VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Smoke-free casinos a bad match for LV

Wednesday, April 2, 2003 | 10:27 a.m.

No smoking.

Those are words that can strike fear into the heart of a smoker -- and casino executives who feel that puffing away in front of a craps table or a slot machine is a Las Vegas tradition not to be tampered with.

A strict new anti-smoking ordinance went into effect in New York City over the weekend, and Nevada gaming officials are closely monitoring the fallout.

After an equally strict California law went into effect three years ago, the tobacco lobby started making campaign contributions to Nevada pols.

"I think Carson City is more focused on the state finances right now, but the smoking issue is certainly looming in the background," MGM MIRAGE spokesman Alan Feldman told VegasBeat.

He then made MGM MIRAGE's position perfectly clear: "We should remember that a lot of people come to Las Vegas to be free of the kind of laws and restrictions that exist on personal behavior that are on the books in many other places."

An executive connected to a large Strip property set to open in 2005 who asked for anonymity echoed Feldman's words.

" 'No smoking' guest rooms are one thing we are happy to provide. But an entire 'no smoking' casino floor is something that any property would fight. People smoke to calm the nervous tension generated by betting -- and we need people betting."

No promoter

VegasBeat read with great interest the comments from Greg Bortolin, spokesman for Gov. Kenny Guinn, about Guinn and his wife Dema attending Celine's opening-night performance last week.

In her Sunday column, Sun political reporter Erin Neff detailed how several state pols had personally paid for their pricey Celine ducats -- but not Guinn.

Said Bortolin: "He doesn't pay as governor because he represents the people of Nevada at events like this."

Fair enough. But Bortolin's next comment did not ring true at all.

"The governor was at an event that was covered by The New York Times and on network television at a time when our tourism industry desperately needs a boost," Bortolin said.

So then why didn't Guinn bother to stand still for photographers or take any questions from the assembled media?

He ignored the local media when his name was called out. The state's first couple also ignored the reporter from the Times, as well as Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, hordes of Canadian media and photogs from the Associated Press, Reuters and People magazine.

Guinn didn't even stop to talk to the very recognizable Robin Leach, who was reporting for Fox stations around the country.

Some boost to the tourism industry.

Rock rides

Kid Rock is expected to be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday and Saturday.

His image is painted on the car that Doug Kalitta is driving in the NHRA summitracing.com Nationals event.

Moments after word about that got out, rumors started that this would be the weekend Rock and Pamela Anderson finally tie the knot in Las Vegas. She is also expected at the racetrack.

Make love, not war

Celine is taking a stand. She is part of a cadre of entertainers contributing material to a new album, "Peace Songs," that will benefit a Canadian charity for children who are victims of war.

Others on the disc, which is set for release April 15 (a somewhat different version will be released in the United Kingdom April 22), include Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Bryan Adams, Moby and Michelle Branch.

Among the cuts will be an Avril Lavigne cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door;" George Michael doing Don McLean's "The Grave;" and a version of Jimmy Cliff's "Vietnam" recorded by New Order.

It hasn't been determined which song Celine will sing on the album. Proceeds go to War Child Canada.

Suite stuff

Britney Spears: Evicted!

There was severe pop culture gridlock at the Palms Tuesday night. Seems Spears had booked, and was staying in, the 28th floor "Real World" suite -- but there was also a private "Real World Las Vegas" cast party scheduled to take place in the posh digs to mark the MTV show's season finale.

"Britney moved up to the penthouse. It was no big deal," Palms owner George Maloof told VegasBeat. "She loves MTV, she loves 'Real World' and she loves our hotel."

Cast members Irulan, Frank, Steven, Brynn, Arissa and Alton seemed happy to be back in their old haunt. (Trishelle was in Amsterdam and didn't attend.)

Pairs of cast members periodically went from the suite to a public event at the Palapa Lounge to meet and greet about 500 fans who came to see the show's last episode.

VegasBits

Another week, another red carpet event. On Friday the Palms rolls it out for the premiere of "Lucky," a new FX series starring John Corbett. He leads a large delegation of FX and Fox stars to the gala 10 p.m. showing inside the movie theater there. The after-party is at Little Buddha ...

Fascinating story in the April Vanity Fair about the 1937 rape of Patricia Douglas at a Hollywood party by an MGM salesman, and the subsequent MGM cover-up. After a 65-year silence, Douglas, who now lives in Las Vegas, tells all ...

The Riviera is issuing a Steve Schirripa chip next month. The actor, who plays Bobby Bacala on "The Sopranos," was the hotel's entertainment director before his acting career exploded ...

Alice Garibay, a California grandmother, hit for $916,309.43 on a "Wheel of Fortune" machine at the Sahara at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday ...

Convention of the month: The Atlantic City Sexposition arrives at the Tropicana April 27 ...

Oops! KLAS Channel 8 says it gave out some wrong information, which we used Tuesday. The station now says that returning news anchor Dave Courvoisier will anchor the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with Paula Francis. Gary Waddell keeps his 6 p.m. slot with Francis and he will also anchor the noon and 4 p.m. broadcasts. Courvoisier joins the station June 30.

From Sun wires

"Alias" star Jennifer Garner and her husband, actor Scott Foley, are splitting.

Garner and Foley "have mutually decided to separate," according to a statement Tuesday from their publicist.

The couple, both 30, met in 1998 on the set of "Felicity," the WB drama in which Foley co-starred. They married in 2000.

Show business: The corporate jungle will be the setting for a new reality TV series from "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett that features business tycoon Donald Trump.

In "The Apprentice," about 20 people will compete in New York for a job with Trump and his company. The winner will receive a six-figure salary, NBC said Tuesday.

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