Eclectic mix of events

Fri, Jun 27, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Ron Kantowski sees the possibilities for the South Point arena with former Orleans Arena director Steve Stallworth in the mix (06-27-2008)

Stallworth: "Ready for a change" (5-28-2008)
Stallworth leaving Orleans Arena (5-27-2008)
Technically, they're a success (5-19-2008)

Over lunch at the Coronado Cafe at the South Point, Michael Gaughan and Steve Stallworth were asked to put together a list of favorite events they brought to Orleans Arena when they owned (Gaughan) and ran (Stallworth) it. In alphabetical order, here it is:

• Brooks and Dunn: As they said in the “Blues Brothers,” these guys play both kinds of music — country and western. A grand opening crowd is still tapping its foot.

• Disney on Ice: You should have heard the kids cheer when Mickey laced up his skates. You should have heard the Orleans accountants cheer when their moms and dads lined up for tickets.

• Enduro-cross: This extreme sport featured motorcycles jumping over land and sea and a bunch of other stuff. It sold out so fast you needed a Kawasaki with an extra gear to get a ticket.

• Larry the Cable Guy: When it came to filling seats, nobody Got-R-Done like the big guy from Nebraska.

• Major college basketball: How major? Kansas vs. Florida, the past two NCAA champions. In a game decided by overtime on ESPN. That major.

• Minor league hockey: The Las Vegas Wranglers will soon become the second-longest-running pro sports franchise in Las Vegas’ checkered pro sports history. The puck stopped here and it’s not going away anytime soon.

• Mormon Tabernacle Choir: In case you’re wondering, these choir boys (and girls) did not open for Larry the Cable Guy, although that sure would have been interesting.

• Mr. Olympia bodybuilding: Hans and Franz and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who handed out the trophies. That’s a combination that will pump you up.

• National Association of Home Builders Convention: You don’t have to measure twice and cut once when President George H.W. Bush is swinging the hammer as a keynote speaker.

• Nevada State High School Basketball Tournaments: High school basketball in an arena connected to a casino? You betcha. After 19 years, the state basketball championships returned to Las Vegas and the only thing that got corrupted was a piece of the court that kept coming up.

• Ringling Brothers Circus: At first, the Orleans’ brass weren’t sure family events would work here. They did.

• West Coast Conference basketball tournament: Here come the ’Zags, and they’ll be playing for a ticket to the Big Dance.