A new -- well at least a completely renovated hotel with a new name -- will open this week and there's lots of fun lined up for Super Bowl weekend. Hooters Casino Hotel (the former San Remo on East Tropicana) will open to the public tomorrow with fireworks, and Mayor Oscar Goodman presenting the keys to the city to the Hooters Calendar Girls. Only in Las Vegas.
More festivities kick off at noon Saturday with a Pool Party & Pig Roast that's open to the public. This is followed at 3 p.m. with a Pre-Super Bowl Chalk Talk emceed by Wayne Allen Root, along with other sports VIPs . It will be held inside Porch Dogs, one of Hooters restaurants -- and it's free. At 7 p.m. you get to meet 40 Hooters Calendar Girls at the Casino Center Stage. There will be an autograph signing by the girls in 13 Martini Bar until 9 p.m.
On Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m., you can kick back and enjoy the Super Bowl throughout the casino and the Hooter Calendar Girls will again be on hand to sell calendars and sign autographs. Should be a lot of fun and you might even win some money on the game.
BELLAGIO'S BANYAN
The Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at Bellagio, just off the resort's impressive lobby, has always been a favorite place of mine, but this time, it seems to have outdone itself. The good people who oversee the Conservatory, headed by Audra Danzak, have saved a Florida landmark and brought it to its new home in Las Vegas.
A famed banyan tree, which served as a famous Palm Beach, Florida landmark for more than 100 years, has been transported here where it proudly stands as the grandiose centerpiece of the Conservatory and will remain so for the 2006 Chinese New Year, Spring, Summer and Fall shows.
This remarkable 100-foot banyan tree was diagnosed with a fatal fungus and it was determined that the tree had to be destroyed in order to protect other trees in the area.
This is when Danzak had the vision and desire to create an unexpected and extraordinary display. The decision was made, but now it was a question of how to get this monster tree here. As you might imagine, it was no small undertaking. The tree had to be disassembled branch by branch during a week-long process in Palm Beach. Then 50-foot trailers (12 in all), had to be leased to bring the 200,000-pound tree to Las Vegas. Danzak and her horticulture staff of 140 spent a month directing the re-assembly process and preparing the tree for its debut.
During the Chinese New Year display, you'll be able to walk through the banyan tree, with orchids and Spanish moss woven throughout its branches. For the Spring, Summer and Fall shows, this tree-gardening technique once again will be used and the tree will be reconfigured for each show to serve as the Conservatory's centerpiece. A state-of-the-art sound system playing Bellagio's own music, composed by Cirque du Soleil musicians, along with light and water features, will help bring the floral artistry to life. Danzak said, "As one of nature's spectacular works of art, the tree deserves a prominent place among the many unique masterpieces housed in Bellagio." The display will remain on exhibit until Nov. 26.
CIRQUE CREATIONS
This should be interesting for all you art fans. The Cultural and Social Affairs Department of Cirque du Soleil will present the 2nd Annual "Collective" art exhibition at a High Tea reception. Over 40 pieces representing a range of art styles, created by cast and crew members from the four Cirque du Soleil productions in Las Vegas, will be on display Feb. 3-26 on the first floor of the Arts Factory. You'll also get to meet the cast and crew artists as they will be on hand to discuss their individual works on Friday, Feb. 3 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The Arts Factory is located at 107 E Charleston Blvd.
SURPRISING STATS
As I often like to give you info to impress your friends, did you know, (according to Directions and Research, Inc.) that 67 percent of Americans over 18 have gambled in the past year at a casino, in a card game (40 percent), or on a sporting event (30 percent). In sports betting, 78 percent bet on NFL games, 36 percent on NCAA football, 26 percent on NCAA basketball, 22 percent on Major League Baseball, and 20 percent on the NBA. As to where people gamble, 77 percent go to casinos, 18 percent gamble at race tracks, 10 percent gamble online, and 4 percent use bookies. Interestingly, 7 percent gamble at church. The two biggest surprises to me was that only 7 percent gamble at church and that more people bet on baseball than on the NBA.
FAN MAIL
Okay, I've got shopping to do, and I've bored you enough will all this drivel, so let me wrap up with a letter from Cathy McNeal of Stover (a very small town -- her words, not mine) in Missouri. She says, "Hey Lenny, love your column and Vegas of course. Maybe not in that order but anyway, what I wanted to let you know is that my husband and I come a couple of times a year and will continue to do so until retirement in 7 years and 2 months and 3 days at which time we may move there.
"We always stay at the Fitz downtown -- it is great. The people are wonderful and friendly (hey a little plug can't hurt my comps if this is printed) but seriously, we love it downtown. There are no buggy men or women running around and my husband and I walk every morning in the area under the canopy. The only thing that we don't like is all the small huts there that sell things. They are a pain to walk around.
"But as far as feeling safe, day or night, we always do. Even my mom, who walks with a cane and is paralyzed on one side, walks the street and never has any problems. I wonder where all the bad people are that we read about? I am sure they're around, but aren't they everywhere you live? We even take the bus to the Strip and that is only because we enjoy watching the people on the bus, and we have met several nice people this way. You may not read this, as it is a little long, but I just had to let someone know we love downtown Vegas. Well, will go now. Thanks for letting me vent. Good luck to you Lenny."
And good luck to you, Cathy. Good to see you're not counting the days until your retirement. Hope you do move here. I think you and hubby will be a good addition to our town.
Good luck and I'll see you on the Strip. And don't forget to check out www.valleyblogs.com
If you have a question or a Las Vegas experience you would like to share with my readers, please e-mail me at lennylv@cox.net. Please include your full name and the city or town where you live.
