tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841356013250880291.post9022209341820247551..comments2024-03-15T17:03:45.018-07:00Comments on Las Vegas Blog: Steve Friess' VEGAS HAPPENS HERE: Pictorial: Taxi Tunnels!THE STRIP PODCASThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03593322167326380577noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841356013250880291.post-48077606734834504642010-04-27T07:57:32.331-07:002010-04-27T07:57:32.331-07:00Mr. Funk - Thanks for the insight. Hopefully they...Mr. Funk - Thanks for the insight. Hopefully they will put some coating on the concrete to make it easier in the rain.<br /><br />SGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841356013250880291.post-73657450061301726422010-04-27T05:05:31.783-07:002010-04-27T05:05:31.783-07:00If you'd like Steve I can address SG' ques...If you'd like Steve I can address SG' question.<br /><br />The tunnel at Aria has two bathrooms and a couple of vending machines. Outside of that-problems abound. <br /><br />Prior to Aria opening we were told by mgmt, via a fax from Aria, that there was indeed going to be a tunnel there but not to worry, as there was to be an "out". Some way to avoid the problems that myself, and all other drivers have described. <br /><br />This of course, is not the case and once you commit to that tunnel you are not getting out until you load. Furthermore the stand has many sharp turns, dips, downgrades and worst of all a lot of pillars that you have to slalom. Again, a very poor design. Ad to that, all of the ramps leading out of these dungeons to the loading zones are steep and this is the reason company's forbid drivers from going in there when it rains. ...and the ramp at the Aria is by far the steepest and the longest. I had twitted before that you're going to need chains to get out of there if it rains. <br /><br />...All the drivers behind you have to stay way back. You put it in 1st and hug either wall on your way up. And keep it reaaaaal slow. This is a must. This is your only shot at making it. If you spin those tires in the oil you're screwed. You're going to end up in the fence or even worse, sliding back down.<br /><br />What's shocking, is that this nonsense pales to the fact that you cannot get to Aria from Frank Sinatra Dr. We're spending 9 billion and I can't get to it from the road that boarders it? That was one thing they borrowed from the Bellagio, and the both of them are the only properties on the west side of the strip that you CANNOT ACCESS from Frank Sinatra Dr. or Industrial Rd.. Absolutely moronic if you ask me.MrFunkMDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18037881254826751745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841356013250880291.post-38994592717353885322010-04-26T13:42:04.195-07:002010-04-26T13:42:04.195-07:00So what did Aria do for the cabbies? Any food and...So what did Aria do for the cabbies? Any food and restroom facilities? Just curious if they took the idea from the Bellagio and applied it.<br /><br />SGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841356013250880291.post-41813823375506227192010-04-26T06:44:05.429-07:002010-04-26T06:44:05.429-07:00Great story and photos!Great story and photos!Hikernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841356013250880291.post-36502806456688696272010-04-26T04:49:06.123-07:002010-04-26T04:49:06.123-07:00On an unrelated note, I really did dig your Gossin...On an unrelated note, I really did dig your Gossiness piece. I remember thinking that when I first read about them penning that deal at the Palms, (probably in the Weekly) I had the distinct feeling that it wasn't going to last. And to your point, I think anybody, particularly those in the public eye, that tries to gloss themselves is asking for it. <br /><br />I hope and believe that any true artist would focus on just that, and let the accolades take care of themselves.<br /><br /><br />Interestingly, I know that the Human Nature production has offered two comp tickets for all cabbie/limo drivers on at least one occasion, but I believe it was a few times actually. Goss on the other hand, is one of the very few vegas productions that has done no such thing. Come to think of it, the list of shows in vegas to never have offered comps for drivers is very elite. Celine never did, but she didn't need our help did she? Garth won't, but he doesn't need God's help. In my six years I don't recall ever getting O tickets although it's possible they did prior to my driving. And hey guess what, they probably don't need our help either. Literally every other show in town at some point offers tickets to drivers. (We're sorry Criss Angel, but we can only do so much ya know?) <br /> <br /><br />That said we'd be wrong to assume that this is strictly Goss. Undoubtedly these are precisely the types of things that promoters, agents and managers conjure. To throw it all onto his ego is probably not fair. Hard to say without knowin the guy. <br /><br /><br />It was only a few months after Danny Gans' passing when I seen an ad on the back of a cab for Perry Danos. It said, "The new voice of Vegas." And it had a picture of the guy. It didn't even have any casino ties or show dates or times anything. Just an ad for the guy. I thought it was bizarre. So much so, and I guess I think like you, I tweeted something to that effect. I didn't know his page or whatever so I just typed his name in and that I thought it was strange to call himself that when he's never even played here. <br /><br />A day later I got a response from what I believed was his label and they told me how great Perry is and offered some links so I could download some tracks. (This is all in the Twitter record if it goes back that far.) I was thinking, shouldn't they be offering me tickets? Oh wait, he doesn't have a show here. <br /><br />Some time later I seen that he did a weekend of shows, literally 3 nights at The Orleans. And I seen again, just this past weekend, he did another weekend stint there. So to my knowledge the guy has done 6 nights here in a year but he's "the new voice of Vegas". If you say so I guess. <br /><br />There's a billboard up right now on WB 215 circa LV BLVD that advertised this weekend. <br /><br />You asked if it was bad that you didn't know who that was... What was the name of your Weekly column again? Yeah, I'd say it's pretty bad haha.<br /><br />That's probably way too long of a comment but I appreciate your work good Sir. As a student of the craft, I enjoy your renderings tremendously. <br /><br />MrFunkMrFunkMDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18037881254826751745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8841356013250880291.post-35047740009304135552010-04-26T04:49:06.124-07:002010-04-26T04:49:06.124-07:00Bravo. I knew you we working on something. ;) Beli...Bravo. I knew you we working on something. ;) Believe me I'm sure people are excited to hear about something they would normally never get too. My entire blog is based on this idea really. (thanks for the plug btw)<br /><br />Your ending was perfect as I was thinking later that I had forgotten to mention that tunnel and what will, in fact, come of it? Which brings me to the Paris one. You left out a crucial bullet which was that it also is no longer used. <br /><br />Speaking of the Mirage, you are in a position to confirm or deny a rumor I've heard many times- Is it true that the reason the cab stand at Mirage is so jacked up, is that the property was initially conceived and developed without one? The supposed reason for this is that Mr. Wynn envisioned all of his guests, as he was trying to raise the bar in Las Vegas, arriving and departing in limousines? The rumor goes that they were not open for long before realizing that that wasn't going to work. ...It seems far fetched to me, but considering how obtuse that stand is, the only plausible conclusion is that there was nothing in the original design to account for one.MrFunkMDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18037881254826751745noreply@blogger.com