Everyone knows about Las Vegas casinos -- those stories have been done to death. But there are some new trends in gaming that I hope will interest you.
* Poker has endured a long wave of interest on television and in casinos, but the rise in beginner poker tournaments is a story not yet told. Casinos are capitalizing on the poker trend by offering beginner lessons on poker, specifically Texas Hold 'Em, as well as tournaments with a low buy-in and hefty pay-out. Poker rooms are the new entertainment venue for bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthdays and even regular ol' get-togethers with friends. Some Las Vegas casinos that offer free poker lessons or beginners tournaments include the Luxor and the Stratosphere. Reno casinos are also in on the action with "ladies' night" tournaments at the Atlantis and Peppermill casinos and weekly poker tournaments and promotions throughout the Reno-Lake Tahoe region.
* Casinos - the way it was: Nevada has a rich and exciting history from the Wild West era of cowboy shootouts in saloons and boomtown busts. Visitors can get a taste of that adventurous Nevada spirit at casinos in rural communities that rely more on their down-home charm to attract crowds than their neon lights and blaring slot machines. Elko, a rural town on Interstate 80 in Northern Nevada is a step back in time where 10-gallon hats outnumber cell phones and horsepower comes under a leather saddle, not a fiberglass hood. Elko is home to the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering and boasts a vibrant Basque culture. Visitors can fuel up on a hearty Basque meal before dancing with Lady Luck at the casino tables. Virginia City, also in Northern Nevada near the state's capital of Carson City, maintains its Western charm with wooden sidewalks and underground mine shaft tours. The town's saloons and casinos are much as they were in the 1800s, as is the rest of the town, and the evolution of gaming in the West is documented at the "Nevada Gambling Museum" where visitors can try old-fashioned slot machines and see historic blackjack and roulette tables.
* In eastern Nevada, Ely's Hotel Nevada & Gambling Hall is a jackpot (pun intended) of gaming history. The hotel was once a hot spot for Hollywood stars on their way from Southern California to Sun Valley, Idaho. Many stars and entertainers performed at the hotel and their names are documented in cement stars on a Walk of Fame in front of the hotel. Many of the hotel's rooms are dedicated to the performers who graced the casino stage and memorabilia lines the walls. When the hotel was built in 1929, it was the tallest building in Nevada and the state's first fire-proof building. Check out
www.hotelnevada.com
for information on the hotel's history and attractions.