Friday, June 14, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
"All that Caesar could, you have and can do. ... Build, therefore, your own world."
THE classic line from the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson must have been echoing in the minds of the designers and architects behind Caesars Magical Empire, which opens Tuesday at Caesars Palace.
The empire is an enchanting labyrinth of underground passageways and catacombs leading to secret chambers where delectables, guaranteed to please the taste buds of the gods, are served while court magicians and soothsayers perform.
The elaborately themed, multichambered dining and magical wonderland, which contains Roman columns, Chinese dragons that adorn pagoda-shaped theaters, and European and African artifacts, is reminiscent of Caesar's world 2,000 years ago.
"After all, Caesar's empire stretched across the world, from Europe to Africa and to Egypt and the Far East. Rome actually encompassed the bulk of the known world," said Phil Cooper, vice president of public relations and advertising at Caesars Palace.
Cooper said nothing compares to the magical wizardry of the Magical Empire, which has been under construction for two years, simply because nothing like it has ever been constructed.
"This project and the technology behind it is really generations ahead of what exists for this type of entertainment," Cooper said. "This is one reason why it has taken us so long (to build it). There was a learning curve and nothing was prefabricated. Everything was made specifically to order."
Caesars representatives decline to disclose the cost of the project and estimates range from several million dollars to the tens of millions.
"It's not cheap. I can tell you that," Cooper said. "But if you want to continue to grow, you put your best foot forward."
The Caesars Magical Empire adventure begins at the Celestial Court, an ornate gabled pediment located near the Olympiad Race Book.
A pathway constructed of Imported Italian marble, patterned after Nero's ancient Roman palace, leads to the Celestial Clock which announces when the next group of guests may enter the Chamber of Destiny.
There, visitors hear the god Ceronomus dictate the tale of the Magical Empire just before they experience an environmental illusion that transports them down to a mysterious maze of moss and tree-root-lined catacombs.
A centurion then greets guests and guides them to one of 10 dining chambers -- each seating 24 people and named after a Roman god.
While enjoying succulent salmon, tender chicken or other dishes served by Maximus and Minimus, elegantly dressed in formal white satin togas, guests enjoy the antics of soothsayer Ocatavius, dressed in a velvet frock, bejeweled neckpiece and a gold lame appliqued stole and who performs magical tricks and foretells whether the guest will be lucky during his stay.
After the feasting is completed, visitors are guided through the misty catacombs to the Sanctum Secorum -- an impressive seven-story palace with various courts and beverage lounges where visitors can enjoy everything from magic shows to performances by Dickie and Billie, a pair of wisecracking skeletons.
There's also Invisibella, an invisible pianist who takes requests.
As visitors move through the Sanctum Secorum, they are invited to take in a five-minute Lumineria show that combines dancing fire, smoke and light effects as well as a visit from Caesar's chief vizier, Ceronomus himself.
Visitors are cautioned to walk gingerly through the Forbidden Crypt of Ramses, a tunnel with moving walls that runs through the Secorum. Visitors who walk through the tunnel actually feel as though the bottom is dropping out from under them -- a dizzying experience.
An additional treat awaits those who make it safely through the tunnel: two live entertainment theaters that spotlight the talents of masterful magicians and illusionists including Michael Ammar, Daryl, Johnny Ace Palmer, John Carney, T.C. Tahoe, Whit Hayd, Peter Pit, Jade and many others.
The 66,000-square-foot Magical Empire employs more than 200.
The empire was designed by Landmark Entertainment Group to host as many as 2,400 people each day for lunch and dinner.
Tishman Construction is the general contractor of the project and the architect is Paul Steelman, both of Las Vegas.
Consultant for the project is veteran magician Milt Larsen, who is recognized in the Society of American Magicians Hall of Fame.
It was Larsen who stood in for actor Raul Julia during Gomez Addams' tablecloth-yanking bit in "Addams Family Values."
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