Joel's BIG Thirty-eth Bday Bash - Give Me another

Updated April 30, 1999

See some of the pictures and some more pictures and even more pictures.

22 People Are Going!

Here is the up to date letter just sent out.

Democracy has prevailed...

Monte Carlo it is. Thank you to all who voted and sorry to those who did not get their first choice, but I am sure everyone will have a GREAT TIME!!! Viva Las Vegas!!!!

Here's the pricing information. (Pricing on the quads actually went down!)

Monte Carlo for 3 nights April 23, 24, 25 and round trip non-stop flight from Chicago to Las Vegas.
Nonstop charter approximate times
Fri 4/23 Chicago 9:30 a.m. to vegas ~11:20 a.m.
Mon 4/26 Vegas 1:00 p.m. to Chicago ~6:20 p.m.

There may be another flight, but we highly reccomend that we use this one to keep people together and have fun during the trip.

$485 Double room hotel and air fare per person
$425 Quad room hotel and air fare per person
$208 Double room hotel only per person
$137 Quad room hotel only per person

A deposit of $75 per person is required from every person by as soon as you get this. Really, it would be great if everyone can send the checks tomorrow so Janus Travel will have them by SATURDAY January 23, 1999. The remainder of the fee will be required the first week in March (45 days prior to trip).

If you have questions for Mark at Janus Travel you can call him directly also, but we can answer most questions for you whatever is easier for you.

Mark @ Janus Travel: 773 SODAPOP (773 763-2767).

Thank you everyone so much for coming to my Vegas party and I can't wait!!! We're planning on picking people up from airport and having general transportation (eg to my parents bbq, etc.)

Details (i.e. What do you need me to do?)...
Mail a check written to Janus Travel for $75 or full amount to the address below ASAP. Also include exactly what the money is for including the name(s) of the people the tickets/rooms are for and if it is for a Double or Quad and who will be in the room. Example: $150 enclosed for 2 $75 deposits for Dawn Kendall & Jerry Kendall, AIR and Quad at Monte Carlo sharing with Erin Weissenborn & Guest. As soon as he gets the last check he can uarantee/book the tickets.
Janus Travel
Attn: Mark/Underwood Group
6121 N. Northwest Hwy, Ste. 101
Chicago, IL 60631

We now return to your previously scheduled web page.

We have a favorite... Friday April 23 - Monday April 26 (sorry Jason outvoted)

First note is that both casinos are good and I am sure we would have a great time at either. That said, we need to make some decisions and buy these tickets so we can get them together and so they don't go higher in price. E-mail Vegas central at joelu_web@yahoo.com and place your votes and give any comments including how strongly you feel about your choice. Still room for change, but that is dwindling quick!! We are basicly down to 2 choices of the Monte Carlo vs. the Flamingo. There are the 2 web sites below and the reasons to vote for either one. Joel went there for Christmas and checked them out a little better and saw rooms and pools.
The count is getting up there as far as participants, if your name is not on this list... Tell me. As we get the choice of hotel, I will log that vote so keep checking back.

Monte Carlo
Maybe Becky Evans-Wolf & Tom Evans
Definate Yes with own plans Dave & Melissa Wolf Erin Weissenborn
Definate Yes & Deposit Joel Underwood Lynne & George Kaelin Jeff Krause & Chris VanAman & Jean Christianson Kelly McGough & Sharon Shimuzu Jim Katovich & Bryn Lerud Jody Keck & Jen Jacobsen Dawn & Jerry Kendall Jason Lembke & Ann Kowal Anna Ellis & Joanne Meister

Pool has more concrete than Flamingo vegetation but certainly would be nice enough. They have a wave pool and a "river" that moves rafts around in a circle which was fun for the Kendall's. Bummer is area is locked up early (4:30 or so) and you can't even walk around. Rooms are a tad smaller, but they are both nice hotel rooms (though neither are luxury). Not enough of a difference to make your choice. A nice casino that has a good layout. Casinos aren't all that important because we will want to go to all the big ones and spread our money around, but good for a meeting place or any hour of the day/night. Several restaurants to choose from including a real nice Bar/brewery with live bands every night. Kendall's said this was fun. Tram that runs every 2 minutes to Belagio. This is across the street from Flamingo, so the 2 hotels are kind of connected. There are several more trams running up and down the street too. See map below to see locations of all casinos on the strip.

See with "live" casino links. Plus here are a listing of more casinos.

1. Luxor

2. Excalibur

3. Tropicana

4. San Remo

5. MGM Grand

6. New York - New York

7. Monte Carlo

8. Aladdin

9. Bally's

10. Maxim

11. Bourbon Street

12. Barbary Coast

13. Caesars Palace

14. Flamingo Hilton

15. Imperial Palace

16. Harrah's

17. The Mirage

18. Treasure Island

19. Desert Inn

20. Frontier

21. Debbie Reynolds

22. Stardust

23. Circus Circus

24. Hilton

25. Riviera

26. Sahara

27. Stratosphere

28. Hard Rock

The original message is below:
Vegas gang,
We have done some preliminary investigation into rates for the Joel turns 30 trip. First, it is a convention weekend so prices are going to be a little more and sales are going to be less likely to occur.
We were looking into setting up a charter for the Chicago gamblers to include air and hotel and others to just get hotel. We wanted some centrally located hotels and would also be fun. We are planning some activities that might include: Gambling, Guys go golfing while Gals get spa treatments and go shopping, Gambling, Bar-B-Q/pool party, Gambling, Drinking, Gambling, Concert at hardrock or other show, Gambling, cure hangover by pool, Gambling, win some money for a change...
Here is what we are looking at right now:

Nonstop charter Fri 4/23 Chicago 9:30 a.m. to vegas ~11:20 a.m. Mon 4/26 Vegas 1:00 p.m. to Chicago ~6:20 p.m. Air & Hotel:Rooms based on Double/Quad occupancy 3 nights per person Double Quad Flamingo Hilton $475 $425 Monte Carlo $485 $435 Ballys $469 N/A

I picked these 3 hotel since they seemed to be nice and centrally located. Other feedback has been the Luxor and Rio which is a little further from central strip, but whatever we decide is fine with me. I got similar pricing of the travel agent for room only at www.lvrs.com if you would like to try things for yourself.

Air & Hotel:Rooms based on Double/Quad occupancy 3 nights per person Double Quad Luxor $479 $429 Rio Suites $508 $455

Our travel agent (Mark at Janus Travel 773 Soda Pop 763-2767) is looking into hotel only rates for the 3 nights (but about $290 of this is air because of the package of air/hotel). Chartered flight alone is at $309. Probably San Diego people are going to be driving which would give us some cars there too.
IMPORTANT: This is an iterative process, we need your input and likelyhood that you are coming!! We plan on deciding this in the next week or so to book all the rooms and flights together which would be more fun for everyone.
Some questions to consider...
Would I be interested in a more El Cheapo hotel to spend more money gambling with Joel...?
Do I have a strong preference to go Thursday to Sunday instead?
What other activities would I like to do?
How likely am I to be going?
How late do the Casinos stay open?
Please consider these question including more of your own and REPLY to us so we can get things booked and set up! It is going to be a blast and one to hold me over til I hit 40.
See you in Vegas, Joel