Tuesday, May 30, 2006 | 7:21 a.m.
If Donald Trump has made famous the art of the deal, Steve Wynn knows how to deal with art. And the legendary hotel mogul has intriguing plans for his celebrated art collection once his latest prize project, Wynn Macau, opens in the bustling Chinese enclave in September.
Several pieces from Wynn's collection will grace the walls at Wynn Macau when the resort, modeled closely after Wynn Las Vegas, welcomes visitors in the fall, Wynn spokeswoman Denise Randazzo has confirmed.
The pieces will not be part of a Wynn Collection gallery; instead, they will hang as an element of the hotel's decor. It is not certain which paintings in Wynn's collection will make the voyage to Macau, but for Wynn hanging the pieces in the hotel for public view is not a new strategy.
The Wynn Collection gallery at Wynn Las Vegas and adjoining Wynn Gallery Shop closed in March to make way for Wynn & Company Watches (an all-Rolex retailer that opened May 19) and the San Giorgio men's shoes and accessories store (which opened Saturday). Since then, Wynn has placed art in various areas in the hotel - behind the front desk hang Picasso's "Le Reve" and "Still Life with Tulips" (some guests have had to be convinced that the paintings are indeed originals).
Over the past few months Wynn has remained active in pursuing rare art pieces. In April he was reported to be the mystery telephone bidder for J.MW. Turner's vision of Venice, "Guidecca, La Donna Della Salute and San Giorgio," which sold for $35.8 million. Earlier this month he was rumored to be one of the underbidders for Picasso's "Dora Maar au chat," which was flown by Sotheby's to his home in Vegas for a personal once-over. That piece was sold at auction in New York to an unidentified bidder for $95.2 million.
NoteMart
Keeping watch: More on the copper resort: Wynn & Company is the only store in the world to deal exclusively in Rolexes. They run from the basic model, $3,300-$3,500, to $80,000 and higher.
Honor way: Making a quick in-and-out on Mandalay Bay Events Center on Thursday night was the "VH1 Rock Honors" concert featuring Kiss, Queen, Def Leppard and Judas Priest. The first of what promises to be an annual tribute show included performances by all of those acts (and if you took that lineup on tour you would fill football stadiums). Also taking the stage were Foo Fighters, Godsmack, All-American Rejects and an all-star band of ne'er-do-wells Rob Zombie, Slash, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Gilby Clarke of Guns 'N Roses and Ace Frehley of Kiss.
Jaime Pressley hosted the show, which airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on VH1 - it's worth a look if only to see the amount of work that went into staging the event (including a rotating stage, the famous towering KISS sign and multiple pyrotechnic blasts) ...
For foodies: Dream Dinners, a Las Vegas franchise that teaches just about anyone how to create time-saving and healthy culinary delights, opens a second location Thursday at 5447 S. Rainbow Blvd., in the Rainbow Shopping Center. The business caters to those who are particularly busy, sometimes too busy to actually cook at home
Member of the T-Birds: On a light-blue Ford Thunderbird, BIRDBLU.
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