Las Vegas: Riviera to be demolished this summer

Almost a year after its closing, a timetable has finally been released for the razing of the north-Strip Riviera.

After a preliminary bulldozer and wrecking-ball demolition of the lower-rise buildings, the property's Monte Carlo and Monaco hotel towers will be knocked down in separate implosions. The first will be in June, followed by a second in August, though no dates have been announced. The two-part exit is necessary because of the sprawling nature of the resort.

The cleared space will host outdoor events until construction begins on an extension of the convention center that will extend out to the Strip. The price tag for the demolition is being reported at $42 million.

But wait: A local college student has filed a petition to block the Riviera demolition and preserve the historic site. The property is 60 years old. The petition would need more than 50,000 signatures by July 1 to at least delay the demolition.

New Fremont Street casino?: Derek and Greg Stevens, owners of the D and Golden Gate, have purchased the downtown slot houses Mermaids and La Bayou, along with the Girls of Glitter Gulch topless club with an eye toward building a new casino on Fremont Street. Still in the early planning stages, there are no details or even a name yet. The brothers have said only that they’ll build the new resort from the ground up. Mermaids, La Bayou and the Girls of Glitter Gulch will close on June 27.

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Project Neon: The Nevada Department of Transportation is set to begin work on Project Neon, a $1 billion overhaul of the Interstate 15 snarl near downtown known as the “Spaghetti Bowl.” The finished project is expected to reduce travel delays by 28 percent, but there will be traffic disruptions until its conclusion in 2019.

Snack bar gone: As part of the renovation of the casino at the California, the snack bar has been removed. Slot machines now occupy that area and there's no indication that the snack bar, which was one of downtown's best, will be opened in another spot.

Bertha hits: This doesn’t happen too often: The giant Big Bertha slot machine at Golden Nugget hit for $50,000. The oversize machine that has stood at the northeast entrance to the casino for years is one of the few of its kind still in operation.

Paradise Park will have a casino: Contrary to what was reported in this column two weeks ago, there will be a casino at Steve Wynn’s proposed new development at center Strip. The casino component of Paradise Park, slated to be built behind Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, was overshadowed by the buzz over the 38-acre lagoon.

Poker room: Speaking of Wynn, the poker room that has been relocated from Wynn to Encore will open May 26. The new room will feature three more tables, raising the total to 28, in a space that’s 3,000 square feet larger than its predecessor.

Question: Is there any information on what Monte Carlo's new name will be?

Answer: Nothing official, but MGM Resorts International top dog Jim Murren was quoted saying that his company would no longer be creating themed resorts. "We're not going to name it something from somewhere else,” Murren said. “Those days are over."

Q: Is it true that a Nevada city is for sale? How much?

A: The town of Cal-Nev-Ari, off U.S. 95 about 70 miles south of Las Vegas, is for sale with an $8 million asking price. The deal includes more than 500 acres of undeveloped land, a restaurant, bar, convenience store, post office, mobile home/RV park, 10-room motel, casino with a non-restricted gaming license and a dirt airstrip. The town was on the market for $17 million in 2010 but didn't sell.

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