In two days Hooters Casino is opening on the Strip (across from the MGM at Tropicana), and the details are being released. On the morning of February 2, at Las Vegas City Hall, Oscar Goodman will give a key to the city to the Hooters Calendar Girls and welcome the casino (while no one points out that Hooters Casino is outside the city limits). That night is the "orange carpet" opening featuring Brook Burke who the next day will participate in a celebrity blackjack tournament also including Gene Simmons. It may seem a bit underwhelming for a casino opening but the timing in this case is more important than the details of the celebration. This is Super Bowl weekend and all Hooters really needs to do is throw open the door in time to guarantee the place will be packed.

(photo by Ethan Miller/Getty)

I bet you didn't know that Tom Jones does a great cover of Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life." Tonight Jones is appearing at the MGM Grand where he is far more likely to perform "What's New Pussycat?" I would love to go see Tom Jones, but the few times I've asked for review tickets, I've been turned down. Tom doesn't need a concert review; everyone already knows his songs and when to throw underwear. Unlike so many of his peers, he remains a major draw here and his stints in town almost always sell out. Maybe it is because he plays Las Vegas far less than people think. Jones only does a few stints at the MGM each year.

In the Sunday Review-Journal, Mike Weatherford authored one of the most detailed looks yet at the Broadway/Vegas connection. Weatherford points out the very real possibility (if, for example, longstanding rumors that "The Producers" is coming to Paris Las Vegas pan out) that Broadway shows may wind up outnumbering the soon to be 5---when The Beatles themed show opens at The Mirage in May---Cirque shows in town. Weatherford writes:

Weatherford concurs with many points made in this column about the challenges and opportunities of customizing both the shows and the theatres for the Las Vegas market. A highlight of the outstanding piece is the sidebars in which Weatherford reminds us of some earlier attempts to bring Broadway style values to the Strip as well as makes predictions about the chances of upcoming efforts. In the former category, Weatherford recalls "Notre Dame de Paris" from 2000 at Paris Las Vegas which closed after only five months (all the main characters die and it was lame, too, Weatherford painfully remembers). As for the chances of "The Phantom of the Opera" set to open in June at the Venetian, Weatherford, avoids committing himself instead choosing to look up and admire the ceiling: "The chandelier will now come together from four pieces controlled by 32 winches that move simultaneously and assemble it before our eyes."

(photo by Andrew Schwartz/Universal)

Some casinos make you sentimental and others, well, you are just glad people get to keep their jobs. The Imperial Palace falls into this second category. The casino is best known for having to pay a, at the time, whopping $1.5 million fine in 1989, because its owner, Ralph Englestad (who died in 2002), was caught holding birthday parties for Adolf Hitler. Last year the casino hotel which opened in 1979 was purchased by Harrah's which already owns adjacent properties and so---since this is Las Vegas--- at some point is expected to build a bigger, newer place. However, for the short term, at least, that point has yet to arrive as the Imperial Palace website is taking reservations through all of 2006.

Kelly Ryan has been returned to Las Vegas to face charges in the death of Melissa James, 28, the former personal assistant to her and her husband. Her hearing has been scheduled for January 31. No news yet on when her husband, Craig Titus, will arrive. The duo are being returned to Nevada from Massachusetts where they were originally arrested. A private company handles these sorts of transfers, apparently moving groups of people in custody together, and so the length of the process varies. That is why Ryan happened to arrive first and it is unclear the exact date of Titus's return.

Apparently ethnic pride requires a little sacrifice on the ethics front in Las Vegas. First, Norm reports today that Denise Valdez, our CBS affiliate's new anchor, appeared in a 1996 Los Angeles Times story where she admitted to changing her Anglo name to make it sound ethnic in order to boost her career. Though she believes herself to be part Latino, she said of her name change,  "It's not something I want to broadcast to the public."

Meanwhile, almost lost in the Rolling Stones ticket controversy is the tail of state legislator Mo Dennis a Democrat from Las Vegas. Dennis augmented his Stones tickets with $650 worth of free Luis Miguel tickets from Ameriquest. His reason: "As the only true Hispanic at the Legislature, I felt I had to attend a Hispanic concert."

Add to the list of local critics blown away by Kartrina Rose Dideriksen as Tracy Turnblad at the sneak peak of "Hairspray," John Katsilometes. In his column today Katsilometes also reveals that, though the deal is not fully done, it looks like the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon will be returning to Las Vegas for the first time since 1995. According to Katsilometes, the new South Coast will host the telethon: 

"Officials from the Muscular Dystrophy Association's headquarters in Tucson were expected to meet with South Coast reps today to sign the final contracts that would bring the show to Las Vegas."

Once again the venerable telecast will be able to draw on the huge local talent pool for performances throughout the night.

(photo by Lori Shepler/LAT)

This weekend will be hugely busy in Las Vegas rivaling both New Year's weekend and next weekend's Super Bowl. Why? The Year of the Dog. According to Liz Benston writing in the Las Vegas Sun:

The two week celebration is expected to push baccarat winnings up by over 50% for the month, and that has made casinos very multicultural. At Caesars (owned by Harrah's) executives are set to attend a traditional "painting of the eye" lion ceremony and celebrations are also planned at select MGM properties, the Venetian and Wynn.

(photo by Adrian Bradshaw/EPA)

I have confirmed that well known adult film actress and Las Vegas resident Anna Malle was killed in a car accident yesterday. According to one web report the accident happened in LA, but based on the details, Vegas folks are sure the accident is the one that took place here on Blue Diamond Road yesterday. That death makes for the 17th fatality on Blue Diamond since July. Very sad, and lets hope authorities try to make Blue Diamond Road (which runs between Vegas and Pahrump) safer soon.