The Frontier is Going Down 11/13/07!

Well all I can say here is “Another one bites the dust.” Tomorrow morning (Tuesday) at approximately 2 a.m. the Frontier will be imploded. This is to make way for the new Plaza hotel and casino. I may try to catch the action, but I rather just not be as bone shaking close as I was for the Boardwalk. That one got a few guest out of bed at the Monte Carlo, (and the poor old ladies that I had taken there in my cab required a few moments on near by a hotel bench to recover).

Here is a few not well known Frontier facts:

Opened as the Last Frontier in 1942, it was the Second Hotel Resort Casino on the Arrowhead Trail or Arrowhead Highway (US 91) (Bugsy’s Flamingo was the 3rd).

The Little Chapel of the West located South of the Mandalay Bay Resort was once part of the Last Frontier and was moved to its current location in 1996 when Hacienda was closed (more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Church_of_the_West and http://www.littlechurchlv.com/ )

Steve Wynn was invested in and worked his first Vegas Job at the Frontier. (See http://www.1st100.com/part3/wynn.html )

Siegfried & Roy first Vegas Headlining Show as at the Frontier in 1981 called Beyond Belief. (See http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2007_2nd/May07_FrontierRuffin.html )

This was the location of the longest Union work stoppage in US History. (See http://www.lvrj.com/news/7530232.html )

Howard Hughes bought the Frontier in 1967 and dropped “New” from the hotel’s title. (This also put Wynn out of a job.) (See http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2007_2nd/May07_FrontierRuffin.html and http://www.1st100.com/part3/wynn.html )

Here is a good place to go on the internet, if you would like a few details on this happening:

http://www.leavinglv.net/frontier.html

http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com/the-plaza.htm

Good events for 702 locals on this Veterans Day weekend.

There are a good number of events for this weekend’s Veterans’ Day celebration. Most of these are low cost (below $15) and should be great fun, if you aren’t working as I am or have other plans.

The first one I wish to blog about is the Aviation Nation event at Nellis Field. The event is free and starts 8am both Saturday and Sunday. Parking is free at The Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but there will be a nominal $3 donation per person (ages 10 years old and above) and $1 per child (under age 10) requested for round trip bus transportation between the parking and air show. Planes will fly each day from 9am to 5pm, with the Thunderbirds scheduled to fly between 1pm and 2 both days. This is an opportunity to see some of the Air Force’s arsenal of war planes up close and personal. Military Aircraft such as the F-22A Raptor, F-117A Nighthawk, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, RQ-4 Block 10 Global Hawk, RQ-1 and MQ-1 Predators, and many more. Clearly, a great event for kids as well as adults.

More information is at:

http://aviationnation.org/

The next event worthy of this blog is the America the Beautiful event at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. This festival will include 20 hours of live entertainment over the weekend! There will be carnival games, face painting a rock climbing wall, glass blowing demonstrations and much more. There is an Admission charge to most attendees: Adult $8, seniors $5, and children 2-12, $3. All veterans, active duty, retired military, police, and fire rescue attend FREE OF CHARGE. In addition, veterans from all generations will be honored throughout the event. They have advertized free door prizes throughout the event. A portion of all proceeds goes to benefit local veteran’s charities and amenities for the new veteran’s hospital currently under construction. This should be great fun for all.

Clark County info is located at:

http://www.co.clark.nv.us/Parks/Clark_County_Amphitheater.htm

Another fee event is being hosted by the Fremont Street Experience. The Singing Sergeants will give a performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and the touring ensemble Tops in Blue will perform at 8 p.m. on Sunday. David Lee Murphy and Halfway to Hazard will perform on the third street stage at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday.

There will also be a Veterans Day Parade 10 a.m. Saturday on Fourth Street between Gass and Stewart Avenues.

More info at:

http://www.vegasexperience.com/calendar_year.cfm