NHL Awards open at Wynn Las Vegas
The NHL Awards return to Las Vegas today for the fourth year in a row, this time to start a three-year run at Wynn Las Vegas' Encore Theater.
The red carpet action begins at 2:15 p.m. with the two-hour show going live at 4 p.m. on NBC-TV (Cox channel 38).
Celebrity presenters include Matthew Perry, Kevin Connolly, Ray Liotta, Cheryl Burke, Erin Andrews, Colin Hanks, Cory Monteith and Michael Vartan and NHL legends Mark Messier and Ted Lindsay. Rock band Nickelback will perform twice during the show.
Also on the red carpet will be NHL stars and nominees Henrik Lundqvist, Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos, Zdeno Chara, Erik Karlsson, Shea Weber, Pekke Rinne, Pavel Datsyuk, Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Quick and his teammate Dustin Brown.
The awards show was at the Palms in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
DAVIDOVICI UPDATE
Nightclub operator Steve Davidovici, who faces prison this month for tax evasion, has gone blind in one eye, according to a pre-sentencing memorandum filed Monday.
Davidovici's loss of vision was among 10 "compelling and extraordinary reasons to spare the defendant a term of incarceration" cited by his legal team in the memorandum.
Sentencing for Davidovici and several other former Pure nightclub employees is scheduled for June 27 before U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson.
Davidovici, a part-owner of Pure with Robert Frey and a number of celebrity investors, pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court of filing a false federal income tax return for the 2006 tax year and under-reporting $141,306.
The Caesars Palace nightclub opened on New Year's Eve 2004 and was raided by the IRS in February 2008.
Davidovici went blind in his left eye in March, according to a document submitted to the court by Dr. Steven Leibowitz of the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA Medical Center.
In the memorandum, Davidovici's attorneys contend he "faces a real and serious health crisis."
Leibowitz said Davidovici was diagnosed as having acute optic neuropathy, a condition affecting the optic nerve that may result in partial or complete loss of vision.
Davidovici, 48, currently operates Chateau nightclub and the Sugar Factory American Brasserie at Paris Las Vegas and the Sugar Factory franchises.
"Continuous monitoring of his response to treatment will be required to ensure that his vision is saved," Leibowitz wrote.
If Davidovici were to be incarcerated for an extended period of time, Leibowitz added, "he would have extreme difficulty receiving the expert medical treatment he requires."
The 26-page memorandum included excerpts from letters of support on Davidovici's behalf from some 50 prominent figures, ranging from Britney Spears' manager Larry Rudolph to UFC star Frank Mir.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Tickets for Cirque du Soleil's "Zarkana," which replaces "Viva Elvis" in November at Aria, go on sale Friday for the public. Ticket information can be found at cirquedusoleil.com/zarkana or arialasvegas.com/zarkana or by calling 877-253-5847. ...
Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul hosts the Baller's Ball on Friday at Lavo (Palazzo). ...
UFC octagon girl Brittney Palmer celebrates her 24th birthday on Saturday at Pure (Caesars Palace).
SIGHTINGS
Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown, checking out Pure on Tuesday night.
THE PUNCH LINE
"This will be Kim's third marriage, and experts say that if she stays healthy, she could beat the record currently held by Larry King." - David Letterman on reports that Kim Kardashian plans to marry Kanye West soon.
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
