John Katsilometes gives his theory on why Trump International was such a hot spot for executive-looking types this week on the Strip

Friday, July 7, 2006 | 7:24 a.m.

That was quite a 5th of July celebration at the site of Trump International on the Strip this week. Camera crews and assorted technical types were spotted milling around the location of the 64-story, 1,283-unit luxury apartment-casino project on Wednesday afternoon.

Inside the sales center, Donald Trump's partner in the project, Phil Ruffin, and associate Jack Wishna were videotaped while hobnobbing with several well-attired folks who were dressed like potential executives - or would-be Trump apprentices.

Hence, we sense that Trump has something in the works to promote his Vegas project on "The Apprentice," which premieres its sixth installment on NBC in January. Trump has been considering various methods to trumpet sales of his new Tower II project, and allowing film crews and "Apprentice" contestants to tour the site for an episode taping (one-hour special, anyone?) would be ideal.

Trump's Tower I was featured on an episode of "The Apprentice" in December 2004, and the sales office sold 800 units the next day - and that was after just a passing mention.

For Wednesday's event, Trump's private jet reportedly flew the crews to Vegas, and everyone on hand was granted access to the construction site and sales office.

On Thursday, Wishna confirmed that Trump's jet was in Vegas and there were camera crews and young executive types at the project, but would not provide further details. Trump's preliminary plans for the series are for the winner of the sixth season of "The Apprentice" to work at the Trump International, which is scheduled to open with a party on the site on New Year's Eve 2007.

NoteMart

Give-and-take with Goodman: Able-bodied showgirl escort and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is featured in the Vegas-ized August edition of FHM magazine. Goodman submitted to a question-and-answer session titled "Meet Mr. Mayor!" which is accompanied by a photo of Goodman, an Elvis impressionist and a showgirl posing under the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. A sampling of the interview:

Question: The official city of Las Vegas is actually limited to the area around downtown. What's up with you not being able to boss people around on the Strip?

Goodman: That's incorrect. I'm technically in charge of a city of about 600,000, but all 1.8 million people in the valley here think I'm their mayor. I do nothing to dissuade them. When I pick up the phone I just say, "It's the mayor." ...

I do, I do, I do, I do: Life imitates art in the tireless (1,400 in attendance for a performance last week) hit show "Mamma Mia!" at Mandalay Bay. A member of the ensemble, Don Burroughs, is married to lead actress Carol Linnea Johnson, who plays Donna Sheridan. Burroughs sometimes understudies as Father Alexandrios and marries Carol/Donna to Rick Negron, who plays Sam Carmichael. But on Sunday, Burroughs understudied for the vacationing Negron and, yes, married his own wife onstage. He was said to play the scene "convincingly" ...

Bull riders: Rio headliners Penn & Teller have been nominated for three Emmy awards for their Showtime series, "Bull ----," it was announced Thursday. The show was nominated for Outstanding Reality Program, Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming. In a statement, Teller, the silent half (onstage, anyway) of the comedy-magic team, said, "On one of our 'Bull----' shows we said all awards were bull----. OK, so sometimes we're wrong. If I get an Emmy with the title of our show inscribed on it, I will laugh and sing. I'm already chortling and humming at the nomination." ...

Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?: The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, which holds its annual conference this weekend at the Venetian, has signed noted author, lawyer, humorist and actor Ben Stein as its keynote speaker. What's the connection? As Stein says in a news release, "Fraud is a betrayal of the social contract. It's illegal. It dissolves the glue that holds the society together." ...

Tail of love: The founder of DogCat-Radio.com, a pet-oriented podcast that draws 6.5 million listeners weekly, is getting married in Las Vegas in August. And Adrian Martinez's best man is his pet pooch of 15 years, a black Labrador named Panza. Says Martinez's fiancee, Jane Harris, "He's such a nut case." ...

Live from the sports book: An exchange overheard Thursday at the sports book bar at Wynn Las Vegas:

Bartender: "How's it going today?"

Woman: "So far, so good - until I light this cigarette."

Bartender: "Why do you say that?"

Woman: "I don't smoke."

Make it a double, tar-bender: An orange VW Beetle tools along with the vanity plate FZYNAVL.