Vegas trip - need advise/surrounding area

My DH has a gig at the Venetian. Ted Nugent is going to open! The band is going to pay for 2 nights but the Venetian is unbelievably expensive!! They have a restaurant run by Wolfgang Puck, Emerald Lagasse and Mario Batali! I think I may have to get a second job and drop about 30 pounds by January...

So I need some major tips! We will probably rent a car and drive over to the Grand Canyon and stay there for a couple of days. We will probably have only 3-4 days. I am trying to get DH to take more time off so we'll see. I have so many things I want our 7 year old to see.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I am hoping that my sister's friend's daughter (we were friends when i was 12-14) might be able to babysit for a night so I can go to the gig. hmmm we'll see....

I suggest you go to their website and sign up for the Grazie loyalty program.
They will email you really good offers. I stayed there for a conference last summer at $129/night.
It was cheaper than the conference rate. That offer also included a number of restaurant and show discounts and $50 slot credit.

A friend and I used one of the discount coupons to save about $40 on dinner at Woo in the Pallazo, the sister property next door. We both loved it.