When traveling to Las Vegas, many people go to see the lights and excitement of the Strip, but if you are looking for an even more exceptional experience, definitely check out Red Rock. Red Rock Canyon is located 20 minutes west of Las Vegas, but feels as if it is in a completely different location than the sites of the Strip.

The mountains at Red Rock Canyon are open for a 13-mile scenic drive that allows you to stop along the way for photos and sightseeing. There are also a number of trails both for biking and hiking. The area begins with a visitor’s office that provides a lot of information about the area, history about the mountains, and a gift shop. The non-profit company, Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association, provides all the services and lots of information and assistance in getting the most out of your visit.

Because of the gorgeous views and great opportunities Red Rock Canyon has to offer, Red Rock Casino, Resort, and Spa is a perfect place to head after a scenic tour. Red Rock provides the basic desires for gambling, but goes above and beyond for the rest. Red Rock includes hotel rooms and suites with breathtaking views and amenities. There are plenty of restaurants at which to eat that all have great reviews, but the Red Rock Buffet is a safe bet.

Within Red Rock Resort, there are a large variety of different activities for the guests. This includes Las Vegas’s largest bowling alley, consisting of 72 lanes, where the Tournament of Champions is held. Red Rock Casino provides lively entertainment throughout the year including a wide variety of musicians, such as the sold-out Pitbull concert held on August 10, 2012.

As for the spa aspect of Red Rock, the salon provides all sorts of pampering options, from hair styling to manicures and pedicures. The best part is that the pricing is reasonable and suitable for the priceless skills of the salon employees. Red Rock offers the more common activities for people’s free time, but takes it to a different level. There is a 16-screen movie theater and an arcade made for all ages.

Parents should not forget to check out the childcare center, which consists of a floor-to-ceiling maze to keep your children entertained for hours. As for the whole family or a group of friends, the beautiful three-acre pool is a must-see for relaxation, sunshine, and a good time.

Whether you enjoy the gorgeous view of these unique mountains from behind glass windows, or right within the mountains, this area of city and nature provide everything you could desire and is the best of both worlds. Red Rock Canyon and Red Rock Casino are two places that should be on your next itinerary in Las Vegas.

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The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) recently announced more confirmed speakers for the 2012 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit. The event will be held at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, February 8-10, 2012, and feature a line-up of industry leaders, decision makers and visionaries from the disciplines that are shaping the future of interactive entertainment.

Kicking off the conference on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 prior to the Wednesday Keynote Opener, will be the “Hot Topics” sessions co-moderated by Adam Sessler, host of G4′s X-Play and Perrin Kaplan, Zebra Partners. The three debates will feature:

• “Is the Publishing Model Broken?”: Michael Pachter, Wedbush Morgan and Jesse Divnich, EEDAR
• “Mobile vs. Console”: Perrin Kaplan, Zebra Partners and Gabriel Leydon, Addmired,
• “Game Journalism”: Adam Sessler, host of G4′s X-Play and Jamin Warren, Kill Screen Magazine

Additional speakers added to the 2012 line-up include:

• Sefton Hill, Co-founder and Game Director, Rocksteady Games who led the creative direction of the highly acclaimed Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Asylum.  His session topic is titled, “Escaping the Asylum”
• TJ Galda, Senior CG Supervisor, Electronic Arts leads art production and has worked on two Academy Award nominated films, Over the Hedge, Kung Fu Panda, Fantastic Four, and many more.  His session topic will cover “Nonlinear Story Telling: Crafting a New Genre”

“I can’t think of a better way to set the tone and kick-off the D.I.C.E. Summit than with the big questions that are top of mind for our industry,” said Martin Rae, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. “This year’s Hot Topics line-up will put some of the most brilliant, opinionated minds in the interactive entertainment industry head-to-head in front of an audience of their peers – and with some of the most provocative topics we’ve seen there’s no telling what we’ll hear!

In addition to this powerhouse roundtable, we have some exciting new speakers to announce that will be especially interesting for our creative community.” The D.I.C.E. Summit 2012 is the home of the 15th annual Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony.  On February 9, 2012, industry leaders and members gather to pay tribute and recognize the individuals and products that contribute to the growth of the interactive entertainment industry. Comedian, actor and spirited game enthusiast Jay Mohr will return as host.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/22904000@N07/

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The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) announced recently an exclusive partnership with GameSpot for the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (IAAs) and the D.I.C.E. Summit.

GameSpot will provide live streaming video of the awards ceremony, as well as exclusive online content from the D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit sessions that take place throughout the week. The 15th Annual IAAs will take place Thursday, February 9, 2012 at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas and will once again be hosted by comedian, actor and gamer Jay Mohr.

This partnership brings together the Interactive Achievement Awards, the industry’s highest form of recognition of the year’s best accomplishments in interactive entertainment, with GameSpot, voted as the most influential video game media site in a 2011 EEDAR poll of console owners. The IAAs are supported by every major video game publisher and developer in the industry.

The renowned annual event, the D.I.C.E. Summit, is dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. The conference features a stellar line-up of speakers both endemic and non-endemic.

This year’s speaker line-up includes Bethesda’s Todd Howard, Activision Publishing’s Eric Hirshberg, Eat Sleep Play’s David Jaffe, Epic Games’ Tim Sweeney, among others.

“The Academy is excited to be bringing the D.I.C.E. Summit sessions, and our Interactive Achievement Awards – the industry’s highest form of recognition – to the GameSpot audience,” said Martin Rae, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. ”GameSpot is part of a dynamic media institution known for its successful programming and longstanding partnerships.

We look forward to working with the GameSpot team on a stellar show and conference and sharing it with their audience and fans.” ”The D.I.C.E. Summit provides a great opportunity for our audience to see the game creators, they love speaking their mind,” said John Davison, VP of Programming, GameSpot.

“Both the awards and the conference sessions provide a unique insight into the creativity and passion that drives the games business. GameSpot viewers will have the best seat in the house as they watch these unfold live.”

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