Santana considers Vegas address

Carlos Santana isn't even moved in yet -- he's still just house-hunting in Las Vegas -- but already proving a model citizen.

For the rest of Santana's Hard Rock Hotel run through Feb. 21, audience members will be encouraged to text $5 to the Andre Agassi Foundation (by texting "Kids" to 20222).

During November's run, the 62-year-old guitar great showed up at Three Square food bank to raise awareness of the effort there, and fans contributed $40,000 in food and donations at the Hard Rock shows.

Santana toured Agassi's charter school last week, continuing a friendship that began when he played Agassi's Grand Slam for Children benefit in 2002. During a session with reporters after the tour, the guitarist synonymous with San Francisco psychedelia said, "I love the opportunity to come to Las Vegas and I believe I want to buy a house over here."

Does that indicate a deeper commitment to his shows at the Hard Rock? John Meglen, president of the producing company AEG Live, was noncommittal. "I would say right now the plan with Carlos is continue," he said. "Carlos is doing fine right now, in this marketplace. I hope as the marketplace gets better, could it mean more shows for Carlos? Absolutely."

Asked if he'd been anywhere else off the beaten path of the tourist corridor, Santana said: "I have a reputation for never walking the red carpet. I always go through the kitchen. I see the invisible ones."

While he hasn't explored the city much, "poverty smells the same," he noted. The answer is to "get some serious hot water and ammonia, and clean it up." ...

The plot thickens for the future of the Harmon Theater/Krave nightclub, after two acres of adjoining county land recently sold for $25 million.

The theater at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, which hosts Amazing Johnathan and "Naughty Boys Hypnosis Show," filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

Usually, that's a beacon for bargain shoppers. But at least one producer who had a show there believes the building doesn't have enough of a future for a buyer to recoup; that it will be torn down whenever the lease reverts to the landowner.

If the Harmon is combined with the vacant two acres recently purchased by developer Brett Torino, there would be enough room to do something substantial on the site.

Russ Joyner, general manager of the Miracle Mile Shops, says "the options are as wide open as ever at this point." But the new landowner would be talking to Miracle Mile more than the current operator, he added, unless a short-term proposal specifically involved the theater.

"The opportunity for Krave is pretty much the here and now," Joyner said. "How do you maximize going forward without sinking in the kind of dollars that require a 10- or 20-year commitment? That's the challenge of the moment." ...

Tropicana President Tom McCartney says it's too early for specifics about the post-Wayne Newton future of the Tiffany Theatre. He confirms remodeling plans are in the works, but says published reports about other details were premature. "We don't even have the designs yet," he says.

McCartney spoke highly of Newton, but didn't sound as though the Vegas legend would be extended beyond the April end of his six-month contract. The remainder of his run gives the casino time "to work on the design of what the theater will look like" and make long-term plans for content. ...

This is the last weekend for afternoon shows by Society of Seven at the Gold Coast. Starting Feb. 19, the group cuts the 3:30 p.m. show but still performs at 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. ...

Finally, a weighty issue. Las Vegas seems the unlikeliest place for any connection to any diet plan. But with today's arrival of Jason Alexander doing his "Donny Clay" sendup at Planet Hollywood, the Strip now hosts dueling pitchpeople.

Nutrisystem's Marie Osmond is at the Flamingo (a connection she usually manages to mention at some point during the show), while Alexander is the recently anointed poster boy for Jenny Craig.

The "Seinfeld" co-star had shed the first 10 pounds when we spoke by telephone a couple of weeks back. However, he noted, "I had to warn (the Jenny Craig people) that Donny tends to pooh-pooh all diets and diet programs," he said of the character, a none-too-effective motivational speaker.

"I had to say, 'Don't take it personally.' "

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.