Las Vegas - Disneyland For Adults
Andre Agassi, 33-year old tennis veteran, born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s not from the bright lights, spin the wheel and roll the dice side of town. More the all-too-often ignored or undiscovered town of schools, churches and close-knit neighbourhoods that taught him that anything is possible.
He once blazed across the court in day-glo clothing and long hair, wowing crowds with his unique base line game. But Agassi has always been a down-to-earth guy, and now resides in Las Vegas with his two children by wife Steffi Graf, also a tennis star of yesterday. Although he still travels to many tennis tournaments, he has made sure to leave a legacy to his hometown: the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy takes in and educates some two hundred and fifty students every year, while Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation has raised more than 35 million dollars for chairty, mainly children’s charities. Here’s a weekend in the city where Andre Agassi learned to win.
There’s a lot of activity going on in downtown Vegas, even though most people think of ‘the Strip’ when they think of Vegas. “When you go downtown you find yourself somewhere where you can park your car and have that old feeling of just stepping two feet off the street into a casino that basically has no doors”, says Agassi, adding almost as an afterthought “…and the lights are incredible.”
Agassi also part owns the Golden Nugget casino. “I’m involved with some friends that I grew up with, which is exciting”, says Andre. “I’m second generation here [and the] people I’m involved with are third generation Vegas. The Nugget is among my favourite casinos in Vegas because it’s so ‘old Vegas’”. Asked to name any other favourite hotels or casinos, Agassi cites the Bellagio. “It’s difficult to find better than the Bellagio, although that said every place offers its thing. Celine Dion virtually lives at Caesars Palace these days. There’s this incredible lounge/bar called The Foundation with a deck area overlooking the city, sitting at the top of Mandalay Bay. Then you’ve got The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel, with incredible music acts.”
I asked Agassi where he goes first after getting home from a tournament or appearance (always a telling question). “I need to eat, and fortunately Vegas has come so far in it’s dining options and cuisine that there are loads of good restaurants to choose from. For steak, I love the filet, charred medium at Delmonico at the Venetian. I love Nobhill at the MGM Grand. If you’re out for a big family meal I recommend Summerlin to a place called Sedona. Actually, that’s a bit of a shameless plug because I’m a partner in it… but I love it, it feels like home to go to the place that you helped create”.
For 30 years the fastest-growing city in America, Las Vegas is a city of great vision. Says Agassi – “The community of people who actually live in Vegas is strong, very strong. And it thinks that you can create anything or make anything happen as long as you actually believe in that thing enough. It’s like Disneyland for adults.” Never a truer word was said.
You can read the full interview with Agassi at the Dialaflight website. Dialaflight is one of the UK’s top travel companies offering great value flights to USA. Andre Agassi is a former world no 1 tennis player with 8 grand slam titles to his name. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Bookmark: 
Recent Entries
- Congress Centres
- Discovering the hidden Tuscany: the Casentino Valley
- Do You Have the Skills Needed to Work on Do You Have the Skills Needed to Work on Cruise Ships?
- Do You Have the Skills Needed to Work on Cruise Ships?
- European Luxury Travel to London and Edinburgh
- Top Ski Resorts For Beginners
- Adventurous Canadian Rockies Summer Road Trip
- I Love Touring Paris - The Twelfth Arrondissement
- Algarve Holidays - for that Portugal holiday
- Fuerteventura Holidays - for an amazing Canary Holiday
