Las Vegas Weekly

July 22, 2008 · 4:31 PM

Stars are shining all over the Strip

By Robin Leach

Our top two Strip nightclub venues, Pure at Caesars Palace and LAX at the Luxor, have been packed with celebrities -- and it seems to be a growing trend during these hot summer months. Everybody's come here to cool off -- and yet heat up the night!

Here’s the celebrity rundown our spywitnesses reported from LAX: Entertainer Jamie Foxx settled into a swanky, red-leather booth on the club’s VIP stage, where he drank Veuve Clicquot just steps away from actor Joe Gannascoli, best known for his starring role on the hit series The Sopranos. Just below was five-time Primetime Emmy award-winning producer Jerry Bruckheimer sipping on Grey Goose cocktails.

UFC fan favorite B.J. "The Prodigy" Penn partied with pals at a VIP table on the club’s dance floor mixing his Grey Goose cocktails with Red Bull. As Luxe Life predicted Friday, NBA players are partying everywhere you turn, and at LAX, the court contingent included Eddie Curry, Nate Robinson and Mardy Collins of the New York Knicks, New Orleans Hornets stud forward Julian Wright, Rafer Alston of the Houston Rockets, Marcus Banks of the Miami Heat and Joe Alexander, who was recently drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia and NBA pro Earl Watson also stopped by to pick up on the club's high energy. Guitarist Gavin Rossdale, who is married to Gwen Stefani, had hit almost every nightclub in town but still stopped by late night for Grey Goose cocktails and waved to many adoring fans that went crazy for him on the dance floor below.

It looked as if the kings of the hardwood had taken over at the Pure nightclub when more sports players partied up a storm than played in a telecast tip-off game! Our spywitnesses caught LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and member of Team USA holding court on the main VIP stage with friends. LeBron was strictly no-alcohol, sticking to Fiji Water and Red Bull. Also enjoying the revelry at the hip hotspot were former NBA big man Dale Davis and NFL linebacker Shaun Phillips of the San Diego Chargers. Golden State Warriors players Damon Jones and Corey Magette, and NFL players Stephen Cooper of the San Diego Chargers and Larry Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs cheered the night with Patron shots until the lights were turned on pre-dawn and the club closed! Hip-hop producer Suge Knight also joined the partying players.

Also at Caesars, Pure’s topless-optional swim club, Venus, attracted a huge turnout of stars for Garth Brooks's Teammates for Kids Foundation! The country music phenomenon kept close to his wife, fellow entertainer Trisha Yearwood, as they mingled and took photos with guests in the Romanesque oasis. Among the superstars our spywitnesses spotted were Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, San Diego Chargers linebacker Derek Smith, Buffalo Bills guard Jason Whittle, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Jeff Ulbrich, Miami Dolphins tight end Justin Peelle. Troy Bienemann (Arizona Cardinals), Tim Euhus (Arizona Cardinals), Aaron Merz (Buffalo Bills), Dave Kadela (Carolina Panthers), Daniel Coats (Cincinnati Bengals), Brad Cieslak (Cleveland Browns), Jim Ryan (Denver Broncos), Daniel Campbell (Detroit Lions), Jon Ryan (Green Bay Packers), John Denney (Miami Dolphins), Heath Farwell (Minnesota Vikings), John Dorenbos (Philadelphia Eagles), Nick Murphy (Philadelphia Eagles), Craig Terrill (Seattle Seahawks), Donnie Jones (St. Louis Rams), Nick Leckey (St. Louis Rams), Ken Amato (Tennessee Titans), Ray Carolin (former NFL player), John Goldsberry (former NFL player), Austin King (former Seattle Seahawk) and NHL pros Shane Hnidy (Boston Bruins), David Backes (St. Louis Blues), Greg de Vries (Nashville Predators), Vernon Fiddler (Nashville Predators), Chris Dingman (former NHL player), Brian Engblom (former NHL player) and Pat Verbeek (former NHL player). Olympic swimmer Kelly Brook was also spotted at the Garth and Trisha soiree, which ended just after midnight. Earlier in the day, actor Stephen Baldwin visited. TV personality Steve Levy, of ESPN’s SportsCenter fame, relaxed with a female friends in a poolside chaise lounge, staying refreshed with Fiji water and fresh fruit.

British rocker Gavin Rossdale didn’t show any signs of fatigue after his concert at the Joint in Hard Rock. First, as Luxe Life reported yesterday, he performed a second set at Carey Hart’s new Wasted Space rock club and then went off to host at fashion designer Christian Audigier’s new nightclub at Treasure Island. Arizona Cardinals player Rob Hood, who had dined earlier on Yellowtail Jalapeno in the sexy sushi Social House above the club, took the VIP table next to Gavin -- who still managed to find the energy to wind up at LAX before dawn broke! Also at Audigier’s Industry Night party were poker pros Theo Tran, David Williams and Kansas City Chiefs star Larry Johnson -- yes, again! He also hit Social House for sushi and sashimi snacks beforehand.

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