Famous Seattle-based glass artist Dale Chihuly has opened his first retail boutique shop in the upscale Bellagio's Conservatory. The shop features a number of pieces that range in price from $2,500 to $60,000 as well as lithographs and prints that start at more than $1,000. At the other end of the spectrum, prints of Chihuly's work can be purchased for as little as $15 along with books, video tapes and calendars.

If you aren't familiar with Chilhuly's work, visit the Bellagio's lobby and look up at his glass ceiling sculpture, "Fiore de Como." The hand-blown glass sculpture measuring 70 by 30 feet is made up of more than 2,000 pieces of glass.

There's a new show, "Beats of Passion," taking place at The Showroom at the Venetian only on Mondays and Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. through Aug. 14. The late evening show featuring energetic dancing and specialty acts has a loose theme of entertainers celebrating the passion they have for their craft.

The specialty acts, all of which are excellent, include juggler Romano Frediani, a Cirque du Soleil-stye flying man act, a flamenco dancer, a dynamite tango team and Los Huincas Gauchos.

This is not being considered a keno game, nor a state lottery. Las Vegas Gaming Incorporated (LVGI) has launched Nevada Numbers, a nightly statewide lucky numbers drawing offering a progressive jackpot starting at $5 million. Nevada Numbers is the only statewide, mega-jackpot lucky numbers game.

A $2 ticket buys a chance to pick five numbers drawn from a total of 80 spinning balls. Players can pay their favorite five numbers in one to 50 consecutive games (over a period of 50 days) on a single ticket. Entrants can also pay several tickets in one game and have their numbers randomly selected by Quick Pick.

Park Place Entertainment casinos are in the first phase. In Las Vegas, the participating properties are Bally's, Paris, the Las Vegas Hilton and the Flamingo. Wagers are accepted in person. Five winning numbers are chosen each day at 6 p.m. at Bally's, with results electronically posted at all participating casinos. Winning numbers are also posted on line after 7p.m. at nevadanumbers.com and parkplace.com.

Players who catch four of five numbers win $2,000. Those who catch three of five win $20; two of five make $2; and one of five pays $1. Winning tickets for catching one through four numbers are paid by the issuing casino and LVGI pays the grand prize.

Mysterious Sporatto, the true spirit of Venice has been added to the entertainment at The Grand Canal Shoppes in the Venetian. The mystifying Sporatto moves in and out of hidden doors and canals undetected to visitors. The sudden appearance and disappearance of the figure leaves the mystery of who is behind the mask. During the 16th Century, the nobles would don a mask, cap or hat and go to the casino.

Comedienne Rita Rudner has added a new show at 6 p.m. on Saturdays to her schedule in the Cabaret Theatre at New York-New York. In turn, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Buck Ram's Platters and Cornell Gunter's Coasters also appear in the Cabaret Theater and have changed their show times. They are performing at 9:45 p.m. Monday - Wednesday and Friday, at 4:00 and 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, and at 8 p.m. on Sunday.

"Grace Under Fire" sitcom star and executive producer, Brett Butler will make a return engagement at the Top of The Riv Ballroom on Aug. 3 and 4. From Montgomery, Alabama, the People's Choice award winner will remind fans of her abusive relationships, her battles with life's demons and the unpredictable tabloids. Tickets are $29.50 plus tax and fee, call 702-794-9433.

Butler is also the author of the New York Times bestseller "Knee Deep In Paradise." She is currently developing a new series for ABC.

It's located off the Strip, but folks who love listening to guitar music as well as actually playing the instrument need to check out the new Nils Lofgren Guitar Bar at the Reserve in Henderson. The bar is named after the lead guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

As a very novel idea, the new bar which opened on June 8 replaced a taco stand. The venue is a place where anyone can jump on stage and perform. If an enthusiast is without a guitar, the bar will loan the jammer one. The jam sessions, called "open pick night," are held Wednesday through Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. Due to immediate popular demand, extra jam sessions are being held on Friday and Saturday from midnight to 3 a.m.

It's official now; Carmen Electra will be the co-star of the Aladdin's new show "Lumiere." There will be a plotline with Electra playing the Fallen Angel. The showroom because of retractable seating will double as a nightclub called Tatou. The club will have three areas: a central dance space; a hip bar/lounge; and a three-story, glass-enclosed mini-club for VIPs and celebs.

Other projects being planned by the Aladdin include a 300-seat cabaret and spa that should be completed by December. The Aladdin also plans to double the size of its valet parking area and to redesign driveways leading from the Strip into the valet parking area.

TOP OF NEXT COLUMN

Comedian George Carlin will bring his razor sharp humor to the MGM Grand's 1,700-seat EFX Theatre, Aug. 7-13. Tickets are $50 and $60, call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

As one of America's keenest social critics, Carlin unashamedly points out hypocrisy in people's actions and words. Carlin recently won his third Grammy, adding an additional accolade to his six CableAce awards, and five Emmy nominations. In addition, he has starred in 11 solo HBO comedy specials and released 19 comedy albums (four of them gold).

Carlin the actor has made ten movies and will be seen in the soon to be released "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." As a writer, his "Brain Droppings" spent a total of 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and his latest book, "Napalm and Silly Putty" has already reached the number one spot on the list.

The Los Angeles Kings will return to Las Vegas for "Frozen Fury 5" to host one of their six National Hockey League pre-season games against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, Sept. 22, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets range from$20 up to $150 for front row ice seats, call TicketMaster at 702-474-4000.

Debbie Reynolds former hotel on Convention Center Drive is being transformed into the newly themed 192-room Greek Isles hotel-casino. This weekend the casino opened with 100 slots. The property also opened a bar and a 24-hour Greek 200-seat restaurant named Yanni's.

The hotel will open later this year. The top three floors of the 12-story build are timeshare units. More than $ 1 million is being spent to refurbish the hotel, which includes the placement of modern Greek decor and the installation of a new swimming pool. The hotel's showroom is also being refurbished.

Brendan Bowyer and the Irish Show Band are headlining at the Lady Luck downtown through Aug. 19. The group performs Thursdays through Mondays. Bowyer has a new hit record back in Ireland and will return there at the end of August to go on a promotional tour.

The successful "Marriage can be Murder" dinner show performed at the Egg and I restaurant located two miles off the Strip on West Sahara Ave. will be adding another night to its performance schedule starting Aug. 1. Show times are 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $44.95 plus tax and gratuity, call 702-616-3322.

"Marriage can be Murder" is a who-dun-it game style format where a detective leads you through a series of events to catch the culprit in your midst. There is even a prize for the winner. Actors are seated with the audience so no one knows who the killer is and often fingers are pointed at the guests. This can be a family outing recommended for ages eight and up.

In Las Vegas, local tennis pro Andre Agassi always makes good copy. The news that he and Stefanie Graf are going to have a baby arriving in mid-December makes everyone sit up and take notice. Congratulations to the parents-to-be!

Looking ahead at some interesting bookings, Bob Dylan will perform at the Hard Rock Hotel on Aug. 24. Tickets are $78 and $153. K.C. & The Sunshine Band will play the House of Blues on Aug. 10. Tickets are $28, $38 and $43. Maze featuring Frankie Beverly will bring classic soul to the new Cox Pavilion on Aug. 10. Tickets are $52.

The area in town recognized as Chinatown will be growing. More than $5 million will be spent to renovate The Center at Spring Mountain and bring it more in line with the architecture of the adjacent Chinatown Plaza. The 385,000-square-foot commercial center is having the exterior facade on three sides reconstructed with an Asian architectural design. The area caters to Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Korean populations and tourists.

The chart-topping duo Indigo girls will appear as part of Mandalay Bay's annual "Bay Rock" beach concert series next Friday, July 27. This Grammy award winning duo has won critical acclaim with such contemporary folk hits as "Closer to Fine" and the remake of the Youngbloods' late-sixties peacenik anthem, "Get Together."

The Mandalay Beach Stage is set in an 11-acre beach environment. Listeners can enjoy the show from a blanket in the sand or from in the surf provided by the 1.6 million-gallon wave pool framed by palms, waterfalls and giant fire pots.

Ground has been broken for three of the six homes to be featured in next spring's Street of Dreams luxury housing tour at MacDonald Highlands in Henderson. The event will be Street of Dreams' first to feature terraced hillside homes. The homes will range from 5,400 to 7,200 square feet. The single and two-story homes will feature subterranean or partial basements built into the hillside. The estimated value for each home will range from $1.8 million to more than $2 million.

"Crazy Girls" at the Riviera had a production company for the Travel Channel interview them for "ShowTime Vegas," a one-hour special that will air on Tuesday, Aug. 14.

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