Everything Las Vegas Issue # 691: March 6th, 2009
M RESORT SPA CASINO NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
M Resort Spa Casino, the newest $1 billion resort casino located on South Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Rose Parkway, opened its doors to thousands of anxious patrons at 10 p.m. Sunday, March 1. Driven by a personal, hands-on service approach, the M Resort offers the best service and value in gaming, entertainment and dining. The resort opened in its entirety with an electrifying fireworks show at 9:50 p.m.
The M Resort is the product of a collaboration between Anthony A. Marnell III, Chairman and CEO of the M Resort and his father, architect Tony Marnell, Chairman of Marnell Corrao Associates, the premier construction and development company responsible for notable projects throughout Las Vegas including Wynn, Treasure Island, the Mirage, Caesars Palace and the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Since 1976, the Marnell family name has been synonymous with architectural vision, quality and integrity. The Marnells set the standard for casino-resorts worldwide with the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, which became the benchmark for many innovations in Las Vegas and throughout the world that are still widely used today. The M Resort includes both architectural innovation as well as the Marnell brand of hospitality.
“Working with my father on the M is one of the best experiences of my life,” said Anthony A. Marnell III. “He has worked with a number of major casino-resort properties, and I think that over the last 40 years there are things he’s wanted to do and there are things that I’ve seen that I believe should be different in casino-resorts. He and I have had the opportunity to collaborate and the result of that is the M.”
Cutting-edge technologies have been added to the resort to ensure guests receive the highest level of service. The M Resort includes always-on, seamless wireless coverage throughout, allowing guests in different parts of the resort to access wireless voice and data services, mobile phones, BlackBerry™ devices, PDAs and laptops. In addition, an on-site gas station and M Pharmacy provide unique amenities for locals and tourists.
“I believe the M Resort has a lot to offer tourists and Las Vegas locals and exceptional service is at the top of the list,” said Marnell. “The M has been laid out very differently than other Strip resorts and local casinos. Every detail has been thought about over and over again. We are confident the M will raise the bar for resort-casinos and express the future of the industry.”
Residing on more than 90 acres and situated 400 feet higher in elevation than the resort-casinos on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, the M Resort provides optimal views of the famous skyline from the rooms, restaurants and lobby within the resort. The M Resort embodies a unique contemporary architectural design and is infused with rich colors, subtle horizontal lines and finely crafted materials.
ROOM AMENITIES
The M Resort offers 390 exceptionally appointed, oversized guest rooms and suites ranging from 550 to 2,400 square feet. The guest rooms and suites are richly designed with beds featuring a pillow-top mattress and fine linens. Each room offers a living space that includes high-technology amenities such as a Bose® Wave® sound system, iPod® docking station and 42” HD LCD flat screen television. The spa-like bathrooms offer guests a marble vanity with double sinks, inlaid mirror television and separate bathtub and shower. All resort rooms and suites feature automatic lighting controls for energy efficiency and floor to ceiling windows with unrivaled views of the Las Vegas Strip or mountains. Uniquely designed, more than 70 percent of the rooms at the M Resort provide views of the world-famous Las Vegas skyline.
DINING
Dining is the heart and soul of the M Resort, with nine restaurants and five destination bars, all owned and operated by the Marnells. With a passion for food and a desire to introduce new culinary experiences to the public, the M Resort offers a wide variety of dining choices that are designed to become another form of entertainment. The resort has dedicated a block of more than 30,000 square feet of kitchens and culinary facilities to support the nine dining outlets that also feature their own exhibition-style kitchens.
“Food and beverage is not an afterthought at the M Resort. It is our centerpiece and we believe it will be one of the many reasons our guests visit us again and again,” said John Lipkowitz, Executive Vice President and General Manager, M Resort. Lipkowitz has been influential in the conceptualization of many Vegas firsts by using his extensive culinary background and operational expertise to bring the first James Beard Out of House events to a Las Vegas resort in 1995.
Each restaurant was developed to allow for innovative social environments and the majority feature outdoor dining terraces with paramount views of the Las Vegas Strip. The dining line-up includes: Studio B Show Kitchen Buffet, which incorporates a live action cooking studio; Marinelli’s, featuring authentic Italian dishes with recipes from the Marnell family recipe book; Terzetto, a steak and seafood restaurant with Terzetto Oyster Bar providing a casual dining option; Veloce Cibo, the top-floor restaurant and lounge; Red Cup Cafe, an art-deco inspired 24-hour eatery serving American, Asian and south-of-the-border dishes; Hostile Grape, a wine cellar, bar and tasting room; Baby Cakes, a European-inspired patisserie; Vig Deli, an eatery next to the race and sports books and Piazza Grille, a Mediterranean casual dining outdoor restaurant near the expansive pool. The restaurant mix provides a fresh approach to casino dining and was specifically designed to meet the needs of the surrounding Las Vegas community and discerning tourists alike.
M Resort takes great care in preparing dishes to ensure they are made from fresh, quality ingredients, some of which are homegrown and all are hand-picked and made-from-scratch. Terzetto will include a reserve list of prime cuts of beef from the Marnell family ranch and Marinelli’s will feature selections from the Marnell family recipe book as well as a selection of wines from the Marnell private label.
GAMING
With guest comfort and convenience top-of-mind, the casino floor at the M Resort is designed to provide them with the best gaming experience Las Vegas has to offer. From the industry’s most comfortable and easy-to-move chairs, to the latest gaming technology and the most convenient floor design, gaming at the M Resort puts the guest first. The resort offers nearly 1,900 of the newest and most popular slots, a 12-table poker room, 64 table games including Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Mini Baccarat and Pai Gow. Dealers are assigned to tables for an entire month making it easy for players to find a familiar face.
Video poker players will enjoy payouts of up to 100 percent return and the best progressives. Located adjacent to the M Race & Sports Book, the poker room offers 12 tables and features Texas Hold Em’ limit and no-limit variations and daily tournaments. For added convenience, a text or television message will inform players that their seat is ready. The technology continues with one of the industry’s first offerings of handheld gaming as well as a server-based ready and full Ethernet floor.
At the heart of the M Resort casino floor lies a one-of-a-kind high-energy gaming area known as the Jewelry Box, which is exclusive to the resort. While many can only dream about having gorgeous emeralds, rubies, sapphires and diamonds in their jewelry box, the M Resort’s actually does, with each jewel representing a different payout. “There are 124 machines that randomly reward up to $5,000 to players,” said Rich Strafella, Vice President of Casino Operations, M Resort. Every Jewelry Box reward is celebrated with a dazzling visual presentation for everyone to enjoy. iMagine Rewards card members can use their points for cash back, comps and free play including M Resort’s on-site gas station and car wash, M Pharmacy, dining, rooms and suites.
RACE & SPORTS BOOK
M Resort’s Race & Sports Book is a state-of-the-art betting arena with optimal viewing. Adjacent to the Vig Deli, the race and sports book mixes the comforts of home with cutting-edge technology and high-energy gaming excitement. Designed with guest comfort in mind, the race and sports book offers traditional and VIP lounge seating to create a relaxed atmosphere where service is just as important as the game. With an adjacent access point and easy access to parking, the race and sports book is convenient for bettors wanting to make a quick stop or an extended stay to enjoy M Resort’s amenities. The M Resort Race & Sports Book offers individual player betting terminals, lines on all major race and sports events including NASCAR™, golf, tennis and boxing as well unique betting propositions and electronic betting options. Beer lovers can unite inside 32º Draft Bar near the race and sports book, where brews are served at the ideal temperature, the coldest temperature in town right from the tap.
ENTERTAINMENT
Entertaining at every turn, headline concerts, themed pool parties, festivals and other special events will be offered at the 100,000 square foot Villaggio Del Sole Pool and Entertainment Piazza, which will showcase headline entertainment and an unprecedented backdrop of the Las Vegas Strip. Ravello Lounge features nightly live performances by top bands and a late night DJ.
High atop the M Tower, Bar Veloce’s social and contemporary atmosphere is coupled with spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip. An open front bar allows mixlogists to interact with guests and prepare cocktails to order. Live DJ entertainment in the evening hours and special “Velocity” nights will take place.
M Resort’s Lobby Bar provides an entertaining ambiance of live piano and other instrumental performances while guests can order specialty cocktails, wine and beer as well as dishes from either the Oyster Bar or Marinelli’s. Residing at the center of all the action is the stylishly-chic M Bar which features M mixologists and the striking “M Girls.”
MEETING SPACE
For the meeting planner, the M Resort offers more than 60,000 square feet of open and dynamic conference space, including a 17,400 square foot ballroom, multiple reception areas and a convenient business center. Designed for optimal customization, the M Resort provides the latest technology and connectivity along with unmatched flexibility.
“Because the M Resort is a boutique property, we’re able to really work with planners, especially those with small to mid-sized meetings, to provide them with personalized service and the options and flexibility to achieve their meeting objectives,” said Drew Varga, Executive Director of Sales, M Resort.
SPA
For the ultimate in relaxation, guests can indulge and experience revitalization like never before inside the 23,000 square foot Spa Mio. This world-class spa provides the latest treatments and pampered services. Spa Mio offers 16 treatment rooms, sauna, steam and Jacuzzi wet areas, full-service salon and barbershop and a state-of-the-art fitness center – all with spectacular views of the pool and events piazza, Villaggio Del Sole.
ABOUT M RESORT, SPA AND CASINO
M Resort Spa Casino is located on over 90 acres at 12300 Las Vegas Blvd. S. on the southeast corner of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard. Situated higher in elevation than other resort-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, the M Resort provides optimal views of the world-famous Las Vegas skyline from its guest rooms, suites, conference center and restaurants. The resort offers 390 guest rooms and suites, over 92,000 square feet of gaming, nine restaurants and five destination bars, more than 60,000 square feet of meeting and conference space, a state-of-the-art spa and fitness center and a 100,000 square foot events piazza. The M Resort will include up to one million square feet of retail, a partnership with Taubman Centers Inc. and a 14-screen digital movie entertainment complex. For more information, visit www.theMresort.com.
M Resort Opens: By Rick Garman
The M Resort is a $700 million hotel-casino from the Marnell family, a clan you may not have heard of but you definitely know their work. Their Marnell Carrao Associates construction firm was responsible for such famous buildings at Caesars Palace and Wynn Las Vegas. Whether they can run their own hotel casino instead of building them for other people is what we'll find out now that the hotel has had its grand opening. It is located on the far south side of the Las Vegas valley, at the intersection of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Blvd. South (aka The Strip). That's about 10 miles south of Mandalay Bay and for those of you who drive in from Los Angeles, St. Rose is one of the very first exits as you get to the outskirts of Las Vegas.
M features more than 400 rooms in a variety of styles. Standard rooms are generously proportioned and feature a sleek, modern decor with a 42" HD flat panel television, Bose "Wave" sound system, iPod docking station, high-speed Internet access, mini-bar, in-room safe, and a big bathroom with dual vanities, another TV, and a separate tub and shower. Bigger rooms add more square-footage and more niceties including sitting areas, wet bars, spa tubs, and more.
The casino is over 92,000 square-feet and features more than 1,800 slot and video poker machines of all denominations, 64 table games, a poker room, a race and sports book, and a high-limit area with its own outdoor patio.
If you're hungry there are several options:
Studio B – Show Kitchen Buffet
Studio B integrates a state-of-the-art restaurant with a live-action cooking studio. In the main dining room chefs prepare appetizers, entrees, and patisserie desserts. Guests of Studio B can enjoy beer and wine selections as part of their meal at no additional cost. Fast-paced, entertaining and ever–changing live cooking and technique demonstrations by culinary experts will have guests routinely coming back for more.
Marinelli’s –Italian
At Marinelli’s guests can dine in the stylish and comfortable restaurant or enjoy the terrace overlooking the Villaggio Del Sole. Menu selections include risottos, handmade pastas, seafood specialties, steaks, chops and veal dishes as well as selections from the Marnell family recipe book and wines from the Marnell family private label.
Terzetto – Steak and Seafood
Terzetto combines charcoal-grilled steak and seafood with an even better social atmosphere. Guests can savor hand-selected prime cuts of beef, including a reserve list from the Marnell family ranch and seafood specialties. Terzetto Oyster Bar will offer a casual dining option with made-to-order selections including soups, stews, and pan favorites, oysters on the half shell, seafood salads, cocktails, ceviche and pastas. To top it off, guests can enjoy an extensive wine list or hand-crafted cocktails and the unmatched views both inside and outside.
Restaurant Veloce Cibo & Bar Veloce
Gracing the summit of the M Resort, Veloce Cibo combines an extensive menu of appetizers, entrees, sushi, sashimi and nigiri with desserts and a range of hand-crafted cocktails and specialty drinks that will take center stage at Bar Veloce. Veloce Cibo offers amazing views of the Las Vegas skyline from its top floor terrace.
Red Cup Café – 24 Hour Café
This 1920’s art-deco inspired cafe is the place for hand-prepared American classics, Asian cuisine, fresh brewed coffees and homemade desserts. Guests can also choose from a wide variety of breakfast dishes.
Rounding out the dining offerings is a wine tasting room, an artisan bakery, a deli, and an outdoor Mediterranean café.
Entertainment comes in the form of a big outdoor pool area that can be set up for concerts plus a rooftop lounge and restaurant. A spa and salon completes the offerings.
Early reservation rates were running in the $150-250 per night range, but it looks like reality has set in and now you can get a room during the week for as low as $59.
M RESORT: STRIP HEADS SOUTH
Amid recession, M Resort lures casino customers in another direction.
By HOWARD STUTZ/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
It's been almost a decade since Anthony Marnell III worked in a Las Vegas casino. Much has changed during that time. But then again, thanks to the current economic meltdown that has zapped consumer spending and sent gaming revenues spiraling downward, some aspects of the gaming business have reverted to years past.
When Marnell opens the doors tonight to the $1 billion M Resort, he hopes the local customer base remembers the days when his family owned and operated the Rio, where value, inexpensive food and good service were emphasized, as opposed to high-priced meals, over-the-top trendy nightclubs and high-limit gaming.
"I'm used to $75 room rates and reasonably priced buffets," Marnell, M Resort's 35-year-old chief executive officer, said last week as workers completed the final steps toward opening the resort, about 10 miles south of the heart of the Strip.
More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/40499392.html
M Resort Shuttle Scheduele To and From Fashion Show Mall
MONDAY – FRIDAY
M to Strip/Fashion Fashion to M
10:00am
2:00pm
4:00pm
6:00pm
8:30pm
12 noon
Fashion to M
10:45am
12:45pm
2:45pm
4:45pm
9:45pm
7:15pm
SATURDAY
M to Strip/Fashion
11:00am
3:00pm
5:00pm
7:00pm
9:30pm
1:00pm
Fashion to M
11:45am
1:45pm
3:45pm
5:45pm
10:45pm
8:15pm
Sunday
M to Strip/Fashion
10:00am
2:00pm
4:00pm
6:00pm
8:30pm
12 noon
Fashion to M
10:45am
12:45pm
2:45pm
4:45pm
9:45pm
7:15pm
Steve's Las Vegas Quickies:
Cook E. Jarr Still Going Strong : From accessvegas.com
Every once in a while, we get asked if Las Vegas legend Cook E. Jarr is still playing. Yes, still playing and yes, still worth checking out. Catch him at Harrah's Carnival Court on Friday and Saturday Nights from 6-8 PM. Jimmy Kimmel once said "If you haven't seen Cook E. Jarr, you haven't been to Vegas." I agree. More info at cookejarr.com
The OASIS Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch/From accessvegas.com
The Oasis Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch is back every Sunday, 11a to 2p, at Panevino Ristorante. (Sunset Road one block of Las Vegas Blvd. literally 5 minutes from Mandalay Bay with a nice view of The Strip in the distance). Treat yourself to a glass of Korbel California Champagne, a delicious brunch and live Smooth Jazz! Call Panevino Ristorante for reservations at 222-2400.
Three weeks after the stunning closure of "An Evening at La Cage," headliner Frank Marino said he's optimistic he'll return to the Riviera as producer of a drag revue.
Talk is circulating in the show community that "Crazy Girls" may soon follow "An Evening at La Cage" out of the Riviera. Both are helmed by producer Norbert Aleman. But company manager Karen Raider said Wednesday, "Things are going fine and 'Crazy Girls' is not closing."
There's talk about the new musical version of "Spider-Man" going to Broadway instead of Las Vegas. That's still good news, albeit with more travel expenses, for Scott Fisher. His Las Vegas-based Fisher Technical Services is overseeing the mechanical effects for the new musical.
"The flying is going to be pretty spectacular, (and) we're the only ones in the world with the technology necessary to do it," he says. Fisher's company also did the superchandelier for "Phantom" at The Venetian, and he promises some "nifty new toys" will be deployed for "Spider-Man."
Risque comedian Andrew Dice Clay will be the first entertainer to perform at the Palazzo's Sugarcane Live!, formerly the Sugarcane Lounge, beginning March 25 and continuing through April 4.
Monster Circus, beginning March 19 at the Las Vegas Hilton, combines a high-octane live rock concert with sexy dancers, human circus acts, aerialists, freaks and of course, a tour bus full of platinum certified rock stars. An irreverent ringmaster along with Sicko The Clown, Monster Circus' mascot, lead the audience along the 75-minute journey through the powerhouse rock and metal anthems of the '70s, '80s and '90s. March dates are March 19-21 & 26-28 at 11 p.m.
NBC cameras will film three days of poker this weekend at Caesars Palace. Some 64 of the world’s best poker players, including defending champion Chris Ferguson, 2008 WSOP champion Peter Eastgate, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Jamie Gold, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu, will compete in the National Heads Up Poker Championship. Celebrity players include Brad Garrett, Orel Hershiser, Jennifer Tilly and GoDaddy.com ladies Danica Patrick and Candice Michelle. The player brackets will be selected at Pure tonight. Play starts tomorrow at 1 p.m. with gorgeous LeeAnn Tweeden as the Heads Up reporter. The best-of-three championship match takes place Sunday, and the tournament will be taped for broadcast and aired on NBC over six consecutive Sundays in April and May beginning April 12.
The world's longest-running celebrity tribute show "Legends in Concert," has moved to its new home next door at Harrah's after concluding a historic 25 year run at Imperial Palace. "Legends" is newly revamped with a new set and shares the showroom with comedienne Rita Rudner. The opening superstar tribute lineup is comprised of Jay Leno, Garth Brooks, Whitney Houston, The Temptations and Elvis Presley. Tickets are $59.95 and $49.95 for adults, call 800-392-9002.
New York's famed piano bar Don't Tell Mama (DTM) founded in 1985 has opened a Vegas outpost downtown at 517 Fremont Street East next to the Beauty Bar. The new drinking place brings with it a tradition of crooning off-duty actors, singing bartenders and former professionals. Happy hour begins at 6 p.m. and entertainment at 8 p.m. The official opening will take place on March 9. For information, call 702-207-0788.
ABC Primetime's "What Would You Do?" hosted by John Quinones recently spent four days filming at Las Vegas' Hash House A Go Go restaurant located at 6800 West Sahara Avenue. The show, which sets up public scenarios and films the reactions of people on hidden cameras, airs on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. on ABC. Hash House A Go Go Las Vegas famous for its unusual d‚cor and enormous portions will be featured prominently in the show along with its highly involved customers. Expected air date for the Hash House A Go Go segments is mid-March. In addition, Hash House A Go Go was recently featured on The Food Network's "Rachel Ray's Vacation." For information, call 702-804-4646.
In a precedent setting move which could finally set the inevitable future of internet marketing The Plaza Hotel & Casino and Vegas Club Hotel & Casino are offering up to three free standard room nights to guests who find a lower room rate offered on any of their partner websites. Most other Las Vegas hotels currently only offer to match the price or offer a minor discount from them. The list of partners include (but are not limited to): Hotwire.com, Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotels.com and others. Call 1-800-634-6575 to book rooms and for full rules and details or visit their website.
Through May 16, the Mirage is offering a two-night/two-ticket package for Terry Fator's new show. On Mon.-Fri., the deal (which includes a Deluxe room) is $263 and on Fri.-Sun., it's $313. Call 888/634-7111 and cite promo codes "Fator Weekday" or "Fator Weekend."
It took 10 weeks for Time Magazine to weigh in on Encore but it was worth the wait. Steve Wynn's newest property is praised as "a resort with gaming, rather than a gaming resort." All of the restaurants draw praise except Wazuzu ("mediocrity rules"), while the hotel tower is lauded as "48 floors of tranquility," and the property as a whole "exudes elegance [and] oozes calm … if living well is the best revenge for recession, this is the place to do it."
As befits their larger-than-life style, a 26-story wrap of Penn & Teller now adorns the east side of the Rio. The 27,000-square-foot image of the irreverent illusionists celebrates their 35th anniversary as a team and as the "Bad Boys of Magic." They've been resident in Vegas for the last 16 years and have been at the Rio since 2001. Their Showtime series, "Bullsh*t!", is going into its seventh season, making it the longest-running series in the cable channel's history. The Rio wrap will be officially illuminated at 5 p.m. tonight.
NORM: Siegfried & Roy answers on '20/20'
The one-hour "20/20" special Friday on ABC about the return of Siegfried & Roy will clear up "a lot of the rumors and misconceptions of what Roy can do and can't do," the show's executive producer says.
John Green said host Elizabeth Vargas and "20/20" producers have been working for six months on the story of Roy Horn's recovery and the effect of the tiger incident on Siegfried Fischbacher.
Five ABC cameras shot the German illusionists' one-night-only return to the stage Saturday at Bellagio during the Keep Memory Alive "Power of Love" fundraiser for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute. ABC's exclusivity agreement prohibited photography coverage other than at the red carpet.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/40499382.html
Long farewell for Siegfried & Roy.
Duo perform for charity benefit with tiger that mauled illusionist.
By MIKE WEATHERFORD/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Siegfried & Roy never had a proper goodbye.
The legendary Las Vegas illusionists were never sure how long they would carry on. But retirement was forced on them in October 2003 when Roy Horn was mauled onstage by one of his show tigers.
Six years after Horn's determined rehabilitation, the two returned for a brief performance Saturday night that was both a comeback and a farewell, performing in front of about 1,000 people at the Keep Memory Alive fundraiser for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute.
The short performance that capped a live auction began with a hooded torch-bearing acolyte walking onstage after the introduction, "The spirit of Siegfried and Roy has just arrived."
More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/40499397.html
NORM: Manager denies Roy had ailment.
Siegfried & Roy's manager on Sunday rebutted a local news report that claimed Roy Horn is battling a condition that causes bleeding in his lungs.
"That's crazy crap," said Bernie Yuman. "Roy has nothing wrong with him. He is in perfect health considering he's gone through this very debilitating experience."
Horn's alleged health issue appeared as an unattributed sentence in a LasVegasWeekly.com blog about the party scene during Saturday's Keep Memory Alive "Power of Love" benefit for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute.
The event culminated with Siegfried & Roy's farewell to show business, an eight-minute multiple-illusion performance that featured Montecore, the white tiger that left Horn near death from bites 5 1/2 years ago onstage at The Mirage.
More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/40525842.htm
NORM: Illusionists reveal their struggles.
"Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Returns" reveals a tale of how both entertainers coped with adversity after the career-ending tiger attack 51/2 years ago.
While Roy Horn struggled with challenging physical issues of relearning to walk and talk, Siegfried Fischbacher battled "severe" depression, according to Elizabeth Vargas, host of the ABC News' "20/20" special.
Their individual stories emerge during the one-hour show that airs at 9 tonight on 20/20.
Vargas told The Associated Press that Fischbacher was "honest" about the dealing with "something we know as 'caregivers' syndrome,' when people who take care of others forget to take care of themselves.
"Roy, for all his improvements, is still terribly, terribly injured. But Siegfried has had struggles of his own. He really lived for the stage, and then it was taken away in one moment."
The "20/20" crew spent weeks with the illusionists leading up to and including their farewell performance at the Keep Memory Alive "Power of Love" benefit for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.
Horn has fought back from serious brain injury.
"His doctor says it's an outright miracle that this man is walking and talking and doing what he is doing," Vargas told the New York Post.
"This guy wasn't at death's door; he walked through it three times. He died three times on the operating table."
http://www.lvrj.com/news/40836482.html
Las Vegas Entertainment News/March 2009 by Chuck Rounds.
Springtime in Las Vegas is a beautiful thing. The weather is perfect to the point that everything seems right with the world. March is one of the best times of the year to come to Las Vegas. This is an interesting year, though…the economy is in the toilet, Vegas has been marked as the place where giant corporations come to waste bailout money (which has scared other conventions away,) and we have more foreclosures than anywhere else in the country. Tourism is down, gaming is down, and there are shows and businesses closing all over the place. It is a tough time, but that is no secret to anyone…and yet, there are still hundreds of conventions coming into town; students from all over the country make Vegas their Spring Break destination; there is St. Patrick's Day; March Madness, NASCAR; pools are opening up, there are still new shows opening as others are closing.
Egad…the economy has taken its toll on our entertainment industry. We have heard about "Folies Bergere," but we now have several other iconic shows that are packing their bags and closing their doors…the third longest running show in town, after 24 years, "An Evening at La Cage" shut down. Frank Marino was very cheery and says that after a long vacation will open a new show. Also, The Scinta's will be ending their run at the Hilton, and there are even rumors that Lance Burton might be closing down as well.
On a better note, "Ignite," a new fire and magic show, will be opening at the Greek Isles Hotel on March 13th. The show stars Antonio Restivo, who is formerly the star of "Bite," and continues to perform in the "Tournament of Kings." The show is also exciting because I am the show's director. It will be a great show. There is a tremendous cast, and it's an exciting concept. Come and see the show. It plays at 11:00 pm nightly and is dark on Mondays.
Springtime brings a sense of renewal to the air. Since the beginning of recorded history, there have always been celebrations in the spring honoring that spirit of rejuvenation. It is the end of winter. Spring is about re-birth, life after death, and a fresh start after a cold period in our lives. All of these things that we naturally feel in ourselves could easily characterize the nature of entertainment in Las Vegas during March. This is the time to get new things going. In Vegas, just like in any other city in the country, Spring-cleaning will occur, and we'll have more garage sales than at any other time of the year.
Replacing the Scinta's in the Shimmer Cabaret at the Las Vegas Hilton will be Earl Turner and Lani Misaluci.
Kathleen Dunbar will headline at the Riviera Comedy Club March 23rd to 29th. Her comedy has been called sexy and sassy, but never dirty. Recently named the Midwest's newest and funniest female comedienne, Kathleen is fresh off a Midwestern comedy club circuit. She has also performed with Bob Saget, Emo Phillips and Bob Zany. Joining in on the fun is Dave Russo who received national attention when he beat out over 30,000 entertainers in 10 major cities to be a part of E! Entertainment Network's "The Entertainer."
Tickets are on sale for preview and regular performances of "Peepshow," the sexy new production set to open at Planet Hollywood. "Peepshow," starring television personality Mel B and sultry television siren Kelly Monaco, will open for preview performances on March 30, 2009, with an opening night gala planned for April 18 of 2009. "Peepshow" is a highly stylized, full-throttle production show that combines sexy striptease and celebrity with high-level production values and a dash of passion, "Peepshow" is a collaboration between Tony award-winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell and Las Vegas entertainment pacesetter BASE Entertainment.
The legendary comedy performer – "Mr. Warmth," Don Rickles, returns to the city where he first starred as a headliner more than 50 years ago, Rickles will be performing at The Orleans Showroom at 8 p.m. each evening March 20, 21 and 22. Rickles took his first step toward national fame in 1957, when Frank Sinatra wandered in to the small Hollywood nightclub where Rickles was performing. The still-unknown Rickles eyed Sinatra and said, "I just saw your movie, The Pride and the Passion, and I want to tell you, the cannon's acting was great. And, make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody." Sinatra doubled up laughing and became one of Rickles' biggest boosters among Hollywood celebrities. He soon became the "in" comic among the Hollywood stars, who flocked to his nightclub engagements to become the targets of his "insults."
ND's Fuego – The Evolution of Nightlife, a multi-faceted new nightclub at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is a Latin-themed club that combines elements of an interactive production with live performances creating an exciting and unique evolution of Las Vegas nightlife. The nightclub provides a total sensory experience with state-of-the-art technology and integrated performances by talented dancers and singers backed by live music. Interludes with surreal characters, elaborate costumes, high-tech digital imaging and guest performances from world-renowned DJs make ND's Fuego a premier nightlife destination.
For more than 40 years, The Temptations have shined as pioneers of popular music with decades of smash hits and sold-out performances. From March 12-15, Otis Williams, Bruce Williamson, Terry Weeks, Ron Tyson and Joe Herndon will come together again at The Orleans Showroom for four nights, starting at 8 p.m. each evening. The Temptations are central characters in the history of contemporary American pop. An essential component of the original Motown machine invented by Berry Gordy, The Temptations began their musical career in Detroit in the early '60s. Beyond their fabulous singing, The Temptations became known for smooth-stepping and flawless presentations. The Temptation Walk became the staple of American style, flair, flash and class.
Cirque du Soleil and Springs Preserve host the eighth annual Run Away with Cirque du Soleil 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk on Saturday, March 21. Returning this year, Mayor Oscar Goodman will be on hand to perform the shotgun start and Nevada Public Radio's President & General Manager Flo Rogers will emcee the day's events. Race Day Registration begins at 7 a.m. with the 5K and 1 Mile Fun Walk starting at 8:30 a.m. The first 1200 participants to sign up will receive an event t-shirt and free raffle tickets for a chance to win tons of different prizes. Cirque du Soleil's musicians and performers for the day's activities will provide entertainment. Massage therapy, face painting, a circus play area for children and refreshments donated by Whole Foods Market will also be available. Runners and walkers can either download an application form or register online at www.cirquedusoleil.com/5krun. All proceeds from the race, walk and raffle will benefit the Springs Preserve Foundation.
Seth Grabel has created a new style of magic, Acrobatic Magic. Grabel fuses acrobatic skills similar to that of Cirque Du Soleil with slight of hand stage magic. You can catch his show at the Harmon Theater 9pm every night opening for The Amazing Johnathan (dark Sunday, Monday).
The real-life inspiration behind hit television series "The Partridge Family," The Cowsills, will perform at the Suncoast Showroom at 7:30 p.m. on March 6, 7 and 8. Distinguished by their harmonies and sun-kissed melodies, The Cowsills' origins lie with brothers Bill and Bob, who as children began their singing careers covering Everly Brothers hits. Given guitars by their father, Navy man William "Bud" Cowsill, the siblings soon recruited younger brothers Barry and John to play bass and drums. After signing with MGM in 1967, The Cowsills had their first million-selling single. They performed on such notable TV shows as the Ed Sullivan Show, the Johnny Cash Show, the Tonight Show, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, and had their own NBC television special in 1968.
Sporting events will bolster the economy in Vegas this month. The race weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will feature all of the big names of NASCAR. The Speedway fully expects to again sell out at this year's event. Over 140,000 fans will be on hand to watch the races-and big crowd always means big entertainment. The other big sports event is the March Madness tournament. Every sports book in town will be packed throughout the event. These events bring in a lot of people, and when the game is over, all these folks want something else great to watch.
There will be a St. Patrick's Day parade in Downtown Las Vegas, and every Irish Pub in the city will put on some sort of celebration.
As far as all of the other entertainment goes…
Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament
Thomas & Mack Center Mar 10 – Mar 14
Juice Newton
Buffalo Bill's Resort Mar 11 – Mar 12
The Temptations
Orleans Hotel Mar 12 – Mar 15
Atlanta Rhythm Section & Special Guest Bob Welch
Suncoast Hotel Mar 13 – Mar 14
Credence Clearwater Revisited
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 13 – Mar 14
Cut Copy with Matt & Kim
Mandalay Bay Mar 13
Jay Leno
Mirage Mar 13 – Mar 14
Kenny Loggins
Green Valley Ranch Mar 13
Sha Na Na
South Point Casino Mar 13 – Mar 15
Wranglers Professional Hockey
Orleans Hotel Mar 13 – Mar 14
Charlie Murphy
Mandalay Bay Mar 14
Gilby Clarke
Sunset Station Mar 14
Jewel
Boulder Station Mar 14
Kenny Loggins
Aliante Station Mar 14
Los Temerarios
Buffalo Bill's Mar 14
Tarver vs. Dawson
Palms Casino Mar 14
Cute is What We Aim For w/ Meg & Dia and Breathe Carolina
Mandalay Bay Mar 15
The Third weekend has…
Joe Bonamassa
Mandalay Bay Mar 17
Wranglers Professional Hockey
Orleans Hotel Mar 17
Michael Schenker Group
Mandalay Bay Mar 18
Silver Dollar Circuit Quarter Horse Event & Gift Show
South Point Casino Mar 18 – Mar 22 – Free
T.I., the King of the South, and Friends
Thomas & Mack Center Mar 18
Blue October w/ Ours
Mandalay Bay Mar 19
Platinum Masters' Monster Circus
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 19 – Mar 21
Tom Jones
MGM Grand Mar 19 – Apr 1
An Evening with Clint Holmes & Musical Director Bill Fayne
Suncoast Hotel Mar 20 – Mar 22
Don Rickles
Orleans Hotel Mar 20 – Mar 22
Jay Leno
Mirage Mar 20 – Mar 21
Knight Rider Festival 2009
Fremont Street Experience Mar 20 – Mar 21
Vicki Lawrence
South Point Casino Mar 20 – Mar 22
Wranglers Professional Hockey
Orleans Hotel Mar 20 – Mar 21
Babyface and Jordan Sparks
Buffalo Bill's Mar 21
Better Than Ezra
Silverton Hotel Mar 21
The fourth weekend presents:
Bette Midler
Caesars Palace Mar 24 – Apr 5
Wranglers Professional Hockey
Orleans Hotel Mar 24
Neil Sedaka
Orleans Hotel Mar 26 – Mar 29
Platinum Masters' Monster Circus
Las Vegas Hilton Mar 26 – Mar 28
The AP Tour featuring the Maine, 3OH!3, Family Force 5, More . . .
Mandalay Bay Mar 26
Candlebox w/ Jet Black Stare, Royal Bliss
Silverton Hotel Mar 27
Daniel Tosh
Mandalay Bay Mar 27
Ray Romano & Kevin James
Mirage Mar 27 – Mar 28
Sheena Easton
South Point Casino Mar 27 – Mar 28
Spring Wine & Jazz Fest
Golden Nugget Mar 27 – Mar 29
The Osmond Brothers
Suncoast Hotel Mar 27 – Mar 29
Wranglers Professional Hockey
Orleans Hotel Mar 27
2009 Extreme Thing Action Sports/Music Festival
Desert Breeze Skate Park Mar 28
Charlie Daniels
Silverton Hotel Mar 28
John Edward
Flamingo Las Vegas Mar 28
Los Tigres del Norte y Banda El Recodo
South Point Casino Mar 28
Monster Jam World Finals 2009
Sam Boyd Stadium Mar 28
Montgomery Gentry
Buffalo Bill's Mar 28
Touch-A-Truck
Orleans Hotel Mar 28
Hollywood Undead, Senses Fail, Haste the Day & Brokencyde
Mandalay Bay Mar 29
And the fifth weekend of the month has…
Suffocation w/ Whitechapel, Decrepit Birth, Veil of Maya & Psycroptic
Mandalay Bay Mar 31
Moody Blues
Buffalo Bill's Apr 1
David Spade Live
Venetian Resort Apr 2 – Apr 4
3 Doors Down
Green Valley Ranch Apr 3
Air Supply
Suncoast Hotel Apr 3 – Apr 5
Alan Jackson
Buffalo Bill's Apr 3
Big League Weekend: Colorado Rockies vs. Seattle Mariners
Cashman Center Apr 3 – Apr 4
Gladys Knight
Orleans Hotel Apr 3 – Apr 5
Glass Craft & Bead Expo
South Point Casino Apr 3 – Apr 5
Jay Leno
Mirage Apr 3 – Apr 4
Keith Anderson w/ Luke Bryan and the Lost Trailers
Mandalay Bay Apr 3
The Lettermen
South Point Casino Apr 3 – Apr 5
Wranglers Professional Hockey
Orleans Hotel Apr 3 – Apr 4
The Outlaws
Cannery Casino Apr 4
Trace Adkins
Buffalo Bill's Apr 4
44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
MGM Grand Apr 5
Academy of Country Music All-Star Jam & After Party
MGM Grand Apr 5
Fall Out Boy
Palms Casino Apr 5
Academy of Country Music – Artist of the Decade Special
MGM Grand Apr 6
For dates and times, be sure to log onto the Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide: ( www.lvol.com ).
I Go Shows ( www.Igoshows.com ) is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.
'MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL' CELEBRATES 1,500TH SHOW AT LAS VEGAS HILTON
Menopause The Musical, which debuted at the Las Vegas Hilton on February 1, 2006 and continues playing to sold out audiences nightly, celebrates its 1,500th tonight (Monday) at 7 p.m..
The hit production recently welcomed Queen Emily (one of the top five finalists in "America's Got Talent") as a cast member. She joins Paige O'Hara, the voice of "Belle" in the Disney classic "Beauty and the Beast" as well as Cheryl Spencer and Laura Lee O'Connell.
"Menopause The Musical has proven that a clever and witty production can have a successful, sustained run in Las Vegas," said Ken Ciancimino, executive vice-president of the Las Vegas Hilton.
Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, Writer/Producer Jeanie Linders created the show as a celebration of women who are on the brink of, in the middle of, or have survived "The Change." From its first performance, the show has evolved as a "grassroots" movement of women who deal with life after 40 and all the challenges that result in the mental, physical and spiritual freedom of the post-World War II baby boomer generation. Since it's inception in 2001, it has played to nearly eleven million people across the world.
Showtimes for Menopause The Musical in the Las Vegas Hilton's Shimmer Cabaret are Mon., Tues., Thur., Fri., 7 p.m., Saturday 4 p.m. & 7 p.m., and Sunday 6 p.m. Dark Wednesdays. Tickets are $49.50 (plus tax and service charge) and can be purchased at the Las Vegas Hilton box office, online at www.lvhilton.com, www.vegas.com, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 702-732-5755 or 1-800-222-5361. For group sales, call 888-440-6662, ext. 3.
Larry G. Jones: Special For ELV Readers.
LAS VEGAS' "IMPRESSIONIST OF THE YEAR" DOUBLES DOWN WITH AN UNBEATABLE ENTERTAINMENT PACKAGE.
'Larry G. Jones – Singing Impressionist' Offers
Free VIP and Open Bar Upgrade To ELV Subscribers
You don’t need a tap on the shoulder to remind you about the economy when it’s already smacking you in the face. That's why Larry G Jones is offering to help Everythinglv.com readers to ‘forget about life for a while’ with a special free Open Bar VIP upgrade for his singing impressionist-comedy show at the Royal Resort Hotel in Las Vegas at 99 Convention Center Drive (between Wynn Las Vegas and the Riviera).
Patrons of Jones' entertaining show who purchase tickets in advance with the ELV promo code can enjoy upgraded seating and open bar (normally $59.95) for the regular GA price of $44.95. The Open Bar VIP package encompasses VIP seating, an autographed photo and unlimited drinks from 8 to 10 p.m., including domestic draft beers, house wine and well drinks with premium liquors including: Smirnoff, Beefeater, Bacardi, Jose Cuervo and more.
Combine all that with seeing Jones, Las Vegas' "Impressionist of the Year," in a smoke-free, elegant, off-Strip venue with easy access, tons of free parking just outside the door and you’re in for a great night. There's not a bad seat in the intimate venue as Jones dazzles crowds with dozens of rapid-fire impressions lampooning Vegas' biggest shows (including Cirque, The Jersey Boys, The Rat Pack, and Cher) and the music industry's greatest singers(ranging from the Bee Gees to Johnny Cash to four of The Temptations). With a non-stop who’s who of Billboard’s top hits from the past 50 years along with song parodies, physical comedy and audience participation, Larry G Jones’ award winning show brings down the house with big laughs for all ages. Opening the show nightly will be Red Skelton impersonator Brian Hoffman with Skelton's signature slapstick comedy. Preview videos clips are available at www.larrygjones.com.
This ‘Special pricing’ will be available by advanced reservations only for a limited time. Performances run Sunday through Wednesday at 9 p.m. at the Royal Resort Hotel (1/2 block from the Encore).
To take advantage of this Incredible Deal: Go to http://www.LarryGJones.com or call 1-800-595-4849. Choose your date, Select the ‘VIP Open Bar Ticket’ and Use Promo Code: ‘ELV’ (all caps).
Riding Shotgun With Metro By Brian Rouff
“Let me get this straight,” my wife says. “If somebody shoots you, I don’t see a dime?”
“Yeah, that’s basically it. It’s not like they give you a choice.”
I can’t tell if she’s amused or annoyed. Probably both. We’re talking about the “Waiver and Release of Claims and Indemnity” I had signed to go on a Metro ride-along with my son-in-law, Officer Sean Miller.
Signing that form was, in fact, the second scariest part of the entire experience. The first scariest part was waiting in the office of the Metro public information officer while she ran my background check. Officer Barbara Morgan is a pleasant woman with a winning smile, but she also carries a gun. And during the 15 minutes she left me cooling my heels, I imagined her uncovering all manner of unknown skeletons. By the time she came back, I was ready to assume the position.
More here:
http://living-las-vegas.com/2009/03/police-ridealong-las-vegas/
MGM Mirage Flirts with Cosmo By Rick Garman
As part of a complex financial deal, MGM Mirage may wind up with another hotel in its portfolio: the under construction Cosmopolitan. A report surfaced this week that the company is in talks with Deutsche Bank to secure the rest of the money it needs to finish the massive CityCenter complex it is building. In exchange for hundreds of millions of dollars, MGM Mirage would take over management of the neighboring Cosmopolitan or even take ownership of the property.
Sounds odd doesn’t it? A bank lending a casino company a massive amount of money and then giving it another casino? That would sort of be like you getting a loan to buy a house and having the bank give you the money and a second house. Well, it’s not as strange as it sounds.
Deutsche took over the Cosmopolitan last year after its original owners couldn’t meet obligations and has been looking for someone to run the place once it opens. Deutsche is not in the casino business and wants to get rid of what could be a big liability on its balance sheets. So what better way than to have one of the biggest casino companies in the world take the reins?
The real risk here seems to be for MGM Mirage, which would not only be taking on even more debt than it already has but also taking on another hotel casino in this rough economy.
CityCenter is the gargantuan complex of hotels, condos, casino space, entertainment, and shopping that is under construction on The Strip between Monte Carlo and Bellagio. The estimated $11 billion project is scheduled to open in phases starting in October of this year.
The Cosmopolitan is a nearly $4 billion hotel and casino complex wedged onto a relatively small slice of land in between CityCenter and Bellagio. It is scheduled to open sometime in the spring of 2010.
http://vegas4visitors.com/
Vegas4Visitors Weekly Awards By Rick Garman
The Special Guest of the Week Award goes to the surprise performer that joined Siegfried and Roy on stage at their farewell performance last weekend. The guest? Montecore… the tiger that bit Roy. Hmmm. That’s about all I have to say about that. The Parade of the Week Award goes to Legends in Concert, the impersonator show which had a Mardi Gras style procession along The Strip from Imperial Palace to their new home at Harrah’s. Participating in the parade were Elvis, Diana Ross, Madonna, Elton John, Dolly Parton, and more… or at least impersonator versions of them.
The I Need Help Award of the Week goes to all Las Vegas visitors who may be saying that a little more often when the Traveler’s Aid station at McCarran International Airport closes at the end of March. The booth, funded by the airport but managed by Catholic Charities, helped travelers who found themselves stuck at the airport for whatever reason with vouchers for cabs, meals, and other services. Declining tourism has cut into the airport’s revenue and they say they can’t afford to keep the aid station going anymore.
The Now I’m Hungry Award of the Week goes to the Epicurean Charitable Foundation and the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum who are teaming up to create a healthy eating exhibit at Lied. The exhibit will have interactive features designed to help parents and kids start talking about nutrition. The food fun starts March 28.
Station Casinos refuses Boyd offer
Company to proceed with restructuring plan.
By ARNOLD M. KNIGHTLY/LAS VEGAS review-journal
Station Casinos' board of directors on Tuesday officially rejected Boyd Gaming Corp.'s unsolicited $950 million offer for a majority of Station's assets.
It is "in the best interest of the company and its stakeholders to proceed with the company's restructuring plan," Station said in a letter sent to its main rival in the locals gaming industry.
Rob Stillwell, Boyd's vice president of corporate communications, said the company will respond to Station's rejection letter today.
But he said Tuesday afternoon that "we remain interested in acquiring some or all of the assets of Station Casinos."
More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/40703352.html
MIKE WEATHERFORD: Elvis tribute artist returning to Strip.
Elvis is back in a new building, and arriving in style means making room for two prop Lear jets backstage.
"I have no idea where he puts his," Trent Carlini says of his new landlord, magician Steve Wyrick. "But I told him, 'Steve, we're not married. You have your jet and I'll have mine.' "
Popular Elvis impersonator Carlini officially launches "Elvolution" on Monday in Wyrick's theater in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, after previews this week for test audiences.
It's Carlini's return to the Strip for the first time since his Sahara revue abruptly closed last summer, after going through two producers. But this time he is working for himself.
More from The LVRJ here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/40770247.html
Knocking out a few numbers with Wayne Newton at the MGM Grand.
BY: John Katsilometes/Las Vegas Sun
I’ve been to more Wayne Newton shows than I care to count (OK, seven), including last night’s performance at the MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre. The Wayner closes his run tonight, but he’ll be back April 23-April 29. Between now and then he’ll embark on a typically nomadic U.S. tour of such burgs as Lincoln, R.I. and Wheeling, W.V. On March 12, he’s headlining the Amaine Center for the Arts in Moncton, Neb. If Inkom, Idaho, were to build a performing arts center, The Wayner would probably hit that haunt, too (“You Inkomites are HOT!”).
In a purely Vegas development that often strikes me dumb – no achievement, that — I am friends with The Wayner. Yep, we go back more than a decade now, dating to the days when scrubbed the pens of his African Penguins at Casa de Shenandoah. So it’s always a charge to catch up with Team Newton, which I did after the performance last evening (check out the attached photo, which, at the risk of speaking in platitudes, is the greatest picture ever taken since the advent photographic technology). The show was, as it has been for more than 40 years, a uniquely Las Vegas experience. To borrow a line from Mr. Las Vegas himself, “Here’s a medley of numbers that I really enjoy, and I hope you enjoy, too.”
More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2009/mar/04/knocking-out-few-numbers-wayne-newton/
Three-time champion bartender reclaims title.
International event draws 70 bartenders from 15 countries.
By: Melissa Arseniuk/Las Vegas Sun
After 365 days of playing second fiddle, Rodrigo Delpech is back at the top of his game.
After losing to Dario Doimo at last year’s Legends of Bartending competition, the stout-yet-flashy barman rallied at LAX late Tuesday night to reclaim his title.
“I won the first two rounds, and I feel pretty good right now,” Delpech said just before the winners were announced.
The star Argentinean bartender has been slinging drinks, juggling bottles, and otherwise impressing thirsty clients for years.
More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/mar/05/three-time-champion-bartender-reclaims-title/
Emily David: From reality TV to ‘Menopause’
By: Jerry Fink/Las Vegas Sun
Emily David relishes the success that has changed her life since placing fifth last year on “America’s Got Talent.”
The accolades, fame and fortune have finally rained down upon 41-year-old Queen Emily, an R&B singer with a powerful voice who began singing in a church choir in her native Houston.
“I was a little girl when they put me in front of a microphone at church one Easter,” David says. “They had to snatch the mike from me, I was so loud.”
After a lifetime of struggle for Queen Emily, doors are swinging open. She recently joined the Las Vegas cast of “Menopause the Musical,” playing the role of Professional Woman.
More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/mar/04/reality-tv-menopause/
March 1, 2009 Vegas Values Report
http://americancasinoguide.com/information/vegas-values/march-1-2009-vegas-values-report.shtml
Manilow Begins Fifth Year Headlining At Las Vegas Hilton
From: Casino Travel News
Superstar Barry Manilow, who has made the Las Vegas Hilton his home since February 23, 2005, returns to kick off his fifth year February 26-28 in the legendary Hilton Theater.
Manilow began his long-term engagement with the Hilton in 2005 with “Manilow: Music and Passion.” His new show “Ultimate Manilow: The Hits” debuted in the July of 2008. “Ultimate Manilow: The Hits” is packed with chart-topping music spanning his spectacular career, and gives fans an opportunity to enjoy decades of Manilow’s hits and his amazing showmanship.
An added bonus to Manilow’s performances is the “Ultimate Bar,” a working bar located inside the Hilton Theater that features many of Manilow’s gold and platinum records from his personal collection and great career photos. The Manilow Store, located inside the Hilton, features the infamous Copacabana jacket and dozens of Manilow products.
Manilow began his long-term engagement with the Las Vegas Hilton after more than three decades of performing and a career that has produced more than 50 albums.
Manilow performs at the Las Vegas Hilton through 2009, generally on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. in the legendary Hilton Theater. Stage seat tickets are $225 (plus tax and service charge). The seats are up close and personal with 34 located on each side of the stage and at the same level. Main orchestra tickets are $145-175 (plus tax and service charge); rear orchestra tickets $96-$125 (plus tax and service charge) and balcony $115 (plus tax and service charge). Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.
http://www.casinotravelnews.com
MGM Mirage Sweepstakes Scam from vegastripping.com
I know y'all are too smart for this, but it's worth mentioning that a group of cranks have been sending out fake sweepstakes notifications to folks in California, Nevada and Texas which contain a "check" from MGM Mirage.
The letters instruct the recipients to deposit the check (which has the MGM Mirage logo on it) and pay an "administrative cost" to get the sweepstakes prize. Of course, the administrative fee goes to the jerks who sent this out.
Writing bad checks, mail fraud. Yikes… couldn't these buffoons thought of something more creative? Hope they made enough money to pay for that copy of Photoshop (which they probably stole.)
I wonder which logo they used?
http://www.vegastripping.com/news/news.php?news_id=2549
SHOW REVIEW: 'Tony n' Tina's Wedding'
Updated 'Wedding' riding strong. By Mike Weatherford/LVRJ.
The day may be fast approaching when every single person who wants to be on reality TV will have the chance. Until then, there's still "Tony n' Tina's Wedding.
"It's the show that lets you sit on the bench or get in the game. Most stand-up comics don't welcome your heckling. Here, you might earn a back-slap if you crack up the father of the groom (Kevin Campbell), who has a keen wit of his own: "I never had a daughter before …" he says when called upon to make a toast. "But I never had an Asian broad either!"
Slinging Buds and chicken-dancing with mock-Brooklyn Italians may not be everyone's idea of fun. But if you cross that threshold to rock the "Hollywood Nights" with sequined wedding singer Donny Dolce (Larry Atello), the interactive dinner theater has one of the stronger repeatability factors of any Vegas show.
More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/40836432.html
HEIDI'S PICKS by Heidi Knapp Rinella from The LVRJ.
L'ATELIER DE JÖEL ROBUCHON
MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 891-7358
The genius of Chef of the Century Joel Robuchon shows all over this, the more casual of his two MGM Grand restaurants, but especially in the Discovery Menu that shows off 10 of his dishes such as poached baby kumamoto oysters with French butter, slightly smoked salmon with watercress, quail breasts stuffed with foie gras, and langoustine carpaccio with roasted poppy-seed dressing, as well as a la carte dishes such as roasted rack of lamb. (2/3/06)
Overall: A $$$$
LE BURGER BRASSERIE
Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 946-7000
OK, so maybe this isn't really the most original idea, but heck, the Strip can always use another spot with good burgers like Le Paris, with brie, caramelized onions and bacon. Also worthy of note: Le Ferme, a grilled-chicken burger, potato skins, clam chowder and Le Beignets for dessert — not classic beignets, but tasty nonetheless. (12/21/07)
Overall: B+ $$
MIX ZONE CAFE
2202 W. Charleston Blvd.; 388-0708
Mix Zone Cafe is a Thai restaurant but the dish that blew us away was a starter of puffy fried eggplant that didn't strike us as traditionally Thai, but who knew? The mix works for us. We also liked the mint-chicken pot stickers, minced pork Ga Pow, tofu Panang curry and the mellow music and bright colors that give the little place a serene yet energetic vibe. (2/20/09)
Overall: A- $
R.E. TAPAS KITCHEN AND LOUNGE
467 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd.; 617-9220
One of the best things about tapas spots is that they enable you to share little dishes and try new tastes and that's especially true at R.E., which raises tapas innovation to new heights. Worthy of note: carpaccio of beef, feta fries, grilled hearts of romaine, baked artichoke hearts, quesadilla margarita, rolled eggplant, osso bucco piccolo, albondigas and local chevre cheesecake, for dessert. Oh, and don't forget the sangria. (5/16/08)
Overall: A- $$
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/40836447.html
Luxor's CatHouse tips hat to house of ill repute.
By Sonya Padgett
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Modeled after a 1940s bordello, CatHouse at the Luxor aims to attract the club crowd in search of something different.
Despite the references to a house of prostitution, CatHouse is a tongue-in-cheek, tip-o-the-hat to houses of ill repute. And you get a sense of that as you walk down the hallway decorated with framed photographs of real prostitutes.
If the name or the photos don't clue you in to the theme, the main room certainly will. Red drapes, sexy lighting and several individual stages set the atmosphere, says Nick Landazuri, managing partner.
The club's target demographic is the 21- to 40-year-olds who don't want the megaclub experience, Landazuri says.
More here:
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/40836462.html
Dip Into Summer at Bare Pool Lounge Opening March 12
Bare pool lounge at The Mirage, The Light Group’s exclusive adult alternative to the typical Las Vegas pool experience, opens March 12.
In its third season, Bare pool lounge has quickly become the summertime sanctuary for Hollywood’s A-list. Last summer Bare pool hosted celebrity birthday parties for pop sensation Fergie and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, live evening concerts by Slash and saw visits from stars such as Britney Spears.
This summer, Bare will continue to be the go-to destination for upscale relaxation. Throughout the season locals are invited to come play every Thursday for Asset Thursdays, the weekly party for hospitality and nightlife industry members to unwind. Every Sunday, Bare pool will host a backyard barbecue with complimentary grilled fare for locals.
The ultimate in poolside pampering, Bare is defined by its two saltwater luxury dipping pools, distinctive contemporary ambiance and ultra VIP service for which The Light Group is renowned. The DJ-spun music mix sets the party mood as guests enjoy European-style sun bathing secluded by towering palms.
Private Daybeds and Cabanas on the main level ensure a luxurious stay while poolside chaise lounges put guests in the middle of all the action. A raised VIP section, overlooking the entire experience, is lined with umbrella-covered Daybeds and features a glass infinity-edged pool. European-style bottle service and exclusive pitcher service is offered with made-to-order cocktails such as Mojitos, Bloody Marys and any of the signature cocktails. Classic and specialty frozen drinks offer a cool respite from the warm desert day including the “Sunsplash” a refreshing mix of Belvedere vodka, fresh mint leaves, strawberries and lime. Bare also serves a full lunch menu and is the perfect setting for an outdoor bite. The menu of sumptuous specialty food items is available throughout the pool area. Gourmet snack options include light salads, newly added sushi rolls, paninis and personal pizzas.
VIP service is the standard at Bare. The attentive and attractive staff mix with the clientele, and Daybed and Cabana guests are indulged with complimentary services including: chilled cucumbers to soothe the eyes; iced towels, rolled and chilled in lemon flavored water; and Evian misting bottles, super-chilled and ready to spritz.
Bare is available for private events seven nights a week for groups up to 550 people. A newly installed glass pool cover instantly transforms Bare’s pool into a remarkable see-through dance floor.
Bare will be open Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beginning May 1, Bare will be open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission charge Monday through Thursday: $10 for women, $20 for men. Friday, Saturday and Sunday: $20 for women and $40 for men. Local ladies are always complimentary with valid ID; all other locals are complimentary Sunday through Thursday with valid ID. Guests must be 21 years of age.
Spring Break in Vegas for LESS!
From spring breakers to families looking for an escape that’s easier on the pocket, the packages below fit the bill perfectly. Guests who book one of the following spring break getaways can enjoy added value in dining, entertainment and nightlife venues.
Spring Break Escape Party Package at Monte Carlo & New York-New York
Two locations. One Big Party. Guests who book a room at either Monte Carlo or New York-New York with this package receive special offers and VIP access at both hotels. Package includes:
Two-for-one meal at Buffet at Monte Carlo
Two-for-one Il Fornaio Breakfast at New York-New York
Two-for-one appetizers at Monte Carlo Brew Pub
Two (2) admissions to ROK Vegas at New York-New York
50% off drinks at BRAND Steakhouse at Monte Carlo
Two (2) drinks at any bar at New York-New York
25% off tickets to Zumanity – The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil at New York-New York
Cost: Rates start at $59 per night plus tax
Availability: March 9, 2009 through April 12, 2009
Reservations: www.montecarlo.com or www.nynyhotelcasino.com
Spring Break Family Escape Package at Monte Carlo & New York-New York
The perfect time to let loose with the whole family. Guests who book a room at either Monte Carlo or New York-New York with this package receive special offers and VIP access at both hotels. Package includes:
Two-for-one tickets to Master Magician Lance Burton at Monte Carlo
Free cheese pizza at Nathan’s at New York-New York
Two-for-one meal at Buffet at Monte Carlo
Two-for-one Il Fornaio Breakfast at New York-New York
Two-for-one inner tube rentals for the pool at Monte Carlo
Two-for-one passes to The Roller Coaster at New York-New York
Cost: Rates start at $59 per night plus tax
Availability: March 9, 2009 through April 12, 2009
Reservations: www.montecarlo.com or www.nynyhotelcasino.com
Jackson-to-Vegas rumors were really off the wall.
By: John Katsilometes/Las Vegas Sun
“This is it,” Michael Jackson says. Of course, Kenny Loggins sang that nearly 30 years ago, prophesying, “The waiting is over.” Loggins also added, “Make no mistake where you are,” even if, in Jackson’s case, where you are is a news conference in London, running about 90 minutes behind schedule.
What it all means, or what most of it means, is that now we know that Michael Jackson will be performing 10 shows in July at London’s O2 Arena. “This Is It” seems to be the theme, as Jackson stood behind a podium with a big sign reading “This Is It” during today’s news conference. We get the spunky message, but Jackson was far more appealing in his “Off The Wall” period, with the tall hair, short slacks and glowing white socks. Oh, to rewind the clock on this man’s career …
More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2009/mar/05/end-jackson–vegas-was-wall/
Cirque spectacular ‘Ka’ reaches 2,000 milestone. By Robin Leach.
The first time you watch Cirque du Soleil’s $200 million spectacular "Ka" at MGM Grand, you marvel in stunned silence at the gravity-defying production and simply think, “That’s unbelievable!” The truth, though, is that the impossible has become possible, and the 80 cast members have performed the miraculous for the past four years. In fact, at tonight’s second show, they celebrate their milestone 2,000th performance.
We’re going to join them for celebration champagne and cake after the finale of the late show in the lobby of their MGM theater as they meet special guests. Some 38 of the cast and 81 of the behind-the-scene technicians have been with Ka since the opening-night performance Feb. 4, 2005.
More here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/robin-leachs-las-vegas-celebrity-watch/2009/feb/18/cirque-spectacular-ka-reaches-2000-milestone/
Photo Gallery: Trent Carlini prepares to unveil Elvis show Elvolution: Plus Q and A Interview by Robin Leach.
Elvis has not left the building, thank you very much! In fact, the King is back on the Strip in the guise of entertainer Trent Carlini — along with more than 20 of his greatest hits, eight separate stage acts with multiple costume changes and elaborate sets including Army jeeps and a Thalia Mary Lear Jet!
Trent, who won ABC’s The Next Best Thing, unveils Elvolution this Monday at the Steve Wyrick Theater in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile and promises that Elvolution will highlight multiple years of Elvis’ legacy, including the 1968 comeback and the Vegas engagements of the 1970s.
In advance of the premiere, Trent, who has performed more than 6,500 shows, chatted with me one-on-one.
“Life is fabulous, and it is good to be the King,” he said.
Sharing Special Moments.
Impressions full of humor and drama. By Paul Sztdelko/Las Vegas Magazine
So who is Danny Gans? Is he a singer? An impressionist? A comedian? An actor? Well, he's all of the above and he's the Strip's not-so-secret treasure.
Backed by a versatile band and supported by clever lighting and mood-setting special effects, Gans is like some manic fisherman gliding down a fast-moving river. On the musical journey he pulls up fish with his bare hands, eyes them, toys with them and then amiably tosses them back. He effortlessly snaps up Eric Clapton, puts him back, captures Rod Stewart, puts him back, fetches James Taylor, puts him back.
He handles contemporary singers John Mayer, Five for Fighting, James Blunt and the Dave Matthews Band with as much aplomb as he handles the voices of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin.
Johnny Carson introduces Jeff Foxworthy and George Burns; Nat King Cole duets with Natalie Cole, and Kermit the Frog joins Jimmy Stewart for a song. As improbable as some of the combinations sound, Gans' dynamic voice and instinct for mannerisms make them all work.
Taking a break from the singing, Gans' crisp comedic timing is on display for Carson's Carnac the Magnificent, allowing him the opportunity to joke about current events. "Tropicana" is the answer; the question? "What is the only juice Alex Rodriguez hasn't taken?"
A few altered lyrics here and there keep the audience laughing, but Gans mostly plays it straight, so sit back and enjoy the name-dropping. For some nostalgia is 40 years ago and for others nostalgia is 40 minutes ago. You'll find it all here.
But that's not all – listen to Gans neatly capture intense scenes from classic movies, including the confusion of Henry Fonda's Norman Thayer and the assurance of Katharine Hepburn's Ethel in On Golden Pond. Enjoy Sly Stallone explaining to Adrian the romance of boxing. Squint and you can make out Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump and Al Pacino's impassioned monologue in Scent of a Woman.
After an always-in-season rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," in which Gans packs a dozen more voices, from Wayne Newton to Woody Allen, he tops the evening off with Michael Jackson and his "father-in-law," Elvis; an encore introduces a trio of superstars from the Apollo Theater, Sammy Davis Jr., Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles.
Amid the hundreds of personalities who light up the stage, Gans remains his own man – a husband, a father and an affable showman who crafts a unique evening of entertainment that's upbeat and sentimental, funny and dramatic.
http://lvshowbiz.com/feature1.html
Brett's Vegas Views by Jackie Brett
COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS APRIL IN LAS VEGAS
The 44th ANNUAL Academy of Country Music Awards hosted by Reba McEntire for the 11th time will be produced for television by Dick Clark productions and broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 5, at 8 p.m. ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.
The "Artist of the Decade Special" honoring George Strait will be taped in the same location the next night on April 6 and air at a later date. This honor is bestowed on an artist only once every decade. Tickets that will benefit the ACMCF are still available. For ticket information, e-mail info@acmcountry.com or visit Ticketmaster.com.
Many music celebrities will participate in "The Week Vegas Goes Country" activities, April 3-6. The list of events–some new, some revamped–includes the ACM New Artists' Show on Fremont Street, the invited-guests-only ACM Chairman's Ride, the 6th Annual ACM Celebrity Golf Classic, All-Star Jam, and Divas Downtown on Fremont Street.
On April 3 for the first time, the New Artists' Show on Fremont Street will be held. This free and open-to-the-public downtown concert will start at 6:30 p.m. and feature new country artists on two stages. Show times and performers will be announced later.
On April 4, the fundraising 6th Annual Academy of Country Music Celebrity Golf Classic will be hosted for the second year by Rascal Flatts. For information on how to participate, e-mail erin@acmcountry.com.
Also on April 4, Divas Downtown on Fremont Street will take place and feature performances by Julianne Hough, Kellie Pickler and LeAnn Rimes. This free and open-to-the-public concert will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Posted on March 6th, 2009 by MrVegas98
Filed under: Newsletter
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