Celebrity justice; Harrah’s goes to the dogs

As you all probably know by now, Palms owner George Maloof was busted on a DUI last weekend. Under any other circumstances, it would be endearing to learn that the generally unassuming Maloof doesn’t have himself chauffeured about town. Lack of hubris, though, got the upper hand on good sense in this case. Maloof at least had the good sense to say he didn’t realize he was drunk, which ought to be a good enough excuse for District Attorney David Roger make the charges disappear.

Roger, after all, is the same guy who let Harrah’s Entertainment off easy for running a flagrant, renegade remodeling operation on its Strip properties. His office also gave Union Erectors a free pass on the Monte Carlo fire because, gosh, Union Erectors didn’t intend to set the place ablaze. Dishonor a marker at a casino, though, and Roger will have his sidekick, Bernie “Dr. Evil” Zadrowski (left), crawling up your sphincter. Although I voted for Roger in 2002 and again in ’06, I’ll admit to having qualms this time.

Strong convention attendance buoyed visitation numbers for Las Vegas in August (46% more conventioneers than last year), for an overall improvement of 3.5%. Increased ADRs (4%) almost kept pace with hotel room inventory (up 5%). J.P. Morgan analysts attribute the room-rate bump to Aria but their own weekly reports seem to contradict that, showing by far the most robust ADR growth taking place up the Strip at Wynncore. (One of the reasons I wish Steve Wynn would quit wallowing in self-pity is that he’s got the least to complain about of any gaming operator but somehow manages to do the most complaining.) The occupancy rate was 85% — not like the good old days (i.e., five years ago) but still much better than average for a major American city.

Flying down Fremont. Ziplines are coming to the Fremont Street Experience soon and Steve Friess has the exclusive. My first reaction is that unwary pedestrians are going to get blindsided by zipliners whizzing down the mall but I’m probably wrong. This sounds like a terrific attraction and another step away from Downtown’s mono-dimensional marketing approach (gambling, gambling and, for the sake of variety, more gambling).

Kudos to Harrah’s for bringing pet-friendly policies — or rather, dog-friendly ones — to three of its Strip properties. It’ll cost you an extra $25 for Fido to stay at Caesars Palace or $20 to put him him up at The Rio and, I kid you not, Imperial Palace? Twenty extra bucks for the IP? That place went to the dogs years ago. Herbst Gaming alleges it has “pet-friendly” rooms at Whiskey Pete’s but we found “pet-tolerant” to be a more accurate description. (Speaking of hotels that are scarce fit for man nor beast … )

Just curious, though: What does Harrah’s have against cats? Regardless, Harrah’s prices are a steal compared to what Station Casinos will charge your bowser. LVA‘s pet-friendliness guide, however, doesn’t quite to justice to Loews Lake Las Vegas, where they roll out the red carpet for your kitty or pooch. Our Piglet got a free souvenir bowl and mat, and even special food when we took her out there. If you don’t mind the schlep, Loews treats your pets like the stars they know themselves to be.

Leave it to those moneygrubbers at Columbia Sussex to charge $185/night for pets at the Westin Casuarina. Whether it’s room rates or pet fees, everything at the WesCas seems to be as inflated as the ego of its CEO. (Why stay at Paris-Las Vegas for $130/night and no resort fee when you can crash at the WesCas for $9 more, plus a $9.50 resort fee?)