Sunday, March 4, 2007 | 7:34 a.m.
Michael Jackson might well be reviewing and evaluating several offers to perform as a headliner in Las Vegas, as spokeswoman Ramone Bain claimed last week.
We don't yet know whence all these purported offers have originated, but we do know that Steve Wynn is not interested in booking the onetime King of Pop and recent Las Vegas transplant.
Wynn himself snuffed out the Jackson rumors on Friday during a phone conversation with the Sun's Brendan Buhler. Wynn called to respond to Buhler's story that appeared in Friday's Sun, which examined the likelihood of a Jackson production show on the Strip and who might entertain signing the mercurial entertainer.
"I had dinner with him. That's all," Wynn said. "I have no venue for Michael Jackson and we're not discussing having him in anything."
Since settling down in Las Vegas over the holidays, Jackson has been frequently spotted at Wynn Las Vegas, reportedly meeting at the hotel with his former choreographer, Kenny Ortega, and British producer Simon Fuller. Also, Wynn and Jackson dined together in early February. As the result of such sightings, rumors have abounded for weeks that Wynn might be in negotiations with Jackson for some sort of production at a Wynn property.
But Wynn has no use for rumors.
"Rumors running around? This is a town full of idiots," he said. "You listen to rumors, you ought to have your head examined."
Examining floor plans is a good idea, too. There is no theater for a third production at Wynn Las Vegas - Wynn is committed to "Le Reve" and "Monty Python's Spamalot" in his two theaters at that hotel (the Le Reve Theater is undergoing an $8 million renovation from Tuesday through April 6, while "Spamalot" opens for previews on Thursday). And there are no plans for a theater at Encore, Wynn's nearly $2 billion sister resort that will stand next to Wynn Las Vegas when it opens in late 2008 (but there is space at Encore that could conceivably allow for a showroom or theater).
What about Wynn Macau, which opened in September? That's wacko, too.
"Absolutely not," Wynn said. "What would he want with Macau? He has kids in America. ... What good would that do him?"
NoteMart
A couple of businesses in the downtown Arts District greatly benefitting from spillover business each First Friday are Casa Don Juan and Tinoco's Bistro. The First Friday crowds at Casa Don Juan, at 1204 S. Main Street (featuring strolling guitarist Ruben Guillen), are about twice the size of those on any other Friday night. And the crowd count at Tinoco Bistro, at 103 E. Charleston Blvd., is about four times as large during the street fair compared with other Fridays. ...
Is Josh "Chop" Towbin aware of this?: The commercials you might have heard on local FM radio for Dave Smith Motors of Kellogg, Idaho, are not that out of the ordinary. The business is the largest Dodge dealership in the country and claims its deals are so good that you can buy a car from Kellogg (a half-hour east of Coeur d'Alene in the Idaho panhandle) and have it shipped to Vegas and still get a better deal than if you bought the vehicle here. ...
On Thursday one of the few remaining active entertainers dating to the Rat Pack era, Don Rickles, was presented with the lifetime achievement award at the "U.S. Comedy Arts Festival" in Aspen, Colo. Bob Newhart was the surprise presenter. Rickles, still busy at age 80, performs at the Golden Nugget on March 22-24. ...
More GN news: On a bitterly cold Thursday morning, the Golden Nugget opened its $20 million pool and shark tank, fittingly called the Tank, which has a waterslide winding through the attraction. Fortunately the pool is heated, as are many guests who decide to take a plunge in 50-degree weather. ...
Great name for a band: The Taco Bell Rats. ...
And the fine folks at Tao and Pure can breathe a sigh of relief: The Associated Press has ended its weeklong news blackout of Paris Hilton. ...
One of the city's best tribute bands for more than a decade, the Fab, has a new gig at Red Hawk Tavern at Horizon Ridge Parkway and Eastern Avenue in Henderson. The boys hit the stage for a night of Beatles music Tuesdays at 9 p.m....
Replacing a good Mexican restaurant, Guadalajara, at Palace Station, is another good Mexican restaurant, Cabo Cantina. That should happen in late-May or early June. Other Station Casinos hotels to feature Cabo Cantina are Santa Fe Station and Red Rock Resort. ...
If you are ever in need of a nice vintage tie, check out the selection at the Attic on 1018 Main Street. I just snagged three of their best. ...
Today's plate comes with a tale - of woe! Vegas Vocalist Kelly Sheehan's "cute little yellow" Honda Del Sol bears the plate IGOTSOL. At least, we think it does. The car was stolen from her driveway on Thursday night.
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