After three years of increases, preliminary figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority show the total number of Las Vegas visitors in 2017 declined from the previous year. There were 42.2 million visitors last year, well below the projected 43 million and down 1.7 percent from the record total of 42.9 million in 2016.

A drop in the number of available rooms is being blamed for the shortfall, though the room total was down only slightly from 149,339 to 148,897. The average daily room rate rose 2.8 percent. On the plus side, convention attendance set a new record, with 6.6 million attendees, up 5.2 percent from 2016. The visitation projection for 2018 is 42.7 million.

Toughest table

The newest Gordon Ramsay restaurant, his fifth in Las Vegas, is proving to be a tough ticket. The 300-seat Hell’s Kitchen, located outside Caesars Palace at the corner of the strip and Flamingo Road, received 12,000 reservations before it even opened. The excitement is being fueled by the popularity of the reality show of the same name, now in its 17th season on Fox.

New Denny’s

The South Point casino has announced that it’s adding a Denny’s, the 24th in Las Vegas. The date and location within the casino haven’t been announced, but it looks like it will be given its own space rather than replacing an existing restaurant.

Big sign

The Westgate Las Vegas’ outdoor sign has completed a “digital upgrade” that enhances its display clarity. At 28 stories tall and 15,000 square feet, it’s touted as the world’s largest free-standing sign, larger than the renowned Dallas Cowboys stadium’s video display.

Question: I saw an ad about booking an entire Las Vegas hotel for a night. Can you provide details?

Answer: A non-gambling hotel called the Artisan — well-located at Sahara Avenue and the I-15 freeway — is running an offer to rent the entire resort for a night. The 63 rooms, bar, pool and wedding chapel are all yours for $7,500. Food and drink packages are available for additional charges.

For more information about current Las Vegas shows, buffets, coupons and good deals, go to LasVegasAdvisor.com.