Las Vegas is changing.
Yes, the myriad casinos are still present—along with thousands of people who are willing to press their luck playing everything from baccarat to the slots. ( As one of my co-workers pointed out, you really can't tell day from night in the hotel casinos, as evidenced by the constant smell of cigarette smoke and the frat boys drinking beer at eight in the morning. )
However, this glitzy city is recognizing that a lot of people don't have to go as far to play the slot machines as they used to ( hello, Joliet! ) ; so, in order to lure tourists, Vegas is offering alternatives. A recent press junket sponsored by MGM Mirage ( the development company that owns most of the hotels along the Vegas Strip, including Treasure Island, New York-New York, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and The Mirage ) provided a window into some of these other options that are meant to tempt at least one of the five senses ( sometimes simultaneously ) .
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The ab-solutely hunky men of Thunder from Down Under await you in Vegas. Cher at Caesar's Palace. Cirque du Soleil-Zumanity. Coyote Ugly.
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Skin is in
In case Windy City Times couldn't guess by the showgirls painted on the sides of taxicabs, Vegas and skin go together like a horse and carriage, to paraphrase the famous quote. ( Between the servers and even the tourists I saw, Windy City Times almost subtitled this piece 'Leave It to Cleavage.' ) During the junket, journalists had their choice of various shows that served to entertain and titillate. Tourists can catch some of Australia's natural formations with Thunder from Down Under, a male revue at Excalibur that features tanned Aussies with six-pack abs and an eye-popping cowboy finale. However, gay boys should be aware that they will probably be sitting with a couple hundred straight women, so it won't exactly be a night at The Eagle. ( By the way, the troupe will also be at Chicago's Crobar, 1543 N. Kingsbury, on May 23. ) MGM Grand features Crazy Horse Paris, which is taken directly from the show in the City of Lights; all of the stunning women in the international dance troupe performed with the original Crazy Horse dance troupe. This show is for anyone who appreciates the female form. There's also burlesque in the form of Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce at Mandalay Bay; the show even features theme nights such as Silicone Sundays. Even the famed Cirque du Soleil has gotten in on the act with its stunning show, Zumanity, which is at the New York-New York hotel. Zumanity, an erotic show that incorporates burlesque and cabaret, even has a significant same-sex scene that showcases two men wrestling—and then kissing. The show is now hosted by legendary drag queen Edie ( played by Christopher Kenney ) , who has taken over the reins now that Joey Arias has departed.
Relax—just do it
Fortunately, there are a lot of options for those who are tired of running around and want to be pampered; every MGM Mirage hotel on the Strip has a spa that offers a relaxing and/or rejuvenating choice. Spa Bellagio offers treatments such as its signature stone facial, which incorporates cleaning, exfoliation and serums that are said to smooth the skin's texture. Windy City Times went for New York-New York's effective customized escape massage, which uses elements of Swedish, deep-tissue and aromatherapy massage. Another alternative—for those who are truly adventurous—is The Dreaming Ritual at MGM Grand's Grand Spa. The two-hour experience is a tribal-inspired service that begins with a foot soak and ends with an Australian aboriginal massage. People can also get facials, manicures/pedicures and even a birch detoxifying wrap, depending on the hotel.
More than a meal
Vegas is also amping up its restaurants, replacing those all-you-can-eat cheap buffets with more upscale restaurant experiences—and experiences aren't much more delicious than the one at The Bellagio's Sensi, where diners can watch the chef in the glass-encased kitchen prepare specialties involving Italian, Asian, American and seafood cuisines. Everything from the appetizers ( crab and grilled prawns ) to the entrees ( New York strip steak and boat scallions ) to dessert ( a treat that would make anyone fall in love with tapioca ) led Windy City Times to give Sensi two ( lobster ) claws up. Mandalay Bay's Border Grill, which overlooks the Lazy River just off Mandalay Beach, offers upscale Mexican food such as plantain empanadas, Aztec avocado ceviche and gaucho steak. Speaking of steak, Stripsteak, another Mandalay Bay eatery, is all about the meat, doling pork, beef and chicken dishes in addition to seafood. Lastly, there's Fusia at Luxor, an Asian restaurant that sets itself apart from others with such intriguing dishes as the spiced Indonesian crab stack, and jumbo lump crab & lobster cake with potato fries. Are you hungry yet?
You better Cirque
Visitors to Vegas would be depriving themselves if they did not attend at least one Cirque du Soleil show. The good—or bad—thing is that there are so many options. O, which is at the Bellagio, is an aquatic show that features an global cast of 81 artists, performing in, on and above a 1.5 million gallon pool of water. KÁ, at the MGM Grand, combines acrobatics, martial arts and pyrotechnics as it tells the tale of separated twins who embark upon a dangerous journey. Love, which opened at The Mirage two years ago, is a joint production with Apple Records about 'living the Beatles experience' that features the songs of the Fab Four. Mystére debuted at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in 1993, featured lots of brilliant colors and acrobatics. Also, don't forget Zumanity ( under 'Skin is in' ) .
As if all that's not enough...
Among the other ( daytime ) activities one can take part in is visiting Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. It is known as North America's only predator-based aquarium, with over a dozen exhibits featuring animals such as moray eels, crocodiles, sharks and pirahna—with a Komodo dragon taking residence there starting June 20. Animal lovers can also visit The Mirage's Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat ( and, no, 'Secret Garden' is not a euphemism ) . The animal retreat houses rare beasts such as white tigers, and is also home for a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. And for adrenaline junkies, there's The Roller Coaster at New York-New York, which is the first ride of its kind to feature a 180-degree 'heartline' twist-and-dive maneuver—which is all the more scary at night, when riders sometimes can't see where they're headed. Tanning junkies can visit various resorts, including the European-style ( read: clothing-optional ) Bare, which features VIP service and a contemporary atmosphere.
Diva Las Vegas
To top it all off, LGBT visitors can fill their diva quota this summer. Cher is headlining at Caesar's Palace ( not affiliated with MGM Mirage ) until June 1 and again Aug. 12-20. Her 90-minute show will feature her hits and, yes, innumerable costume changes. Then, 'Elton John: The Red Piano' will take over June 3-22 and July 23-Aug. 2. With Elton, leave the kiddies at home; the Harrah's Web site says that 'The Red Piano is designed with a Vegas theme and mature audiences in mind.' Last—but certainly not least—Caesar's Palace will feature 'Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On' June 24-July 20. See www.harrahs.com .
See www.mgmmirage.com to find out about most of the aforementioned attractions.
To find out even more about Vegas, hear Amy Matheny's thoughts at the Windy City Queercast Web site ( www.WindyCityQueercast.com ) and look for WCQ202.