Illusionist Roy Horn remains in critical condition at a Las Vegas hospital more than a week after a 600-pound tiger mauled him during a performance of the "Siegfried & Roy" show at the Mirage. Doctors are staying mum about his progress, saying only that they are seeing encouraging signs and are optimistic the 59-year-old performer will survive. The chances of him making a full recovery, however, are slim, according to most reports.

The show has been permanently shuttered and all of the employees associated with the show have been dismissed. Mirage officials are not discussing what will replace the act, but fellow illusionist David Copperfield has been mentioned as a possibility in some local gossip columns.

The tiger responsible for the attack was kept in quarantine for a week to be examined for the possibility of rabies but was cleared and has been returned to the general population of the Siegfried & Roy Secret Garden facility behind the Mirage, although don't expect to see it wandering through the public viewing exhibits anytime soon. Siegfried Fischbacher has stated the animal will not be destroyed, suggesting it was merely trying to protect Horn when he fell onstage during the performance.

In other entertainment news, Caesars Palace has scheduled a big press conference this week to announce what is perhaps the worst-kept secret in Vegas history: Elton John is going to fill in for Celine Dion on her nights off. The rumored $57 million deal is expected to call for Elton to do 75 performances over two years in the 4,000-seat Colosseum showroom.

A different band of celebrities won't be performing, but they will be watched during the Celebrity Poker Showdown, a tournament to be played and filmed at the Palms for an upcoming television series on the Bravo cable network. Five one-hour episodes will each feature five movie, television and music heavyweights in winner-takes-all-for-charity Texas Hold'em games, leading to the five winners facing each other in a showdown episode at the end of the run. The series, to be broadcast in a couple of months, is being produced by "West Wing" star Joshua Malina and is expected to feature David Schwimmer, Martin Sheen, Don Cheadle, Tom Green, Coolio, Hank Azaria and Carrie Fisher, among others.

A new thrill ride got a thrill of its own last week as giant helicopters lifted the 18 tons of steel making up Project X-Sky to the top of the Stratosphere Tower. The new ride will propel thrill junkies in open cars (secured only by waist restraints) along a 69-foot-long track atop a giant teeter-totter at 30 mph. When they reach the end of the track, which hangs off the side of the 100-plus-story tower, the teeter-totter tips and the car plummets, giving riders the sensation of falling off the side of the building. The ride is expected to be operation by Halloween and will cost $8.

Just in case you need some, uh, encouragement to get on the thing, there will be a full-service bar located adjacent to the new ride. That's nice, but there's not enough alcohol in the world to get me to consider doing this, so don't expect a review anytime soon.

And finally, the concert event of 2004 has been announced for Jan. 2 and 3 at the MGM Grand -- Cher, with KC and the Sunshine Band and the Village People. No, you haven't been drinking at the X-Sky bar, that's the actual lineup for the New Year's weekend shows. Cher. KC and the Sunshine Band. The Village People. It's like a dream come true, isn't it? Tickets, ranging from $75 to $225, are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

This Week's Trivia

Q: What is the average age of a Las Vegas visitor? ANSWER

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

The Full Story

• Venetian Bumps Up Luxury In New Tower
• Low-Cost Boardwalk Still In Great Location
• Medici Offers Elegant, Traditional Brunch
• Other News: Roy Still Critical; Celebrity Poker
• Vegas Q&A: How Much Should I Take To Gamble?
• Vegas Q&A: Where Should We Stay For A Convention?

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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