Red Carpet Report: More L.V. flights? Lacey Schwimmer, Michael Mina, Halfway to EDC, Oscars whiskey
The largest-ever gathering of aviation industry execs is set for next week here at the 10th annual Routes America conference. It’s the second time that McCarran International Airport will host the worldwide event.
In 2013 when McCarran last hosted, the conference won us more than 120 new weekly flights resulting in an estimated annual economic impact of $440 million in direct visitor spending. More than 800 delegates from 100 airlines, 260 airports and 40 tourism authorities are expected.
It all benefits our tourism and convention industries, the bedrock of our economy. Nearly half of our city’s 42.9 million annual visitors travel by air, and McCarran generates $30 billion. Last year, we had more than 21,000 conventions, tradeshows and meetings with 65,000 local jobs.
AIRPORT SECRET
One of the worst things about missed, overbooked or canceled flights is stretching out while awaiting the next available plane. Some airports have in-terminal hotels, but no such luck at McCarran. However, there are secret bedrooms there.
Travel and Leisure has unearthed $5-per-hour bedrooms with a 10-hour discount, and you get access to Zero Level Fitness, who manages the bedrooms. Arriving or leaving McCarran, find the 24-hour facility with a gym and showers below baggage claim carousel 10 at Terminal 1.
HALFWAY TO EDC
Welcome back Nigel Ficke. Nigel is just a few months early for the 21st Electric Daisy Carnival in June and is dressed to impress in a glittering gold jumpsuit. He dives into what he thinks is going to be the largest three-day festival in North America only to discover that he’s alone.
Watch the hilarity at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as Nigel drops in on NASCAR drivers and empty bleachers instead of eight stunning stages, fire-breathing Art Cars, carnival rides and more than 400,000 high-energy fans and headliners.
2017 Halfway to EDC will be celebrated at Marquee Dayclub Dome at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas over President’s Day Weekend from Feb. 18-20. Colorful EDC decor will treat fans to a glimpse of the ultimate EDC experience in Marquee’s dayclub and nightclub.
Some of electronic dance music’s biggest acts, including Gareth Emery, Carnage, Ghastly, CID and Sander van Doorn, will join Nigel in his quest to start the festival season early at the fifth-annual halfway blast.
NEW-LOOK ‘LEGENDS’ SHOW
Former “Dancing With the Stars” pro dancer Lacey Schwimmer, pictured here, will unveil an opening number when “Legends in Concert,” the longest-running show in Las Vegas, reopens at The Flamingo on Saturday. “The show is older than I am, but now it doesn’t look a day over 21,” she laughed.
Lacey’s opening number is choreographed to “Legends Never Die,” which highlights the theme throughout the production. I hosted there in November before its two-month break. It’s the first opening theatrical number in the show’s incredible 34-year history.
In addition to the opening, “Legends” also will stage a new, high-energy finale. “Legends” celebrates icons including Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Steven Tyler and Janis Joplin. It has entertained more than 6.6 million in 18,500 performances here and 30 million worldwide.
MICHAEL MINA ADDED
Celebrity chef Michael Mina will join Wolfgang Puck to serve dinner at the Keep Memory Alive “Power of Love Gala” on April 27 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Gwen Stefani and Jon Bon Jovi will perform at the gala lauding billionaire Ron Perelman and Las Vegas’ Andre Agassi.
Andre and Michael are partnered in many restaurants. Tickets are now on sale at KeepMemoryAlive.org. Incidentally, when Bon Jovi plays T-Mobile Arena on Feb. 25, hometown band Daring Greatly will serve as the opening act.
Daring Greatly was chosen from thousands of bands competing for arena dates as Bon Jovi tours America. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” said father Dail Croome, who plays alongside brothers Liam and Patrick Croome and drummer friend Brayden Tario.
OSCARS WHISKEY
Las Vegas regular Brett Ratner, the film director behind the insane “up on the roof” stunt videos that Steve Wynn shot to open his Wynn and Encore hotels, is launching his own Hilhaven Lodge whiskey here and at the 88th annual Oscars on Feb. 26.
Hilhaven is the name of the Bel Air mansion where Brett lived after such luminaries as Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak, James Caan and Allan Carr called it home. Brett will have three cocktails, plus the whiskey itself, at the Governors Ball after-party at The Oscars.
DESIGNING MAN
Furniture designer Christopher Guy unveiled 15 designs during his multimedia seminar “Furnishing the Future” at his beautiful showroom at World Market Design Center celebrating a decade of design. Christopher’s groundbreaking designs are currently seen on “Empire.”
They also have appeared in James Bond movies and with such actors as Meryl Streep, Bradley Cooper, Sir Michael Caine, Daniel Craig and Eddie Redmayne all sharing screen time with his star pieces. Chris is one of Las Vegas’ biggest stars in the world of elegant furniture.
