Two Way Hard Three | Las Vegas Casino & Design Blog

October 17, 2006 9:20 PM Posted by mike_ch

Is that last one a bathroom? I don't think Las Vegas has had bathrooms like that since Fear and Loathing.

This seems like a good discussion thread to post what may be a regular feature here in the comments box, my Vegas at 0.3 Megapixels update! Sorry guys, I do own a nicer camera, but I'm not taking it onto CAT nor hanging out with it in some of the sketchier places where I have to transfer buses. So you'll just have to make do with cell phone shots for now unless someone makes a great, cheap pocket camera or something. I promise that I put too much effort into getting artistically nice shots considering the specs of the camera, so they're at least worth clicking on. I guess I could call it "The Worst Las Vegas Photo Update" but that would be stepping on toes.

So then, here's the update:
Golden Nugget
The wall near on the main floor near the escalators is finally gone. What's new? Another restaurant, of course. It's named Grotto and from the decor it looks like it'll be serving Mexican. It's currently training it's employees and the interior isn't COMPLETELY done yet but it's coming along.

Grotto 1 2 3 4

Also, the Showroom is ready for guests.
Sign

Also, the pool is really pushing ahead now. A month ago I was looking at it and wondering how they were ever going to get that done, but now you can really see it taking form. Opening will depend on factors like their shark delivery, but as far as construction goes it looks like it'll be ready to use just in time for it to be too cold to use a pool:
Pool 1 2 3

Wynn's:
No photos this time. If you sit on the upper level of the Deuce bus you can really see Encore going up, so of course I sat on the bottom level this time.

Also, those walls that used to be around the B bar are now around The Cafe. But there's a little barista cart in the showroom hallway side called The Cafe Express so that you grumpy morning people can still get a cup of joe.

Bellagio:
The refurbs I reported near the sportsbook are done. There's very little different. In fact, they didn't even change the awnings here. The only difference I can see besides fresh carpet is that the leather surfaces were replaced, maybe the whole chairs since they seemed extra cushy. The BIG difference? The pattern on the back of the chair has changed. How earthshattering! The little gridlike checkerboard of red squares on a tan background is replaced with a checkerboard of much larger navy blue squares on a gray background.

The new carpet, basic black with it's little artistic leaves, seems awfully familiar. What's wrong, guys? Couldn't afford red? But honestly, the carpet changes are NECESSARY because Bellagio's original carpeting is rubbish at this point. The shopping hall is where the last holdout of old carpentry lies, and while my camera isn't nice enough to show you just how ragged it is, I did take a picture of a place where there was actually a large blackish stain, making it look especially dirty and ugly.

Such an ugly, dingy carpet.

Next on the casino renovations tour: The east end of the main drag where all the table games are. The tables have been reshuffled around, and the curtains are up all over on that side of the walkway. The Player's Club booth stands like an island, and you actually walk through a trench of curtains to get to it. Behind the curtains? Not much, a ladder here and some rolls of carpentry there. I imagine this must be affecting Bellagio's table play, especially since I by the cashier cage they were drilling a new awning hanger onto the ceiling, and it was making the usual pounding, grinding, and loud noises associated with construction, just across from a number of roulette and craps tables. Guys dressed like big shots at the tables looked pretty unsatisfied each time loud grinding sounds came out from across the pathway.

I don't know if this is permanent or not, but today the goons at the CityCenter pavillion are gone. You may now freely take pictures (at least from outside the glass), and people were doing so in numbers.
CityCenter model

You know, the Conservatory is really pretty right now (suprising since they just finished that completely bombastic summer display), so why don't you take a look?
Conservatory 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

And that's all for this week!

October 17, 2006 9:43 PM Posted by Mike P.

The new carpet probably looks familiar because a swatch of it sat near Jasmine for a year or more.

Any day now somebody's going to complain that it's less elaborately ugly than what "Steve" laid and claim it's yet more proof that Bellagio is swirling down the drain.

Mike P.

October 17, 2006 9:51 PM Posted by Mike P.

Oh, back to the original topic. That second picture is just bizarre. Somebody said this already on some forum, but it looks like a roomy coffin. My wife, who's rather claustrophobic, would go insane in a room like this.

Mike P.

October 17, 2006 10:06 PM Posted by Mike E

Mike, thanks for the update. I'm staying at Bellagio in a little over a month so I'm excited to see the changes myself. Hopefully most of the construction will be done by then.

By The Cafe at Wynn, I'm assuming you're referring to the one attached to The Drugstore and not Terrace Pointe. That would definitely take me by surprise. But what's wrong now? Are they milking every scent of revenue out of a low-end breakfast joint or finally building a lounge (can you tell I'm still a little disgruntled with the removal of the keno lounge and old B Bar).

As far as Flamingo's rooms are concerned, I like some touches like the bedspread and carpeting but what's with the vinyl headboard and bubble gum bathroom? Also, the second picture in and of itself makes me claustrophobic--I thought press photos were supposed to "sell" the room to you.

(Sorry--feeling very critical of everything today).

October 18, 2006 6:16 AM Posted by detroit1051

Mike_ch's frequent reports are greatly appreciated by us on the right coast. The Conservatory looks good. Sometimes, simpler is better. They've certainly gotten their money's worth out of the old mill/waterwheel over the years.

Grotto at Golden Nugget does looks Mexican, yet the website talks about "authentic Italian cuisine." Strange.

I always liked the carpet in Bellagio's shopping area, but it was getting pretty bad after eight years and millions of people walking on it. There is similar carpeting in part of Wynn's Tower Suites lobby area.

Thanks for the tour, Mike_ch.

October 18, 2006 10:11 AM Posted by mike_ch

Mike P: Ah, I think I *DO* remember seeing the carpet in front of Jasmine, now when I think hard about. Thanks for reminding me, a fellow who also gets tired of the worshipping. I've criticised a few design choices there but the new carpet is honestly fine.

Mike E, yep, I mean the little coffehouse style place attatched to the Drugstore.

Detroit, huh, I guess I should have thought to look at the press releases, but "on the scene" my immediate thought was that it REALLY had that home-spun cantina look going.

October 18, 2006 12:04 PM Posted by cgriff

I can absolutely confirm that Grotto at the Golden Nugget will be an Italian restaurant. The Landry's Group already runs a Grotto in Houston, Texas. Extremely tastey.

http://www.grottohouston.com/

October 18, 2006 3:31 PM Posted by Hunter

These room shots are very, very scary. The main room seems okay but the 'coffin room' is not someplace I would want to stay. I know they are constrained to the space they have but this is still not the way I'd go.

For an example of interesting thinking for a small space, look at the MGM Grand's West Wing or even the standard Hotel in Downtown LA.

Mike - thanks for the great updates. I really appreciate it.

October 18, 2006 9:38 PM Posted by jaredindc

I thought I had read that these rooms, at least to start with, were on the 28th floor. I had some comp nights at the Flamingo back in May and was on the 28th. The room was very average in size, and the only perk I saw was a USA Today every morning and chocolates on my pillow (this had not happened in previous Flamingo stays). At any rate, the room did not seem big enough for this new furniture and 42" tv, not to mention the "coffin."