The Olympia Expo

[stuntmovie]

This might be a good time to start this topic, so here's some pre-expo info that some of you may find useful. If you are an exhibitor and have a specific question, post it here and I'll do my best to give you a proper answer.

Most of the info you need can be found on the MrOlympia.com site, but feel free to fire away if you need a clarification or if a topic is not addressed on that site.

Interesting to note that the Mr Olympia Expo with an expected attendance of 20,000 paying customers is the third largest event happening in Las Vegas during the month of September.

The Mr, Olympia is only surpassed by the American Society for Industrial Security with 25,000 expected attendees and the Interbike Expo / Annual Fall Show with 22,000 expected.

There are no figures yet for the estimated “drop” that the Oly fans will leave at the tables and slot machines.

A company called “Champion” will be setting up the LVCC South Hall site for the Olympia Expo on Wednesday, 26 Sept and the exhibitors can commence delivery of their equipment into the South Hall Convention Center site on Thursday morning.

Each exhibitor will be directed to an area (possibly Loading Bay #26 on the south side of the South Hall) where their “goods” will be weighed and delivered to the appropriate booths.

The LVCC is a union site so all moving –in and moving-out services will be charged to the appropriate credit card of the company concerned and all services rendered must go through the proper channels.

Tipping is NOT allowed and exhibitors cannot carry anything with a weight of 30+ lbs into the facility without going through the proper loading procedures.

Exhibitors receive two entry badges per booth and additional badges are available for a fee of $10 each.

I received some emails concerning a good place to do some fine dining within the immediate area of the LV Convention Center Area. If you want to impress your date or simply treat your better customers to a fine meal - try Piero's directly across the street from the convention site (on Convention Center Drive and directly behind "The Beach"). They open at 5:00 pm for dinner only and it would be best to make reservations. It's fine dining in the old style LV tradition.

Any questions or corrections? Fire away!

[Ron]

Thanks for the interesting info, it is much appreciated! See you at the O!

[stuntmovie]

Thanks, Ron .... Have been receiving requests for information on  good dining spots that are within the Convention Center area so here are a couple more besides Piero's as mentioned above .... This info is posted for you folks who have the bucks and want to have a couple of great Las Vegas meals during this forthcoming Oly weekend.

I haven't eaten at all of these places, but eveyone I know who has, swears by each of them.

Most of the big entertainment type folks (Hollywood and LV) rave about a restaurant named "Pamplemousse" (means "grapefruit" in French) which is a couple of blocks north of the LVCC on Sahara Boulevard. A good walk or a short cab ride.

Don't let the outside of this place scare ya. It looks like an old, run down, former bungalow ready to be demolished but it is supposed to be one of the finer places to fine dine in the entire state of Nevada. Inside may remind you of a small and colorful country cottage in France but don't let that scare ya either.

If you are in the restaurant business you've more than likely heard of the name - George LaForge. This is his place and it caters to the Stars as well as the "Little People". No prices on the menu but it is resonable. Check out their website before deciding ot make a reservation. Just google "Pamplemousse Las Vegas".

Good place to take a date or have a small business function, but if you're merely out with the boyz having a good time in LV, this place is not for you.

The Las Vegas Hilton on the north side of the LVCC has a great Japanese restaurant (national chain) called Benihana's. it is set in a huge room that resembles an Asian village and the chefs do the cooking at your table in a very entertaining way. You may be sitting with strangers (stranger than yourself even) who have come to have a great meal and be entertained by the showman chefs who often claim to have a Samurai heritage, but just have some Saki with your meal and you'll all be getting along perfectly well by the time the entre is served. (No Saki for the Samurai sword guy though.)

I'll bet you a dollar to a do-nut that "Envy Steak House" will do a good business after the Friday and Saturday nite expos. It's supposed to be one of the better steak houses in LV and it's only a few steps in the southern direction (you don't even have to cross a street) in the Renaissance Hotel that is almost ajacent to the South Hall of the LVCC. Steak prices start in the $50 bracket though, so don't go with an empty wallet.

And just across the street from the South Hall is the rear entrance to the Wynn - the rear of the Wynn Golf Course that is. I've never entered that way but I think that they provide a small shuttle service from that gate on occasions, so you might want to check it out if you really want to spend some hard earned cash and dine in one of his better restaurants. I'd just advise against ordering a deli sandwich at the small deli place by the Sports Book - one of the worst and most expensive Pastrami sandwiches I've had anywhere. Best bet is probably the SW Steakhouse in this fine establishment. (Reservations a must!)

I spoke to a few Oly exhibitors and they just don't want to drive up to the Orleans or attack the Strip after a full day on the Expo floor, so these three restaurants are some of the best in the LVCC neighborhood. These places are usually always busy on weekends, so choose one or two and make reservations beforehand.

Not too fancy but just as good and a little further south on Paradise (across from Terrible's and you don't have to get involved with that stop and go Strip traffic), you'll find PF Chang's for great and inexpensive semi-Chinese/American meals. Great place to eat and drink before attacking the Strip or merely walk up to the next cornor and do your attacking at the Hard Rock - Run silent, run deep!

Final advice .... Don't drive on the Strip at night unless you want to waste your time sitting in traffic. If you're staying at one of the hotels near the LVCC  (Renaissance or the Hilton) and want to visit the Strip - just hop on the monorail at the Hilton terminal and you'll get to any Strip property within a matter of minutes. But remember - it doesn't run all night.

If you're booked into the Orleans, learn the shortcuts from the CC to the Orleans. There are actually three!

Where do you plan to be fine dining, Ron!? Actually the Prime Beef in the Orleans coffee shoppe ain't too bad. And the buffet there is one of the better buffets in town considering the price.

[stuntmovie]

Here's my response to "Breakfast" spots ......

If you are driving to the Expo from the Orleans, I'd suggest one of two options .....

Breakfast at the Orleans Hotel in the Courtyard Cafe .... the hotel coffee shop. Decent meal at a decent price and you won't have to stop along the way, but if you have the time to stop along the way, drive down the Strip (usually no traffic during the pre-noon hours) and pull into the PepperMill parking lot (2985 S. Las Vegas Blvd). This great 24 hour dining spot is on the Strip but very close to the LVCC (actually aroiund the cornor and one long block east) and serves great meals and big breakfasts and is one of the most popular places on the Strip. Check out the bar in the back and see if you can recognize it and what movie it was featured in.

That parking lot right outside their front door comes in mighty handy.

You should try this place at least once while you are in town. If it's busy, just grab a counter seat and let the waitress know that you are in a hurry to eat and get back to work then ask the fastest way to get to the convention center ...... (no further than 45 seconds east).

[stuntmovie]

Another question from an Olympia exhibitor .......

"Have you seen any outdoor advertising for the Olympia around town?"

Yes! I've seen at least four billboard ads while driving around Las Vegas. One was a huge sign by the UNLV that simply said "OLYMPIA".

Another billboard had more info than that with a picture of one of the contestants whom I did not notice, but I drove by too fast to give it too much notice. That billboard was along one of the Orleans side streets by Seamless Men's Club.

The best Olympia billboard was seen by the airport. It's one of those new Lamar electronic billboards that can be best described as a huge TV screen that is as bright as any TV you've ever seen even in broad daylight at high noon. The Olympia portion shares that electronic billboard with other advertisements so you'll only see it if you drive by while it is "on screen". This is definitely the future of outdoor advertising and doesn't come cheap and you'll be seeing a lot more of it while driving into town along the freeway once you cross the Cal border and get within 7 miles of the Strip.

Another exhibitor question ..... "Have the hotels raised their rates as a result of the Olympia gathering?

Yes! They sure have and this town should be packed that weekend. In some cases the hotels will even raise their buffet prices by a buck or two or even more in the classier joints.

Another Olympia fan question ....... "Where is the cheapest place to gamble?"

Easy to answer that one. On weekends starting on Thursday late afternoons, most of the casino pit bosses walk around the tables increasing the minimum bets from $5 to $10 or even $20 because the casinos know that there will be enough people in town and pack the tables even when the minimum bets are high.

But here are a couple of suggestions if you are hitting town with a limited gambling bankroll.

Slots O Fun next door to Circus Circus has one $1.00 minimum Blackjack table open 24 hours a day even on weekends. The problem is that it is always packed unless you get there early enough or one of the players loses his $20 bankroll - and that's hard to do when playing this table.

Other tables in SLots O Fun have $3 and $5 minimums, so it's a good place to have some fun at the tables without going completely broke.

They also have $2 and $3 craps. And Slots O Fun is the one place in town where the cocktail waitress offers you another drink before you are half done with your first, or second, or third, or fourth, etc.

The smaller downtown casinos have relatively small minimums too, but you'll have to look around for a $3 blackjack table and usually the Craps minimum is $5. Last look the Craps in GOlden Gate was $3 minimum. If it's any higher I suggest that you  simply get one of the great sandwishes at the counter back there by the end of the bar. And have a ninety-nine cent shrimp cocktail wile you're at it. (The second best deal in town!)

One dollar Craps is offered midweek only between 5 pm to 10 pm at the Western Casuria about one block east of the Strip on Flamingo. Best Craps deal in town and a real nice joint to learn the game in. After that walk across the street and try the steak or prime rib dinner at Ellis Island. Looks like a LV original but that steak is still rated as the best deal in town by everyone who rates such things.

For ten-cent Roulette you have to drive over to Henderson (Sunset Road) and enter a not too classy little casino called Klondyke or Sunset Klondyke.
Good game for a dime and you'll probably depart with a win of $3.50. (If you are lucky!) They usually offer free spaghetti meals at this place so check the menu on the way in. Blackjack minimums should be either $2 or $3 or possibly even as low as 1.

At the Orleans, they'll probably have one $5 blackjack table and the rest will be $10. And possibly the same for Craps, unless the house if filled to capacity and they feel that they can fill the tables with higher minimums.

One last suggestions ...Crazy as it sounds .... If you play roulette, wait until the very last second or two and place a minimum bet on any number that isn't covered by the other players or place a minimum bet on that number that has  the fewest chips. Watch for a few spins before buying in and then see if this system is valid before losing your money. 8 out of 10 times, this system is valid. Crazy!

[Jerryme7]

stuntmovie...you are the man bro!!

Thank you for all the suggestions! I cant wait to be there next week!

We should have a group of getbig members meet!!

May hang with Alex23 and awl8up while Im there for some comraderie.

Hope to meet you too,  bro!!

[stuntmovie]

Welcome, Jer! I'll be in and about Booths 1113 and 1114 but I'm an old fart and may sneak off to have a beer or two before heading back to the Orleans for a Friday night group dinner and the Prejudging in the Arena.

I hope you all note just how much effort the Orleans Arena personnel put in to ensure we are all well taken care of while in their darm nice facility. They more than likely will ask you to fill out a form describing your visit (pro or con) and then offer you a free drink or a bag of popcorn for turning it in to the proper person. They really do want everyone to enjoy the visit within the perameters as established by the promoter. (Best not to take any camcorders to the event.)

Someone asked for more details about the Las Vegas Monorail ..... If you are staying at one of the Strip hotel/casinos. you can get to the LVCC best by hopping on the monorail. The monorail travels to some of the major east-side Strip hotel/casinos starting at the MGM Grand and heads north to the Convention Center. It's roughly a ten minute ride (or less) if you got on at the Grand. The only problem wih the monorail is the long walk through the casinos to get to the stations.

I haven't been on it lately but you can figure $5 for each entry (once on you can ride it all day if you don't exit). You can find coupons in the hotel magazines that will allow you to ride all day (get on and get off all day) for a $9 fee.

There is a LVCC monorail station so it's only a short walk to South Hall once you get off.

The ride takes you along the rear of the casinos on the east side of the Strip and around the south and east sides of the Wynn Golf Course (18 holes - $500 plus cart fees) and then stops at the Convention Center. Get off there and follow the larger than life looking crowd to the South Hall.
This is definitely the easiest and most convenient way to get to and from the Convention Center South Hall.

For complete details (map too), go here ----------->  http://www.lvmonorail.com/

[stuntmovie]

Someone inquired about the current weather here in LV and what is expected during the Olympia timeframe .... (Bring a sweater. You might need it if you are unacustomed to 60 degree temps and sometimes the casinos turn the heat way, way down to cool off the hot dice when the "Do's" are surpassing the "Don'ts".)

Last night we had one hell of a great thunder and lightning storm with heavy, almost tropical, rains. When that happens a lot of the streets get flooded and local traffic gets bogged down a bit and there is always a car or two floating across some flooded intersection. The Pit Bosses usually go from table to table warning the gamblers to be careful on the way home and watch out for flooded conditions on the roads. Heed that advice when the word goes around.

But it looks like we'll be having some great weather during the Olympia. Here's the weather report ....

Wed / Sep 26 / Sunny / 88°/68°
Thu / Sep 27 / Mostly Sunny / 90°/67°   
Fri / Sep 28 / Mostly Sunny / 90°/63°
Sat / Sep 29 / Sunny / 90°/69°
Sun / Sep 30 / Sunny / 91°/67°
Mon / Oct 01 / Sunny / 91°/67°   

But if we do have some unanticipated rain, remember that FLASH FLOODS are common in the desert and on the desert roads.

[stuntmovie]

Someone asked a non-expo related question, but I'll do my best to answer it here ....

The Question : Does the Orleans offer transportation from the Airport to the Hotel and, if not, what is the best and cheapest way to get from the airport to the hotel?

Answer : The Orleans does have limo service for the high rollers or anyone who makes arrangements for such limo service when placing a reservation. But such arrangements must be made before you arrive in LV.

I haven't checked recently but a while back you could get limo service curbside once you departed the terminal. It's best to ask one of the Red Caps if a limo is available to take you to the hotel. A couple of years back these airport limos would take one or two different parties and allow each to pay have the fare. I am not positive if that limo service is still available at the airport.

If you take a taxi to the hotel, the driver has two options .....

The fast way
or
The short way

The "short way" is less expensive in most cases, so just let the driver know which way you want to go. The fast way in most cases is through the tunnel and along the freeway and off at Flamingo while the "short way" is down Swensen/Paradise and west on Flamingo.

If a few bucks is important to you, ask the driver what the price difference is and then decide. He'll probably mumble something untranslateable becasue he wants to take the fast route in order to get back to the airport for his next pickup.

The ride from the airport to the Orleans is roughly 10 minutes or less unless there is lots of traffic.

And don't stop along the way to buy beer or wine or liquor. The Orleans has one of the best priced liquor stores in Las Vegas.

If you see me at the airport, ask for a ride. I'll be picking up friends throughout the day and evening. I'll squeeze you in if it's at all possible.

Saw some of the female contestants today. It's gonna be an interesting event!

Have a good trip!

[Undercover Supp Guy]

Just say NOBU,  Hard Rock Hotel... all the cool people hang out there.

[stuntmovie]

The Expo drew a lot of fans each day but  definitely more on Friday while Saturday saw them come in a spurts throughout the day depending on the mode of transportation.

And it sure ain't cheap to participate in one of these expos as an "exhibitor".

Most of the booths were set up on Thursday by professinal and experienced "booth set-up companies" and it was interesting to see how they worked. One company I spoke with had an individual deliver and set up a booth and remain on site for three days from set-up to tear-down and his per-diem was over $600 per day.

And that was just part of what each exhibitor shelled out ......

The expo arena was set up so you had to deliver all your expo gear to a loading dock so that the union personnel could "weigh it in"and set the appropriate union fees to unload at the loading dock and deliver to the appropriate booth inside.

We didn't have too much gear to move but the union fees still amounted to way over $500.

MORE TO FOLLOW ...

[Tre]

The Expo was *much* better this year than last. 

I think.

I know traffic on Saturday between the Orleans and the LVCC was a breeze compared to last year.  Commute time was about 12 minutes vs 30+ minutes in 2006.