Unions representing Las Vegas casino workers could call a citywide strike as early as June 1 if they do not reach a deal with employers. Las Vegas casino strikes have been avoided in most cases. The last citywide strike was in 1984. It affected 32 resorts and lasted 67 days. A month-long strike in June could cost MGM Resorts and Caesars as much as $300 million in cash flow, according to a union report In 1984, a union strike fund helped support workers during the period they picketed.
South Point is among few casino operators that still offer “cheap food, good odds,” says Anthony Curtis, a publisher of books on Las Vegas. The resort’s video poker slots return 99%, compared with about 96% or 97% on the Strip, according to Curtis. “Gaughan knows that you get them in the door with food and liquor and entertainment and you make a few bucks when they gamble,” says Ted Newkirk, founder of Access Vegas.
South Point is unique among Las Vegas resorts for its 4,600-seat equestrian arena.
“The secret is you have to find people that want to play [on the casino floor],” says Michael Gaughan, owner of South Point
Las Vegas isn’t the only city where Marc-Andre Fleury is a fan favorite. Fleury was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2003, and was its goalie until the expansion draft last June. He won three Stanley Cups as a Penguin, and helped turned the team from a bad one to a historically great one. Even though he’s gone, Pens fans still have love for Fleury. Dick’s Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh starting selling Fleury and Knights gear to keep up with demand. Season-ticket holder Bill Diamond had no thoughts of taking down his framed jersey. Pittsburghers say they’ll be watching this week’s Final with hopes that he raises another Cup.
Five people were killed Sunday afternoon in a three-vehicle crash about 85 miles northwest of Las Vegas. A northbound car was attempting to pass a pickup on U.S. 95, when it moved into the southbound lane to pass and collided head-on with a another car. The car then hit the side of a truck, and the truck flipped over. The northbound car burst into flames, killing both people inside. The southbound car also had two people inside who died at the scene. A woman in the truck was hospitalized, and the driver died at the scene.
Five people died Sunday in a fiery crash about 85 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Police received a call about a three-vehicle crash on U.S. 95 near Amargosa Valley in Nye County around 4:30 p.m. A northbound car was attempting to pass a pickup and when it moved into the southbound lane to pass, it collided head-on with another car, then hit the side of the truck.
The truck flipped over, and the man driving died at the scene. The woman in the truck was hospitalized and is expected to survive. The northbound car burst into flames, killing both people inside. The southbound car also had two people inside who died at the scene.
U.S. 95 was closed until shortly after midnight when it reopened.
Local racer Riley Herbst has named to NASCAR Next, a list identifying young drivers on the fast track to stock car racing stardom. It was the second year in a row the 19-year-old racer was named on the list of nine drivers. Others who have been named NASCAR list include current Cup Series regulars Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez and Bubba Wallace. Herbst is a descendant of Las Vegas’ famous off-road racing Herbst family. His father, Troy, won the 2004 Baja 1000. “There’s a lot of talent coming up, and a lot of young racers chasing the dream in Las Vegas. It it weren’t for the Bullring and the drag strip and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, nobody would know what Las Vegas (has become) in racing out West.”
Diamond Resorts CEO Michael Flaskey was one of about 2,850 people in attendance for an annual timeshare convention. The convention ended Thursday. Flaskey discussed the health of the industry and his company. Diamond, based in Las Vegas, has 145 destinations worldwide and 9,000 employees.
As part of a panel of experts, Bruce Ford of Boston-area hotel services firm Lodging Econometrics spoke of fast-growing communities for hospitality. Southern California and Nashville have seen impressive construction for a variety of room types, he told a crowd at the Hospitality Design Expo and Conference. The expo brought about 17,500 people to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Golden Knights fever is gripping Las Vegas as the second round of the NHL playoffs continue. Longtime observers of the local sports scene are comparing to the team’s popularity to that of the UNLV basketball team during its heyday. It has been 27 years since UNLV last played in the Final Four. Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was only 5 years old when the Rebels beat Duke to win the 1990 national championship. “You’d go to the bank, and everybody would ask how the Rebels were going to do against Oklahoma, against LSU. I think what is happening (with the Knights) is similar. The most important part is that it is uniting the community like UNLV basketball did.”
Las Vegas beat Silverado 6-4 on Wednesday, but it was far from easy. The Wildcats took a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but Silverado fought back. The Skyhawks scored four in the frame, and loaded the bases before Las Vegas escaped. Las Vegas induced a double play in the seventh to take home the win in the regular season finale. Kevin Verduzco led the way by scoring three of the Wildcats’ runs. Las Vegas improved to 16-3 (9-11 Sunrise League). Silverado dropped to 11-17-1, 8-12.
Las Vegas’ Spencer Gallagher was suspended by NASCAR Wednesday for violating its substance abuse problem. It happened three days after Gallagher posted his first Xfinity Series victory, at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. The 28-year-old Las Vegan has agreed to participate in NASCAR’s Road to Recovery Program. If he is cleared to race in 2018, he will not receive a waiver to compete in the Xfinity playoffs, despite winning last weekend. I would like to say that I am sorry to all of the GMS organization for my actions, especially my team and team owner (father Maury Gallagher), who have worked so hard this year and have put faith in me. I also want to apologize to NASCAR, Chevrolet and my fans for letting them down. I have not upheld the behavior that is expected of me.
Mount Charleston saw a rare may snowfall on Tuesday, as lightning flashed and thunderstorms pelted parts of the Las Vegas Valley.
An early Tuesday morning rollover accident in North Las Vegas left a 48-year-old man dead. A Chevrolet pickup was heading west on the 215 Beltway when it left the highway and crashed near Losee Road. A Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman said weather might have played a role in the crash. The driver, who was the only person in the truck, was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected.
