Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Formula One Paves a New RoadBy BRAD SPURGEONPublished: September 26, 2004
HANGHAI, Sept. 25 - The drivers' title has been won, and the team title has been decided, but that seems almost beside the point as Formula One conducts the first Chinese Grand Prix here Sunday.
The locale of the luxurious and gargantuan new track in Shanghai may well threaten Monaco's position as the favorite place for the teams and the drivers, although it probably will not for the core fans who follow the races around Europe.
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Still, the organizers had no problem filling the seats. Even though the majority of China's 1.3 billion people could not afford to go - tickets cost from about $45 to about $450 - all 150,000 tickets were sold by August.
The walls of Pudong International Airport are lined with billboards for DHL, a Formula One sponsor, depicting a racecar driver and its connection to the sport. Along the roads into the city, the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, another sponsor, has draped red Formula One flags bordered by a checkered flag. Other Formula One ads appear in the city, which is in the middle of its Tourism Festival. Hotels have raised their room rates, and beds are still hard to find.
"Everyone's talking about it, from the C.E.O.'s of big companies to my baby sitter," said Laurie Underwood, head of communications and publications for the American Chamber of Commerce here. "There's a general sense of euphoria about having Formula One come to Shanghai."
While the poverty is still visible beneath the gleaming modern skyline, the city's economy, like that of China as a whole, is booming. And the motor car is the symbol of the aspirations of the country's new middle class. The streets of Shanghai teem with bicycles and other strange, wheeled variants. This week The China Daily reported that there are only 10 million private cars in the country.
Formula One's car manufacturers salivate over this potential market, and even those struggling in the wake of all-conquering Ferrari are desperate to do well this weekend.
The modern Shanghai International Circuit, covering 5.4 kilometers, or 3.3 miles, was built on swampy farmland in Anting, an auto manufacturing town about 18 miles west of Shanghai.
The race and the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing are part of a larger plan by China to develop as a power in world sports. The race is also intended to promote the image of Shanghai and China abroad and to help develop its motor industry.
Yu Zhifei, the deputy general manager of Shanghai International Circuit, is known for having brought the Manchester United soccer team here in 1999 to play his club, Shanghai Shenhua. The event made a $1.8 million profit, he said.
Yu expects the Formula One race to pay off within a decade. He said it had created 10,000 jobs locally, although many are only for race week.
The influx of tourists for the race and the 2,000 team employees and members of the news media will also contribute to the local economy.
At the same time, Formula One is flooding Shanghai with its merchandise. The T-shirts, stationery, jackets and other souvenirs were introduced in China last month through Internet sites and cellphone messages.
"We received an overwhelming response from the market," said Qiu Ping, general manager of the Shanghai Racing Commercial, which owns the exclusive rights to sell the merchandise for Formula One in China.
"We gave them some designs with a China touch, but they were all denied," Qiu said.
That raises the question of whether a sport so rooted in Europe can adjust to the Chinese market it wants to conquer.
HANGHAI, Sept. 25 - The drivers' title has been won, and the team title has been decided, but that seems almost beside the point as Formula One conducts the first Chinese Grand Prix here Sunday.
The locale of the luxurious and gargantuan new track in Shanghai may well threaten Monaco's position as the favorite place for the teams and the drivers, although it probably will not for the core fans who follow the races around Europe.
Advertisement
Still, the organizers had no problem filling the seats. Even though the majority of China's 1.3 billion people could not afford to go - tickets cost from about $45 to about $450 - all 150,000 tickets were sold by August.
The walls of Pudong International Airport are lined with billboards for DHL, a Formula One sponsor, depicting a racecar driver and its connection to the sport. Along the roads into the city, the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, another sponsor, has draped red Formula One flags bordered by a checkered flag. Other Formula One ads appear in the city, which is in the middle of its Tourism Festival. Hotels have raised their room rates, and beds are still hard to find.
"Everyone's talking about it, from the C.E.O.'s of big companies to my baby sitter," said Laurie Underwood, head of communications and publications for the American Chamber of Commerce here. "There's a general sense of euphoria about having Formula One come to Shanghai."
While the poverty is still visible beneath the gleaming modern skyline, the city's economy, like that of China as a whole, is booming. And the motor car is the symbol of the aspirations of the country's new middle class. The streets of Shanghai teem with bicycles and other strange, wheeled variants. This week The China Daily reported that there are only 10 million private cars in the country.
Formula One's car manufacturers salivate over this potential market, and even those struggling in the wake of all-conquering Ferrari are desperate to do well this weekend.
The modern Shanghai International Circuit, covering 5.4 kilometers, or 3.3 miles, was built on swampy farmland in Anting, an auto manufacturing town about 18 miles west of Shanghai.
The race and the 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing are part of a larger plan by China to develop as a power in world sports. The race is also intended to promote the image of Shanghai and China abroad and to help develop its motor industry.
Yu Zhifei, the deputy general manager of Shanghai International Circuit, is known for having brought the Manchester United soccer team here in 1999 to play his club, Shanghai Shenhua. The event made a $1.8 million profit, he said.
Yu expects the Formula One race to pay off within a decade. He said it had created 10,000 jobs locally, although many are only for race week.
The influx of tourists for the race and the 2,000 team employees and members of the news media will also contribute to the local economy.
At the same time, Formula One is flooding Shanghai with its merchandise. The T-shirts, stationery, jackets and other souvenirs were introduced in China last month through Internet sites and cellphone messages.
"We received an overwhelming response from the market," said Qiu Ping, general manager of the Shanghai Racing Commercial, which owns the exclusive rights to sell the merchandise for Formula One in China.
"We gave them some designs with a China touch, but they were all denied," Qiu said.
That raises the question of whether a sport so rooted in Europe can adjust to the Chinese market it wants to conquer.
FEAR FACTOR: Filmmaker urges Kerry vote ... or else
BY PATRICIA MONTEMURRI FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
September 29, 2004
MANDI WRIGHT/DFPAuthor and filmmaker Michael Moore speaks at the University of Michigan-Dearborn on Tuesday.
If free underwear and Ramen noodles aren't enough to entice college students to vote on Nov. 2, filmmaker Michael Moore is trying to scare them into voting for John Kerry by suggesting that President George W. Bush will reinstate the military draft if re-elected.
Moore, a Flint native and Oscar-winning documentary maker, spoke to about 2,000 people Tuesday at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in an appearance designed to pump up voter turnout among young people and tear down the Bush presidency. He gave away free underwear and noodle packages to first-time voters after he criticized Bush's motives and conduct of the war in Iraq, as he does in his recent film, "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"They have run out of troops. And that means only one thing. If George Bush is elected in November, there is going to be a draft. ... And if you're 18 to 26 years old, you are going to face the draft," he said. "This is what he's got in mind."
The Bush administration, the Pentagon and other federal officials deny any such plan exists. But Moore and some leading Democrats are fueling the rumor, which is being stoked on Internet chat rooms and on the campaign trail. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, stumping for Kerry, recently suggested Bush would reinstate the draft.
Heather Layman, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said Moore's statements are "the same unfounded and irresponsible suggestion that John Kerry himself and several of his surrogates have made recently, and continue to make despite the fact that President Bush has said specifically we do not need the draft."
Moore, an unabashed liberal rabble-rouser who took on General Motors in the movie "Roger and Me" and won an Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine," is on what he's dubbed the "Slacker Uprising Tour" of college campuses in 20 battleground states. It was his third day of speeches in Michigan.
Moore chastised Democrats for worrying so much about Kerry's chances -- pouting and speaking in a whiny voice -- and contrasted that with a portrayal of Bush backers as relentless and focused. He even held out his arm in a Nazi-like salute, as he mocked Bush backers at the GOP national convention who chanted "four more years" for the president.
He offered some debate advice for Kerry as the Massachusetts senator prepared to meet Bush on Thursday night in the first of three debates.
Kerry needs to "look at Bush and use two words: Where's Osama?" Moore said, referring to Al Qaeda terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
Moore asked first-time voters to come forward, saying his tour was designed to push nonvoters off the couch and into the voting booth.
About a dozen people came forward. The women got Ramen noodles; new male voters got packs of free underwear.
Signs at the doors told spectators that by entering, they were giving consent to be filmed and to possibly appear in a later Moore production.
About a dozen Bush supporters waved signs outside, including Chris Taylor, 23, of New York City, who said he's traveling to Moore's engagements to offer up the GOP perspective.
"You people are going to be so sad on Nov. 3," he said.
Tickets were free for University of Michigan-Dearborn students, who got them early, and were $5 for anyone else. Moore was invited to U-M Dearborn by Zahra Huber, 20, the president of the campus' Society of Journalists. Moore's visit was paid for with funds from ticket fees and $7,000 in money allocated for student activities, Huber said.
Ed Bagale, the U-M Dearborn vice chancellor of government relations, said the college Republicans also will have similar funds to bring in a pro-Bush speaker later.
Moore is scheduled to speak at Wayne State University at noon today and at the University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium at 7:30 tonight. Both appearances are sold out.
Amy Parsons, 20, of Wyandotte asked Moore whether he feels people treat him as a celebrity or as a political leader.
"I just feel like I'm overweight," quipped Moore.
Contact PATRICIA MONTEMURRI at 313-223-4538 or montemurri@freepress.com.
Copyright © 2004 Detroit Free Press Inc.
BY PATRICIA MONTEMURRI FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
September 29, 2004
MANDI WRIGHT/DFPAuthor and filmmaker Michael Moore speaks at the University of Michigan-Dearborn on Tuesday.
If free underwear and Ramen noodles aren't enough to entice college students to vote on Nov. 2, filmmaker Michael Moore is trying to scare them into voting for John Kerry by suggesting that President George W. Bush will reinstate the military draft if re-elected.
Moore, a Flint native and Oscar-winning documentary maker, spoke to about 2,000 people Tuesday at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in an appearance designed to pump up voter turnout among young people and tear down the Bush presidency. He gave away free underwear and noodle packages to first-time voters after he criticized Bush's motives and conduct of the war in Iraq, as he does in his recent film, "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"They have run out of troops. And that means only one thing. If George Bush is elected in November, there is going to be a draft. ... And if you're 18 to 26 years old, you are going to face the draft," he said. "This is what he's got in mind."
The Bush administration, the Pentagon and other federal officials deny any such plan exists. But Moore and some leading Democrats are fueling the rumor, which is being stoked on Internet chat rooms and on the campaign trail. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, stumping for Kerry, recently suggested Bush would reinstate the draft.
Heather Layman, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said Moore's statements are "the same unfounded and irresponsible suggestion that John Kerry himself and several of his surrogates have made recently, and continue to make despite the fact that President Bush has said specifically we do not need the draft."
Moore, an unabashed liberal rabble-rouser who took on General Motors in the movie "Roger and Me" and won an Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine," is on what he's dubbed the "Slacker Uprising Tour" of college campuses in 20 battleground states. It was his third day of speeches in Michigan.
Moore chastised Democrats for worrying so much about Kerry's chances -- pouting and speaking in a whiny voice -- and contrasted that with a portrayal of Bush backers as relentless and focused. He even held out his arm in a Nazi-like salute, as he mocked Bush backers at the GOP national convention who chanted "four more years" for the president.
He offered some debate advice for Kerry as the Massachusetts senator prepared to meet Bush on Thursday night in the first of three debates.
Kerry needs to "look at Bush and use two words: Where's Osama?" Moore said, referring to Al Qaeda terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
Moore asked first-time voters to come forward, saying his tour was designed to push nonvoters off the couch and into the voting booth.
About a dozen people came forward. The women got Ramen noodles; new male voters got packs of free underwear.
Signs at the doors told spectators that by entering, they were giving consent to be filmed and to possibly appear in a later Moore production.
About a dozen Bush supporters waved signs outside, including Chris Taylor, 23, of New York City, who said he's traveling to Moore's engagements to offer up the GOP perspective.
"You people are going to be so sad on Nov. 3," he said.
Tickets were free for University of Michigan-Dearborn students, who got them early, and were $5 for anyone else. Moore was invited to U-M Dearborn by Zahra Huber, 20, the president of the campus' Society of Journalists. Moore's visit was paid for with funds from ticket fees and $7,000 in money allocated for student activities, Huber said.
Ed Bagale, the U-M Dearborn vice chancellor of government relations, said the college Republicans also will have similar funds to bring in a pro-Bush speaker later.
Moore is scheduled to speak at Wayne State University at noon today and at the University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium at 7:30 tonight. Both appearances are sold out.
Amy Parsons, 20, of Wyandotte asked Moore whether he feels people treat him as a celebrity or as a political leader.
"I just feel like I'm overweight," quipped Moore.
Contact PATRICIA MONTEMURRI at 313-223-4538 or montemurri@freepress.com.
Copyright © 2004 Detroit Free Press Inc.
Enjoy the amenities of Las Vegas without spending a fortune
Anthony Curtis, editor of the Las Vegas Advisor travel newsletter (www.LasVegasAdvisor.com) and longtime authority on bargains in Las Vegas, shares his secrets with USA TODAY on how to get more out of Vegas than Vegas gets out of you.
Spend less, win more: Vegas offers one of the most economical vacations available.
This year, Las Vegas is on pace to host more than 38 million visitors — more than any other destination in the world.
That this city is still to gamblers what the Super Bowl is to football fans has a lot to do with that, but today, its allure goes much further. Super shopping, dazzling shows, five-star restaurants and trendy nightlife all help attract the crowds.
As Vegas' revenue stream diversified in the past decade, prices have been rising, especially in the last few years. But with nearly 90 casinos and more than 135,000 rooms competing for visitors, Las Vegas continues to offer one of the most economical vacations available — if you know how to play it. Following is a look at some of the best deals in Bargain City.
Basic lodging strategy
For the best rates on a room, you have to move away from the Strip.
Look for deals at one of the resorts located just off the Strip. Rates fluctuate by season and day of the week, but finding rooms in the $50 range Sunday through Thursday is often possible.
Strong prospects (in order of size) include: the Las Vegas Hilton, Orleans, Palace Station, Gold Coast and Terrible's. Two great sleepers in this class are the all-suite Tuscany and the Stratosphere. Sam's Town, Boulder Station and Sunset Station are a few miles farther away, but all are excellent resorts with low-priced rooms.
Don't forget downtown, where rates at casinos such as the Las Vegas Club, Four Queens and the Plaza can dip below $40 per night midweek. The downtown casinos are older, but they're full-service resorts, and many have recently upgraded rooms. The classiest accommodation downtown is at the Golden Nugget. It costs a little more, but it's worth it.
Landing the best room deal depends on your diligence. These days, consolidators and discounters are all over the Internet, and shopping them can lead to some fantastic bargains.
After conducting comparisons at LasVegasAdvisor.com, we've found a couple that yield consistently good results.
If you prefer full service, Las Vegas-based TripReservations.com has both a strong inventory of discounted rooms (Palace Station was $24 per night recently) and reliable customer service. (One great benefit of discounters is overstock specials. Last November, for example, an overstock at TripReservations prompted a room rate at the Orleans of $9 per night.)
For do-it-yourselfers, search engine Travelaxe monitors rates offered by nearly two dozen major online travel companies. Once you find a deal there, you can book it immediately at no additional charge. Be aware, however, what you gain in price, you give up in flexibility. Changing reservations made through second-party discounters often comes with a penalty, and the situation can be compounded by the third-party aspect of Travelaxe. For price and flexibility, grab a list of toll-free Las Vegas hotel numbers and start dialing.
Bargain bites
Eating good food cheap is a rite of passage for every visitor to Las Vegas, which is home to hundreds of dining deals.
The best meal deal in town is the little Ellis Island Casino. This place isn't featured in the travel guides, but it serves a filet-cut sirloin with salad, potato, vegetable and rolls 24 hours a day for $4.95. Dine during off hours to beat the lines.
This special is just one of three good off-the-menu deals in the area. Terrible's offers a half-chicken dinner that'll easily feed two for $4.95 and a complete T-bone steak dinner and a beer for $7.95 (join the casino slot club and get $3 off), while the nearby Hard Rock Casino has a $7.77 steak-and-shrimp special. Both are available in the coffee shops 24 hours a day, but you have to ask for them.
Across the street, Key Largo serves the best burger deal in town — a half-pounder with the works and a plate full of fries for $1.99.
Las Vegas' famous buffets remain a good value, and $10 smorgasbords dot the landscape, but some pricier deals might attract your interest. About $25 can buy you an unlimited quantity of shellfish, sushi and prime rib. The top gourmet buffets are at the Bellagio, Paris, Aladdin and Mirage.
Each is spectacular, so rely on price to decide. The Mirage and Aladdin are currently priced $5 to $15 below the others, with dinner at $22.50 and $23.99, respectively. Check out the dim sum station, available during all meals (even breakfast) at the Mirage and the Aladdin's Middle Eastern station.
For an end-of-vacation splurge, try the Sunday champagne brunch in the Broiler at Boulder Station, with its seafood, salad, omelet and one-of-a-kind potato-pancake bar for $19.99.
For a big night out, head to one of Las Vegas' great bargain gourmet rooms. These venerable restaurants are known for their sunken booths, old-time maitre d's and super deals on steaks, prime rib and crab legs. Check out the Plaza's Center Stage (with its view of Fremont Street), Gold Coast's Cortez Room, Roberta's at El Cortez and the Yukon Grilles at Arizona Charlie's Decatur or Boulder. Order appetizers and drinks and still get out for less than $50 per couple.
For snacks, try Golden Gate's famous 99¢ shrimp cocktail, Gold Coast's 75¢ hot dogs that come with onions and sauerkraut, and just about anything from Wild Wild West's little-known coffee shop just off the Strip.
Showtime
Shows featuring Celine Dion, Danny Gans and Cirque du Soleil are stunning spectacles, but they'll also stun wallets to the tune of about $100 a ticket.
A more frugal move is to take advantage of Las Vegas' terrific afternoon minirevues, which can feature big talent in big rooms at small prices — usually less than $20. They include the Mac King show at Harrah's, The Magic of Rick Thomas at the Tropicana and the Ronn Lucas show at the Rio. Rack rates for these shows are $19, $23 and $28, respectively, but discounts are available everywhere.
Both King and Lucas can be seen for $6.95 by securing the proper coupons. Get Mac King coupons, for example, by signing up for Harrah's slot club or look for Harrah's casino employees handing them out. With coupons, a couple can see all three shows — a different one each day — for less than $60.
Several shows now play for free, usually for a one-drink minimum. One of the best is the Thom Kaz hypnotist show, which splits time during the week between Palace Station and Sunset Station. The Sahara's Divas of Comedy and the noon Dueling Pianos, playing daily at the Riviera, are both free.
A trio of shows play at downtown's Fitzgeralds for the price of a $5 drink. You can also see the famous free spectacles around town such as the Mirage volcano, Bellagio fountains, Rio Parade in the Sky and, best of all, the Fremont Street Experience's retooled light show, featuring a cast of 12.5 million light-emitting diodes.
Commemorate your trip with a souvenir photograph from the Imperial Palace. Show up in front of the casino between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., have your picture snapped in an antique car, and pick up the photo immediately at the slot club booth inside — it's free.
Monorail
Las Vegas' latest big thing was the unveiling of the Strip monorail in July, though it's had more than its share of problems since opening; it's closed pending major repairs, but it figures to eventually be a big part of the city's transit system.
Tickets cost $3 one way. Since a two-ride ticket is $5.50, you can save 50 cents by buying a round trip, the most economical way to go to one station, then return. For more rides, consider the $10 all-day pass.
For multiple-day use, 10 rides cost $20 and a three-day pass is $25. Children 5 and under are admitted free; carry them through the turnstile on your ticket.
Anthony Curtis, editor of the Las Vegas Advisor travel newsletter (www.LasVegasAdvisor.com) and longtime authority on bargains in Las Vegas, shares his secrets with USA TODAY on how to get more out of Vegas than Vegas gets out of you.
Spend less, win more: Vegas offers one of the most economical vacations available.
This year, Las Vegas is on pace to host more than 38 million visitors — more than any other destination in the world.
That this city is still to gamblers what the Super Bowl is to football fans has a lot to do with that, but today, its allure goes much further. Super shopping, dazzling shows, five-star restaurants and trendy nightlife all help attract the crowds.
As Vegas' revenue stream diversified in the past decade, prices have been rising, especially in the last few years. But with nearly 90 casinos and more than 135,000 rooms competing for visitors, Las Vegas continues to offer one of the most economical vacations available — if you know how to play it. Following is a look at some of the best deals in Bargain City.
Basic lodging strategy
For the best rates on a room, you have to move away from the Strip.
Look for deals at one of the resorts located just off the Strip. Rates fluctuate by season and day of the week, but finding rooms in the $50 range Sunday through Thursday is often possible.
Strong prospects (in order of size) include: the Las Vegas Hilton, Orleans, Palace Station, Gold Coast and Terrible's. Two great sleepers in this class are the all-suite Tuscany and the Stratosphere. Sam's Town, Boulder Station and Sunset Station are a few miles farther away, but all are excellent resorts with low-priced rooms.
Don't forget downtown, where rates at casinos such as the Las Vegas Club, Four Queens and the Plaza can dip below $40 per night midweek. The downtown casinos are older, but they're full-service resorts, and many have recently upgraded rooms. The classiest accommodation downtown is at the Golden Nugget. It costs a little more, but it's worth it.
Landing the best room deal depends on your diligence. These days, consolidators and discounters are all over the Internet, and shopping them can lead to some fantastic bargains.
After conducting comparisons at LasVegasAdvisor.com, we've found a couple that yield consistently good results.
If you prefer full service, Las Vegas-based TripReservations.com has both a strong inventory of discounted rooms (Palace Station was $24 per night recently) and reliable customer service. (One great benefit of discounters is overstock specials. Last November, for example, an overstock at TripReservations prompted a room rate at the Orleans of $9 per night.)
For do-it-yourselfers, search engine Travelaxe monitors rates offered by nearly two dozen major online travel companies. Once you find a deal there, you can book it immediately at no additional charge. Be aware, however, what you gain in price, you give up in flexibility. Changing reservations made through second-party discounters often comes with a penalty, and the situation can be compounded by the third-party aspect of Travelaxe. For price and flexibility, grab a list of toll-free Las Vegas hotel numbers and start dialing.
Bargain bites
Eating good food cheap is a rite of passage for every visitor to Las Vegas, which is home to hundreds of dining deals.
The best meal deal in town is the little Ellis Island Casino. This place isn't featured in the travel guides, but it serves a filet-cut sirloin with salad, potato, vegetable and rolls 24 hours a day for $4.95. Dine during off hours to beat the lines.
This special is just one of three good off-the-menu deals in the area. Terrible's offers a half-chicken dinner that'll easily feed two for $4.95 and a complete T-bone steak dinner and a beer for $7.95 (join the casino slot club and get $3 off), while the nearby Hard Rock Casino has a $7.77 steak-and-shrimp special. Both are available in the coffee shops 24 hours a day, but you have to ask for them.
Across the street, Key Largo serves the best burger deal in town — a half-pounder with the works and a plate full of fries for $1.99.
Las Vegas' famous buffets remain a good value, and $10 smorgasbords dot the landscape, but some pricier deals might attract your interest. About $25 can buy you an unlimited quantity of shellfish, sushi and prime rib. The top gourmet buffets are at the Bellagio, Paris, Aladdin and Mirage.
Each is spectacular, so rely on price to decide. The Mirage and Aladdin are currently priced $5 to $15 below the others, with dinner at $22.50 and $23.99, respectively. Check out the dim sum station, available during all meals (even breakfast) at the Mirage and the Aladdin's Middle Eastern station.
For an end-of-vacation splurge, try the Sunday champagne brunch in the Broiler at Boulder Station, with its seafood, salad, omelet and one-of-a-kind potato-pancake bar for $19.99.
For a big night out, head to one of Las Vegas' great bargain gourmet rooms. These venerable restaurants are known for their sunken booths, old-time maitre d's and super deals on steaks, prime rib and crab legs. Check out the Plaza's Center Stage (with its view of Fremont Street), Gold Coast's Cortez Room, Roberta's at El Cortez and the Yukon Grilles at Arizona Charlie's Decatur or Boulder. Order appetizers and drinks and still get out for less than $50 per couple.
For snacks, try Golden Gate's famous 99¢ shrimp cocktail, Gold Coast's 75¢ hot dogs that come with onions and sauerkraut, and just about anything from Wild Wild West's little-known coffee shop just off the Strip.
Showtime
Shows featuring Celine Dion, Danny Gans and Cirque du Soleil are stunning spectacles, but they'll also stun wallets to the tune of about $100 a ticket.
A more frugal move is to take advantage of Las Vegas' terrific afternoon minirevues, which can feature big talent in big rooms at small prices — usually less than $20. They include the Mac King show at Harrah's, The Magic of Rick Thomas at the Tropicana and the Ronn Lucas show at the Rio. Rack rates for these shows are $19, $23 and $28, respectively, but discounts are available everywhere.
Both King and Lucas can be seen for $6.95 by securing the proper coupons. Get Mac King coupons, for example, by signing up for Harrah's slot club or look for Harrah's casino employees handing them out. With coupons, a couple can see all three shows — a different one each day — for less than $60.
Several shows now play for free, usually for a one-drink minimum. One of the best is the Thom Kaz hypnotist show, which splits time during the week between Palace Station and Sunset Station. The Sahara's Divas of Comedy and the noon Dueling Pianos, playing daily at the Riviera, are both free.
A trio of shows play at downtown's Fitzgeralds for the price of a $5 drink. You can also see the famous free spectacles around town such as the Mirage volcano, Bellagio fountains, Rio Parade in the Sky and, best of all, the Fremont Street Experience's retooled light show, featuring a cast of 12.5 million light-emitting diodes.
Commemorate your trip with a souvenir photograph from the Imperial Palace. Show up in front of the casino between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., have your picture snapped in an antique car, and pick up the photo immediately at the slot club booth inside — it's free.
Monorail
Las Vegas' latest big thing was the unveiling of the Strip monorail in July, though it's had more than its share of problems since opening; it's closed pending major repairs, but it figures to eventually be a big part of the city's transit system.
Tickets cost $3 one way. Since a two-ride ticket is $5.50, you can save 50 cents by buying a round trip, the most economical way to go to one station, then return. For more rides, consider the $10 all-day pass.
For multiple-day use, 10 rides cost $20 and a three-day pass is $25. Children 5 and under are admitted free; carry them through the turnstile on your ticket.
