Well, I'm back from Vegas and would like to report that the Orleans rocks! Best tourney I've found anywhere, and I had a good time during four hours of play even though I ended up just two away from the money (9th out of 54). It's $40 for 1,000 starting chips, and you can immediately do a $40 rebuy for another 2,000 chips, plus a $5 dealer add-on for 250, so total 3,250 chips. 20 minute levels and blinds don't double but antes start at the 150/300 blind level and go up fairly quickly. For every player you take out you get a $5 bounty, which was very cool -- I got three bounties. I got down to the final table and think I missed seeing someone in early position raise in front of me (I just remember seeing everyone folding), and being quite short-stacked I pushed all-in with A9 offsuit hoping to steal the blinds. No luck; my opponent had 99, they held up, and I was out. Good quality of play there, though, and no major suckouts like I kept seeing at the tourney I played at Treasure Island the night before. I can see why many people prefer to play with decent players rather than drunk tourists.
Later that night I played about 3 hours in a 2/4 cash game and came out $13.50 ahead (don't ask me where that fifty cents came from, but we were playing with quarters as well as chips). That was also at the Orleans.
The day I flew back home I played a noon tourney at Luxor just for fun -- knew more luck would be involved because it was 15 minute levels and only 600 starting chips including the add-on, but I was looking for a short tourney in order to be on time for my flight. And short it was! 35 minutes later I was out 14th of 23. Went into a 2/4 cash game there and came out $12 ahead before heading for the airport.
I'm ready to go back already!