Well though the Sin City, Las Vegas is going through hard times because of all land and water issues but seems like Las Vegas Fortune is stirred. As the numbers of gambling and visitation continue to paint an ever-improving picture for Las Vegas still there are some hopes. The recent gambling-win reports show a big 12.9% annual increase on the Strip for March. These types of gains used to be routine, but it’s been five months since the Strip registered an uptick of any amount.

By the way the supporting the win increase was a 5.6 % increase in visitor volume. Visitation has risen for 13 consecutive months, but only by 1 % to 2 % in most periods.

Well there is a bad news too…. Better times might mean higher prices: Room rates were up 19.2%, to an average of $111.13 per night, though that could have been due to a big convention month (rates are typically raised for conventions).

Gold Strike shrinking: Operations at the Gold Strike casino, about 15 miles south of Las Vegas, in Jean, are being scaled back. A 500-room hotel tower is being closed, and several slot machines and table games are being shut down in the casino. The Gold Strike serves as a before-Vegas stop for many travelers driving in from Los Angeles, if not a place to stay for a cheap room rate. One 300-room hotel tower will remain in operation.

Dog ’n’ shrimp: Kate’s Korner, the ice cream shop at Gold Coast, has a surprisingly good shrimp cocktail for $2.15. It’s the little bay shrimp in prepackaged containers, but portions are large and it comes with a lemon, crackers, cocktail sauce and a bunch of lettuce that’s fresh enough to eat. Parlay with the $1.25 hot dog from the sports-book cart.

Tickets $57 each: Big Al’s Comedy Club has opened at the Orleans, and Viper Vixens has opened at O’Shea’s. Tickets are $57 at each, which is too much for a comedy club but good for a topless show (plus, Vixens twofers are available at the Strip half-price-ticket outlets).

Come in: After being busted for being navigationally challenged, the massive CityCenter hotel-casino complex at the south end of the Strip continues to improve its accessibility with the addition of new signs. The improvements began last year, when Aria added interior signs to aid visitors who have difficulty, and improvements are also being added to the landscaping and exterior areas with the aim of luring passing foot traffic from its neighbor, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Also Las Vegas is blessed with the slots now……..Actually the Palms has opened its new Slot Emporium now. Las Vegas Palms Slot Emporium is located near the poker room and it is filled with all variety of slots offering unique prizes, such as Xboxes, iPads, MacBooks and a Harley-Davidson, along with standard cash jackpots. Well hope for all good things are coming along the way for Las Vegas.