Friday, November 7, 1997
The other side of the card
TRAVEL: Casino city is full
of alternatives
for the under-21 crowd, if you know where to look
By Adam Yamaguchi
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
OK, so you’re not 21. And you don’t have a fake ID. You can risk
it and play a few slots – but it’s no fun when you’ve got to worry
constantly about getting caught and kicked out. And standing behind
your friends and watching them play the tables and slots gets very
old – very quickly.
But don’t worry because there’s plenty to do in Las Vegas for
those of us who haven’t yet reached the legal age. More and more,
the major casinos are accommodating attractions meant to suit
people of all ages.
Think of Vegas as a huge theme park. The past few years have
ushered in a slew of exciting new thrill rides and your favorite
midway carnival games.
In 1993, Circus Circus opened its own theme park, Grand Slam
Canyon. Inside the pink dome are a few restaurants, a midway and
arcade games, and rides, including the Canyon Blaster roller
coaster.
Treasure Island boasts a great midway and video game arcade
called Mutiny Bay. If you don’t feel like spending money, you can
watch the free pirate show which takes place out in front of the
casino in Buccaneer Bay about every hour after dusk.
Towering above everything else in Vegas is the 110-story
Stratosphere hotel and casino, where there are two rides, a roller
coaster and free-fall ride.
Another one of the exciting additions is the world’s tallest
roller coaster (standing 225 feet tall), Desperado, at Buffalo
Bill’s in Stateline, Nev. Though it’s not located in Vegas, it’s
conveniently on the way for visitors driving from the L.A.
area.
On the South end of the famous Las Vegas Strip sits the MGM
Grand Adventures theme park.
The standout here is the MGM SkyScreamer, a combination of
hang-gliding, skydiving and bungee jumping. Thrill-seekers lay on a
hammock-like platform, are dropped from 250 feet above ground and
speed through the air at up to 70 miles per hour. The park also
features whitewater rafting adventure Grand Canyon Rapids, and Over
the Edge, which is similar to a water log ride.
New York, New York opened last winter with its own roller
coaster, which runs loops and turns around the casino property,
taking riders through the New York skyline.
Excalibur is one casino which has something to offer for
families and the younger audience.
"We have all sorts of things to do when you don’t want to
gamble, like the popular King Arthur’s joust and dinner show, which
is in its seventh year in production," says Paul Speirs, a
representative from Excalibur Hotel and Casino. "There are many
shops and entertainers in the Medieval Village. We also have the
Fantasy Faire, which has midway games and the motion simulators.
These really bring in the younger crowds."
Las Vegas also is home to the latest in video gaming technology.
The Luxor houses an expansive Sega arcade, as well as other
family-friendly attractions. "We tend to get a lot of families here
because of our attractions, which include a museum, an IMAX theater
and the magic motion simulators," says Kristi McElyea, a Luxor
publicity official.
Gameworks, a 47,000 square-foot entertainment facility, is a
huge arcade featuring cutting-edge technology. Under the roof is a
snack bar, restaurant, full-service bar and a Starbucks coffee
shop. But the main attraction here is the sheer number of high-tech
video games, including Vertical Reality, where players are strapped
into seats and race to defeat criminals in a skyscraper. Players
ascend and descend according to how they’re doing in the game.
Vegas is also famous for its glitzy, high-budget shows. Treasure
Island runs Cirque du Soleil Mystere, a performance exhibiting
acrobatic skills and choreography from all over the world.
Siegfried and Roy’s magic show features the famous white tigers at
The Mirage. Luxor is opening up its new Imagine, a combination of
magic, acrobatics and dance, complete with lavish costumes and
decor. EFX at the MGM Grand is a high-tech production through time
and space, with over 250 special effects. The Magical Empire at
Caesar’s Palace is a dinner and show of illusions and a spectacular
light and musical production. Head north off the strip and you’ll
see the revitalized Downtown, where the Fremont Street Experience
awaits. A two-block long arch of lights stretches from one side of
the street to the other. The street has been closed off to
vehicles, to maximize foot traffic and to allow full view of the
dazzling show of lights and music up above.
As if all this wasn’t enough, Las Vegas still shows no signs of
slowing down. The Las Vegas Hilton will soon open up its Star Trek
attraction, with state-of-the-art motion simulators.
So you’ve got a couple more years ’til you reach 21. You can’t
be a high roller just yet, but you can check out the many
attractions available to you right now, to tide you over until you
are able to experience Vegas in its fullest.