Kodak for Caesars Entertainment
Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf, Britney Spears and Miss USA Nia Sanchez of Nevada on Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, at Planet Hollywood.
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014 | 6 p.m.
It’s proof that superstar power is a necessary component of a Las Vegas hotel’s success story. In this case, it’s Britney Spears, who helped turn around the fortunes of Planet Hollywood despite critics. Wall Street gaming experts say the pop princess has revitalized the property and helped turn its one-time dismal financial picture into a real profit center.
Financial insiders are paying attention because she’s boosted the hotel-casino’s annual operating earnings by about $20 million. Now we understand why the first run of her contract ending next year was renewed for an additional two years.
Caesars Entertainment, when it was Harrah’s, took over Planet Hollywood after its $870 million default on debt obligations. Wall Street insiders say Britney has been singlehandedly instrumental in helping fill its 2,520 rooms and boosting the profits to nearly $100 million that Caesars is using to modernize the Quad into the new Linq hotel and redecorating and upgrading the rooms and pools at Planet Hollywood.
SAY GOODBYE: It’s such a shame that the Ray Charles tribute “Georgia on My Mind” wraps its two final Las Vegas performances at the Venetian today and Wednesday. My review was posted Sept 24.
It is a fabulous show starring the terrifically talented cast led by singer Clint Holmes and jazz giant Kurt Whalum with a cappella group Take 6 and vocalist Nnenna Freelon along with Las Vegas Mass Choir and the brass of the Las Vegas All-Star Big Band. With its electrifying songs and music, the show proves that Ray was a musical genius.
Sadly, though, because of weak marketing and advertising, ticket sales weren’t as great as the show, so it will wrap ahead of its planned end-of-the-month closing. The show now moves onto tour dates in Florida before Clint returns home to the Smith Center in early December. Las Vegas has to find a way to support great shows that offer a distinct choice from aerial acrobatics, daredevil athletes and magical illusionists. Our hotel-casinos have to become more supportive of great shows rather than just being the landlord of theatrical spaces.
NEW ALBUM FOR BOYZ: Mirage headliners Boyz II Men release their buzzed-about new album “Collide” on Oct. 21, but Pandora listeners get a sneak peek all this week on the online radio service’s “Pandora Premieres” until the album’s formal release date on BMG.
The record-shattering, four-time Grammy-winning R&B trio — Nate Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris — holds the distinction of being the bestselling R&B group of all time with 64 million albums sold worldwide. To kick off “Collide’s” official release, Boyz II Men will be taking the stage at “The Talk” on CBS next Tuesday for a performance of their new single “Losing Sleep.”
TRADITIONAL TATTOOS: Chrome Gypsy Tattoo owner artist Cleen Rock One of Las Vegas continues his quest for a $100,000 prize and the prestigious “Ink Master” title when he competes on the Spike hit series tonight tasked with a six-hour trio tag-team effort.
Here’s a teaser video. Six of Cleen’s rivals have been eliminated to date and 12 remain for tonight’s intense, train-wreck egomaniacal show. We’ll have the results here Wednesday of Cleen’s Dream Team effort.
A rendering of the rooftop at Omnia in Caesars Palace. The nightlife space was formerly Pure.
SAY HELLO: The multilevel, 75,000-square-foot, shuttered Pure nightclub at Caesars Palace will be renamed Omnia and open in the spring under the ownership and management of Hakkasan Group. The new nightclub will encompass an ultra-lounge, its main room and mezzanine and a rooftop garden overlooking the Strip. Hakkasan honchos are promise a new, luxurious environment with elements of intrigue and opulence not seen in any previous nightclub setting.
SAY GOODBYE AGAIN: When Haze nightclub closes over Halloween weekend before its facelift and new redesign arrive in the spring at Aria, the venue will have served 56,000 bottles of bubbly to its 3.250 million guests. The club has burned through 100,000 glow batons and 10,000 pounds of confetti during its 35,000 birthday bashes and 250 concerts.
CONGRATULATIONS: Mayor Carolyn Goodman presented Eric Post and Jayne Post from “Marriage Can be Murder” show at The D Las Vegas with a proclamation today marking the couple’s 15 years of performances in our town. Since its Las Vegas debut, 375,000 people have played detective to solve 20,000 murders committed at 5,000 performances.
RECORD-BREAKER: Updating a status report from the many singers and musicians at Ri Ra Irish Pub in Mandalay Place. They look all set now to break the Guinness World Record for the longest concert. At 1 p.m. Thursday, Guinness accountants will certify the record 360 hours of nonstop live music. Irish groups, musicians and Guinness world record holder Dave Browne joined Las Vegas bands for the extraordinary challenge that began Oct. 1. Ri Ra will take the title from a Ferndale, Mich., music cafe held since April 2011.
STAR SURVEILLANCE
Pitbull, who performed Sunday night with Enrique Iglesias at Mandalay Bay Events Center, attended Monday night’s late performance of “Michael Jackson One” by Cirque du Soleil at Mandalay Bay. He went backstage after the show to meet the cast and pose for a photograph.
TONIGHT’S TIPS
Please tune in to OK!TV on KTNV Channel 13 at 7 p.m. as I discusses the city’s hottest celebrity and entertainment gossip with host Megan Telles. And on Wednesday, I’m back from 2 to 3 p.m. co-hosting KTNV’s latest talk show, “Valley View Live!”
Comedian and Fox political pundit Dennis Miller is the guest speaker at the Keystone annual dinner in the Venetian.
Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie celebrates his birthday during the premiere of his Devil Deluxe band show at Tuscany.
Continental and The Tossers are at the Hard Rock Hotel.
Jodi Borrello, Jim McCue and Max Alexander headline at Improv in Harrah’s through Sunday.
TOMORROW’S TEASE
Advance revelations of next spring’s third “One Night for One Drop” fundraiser by Cirque as water conservation in Las Vegas continues to get more serious as a result of the prolonged drought. Plus, an emotional interview with “Pawn Stars” hero Rick Harrison.
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.
Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.
Follow Sun A&E Senior Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.
Catering to the young and modern crowd, Planet Hollywood is a one-stop shop for entertainment with its massive shopping mall, slew of restaurants, spacious casino and clubs.
The ambiance of the casino is retro-chic meets high-tech with black granite floors throughout and colorful LED lights throughout the space. The theme carries into the 100,000 square-foot casino with 250 flat screens topping off slot machines. The casino is also home to 87 tables, a sports book and a poker room.
There's also the Miracle Mile Shops, one Vegas' largest malls, with 140 stores including BCBG Max Azaria, bebe, Urban Outfitters and The Discovery Channel Store.
Following an afternoon of shopping, guests can satisfy their appetites at one of the gourmet restaurants in Planet Hollywood, like the non-traditional approach to steakhouses at Strip House or check out the exotic Far East motif at KOI restaurant and lounge. And if guests are still looking for more, they can spend the after hours at Privé, Triq or Krave nightclubs.
Perhaps one of the resorts biggest attractions came in March with the addition of "Peepshow." The naughty twist on the story of Little Bo Peep is modern-day spin on the run-of-the-mill Vegas topless review. The "Peepshow" stage has seen visiting celebs like Scary Spice Mel B, "Dancing with the Stars" Kelly Monaco and Playboy's Holly Madison.
In the spirit of Venice, The Venetian is a little piece of romantic Italy right here in Las Vegas. The Venetian is an "all-suite" hotel, with rooms accented with plush linens and Italian marble. The 4,027 suites are divided into two towers: The 36-story Venetian Tower that offers guests a taste of luxurious Las Vegas and the Venezia suites, which guarantee 12 floors of high-end elegance. The top five floors are the hotel's highest level of luxury with its private access, concierge lounge, upgraded features and even a dedicated staff.
Entertainment at the Venetian includes shows such as Tim and Faith - Soul2Soul, featuring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and Rock of Ages.
The flagship of Venetian nightlife is TAO, an ultra-hip nightclub located inside of TAO Asian Bistro. V Bar is The Venetian's super smooth ultra lounge, made by the owners of New York City's club Lotus and Los Angeles' super swank Sunset Room.
The Venetian features 19 restaurants including Thomas Keller's award-winning French restaurant Bouchon, Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante, Aquaknox for fresh seafood and the 42,000 square foot TAO Asian Bistro. There's also the food court inside the Canal Shoppes for those looking for a quick bite.
Guests can float along The Grand Canal Shops in an authentic Italian gondola ride and pass stores like Burberry and Kenneth Cole along the way. And if you haven't caught a real celeb, on the street in Vegas, you can head over to Madame Tussauds to check out a wax version.
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