Tonight begins The Producers, an intermission-less 90-minute version of the musical with The Hoff (as in David Hasselhoff) playing the flamboyant producer.

For the next week of previews, Las Vegas locals who purchase tickets at the box office can see the show for a flat $60, including taxes and service charges. Not quite a pay-what-you-can price in traditional (albeit cheaper) theater, but less than half the regular price you'd pay for some seats.

Regular price is $75 to $143.50 (which does not include taxes and service charges) and can be purchased by calling 1-888-727-4758 or by visiting Paris Las Vegas (and if you visit the website, you can also enter a drawing for a trip to Vegas with two free tickets).

Previews run tonight through Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. No show on Sunday.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So you say you can't deposit or withdraw to an online poker site but want to play in the National Heads-up Poker Championship beginning March 1?

Well, you can't win a seat to it online anyway.

But you can play a live satellite.

Caesars Palace offers you the chance to win a seat through a satellite for only a $230 buy-in (and $200 rebuys).

The satellite take place Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. in Caesars' poker room.

The winner will receive the $20,000 seat to the heads-up tournament on March 1 in the same room.

While on the topic of poker tournaments, Caesars is going with their second annual Valentine's Day couples tournament the next day on Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. for a buy-in of $225.

You don't actually have to be a couple, you just need to be two people. There's some discrimination in that they're looking for men and women couples, because the men and women switch off, playing the same stack.

We played this event last year and noticed it was more the game for the men and more social for the women. When the men returned to their stacks, they made comments that it was just like at home, when their wives spent all their money.

It was also sparsely attended, so if you're a Bonnie & Clyde poker type, here's your chance to take over the V-Day tourney.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

To our Southern California readers who may not want to fight I-15 traffic and sudden freaky Nevada snowstorms, we came across this offer that we would take advantage of if we could.

For new players of the Barona Resort and Casino (San Diego), if you play two hours of slots and lose, you'll get reimbursed up to $200.

If you win, you'll get double what you won, up to $200.

Not a bad proposition for a couple hours' play (ahem, local Vegas casinos).

The offer runs through April 1 and is only good for Los Angeles and Orange County residents.

Checking out the Barona website, we found this amusing benefit for becoming Platinum or Diamond: if your car breaks down within 25 miles of their casino, you get free towing service.

Diamond members also receive a free buffet every day.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Thursday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m., The Mirage is holding a special charity poker tournament, with half the prize money going to Mirage floorperson Dennis Jackson, who's been ill.

The tournament is limit hold'em with a $130 buy-in and unlimited $40 rebuys in the first hour.

A full 50 percent will go to the Jackson family, and the remaining 50 percent will go to the top three places:

1st place receives 25 percent, 2nd place receives 15 percent, and 3rd receives 10 percent.

For more information, contact The Mirage poker room at (702) 791-7291.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 5:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Being fired by Donald Trump could've been the best thing for former Miss Nevada Katie Rees.

First, she signs a reported two-year $2 million deal to co-host the new incarnation of Beacher's Madhouse at Hard Rock (we're still scratching our heads at this figure, because for a show that's to take place once a month, admission prices wouldn't even cover her fee unless they know something we don't).

Now JET Nightclub (at Mirage) is re-crowning Rees as Miss Jet Las Vegas.

Come see the new 21-year-old queen tonight beginning at 10:30 p.m.

If the date is a little coincidental, that's the date of the live Miss America broadcast taking place at the newly officially christened Planet Hollywood (formerly Aladdin).

And for the purists, Rees was Miss Nevada for Miss USA, not Miss America, so you wouldn't have seen her onstage there anywhere.

But we'd rather be at JET over the Miss America ceremony any day.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

The dealers at the Wynn Resort Las Vegas voted to retain representation from the UAW. Upset over the recent toke grab to subsidize supervisor's pay apparently allowed the big Union the leverage it needed to finally open the door to the lucrative Las Vegas gambling business. The Las Vegas gaming labor landscape has added a very heavy weight player. [Wynn Dealers]

Posted by flipchipro at 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

What better way to spend a Saturday night in Las Vegas than playing in a poker tournament? Of course, taking a card drought early out early in the evening called for a different plan. After a quick caffeine fix I decided to cruise by some of the skin clubs and check out the volume of Saturday night business.

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

With the Friday close of the mega-sized annual concrete industry expo I expected to see a brisk trade resulting from the residual 'stayovers' and I wasn't disappointed. All of the joints I checked were enjoying a good crowd. The scores of Vegas gentlemen clubs are located all over the town so I spent most of the evening in the car in Saturday night traffic, including a long stretch down the south Las Vegas Strip.

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

Many of the same people that worked the recent AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2007 work at the various clubs so thought I would get some photos of their workplaces. Many of the readers have heard of these joints so finally an image to go with the name. Saturday night Flipchip photos follow:

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

photo by FlipChip/LasVegasVegas.com

Posted by flipchipro at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you don't have anything else to do on Valentine's Day, why not spend it with Dennis Hopper?

On Feb. 14, CineVegas is hosting a special charity screening of Hoosiers with Hopper and director David Anspaugh presenting the film.

The show takes place at Brenden Theatres (The Palms) and begins at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at CineVegas or by calling (702) 992-7979.

All proceeds will go to the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas' Hollywood Heart, a nonprofit organization that gives at-risk youth a chance to team up with Hollywood film professionals to make their own movie.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This weekend, Imperial Palace holds their Sinsation Poker Classic, so named because the Girls of Sinsation will be ever-present to distract you from your pocket Aces.

Buy-in is $500 with $100,000 (based on number of participants) to the first place winner.

Prizes are awarded to the top 30 players, with a prize for last place and four random losers.

Chips begin at 2500 and blinds go up every 40 minutes.

Tournament registration is Jan. 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and the tournament runs Jan. 27-28.

Tournament players receive a special $89 room rate for Friday and Saturday nights.

For more information, call 1-800-634-6441 x2 or email events@imperialpalace.com.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Slot manufacturer WMS is promoting their new Monopoly Big Event slot machine with an online drawing designed to educate the player about community gaming.

The Cliffs Notes on community gaming: the Big Event goes off at random times and awards one of six bonuses. Whatever credits are won are then awarded to each eligible player, multiplied by a multiplier. Players can increase their multiplier by playing faster and by wagering higher.

We've played this game multiple times and had a great time to the detriment of our paycheck (which in true local fashion, we cashed in at the casino cage while receiving a free t-shirt). It's miles better than that big ol' Wheel of Fortune anytime.

You can find Monopoly Big Event in the the majority of Strip casinos, but we'd recommend taking a trip to one of the Station Casinos, where the denomination is 2 cents (versus 5 cents) and lets your money last a bit longer. Sunset Station even has two banks.

The online drawing can be played every day and gives away over 1,350 prizes with 15 instant $50 winners per day. Two grand prize trips to Las Vegas will also be awarded, which includes first class airfare for two, three nights at Wynn Las Vegas, two tickets to "O", and $10,000 spending money.

After entering your email and birthdate, and then your name, address, and phone number, you'll be given a survey and shown a video, but you can skip both and just move onto the prize drawing.

You'll get to choose one of eight Chance cards, which looks to be a 50/50 chance at either winning or getting "Sorry, Try Again." We can't be sure whether this is a true 50/50 shot, but we strongly suspect not in order for them to cap their giveaways at 15 per day.

That could be sour grapes on our part, because we've been playing every day and still haven't won.

The drawing runs through March 31, and you must be at least 21 to participate.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The book's been thrown at Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo.

Under a racketeering charge, the gentlemen's club was fined $250,000, forced to pay $10 million to a patron who was beaten and paralyzed by staff, and finally is being forced to sell the property. The current leaseholder is Mike Signorelli, who will be offered the club for $45 million.

Under a plea deal, Rizzolo pleaded guilty to tax evasion and did not contest the $17 million in fines the club owes. Rizzolo also can no longer own any adult entertainment company in the U.S.

In U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, the company admitted to using force to get customers to pay disputed charges, charges that could have been unknowingly added to their bills.

Rizzolo has been sentenced to 366 days in federal prison, beginning no later than May 22.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michael Gaughan's South Point (formerly Boyd's South Coast) celebrates their first anniversary this week with special offers today through Friday.

You must be a club member, which is free to sign up. If you're a Coast Club member, you'll trade in your blue card for a South Point card.

Wednesday, Jan. 24: free t-shirt
Thursday, Jan. 25: $1 drinks
Friday, Jan. 26: $1 breakfast in The Garden Buffet

Norm Clarke spotted Tommy Lee Jones playing $5 blackjack at South Point until 6 a.m. Maybe he's still there.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday, District Judge Douglas Herndon laid down the smoking law in Nevada.

In November, voters passed the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, and just as it was being enacted, businesses complained that it was unconstitutional, not to mention hurt their bottom line.

The Act states there can be no smoking in places that serve food, including restaurants and bars. With video poker a main staple of bars, many taverns elected to simply get rid of the food rather than get rid of smoking.

Establishments complained that the Act was biased toward casinos and vague about what makes it criminal.

Judge Herndon looked at both sides of the debate and came out with the ruling that yes, smoking is banned in places that serve food, and violators can receive a $100 civil fine.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Full-page ads of the above have been splashed all around town the past week.

It advertises Jenna Jameson (fresh off the AVN Awards) hosting a surprise birthday party for boyfriend Tito Ortiz tonight at PURE (Caesars Palace).

Ortiz has a habit of wearing t-shirts describing what he intends to do to his UFC victims. We can only speculate what his shirt will say tonight.

The public is invited, and 32-year-old Ortiz is practicing acting surprised.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 2:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If it hasn't yet made your radar, the Pinball Hall of Fame should be added to your list of must-sees in Las Vegas.

Tucked away in the same complex as the Tropicana Cinemas at 3330 E. Trop (near Pecos), the museum is the brainchild of the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club and Tim Arnold, who moved hundreds of his machines one-by-one to Las Vegas from his arcade in Michigan.

Celebrating their one-year anniversary next month, the 4,500-square-foot museum is entirely non-profit, donating any profits to the Salvation Army.

But the difference with this museum is that not only are all the machines playable and meticulously restored to like-new condition, but they're all hands-on playable at the cost of only 25 and 50 cents each.

The mecca of pinball's philosophy is "games and charity," and the focus is entirely on the games and the player having fun.

The Pinball Hall of Fame is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. nightly, extending to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is free.

For more information and photos, visit their website or email pinballhalloffame@msn.com. More photos of the museum's games and commentary can be seen at this link.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a surprising move, NTH Advisory Group LLC has made an unsolicited bid to purchase the one-year-old Hooters Hotel and Casino for $95 million.

Currently in development to build a 500-room, 100,000-square-foot Mayan Casino Resort, as well as 144 condos at Desert Oasis Condominiums, NTH is a casino/hotel development advisory firm run by Richard Bosworth and based in Santa Monica, Calif.

Like its branded airline that lasted three years, Hooters has been struggling to make a name for itself since opening. Expected to compete with The Palms, recently they've taken a different marketing approach and slashed room rates. Neighboring casinos including MGM Grand have been full at the Las Vegas average of 95 percent capacity, but Hooters was coming in at 75 percent. In its first nine months of operation, the casino lost $16 million. It cost $130 million and 10 months to convert it from San Remo.

NTH has an unnamed partner and will need to deposit $1.1 million in escrow by Feb. 12, after which a two-month inspection will take place before the deal can be finalized. The transaction is expected to close June 30.

With the new owners of next-door Tropicana planning a $2 billion makeover, might Columbia Sussex Corp. be interested in expanding a bit more to the east? Might they up the bid to $150 million just for the land alone?

If we were NTH, we would flip the property as fast as we could. Then again, if we had $95 million, it would probably go toward more simple things like Ferraris and chocolate milkshakes.

Hooters will have been open one year on Feb. 3.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First the Palms with their exclusive Playboy Club casino-in-a-casino, now comes Caesars Palace with their Pussycat Dolls Casino.

Expected to open next month is an area of sexy gaming devoted to the Pussycat Dolls.

The Pussycat Dolls had their start in 1995 in Los Angeles with burlesque dance before expanding their revue into Las Vegas. Then came the hit dance numbers and revolving celebrities (including Christina Aguilera, Denise Richards, and Pamela Anderson) performing with the Dolls for one night, best-selling CD, reality series, and cereal box (we made up that last one, but wouldn't be surprised).

The pit will include blackjack, craps, and roulette, as well as themed slot machines featuring the Dolls. Dealer tables will have sexy fishnet legs in stiletto heels and even sexier dealer Dolls.

Situated across from the Pussycat Dolls Lounge (inside PURE), we expect a cover charge matching the Playboy Club's $20.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The one good thing about being in Las Vegas traffic is that at least you're in Las Vegas.

Ever want to pretend you're a traffic controller, or just want to take a peek into Vegas traffic?

FAST Traffic Cameras gives you access to nine Regional Transport Commission of Southern Nevada cameras at various intersections, including I-215/I-15, The Strip/Flamingo, The Strip/Convention Center, I-15/Charleston, the Spaghetti Bowl, and more.

These are the FAST (Freeway and Arterial System of Transportation) cameras, which show traffic in a live feed.

You can also view traffic flow patterns as PowerPoints, animated GIFs, and PDFs.

The next best thing to not being there!

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ever wonder what poker players do when they're away from the table?

RawVegas.tv, a new 24-hour on-demand Internet TV channel, aims to show just that, along with all the things that happen and stay in Vegas.

Focused on poker players, RawVegas shows will feature shows with Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren, Gavin Smith, Joe Sebok, and Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi.

One show called "Prop Bets" will take a look at Smith and Sebok and their extreme prop bets, such as Sebok having to dress as a bear in diapers in the World Series of Poker.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Brothers Maloof (who own The Palms) are continuing to scout out movies for their Maloof Motion Pictures after successfully producing their first feature, the "Project Greenlight" horror flick Feast.

Up next will be an adaptation of the 1978 Leonard Wise novel The Big Biazarro starring Pierce Brosnan as a veteran poker player who mentors a young hotshot protege on the way to the biggest no-limit poker game in the world, the Big Biazarro. Brosnan will also produce.

The film who be written and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall, who wrote and directed Waist Deep.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're as saddened as you are to hear about NETeller leaving us Americans high and dry, but on the bright side, now you have even more of a reason to come visit Vegas!

And if you pop by Flamingo, you'll see them testing out a new table game called mini-pai gow poker.

Created by Gaming Entertainment Inc. (who were behind the popular 3-5-7 table game), mini pai gow is played with six cards instead of seven. Five cards form the higher hand, and one card forms the next higher hand. No commission is charged on wins.

This game produces more ties, which is all the more reason to play the game if you're looking to sit and drink for free.

An optional bonus bet can be wagered for the best five out of six cards.

The pay table on the bonus:

Five Aces: 1000:1
Royal Flush: 250:1
Straight Flush: 75:1
Four of a Kind: 50:1
Full House: 20:1
Flush: 7:1
Straight: 5:1
Three of a Kind: 3:1
Two Pair: 1:1

If the game does well, expect to see Harrah's roll it out in other casinos.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sick of this cold weather? How about a free movie tonight?

You have two choices, both at 7 p.m.:

Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima at the Village Square (off Sahara). Click here to print the pass.

The horror flick The Hitcher at The Palms' Brenden Theatres. Click here to print the pass.

Passes are good for you and a guest.

As usual with passes, the theaters have been overbooked to ensure a full house, so show up early, but not before 5:30 p.m.

Passes are courtesy of the Las Vegas Movie Insider, which occasionally holds drawings for other free movies.

Posted by R.C. Clark at 1:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)