Las Vegas
Las Vegas News

Sunday, June 12, 2005 PRIOR ISSUE   -   ARCHIVES
Kelly Clarkson Headlines, First Nevada Loews Planned, Loggins & Messina Together, World Market Center Nears Debut, Darts Tournament Returns, Velvet Revolver Rocks, Feathered Dinosaurs On Display, Lon Bronson Releases CD, A Top Ten Golf Resort, Flay Signs Cookbooks, Just For Men Package, Sugar Water Festival Sweet, "Spotlight" Turned One, "Death By Chocolate" Dinner Mysteries, Blues, Brews and Barbecue Coming, More...

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by Jackie Brett
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Pop sensation and 2002 American Idol, Kelly Clarkson continues her first headline tour, Hazel Eyes Tour, with a stop in Las Vegas on Sept. 10 at the Aladdin Theater for the Performing Arts. A soon to be announced special guest will open the show. Tickets are $48.50, $38.50 and $28.50 plus service charges and tax, call Ticketmaster at 702- 474-4000.

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Last November, Clarkson released "Breakaway," her anticipated follow-up to her 2003 double platinum debut release, "Thankful" that had the No. 1 single, "A Moment Like This." Two smash hits from "Breakaway" are in the Top 30 on Billboard's Hot 100; "Since You've Been Gone" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes."

The New York City-based upscale Loews Hotel chain plans to build a $200 million, 400-room non-gaming resort at Lake Las Vegas. Construction on the Mediterranean-theme hotel is expected to start next year and be completed by January 2008.

The location will be on 15 to 20 acres between two existing hotels, the 496-room Hyatt Regency that opened in 1999 and the 349-room Ritz Carlton that opened in 2003. It will have beachfront access to the 320-acre manmade lake and be the first Loews hotel in Nevada.

The new Loews property will have 400 rooms, including 40 suites, a 40,000-square-foot meeting facility, two restaurants, a 20,000-square-foot spa, two outdoor pools with whirlpools, pool cabanas and bars off the lobby and pool. The company also plans to offer its showcase travel programs, including Loews Loves Kids for family, Loews Lovers Pets for travelers with animals and T-Loews for teenagers. Loews owns or operates 19 hotels in the United States and Canada.

"The Sittin' In Again Reunion Tour" will stop at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on July 3 and give audiences a chance to experience Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina's songs again and will celebrate the past, present and future. In addition to performing some of their biggest hits, both Loggins and Messina will perform solo material and will feature a Sittin' In segment that will allow other musical guests to join them onstage. Tickets range from $45 to $75, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.

The $200 million, 1.3 million-square-foot building that will be the first of eight buildings planned for the World Market Center's 57-acre site, located southeast of I-15 and not far from Fremont Street, is getting ready to open. Preparations are already under way for the project's second phase, a 15-story, 1.6 million-square-foot tower scheduled to open in January 2007.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for Las Vegas to host more than 70,000 furniture buyers and more than 800 exhibitors showcasing their products this summer at the market being held July 25-29.

Café, the new $4.5 million, 24-hour restaurant at Harrah's Las Vegas, opened at the beginning of June. The Tuscany-style around the clock eatery has a relaxed contemporary environment that goes beyond the average hotel coffee shop with an open and airy atmosphere and a palate of cream and taupe finishes, soft woods and splashes of bright mosaic tile work. An addition to the Café that provides a focal point is the wood burning exhibition oven.

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) will travel across the Atlantic for the fourth consecutive year as the MGM Grand hosts Las Vegas Desert Classic IV Wednesday, June 29 - Sunday, July 3 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The best dart players from North America and Europe will compete.

The $180,000 purse makes the event the richest paying dart tournaments ever to be held in the United States. Tickets are $22 per day or $55 for an all-session pass plus applicable service charges and taxes, call 800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

Saturday, Aug. 20. Velvet Revolver, comprised of reunited ex-Guns N' roses band mates Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum with Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) and Dave Kushner (Wasted Youth), will rock the Aladdin Theatre for Performing Arts with special guest, Chevelle. Tickets are $57.50, $47.50, and $35 plus applicable services charges and tax, call Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000.

The group is currently on the road touring in support of their platinum-plus debut album "CONTRABAND," which has sold over three million copies worldwide. Notably, this marks the best-ever debut for a new rock artist in the SoundScan era.

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum at 900 Las Vegas Blvd. North near downtown is hosting a traveling exhibit called "Feathered Dinosaurs: Before and After Archaeopteryx" from June 3-Oct. 30. The 4,000-square-foot exhibit answers questions of how dinosaurs are related to birds and how birds evolved. Displays feature 25 exquisitely preserved fossils from China, models, and original educational videos. The exhibit is organized by The Dinosaur Museum, located in Blanding, Utah and the Fossil Administration Office, Liaoning, China.

After 15 years, the energy of the 12-member Lon Bronson All-Star Band's live show has finally been captured on a CD with the release of "Live from the Golden Nugget." His first recorded effort is being sold for $19.99 plus tax at the hotel or online at the band's official Web site.

The CD was recorded during a series of live performances at the 400-seat Golden Nugget showroom where they appear on Monday nights at 10 p.m. and midnight on Saturdays. There is no cover charge just a two-drink minimum. Lon Bronson, known as "Band Leader to the Stars," founded his All-Star Band in 1990 and they've been a mainstay ever since playing R&B, funk, rock and soul. They have a loyal following that includes celebrities such as Drew Carey, Barenaked Ladies and Tom Jones.



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MonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas will feature live jazz with national artist Lao Tizer at 7 p.m. and a fireworks display at 9 p.m. for free. Other events will include a barbeque from 4 to 10 p.m., a party at 9 p.m. in Casino MonteLago and boat and gondola rides at the Lake Las Vegas Marina. For information, the Events Hot Line is 702-564-4766.

As the only Las Vegas property with the honor, Conde Nast Traveler's annual survey of Top 100 Golf Resorts in the USA named JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa top ten among an esteemed group of resorts. The JW Marriott offers the first Executive Golf Desk in the Las Vegas area where golf specialists customize guests' golf experience. Transportation assistance is provided to each of the courses, in addition to arranging any and all golf needs including club rental, lessons, bag transfers, food and beverage needs, tournament management, etc.

Priority rounds can be reserved on eight surrounding courses and Tournament Players Club at The Canyons has a formal partnership with the resort. In addition, the JW Marriott is headquarters for the PGA Tour's Michelin Championship pro-am tournament.

Celebrity chef and Mesa Grill restaurant owner, Bobby Flay has released a new cookbook "Grilling for Life." On June 28, Flay will be on hand to sign copies of his new book outside his Mesa Grill inside Caesars Palace.

The Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill inside the MGM Grand opened in June of 2004 and dramatically modernized the traditional "bar and grill" concept with a spectacular setting combining the feel of the beach lifestyle and the beauty of a California garden. This month it celebrates its first anniversary.

The Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group currently owns and operates four more distinct restaurants in Las Vegas, including Spago and Chinois at the Forum Shops at Caesars), Trattoria del Lupo at Mandalay Bay, and Postrio at Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian.

Following the national debut of his first book, Memphis Championship Barbecue founder Mike Mills has received much interest from national and top market press. Mills' book, "Peace, Love, and Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales and Outrageous Lies from the Legends of Barbecue," has been reviewed in "The New York Times" this month. He also taped a food cooking segment on ABC's "Regis & Kelly," starring Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa that aired last Friday and was followed by a camera crew for an appearance on the Food Network show "Unwrapped," set to air later this summer. Mills' Memphis Championship Barbecue restaurant has four locations in Las Vegas.

In celebration of Father's Day, the newly expanded Spa & Salon Bellagio is offering the Just for Men Makeover Package. The $340 custom-designed spa experience includes a boxing fitness class taught by a former middleweight boxer, Steve "Rocket" Rosen.

Bellagio, Las Vegas' only AAA Five Diamond casino hotel, more than doubled the size of its salon and spa, which reopened as part of the hotel's new $375 million, 928-room Spa Tower in December 2004. The new Zen-inspired spa is 55,000 square feet and the opulent new salon is 10,000 square feet. For more information, call 702-693-7472.

Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah and Jill Scott will headline the Sugar Water Festival at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Aug. 6. Tickets are $35, $55, $75 and $95, call 702-632-7580.

Along with the opening of the first Arturo Fuenter brand licensed cigar store, Casa Fuente, inside of the Forum Shops at Caesars, the company also introduced the exclusive premium Casa Fuente Cigar that is sold only at this location.

Will Roya's "Spotlight" variety show at Bourbon Street recently celebrated its one year anniversary at the hotel in its small 120-seat showroom. The show will close on June 30 and producer, comic juggler Roya will work cruise ships. The show's best talent, flamboyant singer Michael Cagle, who describes himself as "Patti LaBelle meets Nathan Lane," will take his powerful booming voice on tour. He's definitely worth catching before he hits the road. Shows are $28.45 inclusive.

Lawry's The Prime Rib restaurant will hold a special interactive dinner theatre event called "Death By Chocolate" on Friday, June 24. The plot will have representatives from chocolate and candy companies introducing their new products. Throughout the night there will be outbursts of inappropriate behavior and unethical business tactics. The cost for this dinner experience is $79, call 702- 497-7936.

Two Las Vegas headliners, Lance Burton and Mac King, cancelled their shows to go back to their hometown, Louisville, Ky., to perform for the "52nd Annual WHAS Crusade for Children Variety Show" earlier this month.

The Cannery Casino in North Las Vegas is holding its third annual Blues, Brews and Barbecue festival June 17 and 18 at The Club indoor/outdoor festival grounds. Hours on Friday are 5 p.m. to midnight and Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight. Admission is $5.

Along with the barbeque and continuous entertainment, the festival will headline John Lee Hooker Jr. singing blues songs from his Grammy nominated CD, "Blues with a Vengeance" at 9 p.m. both nights. In addition, returning this year with his blues and zydeco tunes is Moody Scott performing at 6 p.m. each night.

The Food & Beverage Directors Association of Las Vegas will host their 14th Annual Black Tie Gala Dinner at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, June 17 with a Centennial theme. The dinner event will feature Mayor Oscar Goodman, comedian Rita Rudner, a 15-piece orchestra and honor lifetime philanthropist Kitty Rodman. Tax deductible Tickets are $375 per person; call Lloyd at 702-794-9602.

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Editorial Content Copyright(c) 2000-2005 Jackie Brett; Internet Presentation Copyright(c) Las Vegas Leisure Guide