The friendly state of Nevada, it could be a place you call home or one of your favorite vacation spots. Either way, it’s a great place to be looking for an investment property. Prices are dropping a little, and interest rates are still at a 40-year low!

There is a lot of ways to make money with Las Vegas real estate. If you are a first investment buyer, then seek out a qualified real estate agent. Las Vegas is Nevada’s world famous city. Today it remains one of the top real estate investment locations in the United States with the ever-increasing tourist traffic and convention traffic flooding into the area. There is consistent growth with the population, buildings, and jobs. Which makes for a great place to invest.

With so much to offer and a steady influx of new residents due to the cost of real estate in Las Vegas it is predicted that even with a cooling off of the current market the demand will remain steady for some time. Remember real estate goes in cycles, and Nevada is the perfect city to see this take place like no where else in the nation.

While many rushed into the market to make fast money the cost of real estate eventually topped out, and the slow down of buyers stabilized the market. Most real estate professionals believe that there is still a significant room for growth in the Las Vegas real estate market.

Over the past couple of years the Real Estate Market has taken center stage breaking national sales records with record appreciation rates. Find a good Las Vegas real estate agent, they will probably know more about real estate in Las Vegas than you do. Other services your agent might provide that can benefit you when buying Las Vegas real estate include providing connections with an affordable mortgage lender, experience in foreclosures, repossessions and estate homes, and experience in corporate relocation.

By making intelligent decisions about your Las Vegas real estate, you can assure yourself of economic advancement. A Las Vegas real estate attorney will play the role of a watchdog that can guide a client through the details and paperwork necessary for any house sale in Las Vegas. Whatever your financial goals are, buying Las Vegas real estate will probably be profitable to you.

When looking to invest in residential real estate, notice the neighborhood that the real estate is in. With some basic knowledge of Las Vegas real estate suburbs, you should be able to make a more informed decision.

Choose a Las Vegas real estate agent that will carefully research each new home to fit perfectly, with what you want. Since Las Vegas is such a dynamic city, it is hard to find real estate that cannot be put to profit-making use. The real estate market in Las Vegas has been appreciating at an incredible rate, and will continue to do so in the near future.

Las Vegas real estate suburbs are also good investments. Las Vegas real estate can be affordable if you look just outside of town, away from the strip, unless you are searching for land to build your very own casino? Then you would already have enough experience and would have no need to be reading this article?

There are projects that are breathtaking in design and integrate the best of Las Vegas, with Strip, Valley and mountain views, and true to the style and luxury of Las Vegas.

Also, living or operating in Las Vegas will exempt you from paying a state tax. This transformation has resulted in Las Vegas becoming a mature city. Nevada real estate agencies offer a selection of properties available for purchase and this is helpful to the real estate investors.

If Las Vegas is your dream, then get out there and buy yourself a little piece of Nevada you can call your home. This really is, the time to start buying real estate in Nevada.

As the saying goes: “Buy when everyone else is selling, and sale when everyone else is buying.”

Clifton Waldrep
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/searching-for-las-vegas-real-estate-139593.html

Real estate is like riding a roller coaster and in recent years Las Vegas has been on the high of that ride. Las Vegas real estate appreciation has many owing money on their capital gains. Wondering why capital gains are possible? It’s all in the roller coaster ride.

In recent years Las Vegas real estate appreciation has been experienced by many home owners who had purchased years earlier at a substantially lower price and today Las Vegas real estate appreciation has caused them to ride that roller coaster from the lowest point to the highest.

The problem was that because this changing pattern many home owners were seeing significant capital gains on their properties so in 2003 the IRS changed the rules changing the principle residence tax exemptions from $250,000 to $500,000.

Now you might think that the Las Vegas real estate appreciation wouldn’t be that big a deal but actually it was because the qualifications for the exemption of the capital gains weren’t always that easy to meet. Let’s have a look at those qualifications.

You had to married to qualify for this new exemption so that left singles struggling with the Las Vegas real estate appreciation. However the house need only be in one person’s name but they must be able to prove residency through their tax forms to avoid the capital gains of the Las Vegas real estate appreciation.

You have to have owned and lived in the home for two of the five years before you sell the house. The occupancy doesn’t have to be continuous and it doesn’t have to be your principle residence at sale time.

So if you lived in it yourself for one year then rented it for two years and then lived in it yourself for year five you could avoid the capital gains from the Las Vegas real estate appreciation as long as you only took advantage of this once in 2 years.

Thanks to changes to the IRS rules you no longer have to purchase a replacement home to avoid the capital gains caused by Las Vegas real estate appreciation.

There are however methods used to ensure it is your principal residence. Expect the government to want you to have worked, be registered to vote, and even have filed income tax in Las Vegas for you to be able to be exempt from capital gains as a result of Las Vegas real estate appreciation. If you don’t meet the qualifications you might qualify for a partial exemption.

If you are single, go over the IRS assigned value, or own vacation property in the area you will definitely find yourself in a capital gains situation as a result of the Las Vegas real estate appreciation.

Recent years have seen Las Vegas real estate appreciation grow at astounding rates. Make sure you know what you can do to help reduce the capital gains you might be liable for.

Copyright

Joel Teo
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/las-vegas-real-estate-appreciation-why-capital-gains-are-possible-89237.html

Remember what happens here stays here as far as a Las Vegas Massage. There are many attractions and benefits in the city that never sleeps. However you need to take into account that sometimes you just need to relax and what better way to do that then by having a massage. Las Vegas has many things to offer including the wide variety of massages that are available for you to take advantage of and the benefits that they provide. Massages are a perfect addition to any vacation, including your vegas vacation. With so many different styles and techniques of massages out there and so much stress that can be incorporated with a vacation a massage may be just what you need to help you to continue enjoying yourself.

The wide varieties of massages that are available in Las Vegas make this a wonderful to add into your trip. You can receive a Swedish massage which will just simply wash away your pains and stresses. There is of course the deep tissue massage which will get into those deep muscle aches and pains. It is very beneficial to relieving that stress you brought with you and want to get rid of while you are on your little trip. You can receive a head massage to get rid of those tension headaches or those neck pains. Take advantage of the full assemblage of massages that are available to you. The wide variety of establishments that are out there to service your needs can also meet a wide variety of your needs all at the same time. You could be in town for a sports tournament and are in need of a sports massage either before or after your competition or both. You can find a place that will take care of that here as well. Not all of the massage parlors will be able to provide the full run of massages that are out there so be sure to do your research and find the place that will best suit your needs. There are many massage places in Las Vegas that can help you as long as you are willing to put in the work to find them and research them.

When you are looking for a massage in Las Vegas you should make sure that you find a place that is reputable. You need to look into the past of the establishment to see what kind of service that they have provided in the past, you also need to look into the help that they employ. Make sure that the massage therapists that they use have been educated in the art of massage and have the skills that are required to meet your needs and to satisfy you in your massage needs. Look into the past business practices and check to see if any complaints have been filed against them or if they have any pending lawsuits so as to insure your safety and peace of mind while you are in Las Vegas.

Chris Powell
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-benefits-of-a-las-vegas-massage-89174.html

If you just need a PM service you’re pretty safe to pull in to a Petro Lube or a Speedco when you’re on the road. But if you need repairs, pulling into the shop at a truck stop can be a little stressful. You’re hoping to find a good mechanic, but your choices are limited. You’re not from the area so you don’t know any independent shops. You pull up to the shop entrance and as you’re walking in to the service counter, you hear one of the mechanics telling the other one how he had to prime that last truck’s fuel filter with gas. You shake your head. You know you’re taking your chances now.

Not to mention, the prices truck stops and many dealerships charge. You might pay anywhere from $80 to $120 per hour. At those rates, you deserve top notch work to be done. It’s been our experience, however, that any time you go into a shop for a repair you should expect to have to go back for the same problem at least one or two more times. So you may end up paying another outrageous fee to have another shop fix the repair the last one didn’t fix right. Top pay just doesn’t equal top quality these days.

You can find truck repair shops at most of the major truck stop chains- Petro Truck Stops, Travelcenter of America (TA), and some Flying J truck stops. Don’t expect to find one at a Pilot truck stop, though a few do have shops, or a Loves Travel Center. We’ve found that you are far better off to develop a list of independent repair shops and services or quality truck dealerships for yourself rather than relying on the truck stop chains.

We’ve gathered together a listing of good truck shops and trucking service providers. If you know of any others, feel free to add a comment and let others know where they can expect to get good quality work for their money.

Good shops:

Aber’s Truck Center

Ashland, Ohio

Volvo, Cummins, Detroit (no warranty offered), Caterpillar (medium duty only), A/C, brakes, clutches, Body Work, General Repairs

800-221-3936

Direct Hydraulics

Las Vegas, Nevada

Welding, Hydraulics, Cylinder Repair, Service Calls Made, Overnight Guarantee on most work, 7 days a week

702-250-2606/702-869-8159

Keith’s Truck and Trailer

Russia, Ohio (route 47 between Greenville and Sidney)

Truck/Trailer Repairs and Service- all kinds

937-295-2561

Laser Line

Filer, Idaho (Twin Falls/Jerome area)

Truck/Trailer Alignments, 3-Axle Alignments, Spin Balancing, King Pin Replacement, Bearings, Mobile Service (they will come to you), Appointments Appreciated, 7 days a week

208-420-3427

Paso Robles Truck Center

Paso Robles, California

Volvo, Cummins, Caterpillar, Brakes, Tires, Suspension, Body Work, General Repairs

800-992-9401

Suzanne At Coops
http://www.articlesbase.com/entrepreneurship-articles/trucking-good-shop-bad-shop-139654.html

A honeymoon is an unforgettable holiday that every newly married couple embarks on, before establishing their marital life. Although a honeymoon is a traditional idea, nevertheless it carries romantic sentiment and in some cases, honeymoon holiday packages are also gifted to the newly weds by parents and relatives.

Choosing a honeymoon vacation destination can be a little confusing, but there are travel agencies out there who offer wonderful honeymoon packages. There are a number of exotic places that a couple can visit and travel agents are the best informed to help with the final choice. The US alone has so many exquisite places to visit.

Hawaii has been ranked as the number one honeymoon destination for decades now. Sun-kissed beaches, azure water, hidden coves, world class accommodation and the delicious cuisine make Hawaii special. Popular and incredibly beautiful, Hawaii is a lovers paradise. For those who are sports enthusiasts, Hawaii is ‘the’ place to be in to enjoy amazing water sports. Hawaii is one of nature’s perfect creations and the weather is simply perfect all year round.

The places worth visiting in Hawaii are Waikiki and Maui islands that display the island’s culture and natural beauty. There are many luxurious accommodation options in Hawaii that offer wonderful packages and benefits like Halekulani, Hyatt Regency and the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii, to name a few.

Niagara Falls is another perfect destination for honeymooners. Niagara Falls is both, beautiful and economic and its panoramic view can be viewed from the US as well as Canada. The main attractions at Niagara Falls include the ‘Maid of the Mist’ boat cruise that screens an enjoyable feature film from IMAX about the history of Niagara Falls. The other must-see attractions are:

- The Guinness Book of World Records Museum
- Mystery Maze
- The Haunted House
- The House of Frankenstein

You should not forget to visit New York while you are at Niagara Falls. You will get a lot of room to splurge on shopping, restaurants and some of the world’s best theaters.

Florida may be ranked third, but no other destination can compete with Florida in terms of the warm festive ambience that it extends to its guests. Florida offers something for everyone and its itinerary of must see places is so long that tourists are often confused about where to go and what to leave out. Starting from Walt Disney World to the wonders of Orlando, Palm Beach, Miami, Daytona and the Florida Keys, the place is amazing. Along with sightseeing, Florida also offers all its guests lavish accommodation and the most exhilarating assortment of water sports.

Las Vegas is at number four not because it lacks something, but because it has a bit more than a couple on a honeymoon can expect. Las Vegas is also famous as the ‘city that never sleeps’ and is known for gambling and quick weddings, besides sightseeing. This city offers every couple on a honeymoon an experience of a lifetime.

Apart from these places, other hot honeymoon destinations in the US are California (Wine Country), Pennsylvania (Poconos), Louisiana (New Orleans) and almost all the southern states on the Gulf Coast.

Peter Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/four-best-vacation-places-for-honeymooners-135611.html

Formerly being a airline travel enthousiast, I never considered driving across the United States until an infortunate incident forced my ex-fiance and I to change our travel plans. We had flown out to Las Vegas, to attend a business convention late one night. The next morning, I turned on the television, only to find that planes had flown into the World Trade Centers in New York. It was 9/11, which devastated us and everyone around us. At Caesar’s Palace, all the tvs were tuned to the tragedy, instead of the usual horse racing or other sporting events. You could hear a pin drop as everyone watched the tragedy unfold, live. The convention closed early due to the horrible tragedy. We were given t-shirts as we left the convention center, in memory to the people who perished in New York and Pennsylvania. Fortunately for us, my ex had already rented a van to get around with, as rental cars sold out quickly when all the planes were grounded. In Las Vegas, the airport is right in the city limits, very close to the Strip. With the planes all down, all we saw was an occaisional military jet fighter circling the city now and then. It was eerie and a reminder of the possible danger to the area. We left and drove over to Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, our spirits lifted as we visited the coastline, stopping at lovely places like Balboa Island for lunch, Laguna Beach (full of interesting boutiques and restaurants) and Dana Point, where we stayed in a beautiful oceanfront hotel. Later, we went over to Burbank, and attended the second taping of the Tonight Show, with Jay Leno. The experience was surreal, nobody felt like comedy, so the show was subdued. Jay wheeled out a motorcycle that he was going to auction off for charity, and Arnold Schwartzenegger, Tom Cruise and others came to sign it. Being in the studio was fascinating, the temperature in the large room was cold, to keep the many hot stage lights from bursting, one of the producers told us. We had front row seats, because we got in line very early. If you go, make sure to go much earlier than told to, because it takes a lot of time to park, and the line to get in is very long.

After leaving downtown L.A. we drove around Beverly Hills and Hollywood. I liked Beverly Hills, seeing the beautiful homes was my favorite. Signs were posted everywhere saying that forest fires can happen and gave a daily rating to how much of a chance there was of having one. Interesting. Some movie stars’ homes were on regular streets like yours and mine. Others were high up in the mountains, shielded by gates, high walls and ominous “keep out” signs. I don’t blame them, with all the crazy people in the world. All the posh shops were nice, but a shopping spree there was out of the question unless we won the lottery and were rich like the Hilton family - one piece of clothing could be the cost of a new car or even, house in downtown Beverly Hills. Wow. We drove all over, taking pictures, stopping at fast food places like In and Out Hamburgers and Krispy Kreme Donuts. We also stopped in lovely ethnic restaurants to eat Mexican, Thai and Indian food. The Mexican restaurants were my favorites, most were authentic and gave large portions.

We drove through the desert, going back east, saw Hoover Dam, which was immense. Because of the tragedy going on in New York, everyone there was on edge, so we weren’t allowed to stop on the bridge, just drive past it and park elsewhere. It was very scenic to see the dam, built long ago, with Art Deco influence on the well-built bridge and buildings. It was incredibly hot but the heat was dry, not humid. We drank gallons of soft drinks and bottled water to keep from being dehydrated. The vistas of tall mountains and large amounts of water being pumped by this powerful dam were really fascinating for this midwestern girl.

Our next state to visit was Utah, land of amazing rock formations and mountains. We only saw the southern part but what we saw was breathtaking. Bright red rocks jutting out of the ground, tall mountains and an endless night sky full of stars. We parked on the side of the road and watched the sky for an hour, deep in the desolate parts of the mountains. Without city lights (or any other civilization, for that matter) we could see everything, including the Milky Way. It was both beautiful and surreal at the same time. Utah is loaded with natural wonders and incredibly scenic.

Next, we drove to Colorado. It was so scenic driving up and down the mountain roads of this colorful, beautiful state. The whole state is a photographer’s dream, especially with all the colors of the fall.The aspen trees were turning yellow, since it was now autumn, and the huge mountains all around us took my breath away. It felt and looked like the Old West to me. We stopped at an old mining town, even got to eat buffalo burgers (made of yes, real buffalo meat, which was good). If we’d had more time I would’ve spent a week there, but my ex had to get back to his job so time was limited.

Just east of Denver, everything got amazingly flat. Prairies are desolate and finding signs of life off the highway were few and far between. When we saw a gas station, we’d stop at it, because who knew how long it would be until the next one came along. People there were very friendly. We stayed overnight in a lovely old-fashioned hotel, and ate at the family restaurant next door. True Americana at its best.

We started seeing hills again in parts of Iowa, which we weren’t in for long. Next came Illinois, where we stopped in Chicago. Having been there many times in my past, we stopped at places I liked, like WaterTower Place, the theater and the art museum downtown. There is a lot to do and see in this impressive city, just do it during the summer, because the winters there are cold and brutal. Chicago is a big city, with a long skyline as you drive past it. Much bigger than my hometown of Cleveland.

Late at night, we arrived at my home, in the outer suburbs of Cleveland. The trip was a success, even if it was marred by tragedy, we made the most of the situation. It took us a week to get home, and someday I plan to do it again, but this time with more time on my hands. If you want to see what America is really like, rent a car (try not to use your own, due to the major wear and tear this kind of travel does to a car) and plan places to see before you go. We did this trip without planning and it was still a success. We’d driven through lovely state parks, past amazing scenery and met wonderful people. Next time I do this, I’ll go get a triptych at AAA and plan it to see more of the off-the-beaten-path places like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park and Napa Valley.

Carolyn McFann
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/driving-across-the-united-states-is-surprisingly-fun-and-educational-126020.html

What does the term adventure travel mean to you? It can mean many different things to different people and for those that are uninitiated into the world of adventure travel it often involves Indiana Jones types of images. Things like Man against nature, struggling to cross a scorching desert, or a stormy sea. Possible risking their life in some far flung region of the world that is torn apart by war and strife. Or it might bring up images of crawling deep into a pitch black cave or dangling from the site of a mountain on a rope.

Do all of these images equate to adventure travel? Well, not really, some people that are into adventure travel might seek out some of these more extreme types of activities but not everyone. Adventure travel is really whatever you want it to be. It might or might not involve physical risk this is not a requirement. It might or might not mean traveling to an exotic far flung place. It might or might not cost a small fortune it really depends on you. Any time you travel somewhere, anywhere if you have a new experience that you have never had before or some type of new experience that you don’t do everyday then you have had an adventure.

Of course there are as many different types of adventure travel as there are people in the world. So often you can find something that is exciting to you and based on your own interests. For example a history buff might not be the least interested in a vacation in Las Vegas or a visit to Disney World. But he or she might be thrilled to tour the Tower of London, visit the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, or stand at the Irish graveside of some long dead ancestor. The discovery of some previously unknown ancestors name in the archival records of a small town can be as exciting for the history lover as catching a trophy rainbow trout is to an ardent fisherman.

While most people would agree that adventure travel that involves activities like sky diving, mountain climbing, kayaking the rapids or caving is an exciting adventure indeed. But adventure travel can also include a leisurely trip on the Mississippi River in a paddle wheeler, a saunter across the English landscape in search of a certain species of bird, a tour of the wineries of southern France, or a shell-collecting outing on an out-of-the-way Caribbean beach.

Adventure travel does not have to be to a far away place. You do not have to go by plane, train or bus to experience some adventure travel. There are many opportunities well within driving distance of your house. They are not as well revealed as major sites or operations, so people have to look for them. They can include small local museums, houses of special interest (the birthplace of a famous person), small sanctuaries for wildlife and flora, restored buildings or even communities dating back to historic times, and so on. Even if one does not own a car, there are sometimes local bus tours to this site, or excursions organized by social groups.

Sure adventure travel might take you to that far flung place on a crazy intense adventure and test of wills but it can just as easily be a trip to somewhere close to your home and local. Adventure travel is wherever you can find it and on whatever scale you are ready for.

Sam Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/finding-hot-adventure-travel-spots-81937.html

Long before the online gambling revolution and even before the boost of tribal casinos, a casino cruise was the only legal way to gamble in the US besides Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos. Nowadays, gambling on a riverboat casino is only one of the many options that the recreational gambler faces when he feels like shooting dice.

The history of casino cruises and riverboat casinos in the United States goes back to the beginning of the 19th century when the Mississippi River was a major trade center for farmers and merchants. The river towns became major attraction for professional gamblers, also known as cardsharps, who were hunting the travelers who used to carry large amounts of cash with them.

When five cardsharps were lynched in Mississippi in 1835, the professional gamblers drove away from the south. The fashion of riverboat gambling remained as an informal routine between travelers. The two decades before the Civil War saw the pick of luxurious riverboat casino gambling.

The public image of the average riverboat gambler has changed a lot in the last century. If during the 19th century riverboat gambling was part of the frontier lifestyle, nowadays, a casino cruise is something you would buy for your grandparents anniversary.

The first State to legalize casino riverboats was Iowa in 1989. Now, riverboat casinos are legalized in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas. In some states, the casino riverboats actually sail along the sea, while others are anchored permanently and never leave the dock. The second type of riverboat casinos enable recreational gamblers to simply hop on a nearby casino and play their favorite casino game for a few hours.

The types of casino games available in riverboat casinos vary from one state to another. You can usually play slot machines and classic table games such as blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, etc. Some of the riverboat casinos also have poker rooms where passengers can play Texas Holdem against each other. Most of the casino cruises are family oriented and offer other activities besides gambling such as live entertainment for children.

If you are planning to take part in a casino cruise, you do not have to worry about cardsharps or a tough competition around the poker table. Most of the people who join a casino cruise are recreational gamblers who appreciate a good game of craps in between fine dining and sun tanning on the dock. In addition, you would enjoy a much nicer and patient service from the casino dealers and employees than in an average Las Vegas casino.

If spending a weekend on a riverboat casino is too much for you, you can try some of Florida daily casino cruises. If you take Sterling Casino Lines cruise, for example, you can leave at 11 am and be back by 18 pm. Sterling Casino Lines cruises take place on a 75,000 square feet gambling area with more than 1,000 slot machines and 50 table games.

Sterling Casino Line cruise is only one example from numerous options available around the states for those of you who want to gamble at the country rivers, lakes and seas. The variety of casino cruises and dockside riverboat casinos includes the most luxurious Las Vegas styles casinos and simpler alternatives. If you enjoy gambling just for fun and you tend to get sea sick, joining a casino cruise can be an enjoyable distraction for one day or for a whole weekend.

Collin Dowall
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-gambling-articles/riverboat-casinos-and-casino-cruises-then-and-now-96603.html

Behind the phenomenon of gambling industry, there are definite individuals. The attitude to them is ambiguous. Some people consider them to be talented businessmen, respect them and learn from them. Others, conversely, condemn them. Doubtless is only one thing – these people are extraordinary, often venturesome, but at the same time they have business acumen, feel the demands of time, they can correctly estimate the potential of their future enterprises. Particularly such people gain millions of dollars from gambling industry.

Sheldon Adelson

Presently he is the richest representative of the gambling industry. He owns the corporation «Las Vegas Sands», which controls the casino-hotel «Venetian» in Vegas and и «Venetian» in Macao. The life of Sheldon reminds of a classical story about an American dream. The future billionaire was born in 1933 in Boston in a poor Jewish-Ukrainian emigrant family. He had to work since early childhood. He earned his first money by selling newspapers on the streets. Practically without any education, the self-made man Sheldon became one of the best financiers in the USA. While working as financial advisor, he breathed new life into more than 50 companies. Adelson was one of the first businessmen who believed in the future of IT technologies. The international show-exhibition of IT-technologies “COMDEX” was his brainchild. In 1995 he sold it to the Japanese for 860 mln dollars.

The businessman came to the gambling market in 1989 buying the casino-hotel “Sands” in Las-Vegas, which was earlier owned by Frank Sinatra. Understanding that one more casino in Vegas is trivial and that is why relatively unprofitable, he decides to transform the capital of gambling into the international business center, in order to attract rich entrepreneurs (potential players) to his casino. Within several years Adelson built the business centre «Sands Expo». In 1991 he invested one and a half billion dollars for building the casino-hotel «Venetian». The new casino was targeted not only at players, but also at businessmen who came to his new business center. As many experts acknowledge, “Venetian” is one of the most beautiful casino-hotels in the world. There are more than 4000 rooms, 18 restaurants, a trade center (emporium), and all this is at the background of Venetian channels, with gondolas sailing and gondoliers singing their famous songs. In 2004 Adelson opened the casino “Venetian” in Macao, the first casino of Las Vegas type in Asia. In May 2006 he managed to obtain a permit for building a casino in Singapore, which will presumably be opened in 2009. It is planned that more than 3 billion dollars will be invested into its construction.

At the moment, according to “Forbes”, Adelson’s fortune is 16.1 billion dollars, i.e. he is number 14 in the world rating of the wealthiest people of the planet.

Kirk Kerkorian

This figure of gambling industry can be without exaggerations called the most experienced and sophisticated. He is the living legend, one of the “fathers of Las Vegas”. Kirk was born in 1917 in the town of Fresno (California) in the family of Armenian emigrants. In his youth he was actively engaged in boxing and participated in single combats, but at the age of 22 all of a sudden he decided to quit sport – the desire to learn to fly captivated his entire personality. During WW II Kirk became a pilot of British royal air force. Upon returning to his homeland, in 1947 he paid 60 thousand dollars and bought a small air company that specialized on charter flights between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. He abandoned this business only in 1968, having sold it for 108 mln dollars. Frequently visiting Vegas, he realizes the huge potential of this city. In 1962 Kirk buys 80 acres of land on the famous The Strip, not far from the legendary casino “Flamingo”. The land at that time cost him 960 thousand dollars. The investment was not vain, approximately at this time there started the gambling boom and many companies became interested in gambling industry. The renowned casino «Caesars Palace» is built on his land, which he grants on lease. In 1969 he sells it, having thus earned more than 9 million dollars.

In 1967 Kirk buys 82 more acres of the “precious” land and builds «International Hotel», which was the biggest hotel in the world at that time. In order to make the hotel popular and attract potential players, Kirk hires Elvis Presley for concerts. At that time he also buys the casino “Flamingo”, which he resells in 1970 to the corporation “Hilton”. 1973 was crucial for Kirk. He invested most of his assets into buying the film studio “MGM” and builds the casino-hotel “MGM Grand” under the brand of his new company. Now this hotel becomes the biggest in the world. At the moment Kirk Kerkorian owns the corporation «Tracinda», which has the controlling stock of «MGM Mirage» (casino in Nevada, New Jersey, Macao etc). Kirk’s interests are not limited only to gambling industry. He owns 10% of the shares of «General Motors». All this allows him to be number 53 in the «Forbes» world rating, having the fortune of 8.7 billion dollars.

©Copyright 2006-2007 www.bonus-map.com

Arthur Prudent
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-gambling-articles/sharks-of-gambling-industry-part-1-82864.html

Steve Wynn

The third serious player on the market of gambling entertainments in Las Vegas and Macao. Steve was born in 1942 in Connecticut. Unlike Kirk and Sheldon, Steve received very good education, according to American standards - he graduated from Pennsylvania university. Steve had to engage in private business straight after graduation. His father, the owner of the network of bingo clubs in the west of the U.S., died when Steve was still a student. The son continues his business. Steve’s career in “big” business starts in 1967. Having saved some money, he buys a small share of the casino-hotel “Frontier” in Las Vegas, where he moved for permanent residence together with his wife. Having no funds to build his own casino, Steve gets acquainted with the owners of the already existing casinos and offers them his services in renewal of their business. His first project was reconstruction of the casino «Golden Nugget». Steve transformed the absolutely ordinary casino into a luxurious institution, which immediately became a great success with the players. Having showed himself and earned a pretty penny, Steve decided to invest money into buying shares of other Vegas casinos, in order to reconstruct them as well. The following major project is renovation of the casino «The Mirage». According to Steve’s conception, it was to become the most outstanding, rich, elite casino of Las Vegas. He intends to found there a big park and an artificial volcano, and make the best rooms and hotel service in Vegas. Steve bets on luxury. Despite apprehensions of the partners (the project was very expensive), he managed to embody his ideas. «The Mirage» became and for a long period remained the most prestigious casino of Las Vegas, bringing huge profits to its owners.

After this project Steve’s name enters the history of the world capital of gambling. However, Steve does not rest on his laurels. Conversely, he becomes thoroughly engrossed in a new reckless venture. Developing his conception of a “luxurious casino”, he totally changes the casino-hotel «Bellagio»: an artificial lake, an internal greenhouse, an art gallery with canvases of great painters, expensive boutiques and restaurants. Enormous diligence, multiplied by talent, made Steve one of the richest people in Vegas, the owner of casinos. In 2000 he sells «The Mirage» to the company «MGM Grand», which after this purchase changes its name to «MGM Mirage».

Wynn spends most of his money on building a new institution, which opens in April 2005 on the site of «Desert Inn». The new brainchild of Steve is called «Wynn Las Vegas».

Apart from interests in Vegas, Steve invests funds into conquering the Asian market. In the short-term perspective it is planned to open the casino «Wynn Macau». Steve’s activity has brought him 2.1 billion dollars, which allowed him to occupy the 365th position in «Forbes» world rating.

Stanley Ho

The wealthiest representative of gambling industry in Asia who for more than 30 years was the single ruler of this industry in Macao. Stanley was born in 1921 in Hong Kong. His great-grandfather was a Dutch Jew who married a local woman. The Ho family was one of the most renowned and influential in Hong Kong. But Stanley was not able to make use of the wealth of this family. His father went bankrupt, when Stanley was a student. Due to financial break-down his two brothers committed a suicide, and his father renounced his family and left Stanley with two sisters and mother. Despite all hardships, he successfully graduated from Hong Kong university and mastered three languages. Stanley started his career in a trade company, located in Macao. Outstanding business skills and proficiency in several languages allow him to become a shareholder of the company at the age of 21. Ho received his first fortune as a result of a very unpleasant accident. Stanley was responsible for sea trade. During one of the voyages the ship with Stanley, who carried a great amount of money, aboard was subject to an armed attack. Stanley, practically on his own (many of his fellow employees were killed) stands against the gang and returns both the money and the ship. The company duly appreciated the courage of their employee and rewarded him a bonus of one million! In 1943 Ho invested his million into construction industry, his new company is located in Hong Kong. At this time the city undergoes a real construction boom, and Stanley receives very decent dividends from his business. But his ambitions are not limited to construction business, together with his partners he wins the tender for the monopolistic right to open gambling institutions in Macao. Stanley won the tender with the sum of only 410 thousand dollars. For many years Ho’s company becomes the monopolist of Macao gambling market. Stanley invests all his money and skills in this company. By 1972 he owns 9 casinos, including casino-hotel «Lisboa», one of the most beautiful casinos of the world.

In the 90-ies Ho extends beyond the borders of Macao and opens 9 casinos on the Philippines, however, as a result of a conflict with the president of this country, he had to renounce his Philippine business. Apart from the casino, Ho owns many betting operators and totalizators. In 2003 the budget of Macao by 30% consisted of revenues from the activities of the companies that belonged to Stanley. His business provides work to more than 10 thousand people. In 1998 Ho becomes one of the first living inhabitants of Macao, in whose honour the local street was named. But earlier or later everything comes to an end. Ho’s idyll ends in 2000, when Macao authorities decide to cancel monopoly for gambling industry. Since 2002 Ho has to share gambling industry with American “sharks” – Wynn and Adelson, who immediately used the chance to become familiar with Asian market. Presently Stanley Ho’s fortune is 6.5 billion dollars, he has the 84th position in the «Forbes» world rating.

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Arthur Prudent
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