Columnist Kate Maddox: Exclusive club no longer a secret

Kate Maddox

Friday, Aug. 11, 2000 | 9:09 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays. Reach her at kmaddox@lasvegassun.com.

With attendance at the formerly hot House of Blues Foundation Room dropping, a fresher "exclusive" members-only club is about to open downtown. The Secret Downtown is shaping up to be the new see-and-be-seen hot spot when it opens its doors in September. And this place sounds like it'll be unlike any other club in town -- a good sign for the undernourished downtown Las Vegas scene.

Open 24 hours, the Secret Downtown will be managed by Vegas' own uber-nightlife king, Michael Fuller -- DJ/promoter and former creative director for Baby's at the Hard Rock. Fuller dropped a few juicy hints about his new club, detailing some of the finishing touches currently being put on the creative designer details.

The 4,000-square-foot underground space will come complete with color-changing mood tables (Prozac not included), custom-designed VIP booths, an anti-gravity waterfall and a state-of-the-art sound system, which will pump electronica into the wee hours.

For daytime and early evening entertainment, Fuller is looking to capitalize on old-school lounge music, bringing in smaller bands and singers specializing in Sinatra and Sammy, as well as turning contemporary classics into lounge-y tunes. Think Michael Jackson's "Beat It" sung at a slower pace by a Dean Martin-esque crooner. Heard those stylings before? Didn't think so, sister.

Of course, not just anyone will be able to enter the Secret Downtown and not even the old standby eyelash-batting at the doorman will do here. Fuller and his crew have equipped the club with a card entry system. Each member will receive a personal card and only by inserting the it into the door will one be allowed inside. (The cards also let the managers know who has arrived and when -- establishing a VIP setup -- and the more you "key in" to the club, the more fringe benefits you receive.)

So what is the price for exclusivity on the party scene these days? Fuller wouldn't nail down the precise membership fee, but look for something in the neighborhood of $500 a year.

Send out the search party: Nevada and Fox are looking for a bachelor. On Wednesday local hopefuls will strut their stuff for the judges at Studio 54 at the MGM Grand. The single men will attempt to win the coveted Nevada slot for "The Sexiest Bachelor in America" competition (or just go ahead and say it -- beauty pageant) when it is taped here on Sept. 12.

The winner of the Fox challenge (which promises to be as scary as "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire?" only without the marrying and the millions) will win more than $100,000 in cash and prizes -- including a new car.

So, single men over 21 who are U.S. residents and have never been married, log on to www.sexiestbachelor.com, fill out an application and take one for the team.

Proving every day that he's really just like you and me, Mayor Oscar Goodman got a traffic ticket.

On Thursday Goodman was pulled over after making an illegal left turn (that regretful moaning noise would be coming from the cop who nailed the mayor -- bravo there, champ). Road rage-less and chipper, the mayor accepted his citation and drove off in his Benz.

Las Vegas may soon be getting it's very own version of "Survivor." Plans are in the works for a major studio to bring a prime-time reality show to town. I can't release specifics just yet, but think desert drama meets "The Fugitive."