Station Casinos has acquired a long-operating local bar and will convert it into a Wildfire casino.

The Lift, about three miles west of the Strip on Valley View Road, closed its doors last week, and construction is expected to begin immediately on the conversion that will make it fifth in the Wildfire brand.

While no specifics have been announced, the casino is expected to be patterned after its predecessors, offering a slots-only casino floor, sports book, bar and Wildburger restaurant. It will be the closest Wildfire to the Strip, with all the others located on the outskirts of the city.

» Pet-friendly: Vdara, an all-suite, nongaming hotel and spa at CityCenter, is the latest to go pet-friendly. The new "V-Dog" program allows guests to bring up to two pets for a fee of $50 per night, with amenities including a 24-hour dog park, an in-suite doggie-dining menu and the option of hiring a pet sitter.

» Poker rooms open: LVH has opened its new "Poker Pit," named so because the poker tables are on the casino floor rather than in a separate poker room. A new poker room that is in a room of its own has opened at the Plaza downtown.

» Steakhouse closing: Bally’s Steakhouse is shutting down this fall to make room for BLT Steak, another restaurant from New York, to open in 2014. There’s been no word on how this will affect the famous Sterling Brunch, now served on Sundays in the restaurant.

» Milkshake HH: Steak ‘n Shake at South Point has a happy hour daily from 2 to 4 p.m., with 50 percent off select milkshakes. No beer. No wine. Just shakes.

Question: Will the Linq project and Ferris wheel open this year?

Answer: The current projected opening for Linq, including the 550-foot observation wheel, is February. But it’s expected that some of the restaurants and shops will be open before year’s end.

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