Anthony Curtis

After an unexplained three-month delay, the renderings of the stadium planned for the Oakland Athletics' move to Las Vegas have been released.

After a lengthy hiatus that some believed would be permanent, the Mirage volcano is again erupting on the hour from 8 to 11 p.m. nightly. The volcano was dormant through much of February, due to a Super Bowl-related promotion that made use of the structure. How long it will continue to operate is unknown, as the volcano will eventually be demolished to make room for the guitar-shaped hotel tower that will signal the transition from the Mirage to the Hard Rock brand. When that will happen, though, still hasn't been revealed.

The Super Bowl is Las Vegas' biggest sporting event, but March Madness isn't far behind. The big opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament is in progress, and the sportsbooks and casino viewing parties will be packed on game days through to the championship game. The tournament's Final Four will be held in Las Vegas in 2028. For now, though, hanging with the raucous crowds in the books, where every game will be telecast on the big screens, is the next best thing.

After an uninterrupted 66-year run, the Tropicana will close on Tuesday. The last day of full operation will be Monday, and shortly after midnight, the casino will bid goodbye to the last of those who have stuck around. The remainder of closing day will accommodate the checking out of the last guests, then the doors will be shut. It's not known for certain what's in store for the Trop. It's believed that the casino will return remade, possibly with a baseball stadium attached; however, firm plans haven't been announced. One thing appears certain: If the casino does return, it won't be called the Tropicana.

Everyone wants to see a show as part of a complete Las Vegas vacation, but the cost of doing so is rising. In a LasVegasAdvisor.com tally of ticket prices for 88 active shows, the average cost of a single ticket came in at a daunting $104.72. That's just 57 cents higher than last year's average, but it's also a sign that $100 tickets aren't going away. In fact, 48 shows had a ticket price above $100 this year, four more than last. And it's significantly higher for the premium shows. The highest average for a production was O at Bellagio, coming in at $265.59.

It's been a while since the last big casino demolition on the Strip, but another may be in the works. Following the closing of the Tropicana, a 10-foot “razing wall” is being built around the property, with a demolition tentatively scheduled for October. The demolition could include an implosion of the two towers, “subject to permitting and further changes.” If it transpires, it will be the first Strip casino to be imploded since the Riviera in 2016.

Cirque du Soleil has announced that its long-running show, The Beatles LOVE, will close on July 7. The show that's based on the music of the Fab Four has run for 18 years and played to 11.5 million people. While it's big news that one of Las Vegas' most renowned shows is closing, the bigger news is its departure is signaling that the transformation from the Mirage to the Hard Rock is underway in earnest. Already closed is Siegfried &Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, followed by the volcano, which will be replaced with a guitar-shaped hotel tower. Firm timetables haven't been disclosed, but there are currently no plans to completely close the casino at any point.

After years of languishing without an identity, Slots A Fun on the north end of the Strip has rebranded with a retro theme.

With the Vegas party machine revving up for summer, the action at the pools takes center stage. Unlike the days when you had to be a hotel guest to get into a casino pool, many are now open to the public for swimming or partying, but be prepared to pay for the privilege.

A just-launched Las Vegas-based real estate company called LVXP has announced plans to build an “experiential mixed-use development” on the 27-acre former site of the Wet'n'Wild water park. The project would include what's being touted as “the city's tallest resort” with 2,500 rooms and a “state-of-the-art NBA-ready arena.”