Mandalay Bay will play host to a once-in-a-lifetime Las Vegas benefit concert to support the USO on Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11. The initial stars who have committed to perform in alphabetical order are Bill Acosta, Bob Anderson, Lance Burton, Clint Holmes, Wayne Newton, the Scintas, Siegfried & Roy and Earl Turner. Additional stars will be announced soon.

The Mandalay Bay Events Center seats 12,000. Tickets are $25 at the Mandalay box office.

Teen pop singer Britney Spears has added a second concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Nov. 17, a day before her previously scheduled show. Tickets for the newly added concert are $39.50, $55 and $75. Spears is expected to release her third album, "Britney," in November.

Ray Romano, the award winning star of the hit television show "Everybody Loves Raymond," will take center stage with his comedic act at the MGM Grand's EFX Theatre on Nov. 16 and 17. Tickets are $65 and $55 inclusive, call 1-800-929-1111 or 702-891-7777.

Romano's stand up comedic talent made an impression with David Letterman the first time he appeared on his "Late Night" show. Letterman offered him a development deal with his production company, Worldwide Pants. Through that association, the CBS hit, "Everybody Loves Raymond" was born.

Romano has also performed at the White House Correspondents Dinner for President Clinton and Vice President Gore and headlined The Toyota Comedy Festival at Carnegie Hall. As an author, "Everything and a Kite," is a New York Times best selling book based on his comedy.

High-energy, soulful Las Vegas performer Earl Turner has moved from the lounge into the Rio's Copacabana Showroom. He's headlining on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39.95.

Turner is a consummate entertainer. His show delivers both self-penned works and the best of his contemporaries. Turner also dances and plays five instruments delivering a cross section of music from gospel to rhythm and blues, and from pop to rock 'n roll.

Turner began playing bass guitar at age 13, and by age 18, he packed his bags to go on tour with a popular Chicago band. "Love Caught You By Surprise" is a top 50 hit single that he recorded. Las Vegas has been his stomping ground since he arrived in 1989.

Jay Mohr, comedian, actor, NFL pre-game entertainer and sports radio talk show host will bring his act to Paris Las Vegas for three nights, Nov. 9-11. Tickets are $35, call 1-877-374-7469 or 702-946-4567.

Mohr first gained national attention as a cast member of "Saturday Night Live." His movie breakthrough came in the role of the nemesis agent, opposite Tom Cruise, in the critically acclaimed "Jerry Maguire." His next roles were opposite Jennifer Aniston in "Picture Perfect" and Scott Wolf in "Go." Mohr also played a role in "Pay It Forward."

Two more of his movies are scheduled for release later this year. One is a futuristic comedy called "Pluto Nash" starring Eddie Murphy and the other film is a comedy entitled "Speaking of Sex" starring Bill Murray, James Spader and Laura Flynn Boyle.

One of South Florida's most revered restaurants, Norma's on the Beach, which was created in 1994, has opened a counterpart in Las Vegas. ORTANIQUE is located in the walkway connecting Paris with Bally's. The 180-seat dining experience is open daily for dinner. Live music is offered Wednesday and Thursday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. A light late night menu is available from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

ORTANIQUE takes its name from a delicious and delicate hybrid, a combination of an orange and a tangerine found only in Jamaica. Executive Chef and co-creator Cindy Hutson has put together a "Cuisine of the Sun" menu with an international spin on traditional Caribbean cuisine.

A 120-seat ORTANIQUE restaurant and lounge will open in Washington, D.C. in November.

Grammy-winner Art Garfunkel will perform at The Orleans, Oct. 26-28. Tickets are $39.95, $49.95 and $59.95, call 702-365-7075.

Although it has been 30 years since "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was recorded, Garfunkel's image and signature vocal remain among the most instantly recognizable in popular music. He performed "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on Memorial Day during a live broadcast with an audience of 300,000 and an estimated 10 million people watching on PBS.

The Rivera Comedy Club is back in action after a month off following the attack in New York City. Comedy veteran Sammy Shore will return to Las Vegas to headline the club, Oct. 29-Nov. 4. He'll share the stage with three fellow comedians. Tickets are $17.95 plus taxes and fee, call 702-794-9433.

Shore's background includes co-founding The Comedy Store in Los Angeles with his wife Mitzi. In addition to comedy, Shore has appeared in major films including "Texas Across The River," "Rosie," "Thunder Alley," and "History of the World, Part I."

On the legitimate theater scene, his one-man play entitled "The Warm-Up" was taken for his published book of the same name. His literary efforts earned five DramaLogue Theatre Awards and the Artistic Director Achievement Award for a One Person Play.

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Comedienne Judy Gold will headline at the Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's Nov. 6-11, with two fellow comedians. Tickets re $24.95 plus tax.

Since her last appearance in Las Vegas, Gold has had some nice breaks. She has two gold Emmy Awards for producing and writing the hit daytime talk show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show."

Currently, Gold is playing Ryan Styles' new girlfriend, Leslie, on the hit ABC series, "The Drew Carrey Show." She also guest-starred on NBC's Emmy award winner "Law and Order," playing District Attorney Peterson. In addition, she appears almost every other week on the hit syndicated series "Hollywood Squares" with Whoopi Goldberg.

Gold's latest venture is "Multiplex with Judy Gold," her own HBO movie review show in which she takes a television crew out on the streets of America and asks filmgoers their opinions of today's most popular films.

A world heavyweight championship rematch dubbed "Rahman vs. Lewis II: Final Judgement" will be staged at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday, Nov. 17 and it will be shown live on pay per view and closed circuit.

Hasim "The Rock" Rahman shocked the world on April 22 when he landed a right hand in round five that left champion Lennox Lewis in a sprawl. Lewis had not been beaten since 1994 and had been heavyweight champion since 1997 before losing to Rahman. He definitely wants to regain his title. Tickets are priced from $100 up to $1,200, call 1-877-632-7400 or 702-632-7580.

On Monday, Oct. 29, the "Beaux Arts Ball XXXV" will take place at the MGM Grand's Studio 54 nightclub. The annual Halloween fundraising event brings together the entertainment community in a festive fashion of outrageous costumes and high-end entertainment. Like past years, a King and Queen will be crowned.

Admission is $15 for the show business community and $25 for the general public. The costume contest will award prizes in the following categories: Best Overall Costume $1,054; Most Patriotic Costume $254; Most Delicious Costume $254; Most Scream-iest/Scariest Costume $254; and Best Trani-silvainiest (drag) $254. For information, call Studio 54 at 702-891-7254.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has launched a new operator-assisted toll-free phone number, 877-VISIT-LV, and a redesigned version of its official Internet website at www.vegasfreedom.com with a great deals section.

Vegasfreedom.com also offers an "airport information" link to provide travelers with up-to-the-minute details about McCarran Airport. Another new section called "entertainment highlights" provides details on upcoming high profile events.

The Caesars Palace Sports Book is now offering special proposition wagers on Michael Jordan, the NBA superstar who has returned to action after two retirements.

The propositions consider Jordan's impact on his new team, the Washington Wizards, and how the 38-year-old veteran superstar will match up against the new generation of NBA hotshots.

The decline in air travel following last month's terrorist attacks has altered the schedule for construction projects around Las Vegas. McCarran Intentional Airport is postponing consolidation of a $120 million car rental center and halting a $100 million expansion of the D-gate concourse. The airport is also delaying the design process of a planned $300 million international terminal.

Paris Las Vegas will celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau with several events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the worldwide event. The hotel will welcome the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau on Thursday, Nov. 15 as an armored truck delivers the first barrel. The wine will then be on display throughout the property and sold by the glass on Le Boulevard or by the bottle in the restaurants and at La Cave, the resort's signature shop.

On Friday, Nov. 16, from 6 to 9 p.m., Les Artistes Steakhouse will host a special winemaker's dinner that includes four courses with six DuBoeuf wine parings. Frank DuBoeuf will attend the event. Tickets are $90 call 702-967-7999 to reserve seating.

On Saturday, Nov. 17, from 1-3 p.m. and 8-9 p.m., Frank DuBoeuf will be on hand to sign posters and bottles of the DeBoeuf Nouveau inside La Cave.

The Imperial Palace is hosting free NHL Hockey Wednesday viewing parties referred to as "kick the teeth out of the middle of the week." The weekly gatherings include visits by the Miller Girls and 99-cent Miller Genuine Drafts at the Sports Bar starting at 5 p.m. Fans also get chances to win weekly giveaways from Pepsi, Miller Beer and the hotel.

Once again this year, the Imperial Palace Race & Sports Book is offering "Chasers," which is the chance to bet on the second- and/or third-period of a game being played during the party. Wager $20 or more on a "Chaser" and receive a free Meal Deal at the Burger Palace, adjacent to the Sports Lounge.

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