In Brief - Las Vegas

TIME ZONE: Pacific
AREA CODE: 702
FOUNDED: 1905
POPULATION: 583,756
AIRPORT: McCarran International Airport (LAS)
WEBSITE: www.visitlasvegas.com

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BY THE NUMBERS

37.5 million people visit Las Vegas every year

39.7 million dollars won at Excalibur Hotel Casino in the world's largest slots jackpot in 2003

250 the average number of marriages licensed in Vegas each day

5 years it took 21,000 men to build the Hoover Dam in 1935

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NEWS FLASH

Fit For an Emperor /// If you've been holding your breath for two years — that's how long it's been since Ceasars Palace announced its $860 million expansion — you can stop now. Octavius Tower opens this month, showcasing 668 new rooms. Also added are eateries like NYC's Old Homestead Steakhouse. caesarspalace.com

Kiss This /// Putt-putt goes rock 'n' roll with the opening of KISS, a glow-in-the-dark, indoor 18-hole mini-golf facility that features America's favorite rock legends. Check out the "Rock 'n' Roll All Nite" café and the largest KISS gift shop in the world. www.monsterminigolf.com/kiss

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CULTURE CALENDAR

Jan. 19 WU-TANG CLAN 
The '90s are long gone, but Wu-Tang Clan is still rappin' and rhymin' and layin' it down like the '00s never happened. Get a blast from the past as you catch these original gangsters on stage for a one-night-only performance of their Rebirth tour. www.houseofblues.com

Jan. 19-30 WSOP CIRCUIT EVENT 
Put on your poker face, or rather, watch the stone faced experts as they bluff and shuffle their way to winning the World Series of Poker, putting thousands of dollars on the line in this game of skill, cunning and steely nerves. Watch the poker pros gamble everything for 11 straight days, then breathe a sigh of relief when you remember you've got no stake in this. www.wsop.com