Monday, November 10, 2008

Viva Las Vegas


I spent the last weekend in Vegas. As you can see from the picture the hooker hawkers are not just handing out cards anymore. Now they walk around with lit billboads strapped to their backs! Freaking amazing. I don't quite understand why the city allows these guys on the street. Most of their handouts end up littering the streets. I took this picture out in front of the Paris Hotel.

On a housing note I went and took a look at some homes. I was a little surprised to see that there are still plenty of new housing tracts trying to sell homes. I stopped in at a half dozen to see what the prices were. I was a little surprised to see what they were trying to get. The prices still seemed high to me. I'm not sure what they would actually take but they were still asking well over $100 s/f on everything I saw.

I didn't see another soul looking when I was there. I was the only person at looking at all the tracts I stopped at. Not a good sign considering I was out between noon and 2 on a nice Saturday afternoon. One thing I noticed at the tracts I looked at. All of them had 4 or 5 cars parked out in front. One was the sales person, but who's driving the other cars? I thought that they might be parking cars out front to make it look like people were looking.

On an economy note, even though Vegas was quite busy it was noticeably quieter in the casinos. Also the restaurants were much quieter than usual. On Saturday evening we walked into a nice place, were immediately seated and found the place to be 2/3 empty. It sure made for great service from the waiter (the lobster bisque was awesome!). I wish I could remember the name of the place but after a bottle of wine I don't remember much. Obviously I didn't hit any jackpots because I'm still here typing.

10 comments:

Bigdog said...

Anyone eles notice the foreclosures start to drop off a lot. I use to see 2-3 a day.
Now I am lucky to see maybe 1 a week. I am still looking in Eastvale Corona. Keeping the eyes open.
I just read this article
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27660450
talks a great deal about the banks kicking it in to over drive. Do you think this is keeping the foreclosures down.

I think so it seems to be. They are getting proactive. Chime in??

I'm Not POTUS said...

Aw sucks I was in LV also this weekend. Just to visit family. I would have loved to have done a bidding war with you at the sales offices.

Except for an accident north of Baker between a bus full of Asian tourists and a cement hauler traffic was a breeze. 70-85 average the whole way back and forth.

The strip was THIN with people. I still can't believe they can demand $10 & $25 minimums at the tables. Half were closed where I went.

oh Biddog..... the legislative notifications rules still have an impact on the numbers closing.

golfer_X said...

The foreclosures are slowing because of the California bill AB1137 which requires lenders to make contact with borrowers. This went into effect in Sept. It has slowed the foreclosures, but the effects should only be temporary until the banks get caught up.

I'm sure there are a few people get workouts but I don't think that is having that much of an effect.

Unknown said...

Did you see the size of the project next to Bellagio? I have always been amazed at the LV construction projects but that one is amazing. I also hear that they stopped construction on most if not all of it.

WayneH said...

What's strange to me is every one of those guys "snaps" the stack of cards he has just before you walk by them. Probably to get your attention.

It really turned me off to going to Las Vegas with my family.

Doug Wheeler said...

Las Vegas has tried to get rid of the "porn slappers" many times, but lose in the courts every time (freedom of speech).

Mark, Project CityCenter and the Cosmpolitan hotel/casino (just south of the Bellagio) are still under construction and should be complete sometime next year. The project that is on hold is the Eschelon project that is located where the New Frontier used to be.

--Doug Wheeler
www.VegasFile.com

Unknown said...

Last time I was in Vegas, walking down the strip with my girlfriend, I was given a stack of what I called 'clicky cards', by one of the 'hooker hawkers' I was quite surprised... I jokingly said to my sweetheart that maybe they thought we would be up for a 3-way.. Good thing she has a great sense of humor... Brought back a stack of these clicky cards for the boys at the office. Great souvenir.

Jim Strathmeyer said...

I remember walking though the Strip with my family when I was 13. Had about 4 handed to me before I realized what they were.

Unknown said...

Thanks for your information. The project that is on hold is the Eschelon project that is located where the New Frontier used to be.
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Transcend said...

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