Adelson has some words about Wynn

Billionaire casino developer Sheldon Adelson is taking on his favorite targets again. "I will not be cowered by either the unions, Steve Wynn or any other competitor," Adelson told Las Vegas freelance writer Steve Friess in an interview for USA Today.

That's among several juicy quotes that didn't make it into the article that led USA Today's business section Wednesday as Adelson prepares to open his latest property, the $1.9 billion, 50-story Palazzo across the street from Wynn's $2.7 billion Wynn Las Vegas.

The third-richest man in the United States and No. 6 in the world, with a reported $28 billion, Adelson, 74, said he's not conceding an inch to gaming giant Harrah's, the owner of Caesars Palace, or fellow billionaire Wynn, whom he hasn't spoken to in years.

"I like Gary Loveman," Adelson said, referring to the chairman, CEO and president of Harrah's Entertainment Inc. "I think he's a very good guy. He's a good operator for what he's doing. I don't even consider him a competitor; he's a colleague, he's a peer.

"But I think Caesars' time has come, and Wynn has come and gone," said Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Wynn properties years ago took away the mystique of Caesars Palace, Adelson said. "Wynn is very, very good at creating mystique. Of course I don't like him, but he's the best at doing mystique."

Adelson said he complimented Wynn about the time he opened The Mirage and said, somewhat as a joke, "I said you do a good job ... maybe you could work for me. I think he got a little insulted."

RUDNER SPECIAL

Rita Rudner's 2,000th and 2,001st shows in Las Vegas will be taped Feb. 22 for a first-ever PBS comedy special and a DVD. Harrah's theater will be transformed into a 1930's-style Hollywood nightclub, and attendees are encouraged to dress according to the era.

"I want it to be an elegant evening," Rudner e-mailed. "I'm even considering washing my hair."

Tickets for "Rita Rudner: Live From Las Vegas" are available for a special reduced price of $30 from Harrah's at www.harrahs.com or (702) 369-5222. The shows are at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The five-camera shoot will be conducted by an award-winning Los Angeles production company.

Rudner began her Vegas run at MGM Grand in June 2000 before moving to New York-New York in 2001 and Harrah's in 2006.

"And, yes," she said, "we are definitely going to stage the play again. We were thrilled at the reaction."

She and Bobby Slayton teamed up for a reading of the comedy play "Room 776" on Monday at the Las Vegas Little Theatre. It was written by Rudner and her husband/manager, Martin Bergman.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

From the e-mail bag: "I'm going to take a wild stab here and say that more than one person at the Extreme Monster Truck Nationals might have looked like Kid Rock." -- Mike Fruitman of Denver, on the mistaken-identity item we ran here Wednesday about the musician being spotted at South Point over the weekend.

SIGHTINGS

Star Jones, a former host of "The View," waving off several people who tried to sit in her row at the Democratic presidential debate Tuesday at Cashman Center, including a VP of public relations for a Strip property who had an assigned seat. Also spotted: James Denton of "Desperate Housewives," seated next to actress Madeleine Stowe with John Edwards supporters. Stowe was at the steelworkers union hall Wednesday on Edwards' behalf. ... Songbird Gennifer Flowers, singing "Stormy Weather" and "It Had to Be You" at Fellini's on West Charleston Boulevard on Tuesday night after dinner. ... Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, having lunch Tuesday at Firefly, the tapas emporium on Paradise Road. ... Former big league pitcher Orel Hershiser, with his girlfriend, Dana, and her parents at Becker's Lakeside on Tuesday.

THE PUNCH LINE

"If I knew that, I'd be in Las Vegas rather than here." -- Saudi Oil Minister Ali Ibrahim Al Naimi, when asked Tuesday if U.S. consumers would see gasoline at $1 to $1.50 a gallon

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