Las Vegas Weekly

December 15, 2009 · 10:01 AM

Strip Scribbles: New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Strip

By Robin Leach

Kyle Busch and Oscar Goodman at the 2009 Great Santa Run at Town Square on Dec. 5, 2009.

Photo: TVT

Shortly before noon today, our Merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman will reveal the final plans for “America’s Party,” the fireworks celebration that will dominate the Strip this New Year’s Eve. We will update the details on our real-time Twitter messages later, but we can tell you now that there will be seven rooftop locations for the Fireworks by Grucci pyrotechnic display.

Hotels from south to north taking part in the much-anticipated fireworks will be MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, Aria, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, The Venetian and Stratosphere. The Strip fireworks will be tied to the live entertainment extravaganza taking place downtown at the Fremont Street Experience. Fireworks family rep Phil Grucci will detail the choreography and music to be used in tandem with the explosions, starbursts and heavenly bound rockets.

*A brand new rock and roll nightclub and bar is set to open on the Strip on New Year’s Eve. Smokin’ Hot Aces will make its mark on the second level of The Venetian adjacent to the Palazzo’s First Food and Bar. New York rock/metal/grunge group Lake Effect Mud will provide the musical entertainment. Marty Helfand, general manager, said: “Smokin’ Hot Aces is the first true rock and roll bar combining classic and modern rock with Vegas-inspired fun and games in a casual, relaxed environment. It fills the rock void in the city and will stay true to the rock and roll vibe via rock and roll DJs, a real jukebox and performances from top local and national rock bands.” The bar spans an impressive 4,500 square feet overlooking the Strip, with a center platform for go-go dancers and shot girls.

*The holiday season produces a kingdom of kindness in Las Vegas:

1) Today through Dec. 24, the Hard Rock Hotel and Mix 94.1 are teaming up to help support The Salvation Army’s Las Vegas food banks with “Take Time to Be Kind,” a property-wide food drive. Anyone can take time to be kind by bringing a nonperishable food item to the Hard Rock Retail Store. For every item donated, Nevada residents will receive a free gift, as well as an entry to win a season pass to The Joint. On Dec. 25, one lucky person will win a pair of tickets to every concert at The Joint for the entire 2010 season. While gifting the food, Nevada residents get another gift in return, with 30 percent discounts at Hard Rock’s retail shops, including the Hard Rock Retail Store, Love Jones, John Varvatos NYC Bowery and Affliction, as well as at restaurants including Pink Taco, Mr. Lucky’s, Ago and Rare 120. As a special thank you, Clark County teachers with ID will receive an extra 10 percent off on top of the 30 percent off at participating venues.

2) Tremendous response the past two weeks has encouraged Flamingo comedy headliner George Wallace, to extend his toy drive an extra week. Guests who bring two or more new, unwrapped toys to George’s toy drive receive one free ticket to his show. The ticket can be redeemed at any time through Dec. 19. Donations can be dropped in the designated donation box located to the right of the Showroom near the Donny & Marie kiosk at the Flamingo.

3) Just in time for the holiday season, Disney’s The Lion King and Mandalay Bay are now offering locals 50 percent off orchestra and mezzanine seats through Dec. 24, and again from Jan. 4 through Feb. 11. Use the code “Local 1” when placing ticket orders to take advantage of this offer.

*History buffs can have a memento of the RMS Titanic now available at the retail shop in the Titanic Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor. There’s a $500,000, 55-pound piece of coal on display there, and if the cool half million is out of the budget, pieces are available for $20 and $45 as a commemorative keepsake from the 5,892 tons of coal loaded onboard the Titanic when it left England almost a century ago. Raised from the depths of the North Atlantic, coal is the only artifact salvaged from the Ship of Dreams that can be sold to the public. One hundred fifty-nine furnaces burned nearly 700 tons of coal each day to drive the Titanic’s three massive propellers.

*Bestselling author and business coach Brad Sugars, who is a member of The N9NE Group at the Palms, joined N9NE co-owner Jenna Morton at the KLUC 98.5 FM Toy Drive, where he donated 250 bikes from N9NE to help DJ Chet Buchanan pass the 1,400 mark. N9NE Group also served as a sponsor for this year’s toy drive and donated more than 2,000 books collected by N9NE Group team members.

*For the 15th consecutive year, master magician Lance Burton and his celebrity friends, along with Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus, entertained a full house at the Shriners Temple auditorium with a free concert for kids.

*Along with every Christmas season, there also are the celebrations of Hanukkah. In this photo by Glenn Pinkerton of the Las Vegas News Bureau, Nevada Congresswoman Shelley Berkley assisted Rabbi Shea in lighting the Menorah at the Fremont Street Experience.

Star surveillance

Entertainer and impressionist Rich Little beamed with pride when his philanthropic wife Marie Little was presented with a Humanitarian Star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. Rich and Marie became the first husband and wife team to be honored with stars outside the Flamingo on the Strip sidewalk. … Fashion designer Roberto Cavalli enjoyed dinner at Tao in The Venetian on Saturday night. Roberto sported a black suit and sunglasses while dining with friends. Nearby, poker prince Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari celebrated his 31st birthday with an Asian feast and upstairs at the nightclub’s Worship party enjoyed Patron shots and was presented with cupcakes as a sweet topping for the night. … Retired NBA star Gary Payton dined at N9NE Steakhouse in the Palms with five friends, while Playboy Playmates Hope Dworaczyk (April 2009), Penelope Jimenez (March 2003) and Kara Monaco (Playmate of the Year 2006) partied at The Playboy Club all wearing identical black shirts with the Playboy logo on the front. … Chicago White Sox ace Mark Buehrle and his wife, Jamie, partied at XS in the Encore for two consecutive nights. … Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Matt Garza held court at a VIP table with friends at Tryst in the adjoining Wynn. … Hometown hero and legendary Top Rank boxing promoter Bob Arum and his wife Lovee were at Showtime’s Championship Boxing in the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. Our Las Vegas announcer Al Bernstein called the fights in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Tonight’s tips

The World Bartending Championships division finals will be held at TGI Friday’s in the Gold Coast. … Comedian Dat Phan, the first winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, returns to Harrah’s Improv, with Kenny Bob Davis and Bret Walkow with twice nightly shows through Sunday.

Tomorrow’s teases

We’ll have the full photo report from our media meet-and-greet with the cast and crew of Cirque du Soleil’s new spectacular Viva Elvis, along with a sneak peek into the Aria casino jeweled crown epicenter of MGM’s CityCenter, which opens to the public late tomorrow night after five years of construction and a daylong celebration and nighttime gala. We’ll also run down all the Aria nightclubs and restaurants after taking a tour of them today.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter HERE.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter HERE.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter HERE.

Share This