Everything Las Vegas Issue # 648
December 16th, 2007
Dion, Vegas parting - but not forever
By Joe Brown/Las Vegas Sun You really had to be there. After all, you had five years to do it - three years more than anyone ever expected. But if for some reason you weren't one of the 3 million people who made it to Celine Dion's spectacular "A New Day …" at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, you can catch one of the last two shows tonight or tomorrow. If you've got the cash and the connections. That's a big if. Or you can watch it on the newly released five-hour double DVD "Celine Dion: A New Day - Live in Las Vegas" (released this week and packaged along with Dion's perfume for the full sensory experience). It includes an entire concert performance, filmed in January in high definition, with 19 songs. More from The Las vegas Sun here: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2007/dec/14/566643268.html Slots for a new generation. Video-game enthusiasts seen as customers for slots that ultimately might reward skillful play.By Liz Benston/Las Vegas Sun. Years from now, slot machine players may wander into a casino and wonder if they've landed in a game arcade. Slots will function more like video games, featuring space ships - whoa, look out for that force field! - and pinball flippers. You won't be trying to line up three blazing 7s as much as you'll be shooting at space invaders and asteroids. Zzzzzng! Pppfffffffttt! Bam! Dude, the gaming industry is cautiously and finally embracing the video-game generation. Gaming Control Board Member Mark Clayton says he is "dumbfounded" that manufacturers haven't yet presented skill-based video games for consideration given the growing popularity of high-tech console and home computer games. "There is no formal policy … that would preclude skill-based games," he said. At least one company is queuing up to provide the games, on the premise that slot business will go bonkers if it ties in to players who have spent way too many hours in front of TVs and computer screens with joysticks and trigger buttons. More from The Las vegas Sun here: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/consumer/2007/dec/16/566674539.html Casino owner sells treasures Local history among the coins, collectibles. But the items from the El Cortez owner's collection, which was recently purchased by a California rare coin dealer, will have another element for buyers to assess: A direct connection to Las Vegas history. "You've got a gaming pioneer that collected this over the years," said Joe Woody, vice president of finance at El Cortez. "Nevada-specific gaming items, some unusual items that most people don't have." More from The Las Vegas review journal here: http://www.lvrj.com/news/12501471.html NORM: Thankful singer gets sentimental
A sentimental Celine Dion said she will forever remember Caesars Palace as the site of her son's first steps. "And his first potty training," she told the Governor's Conference on Tourism on Thursday at Caesars Palace. Gov. Jim Gibbons presented Dion, whose 41/2-year run at Caesars Palace ends Saturday, with the newly created Nevada Entertainer of the New Millennium Award. The award recognized Dion for "entertaining millions and changing the lives of all Nevadans through her commitment to philanthropic giving." Nevada first lady Dawn Gibbons gifted Dion with a Nevada-mined turquoise necklace. Dion told the gathering she will miss her life in Las Vegas and thanked her husband/manager Rene Angelil for "taking the big gamble." "As you know, my husband is a gambler, and I'm glad he is," she said. Angelil couldn't be happier, either. He won more than $1 million in a $100,000 buy-in no-limit Texas hold-em poker tournament this week at Caesars Palace. ReviewJournal.com - News - NORM: Thankful singer gets sentimental DINING GETS FINER IN LV. By HEIDI KNAPP RINELLA/LAS VEGASREVIEW-JOURNAL
If it seems that Las Vegas restaurant prices have risen to record levels, it's because they have. According to the latest edition of the Zagat guide for Las Vegas, which was released Thursday, the city has bypassed New York to become the most expensive restaurant city in the country. An average restaurant meal in Las Vegas is $44.44, according to the guide, compared with $39.46 in New York. Tim Zagat, co-founder and co-chairman of the company, said he was shocked when he heard the news and wondered if it was accurate. He asked his staff if all the budget restaurants had been cut from the guide's latest edition, only to be told it was the same cross section that had been used before. "It's kind of astonishing for Las Vegas to be more expensive than my hometown," Zagat said. More from The Las Vegas Review Journal here: http://www.lvrj.com/news/12501516.html. PLAYER'S EDGE: Venetian, Palazzo create Club Grazie. The Venetian and the soon-to-open Palazzo have created a players club named Club Grazie. Gold Tier members receive one point for every $1 coin-in on slots and $3 coin-in on video poker — and higher tiers earn more points for the same coin-in. Every 2,500 points can be redeemed for either $15 in slot credits, a $10 Club Grazie Gift Card or $5 in cashback. (The Club Grazie gift card can only be used at Venetian and Palazzo outlets — so we strongly recommend that you go with the slot credits.) Along with regular points, members also receive Grazie points that can be used (only) at the casinos' annual year-end Grazie Gift Extravaganza. Anyone with unredeemed point balances from the old Venetian Players Club has until Dec. 31, 2008, to cash in their points. http://www.lvrj.com/neon/12501376.html Upcoming Las Vegas Entertainment Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z headlines The Pearl at the Palms on Dec. 29. Tickets are $128, $178 and $228 and go on sale at noon Saturday at The Pearl box office, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, and Ticketmaster outlets. Throwback rocker Lenny Kravitz plays The Pearl on Jan. 20. Tickets are $35, $40 and $45 and go on sale at 11 a.m. Saturday at the venue box office and Ticketmaster outlets. Multiplatinum hard-rock troupe Linkin Park fires up The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on March 6 and 7, with Coheed and Cambria. Tickets start at $69.50 and go on sale at noon Saturday at the Hard Rock box office, 4455 Paradise Road, and Ticketmaster outlets. Blues stalwart George Thorogood & the Destroyers storm into the House of Blues on Jan. 25. General admission tickets are $32 in advance, $35 day of show, reserved seats are $40 and special reserved tickets are $45. They are already on sale at the venue box office and Ticketmaster outlets. ReviewJournal.com - Neon - TICKETS America's Party Live in Concert
New Year's revelers can party under the incredible visual backdrop of the 1,500-foot long Viva Vision screen at the Fremont Street Experience as five blocks of the Fremont Street Experience will be transformed into the biggest private party in town. The final hours of the year will be filled with music from headliners the Doobie Brothers and The Bangles. Riders of the Thunderdome will also be on hand to thrill party goers. Festivities also include a themed fireworks extravaganza firing from the rooftops of seven casinos along the Las Vegas Strip. The entire four blocks of the downtown Vegas venue will be gated, with access granted only to those who hold a ticket. Fremont Street will be replete with outdoor bars and vendors, easy access to casino gambling, numerous restaurants, and other amenities. America's Party Live in Concert New Year's Eve in Las Vegas Nobody does it like Vegas VEGAS.com Holidays: New Year's Eve Check out last year's New Year's Eve celebration! http://www.vegas.com/video/shows/newyearseve/full_page97710.html Brett's Vegas Vies by Jackie Brett. Show business legends Donny and Marie Osmond will reunite at the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre for eight performances July 17 - 23, 2008, with a 4 p.m. matinee on July 19. It's the first time the pair has played a Las Vegas-run since 1979. Tickets are $95, call 800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777. During this rare limited engagement, Donny and Marie will perform their greatest hits on a custom stage designed specially for this historic reunion. The show will be a state-of-the-art extravaganza utilizing multiple projection screens, interlacing rare archival footage with the world premier of brand new videos produced by Donny.
Donny and Marie made television history when their variety show "The Donny & Marie Show" debuted on ABC in 1976. They were the youngest hosts ever of a primetime network series. After multiple solo successes, the duo teamed up once again in 1998, hosting the nationally syndicated daytime talk show "Donny & Marie." Donny began his career at age five on "The Andy Williams Show" performing with The Osmond Brothers. He has been awarded a grand total of 33 gold records and his most recent 55th album, "Love Songs of the 70s," immediately went gold in the United Kingdom. His multi-faceted career includes being a national television host on "Pyramid," a best-selling author with his autobiography, and a theater star with more than 2,000 performances in Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and most recently on Broadway starring in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." "College Road Trip," the Disney movie in which Donny co-stars with Raven Symone and Martin Lawrence, will open in March. He has even been a champion race car driver. Making her debut at the age of three on "The Andy Williams Show," Marie has had an equally stellar recording career, making history at the age of 13 with her very first single, "Paper Roses," the first time that a female artist debuted at No. 1 in the country music charts. She has starred in several television movies and feature films, the ABC sitcom "Maybe This Time" co-starring with Betty White, and on stage in "The Sound of Music" and on Broadway in "The King and I." A New York Times best-selling author with "Behind The Smile," Marie was a judge on Fox's "Celebrity Duets" in 2006 and was most recently a finalist on the No. 1 smash series, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Her award-winning "Marie Osmond Fine Porcelain Collector Doll" line, debuted in 1991 on QVC, and has grown into one of the most beloved doll lines in the industry. The Children's Miracle Network, a project of the Osmond Foundation, the Osmond family charity which Marie oversees, has thus far raised almost $4 billion for children's hospitals in North America, and will soon expand internationally. The Cannery in North Las Vegas will celebrate the King's life on Jan. 11 and 12 with special performances by Elvis tribute artist Johnny Fortuno and Elvis' original back-up singers and Gospel Hall-of-Fame members, Bill Baize, Ed Hill, Sherrill Nielson and bass singer, Butch Owens as well as other special guests, friends and co-stars of Elvis Presley. Tickets are $15 at the door, which opens at 6:30 p.m. One of Elvis' musical influences came from the Gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night Gospel gatherings. Baize, Hill and Nielson - former members of The Stamps Quartet - performed regularly with Elvis Presley on many recordings and concerts as back-up. Elvis called The Stamps Quartet his favorite group of Gospel singers. Other special guests will include Elvis' personal friend and bodyguard, Sonny West; Elvis' cousin, Jerry Presley; Elvis' "Kissin' Cousins" co-star, Cynthia Pepper; Elvis' "Blue Hawaii" co-star, Darlene Tompkins; DJ with "Elvis on Air," Steve Christopher; Patsy Anderson and Sandy Miller. Other activities taking place throughout the weekend will include memorabilia dealers and fan club displays. The Cannery Row Buffet will be taking part in the fun by hosting a special "food that fed the King" section featuring the superstar's favorite dishes. NYE Entertainment: Paris and Nicky Hilton will celebrate New Year's Eve on the Strip at the LAX Nightclub inside the Luxor and lead the countdown to 2008 with a club-wide champagne toast at midnight. LAX opens at 10 p.m., call 702-280-3600. At The Joint Concert Venue in the Hard Rock on New Year's Eve, American alternative rock band 3 Doors Down will perform at 9 p.m. The band has sold more than 12 million albums since their debut in 2003. Tickets start at $89.50, call 702-474-4000. Also in the Hard Rock at AJ's Steakhouse, Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine will bring in the new year at 11:30 p.m. with their swanky lounge music style playing popular rap, rock, metal and pop songs. Against the Machine is a cover band and comedy act from Los Angeles that has gained increasing popularity since 2000. The band is currently in the midst of their 2007 / 2008 worldwide "Drinkchronicity / Farewell Tour." Tickets start at $65. At South Point New Year's Eve will get started early with the Las Vegas Tenors performing in the Grand Ballroom at noon with a champagne toast. Tickets are $20. There will also be a $25,000 New Year's Eve bingo session starting at 9:30 p.m. Buy-in will be $50. Other New Year's Eve entertainment at the South Point will include dinner and dancing in the Grand Ballroom with Debbie Reynolds (tickets $140); Salsa in the Showroom with The Michito Sanchez Orchestra and a Latin dance party at 9:30 p.m. (tickets $50 with two drinks included); and a dance party in the Sonoma Ballroom with the Whip-Its at 9 pm. with an open bar until midnight (tickets $90). Sushi Roku invites guests to create a start to 2008 with New Year's Eve specialty menus and a night overlooking the fireworks on the Las Vegas Strip. The Japanese restaurant on the Strip is offering a five-course menu for $90 and a six-course menu for $150 on Dec. 31. Both meals include party favors and a champagne toast at midnight; call 702-733-7373. The Spiedini restaurant at the JW Marriott resort in the northwest part of the valley will feature a special New Year's Eve dinner from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Dec. 31. Cost is $75, call 702-869-8500. The Light Group will present special New Year's Eve celebrations at its exclusive nightlife and restaurant properties. For New Year's Eve reservations, call 702-693-8300. Additionally, The Light Group will unveil The Bank at Bellagio, a new nightclub raising the bar for the ultra-luxe nightlife experience. Tickets are $250 per person. JET Nightclub will host an upscale James Bond-themed soiree where guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite Bond character. The club's sexy staff will dress as classic Bond pin-up girls. For the countdown, acclaimed DVDJ Roonie G will present an exclusive Bond-themed audio/visual midnight set. Individual tickets are $200 with VIP entrance and a hosted bar from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. included. STACK Restaurant & Bar, the new-age steakhouse, will present a dinner gala perfect for an early meal or a final New Year's Eve destination. The cost is $125 per person (minimum two guests) for a four-course pre-set New Year's Eve gala dinner with a champagne toast at midnight. Reservation times: 8:30, 9, 9:30 and 10 p.m. A la Carte and four-course gala menu reservations are also offered at 5, 5:30, 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m. The Light Group is offering two-tiered packages which include a four-course dinner at STACK and nightclubbing at JET at the Mirage from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. The Mirage Silver Package is $295 per person (minimum two guests). Tickets for Caramel Bar & Lounge at Bellagio are $40 and a light fare menu will be offered from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. FIX Restaurant & Bar at Bellagio will offer a four-course pre-set New Year's Eve gala dinner and toast at midnight. Cost is $325 per person (minimum two guests). Also, The Light Group's new Diablo's Cantina located Strip-front at Monte Carlo will offer a great Strip fireworks view and entertainment on the outdoor second floor stage. KVBC Channel 3 will be broadcasting the festivities all evening live from Diablo's open-air patio. Tickets are $50 and include VIP admission and complimentary appetizers from 8 p.m. to midnight. Beginning Friday, Dec. 28 through Monday, Dec. 31, Studio 54 inside the MGM Grand will ring in 2008 with New Year's soirees. On Dec. 28, Hip-hop pioneer KRS-ONE, who has been dubbed "The Teacha," will kick-off the weekend with a live performance. Cover is $30 for men / $20 for women. On Dec. 29, Studio 54 will host the official UFC 79 Liddell vs. Silva After-Fight Party following the mega-fight at Mandalay Bay with light heavyweight champion, Chuck Liddell. Cover is $40 for Men / $30 for Women; concierge pass $50. On Dec. 31, Studio 54 will present its 10th annual New Year's Eve Gala that includes an open bar from 9 to 11 p.m. and complimentary champagne from 9 p.m. to midnight. The countdown will include a balloon drop and confetti blast at midnight. Tickets can be are $200 or $250 at the door. Melodic British singer / songwriter James Blunt will be performing as part of his Lost Souls Tour at The Pearl Concert Theater on Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, at 8 p.m. Presented by Andrew Hewitt and Live Nation, tickets are $58, $68 and $78, call 702-474-4000. Blunt released his first album, "Back to Bedlam" in 2004, which spawned the No. 1 single "You're Beautiful" and brought him international fame. The album reached No. 1 in 18 countries and Blunt was subsequently nominated for five Grammys. Blunt, whose music is a mixture of pop and acoustic rock, toured for most of 2005 and 2006 before releasing a live album, "Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions." Blunt's sophomore effort, "All the Lost Souls." consists of a combination of songs he wrote on the road and at his home in Ibiza, Spain. Released in September 2007, the album's first single "1973" reached No. 1 in seven countries. The Riviera has confirmed plans for a 30-month significant remodeling project. A major portion of the $25 million renovation will include the new Signature and Deluxe Rooms. The 980 Signature Rooms will be located in the Monaco Tower. Renovations are scheduled to begin in April 2008 with 45 rooms per week slated for remodel. Each room remodel includes Euro beds, flat screen plasma television, work desk, club chair and ottoman, IPod MP3 alarm clock radio and renovated baths. All the rooms will be non-smoking. Additional remodeling in the Monaco will include corridors and elevator landings. All suites will be remodeled once the guest rooms are completed. Additional renovations scheduled for completion by March 2008 include: new casino carpet and ceiling paint; Royale Ballroom carpet replacement and ceiling paint; and a new Sports Book and Bar. http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/brett/120207.htm Steve's Las Vegas Quickies Changes are happening at the Hard Rock. Simon Kitchen & Bar has closed there and will be replaced by the South Beach Italian-style restaurant AGO. Popular A.J.'s Steakhouse will be replaced by a new dining concept by the owners of Los Angeles Les Deux Café. A lounge at the resort will be changed into a rock and roll bar called Wasted Space. "The Producers" starring Tony Danza at Paris will close for the holidays from Dec. 16 to 31, and will open on Jan. 1, 2008, and run through Feb. 9, ending its one year engagement. Harrah's headliner Mac King was named Comedy Magician of the Year and says he was impressed by the "black-tie audience, jam-packed in this airport hangar" (The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica). "Marshall Sylver Presents The World's Funniest Hypnotists" will no longer be the longest title in town. The late show at Harrah's Las Vegas quietly disappeared last week. New Stakes At Caesar's Now for all you table game players with more money than I have, Caesars Palace has raised the ceilings of its table games betting limit to the highest in the city. Blackjack players who previously could bet up to three hands at $10,000 a hand can now bet one hand at $50,000 or three hands at $25,000 per hand. Dice players who were limited to $5,000 on line bets, can now place $50,000 on any line bet. (Pass, Don't Pass, Come, Don't Come). Place bet limits are $25,000 and $30,000, up from $5,000 and $6,000. "Hard Way" bettors are allowed to wager $10,000 on any 'Hard Way." Roulette players who were limited to $500 "Any Way" wagers (single numbers, splits, quads, etc.) can go for a high limit of $3,000 " Any Way." These new wagering limits are available in high-limit gaming areas and in the dice pit and do not affect popular lower table game limits posted in areas such as the Pussycat Dolls gaming pit and elsewhere throughout the resort. I'm still looking for a $1 table. ReviewJournal.com - Living - LENNY'S LAS VEGAS The Highs and Lows of Wayne Newton. It's easy to understand why Wayne Newton is called Mr. Las Vegas. First of all, there are the more than 30,000 solo shows the guy has played here over the last 40 years. (That's an average of 750 a year!!) Then there's the fact that he's the consummate entertainer. Even if you are seated in the very back of the venue Wayne is playing, he has an innate ability to make you feel like you're in the first row. And just like Vegas, Wayne has had his share of "not so great" moments. Vegas had that bizarre moment in the '90s, when it tried to become "kid friendly," while Wayne has his recent stint on 'Dancing With the Stars' to answer for. But, even though he's had some lows, there have been far more highs in the life of Wayne Newton, the man who continues to be the archetype of the Vegas entertainer. The man who has more than earned the moniker Mr. Las Vegas. More Here: LOOKING IN ON: ENTERTAINMENT By Jerry Fink Las Vegas Sun. Las Vegas has more than its share of Elvis impersonators , including Big Elvis at Bill's Gamblin' Hall, Mini Elvis at the Krave Theatre and Trent Carlini, the Dream King Elvis, at the Sahara. You might call Brandon Bennett the "Under the Radar" Elvis. He's been performing at lounges here off and on for more than two years, coming to Las Vegas from his home in Ponchatoula , La., every other month or so with his four-piece band and performing at venues such as the Suncoast and the Stardust, before it was imploded. He'll be at Roxy's Lounge at Sam's Town with his crew Tuesday. Then he heads to the Orleans' Bourbon Street Cabaret to finish out the week. He'll be back in February, performing at the Suncoast, and then in March at the Gold Coast. At the Gold Coast he's adding a four-piece horn section and two backup singers, creating a bigger production than he normally does. Bennett is an impressive Elvis, always drawing big crowds without a lot of fanfare. He does a full spectrum of Elvis, the way Carlini does it. He starts out in the '50s and progresses through the '70s. Bennett placed fourth in the first Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition in Memphis, Tenn., during Elvis Week, which commemorates the singer's death on Aug. 16, 1977. The winner was Shawn Klush of Pittston, Pa. Carlini placed second and another Las Vegan, Donny Edwards, placed third. "I try to do a show that can remind people of what Elvis was, for those who remember him," Bennett said by phone from his home. "And for those who've never seen Elvis, to show what he was really like - all the positive aspects of it, because he had so many positive aspects." Bennett falls into the never-seen-Elvis category. He's 25, born five years after Elvis died. "I always knew who Elvis was because my mom was a fan, and through television and movies," he said. "But I didn't become an Elvis fan until I decided to get into the business and started researching his life and learned what he did for other people. " Bennett began performing Elvis music in high school and started doing it professionally when he began college. He did well enough to quit college and pursue his Elvis career full time. He wouldn't mind stepping out from behind Elvis and performing as himself. But "I enjoy what I do for a living," Bennett said. "If I never progress any further, if I can continue making the living I'm making now, I'd be happy with it." Details: Brandon Bennett's "Elvis My Way"; 8 p.m. to midnight, Tuesday, Oct. 23; Roxy's Lounge at Sam's Town ; free; 456-7777 ; and 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, Oct. 24-28; The Orleans' Bourbon Street Lounge; free; 365-7075. Fifth diamond for Venetian equals Wynn What a difference a diamond makes. Casting its eyes jealously up and down the Strip for years, the Venetian has longed to join the highest tier of luxury hotels by winning top honors from AAA and the Mobil Travel Guide. The competition grew more serious a year ago after the two-year-old Wynn Las Vegas next door won its first AAA Five Diamond. Wynn and the Venetian are engaged in a rivalry for the same customers, from high rollers to spa aficionados. And even though the Venetian's four-diamond shadow falls across Wynn's five-diamond property, Wynn has held superior bragging rights to those who keep score of diamonds and stars. But for more than a week, the Venetian has been biting its lip - quietly savoring but not announcing that it has won AAA's Five Diamond award. The resort got the heads-up from AAA, which doesn't reveal the Five Diamond winners until Nov. 9. More Here: Vegas TV this week! How popular is Las Vegas and gambling? Just take a quick scan of all the LIFE ON THE COUCH: Criss Angel preparing to pull lots of tricks from up his sleeve. At this point, we should just be thankful that Criss Angel is using his powers for good. "Mindfreak," the magician's made-in-Vegas A&E series, is a ratings powerhouse. He's set to star in a big-screen version of the comic strip "Mandrake." He's the first performer Cirque du Soleil ever built a show around. And he's conjured up plenty of tabloid headlines by allegedly spending a couple of nights with Britney Spears. (Although, some would argue the bigger trick would have been getting her to spend those nights alone. Or that he made her talent disappear.) Now, he's attempting his greatest feat yet: creating some ratings magic for beleaguered NBC with "Phenomenon" (8 p.m. Wednesday, KVBC-TV, Channel 3). The reality series sounds like an "American Idol" for mentalists, with Angel and famed spoon bender Uri Geller sharing the roles of Randy, Paula and Simon. Sounds like, because the series will air live on the East Coast, meaning no one has seen it, and Angel wants to be kept in the dark. More Here: For the past few years, impressionists have been preserving classic Vegas entertainment for us with their Rat Pack and George Burns bits. But next weekend, a couple of marquees around town will force us to revise that notion. Rich Little launching an extended run at the Golden Nugget? Fred Travalena playing the Suncoast? Some impressionists are classic Vegas. Little, 68, has lived and performed in Las Vegas for years. Travalena, playing the Suncoast Friday through Oct. 28, is more of a novelty. And a delayed (from Oct. 6) 65th birthday party planned for Saturday will have extra resonance for his local friends. More Here: Las Vegas Q and A by Rick Garman Question: I was in Downtown Las Vegas recently and saw a lot of work happening at The Golden Nugget. Didn’t they just finish a big renovation? Are they doing more? Answer: Oh yes, Mark, they are doing a lot more. Landry’s Restaurant chain bought the hotel in 2005 and dumped $100 million into a massive renovation of the property, redoing all of the public areas of the casino and lobby, adding new restaurants and lounges, and putting in a big, fancy new pool area. The construction you saw is part of a separate $70 million expansion that will add more casino space, convention rooms, and a brand new 4,500-square-foot nightclub that will overlook the Fremont Street Experience from the second floor of the hotel. That’s all expected to open by December and includes a revision of the Fremont Street façade of the hotel. But they aren’t stopping there. Next year Landry’s is going to pump another $150 million into the hotel to build a new 500-room hotel tower with even more casino space. That will be constructed next to the existing parking garage, across the street from the current hotel. It is expected to open by 2009. When it is all complete Landry’s will have spent more money on the hotel’s makeover than they spent to buy it. This is great news for not only the hotel but for the Downtown Las Vegas area, which needs an influx of money and development like this desperately. Whether it will be enough to lift the sagging fortunes of the neighborhood is yet to be seen. Question: You seem to be a fan of dessert. Me too! What are your favorites in Las Vegas? Answer: I don’t know how to answer that question, Justin. Not because I don’t know the answer but because I don’t want to get chocolate on my computer keyboard. Anyway, almost every restaurant in town has a dessert worth skipping dinner for, but there are a couple of places that specialize in sweet and therefore win my heart and my stomach. The Chocolate Swan at the Mandalay Place mall (between Luxor and Mandalay Bay) serves up the best chocolates that I have ever tasted, bar none – and I’ve tasted a lot of freaking chocolate my friend. Their milk chocolate caramels are perfection in a half-inch square and their Italian inspired gelatos, rich pastries, delicate yet substantial cakes, and everything else on the menu is just a delight from top to bottom. I almost always make a stop here on my way out of town to get some take home with me. Another frequent stop for things to devour on the car ride home is The Cupcakery, a small storefront that dispenses pure cupcake heaven. Again, not to be a snob or anything, but I know cupcakes and I live in Los Angeles where the designer cupcake is the rage so for me to say that The Cupcakery’s treats are better than anything I’ve tasted here in LA it’s saying a lot. They have a ton of different choices and flavors and I’ve never had one that has disappointed but the Oh My Gosh, Ganache is a particular favorite. Oh, and I nearly drove 300 miles just to try their September special, which was in essence, a Rolo candy in cupcake form. Seriously. More information can be found on their website at www.thecupcakery.com. Those are my choices – I hope you enjoy them. MARVA SCOTT SALUTES DIANA ROSS IN LEGENDS IN CONCERT. By: Norm Johnson/Las Vegas Leisure Guide. One of the best vocal impressionists, and a great friend, has returned to Las Vegas for another couple of months. That's right gang, Marva Scott is once again lighting up the stage at the Imperial Palace with her tribute to The Supremes and, Ms. Diana Ross, in "Legends in Concert." Having logged more hours on a Las Vegas stage than most of her contemporaries, Ms. Scott possesses an unusual and passionate commitment to her craft seldom seen today. She is a performance artist with the ability to change her persona depending on who she is portraying: be it Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Gladys Knight or an uncanny Whoopi Goldberg. Ms. Scott also enrolled in The Strasberg Institute in New York to further her acting career, and studied voice with Seth Riggs in Los Angeles. More Here: Slot Reviews By Gayle Mitchell. Lady Orleans: Atronic. 88-92%. 3 spins. Five ‘Michelles’ translates into the ‘big strike’ for 260,000 credits at the 21 line version. The mask symbol, when gathered in threes, starts a 15 free game event where all jackpots are tripled. As usual, these days, re-spins can occur with this free game event. Also, this slot offers a Mystery Jackpot progressive that hits at random for as much as a whopping $1million. The Sinatra tune comes to mind: “Luck Be a Lady Tonight”. 2) Fountain of Youth: Atronic. 86-96% 3 spins Additionally, the appearance of the Fountain of Youth icon is a scatter pay win. Line up 3, 4 or 5 Fountains of Youth and begin a 10, 14, or 25 free spin bonus round. Before you begin, make your choice of a favorite ‘symbol of youth’—deer, water lily, waterleaf or a water cup which will trigger additional freebie spins. While not necessary to play max coin at all times, this game only requires you to cover all the paylines. This game is a hoot for all players ‘young at heart’. 3) Grizzly: Aristocrat. 88-95%. 3 spins Set in the wilderness with the usual outstanding graphics and audio that is an Aristocrat standard, you search for three bear paw icons to move to the bonus round. At that time, you move the bear to capture fish moving upstream. Your final bonus reward is based on color and number of fish captured. There’s more…12 free games at which time, re-triggering can occur for added free games. Making a ‘great catch’ can result in a 50X generous award. 4) It’s Raining Cash: AC Coin. 83-93%. 3 spins The three reel version is the game Triple Stars, while the five reel version is Double Diamond. Triple Stars includes wild symbols that triples the jackpot and multiplies the win X 9 if two land on a payline with a jackpot symbol. The five reel Double Diamond doubles the jackpot in a nine line format. Three “It’s Raining Cash’ symbols activate the main bonus event where 3 umbrellas rotate displaying cascading bonus amounts. The bonus is accompanied by the music of the Weather Girls singing “It’s Raining Men”. In the end, all this rain ‘drops’ a multiplied credit into your winning hands. 5) The Big Game Show Bonus Slotto: A. C. Coin Big Game Show offers a slot experience coupled with a game board event and a lottery bonus ball event, resulting in a slightly different activity for players with each event and increased excitement overall. As a themed lottery-style bonus game, The Big Game Show Bonus slot simulates a television game show, enhanced with a lottery sphere bonus event. Once a player engages the game and initiates the bonus event, he or she experiences a simulated skill-stop feature that allows that player to control the start of the bonus. The patented Slotto feature then drops down the winning symbol on a lottery ball. Big Game Show has since been released to jurisdictions across North America and has enjoyed rapid acceptance in numerous gaming jurisdictions. In fact, Big Game Show boasts the highest order rate for an AC Coin product thus far in 2007. There is always a welcome mat out to new subscribers. SHOW REVIEW: Penn & Teller By MIKE WEATHERFORD /LAS VEGASREVIEW-JOURNAL Penn & Teller have the only show in town with a jazz piano score. You can say "only" a lot when it comes to their offbeat act, but this qualifier is the one that sets the tone for the comic magicians and their place on the Strip nowadays. Like the Mike Jones' piano music that underscores it, the show is at once complex and high-minded, but also loose and informal. Audiences come to see two guys in their 50s do a well-established routine, but one that mixes new stuff with greatest hits in a seemingly random shuffle. There's no big production or drama, at least not before a finale that trots out handguns. Penn Jillette just ambles out at the beginning, assuming you probably know who he is by now. And if you don't, the fact that he barely acknowledges that his single-named partner Teller is standing there with some kind of concrete block over his head gives you a clue of what you're in for. Penn, the tall one, calls plastic Solo cups "petroleum byproducts." He sets up his juggling of broken liquor bottles by riffing on "a cursory look at strict Darwinism" and life on the "earliest multicellular level." More from The Las Vegas Review Journal here: NORM: Morals clause might come into play. Allegations of sexual misconduct against David Copperfield have the MGM Grand weighing a morals issue. "There's a morals issue in every performer's contract," said a local entertainment insider who has negotiated major deals. "If his case continues down the path it's going, they'd have to take a look at doing something." There's too much at stake "with impropriety involved," the source said. "That's why Michael Jackson had a tough time getting a deal here." Copperfield, a longtime headliner at the MGM Grand, had a digital camera system and computer hard drive seized last week during a raid at his Las Vegas warehouse. The raid is believed to be connected to the sexual allegations made by a Seattle woman, who claims she was attacked at the magician's home in the Bahamas. TMZ.com reported Tuesday that Copperfield often chooses women out of his audiences who are taken backstage, interviewed and photographed with a digital camera. MIKE WEATHERFORD: Gordie Brown beating the odds. When his show opened at The Venetian a year ago, Gordie Brown knew he had some name-building to do. He didn't anticipate a midyear boost from the new prime minister of the United Kingdom. But one of them is going to have to get on track with the "Gordon" versus "Gordie" thing. "I'm the guy in jeans. If we can make him say he does some voices as well, this will be great," says the Canadian impressionist, who was scheduled to toast a year's anniversary at The Venetian Wednesday night. The Piper Heidsieck should have tasted especially savory, after Brown beat the long-shot odds of going into the same casino as the better-branded Blue Man Group and "Phantom — the Las Vegas Spectacular." If that wasn't enough competition for foot traffic, Wayne Brady came along midway through the year to share Brown's theater. For Year Two, Brown finds himself working across town from his mentor, Rich Little, who launches at the Golden Nugget today. More Here: This is Carrot Country
“Wherever you go, there you are,” says the flaming redhead, his eyes sparkling impishly through his eyeliner as the crowd chortles at the ridiculousness of the song. He ends the medley with his favorite: “Four minus three equals zero.” Huh? Despite the mild poking of fun, Scott “Carrot Top” Thompson is a country music fan. So he looks forward to December in Vegas every year, when the belt buckles and hats seem to grow exponentially—in number and size. “I’m one of those that actually enjoys the rodeo crowds,” he says. “I think they’re very energetic; their blue-collar sense and my show kind of fits.” He even has a washing machine full of “redneck props” for the annual occasion. From his seatbelt for rednecks (It’s duct tape that you pull across your chest. “OK! Everybody strapped in? Let’s go!” he says, in a Cletus-style voice) to his dishwasher for rednecks (the machine is low and has an opening “so the dogs can lick your dishes clean”), there’s something for every shade of neck. The propmeister, also known for his hulking upper body and appearances in AT&T commercials, never expected to have a career in comedy. He says his dad, who was a scientist for NASA, was funny, and he, himself, was always the class clown. But he majored in marketing at Florida Atlantic University, fully expecting to have a stable and perhaps slightly boring career. That is, until he attended an open mic night, and found his calling. His love of props developed later, almost by accident. After coming up with a couple of gags (an old lady’s bobbing head on a hat, to wear while driving around in Florida; cowboy boots with a kickstand so the cowboys don’t fall down when they’re drunk) he discovered that people loved the visuals. A few props later, he’d earned himself a reputation—one that he constantly changes and improves. “Just this morning I thought of a hat—it kind of looks like the top of a cab—for johns, so they can hail a hooker,” he says. Then, in his self-deprecating style, he questions whether it’s actually funny. “Not that it’ll work. But I’m always a big fan of doing it. You’ve got to do that, you can’t just live with the same act for the rest of your life.” Carrot Top Looking on the Bright Side of Life. By: Paul Szydelko/Las Vegas Magazine. It’s a raucous world of puns and ploys, quips and gags. Conversations and lyrics spin out of control into utter (or is that udder?) nonsense. Alms for the poor? How about arms for the poor? A zany romp of satire, parody and farce, Monty Python’s Spamalot sheds a whimsical light into the Dark Ages and optimistically challenges audience members to find their grail—whatever that may be. An exasperated, straight-faced King Arthur and a quest from a weary-sounding God are at the center of a loony story, which entails a Lady of the Lake who captivates, a ferocious rabbit that decapitates, a foul-mouthed Frenchman who relentlessly taunts, Lancelot who goes on a journey of self-discovery and not-so-brave Robin who pursues musical theater to avoid confronting various nasty ways to die. Droll references to Michael Moore, Simon Cowell, Britney Spears and modern Las Vegas marketing (“What happens in Camelot stays in Camelot”) keep audiences on their toes. Broadway, more than a thousand years in the future in a country not yet discovered, gets the silly Python treatment. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s oh-so-serious, recurring ballads are the target of the oh-so-serious, recurring “The Song That Goes Like This.” Visual and audio punctuations accompany the punchlines. A cart with a bale of straw rolls onstage for no apparent reason, until the singers shout, “Hey!” The Grail is a symbol, Arthur intones, as a member of the orchestra strikes cymbals. Superb performances abound. Broadway veteran Randal Keith personifies King Arthur. With his erstwhile companion beside him, a redundant Arthur laments his solitude: “I’m all alone, all by myself, there is no one here beside me.” Nikki Crawford shines as the Lady of the Lake, wondering about her role: “Whatever happened to my show? I was a hit, now I don’t know. I’m with a bunch of British knights, prancing ’round in woolly tights.” The legend of Monty Python and “Secrets of the Grail” can be better appreciated with the Very Important Person Package (VIPP), which includes premium seating, a backstage tour after the show and a commemorative grail filled with beer or a soft drink. It’s an opportunity to learn about the craftsmanship behind the dark (and very expensive) forest, the hand of God, and to ask just how many hollow halved coconuts the cast goes through each month. Written by Eric Idle, based on the screenplay of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is an inspiration to find your grail, and to always look on the bright, silly side of life. Spamalot 2 Million and Still Going Strong After breaking every rule on the Las Vegas Strip, MAMMA MIA! raises the bar again as it prepares to welcome its 2 millionth guest at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Thursday, December 13, 2007. Based on the songs of ABBA, MAMMA MIA! continues to be the longest-running and most successful full-scale Broadway musical to ever hit Las Vegas.
By ALAN CHOATE/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL.
Not your grandma's 99 cents shrimp cocktail.
The Strip fills with revelers. Fireworks explode over the hotels. The casinos are body-to-body, the showrooms filled with A-list entertainers and Vegas is more gloriously alive than you've ever seen it. New Year's Eve in Vegas is a world-class celebration.
http://www.vegaspopular.com/
Born too late to see Elvis alive, singer reprises King's whole career.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/do/2007/oct/18/566654806.html
By Liz Benston/Las Vegas Sun
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/consumer/2007/oct/17/566673799.html
From The Las Vegas Advisor.
programming built around them on this page. We list everything from dramatic series
to poker tournaments, from travel specials to sit-com cameos. Check your local
listings for the channels and to verify times.
http://lasvegasadvisor.com/vegastv.cfm
By:Christopher Lawrence/Las Vegas Review Journal.
http://www.lvrj.com/living/10711606.html
MIKE WEATHERFORD: Las Vegas acts leave lasting impression.
http://www.lvrj.com/living/10701226.html
Vegas4Visitors Weekly Column by Rick Garman
http://www.lasvegas-nv.com/norm/index.htm
There are four versions of this slot and for this review, we focus on Michelle who holds the key to the top jackpot and is the reigning wild symbol doubling all jackpots.
This slot can be lucrative because of the frequent emergence of a ‘beautiful lady’ wild symbol.
You are on a fishing trip with a twist—using a grizzly bear character to obtain mounting credits.
Another addition to the popular Slotto series, the lottery themed game with a giant sphere features a chamber with an umbrella that, when triggered, ‘rains cash’.
This is a slot machine with a lottery-style bonus Slotto game that is unlike any other Slotto-style game and has earned its top spot as one of AC Coin & Slot’s most popular product launches.
I encourage you to invite your family and friends to join us.
TO SUBSCRIBE: Send a blank e-mail to: CPon@casinoplayersezine.com
A confirmation message will be sent and require your reply.
Wonderfully Warped: Penn & Teller still drawing laughs with magic, humor.
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/10814316.html
The confiscated equipment might be tied to "a system for picking up women," according to the celebrity Web site TMZ.com.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/10786781.html
http://www.lvrj.com/living/10786686.html
Where: Luxor
When: 8 p.m. Sun.-Mon. & Wed.-Fri.; 9 p.m. Sat.,
Cost: $54.95 & up, 18+,
http://lvshowbiz.com/feature2.html
Where: Wynn
When: 8 p.m. Sun.-Wed & Fri.; 7 & 10 p.m. Sat.
Cost: $75.90 and up
MAMMA MIA! is playing currently in nine productions around the world performed in four different languages.
Posted on December 16th, 2007 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Newsletter
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