Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka will star in "Grease" at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre from April 27-May 30. Best known for their roles on television's "Laverne and Shirley," Williams and Mekka will once again transport audiences to a nostalgic time in American history.

"Grease," the story of Rydell High Schoolers, is ranked as the fifth-longest running musical in Broadway history. It opened in1972 and logged 3,388 performances until it closed on April 13, 1980. Its revival opened on Broadway in 1994.

Tickets for "Grease" at the MGM range between $35 for a Sunday matinee to $50 on weekends. For ticket information call, 1-800-929-111 or 702-891-7777.

Stations Casinos, Inc. has announced that they will build a new resort/casino on a 40-acre site on the south side of Interstate 215 at Green Valley Parkway in Henderson, NV. The 40-acre resort site is part of a 170-acre mixed-use commercial, retail and office project.

Construction of the $270-$280 million resort/casino will commence during the third quarter of this year and plans call for the project to open in the fourth quarter of 2001.

The yet-to-be-named project will feature over 330,000 square feet of public space and have 200 hotel rooms. Entertainment amenities will include a 22,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art spa with outdoor pools; a 10-screen movie theater; full-service restaurants; a fast-food court with six, quick-serve outlets and a non-gaming arcade.

The casino will have 54,000 square feet of gaming with over 2,000 slot machines and 40 table games. It wills also feature a race and sports book and a poker room.

Henderson / Green Valley has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing areas of the United States for the last two years by the U.S Census Bureau. With a population of 160,000, it currently is ranked as America's fastest-growing city, and recently became the second-largest city in Nevada.

International singing sensation Ricky Martin will return to Mandalay Bay for one concert on Saturday, July 22 in the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

In November 1999, Martin performed two sold-out shows at Mandalay Bay. More than 11 buses carry dancers, musicians and crew and over 20 trucks transport the elaborate stage, special effects and sound system required to put on a show of Martin's magnitude.

Last year, Martin won an array of awards and his self-title album became certified multi-platinum. "People" magazine also named him one of the World's 50 Most Beautiful People. Tickets for his show are $35, $75, $115 and $150, call 702-474-4000.

Danny Gans will open his new show on April 4, in the new 1,260-seat Danny Gans Theatre, built specifically for him at The Mirage. Tickets sales began on Feb. 1, and within six weeks and two weeks prior to opening night, his pre-sale ticket numbers reached the one million dollar mark. His shows will be nightly at 8 p.m. except on Mondays and Fridays. Tickets are $67.50 plus tax, call 702-791-7111.

Tony Orlando returns to a familiar turf where he played 10 weeks a year during the `70s. This time around, Orlando will "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" in the Riviera's newest venue, the Royale Pavilion on Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1...no fooling!

In the early years, Orlando was teamed with Thelma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson and they became an international sensation known as "Tony Orlando and Dawn." Then in 1973, Orlando recorded the song which was to become No. 1 for the year, "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree."

Tickets to see Orlando are $40 per person plus tax and fee, call 702-794-9433 or click on www.theriviera.com.

A major part of Texas Station's $55 million expansion in North Las Vegas will be two, 1,000-square-foot wedding chapels that can be re-configured or combined to create a 2,000-square-foot chapel for 220 guests. The chapels will open in December. Texas Station can also accommodate wedding receptions for 25 to 1,300 guests in its new 40,000-square-foot convention center, call 702-631-8268.

Texas Station is offering five separate wedding packages called The Majestic, The Sierra, The Horizon, The Twilight and The Millennium ranging between $350 and $2,000.

MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park has created a brand new Season Pass costing $42.95. The Season Pass offers the pass holder unlimited access to Grand Adventures for the 2000 season and $2 off any SkyScreamer flight.

MGM Grand Adventures re-opens to the public for Spring Break and Summer operation daily April 15-30 and June 10-Aug. 20; and on Saturday and Sunday only May 6-June 4 and Aug. 26-Sept. 4; plus Memorial Day and Labor Day. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The regular admission fee April 15-30 is $15 with unlimited access to all rides and shows except SkyScreamer. For the rest of the season the admission fee is $12.95. The World's Largest SkyCoaster - "SkyScreamer" - costs $25 each for triple flyers; $30 for double flyers; and $35 for a single flyer. For more information, call 702-891-7979.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

Nevada Nick's - An Original Steakhouse debuted its "Prime Time" $19.95 per person (excluding tax and tip) dinner menu on March 12. This early dinner offer is good Sunday through Thursday between 5:30 and 7 p.m. includes: choice of one of three appetizers; soup of the day" Nevada Nick's signature salad of mozzarella and sun dried tomato pizza; a choice of one of four entrees; and cassatta for dessert, call 702-804-4901.

Nevada Nick's is a 10,000-square-foot restaurant and lounge that seats 320 guests, including a 160-seat main dining room and two private rooms. It's located in The Regent, formerly known as The Resort at Summerlin, about ten miles from Downtown Las Vegas.

The international percussion performance show, "STOMP" will return to the MGM's EFX Theatre, April 11-16. After playing for over five seasons, "STOMP" continues runs with two concurrent national tours and a continuous run at The Orpheum Theatre in New York, where it has appeared for the past six years.

"STOMP" has made its unique presence known outside its live stage show. "STOMP" made a cut on Quincy Jones' CD "Q's Jook Joint" for which he received a Grammy nomination, was on the soundtrack for the film "Tank Girl," and in the Academy Award-nominated short live action film, "Brooms," which was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. HBO's "STOMP Out Loud," is now available on home video through Time Warner Entertainment and won a 1998 Emmy Award.

Tickets for "STOMP" are $34 and $42 plus tax and handling fee for evening shows and $29 and $37 for the matinee performances, call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Nevada Chapter will present a fund-raiser "Simply the Best," on Saturday, April 29. The evening's event will feature concert tickets to legendary performer Tina Turner's "Twenty Four Seven" tour with special guest Lionel Richie in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The fund-raiser includes a pre-concert reception with entertainment, a hosted bar and hors d'oeuvres, live and silent auctions, and a post-concert party.

Sponsorship packages for the "Simply the Best" fundraising event range from $600 to $25,000, call JDF at 702-732-4795.

At least two companies are trying to encourage Las Vegas businesses to employ technology to reach the 34 million tourists who visit Las Vegas. Interactive kiosks are a way to replace brochures; however, you need to understand that they are not just a service but a business that features its advertisers.

The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce has teamed with TouchMedia Systems One Nevada to place interactive terminals in kiosks near The Strip. The chamber currently has two kiosks located by the Polo Towers at the south end of the Strip and near the Riviera at the north end.

Another company, Showcase Information Systems has placed similar interactive terminals in the offices of rental car companies at the airport, hotel-casinos and near other tourist attractions.

In addition, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) ha budgeted $200,000 to redesign and promote a new web site that will raise the awareness of Las Vegas activities. The new site will involve a robust e-commerce capability allowing people to buy attraction tickets and Las Vegas merchandise online. Look for this easier-to-find new web site in late April or early May.

It's hard not to notice skyline buildings under construction and wonder what they will become. The two tall buildings going up at Hughes Center off Flamingo and Paradise about three to four blocks from the Strip are an Irwin Molasky / Steve Wynn Development, Park Towers at Hughes Center. The $125 million project is a luxury high-rise condominium residence with a wealth of amenities and services including a concierge.

Park Towers offers an array of floor plans ranging from 2,100 square feet to 5,400 square feet with spectacular views, gourmet kitchens, 10 foot ceilings and walk-in closets.

Amenities will include a Grand Salon for parties of 100, wine cellar with separate temperature controlled lockers for white and red wines, Hollywood-style screening room, library, business / conference center and men's and women's complete spas. A recreational deck will offer a swimming pool, tennis court and landscaped gardens.

Park Towers Sales & Design Center is located at 3960 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 820, call 702-696-0600.

Effective March 30, "Takin' It Uptown" starring Clint Holmes at Harrah's, will be performed at 7:30 nightly except Wednesday and at 10 p.m. on Thursday an Saturday. Tickets are $44.95 plus tax, call 1-800-392-9002.

The Imperial Palace's mascot, Ippy, is a little blue dragon. He now has his own progressive 25-cent slot machines called "Ippy's Fortune," that begin at $25,000. There are 18 of these machines located right in the middle of the main casino floor. Ippy's new machines are surrounded by other new slot machines including 25-cent Elvis, Yahtzee, Party Time and Wheel of Fortune slots, and 25-cent Triple Play Poker.

The fourth annual Cal Craps Reunion is set for April 28-May 1, at the California Hotel. This event honors the resort's "Golden Arm Club" members who have the distinction for holding the dice more than one hour during craps play.

The weekend will include placing new members' stars on Fremont Street. There are currently 109 members in the exclusive club, 22 of whom qualified during 1999. The club began in1989 when Stanley Fujitake held a table for 3 hours and 6 minutes.

CONTINUE ON TO...:
>THIS WEEK'S LAUGHLIN SEGMENT
>LAST WEEK'S LAS VEGAS SEGMENT
>VEGAS VIEWS FULL ARCHIVES
>Return to "Heard Around Town"
>Return to Las Vegas Leisure Guide