LAS VEGAS -- MGM Mirage officials recently released the first glimpse of what the new tower at Bellagio will look like.

The 925-room addition is under construction just south of the main tower and will feature a new spa, additional shopping and dining areas, and more convention space. It is scheduled to open in December of 2004.

The former owner of Bellagio, Steve Wynn, went on an art spending spree a couple of weeks ago, blowing more than $40 million on two paintings.

The developer of the upcoming Le Reve megaresort purchased "In the Roses" by Renoir and a self-portrait from Cezanne at an auction and has put them on display in the temporary Wynn Gallery space at the former Desert Inn. The new paintings will be part of the permanent art gallery display when Le Reve opens in 2005.

Speaking of Le Reve, all of us who are itching to see an artist's rendering of what Le Reve will look like will apparently have to wait a little longer. At a shareholder meeting for his company, Wynn told eager investors they would have to be patient and wait a little longer to see what the new masterpiece will be, since he didn't want to allow competitors a chance to copy what he called a revolutionary design.

Le Reve is currently under construction on the site of the former Desert Inn and appears to be progressing quickly, with the main hotel tower rising steadily upward above the Strip.

An Australian company announced plans last week to build a palatial new $75 million resort destination in the desert outside of Vegas, something that wouldn't normally be all that newsworthy considering the fact that $75 million is a drop in the bucket compared to most Vegas resorts. The twist? It's going to be a $75 million brothel.

Metropolis City is the name for the new house of ill repute that the company hopes to build near Pahrump, about 60 miles from Vegas. It will feature a nightclub, a strip club, a landing area for private planes, and a hotel separate from the 50 rooms slated to be used for ... well, you know.

As if that weren't newsworthy enough, the company has hired a so-called expert in the field to help them with the planning.

It's Heidi Fleiss, the former "Hollywood Madam" who spent a couple of years in jail on charges stemming from her celebrity-driven escort service, will act as a consultant and spokeswoman.

I'll let you make your own jokes here.

This Week's Trivia

Q: When the Clark County Airport was renamed McCarran Field in 1948, how many flights per day did it average, and how many per day does McCarran International average now? ANSWER

The Weekly Trivia Question is sponsored by the Online Memorabilia Museum at Vegas4Visitors.com

The Full Story

• Crowds, Cost Take Focus From Rio Buffet Food
• Four Queens Reminds Of Old Las Vegas
• Airport Web Site Can Prepare You For Arrival
• Other News: Bellagio Shows New Look, La Reve Doesn't
• Vegas Q&A: Which Hotels Offer Shuttles?
• Vegas Q&A: How Does Video Keno Work?

In Next Week's Column

Next week: The latest from Las Vegas.

Plus, don't forget to send me your questions about Las Vegas. I've got room for more, so send them in today!

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Rick Garman is the head writer for Vegas4Visitors

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