The Miss America pageant, which was in Atlantic City for 84 years, may come to the Alladin/Planet Hollywood in January. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Is the Miss America pageant sashaying from the boardwalk to a new home on Las Vegas Boulevard?

No one's talking on the record, but there are strong signals that the 2006 pageant will be held in January at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood, after 84 years in Atlantic City.

In August, the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority's board of directors severed the relationship by voting 7-0 to release the Miss America Organization from its contract because of financial issues.

The pageant has been struggling financially and hit rock bottom last year when it lost its TV deal.

RODEO DUST-UP

Athletes fighting athletes, athletes fighting fans and mascots fighting mascots, yes. But fisticuffs between a bull rider and an arena announcer?

That's not your everyday dustup.

It happened Saturday night after the Professional Bullriders World Finals at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Tossing the punches was Louisiana cowboy Willis Trosclair, 24, who got in the middle of a disagreement between announcer Randy Schmutz, 42, and stock contractor Tom Taylor. Schmutz needed stitches.

PBR officials decided not to take the bull by the horns, calling it "a private matter that unfortunately spilled into a public setting."

The incident will be reviewed after the event is over.

Maybe the nasty bulls are rubbing off on Trosclair, who last week rode Bad to the Bone and Rodeo Attitude.

MAY I RECOMMEND ...

The PBR World Finals take toughness to another level. Thomas & Mack Center, 6 p.m. today and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. For ticket information call toll-free 866-727-7469 or at unlvtickets.com.

SIGHTINGS

Jim Edmonds of the St. Louis Cardinals, at Caramel (Bellagio) on Wednesday night. ... Jerry and Lois Tarkanian, celebrating their 50th anniversary Wednesday at Fellini's on Charleston with a big crowd. Mayor Oscar Goodman offered his congratulations, and Steve Rossi serenaded them with the "Anniversary Waltz." ... Gov. Kenny Guinn, marching into Triple George restaurant on Tuesday with a party of 100-plus to celebrate the appointment of Nevada's new attorney general, George Chanos. ... NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, winning several thousand at a Stratosphere craps table and leaving a $13 tip. ... Paula Abdul, dining with Craig Cavileer, president of Silverton Casino Hotel Lodge, at BOA Steak House (Forum Shops at Caesars) and attending the 7:30 p.m. performance of "Mystere" (Treasure Island). ... The entire cast of "An Evening at La Cage" (Riviera), dining Wednesday with the show's producer, Norbert Aleman, at Simon Kitchen & Bar (Hard Rock Hotel). Notably absent was the show's featured headliner Frank Marino. I hear Aleman wanted to know if Marino has approached anyone about going to another show with Marino. ... Engelbert Humperdinck, golfing at Las Vegas Country Club on Thursday with golf great Doug Sanders, singer-pro golfer Don Cherry (his biggest hit, "Band of Gold," hit No. 4 in 1955), and entertainment agent Joey Battig. ... Arsenio Hall, having dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Chinois (Forum Shops at Caesars). ... Siegfried and Roy, at one table Tuesday at Little Buddha, sharing Peking duck crepes and Szechwan encrusted ribeye, and Hulk Hogan, at the sushi bar. ... NASCAR rookie sensation Kyle Busch, zipping around the track Tuesday night at Fast Lap Indoor Kart Racing. ... Noah Rice, the 20-year-old drummer in Andrew Dice Clay's band (Luxor) is the grandson of drum legend Buddy Rich. ... Carmen Electra, on stage to welcome 200-plus attendees to the Lexus SEMA party at Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce (Mandalay Bay) on Tuesday night.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Fur balls are blowing down Broadway like tumbleweeds." -- David Letterman, on the cat show in New York City.

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