The Vegas Thread!

[Jew]

While I get ready to leave for the Cosmopolitan opening, here's a story that is straight out of a movie:

 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hTkGqAG7C7u4r09JoflKqG8CSkfg?docId=75dbaa513bc84ee4b774c90c2f216090

 

 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — An armed bandit escaped Tuesday on a motorcycle after stealing at least $1.5 million in casino chips from the posh Bellagio resort and may have pulled a similar caper across town less than a week ago, police said.

 

The thief took Bellagio chips ranging in value from $100 to $25,000, and authorities plan to watch for anyone trying to cash high-denomination chips at the Italian-themed casino with a wall of famous fountains along the Las Vegas Strip.

 

The robbery had the makings of a scene straight out of a Hollywood caper. Police say a man wearing a jumpsuit and a motorcycle helmet with white stripes walked into the casino with a gun, robbed a craps table then sped away on a motorcycle in the dead of night. The culprit, however, might find it hard to redeem his loot at any other casino except Bellagio. The 3:50 a.m. robbery happened "about as quick as you can do it," police Lt. Clinton Nichols told The Associated Press. Police later released an 11-second video showing a man running through a casino entry lobby with a gun in his right hand. At one point, he turned and pointed the weapon behind him. Police suspect the same man wore a helmet, flashed a gun and sped away on a black sport motorcycle after robbing the Las Vegas Suncoast Hotel & Casino poker room about on Dec. 9. That heist netted less than $20,000 from a poker room cashier, police said. Police also released several photos Tuesday of the robber at the Suncoast.

 

Estimates of the amount taken from Bellagio varied. Nichols said it could approach $2 million. In a press release, police put the amount at about $1.5 million. Gordon Absher, spokesman for Bellagio owner MGM Resorts International, declined to discuss the investigation. But he noted that casino chips aren't the same as cash. "At some point they have to be redeemed," Absher said. Chips are unique to casino properties and are generally not interchangeable, although state regulations allow casino companies to redeem chips from sister properties with some restrictions.

Absher wouldn't say if MGM Resorts properties are among Las Vegas casinos that embed radio frequency devices in chips.

But police will be keeping a close eye on cashier cages in case someone shows up with a stack of $25,000 chips.

"We have safeguards in place," police Officer Barbara Morgan said.

 

 

Unfortunately for that guy, all casinos use RFID chips in their high denomination chips. He has no chance of cashing them in, and any pour tourist suckered into buying/taking them is going to get a lot more than they bargained for...

[larrygator]

Probably can't go the way of the MIT folks in Bringing Down the House with such large denominations.

[BeemerBoy]

Pretty ballsy, but pointless nonetheless.

[Hercules]

Meh. Anybody can do it with a gun. It would have been noteworthy if he did it with a toy lightsaber, dressed like Liza Minnelli, one hand tied behind his back........ and left on a unicycle.

[ParkTrips]

since you posted & reminded me of this

 

So Steve Wynn is now vegan, and he is advocating that all of his restaurants at the Wynn and Encore have a vegan menu. Pretty sweet. The one 3 course menu is $80, but I'll be sure to try it out. I'm really excited to head back to Vegas in March just because of this!

I noticed that the buffet has all sorts of vegan options too, and of course it is a good bit cheaper

 

I think trying to knock off a Vegas casino is ballsy either way - even if you don't get anything out of it, I imagine that some criminals would just love the thrill of pulling it off

[Twister II]

This robbery really got me thinking.

 

I highly, highly bet those chips had RFID in them. Especially the higher denominational chips. So the chips would be worthless. The guy has to know that. So Im thinking the guy did it, just to say he pulled it off.

 

Another thing is he went in through north valet at Bellagio. There is no parking in north valet and there isn't a table next to the door. Wouldn't there be a red flag when the guy didn't take off his helmet and had a gun in a holster? Bellagio security is reputably known for an extremely fast response time, seems like this just slipped through.

[Saldek]

This robbery really got me thinking.

 

I highly, highly bet those chips had RFID in them. Especially the higher denominational chips. So the chips would be worthless. The guy has to know that. So Im thinking the guy did it, just to say he pulled it off.

 

Another thing is he went in through north valet at Bellagio. There is no parking in north valet and there isn't a table next to the door. Wouldn't there be a red flag when the guy didn't take off his helmet and had a gun in a holster? Bellagio security is reputably known for an extremely fast response time, seems like this just slipped through.

 

^I'm surprised security didn't catch him at the north entrance since that door is right next to the "Via Bellagio" with some high end stores like Chanel, YSl and Fred Leighton. That area of the hotel usually has mad security.

[SharkTums]

Some of the other articles I read say they basically let him get away as he had a gun and they didn't want to go chasing him and have him shoot back and catch anyone in crossfire.

 

Like others have said, what he stole isn't really going to hurt the casino. Had they chased him and he shot ONE tourist they would have been MUCH more hurt financially!

[chadster]

when I saw this, I thought, what an idiot. There are some casinos that take RFID to an extreme and put it in all of their chips. Why you ask? Well, coupled with a proper wireless network (one where multiple AP's are used, meshed together, and provide for a strong signal throughout the area) the chips can be inventoried at anytime and location always known. The casino uses this information to know when a chip has left the property and when it re-enters the property. Many businesses use this technique as well to track inventory of items, very popular in hospitals where maintenance on equipment is a must. The maintenance date comes due, a report is ran and shows exactly where it is on site. Pretty cool actually.

 

Being this guy seems to be quite the idiot. I have a casino story I can share. The company I worked for had been trying hard to update their software and equipment. I had been involved with QA testing and whatnot with the bill acceptors. One neat function that was being introduced at the time was the ability to detect counterfeit bills. When the counterfeit bill was detected, the machine locked up and displayed a message on the screen indicating a suspect bill. The casino would remove the cash box and examine the bill. The system was hit and miss (meaning some false positives due to older or badly worn bills) but mostly hit. This particular property had a person with a fifty dollar bill that registered as fake. The patron stuck around complaining that the machine was malfunctioning, his money was good, and drawing attention to himself, I assume, thinking the casino would refund his money. He proceeded to argue and plead with floor personnel and security. I was phoned for clarification of the system by the gaming control board. Upon clarification, they examined the bill on the floor with the marshal service and sure enough it was fake. He went to jail, turned out, his wallet was full of them.

 

Bottom line, casino's have to protect themselves, internal and external, and using technology is just one of many methods used. You'd think some of these idiots would wake up and realize this

[Jew]

So far I have to say that cosmo is my new favorite casino. It's what aria should have been

[chadster]

^ Aria reminds me of an upscale Indian Casino, so I'm not too surprised Cosmo is way better. It's probably a good thing Echelon is still standing still, this way, should they ever restart that project, they will learn from others mistakes.

[BeemerBoy]

Some of the other articles I read say they basically let him get away as he had a gun and they didn't want to go chasing him and have him shoot back and catch anyone in crossfire.

 

Like others have said, what he stole isn't really going to hurt the casino. Had they chased him and he shot ONE tourist they would have been MUCH more hurt financially!

This sounds like the most logical, and intelligent explanation. Unless he's grabbing bricks of cash from the high rollers in Bobby's Room, he's really not accomplishing anything. It's like stealing the Mona Lisa. What the hell are you gonna do with it? Whether you keep it or sell it, neither party will ever be able to brag about it......which is truly the whole point of pulling off the heist in the first place.

 

 

EDIT: Case in point.

[Twister II]

Here is a minor review of The Cosmopolitan.

 

We finally got into the parking lot at about 7:55, parked right at 8:00 for the opening. The underground garage was fairly easy to navigate. HUGE signs were available displaying how many spots were open on each level (including handicapped). Along with that, each parking spot had a green led above it when there wasn't a car, then it turned red when a car parked. This way was very nice to find an open spot from far away. The spray paintings in the garage were a really nice addition and way to remember where you parked.

 

As a quick review, the hotel was put together very well. It was very very very crowded it which made it hard to navigate. There are 4 levels open to the public:

 

Level 1 - Casino

The casino had some awesome artwork and creativity spread out along the floor. The video pillars lead up to a ceiling of mirrors. This really opened up the space and was really cool to people watch. Like I said, there were so many people it was very hard to move and didn't explore the casino floor entirely.

 

Level 1.5 - Chandelier Bar

The Chandelier Bar was a bar...in a chandelier. Very interesting concept. It was placed in the middle of a very busy area so people on the 2nd level could view down into the bar. Didn't order any drinks, but Im sure it wasn't cheap.

 

Level 2 - Meeting Rooms and Retail

The second level is where the museum feel started coming out. There are so many interesting pieces of artwork here you can spend over an hour exploring into different areas with different art. The buffet is here as well - but wasn't sure if it were open... ALL of the retail shops were open. This was awesome. That is how a hotel should open, with all of their shops open! (READ THIS MGM!!!)

 

Level 3 - Meeting Rooms and Restaurants

Lots of lounges on this level towards the meeting rooms. Im pretty sure all the restaurants were open here too (READ THIS MGM!!!) and seating people. A smaller level, but a pool table was open for the public to use. This is a really cool fun addition for a hotel to add. Get off the escalator and play some pool. A FexEx/Kinkos business center was available for guests too. TONS of artwork here too!

 

Level 4 - Meeting Rooms and The Boulevard Pool

The Boulevard Pool was closed because of the Brandon Flowers concert - didn't get to see anything. Still, artwork everywhere with seating available everywhere. This level was even smaller.

 

Overall - The Cosmopolitan I think is a great addition to the strip. After talking to a marketing exec, their audience is the curious, wealthy traveler who is ready for something new every trip. The Cosmo seems like more of a museum in a way of a hotel. Anyone can spend hours in the small plot of land looking at artwork, enjoying some high end food, and supporting Nevada's economy.

 

Also - the elevators went to the 14th level (which I guess weren't open to the public...but the elevators took us there!) to where the Bamboo pool and Sahara spa was. Both looked AWESOME! We were asked to not take pictures, but I can say the pool parties next summer are gona be awesome. Keep watch for more!

[LoopLover]

Aria is very nice! I went for brunch in the cafe and loved it!

 

To me the interior is very nice for Vegas. It's very shiny and is one of the only hotels I visited with automatic doors!

[chadster]

Well this is disappointing news. Dancer from the "Fantasy" show at the Luxor is missing. I've seen the show with her performing and can say I hope she shows up not only just because, but also as she helped "make" the show a show.

 

Fox

 

Police are searching for a popular Las Vegas dancer who was last seen leaving her home a week ago.

 

Debora "Debbie" Flores Narvaez, 31, a cast member of Luxor's "Fantasy" show, disappeared after leaving her Las Vegas home at approximately 7 p.m. on Dec. 12.

 

Investigators reportedly found the woman's car -- a maroon 1997 four-door Chevrolet Prism -- parked in the city's northeast section on Thursday. Family members told FoxNews.com that the car's Maryland license plates had been removed.

 

Flores Narvaez, who was born in Puerto Rico and lived with her family in Baltimore, Md., relocated to Las Vegas two years ago to pursue a dancing career. An accomplished performer, Flores Narvaez worked as an "ambassador" for the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders in 2007 and 2008, according to her MySpace page, and auditioned for the hit series, "So You Think You Can Dance." Her profile also says that she holds advanced degrees in law and business.

 

"She is so kindhearted," Asia Bosley, a family friend, said in an interview Sunday. "She would give the shirt off her back for anybody."

 

"She was dedicated to dancing," added friend Leo Castro. "If she's a friend to you, she'll be a friend forever."

 

Flores Narvaez was last seen Dec. 12 leaving her home to visit her ex-boyfriend, identified by family members as Jason "Blu" Griffith. The woman was reported missing two days later by one of her roommates after she failed to show up for rehearsal.

 

Celeste Flores, the woman's sister, told FoxNews.com that Griffith, a Las Vegas dancer, has been uncooperative in providing the family with detailed information.

 

"I am the only one out here on behalf of my family and he doesn't want to sit down and talk to me," Flores said, "There are many inconsistencies."

 

Flores said Griffith told her in a phone conversation last week that the young woman visited his home around 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 12, and that the two spoke briefly at his front door.

 

"He told me that she said she’s been depressed for the past couple of days because it was the holidays and she wasn’t around her family," Flores said.

 

"He also said she was sleeping in her car the past couple of nights," which Flores said was "unlike" her sister.

 

"Debbie was kind of private when it came to her personal life," Flores added, "but I understand from almost all of her friends that her relationship with Blu made her upset a lot."

 

Griffith could not be reached for comment when contacted Sunday by FoxNews.com.

 

Flores Narvaez is described as Hispanic, 5-foot-5 and weighing 120 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

 

Investigators are urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact the Las Vegas Police Department at 702-828-2907.

 

[chadster]

The Bellagio dumps the 25k chips. If you have one, let me know, I'll cash it in for you

 

News Story

 

LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas casino bosses are serving notice to the bandit who made off with $1.5 million in chips from the Bellagio: Try to redeem those worth $25,000 soon or they'll become worthless.

 

Bellagio owner MGM Resorts International is giving public notice that it's discontinuing its standard chip valued at $25,000 and calling for all gamblers holding the chips to redeem them by April 22.

 

After that, gambling regulators say each red chip with a gray inlay won't be worth more than the plastic it's cast from.

 

MGM Resorts posted notice of the redemption last week in the classifieds of the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper. That's one week after a robber wearing a motorcycle helmet held up a craps table at gunpoint and made off with a bag of chips of varying denominations.

 

[BelizeIt]

I hoped Joey would post a photo trip report from his recent trip to Vegas! (For the Cosmo opening)

 

When I visited Vegas on Halloween (A wonderfully amazing FREAK Show) I visited the City Center, and I liked what was about to open. (Cosmo looked amazing)

 

Vegas always entertains, I can't wait to see what comes next!

Edited January 1, 2011 by BelizeIt

[Jew]

Don't worry, it is still forthcoming. I've been working so much that it keeps getting neglected.

[Twister II]

I did the sky jump off of Stratosphere last week. Only 3 words...

 

SAVE. YOUR. MONEY.

 

It takes 12 seconds to fall...a true free-fall would be 9 seconds. So you're basically going a few mph faster than the elevator. For guys, it really hurts your man bits with the harness!

 

Im just glad I got the locals discount of 2 jumpers for $50!

[Saldek]

Well this is disappointing news. Dancer from the "Fantasy" show at the Luxor is missing. I've seen the show with her performing and can say I hope she shows up not only just because, but also as she helped "make" the show a show.

 

Fox

 

Such a sad and horrific ending to this story!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_dancer_slaying

 

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – A Cirque du Soleil performer charged with murdering and dismembering a Las Vegas burlesque dancer was arraigned in court on Wednesday in a brief but emotional proceeding that ended with the dancer's sister's screams.

 

Jason Omar Griffith, 32, is accused of strangling his former girlfriend, Debora Flores Narvaez, 31, then cutting her body into pieces and encasing her remains in cement after the two argued last month.

 

Judge Chris Lee of North Las Vegas Justice Court recited to Griffith the charges of murder, battery and destroying evidence on Wednesday morning. Griffith, who is being held without bail, offered no plea. The judge set a preliminary hearing date of February 15.

 

Flores Narvaez, a performer in the burlesque show "Fantasy" at the Luxor Hotel and Casino, had been missing for several weeks when authorities found two tubs containing her remains on Saturday behind a sealed closet door inside a Las Vegas house.

 

Police, acting on tips from acquaintances of Griffith, one of whom admitted to helping him dispose of the body, took the suspect into custody at his place of work on Saturday night, according to the arrest report.

 

Griffith had been a performer in the Beatles-based Cirque du Soleil show "Love" at the Mirage Hotel and Casino.

 

Celeste Flores Narvaez, Debora's older sister, could not contain her emotions when the accused killer entered the courtroom Wednesday morning.

 

"Is that him?" she asked, almost breathless, as bailiffs led the suspect in. Griffith, dressed in a black prison jumpsuit, stood to one side of the room.

 

The victim's sister then rose and quickly crossed the hushed courtroom to get a closer look.

 

She visibly tried to steel herself as Judge Lee asked Griffith if he understood the charges against him, to which he replied, "yes." The judge spoke briefly with two public defenders about filling out a form to determine if the defendant was eligible for their services.

 

Flores Narvaez began to cry. Cameras shuttered. Then, almost as quickly as he had entered the courtroom, Griffith turned to leave.

 

Flores Narvaez shouted after him, "For what you did to her ... I hope you rot in hell!" Griffith did not respond. She then ran from the courtroom.

 

Seated in front her during the hearing was an acquaintance of Griffith's, Eduardo Mata, 36, who recalled studying dance with the defendant more than a decade ago in New York and said he found it "shocking" to see him now as a murder suspect.

[chadster]

What a loser. Very sad indeed.

[Jew]

Well, my pictures really sucked...so no Cosmo update at the moment. The solution: go back to Vegas this month for a proper update with some of my tax return money.

 

But anyways...

 

Another Vegas casino is about to bite the dust:

 

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/feb/01/lenders-file-foreclosure-notice-against-hard-rock-/

 

A group of lenders has filed a notice of foreclosure against the financially struggling Hard Rock Hotel, which would give the lenders the right to take control of the hotel-casino in a public auction scheduled for Feb. 7.

 

The lending group, NRFC HRH Holdings LLC, controls a piece of the $1.36 billion loan used to acquire, renovate and expand the Hard Rock. A joint venture including Morgans Hotel Group and investment banking firm DLJ Merchant Banking Partners bought the Hard Rock in 2007 with the goal of revamping the property and boosting profit by catering to well-heeled guests.

 

The Hard Rock completed its $750 million renovation and hotel expansion last year.

 

Hard Rock Café developer Peter Morton opened the Hard Rock in 1995 and developed a new tourism niche in Las Vegas by catering to younger visitors interested in partying and nightlife. Casinos across Las Vegas have since developed elaborate nightlife venues in direct competition with the Hard Rock, which has fallen on hard times in the downturn.

 

The notice said prospective buyers have the opportunity to bid at a public auction for the lenders' interest in the property. The auction is scheduled for 1 p.m. Las Vegas time Monday in front of the Supreme Court of the State of New York at 60 Centre Street in Manhattan.

 

Global Gaming & Hospitality LLC, with offices in Las Vegas and New York, is assisting lenders in the foreclosure proceedings. The company declined to comment on the sale.

 

It's unclear from the disclosure whether the lender intends to acquire the property and take over management of the Hard Rock or intends to sell its interest to the highest bidder.

 

A Hard Rock spokeswoman could not be reached for comment.

 

[Meteornotes]

Boo! That's where Nobu is. That place needs to stay open!

 

dt

[larrygator]

God help me. I just found out my softball tournament is in Vegas this year. Not good for me.

[SharkTums]

^LOL! Send all your trip money to me now to keep it safe!