Perhaps Las Vegas traffic is still on the slower side but the weather in Las Vegas keeps getting better and better. For the last few weeks the sun has been showing up and making the patios and the strip quite an exciting place to be rather than the regular indoor locations.

The forecast looks good for the next ten days and is sure to only get warmer from then on. Temperatures are set to be in the mid to high 90’s for the next few days and then moving to the 100’s in the days to follow.

Hotels are offering special promotions since the pools are now open and in full swing. People are getting out and spending much more time outside.

Several hotels have even opened blackjack tables and other gambling facilities on their outdoor grounds so that those that want to enjoy the nice weather can also do a little gambling while they enjoy the outdoors.

Remember to book your trip to Las Vegas in the next little while because prices for trips are still low and rates are sure to go up as the hotels tend to be much busier when the weather is nice bright and sunny.

And even if staying outside is not your thing the tables are still waiting for you and the drinks are flowing if you plan to spend time inside and enjoy everything that the hotels and casinos have to offer.

Could it be that things are actually looking up for Las Vegas as a tourist attraction and the casinos that make the city ever so inviting? Reports that came out from Las Vegas Casino giant LVS (also known as Las Vegas Sands) should that while numbers were down; they were still better than projections and indicated that projections weren’t a grim as some may have believed.

While this by no means translates to the end of this ever so chilling recession it does bring hope that we are heading for a much more profitable spring and summer with the hopes of rising stocks and movement in sum very stagnant projects along the Las Vegas strip.

The casinos and the share holders were very happy to hear of this information. Shares rose in overnight trading but fell slightly this morning because numbers were still weak versus the positives that had been seen in years past.

It is not surprising that predictors point in a positive direction for Las Vegas, the city is quite beautiful in the spring and summer months. There are plenty of promotions happening now, so it’s a good idea to book that long overdue trip just in time before the prices for the vacations head up as well.

And if you were one to hold you your stocks or buy when the casino stocks were really low in the single dollar range then you will likely have enough profit to cover the cost of your next trip, just remember to use your gains wisely and don’t leave them all at the tables.

There are reports that the Las Vegas Sands are considering the sale of their Macau Casino properties. When contact, the LVS authorities would neither confirm nor deny the rumor that the entire Macau operation could be up for grabs in the near future.

There have been many stories surfacing with regards to the LVS Corporation in recent times. Since the casinos and the economy overall have not been doing well in the last year or so, many companies are having to liquidate and land based casinos are now struggling to hold onto investments that they have had for years previous.

The whole casino industry has been taken by storm due to the downturn in the economy. LVS has been hit particularly hard because the company has several operations that were under construction when all the trouble began and travel has also affected the industry.

LVS is also currently rumored to be selling off retail property in Macau. Again this is something that LVS reps are not reporting on directly but the word is that it there has not been much interest in those properties that are available for sale.

The casino industry in Las Vegas itself tends to do better in the spring and summer months than it does in the future. The hope is that this next season will bring some good news not only to this casino and retail giant but to the city as a whole.

The reports for MacCaren International airport are following a consistent downward pattern in recent times. For the last 17 months the airport is losing traffic in both directions of outbound passengers and in bound passengers as well.

Traffic for this particular month is down 11.8% versus the same exact month last year and this time last year was not the best time for Las Vegas traffic either.

No matter how the figures are read or reported it is clear that the economy in Las Vegas depends solely on the travel and tourism and due to the this the city and state are suffering much more seriously, economically than several other cities within the US.

While the gap in the decreasing numbers is actually getting smaller people are still not coming as much as they used to and financial analysts are saying that it will be months and months before Vegas and other cities of that sort will be back on their feet and in full swing such as they were in 2007.

Casino and hotel operates are saying the exactly same things as those that work with in the airport and the other travel sectors.

Casino and Hotel revenues in Las Vegas have been down for quite some time now. The resorts are happy to report when their numbers are in less than double digit declines these days. And there hasn’t been any great numbers to report.

Perhaps the spring and summer seasons will make for a happier prediction but until we see what people decide to do with the little spare cash they have we won’t really know.

The actress and singer that has been seen all over tabloids in the last few months is making yet another appearance. Several sources have said that Lindsay Lohan approached the director of an upcoming show which will be on stage at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino. The show will be titled the “Peepshow” and Lohan is interested in taking part front and center.

It seems as though Lindsay Lohan is determined to get some attention no matter the quality: Good or Bad. Either she is just looking to be noticed or the ones noticing her are making a complete deal out of nothing at all. Many believe that it is very likely that she is the one that is fueling the fire.

Nobody is quite sure whatever happened to the cute little girl that appeared as two separate twin characters on the parent trap over ten years ago.

Lilo joining the show would likely pick up traffic and ticket sales for the Planet Hollywood show and generate more revenue for the casino and restaurants within the hotel.

Other members of the shows cast currently include two previous members of the Dancing with the Stars cast. The show is rumored to be rather tame. However, the part that Lilo is rumored to be going for requires her to strip until she is in the bare minimum as part of the performance.

This is likely all very good news for Las Vegas. We are just not sure if it’s good news or bad news for Lindsay Lohan and her not so wholesome image these days.

The Dubai World group which is a major stake holder in the upcoming City Center project in Las Vegas has offered a proposed plan to attempt to rescue the project from complete bankruptcy.

The mammoth building structure and vision of hotels, condos, casinos and shopping venues has an estimated cost of over $8.6 billion US dollars and was scheduled to be completed this year.

The plan that is proposed by the organization is an investment of $3 billion dollars by all the project leaders including MGM Mirage, The Dubai World Group and the other investment lenders that are currently involved in the plan.

The infusion of money by these companies would leave enough money for the plans to be completed according to course and would allow for the loaned sums to be less in capacity than what they would be if extra lending was required to continue.

With the economy at its lowest, the future of this project does not look as bright as when the project was planned and the schedules were made.

Another proposed solution is an alternative investment infusion that is on the tables from Colony Capital LLC, which has proposed investing in the project to protect the company from potential bankruptcy and keep the companies involved out of courts and in the talks for a brighter future.

It seems that stock advisors change their recommendations about as often as they brush their teeth. From a “buy” recommendation one day to a “sell” recommendation not even 24 hours later.

MGM stock prices have been rallying in the last couple of days, this is largely due to announcements that the company may get funding support from outside sources or may sell of a few of their assets in order to continue on with the City Center project.

Unfortunately most advisors are currently saying that the rally of the stocks is quite premature and there is not concrete indication that the company is anywhere close to being out of the debt that they are currently in.

The MGM Company as a whole has approximately a 10 billion debt that will be due early in 2011. If business does not pick up and surpass projections it will be quite difficult for the company to stabilize and get back onto their feet like they have in the past.

Company reps were contacted for them to comment on the situation that they were in but there have been no responses from reps at this time.

The company and its shareholders are likely optimistic for some funds to be invested into their projects but the unfortunate truth of the economy remains the same and no one really knows for sure when businesses will be back to normal operating standards or when the economy is due to bounce back.

Some financial analysts are hopeful that things can be back to the way we were used to as early as the beginning of 2010.

Casino stocks have been all the talk in recent times and MGM is at the top of the list this week as financial analysts are recommending a “buy” call. The company is planning on liquefying certain properties in order to re-coup some of the billions in debt that have built up due to the struggling economy and the many construction projects that are still underway.

The MGM stock price is currently up to $6.18 which is up more than 50% over the numbers that the company saw last week and the weeks prior to this.

The casino company has hotels and casino all over the US as well as several other properties throughout major tourists destinations in other areas of the world.

The MGM company recently hired Morgan Stanley to help control the sale of two very lucrative hotels for the company these hotels and casinos being rumoured to be the MGM Grand Detroit and Biloxi’s Beau Rivage Casino.

The company hopes that this will help to pay off $13.5 Billion dollars in debt across the board as well as aid in some cushion for the $8.6 Billion dollar city center project that is still only footsteps underway and have a long way to go before nearing completion.

The budgets for the city center are an educated estimated amount; however experts are saying more money may be needed to complete this project since the budgets were made originally with this year in mind for completion.

MGM company reps say that the company is not happy to be losing properties but is certain that they will see a positive turn around sometime in the near future and will grow the company and pick up new business ventures along the way.

While the talk of the town is solely about the recession and how it is affecting the economy in Las Vegas along with other major cities in the world (both those that are tourist attractions and those that are not), it just so happens that Japan is saying just the opposite when it comes to Las Vegas based casino operators.

There is a particular slot like machine that is very popular among the Japanese population. This machine is called the Pachinko and is being installed all over Japan in all the land based casinos.

MGM, Las Vegas Sands abroad are reporting that while they attempt to close the gap by continuing to operate in other countries, they are nowhere near making up for the losses that they have experienced in the US and are tones away from hitting numbers that they have seen and have become accustomed to in years past.

Both the online casino and the land based casino industries seem to be weathering fairly well when compared to other industry in the economic crisis. But unfortunately this does not hold true for Las Vegas as a city that is used to entirely surviving on the money that travel and tourism brings in.

A new report that was issued this past month showed real estate sales for 2009 for the city of Las Vegas. It seems as though while average prices for a single family residential detached home are the lowest that they have been since 2001. The median selling price for the home quoted above is roughly $150,000 USD. The same exact type of home averaged at approx. $250,000 this same time last year, making that a reduction of a whopping $100,000.

As a result and reflection of what is happening in the economy the real estate markets are feeling the burn. It is a historical fact that while the real estate market mimics what happens in the stock market it usually does this relatively slower than the stock market.

And while this is not what appears to be happening at this time, it is likely that we are not yet at the lowest point and home prices will continue to drop in the Las Vegas area and most of the US for the next little while at least.

The bad news: that while the real estate market is usually slower to fall it is also slower to rise back up from the falls that it experiences.

The good news: those that are new to the real estate market in Las Vegas and surrounding states have likely never seen a better time to get into the market as right now or in the next few months to follow. For first time buyers this is nothing but a dream come true and for those few investors that all kept their assets in cash, it’s a great time to pick up and sit on property until there is a turnaround and an opportunity to flip wisely!