June 23rd, 2006

LAST CALL:
Eileen and I will be back in Las Vegas starting July 13th for six nights. If you are interested in a members get together, just email me at mrvegas98@aol.com and I will keep you updated. Plans are for a meet and greet and we have a few offers from several shows that would like our group to attend.
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Stardust drawing line on hotel reservations at Nov. 1.
By Rod Smith/Las Vegas Review Jornal

The Stardust, which will be torn down early next year to make way for Boyd Gaming’s $4 billion Echelon Place, has stopped taking room and event reservations for Nov. 1 and beyond.

Previously, the company said it would accept reservations into December.

Boyd Gaming spokesman Rob Stillwell confirmed that no reservations are being accepted for the property after Nov. 1, although the company still intends to keep the resort open past November if it can be staffed properly.

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-22-Thu-2006/news/8090031.html
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MIKE WEATHERFORD: ‘Rat Pack’ back again in Vegas.

The Rat Pack is Back” is back.

The tourist corridor isn’t getting another Sinatra-themed tribute, but “The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey & Dean” is taking the name of a previous Frank Sinatra-themed show that played the Desert Inn and Sahara.

The name change comes after an agreement between “Tribute” producer Dick Feeney and “Rat Pack” producer David Cassidy, the entertainer and former teen idol of “The Partridge Family.”

As he would do some times in the past, Cassidy will join the Greek Isles revue in the guise of Bobby Darin for Saturday and Sunday’s shows.

More from The Las Vegas Review Journal here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-22-Thu-2006/living/7799178.html
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Steve’s Las Vegas Quickies:

The building boom on the Strip will double the number of rooms costing $200 a night or more, a Standard & Poor’s study found.

The focus on upscale visitors is largely a response to demographic shifts, but could prove challenging to absorb, the report stated.

Projects expected to add upscale rooms are: the $1.8 billion Palazzo, the $1.7 billion Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, the $7 billion Project CityCenter and the $4 billion Echelon Place.
reviewjournal.com — News - WEEK IN REVIEW

Have you seen the hilarious video of that low-budget version of the Bellagio dancing fountains? It’s become an Internet sensation after two men created the soda pop spectacular by mixing Mentos, a chewy mint, with two-liter Diet Coke bottles. We should add: Do not try this at home. Watch it at eepybird.com/dcm1.html

Headline this: Strip Mall, indeed. “V — The Ultimate Variety Show” producer David Saxe is opening what he’s billing as the first striptease dance studio. He’s unveiling Stripper 101 on June 29 at the V Theatre in the Desert Passage Mall (the classes will be every Saturday, from 5-6 p.m.)
reviewjournal.com — News - NORM

Tabu Ultra Lounge has announced that they will no longer be open on Tuesday nights, making Monday and Tuesday nights their ‘dark nights’. Tuesdays had long been a nightlife staple at MGM Grand until PURE Nightclub opened last year with PURE Tuesdays, a local-driven promotion that was met with incredible success, effectively ending Tabu’s reign of Tuesday night.
http://www.eyeonvegas.net/

The Circus Circus buffet has good news and bad news for you. They have raised the prices of their buffet, but dinner is still only $11.99.
http://www.eyeonvegas.net

Consumer Reports concluded a survey on restaurant chains that asked 66,000 readers surveyed to rank the chains according to taste, service, mood, choice and value. The top ranked chain was The Capital Grille who finished as the top steakhouse, top special occasion restaurant and was rated for having the best hamburger! The Capital Grille has one Las Vegas location at The Fashion Show Mall, we love the steak sandwich!
http://www.eyeonvegas.net/

The Las Vegas Hilton, in honor of the 5th Annual Official Star Trek Convention that is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Star Trek at the resort August 17-20, is producing two $5 commemorative chips (a thousand each). The chips will be available after the convention ends.

The Palms is unveiling its $40 million pool renovation on July 1 with a re-opening party featuring the band Camp Freddy and the first anniversary party of 944 magazine.

If you want to catch Reba McEntire at the LV Hilton Theater, you’ll have to do so in July. The hotel has announced on its Web site that McEntire will not be able to fulfill her scheduled August dates (Aug. 24-26). Official word is that she is committed to taping her sitcom, “Reba,” which was picked up (unexpectedly, evidently) by the new CW and that her taping schedule conflicts with her performance schedule. McEntire returns to Los Angeles for taping on Aug. 9; her remaining dates at the Hilton are July 19-23 and July 26-30.
Las Vegas SUN: John Katsilometes

Congrats, in advance, for another column mention for comic magician Nathan Burton. He debuted as a contestant Wednesday night on “America’s Got Talent.” Burton, who trotted out his famous Microwave of Death for the show, is part of the talent-search series hosted by Regis Philbin and produced by Simon Cowell.
Las Vegas SUN: John Katsilometes

The prize for the winner of the second season of Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” that started last Monday with a two-hour episode will be a job at T-Bones Chophouse at the new Red Rock Resort in the northwest part of the valley.

A penny video version of Megabucks® has a statistically overdue jackpot of more than $14.6 million, which will set a world record for a penny slot payout when it is hit. There are more than 600 Megabucks® dollar slots in 164 casinos throughout Nevada.

Motley Crue’s front man Vince Neil will be opening a 2,200-square-foot tattoo shop at the Flamingo fronting the Strip where O’Shea’s Irish pub is being replaced. Opening is planned for late summer.

After a nearly five-year run at the Rio as an afternoon show, ventriloquist Ronn Lucas has closed his show and hopes to reopen with a matinee time slot in magician Steve Wyrick’s new 430-seat theatre that’s under construction at Desert Passage.

Harrah’s has bought the 20-acre 658-unit Desert Club Apartments on Koval Lane for nearly $165 million. The $8.4 million an acre is a bit more than the going rate these days for large parcels near the Las Vegas Strip. Harrah’s hasn’t revealed its plans for the property, but it now owns 180 acres between Harrah’s Las Vegas and Paris, including 1.25 miles of Strip frontage and a large chunk stretching from the back doors of its east Strip casinos.
http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/
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Special Offer:
Get two FREE tickets (valued @ $55.90) to The Mentalist’s show at the Stardust if you are among the first 20 to order a 2006 American Casino Guide book. Award-winning mentalist, Gerry McCambridge, has found a home on the Las Vegas Strip at The Legendary Stardust Resort & Casino. The Mentalist’s show is a mixture of comedy, mind reading, intuition and strange predictions. The show is full of audience participation - one routine includes McCambridge reading the mind of someone in another state randomly called by an audience member, on the caller’s very own cellular phone. Throughout the show, audience members select each other as volunteers in order to demonstrate there is no conspiracy occurring. McCambridge has a standing offer of $500,000 payable to anyone who can prove he uses stooges, audience plants, confederates, or collects any secret information prior to the show to accomplish his amazing feats of impossible-to-believe skills of mentalism. Show times are Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday at 5 p.m. Tickets for The Mentalist are $27.95. To purchase tickets, call the Stardust box office at (702) 732-6325 or (866) 888-3427. For more information on Gerry McCambridge, The Mentalist, visit www.mentalist.com The first 20 people to respond to this offer by buying a book ($13.56 plus shipping) will receive a voucher valid for 2 FREE tickets (valid thru September 30, 2006) to see the show! This offer is only valid through this special ordering link: http://www.americancasinoguide.com/Store/mentalist.shtml You will be notified when the first 20 have been sold or if the offer is expired.
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A conversation with the newest Crazy Girl
From “Lenny’s Las Vegas” Las Vegas Review Journal

Who sez Las Vegas ain’t got no class? Just take a look at the new addition to the Crazy Girls cast at the Riviera. Her name is Summer Ferguson (sounds like her parents may have been hippies) and has just completed a five-year gig with the Nevada Ballet Theatre.

Summer, who began taking ballet lessons at age 2, says, “I had heard about an opening and auditioned for Crazy Girls and got hired on the spot. This is my first show on the Strip. I danced with the Nevada Ballet Theatre for five years. All I’ve ever done is dance.”

The 5-foot-9-inch dancer gets to show off her ballet skills and her bare breasts, in a number with a green fluorescent hoop. “My mom got me into this business at about age 2. She was a Laker’s girl and a jazz dancer. I’ve lived in Las Vegas since I was 10 years old, having moved here from San Juan Capistrano in Southern California. My older brother plays college basketball in South Carolina.” Summer gets her height honestly. Her brother is six-foot-eight and dad is six-foot-six.

Summer says she was home schooled and graduated at age 16. “I live with my mom who did volunteer work for the ballet company and now she is trying to get her own line of jewelry and jeans.” Although dancing is the No. 1 one thing in her life, she admitted that her hobby is shopping, “but what girl doesn’t like that?”

“I think growing up in Las Vegas was okay. I was home-schooled so it didn’t affect me too much. I was doing dance competitions from age’s 4 to 8. I was real aggressive with my training. At age 9, I began to get really serious. I just loved performing.”

Her credentials are impressive, having trained at New York’s American Ballet Theatre and The Kirov Academy in Washington D.C. and Milwaukee Ballet Company. At age 13, she was asked to leave school and join the professional company, which she did for the next five years. Of Crazy Girls, she says, “This is fun. This is professional. It’s not stressful and I’m performing, which is what I love to do. In ballet it’s mostly rehearsals and not performing and in Crazy Girls it’s performing six nights a week.” As the youngest member of what is dubbed “Las Vegas’ Sexiest Topless Revue” Summer says she’s “really happy to be with this troupe. I love all the dancers in Crazy Girls.”

She says the Performing Arts Center will really help the Nevada Ballet Theatre. “Hopefully we are becoming the dancing capital. There are 30 ballet dancers in Nevada Ballet Theatre from all over the world. My dream one day is to own a ballet company.”
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lenny/2006/0621.html
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CHIP COLLECTORS

Collecting casino chips and gaming memorabilia has become not only big business, but hobbies for many people around the country, so the Casino Chip & Gaming Token Collectors Club’s 14th annual convention from June 28-July 1, at the Riviera should draw a lot of attention.

Over the four days, collectors and enthusiasts of casino memorabilia, both past and present, will be able to view chips, tokens, silver strikes, ashtrays, room keys, dice, playing cards, swizzle sticks, matchbooks, postcards, photographs, and even actual casino deeds. More than 100 vendors will be displaying, selling, and trading their wares.

“This is the only show that brings together collectors from all over the world. It is by far, the largest and most diverse convention of its kind,” says club president Mike Skelton.

“Last year’s attendance of almost 5,000 people could be exceeded this year. The hottest collectibles this year are casino room keys, poker chips, Nevada casino chips, TITOs, ashtrays and playing cards.”

This year’s opening-night gala-banquet and awards-ceremony keynote speaker is Burton M. Cohen, whose storied 36-year casino career included executive positions at the Frontier, Circus Circus, Thunderbird, Caesars, Desert Inn, and Dunes. I recently was a guest with Cohen on a local radio show and he has some great stories to tell.

Additional events include the Bruce Landau Memorial Auction, featuring rare casino chips, gaming tokens and casino memorabilia, including two rare chips, a $5 Flamingo Las Vegas from the 1940s and a $5 Sands Las Vegas from the 1950s, both of which will fetch several thousand dollars. On the final night of the convention a raffle and auction will he held with all proceeds earmarked for the CC>CC National Building Fund-a project to establish a permanent Las Vegas location for the club’s headquarters, which will include a museum, library, and archives, so you will be supporting a good cause as well as getting a look at Las Vegas history. One-day CC>CC memberships, which include admission to the convention, can be purchased at the door for $5.
Article from “Lenny’s Las Vegas” from The Las Vegas Review Journal
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NORM: Actor Spacey plans return to Vegas.

Another Las Vegas flick is in the cards for two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey.

Spacey, who won a Best Actor Oscar for “American Beauty” and another for Best Supporting Actor in “The Usual Suspects,” told MTV he’s producing and starring in a film about a group of card-counting college kids who take on Las Vegas.

That sounds like an adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s book “Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions.”

Spacey spent several months here in early 2000 filming “Pay It Forward” with Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment, Jay Mohr and James Caviezel (who went from Jerry, a homeless person, to an iconic role as Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ” three years later).
reviewjournal.com — News - NORM: Actor Spacey plans return to Vegas
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Vegas truly does it bigger, with record-breaking toast.

Not that we needed anyone to tell us so, but Las Vegas has been officially recognized for its ability to drink.

A PR stunt by a wine company on New Year’s Eve has garnered the city recognition by Guinness World Records for hosting the world’s largest toast, with 13,500 people simultaneously raising a glass, Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell reported Wednesday.

The toast — held at the Fremont Street Experience shortly before midnight struck — smashed the previous record of 10,079 people that had been set by sake-drinking Japanese.

More from The Las Vegas Review Journal here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-22-Thu-2006/news/8095307.html
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From “The Circut”
http://www.thecircuitlv.com

So many clubs get their start in the summer so that must mean that it’s time for a few nightclub birthdays! The Voodoo Lounge’s Thursday party Voodoo Risin’ celebrates their one year anniversary next Thursday, June 29th.

A quick check-in with sources at Tao reveals that all is on track for the Tao pool, which is expected to open late this summer. Yes, they will miss much of the summer season but since it only gets hot here for like, ten minutes, I don’t expect a problem.

Beginning every Thursday, June 22nd, from 8 - 10:30 p.m., enjoy $5 cocktails, live DJ music, a fine selection of cigars, and the even finer company of the ladies of Fantasy at Casa Fuente inside the Forum Shops.

The Hard Rock is once again in the news (is it ever out?), this time regarding the sale of their immense rock memorabilia collection to the Morgans Hotel Group. On item in particular is getting a lot of attention, that being Kurt Cobain’s guitar which has allegedly been altered during its time a the Hard Rock.

We’ve heard through the grapevine (read: tickled someone till they talked) that the new center bar at Luxor will be called “Liquidity”. I know you’ve been biting your nails about the whole thing so there you go, now you know.

For the past couple of weeks, Bravo TV has been broadcasting the new episodes of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy (a frequent flier on The Circuit’s Tivo) at the Silverton Casino. The episode featuring “straight guyâ€? and Silverton poker player, Ed Miller, will air on Tuesday, June 20th. The episode’s summary: “In the third installment of “Queer Eye: Vegas,” viewers will meet Ed Miller, a professional poker player and accomplished author of a well-known “how to” poker-strategy book series. He has all the skills of the game but none of the panache. The Fab Five will help Ed to become a successful and well-known poker guru by having him teach one of them to play in a Texas Hold ‘em poker match at Caesars Palace with classic Vegas performers who are currently performing on the strip, including Susan Anton, Penn Jillette, David Brenner, and George Wallace. The $10,000 prize, made possible by Travelocity, will be donated to Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans. Travelocity has also created a full size GNOME mounted on a base that will serve as the winner’s trophy, and has been signed by the Fab Five as well Anton, Jillette, Brenner, and Wallace.

Sushi Roku announces the opening of the Red Sun Lounge, a hip, relaxing space where diners can gather to take in views of the Las Vegas Strip and enjoy everything from appetizers and cocktails to a full meal. An inviting sanctuary, the Red Sun Lounge is a unique spot to stop with colleagues for an after-work cocktail, meet with friends and family to delight in Sushi Roku’s signature modern Asian cuisine or simply grab a round of sake before a night on the town.
http://www.thecircuitlv.com
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Encore At Wynn Las Vegas Revealed by Hunter Hillegas

“As I walked past the Aqua Theater, home of ‘Le Rêve’, I could smell flowers. As I passed into the hotel known as ‘Encore’, I was greeted by warming sheets of natural light, streaming into the vast gardens from the many skylights above. I had thought that Wynn Las Vegas was the pinnacle of comfortable, elegant resort design but once again, the bar has been raised.”

Ok, I plan to just go down the list of items I want to talk about and if you have questions, please leave a comment… If you ask how I know, I won’t answer - so don’t ask. If you don’t believe me, that’s fine. I don’t care. It seems appropriate that I am writing this from a room at Wynn Las Vegas, overlooking the Strip (and listening to The Beatles incidentally - just saw LOVE).

Hotel Tower

The hotel tower will be located on the northern edge of the property, just inside ‘Wynn Blvd.’ (see below). There’s almost no room. Your views will either be a pool/WLV view or a nasty Circus Circus view.

The tower will have a single word at the top: ‘Encore’, in the same script that was used at the unveiling. I can’t remember who but someone here said they thought it was way too generic and bad branding… Well, it seems that they’ve settled on it - we’ll see if it causes them problems. Also, I guess the idea of this being a code-word is out the window. Of course, this could change at the last minute. “Today we announce that the resort formerly known as ‘Encore at Wynn Las Vegas’ will be known as the ‘Ishkabibel’”. Okay, probably not.

Entrances / Parking / Street Setup

Encore will have two main entrances for the public to use for arrival by car. One will be located off of Las Vegas Boulevard - this is the main entrance and dumps you in the casino, not unlike at Wynn Las Vegas.

The other entrance is off of a new street they are building that will be called ‘Wynn Boulevard’ (I can see this name changing possibly). This new street will run parallel to Desert Inn Road on the far north side of the Wynn property. It enters from Las Vegas Blvd. and while current plans have it dead end at Encore’s valet garage, Steve Wynn has talked about extending it all the way across whatever the future development of the golf course entails.

Casino and Gardens
I found this to be the most interesting part of what I learned today. The gaming area is roughly half the size of Wynn Las Vegas at around 47,000 square feet. When you arrive from Wynn Las Vegas, before you hit the casino you will walk through or past a large garden area which looks to be equal in size to the casino itself. The ceiling area is filled with individual skylights which appear to illuminate the entire area including large portions of the casino. If so, it would be another ‘Wynn-first’ to have so much natural light on the casino floor.

One interesting note: on the main walkway from WLV and between the casino and gardens, there is a circular element labeled ‘Feature’. Not sure what the hell that is but it sounds interesting… Maybe it is nothing, who knows. By the way, there is no sign of any kind of water feature, a la Wet Design-esque, outside the building - unless it is part of the pool deck.

Beyond the casino space you end up in the footprint of the hotel tower and you find your casino cage, VIP check-in, etc…

Restaurants

This is an area that I still don’t know a whole lot about. Contrary to rumor, nothing i have seen indicates that there are any plans for a roof-top restaurant. It seems like the only thing up there is rooms.

There will be a restaurant immediately when you enter from WLV on the left hand side. It has been referred to as ‘cafe’ up to this point. Whether that means it is a 24×7 coffee shop type, no idea. Someone told me that casinos are required to have a 24×7 cafe if they want to have 24×7 gaming in Nevada. Anyone know if there is any truth to this?

Also, there will be a restaurant on the pool deck. No real details here.

Sorry, I will watch this area for changes as construction progresses.

Pool and Clubs

Compared to the size of the resort, the pool deck takes up quite a bit of space, perhaps as much as the casino and garden area together, though that is another very rough guess. Anyway, there will be a main pool, surrounded by cabanas. I did not see VIP villas but further research confirms they will exist on the second level around the pool deck.

In addition to the main pool, which is located in the center of the main pool deck, Encore will include another ‘European’ pool, located on the Wynn Las Vegas side. Based on the site configuration, I am guessing that this will be the pool with a retractable roof. The pool is smaller and located in a corner, much more practical to cover than the main pool. Also, this is based on the presence of a new nightclub on the southwest corner of the pool deck, next to the European pool.

Spa

No major details here but there will be a new spa, located on the second floor. Configuration seems similar to the spa at Wynn Las Vegas.

Rooms and Suites

Based on the documents I have seen, room details beyond what is known are hard to confirm. I can say that the bathrooms will include two sinks, a bathtub, shower and water closet.

One interesting detail is regarding the suite inventory. Encore will include two suite types we are familiar with: the Parlor Suite and the Salon Suite. Other than larger spaces, we expect amenities to be similar to Wynn Las Vegas. What is interesting is the introduction of two new types of suites.

At Wynn Las Vegas, the bulge on the side of the hotel tower is the fire escape stairwells. At Encore, that’s true on the west side but not on the east side (Las Vegas Blvd. side), at least not on floors 51 and above. On these floors we have a combination of 2 and 4 bedroom suites that are multi-level - they use the bulge area for panoramic views and spiral staircases. This is a new type of room product for Steve Wynn and it sounds exciting (and expensive).

Meeting Space

Encore’s meeting space extends what is available at Wynn Las vegas. No details about what is included but it seems as if they are simply adding space.

Conclusion

I will continue to watch this development as it progresses. Tomorrow I will work on a sketch of what I described and also take some pictures for y’all. I hope you enjoyed this and found it interesting. If you have questions, go ahead.
http://www.ratevegas.com/blog/2006/06/encore_at_wynn_4.html
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TICKETS NOW ON SALE, BABY!
Retro-cool musical production “Shag With A Twist�

The retro-cool musical production “Shag With A Twist� brings its groovy vibe, swinging music and sophisticated moves to Las Vegas beginning July 13 at the Krave Theatre at the Aladdin.

Set at a 1960s Tupperware party, “Shag With A Twist� was created by famed visual artist Josh “Shag� Agle and choreographer Cynthia Bradley. The show serves up an evocative cocktail of music, color and choreography that brings to life the campy, hip artwork of Shag, while capturing the carefree spirit of a retro era where big hair, Tupperware parties and pupu platters were at the height of fashion. As if immersed in a cartoon come to life, audiences can expect a zany plot, outlandish characters and vividly-colored costumes and sets, all set to catchy swing music and dance. The retro-theming extends off the stage with showroom décor, frilly “birdbath� drinks, pupu platter appetizers, kitschy ushers and that will have audience members energized and on their feet.

Tickets for “Shag With A Twist� are now on-sale, and are available at the Krave box office at 888-515-SHAG or online at www.shagwithatwist.com. Tickets are priced at $45, VIP seating $55, plus handling fee. Performances of “Shag With A Twist� run Sunday to Thursday with the party starting nightly at midnight.

“The artwork of Josh Agle, aka Shag, is so fun and iconic that it connects with everyone who experiences it,� said co-creator and choreographer Cynthia Bradley. “Our goal was to bring his artwork to life and to capture, in a live performance, that essence of fun and kitsch that resonates in his paintings.�

Campy and cool, “Shag With A Twist� delivers an unpretentious, hip musical production. Set in the zany-retro world of Shag, “Shag with a Twist� depicts a shagedelic Tupperware party hosted by the quintessential retro couple Eldon and Othal and their over-the-top friends; party guests include Shimmy and Shake, Siamese twins joined at their fabulous hair, the debonair and egotistical Foot, the very seductive Kitty, the ultra glamorous and ever mysterious Slinky and the creepy Coroner (because all coroners love Tupperware).

The party quickly takes a turn when someone ends up dead – screwed by a giant corkscrew – and it takes a bumbling police inspector, his pet monkey and a séance to solve the crime. “Shag With A Twist� serves up psychedelic fun that spills off the stage into a party for would-be hipsters and hep-cats.

“‘Shag With A Twist’ is not a sit-on-your hands production show,� said co-creator and visual artist Josh “Shag� Agle. “It is color, swing music and over-the-top craziness for that hipster crowd who are seeking something unique in Las Vegas entertainment.�

“Shag With A Twist� recently enjoyed a successful extended run at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, receiving great reviews from the LA Times, LA Weekly, Orange County Weekly and others. It was named one of the Top 10 Musicals of 2005 by ReviewPlays.com, was nominated for eight prestigious Lester Horton Awards, and won an L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Award. Recently “Shag With A Twist� was presented a proclamation by the Los Angeles City Council for its outstanding contribution to the L.A. art scene.
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From “Eye On Vegas”

Everything but the Name – An Eye on Vegas Exclusive.
Recently we reported that the Luxor hotel and casino was about to undergo renovations in all its F&B outlets which would create opportunity for improved venues to bring more traffic to the quiet property. Now the Eye has learned that the transformation is going property-wide and that everything ‘Egyptian’ is getting the boot– pharaoh, pillars, roof, and carpet. Confirming our take on the new venues, an extremely well-placed source tells us that a hip, upscale dining outlet titled ‘Aspen 702’ is slated for one of the pyramid’s new hot spots. Rumors persist that the chic dining destination will be headed by Pure Management under their new F&B division. As always, stay tuned to the Eye for more to come.

Pimp My Tao
The hit MTV series Pimp My Ride offers enthusiasts the opportunity to hit the road with a tricked out, pimped up automotive masterpiece that is guaranteed to turn heads. That being said, we weren’t all that surprised when word reached the Eye that the pumping entertainment and dining facility have had preliminary conversations about a potential pimped out Tao Mobile that would cruise the strip and hit the highway for Tao road trips to destination parties like Park City’s Sundance Film Festival. It all started when Rick Hurvitz and Bruce Beresford-Redmen, the co-creaters and executive producers of the hit MTV show Pimp My Ride, dined at Tao over the weekend while visiting a former high school classmate, Tao’s talented Chef de Cuisine, Josh ‘Moses’ Thomsen. Reportedly, Tao owner Rich Wolf then became involved with the conversation and was immediately excited over the possibilities. While no deal has yet been struck, it sure sounds tempting doesn’t it? We’re no experts but perhaps a wok in the trunk for on-the-fly cooking demonstrations would be appropriate or a rose pedal-filled bathtub as a backseat for those nights cruising the strip. Only time will tell.

Going Platinum
We were somewhat confused this week when we drove down Koval Lane and spotted the Platinum Hotel & Spa next to Ellis Island, the plot of land that once held the ambitious Aqua Blue concept which had His Airness, Michael Jordan, set to soar over the Vegas skyline. Aside from the property seeming to go up overnight, we hadn’t heard anything about it. Coincidently, the next day we ran into familiar face, Robert De La Rosa, the former ENVY Restaurant (Renaissance Hotel) manager who has signed on to the Platinum project as its food & beverage manager. De La Rosa is currently working in tandem with Executive Chef Brenton Hammer, a serious chef-on-the-rise who was acclaimed for his work at several high-end Milwaukee hotel properties. One of Hammer’s plans for Platinum is to develop customized menus that are prepared right in the guest’s condo! From what we hear, Platinum will offer an upscale restaurant concept, The Restaurant at Platinum, which will overlook the fifth floor pool. Other notables include personalized iPods that will be offered to guests in The WELL, Platinum’s luxurious spa. Platinum is currently slated for a “summer 2006� opening.

With LOVE set to launch across the street, the V Theatre’s Beatles offering, ‘Fab Four Mania!’ has come up with a novel approach to offer visitors and locals alike a chance to win tickets to the show. Starting this past weekend, Beatles enthusiasts will be given a chance to ‘Baffle the Buckingham Guard’. If they can make the Buckingham Guard laugh, smile or giggle they win tickets to the show.

Red Rock Resort, Casino & Spa has announced that they will be more vigilant in upholding the 9P curfew for minors enjoying the property’s entertainment options. “We feel that there’s plenty of time for those under 21 to enjoy our movie theaters, restaurants and our arcade, but there comes a time and a place where we believe the casino should be enjoyed by those who are 21 and over,â€? added Station Casinos PR queen, Lori Nelson.
http://www.eyeonvegas.net/
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BETTING LINES
We’re not that far into baseball season, but that doesn’t stop Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook, to start creating some excitement for the coming NFL season. As soon as the football schedules were released, he posted all the lines of the first week of the season and, by the end of the month, will be announcing the over/under season win totals. Kornegay said, “This is one of the more popular bets throughout the off season. These lines give our guests the first glance on what to expect this fall. It also gives our players the opportunity to wager on the first week throughout the summer, even though they might not be in town for the opening weekend.”

Some of the highlights of the first week include: Sept. 7 (Thursday) defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers -6 over the Dolphins, Sept 10th games worth mentioning are Seattle -4 at Detroit, Denver -3.5 at St. Louis, Chicago -3 at Green Bay, and Indianapolis -4 at the NY Giants. The first Monday night games (that’s right…two Monday night games) include Washington -6 over visiting Minnesota and San Diego -2.5 at Oakland. All the odds and props are available at the SuperBook.
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KEEPING COOL

If you’ve been keeping an eye on our weather, you’ll know we’re going through a real hot spell (temps hovering around 100 every day, some 15 degrees above normal for this time of year), so naturally, you’re going to be interested in anything I can tell you about our hotels’ pools

This week, let me give you some info on what the Flamingo has planned for its pool area. And what better to start off with than Happy Hour. From 4-8 p.m., Tuesday thru Sunday, you will be able to take advantage of a 2-for-1 special on all frozen cocktails and Fosters Oil Cans. A DJ will keep you moving with the hottest music and Bacardi models will make sure you’re happy with special giveaways and shots. Happy Hour guests will also have a chance to enter to win a 2006 Jeep to be awarded by Fosters over Labor Day weekend.

On Monday nights, beginning June 5, from 7-10 p.m., the Lagoon pool will host a Battle of The Bands where amateur musicians will compete for monthly prizes and one grand prize awarded in August. If you’ve got a band, check out the registration info on www.flamingolasvegas.com.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lenny/2006/0517.html
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CLUB VEGAS: Ice is Very Nice.

Nightclub offers a place for locals to dance the night away.
By John Przyby’s from The Las Vegas Revire Journal

Remember that TV show “Cheers”? Try to imagine Norm and Cliff and Carla and the crew from that beloved but fictional neighborhood bar partying at Ice.

Yeah, it doesn’t work for us, either. Yet, it’s the image, the feel of “Cheers” that Marc Jay happily invokes when describing the niche Ice fills in the local nightclub scene.

Jay, Ice’s director of public relations and special events, notes that locals often prefer to not rub elbows — or shoulders, torsos and butts — with tourists at Strip-based clubs on weekends.

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/May-18-Thu-2006/living/7369872.html
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ALL ABOARD! BELLAGIO’S CONSERVATORY & BOTANICAL GARDENS CELEBRATES SUMMER WITH A WHIMSICAL RAIL JOURNEY ACROSS AMERICA.

Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens ushers in summer from May 21 to September 9 with a magnificent three-dimensional exhibit depicting a rail journey across America. Created by famed landscape architect and model train builder Paul Busse, the enchanting display will feature small-scale trains, replicas of historical and fantasy sites and spectacular gardens to create an enchanting experience to remember.

The increasingly popular art of train gardening, a combination of model railroading and landscape gardening, will take visitors on an inspiring coast-to-coast adventure using miniature architectural reproductions of beloved American landmarks from the U.S. Capitol building and Mt. Rushmore to the Grand Canyon and the skyscrapers of New York. A replica of Bellagio will even have its own lake complete with working fountain show! Every detail on the 40 buildings found inside this impressive exhibit was created entirely by hand using natural plant materials. Thousands of hours went into such intricacies as roof shingles made of tiny pieces of bark, columns formed out of twisted twigs, shutters made of seed pods and lamps crafted from acorn caps.

A towering 120-year-old banyan tree in the display’s center will allow visitors to be surrounded by trains, both below and overhead. Just beyond the tree’s shadow, guests will be transported back to the “Wild West� through the recreation of an old western village. The desert landscape will come alive as an old-fashioned steam engine passes by carrying wooden passenger and freight cars as well as a horse car filled with animated, hoof-stomping horses.

Nearby, visitors will delight in a Midwestern farm scene modeled after painter Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,� complete with a tiny farm couple and pitchfork in hand. Guests also will enjoy the twisting valleys of a miniature Grand Canyon while the shining beacon atop of a 9-foot tall replica of North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras lighthouse will evoke memories of the Eastern seaboard.

Just steps away, tucked away in a bed of lush landscape, will be an American fantasyland featuring scenes from such classic childhood fairy tales as “The Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe� and the “Three Little Pigs.� A fanciful castle will tower above an adjacent mountain while a colorful passenger train operated by two fairies will chug along a moss- and bark-covered passage, crossing over grapevine-covered ridges before winding through the sprawling canopy of Bellagio’s banyan tree.

Guests will be encouraged to immerse themselves in the exhibit through a network of bridges allowing visitors to walk through and under the display. Constructed out of willow branches and cedar bark, the largest bridge is a suspension model spanning 45 feet tall and rising 22 feet above the ground. Six additional bridges, each 14 to 19 feet long, also were made from materials found in nature.

A tiny camera, with a 70-degree wide angle lens, will be placed on one of the trains to provide a unique conductor’s eye-view of the Conservatory’s summer exhibit. The live feed will be broadcast onto screens inside Bellagio’s Conservatory and also will be shown in Giardini, a nearby retail shop. Inside the garden-inspired store guests will find signature Bellagio Garden Railway products for sale including model trains and miniature botanical buildings.

Audra Danzak, Bellagio’s executive director of horticulture, commissioned Paul Busse for the summer exhibit and is overseeing the project from creative conception to flawless execution. “Bringing the banyan tree to Bellagio last fall was an enormous feat,� Danzak said. “To expand on the exhibit’s excitement we’ve brought Busse’s magnificent train gardening to Bellagio. I think our visitors will be awestruck by the sophistication and detail of Bellagio’s summer exhibit – I feel it’s our most exciting exhibit to date.�

Paul Busse: Landscape Architect & Model Train Builder:

Paul Busse of Applied Imagination, Alexandria, Ky., has created numerous train gardening exhibits across the United States, including projects at New York Botanical Garden, Chicago Botanical Garden and Morris Arboreatum in Philadelphia. The exhibit at Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is his largest single installation and his first inside a resort.

“Bellagio’s Conservatory is a phenomenal space and the most elegant palette that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with,� Paul Busse said. “I am thrilled that so many visitors to Las Vegas will be able to see my gardens.�

Bellagio’s Conservatory is transformed five times a year – winter, spring, summer, fall and Chinese New Year – with exquisite floral displays, cascading fountains and theatrical affects.
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PLAYER’S EDGE: ‘Ultimate Action Cash’ gets new look at Charlie’s.

Arizona Charlie’s has upgraded its popular “Ultimate Action Cash Super Rewards” program. Ultimate Reward members accumulating between 1,000 and 80,000 points Mondays (3 a.m.) through Sundays (11:59 p.m.) will receive $25-$1,000 guaranteed cashback (in five daily equal installments) the following week. Although it is possible (by earning points at Arizona Charlie’s Decatur and Arizona Charlie’s Boulder) to earn $2,000 a week (with no point redemption required), please be aware that the countdowns required to earn Ultimate Reward points vary greatly from machine to machine. It takes a lot more dollars to earn points on some video poker games than on slot games. Also, to retrieve all your cashback requires that you visit the properties (wherever you earned your points) once per day Monday through Friday. Many players rave about this promotion, but please review the rules (available at the booth) before you begin play.

More PLAYER’S EDGE here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-23-Fri-2006/weekly/8076192.html
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Upcoming Las Vegas Entertainment

The diva of all divas, Barbra Streisand, will headline the MGM Grand Garden arena on Nov. 18 with Il Divo. Tickets are $100, $200, $350, $750 and $1,000 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the venue box office, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, and Ticketmaster outlets.

Platinum selling R&B vocalists Jodeci will hit the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay with the group’s original lineup on Aug. 26 with Javier. General admission tickets are $40 in advance, $45 day of show, seated tickets are $50 and special reserved seats are $60. They go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the venue box office, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, and Ticketmaster outlets.

World Classic Rockers, featuring former members of the Eagles, Santana, Journey, Steppenwolf, Toto and Lynyrd Skynyrd, will hit The Club at the Cannery on July 29. Tickets are $14.95 and $24.95 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Cannery ticket sales counter located at the hotel’s front desk, 2121 E. Craig Road.

Country superstar Alan Jackson will perform at Buffalo Bill’s Star of the Desert Arena on Oct. 28. Tickets are $64.50 and $79.50 and go on sale at noon today at the Buffalo Bill’s box office in Primm.
Under Their Skin.
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Using real corpses, ‘Bodies … The Exhibition’ aims to teach visitors about themselves.
By Ken White/The Las Vegas Review Journal

At first glance, “Bodies … The Exhibition” could appear to be mere sensationalism. Real human bodies stripped down, so to speak, to their essentials: muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels and organs, all set up for an up-close and personal look.

But Dr. Roy Glover, professor emeritus of anatomy and cell biology at the University of Michigan and chief medical director of the exhibit opening today at the Tropicana, sees it as an opportunity to educate people about what he calls “our most precious possession.”

“Most people are under-educated about their bodies,” Glover said at a recent press conference for the exhibit, produced by Premier Exhibitions Inc., that features 17 whole-body specimens and more than 260 organs and partial body specimens in nine galleries. Most of the bodies are male, although there are a handful of female bodies on view. The exhibit is scheduled to be open for the next six months.

More Here:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jun-23-Fri-2006/weekly/8010217.html
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Brett’s Vegas Views By Jackie Brett

Beginning June 27 and running through July 15, comedian George Wallace will be joined at the Flamingo by musical sensation Mosaic, Tuesday through Saturday at 10 p.m.

Mosaic is a six man, vocal collaboration bringing a new face to a cappella music. Mosaic uses no instruments in creating a style all their own that offers something for everyone from funk and soul to jazz, big-band and hip hop. The merging of different genres and styles of music combine to form a sound that is universally appealing to all audiences.

Wallace won an American Comedy Award for “Best Stand Up Comedian” after being nominated four years in a row. He has been featured in his own HBO “One Night Stand” and has appeared in several major motion pictures including The Coen Brothers’ hit “Ladykillers” opposite Tom Hanks and Marlon Wayans, “Three Strikes,” and “The Wash” to name a few. Wallace is entering his third year as a headliner at the Flamingo and he’s best known for his “Yo Mama” jokes and his infamous “I Be Thinkin’” lines.

The highly publicized Las Ramblas project that included actor George Clooney and nightclub owner Rande Gerber among its partners to help make it a hip destination is definitely history. The 25-acre project has been sold to Las Vegas-based developer Edge Resorts for $202 million. The new project will be known as Edge East and will be developed as a boutique hotel district that will complement the neighboring W Las Vegas hotel’s master plan.

The success of the Riviera’s Summer Outdoor Hawaiian Luaus has lead to an outdoor Country and Western impersonator show being planned for this fall, complete with barbecue steaks and all the trimmings. Every Wednesday beginning in September and running through Nov. 15, the 2nd deck location of the luau will be transformed into a good ol’ fashion Chuck Wagon party. A special barbecue grill will be installed just for these events.

The Stratosphere will present its annual citywide fireworks display and “Sparkle and Splash Pool Party” on Sunday, July 2. For the fifth year in a row, the world-famous Fireworks by Grucci, Inc. will produce a 10-minute display that will be launched at 9 p.m. from the Stratosphere’s north parking garage and be visible anywhere in Las Vegas.

The Independence Pool Party will be located on the Stratosphere’s pool and recreation deck on the eighth floor of the Premier room tower. The party will last from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. The price of admission is $49.99 per person for those 21 years of age and older and $25 for children ages 12 to 20 years of age. Admission includes unlimited food and drinks, a DJ providing continues entertainment, and swimming, call 702-380-7711.

The third annual patriotic special, “Las Vegas Sings for America,” will take place during the July 4th weekend on Saturday, July 1 at 8:30 p.m. This live show and TV special is moving outdoors this year and taking place under the “Fremont Street Experience” canopy located downtown on Fremont Street. The program will feature Las Vegas headliners with the Nellis Air Force Base “Honor Guard” opening the show by marching along Fremont Street.

This outdoor concert is free to the public. However, there will be VIP seating available for a $25 donation to the Youth Foundation for The Performing Arts. “Las Vegas Sings for America” will be broadcast nationally, regionally and locally to more than 10 million households.

The Rock ‘n Roll Wine on the Mountain will kick-off the JazzFest Weekend on Friday, June 30, at 7 p.m. at the Mt. Charleston Hotel, which has planned its first Jazz Festival weekend full of wine, art and special Jazz performances up on the mountain. Cost is $44 per person and includes all the wine, food and entertainment; call Chris Hammond at 702-561-3498. The Mt. Charleston Hotel is offering special room rates of $125 per night, call 702-872-5500.

The “World Series of Blackjackâ„¢” that taped at the Las Vegas Hilton has kicked off its Monday night primetime schedule on GSN (formerly the Game Show Network). The show features a new episode each week that is repeated two additional times during the week for 13 weeks through Aug. 28. At the end of the run, the series probably will be re-aired from the beginning.
http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/index.htm
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Posted on June 30th, 2006 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Newsletter