Following the recent $30 million capital investment to redo the hotel rooms and casino restrooms, downtown’s El Cortez, one of the oldest casinos in Las Vegas, has announced another $20 million upgrade. This one will expand the casino floor by 10,000 feet, with a dedicated high-limit table-games lounge, two bars, an Asian restaurant and a Starbucks. Additionally, Ike’s Bar will be replaced with a circular roulette-themed bar, and a second new bar will host live music. The project will begin this summer with a completion date of early next year.

NoMad NoMo: It’s been announced that the NoMad hotel inside Park MGM will get a new name. The change is necessitated by a sale of the brand to Hilton that did not include the Las Vegas NoMad. No timetable for the name change has been released.

Gargantuan guarantee: Last year Circa set a record with a $14 million guarantee for the combined prize pools of its two football contests. This year will set a new record, with a prize pool guarantee of $6 million for Circa Million and a monster $10 million for Circa Survivor. That’s $16 million in guaranteed prize money. Both have $1,000 entry fees.

Classic closing: Bellagio’s acclaimed French restaurant, Picasso, will close in August. Picasso was one of the first Las Vegas restaurants to hit the national radar as a 5-star recipient and helped start the wave of the Strip’s high-end eateries.

Question: Are the World Series of Poker tournaments open to the public?

Answer: They’re open and they’re free. Simply head over to Horseshoe Las Vegas or Paris and follow the sound of clicking chips. It’s a heck of a spectacle entering a giant hall with thousands of players trying to win millions of dollars. You might even see a celebrity or two. Play will continue into July, with the Main Event running July 3-17.

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