Columnist Kate Maddox: Money matters sunk club GM

Kate Maddox

Friday, Aug. 17, 2001 | 4:30 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column also appears Tuesdays and Fridays in the Las Vegas Sun. Reach her at 259-2309 or kmaddox@lasvegassun.com.

The departure of Club C2K General Manager Tye Smith earlier this month had nothing to do with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.

It was reported elsewhere that Spears and her 'N Sync beau made legal waves when they were allowed into C2K's second-floor party area for a private bash. However, the underage duo were authorized to be at the closed event in the upper area during nightclub hours provided they didn't consume alcohol.

So while Smith's timely dismissal had some observers questioning a boy-band backlash, I'm hearing the real reason behind his ouster had more to do with mismanagement of club finances, according to one source who works for the nightspot.

In kinder Club C2K news:

If you weren't lucky enough (or deep-pocketed enough) to snag tickets to Madonna's Las Vegas concerts, you might still be able to get a peek at the Material Mama when she drops by C2K to say what-up to an old friend.

Junior Vasquez, Madonna's favorite DJ/re-mixer, will be spinning at the club on Sept. 1 and fans are anticipating Madonna sightings. Representatives for C2K are keeping mum on details, but a few leakers are openly acknowledging that Madonna will indeed attend Vasquez's gig following her concert that night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Those rumors circulating at Bellagio about Las Vegas locals Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf tying the knot at the property in coming weeks just might be true, considering Agassi's recent comments to London's Daily Telegraph.

Although he didn't talk details, Agassi was quoted as saying that he has asked Graf to marry him and that "Oh, yeah. Definitely. One hundred percent," they will get hitched -- before their baby is born. "I would say that becoming parents definitely puts a time frame on getting married," Agassi said. "In fact, in my mind, it wouldn't be right not to get married." The couple's baby is due in mid-December.

While Ben's away, Matt still plays. With his pal Ben Affleck safely tucked away at a Malibu, Calif., rehab facility, Matt Damon was spotted cruising the Strip early Friday morning in a classic Corvette convertible -- a buxom blonde at the wheel.

More insider news about Venetian's new nighttime venture, Venus. Seems the lounge/tiki bar is to feature a high-class burlesque show in the bar's main area.

"There are two stages set up in here," said Simon Liu, director of operations for ARK Restaurant Corp., the company that will run Venus. "We are going to have a (burlesque) dance revue."

Venus is scheduled to open to the public in mid-September. No word on when the sexy retro show will begin.

I'm not saying we're surprised that people are still interested in the Ted Binion murder case, but the turnout at Sun scribe Jeff German's book signings has been impressive -- confirming (to a scary extent) just how many celebrity murder junkies are still out there.

At last week's signing at Binion's Horseshoe, German ran out of copies of his new book "Murder in Sin City: The Death of a Las Vegas Casino Boss" to sell and sign. In anticipation of another mass gathering of Binion devotees, 900 more books have already been ordered for German's next appearance, set for Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Horseshoe.