http://framelogic.planetclick.com:80/framelogic/frameset.pl/frameset/http/www.lasvegas360.com/lvsign_i.html

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), July 14, 2000

Answers

Amazing, out in the middle of nowhere, you can find such a fun city. Most religious folks think it's sin city and would never travel there but I love it and I don't gamble. We took a couple of foriegn exchange students there and they were overwhelmed by the lights and activities.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), July 14, 2000.

Most religious folks might be aghast to learn that the Mormon Church OWNS Las Vegas. Do your history and you will discoverer that the Mormon elders, through their financial institutions, financed ALL of the early growth of the city and to this day hold the purse strings. Bidness is bidness.

-- Ra (tion@l.1), July 14, 2000.

Ra, I didn't know that but I would imagine that they have justified their holdings so that it remains in line with their moral beliefs. Though, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to see the logic in it.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), July 14, 2000.

OK, I've been here now since the beginning of March. I have NEVER seen this sign and that was ALL I wanted a picture of (I can't even FIND the thing -- though from looking in the picture I recognize Mandalay Bay in the background -- gold building -- and I think I know where to find it now).

This is probably the most easily-laid-out town I've ever seen (everything runs north/south or east/west). But I went to one of the malls a couple of months ago...my first "venture" out on my own...and I wanted to go to this outlet place after. My SO tells me, "When you come out of the mall parking lot, head towards the mountains". Now I know that if you've lived here for any length of time, you'd understand what that means. But here's me -- recently of NYC -- and I walk out of the mall and look around.....and realize Las Vegas is a VALLEY and we are SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS.

Of course, it was a SPECIFIC MOUNTAIN I was supposed to head towards (uh, yeah, like they have SIGNS ON THEM), but I had no way of knowing this.

Now I carry a map whenever I'm out driving :-)

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), July 14, 2000.

Patricia,

That's actually a really old picture. I think that that's actually the Treasure Island when it was brand new. The sign is on the western edge of town on what used to be Highway 40 before the interstate and is now Las Vegas Blvd. I think that the Luxor and few other hotels have gone up since the picture was taken.

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), July 15, 2000.

Nope it be Mandalay Bay. Photo at link will confirm if ya knows your Vegas it will all fit. TI is not gold anyhow, the Mirage is. And the M is about 1-2 miles up the strip from Mandi.

-- drifter (will@workfor.food), July 15, 2000.

I just checked out some of the hotel prices and WOW, was kind of blown away. We definitely need to research some "deals". Maybe we can find a group rate somewhere.

Anyone with recommendations based on experience or recent information, please chime in! On my next visit, hopefully in a few weeks, I'll try and check some of the places out myself.

Cap, the Stratosphere seems to have a good rate for Thursday night.

What say all?

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), July 15, 2000.

I've noticed that the rates go up CONSIDERABLY on Friday and Saturday nights (in some instances they can TRIPLE) versus Sunday through Thursday.

A thought I had (and I know some of you are going to hate this) is to maybe try a hotel OFF the Strip; the rates are generally lower for "non-Strip" hotels.

Don't know what additional advice I can offer except check the travel section of the local Sunday papers...sometimes they have "all-inclusive packages" (airfare and hotel, sometimes rental car) that can turn out to be cheaper than doing the hotel/airfare separately.

-- Patricia (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), July 15, 2000.