Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Ivana planning to trump The Donald

Ivana Trump, above, is planning a 73-story high-rise that will reportedly tower over the condominium project planned by her ex-husband, Donald Trump, below.

Ivana Trump has lofty plans to trump The Donald.

The ex-wife of the New York real estate mogul was spotted in Las Vegas over the weekend, reportedly going over plans on her 73-story residential high-rise that will tower over Donald Trump's condo project.

Her project will be called The Ivana, according to the New York Daily News. She's partnering with Australian developer Victor Altomare on a site at Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard, former site of the Holy Cow Brew Pub. Originally, the tower was going to be called The Summit.

Las Vegan Jack Wishna, a partner with Donald Trump and New Frontier owner Phil Ruffin on Trump's 64-story tower, said there is no reason to think Ivana's project will one-up The Donald.

"Donald is a mega-developer who is so much more than just a name on a building," Wishna said. "Other projects may use the Ivana name but no one will ever mistake it for a Donald Trump luxury project."

Wishna noted that a similar Ivana Trump project in Florida "went down the tubes."

More 'Melo-drama

Trouble-prone Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony may be in hot water for the company he's keeping.

In town over the weekend to celebrate his 21st birthday, Anthony and his red-clad posse were turned away from two local nightclubs because they didn't meet the dress code. Many were wearing red, a color that often signifies gang membership.

Anthony, whose birthday was Sunday, was allowed to enter Body English at the Hard Rock Hotel, but my spies say he quickly rejoined his pals.

He also showed up with 35 friends on Sunday at OPM, the hip-hop club at the Forum Shops at Caesars. OPM management, I'm told, informed them that they didn't meet the dress code and could enter only if they purchased $50,000 worth of bottle service upfront.

Anthony and Co. decided to pass and departed in several Cadillac Escalades.

Anthony has come under fire from U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., for appearing in a notorious underground DVD called "Stop Snitching" that anti-gang officials saw as glorifying retaliation violence. Anthony said he did not know he was being filmed for the video.

In October, Anthony was charged with marijuana possession after pot was found in a backpack he was carrying while boarding a flight to Milwaukee for a pre-season game. Charges were dropped when a friend said he had borrowed Anthony's backpack and left the marijuana, less than an ounce, in it.

The Scene and Heard

KLAS-TV, Channel 8, entertainment reporter Kate Bennett is leaving the station Friday to be a full-time mom. Bennett, who joined KLAS almost three years ago and also anchored sister station KTUD-TV, Channel 25 Cable 14, resigned to concentrate on raising her daughter, Tess, who was born about two months ago. ...

Good news for the Ruth Brown fan club: The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has recovered from some health issues and is returning to the Bootlegger Bistro on Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

Sightings

Picture this trio out on the town in Sin City: Jesus, Gandhi, and Urkel. All three were in town over the weekend, but unfortunately for this columnist, not together. Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in "The Passion of the Christ," took his family to the Scintas (Rio). Ben Kingsley, who won a best-actor Oscar for his portrayal of Mohandas K. Gandhi in "Gandhi," saw the Blue Man Group (Luxor). Jaleel White, unforgettable as nerdy Steve Urkel in "Family Matters" was at N9NE Steak House (Palms).

The Punch Line

"Her temperature shot up, and she tossed more cookies than the Keebler elf." -- Urkel.

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.COMING THURSDAY