Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

As the night gets later, the smiles get broader. Again, by the Rio bar this evening, here's Steve Jelenik, & Norman Pace, the latter who only arrived today. We are doing some filming tomorrow, & then Norman & the Honourable Mrs P will be playing some non-Rio poker next week at Caesars, The Venetian, Binions, etc.

[77dave]

In Vegas alone the MGM-Mirage company own

MGM
City Centre
Mirage
Treasure Island
Mandalay Bay
Luxor
Excalibur
New York New York
Monte Carlo
Circus Circus
Railroad Pass


Whereas Harrahs have

Harrahs
Ceasers Palace
Flamingo
Rio
Paris
Imperial Palace
O'Sheas
Ballys

[tikay]

When you Raise this Lady's Big Blind you do so at your peril, she's seriously aggressive, & a very fine player indeed. Mrs Pace with son Liam, who's a beautifully mannered & well-balanced lad.

[Tractor]

When you Raise this Lady's Big Blind you do so at your peril, she's seriously aggressive, & a very fine player indeed. Mrs Pace with son Liam, who's a beautifully mannered & well-balanced lad.

Looks a little lop sided to me

[77dave]

For a mere $4.8 Billion, Boyd gaming (owners of the Orleans and the Gold Coast) are building Echelon on the site of the Frontier and the Stardust.

[tikay]

When you Raise this Lady's Big Blind you do so at your peril, she's seriously aggressive, & a very fine player indeed. Mrs Pace with son Liam, who's a beautifully mannered & well-balanced lad.

Looks a little lop sided to me

The Alcohol was kicking in!

Talking of Lop-Sided, that Mega-Big Contruction Project in Vegas includes 2 towers called "Veer Towers", which lean vertically at a 5 degree angle, oppositely. Very odd.

[tikay]

For a mere $4.8 Billion, Boyd gaming (owners of the Orleans and the Gold Coast) are building Echelon on the site of the Frontier and the Stardust.

Those I like - a lot.

Reminds me of "Wynn" & "Encore".

Vewgas looks surreal from the air. I flew over the Strip tonight, after dark, in a Helicopter, with one of the Sky Qualifiers & a Film-crew. Helicopters, never again. Lethally dangerous things. But Wynn & Encore look good however you view them. Class, a rare commodity on the Strip.

[77dave]

What is your 5 fav and 5 least 5 buildings on the strip

1 Wynn/Encore
2
3
4
5

1
2
3
4
5

[tikay]

Just for Action-Man. Taken in the "Champions Lounge" today. Unlike Mr Raymer, Annette will be at the WSOP-E. I think her Sponsor might insist. She is in Vegas, but not old enough to play there yet, amazingly.

[tikay]

What is your 5 fav and 5 least 5 buildings on the strip

1 Wynn/Encore
2
3
4
5

1
2
3
4
5

Best

1 Wynn/Encore. Oozes class.

2 Mandalay Bay - strangely hypnotic.

3 Bellagio - a touch of class.

4 ?

5 ?

Worst.

Wow, that's tough. I cant "grade" them, so many are so hideous. Caesars, Excalibur (have you seen that - it's a "mock-Castle!), New York (so daft), Paris (ditto), & countless others. I'm afraid I just don't get this "theming" thing, it completely whooshes me.

[tikay]

There's almost a Caption-Comp in the making here. Uncle Peter & John Duthie.

[tikay]

John Duthie leaving the Rio after a hard day. In a top-of-the-range Roller, reg plate "Wynn2". I believe Wynn own 6 of these, & players like John are "comped" to stay there.

John told me an extraordinary tale about the EPT's return to Deauville next season. (It has to "stay on Tour" for now). I'd actually quite like to go play there again, it's one of the most wonderful poker venues I've ever visited, & my trip there a few years back with Thewy, Lucky Jim & Stu Fox one of my fondest poker memories. Played 2, cashed 2, there, & an EPT Semi-final to boot. An EPT Final beckoned if I had not made one of the worst plays I've ever made.

[tikay]

If seeing this guy does not make you smile, nothing will. He has infectious humour, & such a lovely smile, & demeanour. He's had a bad Vegas '08 thus far, down $xk over 4 weeks, but as he says, he is saving his luck for the big one. And he might just go very deep, if he can just get a smidgeon of luck. He was telling me that Neil Channing is doing very nicely in the "staking game" too, of late, & had another bumper payday a few days ago.....

[tikay]

Just for Compo. This young lady - Claire? - is, I believe, a colleague of Compo, at "At The Races", & she seemed quite disappointed that his Tramp-Ness was not here this year.

[tikay]

Vegas from my 36th floor room at The Rio.

The new Mega-Buildings can be clearly seen, for scale, look at the front building on the right. In front of it, there is an existing multi-storey car park - 10 storeys high, dwarfed by the tower.