California Gov. Arnold Schwarzen- egger, center, and his wife, Maria Shriver, are shown the model for the Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Institute by Larry Ruvo, founder of the institute, during a fundraiser Saturday at the MGM Grand. Shriver was an honoree at the event, along with project architect Frank Gehry. Photo by K.M. Cannon.
Call them the Great Betskys.
Hockey icon Wayne Gretzky, under scrutiny after his wife, Janet Jones, was implicated in a sports betting ring, has lost more than $2 million in Las Vegas casinos, an insider said.
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Gretzky, head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, has a credit line that allows him to bet up to $25,000 per hand but plays well below that level, I'm told.
"Anyone who bets $25,000 a hand is a whale. Less than half of 1 percent bet at that level," a casino executive said. "At $25,000, you've got a credit line of $1 million. At that level, you can demand anything you want."
Sources say NBA great Michael Jordan has a $2 million credit line locally.
Gretzky's wife normally plays at the $1,000-a-hand level, a source said. Both usually play blackjack. The couple often plays in the MGM Grand Mansion, where guests must risk $250,000 over two or three days to stay in the high-roller suites.
She is under investigation, published reports say, for betting more than $500,000, including $75,000 on the Super Bowl. Gretzky's associate coach, former NHL player Rick Tocchet, now on a league-ordered leave of absence, is accused of operating the ring with a New Jersey state police trooper.
RECORD HAUL
Organizers of the Alzheimer's "Keep Memory Alive" gala are claiming a U.S. fundraising record after reaping $18 million Saturday for a new Alzheimer's center.
The outpouring of donations bettered the previous one-night fundraising total of $14 million set last year in Naples, Fla., at the Robin Hood Foundation national dinner.
The $18 million more than tripled last year's total of $5 million and will go toward building the $50 million Frank Gehry-designed Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Institute.
Host and auctioneer Robin Leach said it might be a world record for a single-day fundraiser. A six-day cruise for 110 people on the Seadream yacht was sold twice at $750,000 each; two Gehry-designed dog kennels brought $350,000 each.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Fresh off the grapevine: Bette Midler will be headlining in Las Vegas near the end of 2007, and it probably won't be at Wynn Las Vegas, the early front-runner. Illusionist Criss Angel's stock keeps climbing. Word has it he's heading for a home on the Strip soon.
SIGHTINGS
Molly Sims of NBC's "Las Vegas," being levitated by Lance Burton on Sunday at the Monte Carlo during a photo shoot for Marie Claire magazine's May issue. ... Usher, in the audience at the 10:30 p.m. Saturday performance of "Le Reve" (Wynn). ... Motown music great Smokey Robinson, in the steam room at Green Valley Ranch spa on Saturday. ... Roy Horn, standing at his table to salute California first lady Maria Shriver, a co-honoree with Gehry at the Alzheimer's event. ... Rachel Melvin and Darin Brooks, current cast members of "Days Of Our Lives," at La Femme (MGM Grand), celebrating Melvin's 21st birthday. ... "7th Heaven" star David Gallagher and "X-Men 2" star Kelly Hu, celebrating birthdays at Tao (The Venetian) on Saturday. Well-wishers included JC Chasez, Sophia Bush, Nick Stahl and Johnny Lewis.
THE PUNCH LINE
"I'm telling you, all my friends say I have to get right back on the bike -- and I keep saying, maybe not a bike." -- Sheryl Crow, talking about her breakup with Tour de France king Lance Armstrong.
