Sunday 12-14-08

Tuesday  12-16-08

Norm took the day off

Free holiday party at Hard Rock Hotel

Christmas spirits will be flowing at the Hard Rock Hotel tonight.

Free drinks and appetizers are being served from 7-9 p.m. to cheer up a community battered by the tough economy.

"So many people are talking about not having holiday parties or anything in the form of a celebration that we thought we'd give back to the local community," said Yale Rowe, senior vice president and general manager of operations.

They're expecting a couple thousand, he said, adding, "The more the merrier."

NOT-SO-EASY STREET

Cathedral Way, the road that passes through the Guardian Angel Cathedral property, has been renamed Wynn Boulevard, and an attempt to get an explanation turned into a dead end Monday.

I sent an e-mail to Judith Kohl, general counsel for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas, asking for the particulars. She passed the buck to R&R Partners, saying the comment would have to come from them.

Rachel Wilkinson, R&R's director of communication, tossed the hot potato to Clark County.

Wilkinson, in her e-mailed response -- which arrived at 5:40 p.m., well after the county offices closed -- suggested I was barking up the wrong tree.

"Roadway and access is determined through the County and not as a result of an agreement between the Diocese and Wynn Resorts," she said.

The Scene And Heard

All charges have been dropped in the traffic case that cost former KTNV-TV, Channel 13 morning anchor Ron Futrell his job. He was arrested July 25 after a past-midnight accident near Charleston Boulevard. He was charged with five misdemeanors: unsafe lane change, hit and run from a property damage crash, failure to stop and render aid, failure to immediately report an accident and obstruction of a police officer. A week later, Futrell said KTNV fired him for "serious misconduct." Futrell said Tuesday that "while I expected this, I'm pleasantly surprised. Not even a traffic ticket, no fine." ...

Former "Baywatch" icon David Hasselhoff will sing the national anthem at Saturday's BYU-Arizona duel in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl XVII. One of his daughters, Taylor Ann, is a student at the University of Arizona. The Wildcats face BYU at Sam Boyd Stadium. ...

Mercedes of the Mark & Mercedes show on KMXB-FM 94.1 gave birth Saturday night to her second child, daughter Brooklyn Madison, who weighed in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Mercedes returns from maternity leave Jan. 28. ...

Correction: Holly, Bridget and Kendra from "The Girls Next Door" will appear from 1-2 p.m. Saturday at the Playboy Store at the Forum Shops at Caesars. ...

Singing legend Paul Anka says a domestic squabble with his wife Nov. 28 was "blown out of proportion." "Yah, she hit me with an ice cube. There isn't even a scar," said the longtime Las Vegas headliner. "It was no big deal, a non-event," he said. "The cop told me 'Since O.J. (the O.J. Simpson murder trial) we have to report everything.' It was a missing persons report, not domestic abuse," said Anka, 67, who has three soldout shows at The Orleans this weekend.

Sightings

Tiger Woods, still rehabbing his left knee after surgery, spotted Tuesday at his trainer Keith Kleven's physical rehab institute. Woods had the surgery after winning the U.S. Open in June with one of his gutsiest performances as a pro. ... Groups from Cranfills Gap, Texas, at "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular" and "Blue Man Group" at The Venetian on Monday. It's part of an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas, a $2.5 million marketing promotion by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. More than 100 of the town's 370 resident are taking part. They were to attend "Jersey Boys" on Tuesday. ... Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris having lunch with friends Tuesday at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars). ... Hip-hop stars Busta Rhymes and Kid Cudi, singing their hits at Prive's Monday party. ... Mike Bryan, who won the U.S. Open doubles title with brother Bob, at "Mystere" (Treasure Island) on Monday with girlfriend Lucile, celebrating her birthday. ... Carol Linnea Johnson, the lead in "Mamma Mia!" (Mandalay Bay), singing lead with her new band, Hot Club, at Vox Wine Lounge in Henderson on Friday. They were celebrating their debut release.

Wynn has words for rival Adelson

Hotel developer Steve Wynn, confident he's sitting on the next big thing, has a response for an archrival's proclamation that the Wynn era was over.

Back in January, fellow gaming giant Sheldon Adelson, then the third-richest man in America with a $28 billion fortune, said Wynn's time "has come and gone."

Wynn held his fire until Wednesday, five days before opening Encore, his high-end followup to Wynn Las Vegas.

"Yeah," Wynn said in an interview with Vegas Confidential, "and I remember when he said it, I started to pack up. I figured anybody who is the master of the universe must know everything. Who am I to argue?

"My reaction," said Wynn, "is the same as since his arrival on the scene. Total incredulity. He has surprised me in every single way. He's quite an extraordinary fellow, Sheldon, and his approach has been singular, to say the least, to the industry and to life in general.

"And I think it's pretty safe to say that hardly any of us have seen anybody quite like Sheldon and we wish him well."

Whiplashed by an economic storm, Adelson, who built The Venetian and The Palazzo across from Wynn and went full throttle overseas, saw 95 percent of his wealth disappear this year.

"You have to give him credit for being fearless," said Wynn. "Who else would have enough guts to start six hotels at once without the money to finish them? That's extraordinary. I know it's an old-fashioned idea but I've always had my money all done before I broke ground. I know that's old-fashioned these days, but that's why our interest rate is 3 percent here on our bank line, here and China. I don't know what anyone else is paying but I borrowed the money before I started anything and my builder told me he's going to give me back $40-odd million. We're getting a refund."

Asked if he made a bid for Treasure Island, which billionaire Phil Ruffin purchased from MGM Mirage this week for $775 million, Wynn shook his head no.

In November, Wynn had predicted that MGM Mirage would have to start selling some of its Strip properties to pay for the rising cost of the CityCenter, which started with a projected cost of about $7 billion and has soared past $10 billion.

Ruffin's purchase means "that place is bulletproof," said Wynn.

"Now we've got one guy who is only worried about Treasure Island. That's good for Treasure Island and good for the Treasure Island employees.

"The unbundling of Las Vegas is going to be a positive thing. I didn't think bundling, or consolidation as it was politely referred to, was good and I expressed that thought to (then) governor, (Kenny) Guinn. And I'm totally in favor and I think it will be better for MGM and better for the town and better for Treasure Island to have these places get sold off.

"It means (MGM executive) Bobby Baldwin and (MGM Mirage CEO) Jim Murren have more time to worry about places like CityCenter. That's a good thing. Having 10 hotels in one city is not a bright idea in my opinion.

"You can't focus enough. I know there are really good managers in each hotel, but having run four or five at one time, I will tell you there's nothing like focus. ... When you have your eggs in one or two baskets, you tend to watch the baskets. That's a good thing."

In another development, Wynn confirmed he has entered into an agreement with brothers Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees to produce a musical based on the group's music. The show would be similar to "Jersey Boys," the hit musical that Adelson brought to The Palazzo earlier this year.

Wynn said the treatment is being done by Bob Martin, who did "The Drowsy Chaperone," the Broadway musical that received 13 Tony nominations, including best musical, best lead actor in a musical (Martin) and best book of a musical (Martin co-wrote it).

Sightings

The rarest of sightings: snow falling on the Bellagio's Dancing Fountains on Wednesday, to the sound of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." ... Sen. Harry Reid and his wife, Landra, at a Monday matinee showing of "Milk," starring Sean Penn, at Green Valley Ranch.

Friday 12-19-08

Leaving a Legacy

Las Vegas the home of the church that Bing Crosby helped build.

Northern Nevada was home to Bing Crosby's seven ranches. His Las Vegas legacy was The Church That Bing Built.

Responding to a priest's desperate plea, Crosby, best known for his 100 million-selling song "White Christmas," agreed to perform at a church fundraiser on the Strip less than a year before he died.

Las Vegas resident Carolyn Schneider recounts the story in her second book -- currently unpublished -- about her famous uncle, the legendary crooner who won an Oscar for "Going My Way" in 1944 and teamed up with Bob Hope in seven "Road to" films.

The concert took place Nov. 26, 1976, at the Aladdin Theater for the Performing Arts.

"Without a proper church and no money to build one, the priest had been saying Mass in the Sundancer Western Saloon on Boulder Highway," she writes in "Bing: On the Road to Elko."

"With the help of the crew from the MGM, scenery was constructed to transform the interior into a chapel on Sunday mornings.

"When the saloon was sold and turned into a topless disco, it was too much for Father Benjamin Franzinelli," she wrote.

"The alter boys had to get the (boa) feathers off the bar before they could light the candles," Franzinelli, now a monsignor, told Schneider.

That was the last straw. Franzinelli made an appeal to Crosby, a devout Catholic.

The church that Crosby helped build is Holy Family at Mountain Vista Street and Harmon Avenue. A stained glass window commemorates the history, including a nod to the disco with the risqué reputation.

The window features Mary, Joseph and infant Jesus. In the four corners and one center bottom are five small images: the outline of a building with "Sundancer" on it, the next is the outline of the Aladdin, then a shield (symbol of the Las Vegas Diocese), a storefront image with the date "1905 Ed. Von Tobel" Lumber Co. and lastly is the front view of the completed church.

Crosby died 11 months after his Las Vegas appearance at age 74 after a round of golf in Spain.

Crosby's only daughter, Mary, will be appearing with Desi Arnez Jr. in the play "Love Letters" on Jan. 24 at Desi's Boulder Theatre. The event is a fundraiser for the Boulder City Ballet Company operated by Desi's wife, Amy.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY...

Dec. 19, 1967: Luxor headliner Criss Angel was born as Christopher Sarantakos in East Meadow, N.Y.

Dec. 19, 1946: Robert Urich, who starred as detective Dan Tanna in "Vega$" for three seasons, would have been 62. He died April 16, 2002.

Dec. 20, 1957: Elvis Presley receives his draft notice from the U.S. Army while spending the Christmas holidays at Graceland, the rock 'n' roll star's newly purchased Tennessee mansion.

Dec. 22, 1949: Robin Gibb of the singer/songwriting trio The Bee Gees was born with twin brother, Maurice.

Dec. 23, 1979: Holly Madison was born in Astoria, Ore. She was a roller-skating waitress at Hooters in Santa Monica, Calif., before spending eight years in the Playboy Mansion with Hugh Hefner.

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