 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
| Sunday, December 12, 2004 | PRIOR ISSUE - ARCHIVES |
 | |
| Spacey Tributes Bobby Darin, Brian May Will Rock You, America's Party Rings In Centennial, Vegas Floats Rose Parade, King Birthday Celebration, Boyd Buys Land, Wet and Wild Turns Hotel, Bourbon Tasting Sweet, Penn Jillette Ties Knot, Entertainment District Inaugurated, Euro-Asian NYE Cuisine, Burlesque Performers Spicing, Girls Gone Wild Hit Town, More... | |
| LAS VEGAS: |
| ATTRACTIONS |
| BUFFETS |
| CONCERTS |
| DISCOUNTS & DEALS |
| GROUP TRAVEL |
| HOTELS |
| LIMOS / CAR RENTALS |
| MAPS |
| NIGHTLIFE |
| RECREATION |
| RESTAURANTS |
| SHOPPING |
| SHOWS |
| TOURS |
|
|
Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey will make his Las Vegas Strip debut Dec. 26 at the Stardust with a show featuring music from his current film based on the life of singer Bobby Darin, who had a congenital heart defect that led to his premature death in 1973 at the age of 37. Spacey produced, directed and starred in the movie "Beyond The Sea," and even did his own singing. Tickets are $59.95 plus tax, call 702-732-6325.
At the Stardust, Spacey will appear with the John Wilson Orchestra in the resort's 900-seat Wayne Newton Theater. Coincidentally, Newton, a frequent Stardust headliner, has always credited Darin with launching his success as a recording artist by giving him his trademark song, "Danke Schoen."
Spacey has a wide-ranging theatrical history that includes comedy and Shakespeare before his film debut in 1986. He won a Tony Award in 1991 for Neil Simon's "Lost In Yonkers" and a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award in 1995 for "The Usual Suspects." In 1999, he won a Best Actor Oscar for "American Beauty" and the Lawrence Olivier Theater Award for "The Iceman Cometh."
Legendary Queen Guitarist Brian May will make a special musical appearance during the 7 p.m. performance of "We Will Rock You" on Dec. 18 at Paris-Las Vegas. Tickets are $45, $70, $85 and $100 plus tax and handling fee, call 702-946-4567 or 877- ROCK-SHOW.
May is co-producer and world-wide music supervisor for "We Will Rock You," which made its North American premiere at Paris last August. The show originally debuted in London and has recently opened shows in Spain, Australia, Germany and Russia. May has written 22 Top 20 hits including one of the most famous sports anthems of all time, "We Will Rock You."
Billed as "America's Party," the fireworks extravaganza ringing in 2005 is being billed as the largest fireworks show in Las Vegas' history. It will also officially launch Las Vegas' Centennial and usher in a year of citywide celebration filled with hundreds of events to honor Las Vegas' 100th birthday.
Expected to attract 300,000 visitors, "America's Party" will be produced by Fireworks by Grucci of New York, world-renowned for innovative mind-bending pyrotechnic creations. The Gruccis will create an eye-popping five-mile-long display to be launched from 10 resort rooftops: Excalibur, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Bally's, Flamingo, Venetian, Treasure Island, Stardust, Circus Circus and Stratosphere.
The $600,000 fireworks and laser show production will feature a soundtrack written by Harrah's headliner Clint Holmes and a countdown of fireworks that will explode into the shapes of the numerals 10 through 1.
Although downtown won't be part of the fireworks extravaganza, the Fremont Street Experience will host its own celebration featuring live music beginning at 7 p.m.
In commemoration of its centennial year, Las Vegas is entering a centennial-themed float in the 2005 of Rosesr Parade in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1. The No. 42 float will feature Las Vegas icons such as Vegas Vic and Sassy Sally, as well as a towering birthday cake and giant champagne bottle.
Las Vegas-style showgirls, emblems of the Entertainment Capital of the World, will ride the float along the 5.5-mile route.
The final stages of float decoration will take place Dec. 28-31, and be open to spectators for a $5 admission fee. On those dates, the Las Vegas Centennial float will be located at Buena Vista Pavilion, 2144 Buena Vista, (City of Hope) Duarte, Calif. 91010.
The Cannery in North Las Vegas will host a Tribute to the King Birthday Celebration at The Club on Jan. 7 and 8 with "The American Trilogy Show."
The birthday festivities will begin on Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m. with a free pre-show party hosted by Stephen Christopher, an Elvis expert licensed by the Elvis Presley Estate. Christopher will provide commentary about Elvis' life and career, take audience questions and host an Elvis Trivia Contest with a Graceland giveaway that consists of a two-night stay at The Heartbreak Hotel, dinner at one of Elvis' favorite dinning spots and VIP passes to Graceland.
On Jan. 8, The Club will show Elvis movies beginning at 3 p.m. with birthday cake following. Admission is free.
Following the festivities each night, Paul Casey will star in "The American Trilogy Show" and take audiences on a trip through Elvis' life from the 1950s to the 1970s with Elvis' original Las Vegas Musical Conductor, Bobby Morris. Casey will be joined by special guests: Ed Bonja, Elvis' official photographer and tour manager; Cynthia Pepper, co-star in "Kissin Cousins;" and Darlene Tompkins, co-star in "Blue Hawaii." Admission is $5 plus tax and the show begins at 8 p.m. each night.
Other weekend activities include The Cannery Row Buffet hosting a special "Food that fed the King" section highlighting Elvis' favorite dishes including the fried peanut butter and mashed banana sandwich and entertainment in Pin-Ups Lounge by an Elvis impersonator each evening following the show.
The Boyd casino company has just purchased 13 acres behind the Stardust, which the original Budget Suites now occupies, for $43 million. The motel will be leased back to Budget Suites for up to two years while Boyd decides how to develop the property. Boyd now controls 63 acres of property on and around the Stardust, the exact acreage that MGM Mirage is building out for its proposed Project CityCenter development.
|
"Ba-Da-Bing," which serves up an Italian melee during its interactive dinner show featuring mobsters, Italian food and gun shots, has moved to the Stardust. Shows are nightly at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $60 for dinner and show. The new Westward Ho adjunct on Industrial Road has opened with slots, video poker, four blackjack tables and a Leroy's sports book. A 3,000 room high rise hotel and casino resort is being planned for the 27 acres of land where the Wet and Wild water-theme park has been located for years. The project will have a nautical theme and has a working title of "The Palace of The Sea." "Small Batch Bourbon Tasting" is a one-night event happening on Dec. 18, from 6 -9 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas that will attract bourbon connoisseurs and feature exclusive tasting and master commentary by spirits legend Fred Noe, great grandson of legendary distiller and Kentucky legend Jim Beam. Cost is $35, call 702-567-4700 for reservations. Penn Jillette, 49, of the Rio's comedy-magic Penn and Teller duo, married his girlfriend of two years, Emily Zolten, 38, on Nov. 23 at the Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel. Global Art Gallery has recently opened at the Riviera. Original copies range from $50 to the thousands. The gallery will be having special meet and greet parties as well as celebrity artist events. The District at Green Valley Ranch through Dec. 23 is featuring the Lamplight Carolers, an acappella quartet, strolling and performing holiday classics along Main Street. Street vendors are selling roasted nuts, caramel corn, and hot apple cider from old-fashioned pushcarts. The Riviera, which became the first high-rise casino on the Las Vegas Strip with a nine-story tower, will celebrate its 50th Golden Anniversary on April 20, 2005. In anticipation of the 50th birthday, the Riviera is planning many casino promotions and special events leading up to the date, including a week-long party in April featuring fireworks, top name celebrity talent and 1950's pricing. The hotel, which has played host to many top-name entertainers, has plans to name 50 of its finest suites after those who have played at the resort. Liberace was the opening act at the Riviera and a look-a-like will lend support when management duplicates its opening ribbon-cutting ceremony, aided by original showgirls who performed at the Riviera in the 50's. The first businesses have opened in the newly created Las Vegas Entertainment District downtown. Take 1, a nightclub, and Benedettos, an Italian restaurant, have opened at the corner of E. Fremont Street and 7th Street, a block east of El Cortez. The three-block District was formed last March to expand the downtown tourist corridor east of Las Vegas Boulevard. The Hollywood-themed nightclub has a 140-square-foot screen that shows classic movies. Patrons can be taped against a green screen and edited, via the wonders of special effects, into their favorite movies. There's live entertainment Wednesday through Saturday nights. Both Take 1 and Benedettos open at 11 a.m. and close at 2 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on weekends. The Riviera will have The Glenn Williams Band and The Gene White Orchestra welcoming in the New Year in the Royale Pavilion. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets, which include a gourmet dinner, champagne toast, dancing, unlimited drinks and party favors, are $155.50, inclusive. The Top Of The Riv ballroom will offer disc jockey and music beginning at 10 p.m. The $105.50 inclusive ticket includes unlimited drinks, hors d'oeurves and party favors. For tickets, call 702-794-9433. Crustacean known for its Euro-Asian cuisine and Prana Lounge will feature exquisite meals with the first seating from 5 to 7 p.m. costing $150 per person and the second seating from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. priced at $200. There will be live music from 8 p.m. to midnight with the DJ and nightclub kicking off at midnight. All dinner guests receive re-entry for the late night party, call 702-650-0507, ext. 200. Pure Management group will be hosting New Year's Eve parties at each of their four venues: PURE at Caesars Palace; Tangerine at TI; Coyote Ugly at New York-New York; and BiKiNiS at the Rio. Mariah Carey will be hosting an exclusive New Year's Eve party at the PURE Nightclub. She will give a champagne toast, count down to 2005 and officially open the Strip's newest nightlife destination - PURE. Advance tickets are $125, call 702.212.8806. Tangerine Lounge & Nightclub will have special guest DJ Kid Capri, an exclusive celebrity host, and sexy Burlesque performers spicing things up. Tickets are $100 in advance, call 702-212-8804 from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. or 702-894-7580 after 6 p.m. Coyote Ugly Bar & Dance Saloon will party the night away with the wild, sassy, tough-talking beautiful Coyotes entertaining guests from bar tops and from behind the bar. Tickets are $45 in advance and include party favors and a champagne toast at midnight, call 866-606-7111. Girls Gone Wild will present BiKiNiS Beach & Dance Club New Year's Eve Ball featuring acclaimed artist and DJ Biz Markie and special guest DJ Aphrodita- a singer, actress, artist and New York's premiere DJ from Playboy's 2004 music issue. The party starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $50 in advance and include party favors and a champagne toast at midnight, call 702-777-6582 or 866-854-6069.
CONTINUE ON TO...: |
