The New York Times, citing unidentified sources close to the negotiations, reported Wednesday that New York-based Apollo Management Group and Texas Pacific Group of Forth Worth, Texas, had sweetened the bid for Las Vegas-based Harrah’s to between $83 and $84 a share, jumping the buyout bid from $15 billion to more than $15.5 billion.

The newspaper reported that Harrah’s company directors had rejected the original week-old offer.

In Las Vegas for their Fox Reality series “Rob and Amber: Against the Odds,” the couple may hit the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Tuesday in connection with the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

Ask Liza Minnelli to single out her giddiest Las Vegas moment, and the words burst forth like a champagne geyser.

Another run of bad luck at video poker after hitting for $1,400, plus facing surgery, has not made me a happy camper, but that doesn’t mean I can’t bring you good news and what better than to tell you that you will have a chance to meet comedian Rita Rudner this Saturday, Oct. 14, at The Forum Shops at Caesars.

Voted “Best Comedian in Las Vegas” in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Best of Las Vegas poll for the past five years, we have seen Rudner go from a one-month booking at the MGM Grand in 2000 to a permanent engagement at New York-New York’s $1.2 million Cabaret Theatre built exclusively for her. She ended her five-year run there this past August and is now performing at Harrah’s. So if you’re a fan, and would like to get a copy of her book and a photo with her to show off to all your friends, now’s your chance.
reviewjournal.com — Lenny’s Las Vegas 

HALLOWEEN RUN FOR CANCER

STAR FOR SIEGFRIED & ROY

SHOW REVIEW: “Bottoms Up”

Things are Looking ‘Up’: Vintage ‘Bottoms’ revue gets yet another shot at Fitzgeralds.
By Mike Weatherford/Las Vegas Review Journal

What seemed lost on the Strip seems found downtown.

Upcoming Las Vegas Entertainment.

The Playboy Club isn’t a new concept, in fact 22 of them previously operated in cities around the globe, however, the last of which closed in Manila 15 years ago, and at The Palms the concept gets a new grown-up and modern look in the place it was most perhaps meant to be, Las Vegas. Playboy Club isn’t a nightclub as much as it is a high-end gaming ultra lounge. “Never before has gaming been introduced into a nightclub atmosphere,” notes Fuller, with a smile while checking out the progress of the club as it nears its October 6th opening. From the moment the dual elevators open into the club, patrons will realize they are entering a special kind of venue. Red leather walls coat the foyer and a diamond backed main bar inset with the infamous Playboy name greets patrons as they enter. All of the gaming tables are located to the east with four tables on each side of a large diamond inlaid support beam. “The gaming tables and chairs are on hydraulics so they can be raised or lowered to a players preference,” Fuller continues while adding that both blackjack and roulette will be available as well as a limited amount of electronic gaming. While the gaming tables replace the dance floor in the middle of the venue, sharp red and black leather couches surround the gaming area creating a tantalizing view of the action and no doubt increasing gaming drops as the alcohol flows liberally. Above the casino, four Philippe Starck designed Baccarat crystal chandeliers add a classic and elegant look. Surrounding this portion of the club are several sheer black curtains bunched together with over-sized, almost tribal designed gold Playboy holders. Along the entire south wall of this portion of the club is a wall of approximately 50 picture frames that are actually plasma screens flashing through a Playboy Archive of 20,000 pictures ranging from magazine covers, to pin up shots, to pictures of some of Playboy’s most famous centerfolds, it is an absolutely stunning element of the club. Everywhere you look the famous bunny ears meet you, from the diamond shaped designs in the dark carpet to the ‘70s faux wallpaper turned to glass partition that encircles the sunken gaming/lounge floor. The other side of the club features more of the traditional ultra lounge look with oversized brown snakeskin chairs and large high backed black booths creating a VIP lounge area. Another plasma screen sits above an elongated fireplace, surrounded in a large gold picture frame, enabling even more branding opportunities. In the bottom of the fireplace rest yet more diamonds enabling the fire to seemingly sparkle in an outlet full of surprises. “You will not find anything painted,” Fuller adds while pointing out brown leather bricks that create one wall in the lounge, “We’ve used different finishes and material to give every wall and ceiling a unique look and feel.” The VIP bar is surely a sight to be seen on its own, a gold multi-tiered collage of Playboy logos and shapes creating one of the most unique back bars we’ve seen in our time. “The musical format will remain mostly rock in this room,” says the former DJ, “but later at night or for special events that might change a bit.” Add into the mix retrofitted classic Playboy pinball machines, bathroom wallpaper that might make you blush, Roberto Cavalli-designed uniforms for the next generation of Bunnies and it’s no wonder we’re convinced it will be a hit.

If Playboy Club introduces gaming to the nightclub environment and the Playboy lifestyle to Las Vegas, then Moon Nightclub introduces what might be a snapshot at the future of nightlife. Located one floor above Playboy and on the roof of the Palms’ new Fantasy Tower, Moon is a boutique nightclub experience that certainly seems more intimate than its 12,500 square-foot footprint. Like Playboy, the elevators drop patrons in the middle of the club with an intimate VIP lounge located to the west and the clubs main room to the east. Directly to the front is a bar encased in LED light hexagon shapes that continue on the roof and walls surrounding the area. A trail of LED tiles in the floor create a ‘yellow brick road’ experience, except instead of just yellow, the lights blink different colors in different patterns that can even be set to the music. “No technology found in any other nightclub beats what we have at Moon,” Fuller notes, his smile growing larger with each step. Pointing to the retractable roof of the nightclub, he points out how in 90 seconds the club can be turned into a convertible. “We aren’t just going to open the roof, there is a whole production around it,” he states proudly while explaining how sound effects will blend with visual images displayed around the club to create a whole experience. Each of the windows encircling the main room are covered in diamond-like beaded curtains so that the technical team can shoot images onto the curtains adding to the experience. It’s obvious that the N9NE team spent a minor fortune creating the audio/visual experience that is, in part, created by the city’s first DL2 lighting systems, the newer brother of the DL1’s used at JET Nightclub ( The Mirage). “This is cutting-edge technology right here,” Fuller ads, hesitating to consider the possibilities for what has to be the millionth time, “and we have a whole laser and fog system in here that only adds to the effect. Oh, and the sound system in here will rattle your teeth,” he adds pointing up to multiple speakers surrounding the square shaped dance floor and grey with yellow fringed VIP booths. Further to the east, another bar resides surrounded by almost purple-hued marbles inlaid in black grout, creating a very ‘crater-esque’ feel. Behind that bar, a standing room only VIP balcony gives patrons an amazing view of the Strip, albeit a similar one to the neighboring ghostbar. Above this bar is a second level, VIP balcony that will contain more VIP tables and booths as well as get club goers even closer to the stars when the roof is open. Dual winding stairways will enable celebrities access to the balcony with even more LED lighting on the top of each handrail picket. In a recent press release, Degraff noted, “As a boutique nightclub, Moon offers a sense of intimacy that can’t be found in any other high end club. It is like nothing else on the planet.” After our tour, we have to simply agree and start counting down the days until the opening.

Don’t think for a second that Morton and DeGraff used up all of their good ideas at the two nightlife offerings because Nove is just as unique and just as innovative, except it’s laid out in a restaurant setting. As with the two other venues, nothing is painted instead the walls and ceilings focus on different finishes and uses lots of marble to stand out. Taking a page out of Bill Gates’ home decor, Nove features numerous framed mirrors that don’t reflect a mirrored image, instead reflecting classic Italian pieces of art that can be changed electronically. Nove’s wine cellar also gets a technological boost appearing as a contained pixilated light wall blinking away in different patterns and paces. Along the east side of the restaurant, five large topiaries reside playfully giving the restaurant a ‘green’ feel. The restaurant also features a second level balcony that will be used for additional seating and bar traffic. Also on the backside of the balcony is a row of two-top tables that are must-dos for dining with a significant other, especially with a view of the neon backdrop behind the large topiaries. Don’t worry though, it’s not just those seats that have the view as the restaurant is completely surrounded by windows. Canuck Will Dunbar has been tapped as the general manager of Nove and will have no problem seamlessly making the move from N9NE Steakhouse as the restaurant keeps a very distinct N9NE feel. “The thought with Nove was to find the balance between art and design,” Fuller adds while gazing across the dining room. “As with N9NE downstairs, we wanted to focus on the social aspects of dining and give guests a fun place to start the night with fantastic food.” While we haven’t gotten a chance to try Executive Chef Geno Bernardo’s authentic menu or fare just yet, if the food can remain as consistently delicious as N9NE and the scene can remain as distinctly cool at the bar, then Nove too will be a hit.

The new N9NE Group venues are fine-tuning their service and staffing this week before a grand opening over the weekend. The first promotion at the new venue will take place on Sunday, October 15th when the Playboy Club presents The November Playboy Magazine launch party featuring Tamara Witner, the gorgeous Playboy Playmate and October issue cover girl. Hosting the party will be two well-respected Vegas institutions; Ketel One Vodka, and, yours truly, the Eye on Vegas. The party will be in both the Playboy Club and Moon Nightclub. Talk about starting it right.

PURE in the Pyramid
An Eye on Vegas Exclusive

The Eye on Vegas broke the news abouts PURE Management Group’s second restaurant venture being installed at the Luxor months and months ago when we told you the steakhouse would carry the name Aspen 702. Sources from within the nightlife giant have finally confirmed the name along with some other juicy details given exclusively to the Eye on Vegas. As with PURE Nightclub, it seems as though P.M.G. has reached out to some high-powered celebrities for partnership and at least three have answered the investor call, including newly minted hotelier Nicky Hilton, actor Wilmer Valderrama and the happily single Nick Lachey. When P.M.G. opened Social House earlier this month, they happily admitted a lack of experience in the kitchen and hired a young superstar-in-waiting in former Nobu Matsuhisa protégée, Chef Joe Elevado to much success. With Aspen 702 they will be replicating the formula by hiring another up-and-comer and giving him his own shop in Chef Jonathan Snyder. Where Elevado was an expert in Asian fare, Snyder comes with some seriously stacked steakhouse experience; he was formerly executive chef of PRIME Steakhouse (Bellagio) where he fine-tuned his skills working under the shadow of acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

While Aspen 702 would seemingly be P.M.G.’s sole restaurant venture at the Luxor, they had previously announced the addition of two more nightlife entities with strong Los Angeles ties in revered nightlife establishments LAX and Roxy. LAX is a Hollywood hotspot and the home to investor/resident DJ, DJ AM, so it should be expected that AM will reprise his guest spots at PURE Nightclub down the road, especially since he’s in the biggest name in a stacked deck of DJs signed to Sin City exclusive contracts with P.M.G. The Eye has also been tipped off that singer and ‘Dirty Girl’ Christina Aguilera has also come aboard as an investor in LAX. A third nightlife entity will also be appearing in the 60,000 some-odd-square-foot P.M.G. complex although everyone has been tightlipped on the details, until now. Our well-placed source within the organization told the Eye that Los Angeles nightlife queen Amanda Demme has been brought on to operate the lounge, her first outlet since being ousted from La-La land’s Roosevelt Hotel so rudely earlier this year.  If past experience with her two former Roosevelt hotspots, Teddy’s, named after her late husband and movie producer Ted Demme, and the pool-side Tropicana are any indication, the lounge will be ultra-hot, ultra-exclusive and ultra-hard to get into. Other nightlife personalities from Los Angeles have met the Strip with varied degrees of success, however, we have no doubt that Demme will create another hit on her hands by feeding off the synergy found between the two cities.

Are you a Hobo or a Gypsy

A new restaurant concept entitled Hobo’s and Gypsy’s is nearing a mid-October opening intent on proving you don’t need a multi-million budget to succeed in Las Vegas. Preaching ‘Comfort Food and Spirits to nurture the soul’, the new outlet will focus on serving the most important meal of the day, at the end of the day, to the hungry masses of the service industry who make each and every night in Vegas so great. While we’re keeping the location of H&G under wraps until next week we can release some early details. The staple promotion for the new restaurant is ‘Employees Only’, which will serve a special late menu for nightclub, bar and restaurant employees starting at 3A each morning. With an adjacent lounge, H&G will keep the early morning going with special DJ performances and celebrity appearances that will prove breakfast has never been so high-energy. While the Las Vegas culinary scene continues to grow and expand, late, late-night dining has been left to the plain old casino coffee shop or the neighborhood Denny’s, somewhat odd especially considering the late hours and 24-hour time clock of The Strip. Enter Hobo’s & Gypsy’s to cater to the industry who works late and plays later, so decide, are you a Hobo or a Gypsy?

There’s a new Burton in town
By Jerry Fink/Las Vegas Sun

More Here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2006/oct/05/566638208.html

1) Deal or No Deal. Atronic. 2 spins.

Gerry McCambridge - The Mentalist

On The Town With Vegas Vic
Article from www.accessvegas.com
By: Victor H. Royer