Tuesday, June 24, 2003 | 10:49 a.m.
The celebrity gauntlet has been thrown down.
Robert Earl confidently states Planet Hollywood will "demonstrate its star power" when it opens for business in Las Vegas in fall 2004.
Earl also owns the Planet Hollywood restaurant at the Forum Shops at Caesars. He is optimistic his hotel venture will fit in well in Las Vegas.
"We intend to be a worthy neighbor to (Hard Rock owner) Peter Morton and George Maloof (Palms)," Earl told VegasBeat Monday from his Orlando, Fla., office.
For example, Earl said, he'd try to host special events in Las Vegas such as the gala "Terminator 3" premiere slated for Los Angeles in July.
The hotel's pool area will feature the Hollywood Beach Drive-In, where Earl will have friends host screenings of their films.
"Bruce Willis would come and show 'Pulp Fiction' and then talk about it afterward. Things like that," Earl said. "We will be respectful of Las Vegas and the way business gets done here. At the same time, the Planet Hollywood name is special and we want to do some special things in Las Vegas."
Special indeed. When the news broke over the weekend that Planet Hollywood and Sheraton will likely take over the bankrupt Aladdin, it brought a smile to VegasBeat's face.
Though the company twice filed for bankruptcy, it did enjoy some star-studded success.
We covered the opening of the first Planet Hollywood on West 57th Street in New York City in 1991, when we were at the New York Post. The original themed destination restaurant quickly became the hot spot in a city full of hot spots.
The restaurant featured a basement screening room, where Earl would host intimate dinners for favored media, stars of the film being shown and of-the-moment New York and Hollywood personalities, from Jerry Seinfeld to Don Mattingly to Jason Priestly to all the young "Saturday Night Live" cast members: Adam Sandler, David Spade, Mike Myers, Kevin Nealon, Dana Carvey and so on.
Restaurant partners Willis, Demi Moore, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone would drop in when they were in town.
Everyone feasted on their famous Captain Crunch Chicken. A dashing young PR man named Michael Coldwell (he is now based in Las Vegas as director of public relations, Western Region, for Park Place) helped pull it all together.
Crowds spilled out into the street when stars would show up to press their palm prints into the handprint Wall of Fame.
There was no more anticipated invitation in town than one from Earl and his then-partner, Keith Barish.
If Earl and his new partners can recapture that magic in Las Vegas, we think it'll be a good thing, as Martha Stewart might say.
Aces
Las Vegas tennis pro David Pate, who plays on the local Bally's club team, leaves today for Wimbledon.
He and playing partner Scott Davis are looking to repeat as doubles champs in the 35-and-over category at the famed grass-court tourney.
Among other victories, the pair won the 1991 Australian Open and were then the top-ranked doubles team in the world.
Big date
The Stardust has been making plans for its 45th anniversary celebrations. The kickoff in a summerlong series of events takes place July 8.
At a private party that evening hotel officials will unveil the Stardust Las Vegas Time Capsule and showcase a gallery of photos and memorabilia that chronicles the entertainment and other events that have taken place at the hotel.
The hotel is well known for opening the first legal sports book in Las Vegas in 1976 and its historic long-term deal with Wayne Newton.
Roar
In the brief history of VegasBeat, nothing has generated a response quite like last week's item on the animal rights protester staging a media event to call attention to the alleged mistreatment of circus animals.
Happily, we must have done something right -- and played it fair -- because the venom is flowing from individuals on both sides of the issue.
It is obvious that PETA is having an impact. Once content to ignore the group's stunts, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus employees were passing out glossy "Caring for Animals at the Greatest Show on Earth" brochures at The Orleans Arena over the weekend.
Picture this
A drawing by award-winning Las Vegas Sun editorial cartoonist Mike Smith is going to be displayed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington.
A panel on global warming will be enlarged to four square feet and displayed as part of an exhibit opening in September titled "Global Links: El Nino's Powerful Reach."
VegasBits
Medium well: Michael Flatley and a party of three had dinner at Charlie Palmer Steak at the Four Seasons on Sunday night ...
VEGAS, baby: Recent RSVPs for the VEGAS Magazine debut issue blowout at the Palms on Thursday include Daisy Fuentes, Rachel Leigh Cook, Alonzo Mourning, Carrot Top, Colin Hanks and Orlando Jones.
Patriot party: Major Gen. Stephen Wood of Nellis Air Force Base, Disney star Lalaine, The Scintas and the Las Vegas Philharmonic are all scheduled to take part in the annual Summerlin Patriotic Parade and Fireworks Show on July 4th ...
More farewell: Cher -- and a special guest to be announced -- returns to Las Vegas on Aug. 31. Tickets for the MGM Grand Garden Arena concert go on sale Saturday. This is Cher's second farewell tour stop this year in Las Vegas ...
Big mac: Mick Fleetwood turns 61 today. His band plays at the MGM Grand on July 6 ...
Travel dip: Ads for the discount travel service Travelocity.com are touting stays at Bellagio, MGM Grand and Caesars Palace, not some of the lower-end properties that are usually part of their low-price packages ...
Wheel-y good: The rap rock band Linkin Park, JC Chasez, Stephen Dorff and lots of other hot young stars are expected to be at the Hard Rock Hotel this weekend for a pro skateboard event. Professional skateboarding? Man, I still have those big old roller-skate keys lying around the house.
From Sun wires
The Rolling Stones are scheduled to headline a July 30 outdoor concert to boost tourism in Toronto and southern Ontario after the SARS outbreak.
Other performers at the show, which the rock band and city leaders announced Tuesday, will include The Guess Who, AC/DC and Justin Timberlake.
Ross in court: Pop diva Diana Ross told a municipal court judge in Tucson on Monday that she felt forced into taking a breath test during a traffic stop Dec. 30.
Ross is seeking to have the results of several breath tests tossed out. She faces three DUI-related charges. Police said she had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.20 percent..
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