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Developer suing ‘Baywatch’ star

There’s a new twist in Pamela Anderson’s legal battles involving the Panorama Towers on Dean Martin Drive.

One of the project’s developers, Laurence Hallier, has filed a countersuit, alleging she owes him $22.5 million for bailing out on a number of personal appearances that cost him condo sales.

The former “Baywatch” beauty and actor Leonardo DiCaprio were among a group of celebrities who were courted by Hallier to help promote the three-tower project, which opened in 2006 with Tower I.

Anderson filed a lawsuit against Hallier in February, alleging he failed to honor a deal in which he agreed to give her a property in Las Vegas in return for her promoting his Panorama Towers.

She is suing for her $1 million fee.

Hallier, who sold his Taxi Tops advertising company to Clear Channel for $125 million in August 2000, was a partner in Panorama Towers with Light Group nightclub operator Andrew Sasson.

Anderson’s attorney, A. Douglas Mastroianni, told TMZ.com she is not any more responsible for the Panorama failure “than she is responsible for the 2008 real estate downturn or the collapse of Lehman Brothers.”

NASCAR UPROAR

The breakup of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch of Las Vegas and his wife of five years, Eva, has created a stir in the sport’s media ranks.

Prominent NASCAR blogger Jeff Gluck is taking some heat for going public with the news on Tuesday.

The sports website TheBigLead.com reported that “Gluck was roundly mocked and criticized by writers for playing the ‘I knew about it, but I didn’t write about it, but now I am going to write about it, without asking him about it’ card.”

The website joined the debate with “Question to the NASCAR media: If Bill Plaschke can casually drop a rumor into his LA Times column about Pau Gasol after the Lakers were swept by the Mavericks, what’s wrong with mentioning the Busch split?

“It seems as if the NASCAR media is simply catching up to the NFL and NBA media, where wives/relationships are often mentioned.”

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Palms executive Jon Gray and his wife, Ruth, a former Palms Twin, had their first child Wednesday, and we can’t wait for the second. They named their son Nash Edward Danger Gray. “Ruth wanted Edward,” said Gray, a senior vice president at the Palms and general manager of N9ne Group. They compromised on adding a second middle name. “I just wanted him to be able to say ‘Danger is my middle name.’ ”

SIGHTINGS

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, accompanied by health and fitness guru Kathy Freston, dining vegan at Sinatra at (Encore) on Wednesday. … Kanye West’s ex-girlfriend Amber Rose, hanging out backstage Monday with her new beau Wiz Khalifa before his show at the Hard Rock. She’s a former Ford Model and was the face of Louis Vuitton. … UFC fighter Mark Scanlon, getting married at the Chapel of the Flowers on Tuesday night. Joining Scanlan and his wife, Katie, was their son, Mark Jr.

THE PUNCH LINE

“Anthony Weiner is reportedly involved in choosing his successor. The first question he asked his potential replacements is, “What’s the difference between ‘reply’ and ‘reply all?’ ” — Conan O’Brien

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.

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