It’s the first billion-dollar resort to be built far off the Vegas Strip, and although Red Rock doesn’t officially open until April 18, Luxe Life has an intriguing first look. After all any resort that promotes "Champagne facials and caviar creams" for its new spa on the "hold for reservations" phone message has to be something extra special!!!
In fact, the Fertitta brothers who run their 30-year-local Station Casino’s empire aim to win 5-star, 5-diamond status within a year. Not only is it the largest entertainment venue from Stations but the property features the most expensive per key rooms ever built in Vegas. Incidentally, that $1 billion tag is just about one-third of what Steve Wynn spent on his newest Strip property so you get an idea that this has been a money-no-object spending spree in the neighborhood. 
The casino is targeting wealthy Southern California tourists rather than "local residents" exclusively. (Think the wacky drunk-drugged PBS-BBC TV ladies who uttered those immortal words "Absolutely fabulous -- dahling.") In fact, the hotel has already begun running commercials in California before we see anything here on our local TV and in booking Bob Marley’s son, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley on April 28 and The GooGoo Dolls on May 13, we have to think the ’posh and propuh ‘ Summerlin neighbors will wonder where the ballroom orchestra is playing! "Super deluxe luxury" is the key phrase throughout the resort nestled close to the majestic Red Rock Mountains. The entire 70 acre decadent development – only 10 miles west of the Strip and 15 minutes from the airport, isn’t even completed yet and there are already plans for two high-rise condo towers to be built there over the next two years!
Frank Fertitta III the 44-year-old company chairman commented, "It is the ultimate luxury resort destination for travelers with discriminating tastes who want a personalized experience without the overwhelming size and hectic environment of our rivals on the Strip. It is the realization of our 30-year vision for the pinnacle of Station Casinos luxury resorts." Younger brother Lorenzo Fertitta, 37 added, "It’s the perfect combination of luxury and fun and totally state of the art. More modern and updated than anything on the Strip."
It’s also the first Vegas resort where a separate entrance allows guests to go to their suites without crossing the casino floor! Although the nine-restaurant hotel will open with 400 luxury guest rooms and suites it will wind up with a total of 850 by year end. All have 42" HD plasma screen TV’s, 15" LCD bathroom TV’s and the newest of iPod docking stations! The ‘Top of the Rock’ and ‘Cherry" penthouse suites are so luxurious they have their own fireplaces and bars to entertain up to 25 people seated! 
The centerpiece is the three acre pool complex complete with beach, cabanas, fountains, a main pool and separate wading pools plus in-water gaming tables. But it’s the 35,0000 sq. ft Spa retreat that will make headlines with its take-your-breath away attractions -- including bathtubs for two! While the traditional and non-traditional treatments and service areas are drenched in rich reds accented with cream and chocolate the Spa opens up to the outdoors for adventure activities ranging from rock climbing to white water rafting!
Could there be any more secret weapons to guarantee Red Rock opening with a big bang overnight success? Well they’ve got nightclub-ultra lounge king Randy Gerber (that’s supermodel Cindy Crawford’s lucky hubby) operating the circular Cherry indoor-outdoor nightclub which has its own outdoor private pool surrounded with cabanas with rotating sun beds and private daybeds -- for daytime and late night summer hi-jinx. It also claims the most advanced lighting and sound system of any nightclub in the world. In addition, the Rocks Lounge, decorated in wild-animal print glass, has a VIP seating area of five oversized pods with individual zebra-chenille bed seating. Its all a far cry from when company founder Frank Fertita II turned a cut-price motel casino in 1976 into a 13-pack of luxury gaming properties in an empire that went from $4 a share in its early days, to a $75 at its high last year. And they promise they ain’t stopping here!
The Sunset Also Raises
As new as Red Rock will be, Vegas has another new celebrity resident: stunning sexy adult film actress Sunset Thomas has moved into the neighborhood. Not only is she writing her autobiography, but she’s front and center with her just launched AdultPokerParty.com website. She laughed: "Girls and gambling have always gone hand in hand. I can promise if you play with me I’ll raise ya." Sunset, a star of the HBO TV series Cathouse regularly contributes to Esquire magazine and the Howard Stern show. She’s one bright street-smart blonde and although a self-made businesswoman she starred in over 200 adult films including the all-time record breaking Misty Beethoven. Sunset, who was inducted into the AVN’s Hall of Fame, just returned from Carnivale in Brazil -- where she launched the Sexy Hot channel and starred in two of its programs.
At the Palms the contented charmer explained why she’s moved to Vegas. "I love the nightlife. Although I am not a big partier, I do love to go out and I’m already loving Studio 54 at MGM Grand and the piano bar at New York New York. Every night there’s something exciting to do here and I love to glam up and not look out of place." She’s bought a 7-bedroom home near the mountains to work on an upcoming cable TV project and says, "I’m a down-to-earth girl and my Vegas house I love because it makes me feel good and it acts as my support and hideaway."
Sunset turned up all over Showtime this past weekend sitting front row center for the live boxing fight between White Wolf Sergei Liakhovich (managed by Vegas resident Ivaylo Gotsev) and WBO heavyweight champ Lamon Brewster. After 12 rounds of pounding, Sergei won unanimously. Sunset and Ivaylo are partners in a new Vegas manufactured Vibra-Strip mouth freshener strip that also helps add to romantic encounters!
The Big One
Talking off big bucks poker remember on March 15 I first reported on a $20 million poker pot game hosted by Texas banker Andy Beal at the Wynn hotel. Poker columnist Michael Craigwho chronicled the entire match (click to Bluff Magazine for his amazing story) chatted with me at the Venetian’s new poker palace opening. It's the most interesting story in the history of poker: a massive record-breaking riveting drama - and just reading how a player can be up $15 million and then lose $10 million of it makes you sweat as hard as the players must have with their $25,000 chips. Poker prince Phil Ivey at one point had won $1.7 million and in the 30 minutes that followed, won another $2.5 million which increased to $9 million. Three hours later, before the Dallas banker who had played 11 full round-the-clock days out of the 22-day stand called it quits -- and returned home to Texas! Something just tells you that these two titans will meet up again in another test of wills and skills.
Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz
There’s a victory of another kind to happily report. It looks like the hundreds of Vegans who helped Alka-Seltzer celebrate its 75th anniversary set a Guinness World Record for the Worlds Largest Buffet at the Hilton. Hosted by comedy actress Kathy Griffin the buffet served 848 guests with 500 items in 3 seatings to benefit the Second Harvest hunger relief charity. Accountants and official judges monitored the eating extravaganza and when all the official results are audited and tallied up the Hilton hotel execs are safely predicting a new world record- thank goodness those plop, plop, fizz, fizz tablets were on hand afterwards!
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Tips for Tonight, Wed. April 5, 2006
My friends, comedy stars George Wallace and David Brenner begin their joint black and white month long act at the Flamingo and knowing their comedy to be so funny and sidesplitting its got to be a must-have on your entertainment list.
Rescheduled Due to Rain: Danny Way plans to make history and break the bomb drop world record. He will jump off the top of the Hard Rock Hotel’s neon-lit guitar at exactly 6pm Thursday evening-- not tonight. It's going to be one hearty-pounding breath-stopping knuckle-crunching 30 seconds in the hotel parking lot. There’s nothing much to say other than " Good Luck and God Speed, Danny". Only in Vegas folks!
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Stay in Touch
We’ll have our own high-flying LuxeLife Journal here again tomorrow as we peek in on George Clooney’s condo mystery at Las Ramblas plus pop in on Harvey Fierstein doing double-duty at his Hairspray musical. Meantime you can send us your notes – on or off-key- to robinsvegas@aol.com
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