* For Saturday December 10 there are no more rooms available at discounted rate of 148 USD.
We have also reserved a small block at Vdara Hotel & Spa, that is adjacent to Aria (just a few minutes by foot from the Aria conference center). This is an all-suite non-gaming, non-smoking resort that may be suitable for families. Suites include a kitchenette, a king size bed, and a sofa (queen) bed.
These rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Negotiated prices for two guest occupancy are 95 USD/night + Technology/Resort fee 20 USD/night + 12% Room Tax. Click here to book.
Facilitating childcare arrangements at the IEEE Conference on Decision and Control
The IEEE CSS cannot subsidize childcare for families attending the conference with their children. However, we want to facilitate childcare arrangements and coordinate families to reduce cost.
Aria hotel works with Nannies & Housekeepers USA: http://nahusa.com/
They charge a flat rate of 55 USD/hour for a nanny to takes care of up to 3 children. Different families can pool their children (up to 3) and split the hourly rate.
If you are interested in sharing a nanny with another family, please contact the local arrangements chair Elisa Franco (efranco@ucr.edu).
More information about Nannies & Housekeepers USA:
There is a 4-hour minimum requirement for all in-room nanny services. Nannies & Housekeepers U.S.A. requests a minimum notice of 4 hours for booking a nanny. There is a 4-hour cancellation policy. If a family does not cancel at least 4 hours in advance, they will be billed for the full 4 hours (220 USD).
All major credit cards are accepted and a credit card number is required when reserving a nanny. Nannies & Housekeepers U.S.A. only accepts credit cards for payment for all Hotel In-Room Nanny Services.
All of the nannies must be at least 20 years old with a minimum of two years of experience with verifiable references. Every nanny is meticulously screened (Social Security check, drug test, criminal check). All nannies must have current CPR and First Aid certification. Nannies must successfully complete Nannies & Housekeepers U.S.A. training.
The nanny will arrive at the hotel 15 minutes early. Nannies are easily recognizable in their Nannies & Housekeepers U.S.A. polo shirts. Many nannies are professional educators and many are bi-lingual. The nanny will have the client sign a release form authorizing her to seek medical attention in case of an emergency. The form also provides a space to indicate if it is okay for the nanny to take the children out of the hotel room and/or off the hotel property. The nannies can also bring games, books, and other age appropriate activities for the children.
Las Vegas History
Canyon petroglyphs attest to human presence in southern Nevada for more than 10,000 years, and members of the Paiute tribe were in the area as early as A.D. 700. The first person of European ancestry to enter the Las Vegas valley was Rafael Rivera, who scouted the area in 1829 as part of Antonio Armijo's expedition to open up a trade route - the Old Spanish Trail - between New Mexico and California. Rivera named the valley Las Vegas, "the meadows," after its spring-watered grasses.
In 1905 the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake railroad arrived in Las Vegas, connecting the city with the Pacific and the country's main rail networks. The future downtown was platted and auctioned by railroad company backers, and Las Vegas was incorporated in 1911.
Nevada outlawed gambling in 1910 but the practice continued in speakeasies and illicit casinos. By the time gambling was legalized again in 1931, organized crime already had roots in the city.
In 1931 construction began on the massive Boulder Dam, later renamed the Hoover Dam, drawing thousands of workers to a site just east of the city. Casinos and showgirl venues opened up on Fremont Street, the town's sole paved road, to attract the project's workers.
From the 1940s onward Las Vegas enjoyed a military boom as World War II bases gave way to Cold War facilities, most famously the Nevada Test Site, where over 100 nuclear bombs were detonated above ground between 1951 and 1963. Mushroom clouds were often visible from the hotels on the Strip, and postcards proclaimed Las Vegas the "Up and Atom City." Visit the National Atomic Testing Museum.
In 1941 the El Rancho Vegas resort opened on a section of U.S. 91 just outside the city's jurisdiction. Other hotel-casinos soon followed, and the section of highway became known as "the Strip." Tourists flocked to the resorts - 8 million a year by 1954 - drawn by performers such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Elvis Presley, and by rows of slot machines and gaming tables.
In 1989 longtime casino developer Steve Wynn opened the Mirage, the city's first mega-resort. Over the next two decades the strip was transformed yet again: Old casinos were dynamited to make room for massive complexes taking their aesthetic cues from ancient Rome and Egypt, Paris, Venice, New York and other glamorous escapes.
Attractions in Las Vegas
Las Vegas hosts a huge amount of tremendous attractions. The Strip is home of the most renewed hoteles, resorts and casinos in Las Vegas, such as:
The Conference hotel Aria Resort & Casino, offers more than 15 restaurants serving a variety of cuisines, several nightlife options as bars and lounges, Spa & Salon and a 215,000 sq. feet pool deck.The hotel weekly hosts Cirque Du Soleil shows at its Zarkana theatre.
The Caesars Palace, with its classic Rome-via-Vegas atmosphere, and its Coliseum, hosting music legends;
The Bellagio and its Fountains show, an elegant European resort;
The Monte Carlo, with its exquisite ambience, from the glowing crystal chandeliers to the sparkling marble floors;
Circus Circus, a family favorite, with circus acts in the midway and thrilling rides in The Adventuredome;
The Excalibur, a gigantic medieval castle;
The Venetian resort, complete with frescos, plenty of pasta, canals, gondolas and strolling performers, house of the spirit of Italy;
New York-New York harkens back to NYC, starting with the famous skyline: it features 12 room towers designed to re-create the Empire City's most famous skyscrapers;
The Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower, at 1,149 feet high, its tower is the spot for the ultimate view of Las Vegas. The casino is one of the larger gaming floors in town and is constantly updated with state-of-the-art slot machines and video technology.
No other city can compete with the events, concerts and shows in Las Vegas: dancing, singing, acrobatics, comedy or drama, spectacle. Concerts by artists currently in residence include Elton John, Rod Steward, Mariah Carey. There are now seven different Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas, ranging from the interesting to the bizarre to the risqué. And staples like the Blue Man Group, Frank Marino and Jersey Boys round out the offerings.
Shopping is a must in Las Vegas: check the Crystals at CityCenter, The Forum Shops at Caesars, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian/The Palazzo, The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.
Attractions around Las Vegas
Springs Preserve: It is a 180-acre cultural institution designed to commemorate Las Vegas' dynamic history and to provide a vision for a sustainable future. The Preserve features museums, galleries, outdoor concerts and events, colorful
botanical gardens and an interpretive trail system that meanders through a scenic wetland habitat.
Red Rock Canyon:
15 miles west of Las Vegas; 3,000-foot escarpment produced by thrust fault. Bureau of Land Management visitors
center and scenic area of rock formations and desert.
Bonnie Springs, Old Nevada: An old Western town in Red Rock Canyon 16 miles west of Las Vegas with a motel, shops, activities and Western shootouts.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area:
Closest point 25 miles from Las Vegas. More than 550 miles of shoreline, swimming, water skiing, camping, boating, fishing and six marinas. .
Hoover Dam: 34 miles from Las Vegas; 726 feet high from bedrock; wonder of the modern world. Tours of inside and outside of dam available. In July 1994, the 30-millionth visitor toured the dam since it opened. Black Canyon River Raft Tours available below dam.
Mt. Charleston: 35 miles from Las Vegas; highest elevation 11,918 feet. Winter skiing, picnicking, hiking and horseback riding.
Tours available.
Valley of Fire State Park:
About 55 miles from Las Vegas. Scenic landscapes of hidden canyons and unique rock formations, petroglyphs and
remains of ancient Indian civilization; Nevada Park Service visitors center. Tours available. There is a $10.00 entrance fee per vehicle.
Death Valley:
135 miles from Las Vegas; 40 minutes by plane; lowest elevation on North American continent at 280 feet below sea level.
Zabriskie Point, 20 Mule Canyon and Scotty's Castle tours available.
Grand Canyon:
About 300 miles from Las Vegas; 1h30 flight by plane; tours available.
