Around the world, people glued to TV sets saw Barack Obama put his hand on the same bible used by Abraham Lincoln to take the oath of office. One of the places where people watched was on the Las Vegas Strip.

Anyone walking down the Strip Tuesday morning couldn't help but to stop and take a look. Monitors outside of Planet Hollywood broadcast the historic inauguration.

“It's everywhere. It's like being there. We got excited,” said Jim Peverini.

Inside casinos you are used to hearing the sound of ringing of slots, but it was all silence. TV's inside the sports books and on the casino floor were tuned into history being made.

Inaugural address of President Obama

“We are multi-tasking. We are still getting to gamble, so we've watching since we got out of bed,” said Nancy Hubbell. She and her husband are visiting from Washington D.C. They are in Las Vegas to avoid the crowds back home

Hundreds also gathered at local sports books to watch the infatuation where casinos have the biggest TV's.

At the Las Vegas Hilton, there were so many people who wanted to watch the inauguration, they opened the theater.

The inauguration was on all but one television in the Hilton's super sports book. There was almost no one in the casino and every television was on CBS for the swearing in ceremony.

“I did not think that I would live to see this day. I'm 65 and I am so happy this has happened in my lifetime,” said Jeanie Strianese.

About 450 people packed into the Hilton Theater. After the swearing in of President Barack Obama the theater erupted. People cried and shouted and clapped.

When the 44th president addressed the nation, most of the people in the room cheered his words.

“It was very hard being from an interracial background. I remember being too white for the darks and too dark for the whites. Today just spoke that we are all one people,” said Renee Davis.

Almost all of the 450 people in the theater left with a sense of hope and unity, feeling that President Obama reached out to people of all races and religions to make America a better place.

A United Airlines flight made an emergency landing at McCarran after passengers reported smoke in the plane.

The Airbus A320 was heading to Los Angeles from Philadelphia when they diverted to Las Vegas.

No injuries reported and passengers took another plane to Los Angeles.

Harrah's Entertainment Inc. says it is delaying plans to open the 665 new rooms at a sixth tower it has just built at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip until there is stronger demand for hotel rooms.

The 23-story Octavius Tower was topped off in October and scheduled to open this summer as part of a $1 billion expansion at the resort.

Harrah's said in a Monday release that other parts of the expansion will open on schedule, including 110,000 thousand square feet of meeting space, an expanded pool and garden area and three 10,000-square-foot luxury villas.

Harrah's says strong advance bookings justify finishing the new meeting space. Harrah's says it does not anticipate layoffs at Caesars Palace as a result of the delay.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Since tourists are not coming to Las Vegas like they used to, Las Vegas hotels are trying to win over locals to get business. Many are offering valley residents deep discounts on luxury hotel stays for less than a $100 a night.

That includes the tawny and opulent Trump International Hotel and Tower. They're hoping people who call Las Vegas home will take advantage of the low prices and spend money to make up where the tourism numbers lag.

Chris and Melanie Lewis live in Las Vegas but last weekend they moved up to the 53rd floor at the Trump. It's their local get-a-way. ”Its been tough for us to get away with work and its seem like we are working a lot more.” Chris Lewis says, “The country's economic turmoil is making it even harder for everyone to take time off work or spend that extra cash.”

Tourist numbers have been steadily falling and it's hitting Las Vegas resorts at their bottom line. That's why hotels like the trump are targeting they people that call Las Vegas home. Angela Nolan, Trump's Director of Operations says, “Everyone is fighting for the same customer and our ability to provide a aggressive offer for locals will bring them here and bring them back.”

And they are hoping locals will spread the word of the $99 deal. Nolan continues, “Word of mouth is our best advertising someone stays here and has a incredible experience and that's the way we attract additional customers.”

Chris Lewis commented, ”Think it's great go to New York and this same thing will cost double, triple the price.” He continues, “You get a chance to stay here and feel like you are going away on a vacation.” Hotels aren't the only industry banking on locals to boost their bottom line.

Shows on the Strip are trying to fill arena's too. You can catch KA, Zumanity or Mystere for just $49. ”In this economy people are looking to stay closer to home and if we can provide great values for local residents instead of taking a trip to California they might stay local,” Angela Nolan says.  

At The Trump they are also offering locals 20 percent off at the spa. Discounts and dinners and much more.

A bid by Melbourne, Australia-based Crown Ltd. to buy Cannery Casino Resorts for $1.8 billion in an all-cash transaction was endorsed Wednesday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

“We look forward to the opportunity to be part of the casino industry in Las Vegas and Nevada,” James Packer, Crown's chairman and majority shareholder, told regulators during a brief opening statement.

The Control Board's recommendation now goes to its parent state Gaming Commission, which will consider the deal at a Jan. 22 meeting in Las Vegas.  Crown Chief Executive Officer Rowen Craigie said the company will focus on improving the performance of Cannery through Crown's experience with various customer initiatives, innovative slot and poker products, and employee development programs.

Crown owns and operates properties in Australia, Britain, Canada and Macau. Cannery Casino Resorts will be held as a subsidiary of Crown Ltd., which is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange.  Craigie said a new Las Vegas-based senior management team and board will be formed to oversee the Cannery's operations. William Wortman and Bill Paulos, the two industry veterans who formed Cannery Casino Resorts in 1996, will remain as directors of the company.

Cannery Casino Resorts's southern Nevada properties include the Cannery and Eastside Cannery. The company also operates the Rampart Casino at the JW Marriott at Summerlin. Crown entered into an agreement to buy the company in December 2007.

In other action Wednesday, the Control Board recommended licensing approval for the $700 million M Resort, scheduled to open March 1 in Henderson.

M chief executive Anthony Marnell III said he views the resort as a locals property, but it also will draw small tour and travel groups, particularly from Southern California, and tourists seeking a high-end resort experience without going to the Las Vegas Strip.

Marnell said the resort would have 351 standard rooms and 39 large suites, a 92,000-square-foot casino with more than 1,800 slot machines and 60 table games, and nine restaurants and several bars.  He also said a convenience store and gasoline station on the property will allow customers to swap loyalty card points for gasoline. An on-resort pharmacy also will distribute medical needs to employees and to customers, also with loyalty card points.

Construction of a 1-million-square-foot retail center to be attached to the M Resort has been postponed at least 24 months, Marnell said, but construction on a Galaxy Theater complex is scheduled to begin shortly after the resort opens.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Three local teens will be featured as soloists for eight concerts by the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

Sixteen-year-old violinist Linda Duan from the Las Vegas Academy and 16-year-old clarinetist Vincent Camuglia, also from the Las Vegas Academy, will perform on January 8th and 9th. Sixteen-year-old violinist Tracy Bu from Odyssey Charter School will perform on January 13th.

The concerts will be held at Artemus Ham Hall on the UNLV campus at 10:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. on each of the three days. The concerts are held for nearly 14,000 4th and 5th graders.

“Fourth and fifth graders are invited because in sixth grade, students may choose an instrument to play,” said Dr. Richard McGee, the Philharmonic's Associate Conductor and Educational Director. 

The joint venture building the big CityCenter project on the Las Vegas Strip says it's going to postpone opening its Harmon hotel and spa until late 2010.

The partnership between MGM Mirage and Infinity World Development Corp. also said Wednesday that it is canceling the residential condominium part of the project.

The company says the moves and other steps will save $600 million. The hotel is one part of the 67-acre CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip.

When finished, the Harmon is expected to include about 400 rooms and suites. It was also going to have about 200 residential units. Construction of the Harmon structure and exterior will be finished, while completion of its interior will be postponed. All other components the CityCenter project, including the Mandarin Oriental, Vdara and Veer Towers, remain on schedule for a December 2009 opening.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

A scam based in Las Vegas has cost 700 victims close to $1 million. Prosecutors say the online scheme promised a profit in the Foreign Exchange Market, but now two men face a list of federal fraud charges.

The company at the center of the alleged scam is Global One. It used an address near Sahara and Eastern and the feds say the group ripped off people all over the globe.

The web site looks legitimate, but federal prosecutors say it's part of a shady operation that bilked close to a million dollars from more than 700 investors.

In an ironic twist, Global One's vacant office is in the same building as the Nevada Consumer Affairs Division.

“It's unfortunate. We see that more individuals are becoming much more daring and in your face almost with their activities,” said Consumer Affairs Commissioner James Campos.

The federal indictment has been sealed, but Eyewitness News has learned why Richard Young and William Willard of Montana are charged with money laundering, mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and more.

The feds say Global One was supposed to educate people about trading techniques on the Foreign Exchange Market. The company charged investors $500 a year to access their web site, conference calls and online seminars. Global One allegedly received money from some investors in the form of loans and instructed them to open accounts with brokers approved by Global One.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says Young and Willard misled consumers, allegedly pocketing $900,000 from investors as a result of several false representations.

According to the indictment, some money was funneled through bank accounts in Las Vegas.

Experts say consumers, especially in this bad economy, need to do research before they hand over any money.

“You have to be aware, you have to be aware of red flags. Again, if it's too good to be true, it probably is, unfortunately,” said Campos.

The defendants have not been arrested. They have, however, been summoned to appear in federal court in Reno later this month.

Richard Young characterized the accusations as “improper and wrong” and says “we believe we will prevail” in court. Both men face decades behind bars and millions in fines if convicted.

The FBI and the IRS are looking for other victims. They say it's a strong possibility there are more victims out there because this involved the web. Only 16 victims live in Nevada.

The holidays are over, but the specials for locals aren't. New York, New York has a locals hotel package you can't beat.

In addition to a 10-percent discount on room rates, local guests will get a Park Avenue Strip view upgrade, two welcome cocktails, a $25 retail credit, free breakfast, one spa admission, a roller coaster ticket, a pass to Rok nightclub, $10 in free play and more.

The deal goes until November of 2009. You can go to the NYNY Hotel Casino website and use the code STAYCA09.

MGM Mirage officials expect a wave of applications online beginning today for more than 12,000 jobs at its big CityCenter project on the Las Vegas Strip.

Officials say about half those jobs will probably be filled by people currently employed or recently laid off by the casino giant. That will open spots at their other properties.  People can start applying on Jan. 5th, 2009.

Click here to go to the CityCenter jobs site.

The $9.2 billion complex includes six high rises with a casino, luxury hotels, condominiums and retail. It is scheduled to open in December.

In this economy, there's expected to be a lot of interest. The website can handle 300,000 applications.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)