Laughlin Entertainer: Cover Stories

ATTSA ITALIAN AT THE RAMADA EXPRESS

The Ramada Express is home to Passaggio Italian Gardens, a popular restaurant that serves up Italian dishes with flare and panache. It is the kind of restaurant that breathes with its own kind of flame.

For Friday, September 16, through Monday, September 19, that flame will burn al fresco as the Ramada Express hosts an "Italian Fest" at their outdoor Victory Plaza event area (located along Casino Drive). This fest will feature a complete Italian dinner, live music by an Italian-themed band, wine tasting...even a wine "school" at which guests can learn a bit about pairing wines with dinner entrees.

There are a couple of options of taking in the festival. You can go to Victory Plaza and enjoy the dinner and listen to the music from 5-9 p.m. each night, September 16-19, for $7.99 (pay at the cashier at Victory Plaza).

Or you can register for a complete "Italian Fest" package for $34.99 per couple and get the following:

* The Italian dinner served from 5-9 p.m. nightly in Victory Plaza. The menu is to include chicken piccata; Bistecca Fiorentina (a pan-seared sirloin steak served with rosemary, garlic and beer battered garlic); chopped salad in a red wine vinaigrette dressing; a mushroom and baby spinach salad with citrus dressing; fusilli pasta with sausage and artichokes; risotto di bisi (rice with green peas and parmigiana-reggiano cheese); and Passaggio's warm garlic bread sticks;

*The live Italian music provided by the Dennis Napolitano Trio;

* A wine school session held in Passaggio Italian Gardens from 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., Friday through Monday, at which experts will discuss the qualities of various wines and talk about which wines go best with different foods;

* Wine tasting from 5-9 p.m., Friday through Monday, in Victory Plaza;

* Entry into a special slot tournament with $1,250 in daily cash prizes-$250 first-place prize; $100 second-place prize; $75 third-place prize; and $25 each for fourth-36th places; and

* A welcome gift of a wine decanter and two goblets.

Registration for the complete "Italian Fest" package will be held daily, September 16-19, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. in the Special Event area (located up the ramp on the right inside the main front entrance of Ramada Express).

For those who wish to try Passaggio's, the restaurant is open daily from 5 p.m. and is located along the Promenade between the Tularosa Cantina and The Steakhouse.

THREE CARD POKER NATIONAL FINALS

qualifying round at flamingo

Three Card Poker has its own world of die-hard aficionados. This pared-down casino table game debuted in 1998 and over the years, has earned a permanent spot on casino floors from Tunica to Table Mountain.

The popularity of the game can be found in its speed between hands (three cards are quicker to deal out than five cards) and its two-way payout schedule. Players can play against the dealer for even money bets and against the odds of hitting a high hand on a payout table. The rules of play for Three Card Poker are easy to pick up and can be obtained at any table within Laughlin casinos.

With the popularity of Three Card Poker rising to notable levels and spreading throughout the country, it was only natural a major tournament would be created.

And so it has.

The first ever "Three Card Poker National Championship"...with a $1 million 1st place prize...will take place on November 27-December 2, at the Rio in Las Vegas. Participants in the championship will be determined via regional qualifying tournaments taking place throughout the country. The Flamingo Laughlin will be the site of one of those regional tournaments on September 22-24 (with a Wednesday, September 21, registration deadline; see next page).

The one-time entry fee for the Regional Qualifying Tournament at the Flamingo Laughlin is $199 and includes T3000 ($3,000 in tournament chips) for each day's play; accommodations for three nights; two tickets to an open reception and rules review; and two tickets to an awards dinner.

At the conclusion of the qualifying tournament, 35 finalists will be selected to participate in the National Championship as based upon their cumulative two-day final chip count. Each qualifying player will also receive $1,000 cash. The player with the top chip count will receive an additional bonus of an all-expense paid trip for two to the championships in Las Vegas (includes $500 spending money and rooms at the Rio).

Regional qualifying tournament details and registration materials are available at the Connection Center within the Flamingo Laughlin and at individual Three Card Poker tables within the casino. All entries must be received by Wednesday, September 21. Additional information can be obtained by calling Casino Reservations at 1-800-662-6004.

TALENT QUEST KARAOKE FINALS

at the ramada express

There is karaoke. And then there is championship karaoke. With one, you get a lot of talented singers mixed in with some no-talent singers and the truly awful for a mixed bag of up and down entertainment. With the other, you get talent that could take over a Las Vegas showroom with ease.

Some of these latter talented, championship-quality vocalists will be at the Ramada Express from Monday, September 19, through Saturday, September 24, to compete for $20,000 in cash prizes at the 5th Annual Talent Quest National Karaoke Singing Contest.

Still time to sign up...

Most of the contestants have qualified through local and regional contests but there is still a chance for late-comers to get in on the event. Anyone wishing to join can do so by signing up at the registration area within the Pavilion Theater of the Ramada Express on Sunday, September 18, after 3 p.m.; and on Monday, September 19, from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. There is an entry fee of $275 which includes a hotel room at the Ramada for the week of competition. Mandatory contestant orientation is at 10 a.m., Monday, September 19, also in the Pavilion.

There are two categories contestants may enter: (1.), Country/Western; and (2.), a combination category of Rock/Pop/Easy Listening/Rhythm & Blues/Soul. There will be male and female divisions within each category. Each contestant can enter both musical genres for an additional fee.

The actual competition takes place in the Pavilion Theater and begins Monday, September 19, and continues through the finals on Saturday, September 24.

The general public can catch the competition with free admission to the preliminary rounds held each day from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, September 19, through Thursday, September 22, and the semi-finals held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, September 23.

The finals competition takes place on Saturday, September 24, at 7 p.m. Tickets to the finals are $5 and are available at the Ramada Express Ticket Window in the Special Events Area (located near the main entrance).

Caboose Lounge bonus

Karaoke, featuring many of the contestants in the Talent Quest competition, will be held in the Caboose Lounge Monday, September 19, through Saturday, September 24. All comers can participate in this karaoke and not just contestants in the Talent Quest event. The hours of karaoke in the Caboose Lounge are: Monday, September 19 from 2-6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m.; and Tuesday, September 20 through Saturday, September 24 from 2 p.m.-2 a.m.

More on the Talent Quest competition will appear in next's weeks issue of the Laughlin entertainer.

RIGHTEOUS BROS. TRIBUTE

at the riverside resort

Recording artists measure their successes by the number of hits they accumulate. These artists become superstars when their music becomes timeless - the soundtrack of people's lives. Tribute artists measure their successes a little differently. They don't expect to sell records and they don't expect to achieve notoriety. What they expect is a nod of approval from fans of the musicians to whom they pay tribute. And when the entertainer being paid tribute catches the show and gives his own nod of approval, that is the ultimate success for a tribute performer.

Such is the case of Gene Sironen and Doug Masters and their tribute show to the Righteous Brothers, currently playing the Riverside Resort. They got the stamp of approval from real life "brother" Bill Medley.

"These guys are so good, it's spooky," stated Medley upon seeing a Masters and Sironen show in Las Vegas. "It's like looking at an old high school yearbook. It's both tremendously flattering and somewhat strange to see someone portray you on stage. Never in my wildest imagination would I have expected someone to imitate me. It's a real kick."

This nod of approval has kept Masters and Sironen going ahead with the show, even after the death of Bobby Hatfield a few years ago. Medley saw the show again recently and once again the duo received his blessing.

"Bill Medley came to see us again when we were at the Imperial Palace in mid April," Gene Sironen said in a recent interview with the Laughlin entertainer. "It's such a rarity when the actual star comes to a tribute show. It was such a treat to see him again and that he still supports us and is still really cool with us.

"But I have to admit, it was hard to introduce my partner as Bobby with Bill in the audience...but I had to. It's part of the show. We're doing a version of a stage play- it's what we do. Bill wouldn't have it any other way. In many ways, it's made it more poignant for sure."

Sironen and Masters have been performing their Righteous Brothers tribute show for more than 11 years, mostly as part of the famous "Legends in Concert" show at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. Considering the "righteous" vocal blend of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, a tribute show isn't an area where a person can fudge on quality. It's not a show where vocals can be on tracks or words can be lip-synced. Real Righteous Brothers fans expect the songs live, well-done and as close to the real deal as they can get.

"Bill and Bobby had that chemistry and magic on stage that is difficult to duplicate," states Sironen. "It's like Crosby, Stills & Nash. They were good on their own with each having successful solo projects...but the real magic was when they were together. And the Righteous Brothers were amazing...they spent over 40 years delivering that magic."

The tribute show at the Riverside Resort is just that...a tribute rather than an impersonation. Sironen ad Masters relate tidbits of history about the Righteous Brothers and use film clips of Hatfield and Medley superimposed with those of Masters and Sironen on the two large screens on either side of the stage.

"The fact that Bobby is gone has made a difference in the way audiences approach the show," explains Sironen. "But our approach hasn't changed. A tribute is what we've always done."

In addition to the expected Righteous Brothers' classics of "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," Sironen and Masters perform many lesser known Righteous Brothers' tunes from the '60s TV shows of "Shindig" and "Hullabaloo" such as "Hold On" and "Soul Man." They will also do an old Sam Cooke song that Bobby Hatfield had a hit with called "A Change Is Gonna Come."

"We're also adding a take on a song Medley and Hatfield recorded in 2003, called 'Let's Work Together," explains Sironen. "They put it on a CD that is dedicated to Vietnam War Veterans.The song is so typically Righteous Brothers. There's no mistaking it's them...they never decided to go modern or do something that wasn't them. It was important to stay true to themselves. Some artists don't want to be pigeon-holed, they want to do something new and different...which sometimes doesn't do well. Bill has done some country and other projects. But when it came to the Righteous Brothers, they stayed true to the original sound."

Sironen also continues to pay tribute to the late Ray Charles.

"He was one of Bill Medley's biggest influences so we've never dropped the Ray Charles salute in our show...it works well."

CHRISTOPHER CROSS KEEPS ON SAILING

at the riverside resort

On Tuesday, September 20, singer Christopher Cross opens a six day run at the Riverside Resort with shows in Don's Celebrity Theatre at 8 p.m. each night through Sunday, September 25. He will be holding a press conference, open to the general public and broadcast live on KGMN Radio, on Tuesday, September 20, at 2:30 p.m. in front of Don's Celebrity Theatre

Cross virtually defined adult contemporary radio with a series of smoothly sophisticated songs he released in the early 1980s.

His self-titled debut album appeared in 1980, with the lead single "Ride Like the Wind" rocketing to the number two spot; the massive success of his second single "Sailing" made Cross a national star. Two more Top 20 hits, "Never Be the Same" and "Say You'll Be Mine," earned Cross a record-setting five Grammys in 1981, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

He soon scored a second number one as well as an Academy Award with "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)," which he co-wrote with Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen for the smash Dudley Moore comedy film Arthur.

Tickets to the Christopher Cross shows are $30 and can be purchased by calling 702-298-2535, ext. 616; 928-763-7070, ext. 616 or 1-800-227-3849, ext. 616; or at the Entertainment Ticket Office next to Don's Celebrity Theatre.

Look for more on Christopher Cross in next week's issue of the Laughlin entertainer

LAUGHLIN BAY MARINA

now open south of casinos

Laughlin Bay Marina officially opened its doors and docks with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, September 1, attended by local dignitaries and special guest Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) who has a been a big supporter of the project.

"The Laughlin Bay Marina is a true oasis in our desert," stated Sen. Reid during the grand-opening ceremony. "This development marks resurgence in growth and the economy, while respectfully protecting the surrounding environment."

In 1990, Reid sponsored legislation to dredge the lagoon, but it was more than ten years later that CRM Colorado River Marina, LLC, purchased the land and gained approvals from the federal and state environmental agencies, the Town Board of Laughlin and the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce, to begin work on the development.

Located on Needles Highway at Casino Drive (south of the casinos), the Laughlin Bay Marina development spans 32 acres with 1,250 feet of frontage on Laughlin Bay Lagoon and offers direct access to the Colorado River. The environmentally-conscious project is the first marina in Nevada designed to comply with voluntary "Clean Marina" standards, in order to help protect the natural habitat in the lagoon.

The facilities currently open to the public include a boat launching marina with a three-lane launch ramp and ample parking; 110 boat slips in the lagoon (able to accommodate everything from personal watercraft to 24-foot and larger craft); and The Bistro restaurant.

The next phase of construction will be the dry storage and maintenance facility, which will be able to hold 150 watercraft.

The $300 million project also consists of a lighted boardwalk, ship store, a sandy beach for slip licensees and residents of a gated condominium and townhouse development.

The residential portion of the project will be called The Landing and construction is scheduled for early 2006. This gated community will border the Laughlin Bay Marina and river walk of 400 condos and townhouses.

"The club house for the homeowner's association is almost complete and will house a fitness center, a pool and jacuzzi as well as an outdoor area for special events such as weddings," states Wendy Bastyr, office manager for the Laughlin Bay Marina. "Work on the townhomes will begin soon."

The first tier at The Landing will feature large waterfront homes overlooking the boardwalk, boat slips and marina. Other designs include two-story and tri-level townhomes as well as five-story condos. Most of the units will have river, lagoon and/or mountain views.

The project is designed by Samuel Wacht Associates with California Parks Companies serving as design consultants. The general manager for operations of Laughlin Bay Marina is Ginny Downham.

The business office is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Bistro restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily (to-go only breakfasts are available from 6 a.m.-10 a.m. daily; the bar currently doesn't serve alcohol but will by the end of the year); and the marina and boat storage area is open from sunrise to sunset daily.

For more information, call 702-298-0775 or visit www.laughlinbay