VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Many VIPs asked to pony up the cash

Monday, March 10, 2003 | 9:34 a.m.

Maybe the economy really is heading into the tank.

On our regular weekend travels, VegasBeat checked out three invitation-only soirees, each full of celebrities, local dignitaries, casino personalities and media.

For the first time in our memory, each private event had a cash bar.

Now, George Clooney didn't pay for his drinks at the Whiskey Bar anniversary party on Friday night. Nor did Slash and his Guns 'N Roses colleagues after playing a surprise 2:30 a.m. set. But virtually everyone else at the party did.

At the ibiza USA grand opening party on Saturday night, if you wanted a beverage with a brand name you recognized, the cost was 50 percent off the regular posted prices.

Finally, the Saturday night silent auction and cocktail hour before the Women of Distinction Awards dinner at the Rampart Casino/JW Marriott in Summerlin featured $6 glasses of wine. Usually, patrons are plied with free liquor at such events to drive up bidding prices.

Jaclyn, meet Fabio

Fabio has been signed by retail giant Wal-Mart to front a line of "women's romantic clothing," VegasBeat has learned.

The romance-novel cover hunk (real name: Fabio Lanzoni; he turns 42 on Saturday) will come up with concepts for the bodice-ripping clothes. The Bill Blass company will actually manufacture the duds.

The news was to be kept under Fabio's flowing golden mane until the first designes were to be showcased at an upcoming event in New York. But we couldn't wait to tell you.

Wal-Marts in Las Vegas and elsewhere should have the first items in stock this fall.

The move is seen as a try to lure some of the lucrative celebrity label biz that Martha Stewart, Kathy Ireland and Jaclyn Smith generate at other discount retailers.

Rock Hard

Plenty of life still in the old six-string that is the Hard Rock Hotel.

President Kevin Kelly told VegasBeat that he has made plans to see, and then hopefully sign, rapper 50 Cent for a summer performance at The Joint.

Mr. Cent is currently one of the nation's hottest acts. His debut disc "Get Rich or Die Trying" was released Feb. 6 and sold a record 872,000 copies in its first week.

Also, the hotel is about to sign Norah Jones for a summer gig. She is coming off a five-Grammy night.

Runnin' scared

Cristyne L. Nicholas, president of NYC & Company, New York City's tourism board, knows where her competition is for the tourist dollar.

Speaking to the national media about the musicians strike that shuttered most of Broadway over the weekend, she urged a compromise and a quick end to the job action.

"A strike is a negative that New York cannot afford right now, especially when you see people heading off to places like Vegas," she told The New York Times.

The Times was full of Vegas on Sunday.

The Travel section ran a full-page story about gardens at the big hotels and the Styles section had a long story and five photos on the emerging hipster club scene, highlighting Tabu, Caramel, V Bar, Mist, ghostbar and the Foundation Room.

Support group

Chamber of Commerce President Kara Kelley had quite a rooting section at the aforementioned Women of Distinction Awards on Saturday.

Her father, Don Kelley, came in from Los Angeles with stepmother Patty Kelley and brother Brian Kelley. Also on hand was her mother, Penny Kelley, her aunt and uncle, Kim and Michael Sampsell, boyfriend Paul Larsen and Donna Lyons and Catherine Levy from the Chamber office.

Kelley was up for a Glass Ceiling Award, which went to Wells Fargo executive Doris Charles.

Lots of prominent folks cheered all the achieving women on, including Henderson Assemblyman Josh Griffin, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Orgill/Singer insurance power David Dahan, Scott Frost of the Technology Business Alliance, Ann T. Lynch from Sunrise Hospital and noted glass artist Leslie Rankin.

VegasBits

Caesars Palace has confirmed what VegasBeat first reported on Feb. 24 -- that Jerry Seinfeld will play The Colosseum. Caesars is looking to book big acts there when resident headliner Celine Dion is off. Tickets go on sale Friday for Seinfeld's May 2 and May 3 shows ...

Robin Leach returns to Las Vegas late today. He'll talk about his experiences on "I'm a Celebrity -- Get Me Out of Here" on his regular Tuesday morning segment on Fox's KVUU Channel 5 morning show and then later on Ira David Sternberg's noon KDWN 720 AM radio talker ... Illusionist David Copperfield walked across the casino floor after performing at MGM's Hollywood Theatre on Thursday night and caught a performance of "La Femme" ...

Sissi -- the co-host of "Sabado Gigante," one of the Latin world's most popular and longest-running shows -- is planning to shoot her 2004 calendar in Las Vegas ...

The Fear Factor episode that was recently taped in Las Vegas airs tonight at 8 p.m. on KVBC Channel 3 ...

Palms owner George Maloof was quoted in Sunday's Parade magazine explaining that the long beds at his hotel were made to accommodate visiting NBA players. The Maloof family owns the Sacramento Kings, among other things ...

In the "Even-Celebrities-Have-To-Eat" department: Stevie Wonder was part of a birthday party of eight at Aqua on Tuesday night ... The day before Steve and Elaine Wynn were there ... The day before that newlywed Anthony Hopkins and his antiques-dealer bride Stella Arroyave dined with friends ... Nicolas Cage at N9NE Friday night ... Carlos Santana at Piero's ... Wayne Newton last week at Prime ... Designer Shoshanna Lonstein (Jerry Seinfeld's former girlfriend) at Simon Kitchen and Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel at her bachlorette party Friday night, one table away from Ed McMahon, who was celebrating his 80th birthday with "X" producers Bobby Boling and Angela Sampras.

From Sun wires

Prosecutors in Los Angeles plan to wrap up their preliminary hearing case against Robert Blake this week, seeking to convince a judge that there is sufficient evidence to try the actor for the murder of his wife.

A police detective who has already spent two days on the witness stand was expected to conclude his testimony today.