After much speculation, it’s now official that SLS Las Vegas Hotel & ­Casino will be rebranded by returning to a version of the property’s original name, Sahara Las Vegas. The Sahara name was in place from 1952 to 2011, when it became SLS and went through a series of ownership changes. The current owner, the Meruelo Group, also owns the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nev., and is expected to return the resort to a more customer-friendly stance, as opposed to the upscale strategy that was put in place at SLS. The resort is in the midst of a $100 million renovation that has already transformed the look and travel paths inside the casino.

Ambra at MGM: The Italian restaurant Fiamma has closed at MGM Grand after nearly 15 years of operation. Its replacement is another Italian restaurant called Ambra Italian Kitchen + Bar. The restaurant will join the “hidden room” trend with Privata, touted as a speakeasy that will serve high-end alcohol. Ambra is scheduled to open next month.

Cat’s karaoke: A branch of the famous New Orleans karaoke bar Cat’s Meow has opened downtown. Located on the second floor of the Neonopolis complex at the east end of the Fremont Street Experience, the 10,000-square-foot space features a concert-quality sound system, an emcee to help out onstage and a collection of 40,000 songs in its karaoke library. It’s open from 2 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily and has a two-drink minimum.

Question: How was participation in this year’s World Series of Poker?

Answer: Despite a perceived decline in poker’s popularity, the WSOP continues to thrive. The number of overall entries was 187,298 and the total prize money paid out was $293.2 million — both all-time records. Contributing to those numbers was a live-tournament record 28,371 entries in the “Big 50” event that launched this year’s meet. The 89 separate tournaments were also the most ever.

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