Sunday, March 31, 2002 PRIOR ISSUE   -   ARCHIVES
Clint Holmes Honored With Named Theater, Holy Cow Utters Last Breath, Southern Nevilles Hit Stardust, Four Queens Agrees To Sale, Nieman Marcus Dining Opens Soon, Lady Luck On Sale, Rampart Casino Announced, Chinatown Offers Asian Delights, More...

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by Jackie Brett

An extraordinary talent, Clint Holmes is launching his third year as Harrah's headliner with a new high-energy show. Backed by a 12-piece band, Holmes' newly arranged show includes a musical voyage that twist and turns with surprises like the bittersweet anthem "Who Will Stand," written after the terrorist attacks.

This time his show includes four songs from Holmes' original musical "Comfortable Shoes," which tells his life story as the son of a classically-trained British opera singing mother and an African-American jazz musician father. The musical play is scheduled to premiere in Chicago later this year.

Holmes' career has included television hosting his own Emmy-award winning talk and variety show, as sidekick to host Joan Rivers on "The Late Show," and as music and event correspondent for "Entertainment Tonight."

Harrah's has honored their charismatic headliner by christening their showroom the "Clint Holmes Theater."

The Tropicana will reach a milestone on Thursday, April 4, when it celebrates its 45th anniversary. Ben Jaffe and Colonel Charles Baron opened the $15 million resort in 1957 with 300 rooms on 43 acres. It was the twelfth hotel/casino to open on the Las Vegas Strip and it was called the "Tiffany of the Strip."

Today the Tropicana has nearly 1,800 rooms. It has been the home of the world-renown production show acquired from Paris, the "Folies Bergere," since 1959. The Tiffany Theatre stage is shared with "The Illusionary Magic of Rick Thomas" afternoon show.

Keeping in tune with Vegas' past, the Tropicana houses the Casino Legends Hall of Fame; a 5,000-square-foot museum dedicated to the history of gaming and entertainment in Nevada. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. General admission is $4 for adults and $3 for seniors.

Mark your calendars, on Friday, April 12, at 1 p.m. five representatives will be inducted into the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. The honorees will be Vikki Carr, Charo, Trini Lopez, The Characters and Mayor Oscar Goodman. The event is free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis.

The Riviera just keeps adding more entertainment value to its Le Bistro Theatre. Three shows are in the mini-showroom, Tuesday through Sunday. The first show starting things off was singer "Marlene Ricci in Concert" with her 8:30 p.m. shows, followed by "Jay White as Neil Diamond" with a 7 p.m. show.

The 10 p.m. slot is filled by a fast-paced rock 'n roll tribute show, "Rockin' USA." This show offers a double dose of Elvis. Harry Shahoian kicks off the show with Presley's early music from the fifties and completes the show with songs from a 1968 comeback special.

Ray Anthony portrays Ritchie Valens who is a dead-ringer for the teenage heartthrob. Endorsed by the Valens family, Anthony, whose fingers fly across his guitar, has played Valens throughout Canada and the United States.

George Trullinger begins the revue with Ed Sullivan ("a really big shew") and later appears as Buddy Holly in his rendition of the "geeky" rock-n-roll performer from Lubbock, Texas. Trullinger played Holly in "Legends in Concert" at the Imperial Palace for years. Tickets are $24.95 plus tax and fee.

Now on Monday nights, comic hypnotist, Dr. Scott's Hypno-larious show takes place in the Le Bistro Theatre from 7 to 8 p.m. This is a show to see with friends who might just get up on stage and be part of the show. Tickets are $11.95.

Comedian Ray Romano and star of the television sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond," will bring endless laughter to The Mirage when he performs in the Danny Gans Theatre, May 17-19, June 14 and 15, and Aug. 16-18.

Funnyman Dennis Miller will also headline in the Danny Gans Theatre. His dates will be July 20-21 and Oct. 18-19. Tickets for both Romano and Miller are $65 plus tax, call 702-792-7777.

Miller is a five-time Emmy Award-winner for his half-hour, live talk show, HBO's "Dennis Miller Live." The show began its ninth season in February. "The Rant Zone," the fourth edition of Miller's ever popular "rants," was published in October. For two seasons, Miller called the plays alongside Al Michaels and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts on ABC's "Monday Night Football."

Spa Mandalay has resumed Yoga at the Mandalay Bay resort. The morning Yoga session begins at Mandalay Beach as the suns first rays reflect off the water while the soothing sounds of gentle waves provide a serene mood. Turquoise Yoga mats are laid out on the sand welcoming beginners to advanced practitioners.

Yoga is an aged tradition rooted from Hindu principles, which focuses on meditation to achieve harmony between mind and body combining breathing exercises and stretching.

Morning Yoga sessions are included as part of the Spa Mandalay day pass which is $27 for hotel guests and $30 for non-guests. A day pass also offers visitors full use of the fitness center, redwood sauna, heated whirlpools, relaxation lounge, eucalyptus steam room, cold plunge, shower and vanity amenities.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

The Holy Cow! Casino, Cafe and Brewery that opened in March 1992 as the Strip's first microbrewery on the high-profile corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Blvd. has closed. You can't miss the property because it is a Strip landmark with a 14-foot Holstein cow wearing sunglasses atop the building. Holy Cow! is part of Big Dog's Hospitality Group, which operates five other restaurants in the valley with a dog theme.

The Stardust has added The Neville Brothers to its entertainment roster marking in the dates May 30-June 1. Tickets will be $29.95 plus tax.

Fei Yu Chin will perform on Chinese Mother's Day, May 11, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Tickets are $48, $68, $108 and $168, call 702-632-7580.

The Everlast Men's U.S. National Amateur Boxing Championships will be held at Caesars Palace, April 2-6. The competition will include more than 250 regional and Armed Forces champions in 12 weight divisions competing in the Caesars Palace Pavilion. The top four finishers in each weight class will qualify for the U.S. Challenge, April 12-13, in Colorado Springs.

General reserved-seat ticket packages for all sessions are priced at $60 and $130 for premium seats. Reserved-seat tickets for individual sessions range from $10 to $40 depending on the day, call 1-800-634-6698 or 702-731-7865.

The Fashion Show mall located on the Strip is still under construction. With the remodel, Neiman Marcus will offer dining. Two restaurants, as yet unnamed, will open in September. One will offer fine dining; the second a bistro-style cafe, will feature both indoor and patio dining. Both restaurants will have garage and valet parking and outside access, and extended hours.

For the second time in three years, the owner of the Four Queens has struck a deal to sell the downtown-hotel-casino for $22 million. The deal is expected to close by early May and no immediate changes are planned. The property was built in 1966 and has 690 rooms.

On April 1, the gambling hall at the JW Marriott in the Summerlin area will become the Rampart Casino. About $6 million is being spent to make some changes like opening the Rampart Buffet and the Promenade Cafe in July just off the casino floor. A casino-owned steakhouse is set to open in July, replacing the casino's now closed-poker room.

The 792-room Lady Luck downtown is on the sales block.

Butch Bradley will appear at The Comedy Stop at the Tropicana with two fellow comedians, April 1-7. Bradley's career is on an upswing. He had a feature role in the documentary film "Open Mike" on The Comedy Channel. Tickets are $17.50 with drinks, tax and gratuity included.

One of Boston's finest comedians, Don Gavin will follow at The Comedy Stop, April 8-14. Gavin is a former high school teacher and guidance counselor who has delivered his very real, brutally honest comedy material to crowds throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Australia. On the concert scene, he has appeared with Prince, Jay Leno, Robin Williams, Sheena Easton, Yakov Smirnoff and Chubby Checker.

Las Vegas is a real melting pot of cultures and the popularity of Chinatown Plaza on Spring Mountain Road, less than a mile off the Strip, has inspired other Asian-themed projects in the neighboring area.

Most of the Asian commercial activity is along Spring Mountain Road. The Pacific Asian Plaza is a two-building, 85,000-square-foot park that will begin construction in May or June and open early next year. The park is 70 percent pre-leased with tenants such as a supermarket and numerous restaurants including Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean eateries.

Just to the west of Chinatown Plaza, the Great China Plaza, a two-story shopping and office center, has added five restaurants in recent months. The dining experiences now include the Tea Planet, the Cafe Noodle and Chinese Barbecue, the Korean Garden Barbecue, the Chinese Food and Tea Bar and Ichiza Japanese Restaurant.

Lenny Clarke, the comedy cop, will headline the Riviera Comedy Club, beginning Monday, April Fool's Day, for seven nights. Fellow comedians Marty Rackman and Ryan Sperry will join him. Tickets are $17.95 plus taxes.

Clarke was best known for his role as Hampton, the lovable policeman on "The John Larroquette Show." Television comedy fans will remember him as the host of FOX's "Sunday Comics," where he gave his comic common-sense commentaries on life and its absurdities. He also starred in his own sitcom entitled "Lenny."

Stanley Ullman with his contemporary commentaries and three more funnymen will follow at the Riviera Comedy Club on April 8, for seven nights. Ullman has appeared in the rock video "Midnight Lady" with Julio Iglesias and he had a comedy record album out, "If This Is It_I Want My Money Back" on Promise Records.

On television, Ullman has guest-starred on the "Golden Girls," Showtime's "Funniest Person in America" and as "the doctor" on the long running soap opera "The Guiding Light." He can also be spotted on television commercials in various roles for Federal Express, Wagner Power Roller, Campbell's Soup, Meister Brau and Wendy's.

The historic Moulin Rouge on Bonanza Road will host yard sales every weekend to raise funds for restoring the city's first interracial hotel and casino. Furniture, paintings and carpet will be sold.

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