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| Sunday, July 13, 2003 | PRIOR ISSUE - ARCHIVES |
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| Fremont Street Experience Gets Facelift, Premium Outlet Mall Sets August Opening, Venetian Towers Over Strip, B.B. King Music Festival Blues, "Stomp" Returns, Trent Carlini Plays "The King", Irish Pub's "Xtreme Close-Up Magic", Tom Jones Gyrates, "MTV You Hear It First Tour" Stops, Monorail's Ad-Sponsored Car, Three "Crazy Girls" On "Blind Date", The Cannery Presents Frank, Sammy and Dean, More... | |
The Fremont Street Experience that debuted in December 1995 will be getting a more than $16.5 million video-display system mounted to its four-block-long canopy.
The bulbs used in the new video display system will be spaced closer together than those currently in use. The new system's resolution will be more than 600 percent clearer. The system is currently being assembled and installation of the first modules is expected later this month and a full debut will be close to the end of the year.
The $80-million, 125-store Las Vegas Premium Outlets is set to open downtown on Aug. 1, at the corner of Bonneville Avenue and Grand Central Parkway. The open-air complex will offer a misting system and shade to shoppers. Walls of glass windows will surround the indoor portion of the food court. Mall hours will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and until 9 p.m. on Sunday.
In June, the Venetian opened its new $275, 1,013-room Venezia tower. Earlier in the month, a $45 million expansion of the property's Sands Expo and Convention Center opened and increased the megaresort's total meeting room area to 1.9 million square feet.
The Venetian's meeting space expansion gave Las Vegas the distinction of having three of the top 10 largest convention facilities in North America.
In addition to the Venetian, current room expansions taking place in Las Vegas' upscale market include 1,125 rooms at Mandalay Bay, 950 at Bellagio and 2,700 at Wynn Las Vegas.
The Westin Casuarina, formerly the Maxim, is expected to open in September with 825 rooms.
The 12th Annual B.B. King Music Festival will be headlined by B.B. King and British guitarist Jeff Beck at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on July 25. King and Beck are on tour for the fist time ever. The show will be rounded out by newcomers, the New Orleans-based progressive funk outfit Galactic and up-and-coming Florida-bred murky blues band Mofro. Tickets are $35, $45 and $75, call TicketMaster at 702-474-4000.
"STOMP," the international percussion sensation stage production, will be making its triumphant return to Las Vegas and the Aladdin Theatre, Aug. 5-10. From its beginning as a street performance in the United Kingdom, "STOMP" has been a phenomenon over the past 10 years, having performed in over 350 cites in 36 countries worldwide.
In this unusual production, young performers make a rhythm out of anything they can get their hands on that makes sound. Some of the percussion instruments include trashcans, tea chests, plastic bags, plungers, boots and hubcaps. Tickets range from $35 to $49, call 702-785-5000.
Trent Carlini "The Dream King" is booked at the Las Vegas Hilton from July 15-Aug. 3. Tickets are $35 and $40, call 702-732-5111.
The Elvis impersonator, who had a long run with his show at the Boardwalk, was born in Chicago in 1968 to Italian immigrant parents. When he was seven, his parents returned to Italy, where Trent grew up. At age 17, he formed a band and began cutting records. When he was 19, he moved to Florida and began his musical career in the US with a rockabilly band. His Elvis-like features, moves and voice began landing him gigs as an Elvis tribute artist.
Carlini is a single parent to three daughters. He's working on a sitcom pilot for television about a single parent who is raising his three daughters by day and performing as Elvis at night.
A new show for all ages starring world-class sleight of hand entertainer Steve Dacri will debut at the Orleans from Aug. 4 -29. The 4 p.m. afternoon show will take place in Brendan's Irish Pub. It will feature in your face and under your nose magic in an intimate setting. Tickets with two drinks included are $19.95 plus tax and gratuity. A limited number of VIP seats are also available.
Dacri is known globally as the man with the "fastest hands in the world." His magic happens up close, often at a table among the audience, while a roving camera projects the action onto 17 television screens.
Dacri has been appearing in Las Vegas since the early 1970s opening for Tom Jones, Bob Hope, Tony Orlando and others. He most recently starred for six years at Caesars Magical Empire at Caesar's Palace.
Dacri has demonstrated his skills on hundreds of television programs during his 30-plus year career. He has written two best-selling books for magicians, starred in three critically acclaimed instructional video tapes, and lectured to magicians' groups in over a dozen countries.
Tom Jones, one of music's most enduring personalities, will bring his legendary style to the MGM Grand's 740-seat Hollywood Theatre, Aug. 7 - 20. Tickets are $70 inclusive, call 702-891-7777.
Jones, one of the Hollywood Theatre's regular celebrity performers, has been an industry icon for more than 30 years. The Welsh star first burst upon the scene in 1964 with what became one of his signature hits, "It's Not Unusual." He has followed up with such hits as "What's New Pussycat," "She's a Lady" and "Delilah." A tireless worker on stage, Jones has also cornered the television market with his own variety shows on ABC-TV, VH-1 and ITV network in the U.K.
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MTV is taking music's brightest new talent on the road for the first time. The "MTV You Hear It First Tour" sponsored by Coca-Cola will stop at the House of Blues on July 21. The show will feature Columbia's revolutionary recording artist Kenna, Virgin recording artist The Exies and Geffen recording artist Fiction Plane. Kenna is touring in support of his debut album "New Sacred Cow" released last month. For information, call 702-632-7600. The $650 million privately funded Las Vegas Monorail project scheduled to be up and running in January 2004 has unveiled its first advertiser-sponsored train. The Hansen Beverage Co.'s Monster Energy drink is paying $1 million a year for 10 years for the advertising rights. There will be nine trains and seven stations making up the first leg. Mia, Lux and Lola from the show "Crazy Girls" at the Riviera Hotel & Casino, will be televised on "Blind Date" during a special week in October. The three ladies were filmed on three separate dates during their night off. Mia said there was no chemistry on her eight-hour date with a car salesman who moved from New York to Los Angeles. It seems she couldn't make him understand that she was a Las Vegas showgirl and not a stripper. Their date included a salsa class. Here's an interesting tidbit on Mia. Her parents met in Frederic Apcar's "Viva Les Girl" show at the Dunes Hotel in the '70s. Her mother was a showgirl and her father an Argentine Gaucho. "Crazy Girls" is the sixth longest running show in Las Vegas celebrating its 16th anniversary. Show times are at 9 p.m., Fridays through Wednesdays. Tickets are $34.95 plus tax. For more information, call 800-634-3420 or 702- 794-9433. Three of the cast members from the Sahara's long running hit Rat Pack show "The Rat Pack is Back!," will make a special appearance at the new Cannery at the corner of Craig and Losee roads on July 18 and 19. Steve Lippia as Frank, Doug Starks as Sammy and Rick Michel as Dean will capture the essence and chemistry of the Rat Pack once again with a live 12-piece orchestra. Tickets are $19.95 plus tax with two drinks included, book your ticket online at There will also be a special pre-show performance by Joe Malone and Greg Bosler and their 12-piece orchestra. Radio's KJUL 104.3 morning personality, Scott O'Neil, will host the evening of music and dancing. One local gossip reporter has learned that The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is booking Gloria Estefan the weekend of Oct. 11 when Celine Dion is on vacation. Mariah Carey will take over Dion's stage on July 26 to open the U.S. leg of her "Charmbracelet" world tour and country star Tim McGraw will play two shows next weekend on July 18 and 19. The Palms has landed Playboy's 50th anniversary celebration planned for Sept. 19 through 21. The event will include fashion shows, casting calls, a concert and a preview of Playboy art that will be auctioned in December through Christie's in New York. Mandalay Bay has landed the heavyweight fight between former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and cruiserweight champion James Toney. The Oct. 4 bout will be televised by Showtime Pay-Per-View. The Park at MGM Grand, which was formerly the resort's theme park with rides, is now a premier outdoor group venue that's available for rent. The Park offers three distinct areas, two theaters and five themed steets. The Islands is 9,000 square feet, the Center Stage is 26,000 square feet, and the Festival Square is 70,000 square feet. The Magic Screen Theater accommodates 730 guests and the Gold Rush Theater seats 630. For information, call 702-891-1191. Magician Steve Wyrick will close his long running show at the Sahara on Aug. 31. International recording artists Air Supply featuring soft-rockers Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell will headline the Suncoast Showroom, July 18-20. Tickets are $39.95 plus tax, call 702-636-7075. Song hit maker Bobby Vinton will star at the Orleans Showroom, July 24-27. The Polish Prince, which was the title for his best selling autobiography, will perform his signature tune "My Melody of Love," along with other classics like "Mr. Lonely," "Roses Are Red" and "Blue Velvet." Shelley Fisher is a Nat "King" Cole sound-alike currently performing in the Mirage's intimate upscale Baccarat Bar lounge from 8:30 p.m. to 1:15 a.m., Wednesdays through Sundays. His background includes opening for Stevie Wonder in 1966 and doing some acting work in films while he lived in Los Angeles. Fisher has mainly worked overseas and is currently working on his first recording in ten years, a CD scheduled to be released in August. The Riviera recently had a Players Club member play seven dollars and win $2,729,514.84 on a Bally's Millionaire Seven's machine. Dreams can come true in Las Vegas. Tim Conway & Harvey Korman "Together Again" are booked at the Stardust July 23-26 and Nov. 12-15 with special guest star, comedian Louise DuArt. The three Sammy's Woodfired Pizza restaurants in Las Vegas including one near the Strip at 3900 Paradise Road will participate in the Special Olympics Tip-a-Cop program on July 16. Local law enforcement officials will serve as "Celebrity Waiters" for the day to raise funds and awareness for the yearlong campaign, "Law Enforcement Torch Run." Terrible's Hotel-Casino on Paradise Road is offering golf packages starting at $99. Packages include two nights accommodations, 18 holes of golf, Terrible's logo golf shirt and hat, and one prime rib or steak dinner, call 1-800-640-9777 or 702-733-7000.
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