LAS VEGAS -- A
$15,000 donation can buy your favorite entertainer a star on the
Strip.
Wayne Newton has
one. His three-foot-square slab of polished granite, a tribute from
his fan club, was placed in October in front of the New
Frontier.
Stars celebrating
the late entertainer Liberace and celebrity impersonator Frank
Marino -- hes Joan Rivers in An Evening at La Cage at the Riviera
Hotel and Casino -- were placed earlier this month along the Strip
in front of that property.
And the most
recent addition, placed in the walk in front of the Flamingo Las
Vegas on Feb. 15, honors impressionist Rich Little.
The Walk of
Stars, developed in cooperation with Clark County, was designed to
mark Las Vegas centennial by recognizing those who have made a
significant contribution to the city. The walk is expected to
extend from Sahara Avenue to Russell Avenue.
Candidates can
come from one of seven categories:
Show business:
Actors, producers, directors, playwrights, cinematographers,
musicians.
Literature:
Authors, playwrights, screenwriters.
Pioneers and
civic leaders: Early settlers, civic personalities.
Humanitarians.
Sports:
Athletes, coaches.
Military:
Congressional Medal of Honor recipients only.
The Las Vegas
International Film Festivals annual honoree.
For 100 years,
Las Vegas has been a premier entertainment venue for the worlds
most iconic and legendary performers, said Bob Alexander, president
of the nonprofit Las Vegas Walk of Stars and the Motion Picture
Hall of Fame Foundation. We consider it an honor to recognize these
fine performers and their contributions to the Las Vegas
legacy.
As many as 3,000
stars eventually could be placed, according to Alexander, who runs
a similar program in Palms Springs, Calif.
For the time
being, though, and in keeping with Las Vegas centennial theme, a
34-member nomination committee composed of celebrities, historians,
government officials and hotel representatives has come up with a
short list of honorees called 100 Stars for 100 Years.
Once the
nominations were made, Alexander said, the nominee, family members
and fan clubs were informed.
Many times, fan
clubs will pay the fees [for the star], or the celebrity himself or
a corporate sponsor [will], he said.
Sponsors will be
invited to participate in their honorees dedication ceremony,
receive a commemorative plaque and, possibly, meet their
honoree.
Devoted fans can
grant a career highlight to their favorite performer and be a part
of Las Vegas entertainment history, said Wallace Beinfeld,
co-producer of the Las Vegas Walk of Stars.
More information
about the program is available at www.lasvegaswalkofstars.com. Those interested in
becoming sponsors can call (702) 655-7827.
To contact
reporter Amy Baratta, send e-mail to [email protected].