The Boardwalk closed its doors permanently last night, and will be torn down to make way for the MGM's CityCenter, a casino/hotel/lifestyle piece of real estate. This was first announced about a year ago, so it comes as no surprise. That freaky clown head had to go anyway!

So, Westward Ho, Boardwalk, and Bourbon Street are now closed. San Remo is closed until it reopens next month as Hooters, and Lady Luck closes next month for a year-long renovation. About the same time as that opens back up, Stardust will close!

As a side note, my "Vegas-versary" was yesterday ? 5 years in this town! Before Palms, Green Valley Ranch, South Coast, Red Rock (not yet open), Wynn, Cannery, Tuscany, MonteLago... I saw Desert Inn go down, said goodbye to the Glass Pool Inn (was The Mirage until Wynn bought the name), and have witnessed several name changes (Aladdin to Planet Hollywood and Reserve to Fiesta Henderson) and countless corporate mergers... Vegas and the surrounding valley is quite different than it was when I first moved here, but that's the ever-changing nature of the fastest-growing city in the country!

As a side note to my side note, has anyone seen the various stories lately on the current housing boom here that compare it to a Time Magazine (I think) article on how the boom must stop and that the valley can't handle anymore growth? It was written in the 50's. How very wrong they were!

Vegas Bettie