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Nov. 17, 2009
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DOUG ELFMAN: Diddy Casino? Maybe someday

DOUG ELFMAN
MORE COLUMNS

Sean "Diddy" Combs

Celebrities like to do business in Vegas. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has thought about opening a strip club here. Eva Longoria Parker becomes the latest famous restaurateur when her CityCenter eatery opens. But Sean "Diddy" Combs is thinking bigger.

I asked him if he'd like to start any businesses in Vegas.

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    • "I would love to own a casino one day," but it'll have to wait, he told me Saturday over burger sliders at club Risqué (Paris Las Vegas). At the moment, he says, "I don't want to get my plate too full."

    Also on his plate lately: He's lent guidance for Joaquin Phoenix's debut rap album.

    "Yeah, I helped him out" with one song. "I gave him advice on the whole album. It's good."

    He didn't elaborate on the goodness.

    Off his plate lately: politics.

    "I was so politicked out," says Diddy, an outspoken Barack Obama fan who famously led MTV's "Vote or Die" campaign.

    But since we're talking politics: "I want our troops to come home. It's time for us to start rebuilding America and focusing on home.

    "They're dying. That's so hard to stomach: that somebody's losing their child or husband or brother, and we don't even really know why."

    Diddy was in town for more than burgers. He came to watch Manny Pacquiao deliver a welterweight TKO to Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand.

    But he's such a serious entrepreneur, he spent weekend downtime at alcohol stops, promoting Ciroc vodka, a grape-based brand, because he's a 50-50 partner in it.

    Diddy says he didn't attach his name to Ciroc to cash in. He threw himself into the development process, investigating flavors in a lab for a year and a half.

    "I used to always get excited when I saw Absolut Raspberri or Stoli -- and then it just tasted like cough syrup!

    "We went in and I said, 'Whatever we do, this cannot taste like cough syrup. Coconut has to taste like coconut.' I compared it to Malibu Rum."

    Diddy has his fingers in so many pies -- music, acting, clothes, perfume and now the alcohol industry -- some bad things have slipped under his business-minded radar.

    Half a decade ago, labor groups said Honduran factories making some of his Sean John clothes were treating workers poorly. Diddy responded by upgrading the factory and letting an American-style union start there. A union overseer then said Diddy had instituted unparalleled pro-labor rules in his shop.

    "Nothing is perfect in life. You gotta be accountable for things," he says when I ask about the labor ordeal.

    "One of the secrets of my success is I never count the money. I do the best I can, and the money will follow.

    "At the end of the day, I like making money. But if that's why I was doing it, I wouldn't be able to do it longer than everybody else. I love what I do."

    ROCK WEDDING

    SlipKnot singer Corey Taylor married Stephanie Luby on Friday at The Pearl in front of 350 family and friends. The minister: formerly of the Cult, Billy Morrison, now of Camp Freddy. Performers: Dave Navarro and Mark McGrath. Entry song: Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls."

    FREE CLUBBING: CITYCENTER EFFECT?

    In December (except Dec. 31), N9NE Group will let locals in free at Palms' clubs Rain, Moon, ghostbar and the Playboy Club.

    December is a pretty slow month in Vegas. The opening of CityCenter will further hurt business around town. So, if you run a non-CityCenter club, restaurant, attraction or anything else, will you also be offering free admissions, or cheaper food and drinks?

    ALL HOLLY, ALL THE TIME

    Holly Madison and a Lucille Ball impersonator will do the traditional grape stomping at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Ah Sin patio (Paris Las Vegas) to kick off the Beaujolais Nouveau wine celebration for the rest of the week at Paris.

    Doug Elfman's column appears Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. E-mail him at delfman@reviewjournal.com. He blogs at reviewjournal.com/elfman.

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    ENOUGH ALREADY HOLLY HO wrote on December 06, 2009 07:44 AM: The chick is 30 years old. She isn't a youngster anymore. When does Holly become a lady and stop acting like a 20 year old Ho.

    Can't this bimbo find a dress that will hold her fake breast in them. She is looking so trashy. Doesn't she have anything else to offer?

    SHAME!!!!


    Old Joe Kennedy wrote on November 19, 2009 06:47 AM: "I would love to own a casino one day, but it'll have to wait...I don't want to get my plate too full." Gee, me too.
    But go ahead, Sean baby. The poster below is right. It would be hilarious to watch.
    It'll be like Jethro's hillbilly casino. He got laughed out of LV, almost pulled it off in Reno but now he can't even get it done in Douglas County.


    It is a shame wrote on November 17, 2009 05:48 PM: I am fascinated by the whole thing how Holly is becoming a role model. Why would anyone choose to go to college, study hard, work hard when so many women like Madison, and countless other reality stars and porn stars are making millions by screwing their way to riches instead of working their way there.


    sherp wrote on November 17, 2009 04:10 PM: Puffy Coombs is an extremely successful businessman. Has made multi millions and a successful singer and designer. He is great and would love for him to help this town out.


    vegasmark wrote on November 17, 2009 01:53 PM: unsubscribe


    Jimi Mac wrote on November 17, 2009 10:40 AM: First off, "Donkey mouth", or Diddy, is a joke. Casino will never happen. Eva, the tasteless hispanic, will lose her money at city cancer. Holly Madison, your talent is amazing! Stomping grapes? Why not refer back to your oral talent?


    Diddy? wrote on November 17, 2009 10:17 AM: You really think that someone who calls himself Diddy could operate a successful casino?
    Diddy.
    I did diddy this morning in my toilet.


    They gotta be joking wrote on November 17, 2009 08:48 AM: I definately want to see that GCB hearing where Diddy tries to get licensed. That would be hilarious.


    Thomas wrote on November 17, 2009 07:32 AM: "They're dying. That's so hard to stomach: that somebody's losing their child or husband or brother, and we don't even really know why."

    Because if not the Taliban will take over Afghanistan, rebuild and attack America again. Obviously we would rather fight on their soil...not ours.

    But his vote campaign was "Vote or Die".
    I hate when celebs make comments like this and the journalists don't ask any tough follow up questions.


    serious wrote on November 17, 2009 07:29 AM: I cannot believe you would waste the print space to comment about a "Diddy Casino"...are you serious? What about the Gaming Control Board and Diddy's background checks. That's the real story. Big of the Palms, in the face of competition to offer the locals something free...