Sports Illustrated models prove true page-turners in Vegas visit

We're experiencing a drought in Las Vegas, yet the tide of beautiful people crashes on our shore every weekend. The events and reasons for these visits vary, of course. One weekend it's for the AEE/AVN convention, later it's the 53 sashed contestants competing for the Miss America tiara.

They are all measure of fabulous babe, these women, but the tide rolls in, no matter. This week it has been the models of Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit edition. A collection of these dazzling women have been sashaying around town, making appearances Thursday at Paris Las Vegas, Lagasse's Stadium and Vanity nightclub at Hard Rock Hotel's new HRH Tower.

Brooklyn Decker is this year's cover model, as the magazine pronounces, "A PERFECT 10." She is joined by 17 other top models in a pullout poster titled "The Lineup." Those models have been in Vegas, save last year's cover model, Bar Refaeli, who is either pouting because she's not this year's featured figure or is ill, depending on the rumored or official version of her noted absences. But even without Refaeli, whose name would make a fine title for a nightclub, there is no shortage of women trumpeting this year's beauty-laden edition.

Unlike the early version of the annual feature, which dates to a 1964 photo of one Diane Smith on the cover wearing what appears to be a set of giant undergarments, today's swimsuit edition makes up the entire issue. It is no longer a weekly treasure; this year's SI swimsuit issue is more a reference publication, to be stored and borrowed from for years. It can share coffee-table space with the hardbound Nevada 24/7 photo essay, for example. The models were shot in such countries as Chile, Portugal, India, the Maldives, Canada and the United States. SI's website features 1,400 photos and 100 videos of the shoot.

Thursday's event at Paris Las Vegas was an autograph signing session featuring Zoe Duchesne, Dominique Piek and Esti Ginzburg. A similar event was staged at Lagasse. Aside from the beauty of those in under the white lights, which was remarkable, it was an unremarkable session. Fans snaked out of the Le Cabaret lounge and onto the casino floor. Organizers were encouraged that no "creepy" guys turned up. About an hour in, the women took a break to chill and smoke.

The scene was far more electric at Vanity, an apt name for a club hosting all these models. They showed up late for the red carpet, trailing the evening's host, Mark McGrath (and who loves Vegas more than Mark McGrath?) by more than an hour. We were treated to a walk-through by the U.S. Rugby Team and Las Vegas Visitors and Convention chief Rossi Ralenkotter, whose speech from the Vanity stage was about drowned out, but he did manage his customary, "What happens in Vegas ..." while thrusting the mic to the audience, which shouted back, "Stays in Vegas!"

The models were introduced by emcee Mark, with Decker appearing last. She seemed caught up in the spirit of the whole thing, mentioning that she never knows what to say in such instances, but it hardly mattered. She radiated blond beauty from the stage, something a wide array of guests certainly noticed. Basking in the scenery were Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie, Miss Nevada USA Julianna Erdesz (the same Miss Nevada Julie Erdesz who a year ago was Miss Nevada America competing in the Miss America pageant) and LV Locomotives head coach Jim Fassel. At one point all of these people were standing on the dance floor less than 10 feet from each other, which might have been the most stunning visual of the night.

After Decker finished talking to the jacked-up crowd filling the club, a woman standing next to me said, "She's just so beautiful." I didn't know this person, but this being Las Vegas, she was actually physically pretty enough to be onstage with the rest of the models. Then she shouted, "Is Maroon 5 going to be here tonight?"

Of course? Within minutes, the terrific band took the stage and performed a sonically impressive hourlong set. By the end, the crowd was fairly dizzy, but grateful that the women of SI made it all possible.

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