Las Vegas Weekly

June 19, 2008 · 4:02 AM

Michael Jackson Vegas casino a thriller of a concept

By Robin Leach

Michael Jackson and Robin Leach pose for the photogs.

Photo: TVT

Pop prince Michael Jackson has been thrown an economic lifeline, which could untangle his messy financial fortunes and simultaneously land him new concert dates and even, hard to believe, his own “Thriller” casino!

Once again you’re all saying I’ve lost my marbles and daydreaming in 96-point Gothic Bold headlines! NO! No less an authoritative voice of respectability than the prestigious Wall Street Journal is weighing in with the breathless monetary minutia. Better still is that both the New York Times and United Press International followed up with their “Chronicles of Colony Capital.”

Colony’s founder, Thomas Barrack, is the major shareholder of his financial equity group that also owns our Las Vegas Hilton -– where Elvis Presley used to perform! Luxe Life had reported that Michael, about to turn 50, was in danger of “crushing” under the $23 million weight of debt he owed hedge fund Fortress Investment Group secured by the cash-strapped notorious Neverland ranch. Barrack and Colony paid off the debt and now have admitted they are in negotiations with the former “King of Pop.”

Says Barrack: “We bought the note. We’re talking about refinancing Neverland, recapitalizing Michael in addition to discussing other business opportunities and mutual interests.” Even Michael’s spokesman confirmed the talks: “We’re moving forward and looking to do some positive things in the future.”

Writer Ethan Smith claims that Michael now lives 60 miles from the Vegas strip in a rural compound in Pahrump where he has a home recording studio and is home-schooling his three young children. I’ve learned he’s getting ready to release two new singles this August and September and he’s currently finishing them and promised he’ll even make some personal appearances to promote them, one of them would be right here in Vegas, just off the Strip.

More intriguing though to us than all the “dance of the suits” is the very real possibility that Barrack and Colony have convinced Michael to make a serious show-business comeback –- and the WSJ states, obviously from its deep well-informed sources, that they are urging Michael to emerge from his holed up state to stage a residency performance at one of its gambling or entertainment properties! I last met with Michael in the Wing Lei restaurant at Wynn Las Vegas, where he plotted a comeback with American Idol Simon Cowell’s British entertainment partner, mogul Simon Fuller. He agreed to perform a 10-night run of shows at the W2 arena in London but backed out later. However the unexpected strong success of his 25th anniversary edition of the Thriller album may have sparked his desire to work again – although the number wizards point out that his share of SONY/ATV Music Publishing, which has the Beatles library is worth over $500-million.

Knowledgeable sources say Michael has been presented with three choices for his comeback: a) a specially built theater at the Hilton, where he would appear on a similar long-term, commitment as Elton John or even Barry Manilow at the Hilton; b) a show built around all of Michael’s hits similar to Cirque du Soleil’s show Love, which is built around the Beatles music and c) a high-profile charity concert that would promote a new Thriller casino that Colony would develop from Michael’s 10-year’s worth of ideas. One or all of these would be blockbusters although there are skeptics. One former Jackson business pal commented: “Much will be talked about but nothing will ever come to pass because Michael simply doesn’t have the strength, stamina and dedication for such a big commitment.”

The New York Times said no deal was yet in place but UPI reported that Michael is seriously considering the long-term Vegas gig. Its also interesting to note that Colony is also a major shareholder in the Station Casinos chain – and Luxe Life reported more than a week ago UFC president Dana White promised a startling development with his furious fight league. Yesterday he confirmed that Station Casinos co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta was resigning as president of the gaming company to become chairman and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Michael was a guest of the UFC at its most recent MGM Grand battle.

Luxe Life will keep you posted on all developments in the ongoing saga of both Michael and the new face of the UFC!

TV VETERAN BARBARA WALTERS LURES A SLEW OF STARS FOR HER VIEW LIVE BROADCASTS:

It’s an all star week of surprise guests for The View tapings at the Caesars Palace fountains next week. Legendary broadcaster Barbara Walters has lined up a great mix of both local Vegas headline names -– and some entertainers to commute in from Hollywood. But if you want to catch them and see the show “go live” by satellite back to New York you’d better be early. Barbara wants you at the Roman Plaza check in area no later than 6:30 a.m.!

Cameras will “roll with action” exactly at 8 a.m., because that’s the 11 a.m. live ABC time period in New York for the East Coast! Barbara will have the full View cast along with her including Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and newcomer Sherri Shepherd. Here’s the updated list of guests scheduled to appear on the three-days of taping to start Monday:

Mon Jun 23: 8 A.M. live: Former Vegas resident and now late-night talkshow host Jimmy Kimmel, musical artist Rhianna and three of the HBO Entourage stars Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Debi Mazur.

Tues Jun 24:8 a.m. live: Our current Mirage entertainer Danny Gans who will move to Steve Wynn’s new Encore resort after November, the hunks from our Chippendales show at the Rio and musical performances by American Idol dueling winners David Cook and David Archuleta.

At 10:30 a.m.:A pre-taped show with Venetian headliner Wayne Brady, the Jubilee showgirls from Ballys and Hills star Heidi Montag. It will air Thursday morning on Jun 26.

Wed Jun 25: Our Harrah’s favorite comedienne Rita Rudner and singer Jessica Simpson who was here in Vegas two weekends ago for the gala opening of the new George Maloof Palms Place condo-tel.

At 10:30 a.m.: Another pre-taped show with Caesars Palace headline star Bette Midler, Monte Carlo magician Lance Burton and the Kardashian sisters Kim, Kloe and Kourtney. It will air Friday morning on June 27.

At 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on Wednesday Barbara will also autograph copies of her new “Audition” book at the Fountain of the Gods near Wolfgang Puck’s Spago restaurant in the Forum Shops of Caesars Palace.

Luxe Life will report next week from the set for all the behind-the-scenes secrets and surprises.

STARS PARTY HEARTY ON NIGHTCLUB WHIRLWIND:

Boxers Mike Tyson and Zab Judah have become quite the party-regulars, even tag-teaming on their visits to the Pure and LAX Strip nightclubs. They began their night in the Luxor with dinner at Company American Bistro where the former heavyweight champion tucked into organic chicken while his friends feasted on rock shrimp and roasted salmon. Both Mike and Zab stuck to water while on the main VIP stage in the LAX nightclub there but their guests sipped on Grey Goose vodka cocktails. Sitting below was former NBA star Maurice Taylor but alongside were L.A. Angels pitcher Kelvim Escobar and Sevendust vocalist Lajon Witherspoon.

Also seen at LAX over the past few days was soul singer songwriter Erykah Badu for her official after-concert party and she made several trips to the DJ booth to help mc the festivities. UFC fan favorite Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg had a supreme spot steps away on stage. Vocalist rocker Scott Weiland who spent four years with Velvet Revolver and for his time with Stone Temple Pilots was also there. He mingled after his Palms concert with excited fans including UFC fighters Joe Stevens and Dan Henderson and New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter.

While Zab selected LAX for a 2nd consecutive night Tyson turned up at PURE nightclub in Caesars the next night when pro poker players Theo Tran and Nena Medic took separate tables to place their bets on a night of excitement in the club. Also seen at PURE was Duane Chapman better known as “Dog the Bounty Hunter” and Turkish pop singer Tarkan who partied in true Vegas style.

A ROUGH & TUMBLE PROCESS TO BRING THE BEATLES LOVE MUSICAL TO LIFE:

CineVegas Day 7: The film festival highlight yesterday was the screening of All Together Now -– the no-holds barred and totally unsanitized documentary drama of how the Love Cirque du Soleil musical came to the Mirage. Director Adrian Wills told Luxe Life: "The invitation to make the film was actually in a Christmas card I received in 2004. Needless to say it was a very good gift and I said yes immediately. I'd been making small portrait films for Cirque for the previous seven years, so this became my first feature film for them. I shot approaching 200 hours of film which wound up getting edited down to 85 minutes. It provides fascinating insight into the creative skills, international cast and the passion for all involved. The interview with Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison and Sir Paul McCartney and MGM Mirage CEO Bobby Baldwin and all the Cirque team have never been seen before." The filming by Wells was remarkable in its close-up intimacy at last night's showing that even brought out some of the Cirque characters. The film shows the contributions of both McCartney and Starr and also depicts the input from Ono and Olivia Harrison, the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison, whose friendship with Cirque founder Guy LaLiberte got the process rolling. We often hear of “creative differences” scuttling stars and screenplays so it was nice to know that even though the temper tantrums occurred here too the end goal was attained super-successfully. Kudos to my friends Sir George Martin and son Giles who masterminded the extraordinary sound processing from the original recordings – and this new movie will be released worldwide on DVD later this fall with their show soundtrack CD.

Incidentally, tonight Cirque launches its new VIP Tapis Rouge service at the Love musical and Luxe Life will have that report early next week.

STRIP SCRIBBLES:

-- Congratulations to Boston Celtics star player Paul Pierce for being named MVP of the NBA Finals, and expect to see him right here in Vegas this weekend. Pierce, who has played his entire career with the green-team averaged 21 points in the Finals that saw them win their 17th NBA title – and first in 22 years! Paul owns a luxury condo on the south strip alongside the South Point casino hotel and plans to party here with his winning teammates. The six-game championship ended with Boston beating the LA Lakers by 39-points: 131-92. The Lakers will be here in Vegas on Oct. 12 for their annual pre-season game against rivals the Sacramento Kings. The Kings owner Joe Maloof watched the trouncing on a bar TV at Iron Chef Kerry Simon’s new restaurant in the Palms Place. “I was thrilled at the result,” said a gleeful Maloof!

-- For the past five years Joey Arias performed 10-weekly shows as the gender-bending dressed in drag mistress of ceremonies of Zumanity at the NY-NY resort hotel. He said “au-revoir” to the x-rated Cirque sextravaganza and has now turned up in downtown Manhattan to launch his new artistic show “Arias with a Twist”. That’s quite an understatement because he’s collaborating with brilliant but bizarre puppeteer Basil Twist. Joe gets to sing 12 numbers in the show including one from an alien spaceship in the depths of hell! He let slip that there will be a kick chorus line of nude puppets!

-- I jumped the gun giving you those mid July opening dates for Cary Hart’s new Wasted Space rock lounge at the Hard Rock. Minor construction hitches in this ever vigilant age have pushed back the July 16 gala plans although there maybe a couple of private advance parties around there. I’m promised the new official opening date the minute it all becomes official.

-- The Palms’ Maloof family have embarked on their new Maloof Music company -- and they brought their new group Rev Theory to the Rain nightclub there for a concert party to celebrate the their debut record release. Brian Janis from Phototechnik captured these special photos for Luxe Life.

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