Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 260

Toe Arizona Republic iirfcailFtv is i- 0 titStS "if 5 Stratosphere to add midway attraction HO SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2000 Ml "I i i. 1 i 10-foot screen and 3-D visual. This computer bowling game is one of the first of its kind in the United States and actual leagues can be formed to play it To complete the midway, there will be two food outlets: Astro Snacks and The Launch Pad Lounge, as well as several "games of skill" where patrons can win prizes such as plush, stuffed-toys. The games include: basketball shot cat rack, ring toss, milk can, milk bottles and the water race. Nordstrom lands in Vegas When and where the Seattle-based Nordstrom will finally land in Las Vegas has been an ongoing speculation for years.

The answer is finally known. Nordstrom will open its first Nevada property, a tri-level, department store at the Fashion Show Mall on the Las Vegas Strip in the fall of 2002 or spring 2003. Nordstrom will be part of the mall's $300 million expansion project The Nordstrom store will be on the northwest side of the mall, just to the west of the Robinson-May store. HBy Jackie Brett ZSpecial to Las Vegas The Stratosphere will open a multi-faceted, Midway attraction by mid-June. It Srill be located at the base of the 49-foot tower that houses the Top of the World restaurant and Observation deck.

ZlThe Strat-O-Fair midway will jjhowcase a 1963 World's Fair theme, with a stylized decor depicting a futuristic vision of the H960's perception of what the millennium and 21st century would be like. The midway will contain many Attractions. The Sky Wheel, a 45-Joot in diameter circa 1958 Ferris Wheel, will provide passengers at, ihe apex of the ride with a view bf the Strip from 80 feet above Jhe street A smaller version of the resort's Big Shot located on tap of the tower will propel kids 120 feet into the air and be called The Little Shot. pTrie Hover Crash is a futuristic bumper-car ride that is battery operated and the only one of its kind in the world. Hyper-Bowl, a vjrtual bowling game, will have a In addition to Nordstrom, the Fashion Show Mall will add Bloo-mingdale's and Lord Taylor to the mall's anchor tenant lineup.

Several existing stores including Dillard's, Robinsons-May, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's and Neiman-Marcus will double in size. Florida company buys Ran-cho property Florida-based Turnberry Associates purchased the closed El Ran-cho hotelcasino and will move forward with the demotion of the deteriorating North Strip property by this fall. Turnberry paid $45 million for the 52-year-old property, which sits on 21 acres of land. The El Rancho has been closed for eight years. On June 1, the country-western themed El Rancho hotel liquidation sale began and will continue for 45 days or until everything is sold.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Sunday, when it's noon to 5 p.m. All items are tagged, priced and sold "as is" on a first-come basis, with payment by cash, Visa or MasterCard. Turnberry, developer of the upscale $600 million Turnberry Place condominium project located behind the FJ Rancho on Paradise Road, will open the first 40-story, 184-unit tower phase of its project in December.

The Maxim hotel-casino was -purchased on June 1 for $10 -million at a foreclosure sale. The deal will result in the 800-room hotel remaining in operation. The casino will remain closed. Icahn buys Arizona Charlie's East New York financier Carl Icahn opened his third Las Vegas hotelcasino, Arizona Charlie's East on Boulder Highway at trie end of May. He also owns Arizona Charlie's on the west side of the valley and the Stratosphere.

Icahn is known for his takeovers of financially distressed companies. Icahn picked up Arizona Charlie's East in a bankruptcy auction in January for $43 million and has since spent $10 million on improvements and equipment The property includes the casino, a 300-room hotel and an adjacent 224-space RV park. The property was formerly called Sunrise Suites and the hotel portion has been open since late 1998. Arizona Charlie's East is about one-third smaller than its sister property, and features 826 slots and 13 table games. A future expansion should use some of the RV park and will include bingo, a sports book and an expanded buffet, all popular player components at the other Arizona Charlie's.

Shuttle buses for Arizona Charlie's regular patrons will begin running from the new casino by the end of the month. Golf by the Bay The valley's newest golf course with a South Seas theme is under construction just south of Manda-lay Bay on the Strip. The Bali Hai 110-acre, 18-hole course began construction last summer with completion slated this October, followed by the clubhouse opening next January or February. The entire project is estimated at $32 million. More 'Splash' On June 21, the stage spectacular "Splash" at the Riviera will celebrate its fifteenth year anniversary.

Since the show's debut in 1 985, "Splash" has featured the 33 8 Don't Settle for second-rate accommodations! Famous Strip Resorts at the Lowest Direct Prices! The Stratosphere is set to open a midway attraction, which will be located at the base of its 1 ,1 49-foot tower. death-defying stunts of seemingly mad motorcyclists racing about ST steel sphere referred to as "The Globe of Death." The act is Tabak's Riders of the Thurn derdome." Originally the show's motorcy-" cle-stunt routine consisted of two' motorcycles inside an 18-foot di-: ameter ball of metal mesh. In the" late 1980s, a third bike was add-" ed, followed by the globe being split for the first time. While the -riders circle the upper two-thirds'" of the chamber, the lower one-third of the structure drops. The space between the top and bottom sections creates the potenM for the bikes to fly out of the steel structure.

Today, the routine is performed daily in "Splash" four motorcycles racing about in:" side the globe. Always pushing the envelope, Tabak and his team appeared two years ago on an NBC special, Defying Thrills," in which they performed their four-man, daredevil motorcycle stunts with Tabak's wife standing in the middle of the globe. Now, over July 4th weekend, the act will attempt five bikes within their 14' 3" globe. The -globe, the seventh for Tabak's team, is fashioned from four tons'1 of cold steel, machine-rolled and" then hand-assembled by the rid--ers themselves into a perfect sphere. The inner walls of metal mesh are polished to a flawless finish.

The bikes reach speeds as-high as 43 mph and pull several Gs. This newest daredevil attempt will take place during the 7:30 p.m. performance of "Splash" on July 2. It will be a covered show so children may attend. Tickets Please see SPLASH, Page T11 il.

Snliil mm jrrp ii, i A Ramingo The Strip 9. From PER ROOM PER NITE PLUS TAX AN INTIMATE GEM, ADJACENT TO CAESARS PALACE, BELLAGIO BALLY'S 1-888-BARBARY (227-2279) barfoarycoastcasino.com 13 I l1 West Tropicana Arville From PER ROOM PER NITE PLUS TAX INCLUDES 2 HURRICANES OR 2 FREE ADMISSIONS TO FAT TUESDAY POOL PARTY THRU SEPT. 5 1-800-OBLEANS (675-3267) orleanscasino.cbm mm. Instant reservations Instant confirmation 800 iYegas.com The lowest rates The best hotels Your best source "Absolutely the BEST Vegas website for hotel reservations! Clean and easy to use. Thank you!" A satisfied customer FREE SHUTTLE BETWEEN PROPERTIES Valid thra Sept 28.

Sunday ttw Tlwrsday. Single or double occupancy. Subjed to availability. mm- West Flamingo Valley View PER ROOM PER NrrE PLUS TAX INCLUDES A 2 FORI BREAKFAST BUFFET 1-833-G0COAST (402-6278) goldcoastcasino.com ENTERTAINMENT EFX Theatre EFX A $45 million theatrical extravaganza of music, dance, magic special effects starring nine-time "Tony Award" Winner Tommy Tune 7:30 St 10:30 pm Tuesday Saturday Hollywood Theatre Carrot Top June 6-13 Penn Teller -june 15-21 Carrot Top junt 22 July 5 Studio 54 Las Vegas' hottest nightclub Doors open (0.00 pm Tuesday Saturday Cabaret Theatre Laugh the Night Away with Rita Rudner June 14 -July 29 Grand Garden Arena Marc Anthony. June 16 Roger Waten -June 11 Blink 182 -June 24 Nickelodeon's AO That Music IMoreFest-JuJyl Britney Spean-AujusM Frozen Fury IV LA Kings vs.

Colorado Avalanche September 30 Pearl Jam -Odoter 22 Grand Adventures Theme Park Open daily sgr From if o. 1 itue RFSORF AN CASINO LAS VEGAS v. THERE'S NEVER BEEN I A BETTER TIME TO EXPLORE THE Escape from the ordinary and release yourself in a romantic getaway. Spend sun-filled days simply relaxing and fabulous evenings in exquisite restaurants. Enjoy an icy cold microbrew, an afternoon of shopping and the magic of Lance Burton.

UON HABITAT, UNWIND IN THE GRAND SPA AND IMMERSE YOURSELF IN EVERYTHING MGM GRAND HAS TO OFFER WORLD CLASS DINING, SUPERSTAR ENTERTAINMENT, WILD NIGHTUFE AND MORE. CELEBRATE SUMMER IN THE Cin OF ENTERTAINMENT, ONLY AT MGM GRAND LAS VEGAS. Ask about our special "July Rendezvous Package" starting July 4t 1-800-822-8652 for RESt pvahons. www.moniccarlo.com.