Las Vegas Weekly

01.8.09 · 1:25 PM

The bold and the buxom bust out for the 2009 Adult Entertainment Expo and AVN Awards

While 130,000 straight-laced conventioneers stalk the halls of the Consumer Electronics Show, another trade group simultaneously exhibits its latest high-flying products. At first glance, it might look just like any other convention that comes to town, but take a closer look: This one is all about sex and preening porn princesses! It’s the annual Adult Entertainment Expo, where X-rated DVDs play on the latest of technologies and Las Vegas really does become Sin City!

This former “plain manila envelope” affair has become a full-blown mainstream media event that kicked off last night and runs through fan day Sunday at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in The Venetian.

Look for our special video report from the convention floor as last-minute preparations for today’s opening were underway and our interview with Evil Angel head honcho John Stagliano, who has choreographed a new Fashionista’s type dance number for the 2009 Adult Video Network Awards show at Mandalay Bay on Saturday night.

The days are all the same suit-and-tie business for the guys at any other convention -- well, except for a lot of skin showing from the bikini-clad models, but here it’s with X-rated video companies parading porn stars to sell more DVDs. The barely clad, lascivious lassies demonstrate adult toys and decadent devices, plus leather and lace manufacturers showcase outfits far too risque to wear outside the bedroom. But if it’s all business by day, then it’s definitely all pleasure by night, and the parties of porn with their erotic, edgy excesses move into top gear!

To use words such as “most respected” and “most recognized” when describing a trade-show business convention is acceptable when it comes to the Consumer Electronics Show winding up its 42nd anniversary here in Las Vegas this weekend. But the adult entertainment industry says the same about itself because it has grown into a staggeringly massive, annual $12 billion-plus business, and on Saturday, just like the Oscars and the Emmys, gold statuettes will be handed out in more than 100 sex categories to the industry’s top stars and producers! Yes, X-rated entertainment has gone completely mainstream, and flesh fans themselves will be able to sit in on the provocative power parade of pulchritude at the Grammys of the Adult World co-hosted by Jenna Haze and Belladonna.

Tera Patrick, who was last year’s AVN show hostess, told me: “This is a really exciting time for me. Although I’m just 26 years old, I have been in the industry for nine years. This week is always the highlight of the year’s accomplishments.” Her company, Teravision, has just celebrated its most successful year to date, and Tera was crowned Businesswoman of the Year at Germany’s Venus Expo in Berlin. She appeared with rocker beau Evan Seinfeld on E!’s Rock Star Wives series and launched her Mistress Couture line. “I don’t ever plan on leaving adult, but maybe more behind the scenes from now on rather than in front of the camera.

“Don’t fret: I’ll still go topless when the fans want that, but it’s going to be a lot more mainstream in the future, ” she continued. “This is where I started, and everything comes back full circle. Evan commented: “I am so proud of her. We’ve been together for over six years since 2002, and helping with her career was just a labor of love for me. I take no credit for anything because she’s done it all herself. Tera is like a freight train that nobody can stop. When she’s in the spotlight, I always say she shines a big light that everybody gets to bask in.”

Tera is making some major changes in her sex career this year and will give a sneak preview of her new burlesque show she’s bringing to Las Vegas during the AVN Awards on Saturday. There are more startling revelations from Tera in our exclusive interview right here at Vegas DeLuxe tomorrow morning.

AVN President Paul Fishbein commented: “This is the only show of its kind to recognize entertainment professionals in the adult industry. We are thrilled to open it up to the general public. Our fans are fiercely loyal, and as demand grew for tickets every year, we just had to find a larger venue with more seats right here at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. It all signals the evolution of the adult entertainment industry into mainstream.”

Believe it or not, but the press corps covering the event numbers more than 1,000 from as far away as Europe and includes both the prestigious The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. All a far cry from the original awards back in the early 1980s when only 20 people gathered for the very first show!

Sexy, shocking, scandalous and skimpy: It’s the premiere parade of pulchritude! I’ve stood with eyes wide open the last few years on the AVN red carpet watching the crazed scenes with more than 2,500 actress-models in all shapes and sizes (mainly 36 to 44DD) from all over the world. AVN execs told me then it was double the previous year’s turnout, so I can only guess it will be madness and mayhem again Saturday night. The fans are as outrageous as the skimpy near-zero clothes on the sex starlets and tantalizing torrid temptresses.

Call it the barrage of the bold, the brazen, the buxom, the bountiful and the bodacious! Some fans even mount cameras atop broom poles so they can shoot high over the fans packed six deep in front of them lined along the quarter-mile-long walkway of silicone-stacked leggy ladies. The video vixens totter by on towering stiletto heels and in see-through tops plunging down to their navels -- just about meeting the sky-high, thigh-high slit skirts or the Band-Aid-styled 4-inch mini-skirts with lacy lingerie and seamed stockings on full sensual show. To say you’ve never quite seen anything like it on Earth is still an understatement! Each year, the busty, bosomed blondes always play a more than one-upmanship game, so it’s easy to imagine this year’s feast of flesh!

Click HERE for our introductory coverage yesterday of the five-day festival of flesh with Jenna Haze, co-host of the AVN Awards show. And so you don’t miss one of the maidens’ maneuvers, check out our RACY, RANDY, RIBALD, ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN below. You get a slight idea how mainstream this has all become when you consider the fine line merged between rockers and porn stars. UFC fighter Tito Ortiz is engaged to Jenna Jameson, formerly the world’s most popular X-rated actress, and the couple are now expecting their first twins; rocker Evan Seinfeld is celebrating his sixth anniversary with adult actress Tera Patrick; and rocker Dave Navarro, who debuted his adult movie Broken distributed by Tera last year, hosts this year’s Porn Star Ball at Tao in The Venetian tomorrow night.

Warning: All of these events are not for the faint of heart or the prude among us. This is the wild, wild wanton West as we go under the Supreme Sensual Sea of Sex and Silicone. But I promise you we’ll come up in time -- maybe gasping for air -- on Monday with the full up-close and X-tremely personal, 44 Double-Deluxe, decadent and dangerously delicious details! First, though, is our exclusive interview with porn princess Tera Patrick, so be sure to click back here for that tomorrow morning.

We’ve gone through the five-day festival of flesh, and now all in one place is the platinum parade of pulchritude, the listing of lust and lacy lingerie, the catalog of craven carnal cravings and the symphony of sultry sexual shenanigans that just once a year we refer to affectionately around here as the RACY, RANDY, RIBALD, ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

Thursday, Jan. 8

*Sex goddess Tera Patrick will meet fans, sign autographs and pose for photos from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Lavo in the Palazzo. Then at 11 p.m., it’s the Hustler Lingerie Party at Lavo, and that means the hot Hustler honeys will be undressed up in their corsets, bustiers, naughty knickers and seamed stockings!

*Tera moves next door to Tao at 10 p.m. for her 4th Annual Diva Party, and she told me that in addition to a fashion show with scantily clad models displaying her new lingerie line, she’ll provide a sneak preview of her new burlesque show that’s coming to the Strip!

*Santodonato, the owner, publisher and chief photographer of Strip Las Vegas magazine, takes his naked models for a cocktail reception at the Erotic Heritage Museum. His new, one-of-a-kind, original photos on canvas are enhanced in oils to create a mixed-media masterpiece. Each piece is an original and therefore never duplicated!

*Wicked’s wanton women Jessica Drake, Kaylani Lei, Kirsten Price, Alektra Blue and Mikayla Mendez play host at LAX in the Luxor at the video company’s official AVN party.

Friday, Jan. 9

*“Everything You Wanted to Know About Porn (But Were Afraid To Ask)” is the intriguing highlight of the Fyre TV stage at the adult tradeshow in Sands. Jesse Jane, Joanna Angel, Eva Angelina, Penny Flame, Sasha Grey, Travis Knight, Gina Lynn, Bree Olson, Savanna Samson, Bobbi Starr and Randy Spears make up the porn panel to be moderated by Genesis Magazine Editor Dan Davis. Later the “Adult Filmmaking 101” course will feature award-winning directors John Stagliano and Michael Raven, talent agent Derek Hay and attorney Michael Fattorosi, with Stephen Harper of the Adult Business Academy as moderator.

*Rocker Dave Navarro hosts the inaugural Porn Star Ball, and his Mistress of Ceremonies will be porn queen Tera Patrick, who promises that she also will go into the DJ booth to show off her skills on the twisted turntables of steel!

*Porn’s beautiful and talented actress-director Stormy Daniels hosts her own “Operation Tropic Storm” at Lavo, with a full-blown 11 p.m. red carpet affair for arrivals from the adult world.

*Adult-film femme fatales Gina Lynn and Randi Wright host the Adult Entertainment Expo party at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone inside Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. It will bring new meaning to the word lei. How could I resist?!

*Blonde-bombshell adult star Kayden Kross -- where did that name come from?! -- will strut her stuff on the main stage of Pure at Caesars Palace with a pre-awards party.

*It might be taboo when Vivid’s video vixens Hanna Hilton, Savanna Samson, Monique Alexander, Nikki Jayne, Meggan Malone and feature player Sunny Leone showcase their attributes at the Tabu Ultra Lounge in the MGM Grand.

*Howard Stern’s wild and wacky comic Bubba The Love Sponge hosts his pre-porn awards party at the topless Rick’s Cabaret club.

*Last year’s Best New Starlet award winner Bree Olson, who is nominated for the top award this year, will host her party at Rok Vegas in New York-New York. She might be dressed in literally next to nothing, but for all you gawkers, remember the club will enforce its dress code!

*There’s a photographic retrospective of adult actress Ginger Lynn and a performance of Antonio Restivo’s Arsenal of Fire at the Erotic Heritage Museum with hosts Vanessa Blue, Alyssa Hall, Moxxie Maddron, Sinnamon Love and of course Ginger herself.

*Transsexual icon Amanda Lapore -- a man, duh! -- who was famed photographer David LaChapelle’s muse and appeared as the face of Heatherette and MAC cosmetics, will perform hits from her remix album at Krave in Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile. A whole host of gay porn stars has promised to appear.

Saturday, Jan. 10

*All eyes will be bulging on the red carpet as the scantily clad models and actresses sashay, sizzle and strut their dangerous decadence to the 26th Adult Video Network Awards. There are 100-plus mind-numbing categories of best sex scenes -- solo, multiple and same sex! Who knew there were so many camera angles? I was speechless the year one young actress actually thanked her mom for being her biggest supporter and making it possible for her to “entertain” all the men in one award-winning orgy scene! And that’s putting it as gracefully and as gently as I could before noting she was so large and low-cut upfront that she actually toppled headfirst from the stage after her acceptance speech!

Grammy-nominated artist and rap sensation Flo Rida will be performing at the ceremony attended by some 8,000-plus fans. Fashionista’s director John Stagliano is staging a new choreographed dance routine, and Tera Patrick will offer a sneak peek at her new Strip burlesque show.

*Awards co-hosts and alluring actresses Jenna Haze and Belladonna host the sizzling, sultry official AVN Awards after-party at LAX in the Luxor. Mega porn star and reality TV vixen Mary Carey will hold court in the Luxor at the Cathouse restaurant and ultra lounge. Along with her silver screen sexploits, Mary appeared in Celebrity Rehab and ran for governor of California!

*Temptress Tera Patrick hosts the AVN Awards after-party at Lavo, and she’ll be celebrating her entry into the adult video Hall of Fame. Next door in The Venetian, vivacious vixen Stormy Daniels will host the adult awards after-party at Tao.

*Wicked’s Jessica Drake, Kaylani Lei, Kirsten Price, Alektra Blue and Mikayla Mendez host their official AVN after-party at Pure in Caesars Palace.

*Nearly 20 adult-video companies are sending their sassy starlets to the giant Pornstarville party at MGM’s Studio 54. They include the Hustler honeys, Adam and Eve’s garden varieties, Bang Brothers Internet imps and titan talent agent Mark Spiegler’s sex sirens.

*King porn performer Ron Jeremy, who lost to Traci Bingham in my VH1 reality TV series Fame Games, filmed here in Las Vegas, is the guest celebrity host at the after-party atop the 64th floor of The Hotel at Mandalay Bay.

Sunday, Jan. 11

Industry fans can get up close and not-too-personal with their favorite XXX adult film stars from 9 a.m. to 5 pm at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in The Venetian.

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01.8.09 · 11:45 AM

Strip Scribbles: A Double Shot at Love twins party with the boys and girls

Identical twin sisters Rikki and Vikki Mongeon, aka The Ikki Twins, made no secret of their bisexuality when the super-sexy duo debuted on the hit MTV reality TV series A Double Shot at Love, and when they partied at Jet nightclub in The Mirage, both the guys and the girls vied for their attention! The sassy, sexy sisters dressed in identical, skin-tight, animal-print, shorter-than-short mini-dresses, and once the Moet Chandon champagne began to flow, they danced with guests of both sexes through the wee hours. Hip-hop star Cee-Lo was at the club enjoying all the fireworks.

*Paris Hilton flew celebrity hair king Michael Boychuck in from his Color salon at Caesars Palace to tend to her tresses at last night’s People’s Choice Awards telecast in Hollywood. The Caped Crusader film The Dark Knight won all five awards for which it was nominated, including one for the late actor Heath Ledger, who played The Joker before his tragic death last year, and Batman himself, Christian Bale. Queen Latifah hosted the CBS show, which featured winners Carrie Underwood, Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Ellen DeGeneres, Kate Hudson, Robin Williams and Adam Sandler.

*Please make a note of a very important date change: The 11th Annual CineVegas Film Festival will now be held June 10-15 at the Palms and Brenden Theatres here. Our festival, chaired by Hollywood superstar Dennis Hopper, attracts both new and young cinemakers and major movie premieres complete with a turnout of big Tinseltown titans.

*NBC Today show co-host and weatherman Al Roker raced off from his pre-dawn live anchor duties at CES for breakfast at Hash House A Go Go. He’d told our local NBC affiliate’s morning news anchors, Dana and Kim Wagner at KVBC News 3, that it’s one of his all-time favorite restaurants because of the popular Pancake Tractor Driver Combo! Please don’t ask me what that is -- just go there and try it for yourself! Last night, Al took in Bette Midler’s spectacular at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace but had to race back to his CES broadcast duties, so he didn’t get a chance to visit Bette backstage afterwards.

*Hip, hot young actor Adam Gregory, who plays Ty Collins on the new 90210 TV series, celebrated his 21st birthday at the Bank in the Bellagio. A bevy of buxom beauties surrounded him when he and girlfriend, TV co-star Jessica Lowndes, were presented with a two-tiered cake lit with sparklers. Adam has two new movies coming out in starring roles with Hannah Montana: The Movie and 17 Again with Matthew Perry and Zac Efron! Jessica kept him well occupied and away from the competing eye candy by canoodling and dancing with him all night long!

*Country music legend George Jones, who is performing at the Silverton Casino Lodge here for two nights starting Jan. 23, was in esteemed company at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Alongside actor Morgan Freeman, actress-singer Barbra Streisand, choreographer Twyla Tharp and Who music men Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, George received a 2008 Kennedy Center Honors Award. George’s career began back in 1955 with his first Top Five hit “Why Baby Why.” In 2004, he celebrated 50 years as a recording artist, and he still travels for 100 shows across the country each year!

*Our breaking news story yesterday about MGM’s decision to postpone its Harmon Hotel & Spa project by a year and lop off the top 21 floors where 200 luxury condos would have been built prompted a barrage of emails. There’s obvious concern about the leaning Veer towers there, too. One alleged that they, too, might be delayed if we run into a spate of bad winds as the original 20-degree tilt has increased. Building inspectors have acknowledged that there’s “rebar cabling problems” there that also had to be fixed. Click HERE for this morning’s Las Vegas Sun story of the investigation now underway into the engineering consultants who signed off stating there were no problems there. Vegas Deluxe first revealed this five months ago without specifying the actual towers involved. The construction company says those problems have already been fixed, but the unique design likened to Pisa, Italy, and now nicknamed “The Leaning Towers of Vegas,” hasn’t apparently caught on with condo shoppers, with sales there said to be sluggish.

*Pittsburgh native Gregg Gillis goes by the unique and unusual stage name of Girl Talk when he deejays as the master of mash-ups. The musician gave a live performance of his skills on the twisting turntables of steel at the House of Blues -- and the place was mobbed. Front row was our contributing photographer Scott Harrison for these souvenir snaps!

Tonight’s tip

Since the entire porn party rundown will be posted elsewhere this early afternoon, I’m just going to remind you of two of my favorite continuing shows for tonight: Incredible illusionist David Copperfield amazes with his vanishing acts at MGM’s Hollywood Theater through Jan. 14, and Defending the Caveman continues its special run at the Excalibur tonight through two shows Sunday, with Kevin Burke starring in the one-man show expounding on the big differences between men and women!

Tomorrow’s tease

It just goes to show how old we are! When the world’s most famous nightclub opened in New York, I was an on-camera showbiz reporter for the fledgling CNN, and my date for Studio 54’s mayhem was young actress Brooke Shields! That night, we watched The Village People strut their stuff, and we waved our arms to “YMCA” and signed up “In the Navy.” I looked back over 31 years of The Village People’s disco history with The Village People’s construction worker, David Hodo. In advance of their visit to Las Vegas this weekend, I discovered that they are still going strong and touring the world! Plus, an interview with porn’s reigning princess Tera Patrick, as we get all hot around the collar with the sexy, scandalous starlets of the porn world at their erotic and exotic 2009 AVN Awards show!

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01.8.09 · 7 AM

Morning Call Photo Gallery: Vegas DeLuxe welcomes 130,000 to Vegas for CES

Today is the official opening of the massive Consumer Electronics Show. That means some 130,000 people packing our hotels, restaurants and the Convention Center, where major congestion will tie up traffic through the weekend. It’s all good business for our city, so a warm welcome to all the delegates!

Last night, there were several pre-opening day activities, and our contributing photographers were out and about in the crowds. Denise Truscello was at the Dr. Dre listening party in the Paris Las Vegas, and Erik Kabik checked in on Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer, who gave the opening keynote address at The Venetian.

A large number of celebrities and athletes will be in Las Vegas for the next four days as part of the annual CES convention. Erik captured both Akon and Soulja Boy Tell ’Em at separate events. Click HERE for CES’s official list of celebrity attendees.

Vegas DeLuxe will continue to bring you updated celebrity VIP photos during the convention from our team of contributing photographers, so click back here!

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01.8.09 · 9:18 AM

Triple Shot: Aaron Lewis, The Wailers and Parliament Funkadelics thrill crowds

George Clinton of the Parliament Funkadelics.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Las Vegas plays regular host to the old-timers and newcomers of the music world simultaneously, but even so, it’s not an everyday occurrence when you get the Godfather of Funk at the same time as Bob Marley’s band The Wailers and Staind rocker Aaron Lewis starting out his own solo acoustic tour!

Our contributing photographers Erik Kabik and Scott Harrison teamed for double-duty to ensure that Vegas DeLuxe readers got to enjoy all three greats of music history. Here are their souvenir snapshots of one extraordinary night of music.

Erik was at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay, and Scott was out at the Green Valley Ranch. You can’t miss George Clinton, the Godfather of Funk, with his thick white beard and rainbow-colored hair when he led his Parliament Funkadelics on stage at the House of Blues.

Also at the House of Blues was bass player Aston “Family Man” or “Fams” Barrett, the original founder of The Wailers with reggae wonderman Bob Marley. At their show, The Wailers played classic Jamaica, mon! tunes such as Marley’s “Jammin’,” “Natural Mystic,” “Get Up Stand Up” and “Exodus.”

Out at The Ovation lounge in the Green Valley Ranch and at Aliante’s North Las Vegas casino, Staind lead singer Aaron Lewis performed two back-to-back concerts to kick off his solo acoustic tour, and Scott was allowed so close up, you can see the emotion right in Aaron’s face!

Enjoy the photos!

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01.8.09 · 10:32 AM

Pole Position Raceway speeds toward popularity with celebrities

Jamie Little and Kurt Busch.

Photo: TVT

Since opening 13 months ago, the innovative indoor speedway Pole Position Raceway has become a unique venue for numerous celebrities wanting to be daredevils and try something completely different during their Las Vegas visits.

The stunning 60,000-sqare-foot and quarter-mile racetrack is located opposite George Maloof’s new Palms Place condo-spa-tower just two blocks from the Strip. More than 75,000 racers have driven the Italian-made, eco-friendly mini-racecars, racking up 500 million miles since the December 2007 opening.

Numerous celebrities have raced the zippy cars that can go up to 45 mph but have the feeling of a 100-mph race! NASCAR’s brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Todd Bodine and Robbie Gordon; racers Al Unser Jr., Travis Pastrana, T.J. Lavin and Marco Andretti; future baseball Hall of Fame pitchers Greg Maddux and John Smoltz; UFC champions Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson, Forrest Griffin and Amir Sadollah; NFL superstars Ben Roethlisberger and Jared Allen; legendary director George Lucas; comedian David Spade; entertainer Wayne Brady; and The Girls Next Doorstar star Holly Madison are just a few of the fans.

PPR is one of the largest indoor kart racing tracks in the Unites States. NASCAR champion Kurt Busch, super cross champion Jeremy McGrath, ESPN and ABC sports personality Jamie Little and Cold Case actress Kathryn Morris are among the celebrity shareholders.

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01.8.09 · 7:46 AM

MGM’s official statement on CityCenter changes: Condo construction canceled, and spa hotel set back

The $13 billion CityCenter project on the Strip.

Photo: Sam Morris

For the record, Vegas DeLuxe is posting the official statement from MGM pertaining to the breaking news we announced early yesterday of the yearlong postponement of the new Harmon Hotel & Spa opening and the cancellation of the construction of 200 luxury condominiums atop that tower.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2009 -- CityCenter Holdings LLC, a joint venture between MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) and Infinity World Development Corp., announced certain scope changes related to The Harmon Hotel & Spa, which include postponing the opening of the hotel to late 2010 and canceling The Harmon residential condominium component.

CityCenter Holdings LLC is currently developing a spectacular 67-acre vertical city on the Las Vegas Strip. The Harmon is just one component of the CityCenter complex. Once complete, The Harmon Hotel & Spa will feature approximately 400 rooms and suites. The Harmon as developed would have had approximately 200 residential units, of which 88 are under contract to be sold. Purchasers will be entitled to receive refunds of their deposits but will be given the opportunity to purchase units at the residences at Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, Vdara and Veer Towers. Construction at The Harmon will continue through completion of the structure and exterior, with interior fit out to be deferred.

With the cancellation of The Harmon residential component, as well as other additional cost savings, the company now anticipates total cost savings of approximately $600 million, up from its previously stated $400 million. In addition, by postponing The Harmon Hotel by one year, CityCenter will defer approximately $200 million in construction costs to complete the interior fit out of The Harmon.

“By canceling The Harmon condominium component, we will be able to avoid the need for substantial redesign of The Harmon resulting from contractor construction errors,” said Robert Baldwin, president and CEO of CityCenter. “In taking these steps related to The Harmon, we can remain focused on maximizing the operating performance of Aria, Mandarin and Vdara to their desired levels.”

All other components of CityCenter remain on schedule for a December 2009 grand opening. Aria Resort & Casino is a dramatic soaring hotel tower designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli architects and is CityCenter’s centerpiece. The sophisticated, contemporary design will be demonstrably different from any building that has preceded it and will provide a rich variety of experiences at street level. The resort will feature approximately 4,000 rooms and suites, a 150,000-square-foot casino, fine dining and world-class entertainment. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel & Residences will feature 400 hotel rooms and 227 residential units and will be managed by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Veer Towers will contain 670 residential units in two towers surrounded by the best retail, restaurants and entertainment. Vdara is a 1,495 hotel-condominium tower designed by Rafael Vinoly. Crystals retail and entertainment complex will offer approximately 76 outlets featuring high-end fashion, boutiques, dining and entertainment venues.

“The construction progress to date on this enormous project is nothing short of incredible,” Mr. Baldwin said. “Over the next 11 months, we will begin energizing these architecturally beautiful buildings with the hiring of more than 12,000 individuals for this dynamic resort complex. Creating this many jobs will have a tremendous impact for both Las Vegas and the State of Nevada for many years to come.”

“We have full confidence in the long-term future of the Las Vegas market and the success of CityCenter,” said Chris O’Donnell, CEO of Infinity World Development Corp. “This is an appropriate action in the current circumstances.”

In October 2008, CityCenter secured a $1.8 billion senior bank credit facility, which can be increased to $3 billion. Both sponsors continue to actively pursue additional financing for the project.

“These scope changes received overwhelming support from our CityCenter bank group,” said Dan D’Arrigo, executive vice president and CFO of MGM Mirage. “CityCenter has two supportive sponsors who are fully committed to this project. We will continue to seek financing that is in the best interest of CityCenter, as well as its sponsors.”

About CityCenter:

CityCenter is an unprecedented urban metropolis that will open in late 2009 on 67 acres between Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. CityCenter is a joint venture between MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM) and Infinity World Development Corp., a subsidiary of Dubai World. CityCenter will feature Aria, a 61-story, 4,000-room gaming resort; three luxury non-gaming hotels including Las Vegas’ first Mandarin Oriental, The Harmon Hotel & Spa and Vdara Hotel; Veer Towers, the development’s only strictly residential buildings; approximately 2,400 condominium residences; and Crystals, a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district. CityCenter also will feature a $40 million public fine art program with works by acclaimed artists including Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Nancy Rubins, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, among others. CityCenter is a design collaboration between MGM Mirage and eight internationally acclaimed architectural firms including Pelli Clarke Pelli, Kohn Pedersen Fox, Helmut Jahn, RV Architecture LLC led by Rafael Vinoly, Foster + Partners1, Studio Daniel Libeskind1, Rockwell Group and Gensler. Charting a new course for responsible growth in Las Vegas, MGM Mirage is pursuing the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at CityCenter. As planned, the 18-million-square foot, multi-use project will become one of the world’s largest environmentally sustainable urban communities. For more information about CityCenter, please visit www.citycenter.com.

About MGM Mirage:

MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM), one of the world’s leading and most respected development companies with significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 17 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has 50 percent investments in four other properties in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois and Macau. MGM Mirage is developing major casino and non-casino resorts, separately and with partners in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, the People’s Republic of China and Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. MGM Mirage supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its properties. MGM Mirage has received numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative and its community philanthropy programs. For more information about MGM Mirage, please visit the company’s Web site at www.mgmmirage.com.

About Infinity World Development Corp.:

Infinity World Development Corp., which is a subsidiary of Dubai World, a major investment holding company which wholly owns or has substantial interest in a portfolio of businesses, owns 50 percent of CityCenter. The Dubai World Group has more than 50,000 employees in more than 100 cities across the globe. For more information about Dubai World, please visit the company’s Web site at www.dubaiworld.ae.

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01.8.09 · 9:57 AM

Andrew Sasson on The Harmon Hotel & Spa: disappointment and commitment

For the record, Vegas DeLuxe is posting the official statement by Andrew Sasson, founder of The Light Group, which developed the concept for, and will manage and operate, The Harmon Hotel & Spa at CityCenter. This morning, he expressed disappointment at yesterday’s announcement by CityCenter Holdings LLC that it has postponed the opening of his Harmon spa hotel until late 2010 and canceled the residential condominium component of the project.

The luxury nightclub visionary said, “We are disappointed to learn of CityCenter’s decision to delay the project and cancel the residences. We remain fully committed to this project and continue to believe that The Harmon will redefine luxury in Las Vegas and anywhere in the world. The reaction to the project has been outstanding, as demonstrated by the successful marketing of the residences; we share those purchasers’ disappointment.”

Andrew added, “My team and I have dedicated nearly four years to this project. We all remain absolutely committed to completion and opening of The Harmon at the earliest possible date, with all the amenities and attention to detail that guests should expect. We have assembled a dream team of the world’s most talented designers, restaurateurs and spa and salon professionals to create something unique to Las Vegas.

“The city’s first truly boutique hotel, The Harmon will embody Las Vegas’ evolution from ostentatious, over-the-top spectacle to a more discreet, sophisticated and modern version of luxury, delivering an unprecedented level of service and exclusivity.”

About The Light Group:

The Light Group, founded in 2002 by Andrew Sasson and his partner, Andy Masi, will manage and operate The Harmon Hotel & Spa, destined to be one of the most luxurious and exclusive boutique hotels around the globe. The Light Group contemporized Las Vegas’ dining and nightlife scenes with a series of highly successful restaurants, clubs and lounges that brought an unprecedented level of design, detail and service to the Las Vegas market. Its portfolio includes: The Bank Nightclub, Caramel Bar & Lounge, Fix Restaurant & Bar and Yellowtail Sushi Restaurant & Bar at AAA Five-Diamond Bellagio Resort & Casino; Jet Nightclub, Stack Restaurant & Bar and Revolution Bar & Lounge at The Mirage Hotel & Casino; Brand Steakhouse and Diablo’s Cantina at Monte Carlo Resort & Casino; and Mist Bar & Lounge at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino. For additional information, please visit www.thelightgroup.com.

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01.7.09 · 12:26 PM

Porn princess Jenna Haze is the 2009 AVN Awards show hostess with the mostess

Two of the biggest names in the world of erotica will be co-hosting the 2009 AVN Awards show at Mandalay Bay on Saturday: Jenna Haze and Belladonna. It’s the 26th annual star-studded ceremony, and among the mainstream celebrities attending will be rocker Dave Navarro, rapper Flo Rida and Howard Stern’s radio regular Bubba the Love Sponge. More than 6,000 XXX-rated movies were reportedly reviewed, and the final nominations were narrowed down to a little more than 100 categories.

Adult Video Network President Paul Fishbein said: “This is treated with the same seriousness as the Academy Awards. An enormous amount of product is released weekly in the American market, and the glittering event is to reward thousands of people working in the adult business. The scope of this year’s awards is truly historic and shows just how far the industry has come from the days of peep shows and stag films. Our show was first presented in 1983, and it has grown into a massive and successful glamorous gala -- our equivalent of the Oscars.”

It is the centerpiece of the annual, four-day AVN Adult Entertainment Expo that attracts some 30,000 porn professionals and runs from tomorrow through Sunday. The AVN Awards is open to the public Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, and traditionally fans and crowds line up six deep for the 1,000-foot-long red carpet. Many bring stepladders with them and cameras taped to broom handles to crane over the people in front so they can catch a glimpse of their favorite porn stars. Many of those sexy starlets totter along on the tallest of high heels and in the skimpiest of barely there costumes displaying as much flesh as is legally permitted by our vigilant Police Department!

For a sneak peek at this year’s AVN convention and awards show, I talked with co-host Jenna Haze, who is regarded in her industry as one of the very top performers and an ultimate fan favorite. Here’s our conversation as she arrived in Las Vegas for this year’s AVN expo:

Jenna Haze: The AVN show is the biggest event to my industry of the year. It is the one time we can go all-out, dress up; it is our Academy Awards. Our fans look at us like stars. We are appreciated and awarded by our peers for what we have done that year.

Robin Leach: How many awards do you have, and is this the first time hosting?

JH: It is the first time. I didn’t think I was ready for it, but the producers did. I have won five personal awards previously, and two of my movies also won in past years. When they asked me to host, the first thing I asked was, “Does this mean I cannot win anything this year?” Well, it’s OK, and it turns out I have nine nominations, and some of them are really big awards. I would like to take them home. They said not a problem -- it’s the first thing every host asks -- and, in fact, every host previously has taken home something.

RL: What are the biggest awards you are nominated for this year?

JH: Female Performer of the Year. I have been up for that the past two years, and I would really like to take it home. I’ve won Starlet of the Year, which is a coveted award. But I’m really hoping for the No. 1 this year.

RL: Do you keep them all in a special trophy case at home?

JH: No, they are stacked around my desk right now. I am looking at them as we talk. I won Best Couples Sex Scene last year. I would like to win Best Tease Performance this year for Pretty as They Come. That is so hot.

RL: Does that mean you only tease and nothing happens?

JH: No, it eventually happens, but it is for the person who did the best lead-up and seduction. I once won Best Onscreen Chemistry, and that was a neat one.

RL: Awards shows mean scripts and rehearsals for the long night?

JH: Yes, we have had production meetings. Me, Belladonna, who is awesome, and a comedian. We sat down and went over what we were doing, the different segments ,and they are emailing scripts before I leave for Vegas. I cannot wait to do this. I feel honored, nervous, excited. I hope I don’t fall on my face. I love being on stage. I am nervous going out there, but once I am there, everything will flow. The producers said they picked me because of my fun, spontaneous acceptance speeches in previous years. Nothing was scripted. It was all off the cuff. I said what I felt. It was pretty sexy and definitely funny. I think the reason I was picked was because of my offbeat personality, and that works in the adult world.

RL: There are so many different girls in this business. How do you stand out and rise to the top?

JH: I am independent right now. I am not a contract player to one studio. In fact, this AVN is special for me. I am launching my own company, which is called Jen X studios. It is short for Generation X. I am the new Jenna Jameson. I’ve been in this business seven years, so I’ve got high enough up to launch my own company. Now I can be a mogul in this business, as well as an onscreen actress. I’ll launch my own company with a lot of appearances, media exposure and fan signing and photos. I’ll work it very hard at my booth. My boyfriend is my distributor. My first advertisement announcing my new company comes out at the show. My first movie, Spoiled Sluts, will be sold at the end of the month, and I’ve got three magazine covers already shot to promote it.

RL: Why did you make the decision to go into the business end of all this as an owner and executive?

JH: I was shooting stuff for my Web site, and I wanted to direct. I love being in front of the camera, but I can’t do it forever, and one day I’ll have to give up that part because I want to have kids. So I decided to start directing for my own company. My boyfriend is a director, and he helped guide me as I shot a couple of scenes. I liked what I accomplished, and now I have my first DVD for release. Tomorrow is the first trade day at the convention, so I will meet with storeowners, distributors, other actors and actresses for future films I will direct -- and hopefully a ton of fans.

RL: Meetings, negotiations and deals sound like normal business and are not very glamorous or sexy.

JH: Most of it is all business with press, interviews and photos. But I do get to go all out with my wardrobe. I wear the most amazing crystal-encrusted dresses. I have four wardrobe change dresses for the awards, so I am excited. One for red carpet, two for the show, and one for the after-party, too. It’s a ton of luggage to bring into Vegas, but you have to have the right outfits for signings by day and then another set for all the business dinners and hosting parties. I’ve spent over $30,000 for my Vegas outfits. It will make quite a statement.

RL: The adult film world has a decreasing number of companies because of Internet piracy. You are starting your company in an ever-dwindling marketplace. Is that a challenge?

JH: Yes, it is a challenge. I will try it. I have the instruments for the Web site: www.jennahaze.com. I know the DVD sales will be slower, but the Internet is where everything is going. I have had it for five to six years. I don’t know how many members I have, but I know that I make enough to make it worth my while. I think that free downloadable Web sites suck. The ones that steal all of our videos, they really suck and are contributing to the decline of our industry. If there were something for me as a spokesperson to lead that charge, I would. I don’t believe in piracy. I never download movies, music, anything illegal. People think that if they steal porn, it is OK. We have all these people involved, and they depend on these movies. It puts food in kids’ mouths.

RL: Why did you decide on an adult film world career in the first place?

JH: I danced in topless men’s clubs. I didn’t care for it. I was picking up guys at clubs and having sex with them … so I already wanted to have sex with people. I am a very sexual person. Why not do it on camera where it is safe, people are tested, it is legal. The business came to me and a guy came to me in a club and it dropped in my lap. I am very happy and lucky how it all turned out. I know girls that have taken this route of porn movies, and it hasn’t worked. You have to be a strong woman to make it work for you.

RL: Why do you think it went well for you?

JH: I have always made my own rules. I am my own representative. I do what makes me happy. I choose what I do, whom I do it with, and whom I do it, for that makes me more in control. I did really well at the beginning of my career. I had a good contract, and it enabled me to call the shots. I am very blessed. I’ve got another good five years of this on screen -- and then directing and touring on the road, going to different men’s clubs, performing for the fans. It gives me a good connection with them. They post online and talk to one another on my forums. It is a personal experience, really good extra cash and direct marketing for my company and its products.

RL: To a person who is defined by the rest of the world as sexy, what to you is sexy?

JH: Realness. People being themselves, willingly and happily exploring sexuality. There are so many different levels to sexuality. Everything is sexier to me now than it was before.

RL: How do you separate work from play?

JH: Outside of the job, I have a boyfriend, and I am monogamous. Well, I admit I do party with other girls. The girls I hang out with are beautiful women, like Jesse Jane, and at parties it is fun. I have a boyfriend, though. I am dedicated to him. I think it is easy for me to keep it separate. Work is play and fun and easy money. I am really good at it.

RL: Did you ever hanker about leaving porn and going into mainstream?

JH: I have done a couple of mainstream cameos and whatnot, but if I happen to go that way, I’d just do that on the side. That is play and fun for me. My job is my job and my career. I am very content being in the adult world. I am very much at ease with myself. I love what I do, and I am comfortable with who I am, and I think society should be more accepting of sexuality. I still pinch myself about everything that has happened to me. I am very blessed and grateful. I appreciate all that I have.

RL: What advice would you give to someone who wants to get where you have gone?

JH: I would tell them to be smart and realize that she has the power to do what she wants whether it is doing adult or mainstream, anything she wants to do. I could have gone to modeling school and done mainstream. I was too wild. Be smart. These girls that get in the industry have the power to call the shots. If they are beautiful, healthy and sexual girls, they have all the selling power.

RL: What would you say if your daughter came to you and said she wanted to go into the business and have sex on camera for the world to see?

JH: I would not be able to say no. I would have to be supportive and make sure she made the right decisions.

RL: How do you define romance?

JH: I don’t feel like I am an expert. I am an expert when it comes to having sex on camera. I don’t try to be sexy. I am just myself. It just happens. To be honest, off camera I am a complete nerd enjoying my collection of vampires and werewolf movies and horror novels. I like to hike and read books. People would call me a geek because I don’t go out nightclubbing and partying all the time.

RL: Do these four AVN days in Vegas keep you at the top of the business for the rest of the year?

JH: I have nine nominations for eight different awards during the two-hour show. I would say Belladonna and I are the two top Gonzo girls, the two top girls in the business. We are independent and not contract players, so we do the edgier stuff, although I am middle ground. The top two contract girls are Tera Patrick and Jesse Jane.

RL: What does the show do for you if you win any of the awards?

JH: It gives more star power. That means more business for my new company. That means more money -- after all, I have to pay for those $30,000 worth of dresses!

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01.7.09 · 1:55 PM

Strip Scribbles: Rumor mill about Strip hotel changes continues to churn

The rumor mill is intensifying by the minute now that the MGM hotel group has confirmed major changes, cutbacks and delays at its massive CityCenter project. Click HERE for our breaking news story posted before 7 a.m. today. Now there’s rumblings that MGM will sell its Mirage property to the out-of-town Penn National Gaming that has always wanted a Las Vegas presence to add to its 11 casinos in the Midwest and South in Louisiana and Mississippi. Wall Street insiders tell me that Penn National is the only company with plenty of cash in the bank that is able to shell out the $1.2 billion necessary to purchase The Mirage. MGM PR wiz Alan Feldman says he knows of no such transaction in the works, but the experts say Penn National wants to have its Nevada gaming license in place before closing on the deal within the next 90 days.

Alan also denied until this morning all those regular, ever-increasing rumblings we’d heard about at MGM’s massive, $13 billion CityCenter project pertaining to The Light Group’s management of the Harmon Hotel under construction there, and the twisted tales of one hotel tower coming down to be rebuilt because of a top-eight-floor construction malfunction!

There’s also steady chatter about two Israeli realty groups who own land in Las Vegas. One wants to build a four-tower, 6,745-room Edge hotel, casino and retail center on 60 acres just west of the Hard Rock Hotel -- that’s where George Clooney once planned a black-tie, up-market casino venture that never materialized. If this came to fruition, and it’s due to go in front of Clark County planners today, it would be the largest hotel in the world. The other Israeli group denies printed stories in Tel Aviv that it wants to enlist Venetian/Palazzo owner Sheldon Adelson’s assistance with the Plaza New York project it plans to build opposite Steve Wynn’s new the Encore where the old Stardust Hotel and Frontier resort existed before implosion. It’s also the site where the initial steel structures of the proposed Echelon resort now stand unfinished. Sheldon also denied the Israeli newspaper reports.

*Updating from yesterday’s report on the debut of the weekly industry party at the new XS mega club in the Encore. Turns out that by the time dawn’s first light broke, more than 4,300 revelers had walked through its doors. There were so many people trying to get access to XS, Metro Police report that three lanes of traffic on the Strip were in total gridlock from the resort’s entrances on Wynn Way all the way back to the Fashion Show and Palazzo intersection! Among the celebrities in attendance were UFC fighters Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Forrest Griffin, actors Dennis Haskins, Obba Babatunde and Anthony McKay, Joe Jackson (patriarch of the Jackson pop music family), magician David Darkstone and former NBA player Jerome Williams.

*My friend celebrity chef Susan Feniger from the hip, mod-Mex restaurant Border Grill at Mandalay Bay is now only a short time away from opening her new L.A. restaurant Street. The “Too Hot Tamale” is ready to knock the ball out of the park and has produced a video sneak preview to prove it at www.eatatstreet.com. As I told you months ago as construction got underway, if it’s a success there, she’s definitely bringing the unique concept here to Las Vegas!

*My friend Chuck Zito, former Hells Angel who appeared on the HBO drama Oz, is a regular Las Vegas visitor, and on his most recent trip here took time out to see the comedy show Vinny Favorito at the Flamingo. Chuck tells a chilling yet hilarious, violent but truthful life story in his autobiography Street Justice. He grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn and the Bronx and became president of the New York chapter of the Hells Angels before becoming bodyguard to many of the world’s biggest celebrities. Now he tells me that the USA cable network is turning the book into a new TV series appropriately titled Street Justice -- and his new martial arts video Street Survival System will be released shortly.

Star surveillance

Kid Rock spent an hour in the Imperial Palace Auto Collections, having met owner Rob Williams last year at a car auction in Lapeer, Mich., so he decided to swing by the center Strip showcase while he was performing at the Palms. The rock rapper also hit Drai’s After Hours inside Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall at center Strip. … Sexy, pint-sized powerhouse Carmen Electra shopped up a storm at the Palazzo shops and purchased several items at the Annie Creamcheese vintage boutique. … Legendary rocker and ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons was at Frankie’s Tiki Room drinking Bud Light while his friends sipped on the signature Kahiki Kia cocktail, a blend of coconut run, banana liqueur and pineapple juice. Billy loved the place so much that he went to the nearby Las Vegas Premium Outlets and purchased pajamas from Brooks Brothers as a gift for the bartender. Before they left Frankie’s a second time, the group purchased two dozen of the collectable signature tiki mugs. … Planet Hollywood’s Strip House executive chef John Schenk appeared on NBC’s Today show from CES here live this morning demonstrating how to make potatoes Romanoff. … Paris and Nicky’s proud parents, Kathy and Rick Hilton, and their sons, Barron and Conrad, dined at Lavo in the Palazzo on two consecutive nights. … Actress Mena Suvari, dressed in shiny black leggings, and her fiance Simone Sestito also returned to Lavo a second time for Mediterranean menu specialties including Greek salad, eggplant parmigiano and sea bass -- sipping only on iced tea and espressos with dinner. … Next door at Tao in The Venetian for a second consecutive night was comedy star David Spade, who brought actress Nicollette Sheridan with him in a group of friends but sipping martinis intimately alongside each other. Sitting nearby was The Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, who was joined by eight friends including actress Danielle Panabaker, who will be starring in the upcoming Friday the 13th remake. Also at Tao was actor Efren Ramirez from Napoleon Dynamite … Aaron Lewis, lead singer of Staind, hung out at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel with friends after his two Vegas performances. … Somehow the very pregnant Jenna Jameson and her beau Tito Ortiz made it onto the dance floor at Blush, where the fighter guarded her protectively from anybody dancing too close for comfort. Also there were BMX pro Kevin Robinson dancing atop a banquette, basketball legend Robert Horry, baseball all-star Jason Giambi and poker pro Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari. … And two singers from the Robbie Knievel jump spectacular over The Mirage volcano returned to Jet: American Idol Season 7 winner David Cook and rocker Scott Weiland both gave mini-song showcases.

*In these troubled economic times, I’m keeping my eyes out for unique bargains here in Las Vegas that you can tell all your friends around the country about so that they come visit! Real estate mogul Donald Trump has just decreed that his Trump International Hotel here can extend its $99-a-night room rate for locals and their families and friends through March 31. In addition, he’s thrown in a 25% discount at his DJT signature restaurant from Sunday through Thursday for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Yes, those luxurious floor-to-ceiling-windowed suites with European kitchens, marble bathrooms with spa tubs and sleep systems complete with 500-thread count linens, are all included in the remarkable $99 price!

The creative guys at Stack in The Mirage have come up with a unique marketing ploy with a very reasonable $150-per-person price tag! You get seven choices for appetizers and dinner in the smart, chic, sophisticated Fix, plus tickets to the late show of The Beatles’ Cirque du Soleil production of Love and a complimentary drink afterwards in the Beatles Revolution lounge. Now that’s a deal to Love!

Tonight’s tip

One of the biggest events of the week is when TRV$, better known as tattooed drummer Travis Barker, formerly of Blink-182, partners with his friend DJ AM, real name Adam Goldstein, for a live performance. It’s the first show of the New Year in Las Vegas for the pair who narrowly escaped death from a fiery plane crash last year. It’s also their first time back at LAX in the Luxor since June. … The opening-night party for the adult video industry’s 2009 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo kicks off at Jet, and you can expect a plethora of pulchritude baring scads of skin at the swinging affair. … Heating up the sizzling, steamy competition for attention at LAX will be the official Wicked Pictures party with five of today’s hottest triple-X starlets -- Kaylani Lei, Jessica Drake, Kirsten Price, Mikayla Mendez and Alektra Blue. They’ll also appear there tomorrow night and again Saturday night after the 2009 AVN Awards show, each time in a different barely there dress showing off their assets to the full!

Tomorrow’s tease

If you want to know where adult movie stars go to play, we’ve got the full rundown of their dusk-to-dawn party patrol. From porn princesses Tera Patrick and Stormy Daniels to controversial celebrities Dave Navarro and Bubba the Love Sponge at their nightclub balls, we have the full ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN of everything that’s X-rated (and barely clothed) for the next three nights. We’ve also got our three-pack photo special with the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton, with his Parliament Funkadelics; Staind singer Aaron Lewis as he kicks off his solo acoustic tour; and The Wailers, the group that reggae royal Bob Marley led with bass player Aston Barrett to become the most beloved group of its kind in the world. Plus, we party with those bisexual identical twin sisters Rikki and Vikki Mongeon, better known as the Ikki Twins, from MTV’s hit reality TV series A Double Shot at Love.

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01.7.09 · 6:56 AM

Breaking News: MGM reveals cutbacks, delays in $13 billion CityCenter project

The $13 billion CityCenter project on the Strip.

Months of rumors of construction problems and excess unsold residential space at MGM’s giant $13 billion CityCenter project have circulated throughout the gaming industry. In fact, Vegas DeLuxe anonymously reported these rumors exclusively early last fall.

Now, just moments ago at 6 a.m., MGM officials finally confirmed that major changes are being implemented. First is a major design change regarding plans for The Light Group’s Harmon Tower, which also will set back its planned opening by nearly 12 months.

Vegas DeLuxe first reported in September that the top eight floors were to be shelved and that structural problems relating to cable support systems would cause another reduction of actual building space.

MGM confirms that it will eliminate a portion of the residential inventory, which lowers the overall cost by at least $200 million. Now the Harmon Tower will consist of 400 hotel rooms and suites. MGM’s management had previously intended to include 200 residential units at the property, of which 88 were in contract for sale. Now those 88 buyers will be offered units in other residential areas of CityCenter or given deposit refunds.

MGM says it will now open the 400-room Harmon Tower in late 2010 -- that’s one year after the planned opening of the remainder of the development. The balance of the project, which consists of the 4,000-room Aria hotel and casino, the 400-room and 227-residential-unit Mandarin Oriental, the 670-residential-unit Veer and the 1,495-room hotel-condo Vdara, is still planned for a December opening this year.

MGM noted this morning that it “remains firm in its attempt to secure additional project financing for CityCenter.” We also hear reliable rumors that negotiations are still continuing with two Chinese government banks to secure as much as $3 billion of financing to complete the massive project.

Still to be addressed, though, are rumors about a lackluster market of residential sales in the “two leaning V towers” of the Veer glass complex. There are said to be “cabling issues,” which Vegas DeLuxe reported back in September. MGM did not make any announcement about that situation at 6 a.m. today, only confirming the Harmon Tower reductions.

The Harmon luxury spa and hotel is operated by mogul Andrew Sassoon, who runs The Light Group here with his Jet and Bank nightclub empires in The Mirage and the Bellagio, along with the restaurants Fix, Stack, Brand, Diablo’s Cantina and Yellowtail, all on the Strip and in the Bellagio, The Mirage and the Monte Carlo.

One of the members of the royal family of Dubai who control the well-heeled Dubai World conglomerate purchased 50 percent of The Light Group last year. Dubai World also is a major partner with MGM in the development of CityCenter.

Wall Street believes the changes will all be a “positive” for MGM’s stock price. Said Joseph Greff, senior gaming industry analyst banker at JP Morgan: “We believe this news will be well received by investors. It eliminates a portion of the residential inventory and lowers the overall cost.”

However, investors didn’t give MGM a thumbs-up immediately on the news. When MGM’s stock opened at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Wall Street, it dropped 5 percent from yesterday’s closing price, to $15.05 -- almost double the year’s low but way off its year's high of $75.08.

"By canceling the Harmon condominium component, we will be able to avoid the need for substantial redesign of the Harmon resulting from contractor construction errors," CityCenter CEO Bobby Baldwin said in the official statement released this morning by MGM.

Yesterday, MGM began a job recruitment fair searching for 12,000 new employees for CityCenter.

Vegas DeLuxe will continue to monitor this story as it develops. Click HERE to read our colleague Las Vegas Sun's story about the structural problems at Harmon Tower.