Eye on Vegas

Four Years and Four Hundred Thank-Yous
With June just around the corner it means that the four-year anniversary of Las Vegas Food & Beverage Magazine is also almost upon us. We also know - we can barely believe it either; it’s been four amazing years already!

We know that we wouldn’t be here without all of you, our large contingency of industry friends and loyal readers. To show our gratitude we have joined forces with Cirque du Soleil to extend a special way to thank you for all of your support over the years. On Monday, June 12th we will offer our readers 400 tickets to see "another side of Cirque du Soleil" with Zumanity at New York, New York. It’s just a small token of appreciation from us to you while we nail down the details for our big, blow-out anniversary bash. Stay tuned for next week’s Eye on Vegas when we will open up the guest list for all of our readers.

Déjà Vu
Last week the Eye on Vegas broke the news that superstar celebrity chef Thomas Keller has plans for a second Las Vegas restaurant at the Venetian which would be opened in connection with a new restaurant concept that would be unveiled in Napa Valley, Calif., before expanding to Las Vegas within a 6-8 month timetable. We have now learned that Keller has plans to open a hamburger joint in Napa that will serve up tasty American classics alongside a wine list ripe with half-bottle selections. Several sources confirmed that it would indeed seem as though it is this burger concept that will be coming to Las Vegas in the somewhat near future. We had quietly hoped for something in the classic, fine-dining direction as Keller’s current Vegas outlet, Bouchon at the Venetian, is defined as a bistro and, as such, serves a bistro menu. With highly acclaimed restaurants on both coasts (French Laundry in Napa and Per Se in New York City) we had hoped Keller would be gracing Las Vegas with his next masterpiece.

Currently, in the Las Vegas burger world, it is another culinary Keller reigning as king. Mandalay Bay’s wildly successful Burger Bar is the brain-child of Alsatian genius Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys fame. The Frenchman has enjoyed amazing success with the Burger Bar and their featured $60 Rossini Burger which includes a Kobe Beef patty, Black Truffles and Foie Gras. Even more so, the Fleur Burger 5000 served at Fleur de Lys upped the ante on Vegas decadence with a $5000 price tag that comes accompanied with a bottle of 1990 Chateau Petrus and imported glassware that you take home with you. Is Las Vegas big enough for two Keller’s operating burger joints? Only time will tell...
 
On The Move
- Hard Rock Hotel President Kevin Kelleyhas resigned his post after serving as president on property for the last 3.5 years. “My time has come to say good bye,” noted the former honcho in an e-mail sent to HRH employees last week. It was believed that Kelley would remain in the top seat until Morgans Hotel Group took over control of the property later this year. “I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting me through my tenure and wish one and all the very best for the future,” added Kelley before signing off for the last time.

- Kevin Dailey has resigned from his ICE Nightclub General Manager post. The well-versed operations guy has plenty of nightlife experience under his belt with stops at ICE Nightclub, Risque Nightclub and beverage operations experience within the Station Casinos organization. “I am taking a much-needed month off before jumping back into the game,” Dailey told the Eye. “I have been training Tommy Ippolito for the past month and a half to take over when I leave.  I feel confident that he will be able to take the reigns and do as well of a job if not better.” He is currently mulling over several offers so stay tuned and expect Dailey to land at a nightclub near you in the very near future.

- Jose Zepeda has resigned from his Light Group Restaurant Division Beverage Manager position. . The wildly talented Zepeda was the man behind the successful beverage programs at FIX and STACK restaurant creating well-known and popular libations like the Pineapple Mojito, the Berry Bull and the Cucumber Martini. Zepeda is currently sorting through a multitude of offers before making his next move. Stay tuned for more details to follow …

- Mark Lefever has been named the new Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Riviera Holdings Corporation which operates the Riviera Hotel & Casino. Lefever has a long history in the business with high ranking stops at the Desert Inn, Resorts Atlantic City and the Sheraton Casino in Tunica, Miss. “Mark has an impressive record of accomplishments throughout his tenure in the gaming industry. We are very excited with Mark’s decision to join our team and look forward to working with him,” said Riviera Chairman William Westerman.

Sands Corp. Wins Singapore Casino Bid
The Singapore Tourism Board has announced that a highly sought after bid to build Singapore’s first downtown casino-resort project has been awarded to Sheldon Adelson and his Las Vegas Sands corporation. Adelson’s winning proposal includes 2,500 hotel rooms, 1.2 million square feet of convention space, 1 million square feet of retail space, a roof-top 3,000-seat amphitheater, a science museum and several other entertainment and dining venues, including a restaurant by celebrity chef Charlie Trotter, who had signed on before the bid was even approved. With an expected opening date of 2009, Adelson beat out such gaming heavyweights as MGM Mirage and Harrah’s Entertainment by focusing on convention space rather than gaming. One source cited that the new project will have as much meeting space as the city’s 50 current high-end hotels combined.

Although it was not selected, the most intriguing proposal had to come from Harrah’s Entertainment who teamed up with Oscar winning mega-producer James Cameron to potentially create iPort, a 1 million square foot theme park that would house up to twenty rides based off of Hollywood blockbuster hits like Cameron’s Titanic and the Terminator. This decision leaves Harrah’s Entertainment somewhat on the outside looking in, when it comes to the sought-after Asian gaming market with Wynn Macau set to open this fall and MGM Mirage’s $1 billion Macau property being unveiled next year. Another Singapore casino bid will be offered later this year deciding on which two casinos will operate in Singapore for the next ten years.  

Material Party – An Inside Report
On Sunday night, Tao Las Vegas hosted the exclusive and official After Party for the one and only Madonna, a day after her record-breaking Confessions Tour concert at the MGM Grand. Shortly after 11:30P she arrived with husband Guy Ritchie amid a flurry of screams and flashbulbs from the fans waiting outside the nightclub to catch a glimpse of the star. Looking ravishing in a sleeveless white top and jeans, Madonna quickly was escorted inside the TAO Lounge which was kept "private" for the event.  Once inside, it was time to let loose. Madonna danced to the sounds of one of her favorite DJ Tracy Young, who had been hand-picked for the party by the material girl herself. Madonna was joined on the dance floor by her backup dancers which created quite a show for the VIP revelers lucky enough to get in the party. A-listers present at the event included Paris and Nicky Hilton with parents Rick and Kathy, "Entourage" star Kevin Connelly, “Rush Hour” Director Brett Ratner, "Newlyweds" co-star Cacee Cobb, Hollywood mover and shaker Guy Oseary, American Pie’s Kevin Myers … errr … Thomas Ian Nicholas and, longtime Madonna gal pal and Miami nightlife queen Ingrid Casares. After almost two hours at the party, Madonna needed rest before the next tour stop and retired to her hotel suite but, of course, Paris kept the party going! Upstairs in the nightclub, Paris slipped resident DJ Reach a copy of her CD and performed “Do You Think I’m Sexy?” and “Screwed” to a packed nightclub while dancing with the ultra-hot Tao go-go girls. “It was truly a night to remember, and one that will be talked about for years to come,” noted Tao’s Marketing Maestro and screaming Madonna fan Mike Snedegar before adding, “Tao has truly raised the bar once again!” 

In other Tao news, the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association has awarded Tao with two awards; one for Best Nightclub and another for Best Fusion Restaurant. Pictured here is Tao kingpin Jason Strauss accepting the award for Best Nightclub. Congrat’s guys!
 
Live and Loud
Speaking of Madonna and her packed house weekend show, she was just one of several big names who choose Las Vegas as the location for long weekend “Where were you when …” concerts. The concert weekend started on Friday night when the Rio All-Suite Hotel hosted several lucky Eye on Vegas readers who had won tickets to see Morris Day & The Time with special guest Prince at Club Rio. We didn’t even know that the opening act was none other than legendary funkster Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone-fame who performed with his band Graham Central Station, which also included two other former Sly members. As Graham ripped through a slew of hits, including several well-known Sly anthems, he was joined on stage by Prince who joined the band for classics "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” and “I Want to Take you Higher”. Next it was the aforementioned Morris Day who took the stage and had the packed house doing the bird, including LVFBM CEO Michael Politz who was spotted flapping his wings with enthusiasm while a line-up of women shook what their mommas gave’m to the direction of Day and his longtime manservant Jerome. Day also gave shout-outs from the stage to country star Johnny Gil and even the ‘Big Flamingo’ -Flamingo boss-man, Don Marrandino, who was present sitting nearby ageless funnyman Eddie Murphy. Special thanks to Harrah’s Entertainment Food & Beverage czar J. Jeffrey Fredericks and Harrah’s amazingly bespectacled nightlife boss, Pauly Freedman, for giving our Eye on Vegas readers an opportunity to catch an amazing show!
 
The next night, as Madonna took center stage at the Grand Garden Arena she announced "PLEASE extinguish all cigarettes!! Tonight the only thing that’s going to be on fire is ME!" before gyrating through a set of classic hits and new material that had the crowd in a frenzy. Down the road at the House of Blues, unassuming hip-hop heads were in for an amazing treat at the Ice Cube concert. When the opening act, the Dogg Pound, took the stage, their famous and smoked-out leader, Snoop Dogg, had accompanied them to town for the show. As Snoop and his crew belted through hit after hit, the ethnically diverse crowd sang along with track after track, still in disbelief at their luck. “Snoop wanted to come and support the Dogg Pound,” proudly stated House of Blues operations pro Guy Brazzel, “obviously we were honored to have him here and it worked out great for everyone who came to the show tonight!” Indeed Guy, indeed … Next, Ice Cube took the stage intent on not being shown up at his own show and dropped a high energy performance that had the packed house waving their ‘Ws’ in the air as he took fans on a journey through his catalogue which included several N.W.A. classics.
 
Sunday night marked the third appearance of Prince in as many nights when he took the Empire Ballroom Stage (for the second consecutive night) intent on ending his Vegas stay with a bang. We have learned over the years that if you want to hear Prince singing his greatest hits, hit your couch with an iPod, as he has always shied away from rehashing classics at his shows. This Vegas trip was no different, however, the paisley’d one took the crowd that included Ervin ‘Magic’ Johnson and a return from Murphy, on a funky ride with numerous tracks from his new 3121 album, two classic Prince tracks in ‘Kiss’ and ‘Party Man’ and a slew of covers including Michael Jackson’s ultra-funky hit ‘Don’t Stop ‘til U Get Enough’ and a reprise of Sly’s ‘I Want to Take you Higher’ which he sang when Graham joined Prince on stage once again. Prince was having so much fun he didn’t want to leave the stage, until Empire management stepped in as hundreds of house music fans lined up outside waiting for a Late Night Empire performance from the world’s #1 ranked DJ, Tiesto, who rocked the place until the sun came up over the Valley, the perfect conclusion to a star-studded long weekend in Las Vegas.

After all was said and done we were left with a few questions and comments. Does Las Vegas now officially take the cake as the ‘Entertainment Capitol of the World’? We think this weekend proved it has to. The Empire Ballroom and House of Blues proved they possess the city’s finest live music sound systems; it would truly be difficult to pick one as being clearly better than the other, although HOB does offer more sightlines to the stage. Club Rio truly is a fantastic live music venue and one that should be used more often (the last show we saw there was Sammy ‘the Red Rocker’ Hagar’s Cabo Wabo concert held in conjunction with the Nightclub & Bar Convention two years back). Lastly, why is Prince never mentioned in the greatest guitarists of our generation debate?

Flight # Sexy
When JET Nightclub at The Miragemade the announcement of their Very Sexy Weekend promotion you knew the stars would be flying first class throughout the whole weekend - JET style. While the party wouldn’t get officially started until Friday night, Dita Von Teese prepped for her burlesque performance by eating at STACK on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights proving that chef Brian Massie’s food is so good you will want to shake your moneymaker. When Friday night finally arrived, Victoria’s Secret Models Izabel Goulart and Karolina Kurkova took center stage hosting a seriously attended ‘A-List’ bash that included comedian Jamie Kennedy’s 36th birthday party, Oliver Hudson’s bachelor party (son of Goldie Hawn, brother of Kate Hudson), the ‘first couple of poker’ Jennifer Tilly and Phil ‘The Unabomber’ Laek rushing from dinner at STACK to make the midnight striptease performance, the breath-taking Natasha Henstridge, and a collection of gridiron giants including Chicago Bears’ Monster of the Midway, Brian Urlacher, hanging out with his brother while nearby All-World whiner and N.F.L. wide out Terrell Owens couldn’t stop admiring adult film star and homebred local Jenna Jameson and St. Louis Rams running back and another Las Vegas local, Stephen Jackson, as they dined at STACK yet again.
 
Going Wireless
The Venetian has reached an agreement with a mobile gaming device manufacturer to potentially distribute wireless, hand-held gaming devices on property as early as the end of the year. The devices would potentially allow gamblers to wager while shopping, dining or lying by the pool. "I really don't know how to predict what the response will be to mobile gaming or who would use the product," said Venetian President Rob Goldstein. "That's the main reason we want to get it out there to be tested. I've enjoyed playing with the devices and we think our customers will look at them as a convenience. Honestly, we're happy to be out in front on this." Wagering from hotel rooms and parking garages is currently illegal and the use and range of the blackberry-esque devices will be implemented on a property-by-property basis, said the Gaming Control Board.
 
PURE Long Weekend
It’s like a run-away train on an endless track with no station in sight. PURE Nightclub had yet another monster weekend with possibly the highest bottle minimums yet seen in the western world and more celebrities than you can shake a copy of Variety at. It started on Local Tuesdays when a potential high profile split-up took a public stage, or should we say stages. The party was hosted by Shanna Moakler, AKA, Mrs. Travis Barker, who was hanging out with several friends on one of the main room VIP stages. About an hour after her arrival it was Mr. Travis Barker who showed up with a group of friends and took a table on the opposite stage facing his wife! From all accounts, Moakler spent a large portion of the night chatting with Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, who had been seated at the table next to her, although we wouldn’t look too much into that one. Moakler's publicist contacted the Eye on Vegas saying that the pair is still married and not splitting up, funny, we always sit across the room from our wives too. Friday night, former N’SYNC star Joey Fatone took command of several VIP tables hosting over a dozen friends while Washington Redskins defensive back Adam Archuleta hung out with his girlfriend and former Playboy Playmate Jennifer Walcott. Saturday night the madness ensued with the newest seemingly PURE regulars Kathy and Rick Hilton (reliving their youth perhaps?), Dancing with the Stars participant Stacy Kiebler and Jaime Presley. Sunday night, both the Hiltons and Kieblers were back for another night of PURE fun. Oh, and none of this includes the unveiling of VENUS, the new pool party from the PURE Management Group crew which is taking place every day at the Caesars Palace pool. Wow is right!

Next up for PURE is a Tuesday night party with Esquire Magazine and NYC’s DJ Riz, the summertime launch of the PURE patio with Carmen Electra and a Nicki Hilton fashion show in the main room on Friday Night.

Long Live the King
One iconic piece of Las Vegas history will soon be returning to public display when the Las Vegas Hilton’s iconic Elvis Presley statue becomes re-unveiled in the very near future. The bronzed likeness of the King was first unveiled way back in September of 1978 in front of the showroom that Presley sold-out night, after night, after night. After being relocated to the hotel lobby it welcomed guests to the property and served as THE Polaroid moment while on property. With lobby renovations and the first construction phase complete, look for the King to return to a new location in the very near future.
 
IT’s On
When the Eye on Vegas and LVFBM hosted the launch of Tabu Ultra Lounge’s newest weekly party we did so knowing that all locals needed was a reason to rock the place again and now IT is providing that every Wednesday night. Last week saw another packed house of industry locals from around the city gathered in the intimate, and still cutting-edge, room while the aforementioned N.F.L. Pro-Bowler Johnson took it all in from an interactive table that kept him and his party entertained for hours. After several bottles of vodka, the former Penn State star signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans. IT continues weekly at Tabu Ultra Lounge, every Wednesday starting at 10P.

Happy Feet
Montecristo Rum has come up with a novel way to thank the industry for supporting their product: free foot massages for the hardworking service staff pushing it up and down the Strip! Essentially, they will hire a massage therapist to come to hotels and restaurant properties who sell Montecristo Rum to give out 10-15 minute foot massages to employees. “We know that service industry employees are on their feet all day and we couldn’t think of a better way to reward them as National Foot Day approaches,” noted Montecristo’s captain of rum, Tim Haughinberry. “It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ for slinging rum-and-cokes and muddling mojitos!” To arrange for foot massages for your staff please call Montecristo Rum at 702.318.8446 or e-mail them here.
 
Timesharing
Bluegreen, a Boca Raton-based timeshare property management company, has purchased 10 acres of land on the corner of Tropicana Avenue and Paradise Road with plans to build a seven-story, 240 two-bedroom suite facility that will house retail space, a spa, swimming pools and workout facilities. "Establishing a presence in a mega-market like Las Vegas is a key strategic growth initiative for Bluegreen Resorts," said George F. Donovan, Bluegreen president and chief executive officer. "Las Vegas attracts approximately 43 million visitors a year and is one of the top three prime western markets for timeshare sales." Bluegreen has also announced that they have negotiated an option to purchase an additional 4 acres of neighboring land which could be used to build another, similarly sized tower.
 
Hole in One
The 1st Annual SCORES Invitational Golf Tournament took place last Friday at the Strip-side Bali Hai golf course with the beautiful women of SCORES distracting nearly 100 participating golfers more than 10 sand bunkers ever could. While the LVFBM team performed admirably finishing up at Even after 18 holes, it was Team Red Bull whose balls had wings, soaring to a six under par final score and First Place. In the individual contests Matt Brossean won the Longest Drive contest and Stuart Zander took home the ‘Closest to the Pin’ contest. “After such a huge success this year, we can’t wait for another sold out tournament next year,” said SCORES’ director of marketing and PR, Shai Cohen. “We take pride in everything we do and it showed with this tournament. The people of Las Vegas had spoken when we won the Best of Las Vegas award and this tournament was just another way for us to give back to the industry and say thank you!”
 
No Shot Glass Needed
Our friend Bruno Laclotte, president and CEO of Regency Wines, called us last week with some exciting news, “I just picked up a phenomenal new tequila,” the boutique distributor beamed. “It’s called Oro Azul and and it’s one of the most sought-after, best tasting tequilas in Mexico.” With a Gold Medal and a 93 rating from the Beverage Tasting Institute under its bottle, he might just be right. With a Reposado, Anejo and Blanco offering from Oro Azul, Laclotte is confident he has found the next great Tequila. “It will blow you away,” he teased. For more information on the product or pricing, please call Regency Wines at 702.889.WINE.
 
Rocking with Honors
VH1 hosted their 1st Annual Rock Honors tribute show where they honored KISS, Judas Priest, Def Leopard and Queen for their contributions to the world of Rock n’ Roll last Thursday night. The show was a smash hit at the Mandalay Bay Event Center with performances by some of the top names in the biz. Afterwards at the House of Blues a serious collection of rock talent gathered to celebrate a night in their honor. The guests included KISS’s Ace Frahley and Paul Stanley, Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen, Joe Elliot of Def Leopard, Biohazard’s Evan Seinfeld and his gorgeous wife Tera Patrick, LVFBM friends Kevin Dubrow of Quiet Riot, Motley Crue front man Vince Neil and Rock writer Lon Friend, VH1’s Matt Penfold and Meatloaf singer Patty Russo. One ‘only in Vegas’ moment occurred when Dubrow, Penfold, Seinfeld, Patrick and LVFBM’s Michael Politz nearly started a riot on the casino floor trying to have a casual conversation while thousands of rock fans converged seeking autographs before an eight-man security force defused the situation by escorting the assembly to the House.

In other VH1 weekend news, the Rock Confessionals we helped place around the city were a smash hit. Like we said last week, just wait, they’re coming!
 
No Sleeping Here
If you’re planning on stopping by ‘The Big Sleepover’ event at the Palms Tuesday night (05/30) we would recommend stopping by two of the fantasy suites which have been taken over by some familiar names in the beverage world. The Fantasy Tower’s ‘G Suite’ will be transformed into the Jack Daniels Blackjack Suite where locals will have a chance to win cool Jack Daniel prizes and enjoy a fully stocked Jack Daniels bar. Near-by Red Bull Energy Drink will be hosting the Revitalization Suite which will offer locals the perfect venue to revitalize after a crazy Memorial Day weekend.
 
What’s in a Name Anyway?
The planned expansion of the HRH’s Pink Taco restaurant has hit some snags even before the outlet’s second location opens in Scottsdale, Ariz. “Restaurant Name Gets City’s Panties in a Wad,” ran a headline on the Associate Press wire which quoted Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross as saying she was offended by the name and had gone as far as to ask the owner to change it to no avail. A spokeswoman for the restaurant naively stated that the name comes from one of their menu items. One of the offended masses wrote an e-mail to the city asking that Scottsdale’s standards remain higher before stating, “Let's let what plays in Vegas stay in Vegas." The city has signed off on a liquor license and passed the decision to the state liquor board that has the final say.
 
Dessert Takes Center Stage
On June 9 the fourth annual Great American Dessert Expo takes the Las Vegas Convention Center by storm for two days sure to hit your sweet tooth! The only trade show dedicated exclusively to the multi-billion-dollar dessert industry joins forces with Coffee-Fest, a show focusing on the lucrative coffee industry. The show will feature a special “Small Bite Big Taste” contest for the best product served at the convention ensuring that exhibitors will be coming strong. Andre Rochat, proprietor of Andre’s French Restaurant, his corporate executive chef, Jacque Van Staden, and pastry chef Tammy Alana will also all be taking part showing off their dessert skills. For more exhibitor and visitor information please contact the Great American Dessert Expo at (718) 854-4450 ext. 104 or visit www.dessertexpo.com
 
 Can’t We All Get Along?
We received a couple of phone calls this weekend from high profile promoters and VIP hosts who were somewhat distraught with the reactions of locals who got turned down for high-priced VIP table and cabanas over the long weekend. Apparently, in two cases, friendships were actually severed over the inability to give-away prime real estate over a big money weekend. As locals living in Las Vegas we enjoy amazing perks and VIP treatment. However, when weekends like this past one arise, we need to understand that it gives these outlets a huge opportunity to make big dollars and we all need to respect that. That being said, operators shouldn’t look at it as an opportunity to pillage tourists. It’s just short sighted and leaves visitors with bad tastes in their mouths. Here’s hoping we can all find that middle ground before the 4th of July long weekend. 

Quick Bites
The Planet Hollywood continues to quietly move forward in transforming the Aladdin Hotel & Casino into what will soon be the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino. The latest news had the property announce that The Desert Passage mall will receive a modernized facelift and name change to the Miracle Mile Shops
Yes that was soap opera icon Lorenzo Lamas making a special appearance at the Stardust’s ‘Headlights & Tailpipes’ show this past long weekend. On Sunday he shared his master of ceremonies duties with former Survivor winner Jenna Morasca.
The Sizzler restaurant chain believes they can compete in the Las Vegas restaurant market and has announced plans to open four new valley outlets in the next two years.

They aren’t alone however as one of the Midwest’s leading dine-in pizza chain’s has also announced plans for a Las Vegas expansion. Last week, Happy Joe’s announced they would be opening 10 locations in the Las Vegas area. The 33-year-old company is currently looking for franchisors.

Congratulations to the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino who has already begun plans for their tenth anniversary which comes later next month.  “Monte Carlo’s past, present and future is grounded in our commitment to providing quality customer service," said Randy Morton, president of Monte Carlo. "As we commemorate 10 great years, we are celebrating throughout the property by giving back to our guests.”

After a packed pool danced the day away for a Memorial Day Rehab performance by the world renowned DJ, Tiesto, he was honored with a display case in the Hard Rock Hotel casino. He is only the second DJ to be honored as such with the legendary Paul Oakenfold receiving his Body English-adjacent case several years ago.
The Sirens of TI are holding auditions for male stunt pirates on Tuesday, June 6 at 8:30A on the quay in front of Pirates Cove.

The MGM Grand’s Diego Restaurant continues to convert fans. Last week saw country superstar duo (and new Las Vegas regulars) Brooks & Dunn enjoying Executive Chef Chris Palmeri’s authentic Mexican fare. They enjoyed it so much, they had bearded rockers ZZ Top visit the eatery later that night. Next up for Diego is domination of the brunch market. Forget breakfast burritos, Diego will be serving up brunch every weekend from 11A-2P through Labor Day.

On Friday, June 2nd DeLuca Liquor & Wine will be hosting the 12th annual Bishop Gorman Wine & Beer Tasting at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa. The event gets started with a champagne reception at 6:30P before the three-hour wine tasting begins at 7P.

Last Friday night, Henderson’s Hot Rod Grille hosted the ‘Flugtag Retirement Party’ where-by the 1932 faux Ford Coupe the team used at last month’s Flugtag event in Arizona was hoisted to the rafters. “We have retired the ‘Flying Ford Coupe’ from an incredible aviation career,” noted Hot Rod’s general manager and craft pilot, Demian Carpenter, tongue-in-cheek, “We have hung the car from the roof, at least what’s left of it, next to the original coupe that inspired our craft.” The craft’s aviation career spanned one afternoon and logged a total flight distance of about four feet.

Allow us to correct ourselves, last week we noted that producer David Saxe was the man behind ‘X the Show’ at the V Theatre. The show is owned and produced by Matt and Angela Stabile.

Tabu Ultra Lounge has announced the June line-up for their Tuesday Open Deck’s promotion that gives up control of the caged DJ booth every Tuesday night. This month will feature DJ Piolo (June 6), Chris Auerlius (June 13), Scott Stubbs (June 20) and Chris Garcia (June 27). 

Last week Blink 182’s Travis Barker dined at STACK with a group of friends which included the N9NE Group’s equally tattooed Bronson Olimpari. After dinner, the group headed to JET for Industry Monday where the drumming madman mellowed out on the stage listening to the beats of NYC transplant, DJ Stretch Armstrong. Nearby, boastful NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson had to belly up to the bar when he arrived too late in the night and all of the VIP tables were occupied.

We’re hearing rumors that the two Miami based nightclubs that had plans for Las Vegas have hit snags. One source we trust tells us that one deal is dead in the water while another one is near floundering. Very interesting …

Early estimates had between 220,000-250,000 visitors in Las Vegas for the Memorial Day weekend. Thank you to everyone who continues to strive to make Las Vegas the #1 travel destination in the world. You went over and beyond this weekend and you deserve recognition. Congratulations and Thank You!

Congratulations to Las Vegas nightlife and restaurant entrepreneur Billy Richardson and his lovely wife Noey. Just after noon today the couple welcomed Bianca Kailani Virginia Richardson to the world. Bianca was born one-month early, weighing a healthy 6 pounds and 10 ounces. The proud father is happy to report that both mother and daughter are doing wonderfully.