Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Suncoast, Orleans put spin on opening

It is promotion befitting Las Vegas -- and Spider-Man.

Two 60-foot inflatable Spider-Men can now be seen crawling from the Suncoast and Orleans as part of the promotional blitz for the Tobey Maguire flick "Spider-Man 2," which opens in Las Vegas, and nationwide, Wednesday.

There are only three other similarly huge inflatable figures in the country, two in Los Angeles and one in New York.

The figures weigh more than 400 pounds, with an arm span of 31 feet.

The film has received extremely positive early reviews and is expected to be the summer blockbuster.

In anticipation of the expected surge of people interested in seeing the film right away, the Suncoast and Orleans' Century Theaters are offering a special opening at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

All attendees will receive a free small popcorn and medium soft drink.

Keep out

Not only are more legit stage shows opening in Las Vegas, but local productions are starting to adapt the New York practice of not having any reviews of the shows appear before the "official" opening date.

To that end, producers of "We Will Rock You," the Queen musical, and Caesars Entertainment are not inviting any media representatives to the show when it starts previews at Paris Las Vegas on Aug. 16. The press will only be invited to the "official" opening in September.

When "Zumanity" opened in previews last year, it was critically panned. Producers responded that the show was "evolving" and a "work in progress." Then some critics raised the question of why patrons were paying top dollar for a show that wasn't even ready.

Caesars Entertainment spokesman Michael Coldwell said the "Rock You" schedule had nothing to do with "Zumanity."

"It has been traditional in the theater world to have media come opening night, and that is what we are doing here," Coldwell said. "We are putting up a world-class production on par with anything on Broadway, and when the show opens it will be celebrated with a world-class party."

Queen band members Roger Taylor and Brian May, some of their celebrity rock star friends such as Elton John, one-time collaborator David Bowie, "Rock You" co-producer Robert De Niro and many other stars are expected to attend the mid-September opening.

Score

On Wednesday afternoon ESPN Radio 920-AM hosts John Hanson and Dave Cokin will moderate a round-table discussion of sports in Las Vegas with some of the most influential people on the scene today.

Joining them in studio will be Dan Dolby (Las Vegas Gladiators), Josh Fisher (Las Vegas Wranglers), UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick, Las Vegas 51s General Manager Don Logan and Las Vegas Motor Speedway General Manager Chris Powell.

Topics will range from the various challenges that face sports franchises in Las Vegas to the possibility of major league sports coming to town.

VegasBits

Fans: Actress and lingerie designer Jaime Pressly and her close personal friend, new Golden Nugget boss Tom Breitling, were at the Counting Crows show at the Beach at Mandalay Bay on Friday night ...

Milestone: "Mystere," the first Cirque du Soleil production to settle in Las Vegas, celebrated its 5,000th performance at Treasure Island on Sunday night. It opened in 1994. Fireworks, confetti and balloons were released during the finale to mark the event ...

Goal: USA national soccer team star and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones had dinner Sunday at Nobu (Hard Rock Hotel), as did actress Tara Reid ...

Funny: Time magazine columnist Joel Stein is researching a piece about comedy in Las Vegas. He spent nearly an hour the other day talking to Hard Rock Hotel headliner Jeff Beacher ...

Day: Actor Gary Busey turns 60 today. He celebrated early with a small party Sunday night at the Hard Rock. He was at the hotel most of the weekend for a poker tournament ...

Open: Diego, a new Mexican eatery, opens Wednesday at MGM Grand. Spokeswoman Stephanie Davis tells us that the name comes from famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.

"There was some inspiration from the colors in his artwork in the design and feel of the restaurant," she said ...

Night: Footballers Jonathan Ogden and Jerome Bettis and '80s rappers Salt-N-Pepa (real names Cheryl James and Sandi Denton) danced the night away at Rain (Palms) on Friday.

Safe bet: The Discovery Channel (Cox cable channel 25) will be repeatedly showing the first episodes of "American Casino" during a July 4 marathon. It kicks off at 9 a.m. The reality show was taped entirely at the Green Valley Ranch Station Casino ...

From Sun wires

Olsen discusses sister: The "health-related issue" Mary-Kate Olsen is seeking treatment for is something she has struggled with for some time, her twin sister, Ashley, told People magazine.

Both People and Us Weekly have reported that Mary-Kate Olsen has an eating disorder. Her publicist has said only that she entered a treatment facility recently "to seek professional help for a health-related issue."

"She's hanging in there," Ashley Olsen said of her sister, adding family members were very appreciative of the public support they have received since her sister's problem was disclosed.

Clinton sales soar: Former President Bill Clinton's memoirs have sold nearly 1 million copies in less than a week, his publisher said Monday.

Publisher Alfred A. Knopf said 935,000 copies of "My Life" had been sold by the end of Sunday, and the million mark should be reached soon.

Richards to perform: Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones has signed on to perform at two concerts in Los Angeles paying tribute to late country-rock pioneer Gram Parsons next month, organizers said Monday.

Richards will join a lineup including Norah Jones, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams and Dwight Yoakam, among others, for "Return to Sin City: A Tribute to Gram Parsons."

Proceeds will go to benefit the Musicians' Assistance Program, which helps members of the music industry pay for drug and alcohol addiction treatment.

Trump puts his name on World: He has cornered a good chunk of the real estate market in Manhattan. His hit NBC reality show, "The Apprentice," has made Donald Trump a household name.

So what's a smart businessman to do to cash in while the market's hot for all things Trump?

If you're The Donald, you relaunch Trump World, a slick, glossy, bimonthly vanity magazine that he has tested twice with clients in his hotels and condos. Only this time, you redesign and sell it on newsstands to average folks who may aspire to the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

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