From my "The Strip Sense" column in this week's Las Vegas Weekly:
Big, bad and ugly: The four worst ideas in Vegas
By STEVE FRIESS
Most of the time, the brains behind the Strip and Las Vegas get it right, at least when it comes to investing private money. The really great, viable big ideas get built in record time—hello, CityCenter and Palazzo—and the dumb ones—Las Ramblas and Ivana’s Tower spring instantly to mind—fade away before anyone is seriously hurt. And then there are the decisions and actions that baffle. Lately, there have been quite a few. Let’s take them out to the woodshed, shall we?
Read the rest HERE
7 comments:
these are really great points, especially the thing about Mamma Mia. I hope Mandalay Bay has the good sense to keep it a while longer because i won't be to vegas until late next year and i still want to see it.
Good article. A few more of these and you'll become known as the Herb Caen of Las Vegas.
Whah? I... But. OK. Please forgive me. I was 9 years old when ABBA hit, and I have a rather jaundiced view of all things disco. So... is Mamma Mia really worth seeing? Why or why not? I can't find any review that isn't just blatantly pandering to the production company, which is why I've never even entertained the idea of seeing the show.
But darn, Steve, if you love it, then maybe I should run out to see it before it closes! Besides, I like the name of that resort. "Mandalay BAY." They have great taste in names. :D
Just posted this on Hunter's blog but it probably should have gone here-
Steve was dead on with the article.
Especially the comments about overpriced burgers and cold fires along with most buildings being draped wirth advertisements.
A quick question-
If you are placed in a room that has one of those banners draped over it, is your view completely blocked or are there tiny holes in the ad that you can see through up close?
On the stretched thin brand, I suspect he avoided talking about the other glaring one "Planet Hollywood" because it might seem like he was piling on. From what I have seen it looks like they have done a nice job with the place but I think they missed an opportunity to make the place really cool by leaving out the kitchy movie memorabilia and just kept simple understated lines throughout the place and modern like Red Rock or THEHotel. Focusing on New Hollywood glamour rather than old movies like King Kong and Shawshank Redemption. From what I understand the rooms are really nice but then you might enter the bathroom and hanging on the wall there can be a big picture of Morgan Freeman or King Kong. Wierd and unnecessary IMO
Joey: We've discussed the wrap-over-the-window question before on the show and I don't know that we've come to a conclusive answer. I have the sense that in some cases there is obstruction, in most cases it's more of a darker view. But I'm just not sure and welcome anyone's insight.
This piece was actually written a few weeks ago, so I didn't avoid P-Ho on account of the Earl flap. The fact is, the P-Ho may have that Hard-Rockian theme in general, but it's much, much more than just a memorabilia shill. It's hotel, a place to eat and shop and see shows and all that. And it's got a killer location. So I can't imagine it failing in any important way. And, actually, the use of memorabilia to brand each room for a different movie is a genuinely new concept for which they deserve props, not arrows.
The effect from behind Toni Braxton is about twice as restrictive as plain old screen doors. I can see everything, but I had difficulty focusing on items on the strip. I mean, getting my eyes to focus. I always felt like I had just awakened from a nap. Just another way to feel like Harrah's is reducing the quality of my Las Vegas experience to squeeze out 0.584% more quarterly net profit.
I'll repeat my view that I like what they did with the hotel overall. I just could do without the strange movie posters in the rooms. I'd personally prefer the sleek neo designs of Red Rock, Wynn, and THEHotel.
Hey if you dig the posters, cool. Everyone's entitled to their opinions.
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