Singer Macy Gray will be the first artist to inaugurate Rain, the new club/showroom at Las Vegas' newest resort called the Palms, on Friday, Nov. 16. Tickets are $100. It's been written that a moat will surround the dance area and there will be fountains that dance to the music.

Breck Wall's "Bottoms Up" show at the Flamingo celebrated its 15,000th performance since the show's origination in 1959 in Dallas, Texas. Out of the show's 42-year run, it has played in Las Vegas 38 years. Celebrities and former cast members turned out in mass for the big celebration. Three past members, Joe Danova, Suzanne Buhrer and Shon Vaughn, actually participated in the show by doing their original bits.

"Bottoms Up" is true vaudeville and choked full of quick, witty humorous bits. Even if you've seen the show before and know the routines, you still have to laugh because the cast is having so much fun. Shows are at 2 and 4 p.m. daily except Sunday. Tickets are $12.95.

The $300 million Green Valley Ranch Station Casino located at Interstate 215 and Green Valley Parkway is now taking room reservations for mid-December. Room rates range from $99 to $299, call 702-617-7777 or 1-866-STAY-GVR.

The new property offers a 2,000-square-foot Presidential Suite, 45 suites, and 201 oversized rooms. Each room is equipped with a goose down comforter, terry robes, a safe and mini bar, and offers 24-hour concierge service in a pet-friendly environment.

Green Valley Ranch is on a 40-acre site with three acres of vineyards. The resort will include: an 80,000-square-foot casino; a 170-seat race and sports book; seven restaurants featuring II Fornaio, Bullshrimp and Border Grill along with six quick-service foot outlets; four bars including Rande Gerber's WHISKEY SKY; a 10,000-square-foot European day spa; a 10-screen movie theater; two tennis courts; and 11,000 square feet of meeting room and convention space.

It's always nice to be "reintroduced" to one of the city's hidden treasures. At least one elegant gourmet room or fine dining restaurant can be found in most Las Vegas hotels; however, affordability may be an obstacle for many people. That's not the case with the intimate 60-seat Burgundy Room tucked away inside the Lady Luck downtown. Tableside service is an integral part of the dining experience.

The Burgundy Room's new menu features some interesting treats for the palate including Garlic Sausage, Escargot Bouguignonne en Croute and Frog Legs. Prices for a dinner range from $20 to $35 with soup or salad and potatoes included.

The "to-die-for" desserts include Fried Strawberries, which is a signature dessert of all Isle of Capri properties. The Burgundy Room is open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. For reservations, call 702-477-3000.

The Lady Luck also features a weekday afternoon show, "Stars of the Las Vegas Strip" at 2 and 3:30 p.m. At night, the live entertainment action is in the new Lucky Louie's Lounge located across from Lucky Louie's Bar.

The holiday concert event, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, will visit the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on Dec. 8. Tickets are $30, $45 and $60, call 702-785-5000.

The Las Vegas performance is part of a 14-city Christmas tour. It will feature selections from the new "Christmas Extraordinaire" album as well as traditional seasonal music from the group's four previous multi-platinum holiday albums.

Music from Mannheim Steamroller's Grammy Award-winning "Fresh Aire" collections, will round out the evening, accentuated by the elaborate video pageant that has become synonymous with Mannheim Steamroller and accompaniment by a live orchestra composed of local professional musicians.

The band, long recognized as a technological pioneer, has developed a series of proprietary flying sound effects to make the audience feel sound move around and through the theater.

The Riviera's poker room was closed permanently last month. It was one of the longest-running poker rooms in Las Vegas. The area will be remodeled and included in an expansion of the property's high-limit slot area.

In the past year, poker rooms have closed at The Venetian, Harrah's and the Stratosphere.

New York-New York is opening a new Asian pit on Nov. 8. The new Dragon Pit located in the center of the casino floor will be an upscale gaming area featuring Asian games. There will be seven new games made up of two Mini Baccarat games, two Pai Gow Poker games, two Pai Gow tile games and one Sic Bo game. Additional features will include cocktail and beverage service featuring Asian specialties, and Chin Chin's restaurant located at the resort will provide hourly Dim Sum service for guests requesting a light meal or snack.

It's for certain now. The motorsports-themed Race Rock restaurant downtown will not open again. The eatery's memorabilia was auctioned off in Arizona recently.

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Fitzgeralds downtown is hosting a contest in its Events Center for Elvis impersonators each Wednesday, through Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. The winner will receive $500 and be able to audition for a six-month contract at the hotel. For information, call 702-361-5612.

Las Vegas' own royal couple, Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf rejoiced with two milestones in their lives recently. They began by getting married on Monday, Oct. 22, and followed up on Friday, Oct. 26, with the birth of their 5-pound, 14-ounce baby boy named Jaden Gil Agassi.

A new $20 million Emerald Suite extended-stay lodging property has opened at 9145 Las Vegas Blvd. South. The 396-suite property is the first of five Emerald Suites planned for Las Vegas. The property's target markets include corporate accounts, golfers on vacation, workers relocating to Las Vegas, and construction workers temporarily in town.

Roseanne Barr will return to a stand-up comedy gig at the MGM Grand, Nov. 15-21. After being absent from the Las Vegas' showrooms for years, she'll be co-headlining with Louie Anderson.

Comedian Bobby Collins is performing through Nov. 6 and again Nov. 26-28, in the Cabaret Theatre at New York-New York. The native New Yorker was named after the legendary Bob Hope setting him up for his career destiny even though he spent time as a vice president with Calvin Klein.

Collins went on to become an opening acct for entertainers such as Julio Iglesias, Cher, Dolly Parton and Frank Sinatra. Rosie O'Donnell chose him to replace her as the host of VH-1's "Standup Spotlight." He received rave reviews and earned a CableAce nomination in 1994 and an American Comedy Award nomination in 1998 for best male standup comedian. Tickets are $29.50, call 702-740-6815.

The wax figure of Regis Philbin is at Madame Tussaud's Celebrity Encounter at The Venetian for a month's visit. The figure of the popular talk show and game show host is on loan from the attraction's New York museum.

Jones Entertainment Group spent Monday, Oct. 29, filming magician Rick Thomas and his animals for a one-hour special called, "The Secrets of Animal Magic," which will air on Animal Planet, a television station owned by the Discovery Channel.

Show times and days are changing for some Las Vegas shows. After performing over a month with only one show a night, the "Crazy Girls: Las Vegas' Sexiest Topless Revue" has returned to two shows nightly at new times, 9 and 10:30 p.m., with Tuesday as the dark night. The show features guest star Joe Trammel aka "The Man of a Thousand Faces." He has the dubious distinction of being the first man to perform in the sexy girlie show.

Starting today, "Splash" at the Riviera is changing to a new schedule with Sunday and Monday as the dark nights.

Comedian Michael Holly has changed his dark days for his 1 and 3 p.m. afternoon shows at the Sahara to Friday and Saturday.

Be prepared many Las Vegas shows will be dark the week of the COMDEX convention, which takes in Nov. 12-16. The Tropicana has announced it will close the "Folies Bergere" show from Nov. 8-15, and Rick Thomas' afternoon show from Nov. 9-16. However, "Crazy Girls" at the Riviera and "Steve Wyrick - Magic the EXTREME!" at the Sahara are two shows that will stay open.

Fans of the popular "Viva Las Vegas" afternoon show at the Stratosphere will notice a void in the production. Golden Joe Baker, who is 65 years young, has been performing the most unlikely Elvis impersonation in the show since July 1991. He's a short doughboy caricature donning the Elvis attire doing an irresistible satire.

Unfortunately Baker is currently out of the show due to a battle with diabetes. Fans can send get-well cards to Baker at Kindred Hospital, 5110 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89146.

Caesars Palace will celebrate Thanksgiving in style with special holiday dinners being served in seven of its restaurants on Thursday, Nov. 22. Most

Las Vegas resorts will be serving turkey on the day set aside for "giving thanks."

Andrew Dice Clay will be appearing at the Stardust, Nov. 12-14, in the Wayne Newton Theater. Don Rickles with Patty Smyth will follow Nov. 15-18. For information call 702-732-6325. Tickets for both shows are $49.95 plus tax and tip and one beverage is included.

Ray Anthony, who portrays the young superstar whose life was tragically cut short, Ritchie "The California Kid" Valens, has returned to the "Legends In Concert" show at the Imperial Palace. Valens was only 17 years old with two big hit records when he died.

Anthony is sharing the stage with other great look-and-sound-alike performers impersonating Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, the Temptations, Ricky Martin, and Elvis Presley. Tickets are $34.50 with two drinks, tax and tip included, call 1-888-777-7664 or 702-794-3261.

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