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    (2/2/12) The local news reports that the plans to open Splash Canyon in 2012 have hit a little snag. Red Tape caused the project’s start date to get delayed to the point (MORE...)
    (1/31/12) VegasInc reports that construction on Project Linq has started. According to the report Linq is expected to be open by late 2013.
    (1/24/12) Heads up for anyone going to Vegas… not that this may be a huge disappointment, but the Manhattan Express at New York, New York (aka: Roller Coaster) is now closed through to Jan. 30th for annual maintenance.
    (1/18/12) The Chuck Jones Experience will open at Circus Circus on January 19th at 11am. You can see a video preview of the attraction embedded below. (MORE...)

Las Vegas News - (1/24/12) Heads up for anyone going to Vegas… not that this may be a huge disappointment, but the Manhattan Express at New York, New York (aka: Roller Coaster) is now closed through to Jan. 30th for annual maintenance.
    (1/18/12) The Chuck Jones Experience will open at Circus Circus on January 19th at 11am. You can see a video preview of the attraction embedded below.

    (1/11/12) A plan for JVLV Holdings to purchase the Mob Experience attraction at the Tropicanna has been given initial court approval. Click here to read more.
    (1/9/12) Not to be confused with the Mob Experience at the Tropicana, the all new The Mob Museum will open in Downtown Las Vegas on February 14, 2012. True stories and tales of the Mob, told from both sides of the line, will come to life for the guests through high-tech theater presentations, real artifacts and interactive themed environments. You can visit the official website here.

    (12/22/11) Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas is slated to undergo a two-phase makeover, updating the attraction to the current brand standards, as well as adding some new attractions and rooms. These updates are a way to stay competitive with other attractions and hotel rooms in Vegas.
    The remodel will take two years to complete, with the first phase focusing on the front entrance area, a re-theme of the Speed room and expansion of the Sports room. Phase 2 will update the Music room, add a Historical figure room and a Behinds the Scenes area to show off how the figures are made. The entire project will be accomplished without closing the attraction to guests.
    (12/15/11) The MGM Grand Adventures theme park may not have been the biggest or the best theme park, but it was certainly a unique park for the time, built into the backyard of the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas. The park had some really great themed rides for it’s time… and some very questionable ones as well.
    Want to learn a bit more about this major theme park that died really before it had a true chance to find its stride and grow?  News Plus Notes has posted an interview with one of the major creative forces behind the park, Rick Bastrup of R&R Creative. They take a close look at one of the park’s most unique attractions, one that was really somewhat ahead of it’s time… Deep Earth Exploration, which was a blend of a simulator ride and a dark ride… a trend that is all the rage now with rides like Spiderman, Transformers and Harry Potter. Then take a look behind the creation of the highly themed Grand Canyon Rapids and the Backlot River Tour. Also learn about an interesting tie between the famous Jaws attraction at Universal Orlando and this MGM Grand attraction.
    (12/13/11) Yet another move in a long series of transformations in Las Vegas will see another unique and free attraction removed from Sin City. According to Screamscape sources the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand will close forever after December 31st. According to our source, MGM has decided that the space the Lions take up is too valuable to them and wants to replace it with a new restaurant and bar. The owner of the Lions was apparently given an option to start paying a new premium rent price to stay in the casino, but it was simply financially unfeasible, so they will retire their business and take their lions back home with them, once and for all.
    It’s really kind of sad that yet another great unique attraction in Vegas (especially a free one) is coming to an end, but it’s just another victim in a very long line of attractions that have been pushed aside as each casino becomes a generic copy of the one next to it.
    (12/1/11) According to VegasInc, the Hooters Casino will be sold at a bankruptcy auction by February 17th.
    (11/29/11) According to this news report the Las Vegas Hilton is ready to drop its Hilton branding. The owners have already filed some trademark paperwork for what may likely be a new temporary name, LVH: Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.  This goes back to a report last June claiming that the Hilton hotel chain notified the property that their long standing license to use the Hilton branding would come to an end on January 1st. The troubled property is also having money problems as they fight off foreclosure.
    Call me jaded, but I think everything really started to go downhill quickly for the LV Hilton once Star Trek: The Experience closed down, turning the site back into just another generic hotel / casino in Vegas.
    (11/28/11) The big news from Vegas over the past few days has been a confirmation that MGM Resorts has asked Cirque du Soleil to shut down the Viva Elvis show at Aria (in CityCenter) and replace it with something new by the end of 2012. This event marks the first time that Cirque has ever been asked to shut down any of their resident shows in Las Vegas, which have been growing in number since Mystere (their first in Vegas) opened at Treasure Island back in 1993.
    While many may have expected to see the Criss Angle show close first, according to the report, attendance levels for Viva Elvis just have not met expectations apparently. I don’t know if it’s the show, or as some people expect, perhaps people simply do not like Aria and the troubled CityCenter in general compared to the other resorts. Viva Elvis was already slated to go dark for a rehab and retooling in January for several weeks, but now it will simply go dark from Feb. 4-11, and will add the “Banquine” act from the Zed show shutting down at the Tokyo Disney Resort when it reopens.  What exactly may replace Viva Elvis is not known yet, though the new Michael Jackson themed show will open at Mandalay Bay in 2013.
    (11/22/11) Details about a second waterpark (22 acres) planned for the greater Las Vegas area, this one in Henderson, have been posted to the Las Vegas Sun.
    (11/7/11) It’s been a few years since I’ve updated the Top 10 Best Buffet list in Las Vegas, and a lot has changed since then.  Our new list comes in based on the reviews over at Urbanspoon, where you can find more detailed information on each site.
    Of the over 30 different buffets listed, their Top 10 list includes:
1) Bellagio
2) Wynn
3) Rio’s Carnival World
4) M Resort’s Studio B
5) Mirage’s Cravings
6) Paris’ Le Village
7) Planet Hollywood’s Spice Market
8) Mandalay’s BaySide
9) Sura BBQ Buffet
10) Rio’s Village Seafood
    (11/3/11) The Las Vegas Sun reports that the owners of the Sahara have filed permits to completely renovate the casino and reopen it, rather than implode it and start from scratch. One catch however… the plans confirm that the coaster, Speed: The Ride, will not be part of the new casino when it reopens. So now we get to wait and see if they take it apart carefully to sell it or if they demolish it for scrap metal.
    (11/2/11) Many Las Vegas fans are also fond of hitting up some of Sin City’s more unique restaurants and a new one with quite a reputation has joined the ranks this month. With locations previously seen in Arizona and Texas, Vegas is now home to the Heart Attack Grill, complete with waitresses dressed as naughty nurses and a menu so unhealthy sounding, it would make just about anyone think twice about eating there.
    They brag about their fries cooked in pure lard, butterfat shakes, pure-sugar Cokes and burgers served on ‘lard-buttered buns’, including their famous Quadruple Bypass burger which features four half-pound patties, eight slices of cheese and much more. After you consume the 8000 calorie monstrosity you’re given a free wheelchair ride out to your car. You’ll find the new home of the Heart Attack Grill on Freemont St. Visit the official website for details.
    (10/27/11) Sam’s Town casino has launched a brand new laser, light and special effects show inside the casino replacing the casino’s older 1994 show. The free show is performed three nights a night in the indoor atrium. According to the Las Vegas Sun, a special winter holiday version of the show will be added in November as well, featuring Christmas lights, holiday music and falling snow.
    (10/3/11) The Las Vegas Sun reports that the Freemont Street ZipLine has been so popular, that they are now looking into options to make it both a permanent attraction, as well as expand it. In other Vegas news, the Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Trop may be experiencing some financial issues as they are now facing a lawsuit for unpaid advertising bills. The attraction has been also experiencing some other more complicated issues dealing with ownership and management issues as well. Click here to read the whole twisted plot.
    (9/20/11) According to the local news, a KISS themed Monster Mini Golf site is now planned for the Las Vegas area. The themed mini golf course will feature music, special effects, and more.  The official website says that the indoor attraction is already under construction across from the Hard Rock Hotel at the Shoppes at Harmon Square and that they hope to open sometime in November or December 2011.
    (9/19/11) Circus Circus in Las Vegas will soon open a new attraction… The Chuck Jones Experience. Yes, a new interactive exhibit themed after the infamous animator who created the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Pepe Le Pew and many more will be opening this October. Click here to read up on all the details.
    (9/8/11) In a scary bit of news, investigators were brought in to look over cracks and possible structural problems discovered at the Luxor pyramid. So far there does not seem to be any dangerous situations but a long term monitoring system will be put in to keep an eye on the trouble spots to make sure they are not getting any worse.
    (8/25/11) The new Frightdome site is up already and mentions several new haunts coming this year, including two haunts themed to Michael Myers: Haddonfield Memorial Hospital and The Home of Michael Myers. Also new this year is Fright High which will join returning haunts: Chainsaw Massacre and Hillbilly Hell.
    (8/4/11) According to this website, the Monte Carlo will soon replace it’s fountain entrance area with a new two-story bar with both indoor and outdoor service areas.

2012 - Mandalay Bay - Michael Jackson Cirque de Soleil - (11/4/10) As expected, Cirque du Soleil announced Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour show this week, the show that will server as the creative starting point for the next big Las Vegas Cirque show in 2012. Click here to see the preview video.
    (10/29/10) Cirque du Soleil has released a teaser video for their big announcement on Novemeber 3rd about a new show where “The legend lives on”. While they don’t come out and say it, this is most likely for the new touring Michael Jackson themed show in 2011 that they announced back in April, which will be followed by a Vegas based version in 2012. Check out the video below.

    (5/22/10) Screamscape has been told that the new Michael Jackson themed Cirque show will actually take the place of The Lion King at Mandalay Bay which will be ending it’s run by then.
    (4/21/10) Cirque du Soleil and the estate of Michael Jackson have come to an agreement to create a new touring Cirque show based on the King of Pop’s music and dance starting in late 2011, followed by a new Las Vegas based show in 2012. According to the article the Vegas deal was signed with “MGM Mirage” though no specific hotel was mentioned. Still… I’ve got to wonder if they would be ready to retire any of their Vegas shows or if a new facility would be built at an existing property. I’ve also heard that the long running Lance Burton magic show at Monte Carlo will end it’s run in September 2010, so perhaps this may become the show’s new home. Of course the reviews of the Criss Angel show were always less than stellar as well, and Zumanity was never really a huge hit so anything can happen. Anyone know more?

2013 - Splash Canyon Waterpark - (2/2/12) The local news reports that the plans to open Splash Canyon in 2012 have hit a little snag. Red Tape caused the project’s start date to get delayed to the point where it wont be ready in time, despite the fact that the park’s preview website was already selling season passes. Look for them to try to open in 2013 if all goes well.
    (11/15/11) The new waterpark coming to the Las Vegas area next year now has a name… Splash Canyon. Right now the plan is to try and open the new waterpark on Memorial Day Weekend 2012, and is located at 7055 S. Fort Apache Road, near the Durango exit off I-215 in SouthWest Vegas. The official Splash Canyon website can be found here.
    (8/29/11) For anyone wondering, the new waterpark approved for the Las Vegas area is said to be built somewhere near the interaction of Fort Apache Rd. and Warm Springs Rd, which should place it somewhere in this area, several miles to the west of the Strip and I-15, but not far from an extra off the Las Vegas Beltway.
    (8/9/11) According to the local news, approval was given to move ahead with a new waterpark project in the Las Vegas area. They are keeping the name a secret, but according to the article the Howard Hughes Company, who is behind the small chain of Hawaiian Falls waterparks in Texas, is also behind this project. They hope to have the park ready by Memorial Day weekend 2012.

2013 - LINQ - (1/31/12) VegasInc reports that construction on Project Linq has started. According to the report Linq is expected to be open by late 2013.
    (9/12/11) Fro m what I’ve been told Caesars Entertainment’s “Linq” project across the strip from the resort is officially on the way and looking to open by 2013. The highlight of the attraction project will be the giant wheel which this article claims will be bigger than the Singapore Flyer and will take 30 minutes to make a single revolution inside one of the 40 passenger cabins. O’Sheas will be closed to make way for the Strip side entrance to Linq, which itself will be branded and linked to their existing Imperial Palace casino next door, which will also receive some needed updates. Construction will begin in 2012.
    (6/1/11) I’ve got a few more details about the proposed giant wheel from Caesars. To be clear… it’s not going into Caesars… but will actually become a little development project proposed for a site across the street between Imperial Palace and The Flamingo called Project Linq. The idea is to essentially revamp the O’Shea’s site and nearby alleyway into a new pathway full of shops, restaurants, bars and other entertainment options, with a giant wheel set into the back end (near the Monorail beam) which will act as a giant visual anchor for the project.
    (5/30/11) According to this article, Las Vegas has two potential giant wheel projects in the running…the already announced Skyvue and another one at Caesar’s Palace which is to be part of their overhaul to the old Octavius Tower project.

2013 - Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel - (5/26/11) An animated video preview of the new Skyvue Las Vegas wheel can be seen below.

    (5/24/11) The latest plans for adding a giant wheel to Las Vegas have now supersized the project. According to this article, the new name is Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel, which will stand 500 feet tall (bigger than the London Eye) and open as early as 2013 as part of a $100 million privately funded project that will also include at least one roller coaster and 200,000 sqft. of retail and entertainment space.
    Site clearing was said to have begun on Monday, which will also include the demoltion of a 1950’s era motel on the site. The wheel itself will offer 40 gondolas, each able to hold up to 25 passengers, and will be available to be reserved for private events.
    (3/4/11) Plans for that mini amusement park attraction on the south end of the Strip were approved according to this article. The developers plan to have the attraction open by 2013 if all goes well, and in addition to the 500 foot giant wheel, they are also planning “several rollercoasters”. Call me a skeptic, but somehow I’m thinking they’re looking at kiddie Dragon Wagon coaster and not a serious thrill machine, but I hope I’m wrong.
    (2/21/11) According to the local news, a new plan is being proposed to build a small amusement park with eight rides (including a very large Sky Wheel) on the south end of the strip across from Mandalay Bay. (This is said to be the site of the former Cloud 9 balloon ride) They are also planning a small convention center and a retail/restaurant site on the property as well.
    There are pros and cons to building an amusement park in Vegas and unfortunately the article is quick to point out the failure of the MGM Grand Adventures park. Of course they also fail to point out that MGM Grand Adventures failed due to poor management choices, lack of investment, and a general ineptitude of the powers that be who were in control of the property to even have a clue as what to do with the park once they had it. MGM Grand Adventures could have been a big success I think with some different people behind the wheel of the bus. Meanwhile Circus Circus has had the successful Adventuredome up and running for years.
    No real details were given about this proposed park however, and with only 8 rides, it’s hard to tell what given market they would even attempt to target. Kiddie Rides, coasters loving thrill seekers, indoor themed attractions or an outdoor carnival style atmosphere?  Some may work in Vegas… some wont. More on this as I find out.

???? - Nobu Tower @ Caesar’s Palace - (4/20/11) According to this news report, Caesar’s Palace is said to have stuck a deal with Nobu, an upscale Sushi chain, to create a Nobu Hotel inside the casino’s current Centurion Tower. The aging tower will get a massive Japanese-style makeover to create 180 rooms and 16 suites themed like a Nobu eatery.
    “The renovation will also include development of a Nobu-themed restaurant and lounge facility at the base of the hotel tower, encompassing 9,500 square feet near Caesars' Appian Way retail area. Caesars Palace will operate the hotel and employ the staff for Nobu Tower, which will include a separate check-in area and small lobby.”

???? - Circus Circus - New Coaster in Adventuredome - (7/22/11) According to this article, which claims that the Circus Circus Adventuredome is filled to the brim with attractions, the park is thinking about removing one of it’s fake mountains to make more room for new attractions in the future.
    (2/11/11) Screamscape sources tell me that discussion about adding a new spinning coaster (possibly Gerstlauer) to replace the Rim Runner flume ride inside the Adventuredome are starting up once again. I know the indoor amusement park has talked about adding a new spinning coaster here since early 2008, and even looked at an inverted coaster option as well, but things got put off for a few years. More when we find out.
    (5/11/09) The local news has posted a reports on the history of the Circus Circus Adventuredome, but at the very end it mentioned that they are looking into adding a new coaster where “the rider’s legs dangle”. Adding an inverted coaster into the dome would be very interesting… but I think we’ll have to wait until the economy improves a bit before we see this move forward.
    (3/20/09) I’ve heard from a source that the plans to install a Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster into the Circus Circus Adventuredome may have been put on hold indefinitely. Apparently the park is making plans to keep the Rim Runner for now, but as always, this is Vegas and things can change very quickly.

???? - Harmon Tower - Demolition Pending - (8/16/11) MGM has submitted their proposal to have the Harmon demolished, however the ongoing legal dispute over who is at fault for the construction flaws is likely going to make their efforts to remove this eyesore a little more difficult. Read the details here.
    (7/18/11) According to the local news, CityCenter’s developers have been given a Aug. 15th deadline to either come up with a plan to fix the Harmon tower, or a plan to demolish it. The latest reports indicate that if a strong earthquake were to take place, the tower would likely collapse.

???? - Las Vegas Monorail Airport Expansion - (6/20/11) While the Las Vegas Monorail began it’s filing for Bankruptcy over a year ago, they will return to court this week to seek permission to have it’s reorganization plan voted on by the creditors. The situation is a bit complicated of course, but the bottom line is that the Las Vegas Monorail knows that if they are ever to become financially stable they must either get the funds to expand or shut down completely within the next eight years.
    Unfortunately, the expansion they are seeking does not seem to include the one thing the line really needed to succeed, which would link the Monorail to the airport. Instead they apparently only want to be able to borrow $12 million to add two more stations along the existing line. As much as I enjoyed riding on the line when in town, the extremely high cost of that ride is what is really keeping the existing Monorail from making any money I think. As a form of mass transit, it needs to be cheaper to ride the Monorail from one end of the strip than it is to take a Taxi, and in many cases, it is not at the current prices. ($5 one-way, per riders. If you have a group, a Taxi ride is far cheaper and faster in most cases.) And if the Monorail is ever to be successful long term… linking to the airport is an absolute must… really it should have been done first before running down to the now closed Sahara, but that’s a moot point anymore.   
    (8/25/10) The Las Vegas Monorail has filed their reorganization plan as part of exiting bankruptcy, where it’s been proposed to remove $630 million debt from them, leaving the LVMonorail with just $18.5 million upon exiting. The monorail has never been able to meet the projections placed on it, and the failing economy just made a bad situation even worse. The LVMonorail does however make enough to pay for their operational costs. If the plan is not approved, the Monorail claims their only alternative would be to eventually cease operation altogether sometime between now and 2019.
    (1/15/10) It seems like only a matter of time, but the Las Vegas Monorail has officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to restructure their debt. While the monorail makes enough money to operate, it only has enough extra cash to pay off some debts, claiming that they’ve been hurt by the 30% drop in convention visitors.
    (6/25/09) Check out this interesting article about the Las Vegas Monorail, where they mention that while the system makes enough money to cover it’s operational costs, they are not making enough to pay back the large debt from the system’s creation. Could a government bailout for the Las Vegas Monorail be on the horizon?
    (11/7/08) According to a posting from over the summer at the Monorail Society, the expansion plans for the Las Vegas Monorail are being shorted by one mile and taking a much more direct route straight to the airport from the MGM Grand down Tropicana. The revised plan would also remove three of the previously proposed stations that would service the Hard Rock, UNLV and the Thomas & Mack Center, but by cutting a mile of rail from the the budget, the savings should be enormous.
    (1/5/07) Clark County has approved the first leg of the 3.5 mile extension of the Las Vegas Monorail to McCarran Airport that will be funded entirely by private investors. The new line will include stops at Terminal 1 and 3 as well as a detour over to stop at the Hard Rock and Thomas & Mack arena. Construction will begin in 2008 and completed by 2011, granting many guests to Las Vegas with a direct door to door route from the airport to their casino destination without the hassle of taxis or rental cars.
    (2/9/06) The city has now put it’s support behind a huge expansion of the Las Vegas Monorail line that will favor building the expansion to McCarran International Airport first along with a new western route around the strip that will run close to I-15 from the Excalibur / Luxor area all the way past the Fashion Show Mall and then over to link up with the existing line near the convention center. All said and done the expansion may triple the overall length of the system and cost $1.3 billion ($500 million for airport run, $800 million for the western line expansion). If everything is approved and goes well, construction could start as early as 2007 and could open by 2010, just in time to serve the new Project: City Center and Echelon Place developments. You can see what the first draft of the proposed route looks like at Vegas Today & Tomororw.