Follow Updates on our Twitter
Fact Or Fiction: The Osmonds return to the Flamingo stage March 9, a day after the funeral of Marie’s son Michael Blosil. “The Donny & Marie Show” resumes its regular schedule after a week off because of Blosil’s suicide. The pair has added five show dates, April 13-17. These were previously vacation dates… The “Men of X” departs Hooters Hotel March 21. Producer Angela Stabile says she is in negotiations to move the show elsewhere. A new show, “Elvis Now,” debuts April 1 with Pete Willcox presenting the King as he might be today had he lived. The Prince tribute Purple Reign will continue as well…
Despite its best showing on cable ever this past January, TLC has chosen not to renew its television contract with the Miss America Pageant. TLC declined to say why it was cutting ties with the pageant. Sam Haskell, chairman of the Miss America Organization, told the Associated Press that TLC chose not to pick up a three-year option to renew the contract and wanted to renegotiate a new deal for less money and fewer years. Haskell says four networks, ranging from broadcast to cable channels, have expressed strong interest in airing the pageant…
Peepshow, Las Vegas’ only striptease spectacular is back performing Thursday-Tuesday at 9 p.m. at Planet Hollywood Resort. Holly Madison, star of the TV Series The Girls Next Door and the new Holly’s World, which premieres in May on E!, stars as Bo Peep, a modern woman who discovers her newfound sexuality…The 2010 MAACO Bowl Las Vegas will be played Dec. 22. BYU has played in each of the last five Las Vegas Bowls, including last year’s 44-20 victory over Oregon State. This year’s game will be televised by ESPN and pits the top selection from the Mountain West Conference and the fifth choice from the Pac-10…
Barry Manilow’s March 5 debut at Paris Las Vegas was cancelled due to a power failure that wiped the computer loaded with show information (lighting cues, etc.) totally clean…Due to the local population increase of Hispanics, as he’s certainly not known for his Las Vegas performances, Mexican singer El Chapo de Sinaloa was given a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. The star was presented to the singer of norteno and banda music at The Mirage. The singer, whose real name is Ernesto Perez, won a Grammy award for best banda album in 2007. There was no mention of who paid the $20,000 fee to be honored…
Newton’s Wife Files Suit: Wayne Newton’s wife is trying to separate herself from her husband’s major money issues -- she just made a legal move to keep her stuff from being seized by a man who Wayne owes in a big way.
TMZ obtained court documents filed by Kathleen McCrone Newton, a lawyer, in which she declares that all sorts of stuff she keeps at Wayne’s Las Vegas estate -- like art, clothes, jewelry, instruments and even a library -- are hers ... and hers alone.
In the docs, filed last week in Nevada, Kathleen claims she’s staking claim to all of her things because Wayne’s former pilot Monty Ward is trying to collect a $500,000 judgment against the singer -- and just two weeks ago, Ward sent a moving truck over to Newton’s place to try and collect Wayne's assets.
Now, Kathleen wants to make sure Monty doesn't take her stuff away when Ward’s truck comes back to collect again ... whenever that may be.
Tyson Considers Another Round: Mike Tyson, according to the London Guardian, is reportedly considering a comeback to the ring later this year, possibly against Evander Holyfield. The boxing website, Ringsidereport.com, quoting a source close to Tyson, reports that his, “former promoter Don King has a tentative deal for Tyson to return to the ring in late 2010.
The initial plan is to have Tyson-Holyfield III, but there is rumored hesitation on the part of Iron Mike, and there is a plan B.
The former world heavyweight champion, 43, retired in June 2005 after refusing to come out for round seven against the Irish journeyman Kevin McBride. The British heavyweights Danny Williams and Lennox Lewis had also knocked out Tyson in the closing stages of his turbulent career.
The 47-year-old Holyfield is due to fight the South African Frans Botha, 41, in Las Vegas on April 17. He fought and beat Tyson twice, losing bits of his ear in the second bout. They spoke amicably when guests on Oprah Winfrey’s TV show recently.
Alternative opponents named for Tyson include the former world cruiserweight champion Jean Mormeck, who lost his title to David Haye, and obscure heavyweights Tony Grano, Vinny Maddalone and Derric Rossy.
Center Plans Holocaust Play: “And A Child Shall Lead,” the heroic, true story of children coming of age during the Holocaust, will be presented by community youth on March 21 at Temple Sinai, 9001 Hillpointe Road.. The children’s play created by award-winning children’s novelist, playwright and television writer Michael Slade, is being produced by the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada (JCCSN) and Jewish Enrichment World Services (JEWS).
Set in Terezin, the “Jewish city” established by the Nazis near Prague (Czech Republic) as a way station before the death camps, the play recounts the determination and creativity of children to build lives filled with hope and beauty. In the face of unspeakable horror and the peril of being executed, the children play, study, create art and write an underground newspaper. Their actual poems and stories are woven into a fast paced-drama, evoking the universality of children caught in the insanity of war.
Directed by Kate Harris and assisted by Courtney Broadbent and Willi Thompson, the play features students, grades 4-12, from the Southern Nevada Jewish community. Performers include: Kayla Ben Shimon, of the Solomon Schecter School; Samantha Carmer, Jordan Shervan and Shoshana Wexler, Temple Beth Sholom; Chava Friedberg, Coronado High School; Kendra Gomez, Cheyenne High School and Briana Iannazzo and Hannah Weller, Adelson Educational Campus; Devyn Lehrman, Shawn Miller, Nathan Phillips and Russell Sorom, Temple Sinai; Alex Weiner, Southwest Career Tech Academy; and Menashe Roberts and Ariel Wexler, Young Israel.
There will be two performances at 2 and 7 p.m. March 21 with tickets $10 for adults and $5 children for JCCSN and JEWS members, and $12 for adults and $7 for children for nonmembers. The play’s mature themes are not recommended for children under eight years old. To purchase tickets, call 702-794-0090. Tickets may be available at the door on the day of the performances.
Wine Festival Moves Outdoors: Rock n’ Roll Wine will host its first outdoor event of 2010 featuring multi-platinum hit-makers Jet with special guest alternative rock newcomers Crash Kings, and local favorites Imagine Dragons, March 27. The “Vino Maximus” Festival will launch the first full season of the expanded Caesars Palace Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. Guests will be able to fulfill all of their Bacchanalian desires with a night of wine and live music by tasting more than 100 unique wines from 35 plus wineries. Doors open at 7 p.m.
In addition to Rock n’ Roll Wine’s own award-winning white and red blends, featured wineries will include Rodney Strong, Davis Bynum, Landmark, Renwood, Mollydooker, Cline, Norman Vineyards and many more.
All tickets are $49.50 in advance and $54.50 at the door plus applicable taxes and fees. Ticket price includes all wine tasting and live entertainment as well as a $10 wine voucher redeemable at local retailers for the wines tasted that evening. More info on Rock n’ Roll Wine can be found at www.rocknrollwine.com or by calling 702-240-3066.
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Everything’s Down But Booze: Las Vegas visitors may be spending less on lodging and gambling, but they’re still pounding down the alcohol. Despite the recession, the beverage departments of the Strip’s 38 largest casinos reported a 5 percent revenue increase last year.
By comparison, revenue in the resorts’ gambling, rooms and food departments fell 32 percent, 23 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
Frank Streshley of the Nevada Gaming Control Board says alcoholic drinks are a relatively “low-ticket item (that) people aren't cutting out.” But there may be another reason for the increase in booze sales: fewer free drinks.
The 38 resorts reported the retail value of comped drinks was $310.7 million in fiscal year 2009, down 2 percent from the year before.
Travelocity Offers Great Deals: Travel booking Web site Travelocity is giving vacationers more of an incentive to book trips to Las Vegas with its “Viva Las Savings” promotion. The promotion offers travelers up to 40 percent off already-reduced Las Vegas hotel rooms and vacation packages.
In addition to those savings, travelers can find free show tickets, spa treatments and resort credits. The “Viva Las Savings” promotion includes the following deals:
Bellagio -- Book a vacation package with three or more nights and choose two free show tickets;
Wynn Las Vegas and Encore -- Save up to 33 percent when booking three or more nights and get a $75 resort credit; Palazzo -- Book a room and get two tickets to “The Phantom of the Opera”;
Four Seasons Hotel -- For every paid night, receive another night for free; Mandarin Oriental --Book two nights and get one for free.
Travelers booking with an American Express card get 10 percent off vacation packages when entering the promotion code “VEGAS10AMX.” The offers are valid on rooms and vacation packages booked through March 21 for stays through May 31.
Blogger Finds Dismal Side: An Orange County blogger has discovered what many of us have known, but don’t seem to make an effort to correct it.
The blogger wrote that she went for a walk down Las Vegas Boulevard to the Coca-Cola Store and M&M’s World, which are right next to each other. Unfortunately these attractions, which are most likely to appeal to families, are next to one of the sketchier blocks on the Strip, where at least a couple dozen lowlifes were aggressively hawking some of the city’s less savory attractions. It was an...interesting...walk, but we enjoyed ourselves once we arrived at our destination!
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News And Notes: Architectural Digest has selected Wynn interior designer Roger Thomas to create the signature Architectural Digest Greenroom at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, it was announced by Bruce Davis, executive director, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Paige Rense, editor-in-chief of Architectural Digest. Rense commented, “Roger is a master at producing interiors that make one feel glamorous just being there. His approach to design is historical, so the Greenroom will feel both once-upon-a-time and state-of-the-art”…“A Few Memories & A Whole Lot Of Gratitude” with Chuck Simmons & the Anthem All-Stars in a “Support The Troops” benefit is scheduled March 12 at 7 p.m. at the Community Lutheran Church. Admission is a $10 donation…
Misura, a men’s fine apparel boutique specializing in European designs and exceptional tailoring, and Opitca, the premier distributor of luxury eyewear in America, are now open within Monte Carlo’s Street of Dreams...The 15th annual Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show will ring in the new decade in a new location, the MGM Grand June 3-6…Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (BGFA) will close 12+7: Artists and Architects of CityCenter, an exhibition of paintings, sculpture, drawings and architectural models by 12 of the contemporary art stars and seven of the master architects of CityCenter, on April 4…
A Knight Rider Festival, celebrating the television show of the same name and featuring more than 50 KITT cars, will be held on downtown Fremont Street March 19-20. Free to the public, a press conference with Mayor Oscar Goodman and former cast and crew members will launch the event at 5 p.m…Scintas’ manager, and Crissie Scinta’s husband, John Milkie, has listed for sale a four-bedroom, four-bath home at 2812 Lakecrest Dr. in Las Vegas for $775,000. Milkie paid $490,000 for the property in May 2003. The 3,861-square-foot home, built in 1998, is in Desert Shores…
Monte Carlo Resort & Casino is celebrating its sponsorship of NASCAR No.81 driver Michael McDowell with the Michael McDowell Promo 81 package, featuring two tickets to see headliner Frank Caliendo for $81…Donna Marcou-Stafford has been named vice president of leisure sales of the Tropicana Las Vegas…Travelers love free Wi-Fi at airports. But the amenity is still hard to come by for many U.S. fliers. Twelve of the top 20 airports that handle nearly 60% of all domestic boardings charge for wireless Internet. Large airports that offer it for free include Las Vegas, Denver, Charlotte, Phoenix, Orlando, Boston and Seattle…
Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar at Town Square hosts an evening of entertainment and fun March 25 with proceeds going to Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN). The $10 cover collected at the door will be donated to AFAN…
Annual UNLVino Weekend: Take a sip for scholarship when UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration and Southern Wine & Spirits present the 36th annual UNLVino featuring three events, all open to the public. This is an opportunity for wine enthusiasts and winemakers to meet and enjoy the latest releases, the best vintages and the finest varietals.
UNLVino’s Bubble-Licious, April 8, 7-10 p.m. Caesars Palace. $75 in advance at www.UNLVtickets.com, $100 at the door. A tasting of champagne and sparking wines held at Caesars Palace. Wet your palate sipping world class champagnes, sparkling wines and exotic champagne cocktails as this year’s celebration kicks off at the Neptune Pool in the Garden of the Gods.
UNLVino’s Sake Fever, April 9, 7-10 p.m. The Palms Hotel pool. $50 in advance at www.UNLVtickets.com, $75 at the door. Indulge poolside in an evening featuring 150 premium sakes presented by brewmasters from Japan, as well as some of the best Asian cuisine in Las Vegas.
UNLVino Grand Tasting, April 10, noon- 6 p.m., Bally’s $75 in advance at
www.UNLVtickets.com, $100 at the door. This Las Vegas tradition is Nevada’s oldest and one of America’s largest wine events. Mingle, meet, and taste the latest releases and best vintages featuring organic and biodynamic wines.
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Top Summer Destinations: Orlando and Las Vegas, for the eighth consecutive year, are the most popular summer destinations booked by ASTA travel consultants, according to ASTA’s 2010 Hot Spots for summer survey.
Orlando came out on top with a 17.7 percent share of responses, and Las Vegas maintained the second spot with 16.2 percent of the votes. Overseas, the top four international destination cities remained the same for the eighth year in a row as well, with top-ranked London receiving an 8.5-percent share of the vote followed by Rome (8%), Paris (7.6%), Cancun (6.7%) and Punta Cana (2.8%), with its second year in the top five.
Rounding out the top 10 were San Francisco (4.9%), Miami (3.7%), Los Angeles (3.3%), New York City (2.8%), San Diego (2.6%), Honolulu (2.0%), Seattle (1.9%) and Washington, DC (1.8%). Several changes occurred this year, most notably Seattle’s return to the top 10, displacing Chicago for ninth place. The other major change was New York City moving up three places to sixth compared to 2009 and pushing Honolulu down to eighth place.
Safest Local Neighborhood: The Web sites Walletpop.com and NeighborhoodScout.com compiled a list of the country’s safest city neighborhoods using crime and FBI data from the nation’s 50 largest cities with Las Vegas’ northwest side ranked among the safest in the nation.
The safest neighborhood is at the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard and Buffalo Drive on the edge of Summerlin, according to the Web sites. That area is close to the Desert Shores community, which includes several neighborhoods surrounding man-made lakes. According to the report, the rating is based on multiple years of data, combining the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports with the Web sites’ data for 61,000 neighborhoods in America and more than 14,000 cities, towns, villages, boroughs and hamlets.
While the neighborhood is ranked the safest, the city as a whole may not be. A further search of NeighborhoodScout.com found Las Vegas was ranked the fifth most dangerous city in America. So it’s the safest neighborhood in one of the worst cities?
Prospective homebuyers will want to rely on more than just online rankings when deciding where to live. But that doesn’t mean they should avoid the Web altogether. The Las Vegas Metro Police Department provides crime reports online.
FOX5 recently used the Web site to search crimes reported within a one mile radius of the
Lake Mead Boulevard-Buffalo Drive intersection the last 30 days. The majority of those reported were family disturbances (48), along with burglary (22) and auto burglary (10).
Food For Thought: Thursday nights ladies will receive a complimentary First Lady Cocktail, 20% off their food and $5 sponsored Vodka beverage purchases starting at 8 p.m. With resident DJ Jeff Retro and special guest DJ Mckenzie providing the tunes, women will also be treated to special gifts and offers from retailers and shows including those located inside The Shoppes at the Palazzo. There will also be on-site retail displays and other special happenings…
The Hostile Grape, the wine bar and tasting room at the M Resort Spa Casino, has introduced a new happy hour specials. With a different theme Tuesday- Friday, guests can find food, drink and entertainment specials to suit any taste. Effective immediately, buy-one-get-one-free select wines by the glass and buy-one-get-one-free specialty cocktails will be available on Tuesdays and Fridays…
Nothing says spring break like a Mexican-style party, and Tacos & Tequila (T&T) inside Luxor knows how to fiesta. Throughout this month, T&T is featuring its “Cock-A-Doodle Duel,” along with spring specials that will make spring breakers of any age want to shake their maracas. T&T is introducing “Seis y Seis” (that’s “Six and Six”) for revelers who wish to partake in two Mexican party favorites -- tacos and beer. “Seis y Seis” includes six specialty tacos and a bucket of six Sol Cuartitos seven-ounce beers for $29.
And for the spring breakers that want to get really wild, T&T is hosting ongoing live human rooster fighting competitions. “Cock-A-Doodle Duel,” is an event involving two contestants dressed as roosters with balloons tied to their ankles, in an attempt to take out their opponent by popping their balloons. The winner will take home a $25 bar tab…Blizz Frozen Yogurt has opened at the Mirage with hours 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 9 p.m.-midnight Friday & Saturday...
The Buffet at Monte Carlo prices have been updated. Breakfast is $14.95; lunch is $15.95; dinner is $19.95' the seafood dinner is $23.95 and the Champagne Brunch is $19.95...
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Grape Hosts Single Night: The Hostile Grape, the wine bar at the M Resort Spa Casino, is holding “As Single As I Wanna Be” Saturdays where guests can drink, dance and flirt the night away starting at 8 p.m. Building on the success of the Valentine’s weekend party, the wine bar with an attitude will host its “Single As I Wanna Be” party every Saturday beginning March 13. Different themes will be offered weekly
The cover is $20 and includes: choice of two signature cocktails or a $20 wine card to be used in one of 12 unique Enomatic wine dispensing systems with more than 160 wines by the glass; chocolate fountain with your choice of strawberries, marshmallows and more; Live DJ entertainment spinning hot dance club hits, plus, every Saturday offers a different theme and the opportunity for guests to go home with a complimentary bottle of wine.
Diabetes Foundation Plans Gala: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) hosts the 2010 Hope Gala…IMAGINE on May 7 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The gala, which begins at 6 p.m., will feature a cocktail reception, dinner, silent and live auctions and entertainment featuring gala master of ceremonies Clint Holmes. The auction includes luxury travel packages, unique sports and entertainment opportunities, jewelry and more.
The evening will honor Renée West, president and COO of Mandalay Bay. Chairman for this year’s gala is Ken Henderson. Table sponsorships range from $3,500 to $25,000 and individual tickets are $350 per-person. For more information, or to RSVP, call 702-732-4795.
Similar Death To Gans: Gay British musical impressionist Jason Wood died in his sleep under circumstances that are eerily similar to his straight Las Vegas counterpart, Danny Gans.
The BBC quotes the agent for the 38-year-old entertainer, known in England as “the gay
British Danny Gans,” as declaring there were “no suspicious circumstances” surrounding his death and that it will take autopsy results to determine the cause.
Similar statements were made after Gans died mysteriously in his sleep at age 52 on May 1. Ultimately, the Las Vegas County coroner revealed that Gans had succumbed to an overdose of the powerful opiate hydromorphone, sold as Dilaudid and known as the “drugstore heroin.”
Another bizarre similarity between the two deaths is the scant news coverage of Wood’s passing. The Las Vegas news media as a group refrained from investigating the circumstances of the life and death of the biggest star, wrote the British newspapers Likewise, British journalists, who usually swarm over show business tragedies, have tiptoed around the story of a man who became a household word when he was the very first celebrity to be voted off the popular television reality show, Strictly Come Dancing (the UK version of Dancing with The Stars.
His agents Hannah Chambers and Sophie Church of Chambers Managements refused to offer any other details about the death. They said in a joint statement:
“We are devastated by the loss of our client Jason Wood. He was an inspiring and individual performer who believed that ‘variety’ was the spice of life and whose wind ups were legendary. He was also a warm-hearted and caring man. We have lost a friend as well as a client and he will be truly missed.”
Wood had most recently been hosting a variety night at The Hospital Club, a private members’ club and creative arts venue in London that was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, and whose celebrity members include Jude Law.
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Another Construction Factor: If the major unfinished Shops at Summerlin Centre (just south of Red Rock Hotel Casino) survive the dismal economic situation, it will face another major problem before construction can resume.
Construction manager Vratsinas Construction Co. has filed a motion in mall owner General Growth Properties Inc.’s bankruptcy case, asking for permission to foreclose on liens valued at $28.3 million. In court papers, attorneys for Vratsinas said construction was about 40 percent complete when work was suspended Oct. 31, 2008, on the 106-acre open-air mixed-use development that would include retail, office, hospitality and residential components.
Vratsinas noted: “There is no indication from Summerlin Centre that it will restart and complete the real estate project. The exposed steel superstructure is exposed to corrosive weather and the elements -- and is deteriorating in value. The Las Vegas real estate market is in a very depressed condition, noted as one of the most heavily impacted by the financial downturn.
“At this time the project consists of a partially completed steel superstructure with exposed rebar and other metal girders and parts. Although the project was demobilized, constant exposure to weather and other environmental elements will likely cause the exposed steel superstructure to erode,” Vratsinas said in its filing.
“Based upon experience with other suspended projects, there is a significant likelihood that local construction inspectors may require the entire exposed steel superstructure to be demolished and rebuilt if the construction project is ever restarted.
“Alternatively, before the project could be restarted. it is likely that very costly reworking of the steel superstructure will be required in order to repair weather-related exposure and degradation of the building materials. It appears, indeed, that the real estate project is declining in value as it remains exposed to the weather, and the current value is likely substantially less then book value,” Vratsinas said.
Safety Walk Scheduled: The Adam Thomas Health & Safety Foundation joins with UMC Trauma Center, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Safe Community Partnership, Nevada Office of Traffic Safety and the Governor’s Advisory Board on Traumatic Brain Injury to sponsor the 3rd annual Step Out for Safety Walk on March 27.
The event will be held at the UMC Trauma Center parking lot (across from Trauma Center’s entrance Goldring/West Charleston Blvd.) and will include a one mile fun walk, a three mile run, and a separate children’s course to get the entire family involved. Registration is free and will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the walk/run starting at 10 a.m.
New Exhibition At Bellagio: “Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form” will open at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (BGFA) May 1. Organized in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), “Figuratively Speaking” will present figurative works by such artists as Pierre-August Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Joseph Cornell, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Judith Shea, Bill Viola, Yoshitomo Nara, Vanessa Beecroft and many others.
The survey features more than 30 paintings, photographs and sculpture along with video installations by 26 artists whose traditional and contemporary perspectives on figurative art helped to define the genre in the late 19th, 20th and early 21st centuries.
Different schools of modern and contemporary art fall under the heading of figurative art, from Renoir’s romantic Impressionistic portraits (“The Sweeper”) and Picasso’s distorted Cubist figures (“Woman with Beret”) to Keith Haring’s Pop Art drawings and Chuck Close’s contemporary grid-like paintings. Figurative works of art not only depict a real subject, but also reflect the religious, social, political and mythical beliefs of the times in which it was made.
“Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form” will be on view through January 9. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is open Sunday-Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Last admissions are sold 30 minutes prior to closing.
Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for Nevada residents and seniors 65 and older, $10 for students, teachers and military with valid ID. Children 12 and younger are free.
Faugno Returns To South Point: Rick Faugno (pronounced Fawn-Yo) will reprise his one-man song and dance show, “Songs My Idols Sang (And Danced!),” March 21 at 3 p.m. in the South Point Casino showroom. One of the Strip’s popular Broadway imports and the original Frankie Valli in “Jersey Boys” at the Palazzo, Faugno premiered his solo show last August at the South Point and to date has sold out three performances.
He presents an 80-minute showcase of musical standards from the Great American Songbook, and he’s backed by what he refers to as his “baddest cats” -- a seven-piece band with some of the leading musicians from the Strip. He shares the significance of the many idols he admires of song and dance, including Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Tickets are $20, $25 and $30.
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Pink Jeep Covers City: From prehistoric wetlands to world-class resorts, from gangsters to gaming, from railroad stops to ranches, Las Vegas is a vacation and entertainment mecca. One way to discover Las Vegas and enjoy its rich and risky evolution is on a Pink Jeep Tour.
The Springs Preserve showcases the birthplace of Las Vegas, and is home to the artesian spring that supplied the first settlers pioneering the valley. Located just steps away from the origin of the water source, the tour will begin at the Origen experience. The Springs Preserve’s Oriegn Experience showcases interactive exhibits that capture the sprit of Las Vegas, the land, the earliest inhabitants and the many possibilities for the future of Las Vegas.
Professional tour guides will present the city to you in a way you could not find otherwise. Interpretive guides will help you discover the story and the landmarks of Las Vegas,
present, past, and future. (Note: Two freelance long-time tour guides took the tour recently and found it boring and tainted with wrong/incomplete income.
Lake Las Vegas Update: The past month has seen several business adjustments to Lake Las Vegas, including the announcements of the Ritz Carlton and Casino MonteLago closings. However, the owner of The Village Lake Las Vegas, a separate entity from both, reiterates that the business operations and events at The Village will not be affected.
“It’s sad to see the two operators go, but The Village is alive and well,” said Maurice Talley, commercial manager of The Village. “We’re resilient and optimistic that the closure of Ritz Carlton is only temporary and another announcement will be made in the very near future regarding that property. The Village drives its own traffic with events and entertainment, and is going to continue to do so.”
Located 17 miles from the heart of Las Vegas, The Village is home to more than 30 shopping and dining options and is currently at 91 percent occupancy with its various tenants.
Powerful Power of Love: The 14th annual Power of Love Gala recently held at Bellagio raised a staggering $27 million to benefit the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and its focus on research, early detection and treatment of neurocognitive disorders.
The record-breaking evening raised funds through table and individual seat reservations as well as live and silent auction items. The generosity of the event was topped off by two individuals, including a $4.5 million gift from the night’s honorees, former International Gaming Technology Chief Executive Officer Chuck Mathewson and his wife, Stacie, and an $8 million contribution from former Anchor Gaming Chief Executive Officer Stan Fulton.
Culinary masters Wolfgang Puck and Thomas Keller prepared a three-course dinner for the 1,000 guests; Barry Manilow headlined the gala.
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Cirque Sets Annual Run: Cirque du Soleil hosts the ninth annual Run Away with Cirque du Soleil 5K Run and One Mile Fun Walk to benefit the Springs Preserve March 20. Mayor Oscar Goodman will provide the shotgun start while Nevada Public Radio’s President & General Manager Flo Rogers emcee for the day. Race day Registration begins at 7 a.m. with the 5K and One Mile Fun Walk starting at 8:30 a.m.
The first 1,200 participants to sign up receive an event t-shirt and free raffle ticket for a chance to win show tickets to The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil, KÀ, “O”, Mystère, Zumanity, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil, Criss Angel Believe and Viva ELVIS. The grand prize is a trip for four to Orlando to see La Nouba.
Other prizes include gift bags from the Springs Preserve. Entertainment will be provided by Cirque du Soleil performers and musicians. Massage therapy, face painting, a circus play area for children and food and beverages donated by Whole Foods Market are also available. Prizes will be awarded to the overall male and female finishers, overall Cirque du Soleil employee male and female finishers, as well as the top three finishers in each age division.
Runners and walkers can download an application or register online at www.cirquedusoleil.com/5krun or call 702-352-0164 for information on how to pre-register by mail. Pre-registration entry fees are $35 for the 5K Run and $25 for the One Mile Fun Walk. On the day of, both events are $40. Participation fee includes one-day of access to the Springs Preserve museums and galleries redeemable through the end of April.
Massive Stars Wars Concert: Star Wars: In Concert, the unique multi-media event featuring music from the six John Williams’ epic “Star Wars” scores, will play two performances on May 29 at 4 and 8 p.m. at the Orleans Arena. Tickets go on sale March 13 at noon and can be purchased by calling the Orleans Arena box office at 702-284-7777 or online at www.orleansarena.com.
The production features a full symphony orchestra and choir, accompanied by specially edited footage from the films displayed on a three-story-tall, HD LED super-screen – one of the largest ever put on tour. The live music and film elements are synchronized, creating a full multimedia, one-of-kind Star Wars experience.
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