Daily Archives: June 11, 2009

Previously Jailed Celebrity Impersonator Trina-Johnson Finn Returns to Las Vegas Home

Las Vegas celebrity impersonator Trina Johnson-Finn arrived back at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening, reunited with her husband and realtor, Raymond Finn, and a throng of well-wishers and fellow Las Vegas celebrity tribute artists that were shouting, waving and offering up balloons and flowers, including Willie Nelson (Roy Hammock), Jimi Hendrix (Jimi Taylor), Elvis (Greg Miller), Celine Dion (Elisa Furr), and Liza Minnelli (Suzanne Goulet).  

The former backup singer for Barbara Streisand and MC Hammer was finally back, united among friends and family, 15 pounds lighter after being jailed for more than 100 days in the South American nation of Suriname, surviving on a diet of mostly rice and fish. She was recently acquitted of all charges as reported by Las Vegas Backstage Access

She was accused of fraud after a South American promoter tried passing her off as the real deal Toni Braxton. She was told she was going to lip-sync five Braxton songs at a birthday party, but instead the “party” turned out to be a full-blown concert with hundreds of people paying more than $50 a ticket.  The crowd ultimately got the ruse, became unruly, verbally abusing and pelting her with bottles before she was arrested. 

“The first thing I’m going to do is sleep.  And maybe have a cocktail,” Finn said upon her return.

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Las Vegas Takes One Step Closer to Hollywood, Planning Video Manufacturing Plant

Before you get the impression that Las Vegas businesses are closing down and moving out enmasse because of our sour economy, please reconsider.  Apparently, some businesses considering a move to Las Vegas are not giving up JimJannard2on the desert ship just yet.  Case in point is Red Digital Cinema, the manufacturer of the highly touted, leading cutting edge technology red camera, whose high-tech movie production equipment has been used to shoot “Angels and Demons” and many other movies.

Red Digital founder and CEO Jim Jannard has been talking to the Clark County Commission and apparently they are all ears about his plan to manufacture his cameras at an 80-acre site in the far southwest valley of Las Vegas, and to build aJimJannard sound studio there as well, along with homes for himself and others like him who work in the movie industry.   In fact, the commission has already recently voted approval of some zoning changes for the project, clearing the initial building hurdle. 

The Nevada Development Authority, which works to attract businesses to Southern Nevada, helped Jannard to find the 80 acres and is assisting Red Digital Cinema in completing the paperwork required by local governments. 

A member of Red Digital Cinema’s board of directors told the commission a week ago that the business complex, when completed, will employ from 1,000 to 2,000 people. 

Those words are more than mere hope and boastful bravado.  Jannard  has a long history of success.  In 1975 he found Oakley Inc., the company famous for its sunglasses and eyewear.  Forbes magazine last year estimated Jannard has about $3 billon in assets.

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Fountainebleau Mixed-Use Project Goes Belly Up in Las Vegas

Ending weeks of speculation, the Fountainbleau project in Las Vegas and two of its affiliates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Florida on Tuesday.  

The $3.1 billion mixed-use project that’s 70 percent complete, owned by Miami-based Fountainbleau Resorts, listed more than $1 billion in assets against more then $1 billion in estimated liabilities. 

The filing noted that the developer has between 1,000 and 5,000 creditors. 

Fountainbleau Las Vegas was designed as a 3,815 room hotel-condo-casino project with a large retail center, restaurants, spa and other amenities.

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