Archive for November, 2009

Well, gang, this writer along with about 1,000 invited guests, attended the super plush Grand Opening of the Golden Nugget’s Rush Tower the other evening. You talk about spectacular–this is the place. It spews of elegance and guests will be treated like royalty from the second they arrive at the impressive Porte Cochere, which is accented by a new, million dollar landscaped entrance at First and Carson Streets.

Rush Tower is sure to be a huge attraction for downtown Las Vegas. When Steve Wynn first took over the Golden Nugget back in the mid-‘70s, his dream was to rebuild it into the ultimate destination point for visitors. Wynn envisioned bringing back the glory days of downtown Las Vegas (the ‘50s through early ‘70s). Steve started rebuilding, even getting his friend Frank Sinatra to perform in the small showroom, and to do commercials for the hotel. That was the beginning.

Now you have the Fertitta family carrying on that dream. Like Kevin Costner said in his famous baseball movie, Field of Dreams (1989), “If you build it, they will come!” And, you can bet, that Rush Tower will definitely be a destination point for the rich, average citizen and Mom and Pop from the Midwest. It has everything.

“Rush Tower will now define the ultimate Las Vegas experience providing exceptional accommodations as well as add to the already supreme dining opportunities and exceed the unparalleled customer service already delivered to our guests,” Tilman Fertitta, chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Landry’s Restaurants, Inc., which owns the property, said. “The Tower is the latest in our ongoing renovation and expansion projects at the Golden Nugget, which now totals more than $300-million.”

Gusts will immediately be taken aback by the spacious lobby, and will be captivated by the posh furnishing and brilliant, custom-designed lighting which combine to create an inviting and sophisticated ambiance.  The first thing that’s an eye-catcher is the floating reservation desk, offering private check-in service for the Tower with a magnificent 75,000-gallon tropical aquarium fish tank as its backdrop.

We had a chance to chat with our good friend, Gordie Brown. As you know (if you have read this column for any length of time) we first met when Brown was one of Rich little’s impressionists, along with Kathy Walker, when Little was in the old (original Congo Room) at the Sahara Hotel. I enjoyed Gordie then and I knew he was going to be a superstar one day. And, guess what? Brown is a Superstar in the world of impressionists.

Brown performs Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the 600-seat theater on the third floor of the hotel’s Spa Tower. In September 2008, Gordie signed a multi-year headlining contract with the hotel, while he was on tour with Celine Dion. The entertainer is well known for his amazing comedy and vast repertoire of celebrity impressions such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jack Nicholson and Sylvester Stallone, as well as Las Vegas icons like Elvis and Sammy Davis, Jr. My personal favorite is Sammy!

Another new addition to the Golden Nugget is the unique and upscale dining experience that only the world famous Chart House Restaurant, located off to the left of the lobby, can offer. Chart House restaurants are renowned for having one of the best collections of visual landscapes in the country—and the 75,000 gallon aquarium is proof of that! Offering high quality fish, seafood and steaks, along with a spacious dining area, the restaurant will seat approximately 200 guests around the tank.

Imagine swimming inches away from sharks and other marine life, all while soaking in the sun at a Las Vegas resort—this is now a reality at The Tank, the world-renowned $30-million pool area at the Nugget. Five species of sharks and various game fish reside in the 200,000-gallon shark aquarium. The pool, complete with waterfalls and a great waterslide that speeds adventurous guests through the Tank, is opened year-round, but may close during inclement weather.

Needless to say, the Golden Nugget is the King of Downtown Las Vegas. Its new Rush Tower is a masterpiece of design and comfort for its guests. We applaud the Fertitta family for carrying on a dream started back in the ‘70s by a young man named Steve Wynn. It takes a lot of guts to put up the million of bucks to build the new Tower during a time of economic stress. But, in the long scheme of things, it will pay off big time!

Well, gang, here’s hoping your Thanksgiving Holiday was a good one..

I’m outa here!

Last Friday, I was all prepared to attend two new shows in town, one at Hooters and the other at Mandalay Bay. But I never made it! No, there was no accident, but a hospital did come into play.

See, I was made a great-grandfather for the fifth time. My granddaughter, Monica, who is the daughter of my youngest, Lisa (I was responsible for the birth of three little girls named Robin, Denise and Lisa), was taken to Summerlin Hospital on Thursday evening, around 5:30 p.m. On Friday (Nov. 13), I got a call from Lisa that Monica was going to have a “C-Section” birth. Well, there was no way I was not going to be there when the baby was born. Of course that’s also the time when the freeways are packed, so I did not get to the hospital until a little after 6 p.m

Now the rest of the story.

I arrived and went to the second floor as instructed by my daughter. I was told the room number and immediately went to the room. It was empty. I looked around, up and down the hall, and saw nary a nurse, etc. Then at the end of the hall I spotted a sign—“C” Section Delivery. So I headed for the room, knowing that Monica was due for the procedure. The door to the delivery room magically opened for me and I walked in, seeing absolutely not a single person (no nurse on duty I guess). I noticed there were two delivery rooms, and one was being used. I squinted between the Venetian blinds and saw my daughter, Lisa, draped in a blue outfit standing inside. There was a lot of things going on. Just then another lady entered the room looking for her daughter. She was immediately followed by a burly female nurse who asked, “How and why are you in this room…You’re not supposed to be here!”

“Well, I came in looking for my daughter and my granddaughter,” I proceeded to tell her. “I kept saying hello, hello…hello” and never got an answer…So I took a look through the window.”

Would you believe this nurse (who must have been a drill sergeant in the Marine Corp) said we—the lady and me—didn’t belong here and we must leave right now. Well, to make a long story short, we both conceded that she just might call in the militia and we agreed to leave. I went to my granddaughter’s room and waited. I would periodically look down the hall towards the delivery room.

And, then it happened. I could see my daughter holding a little bundle in her arms. Lisa looked down the hall at me, held up the bundle and smiled.

Imoni, a baby girl weighing 5 lbs, 11 ounces was born. She had all her toes and fingers and was a beautiful and perfect baby (aren’t they all?). Within 15 minutes the baby and mother were in their room. After the nurse (a great one from North Carolina) finished checking Imoni, I got to hold this wonderful addition to the Johnson clan. My amazing friend, Nancy Barr, said that Imoni is a very exceptional baby—a Cherub. I know that this fantastic bundle of joy is a unique baby too.

One of the more popular comedians to appear at the Comedy Stop, located in the Congo Room at the Sahara Hotel, is Manny Oliveira. Producer Bob Kephart has brought Oliveira back to the Comedy Stop for the week of Nov. 30 through Dec. 6. Appearing with Manny will be Karen Rontowski and Greg Vaccarello.

Oliveira has been appearing professionally for more than thirty years, beginning as an actor in Boston and eventually moving into the world of stand up comedy.  Manny has appeared on HBO, Showtime’s “Comedy Club Network,” and numerous comedy specials. He can also be seen on “Laffapalooza 2006” on Comedy Central and played the part of Father Cisero in the film “Crossroads.”  Oliveira also has been a semi-regular on “Army Wives” on the Lifetime network.

Greg Vaccarello knew that he wanted to be a comedic performer the first time he heard Jackie Gleason say, “How sweet it is!” Years of observing people, combined with his acting ability, have helped Vaccarello craft a unique show. During his performance, you might meet a variety of characters: You may encounter Uncle Jack Mahoney, the obnoxious cop, and his drunk, kilt-wearing cousin. Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci may make an appearance as they audition for the Flintstones. Greg’s closing is his portrayal of a narcissistic magician which is considered a classic.