Celebrity Gossip From Las Vegas With Robin Leach | Luxe Life Digest

Casino creation here in Vegas usually follows a fantasmic formula these days: boom-boom the old, then build the new.But this is a tale akin to a dowdy duchess getting a makeover into a pretty (and in this case, perky) princess, with a slightly softer approach. The relatively intimate San Remo hotel, just off the Strip alongside the Tropicana -- and opposite the MGM Grand -- had lost its luster over the years. Now it's lost its name, and as the sign replacement this week dramatically announced, the former ugly duckling San Remo is becoming a swan known as ... HOOTERS!

Yes, the neon-orange signed chicken wing chain, the neon-orange packaged frozen food line, the neon-orange branded airline, the neon-orange logoed magazine--notorious for its bodacious busty beauties-- now adds another chapter to its hoot of a history with this debut in the Vegas casino business.

As the hanging of the Hooters signage made history, LuxeLife got an advance tour, with these exclusive photos, in advance of the gala grand opening over Superbowl weekend. Located just one block from the Strip, all 696 Florida-themed guest rooms have been Hooterized. And everywhere you turn in the casino, you will find the world-famous tight-T and orange short-shorted Hooters Girls.

"We had over 2500 applicants for the coveted final 250 Hooter girls [positions]," says senior veep Rich Langois, who confirms that virtually all visible dealers, waitresses, bar tenders, etc. would wear the trademark orange shorts. "Every one of them has to have the 'wow' factor. over the years as supermodels. They have become America's cheerleaders--some of them have gone onto the pages of Playboy--but really are the wholesome gal next door. We value them so much, we've given them their own cardiovascular workout area with treadmills and bikes. We always want them at the top of their game. They really are just 2nd to the president, they are that important."

TheHooters empire began in Clearwater, Florida back in 1983, and has grown to over 400 restaurants. Four of the six original partners, along with the previous San Remo owners, will control the new Vegas property. "The secret of our success," says Rich, "is great food served up in casual comfort by beautiful talented girls."

In all, nine restaurants (from fine to funky) dot the property. The world-famous chicken wings will be available at the main casino Hooters restaurant, which is connected to Porch Dogs, a Caribbean -themed indoor outdoor club with live entertainment around the clock. A dramatic tropical pool complete with waterfalls, palm trees and cabanas offers the Nippers Bar (no comment, folks) and the Bait Shoppe, featuring fresh sushi.Sports star Dan Marino will also be premiering the debut of his Fine Food and Spirits restaurant, and a retro lounge to be known as "13" Martini Bar -- after his famous Miami Dolphins uniform number. Now who says that's unlucky? The entire 30,000 sq. ft. casino floor has also of course been Hooters-themed, with state of the art slot and video poker machines, some with the Hooters logo branded on them too.

Rich says the new Hooters casino is aimed at the 30 to 50-year-old blue collar American. That explains the sports overload, with 125 plasma TV screens on the main floor -- no matter where you stand, it seems, you're in sight of at least one. Additional diverstions include 3 stages of 24-hour nonstop music (everything from DJs to dueling pianos--and a new twist, dueling guitars). The '13' club will feature a house band called Level 8, created from musicians recruited from bands all over America. "All the music all the time is dedicated right at our customer base, and we have no ticketed shows."

Everything from the old hotel has been Hooterized -- the only thing former San Remo guests might just recognize are two giant chandeliers hanging over the gaming tables. "We stripped everything downto the bare walls, says Rich, but the chandeliers "were so deliciously tacky and over-the-top Vegas, we just couldn't rip them out."

Opening weekend festivities take place Feb. 2-3, in advance of Superbowl weekend, and will feature a Saturday lunchtime pool party complete with pig roast and a celebrity blackjack tournament. 40 of the famous Hooter calendar models (including those in the 2006 edition) are also flying in for the fun -- the largest gathering ever of their pin-ups under one roof.

Harboring no illusions about Hooters' place in the world of Vegas, Rich emphasized, "We are squarely one generation ahead of the 21-30 group the Palms and Hard Rock attracts. We are not in competition with them..."

Maybe not, but you'll forgive ever-competitive George Maloof (who runs the rival Palms resort casino) for seeing things a bit differently. At least, that is, for SuperBowl weekend, when he's signed up the sexy bombshells of West Hollywood, CA's notorious Trashy Lingerie to delight and distract the debut denizens of George's new duplex high-roller gaming club The Mint, which will open right at the entrance to his new Fantasy Tower that weekend. Some 30 of the Trashy girls -- clad in the boutique's playfully perverse next-to-nothing undies -- are confirmed. You know I don't need very much of an excuse to bring you photos of sizzling sexy sirens, so here's a look at three favorites: Kristen Novak (left) has been dancing since she was 3 years old, and her perfect date includes a comedy show to make her laugh; Lauren McDonald (right) has spent the past year working in Los Angeles as a model, TV host and is now a spokesmodel for Trashy; and 21-year-old Anya Monzikova (below), a film student from Russia, studies the Chinese martial art of Wushu -- so be careful with her!

As for those other lovely ladies in town today, you might have seen 12 of the 52 Ms America contestants with Planet Hollywood chairman Robert Earl and David Siegel (President and CEO of Westgate Resorts) donning hard hats and gold shovels to break ground on a new 52 story luxury vacation ownership and condotower. The tower, alongside the existing Aladdin -- set to open as Planet Hollywood in December -- will have over 1000 one- to four-bedroom apartments, plus 28 luxury condos on the top four floors, ranging all the way up to a $4 million 10,000 sq.ft palace. As everyone should know, the Miss America pageant--the first from Las Vegas--will be broadcast live from the Aladdin this Saturday night (Jan. 20) on CMT...

Before I tell you anything else for the weekend, I want to invite you to tune in tomorrow morning (Fri. 1/19) at approx. 8:50 AM East Coast time (5:50 AM Pacific Standard) to Fox News, when I join Steve Doocey and Ed Hill on
'Fox & Friends.' We'll be chatting about Vegas, our America OnLine videos and daily Luxe Life Journal. I often pop up on Fox News with satellite reports from this entertainment capitol, but its a nice change to be on my favorite morning show live from the New York studios. Join us!

This weekend is so pleasure packed, we have so many entertainment choices, you hardly know where to turn to meet the stars. Tomorrow night, Victoria's Secret models Alessandra and Ana Beatrice -- who sent temperatures soaring on the recent lingerie fashion telecast -- will be hosting a special night at the new Jet nightclub in the Mirage. I think I'll wax nostalgic, though, and recommend a few old friends: in addition to Rich Little at the Suncoast, Peter Noone, my old buddy from England (right) who leads Hermans Hermits, and Randy Jones from the original Village People, will both be at the Silverton over the weekend. Go dance to the oldies and sing and wave along to 'YMCA!'

Here's the rest of Robin's rich and royal rundown: Ray Romano will set laughter loose at the Mirage tonight and tomorrow, Etta James will jazz the joint in The Orleans through Sunday and Tom Jones begins a panty-throwing swivel-hipped run at MGM tonight until February 1... BJ Thomas sings for his supper at the Boulder Station, as does Keith Sweat at Texas Station... And my longtime pal, talkshow host Regis Philbin brings his wife Joy to chat a little, dance a little, sing a little and laugh a little at the Golden Nugget. Don't be surprised if he shows up at Miss America. Coincidently, his former co-host Kathy Lee Gifford will be covering it for 'Entertainment Tonight'...

We'll be back tomorrow (Fri. Jan. 20) with a photo and fact-filled round up of the Miss America contestants' whirlwind week in Vegas, including inside info and all you need to know leading up to the pageant's first-ever broadcast from Sin City... Don't forget that by clicking the 'Alert Me' tab up top, you'll get pinged daily with every new posting. And reaching Robin is as easy as writing robinsvegas@aol.com .

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