Vegas Days Gone By: Remembering Fitz's

On St. Patrick's Day, it seems only fit that we recall the glory that was Fitzgerald's, at the east end of the Fremont Street Experience. Fitz's was one of the reasons I kept coming back to Vegas. That's because they kept sending me offers for free rooms! And not only would they send me two or three free room nights every other month, they'd include two dinners or a $100 credit at Don B's Steakhouse, and free play, and free show

tickets. Even though they knew we were getting comped at the Steakhouse, the wait staff treated us like royalty, bringing us a basket full of artisan breads before our meal, and after the three of us had chowed down on King Crab for two and a Chicken Marsala, the waitress wanted to make sure we had enough left on our credit to pick three from the dessert tray! We barely had time to catch Kevin Burke doing his carny act after he'd rushed over from his performance in Defending the Caveman.

Every hotel will encounter problems; the difference is in how they deal with them. Once when we checked in I noticed the water in the shower was lukewarm at best. I called the front desk and they sent an engineer to fix it within 15 minutes. Again, when I came back to the room, my Platonic Traveling Companion complained that an alarm had been going off in the room next door all night and driving her nuts. "Call the desk!" I told her, picked up the phone within 15 minutes a security guard came up, went into the room next door and shut it off. "Thank you!" she called through our door. One time I dropped my keys somewhere while hauling all my bags to the hotel desk and security had located them within half an hour. Fitzgerald's was Aces and they treated you like kings!

Even though it towered above Downtown, Fitz's in some ways seemed like a funky little place, no more so than in the small block of a pool area that looks out directly onto the street. It had a hot tub though and it definitely got the job done.

Fitzgerald's changed hands and lives on as The D, a much more contemporary-themed place where at night scantily-clad saloon girls deal the cards or dance in black bikinis on the

bartops. Other than cashing in on the occasional match play, I can't tell you how their hospitality compares with the Fitz's of yore. The little pool area is much the same, but gone are the Irish-themed signage and decor and the chunk of the Blarney Stone at the player's club desk. The old signs and the Coin King who once ruled over the entrance are resting at the Neon Boneyard now. The Fitzgerald's I knew is one with the ages now, but it will always have a place in my heart. Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody!

Hacienda Update: The Last Picture Show. Plus: Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

As previously reported, the Hacienda in Boulder City was acquired by slot-parlor operator Dotty's in December and ceased operating as the Hacienda at that time. Since then however I have noticed little outward evidence of the change. The big Hacienda sign is still luring visitors from the highway, all the Hacienda signage is still in place at the hotel, and the helicopter keeps circling Lake Mead for $29 a pop. On closer inspection, the north side of the hotel has been fenced off, so I suppose the exterior renovations will start at that end.

Inside it's a different story. The live gaming tables have all been removed and replaced with electronic equivalents. (Is there any sadder sight in a casino than an electronic Big 6 wheel?) The Dotty's booth on the north side of the casino is familiar to anyone who's ever been to one of  their ubiquitous slot joints; a vivacious bartender is on hand to pour you a drink or sell you some cheap packs of smokes. On the bright side, the bare-bones snack bar has been replaced by what actually looks like a rather nice coffee shop.

But then comes the sad news that the Lakeview Cinema, a Hacienda fixture that screened a mix of first-run features and classic films, is closing its doors after today. Last time I stayed there you had your choice of Casablanca or Shane, but those days are gone. They're going out with a double feature of Gone with the Wind and The Majestic. Oh, Dotty. Is their no end to your perfidy.





One Window Closes, Another Window Opens: In the wake of last week's news that City Life was folding comes the premiere of a new weekly, The Sunday. The first issue combines thoughtful reporting on teen sports with, in the best tabloid fashion, the gruesome murder of a dancer in the Luxor's "Fantasy" revue. But what's more of interest to us is: "$932 in coupons inside!" Free drinks! Two-for-one eats! Match play and bonus play and casino comps! Ladies and gentlemen, to the newsracks!

Vegas Days Gone By: Bill's/Barbary Coast

Speaking of Bill's Gambling Hall, which we mentioned in yesterday's post, I'm going to miss this Victorian-themed casino that sat on the corner of Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard, currently being overhauled as part of the Linq project. Formerly the Barbary Coast, it was all stained glass and chandeliers red velvet drapes. They had low table minimums for blackjack, too. But what I'll miss most was the drive down from the parking garage: a steep spiral descent that was the best thrill ride in town.

Vegas Days Gone By: The Western

On our last visit to the El Cortez, I looked out over the balcony and said, "Hey, look, it's a casino I haven't visited yet. How did I overlook it all these years?" But it was something of a mirage. (Just not, you know, The Mirage.) The "BINGO" sign for the Western Hotel and Casino keeps flashing 24 hours, as does a portion of the "Cocktails" sign, but like the "Girls! Girls!" sign that lights up outside the late lamented Library on Boulder Highway, it's deceptive. A sign behind the chain-link fence informs us the Western, owned by the same group as the Plaza and the LVC downtown, has been closed, apparently for a while now.

Vegas Days Gone By: Boulder Highway

The Klondike was a funky little joint just off Sunset and Boulder (there was a twin on Las Vegas Boulevard not far from the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, of which not a trace seems to remain), which had $2 blackjack and 10-cent roulette, cheap wings, and hourly drawings where you could win a chance to spin the wheel for fifty bucks. Dealers told me they would come up here after their shifts and play 10-cent roulette to blow off steam.

The Roadhouse on the other side of Sunset and Boulder looks like it's been closed for quite a while, although there's talk it may be reopened now that some of its legal issues have been resolved. It'd be great to see it in operation, as I really like its art deco styling. There are also some cactus plants planted alongside its walls which have grown into some intriguing shapes, like the pair of ballroom dancers pictured below.

If no one else ever steps in to operate it, my poker buddy Brian and I are willing. Brian has an idea for a joint that would offer one-stop shopping: a casino, strip club, and wedding chapel. You could do some gambling, get drunk, fall in love with that stripper and get hitched to her, all in one spot. I saw a billboard for a strip club that included a steakhouse and said, "Dude! We need to add a steakhouse, too!" Then I saw another billboard for a Brazilian steakhouse and said, "Dude! It could be a Brazilian steakhouse! All the waitresses would be Brazilian! And they'd all have Brazilians!"

We're still trying to attract investors.

Here's one last mysterious casino from bygone days, this one at Henderson Plaza. Its name has been effaced like that of an Egyptian pharaoh who has fallen from grace, and similarly seems to have been cruelly obliterated from history. Couldn't find any info about it at all; anyone from those parts have any recollection? Seems a shame any time a bowling alley closes its doors.