Teen sensation Aaron Carter, the youngest male solo artist to ever have four top 40 singles, will appear with Dream Street and Lindsay Pagano on Saturday, March 2, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Tickets for "Aaron's Winter Party Tour" are $20.50, $30.50 and $40.50, call 702-632-7580.

Carter had the honor of performing on-stage with pop legend Michael Jackson in the nationally televised "Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Concert" at Madison Square Garden. Most recently, his single "Leave It Up To Me" is featured in the anticipated Nickelodeon film, "Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius."

The five New York natives that make up Dream Street made their recording debut in July 2000. The popular single "They Don't Understand," is featured on the soundtrack from the film "Pokeman 2000."

Lindsay Pagano's debut recording hit music stores this month featuring vocals combining modern pop and classic soulful sounds.

The groundbreaking was recently held for the 9,000-seat, multi-propose sports and entertainment facility being built adjacent to The Orleans Hotel's north side. Completion of the arena is anticipated for spring 2003.

The new facility is expected to host between 80 to 100 events a year. In addition to holding concerts, there will be equestrian, motor sports and team sports events plus a variety of prizefights, family shows and conventions. The new arena will feature larger seats and rows that are more spacious. A first will be two prominently displayed LED video screens with a full LED wraparound video system. Twenty-four luxurious VIP suites and 220 club seats will be located on the private concourse level.

The Orleans Arena is part of an overall $140 million expansion of The Orleans, which includes 630 new rooms and suites, six more movie theaters, 30,000 additional square feet of casino space, and a new health spa and fitness center, along with the new parking garage.

Paul Anka, a legend in the international music industry whose talent transcends five decades, will take the stage in the 740-seat Hollywood Theater at the MGM Grand, Feb. 21-March 5 and April 18-23. Anka's musical compositions have been recorded by the greatest names in the musical industry.

Comedian George Carlin, one of America's keenest social critics, who uses razor sharp humor to point out hypocrisy in people's actions and words, will follow as the headliner in the Hollywood Theatre at the MGM Grand, March 7-20 and May 23- June 5. He has honed his craft for more than three decades. Tickets to see Anka and Carlin are each $60 inclusive call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

Christopher Titus, the star, executive producer and co-creator of the FOX sitcom, "Titus," will bring his insightful stand-up act to the Top Of The Riv ballroom on Feb. 22 and 23. The show "Titus" is a dark comedy based on his one-man show, "Norman Rockwell is Bleeding."

Titus jokes about things most comics find impossible to make funny. His material includes custody battles, family suicides, heart attacks, insanity and fist-fighting his father. "All this stuff in my life that people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in therapy on became jokes," Titus explains.

Tickets to see Titus appear at the Top Of The Riv are $29.50 plus tax and fee, call 702-794-9433.

Wayne Newton is back headlining in his Stardust showroom through March 5. The legendary Las Vegas icon, who has starred in the resort city for more than 40 years, has succeeded Bob Hope as chairman of the USO's Celebrity Circle.

Newton and his 85-member troupe of United Service Organization volunteers delivered a personal "danke shoen" to American troops in a recent 12-show tour of the Mideast.

Newton has a lengthy relationship with the USO. He has entertained the military in every conflict since Vietnam. In 1988, he received a special award for his efforts from President Ronald Reagon. His first USO performance was at age seven, when he sang for President Harry Truman.

Late last year, Newton helped organize an all-star contingent of Las Vegas headliners for a four-hour extravaganza that raised more than $250,000 for the USO.

The singer gathered messages on the tour, and after returning to Las Vegas, he set up a command post at the Stardust. Every afternoon he spends several hours personally calling parents, spouses, family members and friends conveying words of comfort from their loved ones on the front lines.

The first "Best of Las Vegas Awards Show" hosted by Harrah's Las Vegas headliner Clint Holmes will be held on March 16, in the Mandalay Bay's Storm Theatre. The variety show will benefit the Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation.

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Comedian Rita Rudner and the cast of "Storm" are confirmed to perform, along with other entertainers who will be announced as presenters or performers. All 215 winners of the Las Vegas Review Journals annual poll will be announced during the 90-minute show.

More than 1,200 tickets are available call 702-632-7580. They are $25, with some gold-circle seats available for $50.

Warp Brothers, Oliver Goedicke and Jurgen Dohr, will present their new single "Blast the Speakers," during a live electronic stage performance at Studio 54 on Tuesday, Feb. 19. The song contains heavy bass and is steadily moving up the top of the dance charts in Germany. Doors open at 10 p.m. and show time is approximately 1 a.m. There's a $20 cover charge for men and ladies are admitted free.

This week "An Evening At La Cage" starring Frank Marino, went back to performing two shows a nightly except Tuesday at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. This change happened while Marino is on a cruise vacation and Jimmy Emerson is filling in as the emcee. Normally Emerson portrays Tammy Spraynette and Madonna's Bigger Sister as well as Roseanne Barr.

"La Cage" is enjoying its 16th successful year at the Riviera. The cast keeps busy with their own backstage Web site chat room that the cast got together and bought. The address is www.liveatlacage.com.

The Imperial Palace is offering an "Early Spring Special," rooms for $12.50 per person, per night, based on double occupancy, every Sunday through Thursday, through March 31. Rooms are subject to availability and the special is a minimum-two night stay. For reservations, call 1-800-634-6441 and ask for the "Early Spring Special."

Well-known standup king Max Alexander headlines the Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's, March 19-24. Performances are at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets are $24.95 plus tax.

Alexander is familiar to many through his wide variety of acting roles, including parts in the films "Punchline" and "Roxanne," and on television in "The Practice," "Pearl" and "Matlock." He has also impressed Madison Avenue where he became popular spokesman for national advertisers, including Federal Express.

The second anchor tenant to sign on as part of the three-level Neonopolis downtown project slated to open May 2, is Jillian's, an entertainment complex. Jillian's, a Louisville, Kentucky-based chain which has stores in more than 40 U.S. cities, will house a restaurant, bowling lanes, billiards tables, a dance club and live music. Crown Theatres, the first anchor tenant, will operate a 14-screen theater.

Other tenants include ARK Restaurants La Salsa, Panda Express, Wetzel's Pretzels and Muscle Beach Lemonade, which includes Hot Dog on a Stick.

The new Tuscany Hotel located at 255 E. Flamingo Road opened over a month ago. The 716-room, Italian-themed hotel is the first gaming development by CMH Real Estate Development, operator of three Las Vegas-area apartment complexes. A casino is under construction at the east side of the hotel.

Programs for "Splash" at the Riviera contain images of the all-new stage spectacular and they are available for purchase at the Rivera Box Office and gift shops.

"Splash" has been an ever-evolving theatrical production since its debut at the Riviera in 1985. The show constantly reinvents itself keeping the production fresh. Just a little over two years ago, a completely new version of the extravaganza was unveiled with new opening and closing numbers and the replacement of the show's signature 20,000 gallon water tank with a 35' x 15' ice rink, as well as a new logo and new costumes.

The city's best craps weekend will be back at the California Hotel & Casino downtown when it holds the sixth Annual Golden Arm Reunion, April 25-29. The weekend marks the gathering of the exclusive club and the induction of 20 new members, who during the past 12 months accomplished runs at the Cal by holding the dice in excess of one hour.

The club, which boasts about 150 members, began in 1989, when the late Stanley Fujitake ran a Cal table, holding the dice for three hours and six minutes. Over the years, Fujitake accomplished the feat four times, and became the first of just four members to reach "platinum" status in the club.

John Joseph and his trusty guitar will return to Bob Kephart's Comedy Stop at the Tropicana, Feb. 25-March 3. Two fellow comedians will join him. Tickets are $17.50 with tax, gratuity and two drinks included, call 702-739-2714. Shows are nightly at 8 and 10:30 p.m.

After several successful years in the music business, Joseph caught the acting bug, laid down his guitar and appeared in several stage plays, films and touring companies. In 1984, he eased his way onto the comedy scene. His original approach to comedy, using his music, has made him a fast rising comic. Half of his act is stand-up comedy and the other half is musical comedy. Joseph tours regularly with Julio Iglesias as his opening act.

As part of the downtown corridor redevelopment plans, there was a recent groundbreaking for the Lewis Avenue corridor pedestrian project, which will include a small, manmade waterway. The project will widen sidewalks and provide canopy trees, public plazas, covered walkways, public art, decorative lighting, benches and a concrete bridge spanning the river. Completion is expected in about six months.

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