Thank you Las Vegas, McCarran Airport, CES 2009, and Cirque du Soleil

Thanks to McCarran Airport's internet broadband Wifi (which is free) I'm able to write this post, check email, and get work done all as I wait for my Allegiant flight home from a week in Las Vegas attending the CES Consumer Electronics Show, one of the world's most important tech gatherings. Although this year's show was somewhat smaller than last year it still attracted thousands of press, thousands of exhibitors, and over 100,000 attendees. Official numbers are not yet available but I think this year will show about 114,000 vs about 130,000 last year.

Another thanks is to Cirque du Soleil for the LOVE Show Tickets. My fellow Technology Reporter John and I enjoyed one of the world's finest shows in the amazing Beatle's LOVE theater at the Mirage. I was totally impressed with the beautiful choreography to the Beatle's amazing music and the spectacular virtuosity of the amazing Cirque Performers.

CityCenter Project Jobs

The Las Vegas CityCenter project, one of the largest construction efforts in the world, will soon be completed and CityCenter is accepting applications for thousands of jobs to staff this mega complex.

Here are more details at the CityCenter Jobs Website

Thanks to Vegas Bill for the heads up on this announcement.

Mirage Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

Mirage Hotel and Casino, LasVegas 156
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

The Mirage is home to the Las Vegas Strip's famous exploding volcano, recently "remodeled" to be even more spectacular.

The Mirage also hosts Cirque de Soleil's "LOVE" show which features the music of the Beatles along with the fantastic performances of the Cirque performers.

Treasure Island "TI" Las Vegas

Treasure Island "TI" Las Vegas 149
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

The Mirage Group has sold a major Las Vegas Strip property, TI aka Treasure Island, to develpor Ruffin for $775,000,000. Ruffin recently closed his deal to sell the New Frontier which landed him a cool 1.3 billion.

More over at Bill's Las Vegas Real Estate blog

Encore Opens

Steve Wynn's 2.3 Billion Dollar Encore to the magnificent Wynn is called the Encore. It opened Monday night and the Las Vegas Sun has the story:

Las Vegas Sun 2

Las Vegas Sun 1

I'll be posting photos from the Encore in a few weeks at Flickr

Mirage Makeover Revives Attractions

The Mirage Volcano has long been an iconic emblem of the spectacular Las Vegas Strip, and thanks to a major renovation at the Mirage the Volcano is bigger and better than ever now. Also, you'll enjoy the superb indoor attractions at the Mirage including the Ziegfried and Roy Secret Garden, Atrium, and Aquarium. Click here for more about the Mirage's free attractions.

The Mirage is also home to Cirque du Soleil's spectacular show LOVE, a musical and acrobatic tribute to the music of the Beatles.

Can CES 2009 Computer Show Rescue the Sands Empire?

Writing in Business Week, W. David Gardner notes that the Sands is hoping CES 2009 will be a boon to the lagging stock price of the Sands and will help in boosting Adelson's dwindling mega-fortune back to the stratospheric levels he enjoyed only a few months ago before the US financial crisis unfolded:

The company is hoping that January's CES show, which typically draws more than 100,000 people, will help support the company's stock, because many of the show's events will be held at its convention facilities in Las Vegas. Adelson is no stranger to computer industry people -- he developed the Comdex show, which used to draw more than 200,000, before he sold it to Japan's Softbank Corporation in 1995 for about $800 million.

More on this story