Las Vegas Weekly

September 19, 2008 · 3 PM

Star-studded events kick off Hard Rock Hotel’s hedonistic Poker Lounge

By Robin Leach

Photo: Erik Kabik

It’s been nothing but stars and sports heroes playing the winning hand since this week’s grand opening of the new hedonistic Hard Rock casino hotel’s Poker Lounge. The red-carpet opening was a star-studded affair complete with the “Godfather of Poker” Doyle Brunson. He was accompanied by Anjela and Pam Brunson.

Other princely poker professional players included Chad Layne, Jeff Schulman, "Iceman" Teddy Monroe, Adam Schoenfeld, Jeremiah Smith, Barry Schulman, Kenny Goldstein and Rick Fuller. Additional guests included Sam Talbot from Top Chef, Clinton Sparks and Sal Masekela of Daily 10, UFC Fighter Mike Swick, Scott Ian Rosenfeld of Anthrax, and Strip entertainers Zowie Bowie, Nathan Burton and the cast of the Jersey Boys musical. The grand prizewinner of the first tournament was Pam Brunson, who won a priceless Hard Rock chopper motorcycle. It’s the custom-made collector piece that had been on display as a valuable part of Hard Rock history since the property first opened. Our merry Mayor of Mirth, Oscar Goodman joined Hard Rock President Randy Kwasniewski and Doyle Brunson for the commemorative ribbon- cutting ceremony and was presented a custom-made tricycle for his grandson!

The second tournament was celebrity basketball’s “Old School vs. New School” and sports heroes from across the country turned out to raise funds for Operation Smile and the American Cancer Society. Former UNLV star who retired eventually from the Chicago Bulls, Greg Anthony led the “old schoolers” while Jermaine O’Neal of the Toronto Raptors, celebrating his birthday, led the “new schoolers”. Other players included NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, Jonathan Ogden, retired from the Baltimore Ravens; and b-ball 3-pointers Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers, Robert Horry, late San Antonio Spurs and Ike Diougu of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Elsewhere in the Hard Rock my I’m A Celebrity-- Get Me Out of Here pal, Criss Judd took two friends to see Veruca Salt’s performance at Carey Hart’s new Wasted Space rock lounge and O’Neal continued his birthday partying at the weekly Smashtime party in the Body English nightclub.

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