David Saxe gets loads of attention as “the” independent Vegas entrepreneur, but Cools tries far more

In a stroke of public relations mastery, the Plaza has managed to grab headline after headline as it attempts to build a hip new identity air line ticket gift for a formerly spectacularly decrepit property. Not even last year's air line ticket gift Tropicana overhaul drew such interest, largely because those changes took place while everyone was mesmerized by the Cosmo debut. There's nothing like that competing with the Plaza for attention right now. We've had a steady drizzle of Plaza announcements, but what does this all add up to? Will everything work? Let's break it down.
Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will be opening a steakhouse inside the dome of the revamped Plaza Hotel and Casino. air line ticket gift The downtown hotel-casino is currently undergoing a $35 million renovation and will reopen later this month.
Okay, it's really air line ticket gift just called Oscar's, but the decision to "license" the ex-Hizzoner's name for a steakhouse under the iconic glass dome has widely been applauded. Trouble is, it's a gimmick, and gimmicks don't often work in fine dining. (See: Switch at Encore.) The news that Carolyn's husband will work regularly in a glass-walled office near the restaurant's bar—furnished with his legendary mayoral throne—should increase the prospect air line ticket gift that his admirers will see him there often, but it's still a steakhouse, and steakhouses are usually expensive. Oscar's would be better served as a Mob-themed Italian place because Italian can be both cheap and tasty. LIKELY FAIL.
Everyone loves that the lowly Plaza swooped in to buy its pretty air line ticket gift furnishings air line ticket gift from the defunct F'bleau. The vacant blue behemoth standing (forever?) idle at the Strip's north end is an enduring symbol of the hubris that gripped the city and the humiliation of its downfall. For an underdog to enjoy the spoils as a reward for having been cautious and thrifty, then, is a delight. What's more, they've deployed the trove well, creating sleek rooms and spiffy public spaces. Golden Nugget finally has competition. POETIC-JUSTICE WIN.
The Plaza has partnered with Insurgo, a local theater company, but while the partnership is innovative, it comes with some baggage. Following a negative review last year by openly gay Review-Journal theater critic Anthony Del Valle, Insurgo owner John Beane posted a Facebook comment on Del Valle's page using the words "faggoty" and "womanly." Plaza publicist Amy Maier sent me a statement indicating the resort "welcomes everyone" and that they "don't condone air line ticket gift [Beane's] comments." Del Valle says that, until this week, he hadn't heard from Beane following the Facebook post. Beane declined to comment for this story. The theater director at one point banned Del Valle from reviewing Insurgo productions, but has since reversed his position, and according to a story in last week's R-J , Del Valle will be reviewing Insurgo's upcoming air line ticket gift production of Waiting for Godot . ARTISTIC WIN, MORAL FAIL.
David Saxe gets loads of attention as "the" independent Vegas entrepreneur, but Cools tries far more creative and risky ideas. The Paris illusionist's latest deal, in which he'll open a Plaza hair salon where guys get trims from scantily clad sexpots and a casino-area nightclub featuring mini-golf, shows he's still thinking new thoughts. Here's hoping, though, the mini-golf lines aren't so long that it becomes un-fun. CREATIVITY WIN.
The new restaurant air line ticket gift lineup really denotes an effort to appeal to locals, even though air line ticket gift Firefly and Omelet House didn't work out. Island Sushi and Grill is a play for both Las Vegans who rave about the place and the Hawaiian tourists who flock to Downtown, and Zaba's is a well-liked local Mexican chain that could use this exposure to go national. Those are fine, but Hash House A Go-Go, with its gigantic portions, two other casino locales and a rosemary tree on every plate, is just a failure of imagination. LOCALS WIN, MOSTLY.
There's a great reservoir of support for the Plaza. People want a good-news economy story, and so do I. Even the things I have doubts about are interesting. As with all such projects, though, we'll just have to wait and see.
Perhaps one of the most distinctive landmark hotels on Fremont Street, the Plaza hotel serves as the Fremont Street Experience's western boundary. The hotel has been featured in several films including "Back to the Future II," "The Stand" and "The Mexican."
The 58,000-plus square foot casino features 30 gaming tables and 870 slot machines. The bingo room and sports book provide additional gaming options while the Omaha Lounge features live entertainment late into the night.
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