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Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com
Tropicana CEO Alex Yemenidjian and Vanna White at the grand opening of Wayne Newton’s Once Before I Go at the Tropicana on Oct. 28, 2009.
Published Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Updated Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 | 7:54 a.m.
Thomas McCartney, shown during his days at the Luxor, where he worked for hotel President Felix Rappaport before moving on to Planet Hollywood in January.
A few items plucked from the note pool:
The McCartney Doctrine
Thomas McCartney said Tuesday that the Tropicana is ideal for a South Beach makeover, which is a fortunate point of view because Tropicana is in fact undergoing a South Beach makeover.
“The swimming pool area is spectacular already, and the landscaping, swim-up features, waterfalls, make it easy to create that South Beach feel,” said McCartney, who this week accepted an offer from longtime friend and Tropicana owner Alex Yemenidjian to become the hotel’s president. The position was unoccupied, officially, as Yemenidjian was enacting most of the duties typically handled by a president. McCartney and Yemenidjian’s relationship dates to 1996, when then MGM Mirage President Yemenidjian brought in McCartney from Atlantic City to open New York-New York.
The extensive renovation to the property will include refurbishing the generously sized rooms with Panama shutters to allow for more natural light. That work starts in January (a new Trop blog updates what’s happening at the hotel, and the renderings of the room look inviting enough). The renovation of the entire property, including the gaming floor and conference center, is scheduled to be finished in the spring. It’s an impressive rally for a property not long ago thought to be the next hotel to be imploded on the Strip.
Cher onstage at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace.
The Cher 100
In the aftermath of Cher’s 100th performance on Tuesday, a quick list of her best costumes in the current version of her stage show at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace: 1) American Indian pantsuit with floor-length headdress. 2) hippie, puffy shirt/jeans. 3) Golden sunburst superhero getup in which she opens the show.
Cher swapped costumes 13 times by my hasty count. How garish are her ensembles? Even Monti Rock III was outdressed.
Wayne Newton during his Once Before I Go grand opening show at the Tropicana on Oct. 28, 2009.
Richard Schlesinger and members of the "CBS Sunday Morning" crew sort it all out at Excalibur.
Area icon focus of TV show
A “CBS Sunday Morning” news crew has been in town this week working on a profile of Wayne Newton, and yesterday morning, I was interviewed for the piece by correspondent Richard Schlesinger. We stood at the pedestrian bridge on the southwest corner of Tropicana and the Strip, at the base of Excalibur, and sorted out the appeal of The Wayner in 2009. The show is to track his career in Las Vegas and to answer The Big Why -- why is he the one who became known as Mr. Las Vegas?
One story I recited, which I’d nearly forgotten, was when Newton was watching Bobby Darin perform at the Flamingo early in Newton’s career. Darin didn’t like the audience’s response or attention span and challenged the entire crowd to a fight after the show. No one stepped forward to accept the challenge.
Schlesinger has spent many hours with Newton, backstage and at Casa de Shenandoah. This segment is expected to air in January.
A pulse at Sand Dollar
It is being reported, and it is to be further reported, that the Sand Dollar Blues Lounge on Polaris and Spring Mountain Road is going to reopen before the end of the year. I took a swing through the parking lot the other night during one of my vaunted illegal U-turns, and the big sign that was put in place three years ago by then-owner Pat McKnight still glows strong, but the parking lot was totally vacant.
We’ll get an update on this chronically star-crossed business, where bikers have long mingled happily with attorneys -- sometimes on the same Harley. But with Tommy Rocker back in form at his cantina and the Sand Dollar purportedly ready to rock again, maybe this crappy year will actually end on a high note. Or at least a loud one.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.
what show hasn't Newton been on?
So Cher was around in 1950? That makes her what a 159 years old.
Hmmm, Cher was only 4 years old when she performed in her Las Vegas debut with Louis Prima....
I bet Cher's mother had no idea she snuck out of the home from El Centro California and somehow made it all the way to Las Vegas to perform at the Sahara in 1950..... and Cher wasn't even in show business until ummm 1962.
...And to perform at such a prestigious hotel at the time, well lets say TWO YEARS BEFORE IT'S TIME....as the Sahara Hotel did not exist until ummm..1952 !
One more footnote, Louis Prima was hired to be the late night lounge act in late 1954.
So vividly being in the audience remembering Cher and Louis Prima in 1950, it's more like you having a VIVID imagination.
Cher has some beautiful costumes regardless of her stage age.
She and Louie may have closed the lounge. However Keli Smith was always booked with Louis.
Bob Mackie must have lots of income just off of the many costumes designed for Cher.
Cher designed her own costumes also.... that was her dream hobby of being a fashion designer too.