The weather-themed production show "Storm" with four principal singers representing Earth, Wind, Fire and Water opened this week at Mandalay Bay after nearly a month's delay. The 1,200-seat showroom has been remodeled to allow the side walls of the theatre to handle junk cars, hanging vines and a split 10-piece band.

The Sahara introduced a new afternoon show this past week when the "Michael Holly Off-The-Wall Comedy Hour," presented by Dick Foster Productions opened in the Congo Room on April 17. Showtimes are 1 and 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Tickets are $12.95 plus tax, call 702-737-2515.

Holly's eclectic act involves props and zany stunts acting as a foil for his irresistible humor. His stunts include juggling and tight wire walking.

Many folks may have caught part of Holly's act when he was the featured comedy act in Dick Foster Production's long running "Spellbound" show at Harrah's Las Vegas. Most recently he was in another Foster production, "Eclipse" at Caesars Gauteng in South Africa. Other credits include television appearances, the "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana and "Jubilation" at the Crystal Palace in the Bahamas.

The auto racing themed Race Rock Cafe located downtown temporarily closed its doors last week. The restaurant is situated directly across from the $99 million, 30,000-square-foot retail Neonopolis entertainment center that has been plagued with construction delays. Neonopolis was originally slated to open Thanksgiving 2000 and is now expected to open in February 2002. At that time, Race Rock intends to reopen.

Park Place Entertainment Corporation, the world's largest gaming company, has announced plans to build a 4,000-seat entertainment venue at Caesars Palace. Designed to resemble the Colosseum in Rome, the $65 million facility that will be located at the casino entrance near The Form Shops will add a stunning new landmark to the Strip. The Colosseum will replace the famed Circus Maximus Showroom and feature a huge stage spanning 22,000 square feet.

Other projects at Caesars Palace include two new lavish poolside villa suites schuduled for completion this summer and a new high-limit gaming salon expected to open by year-end. For a total cost of $24 million, one new suite will span 11,000 square feet and the other will cover 10,000 square feet. The new pool villas are located above Cafe Lago, overlooking the 4.5-acre Garden of the Gods pools and gardens.

The company has also confirmed that it is in the design and feasibility stages for a new 800-room all-suites hotel tower. The new tower will feature meeting space, restaurant and retail venues.

The Stratosphere, the tallest freestanding tower in the United States, will celebrate its five-year anniversary on April 29. The resort has created two commemorative gaming chips to mark the occasion. The limited edition $5 and $25 denomination chips will feature photos of the Stratosphere during the New Year's Eve 2000 fireworks display. The chips are available for purchase at the casino cage.

New happenings at the Statosphere include Roxy's Diner opening in May with a new menu in a 300-seat "vintage Las Vegas" themed coffee shop. The diner will also bring back live entertainment with singing waiters and waitresses. Montana's Steakhouse will be transformed into a Tex-Mex and oyster bar restaurant complete with live entertainment. It will open in August and the new 3,700-seat amphitheater will follow in September.

The Stratosphere's expansion will introduce a new -24 story tower in July featuring 1,000 rooms with 100 suites and a 67,000 square-foot resort-style pool and recreation deck. The plan also includes refurbushing the existing casino with new carpeting, enhanced lighting, updated wall d‚cor and a pillared entrance. These projects are scheduled for completion by the end of this summer.

Grading has begun on about 50 acres that will be the site of the $5 billion MonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas Resort. The European-themed village will feature a 350-room Ritz-Carlton hotel, 60,000 square feet of village-style shops, up to 40,000 square feet of casino space, a 30,000-square-foot spa and about 170 condominiums priced from the mid-$200,000 up to the millions. Construction on the village will begin in September with an anticipated opening in late 2002.

MonteLago Village has opened the Discovery Centre to familiarize the public with this spectacular project. The visitor center has a multi-media theatre previewing a 10-minute video about the founder, whose vision in 1986 has transpired into the Lake Las Vegas Resort built around a 320-acre lake. The project is already home to the 496-room Hyatt Regency hotel, two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses and a number of pricey custom homes. Two to three more hotels are planned and a third golf course at the entrance of the community is being developed.

Entertainment will be special at Paris Las Vegas over Mothers Day weekend when Grammy Award winner Lou Rawls and song stylist Nancy Wilson make their debut performance there. Tickets are $60, call 1-877-374-7469 or 702-946-4567.

Rawls with his distinctive and instantly recognizable voice has covered the full spectrum of music - from gospel to blues to jazz to soul to pop - over his 40-plus years as a recording artist.

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Emmy and Grammy Award winner Wilson throughout the 1960s and 1970s had risen to become one of the best-selling recording artists second only to The Beatles.

Trent Carlini will bring his tribute show "The Dream King" to the NightClub at the Las Vegas Hilton, April 24 - May 6. Tickets are $24.95 plus tax, call 1-800-222-5361 or 702-732-5755. The tribute celebrates every facet of Elvis' career as seen through the eyes of a young man who in his dreams becomes "The King." Carlini, a Chicago native, headlined in "Legends in Concert" at the Imperial Palace for five years. When he's not on tour, Carlini also stars in his own nightly revue in "The Dream King" at the Boardwalk Casino.

A "covered" family show has been added to Bill Acosta's "Lasting Impressions" revue at the Flamingo Las Vegas. All the 7:30 p.m. shows on Tuesdays starting April 24 will be family oriented with a reduced ticket price of $49.95 for all seats. The 10 p.m. shows on Tuesdays, as well as the rest of the week's performances, will feature several dance numbers - topless.

It's back to the '50s and '60s when Little Anthony and The Imperials and Sonny Turner, former lead singer of The Platters, headline at the Stardust May 10-12. The engagement represents an encore for the co-headliners, who enjoyed three sold-out performances at the hotel last August.

Both groups have had unforgettable hits. Little Anthony and The Imperials went from easy-listening tunes like the million-selling "Tears On My Pillow" to chart-topping novelty tunes led by "Shimmy, Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop."

Sonny Turner became the lead vocalist for the Platters in 1960 and enriched their mega-hits such as "The Great Pretender" and "My Prayer." Tickets are $27.95 including tax, tip and one beverage call 702-732-6325.

A couple weeks ago, the retired military transport plane that sat at the intersection of Koval Land and Reno Avenue for nearly 20 years was destroyed. The DC-124 Globe Master was practically a landmark that at one time was going to be converted into a restaurant and lounge. The blue and white airplane measuring 131 feet long and 48.5 feet high with a 174-foot wingspan always seemed to be smiling. There were only four of these aircraft left.

Josef's Brasserie & Steakhouse, located at Desert Passage adjacent to the Aladdin, is featuring a complimentary bottle of wine with dinner to accompany their French-American style cuisine. The 225-seat bistro is open from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. for lunch, dinner and late night. Josef's hosts a happy-hour special from noon to 8 p.m. daily with 2-for-1 cocktails. Pianist Marcus Dagan performs Wednesdays through Sundays. For more information, call 702-732-3000.

Lawry's The Prime Rib restaurant will present an interactive dinner theatre experience on Sunday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m. The murder party will be "Talked To Death" as the audience becomes a studio audience for the next taping of the "Les Hope" show. Tickets with a prime rib dinner included are $75, call 702-893-2223.

Mark Sweet, the "happy hypnotist" will headline the Riviera Comedy Club for seven nights beginning Monday, May 14. Tickets are $16.95 plus tax and fee, call 702-794-9433 or visit www.theriviera.com.

He's appeared on many national television shows and been the M.C. on the revised versions of CBS' "House Party." Sweet is presently celebrating his 23rd year as a representative for General Motors. He has also gained nationwide recognition for his popular incarnation as Willy Wonka for the confection company Willy Wonka Brands. Recently, he was chosen to portray Dr. Pepper for the company's 100th anniversary celebration.

Jeremy Hotz, comedian, writer and actor, will return this week by popular demand to headline The Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's. Tickets are $24.95 plus tax, call 1-800-392-9002 or 702-369-5111.

Hotz, Canadian born and raised, began his versatile career as a staff writer for the "Jon Stewart Show." He was nominated for a "Gemini Award" for the category of "Best writing in a Comedy or Variety Show or Series" due to his starring role in "Whatever Happened to Jeremy Hotz?" Comedy Central honored him with the starring role in the mini series '"Married Life." He's also had a role in the feature film "Speed II."

Comedian/actor Steve White will headline at the new Catch a Rising Star comedy club this week, April 23-29, at the Excalibur. Tickets are $16.95 with tax included, call 702-597-7600.

White has many film credits including 20th Century Fox's "Ford Fairlane" and Warner Brothers' "Other People's Money." He appeared with Eddie Murphy in "Coming To America" and "Harlem Nights" and with Spike Lee in "Do the Right Thing," "Jungle Fever" and "Mo' Better Blues."

A contest sponsored by local KTNV News 13 GoalGetters, had young budding magicians from the school district explaining on paper, one of their own magic tricks or illusions. The top ten winners had the opportunity to be the guest of Rick Thomas and visit his exclusive tiger habitat, home of his white and Bengal show tigers. After the tour, each winner and a guest got to see his afternoon show "The Illusionary Magic of Rick Thomas" at the Tropicana.

Thomas' shows are at 2 and 4 p.m., Saturday through Thursday. Tickets are $16.95 (table) and $21.95 (booth), call 702-739-2411.

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