Las Vegas under $100

By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.NET

LAS Vegas, Nevada — What can you do with US$100? Not too much, if you’re in Las Vegas.

That amount will run out in 30 minutes when all of it is used on any of the slot machines, another 30 minutes when playing craps. It’ll last 40 minutes when playing blackjack or just 10 minutes in poker (if you have a bad hand or simply not too good at the game). Las Vegas will literally suck you dry with its dry heat and sinful invitations.

Then again, there is the good side to having only $100. For one, you’ll be forced to stay away from the gambling spots, which could bankrupt your wallet. Another is that having a small amount of money will encourage better financial management when in the city and perhaps wisely use it for other non-gambling activities.

Lucky for me, I got that chance to be in Las Vegas, courtesy of IBM when they had their huge Information-on-Demand conference. Despite staying only for two days I was able to go around the city, particularly the famous Strip where most of the major hotels and resorts are located. I had to make the most of my $100.

Of course, I started out with the slot machines. Who wouldn’t? Every hotel in Las Vegas has slot machines at their lobbies. Slot machines outnumber craps and card tables 30 to one. The McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas even had slot machines near the boarding gates. There are also variations of the slot machines with some using popular TV shows and movies as motifs. Prizes varied but they mostly were cash. A few had more special prizes such as cars. One hotel had a BMW Z4 as major prize and so far, no winner.

Speaking of hotels, just about every four- or five-star hotel was designed with a different fantasy theme. There is New York New York Hotel and Casino, which crammed about a dozen scaled-down replicas of famous New York skyscrapers and structures, such as the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, and of course, the Statue of Liberty. Another building with a fantasy theme is the Excalibur and as the name goes, it is designed like a medieval castle.

Other buildings stayed with a more modern look. These include Mandalay Bay Hotel (where IBM held its IOD conference), Caesar’s Palace, MGM Grand, and the Bellagio Hotel. The latter is famous for two reasons: Ocean’s 11 and its huge dancing water fountain on a man-made lake.

The hotel I stayed in is also equally prominent; the Luxor Hotel may perhaps have the most unique design with a pyramid design and an almost entirely Egyptian theme inside and out. In front of the glass pyramid are an obelisk and a giant Sphinx. Luxor Hotel is just as grand when seen at night because of a fixed-position spotlight at the tip. It is said to beam the most powerful light that can be visible from anywhere in the Las Vegas desert.

After a walkthrough of the hotels in the Las Vegas Strip, it’s time to use some of the money for non-gambling stuff. Every corner of every building has one or more bars offering alcoholic beverages ranging from daiquiris, beers, tequilas, wines, champagne and everything else in between. Many barflies would bring their bottles with them and hop to the next bar. Often, empty bottles are strewn in corners of dark alleys but drinkers normally leave their bottles in less conspicuous places. Restaurants and cafes are also scattered throughout the Las Vegas Strip.

If hunger attacks, a few steps and there’s a nearby establishment with delectable and not-so-delectable nourishment. Take note, however, that it’s not cheap being in Vegas. Among the cheapest food there are the Sabrett frankfurters at $3. If you want to stretch a bit more there are still some of the more familiar food establishments such as McDonalds. Incidentally, even their Big Mac isn’t that big. Though the cost of a super-sized Big Mac is $7 (or P327), not so cheap if you’re considering getting dessert.

Las Vegas is home to dozens of shows, some of which are from New York’s artistic Broadway. Among the more popular shows are Mamma Mia! at the Mandalay Bay and the Cirque du Soleil series held at various hotels. Some shows are more adult oriented such as Fantasy, American Storm, Zumanity and Australia’s Thunder from Down Under. These are not cheap though, and may cost a bit more.

If the shows are not your thing there are featured entertainment spots all over The Strip. New York New York Hotel’s haunted Brooklyn Bridge has a few scares for the weak of heart. It also has a roller coaster complete with loops, spins and twists that can churn stomachs. These cost about $15 to $20 dollars per visit, which is surprisingly cheap for such big thrills.

Las Vegas lives up to its reputation as Sin City. Along The Strip you will see pimps giving out cards of naked women. Of course, if you’re not up to this kind of “entertainment,” you can always go back to playing at the craps table or putting coins in slot machines. Just the same, having fun in Las Vegas doesn’t have to be expensive. You can have thousands of dollars with you for a night of entertainment but even with only $100 you can get by.

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