Thursday, April 22, 1999 | 11:08 a.m.
There are those who say that Liberace's spirit lives in the extravagant master bedroom of his Las Vegas home, a mansion that for eight years has been leased for grand parties and weddings.
So when Clark County Commissioners pondered whether to renew a use permit for The Vegas Villa on Wednesday, those close to Liberace weren't surprised when the lights in the commission chambers inexplicably dimmed and flickered.
Operators of the successful events facility turned to one another, nodded and whispered: "ghost."
Events moved quickly in favor of Vegas Villa. Commissioner Erin Kenny made a motion against the Paradise Town Board's recommendation to deny the permit.
Then she erased conditions that the Planning Commission had suggested be placed on the business being operated at the home located a block off Tropicana Avenue across from the Thomas & Mack Center.
"We're confident if you guys mess up, you'll hear from us," Kenny said.
The commission's decision to issue a three-year permit relieved longtime Las Vegas residents who urged board members to preserve historical landmarks rather than relying on the traditional method of imploding them.
"He used to have parties here and neighbors never complained," said Gladys Luckie, who was Liberace's housekeeper for four decades. "This is a terrific place. He would be so happy to see it used this way; he loved sharing."
A handful of Liberace's neighbors have complained to the county that their quiet neighborhood streets are jammed with cars waiting to be parked and valet drivers speeding down the road trying to keep up with arriving guests.
They also said garbage -- which is supposed to be cleaned up immediately following events --litters the property the day after parties and guests leaving late-night parties are too noisy.
"Noise and traffic have disrupted our neighborhood and our quiet street," said resident Tracy Nee.
Vegas Villa attorney Matthew Callister said the business, which has few parking spaces, has switched valet companies and will be sure cars are taken away promptly.
Owner Vance Turner of Atlanta said renting the mansion for parties and corporate conferences is by far the most beneficial use of the home. When he bought the house about eight years ago, Turner planned to lease it to celebrities visiting Las Vegas.
"We were going to hire a butler and a maid, but casinos have such elaborate suites it just wasn't successful," Turner said. "When I bought it, I knew the value was here, but for what?"
Had commissioners denied him a use permit, Turner said the home would likely have been dismantled and sold piece by piece -- a task that could have destroyed priceless furnishings and decorations.
The decorated front gate along Shirley Street, for example, was purchased in Italy. His elaborate staircase, also from Italy, won an award from Architectural Digest.
Grecian marble pillars that are more than 2,000 years old line a mirrored hallway, and Liberace's bedroom ceiling is a one-of-a-kind reproduction of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michaelangelo Buonarroti, a descendent of Michaelangelo.
"I can't imagine anyone destroying someplace like this," said neighbor Kay Reed, who helped decorate Liberace's house. "I would have given anything to live in a place like this."
Marlene Daly Young, sales manager and events coordinator for Vegas Villa, said the mansion is becoming increasingly popular overseas. It was featured in the French magazine Madam Figaro and she said she regularly receives calls from Asia and Europe.
The county claimed Vegas Villa has been operating without a use permit for more than a year, but the issue was brushed over when Callister produced two county documents -- one said the license expired in 1998 and the other said 1999.
The Planning Commission recently suggested Vegas Villa do away with valet parking and instead shuttle visitors in from outlying parking lots. The commission also recommended the facility's hours be cut back to appease neighbors and that after six months the county review the operation.
Kenny's motion, which was backed by the entire board, allows valet parking and allows the facility remain open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The six-month review period was lifted, but instead of a five-year use permit, the license is only good for three years.
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