aria
Editorial: Ebbs And Flows
Posted by Chuckmonster on 5 Aug 2016
Eleven-time Trippies winner, walking #VIMFP event and self-professed "thinking man's Cookie Monster" BigHoss is here to share words of wisdom. Take it away Hoss:
Dear Las Vegas,
Saying something like this is never easy, so I'll just...
PGP: MGM Charging $20 More For Bed Preferences
Posted by Chuckmonster on 4 Feb 2016
Late in 2015, MGM Resorts International launched a brand new suite of website templates and a new booking engine. Great! While doing some research about resort fees and parking charges yesterday, I noticed something...
PGP: Aria Limits Comp Booze Offerings To Well Brands
Posted by Chuckmonster on 23 Nov 2015
Aria is a nice property. Joint owners MGM Resorts International and Infinity World spent close to $10 billion dollars building it and probably another billion bucks bandaging birthing boo-boos. Lots of folks who...
Vegas Eats: Carbone at Aria
Posted by Chuckmonster on 12 Nov 2015
Long time VT reader Dorian dined at Carbone restaurant at Aria on opening night and brought back this once in a lifetime report. Thank you Dorian! Take it away... -Chuck
One of my earliest...
Sam Nazarian Withdraws Gaming License Application
Posted by Chuckmonster on 2 Nov 2015
VT reader Sam Nazarian has withdrawn his application to gain a gaming license as key employee of SLS Las Vegas.
The SBE CEO was fire walled from operations of SLS Las Vegas in January 2015 after...
Sam Sells SBE's SLS Stake
Posted by Chuckmonster on 6 Oct 2015
When SBE Entertainment honcho Sam Nazarian announced his company was buying the Sahara, touting plans to transform the aging landmark hotel into a destination that would generate upwards of $250/night room rates, The Vegas Gang...
BSOD Dept: Aria Completely Hosed Their Casino Floor
Posted by Chuckmonster on 5 Oct 2015
We've received multiple reports that Aria's casino has been suffering from several outages over the last week.
VT reader @sideswipe70 reported via Twitter that the entire asian gaming table section had been shut down.
Additionally, all ATM/TITO/Change...
More Jackhammering On Aria's Casino Floor
Posted by Chuckmonster on 10 Sep 2015
Remember last week when we unlocked Aria's overflow poker room renovation maneuvers? Well VT reader alexanbo has dug up a new question on Aria's casino floor.
In nearly the same area, curtains have gone up,...
Another Aria Casino Floor Question Answered
Posted by Chuckmonster on 2 Sep 2015
A month ago we posted about the current state of Aria's casino floor, noting that stuff was being boarded up, closed off, carted away and reconfigured.
One piece of the puzzle has been solved.
The area normally...
Vegas Eats: Bardot Brasserie at Aria
Posted by Chuckmonster on 25 Aug 2015
When I heard that Aria was tossing Chef Michael Mina's American Fish into the compost bin and replacing it with French bistro Bardot by... uh... Chef Michael Mina... I was uhm... sort of excited. MGM...
Aria Completely Rearranging Casino Floor
Posted by Chuckmonster on 5 Aug 2015
The casino disruption at Aria we told you about? Well, it has gone massive.
This is the overflow poker area between what was the Deuce and the Poker Room and the Roasted Bean.
Could Aria be...
What Is Up With The Construction At Aria?
Posted by Chuckmonster on 23 Jul 2015
Aria has dropped The Deuce. The Deuce - which was originally named the National Gaming Lounge and Club Royale before Aria opened - may have a new name - 5 p.m., according to...
Aria Joins Bellagio In Banning Apple Watch From Blackjack Tables
Posted by Chuckmonster on 22 Jul 2015
Aria Las Vegas is the second major Las Vegas resort to ban players from wearing an Apple Watch at their tables.
Upon exchanging cash for chips at a blackjack one of Aria's blackjack tables, the...
New Feature Posted: SLS Las Vegas Story Superior King - The VT Review 2015
Posted by Chuckmonster on 14 Jul 2015
Just a note to folks tuned in to Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds that we've posted a new feature article - my review of the Story Superior King at SLS Las Vegas.
Another very detailed review of...
ASS Watch: The Aria Sky Suites Expands To The Pool
Posted by Chuckmonster on 15 May 2015
The Aria Sky Suites (bka 'the A.S.S.') has expanded to the pool with "Sky Pool". They created some artwork specifically for this development.
Yes please.
How much do you think these branded water bottles will set...
Vegas Gang #120: Wynn vs Wynn, Derek, MGM, Resorts World and More
Posted by Chuckmonster on 20 Apr 2015
On the latest episode of The Vegas Gang, the guys go deep on Wynn vs Wynn, discuss Derek's double-reverse windmill dunk of an NCAA bet, kick the can on the MGM proxy fight with LandAndBuildings.com,...
SLS, EB-5 Program Under Fire
Posted by Chuckmonster on 3 Feb 2015
The U.S. Government EB-5 program, designed to spur investment in domestic businesses by giving a temporary visa to investors in exchange for $500,000 is under fire for failing to thoroughly vet applicants.
Homeland Security whistleblowers are...
Aria Virtually Implodes The Harmon Hotel
Posted by Chuckmonster on 2 Feb 2015
Aria has released a new rendering of their hotel. Huh? A new rendering of a hotel that opened seven years ago?
The new rendering imagines the entirety of City Center complex without the Harmon...
Sayonara: Nazarian Out At SLS
Posted by Chuckmonster on 16 Dec 2014
It appears that sbe CEO and VT reader Sam Nazarian isn't a gambling man after all.
Weeks after being denied a gaming license in favor of a one year temporary license by Gaming Control Board -...
Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Welcome The New Director of Entertainment At SLS...
Posted by Chuckmonster on 3 Dec 2014
Ladies and gentlemen the SLS Hotel and Casino proudly presents the all-new Sam Nazarian show, Seven Deuce. Tonight, taped live from the all-new Gaming Control Board we present the premiere showing of Seven Deuce with...
Caption Sam Nazarian
Posted by JohnH on 21 Aug 2014
Ready? GO!...
SLS Approved For Gaming License, Nazarian Firewalled
Posted by Chuckmonster on 6 Aug 2014
In a page directly from Martin Scorcese's adaptation of Nicholas Pileggi's Casino, SLS Las Vegas was granted an unrestricted gaming license by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
The hearings, wonderfully live tweeted by LVRJ's Howard Stutz,...
sbe Launches Alternate SLS Website
Posted by Chuckmonster on 19 Mar 2014
sbe entertainment has launched a different version of the SLS Las Vegas website, under the corporate domain name. More renderings, hype and more praise for a hotel that isn't open yet. Oh, and...
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About SLS Las Vegas
Posted by Chuckmonster on 27 Jan 2014
Ladies and gentlemen, here is our latest, highly educated guess as to what the SLS Las Vegas property map will look like... right down to the placement of casino tables. Click here for the...
SLS Las Vegas Names Chinese Restaurant 'EB5-Noodles'
Posted by Chuckmonster on 22 Jan 2014
SLS has added EB5-Noodles to their list of forthcoming restaurants. EB5-Noodles is described as "authentic Chinese cuisine" so you can cancel your hopes for another China Poblano-style mash up from SBE Culinary Director Jose...
Aria's Gets A New Slogan, Commercials
Posted by Chuckmonster on 16 Jan 2014
Aria has always had problems with their marketing. From bad slogans like 'city within a city', 'remember to breathe', 'words will fail you', 'the center of....' series to marketing photos of jackpot winners playing...
SLS Las Vegas: Sayers Club Unveiled
Posted by Chuckmonster on 22 Nov 2013
SLS Las Vegas has been pushing their multi-slogan narrative lately, ("North is the New South", "Style Less Substance") calling in the big media guns to walk the property with CEO Sam Nazarian while offering up...
VegasFlicks: Last Vegas Review
Posted by Chuckmonster on 4 Nov 2013
It would be easy to describe Last Vegas as little more than Grumpy Old Men meets The Hangover set inside a two hour Aria infomercial. On some levels it is an accurate description, however...
Will The Real Sam Nazarian, Please Fess Up
Posted by Chuckmonster on 17 Jul 2013
I've been putting off cleaning the attic over the garage since we bought our home a little over a year ago. I sent MissMonkay up there once, hoping that her natural tendency to...
VegasEats: Five50 at ARIA
Posted by Blackjacker1979 on 16 Jul 2013
I may have been one of the only people in Vegas who was a major fan of SkyBox, the former restaurant masquerading as sports bar/grill adjacent to the sports book at Aria. Between it and...
ARIA: The Five50 Menu - Updated Again
Posted by Chuckmonster on 12 Jul 2013
ARIA's Five50 opened last week in the former Skybox location, with a single solitary mission - add a take away pizza joint to MGM Resorts International's Aria vs Cosmopolitan punch list.
Peeking at the menu, It...
The ARIA CAFE
Posted by Chuckmonster on 10 Jul 2013
The changes at ARIA started late last year months ago continue to roll. Frilly cast iron mushroom wonderland Bar Moderno has been redesigned and renamed Lift Bar (yknow, because it is next to the...
Where We Profile SLS's Profile Of Our Profile Of SLS
Posted by Chuckmonster on 26 Jun 2013
The SLS Hotel has a blog, upon which they've shared Blackjacker1979's fabulous post from yesterday.
This is our post acknowledging their post about our post.
Isn't that how the internet echo box works? We write something...
Why The SLS Might Become Something...
Posted by Blackjacker1979 on 24 Jun 2013
It's a very open secret that Sahara honcho Sam Nazarian's projects live in a cloud of media hype. From bit pieces about his growing nightclub empire to full on fluff (seemingly annual) LA Times featurette,...
The SLS Las Vegas Construction Cam
Posted by Chuckmonster on 23 May 2013
Sahara demolition is in full swing. To help sbe keep their eyes on the balls, they've mounted a SLS construction cam on the side of the hotel tower.
Check it out here SLS Construction Camera....
Vegas Gang #90: Quad, D, Cults, Linq and Nazarian
Posted by Chuckmonster on 16 May 2013
New Vegas Gang Episode #90 has been posted and features discussion about The Quad, The D, cults of personality in the casino industry and some highlights from the RD&E including Dr. Dave's panel with Linq...
Mission Accomplished!
Posted by Chuckmonster on 15 May 2013
The mission: raise awareness of ARIA and the many mysteries contained therein and neutralize Cosmopolitan.
You have no idea how huge Aria's marquee is until you see it in person. ABSOLUTELY ƒ*©KING GINORMOUS. Even...
ARIA Marquee Testing Testing Testing
Posted by Chuckmonster on 2 Apr 2013
The ARIA marquee is in test pattern mode now. We knew it was large, but yikes. Three cheers for Vegas style competition: make your thing bigger, taller, brighter, louder than the neighbors. ...
ARIA'S New Disco Sprouts
Posted by Chuckmonster on 21 Mar 2013
ARIA has renovated the 2nd floor dining vestibule. Gone are the pointy mirrored mountain cactus freak out thingamahoojis and in their place is new carpet, comfy couches and a pair of spermtastic "disco sprouts."...
Aria Marquee Nearing Completion
Posted by Chuckmonster on 12 Mar 2013
Nearly 2 1/2 years since we broke the news that Aria was to get a marquee, this ginormous electronic message board is on the cusp of completion.
We knew it was huge before, but holy crap......
Exclusive: MGM To Drop CityCenter Name
Posted by Chuckmonster on 19 Feb 2013
At a meeting of employees today, Bobby Baldwin, CEO of CityCenter, announced that the name CityCenter is now depreciated and will be completely phased out over the coming year. Mr. Baldwin did not...
SLS: SBE Gets The Cash
Posted by Chuckmonster on 13 Feb 2013
And, like clockwork, sbe has unfurled their PR cannons to blast the news that they have secured the last $115 million in funds via the EB-5 program.
With much relish, Sam Nazarian stated that they got...
SBE Misrepresenting Facts To SLS Investors, Again
Posted by Chuckmonster on 11 Feb 2013
Can you spot the errors in this SLS Las Vegas rendering put forth by sbe entertianment?
From the "Buyer Beware" department comes this rendering of the SLS Las Vegas shown off to potential SLS EB-5 'visas...
SLS Has A Fancy Chinese Website And No Funding
Posted by Chuckmonster on 7 Feb 2013
FiveHundy reminds us via Twitter that the deadline for SLS to complete its funding is night (if not passed.) A little internet digging revealed that SLS has built a fancy Chinese website in...
ARIA Closes Skybox, Adding Pizza Joint FIVE50
Posted by Chuckmonster on 9 Jan 2013
ARIA has closed the Skybox sportsbook food joint thingy and are replacing it with a brand new pizza joint called FIVE50 from Sage chef Shawn McClain. Details, including interview with the chef are at LA...
Cosmo: Just the Right Amount of Everyone Else
Posted by JohnH on 13 Dec 2012
Walking through Aria the other night, I was amazed at the sheer magnitude of how much that property had changed course over the last two months. New, mind-bending carpet. Pottery Barn-fancy--if somewhat uncomfortable--upholstery...
SLS Las Vegas Dining, Nightclubs, Funding Plan Revealed
Posted by Chuckmonster on 13 Dec 2012
The SLS Las Vegas, the proposed renovation of the shuttered Sahara, can't raise the last $115m required to get the job started.
Despite having $300m of J.P. Morgan's cash in escrow, more smoke machines than Iron...
More On Aria Casino Renovations...
Posted by Chuckmonster on 11 Dec 2012
In response to last nights post about ARIA renovating parts of their casino, VT's resident architect/design nerd Blackjacker1979 sent us some thexy photos of their new casino chair upholstery and their Cosmopolitan purple table felts.
Wow....
ARIA Renovating Everything
Posted by Chuckmonster on 10 Dec 2012
In addition to changing their carpet, having their President & COO resign, renovating the Buffet and showing the VP of Food and Beverage the door in a day of firings, ARIA has also decided to...
VegasEats: Javier's at ARIA
Posted by Blackjacker1979 on 3 Dec 2012
While preparing for the madness that was to be this year's VIMFP festivities (Gin is a cruel mistress. And so are you, Vodka.) the one and only Misnomer and myself decided that we had a...

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