50 Weeks At The RIO (WHAT...NO T-SHIRT!)

Well......almost fifty weeks, I only stayed at the RIO two nights this trip,
but I'm countin' it as my 50th.
Thanks to LVA's POV 50%Off & 3x'sPoints coupon for the PALMS...along
with my 46,000 points, I had a Junior Suite for three nights, fourty bucks
TOTAL.

The PALMS is as good as ever, 7th floor-two walls of windows, corner
room overlooking the RIO.
Their 'Sunrise Cafe' was closed for re-modeling and has temporarily moved
to 'Garduno's' upstairs area...which is quite cool actually. They have an
outdoor terrace that overlooks the pool. MTV was shooting...lots and lots
of beautiful bodies around the pool.
Played lots of STAR WARS (very cool), 9.7 Double Bonus and Triple Play.

WSOP is ON at the RIO...but you'd never know it except for all the signs
directing you way, way, WAAAY down to the very far end of their
Convention Center complex. It was a GIANT hall with, what seemed
to be, hundreds of tables. The spectators and television crews
all gathered round the favorite TravelChannel Poker celebs.
'BUZ' around the RIO was after McHARRAH'S completes their CAESARS
deal, the WSOP might move to BALLY'S.

Gaming at the RIO was as good/or as bad as it always is.
With HARRAH'S continuous philosophy of wanting to own their slots
rather than lease them....you won't find ANY of the new games there.
New and improved TITO redemption machines are everywhere. They
worked quick and made change too:
20's for 100, 10's for 20, 5's for 10, and 1's for a 5........slick and quick.
'Bevertainers' might be on their last year's contract and the 'BUZ' about
HARRAH'S selling the property to COLONY is still around...someday...maybe.

WYNN LAS VEGAS WYNN LAS VEGAS WYNN LAS VEGAS WYNN LAS VEGAS
it was nice.......................
BUT, I feel no need to visit it again.

It's congested as hell, especially the front enterance area.
The circle drive is small. Taxi, Limo, Valet, all compete for the same
space. People comin' bump into people goin', bump into Valet drop off,
bump into Valet pick-up.
I was very surprised in the very poor planning.

It's beautiful inside, great color concepts, marble and tile work...
...but just another fancy/expensive casino.
The VP machine I played.............looked good. A 9.6 Double Bonus
slant-top. The background screen is totally black which makes the cards
really stand out and looks great...but very poor pay schedules on 50, 25
and 5 cent machines...play dollars and up or just save your money.
We played a Red White & Blue and Double Diamond quarter slot,
one 'Jackson' in each for fourtyfive minutes with hardly a miss on a hit!
Cashed out even or ahead on both before it was time to catch the
'Lake Show'.

Now............Steve Wynn had a 'Lake' at BILLAGIO.
he's got a 'Pond' at WYNN LAS VEGAS.
Be prepared for a 3min. disapointment.

At the bottom of his spiral escalator...the second of it's kind in Las Vegas...
...CEASARS Forum Shops has the first in their new wing...
there's a bar area with restaurants left and right.
All three have outside table areas to view the Lake entertainment. The only
way you can be outside to view, is to be a paying customer.
We waited 25min. in line to get an outside bar table.
1-Jack&Ginger, 1-Coke, $13.00 and I had to ask our server FOUR TIMES
for my change. She kept saying she'd be "right back". The bar is inside
so the servers are running in and out all the time and it takes FOREVER!

The show consists of the 'Waterfall' turning into a video screen, very unimaginative images of women running thru a jungle, a 'CIRQUE' type head
( ala Mystere) raises up from the water onto the screen, colored flood
lights shine on the mountain trees (looked like Christmas), while smoke
and more lights covered the Pond...............I mean, Lake.
3min. and it's over. (I was still waiting for my change)

2-bowls of French Onion Soup, 1-BLT, 1-Tuna sandwitch, 1-tea, 1-Coke
in the Cafe........$48.00.
It wasn't anything abot the overpriced EVERYTHING...that's the kind of
place it is and you accept that. It's just that nothing was special...WOW!
I feel no need to go gack again at this point.

GEORGE CARLIN was lots of fun! His six week hiatus and new home
at the STARDUST suits him well.
Lots of new material from his next HBO Special and stuff from his latest
book "WHEN WILL JESUS BRING THE PORK CHOPS".
He even laughed and smiled alot during the show (a first)
It's a CARLIN CROWD at the STARDUST and that's just the way George
likes it and it shows!

LA FEMME: (the New show) at MGM
Still the smartest Adult Show in Las vegas. They kept the best of the old
stuff and added more new stuff...13 vignettes total.

DINNER, 'Top Of The World', Stratosphere was as expected.
Food was just OK/View is great!
Salad, Lobster Bisque (not half as good as at Kokomo's in Mirage),
Ahi.........$76.82 for just me.
I went up to see the rides but the wind was too gusty...NO RIDES.

ZZ TOP at the LVHilton were GREAT!
Their last number..."LEGS", where they use their fuzzy white guitars
from the MTV video ROCKED!!!
Midway thru, EMERGENCY ALARMS in the theatre and casino started
BLASTING...Security running everywhere and anouncements ove the
House PA that they were investigating................time to get a cab.
Back in my room at the RIO, I can see the Hilton....no smoke or fire,
nothing the next morning on Chan8...?
Maybe some fans of those 'Littl' 'Ol Boys from Texas' were just
havin' themselves some fun...

CAB DRIVER PROTEST ON THE STRIP:
There is a 'clause' in a new 'bill' that prohibits Gentelmens Clubs, Brothels,
Golf Courses to 'tip' cab drivers lots of money for convincing riders to visit
their properties...(any more)
Drivers argue it's unfare, they're loosing lots of money while Limo drivers
are still allowed to do so.
They cruzed the Strip at 9PM, horns blowing, stopping traffic, for an hour
or so...off and on all week.
One day, many refused to pick up fares at McCarran which pissed folks off
big time as you can well imagine.
Hope they work something out soon...getting a cab after the shows
is a bitch.

Took $1,600. bankroll down, brought $600. home for 6 days of FUN!

 

Greg, thanks for your report, always enjoy your straight shooting style I'll be going June 18th, don't know that I will waste time going to Wynns or not, probably will, just to say I have. Thanks again!

 

GO TO WYNN...get it out of your systems. You know there's always
going to be talk about it...HAVE AN OPINION.

 

Nice report, Greg. Found your comments about Wynn interresting. I'll have to see what I think of it in September.

 

If you build it, they will come....at least once anyway.

 

Nice TR!

What trip was this for you this year? # 10? # 20

LOL

Nice job!

 

"2-bowls of French Onion Soup, 1-BLT, 1-Tuna sandwitch, 1-tea, 1-Coke
in the Cafe........$48.00." WOW.. that's why we didn't eat there. I paid $24 in the coffee shop one morning for a croissant, sticky bun, 2 lattes and a glass of milk! I didn't really mind since it was great coffee and the best croissant I've had outside of Europe.

I agree, as far as the casino goes, been there once.. no real need to return unless you like high limits, tight slots and expensive food. But, the room is another story. It was, by far the best hotel room I've ever stayed in. I'm sure there are better since I rarely pay more than $150 for a room anywhere. But it was just great. I'll be staying there again, offset the high cost with free rooms elsewhere! ;-)

 

IT'S ONLY #2 GARY!...ONLY NUMBER TWO
3willbeinAug4willbeinOct5willbeinDec

Did ya catch in my TR the Bisque at The STRAT was pretty poor....
Nothin' beats your KOKOMO'S!!!

 

Thanks for the report Gregrio

I want to see LA FEMME I heard its great!

 

Not Impressed with the Wynn either

I just got back from Vegas and we visited the Wynn and I wasnt as impressed after all the hype . Working on the trip report now and will post all about it.

 

Greg, I'll let you spend the money and take your advice. Thanks.

 

...sounds like a deal Jim, that'll be ten bucks!
Forgot to memtion, I had enough money left over to
get my FIRST IN 'N OUT BURGER this trip! (only took ten years)