Steve Wynn has eye surgery scheduled

Las Vegas gaming visionary Steve Wynn scheduled eye surgery this week at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Wynn, 65, suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, which affects his peripheral vision, and one's interaction with proximate objects.

Wynn kept the surgeries under the radar until last Friday, when he made the disclosure during an address to a group of Wynn Las Vegas dealers, the night before they overwhelmingly voted to unionize to keep their original tip-sharing system in place.

"I have been scheduled by the government for surgery on my eyes at Johns Hopkins this week," said Wynn, who was diagnosed with the vision disease years ago.

His comments were found on a tape of his address, which was posted on the Internet.

Wynn told the dealers he moved back the union vote because he was having the surgery.

During his address, he pleaded for the dealers not to join the New York-based Transport Workers Union of America, which will now negotiate with management on their behalf.

GVR DEAL ANNOUNCED

The third season of "Hell's Kitchen" will be set at Green Valley Ranch Resort, with the winner of the boot camp reality show receiving his/her own Italian restaurant to run.

It's the latest tie-in between the Fox show, British chef Gordon Ramsay and a Stations Casino property.

"Hell's Kitchen 2" winner Heather West was awarded the executive chef position at Terra Rosa Restaurant at Red Rock Resort. After a brief stint at Terra Rosa, she moved to sister-eatery T-Bones Chophouse & Lounge at Red Rock as senior chef.

The premiere will air on June 4.

The new restaurant will replace Il Fornaio.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

TAO Las Vegas at The Venetian has been named the No. 1 revenue-generating independent restaurant in the U.S. by the food and beverage industry trade magazine Restaurants & Institutions. ...

Dethroned Miss USA Nevada Katie Rees was rushed to a Las Vegas hospital last month with suspected alcohol poisoning, according to the National Enquirer. Her attorney, Mario E. Torres, did not respond to my e-mail. ...

Willa Ford, who dated UFC champ Chuck Liddell for a spell, tells me being cast as Anna Nicole Smith is costing her some sleep. "Poltergeisty stuff like doors in my house slamming, weird stuff," said Ford, who has completed filming the flick. Ford was in town checking out Bare, the tops-optional pool venue at The Mirage.

SIGHTINGS

Illusionist Criss Angel and Cameron Diaz, arriving arm in arm at "Love" (Mirage) on Monday. After the show, they met the cast and crew backstage before heading off to Mandalay Bay to play roulette. Also at "Love" on Monday: Shania Twain, with her husband, Robert "Mutt" Lang, and Vince Gill, with a friend. ... Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees, enjoying an off-day at The Mirage pool Monday in the company of Miss Hawaiian Tropic contestants. ... Jay DeMarcus of country group Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith, partying at Jet (Mirage) on Monday night. ... Gretchen Wilson, shopping Monday at Nora Blue inside Mandalay Place at Mandalay Bay. She dropped into Elton's Men's Clothing Store and autographed two of Elton's guitars. ... Alice Cooper, going ga-ga over William O'Hurley, the infant son of "Spamalot" lead John O'Hurley, during dinner Sunday at Corsa Cucina (Wynn). Cooper and his wife, Sheryl, in town to spend their anniversary with the O'Hurleys, attended "Spamalot" after dinner. ... Brad Paisley, dining at Roy's on East Flamingo on Monday. ... Rascal Flatts, catching dinner at Charlie Palmer Steak (Mandalay Bay) on Monday night.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Not such a great day for Donald Trump. NBC has canceled 'The Apprentice.' You just know all those NBC executives were fighting over who got to say, 'You're fired.'" -- Craig Ferguson

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