Already a favorite for location shooting, Las Vegas is poised to take a huge leap into the movie business. Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that it will lease a movie studio in the southwest valley and spend upwards of $8.5 billion in film production costs if state legislators pass tax incentives in the 2025 session. Warner said it will partner with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the studio developer for a “long-term commitment” to “Hollywood 2.0,” a plan spearheaded by Vegas transplant Mark Wahlberg. The filmmaking center would be the focal point of UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park located about 10 miles west of the Strip. A proposal for a second movie studio in Summerlin, for which Sony Pictures has committed $1 billion in production spending, is also contingent on the legislative action.

Classic closes: Bellagio’s acclaimed French restaurant, Picasso, closed last week after 26 years as one of the preeminent dining experiences in Las Vegas. Its proprietor, Julian Serrano, is retiring; however, his two other Las Vegas restaurants, Lago at Bellagio and Tapas at Aria, will remain open.

Thirty-year throwback: You’ll have to hurry for this one. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Boulder Station is offering $1 margaritas and $1.99 shrimp cocktail through the end of August. The casino opened in 1994 as the first Station Casino after Palace Station and marked the start of the company’s huge expansion. Get these “throwback” deals at the bars.

Question: Is the Bellagio closing its buffet?

Answer: Contrary to a rumor circulating around social media, the Bellagio Buffet isn’t closing to become a food hall (food court), as confirmed by a statement from the casino. Several casinos have traded buffets for food halls, but there are still 13 buffets operating, with no near-term reduction evident.

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