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The term “alpine divorce” has gained traction online after a woman’s video about being left alone on a hike went viral.
Now, creators are weighing in on how common the experience might be.
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Ljeonida Mulabazi
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The term “alpine divorce” has gained traction online after a woman’s video about being left alone on a hike went viral.
Now, creators are weighing in on how common the experience might be.
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Ljeonida Mulabazi
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Las Vegas Sphere has already welcomed some big-name performers, including the Eagles, Kenny Chesney, and U2. Now, rumors are flying, and everyone wants to know: Who will headline the next Sphere residency?! Well, the Sphere does not confirm new residencies until the ink on the contracts is dry, but that doesn’t stop folks from talking about them. And from local news outlets to the national media and even among some music industry insiders, several big names are being tossed around as possibly being the next headline acts.
We begin with the bands rumored to be considering a run at the Sphere, including names like Depeche Mode, classic rock and roll bands Kiss and Genesis, and even the legendary Roger Waters. These names have appeared on some blog posts around the web, but there seems to be almost zero chance they will actually get to perform there. Then there were rumors of pop sensation Ed Sheeran, who wore Sphere branded glasses during his Las Vegas show a few years ago and promised to see fans again in 2026. While he will perform in Sin City this summer, that will be at Allegiant Stadium and not the Las Vegas Sphere. Other rumors included Beyonce, who actually used images of the Sphere during her Las Vegas show just last year. However, a cease and desist order put a quick end to that as well as most of the talk surrounding her getting a residency.
That brings us to Guns and Roses. While there’s been no official word from either side about a residency, Slash said the band had no intention of performing there. Following a conversation with the Eagles last year, Slash stated that he believes the venue might not be rock and roll friendly. So, while we cannot rule out a residency from one of these performers at some point in the future, we can say that for this year at least, they are probably more hope than reality.
But before we look at the performers who are likely to get the next Las Vegas Sphere residency, here’s a quick look at the artist already performing there from now through this summer, including who else but the Eagles from next month into April. But we all know that could be extended yet again. Plus, the much anticipated No Doubt residency is coming in early May. Later in the year, it will be country sensation Kenny Chesney, who returns after his 15 show residency at the Sphere last June and July, along with another appearance from the Backstreet Boys.
Now we turn our attention to those big name bands who many believe are likely to be the next residencies at the Sphere. Bands who have been mentioned in several conversations and who are actively in talks about playing there. And first up, it’s none other than Queen with lead singer Adam Lambert. The band is in discussions with the Las Vegas Sphere and members have stated that they would prefer a residency over another tour. Guitarist Brian May stated that after watching the Eagles perform, he was keen on the Sphere, stating how much he would like to play there.
Next, it’s Tool, who many believe would be a great fit for the venue since the band already incorporates visual imagery into their shows. The 360 degree canvas could play into their immersive productions and the band is officially in talks with the Sphere about a residency to possibly coincide with a new musical release. And finally this week we come to Metallica. Rolling Stone stated that their fan base spectacle and energy would make them an obvious contender. adding their heavy visuals and show production could be amazing in a fully immersive environment. And the best part, rumors are that negotiations between the band and the Las Vegas Sphere are done and that the deal has been finalized.
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Boyz II Men have officially announced their return to the Las Vegas Strip for a limited engagement at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in 2026. The world renowned R&B group is scheduled to perform four exclusive shows at The Chelsea, marking their third consecutive year appearing at the venue. The upcoming performances are set for August 14, 15, 21, and 22.
Known as the best selling R&B group of all time, the trio consisting of Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman continues to maintain a significant presence in the music industry. The group has sold over 64 million albums throughout their career and earned four Grammy Awards. This latest announcement follows a series of successful engagements in Las Vegas, including their long running residency at the Mirage earlier in their career and more recent summer runs at the Cosmopolitan.
The scheduled dates at The Chelsea are part of a broader period of activity for the group. Boyz II Men are currently involved in several high profile projects, including the development of a biographical film and a documentary that will chronicle their rise to fame and lasting impact on the music industry. The group also recently contributed to the entertainment landscape by recording a new opening serenade and closing credits for the long running animated series The Simpsons.
Beyond their standalone dates in Las Vegas, the group is participating in the New Edition Way Tour alongside New Edition and Toni Braxton throughout 2026. This large scale tour follows their recent performance at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas earlier this year. The return to the smaller setting of The Chelsea allows fans to experience the group’s signature vocal harmonies in a more intimate environment compared to the arenas they are visiting on tour.
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The WSOP Las Vegas has officially released the daily event schedule for its fifty seventh annual series. The competition is set to return to the Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. The 2026 edition will feature one hundred gold bracelet events starting on May 26. This launch represents what organizers describe as a revamped summer lineup intended to build on the momentum of the record breaking 2025 season.
The upcoming World Series of Poker will begin with several marquee tournaments designed to draw large crowds early in the summer. The opening slate includes the five hundred fifty dollar buy in Mini Mystery Millions on May 26, which features a guaranteed one million dollar bounty prize. Other highlighted events include the twenty five thousand dollar Heads Up No Limit Hold em Championship on May 29 and the fifteen hundred dollar Monster Stack on June 3.
High stakes enthusiasts will see the return of the two hundred fifty thousand dollar Super High Roller on June 13 and the fifty thousand dollar Poker Players Championship on June 21. The centerpiece of the WSOP Las Vegas remains the ten thousand dollar No Limit Hold em World Championship, commonly known as the Main Event. This tournament is scheduled to begin on July 2 and will run through July 13 when the final table will be determined.
For the first time, organizers have introduced a Summer Circuit series that will overlap with the main schedule from July 14 through July 25. This addition allows players to participate in ring events even as the bracelet competitions conclude. WSOP officials also confirmed that a free daily livestream will air on their official YouTube channel from opening day until the start of the Main Event. The broadcasts will originate from a redesigned television set located inside Paris Las Vegas and will feature prominent poker commentators.
Jack Effel, the senior vice president of poker operations for the WSOP Las Vegas, stated that the 2026 series provides expanded opportunities for players from the opening shuffle to the crowning of the world champion. Registration for the summer events is expected to open soon via the official mobile application.
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A woman was arrested at a Las Vegas airport after allegedly tying her dog to a baggage sizer at a JetBlue ticket counter and walking away, police said.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) responded to Harry Reid International Airport on Feb. 2 after receiving reports that a dog had been tied to a metal carry-on baggage sizer and left behind at the airport’s JetBlue ticket counter.
The woman was arrested on charges of animal abandonment and resisting arrest.
Footage released by the LVMPD shows the woman, whose face was blurred in the video, approaching the ticket counter with her dog before walking away and leaving the dog’s leash tied to the counter.
PASSENGER’S WI-FI NAME TRIGGERS BOMB SCARE, FORCES TURKISH AIRLINES EMERGENCY LANDING
The 2-year-old goldendoodle mini poodle mix, nicknamed “Jet Blue,” was taken in by a local rescue group after the alleged abandonment. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Officers told the woman that she would receive a citation for leaving her dog at the counter.
“Well, I was trying to re-book my flight,” the woman told police.
“So you walked out here to re-book your flight?” the officer responded.
“Yeah, that’s what they told me at the counter,” she said.
“To walk out here without your dog?” the officer replied.
According to LVMPD, airline staff told the dog owner she had not completed the required online forms to travel with the animal as a service dog and was denied a boarding pass. The woman then left the dog behind and went through the airport to the departure gate, police said.
BULLET DISCOVERED ON COMMERCIAL JET AT MAJOR AIRPORT SPARKS SECURITY SCARE

Surveillance video shows a woman leaving her dog tied to a baggage sizer at a Las Vegas airport ticket counter, according to police. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
The woman allegedly told police the airline would not allow her to fly with the dog and claimed it had a tracking device, “implying it was acceptable to leave the animal behind and it would return to her.”
Police said the woman became “hostile” and “resisted officers’ attempts to detain her” as they escorted her back through the security checkpoint.
“We can’t believe we have to say this… but please don’t abandon your dog at the airport — or anywhere else,” the LVMPD said in a social media post.
After a mandatory 10-day hold period passed without the owner returning, the nonprofit Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas took custody of the 2-year-old goldendoodle mini poodle mix nicknamed “Jet Blue.” The rescue will place him in a new home.
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A dog abandoned at a Las Vegas airport, later nicknamed “Jet Blue,” was rescued and is now being placed for adoption after a mandatory hold period. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
The group shared in a Facebook post this week that “Jet Blue” has received numerous applications and inquiries from potential owners.
“This sweet boy is incredible. Truly incredible. And after everything he’s been through, the thought of him ever experiencing abandonment again has us on very high alert,” the nonprofit wrote. “We will be extremely intentional in choosing his forever family. He deserves stability. Security. Commitment. A lifetime promise.”
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There are new estimates of how much a planned Sphere entertainment venue in Prince George’s County, Maryland, would benefit the D.C. region.
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How are DC-area locals reacting to National Harbor Sphere news?
There are new estimates of how much a planned Sphere entertainment venue in Prince George’s County, Maryland, would benefit the D.C. region.
The project, announced last month, would bring a smaller version of the Las Vegas Sphere to National Harbor.
Results of a comprehensive study conducted by Ernst & Young released Wednesday found the project would have an economic impact of $1.3 billion a year.
It also determined the project would create about 3,350 jobs during the construction phase, and about 7,100 jobs once it opens. The permanent jobs would be at the venue itself and at businesses in the nearby area.
Those are increases from earlier estimates of $1 billion a year in economic impact, 2,500 construction jobs and 4,750 permanent jobs.
The study also estimated that more than 2 million people a year would attend events at the Sphere at National Harbor.
“We continue to see just how transformational this is going to be, not just for Prince George’s County and not just for the state of Maryland, but truthfully for the entire region,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Wednesday.
It was initially announced that the project would involve about $200 million in incentives from the county and state, and that amount has not changed, Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said Wednesday.
Braveboy said tax revenues alone from the new project would more than triple what the county has been getting from the Six Flags amusement park in Bowie that closed late last year, and Northwest Stadium in Landover where the Washington Commanders play. The Commanders expect to start playing in a new stadium in D.C. in 2030.
“I feel really good about getting this project up, hopefully before the Commanders leave. That would be our goal,” Braveboy said.
Prince George’s County is not Las Vegas, she said, but it is “the destination of the East Coast.”
She added that the project will solidify her county as the area’s “entertainment (and) tech capital.”
“We already have quantum computing. We have a thriving aerospace and cybersecurity industry here … and now, we’ll be the center for entertainment tech in the region,” Braveboy said.
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Michelle Basch
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Could holograms remake Las Vegas Shows and entertainment? Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston have performed in Las Vegas posthumously. And someday the biggest stars in Sin City might not even be real. So This Week in Gambling, we’re looking at past, present, and future holographic shows and projects headed to Sin City!
What people define as entertainment is changing. These days, artists who no longer perform live or are no longer with us can still fill concert halls. But let’s be clear, these shows are not actually real holograms created with split laser beams, even though that is how they’re being promoted. Instead, they are ghost images, movies projected onto sheer fabric or holographic bands.
Before anyone considered the technology for Las Vegas Shows, this form of entertainment debuted at the 2012 Coachella Music Festival when Tupac appeared on stage 15 years after his death. That same technology called a pepper ghost illusion was much improved by October of 2021 when Harrah’s opened An Evening with Whitney, which used a base hologram method called direct projection with powerful lasers beaming images onto transparent mesh.
The results were good but not perfect. Some described the show as off while others loved it saying that it made the hair on their arms stand on in. But if you’ve ever seen the Cirque show Michael Jackson ONE, then you know that today the hologram image of Michael Jackson looks much better due to updated CGI and high-powered projections making images sharper and more realistic.
Aside from these current and past hologram shows, there are plans to bring other performers back to Las Vegas soon, like ABBA and even Elvis. More on those shows in just a moment because holographic images are being used across Las Vegas in other ways right now, specifically at the Sphere where the Wizard of Oz is playing. After the show, holographic bands are used to create a giant interactive floating Wizard head in the atrium.
At the Rio, another of the Las Vegas Shows using holograms is the the Wow Vegas Spectacular, which uses curtains of falling water and high-powered 3D projections to create holographic effects of mermaids floating in midair. And a new attraction just opened in Las Vegas, the hologram experience, displaying what they call the art of holography, offering a hologram zoo and a hologram room as part of the experience.
Finally, this week, Elvis may have left the building, but there are plans to bring him back with the Elvis Evolution holographic show, but you might want to temper your excitement. This show opened in London in July of last year to less than enthusiastic reviews. People in the audience were not impressed as the show was more of a documentary than a concert. Some demanded their money back and even the BBC described it as atrocious and misleading, especially when costing over $400 a ticket.
However, ABBA Voyage received rave reviews for its custom arena and for employing industrial light and magic who worked on Star Wars to create what they call Avatars using motion capture with actual members of the group. While no opening date is set just yet, there are plans to bring ABBA Voyage to Las Vegas hopefully before the end of this year or perhaps in early 2027. With Resorts World being floated as a likely venue.
So, Elvis Evolution is being planned for one of the new hologram Las Vegas Shows… for what that’s worth. The Abba Show will hopefully arrive this year or early next year. And the MJ1 show that’s still playing at Mandalay Bay. Will holograms take over Las Vegas Entertainment? While impressive, they still have a long way to go. Perhaps in another five, maybe 10 years. But for now, I don’t think real live performers have anything to worry about. And hey, if you enjoyed this show, be sure to drop us a like and subscribe if you want updates whenever we publish new videos.
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Posted on: February 17, 2026, 10:28h.
Last updated on: February 17, 2026, 10:28h.
Las Vegas’ long line of casino resort implosions will get longer on March 5, 2026. That’s when the Eastside Cannery’s hotel tower gets dynamited to dust at 2 a.m.

Construction workers have demolished sections of the Boulder Strip property since October 2025, but its hotel tower, gutted and stripped of windows, is too tall (16 stories) to come down any other way. The Eastside Cannery has remained closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The implosion will not be a public event, however, and no public viewing areas will be designated.
The Eastside Cannery opened on August 28, 2008 on Las Vegas’ Boulder Strip, a less desirable tourism corridor patronized almost entirely by locals. It was a replacement for the aging Nevada Palace.
The casino hotel included 64,876 square feet of gaming space occupied by over 2,000 slots, 26 table games, a poker room, keno, and a race and sports book. It also had an 18-story hotel tower with 307 rooms, 20,000 square feet of meeting and ballroom space, a private club on the 16th floor, three restaurants, and a lounge.
In December 2016, Boyd paid Cannery Casino Resorts, co-founded by Bill Wortman and Bill Paulos, $230 million for the operating rights to the Eastside Cannery and the original Cannery Casino and Hotel in North Las Vegas.
However, Cannery Casino Resorts retained ownership of the land on which the Eastside Cannery sat.
In February 2025, Boyd purchased those 30 acres for $45 million from Cannery Casino Resorts, to whom Boyd had been already been paying millions in rent every year.
When then-Gov. Steve Sisolak allowed Nevada’s casinos to reopen following the COVID-19 shutdown in June 2020, Boyd reopened the Cannery but not the Eastside Cannery, instead directing customers to visit its nearby other property, Sam’s Town.
Boyd is basically following the lead of its most direct rival, Red Rock Resorts, with whom it is locked in a turf war over Las Vegas’ neighborhood gamblers.
In July 2022, Red Rock announced the permanent closures of Fiesta Rancho and Texas Station in North Las Vegas, and Fiesta Henderson in Henderson. Those venues were ultimately demolished and Red Rock sold the real estate to nongaming entities. (The North Las Vegas properties are becoming a mixed-use retail and residential development called Hylo Park. The Fiesta Henderson was supposed to become an indoor sports complex, but those plans fell through and now the city of Henderson is soliciting new proposals.)
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Corey Levitan
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Las Vegas Super Bowl betting experienced the lowest level of betting activity for the NFL championship game in a decade, according to data released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The total amount wagered on the title game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots reached 133.8 million dollars, representing a significant drop from the figures recorded in recent years.
The current handle for Vegas Super Bowl betting is the lowest reported since 2016, when 132.5 million dollars was wagered on the matchup between Denver and Carolina. This year’s total reflects an 11.7 percent decline from the 151.6 million dollars wagered last year. It also sits nearly 30 percent below the record 190 million dollars handled in 2024, when the championship game was hosted locally at Allegiant Stadium.
Despite the reduction in total volume, the state’s 186 licensed sportsbooks still managed a profitable Sunday. Operators reported a collective win of approximately 9.9 million dollars, which translates to a 7.4 percent hold. While this profit is a sharp decline from the record 22.1 million dollars earned by books last year, it remains a consistent outcome within historical norms for the industry.
Industry analysts pointed to several factors for the cooling interest in Vegas Super Bowl betting. One primary reason cited was the specific matchup. The game featured two defensive-minded teams and lacked the high-profile offensive star power that typically drives casual wagering and prop bet interest. Furthermore, the game remained low-scoring until the fourth quarter, which reportedly dampened live betting enthusiasm.
Competition from other markets is also reshaping the landscape. As legal sports wagering continues to expand across dozens of states, many bettors no longer feel the need to travel to Nevada to place their season-ending bets. The rise of federally regulated prediction markets has also been noted as a potential drain on traditional sportsbook handles.
While Nevada once held a near-monopoly on legal sports gambling, the 2026 figures highlight a shifting environment where the state must compete with a nationwide network of mobile apps and local retail books. Local operators noted that while the spectacle of the weekend remains a major draw for tourism, the betting totals are now being spread across a much larger national pie.
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Posted on: February 16, 2026, 11:30h.
Last updated on: February 16, 2026, 11:30h.
Ahead of the Chinese New Year, China is warning its people that gambling while on holiday poses significant risks, including financial ruin and even suicide.

China bans casino gambling everywhere on the mainland. The only place under China’s control where casinos are allowed is in Macau, a semi-autonomous Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic.
By law, Chinese citizens and residents are barred from gambling in foreign countries, though, of course, that doesn’t keep many from doing so while in Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Las Vegas.
The 2026 Chinese New Year is tomorrow, Feb. 17. The Year of the Fire Horse, the Spring Festival holiday period, which began Sunday, runs through Monday, Feb. 23. During the celebration, most workers are afforded paid time off and take their families on vacations, with Singapore, Macau, and other parts of Southeast Asia popular destinations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping links cross-border gambling to heightened national security risks. China has always prohibited casinos from marketing their operations to mainlanders.
In one high-profile case in 2017, China imprisoned 19 employees of Australia-based Crown Resorts for promoting gambling trips Down Under. Jason O’Connor, then the head of Crown’s international VIP program, spent 18 months in a Chinese prison, often described as among the world’s most brutal detention centers.
With the Chinese New Year in full swing, the CPC, through its embassies, is reminding Chinese people not to gamble internationally. Casino.org obtained and translated the gambling warning issued by the Chinese Embassy in Singapore.
The Chinese Embassy in Singapore once again solemnly reminds Chinese tourists visiting Singapore and Chinese citizens in Singapore to strengthen their legal awareness and stay away from gambling,” read the notice from the Singaporean Chinese Embassy.
Singapore is home to two casinos in Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.
The Chinese Embassy in Singapore said gambling comes with significant risks to Chinese people. The Embassy cited a recent incident involving a Chinese tourist at Marina Bay Sands who killed himself after gambling.
Recently, a Chinese citizen jumped to his death after gambling at the Marina Bay Sands. The Embassy is guiding his family through the funeral arrangements,” the notice said.
However, there have been no local media or police reports of such a recent suicide at Marina Bay Sands. No story has been made public about any suicide within or from the integrated resort in months.
“In recent years, our Embassy has handled several deaths related to gambling and has previously issued relevant warnings. Gambling is strictly prohibited under Chinese law, and the amendment to the Criminal Law has formally criminalized cross-border gambling. Even if overseas casinos are legally operating, Chinese citizens who gamble across borders are suspected of violating Chinese law, especially those involved in organizing gambling activities, and will be held legally responsible. The Embassy and consulates cannot provide consular protection for illegal activities,” the statement continued.
“Participating in gambling leads to financial ruin, family breakdown, and even death. Cross-border gambling may also bring risks such as fraud, money laundering, kidnapping, illegal detention, human trafficking, and human smuggling,” the Embassy notice concluded.
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Devin O’Connor
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Released US Justice Department documents shed new light on how Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier, received treatment during a brief stay in Las Vegas in 2013. These records suggest he enjoyed extensive hospitality, despite his earlier conviction for sex offenses.
Reporters who examined internal communications found that the trip was presented as a belated birthday celebration. Staff at Caesars Entertainment set up several rooms, meal plans, and show access for Epstein’s party, as reported by The Las Vegas Review-Journal. They secured prime seats and top-tier loyalty benefits given to big spenders. Emails also show that they got tickets to a Rod Stewart concert, though the group said no to a backstage meeting due to time constraints.
Records indicate that Leon Black, a billionaire investor with Apollo Global Management, might have paid for at least some of the trip. Communications between assistants mentioned charges on Black’s account and called the outing an Epstein birthday present. A spokesperson later claimed Black could not recall covering any entertainment costs.
The records also show that Epstein’s circle sometimes used his connections to get into events in Las Vegas even when he was not there. Messages reveal help in getting tickets for Celine Dion and Penn and Teller shows, plus a Cirque performance at Mandalay Bay.
The 2013 trip lasted just over a day. Epstein flew in on his private plane, booked a fancy room, and made plans for dinner and a conference. His team asked the hotel staff to help get passes for the yearly DEF CON event. They wanted to skip the long lines. Records show Epstein wanted to meet tech people at the event.
Las Vegas police said they did not find any crime reports linked to Epstein in their city. However, the new information shows how easy his travel was years after he was found guilty in Florida. The pile of files came out because of growing political pressure and new laws about being open. Now people are looking harder at who Epstein knew and how he spent his money.
While the papers do not prove for sure who went on the trip, they show how much access and pull Epstein had with rich friends and hotel bosses. People looking into this and reporters are still going through the millions of files that came out. They want to get a better idea of who Epstein knew and how those connections affected where he went and who he hung out with in the years before he died in 2019.
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Silvia Pavlof
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The Nevada Gaming Control Board released its final revenue figures for the Las Vegas Strip in 2025, revealing a downturn in monthly performance driven primarily by a slump. Statewide gaming win for December reached 1.44 billion dollars, representing a 1.55 percent decrease compared to the same month in 2024. Despite the drop, the state maintained its streak of monthly wins exceeding the 1 billion dollar threshold for the 58th consecutive month.
The Las Vegas Strip remained the primary point of concern for state regulators. Casinos in the resort corridor generated 827.7 million dollars in gaming revenue during December, a 6.1 percent decline from the 881.3 million dollars reported the previous year. This significant decrease on the Strip accounted for the bulk of the statewide losses and was attributed to several factors including lower hold percentages in baccarat and slot machines.
Senior economic analyst Shelley Newell noted that while the volume of betting remained relatively stable, the actual win for house operators decreased. On the Strip, baccarat win plummeted by 20.7 percent even as the volume of play actually rose by 1.4 percent. Similarly, slot machine coin-in reached an all-time high of 6.4 billion dollars, yet slot win fell 6.9 percent because the hold percentage was lower than a year ago.
While the Las Vegas Strip struggled, other areas of Clark County and the state reported gains that helped mitigate the impact. Downtown Las Vegas saw a 4.67 percent increase in revenue to 86.1 million dollars, largely driven by table games. Other sub-markets including the Boulder Strip and Laughlin also saw year-over-year increases of 9.03 percent and 9.83 percent, respectively.
The lackluster December on the Strip coincided with a cooling of tourism metrics. Visitation to the city fell by 9.2 percent for the month, totaling 3.1 million people. This brought the annual visitor total to 38.5 million, a 7.5 percent decline from 2024. For the full calendar year, the Strip ended essentially flat with 8.82 billion dollars in total win, while the state as a whole set a new annual record of 15.8 billion dollars.
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Bally’s Las Vegas has finalized a multiphase construction timeline for its new resort on the Las Vegas Strip, with development scheduled to begin in the first half of 2026. The project will occupy the 35-acre site previously home to the Tropicana Las Vegas, which was demolished in late 2024. According to documents submitted to Clark County, the development will be integrated with a new 33,000-seat stadium for the Athletics Major League Baseball franchise.
The master plan for Bally’s Las Vegas includes two hotel towers with a combined 3,000 guest rooms, a casino floor spanning 100,000 square feet, and a 2,500-seat theater. A significant portion of the site will be dedicated to a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district designed to surround the stadium. However, Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim stated that the company intends to focus on retail and dining elements… rather than the casino… during the initial phases to capitalize on the foot traffic expected when the ballpark opens in 2028.
Construction is expected to proceed in four distinct stages. The first phase, slated to start in April 2026, involves building shared infrastructure such as a central utility plant, parking facilities, and initial retail spaces. This phase is timed to conclude alongside the stadium’s completion. Subsequent phases will see the addition of the primary hotel tower… and then the casino… followed by the entertainment venue and a second hotel tower. Total project costs are estimated at 1.19 billion dollars, with a final completion date projected for late 2030.
Bally’s Las Vegas will operate on land owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties, which has committed 175 million dollars toward site improvements. The resort is being designed by Marnell Architecture, with real estate firm JLL managing the selection of dining and retail tenants. The company has emphasized a conservative approach to the development, noting that construction speed will depend on market demand. This project marks the return of the Bally’s name to the Strip after the previous Bally’s resort was rebranded as Horseshoe Las Vegas in 2022. By aligning the resort with professional sports, the developer aims to attract a mix of international tourists and regional baseball fans to the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip.
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Posted on: February 8, 2026, 10:50h.
Last updated on: February 8, 2026, 10:50h.
Southern Nevada will soon have a new casino, with the company behind the facility targeting a late March opening.

Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming, the dominant player in the Southern Nevada locals market with Station Casinos, says its Jokers Wild reboot is nearly ready. During the company’s earnings call last week, Boyd CEO Keith Smith revealed that the new Cadence Crossing Casino, located along Boulder Highway in Henderson, southeast of the Las Vegas Strip, will open late in the first quarter of 2026.
Boyd officials did not specify how much Cadence Crossing Casino cost. However, CFO Josh Hirsberg reported $75 million in capital investments related to Cadence Crossing and Paradise projects.
Cadence Crossing will initially open with 450 slot machines and video poker machines. The 50,000-square-foot neighborhood casino, Boyd hopes, will additionally become a “powerful new tourism draw for the community.”
Cadence Crossing will debut with “several scrumptious food and beverage offerings,” along with a center bar. Future development phases, once the current Jokers Wild Casino is demolished, could include additional gaming space and a four-story hotel with 114 guestrooms.
Boyd broke ground on Cadence Crossing on April 3, 2025.
Smith told investors and analysts that the Cadence Crossing Casino comes at a most opportune time, as Henderson is experiencing a housing boom.
The Boyd boss detailed that there’s been rapid growth in the Cadence master-planned residential community. The neighborhood sold more than 1,200 new homes last year, the third-highest of any master-planned community in the United States in 2025.
With strong residential growth continuing throughout the neighborhood, we believe Cadence Crossing Casino will be well-positioned to deliver a strong return on our investment. With significant land still available at Cadence Crossing for future development, we will have the opportunity to expand this property to meet the growing demand,” said Smith.
Boyd Gaming operates 28 casinos in 10 states, including 10 gaming floors in its home city of Las Vegas.
“In all, we remain confident in the long-term prospects for our Las Vegas locals business,” Smith added.
Cadence Crossing is among Boyd Gaming’s smallest investments of late.
The company is behind a $750 million resort project in Norfolk, Va., in a partnership with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe. In November, Boyd opened a temporary casino in the Virginia Naval city, as work on the permanent integrated resort continues. The to-be-named destination, set to include a 200-room hotel resort and a commercial casino with 1,500 slots, 50 table games, and a sportsbook, is slated to open in 2027.
In Illinois, Boyd is moving forward with a redevelopment of its Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino. A newly unveiled riverboat proposal last week did not come with an investment budget. A previous pitch of a “modernized riverboat” had a price tag of $160 million.
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Devin O’Connor
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The nighttime lights of Las Vegas can hide the stars, but sometimes you can still find them under one dazzling roof.
One of the greatest bands on Earth — the Eagles — are in residence at the state-of-the-art Las Vegas Sphere, led by the band’s co-founder Don Henley, along with longtime guitarist Joe Walsh and country star Vince Gill.
And whenever the Eagles perform here, they sell the place out.
“I guess we’re kind of a staple,” Henley said. “Our first record came out in ’72. Fifty-three years of playing for people. So it’s… you know, it’s been a miraculous run.”
And it got even more miraculous last month, when one of those Eagles albums from the 1970s — “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)” — was certified quadruple diamond, the first to sell more than 40 million copies, cementing its place as the best-selling album of all time.
“‘Greatest Hits’ is kind of a misnomer. It should just be called their best songs because every song on that album was not a great hit. You know? There are a couple of songs on that album that didn’t break the top 30. But they’re good songs. Desperado, for example, was never released as a single. Not by us, nor by Linda Ronstadt,” Henley said.
Henley adds that the album wasn’t really their idea; it was basically pushed on them by the record company. But the band “didn’t have any way to stop them,” Henley joked.
“We complained. Oh, yeah. It’s documented,” he laughed.
Henley said writing Desperado with his late bandmate Glenn Frey was the first time the pair collaborated as songwriting partners. He added that they clicked instantly, and Frey quickly earned the nickname “the lone arranger.”
“Because he was so good at arranging songs,” Henley explained.
Frey died 10 years ago at age 67, but his legacy is larger than life.
Before the show, fans can take a literal walk down memory lane at a place called the Eagles’ Third Encore — an almost life-sized model of the key places in the band’s history, including a mock-up of L.A.’s Troubadour nightclub, which includes a real working bar.
But Henley’s pre-show routine isn’t quite the same as it used to be. Instead of taking a shot of tequila, he’s doing crunches as a warm-up.
“I don’t do voice exercises because they don’t help. I sing from my core, so keeping my abdomen in shape makes me sing better,” he said, adding with a laugh, “I don’t have a six-pack or anything, but there’s one under there somewhere.”
One of the emotional highlights of the show is the moment where Frey’s son, Deacon, takes the stage in his father’s spot, often with his father’s guitar, and sings his father’s songs.
“I burst with pride. I almost got tears in my eyes the other night when he was filling in for Joe,” Henley said.
Henley said he wasn’t sure performing without Frey was feasible, but the band agreed to continue only if Deacon could join them.
A father of three himself, Henley has always had a rich life outside the band, and he recently co-produced a PBS documentary with filmmaker Ken Burns about Henry David Thoreau.
“There are so many parallels to what he was seeing during his time and what we’re seeing now. As Mark Twain said, ‘History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.’ And I think that’s what’s happening now,” Henley said.
The Eagles are keeping the music alive with a few more live shows this summer and an extended run in Las Vegas into April, featuring cutting-edge technology that didn’t exist when they first started making music.
“The sound system is like nothing on the planet. There are about 167,000 speakers in that dome,” Henley said of the Sphere.
The Eagles’ tour is called “The Long Goodbye,” but Henley says this time he means it.
“You know, I think this year will probably be it. I’ve said things like that before, but I feel like we’re getting toward the end. And that will be fine, too,” Henley said.
After more than 50 years of playing, Henley says he has to psych himself up to perform the Eagles’ classics each night.
“After a while, you learn to make friends with the songs,” he says. “It’s not about us. It’s about what they mean to the people we’re playing them for. You have to play every night with your heart in it.” Henley adds, “Music is medicine. And people need some medicine right now.”
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Artificial intelligence will change the Las Vegas casino scene, boosting productivity and improving sports betting control, while also posing job challenges in many areas. Industry experts talked about these topics during a recent meetup held by the Economic Club of Las Vegas at Park MGM. They looked at how fast-growing tech could shape the city’s gambling world.
Experts from the University of Nevada and Las Vegas International Gaming Institute teamed up with a top exec from KPMG to discuss the pros and cons of AI adoption, as reported by CDC Gaming. They zeroed in on how AI is playing a bigger part in keeping an eye on sports betting. Since 2018, legal sports betting has taken off across the US, creating tons of data every day. AI systems can look at betting trends all over the world, spotting odd patterns that might point to fixed matches or cheating. While tech is becoming a key tool to keep things fair, the speakers stressed that it cannot take the place of human investigators or regulators watching over the industry.
Beyond protecting the integrity of sports, speakers pointed out how AI could update casino operations. For customer service, computer systems can answer booking questions and solve problems more quickly, often beating regular call centers in speed and reliability. AI also has an impact on back-office teams like accounting, following rules, and financial reports. It can handle everyday paperwork, spot odd things, and make work smoother.
However, the productivity gains have an impact on the workforce. As AI tools take over more game design and software development tasks, creating digital content gets cheaper and faster. University experts pointed out that jobs that used to need big teams and loads of money can now be done in hours with AI tools. This change might mean fewer jobs for some tech roles but more jobs for people who can handle, oversee, and guide AI systems.
The group also talked about how AI could cause a revolution in slot machines and interactive gaming. It could create content on the spot that changes as players use the games. These new ideas could shake up how casinos pull in and keep guests entertained.
Even as digital technology gains ground, the experts at the conference agreed that Las Vegas’s main appeal comes from real-life experiences. People still flock to the city for shows, sports, and socializing, despite many daily activities moving to the internet. The speakers pointed out that technology cannot match the value of human interaction.
Looking to the future, AI is set to boost casino efficiency, which could cut running costs. This might lead to better deals for visitors, helping to attract more tourists and reverse recent drops in visitor numbers.While AI is set to shake up regular jobs and methods, big names in the field think people who adjust and use the tech will spot fresh chances. Las Vegas has changed itself many times in the past so it is likely to grow again — mixing cutting-edge tech with the human touch that makes the city special.
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Silvia Pavlof
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Economic data released early this year paints an unsettled picture for the Las Vegas economy as it enters 2026. While the region closed out 2025 with decent performance from casino operators, a combination of shaky employment figures and a persistent lag in tourism visitation has created a climate of uncertainty for southern Nevada.
According to a recent report from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, the city workforce is beginning to feel the impact of a broader slowdown. Las Vegas lost 4,700 jobs between September and November of last year. The leisure and hospitality sector accounted for nearly half of those losses, with 2,200 positions eliminated, followed by the construction industry which shed 1,700 jobs. State economists noted that while wage increases have helped offset some losses, the labor market remains mixed as the new year begins.
The unemployment rate in the Las Vegas metro area currently stands at 5.7 percent, which is higher than the statewide average of 5.3 percent. These figures place Nevada among the states with the highest unemployment rates in the country. The cooling labor market coincides with a downturn in tourism. Data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority shows that visitation through late 2025 was down more than 7 percent compared to the previous year. Airport traffic at Harry Reid International also saw a decline, falling nearly 10 percent year-over-year in November.
These compounding factors led the Southern Nevada Business Confidence Index, tracked by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to drop to its lowest level since the Great Recession. Local analysts suggest the current downturn is distinct from previous disruptions, such as the pandemic or labor strikes. Instead, the current strain on the Las Vegas economy is being described as a policy-driven challenge to tourism and discretionary spending.
In response to these conditions, some relief may be on the horizon for the local workforce. A federal tax credit for tip income, part of a legislative package passed last year, allows workers to start claiming deductions on their recent tax returns. With a high concentration of tipped employees in the gaming and hospitality sectors, the policy could provide a financial cushion. However, industry experts caution that a broader course correction is necessary to restore the levels of international and domestic travel required for a full recovery.
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This Week in Gambling
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Posted on: January 31, 2026, 12:22h.
Last updated on: January 30, 2026, 01:23h.
Harry Reid International Airport, the main air hub of Las Vegas, served almost 55 million arriving and departing passengers last year.

Though the official LAS traffic tally of 54,986,334 ticketed passengers making their way through Harry Reid International represented the third-best year on record, the 2025 traffic marked a 5.9% decline from 2024. The year-over-year net loss equated to about 3.46 million fewer passengers through LAS’ two passenger terminals.
The slowdown in 2025 followed two record-setting years, during which passenger counts climbed to 58.44 million in 2024.
Following two record-setting years, Harry Reid International Airport served nearly 55 million passengers in 2025 — the third-highest annual total in the airport’s history. This achievement underscores Las Vegas’ enduring appeal as a world-class destination for leisure, business, and special events,” the airport said of the report.
“Despite aviation industry-wide challenges, the airport maintained seamless operations during a federal government shutdown and became a national leader in supporting federal workers with a donated food and essentials pantry,” the statistics release continued. The airport added that LAS continued to focus on enhancing the passenger experience throughout the year.
Las Vegas tourism suffered in 2025. The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reported earlier this week that visitor volume was down 7.5% for the year, a net loss of more than 3.12 million guests.
The tourism decline led to stagnant gaming on the Las Vegas Strip. Gross gaming revenue was up a trivial 0.03% to approximately $8.81 billion.
Traffic wasn’t quite as bad at the airport. LAS officials are optimistic about the year ahead.
“As the city looks ahead to even busier years, 2025 stands as a testament to Las Vegas’s status as a top travel hub, connecting millions to the excitement of the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World,” the airport release concluded.
Southwest remained LAS’ top airline, accounting for 21.8 million passengers. Delta was a distant second at 5.2 million passengers.
The LAS numbers do not include layovers, as an arriving or departing passenger is considered one who goes through security.
However, all international arrivals count, as they must go through the customs/immigration process upon arrival, regardless of whether Las Vegas is their final destination. For international travelers connecting through Las Vegas to another domestic city, their flights still count as an official LAS arrival. The same goes for departing international layovers through Las Vegas.
International traffic at Harry Reid isn’t overly robust. Foreign arriving and departing flights accounted for 3.42 million passengers, down 7.4% from the prior year.
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Devin O’Connor
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A Nevada jury on Friday convicted “Dances With Wolves” actor Nathan Chasing Horse of multiple charges of sexually assaulting a minor.
The jurors in Las Vegas found Chasing Horse guilty of 13 of the 21 charges he faced. Most of the guilty verdicts centered on Chasing Horse’s conduct with a victim who was 14 when he began assaulting her. He was acquitted of some sexual assault charges when the main victim was older and lived with him and his other companions. He had pleaded not guilty to all 21 charges.
Chasing Horse, 49, faces a minimum of 25 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 11.
The verdicts mark the climax of a yearslong effort to prosecute Chasing Horse after he was first arrested and indicted in 2023 in a case that sent shock waves through Indian Country. The Nevada Supreme Court ordered the dismissal of Chasing Horse’s original indictment in 2024.
He has also been charged with sex crimes in other states as well as Canada. British Columbia prosecutors said Friday that once Chasing Horse has been sentenced and any appeals are finished in the U.S., they will assess next steps in their prosecution.
As the verdict was read, Chasing Horse stood quietly. Victims and their supporters cried and hugged in the hallway while wearing yellow ribbons. The main victim declined to comment.
John Locher / AP
William Rowles, the Clark County chief deputy district attorney, thanked the women who had accused Chasing Horse of assault for testifying.
“I just hope that the people who came forward over the years and made complaints against Nathan Chasing Horse can find some peace in this,” he said.
Defense attorney Craig Mueller said he will file a motion for a new trial and told The Associated Press he was confused and disappointed in the jury’s verdict. He said he had some “meaningful doubts about the sincerity of the accusations.”
“Dances With Wolves” was one of the most prominent films featuring Native American actors when it premiered in 1990. After Chasing Horse appeared in the Oscar-winning film, he traveled across North America and performed healing ceremonies.
Chasing Horse was born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven tribes of the Lakota nation. He is widely known for his portrayal of Smiles a Lot in Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning film.
Earlier this month, a week before the trial, Chasing Horse was temporarily thrown out of court after he disrupted proceedings with demands he be allowed to fire his defense attorney.
His trial came as authorities have responded more in recent years to an epidemic of violence against Native women.
During the three-week trial, jurors heard from three women who say Chasing Horse sexually assaulted them, some of whom were underage at the time.
Clark County Deputy District Attorney Bianca Pucci said in her closing statements Wednesday that for almost 20 years, Chasing Horse “spun a web of abuse” that caught many women.
Mueller said in his closing statements there was no evidence, including eyewitnesses. He questioned the main accuser’s credibility, describing her as a “scorned woman.”
Prosecutors said sexual assault cases rarely have eyewitnesses and often happen behind closed doors.
The main accuser was 14 years old in 2012 when Chasing Horse allegedly told her the spirits wanted her to give up her virginity to save her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer. He then sexually assaulted her and told her that if she told anyone, her mother would die, Pucci said during opening statements.
“Today’s verdict sends a clear message that exploitation and abuse will not be tolerated, regardless of the defendant’s public persona or claims of spiritual authority,” said Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, who came in to the Las Vegas courtroom to hear the verdict, in a statement.
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They considered canceling the show.
But, in the end, the Eagles decided to carry on even without ailing guitarist-vocalist Joe Walsh and play their sold-out show at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday night (Jan. 24).
The result was unlike any other show the massively popular Los Angeles band has performed during its lengthy Sphere residence, except, really, in one way:
It was still an absolute delight to behold.
Vince Gill, the country star who joined the band after original member Glenn Frey died in 2016, shouldered most of the load caused by Walsh’s absence. He sang the tunes that usually go to Walsh and played many of his regular guitar leads — with the other portion of those hot licks being handled, quite admirably, by ace touring member Chris Holt.
Walsh was out of the fold on this night, band leader Don Henley explained to the crowd, due to his coming down with the flu. Walsh had still managed to soldier through the previous night’s Sphere gig, but his doctor reportedly advised him not to take the stage on Saturday.
He was missed — especially vocally — since Gill’s angelic voice does not, in any way shape or form, resemble Walsh’s charmingly out-of-pitch squawk-talk style. And there were times during the guitar parts that it felt like Walsh might have pushed things a little further — or, at least, a little different — than his studio-session-ready counterparts.
But Walsh will hopefully be feeling better soon and be back in the mix during this blockbuster Eagles residency, which continues at the Sphere through March 28. (For exact dates and other ticket information, visit eagles.com.)
The continued success of this residency — which is the longest in Sphere history — is further proof of the undying love for the Eagles, which got their start as the backing band for Linda Ronstadt in 1971.
Want even more proof? Well, consider that the Eagles’ “Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975” recently garnered quadruple platinum certification in the U.S. Never heard of the term “quadruple platinum certification” before? Well, that’s because it had never ever happened before — the Eagles are the first act to hit that mark, which translates to 40x platinum (aka, 40 millions album units sold).
The group would underscore so many of the reasons for its vast popularity during Saturday’s approximately 2-hour show. The classic rock outfit performed all 10 of the songs featured on that quadruple diamond offering — which ranks as the best-selling album of all time in the U.S. — as well as others tunes from elsewhere in the band catalog as well as a few solo Henley and Walsh cuts.

It’s amazing how good the group — consisting of Henley, Gill, bassist Timothy B. Schmit and vocalist-guitarist Deacon Frey (son of Glenn Frey) as well as touring members Holt, Scott F. Crago on drums and Will Hollis and Michael Thompson on various keys — sounded without such an important piece of the musical puzzle.
Yet, Henley explained that the band had called an emergency two-hour practice earlier in the day, once it was clear that Walsh wasn’t going to make it to the show, and it definitely did the trick. The whole thing went really smoothly and, if you didn’t know any better, it would have been hard to even tell that the group was missing anyone at all.
Of course, the whole shebang was greatly enhanced by the venue itself, which delivered its mind-blowing mix of colorful, moving visuals across and around its unbelievable vivid and clear 16K resolution wraparound LED screen that dominates the interior of this 366-foot-fall building.
The video segments and special effects always played to the lyrics, strengthening storylines with images that moved between fantastical and rooted in reality. As far as the latter goes, the group continually took us to its hometown of L.A. — as well as the broader Southern California region — which makes sense given the pronounced role that the City of Angels has played in the group’s music.
Highlights included those famed band harmonies on “Seven Bridges Road,” delivered ever so sweetly as huge video images of the players floated well above the stage; Deacon Frey’s solid vocal work on “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” which came to a close with a big shot of papa Glenn Frey on the screen; Gill’s blistering lead work on the Walsh solo cut “In the City”; and Henley warmly dedicating “The Boys of Summer” to the dearly departed Bobby Weir.
It was a great show from start to finish. And the shows will likely get even better once Walsh returns to the stage. Fans who haven’t attended this residency yet — or those who simply want another helping of the fun — should definitely consider making a date with the Eagles at the Sphere soon.

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Jim Harrington
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