Montecito Resort and Casino

Peter Rukavina

I have inexplicably become a fan of the NBC Monday night television programme Las Vegas.

By most measures it is a truly dreadful show; it’s more like a “sexed up Love Boat in the desert” than anything else. Cleavage is important. And the show truly jumped the shark when Lara Flynn Boyle’s guest start run came to and end by flying her off the edge of the hotel, carried on wings created by her puffy dress.

But, for all those reasons, Las Vegas makes for compelling (if mindless) Monday evening entertainment. It helps that it’s on late, after [[Catherine]] has gone to bed and G. has packed up his bike and ridden up to NoEu.

Most of the show is shot in and around the Montecito Resort and Casino. I’d simply assumed that this was a real Las Vegas hotel; this assumption was bolstered by the fly-over shots of the city in the opening credits clearly showing the Montecito on the Las Vegas strip.

Turns out that I was wrong: it’s all a fiction: the Montecito doesn’t actually exist. Here’s what Wikipedia says:

Many of Mandalay Bay’s interiors and exteriors (including its wave pool) have been used as Montecito exteriors, although (according to the Internet Movie Database) interiors are now filmed in a California set that is a replica of the Mandalay Bay. In several episodes, the fly-through video clips inaccurately depict the movement of the camera into a casino which is clearly the Mandalay Bay - not the Montecito. Many of the interiors and exterior shots of the casino can be shown depicting Mandalay signage and names.

Surely it can’t be too long before NBC opens a real Montecito in Las Vegas?

Television
Nevada
Las Vegas

Comments

Submitted by Rutger on

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Hello,
I am a big fan of the serie “Las Vegas”. And I was also wondering if the Montecito exist. Too bad it doesn`t otherwise I go to the Hotel and visit it. I am form THE NETHERLANDS. Bye Bye…

Submitted by Avtec on

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hay ii have been looking on google maps and i can not find it and i have googled it and dident get anything.If you find thing please let me know.

Submitted by Sydney on

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Hey, I was also wondering wether the casino existed and would loved to have visited it. Well this clears it all up. I think I will be watching the episodes clearly now to see if I can see the name of the original now

Submitted by barb on

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How would one go about writing to the creators of Las Vegas. My husband and I have become LasVegas junkies and we really miss Ed Deline! His character needs to return… Tom Seleck may be an ok actor but he can’t replace James Caan! We love the day time reruns with Ed!

Submitted by Danny's Hair on

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Dude, LV has not jumped the shark!!!! Coop is great and very mysterious, although I do miss the Danny/Ed relationship. I’m glad Mary is gone, she was annoying. LONG LIVE LV!!

Submitted by zaebano on

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Hello everyone.

I have done some research and came to conclusion. As we know, Montecito does not exist, it is a 3d model placed on place where in real Las Vegas MGM is placed.
You can figure it out by checking the view from the rooms and the cut scenes.
One view looks to New York casino/hotel
Second looks to the entrance of Mondelay Bay …
enough to make a conclusion.

if am wrong please correct me.

zaebano@gmail.com

Submitted by STAMOS711 on

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MAN I REALLY MISS VEGAS, I THINK WE ALL DESERVE A REAL ENDING TO SEASON 5, I CANT BELIEVE HOW MAD THIS HAS MADE ME AFTER RENTING VEGAS SEASON 5 AND FINDING OUT THE SHOW WILL NEVER HAVE A TRUE ENDING„ THATS JUST PLAYING WRONG FOR NBC TO LEAVE US ALL HANGING OUT LIKE THAT.

BOYCOTT NBC, AND IF COULD BE CLOSER TO THEM I’D TOSS SOME EGGS AT THEM TOO….

NBC = NOTHING BUT CRAP (THATS WHATS LET TO WATCH ON NBC).

IF I’M WRONG PLEASE CORRECT ME.
STAMOS711@SBCGLOBAL.NET

Submitted by Joe on

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I like to know what’s with the show now. Cooper was there and Delinda had a problem with the baby and I’m waiting to see the next show to see what happens and now Ed is back and has been for quite a while now. It’s Danny and Mary then they broke it off so Ilike to know what happened to Cooper in the show (aka) Tom Selleck. Joe

Submitted by quisha on

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well heres,the thing worther real or not i happen to enjoy,watching las vegas and think it is a good show.i happen to like all the co stars.and enjoy the ending morral to each episode.so thanks NBC. i give the montecito a thumbs up!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by John on

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I wondered if the Montecito was real, too. It had to be a model. Why would Las Vegas waste so much water on that stupid waterfall, when they are out in the middle of the desert? They’re lake can’t be that big!

I’ve been hooked on Las Vegas on TNT, since I’ve been out of work. I only originally caught the final seasons of the series, it stopped suddenly and went back to day one.

James Caan (AKA Ed Deline) is the best. While Tom Selleck is a great actor, he stunk on the show. He really looked stupid, ridng up on that horse.

Mary is Hot, Delinda is a bimbo, Danny is stupid for giving up Mary, unless she really is an airhead, too, and he really can’t dance. Mike’s Cool, and Sam is the best, hot smartass!

They’re getting back to the stupid part of the series. It’s wasting my time to watch.

I hope they bring the series back, soon, with some better episodes!

Submitted by wayne on

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miss the show.
bought the whole 5 seasons and watch over and over.
wish they would bring it back

Submitted by nonya on

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I also am a fan of Las Vegas Mike is my favorite I love a man thats into his job. Danny needed 2 stay with Mary they wereb mad 4 each other Delinda is a hoe and we all know you cant turn a hoe into a housewife even though the actress that plays her does a very good job no pun intended. Sam i salso a hoe but she knows and embrasses it. Ed is mean 4 no reason he really isn’t scary and his wife is annoying if she wanted a lazy man then thats what she should have married. Coop is cool but he is so mysterious like he isn’t just a farm boy who decided 2 buy a casino.Piper is also a hoe but she has this innocence about her that kinda makes me think shes not so bad either. OoOOOoOOoO0 and thanks 4 clearing the whole thing up about if the Montecito really exist.
Sorry if you disagree just saying it how i see it.

Submitted by Wulf on

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From watching the show, the hotel moves around quite a bit.
Ed’s office overlooks The Venetian (possibly Treasure Island) but Sam’s room overlooks Paris (Mirage). The funny part for me is that the Montecito is apparently across the street from the Mandelay Bay (we can see The Luxor from the heliport) which means it occupies the same space as the airport.

Whenever anyone asks me where I stay in Vegas, I always tell them The Montecito. No one ever gets it. LOL

Submitted by Big Wayne on

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I wasn’t surprised at all when I found out that the show was filmed in a replica of a casino - California is famous for having tons of empty hangers and such that function as ideal spots to film TV shows and movies. Universal Studios even reveals some of the secrets of movie shooting on its rides and attractions. When watching the show, the lack of continuity between the outdoor and indoor scenes can be stunningly apparent - perhaps they should actually shoot the show inside an actual Vegas resort in order to make it seem more realistic.

Submitted by person2009 on

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when i saw the advertising of las vegas season 5, i suddenly interest about it but i didnt watch season 1-4 but AJ Cooper is very mysterious, cunning, funny, charming…. i watch many time but i dont know about Ed Deline. Is he better than Cooper… (btw AJ Cooper… what ‘A’ stand for?

Submitted by Just Me on

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Hey everyone just would like to let you all know that we have started filming season 6 and possibly will be out in august or early september. Thankyou for keeping us all going!

Submitted by slot bonus guy on

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I always wondered which Vegas hotel the Montecito was supposed to be. The show is dreadful, but I watch it anyway. PS - there is a cond development next door to me that is called the ‘Montecito’ - it’s located in Satellite Beach Florida

Submitted by K. C. on

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I was in a truck accident, and while laid up, I started watching Vegas. I am now disabled, and watch the show almost every day. I enjoy the show very much, no matter who is in charge of the (Montecito). I like both, James Caan, and Tom Seleck. Thanks for a show I can get so much enjoyment from.

Submitted by george coverson on

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its too bad that the montecito isnt a real casino i was looking for to visiting it first when i go to vegas next week i had $7000.00 to blow.

Submitted by FaDe07 on

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Is there any announcement about a new season?
Cause it just stopped on the TV for no reason at all.
Sup with that.
I was watching it everytime it came on TV.
Loved the shows!

Submitted by Ronni Bach Nielsen on

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Jeg vil først of fremmes sige tak for en rigtigt fed serie og håber på der kommer mere kan ikke lade være med af se den om og om igen, men ja men bliver helt ked af det da ed forsvinger håber der kommer en seson 6 igen plzz

hilsen fra Danmark

Ronni

Submitted by darrin on

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i do watch the show i’m just wondering if the montecito is real or not
of course i was there in vagas last yr i do not think its real

Submitted by saralove21 on

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The Montecito is NOT a real Las Vegas Casino. It has never existed at all, although the outside closely resembles the Monte Carlo and apparently the mandalay bay as well.

The show was always scheduled to return for a 6th season, however, it happened to coincide with the NBC writers strike. The 6th season was not written and by the time the strike was over, they had decided not to bother with the show anymore. Yes it is a shame. I love the show and I NEEEED to know what happened.

Submitted by ccomeniuss on

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word!

my colleague asked for some movies and gave me his portable HD
i stuffed it with first 2 seizons of the LAS VEGAS and he said
bwa i dont like that. I hate him ever since and he does NOT get any more movies from me.

I think its the best thing ever made. Characters and casting were great.
U immediatly start to love every single one of em. Great things were the personal changes. The love afairs, deads , promotions.

Im in the 3rd zeizon now so lucky me i have some great greta hours ahead of me :-) Since i got so hooked watch 5 or 6 eps in a row and can only think ;

I WANNA BE THERE

I BET :-).. if someone opens a casino in vegas called the montecito its full of suzkers like me / us

FYI, You made capitalization,spelling,some grammar & punctuation mistakes, could be trying to type fast... if I may; I can copy, correct... Not to offend.

Word!

My colleague asked for some movies and gave me his portable HD
I stuffed it with first 2 seasons of the LAS VEGAS and he said; by the way; I don't like that. I hate him ever since and he does NOT get any more movies for me.

I think its the best thing ever made. Characters and casting were great.
U immediately start to love every single one of em. Great things were the personal changes. The love affairs, deals , promotions.

I'm in the 3rd season now, so lucky, I have some great great hours ahead of me :-) Since I got so hooked watching 5 or 6 episodes in a row and can only think;
I WANNA BE THERE

I BET :-).. if someone opens a casino in Las Vegas called the Montecito, it will be full of suckers like us.

I changed some to what I think you may have meant.
I will need assistance in my/our endeavors, IF it is even possible to build either version,first design or second. The supposed location that you see, I'm sure has long been taken. Check "Google maps of Las Vegas, satellite view;maybe change to street view.

Submitted by Dwayne Davidson on

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Well even if a 6th season was scrubbed it would have been good if NBC could have finished up season 5 and gave the show a proper ending.

Submitted by DMA on

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I too want to know what happened to Delinda's unborn child. They left with shots inside an ambulance,panned back and away fading to black, "To be continued" shown. What is with changing theme song and music?If I had Billions; I would have a real Montecito Hotel & (casino built,all new layout inside, best video surveillance & security system (cameras around pillars, cameras covering entrance+(valet, facing both directions-coming & going; avoid incidences like the girl with the "Help me" message). All over parking lots and employee garage(all stairways). Extensive background checks for all gaming personnel,more.

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Photo of Peter RukavinaI am . I am a writer, letterpress printer, and a curious person.

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