Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 12)

Reinhold Schmitt
ISA-GUIDE Chefredakteur (V.i.S.d.P.)
E-Mail: info@isa-guide.de


(rs) The head-word of today is „Fremont Experience“. Under this notion is the area between Vegas Boulevard and Main Street to be understood, the zone in where there is one Casino Hotel after the other that is generally named Downtown, Las Vegas. In order to give this Casinos-mile a new appearance the proprietors were deciding equally to let these 5 blocks at Glitter Gulch be permanently automobile-free. A cupola about 30 meters over the ground consists of around 2 Million light bulbs and a sound-system has been built of 540.000 Watt output-performance.

This project that is called „Fremont Street Experience“ should be bringing the tourists back again to the place, where once everything had began. In 1995 this High-Tech-Project has been finished and was representing a co-operation between 11 Downtown Hotels and the City of Las Vegas. The Casinos were the Binion’s Horseshoe, El Cortez, Fitzgerald’s, Golden Nugget, California Hotel, Fremont, Golden Gate, The Plaza, Las Vegas Club, Main-street Station and the Four Queens took over the financing through the hotel’s taxes and simultaneously by the means of traffic fees the City of Las Vegas were financing the costs of the new traffic-regulation. The costs for the use, the Laser- and Lightshow as well as the programming and the sound spectacle are paid by the Partner-Hotels proportionately. The program alters every hour and is of a mixture of lightshow, music and film. One show lasts about 5-8 Minutes and is something of most well-worth a visit of what Las Vegas has to offer. In the Fitzgerald Hotel on the higher floor visitors can get free Souvenir-Posters. A wonderful memory for bring back home.

The aim of this effort, as said, to get the tourists back again to the Downtown and to revive this City’s core. Downtown, Las Vegas, had in the past years unbelievable difficulties to cope with the alterations at the Strip. A new super-hotel after the other has been built and was attracting the visitors in droves. With the project „Fremont Experience“ this try should be managed. Until today the area that is called by natives also „Street of dreams“, made up quite well. Safety stuff is patrolling on bicycles and ensure so that one could move secured and frankly down there. 2 years ago there has been a further project completed nearby the „Fremont Experience“. Neonopolis: A complex completely without any Casino, but full with entertaining establishments, Bars, Restaurants and a Multi-Theatre-Cinema, besides some shops and an Arcade.

Downtown, Las Vegas, is reached by the visitor the best way on bus or by the taxi. The Hotels usually have a parking garage available, but is not anymore sufficient. It can happen to you there, and that is for Las Vegas highly unusual that there is NO PARKINGSPACE left. And many hotels are collecting parking fees for long-term parking. Alternatively the Budget-Tourist can use the Casino Valet. With 1 Dollar services‘ tip for the Valet-Boy’s Pick-Up one can even safe a few Dollars, that one could put in the Slot-machine and have so at least a little fun for its money, instead of paying for parking.

Whereas we were approaching the year 2000, it became all the more difficult to find even something better, newer, greater, the more expensive. The Bellagio Hotel, which was put up there, were once the Dunes Hotel stood, is regarded still until today as the most beautiful and expensive Hotel and Casino of the world. For 1.25 Billion Dollar there has been a hotel built that won’t be to overbid in class and elegance anymore. Consisting out of a 35-floors and 3-wings the Hotel complex with 3.000 rooms in total should have the North-Italian village Bellagio pattern as theme, which is adjacent to the Lago di Como. O.k. the sea, in front of the Bellagio extra has been set up doesn’t correspond totally to its origin from Italy, but the Water-Show is amazing. When at nights the lights are turned off and the music resounds with, while the water fountains are shooting in the height, then Las Vegas stands for an instance still. Hundreds of onlookers are hemming the scenery, even the traffic rolls slower by the impressed drivers. It is probably one of the spectacles that make Las Vegas unique on earth, and that is why every year millions of tourists travel ever again there, to experience things that are else in world not to find.

The „Bellagio Hotel and Casino“, which has been completed under the flagship company „Mirage Resorts“ and was later merging with the MGM group to „MGM Mirage Resorts“, is still until today probably the most beautiful in the world and in any regard a good Casino. As the only hotel the Bellagio has been awarded with the Triple Diamond, the highest grade in casino-businesses ever been given. In every restroom there is permanently one clerk, who is anxious about tidiness. Security stuff are welcoming the guests, even in the entrance drive way to the parking decks are the security stuff standing around the clock and check the cars. Since the 11th September is America warned that it could at any time and every where happen again. Even that the security services mark up more presence, as they could possibly take notice when unpleased guests intend to visit the Casino, however it shows that there are at the Bellagio and also in other Casinos of the „MGM Mirage Group“ highest requests in Top Customer Service. Originally the Bellagio should be just for guests over 18 years, but this regulation has been abandoned. Elegance and class have however its price. The hotel’s overnight stays in the Bellagio are rather in the upmarket-price range. 200-300 USD per night should be calculated per night. For the High Roller however the free suites are available. At the gambling tables? Well, who is surprised that in the Bellagio there are tables with 1.000 Dollar Minimum Bet in Black Jack, should first of all go to the High Limit area, when there it is being played at the Baccarat tables with 50.000 Dollar Chips. Or in the High Limit Slot Area, where one can bid on 500 Dollar each game or more, where it has chocolate-coated strawberries or fresh melons and pineapples for the gamblers‘ refreshment. Then to these Super-Hotels comes the true worth fully to prestige. But no panic, also for the regular gambler, who wishes to loose just a few Dollars there is enough choice. There are hundreds of gambling tables ready, with the Limit of 5 Dollar and and also Slot-machines, on which one can risk just 5 Cents each game – quasi for everybody his own choice.

A completely different market segment consists of those Casinos that are distributed all over the world. About this concept and the fabulous success of Station Casinos and the Coast-Group You can find out more the next time.

See also:
New reports: Gambling in Las Vegas
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 1)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 2)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 3)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 4)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 5)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 6)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 7)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 8)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 9)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 10)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 11)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 13)
Historical Review Las Vegas (Part 14 – End)

Walk through Las Vegas