This is the big week! The new Aladdin will open on Aug. 17, along with the latest shopping extravaganza Desert Passage. Visit the ongoing LVLG in-depth feature about the Aladdin Hotel.

Master magician and illusionist David Copperfield will chart new territory as he debuts his latest production show, "Unknown Dimension," at the MGM Grand's 650-seat Hollywood Theater, Aug. 25-29. Tickets are $85 plus tax and handling fee, call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

During each performance, Copperfield transports himself and a member of the audience from the stage to the other side of the planet. His encore for the evening's show is a ground-breaking illusion where 13 audience members, selected randomly, vanish in a fiery blast. Some reappear miles away; some don't come back at all.

A dazzling new illusion in the show includes "Test Conditions," performed under brightly lit lab specifications on a stage stripped to the essentials. The illusion uses no smoke, no mirrors, no trapdoors; yet the magic prevails. Another new effect involves each member of the audience - and the moon - in an act of intergalactic, interactive illusion.

Breck Wall and his partner, Patrick Maes will open their comedy revue "Best of Bottoms Up" at the Flamingo on Aug. 14, with two topless shows daily at 2 and 4 p.m. They've been doing the slapstick revue for the past 38 years. The last time they played Las Vegas was at the Riviera three years ago. The show will feature original cast members David Harris and Sue Motsinger in addition to Wall. Tickets are $12.95 plus tax, call 702-733-3333.

This doesn't happen often; however, the David Cassidy/Don Reo "The Rat Pack Is Back" tribute show at the Sahara won't be closing there on Aug. 13, as previously announced. The new extension date will allow the show to remain at the Sahara through Oct. 29. By then, the successful show will no doubt be signed on with another property.

Guests of the MGM Grand and New York-New York can check-in/register and receive their room keys while they wait for their luggage at McCarran International Airport. The MGM's owned and operated 500-square-foot facility, which opened last April, is the first of its kind opened by a hotel company at any U.S. airport. It is located in the south baggage claim area near the exit from C and D gates. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to midnight daily.

Other services at the airport registration facility include restaurant reservations and show/event tickets for the MGM Grand and New York-New York hotels. For an additional charge, the company is also offering luggage transfer and shuttle service from the airport. For more information, call 1-800-929-1111 or log on to www.mgmgrand.com.

The targeted date for the grand opening of the new Suncoast Hotel and Casino in the northwest part of Las Vegas next to the Regent Las Vegas on the corner of Rampart and Alta is Sept. 1. The owners of this new property are Coast Properties (Barbary Coast, Gold Coast, and the Orleans).

Suncoast will be a Mediterranean-themed resort with 392 rooms in a 10-floor tower. Besides the 78,000-square-foot casino, 150-seat race and sports book, 25,000-square-feet of meeting space, 600-seat Bingo Parlor, restaurants, etc., there will be a 16-screen Century Theater movie complex with stadium seating, a 600-seat showroom, and a 64-lane Bowling Center. There will be free airport and Strip shuttle service for hotel guests.

Comedienne/actress Pam Stone will headline The Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's, Aug. 29-Sept. 3. At six feet tall, most people were first exposed to Stone's comedic skills through her work on the hit ABC television show "Coach," where she played the women's basketball coach Judy Watkins. Stone has also appeared on "The Drew Carey Show" and the "New Love Boat."

Stone's comedy is a sophisticated blend of insights and satire. Two other comedians David Feldman and host David Gee will appear with her at The Improv. Tickets for the 8 and 10 p.m. shows, Tuesday through Sunday, are $24.95 plus tax.

The Venetian Resort with 500,000 square feet of meeting space and a direct link to the 1.2 million square foot Sand Expo and Convention Center recently received the prestigious Gold Key award for 2000 by "Meetings & Conventions" magazine. Now in its 23 rd year, this annual award is bestowed by the magazine's readers upon the finest meeting properties worldwide. The Venetian is one of only 174 U.S. hotels to receive the honor this year and will be honored with the other winners at a gala ceremony in New York City on Nov. 10. In addition, the winners will be highlighted in the magazine's November issue.

Besides Melinda, the First Lady of Magic, returning to Las Vegas after a four-year absence with a show on the Strip at the Venetian, comedy magician Fielding West has also resurfaced. He first appeared on the Strip as the comic relief in `80s reviews such as "From the Top" and "Abracadabra."

West has set up shop downtown at the Lady Luck where fellow magicians Melinda and Steve Wyrick each had long running headline stints. West likes to banter with the crowd and perform close-up magic. His show is "Hocus Pocus," presented Thursday and Sunday at 8:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Admission is free with an inexpensive one drink minimum. For information, call 702-477-3000.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

An Epic Records country music "Extravaganza" is set for Aug. 19, at Sunset Station's outdoor amphitheater with stars Patty Loveless, Collin Raye and Ty Herndon. They will be joined by newcomers The Kinleys, Tammy Cochran and Billy Gilman. Tickets are $22.50, $32.50 and $42.50, call 702-547-7777.

Kentucky native Loveless has earned nine No. 1 hit singles, four platinum albums and Grammys, plus Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association awards. Raye's first album, "All I Can Be," produced a number one single, "Love, Me" and went platinum in 1991. His next three albums were also certified platinum. Since his debut in 1995, Herndon has earned seven Top 10 hits - three of which went to No. 1, and scored two gold albums with his first two releases "What Mattered Most" and "Living in a Moment." He has a 5,000-member fan club.

The Kinleys are twin sisters Jennifer and Heather. Their 1997 debut "Just Between You and Me" was certified gold. Up-and-coming 30 year old star Tammy Cochran from Ohio has her self-titled album climbing the charts. Billy Gilman is a child phenomenon standing four-feet, seven-inches. He's 12 and recently became the youngest person to have a song on Billboard Magazine's country singles chart.

"Soul Jam II" starring Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, Cuba Gooding & the Main Ingredient, The Dramatics and Ray, Goodman & Brown will take over the Wayne Newton Theater at the Stardust, Sept. 2 & 3. Tickets are $39.95 with tax, tip and one beverage included.

Jerry Lewis, who will headline at The Orleans, Sept. 7-10, has a special press conference set for Aug. 15 at the hotel. A surprise announcement is in the making.

Meanwhile, Australia's most prominent musical exports, the Little River Band (LRB) will perform at The Orleans, Sept. 1-3. In early 1982, Billboard bestowed upon LRB the honor of being the only act from anywhere to have scored a top ten American single every year from 1978 through to 1982.

The LRB of 2000 is stronger than ever. There is a new element of youthfulness and vitality, anchored by current leader, consummate guitarist Stephen Housden, who has been a group mainstay for more than 15 years and American bass player Wayne Nelson (lead vocalist on "Night Owls"). Tickets are $29.95, $34.95, $39.95 plus tax, call 702-365-7075.

The Riviera's "Crazy Girls" were recently interviewed by "Conde Nast Traveler Magazine All-Stars Special" for a prime time show to air on The Travel Channel the night of Sept. 21. Ann Fairbarin, the newest "Crazy Girl" gave an exclusive interview after her first night on the job dancing in her first two topless shows of her life. The one-hour special, which highlights the top shows in

Las Vegas, will run 10 or 12 more times over the next year.

Las Vegas continues to be a hot spot for filming movies. In many ways, the city acts as a ready-made giant set. A big-screen romantic comedy called "Tomcats," has been filming in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel and also downtown at A Special Memory Wedding Chapel.

Chuck Zito will shoot his new TV series "Street Court" in Las Vegas beginning in a few months. The show will feature real people with disputes and Zito will dispense advice and help settle things. Muscle-bound Zito also has a recurring role on the HBO hit "Oz."

In an opposite move, a prominent non-actor Nevadan will appear in a Michael Douglas film due out next year. In "Traffic," co-starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Senator Harry Reid is in a scene filmed in Washington, D.C. Douglas playing a recently appointed national drug czar talks with Reid about how to deal with the drug war at a posh cocktail party. What's fascinating is there were no assigned lines, the two were actually chatting about real issues.

A June 12 fire damaged the Utopia nightclub on the Strip. The refurbished hot spot should be up and running by Sept. 1.

The MGM Grand will host Fox's new show "The Sexiest Bachelor in America" on Sept. 12, with a scheduled air date on Oct. 2. For men interested in trying out, Fox has set up a prerequisite website: www.sexiestbachelor.com.

Irish American restaurant chain Bennigan's of Plano, Texas, plans to open five restaurants in Las Vegas and Henderson by 2005. The first two will open by the end of this year in converted restaurant properties in Las Vegas and Henderson.

A proposed casino property on 5.8 acres of land across from the Hard Rock resort on the northeast corner of Paradise Road and Harmon Ave. has been given the green light by the Clark County Commissioners. Plans call for a $100 million resort with a 317-room hotel tower, a 55,000-square-foot casino, restaurants, convention center and six-story parking garage. The hope is to break ground later his year and complete the project in 2001.

The MGM Grand has expanded its Race and Sports Book. The 12,000-square-foot betting arena places guests on event sidelines with 43 big-screen televisions, six gigantic electronic display boards, and 175 individual full-access seats and separate race and sports betting counters.

The Sports Book has 14 separate U-shaped viewing booths and a centrally located sports bar. The Race Book provides a private interactive atmosphere with 82 individual seats, each equipped with their own tables. A desk lamp and personal 13" television allows guests to access global network racing and sporting events.

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