ingrid Reisman, a spokeswoman for the monorail, said in addition to having all nine trains in operation during peak transit times for three hours in the morning and afternoon, monorail workers will be at stations helping customers find their way to the platforms and coordinating the loading and unloading of trains.
CES is expected to be a less expensive proposition for most attendees this year.
Getting to Las Vegas was cheaper for some delegates who flew AirTran, American, Continental, JetBlue and Midwest, which offered discounted fares to those attending the show. Discounts ranged from 2 percent to 10 percent of published fares for delegates flying Jan. 4-7 and 10-13.
Attendees paying less for hotel stays
While some hotels are sold out, others still had rooms available two days before the show, according to the CES Web site.
The weak economy has resulted in hotels cutting rates from last year, when the average daily room rate was $104.89. Through October, Southern Nevada’s average rate was $93.15.
The new dynamic in the room-rate equation is the addition of rooms as a result of the opening of CityCenter and new towers at the Golden Nugget and Hard Rock.
The CES Web site said Aria, Bellagio’s deluxe rooms, Hilton Grand Vacations suites and studios were sold out, as were the contracted CES rates at Encore ($249), Excalibur ($96), Hard Rock’s suites ($229) and Hard Rock’s tower rooms ($199).
But early this week, there were rooms available at the Alexis Park ($79), Circus Circus’ west tower ($92) and all other Circus Circus rooms ($75).
And there were rooms available at hotels that don’t have contracted CES rates. VEGAS.com, a sister company of the Las Vegas Sun, advertised rooms at Palace Station and the Golden Nugget for an average $70 a night, Terrible’s for $86, the Tropicana for $138, the Stratosphere for $189, the Riviera for $297 and the Las Vegas Hilton for $620.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said CES is the opening salvo of a busy convention barrage for 2010.
The city will play host to 11 conventions with more than 25,000 people in the first quarter of the year, the top six of which are expected to draw 400,000 visitors and provide an economic boost of an estimated $620 million.
After CES leaves town, Las Vegas will play host to the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show and its expected 45,000 delegates; the National Association of Homebuilders (55,000 people), the World Market Center Las Vegas Market (50,000), the World of Concrete show (65,000) and MAGIC International (70,000).
Las Vegas ranks atop the Tradeshow Week 200 list for the largest conventions and shows, a position it has held for 15 years.
The city also gets a non-convention boost on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, and Chinese New Year, which falls this year on another popular Las Vegas date, Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Consumer Electronics Show Comes to the Strip
* By Trudy Walsh
* Jan 05, 2010
As I pack my bags for the Consumer Electronics Show this year, I’m looking forward to scouring the Las Vegas Convention Center for anything cool and new that might pique the interest of the government IT community.
First off, I plan on attending a speech by Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, Wednesday night, 6:30 p.m. sharp at the Mirage Hotel. Last year, the hotel staff barred me from the speech. This year I plan on being a little early, taking a 5:45 a.m. flight from D.C. So fingers crossed, I’ll try to give you advance notice of the latest and greatest news from Microsoft. I will see you speak, Steve Ballmer. I will.
I could keep busy for a day or so just covering keynote speeches at CES. I’m planning on attending talks by White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, who will discuss innovation, and by Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski, who takes the floor Friday to talk about competition policy, wireless spectrum scarcity and broadband.
As always, technology companies use this week in January to unveil their new offerings. I’ll be trolling the show floor to report on the best and brightest.
Lenovo is announcing 20 new products at CES, so there will definitely be a flurry of news from the ThinkPad maker. The company is unveiling a new trend, the smart book, a mini-laptop that offers quick Internet access without weighing the unit down with PC functions. Lenovo also announced that it is using AMD chips in two ThinkPad models, instead of the usual Intel chips.
One of the big surprises this Christmas was the brisk sales for the Amazon Kindle, which has really heated up the whole e-reader market, including screens and software. Six or more companies will be displaying e-reading devices at CES, including Plastic Logic, Hearst Corp.’s Skiff and Entourage Systems. I’ll definitely be making a stop or two in that aisle and reporting on the display technologies I find there.
Zyxio is demonstrating breath-enabled technology that lets users control their iPod and other devices by breathing on them. Another use for the one resource my beloved hometown of D.C. is never short of: hot air.
And my inner comic book geek, of course, is thrilled to see that Marvel’s Stan Lee, creator of Spider-Man, is going to be at CES on Thursday. Maybe I can ask him for Spider-Man’s thoughts on Web neutrality.
* Jan 05, 2010
As I pack my bags for the Consumer Electronics Show this year, I’m looking forward to scouring the Las Vegas Convention Center for anything cool and new that might pique the interest of the government IT community.
First off, I plan on attending a speech by Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, Wednesday night, 6:30 p.m. sharp at the Mirage Hotel. Last year, the hotel staff barred me from the speech. This year I plan on being a little early, taking a 5:45 a.m. flight from D.C. So fingers crossed, I’ll try to give you advance notice of the latest and greatest news from Microsoft. I will see you speak, Steve Ballmer. I will.
I could keep busy for a day or so just covering keynote speeches at CES. I’m planning on attending talks by White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, who will discuss innovation, and by Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski, who takes the floor Friday to talk about competition policy, wireless spectrum scarcity and broadband.
As always, technology companies use this week in January to unveil their new offerings. I’ll be trolling the show floor to report on the best and brightest.
Lenovo is announcing 20 new products at CES, so there will definitely be a flurry of news from the ThinkPad maker. The company is unveiling a new trend, the smart book, a mini-laptop that offers quick Internet access without weighing the unit down with PC functions. Lenovo also announced that it is using AMD chips in two ThinkPad models, instead of the usual Intel chips.
One of the big surprises this Christmas was the brisk sales for the Amazon Kindle, which has really heated up the whole e-reader market, including screens and software. Six or more companies will be displaying e-reading devices at CES, including Plastic Logic, Hearst Corp.’s Skiff and Entourage Systems. I’ll definitely be making a stop or two in that aisle and reporting on the display technologies I find there.
Zyxio is demonstrating breath-enabled technology that lets users control their iPod and other devices by breathing on them. Another use for the one resource my beloved hometown of D.C. is never short of: hot air.
And my inner comic book geek, of course, is thrilled to see that Marvel’s Stan Lee, creator of Spider-Man, is going to be at CES on Thursday. Maybe I can ask him for Spider-Man’s thoughts on Web neutrality.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Too Many People Underground in Las Vegas
By OSKAR GARCIA - Associated Press Writer
LAS VEGAS -- Underneath its glitzy casinos, far from the bright marquees, there is another Las Vegas, a pitch-black, dank underworld virtually unknown and unseen by those who live, work and play above.
About 300 people - mostly men battling demons of various addictions - live in the underground storm system built to protect the desert playground from the infrequent cloudburst.
There's no sign or word of welcome down here. Drug use is nearly universal. Most people carry makeshift weapons and the police don't often come unless they're called.
But the denizens have found a haven in the labyrinth of concrete tunnels that snake beneath the city and its suburbs.
In a place where total darkness can be just one bend away, visitors to this urban netherworld stumble across the unexplainable. A beat-up teddy bear lies next to a dirty chef's knife propped up against a wall. Graffiti turns into murals near sparse pockets of light.
A scruffy black cat's meow is startling as it scrambles in a pile of junk to escape a flashlight's beam. The echoes of footsteps change as boots hit standing water, or accidentally kick empty beer bottles as they tiptoe past midday sleepers. Fetid smells of garbage, dirty water and wet cloth waft through the corridors.
Each subterranean encampment can be as spartan as a few worn blankets, or as elaborate as an apartment fitted with queen-size beds, dining utensils and knickknacks.
One camp just west of the Las Vegas Strip is wallpapered with hardcore pornography, a collage of magazine pages modified with hand-drawn comic book-like dialogue bubbles giving voice to naked women.
"You'd be surprised the things that wash down in this channel ... it's hard to even describe," said Rick "Iron" Cobble, a 45-year-old Oklahoma native, who sleeps in a 5-foot-high tunnel near the south end of the glittering Strip, not far from the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign.
Cobble, battling severe drug addiction while living near a mound of washed up garbage, said his only belongings are a small mound of blankets and his clothes.
"Right now I'm just trying to survive," Cobble said. "That's the only way you can put it."
Rich Penksa, a retired correctional sergeant who began traversing the tunnels earlier this year for a nonprofit's homeless outreach, said he first heard about the tunnels years ago from prison inmates who told tales of living under Sin City when not behind bars.
"I don't think I've ever felt odder than when I'm down in that tunnel environment," said Penksa, who once encountered thousands of spiders feasting on the baby mosquitoes multiplying in standing water. Penksa frequents the tunnels for HELP of Southern Nevada, which is working to place tunnel residents into more conventional homes.
What started as a piecemeal set of individual drains is now part of a 500-mile maze of pipes, washes, basins and open channels, said Betty Hollister, spokeswoman for the Clark County Regional Flood Control District that built the system. Local jurisdictions maintain it using sales tax money at a cost of $7.9 million last fiscal year.
LAS VEGAS -- Underneath its glitzy casinos, far from the bright marquees, there is another Las Vegas, a pitch-black, dank underworld virtually unknown and unseen by those who live, work and play above.
About 300 people - mostly men battling demons of various addictions - live in the underground storm system built to protect the desert playground from the infrequent cloudburst.
There's no sign or word of welcome down here. Drug use is nearly universal. Most people carry makeshift weapons and the police don't often come unless they're called.
But the denizens have found a haven in the labyrinth of concrete tunnels that snake beneath the city and its suburbs.
In a place where total darkness can be just one bend away, visitors to this urban netherworld stumble across the unexplainable. A beat-up teddy bear lies next to a dirty chef's knife propped up against a wall. Graffiti turns into murals near sparse pockets of light.
A scruffy black cat's meow is startling as it scrambles in a pile of junk to escape a flashlight's beam. The echoes of footsteps change as boots hit standing water, or accidentally kick empty beer bottles as they tiptoe past midday sleepers. Fetid smells of garbage, dirty water and wet cloth waft through the corridors.
Each subterranean encampment can be as spartan as a few worn blankets, or as elaborate as an apartment fitted with queen-size beds, dining utensils and knickknacks.
One camp just west of the Las Vegas Strip is wallpapered with hardcore pornography, a collage of magazine pages modified with hand-drawn comic book-like dialogue bubbles giving voice to naked women.
"You'd be surprised the things that wash down in this channel ... it's hard to even describe," said Rick "Iron" Cobble, a 45-year-old Oklahoma native, who sleeps in a 5-foot-high tunnel near the south end of the glittering Strip, not far from the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign.
Cobble, battling severe drug addiction while living near a mound of washed up garbage, said his only belongings are a small mound of blankets and his clothes.
"Right now I'm just trying to survive," Cobble said. "That's the only way you can put it."
Rich Penksa, a retired correctional sergeant who began traversing the tunnels earlier this year for a nonprofit's homeless outreach, said he first heard about the tunnels years ago from prison inmates who told tales of living under Sin City when not behind bars.
"I don't think I've ever felt odder than when I'm down in that tunnel environment," said Penksa, who once encountered thousands of spiders feasting on the baby mosquitoes multiplying in standing water. Penksa frequents the tunnels for HELP of Southern Nevada, which is working to place tunnel residents into more conventional homes.
What started as a piecemeal set of individual drains is now part of a 500-mile maze of pipes, washes, basins and open channels, said Betty Hollister, spokeswoman for the Clark County Regional Flood Control District that built the system. Local jurisdictions maintain it using sales tax money at a cost of $7.9 million last fiscal year.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Hotel Props for 5 Wynn Creations
Travel + Leisure , the world's number one rated travel magazine, has included five Vegas ritzy hotels on it's Top 500 World Hotels list for 2010. This list is based on the magazine's reader survey results for rooms / facilities, location, service, dining, and value. In order of rank from highest to lowest, the five Vegas resorts were Four Seasons Las Vegas , Wynn Las Vegas , Palazzo , Bellagio , and The Venetian . Below we've listed a brief description of each resort's offerings and room prices (midweek and weekend rates for the least expensive rooms listed on their respective websites for this month, January 2010). Be aware that none of the listed room prices here include additive resort fees and taxes. Access the links for further info and reservations.
Wynn Las Vegas: Steve Wynn is likely the best known hotel owner - designer and resort mogul in Vegas. This hotel is the holder of many Forbes Five Star awards and is the only destination casino in the world to have collectively received the Mobil 5 Star , the AAA 5 Diamond , and Michelin 5 Red Pavillion awards. Obviously, Mr Wynn likes to be rewarded for his work. This resort boasts 12 restaurants , one of the town's highest - rated buffets, posh nightclubs such as Tryst , Blush, and XS , multiple resort bars , and a massive aura of kitsch throughout the property. Along with it's sister property Encore, entertainment is provided by resident performer Garth Brooks and the Le Reve shows. Least expensive room rates at the property's website for this month were $159 midweek and $244 on weekends. They're presently running a room promotion involving a $100 resort credit for any 2+ night stays (enter promo code RESCRDT when booking ). Phone 877-321-9966 .
Four Seasons Las Vegas : This is the only resort of the five named that does not offer gaming, though it's just a rock's throw (which is about a half mile in Vegas ) from Four Seasons to Mandalay Bay's casino. This hotel is noted for it's quiet opulence and service and is always gorgeous to view / walk through. Enjoy fine dining at fancy restaurants such as the Verandah and Charlie Palmer Steakhouse (view menus for both at the link ). Listed website rates for the least expensive rooms were $229 midweek and $389 on the weekends. They are presently offering a room rate promo involving a free third night for two paid night stays and the package includes $50 credit toward an 80 - minute spa treatment. This posh resort has a pool (in season ), fitness facilities , business facilities, and an uptown concierge service. Phone 877 - 632 - 5000.
Palazzo : Functioning as the sister property to the Venetian , this opulent castle boasts 9 fine dining and 9 more casual dining restaurants . It's known for it's spacious Canyon Ranch Spa and the kitschy Lavo nightclub. There are multiple fancy resort bars on the property as well. This is the venue to see one of Las Vegas' highest rated newer shows , Jersey Boys . Cheapest midweek room rates this month are listed at $179 , while the least expensive weekend rooms go for $239. Phone 866 - 263 - 3001.
Bellagio : The Bellagio is one of the first hotels many Vegas patrons think of when we consider the phrase "Vegas luxury hotels". The property boasts one of the best free and most notable attractions in town with the Fountains of Bellagio spectacle along Las Vegas Boulevard. Other amenities include a popular Cirque Du Soleil show ( "O " ) , their Botanical Gardens and Conservatory , and their popular Gallery of Fine Art attraction. They boast over thirteen restaurants offering fine dining, contemporary cuisines, and the quick - bite varieties. Additionally, this author ranks their buffet as the best in town. They also have one of the foofiest French pastry shops in Vegas with their Jean Philippe Pastry venue. Their prominent nightlife options include The Bank and Caramel nightclubs. For January , their least expensive rooms were listed at $129 midweek and $199 on weekend dates. Phone 888 - 987 - 6667.
The Venetian : This is the only hotel of the five that we've personally stayed in and that was because the suites were comped from our previous gambling efforts here. Their rooms are immaculate, large, and exceedingly comfortable. They have over 21 restaurants that run the gamut from fine dining to quick - bite genres. The Grand Canal Shoppes shopping and retail area is very attractive and quite enjoyable to walk through with it's blue sky facade. Their ongoing, resident entertainment offerings include the famous and unique shows Blue Man Group and Phantom of the Opera. David Spade provides comedic relief shows in January , February, and March in a limited special engagement run of shows. Two of the most popular nightclubs in Vegas , Tao and V - Bar , are located here. Their website - listed , least expensive rooms for January are $159 midweek and $229 on weekends. Phone 702 - 414 - 1000.
Wynn Las Vegas: Steve Wynn is likely the best known hotel owner - designer and resort mogul in Vegas. This hotel is the holder of many Forbes Five Star awards and is the only destination casino in the world to have collectively received the Mobil 5 Star , the AAA 5 Diamond , and Michelin 5 Red Pavillion awards. Obviously, Mr Wynn likes to be rewarded for his work. This resort boasts 12 restaurants , one of the town's highest - rated buffets, posh nightclubs such as Tryst , Blush, and XS , multiple resort bars , and a massive aura of kitsch throughout the property. Along with it's sister property Encore, entertainment is provided by resident performer Garth Brooks and the Le Reve shows. Least expensive room rates at the property's website for this month were $159 midweek and $244 on weekends. They're presently running a room promotion involving a $100 resort credit for any 2+ night stays (enter promo code RESCRDT when booking ). Phone 877-321-9966 .
Four Seasons Las Vegas : This is the only resort of the five named that does not offer gaming, though it's just a rock's throw (which is about a half mile in Vegas ) from Four Seasons to Mandalay Bay's casino. This hotel is noted for it's quiet opulence and service and is always gorgeous to view / walk through. Enjoy fine dining at fancy restaurants such as the Verandah and Charlie Palmer Steakhouse (view menus for both at the link ). Listed website rates for the least expensive rooms were $229 midweek and $389 on the weekends. They are presently offering a room rate promo involving a free third night for two paid night stays and the package includes $50 credit toward an 80 - minute spa treatment. This posh resort has a pool (in season ), fitness facilities , business facilities, and an uptown concierge service. Phone 877 - 632 - 5000.
Palazzo : Functioning as the sister property to the Venetian , this opulent castle boasts 9 fine dining and 9 more casual dining restaurants . It's known for it's spacious Canyon Ranch Spa and the kitschy Lavo nightclub. There are multiple fancy resort bars on the property as well. This is the venue to see one of Las Vegas' highest rated newer shows , Jersey Boys . Cheapest midweek room rates this month are listed at $179 , while the least expensive weekend rooms go for $239. Phone 866 - 263 - 3001.
Bellagio : The Bellagio is one of the first hotels many Vegas patrons think of when we consider the phrase "Vegas luxury hotels". The property boasts one of the best free and most notable attractions in town with the Fountains of Bellagio spectacle along Las Vegas Boulevard. Other amenities include a popular Cirque Du Soleil show ( "O " ) , their Botanical Gardens and Conservatory , and their popular Gallery of Fine Art attraction. They boast over thirteen restaurants offering fine dining, contemporary cuisines, and the quick - bite varieties. Additionally, this author ranks their buffet as the best in town. They also have one of the foofiest French pastry shops in Vegas with their Jean Philippe Pastry venue. Their prominent nightlife options include The Bank and Caramel nightclubs. For January , their least expensive rooms were listed at $129 midweek and $199 on weekend dates. Phone 888 - 987 - 6667.
The Venetian : This is the only hotel of the five that we've personally stayed in and that was because the suites were comped from our previous gambling efforts here. Their rooms are immaculate, large, and exceedingly comfortable. They have over 21 restaurants that run the gamut from fine dining to quick - bite genres. The Grand Canal Shoppes shopping and retail area is very attractive and quite enjoyable to walk through with it's blue sky facade. Their ongoing, resident entertainment offerings include the famous and unique shows Blue Man Group and Phantom of the Opera. David Spade provides comedic relief shows in January , February, and March in a limited special engagement run of shows. Two of the most popular nightclubs in Vegas , Tao and V - Bar , are located here. Their website - listed , least expensive rooms for January are $159 midweek and $229 on weekends. Phone 702 - 414 - 1000.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Leona Lewis at Bellagio on January 1, 2010 with Crutches
The 24-year-old singer purportedly landed in hospital treatment for suspected torn leg ligaments after the accident in Los Angeles.
"Leona was riding the day before New Year''s Eve and fell off when the horse started galloping too fast,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.
"She went to accident and emergency. It was pretty scary. She had quite a tumble.
"But it hasn''t put her off riding. She''s fine and will be back on her horse soon," the source added.
The star was later seen joining in the New Year celebrations in Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.
"Leona was riding the day before New Year''s Eve and fell off when the horse started galloping too fast,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.
"She went to accident and emergency. It was pretty scary. She had quite a tumble.
"But it hasn''t put her off riding. She''s fine and will be back on her horse soon," the source added.
The star was later seen joining in the New Year celebrations in Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Fun Times on the Strip New Years
LAS VEGAS — Sin City welcomed some 315,000 revelers for New Year's Eve with fireworks from casino rooftops, celebrity toasts at nightclubs and a traffic-free Las Vegas Strip.
The downtown Fremont Street Experience hoped to host 35,000 partiers as it held a bash with nine bands and a countdown by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
Bundled-up revelers began trickling in at 6 p.m. for a block party with plenty of street-side bars and 2010 knickknacks. Bartenders flipped shakers and danced on the bar, while crowds sang along with tribute bands playing hits from U2, Van Halen and Aerosmith.
Elsa Valenzuela, a 27-year-old third-grade teacher from Victorville, Calif., said that despite graduating from high school and college during the last 10 years, she's glad to move on from the past decade.
"The horrible outfits, the bad hair," she said as she and her boyfriend wore matching novelty hats and beads. "I really think it's just more like thinking ahead on the possibilities and the good that we can do and the changes that we can make."
David Fraley, 56, of Las Vegas, said he's also ready to get away from the aughts.
"This decade's over, let's get a better one going," said Fraley, who said he lost his job as a supermarket liquor clerk in March.
"My wish is a job. I've been laid off. I need work," he said, sporting glasses that displayed "2010" in blue lights.
On the Strip, actress Eva Longoria was scheduled to host at Eve nightclub at CityCenter, the newest casino complex in town. Other celebrity hosts at various clubs included rapper 50 Cent, singer Robin Thicke, Nicole Ritchie and Maroon 5, while DJs Mix Master Mike, Jermaine Dupri and DJ Z-Trip were scheduled to spin.
Las Vegas Boulevard was closed to vehicles from the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino to the Sahara.
Police spokesman Ramon Denby said there were no major problems before 11 p.m., with eight adults arrested for various misdemeanors and one juvenile arrested for being on the Strip past curfew without a chaperone.
Official crowd counts were not immediately available, Denby said.
At midnight, more than seven minutes of fireworks were shot from seven casinos on the Strip, stretching more than four miles from the MGM Grand to the Stratosphere. The show cost an estimated $500,000 and was brought back to the rooftops after a toned-down fireworks show last year was panned by tourists, city officials and casino executives.
Gone from the festivities were stunts. Last year, three stunts were performed in Las Vegas as part of television specials. This year, television networks Fox, ABC and CNN all planned New Year's Eve programming from Las Vegas.
Tourism officials said they expected the city's 148,000 hotel rooms to be 96 percent full as casinos slash prices to get more people in town.
The estimate of 315,000 tourists eclipsed last year's total of 312,000 visitors, but the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said it expected folks to spend less than they did last year because of the bargains.
The agency, which promotes tourism to Las Vegas, estimated revelers would spend $183.4 million, down from $199.5 million last year.
In downtown Reno, several casinos pooled efforts to bring back fireworks in hopes the display would add excitement and encourage more visitors. The tradition went on hiatus last year as companies tried to save money.
They planned a $65,000, 15-minute show with Michael Jackson-themed music.
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
The downtown Fremont Street Experience hoped to host 35,000 partiers as it held a bash with nine bands and a countdown by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
Bundled-up revelers began trickling in at 6 p.m. for a block party with plenty of street-side bars and 2010 knickknacks. Bartenders flipped shakers and danced on the bar, while crowds sang along with tribute bands playing hits from U2, Van Halen and Aerosmith.
Elsa Valenzuela, a 27-year-old third-grade teacher from Victorville, Calif., said that despite graduating from high school and college during the last 10 years, she's glad to move on from the past decade.
"The horrible outfits, the bad hair," she said as she and her boyfriend wore matching novelty hats and beads. "I really think it's just more like thinking ahead on the possibilities and the good that we can do and the changes that we can make."
David Fraley, 56, of Las Vegas, said he's also ready to get away from the aughts.
"This decade's over, let's get a better one going," said Fraley, who said he lost his job as a supermarket liquor clerk in March.
"My wish is a job. I've been laid off. I need work," he said, sporting glasses that displayed "2010" in blue lights.
On the Strip, actress Eva Longoria was scheduled to host at Eve nightclub at CityCenter, the newest casino complex in town. Other celebrity hosts at various clubs included rapper 50 Cent, singer Robin Thicke, Nicole Ritchie and Maroon 5, while DJs Mix Master Mike, Jermaine Dupri and DJ Z-Trip were scheduled to spin.
Las Vegas Boulevard was closed to vehicles from the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino to the Sahara.
Police spokesman Ramon Denby said there were no major problems before 11 p.m., with eight adults arrested for various misdemeanors and one juvenile arrested for being on the Strip past curfew without a chaperone.
Official crowd counts were not immediately available, Denby said.
At midnight, more than seven minutes of fireworks were shot from seven casinos on the Strip, stretching more than four miles from the MGM Grand to the Stratosphere. The show cost an estimated $500,000 and was brought back to the rooftops after a toned-down fireworks show last year was panned by tourists, city officials and casino executives.
Gone from the festivities were stunts. Last year, three stunts were performed in Las Vegas as part of television specials. This year, television networks Fox, ABC and CNN all planned New Year's Eve programming from Las Vegas.
Tourism officials said they expected the city's 148,000 hotel rooms to be 96 percent full as casinos slash prices to get more people in town.
The estimate of 315,000 tourists eclipsed last year's total of 312,000 visitors, but the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said it expected folks to spend less than they did last year because of the bargains.
The agency, which promotes tourism to Las Vegas, estimated revelers would spend $183.4 million, down from $199.5 million last year.
In downtown Reno, several casinos pooled efforts to bring back fireworks in hopes the display would add excitement and encourage more visitors. The tradition went on hiatus last year as companies tried to save money.
They planned a $65,000, 15-minute show with Michael Jackson-themed music.
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
Friday, January 1, 2010
300K People Came to Party
Over 300,000 humans and an unknown number of monkeys will visit Sin City this weekend to ring in the New Year. New Years weekend is one of the busiest three all year, along with the Chinese New Year and the Super Bowl. The following represents some places to party, events, entertainment, and some current conditions ( eg already - sold - out hotels if you're trying to sneak in to town at the last second). Check the links ( and associated phone numbers) to confirm info because things change by the minute in Vegas, particularly this weekend.
Current notes :
- According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ( LVCVA ) and travel site Vegas.com , the average price for a New Year's Eve (NYE) room (includes on and off strip properties city - wide) is $184 , which is $10 higher than last year but nearly a hundred bucks cheaper than in 2006. Unless you're standing on the right person's neck, you'll be hard pressed to find a room on the strip for that average price figure. Due to the 8000 or so rooms added to the Vegas inventory this year, room occupancy rates will dip to approximately 96% as compared to last year's 98.6%.
- As of this writing, several hotels are sold out for New Year's Eve ; MGM Mirage strip properties Vdara , Mirage, and Bellagio along with Harrah's Entertainment properties Caesar's Palace, Rio , Flamingo , Harrah's and Paris are all sold out. Among the others with rooms remaining, last minute prices are $225 at Circus Circus, and $470 at MGM Grand. Other prices are $699 at Palazzo , $399 at Venetian, $499 at the Palms , $519 at Hard Rock , $699 at Mandalay Bay, and $470 at Luxor. Many of those room prices require a mandatory two - night stay .
- Fireworks this year will be launched from seven strip hotel roof tops including Aria , Caesar's Palace, Treasure Island, Venetian , Stratosphere, Planet Hollywood , and MGM Grand. This should provide for a bigger and better fireworks show than last year's event in which the pyrotechnics were launched from parking garage rooftops. Higher..farther..longer..louder... sounds like Vegas stuff to me.
- Las Vegas Boulevard (the strip road) will be shut down per norm on New Year's Eve amidst the world's largest NYE block party. Most of the hotels will have very restricted entry (some will lock the doors) during the NYE celebration until approximately 1 am..plan accordingly if attending the festivities.
Notable shows / concerts : There's some big name entertainers in Vegas this weekend, some of whom are hosting mostly all - night NYE parties at assorted resort clubs and a few who are just in town to do a NYE show. A few notable ( some are old like good wine, too ) stars in that latter category follows. Access the links for more info and / or tickets.
- Garth Brooks : Believe it or not, as I write this there's a few tickets left for Garth's performances on Jan 1, 2, and 3 at the Encore Theater , Wynn Las Vegas. Tickets are available even though the show had supposedly sold out it's initial 20 performances .The $143 tickets can be purchased in advance or sold in stand - by lines each day on a first come, first serve basis. Access this Wynn Las Vegas box office link for more info.
- Merle Haggard at Buffalo Bill's Primm Valley Resort : 10 pm ; $49.45 plus taxes and fees ; Go see one of my lyrical heroes and America's " Poet of the common man " in Primm, NV. View a video performance of the Hag from youtube.com here.
- Frankie Avalon at the Cannery : 10:30 ; $59.95 plus fees
- Blood, Sweat, and Tears at Eastside Cannery : 8:30 ; $29.95 - $49.95 plus fees
- John Mayer at Hard Rock's The Joint : 10 pm ; $92 - 147 plus fees
- David Copperfield at MGM Grand : 7:30 and 10 pm shows ; $69 plus fees
- Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers at Riverside Resort in Laughlin : 10 pm ; $45 plus fees ; You'll have to drive to Laughlin to see this group but for fans it'll be worth it. They'll perform through 1/02/2010.
Current notes :
- According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ( LVCVA ) and travel site Vegas.com , the average price for a New Year's Eve (NYE) room (includes on and off strip properties city - wide) is $184 , which is $10 higher than last year but nearly a hundred bucks cheaper than in 2006. Unless you're standing on the right person's neck, you'll be hard pressed to find a room on the strip for that average price figure. Due to the 8000 or so rooms added to the Vegas inventory this year, room occupancy rates will dip to approximately 96% as compared to last year's 98.6%.
- As of this writing, several hotels are sold out for New Year's Eve ; MGM Mirage strip properties Vdara , Mirage, and Bellagio along with Harrah's Entertainment properties Caesar's Palace, Rio , Flamingo , Harrah's and Paris are all sold out. Among the others with rooms remaining, last minute prices are $225 at Circus Circus, and $470 at MGM Grand. Other prices are $699 at Palazzo , $399 at Venetian, $499 at the Palms , $519 at Hard Rock , $699 at Mandalay Bay, and $470 at Luxor. Many of those room prices require a mandatory two - night stay .
- Fireworks this year will be launched from seven strip hotel roof tops including Aria , Caesar's Palace, Treasure Island, Venetian , Stratosphere, Planet Hollywood , and MGM Grand. This should provide for a bigger and better fireworks show than last year's event in which the pyrotechnics were launched from parking garage rooftops. Higher..farther..longer..louder... sounds like Vegas stuff to me.
- Las Vegas Boulevard (the strip road) will be shut down per norm on New Year's Eve amidst the world's largest NYE block party. Most of the hotels will have very restricted entry (some will lock the doors) during the NYE celebration until approximately 1 am..plan accordingly if attending the festivities.
Notable shows / concerts : There's some big name entertainers in Vegas this weekend, some of whom are hosting mostly all - night NYE parties at assorted resort clubs and a few who are just in town to do a NYE show. A few notable ( some are old like good wine, too ) stars in that latter category follows. Access the links for more info and / or tickets.
- Garth Brooks : Believe it or not, as I write this there's a few tickets left for Garth's performances on Jan 1, 2, and 3 at the Encore Theater , Wynn Las Vegas. Tickets are available even though the show had supposedly sold out it's initial 20 performances .The $143 tickets can be purchased in advance or sold in stand - by lines each day on a first come, first serve basis. Access this Wynn Las Vegas box office link for more info.
- Merle Haggard at Buffalo Bill's Primm Valley Resort : 10 pm ; $49.45 plus taxes and fees ; Go see one of my lyrical heroes and America's " Poet of the common man " in Primm, NV. View a video performance of the Hag from youtube.com here.
- Frankie Avalon at the Cannery : 10:30 ; $59.95 plus fees
- Blood, Sweat, and Tears at Eastside Cannery : 8:30 ; $29.95 - $49.95 plus fees
- John Mayer at Hard Rock's The Joint : 10 pm ; $92 - 147 plus fees
- David Copperfield at MGM Grand : 7:30 and 10 pm shows ; $69 plus fees
- Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers at Riverside Resort in Laughlin : 10 pm ; $45 plus fees ; You'll have to drive to Laughlin to see this group but for fans it'll be worth it. They'll perform through 1/02/2010.
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