 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
| Sunday, December 21, 2003 | PRIOR ISSUE - ARCHIVES |
 | |
| Britney Spears In Vegas Zone, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Sails, Landmark Strip Hotel Demolished, Wet 'N' Wild May Dry Up, Gianni Russo Hosts NYE Celebration, Lounge Action, SCORE International Announced Schedule, Sam's Park All Aglow, Pets Love Las Vegas, Comedy Over The Holidays, More... | |
| ALSO ON LVLG: |
| ATTRACTIONS |
| BUFFETS |
| CONCERTS |
| DISCOUNTS & DEALS |
| GHOST TOWNS |
| GROUP TRAVEL |
| HOTELS |
| LIMOS / CAR RENTALS |
| MAPS |
| NIGHTLIFE |
| PARKS |
| GOLF / SPAS |
| RESTAURANTS |
| SHOPPING |
| SHOWS |
| TOURS |
Pop princess Britney Spears will return to the MGM Grand for the first time in two and a half years when she brings her "In The Zone" tour there on Saturday, March 6. Tickets are $48.50, $78.50 and $98.50 plus applicable service charges and taxes; call the MGM at 800- 929-1111 or Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000. A portion of all ticket sales goes to The Britney Spears Foundation to benefit deserving youth.
Spears' musical intensity and her evolution from a teen renegade into a provocative young woman are undeniable throughout "In The Zone," her fourth Jive Records collection. She collaborated with heavy hitters and co-wrote eight of the project's 13 new compositions. Her newest single "Me Against The Music," includes pop icon Madonna lending her voice to it.
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville made its West Coast debut at the Flamingo on Dec. 11. The tropical-themed venue features live entertainment, a colorful laid back atmosphere and distinctive cuisine influenced by Buffett's lifetime of island travels. Hours are 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sunday-Thursday, and 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The multi-level entertainment venue offers two outdoor patios overlooking the Las Vegas Strip, a Caribbean-themed restaurant, five distinctive bars, live entertainment nightly (both indoors and outdoors) and a 3,000 square-foot retail store.
The first floor "Green Level" features the Volcano Bar, harbor seating, fishing boats and the Coral Reefer Bar. A main focal point is a three-story volcano that erupts over the Volcano Bar, spilling margaritas into two giant 300-gallon blenders. The eruption happens approximately every hour, with a special "sacrifice" that ends with the blending of a perfect margarita.
The second floor "Clipper Level" features indoor and outdoor seating that is modeled after the Clipper sea plane. The top "12 Volt Level" of Margaritaville is home to the infamous 12 Volt Bar and offers patio seating with a fantastic view of the Las Vegas Strip.
The festival-like atmosphere has stilt walkers roaming throughout the establishment creating Parrothead balloon hats for guests while hand-painted Adirondack chairs invite guests to relax.
Another Las Vegas Strip 1960s-era landmark, the 238-room La Concha Motel was demolished on Dec. 11. Built in 1959 by the Doumani family just south of the Riviera, the motel was distinctive because of its shell-shaped architecture and has been seen in several movies including "Casino" and "Mars Attacks!" Tentative plans for the prime 5.5-acre site still owned by the Doumani family call for a 450-room non-casino hotel and shopping center that would open in about two years.
The 139-room El Morocco next door, opened in 1964 with a circular lobby. It also symbolizes the stylized architecture in Las Vegas at the time and it will be torn down soon.
A real winner is this year's holiday show produced by Dick Foster for the Rio. It's starring Jeff Trachta from "The Bold and the Beautiful" fame running through Dec. 25. In addition to being a gifted singer, he does impressions and adorable skits especially the one playing Santa's female secretary answering Christmas Eve calls including those from Rudolph who has a cold and the Easter Bunny.
Balancing the show to perfection are female aerial team Flight La Femme back by popular demand from last year's holiday show, singer Geneive Dewit Craig who is a full time BevErtainer at the resort, and Fifth Avenue, a quartet made up of four fabulous vocalists who were former gondola singers at the Venetian. The Jerry Lopez Band backs the entertainers. For information, call 702-777-7776.
Plans approved last April for a $650 million 3,300-room mega resort on the 27-acre north Strip property currently occupied by the Wet 'n' Wild water park are coming close to reality. Paul Lowden, former owner of the Santa Fe, Sahara, and Hacienda casinos, still owns the Wet 'n' Wild property. He has announced that the as-yet-unnamed mega resort will be built in the near future. The main attraction will be a 600-foot "observation wheel" similar to the one built in London for the millennium celebration. Meanwhile, Wet 'n' Wild is scheduled to open in April.
The Rampart Casino and J.W. Marriott, both located within the Resort at Summerlin in the northwest part of the valley, will host a combined New Year's Eve celebration from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. with entertainment by the big band sounds of Gianni Russo and his musical conductor, Jimmy Mullidore, who once conducted for Elvis Presley.
Tickets are on sale at the Rampart Casino cage for $75 and include two complimentary drinks, light appetizers and a champagne toast at midnight. J.W. Marriott has special rate room packages available. For more information, call 702-507-5900.
New Year's Eve action is happening at various exclusive lounges around town. Guests at all the lounges must be 21 or older.
The lavish New Year's Eve celebration at the Tabú Ultra Lounge in the MGM Grand will include complimentary champagne, hors d'oeuvres, and party favors from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Tabú's stunning hostesses, DJ Jose 2 Hype and DJ Javier Alba. will entice the crowd with a decadent music mix while Tabú's staff caters to guest's every need in their "naughty New Year's attire." Tickets are $250 for general admission, call 702-891-7619 or email mayaowens@tabuultralounge.com.
At Risqué located in Paris Las Vegas, the two-level New Year's Eve bash will include an open bar from 9 p.m.-midnight, the hottest DJs and an amazing Strip-front location featuring second floor private balconies and the outdoor Ah Sin patio located on the ground level. Tickets are $150 pre-paid and $200 at the door, call 1-888-374-SHOW.
|
Light, the nightclub at Bellagio, will feature live performances, dancing displays, and a champagne toast. General admission is $150, call 702-693-8300. Caramel Bar & Lounge, Bellagio's latest creation, will have a party with a champagne toast at midnight. General admission on New Year's Eve is $40, call (702) 693-8300. The New Year's Eve Dance Party at Studio 54 inside MGM Grand will have complimentary champagne until 1 a.m., hors d'oeuvres, party favors, a balloon drop, confetti blasts and choreographed dance routines. Tickets are $150 in advance and $175 at the door, call 800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777. Coyote Ugly, the wild bar and dance saloon at New York-New York, is throwing a bash complete with drink specials, Jell-O shots, a complimentary champagne toast at midnight and party favors. Cost is $40 per person, call 702-740-6330. Doors open at 6 p.m. Partygoers at Club Cabaret located in the Cabaret Theatre at New York-New York will enjoy an open well bar, DJ Steve, a host of go-go dancers, party favors and access to a private viewing area to witness spectacular Las Vegas Strip fireworks. Party goes from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Cost is $99, call 702-740-6815. The intimate lounge Mist at TI (Treasure Island) will serve a champagne toast at midnight with the $20 admission charge; call 702-693-8300 The Scintas, headliners at The Rio, have launched a new holiday CD featuring 10 traditional Christmas songs. Scintas Merry Christmas CD's are $19.99 plus tax and on sale now. The family four-some hail from Buffalo, N.Y. Caesars Palace pianist David Osborne, who performs in the Café Lago restaurant, is billed as the "Pianist to the Presidents." This month the 45-year-old native of Miami, Okla. performed at two private Christmas parties for President Bush, one for the president's friend and one for his family. Osborne performed for Bush's father at a media reception in 1992. He performed four times for President Bill Clinton, entertained at Ronald Reagan's 80th birthday bash, and is a favorite of Jimmy Carter. He most recently played at Carter's 79th birthday party in Plains, Ga. Effective Jan. 1, the Risqué Ultra Lounge at Paris will be open Thursday-Sunday from 10 p.m. - 4 a.m. Beginning Jan. 2, "The Tropicana Bird Show" will take place at the following times: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily except Thursdays. SCORE International has announced a five-race schedule for the 2004 SCORE Desert Series. The big change is that the SCORE 3rd Annual Henderson's Terrible 250 has been moved to 2005 because no suitable replacement date could be found for 2004. It was held the past two years in July in the scorching Southern Nevada desert. For more information, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818-225-8402 or visit The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is going to pay $1.57 million to purchase five parcels of land totaling 1.15 acres that are adjacent to the center's South Hall. The acquired land will be used to develop more than 100 parking spaces and for storage and marshalling areas. Mystic Falls Park, inside Sam's Town Hotel & Casino, features Sunset Stampede a laser / light show daily at 2, 6, 8 and 10 p.m., and new festive decorations and twinkling lights for the holiday season. At the sound of the howling wolf, the show begins and highlights colorful dancing waters, shooting laser beams and animation, and synchronized fountains choreographed to dramatic symphony music recorded exclusively for Sunset Stampede by the Indianapolis Philharmonic Orchestra. A new addition to the show is "Big Sam," an animatronic bear. The eight-minute extravaganza takes place inside a 25,000 square foot atrium, which is kept at a comfortable 72 degrees year-round, complete with cobblestone paths, waterfalls, and lifelike wildlife in a lush green forest. If you want to bring your dog on your next trip, check out One property not listed because it's brand new is the Westin Casuarina, which has an "Love that Dog" (LTD) program, where dogs up to 40 pounds are welcome to stay in the rooms with their owners. The front desk provides a doggie bed, food and water bowls, and ID tag for your traveling pooch at no extra charge. The Comedy Stop and the Riviera Comedy Club each feature three comedians. The lead laugh maker for The Comedy Stop at the Tropicana from Dec. 26-Jan. 4 is zany madcap Kevin Knox. He appears regularly at The Comedy Connection, Boston's prestigious comedy club. Comedy / juggler Ron Pearson will take over the Riviera Comedy Club from Dec. 29-Jan. 4. He can be seen on "Shopping Spree," his game show on the Family Channel.
CONTINUE ON TO...: |
