Las Vegas Strip as seen from henderson - click to view high-res
The Las Vegas Strip during the day, starting with the mandalay bay (far left) and ending at the Stratosphere tower (far right). Click Image to view the high resolution picture.
Photo by LasVegas360.com
Date Taken March 3, 2012
Update: July 20, 2011 -In Downtown Las Vegas, a new crop of buildings have sprang up over the past few years. The following buildings are within a quarter mile from each other with most of them in the Symphony Park development in downtown Las Vegas.
New Las Vegas City Hall under construction on Main Street
New Las Vegas City Hall is currently under construction adjacent to Symphony Park on Main Street. This $185-million project will be a energy saving LEED-certified building. This new building will bring down the annual energy cost by more than $500,000 compared to the current City Hall. The new 310,00-square-foot, seven-story building is taking shape and looks to be completed in spring of 2012.
Cleveland Clinic's Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health opened May 21, 2010
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, opened on July 13, 2009 in Las Vegas and is operated by the Cleveland Clinic. The building was designed by world-renowned architect, Frank Gehry and is fast becoming a landmark for Las Vegas and Symphony Park.
Smith Center for the Performing Arts, It is scheduled to open in 2012
The Smith Center for the Performing Arts located in Downtown Las Vegas Nevada’s symphony Park is a 4.75 acres theater facility consisting of three theaters in two buildings. The future home of the new Discovery Children’s Museum is shown in the photo near the left edge. Groundbreaking for the Smith Center’s $470 million project was on May 26, 2009. The design is an Art Deco, reflecting that of the nearby Hoover Dam. It is scheduled to open in 2012. The Smith Center will feature international music, and dance companies, and will be the main center of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Nevada Ballet Theatre.
World Market Center Las Vegas has 3 buildings with total ofover 5,000,000 sq. feet
The World Market Center is located across from the Lou Revo Center and are three massive buildings housing a whooping 5,000,000-square-foot showcase for the home and hospitality contract furnishings industry in Las Vegas. Originally slated for eight buildings, three have been built and the rest on hold until better economics times. Building A (10-stories) stood alone starting back in July of 2005, Building B (16-stories) opened in January 2007 and Building C (16-stories) opened in July 2008. Within the center is also a gourmet restaurant by the name of Mundo.
New Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters opens July 2011
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters is located a few blocks west of the World Market Center on Martian Luther King and Alta Drive and is the new centralized headquarters for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (Metro). The new facility has more than five times the space of the headquarters Metro currently occupies inside City Hall and will help Metro to centralize and consolidate its administrative staff, which currently now operates out of several offices throughout the Las Vegas Valley. When the facility opens this month (July 2011), approximately 1,400 employees will move into the new building.
Photos by LasVegas360.com
links:
http://www.symphonypark.com/
http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/index.htm
http://www.lvmpd.com/
http://www.lasvegasmarket.com/
http://www.mundolasvegas.com/
A great burger place has set up shop in my neighborhood, featuring gourmet burgers and frozen custard. With is neon green trim, the fast-causal burger joint’s main feature is their burgers. On the menu is a variety of burgers options: certified Angus beef burgers, turkey burgers, and for the vegetarian there is the Portobello mushroom and something called the “Abstract” meatless burgers. The beef burgers come in a few sizes: Mini(2.5 oz.), Modest (1/4 lb.), Majestic (1/3 lb.) and the Monarch (1/2 lb.). Pick your bun, choose from: lettuce wrap, wheat, Kaiser, or my favorite King’s Hawaiian bread. They offer a selection of cheeses and there are over 20 toppings to choose from, like jalapenos, chopped egg and grilled pineapple along with the basic ones, tomato, onion and pickles. Additional premium toppings can be added, sauteed mushrooms, bacon and fresh guacamole to mention a few. Then come the sauces, lots and lots to choose from: chipotle mayo, blue cheese, basil pesto mayo, balsamic vinaigrette and don’t forget Create’s own “The Sauce”, and the list goes on.
1/2 lb. Modernist on a Hawaiian bun, with a side of fresh-cut fries and a drink.
This place is great for the whole family, everyone can make their own “Creation”, from a simple basic burger to a gourmet masterpiece. You are not forced into a cookie-cutter size burger and there are endless combinations to work with. A few of Create’s own masterpieces are featured on their menu, like the “Modernist” (my favorite) and the “Dali”, all named about and around art concepts. A grilled chicken breast and hot dogs have recently made it on the menu too.
On the sweeter side on things, Create’s own in-house custard is made fresh daily and enjoys the quality found at another Las Vegas sweet spot, Luv-it. With all the standard side toppings, you can build yet another masterpiece, this time frozen. Create not only makes a great burger, but according to the web site, but has an active recycling program too. They do the basic recycling of cardboard, plastic and glass and furthermore composting of all food waste(green waste). Even the straws, plastic cups are actually 100% compostable and are made from corn. Even the flatware and straws are made from sugar cane or corn and can be recycled too.
Create is currently a one of a kind store and offer a great burger too, but according to its creator and owner Lance Graulich, he is looking to expand out his creations across the Las Vegas valley. Stop by this “must eat” burger joint and make your own masterpiece with a side of fries. Create is located at 7290 W Lake Mead Blvd. in Las Vegas at the intersection of Lake Mead and Tenya near Summerlin. Visit their web site at http://eat-at-create.com to check out the full menu.
You can't miss this place with its eye-poping neon trim.
photos by: LasVegas360.com
Got a favorite burger place in Las Vegas? leave a comment.
Here is another Las Vegas secret, it has the largest collection of pinball machines in the world. The Pinball Hall of Fame Museum is located in a whitewashed nondescript-looking building on Tropicana Blvd. (a mile and half off the Las Vegas Strip). The black and white vinyl sign on the plain building is the only evidence that this place exists. Upon entering the darkened museum, after your eyes have adjusted from the bright light outside, you come upon row after row of vintage pinball machines from the 1940’s to the present.
Outside of the Pinball Hall of Fame, it looks like a thrift store.
These pinball machines aren’t just for looking at you can actually play each and every one of them. There are the old mechanical types, the ones with the analog numbers that rotate behind the glass as you score goes up to the modern day multi-ball, multi-layer digital ones you can find from time to time. This place does not charge any admission fee, and most machines cost only a quarter, yes, I said 25 cents! The old bill changers from the hotels have been rescued and given a new life dispensing quarters not tokens.
Rows and rows of vintage pinball machines from the 40's-80's
This place will take you on a memory road trip from games of the past. I remember back in the 70’s the old MGM Grand Hotel (currently Bally’s) used to have a great arcade in the shopping retail area, before the fire. They had quite a collection of pinball machines like Dozer and Home Run, which are now located at the pinball museum. I even found the games that were my favorites from my local neighborhood arcade and stores like the Black Knight, Night Rider and other non-pinball classics like, Tron, Astroids, Defender, Space Invaders and Missile Command. All of these are present and accounted for at the pinball museum.
This is a hi-res 360° Virtual Tour of the Pinball Hame of Fame Museum.
Click here to take a 360° Virtual Tour
The games belong to one club member, Tim Arnold, and the pinball machines date from the 1950s up to 1990s. Since it is a non-profit museum, older games from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s are the most prevalent, as this was the ‘heyday’ of pinball. They also include some of the early classic video games too. All profits from the museum are donated to local charities.
More modern pinball machines
Most visitors to the museum seem to be in their 40’s-50’s and they bring their kids with them to show them how we use to kick it old style. This was gaming in the analog world of a magic silver ball, clicky buttons, flippers, a sharp eye and a good sense of timing.
Bring your quarters, grab the kids and plan to stay for a few hours, enjoying a blast from the past. No tokens, no tickets, no redemption booth, and no life size plush characters walking around. Enjoy!
Located at 1610 E. Tropicana on the north side of Tropicana between S. Maryland Parkway and S. Eastern Ave, about 12 blocks (1.5 miles) from the ‘strip’ straight down Tropicana. They are open daily 11am-11pm Sunday through Thursday and 11am till Midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Drag you mouse to see a 360° view of the Pinball Hall of Fame Museum
Click here for more 360°panoramic views of the Pinball Hall of Fame
Click for hi-res 360 views
Notice the detail in the glasswork, I wonder why men love pinball?
(Click the images hi-res views)
Visit their web site http://www.pinballmuseum.org/
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman
Las Vegas has a new mayor today, well sort of. Carolyn Goodman takes over the job that her husband Oscar Goodman held for the past 12 years. His self proclaimed legacy of being the “happiest mayor in America” fueled by his gin drinking and showgirl entourage caused some Las Vegans to scoff while others thought he was a brilliant PR man for the city. With those perks what man wouldn’t be happy?
The new mayor is seen as a little more low key than her husband, but maybe as equally unqualified. These facts did not deter the voters who gave her a 61% victory over her opponent last June. Carolyn has done some wonderful things for Las Vegas on her own. One of her biggest accomplishments is founding Nevada’s first nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade college preparatory school, The Meadows School. However, Goodman will have to face strong challenges from a city that is still in the thick of the recession with a 12% unemployment rate and more than 80% of its homeowners with mortgages underwater.
Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman
As for the former mayor, opinions vary about his tenure. Many Las Vegans thought he did a great job promoting the city becoming the best salesman for the brand “Las Vegas”. During his 12 years in office Las Vegans got used to seeing him at nearly every event the city offered from the most mundane to those with national exposure. He was certainly the most visible mayor this city has seen in a long time. He never really acted like a politician, he was more like an ambassador to Las Vegas, but no one can deny that he loves this city. He fought tirelessly for revitalizing the downtown area and campaigned doggedly for a professional, national sports team for the city. But still, many had a hard time forgiving his career as mob attorney and didn’t see him as being worthy of the title of mayor.
So an era is over, but Oscar Goodman will not go quietly into retirement. He has been offered a job with the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority and he will go on to promote the city he loves while drinking gin in the company of beautiful showgirls. What a life!
Some interesting facts on our former mayor:
- Oscar Goodman is the 20th mayor of Las Vegas
- His time in office was June 8, 1999- July 5, 2011
- In 2002, he became a spokesman for Bombay Sapphire Gin
- He was known as the Mob Mouthpiece during his career as a defense attorney he spent 35 years defending notorious U.S. crime figures, including, Meyer Lansky, Anthony “Tony The Ant” Spilotro and Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal (The last two were portrayed under different names, in the film Casino starring Joe Pesci and Robert DeNiro).
- In 2004 Goodman renews calls to sue the NFL over the league’s refusal to air Las Vegas advertising during the Super Bowl.
- Early in 2010 Goodman chastised President Obama for making the statement “when times are tough you don’t go blow a bunch of cash in Vegas.” He saw this as an attack on the city’s number one industry, gaming.
Click to view hi-res photo 360: Red Rock Canyon
Red Rock National Conservation Area
To observe the true beauty of the high desert you should make the trip to Red Rock National Conservation Area. Head west on Charleston Boulevard about 16 miles from Las Vegas. The Bureau of Land Management operates a visitors’ center where they exhibit plant, animal and desert life. Don’t miss the drive around the 13 mile scenic loop (toll booth payment required) as it winds through the colorful red rocks, Joshua trees and the unusually beautiful desert scenery.
White Rock in Red Rock Canyon
White Rock in Red Rock National Conservation Area. This is a good hike to do on cooler days. View White Rock Loop Hike
Photos by: LasVegas360.com
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