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| Sunday, February 22, 2004 | PRIOR ISSUE - ARCHIVES |
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| Boyd-Coast Combining Forces, "Last Comic Standing" Kicks Off, Borg Invasion Sets Attack Date, Queen Musical "... Will Rock You", "The Red Piano" Wins Critics, Hypnotist Cools' & Dr. Naughty Close, Treasure Hunt Launched, Dennis Miller Returns To Paris, Mark Chesnutt Brings Country To Silverton, Improv Welcomes Allan Havey, Folies Bergere 2004, Beer Served Munich Style, More... | |
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It came as a shock when Boyd Gaming Corp. and Coast Casinos Inc. announced their merger agreement worth $1.3 billion. The deal allows two executives from local pioneering gaming families to combine forces and strengthen both companies in the extremely lucrative Las Vegas locals' casino market. The agreement that will combine 17 casinos and 25,000 employees should be completed by mid-2004.
Locally Boyd owns Sam's Town, the Stardust, and three downtown properties. Coast claims The Orleans, Gold Coast, and Suncoast, and will begin construction on its South Coast casino on the far south end of Las Vegas Blvd. this year.
For its second season, the hit reality TV show "Last Comic Standing" will return on Feb. 26 to Paris, the venue where Dat Phan became the winner last year.
Hosted by comedian Jay Mohr, this episode will determine which of the 20 comics will be chosen to live in a house together as they vie for an exclusive contract with NBC and the title of "Last Comic Standing." The finalists were selected earlier this year from regional searches nationwide and semi-finals held in New York.
The Feb. 26 taping is free and open to the public. Reserved tickets will be available via telephone or in-person beginning Monday, Feb. 23 at the Paris Box Office. There is a four-ticket maximum per reservation, call 702-946-4567.
The new BORG Invasion 4D multi-million dollar attraction will open at STAR TREK: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton on March 18. To celebrate the opening in true Star-Trek-style, "The BORG Ball" will take place from midnight until 3 a.m. Tickets priced at $299 include unlimited access to the attraction for three hours, dining, drinks, dancing, a commemorative picture and a limited edition BORG Invasion 4D t-shirt. Guests and fans are expected to dress in full regalia.
The attraction will open officially to the public at 11 a.m. on March 18.
It appears Paris Las Vegas will host the Queen tribute musical "We Will Rock You" in the future. Meanwhile headliners scheduled for center stage in the showroom include Kenny Loggins on Feb. 28 and 29, Dennis Miller on March 12 and 13, and Jay Leno taping "The Tonight Show," May 10-14.
The reviews are coming in great for Elton John's "The Red Piano" show in the 4,000-seat Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The 56-year-old British music legend has begun his three year contract committing him to a minimum of 75 shows.
The star-studded audience cheering John on at his opening night performance included Christina Aguilera, TV star Pamela Anderson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Douglas, Barbara Walters, Sharon Osbourne, comedian Kathy Griffin, Nia Vardalos star of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," and Robin Leach.
Hypnotist Anthony Cools' late night, adult-themed show has closed in the Stardust's 800-seat showroom.
Dr. Naughty recently closed his show at the Greek Isles.
Married hypnotists Genie and Richard have signed on for another year as "The Exotic Hypnotics" with their late show in the Le Bistro Theatre at the Riviera.
Harrah's Treasure Hunt promotion in Las Vegas will run March 1 - April 18. Guests with a Total Rewards card may earn entries into the grand prize drawing by accumulating 50 play-based reward credits in one day, equaling one entry for the drawing, or by obtaining a free entry. For more information contact the Harrah Las Vegas or Rio Total Rewards Centers.
Winning entrants from the Las Vegas promotion and a guest will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Harrah's Las Vegas. On May 4, casino enthusiasts and eight winners will caravan to the Mojave desert, where Harrah's has hidden a series of treasure chests. Armed with a guide, a map and a four-wheel drive vehicle, the contestants will scour the desert in search of the $1 million prize. One person is guaranteed to find it. Each participant will win at least $400.
During Treasure Hunt, Harrah's and the Rio are also giving new Total Rewards customers a numbered coin and the opportunity to win a variety of prizes daily at 5 p.m. Ten winning numbers will be posted and guest's with corresponding numbered coins win one of the following prizes: two free show tickets to Clint Holmes, the Scintas, Showgirls or Skintight; two free Carnival World Buffet or Fresh Market Square Buffet passes; bonus reward credits; or $50 gift certificates to the Range, Café Andreotti, Asia, Fiore, Buzios, or Village Seafood Buffet.
Comedian Dennis Miller will return to Le Théâtre des Arts at Paris Las Vegas for three shows; March 12 at 9 p.m. and March 13 at 8 and 11 p.m. Tickets are $65 and $75, including tax and handling fee, call 702-946-4567 or 1-877-374-7469.
Known for mixing humor with social / political commentary, Miller recently launched his own prime-time talk-show on CNBC featuring politicians and journalists discussing current issues.
Miller has received numerous awards including five Emmy Awards for his HBO series "Dennis Miller Live" which ran for nine years. Miller is perhaps best known for the six years he spent on "Saturday Night Live" as the "Weekend Update" anchor as well as a two-year stint as co-host of "Monday Night Football."
Proving his versatility, Miller has also been cast in dramatic roles in films such as "Disclosure," "The Net" and "Murder at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." Also an accomplished author, Miller has written four New York Times bestsellers including "The Rant Zone," "I Rant Therefore I Am," "Ranting Again" and "The Rants."
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Three Dog Night, the hugely popular 1970s rock band, will appear at the Silverton on Friday, March 5 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.99, call 1-866-946-4373 or 702-914-8557. In the years 1969 through 1974, no other group had more top 10 hits, moved more records or sold more concert tickets. The group had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, 18 straight Top 20s, 11 Top 10s, three number 1s, 7 million-selling singles and 12 straight Gold LPs. Three Dog Night enters its fourth decade with an exciting new CD recorded with the Grammy Award winning London Symphony Orchestra. The new release offers fresh recordings of some of Three Dog Night's classic hits, along with two new tracks, the first new songs from the group in 20 years. Country performer Mark Chesnutt, who hit the Nashville scene in the early '90s and was one of the ten most-played radio artists during that time, will bring his act to the The Hideaway Showroom inside the Silverton on Saturday, March 6. Tickets are $19.99, call 1-866-946-4373 or 702-914-8557. Chesnutt's status among fans can be gauged from the 14 number one hits and 23 Top Ten singles to his credit, and the four platinum and five gold records he has earned. He logged one of country's biggest hits of the past few years, "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing," which stayed at the top of the charts for a full month. Chesnutt got his start in the honky tonks of Beaumont, Texas, learning from his father, Bob Chesnutt, a singer, record collector, and major fan of classic country music. Funnyman Allan Havey will headline the Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's, March 9-14, at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. along with comedian Rick D'Elia and host Frazer Smith. Tickets are $24.95 plus tax, call 702-369-5222. Havey showcases his multiple talents on stage, network television and theater by playing off the audience's spontaneously and incorporating them into his act. He uses anecdotes and unconventional slapstick humor to analyze life's oddities. Havey starred in two HBO specials; "One Night Stand" and "Command Performance," both of which earned him nominations for the prestigious Cable Ace Award. The legendary "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana has had a complete show makeover while continuing the theme of the evolution of women from the 1850's to the present day. Tickets are $44.95 for table seating and $54.95 for booth seating, call 702-739-2411. Some shows are topless and open to guests 16 and older. The show's newest Latin number is a tribute to the Tropicana and its heritage, taking audiences back to "Club Tropicana" in the 1940's. The scene is a sparkling night in Cuba complete with lighted palm trees, a sky blue and twinkling stars. Exploiting the Latin flavor, the new number opens with a hot mambo routine, "Jumpin' East of Java," with the women dressed in bright colored dresses accented with bold black and white stripes and the cigar-smoking men sporting black zoot suits with hats. "Pin-ups" become the focus of the second segment of the new 1940's scene. The term was coined during the pre-war era when men would tear pictures of pretty girls from magazines and "pin them up" on their lockers. Lead female singer, Traci Ault, is featured dressed similar to that of former "pin-up" model Betty Grable. She sings "Keeping Out of Mischief Now" while flirting with the male dancers who are wearing white Eaton Jackets, a signature evening look from the 40's. This eventually develops into a "tongue-in-cheek" strip tease. In addition to the new 1940's scene, the show focuses on enhanced lighting, and added new costumes and choreography for other numbers. The cast of the Broadway hit musical "Rent" will be hosting an HIV & AIDS Awareness Benefit at Prana Restaurant located inside the Desert Passage at the Aladdin immediately following the opening night performance of the show at the Aladdin Theater on Friday, March 19. Admission will be a $10 donation. Additional fundraising will be done with a silent auction items that will include signed Elton John and Celine Dion memorabilia, rare original photos and collages of Beyonce, Janet and Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and more. Other local performers excepted to attend include the cast and crew of Celine Dion's "A New Day," the Blue Man Group, Zumanity, La Cage, Mamma Mia! and others. The Hard Rock plans to open a new nightclub in the spot where Baby's was previously located. Renovations are beginning this month and an opening is scheduled this spring. An announcement is coming soon about a 442-room all-suite non-gaming hotel to be built on the site of the former La Concha Motel that will carry Hilton Hotels Corp.'s Conrad luxury brand. The $250 million Majestic Las Vegas project on the Strip will include a hotel, a separate condominium tower, and a restaurant-retail component. The two-tower complex will include the second-tallest structure in Las Vegas. The new 66,000-square-foot replica of Munich's famous Hofbrauhaus has opened kitty-cornered from the Hard Rock Hotel. Local restaurant company, Memphis Championship Barbecue (MCB) will open a fourth location this Spring at 1401 North Rainbow Blvd. in a building that was formerly the Country Inn. The new 8,400-square-foot, West side location will feature a similar Southern, family-style décor like the other three restaurants and be the largest one. Adjustments to the 240-seat property will include the addition of a bar area with 10 counter top seats and several high-top tables, a separate room for private functions up to 80 people, and three 12-seat family dining rooms. In the 1980's, MCB owner Mike Mills and some friends started a barbecue contest in his hometown of Murphysboro, Ill. After some local success, in 1988, the group became the Apple City Barbecue Team and began competing in barbecue contests. In just a few years, they became the only three-time World Grand Champions of Barbecue. Sam's Town on Boulder Highway is rewarding top players this month through Feb. 29 with bonus rewards and premium prizes. All Prime Rewards Members who hit a select Jackpot OR earn 10,000 points will receive a Premium Sam's Town Embroidered Logo Jacket and get to keep the points.
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