Some details are emerging about the next Cirque du Soleil production, which will debut at the MGM Grand sometime in 2004. According to a story in the Las Vegas Review Journal, the show will feature an Asian theme and will contain a lot of Hong Kong-style martial arts action, not unlike the high-flying acrobatics seen in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" or the "Matrix" films. There is no word yet on a title or an exact debut date.

Speaking of Cirque, would you believe that the leading rumor on the Strip these days has the Mirage offering the former Siegfried and Roy theater up to the group for yet another show? If you add a Mirage show to the existing Cirque productions and the upcoming MGM Grand show, the Cirque-inspired Celine Dion show, and the 2005 debut of a Cirque-style show at Wynn Las Vegas, that would make no fewer than seven Cirque du Soleil shows within about 1.5 miles of one another. Can you say "saturation point"?

If you were hoping to win a big Megabucks jackpot, you're going to have to wait awhile. Las Vegas resident Jake Latulip, a 69-year-old retired Marine, won $19.6 million while playing the progressive jackpot machines at the Stardust last week. So the big payout is back down to only $7 million or so (but climbing rapidly). When asked what he would do with the money, Latulip replied, "Any damn thing I want." Atta boy.

The Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas and Le Cirque restaurant at Bellagio were both awarded with prestigious 5-Diamond Awards from travel service AAA. The Ritz joins repeat 5-Diamond honorees Bellagio and The Four Seasons in the hotel category, while Le Cirque was listed alongside Picasso (Bellagio) and Renoir (Mirage) in the dining category.

If you're taking advantage of the cheaper room rates during the traditionally slower time leading up to Christmas, you may want to take some time to soak in some holiday cheer over at Caesars Palace. On Dec. 1, the hotel will open its holiday decor spectacular, the centerpiece of which will be a faux 60-foot Rocky Mountain pine tree in front of the hotel draped with more than 200,000 twinkling lights. That's more than twice what's on that punk tree at Rockefeller Center. Of course, that one is real, so there's a bit of give and take going on here. Other numbers worth mentioning in the Caesars decorations: More than six dozen Christmas trees both inside and outside the property, 10 wreaths up to 12 feet in diameter, more than 1,300 feet of garland, and almost 1 mile of holiday lights. The display will stay up through Jan. 5, 2004.

This Week's Trivia

Q: What was the average nightly room rate for all hotel and motel rooms in Las Vegas in 2002? ANSWER

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

The Full Story

• New Technology Dominates Best Casnios
• Tips For Watching Vegas' New Year's Fireworks
• New Year's Entertainment Goes Beyond Fireworks
• How Much Cirque Is Too Much?
• Vegas Q&A: When Will The Monorail Open?
• Vegas Q&A: What's Laughlin Like?

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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