April 10, 2008

April 10, 2008 / VOL. 3 NO. 10

PHOENIX RISING
Take one rock band featuring Jimmy Crespo (former lead guitarist of AEROSMITH), add the legendary Hilton Theater and every Thursday night at 8 p.m., and you get live rock with Phoenix at the Las Vegas Hilton. It all begins May 1 (Doors open at 7:15 p.m. with a pre-concert party) with a special preview this Thursday, April 17th. All inclusive tickets are available for $19.99 or $10 for hospitality industry employees with employee ID. After the show is, naturally, an after party in Tempo. In addition to Phoenix, the Las Vegas Hilton’s new “Group Therapy Thursdays” in the resort’s Tempo Lounge is a new concept that features the Nova jazz group, drink specials by Sex Vodka, cozy blackjack tables and drawings for cash and prizes for players. “Group Therapy” is presented every Thursday, 5;30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. After 10 p.m., the music continues with a DJ.

BARRY’S FIRST
Barry Manilow, who headlines at the Las Vegas Hilton, had his first network special in what year? Answer: March 2, 1977, ABC-TV presented Barry's first network special, “The Barry Manilow Special,” to an audience of 37 million. The show won the Emmy Award for "Best Special of the Year" and was followed a year later by his Home Box Office special, taped live in concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, which was the first pay-TV show to seriously challenge network primetime specials in the ratings.

BUBBLE, WILD BLUE YONDER, MICROPHONES AND HOME DESIGN
Fan Yang from the “Mega Bubble Show,” Bob Fisher, president of the Nevada Broadcasters Association; Melinda Sheckells, group editor of the Greenspun Media Group and editor of Las Vegas Home & Design magazine; and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds join Ira on this Monday’s “Lunchtime With Ira, Live from the Las Vegas Hilton.” The show can be seen on Clark County Television (CCTV), Cox cable channel 4 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at Noon and 8 p.m., heard on NEWS/TALK 720 KDWN (Saturdays at 9 p.m.), and is available 24/7 at www.lvhilton.com. The show is produced live every Monday at Noon, features host Ira David Sternberg talking with the celebrities, entertainers, writers, personalities and community leaders who make Las Vegas the most exciting city in the world.

TIGER SHOOTS FOR FIRST MAJOR OF THE YEAR
It’s Masters week and Tiger Woods is primed for the first major golf tournament this year, according to Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Las Vegas Hilton SuperBook. Augusta, Georgia will again host the Masters starting this Thursday, April 10 through Sunday, April 13. Tiger is the favorite this week at 6-5. Other contenders include; Phil Mickelson 10-1, Vijay Singh 20-1, Adam Scott 25-1, Ernie Els 25-1 and defending champion Zach Johnson at 60-1. Odds are also available on props, match-ups, and over/under scores. The SuperBook will also be updating odds daily and will offer daily match-ups. All the current odds are available in the SuperBook.

FIVE WILL GET YOU TEN-BUT NOT BUTTS
The Las Vegas Hilton has introduced five non-smoking blackjack tables ($5 minimum bet) in its main casino. They are located near the front of the casino, to the right, as you enter from the lobby.

SNEEZE AS YOU PLAY
The $75,000 Spring Fever Slot Tournament at the Las Vegas Hilton, April 26-27, features a $20,000 first-place prize and includes a four day/three night stay, one entry into the tournament and two tickets to the awards banquet. For more information, call 1-800-457-3307.

IT’S TIME FOR THE NEWS…DIRECTORS
The Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) will be exhibiting at the Las Vegas Hilton, April 13-16. RTNDA is a membership organization of radio, television and online news directors, producers, executives and educators. The RTNDA was founded in 1946 as an industry group to set standards for the nascent field of broadcast journalism, and to defend the First Amendment in instances where broadcast media was being threatened. The organization has more than 3,000 members.

ART & COMMERCE
Wholesalecrafts.com, founded by Nancy Vince in 1997, will be holding its convention at the Las Vegas Hilton, April 26-28. It is the only successful wholesale web service of its kind, with 1,000 artists and 13,500 registered retailers as members. Dubbed as the “online trade show,” Wholesalecrafts.com offers artists an affordable and complete marketing package, including web service, direct mail catalogs, and co-op ads in the top industry magazines.