Luxe Life Blog

Strip Scribbles: Las Vegas gets its own miniature zoo

Posted March 12, 2010 • 4:36 p.m.

Cloud Nine Entertainment Director of Sales and Marketing Bert Rhine and Kevin Michaels, Cloud Nine founder and CEO, toast 500 feet above the Strip.

Photo: Wicked Creative PR

For the first time ever on the Strip, there will be a new animal attraction for tourists and locals. Call it a baby zoo complete with zebras, giraffes and a young rhino. It will be a one-of-a-kind Exotic Animal Encounter. Vegas DeLuxe has learned that the entrepreneurs who bankrolled the Cloud Nine balloon rides are adding the animal park to their takeoff and landing site opposite Mandalay Bay in nine days.

Cloud Nine is the world’s largest tethered helium balloon ride, and now the balloon park also will feature an animal attraction. Executives assure that the magnificent creatures will be in a safe, nurturing environment under the care of expert animal handlers. They’re promising that some visitors will even have the opportunity from time to time to play with the animals.

*ShoWest named Amanda Seyfried its Breakthrough Female Star of the Year this morning, and she will be presented with the award at ShoWest’s Final Night Banquet and Award Ceremony next Thursday at Bally’s and Paris. Amanda, whose breakout performance was in Mamma Mia, this year has performances in Dear John with Channing Tatum, Chloe opposite Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore opening March 26 and Letters to Juliet opposite Vanessa Redgrave opening May 14. ShoWest is the largest annual convention for the motion picture industry.

*It’s a busy weekend for the folks at The Light Group, as they juggle two birthday parties in their nightclubs for Robert Kardashian Jr. (Jet in The Mirage) and Common (Haze at MGM CityCenter's Aria) and present a $15,000 check to Katie Cassidy at The Bank in the Bellagio to assist her fundraising efforts to build a library in Malawi.

STAR SURVEILLANCE

It’s been three nights of partying for tennis champion Venus Williams. First stop was at Criss Angel’s Believe by Cirque du Soleil at the Luxor. Venus and her seven friends went backstage to meet the illusionist. The group last night attended the five-hour 311 concert at Mandalay Bay and then early this morning had a late dinner at Tao after a quick photo shoot, and then partied the night away in the nightclub to the music of DJ Ross One. Also partying at Tao was rapper Asher Roth, who dined with his friends, including DJ Wreckineyez, and then hopped on the nightclub catwalk and entertained with an impromptu three song-set. He ended with his hit “I Love College” to mark the upcoming Spring Break. Watching the action with Tao owner Jason Strauss was DJ Erick Morillo, who spins the wheels of steel there tomorrow night. … New York Giants great Jason Sehorn, who is married to actress-model Angie Harmon, was at the Palazzo for two nights. Jason watched ESPN at Lagasse’s Stadium and last night dined with friends at Mario Batali’s Carnevino.

*Don’t forget that singer and comedy ventriloquist Terry Fator celebrates his first anniversary at The Mirage tomorrow, with the star-studded after-party at B.B. King’s Blues Club. We posted our lengthy chat with Terry yesterday.

Now it’s time for us to pull the strings, make magic and throw our voice around for another weekend of headliner attractions that we affectionately refer to around here as the ROYAL ROBIN RUNDOWN:

FRIDAY, MARCH 12

*As we posted elsewhere on VDLX today, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has teamed up with DJ A-Trak after the death of his prior turntable titan DJ AM, and they’re resuming a North American tour cut short when they were injured and burned in a fiery and fatal plane crash in 2008. Travis joins with Kanye West’s deejay for their first-stop premiere at Pure in Caesars Palace, but both have nixed a red carpet entrance.

*As we posted elsewhere on VDLX today, crooner Matt Goss wears a classic Rat Pack tux and his signature porkpie hat for his Caesars Palace premiere. Matt opens his own Gossy Room carved out of Cleopatra’s Barge and wants to turn it into an all-night party hangout when he finishes his show.

*It’s a commuter drive to work for our hometown superstar Gladys Knight, who thrills with that extraordinary voice at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm.

*Just days back in his preferred timeslot in his familiar chair at his favorite desk, comedian and talk-show host Jay Leno takes a break for two late nights of standup after Terry Fator’s shows at The Mirage.

*The Yardbirds were a key part of the British Invasion and launched the careers of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page -- all on the Top 100 Guitarists list. The Brits still prove their guitar amplification, feedback and distortions at the Cannery.

*Country music songwriters Lee Miller and Travis Howard are hosted by singers-songwriters Aaron Benward of Blue Country and Brian McComas at Nashville Unplugged: The Story Behind the Song at Green Valley Ranch. Lee and Travis have written for, among others, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins and Miranda Lambert.

*Rock enthusiasts will be torn between two sets of bands, with Hemlock, Of the Gods and In Shadows Embrace at the new Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip and Sevendust, Digital Summer, Drowning Pool and The Flood at House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. Put those two together, and you’ve got an overflow of rock and roll!

*No wonder it’s been raining so much the past two weeks in our dry desert! B.J. Thomas sings “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” at South Point for three nights.

*Our Nevada Pops Orchestra is joined by Desert Chorale for a concert salute to movie music from Star Trek, Rocky and Apocalypse Now at the UNLV theater.

PARTY PATROL

You can be shore of a great night with DJ Pauly D when he kicks off his new residency at Ghostbar in the Palms. He’s aka Paul Delvecchio from MTV’s Jersey Shore, and he’ll make an earlier red carpet entry in a tanned blaze of glory at Rain. Pauly and his pals start filming Season 2 next month in Miami for summer viewing. … There’ll be a red carpet gathering for Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis when he celebrates his birthday at Tao, with DJ Five at the wheels of steel. … The Sexy Wonder Dolls take over Prive in Planet Hollywood and turn it into a haunted wonderland. (BTW, I’m hearing rumors of a quick sale of Prive so that owners Miami-based The Opium Group solves its legal problems with Harrah’s, Planet Hollywood’s new owners.)

SATURDAY, MARCH 13

*The Zac Brown Band is in concert at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel ahead of the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards here, where they are nominated as Top New Vocal Group. That recognition comes on the heels of three Grammy nominations and their win as Best New Artist, plus their Breakthrough Video of the Year.

*Elvis Presley would be proud of female power at its musical finest when Teena Marie and Mary Jane Girls show the strength of sisterhood at his old showroom in the Las Vegas Hilton.

*It’s the start of a wild week of four-leaf clovers, green beers and lovable leprechauns, and the St. Patrick’s Day Festival at Mandalay Bay Beach kicks it all off with Everlast and B-Real of Cypress Hill in concert under the stars in a beer garden featuring 20 brews.

*Before he takes off for the Carolinas for the first out-of-town regional theater showcase of his musical biography Comfortable Shoes, Clint Holmes sings for his supper at the Suncoast. It’s the last hometown gig for our beloved local star for quite a while as his play winds its way to Broadway via regional theaters, including a hoped-for stop at La Jolla Playhouse near San Diego.

*Former Styx singer-songwriter Dennis DeYoung is backed by a five-piece band for two nights at The Orleans. Dennis, who has racked up 40 years of music as a keyboardist and record producer, wrote eight of the group’s Top 10 singles. He’s also the man behind several hit film soundtracks, plus TV’s South Park and King of Queens.

*Tickets go on sale today for 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan’s night of standup at The Joint on June 5. … Tickets also go on sale today for Cher’s 12 summer concert dates from June 15 through July 4. … Master mixologist Eben Klemm and executive chefs Scott Linquist and Roberto Hernandez host a three-hour class on creative cocktails with cooking demos at Dos Caminos in the Palazzo to celebrate its second anniversary, and, yes, you get to eat and drink whatever’s dished up. … Please support our LVPD sponsoring the Klip It for Kidz benefit at Town Square, with volunteers shaving their heads to fight children’s cancer. Volunteers donate 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love.

PARTY PATROL

Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his birthday at Prive with an entourage of celebrity and sports friends. DJ Franzen is the guest deejay. … 30H!3 is at Pure for a night of revelry.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

The early start to St. Patrick’s Day celebrations continues with Young Dubliners at Carey Hart’s Wasted Space in the Hard Rock Hotel. Reckless in Vegas will join the Irish group on the Skullcandy Stage, and once you’ve forked over $40, partygoers can drink all night, be they young or old or from Dublin or Belfast. Sure will make you reckless!

*Just about as far from the Emerald Isle as you can get, Chapo de Sinaloa will entertain with a south of the border touch at House of Blues.

*Happy Birthday wishes to our esteemed Editor Don Chareunsy as he celebrates with his brunch-time festivities at Iron Chef Kerry Simon’s Palms Place restaurant.

MONDAY’S TEASES

We’ll have full photo coverage of Terry Fator, Matt Goss, Travis Barker and the Zac Brown Band. Next week, we’ll explore the new Bellagio spring gardens and eight Hard Rock Hotel super suites with photo galleries shot especially for Vegas DeLuxe. An advance note so you don’t miss out: Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. for Sting’s June 18 concert at MGM Grand Garden Arena with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. A classical and rock version of “Roxanne” or “An Englishman in New York” has to be truly sensational.

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 at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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