As usual, lots going on in our town. Buildings coming down, new ones going up, plans for more megaresorts, road construction everywhere, more traffic tie-ups and, most importantly, more visitors. On the downside, more people continuing to make a permanent move here, pushing our population ever closer to the 2 million mark.
When I came here in 1976, the population was roughly 280,000. Henderson was a long drive with plenty of desert between us (Las Vegas) and them. Summerlin wasn't even a glint in some developer's eye. What is now Southern Highlands and Anthem were locations that if you mentioned those areas, you would be greeted by, "Are you nuts? Who would live way out there?" But times change and we have created, in a very short time, one of the world's greatest destinations. Yes, there are detractors that still call us "tacky" but those same detractors don't hesitate to come and stay in one of our many world-class resorts.
Even our local hotel-casinos are as nice and offer more than most facilities around the world and for a fraction of the price. I, like most Las Vegans, am very proud of our town and when you look at what's on the drawing board for the next 10 years, it's just going to get better. Now if I could only find a good loaf of rye bread.
'TITANIC' EXTENDED
OK, now that I've got that off my chest, time for some news and this first item can only be considered good news. "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" has been extended through March 5, giving you a last chance to take part in the fascinating story of the Titanic at the Tropicana. More than a 100,000 visitors have seen the 25,000-square-foot exhibit that takes you on a chronological journey through the life of the Titanic, from the building of the legend to life on board.
And more good news for the exhibition was received last week when Stacey Savatsky (Titanic conservator) returned to the Trop to unveil three new artifacts from the Titanic wreck site. These include two horse racing forms belonging to Howard Irwin and a teacup never before seen by the public. Irwin was a would-be passenger featured in the exhibition. His luggage made it onto the ship, but for unknown reasons he never boarded. His personal belongings were recovered in a 1993 dive. The teacup is the first object conserved and displayed from the 2004 expedition. Found on the ocean floor, this little artifact probably belonged to a passenger or crewmember.
The exhibition showcases hundreds of artifacts recovered from the wreck site telling Titanic's tragic tale, including a suitcase, a felt bowler hat, the ship's whistles and glassware etched with the logo of the elite White Star Line. Also included is the massive piece of the ship's hull known as the "Big Piece." The "Big Piece" is the largest piece of the Titanic that will, in all likelihood, ever be recovered, measuring approximately 23 feet by 12 feet and weighing about 15 tons. This is a must-see on your itinerary. I've seen it twice and will probably go once more, it's that interesting. For additional information or to reserve tickets by phone, call 702-739-2411.
NEIMAN'S 'GAME'
One of my favorite artists, LeRoy Neiman, has done it again. Best known for his ability to portray remarkable visions of sporting events in his paintings, has captured some of the best poker players of all time in "The Game," a painting of a world-class group of poker players engaged in a high-stakes game. They include Lyle Berman, Chip Reese, Bobby Baldwin, Doyle Brunson and Chau Giang. The painting, now hanging in the Bellagio poker room, portrays Neiman sketching the group as they participate in an intense no-limit hold 'em game. The room is actually called "Bobby's Room," named for Bobby Baldwin, 1978 World Series of Poker champion and president and chief executive officer of Mirage Resorts. If you're a poker fan, you won't want to miss seeing this.
YOU COULD BE A STAR
Ever thought of yourself as a performer? If so, this may interest you. Peter Sklar, the man who has coached, directed or discovered such stars as Rick Schroder, Sarah Jessica Parker, Reese Witherspoon and Holly Marie Combs, to name a few, is conducting a free lecture Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre.
The lecture is entitled "So You Want To Be A Performer ... the Realities of Success" and begins at 1 p.m. The free talk, says Sklar, will provide life-changing insights into the relationship between self-esteem, health and professional success, with a behind-the-scenes look at the causes of eating disorders, stage mothers, industry scams and the role of talent agents and casting directors.
The theatre is located at 1651 Inner Circle. For reservations, call 243-2623. Children under 18 will NOT be admitted without one of their parents. No one under age 6 will be admitted and reservations are required.
NOT-SO-SUPER WEEKEND
Hate to end the column on a negative note, but here's a letter I received from Vic Bessette of Ontario, CA, who writes: "Lenny, Got back on Monday from our annual Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas. We had 40 guys this year (18 years in a row) for four days of golf and Vegas activities. Stayed at the 4 Queens for the first time. Getting ready to take some guys to the airport Monday morning and gave my ticket to the valet to bring the car. After a few minutes, he came back to the drop off without the car. I thought "that can't be good."
"The bad news was my SUV had been broken into. Smashed the rear passenger window. The worse news was that one entire set of golf clubs were missing along with woods from two other bags. Security was called (Metro declined to respond) and filled out a report saying that I would be contacted by Risk Management in 7 to 10 days. On Tuesday I thought maybe I didn't want to wait so I called back to security who informed me that they have no contact with Risk Management and were unable to even provide me with a name. I had to wait for a call from them.
"Who are these guys in Risk Management? Is it like the CIA, or something? I realize that there's a disclaimer on the valet ticket saying they are not responsible for personal property left in vehicles, but doesn't the hotel have a responsibility to provide a secure environment for vehicles left in their custody? I have been coming to Las Vegas for 25 years and have never had any problems with cars left with the valet. I'd be interested in hearing if any of your other readers have had similar experiences with break ins and if they had any success with the reimbursement of their losses by the hotel. I've been a long time reader. Keep up the great columns!"
Well Vic, that's one helluva way to end your visit to our town and I hate to hear stories like that. Unfortunately, things like this do happen and more often than we would like. The hotels do provide security in parking areas, even with their policy of you, the car's owner, being responsible for contents. The problem in many cases is that security has their rounds, and all anyone who is planning to break into a particular vehicle has to do is time the break-in. I hope you get this settled to your satisfaction Vic, but if not, don't let that keep you from coming here. And thanks for being a loyal reader.
Good luck and I'll see you on the Strip. And don't forget to check out www.valleyblogs.com
If you have a question or a Las Vegas experience you would like to share with my readers, please e-mail me at lennylv@cox.net. Please include your full name and the city or town where you live.
