While in town to play a concert at the M Resort and Casino, world-famous rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd toured another new facility–the future home of Lynyrd Skynyrd BBQ & Beer at the Excalibur. Slated to open in December, the restaurant will feature Texas-style barbecue at all hours of the day and evening, then become a late night club with music and entertainment after hours. The band has already agreed to play shows there, and their memorabilia will line the walls. The facility is even modeled after their old practice and living space, Hell House. Band members Johnny Van Zant, Gary Rossington and Rickey Medlocke toured construction at the restaurant Friday. We’ll keep you posted as construction unfolds, and to prepare you, we have deals on rates at the Excalibur as low as $33/night!

If you want the best app for Vegas, we have it. The Vegas iPhone App will help you rock out in Vegas. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Vegas Hipster, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Olympic legend Michael Phelps has had quite the weekend in Vegas, hitting three hot spots along the way. He began by taking over a cabana in H20 on Tao Beach, soaking in some sun and getting into the festivities of Skam Artist Fridays, then feasting on all the Italian specialties Lavo has to offer and enjoying DJ Politik following dinner. Just yesterday, he was spotted soaking up rays at Encore Beach Club at Encore Las Vegas. He then enjoyed DJ George Acosta’s music and headed to the Encore Beach Club gaming pavilion to play a little craps. Phelps, who won a record-setting eight gold medals in the 2008 Summer Olympics, was just cooling off and relaxing. If he’s around in 2020, it will most likely be as a coach, but it’s a possibility the Olympics could end up in Vegas, as the city sent in a letter of intent to host the 2020 Summer Olympics; however, the United States Olympic Committee says they will not apply to host the games. Deadlines for official applications and a possible retraction of the USOC’s non-application are due September 1. If you’re looking for deals at the Venetian, we’ve got a great hotel deal so you’ll be right near the action when athletes and celebs like Phelps come into town.

The Vegas iPhone App is FREE for a limited time only! Track the hundreds of attractions, such as (Vegas Indoor Skydiving) we have in our database, complete with price ratings, photos, reviews, and contact information for all the best in Vegas. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Vegas Hipster, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

It looks like Hell’s Kitchen will have a big presence in Las Vegas–at least, Chef Gordon Ramsay will have a big presence. With the news that Bradley Ogden in Vegas is closing, it was also announced that a gastro-pub in conjunction with Ramsay will take its place. The news comes after our earlier report on Ramsay’s first Vegas restaurant in Caesars Palace. Bradley Ogden, the only Las Vegas restaurant ever to win a James Beard national “Best New Restaurant of the Year Award” (2004), will be serving its last supper sometime in mid-October. After that, work will begin on turning it into the gastro-pub.

This comes on the heels of the news that Ramsay plans to open a minimum of three restaurants in Vegas. None have materialized as yet, but “announcements are on the way shortly” according to Ramsay’s group. Ramsay sold his New York outpost, London NYC, amid a legal battle with his father-in-law. He is hoping to revive his brand in Vegas, and three restaurants here in partnership with Caesars, will be a big roll of the dice. It appears that the Hell’s Kitchen and Masterchef star is going all-in on Vegas restaurants. We’ll keep you posted. Also, hotels at Caesars, where the restaurants are scheduled to be located, are available at a great deal by clicking HERE for rates as low as $99 a night.

You can get the brand new Vegas iPhone App here and track the hundreds of attractions we have in our database, complete with price ratings, photos, reviews, and contact information for all the best values in Vegas. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Vegas Hipster, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

In reality television Jersey news, Jersey Shore star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzo took over LAX in the Luxor this weekend,  hosting a party there. Ronnie Ortiz-Magro hosted Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel just a day later, and fellow cast members DJ Pauly D, Jenni “JWoww” Farley and Deena Nicole will be in Vegas this weekend. It seems there’s no slowing down the Jersey Shore cast, as we reported earlier.

The Venetian and Palazzo Vegas hotels have each earned the coveted AAA Five-Diamond awards for excellence in hospitality, service, and excellence in providing customers with the best experience possible. For the Venetian, this is the fifth year in a row, and for the Palazzo, the third. We love being treated well at the hotels we stay at, so these are two to watch out for. What does a company that’s just won an award for hospitality do? Give back, of course! From August 22-26, guests and visitors alike will have the opportunity to go on a scavenger hunt of sorts to discover a diamond hidden somewhere different each day throughout each resort. Contestants must follow The Palazzo on Twitter at @PalazzoLasVegas and The Venetian at @VenetianVegas to receive the resorts’ clues posted daily. Don’t forget to follow @vegashipster on Twitter while you’re at it, and click the links for for deals on 5-Star rooms at the Venetian and great rates at Palazzo Vegas as well.

In the face of the recession, Caesars is doubling down. Construction will begin this month on a $500 million mid-Strip project called Linq that will include a restaurant-entertainment district (326,000 square feet) linking the Imperial Palace and Flamingo resorts, a “re-skinning” of Imperial Palace and O’Sheas, and a 550-foot “observation wheel” that is like a Ferris wheel, but houses 30 people per pod. This will also create 1,500 permanent new jobs and employ about 3,000 construction workers. We wish Caesars the best on this 18-month project. We have found some great deals on Caesars hotels, with rates as low as $99 a night. Don’t forget to check out our page on Caesars as well!

Gambling in Las Vegas is a tradition dating many years back, as is losing money from doing so (for most people). This time, however, the Tropicana in Las Vegas is offering a special deal that really works against the whole “I lost all my money at the slots” thing–if you stand in line to get a free Tropicana player’s card, there’s a +EV promotion where you can play $200 in slots or video poker, and if you lose, you get an immediate $100 back in freeplay, with $100 more in freeplay if you come back 30 days or later. It’s like breaking even, if you have the discipline and time to come back. You must walk to the player’s club and insert your card immediately into the kiosk after you lose. There’s no marker to keep track of your remaining $100, so be sure to keep track of your pulls or hands. We love deals at Vegas, and if you’re a AAA member, you can head to the Tropicana and get deals on rooms with the following link: AAA Discount, Get 15% Off as well as reading up on your plan for dominating the slots on the Tropicana page. Enjoy!

In addition, PH has a front-of-line pass for $12, which can be worth it; just wait at the front and flash your card. $12 extra will get you all-you-can-drink beer and wine while at the buffet. This is our kind of deal! Check our page on Planet Hollywood for more information.

We love to chow down on some great food, and who doesn’t love a good burger joint? We’ve been all over Vegas and tried out the best places to get a hearty meal for burger freaks, and the following list (in no particular order) includes just some favorites:

In-N-Out Burger

Multiple locations dot Nevada, California, and Arizona for a reason, and that reason is a simple, fantastic burger that nears no equal in price or in taste. Their menu hasn’t changed since Elvis was still alive (although there is a “secret menu”), and yet, they are always busy, no matter the time of day. There is a location near the Luxor, and a few others around the city as well. This is a burger for everyone, and the locals love it too.

The Rib-Eye Burger at Aria Las Vegas Aria Las Vegas (Skybox Bar and Grill)

If you are into steak burgers, this is your stop. Horseradish, steak sauce, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, and great sports on the big screen are all included. Click the link above and use the promo code AR503PA (Exp 10/31/11) to get a great deal to head and check the burger out.

The BOA Burger at BOA Steakhouse in Caesars Palace

We like to try new things on burgers, and this is what the BOA Burger is all about. Camembert cheese and onion rings on top of a fat burger patty? We’ll take it! There are a lot of options for food at the BOA Steakhouse, but this is one of the best. Click the link above for rates low as $99 a night at Caesars so you can get your burger on and not break the bank.

BLT Burger at The Mirage

This is a simple burger with the best ingredients, very carefully prepared to ruin your post-BLT burger experiences at fast food joints. It’s that good. It’s a modern atmosphere that gives the impression of more than just a casual burger joint, and that impression is well-founded.

These are just some of the great food options in Las Vegas. Be sure to check out our Restaurants section if you’re still hungry!