Published Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 | 1:42 p.m.
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There’s no lack of stories about Las Vegas in the world press, thanks in part to daily email blasts from distributors of travel and tourism stories. Take, for instance, eTurboNews, which aggregates and emails stories to more than 250,000 journalists worldwide.
Among the stories it cited this week: a piece from Australia’s Skynews about how customers of Machine Guns Vegas can “shoot weapons like those used in the raid to kill Osama bin Laden.”
The story quotes a Brit vacationing in Las Vegas who fired a revolver, a shotgun and two machine guns, who said, “It’s (a) great experience, part of going to Vegas, going to the desert, good fun but very strange.”
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Lest you think the Westin Lake Las Vegas wasn’t prepared for any request from its VIP guest this week, consider this:
The resort had a basketball court draped for President Barack Obama’s privacy and protection, just in case the nation’s most famous street-baller decided to shoot some hoops while he was in town to prepare for his debate with Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
The White House spokesman said he didn’t think basketball was on the president’s agenda, but, of course, better safe than sorry.
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For those of us who live in another sports world, the World Adult Kickball Association will host its 15th annual championships Friday through Sunday at Desert Breeze Park, at Durango Drive and Spring Mountain Road.
The sport has matured significantly since the days Mr. Sun kicked the super-bouncy ball on a school playground. Over 55 teams nationwide are expected to participate; the association also has teams playing in London and Iraq. So, why can’t we settle things with a little kickball?
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The famed Republican donor and Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO is, of course, Sheldon G. Adelson — “G” standing for Gary.
Well, except for around the office.
“With Sheldon, it’s ‘G’ for ‘growth,’ ” Las Vegas Sands Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Kay told analysts at G2E this week.
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By some standards, the perfect Las Vegas day — a little bit of God, a little bit of gambling — as defined on this Facebook status update:
“Grocery shopping done, went to church, placing my bets now, then oil change, car wash and the rest of the day watching NFL with the Giants vs. Eagles to finish my night. Love Sundays.”
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One person’s drunk is another person’s role model.
Witness the woman who was swaying under obvious intoxication as her high heel caught in the escalator at the Cosmopolitan, sending her toppling head first at the lower landing. Casino staff rushed to her assistance as she struggled to right herself.
She looked around, brushed herself off, her short skirt staying glued to the top of her thigh and never riding up to cause her further exposure.
A group of women, in equally short skirts, had been watching as they rode the escalator up toward the Marquee nighclub.
“My goal tonight,” one of the women yelled about the stranger who had fallen, “is to end up like that.”
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It’s great sport among Las Vegas old-timers, calling out factual flaws in “Vegas,” the CBS show memorializing the career of Sheriff Ralph Lamb back in the rough-and-tumble 1960s.
Calling out the distorted Fremont Street is too easy. No points there.
Among the more subtle gotchas: The Bonanza Airlines plane that landed at the airport was, on TV, a four-engine aircraft. Back in the day, Bonanza flew only double-prop aircraft before transitioning to jet aircraft.
And there was another made-for-TV accommodation in the opening scene, where the aircraft rumbled low over Lamb’s ranch, scattering the sheriff’s cattle, as it came in for a landing. The annoyed sheriff rode hard to the airport and, as the passengers were unloaded, scolded the manager for allowing the plane to use the wrong approach.
In real life? Lamb's 12-acre ranch was off Ann Road near Lone Mountain in the northwest valley, more than 15 miles from the airport as the horse gallops. But he said there was some truth to aircraft spooking his cattle and horses: Military aircraft buzzed low over the family ranch at Alamo, some 80 miles north of Las Vegas. "They were jets flying out of Area 51," he said, "and they'd fly so fast and low, they'd suck the dirt right off the ground."
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas dares to be different. From the hotel’s red reservations desks to fine art found throughout the resort, The Cosmopolitan’s signature style is helping to pave its own path on the Las Vegas Strip.
Upon entering the resort, you’re greeted by pillars of video boards playing video art by Digital Kitchen and David Rockwell Studio exclusively produced for The Cosmopolitan. Just beyond that, you’ll find all your favorite casino games on the resort’s 100,000-square-foot casino floor.
The Cosmopolitan’s rooms standout as the resort’s most unique feature. About 2,220 of The Cosmopolitan’s 2,995 rooms have 6-foot deep terraces that span the length of the room, a first at a modern Strip hotel. Other in-room amenities include soaking tubs, kitchenettes and quirky accessories like artsy coffee table books.
The dining experience at The Cosmopolitan isn’t something you’ll find at other Strip resorts, either. All of The Cosmopolitan’s 13 restaurateurs are new to the Las Vegas market. You’ll find American steakhouse fare in a modern setting at STK, top-notch sushi at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill and the freshest fish flown in from the Mediterranean daily at Estiatorio Milos.
Whether the sun is up or down, Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub is the place to find the party at The Cosmopolitan. The venue is a dayclub/nightclub, complete with a pool and cabanas outside and three different rooms with three different vibes inside.
If nightclubs aren’t your thing, you can grab a drink at one of The Cosmopolitan’s five other bars, like The Chandelier, which is encased in 2 million dripping crystals.
If you’ve seen or overheard something that caught your fancy, a slice of Las Vegas life, email [email protected].
CORRECTION: This column has been updated to correctly place Ralph Lamb's ranch in the northwest valley and to add that he encountered low-flying military aircraft at the family ranch at Alamo. | (October 4, 2012)
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