There are approximately 212 million registered vehicles on U.S. roads. Only about 18,000 of them are Ferraris.
So, if you are a casino developer looking for a unique tourist attraction with an aura of fabulousness, money and class, why not drop a Ferrari dealership in the lobby of your new hotel?
That is exactly what Steve Wynn and his top executives were thinking when they brought in automotive legend Roger Penske and his United Auto Group to open a Ferrari and Maserati dealership off the lobby of Wynn Resorts, the new $2 billion hotel scheduled to open in early 2005.
Visitors will be able to gawk at the world's most expensive cars -- a used 2002 Ferrari Enzo sells for $1.2 million -- and while they are on the property, maybe they can also eat lunch, do some other shopping or drop bucks into a slot machine.
And with ideas like that, it is easy to see why Wynn is a billionaire and VegasBeat is not.
"It is pretty simple -- everybody likes to look at a shiny red Ferrari," Wynn Resorts Chief Operating Officer Marc Schorr told VegasBeat.
Ten years ago, he said, casinos generated most of their revenue from gaming.
"Now, we're projecting 55 to 60 percent from nongaming," Schorr said.
Schorr emphasized that the dealership is to be a business first, and a tourist attraction second.
"But if it gets some more people inside, then so much the better," he said.
There will be at least six new vehicles on display at any one time.
Wynn is in Asia this week and not reachable.
Engaging
Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro have rented the penthouse suite at the Hard Rock Hotel this weekend and are having a joint bachelor/ bachelorette party Saturday night.
We hear that they plan to start the evening at one of the private events being held for the Palms' second anniversary celebration.
Going up
New Year's Eve: an excuse to raise ticket prices and justify it by offering a plastic glass of inexpensive champagne.
Cirque du Soleil, which recently announced it was upping ticket prices at its big three local shows -- "O," "Mystere" and "Zumanity," is charging even more for its New Year's Eve performances.
A ticket to "Mystere" -- plus the requisite bubbly and a souvenir program -- will go for $125 (up from the usual $95). Top "Zumanity" seats increase from $210 to $250 for a duo sofa and the bubbly.
"O" ducats rise $10, to $170 each. That includes a gift bag, but no bubbly.
Not to pick on Cirque -- venues all over town raise prices that night. For example, top tickets to Metallica's Dec. 31 show at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel cost $514, more than twice what they are going for at other tour stops.
Art starts
Two very different types of art shows are about to open.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Museum Association will be the benefactor of an art auction and exhibit Friday and Saturday at Art Encounter on Spring Mountain Road.
Items on display include restored vintage police cars and Clark County law enforcement memorabilia.
On Nov. 20 "Flowers in the Desert" opens. It is described as a 10th anniversary photographic celebration of Cirque du Soleil's "Mystere."
It features photos, including candid backstage images, taken by "Mystere" performers.
The show at the Arts Factory on East Charleston Boulevard remains up through Christmas.
Under a spell
Dr. Scott Lewis is picking up where Ray Brown and Little Anthony and the Imperials left off.
A chiropractor by day and hypnotist by night, Lewis is taking over the time slots recently vacated by Brown and Anthony at the Riviera's Le Bistro Theatre.
"We are going to make the Riv into Las Vegas' hypnosis zone," Lewis told VegasBeat. Starting the Friday after Thanksgiving, there will be seven nights of hypnosis at 10 p.m.
Lewis will perform Monday and Tuesday nights, Robert Allen takes the stage Wednesday and Thursday nights, Mark Yuzuik has Friday and Saturday nights and the S&M Hypnotist, Victoria Wayne, performs Sunday evenings.
Then, a regular exotic hypnotist show plays nightly at 11:30 p.m.
"Our motto is the world's best hypnotists at the world's best price," Lewis said. All the 10 p.m. shows will be $17.95. "We want to be like a top-shelf comedy club -- no matter what night you go, or who you see, you'll get a terrific show."
VegasBits
Rain out: Because of wet weather, Harrah's headliner Mac King canceled his attempt Wednesday at a record-setting game of telephone. The Guinness try will be rescheduled ...
Even: Charles Barkley recently won $800,000 on the felt tables at Mandalay Bay -- and lost it all the next evening, reports Ron Saccavino, who writes the industry sheet Dealer's News. Despite the loss, Barkley reportedly tipped a couple of dealers about $350 each ...
Uncaged: Las Vegas Zoo veterinarian Dr. Toby Goldman is scheduled to appear on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday. It airs locally at 7 a.m. on KTNV Channel 13 ...
Big day: Las Vegas native and ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel turns 36 today ...
Art start: The Gody-Clearly Gallery has opened at Mandalay Place, the commercial bridge between Mandalay Bay and Luxor. The first show in the sleek new space includes lithos by famed California pop artist Ed Ruscha. Also on view: cappuccino cups designed by Jeff Koons and formal table settings from Cindy Sherman ...
Power: In Business Las Vegas reveals its "Most Influential Men in Southern Nevada Business" at an event Wednesday at Nieman Marcus' Mariposa restaurant ...
Call me: VegasBeat is back for its weekly radio call-in bit with "Las Vegas Today" host Andy Vierra on KNUU 970 AM (K-NEWS) today at 4 p.m. Call the studio line at (702) 735-6397 and we'll dish. It is also available online at Knews970.com. Also, we're back with Tom Kelly on LITE FM, KMZQ 100.5-FM on Friday at 7:30 a.m.
From Sun wires
The one-time military disc jockey made famous by the movie "Good Morning, Vietnam" has now become a Supreme Court lawyer.
Adrian Cronauer, 65, was sworn in Wednesday to the Supreme Court Bar. He had been played by Robin Williams in the 1987 movie based on his stint as an Armed Forces Radio disc jockey in Vietnam. The former communications lawyer handles prisoner-of-war issues for the Pentagon.
Love pleads: Courtney Love pleaded innocent Wednesday to two felony drug counts after ridiculing the charges in a rambling monologue to reporters before the court appearance in Beverly Hills, Calif. The complaint against the 39-year-old singer-actress said she illegally possessed two painkillers when she was treated at a hospital for an Oct. 2 overdose.
Limbaugh to return: Rush Limbaugh will return to his radio talk show Monday after completing a five-week treatment program for his addiction to painkillers, his brother said Wednesday. David Limbaugh made the announcement to Internet personality Matt Drudge, who was sitting in Wednesday for the conservative commentator.
Limbaugh left the air Oct. 10 after acknowledging that he had been abusing prescription painkillers.
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