Pondering What's Happening in Vegas...

What’s happening in OUR Vegas? TC ponders the enhancements and events that are a blessing and a curse. Enjoy! – the editor

The amount of enhancements that have been coming to Las Vegas are starting to come to fruition. For us locals, it has been a blessing and a curse. For example, the days of staycations on The Strip, a side effect of the pandemic, are long gone. Between new parking fees and increasing resort fees, it is not cost-effective to visit The Strip. In fact, currently Tropicana and Treasure Island are the only properties that have free parking (if you do not include the Fashion Show Mall). So, in the words of Marvin Gaye…

What’s Going On?

There seems to be too many events between Halloween and Super Bowl to have any lull on The Strip. Some thoughts (observations):

When they turned on the exterior of the Las Vegas Sphere on July 4th, we knew it was a game changer. Imagine a big eyeball or emoji head looking at you from your hotel suite, the golf course, let alone driving in your rental car or Uber. The inside does not disappoint either, the visual spectacle alone literally made the band U2 look like ants in the theater.
F1 is a few weeks away and most of the infrastructure is complete. A Grand Prix race on The Strip is impressive on paper, unless you are required to go to work on The Strip. See for yourself.
The old stand-by, Nation Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December turns our town into “Cowtown” for 10 days.
New Year’s Eve? Always a big deal around here.
CES in January still packs town and attendees will have the opportunity to check out (er, check-in) the new Fontainebleau Casino Hotel. Scheduled to officially open just before Christmas, it was a project 23 years in the making.

Even BravoCon made the move to Vegas. Andy Cohen and the “Bravolebs” hit The Strip in properties that can handle the crowds.
Then there’s the “big pigskin elephant” in the room: THE BIG GAME (AKA Super Bowl) will be at our Allegiant Stadium mid-February. Yes, a mere 4-miles from my house (!?!). It will be the closest I will ever be to the Big Game. That is until the next Big Game (LOL).

Playing the Cards We’re Dealt…

I got tired just writing the above and I’m certain you got eye fatigue reading. Well, let me switch gears. Please play along…

My ex-roommate and I had a joke. A former drag queen, every week he would shout out to me: “I don’t know what number to perform.”
My standard answer: “Do the Main Event!”
(from the Barbra Streisand film of the 70’s).

Then I’d continue my counsel: “Make sure it’s the long version (A disco version, 12-minutes long. The rage in the disco 70’s) and lock the doors.”

You see, for us locals we cannot escape the onslaught of events.

There. Is. No. Escape.

Post-COVID, there’s always something going on. And compared to those desolate lock-down months during the pandemic, we should actually celebrate the bounce back and what it is doing for the local economy.

That’s a Wrap!

So here’s MY message to my town:

Allow me to reiterate:

Please do like I counseled my ex-roommate and lock the doors, start the big number, and be prepared for that long production. Most of all, enjoy the ride!

Thanks for reading! (and pondering with me)! -TC

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