New cosmopolitan casino and resort

Cosmopolitan Hotel looks really nice. Especially the rooms.



BLUE RIBBON SUSHI BAR & GRILL - Japanese
CHINA POBLANO - Chinese and Mexican cuisines
COMME ÇA - Las Vegas French brasserie
D.O.C.G. - wine, pizza, pasta
ESTIATORIO MILOS -Greek - specializing in seafood
HOLSTEIN'S - Upscale burger
JALEO - Spanish
SCARPETTA - Italian
STK - Steak House
THE HENRY - classics
VA BENE CAFFÈ - coffee shop
WICKED SPOON BUFFET - new style buffet

I really like the look of this place. I was actually thinking of booking a couple of nights in the Wraparound Terrace suite, just to get use of the Washer/Dryer.

Of course I'd tell my wife it was because I wanted to spoil her, not so I could wash her clothes.

Oh no! Its all hype!!

Their Players Club is called IDENTITY thus emphasizing the one negative aspect of such cards.

Their halls are overrun with stray kittens and stray puppies. Their valet might be able to get your pants pressed but he will forget to put his pants on.

I don't think the place has "just enough wrong" to it; I think it has way too much wrong with it and its not even opened yet.

That commercial will get talked about but I don't think it will draw people into the place.

I happened to see this in yesterday's WSJ Cosmopolitan

Deutsche Bank is now the full owner, with a 4 BILLION DOLLAR 'buy-in" and an estimated 15 years to earn that amount back.

This is an incredible gamble in the current economic environment, let alone, Las Vegas.

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote: ten2win

I happened to see this in yesterday's WSJ Cosmopolitan

Deutsche Bank is now the full owner, with a 4 BILLION DOLLAR 'buy-in" and an estimated 15 years to earn that amount back.

This is an incredible gamble in the current economic environment, let alone, Las Vegas.

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw the investment the other day in Wall Street Journal. Looks to me like they would rather lose $4MMM later than $2MMM now.

BTW: To anyone, where is this place in Vegas? I couldn't see the location.

Right between City Centre and the Bellagio.

It looks pretty damn good, compared to the mismatch that is City Centre.

Might be worth pre-booking your room now so you can have a ring side seat when they tear down the Harmon in 2012.

I went there on Wednesday. Please have a look at my mini review. I welcome all comments.

Quote: Wizard

I went there on Wednesday. Please have a look at my mini review. I welcome all comments.

Looks nice. I would feel bad leaving that room.
I am quite glad the insides have a some thought to them.
I was afraid the inside would look like City Ctr which has the personality of an airport concourse.

Wiz do you want me to see if we have that shoe in your size?

Coming from the west where would be the quickest self park access for a visit to Cosmo?

Quote: Wavy70

Looks nice. I would feel bad leaving that room.
I am quite glad the insides have a some thought to them.
I was afraid the inside would look like City Ctr which has the personality of an airport concourse.

Wiz do you want me to see if we have that shoe in your size?

Yes, fantastic room. The place doesn't feel like the rest of city center whatsoever. Nice joke about the shoe. There was an even better red one close to it, but a big group of people were taking pictures with it. The Cosmo has lots of cool things like that in miscellaneous places. The interior designer has a good sense of humor.

Quote: dm

Coming from the west where would be the quickest self park access for a visit to Cosmo?

Good question. Personally, I had to run some errands at the Bellagio and Caesars while I was there, so parked at Vegas' best kept parking secret, the Bellagio's Flamingo Road valet. Actually, it may not be such a secret now, because that is there the Bellagio bandit parked his motorcycle. Anyway, the pedestrian entrance is right off of the Strip, just south of the Bellagio. Sorry I can't help much for now, but I'll try to come back later with a better answer.

The family and I spent the day there. I bought a $35 item from the vending machine, we had lunch at the Pizza Place and took lots of photos.

Here's a photo from today .. starting with the pizza guy cutting the cheese.

In case anyone is wondering, they put a cover over the pool, which people can walk on.

Quote: Wizard

In case anyone is wondering, they put a cover over the pool, which people can walk on.

From the pics, the place has a 1960's European ski lodge feeling to it. Weird..

Am I the only one that can't get over the balcony? That's fricken awesome.

Quote: ahiromu

Am I the only one that can't get over the balcony? That's fricken awesome.

And useful after a really bad night in the high limit room.

Quote: Wavy70

And useful after a really bad night in the high limit room.

I always heard they don't have balconies in Vegas for that very reason. Too easy do an impulse swan dive after you lose the kids college fund.

Quote: EvenBob

I always heard they don't have balconies in Vegas for that very reason. Too easy do an impulse swan dive after you lose the kids college fund.

I think that is an urban legend. Suicide rates are no higher in Vegas than other major American cities. It is also a myth about a spike in suicides around Christmas.

Yes. An urban legend I'm sure. Suicides in Vegas? At upscale resorts are even less likely than at the balcony-equipped Imperial Palace wherein people who lose the kid's college fund are probably not likely to earn it again in the next week's stock market gyrations.

I was surprised to hear that The Cosmo will be 6:5 blackjack or at least will offer it.

No Pai Gow Tiles? Strange. That is becoming very popular.

With all the nooks and crannies filled with the "Sit, relax, play a game for free (pool, foosball, etc.)" do you think City Center will be mooching off the Cosmopolitan? You know: Book a room at City Center and send the kids over to The Cosmo to play fooseball? Or once opening week is over will security guards start coming up and saying You've played for six minutes, no more relaxing here allowed!

I hear they had some real problems opening up those 300 rooms. How are they going to do as the Soft Opening continues?

Quote: FleaStiff

I was surprised to hear that The Cosmo will be 6:5 blackjack or at least will offer it.

Just about everybody has it now. It is hard to shame a casino for something just about everybody does. We've come to a point where the few that don't have it should get some well-deserved praise.

Quote: FleaStiff

No Pai Gow Tiles? Strange. That is becoming very popular.

I think it has gained popularity among non-Asian players, and I'd like to think I had something to do with that. I'm told they plan to add a table of tiles. It doesn't seem right that a high-end Strip casino would have have at least one table.

Quote: FleaStiff

Book a room at City Center and send the kids over to The Cosmo to play fooseball?

Those games, including ping pong, billiards, and slider board, are by the pool, which I'm sure is meant for Cosmo guests only. Here in Vegas you have to present a room key to gain access to the pools. As I recall, they didn't check when I was there, but that will probably change. There is no "City Center" hotel -- that is a term that refers to the Vdara, Aria, Mandarin, Cosmo, and the shopping area.

Quote: Wizard

I think that is an urban legend. Suicide rates are no higher in Vegas than other major American cities. It is also a myth about a spike in suicides around Christmas.

9 time outta 10 the falls from balconies are part of a drunken escapade.

If ya wanna talk suicide hit Ithaca NY

Wiz what about murders during Xmas? Never wanted to kill myself but thought about doing in the whole family room.

>There is no "City Center" hotel
Correct. I was using the term somewhat generically to mean "Bellagio prices but without any fountain or other draw" just high priced hotels, high priced restaurants and high priced shopping with a Hope People Come and Hope People Stay attitude but a glaring lack of any reasonable explanation as to why this should take place.

Quote: Wavy70

Wiz what about murders during Xmas? Never wanted to kill myself but thought about doing in the whole family room.

When visiting family members start to drive you crazy, remember the bartender's trick with the soapy water. If you don't quite rinse the glass, the soap residue will drive them to the head and then home.

I would actually expect fewer homicides and suicides and assualtive behavior at holiday time: High fat holiday meals would be protective against such behavior.

Quote: Wavy70

Wiz what about murders during Xmas? Never wanted to kill myself but thought about doing in the whole family room.

I don't have any statistics on that, but my opinion is crime, birth, and death statistics have almost no correlation to time of year or the lunar cycle. Another myth is that 9 months after any event that would keep people cooped up at home, like a blizzard or long black-out, there is a spike in the birth rate.

It is much like tracking the history in baccarat. We all want to find cause and effect relationships in things to make sense of life. However, much of life is dictated by simple randomness. Stuff just happens.

Quote: Wizard

I don't have any statistics on that, but my opinion is crime, birth, and death statistics have almost no correlation to time of year or the lunar cycle. Another myth is that 9 months after any event that would keep people cooped up at home, like a blizzard or long black-out, there is a spike in the birth rate.

It is much like tracking the history in baccarat. We all want to find cause and effect relationships in things to make sense of life. However, much of life is dictated by simple randomness. Stuff just happens.

Hmmm. I keep seeing the most common birthdate in the US is October 5th, and that is attributed to New Year's merrymaking. My first child was born on October 5th.

My wife and I just got home from Las Vegas late last night, and I will probably be making several posts about our trip (in appropriate threads) rather than trying to write a full trip report or start a blog.

We went to the Cosmopolitan on opening night, after having dinner with the Wizard (and on his dime!). Thanks again for that, Mike. That first night, the place was a zoo, with the sound being generated from the various night spots, DJs, bands, etc. at such intensity that I was unable to tolerate it. I asked a pit supervisor whether that was an opening night party thing or was to be the standard environment. He claimed he expected it to be the norm. I told him that he had basically banished me from the establishment, and we left. Since the Wizard had told me he planned to be there the next day to play some Pai Gow tiles with a friend, I sent him an email from my phone advising him both about the acoustic bombardment and the complete lack of tiles games.

The next day, around noon, we tried the Cosmopolitan again, and encountered the Wizard just moments after we entered. He had his little pad and was taking notes for his review. The sound level was much more to my liking, so I told him I was going to look for some low-limit craps to play for a while. He referred to me as a flea and said he was heading to the high-limit room to meet a friend. I checked there after I had taken my licks at the crap table, but he was not to be found. I asked one of the crap dealers about the previous night's volume level, and he claimed that he thought it might be like that for a couple of hours each night. I really don't know what to expect. I did not get back there again before leaving town.

I had some amusing experiences at the crap table: when I approached the table, it was completely dead (though others were active), with one dealer giving lessons to a guy and girl. They invited me to start a game, and I asked whether I could earn a commission if I could draw a crowd to the table. They laughed and suggested I give it a try. The box man, actually a very nice lady named Rose, asked whether I had a player's card. I tried to keep a straight face while saying that I did not -- it was the first time I had ever gambled there. Rose and her crew -- Nick, Pian (probably got that one wrong -- they don't wear name tags), Josh, and later Brian -- all smiled and said it would be the first time they had run a game there. Rose offered to get me a card, so I gave her my ID. She had a bunch of trouble; it was the first time she had tried to produce a player's card, and the system was not working the way she had been taught. She kept trying to get help from a supervisor, and apparently they had trouble too. I must have played close to 45 minutes before they could come up with a card.

It only took a few rolls to get other players to join me. Within fifteen minutes or so, the table was almost full, so I asked about that commission. They didn't seem to want to provide anything. Within half an hour after that, there was a player at the other end of the table from me who was placing his wagers with $1,000 chips. I smiled and asked again whether I could get a commission for getting that kind of game started for them at a $10 table. Still nothing. It's hell being a flea.

As for parking, I visited that area of the strip several times, always approaching from Las Vegas Blvd. I parked in the self-parking areas at the Bellagio, Aria, and Monte Carlo. I did not try the Cosmopolitan's own parking areas. As for approaching from the west without getting into strip traffic, I suppose you could try getting from Tropicana west of the freeway up north to the Harmon bridge, coming directly into City Center. That should give you access to several parking areas before reaching the strip. I was amused by some directional signs I encountered on level 1 of the Aria parking garage, so I took a cell phone photo. Please excuse the low resolution.

Yea, that's brilliant. Which reminds me, the couple of times I have tried to split off to 95 going north on 15 I have failed and had to get off downtown and circle back. I think the same sign maker must be to blame.

I referred to the directional signs in the Aria garage as "amusing" rather than "screwed up" because the little left arrow and the "Exit" sign are really meant for pedestrians -- the elevator/stairways to the bridge to the casino and hotel are in that direction. Turning left in a vehicle at that point would take you against the designated direction of traffic flow. The sight of the two adjacent signs just caught me by surprise, so I took the photo.

Quote: Wizard

I went there on Wednesday. Please have a look at my mini review. I welcome all comments.

Is the pool on the south side? I wonder if they are going to have the same "Death Ray" problem with the sun reflecting off the glass walls as the Vdara.

The Cosmo certainly has a good location. The cross walk over the strip leads right to them. The casino is right on the strip and you don't have to hike up hill to get to the casino like you do the Aria.

Quote: Ayecarumba

Is the pool on the south side? I wonder if they are going to have the same "Death Ray" problem with the sun reflecting off the glass walls as the Vdara.

The Vdara's Death Ray problem is because the building is concave shaped. This not only reflects the sun, but concentrates it.

Unless I'm mistaken, Cosmo is a traditional shape, so that is not a problem.

Wandered through on 23 Dec. after watching the Bellagio fountains show. Really nice place; the beaded chandelier is amazing. Their design philosophy is a welcome change from the MGM "earth-tones" style that seems to predominate on that side of the strip. Interesting and eclectic design. I played blackjack at $10 for 30 minutes. The dealers were extremely polished. It might have been opening week heightened anxiety, but they were really performing well. Drink service was good. The font on the chips and the felt really appealed to me for some reason -- don't know what it is, maybe sans serif? Didn't go upstairs to the lounge or pool. Compared to the Bellagio, casino was mostly empty. Don't think the hotel was filled. I'm sure room rates will go down when they realize what the ideal price point is. Got a player's card; no perks, just the card. It's called the "Identity" card. The conceptual art store out front facing the strip is a nice touch -- kind of a conscious thumb-on-the-nose to the Crystals mall next door.

Quote: Wizard

I think that is an urban legend. Suicide rates are no higher in Vegas than other major American cities. It is also a myth about a spike in suicides around Christmas.

Actually, the suicide statistics in Las Vegas and Nevada are dreadful. The odds of dying by suicide in Las Vegas are twice as high as in the rest of the country. On a statewide basis, Nevada has the 2nd highest suicide rate in the U.S.: 19 suicides per 100,000 residents. (Alaska has the highest: 23 suicides per 100,000 residents.) New York has the lowest suicide rate among U.S. states: only 6 suicides per 100,000 residents. Sorry for the buzzkill.

Sources:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98042717
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-11-28-depression-suicide-numbers_N.htm

Walked over from Bellagio, about 11:30 on Saturday night, January 29, 2011. The club music from two different venues was pounding at at head splitting volume, and it was packed with young fashionistas. I have to say, due to the volume of the music, it was one of the most unpleasant places to play craps I have ever been to. I couldn't handle more than 10 minutes at the table (mainly to pick up a souvenir chip).

I hate loud music, why would a place play music so loud you cant talk to anyone?

Quote: NicksGamingStuff

I hate loud music, why would a place play music so loud you cant talk to anyone?

I think it is precisely so that people don't have to talk to each other.

Quote: Ayecarumba

I think it is precisely so that people don't have to talk to each other.

I thought it was meant to kill any remaining brain cells :P

Quote: Nareed

I thought it was meant to kill any remaining brain cells :P

If it is, there is a large population of 20-somethings staggering around City Center with severe impairments... hehe

I was genuinely surprised at the how crowded it was. There is a significant population that enjoys the new and shiny (and loud). However, I don't know how many of them are gamblers. It seemed that most were bopping from bar to bar, club to bar, or bar to club. I had no trouble finding a $15 min. craps table with only one player. The $100 minimum table actually had more players.

Quote: Ayecarumba

If it is, there is a large population of 20-somethings staggering around City Center with severe impairments... hehe

They go into the loud nightclubs, don't they? Do you need any more proof? :P

I've read that in the old days, around the 40s or 50s, young men propposed to their girlfriends on the dance floor. Imagine a place quiet and well lit enough to do something like that today!

Quote: Ayecarumba

Walked over from Bellagio, about 11:30 on Saturday night, January 29, 2011. The club music from two different venues was pounding at at head splitting volume, and it was packed with young fashionistas. I have to say, due to the volume of the music, it was one of the most unpleasant places to play craps I have ever been to. I couldn't handle more than 10 minutes at the table (mainly to pick up a souvenir chip).

That sounds almost exactly like my experience on opening night (see 1st 3 paragraphs of my report on page 3 of this thread.) Except I couldn't endure the acoustic bombardment long enough to get a chip that night and had to return the next day. Since your post seems to indicate that the same environment is still being presented six weeks later, I doubt that I would venture into the place again except during the daylight hours. Does anyone know whether it is different on mid-week evenings now?

Quote: Doc

That sounds almost exactly like my experience on opening night (see 1st 3 paragraphs of my report on page 3 of this thread.) Except I couldn't endure the acoustic bombardment long enough to get a chip that night and had to return the next day. Since your post seems to indicate that the same environment is still being presented six weeks later, I doubt that I would venture into the place again except during the daylight hours. Does anyone know whether it is different on mid-week evenings now?

After re-reading your post Doc, it seems that things have not changed. It was so bad, I lost my will to go on to Vdara to pick up a chip. Wow.

Quote: Nareed

They go into the loud nightclubs, don't they? Do you need any more proof? :P

I've read that in the old days, around the 40s or 50s, young men propposed to their girlfriends on the dance floor. Imagine a place quiet and well lit enough to do something like that today!

Wait a minute - the guy has to be well lit to propose, not the setting.

For whatever reason, I'm looking forward to visiting this property with great excitement, one I haven't had since Wynn opened, and before that, Bellagio. It seems to almost have a "boutique" feel, even though it's a large (admittedly not by Vegas standards, but by "normal" standards), and its attention to the senses and willingness to try new things really puts a pea under my mattress. Another Vegas-centric forum similar to this speaks highly of it.

Can't wait!

I wish you well ICS.. Note that from the different posts, and folks I have spoken to, the vibe changes from weekday morning, to weekend evening. I am not into the club scene and all that accompanies it. I did see some familar faces (an older gentleman and his wife) from the time I went the Aria shortly after they opened. He is a craps player, and appeared to be enjoying himselft at the table. Maybe he turned off his hearing aid...hehe

Quote: Ayecarumba

I wish you well ICS.. Note that from the different posts, and folks I have spoken to, the vibe changes from weekday morning, to weekend evening. I am not into the club scene and all that accompanies it. I did see some familar faces (an older gentleman and his wife) from the time I went the Aria shortly after they opened. He is a craps player, and appeared to be enjoying himselft at the table. Maybe he turned off his hearing aid...hehe

Hehehe ... yeah, I guess in reality things are never quite the same as the impressions formed from afar, and I could end up being really disappointed. But hey, the anticipation is fun while it's going on! And I am looking forward to visiting the place!

The way I pegged it when I visited is that it is the first self-conscious, post-modern, "Hipster" resort on the Strip. It is giving a knowing wink-wink (or middle finger, if you will) to the excess, theme-ery, and general bombast of its surroundings. Nobody has done that before (besides The Artisan off-strip), so I think they will do well because there will always be a market niche for those who want to be "not-that."

Quote: teddys

The way I pegged it when I visited is that it is the first self-conscious, post-modern, "Hipster" resort on the Strip. It is giving a knowing wink-wink (or middle finger, if you will) to the excess, theme-ery, and general bombast of its surroundings. Nobody has done that before (besides The Artisan off-strip), so I think they will do well because there will always be a market niche for those who want to be "not-that."

If their goal is to be "not-that", it doesn't work. The majority of the folks on Saturday night were about the same age, dressed similarly, and even had similar haircuts. Maybe it's like tatoos; you can get one to express your individuality... just like everyone else.