The famous comedy club, Catch A Rising Star, will return to a spot on the Las Vegas Strip when it opens at the Excalibur on March 29, in a 300-plus seat showroom in the Medieval Village on the second level. Catch opened in New York City on Dec. 18, 1972. Now in its 29th years, Catch has hosted comedy in Las Vegas for 12 years with its last residence being the MGM Grand.

Tickets for the two nightly 7:30 and 10 p.m. Catch shows will be $16.95 tax inclusive, call 702-597-7600.

A recent lavish press conference was held to announce that Siegfried and Roy have a lifetime contract to perform at the Mirage for the remainder of their career. Their act has been synonymous with the Mirage since 1990 and with the city of Las Vegas for nearly three decades since their debut in 1974 as a featured act in "Hallelujah, Hollywood" at the original MGM Grand which is now Bally's.

Attending their elaborate extravaganza production show again is a reminder of just how perfect their magic show is and why it is sold out every night. The day they retire will be a huge emotional loss to their global fans.

A testament to their success is the fact the famous illusionists rank 42 in "Forbes" magazine's annual "Celebrity 100" list with annual earnings of $50 million. They are the only full-time Las Vegas entertainers on the list.

Also, pick up the recent swimsuit edition of "Sports Illustrated," which is the famous swimsuit edition, and you'll find a six-page spread beginning around page 172 on Siegfried and Roy and their career. Known for their lions and tigers both on and off stage, the duo were billed in the magazine under "Cats Entertainment."

Comedian David Brenner's headlining gig at the Golden Nugget downtown has been extended for a third time through Oct. 31, 2001. His initial engagement at the hotel began on Nov. 22, 2000 and was scheduled to run through Jan. 27, 2000. Excellent business prompted his second extension through the end of April 2001.

Ironically, the announcement of Brenner's extension at the Golden Nugget comes one year from the day he shot his aptly titled NBO special "Back With A Vengeance" at the Venetian Hotel.

Brenner is celebrating his 30th anniversary performing in Las Vegas. He first stepped on a Las Vegas stage in 1971, at the Sahara Hotel where he was the middle act between Frankie Avalon and Sonny & Cher.

Tickets to see Brenner's 8 p.m. shows (Tuesday through Sunday) at the Golden Nugget are $39 inclusive of tax, call 702-386-8100.

Bally's has broken ground on a new 15-story outdoor marquee with a unique 3-dimensional image display. The 150-foot-high custom-made sign will be 68-feet wide and comprise 150 tons of steel. Nearly 1-mile of neon and over 3.2 million multi-colored, light-emitting diodes will be incorporated in the $10 million project. Installation is expected to be completed by July 4th weekend and will take 25 designers, engineers and skilled craftsmen 35,000 man-hours to finalize.

While some Las Vegas resorts are closing their poker rooms, The Regent Las Vegas located about a 30-minute drive northwest of downtown has opened the most beautiful poker room in the city. Their poker room features six tables and offers Seven-Card Stud, Texas Hold'em and Omaha. Seating up to 56 players the exquisite room includes a waiting lounge with big-screen televisions, couches, private restrooms and its own bar. If you play poker, this room is a must and it's open 24 hours. For information, call 702-869-7985.

Janien Masse, the female lead in "Mean Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" show at the Flamingo Las Vegas, has vacated her "Mandy" role to join Harrah's headliner Clint Holmes as a featured singer and sidekick. One show's loss is another show's gain.

"Storm" is coming to Mandalay Bay in the form of an elaborate production show. More details are being unveiled to the press and will be passed along soon.

More honorees will be inducted into the Casino Legends Hall of Fame at the Tropicana on Friday, March 23, at 2 p.m. The induction will honor headliners Tony Orlando, Clint Holmes, Pat Cooper, Bernie Allen and Nat King Cole. Accepting on Mr. Cole's behalf will be his daughter, Ms. Casey Cole. Singer/impersonator Bob Anderson will host the ceremony acknowledging these individuals for their significant impact they have had on the gaming and entertainment industries in Las Vegas.

The legendary Village People will return to the Riviera's Royale Pavilion for two nostalgic, hip-gyrating shows, April 20 and 21. The American male stereotypes hit the music scene in the `80s and made their mark with hits like "YMCA," "Macho Man" and "In The Navy." Tickets are $38 plus tax and fees, call 702-794-9433 for information.

The Moody Blues, the `60s British R&B group, will take the stage at the Paris Theater, April 5-8. Tickets are $75, call 1-877-374-7469 or 702-946-4567.

Throughout the `90s, the Moody Blues carved a niche performing with symphony orchestras worldwide. One of their most recent releases, "Strange Times," is the band's first album of new songs in eight years. Recorded over a two-year period in Italy, the album is less orchestrated and more rock & roll, with upfront guitars and a prominent Hammond Organ. The group wanted to get back to their guitar-driven sound.

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Paul Revere, the "Last Madman of Rock `N' Roll," will bring his super-energized act, Paul Revere and the Raiders to the Stratosphere's Broadway Showroom, April 12 -14. Tickets are $22.50 plus tax, call 702-380-7711.

Throughout their career, the group recorded 26 albums with 15 solid gold hits. They were the first rock band signed by Columbia Records and had 20 consecutive hits between 1960 and 1975. In the summer of 1971,"Indian Reservation" sold more than 3 million singles.

Emmy Award-winning writer and comedian John Padon has joined the cast of "Midnight Fantasy" in the Pharaoh's Theater at the Luxor Las Vegas. Padon reprises his role in the sexy production show as the comic relief among the bevy of beauties who lead audiences through an erotic world of dreams.

Dubbed " comedy gunslinger of rapid-fire humor," Padon has made television appearances and performed with top headliners like Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Jones. In addition to performing, he has written Emmy Award-winning scripts for the television programs "In Living Color" and "The Wonder Years."

Tickets for "Midnight Fantasy" are $29.95 with tax included, call 702-262-4400.

Preparations are under way for the 2002 Street of Dreams tour of luxury homes at MacDonald Highlands, a hillside community in Henderson with views of the city. The tour will feature six home ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 square feet with price tags from an estimate $1.87 million to more than $2 million. Dates for the tour are March 16 through April 28, 2002.

Construction has begun on the MonteLago Village, a development within Lake Las Vegas Resort in Henderson. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2002, plans at the village include plazas, boutiques, narrow streets, sailboats, kayaks and gondolas, a 40,000-square-casino, spa, as much as 125,000 square feet of retail space, and a Ritz-Carlton hotel. Water taxis will transport passengers to hotels, clubhouses, waterfront restaurants, residential neighborhoods and parks.

A Texas company that rents electric cars put a dozen of them for rent on the Strip last month. The colorful fleet of five-passenger vehicles was so popular for sightseeing at a top speed of 35 mph that the company plans to increase the fleet to 140 by May 1.

The emissions-free vehicles are available now from Star Cars Rentals at the La Concha Hotel, near the Riviera on the Strip. The attention-getting brightly colored cars have a neon lighting package that casts a glow at night. Each car has themed graphics and some have names based on casino terminology such as "Seven-Come Eleven" and "Blackjack."

The basic rental charge is $29 an hour or $69 for four hours. A 24-hour rental goes for $129. The rental pays for "fuel," which is the electrical charge. It takes about eight hours to fully charge one car. A fully charged car can travel about 100 miles at a speed of 25 mph. This means the cars aren't legal on streets with minimum speeds of 45 mph.

The Four Seasons has recently completed an expansion of its Health Club and Spa that tripled the original size. Now there are 16 new treatment rooms and exotic new treatments.

Water Street, the "Main Street" of Henderson's old downtown tourism section will be the heart of the city's $4.2 million redevelopment project. Plans call for a "pedestrian-friendly" streetscape will a more plaza-like atmosphere to attract shoppers. The project could start as early as August with completion by May 2002.

An Oscar night party to benefit the Arthritis Foundation will be held at the MGM Grand Conference Center on March 25, beginning at 4 p.m. Participants will watch the Academy Awards telecast on large screens. An Afterglow Reception will be held at Studio 54 following the show. Tickets are $175, call 702-367-1626. The party is sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Adventure awaits motorsports enthusiasts who like to watch the giant monster trucks in action. The wrenchead.com Monster Jam World Finals will take place outdoors at Sam Boyd Stadium on March 24, call 1-888-464-2468.

"Rush Hour 2," the sequel to the 1998 Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker action romp, has been filming at the closed Desert Inn. The hotel has taken on an odd look as the main entrance and hotel front have been transformed into the Asian-themed Red Dragon casino.

Golf is such a popular sport that more courses are needed in the

Las Vegas area. Historic Boulder City, located a 40-minute ride from The Strip, has plans to build a second municipal golf course that could be ready by November 2002.

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