Vegas Gets an “A” for Shopping; Top Clubs and Lounges in Vegas
Vegas Near the Top for Shoppers
By Steve Green
Read more from Steve and others at www.lasvegassun.com
Las Vegas is ranked No. 4 in a new list of the nation’s “Best Cities For Bargain Shopping.”
The list, published by Forbes on Friday, says Las Vegas is among the “top 10 cities for scoring great deals” because the Las Vegas metro area has 19 Walmarts and the area has 225 factory outlet stores.
The other cities in the top 10 are New Orleans (10), Nashville (9), Cincinnati (8), Philadelphia (7), Chicago (6), Baltimore (5), Phoenix (3), Austin (2) and Orlando (1).
While Las Vegas has luxury malls on the Strip, including Crystals and the Forum Shops at Caesars, tourists and locals also frequent the bargain-oriented outlet centers off Interstate 15, including two Las Vegas Premium Outlets (North and South) in Las Vegas and the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas in Primm.
Forbes, in its story, noted that during the recession, bargain-hunting behavior rose, and that’s continuing with 26 percent of shoppers buying more discounted merchandise today compared with this time one year ago.
Las Vegas visitors’ love of shopping has been well documented, with theLas Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reporting last year in its annual Visitor Profile Study for 2010 that 64 percent of visitors went shopping and average spending by visiting shoppers increased from $102 in 2009 to $123.
But reflecting the trend toward bargain shopping, the $123 figure was down from average spending per visitor of $141 in 2006.
Forbes noted in its report that Las Vegas has about 27.7 million square feet of leasable retail space — more than the 18 million in Orlando and the 18.6 million in Austin but less than the nearly 40 million feet in Phoenix.
Las Vegas, Forbes said, has 3,056 retail stores.
“Las Vegas also claims the highest number of Walmart locations in the country — 19 within 10 miles of city center. For a city of just under 2 million, that’s a whole lot of Walmart. Between outlet shopping and big box store savings, the City of Sin seems like a sure thing for scoring a deal,” Forbes said in its story.
Not mentioned in the story is that the Las Vegas metro area is struggling with a high retail vacancy rate of 10.6 percent — but that’s a problem for shopping center owners as opposed to consumers, who continue to frequent the region’s most popular malls.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Our favorite bar and club lounges in Vegas
by Jorge Labrador
Catch more for Jorge at the exciting Vegas website www.blog.vegas.com
When you don’t want to go to a mere bar and you do want to be able to hear your friends over the music, a classy Las Vegas lounge is your best bet for drinks, revelry and a laid-back good time with friends.
Downtown Cocktail Room
Why it’s a favorite: It’s relatively secluded and heavy on cool factor.
DCR is a dark, low-key lounge in the Fremont East district and it feels like a modern-day speakeasy. Unlike a lot of the neon-tinged bars in the area, DCR simply has a small neon sign that reads “downtown,” and a flush-to-the-wall door that always confuses first-timers (have fun with that). With great service, plenty of space to sit, and a chill music/DJ setlist, this is the perfect place to start or end the evening.
Parasol Down
Wynn Las Vegas
Parasol Down
Why it’s a favorite: Beautiful view, both inside and out.
While Parasol Up at the Wynn is similar to most other casino lounges (but with a great view), Parasol Down (located below Parasol Up) is slightly more secluded, has an outdoor patio and provides an even better view of the Lake of Dreams and the giant waterfall. While you’re spending time at Parasol Down, you can look at the floating parasols near Parasol Up for another cool “only in Vegas” view.
Brand
Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino
Why it’s a favorite: Dining and lounge in the same elegant venue.
Brand has a very inviting design that extends out into the Monte Carlo, but you still feel like you’re in your own world when you’re at this lounge. The ambiance is very warm and dark, and since Brand is also a restaurant, you can dine early and when the clock hits 10, go into full-on lounge mode.
Deuce
Aria
Why it’s a favorite: Unique design and a gaming area.
With plentiful couches and sports running on the TVs, Deuce is certainly a fun place to hang out. There’s often a DJ spinning, making this more of a high-energy lounge and you can even gamble at some of their table games.
Hyde Bellagio
Bellagio Las Vegas
Why it’s a favorite: Chill atmosphere with a great view.
When Hyde opened to the public on Jan. 1, 2012 it set out to be two things: A bumping club by night and a chic lounge in the evening. It’s only been open for a brief time as of this post, but so far so good. Hyde offers a breathtaking view of the Fountains of Bellagio, an excellent (and highly creative) mixology program and a worldly atmosphere themed after an Italian villa.
Revolution Lounge
The Mirage
Why it’s a favorite: It’s a cool, Beatles-themed venue that doesn’t overdo it.
Happiness is… a drink among friends at The Mirage’s Revolution Lounge. Although Revolution is themed after the Beatles, it isn’t just for fans. Sit out at the Abbey Road Bar, in the REVOLUTION letters or at the psychedelia-infused lounge and try to observe all the crazy detail Cirque and Light Group have put into this place.
Book & Stage
Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino
Why it’s a favorite: It’s a modern-day version of the old-school lounges.
Book & Stage at The Cosmopolitan is one of the best spots in town to catch a free concert. The venue books excellent entertainment, so you can catch a buzzworthy or up-and-coming band while sipping on one of Book & Stage’s selection of fine cocktails or bottled craft beers.
Peppermill and Fireside Lounge
2985 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Why it’s a favorite: It’s an old-school version of modern lounges.
The Peppermill is a Las Vegas institution and the best choice of after-hours spot for anyone that wants an authentic Vegas experience after a night at the club. The Fireside Lounge half of this venue is made up mostly of small, but decidedly retro-styled booths — perfect for getting close to someone.
