“BRETT’S VEGAS VIEW”
DATE: Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015
BY: Jackie Brett
VEGAS COLUMN
‘JUBILEE!’ AT BALLY’S WILL CLOSE FEB. 11 AFTER 34-YEAR RUN
Maybe it was bound to happen but it’s sad to know the longest-running show on the Las Vegas Strip “Jubilee!” is closing on Feb. 11, 2016. Ironically the show’s co-creator and associate producer, Fluff LeCoque, died recently at age 92 before knowing the 34-year-old show was closing. “Jubilee!” is a real slice of Las Vegas’ entertainment history being the last classic revue with topless showgirls covered in feathers and rhinestones, a cast of nearly 70 singers, dancers and specialty acts, glitz, glamour, and costumes galore maintained by a wardrobe department with 26 people.
In honor of Jubilee’s legacy, tickets to performances from Saturday, Jan. 2 through Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, (excluding Saturdays) will be available starting at $34.
With the show closing, it will also mean the end of the wonderful public Jubilee! Backstage Tours that run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $19.75 or $14.75 with a “Jubilee!” show ticket. This tour is highly recommended.
ARIA’S CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION MEANS ‘ZARKANA’ CLOSES
ARIA announced a major expansion of its award-winning LEED Gold-certified convention center. The $154-million project will deliver an additional 200,000 square feet of technologically advanced, flexible meeting space across four stories, highlighted by indoor/open-air spaces and a glass-enclosed venue with views of The Park and new Las Vegas Arena. When completed, the expansion will feature more than 500,000 square feet of meeting space. Construction will begin in May 2016 with anticipated completion in February 2018.
The new convention space will take the place of the space currently occupied by Cirque du Soleil’s production of “Zarkana,” which will close April 30, 2016. Originally the theater opened with Cirque’s “Viva Elvis” show that closed in 2012. There are no plans to build another live-entertainment venue on the property because there are other neighboring options including the new 5,000-seat Monte Carlo Theater and Las Vegas Arena currently under construction.
MINUS5 ICE BAR WILL DEBUT NEW LOOK AT MANDALAY PLACE LOCATION
Minus5 Ice Bar, the company that launched America’s first ice bar seven years ago, will reveal a newly renovated venue at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place with 100 percent new material and a frosty wonderland that is double its original size. In early 2016, the revamped location will feature more than 120 tons of fresh Canadian ice and a 1,300-square-foot ice bar, making it the largest permanent ice bar in the world. The museum-quality carvings will feature an eclectic mix of replica-inspired sculptures such as the Las Vegas Skyline and the Iron Throne from HBO’s Game of Thrones.
The adjacent Ice Lounge will also offer a new look in a larger 3,000-square-foot space seating up to 500 guests with a 20-seat bar and two private rooms that accommodate up to 80 guests each.
HONG KONG CAFÉ IS NOW OPEN AT THE PALAZZO
Located on the casino floor at The Palazzo®, the Hong Kong Café is now open featuring a dynamic fusion of Asian cuisine and Western fare and serving lunch, dinner and late night dishes from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The 4,200-square-foot restaurant seats155 guests and features an extensive selection of wine and beer, plus signature sake cocktails.
The intimate space with an abstract design strays from customary colors associated with Asian dining and instead highlights joyful colors with references to nature. Upon entering there is a brass display in the form of a bird cage and bamboo flooring that is fashioned to resemble chopsticks. The space is adorned with colorful banquettes stitched together to create a “kimono” effect.
Chef To, who is also executive chef at the resort’s exclusive Paiza Club, has 35 years of experience cooking Asian cuisine. Originally from Hong Kong, he specializes in Cantonese and Szechuan styles and is considered a dim sum master.
SPEEDVEGAS TRACK SET TO OPEN MARCH 2016
SPEEDVEGAS, the new 100-acre motorsports complex under construction since September, will open the 1.5-mile supercar track next March. By May 2016, the entire $30 million motorsports complex including a multilevel welcome center, event center with a capacity of up to 1,000 guests, café and much more will be complete.
JOHN FOGERTY WILL PERFORM EIGHT SHOWS AT THE VENETIAN
Legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist John Fogerty will launch his eight-show residency, “Fortunate Son in Concert,” at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian, Jan. 8–23, 2016. The intimate show will celebrate the music and culture of the 1960s, with a special focus on the year 1969. Paired with exclusive footage and personal stories, fans will enjoy performances of iconic Creedence Clearwater Revival classics as well as Fogerty’s solo hits. Tickets start at $59.50.
Fogerty will arrive in style on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 10 a.m. at Doge’s Palace Bridge at the entrance to The Venetian. He will be escorted by a parade of 50 thunderous motorcycles.
STK AT COSMOPOLITAN WILL LAUNCH SUNDAY BRUNCH CLUB IN JANUARY
STK inside The Cosmopolitan will debut its Sunday Brunch Club on Sunday, Jan. 10. The social brunch will blend music, fine food and cocktails, fashion and fun with a sexy sophistication every Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. It will feature a strolling coffee cart, mimosa bottle service and Chef Stephen Hopcraft’s-inspired, modern cuisine with traditional brunch items re-envisioned and represented in his creative way. Taking a cinematic theme, the menu is divided into three sections: Previews, Featured Presentations and Encores. Guests will be able to capture memories at the photo booth with props and flat screen HDTVs displayed around the room will show the big games.
NEIMAN MARCUS HOLIDAY DISPLAY IS CONFECTION DELIGHT
The Sugar and Spice & Everything Nice custom-made edible holiday display at Neiman Marcus at the Fashion Show mall is on exhibit through Christmas. It was created by Las Vegas chefs, Robert Teddy and Travis Martinez who are both current competitors on Food Network’s “Cake Wars.”
The display is a scene featuring two figures measuring more than four-feet tall - Jack and Jewel Frost - adorned with sugar cookie jewelry, including a specially designed tiara for Jewel Frost.
LIMITED ENGAGEMENT OF ‘HAPPY 50ISH!’ PLAYING AT THE D
A special limited engagement of the Off-Broadway mid-life crisis musical comedy, “Happy 50ish!,” is playing in the Showroom at the D Las Vegas through Dec. 23. The show debuted July 15, 2015. The two-man performance revolves around one character’s surprise birthday party as he turns the big 5-0. Reading his birthday cards aloud, Bob Shore learns that turning 50 magnifies the unintended and hilarious realities of middle age. Tickets are $29.95 and $39.95.
JERRY SEINFELD HEADLINES COLOSSEUM AT CAESARS PALACE
Jerry Seinfeld is best known for his role on NBC’s “Seinfeld,” the most popular and successful sitcom on American television. He has headlined at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace since December 2003 and will appear there again Dec. 26 and 27. Tickets range from $82.50 to $165.
Seinfeld’s Internet show “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” that he launched in 2012 has more than 100 million streaming views. His book “Seinlanguage” was released in 1993 and went on to become a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. He has won critical acclaim for such diverse projects as “Bee Movie,” touring stand-up comedy performances, and guest-starring with longtime collaborator Larry David in the hit HBO TV show “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Seinfeld continues to reign among the nation’s most popular comedy stars.
‘LEGENDS IN CONCERT’ ANNOUNCES NEW TRIBUTE ARTISTS FOR 2016
The stars of Las Vegas’ longest-running live tribute show “Legends in Concert” at the Flamingo will change again beginning Saturday, Feb. 13. The stellar opening lineup will include the debut of tributes to Adele and Prince, and the return of the always popular Blues Brothers, along with Frank Sinatra.
“Legends in Concert” will be welcoming J.C. Brando its first ever Adele tribute artist. Brando will be performing the superstar’s chart-toppers including “Rolling in the Deep,” “Skyfall,” and the recent smash hit, “Hello.” Fans will also be able to “Shake Your Tail Feather” with Eric Martin and Carmen Romano paying tribute to the Blues Brothers.
Frank Moore will play the multi-talented legend Prince. Brian Duprey will make his return as Rat Pack legend Frank Sinatra. In honor of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ return, audience members will still “Be the Producer,” with Legends’ new interactive feature that allows the choosing of Duprey’s closing song via mobile devices.
MOB MUSEUM RECOGNIZED ITS ONE-MILLIONTH VISITOR
The Mob Museum downtown had its one-millionth visitor this month and celebrated the occasion with champagne, balloons, a confetti launch and showgirls. A surprised Bill Tveitnes of Las Vegas also received a complimentary lifetime membership, a key to the museum presented by Executive Director Jonathan Ullman, and a proclamation by former Mayor Oscar B. Goodman.
GRAND BAZAAR SHOPS HOLDS FESTIVUS CELEBRATION
Bally’s outdoor shopping attraction Grand Bazaar Shops™ will celebrate Festivus, a holiday steeped in tradition since the focus of the 1997 episode “The Strike” on the sitcom “Seinfeld,” with an afternoon of activities on Wednesday, Dec. 23 from noon to 4 p.m. in the center’s Grand Allée. There will be a Festivus pole and the tradition of “feats of strength.” Guests will be challenged to lift a 100-pound dumbbell high above their head showing how strong they are and complimentary photos will be taken of participant’s completing the challenge. Guests who participate in the Festivus feat of strength will receive free Starbucks drink samples and Grand Bazaar Shops coupon books.
MORE HOLIDAY THEMED EVENTS
South Point will hold “Christmas with the Clydesdales” on Wednesday, Dec. 23 from 2-8 p.m. in the Priefert Pavilion. This will be an opportunity to have a photo taken with the famous Budweiser Clydesdales and there will be beverages, holiday music performed by Wes Winters and Santa.
The Fremont Street Experience will ring in 2016 with TributePalooza, a four-day Dec. 30-Jan. 2 music extravaganza featuring shows by 13 of the greatest tribute bands on three stages and a fireworks show on Dec. 31.
“Piff’s Piffmas Piff-Tacular” show starring Piff the Magic Dragon from “America’s Got Talent” will run Dec. 21-30 at 8 p.m. inside the Bugsy’s Cabaret at the Flamingo. His show will include a sleigh of new tricks and a special guest appearance from Mr. Piffles the Red Nose Chihuahua. Each show will culminate with the auction of Piff’s Magic Muffin, with sales directly benefiting the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) and their dog shelter program.
The Downtown Summerlin Holiday Parade is continuing nightly at 7 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Dec. 24. The 20-minute event is a spectacle of floats, toy soldiers, snowflake princesses and princes, nutcrackers, dancers, drummers and festive music running along Park Center Drive. Mingling with the crowd are penguins, polar bears and reindeer.
The LINQ Promenade will hold a New Year’s Eve party pub crawl from 8-11 p.m. Tickets are $75 and include 10 drinks from the following locations: Flour & Barley, ameriCAN, Tilted Kilt, TAG, O’Sheas and 3535. Tickets can be purchased at The LINQ Promenade Box Office. Visitors can also enjoy free live entertainment from Karma on The LINQ Promenade fountain stage from 8-11 p.m. Stilt walkers will be among the crowd.
Tacos & Tequila (T&T) at the Luxor is partnering with “FANTASY,” the hotel’s adult revue, to welcome 2016 with an east coast countdown and special dinner and show package offered exclusively on Thursday, Dec. 31.
La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway at Wynn will extend the days of its $48 butler-style brunch offered in celebration of New Year’s Eve weekend to Jan. 1-3 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
MGM Grand has a one-time $8,000 VIP package offer that includes private limousine service from the airport, a two-night stay at SKYLOFTS with 24-hour butler service, two tickets to Michael Bublé’s New Year’s Eve concert, dinner both days and unprecedented access to The Mansion.
More than 125 volunteers will serve approximately 1,500 free meals to the homeless on Christmas Day from 10 to 11 a.m. at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, which they’ve done since 1965.
MÖTLEY CRÜE WILL VISIT MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA
Rock icon Mötley Crüe will perform its final Las Vegas show on Sunday, Dec. 27 during a stop on its “All Bad Things Must Come to an End” farewell tour on Sunday, Dec. 27. Formed more than 30 years ago, the Los Angeles rockers have earned worldwide album sales exceeding 80 million, seven platinum and multi-platinum albums, 22 Top 40 rock hits, six Top 20 pop singles, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and three GRAMMY nominations. In addition to countless sold out tours across the globe, Mötley Crüe was the first rock band in history to have completed an epic sold-out Las Vegas residency at The Joint inside the Hard Rock. Tickets are $145 - $300.
IRANIAN SUPERSTARS APPEAR AT CAESARS PALACE CHRISTMAS DAY
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace will host three Iranian superstars on Christmas Day at 9 p.m. featuring Siavash Ghomayshi, an Iranian musician, singer and songwriter with millions of fans around the world; Michael, the man of many voices and the only Iranian singer and impersonator; and Aref, known as the King of Hearts who has been capturing Persian Music lovers’ hearts since the early 60s. Tickets range in price from $71 to $218, not including fees.
DIVERSE CLIPPINGS
Due to popular demand, the current Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art exhibit, “Picasso: Creatures and Creativity,” will extend past its original end date and run through Feb. 14, 2016. “Art & Wine: A Perfect Paring,” an event that pairs wines from Bellagio’s cellar with artwork featured in the gallery’s exhibit also will extend with two additional dates on Jan. 13 and Feb. 10 from 5-7 p.m.
Frank Sinatra fans flocked to The Golden Steer Steakhouse on Saturday, Dec. 12 to pay homage to what would have been the Chairman of the Board’s 100th birthday. The Golden Steer Steakhouse, Las Vegas’ longest-running steakhouse, remains one of the very few places where he dined in the city. The restaurant’s three-course menu that was created on what Sinatra ordered as a Golden Steer regular is being continued until Dec. 31, 2015. Price is $100.
Miss Nevada USA Emmy Adams and Miss Nevada Teen USA Carissa Morrow were on hand for the opening of Magical Memories featuring Disney Fine Art’s newest gallery at Town Square. The shop features both limited edition and original artwork from notable Disney artists. Additionally, the gallery features a selection of Disney animation art and Disney themed toys and collectibles both vintage and new.
Entertainer Susan Anton who is touring with her show “Already Home” will make her debut performance at the Cabaret Jazz club at the Smith Center on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. Her show features a thought-provoking selection of diverse material that celebrates relationships and world events that have shaped our lives. Tickets start at $35.
Comedian Dat Phan known as the original winner of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” in 2003 will headline the South Point Showroom on Saturday, Dec. 26. Tickets start at $15.
Bingo created in December 1929 is celebrating its 86th birthday this month. Arizona Charlie’s Casinos at Boulder and Decatur locations offer 24-hour Bingo. For New Year’s Eve and day, they will be offering three $1,000 coverall prizes at the 7, 9 and 11 p.m. sessions on Dec. 31 and 1 a.m. session on Jan. 1.
Bistro 57 and MRKT Sea & Land at Aliante now offer “Bistro Bites” and “MRKT Bar Bites” from $4 to $12 during happy hour at 5 p.m. daily.
LIFE TIME ATHLETIC OUTLETS HOLD ANNUAL COMMITMENT DAY FESTIVAL
Life Time Athletic Summerlin and Life Time Athletic Green Valley will hold the 4th annual Commitment Day Festival from Friday, Jan. 1 through Sunday, Jan. 3. Both local Life Time destinations will be open to the general public during Commitment Day to promote a healthy way of life with classes, events, services and amenities. Some highlights include a 5K Fun Run and Walk on Jan. 1, the C9 Challenge on Jan. 2, and an Indoor Triathlon Hour powered by IRONMAN on Jan. 3.
