Las Vegas resident Gladys Knight, who moved to the city in the '70s, will dominate the Flamingo showroom for an open-ended run beginning Feb. 12. She'll be performing seven shows a week, with tickets priced at $45 and $55.

Knight has headlined short stints at other Strip hotels, and in 2000, she starred in a run of the musical "Smokey Joe's Caf‚" at Caesars Palace.

Earl Turner's last show at the Rio in the Copacabana Room will be Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. He's looking for a place where he can perform at least five shows a week. Right now he performs on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The inaugural SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 off-road race will be held July 13 near the base of Black Mountain and will use a section of the old Mint 400 course, that ran from 1968 to 1991. This will be the first time in more than a decade that a SCORE International desert race will be held in the Las Vegas Valley.

The race will consist of seven or eight laps on a 31- to 35-mile course and the tech inspection and contingency area will be on Water Street in downtown Henderson. In addition to the race, the City of Henderson will plan other pre- and post-race events from July 11-14.

Speaking of racing, the fifth annual NASCAR Winston Cup race will be held on March 3, at the 117,000-seat Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This mega-event attracts in excess of 200,000 people over the course of three days.

"Drew Carey's Improv All Stars" will take the stage at the MGM Grand's EFX Theatre, Feb. 1-3. Carey, the star of two hit ABC-TV shows, "The Drew Carey Show" and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" has assembled a team of comedic talent for an un-scripted, un-rehearsed, no-holds-barred laughfest. Tickets are $85 inclusive, call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

Many familiar faces that Carey has worked with over the years, including castmates for both shows, are members of the Improv All Stars. The celebrities who are scheduled to perform comedic improvisation based on subject matter gathered from the audience's suggestions, include Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Kathy Kinney, Sean Masterson, Greg Proops, Brad Sherwood, Chip Esten, Julie Larson and pianist Laura Hall.

Construction on the $170 million, 350-room Ritz-Carlton hotel being built at the Lake Las Vegas resort has reached its "topping off" point. The first Ritz-Carlton in Nevada is expected to open in November and be the centerpiece of the $500 million MonteLago Village. The 50-acre European-style village will include a 40,000-square-foot casino, luxury condominiums, office space, retail shopping, restaurants and pedestrian promenades.

The Ritz-Carlton will have 25,000 square feet of convention space, along with a 30,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, two heated pools, gourmet and casual dining facilities, 44 suites and executive business services. The Lake Las Vegas location is one of 12 new Ritz Carlton hotels slated to open this year.

Only in Las Vegas can two multi-purpose arenas be planned at the same time. It was recently announced that a 7,500-seat event arena is planned for downtown at Stewart Avenue and Main Street. This arena is scheduled to open in October 2003.

The other arena scheduled to break ground later this month and open in the spring of 2003, is being built by Coast Resorts. The $43 million event center will seat up to 10,000 spectators for concert and boxing events and about 7,000-7,500 for hockey games. The arena is part of a $100 upgrade of The Orleans on West Tropicana.

Illusionist Rick Thomas, who stars in his own afternoon show at the Tropicana has been awarded the "Magician of the Year' Award from the Academy of Magical Arts.

The multi-talented comedian, actor and novelist Louie Anderson is continuing his stint in the Samba Theater at the Rio through Feb. 2. Tickets are $30 plus tax.

More Super Bowl parties have been announced. The Stardust All-American Super Bowl Party will be held in the Stardust Pavilion and be hosted by Ben Davidson, former All-Pro defensive end from the Oakland Raiders Super Bowl II squad, and Kellen Winslow, Hall of Fame tight end from the San Diego Chargers. The game will be shown on six giant screens. The $50 admission charge includes a commemorative gift, unlimited food, beer, wine and soft drinks.

The 1,000-seat Broadway Theater will be transformed into a football game viewing arena with a 30-foot digital screen and large televisions throughout the room. The $40 ticket includes stadium style food, one free Budweiser or Pepsi, popcorn and ice cream. The Bud Girls will conduct drawings. For information, call 1-800-693-6763 or 702-740-6815.

The China Grill eatery at Mandalay Bay is now offering an after-hours club. Late-night hours in the elegant bar and lounge are on Fridays and Saturdays, from 3 a.m. until whenever. Reservations are available, call 702-632-7404. Special DJs and trendy drinks are part of the scene.

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How about taking a gourmet cooking class in Las Vegas at the Four Seasons. The first class is set for the night before Valentine's Day on Feb. 13. Executive Chef Wolfgang von Wieser will conduct a cooking demonstration in the Four Seasons kitchen that will include a food tasting, wines, a gift of a Four Seasons apron, and the ingredients "to go" for a full Valentine's four-course dinner for two people. The price is $75 per person. Call Lorelei Ratliff at 702-632-5249 for reservations.

The other planned novel cooking classes this year will include a Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed, How To Barbecue Tips for Women, and a Holiday Pastry Class in the fall.

For the second time in less than four weeks, a Hawaii resident has won millions playing "Wheel of Fortune" at the 800-room California Hotel & Casino downtown. The first winner grabbed a $2.5 million jackpot playing a $1 "Wheel of Fortune" slot machine. The most recent winner won $3,677,071.12 on a 25-cent "Wheel of Fortune" machine.

E! Entertainment is airing a nine-part series that began last week called "Vegas Showgirls: Nearly Famous" on Monday nights. The reality-oriented series gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at four showgirls and two showboys as they live their lives onstage and offstage.

Camera crews followed the six performers for four weeks last summer as they went about their daily lives while preparing for end-of-contract auditions. The show features only six of the nearly 100 "Jubilee!" cast members from the elaborate production show at Bally's.

Dixie Dooley, the magician who has played the Plaza's showroom downtown and the Boardwalk's mini-showroom has plans to open in a 100-seat theater on March 8, at the new Greek Isles. This property was formerly Debbie Reynolds' hotel and the space he's taking was formerly Reynolds' Hollywood Movie Museum. The property closed in 1997.

Dooley's deal will open as Houdini's Theatre of Magic, with a free exhibit of Dooley's Harry Houdini artifacts. He'll be doing "Houdini Lives Again" shows in the afternoons, and a new evening show called "That's Magic."

Bellagio, the nation's largest five Diamond hotel / casino, has installed a customized, automated fridge mini-bar system in its guestrooms. Bartech mini-bar systems have sensors and decor to complement upscale rooms. They are state-of-the art and a techies pleasure. Mini-bars in Las Vegas hotels are not the norm.

The all-new Ultimate Fighting Championship's UFC: World's Collide will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Friday, March 22. Headlining the evening's festivities will be the long-awaited light heavyweight title bout between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz of Huntington Beach, California, and top contender Vitor Belfort of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Tickets rang from $30 to $300 plus applicable service charges. Call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000 for tickets.

The Imperial Palace has a "Valentine's Casino Gold Special" that's valid Feb. 7 through 14. The offer is a room for $39 on weekdays or $59 on weekends. Each guest will receive a free Auto Collections pass; a $5 casino matchplay; free souvenir gift; free one-day fitness facilities pass to "The Spa" Health and Fitness Center; and a free first 20 points on new enrollments in the Imperial Player Program ($200 value). In order to receive all this, you must become a member or already be a member of the Imperial Palace Program, which is free to join. To reserve this offer, call 1-800-634-6441 and ask for the "Valentine's Casino Gold Special."

Caesars Palace is celebrating Valentine's Day with three special wedding packages... "Roses & Champagne," the "Valentine Dolce" or the "We Do."

The "Roses & Champagne" package includes a one night stay in a guestroom with a spa tub, champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries in the room, a bridal bouquet with a dozen roses and a matching groom's boutonniere, a photography package with a choice of 40 prints arranged in a photo album, a personalized video of the wedding, minister's fees, and the wedding ceremony. This wedding package is priced at $995 for a chapel location and $1,195 for a garden location.

For those wanting a smaller ceremony, the "Valentine Dolce" package is $650 with the minister, flowers, wedding music and 20-photograph album.

The 15-minute "We Do" package is $350 with the minister's fee, 10 photographs, and one presentation rose and boutonniere. For wedding arrangements, call 1-877-279-3334 or 702-731-7422.

Versatile actor/comedian Vinnie Favorito will be back by popular demand at the Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's, Feb. 5-10. Favorito has been voted one of Boston's Top 10 comedians. He'll be joined by fellow comedians John Heffron and host Paul Goebel. Tickets are $24.95 plus tax.

Michael Finney, a 1988 "Star Search" finalist, began his show biz career as a straight magician until his sense of humor became a major portion of his act. His appearance - a heavyset man with an earring, mustache, bright yellow hair - is that of a professional wrestler resembling a peroxide new-wave groundhog. Finney's comedy material includes air travel, morning sex, the dangers of carpeted toilet seats and the games men play. Magic is still a part of his act.

Finney will headline The Comedy Stop at the Tropicana, Feb. 4-10, with fellow funny people David Sayh and Nancy Ryan. Tickets are $17.50 per person, with tax, gratuity and two drinks included, call 702-739-2714.

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