Ex-Nugget owner tells of wild ride
There's no shortage of nuggets in Tom Breitling's new book "Double or Nothing: How Two Friends Risked It All to Buy One of Las Vegas' Legendary Casinos."
Breitling reveals the tense times with his Golden Nugget partner, Tim Poster; the embarrassment of the reality TV show "The Casino"; Breitling's breakup with actress Jaime Pressly, and the hardball deals with Barry Diller and Tilman Fertitta.
Masterful writing and reporting by co-author Cal Fussman takes the reader on the wild ride that made millionaires out of the co-founders of the Travelscape reservation service (later sold to Expedia) in their 30s.
Breitling blames a disappearing act by "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett for the stinker ratings of "The Casino."
"We were his third-string show, and Burnett had left us with some first-time producers" who relied on staged scenes and every imaginable Vegas stereotype.
Friction was already building between Poster and Breitling when Pressly came between them.
Pressly showed up at the June 2004 premiere of the show in a miniskirt and halter top, "which couldn't have been further from the Vintage Vegas image Tim and I were trying to brand."
Poster took one look at the former Playboy cover girl and growled, "What the hell, Tom! The cocktail waitresses have more clothing on than she does."
Later, Poster spoke his mind. "Tom, this broad is not for you."
She became a wedge in the two pals' long friendship, and it came to a head in Dubai when they went to watch friend and Golden Nugget investor Andre Agassi play in a tennis tournament.
The blowup occurred in front of Agassi, who stepped between them and "explained everything he'd learned from his marriage and divorce with the actress Brooke Shields," Breitling said.
Stomach-turning, million-dollar losses to high rollers also tested their friendship.
Their worst nightmare was a video game creator code-named "Mr. Royalty," who won $8.5 million in less than two weeks while playing craps at $110,000 a toss.
Breitling and Fussman provide a dramatic account of a bidding war that broke out between Texas businessman Fertitta and his cousins, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, the owners of Station Casinos.
The Fertitta brothers, longtime friends of Poster and Breitling, thought they had a deal with the duo for the Golden Nugget, but it fell apart during a meeting at Piero's Italian Cuisine.
The Fertittas released them from the deal and preserved the friendship.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Elvis Presley is getting his star on the Strip, thanks to the Viva Las Vegas! Elvis Presley Fan Club. The Las Vegas Walk of Stars ceremony will be held in September. ...
A red carpet event for Kevin Spacey's set-in-Vegas gambling film "21" will begin at 7 tonight on the casino floor at Planet Hollywood Resort. Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, James Sturgess and author Ben Mezrich are expected. The film will premiere at Planet Hollywood Resort, Paris Las Vegas and Bally's for ShoWest conventioneers.
SIGHTINGS
Hollywood heavyweight Jeffrey Katzenberg, dining at Picasso (Bellagio) on Monday. ... Paris Hilton and boyfriend Benji Madden, spending four hours on the thrill rides at Adventuredome (Circus Circus) on Saturday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Whenever a car ran low on gas, bought a new car." -- From David Letterman's Top Ten Mike Tyson Financial Mistakes
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
