Mindfreak

Criss Angel levitates a woman in Las Vegas. For more information about Las Vegas shows, visit www.vegasareaguide.com.

Las Vegas Spring 2008 Events

Monster Jam World Finals
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada
March 29, 2008
The ultimate monster truck competition of the year takes place each March at Sam Boyd Stadium and features the some of the best drivers in the sport.

Monster Jam World Finals Video

Las Vegas Prepares for 2008 NASCAR Weekend

Race fans of all ages will descend upon the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for 2008 NASCAR Weekend, a spectacular weekend of racing that starts with qualifying on Friday, February 29, followed by the Sam’s Town 300 on Saturday, March 1 and the UAW-Dodge 400 NASCAR Spring Cup Series on Sunday, March 2. 

40 Things You Didn’t Know About Las Vegas

• In 1931, Nevada became the first state to legalize casinos statewide.
• The Hotel El Rancho Vegas opened in 1941 as the first full-scale casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
• Legendary gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel founded the original Flamingo Hotel in 1946. Siegel was murdered the following year.
• Las Vegas hosted a record 38.9 million visitors in 2006.
• Gaming revenue in Las Vegas amounted to approximately $6.6 billion in 2006.
• The Las Vegas area currently boasts approximately 133,000 hotel and motel rooms.
• Las Vegas average 320 days of sun and just 4.19 inches of rainfall annually.
• Opened in 1959, the Folies Bergere at the Tropicana is the longest-running show in Las Vegas.
• Several classic movies have been filmed Las Vegas such as The Godfather, Part 2, Casino, Diamonds are Forever, Rain Man and Leaving Las Vegas.
• The high-tech Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas features 2.1-million lights and 550,000 watts of concert sound.
• Rising 1,149 feet, the Stratosphere Tower is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States and the tallest building West of the Mississippi.
• The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park contains remnants of Las Vegas’ first settlement, which was founded by the Mormons in 1855.
• In 1925, Fremont Street became the first paved street in Las Vegas.
• Las Vegas is home to both the “world’s largest gambling superstore” (Gamblers General Store) and the “world’s largest gift shop” (Bonanza Gifts).
• The Las Vegas 51s, a Triple A minor league baseball affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was named after the nearby “Area 51,” a secret U.S. government base that has been rife with UFO sightings over the years.
• First opened in 1959, the Las Vegas Convention Center has evolved over the years into a state-of-the-art, 3.2 million square foot facility.
• Reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes purchased the Desert Inn in 1967 and later bought the New Frontier, Landmark, Sands, Silver Slipper and Castaways.
• The Manhattan Express, a Coney Island-style roller coaster that reaches speeds up to 67 miles per hour and heights of 203 feet (along with a 144-foot drop!).
• The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art houses an outstanding collection of paintings and sculptures from such renowned artists as Rembrandt, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Picasso.
• In 2006, more than 46 million passengers passed through McCarran International Airport, which ranks as the sixth busiest airport in North America.
• Ron Lee’s World of Clowns, which boasts one of the world’s finest collections of Limited Edition clown and animation figurines, as well as a wealth of rare clown memorabilia.
• Adventuredome at the Circus-Circus is billed as “the world’s largest indoor amusement park!”
• One of the few indoor skydiving facilities in the country, Flyaway Indoor Skydiving offers a vertical wind tunnel that generates wind up to 115 miles per hour, providing all of the thrills of actual skydiving.
• The Fiesta Hotel & Casino – Rancho is the self-proclaimed “Royal Flush Capital of the World.”
• Las Vegas annual events include the Monster Jam World Finals, World Series of Poker, CineVegas and Professional Bull Riders World Finals, among many others.
•  ”Mr. Las Vegas,” Wayne Newton, has performed in Las Vegas well over 25,000 times.
• Cirque du Soleil currently boasts five Las Vegas shows: LOVE, Ka, Zumanity, “O” and Mystere.
• The 34-story Fitzgeralds Casino & Hotel is the tallest hotel in downtown Las Vegas.
• Billed as “ Las Vegas’ most historic hotel/casino,” the historic Golden Gate Hotel & Casino first opened its doors in 1906!
• The Sahara Hotel & Casino features Speed – The Ride is a state-of-the-art roller coaster reaches speeds of 70 miles per hour and reaches heights up to 224 feet.
• Old Nevada, a replica of an 1880’s mining town, is located at 115-acre Bonnie Springs Ranch, which lies 30 minutes from Las Vegas.
• Located approximately 10.5 miles West of Las Vegas, Summerlin is a planned community built by The Howard Hughes Corporation and named after Hughes’ grandmother.
• Held in Las Vegas each January, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) draws more than 140,000 people.
• A National Historic Landmark, the Hoover Dam, which was completed in 1936, weighs more than 6,600,000 tons and is 726.4 feet tall.
• Las Vegas is home to the world’s largest Harley-Davidson store.
• The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort lies within the Lee Canyon Ski Area and boasts an elevation of 9,510 feet and a 1,000-foot vertical drop.
• Opened in 1940, Wee Kirk O’ the Heather is the oldest continually operating wedding chapel in Las Vegas.
• Nevada ’s largest and oldest state park, Valley of Fire, comprises 34,880 acres and was dedicated in 1935.
• The award-winning Bali Hai Golf Club is the only Las Vegas golf course located directly on the Las Vegas Strip.
• The Wynn Las Vegas is the only casino resort in the world to have the AAA 5 Diamond and Mobil 5 Star ratings.

For more information about Las Vegas, visit www.vegasareaguide.com.

Las Vegas: The Ideal Golf Weekend Getaway

Combine world-class entertainment and nonstop gaming action with an abundance of championship-caliber golf courses and you have all the ingredients for an ideal golf weekend getaway in Las Vegas - “The Entertainment Capital of the World.”

Whether you are a beginner who wants to take lessons at one of the area’s renowned golf academies or a more experienced golfer who seeks new challenges, you will find a golf course in the Las Vegas area to meet your specific needs. Las Vegas golf courses feature challenging layouts designed by renowned architects, varied terrain, spectacular mountain scenery, tree-lined fairways and intricate waterscapes.

Plenty of championship-caliber golf courses lie just minutes from the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. For instance, the exclusive Shadow Creek Golf Club, a favorite among visiting celebrities, was designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio. (Note: You must be registered as a guest at one of the MGM Mirage properties to play golf at Shadow Creek and a round of golf here costs approximately $500.) Fazio also designed the Wynn Golf & Country Club at the luxurious Wynn Las Vegas – the only golf course on the Las Vegas Strip. The Paiute Resort boasts three spectacular Pete Dye-designed courses: Wolf Course, Snow Mountain Course and Sun Mountain Course. Other popular Las Vegas golf courses include the Bali Hai Golf Club, Las Vegas National Club, Painted Desert Golf Club, Siena Golf Club and Royal Links Golf Club, among others.

In addition, several championship golf courses lie just a short drive from Las Vegas such as the Jack Nicklaus-designed Reflection Bay Golf Club in Henderson; DragonRidge Country Club, nestled in the McCullough Mountains; Revere Golf Club in Henderson with its Concord Course and Lexington Course; The Falls Golf Club at Lake Las Vegas, which was designed by Tom Weiskopf; the Arnold Palmer Signature Arroyo Course at Red Rock Country Club in Summerlin; Bear’s Best Las Vegas, also in Summerlin; Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City; and the Primm Valley Golf Club, which features two golf courses, Desert Course and Lakes Course, both designed by Tom Fazio.

Since Las Vegas averages approximately 320 days of sun annually, golf can be played here year round. However, summer temperatures in Las Vegas regularly rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, many golfers opt to schedule their golf weekend getaway during Las Vegas’ peak golf season, which runs from October through May. If you do plan on golfing during the summer months, be sure to schedule an early morning tee time.

Las Vegas also hosts several golf tournaments on the PGA tour such as the Frys.com Open (formerly known as the Las Vegas Invitational), which takes place at the TPC Canyons and TPC Summerlin golf courses in early October. The purse for the Frys.com Open totals $5 million. Past winners of the tournament have included Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Davis Love III and Jim Furyk.

“The presence of championship golf courses, along with world-class accommodations and nonstop nightlife, makes Las Vegas the ultimate golf destination,” said Kyle Collins, Director of Interactive Marketing for HotelsCorp.com. “Golfers can choose from a variety of discount vacation packages online that will allow them to experience Las Vegas and also enjoy some quality time on the links during their stay.”