Las Vegas Vacation Blog Blog

Snow fell in the Las Vegas Valley this morning for the first time ever on Dec. 23, the National Weather Service reported.

Snow flakes were reported at McCarran International Airport about 6 a.m. today. Then, meteorologists at the weather service office on Dean Martin Road, about two miles southwest of the airport, observed flurries at 6:40 a.m.

This is the first time since official weather records have been kept in Las Vegas that snow has been recorded on Dec. 23.

Last Wednesday, the Las Vegas Valley officially recorded 3.6 inches of snow at the weather service office, with up to 8 inches in some locations.

Two more storms will affect Las Vegas through the week, one arriving on Christmas Eve on Wednesday and into Christmas Day on Thursday. The second could arrive Friday and linger into Saturday. They are expected to bring rain and winds to the valley, but no snow.

Temperatures in the daytime should range from the mid-40s lower 50s as the storms sweep through Las Vegas. Nighttime lows are expected to drop to the lower 40s and into the 30s.

Las Vegas has a 20 to 30 percent of rain on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then a gradual warming trend with drier conditions should build into Southern Nevada from Sunday through early next week.

A federal bankruptcy judge is considering whether to let a Texas company take possession of a golf course at resort community outside Las Vegas.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Linda Riegle took a step Monday toward letting Carmel Land & Cattle Co. foreclose on a $15 million loan for the Falls, one of two golf courses at the Lake Las Vegas resort.
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Office Star, an importer of ready-to-assemble home office and entertainment furniture, said it will open its World Market Center showroom, space C-1340, during next month’s Consumer Electronics Show here.

CES, which annually draws more than 125,000 people, takes place Jan. 8-11.

The company will provide complimentary transportation to and from Las Vegas Strip and downtown hotels, as well as the Las Vegas Convention Center, which is the largest CES venue.

Scott Danto, vice president of sales and marketing, said the company will use the show to unveil its Elliptical entertainment furniture. The new contemporary collection features pieces constructed of MDF with a sleek, oval-shaped design and matte black crinkle finished vinyl. Most units have tempered glass shelves.

To make a showroom appointment and arrange for transportation, call (909) 930-2000, extension 225, prior to CES or (702) 380-8322 during the show.

A rare snowfall blanketed Las Vegas on Wednesday, canceling all flights in and out of the city, snarling traffic and dusting palm trees and marquees along the Las Vegas Strip with accumulations that were expected to reach 3 inches overnight.

Other locations were forecast to receive as much as 8 inches of snow in the second winter storm this week to drop snow on the desert city.

Snow piled up around the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign on the south end of the Strip, as visitors parked and posed for pictures wearing hooded jackets. In other parts of the Las Vegas valley, snowfall toppled trees, blanketed rooftops and delighted residents who rarely get to see winter weather.

“Sometimes you have to travel to the mountains to see the snow, and now you don’t have to,” said Jose Villeda, 38, as he stuck his tongue out to catch snowflakes outside of Lavo, a restaurant and nightclub at the Palazzo hotel-casino.

Snowfall is common in nearby mountains hills, but not on the Strip or surrounding neighborhoods.

Officials from Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) joined city leaders and Fireworks by Grucci today at the Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip to announce the details for America’s Party: Las Vegas New Year 2009, the citywide celebration planned for Dec. 31.

The fireworks extravaganza on the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street will ring in 2009 in classic Las Vegas style. The theme of the pyrotechnic display will be “Takin’ It to the Streets,” with a soundtrack featuring classic rock and dance favorites.

America’s Party is the official moniker coined by the LVCVA and Las Vegas Events to signify the annual citywide celebration. This year’s festivities include both the themed fireworks extravaganza on the Las Vegas Strip and the live concerts and fireworks under the canopy at the Fremont Street Experience. Themed as “TributePalooza,” the world’s best tribute bands will be performing fourteen hours of live music from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. (PT) on both the 1st Street and 3rd Street stages on Fremont Street Experience. Tribute bands will be performing as Billy Joel, Eagles, David Bowie, KISS, Rolling Stones, U2, Queen and Aerosmith.

More than 30,000 effects will be fired from the eight locations during the 8 minute, 10 second program. Effects such as red, silver and orange comets, mines and peonies are all part of the core program. Special effects such as the colorful buzzing bees will be displayed for David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s “Dancing In The Streets” and red, silver, blue and green palm trees will be highlighted during The Doobie Brothers’ “Takin’ It To The Streets.” In addition, revelers can watch as waves of comets creating a rainbow of color will crisscross the Las Vegas landscape to Bob Sinclar’s “Rock This Party.” For the Grand Finale, the show will conclude with a thunderous roar of titanium salutes to “Xterminate” by Omega Attraktor.
“It gets no better than New Year’s in Las Vegas,” said Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “From the amazing fireworks that blast off along the world famous Las Vegas Strip to the great bands and the atmosphere under the canopy at the Fremont Street Experience downtown, Las Vegas is the place to ring in 2009.”
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Officials say the safety of more than 3,000 bus stops in and around Las Vegas is being studied after several recent deaths from vehicles crashing into bus stops.

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada on Thursday cited a recommendation by international engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff that a risk assessment be conducted.

RTC officials insist the 3,000 bus stops and shelters around Las Vegas are safe. But transit chief Jacob Snow says improvements should be made if they can be.

Officials say that once the study identifies bus stops where people run a high risk of death or injury, engineers might consider moving shelters away from the street, relocating or eliminating them, raising curb heights, or constructing bus turnouts.

Snow says bus stops still must be accessible and abide by federal regulations under the American Disabilities Act.

Source: SF Gate

Majestik Magnificent, best known as “the magician to the stars,” announced today that he will be throwing a private VIP party in Las Vegas this Friday in honor of Rael, the world’s most famous UFO contactee. The party will celebrate the 35th anniversary of Rael’s UFO encounter.

“I’m very excited about the party we’ve organized,” Majestik said. “As you may know, I’ve thrown many parties in the past with top celebrities, but this party is one that will be fun for everyone. We’re expecting a host of celebrities and personalities.

This is the one you don’t want to miss!”
He added, “By sheer coincidence, our party falls on the same day that the remake of the famous 1951 Sci-Fi movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still” will be released in theaters nationwide. The film portrays an extraterrestrial human being visiting Earth with a message for mankind. Similarly, Rael received a message from a human extraterrestrial 35 years ago, to the day.”
Members of the press who want to attend the event can call Panteha Naghi at (702) 513-2387
SOURCE Majestik Magnificent

A JPMorgan analyst said Monday that New Year’s Eve room rates at Las Vegas casino resorts appear to be 27 percent lower this year, marking another sign of weakness for the city’s gambling market.

Based on a weekly survey of Las Vegas Strip room rates, JPMorgan analyst Joseph Greff said the average daily room rate for Dec. 31 fell to $341 this year, from $466 last year.

He noted that New Year’s Eve, a key event for Las Vegas casino operators, falls on Wednesday this year, compared with Monday last year.

Also Monday, Soleil Securities Group analyst Christina Woo said worsening conditions in the Las Vegas and Atlantic City gambling markets are adding to pressure on Boyd Gaming (nyse: BYD - news - people ) Inc. She downgraded the company’s rating to “Hold” from “Buy.”

In a note to investors, Woo said that local gaming activity in Las Vegas appears sluggish and hotel rooms are still available for New Year’s Eve.

Shares of casino operators mostly gained with the broader market on Monday. MGM Mirage  (nyse: MGM -  news  -  people ) shares rose 48 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $11.16 in afternoon trading. Shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp.  (nyse: LVS -  news  -  people ) jumped 46 cents, or 9 percent, to $5.57. Boyd Gaming’s stock rose 6 cents to $4.46.

Source:Forbes

The tiny town of Cranfills Gap really needs a vacation.

That’s why Las Vegas tourism officials decided to fly nearly half the 350 residents to the desert playground for a five-day getaway and publicity stunt.

Up to 120 people - those who could get off work and were over 21 - will be treated to swanky hotels, fancy restaurants and glitzy shows when they arrive Dec. 13.

It’s all free with a catch: They’ll be followed around by video cameras for tourism commercials to air early next year.

“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Tanya Davidson, 33. She plans to marry her fiancé in a drive-through wedding chapel in Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is spending $2.5 million for the trip and marketing campaign. Officials looked at 125 small communities around the nation before settling on the farming and ranching town.

“It really is the quintessential American town,” said Doug Finelli, from an advertising agency working on the campaign. “The people are really welcoming, and everyone works really hard. Most people work multiple jobs.”

Source: NY Daily News

Las Vegas airport officials say passenger traffic at the city’s major airport declined 12.8 percent in October compared to the same month one year ago, the 12th straight monthly decline.

The figures released this week show nearly 3.6 million passengers used McCarran International Airport during October 2008, compared to 4 million in October 2007.

One month ago, the airport said its September numbers showed a 13.2 percent decline, the largest decrease since the months following 9/11.

US Airways traffic at the airport declined 23 percent for October as the airline implemented cuts that had already been announced.

The year-to-date passenger total for the first 10 months of 2008 is 37.6 million, down from 40.3 million for the same time frame last year.

Source: Mercury News