Las Vegas Weekly

April 29, 2010 · 11:56 AM

Notes: Bergen eyes Vegas comeback; familiar exec joins Siegel Group

By John Katsilometes

Erich Bergen and Holly Madison during "Las Vegas Celebrates the Music of Michael Jackson" at The Pearl in the Palms.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Time to deal the notes like so many playing cards ...

Bergen eyes Vegas return

Former Jersey Boys cast member Erich Bergen has taken on Bob Gaudio. This week it's Dean Martin. Soon it might be Michael Jackson, again.

This week Bergen auditioned for the Broadway-targeted adaptation of the Rat Pack vehicle, Robin & The Seven Hoods, for the Dean Martin character Little John. The musical runs from July 14-Aug. 22 at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. Bergen's not exactly a Martin "type," given his absence of a comically brusque, drunken stage disposition. Regardless, his chances might be encouraging as Tara Rubin is the show's casting director and she selected Bergen for Jersey Boys.

Also in the pipeline: Bergen, a fan of Michael Jackson since he (Bergen) was five years old, has pitched a Jackson production show to David Saxe for Saxe Theater. In the aftermath of Cirque du Soleil's announcement that it plans a Jackson show for an MGM Mirage hotel in late 2010, do we need another Jackson show?

"That's the question we'd have to address," Bergen said this week via phone from L.A. "The idea of this show will be a lot more live dancing and performance and more accessible than what Cirque has planned ... I've been reading about all the technology in the Cirque show, and I'm expecting the next announcement to be that the actual Michael Jackson will be in that show."

It won't be Bergen's first foray into a Jackson-inspired production. In August he helped put on a Jackson tribute show at Pearl Theater at the Palms to benefit arts departments in Clark County School District. He performed, "The Way You Make Me Feel," with Holly Madison, during the performance.

Saxe says there is no final decision on any other project, aside from his own Vegas! The Show variety production, for Saxe Theater. "I've got five different Jackson shows on the table," he said. "But there's definitely no deal (with Bergen) yet. We're just talking."

Bergen is helping Saxe cast dancers for Vegas! production during a casting call Friday in Los Angeles. Saxe is in deep on this one, as he's arranged for an 11-piece orchestra and, at the moment, over budget. As he says, "It's a true labor of love." Which is, evidently, priceless.

New league for Yale

Yale Rowe, late of Hard Rock Hotel, is today an executive with Siegel Group. This boomlet was dropped by Seigel Group Director of Business Development Michael Crandall on Tuesday during a tour of Gold Spike, the adjoining boutique hotel Oasis, and Rumor (formerly St. Tropez, across Harmon Avenue from the Hard Rock, coincidentally enough).

Rowe departed HRH a few months ago and had planned to start his own advertising and marketing business, focusing on out-of-market companies. But that venture didn't last long. He's now full-time with Siegel Group, focusing his energy on the under-renovation Rumor boutique hotel. Siegel Group has already performed a stunning makeover of Gold Spike and the adjoining Travel Inn motel, which was a ... what's the term here? ... a dump.

For anyone who walked into the Gold Spike during the last, say, 12 years, you might not recognize the place. It's been given a top-to-bottom strafing and renovation. A new ventilation system has been installed, meaning you don't need a chainsaw to cut through the cigarette smoke (a knife was no match for the dense air that hung thickly at the Gold Spike a decade ago). The new floor isn't quite so clean that you could eat off it, but you don't have to be concerned with the clientele actually doing that, which was not out of the question in the old days at Gold Spike. The rooms are renovated, too, in lime green and eggshell white. The feel of the place reminds a lot of the Cabana Suites at El Cortez, just across the Ogden Street.

The work at Rumor, too, is ambitious. The courtyard area behind the 150 suites is vast enough to host 2,500 people, yet still is not overpowering in its scope. Draped cabanas, on-deck fashion shows, and pool parties that will play out as a more sedate version of Rehab at Hard Rock, are envisioned. So are free yoga lessons.

In Rowe, a highly regarded casino exec, Siegel has gained additional, instah-credibilitah. Which means that Rowe knows the Las Vegas market really well.

As for the Siegel's vast upgrades, I've not yet seen what's been done with Artisan, and am particularly eager to check out what type of makeover is in store for the Resort at Mt. Charleston, which I've long felt is one of the valley's undiscovered gems. Siegel might not be finished, either. Hooters on Tropicana Avenue, more than $160 million in debt, might well be the company's next Vegas interest.

Stavros-Fitty, revisited

It was announced this week that 50 Cent is playing Pearl Theater at the Palms.

Naturally, this engagement brings to mind City Councilman Stavros Anthony.

Four years ago, while a member of the Board of Regents, Anthony campaigned against hardcore rap and hip-hop artists performing at such university venues as UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center. This issue bubbled over in the summer of 2006, a few weeks after the Feb. 1, 2006 shooting of Metro Sgt. Henry Prendes by an aspiring rap artist. Then-Sheriff Bill Young asked Nevada gaming regulators to convince hotel-casinos to cease booking "gangsta" rap acts, naming Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent specifically.

Anthony, who at the time was a police captain and head of Metro's vice unit, said he sought to halt concerts that would promote violent behavior from being held at college campuses. The "Anger Management Tour" starring 50 Cent and Eminem, was in July 2005. The tour's stage featured a police car riddled with bullet holes and flipped upside down.

"I didn't appreciate that at all," Anthony said during a phone conversation Tuesday.

The 2005 "Anger Management" appearance was 50 Cent's last at the T&M. He's scheduled to perform Jun 6 at Pearl. Tickets cost $49-$79 and are onsale 1 p.m. Saturday at Ticketmaster.com.

"His music, I don't care for it. He talks about killing cops and violence toward women, I don't care for it," Anthony said, giving his review of Fitty's catalog. "When I was on the board, my concern was having this on a higher-ed property. But this is strictly their private business. I just hope they have a lot of security."

50 Cent's most recent Vegas appearance was New Year's Eve at Pure, which went off without incident — unless Floyd Mayweather joining the rapper onstage and "making it rain" can be considered incidental.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

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