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Classic Vegas

Sin City's past peeps through

By Carla Carlton
December 17, 2006

The Stardust will soon be just a memory.

Early next year, the casino and hotel that were once the largest in Las Vegas will be imploded.

At nearly 50, the Stardust -- which served as the basis for the 1995 movie "Casino" -- is simply too old. It will be replaced by Boyd Gaming Corp.'s $4 billion Echelon Place resort.

Las Vegas is reinventing itself once again.

Following the glory days of the 1970s and '80s and the mostly failed experiment in the 1990s to become more of a family destination, Sin City's new wave is upscale, big-money glamour, like the luxurious Wynn Las Vegas, which took the place of the imploded Desert Inn, and the $7 billion MGM Mirage CityCenter project, which is being built on the site of the old Boardwalk Hotel. Even Donald Trump is building a hotel.

Not everyone in Las Vegas sees this as progress. More than one person on a recent visit spoke wistfully of the "good old days" when the mob ran things. "The mob would comp you a room, they'd comp you a meal, drinks -- the corporations will take money out of your pocket without you even doing anything," one cab driver groused.

But there's still plenty of "classic Las Vegas" left to experience. Here are some of our picks.

Classic lodging

• Caesars Palace. It's 40 years old this year, but nobody is talking about imploding Caesars. Why? This place is an icon -- a savvy icon that's managed to reinvent and upgrade through the years to keep up with the fashions.

Caesars is lousy with classic Greek and Roman statues, and there are some hokey touches -- the poolside snack bar is called "Snackus Maximus," for instance -- but rooms in the new Augustus Tower, which opened in 2005, avoid the hokum. Our mini-suite had a brown, aqua and cream color scheme; a king-size bed with a tall leather headboard; floor-to-ceiling windows; and minimal "Caesarean" influences (subtle lamp bases that looked like the Roman numeral 10 and framed photos of classic statuary). The suite had two flat-screen TVs -- one in the living area and one in the large, marble-floored bathroom. You could watch TV while relaxing in the jetted tub.

The pool area at Caesars, the "Garden of the Gods," has four pools, including one for European-style (topless) sunbathing. There's the aforementioned snack bar and a poolside bar; beautiful women wearing gold bikinis are happy to bring you whatever expensive drink or snack you'd like.

When you're done sunning, try a couples massage at the spa.

Caesars also has 26 restaurants and cafes; the 4,100-seat Colosseum, home to Celine Dion and Elton John; and a host of places to spend your winnings (or further tax your credit card) at the adjacent Forum Shops.

As a weary man carrying shopping bags in the elevator nodded to his wife, who was carrying even more bags, put it, "Shoppus non-stopicus."

TIPS: If you're not really going to eat those chocolate-covered sunflower seeds in the mini-bar, don't even touch them. Your room will be charged every time something is moved, even if you put it back. Be sure to check the onscreen menu before you check out; the front desk will graciously remove any charges you didn't actually incur.

• The Flamingo. Across the street, Caesars' sister property, the Flamingo, is showing more signs of age (Bugsy Siegel built the original property in 1946). Our room here was spacious and quite nice, but obviously older. There was no hi-def TV, and the bathroom was a typical bath-shower combo, one-sink-total affair. (Some of the higher-end rooms do have flat-screen TVs and other amenities, and more are being added as the hotel undergoes an extensive renovation.) The Flamingo does have a lovely landscaped garden (with live flamingos) and one of the nicer pools in town -- and it's definitely more affordable than Caesars. It also has a great gift shop, with lots of general-interest Las Vegas merchandise in addition to a flock of flamingo-emblazoned items.

Classic dining

• The stereotype of classic Las Vegas dining is the buffet, where high rollers were once plied with an endless supply of cheap shrimp, lobster and prime rib so they could maintain their energy for gambling. The buffets are still here, but they're not cheap. Expect to pay at least $18.95 per person at most of the hotels on the Strip. The food's often very good, but whether it's a deal or not will depend on how much you can hold.

• Steakhouse 46 at the Flamingo. You shouldn't leave Las Vegas without having at least one big steak dinner. The atmosphere here is very "dinner at the club" and "What will the lady be having?" with dark oak-paneled walls, white linen tablecloths and dim, romantic lighting. You wouldn't be surprised to see Mr. Siegel himself at the next table. (Well, OK, you would; but you get the idea.) The food is excellent, from the thick, buttery steaks right down to the expertly grilled asparagus. Leave room for dessert, perhaps something decadent in chocolate.

• In Las Vegas, as everywhere, celebrity chefs are making their mark. One of the newest places is Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in Caesars Palace. The atmosphere here is decidedly more modern, with lots of open space, bold colors and a giant grill where you can watch your food being seared. Try one of Flay's signature prickly pear margaritas to start. The tuna steak is a large portion with a fire that just keeps building.

TIPS: The food in Las Vegas tends to be big, along with the prices. To save both money and calories, consider splurging on one meal per day and grabbing a lighter lunch someplace like the "food court" at Caesars, which, as you'd expect, has a better atmosphere and food selection than your typical food court but isn't tremendously more expensive.

Fine dining is also perhaps the one thing that you can't be spontaneous about in Las Vegas. Reservations for prime dining times go fast, so make yours early.

Classic entertainment

• Gambling, of course. You'll find opportunities everywhere, starting with the slot machines in the baggage-claim area at McCarran International Airport. Even if you're not a big gambler, you are practically required to throw some money away in the casinos. Don't overlook the older properties. The Bellagio may have Dale Chihuly art glass in its lobby, but the Tropicana has Tiffany glass ceilings in its casino. And the older casinos are where you'll find the lower table limits on the Strip -- $5 minimum bets for blackjack, for instance, instead of $10. The casinos downtown on Fremont Street also tend to have lower limits. Downtown is fairly shabby, but it's worth a taxi ride to see classic places like the Golden Nugget. The "Fremont Street Experience," sort of a free music video shown nightly on screens that arch over a couple of blocks on Fremont Street, is interesting if you're in the area, but not worth a special trip. If you do make it downtown, look for the neon signs that have been restored by the Neon Museum and mounted at various points along Fremont Street. Some are Las Vegas-related, like Aladdin's Lamp, but you'll also find the Red Goose Shoes goose and more.

• Donn Arden's "Jubilee!" At 25 years old, this is the longest-running classic "showgirl show" in Las Vegas, and one of only two left. (The other is the Folies Bergere at the Tropicana, which comes in "topless" or "covered" versions.) "Jubilee!" is ridiculously over the top, an endless parade of women wearing nothing much more than jewels (and the occasional 4-foot-wide hat). The elaborately staged musical revue is made up of set pieces including "Samson and Delilah" and "The Sinking of the Titanic" (honest), punctuated by vaudeville-style acts like jugglers and acrobats. It's all pretty corny, but the singing and dancing are fine, and by the time those women parade down the staircase in their high heels and increasingly Seussian-proportioned hats, you'll find yourself cheering.

• "The Rat Pack Is Back: A Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean." What's more classic Las Vegas than the Chairman of the Board? Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack ruled this town -- and they still do, at the Greek Isles' Star Theater. Warning: The Greek Isles is a dump. When the taxi drops you off, you'll be thinking, "I paid how much for a show here?" But rest assured, the theater itself is fine, and the show is worth every penny. The actors portraying Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Dean Martin may not look exactly like their real-life counterparts, but their voices, mannerisms and banter are dead-on, pardon the pun. Bishop in particular is hilariously un-PC, as he would have been back in the day. And Marilyn Monroe might make a cameo appearance too.

TIPS: Be sure to ask for "the upgrade" at the Rat Pack Tribute -- another $10 per person will get you a seat in one of the red-velvet banquettes right next to the stage, where you might be the punch line to one of Joey Bishop's jokes. After the show, you can meet the cast and have your picture taken with them for no charge.

You can also catch shows by two former Louisvillians in Las Vegas: "Lance Burton: Master Magician" at his theater at the Monte Carlo (702-730-7160) and Mac King's Comedy Magic Show afternoons at Harrah's (702-369-5111).

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