VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Presley (Lisa Marie) a hit in Las Vegas

Wednesday, April 16, 2003 | 10:51 a.m.

VegasBeat appears Sunday through Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Timothy McDarrah can be reached at tim@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-4096.

To Whom It May Concern: Lisa Marie Presley is starting to follow in her famous father's footsteps when it comes to selling records.

"To Whom It May Concern," the title of Presley's first CD, was released last week.

Official sales figures have not yet been released, but an unscientific sampling shows that her disc is more than holding its own against 14 other major simultaneous releases.

At the Virgin Megastore inside the Forum Shops at Caesars, Presley outsold new releases by Lucinda Williams, Ginuwine, Yo-Yo Ma and Lizzie West, among others.

"We are very pleased with the sales performance of Lisa Marie Presley's debut," Dave Adler, senior vice president of product and marketing for the Virgin Entertainment Group, told VegasBeat.

"Overall, it was our second-highest charting new release CD of last week, and her high profile in the media should result in strong sales levels in the weeks to come."

"It is doing very, very well. People are coming in and asking for it," said Tower Records employee Tel Suarez, at its West Sahara Avenue store.

The disc also sold very well in Los Angeles.

"She almost broke 100 here, which is very good for the first day," said Jim Lacey-Baker of the Tower Records on the Sunset Strip.

"Godsmack came into the store on their way to tape Jay Leno and bought 30 copies of their new CD, 'Faceless' (to give out). But Presley still outsold them for the week."

According to elvis.com, it is estimated Elvis has sold more than one billion records worldwide. At the end of 2002, he had 140 different singles and albums certified as gold, platinum or multiplatinum.

Lisa Marie was in Las Vegas over the weekend, again looking at possible venues for a live date.

VegasBeat recently reported that she will perform several live shows to support the record, but no locales have been announced.

Danke

Wayne Newton received the Secretary of the Navy's Public Service Award during his Stardust show Tuesday night.

Newton became Chairman of the USO Celebrity Circle in 2000 when Bob Hope asked him to do it. Hope said there was no one "more talented and more qualified for the job."

Newton does two regular USO tours per year, as well as forays into active war zones.

Rear Admiral Jose Betancourt made the presentation.

Here's ... Money

Ed McMahon has settled a lawsuit over some toxic mold that infested his Beverly Hills home last year and eventually killed his sheepdog, Muffin.

He had filed a $20 million suit last April against American Equity Insurance Co., two insurance adjustors and a host of contractors for botching a broken pipe repair job that spread fungus from to room to room in his 8,000-square-foot, six-bedroom Beverly Hills mansion.

He received a $270,000 check a few days ago.

"I am glad this is finally behind me," McMahon told VegasBeat at The Orleans Tuesday night at an event introducing his Miss BestBet pageant, which takes place today.

Tinseltown

A pair of documentary films produced in conjunction with Henderson's 50th anniversary will premiere today at Green Valley Ranch Station Casino.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is the narrator of "Battle Born: The History of Basic Magnesium, Inc." which focuses on the World War II origins of the original BMI plant, which was the genesis for the city.

The other film, "50 Years of Living the American Dream," is an oral history of the community featuring interviews with Mayor Jim Gibson and many original city residents.

Winning images of a "Henderson is Home" high school photo contest will also be on display at the Green Valley Ranch theaters.

Good Friday

Some bunnies are coming to Las Vegas for Easter -- Playboy bunnies, that is.

Miss February 2003, Irene Velvick, and Miss Special Edition 2000, Kim Foreman, will be at BiKiNiS at The Rio Friday night for an Easter egg hunt.

There'll also be a break dancing bunny "break off" and a $500 cash prize for the female guest wearing the sexiest bunny costume.

Good Saturday

The Magic Star Casino on South Boulder Highway in Henderson is having a fun event Saturday, but for serious reasons.

Casino executives Steve McLaughlin and Paula Gifford are hosting a free barbecue with magic, music, T-shirts and a lot more. They have also invited United Blood Services to take blood donations to support the blood bank for the active military.

"We hope to honor the true heroes not only of our military, but the families that have to struggle so hard during these very difficult times," McLaughlin said.

VegasBits

Table for two: "Beverly Hills 90210" star Brian Austin Greene and actress girlfriend Vanessa Marcil dined twice last week at Simon Kitchen and Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel ...

Social studies: Designer Carolina Herrera will host a fashion show at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas May 31. The event is part of a benefit dinner that Saks Fifth Avenue is tossing for the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Herrera dressed Salma Hayek and Renee Zellweger at this year's Oscars ...

Miner's daughter: Country music goddess Loretta Lynn will perform at Buffalo Bill's Star of the Desert Arena in Primm July 26. Tickets -- priced at $42.50 and $32.50 -- go on sale Saturday ...

Family life: Duchess, one of 10 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins at Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, has given birth to a male calf, which is still unnamed. Banjo, the father, and siblings Squirt, Pablo and Huf N Puf, are seemingly thrilled at the new arrival ...

"Zu" crew: The cast and crew from the new "Zumanity" show from Cirque du Soleil that is coming to New York-New York this year will be introduced at an event Tuesday on the hotel's faux Brooklyn Bridge ...

Higher authority: Simon Kitchen and Bar is offering special dishes in celebration of Passover, which starts tonight. For the next week, Chef Kerry Simon will offer matzoh ball soup; salmon carpaccio on unleavened bread; oven-roasted sea bass with dates, raisins and shaved fennel-radish salad; Chef Josh Thomsen's braised brisket of beef with potato kugel; baked farfel and cheese; flourless chocolate cake and a mixed fruit crisp ...

Today marks the first day in about six weeks that VegasBeat hasn't mentioned Celine Dion. Until now.

From Sun wires

Stanley Grill, 50, spends days planning how to spend billions of dollars to keep New York City's subways and buses rolling.

At night, the New York Transit Authority executive switches gears: He becomes a classical music composer, one whose works have been performed throughout the New York area.

"Nonet," which received its world premiere Sunday at a New York Botanical Garden concert in front of 200, was his answer to the terrorist attacks. He wanted the half-hour composition for nine musicians to become a testament to the human spirit.