Parker: Jillian's opens at Neonopolis

[Parker]

Before I left Las Vegas on my most recent visit, I was able to get a look at the new Jillian's, which has just opened in the Neonopolis center downtown.

What is Jillian's? The signs say, "Eat, Drink, Play," and that more or less sums it up.

On the first floor is a state-of-the-art video arcade, with many virtual-reality type games. On the other side is a restaurant/bar. The bar is hi-tech as well, with many large screen TV's. This would be a good place to watch sports. Interestingly, coctail waitress patrol the video arcade, serving drinks to those of legal age (and willing to pay for them).

The second floor contains an 11 lane bowling alley, a billiard hall, and another bar.

What makes this place unusual, at least for downtown Las Vegas, is that there is not so much as a slot machine or video poker game anywhere in the place!

Will Jillian's bring Neonopolis to financial health? I certainly don't know.

I think the place really needs a good casino. It needn't be huge, just some full-pay video poker, slots with a good slot club, and some blackjack tables with good games. Locate it toward the rear of Neonopolis, so people have to walk through the place to get to it.

Personally, I think Las Vegas is missing the boat on downtown redevelopment. Twenty years ago, San Diego's downtown was a mess - nothing but sleazy bars, adult bookstores and theatres, and "massage parlors" that were obvious fronts for prostitution.

Now it a thriving hub of upscale stores and restaurants, and a tourist attraction in its own right.

Also, and I think this is the key, it is a desirable place to live. Lots of people live downtown, and I don't mean derelicts and drug addicts, either. There are plenty of luxury condominium complexes, and more being built. There are trendy artists lofts. Even some of the old flophouse hotels have been remodeled into cozy (and pricey) studios.

I think this would work in Las Vegas, but it requires developers with vision. When they first started building upscale condos in downtown San Diego, many people thought that the developers had lost their minds. "Who'd want to live downtown, they asked?" As it turned out, a lot of people. Especially nowadays, with the median price of a single family home at $350K, and 90 minute commutes the rule.

But I digress. Jillian's is now open at Neonopolis.

[Bettie]

> Before I left Las Vegas on my most recent
> visit, I was able to get a look at the new
> Jillian's, which has just opened in the
> Neonopolis center downtown.

> What is Jillian's? The signs say, "Eat,
> Drink, Play," and that more or less
> sums it up.

I'm super excited to have Jillian's open up in town, as I have been pretty disappointed with GameWorks as a fulfillment of my videogame needs. I've never seen a Jillian's, but it appears to be a close incarnation of Dave & Buster's, which I used to hang out at in Chicago pretty frequently. Last week, Jillian's mailed out coupons to all of the locals, and I admit to some minor dumpster diving to take advantage. I'll be heading there just as soon as I can, and I'll make a full report for the game geeks on the board (I think that may be just me and Viktor, though)!

Bettie

[98%]

> I'll be heading there just as
> soon as I can, and I'll make a full report
> for the game geeks on the board (I think
> that may be just me and Viktor, though)!

No, you're definitely not the only ones. I know of at least one other. Call me old fashioned, but I think it's tough to top the Ms. Pacman machine in Harrah's, though there is something gratifying about taking tequila shots and playing Silent Scope, so maybe I'll check out Jillian's one of these days too. At least I won't have to worry about getting backed off there.

[Nickelman]

foosball?

If so, what type of table? A Tornado? If the goalie rod has three players, it's probably a Tornado. Look for a green playing surface, and red ball.

[Moose]

Bettie,

I've been looking for an arcade in Las Vegas that has any of the later Guitar Freaks / Drummania games - both NYNY and GameWorks have the crappy original "U.S. Version" of Guitar Freaks, but that is it.

So please report on Jillian's if you please, and of course on any other place that should happen to have said games if you should know of them..

M.

[Viktor Nacht]

> I've been looking for an arcade in Las Vegas
> that has any of the later Guitar Freaks /
> Drummania games - both NYNY and GameWorks
> have the crappy original "U.S.
> Version" of Guitar Freaks, but that is
> it.

I've spotted these games at Hard Rock (go figure) and Luxor, but I cna't possibly tell you what version they were.

Good Cards,

V

[Moose]

IE the banner on the game cabinet will say "Guitar Freaks 4th Mix" or "Drummania 3rd Mix". If it doesn't have a "version number", then it's the first one.

The problem is, with the exception of a special edition of the original Guitar Freaks, all other versions are imports, with game instructions and song titles in varying shades between English and Japanese.

So, I appreciate the leads, I'll check them out this December when I'm there. If you should happen to be in the arcades before then, please let me know.

M.

PS Speaking of video games, any speculation as to whether any arcades have been busily yanking their copies of Silent Scope, in light of the recent sniper attacks?

[Viktor Nacht]

> PS Speaking of video games, any speculation
> as to whether any arcades have been busily
> yanking their copies of Silent Scope, in
> light of the recent sniper attacks?

Not in Vegas. I've SS at GameWorks a couple weeks ago, and at Jillians (in the Neonopolis) last weekend.

It's cooincidental that I've played it that often. I'm more of a 911-2 fan myself, although Bettie will tell you that I don't look none too cool playing it.

Oh, and a certain advantage player owes me an air hockey rematch. Grudge match.

Good Cards,

V