Mirage to turn off Jet club next week
Jet nightclub at The Mirage is closing Tuesday after a 6½-year run to make way for a new name, a redesign and an eyebrow-raising management partnership.
After a month of silence about the rumored deal, The Light Group made it official on Tuesday, confirming a partnership arrangement with The Butter Group.
Jet will be renamed 1OAK Las Vegas and will reopen New Year's Eve under a partnership between current owner The Light Group and The Butter Group of New York City.
The Light Group, with 15 Las Vegas restaurants and nightlife destinations in its Las Vegas-centric portfolio, reportedly partnered with The Butter Group to make inroads in New York City.
The Toronto-based design firm Munge Leung will carry out the partnership's vision.
Prominent artist Roy Nachum has been commissioned to produce a life-sized oil painting for the interior layout.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
An announcement is expected today that "Jersey Boys" is moving from the Palazzo to Paris Las Vegas in January, the Review-Journal's Mike Weatherford reported in the Vegas Voice blog Wednesday. The move probably signals the departure of Barry Manilow, who is nearing the end of a two-year deal. ...
Former Miss USA 1995 Shanna Moakler will be leaving the Miss California USA organization to work with the Miss Nevada USA organization, according to TMZ.com. Moakler also has served as co-producer of the Miss USA organizations in New Hampshire and New York.
Chynna Phillips, introduced this week as one of this season's cast members on "Dancing With the Stars," shared a surprise Wednesday with morning show duo Melanie & Michael on KSNE-radio, FM 106.5. Phillips said she's never watched the show. Phillips, a member of the trio Wilson Phillips, will be paired with professional dancer Tony Dovolani. Phillips told the deejays she has no plans to "engage" animated judge Bruno Tonioli.
An estate sale is being held Saturday for Lenny Martin, a longtime entertainment director on the Las Vegas Strip and entertainment manager. Martin, whose given name was Leonard Massaro, died Aug. 3 at St. Rose Hospital. He was 80. Martin managed a number of major entertainers, including Tony Bennett. The estate sale will be held at 2219 Twin Falls Drive.
SIGHTINGS
At "Viva Elvis" (Aria at CityCenter) on Tuesday: actor/comedian Richard Belzer, one of Jerry Lewis' closest friends, and current world middleweight boxing champion Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez, in separate parties. Martinez wore blue suede shoes and chatted with two Spanish-speaking cast members. Actress Kelly Preston and her daughter Ella Bleu, shopping at Sugar Factory (Paris Resort) on Tuesday. Pro wrestler Hulk Hogan, greeted with applause and shoutouts when he entered "Mystere" (Treasure Island) on Tuesday with wife Jennifer.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Moammar Gadhafi had escape tunnels, gold plumbing fixtures and pictures of Condoleezza Rice. It's like I have a twin." -- David Letterman
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
