All of this is why I was greatly looking forwarded to the media night introducing the Nugget's new ownership (Lawry's restaurant chain) and the $100 million transformation they have made to the property. We were all led on a comprehensive tour of the venue with tasty morsels thrown in at the various new restaurants which I will discuss later.

		Our tour began at the Tank, the new 200,000 gallon swimming pool and shark habitat (for real). The $20 million spent here was a wise investment. From the private cabanas rising 3 levels above the surface to the in pool lounges to the waterslide from the top of the cabana area through the shark tank and into the water this attraction is nothing less than spectacular.

From here we toured Vic & Anthony's steakhouse. Rated one of the top ten in the country, the original in Houston being the only other this is sure to be a treat for locals and tourists alike. It is located just off the main lobby where many years ago Lily Langtry's and more recently Zak's were located. Lily's is not altogether gone as Lillie's Noodlehouse (where we sampled some delicious sushi) has been created and boasts an extensive Pan Asian menu.

There is a new VIP check-in lounge located adjacent to the high limit salon which is elegantly appointed and should make a favorable impression on the "larger" players who frequent the Nugget; a small but comfortable poker room (with many daily tournaments) where the slot club used to live and a scrumptious new ultra-lounge RUSH right in the middle of the casino to accommodate revelers well into the wee hours.

	The totally remodeled spa make quite an impression. Both men's and ladies facilities have been totally redone and no expense spared. It is truly the equal of any I have seen and I can't wait to try it.

	The showroom has been expanded to seat 600 yet is still quite intimate and beautifully laid out. Simply Ballroom (see my review HERE) is currently showing there and knocking people's socks off.

An interesting twist is that the buffet now occupies what used to be Stefano's (Italian) and the sports book (expanded with individual TVs at the seats and a snack bar conveniently close by) has taken over the area formerly occupied by the buffet. The new buffet is beautifully decorated, seats 300 and has many live action stations. Everything looked yummy and yes they still have the city's best bread pudding.

Our tour ended at the Grotto the new Italian Ristorante which is located just off the pool (TANK) area. This might be the only innovation I wasn't crazy about as it seemed a bit noisy, crowded and was (after all) replacing what I thought was one of the best Italian restaurants in all of Las Vegas.

My recommendation would be to get right downtown and check out the new Nugget. The new owners have made many brilliantly conceived changes while retaining the inherent elegance and class which the Nugget has always exemplified. It is imperative to visit this month, since a new Mustang is being given away daily.