Newton plan rates as a top land deal
The partnership agreement behind Wayne Newton's planned tourist attraction ranks among the largest local real estate deals of the decade.
In the deal with Texas businessman Steve Kennedy, Newton and his wife, Kathleen, kept the majority shares of the company that includes their 38-acre Casa de Shenandoah, a source said.
There are rumblings in the real estate community that the deal was worth about $15 million to the Newtons. It's reportedly the largest real estate transaction in the Las Vegas area since the MGM Mirage sold the ultra-exclusive Shadow Creek golf course for about $15 million.
The Newtons took on Kennedy to develop the ranch into a tourist destination that will feature Newton's Arabian horses, exotic car collection, a private jet and a museum.
Newton, who went public with his plans last week, told a local TV station that all of his debts have been paid.
"We owe nothing at all to absolutely anyone," he said in an interview with KSNV-TV, Channel 3 entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs.
After hearing and reading about Newton's claim, a Logandale man called Vegas Confidential on Saturday to take issue.
Richard Eide said his son, Austin, then 18, delivered $40,000 worth of hay to Newton's ranch over a three-month period three years ago.
"They paid him $8,000 for the first delivery. It's one thing to beat Bruton Smith out of (a $3 million loan)," said Eide, referring to a lawsuit filed against Newton by the billionaire owner of NASCAR tracks, "but a teenage kid. Being Austin's dad, I'd have a hard time standing in the same room with (Newton)."
Reached Saturday, Newton's publicist, Tricia McCrone, was emphatic, "There is not one outstanding debt. Everything been taken care of."
PARIS' ROUGH WEEK
The question being asked after Paris Hilton's disastrous week is: Who's managing her, um, affairs these days?
It's clear her October court date in Las Vegas on cocaine charges was moved to last Monday to accomodate her promotional tour in Japan.
So who dropped the ball and didn't get her immigration issues cleared -- standard procedure in drug cases -- before she flew to Japan, where she faced the embarrassment of being detained and denied entry.
Given Japan's hardball approach, another question is how much that cocaine charge is going to affect her ability to market her business interests in other countries.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
KSNV-TV, Channel 3 veteran anchor Sue Manteris received more bad news on Thursday: Three months after losing her 11 p.m. anchor post, she's off the 5 and 6 p.m. anchor desk. Newcomer Jessica Moore, who recently teamed up with Dan Ball at 11 p.m., moves into Manteris' early evening anchor slots.
Kim Kardashian's 30th birthday celebration at Tao nightclub (The Venetian) next month is part of a six-date deal worth $500,000, I'm told. Included in Tao Group's arrangement with the reality TV star: New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day hosting appearances. She's one of a handful, along with Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, who can command that kind of money.
THE PUNCH LINE
"It's being reported that Cher has hired a Hollywood screenwriter to turn her life story into a Broadway musical. Even gay guys are like, "OK, this is too much." -- Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
