Mandalay Bay Installs Largest Roof Top Solar in the World

Mandalay Bay has installed another 5,000 solar panels to its solar farm located on the roof of their convention center. Reports are that Greentech Media now names the MGM Resorts property as having the largest roof top installation in the world.

Well, with 310 days of sun a year in Las Vegas, using solar power is a winning bet for Mandalay Bay. They can do it on a scale few can hope to match.

The original installation was put in during a 2014 upgrade to the convention center. The latest addition brings the number of solar panels to 28,000 covering 26 rooftop acres. MGM Resorts says the array can churn out 8.3 megawatts, enough to power 25% of the Mandalay Bay needs, or the equivalent of powering 1,340 US homes for a year.

I just wish more places were taking advantage of the abundant sun we have here in Nevada.

Meeting the Guys of Pawn Stars

Fans of the History Channel show Pawn Stars are always asking about the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, as well as how they can meet the stars of the show, Rick Harrison, Old Man, Hoss and Chumlee.

For many years the answer was "good luck." The Gold and Silver Pawn Shop is open and gets lots of visitors, in fact sometimes during the day the line can stretch around the corner to get in. But for a long time the Pawn Star guys were just never there.

The Rick Harrison spearheaded the opening of Pawn Plaza next door to the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop. Included in the business mix is Rick's Rolling Smoke BBQ. So Rick now has a quasi regular gig when he works at the bar on Friday and Saturday nights at the BBQ. The notices say Rick is "bartending." If by bartending you mean drinking beer, distributing hand shakes and hugs and posing for pictures, AKA schmoozing, then okay, he is bartending.

But nothing reliable at the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, until now.

After a wildly popular experiment the Pawn Star folks are scheduling regular meet and greet times with members of the show.

Entry is free, but a donation to one of the store's charities of choice is encouraged and the first five people each session to contribute $100 or more get treated to a private lunch with Chumlee, plus one guest, the following day. I am not sure where, but I expect Rick's Rolling Smoke is a likely candidate.

Schedule

Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Main Players (Rick, Old Man, Hoss, Chumlee and other members of the show)

Saturdays 11 a.m. to noon, security guard Antwaun

Saturdays 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. expert Mark Hall Patton

Sundays 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. expert Mark Hall Patton

I assume that not all of the Pawn Star guys will be there every Thursday. They probably will have a pretty full house the first few weeks but after that they will probably start rotating the duty.

But if you are visiting Las Vegas, and like to see the guys who basically started the Las Vegas reality TV show industry, now you have some reliable times to meet.

Top Sports Bar and Top Bartender are in Las Vegas

The recent Nightclub and Bar Awards hosted by the Night Club and Bar Convention and Trade Show put Las Vegas in the headlines with some stylish wins - Top Sports Bar and Top Bartender. These are national awards, with winners in different categories coming from places like Chicago, New York, etc, etc. But also Las Vegas cracked the top in two key categories:

TOP SPORTS BAR

The Top Sports Bar was named LeGasse's Stadium in the Palazzo. The Emeril LeGasse, upscale sports corner is one of my favorite places, and I love watching MMA there over a brew and some of their Stadium Nachos

TOP BARTENDER

Best Bartender? That would be Las Vegas' Nectaly Mendoza at Herbs & Rye on West Sahara. This is a new one for me. I live on the other side of town so I've never visited Herbs & Rye. Sounds like a good excuse to hit the other side of town. Don't you think?

Miki Sudo Takes Down the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Pink Belt - Third Time!

Las Vegas competitive eater Miki Sudo took home the Pink Belt at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at New York's Coney Island, chowing down 38 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

It is the third time Miki has won Nathan's, last year downing 38 dogs and buns.

She has downed up to 40 hot dogs and buns in other competitions. She gives me a belly ache just thinking about it.

You go girl!

Caesars Palace Hits the Big 50

This summer Caesars Palace is celebrating its big 50th anniversary. Here is an old postcard I ran across in my research, showing the original complex:

A big place surrounded by desert then. A much bigger place surrounded by a lot now:

To put it in perspective, the smallish building seen in the center of the second pic is the same HUGE building in the back of the property in the first.

Which is why Caesar's is unique. Las Vegas is all about the old law of life that the new is always destroying the old. Want a new resort? Better implode what was standing there before. There is not a lot of adding on new buildings or wings over time.

Caesar's Palace is the grand exception in Las Vegas. It has been adding new things over time - the Colosseum - Forum Shoppes - New Towers - Expanded gaming areas and more as it has grown and adapted.

This summer it is hosting free self-guided tours of the cool spots in Caesars. See you there!

Las Vegas Getting Ready for the Big Fourth of July Blowout

Fun, fireworks and over 300,000 visitors means it will be fun and - ahem, "fun" in Las Vegas.

Fun as in great specials, games, booze, special deals and events as well as a ripping series of fireworks displays.

"Fun" as in a large stretch of Las Vegas Strip being closed to only pedestrian traffic, while more than twice the normal weekend traffic will bring driving to a flat standstill.

My favorite spot to watch the events is the Mon Ami Gabi - if you can land an outdoor table. It has a great views of the traffic on the strip, the Bellagio Fountains, plus a goodly view of fireworks. Also remember - most of the big fireworks shows are happening Sunday evening on the 3rd of July!

Fireworks are scheduled at Caesars Palace, the Stratosphere, Mandalay Bay, Linq Promenade, 

My second favorite spot is Downtown on Fremont Street, where three stages of entertainment make for a rollicking 4th celebration.

In each case, expect massive crowds, parking problems, and snail traffic. Get there early and leave yourself plenty of time to get home.

Enjoy and be safe!