Lion handler gets bitten at MGM

A handler was bitten on the leg at the MGM Grand's lion habitat Wednesday night, a company spokesman confirmed Thursday.

A quick reaction by another trainer, who thumped the lion on the nose and stepped between the two, might have prevented the incident from escalating, an eyewitness told the Review-Journal.

The attack occurred during a feeding about 8 p.m. and was witnessed by numerous onlookers, many of whom recorded the scene on video and took photos, an eyewitness said.

The male handler required stitches "but will be back to work soon," said Alan Feldman, vice president of communications.

Feldman said "nothing has been determined as far as a 'cause' yet, although the entire thing was quick, minor and easily resolved. The animal involved is also doing fine and behaving normally."

The witness said the handler was throwing raw meat to the lion when it bit him.

VEGAS VACATION

It might be the ultimate Vegas comp.

About half of Cranfills Gap, Texas, population 350, is getting an all-expenses-paid trip here next week, courtesy of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Tanya Davidson, 33, one of the 120 planning to take the offer, plans to get married in a drive-through wedding chapel. They arrive Sunday for the five-day visit.

The LVCVA is paying $2.5 million for the promotion.

Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of marketing for the LVCVA, told The Associated Press that aggressive marketing is crucial with the addition of 9,000 new hotel rooms this year and 14,000 more planned for next year.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Citing "extreme declines" in ad revenues, KVBC-TV, Channel 3, announced a staff reduction plan on Wednesday that cost 14 jobs, with three more reassigned, according to general manager Lisa Howfield. Most of the changes were outside the news division, she said, with "none of our on-air talent impacted." However, Vegas Confidential has learned that several anchors voluntarily accepted 25 percent pay cuts. We hear at least one said no. ...

Local freelance writer/podcaster Steve Friess is back from New York where he scored a lunch sitdown with Vanity Fair columnist Dominick Dunne. Friess had a standing invitation to call when visiting New York after they met during the O.J. Simpson trial, in September, when poor health forced Dunne to return home. Dunne's much anticipated column about the trial has yet to appear in Vanity Fair because he's been working on a couple other projects, including his memoir. "He's 83 and his doctors want him on chemo for his bladder cancer, but he says he doesn't want to and anticipates having to 'cause a whole lot of trouble' to ward it off," Friess wrote this week in his blog vegashappenshere.com. "Surgery has been ruled out because of a weak heart, so my impression was that Dunne was ready to let this cancer take its course."

MAY I RECOMMEND ...

Stoney's Rockin' Country, with acres of dance floor space, and the Gold Coast, known for its wall-to-wall Stetson crowd, are legendary watering holes for the National Finals Rodeo, which wraps this weekend. Stoney's is north of South Point, 9151 S. Las Vegas Blvd., which is the site of the Wrangler NFR Go Round Buckle Presentations tonight at 11.

SIGHTINGS

Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie, bailed out of the Magical Forest at Opportunity Village on Thursday for $16,000 from community donors after being "locked up" for less than two hours. All proceeds help the disabled at Opportunity Village. ... At the National Finals Rodeo (Thomas & Mack Arena) on Thursday: Charlie Daniels and the Charlie Daniels Band, opening the session with "Ghost Riders in the Sky," and Gov. Jim Gibbons. (See today's Neon section for my interview with Daniels). ... Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, back at Piero's Italian Cuisine on Wednesday for the second time this week with a big party. He was in with a group of 10. Earlier in the week he came in with 18. It's part of his annual "guys" weekend in Las Vegas. ... Luke Wilson, checking out Wasted Space at the Hard Rock Hotel on Wednesday. He's in town filming "Middle Men," the story of the birth of the Internet porn industry. ... Six members of the "Jersey Boys" cast, including Rick Faugno (Frankie Valli) and Jeff Leibow (Nick Massi), performing the national anthem at a swearing-in ceremony at The Magical Forest. The event was officiated by a judge from immigration services for 20 children.

THE PUNCH LINE

"All these scandals -- I just hope they don't tarnish the fine reputation of Illinois politics." -- David Letterman

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