Category: Las Vegas News

Las Vegas Strip Flooding Aug. 23rd, 2023

This is the video that of the Las Vegas Strip flooding on our recent trip. The massive storms that were expected never materialized on this trip until this moment. We left Crystals/Aria and it started to rain. We went into the Cosmo for a very quick drink and came out to what you see in the video.

This is taken from the walkway into the Bellagio from The Strip on the Cosmo side of the property. The walkway into the Bellagio was also flooded and the crews were pushing the water away as we took this video.

Many people have asked if this caused the temperature to drop or if the rain caused humidity. The temperature did not noticeably drop, nothing more than your normal rainstorm. The rain did however cause a rise in humidity which is something you just don’t get in Las Vegas.

MGM Casino’s Update Photo and Video Policy

MGM Casino’s have now implemented a new photo and video policy. This policy essentially allows guests to take photos and small videos of their own casino gaming play as long as it’s for personal use. There are stipulations in place that would be considered YouTubers or using the data for more commercial purposes.

It’s no surprise that the move is to entice the younger crowd of casino visitors that can’t tie up their shoes without documenting it with a smart phone. In all seriousness we have been taking photos and videos or our play for years and never been told different in any casino we have been in. Interesting move.

MGM Casino’s  Photo and Video Policy

The  new policy can be summed up in these points:

  • Guests playing a slot machine may take photos and short video clips of their own slot play with their own personal devices. The photos and videos must be for the guest’s personal use only. Prior approval is required for live streaming and long videos of slot play.
  • At the discretion of table games staff, guests playing at a table game may take photos and short video clips of their own hands with their personal devices. The photos must be for the guest’s personal use only. Prior approval is required for live streaming and long videos of table games play.
  • At the discretion of poker staff, guests playing at a poker table may only take photos of their own play with their own personal devices. The photos must be for the guest’s personal use only. All video recordings, regardless of length, require prior approval. Live streaming is never allowed in the poker room.
  • Guests who are recording for the purpose of distribution, such as vloggers, streamers, and YouTubers, as well as any guests wanting to use equipment like external lights or tripods, always require prior approval before recording anywhere within the casino. Guests interested in getting approval to shoot can contact MGM at gamingstreaming@mgmresorts.com

 

 

Videos of Grasshopper Invasion of Las Vegas

We are getting ready to head back to Vegas in a few weeks. Our attention has been drawn to watching videos of the grasshopper invasion of Las Vegas. We have never seen anything quite like it and are having a good time watching the videos. We just hope that they are on their way out when we arrive.

Videos of Grasshopper Invasion of Las Vegas

 

 

Las Vegas News of the Week May 5th, 2019

We have been thinking about a way to bring you Las Vegas News each week. We think that a quick bullet point article each week with quick links to some of the happenings in Vegas is the best way to go about it. Some weeks in Las Vegas may be slower than others but hopefully we will be able to keep you up on the news happenings in Sin City this way.

  • The Wynn now has free self parking for everyone. The Wynn Las Vegas is the first resort to cancel paid self parking for it’s guests. Valet Parking is still available to guests and non-guests who spend $50 and get validated. Let’s hope that the other resorts on The Las Vegas Strip follow suite. The paid parking issue has been a hot topic since it’s introduction. ( Source: Wynn Las Vegas nixes fees for self-parking)
  • Cirque du Soleil announces new show ‘R.U.N’ at The Luxor. The show opens October 24, 2019 and is a tribute to stunts and live action. The new show will likely be in the space previously occupied by Chris Angel.

  • Marijuana Lounges have been approved in Las Vegas by City Council. There is a large misconception that cannabis is legal everywhere in Nevada but the fact is that it can only be used on residential premises. The approval of lounges is big news for Las Vegas but don’t expect to see one on The Strip anytime soon. (Source: Fox5Vegas)
  • Renovations of the Fremont Street Experience Canopy have begun. They will be updating the lighting system, adding new digital content as well as adding interactive features such as being able to add personal messages. The lights will be 3x brighter if you can imagine that. Don’t worry the light show will carry on nightly during the renovation period. (Source: LasVegasNow)

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Plastic Straws Phased Out at MGM Resorts

MGM Resorts in Las Vegas has begun the process of phasing out plastic straws at it’s resorts. The  company has dubbed the campaign “The Straw Reduction Initiative”. The initiative began earlier this week at The Aria and Mandalay Bay Resorts. The company estimated that it was using 250,000 per day, and about 100 million per year. Plastic straws are bad for the environment as they take a couple of hundred years to breakdown. MGM has stated that this is a green initiative and not a cost cutting measure as many on social media are stating.

Plastic Straws Phased Out at MGM Resorts
Photo by Dean Hochman

Visitors can still get a plastic straw if they ask for one. They are no longer going to be just given out as they have in the past. So no worries, if you require a straw in Las Vegas  you can still get one. They will still be handing them out with frozen drinks and to go cups. Restaurants and stores such as Starbucks within the resorts are still handing out straws as well.

Reusable Plastic Straws

The phasing out of plastic straws in something that is not localized to Vegas. There will be more and more companies ditching plastic straws over the next few years. As stated it’s good for the environment and it saves them money. Like many people that bring their reusable coffee mug in for a fill up we will be using reusable straws in the future. You can already buy a number of different options on Amazon. You can purchase inexpensive plastic straws, steel straws and a number of different types of collapsible reusable straws for easy carrying.