John Katsilometes feels the power of the tower as the Stratosphere preps for a 26,000-square-foot club that spans four decades

Monday, Jan. 8, 2007 | 7:24 a.m.

Abutting the sports book at the Stratosphere is a vast expanse hidden by a giant plywood sign plashed with violet paint. Its message: "Coming Soon, Poly Esthers. Pick A Decade And Bust A Move." A couple of to-be-assembled booths sit at the foot of the sign, giving a glimpse of what's to come.

Set to begin operation next month with a "soft" opening, Poly Esther's is the Stratosphere's ambitious project designed to keep pace with similarly thematic (and massive) resort nightclubs on and off the Strip. The club is to cover 26,000 square feet and encompass multiple themes, drawing from the '70s, '80s, '90s and today. Expect lots of strobes, retro designs and period music set at high volume.

Initial reports had Bob Watman, a principal in the club's chain, moving to Las Vegas to oversee the project and have it open by the end of 2006. The middle of February is more like it, but the club seems worth the wait.

Established in 1981, Poly Esthers today operates in such nightlife havens as Austin, Texas; Denver; New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Texas; and Washington, D.C. In 2005 its New York outpost was named one of the top 100 nightclubs in the country by the national trade publication Nightclub & Bar Magazine. But that designation is not necessarily a harbinger of success - included on the 2005 list were Ice Las Vegas and the Beach, popular local clubs that have since been shuttered.

NoteMart

Since we've noted the Nightclub & Bar list, the magazine has released its top 100 nightclubs for 2007 (to avoid actually having to rank these clubs, they are listed alphabetically). A total of 13 Las Vegas clubs - that's 13 percent, by my math - made the list. Those from Vegas making the cut are Body English at the Hard Rock Hotel, Cherry at Red Rock Resort, Ghostbar at the Palms, Jet at the Mirage, Kahunaville and Tangerine at Treasure Island, the Playboy Club at the Palms, Pure at Caesars Palace, Rumjungle at Mandalay Bay, Studio 54 and Tabu at MGM Grand, Tao at the Venetian, and Tryst at Wynn Las Vegas. Representatives from all 100 clubs will be honored at a party (what else?) hosted by Nightclub & Bar Magazine during the Nightclub & Bar Convention & Trade Show (aka "The Show"), scheduled for March 4-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center ...

Veteran Elvis impressionist Dennis Wise filled the Railhead at Boulder Station on Saturday night for a freewheeling tribute to the King, who would have been 72 today (I misfired on his birthdate last week when I noted today would be his 71st and I apologize to all Elvis fans in the free world). Wise ended the show by passing out dozens of scarves to fans who swooned as if being in the presence of Presley himself.

Wise and his dance band, Deja Vu, begin an unlimited engagement Tuesday at Red Rock's Rocks Lounge. The band will perform all sorts of classic rock 'n' roll (not just Elvis) hits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays ...

Speaking of lounges in Summerlin, crack tribute outfit Yellow Brick Road is finished at the Suncoast. The contract between the band and the hotel expired in December (YBR frontman Brody Dolyniuk fell ill and could not make the final performance, scheduled for Dec. 26). The band still performs at 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at the Railhead. In an e-mail blast to YBR fans, Dolyniuk reported that the Suncoast would "try something different in 2007 (rumor has it that the new band (s) will be performing a variety of Top 40 hits such as "Livin' La Vida Loca," "The Girl from Ipanema" and that "Smooth" song from Santana! We can neither confirm nor deny such rumors)." Among the rotating groups of bands filling the new Suncoast Showroom schedule is lounge workhorse Jonathan & Music Magic. ...

Vegas lawyers Glen Lerner, Jan Paul Koch and Adam Kutner are about to have some company in the already crowded world of distinctive commercials for local attorneys. Joining the fray is noted sports handicapper, author, political aspirant and cable TV and syndicated radio chatterbox Wayne Allyn Root.

Root, who has talked of one day running for Senate or for mayor of Las Vegas (and has even mused about a campaign for president on the Libertarian Party ticket), is the new TV spokesman for Lawyers' Group of Nevada, Inc. The ads will run throughout Nevada and Phoenix in the first quarter of this year. ...

Quickie Vegas-related sighting in the film "Dreamgirls" (which I did not enjoy nearly as much as I hoped to) is former "Hairspray" lead Eddie Mekka, who has a quick turn as a club manager. He's on screen for about 10 seconds ...

Last week I used the term "strange" to describe spotting Luxor President Felix Rappaport and extreme illusionist Criss Angel at the Ultimate Fighting Championship at MGM Grand Garden Arena. I meant strange as in visually - they looked a bit odd together, attire-wise. But it is not strange to see them together given their professional and personal relationship, and the fact that Angel is fully expected to headline a show, in partnership with Cirque du Soleil, at the Luxor within a couple of years ...

A correspondent who says he's "just a reader from Henderson" reports spotting a "gold/champagne luxury car" (doesn't remember the make) with the plate 10JQK1. Looks like a royal flush to us.