Amanda Finnegan

Story Archive

3 to be inducted into Nevada Business Hall of Fame: Phil Satre, Donald Snyder, Barbara Greenspun to be honored among state's business greats; Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011; Three prominent business leaders will be inducted tonight into the Nevada Business Hall of Fame for their contributions to the state.
Valentine's Day by the numbers: Las Vegas gets in the mood for love: Monday, Feb. 14, 2011; Ahh, Valentine's Day. It's a day to celebrate the one we love -- and break the bank on overpriced gifts to let them know it. In a city known for overindulgence, Valentine's Day becomes even more indulgent.
Ravella hotel puts contemporary twist on former Ritz-Carlton: Friday, Feb. 11, 2011; When guests start checking into the new Ravella hotel today, they’ll find much of the Italian-inspired décor of the old Ritz-Carlton but with some more contemporary flourishes. The shuttered resort — the Ritz-Carlton closed in May — has been given a second chance with the opening of Ravella at Lake Las Vegas.
Local design firm mobs up an El Cortez room: Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011; When your hotel’s former owners include a roster of colorful mob bosses like Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky, ignoring the past is practically sinful.
Survey says Las Vegas third-sexiest city in America: Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011; We’ve got scantily clad women dancing on blackjack tables, topless shows and nightclubs full of short, sequined dresses, but Las Vegas isn’t sexy enough — at least not according to one travel website.
Silk Road restaurant to close, grocery store to open at CityCenter's Vdara: Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011; The Vdara hotel-condo tower at CityCenter is closing its only restaurant in light of a small grocery store opening at the property.
Super Bowl, Chinese New Year align for big weekend: Crowds, spending expected to be up this year compared to 2010; Friday, Feb. 4, 2011; Two of city’s most popular events — the start of Chinese New Year and the Super Bowl — will collide this weekend, bringing thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to Las Vegas.
Mob-themed 'Big Sleep' suite wins El Cortez design contest: Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011; A design that used the El Cortez's mob ties has won the property's Design-A-Suite contest.
Casinos rolling out the red carpet for Chinese New Year: Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011; It’s the time of year when red and gold lanterns adorn Strip casino ceilings and citrus trees line hotel lobbies. It isn’t your typical New Year’s décor but a sign that Las Vegas is ready to usher in another round of celebrations — and one of its most profitable periods of the year. The Chinese New Year officially begins today, bringing thousands of domestic and international tourists to Las Vegas and injecting million of dollars into the city’s economy.
El Cortez aims at younger downtown crowd with revamped suites: Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011; High above the casino floor where customers are tethered to the slot machines, the El Cortez has spent months revamping its hotel to attract the young, hipster crowd finding its way to the new downtown.
70-year-old El Cortez aims at younger downtown crowd with revamped suites: Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011; High above the casino floor where customers are tethered to the slot machines, the El Cortez has spent months revamping its hotel to attract the young, hipster crowd finding its way to the new downtown.
MGM announces plans for company's first hotel in India: Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011; MGM Hospitality, a division of MGM Resorts International, announced today it has signed an agreement to operate the company’s first hotel in India.
Details released on new Chateau nightclub at Paris Las Vegas: Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011; New details were released today about the Strip's newest megaclub, Chateau Nightclub and Gardens at Paris Las Vegas.
Las Vegas tops list of best cities to buy a home vs. rent, report says: Monday, Jan. 24, 2011; Las Vegas ranks among the top cities where buying a home is more affordable than renting, according to a report today from Trulia.com.
$8.5 million renovation a first for Primm Valley casinos: Two of 3 resorts will see enhancements purchased at discount prices; Monday, Jan. 24, 2011; In a resort about 40 miles from the Las Vegas Strip sits a hotel room filled with sleek and modern remnants of the shuttered Fontainebleau project. If not for a painting on the wall of a horse grazing by a mountainside, for a moment, you’d almost forget you were inside Buffalo Bill’s at Primm Valley Resorts.
Woman hits $12.7 million Megabucks jackpot at CityCenter's Aria: Friday, Jan. 21, 2011; A gambler at a Strip casino turned $6 into more than $12.7 million when she hit the Megabucks Jackpot at Aria on Friday afternoon. The gambler, who wished to remain anonymous, was visiting Las Vegas for her niece’s birthday when she hit the jackpot.
Zappos at No. 6 on Fortune's 'Best Companies to Work For' list: Friday, Jan. 21, 2011; Henderson-based online retailer Zappos.com once again took one of the top spots on the coveted Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list.
Starbucks hopes Nevadans can digest new 31-ounce drink: Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011; The city of excess just got a little more excessive, thanks to Starbucks' new nearly quart-sized cup. The coffee shop chain launched its 31-ounce Trenta cup in 14 states Tuesday, including Nevada. Trenta will cost about 50 cents more than its former king cup, the 20-ounce Venti.
Stratosphere undergoes $20 million renovation: Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011; Straddling the Strip and downtown, the Stratosphere has long toed the line between an Old Vegas resort and a modern mid-level hotel. Its Top of the World restaurant with its pricey steaks speaks of a luxury resort, but its rides atop its tower say family fun on a budget.
MGM Resorts launches M Life rewards program, will track nongaming spending: Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011; MGM Resorts International launched its M Life rewards program Tuesday, allowing members to not only accumulate rewards on gambling, but also their total resort stay.
Las Vegas records ninth straight month of visitor increases: Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011; November brought Las Vegas its ninth consecutive month of increases in visitation, according to numbers released today.
Verizon makes iPhone announcement days after leaving CES stage: Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011; Just days after Verizon packed up its booth at the 2011 Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, the company made its much anticipated and highly speculated iPhone announcement today.
Caesars Entertainment extends PetStay program to 8 Las Vegas resorts: Monday, Jan. 10, 2011; Caesars Entertainment is extending its dog-friendly program to five more of its Las Vegas hotels, the company announced today.
Attendance increase, innovations spark 'sense of recovery' at CES: Monday, Jan. 10, 2011; The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show was packed with innovation, the latest in gadgetry and thousands more visitors than the convention has seen in recent years. If there’s any indication that Las Vegas convention attendance is returning to its pre-recession glory, one of the city's largest annual conventions might be it.
Xoom tablet takes top honors at CES: Other top picks include Razer Switchblade and Toyota Entune; Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011; Motorola’s Xoom tablet picked up the Best in Show award Saturday morning during the CNET Best of CES 2011 awards at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Finalists named for year's hottest products at CES: Friday, Jan. 7, 2011; Envelope, please. On Friday, tech website CNET announced the finalists for the Best of CES 2011, the official awards for the hottest products at the Consumer Electronics Show. The winners will be announced Saturday morning.
Ford unveils electric car at CES set for launch this year: Friday, Jan. 7, 2011; Ford Motor Company unveiled its first-ever zero emissions, electric passenger vehicle during Friday’s keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally presented Ford’s electric Focus, which he claims charges faster and gets better mileage than its competitors. "We know that many customers are excited to drive an electric vehicle and never visit a fuel station again," Mulally said. The car's price wasn't discussed.
Lady Gaga unveils new Polaroid product line: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011; Lady Gaga fans and curious conventioneers flocked to the Polaroid booth at the Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday to see the eccentric performer and her new product line for the camera company. Polaroid’s Grey Label line, which the company says Lady Gaga had creative control over, includes a portable photo printer, a pair of camera glasses and the rebirth of Polaroid’s instant camera.
CES giving locals a chance to see show floor on Sunday: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011; Las Vegas locals wanting a glimpse inside one of the city’s largest conventions will get their chance on Sunday.
Verizon unveils Xoom tablet running Android 3.0 at CES: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011; Verizon, Google and Motorola executives kicked off the official start of the Consumer Electronics Show and this year’s tablet craze with a product and partnership of their own to compete with Apple’s iPad.
Microsoft CEO's speech marked by what isn't said: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011; What was most notable about Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s keynote address Wednesday night was not what he announced, but what he didn’t. Ballmer kicked off the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show with a handful of small announcements, but they weren’t the major product releases some anticipated.
CES, adult conventions send Las Vegas hotel room rates soaring: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011; Two of Las Vegas’ largest annual conventions — the Consumer Electronics Show and Adult Entertainment Expo — are scheduled to open today and have given Strip room rates a major boost for the weekend.
Electronics sales projected to hit nearly $1 trillion: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011; Electronics sales are expected to near $1 trillion this year, Consumer Electronics Association analysts said Tuesday, two days before its annual convention opens in Las Vegas.
CES ready to open; this year's hot gadget is...: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011; The 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show won’t officially begin until Thursday, but Las Vegas convention halls are abuzz with talk of products to be unveiled later in the week.
What the tech world is saying about this year's CES: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011; Gadget lovers, rejoice. The high holy week in technology is upon us once again.
Las Vegas Strip crowds brave winter's chill for New Year's Eve celebration: Friday, Dec. 31, 2010; As yellows, purples and reds burst through the night sky, more than 300,000 New Year’s revelers packed Las Vegas to usher in a year many hope will be better than the last. Partiers stood jammed together along the Strip at midnight, eyes gazing up to watch the fireworks.
Notable Nevadans share New Year's resolutions, hopes for a brighter 2011: Friday, Dec. 31, 2010; New Year’s Eve is about looking forward to the new year and making a few self-improvements along the way. And like many others in the Las Vegas Valley, notable residents have their own set of changes they hope to achieve in 2011.
320,000 revelers expected to ring in new year in Las Vegas: Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010; Bolstered by a big fight this weekend, Las Vegas is gearing up to host 320,000 New Year's Eve revelers who are expected to drop $177 million while they are here — not including gambling.
Las Vegas expecting a bigger holiday crowd this year: Number of visitors expected to be up 4.4 percent from last year; Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010; While many people are staying close to home for the holiday, thousands of travelers are making Las Vegas their destination for the Christmas weekend.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority expects about 260,000 visitors over the holiday weekend, up 4.4 percent from 249,000 visitors during the same weekend last year.
Cloud Nine balloon ride on Strip closes: Friday, Dec. 17, 2010; The Cloud Nine balloon attraction across from Mandalay Bay on the Strip has permanently closed after more than a year of operation, according to the attraction's website.
New Year's Eve fireworks shows to dazzle Las Vegas Strip for 12th consecutive year: 310,000 visitors expected during New Year’s Eve weekend celebrations; Friday, Dec. 17, 2010; There’s still two weeks left until New Year’s Eve, but pyrotechnics are already busy atop Strip rooftops to preparing to light of the Las Vegas sky. Officials from Las Vegas Events and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority promised their most elaborate show yet during a press conference Friday.
Cosmopolitan throws open doors to public right on time: Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010; The $3.9 billion Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas opened its doors Wednesday night, giving the public its first glimpse inside the Strip’s newest resort — and the last to emerge from Las Vegas’ construction boom years.
Cosmopolitan cuts ribbon to mark 'beginning of a new era': Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010; Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas executives on Wednesday cut the ribbon on the $3.9 billion resort. Resort executives and partners marked the occasion in front of one of Cosmopolitan's signature spaces: the David Rockwell-designed Chandelier Bar, a three-tiered bar, dripping with more than 2 million crystals.
Cosmopolitan prepared to take its place on the Las Vegas Strip tonight: Las Vegas' newest hotel-casino opens its doors to public at 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010; The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas first piqued curiosity when it sent a horde of furry, little animals through the resort in its national TV ad campaign. Tonight, curious travelers will get to discover what the resort is really all about when Deutsche Bank’s $3.9 billion Cosmopolitan opens its doors.
Comedian Frank Caliendo to leave Monte Carlo: Friday, Dec. 10, 2010; Comedian Frank Caliendo announced today that he will be ending his run at the Monte Carlo after more than a year as one of the resort’s headliners. Caliendo said he wants “to focus on family and other projects.”
H&M's Vegas takeover ready to begin: Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010; The Swedish retailer's largest shop worldwide opens this weekend. Brace yourself.
World's largest H&M store will open Saturday in Las Vegas: Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010; The largest H&M store in the world is scheduled to open Saturday on the Las Vegas Strip. The Swedish clothing retailer will open its doors in the recently closed FAO Schwarz location.
Las Vegas hooker-turned-crusader gets own reality show: Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010; A short vacation to Hawaii with a friend who introduced her to the call girl lifestyle quickly changed Annie Lobert’s life from a suburban Minnesota girl to high-priced escort for nearly 16 years.
Mandarin Oriental offers third night free to mark anniversary: Monday, Dec. 6, 2010; Mandarin Oriental, one of the Strip’s priciest hotels, is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a third-night-free deal.
Mob Experience at Tropicana plans job fair to find 75 workers: Monday, Dec. 6, 2010; The Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana is looking to fill 75 positions before its opening in a few weeks. The attraction will be hosting a job fair Tuesday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Tiffany Theater Showroom at the Tropicana.