Welcome and Some Tips on Las Vegas

In addition to extending another welcome on behalf of the conference co-chairs and planning committee, as someone who has family living in Las Vegas and who visits with some regularity, I want to provide a couple of tips for activities outside the conference.

To begin, a very good area to eat is in Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road—a short cab ride across interstate 15 from the hotel. In a ten block stretch you can find great Korean, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Philippine, among other Asian cuisines at very reasonable prices. One of my personal favorites is Pho Danh Restaurant at 3301 Spring Mountain Road.

While on foot in Las Vegas it is ok to walk with an open alcoholic beverage, but j-walking (with or without alcohol in hand) is a citable offense (minimum $150) so please use walkways or crosswalks, especially on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Also, it is illegal for taxis to pick up pedestrians on Las Vegas Boulevard so you must go to a taxi stand or any entrance to a hotel or restaurant to catch a cab. For those wanting to see shows, especially the most notable ones, it is recommended that you get online now or contact the concierge at the Riviera or at whatever hotel you are staying to make reservations for the events you want to see.

And lastly, Las Vegas in recent years has become both a burgeoning art center with numerous galleries along the strip as well as a very good place to shop, with the new Fashion Show Mall within a walking distance of the Riviera.

Enjoy the conference and enjoy your time outside the conference in Las Vegas!