VegasChatter

Top of the list of surprises is the announcement of film director/producer/actor/writer Eli Roth's Goretorium. And, now you know as much as we do. It appears to be totally off the Internet's radar. When we heard an odd rumor about a horror-themed something-type-thing a while back we thought zero of it. Conceptualizing any horror attraction within this particular building seemed way off base.

Cabin Fever and Hostel are probably Roth's best know films to the Vegas tourist crowd. Within the film community, Roth is known as a devoted and vocal horror film fan, quick to cite his influences and encourage others to share his love of the genre. So we wonder... is the gore in this space his, or celebrating others? And within the name, Goretorium, does "tor" equal tour and provide us a clue? That might make sense. Roth is a co-curator of the current exhibit at the EMP Museum in Seattle, "Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film."

We went looking for other Roth connections to Vegas, other than this fancy new logo. The third non-Roth directed Hostel movie was set in Sin City. Roth himself was recently at NAB giving a speech. So three's a trend right? We've put out the word to Mr. Roth for comment.

Second biggest news? Certain tourists will welcome the arrival of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Yes, the family-friendly seafood restaurant chain finally trawled its way to Vegas. Their corporate site doesn't yet list it as "coming", but we found local ads looking for new employees. Landry's Gaming, owners of Downtown's Golden Nugget is part of their enormous parent company. They also own Rainforest Cafe. And, now it all makes sense.

Those are the headliners. Let's run down the rest of the list:

Missing from the banner is the nouveau-hipster Metro McDonald's we reviewed last week. But, brand new internal signage will make sure you won't forget it's here, or get lost.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe. We've also been following their fast-growing progress into the Las Vegas landscape. They'll be located next door to McDonald's.

Panda Express. The ubiquitous Chinese fast food chain. You can even find one right next door at PH. This branch has been up and running since opening day and always looks busy.

Viva Vegas. Souvenirs. Open now.

AfterHours. Club-ish clothing, etc. for those whose find the prices at Bebe too high and their hemlines too low. Open now.

Magnet Max. Guess what? Magnets and stuff. Open now.

Bonanno's. A pizza place. There's one at the Flamingo and in the new food court at Luxor that we recently reviewed.

Yogurt Planet Candy Shop. We're going to guess yogurt and candy will be prominently featured. Hiring now.

Twin Peaks. We are sadly resigned to give up any and all hope this has anything to do with David Lynch. Our money is on a coffee stand. We just hope for a "damn fine cup of coffee."

Update: We lost our money. VegasChatter Twitter fan BTowles1 let us know that Twin Peaks is a Hooters-esque restaurant chain except with "lumberjack girl uniforms." Here is a link to its girl-filled calendar. Oh, and the menu, if you're interested in that.

Millennium Foto. Camera gear. They have another location further down The Strip. Online reviews are not very favorable.

Rockin' Taco Mexican Grill. Construction is coming along fast and they are hiring. When you use the walkway crossing over Harmon you'll see it on your left. Doesn't look large enough for a full-on rockin-out experience, but...

Evening Call frozen beverage bar. Also at Bally's, Mandalay Bay and Luxor. You'll like them. The staff at the Bally's location are lovely.

Gaya Mineral Makeup. They list "ingredients like Mica, Iron Oxides and Serecite which translate into volume, colour and a silky texture." Which is nice, we guess.

Lastly, we don't know which of these new stores has locked down this primo-location with a view of the Strip and Crystals. There were no visible clues inside. But with this full, and presumably final, roster of tenants, placing a gamble on a residency in this building might not have been a bad bet.