Park MGM officially takes its place on the Las Vegas Strip

With the lighting of its new marquee and hotel tower signs, Monte Carlo officially shed its name this week for a new identity – Park MGM – making way for the resort set for completion later this year. Following a transformation that will touch every element of the central Strip property, Park MGM is a welcoming social hub that evokes the residential spirit, intimacy and individuality of a boutique experience on a resort scale.

A partnership between Sydell Group and MGM Resorts International, Park MGM was born from the collaborative vision of the New York-based lifestyle hotelier and one of the world's preeminent destination resort developers. When complete, the project will comprise two new distinct experiences: Park MGM, and a Las Vegas version of the renowned NoMad, a standalone 292-room hotel encompassing the tower's top four floors.

"It's a very special moment seeing this ambitious idea begin to come to life," said Andrew Zobler, founder and CEO of Sydell Group. "Together with MGM, we were able to rethink every element of the guest experience and create something personal on a grand scale."

Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts, said, "The opening of Park MGM, and soon NoMad, will tie together the entire neighborhood we've created with The Park, T-Mobile Arena and CityCenter. We are grateful to Andrew and the team at Sydell Group for sharing our vision to deliver a destination that embraces its surroundings and speaks to a new generation of travelers."

Beginning with the opening of the 5,200-seat Park Theater in December 2016, the resort has unveiled several new amenities including completely reimagined guestrooms and suites, food and beverage offerings, lounges, pools, meeting spaces and more. The evolution of the Park MGM experience will continue throughout 2018 with the addition of nightlife; a new dining concept from Roy Choi embracing the energy of Los Angeles' Koreatown; an Eataly marketplace designed specifically for Las Vegas; and the launch of Lady Gaga's highly anticipated special engagement, among other elements.

NoMad Las Vegas will open within Park MGM in Fall 2018 with 292 guestrooms and suites; a dedicated entrance and lobby; high-limit gaming; a private pool environment; and the Las Vegas debut of Chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, the visionaries behind the world's best restaurant, Eleven Madison Park.

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Alex Meruelo closes on SLS Las Vegas acquisition

Alex Meruelo acquired ownership of SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, naming Paul Hobson as the property's new senior vice president and general manager.

"Paul Hobson brings extensive experience in gaming and hospitality and valued insight into the ever-evolving North Las Vegas Strip to SLS Las Vegas," said Alex Meruelo, principal of the Meruelo Group. "We are thrilled to have him lead the team in ushering in this exciting new era for the historic property."

Mr. Meruelo adds SLS Las Vegas, a 1,616-room, three-tower resort-casino, including the W Las Vegas, to a gaming and hospitality portfolio that includes Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. The acquisition of the SLS Las Vegas marks the first ever privately held affiliation of large resort properties in both Reno and Las Vegas.

Hobson was most recently general manager of Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower. He joined Stratosphere in early 2011 from sister property, Aquarius Casino Resort, where he also held the title of general manager. Previously, Hobson has held senior management positions with MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Affinity Gaming.

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The Strip to showcase historic Las Vegas signs

The Neon Museum proudly announces a new partnership with Fashion Show to showcase restored, historic Las Vegas signs on the Las Vegas Strip. Beginning in spring 2017, the two entities will make Fashion Show's newly renovated Plaza the first place on the iconic Las Vegas Strip to showcase signs from the Neon Museum's collection.

The partnership will feature a rotating lineup of restored, historic signs from the museum's collection, launching with the installation of "Red Barn" in June. This sign will be on view on the Fashion Show Plaza for several months, after which it will be replaced with a different restored sign from the Neon Museum's collection.

The Red Barn opened in the late 1950s as an antique store at 1317 Tropicana Avenue and was converted into a bar in the early 1960s. By 1969, it had evolved into one of the first openly gay bars in Las Vegas. It offered drag shows, such as the very popular "RB Follies," and it provided a place for the gay community to socialize. The Red Barn also published the "RB Rag," one of the earliest gay magazines in Southern Nevada. The bar closed in March 1988, and its restored iconic martini glass sign is now a part of the Neon Museum's collection.

"For decades, the Las Vegas Strip earned notoriety for tearing down and removing historic buildings and the neon signs associated with them," said Rob McCoy, president and chief executive officer, Neon Museum. "With this effort, Fashion Show takes a step toward reversing that trend by re-introducing iconic and historic neon signage to the Strip, where they can be enjoyed by tens of millions of visitors."

"Fashion Show has been the epicenter for up-and-coming cultural trends in Las Vegas for decades," says Jim Heilmann, Senior General Manager at Fashion Show. "Now, we are thrilled to join forces with the Neon Museum and continue to reinvent what customers expect from a retail center. This partnership represents more to us than just a display of art; it's a truly collaborative effort to create unique experiences for visitors not only to Fashion Show, but also to the museum and the destination as a whole."

The Red Barn sign will stand 20 feet tall on an outdoor platform near Neiman Marcus, facing one of the most trafficked corners of the Las Vegas Strip. Available as an iconic photo stop or reflective spot, the fully functioning relic will also light nightly at dusk, accompanied by a spectacular light show and coordinated digital display on Fashion Show's large-scale LED screens.

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Las Vegas toasts Strip legend Frank Sinatra in honor of 100th birthday celebration

LAS VEGAS -- This Saturday, Dec. 12 marks what would have been the 100th birthday of legendary performer Frank Sinatra. While it has been several decades since the man with the unmistakable blue eyes commanded the stage at iconic venues up and down the Las Vegas Strip, it is undeniable that his presence and impact are still felt.

The momentous centennial celebration brought many of those who knew Sinatra best back to Las Vegas, his home away from home, including his youngest daughter, Tina Sinatra, and granddaughter, Amanda Erlinger. The pair spoke on a variety of Sinatra's brightest Las Vegas performances, his favorite Las Vegas hot spots and how Sinatra would perceive the transformation of the glittering Strip into the Las Vegas of today.

"Any trip to Las Vegas with my dad was always great, always eventful," shared Tina Sinatra, smiling over memories from her childhood visits to Las Vegas to watch her father perform. "He was born to play Las Vegas; some say he made Las Vegas."

Frank Sinatra is revered for the performances he gave at many distinguished Las Vegas venues, including Caesars Palace, The Golden Nugget and The Sands Hotel and Casino. These performances have stood the test of time and have continued to dazzle fans eras after the final curtain closed. Many Las Vegans have credited him as the star who turned Las Vegas into a top entertainment destination. A bevy of A-List performers have called the stages of Las Vegas home over the course of many decades, paving the way for the iconic residencies of today that Las Vegas has become known for, including Celine Dion, Diana Ross and Elton John.

"The name Frank Sinatra is synonymous with Las Vegas," said Cathy Tull, senior vice president of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "He was an entertainment legend and helped put Las Vegas on the map as the Entertainment Capital of the World."

The celebratory buzz for Frank Sinatra's birthday has been felt throughout the Las Vegas Strip, leading up to a televised special taped at Wynn Las Vegas featuring top performers, including Celine Dion, Garth Brooks, John Legend and Lady GaGa. The special tribute aired on CBS on Dec. 6 to incredible reception from viewers. While the Las Vegas entertainment scene has experienced an incredible evolution since the Rat Pack heyday of Sinatra, it is clear to all who experience a show on the Strip that Sinatra's valiant impact is still shaping the Entertainment Capital of the World.

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Las Vegas casino pioneer Jackie Gaughan dies at 93

LAS VEGAS -- Legendary casino pioneer Jackie Gaughan never wanted to leave downtown Las Vegas.

His son, South Point owner Michael Gaughan, even offered to build his father a penthouse apartment atop one of the south-Strip resort’s hotel towers. He wouldn’t budge.

The elder Gaughan, who once controlled 25 percent of the downtown gaming market and owned portions of some of the city’s most historic casinos, died Wednesday at age 93 while in hospice care.

He spent his last years in the place he loved: an apartment atop the El Cortez Hotel & Casino, overlooking the city he adored.

“Downtown is where Jackie belonged,” Michael Gaughan said Wednesday of his father. The elder Gaughan was moved to hospice late Monday. On Tuesday he was visited by his seven grandchildren and most of his eight great-grandchildren.

“He lived a full life,” Michael Gaughan said. “He may have been the most licensed person in the history of the state. He had a great sense of humor. All his life, Jackie Gaughan believed in handshake deals and that a person’s word was his bond.”

The El Cortez was the last piece of Jackie Gaughan’s empire that he parted with in 2008. Until a few years ago, he appeared in the hotel’s advertising campaigns. His wife, Roberta, who died in 1996, never wanted to live anywhere else, either.

“He told me that’s where he wanted to stay,” his son said.

The Epstein family — longtime friends and business associates of Jackie Gaughan — let him remain in the apartment and provided him with 24-hour care.

“Las Vegas lost a legend today and the El Cortez lost its patriarch in Jackie,” El Cortez owner Kenny Epstein said in a statement. “But his vision for the gaming industry and his presence as a beloved member of the El Cortez family will be felt for years to come.”

Michael Gaughan said the Epstein family “took tremendous care of dad.” He said longtime El Cortez employees, some of whom date back to when Jackie Gaughan operated the casino, enjoyed seeing the gaming legend in the building.

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