Strip marquees to go dark as part of global initiative Earth Hour

When the lights go dark on the Strip Saturday night, it's unfortunate it won't be to honor the passing after a half century of the Folies Bergere at the Tropicana.

In reality, the lights will go out for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. as part of Earth Hour, a global attempt by the World Wildlife Fund to briefly focus attention on the problem of climate change. Which, come to think of it, is probably also a worthy cause.

Of course, professional skeptics searching for irony are sure to wonder aloud whether the lights will come back on in several mega-resorts, which are facing the threat of bankruptcy.

Others will sniff at the thought that wasteful, hedonistic Las Vegas dimming lights for an hour might just illustrate how much peril the planet really is in. But, hey, I say give us a chance to expand our definition of green beyond greenbacks, green felt and Green Valley.

According to the WWF, the wildlife people, not the wrestling federation, Las Vegas is one of 10 Earth Hour flagship cities. The effort on the Strip is led by Harrah's Entertainment. MGM Mirage, which only coincidentally is looking to save a few bucks everywhere it can these days, also agreed to shut off its lights.

Just so no one is misled, it's the marquees that will go dark, not the lights in the casino. The "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign also will be unplugged for 60 minutes.

You can only take this environmental activism stuff so far.

Frankly, I'm a little surprised PETA or some other animal rights organization hasn't declared the closing of the Folies a victory for peacocks everywhere. The birds proudly donated their plumage for more than 49 years.

CABS 'N' CURVES: The taxi/topless war continues with some clubs coughing up $80 and more per cab-delivered customer, reliable adult industry sources tell me.

Meanwhile, increasing numbers of topless cabarets are said to be on the market or going out of business. It's a sign of hard times in the sin industry, which a lot of folks believed was recession-proof.

MACAU TROUBLE: Times are tough all over for the casino business. You know times are challenging when even the master of the game on his home turf watches his profits tumble.

That's the case with Macau casino man Stanley Ho, whose net for SJM Holdings Ltd. fell 48 percent, according to an article this week from Dow Jones.

ON THE BOULEVARD: Word is San Francisco-based real estate developer Luke Brugnara is making a serious attempt to purchase the closed Crazy Horse Too topless cabaret on Industrial Road. The number floating around is $12 million for the shuttered property once estimated to be worth twice that.

BOULEVARD II: Has it really been 10 years since the great jazz man Joe Williams sang his last note? The annual concert in his name that benefits the College of Southern Nevada music program is set for 2 p.m. April 26 at the South Point. It's a great entertainment value and a great cause. ... Speaking of jazz, keyboard man Dick Fazio bids farewell to Pogo's after making some remarkable music at the Decatur Boulevard bar.

BOULEVARD III: State Assemblyman Mo Denis does double duty these days as the president of the state PTA, which is bucking the recession and going forward with its annual convention April 2 in Reno. Denis is searching for sponsors for many concerned parents whose finances won't otherwise permit them to attend.

BOULEVARD IV: No one would think of dimming the Strip's lights to honor the recent passing of longtime publicist Harvey Diederich, but he certainly deserved such an honor. Long before anyone dreamed there would be televised casino advertising, Harvey helped put the neon in the great Las Vegas tourism machine. He was 89.

BOULEVARD V: Oscar Goodman was "waxed" Thursday -- and it turns out that's not a Martinis with the Mayor euphemism for "boozed up." Goodman was being honored by the folks at Madame Tussauds.

The mayor's image might consist of wax, but I'm betting his liver is made of iron.

BOULEVARD VI: Question: Which former top casino executive is gearing up for a lawsuit against his former boss?

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