May 2005
Southwest Spirit: Retro & Right Now
By Elaine Glusac
In honor of its centennial birthday, we set out to do a story on the best of Vegas “then and now.” You know, heyday versus today. But then we realized something—it’s not one or the other. Much of the best of both worlds still exists (albeit on DVD in some cases). So here you go, what always has been—and still is—great about Vegas.
Retro: Bingo
Right Now: Baccarat
Retro: The 99-cent shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate Hotel
Right Now: The $21 tartare of ahi tuna at Michael Mina
Retro: Ocean’s 11, the 1960 original
Right Now: Ocean’s 12
Retro: The “Scorpion” cocktail at Peppermill Fireside Lounge
Right Now: The blue “Pure-tini” at Pure in
Retro: Clint Holmes, the last of the song and dance men on the Strip
Right Now: Permanent Broadway refugees including “Mamma Mia!” Coming soon: “Avenue Q,” “Hairspray” and “Phantom of the Opera”
Retro: Celebrity gangsters such as Benjamin “Bugsy” Malone
Right Now: Celebrity chefs such as Alain Ducasse (Mix)
Retro: Playing the ponies in the sports book
Right Now: Camping out during the NCAA tourney at the sports book
Retro: Casino lounges such the Stardust’s Starlight Lounge serving Scotch on the rocks
Right Now: Ubër lounges such MGM’s Tabu serving up sound-and-light spectacles and champagne cocktails
Retro: The Little White Wedding Chapel
Right Now: Weddings atop the
Retro: Vintage Vegas postcards at Bonanza Gifts Shop, the “World’s Largest Gift Shop”
Right Now: Versace jeans at the Forum Shops
Retro: Poker
Right Now: Poker
Retro: The circa 1959 headdress-happy “” at the Tropicana
Right Now: The most-expensive-theater-production-ever, “Ka” from Cirque du Soleil
Retro: Drying out by the pool the morning after
Right Now: Repairing night-before damage at the Canyon Ranch Spa
Retro: The
Right Now:
Retro: Cheap, bare bones rooms
Right Now: Skylofts at the MGM Grand: two-story windows, custom Bang & Olufsen equipment and a steam room with a view of the Vegas skyline
Retro: Elvis singing “Viva Las Vegas” in 1964
Right Now: Dennis Hopper chairing CineVegas film festival in 2005
Retro: No room and board, 24-hour gaming: Slots-A-Fun
Right Now: Room and board, no gaming: The Four Seasons
Retro: The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada” sign
Right Now: www.vegas.com
Retro: The 1966 Aladdin’s Lamp hotel neon sign on
Right Now: Hotelier Steve Wynn’s neon signature atop the 2005 Wynn Las Vegas
Retro: Cruising the Strip in a 1965 Cobra
Right Now: Cruising the Strip in a Mini Cooper S convertible
Contact info for Vegas Retro & Right Now
Bonanaza Gifts Shop: 702-385-7359
Canyon Ranch: 702-414-3600, www.venetian.com
CineVegas: 702-992-7979, www.cinevegas.com
Folies Bergere: 702-736-2411, www.tropicanalv.com
Forum Shops: 702-893-4800, www.caesars.com
Four Seasons
Golden Gate Hotel: 702-385-1906, www.goldengatecasino.net
Ka: 877-264-1844, www.cirquedusoleil.com
Mamma Mia! at
MGM Skylofts: www.skyloftsmgmgrand.com, 877-656-5638
Michael Mina: 877-234-6358, www.bellagio.com
Mix, 877-632-1766
Paris Las Vegas, www.caesars.com/paris, 877-796-2096
Peppermill Fireside Lounge: 702-735-4177
Pure: 702-212-8806
Rent-a-Vette: 800-372-1981, www.exoticcarrentalslasvegas.com
Slots-A-Fun: 702-734-0410
Tabu: 702-891-7138, www.mgmgrand.com
The Little White Wedding Chapel: 702-382-5943, www.alittlewhitechapel.com
Versace Jeans Couture: 702-796-7332
Westin Casuarina: 702-836-9775, www.westin.com
Wynn Las Vegas, www.wynnlasvegas.com, 702-770-7100