Ritz-Carlton to fold in May
The AAA Five Diamond-rated Ritz-Carlton at Lake Las Vegas will become the latest casualty of the tough times when it closes permanently May 2.
The resort, which opened in 2003, has struggled for several years, despite being one of Las Vegas' highest-end resorts and a favorite of golf and outdoors enthusiasts. In the end, it was the Ritz's way-out location — about 15 miles east of the Strip—that could not be overcome. Two hotels, Loews Lake Las Vegas and MonteLago Village Resort, continue to operate at the lake.
SUPER BOWL TAKE: Nevada's sports books booked $82.7 million in legal wagers on last weekend's Super Bowl, a modest increase of 1.5 percent over last year, but still the first up-tick in betting handle since 2004. The better news for the casinos was that the books won almost $6.9 million, a relatively strong 8.3 percent of the handle.
CELINE SOLUTION: When Bette Midler and Elton John leave, what do you do? How about bringing back an act that was bigger than both of them. That's precisely the plan at Caesars Palace, where Celine Dion returns to the Colosseum for a three-year engagement beginning March 15, 2011. Tickets to the first 54 performances are already on sale.
ROMANTIC DINNER: Alize, the French restaurant atop the Palms, has been voted the Most Romantic Restaurant in the U.S. by online-reservations service OpenTable Inc. Las Vegas' Eiffel Tower (Paris) and Pamplemouuse (E. Sahara) also made the list.
Q. Did the singing of the national anthem go under or over the betting time?
A. Over. In one of the most talked-about props for the Super Bowl, Carrie Underwood's 1:47 minute rendition of the national anthem went over the 1:42 posted time.
Find out about Las Vegas shows, buffets and deals at www.LasVegasAdvisor.com.
