The Daily Herald from Provo, Utah • 65

Prime Time G5 Hill rm pi Garden G3 ShWFJ 1 1' 1 4 i Opinions G10 Ll (SOI CfiLi VJ 1 The Daily Herald i Sunday, November 19, 1995 KJf VHhliOa. fcSS WJB ri mmz Ka? Wte lira LS 1MB Wr ni 'J fc 7 --j 'ni'i'nni nwinjmMmu'r 1 1, iiim minim iinminni ii II i.zt I fell vtlt4v IIS v-'s Q- I i 1M- rrminiB rniwii i i i wmi irMtiMiiwii.iinii fni rur imian mnmwwimii.il i i Mini ifc.mnMMwiiiiun.iwi m. iui jwmihw jwuif irw-tewi'ytuii wv vfn mt 'mm Photos Courtesy Middleton Gendrow, Ina I --ll A iorna LL .1 is. III II 111 si By LARA M. BANGERTER The Daily Herald There's a new casinoresortspa in the area and it's not too terribly far from Utah Valley.

It's called Player's Island in 'Mesquite, Nevada and offers the 'latest in the world of gambling, entertainment and relaxation. With more than 1,000 palm trees, a giant fountain and the resort's castle-like, pink exterior, guests have no trouble' forgetting their vacation destination is really in the middle of the desert. The minute guests arrive, they are greeted by valets, dressed in safari hats and fatigue. Inside, the bells and tinkling coins from slot machines, the cool "of the air conditioner and the jingle of the change makers makes one's heart beat a little faster even if you're not a gambler. Excitement is in the air.

And it can be seen. Unlike many casinos, the lights are dim, not out. The island theme outside continues inside with palms scattered throughout, the resort and on the carpet. Friendly island personnel seem to be everywhere, eager to "offer After quickly checking in and settling into your room decorated with the bright, cheerful colors and feel of island life visitors face a decision of what to do next. WHAT TO DO The most obvious would be to hit some of the 850 slot machines, 29 table games, sports book, $100,000 keno or live poker games going And if have hundreds of dollars to wager, don't worry, there are plenty of nickel slots.

For those who would like to play a table game, but don't have the skill, find a friendly-looking dealer and he or she will usually help. That's not something a beginner can always find elsewhere. For the high-roller, pick your game and Player's Island is ready to roll. Or maybe head for the huge lagoon swimming pool with a giant waterfall and water slide. After the five-and-a-half hour drive to Mesquite from the Utah Valley, especially in the heat of the summer, nothing sounds or feels better.

The temperature averages around 85 degrees year round in Mesquite. There is also an abundance of poolside waitresses in short skirts to provide a satisfying drink to any dry taste bud. This month, the resort also plans to finish three lighted tennis courts and in 1996 an 18-hole champion golf course. But for those who truly want to pamper themselves and have a good sized wallet to do so make an appointment with the resort's (See RESORT, Page G3) f'l'Y 'V as f.t: I rw-. i.

jL A tKjg IT mk- rirf ii Travelers hit worst by closure By MIKE SHOUP Knight-Ridder Newspapers Perhaps you noticed, or heard from a friend, that the tour operator Singleworld abruptly closed in mid- August. Singleworld, which billed itself as the world's largest operator of cruises and tours for single people, had been in business for 38 years. Here was a company that everybody thought reliable including the many thou-s sands of travel agents who sold Singleworld trips and accepted Singleworld commissions and it's gone in the night. The toll-free num-; ber used by consumers was abruptly disconnected. And the regular phone number in Rye, N.Y., has a simple mes-' sage on it: "Due to extremely unfa-J vorable market conditions, Singleworld Cruises and Tours has suspended opera-; tions until further notice.

Singleworld is in the process of notifying the cruise lines, ground operators and travel agencies. Singleworld will be in contact with those who have bookings. End of mes-; sage." I'm sorry, but I can't work up quite as much sympathy for Singleworld as I can for the people who paid for their trips and are now waiting to see if they are going to get their money back. (In most similar cases, they have not.) And there's the rub. It's not just Singleworld.

In the last decade, it's estimated that more than 1 00 tour operators and wholesalers in the United States have closed or gone bankrupt, at least half of them major companies. And individual travelers have lost their vacation money, or, in more than a few cases, been stranded abroad. The most notorious cases involve high school or college-student groups, or church organizations, that spend months saving for a trip, then turn it over to a tour operator, who promptly disappears with the money. Most of these companies sold their product through retail travel agents and paid the travel agents a commission generally 10 percent. The travel agents, however, rarely, if ever, have any idea "of the financial security or insecurity of the tour operator they're selling.

And there's another rub, because the logical question then becomes: How can you 'sell a product when you don't know you can trust it? For most travel agents, the answer, in the face of this proliferation of failures among wholesalers, has been to protect themselves from lawsuits by warning their customers in advance that bankruptcies are ever a pos- sibility. Some agents also get their clients to sign a waiver that acknowledges this fact or no surprise they sell customers trip-cancellation insurance, which can return profits as high as 40 percent to the agent. Evidently, at least in more enlightened circles, these business practices haven't been quite satisfactory for consumers, however. In the absence of uniform federal regulations, more than a dozen states now have laws on the books or pending that regulate the way retail travel agents do business, and at least a dozen others have proposed legislation bouncing around committees in state capitals. Why would travel agents support legislation that not on'y regulates them, but also forces them to cough up money for a consumer-restitution fund? Part of the answer is that it was the best deal they could cut under the with a progressive state attorney general's office that was fed up (See CLOSURE, Page G3) Top, Island Fever, the flashy show presented daily at Players Island Resort Casino Spa in Mesquite, Nevada, is billed as both "torrid" and "one of the few Las Vegas-area productions suitable for the entire family." Above, the island-style resort is surrounded by ponds and waterfalls and rises above the Nevada desert.

The resort is particularly dazzling at night when lights illuminate its' vivid pink exterior. Left, Merv Griffin, the company's major shareholder and celebrity spokesperson, takes time out for his granddaughter at the resort's grand opening this past summer. By ANN B. NIENDORF Daily Herald Arts Editor Island Fever, the flashy show presented daily at Players Island, is billed as both "torrid" jmd "one of the few Las Vegas-area productions suitable for the entire family." Torrid definitely applies to the show G-strings are the dance wear of choice for. much of the evening.

Suitable for the family? Maybe by Las Vegas standards, where G-strings are considerably more modest than the lack of attire in toplessnude shows. Everyone keeps their clothes on in Island Fever, if G-strings can be considered clothing. The show features a variety of dancing and singing with an island theme. The dancers are superb; no one. misses a step.

According to a press release, the show requires 5,000 feet of ruffles (See SHOW, Page G3) Championship course under way dining in four on-property restaurants and viewing nightly shows. Players Island Resort Casino Spa has been developed by Players International, a developer and operator of gaming and entertainment facilities in niche markets. Merv Griffin is the company's major shareholder and spokesperson. The resort is located on 42 acres (See GOLF, Page G3) Mi Wii-nnw 4 5l 4 MESQUITE, Nev. The brand new, 500-room Players Island Resort Casino Spa, located just one hour north of Las Vegas, began construction of its 18-hole championship golf course on November 1 The new facility, which is scheduled to open in Fall 1996, is being designed by California golf course architect Cal Olson at a cost of $8.5 million.

The 7,011 -yard, par 72 Players Island Golf Course will blend with the indigenous desert environment and the historic Virgin River. Golf Course Superintendent Riley L. Stottern is overseeing the construction with Players International's vice president of golf operations, Duke Rohlffs, and land planner and civil engineer Bob Haa-land. "Cal Olson brings more than 25 rmmisum jmmn rnmu Jim am mtvm Ifc WE 1 'ft I'M Kf u-' years of experience in civil engineering, golf and landscape architecture and water management to the Players Island course. He will be an asset to this facility, ensuring a design that's sensitive to Mesquite's challenging environmental and geographical conditions," said Duke Rohlffs.

"The new golf course will follow the natural contours of the land to the fullest extent ensuring a layout that's user-friendly, yet challenging." Located at Players Island, adjacent to Interstate 15 and the Virgin River, the golf course will compliment the resort's other recreational amenities which include a full-service desert spa, a casino, lagoon swimming pool with waterslide, three tennis courts and sand volleyball. Golfers will have a choice of TV 1 2 a 1 if fl if -v -I Visitors can escape the desert heat in the resort's huge lagoon swimming pool that features a giant waterfall and a water slide. Or they can just relax poolside as friendly waitresses bring refreshing drinks. the sky on the domed ceiilng of the lounge slowly changes from sunrise to sunset and bock again. Inside the resort, the Cescodos Lounga offers a place to relax.

Live bands and singers perform as.