Last weekend outside Aladdin, magician Criss Angel escaped from chains and a sealed container in the nick of time before a stunt car filled with explosives would've made him Flat Angel.

Tomorrow afternoon, March 31, Criss performs another live stunt in Aladdin's lobby right outside the Theatre for the Performing Arts. And this time he's bringing an elephant, which he plans to make disappear. He could always just show up without the elephant and say it disappeared before anyone could see, tada! But somehow we don't think that would be too magical.

Both stunts will be part of the "Mindfreak" television series on A&E. The public is invited.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

As LasVegasVegas readers kindly pointed out, we mistakenly confused Kathy Griffin of "Suddenly Susan" with Vicki Lewis of "NewsRadio," something we seem to do all the time. Which is odd, because we're big fans of Griffin's humor, despite her predilection for N'Sync boys.

For other Kathy Griffin fans who missed her host the world's largest buffet the other day, you can find her again in Las Vegas at Suncoast from April 14-16. Tickets are $44, $55, and $71.50 (which include the live entertainment tax) and can be purchased at (702) 636-7075 or (877) 636-7111 or online.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At lunch yesterday, the Las Vegas Hilton held the world's largest buffet that will go in the history books as a Guinness World Record.

A total of 510 dishes were set out for over 850 hungry people at a low $7.50 per person, or a little over a penny per offering. All proceeds went to hunger relief charity America's Second Harvest.

Each dish had to be different enough to be certified by a Guinness judge, though they didn't have to taste each one. That should be another Guinness record -- the person who ate a plate full of each of the 510 dishes.

Hilton executive chef George Bargisen spent over 24 hours overseeing and carefully putting together each of the unique dishes that comprised 40 soups, 100 salads, and 150 desserts spanning across tables measuring 500 feet.

Over a dozen ethnic cuisines were represented. With food choices from regular buffets exhausted, exotic selections were added, such as Mongolian chicken, salmon Wellington, and fried alligator. Dessert included pumpkin pie, creme brulee, baklava, and truffles.

Because Guinness didn't have a prior record for world's largest buffet, they set 500 dishes as an arbitrary number in order to qualify.

Alka-Seltzer, celebrating their 75th anniversary, appropriately sponsored the buffet.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Taryn Manning (Hustle and Flow, 8 Mile) appears March 31 at Light (Bellagio).

Manning will introduce her new Fall 2006 clothing line, Born Uniqorn, whose website shows pictures of their 2005 and Summer 2006 collection.

To support her friend, best pal Britney Spears (both were in the film Crossroads) may make an unannounced appearance, for the paparazzi eyeing whether she's pregnant and teetotaling or boozing it up like she was seen at husband K-Fed's birthday party.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Another Las Vegas condo project has stalled, with deposits being returned and construction being postponed again.

The Curve was to be two 18-story condominium towers in a planned 42.5-acre urban village comprising 16 buildings of retail, restaurant, and commercial venues.

It had been planned to break ground last year on the condition that 75 percent of the condos were sold within 180 days.

That timeframe expired with a little over half sold, and buyers are being offered refunds or contract extensions by 150 days.

The Curve was originally advertised as an escape from the busy Las Vegas Strip, located near 215 and Durango.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Playboy playmates Jennifer Walcott (pictured) and Shallan Meiers (August 2001 and September 2002, respectively) will join forces this Friday, March 31 at the Tangerine Lounge & Nightclub (Treasure Island), beginning at 10 p.m.

What actually happens on club nights with the Bunnies? We can't tell you, but expect to see dancing, some burlesque, and a lingerie show from the top of the bar.

We're hoping with this appearance, Ms. Walcott will update her website with nifty photos, because it hasn't been updated since October 2004.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the fifth year in a row, Mandalay Bay offers Tax Day relief with free admission to Shark Reef. Hey, we're poets and didn't even realize.

Tax Day this year is April 17 (after Easter) and a special postal station will be set up in front of the Shark Reef entrance from noon to 10 p.m.

Taxpayers who bring their tax returns will get their postage hand-cancelled with a genuine Las Vegas shark stamp dated April 17 and receive a ticket good for one adult admission into the aquarium. Last year, they also gave out free t-shirts.

So if you're procrastinating doing your taxes like we know you are, why not wait a little longer and give your other arm and leg to some real sharks?

(If you've already sent in your taxes or did them electronically, you can always bring a sealed empty envelope addressed to the IRS, if you catch our meaning... hey, predators beget predators.)

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new Vegas version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera premieres at The Venetian in June as a permanent engagement.

For its new home in Las Vegas, The Venetian built a $40 million state-of-the-art theater (by David Rockwell) and brought in original director Hal Prince to re-envision the classic Broadway show that has grossed over $3 billion and been shown to over 58 million people.

As with many Vegas-imported shows, this Phantom has been trimmed down to 90 minutes (the title of the show even seems to have been shortened), albeit under the auspices of Sir Lloyd Webber. All the original songs are included, just truncated.

Think of it as a best-of show or a theatrical experience on fast-forward. But we jest, simply because we're Phantom purists and don't need to see new super-duper special effects like an onstage lake and exploding Paris Opera House chandelier.

Tickets are available to the public beginning April 6 and are expected to sell fast; however, you can purchase tickets before then by calling 866-641-7469 or 702-414-7469 and mentioning the code PS-RJ (this is the Review-Journal's special eNeon subscriber code). You can also use the code to book tickets online at the Review-Journal's link.

Ticket prices range from $74.30 (upper balcony) to $124.30 (orchestra) to $149.30 (front rows A-H).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Beginning May 3, Bellagio's Gallery of Fine Art will exhibit almost 50 photographs by Ansel Adams, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.

Known for wondrous black-and-white iconic images of the Sierra Nevada, the exhibit will include a 1941 image of Boulder Dam (pictured above) and others spanning four decades, all personally chosen by Adams before his death in 1984.

On loan from the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, the exhibit will run for over a year, through May 6, 2007.

The current exhibit, which closes next month, showcases 34 paintings of the French countryside by 16 artists, including Corot, van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne.

The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (including weekends and holidays). Tickets are $15, with students, seniors, and locals $12.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced that visitors to Las Vegas increased in 2005 to a record 38.6 million, a 3 percent increase. Other parts of Nevada (Reno, Laughlin, Mesquite), however, saw a drop-off in tourists.

Visitors to Nevada itself increased to another record of 51.6 million, almost a 1 percent increase.

Other interesting Las Vegas trivia released for last year:

• 133,186 hotel and motel rooms were available (almost 180,000 total in Nevada).
  
• The average hotel room rate was $103.12 (a whopping 14.9 percent increase from 2004).
  
• Hotels were booked almost 92 percent of the time.
  
• Conventions were attended by over 6 million people (a 7.7 percent increase).
  
• Traffic increased by 4.4 percent.
  
• $7.57 billion was made in gaming revenue, increasing 11.5 percent. Only downtown dropped from 2004, a decrease of 1.4 percent. If you're seeking comps, head downtown.
  

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How could we have missed Kevin Federline's seminal 28th birthday in Las Vegas on Tuesday?

People magazine spotted his birthday bash beginning with a private backroom dinner at Tao (incidentally thrown by wife Britney Spears) with about 10 people, and afterwards heading to Pure.

Spears wore an elegant black dress while birthday boy was in baseball cap and wife-beater. Both were drinking, which means either Spears is not pregnant or... the poor baby!

Other than the sightings that they were all over each other and very much still together, the interesting part of this nonstory was that during dinner, People points out birthday cake was "served by two little people in tight dresses" (hyperlink ours).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The American Podiatric Medical Association and Prevention magazine (April 2006) recently ranked Las Vegas as the fifth best walking city in the nation.

The APMA stated Las Vegas placed in the top 5 because of the large number of people who are physically active and are involved in sports.

A walker-friendly city takes into account its environment and habits, as well as percentage of active walkers, walking and hiking trails, average temperatures, crime rates, square mileage of parks, golfers, dog-owners, points of interest, number of people who walk or bike or take public transportation to work, and number of people who are active in sports.

The association comprises almost 12,500 doctors of podiatric medicine in 53 locations around the country and its territories.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sunset Station's steakhouse Sonoma Cellar offers a prix fixe early dining meal every Sunday through Thursday between 5 and 6 p.m.

The set price is $32 plus tax. You can also take advantage of this offer by using 17,000 points off your Boarding Pass player's card. With 600 points equal to $1 in food comps, this makes this deal worth about $28. Plus, when spending your points, you don't pay sales tax.

The menu contains your choice of an appetizer, salad, entree, dessert, and a glass of wine:

Wine
Penfold's Chardonnay
Cabernet Shiraz

Appetizer
French Maui Onion Soup
Lobster Bisque
Shrimp Cocktail

Salad
Steak House Salad
Caesar Salad

Entree
Sonoma Scampi Jumbo Shrimp
Petit Filet Mignon
Fish of the Day
Sonoma Chicken

Dessert
New York Style Cheesecake
Lemon Meringue Cake

Sunset is located at 1301 W. Sunset Rd. in Henderson. Closest parking to Sonoma is in the bowling parking lot.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While we're on the subject of food (boy, we're getting hungry), New Orleans eatery Commander's Palace (in Aladdin's Desert Passage) has a hidden and shaken secret for lunch.

With any entree purchased, you can get a martini of your choice for only 25 cents.

Also, on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekends from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Commander's offers a live jazz brunch for $36.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On March 26 at 5 p.m., Jordan Schaffner will read from and sign his book Naked Skydiving at Borders (2323 S. Decatur Blvd.).

Naked Skydiving is Schaffner's Henry Miller and Kurt Vonnegut-inspired autobiography covering his pre-9/11 life as a dream interpreter and west coast travels.

His reading will include a new piece about Las Vegas: "Xmas in Vegas, it doesn't have to stay in Vegas."

Along with the reading, writers in the audience will also be invited to come up and perform their own work.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

South Coast's new $60 million equestrian center, the world's first center attached to a hotel-casino, opened last week.

The center houses a whopping 1,200 climate-controlled horse stalls and 4,400 seats.

On March 24 at 7 p.m, the All American Reining Classic Freestyle Invitational's first inaugural event comes to town.

Freestyle reining adds an element of showmanship with music and a routine to the regular horse reining -- guiding and controlling them with no resistance.

Tickets are $16 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under. Call (702) 284-7777 or purchase online.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Gold Coast is giving $10,000 away a c-note at a time to live poker players.

Every hour beginning today (March 20) at 4 p.m. through March 23 at 6 p.m., $100 and a drawing entry will be awarded to the highest poker hand at the end of every hour.

On March 23 at 7 p.m., five of those winners will also win $500.

Gold Coast runs eight tables of 2/4, 4/8 (both with half-kills), $100 1/2 NL, Omaha Hi 4/8, and 1/5 Stud. However, tables are based on interest, which is mostly limit hold'em. Not all games will be running for the promotion.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Legalized gambling in Las Vegas celebrated its 75th anniversary yesterday.

Mayme Stocker (pictured, above right), a woman who had no prior gaming experience, ran a saloon on Fremont St. called the Northern Club. She was granted the first casino gaming license, turning the Northern into the first licensed casino.

Before slot machines, before blackjack and roulette, before sports betting, the main legal games back then were poker -- lowball, seven-card stud, and five-card draw.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Speaking of 75th anniversaries...

The Las Vegas Hilton's regular lunch buffet runs $12.99.

But next Tuesday, March 28, not only will you get into the buffet for $7.50, you'll be part of a Guinness Book of World Record for "world's largest buffet."

Alka-Seltzer celebrates its 75th anniversary with this 500-item buffet beginning at 11 a.m. and located in Hilton Ballroom A. Comedian Kathy Griffin ("Newsradio") will host, and all proceeds will go to an appropriate hunger-relief charity for the occasion, America's Second Harvest.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Spring has sprung for Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

This season's theme celebrates the approach of spring with frogs, ladybugs, snails, and egrets made of flowers. And the butterflies are back (flowered and real).

The 100-foot banyan tree that began display during the Chinese New Year show continues as the spring exhibit's centerpiece.

The tree was a Palm Beach, Fla. landmark for about 120 years before it was diagnosed with a fatal fungus and slated for destruction to protect other trees nearby.

Bellagio learned of the tree and over the course of a week, the 200,000-pound tree was transported branch-by-branch to Las Vegas in 12 50-foot trailers and then meticulously reassembled in the Conservatory.

For the spring show, the tree stands 45 feet tall, 60 feet wide, and weighs over 150,000 pounds.

Visitors will see different configurations of the famous tree through the summer and fall shows (until Nov. 25).

The Spring Celebration will be on display through May 13.

Click below for more photos.

The Garden Frog was designed using Kermit Chrysanthemums, Reindeer Moss, Green Coffee Beans, and Sheet Moss.

The Garden Snail was designed with Vendella and Leonidas Roses, Red Coffee Beans, and Sheet Moss. Its plant material is replaced daily by two floral designers.

The Ladybug has over 400 red carnations and are changed weekly.

The Great Egret is composed of feathers and thousands of fresh Statice flowers. The legs are covered in mixed bird seed.

The Butterfly Temple is a recreation of the Temple of Versailles with hundreds of butterflies from North and South America, Europe, and Asia.

Posted by Poker Grub at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day all weekend in Las Vegas.

Of note is New York New York's Nine Fine Irishmen restaurant, which holds a parade today throughout the casino, ending outside on the Brooklyn Bridge. Entertainment includes music from Ri Ra, Michael Bowman, Celtic Rockers, and the U2 cover band Elevation.

Downtown, Northern California folk band Tempest performs free at the Fremont Street Experience.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Free VIP passes to get into Club Rio and Voodoo Lounge can be found by visiting www.riovegasnights.com and clicking "Get Free Pass" on the righthand side. (There's also an option for free passes to I-Bar, but we've never been asked for an admission fee.)

Passes are good for two people and get you to the front of the line and get you in for free. Weekends are included.

Voodoo Lounge opens at 5 p.m. nightly, with live music and dancing at 9:30 p.m. (Sunday-Thursday) and 10 p.m. (Friday-Saturday). Located on the 50th and 51st floors of Rio's Masquerade Tower roof, you'll get a sterling outdoor panoramic view of Las Vegas that's truly breathtaking.

Club Rio, in the Scinta Showroom, is open Thursday-Saturday from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Though his website says differently, David Brenner's been without a Las Vegas home since his stint at the Las Vegas Hilton Sept. 3, 2004 to Dec. 30, 2005.

For two years, comedian George Wallace's home has been at Flamingo with billboards advertising his as being the best 10 p.m. show in town.

For the month of April, Brenner will share the stage with Wallace. Both plan to vary the show nightly, with Brenner appearing onstage first one night, and Wallace appearing first another night.

Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 10 p.m. and tickets are $75 at the box office or (702) 733-3333.

Tickets for just George Wallace (the rest of March and after April) are $54.95 and $59.95.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 7:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SELF magazine announced their annual list of America's Healthiest Places for Women.

Rankings were determined using body-mass index, heart disease, and smoking rates culled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, crime statistics from the FBI, and environmental statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Coming in neither the top five nor the bottom five healthiest cities, Las Vegas achieved top honors for "smokiest" and "most stressed." We would celebrate but we're panicking that we're down to our last cigarette.

"Least smokiest" went to Orange County, Ca., and "least stressed" went to Nassau-Suffolk counties, N.Y. Both also claimed positions in the top five healthiest cities. But do they have 99-cent shrimp cocktails? We think not.

Never fear, there's still another year to get the city whipped into shape for categories including "best eaters" (Ventura, Ca.), "best skin" (Nashville, Tenn.), and our favorite -- "best breasts" (Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y.)

Posted by R.C. Clark at 4:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Harrah's is teaming with director James Cameron later this month to bid on a state-of-the-art indoor theme park that would be part of a casino megaresort in Singapore.

Since reversing its long-standing ban on casino gambling last year, many companies are jumping at the chance to develop casinos in Singapore.

Caesars Singapore's main facility would be called iPort and anchor the Marina Bay Integrated resort as an interactive 16-story building with 1 million square feet devoted to high-tech rides, attractions, and entertainment. Television screens called video cyclones swirl throughout a Media Canyon, while attendees are moved about on gondola-type ramps.

Cameron, who's directed movies including The Terminator, Aliens, and the Oscar-winning Titanic, will lend his vision to themed restaurants and rides, while pioneering new technology.

At a press conference held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Cameron mentioned a Titanic-themed "restaurant-slash-near-death experience."

He described other less potentially fatal attractions including participants being lead characters in an interactive movie, a ride system traveling in sync with a video screen, and a simulation showing the past and present.

If Harrah's wins the bid for the project (and they have no plans to implement the idea elsewhere if they don't), Cameron stated it would be the milestone of his career.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 5:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Palace Station hosts a job fair upstairs on their buffet level.

Polish those resumes and bring lots of shoes (or is it vice-versa?), because over 80 companies with multiple openings will be in attendance, including:

AAA, Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership, Accountants Inc., Accountemps, Adecco USA, Ameriprise Financial, Arbonne International, Bank of America, Bill Heard Chevrolet, Boston's Gourmet Pizza, Brookstone Capital, CBS Radio, Check City, Circus Circus, Client Development Services, Client Logic, Consolidated Resorts, Country Insurance, Credit One Bank, Crescent School of Gaming & Bartending, Dana Capital Group, Dollar Rent A Car, Drivetime, Eastridge Group, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Fairfield Resorts, Fairway Henderson Chevrolet, Family Dollar Stores, Freedom Equity Group Financial Service, Greenlight Financial Services, Harrington & Reed, Inc., Hawthorn Suites at Desert Rose Resort, Hertz Corporation, Hilti, Holiday Systems International, HSBC Card Services, Integrity Chrysler, Integrity Staffing, KM Shoes, KVBC - TV Channel 3, Las Vegas College , Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept., LV. CC. Library Dist., Macys West, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Mary Kay, MGM Grand Resorts, Nationwide Insurance, Netversant, Nevada Federal Credit Union, Nevada State Corporate Network, New Vista Community, Nielsen Media Research, Nuance Group, Office Max Contracts, Inc., Orkin, Pawn Shop Management, Premium Capital Funding, Primm Valley Resorts, Priority Staffing, Quality Towing, Sallie Mae, Saturn of Henderson, Skyline Displays, Inc., Soleil Management, Southwest Airlines, Speedco, Station Casinos, Suburban Graphics, Inc., Sunterra , TEKsystems, Teleweb Marketing, Terra West Property Management, The Great Indoors, The Learning Center, The Ritz-Carlton, U.S. Foodservice, U.S. Airways, Universal Financial Group, University of Phoenix, Viejas Casino, Wells Fargo Financial, Wireless Venture Partner, Inc.

Upcoming job fairs and job listings can be found at www.lasvegasjobs.com.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 4:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While we're on the subject of big casino buys, things are still quiet on the Hard Rock front. A press release was issued at the end of February stating they had "received proposals to acquire the property."

The plural on "proposals" could be wishful thinking. Was there even one proposal? We think they were approached with a large offer in the $500-$750 million range, which perked up Peter Morton's ears to the value of his property. And maybe someone else would be willing to pay more.

Their surprising public announcement served three purposes: 1) to show that Hard Rock is willing to sell, 2) to invite others to submit proposals (thereby getting into a bidding war), and 3) to call off the $1.25 billion condo expansion plan that would've broke ground in August with completion in 2008.

Number 3 has already happened. Morton has begun refunding deposits to condos on what would have been three buildings on the 24 acres behind Hard Rock.

The rumor is Morton and his equity partner had a disagreement, which led to Morton cancel the project. And with son Harry uninterested in taking over the reins of the hotel-casino, what better excuse than to announce the sale of the entire property?

If sold, those 24 acres would be included, and there would be no guarantee the new owners would also want to develop that space into condos, or to develop it at all.

Current front-runner appears to be British company The Rank Group, owner of the Hard Rock Cafes.

Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone magazine, has been seeking space for a $500 million Rolling Stone hotel-casino by 2008. Rumor has him focusing on Alexis Park, the nongaming resort right across the street from Hard Rock, which would be its direct competition (along with Planet Hollywood just up the street).

And if Hard Rock's for sale, wouldn't Rolling Stone make an offer to his longtime friend?

Wenner denies the rumor.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nathan's offers the above coupon for a free hot dog with the purchase of another regularly priced hot dog.

Nathan's can be found in food courts at the Fashion Show Mall, Monte Carlo, Luxor, New York New York, MGM Grand, and Venetian. But the coupon is also good at any Nathan's nationwide.

Click here for a printable version of the coupon.

Expires Dec. 31, 2006.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With Alexandre Aja's The Hills Have Eyes remake enjoying mostly critical (me -- I loved it) and box office success ($15 million opening weekend), producer and original creator Wes Craven has been making the rounds doing interviews.

In discussing other future projects, Craven mentioned a theatrical show for Las Vegas that he's shopping around, with Steve Wynn possibly interested in staging it for 1,800 seats.

The creator of Riverdance saw a Grand Guignol show in Ireland that he purchased and brought to Craven to adapt.

Called Wes Craven's Magick Macabre, the new show would combine blood, magic, scares, and spectacle, with designs and illusions from the creative talent behind Cirque du Soleil and Siegfried and Roy.

The story is about a lowly magician who works for and is mistreated by the world's greatest magician. He makes a deal with the devil to take over his boss's job, but to do so he has to carry out tasks that wind up being the seven deadly sins.

With each sin accomplished, he changes and becomes more and more like the original world's greatest magician... the one he murdered.

Okay, so it's a little "Twilight Zone"ish and not too original. But when's the last time you've seen actual blood onstage (not counting Roy Horn and his tiger)? There's a reason horror plays aren't often produced, much less on a grand, non-intimate scale of an 1,800-seat theater, but I would enjoy every bit of its likely limited run if Wynn ever decided to stage it (perhaps on Spamalot's off-midnights?).

Posted by Poker Grub at 2:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While mourning the loss of the Boardwalk casno and awaiting its implosion (I have a hunch it'll be this week), I have to look elsewhere for rollercoasters and cotton candy (New York New York and Sahara just aren't the same).

If you're like me and craving amuseument parks, consider a day trip to California to visit Magic Mountain.

Six Flags is currently offering a deeply discounted $29.99 online price (regular price is $59.99) for a one-day ticket.

Tickets can be purchased online and the price is good for a limited time only.

Posted by Poker Grub at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

San Diego State forward Marcus Slaughter battles with Rebel's guard Jo'Van Adams

Hopes of an NCAA tournament berth for UNLV ended last night in Dever when the Rebels lost to San Diego State 63-60 in the semi-finals of the Mountain West Conference Championship.

With the score tied at 60-60, San Diego State guard Brandon Heath drilled a three-pointer with 36 seconds remaining. The Rebels could not come from behind and lost despite a 13 point and 3 assist performance from Ricky Morgan.

The 17-13 Rebels are awaiting to find out if they get a fifth consecutive bid to the NIT.

Coach Lon Kruger denied rumors that he's leaving UNLV to fill open slots at other schools such as Missouri, Kansas State, or Arizona State where his son plays.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Posted by Dr. Pauly at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UNLV's Gaston Essengue muscles himself to the basket

The Runnin' Rebels edged the New Mexico Lobos 65-64 in the Mountain West Conference quarterfinals thanks to two clutch free throws from senior guard Ricky Morgan. They Rebels came from behind to win as Morgan finished the game with 16 points.

Over a week ago, the Rebels (17-12, 10-6 MWC) were coming off of their worst performance of the season. They scored a school record low with 39 points against New Mexico. The got their revenge last night and erased a thirteen point second half deficit. New Mexico missed too many free throws down the stretch and they couldn't handle UNLV's full court press.

The Rebels take on top seeded San Diego State tonight at 6pm PCT at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

Photo credit: Jake Schoellkopf/AP Photo

Posted by Dr. Pauly at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Chicken Ranch (you know, the legal brothel in Pahrump, an hour west of Vegas) announced that it will be making charitable donations to The Shade Tree Shelter.

From their website, Shade Tree's mission is "to provide safe shelter to homeless and abused women and children in crisis and to offer life-changing services promoting stability, dignity, and self-reliance."

I'm comforted by the fact that the ladies at the Chicken Ranch have a home... for at least two weeks, anyway.

The Chicken Ranch will also sponsor a charitable poker tournament at The Plaza on May 21, which I hope to attend. But wouldn't you prefer to read a feature article on first-hand experience on the brothel itself? Contact the LasVegasVegas editors to show your support.

Recently, the Chicken Ranch was sold for $5.2 million to Michael Fellen (whose family owns brothels in Northern Nevada and whose uncle is a member of the Hells Angels) and Jason Mohney (whose family owns the Deja Vu strip clubs).

I don't know if these will still be valid after the takeover, but nonetheless, here's a coupon for $50 off and a military coupon for $100 off your next visit (or "party" in Chicken Ranch parlance).

Posted by Poker Grub at 4:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The first annual International Ska Circus makes its American debut in downtown Vegas at the Clark County Amphitheatre (outdoor seating) tomorrow, March 11.

Headlining will be The Skatalites and Reel Big Fish, with other bands including The Toasters, Fishbone, The Pietasters, Voodoo Glowskulls, The Skeletones, La Banda Skalavera, Westbound Train, Suburban Legends, The Debonaires, Super Pineapples, and Goldfish Don't Bounce.

Tickets are $25 at the door and doors open at 11 a.m.

A preshow party will take place tonight at Jillian's at Neonopolis. Celebrity bowling will be at 5 p.m. ($25), with a kickoff concert at 7 p.m. ($15) with Voodoo Glow Skulls, Goldfish Dont Bounce, The Super Pineapples, The Flatliners, The Phenomenauts, and Sons of Adam.

The after-party takes place tomorrow at 11 p.m. at Take 1 Night Club, 707 Fremont St. ($5).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weekend it's nothing but NASCAR.

We like our cars like we like our women -- fast, loose, and sponsored by Budweiser.

Already there've been sightings of the NASCAR boys around town, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (he of the Budweiser sponsorship), Las Vegas local Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler, and Michael Waltrip. The prime spot to hang out seems to be at Sahara's NASCAR Cafe or strolling around Caesars Palace.

Tonight at 8 p.m., PRN's "Fast Talk Live" will air live from the Orleans' Bourbon Street Lounge. Hosted by Doug Rice and Mark Garrow, the drivers scheduled to appear include Burney Lamar, Mark McFarland, Johnny Sauter, A.J. Foyt IV, and David Gilliland.

Roads around North Las Vegas on the way to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be packed. You might consider staying off the interstate or leave the driving to the Las Vegas Monorail, which offers transportation via the Sahara Station and the CAT Route 108 bus.

Trick Pony performs the national anthem at Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Nextel Cup Race, but we're more interested in Saturday's Sam's Town 300 Busch Series Race, where John "The Dukes of Hazzard" Schneider will open with his rendition of the anthem.

Visit the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for a complete schedule of this weekend's events.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Adam Carolla, Howard Stern's successor on the West Coast, will pre-record his radio show this afternoon from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Palms' Ghost Bar. Later at 8:30 p.m., Kurt Busch hosts a live performance of Puddle of Mudd at the Rain nightclub (tickets for the concert at Ticketmaster, 702-942-7777).

Carolla's radio show will broadcast tomorrow morning beginning at 5 a.m. on 107.5 Xtreme Radio KXTE-FM.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Can't seem to get a handle on eBay?

Bring whatever you'd like to put on the auction block to CompUSA in Las Vegas or Henderson, and they'll take care of everything for you in exchange for a percentage of the final sale.

They photograph your item, write a description of it, post it on the online auction site, then package and ship it to the winning bidder.

Once it sells, you have the option of receiving cash (70 percent of the sale up to $500, 80 percent above $500) or CompUSA gift cards (80 percent of the sale).

If this program is successful, CompUSA might also consider acting as your spouse and nag you when you're late for dinner.

CompUSA can be found at two locations in Las Vegas: 3635 W. Sahara Ave. (702-252-0149) and 490 N. Stephanie St. in Henderson (across from Sunset Station, 702-454-9282).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ever look down at that free drink of yours and wonder how it came to be, beyond the cocktail waitress?

The Museum of the American Cocktail, a network of mixologists, historians, restauranteurs, collectors, chefs, and writers, has now opened at Commander's Palace inside Aladdin's Desert Passage.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history of the American cocktail, the museum will also educate techniques in mixology. On display is over 200 years of cocktail history, with Prohibition-era books, advertisements, barware, vintage cocktail shakers, and other cocktail memorabilia.

As part of its grand opening today, learn how to mix cocktails the right way with a cocktail presentation called "Anatomy of the Cocktail," taking place from 10:30 a.m. to noon with mixologists Dale DeGroff and Francesco LaFranconi. Commander's Palace will provide complimentary appetizers. Ordinarily, seminars run $45 for nonmembers, but this one is free to guests 21 and over. To register, call (702) 892-8272.

Other upcoming seminars include "Great Classic Cocktails at Home" on April 14 and "Cocktail 200 -- Honoring the 200th Birthday of the Cocktail" on May 13 as part of the first annual American Cocktail Awards on May 8.

The museum is open daily fron 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon is in town early for a "Pair of Kings and a Full House," a series of charity poker tournaments benefitting The Jeff Gordon Foundation.

NASCAR Cup drivers combine with poker pros for the finals today at Caesars Palace.

Participants include drivers Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, and poker pros Chris Moneymaker, Chris Ferguson, Robert Williamson III, and Steve Dannamann.

Buy-in is $1,000, and a professional athlete or poker pro will be at each of the final 25 tables, enabling nine regular players to play against their favorite celebrities.

After the tournament, a charity auction will take place at www.GoMotorBids.com, where people may bid on items from the tournament (including a custom-made poker table made for the event and signed by Gordon and Moneymaker) as well as memorabilia donated and signed by celebrities. Like the tournament, proceeds will go to The Jeff Gordon Foundation.

The Jeff Gordon Foundation is the official charity of the 2006 World Series of Poker. It was established in December 1999 to assist the physical, social, and intellectual needs of children and their families.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Allegiant Air offers free airfare to Las Vegas for a companion when buying one roundtrip air/hotel vacation package.

The offer includes many cities with many weekends available.

Purchase must be made by March 22 for travel between April 1 and Nov. 9 (except April 12-24).

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Be one of the first 1,000 people attending March 17's Las Vegas Wranglers hockey game and receive a free orange hunting vest.

In a nod to Vice President Dick Cheney's quail hunting mishap, the vest reads "Don't Shoot, I'm Human."

The Wranglers play against the Alaska Aces at the Orleans Arena at 7:05 p.m. For St. Patrick's Day, the Wranglers will also wear green uniforms that will later be auctioned during the game, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rod Stewart has been ordered to pay $3.06 million to Harrah's in a lingering lawsuit from six months ago.

Harrah's gave Stewart a $2 million advance to perform a Dec. 31, 1999 New Year's Eve weekend show at Rio, but he backed out citing the thyroid cancer surgery he had had a few months earlier.

Stewart did not return the advance, and last September Harrah's honchos hit him with a lawsuit that landed him in federal court.

The result was a win for the casino. Stewart was ordered to return the $2 million advance plus $1.06 million in interest and attorney fees. The judge also threw him another $153,483 in contempt-of-court sanctions for failure to turn over information to Harrah's lawyers. Both Stewart and his lawyers are responsible for this legal cost.

Stewart plans to appeal.

Recently, Stewart has been tied with MGM Mirage, performing at MGM Grand. But we're certain this has nothing to do with Harrah's wrath, MGM being one of their big competitors.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A&E's reality tattoo series "Inked" is casting for its next season, and if you're selected, they'll pay for half your tattoo.

"Inked" is especially interested in crazy characters who lend themselves to television, as well as quirky and funny stories behind the reasons for their tattoo. The more personal the better.

Tattoos and taping take place at The Palms' Hart and Huntington.

To be considered, email casting director Josh Anisfeld at inkedcasting@yahoo.com.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Feel good about giving blood tomorrow, March 5, and get rewarded with an all-you-can-eat buffet. Nice tradeoff, eh?

Donations will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. in Salons C & D at Palace Station.

After bloodletting, you'll be given a voucher for a free Feast Buffet.

Make an appointment by calling (702) 228-8400 ext. 241, or visit www.bloodhero.com and enter sponsor code PalaceStation.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 3:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The South Strip continues to explode with the $750 million, 70-acre Southern Highlands, a massive 3,200-room hotel-casino resort planned for Las Vegas Blvd. and St. Rose Parkway (about 5 minutes south of Mandalay Bay).

Originally planned for 610 rooms, Olympia Gaming received a special use permit from the County Commission for a major expansion that would rival Strip casinos. The first phase would include 1,400 rooms, with a second tower adding another 1,000 rooms and 800 condo-hotels (where people could buy and then rent out).

The project will be within the 2,700-acre master-planned community of the same name (pictured above) that includes a 230-acre, 18-hole golf course by Robert Trent Jones. Custom luxury homes run up to two acres each in two different communities called The Estates and The Villages.

The casino property will contain 20 acres of retail and entertainment venues, including a multi-level entertainment center and multiple restaurants and shops.

The theme of the upscale resort and spa will take on a country club setting with a sprawling feel. With 70 acres to work with (and an additional 30 acres for future expansion), the property will indeed be spacious and in land alone actually eclipses two upcoming multibillion-dollar metropolis projects: Boyd Gaming's Echelon will be spread across 63 acres while MGM Mirage's Project CityCenter will span 66 acres.

Groundbreaking for Southern Highlands will be later this year with the first phase expected to open in 2008.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The struggling monorail, which hits new lows in ridership each month that passes, now offers free tickets to customers of www.vegas.com and www.lasvegas.com (no relation to www.lasvegasvegas.com).

Both sites take you to the same place, which currently doesn't advertise the free monorail passes.

The offer began yesterday with typical Vegas aplomb, as two trains advertising the website were unveiled alongside the president of
Vegas.com flanked by showgirls.

What constitutes a "customer" of the free informational website? Apparently purchasing something (such as booking a hotel reservation or buying nightclub passes) through their website will grant you a monorail pass. We didn't try it out so can't verify, but if your purchase results in passlessness, email them via their contact form.

Additional passes will be handed out at select booths at monorail stations.

Lasting six months, this joint venture is an effort to boost ridership while giving first-timers a taste and enough of a positive experience to get them to ride again.

The $650 million monorail runs 3.9 miles from MGM Grand to Sahara at a one-way cost of $5, which was increased from $3 two months ago.

In January, there were 18,187 daily riders, about half of what it was six months ago. Operating costs run about $129,000 per day, which is $70,000 less than needed.

If ridership doesn't increase, the planned $1.3 billion expansion to McCarran International Airport by 2010 could be jeopardized.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This month, The Palms has begun offering free gifts to locals who play often and consistently at their casino.

March is also The Palms' annual player's card renewal period, with all cards expiring and all players issued new cards (possibly at a different level depending on your past play) in April.

You may already know that if you're an All Star member, you receive 25 percent off the Fantasy Market buffet. If you're MVP, 50 percent. And if you're a Hall of Famer, you get 75 percent off. During the month of March, you'll get an additional 50 percent off when using points off your card.

And to get you in the door further, they're handing out free gifts at the end of each week, all designed to spice up your kitchen with spring colors. If you collect all four sets, you'll have what's pictured above.

Note that in order to qualify for the gifts, you must have received a postcard in the mail. We just thought you might like to take a peek into what locals who lose money at The Palms receive as a consolation.

Oh, and if you happen to receive one of these kitchen products for Christmas, mum's the word.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The International Pizza Expo runs March 14-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The world's largest and oldest pizza trade show returns with more than 10,000 attendees, 1,000 exhibits, 60 educational sessions, and more networking opportunities than you can shake a pepperoni at.

Highlights include the World Pizza Games Trials, where you'll see pizza acrobats perform freestyle acrobatic dough tossing, fastest dough, largest dough stretch, and team acrobatics.

A Pizza Festiva recipe contest takes place on March 14, putting together four finalists for best pizza with innovative uses for sauce and toppings. The competition takes place at 10:15 a.m., with samples for everyone available at 11:45 a.m.

Registration is $190, with a $40 discount if registered online. A one-day pass for Thursday, March 16 is $70.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From now until the end of March, play 40 hours of live poker at Harrah's and you'll be entered into a freeroll where the winner gets a seat into the 2006 World Series of Poker (worth $10,000). Players can also gain entry into the freeroll by winning two of Harrah's daily tournaments within one month.

Harrah's poker room now includes high hand jackpots for four-of-a-kind and better, with a portion of the jackpot rake also going to the WSOP freeroll. Each day the amounts are tallied and posted, and the freeroll currently stands at over $3,200. If this amount passes $20,000, two WSOP seats will be awarded.

Those who qualify will receive a special invitation in the mail along with the date of the freeroll, sometime in early April.

Beginning in April, players who accumulate another 40 hours or win two daily tournaments will gain entry to another WSOP freeroll to be held in early June.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nightclubs Tao (Venetian) and Body English (Hard Rock) have been given warnings that they violated a county code by allowing socialite Paris Hilton's 19-year-old boyfriend Stavros Niarchos entry into their clubs on New Year's Eve.

The Clark County Business License department issued warning letters but not citations; according to the letters, both clubs cooperated with authorities.

Hilton and Niarchos were caught on surveillance cameras being escorted into Hard Rock and Body English without showing identification The doorman who didn't ask for their I.D. was suspended, and the security guard who escorted them into the club was fired.

Tao released a statement, saying "the staff never allows patrons under the age of 21 into the nightclub, regardless of their celebrity or status."

Hilton kept the $100,000 that Tao paid her for hosting their New Year's Eve party.

And just in case this becomes a further mess, The Venetian would like to point out that Tao is owned and operated independently of the casino.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)